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DOWNINGTOWN, PA — On Wednesday, Oct. 21, the Downingtown Police Department took part in Operation Safe Stop, a statewide awareness campaign now in its 30th year. The annual effort brings together police, PennDOT, school districts, bus contractors and pupil transportation associations to educate drivers about the danger and illegality of passing a school bus while children are boarding or exiting.

Locally, police partnered with the Downingtown Area School District and Krapf Transportation. Officer Coyle followed district buses during morning pickups to monitor traffic and protect students, and Chief Brazunas spent time with students at a bus stop before helping children cross a busy intersection near East Ward Elementary School.

The campaign aims to cut down on illegal bus passing by raising awareness of its consequences. The department thanked its school district and transportation partners for another successful year and their continued commitment to student safety.

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COATESVILLE, PA — Downingtown East won the Chest-Mont North Division outright Friday night, holding off Coatesville, 31-28, in a game that featured seven lead changes or ties.

Coatesville loaded the box to slow star running back Juelz Chiron-Robinson, but he still broke free for touchdown runs of 70 and 82 yards, finishing with 169 yards on 18 carries. When the run game stalled, quarterback Ethan Ellis kept the Cougars moving, throwing a 7-yard touchdown pass to Shane Keenan and later scoring the winning touchdown himself on a 6-yard bootleg with just over six minutes left.

Coatesville’s Andre Watson Jr. was the night’s standout, scoring all four Red Raiders touchdowns. The Red Raiders also recovered an onside kick to open the second half. Keenan’s third-quarter interception set up a Paul Selden field goal that briefly gave Downingtown East the lead.

Coatesville appeared to retake the lead late on a 44-yard touchdown pass from Mikal Shank Jr. to Nico Christino, but a penalty wiped it out. On the next play, Shank was sacked and fumbled, and Joseph Griffiths recovered to end the game.

Downingtown East hosts Kennett next Friday at 7 p.m., seeking to finish the regular season unbeaten. Coatesville travels to Bishop Shanahan at the same time.

WEST CHESTER, PA — The Whole Home Repairs Program, a Chester County initiative funded with $2.9 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, will shut down on Dec. 31 as that federal money expires. Since 2023, the program has repaired nearly 200 homes owned by low- and moderate-income residents, addressing unsafe conditions such as inadequate heat, broken windows, plumbing failures, leaking roofs and accessibility barriers.

The county’s Department of Community Development ran the program in partnership with the Whole Home Repairs Coalition, contracting the work out to four nonprofits: Good Works Inc., Habitat for Humanity of Chester County, Good Neighbors Home Repair and the Housing Partnership of Chester County.

Department director Dolores Colligan said the program exceeded its original goals but could not keep up with demand, leaving many applicants without help. Additional repair funding is pending federal approval under the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, signed into law in July, but it will not keep the current program running past year’s end. After Dec. 31, homeowners can seek help directly from the four nonprofit partners.

EAST BRANDYWINE TWP — The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority on Oct. 21 approved $2.55 million for Aqua Pennsylvania to remove PFAS chemicals from two East Brandywine Township wells. Testing at the Culbertson Run and Cross Keys wells found PFOA and PFOS, two long-lasting synthetic chemicals linked to health concerns, at levels above federal drinking-water limits.

Aqua will build a treatment building at Culbertson Run equipped with a two-stage ion-exchange filtration system and pre-filters. A new 3,050-foot pipeline along Little Washington Lyndell Road will carry water from the Cross Keys well to the facility, which will treat up to 75 gallons per minute from both wells. Existing equipment will continue handling disinfection and other standard treatment.

The project will serve customers in parts of the township, including the Friendship water system and the Culbertson Run development. The money comes from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and does not need to be repaid.

Upcoming local events…

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 1st, 12pm-4pm

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

Snow-Ready Uwchlan Kick-off (Exton) - Nov 21st, 12:30pm-4pm

Catch up on previous issues…

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