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COATESVILLE, PA — Three Coatesville men are headed to prison for a December 2024 armed robbery and kidnapping attempt along Business Route 30 in South Coatesville, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday.

According to court documents, the victim was getting out of his car when masked men approached with guns. One fired a shot, and the group beat him with fists and pistols, took his phone, forced him to transfer $2,050 through Cash App and threatened to kill him. They tried to force him into another vehicle, but he resisted and eventually escaped. The attackers fled when state police arrived.

Brandon Norris, 35, Raijon Redd, 31, and Steven Pittman Jr., 24, pleaded guilty on Sept. 28 to robbery, conspiracy, aggravated assault and kidnapping; Mr. Norris also admitted to illegally possessing a gun. Judge Analisa Sondergaard sentenced Mr. Norris to 20 to 40 years, Mr. Redd to 15 to 40 years and Mr. Pittman to five to 15 years. State Police in Embreeville led the investigation with help from Coatesville City Police.

CHESTER SPRINGS, PA — Historic Yellow Springs will host historian Sara Ray this Thursday, Oct. 15, for a free lecture on how medicine was understood and practiced during the American Revolution. The talk will examine the theories, philosophies and treatments that shaped care for soldiers and civilians, and how medical thinking changed during the period.

The venue is fitting: Yellow Springs was the site of the Continental Congress’s first and only hospital built expressly for the military.

The lecture runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and is part of Historic Yellow Springs’ America 250 Speaker Series, presented in partnership with Chester County Town Tours & Village Walks. Admission is free; register at yellowsprings.coursestorm.com/course/revolutionary-medicine.

EAST BRANDYINE TWP — Two Chester County townships are in line for $1.05 million in state recreation grants.

Uwchlan Township will receive $800,000 for the Uwchlan Trail Woodland Connector, about half a mile of new trail linking Newcomen Road and North Ship Road. The work includes a road crossing, A.D.A. accessibility improvements and landscaping, and is meant to better connect neighborhoods through the township’s trail system.

East Brandywine Township will receive $250,000 for its Community Park, where the funds will go toward new playground equipment, safety surfacing and upgrades that make the play areas more accessible to people with disabilities.

The awards come from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Community Conservation Partnerships Program, which distributed $81 million statewide in this round using a mix of state and federal funds.

EXTON, PA — Wawa has started selling sushi at a small number of stores in Chester and Delaware counties as part of a quiet test, the company confirmed.

The six rolls, all cooked, are supplied by Hissho Sushi, which also stocks Giant and Sprouts. Options include a Philadelphia roll made with imitation crab instead of salmon, a vegetable roll, a spicy shrimp crunch roll and three takes on the California roll. Each eight-piece pack comes with wasabi, ginger and soy sauce and starts at about $9.

Wawa hasn’t named the test stores, but the sushi has been spotted at 750 North Pottstown Pike in Exton, in West Chester, in Media and at 970 Baltimore Pike in Glen Mills. Customer videos suggest the trial has been running since at least late July.

The company described early reaction as favorable but has made no announcement about bringing sushi to more stores.

Upcoming local events…

East Brandywine Fire Co Open House - Oct 14, 6:00pm-8:30pm

The Great Pumpkin Carve 2026 (Chadds Ford) - Oct 15-17

Friends of Hibernia Mansion Mystery (Hibernia Park) - Oct 16th, 5pm-7pm | Oct 17th, 3pm-6pm

West Chester Chili Cook-Off (WC Boro) - Oct 18, 12pm-4pm
Origins: The Lenape, William Penn, and the Colonialists (East Brandywine) - Oct 18, 3pm

Upper Uwchlan Trunk or Treat (Pickering Valley ES) - Oct 24, 3pm-5pm
Halloween Race (Shamona Park) - Oct 24, 3:30pm-5:30pm

Trick or Treat on Main Street (Downingtown) - Oct 25, 10am-1pm
Monsters, Masks and Milkweed (Exton) - Oct 25, 1pm-3pm

Caln Halloween Party (Thorndale) - Oct 31, 1pm-3pm
Trick, Treats, and Eats (Wagenseller Park) - Oct 31, 3pm-5pm

Catch up on previous issues…

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