After the biggest snowstorm in a decade dumped more than nine inches of snow on the Philadelphia region, Narberth artist Emily Stewart woke up to a blank canvas.
With her front yard dusted in snow, Stewart zipped up her coat, laced up her boots, and braved the cold to build three Swedish lanterns out of snow and ice. Set against the darkness of winter, the lanterns have offered a glimmer of warmth during the coldest days of a historically frigid period in and around Philly.
Ice sculptures made by artist Emily Stewart outside her Narberth home on Wednesday, Feb. 11. Stewart said she was inspired to make the structures after reading about Swedish lanterns. “I love working with snow in my yard or other public places because it is inherently social,” Stewart said. “As I work, people walk by, cars pull over, I get to have conversations with neighbors and meet new friends.”
Stewart is a Main Line-based artist and community organizer who works with ink, graphite, wood, and, yes, snow. She is a lover of art and community building, passions that arose from her time in art school and serving in the Peace Corps. She is also the coordinator of Narberth Public Art, a community group that brings public art displays to downtown Narberth.
An Ohioan by birth, Stewart isn’t bothered by the snow. In fact, she prefers a long, snowy winter to the Philly area’s increasingly hot summers.
“I love, love winter,” Stewart said, adding that she has the “opposite of seasonal depression disorder.”
Stewart grew up making snow sculptures in her hometown of Cleveland. In 2021, as pandemic measures kept Stewart and her family cooped up in their home, she picked up her kitchen spatula and began sculpting snow once again. She built life-size bears, an owl, a giant horse, and an eagle (go Birds). Neighbors began stopping by to ask about the sculptures, and people from outside Narberth even started paying visits to Stewart’s yard after hearing about her art through the grapevine.
A creature built out of snow by artist Emily Stewart at her home in Narberth in February 2021.
Though her snow sculptures began as a low-stakes artistic outlet, Stewart says they have become something deeper — a point of connection among neighbors in increasingly polarized and technologically dominated times. Public art provides a “cool little communal social interaction” that “detracts from all the negativity in the world,” she said.
There’s much that Stewart loves about working with snow. It’s free, abundant, and surprising.
When asked about the fleeting nature of her snow works, Stewart said it’s part of the beauty. Snow is temporary, as is everything.
“It’s ephemeral,” she said. “Like, enjoy it, and it’s not yours to keep.”
An eagle built out of snow by artist Emily Stewart in her Narberth backyard in February 2025.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Chester County 911 dispatcher Kayla Wettlaufer (left) guided Terri Borzillo (center right) through CPR on the phone when Bob Borzillo (right) went into cardiac arrest in November.
When Willistown residents Terri and Bob Borzillo returned from a trip to Barcelona last fall, neither had expected that Terri would soon be holding “the balance of his life” in her hands.
But that’s what happened one November evening when Bob, 65, went into cardiac arrest. With guidance from county dispatcher Kayla Wettlaufer, Terri, also 65, was able to perform compressions on her husband of more than 40 years years while she waited for EMTs to arrive.
Wettlaufer’s direction helped saved Bob’s life in an often fatal situation, earning her honors from the county this month.
The Brandywine Valley Viaduct, better known as the Downingtown Trestle Bridge, will eventually help extend the Chester Valley Trail.
The more than century-old bridge known as the Downingtown Trestle is set to be rehabilitated, a move that will eventually help extend the Chester Valley Trail. Work on the overall extension project is estimated to take five to seven years, with the design phase starting next year.
The nearly 19-mile multi-use trail currently runs from Atglen to Exton and the trestle bridge is a “keystone” of the extension project, said Chester County’s director of facilities and parks department.
In case you missed it, an unknown number of annual mail ballot applications went out to county residents with the first and last names reversed earlier this month. Officials said the error won’t affect processing of the forms, but it comes at a time when some voters have expressed concerns after tens of thousands of independent and unaffiliated voters were left off November’s poll books.
In an address to the Senate floor, Sen. Dave McCormick used the county’s recent poll book blunder as an example of why there should be nationwide rules mandating proof of citizenship and photo identification for voters, like those outlined in the proposed SAVE Act. But the senator painted an incomplete and inaccurate picture of what happened in November and the SAVE Act wouldn’t have solved those problems, The Inquirer’s Katie Bernard reports.
💡 Community News
Michael Phillips, a 44-year-old Coatesville man, was taken into custody last week after allegedly stabbing his 3-month-old son and then throwing him into the snow. The infant was taken to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for surgery and was later listed in critical but stable condition. Phillips faces charges of attempted homicide and aggravated assault.
Tredyffrin Township officials have responded to community concerns after the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, leased about 10,000 square feet of space at the Westlakes Office Complex. In a statement, they reiterated that local law enforcement agents don’t enforce immigration orders or work with ICE. The space “will not house ICE agents or support their operations. It is strictly for back-office officials, such as lawyers and analysts,” a spokesperson for the property told Wired.
There have been recent leadership changes at two area police departments. Brian Barber, who previously spent over 26 years with the Pennsylvania State Police, is the new deputy police chief of Caln Township. In Uwchlan Township, James Fisher has been appointed as the department’s new head following Chief of Police Scott Alexander and Lieutenant Maureen P. Evans’ recent retirements.
The Netflix comedy show Tires has been awarded $6 million in tax credits for production of its third season. The Shane Gillis-led show takes place in a fictional West Chester auto shop and is expected to generate $24 million in the local economy.
Alisan Road Mercantile, a new general store stocking Pennsylvania-made goods, is now open at 89 N. Main St. in Spring City.
A new bookstore opened over the weekend in Kennett Square. Located at 121 W. State St., Forage Books also offers a selection of gifts.
Heads up for drivers: There are several construction projects causing delays around the county. In Uwchlan Township, there will be traffic restrictions on Route 113 between Gordon Drive and Lionville Station Road today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for utility work. In East Pikeland Township, Rapps Dam Bridge will be closed today for maintenance. In West Whiteland Township, there’s a temporary new traffic pattern in effect for the next three weeks on Valley Creek Boulevard between Swedesford Road and the entrance of the Church Farm School. The southbound lanes will be closed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for sewer line construction. In Easttown Township, Chester Road between South Fairfield and South Waterloo Roads is expected to be closed to non-local traffic from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Friday for sewer improvements. And in and around East Marlborough Township, there may be delays on U.S. 1 between Schoolhouse Road and the Kennett Oxford Bypass tomorrow from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. Friday as PennDot installs overhead signage.
After multiple power outages in East Marlborough and Pocopson Townships,Peco will be upgrading and installing new equipment as well as trimming treesover the next month. The $1.5 million project includes work along Folly Hill Road, East Doe Run Road, East Street Road, Brooks Road, Huntsman Lane, Schilling Drive, Windovr Way, Gideon Drive, and Valley Road.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Kennett Consolidated School District’s finance committeeis considering a 4.17% real estate tax hike in its 2026-27 preliminary budget, which would cost homeowners of the average assessed home an extra $268 annually. The hike would help to fund special education and student services, according to the finance committee. The proposed hike requires a referendum exception and could change between now and June when the board is expected to approve the final budget.
A WesttownSchool teenager is balancing being a kid with a burgeoning collegiate athletic career. As Jordyn Palmer looks ahead to college ball, the 6-foot-2 junior guard who’s averaged 23 points and 12 rebounds this season, “has not even scratched her full potential,” one coach said. Joseph Santoliquito recently profiled Palmer for The Inquirer.
Palmer scored 19 points in Westtown’s victory over Friends’ Central on Friday, clinching the team’s sixth Friends Schools League title. Westtown’s boys’ team similarly won its game against Academy of the New Church, giving the Moose its first league title in four years.
🍽️ On our Plate
The Original Hot Bagels, a Delaware eatery specializing in bagels, breakfast sandwiches, and omelets, is opening its first Pennsylvania location in Landenberg. It will take over the former home of The Landenberg Store, at 100 Landenberg Rd., which closed in September.
West Chester Restaurant Week kicks off on Sunday and runs through March 1. Over two dozen restaurants will offer $40 to $60 specials during the eight-day event. See the full list of participating restaurants and their menus here.
🎳 Things to Do
🏠 Cabin Fever: This family-friendly event includes arts and crafts as well as a mobile zoo, where you can get up close to animals. Registration is requested. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 21, 1-4 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Malvern Borough Hall
🎤 The Best of Carole King and James Taylor: Listen and sing along to hits from these iconic musicians at this benefit for Marvin’s Home, an organization that supports youth after foster care. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m. 💵 $15 📍 Steel City Coffeehouse and Brewery
🎶 Mad Dogs and Englishmen: A 20-piece band will recreate Joe Cocker’s live album and tour, Mad Dogs and Englishmen. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 21, 8 p.m. 💵 $41.78-$83.18 📍 The Colonial Theatre, Phoenixville
This spacious five-bedroom Paoli home is a blend of classic details and modern amenities. Its first floor features a two-story foyer flanked by dining and living rooms; an office; an eat-in kitchen with cherry cabinetry, an island, and a butler’s pantry; and a family room with vaulted ceilings and a gas fireplace. There are four bedrooms upstairs, including the primary suite, which has a sitting area, two walk-in closets, and a bathroom with a soaking tub. Other features include a finished basement with a wet bar, wine storage, a full bathroom, a fifth bedroom, and another office. Outside, there’s a fenced yard and a brick patio with a firepit. There’s an open house Saturday from noon to 2 p.m.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
The Farm and Fisherman Tavern has a happy hour special.
Looking for a spot to score $3 tacos or $7 martinis? Luckily you don’t have to go very far, thanks to these eight restaurants’ happy hour deals.
The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner has rounded up eight spots in and around Cherry Hill with happy hour offerings, including the nostalgia-inducing Steak 38, neighborhood bar Kaminski’s, and farm-to-table eatery Farm and Fisherman ($8 P.E.I. Mussels, anyone?).
Cherry Hill residential property taxes rose 5.23% from 2024 to 2025, according to new data from the state, outpacing the statewide average hike of 4.7%. The average household paid $9,874 in residential property taxes, which is slightly less than the statewide average of $10,570. The average Cherry Hill residence was valued at $227,125 in 2025, a 0.03% increase from 2024. (NJ.com)
Speaking of taxes, today is the extended deadline for residents to pay their tax bills for the first half of 2026.
The landmark former Cherry Hill Diner could soon be demolished after construction permits were recently filed for the site, which will make way for a new Tidal Wave Auto Spa. A second Tidal Wave is planned for 2301–2311 Route 70 West. Yet another carwash is in the works at 1507 Kings Highway North, where Speeders Car Wash is taking over the former Route 41 Car Wash. (42 Freeway and A View From Evesham)
Archaeologists working at Croft Farm have discovered evidence that the historic property was an active part of the Underground Railroad. A dig to assess the property ahead of planned drainage improvements has turned up cuts of meat and crockerypossibly used by people who moved through there. Residents can see the work up close this weekend (more on that below). (70 and 73)
The township is seeking feedback from residents 55 and older for its senior needs assessment. The survey, which is open through March 31, is part of a grant-funded study about how Cherry Hill can better support older residents, who make up about a third of the township’s population. Find the survey, which is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese, here.
Registration for the township’s spring programs is now open. Programs include yoga, cardio kickboxing, golf, painting, and dancing.
🏫 Schools Briefing
In case you missed it, the school district has decided against redrawing its elementary school boundaries to head off expected overcrowding in the coming years and instead is planning additions to Clara Barton Elementary School and Rosa International Middle School, which are anticipated to be the most impacted. The school board still has to approve the additions.
East’s boys’ and girls’ swim teams have advanced to the state semifinals after capturing their respective New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association sectional titles for South Jersey last week. The boys’ team defeated Gloucester County Institute of Technology 111-59, a victory that led to its 17th consecutive title. The girls’ team defeated Egg Harbor Township High School 91-79, marking the team’s second consecutive title. The boys’ semifinals take place today, with the girls’ slated for tomorrow. (NJ.com)
Mikado will ask the town zoning board this week for permission to turn its roughly 500-square-foot outdoor patio into an enclosed 10-seat bar and waiting area.
Indian Villa Restaurant reopened earlier this month in the Woodcrest Shopping Center, and introduced an updated menu featuring classic Indian dishes.
Looking for a great cup of soup? Hen Vietnamese Eatery has one of the best in the state, according to a new list from NJ.com.
🎳 Things to Do
Unearthing History: Archaeologists will be excavating part of the Croft Farm property, where 18th and 19th century artifacts, as well as earlier pieces of Native American history, have previously been found. The public can view the dig and ask questions at designated times. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 21 and Sunday, Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Croft Farm
🎹 A Time for Love: Vocalist and pianist Jay Daniels will perform some iconic love songs. Registration is required. ⏰ Saturday, Feb. 21, 2-3 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Cherry Hill Public Library
❤️ Healthy Heart Big Fitness Event: Part of the JCC’s heart health programming for February, this event will take attendees through pilates and fitness dancing demonstrations, followed by snacks. The event is open to anyone 12 and older. ⏰ Sunday, Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 💵 $20 for members, $25 for non-members 📍Katz JCC
🥐 Black Girl Magic Drag Brunch: VinChelle is hosting this drag brunch, which features performances by Mz Peaches, Cyrus K. Stratton, and Samara LaNegrá. ⏰ Sunday, Feb. 22, 2:30-5 p.m. 💵 $19.03 📍Vera
⛸️ LGBTQ+ Skate Night: Head to WinterFest Cottage at Cooper River Park for skating, a DJ, food, drinks, and access to local resources for the LGBTQ+ community. Registration is encouraged. ⏰ Monday, Feb. 23, 6-8 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Cooper River Park
Located in the Springdale Crossing neighborhood, this four-bedroom home has a modern interior, including new flooring. It features a two-tone, two-story foyer, a dining room, an eat-in kitchen with a waterfall island and stainless steel appliances, plus living and family rooms. The family room has vaulted ceilings and a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. All four bedrooms are upstairs, including the primary suite, which has a jacuzzi tub with a built-in sound system, and a walk-in closet. Other features include a finished basement and a fenced backyard. There are open houses Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
As the Main Line contends with the recent abrupt closure of Di Bruno Bros. markets in Ardmore and Wayne, ahomegrown Italian-specialties purveyor — just as storied as its South Philly-rooted counterparts — remains open for business.
On the day before Valentine’s Day, shoppers at Carlino’s Market on County Line Road tucked heart-shaped macarons and chocolate-dipped cannoli into baskets already full with marinara sauce, freshly packed chicken cutlets, and imported cheese. Regulars stopped by for their pre-weekend deli orders, and shoppers took refuge from the cold amid aisles of driedpasta and prepared foods.
Carlino’s is an Ardmore institution, founded in 1983 as a small, family-owned pasta shop serving Lower Merion’s Italian community. In the decadessince, the market has grown into a suburban powerhouse, supplying Ardmore, West Chester, and the surrounding towns with prepared foods, baked goods, and high-end groceries seven days a week.
The Carlino’s brand has started to transcend its Ardmore roots: In recent years, the family-run operation has expanded its wholesale business to hundreds of grocery stores, from New York to Delaware and as far as Texas. Even as the company grows, its second- and third-generation leaders remain grounded in its origins as a mom-and-pop shop.
Carlino’s Market general manger Bruno DiNardo (left) restocks cookies, pastries and treats, all homemade, at Carlino’s Market in Ardmore on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
From Abruzzo to Ardmore
Carlino’s was founded by Nicola and Angela Carlino, who left Abruzzo in 1968 to move to the United States with their two sons, Pasquale (“Pat”) and Carmen. In Abruzzo, the Carlinos tended to olive groves and grape vineyards and raised livestock on Nicola’s family farm. They left in search of better opportunities for their sons, landing in Ardmore, where Nicola initiallyworked as a bus driver and groundskeeper at Mitchell Prep, a private school, while Angela sold cookies, fresh pastas, and sauces out of their home.
When Mitchell Prep closed in the early 1980s, Nicola and Angela decided to take a chance on a family business. They opened Carlino’s Homemade Pasta in a former barbershop on East County Line Road in South Ardmore — at the time, an Italian American enclave. Residents in search of a taste of home regularly patronized Carlino’s, and the family started wholesaling some products to local restaurants and casinos.
According to Pat Carlino, 63, now the company’s CEO, it’s easy to take the Philly area’s formidable Italian-food scene for granted. But when his parents opened Carlino’s in the 1980s, Pat said, you could barely find marinara sauce in the grocery store. No one knew what tiramisu was, or how to tell the difference between high-quality Parmigiano Reggiano and grocery-store sprinkle cheese. Mention of ciabatta would prompt blank stares.
Carlino’s was “an education to the public,” he said.
Customers look over some of the homemade soups, salads and ready to go meals available at Carlino’s Market in Ardmore on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
As time went on, the store expanded, subsuming other houses on its block, and shifted to a retail focus. The family renamed it Carlino’s Market andexpandedofferings to include baked goods, pizza, sandwiches and wraps, imported meats and cheeses, and groceries like sauces, olive oils, and coffee. By the mid-1990s, Carlino’s selection and specialties — handmade ravioli, freshly stuffed sausage, garden-grown bruschetta on house-baked bread, tiramisu cake, and more — attracted savvy customers from as far as New York City and Washington, D.C.
In 2022,Carlino’s began wholesaling its sauces, dry pastas, and pestos — which you can now find at other small, local retailers like Riverwards Produce and Kimberton Whole Foods, as well as large grocery chains like Wegmans and Giant. Carlino’s products are available in parts of Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Florida, Texas, New York, and Massachusetts, and will soon be on shelves in California and the Chicago area.
While Carlino’s business is growing, Pat said his core customers are still people he knows—“people that I grew up with.”
Carlino’s also remains a family operation. Pat and his wife, Laura, are the company’s top executives, and their children — now the third generation of Main Line Carlinos — help manage marketing, wholesaling, importing, and manufacturing.
Talking about Carlino’s products, a word Pat comes back to regularly is “clean.”
Before influencers and foodies popularized the idea of “clean eating,” Carlino’s was doing it, Pat said. Nicola cooked with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs he grew in his Ardmore garden. Pat said Carlino’s continues to rely on fresh produce, organic flour, and high-quality olive oil and French butter.
“Things that are trending now, we were doing 40 years ago,” Pat said.
“You can pick up anything and it’s clean,” he added, just like how your grandma would make it (or at least how a Carlino grandma would).
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
When Sen. Dave McCormick stood on the Senate floor to call for nationwide rules mandating proof of citizenship and photo identification for voters, he invoked a drama that had played out three months earlier in Chester County.
The county had mistakenly left all third-party and unaffiliated voters off the Election Day voter rolls, creating a chaotic scene in which more than 12,000 voters were forced to cast provisional ballots, which take more time to count as officials must verify the eligibility of each voter. A subsequent investigation by a law firm hired by the county attributed the issue to human error and insufficient oversight.
“Every time Americans hear about election problems like Chester County’s, they rightly question the integrity of our electoral process,” McCormick said.
But in his recounting of events, the Pennsylvania Republican gave incomplete and inaccurate information about Chester County’s election error.
What did McCormick say about Chester County?
Americans, he said, overwhelmingly believe there are problems with U.S. elections, and he argued that has been demonstrated for them on multiple occasions, including in November when Chester County omitted more than 70,000 third-party and unaffiliated voters from its Election Day pollbooks.
“Registered voters were turned away at the polls. And an unknown number of unverified voters cast regular ballots,” McCormick claimed.
But there is no evidence that voters were turned away or that ineligible voters cast ballots. McCormick’s office did not respond to questions.
Were voters turned away?
According to county officials, no voter who wanted to vote was turned away.
Instead, for most of the day voters were offered the opportunity to vote by provisional ballot while county and state officials worked to get supplemental pollbooks distributedto polling places across the county.
Some voters did testify at county election board meetings that they voluntarily left their polling place when their name was not in the pollbook but that they returned later in the day when they could vote on machines.
Did unverified voters cast ballots?
There is no evidence that ineligible voters cast ballots. The identity and eligibility of all voters who cast ballots were verified, county officials said.
When the pollbook issue was discovered on Election Day, Chester County officials initially recommended that poll workers ask voters not included in the pollbook to sign the pollbook manually and vote as normal, according to the independent investigation of the incident.
To ensure those voters were eligible to vote, county officials said, poll workers were instructed to follow a detailed process that included verifying voters’ eligibility in the full voter list and verifying their identity with photo identification.
The Chester County Republican Committee has disputed the county’s version of events, contending that photo ID was not checked for all voters who wrote their names into pollbooks and that poll workers were unable to verify voters’ identities using signature matching.
Around 7:40 a.m., less than an hour after polls opened, Pennsylvania Department of State officials recommended the county shift to asking voters to cast provisional ballots to eliminate the risk of an ineligible voter casting a ballot, thereby invalidating the election.
A county spokesperson said there is no evidence that ineligible voters cast ballots during November’s election.
Whether voters wrote their names into a pollbook or cast a provisional ballot, “the identity and eligibility of each individual was verified by the poll workers,” said Chester County spokesperson Andrew Kreider.
Would the SAVE Act have changed anything?
The SAVE Act is a collection of election policies proposed by congressional Republicans that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and mandate all voters show photo ID at the polls.
Such requirements would not have prevented Chester County’s error, which investigators determined was a clerical error resulting from inexperienced staff with insufficient training and oversight.
“Sen. McCormick was ignoring the facts and feeding into this larger narrative that our elections can’t be trusted and just feeding into the president’s narrative that there’s something wrong with Pennsylvania elections,” said Lauren Cristella, the CEO of the Committee of Seventy, a Philadelphia-based civic engagement and good-government organization.
In addition to Chester County, McCormick pointed to his own experience in close elections — both his 2022 primary loss and his 2024 general election win — as a reason he supports the bill’s proof of citizenship and voter ID requirements.
The policy, which passed the Republican-led U.S. House, still faces an uphill battle in the U.S. Senate, where it would need 60 votes to advance. It has faced significant opposition from Democrats who say it would needlessly make it harder for people to vote.
The proof of citizenship requirement, critics say, would place a higher burden on married people whose last names no longer match their birth certificates.
A project to expand the Chester Valley Trail and repair the historic Downingtown Trestle Bridge, which has spent decades largely untouched, will kick off soon, Chester County officials said.
It’s part of a larger effort to expand the sprawling Chester Valley Trail, a 19-mile rail trail that runs through Chester and Montgomery Counties, from Exton to Atglen.
“The bridge is a really key part of it, because it’s multimodal,” said George Martynick, director of Chester County’s facilities and parks department. “Without that bridge, I really don’t know what we’d do with this project. It is the keystone of that project. It’s a big job.”
As the county kicks off the project, people can expect to see inspections taking place on the bridge in the coming months. The trestle will get a full inspection to make sure it meets federal standards, Martynick said. Design is slated to begin in the next year, and the rehabilitation and extension should be completed in five to seven years, he said.
The bridge stretches 1,450 feet long and more than 130 feet high over the east Brandywine River. Known as the “Brandywine Valley Viaduct,” “Downingtown High Bridge,” or “Pennsylvania Railroad Freight Bridge”— but colloquially called the Downingtown Trestle Bridge — it was constructed in the early 1900s, according to the Downingtown Area Historical Society.
“This is taking on something much bigger than I think a lot of people understand,” Martynick said.
Map of the Downingtown Trestle Bridge and the Chester Valley Trail in Chester County.
The Trestle Bridge has been out of commission since the 1980s, with the track removed. Since then, the bridge has sat abandoned, and has had atroubled history. Security measures were added to prevent people fromaccessing it, and netting was put on it to keep debris from falling off it.
The county completed a drone inspection before it took ownership of the bridge last year.
In May, the county commissioners voted to purchase a portion of the former Philadelphia and Thorndale railroad corridor from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for $1.
Other than some growth and weeds, “it’s in fairly good shape,” Martynick said.
The county has received three grants for the project — two from the state department of conservation and natural resources, each for $500,000, and a Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission grant for $200,000, said Brian Styche, the multimodal transportation planning director for the county’s planning commission.
The county is matching both of the conservation and natural resources grants, for a total of $2.2 million in funding toward the bridge’s design.
“It’s a good project. It’s going to take a lot of time and effort and a lot of patience, but it will be a pretty impressive project for the community,” Martynick said.
It’s a personally important project, too: Martynick applied to work in the county’s parks department because of his love of the trail.
“I love it,” he said. “It’s a very, very special trail.”
From strip mall diners to high-end steakhouses, South Jersey’s restaurants are abundant and ascending in the Philly region’s culinary scene. If you’re looking to dine out for a bargain or enjoy a pre-dinner snack, these eight restaurants in and around Cherry Hill are offering happy hour deals, from $3 tacos to $7 martinis.
Steak 38
Looking for charming service, a nostalgic vibe, or perhaps a Caesar salad made tableside? Cherry Hill’s Steak 38 is known for all of the above, and the restaurant even made the Inqurier’s list of the most thrilling places to get a steak in and around Philly. Happy hour is Tuesday through Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. Though the Caesar salad with a show is not on the happy hour menu, try $9 appetizers likeprime rib egg rolls or bleu cheese chips. Sangria is $10 per glass, and all draft beer is $2 off. See the menu here.
Monterey Grill is an upscale American restaurant serving steaks, seafood, and classic steakhouse sides. Grab a glass of house wine for $8, select draft beers for $6, or a cocktail for $10. Happy hour bites are priced at $12, including salmon sliders and angry cashew shrimp. Happy hour is available Monday through Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. in the bar area. See the menu here.
Farm and Fisherman brought farm-to-table dining to Cherry Hill in 2013 and has been serving up fresh, seasonally-inspired dishes ever since. The restaurant’s unique, herby cocktails even prompted The Inquirer to ponder if Philly’s most interesting drinks program was happening in a South Jersey strip mall. Happy hour diners can snack on P.E.I. Mussels for $8, “line cook fries” (fries with cheese sauce, pickled serrano peppers, and chili butter) for $5, and veggies with a homemade ranch for $5. Draft beers and glasses of wine are $2 off, and martinis (vodka or gin) are $7. Happy hour is Monday through Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m. See the menu here.
Localshave calledKaminski’s the closest thing Cherry Hill has to a neighborhood bar. The South Jersey watering hole has been a destination for brews, sports, and bar food for more than 50 years. Happy hour takes place at the bar, Monday through Friday, from 3 to 7 p.m. Try a flatbread or burger sliders for $9 or pepperoni rolls or fried pickles for $7, among other options. Drinks are discounted, too. See the menu here.
Randall’s Restaurant at the Legacy Club prides itself on serving upscale classics with modern twists. Get $2 off draft beer, $7 featured wines, and $12 featured cocktails during happy hour, which takes place Wednesday and Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. Featured bites include chicken wings for $12, braised short rib arancini for $6, and clams casino for $9. See the menu here.
Merchantville’s Tortilla Press describes itself as “a favorite spot for locals to enjoy classic Mexican dishes.” During happy hour, try $2.99 tacos, $6.50 pork sliders, or $7.50 chicken flautas, among other choices. House margaritas are $6, sangria is $6.50, domestic draft beers are $4, Mexican bottled beers are $5, and draft Modelos are $5. Happy hour takes place every day from 3 to 6 p.m. and is all day on Tuesdays.
7716 Maple Ave., Merchantville
Il Villaggio
Il Villaggio is an old-school eatery that serves up traditional Italian lunch and dinner dishes, seven days a week. During happy hour, diners can enjoy $6 off bar food, $2 off draft beers, $3 off cocktails, and $3 off wines. Bar menu specials include the crab cake sandwich with parmigiana truffle fries and the beet salad with arugula, pistachios, and goat cheese. Happy hour takes place at the bar area only, Sunday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m.
211 Haddonfield-Berlin Rd., Cherry Hill, N.J.,
Treno Pizza Bar
Haddon Township’s Treno Pizza Bar is home to hand-tossed, artisan pizzas, scratch-made pastas, and seasonal cocktails. Happy hour offers a sampling of Treno’s Italian flavors, from $7 Aperol spritzes and $13 blood orange martinis to $6 garlic knots. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. See the menu here.
233 Haddon Ave., Haddon Township, N.J., 08034, trenopizzabar.com
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Gluten-free bakery Flakely has opened its doors in Bryn Mawr, bringing its signature pastries to the Main Line after five years of doing business out of a commercial kitchen in Manayunk. The cross-river move marks a major expansion for Flakely, which, for years, has sold most of its pastries in a frozen take-and-bake form because of space constraints.
Now, Flakely is giving Main Line customers a rare opportunity to buy fresh gluten-free baked goods, namely its acclaimed croissants, which are a notoriously difficult item to make without gluten.
Lila Colello owner of Flakely a gluten free bakery. She is rolling a plain croissant at her new location on Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
Flakely’s new Bryn Mawr headquarters is located at 1007 W. Lancaster Ave. in the former Grand Middle East hookah lounge (though one would never guess the storefront’s previous identity given all of the pastel pink decor that now adorns the walls).
On the morning of Flakely’s soft opening last week, bakery staff bustled around the open concept kitchen. A glass display case of treats, including sweet and savory croissants and elegantly decorated cupcakes, shimmered in the early morning light.
The move to the Main Line is “a homecoming” of sorts for owner Lila Colello, who grew up in Ardmore and attended the Shipley School. Colello worked her way up in Philadelphia’s dessert world, staging at the Ritz Carlton and serving as a pastry chef at Wolfgang Puck Catering. When she was diagnosed with celiac disease, an inflammatory autoimmune disorder triggered by eating gluten, in 2010, she feared her days in the pastry world were numbered.
But instead, Colello mastered the art of the gluten-free pastry. She started Flakely in 2017 as a wholesale operation and moved into the commercial kitchen in Manayunk in 2021.
Flakely was voted one of the best gluten-free bakeries in the country in 2024 by USA Today, and Inquirer restaurant critic Craig Laban said Colello had “found the secret” to making laminated pastry, like croissants.
The Manayunk kitchen helped put Flakely on the map, but it also constrained Colello. Because there was so little foot traffic, Flakley couldn’t make fresh goods for fear of having to throw out large quantities at the end of the day.
A box of gluten free pastries from Flakely, Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. Clockwise, Heart Shaped Twix, Plain Croissant and Vanilla Cupcake with Raspberry Curd and Whipped Honey Lemon Mascarpone Buttercream.
Colello’s new storefront has given her the space to hire a larger staff, expand her fresh pastry offerings, and give patrons a true bakery experience.
“I don’t know another place, maybe outside of New York, that has gluten-free croissants that you can even have fresh,” Colello said.
“It’s a totally different experience,” she added.
Demand for gluten-free goods is high in Lower Merion, Colello said. Many Main Line patrons used to make the trek to Manayunk to buy Colello’s take-and-bake goods and are happy to have a gluten-free option closer to home.
Flakely joins a small contingent of gluten-free bakeries in the Philly suburbs, including The Happy Mixer, which has locations in Wayne, Chalfont, and Newtown, and Laine’s Gluten Free Bakery in Berwyn.
Colello said Flakely is still figuring out its hours, but she plans to be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, you can visit Flakely’s Facebook or Instagram, where Colello will post weekly hours and menus.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Bob Borzillo has a deal with his wife Terri: She puts everything in the dishwasher, but he has to unload it.
That’s what he was doing on a night in November, after the couple had arrived back home in Willistown from Barcelona. He was putting the very last thing — a wine glass — away. That’s where the 65-year-old’s memory stops.
But for Terri Borzillo, also 65, that’s where a terrifying ordeal began.
She had been just a few feet away, writing in her journal as her husband unloaded the dishwasher in the background. She heard him groan and glass shatter. She got up to help him, expecting to find him picking up glass shards. Instead she found him on the floor, unresponsive.
What they did not know then was that a piece of plaque had broken off, completely blocking his artery. He was in cardiac arrest — not breathing, no pulse. After having walked around Barcelona, averaging 18,000 steps a day, he had no symptoms, no warning signs, until he collapsed in their kitchen.
More than 350,000 people annually experience cardiac arrestoutside hospitals, and only one in 10 survives, said Jeffrey Salvatore, the vice president of community impact for the American Heart Association of Greater Philadelphia.
The association has been leading a campaign to teach more teens and adults hands-only CPR to increase bystander response rates. Nationally, 40% of those who experience cardiac arrest each year are helped by a bystander. The rate in the Philadelphia region is significantly lower: less than 26%.
The association also holds telecommunicator CPR training, so dispatchers can instruct people over the phone on how to provide CPR, said Salvatore.
“Cardiac arrest is 100% fatal without any intervention. If nobody does anything for the person, there’s no chance of survival,” he said. “By just calling 911 and just doing compressions, you can still double someone’s chance of survival.”
Terri Borzillo immediately went into action, calling 911.
“I think my husband’s having a heart attack,” she remembers screaming to the dispatcher.
Calmly, the Chester County dispatcher, Kayla Wettlaufer, had Borzillo describe her husband’s condition.
“She said, ‘OK, lady, get control of yourself. We’re going to do this together,’” Borzillo recalls. “By the command in her voice, and because there was no option, I had to do this.”
Wettlaufer led Borzillo through CPR over the phone — telling her where to place her hands, when to compress. Wettlaufer even told her when it was time to unlock the front door so the nearby first responders could get in.
“It was horrible to watch my husband in that condition, and it was horrible to know that I had the balance of his life in my hands,” Borzillo said.
With Wetlaufer guiding her — and, she swears, every doctor in heaven — she did compressions until the EMTs arrived, using paddles to restart his heart.
As the EMTs wheeled Bob Borzillo out, Terri Borzillo retrieved the bottles of holy water they had picked up at Our Lady Lourdes in Barcelona. She sprayed her husband and the EMTs.
It got her an odd look, but, she said, “For somebody who has deep faith, I know all the angels and saints were there with us, and we’re smiling today instead of crying,” she said.
Bob Borzillo, left, takes a photo with two first responders who arrived to his home in November when he was in cardiac arrest.
Terri Borzillo’s faith runs back to their first date, more than 40 years ago. It was 1982, she was single, and her coworker asked her if she’d like to meet a nice guy. What do I have to lose? she thought. Acting as an intermediary, that colleague — a friend of Bob Borzillo’s family — told Bob about Terri. The young man’s father happened to know Terri’s father. He told his son, “Call that girl.” Bob listened.
On their blind date, Terri Borzilloknew he was the one. There was something to how he talked, explaining — of all things — turbine generators.
He really was a nice guy, she thought. (“I was a nerd,” he said.) She felt something click. Dear God, she thought, let him ask me out again.
One big Italian wedding, three sons, and seven grandchildren later, the two have lived in Chester County for more than 40 years.
This experience has made him proud to be a county resident, Bob Borzillo said. After he was released from the hospital a few days later, Borzillo went to the firehouse and met the first responders. He and his wife met Wettlaufer, and toured her workplace.
Wettlaufer, an operator who has been with the county for almost five years and was honored by the county this month, was the start of a well-oiled machine, Borzillo said. Their proximity to the firehouse and Paoli Hospital helped get him professional care quickly.
“If the Eagles offense executed that efficiently, we would have been in the Super Bowl,” he said.
Terri Borzillosaid meeting Wetlauferhelped ease the trauma of the situation.
“She’s beautiful. And what they do there is amazing, and they get all of the credit,” she said.
Saturday marks three months since Bob Borzillo’s cardiac arrest. He and his wife are in Florida while he recovers, and will celebrate Valentine’s Day with friends from Chester County.
“Certainly the heart and what Valentine represents has a special meaning this year, and I am blessed to be here to celebrate it,” he said in an email.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
But inthe Philadelphia region, only 26% of people suffering cardiac arrest receive bystander intervention, saidJeffrey Salvatore, the vice president of community impact for the American Heart Association of Greater Philadelphia. That’s much lower than the national average of40%.
Though often used interchangeably, a heart attack and a cardiac arrest are not the same, and they warrant (slightly) different responses.
A heart attack is a “plumbing issue,” where there’s some blockage in the arteries that supply blood to the heart, Salvatore said.
But a cardiac arrest is an “electrical problem;” the heart pumps through an electrical system, and when something misfires or stops, that’s when a cardiac arrest occurs. It necessitates CPR.
“When the heart stops doing its job, we have to take over, and that’s when CPR comes into play,” he said.
Someone in cardiac arrest is unresponsive, and requires immediate intervention to prevent death.
You can check for unresponsiveness by tapping someone on the shoulder, rubbing their chest, or yelling loudly. If they don’t respond, call 911, and begin hands-only CPR, pressing hard and fast in the center of the chest.
In many cases,911 operators have been trained to walk callers through delivering CPR.
A heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest, but it can also happen separately, and never result in the heart stopping, Salvatore said.
If someone is exhibiting signs of a heart attack — chest discomfort; or discomfort in other areas of the upper body, such as arms, back, neck, jaw and stomach; shortness of breath; cold sweats; light-headedness; rapid or irregular heartbeat — call 911, Salvatore said.
The American Heart Association is seeking to expand training in hands-only CPR for adults and teens, to increase low bystander-intervention rates.
Just doing chest compressions — no mouth-to-mouth contact required — and calling 911 can double someone’s chance of survival, Salvatore said.
“They are the first responder before EMS gets to the scene,” he said.
For more information, or to get CPR certified, you can go to cpr.heart.org
