On Stage: Holly Miranda at City Winery, Nov. 30

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Holly Miranda The schedule for music concerts gets a little light over the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s hard for music acts to compete with Thanksgiving dinners, family gatherings and homecoming parties. Fortunately, there is a great show on tap for November 30 when Holly Miranda headlines a show at City Winery (990 Filbert Street, Philadelphia,...

Coatesville Christmas Parade is back and bigger than ever on Dec. 7

Mummer’s String Band along the Lincoln HIghway in Coatesville,PAImage by: Robert O. Williams/ The Williams Group COATESVILLE — Once again this year, Chester County’s largest hometown parade, down the historic Lincoln Highway, takes place on Dec. 7, 2019.  The Coatesville Christmas Parade, a holiday classic, begins at 10:00 a.m. starting at Strode Avenue and Lincoln Highway, and...

On Stage: Local acts in the spotlight this weekend

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times River Drivers A lot of top-flight local talent will be on display at music venues around the area tonight. On November 23, the Philadelphia Folksong Society (6156 Avenue, Philadelphia, pfs.org) is hosting a “CD Release Party” by Philadelphia-based Celtic-tinged folk-rock collective River Drivers. River Drivers is a four-piece band whose unique...

What To Do: Thanksgiving? Pshaw. Bring on the Christmas events!

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Longwood Gardens It’s countdown time for Thanksgiving 2019 and the number of days left is in single digits. And we all know that Thanksgiving is the traditional “unofficial” start of the Christmas holiday season – even though the season commercially “started” when Christmas items were being stocked on stores’ shelves on Labor Day...

On Stage: The Pineapple Thief is livin’ the dream, making U.S. tour debut

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times The Pineapple Thief Picture a high school boy dreaming for years about having a date with one of the most attractive girls in the school and never having the dream come true – until one day years later, the girl invites him to go on a date. The Pineapple Thief, a rock band from the south of England, went through a similar experience this year. The...

On Stage: Violet Bell bring progressive folk to Delaware Valley

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Violet Bell The Philadelphia area always has the Liberty Bell as a prime attraction. On November 21, there will be two “bells” for area residents to enjoy – the Liberty Bell in Old City and Violet Bell, which is headlining a show at the Living Room (35 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, https://thelivingroomat35east.com) Violet Bell is touring...

Barrar won’t seek reelection in 2020

State Rep. Stephen Barrar (R-160) Long-time State Representative Stephen Barrar announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection for a 13th term in 2020. Barrar, a Republican, represents the 160th District which covers an area from the Kennett Square area east into Delaware County. He managed to hold off Democrat Anton Andrew by about 800 votes in 2018. With Andrew running again in 2020 — and...

On Stage: Downingtown’s Morrissey hitting it big in national tour of ‘Mean Girls’

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Mary Kate Morrissey(Photo: Emilio Madrid-Kuser for Broadway.com) Just as every young basketball player has dreams of playing in the NBA or WNBA or every young musician envisions a career as a rock star, almost every young girl or boy who acts in local theater – or even in school productions – dreams of someday being in a Broadway musical. The...

Chesco Coroner IDs body found in Valley

The Chester County Coroner’s Office has positively identified the skeletal remains recovered from a wooded area in Valley Township on October 29, 2019, as those of Julia Gonzalez, age 22, of Coatesville. After recovery of the remains, the Coroner’s Office worked with forensic odontologist,  John B. Nase, DDS, FAGD, FICD on a postmortem dental examination which identified unique features of...

Welcoming FBI investigation, Dinniman says scrutiny of pipeline process long overdue

WEST CHESTER  – While news that the FBI is investigating how permits were issued for the Sunoco/ET Mariner East pipeline spread across Chester County, Pennsylvania, and the nation this week, for state Senator Andy Dinniman questions about the project and its permits are nothing new. In fact, Dinniman has been on the record in raising serious concerns about the safety and permitting of the controversial...