👩‍🚒 Emily Gindele Graduates as Firefighter After Tragedy | 🗳️ County to Reveal Ballot Error Findings | 🚧 Nighttime Work on Bypass | 💻 Caln Switches to Teams

In Today’s Edition of Downingtown Local Pulse…

☀️ Downingtown PA Weather

👩‍🚒 Emily Gindele Graduates as Firefighter Two Years After Tragedy

🗳️ County to Reveal Findings on Election Day Ballot Book Error

🚧 PennDOT Schedules Nighttime Work on Bypass

💻 Caln Township Restores Virtual Meeting Access with New Platform

🗓️ Upcoming Local Events

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Emily Gindele Graduates as Firefighter Two Years After Tragedy

EXTON, PA — Emily Gindele achieved a hard-won victory Wednesday when she graduated from the West Whiteland Fire Company's entry-level firefighter program, completing more than 170 hours of intensive training. The 26-year-old from Exton, Pennsylvania, reached this milestone two years after a devastating car accident that claimed the life of her boyfriend and fellow volunteer firefighter, Colin Reedy.

The crash occurred while both were responding to an emergency call. Reedy, 25, died in the accident, while Gindele sustained life-threatening injuries including a traumatic brain injury, multiple fractures, and a stroke. Her recovery has been lengthy and challenging, with ongoing physical pain and cognitive issues that continue to affect her daily life.

Despite these obstacles, Gindele remained focused on completing the firefighter certification she had originally pursued before the tragedy. Her determination to finish what she started was evident to her parents, Mark and Fran Gindele, who attended the graduation ceremony and described firefighting as their daughter's true calling.

The ceremony also drew support from Reedy's family. His mother, Tracy Reedy, expressed certainty that Colin would have been enthusiastically cheering for Gindele's accomplishment. In a touching tribute, Gindele wore Reedy's Mass card in her hat during the ceremony, keeping his memory close as she achieved the goal they once shared.

Chester County to Reveal Findings on Election Day Ballot Book Error

WEST CHESTER, PA — Chester County will present findings from an investigation into a major Election Day error during a public meeting on Jan. 27. The ballot book malfunction left 75,076 third-party registered voters' names missing from poll books across all 230 precincts in November, forcing affected voters to cast provisional ballots. The county hired a law firm for $35,000 to investigate the error, which officials said has been fully determined. County leaders plan to announce action steps to prevent future problems.

PennDOT Schedules Nighttime Work on Bypass

DOWNINGTOWN, PA — PennDOT will continue base repair operations on westbound U.S. Route 30 next week, requiring overnight lane closures along the Coatesville Downingtown Bypass in Chester County.

Single-lane closures are scheduled from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night from Monday, Jan. 12, through Friday, Jan. 16. The work zone extends between Route 340 (Bondsville Road) and Airport Road, affecting a key section of the bypass.

The repairs are part of a broader $9.3 million project aimed at improving both travel conditions and safety along the Route 30 corridor. The work encompasses areas within the City of Coatesville and four townships: Caln, Sadsbury, Valley, and West Caln.

Caln Township Restores Virtual Meeting Access with New Platform

CALN TWP — The Caln Township Board of Commissioners has resumed offering virtual attendance options for its public meetings after switching its online platform from Zoom to Microsoft Teams.

The change marks a return to remote access for township meetings, though officials did not indicate how long the virtual option had been unavailable or what prompted the platform switch. Township administrators announced the transition this week, noting that residents can now participate in meetings remotely through the new system.

Meeting links for virtual attendance are posted on the township's website at calntownship.org/agendas-boc alongside the corresponding meeting agendas. The switch to Microsoft Teams means residents who previously used Zoom to attend meetings will need to adjust to different software for remote participation.

Upcoming local events…

True Crime Sip and Solve 1920 $ (Parkesburg) - Jan 9, 6:45pm

Downingtown Farmers Market (Downingtown) - Jan 10, 10am-12pm

Repair Café (Downingtown) - Jan 10, 10am-2pm

Monday Night Trivia at Lione’s (Downingtown) - Jan 12, 7pm-9pm

West Chester Networking Happy Hour (West Chester) - Jan 13, 5pm-7pm

Monthly VRA Realty Investors Meetup (West Chester) - Jan 14, 6:45pm-8:30pm

Monthly Connection Exchange Networking (Thorndale) - Jan 15, 9am-10am

Chesco Networking Happy Hour (Exton) - Jan 20, 5:30pm-7:30pm

Downingtown Farmers Market (Downingtown) - Jan 24, 10am-12pm

West Chester Professionals Social Networking (West Chester) - Jan 28, 4:30pm-6:30pm

Monthly VRA Realty Investors Meetup (West Chester) - Feb 11, 6:45pm-8:30pm

WCU Live! presents the Sharpe Family Singers $ (West Chester) - Feb 13, 7pm

Downingtown Farmers Market (Downingtown) - Feb 14, 10am-12pm

Catch up on previous issues…