County Survey: Homelessness rose 8% in 2023
The Chester County Department of Community Development (DCD) released its 2023 Point-In-Time (PIT) count this week, which shows that 436 people were experiencing homelessness in Chester County on January 25, 2023. This number represents an eight percent increase in homelessness from 2022 when the PIT count was 402.
The PIT count is a manual census of people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered...
WCU’s Florentino to retire in summer, 2024
Christopher M. Fiorentino
West Chester University President Christopher M. Fiorentino, Ph.D., who leads the largest university within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, announced to the West Chester University community today that he will retire in the summer of 2024.
Having led the institution as its 15th president for more than six years and having served the University now for...
Shame of the commonwealth: PA tied for no. 3 in US for hate groups
By Rich Heiland, Columnist, The Times
PENNSYLVANIA is tied for third among states…..and not in a good way.
The Southern Poverty Law Center has released its “The Year in Hate & Extremism Report” for 2022. The report tallies up the number of hate and/or extremist groups in the country by state.
Topping the list with 103 is California. Next comes Florida with 89. No surprise there. The...
Upper Oxford, County team to preserve 101 acres of farmland
Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell, and Michelle Kichline recently approved the preservation of the 101-acre Kavanagh Farm, located in Upper Oxford Township. The County’s Department of Parks + Preservation partnered with Upper Oxford Township to acquire the easement rights from the estate of Paul A. Kavanagh Jr. at a cost of more than $523,800.
“The preservation...
County government rises to 4th place in national digital ranking
The Center for Digital Government (CDG) and the National Association of Counties (NACo) have awarded Chester County Government with fourth place for best digital technology practices in the nation in the 500,000 to 999,999 population category. The County has consistently ranked as a top ten contender in the CDG and NACo Digital Counties Survey for its dedication to guaranteeing that its citizens...
Penn Medicine signs letter of intent to acquire the former Brandywine Hospital campus
Brandywine Hospital. File photo.
Penn Medicine — which operates Chester County Hospital — confirmed Tuesday night it had signed a letter of intent to acquire the former Brandywine Hospital campus from Tower Health, although it is unclear what Penn’s plans are for the Coatesville-area hospital campus, which has been closed since January, 2022.
The closure of both Brandywine and Jennersville...
CCCBI holds panel to discuss housing market
left to right) Steven Shields of Moody’s Analytics, award-winning realtor Michelle Leonard, CCCBI President & CEO Laura Manion, and Libby Horwitz of the Chester County Planning Commission.
On June 20, the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry’s (CCCBI) Young Professionals Committee held a Housing Panel to discuss the state of housing across Chester County. The panel, comprised...
Moms for Liberty reveal who they really are
By Rich Heiland, Columnist, The TimesMoms for Liberty drops the veil on “non-political” it once wore – it’s bringing Trump and others to Philly this month to headline its national meeting
This is not just a national story – Pennsylvania is near the top of Mom’s national membership list and it’s spawned numerous subgroups around the greater Philly area that have as their goal the...
Commissioners recognize Pride Month with proclamation and flags flying at county buildings
Pictured here raising the Pride Flag is (left to right): Commissioner Marian Moskowitz; Carrie Stare, President of LGBT Equality Alliance of Chester County; Commissioner Josh Maxwell; and Kim Bydlon and Ghana Rowell, members of the Chester County employees’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
The Chester County Commissioners officially proclaimed the County’s support for Pride Month...
Anti gun violence advocates held rally in W. Chester
Anti-gun violence protestors in West Chester last Friday.
By Tom Buglio, Special to The Times
On Friday, June 2, an assembly of around 50 energetic gun violence prevention advocates rallied at noon during a warm late spring day at the steps of the Old Courthouse in West Chester. Organized by CeaseFirePA, ‘Wear Orange’ Day commemorates all of the victims amid the ongoing epidemic of gun...
