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It’s Friday, June 7, 2024: Restaurant Inspection reports are in for May. Eleven institutions are out of compliance including a disturbing report from a local assisted living facility. Plus, the school district votes to raise taxes, high school graduations, and exciting news from the Green House, Serum Tap and Kitchen, Popeye’s, and Farmer Jawn. Summer is here - and it’s looking good so far!

Who’s ready? Let’s catch up.

West Chester Restaurant Inspection Reports: May

Ten local restaurants and institutions are out of compliance this month. While cleaning tasks were fewer this month, date markings and proper refrigeration continued to be a problem. Overall not terrible, but I would suggest sticking to the hard stuff if you’re heading to the Elks Club, and maybe avoiding King’s Garden altogether until the new certified food manager is in place.

Ryan’s Pub, 133 E. Gay St., out, 7 violations including fruit flies in the upstairs bar, broken glass in the bar sink and all over the basement floor, and storage containers that were literally breaking apart raising concerns over “physical pieces entering food.”

Buddy’s Burgers, Breasts, and Fries, 11 W. Gay St., out, 3 violations including having no meat thermometers onsite and only having expired sanitizer test strips which is probably not that big of a deal seeing the sanitizer was also expired. New supplies of both have been ordered.

Mizuna Catering, 510 E. Barnard St., out, 8 violations including employee food mixed with customer food, ready-to-eat foods stored without a date marking, and a food processor too close to the mop sink. When employees clean the mops spray back is splattering the equipment.

Las Vegas Pizza, 515 E. Gay St., out, 5 violations including garlic and oil not being refrigerated and a pizza prep refrigerator not keeping foods cool enough. Also, a separate 4-door freezer was found repaired with duct tape. While my dad would approve, the health inspectors did not. “Replace to ensure proper freezing,” they directed.

Papa John’s, 510 E. Gay St, out, 5 violations including expired sanitizer strips, no covered trash receptacles in the restroom, and prepackaged pizza sauce without a label. Papa John’s corporate is being contacted about the labels.

Domino’s Pizza, 241 E. Gay St., out, 7 violations including a leak over the food prep area. The food prep table was moved, cleaned, and sanitized and the restaurant was directed not to use the area under the leak until the leak was repaired.

Elk’s Club, 401 W. Washington St., out, 1 violation, but it’s a doozy. Multiple dead mice were found floating in a soda syrup container in the basement. The social club was ordered to discard the container immediately and follow up with updated pest control reports.

Pepper Mill, 813 N. Chester Rd, out, 4 violations including several potentially hazardous ready-to-eat foods stored past their expiration dates. These items were discarded at the time of the inspection and the managers were directed to use a “first in, first out” method of food storage to ensure food is rotated.

Colonial Village Market, 929 S. High St, out, 7 violations including staff wearing bracelets and watches and eating while working. Also, pickle barrel tongs, a towel dispenser, and the walk-in refrigerator floors all in need of a good cleaning.  

King’s Garden Restaurant, 308 S. High St, out 18 violations, including employees changing tasks without washing hands in between; ready-to-eat foods not marked with the date they were made; dirty rags air drying from a wire in the kitchen; utensils stored without being properly cleaned first; first aid supplies stored near the food; and a variety of broken and unused items that need to be removed and properly discarded. This is the King’s Garden's second out-of-compliance report in a month and, in a first, for me anyway, the restaurant was directed to name a new certified food manager.

While King’s Garden continued to struggle last month, many other local restaurants have been busy cleaning up. Back in compliance from April are Fellini Cafe, Spence Cafe, Hannum Seafood and Produce, Sabatino’s Grille, Countryside Food Mart, DK Diner, BP Westtown, Saucey’s Pizza, 7-Eleven (both), Primo Hoagies, Qdoba Mexican Eats, Taco Maya 2, Bagel Bistro, Mike’s Pizza, Giant, Penn’s Table, and Highland Orchards.  

You can find all the restaurant inspection reports here. Search by location for more details.

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The Warnings.

I wouldn’t let my parents eat here. While this is technically part of the Restaurant Inspection reports I am calling it out here due to the extent of the violations and the fact that many residents may not have a choice as to where they take their meals.

Watermark at Bellingham on Boot Rd was found out of compliance with 18 violations including two containers of berries observed with mold; a vat of chili not properly cooled; a main kitchen reach-in cooler not keeping foods sufficiently cool; and taco meat, chicken tenders, cut tomato, and cut lettuce left out unrefrigerated. All the previously mentioned food was discarded during the inspection.

In addition, mouse droppings were found in both the main kitchen and the downstairs dry storage area. Ants were found in the main kitchen and the tavern prep kitchen. The facility was directed to take measures to control, reduce, and eliminate pests including immediately cleaning the floors, food prep, and storage areas. The inspectors further stated a “regular cleaning schedule must be implemented IMMEDIATELY for all food prep areas.”

Perhaps the scariest thing about this inspection: it’s a follow-up. Inspectors originally visited on May 2 and noted 36 violations. Watermark at Bellingham markets itself as a “luxury” senior living facility in West Chester. In addition to independent living, they offer personal care, memory care, and rehabilitation stays.  

Your taxes are going up (but not nearly as much as if you lived in Delaware County). Last week, the West Chester Area School Board approved a final 2024-25 school year budget. The $322,563,949 financial plan represents a 5.1 percent increase over this year’s budget. The largest component of the budget is salaries and benefits. It also represents the area of biggest increase. Compensation is expected to rise $8.4 million or 5.4 percent next year. Additional increases were seen in pension contributions, contracted special education services, and transportation costs.

To balance the budget, West Chester Area School Board Members voted 8 to 1 to raise taxes by 1.3 percent in Chester County and 11 percent in Delaware County.

Why so much in Delaware County? You may wonder. That is because the average assessed home value in Chester County is $189,850. In Deleware County, it’s $502,336. As a result, your taxes are going up $57 for the year, while your Delco friends can expect to see a $553 increase.

Compare West Chester millage rates to neighboring districts here and here is the final budget for anyone who wants to dig into the numbers.

Watch for potential pollutants in Plum Creek - update. Last week West Chester resident Matt Herring shared pictures of a cloudy white substance floating on the surface of Plum Creek near West Chester University. ”It looks like soap or paint,” he said.

Since that initial discovery the Borough, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and West Chester University have all been out to investigate. Initially, they thought the contamination was coming from a WCU painting contractor who was rinsing his equipment into a storm drain - but he was cleared.

“A tracer dye test conducted on Friday, May 31, at the sink where it appears the painters washed their equipment was inconclusive since the dye did not discharge into the creek. That indicates that the painters were not responsible for the cloudy substance in the creek,” West Chester Deputy Public Relations Director Loretta MacAlpine shared in an email yesterday.

Still, he was told to stop, a win for groundwater. Unfortunately, the cause of this particular contamination remains unknown.

“The University’s Environmental Health and Safety staff are working with the DEP and Borough to try to determine the source and to monitor the connection to Plum Run. It's a coordinated effort since there are many interconnecting pipes,” said Loretta.

While the issue has not been resolved, that it is being investigated at all is largely due to the efforts of Mr. Herring a fact acknowledged by the DEP.  “I was calling to thank you and let you know, largely in part of your efforts we were able to get responders into the area to investigate,” DEP rep Rex Miller said in a voicemail.  

See something, say something. Speaking of speaking up, West Chester Police are seeking assistance identifying a suspect wanted in connection with an attempted burglary on the 100 block of S. High St. The incident was reported on May 6.

Gift card integrity has been restored. Thanks to the hard work of the Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police force, Dong Shao of Flushing, NY has been arrested and extradited to PA for his part in a “gift card draining” scam.

Plan your route accordingly. Starting June 17 through October, Strasburg Rd will be closed weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Misak Dr to Ellis Ln for a water main installation. Route 3 and Route 352 are your alternates. Also closing is a weekday lane of Route 3 from Garfield Ave to Spring Ln. This closure part of an extensive PennDOT project to improve safety on Route 3 is expected to last until the end of November.

The Accolades.

Congratulations to all of this year’s graduating seniors! In honor of the occasion, I wanted to include some shoutouts in this week’s newsletter. Unfortunately, I can’t include everyone but here are just a few of the amazing individuals marking what East Principal Stephen Brown declared “one of the best classes since I started in 2015.”

Congratulations to Henderson’s Foram Shah and Rustin’s Olufela Osimokun for keeping us informed and breaking up multi-hour school board meetings with their humor and haikus, East’s Alex Chen and Ethan Altshul for being informed about everything and answering questions about it under pressure, same for Henderson’s Kaitlyn Evans and Ioana Vasilescu, and East’s Jimmy Helferty and Jacob Vengal for defending financial service decision making at a national level.

High fives to East’s all-state sharks in the water Taylor Tegler, Sam Heiland, and Sarah Zeminski, Henderson’s all-state terror on the soccer field Nick Ricciardi, and Rustin’s all-state track stars Maddie Miller and Lucas Band.

Kudos and words of thanks to Rustin’s Lexi Harrison for organizing their annual MLK Day of Service, Henderson’s Elizabeth Stahelek for dedicating hours and hours to helping special needs kids and William Cortes for teaching them life lessons through karate, and East’s Lasya Tirumanmidi for committing to bring robotics to the underserved.

A standing ovation to Henderson’s Juliet Potter, Daniel Krewson, and Molly Hopton for delivering all-state chorus-worthy performances and Rustin’s Jase Salera and Adylyn Kelly for their equally impressive orchestral backup.

And finally, a big round of applause to everyone in this year’s graduating classes. Nicely done.  

Other things we are celebrating this week:

Pride Month. While West Chester has traditionally laid low during Pride Month, there are actually a few things going on this year. First, the Chester County Commissioners were out Monday for a photo-op and flag-raising. The Pride flag will fly from the Justice Center throughout June. Rose’s Little Donuts will be introducing one to two new Pride-themed donuts a week and donating a portion of the proceeds from those donuts to LGBT Equality Alliance of Chester County. They kicked things off this week with a Fruity Pebbles Rainbow Flag donut on a vanilla frosting backdrop. Bierhaul Townhouse is bringing back Drag Karaoke or as they put it, “Drink specials and gay celebrations. Every. Tuesday.” And the Chester County History Center is hosting its first annual Rustin Day of Film on June 14. Curated by the West Chester Film Festival, the hour-and-half film block celebrates the stories and the storytellers that elevate the Black and LGBTQ+ experiences.

Anniversaries. Cheers to Malena’s Boutique on turning 21! Celebrate with 20 percent off hellthe boutique and showroom all weekend long. Also, congrats to Turks Head on two years. In honor of the milestone, they will be hosting a customer appreciation party on Sunday with live music starting at 10 a.m.

Poets who know it. Last month, West Chester Area School District held its 9th annual poetry contest. Students across the district showcased their mastery of literary devices, creative expression, and brevity. This year’s contest included a new kindergarten wordplay category and welcomed a post-COVID high of 115 entrants. The winners were invited to Barnes and Noble to perform their works live for teachers, families, and friends.

Work wins. Last week, West Chester Area Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kalia Reynolds was promoted to Deputy Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer. Also, stepping up is Rustin girls basketball assistant coach Tony Bacon. He was just named the school’s new head boys basketball coach. He served as head coach of Glen Mills for 10 years before coming to Rustin.  

Hello.

Sure, most kids are desperately counting down to summer but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to start thinking about next year’s activities especially when those activities begin in July. Next year West Chester Area School District is introducing mountain biking to its athletic lineup.

Open to students grades sixth through 12th, West Chester is looking to field two teams, a middle school team and a high school team. Teams will be co-ed and no previous mountain biking experience is necessary. The season runs from July to November. Practices begin the week of July 8 and will be held two to three times a week at Harmony Hill or Marsh Creek.

If you are interested in learning more, they have a new website.

Also, this weekend marks the launch of the library’s summer reading program. Following the theme “Summer Reading Quest” library staff will bring the “adventure” to Barclay Park this Saturday for their annual kick-off party. There will be an obstacle course, face painting, balloons, and, of course, sign-up information.

The kickoff party runs from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. You can find more information about the program here.

Speaking of fun, kid-centric events, West Chester Music Academy is holding its first-ever West Chester Kids Music Day on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at their 7 N. Five Points location. There will be a food truck, face painting, an instrument petting zoo, and a raffle for a free month of music lessons. The event is free and open to all.

“Our goal with West Chester Kids Music Day is to create a fun, engaging environment where children can discover their love for music,” said Nick Doak, Director of West Chester Music Academy.

Also, this week we have some exciting restaurant retail updates:

The Green House, the fun little plant store on N. Church St, is planning to put down roots around the corner on Gay St. in the former home of Fairmans Skate Shop. I did not see this coming for this space, but I love it. I hope to catch up with them in the coming weeks to get the grand vision. In the meantime, if you are looking for retail space, they are looking to sublet.

The rooftop dining platform is now under construction at Serum Kitchen and Taphouse. Lisa tells me that as long as the weather stays dry, construction should be completed by the end of June. Exciting. I can’t wait to see how it turns out!

A new dim sum restaurant is coming soon to Gay St. Dim Sum Taste is planned for 127 W. Gay St. or the former home of Laurento’s Formal shop. According to the Asia Society, “Dim sum is a traditional Chinese meal made up of small plates of dumplings and other snack dishes and is usually accompanied by tea.“ Chinese tapas? I can get behind that.

FarmerJawn Westtown is open for the season. As you’ll recall, Philly-based FarmerJawn assumed operation of the school’s farm after Pete Flynn retired in 2022. The team is currently in the middle of the three-year organic transition process because of this produce stand offerings have been spotty at times but it sounds like it’s improving. Right now they have fresh strawberries, chemical-free veggies, baked goods, and pressed juices. The stand is open Wed through Fri 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. .

For all of you who “Love that Chicken,” there’s good news. It seems Popeyes is getting ready to open its West Goshen doors. Sure, I couldn’t find any mention of a grand opening online nor did I get a response from corporate, but they did complete and pass their opening restaurant inspection. Nearly always a sign of an imminent opening. Keep an eye on those doors - and let me know when it’s official.

Goodbye.

Goodbye. Hello. Goodbye, again. Hello, again? Will she? Won’t she? Seriously - have you been following all the drama at Happy Bakery? You should. In true Gen Z style, she’s documenting it all in an oddly addictive tell-all Insta story situation. In case you have better things to do with your time, here’s what she’s shared so far.

Last month we learned, she was at risk of losing her social accounts and her recipes to the mysterious owner of her LLC.

“Happy Bakery meant everything to me and I will not stop fighting for it so I’ll be working on a new plan immediately,” she shared on May 23.

She was able to save her social following by changing the account handle to “vickysbakeclub.” The name remains Happy Bakery. The bakery itself, however, wasn’t so easily switched.

“The bakery will not be open this weekend,” she shared a few stories later. It never reopened. Then earlier this week she was back on the stories with a series of updates.

“I have some really exciting news. Next week I’ll be back in the OG bakery. It’s been quite a whirlwind the past couple of weeks and I appreciate all your support,” she said to the camera.

It sounds like after losing the space, she was able to renegotiate the lease - I am going to guess this time in her name - and should be reopening again soon.

“It seems like I’ll be opening very early July and releasing that re-grand opening date next week,” she shared before jetting off to explore more bakeries.

Breaking: The Insta handle is now back to @happybakerywc. TikTok is still @vickysbakeclub.

Part bakery life. Part soap opera. All very good cinnamon buns.  

Also, as I shared last week, the West Chester Area School District has been saying a lot of goodbyes lately. First, it was the extensive list of retirees. Now it’s the seniors, and in the middle, it was Board Member Joyce Chester and newly hired Director of Teaching and Learning and Equity Shante Knight.

While some goodbyes are expected, others can feel abrupt and unexplained, shielded behind the cover of “executive sessions” and “personnel issues.” Do questions remain around Shante Knight’s “resignation”? Yes. Are we likely to get answers? Unless someone is willing to speak out - I am beginning to think not. Will the next candidate face undue scrutiny? Did this one? I don’t know. What we do know is that the job is being reposted as it was originally written and the District says it remains committed to finding the best candidate to fill the role.

This is their response:

“What I can say is that we wish Mrs. Knight all the best in her future endeavors. As for the Director of Teaching and Learning and Equity position, we have reposted the original job listing in numerous places including Simplicity Recruit, NABSE Career Center, Ed Week Top School Jobs, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, and AASA. Our goal is to have a highly qualified candidate in this role by the fall, or sooner if possible.”

Speaking of reposted positions, Joyce’s school board position is now open. If you are interested in applying, you must first live in District 1, which covers the Borough and parts of West Goshen. Then you must complete the application and submit a copy of your resume to Board Secretary Linda Cherashore by noon, Wed. June 12.

You can find more details about the application process here. The selected candidate will serve until Dec. 2025.    

Also, it’s goodbye to Philadelphia’s University of the Arts. The 150-year-old institution closes its doors today in an abrupt decision that leaves many of the school’s 1100 students scrambling. This week West Chester University announced it is joining a growing list of regional art schools looking to offer stranded UArts students a future home preferably with earned credits intact.

“We are actively working on providing a clear pathway for UArts students interested in transferring to the Wells School of Music or our programs in Theatre, Art and Design,” WCU’s art programs said in a statement.

Pay It Forward.

Last month, I shared the story of a new West Chester childcare center that was facing pushback from neighbors. The story got me curious, just how needed was this childcare center anyway? The responses I received from existing centers were shocking. Many area daycare centers face months-long waiting lists, particularly in the infant rooms.  One director shared she is often among the first to know when a couple is expecting.

After the story ran, I received an email from the Oscar Lasko YMCA and Childcare Center. While they agree the childcare situation is severely strained, they wanted to highlight other barriers beyond capacity that are exasperating the problem.

Here is their response:

The state of childcare is in crisis. Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 2,000 childcare centers across the state of Pennsylvania have closed permanently. Those that remain struggle to attract qualified staff, forcing limitations on enrollments and availability.

“The current state of childcare is unsustainable,” shares Claudia Aust, senior association director of youth programs at the YMCA of Greater Brandywine. “Childcare costs are already high for families and many cannot afford for rates to increase – especially as their expenses continue to rise across the board. However, childcare centers are facing severe teacher shortages which is driving a need to increase pay to remain competitive in the job market.”

Together, these challenges lead to longer waitlists and reduced access to quality care.  

“Our county and its children need quality access to childcare and the YMCA is working hard to attract employees to work in our centers. We were recently named an Employer of Choice by the Philadelphia Inquirer and continue to add employee benefits such as tuition reimbursement, retirement packages, increased time off, and more. We have also hired behavioral specialists to increase the support available to our teachers,” shares Claudia.

Looking for a meaningful way to give back and have the means to do it? The YMCA of Greater Brandywine is hiring.

A few other ways to give back:

Get out and hit a few volleyballs for a good cause. Henderson teacher and avid volleyball player Marie Schneider is hosting a volleyball fundraiser tomorrow morning to support Mike Lazor, a fellow player who recently suffered a series of strokes leaving him unable to walk and with his ability to communicate severely damaged. He’s fighting back but the road to recovery is long and expensive. Proceeds from the event are going to his family to help with medical expenses. Choose from co-ed quads or sixes. Play begins tomorrow at 9 a.m. at Kerr Park in Downingtown. Register here.

Design West Chester a cool new parking map. The Borough’s Parking Service and Public Arts Commission are inviting artists to submit art proposals for an illustrated map of the Borough and its 11 parking lots and garages. The goal here is to encourage visitors to use all of West Chester’s available parking spaces in a fun and memorable way. Think you can do that? Submissions are due by July 13.

The Weekend Marquee by Uptown

From jazz classics - new and old - to movie classics reimagined, Uptown has your weekend covered. It starts Thursday with KVNB Jazz. Then get ready to cut loose - Footloose, the musical! Get your tickets today!

The Freakin’ Weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? I am playing in the previously mentioned volleyball tournament. I have not had much of a chance to play outside this spring and I am looking forward to it. Plus, two end-of-year parties and a final soccer game - because why not?

If you are around this weekend, it’s First Friday in the Borough. There will be free street-level parking after 5 p.m. and (free) concerts at the old courthouse and the 44 West Plaza. It’s also National Donut Day. I don’t know if everyone celebrates but I know Rose’s Little Donuts does. Place an order. Get a prize. Eat a donut. Not sure how you can go wrong. Speaking of no-lose situations, teachers head to Levante this weekend for a free pour. You’ve earned it. (Just bring your school ID, you’ll need it.) and on Sunday, the Phillies play the Mets in London. Don’t worry if you can’t miss a game (or a beer) both Saloon 151 and Jitters are getting up early to serve you.

And finally, a very special thank you to this week’s Community Sponsor Cassie Shankweiler Real Estate. As a Chester County native, Cassie understands the community and brings a promise of clear communication and fresh energy to all her clients. Whether you’re a buyer, seller or investor, visit her website to see where your advantage lies!

Cassie Shankweiler Real Estate

The Spring real estate market's heat continues into Summer here in the borough. In May, 17 homes sold in the borough with an average price of $655,311. Of those 17 closed home sales, 13 went over asking for an average of $48,500. Curious how much your home is worth? Please call or text me today at (484) 888-6772 and I will give you a full market analysis for your home.  It's time to take advantage of this market!

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.

Readers: If you haven’t yet paid for your annual subscription please do so now and save me from having to hunt you down. It’s been a slow process but I’m getting there. Subscribe either through the link below or use Venmo. ($12 gets you a year of fun, excitement and clean eating.) 

Just $12/Year. Pay Now!

Mark your calendars:

• June 7 – Midlife Cafe, 225 E. Market St, 11 a.m. Supportive community for women embracing life’s Second Spring. Dive into discussions about well-being, share wisdom, and grow together. This a free event to connect with others going through a similar experience.

• June 7 – First Friday – Summer Concert Series, Downtown West Chester, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Enjoy live performances from the old Courthouse, free street-level parking after 5 p.m., and fun extras like complimentary face painting.

• June 7 – First Friday Jazz featuring the Gusten Rudolph Quartet, 4 West Prescott Alley, 7:30 – 9 p.m., Come out for a night of soulful sounds and rhythms with Gusten Rudolph, Madison Rast, Elijah Cole, and John Swana. Tickets: $15/adult; $10/student.

• June 7 – The American Ride – Toby Keith Tribute, Uptown Theater, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $35/advance; $40/door

• June 8 – West Chester Growers Market, Corner of Church and Chestnut, 9 a.m. – 1 pm.

• June 8 – Yoga in the Street, Gay St. in front of the Post Office, 9 – 10 a.m. Take an outdoor yoga class with Triple Threat Fitness. Bring $5 and a mat.

• June 8 – West Chester Library Summer Reading Kick-Off, Barclay Park, 10am – 1pm. Register for the Library’s popular summer reading program then stay for the games, balloons, face painting and more. This event is free and open to the public.

• June 8 – Penn Fusion 5K, Church and Market St., 9:30 a.m. Race shirts for all runners registered by May 22. Regstration fee: $35/5K; $50/2K walk

• June 8 – Sugar Mountain – Tribute to Neil Young, Uptown Theater, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $40/advance; $45/door – plus $5 service fee.

• June 8 – Bridgerton Tea Party, Nightingale Materials, 118 N. High St, 2 – 4:00 p.m. This 2-hour tea party includes refreshments and pastries from the Bookstore Bakery.

• June 9 – Customer Appreciation Party, Turks Head Cafe, 10 a.m. Stop by for a day of music.

• June 9 – West Chester Kids Music Day, West Chester Music Academy, 7 N. Five Points Rd., 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. There will be a food truck, face painting, an instrument petting zoo, and a raffle for a free month of music lessons. This event is open to everyone, regardless of age or musical experience.

• June 9 – Summer Picnic Train Ride, West Chester Railroad, 230 E. Market St. 12 – 1:30 p.m. Tickets: $25/adult: $20/kids 2-12

• June 9 – Wool Needle Felted Owl Class, Nightingale Materials, 118 N. High St, 2 – 4:30 p.m. Join this two-and-a-half-hour session to transform colorful wool into a whimsical project. Class: $60

• June 12 – Dinner with Elsa, Saloon 151, 4:30 – 6:30 p..m. Celebrate the end of a long school year with an Elsa meet and greet. This is a free event.

• June 13 – Drones for Adults, American History Museum, 6:30 p.m. Learn the different types of drones, the science of drone flight and how to choose one that works for you. Drones will be available for test flights. Tickets: $40.

• June 12 – West Chester Taps, Downtown West Chester, 5 – 7 p.m. Join various downtown restaurants each Wednesday for a townwide Happy Hour. Drink and food specials available.

• June 15 – West Chester Growers Market, Corner of Church and Chestnut, 9 a.m. – 1 pm.

• June 15 – Juneteenth Festival, Melton Center, 1 – 4 p.m. Come out for an afternoon of community and culture. Live music, performances, speakers and more.

• June 15 – A Veterans’ Return Celebration, Saints Simon and Jude Parish, 8 Cavanaugh Court, West Chester, 4:30 p.m. Join for an unforgettable celebration, USAF Drill Team, Phillie Phanatic, face painting, balloon twisting, hot dogs, ice cream, and at 6 p.m. a hero’s welcome for 200 returning veterans.

• June 16 – Summer Picnic Train Ride, West Chester Railroad, 230 E. Market St. 12 – 1:30 p.m. Tickets: $25/adult: $20/kids 2-12

• June 16 – Father’s Day Express, West Chester Railroad, 230 E. Market St. 12 – 1:30 p.m. Tickets: $5/dad; $25/adult: $20/kids 2-12

• June 17- $5 Movie Monday – Moonrise Kingdom, Uptown Theater, 7 p.m. Free popcorn!

• June 19- West Chester Taps, Downtown West Chester, 5 – 7 p.m. Join various downtown restaurants each Wednesday for a townwide Happy Hour. Drink and food specials available.

• June 20 – 23 – Footloose Musical, Uptown Theater, 7:30 p.m.; 3 p.m. Matinee on Sunday. Tiered ticket prices. See website for details.

• June 20 – Music at Marshall: Butterfoot, Marshall Square Park, music starts at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy a free open-air concert, food trucks, face painting and more!

• June 20 – Concert in the Park, Everhart Park, 6:30 p.m. This is a free event.

Hello is on the radio. Ever wish you could get your weekly updates as a podcast? - Well, you can now.

Looking for more event ideas? The Spring/Summer Event Guide is now available! 35 events to plan your summer around. View the full calendar here.

That’s it. Stay safe, stay healthy, and I'll see you next week!

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