COVID-19 Update, May 14: GOP legislators call on Wolf to move Chesco to Yellow
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
As the death toll climbs in the state and in Chester County, three local Republican state legislators called on Gov. Tom Wolf to move the county to “Yellow” status, Thursday.
While Chester County does meet some of metrics laid out by Wolf’s plan to reopen the state — in particular medical capacity — it still fails in a few key areas: testing...
Op/Ed: Business owner and Commissioner: Weighing up both in planning Chester County’s renewal
By Marian Moskowitz, Chair, Chester County Board of Commissioners
Marian Moskowitz
Before I became a Chester County Commissioner, I was a small business owner. My businesses ranged from retail to trucking, truck service to cosmetics, the import and export of mobile kiosks, to developing real estate. I am very passionate about economic development, about the important contributions that small...
Music Spotlight: Chesco native Auer, new name, still great music
By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Laura Auer
The entertainment industry has been thrown into a state of disarray by COVID-19. Shows have been cancelled, album releases have been indefinitely delayed and nobody knows where or when it will end.
Over the next few weeks, this column will feature musicians and entertainers from Chester County and look at what is happening with them right...
COVID-19 Update, May 13: State officials remind shoppers to wear masks to protect essential workers
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
Although the number of new COVID-19 cases in the commonwealth — and Chester County — appears to be shrinking, state officials are reminding residents to continue to be patient as the state works through the crisis.
One area in particular is anger that seems to be being vented at workers at grocery stores and other essential retailers when employees...
Chesco extends essential-services only to June 4
WEST CHESTER — Chester County Government officials Wednesday announced the extension of the County’s essential services-only operation to help slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The extended period runs to Thursday, June 4.
The Commissioners will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and adjust the status of essential services-only as necessary.
The essential services identified...
COVID-19 Update, May 12: As Toomey demands reopening, Fauci warns of ‘uncontrollable’ outbreaks
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
A day after a firestorm by an apparent attempt by GOP legislative leaders to spark various county rebellions against Gov. Tom Wolf’s emergency COVID-19 Stay At Home and business closure orders — and Wolf making it clear those counties would pay a price — there appeared to be an uneasy quiet with no action in the ongoing standoff.
Beyond Wolf’s...
Inner Nature: Chocolate — food or poison?
By Vidja Rajan, Columnist, The Times
Easter, with its egg hunts and chocolate eggs, is past. With the current school closures and social distancing, the kids are bouncing off the walls already, and don’t need any further stimulation. It’s time to get rid of the chocolate. But the reliable excess food disposal unit, aka Man’s Best Friend, is forbidden from gormandizing Godivas.
Why so?
In...
COVID-19 Update: Wolf lays down the law with rebel counties, even as Trump Tweets support for lawlessness
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times, @mikemncgannpa
Gov. Tom Wolf
Gov. Tom Wolf laid down the law Monday, literally, making it clear that counties and states that chose to ignore his emergency pandemic business shut down orders would face consequences ranging from loss of federal COVID-19 recovery funding, loss of insurance, licenses and other civil penalties, even as President Donald Trump took...
It’s happening: Democrats to outnumber GOP in Chester County
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
Well, it finally happened. By Monday, it is very likely that for the first time since before the Civil War, there will be more registered Democrats in Chester County than Republicans.
Last week, the gap had closed to less than 65, and Democrats had been picking up a couple of hundred registered voters a week in recent weeks.
Obviously, electorally,...
COVID-19 Update: Wolf to move 13 more counties from Red to Yellow, May 15, but not Chesco
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa
The most recent new case and testing numbers for COVID-19 from Chester County Health show a continued, gradual overall down trend line as of May 8.
Gov. Tom Wolf announced Friday that 13 more counties will move from “Red” to “Yellow” next Friday, as the first 34 counties to make that move opened up today, while extending the Stay At Home orders...
