Josh Schneeberger / provided by Peter UrschelerPhoenixville Mayor Peter Urscheler is happy to tout the many commercial and historical attractions of the borough but he’s at his liveliest when he gets to rave about its welcoming culture located along the Schuylkill River in Chester County is a place where “every single person” is “safe and celebrated,” he told PA Local with audible warmth It’s also experienced a surge of new residents with its population growing by a third since the turn of the millennium moved to Phoenixville in 2006 to work at a finance company After eight years of frequent travel for that role he started getting more involved in the community when he switched gears in 2014 to become a marketing consultant for local orgs He sought the change so he could stay close to home and focus on caring for his aging parents Both of his parents have since died — his father passed away the night after Urscheler’s swearing-in — but Urscheler says his constituents have become “in some ways “I do believe there is something to be said that my dad knew that I was in a safe place,” he said about the many charms of the community and why he loves it The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity PA Local: Could you describe Phoenixville in three words What was it about Phoenixville that made you want to lead it I don’t know if it’s something in the water or what it is but Phoenixville just has this feeling of care where people really care deeply about each other I could really feel that in my own experience Especially when I left the corporate world and I wasn’t traveling as much and I really was kind of settling down … the community really embraced me so my actual family is all gone now — it was just my mom and dad and I — and so Phoenixville really became like an extension of my family Brian Miller - Chorus Photography / provided by Peter UrschelerHow has Phoenixville changed over the time that you’ve been mayor I became mayor at a really interesting time where we were kind of at the tipping point and starting to really become well known And I’ve been very fortunate to be here through that process We’ve … seen a number of new businesses moving into the community A lot of development — we’ve had a lot of housing built in the time that I’ve been here as mayor We’ve seen also a significant population increase What do you wish people who aren’t from Phoenixville I just wish people would know how incredible all of the people who live in our community are Sometimes people call us like a Stars Hollow out of the Gilmore Girls But it’s also kind of fun and gritty at the same time and people really just like being who they are and I think we’re a community that allows people to express themselves We really want people to be here and belong What is your favorite Phoenixville hidden gem People totally underestimate the history of Phoenixville like — and I mean this in the funniest sort of way — related to something in our country There is always a tie back to Phoenixville Do you have any examples you know off the top of your head the foundation of the state Capitol that we know today Is there a particular Pennsylvania city, borough, or municipality you think we should feature in future “Meet a Mayor” installments? Let us know We grant elected officials extraordinary power when we give them our vote which means we must demand extraordinary accountability once they are in office That’s why Spotlight PA’s reporting is more important than ever with no political agenda or opinion pieces allowing us to prioritize investigative and public-service journalism that gets results If you’re looking for a meaningful way to make a difference in these uncertain times I can’t think of a better investment than Spotlight PA’s truthful trusted reporting for Pennsylvania — journalism that gets real results Your tax-deductible support of any amount will ensure our vital work can continue Sign up for PA Post to understand what's happening across PA - in less than five minutes a day © 2025 Spotlight PA. This site is powered by Netlify Governor Josh Shapiro has taken action over the last two years to reduce costs and lower taxes more than four times – easing the burden on families Governor Josh Shapiro visited small businesses on Bridge Street in Downtown Phoenixville Chester County during the holiday season to highlight his Administration’s efforts to cut taxes deliver real economic relief for Pennsylvania families and invest in the Main Streets and small businesses that are driving economic growth in communities all across our Commonwealth The Governor was joined by Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger along with local leaders and business owners who shared how these initiatives are making a difference in their community Governor Shapiro has focused on creating economic opportunity and supporting families and seniors all across Pennsylvania The Governor has also brought Republicans and Democrats together to cut taxes saving Pennsylvanians money and helping them get ahead we’re putting more money back into Pennsylvanians’ pockets through meaningful tax cuts and making key investments in the places they love to shop and spend time with their families,” said Governor Josh Shapiro “My Administration is focused on cutting taxes and ensuring Pennsylvanians have more to spend on what matters most That’s why we’re also investing in Pennsylvania’s Main Streets and supporting the small businesses that power our local economies we are strengthening the heart of our communities and building a future where families and businesses can thrive in Pennsylvania.” “The Shapiro Administration is committed to supporting the businesses that make up the heart and soul of our communities and to ensuring regions have the tools they need to create a brighter future for their main streets and downtowns,” said Secretary Siger “That’s why Governor Shapiro fought hard to secure bipartisan legislative support for a major investment in the new Main Street Matters program.” Driving Economic Growth and Cutting Costs for Families Pennsylvanians are feeling the impact of Governor Shapiro’s tax cuts — aimed at lowering costs and putting more money back in their pockets Governor Shapiro prioritized revitalizing Main Streets and small businesses across the Commonwealth in his 2024-25 budget including through significant new investments: we’ve seen firsthand how investments in Main Streets and small businesses can transform a community,” said Mayor Pete Urscheler “Thanks to public-private partnerships and support from the Commonwealth Phoenixville has become a destination — a place where residents and visitors alike experience the unique blend of history Whether it’s the bustle of a weekend farmers market or the joy of sharing a meal at a local restaurant our Main Street brings us together in ways that are both meaningful and essential.” “Main Street businesses are the heart of our communities — where dreams come to life and local economies thrive,” said Jessica Capistrant “Governor Shapiro’s $20 million investment in programs like Main Street Matters demonstrates a strong commitment to reviving Pennsylvania’s historic towns and cities These investments empower entrepreneurs to grow By reducing red tape and providing critical resources the state is fostering an environment where local economies can sustain and thrive And these are true investments — every dollar spent on small businesses and economic development comes back through increased spending and a renewed sense of pride in our communities.” Supporting Small Businesses and Workforce Development Governor Shapiro’s tax reforms have also created opportunity for Pennsylvania businesses to grow and Representative Paul Friel talked about the positive impact of these tax cuts and economic investments are making in the community “We’re now in our 16th year of business and so much of our success comes from our incredible staff and community leaders who believe in our downtown,” said Hoffman “Main Street matters because it’s the heart of our community and it supports so many businesses and lives Phoenixville has grown into a major destination and that wouldn’t have been possible without the small business owners who took a leap of faith to follow their dreams—and the community that backs them every step of the way.” “From launching the PA SITES program and investing in Main Street Matters to modernizing government through permit reform Governor Shapiro’s leadership has delivered meaningful steps toward growing our economy,” said Representative Friel “We’ve reformed the treatment of net operating losses advanced strategies to tackle workforce challenges and laid the groundwork for a broader effort to re-energize our economy These achievements show what’s possible when legislators from both sides of the aisle and the Governor’s Office work together for the good of our state We are all committed to making Pennsylvania a destination where businesses thrive and families can build lasting prosperity.” Governor Shapiro’s investments in small businesses and Main Streets ensure that Pennsylvania’s downtowns and commercial corridors remain thriving hubs of activity the Governor encourages Pennsylvanians to visit Main Streets and support the small businesses that are the backbone of our communities MEDIA CONTACT: Governor’s Press Office, ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov PHOENIXVILLE — The urge started to come to Trey Lear last winter As he watched his former Phoenixville teammates celebrate a Pioneer Athletic Conference championship Lear started to think about making a return to the hardwood After focusing his sophomore and junior seasons on football rejoined the Phantoms for his senior year when his gridiron career concluded 24 William Tennent and is excited to be on the court instead of in the stands during this year’s postseason fun and I wanted to put all my time and effort into that but when I saw all my guys having fun last year winning the PAC chip and just seeing everything I felt something inside of me to come back,” Lear said “And here we are winning a district playoff game on our home court.” Phoenixville senior Trey Lear scored 17 of his 19 points in the first half Senior Deacon Baratta had 22 for Phoenixville (18-7) Sophomore point guard Keron Booth made an early return from injury to chip in 13 points and four assists 8 Central Bucks East in the second round on Tuesday at 6 p.m scoring 17 of his points in the first half as the Phantoms jumped out to a 45-23 lead He had eight points in the first quarter (16-7 Phoenixville) then poured in another nine in the second “When we had our pregame this morning I just told myself I have to have that confidence shooting the ball because I haven’t been much of a shooter this year,” Lear said I got the ball on like a pick and roll or something ‘I gotta keep shooting,’ because I’m not missing.” Lear grew up playing in the Phoenixville Future Phantoms travel program alongside Baratta and several other members of the senior class He was a JV player as a freshman at Phoenixville identified as someone who could be a key piece for the program Despite Lear’s decision to focus on football a physical education teacher at the high school said he kept trying to plant the seed of a return to hoops There was mutual excitement when Lear told Burnett he would be suiting up for the Phantoms after football season the athletic 6-foot-1 guard — a wide receiver and defensive back on the football field — has brought much more than his athleticism and scoring to the table “You could see he was a little rusty at first but you could see the skills and obviously he’s a superior athlete,” Burnett said “Now it’s all coming together for him at the right time of the year and you can say that really paying off.” “For him to be playing at the level that he is has been great but his biggest impact has been his leadership and his toughness and his approach to the way he does things on a daily basis,” he added Phoenixville sophomore Keron Booth returned from injury Saturday Lear and the rest of the Phantoms’ offense quieted at the start of the second half Saturday William Tennent (11-12) scored the first six points of the third and got the Phoenixville lead down to 50-37 late in the period when senior Tony Pople hit one of his four threes Senior Jayden Bright led the Colonials with 15 Pople scored 14 and junior Tre Stracuzzi rounded out the team’s double-figure scorers with 10 Phoenixville responded with seven unanswered to close the quarter up 57-37 The momentum swing carried into the fourth as the Phantoms cruised down the stretch “I’m just so proud of the guys,” Lear said Just take everything in and live it up and everybody did.” Lear and his teammates didn’t get an opportunity for another PAC championship celebration falling to Spring-Ford in the semifinal round They’ll play at least two more games this season regardless of the outcome of Tuesday night’s game the goal is to see how far they can go — and enjoy it while they do “I’ve known these guys my whole life so I’ve been playing with them since I started playing,” Lear said so I just told the guys let’s give it all we got and make a deep run in the playoffs.” 2025 at 12:46 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A missing teen in Phoenixville teen has been found PA — The missing teenage girl from Phoenixville has been found had not been seen since last Tuesday night Police did not say exactly how she was found but indicated on Monday afternoon that she was no longer missing Authorities thanked the public for their help in the search Additional details will be provided as they become available Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 2025 at 10:15 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Kaitlyn Reader (Phoenixville Police Department)PHOENIXVILLE PA — A teenage girl has gone missing in Phoenixville and police are asking for the public's help in tracking her down was last seen on the 300 block of Bridge Street on Tuesday and green plaid pants and a black hooded sweatshirt with a green animal on the front contact Phoenixville police at (610) 933-2240 2025 at 11:00 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}background PA — A town hall meeting in Phoenixville next week will offer residents the chance to share their thoughts about the borough and its future with their representative in Harrisburg Paul Friel is organizing the event will lead the discussion and hearing directly from the people I represent,” Friel said in a statement “Whether you have a question about legislation or just want to learn more about the services we offer It will take place on May 1 at the Colonial Theatre on 227 Bridge Street from 6:30 p.m Friel said the town hall will address ongoing initiatives in Harrisburg and services provided by Friel's office before delving into community concerns and questions Residents can submit questions in advance by emailing RepFriel@pahouse.net with the subject line 2025 at 9:52 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}​Joshua Daywalt was found dead in the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia in February (Philadelphia Police Department)PHOENIXVILLE PA — A native of Phoenixville has been identified as the man who was found shot in the head floating in the Schuylkill River in February was from Phoenixville but had been living homeless in Philadelphia at the time of his death Daywalt was found in the river near near Kelly Drive and Midvale Avenue back on Feb The gunshot wound was found by the Philadelphia Medical Examiner's office just below his right ear and they determined his manner of death to be homicide particularly near the Green Lane Bridge at Main Street and Green Lane A $20,000 reward has been posted for information leading to the capture of his killer Anyone with information is urged to contact police at 215-686-3334 Tips can also be made anonymously at 215-686-8477 2025 at 10:19 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}​Kaitlyn Reader ​has not been seen since Tuesday night in Phoenixville (Phoenixville Police Department/National Center For Missing and Endangered PA — The search for the missing teenage girl from Phoenixville enters it second day on Thursday as law enforcement continues its investigation Police did not release further circumstances or details of her disappearance beyond her clothing: she was wearing black and green plaid pants and a black hooded sweatshirt with a green animal on the front when she went missing Police are asking for the public's help in finding her If you have seen her or have any information COLLEGEVILLE — Jason Green sat in the stands for the Pioneer Athletic Conference playoff games just a few years ago While brothers Justin and Kevin helped Pope John Paul II envisioning himself hitting big shots for the Golden Panthers one day After just missing out on the league postseason a season ago Green and his teammates got their coveted PAC playoff moment Tuesday night against Methacton Green finished with a team-high 18 points and made the game-winning defensive play in a 58-53 win over the Warriors that sent the Golden Panthers to Thursday’s semifinal round against No PJP's Jason Green scored 18 points in Tuesday's win I’ve been watching these types of games and that’s kind of been my main basketball dream is just playing in a game like this in this type of atmosphere,” Green said “It’s kind of what I worked for and it definitely felt good playing in a big game with all my teammates We’ve been putting in the work all the way since summer and I knew we were going to be ready for this game.” Methacton and PJP played a pair of tight games during the regular season — a 54-49 win over PJP on Dec 21 that was won on a Wes Robinson buzzer beater Green beat the buzzer at the end of the first half to cap a 5-0 run and cut an 11-point Methacton lead down to 33-27 at halftime He scored his team’s first seven points of the first half to knot the score.  “I thought it just took a few quarters to settle in and I kind of understood I know my talents and know what shots I can make,” Green said A slam by junior guard Ayden Wise and an offensive rebound by senior Bradey Bass in the closing moments of the third put PJP ahead 45-40 after three Wise had nine of his 13 points in the second half Junior Jack Kessler also had 13 points for PJP but especially as a team because that definitely brought a little energy boost going into the second half,” Wise said.  Methacton junior Wes Robinson led the Warriors with 15 points and senior Sal Iemmello and Jack Bradford both added 14 Bradford hit three 3-point shots in the fourth to keep the Warriors tight Iemmello tied the game with less than two and a half minutes left before Green put the Golden Panthers back on top shortly after The Warriors had chance to tie in the final seconds but Green channelled Eagles defensive back Cooper DeJean swooped in on an inbounds pass to force a tie-up A pair of free throws by Kessler finished off the win “I kind of just read,” Green said “I saw the screen going over the top and the person throwing it out was looking toward the corner and I knew their shooter was going to come down there saw it out of the corner of my eyes and pursued it as hard as I can and came down with a jump ball.” Pope John Paul II  13 | 14 | 18 | 13 || 58 Baratta hits 1,000 as Phoenixville downs Upper Merion On a night when she hit a coveted scoring milestone Kayden Baratta was happy to let her teammates shoulder a good chunk of the offensive load Baratta surpassed 1,000 career points on a 3-point shot in the first quarter of No 5 Phoenixville’s PAC Final 6 contest against No Her next triple didn’t come until the 1:25 mark when she was putting the final touches on a 56-43 Phantoms win Senior Emine Ulcay led the way with 20 points and Baratta chipped in another 10 to hold off the Vikings and junior Kennedy Coles (21 points) and reach Thursday’s semifinal round against No Phoenixville junior Kayden Baratta reached 1,000 points on Tuesday “Emine played fantastic for us tonight in the paint and was huge for us in scoring when I was being face guarded,” Baratta said “My teammates are so able to pick up where I leave off and that’s what makes our team so great.” Upper Merion led 25-23 at halftime behind 18 points from Coles leading scorer Devon Maiden (11 points) went to the bench moments into the third period when she picked up her fourth foul An 8-0 run during the quarter put Phoenixville in front as the Phantoms led 36-31 heading into the fourth Senior Nevaeh Latimore-Beasley had a pair of buckets in the period “I think we came out with different energy,” Latimore Beasley said We did come out a little scared in the first half we came out with intensity that we needed too we even had some people off the bench come off and play pretty good and we just picked up the intensity.” Emine Ulcay scored eight of her 20 points in the fourth quarter Upper Merion junior Levayda Fuqua opened up the fourth quarter with a triple and close the Vikings’ deficit to two She had eight of her points in the final period The Vikings got as close as seven late before the Phantoms shut the door Baratta’s second three of the game pushed the Phoenixville advantage up to 14 with less than a minute and a half to play Baratta joins Ashley MacLelland (2001) as the only other girl to reach the 1,000-point milestone in school history and she became the Phantoms’ first 1,000-point scorer since Christian Kelly in 2015 “It’s super exciting,” Baratta said “I couldn’t have done it without my team and the trust they have in me to take big shots and shoot the ball as much as I do it means a lot for our team to know we’re not done yet Royersford – The Spring-Ford boys basketball team was going to need a lot more than Jacob Nguyen to survive a test from rival Phoenixville in the PAC semifinals on Saturday afternoon but the rest of the Rams stepped up in a gutsy 59-53 victory which sends them to the PAC championship on Monday night against Pope John Paul II four players scored in double figures with Nguyen and Syaire Barnes each scoring 13 Tommy Kelly scored 12 points in helping Spring-Ford advance to the PAC championship (Owen McCue/CoBL) “This was the whole season’s goal,” Kelly said “After watching them cut the nets down and being on the other end of it my sophomore year I knew I had to get back one more time.” the Rams didn’t score their first bucket until three minutes into the contest Spring-Ford had the better of play with Nguyen and Kennedy both hitting 3-pointers in the first quarter as the Rams led 12-5 we were determined to win,” Nguyen said “We want to go back to the PAC championship The offenses stalled in the second quarter but a 10-4 spurt to close the half got Phoenixville within one 20-19 at halftime Despite missing point guard Keron Booth to an injury the Phantoms were back in business Trey Lear hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send them into the locker room feeling the momentum “It was tough trying to get some buckets early on,” Phoenixville head coach Eric Burnett said “That has been our achilles heel in the last couple of games here their length definitely got to us a little bit.”  The offenses came out to play in the third quarter Tufts commit Deacon Baratta opened the frame with a 3-pointer and all of a sudden Phoenixville was up 22-20 Barnes and Nguyen pushed Spring-Ford back ahead “They bring a lot of energy,” Kelly said “A lot of their younger guys bring a lot of energy sophomores and juniors bring that type of energy We were able to make a couple plays down the stretch and were able to pull away at the end.”  Baratta was a difference maker especially in the third quarter He continued to answer with bucket after bucket en route to his 22-point effort “It was a lot of fun,” Nguyen said a lot of fun especially when you all play together as a team all locked in It was great to get the dub at the end of the fourth quarter.”  Barnes opened the fourth with an acrobatic drive Kennedy scored on a putback and two free throws stretched the lead to 48-39.  Baratta hit a 3-pointer and Lear scored to cut the deficit to 50-46 Nguyen got free for his third trey of the night and a 53-46 lead “It was a big shot,” Nguyen said Lear came right back with a 3-pointer and after a basket from Stephen Yurick the lead was down to 53-51 with 1:40 to go Phoenixville went with a trap but Kelly found Blake Turner with a layup and only his second basket of the night Baratta answered with a pair of free throws and it was once again a 2-point game with 44 seconds left “Just our poise on offense,” said Nguyen of the last minute of the contest On defense we played great I think.” Nguyen found Kelly off a double team and it was a dunk an exclamation point and a trip to the PAC championship game “I just always give credit to my teammates,” Kelly said “They put me in a position where I am able to make a play but they don’t see them call my name out seven times so I can hit them for a layup or Jacob slinging the ball 100 miles an hour so I can get that dunk in the end.” Notes: Burnett expects point guard Booth back for the district playoffs and is looking forward to resetting the team “They are disappointed,” Burnett said “When you don’t reach one goal you try for another This is a team that doesn’t want their season to end We should have him back in the next couple of days here Spring-Ford (59): Turner 4; Kelly 12; Nguyen 13; Kennedy 11; Barnes 13; Pufko 2; Marsilio 4 Phoenixville (53): Lear 13; Yurick 6; O’Donnell 3; Leo 2; Smith 7; Baratta 22 Postal Service will be holding a hiring fair at the Phoenixville Post Office “We offer a nice suite of job opportunities.” said USPS spokesman Paul F “If you prefer to work on machines or work on trucks or prefer the outdoors and interacting with customers Career employees can earn premium long-term benefits that complement good pay Some of the benefits include multiple health and life insurance choices pension benefits and a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) like a 401(k) The Postal Service is an organization that promotes largely from within offering career development to help prepare employees achieve their professional goals Training programs include entry-level functional job-related technical hands-on learning New supervisor training and management-to-executive level development The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 169 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America restore long-term financial sustainability dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage products and services to fund its operations Copyright© 2025 United States Postal Service 2025 at 9:16 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}O'Grady's Family Restaurant It's the latest in a long list of local eateries have closed in the past year around the Steel City O'Grady's did not give a specific reason for the closure "It is with profound sadness that I announce the closing of O'Grady's today," owner Bill Ridge said in a note to staff "This decision was not easy to make but was ultimately necessary I wish you all the best in your favorite endeavors O'Grady's was famous for its breakfast buffet which it boasted was the largest in the area and was in operation for more than 25 years It's not yet clear what might become of its facility which is located on 273 Schuylkill Road just over the border in East Pikeland 2025 at 11:22 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A new list of the top doctors in the greater Philadelphia area includes several from Chester and Montgomery counties PA — A new list of the best doctors in all specialities in the greater Philadelphia region has been released The comprehensive database was published by Philadelphia Magazine this week Doctors on the list were curated by healthcare research company Castle Connolly Medical which convened a physician-led team of researchers They looked at professional qualifications Phoenixville area doctors who made the cut included: "Our mission is to help people find the best health care by connecting patients with best-in-class health-care providers and to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information The list features obstetrics and gynecology and ophthalmology as searchable specialties See the full list here. 2024 at 10:53 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Big Lots is shutting down all stores The discount retailer has gone bankrupt and is out of options Located in the Shoppes at Valley Forge on 270 Schuylkill Road the Phoenixville location was central to the Phoenixville The closure comes as a competitor to Big Lots opened its second store in the local area in Pottstown earlier this month They also have a location in Montgomeryville "We all have worked extremely hard and have taken every step to complete a going concern sale," Big Lots CEO Bruce Thorn said in a statement "While we remain hopeful that we can close an alternative going concern transaction in order to protect the value of the Big Lots estate we have made the difficult decision to begin the GOB (going of out business) process." Big Lots said it continues to serve customers in-store and online the company operated in its infancy as Consolidated International and operated closeout and discount stores under a variety of names the various store names and company were converted to the single national Big Lots brand The Big Lots website currently lists 64 locations across Pennsylvania With reporting from Patch correspondent Eric Heyl 2025 at 11:40 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Infinito's Pizza Buffet will shut down its doors in Phoenixville PA — A beloved Phoenixville area pizza joint will close its doors for good located on 222 Schuylkill Road in the Shoppes at Valley Forge "While we have enjoyed the last 10 years in Chester County the time has come to focus our business on the remaining stores to ensure the best possible quality of our product and service for our customers," the chain said in a statement and operated business and we look forward to serving you at one of our other seven locations." The chain still has stores open in Reading and gift cards will be honored at those locations There is no word yet on what might replace the pizzeria within the Shoppes at Valley Forge complex (Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2024-25 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.) Tracey Sterling is counting on the whispers not gaining any volume The Phoenixville coach hopes no one is paying attention She has a team that would like to be clandestine out there on the periphery in their first foray into District 1 Class 6A and with the big girls of Perkiomen Valley and Spring-Ford in the Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division but other teams are bound to notice—and notice fast—Phoenixville will be a player in the PAC Liberty and possibly beyond this season Kayden Baratta (above) and Phoenixville are in the PAC Liberty this season It is a team that is collectively brimming with confidence The Phantoms have a star in 5-foot-10 junior guard Kayden Baratta who averaged a PAC-high 19.3 points a game last season as a sophomore They have a strong supporting cast in returning starters 5-10 senior forward Emine Ulcay 5-10 junior forward Riley Ford-Bey and 5-5 senior guard Ava Gnias The Phantoms will get back 5-5 senior point guard Neveah Latimore-Beasley who returns after missing last season due to an injury and considerable depth in 5-5 senior guard Jessica Meyers 5-10 junior guard/forward Taylor Schneider and 5-6 junior guard Julia Chain they have a fine blend of experience and youth and they enter the season with an abundance of certainty In the three previous years under Sterling winning a District 1 Class 5A playoff game for the first time in 18 years winning the PAC Frontier Division for the second-straight year with a 10-0 league mark and winning their first home playoff district game in over 20 years in the second round of districts and saw its season end on a 66-57 district playback loss to No The Phantoms’ success has brought them up to the PAC Liberty where powerhouses Perkiomen Valley and PIAA Class 6A state finalist Spring-Ford reside Two-time defending District 1 Class 6A champion Perkiomen Valley is a team on a mission this season The Vikings are a combined 57-4 the previous two years and have been shutout of a state title knocked out by the eventual state champion both times Archbishop Carroll in the second round of states in overtime (41-38) in 2023 and last year to Cardinal O’Hara in the state semifinals (49-35) It does not mean Phoenixville is backing down “We’ll rise to the challenge,” Sterling said “We walk on to any court thinking we can compete with any school We have three starters who will be seniors These girls have looked at some of the other teams that we traditionally lose to and sometimes you lose games even before you step on to the court with intimidation They feel they can play with anyone.” Ava Gnais (above) will handle the point guard duties for the Phantoms That attitude stems from the core group of Baratta “The connection we have with each other makes it work,” Gnias said “We all grew up with each other playing in rec leagues and AAU summer leagues We know we have the potential to go far in the district playoffs Being close to each other helps because no one wants to let anyone down People will definitely see a different Phoenixville team this year.” may pressure teams more than they have in the past The Phantoms will need to make up for the loss of 6-foot center Maliyah Warren (Wilkes University) though that will come in the 5-10 quintet of Ulcay Ulcay provides leadership and effective communication She is a three-year starter who knows the sting of walking off the court last year after the district playback loss to Radnor Being defensively aggressive will be a factor in the Phantoms’ success in preventing an early playoff ouster this season “We can pressure teams more because we will have the depth,” said Ulcay who is a Division I track and field recruit “We’re still putting (presses) in and we have some crazy quick athletic people who have high motors to apply pressure We are moving to the big side (in the Liberty) I play with a lot of the Spring-Ford girls in AAU and we are ready to make a deep push.” At the eye of this swirling level of confidence is Baratta Over the summer she extended her three-point range where she is hitting the shot more consistently It makes her that much more difficult to defend since she is 5-10 with a handle to finish at the rim Baratta will probably reach 1,000 points this season against defenses designed to stop her With her distance shooting forcing teams to come out on her she feels that will open the inside for Ulcay and Ford-Bey and if teams collapse on Ulcay and Ford-Bey “Everyone knows where everyone likes the ball,” Baratta said “We know each other’s playing styles We will also need to control the tempo of games Everyone on this team plays a role—and I think a strength of our team is everyone knows their role We need to go into every game this season with the mindset we are the better team and have the confidence to win.” Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who began writing for CoBL in 2021 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter here PA — A Phoenixville eatery has been marked "out of compliance" due to numerous health violations according to inspections conducted by the state department of health Cousin's Burger, which opened in January in the old Mansion House on Bridge Street, has numerous notices tacked on its front door. Violations are wide-ranging, according to the department of health from food safety issues to basic precautions and general policies "Facility storing food in basement hallway and back room under plumbing lines." "Several bus pans with raw chicken wings stored in coolers lacking dates required on all food held longer than 48 hours." "Food handler not washing hands in between separate tasks." "Several bus pans of food (raw chicken) in the reach in coolers open with no covering "The person in charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this food facility as evidenced by this non-compliant inspection." The restaurant did not respond to an inquiry from Patch for comment The Phoenixville eatery is the fifth Cousin's location in the area 2025 at 10:40 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The "senior assassin" game is back in Phoenixville PA — A long-popular game amongst high schoolers is back in Phoenixville Police are warning residents about the ongoing "senior assassin" game which has flooded departments around Chester and Montgomery counties will emergency calls The game is simple and relatively harmless though its participants are often mistaken for criminals Players use water guns to stalk and shoot each other in an attempt to be the last senior standing — it's described as essentially hide and seek with water guns "Because the game involves a certain degree of hiding & sneaking around to surprise other players every year we inevitably get calls reporting suspicious subjects that turn out to be students playing the game," police shared in a statement Phoenixville police said they do not condone the game and that "the safest thing is not to play." but you have to consider it may not appear that way to the public," they added they're reminded to not trespass on private property and to use water pistols that are brightly colored and clearly toys Students are also urged not to run away from police but simply to explain to officers what they are doing if they are stopped Residents are asked not to confront suspicious individuals themselves Phoenixville’s gifted 6-foot-7 senior forward played at Penn under Big Five Hall of Famer Fran Dunphy is a junior star on the Phoenixville girls’ basketball team Both Deacon and Kayden cannot remember a time when basketball was not part of their lives They laugh over the fact there are baby pictures of them lying in their crib with a tiny basketball beside them It took some time for Deacon to beat pops Andy does not want anything to do with his son on the court now He is ready to hand his son off to Tufts University after his senior year A senior year that started well Tuesday night with Deacon leading the Phantoms to an easy 79-42 season-opening game victory over visiting West Chester Rustin Deacon Baratta got off to a great start with a game-high 24 against Rustin (Photo by Mark Jordan/CoBL) while Phantoms’ sophomore guard Keron Booth Jr after visiting the Massachusetts school on October 4 Deacon called Tufts’ coach Brandon Linton to tell him that he would going to Tufts and went public with his decision on social media last week especially just as his senior season was about to begin I don’t have to worry about college coaches calling me and it’s allowed me to play more freely having college coaches in the stands always made me kind of nervous “I don’t have to really worry about that now I get a little nervous before I play anyway I was even a little nervous before playing tonight.” confident Deacon Baratta will make the Phantoms’ quest to defending their Pioneer Athletic Conference championship that much easier But Baratta stressed this team is not looking at defending the title they have compartmentalized the past and placed it in the past This is a new Phoenixville team that lost seven seniors to graduation Phantoms coach Eric Burnett goes way back with Deacon and Kayden He was their physical education teacher in grade school Deacon got his first shot blocked Tuesday night and quickly adjusted to score eight of his game-high 24 in the first quarter “I’m excited by our start and our emphasis tonight was to go out “We know we are far from a finished product this time of year who is fulfilling that role for us on and off the court Baratta (above) is a strong outside shooter “What is special about Deacon is he was not worried about D-I I’m happy for Deacon that he does not have to feel that college pressure now his senior season I was thrilled he made his decision before the season waiting for offers and different things in play and then the Phantoms went on a 16-0 tear to control the game Phoenixville hit 42 early in the third quarter while Rustin struggled with the Phantoms’ size and quickness It was not the start Rustin coach Tony Bacon was hoping to see He knew what a difficult test this would be to open the season There were moments when Rustin’s Malley and Bernhardt showed flashes But those times were separated by long gaps when the Golden Knights were stagnant on offense that was the main positive I take from this,” Bacon said “But the things we practiced over the last two weeks we did not execute at all We are a team playing with one player with varsity experience We won’t have excuses in that locker room They gave way more of an effort than we did That’s the disappointing part for me as a coach We have to go back to practice and put our hard hats on and not feel sorry for ourselves But we also didn’t put a hand in anyone’s face Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who began writing for CoBL in 2021 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on BlueSky here 2025 at 10:47 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A new food drive has been organized in honor of one of the most dedicated volunteers in the Phoenixville area PA — A Phoenixville woman and volunteer with local nonprofits has been recognized by a local business as their community "Unsung Hero" for her tremendous dedication to public service Elaine Miller has given more than 700 volunteer hours to Phoenixville Area Community Services (PACS) over the past two years She's also volunteered to help drive needy and elderly individuals to their hospital appointments She won the PACS Lois Gould "volunteer of the year" award in 2024 for her work she's won the Unsung Hero award from local business PressurePerfect Massage which is also organizing a food drive on her behalf "Elaine Miller doesn’t ask for attention," Mark Liskey "But when someone quietly gives over 700 volunteer hours to a local nonprofit—and then joins its board—you take notice." the massage business will be gathering some of the most needed items on PACS list for a food drive "Elaine doesn’t just believe her actions matter—she proves it adding that they had offered her a free massage for her work Donation drop offs can be made at Gateway Pharmacy Wellness Center PACS serves more than 300 families per month with full grocery orders and has a seen a recent surge in demand over the past several months. For information on the food drive, see details here. To learn more about PACS, see here. 2024 at 4:08 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Iron Hill Brewery has shut down in Phoenixville a mainstay for the past decade in downtown Phoenixville It's not yet clear exactly what specifically led to the closure though increasing competition and rising costs are likely to have played a factor here as they have for other area establishments that have gone under in recent months It's the second Phoenixville establishment to close in the past few months, as longtime mainstay PJ Ryan's also closed its doors after 16 years in business in August Both PJ Ryan's and Iron Hill were flagship bars and restaurants of a sort establishments that had a presence on Bridge Street before revitalization really took hold Both helped usher in a new era for the Steel City but neither will be around to see its future Iron Hill has numerous other locations around the region These locations are not impacted by Wednesday's news directly across from Sedona and just down the block from Soltane Cafe and The Boardroom It would seem logical another bar or restaurant would fill the Iron Hill space though there is no news yet on what exactly that may be Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates A 35-year-old Pennsylvania teacher has been arrested for having sex with a student with whom she repeatedly messaged during a police investigation about their alleged relationship Michelle Mercagliano's LinkedIn page indicates that she works as an "Autistic Support Teacher" within the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District had a sexual relationship with a student at Conestoga High School the Chester County District Attorney’s Office said The alleged victim told detectives that his communication and relationship with Mercogliano outside of class began early in the school year when he was late for school and Mercogliano asked one of his friends for his SnapChat handle according to the affidavit obtained by Daily Voice Mercogliano messaged the student to offer them a ride The victim said he had sexual intercourse with Mercogliano approximately 12 times and that Mercogliano performed oral sex on him on a similar number of occasions The first time the two had sex was at the victim’s home in Wayne (Treddyffrin Township) The victim said that Mercogliano would secretly pick him up in the back parking lot of apartments near Conestoga High School and would drive him to his home or to a local marijuana dispensary in Phoenixville The teacher would buy the marijuana and give it to the child Mercogliano has given the victim marijuana about once a week since last December Mercogliano and the alleged victim would then smoke the marijuana together and have sex The alleged victim’s father found medical marijuana with Mercogliano’s name on the label in their bedroom closet The alleged victim’s sister told their parents about the sexual relationship happening between Mercogliano and her sibling Police learned of the conduct earlier this week and immediately worked with the Tredyffrin Eastown School District to prevent the Defendant from having further contact with students “Parents and students should be able to trust their teachers," Chester County District Attorney Christopher L "The Defendant broke the law and destroyed that trust Mercogliano was charged with institutional sexual assault The Defendant has not yet been arrested but is cooperative and arranging an appropriate time to turn herself in via her attorney 2025 at 6:52 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Cousin's Burger is "in compliance" after failed health inspections at its Phoenixville location a popular new local chain on Bridge Street is back in compliance with the state after several health violations arose from their last inspection The eatery was marked out of compliance by the Pennsylvania Department of Health following a Feb and ownership's lack of basic food safety knowledge Cousin's passed a follow up inspection on Wednesday according to department of health documents The burger joint opened in January in the old Mansion House on Bridge Street. They serve a variety of smashburgers, a vegan burger, a bacon burger, sweets, and more. See their full menu here. Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardPhoenixville Hospital staff gave man a ‘lethal dose’ of medication during mental-health crisis his family saysMatthew Dougherty's family said in a wrongful-death lawsuit that staff at the hospital did not properly treat his mental illness and should not have called police The last time Jenni Broadwell saw Matthew Dougherty they shared dinner in his room at Phoenixville Hospital where he had been admitted after a mental health crisis and they were looking forward to his discharge the next day an alarm went off in a nearby room and triggered panic in Dougherty He ignored commands from staffers who tried to calm him and eventually called police to help restrain him and medical staff gave him what turned out to be a lethal dose of antipsychotic medication according to a wrongful-death lawsuit his family filed in Common Pleas Court in Philadelphia who had been summoned back to the hospital said she was asked to wait in the hallway outside the room as staff tried — and failed — to revive him ‘We’re so sorry to inform you that he’s passed away,‘” Broadwell said in an interview She said she didn’t learn how Dougherty died until weeks later after his family requested and reviewed hospital records that detailed his final moments Family members said hospital staff denied Dougherty the daily medication he took to treat his schizophrenia And they are outraged that the hospital called in police they’re supposed to get better,” Dougherty’s sister a prolific artist and former teacher in the Philadelphia School District had been admitted to the hospital in May after getting injured during a scuffle with police at his home in Phoenixville Broadwell called officers for help after Dougherty locked himself in the home in what his family described as a state of paranoia the company that operates Phoenixville Hospital did not respond to requests for comment and had not filed a response to the lawsuit as of Monday Jordan Strokovsky, the Center City attorney who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Dougherty’s family said the case makes clear that the hospital was ill-equipped to deal with the effects of his mental illness “Mental health care should be treated with the same seriousness and access as physical health care,” he said and hopefully there will be major reforms from the hospital as a result of this tragedy.” Dougherty was diagnosed with schizophrenia after the Sept he was a graduate student living in Manhattan and often passed through the World Trade Center on his daily commute and narrowly avoided the death and destruction of the day Dougherty developed paranoia and experienced hallucinations telling his family the police were trying to arrest him His delusions were controlled by medication and he was able to thrive as an artist and teacher building a life for himself as he got married and had a son who remained close to him even after a divorce Dougherty was active in the arts community in West Chester “Matt just breathed life into the place,” Barker said “If anyone came in to admire other artists’ works Before he was admitted to Phoenixville Hospital Dougherty had spent the day at Ginkgo Arts helping prepare for a forthcoming festival Broadwell believes the pressure of that responsibility as well as higher-than-usual foot traffic outside their house for an event in downtown Phoenixville triggered Dougherty’s delusions that people were trying to kidnap him he locked her out of the house and refused to open the door She said she called a crisis line for help but was told that unless Dougherty had harmed himself or another person they wouldn’t be able to provide assistance Dougherty’s family called Phoenixville police already paranoid that someone was trying to capture him fought with the officers in a melee that overturned furniture and damaged the home’s kitchen and injuries from the fight landed him in the hospital where doctors decided to keep him until he was medically cleared to transfer to a psychiatric facility doctors stopped giving Dougherty the medications prescribed by his psychiatrist a decision that the lawsuit described as “highly improper.” “There’s no world where Matt should be gone,” Broadwell said “I feel like [the hospital staff] didn’t take him seriously and didn’t care for him And we can’t let this happen to another family.” Dougherty barricaded himself in his room with chairs whose appearance in Dougherty’s hospital room was a “major trigger” for him The officers used a Taser on Dougherty to help restrain him and then nurses gave him two doses of Geodon a dose the lawsuit equated to administering poison 2025 at 10:55 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Phoenixville's Rebel Hill Brewing has shut down their 420 Taproom PA — Phoenixville-based Rebel Hill Brewing announced that they've shut down their 420 Taproom The facility located on 420 Schuylkill Road in East Pikeland Township in the Westside Apartments and Shopping complex The Rebel Hill Brewery on Bridge in downtown Phoenixville remains open The brewery did not give a specific reason for the closure of the 420 Taproom though it's just the latest in a string of casualties for well loved bars and restaurants in the local area and PJ Ryan's have all closed their doors for good within the past year Rebel Hill's Brewery on Bridge is located on 242 Bridge Street 2024 at 10:44 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Gazzos Steaks has left Phoenixville PA — The Gazzos Steak truck in Phoenixville is no more The truck left its location at Root Down Brewing for good on Sunday The cult establishment has developed a massive following in the past year The truck that was in Phoenixville had started off in Pottstown last winter With the advent of a brick and mortar Gazzos location in Pottstown the truck moved to the Steel City for the past several months we pride ourselves in being very transparent with ALL of you," Gazzos shared we would like to share some changes in our future plans...While it was a pleasure serving you all in Phoenixville and partnering with Root Down Brewing we have decided to focus on another much larger opportunity." What exactly the larger opportunity is remains unclear The truck has been spotted back in the Pottstown area in recent days 2025 at 10:23 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Phoenixville police are now hiring PA — Have what it takes to join Phoenixville's finest The department is offering a competitive salary of $113,613 for the entry level positions Officers are also given a $4,800 signing bonus Applicants must be at least 18 and have a high school diploma For details and more, see here. 2025 at 10:09 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Route 29 will be shut down in Schuylkill Township in the coming weeks PA — Route 29 will be shut down in Schuylkill Township for months as authorities begin utility improvements and related construction in the area The key roadway will be closed from Pothouse Road to Charlestown Road starting on Monday The closure will be in place each weekday from 9 a.m The utility work will be completed by PECO in partnership with PennDOT Backups and delays will occur throughout the area and drivers should plan for additional travel time Access will be maintained up to the work zone for residents PA — Drinkers in Phoenixville spent nearly $10 million on alcohol in 2024 The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board's annual report features sale figures for individual Fine Wine and Good Spirits stores across the state located in Phoenixville Plaza on 700 Nutt Road That includes 239,430 transactions throughout the year with an average transaction cost of $38.38 Chester County had the fifth highest amount of sales in the state at $127,419,740 That's a .97 percent decrease from the year before reflecting larger trends of economic crises and younger generations drinking significantly less than they once did See the full 2024 report from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board online here. With reporting from Patch correspondent Max Bennett Kareena Preuss and the rest of Spring-Ford’s seniors followed the lead of Anna Azzara Mac Pettinelli and the Rams’ other 2024 grads.  in the home stretch of their high school hoops careers they don’t want to waste any opportunities That includes a chance to make some postseason memories — starting with the Pioneer Athletic Conference playoffs Haley Prophet (above) scored 13 points off the bench in Spring-Ford's win third-seeded Spring-Ford closed strong on Wednesday evening in the opening round of the PAC postseason taking down sixth-seeded Methacton 50-40.  “It makes it a hundred times more special [being seniors],” Pruess said “especially because this could be it for us We’re playing every game like it’s our last game so we have to push each other and stay together if we want to keep going.” who starts for Mickey McDaniel’s Rams (17-6) which moves Spring-Ford into a semifinal against Pope John Paul II on Saturday.  For Preuss to lead the team in scoring isn’t anything new; the 5-foot-11 wing has done that much of the season her seven rebounds and three assists also a fairly typical output for the second-year starter Prophet’s re-finding her confidence of late a good sign for a team that wants to make a District 1 6A run She hit a game-tying buzzer-beating 3-pointer several weeks back in a non-league game against Springfield (Delco.) in a game Spring-Ford won in overtime which has been a spark for her later in the season Prophet knocked down just one 3-pointer against Methacton on a night where both teams struggled from deep but she hit a couple mid-range jumpers and a couple layups while knocking down both of her foul shots “It’s definitely been a big confidence booster,” she said of the Springfield shot “but my teammates really get my confidence going and help me in the games to keep shooting and it helps me in games like tonight to hit shots.” scored seven straight for her side to open the fourth quarter forcing Methacton to miss its final six shots and a pair of free-throws along the way Prophet got the run started with a bucket in the lane Kareena Preuss (2) put Spring-Ford ahead with a 3-point play Preuss provided the final lead change of the evening on a 3-point play with 2:45 left That helped make up for an earlier layup through contact which could have gone either way though the whistle went against the Spring-Ford senior.  anyways,” Pruess said of the three-point play that counted “I was just kind of annoyed about the first call.” It was a closing run that would make Azzara (Wright State) the Rams' Class of 2025 showing the lessons it learned from watching their predecessors lead the way on several deep postseason runs.  “I think we have been in positions like that but I think we definitely try not to panic too much because that can get in our heads," Propher said "We definitely do a good job [...] calming each other down making sure we stay together and that’s the most important thing splitting a number of attempts before Kaercher connected on two with 29 seconds remaining to make it 49-40 the only non-senior in the starting lineup three steals and two assists to her eight points Spring-Ford and Pope John Paul already played once this season The Golden Panthers (17-5) captured the Frontier division title (10-0) but struggled against the bigger schools in the Liberty division.  “They’re definitely a good team,” Pruess said “I think as long as we play together Boys: Baratta powers Phoenixville past Owen J When Deacon Baratta turned the corner midway through the third quarter he took one left-handed dribble and rose up with authority Deacon Baratta (above) threw home this dunk as part of Phoenixville's comeback “I was angry at that point,” he said didn’t want a chance for another charge [...] so I just dunked it.” that really got us going,” sophomore Jacoby Smith said That played a big role in the second half.” Baratta’s emphatic dunk was the highlight of an impressive second half for the Tufts commit and the Phantoms as a whole Phoenixville overcoming a slow start to run past OJR 71-46 in its opening-round game.  The defending Pioneer Athletic champs found themselves in an 18-4 hole early in the second quarter thanks to the sharpshooting of Wildcats junior Danny Walker each one seemingly from deeper than the one before it Things especially didn’t look good when Baratta picked up his second foul on the offensive end with 4:29 until half on a night when starting guard Keron Booth (wrist) remained sidelined.  But Smith (14 points) and senior Trey Lear (13 points) kept Phoenixville in it pulling them back to within 26-22 by halftime as the pair combined for 13 points in the second quarter And when Baratta re-took the court to start the third quarter The 6-foot-5 wing absolutely took over in the third quarter missing his first shot but hitting his next seven as he scored 16 of his game-high 27 points during an eight minutes that flipped it from a close game to a downhill runaway.  Phoenixville led 47-36 going into the fourth and kept the pedal on the gas a pull-up jumper and a 3-point play while the rest of the Phoenixville rotation chipped in.  Jacoby Smith (above) had a career-high 14 points the Phantoms (17-6) shot 20-of-24 in the second half 28-of-37 in the last three quarters overall.  Phoenixville’s best ball-handler and one of its leading scorers Smith gave his classmate credit for a pregame pep talk that helped him have one of the best games of his young career slicing to the hoop time and again throughout the Phantoms’ comeback.  but he’s the one who got me in there started the game for me,” Smith said “He just told me to take everything strong so he just told me when I got in it was my time Pottsgrove will play Pope John Paul II in the other semifinal on Thursday “We know we’re built for this moment,” Baratta said we had all these guys come together and we know if we did it last year 2025 at 9:51 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A new development has been proposed by Toll Brothers in Phoenixville PA — A new development has been proposed at the site of the Phoenixville Area School District's former Kindergarten Center potentially bringing 93 new residential units to the borough according to the developer and borough documents would develop the school's land at 100 School Lane as well as the nearby Phoenixville Industrial Complex at 41 S The 93 residential units will be comprised of various townhomes and twin residential buildings The plan calls for building new private roads covering about three acres on the connected properties would be donated to the borough for open space for the general public The Phoenixville Planning Commission will address the development at their next meeting on Thursday 2025 at 9:35 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Phoenixville has seen an increase in vehicle thefts PA — Thieves have stolen six Hyundai and Kia vehicles from Phoenixville's streets in the past two months warning residents to take extra precautions in the local areas Authorities say that social media "challenges" are to blame TikTok videos instructing criminals on exactly how to steal these two types of cars have led to a massive increase in thefts across the region "Hyundai and Kia vehicles made between 2011-2022 need an update from the dealer to install immobilization software," Phoenixville police shared "Your vehicle can easily be stolen without the update The update will confirm your vehicle's electronic code with the correct key code before starting Call your local dealership and get the update." authorities urge owners of 2011-2022 Hyundais and Kias to get a steering wheel lock 2025 at 10:17 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Three homes were damaged in a major fire in Phoenixville Sunday night PA — A massive three alarm fire damaged multiple homes and left at least two people injured in Phoenixville on Sunday night drawing dozens of firefighters to the borough amid dangerous dry and windy fire conditions Firefighters worked quickly to evacuate the home when they arrived but the blaze quickly spread to two more homes Second and third alarms were called within the first fifteen minutes on scene. CBS News reports that around 60 firefighters responded to the scene The winds kept picking up embers and spreading them to nearby homes, making the fire difficult to contain, 6ABC reports At least two individuals suffered smoke inhalation An investigation into the blaze remains ongoing 2024 at 11:43 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}New Year's Eve celebrations to ring in 2025 are right around the corner PA — The greater Phoenixville area is filled with unique events to ring in 2025 in style Here's a glance at few ways to celebrate in the local community: The transition from one year to the next is often marked by the singing of “Auld Lang Syne,” a Scottish folk song whose title roughly translates to “days gone by,” according to Encyclopedia Britannica and History.com The tradition of New Year’s resolutions dates back 8,000 years to ancient Babylonians who made promises to return borrowed items and repay debts at the beginning of the new year which was in mid-March when they planted their crops the pagan gods would grant them favor in the coming year Many secular New Year’s resolutions focus on imagining new The failure rate of New Year’s resolutions is about 80 percent but a big one is they’re made out of remorse — for gaining weight for example — and aren’t accompanied by a shift in attitude or a plan for coping with the stress and discomfort that comes with changing a habit or condition 2025 at 1:11 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Phoenixville has approved the redevelopment a homeless shelter on High Street PA — Officials in Phoenixville have approved a plan to demolish and rebuild a High Street homeless shelter to improve both its safety and privacy located along the 100 block of High Street faces numerous issues in its current aging facilities The new proposed redevelopment calls for a "consolidation" of the property with a full demolition of the existing three interconnecting structures each of which serve as temporary living spaces for individuals experiencing homelessness Good Samaritan will build a single building with the same amount of bed space as previously existed in the three connected buildings Consolidating the facility in a single building will allow developers to make better use of the existing lot and to frame it with lighting and trees that give it more privacy they told borough officials during a planning commission meeting on March 13 That stretch of High Street is residential and privacy could be mutually beneficial for both the shelter and nearby residents After reviewing issues with stormwater drainage Good Samaritan operates throughout the region