GOP continues to whine when they can’t rig the vote
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
If you can’t win fairly, then rig the game.
This is pretty much the new motto of the Pennsylvania Republican Party.
Whiny over new legislative redistricting maps that only give them a slight advantage, the GOP in the legislature is trying to use a constitutional amendment to make sure they can fix the game again.
They’re trying, again, to do the...
Op/Ed: The time for gun safety reform is now
By Tim Kearney, State Sen., 26th District
Tim Kearney
This area is riling. Our country is in crisis. The culprit. Gun Violence.
Far too many lives have been lost, communities shattered, and families forever changed because of gun violence. This is not just an inner-city problem or urban issue. Our country is being assaulted on two fronts—the COVID-19 pandemic AND the epidemic of gun violence.
We...
AG Shapiro announces run for Governor
Pennsylvania Attorney General announces his bid for Governor at an event in Pittsburgh, Wednesday.
To the surprise virtually no one — The Times has been reporting this for months — Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is running for the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2022. While there are nearly dozen Republican candidates for governor, Shapiro is currently the only Democrat seeking...
Chesco’s McSwain announces run for governor
Bill McSwain
WEST CHESTER — Bill McSwain announced his candidacy Monday for Governor of Pennsylvania at an event in his hometown of West Chester. Surrounded by supporters and joined by his wife Stephanie and their children, McSwain pointed to his experience as US Attorney and his time in the US Marine Corps to describe himself as a tough-on-crime candidate who will do whatever necessary to ensure...
Op/Ed: Gerrymandering cheats voters
By Mike Hays, Special to The Times
Mike Hays
One of the most abhorrent and undemocratic things about gerrymandering is how it stifles competition. As a new teacher in Pennsylvania, I have been thinking about how I might explain gerrymandering to my 8th grade class.
Full disclosure: I am not an innocent bystander, having run for the PA House 26th District in 2012 as an underfunded, yet determined, 32-year-old...
Letter: RGGI- It’s not too late
To The Editor,
Climate change is one of the greatest threats we face. We‘re already seeing the effects here in Pennsylvania, like stronger storms and more flooding. I personally have seen severe flooding in the Upper East Branch Brandywine Creek last year, when fifty refrigerator-size Styrofoam blocks floated down the creek from a go-kart track, and again last month when the blocks had to be...
State lifts masking mandate
Vector color chalk drawn illustration of medical mask on black chalkboard background.
Although Pennsylvania did not make the 70% full vaccination rate (just under 75% have had at least one shot), the commonwealth lifted most mask mandates, effective Monday — although there many locations where Chester Countians will still be asked to wear a mask to battle COVID.
“We are continuing to make progress...
Wolf to lift most COVID restrictions May 31; mask mandate to continue until 70% get 1st vaccine
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
The battle against COVID-19 has been a long — and difficult — one, but it appears rising vaccination rates and dropping infection and death rates will allow the commonwealth to end most of its pandemic-related restrictions at the end of this month, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Tuesday, while also setting a vaccination goal to end the state’s mask...
A tale of two countries tells us the vaccine works; get your shot if you haven’t yet
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
It’s May and flowers (and pollen, achoo) are blooming everywhere in Chester County.
You know what else is blooming: optimism that the worst of the COVID-19 is over in our area and we are working our way past this pandemic. If you want a shot, you pretty much can walk up in a number of locations and get one. About 65% of the adult population of the county...
Wolf, DOH rightly under fire for botched, unfair vaccine rollout
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
Depending on who you talk to, Pennsylvania’s vaccine program is either going swimmingly, or it is a bungled mess, with lower than the national average per capita of vaccine in arms, while the state Department of Health (DOH) is intentionally shortchanging the collar counties — the same counties that did the best job in containing the COVID-19 virus...
