West Chester Weekly News Roundup: Jan. 24, 2025

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It’s Friday, Jan. 24, 2025: It’s Friday, Jan. 24, 2025: Something stinks in the Borough. That’s right, this week we are talking sewers. Fun, right? And while the puns abound, so do the problems. West Chester’s system is currently at max capacity meaning not even a single new residence - or specifically a couple of new restaurants - can move forward with construction until the Borough gets a corrective action plan approved by the state. So what’s the plan and when will things get moving again? I have the scoop. Also, West Chester Police arrested a suspect wanted for a series of burglaries, West Chester University’s modular dorms are taking shape on Matlack St. and could there be a new “Performance & Event Venue” coming to Market St.??? (Please, let the answer be yes.) What we know so far. 

Ok, who’s ready? Let’s catch up.

Feature focus: Now that classes are back in session, don’t forget Hello, West Chester has a student subscription. One year of access to all the news, events and more is free to all students thanks to the West Chester University’s Cottrell Entrepreneurship Center! To get your subscription all you need to do is sign up using your WCU email. Spread the word!

West Chester Borough’s All Backed Up

West Chester Borough’s sewer system is at max capacity. This means no new sewer connections can be added to the Goose Creek Sewer System, which services the south and east sides of the Borough. While that may not seem like much it’s actually a pretty big problem that has several West Chester businesses at a standstill. 

Design Series: Make the Most of the Home You Love

Yep, it’s freezing outside. But here at Spring Creek Design, we know this is the perfect time to start planning to add a porch or a deck to your home. If you begin planning now, we can finish construction in time for the great weather ahead.

To kickstart your thinking, here are some of the trends we’re seeing:

• The porches and decks we’re designing reflect a desire for comfort and connection with nature. They’re evolving into true outdoor living spaces with comfortable furniture, fireplaces, and outdoor kitchens.

• Seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces are key. Think large sliding doors or folding window walls, consistent flooring, and similar décor styles inside and out.

• Sustainable materials are popular. In addition to wood, there's a rise in eco-friendly options like bamboo and composite decking made from recycled materials.

• While nature is nice, technology is required. Extended Wi-Fi networks are a must to support outdoor TVs, movie projection systems, outdoor speakers, and smart lighting systems.

Ready to make the most of the home you love? Give us a call at 610-273-9194

The Warnings.

The West Chester Police get their man. Back in August, West Chester police asked for your help identifying the gentleman in these grainy videos (1 & 2). The videos were posted in association with a series of burglaries that had occurred in the southeast quadrant of the Borough. Well, it worked. On Friday the Chester County District Attorney’s Office in partnership with the West Chester Police Department announced the arrest of Lawrence Dass, 27, of Brookhaven (you can kind of see it now, can’t you?) So far, Mr. Dass has been charged with five counts of burglary and the theft of a West Chester Police Officer’s body armor, vest, and badge from a patrol car. However, that may not be all.  

“West Chester Detectives are working tirelessly to determine how many other burglaries this defendant is linked to. We are thankful for the cooperation from the community and numerous law enforcement agencies,” West Chester Borough Police Chief Joshua Lee said in a statement.

The defendant is being held at the Chester County Prison on $50,000 bail. 

You might think you’re slick, but you’re not. West Goshen Police are looking to identify this man (yep, the one looking practically straight at the camera). He is wanted for taking a non-cashed lottery ticket that was not his. If you know him, call 610-696-7400.

Lots of fires despite the cold. West Chester Fire Department responded to two fires this week including a vehicle fire at Sunset Hollow Rd. in West Goshen and a house fire on the 200 block of Lucky Hill Rd. 

Slow down on Westtown Rd. This week resident Heather Lowrey posted on Nextdoor to ask neighbors to slow down on the Westtown Rd. curve by Westtown Chase (near Westtown Way) after she found a dead deer on her lawn, the second in two months. “People fly way too fast around [the corner], and then don’t have enough time to stop,” she wrote. So when something unexpected pops up, like a deer or a turning car, something gets hit. Usually, it’s her mailbox (50 times in 11 years she estimates), sometimes it’s a deer. “Finding deer corpses is the worst!” she said. I bet, Heather, I bet. 

Your car will be towed during a snow emergency. I saw an officer out making note of quite a few cars left parked on snow emergency routes Sunday morning. Make sure you’re not one of them in the future by signing up for  ReadyChesCo, the county’s free official notification system. You can receive notifications about snow emergencies, and any other emergency, by text, email, phone, or any combination of the above. There is no additional snow in the forecast now, but you never know when that might change.

The Accolades.

This week we are celebrating mission words. Last week, West Chester Borough introduced a new mission statement outlining what it views as the role of the Borough administration.

The new statement reads:

Administer and execute the laws, services, maintenance, and renewal of infrastructure under the direction of our elected leaders and in the best interests of all current and future residents of West Chester Borough.

“We were very deliberate there in using the word ‘resident,’” Borough Manager Sean Mettrick said in a presentation to Borough Council last week. “What I think I’ve heard from our elected officials is [that] our residents come first. We appreciate our business owners. We appreciate our businesses but we make our policy decisions around the people who live in this town.” 

That goes, he added, whether you own or rent.

West Chester Area School District Superintendent David Christopher also had some new words, or rather a new word for the new year. He’s chosen ‘thrive.’

In a letter to the WCASD Community, he wrote: 

“Last year, as your new superintendent, I introduced my focus word for 2024—ownership…

As we step into 2025, my new focus word is thrive. To thrive is to grow, flourish, and reach our fullest potential. It means facing challenges with resilience, embracing innovation, and fostering a supportive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed.

For our students, thriving means excelling academically, socially, and emotionally in classrooms that inspire curiosity and a love for learning. For our staff, it means a workplace where you feel supported, valued, and encouraged to grow and lead. For our community, it means building partnerships that celebrate diversity and drive positive change.”

I am hoping it also means transparency, accountability, and communication. I’m not sure we can ‘thrive’ as a community if we are not treated as equal trustworthy partners in these missions to betterment. (And yes, I think that goes both ways.) But let’s give credit, putting it on paper is a good place to start. 

Ok, other things we are cheering this week: 

Best of the Borough - Boys’ Basketball edition. So far, it hasn’t exactly been a net-cutting kind of season for West Chester area high school basketball teams. East has struggled, winning only two of its last 16 games, with Rustin and Henderson not too far behind. Until this week, all three had losing records, but even in off years, someone still gets to be the best. On Saturday, Henderson and Rustin met at Rustin each hoping to claim bragging rights and maybe a bit of a turn in team fates. The edge, the game, and the flex all went to Henderson, which posted a comfortable 62-48 win over the Golden Knights. The Warriors were led by seniors Dylan DeLucia, Shawn Pierce, Ryan Ranalli, and junior Jaiyre Thomas, all of whom scored in double digits. It also marked the third win in four games for Henderson, which is hoping a few more in that direction might yet earn them post-season play.  

Frederic Chopin. Chopin lovers rejoice and carve out some time to see West Chester University freshman Alyssa Gabrilovich while you can. The 19-year-old recently performed at the Chopin Competition in Miami. The invitation-only professional competition occurs every five years and is directly connected to the Chopin International Piano Competition, one of the world’s biggest piano competitions. Alyssa is the first WCU student ever invited to compete at the prestigious competition.

“I did not expect to be accepted into this competition. I was so surprised and so happy to be invited. Being amongst so many other gifted pianists is very motivating,” Alyssa said when she returned last week.  

Facing your fears. Shout out this week to East Bradford Elementary’s Hope Rice. After experiencing anxiety as a kindergartener, Hope learned techniques to help her face her fears. Now, as a fourth grader, she has published her first book on the topic. Co-written with mom Melissa Rice, a mental health advocate and professor at Immaculata University, The Worry Shark gives kids tips on how to deal with anxiety. You can read the full story of Hope and her publishing debut in the Daily Local. 

Warm welcomes. Congratulations to Safe Harbor, the latest recipient of Chick-fil-A’s True Inspiration Awards. “As part of this incredible honor, we have been awarded a $75,000 grant to further our mission of providing meals, shelter, and support to individuals experiencing homelessness in our community,” Safe Harbor shared on Instagram this week. The money will go towards helping the homeless shelter address food insecurity and create lasting, positive change in the West Chester area and beyond. The donation comes at an important time, especially as local food agencies work to make up for the loss of homemade meals. 

Culinary excellence in walking distance. Round of applause this week to West Chester chef Anthony Andiario on being named a 2025 James Beard semifinalist. Chef Anthony was nominated for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic Region, which includes Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, and DC. He will be competing against Wilmington’s Antimo DiMeo, Philadelpia’s Juan Carlos Aparicio, Yun Duwnrwa, Jesse Ito, and Amanda Shulman, and 15 others. The list will be culled to five finalists in April with winners announced at the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards in June. This is not the first time Chef Anthony has been nominated. He was nominated in this category in 2022 and as a semifinalist for “Best New Restaurant” for Andiario in 2019.  

Know someone who should be recognized? Let me know: [email protected].

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Hello.

A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from a reader. “Are you interested in a press-release kind of notice for a wine-tasting group that has been in existence since 2013 and wants to let others know about it?” former Chaddsford Winery owner and Vintner’s Apprentice author Eric Miller asked. And we all know the answer to that, of course, I am. 

Goodbye.

Pay it Forward.

Last week, we shared the forced end to St. Agnes Day Room’s home-cooked meals program. 

“After 32 years of feeding people in need nourishing, healthy, home-cooked meals (and having many Health Department inspections), it is incomprehensible that we are suddenly no longer permitted to serve home-prepared meals,” said Barbara Kirby, St. Agnes Director of Outreach Services in an email. 

But, sadly, she confirms that is the situation and people do still need to eat. So, this week we’re asking, how can we help? Here are Barbara’s suggestions:

1. Bring your culinary skills to a professional kitchen. “Members of the community can help us by volunteering to cook at Gadaleto's seafood store in their licensed kitchen under Andy's Gadaleto's supervision,” said Barbara. “This generous effort provides food for the hungry two days a week.” Cooking usually takes place on Sunday from late morning to early afternoon.

2. Share some takeout. “Also supporters can purchase food from their favorite restaurant or caterer for us to serve,” said Barbara. “Most supermarkets have hot food options that would be acceptable.” They are also collecting cold cuts and cheeses to make sandwiches. You can find a list of needed items here. 

3. Make a monetary donation. “Obviously financial support is very helpful also,” she added. As it usually is. 

If you are interested in bringing food or would like to help cook, St. Agnes food service coordinators can help you find a day at [email protected]. Monetary donations can be made in the form of a check and dropped off at 233 West Gay Street.

If you are able to help, especially during this time of need it would be greatly appreciated.

“Thank you for your interest in our friends in need,” said Barbara. So nicely put I thought.  

Other ways to give back this week: 

Vie for a seat on the school board. Chester County Voter Services is hosting Beyond the Ballot 2025 on February 6th at 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to gain insight into school board service and how you can get involved in shaping the future of our community’s education.

Support those who’ve lost everything in the California wildfires. In some ways, the California wildfires seem a world away from West Chester but in this interconnected world nothing is ever very far and several local residents are working to lend a hand. One West Chester couple has repurposed their wedding registry to help raise money for an aunt who lost everything and on Jan. 29, local band Package will be performing a benefit concert at Slow Hand. Proceeds from the event go directly to the American Red Cross.

Buy someone a package of coffee. Safe Harbor is accepting coffee and creamer through their Amazon Wish List. So simple but so effective. “Help us bring warmth and energy to our residents by donating coffee,” they shared on social this week.

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The Freakin’ Weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? We have the usual line-up of sports activities but in between I am hoping to sneak in a tour of the new Bookhouse at Faunbrook. I am very curious to see what they’ve done so far and ask about their plans for the future.  

And, I don’t know if you’ve heard but the Eagles are playing in the NFC Championship game on Sunday. 

To make sure you are ready Woolly Pennants has 10 really cool custom pennants ready to go, Green Eyed Lady has the perfect game-day outfit that doesn’t involve a logo, Jawn Supply dropped 200 new team pieces on Saturday (maybe some still stand?), and Kildare’s wants to see you there. They are giving away two tickets to Sunday’s game tonight during happy hour. Each purchase made between 4 and 6 p.m. will enter you into a drawing for a chance to win. Also, Iron Hill has a limited-time-only comfort menu. I think the short-rib grilled cheese with a cup of tomato soup could get me through to warmer weather. Just remember the students are back so restaurants and bars may be more crowded than they have been. 

This week a special thank you to our Community Sponsor, Athletes Untapped! Athletes Untapped helps kids meet their athletic goals, build confidence, and grow their love of the game through easy-to-schedule personal coaching sessions. Visit Athletes Untapped to learn more about their kids-first philosophy! 

View a list of all our amazing Community Sponsors here.

Business leaders: Want exclusive access to this amazing community? Of course, you do. There are only three spots an issue so each one gets a lot of attention, and from what I hear, responses. Placements are filled first come- first served. Send me an email if you are interested.

Mark Your Calendars:

Jan. 24 - Better Than Bacon, Uptown, 226 N. High St, 7:30 p.m. West Chester's original improv group - a unique, hilarious experience everytime. Tickets: $25

Jan. 24 - Designer Handbag and Power Tool Bingo, Melton Center, 501 E. Miner St., doors open at 5 p.m. Games start at 6 p.m. Tickets: $35 in advance; $40 at the door. Food will be available for purchase

Jan. 25 - Discovery in the Dark: A Children's Event, Chester County History Center, 5 - 7:30 p.m. Ever wonder about what life was like at night before electricity? Bring your flashlight to the Chester County History Center to explore the museum in the dark while completing a scavenger hunt. Best for ages 6 -12. Admission is $8/kids; $10/adults

Jan. 27 - Film for $5: Sing, Uptown, 226 N. High St, 7 p.m. Complimentary popcorn included.

Jan. 28 - Teen & Tweens CPR Training, West Chester Public Library, 3:30 - 5 p.m. Cost is $3. Registration required.

Jan. 28 - Dementia & Alzheimer’s Support Group, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 10 W. Pleasant Grove Rd., 6 - 7:30 p.m.  Living with or close to someone living with dementia, please join others for a monthly support group. Contact Ann Hatfield at [email protected] to join virtually.

Jan. 29 - It's Always Sunny Trivia Night, Kildare's Pub, 7 p.m.  Call if you are interested. This event may, or may not, be sold out.

Jan. 30 - Dueling Pianos - The Philly Keys, Uptown, 226 N. High St, 7:30 p.m. The Philly Keys know what it takes to deliver an outstanding dueling piano performance. There’s an art to this dynamic, and they have mastered it. Tickets: $35

Jan. 31 - The Music of Chicago, Uptown, 226 N. High St, 7:30 p.m. Experience the electrifying energy of Chicago’s legendary hits in a spectacular, family-friendly celebration. Tickets: $45

Feb. 1 - West Chester Grower's Market, corner of Church & Chestnut Sts, 10 a.m. to Noon

Feb. 1 - 26th Annual Miss WCU, Asplundh Concert Hall, 7 p.m. Join in celebrating an incredible group of student leaders at WCU compete for the title of Miss WCU 2025.

Feb. 4 - Virtual Lecture: Emma's Postcard Album, Chester County History Center, 7 - 8 p.m. Join author Faith Mitchell as she tells the story of her grandmother, Emma Crawford and her life from 1906-1910 as a Black woman in southern Chester County. This is a pay-as-you-wish event. Registration is required.

Feb. 7 - Learn Chi Walking, West Chester Senior Center, 12:30 p.m. Join Carol Bilek, certified Chi Walking instructor for free Chi Walking demonstrations, open to public. Questions? Email Carol

Feb. 7 - Rachel Harris, One Woman Over the Line, 226 N. High St, 7:30 p.m. This full length, multi-media dance production shares the story of Chester County runaway slave Rachel Harris and her search for freedom and dignity. Tickets: $35/adult; $28/Student/Senior

Feb. 8 - Jingo, 226 N. High St, 7:30 p.m. Enjoy the music of Santana. Tickets: $40

Feb. 9 - Rachel Harris, One Woman Over the Line, 226 N. High St, 2:30 p.m. Multi-media dance production tells the story of Chester County runaway slave Rachel Harris and her search for freedom and dignity. Tickets: $35/adult; $28/Student/Senior

Feb. 10 - Film for $5: When Harry Met Sally, Uptown, 226 N. High St, 7 p.m. Complimentary popcorn included.

Feb. 11 - Teens & Tweens Paper Quilling, West Chester Public Library, 3:30- 5 p.m. Learn the art of paper quilling and make a heart for someone you love.

Reader tip: If you have trouble with these emails going to spam or promotions, reply to this email. Nothing particular, even a random letter will do, but that should keep them coming to the inbox.

That’s it. Stay safe, stay happy, and thanks to everyone who helped make this week’s issue possible. I’ll see you next week!

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