Jen Panaro | Connect Chadds Ford
Connect Chadds Ford is a civic-minded community newsletter, focused on Chadds Ford and the Brandywine Valley. Through values of transparency, accountability, connection, and delight, Connect Chadds Ford is about building the community we hope to share with our children and neighbors. Drop your email below to subscribe to the weekly newsletter!
π€ Are my solar panels jacking up your PECO bill?
I've only got one new article for you this week, and it took me months to pull together. I try to keep my cool about what I share, but this week's topic gets me fired up. π₯ Our State House Rep. Craig Williams wants to convince you that my solar panels are jacking up your PECO bills. He says to non-solar owners, "A portion of your electricity bill is to compensate your solar neighbor, since they are not paying anything to be hooked up to the grid." He's wrong. Very wrong. I paid $2,786.30 to...
β€οΈ π€ π Be a Teddy Roosevelt Patriot With Me
π PECO bills are going up again; PJM auction locks in prices Energy prices are going up again, based on the latest PJM capacity auction (the market event where energy generators bid for commitments to supply our electricity grid). This latest auction is for two years in advance, so there's no "overnight, immediately" reduction in prices, as Craig Williams suggests his legislation will accomplish. (Does he think he has a magic electricity wand πͺ?) He's going to tell you that there's only one...
So how about that PECO bill? β‘
Are you ready to nerd out π€ about energy? Everyone is talking about our PECO bills these days. They've been a doozy. Energy markets are complicated; generating and moving electricity around the grid is more complex than one might imagine at first blush. There are lots of interconnected "toggles" in the physics and formulas (that ultimately power our lives) that move together but in different directions. When you change one variable, something else changes, whether you like it or not. That...
Pack up the kids; it's time to explore! π
Grab the kids and toodle around town This week, I'm taking a break from any newsy news to focus on a three-part series highlighting family adventure ideas in and around Chadds Ford. I collaborated with neighbor Emma Leuschner to gather ideas. The kids/grandkids/neighbor kids/daycare kids (whatever kids you're responsible for keeping safe and well this summer) are out of school. It's a great time to explore some of the many cool places this area has to offer. The series includes two day trips...
π« Summer's in full swing and farm fresh food abounds π
Rich history at Spring Valley A.M.E this weekend This weekend is Juneteenth. In honor of the holiday, Concord Township Parks and Recreation is hosting a special event at Spring Valley AME Church. Explore the history of Concord's U.S. Colored Troop Veterans, the legacy of Spring Valley AME Church, and local stories of freedom, faith, and community. They'll have light refreshments, and it's free and open to anyone who wants to attend. Stop by to check it out and get a taste of our local area's...
π«Άπ» Thank you Mr. Gary π
This week, as school wraps up and I fall into the throes of "Uber-Mom" driving my kids all around God's creation, I snuck in two heavy hitters for you before summer break. The hold up on Bird Town Chadds Ford is almost laughable if it wasn't real. Closer to your wallet, Unionville-Chadds Ford School District spans two counties, which can lead to volatile tax allocation. But there's a little bit of legislation that could make it better. Some good stuff to read this week, and not one but TWO...
So many ways to kick off summer! π¦
βοΈ With the sun shining ever so bright lately, I've been enamored with the app that shows me how much power our rooftop solar panels produce. Chadds Friends, I'm low-key (or lowkenuinely, as "the kids" say these days) obsessed with power from the sun powering our lives. We're getting to the time of year at our house when our PECO bill shrinks to a few cups of coffee per month while energy production skyrockets. Last month, we paid $123 to PECO, and it will continue to go down throughout the...
Coalition building and rallying for Ridge Road π
Thanks to our neighbors for showing up! First and foremost, thanks to the neighbors who showed up at the corner of Ridge Rd and Route 202 this morning to showcase their support for Save Ridge. A small (and growing) but mighty group has persevered in working together and building a coalition of neighbors who share a similar goal. As you can see from the signs, neighbors have come to support Save Ridge for different reasons. It's a great example of building relationships and connections over...
π I manifested an indie bookshop in Chadds Ford!!
πππππ I did it! πππππ Remember how I told you I wanted to manifest an indie bookshop in Chadds Ford. Chadds Friends, I did it! It's a pop-up indie bookshop run by a local Philadelphia author (whose books are the π£). If you're on Instagram, I shared some clues in Stories earlier this week. If you're not on Instagram, that's ok. I'll be coming at you with all the details next week. For now, mark Saturday, June 13, on your calendar, because she's coming in hot to Chadds Ford with her pop-up...
π Put on the outfit and get out of the house π
Quick Note! Primaries are next week! Do you have a plan to vote? If not, you should make one! All the details you need to vote in PA are here. If you're an independent, you can't vote next week. If that pisses you off, it should. The political leaders maintaining the status quo should go kick rocks... and also change the rules. "Pennsylvania is one of just eight states with a fully closed primary system, which means that only voters registered as Democrats or Republicans can participate in...
Connect Chadds Ford is a civic-minded community newsletter, focused on Chadds Ford and the Brandywine Valley. Through values of transparency, accountability, connection, and delight, Connect Chadds Ford is about building the community we hope to share with our children and neighbors. Drop your email below to subscribe to the weekly newsletter!