Good morning, West Chester.

At Freedom Village at Brandywine, employees raised $1,223 for the Alzheimer’s Association at a two-hour car wash fundraiser on June 29 — an event that showcased community support and volunteer spirit.

Organizers plan to continue the tradition with future fundraisers.

Sen. Carolyn Comitta’s district office is collecting new backpacks (at 17 E.

Gay St) through early August for children served by the Crime Victims Center to help families get ready for the 2026-27 school year.

Firstrust Bank celebrated 50 years at its Krewstown branch today and honored retiring VP Mort Kolman for his 63-year legacy of service.

Generations of clients and colleagues gathered to mark this milestone and reflect on a long-standing commitment to family-like customer care.

South Mill Champs, the second-largest mushroom grower, said today that a Commerce ruling on a trade case by Giorgio Foods is based on flawed comparisons of its premium Canadian mushroom prices.

The company will contest the ruling using real-world data + long-term investment in modern facilities to prove quality.

Wawa will offer free coffee of any size on Monday, July 20 at all its locations to honor late Dick Wood, whose 50-year career built the chain's family-first culture (celebrating his role in creating employee ownership and round-the-clock service).

Three Chester County high schools placed in the Philadelphia region’s top ten in the latest U.S. News rankings.

Downingtown STEM Academy jumped to No. 22 with a 100 percent graduation rate, while Unionville and Conestoga ranked sixth and tenth respectively.

Michelle Haskins, a Penn State alumna from the class of 2000, was elected president of the Brandywine Alumni Society effective July 1.

She plans to boost alumni engagement and mentor students with new programs on campus.

Delaware County Community College recognized 2,864 full- and part-time students on its Spring 2026 President's and Dean's Lists for academic excellence (students earned a 3.5 GPA for the President’s List and a 3.0 GPA for the Dean’s List over 12 credits) representing local and regional areas.

Chester County OIC celebrated the Class of 2026 GED and ESL graduates on July 9 by honoring 26 adult learners (their number) whose hard work showed as they balanced work, family, and studies.

The event marked a new beginning and showcased how education opens doors.

Governor Josh Shapiro’s campaign raised an extra $12 million from April to June (bringing his total to $50 million since January) and boosted his re-election bid in Pennsylvania as discussions intensified about the upcoming November election.

Penn Medicine OnDemand now provides 24/7 virtual care for non-emergency after-hours calls at 63 practices in Chester County (including West Chester), easing the call load on primary care physicians and offering faster access to care.

The service helps prevent unnecessary ER visits.

Real estate lawyer Marc Kaplin remains optimistic about redeveloping the shuttered Exton Square Mall into a mixed-use town center as local officials push back on the project — concerns over vacant sites linger.