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...
Letter: Fracking ruling restores power to locals
To The Editor,
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has rejected Tom Corbett’s request to reverse the Act 13 decision, which struck down key provisions in the natural gas drilling laws as unconstitutional.
Locally, Newlin Township, the little township that could, stood up, fought back and won in 2012 when these provisions of Act 13 were first struck down. Now all of Pennsylvania has won because of...
Pennsylvania deserves better than Kick-The-Can
To The Editor,
We have a pension crisis in Pennsylvania. It was created by Governor Ridge and the legislature, when the passed Act 9 of 2001, then kicked down the road by Governor Rendell and the legislature for the 8 years that he was in office. In 2011 the pension crisis was addressed by Act 120, a balanced bipartisan solution to a long-term problem that moves the state toward paying off the...
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...
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...
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...
A rush to bipartisanism amid 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...
Letter: for kids sake, we need to fight for clean air
To The Editor,
Lately, I’ve been thinking about the quality of the air we breathe. The World Health Organization recently labeled all outdoor air pollution as carcinogenic. Several decades worth of industrial and vehicle emissions have poisoned our air. And I can’t help but wonder what this means for my children and for all children exposed to these toxins. Contaminated air just can’t...
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...
