Does 161st election prompt worry for GOP?

Also, Kane must go; thoughts on GOP presidential debate By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times It’s still August, and as much as we want to cling to our icy-cold beverages, sun screen and the amazing scent of meat grilling in the back yard, like a storm front, politics, both local and national keep pulling us forward into the fall political season. We’ll dig into the Kathleen Kane issue, the Republican...

House Bill 809 would further cut local control

Bill would let state make housing, zoning choices instead of local communities By Nathaniel Smith, Columnist, The Times Along with about 50 other people, I attended a hearing at West Chester Borough Hall on July 20 about House Bill 809 proposed to the PA House of Representatives. On the positive side, we have a democratic process that allows citizens to find out what our legislators are doing and to...

Letter: Longwood chief backs dedicated funding efforts

To The Editor, Longwood Fire Company has been seeking dedicated funding from governmental entities for many years. I was encouraged to see four companies in our region form a funding coalition to reach that goal and have offered them my support. The Berwyn, Paoli, Radnor and Malvern fire companies formed the T-E Fire Companies Funding Coalition. They are combining efforts to reach out to residents...

Forget the fact-finding; its time to go to court

Teachers, district pitted needlessly by state’s negligence (or worse) By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Earlier this month, word got out that both the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and its teachers’ union, the Unionville-Chadds Ford Education Association, both will seek fact finding on their ongoing, and apparently stalled contract negotiations. Maybe its spending a week in the wilds...

Op/Ed: Fictionalizing history

By Bruce Mowday Bruce Mowday The history Americans know, or think they know, is increasingly coming from polluted sources. Last week I was in Gettysburg digging into original historical documents at the Adams County Historical Society and Gettysburg National Military Park for information on my next book, J. Howard Wert’s Gettysburg. I had several interesting conversations with curators and historians...

What to do: Hometown fun, fireworks & festivals

  By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times   The Philadelphia Museum of Art sets the backdrop for the annual Welcome America fireworks display. Independence Day has arrived and that means it is time for two of Chester County’s longest-running and most popular Fourth of July events — Downingtown Good Neighbor Day (Kerr Park, Downingtown, 610-285-1119, www.goodneighborday.com) and Freedom...

On Stage: Rock, indie-pop, bluegrass & more this week

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times   Two major factors a band needs to achieve success and longevity are the ability to write good songs and the maintenance of a high level of friendship among band members.     Lloyd Cole Three bands who will be performing in the area, over the next week, have met this criteria along with solo artist, Lloyd Cole, who went back to old friends and...

A time for joy and a time for justice

Same-sex marriage ruling makes America and Chester County a fairer, better place to live By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times SAN FRANCISCO — On this cool, cloudy Sunday morning, this may well be the happiest place on earth, Disney notwithstanding. Today’s Pride Parade, here, looks to be little short of a city-wide explosion of celebration of Friday’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that same-sex...

Supreme Court ruling means rights for all

Same sex marriage ruling affirms individual rights when legislative action is stalled By Nathaniel Smith, Columnist, The Times It is well worth downloading the full Obergefell v. Hodges decision at http://www.supremecourt.gov/.  The pdf is rather exciting reading.  As taxpayers we paid for it, so let’s read it for free! The 5-4 ruling on both questions before the Court (which it could have...

One man stands between the people and medical marijuana

Our dysfunctional legislature hits new highs for foolishness By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Greetings from one of the last Internet outposts not hacked by the Chinese (we don’t rate) or calling from (allegedly) Microsoft Technical Support to assist you with your computer issues once you give us your password, credit card number and home address information. In comparison, the recent shenanigans...