Pennsylvania
Controversy brewing in Collingdale, Pennsylvania, over potential plan to hire new police chief under investigation
Tuesday’s meeting in Collingdale ended early after a heated debate about Rhaheem Blanden. Read our latest coverage.
COLLINGDALE, Pa. (CBS) — A controversy is brewing in Collingdale, Pennsylvania. Some police officers in the Delaware County neighborhood are angry about a possible plan to hire a new police chief.
The Fraternal Order of Police said an applicant for that job is a Chester police corporal, and the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office said that man is under criminal investigation.
But on Tuesday night, it’s unclear why – and the officer is not commenting about that.
A meeting of Collingdale Borough Council is expected to be a hot one Tuesday night. The meeting started at 7:30 p.m.
The Delaware County FOP is calling foul over the possible appointment of Chester Police Corporal Rhaheem Blanden, whom prosecutors confirm is the target of an active criminal investigation.
Blanden is also on administrative leave from his job with Chester, according to FOP President Chris Eiserman.
“The candidate they want to hire for the police chief, Rhaheem Blanden, is under criminal investigation by the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office and we don’t think he should be in a position of authority, like a chief of police,” Eiserman said.
CBS News Philadelphia left messages for council members about the vote.
In a statement, the Council President Ryan Hastings wrote in part: “We adhere to all federal, state, and local laws regarding employment and strive to create a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the community we serve. The selection process for the chief of police will be conducted fairly and impartially.”
When asked if Blanden would be the candidate voted on, CBS Philadelphia didn’t hear back. Sources said Blanden, to their knowledge, was one of the only applicants for the job.
When asked if he wanted the job in Collingdale, Blanden said he does and has 20 years of experience, a master’s degree and other training.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen tonight,” Blanden said. “I think he just made that assumption, Mr. Eiserman, assumed that it was me because my name has been talked about for the last four years, five years for that position.”
Eiserman said he believes borough council should hit pause.
“When you’re hiring somebody of this nature that’s under investigation, we think it’s prudent for them to stop, wait, let the investigation play out,” Eiserman said. “Let’s see what the DA’s office does and if they clear him and don’t bring charges and they want to hire him then, go ahead and do it. We’d have no objection.”
The vote to hire a new chief of police comes at the very end of the council’s new business. It’s agenda No. 23 and says it’s a motion to hire the chief of police for Collingdale subject to finalization of the employment contract by the solicitor.
PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. (WPVI) — We are heading to Rivertown Taps in historic Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, to make a classic fan favorite, Caesar salad.
And when they say “taps,” they mean it.
There are dozens of drinks, beer and beyond, on tap at Phoenixville’s first self-serve drink tap wall.
“Phoenixville has always been a very beer-centric town, and we’re beer-centric people, so we wanted to have a really curated selection,” says Chef Owner Lewis Leiterman. “We have 36 drinks on tap.”
Just grab a charge card, choose your glassware and choose your own adventure.
“You pay for whatever you pour by the ounce,” says Leiterman. “You can pour as much or as little as you like.”
The building dates back to the 1800s, and Leiterman made sure to preserve pieces of that history, while bringing something super fresh to the strip.
“We make pastas from scratch,” he says. “We extrude all of our own pastas in house. We do all of our fresh-filled pastas all by hand. We make all our own breads. Everything that’s in here is from scratch.”
The mission includes a commitment to locally sourced food.
Today, we’re making a house favorite: the Caesar salad – with a twist.
“I hate chasing croutons around a salad, like, the fork never kind of sticks into it,” says Leiterman. “We still wanted that crunch factor, like the classic crouton, but different. What we did was we took some of our old bread and we kind of toasted it up and made a coarse panko texture.”
It’s becomes a universal crouton that makes its way throughout the salad.
“We like to feature seasonal vegetables in our Caesar salad, just for a little bit more flavor and nutrition,” says Leiterman.
He grills up some nice asparagus, and then adds some protein.
“I love a soft boiled egg on a salad to add more sustenance to a salad and a little bit of heartiness to it,” he says.
The build starts with a mix of greens, like red romaine and red watercress.
The dressing gets a gourmet kick.
“We do a black garlic and truffle Caesar,” he says. “We don’t like to overdress it. My pet peeve is those thick Caesar dressings.”
Add the asparagus to gently warm the salad, shave on some Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, add the soft boiled egg and finally, the breadcrumbs.
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Fewer young adults reach major milestones as finances delay life plans
Fewer young adults in the U.S. are reaching traditional adulthood milestones, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data.
Benzinga – News
Pennsylvania’s over-65 population is growing faster than any other age group in the commonwealth, now making up more than one-fifth of the state’s residents, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data.
The federal agency estimates about 2.8 million Keystone State residents are 65 or older, an increase of about 13% since the last nationwide census was published in 2020.
Overall, the state’s population has remained stagnant at about 13 million since the last census. And many age groups — including children and younger adults — have actually declined in number over the past five years, according to the estimates released June 25.
The median age for a Pennsylvanian is now 41.4, compared to 41 in 2020.
How does Pa. compare to the rest of the U.S.?
Pennsylvania’s increase in older adults matches national trends, as the number of people 65 and older grew by about 9 million across the U.S. since 2020, the estimates suggest. As in the Keystone State, the population of people younger than 18 has fallen over the past several years, as did the number of people in midlife.
Overall, the nation’s population has climbed by an estimated 3.1%, or about 10.3 million people, since 2020.
However, Southern states showed more rapid growth that spanned all age categories, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“The South stands out because it is seeing population gains in age groups that in other regions saw little change or are declining, reflecting its strong positive migration patterns this decade,” Lauren Bowers, a Census Bureau official, said in a statement.
What does the aging trend mean for Pa.?
Policymakers are working to prepare for Pennsylvania’s continued graying and the needs that will come along with these demographic shifts. By 2030, one in three commonwealth residents are projected to be over age 60, according to state officials.
But advocates stress the need for more resources to support Keystone State residents as they age, pointing to caregiver shortages and barriers to healthcare access in rural areas.
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration in 2024 released a 10-year plan for getting the state ready, laying out strategies for supporting people who want to age at home, expanding transportation options and increasing the number of caregivers.
Bethany Rodgers is a USA TODAY Network Pennsylvania investigative journalist focusing on health and education.
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