How appropriate that two trouble spots as far as liquor licenses are concerned decide to flare up just a few days before State Sen. Andy Dinniman (D-19th) and other senators come to West Chester to address the impact of liquor licenses on college towns such as West Chester...
At around 21:00, units were dispatched to the report of a disturbance at the Star Social Club at Matlack & Market. All available units responded and ultimately placed the disorderly crowd under control without arrests, thought it appeared that whatever event was going on there was shut down. Earlier in the year, a woman was assaulted with a baseball bat at that location, in an incident which required West Goshen PD to respond on an assist...
Then, at around 02:30 this morning, units responded to a disorderly group in the area of 15 North (surprise, surprise). At least three arrests were made for public drunkeness and related offenses.
Those were the two big incidents from an otherwise quiet Saturday night.
As far as Wednesday is concerned, Dinniman is taking the lead in holding what is essentially a "dog and pony" show for fellow senators at the Chester County Courthouse on Wednesday, starting at 16:00 hours. According to Jim Jones' web site (wcjim.com) , this will not "will not be an open forum at which anyone can comment, but rather an opportunity for selected individuals to place statements on a public record that will then be considered by members of the State Senate." Those tentatively scheduled to speak, according to Mr. Jones' site, include "representatives of Borough Council, the West Chester Police Department, West Chester University, the Restaurant Association, and possibly representatives from the judicial system, district attorney's office, Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and/or social service agencies."
Yup, a lot of good that's going to do for the general public at large who may want to speak out about this issue. Sorry, but I guess after being to so many borough council meetings over the years, I thought it would've been a good idea to have the residents most affected by this issue address the Senators, but I guess that's asking too much. (And, yes, I would've most likely have been one of them, but why should the powers that be in Harrisburg listen to the people who put them into office in the first place?)
The idea for this hearing initially was suggested by Councilwoman Holly Brown (1st Ward), and to hold such a forum at the borough level. When Dinniman began to float the idea around about a similar meeting, Councilwoman Brown held off. Perhaps it might not be a bad idea in a few months to have the Borough hold a similar forum in which comments from the public at large can be heard and forwarded to Harrisburg.
Anyway, I might be inclined to still attend the hearing and express my displeasure with the format afterwards, but who knows...
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