YMCA of Greater Brandywine CEO Day announces her retirement in June

Denise Day, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Brandywine, announces retirement after 37-year career with the YMCA. WEST CHESTER – If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Denise Day, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Brandywine (YGBW), you’ve sensed the passion that she pours into all that she does. From leading a team of more than 2,000 staff to serving the more than 50,000 members...

What To Do: Time to ring in 2023

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Kennett Mushroom Drop New Year’s Eve is about partying – dining, drinking, welcoming the new year and…partying. On New Year’s Eve, Kennett Square will be partying in style when the Mushroom Festival and Kennett Area Restaurant & Merchant Association are again hosting the annual Mushroom Drop. The 10th Annual Mushroom Drop – a.k.a. “Midnight...

On Stage: Slambovian Circus of Dreams ready to rock in the new year

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times  Slambovian Circus of Dreams The Mummers Parade is a great Philadelphia tradition which dates back more than a century, has its roots in South Philadelphia and is always held on January 1. There is another Mummers tradition in Philadelphia which dates back more than a decade, has its roots in South Philadelphia and is always held on December 30. Some...

CCIU celebrates 10 years of The County Cup

From left to right: Dr. Anita Riccio, Laurie Masino, Gary Entrekin, Dave Baron, Dr. George F. Fiore, Dr. Siobhan Leavy and Patti Ciuffetelli. The Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of the County Cup, a food kiosk run by students in the CCIU’s Discover program. On December 16, current and former employees attended the anniversary event at the CCIU Educational...

On Stage Extra: A rockin’ voice from Ukraine headlines at Brooklyn Bowl

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times  Gogol Bordello plays international punk music that is wild, aggressive and filled with Eastern European influences. That’s because frontman/founder Eugene Hütz is wild, aggressive and a native of Eastern Europe. This week, the band is celebrating 15 years of New Year’s Eve shows in New York and Philadelphia with shows at the two cities’ Brooklyn...

Op/Ed: Resolve to keep your personal data safe in 2023

By Liz Terwilliger, Special to The Times Liz Terwilliger I considered repeating the usual New Year’s resolutions this year – eating better, exercising, listen more than talking, reading that stack of unopened books…all worthy goals. But this year I am prioritizing personal data safety by reducing my exposure to electronic surveillance. Most of us are concerned with how much electronic...

What To Do: Christmas day events for non-Christians

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times  It’s Christmas week, which means that it is the penultimate weekend for holiday attractions. There are also several other non-holiday attractions on tap for the next 10 days. Christmas-influenced music, advertising, TV shows and events are everywhere. It is virtually impossible not to be affected by the Christmas holiday season — but not everyone...

On Stage: Blue Man Group comes to Kimmel

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Blue Man Group Back in the late 1960s when a lot of British bands were playing songs by blues masters such as Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, a question frequently asked was “Can white men sing the blues?” In 1968, a British music group called the Bonzo Dog Band countered with a song called “Can blue men sing the whites?” Years later, there...

County leaders discuss direction of Chester County Climate Action Plan in 2023

County leaders review and sort actions that support the Chester County Climate Action Plan. Chester County department leaders and partners met recently to review and prioritize long-term and short-term steps that must be taken to achieve the County’s Climate Action Plan goal of reducing greenhouse gases. The Climate Action Plan, adopted in October 2021 by the Commissioners, calls for the County government’s...

Becoming the Best U: Christmas stress and finding a new normal

By Nancy Plummer, Columnist, The Times Question: Christmas is my least favorite holiday. My parents are divorced and both got remarried. My sister spends Christmas with her husband’s family. Me, I just want to get through the day. I hate the drama the comes with it all. Is it terrible if I just stay home and ignore the day? Jane – Berwyn Answer: You’re not alone. Although many people say...