Area mourns passing of Betsy Wyeth

Betsy James Wyeth PENNSBURY — The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art announced the death of Betsy James Wyeth on April 21, 2020. Betsy was a catalyst in the creation and opening of the Brandywine River Museum of Art and was a visionary in the worlds of art and architecture. She was also a published author, art collector and a driving force in the career of her husband, artist Andrew...

Commissioner plant ‘Tree of Hope’ to honor Earth Day, COVID-19 victims

Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Michelle Kichline and Josh Maxwell plant a “tree of hope” to honor Chester County’s fight against COVID-19 on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. EXTON — To commemorate Earth Day 2020, the Chester County Commissioners had originally planned to hand out hundreds of small trees to county residents – for planting to celebrate Earth Day’s 50th...

COVID-19 Update, April 21: State’s death toll passes 1,500

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa While the toll on Pennsylvania and Chester County from COVID-19 is evident, new information gathered by the state Department of Health (DOH) suggests the amount of loss to the virus statewide has been heavier than originally thought. DOH has been updating how it gathers information on COVID-19 deaths and added 360 new fatalities to the overall statewide...

COVID-19 Update: Case numbers drop; Wolf relaxes some lockdown rules

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa The worst may — may — be over in Pennsylvania and Chester County’s battle against COVID-19. New case numbers both statewide and locally appear to have at least plateaued, if not shown signs of slowing, prompting Gov. Tom Wolf to announce Monday the first small moves to relax the general shut down in the state. The state’s Liquor Control Board...

Does the GOP care more about money or whether you die?

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa Is it greed or just flat out stupidity? When you have to hope it is the latter, but have a sense it is the former, you get a pit in your stomach at the realization. A fundamental premise of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania is this: “Making money is more important than saving lives.” As long as their corporate overlords are served (and those...

Mushroom Festival cancelled for 2020 due to pandemic

KENNETT SQUARE — For the first time in its history, the annual Kennett Square Mushroom Festival — scheduled this year for Sept. 12-13, 2020 — will be canceled, due to increasing safety concerns expressed by its Board of Directors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The board’s decision to cancel this year’s festival dovetails with the nearly global cancellation of nearly all...

What To Do: Stuck at home? Visit the UK, virtually

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Buckingham Palace With the “shelter in place” order brought about because of the COVID-19 pandemic, you can no longer go outside into the world. But you can bring the world inside to you. You can make virtual visits to cities, museums, amusement parts, cultural sites and a wide variety of other destinations. Here are several suggestions of places...

COVID-19 Update, April 17: Wolf reveals reopen plan; Chesco Coroner says deaths 2X higher than previously revealed; new case numbers spike

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Hopes that the COVID-19 pandemic might be coming under control were dampened as both Pennsylvania and Chester County reported higher infection numbers for the second straight day — and it appears the death toll in Chester County has been much higher than previously reported. Still, Friday, Gov. Tom Wolf unveiled a three-phase plan to eventually reopen the state. Wolf...

COVID-19 Update, April 16: State, county numbers grow again, after stalling

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Amidst calls to start reopening the economy, there is growing evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic is not on the wane, as new numbers suggest growth statewide and, alarmingly, here in in Chester County. A day after state officials signed an order mandating employee protections for the remaining businesses allowed open, the state saw a spike in COVID-19 cases, with...

Music Spotlight: Gilbert O’Sullivan ‘alone again’ after shutdown stalls US tour

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Gilbert O’Sullivan With the “shelter in place” order necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are finding themselves alone because of the restrictions. Being “alone” can offer a welcome respite from an ultra-busy schedule. Being “alone” as a full-time option is a different story – especially when it’s mandated by...