With so much going on around town. Catch up on what you may have missed.
It’s Friday April 5. There was a lot of really good this week and one pretty bad. Plus, the meaning behind those blue ribbons, are we ruining sports for our kids? And want to spend 24-hours a day in a house with your neighbor? Big Brother casting agents are in town.
There’s a lot to discuss. Let’s get started.
The hold up. The FBI is still looking for a bearded man that held up the Wells Fargo on West Chester Pike Wednesday afternoon. Investigators said he handed the teller a note and left with a stash of $50 and $100 bills. Anyone with information should contact the Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department at (610) – 692- 5100.
Don’t I know you from somewhere? CBS is casting for its 21st season of Big Brother. In West Chester. Today. Auditions being held at Ciocca Chevrolet from 3 to 6 p.m. I wish all of you vying for a chance to be followed by cameras 24-hours a day and have it aired on national television, luck.
Speaking of d-list celebrities, it looks like party plans are on permanent hold at Castle Bam. Former Jackass-star Bam Margera had promised an April party including live music and a movie screening to his 1.8 million Instagram followers. However, in 2007 Bam signed a decree limiting commercial events and movie production at his Pocopson home. Township lawyers have turned to a Judge Edward Griffith to uphold the document and he has agreed. All future events will require township permission. So, this will not be the year you check “attend a celebrity party” off the bucket list.
The blue bows. If you’ve been downtown recently you’ve noticed blue taffeta bows tied to the lamp posts. The bows are part of a month long effort by the Crime Victim’s Center of Chester County (CVC) to raise awareness around sexual assault and child abuse. Interested in supporting a great cause and furthering your running goals? The CVC will be hosting a 5K at the end of the month. Know someone that could use their services? Reach them anytime at (610) 692-7273.
Democracy. Ahead of primary elections May 21, West Chester Borough has passed a resolution for democracy. According to a report in the Daily Local that means “significant modification of federal and state campaign financial laws, an overhaul of lobbying and ethics laws, putting a stop to undue influence of lobbyists, preventing corruption of elected officials and thwarting foreign intervention in elections.” What is less clear is how Borough Council has any impact on any of these things? What has been proven to be an effective means of change, voting. This website will help you figure out when and where.
Spring sports. West Chester area YMCA is reporting a drop in participation in its youth sports programs especially among younger kids. In a story on 6ABC, Denise Day, CEO of the YMCA of Greater Brandywine told reporters, “kids are saying it’s just not fun anymore.” According to one study, kids were asked to choose from 81 reasons why they play sports. Kids ranked winning 48th, while parents ranked it #1. To help us all get our priorities straight the YMCA created a series of videos – and it seems to be working, registration is up 10-12% up this year. See all the videos here.
New startup coming to town? Cottrell Entrepreneurial Leadership Center has announced the finalists of its 7th Annual WCU Business Idea Competition among them a team from West Chester East who devised a bracelet that would vibrate if a smoke detector or fire alarm went off notifying the wearer of a pending emergency. Also in the running a Chester County man who wants to improve bike safety with a tale light that creates a flood of light behind the biker mimicking a bike line even when one is not there. In all 179 business ideas were submitted. You can see the finalists compete for the grand prize on April 17.
The accolades: Chester County Hospital is among the best in the world, 96th to be precise, according to a recent Newsweek ranking. Hospitals were ranked “based on recommendations from medical professionals, patient survey results and medical performance indicators.” Chester County joins nine other hospitals from Pennsylvania.
It’s also a good place to eat. While, Andiario did not make the final cut for a James Beard it has still been off to an impressive start. Rams Head too is on a winning streak nabbing top honor’s in the Chef’s Best competition for it’s Asian glazed pork tacos. While, Taco Mar’s burrito represents on Good Day Philadelphia for National Burrito Day.
And go to school, West Chester was named among the “Best Communities for Music Education” thanks to an amazing music education program. The award given out by NAMM Foundation is highly competitive with only 646 schools recognized in the entire country. This is the third year in a row WCASD has won the award.
High school students behaving brightly. Continuing with education kudos, 11 West Chester students were named National Merit Finalists. Meaning they are part of a group of less than one percent of high school seniors who scored the highest on the PSAT/NMSQT in each state. Four more are headed to the state level of the National History Day competition. And 30 students, ten students from each high school, received a Spellman Humanitarian Award this week. The awards honored students for their dedication to volunteerism within the West Chester Area School District and the community.
Finally, applause to Gertrude Faillaci, because wow. Just wow.
The warnings. Watch your candles, electrical and please don’t smoke in bed, someone could be seriously hurt. Fortunately, West Chester firefighter David Smiley is recovering. Thank you guys for all you do!
What are you doing for Easter? If you haven’t settled on the best place to hunt for eggs (we go here because, location) or snap some pics with a giant bunny, Macaroni Kid has some suggestions for you.
The freakin’ weekend: What are you up to this weekend? We have a birthday party and plan to get an early start on those Easter Egg hunts but if we have the time and energy I want to check out the Star Party at Hoopes Park. Local astronomers will be on hand with telescope to help you decipher what you are seeing. The event takes places Saturday night from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Hopefully the clouds will clear by then!
Also, this weekend is the first, First Friday of Spring. Sadly, the weather did not get the memo.
And something that should be of interest to all you owners of historic homes, the first West Chester’s Historic Architecture Workshop is being held on Sunday from 2-4 p.m.. Hosted by The West Chester Downtown Foundation’s Preservation Award Committee and West Chester Borough’s Historic and Architectural Review Board experts will be on hand to answer your questions about historic renovation. Sounds like This Old House live. Very cool.
That’s it! Thank you for following along. If you missed last week’s Round Up catch it here. Plus, a Facebook Group (gasp) you just might actually want to consider joining. Next week, I want to share some exciting new restaurants. (Yum.) If you tried anything new recently let me know and maybe I can include your feedback? Ok, I’ll see you next week!
Oh, and as a thank you for making it all the way to the end, this. Ahhh, West Chester.
P.S. if you’re not following please do.