Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 156, No. 1
INSIDE
Wednesday, January 5, 2022
Gamble sworn in as new Kennett Township supervisor By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Before a small audience at the Kennett Township Building, nearly 50 watching from their computer screens and in front of his fellow board members New book gives hope to Richard Leff and Scudder young people...1B Stevens, Geoffrey Gamble was sworn in as the newest Kennett Township Supervisor at the township’s reorganization meeting on Jan. 3. After taking the oath of office before Chester County Magisterial Judge Albert Iacocca, Gamble
Kennett Winterfest return...3A
$1.00
to
addressed the township, urging its governance to move from its current warp speed of initiatives to a more deliberate, step-by-step operation. In his address, he acknowledged the stilllingering albatross that hangs over the township -former township manager Lisa Moore’s theft of more than $3.2 million of township funds -- which resulted in her being sentenced to a minimum of three years in a women’s correctional facility in October. Moore’s crime, he said, has left the township a victim of trauma, and it will take work for the
municipality to recover. “We need to take the time to do things right,” he said. “We need to develop consensus, and ideally collaboration, around the important issues that we face. Consensus entails compromise. Compromise is not a weak word; it is essential to any meaningful progress. “We should demand outstanding performance from our township staff, but we also need to give them a fair measure of office tranquilCourtesy photo ity to achieve their goals. Geoffrey Gamble was sworn in as the newest member No one person, no matter of the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors at the Continued on page 2A
Revelers greet 2022 at the Mushroom Drop in Kennett Square By Chris Barber Contributing Writer
U.S. Rep. Houlahan tours school campus...1B
INDEX Opinion.......................5A Obituaries........2B,3B,5B
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Classifieds..................4B
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The prediction of rain showers did nothing to deter plans for the ninth annual New Year’s Eve Mushroom Drop in Kennett Square. Kathi Lafferty, the chairperson for the event, said she was ready to go no matter what came from the sky during the evening. Expressing her excitement about being back in the center of the borough after last year’s abbreviated event down Broad Street, she said that was all she needed. “I feel great,” she said at 7 p.m. “I’ve seen rain, and I’ve seen cold. The rain’s supposed to hold off ‘til midnight.” As it turned out, the air was misty and warm, but the showers never arrived – not even at midnight when the massive, lighted mushroom descended at the intersection of State and Union streets to welcome 2022. Afterward, Lafferty said she was thrilled about how it turned out, given the chaotic year of political unrest and COVID restrictions that had just passed. “I thought it was great,”
township’s reorganization meeting on Jan. 3.
Third speed bump approved for Willowdale Lane By Monica Fragale Contributing Writer
Photo by Chris Barber
The mushroom, having descended, is guided by Bob’s Crane principal Rich Nichols for touching and embracing by the spectators.
Lafferty said. “Everyone was happy, and that was the most important part. People were so excited and many came from far away—like from New York. Some people who came to see Longwood Gardens said they stayed over for the Mushroom Drop.” It was a long evening con-
sidering that the planners wanted to engage families including small children who go to bed early as well as adult revelers later on. At 8 p.m., the entertainment started in the fenced corral in the middle of town with music including singing by Kevin Pierce and Jack Continued on page 2A
ducted two traffic studies of the stretch of Willowdale Lane, one in September and another in October. Both analyzed more than 2,600 vehicles, and both concluded that the section of road has a low speed enforcement rating. Cars would need to be clocked going more than 10 mph for it to be enforceable. The percentage of speeders in October was 6 percent, according to the speed study. During the eight days studied in October, the fastest car was traveling 53 mph. A majority of the vehicles – 1,002 – were going less than 30 mph. The next largest amount of cars – 766 – was going under 35 mph. The speed limit along that stretch of road is 25 mph. Supervisor John Sarro suggested establishing criteria for future traffic calming requests.
Drivers on Willowdale Lane will have to navigate a third speed bump on the road. At their Dec. 6 meeting, the East Marlborough Township supervisors approved the installation of the speed bump after residents petitioned the board earlier this year for additional traffic calming measures. Willowdale Lane resident Casey Sclar said he and other residents were requesting the third bump for safety reasons. “One in 20 cars is going more than 10 miles over the speed limit,” Sclar said, citing the October traffic study results. Sclar presented a petition from Willowdale Lane residents at the Oct. 4 meeting, saying at the time that vehicles using Willowdale Lane as a cut-through would often In other business: drive “at speeds past our The supervisors held house that are simply too executive sessions on high for the children and Dec. 2 and Dec. 6 on pets that live here.” personnel matters. Continued on page 3A Township police con-
Phillies’ Bowa to headline Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association banquet Six local baseball standouts are also being inducted into the Association’s Hall of Fame during the Jan. 15 banquet By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer When the Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association holds its annual banquet on Saturday, Jan. 15, there will be plenty for baseball fans of all ages to enjoy. Larry Bowa, who spent 29 years in a Phillies uniform as a player, coach, and manager, is the guest speaker for the organization’s 41st banquet. Six local players who were standouts on the baseball diamond during their playing days are being inducted into the Kennett Old Timers Baseball Hall of Fame. There will also be door prizes and a silent auction of baseball memorabilia. And lots and lots of
baseball talk, of course. The banquet takes place at 6 p.m. in the Red Clay Room of the Kennett Square Fire Company. Tickets for the banquet and dinner are $45, and can be purchased at Burton’s Barber Shop on State Street in Kennett Square. Bowa, the shortstop on the Philadelphia Phillies 1980 World Series championship team, who still serves a senior advisor for the franchise, will return to this event as a special guest speaker. Bowa will share stories and insights from his incredible baseball life, which spans more than 50 years. He has spent more time in a Phillies’ uniform than anyone else in the franchise’s 139-year
history. His tenure with the Phillies includes 12 years as a player, four years as a manager, and another 13 years as a coach. Bowa was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1991. The six inductees into the Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association Hall of Fame—Jason Troilo, Jeff Wenrich, Joseph Sexton, Jeff Crittenden, Tony Brown and Jeff Riccardo—all had notable achievements on the baseball field, and they will be celebrated during the evening. Sexton, a resident of Kennett Square, grew up playing baseball for a team in Landenberg before he spent two years playing on a KAU Little League
squad. He went on to be a pitcher and a shortstop for the Kennett High School team, playing under coach Nate Kendig, who had an enormous impact on baseball players in this area. After high school, Sexton played in the Hockessin Adult Hardball League. He also later managed and coached in the KAU Little League and Kaolin Little League. Sexton worked for the NVF Company and for Ajilent Technologies. While at NVF, he was responsible for having the NVF Field built. Crittenden played for the Kennett Rec League and then the KAU Little League while growing up. He played Babe Ruth League baseball and then
moved on to play for the Unionville High School baseball team. Crittenden achieved a great deal of success playing college ball at Brandywine University and then Millersville University. He was a third baseman and pitcher. He was an MVP during his sophomore year at Brandywine University and won a batting title for Millersville University. He also played for three years in the West Chester Adult League, where he won a championship and a home run title. He also received an invitation to try out for the Philadelphia Phillies. Wenrich grew up playing soccer and basketball, but Continued on page 4A