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!
โ๏ธ So much good stuff this week!
๐ณ๏ธ Want to be in the know on Nov. 3? I created a voter guide to help you learn more about the two candidates running for PA State House in our district (PA-160). Head on over and check it out! If you have a friend who wants to learn more about their ballot, be sure to share it. โ๏ธ Here comes the sun at the high school! UCFSD went solar, and the system is expected to save taxpayers over $1,000,000 over the life of the panels. All the details, including a look at the rooftop system, are in this...
๐ณ Know this before you vote! ๐
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Quick Reminder: Register to vote by Monday! The deadline to register to vote is THIS Monday, Oct. 19. Register or check your registration Request a mail ballot (deadline Oct. 27 at 5 PM) Find a drop box Make your plan to vote. Voting is political. Not voting is political. Not voting just lets someone else make the political decisions for you. Is that what you want? You can vote by mail if you think Election Day will be busy or just don't want to deal with the rigamarole of the polling...
๐ฅ There's a funding fire brewing
We need to talk about fire safety. ๐ฅ Any idea how much a new fire truck costs? How much does it cost to suit up a firefighter from head to toe? Probably more than you think! Our local fire department faces serious funding gaps, and our township isn't meeting the requested need. The reasons for this are complicated and numerous. But solving the problem requires real conversation, collaboration, compassion, and curiosity. Some of our township leaders are showing a serious lack of several of...
๐ถ I want you to know...
Coming to you a bit late this week. It's been a busy one. Better late than never? โ๏ธ What's really inside Craig Williams' signature energy bill? Craig Williams has been touting his signature energy bill for more than a year. But there's a lot more to it that he's not telling you about. The bill is a wolf in sheep's clothing, and you deserve to know. I've taken a more technical dive into the details in the past. This week I shared a piece that hopefully makes the contrast between what he says...
๐พ Pop the champagne but don't trash the glass!
๐ The best place in town to buy books! Ok, it's at least the cheapest! We have some pretty amazing indie bookshops. But this weekend, the Rachel Kohl Library hosts its semi-annual book sale. Books are as cheap as a buck, or $5 for a whole bag on Sunday. Get all the details and make a plan to stop by. It's all for a great cause (and you get some cheap books). ๐ Book Sale Deets! Also about the library and LSA grants ๐ + โ๏ธ The library learned last week that it secured a $150,000 LSA grant from...
๐ฐ Whoโs backing our local state candidates this election?
๐ฐ Whoโs backing our local state candidates this election? We all know there's big money in elections, but do you know who the big spenders are? This week, I dove into the campaign finance reports for our local state Rep race (PA House District 160: Craig Williams vs. Elizabeth Moro) to see who's really behind each candidate. Before you vote on November 3 (and I hope you do), you deserve to know this stuff. Grab a cup of coffee or a cookie, and learn more about who's influencing who you might...
๐ฃ Get your feet moving this fall! ๐พ
๐ Get your Mah Jong on Never played but heard it's all the rage? Now's your chance to learn how to play Mah Jong at the Rachel Kohl Community Library. This October, the library is hosting a four-day Friday series for beginners. From 10:30 am to 12:30 pm on October 2, 9, 16, and 23, learn all the rules and be ready to join the regular Mah Jong meetups. Now's your chance to get in on the game! The four sessions cost $20 (total), and registration is limited. Registration opens September 16, so...
Got blood? ๐ฉธ You can help!
๐ฉธ Can you spare a pint? Chadds Ford resident Amanda Kelly coordinates a semi-annual blood drive at Chadds Ford Elementary. The event grew out of a desire to help a neighbor when their son became quite sick and needed several blood transfusions. The blood drive gave neighbors and family a way to pay forward the generosity of past blood donors on the boy's behalf. The next blood drive is Saturday, Sept 21, from 9 am - 2 pm, and there are still plenty of spots for donors. Can you donate blood...
๐ซฑ๐ปโ๐ซฒ๐ป Meet ups, meet ups everywhere
๐งบ More details on the Library's Annual Fundraising Dinner! I already told you that the annual Rachel Kohl Community Library fundraising dinner is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15 at 5:30 pm at Fava in Glen Mills. You can catch all the details and grab your tickets here before they sell out! But did you know that there are also 8 raffle baskets (currently at the library) that will be raffled off at the dinner? There are some serious baskets this year, including items worth over $2,300, that...
๐ฐ Want to save thousands on your energy bills each year?
โก Electrify Everything at Home Open House! I'm so stoked to tell you about this! I've been planning it in my head for forever (or it feels like forever), and I'm finally pulling the trigger on it. If you've ever wondered about driving an EV, getting rooftop solar, switching to a heat pump, getting an induction stove, or generally swapping out fossil fuels for electrons in your life, stop by the Open House I'm hosting on Sunday, Sept 13 from 2 -4 pm. We've done all of these things over many...
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!