Live in West Chester? Want to? Follow along.
A jaw-dropping Borough Finance committee meeting leads to a number of surprising revelations, but no real answers to the budget problems. Plus, restaurants get ready for expanded indoor occupancy just in time for fall and West Chester Area School District navigates the best way to teach a sensitive subject remotely. Let’s take a moment, before we begin.
As we’ve known for a while now, the Borough of West Chester is in a bit of a financial crisis. Last month the Borough Department heads met to make their initial 2021 budget presentations to the Borough’s Finance and Revenue committee and the general takeaway is, if nothing changes, the Borough is expecting a nearly $1.7-million-dollar deficit to its general fund next year. There are generally two ways to deal with a deficit: cut projects or raise taxes.
Who needs a drink?
It’s been a long summer, and not always in a good way. Well, we’ve made it to the end. So in honor of surviving, I am sharing the best to-go drinks in West Chester and where to get them. Cheers.
Just barely September and we are starting to lose it, people. What’s going on in the Borough? Let’s just call this the law and order issue. Plus, updates on a shaky start to the school year – including some pretty disturbing Zoom calls; a closer look at the Borough (over) budget and we say goodbye to a regular presence downtown. On the bright side, the year’s almost half over. Grab some sustenance and let’s get going.
The Borough takes a first look at the 2021 budget and a potential tax increase. See how much. Plus, West Chester to get another fountain, a Gay Street closure extension, and everybody gets ready to go back to learning. School not so much. Soak it in these are your last days of summer.
In honor of National Black Business Month and the return of school, we are featuring a profile of West Chester’s own Tonya Walls and Little Faces Childcare Center. Tonya introduced the Borough to Little Faces 10 years ago when she noticed that families on the west end were lacking in childcare services.
This week we are talking people behaving badly. High Street Caffe is open again after actions by its owner led to a mass staff exodus earlier this summer. Also, drilling on the Mariner East 2 pipeline is halted as crews work to assess the damage of a fluid spill. Plus, Kooma’s expanding, and where West Chester falls among the best places to live in PA. #1 in my book, not in theirs. Grab a late August lemonade – spiked if you’re associated with High Street Caffe – and let’s do this.
Good news pups of West Chester, Everhart Park has added a pet water fountain to the premise!
Welcome to August. Gay Street closes, just in time for Isaias to sweep through. See what this open air market is like. Plus, West Chester School Board confirms the inevitable, West Chester University reaches an important milestone with its science and engineering building and West Chester’s #girlbarbersrule open their own shop. Who’s ready to catch up?
In February, I announced seven new restaurants were coming to town. Most of which were planning to open in March, then the pandemic hit. It’s been a brutal time for established businesses, so how could a new restaurant survive? With the closing of Gay Street, I followed up to see who’s open, who’s not, and how things are faring under COVID-19 guidelines.
