IT’S HEATING UP 😏
Happy Wednesday, Delco.
Hope you survived the deep freeze this past weekend. We're still in the thick of it — highs barely cracking the mid-30s this week, and the county confirmed multiple weather-related deaths in recent days. If you know someone living alone or without reliable heat, check in on them. Warming center info is at the bottom of this edition.
On a lighter note, Valentine's Day is Saturday, and there's actually a ton happening around the county this week — a new show at Hedgerow, wine-and-chocolate pairings in Chadds Ford, and a brand-new light show at Longwood Gardens. Plus, Sheetz is trying to move into Wawa's backyard. We'll get into it.
In today's edition:
🏪 Sheetz wants to open in Chadds Ford — 8.9 miles from Wawa HQ
🏥 Former Crozer patients: get your medical records now
🎭 Hedgerow opens a Valentine's-perfect love story
❤️ Valentine's Day dining picks across Delco
🛣️ Road closures, potholes, and cold weather safety
📋 Quick hits: HBO's Task, school cellphone ban, and more
— From Ridley to Radnor
Photo on tile by Shawn Clark on Unsplash
GOTTA HAVE A WAWA…RIVALRY?
🏪 Sheetz Wants In — 8.9 Miles from Wawa HQ
This is not a drill.
Sheetz presented a sketch plan to the Chadds Ford Planning Commission on February 4 for a 24/7 convenience store with gas pumps at Painters Crossing Shopping Center on Wilmington Pike. If approved, it would be Sheetz's first location in Delaware County — just 8.9 miles from Wawa's corporate headquarters in Chester Heights.
Zoning is already getting complicated. The township's zoning officer initially said the store wasn't permitted, then indicated it might qualify as a conditional use, and a text amendment to the zoning code may be needed before anything moves forward.
No timeline yet, but expect this one to generate a lot of opinions. The eternal Sheetz-vs-Wawa debate just got a home address.
LOCAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS NEWS
🏥 Former Crozer Patients: Retrieve Your Medical Records Now
If you or someone in your family was ever treated at a Crozer Health facility, pay attention to this one.
Prospect Medical Holdings — the company that ran Crozer into the ground — has filed a motion to destroy remaining patient records as part of its bankruptcy proceedings. Delaware County Council issued an urgent alert on February 7 urging former patients to retrieve their records immediately.
The Foundation for Delaware County stepped in with $3 million to ensure free access for up to 43,000 affected patients. You don't have to pay.
Here's how to get your records:
Call the DCHD Wellness Line: (484) 276-2100
Visit delcopa.gov/health for instructions
Don't wait — once records are destroyed, they're gone
DELCO ARTS & THEATRE
🎭 Hedgerow Opens a Valentine's-Perfect Love Story
If you're looking for a date night this week that isn't just dinner and a movie, Hedgerow Theatre in Rose Valley has you covered.
Dear Jack, Dear Louise by acclaimed playwright Ken Ludwig opens this week. It's based on his own parents' courtship — two strangers who meet through letters during World War II and fall in love without ever being in the same room. It's warm, funny, and genuinely romantic.
Performances run Wednesday through Sunday, with Opening Night Friday (post-show reception with the cast) and a Valentine's Day Saturday evening show. Tickets are $20–$35 at hedgerowtheatre.org.
Hedgerow is one of the oldest continuously operating theaters in the Philadelphia region, tucked into a converted grist mill on Rose Valley Road. If you've never been, this is a great one to start with.
DELCO RESTAURANTS
❤️ Valentine's Day Dining — Delco Edition
Valentine's falls on a Saturday this year, so most spots are running specials all weekend. A few worth booking now:
Brandywine Prime, Chadds Ford — Valentine's dinner Feb. 13–14, 4–10 PM in a restored stone cottage. You can arrange flowers from Green Meadows Florist to be waiting at your table — order 48 hours ahead.
Streetlight Kitchen & Bar at The Drexelbrook, Drexel Hill — Prix-fixe dinner with live music and complimentary prosecco. Reservations: (484) 461-9823.
Teca, Newtown Square — Candlelit Italian dining. Always a Valentine's favorite. Book via OpenTable or call (484) 420-4010.
Penns Woods Winery, Chadds Ford — Valentine's Date Night on Friday the 13th, plus Wine & Chocolate Pairings every Sat & Sun through February. $36/person. Selling out — book via Tock.
⚡ Quick Hits
HBO's Task renewed for Season 2. The Brad Ingelsby crime drama starring Mark Ruffalo, filmed across Delco — Marcus Hook, Media, Ridley Township, Aston — is coming back. PA is investing nearly $50 million into Season 2, projected to create 3,700 jobs.
PA Senate passed a "bell-to-bell" cellphone ban for schools. SB 1014 now heads to the House. Governor Shapiro says he'll sign it. This will affect every Delco school district.
Elwyn broke ground on a $47 million school building in Middletown Township — the centerpiece of a 10-year, $100 million campus transformation for students with complex learning needs.
Swarthmore College's athletic complex debate heats up. Residents are pushing back against plans for 70-foot stadium lights, synthetic turf, and sound amplification on 12 acres. Planning Commission hearing: February 18 at 7 PM in Borough Hall.
Longwood Gardens launches Garden Glow this weekend (Feb. 13–Mar. 8, Fri–Sun evenings). Illuminated conservatories, floating lights, bonsai under blacklight. A spectacular Valentine's option just over the county line.
🛣️ Roads, Weather & Public Service
Road closures to know about:
Eagle Road / Drexel Avenue in Haverford Township — fully closed through April 30 for Aqua PA utility work. Detour via US 1, Darby Road, Route 3.
Steel Road in Haverford — closed through March 31.
I-476 (Blue Route) — bridge repair between I-76 and I-95, weeknights 8 PM–5 AM through Feb. 27.
Potholes are everywhere. The freeze-thaw cycle after January's snowstorm has wrecked roads across the county. PennDOT is patching Rose Valley Road, Baltimore Pike, Darby Road, and others, weather permitting. Report potholes at 1-800-FIX-ROAD or customercare.penndot.pa.gov.
Cold weather resources: Delaware County's warming center map is at delcopa.gov/health/cold-information. DCHD Wellness Line: (484) 276-2100. Sign up for emergency alerts at delcoalert.org.
SEPTA note: New Regional Rail schedules are in effect as of Feb. 1 — minor timing changes on the Media/Wawa Line. Swarthmore Station has ADA construction underway between platforms. Presidents' Day (Monday): select bus routes run modified schedules; Regional Rail runs normally.
Stay warm out there, Delco. And if you're still scrambling for Valentine's plans — Hedgerow, Fond, or a bottle of wine at Penns Woods will all do the trick.
See you Friday.
— From Ridley to Radnor