City swears in Deputy Fire Chief, Fire Police Officer

City augments fire department, delays payment on uniformed, nonuniformed pensions By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times Steven Dobson is sworn in as Coatesville’s Deputy Fire Chief Monday night. COATESVILLE – The city swore in Steven Dobson as Deputy Fire Chief and Polly Beebe as a fire police officer at Monday night’s meeting. Dobson is set to replace Chief James Lentz who left his...

City Council rejects $2.05 trust fund transfer

Layoff could loom without action; meeting breaks up with acrimonious exchange on Public Works By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times New Coatesville Police Officer Jared Davis (center) takes the oath of office from District Justic Grover Koons, as city Police Chief Jack Lauffer looks on. The new officers, an updated city Comprehensive Plan, and an improved audit report were upbeat moments in the City Council...

Coatesville adopts inspection fee, rental license ordinance

Also: DA Hogan praises City Council for chief, police hires By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times District Attorney Tom Hogan thanks city council for their support of the police department. COATESVILLE – Amid vocal opposition from landlords of the Coatesville Housing Association, City Council passed an ordinance on Monday night that will charge landlords $50 for inspections, $25 per unit for...

Community Unity, fireworks set to explode Saturday

Community Unity Explosion to offer sports, games, food, music, fireworks By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times COATESVILLE – Sponsored by the city and organized by a City Council committee, there will be basketball and soccer tournaments, food, music, a firebreather, moon bounces and fireworks on Saturday for the Coatesville Community Unity Explosion. Events will kickoff at 10 am at Ash Park...

Lang, Norcini sworn as full time CPD officers

Former part-time officers promoted to fill gaps in police force By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times COATESVILLE – City officials welcomed Officers Claire Lang and Joseph Norcini as full time officers at Monday night’s City Council meeting. Both officers previously worked for the department as part timers but were converted to full time to fill requirements left by attrition. District Justice...

City sells 105 E. Diamond to RDA in hopes of development

RDA now holds 100-117 Lincoln Highway and adjacent E. Diamond Property By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times COATESVILLE – City Council approved the sale of city property at 105 East Diamond Street to the Redevelopment Authority at Monday night’s meeting. The sale is the latest in a series of property sales on the northeast side of the Lincoln Highway-First Avenue intersection that have come...

City sells property to RDA in order to sell to investor later

Move comes as deal announced Wednesday for neighboring parcel By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times COATESVILLE – Long stalled, it appears that redevelopment plans in the city’s Lincoln Highway corridor are beginning to pick up steam, as City Council announced the sale of a property to the city’s Redevelopment Authority (RDA), which may have a developer lined up for it, and the RDA...

Redevelopment deal for NE corner of Lincoln and 1st Ave.

RDA enters plan to bring 20k square feet of commercial space, 40-60 apartments By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times COATESVILLE – Marking a sign of real progress on the city’s redevelopment, city officials announced a deal that would bring new retail space and apartment units to currently vacant building sites on Lincoln Avenue — and construction could begin as early as 2015. This announcement...

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...

Coatesville community mourns passing of Johnson

County’s first African-American District Justice, former Coatesville City Council President Paul Johnson 12/21/13, 8:40 a.m.: updates with additional reaction. COATESVILLE — Paul Johnson, a member of the Coatesville Area School District School Board, a former City Council member and president and a District Justice — Chester County’s first African-American to hold that post — has...