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...

Simpson steps down from Coatesville City Council

Ed Simpson Leaving big shoes to fill, Councilman Ed Simpson announced his retirement from Coatesville City Council after serving the City’s residents for more than two decades. During a City Council meeting on April 24, 2023, Simpson shared his decision to resign due to a move to be closer to family members. While they remain Chester County residents, he and his wife Terry moved outside of the...

ReFirement at any age: Strive for better, every day

By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times If there is one thing we all should have learned in the last two years is that life is short, life is precious and life is unpredictable, where you never know what each day will bring. The lessons I present every month are as much for me as they are for you, my readers. However, some topics hit me harder, like this one. It has more impact and relevance,...

Don’t Retire, ReFire: March, lion or lamb?

By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times You know the saying about March coming in like a lion and out like a lamb, with the intended meaning that March starts off with cold winters and ends with warmer, spring weather? It’s a perfect metaphor as March straddles two seasons, ending one and starting another. Our lives are all about endings and beginnings. March reminds us of that. So now that...

DASD’s Lonardi to retire in June

Dr. Emilie Lonardi delivers the conferring of degrees during the 2021 DASD graduation ceremonies. DOWNINGTOWN — During the February 9 Downingtown Area School District (DASD) board meeting, the board of directors approved the retirement of district superintendent, Dr. Emilie M. Lonardi, effective June 30, 2022. Dr. Lonardi has served as a superintendent for the past 24 years, with the last five...

Don’t retire, Refire: Be Curious

By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times February, while a short month, tends to drag, just like January did, at least it does for those who long for the warmer weather. How are we spending these short, cold days until Spring rolls around? Many of us hibernate, becoming sedentary, eating too much, drinking too much, sitting too much and basically becoming couch potatoes. As the days slowly get...

Don’t retire, ReFire: Living in gratitude

By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times Thanksgiving is the holiday in November that just about everybody celebrates, and with that, thoughts and sentiments of gratitude start to surface because after all, that’s what Thanksgiving is all about, giving thanks. Beginning on the first of November, posts start popping up on several different social media platforms with people sharing what they...

Don’t retire, ReFire: A hop, skip and a slide into the next year!

By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times It’s hard to believe that we are in the last quarter of the year. It feels like just yesterday we entered 2021. In the beginning of the year, there was hope, with the introduction of the vaccine, that we’d be on the other side of the pandemic by now. Regrettably, that is not what has transpired. Many of us were starting to make plans to gather and...

Don’t Retire, ReFire: Never stop improving

By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times August is my birthday month and each year, just as I do for the turning of each New Year, I reflect on where I am and what I want to accomplish, while being very aware that time is a tickin’. One of the key components to living an enriched, fulfilled life is to never stop improving and learning. Most of us strive to improve ourselves each day, relating...

Don’t Retire, ReFire: If not now, when?

By Gail Supplee Tatum, Columnist, The Times There are many influential people, like Eckhart Tolle who have made this statement, which only validates its gravity. If not now, when? Each month, I like to think that my messages are thought provoking and will raise the level of consciousness in the reader. If we look at our lives as a string of todays, we may understand and more fully grasp the importance...