Muth, VanDePol call for investigation of COVID-19 deaths at Southeast Veterans’ Center

The Southeast Veterans’ Center State Senator Katie Muth (D-44) and Chester County Coroner Christina VandePol, M.D. are calling for an immediate investigation into the handling of the COVID-19 outbreak at the Southeast Veterans’ Center in East Vincent Township, Chester County. As of Sunday, April 26, 27 COVID-related deaths were reported to the Chester County Coroner’s Office, the...

COVID-19 Update, April 28: Wolf moves to reopen outdoor recreation facilities

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mmcgannpa Gov. Tom Wolf is slowly easing restriction prompted by the COVID-19 pendemic, announcing Monday a limited reopening of outdoor recreational activities including golf, marinas, guided fishing trips and privately owned camp grounds, as the latest new case numbers ticked up slightly. As of May 1, the recreational facilities may reopen, but are required to follow...

COVID-19 Update, April 27: Cases trend down again; Wolf calls for racial, ethnic testing data

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa After a spike last week, COVID-19 cases in the state and locally appear again to be trending downward. The state Department of Health (DOH) reported 885 new cases on Sunday, bringing the total of COVID-19 cases to 42,050. That represents a third straight day of falling numbers in the state, after a sudden spike midweek. Although the numbers appear to...

Disease of the week? COVID? Nah. Political stupidity.

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa Maybe it is everyone is tired of being shut in, maybe it is just that time of year. But there seems to be a lot of stupid going around right now — not limited to one party (mostly, true, but not entirely). The broadest expression of stupid are those still claiming COVID-19 is some sort of hoax, or just another flu. Since last week’s column, more...

COVID-19 Update, April 24: New case numbers spike in state, Chester County

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa The Chester County Health Department map of case loads for COVID-19 in the county as of April 24. Hopes of an early end to the COVID-19 crisis may be dimming as Thursday saw spikes in new cases both statewide and in Chester County. The state Department of Health (DOH) reported Friday that 1,599 new cases of the virus were confirmed via testing on Thursday,...

CCIU combats food insecurity during school closures

Recipients of the food deliveries sent a ‘thank you’ photo to CCIU staff. COATESVILLE — Food insecurity has been a major area of concern and anxiety for families across the nation since the mandatory shutdown of schools several weeks ago. To help combat those struggles, over 80 staff members from the Chester County Intermediate Unit’s (CCIU) Head Start and food services programs have been working...

COVID-19 Update, April 23: Wolf unveils plan for reopening as new case numbers stabilize

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa Gov. Tom Wolf unveiled a plan to start reopening the state in three phases — with some portions of the north-central and northwest portions of the state likely to see the first steps back toward an open economy as soon as May 8. Chester County — part of the southeast region of the plan — probably won’t meet the criteria at that point, but could...

COVID-19 Update, April 22: Case numbers continue to slide; Wolf pushes for mail-in voting

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa The slow — but downward — slope of new COVID-19 cases continued Tuesday, as it appears that Pennsylvania and Chester County continued to show signs Tuesday of having passed the worst in the current pandemic. Still, even with the good news, state Department of Health (DOH) officials caution that social distancing measures “bent the curve” and folks...

Commissioner plant ‘Tree of Hope’ to honor Earth Day, COVID-19 victims

Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Michelle Kichline and Josh Maxwell plant a “tree of hope” to honor Chester County’s fight against COVID-19 on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. EXTON — To commemorate Earth Day 2020, the Chester County Commissioners had originally planned to hand out hundreds of small trees to county residents – for planting to celebrate Earth Day’s 50th anniversary. But...

Does the GOP care more about money or whether you die?

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa Is it greed or just flat out stupidity? When you have to hope it is the latter, but have a sense it is the former, you get a pit in your stomach at the realization. A fundamental premise of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania is this: “Making money is more important than saving lives.” As long as their corporate overlords are served (and those campaign...