Ice storm aftermath: the good, the bad and the unacceptable
Chester County Emergency Services stands out for praise, PECO gets hit on many fronts
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
For most of us, the worst is over. As of Monday morning, just about 10,000 Chester County homes and businesses were still without power, according to PECO, down from about 200,000 Wednesday — while others wait for restoration of phone and Internet service from Verizon and Comcast.
Schools...
Op/Ed: New citizens embrace the spirit of United States citizenship
By Terence Farrell, Chester County Commissioner
Terence Farrell, Chester County Commissioner with U. S. District Court Judge Juan Sanchez, a former Chester County Court of Common Pleas judge.
The Chester County Commissioners’ meetings always begin with the Pledge of Allegiance. The pledge was composed in 1892 by Francis Bellamy and adopted by Congress in 1942, the dark days of World War II.
We take...
A rush to bipartisanism amid a few intra-party battles
Is getting along to get ahead back in fashion?
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
Let’s face it, bipartisanism is the new black.
If you listened to a lot of political types in Chester County this past week, candidates and elected officials across the political spectrum were working to show their ability to make nice with the other side.
But roiling below the surface are a handful of intra-party battles...
Op/Ed: Protecting patients from one-size-fits-all healthcare
By Mian A. Jan, M.D.
Mian A. Jan
As a board certified cardiologist and a practicing physician for over 25 years in Chester County with a diverse group of patients from a variety of different backgrounds, I believe no two patients are the same. I strive to give the very best care depending on the patient’s specific case. I apply a one-on-one relationship model to the treatment and care of all my patients.
It...
Letters to the editor and the greater conversation
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
We get letters and then sometimes, we get letters.
Some praise the acts of others (once in a while, even us), some take various public and elected officials to task (including us). All of them have one thing in common: they represent the opinion of our readers (you’ll note by looking just above the headline, on this column, the word ‘opinion,’ denoting...
Costello-DiGiorgio battle could have wide-ranging impact
Gerlach’s decision not to seek reelection touches off primary fight
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
That shattering and creaking sound you heard this week wasn’t from the extreme cold (unless you were near my nearly half-century old bones), but what would appear to be the shattering of a fragile unity among Chester County Republicans.
When Jim Gerlach announced Monday that he would not seek...
Op/Ed: Chester County worked together for a successful 2013
By Terence Farrell, Chester County Commissioner
Terence Farrell
Happy New Year! ¡Feliz año nuevo! And best wishes for a healthy, happy and prosperous new year.
As we transition from 2013 to 2014, it is worthwhile to look back at the year that just ended to assess how Chester County government is doing to meet the needs and expectations of its constituents, and to make plans to do even better in...
Ellison is out and so is the Tea Party
One — the former Democratic power-broker — knows he’s done, the other is oblivious
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
As we head into the holiday season — and hopefully, a couple of weeks of relative quiet — a few notes and thoughts on local political stuff and other news items.
Maybe the topline item this morning is that James Ellison is out at Rhoads & Sinon — meaning he will no...
Roundtable on poverty a start, but more is needed
Until there is a collective will to really address poverty, things won’t get better
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
COATESVILLE — With wealth bordering on abundance at times in Chester County, it can be difficult to confront the truth that for many here — arguably far too many — poverty remains a stark reality and a reality that in recent years has gotten worse.
This past week, six state...
Op/Ed: The Joe Pitts government shutdown
By Tom Houghton, Special to The Times
Tom Houghton
As a parent, husband, self-employed attorney, former township supervisor and state representative, I watched with dismay as our Washington representative, Joe Pitts, was the only representative in southeastern Pennsylvania, who supported the recent government shutdown. Whatever you think about the new healthcare law (ACA or “Obamacare”), shutting...
