Revised New Garden Hills plan $27 million less than original development concept
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
for $1.5 million in
2018 and formerly known as Saint Anthony’s in the Hills – its price tag was $18 million.
After a sharpenedpencil re-calculation of the estimated cost, Buck and Township Manager Christopher Himes realized that the original estimate failed to include the price of demolition, the rehabilitation of buildings, the construction of new buildings, water, sanitary and electrical service, parking, and other vital components of the park’s development.
The estimated actual costs for New Garden Hills would now come out to be north of $32 million.
Suddenly, a project that would cost millions was now a developmental kickin-the can reality check that was way above the township’s financial means. In the years since – quietly and consistently - the park has undergone a punch list of improvements, a new branding campaign and a new trail – at a cost of $469,591.
At the Sept. 15 Board of Supervisors’ meeting, however, Buck provided the broad strokes for the revised, long-term vision for New Garden Hills, which he unveiled as part of a seven-year, nine-zone phased plan that is proposed to cost $5,188,029 – more than $27 million less than the original estimate. The project – whose objective will be to create a more passive park closely aligned with its natural settings - will begin with Zone One, a one-totwo-year project that will
Oxford Borough Council still waiting for a complete plan for Moran Farm development
By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer
Oxford
Council member Peggy Ann Russell and other council members were clearly unhappy to see that some of the necessary changes in the plans were not yet completed.
Russell said, “Our solici-
tor wasn’t supposed to be here tonight but she changed her plans thinking that this plan would have the necessary changes cleaned up so this could move forward. They (Enox Land LP) still do not have a clean plan. They need to know that if this plan is not clean by September 22, this plan will be denied.”
Council also wanted it noted that they are paying for the solicitor to attend the council meetings, and it has been necessary to have her available at the past two meetings due to the Enox Land plan for the Moran Farm.
Oxford bank robbed; unidentified suspect remains at large
By Gabbie Burton Contributing Writer
A man has yet to be apprehended after he robbed the Presence Bank, located at 24 South Third Street in Oxford on Sept. 11.
At 9:05 a.m. last Thursday, the Oxford Police Department was dispatched to the bank following the activation of the bank’s alarm. Employees told police that the robber walked behind the teller counter and started reaching into the drawer for cash,
pulling the teller’s wrist out of his way. The suspect wore a cross-body bag that he protected with one hand, implying the possession of a weapon, according to police, but no weapon was ever displayed.
Presence Bank declined a request to comment.
Although police arrived on the scene in under three minutes, the man had already stolen a small amount of cash and fled the scene on foot, heading west on Locust Street
Continued on Page 4A
Borough council had a lengthy discussion at the Aug. 18 meeting, and at that time council denied approval of the plan. However, the council did approve an extension on the review of
the plan until and through Sept. 8, and the hope was that a cleaned-up plan would be submitted by the developer at that point.
“I am very frustrated they are dragging this on,” said
By Caroline Roosevelt Contributing Writer
If you see some superheroes rappelling eight stories down the Franklin Center Building on East State Street in Kennett Square on September 27, you aren’t seeing things.
Camp Dreamcatcher will be hosting its “Over The Edge” fundraiser to support programming for its next camp - the only therapeutic camp to children impacted by HIV/AIDS on the East Coast. All rappelers commit to fundraising a minimum of $1,000 and they share
By Chris Barber Contributing Writer
Members of the Kennett School Board faced the disappointment of a noteworthy student field trip cancellation but vowed not to give up on it just yet.
The trip was first announced at the June 9 school board meeting, where the board unanimously gave its approval to a proposed trip to China for 60 members of the high school chorus and eight chaperones, including Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders and choir director Ryan Battin, from Nov. 7 to 15.
The only cost to the participants would be travel to JFK Airport and health insurance, but it was announced later that the total cost covered by the backers would exceed $3,500 per student.
This trip, as described by Rizzo Saunders, was to be “an exciting opportunity for Kennett students, not only to perform internationally but also to connect with new cultures, new friends, and new perspectives.”
The climax of the trip was to be a performance by the Kennett and Chinese students of a partner school. In June, Rizzo Saunders issued this statement:
New exhibition at
Brandywine Museum
Art...1B
council member Amanda Birdwell.
At the time of the meet-
the Oxford Police Department and Union Fire Company had not been
Photo courtesy of Camp Dreamcatcher
Camp Dreamcatcher will hold its “Over the Edge” event on Sept. 27, which will invite sponsors to rappel down the wall of the Franklin Center in Kennett Square.
New Garden Hills...
Continued from Page 1A
formalize and beautify the park’s main entrance from Limestone Road and regrade the entrance’s roads. Other proposed phases will include:
Zone 2: Establish a Welcome Hub for walking trails and primary park features; stabilize structures near the entrance that include the castle and barn; create walkways, a picnic grove, a restroom, a new shade pavilion and a parking lot; add interpretive signage; and rehabilitate the nearby pond (3 to 5 years)
Zone 3: Expand walking trails with both natural and paved trails; create interpretive signage; develop naturalized landscaping and restore streambanks (3 to 5 years)
Zone 4: Stabilize the lowlying wet area at the North Hollow area along a stream tributary; and remove evasive plants species (3 to 5 years)
Zone 5: Establish mown walking fields and naturalized landscaping in the North Meadow area; add wildflower seeding to the meadow area; develop a community garden; and add light poles (5 to 7 years)
Zone 6: Remove unsightly buildings and commercial uses and restore these areas to nature; create new natural surface walking trails; restore disturbed areas with naturalized plantings (5 to 7 years)
Zone 7: Establish usable picnic grounds and passive amenities in the Summit
area of the park; restore existing gazebos; install new naturalized walking trails; create a picnic grove with furniture; restore a small amphitheater; and remove a small building and other obsolete features (5 to 7 years)
Zone 8: Remove unsightly and commercial buildings throughout the pond loop; create naturalized walking trails; and restore areas that have been disturbed through infrastructure (5 to 7 years); and
Zone 9: Revitalize the caretaker’s house by adding split rail fencing and signage.
“Together we have these ideas coming together in what we believe is a simpler and more holistic approach that will honor our trails and our nature,” Buck said.
Additional plans and funding sources
The introduction of this long-term plan to redesign New Garden Hills comes on the heels of two recent presentations by Stonewall Capital, LLC, who introduced their plans to develop White Clay Point, located just to the north of New Garden Hills that proposes to build a mixed-use development that will include 620 high-density condominium units and opportunities for retail and commercial progress.
Given its close connection to the planned development, Buck said that the new plans for New Garden Hills include two proposed footpaths connecting the development to
Local News
proposal that was
the park, as well as two vehicle entrances – one along Reynolds Road and a second that will provide transport from Route 41, through White Clay Point and to the park’s parking area near its Limestone Road entrance.
Buck said that the township will pursue several regional and state grant opportunities with the following agencies: the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission; the PA Department of Community and Economic Development; the Watershed Restoration and Protection Program; a Local Share Account (LSA) Grant; the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; and the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.
The supervisors each gave their approval to the proposal.
In other township business
Burt Rothenberger, a governance board member of the Chester County Partnership to End Homelessness partnered with Cheryl Miles, the community housing development director for Kennett Area Community Services on a presentation that addressed the county’s housing crisis.
“It comes as no surprise to any of us that we have
Oxford Borough...
Continued from Page 1A
approached for their approvals of the details of the plan, plus other items have not been addressed. Council members held concerns about whether emergency vehicles could even reach the open space in the development that was to be used for recreational purposes. At the end of the discussion, borough council confirmed the plan will come up on the agenda for the Sept. 22 meeting, and Enox was granted another extension.
In other news, Oxford Borough Council was happy to approve the appointment of Shayna Smith as the Junior Council Person for the 2025-2026 school year. Smith was sworn in by Mayor Phil Harris and took her place at the council table.
Borough council president Kathryn Cloyd welcomed Smith to her new position.
“In the future, you will have a chance to give your report and to add your items to the agenda,” Cloyd said.
Borough council’s preliminary budget for 2026 will soon be coming up for review. For those wishing to attend the next meeting with a budget discussion, an evening meeting of the Finance Committee is
a housing crisis in Chester County,” Rothenberg said.
“There are parts of our county where reasonablypriced dwellings to rent or purchase just aren’t available. There are large segments of our households that are either forced to live outside our county or are paying an unsustainable portion of their income in housing.”
The Rothenberg-Miles presentation will be profiled in an article that will appear
in the
The
on Oct. 4 at New Garden Township Park, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The event is expected to host more than 30 vendors and include entertainment, food trucks and activities for the entire family.
To contact Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
scheduled for Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Borough Hall.
It will be the only evening meeting for the remainder of the year. Other Finance meetings will be scheduled at 5 p.m. Additionally, the regular Police and Public Safety meeting is scheduled for the first Monday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Borough Hall.
The following items were approved by Oxford Borough Council at the recent meeting:
• Authorization to advertise an ordinance amending Chapter 26, Water, Part 1, Rules, Regulations, Rates and Charges.
• Resignation of police officer Karlianna Diemedio.
• Request to hire Jamie Cruz as a full-time police officer.
• Approval of the 2026 Minimum Municipal Obligation for the Police Pension Plan in the amount of $164,351.07.
• Approval of the 2026 Minimum Municipal Obligation for the NonUniformed Employee Pension Plan in the amount of $61,549.65.
Borough manager Pauline Garcia-Allen told council that a draft of the Police Study update is now ready. The Borough has been working with the neighboring townships and the Department of Community and Economic Development on this update.
The next Borough Council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 22.
Courtesy image
The revised plans for New Garden Hills, seen on the right, are anticipated to be $27 million less than the original
presented in 2021.
Sept. 24 edition of the Chester County Press
township will hold New Garden Community Day
Courtesy photo
Shayna Smith was sworn in as Oxford Borough Council’s Junior Council Person for 2025-2026.
Camp Dreamcatcher...
the spotlight in scaling down eight stories with the Philadelphia Avengers. I recently sat down with Camp Dreamcatcher Founder and Executive Director Patty Hillkirk to learn more about this unique fundraiser, as well as the continuing mission of the agency.
Caroline Roosevelt: Tell me a little bit about the new mission of Camp Dreamcatcher.
Patty Hillkirk: What we started in 1996 was a program specifically to serve HIV/AIDs impacted youth, which it still is. However, we’re getting more youth who have experienced trauma and have mental health challenges, so we’ve expanded to serving youth impacted by HIV/AIDS, trauma, and mental health challenges. We serve the East Coast, and I think we’re now the only one (therapeutic camp) in the United States.
In April of 2024, Camp Dreamcatcher launched its’ mentor program for youth aged 15-17. What inspired the start of this initiative?
We noticed that kids who wanted to go to school did not follow through, so there was this missing gap, and we saw it over and over again. We decided to create a year-round organized program. There was always a natural, kind of loose, mentoring program because youth matched up with the counselor just naturally, but
this was a more formalized program. Youth involved in our year-round Mentoring Program have been accepted into Temple University, Drexel University, Thadeus Stevens College of Technology, Delaware County Community College, and other local community colleges.
For many at Camp Dreamcatcher, the track is not college. The track is getting a job. The track is going to technical school. The track is basically being able to survive and help your family. When you come to this age of thinking about going to college or thinking about leaving home, there can be pressure to not do that because you are the breadwinner of the house and may feel responsible for your family.
You have been a Gestalt therapist since 1987. Talk about this form of therapy. Gestalt therapy is really focused on feelings, so if
you’re talking about your mom or your dad, instead of talking about them cognitively, we’ll pull a chair up in front of the person and say, ‘Put them in the chair and talk to them.’ Gestalt therapy connects people to feelings much deeper than other kinds of therapy.
Camp Dreamcatcher boasts many success stories in its tenured operation. Many alumni have taken the path of entrepreneurship. This past year, Camp Dreamcatcher partnered with PayPal to provide career and college readiness programs. The program focused on entrepreneurship, so Paypal invited four entrepreneurs who talked to the campers about the journey to starting your own business.
How are event preparations for this year’s “Over the Edge” going?
We currently have 32 people registered to rappel in the event and hope to reach 40 rappelers by September
27th. We are once again partnering with the Philadelphia Avengers professional Superheroes group, and seven Superheroes will be joining us at the event this year. Over $52,000 has been raised thus far and we hope to surpass the total raised in 2024, which was $75,000. There is still time to sign up to rappel, volunteer, or sponsor the event.
Sponsors for this year’s event include Genesis Healthcare, Anchor Life + Fitness, Nancy Hobbs, LGB Properties, The Market at Liberty Place, Taylor Oil & Propane, Tri-M Group, CCRES, George Lock, Jack Schwartz & Maggie O’Connor, Kennett Square Lions Club, Region 2 of Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity, Aardvark Pest Control Services, AM Skier Agency, Northbrook Press, Constellation, and Citadel Credit Union.
The “Over the Edge” event presents a beautiful metaphor. In 2023, which was the first year for the event, one of the most common reasons I heard from people for participating at “Over the Edge” was that they wanted to overcome their fear of heights. I am terrified of heights, and I heard that, and I thought that if they can do it, I think I can. After my rappel last year, I felt ‘Wow, I can do anything!’ As scared as I was, there’s that moment where you have to let go, because you’re holding on, you’re looking at the building and everyone around you says, ‘Let go!’”
The “Over The Edge” event will be held on Sept. 27 beginning at 12:00 p.m. at the Franklin Center at 128 East State Street in Kennett Square. Every dollar raised from the event will support the 30th year of Camp Dreamcatcher that will include 130 children; 200 counselors, medical personnel, professionals, and community members, who will provide 150 therapeutic sessions, 75 educational programs, 200 restorative circles, and 150 educational programs to campers. To learn more and donate, visit https://give.classy.org/ CatchingDreams2025.
The proceeds from the event will support the 30th year of Camp Dreamcatcher.
Camp Dreamcatcher provides several opportunities for campers, including horseback riding.
Robbery...
Continued from Page 1A
toward the Oxford Library.
The Pennsylvania State Police – Avondale, PA State Police Forensics, the Kennett Township Police Department, and the Southern Chester County Regional Police Department all coordinated in the response, search and evidence collection but the suspect could not be located and remains at large.
As a precaution, the Oxford Area School District put nearby Penns Grove Middle School and the elementary school buildings on restricted movement protocol Thursday after the incident but according to police, at no point were any schools believed to be in direct danger, and the protocol was lifted later that day.
Although the suspect has yet to be found, Sgt. Chris Coverly of the Oxford Police Department shared that forensic evidence was collected at the scene that will be analyzed in hopes
KCSD student trip...
Continued from Page 1A
“Experiences like this help students grow as global citizens, building the kind of understanding and cooperation that make our young people better understand geopolitics.
“This vision aligns with the goals of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, whose mission is to foster peace and intercultural understanding, support quality education, protect cultural heritage and
of identifying the suspect.
Images captured on camera footage from the bank will be used in facial recognition software to possibly identify the suspect as well.
Coverly also encouraged the local community to submit any credible tips they have to law enforcement.
“We’re hoping for the public's help in looking at the photograph and the description of the suspect, and hopefully, they can submit a tip, either by calling our dispatcher directly or there’s the link that goes right to our Crimewatch, or submit an anonymous tip,”
Coverly said.
The police department is asking local residents and businesses to review any surveillance footage from the morning of Sept. 11 that may have captured images of the suspect.
The suspect is described as follows: Race/Sex/Age: White male, late 50s to early 60s. Build: Medium, scrawny. Clothing: Gray baseball hat with navy blue brim, black windbreakerstyle jacket with red zipper/
diversity and encourage international cooperation.”
It was to be financed by UNESCO and an unidentified contact mentioned at the meeting as “Mr. Tang.”
By the Sept. 8 meeting, however, the situation had changed.
Rizzo Saunders announced, “Unfortunately, the recent decision by the United States to withdraw from UNESCO has put this opportunity at risk, since much of the financial support was tied to that partnership.”
Rizzo Saunders said that they are not giving up hope that the trip can still happen.
accents, black pants, black sneakers. Accessories: Glasses, green messengerstyle shoulder sling bag. Behavior: Kept one hand in the bag throughout the robbery, implying a weapon.
“A lot of time and energy have already gone into planning, and a meeting is scheduled to look for other funding options. Our goal is to keep this opportunity alive so Kennett students can still benefit from the cultural exchange and unforgettable experiences that come with international travel,” she said.
Although he did not call it “consolation,” Battin later in the meeting did receive approval for a choir overnight field trip to Gretna Glen Camp and Retreat Center in Lebanon that is offered to students who had auditioned for the top
He was last seen on foot, heading west on Locust Street toward the Oxford Library, and a possible vehicle has not yet been identified.
Anyone with a tip can
Chamber Choir. He said the cost of that trip is $240 for each student, of which they had to pay about $120 each.
In other business at the meeting, board member Vicki Gehrt announced that early childhood programs as the Engle Education Center for 173 learners from birth to kindergarten, is ready to provide services including preschool special education, Head Start, and Early Head Start services. These include classrooms for speech and language, developmental delays, and autism support, along with family services and
call the Oxford Police Department at 610-2683171, referencing Incident # OP-25-04847 or submit an anonymous tip via the Crimewatch Portal: https:// chester.crimewatchpa.com/
upcoming food and clothing pantries.
The Engle Education Center is housed in the same building as the Avon Grove School District’s former middle school. That center was created by a revitalization of the middle school when Avon Grove’s middle school program moved to the former high school, and a new high school was built in Jennersville. There are political questions involved in these programs, however. Earlier in the summer, President Donald Trump revoked funds for undocumented students attending Head
oxfordpd/15731/incidents/ bank-robbery
To contact Contributing Writer Gabbie Burton, email gburton@chestercounty.com.
Start. But later, according to a recent report by the American Civil Liberties Union, a federal judge has blocked Trump’s revocation of funds for those undocumented students at Head Start. Gehrt said as far as she knows, the funds are there, and she has not been notified that they are gone. The district is also proceeding with a program to evaluate and upgrade its student counseling programs. Involved in the project are the Chester County Intermediate Unit, the Kennett school staff and the school district’s stakeholders.
Courtesy photos
A still unidentified suspect man robbed the Presence Bank at 24 South Third Street in Oxford on Sept. 11.
A
worthy reason to ‘go over the edge’
In this edition of the Chester County Press, you’ll find a Q & A with Patty Hillkirk, the founder and executive director of Kennett Square-based Camp Dreamcatcher—one of the great organizations in this area that works to make the world a better place.
Camp Dreamcatcher recently held its annual camp week for children throughout the Mid-Atlantic region who have been impacted by HIV/AIDS. It may be the only such therapeutic camp still offering services of this kind to this group in the U.S.
Camp Dreamcatcher has been providing educational and therapeutic programs to thousands of children since Hillkirk founded the organization in 1996.
In a few weeks, a fundraiser will take place in Kennett Square that will help Camp Dreamcatcher continue its mission to provide youngsters with therapeutic and educational programming—all of it free of charge.
Camp Dreamcatcher’s Over the Edge fundraising event returns to Kennett Square on Saturday, September 27. The fundraiser finds volunteers who are willing to “go over the edge” of Kennett Square’s tallest building—rappelling down the Franklin Center Building all through the day. Camp Dreamcatcher is partnering with Over the Edge, a special events company that provides signature events for non-profit organizations across Canada and the United States, for this fundraiser. The participants are considered superheroes and indeed they are. The people who “go over the edge” line up donations to Camp Dreamcatcher before the event. Many make donations of their own. Last year’s fundraiser helped Hillkirk and the dedicated team of volunteers to plan and stage this year’s camp.
At camp, children and young adults enjoy an everchanging lineup of programs and activities. There are therapeutic programs that are aimed at providing the children and young adults with new ways to understand and address the challenges that they are facing. These therapeutic programs include everything from strength-based therapy and yoga to massages and mindfulness activities to wilderness-based therapy and restorative practices.
There are also educational programs on serious topics that the youngsters might be dealing with like HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, or bullying. Other educational programs can provide information about preparing for college or a career or learning about team-building and leadership.
There’s still time to help out Camp Dreamcatcher on the major fundraising event of the year by registering to rappel on September 27 or by offering financial support. For full details about Camp Dreamcatcher and the upcoming Over the Edge event, visit the organization’s website at www.campdreamcatcher.org. The fundraiser is a worthy reason to “go over the edge.”
Keeping fluoride in drinking water costs so little but helps so much
Letter to the Editor:
In the late 1950s, I was a student at Temple University’s School of Dental Hygiene which was housed at that time in Temple’s Dental School.
One of my classmates was from Colorado and she was unique in that she had never had a cavity. It was noticed that there were “pockets” of people like my classmate who were so resistant to tooth decay that
a study needed to be done. Those studies revealed that a substance called fluoride appeared naturally in the water in those areas. Adding fluoride to drinking water (one part per million) could help reduce tooth decay.
At that same time Temple was bringing elementary school children—whole classrooms at a time—into the clinic for services and the dental hygiene girls saw them first. Their mouths were a mess and these chil-
dren were living with the pain associated with rampant decay. I will forever remember the child who told me that there was a toothbrush at home but it was too big for his mouth!
The child-sized toothbrush that I presented him with, along with brushing instructions, made him so happy. I don’t doubt that he shared that brush with his siblings!
Removing fluoride from drinking water will return
us right back to 1960 when inner city children lived with unnecessary pain. It costs so little and helps so much. All children in this country do not receive regular dental care.
I would like to add that the cavity-free classmate that I referred to is still alive and well, and remains cavity free!
Shirley Annand, a retired registered dental
A Sign of the Times! Have We Forgotten How to Relate?
By Marie-Louise Meyers
The overcrowded waiting room as silent as a tomb.
Blank stares incorporated into empty faces embraced by cell phones but anxiety written as if waiting for the next shoe to fall.
Haven’t we recovered from the Pandemic where buttoned up with masks reluctant to share our space? Are we concerned about another Disruptor?
Are women the worst offenders, once so chatty breaking down social barriers, now buried in social media on their cell phones? Did the Pandemic or the recent election make such serious inroads into our lives we can’t turn the page though it may mean the survival of our free nation without allowing creative juices even argumentative ones to stir?
How do we bridge the gaps that exist without making connections?
The silence suddenly broken by a whistle coming from the earnest throat of a boy wanting to feel both at ease in the strained
surroundings, and a way to hug the room creating warmth with lips curved inward then expelling air as if to say I’m with you all the way declaring empathy in the most dramatic way venturing out of a protected place with a common talking point extending beyond boundary lines.
I spoke to him of “The Whistler” a long ago radio show, a detective, who wanted to make the streets safe by his whistling presence which engendered fear in every hoodlum within ear shot.
The boy was excited now, eyes as big as saucers, while the rest of the room never stirred, his mother’s eyes hinting at a faint smile but locked into her cell phone all the while.
I asked him his age, “eight,” he said, “I’m two eights together!”
While we continued to converse, I gave him a brief history of my era, without TV, cell phones, even landlines, how we passed our
Financial Focus
time, never failing to break the ice over the warmth of a pot-bellied stove, fire place or an extra setting for the neighbor or meter reader who came to each home.
No matter where we were making others feel comfortable and safe breaking any tension existing, our voices resounding amongst the people surrounding us.
How can we hope for empathy in our society, sustain it when we have forgotten the human factor, the desperate need for our voices to be heard whether ringing with an anthem so sweet it bears repeating or resilient to the last with our bastion of belief.
Only this little boy understood breaking the solitude in a crowded waiting room was a means of connecting.
Why didn’t the room erupt into laughter and happily ever after with eager tongues awaiting response from others telling their stories?
Spontaneity the key, how many caught in a quagmire of their own making? There was a lightness to capitalize on in this blight of silence. Will this earnest little boy be rewarded or be considered an intrusion to the usual fare of non-inclusion.
Was he protected enough to think a world without end!
Will he build on the whistle with the years? Hardly without a receptive audience to cheer him on or in even more creative ways to make an impression with only a faint smile emanating from his mother hidden by her cell phone with others thinking only an illusion intruding on their space.
Cell phones are just faceless images, but they have more appeal to some who cannot extend themselves to others or bear up under scrutiny thinking all their prayers superficial or serious will be answered by social media bypassing the real world of touch and feel as if a support system.
Look at your financial situation holistically
When you plan a trip, you consider not only the destination but also the climate, activities that interest you, transportation needs, anticipated costs, best time to go and coverage for your work, home or pets. It’s a holistic approach — looking at your trip from a variety of
angles.
It’s wise to apply that same holistic thinking when you plan for your financial future — that is, bringing into the picture all elements of yourself. Here are some things that may affect your financial strategy:
Chester County Press
Published by - The Lieberman Family
Steve Hoffman...............................Managing Editor
Richard L. Gaw...............................Associate Editor
Chris Barber.............................Contributing Writer
Alan E. Turns...........................Advertising Director
Teri Turns...............................Advertising Executive
Helen E. Warren....................Advertising Executive
Gabbie Burton.........................Contributing Writer, ....................Digital Marketing and Media Specialist
• Your views on helping your family: Your decisions about helping your family are clearly going to be a major part of your financial strategy, and this is true at virtually all stages of your life. When your children are young, you’ll need to decide if you’re going to save money for their college education, and if so, how much, and in what investments. When they’re young adults, you may also need to decide how much financial support you’re willing to provide for major expenses such as down payments on a new home or a new car. And when you’re drawing up your estate plans, you’ll need to consider how and when to distribute assets to your children, grandchildren or other family members.
• Your personal beliefs: As someone with civic, ethical and moral concerns, you may feel compelled to make charitable gifts throughout your life and then make philanthropy part of your legacy. To accomplish these objectives, you’ll want to include gifting techniques in your financial strategy today and your estate plans
for tomorrow. Of course, for the estate-planning component, you’ll need to work with your tax and legal advisors.
• Your purpose in life when you retire: Having a purpose can bring fulfillment beyond financial security. Leading up to retirement, your purpose may involve providing for your immediate family, bringing value to your profession or contributing to your community. When you retire and step off your career path, you’re entering a new world of possibilities. How will you define, and live out, your new sense of purpose at this stage of your life? Do you seek to broaden your horizons by traveling around the world or spend more time volunteering? Can you pursue hobbies that give you a chance for selfexpression? Each of these choices will carry different financial implications for how much you’ll need to accumulate for retirement and how much income you will need to take out each year from your retirement accounts, such as your IRA and 401(k).
• Your health: Your physical and mental health
can play big roles in your financial plans and outlook.
On the most basic level, the healthier you are, and the better you take care of yourself, the lower your health care bills will likely be during retirement, which will affect the amount you need to put away for health care. And you also may need to prepare for the costs of long-term care, which can be enormous — in fact, a private room in a nursing home in can easily cost $100,000 per year, according to Genworth, an insurance company.
It can be challenging to weave all these elements into a single, unified vision, so you may want to get some help from a financial professional. But, in any case, be prepared to look at your situation holistically because, when putting together a lifetime’s financial strategy, every part of your life matters.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor, Joe Oliver. Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your attor-
ney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.
Joe Oliver is a lifelong Oxfordian, husband, father, and financial advisor with Edward Jones Investments. Joe services business owners and individual investors by helping them accomplish their financial goals. For a complimentary financial consultation, connect with Joe at Joe.Oliver@ Edwardjones.com.
Joe Oliver, CFP,AAMS Financial Advisor 2250 Baltimore Pike Oxford, Pa. 19363 484-702-9311 www.edwardjones.com/ joe-oliver Edward Jones, Member SIPC
Joe Oliver
hygenist New Garden Township
Brandywine Museum of Art to present first solo museum exhibition of Jerrell Gibbs’ work
A new exhibition at the Brandywine Museum of Art will highlight the first decade of artist Jerrell Gibbs’ career.
Jerrell Gibbs: No Solace in the Shade will be on view beginning on Sept. 28. His dynamic, large-scale figurative paintings of family, friends and community focus on everyday scenes of black life, transforming them into monumental moments that highlight the universal themes of identity, reflection and belonging.
Organized by the Brandywine, this project will mark the artist’s first solo museum exhibition and first monographic publication—and is also the museum’s first solo presentation of an emerging, contemporary artist. The exhibition will feature more than 30 paintings drawn from both museum and private collections throughout the United States and Europe, and it will be on view at the Brandywine through March 1, 2026.
Across Gibbs’s career, he has challenged the near invisibility of black life in American art. He does so by celebrating his culture with profound compassion and insight, often weaving in narratives and images from his own upbringing.
Several paintings in the exhibition represent people from the artist’s own life while others are drawn from old family photographs or feature anonymous figures found in old scrapbooks.
For example, in “Boy meets Girl” (2023), Gibbs shows both his interpretation of the found image and the plastic binding of its scrapbook setting. In his creative process, Gibbs explores questions of identity and the passage of time. He also conveys the joy and
No Solace in the Shade is on view beginning
Sept. 28
liveliness of black life and contemplates it through positive representations in works such as “The Electric Slide” (2024), depicting a backyard dance party.
Shifting away from menacing racial stereotypes often present in other artists’ earlier depictions of black life—particularly images of black men— Gibbs instead surrounds his subjects with beauty, whether it be flowering trees or lushly patterned interiors. The black men he depicts are in repose, lost in thought, holding a bundle of flowers or planting them, as in “Man with Lilacs” (2021), or simply enjoying the company of family and friends. Through Gibbs’s brush, black people are living, not just surviving.
“We are thrilled to be organizing Jerrell’s first solo museum exhibition, which has been several years in the making at Brandywine,” said Thomas Padon, the James H. Duff director of the Brandywine Museum of Art. “Jerrell is a painter of astonishing creativity and a storyteller who crafts a world of timeless themes. His vigorous, dazzling brushwork
is paired with highly personal imagery evoking contentment and joy, where ordinary moments become elemental.
“His work also extends and expands on, in an exciting way, the figurative tradition that is so well represented in the Brandywine’s collection, which has grown over the years to include important works by contemporary artists—including a recent acquisition of a major painting by Gibbs that will be in the exhibition.”
This exhibition is guest curated by Angela N. Carroll, a writer, art historian and professor based in Baltimore.
“Anyone who experiences Jerrell’s work, virtually or in person, is moved by what they encounter,” said Carroll. “No Solace in the Shade celebrates the power of human connection, the quiet dignity of everyday life, and the beauty of family. This important survey of Gibbs’s iconic métier is an outstanding opportunity for audiences to experience his works. The presentation at the Brandywine also places him firmly in the long tradition of American
Gibbs: No Solace in the Shade is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue co-published by Rizzoli Electa and the Brandywine.
The first monographic treatment of Gibbs’s work, this major publication features an essay by Carroll, a timely conversation between Gibbs and Jessica Bell Brown, executive director at the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University, about his process, style and technique, a discussion between Gibbs and Larry Ossei-Mensah, a curator and cultural critic, about cultural references and inspirations, a long-form lyrical poem in response to the artist’s “The Notes Series: Salvador Portraits” by filmmaker and poet NIA JUNE, and a photographic documentation of Gibbs’s artistic process by Washington, D.C.–based photographer Kelvin Bulluck.
Major support for Jerrell Gibbs: No Solace in the Shade is provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.
About the Brandywine Museum of Art
The Brandywine Museum of Art features an outstanding collection of American art housed in a 19th-century Mill building with a dramatic steel and glass addition overlooking the banks of the Brandywine Creek. The museum is located on Route 1 in Chadds Ford.
Current admission rates and hours of operation can
be found at www.brandywine.org/hours. Guided tours of the Andrew Wyeth Studio, N.C. Wyeth House & Studio and the Kuerner Farm—all National Historic Landmarks—are available seasonally (for an additional fee). Advance reservations are recommended. For more information, call 610-388-2700 or visit brandywine.org/museum. The museum is one of the two programs of the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.
About the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art preserves and promotes the natural and cultural connections between the area’s beautiful landscape, historic sites and important artists. The Conservancy protects the lands and waters throughout the Brandywine Valley and other priority conservation areas, developing sustainable approaches to emerging needs and assuring preservation of majestic open spaces and protection of natural resources for generations to come.
The Museum of Art presents and collects historic and contemporary works of American art, engaging and exciting visitors of all ages through an array of exhibitions and programs. The Brandywine unites the
experiences of
and
enhancing the quality of life in its community and among its diverse audiences.
figurative painters.”
Jerrell
inspiring
art
nature,
In “Boy meets Girl” (2023), Gibbs shows both his interpretation of the found image and the plastic binding of its scrapbook setting.
Photos courtesy Brandywine Museum of Art
“Nous visited the Seine, but did not swim” is a 2022 work.
Jerrell Gibbs’ “For Thomas” will be a part of the exhibit.
“Double Consciousness, 2023” appears courtesy of the collection of Michael Sherman and Carrie Tivador.
“Man with Lilacs,” a 2021 work by Jerrell Gibbs, appears courtesy of the Traci and Mark Lerner Collection.
Jerrell Gibbs’ “A Sharp” is 2021 work on oil and oil stick on canvas.
“The Electric Slide” (2024) depicts a backyard dance party. Jerrell Gibbs’ “End of Summa,” appears from the collection of the artist.
Joseph C. “Zeke” McComas passed away peacefully in his home on Sept. 5, 2025. He is survived by his loving wife, Michele McComas of Horntown, Va., two daughters, Laurie Wood (George Jones, Jr.) and Megan Shoemaker (Alonzo Shoemaker, Jr.), and seven grandchildren, Joe Wood (Ashley Wood), Hallie Noon (Coleman Noon), Al Shoemaker, Noah Shoemaker (Shaylee Shoemaker) and Carley, Zeb and Ruby Shoemaker. Also surviving are five great-grandchildren, Logan and Brayden Wood, Cora Noon, Oliver and Abigail Shoemaker, four step-children, David and Dan Rice and Shyheim and Derrell Holden. Born and raised in Oxford, he was preceded in death by his late parents, Robert and Bernice Bennett Smith, and Carole Miller McComas and Patricia and Brian Rice.
He retired from the Experimental Station at DuPont. Joe loved drag-racing and being a racer himself. He was a member of the Nostalgia Drag Racing Association and was awarded the Legion of Honor. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame at EMMR Racing Historical Society in Dillsburg, Pa. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, part of the The DuPont Fish and Game, and was a proud member of Remington Society of America. His favorite hobby was skeet shooting. He also loved bluegrass music. Joe was truly loved and will surely be missed. Funeral services for Joe will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. at 86 Pine St. in Oxford. Visitation begins at 10 a.m.
Interment will be held in Oxford Cemetery at noon. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
Does the paranormal exist in the General Warren and beyond?
A dinner and discussion about author Bruce E. Monday’s new book takes place on Sept. 17
Since 1745, the historic General Warren has been Great Valley’s premier destination for fine dining, elegant accommodations and refreshing spirits, but the inn’s spirits may not all come from a bottle.
On Wednesday, September 17, author Bruce E. Mowday presents detailed
accounts of unexplained incidents at the General Warren, which is located at 9 Old Lancaster Road in Malvern. The General Warren stories are chronicled in Mowday’s new book, Gettysburg Mysteries and More: Unexplained Personal Paranormal Phenomena.
“This will be a fun evening. Audience participation will be encouraged,” Mowday said. “People should note the evening won’t contain ghost stories. I was asked to do a ghost book for Gettysburg consumption. I told them I don’t write fiction but I had some unexplained personal encounters that could be paranormal. Thus, my new book.”
Avon Grove Lions provide eye screenings to children
The evening begins at 5:15 p.m. with a chance to talk with Mowday before a special dinner at 6 p.m. The cost is $56 and includes the lecture, dinner, coffee, tea and soft beverages. Alcohol beverages, taxes and gratuity are extra.
“Bruce’s presentations on his books at the General Warren are always entertaining and well attended,” said General Warren proprietor Patrick J. Byrne. “I urge people to call as soon as possible for reservations.”
Reservations can be made by calling (610) 296-3637 or by going to the inn’s website, www.generalwarren.com.
Byrne was interviewed for the book. He recounted strange stories about the inn.
“Finding rational explanations for the encounters are difficult,” Mowday said. “I’ve had experiences at Gettysburg, other historical sites and one at a German concentration camp. I’ve never had a spirit touch me and I’ve never seen an apparition. There are three types of people at paranormal investigations. One group believes every movement is connected to a spirit. Another group
believes everything can be rationally explained. The third group isn’t convinced either way. I’m in the third group.”
Mowday has written more than 25 books on history, true crime, business and sports. His latest true crime book is A Killer at the Door about crab-walking murderer Danilo Cavalcante.
Cavalcante escaped from Chester County Prison almost two years ago.
Mowday will have signed copies of his books available for purchase. For more information, see www. mowday.com.
“I’ve given several presentations on my books at the General Warren,” Mowday said. “Each one has included wonderful food and excellent service. I always look forward to visiting the General Warren, even when I’m not presenting.”
Courtesy photo
The Avon Grove Lions recently conducted eye screenings at the Avon Grove Library’s Bluey event. The Lions screened 25 children during this event.
Comitta and Ciresi introduce companion legislation to grow Pa. tourism
State Sen. Carolyn Comitta and State Rep. Joe Ciresi recently introduced companion legislation, S.B. 994 and H.B. 1852, which will increase support for the Tourism Promotion Fund to promote and market Pennsylvania’s desirability as a vacation location to out-of-state tourists.
“Increasing Pennsylvania’s tourism outreach is about more than just attracting visitors – it will help uplift our local economy, support our small businesses, and showcase
the unique character of communities across the commonwealth,” Comitta said. “With our legislation, we will be able to expand our tourism efforts, help create good-paying jobs, and show people across the nation that Pennsylvania’s attractions and destinations plus our arts and cultural sites have something for everyone to enjoy.”
The legislation would redirect state Hotel Occupancy Tax revenue collected by booking agents on behalf of unlicensed hotels (such as Airbnbs and
other home-stays) from the state’s General Fund to the Tourism Promotion Fund, which already receives money from booking agent accommodation fees.
A longtime supporter of legislative initiatives to increase Pennsylvania’s visibility as a tourist destination, Ciresi said, “Investing in our tourism industry is a win-win for Pennsylvania. As one of our largest industries, tourism drives economies both big and small, creating family-supporting jobs throughout the state. The
Notice: West Grove & Jennersville Self Storage, LLC
Will be holding a LIVE PUBLIC ONLINE
West Grove Mini Storage, 280 Kelton Road, West Grove, PA 19390
Sept 19 @ 10:00 am
Contents in the following units will be sold due to nonpayment of rent pursuant to the PA Self Service Storage Facilities Act to satisfy the owner’s lien.
West Grove Mini Storage, 280 Kelton Rd., West Grove, PA 19390 (610) 869-4032
404 J Kauffman; 1218 W Sherry; 454 R Combs; 624 R Harrison; 420 & 428 A Osborne; 1216 J Ellis; 622 F Davis; 1201 A McDaniel; 224 D Burger
Jennersville Self Storage, 3 Briar Drive, West Grove, PA 19390 (610) 869-7060
160 C Antonini; 281 K Kalb
Property will be sold by unit to the highest bidder. Cash Payments after the auction ends.
Company reserves the right to remove any storage unit from sale, refuse any online bid and cancel sale without prior notice.
ESTATE NOTICE
Estate of Ann P. Orr Late of Berwyn, Easttown Township, Chester County, PA, LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Andrew A. Orr, Jr., Executor, 110 Grays Lane, Haverford, PA 19041. 9p-3-3t
NOTICE
PENNSBURY TOWNSHIP
ZONING HEARING BOARD
NOTICE is hereby given that the Zoning Hearing Board of Pennsbury Township will hold
money from our tourism industry also goes back into the economy, supporting our festivals, performances, cultural events, and cultural and historical sites — in addition to our restaurants, our hotels and more. When Pennsylvania’s tourism thrives, so does every aspect of life in the commonwealth, from corner to corner.
“As Pennsylvania is at the center of America250’s celebrations, we should seize the moment to expand our tourism efforts and maximize on the eco-
nomic opportunities it will offer the commonwealth.”
The Pennsylvania Tourism Office released a report last year showing that the state welcomed 192.4 million visitors in 2022, generating $76.7 billion in economic impact, supporting 486,871 jobs, and contributing $4.7 billion in state and local taxes.
“By expanding our support for marketing Pennsylvania as a destination while also investing in our historical, cultural, and artistic attractions and institutions, we can use this potential to draw tourists, grow our economy and create jobs,” Ciresi said. Revenue collected would be allocated to the Department of Community and Economic Development to promote and market Pennsylvania to out-of-state visitors, and to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts to expand state grant programs that support the historical, cultural and artistic attractions tourists come to see.
Notice of Self Storage Sale
Please take notice Storage First Kennett Square 328 W Mulberry St., Kennett Square PA 19348 intends to hold a public sale to the highest bidder of the property stored by the following tenants at the storage facility. This sale will occur as an online auction via www.storageauctions.com on 9/23/2025 at 10:00 AM. Edwin Ford unit #56
This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms and conditions apply.
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a Public Hearing at the Pennsbury Township Building, 702 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, on September 29, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at which time the Board will hear the following matter: In re: Application of Peter Paulsen seeking a variance from the 20 foot side yard setback requirement under Zoning Ordinance Section 162-603.E, and such other relief as may be required, so as to allow construction of an addition to the residential dwelling that would be located just 8 feet three inches from the rear property line on property located at 2066 Parkersville Road, West Chester, PA (UPI #64-1-3) in the Township’s R-3 Residential Zoning District.
If you are a person with a disability and wish to attend the public meeting scheduled above and require an auxiliary aide, service or other accommodation to participate in the proceedings, please contact Christina Church at 610-3887323 to discuss how Pennsbury Township may best accommodate your needs. Edward M. Foley, Solicitor Brutscher, Foley, Milliner, Land & Kelly, LLP, 213 East State Street Kennett Square, PA 19348 9p-10-2t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF OLLIE MARIE PAISLEY a/k/a OLLIE M. PAISLEY, DECEASED. Late of New Garden Township, Chester County, PA. LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to MARVIN L. PAISLEY, EXECUTOR, 528 Egypt Run Rd., Landenberg, PA 19350, Or to his Attorney: TIMOTHY H. KNAUER, 7921 Ashley Pointe Dr., Lakeland, FL 33811 9p-10-3t
PUBLIC NOTICE
A Land Patent in Chester County, PA is being perfected upon Rural Route 25 Bills Way in Landenberg. Anyone interested in challenging this claim by November 10, 2025, do so at AmericanMeetingGroup.com/ mccaffrey 9p-10-8t
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One year on: Chester County makes strides with efforts to provide mental health crisis support
Chester County’s introduction of its Human Needs Network (HNN) last year brought a local focus to helping residents who are experiencing mental health concerns or a crisis, who are impacted by behavioral health issues, or who are experiencing a housing crisis. And one year later, the result of this local focus is making a real difference.
The Human Needs Network was researched and developed post-COVID and launched in 2024 with financial and resource support from the Chester County Commissioners. The extensive development process included input from leaders of more than 50 local organizations who represent all sectors of the community.
At the core of the Human Needs Network of Chester County is a locally based contact center and mobile crisis resolution teams. Ultimately, the key purpose in establishing the program – and especially its 9-8-8 suicide and crisis lifeline service –was to save lives.
One year later, Chester County’s Human Needs Network is fielding an average of 1,500 distress calls each month and deploying around 150 mobile crisis teams monthly to support individuals experiencing acute crises—true to the mission reflected in the team’s name.
“In 2023, before the Human Needs Network was formally
established, Chester County had a total of 195 mobile dispatches for the entire year, so our figures now show a significant increase in the number of behavioral health responses,” said Bridget Brown, Chester County’s Behavioral Health Crisis Response Program director.
Trained counselors at the Chester County HNN Contact Center in West Chester respond to calls when anyone in the county dials 9-8-8, the three-digit national crisis line.
Established as the national suicide lifeline in 2022, this number operates alongside the existing 10-digit lifeline, which also remains available for callers in distress.
All calls are confidential, and counselors carefully evaluate the caller’s needs during the conversation.
In most cases, the 9-8-8 phone call and the resources provided are sufficient.
However, if additional help is needed, a two-person Mobile Crisis Resolution Team may be dispatched—traveling without lights or sirens— to meet the caller in their community.
“There are many success stories that come from our local Human Needs Network approach,” said Rachael Yudt, program manager for the HNN mobile crisis teams.
“When a community member feels heard, seen, valued, and respected by our team, the crisis is de-escalated, and they receive the help they need through the right treat-
ment. We consider that a success. We are especially proud of how many hospitalizations are voluntary rather than involuntary as a result of this new approach.”
Yudt supervises three team leaders and 20 staff members across four shifts for Chester County’s Mobile Crisis Resolution Teams. Each twoperson team consists of one clinician and one certified peer specialist, each bringing unique expertise. Certified peer specialists have personal lived experience with mental health challenges and are now in recovery. They become certified through comprehensive training and internships.
When they are dispatched, Chester County’s Mobile Crisis Resolution Teams assess various situations, from someone who is very upset and may be acting out, to someone who may be considering suicide. After the initial contact, and support or treatment decisions are made,
the teams will follow up with those they have helped.
Two mobile crisis team members, both military veterans, were recently dispatched together to aid another veteran who was going through a mental health crisis. In that situation, their personal experience was just as vital as their professional training.
“Many times when we’re on a call, I’ll think, there’s no way this person is going to agree to get help. You can tell they are really struggling,” said one veteran. “It maytake one, two or even three hours of conversation to turn things around, but it happens. I’ve even had people tell me that I’m the first person who understands.”
The Mobile Crisis Resolution Teams are currently based in Coatesville, with a satellite office in Phoenixville, and are dispatched by crisis counselors at the Human Needs Network’s contact center, located in Chester County’s
Government Services Center in West Chester. Alongside the counselors who answer 9-8-8 calls around the clock, the contact center also operates the 2-1-1 information and referral service, which assists individuals seeking housing, utility, and other human services support.
To better serve the community, the 2-1-1 call-takers include a mobile component.
Equipped with laptops, these mobile navigators regularly visit community locations like libraries and community centers, where residents can meet them in person or call 2-1-1 to schedule an appointment.
Yudt regularly provides emotional support and along with the program supervisors, debriefs with the mobile crisis teams after a dispatch. She notes that the work can be challenging, but those in the field have a passion for
the work.
“We like to debrief and decompress before the end of each shift. These team members have empathy, compassion, and the ability to communicate well, even under pressure. But they also need to be self-aware. It is important that they use the support for their emotional well-being when needed,” Yudt said.
The Human Needs Network of Chester County was funded, in part, through the American Rescue Plan Act. Chester County has contracted with Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems for the 9-8-8 suicide and crisis line, and with Woods’ Legacy Treatment Services to oversee the Mobile Crisis Resolution Teams.
For more information about the Human Needs Network, visit www.chesco. org/human-needs-network.
Courtesy photos
Chester County Mobile Crisis Resolution Team members are a key part of the county’s Human Needs Network.
Bridget Brown (right) Chester County’s Behavioral Health Crisis Response Program director, with Rachael Yudt (second on left), program manager for the Chester County Human Needs Network mobile crisis teams, and Mobile Crisis Resolution Team members Chris (left) and Tyler.
‘We are joining forces instead of working in silos’
Gun Violence
prevention advisory group discusses long-term safety for Pennsylvania
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
One year after being established as a measure to help curb gun violence in the state, the Pennsylvania Office of Gun Violence Prevention held its first advisory group meeting with key stakeholders on Sept. 9 in Harrisburg to discuss possible measures that will continue to ratchet down the number of gun-related incidents in the Commonwealth.
In 2019, Pennsylvania was one of the first states in the country to designate a state-level Office of Gun Violence Prevention. In the years since, more than a dozen states – in addition to numerous cities and municipalities – across the United States have established dedicated Offices of Violence Prevention.
On Sept. 9, 2024, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Executive Order 2024-02 that reestablished the office within the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).
Since the office was reinstated a year ago, it has run parallel to several promising numbers that reflect a large improvement in the area of public safety. In 2024, homicides in Pennsylvania dropped 23 percent, outpacing the national decline of 15 percent. Further data shows that 30 counties in the Commonwealth saw reductions in homicides in 2024 - including Philadelphiawhich recorded a 36 percent drop last year and a 22 percent decline so far in 2025. Further statistics show that other violent crimes committed with firearms also decreased statewide in 2024 compared to the prior year, including a 15 percent reduction in aggravated assault by firearm and 32 percent decrease in robbery by firearm incidents.
“Today’s convening marks a key step in our fight against gun violence and highlights the critical work that we’ve done over the past
year to better understand and address the trends,” said Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, chair of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). “By bringing together committed individuals from every corner of the Commonwealth, we are turning research and stakeholder input into real strategies that will save lives and make our communities safer.”
While the forum acknowledged these statistics, it did so over the continuing cloud of gun-related violence that pervades throughout the U.S. in what has been redefined as a public health epidemic. In the first eight months of 2025, the U.S. has recorded 309 shootings that have led to the deaths of 302 people and the wounding of an additional 1,354 people.
In Pennsylvania, gun violence claims the lives of more than 1,500 Pennsylvanians each year and injures thousands more. According to 2022 statistics from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1,900 Pennsylvanians were killed as a result of firearm-related injuries – a rate of nearly 15 deaths per 100,000 residents.
Additionally, firearmrelated injuries remain the leading cause of death among
children and adolescents; black Pennsylvanians are more than 22 times as likely to die by gun homicide as white Pennsylvanians; guns accounted for 60 percent of all suicides in the state during 2023; and in 2023, 77 percent of domestic violence homicide victims in Pennsylvania were killed by guns.
As part of an all-points bulletin aimed at providing solutions, the office released an initial report and strategic plan this year that is based on the results of the seven stakeholder listening sessions the office has hosted:
● Increasing investments in community-based violence intervention and prevention programs and bolstering resources for victims’ services
● Improving data collection, availability, analysis, and research on firearm-related incidents
● Developing a statewide “blueprint” for expanding strategies to promote youth safety and well-being in collaboration with young people and youth-serving organizations
● Encouraging safer gun ownership practices by raising awareness of and addressing barriers to secure firearm storage
practices
● Advancing local suicide prevention initiatives and postvention strategies and
● Strengthening protections and resources to reduce domestic violencerelated shootings
The Shapiro administration has continued to stress the importance of investing in youth-serving programs and violence prevention initiatives. Since January 2023, PCCD has awarded $85 million in Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) grant funding for more than 130 projects across Pennsylvania, and last January, PCCD announced the first-ever recipients of Building Opportunity through Outof-School Time (BOOST) funding.
PCCD also recently announced more than $4 million in federal Byrne SCIP funding to help communities across Pennsylvania reduce gun violence, address firearm suicides, prevent intimate partner homicides, and strengthen local behavioral health crisis responses; and continues its work to better support survivors, families, and caregivers in Pennsylvania affected by
gun violence through its Resources for Victims of Gun Violence Initiative.
In addition to the OGVP’s Executive Committee, PCCD will be launching regional advisory groups later this fall to help shape the Commonwealth’s gun violence prevention strategy. Stakeholders who are interested in participating in these regional groups can sign up using OGVP’s Stakeholder Interest Form.
“We’re taking a comprehensive approach to make Pennsylvania communities safer— addressing trauma, supporting mental health, and disrupting cycles of violence at the root,” said Kirsten Kenyon, PCCD’s
Unionville HS senior completing vet science program at TCHS
executive director. “By bringing together survivors, advocates, public safety and health experts, and leaders from state and local agencies, we are joining forces instead of working in silos. “Every community in our commonwealth has unique needs and challenges, but one truth remains the same—too many lives are being cut short by gun violence. That’s what we’re here to change.”
To read the initial report by the Pennsylvania Office of Gun Violence Prevention, visit www.pa.gov.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
The educational opportunities for Unionville High School senior Gina Gallo are an illustration of how the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) is dedicated to providing high-quality, student-centered services that help every learner succeed. These opportunities create personalized pathways for students to follow their passions and achieve their goals.
Gallo is completing her fourth year in the Veterinary Science program at the Chester County Technical College High School (TCHS) Pennock’s Bridge campus, where she gains hands-on experience in animal care and agricultural science. The program equips students with technical skills while offering real-world learning opportunities that align with Gallo’s passion for agriculture.
“Gina is a very outgoing student who is willing to try new things,” said Sarah
Martin, a Veterinary Science instructor. “She is active in the TCHS Pennock’s Bridge FFA Chapter and attends field trips and leadership events to enhance her educational experience.” FFA is a career and technical student organization (CTSO) within the field, focusing on agricultural education. In addition to her work in Veterinary Science program, Gallo also participates in the Teacher Leadership Academy (TLA) in the afternoons. The program provides students with leadership development and practical classroom experience, allowing them to explore teaching careers and work with diverse learners.
Over the summer, Gallo volunteered for five weeks at Camp Geronimo in West Chester, a camp for children with disabilities. Through this experience, along with the learning support she receives at TCHS, she discovered a passion for special
education. Gallo hopes to combine her interests in agriculture and special education in her future career.
To complete her busy schedule, Gallo takes a Brandywine Virtual Academy (BVA) English course, reflecting CCIU’s commitment to custom, personalized education plans to meet students’ needs.
“Without BVA, I wouldn’t have an English class — and I need four years of English to graduate. It’s been so helpful to be able to do it online instead of trying to fit another class into my already busy schedule. BVA gives me the flexibility to work on my English class in between the Vet Science program and TLA,” Gallo said.
“BVA and TCHS have worked hard to integrate their programs to ensure that all students who would like to pursue career and technical pathways can do so without scheduling barri-
ers, through a personalized combination of online courses and in-person CTE programs,” added Dr. Jeanne McCarthy, director of BVA.
“Too often, students are told that plans outside the ‘normal’ aren’t possible,” said TLA instructor Ryan Thompson. “Gina found a way to make her passion for agriculture work with her interest in education. Creativity in scheduling and support from UnionvilleChadds Ford School District made Gallo’s dream a reality. We’re arranging placements for internships in both regular education classrooms and agricultural education classrooms in southern Chester County. These experiences before she even enters college will help shape her future career.”
Gallo is also enrolled in dual enrollment courses and will earn college credits through Delaware County
Community College (DCCC) while attending TCHS.
Gallo’s story exemplifies how CCIU blends technical education, leadership training, and academic support to meet students’ individual goals. By providing flexible and innovative pathways, CCIU empowers students to build skills, confidence, and clarity for their futures.
As she prepares to graduate this spring, Gallo stands
as a living example of the CCIU’s mission and vision of building tomorrow’s leaders today through customized education.
“The CCIU has really helped me customize my learning experience to fit what I want to do,” said Gallo. “Here at TCHS, I’m doing what I enjoy, and I’ve noticed that I get better grades and I’m a lot happier. It also is preparing me for the future.”
The meeting referred to the results of the office’s initial report on gun violence prevention.
Courtesy photos The Pennsylvania Office of Gun Violence Prevention held its first advisory group meeting with key stakeholders on Sept. 9 in Harrisburg.
Image courtesy of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency
Courtesy photo
Gina Gallo in the TCHS Pennock’s Bridge Veterinary Science classroom with her class rabbit, Picasso.
