With so much going on around town. Catch up on what you may have missed.
It’s Friday, February 22, and PA is celebrating highway safety week, maybe a good time to make sure what you’re driving on is actually a road? I’m looking at you, Amazon. Plus, crime is down in the borough, way down, and Borough Council really wants to know what you think of this flag.
Here’s what people are talking about this week:
“Serious crime has been effectively reduced 60% since the year 2000.”
-Scott L. Bohn, Chief of Police in the West Chester Police Department Annual Report.
Crime is down. West Chester Police Department’s annual report came out last week and overall it was pretty positive. Total crimes reported to the WCPD were down 21% in 2018 to the lowest levels in 22 years. Serious crimes including rape, robbery and assault were down 4%, while nuisance crimes – public intoxication, noise violations, disorderly conduct, public indecency, etc. were down 17%.
However not everything was sunny, vehicle thefts were up nearly 30%; and three homicides were recorded in 2018; that’s three more than 2017.
Snow came and went (again). But not without a slew of closures, cancellations and another snow day for West Chester Area School District. Mark your calendar, new school end date, Thursday June 14.
West Chester’s (almost) flag. In case you missed it, and I’m sure you did, West Chester’s Public Art Commission held a contest asking residents, artists, and others to design a flag to represent West Chester. In all 63 designs were submitted. Members of Borough Council then selected their favorite design among three finalists – a design featuring yellow bands in a loose basket weave pattern representing the six original roads of West Chester on a background of royal blue.
However, there seems to be some concern over the lack of public participation in the whole procedure. The design was supposed to be put up for public comment, until it was determined that step was not necessary however, some on the Council and attendance felt it still important.
“I think the people should be heard.”
Councilman Bill Scott representative of Ward 1 assuming people have an opinion on West Chester’s new flag.
The matter has been tabled until March.
Keep shopping local. The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce honored the business community at its annual banquet a little over a week ago. Among the night’s big winners: E. Kahn Development Corporation was named Business of the Year; Chester County Night School won the Community Service Award and Matthew Holliday, Prothonotary of Chester County and West Chester University graduate, was selected person of the year.
“Rocks, missiles, all the same thing”
-Commenter on the West Chester Police Department Facebook page.
The warnings. Watch where you’re throwing those things. Anyone following the West Chester Police Department on Facebook probably stopped at this headline, two kids were arrested for “propulsion of missiles into an occupied vehicle or roadway.” The kids who were throwing rocks, not missiles, from the overpass on 200 E. Bernard Street hopefully learned their lesson. They were released to their parents custody.
In other safety news, West Chester Fire Department participated in a Water Rescue and Ice Rescue awareness seminar this week. This is the first in a series of trainings organized by the department to keep its all volunteer fire staff on the top of its game.
It’s your turn to pay it forward. 1200 students at Henderson High School participated in Random Acts of Kindness week. In other news, making kids smile this week, students at all three area high schools nailed their SATs. Rankings of the five county region’s public high schools with the highest SAT scores included all three West Chester schools. Rustin ranked #19 with an average score of 1180.8 followed by Henderson at 21 and East at 37. You can see how West Chester compared to other county schools here.
“It’s one of the hottest towns around”
Realtor Ash Swayne on living in West Chester.
Is that house for sale? Local realtors shared their 15 hottest towns in Philadelphia’s Western Suburbs with Main Line Today, and guess who made the list at number 1? Ardmore, but that’s just because the list is alphabetical.
West Chester made the list thanks in large part to the borough’s walkability. According to the realtors, hot neighborhoods include downtown, North Hill and Dean Street.
I just hope they don’t find out about this. Or this.
The Freakin’ Weekend. What are you doing this weekend? I’m flying solo and taking the kids to the school carnival. What I would rather be doing instead, in an all adult weekend round up:
Sterling Pig is open. Levante is playing Willy Wonka. Victory is expanding its year round offering with three new beers. While, Roots Cafe is experimenting with a CBD-infused tasting menu. The five course meal will include a variety of dishes infused with CBD oil. Dinner is scheduled for February 28 but I’m guessing, you’ll want to get reservation now.
That’s a wrap West Chester. Thanks for following along. The Round up will be back next Friday. In the meantime, I’ll be checking a new park off the list and maybe digging a little deeper into that police report. If you missed it, here is last week’s Round Up – and don’t forget to follow this blog to get all the updates! I’ll see you next week!