The publication date of the Chester County Press doesn’t fall on February 14—Valentine’s Day—very often. We didn’t want to miss this opportunity to utilize a February 14 editorial to highlight a few things that we love right now….

The Avon Grove School District’s Art Program: The Avon Grove community can take a great deal of pride in the art program that was highlighted during a recent school board meeting. Four Avon Grove students displayed their impressive work and talked about how the new high school gives them all the artistic tools and creative spaces that they need to succeed. The students’ work that was on display illustrated the wide variety of classes offered by Avon Grove High School’s art department. The community made a major investment to build a state-of-the-art high school, and the work that is being done there proves that it was a worthwhile investment. 

The Golden Ticket: In this edition of the Chester County Press, we have an update about the efforts to provide assistance to the fire victims in Oxford. One thing that we love is the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce’s unique way to help raise funds for  #OxfordStrong in care of Oxford Area Neighborhood Services Center. The Chamber planned a Golden Ticket fundraiser where people could buy a limited number of raffle tickets for the chance to win $10,000. A donation of $5,000 will be made to #OxfordStrong in care of Oxford Area Neighborhood Services Center as a result of the Golden Ticket fundraiser. Participants in the raffle not only get a chance to win the $10,000 prize, they are also helping the victims of the large fire that hit South Third Street in Oxford. The reception and Golden Ticket drawing will take place at Victory Brewing Company in Kennett Square on March 12. You don’t need to be present at that event to win the drawing. The drawing is open to everyone. Contact the Chamber at 610-444-0774 for more information and to purchase a ticket.

The upcoming Kennett Winterfest: The Kennett Winterfest is always a fun event to look forward to during the long, cold winter months. The arrival of the Kennett Winterfest means that spring is right around the corner. This year’s celebration takes place on Saturday, Feb. 24. This is the 12th year of the Kennett Winterfest, the sister event to the Kennett Brewfest, and will feature more than 60 breweries from throughout the region. Some of the breweries are favorites at the event; others are newcomers. They will be pouring samples of more than 130 unique beer options. Many of these breweries will also be participating in Chester County’s Cheers Trail, launching in Spring 2024, with more information set to debut at the Kennett Winterfest. Best of all, this event raises funds for Kennett Collaborative, the nonprofit that plans community events and activities throughout the year.

The PRESS Act: The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the PRESS Act, a bipartisan federal reporter’s shield law that would protect journalists from being forced to name their sources in federal court and would stop the federal government from spying on journalists through their technology providers. The PRESS Act is the strongest federal shield bill that Congress has ever proposed. We love the PRESS Act—and the fact that it is an actual bipartisan bill in an era where bipartisanship is hard to find.