County conventions leave May questions

Few primary battles were settled at either county convention By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times There was a little high drama at the two county party conventions, and in many ways the status quo was largely maintained. There were just a handful of endorsement battles at the meetings — and maybe only one vote there changes the landscape for May. We’ll  get to the Democratic endorsements, which amount...

Hope for revitalization may finally bear fruit

Community Benefit Agreements could be a win-win for developers, Coatesville By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times COATESVILLE — For nearly two decades, revitalization has been the ongoing refrain in the city. With a handful of notable exceptions, it is the failure of that effort — especially as similar efforts in West Chester, Phoenixville and Kennett Square have taken root — that has left some in...

Op/Ed: County has strongly supported Coatesville

Terence Farrell By Terence Farrell, Chester County Commissioner I was intrigued by the reported remarks of Senator Andrew Dinniman at the recent Coatesville City Council meeting, stating that he has “…seen what the county has done to the city…” and that he’s going to change that. The Senator’s remarks were made as he and City Council members, along with representatives of faith-based organizations...

Op/Ed: CVS creates public health game-changer

 By Harold P. Wimmer, American Lung Association Harold P. Wimmer For the past 30 years, I’ve fought for lung health with the American Lung Association. Our organization has been a leader in the battle against tobacco, which is the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the U.S. Over the years, this battle has experienced dramatic highs and disappointing lows.  CVS Caremark’s...

Op/Ed: Commissioners praise county workers for storm efforts

By Ryan Costello, Kathi Cozzone, & Terence Farrell, Chester County Commissioners Chester County Commissioners (from left) Kathi Cozzone, Terence Farrell and Ryan Costello. Chester County’s winter weather certainly qualified as an extreme emergency this year. Residents endured multiple huge snow storms and devastating ice storms that made county roads dangerous. Schools and businesses were closed...

Plot thickens in 6th District race

Can populism change the math in the 16th District race? By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times The race for the Sixth Congressional District got more interesting this week on a couple of fronts. First, Manan Trivedi, who ran unsuccessfully against Jim Gerlach in 2010 and 2012, announced he would run again. Then, Mike Parrish, the other Democrat in the race, got the endorsement of U.S. Rep. (and Philly political...

Ice storm aftermath: the good, the bad and the unacceptable

Chester County Emergency Services stands out for praise, PECO gets hit on many fronts By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times For most of us, the worst is over. As of Monday morning, just about 10,000 Chester County homes and businesses were still without power, according to PECO, down from about 200,000 Wednesday — while others wait for restoration of phone and Internet service from Verizon and Comcast. Schools...

Op/Ed: New citizens embrace the spirit of United States citizenship

By Terence Farrell, Chester County Commissioner Terence Farrell, Chester County Commissioner with U. S. District Court Judge Juan Sanchez, a former Chester County Court of Common Pleas judge. The Chester County Commissioners’ meetings always begin with the Pledge of Allegiance. The pledge was composed in 1892 by Francis Bellamy and adopted by Congress in 1942, the dark days of World War II. We take...

A rush to bipartisanism amidst a few intra-party battles

Is getting along to get ahead back in fashion? By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Let’s face it, bipartisanism is the new black. If you listened to a lot of political types in Chester County this past week, candidates and elected officials across the political spectrum were working to show their ability to make nice with the other side. But roiling below the surface are a handful of intra-party battles...

Op/Ed: Protecting patients from one-size-fits-all healthcare

By Mian A. Jan, M.D. Mian A. Jan As a board certified cardiologist and a practicing physician for over 25 years in Chester County with a diverse group of patients from a variety of different backgrounds, I believe no two patients are the same. I strive to give the very best care depending on the patient’s specific case. I apply a one-on-one relationship model to the treatment and care of all my patients. It...