Supervisors, challengers square off at New Garden ‘Meet the Candidates’ forum
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
New Garden Township supervisors Kristie Brodowski and David Unger, both Democrats, sat at a table on Oct. 16 alongside two challengers for their jobs – Republicans Michael Norris and Kathy Leary – to discuss key township issues, in advance of the upcoming election Nov. 4.
The two candidates who are elected to office will serve a six-year term on the New Garden board.
Labeled as a conversation and not a debate, the “Meet the Candidates” forum drew about 30 residents to the Clubhouse at Somerset Lake, as well as more than one dozen who watched the event via Zoom. Moderated by Somerset Lake resident David Kronenberg - who is
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Photo by Richard L. Gaw
The Clubhouse at Somerset Lake in Landenberg hosted a “Meet the Candidates” town hall on Oct. 16 that invited the four candidates who are each vying for two seats on the New Garden Township Board of Supervisors. They are, from left to right, current supervisor Kristie Brodowski, challengers Kathy Leary and Michael Norris and current supervisor David Unger.
Kennett School Board receives Hispanic Heritage Month report
By Chris Barber Contributing Writer
Kennett Consolidated School District Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders relinquished her time slot early in the Oct. 13 board meeting to a report by Brenna Austin, the supervisor of English Language Development. Austin then turned her presentation over to Loretta Perna, a longtime staff advisor to the school’s Hispanic students and its La Herminatas Club. La Hermanitas is a national, countywide and local mentoring program for Latina youth.
Perna has, for more than 20 years, served a major role in overseeing the La Herminatas Club and is credited by the students and their families with the significant benefits and opportunities participation in it offers.
The Kennett Consolidated School District serves a large demographic of Spanish and Spanishspeaking students because many of their families who migrated to the Kennett Square area came to work in the local mushroom industry.
During the presentation, several of the students who have participated in the
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White Clay Point developer delivers third presentation to New Garden board, residents
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
At the Oct. 20 New Garden Township Board of Supervisors meeting, Ray Jackson returned to his familiar spot at the podium to deliver his third presentation on White Clay Point, a proposed 220-acre mixeduse development along Route 41, a topic that has stimulated conversation and concern among thousands
of township residents.
Just as he had done on July 21 and Aug. 18, Jackson, the managing partner of Stonewall Capital, LLC, unveiled the latest proposal for the planned $26.8 million project before a large audience at the Township Building. The biggest change seen in the revamped design is in the form of various housing types, which will include 35-to-40-foot-wide single-
family homes; 24-foot-wide three-story stacked townhomes; and 30-foot-wide two-story villas.
The revamped plan calls for 622 residential units, equal to the previously submitted design.
Jackson also introduced Bill Creeger, vice president of land acquisition in the Pennsylvania and Delaware division of the Lennar Corporation, who was chosen as the proposed
Chester County
development’s builder.
Based in Florida, it is the second-largest home construction company in the U.S.
Creeger provided price points for each of the proposed homes types: lower-level stacked townhomes – called “attainable” – will be priced from the low-to-mid $300,000 range; townhomes will be priced from the high $400,000s to the low $500,000s; villas –
targeted to retirees wishing to downsize – priced at the mid-$500,000s; and singlefamily homes, priced in the mid-$600,000s.
On the retail side of the proposed complex, Jackson said that the company is currently in conversation with a long-term medical rehabilitation center to occupy the site, as well as Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc., a nationwide natural
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celebrates opening
of reconstructed Rudolph and Arthur
Ribbon cut on the new bridge, replacing the 140-yearold bridge swept away by Hurricane Ida enthusiasts, and members of the local community— attended the celebration.
Chester County Commissioners Josh Maxwell, Marian Moskowitz, and Eric Roe joined State Rep. John Lawrence and Crossing Under Cover author Sara Beth Kohut this week to officially cut the ribbon on the newly built Rudolph and Arthur Covered Bridge.
More than 80 people— including project partners, historians, covered bridge
Covered Bridge
Chadds Ford Life
Photo by Steve Fender Unionville running back Brody McLaughlin scored three touchdowns to lead the Longhorns to their fifth win of the season in a 42-21 victory over Sun Valley on Oct. 17. For a complete summary of the game and additional photos, see Page 1B.
Candidates...
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the president of the Kennett Consolidated School Board of Directors – the 90-minute meeting began with each candidate giving their opening statement.
In her comments, Brodowski said that she is seeking a second term in part because of the township’s need to invest in its emergency services such as fire, police and EMS.
“It’s not just a budget number, it’s my daughter calling ‘9-1-1’ and needing help and trying to figure out what to do,” she said. “How long will it take for first responders to get there?
There have been consolidation talks with [fire and EMS services in other parts of southern Chester County].
I think about our location and how far south we are. If we need support from someone [at the Longwood Fire Department], that’s a long time to wait for a responder.”
If she is reelected, Brodowski said that she will focus her concentration on making smart investments in infrastructure projects such as roads and stormwater improvements.
Leary, a ten-year township resident, said her experience as a business owner in Delaware County taught her about “accountability, budgeting and making tough decisions that affect people’s lives,” she said.
“It showed me the importance of transparency and listening, values I think we need more of in local government.”
Leary said in recent years, she has begun to see rapid growth and overdevelopment in New Garden, which was the reason she left Delaware County.
“In Wallingford, we watched open land turn into crowded developments,” she said. “The infrastructure couldn’t keep up. Traffic got worse. Schools were packed and our taxes went through the roof.”
Leary called herself “an advocate for smart, sensible growth.”
“I am not against progress, but growth needs to happen in a way that makes sense,” she said. “We have to protect our infrastructure, our schools and the quality of life that brought us all here in the first place. I am against rezoning that benefits developers instead of residents, and I believe that every major township decision should be made with its residents, not without them.”
Norris called the upcoming election for the New Garden board a “pivotal” one.
“This is a turning point for our community,” he said. “We are on track to change the face of this place. This meeting is really about what our vision is for New Garden Township. Do we envision New Garden as a rural place where we decide to purchase a home and
raise our family, or do we see it more like Newark, Delaware, because that’s what we are on track for.”
In his comments, Unger said that over the past four years, the Democratled township board has achieved several initiatives, including funding emergency services; ending the adversarial relationship between former boards and the Avondale Fire Company; working with the fire company to explore regionalization of services with other fire departments, and cost-saving measures; funding the township’s Public Works department; passing an ordinance that now requires renters to register their properties and submit to safety inspections; hiring a grant coordinator to help the township fund projects; initiating an air quality study that recently discovered elevated levels of Hydrogen Sulfide; and purchasing the Loch Nairn golf course and converting it to the Smedley Preserve, a passive recreation area.
“We are acting responsibly by closing a structural budget deficit of over $1 million that our prior Republican leadership allowed to happen through ten years of inaction and its refusal to adjust taxes to cover increased costs,” he said.
White Clay Point
During the question-andanswer portion of the town hall, much of the discussion centered on the recent proposal by Stonewall Capital, LLC to construct White Clay Point in Landenberg, a $26.8 million, 220-acre mixed-use development project consisting of 263 single family detached homes; 90 20-foot-wide townhomes; 200 24-footwide townhomes; 112 stacked townhomes; civic spaces and park land; and 75,000 square feet of commercial space.
At the board’s Aug. 18 meeting, the developer unveiled a revised plan for the development that removes the originally proposed indoor sports complex, reduces residential density by 10 percent - from an originally proposed 680 units to 622 units - and expands opportunities for retail and commercial progress.
In his opening comments, Norris said that the current board has accelerated its decision-making processes, pointing to White Clay Point as a prime example.
“These is already a rush to push [White Clay Point] through,” he said. “At a township meeting, it was mentioned that the final approval for White Clay Point may be finished as early as the first quarter of 2026. That seems like a rush to me.”
Brodowski addressed Norris’ concern, saying that the development site has already had two nonrealized development ideas
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over the past 15 years, as well as a settlement agreement that was approved in 2007.
“The reason that it is moving through fast is because those plans have already been approved in the courts,” she said. “There’s not much we can do except negotiate those terms to the benefit of the township. We’re doing our best to get infrastructure and road improvements incorporated into these plans.”
Unger said that the proposed development will “serve to expand our tax base,” and later estimated that the tax revenue would amount to be about $500,000 a year.
“The township gets two sources of income: property tax and earned-income tax,” he said. “The goal of aging is that eventually you don’t have to pay earned income tax, so as that money goes away, your property taxes will have to increase in order to pay for that.”
Norris rejected claims by Brodowski and Unger that the board is working effectively with Stonewall Capital to broker a development that benefits township residents.
“In Somerset Lake, we roughly have 1.28 houses per acre,” he said. “When you look at what they want to put at White Clay Point, it’s four houses per acre. When you look at the Somerset Lake community, picture the houses and then picture three more in between. That’s the density [this proposed development] is going to carry.
“When we say we are going to work with the developer to develop something that is going to be better for the community. I doubt that three times the houses, three times the cars and three times the Amazon trips is going to be palatable.”
Covered bridge...
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The new bridge spans the Big Elk Creek, reconnecting Elk and New London townships in southern Chester County. It restores an important historic and practical link between the two communities, replacing the beloved 140-year-old covered bridge that was tragically destroyed in September 2021 by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. During that storm, record-breaking floodwaters—rising 19 feet above previous levels—tore the bridge apart and carried it nearly a mile downstream. Construction on the replacement bridge began in October of 2024. The new structure faithfully replicates the original 1880 design, featuring the distinctive Burr Arch Truss, and it honors the craftsmanship and heritage of the original bridge.
Both the original and the new bridge are named after the Rudolph and Arthur families, who once operated a paper mill near the site.
Chester County government owns and maintains 91 roadway bridges, as well as two bridges over the Schuylkill River co-owned with Montgomery County. More than half of the county’s bridges are over 75 years old, and many are more than 100 years old.
Of the 15 covered bridges located in Chester County, five are owned and maintained by Chester County government.
opment.
‘This isn’t my development. This isn’t my plan’
Several residents expressed concern about the impact the proposed development would have on two of the township’s roads: Sunny Dell and Reynolds Road, which border White Clay Point and will very likely see increased traffic – as well as see vehicle “spillage” to other township roads - after the development begins to be occupied by incoming residents.
‘These people – 622 houses worth of people – are not going to want to drive on Route 41 in order to get to Wilmington and Newark,” one resident said, referring his comments to Brodowksi, who lives on Watson’s Mill Road. “They’re not going to go through your neighborhood. They’re going to go through ours.”
“This isn’t my development. This isn’t my plan,” she responded. “I realize that this is frustrating to you. This isn’t something I want. This isn’t something I approved. This isn’t something Kristie signed her name next to. I didn’t do this.”
Norris agreed with the resident, saying that the proposed development would turn Reynolds Road into “an epicenter” of traffic.
“They’re going to put a traffic light at Sunny Dell Road and Route 41, so now imagine all of the tractor trailers stopping twice, once at Sunny Dell Road and once at Newark Road,” he said. “It’s going to be a complete traffic jam. Buttonwood, Sunny Dell and Newark – all of those roads are going to become cut-throughs to Delaware, because [drivers] are not going to want to wait for the tractor trailers to get out of their way.”
One resident – a teacher and a mother of children who attend Kennett schools - said that she was concerned that the White Clay Point development, once built, would lead to larger class sizes in area schools.
Unger said that the township’s recent study of the issue revealed that the new development would generate 333 new students who would attend the school district. Kronenberg then referred to a memo circulated recently by Mark Tracy
– the school district’s chief financial officer - that stated that the district feels well prepared to welcome the estimated number of new students who are anticipated to live in the development. One question, raised by a Zoom viewer, asked the candidates, “Do you see your role more as growing the township or protect residents’ values?”
“I believe it’s necessary to grow the township, as we do have issues,” Norris said. “When you look at the budget, it appears to me that this township is going bankrupt. Perhaps that’s why we need to hurry up and build this, so we can go after this tax money. The answer to the question is that we need to both. We need to protect the people who are here and create an atmosphere to entice new businesses to grow the township.”
Brodowski disputed Norris’ claim that the township is going bankrupt, saying that the numbers generated at the last 2026 budget meeting were “quite favorable.”
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
The town hall drew a large audience both in person and on Zoom, who focused much of the question-and-answer portion to the proposed White Clay Point devel-
The first vehicle to cross the reconstructed Rudolph and Arthur Covered Bridge was a 1946 Chevy pickup driven by owners Lou and Barb Mandich of Franklin Township.
Courtesy photos
The reconstructed Rudolph and Arthur Covered Bridge spans Big Elk Creek and connects New London and Elk Townships in southern Chester County.
White Clay...
Continued from Page 1A
and organic food supermarket that operates more than 400 stores in 24 states and several quick-service restaurants.
Resident concerns
Similar to Stonewall Capital’s two previous visits to the New Garden Township Building, the bulk of the presentation on Oct. 20 was reserved for residents’ feedback, the tenor of which ranged from those seeking clarification of facts to some who expressed vehement disapproval. One of the largest talking points dealt with how the proposed development and its residents will impact Reynolds Road, which borders White Clay Creek on its southern end.
Michael Norris – a candidate for the township’s Board of Supervisors - said that he has spoken with several township residents about the potential traffic hazards that may arise by adding an entrance/exit to the development from the road. He said that given the anticipated traffic increase that the development would cause on Route 41, he feared that the road would become a cut-through for those wishing to get to Delaware.
“I am a candidate for the Board of Supervisors, and
Kennett School Board...
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program explained what they have done and how they grown as a result.
Student Victoria Mattas, a senior at Kennett High School and this year’s president, explained her enthusiasm and what participation has meant to her.
“It taught me we can accomplish anything as long as we have the support of our peers,” she said.
She also mentioned trips to San Antonio, Washington and Chicago.
She yielded to her fellow members who listed
Sunny Dell Road
Reynolds Road
I have been out canvassing, and this is one of the biggest concerns for anyone who lives anywhere near Reynolds Road,” Norris said. “I realize that you guys have to have a certain density to make the project work, but the other thing is that there is a lot of upset in that community. This is a rural area, and when you add this level of density to it, it represents a big change to how people are going to live.”
“We did not want [the Reynolds Road] connec-
activities like visiting colleges, reading, story-telling and gaining financial or civic responsibility.
Several of the students talked about how they had been helped by reading stories about immigrations of others and then writing accounts of their own experiences.
The speeches were followed with pictures and names of Hispanic students from Kennett who had achieved impressive academic and professional levels.
In conclusion, the assembled board was shown videos of the entertaining events that had been presented in the elementary schools to celebrate
tion,” said Ryan Humphrey of Stonewall Capital. “We were trying to assuage the township’s desire to have access from Reynolds Road into [New Garden Hills Park]. If you want us to do away with that, let us know. We’re happy to get rid of it.”
A Reynolds Road resident expressed concern for the potential impact of chemical run-off from the proposed development on his 330-foot-deep private well.
“Contamination from the
Hispanic Heritage Month. The events included dancing, music and models of elegant designs created by Mexican seamstresses.
Later in the meeting, the Policy Committee gave its report on the use of copyrighted material.
Assistant Superintendent Michael Barber explained that the committee determined that one copy of a specific item of material may be made for a class.
However, if the students want to have further use, they may copy it from a video projection.
“[The information] is also included in their English curriculum,” Barber said.
exhaust of 1,400 cars, the contamination from nitrogen fertilizers and the use of pesticides,” he told the board. “I do not have access to public water. I have my well and that’s it. How are you going to protect our wells? If all of a sudden, I get nitrogen into my water system, what do I do? Do I call you and you gladly dig me a new well?”
“I understand your concern,” said township Solicitor Winifred Sebastian. “Maybe this is a better private conversation.”
“No, it’s not,” the resident responded. “You’re proposing 600-plus units to go up there, and 600-plus units means 600-plus lawns which means 600-plus people mowing their lawns and 600-plus lawn services and dumping everything imaginable in there, and it all runs downhill.
“So I get a poisoned well and what do I do? I come back to this esteemed body and say ‘Gee, I have a problem now?’ Then what are you going to do? You’re going to say, ‘That’s not my problem.’ I will bring up this conversation and say that I did ask you to force [the developer] to test the wells in the area for specific levels of chemicals –”
“I understand that this issue is not closed for you, but it seems to me that
you have expressed your concern, and they have expressed theirs,” Sebastian responded.
One township resident pointed to the proposed design of White Clay Point projected on the meeting room’s screen.
“What are you doing to us here?” he asked. “Somerset Lake and all of this beautiful area around here is going to be congested with all of this. I protest…I protest.”
Next steps
Given that the township sold its wastewater system to Aqua Pennsylvania and the need to update stormwater requirements, Jackson said that Stonewall Capital is currently seeking to amend the settlement agreement for the property, which was established in 2007 and approved a concept plan for the site that is not applicable to White Clay Point.
He said that Stonewall Capital is also investing between $5 million to $7 million in traffic improvements that will be required for the proposed development, as well as investment
in preserving historical structures near the site and facilitating stormwater upgrades that will be necessary at New Garden Hills, which is adjacent to White Clay Point.
“The amendment to the settlement agreement will allow us to pursue our concept plan, and then we will go through the normal course of the land development process,” he said.
“We have already submitted an application and will be processing our engineering plans and resubmitting them to the [New Garden Township’s] Planning Commission probably within the next month to two months.”
Creeger said that the projected timeline for the project – after approvals – will begin with land development work next year, with the entirety of the construction taking six to eight years to complete.
To learn more about the proposed White Clay Point development, visit www. whiteclaypoint-pa.com.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Bill Creeger, vice president of land acquisition in the Pennsylvania and Delaware division for the Lennar Corporation, speaks at the New Garden Township Board of Supervisors meeting on Oct. 20, where he presented housing concepts for the propose White Clay Point development.
Courtesy image
The newest concept for the proposed White Clay Point development was introduced at the Oct. 20 New Garden Township Board of Supervisors meeting.
Route 41
Chili cook-off helps fight food insecurity in Chester County
By Winthrop Rodgers Contributing Writer
Armed with giant pots and long spoons, dozens of cooks served up steaming cups of meat and beans on October 19 for the annual West Chester Chili Cook-Off.
Gay Street was crammed with people sampling each offering, tossing tokens into buckets to vote for their favorites. Some competitors were eager to share the joy of family recipes, while others were from nearby restaurants and businesses hoping to earn new customers.
“I’ve done this every year. It’s always fun,” said Emmett Mauer, who was making his way around the event with a red plastic spoon. His favorite chilis of the day were from Ryan’s Bar, whose tent was conveniently located in front of its establishment, and
Bishop Shanahan High School.
“It’s my alma mater, so I’m a little biased,” he said.
The Rotarians were on hand with their “Founders Chili.” Mama Bear had its “Just Right Chili,” trying to find the Goldilocks spice balance. The cooks at Wall Street Heat tried to sell passersby on the kick of their bubbling pot. Radio station WCHE mixed it up with a southwestern chicken white chili.
Paul Armstrong and his family, competing as the “Tongue Torchers,” served out a recipe handed down from their grandparents. The first-time competitors’ entry was a little sweet, but with heat that built on the back end.
“It’s exciting,” said Armstrong, who arrived at 7 a.m. to start cooking. “We just met out here and split up ingredients and shopping lists and duties and
we’re making it work.”
It was a lighthearted atmosphere with perfect fall weather, but the organizers had an important purpose: fighting hunger and food insecurity. The lead organizer of the event for the second year in a row was Fiorenza’s Food For Friends (F4), a Downingtown-based non-profit.
“Ultimately, it was an opportunity to create awareness specifically around food insecurity and hunger in Chester County and beyond,” said Derek Fiorenza, F4’s founder. “If we have awareness, we can mobilize the support and allocate those resources to local pantries that are feeding those individuals in the community in need.”
Fiorenza said that even in the county, which is one of the wealthiest in the Commonwealth, approximately 70,000 people in
Gay Street was crammed with people sampling each offering, tossing tokens into buckets to vote for their favorites.
the county suffer from food insecurity, meaning that they do not know where their next meal is coming from.
“There are many faces of hunger,” he said. “It’s really difficult because even people that have jobs might suffer from food insecurity and hunger. Some people might be working one, two, or three jobs and they’re still having trouble feeding their families.
“Any of us could fall victim to hunger. It could be one job loss, one medical issue, and it leads to series of events where you’re not able to provide for yourself or your family,” he added.
In a video posted after the event concluded, Fiorenza thanked sponsors, vendors, and the public and showed trays of leftover chili and other food that would be donated to local domestic violence charity Safe
Harbor.
The cook-off was also an opportunity for a wide range of other non-profits and businesses to engage with the public, many of whom were wearing Philadelphia Eagles gear and waiting for the team’s game against the Minnesota Vikings to start.
Local bands and artists performed on the steps of the courthouse and on street corners.
A team from the Propell Credit Union made a chili with “three kinds of meat, three kinds of beans, and three kinds of chiles.” Last year, they participated just as a vendor, but thought they would bring some spice this year and make a chili too.
“It’s great community involvement,” said David Dawson, 27, stirring the chili pot with a large paddle. The credit union is mostly based in neighbor-
ing Delaware County, but moved into Chester County last year, so the cook-off was an opportunity to show its commitment to its new home.
Local restaurant Station 142, which opened in April, was using the cook-off opportunity to get its name out there and test out a new “Rockin’” chili recipe.
“Honestly, I’m very picky about my chili, but I would eat ours a thousand times over. I think it’s pretty good,” boasted Paige Tomey, 21, who was handing out inflatable guitars to highlight the restaurant’s focus on live music. “We just want to showcase our great food and I thought this was the perfect opportunity.
“It really brings the whole community together, and everyone just wants to taste some good chili and have a good time. So, I think it’s awesome,” she added.
Photos by Winthrop Rodgers
Dozens of cooks served up steaming cups of meat and beans for the annual West Chester Chili Cook-Off on October 19.
The people’s store
The store that has stood as the true compass of Landenberg since 1872 now sits like an abandoned reminder of the past, and its center has been carved out, revealing nothing but a carcass of its former self. It will be difficult to see it there abandoned this winter.
Even its famous signage, the one that told decades of visitors, “This is where you are now,” has been unceremoniously taken down without fanfare, presumably in the dead of night when all of Landenberg was fast asleep, and now all that exists is a hastily-made note that informs passers-by that the store is closed permanently.
There are many ways to define thievery in all of its forms and machinations, but what happened when the Landenberg Store suddenly and without proper warning shut its doors last month is thievery that can never be repaired, because it was a thievery that took away a town’s soul.
Through closures and septic issues and a fire and new owners and more new owners and the up-anddown volley of our nation’s economy, the Landenberg Store took on the mantel of the battered and bruised survivor who nonetheless finds a way to take the next step forward. For generations of Landenberg families, the store became the focal point of conversation that ranged from gossip to sentiment and everything in between – where kids who are now parents once fished through the penny candy bins, where outdoorsmen grabbed a can or two of worms for their fishing trips and where the ordering of a simple sandwich came accompanied with small talk, free of charge.
It was often said of the Landenberg Store that if you wanted to know the news of the world, read a newspaper, but if you wanted to hear an opinion about the news of the world, buy yourself a cup of coffee at the counter and listen. Such gifts at our disposal are rare and precious, and every day throughout its long life, the Landenberg Store gave those gifts freely and without pretense. The purchase of food and provisions there, while necessary, were often afterthoughts to one’s enjoyment of the slow and deliberate spin of its days.
For the past two months, there has been a vacancy at the beating heart of Landenberg that is hollow and shrill, and it must be filled again, somehow. Now is the time for the residents of New Garden, London Britain and Franklin townships to save the Landenberg Store and in the process redefine it for new generations through vision, patience and collaborative ingenuity. It possesses the bones and the turn-key ease to be repurposed as a community center, an intimate listening room for local musicians and an informal meeting place for friends, families and groups to gather around over coffee and tea and conversation.
Goals and bylines can be written. Designs on its concept – to restore and redefine an historical landmark – will no doubt be embraced by historical commissions and societies willing to pursue grants. While there will no doubt be roadblocks ahead, saving the Landenberg Store can be the stuff of grand dreams realized, and become again a place that lies at the core center of a small town’s vibrancy.
More and more, we are choosing to turn our heads downward and disappear into the desultory scrum of our phones. The very tendrils that connect us to our neighbors are vanishing in a haze of scroll-by-scroll constancy and Netflix benders and furious texts sent in all directions. Although they live on the same street, we no longer know the names of every one of our neighbors – nor they us – and the entire sum of our relations extend no further than a wave of a hand from a passing vehicle. We have chosen our respective forms of solitude, and we are dedicated to protecting them.
For a century and a half, the Landenberg Store has been the people’s store, and in this our age of disappearance, now is the time for it to be reimagined by them.
Chester County Press
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Guest Column
The health care emergency behind the government shutdown
Health care costs are about to skyrocket for working Pennsylvanians, but GOP lawmakers are prioritizing tax breaks for the wealthy
By Karen Dolan
Health care access in this country is in grave danger — and your wallet could be, too. Those facts are key to understanding the latest government shutdown.
“My kids have health care through Medicaid — which is especially important for my daughter with autism,” Alexis Cortes, a mom of four, told me, “but the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ calls for cuts to Medicaid, food assistance, and early childhood education programs,” she warns.
Also at issue are the 24 million Americans who benefit from the soon-toexpire tax credits that help them afford their health coverage on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. When Republicans passed their tax cuts for billionaires and corporations in this summer’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, they intentionally left out renewing this credit that helps regular people afford health care.
As a result, according to KFF Health, not only could the 24 million ACA users see a doubling of their premium costs, but most Americans could see their premiums rise if this tax credit isn’t renewed.
Coupled with the over $1 trillion that the GOP bill gutted from Medicaid in order to fund those massive tax giveaways to billionaires, Americans are about to experience significant reductions in their access to health coverage, long-term care, nursing home care, and hospital care, especially in rural areas.
This is what’s at stake with the current govern-
ment shutdown on Capitol Hill.
The Republican majority is trying to pass a stop-gap spending measure that sustains President Trump’s mass firings of public servants, maintains his freeze on nearly half a trillion dollars meant for our communities, and keeps their cuts to everything from education to health care, food assistance, student loans, and even cancer research.
Some lawmakers want to stop this calamity from happening.
The Democrats have a counterproposal to fund the government that restores health care funding, keeps costs under control for families already grappling with high costs of living, and prohibits illegally freezing appropriated funds. With Republican majorities in the House and Senate, however, the Democrats’ proposal hasn't been able to pass.
Nearly 80 percent of Americans — including most Trump supporters — agree with Alexis, telling pollsters they want lawmakers to restore those expiring ACA credits.
Unfortunately, President Trump is disingenuously claiming that Democrats aren’t agreeing to the massive health care cuts because they want to spend taxpayer dollars on undocumented immigrants instead.
This is untrue. Undocumented immigrants pay taxes but aren’t allowed to get government health care benefits. Period. The president and his allies are telling this lie in an effort to gut your health care.
Trump is also vowing to
Courtesy photo Karen Dolan
use the government shutdown as an opportunity to enact mass federal worker firings and to deny funds to states that voted against him. That means “blue states” — including plenty of red and purple communities inside them — are being denied funds for projects like building roads and bridges as a form of punishment.
Trump also instructed that the email signatures of government employees blame Democrats for the government shutdown.
The administration has posted similar false and partisan messages on some executive branch agency websites.
Together, these measures may violate at least four federal laws against misappropriating or freezing federal funds, or spending them on parti-
san activity — including the Anti-Deficiency Act, the Hatch Act, the AntiLobbying Act, and the Impoundment Control Act. Meanwhile, families like Alexis’s are scared and struggling, wondering how they will be able to care for their families when their health coverage vanishes or becomes unaffordable.
The 80 percent of us who object to defunding our families and communities just so the rich can get richer need to make our voices heard. The sooner we do, the sooner the government can reopen and our families can receive the care and services we need.
Karen Dolan directs the Criminalization of Race and Poverty Project at the Institute for Policy Studies. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.
Andrew Wyeth at Kuerner’s Farm Eye of the Earth 1917-2007 (Brandywine Museum Exhibit)
By Marie-Louise Meyers
Under the tutelage of N. C. Wyeth, Andrew elevated Kuerner’s Korner, developed his artistic eye undertaking a study of human nature in luminous plainsong as if to say, “I am a part of all that I have met!” (“Ulysses” by Tennyson).
Almost like tracing their history, their innermost thoughts gleaned from his portrayal in his stark realism with abstractions filtered in. Karl, his rugged fighting stance with his World War 1 uniform, his helmet somehow contiguous with the Brandywine Battlefield.
His wife, Anna, though dwarfed by her husband but made of sterner stuff that belied her frail appearance in a depiction at 87 doing a man’s work outside in her garden. Wyeth captured both the energy and pathos of a family establishing roots in the new country as he restricted his color palette, and explored his visual studies from oil finally embracing water color and egg tempera. Often engaging in a painting within a painting as evidenced in the “Spring Fed Study 1967” where the sound of the icy water from the spring was the intriguing factor while
incorporating a window which looks out across the road with a bull framed. Often blending the real and surreal with coloration at times minimalist emerging into a brilliant transparency. Substantial, but frugal with their “rubble house” (field stone and stucco) with their bank barn built into the hillside like his forbearers, Kuerner ’s farm represented subsistence farming at its best coupled with bartering between neighbors. A fellow landsman, their home became a virtual hub for other German families, removed from their former way of life trying to acclimate themselves to unfamiliar surroundings and demands. His paintings reveal both the strength and the stark simplicity of their lives unto death, a dying man, Karl’s rigid backbone still visible when Wyeth envisioned him transported
from his bed to the top of Kuerner’s Hill just when the barren fields were thawing out as if contemplating spring planting.
After Karl’s passing, Wyeth focused on Helga entranced and intrigued by her Prussian Pride as she exploded onto the winter scene with her oversized dense loden coat in “The Big Parade. Portrayed as almost an hypnotic figure, he was drawn to her as if intent on examining and revealing her essence as he positioned her in varied natural settings.
Wyeth elevated their emigrant lifestyle as if the bare bones for Wyeth’s rite of passage where he captured a whole range of human experiences fusing both their Germanic roots with the rural American way of life.
The exhibit was inspired by the 25th anniversary of the gift of the Kuerner Farm.
McLaughlin scores three TDs in Unionville’s 42-21 victory
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Following two consecutive defeats over the last two Fridays – a one-point loss to Avon Grove on Oct. 3 and a 24-21 loss to Kennett on Oct. 10 –the Unionville Longhorns’ Varsity football team entered its Oct. 17 game against visiting Sun Valley searching for a much-needed boost of confidence and looked to their playmakers to provide it.
From its first possession, there was no question where – and from whom - that boost would come from.
Taking snaps from quarterback and co-captain Tommy McGinnis, running back and co-captain Brody McLaughlin ran for three touchdowns during the Longhorns’ 42-21 victory over the Vanguards to improve their record to 5-4 and help their chances for a higher seeding in the postseason playoff structure. For McLaughlin, his scoring effort served as a redemption of sorts for the senior, who was injured and removed early in the Avon Grove game and played only the second half during Unionville’s spoiled comeback against Kennett. With help from carries by McGinnis and Drew Puleo,
McLaughlin rushed for a 14-yard run that moved the ball to the five-yard line and with 9:08 left in the first quarter, he plunged into the end zone for his first touchdown of the game that gave the Longhorns an early 7-0 lead.
Inheriting the ball on the 40-yard line after a Sun Valley punt, McGinnis ran for a 14-yard gain, hit Puleo for a 15-yard pass, and took another QB keeper to the eight-yard line. McLaughlin took the ball
to the one-yard line, and with 5:32 left in the first quarter, he racked up his second touchdown that extended the Longhorns’ lead to 14-0. While Unionville’s defense was shutting down the Vanguards’ offense for a majority of the first half, McLaughlin continued his early-game domination early in the second quarter, when he broke two tackles en route to a 47-yard touchdown run with 11:19 left in the first half that gave
Unionville a 20-0 lead. On their next possession, McGinnis’ 25-yard touchdown pass to Puleo over the middle with 8:56 left in the first half lengthened the Longhorn’s lead to 27-0. Behind quarterback Shane Steinmitz, the Vanguards marched 68 yards for their first touchdown. After a break-away run by Vinny Peticca was called back by a holding penalty, a reception and three carries by RJ Scharrer moved the ball to Unionville’s 40-yard line,
and with 4:43 left in the first half, Zion Cauthorn’s 40-yard reverse field touchdown run put the Vanguards on the board for the first time. Before the first half came to a close, however, Unionville then placed two more scoring exclamation points on the scoreboard, beginning with a nine-yard TD run by McGinnis that gave Unionville a 34-7 lead with just over one minute left in the half. As the seconds clicked off to halftime after a Sun Valley punt, McGinnis found Hayden Wenturine for a 24-yard pass reception, which was followed by another pass to Wenturine that moved the ball to the four-yard line. With 17 seconds left in the first half, offensive lineman and co-captain Jack Gillespie took the snap from McGinnis and bulldozed his way for Unionville’s sixth
touchdown that gave the Longhorns a 42-7 lead at halftime.
While the majority of Unionville’s starters gave way to the club’s second team in the second half, the Vanguards managed to push across two touchdowns – its first coming a two-yard carry by Scharrar with 7:44 left in the third quarter. With 8:20 remaining in the game, Steinmitz found Scharrar for a 13-yard TD pass that cut Unionville’s lead to 42-21 and closed out the game’s scoring.
The Longhorns will close out their regular season on Oct. 24 as they play host to the Conrad Weiser Scouts in a non-conference contest, while Sun Valley –now 1-8 overall – will host Avon Grove on Oct. 24.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Brown named principal of CCIU Learning Center
The Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) has appointed Victor W. Brown, Jr. as the new principal of the CCIU Learning Center in Coatesville, Pa. This appointment reflects CCIU’s ongoing commitment to providing exceptional leadership for learners with diverse learning needs.
“Victor is a proven leader who understands the importance of building strong relationships with students, families, and staff,” said Dr. George F. Fiore, executive director of the CCIU. “His experience in special education and commitment to excellence will help guide the CCIU Learning Center toward continued success.”
Brown brings more than two decades of experience in education,
including extensive work in special education, administration, and student services. He most recently served as interim principal at the CCIU Learning Center during the current school year, following his role as assistant principal, where he oversaw discipline and attendance programs, supervised instructional coaches, and coordinated Extended School Year (ESY) services. His previous roles include assistant principal positions at Wilson School District and Upper Merion Area School District, where he focused on restorative practices, professional development, and improving student outcomes through multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS).
A certified administrator and special education professional, Brown earned his Administrative Certification and Special Education
Certification from Alvernia University, a master of education from Gratz College, and a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Bloomsburg University.
He also brings a strong background in athletics and mentorship, having served as a head and assistant football coach at the high school and collegiate levels. This experience reinforces his commitment to teamwork, perseverance, and personal development.
“I’m so proud to share that Victor has been appointed as the new principal of the CCIU Learning Center,” said Dr. Siobhan Leavy, CCIU Director of Student Services. “Victor has been an incredible assistant principal, always leading with empathy, consistency, high expectations, and a deep commitment to our students and staff. His understanding of the unique
Vanguard Vinny Peticca pulls in a pass from quarterback Shane Steinmitz.
Unionville’s Drew Puleo snatches a pass from quarterback Tommy McGinnis during the Longhorns’ 42-21 victory over Sun Valley on Oct. 17.
Photos by Steve Fender
Longhorn Wesley Pinkston hurries Sun Valley quarterback Shane Steinmitz.
Unionville’s Jesus Molina attempts to break up a pass to Sun Valley receiver Samir Tribbey.
Courtesy photo
Victor W. Brown, Jr. has been appointed as the CCIU Learning Center’s new principal.
Charlotte Ann Roark, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on October 15, 2025. She was 84.
Born on March 24, 1941 in West Chester, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Carl E. and Vera M. Grace Hampton. She was preceded in death by a son, Timothy Roark; a stillborn daughter; three brothers, Buddy, Norman and Wilmer Hampton; and two sisters, Mary Powers and Edith Briley.
She was a loving and caring person. Her ability to make everyone around her feel seen gave her a special relationship with each of her family members. Her kindness, generosity, and unwavering love for her family and friends will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.
Charlotte worked at Agilent Technologies for over 40 years, retiring in 2018.
Faith was central to Charlotte’s life. She loved to serve the Lord. She attended the Bible Evangelical Church of Oxford. She loved to sing and make a joyful noise unto the Lord.
Charlotte is survived by her children: Robert Roark (Vicky), Matthew Roark, Joshua Roark (Deniz), Lori Roark, Nikki Egolf (Chris), and Amanda Armstrong (Lane). She was a grandmother to 8 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, with the 12th arriving in November of 2025.
Funeral services were held on October 21 at the Bible Evangelical Church of Oxford.
Interment will be in Auburn Regular Baptist Church Cemetery in Landenberg.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. (www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com) in Oxford.
West Chester parents charged with starving their child are bound for trial after a preliminary hearing
The Chester County District Attorney’s Office, the West Chester Borough Police Department, and the Chester County Detectives jointly announced the arrest of Leticia Cox, 59, and Mark Cox, Sr., also 59, of West Chester, for neglecting to provide basic care to a child who was severely malnourished.
Letitia Cox, the child’s mother, is charged with aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person and tampering with evidence.
Mark Cox, the child’s father, is charged with endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person.
After a multi-hour preliminary hearing, Judge Marc
Lieberman bound all charges for both defendants over to the Court of Common Pleas. This means that the case will proceed forward and will later be assigned to a Chester County Court of Common Pleas Judge in the near future.
The criminal complaints filed by law enforcement indicate that on April 15, 2025, a ChildLine report was made indicating that a child was severely underweight, malnourished, and had severe dental decay.
The 16-year-old male victim was brought into a local healthcare office on April 15, 2025 for a routine physical and noted to be visibly emaciated and dehydrated. He was 5’4” tall, weighed approximately 74.8 pounds, noted to have sunken
eyes and was nervous and reluctant.
Leticia Cox brought the child to the appointment and informed the staff that she wanted to reestablish medical care for the child.
On April 16, 2025, after being urged by law enforcement and child protective services to get the child immediate medical care, Mark Cox, Sr. took the child to Chester County Hospital. The child was transferred and admitted to the Nemours Children’s Hospital, where doctors certified his condition as a near fatality.
Though the investigation revealed that the child was covered by medical insurance, investigators have not found any evidence indicating that the child victim was ever seen by a doctor or den-
tist prior to the visit on April 15. Phone records revealed that both defendants were aware, to varying degrees, of the deteriorating condition of the child victim, but they neglected to seek any legitimate medical care for the child. Investigation further established that the child was homeschooled and had little to no in-person contact with adults outside the family.
Chester County District Attorney Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe said, “Unlike many people who struggle to provide for their children, these defendants had every resource available to them. Instead of seeking medical care, they ignored their legal and moral responsibilities and prolonged this child’s suffering until he was on the brink of death.”
Pennsylvania: The Keystone in Electoral College Reform?
Program is offered at Henrietta Hankin Branch Library
On Thursday, Oct. 30, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Henrietta Hankin Branch Library welcomes Professor Jack Nagel, Political Science Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania, for a discussion on the Electoral College.
He’ll explore its historical challenges and talk more about the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact—a
state-led effort to align electoral votes with the national popular vote. With 209 of 270 votes pledged, Pennsylvania could be key to its success.
Dr. Nagel is a respected scholar in democratic theory and voting systems, with international research experience and numerous publications. This event is part of the PASEF Speakers
Bureau, which brings distinguished Penn faculty to local audiences. There will be light refreshments and time at the end of the presentation for questions and answers. Registration is required. To register, visit https://ccls. libcal.com/event/15123454 or call the library at 610344-4196. Henrietta Hankin Library supports PA
Forward Civic and Social Literacy.
The mission of the Chester County and Henrietta Hankin Branch Libraries is to provide informational, educational and cultural services to the residents of Chester County so that they may be lifelong learners. The Henrietta Hankin Branch Library is located at 215 Windgate Drive in
West Chester Borough Police Chief Joshua Lee stated, “The West Chester Police Department fully supports the investigation led by County Detectives and recognizes that protecting our most vulnerable, especially our children, is everybody’s duty and obligation.”
The Chester County
Detectives led the investigation and received assistance from the West Chester Borough Police Department. First Assistant District Attorney Erin O’Brien is the assigned prosecutor. As a reminder, if you have concerns about the safety of a child, say something. Call 911 and call Childline at 1-800-932-0313.
Chester Springs. For hours or more information, visit www. chescolibraries.org.
Mark Cox Leticia Cox
The Giant Company donates $100,000 to The Nature Conservancy
Funds to assist with regenerative agriculture in Chesapeake Bay area
In advance of National Farmers Day on Oct. 12, The Giant Company announced a $100,000 donation to The Nature Conservancy to assist with regenerative agriculture practices in the Chesapeake Bay region.
This funding will support farmers in adopting new technology and implement-
ing innovative practices that reduce tillage, promote multi-species cover crops, and reduce fertilizer application with the goal of improving water quality in local streams throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland communities and the Chesapeake Bay.
“As a grocer, we rely heavily on our food and
agriculture partners, so anything we can do to further support the work they do, enables us to continue to provide fresh, quality, wholesome products to the families we serve,” said Rebecca Lupfer, chief merchant with The Giant Company.
“Funding regenerative practices like the work being done by
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
ESTATE NOTICE
Estate of Howard Reed Wiegle, DECEASED. Late of Glenmore, 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 Executrix: Patricia Ormsby c/o Attorney: Stephen M. Asbel of Reger Rizzo & Darnall, 2929 Arch St, Phila, PA 19104 10p-8-3t
ESTATE
NOTICE
ESTATE OF RONALD T. SIMPSON, SR., DECEASED, Late of Chester County, Pennsylvania. LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION 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 Ronald T. Simpson, Jr., Executor, 6 White Briar Circle, Hockessin, DE 19707, Or Michael L. Daiello, Esq., 2 W. Market. St. West Chester, PA 19382 10p-8-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
Estate of Mildred G. Becke, Late of: Malvern, 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
The Nature Conservancy throughout the Chesapeake Bay region is another way we can make a difference in helping to heal our planet.”
“This grant from The Giant Company will support farmers testing innovative agricultural practices that both benefit their bottom line and pro-
Legals/Classifieds
known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to: Stephen M. Asbel, Executor. Reger Rizzo & Darnall, 2929 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 10p-15-3t
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Board of Directors of Christiana Care Hospital d/b/a West Grove will hold a public meeting from 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday, December 8, 2025. We are offering a conference call for participation. To register for the meeting and to receive the dial-in information, please submit your request to genevieve. mccormick@emerus.com by Monday, December 1, 2025. You will receive confirmation and the dial-in information on Sunday, December 7, 2025 10p-22-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
Letters Testamentary have been granted in the Estate of NORA M. HARTMAN, late of Coatesville. All persons having claims or demands on the Estate are requested to make them known, and all persons indebted to the said decedent are requested to make payment without delay to EDWARD J. HANNUM JR., c/o
The Law Firm of Barry S. Rabin, 797 E. Lancaster Avenue Suite 13, Downingtown PA 19335, Personal Representative. Barry S. Rabin, 797 E. Lancaster Avenue Suite 13, Downingtown PA 19335, Attorney. 10p-22-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF SUSAN MICHELLE
BOWAR a/k/a SUSAN M. BOWAR and SUE BOWAR, DECEASED.
Late of West Brandywine 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 TRISTAN M. MULLIKIN, EXECUTRIX, 15 Patterdale Place, Downingtown, PA 19335, or to her Attorney: ANITA M. D’AMICO, D’AMICO LAW, P.C., 65 S. Third St., Oxford, PA 19363 10p-22-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF ROBERT K. TUMOLO, DECEASED. Late of East Nottingham 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 CHRISTOPHER A. TUMOLO, 360 Chrome Rd., Oxford, PA 19363 and BRYAN E. TUMOLO, 192 Pine Grove Rd., Nottingham, PA 19362,Co- EXECUTORS, Or to their Attorney: ANITA M. D’AMICO, D’AMICO LAW, P.C., 65 S. Third St., Oxford, PA 19363 10p-22-3t
ADVERTISEMENT FOR GRANT OF LETTERS
ESTATE OF Mary Margaret Tomlinson, LATE OF Elk Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. 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 Executrix: Desiree Smith, C/O Attorney: Ira D. Binder, 227 Cullen Rd, Oxford, PA 19363 10p-22-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
Estate of Michael Gregory Grogan Late of Westtown 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 Kelly Ann Dreyer Executrix, 115 Saratoga Lane, Woolwich Twp., NJ 08085 10p-22-3t
FOREIGN REGISTRATION
vide cleaner water to the Chesapeake Bay,” said Amy Jacobs, director of the Chesapeake Bay Program for The Nature Conservancy. “Restoring the bay and supporting a thriving farming industry to provide our food requires finding solutions that work for both people and nature, which regen-
STATEMENT
Christ The King Church of Hallettsville, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of the state of Texas, has applied for registration in Pennsylvania under the provisions of Chapter 4 of the Associations Code. The address of its principal office under the laws of the jurisdiction of formation is 896 Bonita St., Bayou Vista, TX 77563 and the address of its proposed registered office in this Commonwealth is 1052 E. Baltimore Pike, Kennett Square, PA 19348.
10p-22-1t
PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN
THAT Due to Election Day, the meeting the New London Township Board of Supervisors previously advertised and scheduled for November 4, 2025, is being rescheduled for November 5th, 2025 at 6PM at the New London Township Building located at 902 State Rd. New London, PA 19390. If you are a person with a disability and require special accommodation to participate in the meeting, please contact the Township at 610-869-8658 no later than 3 working days prior to the meeting 10p-22-1t
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Held annually on Oct. 12, National Farmers Day recognizes the integral role farmers play in bringing food from farm to table. The Giant Company is proud to partner with more than 100 local farms to provide fresh, high-quality products to customers.
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Laurie Ryan selected to lead the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce
The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce (GWCC) has announced that Laurie Ryan will become the next president of the 137-year-old organization effective Nov. 3.
“Laurie is a longtime West Chester resident, so she was a natural fit when paired with her impressive depth of experience in chamber management, as well as hands-on experience in business,” said GWCC Board Chair John Serock of John Serock Catering. “She’ll be a powerhouse leader for the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce and
State
the nearly 600 businesses and organizations who are proud members.”
Ryan has served as President of the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce since 2015, growing it from 270 members to 450 members today.
Previously, she was a senior account manager at Kellogg’s, sales manager at Buca di Beppo in Exton and store manager at Wendell August Forge. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Saint Joseph’s University and grew up in Havertown, Pa.
Ryan said, “Over the
years, I have seen that local business was not only a vital economic engine for municipalities and the families who call them home, but also a source of growth and prosperity for schools, nonprofits, entire neighborhoods and community culture. I take that responsibility very seriously, and I can’t wait to be of service to my home here in West Chester.”
The chamber began searching for a new president in July after announcing that Katie Walker was taking on a new role as senior director of development at the Chester
County Food Bank. GWCC director of events and marketing Carly McFadden has served as interim president, supported by operations and member support manager Lisa Leone.
Serock said, “We are enormously grateful to Carly and Lisa for their continuing service. They have long excelled at balancing the ‘big picture’ needs of the business community as a whole, while ensuring support for individual Chamber members who are at the heart of what we do to advance economic growth, person by person, business
by business.”
The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce’s membership is building to an all-time high of nearly 600 large and small for-profit and nonprofit businesses and organizations in West Chester Borough, Birmingham, East Bradford, East Goshen, Thornbury, West Goshen, Westtown and beyond. Members include Chester County’s top retail, food & beverage, health & wellness as well as professional service providers, in addition to schools, universities and social service organizations.
Senate Democrats to introduce legislation forgiving budget impasse-related loan interest for counties, non-profits, and school districts
As the Pennsylvania State Legislature hits 100 days without a state budget, State Sen. Lindsey M. Williams (D-Allegheny) recently announced that Senate Democrats will introduce legislation to pay off interest accrued on any loan taken out by an entity that receives state funding that was forced to take out a loan during the budget impasse. This includes counties, human service agencies, non-profit agencies, childcare centers,
and schools that have been forced to take on additional debt to stay open and continue providing necessary services.
Senate Democratic co-sponsors for the legislation include Sen. Katie Muth (D-Berks, Chester, Montgomery), Sen. Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia), Sen. Tim Kearney (D-Delaware), Sen. Amanda Cappelletti (D-Delaware, Montgomery), Sen. Patty Kim (D-Dauphin), Sen. Lisa Boscola
(D-Lehigh, Northampton), Sen. Judy Schwank (D-Berks), Sen. Nick Pisciottano (D-Allegheny), Sen. Maria Collett (D-Montgomery), Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks), Sen. Carolyn Comitta (D-Chester), Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia), Sen. Wayne Fontana (D-Allegheny), Sen. John Kane (D-Chester, Delaware), Sen. Art Haywood (D-Montgomery, Philadelphia), Sen.
Nick Miller (D-Lehigh, Northampton), Sen. Tina Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia), Sen. James Malone (D-Lancaster), and Sen. Anthony Williams (D-Delaware, Philadelphia).
Sen. Williams said, “I hear from my constituents and from people and organizations across Pennsylvania about the pain that this late budget is causing them daily. People are losing their jobs, rape crisis centers are shutting down, foster parents
aren’t getting paid, senior centers are closing, children aren’t receiving the services they need to thrive, all because Pennsylvania has not passed a budget. I have shared some of those stories on the Senate floor over the last few session days.
“Our counties, human service agencies, non-profits, childcare centers, and schools should not have to borrow the money that we were constitutionally obligated to provide them back
in June. They should not have to drain their reserves or take out loans that require interest payments.
“While counties and providers are borrowing money to stay afloat, the Commonwealth is earning interest by not passing a budget. That money should go back to the entities incurring those costs. This legislation attempts to make these entities whole for money that they never should have had to borrow in the first place.”
Courtesy photo The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce announced that Laurie Ryan will become the next president of the 137-yearold organization, effective Nov. 3.
Avon Grove School District launches Little Friends Early Learning Lab Preschool Program Program
On Oct. 7, Avon Grove School District launched the Little Friends Early Learning Lab, a preschool experience designed to prepare high school students for careers in education while providing high-quality early learning experiences for preschool-aged children.
Located at Avon Grove High School the Little Friends Early Learning Lab
prepares high school students for careers in education
provides a unique real-world learning experience for high school students enrolled in Early Childhood I & II courses through the Family and Consumer Sciences department. Before participating, students must complete prerequisite Child Development coursework. Under the supervision of a certified teacher, preschoolers engage with high school
students in a collaborative environment that benefits both age groups — helping young learners thrive while offering high school students valuable hands-on experience in early childhood education.
The Little Friends Pre-K curriculum is guided by the Pennsylvania Early Learning Standards, emphasizing develop -
Early Learning Lab, a pre-
school students for careers in educa-
learning experiences for preschool-aged
mentally appropriate practices in early literacy, math, social-emotional skills, and physical development. A structured literacy approach lays a strong foundation for reading. The curriculum integrates playbased, hands-on learning while aligning with state guidelines, ensuring that children are prepared academically and socially for kindergarten.
AGHS students enrolled in the Early Childhood I & II courses are guided by the Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Early Childhood Education and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) guidelines for Developmentally Appropriate Practice.
These students learn benchmarks across all domains of child development and apply them by crafting and implementing engaging, enriching, age-appropriate learning experiences for children in the Little Friends Early Learning Lab.
Students first complete the Child Development course before enrolling in these Pre-K courses, ensur-
Birth
Announcement
The Stillittano family—parents Courtney and James Stillittano and their son JamesRamseys Stillittano—welcomed to the world sweet Aurora Celeste Stillittano. She was born in the peace of the family’s home at 3 p.m. on October 11, 2025. At birth, she was 6 pounds, 13.8 ounces and 20.6 inches. It was a gentle, instinctive birth—no fear, no rush, only trust. Big brother Ramseys is over the moon and the Stillittano family is now a happy family of four.
ing a strong foundation in child growth, and learning theory before engaging directly with preschoolers.
This innovative program addresses the urgent teacher shortage in Pennsylvania by inspiring the next generation of educators while providing preschoolers with high-quality learning opportunities in a nurturing environment.
“The Early Learning Lab is a win-win for our district,” said Dr. Scott DeShong, superintendent of Avon Grove School District. “Our high school students gain invaluable career-focused experience, and our youngest learners benefit from additional attention, creativity, and engagement in a supportive environment.”
“This program is about opportunity,” added Michele Koenig, program director of the Little
Friends Early Learning Lab at AGHS. “It gives high school students the chance to explore education as a career path while making a positive impact in the lives of children.”
The Little Friends Early Learning Lab reflects Avon Grove School District’s commitment to real-world learning experiences that prepare students for future success, while strengthening connections between schools, families, and the broader community. Avon Grove School District is a K–12 public school system that serves 4,8000 students in southern Chester County. The purpose of Avon Grove School District is to foster a learning environment in which all students are exceptionally well prepared to succeed and lead full and meaningful lives.
Chester County College Fair set for Oct. 27
High school students and their families are invited to attend the 2025 Chester County College Fair on Monday, Oct. 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at United Sports, located at 1426 Marshallton Thorndale Road in Downingtown.
This free event, sponsored by CCRES Educational and Behavioral Health Services and organized by the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU), is designed to help students explore a wide range of postsecondary educational opportunities and connect directly with college representatives. The fair is open to all high school students and their parents or guardians.
Over 160 colleges and universities from across the country will participate, offering information about academic programs, admissions requirements, campus life, financial aid, and more. Returning this year is the special onehour pre-event program designed for learners with
special needs and their families. Representatives from schools that offer special accommodations will be on hand to answer questions and provide families with information about their programs.
“We’re excited to bring together such a diverse range of institutions to support students in their postsecondary planning,” said Jay Della Ragione, special events coordinator for the CCIU. “Whether you’re just starting to think about college or ready to make your final decision, this event offers valuable insights and resources.”
The 2025 College Fair will be powered by StriveScan. This partnership enables efficient information exchange between students and colleges, streamlining the postsecondary research process. By registering at www.strivefair.com/ chester, students receive a unique barcode that they can use at the college fair. Instead of filling out mul-
tiple information cards, students simply present their barcode to college representatives, who scan it to collect their details instantly. The next day, students receive a personalized report with information on every college they connected with, making it easier to review options and continue their college search more effectively.
To help alleviate crowds and traffic, families are invited to arrive at the following times:
Last name A-M: 6 p.m.
Last name N-Z: 7 p.m.
Special thanks go out to Robert Miller, Fire Police Captain for West Bradford Fire Company, and his staff for their help in keeping this event efficient and safe – and to Herr’s and Wegmans for their food donations to vendors.
The CCIU is proud to offer students the opportunity to explore a variety of postsecondary educational paths, connect directly with college rep-
resentatives, and discover new possibilities for their futures. From large universities to smaller liberal arts colleges, and everything
in between, the Chester County College Fair has something for everyone and offers a one-stop shop for postsecondary options.
Registration is strongly encouraged at www. strivefair.com/chester. Questions? Email: CollegeFair@cciu.org.
Courtesy photo
Avon Grove School District launched the Little Friends
school experience designed to prepare high
tion while providing high-quality early
children.
Courtesy photos
The Chester County College Fair features postsecondary options from private and niche institutions, in addition to larger universities and schools.
