The Land Conservancy looks back at 2014

Editor’s Note: We run this submission from The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County as a public service, but grant that it expresses opinions — which is why we’re running as a column, not as a straight news story or release. As always, we welcome comment and opinions. 2014 is rapidly coming to a close and the members, board, staff, interns and volunteers of The Land Conservancy...

Just do it: vote

Tomorrow is Election Day. That should matter to you — but alarmingly, for a lot of you, maybe even a majority of the people reading this, it doesn’t. Consider these horrifying numbers: only about 75% of eligible voters are actually registered to vote. Of those, it is expected that only about 45% of those will cast ballots tomorrow in Pennsylvania. That means roughly one third of those eligible...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Concussion awareness – A mom’s perspective

New tech, early diagnosis, focused therapy & close recovery tracking yields promising results By Kim Chiomento, Staff Writer, The Times You probably know someone with a concussion or perhaps, like me, are a parent of children who have had concussions.  Concussions are never good news, but with nearly five million diagnosed annually, it seems like they really are everywhere. They can and do...

Op/Ed: Time to boost accountability and transparency for Congress

By Ryan Costello, Chester County Commissioner Ryan Costello The gridlock and partisan rancor in Congress is taking its toll on the public’s perception of Congress, and rightfully so.  According to a recent Gallup poll, only 14 percent of Americans think Congress is doing a good job.  That puts the public’s approval of the job Congress is doing at one of its lowest points in history. As a...

Op/Ed: Rendell (and Wolf) shouldn’t escape pension blame

By Kelly Lewis Kelly Lewis I have read about 5% of the noise surrounding the upcoming Governor’s race in Pennsylvania. As a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, I’m always amazed at what issues become amplified, minimized, and often buried. Less than 1% of the voters will read this little note, but as a son of teachers, and a friend to many current and retired...