Time for a sensible talk about police
As the events of this week proved, things aren’t getting any safer out there
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
A bit like an 80-degree afternoon in December would be for a climate-change denier, this week must have been a difficult one for those suggesting that peaceful, quiet Chester County doesn’t need to think about doing something about police protection.
Between the chilling details involving...
Giving thanks, and a little advice
A third annual Thanksgiving column that might not leave everyone so thankful for me….
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
It is hard to think that after just two years, we at The Times could have anything like a tradition, but this is amazingly, the third annual Thanksgiving column.
Not surprisingly, I have much to be thankful for, from the tens of thousands of readers, dozens of advertisers and...
Young activists make their mark at the polls
Local students become part of the political process, work election day
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
You may be a little sick of politics right now. Okay, a couple of folks I know have made it clear that if they see another political ad on their TV, they might just throw a brick through it.
But not everyone is, and thankfully for our future, a number of local youths were getting their baptism by...
Letter: Women — On Election Day, the Choice is Yours!
To The Editor:
We have all heard the saying, “If you have your health, you have everything”.
Today, women in Chester County and across Pennsylvania will go to the ballot box with a clear and hugely consequential choice. We need a president who will protect the health, rights and opportunities of women, and fight for an economic future where our daughters and granddaughters can succeed. Barack...
Column: Election 2012, it comes down to this
In the race for the White House, look past the rhetoric and dig deeper
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
You’ve probably heard so much about Tuesday’s presidential election that you must feel a little bit like that four-year-old girl in Colorado who became a media sensation for crying and saying she was tired of hearing about “Bronco Bamma” and Mitt Romney.
I join you in that — and wish Facebook,...
Letter: Our navy is stronger than ever, Mr. Rommey
To The Editor,
Some thoughts about the election. President Obama vs. Governor Romney
I am an independent, but not undecided about this election. I watched all three debates and God knows how many references to the election on TV. I have followed both men and their careers as much as that is possible for an average citizen today.
With a presidential election everyone has a story, a spin, NEWS some...
My view on the local Congressional races
Americans don’t like Congress, but keep sending the same people to D.C.
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
In these highly partisan times, it seems likely that many voters will be voting one party, one ticket, putting ideology over competency.
Ironically, most polling shows that we Americans hold our Congress in very low esteem, yet seem to continually send representatives to Washington, D.C....
Column: My take on the area legislative races
Is competency more important that ideology? I think so.
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
We had some internal discussions about doing our first endorsements as a publication this year, something I decided was probably not the right thing to do in 2010 or 2011. And while we were split — at the end we still decided that the negatives outweighed the positives.
It is a position we will revisit in 2013,...
Letter: Ross didn’t protect open space
To the Editor
Rep. Chris Ross (R-158) voted for House Bill 2224 which, according to the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association, PennFuture and many other open space organizations, puts public land, including much-loved parks, at risk of being sold for short term gain or on a political whim. It tosses out longstanding rules that ensure government cannot sell parks and other Open Space if the lands...
Why doesn’t your town like business?
Hostile attitude toward business growth must change to fix tax problem
By Mike McGann, Editor, The Times
You’ll excuse my sense of de ja vu.
Back in my youth as a young reporter, the hot catch phrase for the overbuilt and tax-revenue challenged northern New Jersey suburbs was “ratables.”
Ratables are a very special kind of real estate: they use little in the way of local or school district services,...
