Oxford area man arrested for murder
Details surrounding a murder in an East Nottingham Township home on Dec. 29 are becoming available after Pennsylvania State Police Avondale announced on Dec. 30 that Daniel Proffitt, of the Oxford area, had been arrested for the crime.
He is charged with strangling Anna Johnson, 56, of Oxford, during what he claimed was an argument in a home in the 200 block of Brick Road. Police found Johnson deceased, and Proffitt testified that he killed her in self-defense after she attacked him with a butcher knife.
Proffitt is being held in Chester County Prison in lieu of $750,000 bail, charged with third-degree homicide, voluntary manslaughter and strangulation. A preliminary hearing is scheduled before judge
Scott Massey on Jan. 8.
On Jan. 3, The Chester County Coroner’s Office announced that an autopsy revealed that Anna Johnson died from asphyxia by strangulation, with the manner of death being homicide.
Proffitt had been awaiting trial on charges of making terroristic threats in April, when he said he would kill his girlfriend and other people.
According to police, officers arrived at the home on Brick Road on the evening of Dec. 29 for a report of an unresponsive woman. Two officers from Oxford found Proffitt standing outside the home, and he told them that Johnson had attacked him and he had held her down.
Proffitt had recently been released from Lancaster County Prison, where he was held for firearms violations.
Irvin
Lieberman, a newspaper publisher born for the job, passes away at 82
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
Irvin Lieberman, the longtime publisher of the Chester County Press and other newspapers, passed away on Dec. 29, 2018, surrounded by his loving family. He was 82, and at the time of his passing he was still writing columns regularly for the newspaper that his family has owned and published for nearly five decades.
Irvin is survived by Judy Hartle Lieberman, his loving and devoted wife of 60 years; his sons Randall Lieberman (wife Amy McDowell Lieberman) and Andrew Lieberman (wife Ruth Posnak Lieberman); four grandchildren, Tara Lieberman, Avery Lieberman Eaton (husband Daniel Eaton), Benjamin Lieberman and Stone Lieberman; and great granddaughter Violet Eaton. He is also survived by his
favorite dog, Leo, as well as new and lifelong friends.
Born in Philadelphia, Pa. on Aug. 6, 1936, he was the son of the late Dr. Louis Lieberman and Minerva (Buchecker) Lieberman. He attended Lower Merion
received many awards for his athletic prowess, including being selected as an Honorable Mention AllAmerican in lacrosse.
High School and was a proud graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. While at the University of Pennsylvania, Irvin
After college, Irvin started his business career in Philadelphia in trade association management. He lived in Chester County and became very active in the Chester County Republican Party, becoming a Republican Committeeman. Irvin was so passionate about politics that he was soon appointed to work in Harrisburg for the House of Representatives Republican caucus. It was in Harrisburg that Irvin became friends with then-State Senator John H. Ware, who later became a U.S. Congressman and a renowned Oxford philanthropist. Ware’s family owned the Oxford Press and a number of other newspapers. Irvin was able to convince Ware that he
Kennett Township makes 2019 appointments, sets goals for new year
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
The Kennett Township Board of Supervisors reelected Scudder Stevens as board chairman for 2019, and announced the appointment of nearly 100 employees, volunteers and consultants to 24 township committees, at its annual organizational meeting on Jan. 7.
Stevens was also appointed as the township’s voting delegate to the state’s PSATS convention, which will be held in Hershey, Pa. in April. Supervisor Dr. Richard Leff was reelected as vice chairman of the board, and township manager Lisa Moore was re-elected as secretary-treasurer of the board.
In other business, the supervisors extended the
township’s contracts with both the Longwood Fire Company and Kennett Fire Company for 2019, which establishes that the township will pay each company through funds available from the Emergency Services Commission.
The contract agreements, applicable from Jan. 7, 2019 to Jan. 6, 2020, also sets their respective coverage areas for this year.
Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association to honor ten local standouts
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
The Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association Hall of Fame will welcome ten new inductees―one of its largest classes ever―at the organization’s 39th banquet on Saturday, Jan. 19. Additionally, Larry Bosley, a Kennett Square real estate developer, entrepreneur, and former Kennett Consolidated School District superintendent, will receive a Special Recognition Award for his contributions to baseball and his lifelong love of the game. Tommy Greene, the former Philadelphia Phillies’ pitcher and current pre-game and post-game analyst for NBC Sports Philadelphia
Stevens said that there has been a request for the township to consider adjusting fire, EMS and ambulance coverage for an area that is currently being serviced by both companies. He said that the board will address the issue at a public meeting “in the immediate future.”
During the meeting, representatives from several township committees and affiliated organizations gave brief presentations that highlighted accomplishments for 2018 and goals for 2019.
Tom Janton of the Kennett Trails Alliance said that the committee is currently working on 15 separate projects, which include the upgrading and construction of several trails and trail bridges along the Kennett Greenway, and installing sidewalks along McFarlan Road, from Rosedale Road to Baltimore Pike, which is being funded from an $800,000 grant.
Abbie Kessler, the preservation director for the Land Conservancy for Southern
Continued on Page 2A
Backspace
but
My
illnesses are many, but I am
having
which puts me in the “very
The past several months have been used to reflect on my life. I am most proud of my family -- a great lady in wife Judy; two fine gentlemen for sons, Andrew and Randall; four grandchildren at the beginning of adulthood; and my great-granddaughter, Violet. My career in newspapering was a “buzz,” giving me both satisfaction of accomplishment, and financial success. The thorn in my side has been the massive deterioration of America The Beautiful and the gross dishonesty of our elected and appointed officials. I no longer trust any of them.
A part of my career in newpapering was “telling as it is,” and that trait brought me libel suits – by politicians, mostly. My spirit in publishing these stories put my financial path in jeopardy, and I had to give it up, except for my Uncle Irvin opinion columns.
Irvin S. Lieberman
Scudder Stevens re-elected board chairman
Photo by Chris Barber
Kennett Square’s Larry Bosley will be the recipient of the Special Recognition Award for his contributions to baseball and his lifelong love of the game at the Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association’s banquet on Jan. 19.
Chester County (TLC), said that the TLC recently closed on an easement near Burnt Mill Road, and is working on creating an additional easement nearby in 2019. The TLC also acquired an additional 20-acre property that will be added to the Marshall Bridge Preserve, planted 700 trees along riparian buffers in the township – including 300 in Barkingfield Park – and is cutting down invasive vines throughout the 68-acre Lord Howe property that is owned by the township.
Gus Teipelke of the Safety Committee said the
group is involved in a number of projects, including the exploration of several traffic-calming concepts, and the collection of the names and locations of handicapped residents in the township who live in high-rise buildings, which will be provided to all first responders.
Kennett Library treasurer Bill McLaughlin spelled out the vision for the future construction of a new library in the Weinstein lot in the borough. Currently, construction estimates call for a $15 million price tag for the planned two-story, 25,000-square-foot building, that in its current design calls for a 37-car parking lot, several classrooms and
a 110-seat auditorium.
McLaughlin said that the timeline for the new library features an aggressive public relations campaign through July, followed by a two-year capital campaign, finalization of design in June 2020, and construction that is planned to begin during the first quarter of 2021.
Moore highlighted some of the township’s major accomplishments in 2018. At the top of the list was the township’s acquisition of the Spar Hill property, a 103-acre tract of land that borders Burnt Mill, Center Mill and Old Kennett roads, and is adjacent to the 68-acre Lord Howe property, which is also owned by the township. The purchase price was $3.2 million, of which $1 million was paid for by a recent grant the township received from the Mt. Cuba Center.
Other highlights from 2018 included the township’s continuing collaboration with the Kennett Borough on an economic development study; the completion of an active transportation study for the township; the creation of a new committee to provide stewardship of environmental and land management practices in the township; the completion of a feasibility study in partnership with the borough and New Garden Township that explores the idea of establishing a center for excellence for indoor agriculture in the area; the continued installation of trails throughout the township; planning the rehabilitation of the Chandler Mill Bridge, which is
Avon Grove Lions Club picks Student of the Month
The Avon Grove Lions Club recently selected Juana Pantoja Fernandez as the December Student of the Month. She is the daughter of Maria and Eduardo Pantoja of Avondale.
Juana is active in school by being a teaching assistant and by participating in ACTO club. Her list
expected to get underway in 2019; the creation of a new contract with the township police department; and the refurbishing of the historic Fussell House.
The board adopted seven remaining resolutions from 2018 that will be applied to 2019. The first, Res. 2019-1, sets the mileage fee for any township official at 58 cents per mile. Res. 2019-2 determines the code for public safety in the township, and identifies all emergency ser-
of community activities includes HOSA Community Service Ambassador, HOSA PPE Competition Leader, Holiday Hope Chest, Community Day 5K, LCH 5K, Oxford Halloween Parade, Mushroom Festival Parade, YMCA Healthy Halloween, Ronald McDonald House, The Bridge and La Mission
vice providers and contact information. Res. 2019-3 sets the standards for the appointment of consultants to the township, and establishes consulting review fees.
Res. 2019-4 establishes various consulting and engineering fees for subdivisions, land development and lot line change application fees, as well as various building and zoning permit fees.
Res. 2019-5 establishes
Santa Maria. She has achieved honors throughout high school and she hopes to attend either Immaculata or West Chester University, majoring in nursing, with a future specialty in a maternity unit. The staff who have influenced her most are Mrs. Cowen and Mrs. Markowitz.
tax rates in the township, including real estate tax, interim real estate tax, library tax, earned income tax, open space tax, real estate transfer tax and street light assessment fees. Res. 2019-6 establishes a cash escrow basis for plan reviews and inspections for subdivision and land development, applicable to review fees for applications filed under the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, and Res. 2019-7 establishes the township’s sewer rates. All resolutions are listed on the township’s website.
The board also announced that their 2019 meetings will be held on the first and third Wednesday of each month, beginning at 7 p.m.
The township’s Planning Commission public meetings this year will be held on the second Tuesday of each month, beginning at 7 p.m. The Commission’s work sessions will be held on the first Tuesday of each month, beginning at 6:30 p.m. All meetings will be held at the Kennett Township Building.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
was the person to take over those newspapers, and on May 28, 1970, he officially purchased the Oxford Press and several other newspapers in the area, launching his career as a publisher.
At the time of the sale, John H. Ware said that he was pleased to be selling the newspapers to someone who would be willing to become involved in community life and who would work to improve the publications.
“I know you will recognize traditions and at the same time pump new life into the organization,” Ware was quoted as saying in the Oxford Press Irvin told Ware, “I will do everything in my power to publish relevant, involved papers which will be a positive force in Chester County.”
It would turn that Irvin was perfectly suited for the role of publisher. As a newspaper publisher, he was an aggressive supporter of the freedom of the press, and he fought for―and cherished―investigative journalism throughout his long career. Irvin became influential as a critic of local government, and a champion of the First Amendment.
He had never run his own business or met a payroll, but Irvin learned the ins and outs of the newspaper business quickly. He published community newspapers like the Main Line Chronicle and The Archive. As the years went by, he replaced unprofitable newspapers with new titles. He increased the coverage area of the Oxford Press, a newspaper that debuted in 1866, and eventually the name was changed to the Chester County Press to reflect the new coverage area and its expanded presence in southern Chester County.
Irvin always had a clear vision of the journalistic approach he wanted the newspapers to strive for. From his experiences in Harrisburg, he learned to be
skeptical about politicians and the political games that they play. He believed very strongly in a newspaper’s obligation to expose the missteps and misdeeds of elected officials and public servants who abuse their authority.
On one occasion, he published an anonymous letter to the editor that was critical of a police chief in Parkesburg. He agreed to publish the letter while withholding the writer’s name because he felt the information contained in it was important for citizens to know, and the person who wrote the letter had a legitimate concern about revealing her identity. The police chief was upset about the article and filed a lawsuit against the newspaper. Irvin eventually won the legal battle that followed. Irvin never shied away from taking on sacred cows when it was necessary. For example, one of his newspapers once wrote about Richie Ashburn’s failure to pay the taxes on a home that he owned with his soonto-be ex-wife. The major league baseball player and broadcaster, beloved by several generations of Philadelphia Phillies fans, was furious about the article, but Irvin thought that readers would be interested in this aspect of Ashburn’s life because he was a public figure. He also deeply believed that the country was better when abuses of power were exposed, and when public figures were held accountable for their actions. Irvin’s forceful assertions of freedom of the press were once mentioned in a news segment on Ted Koppel’s “Nightline.”
In 1993, Irvin sold the newspapers to his two sons, Andrew and Randall, and the family continues to own the business today. Irvin continued to write regular columns in the Chester County Press, utilizing the pen name “Uncle Irvin.”
He wrote widely about issues impacting southern Chester County, utilizing a no-nonsense style. Sometimes the col-
umns were meant to educate, sometimes they were meant to entertain, and sometimes they were more blunt.
Irvin frequently criticized public officials for not doing more to keep taxes low. He loathed wasteful spending by governments at the local, county, state, or federal level. He was a strong advocate for commercial development, especially because it broadens the tax base and helps reduce the burden on taxpayers.
He was always suspicious of government overreach and wrote numerous columns urging London Grove Township not to purchase a private golf course. When the township did purchase the golf course, Irvin continued to write about how the decision cost the residents of the township money on an ongoing basis.
Irvin criticized an associate professor at Lincoln University when he questioned the historical validity of the Holocaust.
Another column aimed to raise awareness about a civil rights lawsuit that was filed by a group of Lincoln University students against the Chester County Board of Commissioners and the county Board of Elections after hundreds of students spent hours in a line waiting to vote in the 2008 election. He frequently encouraged municipalities to collaborate to form regional police departments to boost public safety while reducing the costs for the individual municipalities. He used his column to advocate for a regional police department in southern Chester County two decades before it finally became a reality.
He wrote about the tragic death of a state trooper who was killed on Route 41, which came after many, many columns that Irvin had written about the need for safety upgrades to Route 41.
He wrote about the need for local municipal officials to keep the townships and boroughs that they represent out of costly legal battles.
Hopewell Elementary School names Students
While most of the col-
umns focused on southern Chester County, Irvin would sometimes write about state and national issues.
In one column, he called for Pennsylvania lawmakers to follow the example of New Jersey lawmakers and require state public school teachers to pay more toward the costs of their health insurance plans so that the school district’s costs could be reduced. He frequently wrote abut the benefits gap between public employees and private employees.
In a column titled, “The stench of political stew,” he wrote about how a decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court would reduce the state Auditor General’s ability to audit the expenditures by the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
He criticized Pennsylvania’s new open records laws when they failed to deliver the promised outcomes, and he also took state lawmakers to task for not changing the out-dated rules regarding the sale of wines in Pennsylvania. In another column, he made the argument that the drinking age should be raised, and not lowered, because of the dangers of binge drinking on college campuses.
Irvin’s experiences at Lower Merion High School, for decades one of the best in the state, led him to be critical of public school districts that fell short of Lower Merion’s lofty standards.
He would write frequently about the need for public schools to deliver a quality education.
On several occasions, Irvin wrote about the need for public schools to invest in technology. He also championed the idea of school resource officers to help keep schools safe for students.
He advocated for a more modern school district model by having someone with business expertise serve as the top administrator, while a chief education officer would oversee the academic aspects of the school district.
An avid reader, Irvin was a decades-long supporter of libraries, particularly the Kennett Library. In a February 2002 column, he wrote about how the Kennett Library―then the Bayard Taylor Memorial Library―needed a rainmaker to lead the fundraising effort to build a brand new library. It took more than a decade before the Kennett Library got that rainmaker, and the fundraising campaign is still underway.
Occasionally, Irvin would
even write about changing social norms. In a June 2005 column, for example, he wrote about families turning to professional daycare facilities for their beloved dogs.
His last regular column of 2018, appearing in the Dec. 19 issue of the Chester County Press , focused on a look ahead at the 2019 county commissioner races, as well as the need for county officials to institute a county-wide real estate reassessment to make taxes more equitable. The column is an illustration that he never lost his zeal for writing about politics, government, and the world around him.
“He was a fierce defender of the First Amendment,” said Dr. Richard Winchester, a retired Lincoln University history professor. “He believed very strongly in the importance of freedom of the press, and he was a defender of the utility of the free press.”
Winchester explained that Irvin saw it as the newspaper’s responsibility to keep an eye on elected officials, and to be critical when necessary. Winchester first met Irvin shortly after he became the publisher of the Oxford Press in the 1970s, and the two became very good friends through the years.
For more than three years in the early 1980s, Winchester even wrote a column every other week for the Chester County Press. Irvin enlisted Winchester to write a column even though the viewpoint offered would often be very different from his own. Their differences never got in the way of their friendship, Winchester said.
“I’ve known Irvin for nearly 50 years, and I got to know him very well,” Winchester explained. “I was obviously a Democrat and he was obviously a Republican. We disagreed on a lot of stuff, but we
found a common ground. We found both local issues and national issues that we agreed on. We were born the same year―1936. We were both born and raised in Philadelphia. We were both Presbyterians. We found those things in common.” Winchester noted that, with significant changes to the newspaper industry, there aren’t many newspapers practicing that kind of journalism that Irvin was committed to any longer. While Irvin enjoyed his long and successful career in publishing, the highlight of his life was his family. He loved going with his family to the Henlopen Acres Beach Club in Delaware, as well as boating and fishing trips with his grandsons and granddaughters. He also loved talking with friends about politics and Philadelphia professional sports teams. Irvin especially enjoyed watching the Philadelphia Eagles with his family every Sunday. Friends are invited to a visitation with the family at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 16 at the Bethany Presbyterian Church, 316 Kennett Pike, in Kennett Square. A service in celebration of Irvin’s life will be held at 11 a.m. that day. The family requests those who wish to honor Irvin’s memory to make contributions in his name to the Kennett Library Building Fund, PO Box 730, Kennett Sq., PA 19348, kennettlibrary.org or American Heart Association. Online condolences may be made at www. ecollinsfuneralhome.com.
Irvin Lieberman...
of the Month
Irvin S. Lieberman
Courtesy photo
Pictured with Principal Dr. Nicole Addis and Assistant Principal Jason Soule, fifth grade November Students of the Month are, front row from left, Breezy Lara, Avery Rubincam,
Hopewell Elementary School teachers nominate Students of the Month based on their academic achievements and participation in class and school activities.
Megan Overbeck, Emma McGlothlin and Logan Lewis; second row from left, Olivia Morales, Fiona Reynolds, Clark McPeak, Owen Graf, Gabriel Reinard and Danica Perloff. Sixth grade November Students of the Month are, third row from left, Brisa Fonseca Davalos, Kaia Patterson, Sierra Garcia, Alan Ochoa Torres, Logan Puckett and Meara Hannon; top row from left, Abby Hanes, Melissa Zavala, Meredith Griffin, Dakota Summers, Landon McCoy and Isabella Curtis.
Rest in Peace
8-6-1936 – 12-29-2018
Striving for the Ideals of Christmas and Chanukah
By Uncle Irvin
All of us, except the atheists among us, recognize that the end of December is something special.
It is special even beyond the trees, lights, parties, gift giving and Santa Claus. It is a time when people of all faiths reconcile around a biblical covenant… “Peace on Earth, good will toward men."
The peoples of Earth have striven to that goal of Peace on Earth unsuccessfully for two thousand and eight years. And we must continue our struggle, in this holiday season even a little harder.
America’s canyons
By Uncle Irvin
It isn’t difficult to get down on America and Uncle Sam.
Iraq, racism, corruption, urban sprawl, etc.
If you are and need a reason to believe in the U.S.A., again, Uncle Irvin suggests that you visit America’s canyonlands, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park. Not only for the serenity, eternity, and majesty of these natural wonders, but the care and diligence of the National Park Service. Not a trace of trash, disfigurement, or graffiti but excellent roads, museums, visitors centers, lodges, food service facilities. The visit restored my pride in being an American. Now if only we can find a way to fix some of our other problems.
A tax whose time has come
By Uncle Irvin
Last summer, the state of New Jersey made legislative history by taxing cosmetic surgery procedures.
The New Jersey law levies a 6 percent tax on hair transplants, Botox injections, liposuction, etc. Recently, seven other states, including New York, have introduced similar legislation.
If we are going to use a state lottery to pay for seniors healthcare, and slot machines to fund public schools, and tobacco and alcohol taxes for public
tion regarding conflicts of interest do not technically apply to Supreme Court justices. Justice Scalia would be a certain vote to send the atheists packing.
Back in those days, Uncle Irvin was a GOP Committeeman and was awarded a patronage job in Harrisburg and a Rubino operative.
Uncle Irvin was a charter member of the Football Parents Association.
use, we can certainly justify taxing elective cosmetic surgery and the mostly wealthy women who think they need a facelift, nose job, or breast augmentation.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there were 9.2 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures performed last year at an estimated cost of $8.4 billion.
A 6 percent tax would raise over $500 million dollars if all states were to enact the tax.
State Rep. Chris Ross, where are you when we need you?
Atheists and lawyers are a pain in the butt
By Uncle Irvin
Having already trumped litiginous atheists in the Ten Commandments Plaque case earlier this year, Chester Countians and the rest of the USA are now facing an even greater threat.
A California atheist who resents his sibling pledging allegiance with the words “under God” which were inserted to the Pledge of Allegiance by Congress in 1954, is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a federal appeals court in California decision not to require teachers to lead classes in pledging allegiance to the flag of “one nation under God.”
The Supreme Court decision will come next Spring/ Summer and will be decided by only eight justices. Justice Antonin Scalia has agreed to recuse himself, even though he didn’t have to because laws and regula-
Just what this country needs more of ... loud-mouthed and outspoken, litiginous atheists and trial lawyers.
Blind woman with guide dog thrown out of local store
By Uncle Irvin
In what appears to be a blatant violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a legally blind visitor with an accredited guide dog was ordered out of Campbell’s Market, East Nottingham Twp., by the night manager.
According to the Chester County Health Dept., Dajit S. Chawla is the food facility operator of the establishment.
Priscilla Patterson, 20, and guide dog, Wesley, are visiting her mother and cousin. All three, and the dog, were shopping in Campbell’s Market on the evening of July 15, 2005. Wesley, the guide dog, was lying on the floor of the store under the feet of his mistress who was looking for a movie rental with her cousin.
For no apparent reason, a representative of the store, identified as “Danny,” questioned Priscilla’s legally-blind status and ordered her and the dog out of the store.
Ms. Patterson and Wesley left without a whimper, even knowing the store was violating the law.
Ms. Patterson has filed a legal complaint against the store and its owner with the Pa. Commission of Human Rights.
Under the ADA, the right of a blind person to be accompanied by a dog guide is guaranteed in all public accommodations.
Wesley, a golden retriever, was trained by Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, Cal.
GOP Chairman crying
Wolf
By Uncle Irvin
It is amazing to see Joseph “Skip” Brion, the Chairman of the Chesco GOP, accuse “out of town Democrats” of stealing Bush/Cheney signs.
Not only is sign stealing a time-cherished political prank but sign stealing/ mutilation was taken to new heights in Chester County by the GOP in the Rubino era of the 70’s and 80’s.
I can recall a state Senate election between now deceased incumbent Republican John H. Ware III and another deceased “character” named Fred Cadmus.
Cadmus was known throughout Chester County as the “Country Lawyer” which became the name of a famous West Chester restaurant, which Cadmus owned as well. Cadmus was a threat to the GOP because he had endless money, a commodity that no Democrat seems to have since.
Cadmus’ campaign had billboards and signs all over Chester County – which Rubino ordered destroyed or mutilated by his henchmen, including a younger Uncle Irvin.
Heading the GOP hit squad was none other than Dick Schulze, who later became a member of the State House and Congress.
Schulze’s squad ran down or stole all of Cadmus’ signs on Rte. 100 from Rte. 30 to Lionville, as well as applying graffiti on Cadmus’ billboards.
Campaign pranks are as American as mischief night, and Mr. Brion should stop complaining.
It ain’t the Linc, but…
By Uncle Irvin
Since the close of school last June, a vast metamorphosis started to take place at the Sports Complex behind Unionville High School.
It’s finished now and Uncle Irvin, who believe it or not, works out five days a week had a chance to jog on the composite track that replaced the old cinder track that surrounds the lighted main athletic field.
Most of us in this area are reveling at Lincoln Financial Field, the new $350 million home of the Eagles. The Unionville field cost a little less than that but, costs aside, it was a much-needed improvement to the athletic facilities by the School Board.
Since my two sons graduated from Unionville in the '70s, I know a little history about how little money the School Board spent on athletic facility’s improvements in the 70s, 80s and 90s. How about zilch, zero, nada!
Maybe a little more than that then, but the bulk of improvements came directly from parents.
We paid for 100 percent the trainer, 100 percent of an electric scoreboard, 100 percent of a public address system and 100 percent of the lights, which were installed about 7 – 10 years ago.
Ralph DiCarlo Sr., Jack Beeson, Dick McFeeley, Barry Sipes were just to name a few of us in the 70’s, and many other fathers and mothers for almost 30 years gave countless hours to improving the facilities and program. And, I am sure all of us don’t regret it a bit that we didn’t have School Board money because it was being used for curriculum and school facilities.
Joe the Junketeer
By Uncle Irvin
According to a study by the Center for Public Integrity, Congressman Joe Pitts took 41 privately sponsored trips at a total cost of $92,055 for the 5 ½ years ending in 2005, the third highest among Pa. Congressmen and Senators. These trips, sponsored and paid for by groups that lobby Congress, are considered little more than pricey vacations wrapped around speeches or seminars.
This kind of travel is not illegal, but is part of the problem of overall Congressional Reforms and higher ethical standard now demanded by the voting public.
Pitts, who has served in Congress since 1993 and is running for reelection in 2006, is a virtually anonymous and invisible back-bencher. He serves on no important committees, has individually sponsored no significant legislation, and is nothing more than an automatic vote for the right wing conservative, Christian coalition.
Pitts’ Bible Belt district of about 55 percent in western Lancaster County and 45 percent western Chester County has guaranteed him of certain victory and only token, poorly financed opposition, thus far.
Democrat Andy Dinniman’s recent election to the state Senate could lead to the resurrection of the Democratic Party in Chester County, which could prove to be Joe Pitts’ ending in the 2008 election.
New school boon to area
By Uncle Irvin
The new combination
of a technical high school and community college to be built in Penn Township promises to be a big plus for southern Chester County. Called the Chester County Technical College High School Pennock’s Bridge Campus, this school will bring more skilled high school graduates to the workforce – particularly in this area.
Certainly not all high school graduates need to, or want to, go on to college, but they need to be literate and trained in order to be productive workers who can then look forward to earning a competitive income as well as helping local businesses become more profitable.
All of us look forward to the speedy completion of this new school and welcome its first graduates into our workforce.
Social promotions
have to go
By Uncle Irvin
Surely, any citizen who cannot see that social promotions must be eliminated from our school system before we see any improvement is blind.
Social promotion – i.e., promoting students regardless of test scores and achievement rather than holding them back – has long been part of American public education, albeit a tacit part.
Educators and teachers do not like to talk about it because they cannot defend the principal without acknowledging the mediocrity of our public education system. The whole issue is getting some much needed light because New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is putting his foot in the sand demanding that social promotion be eliminated from NYC public schools. We need more leaders like Mayor Bloomberg right here in southern Chester County.
The stench of political stew
By Uncle Irvin
What do you get when you mix seven political hacks with the 253 thieves that make up the PA General Assembly?
Hint: The political hacks are judges in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
Answer: You get a political stew that smells.
Recently the PA Supreme Court ruled that the State Auditor General, the chief accounting officer of the
The Lieberman family
GREATEST HITS
Commonwealth, cannot audit the spending of the General Assembly.
As has been pointed out here before, the cost of running the General Assembly costs over 300 million dollars a year.
That translates into $1,186,000 per member per year to pay for the bums in Harrisburg that do nothing but steal taxpayer money.
You know why the judges of the Supreme Court ruled that the General Assembly can’t be audited?
Because the General Assembly holds the judges’ purse strings and they all come out of the same political mélange.
Time has come for regional police forces
By Uncle Irvin
There are arguably close to 20,000 people living in Kennett Square Borough, East Marlborough Township and Kennett Township, most of them concentrated within a mile from the middle of Kennett Square Borough.
Right now, only Kennett Borough has a real police force; East Marlborough has a one-man force and Kennett Township has a contract for a one man force, but no one is actually working.
Right now, while Kennett Borough has an only temporary chief, would be a perfect time for the three municipalities to explore a regional force.
The Borough and its 5,000 taxpayers are being squeezed financially to support a force while East Marlborough and Kennett Township are a joke with a one-man force to cover crime, which is a 24-7 phenomenon.
The added financial muscle from the township would give the Kennett area
an opportunity to provide first class police protection which is now a public necessity.
Heretofore, petty bickering between Borough Council and Township Supervisors and the Albert McCarthy problem have been road blocks.
It appears that one of the two roadblocks is being removed.
Is petty bickering going to continue to hold up a concept whose time has come?
P.S. Petty bickering is also the reason why Oxford Borough, East Nottingham Township and Lower Oxford Township don’t have a regional police force.
A modern school district model
By Uncle Irvin
Thinking outside the box is a trait very few, if any, of our leaders have mastered. It is, however, how we can improve and grow our institutions to keep up with change.
Here are my ideas for a better way to run school districts:
Eliminate the Superintendent position; Combine the business operations with administration creating a new CEO position; and Create a new position that is responsible for curriculum and faculty similar to the Provost position at universities.
These changes could be expense-neutral and set up a far more realistic and modern use of skills.
Having an individual with a Doctorate in Education run a $40-$60-million-dollar enterprise, which is the present model, simply doesn’t make sense.
A school district CEO should have business and management skills and training to properly manage a huge public enterprise like a school district.
A separate position, such as a Provost position or chief academic officer, who would concentrate on curriculum and faculty would complement the CEO.
School district administration has not changed in a hundred years and is so sadly obsolete.
An Oxford trailblazer going strong
By Uncle Irvin
In this issue of the Chester County Press, there's a story about the financial history of the Oxford area from 1970 to 1990, told by the guy who was a big part of it.
Carl Fretz was the president of Peoples Bank of Oxford, and the area it served was his instrument.
With Carl as president, Peoples became the leading regional bank, which not only made money for the shareholders, but loaned money to many small businesses, while opening branches all over the area.
Uncle Irvin and his weekly newspaper operation was one example of how Carl's lending philosophy paid off. Carl thought the character of a businessman was just as important as collateral, and if he didn't practice this philosophy, the Chester County Press, and many new business ventures, would not have happened so quickly.
Prior to Carl, Clyde Mason -- the founder of the bank and Carl's boss -very rarely loaned money to businesses which were not related to agriculture. Carl pioneered a more progressive lending strategy that served all small businesses.
In addition to his business career, Carl was a mover in his church and other philanthropic endeavors, and offered his considerable singing talent to the community.
The Oxford area is a better place today because of leaders like Carl Fretz.
Bike path a good idea
By Uncle Irvin
As a non-cyclist, I say there are two reasons the East Marlborough Supervisors should go ahead with the proposed bike path.
The first one is safety for cyclists and motorists. Uncle Irvin lives on Line Road. For some reason, cyclists in packs love to traverse this road, which is less wide than current regulations, and has no shoulder. It takes dexterity for two cars to pass in opposite directions without hitting a cyclist.
Line Road is not alone, as most roads in this area are just as unsafe as Line Road.
Second, as a resident of East Marlborough, I believe emoluments like bike trails add to a rural, residential character that, along with the Unionville-Chadds Ford school district, is a magnet for home buyers. And for some reason, East Marlborough does not have a public park, like Kennett and New Garden.
With little room left for developers, it is safe to assume that home prices in East Marlborough will rise more than average, and this bodes well for every resident.
The bike trail is a win-win situation.
Is 'Shooting the Bird' legal?
By Uncle Irvin
In what may be a hallmark legal decision, a Texas appellate court has ruled that giving a fellow motorist “the finger” does not constitute disorderly conduct and, therefore, not a crime.
It is also interesting to note that court testimony in this case traced the “impudent finger” back to the days of the Roman Empire (500 BC). For Latin scholars, the gesture is called “digitus impudicus.”
The Appellate Judges agreed that “the bird is everywhere and in many instances is losing its taboo status – especially among the younger set.”
A motorist shot the bird to Uncle Irvin recently when I beeped my horn because he fell asleep at a stop sign. I just smiled and went on my way!
Voucher system ready to go
By Uncle Irvin
It appears as if we already have the ammuni-
tion to reform our public schools.
The seminal U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2002 on school choice found the voucher plan constitutional.
Under the voucher plan, parents who have students eligible to attend a public school would be eligible for a voucher to attend any school of their choice, public, parochial, charter or private.
The voucher amount would probably be based on per-pupil costs in public schools which would be in the $10,000-$15,000 range, the amount public schools pay charter schools now.
For example, if you would like your son or daughter to attend a private school like Tower Hill, upon admittance, you would get a voucher for $15,000 and pay the difference.
This kind of voucher system is being contemplated in a Denver, Colorado suburb as we speak.
The voucher system would force public schools to upgrade their curriculum and teacher quality or suffer the loss of students. In short, they would have to compete.
New Garden's positive turnaround
By Uncle Irvin
Back in the 1970s, New Garden Township was the only township in southern Chester County that had no zoning ordinances. The sleepy township was run by the mushroom industry and led by a trio of yawning supervisors, Bob Taylor, Chip Smedley and mushroom grower Dino Ruggieri. Taylor was a GOP operative who served as Chester County's sealer of weights and measures, a politically appointed job. This township was really asleep and devoid of progress.
Fifty years later, New Garden may be the best-run municipality in southern Chester County. The highlights of this miracle are the only regional police force in southern Chester County, a viable open space program, and a wide base of commercial development. The present five-man board of supervisors, led by Steve Allaband, has developed a winning streak of progressive endeavors, and a head of steam pushing New Garden to its place among the bestgoverned townships.
Irvin and Judy Lieberman
Irvin & John Ware in 1970The Chester County Press gets passed to
another generation: Irvin, Randy, and Andy Lieberman, in 1993.
Spirit of Giving Luncheon set for Jan. 21
The 29th annual Spirit of Giving Lunchon, a benefit event for the Neighborhood Services Center, will be held on Monday, Jan. 21, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. All funds raised by this luncheon go directly to the Neighborhood Services Center to assist those less fortunate in the community. This money will be used to provide assistance for people to purchase heating oil, gas, electric, food, or shelter.
The luncheon will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m.
at the Penn’s Grove Middle School Cafeteria at 301 South Fifth Street in Oxford. A donation of $40 per person is requested, and checks should be made payable directly to the Neighborhood Services Center. The speaker will be Neighborhood Services Center’s interim executive director, Krystine Sipple, who will talk about the organization’s current and future plans for meeting the needs of clients.
Many Oxford Area School District students will
be volunteering throughout the community during the day in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Some students will be volunteering to organize, prepare, and clean up during the luncheon.
Donations to attend the Spirit of Giving Luncheon can be sent to Jim McLeod, 124 Lancaster Pike, Oxford, Pa. 19363. Questions can be emailed to Jim McLeod at jdmcleod51@hotmail.com or Mary Fasick at mfasick@ brightcare.com.
Phipps named Youth of the Month at Lighthouse
Courtesy photo
Iyonn Phipps has been selected as the Lighthouse Youth Center’s Youth of the Month. Phipps is in the tenth grade at the Oxford Area High School. She received the award because of her kindness to others. Her favorite thing about the Lighouse is doing crafts and being around positive people.
Sappey sworn into serve first term in Pa. House of Representatives
State Rep. Christina Sappey was sworn in to represent Pennsylvania’s 158th Legislative District during a Capitol ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 1.
Sappey is the first woman and first Democrat to represent the 158th District.
“I hope to help accelerate Pennsylvania’s move to renewable energy, encourage a growth economy that creates family-sustaining jobs,
properly fund the Department of Environmental Protection so that it can do its job, end the growing inequity in education funding, promote gun violence prevention measures and foster accountability and transparency in state government,” said Sappey, D-Chester.
“I’m proud to be a part of this new class of legislators. We are committed to changing business as usual.
We are a diverse group and are more representative of the people.”
Constituents and those who want to learn more about Sappey can visit www. pahouse.com/Sappey. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives swearing-in ceremony corresponds with the first Tuesday in January every two years. This year marks Pennsylvania’s 203rd legislative session.
Courtesy photo
State Rep. Christina Sappey was sworn in to represent Pennsylvania’s 158th Legislative District during a Capitol ceremony.
Editorial Opinion
Never silent, speaking immediately
Speaking strictly in the professional sense of the word, it was not important to Irvin Lieberman that he be liked.
Being liked was just not part of the equation of being a newspaperman, and from the time he first purchased this newspaper in 1970, to the day he died on Dec. 29, 2018, Irvin Lieberman brandished that belief the way a warrior does a sword.
That belief was never more exemplified than in his “Uncle Irv” column, which publishes for the last time in this week’s edition of the Chester County Press. For the better part of two decades, the column occupied the lower righthand corner of the front page of this newspaper, and although it was wrapped by news about local politics, school districts, new businesses and personal profiles, the 200 words that made up the “Uncle Irv” column every week became this newspaper’s voice, its very own barbaric yawp.
Some admired the tenacity of its bold intention. Others chuckled at its pugnacious audacity, while some of this county’s most prominent leaders who felt the wrath of Lieberman’s pen and retaliated, or simply took the hit and moved on. There were many more who were driven to respond in letters to the editor, declaring that Lieberman was irresponsibly using his available space as a vicious weapon, with no other directive than to verbally take down his enemies, real or invented.
However it was interpreted, Lieberman’s column was a bold imprint on an industry that too often neglects to use the gift of its platform for anything more than the exercise of filling up pages. He simply wouldn’t stand for it, and even after he surrendered ownership to his two sons, Randy and Andy, in 1993, Lieberman’s presence around the Chester County Press newsroom transformed his role into that of a watchdog. He encouraged reporters to ask the tough questions, to dig deeper for a story, and simply give no quarter to anyone – no lawmaker, no business leader, no school superintendent, no officer of the law, and especially those who luxuriate in the false grandiosity of a title. Everyone, he believed, needed to be held accountable for their actions – decent or indecent – and it is the responsibility of journalists to uphold that principle, and follow it down to the last word.
Irvin Lieberman began the Chester County Press with barely any money in his pocket, but he also held what would become his greatest ace card. He was given the reins to a tiny slice of one of our nation’s greatest rights – the freedom of the press – and he fought like a soldier to protect that freedom. Henry Anatole Grunwald, the longtime managing editor and editor in chief of Time, Inc., once said that “journalism can never be silent; that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.”
Speaking strictly in the professional sense of the word, Irvin Lieberman was never silent, and maybe that bothered some people, but none of that mattered to him, anyway. He didn’t get into this industry to be liked. Rather, he did so in order to take on the role of an overseer, one that required him to speak and speak immediately. He did, and for that, this newspaper, and the industry to which we belong, will be forever grateful.
Tightening our southern border
Letter to the Editor:
My wife and I love to travel America by car and our dog always goes with us. But, before we even pull out of the driveway, we must be sure “Mouse” has his rabies tag and required paper documentation that proves he is not a health risk to anyone. Even my five -pound Chihuahua, if challenged, must be prepared to prove to authorities that he does not pose a health threat or face possible quarantine and my
wife and I serious fines, while at the same time, a flood of illegal aliens who may have lice, HIV or serious contagious respiratory diseases continually pour across our Mexican border and disperse throughout our country protected by sanctuary cities, states, and legislatures who refuse to take the necessary steps to secure our southern border.
In an April 3, 2006 speech on Immigration reform on the floor of the Senate, then Senator Barack Obama stated in
part, “because we live in an age where terrorists are challenging our borders, we simply cannot allow people to pour into the United States undetected, undocumented, and unchecked.”
Back in 2006, House Representative Nancy Pelosi, Senator Chuck Schumer and even Hillary Clinton all claimed to support border security, including some sort of fencing or wall. Now in 2019, they claim a border wall is a medieval solu-
tion that won’t work and is immoral. As recently as Jan. 2, a TV evening news segment reported that as many as 50 illegal immigrants a day who are detained at the southern border have been referred to health care facilities for treatment for possible pneumonia or TB. But my five – pound chihuahua had better make sure that all his papers are in order! Total madness!
Wolf budget should properly fund DEP
By State Rep. Greg Vitali D-Delaware/ Montgomery
www.pahouse.com/Vitali
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has been severely underfunded for years. This has compromised the department’s ability to protect public health and the environment. Governor Tom Wolf’s proposed budget should restore needed resources.
The DEP has suffered almost a 30 percent reduction in staff since 2002, losing over 900 positions. This has compromised its ability to reduce air and water pollution, regulate oil and gas development, combat climate change, plug abandoned oil and gas wells and protect the Chesapeake Bay.
Currently, the Wolf administration is preparing its fiscal year 2019/2020 state budget proposal, which it will present to the Pennsylvania General Assembly in early February. This proposal should fully fund environmental protection. Air quality
The DEP doesn’t have
sufficient personnel to monitor air quality. A 2018 EPA audit determined the DEP’s Air Quality Monitoring Division was “severely understaffed”. This understaffing has increased the risk of harmful pollutant discharge. Fewer companies are now being monitored and the air monitoring data is being viewed less frequently. This adversely affects the health of us all.
Oil and gas program
DEP Oil and Gas has lost 36 positions – down to 190 – since 2016. This program has the responsibility to review drilling permit applications, respond to complaints, inspect well sites, prevent pollution and develop policy guidelines and regulations. “We are not doing any of these things well,” a program official confided in me.
“We are failing in our mission.”
Methane regulations
As the Wolf administration has acknowledged, reducing fugitive methane emissions from natural gas operations is an essential step needed to combat climate change. Three years ago, the administration
announced its intent to develop regulations for the thousands of existing sources of methane leakage. To date these regulations have not been completed. The delay, according to one DEP insider, is insufficient staffing – only one person has been assigned to this project.
Abandoned wells
A DEP official estimates there are over 200,000 unplugged orphaned and abandoned oil and gas wells in Pennsylvania. These wells create a risk of explosion from gas leaks, which could cause death and property damage. The wells also leak brine and oil into streams and groundwater. It costs about $35,000 to plug a well. At current funding levels it will take about 17,500 years to plug all of them.
Stream protection
By its own estimates, the DEP’s Bureau of Clean Water needs to restore 63 positions “to implement its clean water objectives.” The bureau does not have enough biologists to monitor the waters of the commonwealth or take action to protect precious
high quality streams in a timely manner. This lack of staffing has increased the risk of improper pollutant discharges into Pennsylvania waterways. Chesapeake Bay In July, The Chesapeake Bay Foundation released a report concluding that Pennsylvania’s poor progress in reducing pollution runoff from its 33,600 farms in the Bay watershed “threatens local rivers and streams as well as the recovery of downstream waters of the Chesapeake Bay.” The DEP has conceded it does not have the staff and resources necessary to carry out its Chesapeake Bay Restoration Strategy.
The DEP is in a deplorable condition. Governor Wolf should not propose a budget that merely maintains or only slightly increases DEP funding. Rather, he should propose a budget that seriously attempts to address this problem.
State Representative Greg Vitali, D-Delaware/ Montgomery, represents the 166th Legislative District.
18th annual CommUNITY Breakfast set for Jan. 21
The 18th annual breakfast, as part of the entire MLK CommUNITY Day, is scheduled to be held on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday on Monday, Jan. 21. Tickets are on sale now for this very popular celebration event, which will be held at the Red Clay Room in Kennett Square, beginning at 8 a.m.
“The Board of Directors of the MLK CommUNITY has been working hard since the summer on the entire day’s events,” said Carol Black, board president. “We are excited to continue the vision of our founder, Mabel L. Thompson, to create a beloved community in the greater Southern Chester County area.”
Tickets for event now on sale will be “Diversity is our Strength.” A noted psychologist and first alumna to lead the historic university, Dr. Allen has previously served as Provost at Winston Salem State University, Associate Provost and Director of Institutional Diversity at Brown University and in numerous academic and administrative positions at Smith College and Yale University. Dr. Allen will share her thoughts on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and the positive vision she also has of a nation made stronger by embracing diversity and committed to working together for peace, justice and equality for all.
breakfast in tribute to his late mother, Mabel Latta Thompson, and to Dr. King’s legacy of hope and love that continues to inspire him.
The MLK CommUNITY Day started with a breakfast that Mabel organized to help realize a longstanding dream. The organization has grown tremendously from the breakfast to a day of sharing (service), food and cash drives to benefit Kennett Area Community Service Food Cupboard and the West Grove Bridge Food Pantry, as well as scholarships, book sales, coffee and conversation fellowships, and much more.
The speaker for the MLK Breakfast will be Dr. Brenda Allen, President of Lincoln University, whose keynote theme
J. Philip Thompson, currently the deputy mayor of the City of New York, will return home to serve as master of ceremonies of the
“Our mission is to revitalize in our community Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of peace and harmony among all people,” said Black. “We are thrilled that our community can gather ‘round
once again this January.” The community may also participate in the day of sharing by bringing non-perishable food items to the breakfast to help feed the hungry in our area and by contributing coins to the Change for Change program at the Franklin Mint Credit Union on Baltimore Pike, Kennett Square, on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. Volunteer opportunities are available and sponsorships are on a first-come-first-served reservation. To find out how you can volunteer during any part of this wonderful community event, be a sponsor for the breakfast, or to purchase tickets for the breakfast, visit the website at: www.mlkcommunity.org or send an email to info@ mlkcommunity.org, or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ Mlkcommunity.
Allan Andrade New Garden Township
and WBCB 1490 Radio, will serve as the guest speaker for the event.
The highlight of each banquet is the induction of a new group of local baseball standouts. This year’s inductees include Steve Burton, Jim DeCorso, Jock Hannum, Ed Kovatch, Steve “Monk” Melton, John Riccardo, David Senecal, Guy Taylor, Bob Warren and Jeff Wolf.
Like this year’s group of inductees, Bosley loved baseball―and the game was always a part of his life. He grew up playing the game.
As an adult, he coached little league, high school, and American Legion baseball in Bucks County in the 1960s and 1970s. The Falls American Legion squad won the state championship in 1968.
When Bosley and his family moved to Kennett Square in the summer of 1980, he began umpiring for the KAU Little League as well as the West Chester and
Coatesville Adult Leagues. He coached in KAU for eight years before heading the Kennett Senior American Legion team for another eight years. His 1996 team won the Chester County Championship and finished third in the Pennsylvania Eastern Regional that year. While coaching for the Kennett American Legion, Bosley started the Junior American Legion Team for 13- to 15-year-olds. In total, he spent a better part of 40 years in and around the game.
Tommy Greene is making his second appearance at the Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association banquet, having first appeared at the 2012 event. He was an integral part of the 1993 Philadelphia Phillies team that is still beloved by fans for its improbable march to the World Series. Greene posted a 16-4 record that year, his best during his eight-year Major League career. As a former player on certainly one of the more interesting baseball teams ever assembled, Greene will have a lot of interesting
stories to share. He is also well-informed about the current Philadelphia Phillies as a result of his job as a pregame and post-game analyst for NBC Sports Philadelphia. The banquet, which will be held at the Red Clay Room
in Kennett Square, begins at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at Burton’s Barber Shop ata 105 W. State St. in Kennett Square, or call 610444-9964 for tickets or more information.
Baseball Association was created in 1974 through the efforts of Howard Lynn, Bat Burton, Donald McKay, Donnie Davenport, Lou Manfredi, John Moynihan, Gordon Farquhar and Joe Husband. The tradition has been carried on through the years by Bob Burton and volunteer organizer Prissy Roberts.
To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
Photo by Steve Hoffman
Tommy Greene, a pre-game and post-game analyst and a former Phillies pitcher, will serve as the guest speaker at the 39th Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association banquet. Greene spent six of his eight big league seasons with the Phillies.
Courtesy photo
John Riccardo with his Jays teammates.
Courtesy photos
Bob Warren
Steve BurtonEd Kovatch
Courtesy photo
David Senecal with his teammates on the Cutters.
The Kennett Old Timers
AGHS Senior Rabea Pfaff will Make a Splash at UNC
Jan. 21 deadline for free job search
Support class at Delaware County Community College
Are you looking for a new start in 2019 but don’t know where to begin? Delaware County Community College’s free New Choices Career Development program can help you gain the knowledge and skills you need to determine a career path, find a job and achieve your goals. The program provides individual and group support, career assessment and planning, employer contacts, networking opportunities, resume writing,
interviewing techniques and basic computer skills, with the aim of helping students find a successful career and a fresh start.
New Choices is a sixweek program, and classes are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the College’s Marple Campus (901 South Media Line Road, Media, PA). The next session begins on Tuesday, January 22 and the deadline to register is Monday, January 21. Call 610-359-5232 for more information or to register.
Excited to continue her lifelong passion, Avon Grove High School (AGHS) senior Rabea Pfaff signed a national letter of intent to swim and dive for the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill.
Pfaff applied only to UNC. She explained, “I felt that was my place, where I fit in.” She is already in communication with 12 students from other high schools who will also be swimming for UNC next year. She added, “I love the team members, they are a huge family to me already.”
While attending
UNC, Pfaff will divide her time between swimming and studying neuroscience. Upon graduation, she plans to attend medical school.
“UNC sets me up really well for that,” Pfaff said. “It has the second-best pre-med program in the country, and it has a children’s hospital on campus, which is great because I want to do something in pediatrics,” Pfaff said.
Pfaff’s journey began at just four months old when she started taking swimming lessons. Since then, she has swum competitively through the Jennersville YMCA and for the
Delaware Swim Team (DST). Today, Pfaff continues to swim and dive for DST as well as for the AGHS swimming and diving team. Avon Grove has competed at the PIAA AAA State Championships for the past three years, and Pfaff is anxiously anticipating the opportunity to compete again this year. Pfaff, who typically swims the 100-meter breaststroke, 200-meter individual medley and two relay races, stated, “Our team is fantastic. I’m just there to compete with the team and to help them win.”
Viau visits Hockessin BookShelf
Children’s book author Nancy Viau will be visiting the Hockessin BookShelf on Saturday, Jan. 19 for an Afternoon with the Author event.Viau, a resident of New Jersey, is the author of five picture books and several middle-grade novels. A former teacher and kid-at-heart, she often visits elementary schools to share her journey to publication and the writing process.
The event will be celebrating the pubication of two of her latest books, “First Snow” and “Beauty and Bernice,” which are published by Albert
Whitman & Co and Schiffer Publishing, respectively.
At 4:30 p.m., there will be a reading of “First Snow” followed by time for crafts and coloring pages for children between the ages of 3 and 6. Then, at 5:30 p.m., there will be a book discussion and Q & A about “Beauty and Bernice,” which is written for children between the ages of 8 and 12. The event is free, but RSVP is requested. Books will be available for purchase at the Hockessin Book Shelf, which is located at 7179 Lancaster Pike in Hockessin, Del.
ASK OUR TEAM WHY
Brandywine Hospital is your destination for advanced spine care.
Having the life-changing opportunity to receive highly personalized, seamlessly coordinated spine care — right in your community — means you can take back your life, pain-free. That’s why we unite fellowship trained surgeons across specialties. From physical therapy to neurosurgical and orthopedic spine surgery, our team takes a collaborative approach to your care, every step of the way. Recognized by the Aetna Institutes of Quality for delivering outcome-driven quality care, we do more than alleviate your back and neck pain — we help you thrive again.
Learn more about our convenient surgical services. Visit Brandywine.TowerHealth.org or call 610.383.4608 for more information.
Courtesy photo
Rabea Pfaff and her family proudly show their UNC school spirit during a college athletic signing ceremony at Avon Grove High School. Pictured are (back row standing from left) Ava (sister), Emily (mother), Keith (father), Annika (sister). Front row seated: Rabea Pfaff.
Putting an artistic spin on winter scenery
By John Chambless Staff Writer
Like it or not, we are heading into the snowy days of winter. However, the Square Pear Gallery in Kennett Square is putting the best spin on the season with a new exhibit, “Snowy Days,” continuing through the end of January. There, you’ll find winter at its prettiest.
In the front room, there’s an impressive selection of large paintings by Barbara Grant, whose nighttime snowscapes have a richly textured surface and a storybook air about them, particularly the twolane road draped between two clusters of homes in “Night Light,” and the huge moon over pillowy hills in “Blue Moon.” The orange horizon in “Dawn Sky” is a nice addition, with a warm tone that contrasts nicely with the blue-black palette.
There’s one wall of abstract color fields by Portia Mortensen that evoke the mood of a frosty winter day.
The four large paintings by Doug Elliott brilliantly depict the bright blue-white of snow on a sunny day, especially the sun-dappled tree and out-ofseason bicycle in “Pin Oak in Ice.”
On a smaller scale, Lydia Kohutiak’s views of winter streams are also strong, especially the yellow-orange tree that stands out against the snow in “Winter Brook.”
Mary Gordon’s works have
a crisp, clean light, whether she’s working large in her wide view of a field of cattle, or keeping a constrained size and maximizing every inch in “Waimbler Farm in Winter” and “Waimbler Farm, LaVerne, Iowa,” the latter a near-perfect depiction of a white farm outbuilding draped with the shadow of an unseen tree. It’s a white-onwhite tour de force.
Madeleine Kelly’s large paintings are powerful, and both “Fresh Prints” (footprints in the snow through a slope of brown vegetation) and “Brandywine Winter” (a dramatic sweep of stream bank and dark water) are very fine.
There are three winter scenes by Kathryn Noska that fit nicely into the winter theme and maintain the artist’s dazzling level of detail, not only in the animals in the foreground, but in the acres of space in the fantasy landscapes behind them.
Behind the front counter is a huge, striking abstract by Dave Eldreth that suggests acres of snowy landscape but allows your imagination to roam. And don’t miss the charming wooden snowman sculpture by Jack Hanson that stands as a greeter in the gallery’s front window.
The gallery regulars are represented as well, offering ceramics and paintings and prints that you will love browsing through. In short, it’s a great stop for an hour of art appreciation and discovery, whatever the weather outside happens to be.
“Snowy Days” continues through Jan. 31 at Square Pear Fine Art Gallery (200 E. State St., Kennett Square). Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 484-883-5429 or visit www.squarepeargallery.com.
To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty. com
‘Blue Moon’ by Barbara Grant.
‘Dawn Sky’ by Barbara Grant.
‘Fresh Prints’ by Madeleine Kelly.
A wood sculpture by Jack Hanson.
One of Kathryn Noska’s paintings of animals in fantasy landscapes.
‘Pin Oak in Ice’ by Doug Elliott.
‘Waimbler Farm, LaVerne, Iowa,’ by Mary Gordon.
‘Winter Brook’ by Lydia Kohutiak.
A farm view by Mary Gordon.
PENELOPE JANE SIMONE
Penelope Jane Simone, of Kennett Square, died on Dec. 30. She was born in 1947 in Edinburgh, Scotland. She was the identical twin of Aileen, younger sister of Catharine, and older sister of brother Alasdair and baby sister Phyllis. Educated in Edinburgh, she graduated from James Gillespie’s High School for Girls, and began her working life with the Scottish Ministry for Agriculture and Fisheries. She married her childhood sweetheart, Hugh Douglas McLeod, a navigating officer with the British Merchant Navy, in 1967. Together they emigrated to South Africa in 1968, where Hugh was tragically killed in a car accident. Jane returned to her parents’ home in Northern England. She took up riding, and studied with the British Horse Society, under which she gained qualifications as an instructor. She emigrated to the United States to join her twin sister, Aileen, in 1972. In 1973, Jane met and married Louis Francis Simone of Pittsburgh. In 1979, they had a baby girl, Gwyneth Nicola, and in 1982 they had a son, David Matthew.
They moved several times within the United States as a consequence of Lou’s career, and came to Kennett Square in 2002, where Jane was director of development at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, a position she took up in the fall of 1999. She retired in early 2015.
Jane was a fine horsewoman, a talented writer and a great cook. She was an avid lover of classical music, though her tastes were electric. She loved to travel, she studied and understood history and was adamant that education should be the lifeblood of all. She was an acute observer of humankind, a friend to all she met and knew, and she inspired those around her to strive to do their best.
She is survived by her beloved husband of 45 years, Lou; her daughter Gwyneth and her husband John Hawn; her son Dave; her twin sister Aileen Elliott; sisters Catharine Castree and Phyllis Carruthers; and her only brother, Alasdair Allan.
In her memory, donations may be made in her name to St. Joseph’s Indian School, P.O. Box 326, Chamberlain, SD 57326. Jane supported this Lakota Sioux charity. Her service will be held privately.
To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, visit www.griecocares.com.
Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:5
TheChesterCountyPressfeaturesadedicatedchurch/religious pagethatcanhelpyouadvertiseyourhouseofworshipand/or business.Thepageisupdatedweeklywithnewscripture.Only$10 Weeklyforthisspace.
Weareofferingaspecialdiscountof25%offeachandeveryhelp wanted/classifiedadvertisementtoanybusinessthatadvertiseson thePRESSchurchpage.
For more information or to place an ad, contact Brenda Butt at 610-869-5553 ext. 10
NANCY LOU KRIVANEK
Nancy Lou Krivanek, 71, of Oxford, passed away on Dec. 24, at home in Elk Township, following complications from cancer. She was born in Hamtramck, Mich., and was the daughter of the late Edward and Eleanor (Obuch) Abraham. She graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit and taught at middle schools in Michigan. She and her husband, Neil, moved to Newark, Del., where she substituted in the Newark school system. They moved to the Oxford area and raised crops, cattle and sheep on their farm. The sheep supplied the wool for a business of yarn production, weaving and knitting creations. Her weaving group took prizes in the Sheep to Shawl contests at Pennsylvania Farm shows. She also served as tax collector for Elk Township in the early 1980s. She enjoyed boating in summer on the Chesapeake Bay.
She is survived by her husband, Neil, with whom she shared 49 years of marriage; a sister, Sue Ann Snow of Kansas City, Kan.; and nieces Emily Snow of Kansas City and Megan (Watson) of Bonner Springs, Kan., and nephew Mark Gary of Longwood, Fla. She was preceded in death by her sister, Katherine Gary of Lancaster, Pa.
A memorial service is planned for Jan. 16 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Flickerwood Wine Cellars in Oxford. In lieu of flowers, donations to the World Wildlife Fund would be appreciated.
GEORGE L. MARS
George L. Mars, 76, of North East, Md., died on Dec. 30 due to complications from pneumonia in the Union Hospital of Cecil County in Elkton, Md.
Born in Perryville, Md., in 1942, he was the son of the late Charles William and Irene Mary (Collins) Mars. George spent his entire life in North East, Md. He was selfemployed, operating Mars Used Auto Parts until his retirement. He had a passion for automobiles and spent most of his life working with them. George especially loved and enjoyed his family and pets.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Linda C. (King) Mars; two daughters, Sherry Mars of Elkton, Md., and Dana Carter (Daniel) of Rising Sun, Md.; four grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; a sister, Phyllis A. Meadows of Newark, Del.; and two brothers, John W. Mars of Lake Orchard, Mich., and Charles A. Mars of North East, Md. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brothers Donald L. Mars, Sr., and Albert R. Mars; and sisters Janet Elaine Salmons and Shirley Mars Brown.
A funeral was held Jan. 4. Interment was in North East Methodist Cemetery. To send condolences, visit www. crouchfuneralhome.com.
GARY S. RULE, JR.
Gary Steven Rule Jr., 41, of New London, passed away on Dec. 28 after a long battle with a heart condition. He was surrounded by his loving family. Gary is survived by his father, Gary Rule, Sr.; mother, Ada Spencer; stepmother, Bonni Rule; half-brothers, Steven Rule and Kyle Raysor; as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins. Gary attended Avon Grove High School. He loved building computers, playing the guitar, and analyzing sports statistics. He was an avid fan of local professional sports teams such as the Eagles, and also loved his many pets, including rabbits. He had a very kind heart. He will be dearly missed.
A memorial service will be held at the Avondale Presbyterian Church (420 Pennsylvania Ave., Avondale) on Jan. 19. Visitation begins at 10 a.m., with a service at 11 a.m.
JAMES H. HAMLIN
James Harris Hamlin (Jim), 57, of Oxford, passed immediately into the arms of his Savior on Jan. 2 at his home, after a battle with prostate cancer. He was the husband of Suzanne Shepherd Hamlin, with whom he shared 34 years of marriage. Born in Aurora, Colo., he was the son of the late Frederick Joseph and Helen Gharrity Hamlin. Jim was employed as a senior vice president of Eagle Energy Systems in Kennett Square. He was an active member of Bethany Presbyterian Church in Oxford, where he served as Sunday school superintendent, chairman of trustees, elder, and moderator of the session. Jim also served on the Board of Bethany Christian School. He was also a member of the Kennett Square Golf and Country Club from 2005 to 2016. He had a passion for golf, loved spending time with family, traveled extensively, and enjoyed sports, reading, surf fishing and the beach.
He is survived by his wife; two children, Kathleen Gharrity Lefever (Eric) of Quarryville, and William Shepherd Hamlin (Emily) of Oxford; two grandchildren; and five siblings, Catherine Hepp of Eustis, Fla., Andrew Hamlin of Gaithersburg, Md., Robert Hamlin of Lakeland, Fla., Carol Schmitt of Reston, Va., and Mary Holden of Burke, Va.
A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Jan. 12 at Bethany Presbyterian Church (2483 Baltimore Pike, Oxford). Friends and family may visit at the church on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. Interment will be in Oxford Cemetery. Donations in his memory may be made to Bethany Christian School, 1137 Shadyside Rd., Oxford, PA 19363. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
MARY L. BAYLIS
Mary L. Baylis, 87, of West Grove, passed away peacefully at her home on Dec. 30 after a long illness. She was predeceased by her husband, Robert T. Baylis, whom she married in 1951, and her beloved dog, Perky. Born in Princewick, W.Va., in 1931, she was the daughter of the late Nora Agnes Dick and the late Walter Daniel Griffith. Mary adored sewing and gardening, and was always tending to the beautiful peonies and roses that surrounded her home. She enjoyed visiting her many nieces and nephews in New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia and Illinois. Mary loved attending family reunions in West Virginia. Before retirement, she worked in the sewing room of the West Grove Hosiery Mills in West Grove, and Wanamaker’s Department Store in Wilmington, Del. Mary is survived by her beloved niece and caretaker, Dawn “Dawnie Baby” Scanlon of Oak Ridge, N.J.; her sister, Lois Green of Baltimore, Md.; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. She was predeceased by four sisters, Eulalia, Marie, Erma and Margie; as well as one brother, Delbert.
A viewing will be held Jan. 5 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Foulk & Grieco Funeral Home (200 Rose Hill Rd., West Grove). Services will begin at 7:30 p.m. Interment will be held Jan. 7 at 10 a.m. at Union Hill Cemetery in Kennett Square. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Mary’s memory to the West Grove Fire Company, PO Box 201, West Grove, PA 19390; or the Avon Grove Lion’s Club, 600 N. Baker Station Rd., West Grove, PA 19390.
The silliness returns as KATS stages ‘Alice and the Stolen Tarts’
By John Chambless Staff Writer
If you’ve ever wanted to cheer the heroine and boo the villain in a theater, you are encouraged to do so at the annual comedy musical production by the Kennett Amateur Theatrical Society.
You’ll get a chance this year on Jan. 18 and 19, when the all-volunteer group presents “Alice and the Stolen Tarts” at the Kennett High School auditorium.
This year’s show, directed by Chris Ramsey, is loosely based on characters from “Alice in Wonderland,” but takes the story in new directions – some of them depending on whatever happens onstage.
“The story starts with Alice as an older woman, talking with her maid in London,” Ramsey said. “She’s thinking about how her life might have turned out differently. The White Rabbit arrives with a magic tart from Wonderland, and Alice eats the tart and is magically transported back to Wonderland, as a young woman again. So that’s the basic premise of the story. The magic tarts go missing, and the rest of the story is about trying to restore the wonder to Wonderland.”
There’s always a bit of unpredictability in the group’s shows, which
are based on British pantomime, a theatrical tradition that began in the 1700s that mashes up fairy tales, folklore, songs and satire. And everyone – cast, crew and audience – is invited to share the fun.
Standard elements of any “panto” production are a silly song for the audience to sing with the cast, gender-swapping roles (women playing men, men playing women), some sort of character who narrates or explains the action as the show goes along, and “skin parts,” which is often a pantomome animal – played by someone in a costume – that trots on at some point.
For audiences who have never seen this kind of show, it’s not an evening of sitting in respectful silence. You are encouraged – and in some cases, coerced – into booing, cheering, singing along or talking back to the actors.
Getting an audience comfortable with the interaction “takes about six or eight years,” Ramsey said, laughing. “Since we’re on our 18th production, we’ve got our audience pretty well trained. And those who are novices to our shows catch on pretty quickly.”
The theater group, which goes by their initials, KATS, began in 2000 with a series of
inauspicious auditions that drew very few people. But the group has expanded as friends invited friends, and audiences saw how much fun the shows were. Each year, there are about a dozen original songs written for the shows. KATS is the second oldest continuously operating British pantomime company in the country. Beth Holladay, who is the group’s board secretary and regular cast member, is marking her 15th KATS production. Her involvement began by taking her daughter to rehearsals. “My daughter saw the show for the first
time when she was in first grade. I went with her to rehearsals and thought, ‘Well, this is fun. I can probably do this.’ I had taken ballet since I was 5 and I’d been on stage, but it had been a while since I actually had to speak on stage, so when I first got up there I was like, ‘Oh, no! Can’t I just dance?’
But it’s always fun to be someone else.”
KATS has more than 100 members who are actively participating in productions. The young people who are welcomed into KATS can be as young as 5 or 6, so adults are designated as “Child Wranglers” in
the program each year.
While corralling that much youthful energy can be a chore, it does lead to children getting hooked on the fun of the show and returning, year after year, to take bigger roles. Or, drawing in their parents to take part.
The scripts are loose enough to allow some improvisation, Holladay said. “It’s silly, it’s fun, there’s a wide range of ages,” she said. “You can definitely bring kids to see these shows. Everybody gets to yell, so if you’re concerned about your kid being a little squirmy in the theater, it’s no problem.”
“Alice and the Stolen Tarts” will be staged at the Kennett High School auditorium (100 E. South St., Kennett Square) on Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m., and Jan. 19 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. The entrance to the parking lot is on South Union Street. The auditorium is on the second floor. Elevator access is available for those with special needs. Tickets are available at www.callkats.org.
To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@ chestercounty.com
Courtesy photo
The Caterpillar and Alice in the KATS production of ‘Alice and the Stolen Tarts.’
Jan. 20-21
Invention Convention
At Hagley’s Invention Convention on Jan. 20 and 21, visitors can explore how astronauts, cosmonauts, and any other galaxy wanderers survive in outer space. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 20 and 21. At Hagley’s interactive science fair, visitors can chat with a military pilot to learn about g-forces, get up close and personal with a real space suit, and have some fun making “space pudding.”
Visitors can also investigate the guts of gadgets, appliances and electronics at the Tinkering Tables, and make something spectacular in the Create-anInvention area. To celebrate visitor creativity, a Hagley “patent” will be issued for every invention. The event will be held in Hagley’s Soda House. Use the Buck Road entrance, GPS 298 Buck Road East, Wilmington, Del. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for ages 4-14 (children under 4 and Hagley members are free).
Jan. 27
Chocolate Festival
The Kennett Chocolate Lovers Festival will be held
Jan. 27 at Kennett High School from noon to 3 p.m. The festival raises funds for United Way of Southern Chester County. Tickets are on sale at www. KennettChocolate.org. VIP ticket holders gain early entrance at noon. General admission opens 1 p.m. VIP tickets are $30 ($50 per couple) and include six tastings, a beverage, professional demonstrations, as well as free parking. General admission tickets are $13 ($40 for a family four-pack) and include six tastings per person. Additional tasting tickets are available for 50 cents each. Parking is $5 per car.
Feb. 2
‘Escape Brandywine’
“Escape Brandywine” is an escape room experience set inside the John Chads House (c. 1725) in Chadds Ford. The program is held the first Saturday of the month from January through May. Participants are put in roles of spies on the eve of the Battle of Brandywine and charged with finding General Howe’s battle plans that have been hidden inside the house. Using real Revolutionary War spy techniques, codes and cyphers, players have 60 minutes to solve puzzles that lead to the plans. There are time slots at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m., or by appointment. Tickets are $28 per person (special rates for large groups). Advance reservations are required. Purchase tickets at www.chaddsfordhistory.org, or call 610-388-7376.
Kennett Flash schedule
The Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square) hosts regional and national artists. Tickets are available in advance at www. kennettflash.org, or at the door. Snacks and beverages are sold, guests can BYOB. The schedule includes: comedy with Big Daddy Graham and Spins Nitely (Jan. 11, 8 p.m., $20 and $30); 33 1/3 Live Killer Queen Experience, performing “A Night at the Opera” and greatest hits (Jan. 12); Kategory
5 “Rewind to Vinyl” tribute (Jan. 18 and 19, 8 p.m., $18 to $22); open mic with Phil Young (Jan. 20, 7 p.m., $4); Upstate (Jan. 24, 8 p.m., $15 and $18); Benfiddle: A benefit concert for Davey Poland (Jan. 25, 8 p.m., $25); Beatlemania Again (Jan. 26, 8 p.m., $30 and $35); Films & Words: “Metalhead” with guest Nithya Rajendran discussing gender and nonconformity in heavy metal (Jan. 27, free with reservations); The Hot Club of Cowtown (Jan. 29, 8 p.m., $20 and $24); Raymond the Amish Comic (Feb. 1, 8 p.m., $16 and $20); Rust: Neil Young tribute (Feb. 2, 8 p.m., $20 and $23); Better Than Bacon improv comedy troupe benefit for Tick Tock Early Learning Center (Feb. 7, 8 p.m., $16 and $20); Chris Barron of the Spin Doctors (Feb. 9, 8 p.m., $20 and $25); Lucy Kaplansky (Feb. 10, 7 p.m., $22 and $26); California Guitar Trio and Montreal Guitar Trio (Feb. 11, 8 p.m., $45 and $50); Chuck Prophet (Feb. 14, 8 p.m., $22 and $26).
To submit items to the Calendar of Events, e-mail jchambless@chestercounty. com. There is no charge. Not every submission can be included. Items should be submitted at least two weeks before the event.
Winterthur to host ‘Costuming The Crown’
From the dazzling gold of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation robe to the simple sophistication of Princess Margaret’s wedding dress, “Costuming The Crown,” opening in March at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, will feature 40 costumes from the award-winning drama “The Crown.”
The Netflix series is a dramatized history of Queen Elizabeth II’s early reign, as the fragile social order established after the Second World War breaks apart. The exhibition will be on view from March 30, 2019 to Jan. 5, 2020.
Beginning with spectacle and pageantry, “Costuming The Crown” reveals everything from the majesty of royal crowns and tiaras to the private looks worn by the royal family in the quiet moments behind the palace doors. The exhibition provides a behind-the-scenes look at how costume design is used to complement
drama, recreate history, and define characters from the footmen to the queen.
This will be the first global comprehensive exhibition of costumes from the first and second seasons of the series. Visitors will move through four sections in the exhibition, beginning with “Establishing Roles,” which explores the transformative nature of costume, looking at the ensembles worn for the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953. With these impressive garments, steeped in history, the young Princess Elizabeth takes on her new role and becomes the queen in much the same way the actors are transformed into their roles through costume.
“Dressing the Part” explores the replica costumes, based on extensive photographic and video archive research, and considers how clothing signifies status. “Creating Character” investigates scenes in which the
costume designers were allowed to interpret the characters’ looks with their own designs and explores private moments in their daily lives. “Capturing the Image,” the final section of the exhibition, looks at clothing worn by the queen and others in actual photographs and on television, highlighting the imagery the royal family chose to assert its status and to cultivate its public persona.
“The Crown” chronicles the major political and global events from the late 1940s until mid-1960s in seasons 1 and 2. Season 3 will air on Netflix this year. General admission to Winterthur is $20 for adults; $18 for students and seniors; $6 for ages 2 to 11. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Winterthur is on Route 52, six miles northwest of Wilmington, Del., and five miles south of Route 1. Call 302-888-4600, or visit www.winterthur.org.
COMPREHENSIVE SURGERY PROGRAM
ASK OUR TEAM WHY
You don’t have to travel for advanced surgical care.
How do you define excellent surgical care? At Tower Health, the standard for excellence is evident in the collaboration of top board certified, fellowship trained surgeons for every patient and community we serve. We offer minimally invasive techniques proven to maximize your comfort and recovery time. We’re not just advancing surgical care. We’re advancing the best possible outcomes for you, right here.
Experience excellence in your surgical care for any condition or injury at THSurgery.org.
Young people can take apart appliances and learn how they work at the Invention Convention at Hagley Museum (see listing).
The lavish costumes from ‘The Crown’ will be on display in four themed rooms.
in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, February 18th, 2019. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 19-1-5
Writ of Execution No. 2017-10473 DEBT $250,080.37
PROPERTY situate in the Parkesburg Borough, Chester County, Pennsylvania BLR# 8-5-443
IMPROVEMENTS thereon: residential dwelling
PLAINTIFF: PNC Bank, National Association VS DEFENDANT: SCOTT SCHILLER
SALE ADDRESS: 412 8th Avenue, a/k/a 412 West Eighth Avenue, Parkesburg, PA 19365-1360
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: PHELAN HALLLINAN DIAMOND & JONES, LLP, 215-563-7000
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 12p-26-3t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Carolyn B. Welsh, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, January 17th, 2019 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, February 18th, 2019. Distribution will be made in
accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 19-1-9
Writ of Execution No. 2018-07435
DEBT $174,379.80
ALL THAT CERTAIN lot, parcel or tract of land situate in New Garden Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, bounded and described according to a final subdivision plan, McClellan Farm made by Vandemark and Lynch, Inc., Engineers, Planners and Surveyors, dated February 26, 1987, last revised February 6, 1989 and recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds in and for Chester County as Plan #9047-#9053 as follows:
BEGINNING at a point on the easterly side of South Thistle Down, a corner of Lot #43 on said Plan; thence extending along said side of South Thistle Down the two (2) following courses and distances: 1) north seventeen (17) degrees nine (9) minutes forty-seven (47) seconds west one hundred fortyone and seventy hundredths (141.70) feet to a point of curve and 2) along the arc of a circle curving to the right having a radius of three hundred twenty and zero hundredths (320.00) feet, an arc distance of forty-five and zero hundredths (45.00) feet to a point of tangent and corner of Lot #45 on said Plan; thence extending along said side of Lot #45 north eighty-three (83) degrees nine (9) minutes seventeen (17) seconds east two hundred and eight hundredths (200.08) feet to a point and corner of Lot #40 on said Plan; thence extending along said side of Lot #40 south seventeen (17) degrees nine (9) minutes forty-seven (47) seconds east one hundred fifty and seventy-two hundredths (150.72) feet to a point and corner of Lot #43 on said Plan; thence extending along said side of Lot #43 south seventy-two (72) degrees fifty (50) minutes thirteen (13) seconds west two hundred and zero hundredths (200.00) feet to the first mentioned point and place of beginning.
BEING Lot #44 on said Plan.
BEING known as 254 South Thistle Down, Kennett Square, PA 19348.
BEING the same premises which Boucher Investments, L.P., a Delaware Limited Partnership, by Deed dated 09/17/2003 and recorded 10/09/2003 in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds in and for the County of Chester, in Deed Book 5929, Page 820, granted
and conveyed unto John J. Torello and Kelly M. Torello, husband and wife, in fee.
PLAINTIFF: JPMC Special Mortgage LLC f/k/a WM Specialty Mortgage LLC VS DEFENDANT: JOHN J. TORELLO and KELLY M. TORELLO
SALE ADDRESS: 254 South Thistle Down, Kennett Square, PA 19348
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: SHAPIRO & DeNARDO, LLC, 610-278-6800
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 12p-26-3t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Carolyn B. Welsh, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, January 17th, 2019 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, February 18th, 2019. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 19-1-11
Writ of Execution No. 2018-03691 DEBT $132,666.44
ALL THAT CERTAIN lot or tract of land with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, hereditaments and appurtenances, situate in Franklin Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, shown as Lot 2, on a Preliminary/Final Subdivision Plan of the Kay Ginn Property, prepared by Hillcrest Associates, Inc., dated April 29, 1998, last revised July 28, 1998, and recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds in and for Chester County as Plan No. 14646, being more particularly bounded and described as
follows, to wit: BEGINNING at a point in line of land now or formerly of Equine Enterprise, Ltd., said point being on the northerly right-of-way line of LewisvilleChesterville Road (PA Route 841, 33’ wide right-of-way).
THENCE by said right-of-way line, the following two courses and distances: S 82º 41’ 40” W 329.97’ to a point. N 85º 13’ 37” W 429.68’ to a point on the easterly right-of-way line of Schoolhouse Road (T-378, 33’ wide right-of-way).
THENCE by said right-of-way line, the following two courses and distances: N 12º 50’ 02” E 669.96 to a point of curve, BY the arc of a circle curving to the right with a radius of 1,378.77’, an arc length of 158.19’, with a chord of N 16º 07’ 15” E 158.11’ to a point and corner of land now or formerly of Kenneth Weaverling, Jr.
THENCE by said land, the following two courses and distances: S 72º 02’ 17” E 296.64’ to a point. N 18º 57’ 19” E 282.70’ to a point and corner of Lot 1.
THENCE by Lot 1, N 84º 54’ 05” E 344.56’ to a point and corner of land now or formerly of Equine Enterprise, Ltd.
THENCE by said land, S 08º 43’ 57” W 1,017.21’ to the first mentioned point and place of beginning.
CONTAINING 14.894 acres of land to be the same more or less.
BEING Chester County Tax Parcel No. 72-5-8.1
BLR# 72-5-8.1A
TITLE to said premises vested in Vernon A. Ginn, II, her son and Diane M. Ginn, his wife as tenants by the entireties by Deed from Kay J. Ginn, dated 4/12/2000 and recorded 5/24/2000 in Book 4758 Page 2001
PLAINTIFF: Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) VS DEFENDANT: DIANE
PARCEL # 72-5-56.2
BEING the same premises which AlHamad, LLC, a Pennsylvania Limited Liability Company by its Deed dated June 1, 2007 and recorded June 11, 2007 in the Recorder of Deeds Office, Chester County, Pennsylvania, in Record Book 7182, Page 787, as Document ID No. 10761305, granted and conveyed unto Alsam, LLC, a Maryland Limited Liability Company.
PLAINTIFF: BBR Investments, LLC VS DEFENDANT: ASLAM LLC
SALE ADDRESS: 1762 New London Road, Landenberg, PA 19350
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: KEVIN T.
FOGERTY, ESQ., 610-366-0950
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 12p-26-3t Sheriff Sale of Real Estate By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Carolyn B. Welsh, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, January 17th, 2019 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, February 18th, 2019. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 19-1-17 Writ of Execution No. 2018-04696 DEBT $286,029.52 PROPERTY situate in the New Garden Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania BLR# 60-5-158.3
IMPROVEMENTS thereon: residential dwelling
PLAINTIFF: Wells Fargo Bank, NA VS DEFENDANT: JONATHAN ALAN REDKA
SALE ADDRESS: 242 Buttonwood Road, Landenberg, PA 19350-9396
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: PHELAN HALLINAN DIAMOND & JONES, LLP, 215-563-7000
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 12p-26-3t Sheriff Sale of Real Estate By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Carolyn B. Welsh, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, January 17th, 2019 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both
located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, February 18th, 2019. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 19-1-23
Writ of Execution No. 2018-03337 DEBT $61,879.31
ALL THAT CERTAIN tract of land, situate on the northerly side of Poplar Street, in the Borough of Avondale, County of Chester and State of Pennsylvania.
CONTAINING 7,997.5 square feet, more or less.
PARCEL No. 04-02-0012.040
BEING known as 604 Poplar Street, Avondale, PA 19311
PLAINTIFF: REO Trust 2017-RPL1 VS DEFENDANT: EVERETT L. BUTCHER and ALICE M. BUTCHER
SALE ADDRESS: 604 Poplar Street, Avondale, PA 19311
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: RICHARD M. SQUIRE & ASSOCIATES, LLC,
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 12p-26-3t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Carolyn B. Welsh, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, January 17th, 2019 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, February 18th, 2019. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 19-1-27
Writ of Execution No. 2017-01320 DEBT $589,126.17
PROPERTY situate in the West Nottingham Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania
BLR# 68-2-40.5
IMPROVEMENTS thereon: residential dwelling
PLAINTIFF: Lsd9 Master Participation Trust VS
DEFENDANT: JAMES BOWER
SALE ADDRESS: 30 Kimble Road, Nottingham, PA 19362-9162
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: PHELAN HALLINAN DIAMOND & JONES, LLP, 215-563-7000
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 12p-26-3t Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Carolyn B. Welsh, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced
on Thursday, January 17th, 2019 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, February 18th, 2019. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 19-1-29 Writ of Execution No. 2018-03413 DEBT $289,892.15
ALL the right, title, interest and claim of Bertha Rodriguez of, in and to:
ALL the following described real estate situate in the New Garden Township, County of Chester Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Having erected thereon a dwelling known and numbered as 1170 Newark Road, Toughkenamon, PA 19374 Deed Book 7079, Page 1659, Parcel Number 60-1Q-24.
PLAINTIFF: The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee for CIT Mortgage Loan Trust 2007-1 VS DEFENDANT: BERTHA RODRIGUREZ
SALE ADDRESS: 1170 Newark Road, Toughkenamon, PA 19374
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: BENJAMIN N. HOEN, ESQ., 412-434-7955
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 12p-26-3t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Carolyn B. Welsh, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, January 17th, 2019 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, February 18th, 2019. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 19-1-30
Writ of Execution No. 2018-00006 DEBT $249,355.97
ALL the right, title, interest and claim of James N. Shaulis and Lorraine A. Shaulis of, in and to:
ALL the following described real estate situate in the Township of New Garden, County of Chester Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Having erected thereon a dwelling known and numbered as 417 Bucktoe Road, Avondale, PA 19311 Deed Book 4023, Page 1413, Parcel Number 60-3-148.060.
PLAINTIFF: The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee for CIT Mortgage Loan Trust 2007-1 VS DEFENDANT: JAMES N. SHAULIS and LORRAINE A. SHAULIS
SALE ADDRESS: 417 Bucktoe Road, Avondale, PA 19311
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: BENJAMIN N. HOEN, ESQ., 412-434-7955
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 12p-26-3t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Carolyn B. Welsh, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, January 17th, 2019 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, February 18th, 2019. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 19-1-32
Writ of Execution No. 2018-05361 DEBT
$133,228.59
ALL THAT CERTAIN lot or piece of ground with the easternmost half of a double framed dwelling thereon situate in Parkesburg Borough, County of Chester, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania shown on a plan of survey for the Second Avenue Group, filed in the Office for the Recording of Deeds in and for Chester County, in Deed Book 6374 Page 126.
BEGINNING at a point in the center line of Second Avenue, 489.35 feet east of the intersection of Church Street and Second Avenue; thence from said point of beginning along the center line of Second Avenue north 85 degrees 27 minutes 00 seconds east 50.00 feet to a point; thence south 4 degrees 33 minutes 00 seconds east 211.31 feet to a point; thence along lands now or late of Samuel M. and Dorothy A. Handy, south 80 degrees 25 minutes 10 seconds west 50.19 feet to a point; thence north 4 degrees 33 minutes 00 seconds west on the line running through the center line of a double frame dwelling 215.71 feet to the center line of Second Avenue, the first mentioned point and place of beginning.
COMMONLY known as 64 East 2nd Avenue, Parkesburg, PA.
BEING the same premises which 64 E. 2nd Ave LLC by Deed dated August 15, 2013 and recorded August 20, 2013 in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds in and for the County of Chester in Deed Book 8793 Page 305 granted and conveyed unto Joshua Kent and Danielle Kent, in fee.
PLAINTIFF: Siwell Inc. DBA Capital Mortgage Services of Texas VS DEFENDANT: JOSHUA KENT and
DANIELLE KENT
SALE ADDRESS: 64 East 2nd Avenue, Parkesburg, PA 19365
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: SHAPIRO & DeNARDO, LLC, 610-278-6800
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 12p-26-3t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Carolyn B. Welsh, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, January 17th, 2019 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, February 18th, 2019. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 19-1-42 Writ of Execution No. 2017-07090 DEBT $326,651.01
PROPERTY situate in Kennett Square
TAX Parcel #Tax ID/UPI Parcel No. 03-02-0143/3-2-143
IMPROVEMENTS: A residential dwelling.
PLAINTIFF: Ditech Financial LLC FKA Green Tree Servicing LLC VS DEFENDANT: ALEXANDRA C. MALONE a/k/a ALEXANDRA C. EGAN
SALE ADDRESS: 241 North Union Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348 PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: KML LAW GROUP, P.C., 215-627-1322
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the
operating room at Jennersville Hospital, I was made to feel like a part of the team because of my colleague’s constant support. We are extremely committed to ensuring that each patient receives the best outcome possible, and there is nothing more rewarding than seeing a patient’s health improve!”
RN, PCA and MA Meet & Greets
– Noreen, RN
Tuesdays, January 15th, 22nd & 29th
8 am - 10 am and 4 pm - 5:30 pm
Meet and Greets will be held at all Tower Health hospitals:
Reading Hospital
300 S. 6th Avenue, M Building, West Reading, PA
Brandywine Hospital 201 Reeceville Road, Coatesville, PA
Chestnut Hill Hospital 8835 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Jennersville Hospital 1015 West Baltimore Pike, West Grove, PA
Phoenixville Hospital 140 Nutt Road, Phoenixville, PA
Pottstown Hospital 13 Armand Hammer Boulevard, Suite 320 Pottstown, PA 19464 (The Chesmont Building)
• Pre-registration is not required.
• At your facility of choice, ask for the HR Department at the front entrance.
Can’t make the Meet & Greet? Attend our Virtual Career Fair on Wednesdays, January 16th, 23rd or 30th. For details and to register, visit: careers.towerhealth.org/events
For current openings and to learn more about us, visit: careers.towerhealth.org
Strong defense propels Avon Grove to 38-35 win
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
To glance at the line score of Avon Grove’s 38-35 victory over visiting Oxford on Jan. 5 is to acknowledge that Ben Hauton, Reese Zeigler and Nick Coyle scored a collective 13 total points for the Red Devils, but when it comes to telling the narrative of a basketball game, line scores are a cheat sheet of proper documentation.
The real truth of the win was in the defensive efforts of Hauton, Zeigler and Coyle, who won this game by virtue of their scrappy, almost maniacal defense, which shut down Oxford center Thomas Repetz and forced the Hornets into several turnovers.
“We kind of pride ourselves on being a good defensive team,” said Avon Grove coach John Roe. “I thought we did a really great job of keeping them in front of us, forcing them to make contested shots. We did a great job on their big guy [Repetz], and then Hauton came in and did a great job of limiting his touches, and keeping him off the backboard. For the most part, we were finishing possessions,
which allowed us to get out and run, and we had good transition, which is important in a game that was as tight as this.”
When points are in limited supply in basketball, the attention turns to the efforts that limit them, and as Oxford’s 11-10 lead at the end of the first quarter will attest, this Ches-Mont League game was going to be decided on the merits of defense.
Oxford coach Brian Urig’s squad began the game in a zone defense, while Roe employed a man-to-man defense which, as the second quarter got underway, led to deliberate, perimeter offenses that tacked just nine points on the board for Oxford, and nine for Avon Grove.
With 6:31 left in the first half, Luke Campbell’s breakaway layup attempt resulted in a foul and two free throws that staked Oxford to a 13-10 lead, but as the clock wound down, a layup by Bryson Morgan and two Zeigler buckets helped give the Red Devils a slim 19-17 lead at halftime.
With 2:55 remaining in the third quarter, a fastbreak layup by Morgan gave Avon Grove a 23-18 lead, and despite
an Oxford timeout to settle the shift in the game, the Hornets could not convert offensive rebounds into points. While Hauton, Zeigler and Coyle continued to keep the ball away from Repetz, a three-pointer by Matt Gallagher early in the fourth quarter extended Avon Grove’s lead to 27-21, which was soon followed by Mike Russo’s third threepointer of the game with 5:26 left, that extended the lead to 31-23.
Two three-point jumpers by Oxford’s Christian McCartney kept the Hornets in the game – the second of which pulled Oxford to within two points with 1:40 left, and with 48 seconds left, Brandon Sivels made one of two free throws to bring Oxford to within a point. Suddenly, what had been a comfortable lead had been whittled down to a game that could potentially see overtime. During an Avon Grove timeout with 19.5 seconds left in the game, and clinging to a narrow lead, Roe implored his team to “finish the game.” The Red Devil defense forced Oxford into another turnover on the in-bounds pass, and two free throws by Gallagher with 16.5 seconds remaining sealed the win.
Gallagher and Russo paced Avon Grove with nine points each, and McCartney led Oxford with 13 points. With the victory, Avon Grove improved to 3-7 on the season, and travels to Downingtown East on Jan. 8 and Henderson on Jan. 10. Oxford fell to 2-8, and looks to get back on the winning track with games at Unionville on Jan. 8 and Bayard Rustin on Jan. 10.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty. com
The annual used book sale organized by the Unionville High School PTO is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 22, from 4 to 9 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 23, from from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The rest of the books will be sold by the bag from 2 to 4 p.m. Feb. 23 in the UHS gymnasium. Snow dates are March 1 and 2. Neighborhood book pickup will be on Jan. 19 (snow date Jan. 26). Donors are asked to leave their bags of books at the end of their driveway by 9 a.m. If your neighborhood isn’t included in the pickup (see UHSBookSale.org for a list), you can drop off donations during school hours at any of the schools from Jan. 22 through Feb. 15. There will also be a drop-off box behind the high school starting Saturday, Jan. 19.
Avon Grove’s Bryson Morgan leads a fast break during the third quarter.
Photos by Richard L. Gaw
Oxford’s Luke Campbell looks for an open man against defender Aiden Violette during Avon Grove’s 38-35 victory over the Hornets on Jan. 5.
Chester County signed contracts on the preservation of its 500th farm last week, bringing the total number of farm acres preserved in the county to just under 40,000. In total, more than 136,000 acres – 28 percent – of land in Chester County has been preserved since the beginning of its open space preservation program in 1989.
The 109-acre farm, owned by Gerald and Cindy Rohrer, is in Upper Oxford and West Fallowfield townships. It has been a family farm since 1966, when Gerald’s parents took it on as dairy farm. Over the years the farm changed to raising heifers before moving to crop farming. Gerald, the youngest of five children, and Cindy took over the farm in 2001, and today the Rohrers grow corn for livestock consumption, hay for the equine industry and mulch hay for the mushroom industry. The family also runs a small sideline business of trucking for agriculture haulage.
“Chester County has been actively investing in open space for nearly 30 years, and that decision is now paying dividends in ways that I believe the original County Commissioners who started the program would not have thought possible,” said Commissioners’ Chair Michelle Kichline.
“The value of our preserved farms, parks, conservancies and trails
Church offers parenting classes
Starting on Jan. 10, certified “Love and Logic” trainer
Shari Cissel will facilitate a six-session small group class, “Parenting the Love and Logic Way at the Lower Brandywine Presbyterian Church as part of its Vision 2020 Series. The classes are free and open to the community.
The class is an opportunity for parents to gain some tools for raising respectful, responsible and happy children using techniques proven over 40 years of testing in the home. These techniques are simple and easy to learn.
The group will meet to cover the topics listed below from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the following dates: Jan. 10 - Putting an End to Arguing, Back Talk, and Begging Jan, 24 - Teaching Responsibility Without Losing Their Love
Feb, 7 - Setting Limits Without Waging War
Feb. 28 - Avoiding Power Struggles
March 14 - Guiding Kids to Own and Solve Their Problems
March 28 - Teaching Kids to Complete Chores … Without Reminders and Without Pay
There is a one-time $10 fee for the “Love and Logic” workbook. Childcare will be available at $5 per child. Homework help will be provided. The six small-group meetings will be held in the church social hall.
Lower Brandywine
Presbyterian Church is on Route 52, at 101 Old Kennett Rd., Wilmington, Del., across from Winterthur.
County preserves 500th farm
go beyond ‘attractive’ to increasing property values, attracting businesses, creating jobs and benefiting our health. I thank the Rohrers for recognizing this and entering into a preservation partnership with the county.”
Commenting on their decision to formally preserve the farm, Gerald Rohrer said, “I grew up on this farm and believe that it is very important to keep it as a farm. The highest and best use of this land is for farming, with good soils that support the growth of crops.”
Cindy Rohrer added, “When we found out that our farm was eligible for the preservation program, and that we could be part of the effort to contribute to the county’s open space numbers by preserving it, we knew we couldn’t pass it up.”
Chester County’s Agricultural Preservation program began in 1989, when the resolution was adopted. The first farm was preserved in Newlin Township in 1990, and over the years, the county has contributed more than $106 million towards farmland preservation.
Commissioner Kathi Cozzone said, “Agriculture is Chester County’s leading industry and our farm preservation programs help keep it that way, ensuring that our natural and historical resources are protected and that we can continue to supply local fresh food.
“The Rohrer farm is a great example of this – a farm that raises crops that, in turn, support two key agricultural sectors that
Chester County is well known for – equine and mushroom farming.”
Farm preservation in Chester County is based on an agricultural conservation easement. Farms that are 10 acres or more are eligible if they are adjacent to permanently preserved land. Farms not adjacent to permanently preserved land must be a minimum of 50 acres for the Commonwealth/ County program and
25 acres in size for the Municipal Challenge Grant program.
Commissioner Terence Farrell said, “Nearly 30 years ago, with the backing of its citizens, Chester County created and funded one of the most comprehensive and sustained efforts in the nation to preserve open space. It has helped to define Chester County’s high quality of life, and we, as the current Board
of Commissioners, are pleased to continue these preservation efforts as an intrinsic part of our plan for current and future growth.”
Chester County farm owners are encouraged to review the eligibility requirements for preservation, which can be found at www.chesco. org/1368/Farm-ProgramsOverview. The deadline for applications is Aug. 1 of each year.
From left: Commissioner Terence Farrell; Commissioner Michelle Kichline; farm owner Gerald Rohrer; Commissioner Kathi Cozzone; and Cindy Rohrer.
