Commissioners end county open burn ban

Chester County’s burn ban is no longer in effect, following approval today by Commissioners Josh Maxwell, Marian Moskowitz, and Eric Roe.  The vote by the Commissioners to lift the ban was made at a specially scheduled public meeting following the recommendation of Chester County Department of Emergency Services Director Bill Messerschmidt. The Commissioners approved Resolution BOC-58-24, rescinding...

What To Do (Part II): Holiday events for this weekend

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times The Coatesville Christmas Parade Finding a holiday event to check out is difficult around here. That is finding which one, two, three or more that you want to check out. This area provides a Smörgåsbord of Christmas activities to whet your appetite. The Coatesville Christmas Parade (www.coatesvillechristmasparade.com), which is Chester County’s...

What To Do (Part I): Holiday events for the whole season

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times  Longwood Gardens In the Brandywine Valley, there are many sites – historical, agricultural, cultural) – that have a history of celebrating the holiday season with lavish displays. There is also a plethora of sites — not so grandiose — that have established their own traditions of Christmas celebrations. Longwood Gardens (Route 1,...

On Stage: Shoemaker returns to Philly for show at Brooklyn Bowl

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Anna Shoemaker Anna Shoemaker is an indie pop singer-songwriter from Philadelphia now in the process of moving from New York to Los Angeles. In October, she returned to her hometown to headline a show at World Café Live as part of her “Go To Heaven Tour.” Now, Shoemaker is coming back to Philly for a show on December 6 at Brooklyn Bowl (1009...

Kennett Sq. reaches deal for fire, EMS services

On Monday, the Kennett Square Borough Council unanimously ratified a multi-year contract with Longwood Fire Company (Longwood) to provide the borough with Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS). The two-year deal, which goes into effect January 1, 2025 (and runs until December 31, 2026), includes a funding increase of five (5) percent for 2025 and nine (9) percent for 2026. The borough and Longwood...

Deuso announces run for Downingtown Mayor

Erica Deuso Erica Deuso, a longtime resident of Downingtown, community leader, and advocate for progress,  announced her candidacy for Mayor of Downingtown on Wednesday. With a career spanning leadership roles in local and statewide organizations, Deuso is committed to building on the strong foundation established by outgoing Mayor Phil Dague and other past leaders. Deuso’s campaign is centered...

Phoenixville gets $900K grant for 2nd phase of Paradise St. connector

The Borough of Phoenixville was recently awarded $900,000 in grant funding from the Chester County Department of Community Development for the second phase of the Paradise Street connector project. This project will enhance traffic control as well as promote pedestrian and emergency responder safety. Upon learning of the award, Borough Council President Jonathan Ewald said, “We are thrilled to announce...

With Trump’s economic plans coming into focus, Chester County must prepare for pain

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgann.bsky.social If incoming President Donald Trump enacts some of the policies he says he’s going to, we can expect economic pain here in Chester County. A lot. Rounding up millions of immigrants (in some cases without regard to their citizenship or residency status) will devastate multiple local small businesses — crops will go unpicked, building projects...

What To Do: Holiday celebrations kick into high gear

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times  Thanksgiving has passed and Halloween 2024 is ancient history. That that means the Christmas season is in full swing – the all-encompassing holiday season with Christmas carols providing the audio background and an endless barrage of Christmas sales and ads in full assault mode. Fortunately, there are many non-commercial holiday activities celebrating...

On Stage: Soraia plays special show at Milk Boy Philly

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Soraia Thanksgiving Weekend is a tough weekend for music acts wanting to play live shows. Many potential audience members have other plans based on holiday meals and family reunions. On the flip side, there are music fans who are eager to get out and hear live shows. Both groups can be satisfied on November 29 when Philadelphia-based, nationally...