Letter: Democrats can’t and won’t support Lewis

To The Editor, I am writing this letter because I believe Josh Maxwell will serve our community best as our next State Representative in the 74th State House District, and his opponent, candidate Harry Lewis, is a good man and a good person who is on the wrong side of history. I say this because I have known Harry all of his life. We grew up together in Carver Court, and along with many others, we...

Letter: Barrar ‘forgot’ to mention his Tea Party award

To The Editor: Stephen Barrar, PA Representative, House District 160 (parts of Delaware and Chester Counties) sent out a campaign mailer this week which touted his many awards.  There was one very significant award he received late last year which was not mentioned in that mailer. An extremely conservative Tea Party group presented Representative Barrar with their “2013 Legislator of the Year”...

Are we ‘prepping’ our kids for too much stress?

A few thoughts on navigating today’s increased anxiety-filled world By Kim Chiomento, Staff Writer, The Times As a teen in the 1980’s, the terms “prep, prepper, and preppy” evoke strong memories of a serious fashion statement: Tretorn tennis shoes, gravity-defying, up-turned collars, going sockless and the syrupy scent of Ralph Lauren’s Lauren perfume.  The above was often tied together...

Op/Ed: VISTA 2025 offer balance of growth and preservation

By Molly Morrison, President, Natural Lands Trust Molly Morrison It may be surprising that preservation features so prominently in reports about Chester County’s new economic development plan. The need to balance economic growth and preservation is, however, the innovative and insightful organizing principal of VISTA 2025, the County’s new Economic Development Strategy. The plan, prepared with...

Could attacks on Pileggi doom Pa. GOP?

If Republicans move right, will they lose moderates — and control? By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Is state Sen. Dominic Pileggi in danger of becoming a former Senate Majority leader? If you ask a couple of his fellow Republican senators, who have both issued scathing letters condemning the senator, yes. But Pileggi, who represents a large swath of southern Chester County, seems ready to seek another...

Letter: Let independents vote in primaries

To The Editor, The legislature should amend Pennsylvania law to permit all registered voters the ability to vote in our Primary elections.  This way individuals who are registered as a member of any party would have an early say in who will represent them and their needs in government. Changing current law may be the way to free ourselves from the iron fisted partisan politics that have caused...

Move of 157th precinct violates due process

To The Editor, Last week, the Republican appointees of the Chester County Elections Board unilaterally decided to relocate Precinct 477 (Phoenixville West 1) from the 157th to the 155th PA HOUSE District. This act is a violation of the due process rights and the right to vote for elected officials by the citizens of the 157th. This action, four weeks before the general election, is unprecedented and...

The silliest of silly seasons cranks up

Playing the Walker ‘blame game’ and hijinks in the Sixth race By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times It’s just one month until election day and the gloves have come off, from dueling ads (of questionable veracity at times), protests, endorsements, temper tantrums and worst of all: the lawyers have been unleashed. So, in other words, it’s a pretty typical October, when politics goes from...

Risk, reward in running Ross in the 158th

Let’s just say the race got a lot more complicated By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times So Cuyler Walker is out, and it appears that Chris Ross is in. Let us set aside the circumstances for moment, as complicated and messy as they are, and look at the situation in the 158th District from a purely political standpoint. Obviously, assuming that Ross is the choice Sunday night — and every single...

A time to go slow and take care

Rumors are just that, and no one benefits from rushing to judgment By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times This has been one of the tougher weeks in recent memory in Unionville — with questions, rumors, speculation, assumptions and just flat-out bewilderment across the community. What we know in the wake of Cuyler Walker’s sudden departure from the State Representative race Monday amounts to whole lot...