On Stage: Family takes center stage this weekend

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times The Barr Brothers Three music acts with international vibes in their DNA will be playing shows in the area on March 22 and 23 – the Barr Brothers on Friday and Francesca Blanchard and Ranky Tanky on March 23. The Barr Brothers will headline a show at the World Café Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400, www.worldcafelive.com) with...

Democrats endorse Sondergaard, Binder, Maxwell & Maddox

WEST CHESTER — Chester County Democrats are on the verge of a third consecutive tear of historic wins as they gathered at Stetson Middle School Tuesday night to endorse countywide judicial and row offices.  Among the 23 candidates presented to the Committee, only two – Deb Ryan for District Attorney and Chris Pielli for Recorder of Deeds — ran unopposed. All came with impeccable resumes...

On Stage: Miss Saigon gets a darker update

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Miss Saigon The Vietnam War as an undeclared war in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia that lasted from November 1955 to the fall of Saigon in April 1975. It had a profound effect on the citizens of those countries and on the soldiers of the US Army. Just ask any of the hundreds of Vietnam vets from Pennsylvania who have been prescribed medical marijuana...

County granted $3.74 million for farm preservation

At its recent meeting, the Pennsylvania Agricultural Land Preservation Board awarded Chester County the highest level of funding, $3.74 million, to preserve nearly 150 more acres of farmland on two Chester County farms.  The state board announced an overall spending threshold of $38 million for the purchase of development rights from 38 farm owners state-wide – the highest spending total in...

On Stage: Kiranavali Vidyasankar showed early talent

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Kiranavali Vidyasankar Many musicians trace their history of playing music back to the days of their early childhood – piano lessons when they were four years old or picking up a guitar at the age of six. Kiranavali Vidyasankar, who will perform in concert on March 17 at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, http://firemuseumpresents.com),...

Commissioners rip ‘redacted’ Sunoco pipeline emergency plan

Chester County Commissioners Michelle Kichline, Kathi Cozzone and Terence Farrell view an excerpt from the heavily redacted Sunoco pipeline emergency management plan. WEST CHESTER — After many requests, and eventually demands, the Chester County Commissioners confirmed receipt Thursday by the Department of Emergency Services of the long-awaited Sunoco pipeline emergency management plan.  But...

On Stage: Todd Snider has stories to tell, still

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Todd Snider In the 11th century, Occitania had troubadours. Starting in the mid-14th century, West Africa had griots. In the 20th and 21st centuries, America has Todd Snider. Troubadours, griots and Snider all are travelling performers who tell stories and make music. They move from town-to-town entertaining and enlightening listeners with their...

County files suit against opioid manufacturers

The Chester County Board of Commissioners announced today that the County has filed an action to combat the devastating effects of the opioid crisis on its residents.  The County has retained the law firm Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP to file a civil lawsuit in the Federal Eastern District of Pennsylvania against drug manufacturers and distributors for their role in the opioid epidemic.

On Stage: John 5 and The Creature to rock Sellersville

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times John 5 Prog rock fans have a lot of concerts from which to choose every year and the smart ones know that anytime John 5 and the Creatures play the area, it is a concert not-to-be-missed. On March 12, John 5 and his band return to the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808, www.st94.com) to treat fans to an evening...

Inner Nature: Digestion and food processing

By Vidja Rajan, Columnist, The Times The previous group of Inner Nature articles were loosely organized around how organisms sense the external environment using vision, sound, touch, taste and smell. What is most remarkable about this cluster of what appears to be completely different mechanisms is the profound underlying similarity. This similarity is due to the outcome of notionally different...