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WEST GOSHEN TWP — A 3-year-old boy was pulled from a septic tank access pipe Tuesday evening after falling in while playing outside his family’s home at the Hickman Sanitation Service property on Snyder Avenue in West Goshen Township.

His brother saw him fall and alerted their mother, who called 911 around 5:20 p.m. The boy had dropped four to five feet into the 12- to 14-inch-wide pipe and was partly in sewage, holding a rope as he waited for help.

The Chester County Rescue Task Force responded, along with township crews bringing a backhoe and pump truck. Rescuers freed the child by 5:52 p.m. He was scared but alert and appeared uninjured, officials said, and was taken to a local hospital to be checked. West Goshen police credited the quick result to coordination and training among responders. Officials said the incident was an accident.

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DOWNINGTOWN, PA — A 28-year-old Downingtown man has been charged with sexually abusing three minors and trafficking them in exchange for marijuana products, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Elijah Thomas was arrested Oct. 8 and is being held at Chester County Prison on a combined $700,000 bail. Charges include trafficking of minors, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with minors and possession with intent to deliver controlled substances. He is a registered sex offender with prior convictions for stalking and sexual contact with a minor.

West Whiteland Township police began investigating after a report that an adult was giving marijuana to minors and demanding sex and money in return. Two 14-year-olds told investigators that Mr. Thomas contacted them through Snapchat and gave them THC and vape cartridges for sexual contact and indecent images. A third victim, now 17, told Downingtown Borough police that Mr. Thomas began pressuring her into sexual acts when she was 15.

Authorities are asking anyone who may have been victimized, or who has information, to contact Detective Buchmann at West Whiteland police (610-363-0200) or Chester County Detectives (610-344-6866). Child safety concerns can be reported to 911 or ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313. Mr. Thomas is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

CHESTER SPRINGS, PA — A Downingtown East High School senior has turned his family’s experience with ALS into a free tool for people with neurological conditions.

Tejas Karusala, 17, of Chester Springs, built MND Access after his grandmother gradually stopped visiting her temple, favorite restaurant and local park because her family couldn’t confirm whether those places could accommodate her wheelchair. A restaurant with an accessibility sign but a too-narrow path made the problem clear to him.

The site rates locations on seven features: wheelchair access, restrooms, doors, hallway width, parking, noise and lighting. Users can sort that information by medical condition, prioritizing transfer space for ALS or quieter settings for frontotemporal dementia. It is also available in Spanish.

Launched with 64 verified locations, the database now lists more than 1,600, about 900 in Chester County and nearby areas, though many newer entries rely on community input and are incomplete. To improve accuracy, Mr. Karusala is starting student-led chapters that would conduct in-person assessments for volunteer credit, beginning in Chester County. He is also contacting businesses about specific barriers they could fix.

The site is free, with no ads or paid listings. Residents can contribute or volunteer at mndaccess.org.

DOWNINGTOWN, PA — Residents in or near floodplains can learn how to protect their property at a free Chester County workshop on Nov. 9.

The public session runs from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Chester County Public Safety Training Campus, 137 Modena Road, South Coatesville. A separate session for community officials runs from 1 to 4 p.m. and offers continuing education credits for certified floodplain managers.

Presented by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the PA Silver Jackets, an interagency flood risk team, the workshops will cover elevating buildings, wet and dry flood proofing, and relocation or acquisition of flood-prone properties. Presenters will also explain federal and state assistance programs, and agency representatives will answer questions about the National Flood Insurance Program and the Community Rating System.

Online registration through TRAIN PA (PA-PEMA: Flood Proofing Workshops) is encouraged, though walk-ins are welcome at the evening session. Questions can go to county resilience coordinator Ben Fastman at [email protected] or Jason Miller of the Army Corps at 215-656-6549.

Upcoming local events…

Celebrating Our First Responders (Coatesville) - Oct 28, 4:30pm-6:30pm

Medicare Information Session (West Bradford Building) - Oct 30, Nov 20

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

Historic Yellow Springs Fall Fest (Chester Springs) - Nov 1, 12pm-4pm

West Bradford Tree Planting (Brandywine Meadows Preserve) - Nov 4, 9am-4pm

Caln Clean-up Crew (Caln) - Nov 7, 10am-12pm

Rain Barrel Workshop (Upper Uwchaln) - Nov 19, 6:30pm-7:30pm

Snow-Ready Uwchlan Kick-off (Exton) - Nov 21, 12:30pm-4pm
Holiday Light Parade (Kennett Square) - Nov 21, 6pm

Catch up on previous issues…

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