Business Briefs are short stories keeping you up to date with what’s happening around Chester County. This Morning:

Rubio Speaks at the Chester County GOP’s Reception

Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio spoke at the Chester County GOP’s annual fall reception last Thursday to bolster support for his campaign.

There was significant interest in his appearance, as many of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s top Republicans ventured to King of Prussia and the Crowne Plaza ballroom to hear the candidate speak, including Congressman Ryan Costello and Pat Meehan.

Besides touching on his humble roots, Rubio’s main theme of the evening was making the 21st century “the New American Century”, distinguishing himself from his main competitor who is linking his campaign with the politics of the past.

“Now it’s our turn. Now the time has come for this generation, for you and I and those alive in this time and place, to do our part. To write our chapter in the amazing story of America,” Rubio said. “While America owes me absolutely nothing, I have a debt to America.”

Highview at Brandywine Offers Beautiful Homes in Coatesville  

Offering open space and beautiful scenery, brand-new single-family homes in an ideal Valley Township setting, close to Exton, Downingtown, and the Route 30 Bypass are being offered for sale.

Starting in the mid $200,000 range, the homes have up to 6 bedrooms and 4½ baths, with every house including a gorgeous kitchen, relaxing family room, beautiful owner’s suite, full basement and 2-car garage.

The houses are environment friendly as they feature BuiltSmart construction: a building method which reduces environmental impact while still providing comfort and energy efficiency within each home. This also gives the additional bonus of savings of up to 30 percent on electricity bills.

For more information please visit HighviewRH.com, call 484.653.0432 or stop by for a tour of the newly decorated model home.

Phoenixville District Rebid Reaches a Successful Outcome

In preparation for the opening of the new Early Learning Center and Elementary School in the Phoenixville Area School District, the district has awarded a contract of just under $3 million to Vollers Excavating and Construction for highway improvements at West Pothouse Road and Meadow Brook Lane on Thursday.

PennDOT needs the work done prior to the school’s opening for the 2017-18 school year but during the initial bidding process, all of the proposals exceeded the districts $3 million budget for this project. The resulting rebid was fruitful, as the proposal selected came in just under the desired amount.

“We had prices ranging from $3.1 million to almost $4.1 million,” said Stan Johnson, executive director of operations. “The administration and the board believed we could get a better price if we rebid it and we did. Tonight we’re pleased to come back with a bid of under $3 million, of $2.996 million.”

World Food Day Marks the Time to Help Fight Hunger

Pennsylvania and Delaware often get overlooked when it comes to dealing with hunger issues as both have food insecurity rates below the national average of 14 percent.

However, it is important to remember that nowhere is immune from hunger. Even in Chester County, there are still problems with 9.5 percent of residents underfed and one in 14 people considered “food insecure”.

The period between World Food Day on October 16th, which is focused on action against hunger, and the holidays is one of the best times to take a bite out of hunger by helping those in the community.

If you are not sure how to help, there are numerous options to choose from. You can donate gift cards, volunteer to drive for Meals on Wheels, help plan fundraising events, donate frozen turkeys, or donate in someone’s name as a gift. Every little bit can mean the world.

Herr Foods and SnackSafely.com Work Together on Allergies

SnackSafely.com, a leading website and publisher dedicated to educating families with food allergies, has welcomed Herr Foods to its Manufacturer Partnership.

The Nottingham based company’s snacks will be featured in the publisher’s Safe Snack Guide, a catalogue designed to help keep allergens such as peanuts, tree nuts and eggs out of the classroom and the home. The guide is utilized as a reference by thousands of schools and tens of thousands of parents nationwide in keeping their food safe for kids with allergies.

“The rise in food allergies is making it increasingly difficult for families to find foods they can safely enjoy together,” noted Bob Clark, Vice President of Marketing at Herr Foods “Our relationship with SnackSafely.com allows us to distribute more comprehensive allergen information so that consumers with allergy concerns can make better informed decisions about our products.”