In today's DLN, you'll find a report on recent violent crime in and around Coatesville. In the report, Chester County District Attorney Joseph Carroll says violent crime is at the highest level he's seen. Carroll went on to say the crime is worse than the days of the notorious, gun-toting gang Young Guns, which was on Coatesville's streets in the 1990s.

You can read about Carroll's comments and get information on the latest shooting in the city by clicking here.

Also, what do you think? Is crime at a new level in Coatesville? What factors do you think have triggered the recent violence? Share your thoughts here.

An independent R&B singer slated to perform at a music festival next weekend was shot in his home early Friday morning.

Kaijo Waan Hughes, 23, was shot in his home in the 100 block of Irish Lane in Valley about 1:45 a.m. during a home invasion and robbery, according to Valley Police Chief Joe Friel.

Hughes was in critical condition Friday evening, Friel said. No one has been arrested for the shooting.

Hughes, who was an honor student when he attended Coatesville Area Senior High School, is slated to perform at the second annual Music for the People Festival on Aug. 2 in Marion, Ind.

Hughes has seven songs posted on his MySpace Music page, which often up and coming musicians use to get discovered. Each song has roughly 1,000 hits.

In 2000, Hughes and two others performed at the South Coatesville Community Day. Then, the trio was a rap group known as Turbulent Minds.

A gas main ruptured in the 100 block of East Miner Street in West Chester Friday morning, causing emergency crews to evacuate multiple blocks surrounding the leak and shut down streets. The gas started oozing into the air after Aqua America crews pierced the gas main.

To see a map of the area affected, click here: WCMap.pdf

Around 2:30 p.m. things were back to normal. See a full report in Saturday's Daily Local.

Downingtown Lt. Steven Plaugher is retiring after serving for 30 years in the police department.

But he's not going very far.

Plaugher has been selected to be Downingtown's assistant borough manager. The transition is slated to take place at the end of August.

The governor's office told the DLN today that Lt. Col. Frank Pawlowski, of Uwchlan, is among those being considered to replace state police Commissioner Jeffrey Miller.

Gov. Ed Rendell picked Pawlowski to act as commissioner when Miller announced this month he'll be leaving in August to take a job with the NFL. Over the next few days, Rendell is expected to announce who he wants to fill the position permanently. The state senate must cofirm the nomination.

Tredyffrin residents have an opportunity to learn more about police work this fall. To learn more about the Citizens Police Academy go here: TredyCitizensPoliceAcademy.pdf

East Whiteland police were called to a local shop Monday after a customer attempted to return a blow-up doll he had purchased only a couple hours prior.

Police say the man took the inflatable device home, opened it up, but was unsatisfied with the product. When the store refused to take back the opened merchandise, the unsatisfied customer called police.

But police presence didn't mean much, word is the store still wouldn't take back the doll.

A young teenage boy was accidentally shot Friday afternoon when he and another teen were up in the attic of a city home. Police are still investigating. The boy did not suffer life-threatening injuries, police said.

Both city and county detectives were on scene. County detectives were already in the city for the ongoing double homicide investigation.

Gov. Ed Rendell selected state police Lt. Col. Frank Pawlowski of Uwchlan to be acting commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. Pawlowski has been a trooper for 20 years and was previously captain of Troop J.

See Saturday's DLN for a related report.

Chester County District Attorney Joseph Carroll has purchased a house in Coatesville.

Check out staff writer Jon Tuleya's reporter here.
Find more info at Tuleya's blog The Coatesville Roundtable.

Family members have scheduled a funeral for Shontae Peterson who was killed, along with her boyfriend, on Sunday. Details for the service can be found here.

Funeral arrangements for Carnell Larmont Parker, Peterson's boyfriend, have not yet been released.

COATESVILLE -- There is a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever shot and killed Shontae Peterson, 21, of Valley, and Carnell Lamont Parker, 24, of Coatesville early Sunday morning in the 200 block of Charles Street. Find details here: REWARD.doc

COATESVILLE -- After completing autopsies late last night, the county coroner's office ruled the manner of death homicide for the couple killed in their dining room Sunday morning.

Officials said Monday morning that Carnell Parker, 24, died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head. His girlfriend, Shontae M. Peterson, 21, died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

No one has been arrested. The double homicide is still under investigation.

Read today's news report here.

Police are investigating after finding two people shot in the head inside a home in the 200 block of Charles Street this morning.

Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Check DLN for more details.