Democrats swept Delaware County Council elections for the fifth consecutive election, further solidifying their dominance in the former Republican stronghold in the suburbs.
In statements early Wednesday morning, the Democrats thanked their supporters.
“I will continue to work hard and fight for the residents in our County. I look forward to working together with all parties to make Delaware County one of the strongest counties in the Commonwealth,” Womack said in a statement.
With all but one precinct reporting Wednesday, Republican challengers Brian Burke and Liz Piazza each trailed Womack and Phillips by roughly 50,000 votes.
In a statement Wednesday, Frank Agovino, the chair of the Delaware County GOP, said it appeared local issues were a “secondary concern” for Democrats this year.
“The State wide retention initiative was uncharted waters and it feels as though Dem turnout was positively impacted. Additionally, the Unrealistic disdain for the President from the majority of Democrats was also an undeniable factor,” Agovino wrote.
Democrats have held all five seats on the Delaware County Council since 2020, when the party took control of the county for the first time since the Civil War. Democrats flipped the county as part of a national trend of suburbs shifting left, which was accelerated during President Donald Trump’s first term in office. With Tuesday’s results, they will keep their supermajority for the next two years.
In the years since Democrats took control in Delaware County, they say they have worked to enhance county services and repair infrastructure. That has included establishing a health department — Delaware County was the largest county in Pennsylvania without one at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic — and de-privatizing the county prison following a series of scandals.
Last year, the county increased property taxes 23%, citing the loss of federal pandemic relief dollars and inflation driving up salaries. Republicans made that increase the base of their campaign, telling voters that the Democrats were overspending and that more tax increases were on the way.
Republicans wanted voters to give the GOP a voice on the board, even though the party wouldn’t have the majority, to push back on budgetary decisions and hold the Democrats accountable.
But in the heavily Democratic county, that message was not enough to sway the independent and Democratic voters Republicans needed to win seats. Instead, voters demonstrated continued trust in the current county leadership.
“I truly respect Richard and Joanne as members of Council and hope they will listen to the voices of our residents and help bring to light some of their concerns,” Piazza said in a statement Wednesday.
On Election Day, Donald and Esther Newton, a Chester couple who have been married for more than 55 years, said they believed it was about time their city received more care and investment through property taxes.
“Our infrastructure needs to be fixed, and that takes money,” Esther Newton said.
Democrats swept all countywide races Tuesday.District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, who was among the first Democrats to win countywide office in Delaware County, won a seat on Delaware County Court. He will have to step down from his current role to take the seat.
Staff writer Nate File contributed to this article.
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.
Bucks County voters on Tuesday did what protest and legal action could not, halting a controversial sheriff’s office alliance with ICE by electing a Democrat who has pledged to end the partnership.
Sheriff-elect Danny Ceisler said Wednesday that he will issue a moratorium barring deputies’ cooperation with ICE on his first day in office. From there, he said, he will figure out how to disentangle the sheriff’s office from the agreement signed by his predecessor.
Ceisler beat incumbent Republican Fred Harran by more than 10% of the vote in unofficial returns.
Ceisler and a cadre of immigration activists ― who saw an ACLU-led lawsuit falter ― had portrayed the election as the last chance to kill the affiliation, after a Bucks judge ruled last month that it had been legally implemented and could proceed.
Army veteran Danny Ceisler won the hotly contested Bucks County sheriff race Tuesday night.
Harran, who led the Bensalem Police Department before being elected sheriff four years ago, said Wednesday that Ceisler will “have to answer for a person who becomes victimized by an individual that should have been deported. And he’ll have to sleep with that, and it’ll be on his head, not mine.“
His said his plans around the program had been misrepresented.
“Everyone knows my intentions. It was never making car stops on people who were dark-colored. My career speaks for itself in terms of my partnerships with the community.”
He had staunchly defended his decision to assist ICE, insisting it would make residents safer and even potentially bring new funding and police equipment to the county.
Ceisler called immigration the single biggest issue in this election.
“My goal was to provide an alternative which was a no-nonsense, reasonable approach to public safety,” Ceisler said Wednesday, noting that it was now “my responsibility to deliver on that.”
Officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement declined to comment.
The partnership, which recently became active after months of planning, provoked backlash, including the lawsuit, public demonstrations outside the courthouse, and a repudiation by the Democratic-led Bucks County Board of Commissioners.
Nationally, only a few police agencies that signed on with ICE have dropped out of those agreements.
Ceisler’s victory was part of a Democratic sweep of county positions in a critical swing county that narrowly voted to elect President Donald Trump last year.
“I am walking on air,” said Laura Rose, a leader of Bucks County Indivisible, which supports immigrants and progressive causes. “Bucks County voters soundly rejected Sheriff Harran and his plan to turn county deputies into de facto ICE agents.”
In the spring, Harran and ICE officials signed what is called a 287(g) agreement, named for a section of a 1996 immigration law. It enables local police to undergo ICE training, then assist the agency in identifying, arresting, and deporting immigrants.
“Ceisler’s victory proves what we’ve always known ― 287(g) agreements don’t make us safer, they divide our community,” said Diana Robinson, co-executive director of Make the Road Pennsylvania, a plaintiff in the lawsuit.
The agreement with ICE “put Bucks County at risk,” and the election showed that “voters reject fear-based policies,” she said Wednesday.
Robinson and other opponents insist that turning local officers into immigration agents breaks community trust with the police and puts municipal taxpayers at risk of paying big legal settlements. ICE officials, however, say the program helps protect American communities, a force-multiplier that adds important staff strength to an agency workforce that numbers about 20,000 nationwide.
The number of participating police agencies has soared under Trump, with ICE having signed 1,135 agreements in 40 states as of Wednesday. Seven states, including New Jersey and Delaware, bar the agreements by law or policy.
The number of new agreements increases almost every day, and Trump has pushed hard for greater local involvement. On his first day in office he directed the Department of Homeland Security to authorize local police to “perform the functions of immigration officers” to “the maximum extent permitted by law.”
Shortly before the government shutdown, ICE was poised to begin backing its recruitment efforts with money, announcing that it would reimburse cooperating police agencies for costs that previously had been borne by local departments and taxpayers.
But activists focused on the difference between what Harran said he intended to do and the much broader powers conferred within the agreement with ICE.
Harran signed up for the “Task Force Model,” the most far-reaching of the three types of 287(g) agreements. It allows local police to challenge people on the streets about their immigration status and arrest them for violations.
Harran said his deputies would not do that. Instead, he said, they would electronically check the immigration status of people who have contact with the sheriff’s office because of alleged criminal offenses. Those found to be in the country illegally would be turned over or transported to ICE, if the federal agency desires, he said.
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Erica Deuso will be Pennsylvanias first openly transgender mayor. She won Tuesday’s contest to lead Downingtown after a campaign focused on bread-and-butter local issues in the face of attacks to her identity.
The longtime Democratic advocate who works in management at a pharmaceutical company earned 64% of the vote as of Wednesday morning defeating Republican Rich Bryant who had 35% of the vote to serve as the next mayor of Downingtown, a Chester County borough of roughly 8,000 people.
“Voters chose hope, decency, and a community where every neighbor matters,” Deuso said in a statement at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. “I am honored to be elected as Pennsylvania’s first openly transgender mayor. I carry that responsibility with care and with purpose.”
Deuso joins a small but growing rank of transgender officials in Pennsylvania and nationwide. There are 52 out transgender elected officials across the United States and three in Pennsylvania, all who govern at the local level , according to the Victory Institute, the research arm of the Victory Fund, which supports LGBTQ+ candidates and backed Deuso.
While her gender identity attracted attention, and online vitriol, Deuso’s campaign didn’t dwell on it. Instead she prioritized public safety, sustainable growth and community in the historic borough now home to Victory Brewing.
She ran with the support of the borough’s last two mayors, Democrats Phil Dague and County Commissioner Josh Maxwell.
Bryant, a retired cybersecurity expert, argued he was better experienced for the job, which primarily leads the borough police department. But Bryant faced accusations of bigotry as Deuso posted screenshots online of her opponentmaking misogynistic and transphobic remarks on X, (Bryant said 90% of the posts were AI-generated,but offered no proof.)
In a statement, Bryant congratulated Deuso and pledged to continue working to serve the community.
“To those who voted differently, I respect your decision and share your hope for a stronger, safer, and more united Downingtown. I will continue to serve, to listen, and to advocate for responsible growth, fiscal transparency, and accountable local leadership,” he said.
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.
Democrats swept two law enforcement races in Bucks County, ousting the incumbents and signalingthe swing county has soured on President Donald Trump just a year after voting for him.
Democrat Danny Ceisler, an Army veteran who held a public safety role in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration, led Republican Sheriff Fred Harran by 12 percentage points with all precincts reporting Wednesday morning. The sheriff race centered on Harran’s controversial decision to partner his agency with ICE as Trump ramps up immigration enforcement nationwide.
And former Bucks County Solicitor Joe Khan led Republican District Attorney Jen Schorn by eight percentage points. Democrats believe Khan is the first member of their party to ever be elected to the office.
Bucks County Democrats declared victory just after midnight Wednesday morning — sweeping every countywide race. The victories came in what appeared to be a blue wave election as voters rejected Republican candidates in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Virginia.
“What’s going on with our federal government is not normal, and voters saw that creeping into local offices, and they overwhelmingly rejected it,” Ceisler said Wednesday. “Bucks County doesn’t let extremism come inside.”
The hotly contested Bucks County races centered on some of the most contentious issues in national politics — Trump, crime, and immigration. Democrats sought to paint the incumbents as Trumpian ideologues, while Republicans warned voters of an influx of “Philly crime” if Democrats took office, even as the violent crime rate in the city has dropped from its pandemic peak.
Voters opted for a change, delivering both offices to Democrats and, as result, spelling the end to a controversial partnership between the sheriff’s office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Bucks was the only county in the Philadelphia area to go for Trump last year and will be a key battleground in 2026 when Shapiro runs for reelection. Tuesday’s wins will give Democrats momentum going into the midterms.
Democrats, Khan said, had to work to prove to voters they could be trusted with public safety. They were aided by a favorable dynamic as voters rejected Trumpism.
“It was a campaign not about attacking somebody else but, really, making really clear that we deserve better than what we’ve got,” Khan said.
Voters at the polls persistently expressed frustration with Trump, and a sense that anyone from his party should not be trusted in office.
“They’re subject to his control, regardless of how they feel on issues,” said Stephanie Kraft of Doylestown. “And that affects everything, from our local courts on up to the higher courts in the state.”
The effort succeeded, indicating that Bucks voters are already disenchanted with the president they voted for just a year ago. The vote may set off alarm bells among Republicans as they prepare for next year’s election, when Republican Treasurer Stacy Garrity seeks to oust Shapiro and Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick stands for reelection.
The Democratic victory is “on everything that Trump is doing to undermine the institutions of democracy, but it’s also on Trump’s failure to really reverse inflation,” said State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, the chair of the Bucks County Democratic Party.
Even so, for several voters, Harran’s partnership with ICE was the final straw.
Jill Johnson worried it would result in the targeting of Latino citizens, including her half-Mexican son, who is away at college.
“My biggest fear is that someone in a mask is going to come up and grab him because they think he’s here illegally,” Johnson said. “It’s scary. These are law-abiding people who have done nothing wrong.”
The partnership, which recently became active after months of planning, provoked backlash, including a lawsuit, public demonstrations outside the courthouse, and a repudiation by the Democratic-led board of commissioners.
Ceisler said Wednesday that he will issue a moratorium barring deputies’ cooperation with ICE on his first day in office. From there, he said, he will figure out how to disentangle the sheriff’s office from the agreement signed by his predecessor.
For his part, Harran said Wednesday that Ceisler will “have to answer for a person who becomes victimized by an individual that should have been deported. And he’ll have to sleep with that, and it’ll be on his head, not mine.”
Officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement declined to comment.
Harran, an outspoken Republican who endorsed Trump last year and frequently clashes with the Democratic commissioners, was elected sheriff in 2021 after more than a decade leading Bensalem’s police department.
The Republican has expanded the role of the sheriff’s department, adding a K-9 unit and partnering with immigration officials, but faced criticism that he was failing to complete the basic duties of his job, such as executing warrants and protecting the courthouse.
Ceisler advocated taking politics out of the office, saying he would focus on domestic violence and pledging to end the partnership with ICE. He argued his experience in the Army and in a public safety leadership post under Shapiro prepared him to serve as sheriff — though Harran argued Ceisler would be unprepared for the job, having never worked in a sheriff’s office or police department.
“Being the sheriff isn’t on-the-job training,” Harran said at a Bristol polling place Tuesday. “You need knowledge and experience.”
Ceisler said he had spoken to Harran after the results came in and the incumbent promised to assist with a smooth transition.
Schorn, a veteran Bucks County prosecutor, lost in her bid for a full term after being appointed district attorney last year when her predecessor became a judge.
She had been an assistant district attorney in the county since 1999, prosecuting some of the county’s most high-profile cases. When she became district attorney, Schorn started a task force in the county to investigate internet crimes against children.
Khan, a former county solicitor and federal prosecutor, argued Schorn ran the office under “Trump’s blueprint” and criticized her decisions not to recuse herself when a Republican committeeperson was charged with voter fraud and not to prosecute alleged child abuse at Jamison Elementary School.
Schorn has said she was unable to discuss the details of the Jamison Elementary School case due to rules governing prosecutors, but Khan argued her explanations were insufficient as parents sought answers.
Schorn performed slightly better than her GOP counterparts in Bucks County on Tuesday. But, while many voters said they had no issue with Schorn’s policies, her political party was a turnoff.
“I just feel the Democrats would be better right now; I’m down on all Republicans,” said Marybeth Vinkler, a Doylestown voter who said she had no problems with how Schorn had run the district attorney’s office. “Everything happening in D.C. is trickling down around us.”
Schorn did not immediately comment on the results Wednesday.
Jim Worthington, who has run pro-Trump organizations in Bucks County, said Republicans failed to turn out voters on Election Day even as data showed Democrats held a significant lead on mail voting ahead of Tuesday.
“This is where the GOP was asleep at the wheel,” Worthington said.
Traditionally, voters trust Republicans more with law and order. The resounding victories for Democrats defied that trend.
“We now have an obligation to deliver and to show that Democrats can lead on the issue of safety,” Ceisler said.
“The ball is in our hands, and we’re ready to run with it.”
Staff writer Jeff Gammage contributed to this article.
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.
Independents in Chester County were forcedto cast a provisional ballot through the morning hours and early afternoon on Election Day.
Poll books delivered to Chester County’s precincts Tuesday morning did not include the names of independent and third-party voters, the county’s voter services department said in a post to X. As a result, poll workers were unable to allow those voters to cast ballots on machines as normal.
The county resolved the issue, delivering supplemental poll books to precincts, by 3:45 p.m. Tuesday. In response to the problem, the county extended voting hours by two hours. Voters who arrive at their polling places between 8 and 10 p.m. will have the opportunity to cast a provisional ballot.
Chester County Voter Services has reported that the poll books at all precincts currently do not include the names of third-party voters. Voter Services is in the process of sending supplemental poll books to all polling locations. 1/2
— Chester County Voter Services (@ChescoVoterSvcs) November 4, 2025
Poll books are the records poll workers use to verify that each voter is an eligible voter seeking to cast a ballot in the correct precinct.
Until the supplemental books were delivered, voters were asked to cast provisional ballots.
A provisional ballot is used when poll workers cannot immediately verify the eligibility of a voter. The ballots will be counted, but they are counted later than other votes, as election officials must first verify that the voter is eligible and has not already cast a ballot by mail or at another polling place.
All eligible voters in the county ultimately had the opportunity to cast a ballot and have it be counted.
Just over 75,000 Chester County voters are unaffiliated or registered to vote with a third party. Far fewer voters were likely to be affected by the error, however, as many cast mail ballots ahead of the election and odd-year elections tend to be lower in turnout.
A spokesperson for Chester County said the county will conduct a formal review to determine how unaffiliated and third-party voters were left off poll books and how to prevent it from happening again.
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 results of the tight race could be a barometer, nationally, for which party has an edge, and signal the type of messaging and candidate that can win over New Jersey voters in an increasingly purple state.
The race has attracted national attention and resources from both parties — especially Democrats who see the seat as a critical opportunity to build momentum and safeguard the state from the policies of President Donald Trump.
Ciattarelli spent his final campaign week rallying with Puerto Rican voters in Passaic County and taking his “It’s Time” bus tour around the state. He held meet-and-greets, rallies, and diner stops over the weekend in Monmouth, Ocean, Union, and Bergen Counties.
Sherrill, who would be only the second woman elected governor in the state should she prevail on Tuesday, rallied with former President Barack Obama on Saturday in Newark and with Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim on Sunday in Camden and Mount Laurel Township. The events followed a week that included a “Driving Down Costs” bus tour and appearances with former Transportation Secretary and presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker.
Along with her promise to take on landlords “colluding to raise rents” and to tackle pharmaceutical prices, Sherrill reiterated her campaign promise to freeze utility rate hikes on her first day in office at the rally with Obama on Saturday.
“New Jersey, I’m not playing,” she told the audience. “I’m not writing a strongly worded letter and I’m not starting up a working group. I am not doing a 10-year study. I’m declaring a state of emergency.”
For decades, New Jerseyans had voted blue at the national level while electing Republicans to the governor’s mansion. Democrats have a voter registration advantage of about 850,000 voters in New Jersey, but 2.2 million voters are registered unaffiliated. And GOP registrations have outpaced Democratic ones since the 2024 presidential election, when Trump swung the state significantly redder, losing by only 6 points.
Ashley Koning, the director of the Rutgers Center for Public Interest Polling, said either candidate has a “very plausible path to victory.”
Democratic candidate for governor U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill poses with members of the Princeton College Democrats as she appears at a Mercer County Democrats GOTV Rally at the Mercer Oaks Golf Course in West Windsor Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. From left are: Julian Danoff; Michelle Miao; and Paul Wang. (The group’s motto: “Bringing blue values to the Orange Bubble.”)
Dueling headwinds
There are dueling headwinds at play in the contest for New Jersey governor, too. Both Trump and Murphy are unpopular with about half of New Jersey voters. New Jersey hasn’t elected the same party to a third term for the governorship since 1961, but Republicans have also not won the office while their party has held the White House since 1985.
Once the votes are tallied in Tuesday’s election, New Jersey political history will be made either way.
Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee, said he expects the race to be a close win for Democrats, noting “a win is a win.”
He resisted the critiques from some fellow Democrats that Sherrill played her campaign too safe, “in an era of brash bravado, machismo, and Donald Trump, and these candidates basically saying whatever the hell they want.”
“I think what she’s been doing is putting out a pretty compelling message to New Jerseyans and campaigning everywhere to make sure that they understand what she’s focused on,” he said.
The party’s vice chair, Pa. State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D., Philadelphia) predicted a good night for Democrats in New Jersey. “There’s that famous saying that ‘Trenton makes, the world takes,’ and I think Trenton is going to make a lot of momentum that we are going to take into 2026 and beyond.”
“I feel it, you know, I feel it on the ground,” said Sen. Andy Kim (D., N.J.) who campaigned with Sherrill in between fielding questions from fellow Democrats in Washington about what the race looks like back home.
“Everyone I talked to knows what’s at stake,” Kim said.
Chris Russell, Ciattarelli’s political strategist, argued that Ciattarelli has garnered support from voters who have traditionally supported Democrats by delivering them a clearer message on affordability.
“We put a significant amount of time and resources, driven and led by Jack, to be present in minority communities like the Hispanic community and the Black community, and we believe that effort is going to pay off,” he said.
Republican candidate for governor Jack Ciattarelli poses with members of the Pascucci family as he greets supporters at Palermo’s Pizza in Bordentown Monday, Oct.13, 2025 while campaigning in South Jersey.
‘A totally different vibe’
As the candidates made their final burst of media appearances in the countdown to Election Day, Ciattarelli, in a town hall with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Thursday night, said the Republican campaign energy “is electric.” Ciattarelli said he was encouraged by early-vote and vote-by-mail numbers, which, while trailing Democrats, had surpassed 2021 GOP turnout numbers.
“We go after those one out of four Republicans … who typically only vote in presidential years,” Ciattarelli said on Hannity’s program. “We’ve done a magnificent job, our local Republican organizations have, in getting those people to vote by mail or vote early.”
State Sen. Latham Tiver, a South Jersey Republican, said Ciattarelli’s campaign stops are a “totally different vibe” than his last run in 2021. He recalls Ciattarelli introducing himself table to table, but now, Tiver said when the candidate enters the room, people flock to him.
“Jack’s doing everything he can. … He’s pounding the pavement, he’s meeting more and more people, and we’re all out there doing the same thing for him,” Tiver said.
As the candidates make their final push to lead New Jersey, the outcome will likely depend on who shows up at the polls Tuesday.
Both campaigns have motivated bases, but the election could come down to the less engaged and whether they decide to vote. Despite a record amount of spending in the state, only about 2% of voters remained undecided in polls.
“I don’t think people give enough credit — pollsters, political wonks — to just how burnt out the average American is,” said Jackie Cornell, who previously ran field operations for Obama’s campaign in New Jersey.
“They just don’t want to hear anything about any of this any more, and I worry that will be the deterrent more so than anything else.”
When Keith Critchley and JT O’Brien were looking to buy a restaurant last year, they toured the dining room and kitchen of Georgio’s in downtown Downingtown, which Georgio Malle was selling after more than 30 years.
“Keith and I went to lunch and I said, ‘There’s no way we’re buying this for what he wants. It’s not that big,’” O’Brien said. They went back to negotiate, he said, Malle told them flatly, “My price is my price.”
Crispy chicken sandwich on a doughnut at the Borough in Downingtown.
It quickly became evident that Critchley and O’Brien had not seen the upstairs of the rambling building on Lancaster Avenue. “When I saw the upstairs, I thought, ‘Now I can start thinking of different ideas and concepts that we can do,’” O’Brien said.
They seem to be throwing everything at the Borough, which began opening in phases in recent weeks. There is a 35-seat sports bar/restaurant with 40 TVs, 20 taps, and a full cocktail menu on the ground floor, connected to a large patio through garage doors. Upstairs, there’s a 20-seat bar, a six-seat sushi bar, and a venue hosting live music. Programming such as open-mic nights, karaoke, trivia nights, and comedy shows will ramp up in November. Big brunches — think mimosa towers and full entertainment — will start after Thanksgiving.
Critchley and O’Brien retained pizzaiolo Ptah Akai to set up the pizza kitchen.
Five years ago during the pandemic, the Swarthmore-born Akai noticed that the successful restaurants were offering pizza — “and not because they were making great pizza.”
Consultant Ptah Akai at the Borough in Downingtown.
Akai began teaching himself, using YouTube and setting up an oven in his backyard. By day, Akai, 33, works as an installer for Toast, the restaurant point-of-sale company. He quickly became popular among his neighbors. “It brings people together,” he said. “You can go anywhere in the world and make pizza and probably make a friend.”
A lifelong vegan, Akai wanted to make pizza he could eat himself, and the challenge of making tasty nondairy pizza became motivation. When he learned that Critchley and O’Brien were opening, he offered to get them started. (Georgio’s had a fairly extensive pizza kitchen, including a large mixer.)
Forager pizza at the Borough in Downingtown.
Akai’s pies are beautifully puffy-crusted, sort of neo-Neapolitan, with zero flop and a light char. The sliced garlic gave a subtle roast to a cheeseless tomato pie that he made for me off the menu. His Forager ($23), with basil pesto and three kinds of mushrooms, was balanced and did not sink under the mozzarella. There’s also a plain cheese ($18), pepperoni ($21), and a margherita ($19).
As they did with the other restaurant amenities, Critchley and O’Brien created a something-for-everyone menu, served anywhere in the space. There are pork belly burnt ends ($18); Bavarian pretzel ($13); meat-and-cheese board ($32); crispy chicken sandwich ($16) with a sesame soy glaze and kimchi on a glazed doughnut bun; and a lamb gyro ($19) with sumac red onion and tzatziki on a house-made pita. Rolls make up the sushi menu, and the few entrees include miso striped bass ($34), seared scallops ($36), cauliflower steak ($25), and steak frites ($36).
O’Brien started in hospitality 25 years ago bartending at Reed’s in Blue Bell and counts six years at Seacrets in Ocean City, Md., and 11 years with P.J. Whelihan’s in Downingtown and Montgomeryville in his work history. Critchley, who has no hospitality background, recently sold his business, Lang’s Lawn Care in Malvern, but runs it under the new owners.
Downingtown has always had a solid restaurant scene, with La Sponda, Myrtos, and Jads nearby and R Five Wines and East Branch Brewing Co. across the street from the Borough, and Dressler Estate serving ciders nearby. The other newcomer is mother., with a creative menu of tacos plus beer, wine, and cocktails.
The Borough, 149 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown. Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Tip: Do not park in the adjacent private lot. Use the municipal lot across the street.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Your best trick is showing up fearless, even when you’re making it up as you go. Your best treat is the thrill of spontaneity. You’ll be admired for your bravery. You dive in first and figure it out later.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Your best trick is transforming the ordinary into luxury, adding comfort and beauty where none was expected. Your best treat is simple pleasures done well. Tonight, it’s about good food, cozy vibes and affection so sweet it could rot a tooth.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Your best trick is how you change the game with a few well-chosen words — quips that are clever, sly and funny. Your best treat is being the spark that makes everyone lean closer to hear more.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your best trick is conjuring safety wherever you go, creating a haven in chaos. Your best treat is the sweetness of being everyone’s “home base,” and tonight they’ll gravitate toward you for grounding.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Your best trick is how you can turn any room into your stage. Your best treat is the joy of basking in admiration, not because you demanded it, but because your warmth lights the way.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Your best trick is noticing the details no one else sees. It will mean a lot to the ones who put a lot of care into their celebration of the night. Your best treat is the trust you inspire when people realize you’ll catch what they miss.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Your best trick is making the difficult look effortless, from outfits to logistics; you’ll put your excellent taste to work. Your best treat is the harmony you leave behind, like fairy dust that lingers after you’ve gone.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Your best trick is seeing the truth hiding under every mask. Whether you reveal your knowledge — that’s up to you. Your best treat is intensity. Even fleeting connections become unforgettable as everything seems to bend to your magnetism.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your best trick is turning the rules into guidelines that keep games fun. To you, the restrictions are hallways — just another way to move through the adventure. Your best treat is wide, bright, contagious laughter.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Your best trick is the way you employ leadership skills to conjure order from chaos. Your best treat is the dignity you radiate. It elevates all. Others bring the best version of themselves to your presence.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Your best trick is defying expectations, slipping out of every box they try to put you in. Your best treat is freedom. You feel it and live it. You grant it to others just by being yourself.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Your best trick is applying your limitless imagination to dreaming something into existence before anyone else believes it’s possible. Your best treat is empathy; you know how to dissolve loneliness in an instant.
TODAY’SBIRTHDAY (Oct. 31). Welcome to your Year of Marvelous Breakthroughs. What seems impossible becomes second nature in a matter of months. Work turns profitable after a strange experiment. You’ll fall for someone’s quirks and be delighted when they love yours, too. More highlights: An old habit breaks, replaced with something healing. A negotiation goes your way. Creative work draws applause and new fans. Taurus and Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 11, 33, 48 and 17.
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I discussed our 25th anniversary and mentioned Hawaii as a possibility. He reached out to his brother and sister-in-law for suggestions, since they have visited Hawaii twice and we never have.
My husband mentioned to my sister-in-law (without consulting me) that maybe the four of us should travel together to Hawaii. Now my in-laws want to travel with us! My husband is enthusiastic because it will lower the cost. I am very hurt that I wasn’t even consulted. I didn’t know until I overheard them talking about splitting costs on the Hawaii trip.
Abby, I was not planning a 25th anniversary as a foursome. My husband is calling me a “sourpuss” for not jumping on board with the plan. In my mind, it’s supposed to be an anniversary, not a couples retreat. Am I wrong?
— CROWDED IN THE SOUTH
DEAR CROWDED: You are not in the wrong. That your husband and in-laws would alter the plans for your 25th anniversary without consulting you is disrespectful. You should have been consulted. That he has now resorted to name-calling because you are upset is out of line.
If you feel you won’t be happy celebrating this milestone with them, tell your sister-in-law this was sprung on you with no preparation, which you feel was wrong, and you are not happy about it. Then decide which YOU would prefer — to travel to Hawaii as a group anyway or to just stay home.
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DEAR ABBY: My father is an antiques collector. He spends every weekend at estate auctions and much of the rest of his time buying for shops. He is experienced and prides himself in knowing the value of things.
For my birthday, Dad gave me an old copy of a favorite book. He said it was a first edition and worth a lot despite its poor condition. The title page, where the publishing date and run would appear, was missing. The issue is that it ISN’T a first (or even a second) edition. It has the wrong cover and is actually a later run that just had a rough life. I know Dad knew this. The information is easy to find, and I’m pretty sure he cut out the title page so he could pass it off as what he said it was.
I don’t know why he did this — there could be any number of reasons — but he keeps bragging about what great a gift it was. Should I say something the next time he brings it up? Having the lie hanging out there feels uncomfortable.
— WONDERING IN THE EAST
DEAR WONDERING: Be kind. Just thank your father again and resist the urge to tell him you know he is fibbing. If you suspected he had been taken advantage of by a bookseller, I might have answered differently and suggest you warn him about doing business with someone who is unscrupulous. However, because you stated that he’s experienced, I hesitate to advise you to put him on the spot.
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DEAR READERS: It’s Halloween, a time for fun and fantasy! I hope that any celebrating you do tonight will be creative, fun AND SAFE for everyone involved. Happy Halloweeeeen!
Although the Eagles are on their bye week, Lincoln Financial Field was put to good use on Thursday night. Delaware State, coached by former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, hosted Norfolk State, coached by former Eagles quarterback Michael Vick.
The two former teammates made a return to their former home for their first battle as college football head coaches in a primetime HBCU matchup. From the halftime show to special appearances from mainstream stars, HBCU excellence was on full display.
Here are the highlights of what took place on Thursday night…
Norfolk State head coach Michael Vick watches in the waning moments of his team’s loss to Delaware State in Thursday night’s HBCU showdown at Lincoln Financial Field.
Stars were out at the Linc
In addition to the action on the field, the star power on the sideline was worth the admission. The easiest one to spot was former quarterback Cam Newton.
At halftime, wearing an all-tan fit with a massive fedora decorated in pins, the three-time Pro Bowler danced and posed with fans just moments before North Philly rapper Meek Mill walked along the sideline.
Plenty of fans made their way through the main concourse excited to watch both HBCU teams play at Lincoln Financial Field. Whether they were representing the colors of Delaware State or Norfolk State, wearing vintage Eagles’ Jackson and Vick jerseys, or showing off their Greek letters, they gathered together with pride of belonging to an HBCU.
Anthony, 68, and Brigette Washington, 67, made the trip from Florida on Thursday morning to attend the game despite the stormy weather. Anthony attended Florida A&M University. Meanwhile, Brigette attended Morgan University. Although neither have connections to Delaware State or Norfolk State, they wanted to show support to all HBCUs.
Former Eagles players in now Delaware State head coach DeSean Jackson, center, and Norfolk State head coach Michael Vick, right, hug after Delaware State beat Norfolk State 27-20 at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday.
“[HBCU’s] are family oriented,” Anthony said. “Once you step foot and you become an HBCU alumnus, you’ll always go back. Like what we’re doing now. We’re 70 and we’re still going back to the games. We just want to support both schools.”
Plenty of alumnus repped their colors, including 59-year-old Delaware native John Robinson. Robinson graduated from Delaware State in 1990 and is proud to see two HBCU teams getting to display their talents on such a big stage.
“What I’m looking forward to seeing tonight is HBCU excellence and the opportunity to show that to the entire world,” Robinson said. “I’m just thrilled that we have this opportunity and this platform to show who we are, how we support our schools and how necessary they are and also to show the world the top of NFL elite talent is willing to invest in HBCUs as we see with the coaching platforms of DeSean Jackson and Michael Vick.”
Norfolk State’s drum major dresses as Mickey Mouse during halftime of their game against Delaware State at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday.
‘Approaching Storm’ stuns at halftime
When it comes to HBCU games, there are no bathroom breaks at halftime. For many fans, halftime is the real show. HBCU’s are known for their electric marching bands and Delaware State’s ‘Approaching Storm’ did not disappoint.
As soon as the band was introduced, fans reacted with one of the loudest cheers of the night. And as soon as silence rang through the stadium, the sounds of Boyz II Men’s “Motown Philly” echoed throughout the Linc followed by Danity Kane’s “Damaged.”
“That’s a tradition that’s been engraved in HBCUs going back as far as you want to look,” Robinson said. “The band and the drumline, that’s the fabric. That’s how we express who we are. That’s how we tell our story through song during sporting events and it’s heritage. It’s black pride. It’s culture.”
Delaware state representative, and Cheney graduate, Franklin Cooke Jr. added: “[Halftime shows are] very important. They’re just like athletes, you know doing all the steps, doing all the routines. It’s very, very important.”
Earlier in the week, 45-year-old West Philadelphia native Will Abbamont discussed the significance of attending an HBCU. Growing up on 46th and Fairmount, he didn’t see college as an option. Eventually, the Cheney graduate, and leader of the Sixers drumline, the Stixers, used percussion as a way to save his life.
“For me to get accepted to Cheney, it changed my life,” Abbamont said. “[My grandma] said you can either take these drumsticks, the jail cell or a graveyard. I picked the drumsticks. Didn’t know what to do with them. I asked her what to do with them and she said you will figure it out. That right there led me on the road to my goal to go to an HBCU.”
Norfolk State’s band plays during halftime of Thursday’s game against Delaware State at Lincoln Financial Field.
Abbamont graduated from Cheney in 2001, where he majored in accounting and minored in computer programming. During his tenure at the school, he was part of Cheney’s drumline.
“The drumline is the culture,” Abbamont said. “The drumline sets the tone. To be honest with you, I know our HBCUs really weren’t known for their sports. For example, I went to Cheney. My Cheney football team wasn’t really that good. But everyone came to see the band.
“The band is the culture of the HBCU. The band is the heartbeat, the band is the lifeline, the band is what draws the attention. The sports team being good is a bonus when it comes to an HBCU…Halftime for us is when the game starts.”
