COVID-19 Update, May 19: Majority of state’s deaths came from long-term facilities

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa The Wolf Administration released details about the number of infections and deaths in the state’s long-term care facilities and it shows the majority of the state’s deaths from COVID-19 came at these facilities. The state redacted info for facilities with less than five deaths (except for two, due to an apparent error) with some 155 facilities having...

Coroner: Majority of COVID-19 deaths at long-term care facilities; total county deaths to date 274, death rate declining

WEST CHESTER — According to information issued Monday by the Chester County Coroner’s Office, the deadliest toll from the COVID-19 virus has taken place at the county’s long-term care facilities. Between March 28 and May 17,  a total of 274 confirmed or probable COVID-19 deaths were reported to the Chester County Coroner’s Office. Of those, 229 (83.6%) were residents of long-term care...

COVID-19 Update, May 18: New case numbers hold steady; Wolf highlights PEMA, Nat. Guard role in crisis

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa As COVID-19 new cases in the state stabilize, but not drop significantly, officials said that health providers who provided testing and treatment for the virus for uninsured patients will be reimbursed through federal stimulus funds. “All Pennsylvanians should have access to necessary testing for COVID-19 and this federal funding will help eliminate...

AT&T, YMCA team up to bring WiFi Internet to Avon Grove students

WEST GROVE — With schools closed in Pennsylvania due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some students in the Jennersville area without internet access have had to get resourceful when it comes to completing assignments. Volunteers from the Jennersville YMCA, along with other local Chester County organizations, will be delivering mobile hotspots – courtesy of AT&T – to these students on Tuesday, May...

Brandywine Hospital earns ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center designation

Brandywine Hospital CALN — Brandywine Hospital-Tower Health has once again been designated a Lung Cancer Screening Center by the American College of Radiology (ACR) for both the hospital site near Coatesville and the hospital’s Imaging Center in Downingtown. The ACR Lung Cancer Screening Center designation is a voluntary program that recognizes facilities that have committed to practice safe, effective...

County working to get businesses ready to reopen

WEST CHESTER — In less than two weeks of announcing the formation of a business task force to help re-open, repair and restore Chester County’s economy affected by COVID-19, the Commissioners have brought together a team to focus on the county’s future business needs.  Members of the COVID-19 Business Task Force bring a wealth of business, economic, education and government acumen to the group...

COVID-19 Update, May 15: 13 counties move to Yellow, 12 more announced for next week

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa With 13 counties moving to a more open “Yellow” status today in the fight against COVID-19, Gov. Tom Wolf announced that 12 more counties had met state criteria and would move to Yellow next Friday: Adams, Beaver, Carbon, Columbia, Cumberland, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Wayne, and York. By next week, a total of 49 counties will...

AGSD Board holds budget hearings; taxes likely to increase due to reduced revenue

WEST GROVE — On Tuesday, May 12, Avon Grove School District’s (AGSD) Board of School Directors and administration held its fifth Committee of the Whole (COW) Budget Work Session for the 2020-2021 school year. A major topic of discussion pertained to revenues, which remain uncertain as the district prepares its 2020-2021 budget. The administration is scaling back revenue projections to be consistent...

COVID-19 Update, May 14: GOP legislators call on Wolf to move Chesco to Yellow

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa As the death toll climbs in the state and in Chester County, three local Republican state legislators called on Gov. Tom Wolf to move the county to “Yellow” status, Thursday. While Chester County does meet some of metrics laid out by Wolf’s plan to reopen the state — in particular medical capacity — it still fails in a few key areas: testing...

COVID-19 Update, May 13: State officials remind shoppers to wear masks to protect essential workers

By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times @mikemcgannpa Although the number of new COVID-19 cases in the commonwealth — and Chester County — appears to be shrinking, state officials are reminding residents to continue to be patient as the state works through the crisis. One area in particular is anger that seems to be being vented at workers at grocery stores and other essential retailers when employees...