Nominees for farm awards sought

WEST CHESTER – The Chester County Board of Commissioners, along with the Agricultural Development Council (Ag Council), is accepting nominations for two agricultural awards: Farmer of the Year and Distinguished Agricultural Service. The Farmer of the Year Award is presented to a deserving Chester County individual or family that exemplifies outstanding farm practices, that has an innovative operation...

On Your Table: Farmers Markets in your area

Fresh is best and you can enjoy from local farms — find your local event By Cathy Branciaroli, Food Correspondent, The Times Despite the gloom of this past week or two, summer is arriving across the area and with it the lush produce offered at local farmers markets. We welcome the fresh foods of the new season.  And we are not alone.  Across the country, the number of U.S. farmers markets has...

Sikorsky to lay off 720 at Chesco facility

SADSBURY — Helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft said late Tueday that it plans to layoff some 720 workers and contractors due to decreased demand for its commercial helicopters at its production facility adjacent to the Chester County Airport, straddling Sadsbury and Valley townships. The company said that as worldwide oil prices have dropped, demand for helicopters from oil companies for use...

Chester County’s Underground Railroad remembered

Kennett Historical Commission details township, county role in leading slaves to freedom By Jacqueline Kennedy, Correspondent, The Times A map of some of the sites where Chester County residents housed newly-free slaves before and during the Civil War. KENNETT — The Kennett Township Historical Commission held its annual meeting earlier this month that featured a presentation titled “Follow...

County dedicates new tactical village

Chester County Commissioners (center front, Michelle Kichline, Kathi Cozzone and Terence Farrell), as well as elected officials and representatives from the first responder community, cut the ribbon to officially open the Chester County Public Safety Training Campus Tactical Village. SOUTH COATESVILLE — Chester County Commissioners Terence Farrell, Kathi Cozzone and Michelle Kichline were joined...

Volunteer Chesco highlights volunteering options

WEST CHESTER _ The Chester County Commissioners unveiled Volunteer Chesco at this week’s Commissioners’ Meeting, a webpage on the Chester County website detailing all volunteer positions available through county departments. The introduction of the new web pages followed the presentation of a proclamation by the Commissioners for Volunteer Appreciation Week.  The services provided by individuals...

More of the same: snow closes schools, county offices

Forecasts of nasty weather Monday morning turned out to be accurate, as wet slushy, heavy snow has closed virtually every school in the area and all Chester County offices. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Winter Storm Warning early Monday, calling for accumulations in Chester County of between four and eight inches. The snow started just before the morning rush Monday and produced slick...

Groundhog, NWS agree: nasty weather inbound

4-6 inches of snow seen Monday; heavy rains, flooding possible Wed. While groundhogs may be seeing an extended winter, the National Weather Service says Chester County is in for a hairy week of wintery weather. It appears that the world most famous groundhog — Punxsutawney Phil — and the National Weather Service are on the same page: There’s lots more winter headed for Chester County. Although...

Art Watch: Sara Bleemer

Photo images from the heart By Lele Galer, Columnist, The Times Sara Bleemer is a local Chester County art photographer who has been taking photographic images for as long as she can remember, but as her children have grown older, she has been able to spend more time focusing on this artistic passion. For the past four years Sara has shown regularly in most of the local art shows and she has a very...

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...