Barsoum named new Director of Chesco Voter Services

Karen Barsoum WEST CHESTER — After a lengthy search, Chester County has its new leader for managing the election process. On Tuesday, Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell and Michelle Kichline announced the appointment of Karen Barsoum as Director of Chester County’s Department of Voter Services.

Wolf: Starting tomorrow (April 13) all 16+ eligible for COVID vaccine in Pa.

Pennsylvania will beat by nearly a week a federal mandate to open vaccines to all over age 16, by doing so tomorrow April 13, Gov, Tom Wolf said Monday. “We need to maintain acceleration of the vaccine rollout, especially as case counts and hospitalization rates have increased,” Wolf said in a statement. “Therefore, just as President (Joe) Biden has brought forward universal adult access...

Inner Nature: Feats of strength

By Vidya Rajan, Columnist, The Times As the weather warms, we watch bees collecting and hauling fat baskets of pollen back to their hives. Bumblebees, with their improbably large bodies hover on whirring, buzzing wings that seem barely adequate to the purpose of elevating, never mind transporting their bulk. Ants swarm kitchen counters and picnics and carry away remarkably large portions of bounty...

County: Everyone over age 16 eligible for COVID vaccine

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa If you’ve been waiting patiently for the COVID-19 vaccine, Chester County has news for you: it is now your turn if you are over age 16. The county Health Department announced Friday that appointments will not be available for all adults, more than a week earlier than federal guidelines required. The expansion comes in part because the county...

What To Do: With warmer weather, time to get outdoors

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Paoli Battlefield Park It seems as if warm spring weather has finally arrived. That means it’s a great time to visit attractions such as horticultural sites, zoos and historic sites – and a great time to do some walking. A special “Paoli Battlefield Walking Tour” (pbpfinc.org) will be held on April 10 and repeated on May 8. Participants are...

On Stage: Belardo returns to her Wilmington roots

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times  Maya Belardo The live entertainment scene over the last seven or eight months has been similar to flowers growing in outdoor gardens. Almost nothing has survived over the winter months except for pansies. It’s ironic that the word ‘pansy’ is used as an insult meaning “a weak man’ when, in reality, the pansy is a strong flower that can...

Kennett Mushroom Festival to return in 2021

KENNETT SQUARE — After a one-year absence due to COVID-19, one of the county’s most beloved and best attended events will return in 2021: The Kennett Square Mushroom Festival. The 36th Annual Mushroom Festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 11 and Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021, according to an announcement by the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival Committee this week. The Committee also unveiled the...

Houlahan highlights threat to local economy posed by Spotted Lanterfly

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan speaks at a media event Monday to highlight the threat to the local economy from the Spotted Lanterfly, as Braeloch Brewing owner Ken Steeves looks on. KENNETT SQUARE — If you are a beer or wine lover — or a fan of Chester County’s great agricultural products — you have a new Public Enemy, No. 1: the Spotted Lanternfly. This...

Get over it: COVID passports are going to happen

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa On this Easter Sunday — one that feels a whole lot different than the one a year ago — there is both hope and fear. We’re close. More than a third of the adult population of Pennsylvania, as of Saturday, has had at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, with thousands more happening daily. Just short of 2 million have had both shots. Supply,...

What To Do: Spring brings many holidays and celebrations

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times  Linvilla Orchards There is a quartet of religious holidays that occur close to each other every spring – Holi for Hindus, Passover for Jews, Easter for Christians and Ramadan for Muslims. This year, Holi began on March 28 and ended on March 29. Holi marks the advent of spring and is widely celebrated throughout Hindu-majority India. The festival...