Cool gifts to celebrate the dad in your life

From health, to leisure time, these will bring a smile to any dad By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times Father’s Day is today! Aaaaaah! A homemade card is†delightful but let’s put our heads together and come up with a cool gift to go with it. I love when magazines suggest BBQ sauce as the perfect present for Dad. SO bizarre, right? Would you ever give your mother pancake mix wrapped...

What To Do: Fathers Day means high-flying fun!

By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times There are three types of aircraft that almost always force you to turn your gaze skyward and they all begin with the letter “h” — harrier jets, helicopters and hot air balloons. This weekend, you’ll be able to see two of the three in the skies above Chester County. If you want to see harriers in action, you might need to go to Iraq where the...

Rafferty to run for Attorney General

State Sen. John Rafferty (R-44) State Sen. John Rafferty (R-44) — who represents parts of Chester County — announced Wednesday he would run for state Attorney General in 2016. The post is currently held by Kathleen Kane, a Democrat. Rafferty made his announcement in Harrisburg at the Pennsylvania State Troopers Headquarters in part to highlight a number of high-profile endorsements he received...

On Stage: Singer/Songwriters in spotlight

Summer scene heats up in Delaware Valley By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times Chris Carrabba and Dashboard Confessional will play a show this weekend at Philadelphia’s Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing. Many of the top singer-songwriters have the ability to function equally well performing with a backing band or as a solo artist. On June 19, two very good songwriters who possess...

New job? Communication might be your key skill

Find out how to fit in, work well with others to make your career take off By Nancy Plummer, Columnist, The Times Here’s what getting a new job looks like these days: bosses are working in different time zones so communication is challenging, departments are being down-sized so the workload is twice what it was, and everyone is talking about being a team player. It’s no wonder people are so...

Congressional delegation visits Philadelphia VA Regional Office

Costello calls for ‘complete cultural change’ U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello (PA-06) PHILADELPHIA, PA – Monday, U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello (PA-06) joined Members of Congress to conduct joint oversight of the Philadelphia VA Regional Office. Following the recent reports of mismanagement, the Members of Congress visited the  facility where they heard from Regional Office and VA leadership, as...

On Your Table: Nothing says Fathers Day like a great burger

Keep it simple for a grilled taste treat By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times  Show Dad some love on Father’s Day with grilled burgers.  They don’t need to be beef by the way, but with a few easy tips and techniques, anyone can grill perfect burgers in honor of Dad’s big day. If you decide to make beef burgers, the key to making great steakhouse-style burgers at home...

United Way hosts book drive for preschool students

Call to action – donations needed to help kids get ready for kindergarten The United Way of Chester County (UWCC) has issued a community call to action to help local children get ready for kindergarten in the fall.  Sponsored by a grant from CCRES, UWCC’s drive will get summer reading materials to public sites.

Packing the perfect summer overnight bag

Summer means quick, spontaneous trips, be ready! By Kelly Hockenberry, Columnist, The Times Summer is all about spontaneity. Getting the opportunity to escape for the weekend is a treat that should not be missed. The key is to have an overnight bag at the ready and casually mention to friends that you are available! When packing, here are the 10 essentials for every fashionista… 1. Great pair...

What To Do: Things get ‘fair-ly’ exciting in Downingtown

Also: Brandywine Food and Wine and multiple ethnic festivals in the area  By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times Nothing says the start of summer like a local fair. One of the area’s top events is the St. Joseph Church Community Festival in Downingtown, which starts June 16. Summertime is the time for a lot of fun events — especially festivals and country fairs. The lights on a...