With so much going on around town. Catch up on what you may have missed.
It’s Friday, November 1, The police department responds after an arrest video goes viral, West Chester Area School District comes to an agreement with support staff, and the Health Inspector has harsh words for one local restaurant. Plus, downtown welcomes a new boutique and where to get your borough flag. Grab some apple cider (spiked if you’re on WCPD) and let’s get started.
“The West Chester Police Department takes representations of misconduct very seriously.”
-West Chester Area Police Department
Police punch. Have you seen it? It’s a quick 25-second video of a public intoxication arrest gone very wrong. The West Chester police department was called to the 50 Block of S. High Street to help a local bar restrain a belligerent patron. That’s the setup. What is caught on tape is a constrained male getting punched in the head by a West Chester Police Officer. What happened in between is not immediately known. While no formal complaint has been made, the West Chester PD issued a statement this week stating that they “will review the entirety of the incident and gather all of the facts and information.” TBD how this one ends.
There’s a new sheriff in town. Election results are in and Chester County has made some changes electing for the first time Democrats in the offices of Sheriff (Fredda Maddox) and Attorney General (Deb Ryan) and flipping the balance of the Chester County Commissioners from red to blue. West Chester, on the other hand, stayed pretty much the same. West Chester Borough Council had three Ward representatives on the ballot and all won as expected. Newcomer Nick Allen seamed to excite his constituents garnering 98% of the vote in Ward 2. Incumbents Michael Stefano and Bernie Flynn also won easily in Wards 4 and 6 respectively.
“The Person in Charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety.”
-Chester County Health Inspector
Check, please. Chester County Health Inspector reports are out for October, and it was not a good month for a couple downtown restaurants. Mercato got hit especially hard racking up 10 violations and causing the inspector to lament the qualifications of the person in charge. Note a lot of these violations are pretty technical, but still it does not exactly instill confidence. The Social Club racked up eight violations.
However, continuing to ace all their safety examinations, West Chester area schools. Mary C. Howse was inspected this month and found to have zero violations. Maybe, someone should offer a refresher course?
It takes a village to run a school. Earlier this week, the West Chester Area School Board and the West Chester Area Education Support Professionals Association (WCAESPA) came to an agreement on a five year contract. WCAESPA members include secretaries, aides and technical support. After 10 months of negotiations, the recommendations of a third party Fact Finder were accepted unanimously by the School Board on Thursday. The contract includes modest raises each of the five years and in return staff has signed off on a greater share of the healthcare burden. Find more information about the agreement here.
Community-University relations. Perhaps it doesn’t make up for the 3 a.m. wake up calls or Miller Lite cans found in the yard, but West Chester University students are committed, at least during the daytime hours, to making West Chester a better place. According it University reports, for the academic year 2018-2019, West Chester University students performed 709,182 hours of community service and raised just over $108,000 to benefit various community partners.
Fly that flag proudly. As you may or may not recall, earlier this year West Chester quietly selected an official flag (after first wondering, if it was good enough.) Well, it was and now it is for sale. You can purchase your blue and gold criss-cross flag representing the six original streets of the borough for $35. Bring your checks to the Borough Administration building.
The warnings. Watch where you are going. West Goshen Police Department is looking for the driver involved in hit and run with a pedestrian near Rosedale Avenue and S. Church Street on the West Chester University campus. The driver, a white male between 60 and 70, reportedly hit the victim then left the scene of the accident. Please contact the West Goshen police if you have any information about the incident.
There has been growing concern among residents around the safety of this area which has been made worse by growing traffic and students who sometimes cross freely despite the presence of oncoming traffic. One resident suggested increasing police presence at crosswalks and adding more signals on Rosedale Ave. Another option open up a cross street between New St. and High St. to alleviate some of the traffic. This section of West Chester is under West Goshen jurisdiction but might be something to bring up at the next Board of Supervisors meeting.
“For more than 125 years, we have strived to ensure that care is accessible, safe, effective, efficient, and patient-centered.”
– Michael J. Duncan, Chester County Hospital’s President and CEO
The accolades. It was a big couple of weeks for Chester County Hospital. First they were named the number one complex care medical center in quality leadership in the nation by Vizient, a healthcare performance company. Then they learned they had earned an “A” in safety from the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit committed to quality, safety and transparency in healthcare. If you are a regular reader this will come as no surprise to you, these rankings come out twice a year and the hospital received the same mark earlier this year.
Also, congratulations to Free Ride West Chester who’s quirky rideshare style (in car karaoke, anyone?) is finding a home on borough streets. The new comer was recently featured in the pages of County Lines magazine. Fans keep a lookout, they will be there again next month.
Give back. You may not be able to match the $20K donated by the West Chester Downtown Foundation, but if you are looking to give locally this holiday season these West Chester-based nonprofits are some worthy options.
- Domestic Violence Center of Chester County
- Charles A. Melton Arts & Education Center
- Friends Association for Care and Protection of Children
- Bournelyf Special Camp
- Act in Faith
- Community Warehouse Project of Chester County
- West Chester Public Library
- West Chester Food Cupboard
- Salvation Army of West Chester
- Read2Dream Foundation
- West Chester Area Senior Center
- YMCA Believe and Achieve Program
- Maternal and Child Health Consortium
Looking for more active involvement? West Chester is in need of volunteers for a variety of commissions including: Recreation Commission, West Chester Library Board, Railroad Restoration Commission, Historic Commission, Human Relations Commission, West Chester Redevelopment Authority, Planning Commission, and the Tree Commission. Volunteers generally serve two year terms. Learn more about each of the Commissions and how to get involved here.
Hello. To Thistle Be Perfect. The mother-daughter-owned boutique recently opened on W. Gay Street and will feature jewelry, ceramics and a variety of handmade goods. Just in time for holiday (and hostess) gift giving!
Hello (or welcome back?) to Key Financial who has graciously stepped up to sponsor the Holiday Village at the (QVC) West Chester Christmas Parade. Which will include a (ServPro of West Chester) Giant Inflated Snow Globe, (Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union) Berenstein Bears, Toy’s pedal-carts and a Champion trampoline; and (BenFM) classic holiday music. (For a cleaner read, skip the parenthesis).
Goodbye. To D’Ascenzo’s Gelato. The Gay street gelato shop closed their doors this week for the winter. If you missed getting your last fix of the season, don’t worry they will be back (briefly) December 6, 7, 8 for their Christmas parade and holiday weekend popup.
The freakin’ weekend. What are you up to this weekend? I will be digging around in the attic for our winter coats, gloves and hats (sorry, boys for the double fleeces this morning.) I am also planning a trip to the Growers Market to refresh my apple supply and I heard there will be a hummus vendor there this week which I am excited to try.
Plus, who’s going to the Harlem Wizards tonight? We went last year and the kids had a blast. Just note if you do go, the location has moved to Rustin. And don’t forget there’s a Veteran’s Day parade on Sunday.
Mark your calendars:
- CHANGE OF VENUE: Harlem Wizards vs. West Chester East teachers, West Chester Rustin High School, Nov. 8
- Apple Cider & Donut giveaway, Grower’s Market, Nov. 9
- Sail On: The Beach Boys Tribute, Uptown! Theater, Nov. 9
- Ripple Run, Rustin High School, Nov. 10
- Veterans’ Day Parade, Downtown, Nov. 10
- Hey dog lovers! Dog Food Drive, Henderson High School, Nov 10 Bring a bag of dry dog food get a professional photo with your pet.
- Tell the bride and groom: Wedding Showcase, Chester County Historical Society, Nov. 10
- Nobuntu, a cappella quintet, WCU Live, Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall, Nov. 16
- Free event: Chanting and Chocolate, Uptown Theater, Nov. 17
- Better Than Bacon Gives Back, give back with laughs, Uptown Theater, Nov. 30
- QVC West Chester Christmas Parade, Downtown, Dec. 6
That’s it! We made it. If you missed it, here’s last week’s Roundup (it was a pretty good one if I do say so myself.) Plus, now that it’s getting colder don’t forget the library has more than just books. Thank you for stopping by and I’ll see you next week. Don’t forget to sign up to receive the newsletter!