FREE after school tutoring

Daily Times editor stands by his 'threat'

Phil Heron moves so fast it's hard to keep him in focus

Last week I told you of the threat made by Daily Times Editor Phil Heron to the people of Chester. Today, he used half a page in his paper to make it plain.

Ok, ‘threat’ is probably the wrong word but it makes good headlines. It’s more of an ‘opportunity’ for Chester folks to sit face to face with the the guy who runs the Daily Times. 

Best of Delco: Front Page

We should have a Best of Delco category for our local news outlets. This would be a strong candidate for Best Front Page.  

Mayor John Linder presents at National Press Club

WASHINGTON D.C.- Hon. Mayor John A. Linder attended the National Press Club, ‘Cities United’ presentation given by Mayors Michael Nutter of Philadelphia, PA, and Mitch Landrieu of New Orleans, LA, concerning the national epidemic of gun violence specifically concentrated inside urban areas. 

VIDEO: Fair & Square grand opening weekend

Fair & Square opens as Chester's first grocery store in more than a decade.

Fair & Square Preview Party

Member #1

Fully Stocked

Waiting for your cereal

The meat man

This is no small potatoes

Green and leafy

These are apples

Try SCUBA. Orientation Saturday

The Atlantic Rangers Scuba Club is located in Wallingford, PA. and we are members of the National Association of Black Scuba Divers (NABS).  The Youth organization is under The Atlantic Rangers Youth Education Service (ATRA YES). 

Most of our children have never seen a Scuba Diver, let alone a Black one. 

Boys & Girls Club of Chester Cultivates First Prize in Master Gardeners Contest

Ayana Johnson, who participated in the Boys & Girls Club of Chester summer camp, proudly displays freshly harvested vegetables from the award-winning garden.

Chester, Pa.—The garden at the Boys & Girls Club of Chester has yielded a bumper crop of fruit and vegetables this year. Now, the soil has produced something else – a first place prize in the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners Program Garden Contest.

The Boys & Girls Club took top prize in Delaware County in the Youth Garden category, and the children from the club will receive recognition for their accomplishment at the 10^th Annual Master Gardeners’ Fall Fest on September 28 at Smedley Park in Springfield, Pa.

Deshong Park Commemoration Day Saturday

Chester, PA – The 1^st Deshong Park Commemoration Day (DPCD) will take place Saturday September 28, 2013 at Deshong Park - 11^th Street & Avenue of the States entrance and other locations in downtown Chester 10:30 -5pm..  The DPCD is also part of the Delaware County Month celebration and is being presented by the City of Chester in collaboration with Widener University, Pennsylvania Humanities Council, and Chester Arts Alive!. 

DPCD is the celebration of the generous gifts of Alfred O. Deshong to the Chester City and its community.  DPCD will highlight the rich artistic and cultural heritage of the city of Chester and its surrounding communities.  This festival will bring the residents of Chester and Delaware County together, old and young, on the property intended as Deshong’s legacy to the city and its people.  This commemoration will establish an annual event that will attract people from the entire region to Chester as part of the city’s revitalization efforts as outlined in the Chester Vision 2020 plan. 

How to Riverfront Ramble?

No, the pic is not from the Ramble
but I heard these guys performed

I don’t know what happened at Chester’s Riverfront Ramble, and that’s probably a good thing. If something had gone wrong, we all would have heard about it by now.

The Daily Times recap focused on the vendors - mostly food vendors. I haven’t heard a peep or seen any footage of the entertainment. I guess you just had to be there.

I happened to be at city council when they approved a handful of resolutions to approve nearly $100,000 for the Ramble, and I’m sure there was more. It seems like a lot of money for a one day party.

FREE programs at Crozer library.

Understanding the Affordable Care Act at Crozer Library

Confused by the Affordable Care Act? Drop by Crozer Library on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 11 a.m. for “Understanding the Affordable Care Act.” Learn about the Marketplace, eligibility, and Medicare and Medicaid with the ACA. Generously provided by Gateway Health Plan.

Art with Found Objects at Crozer Library

Art on Avenue of the States returns to Crozer Library on Saturday, Oct. 12 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. with another great hands-on workshop! Local artist Karol Bobb will teach “Abstract Mixed Media with Found Objects.” Learn to create your own art with unique found objects. This free program is for all ages.

Raising Healthy Eaters at Crozer Library

Visit Crozer Library from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15 as education Specialist Helen Nadel of Greener Partners leads a cooking and nutrition workshop. “Raising Healthy Eaters”will feature kid-tested recipes like sweet potato dip, kale chips, and smoothies. Bring your appetite for taste tests!

Crozer Library Baby Shower

On Friday, Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Crozer Library hosts a Baby Shower for new and expectant parents who are pregnant and those with children 12 months and younger (siblings are welcome, too!) This event focuses on literacy and health information for infants and families. Featuring storytimes, literacy tips for creating readers from birth, local health and benefits resources, and parenting information. Join us for a special “Stroller Strides” exercise class at 12:30 p.m. provided by Fit4Mom. Registration is required; please call Kim at(610) 494-3454, x204 or email crozerlibrary@gmail.com.

Wednesday Movie Nights

Stop by Crozer Library on Wednesday nights in October to view creepy horror classics, just in time for Halloween! Films begin at 5:45 p.m. (no film on Oct. 23).

Registration is required for all programs. Please call Kim at (610) 494-3454, x204 or email crozerlibrary@gmail.com to register. Please note that children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult at all times in the library. Find Crozer Library on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

The J. Lewis Crozer Library, 620 Engle St., Chester

Both pharmacy murder suspects caught

It appears the police did some super work over the weekend to apprehend both alleged robbers who killed the pharmacy manager in Chester on Thursday night. Congratulations.

Chester 2 Colwyn 2 in Youth Football

Chester Peewees 16-0

Colywn Juniors 13-12

Colywn Midgets 6-0

Chester Seniors 24-12

VIDEO: Colwyn Comets vs Chester Panthers

Colwyn Comets vs Chester Panthers at Memorial Park in Chester on September 21, 2013.

Chester man gets apology for 10 months in jail

Back in April we learned that a Chester man was released from his 10 month jail stint after it was found that he was too short to be the murderer although two witnesses identified him as the shooter from surveillance photos released to the media. (It is kind of hard to judge height from a photo).

Daily Times editor threatens Chester

The editor of the Daily Times has threatened to come to Chester and face any and all of you in a public forum.

Let me know if you’d attend?

Pharmacy victim not a Chester resident

From today’s Daily Times, we learn about the pharmacy manager murdered while working in the Chester pharmacy on Thursday.

Forty year old Jason McClay is a Delco guy who went to Haverford High and lived in Broomall. Despite his education in criminal justice, a U.S. Navy vet, and being a big man standing over 6 feet tall, he was no match for the bad guys. 

Trying to restore downtown Chester with a program

Ok, so these aren't the plans for Downtown Chester
but with the right program,it could happen.
 (The new World Trade Center. June '13 - S. Roots)

The Chester Business Association is making a case for the Main Street program to come to Chester. Main Street is a community-based approach to revitalizing downtowns and central business districts.

The Main Street program was initiated in 1980 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a way to help bolster structures that were being restored. Since that year, $51 billion has been invested in communities throughout the United States, more than 430,000 jobs have been created, more than 220,000 buildings have been restored and the average private to public investment has been $16 to $1.   

(Delco Times - Kathleen E. Carey)

We’ll be watching where this leads.

Crozer-Keystone Flea Market Saturday

Rev. Michael Robinson's Pastoral Installation Sept 29

I forgot to mention that the Chester High class of '78 also has its share of great ministers.

What is a Truant?

The dictionary describes a truant as a student who stays away from school without leave or explanation. 

That definition implies that the student is enrolled in the school where he is truant.

Can you imagine a case where a truant officer accuses your child of being a truant but they don’t go to school in that district? 

Or, maybe it's a case of somebody not knowing what they were talking about when a concerned mother asked a question. 

Here’s an email from a Chester City Blog reader. 

Tragic Pharmacy murder in Chester

Add caption

Since 2007, thousands of retail pharmacies have been robbed in the United States, Commonly, oxycodone pills are the target. 

Last night a Chester pharmacy was robbed which does little to help improve the image of Chester. 

Chester PhotoDay on Saturday

Can we pretend I took this
photo on Saturday?

The Second Annual Plein Air Competition will draw dozens of artists from Philadelphia and the surrounding areas to literally paint the town – in an outdoor painting competition.

Photographers will also have a chance to complete in the first annual “Chester PhotoDay.” Anyone can take a picture in the city at any time on September and submit one print to the gallery.

This year’s juror will be Annette Alessi, a Delaware County artist well known for her plein air and landscape painting. (http://alessicreations.com/).

Last year, artists found inspiration in the Chester’s Art Deco architecture and along the Delaware River, as well as the street containing Art on the Avenue gallery. The street includes several early buildings such as the Chester Courthouse which was built in 1724 and is the oldest building still in use on the East Coast.

RESULTS: Panthers at Collingdale

Peewee 28-0
Midget 26-0
Juniors 19-6
Seniors 28-0

Join us next weekend at Memorial Park when the Panthers take on Colwyn. Game times will be posted later. 

This Collingdale team checks the scoreboard hoping they would get on the board in their game. 

It's like the other team didn't want to come out after being down by so much.

Collingdale got plenty of closeup looks at their home field

He's the team captain, defensive lineman, and fullback. No, not really!

Oh wait, is that #1? Maybe he is a defensive lineman.

Even the guys on the sideline seem like they're in the huddle. 

Chester High School Football

Chester High School Football 2013

Chester Panthers at Collingdale

Chester was running away from the competition earlier today as 4 teams played out on Clifton Ave. Results to follow. 

VIDEO: Chester vs Chichester Girls

Chester High School female varsity vs Chichester.

Who remembers Widener as PMC?

Widener was known as Pennsylvania Military College until 1972, and the university still maintains a vibrant Army ROTC program that serves as the headquarters for other college and university ROTC programs throughout the Philadelphia region.

For the fourth year, Victory Media, Inc. has selected Widener University as a “Military Friendly School,” placing it in the top 20 percent of all higher education institutions nationwide that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans and spouses as students and ensure their success on campus.

500 Chester students receive free home computer and internet

It’s all smiles at the recent announcement of the Gureghian Charitable Foundation’s donation of home computers and Internet service, provided by Internet Essentials from Comcast, for Chester Community Charter School’s seventh- and eighth- grade students, on the school's East and West campuses. Pictured above (from left to right) Danielle Gureghian, chair, Gureghian Charitable Foundation; Joe Watkins, receiver, Chester Upland School District; David L. Cohen, executive vice president, Comcast; Vahan Gureghian, founder, Gureghian Charitable Foundation; and Pennsylvania State Representative Bill Adolph.

Chester Community Charter School (CCCS), the largest K-8 charter school in Pennsylvania, today announced that it has received a contribution of free home computers and broadband Internet access for all of its seventh-and eighth-grade students and their families.  David L. Cohen, executive vice president of Comcast, announced that the Philadelphia-based entertainment company partnered with   Vahan and Danielle Gureghian, through the Gureghian Charitable Foundation in providing the computers and broadband Internet access from Comcast to the CCCS students. The total value of the Foundation’s donation is approximately $150,000.

In remarks given to more than 250 students, faculty, staff, parents and invited guests, Cohen said, “Today’s announcement for the Chester Community Charter School is a perfect example of how public-private partnerships can make a difference in the lives of our youth and help shape the future of a city." He continued, “In the past seven years, Comcast has contributed more than $194,000 in grants and in-kind services to local, Chester-based, non-profit partners like the Boys & Girls Club of Chester, the United Way of Southeast Pennsylvania, Habitat for Humanity of Delaware County, Community Action Agency of Delaware County and the Red Cross Chester-Wallingford Chapter, as well as scholarships to Chester students through our Leaders & Achievers Scholarship program. On top of all this, in 2011 Comcast launched Internet Essentials, which is an affordable, broadband program for low-income families, with a mission to address the digital divide. I hope the generosity of the Gureghian Charitable Foundation is a catalyst for even more positive change in Chester.”

Chester-Upland School District Special Education speaks up

On August 22, 2013 I wrote a post “Chester Special Ed students get Overtime”.

Somehow the State agreed to offer 20,000 hours of education to special education students. With no details on how this all came about, or how they came up with 20,000 hours, or how they plan to provide extra education to people already going to school, I was confused.

I asked the questions and got no help from y’all, which usually means that you are as confused as I am.

However, someone took the initiative to hook me up with the Chester Upland School District Assistant Superintendent of Student Services & Special Education who was more than happy to provide the details of this bizarre arrangement.

The post is longer than normal but you often ask me to interview people. Here’s a great interview. Let me know you read it.

IMPORTANT: Food distribution program at Stetser school

Philabundance is kicking off the KidsBites program at Stetser Elementary School in Chester, PA on Wednesday, September 11, 2013

KidsBites was created to ensure kids across the Delaware Valley have the food they need to thrive and grow during a critical time of development. 

• This program provides access to nutritious food in low-income areas for the families of all students enrolled. 
• Food is distributed at this site twice a month providing families with 15 pounds of food during each distribution. 
• KidsBites allows families to choose from available food options, including fresh produce, protein and dairy. 
• The ability to make their own selection promotes a stronger sense of dignity for families.

Philabundance is able to run KidsBites and the Stetser Elementary School site in particular because of the generous support of the National Dairy Council, Procter & Gamble, the Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Memorial Fund, Citizens Bank Foundation, W.W. Smith Charitable Trust, Teva Pharmaceuticals and Sunoco who have helped fund the program. 

A $10,000 grant from the National Dairy Council allows Philabundance to purchase two produce items for every distribution and provide nutrition education to students and families at Stetser Elementary School with Greener Partners, an organization that works to build community through sustainable farming and farm-based education. 

35 years out of Chester High party

Chester High School Class Reunion c/o 78

Congratulations Dawn Staley

Dawn Staley is newly inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame. 

She won 3 gold medals in the Olympics, had a great professional career, and has been a head coach at Temple and South Carolina since 2000.

Dawn was the national high school player of the year at Dobbins in Philadelphia. 

To go in the Hall of Fame with Gary Payton and Bernard King demonstrates how dominant Dawn was in women's basketball. 

E. Steven Collins

Philadelphia’s black talk radio lost a great one with the passing of E. Steven Collins.

For those of us who know our radio folks on a first named basis...Georgie, Mary, Cody, Bill, Rotan, Reggie, Mumia, Al B, Nick, Bev...E. Steven fit in with the rest. 

He has ruled Sunday mornings for years talking about important, impactful, and informative issues. I always knew where to find E. Steven on a Sunday morning. Even church goers tuned in before heading to the chapel. 

I had the pleasure of being a guest of E. Steven at The Barnes Foundation where they broadcasted a live Sunday show interviewing people from the 'museum'. I was in his tour group as we were led through the exhibits room by room.

I don’t consider myself a journalist, but I know there’s some aspect of what I do that is inspired by E. Steven Collins. He was one of the best. 

VIDEO: Chester Panthers Opening Day

Opening Day with the Chester Panthers youth football demonstrates why they are one of the most dominant programs in Delaware County.

Public Relations firm signs Fred Green

Click HERE for more

Technology Windfall for Widener Partnership Charter School

Students returning to the Widener Partnership Charter School on September 4 were greeted by new technology in their classrooms. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and the Radnor High School Chester Community Service Club recently donated more than 60 refurbished laptop computers and other technology to the state’s first university-based charter school.

The GSA Mid-Atlantic Region donated 30 laptop computers, three printers and a scanner, while Radnor High School students donated 30 laptop computers and 20 MacBooks, according to Widener Partnership Charter School Principal Darlene Davis.

“Technology is vital to learning and the engagement of students, especially at the elementary school level,” Davis said. “These computers will be put to good use in advancing the science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning at the school. We thank the General Services Administration and the students of Radnor High School for their generous donations.”

New Safety Regulations Could Root Out Local Food

I Can I Will

HARRISBURG, Pa. - The landscape of Pennsylvania's farming industry could change drastically if new food-safety regulations take effect. The changes come as a result of the Food Safety Modernization Act, which the FDA says will prevent almost 2 million cases of food-borne illnesses.

The additional requirements will cost small farmers as much as half of their annual profits, according to Roland McReynolds, who works as an advocate for farmers.

"These proposed rules are throwing the baby out with the bathwater," he declared. "Instead of unreasonable regulations, the Food and Drug Administration and food-safety regulators need to be working to help educate farmers."

Herbie Cottle, who owns an organic farm and has been farming for close to 60 years, said the additional costs could spell the end of farms like his.

"It'll definitely shut a lot of them down," Cottle said. "I mean, if you're not a certain size then you won't be able to absorb the cost."

Robin Thicke has ‘blurred the lines’ suing Marvin Gaye

Robin Thicke has kinda grown on me. At first, I figured him as a Marvin Gaye & Prince copy cat. After seeing his live show last year, and listening to his new CD, I still think he’s a Marvin Gaye & Prince knockoff, but he’s good at.

Strangely, until the recent controversy with his hit 'Blurred Lines', I didn’t hear the similarity to Gaye’s song and I still don’t hear a Funkadelic riff. 

Now, the Gayes and Thickes are in some kind of law suit over it. 

I don’t understand most legal stuff, but, my legal blogging partner has done a great job breaking down the law suit so us laymen can understand. 

It’s not a complaint asking for money.  It’s not even asking the judge to find fault.  It’s simply asking the judge to conclusively rule on each’s  party’s rights, duties, and obligations.   That’s it.

Click HERE for the rest of Trezanay Atkins' breakdown if you're interested


I think this song sounds like a nursery rhyme. Clever how Jimmy Fallon and The Roots feel the same way.