Radnor's Most-Read Stories Of 2020: COVID, Crime, School Sports

RADNOR TOWNSHIP, PA — The coronavirus pandemic defined news globally and locally in 2020, as Radnor Patch readers followed local stories, especially those about business and school sports.

Chesco And Delco Partner For Health Oversight

On March 19 Radnor learned that Chester County's health department would step in to oversee the pandemic response in Delco. Officials with Delaware and Chester counties in March gained approval from state authorities to allow the Chester County Health Department to take the lead on coronavirus response in Delco in a partnership between the counties.

That week, Delaware County had 14 positive coronavirus cases. Read the story here.

Back When There Had Been 34 PA Deaths...

Patch readers across Delco followed reporting on where COVID-19 cases were showing up across Chester and Delaware counties.

The first deaths from COVID-19 in Delaware County came in late March, an 86-year-old mam and an 85-year-old woman. At the time, the state had just begun its stay-at-home order. Read the story here. There had been fewer than 3,000 COVID-19 cases across the state and on March 28 — nine months ago — 34 had died statewide.

As of Dec. 30, 2020, there have been 28,282 cases of COVID-19 in Delaware County, and 990 deaths from COVID-19. Statewide, 15,672 have died from COVID-19. Chester County passed 500 deaths on Dec. 23.

Local Crime-Tracking Is Useful

It's good to know where cars are being broken into, and Radnor kept an eye out. Cash and tools were taken from a car in June, and there was sign-stealing, package stealing, and a couple of dog stealings. A Berks County man passing through Delco was charged with his 7th DUI after he was stopped on a county highway. Police said the man's blood alcohol content was 0.16, twice the legal limit. Read the story here.

Business Is Big

No one could be unconcerned with local business in 2020 as the pandemic kept people home, or forced others to work in uncertain circumstances.

When the Valley Forge Casino closed, readers paid attention. The Wayne Business Association encouraged residents to order takeout, buy gift cards, and support business however they can.

"During these unprecedented times, small businesses are being greatly impacted by the challenges of the Covid19 Pandemic," the business association said. "Our own small Wayne businesses, the very businesses that we have relied on and trusted need immediate support." Read the story here.

The impact continued right up until Christmas, when on Dec. 23 a Delco Sonic drive-in announced it was closing and 21 workers would lose their jobs. Sonic has 3,497 locations nationwide, with 15 in Pennsylvania. However, state WARN notices were filed for nine other Pennsylvania Sonic locations, in Philadelphia, Norristown, Royersford, Willow Grove, Reading, Lancaster, Elverson, Mt. Joy, and Ephrata. In total, the 10 closing locations employed 241 people.

School Sports Impinged

Also impacted were schools and sports. A much-read story in August was PIAA's response to Gov. Tom Wolf's recommendation that all sports be delayed until 2021, stating that they believe the fall season could be "reasonably safe" if all coronavirus health protocols are strictly followed.

The statement followed weeks of back and forth between Wolf's administration and the state's governing body for high school athletics, and school sports held practices as they could, amid uncertainty about games and spectators.

"It is clear to the PIAA, the unintended consequences of canceling fall sports need to be further reviewed," the PIAA said after a meeting of its Board of Directors in early August, calling on Wolf, the Departments of Health and Education, and the Pennsylvania General Assembly to reconsider the guidance. Read the story here.

Lockdown Let Up, Then Came Another COVID Spike

Radnor readers wanted to know about this last round of mitigation. As the pandemic dragged on over nine months, readers were still giving equal attention to COVID-19 related stories in December, including what businesses were defying Gov. Tom Wolf's mitigation order to shut down indoor dining for three weeks as cases spiked.

Patch reported on Dec. 15 that 356 businesses had defied the governor's order.