West Chester Weekly News Roundup: Jan. 30, 2026

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It’s Friday, Jan. 30, 2026: This week, we attempt to break apart the unwieldy 150 page West Chester Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan. There are plenty of inspiring big sky ideas, but little direction on how we get there - especially since we have been clearly underspending on our park system for years now. It looks like there will be some tough conversations in our future. 

Plus, did the county just end homelessness? Maybe not for everyone but families at least will no longer have to wait to secure shelter. We look inside the 10 bright new apartments on Paoli Pike making this possible. West Goshen tackles a big Zoning Code rewrite, five new restaurants set to quell your comfort food cravings - hockey puck cookies? Ok, and snow day antics.  

Ok, who’s ready? Let’s catch up. 

Exciting news - we’re hiring! Hello, West Chester is looking for a remote Contract Sales & Advertising Coordinator (5–10 hrs/week, ~$800/month). This role supports advertising sales, invoices, and advertiser communications.

Interested? Email me ([email protected]) with a short intro, experience, and availability. Know someone perfect for this? Please share!

Corrections and clarifications: A couple of notes on the West Goshen mailbox reimbursement changes we shared last week. First, just to clarify, the resident was not physically present at the Township Meeting. The complaint was received ahead of time and the issue discussed at the meeting. Secondly, we heard from a resident in East Goshen, who also had a mailbox damaged by a snowplow but without the same result:

“I live in East Goshen and just wanted to share that a snowplow tore off my mailbox and all I got was a $25 check. That’s it. Crazy low in my opinion!” Facebook comments would back that up - low or no reimbursement seems to be the norm. 

West Chester Parks (and Rec) of the Future: 6 Big Moves

Late last year, the 149-page “Parks for All: West Chester’s Park, Recreation and Open Space Plan,”aka the PROs Plan, began circulating. First to the Chester County Planning Commission, then the West Chester Borough Planning Commission, and next month to West Chester Borough Council. After which, if all goes to plan, it will be scheduled for a public hearing and adoption, probably in March.

The plan has a lot of really cool ideas and two pretty big asterisks, and I’m paraphrasing here: 

1. We do not have enough parkland for our population. The report sets a reasonable parkland goal for the borough of six acres per 1,000 people, based on a previous analysis. With this number as a guide, we are facing a deficit of 98 acres. That gap will grow to 116 acres once the planned apartment complexes are built.

2. We are not investing nearly enough in our parks—certainly not to create the vision we would like to see. 

The Warnings.

Mind the snow. The chance of snow may have moved out, but I thought it was still worthwhile to review your snow-day responsibilities. Residents of the Borough must clear at least a 36” wide path on all sidewalks. You have 24 hours to do this after the snow has stopped or risk a citation and fine from the Borough. The Borough is also asking that you do not throw or blow that snow into the streets.

You must also make a “reasonable effort” to remove snow and ice from your motor vehicle before driving it on a “highway of this Commonwealth.” Good practice for every other road as well. 

Mind the snow, part 2. The Borough especially has a lot of parking lots and spaces that need to be cleared out, and not a lot of places for that snow to go. Public Works has been working all week to shovel it up and haul it out, but until then there will be banks. Treat them with respect. 

“There’s a guy stuck in Pear Alley right now trying to get onto W. Washington St. He tried to drive over a mountain of snow that a plow put there that’s higher than the hood of his car. I thought he saw the mountain and was going to attempt to reverse out but he didn’t. He just gunned it right into the wall of snow for some reason. There’s no way he’s getting out of there without a tow truck,” resident Melissa Johnston via the West Chester Borough Police Department Facebook page.

Mind the snow, part 3. And maybe don’t do this. Definitely, don’t do this.

Chester County’s voting mishap results are in. Last week, Chester County shared the results of an independent investigation into the election day oversight that left tens of thousands of independent and unaffiliated voters off poll books in November, and the findings . . . drumroll, please . . . concluded they were a result of human error. The investigation conducted by a West Chester law firm found there was no malicious intent, just sloppy work and a lack of oversight. According to a review of the report in the Philadelphia Inquirer, two inexperienced employees were tasked with pulling the data from a system they were unfamiliar with, and they inadvertently pulled the wrong voter rolls. The law firm offered more than a dozen recommendations to improve the process in the future. The county has vowed to implement them all. At this time, it seems no one is being held accountable for the errors, the lack of training, or the high turnover rate in the department that may have led to all of the above. 

You can review the full report and action plan here. A public meeting will be held at the Justice Center on Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. to review and discuss the County’s next steps. 

Dig out those fire hydrants. Fires don’t stop because of the snow. This week, the West Chester Fire Department responded to a building fire at East High School and another at the Metropolitan Apartments on E. Marshall St., and smoke in a residence on N. New St. Fortunately, in all cases, no injuries were reported.

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The Sunshine Report.

Your inside look at local government at work. 

On Wednesday, West Goshen Township held a joint meeting between the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors to begin reviewing a comprehensive update and rewrite of the Township's Zoning Ordinance.

The Township engaged Gilmore & Associates approximately 18 months ago to overhaul the existing ordinance, which officials describe as cumbersome, difficult to navigate, and outdated. The stated goal of the rewrite is to create a more user-friendly zoning code that better addresses modern land-use challenges and redevelopment opportunities.

Notably, the meeting drew an impressive citizen turnout, including Save Forsyth Farm supporters as well as residents expressing concern about high-traffic commercial uses, particularly car washes being proposed or permitted near residential neighborhoods. Their presence underscored the level of public interest and concern surrounding how zoning changes may directly impact quality of life, traffic, noise, and neighborhood character.

The consultant's draft proposal reflects a significant structural change, reducing the number of zoning districts from 23 to 11. The rewrite will also address land-use categories that are either not clearly defined or not addressed under the current ordinance, including:

• Redevelopment and adaptive reuse.

• Data centers.

• Short-term rentals.

• Accessory dwelling units (ADUs), such as carriage houses or “tiny homes,” which are often cited as one tool to expand affordable housing options.

The meeting served as an introduction to the process. No formal votes were taken, and the presentation raised more questions than answers. Those questions will need to be debated, refined, and addressed publicly in the coming months as draft language, zoning maps, and specific use allowances are reviewed by the Planning Commission, the Board of Supervisors, and Township residents.

Keep shining —Margie

Hello.

We didn’t get to be the restaurant capital of the county without an ever-changing lineup of dining options. This week, I bring you restaurant openings: the comfort food edition. All those layers do have their perks. 

Goodbye.

Last Wednesday, just days before the area was blanketed with 10” of snow and temperatures dropped into the single digits, Chester County made a life-changing announcement: It would clear all families from its emergency housing waitlist and reduce the number of families with children sleeping outside or in cars to zero.

Accolades

Award-winning local(ish) wines. West Chester’s Turks Head Wines recently announced a very solid showing at their first-ever San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, one of North America’s most influential wine competitions. They entered 12 wines and collected 12 ribbons, including three double-gold winners. 

“Earning recognition for every wine we submitted—especially at this level—is incredibly meaningful,” President and Founder of Turks Head Wines Allison Owen said in a company release.

Turks Head Wines operates a tasting room on N. Church St., but gets its grapes from California. “It reflects the painstaking commitment we bring to sourcing exceptional grapes from top vineyard sites and overseeing every step of production ourselves,” said Allison. “Behind every one of these wines is an incredible amount of intention and care—and none of this would be possible without Kieran Robinson, our Winemaker,” she added. 

Yes, they are all winners, but if you can try only three, the 2022 Turks Head Cabernet Sauvignon, Extended Altitude – Fountaingrove District, 2022 Turks Head Cabernet Sauvignon – Montecillo Vineyard,Moon Mountain District, and 2023 Turks Head Merlot – Olson Vineyard,Sonoma Mountain are your double-gold winners.

Other things we are celebrating this week: 

New toys. This week, we are celebrating West Chester’s shiny new fire engine. The $1.4 million engine will be housed at First West Chester Fire Company and will replace the West Chester Fire Department’s primary fire engine, which is beginning its 21st year. The pricey engine was paid for in large part with a Local Share Account grant from the state, with the remaining roughly $600,000 split among the six municipalities served by the WCFD.

You can read more about the new engine in the Daily Local. 

Unfortunately, the little engine that could is going to need to tough it out a little longer. Design of the new vehicle is starting now, with manufacturing slated for 2027 and delivery in 2028.

America’s Best Hospitals 2026. Shoutout to Chester County Hospital for once again being named one of America’s best hospitals by Healthgrades, a popular doctor and hospital data aggregator. Healthgrades evaluated patient outcomes and clinical performance across a variety of procedures at roughly 4,500 hospitals. Chester County’s nursing staff performed particularly well, with 83 percent of patients praising their listening skills. You can read more about the Healthgrade rankings here. Chester County Hospital also has a clean bill of health with the Pennsylvania Department of Health. According to an analysis of inspection reports by the Philadelphia Inquirer, CCH was not cited for a single safety violation from Dec. 2024 through Dec. 2025. Inspectors were called onsite twice to investigate complaints, but found the hospital in compliance both times. 

Project management. These lines are usually reserved for stories of athletic accolades, but the cheering has been quiet this season. Rustin’s previously undefeated girls swim team was just upset by Downingtown East. Rustin’s girls basketball lost senior point guard Jenna Kraft (and their hopes of going undefeated in league play) to a thumb injury, and Henderson’s boys basketball team just dropped another one, this time to Bishop Shanahan. So this week, we are shaking it up and extending a big round of applause to West Chester resident Michael Insetta for being named Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Mid-Atlantic Project Manager of the Year. As someone who has struggled recently to ensure all her children arrive where and when they are supposed to, I am awed by the level of skill needed to make sure all the parts and pieces are delivered on $2 billion worth of military construction programs.

Most clicked. Last week’s most-clicked story was, perhaps not surprisingly, the DA’s roundup of criminal activity in Chester County, but second and third were the West Chester Social Club’s Instagram account and the GoFundMe for Abbie and Finn Lukens. Heads-up for all you new members—the Social Club will be hosting their next event on Thursday at Jolene’s. 

Pay it Forward.

Not every program needs to be elaborate. Last week, West Chester Rotary proved that when they surprised the members of the Westside Community Center with a whole lot of pizza. 

Rustin Student Council packed lunches for local food banks, while the Rustin Boys’ Basketball team spent their MLK Day helping out at Westminster Presbyterian Church. 

East Bradford Elementary collected a carload of cereal, Dominic from SS. Simon and Jude Church filled a dozen shopping bags with nonperishable items, and members of the East Boys and Girls Basketball teams worked together to deliver a donation of canned goods to the West Chester Food Cupboard. 

Other ways to give back: 

Recycle those electronics. This is not technically West Chester, but as West Chester does not have an option, this is probably the next closest option. Through a partnership with Reworld, all Chester County Goodwill stores will now accept and recycle a broad array of old electronics—working or non-working—at their drop-off locations. Acceptable items include TVs, computers, mobile devices, gaming systems, telephones, toasters, vacuums, and much more. If they are broken and Goodwill cannot sell them, they will be responsibly recycled by Reworld.

Help a family get set up. Friends Association is seeking community help to get their new apartments set up and ready for the first batch of residents. If you can help, they are looking for household items like dishware, cleaning supplies, toiletries, and bedding. You can drop it off at their new 825 Paoli Pike location or save yourself a trip into the cold and just hit up their Amazon Wish List.

Round up at the grocery store. From now through March 31, you can support WCASD students by rounding up your purchase at The Giant checkout. Giant is matching donations up to $100,000, all of which will come back to the district to benefit our local kids. 

The Freakin’ Weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? We will be watching a lot of basketball, squeezing in a stock-up trip to Costco now that shelves are hopefully restocked, and braving the cold to hit the Grower’s Market, but otherwise just staying warm. I’m thinking a Dim Sum Taste order should help with that. 

If you are around this weekend, warm up with Manje Caribbean’s Caribbean food tour - it includes one starter, one entree, one side, and one dessert. Room 109 in the basement of the Hotel Indigo is taking theme decorating to a new level and introducing the Lonely Hearts Club, its ode to Valentine’s Day extravagance. Also, Uptown welcomes comedian Glen Tickle tonight, and Tilte Axes is also hosting a comedy show - and has periogis! And while not in West Chester, People’s Light Theater in Malvern is performing Steel Magnolias. While I haven’t seen this show, we did go to People’s Light for the first time in forever in December to see A Christmas Carol. We paired it with an early dinner at the Jockey Tavern. It proved to be a wonderful afternoon. If you need a change of scenery, I highly recommend.   

Finally, I am seeing several downtown businesses are standing in support with today’s National Shutdown Protest against ICE activities, if not actually closing their doors. Noted: All the Dogs Love will be open but will be donating a portion of all sales to a charity helping the pets of families impacted by ICE, and Tiger Snake Vintage will be open, if only to provide a warm place for people to hang. I am sure there are others, so just keep that in mind if you head out.  

Finally, a special thanks to our newest Community Sponsor, Gregory Dexter! Gregory has a full-service, one-stop, holistic financial advisory practice proudly serving clients across the Commonwealth and the country. Looking to get a better handle on your financial future? Give Gregory a call at 302-757-5260.

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. 14 – Feb. 22 – Steel Magnolias, People’s Light Theater, 39 Conestoga Rd., Malvern, various. The reigning ladies of a small Louisiana parish spend Saturday mornings at Truvy Jones’ beauty parlor. Six unforgettable women command the stage in this hilarious and heart-wrenching masterpiece.

• Jan. 31 – West Chester Growers Market, corner of Church and Chestnut, 10 a.m. – noon.

• Feb. 5  – Tea with Jane Austen, Mimi’s Tea Cottage, 2-3:30 p.m. or 4 – 5:30 p.m. Explore the life and works of Jane Austen while enjoying a full tea service. $45.99/person

• Feb. 6 – Sweetheart Stroll Luminary Walk, Oakbourne Park, 6 -8 p.m. Enjoy a peaceful walk along the beautiful lit luminary trail. Travelin’ Toms Coffee Truck and Dia Doce will be on hand for refreshments.

• Feb. 7 – West Chester Growers Market, corner of Church and Chestnut, 10 a.m. – noon.

• Feb. 7 – Galentine’s Party, Tiger Snake Vintage, 14 W. Chestnut St., tarot card readings, custom bag stamping, bubbles, and treats. 

• Feb. 8 – Kegs ‘n’ Eggs, Levante Brewing West Chester Tap Room, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.  Your favorite pre-game tradition returns.

• Feb. 9 – Sweets & Sips, Levante Brewing West Chester Tap Room, 6 – 8 p.m. Desserts from the Jawnery will be paired with Levante beers. Limited seating. Tickets required. 

• Feb. 14 – Galentines, La Chic Boutique, 12 – 4 p.m. New limited edition hoodie, free gift with purchase, Themed cocktails!

• Feb. 16 – School Off Day Camp: Olympics, First Presbyterian Church, 9 – 3:30 p.m. Open to students kindergarten through 5th. Cost: $20/camper

• Feb. 17 – Science on Tap – Physics, Barnaby’s Restaurant, 6 p.m.Each session will feature a different WCU expert sharing interesting ideas and new research. The program invites audience participation and, of course, food and drink will be available for purchase. Cheers to science!

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!

This newsletter has been edited by Victoria Rose, Flickering Words: Copy editing. Substantive editing. Proofreading. Content writing. Technical editing. Contact her at [email protected] or @VictoriaRoseEdits to learn more.

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