Letter: concerns about link between pollution and cancer

To The Editor, I have four daughters, all young adults now. But I still worry about their health and well-being as much as I did when they were living at home with me.  Lately I have heard much about an alarming increase in the number of women diagnosed with lung disease.  According to the American Lung Association, the rate of newly diagnosed lung cancer cases over the past 33 years has dropped...

Op/Ed: Radon – is your home raising your lung cancer risk?

By Harold P. Wimmer, American Lung Association Harold P. Wimmer Mention radon to most people, and you’ll get a blank stare.  But mention lung cancer, and you’ve got their attention! Most people don’t know that exposure to radon, an invisible odorless gas, is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers. Pennsylvania is recognized as having a very high risk of radon, so we at the American...

Op/Ed: Supportive service for Veterans’ families

  “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.”                                                                                                                                                                               ...

Political news and notes: 2014 legislative races kicking off

Final write-in results show poor turnout, participation in 2013 By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times The political news cycle never seems to end these days, on the heels of the final write-in election results being posted Friday, we have a batch of new candidate announcements or pending announcements in 2014 state legislative races — and even, it seems — an early hint about a 2016 race. First to the...

CASD board continues to disrespect citizens

Tirade by Joe Dunn sadly typifies group’s overall tenor  By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times Few jobs on the planet are as thankless as serving on a school board, a duty that routinely subjects members to all manner of vitriol. In fact, when school district operations go smoothly, those folks rarely hear a peep from constituents; so even the good times go unrewarded. Of course,...

Why is the CASD rushing to buy a building?

Special meeting just weeks before new board members take office has rightly angered community By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times CALN — Elections, they say, have consequences. That’s why it’s a little disturbing to see the Coatesville Area School District Board of Education in a seeming rush to buy a building for new administration offices. You see, in little more than a couple of weeks at least...

And…right back into campaign season

No rest for the weary, as Election 2014 kicks into high gear, already By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times Now that we’ve gotten that pesky election out of the way, it’s time for the campaign to get started. Think I’m kidding? Then why is Gov. Tom Corbett in the county today, kicking off his 2014 campaign? And why has the jostling for state legislative and congressional seats already begun? Traditionally,...

Letter: Question about military service unanswered

To The Editor, This letter is to Bill Dunn of Downingtown in response to his letter entitled “A Different Take on Freedom” I am sorry to say that your letter does not answer the question: Why should African-American, Latino-Americans, middle class and poor Americans serve in the U.S. Armed Services? I say this because of the serious harm the Tea Party, conservatives, Congressional Republicans,...

Art Watch: Ellie Byrom-Haley

Associations with assemblage By Lele Galer, Columnist, The Times This week’s local art watch is focused on the multi-media work of local artist Ellie Byrom-Haley. Byrom-Haley creates multi-media artworks that combine photography and painting with the textural aspects of assemblage. Found materials and man-made objects are assembled onto a hand-painted surface. Byrom-Haley considers her work a journey,...

Letter: Questions McQueen’s campaign contributions

To The Editor, I was reviewing the campaign contributions of the Republican Controller candidate, Norman MacQueen. Mr. MacQueen is also an elected Supervisor in Willistown Township. I was reviewing the contributions because the Controller’s position is a very important position. The Controller is the “watchdog” for county government and the office must be an example of high integrity. What caught...