Lincoln University president urges strength through diversity at MLK CommUNITY
By Chris Barber Correspondent
Lincoln
University
President Brenda Allen told a packed house at the Kennett Fire Company’s Red Clay room that diversity and dialogue add to the strength of the community, the nation and the educational system.
“We need to talk about how our presence in the classroom has improved the educational enterprise,” she said.
Allen was the keynote speaker at the 18th annual Martin Luther King Jr. CommUNITY breakfast on Monday. Despite sub-zero wind chill temperatures outside, there were very few empty seats at the more than 300 place settings prepared in the room.
Allen, who was inaugurated as Lincoln University’s president in 2017, is the first person in that post who was a graduate of the university.
breakfast
University president Brenda Allen tells
at the breakfast how she came to embrace diversity and understanding among races.
She said that, as a child who grew up in New Jersey, she was attracted to Lincoln not so much because it was an historically black college, but because “The people looked like me.”
When she was young, she said, she was aware that there were segregated communities and she was living
in one, but life was not bad.
“We didn’t define ourselves by our circumstances. We had dreams. We had aspirations. We weren’t mired in self-loathing and despair,” she said.
When she arrived at Lincoln she learned to fear hatred outside the walls of
A day of service for the community and the world
By John Chambless Staff Writer
From helping neighbors in Chester County to serving people around the world, students from the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District stepped up on Jan. 21 to help live out the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as part of the National Day of Service.
There’s a long tradition of schools in the district turning the day of remembrance for Dr. King into a day of activities to help others. Beginning at 9 a.m., students of all ages excitedly began working in various
service projects across the region.
At Hillendale Elementary School, Unionville High School students and children from Hillendale helped sort and package meal kits for Blessings in a Backpack, an organization that provides food for the weekend for elementary-aged children who might otherwise go hungry. Principal Michael Audevard said the goal was to pack 213 backpacks on Monday that will be given to the 71 children served by the Kennett Square branch of the organization. The focus was on breakfast, with packaged oatmeal, cereal
bars, milk and more put into sealed bags for distribution. With the bags quickly getting packed and completed, younger students were hard at work drawing bookmarks to be given out with the food.
At Chadds Ford Elementary School, students and parents will be collecting food all week for their sister school, Mitchell Elementary. The Mitchell’s Kids’ Choice Pantry allows students who wouldn’t otherwise have access to food on weekends to bring home pre-packaged essentials.
Patton Middle School had
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Oxford School Board approves opt-out resolution
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
The Oxford School Board approved a budget optout resolution at its Jan. 15 meeting, a procedural measure that establishes the school district’s intention to remain within the Act 1 Index limit when the budget for 2019-2020 is adopted.
School board member Robert Tenga explained that 3.2 percent is Oxford’s Act 1 Index limit for the 20192020 school year.
By approving the budget opt-out resolution, the district can now proceed with a normal budgeting process. If a school district in Pennsylvania wants to exceed the Act 1 Index, it would need to seek approval for the tax increase through a referendum during the primary election. That would require the school district to adopt its preliminary budget
earlier in the year than what would be typical. A final budget must be approved by June 30.
In his Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) report, school board member Howard Robinson noted that Dr. Joseph O’Brien, the executive director of the CCIU, is retiring after 12 years in the that position. His retirement is planned for June 30.
Dr. Margaret BillingsJones, the district’s assistant superintendent, reviewed some of the School Performance Profile data that was recently released by the state’s Department of Education. Billings-Jones explained that school districts share the data with building principals and teachers in order to make decisions about classroom instruction moving forward. The school district has
Pastor Daniel J. Nicewonger of First Baptist Church of Kennett Square pens new book that documents his life after being diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Daniel J. Nicewonger, who has been the Pastor of First Baptist Church in Kennett Square for the past four years, has defined himself as a planner, a dreamer and a visionary, so soon after he was diagnosed with
His continuing journey
stage IV colon cancer on May 4, 2016, he began planning his memorial service.
“I had some thoughts about what should be done and who should speak,”
Nicewonger wrote on Oct. 23, 2016 in his blog. “I wanted it done right. [Wife] Nancy would tell you I wanted to be in control one last time. She is probably right. I finally decided to spend a few hours to put the service together.”
Nicewonger began asking the most special people in his life to speak at the ser-
vice. He chose the music that would be heard. Once he completed the outline of the service, he tucked it into the top drawer of his office desk. He then made
Continued on Page 3A
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
The Journey Continues: Finding Joy Amidst Life’s Struggles documents Nicewonger’s three-year diagnosis and continuing treatment for stage IV colon cancer.
The champion
Oxford teen Cornelio ‘Chada’ Phipps is building an impressive boxing résumé that already includes five national championships and a long list of accomplishments. His ultimate goal is to represent the U.S. in the 2024 Olympics forward to another big year.
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
After continuing his streak of strong performances at USA Boxing’s National Junior and Prep Open in Salt Lake City, Utah in early December, Cornelio “Chada” Phipps is looking
Cornelio, 13, is building an extremely impressive boxing résumé. He’s already a five-time national champion, and he has traveled extensively all across the U.S. to take part in boxing competitions. Up to this point, no challenge has
been too big and no spotlight has been too bright for the Penn’s Grove School seventh-grader.
“I like the stage,” Cornelio said during an interview at the Straight 2-3 Boxing Club in Kennett Square, where he trains five or six
Continued on Page 8A
Photo by Chris Barber
Lincoln
guests
Photo by John Chambless Breakfast foods are lined up at Hillendale Elementary School, ready to be packed into kits for students in need.
Photo by Steven Hoffman
Cornelio knows that his father, Dwayne, is always in his corner.
the institution and became aware of the presence of the Ku Klux Klan along with racial tensions. As a psychology major, she also found that there was supposedly scholarly research published claiming that the black race was inferior.
Some, Allen explained, claimed the inferiority was by breeding. Others said it evolved through their society.
“It didn’t sit right with me,” she said.
She referred to a book on psychology by Robert Guthrie published in 1976 that rebuked racial stereotypes. The book was meaningful to her. It was titled Even the Rat was White.
Having spent several years on the faculty of Smith College in Massachusetts
later on, Allen said that although she was a minority there, she formed her first meaningful relationships with white people and came to understand the benefits of interactions among the races.
That understanding, she said, drives her to pursue partnerships between Lincoln and the nearby communities, because even with laws on affirmative action and voting rights, hatred still exists.
Within the university itself, she strives for events that promote dialogue and understanding.
The guests at the breakfast were happy to see Phillip Thompson as master of ceremonies. He is the son of the late founder of the event, Mabel Thompson.
Phillip Thompson was appointed last year to serve as deputy mayor for strategic policy initiatives in New York City.
He told the audience that the good news is that crime is down substantially in the city, to the lowest rate since 1943.
The bad news, he added, was that social services in the city had been compelled to take care of hundreds of children of immigrants.
Presenting the start of the program after breakfast, Rev. Anita Powell, state Rep. John Lawrence and Lincoln University Chaplain Fredrick Faison read inspiring texts from Martin Luther King, Jr. The Community Choir, directed by Dan Cornett, led the group in “The Star Spangled Banner” and the Negro National Anthem. Also present at the event were students from Lincoln and Cheyney universities,
The
breakfast is organized by a board
includes
The mission statement of the organization is “To revitalize in our community Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s
Chester County Sheriff Carolyn “Bunny” Welsh, County Commissioner Terence Farrell, and newly
elected U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, who received applause as she was recognized in the breakfast line. Rev. Christopher Rogers of St. Patrick Church gave the benediction, and Marc Pevar blessed the meal.
community
of directors that
officers Carol Black, president; Todd Pride, vice president; Elizabeth R. Moro, second vice president; Pam Carter, secretary; and Karen Scherer, treasurer.
dream of peace and harmony among all people.”
Photos by Chris Barber
Phillip Thompson, son of the CommUNITY breakfast founder Mabel Thompson, was the master of ceremonies.
The Community Chorus performed the Negro National Anthem, and “The Star Spangled Banner,” and several inspirational musical numbers.
Newly elected U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, left, received applause when she was recognized in the breakfast line.
the decision that he would get on with the business of living his life to the fullest, swimming against the current of a disease that threatened to rob him of his life.
That story – and many others like it that served to document the narrative of Nicewonger’s nearly three-year diagnosis and subsequent life afterwards – are captured in his new book, The Journey Continues: Finding Joy Amidst Life’s Struggles (WestBow Press, 2018), a 315-page compilation of blog posts that Nicewonger wrote from May 2016 to August 2018.
Told from the author’s personal testimony, the book is an unflinching journal of honesty and vulnerability that records the faith, fear, sacrifice and ultimate survival of living with a severe form of cancer. Nicewonger takes the reader from hospital beds to doctor’s offices to the haze of chemotherapy treatments; to his service at the church; and to the privacy of his own home and family, most especially his wife Nancy and their children Joseph and Rayann.
“I’ve always been a writer,” Nicewonger said recently from his office at First Baptist Church. “It’s how I’ve processed life and my relationship with God. I have a journal that’s personal and private, and I have a blog where I have shared the stuff that’s open for the rest of the world to see. I had the blog long before I had cancer, and when I was diagnosed, it allowed me to share how I was going to walk through this.
“Writing allowed me to tell my truth and my reality, and what I am walking through, and it became very healing for me.”
The Journey Continues is divided largely into two sections – Nicewonger’s first and second rounds of chemotherapy. While the content of his postings form a roller coaster of emotions that range from sadness to relief, the narrative of the book is tempered by the fluctuating weather vane of test results – “numbers,” Nicewonger calls them –that accompany several entries.
Although dedicated to his faith and the sharing that faith, Nicewonger admitted that his relationship with God was severely tested throughout his diagnosis and treatment. In several entries in the book, he takes into account the bitter irony of his condition – how a man so blessed with life’s gifts and given the responsibility to share God’s teachings could be dealt such a burden.
Nowhere in Nicewonger’s “Rule for Life,” which he wrote for he and Nancy years ago, was cancer ever in the game plan.
“We all have plans, these pictures we create of what our life will look like,” he said. “I was 48 years old, not even 50, and my wife and I had a picture of what the remainder of our lives together was going to look like. Then this man in a white coat stands in front of my hospital bed and tells me, ‘Get your affairs in order.’
“I had a friend of mine who taught me to ask, ‘Where do you find God in the midst of this?’ I was lying in my hospital bed and soon after I heard the
words, ‘You have stage four colon cancer,’ I began to think, ‘There’s no way God is in the midst of this. God is so far away from this, but these are also the moments when God reveals himself, and he tells us, ‘Yes. I am here, right in the midst of the garbage that sometimes is life.’”
It’s what Nicewonger calls “Deep calls to deep.”
“That’s the completeness of God, calling out to the completeness of who I am, and it is the depth of me, calling out tot he depth of who God is,” he said. “In the midst of the stage four cancer and my crying out for peace and help and comfort, the depth of God is calling out to me, saying, ‘I am here.’”
Once Nicewonger came to peace with the initial irony of his condition, a second one appeared, one that created a sense of clarity.
“I realized that what God was really doing was slowing me down, and in the slowing down, I encountered my wife again, in a deeper kind of way,” he said. “We had a great relationship before. We have an even better relationship today, because I have cancer.”
Throughout the book, Nicewonger’s stories are bridged by the entries written by Nancy.
needs help with his.”
“Nancy’s writings were more powerful than anything I could have ever written,” Nicewonger said. “She writes and reveals as my caregiver what it means to be one, revealing the struggles and the difficulty. Her voice is the collective voice of many caregivers, and there is value in that.”
Several of Nicewonger’s colleagues have expressed praise for The Journey Continues.
“Dan is genuine, transparent, challenging and faith grappling,” wrote Scott Kavanagh, a retired licensed clinical professional counselor, Baptist minister and colleague of Nicewonger’s. “He is honest about his wresting with
Pastor Daniel J. Nicewonger of First Baptist Church of Kennett Square. it with another who may be walking this same journey.”
While he continues his work at First Baptist Church of Kennett Square, Nicewonger is currently three months into his second break from chemotherapy, after undergoing two rounds of it in the past two years.
“My oncologist said he will never use the word ‘Remission,’ and that we continue to talk about my cancer from the standpoints
“The rhythm of my life is very different than it was pre-cancer. I am beginning to believe that as I move through each day in a slower, weaker pace, I am more open to see and experience the movement of Jesus. I need the Spirit more than ever before. I am open to seeing the Spirit, where in the past I simply pushed and plowed through. Could it be that Jesus is using my cancer to set this captive free? Redeem, restore, transform that which was meant for evil into something used for good.”
~ From The Journey Continues: Finding Joy Amidst Life’s Struggles, by Daniel J. Nicewonger, pastor at First Baptist Church of Kennett Square
On April 29, 2017, for example, she included a separate list of “Blessings” and “Challenges.”
“During this time, we have felt closeness even though there was an overriding sadness at times,” she wrote. “I took a few moments around month eight of our journey to consider some of the blessings and challenges I have experienced. Not being the one one going through the sickness, I often feel self-centered, dwelling on my feelings. However, I have learned that dealing with my emotions keeps me stronger when he (Dan)
cancer and living life to the fullest. These are not fairy tale musings but an intimate, personal invitation to walk in faith in a simple yet profound way.”
“Hearing a diagnosis of cancer sets our world and the world of those we love, on edge,” wrote Dr. Frank Frischkorn, Regional Executive Pastor for American Baptist Churches of Pennsylvania and Delaware. “Many people endure in silence, but Pastor Dan Nicewonger has put words to that journey... I heartily encourage you to read this book and to share
of quality and quantity of life,” he said. “If we do treatment long enough that it extends quantity, and until that begins to impact quality where it gets to the point where there is none, I choose to take a break. We watch and at some point, there’s numbers that don’t
look good, then it’s time to start back again with chemotherapy.
Nicewonger wants The Journey Continues to serve as a conduit for everyone’s journey.
“I would like people to encounter God in a deeper kind of way with this book, and I would like people to be able to journey with those who are struggling, and if this books helps them do that, it would be phenomenal for me,” he said.
“If my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren some day get a copy, the more they can learn about me and what it meant for me to walk with God. If someone can learn about what it means to walk with a terminal illness, they can hopefully be able to glean a little energy to help them along their walk.”
After Nicewonger completed his instructions for his memorial service three years ago, he placed them in a folder and stored it in his office desk. The folder has not been touched since then. They are no longer a part of his journey.
To learn more about Daniel J. Nicewonger and to order The Journey Continues, visit www.danielnicewonger.com. To learn more about the First Baptist Church of Kennett Square, visit www.ksqfbc. com.
A Caregiver Support Group meets at the First Baptist Church of Kennett Square on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the parish’s conference room. To learn more, visit www.ksqfbc.com/ support-groups, or call 610-444-5320.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
planned a presentation about Educational Pathways initiatives for parents of Penn’s Grove School seventh- and eighth-graders. The presentation will take place at the school’s auditorium on Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m. High school course offerings and Early College Academy programs will be topics covered during the presentation.
Billings-Jones also talked about the state’s Safe2Say Something program that is being unveiled in school districts across the state this month. This program, which is run by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, teaches children and adults about how to recognize warning signs of individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others. The goal is to get people to say something before it is too late and a tragedy occurs.
Billings-Jones also informed the school board that the school district has received a $25,000 grant for safe Schools and Security Grant Program.
The school board approved a series of personnel items including hirings, resignations, and retirements, as well as supplemental contracts.
One significant new hire is Christopher Garchinsky, who is taking over as the school district’s Supervisor of Special Education.
The school district received its audit report for the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2018. The audit report was prepared by Barbacane, Thornton, & Company.
As part of his superintendent’s report, superintendent David Woods recognized the contributions of the nine members of the school board as part of the School Director Recognition Month.
The Oxford School Board will meet again on Tuesday, Feb. 12 and Tuesday, Feb. 19. Both meetings take place at 7 p.m. at the school district’s Administration Building.
To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
Courtesy photo
Daniel J. Nicewonger with his wife, Nancy, and their children Joseph and Rayann.
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Ten baseball players inducted into the Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association Hall of Fame
Larry Bosley honored with this year’s Special Recognition
Award
The Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association hosted several hundred guests at the Kennett Fire Company Red Clay Room on Saturday night as a new class of local baseball standouts was inducted into the organization’s Hall of Fame.
In addition to welcoming the 10 former local baseball players into their Hall of Fame ranks, they honored former Kennett Consolidated School
District Superintendent Larry Bosley with this year’s Special Recognition Award for his efforts advancing baseball in the community.
The guest speaker for the evening was former Phillies pitcher Tommy Greene, who was making his second appearance at the Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association banquet, having first appeared at the 2012 event. Greene is a pre-game and
post-game analyst for NBC Sports Philadelphia. He was an integral part of the 1993 Philadelphia Phillies team that is still beloved by fans for the improbable run to the World Series that year. Greene posted a 16-4 record in 1993, his best season during his eight-year Major League career.
Greene answered questions from the audience. Many people in attendance were interested in knowing what Greene thought about
the possibility of the Phillies acquiring either Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, the top two free agents who are still available. Both players are viewed as difference-makers and potential future MLB Hall of Famers. Greene was optimistic that the Phillies would end up signing one of the two superstars.
Greene expressed optimism about the Phillies in 2019 because of trades and free agent signings that
they’ve already made this off-season. Specifically, the additions of outfielder Andrew McCutchen and shortstop Jean Segura will improve the team’s hitting and defense.
The highlight of each banquet is the induction of a new group of local baseball standouts. This year’s inductees included Stephen Burton, Jim DeCorso, Jock Hannum, Ed Kovatch, Steve “Monk” Melton, John Riccardo, Jr.,
This
LIFE IS BACK
David Senecal, Guy “Opie” Taylor, Bob Warren and Jeff Wolf.
was the 39th banquet that the Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association has held since it was founded in 1974 to honor top local baseball players. Burton’s Barber Shop is the home of the organization, where pictures, plaques and baseball memorabilia are on display. The organization is led by Bob Burton and Prissy Roberts.
Photo courtesy of Chris Barber
Newly inducted members of the Kennett Old Timers Hall of Fame pose with their plaques at the end of the banquet. Front row from left are Guy Taylor, David Senecal, Jim DeCorso, Steve Melton, Ed Kovatch and Bob Warren. Back row from left are Jock Hannum, John Riccardo, Kennett Old Timers Baseball Association president Bob Burton, guest speaker Tommy Greene, Jeff Wolf and Larry Bosley.
County announces lawsuit against major
The Chester County Board of Commissioners announced on Jan. 15 its intent to take greater action to combat the effects of the opioid crisis on its residents.
The county has retained the law firm Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP to file a civil lawsuit in the Federal Eastern District of Pennsylvania against drug manufacturers and distributors for their role in the opioid epidemic.
“There is no compensation great enough to cover the cost of the lives we have lost to opioid addiction,” said Chester County Commissioners Chair Michelle Kichline. “We have devoted a tremendous amount of resources to help address the opioid crisis for our citizens, but this problem is not going away. Funding is needed to sustain the programs, services and additional resources needed, and pharmaceutical manufacturers must shoulder a portion of that burden.”
The lawsuit is focused on securing funding to aid with critical educational and addiction recovery assistance, social service needs as well as compensation for law
opioid drug companies
Commissioners seek compensation for devastating effects of opioid crisis
enforcement and court-related costs, education and prevention measures. It will seek restitution for the harm incurred as a result of deceptive and fraudulent marketing practices of several pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors, and the failure to report suspicious purchases by certain wholesalers, which is a violation of federal and state laws.
Kichline added, “Our plan is to work with Robbins Geller Rudman and Dowd to work toward the actual filing of the lawsuit within the next one to two months, and while we are currently undertaking research to identify the most appropriate defendants, I can confirm that two Chester County-based pharmaceutical companies will be included on that list – Endo Pharmaceuticals and Cephalon, Inc.”
Chester County has recorded 108 accidental fatal drug overdoses for 2018.
Through the actions of the Chester County Overdose Prevention Task Force, which encompasses leaders in health, drug addiction and law enforcement, the county can claim one of the most comprehensive anti-opioid
initiatives in the state.
“Our actions in addressing this crisis have been deep and wide, led by a task force that has been established since 2015 and that has more than 40 active community partners,” said Chester County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone.
Actions related to the task force include distribution of Naloxone to every municipal police department in the county, other first responders, as well as individuals and community organizations; the creation of a program that provides support and direct links to treatment in emergency rooms to victims of overdoses; widespread medication dropbox sites; and continuing opioid education events for health care providers, other professionals and community organizations and the general public.
Another event borne out of the county’s Overdose Prevention Task Force is the Chester County Color 5K, an annual event which has helped to raise awareness of the crisis and more than $100,000 over three years, as well as reduce the stigma of being associated with opioid addiction.
KCSD board discusses early budget numbers, new marketing video
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
It’s still early, but the Kennett Consolidated School District’s budget for 2019-2020 is starting to take shape. At the Jan. 14 meeting, school board member Michael Finnegan, who serves on the district’s Finance Committee, offered an update on the spending plan. Finnegan said that most recent version of the 2019-2020 budget projects expenditures to be approximately $88.2 million. In order to balance a budget at that level, a tax increase of approximately 2.27 percent would be necessary, Finnegan said. Such an increase would keep the school district within the Act 1 Index limit. For Kennett, the Act 1 Index limit for 2019-2020 is approximately 2.30 percent.
District officials still have four months to work on the budget, and Finnegan said that they want to reduce the projected expenditures to limit the size of the tax increase.
“We’re hoping for a tax increase of less than 2 percent,” Finnegan said.
There are still some big pieces to the budgetary puzzle missing at this point. The biggest one is the state budget that establishes the state subsidies that school districts will receive. There are also numerous expenditures, such as the costs for the various kinds of insurance or for educational services from the Chester County Intermediate Unit, that district officials can only project at this point. In the coming months, the district will have a much better idea of the specific costs. A final budget must be adopted by June 30 so the school district has up to five more months to work on the spending plan.
During his superintendent’s report at the Jan. 14 meeting, Dr. Barry Tomasetti thanked the school board members for their work on behalf of the school district and
the community. January is School Director Recognition Month in Pennsylvania, and students in the New Garden Elementary School had written cards to each of the nine Kennett School Board members thanking them for their work.
Tomasetti also unveiled a new marketing video that highlights the school district’s commitment to STEM education programs.
The video featured administrators, teachers, and students talking about the benefits of the STEM initiatives that the district has undertaken. Additionally, a former student talked about how the education at Kennett led to academic success at the collegiate level. The video is featured on the school district’s website at www. kcsd .org.
Tomasetti also updated the school board about the district’s efforts to provide information to parents, students, and the staff about
Safe2Say Something.
This program, which is run by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, teaches children and adults about how to recognize warning signs of individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others. The goal is to get people to say something before it is too late and a tragedy occurs.
The program allows people to submit an anonymous tip report through the Safe2SaySomething system.
A crisis center reviews, evaluates, and processes all submissions. The crisis center sends all submissions to school administration and/or law enforcement for intervention.
The Kennett School Board will meet again at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 11 at the Mary D. Lang Kindergarten Center.
To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
Chester County and the surrounding area is known as a key pharmaceutical corridor on the east coast with a number of “big pharma” companies headquartered here. Many other companies linked to the pharmaceutical industry call Chester County home.
Cozzone said, “We understand that many of our residents work for pharmaceutical companies in and around Chester County, but that will not stop our efforts to ensure that federal and state
laws are followed.
“While economic development is important, the lives of our neighbors, families and friends are more important. It is the responsibility of pharmaceutical companies to act responsibly in the dissemination of opioids,” she added.
Chester County Commissioner Terence Farrell said, “It is alarming to see that this has become a crisis that spans generations and that has no socioeconomic
boundaries. The prevalence of opioid-based drugs throughout our community, throughout the region, the state and the nation, is evident in the loss of children, young adults, parents and even grandparents.
“In just a few short years, everyone has come to know someone impacted by the abuse of opioids. We want to stem the tide of devastating loss, and this litigation is yet another tool that we’re using to help us find a solution to the crisis.”
Hopewell Elementary students compete in spelling bee
Courtesy photo
Hopewell Elementary School homeroom champions recently participated in the school-level of the National Spelling Bee. The school-level winner was sixth grader Logan Spano, who will represent Hopewell at the Chester County Spelling Bee to be held at the Chester County Intermediate Unit on Feb. 13. Pictured front from left are assistant principal Jason Soule, principal Dr. Nicole Addis, fifth grader Elizabeth Penrose, the Bee runner-up; Logan Spano and Academically Talented Program teacher Jennifer Shelley. Participants included (top from left) sixth grader Alex Almanza, fifth grader Vincent Fischer, sixth grader Madeline Gay, fifth grader Sean Latsch, sixth graders Andonhy Moreno and Owen Oliver, and fifth graders Fiona Reynolds, Chris Tatum and Austin Weakland.
Day of service...
Continued from Page 1A
three large looms set up for volunteers to weave plastic strips into sleeping mats that will be given to homeless people in Philadelphia.
Families were also assembling Children’s Survival Kits for young children arriving at the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County.
At Pocopson Elementary School, families created parcels for children in local homeless shelters by knotting together fleece blankets and pairing them with a new book and a stuffed animal.
Unionville Elementary students and parents made knotted fleece blankets for children with long-term illnesses at Nemours/A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children.
At the West Grove distribution center for Project C.U.R.E., five Unionville High School students joined other volunteers for a morning of sorting donated medical supplies.
Operations director Kathy
Hrenko welcomed the students and explained the process. When surplus medical supplies arrive from hospitals, manufacturers and health facilities across the nation, they are in large boxes and are not sorted.
Volunteer teams work every day at Project C.U.R.E. to take each donated item and find a labeled bin for it.
That way, when a specific item is needed, it can easily be found and packed for shipment to any one of more than 130 countries.
“The next container is going out to Rwanda tomorrow,” Hrenko said.
“The next one up may be going to Armenia or Kenya, and maybe Democratic Republic of Congo.”
Everything from bandages and syringes to X-ray machines and ultrasound equipment is sorted, checked and verified before it is sent abroad, so that clinics and hospitals on the receiving end know they will be getting exactly what is needed. In places where medical supplies are scarce or otherwise non-existent,
something as simple as clean bandages are vital. Expensive items such as hospital beds and diagnostic equipment would only be a dream without Project C.U.R.E.
Each 40-foot shipping container that goes out has a value of $300,000 to $500,000, Hrenko said. If the items weren’t donated, they would be sent to landfills.
“Volunteers are always needed,” Hrenko said. “We get groups from Kennett High School, Unionville High School, Avon Grove and Oxford, as well as local universities like Lincoln University, the University of Delaware and others, corporate groups, churches, and around 30 Rotary Clubs. All the work is done by community volunteers. We literally couldn’t do this work without them.”
For more information, visit www.projectcure.org.
To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty. com.
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Unionville High School volunteers begin to sort donated medical supplies.
Photos by John Chambless
Young Hillendale students drew bookmarks to include with the food packages.
Students look up where a specific item belongs.
Unionville High School volunteers with a few of the completed meal kits at Hillendale.
Kathy Hrekno, operations director at Project C.U.R.E., explains the day’s work to volunteers from Unionville High School.
The Houlahan Factor
When Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District campaigned for and won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives last fall, the impact of her victory transcended party politics in Chester and Berks counties, and became a grander part of a movement that saw the midterm elections of 110 women to Congress.
The stunning results saw the election of Republicans and Democrats to seats in the House and Senate, that included the first Native American woman, Muslim woman, Somali-American woman, openly LGBTQ woman, youngest woman and even included an African-American woman who represents Massachusetts, a state that has for several decades been a hotbed of racial unrest.
While these elections have become the latest touchstone of change, they may also be the most important in U.S. history. These newly-elected officials arrive at a time when our country is buried in a new Civil War, where bullets have been replaced by boots-in-theground partisanship, and a rhetoric of ugliness that has pulled at the nation’s seams and threatened to leave us all in a tattered pile of string.
A daily page turn of our modern media documents the growing volatility of the argument, festering like a wound that will never heal, and brought to us from the voices of men – mostly white men – who cling to the halls of power and influence for just those purposes alone.
At first, the election of these 110 women seem to indicate the public’s acknowledgment that the center of our nation was not holding, and that a dramatic change was needed, but look closer. Examine these elections for what they clearly represent and they will reveal in plain truth what has been forcefully mismanaged in this country for the past two centuries, and has galvanized to such levels of empowerment that it simply can not be held back.
This last election has, once and for all, proven that the glass ceiling has finally been shattered.
The future of governance in this country should be –and will be – led by women.
It’s for all of the right reasons. In a newly-published analysis of the 151,824 public bills introduced in the House between 1973 and 2014, women legislators were significantly more likely than their male counterparts to sponsor bills in areas like civil rights, health and education. Research has also proven that women legislators sponsor more bills and pass more laws that benefit women in the workplace and infuse more money back into their districts than their male counterparts.
Women legislators bring nine percent more federal money to their districts in the form of bills that are likely to benefit women and children, and address issues like education, health and poverty, women’s health coverage and legislation that tightens sexual harassment laws.
A look at Houlahan’s brief time in the House proves that she is in full step with these and other issues. She serves as the Freshman Leadership Representative to the New Democrats Coalition, a solution-oriented group committed to pro-economic growth, pro-innovation, and fiscally responsible policies, that want to bridge the gap between parties to achieve partisan methods of governing.
An Air Force veteran, Houlahan is also a member of the With Honor Caucus, a bipartisan organization of new veterans committed to creating a more effective, less polarized form of government.
It is less than one month into the terms of these 110 women, a temporary honeymoon period that will eventually lead to a full assessment of their effectiveness as leaders. And yet, their position in Washington, D.C. is already airborne, on the backs of their diversity, ethics and a commitment to helping cultivate a more diverse culture.
Why it took so long to establish an equal playing field between men and women remains one of our nation’s most compelling indecencies, but in the halls of Congress, the glass ceiling has finally fallen in the Rotunda. While it is fundamentally right to embrace this change, it is also sound principle to assess its performance in the coming months and years. They have inherited a nation broken down by the incivility of its voice, and the future of how that voice will resonate rides on their ability to repair it.
January is National Mentoring Month
Mentoring seems to be a fashionable term throughout the media. We hear the word “mentoring” in television infomercials, read it in print, and hear it in many personal growth programs. But, what does it have to do with our everyday lives?
The Oxford Educational Foundation Mentoring Program by Kim
Lewin,
The dictionary defines a mentor simply as a “wise and trusted counselor,” but to a number of students in the Oxford Area School District and to their adult volunteers throughout the community the term has a greater significance.
Since 1995, the Oxford Educational Foundation (OEF) has been operating a mentoring program, placing hundreds of mentors in the Oxford schools. Volunteers and students from the community are matched with the expectation of developing a continuing relationship between a child and a positive role model. The program is administered
Volunteer Coordinator for the OEF. With parent/guardian permission and the necessary clearances and training the OEF encourages mentors and students to meet at least once a week through various activities. Some of these activities may include visiting the library or museum, attending a sporting event or school activity, or simply finding a quiet moment during or after the school day to talk about events in each other’s lives. The program can be effective if a relationship between the adult and the youth is based on the following: personalized attention, caring, mutual respect, trust and commitment, along with positive and high expectations for both mentors and students.
Many times these students have difficulty handling conflict, and the mentor is an excellent resource for
offering alternative solutions to problems. The goal of the OEF program is to help provide a positive outlook on life by building self-esteem, developing coping skills and forming attainable goals for the future.
The program’s impact on individual students can be noticed in the child’s increased school attendance and academic success, decreased discipline referrals, and improvements in social skills. It has an impact on the lives of the mentors, as well. Mentors have reported a sense of satisfaction in recognizing that they can make a difference. The program is not a cure-all for the needs and challenges of today’s youth, but it can provide a meaningful, positive relationship in the life of a child that otherwise may receive very little encouragement. These children need to know there
is someone to whom they can turn not only when they have a problem, but also to share a success.
According to Dr. Raymond Fischer, Executive Director of the OEF, the key to a quality mentoring relationship is to have a caring adult who is consistently there for a young person.
The Oxford Educational Foundation Mentoring Program promotes this type of mentoring by carefully matching such an adult with the mentee and by providing ongoing support to everyone involved.
Did someone make a difference in your life? Would you like the opportunity to give back? Give the Oxford Educational Foundation a call at 610-932-7200 or e-mail us at oxfordeducationalfoundation@yahoo. org if you are interested in becoming a mentor for an elementary or secondary student.
Dinniman reappointed as minority chair of Senate Education Committee
State Sen. Andy Dinniman announced that he was reappointed to his leadership role as Minority Chair of the Senate Education Committee for the 2019-20 legislative session.
This marks the sixth consecutive session that Dinniman, who holds a doctorate in education, has been appointed to the post.
“The upcoming legislative session for will be a pivotal time for education in the Commonwealth,” Dinniman said. “While we’ve already made important progress in ensuring our schools are safer and reining in the role of standardized testing and graduate requirements,
there is much more work to do in these areas, not to mention the importance of achieving equitable funding in public education.”
In the fall, the legislature passed Act 158 of 2018, providing alternative pathways to graduation in place of the controversial Keystone Exams and delaying their use until the 2021-2022 school year. In addition, the Senate passed Senate Resolution 322 to study the effectiveness of standardized testing, including the Keystone Exams and SATs, and their use as indicators of student academic achievement, school building performance, and educator effectiveness.
In the new legislative session, Dinniman said he plans to bring those efforts full circle by working to replace the Keystones with the SAT to realize a combination of fiscal and educational benefits.
“The Keystone should be replaced with a test, like the SAT, that many high school students already take, that is aligned with our curriculum, and that federal government will accept for accountability,” he said. “Furthermore, using the SAT in place of the Keystones will open up college scholarship and post-secondary opportunities to thousands of students who may not be able to
access them on their own.”
As minority chair of the Senate Education Committee, he will also continue to serve as a member of the state Board of Education, the Pennsylvania State Public School Building Authority, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Facilities Authority and the Education Commission of the States. In addition to his leadership role, Dinniman will serve on the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Environmental Resources and Energy, Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness, and Game and Fisheries Committees.
Practicing politics at a high level
By Lee H. Hamilton
Over a lifetime in politics, I’ve met a lot of interesting, impressive politicians. But those I truly admired were men and women who were adept at the arts both of politics and legislating — a rarer combination of talents than you’d hope for in our representative democracy. They’re a reminder these days of what consummate skill looks like.
For instance, Wilbur Mills, a Democrat from Arkansas who chaired the House Ways and Means Committee, was a master of legislative detail. When he brought changes to the tax law to the floor, members of the House of both parties would simply ask him questions, rather than challenge him, because his grasp of the internal revenue code was so overwhelming. When Mills was on the floor, it was never really an equal debate. The same held for Jim Wright of Texas and Hale Boggs of Louisiana, also both Democrats. They were great orators with vibrant, unique voices that drew audiences to the House floor and galleries simply to hear them. They seldom referred to notes, but I suspect they practiced — the chuckle in the right place, the extended pause at the
perfect moment. They were masters at using humor as an effective weapon to counter an opponent and deflect critics.
Edith Green, a Democrat from Oregon, served ten terms in the House from the mid-‘50s to the mid-‘70s. She specialized in education and was a potent force behind Title IX, the 1972 law that did so much to end sex discrimination in education. Green, too, was a highly effective debater, who did not back down from a fight she chose to wage — but who also had a keen sense of when the time was right to wage it. She paved the way for many talented women who followed her.
Charlie Halleck of Indiana and H.R. Gross of Iowa, both Republican, were parliamentary masters. I often saw them block or delay measures I personally supported, and had to admire their skill at stalling, slowing down or just plain defeating legislation by the adroit use of just the right parliamentary maneuver.
Meanwhile, John Anderson of Illinois served as the principal Republican voice at a time when the GOP was in the minority. He was a powerful debater, took delight in verbal combat, and was often the lone voice against an onslaught
of speakers from the majority party. He spoke forcefully, and out of a genuinely deep devotion to the nation that made plain his ideals.
You couldn’t call Tip O’Neill, the legendary Speaker of the House from Massachusetts, a great orator. But he was a truly great politician. He had a knack for putting people at ease, calming tensions, and softening debates. He made everyone in the room feel as though they were all in it together — whatever the “it” was that O’Neill was focused on.
Mike Mansfield, the Senate Majority Leader from Montana, had similar gifts. He was easily the most popular man in Congress during the years he served: he was decent, humble, fair-minded, and he spread credit to everyone around him while taking none for himself. He had a bedrock integrity about him and knew how to use his consummate personal skills to make the process work — even dealing with the difficult egos you could find in the Senate.
I routinely watched Sens. Hubert Humphrey, a Democrat from Minnesota, and Jacob Javits, a Republican from New York, come into a meeting, quickly grasp the issues,
speak to them forcefully and right to the point, and then move on to their next meeting — on an entirely different issue — and give the same performance. Their ability to jump from agriculture to nuclear proliferation to health care to education — all in the course of a few hours — was astounding. Finally, Speaker Carl Albert of Oklahoma somehow managed to unite both northeastern liberals and southern conservatives in his party. They were opposed to one another in ideology and culture, yet Albert often reconciled the irreconcilable with grace and insight. He spent hours listening patiently to people, trying to understand their points of view, patch things up, and find even the tiniest plot of ground for consensus.
Lee Hamilton is a Senior Advisor for the Indiana University Center on Representative Government; a Distinguished Scholar of the IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies; and a Professor of Practice, IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.
Phipps...
Continued from Page 1A days a week under the tutelage of his father, Dwayne Phipps. His quiet, easy manner suggests that Cornelio is as comfortable in his own skin as he is the ring, where he has compiled a 73-15 record in 88 matches so far.
Cornelio was four years old when his father gave him the first lessons in the sweet science. He immediately took to the sport, and has built, round by round, training session by training session, an impressive record: In addition to the five national junior championships, he is a Junior Olympic Champion, Eastern Qualifier Champion, USA Open Champion, and a Ringside World Champion.
Dwayne learned the ropes while training with Delaware boxing great Dave Tiberi. Now, he passes on what he learned to his son. Cornelio has been a quick study. He is a natural when it comes to boxing, and he also has a strong work ethic.
Dwayne said that he likes
that Cornelio has dedicated himself to boxing because it helps him learn how to take care of himself and it helps build up self-confidence. In addition to his boxing work at Straight 2-3 Boxing Club, Cornelio trains to improve his cardio with William Bailey, a track & field coach at Lincoln University.
“I’m very proud of him,” Dwayne explained. “I’m proud that he has these goals.”
Those goals include qualifying for training with Team USA in hopes of representing the United States in the 2024 Olympics, a long-term dream that Cornelio moves toward each time he steps in the ring.
Dwayne said that his son’s well-rounded skills have been a key to his success early in his career.
“He has a real good boxing IQ in the ring,” Dwayne said. “He’s got speed and power. He can box against orthodox opponents or southpaws.”
Cornelio learns a lot about technique by watching boxing greats like Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Vasyl Lomachenko is another favorite.
Everyone at Straight 2-3 Boxing Club who has watched Cornelio train said that he has improved a lot in the last year. Cornelio agrees with that assessment, saying, “I got better. My hands got faster and I started to hit harder.”
When he’s not training, Cornelio likes to play basketball and soccer. He’s a football fan. One of his most important goals is to make the Honor Roll at
Local News
Penn’s Grove School.
Cornelio is just one of the youngsters who are currently learning the basics of the sport at Straight 2-3 Boxing Club. The youngsters have different experience levels, goals, and backgrounds.
Malachai Jones comes to the Kennett Square facility from Philadelphia. Jones competes at 106 pounds, and has six fights under his belt. Javon Robinson, 11, has won Golden Gloves events three times. He is currently fighting in the 65-pound weight class. Some of the newer arrivals include DeAndre Scott, who started training at the boxing club six months ago, and brothers Quadir and Khyre Lavender, who started training at the boxing club three months ago.
The youngsters have the benefit of being trained by a group of adults who can serve as positive role models for them.
“It’s all for the kids,” explained Tony Jones, Malachai’s father. He serves as an assistant coach at Straight 2-3 Boxing Club.
“We’re trying to build these guys to be respectful young men,” Dwayne explained.
Being able to travel to take part in boxing competitions provides an invaluable opportunity for youngsters. It can be very expensive, however. The parents do what they can to help all the youngsters take part in these opportunities. Dwayne said that he appreciates businesses like Bravo Pizza in Oxford who have stepped forward to provide some sponsorships. Dwayne’s employer, Tipton Trucking, allows him the time off
from work whenever he needs to travel in support of Cornelio.
In the year ahead, Cornelio expects to travel to Reno, Nevada for the Western Qualifier and to Dallas, Texas for the Battle of Big D. Each new experience helps prepare him for the next step on the road to achieve his dreams.
“I’d like to be a gold medalist in the Olympics,” Cornelio explained.
Oxford resident Daron Wilson helps train the young fighters at Straight 2-3 Boxing Club. He knows a thing or two about boxing, having 27 amateur fights under his belt. He said that Cornelio has a very bright future if he continues to work hard.
“When I first saw him, I was kind of shocked,” he said. “Cornelio has a lot of professionalism for a kid his age. He works really hard. He’s very disciplined.
Phipps is already a five-time national champion.
He’s always sweating when he’s working out. He does his road work. He seems to have the makings of a champion.”
The Straight 2-3 Boxing Club is located at 555 Birch Street in Kennett Square.
For more information, make a contribution or visit the club, contact Dwayne Phipps at 610-470-9565. To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
Cornelio
Photos by Steven Hoffman
Some of the youngsters and their trainers at the Straight 2-3 Boxing Club in Kennett Square.
The young boxers practice their skills and improve their techniques as they train at the Straight 2-3 Boxing Club in Kennett Square.
Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce selects Peter Kjellerup as Outstanding Citizen of the Year
The Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce has selected Peter Kjellerup, cofounder of Dansko, Inc., as its Outstanding Citizen of the Year for his decades of service to the community. Kjellerup will be awarded the honor at the Chairman’s Annual Gala at Longwood Gardens on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 6:30 pm. For more information and to register for the Annual Dinner, visit www.scccc. com.
“We are thrilled to recognize Peter Kjellerup with this prestigious honor,” said SCCCC President & CEO Cheryl Kuhn. “Peter exemplifies everything an outstanding citizen should be, and through his vision, leadership, and generosity, has greatly
advanced the welfare of our community.”
“What an honor—and surprise—to be chosen for this award,” said Kjellerup. “I am so proud of our community and this recognition by the Chamber means a lot to me.”
Kjellerup cofounded Dansko, Inc. in 1990 with his wife Mandy Cabot, and presided as Dansko’s Vice President, overseeing the design, construction, and overall property management of its award-winning, Gold LEED certified campuses, through his retirement at the end of 2018.
Originally an importer of Danish clogs, Dansko designs, develops, and distributes a wide range of innovative casual and career
footwear, and employs 150 people in West Grove PA. Recognized for its leadership in advancing socially and environmentally responsible business practices, Dansko was the winner of the “Exceptional Achievement Citation” from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives; the “Paradigm Award” from the Chester County Development Council; the “Corporate Social Investment Award” from the Chester County Community Foundation; the “Triple Bottom Line Award” from the Social Business Network of Greater Philadelphia; the “Green Business Award” from the Chester County Chamber of Business; the “Corporate Goodwill Award” from Footwear Plus; and the “Built To
Last” and “Best For The World, Workers” awards from B Lab. The company is now 100% employee owned.
Kjellerup himself is the proud recipient of the “Leadership Award” from the Delaware Valley Green Building Council and the “Service to Youth Award” from the YMCA of Brandywine Valley. Kjellerup and his wife Mandy Cabot also received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from Lincoln University and the “Jordan Award” from the Chester County Community Foundation.
Kjellerup currently serves on the Boards of the Stroud Water Research Center, The Land Conservancy of Southern Chester County, the Cabot Kjellerup Foundation, and the
Cabot Kjellerup Realty Trust, and is a past Board member of the Red Clay Valley Association, Chester County Food Bank, and the Dansko Foundation.
Established in 1968, the Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award signifies exemplary volunteer efforts, community service, vision, leadership and citizenship of individuals who positively influence the welfare of the Southern Chester County community. Since that time, our community has gathered together annually to honor the men and women, who have served the community in this manner and, in doing so, received this prestigious award for their efforts.
The Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce, the region’s leading pro-business member organization, is dedicated to the growth and development of its members and the business community by providing opportunities to connect businesses and support sustainable economic development. Founded in 1929 in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, the Chamber’s nearly 500-member businesses consist of influential business leaders and professionals, not-forprofits, institutions, legislative leaders, and more. The Chamber hosts more than 70 events and programs each year in the Southern Chester County region. To join or learn more about the Chamber, visit www. scccc.com.
Giant Food Stores begins deploying robots to all stores
Powered by Badger Technologies, rollout represents one of the largest uses of in-store robotics innovation in the U.S.
Following successful pilots that improved in-store efficiencies and freed employees up to better serve customers, Giant Food Stores has announced the introduction of a new robotic assistant to all of its 172 stores. “Marty,” a tall gray robot with googly eyes, will soon be working alongside associates, thanks to a partnership between Ahold Delhaize USA
services company Retail Business Services, Giant, and Jabil subsidiary Badger TechnologiesTM.
Over the past year, Giant has been piloting Marty and the in-store robotic program in its stores located at 4211 Union Deposit Road, Harrisburg and 255 Spring Garden Street, Carlisle.
“Bringing robotics and A.I. from a research lab to the sales floor has been
a very exciting journey, and we were thrilled by the customer response in our pilot stores,” said Nicholas Bertram, president, GIANT Food Stores. “Our associates have worked hard to bring this innovation to life with amazing partners.”
The in-store robots, which move around the store unassisted, are being used to identify hazards, such as liquid, powder and bulk food-
items spills and provide reporting that enables quick corrective action. The robots’ efforts free up associates to spend more time serving with customers. They also help stores mitigate risk caused by such spills. Giant will be deploying Marty to its 172 Giant and Martin’s Food Markets stores in waves over the coming months with expected completion slated for mid-2019.
Courtesy photo Giant Food Stores is introducing “Marty,” new robotic assistants, to all of its 172 stores this year.
Remembering the soul of a city
Two artists examine Baltimore renewal at the Oxford Arts Alliance
By John Chambless Staff Writer
There’s a jazz-like visual rhythm and a somber wistfulness in the works of Leslie Schwing and Greg Fletcher, whose show at the Oxford Arts Alliance looks at their Baltimore home as it undergoes decay, demolition and urban renewal. The styles of the two artists complement each other, as they sometimes paint the same scene, but see it in very different ways.
Greg Fletcher’s paintings tend to be more realist in style, but his soft oil textures and slightly stylized shapes have a distinctive air. His “Breadline, Central Avenue” conveys his points with stark simplicity –a shadowy line of figures on a precipice dug by a yellow crane, summing up the city’s sometimes sad reality, despite well-intentioned efforts at new construction.
Churches being bulldozed turn up several times in the show. Fletcher’s “Carnage: First Apostolic Demolition” depicts the torn-away rubble of a sanctuary as a pinkish mass, suggesting bones and entrails torn from the building.
His “Paulownia Tree,” however, shows the determined green tree creeping up the wall of a doomed church building – a bit of life, despite the odds.
There’s a lovely light on an un-lovely subject in “Dozer Talk: First Apostolic Demolition,” as two bulldozers sit side by side, paused in their work. Fletcher’s “Red Ghosts, Caroline Street” is a haunting view of sun-warmed red brick row homes, with white curtains flapping in the windows. It’s chilling, somber and nostalgic at the same time.
His “Hearth, Biddle Street” shows the former heart of a family’s home, a fireplace now exposed and facing an empty lot. The same scene is depicted by Schwing in her more abstract “Biddle Street Hearth.”
Fletcher and Schwing also
pair off on the same subject, the Hebrew Lutheran Mission, in side-by-side works, pointing out the interesting variations in their styles. Schwing’s paintings are more abstracted and layered, with a jumble of fantasy and reality depicted with vivid, jagged, overlapping shapes.
Her “All Hell Breaks Loose on Caroline Street” is an apocalyptic rampage of devils and demons out of the world of Hieronymous Bosch, and her “Refuge in the Latin Palace” is similarly hellish.
But in pieces such as “Biddle Street Blues,” she uses abstracted building shapes and shadows to suggest the jumble and rhythm of the city scene, as well as its historical roots.
Schwing’s “Mantis in the Harbor” brings several Baltimore landmarks into play, and her “Crabby Dick’s, 610 South Broadway” is a sly indictment of the rather forced nautical mural on the building, half-obscured by support beams holding it up.
Schwing’s “Ghosts of Rose Street, Baltimore” gets to the tragic heart of progress through demolition, with the dark outlines of past inhabitants floating against the yellow crane and crumbled buildings. She shows another style completely in her dazzlingly intricate scratchboard works, which have the skill of a Rockwell Kent, but an artistic voice all her own. Get lost in the radiating lines of “Berkley Oak, Berkley, Md.,” or the eerie shadows of “Darlington Cemetery, Darlington, Md.,” and you’ll appreciate this whole other side of Schwing’s repertoire.
Fletcher gets the same sort of look in his black-and-white monoprint, “God,” and he further stretches stylistically in “Afro Rhythms,” an acrylic that blends traditional motifs and colors in unexpected ways.
That sort of rewarding diversity is true of nearly everything in this show, which
spotlights two artists who have very strong viewpoints, and the artistic skills to match.
Works by Greg Fletcher and Leslie Schwing will be on view at the Oxford Arts Alliance (38 S. Third St., Oxford) through Feb. 8. The artists will present a
talk in the gallery on Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. There will be a closing reception on Feb. 8 from 6 to 8 p.m. Call 610-467-0301 or visit www.oxfordart.org.
To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@ chestercounty.com
‘All Hell Breaks Loose on Caroline Street’ by Leslie Schwing.
‘Breadline, Central Avenue’ by Greg Fletcher.
‘Berkley Oak, Berkley, Md.’ by Leslie Schwing.
‘Carnage: First Apostolic Demolition’ by Greg Fletcher.
‘Crabby Dick’s, 610 South Broadway’ by Leslie Schwing.
‘Dozer Talk: First Apostolic Demolition’ by Greg Fletcher.
‘Ghosts of Rose Street, Baltimore’ by Leslie Schwing.
‘Hearth, Biddle Street’ by Greg Fletcher.
‘Red Ghosts, Caroline Street’ by Greg Fletcher.
ROBERT J. REESE
Robert J. Reese, 96, of Ware Presbyterian Village in Oxford, and formerly of Morton, Pa., passed away on Jan. 10 at Jennersville HospitalTower Health in West Grove.
He was the husband of the late Helen Lombardi Reese. Born in Collingdale, he was the son of the late Joseph and Lillian Hartley Reese. Bob retired from Boeing in 1987. He enjoyed the Phillies and the Eagles. He enjoyed many activities at Ware Presbyterian Village, where he resided for the last ten years.
He is survived by his daughter, Susan Eshelman of Oxford; son, Robert D. Reese of Palm Coast, Fla.; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He will be sadly missed by all that knew him. Services are private. Online condolences may be made at www. elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
PATRICIA ANN ELICIER
It is with great sadness that the family of Patricia “Pat” Ann Elicier announces her passing on Jan. 16 at the age of 74. She peacefully passed away, surrounded by her family.
Born and raised in Oxford, she attended Oxford High School. She was the daughter of the late Harvey Granville Stephens and the late Maryon Elizabeth Stephens. She is survived by her two children, Alison M. Elicier of Delray Beach, Fla., and Marc M. Elicier and his wife Allison Elicier of West Grove; her companion of 30 years, William Thomas McClure; an identical twin sister, Crissa Jean Lehenky; and two grandsons. She was predeceased by her brother, Rick Stephens.
Pat was a devoted mother, grandmother and avid Philadelphia sports fan who loved watching the Eagles and Phillies. She enjoyed being with her family and friends, especially her grandsons. She will be deeply missed by her friends, family and all who knew her.
Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to Brandywine Valley SPCA, 1212 Phoenixville Pike, West Chester, PA 19380. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
For more information or to place an ad, contact Brenda Butt at 610-869-5553 ext. 10
HAZEL DARONE SMITH
Hazel “Jiggs” Darone Smith, 88, of Kennett Square, passed away on Jan. 15 at Neighborhood Hospice in West Chester.
She was the wife of Paul E. Smith, Sr., who passed away in 1982. Born in Kennett Square in 1930, she was the daughter of the late David Darone and the late Lillian Bonsall Darone. She was raised in Unionville and attended the local school. She enjoyed flower gardening, traveling, spending time in the mountains, helping others, serving her faith, and being with her family and friends. She was known for her love of baking, and family and friends enjoyed her desserts. She worked many years as an assembler for Lasko, Harowe Servo Controls, and retired in 1991 from Hewlett Packard after 17 years of service.
She is survived by three daughters, Pamela Roten and her husband William of Williamstown, Pa., Karen Roark of Avondale, and Crystal Baker of West Grove; one son, Robert “Skip” Combs and his wife Judy of Troutdale, Va,; 11 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and “Buddy,” her fur baby Lhasa Apso. Hazel was predeceased by two sons, Joseph L. Darone and Elwood Darone; one grandson, Jamie Roten; three brothers; and five sisters.
A visitation will be held from noon to 1 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Kuzo Funeral Home (250 W. State St., Kennett Square). Her funeral will follow at 1 p.m. Burial will be in Union Hill Cemeter in Kennett Square. In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to Neighborhood Hospice, 400 East Marshall Street, West Chester, PA 19380; or to the Brandywine SPCA, 1212 Phoenixville Pike, West Chester, PA 19380. To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, visit www.griecocares.com.
WALTER Y. ROOT
Walter Young Root, 84, of Oxford, passed away on Jan. 18 at Ware Presbyterian Village in Oxford. He was born in 1934 in Barnsley, Pa., to the late Cameron Young Root and Mary Hazel Turner Root. Walter worked for many years in the family mushroom business before going to work for Spitz, Inc., from which he retired. He had a love for outdoor activities, enjoyed hunting and fishing, and meticulously worked in his flower garden. Walter was an avid bowler and enjoyed all sports. An active member of Bethany Presbyterian Church, Walter participated in many of the church-sponsored activities and served on the Deacon Board.
He is survived by his sisters, June Sundheimer of Mocksville, N.C., and Mary Gage of Peoria, Ill.; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Alice Root and Jennie McQueen; and brothers, Cameron Root, George Root and Montgomery Root.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Chapel at Ware Presbyterian Village (7 E. Locust St., Oxford). Interment will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, memorial contribution checks can be made to “Deacons Fund” at Bethany Presbyterian Church and sent in c/o R.T. Foard Funeral Home, P.A., P.O. Box 248, Rising Sun, MD 21911. To send an online condolence, visit www.rtfoard.com.
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HAZEL ADELE BALDWIN
Hazel Adele Baldwin passed away peacefully in her home at Jenners Pond in West Grove on Jan. 13. Known as Adele by her family and friends, she is survived by her children, Raymond Skinner, Paula Skinner, Erica Johnson and Peter Johnson; and her brother, Raymond Baldwin.
Adele was born in 1929. She was raised in Philadelphia and graduated from Germantown High School. She received a degree in accounting from Delaware Technical Community College. Adele belonged to the Religious Society of Friends, and was an active member in Newark Friends Meeting and then West Grove Friends Meeting. Throughout her life, she worked for peace and social justice and was a longtime supporter of Pacem in Terris, in Wilmington, Del. Adele loved art and supported many local artists. She loved to travel, which took her to Sweden, Russia and Nicaragua, where she and her late husband, Robert Johnson, supported a project to build a school.
A memorial service will be held on March 30 at 2 p.m. at West Grove Friends Meeting (153 E. Harmony Rd., West Grove). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pacem in Terris, 401 North West St., Wilmington, DE 19801; or the Newark Center for Creative Learning, 401 Phillips Ave., Newark, DE 19711. Online condolences may be made at www. elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
FRANCES JOSEPHINE BRYAN
Frances Josephine Bryan, of Lincoln University, passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home on Jan. 21, with family and friends by her side. Frances was 91 years old. She was born in 1927 in West Grove Hospital to parents Fred and Hattie Weaver and was the oldest of eight children. Frances was married to James C. Bryan until his death in 2011. They were married 61 years. A 1946 graduate of Oxford High School, Frances became a Licensed Practical Nurse and spent her much loved career working at Jennersville Hospital. Tending to her patients, she took the time to deliver impeccable care with great attention to detail. She cared for her family and friends with the same integrity. Throughout her life, Frances was a devoted member of the West Grove United Methodist Church and gave many hours to her church family. Frances volunteered for the Red Cross, YMCA, and was a West Grove Playground Mother. She enjoyed traveling, playing games with friends and family, dancing, and made sure to end every meal with something sweet!
Frances is survived by three children, Sharon Nesbitt of New London, James Bryan of West Grove and Linda Wilkinson (Glenn) of New London; seven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. She is also survived by siblings Mabel Dunfee, Thomas Weaver, Connie Garvin and Carol Wimer. Frances was preceded in death by her husband; daughter, Terry Lane; grandson, Samuel Bryan; and great-grandsons, Carter and Dylan Wilkinson; siblings, Fred Weaver, Christine Shoop and William Weaver.
The Chester County Press publishes obituaries, free of charge, for those with a connection to southern Chester County. Obituaries appear on the Wednesday after they are received, space permitting. They also are posted on www.chestercounty.
com. Photos should be sent as .jpg attachments to the obituary text. To submit an obituary to the Chester County Press , email the information to: jchambless@ chestercounty.com.
A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Jan. 26 at West Grove United Methodist Church (300 N. Guernsey Rd., West Grove), where friends may visit from 10 to 11 a.m. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the West Grove United Methodist Church.
The family would like to acknowledge the superb care at Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Home and Willow Tree Hospice. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
Through March 24
Orchid Extravaganza Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square) hosts its annual Orchid Extravaganza daily through March 24. The exhibition features thousands of rare and exotic orchids displayed throughout the Conservatory. The gardens are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Timed admission tickets are required. Tickets are $23 for adults, $20 for seniors age 60 and older, $20 for college students (ID required), $12 for ages 5 to 18, free for children under 5. Tickets and more information are available at www.longwoodgardens.
org.
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.
Jan. 27
School open house Assumption BVM
School in West Grove will begin Catholic Schools Week on Jan. 27 with its annual open house from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Guests are invited to tour the classrooms and meet teachers. The public is also invited to experience International Day on Jan. 31. Each classroom will depict the food, economy, art, history, religion, dance and overall culture of a variety of different countries, including Germany, Brazil, Australia, and Mexico. There are sessions from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., and 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. No registration is needed. Assumption BVM School is at 290 State Rd., West Grove. Call 610-869-9576 or email development@ abvmschoolwg.us.
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.
Feb. 14
Gal-entine’s Tea
On Feb. 14 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Greenbank Mills and Philips Farm in Newport, Del., women are invited to join their friends and celebrate Valentine’s Day in a new way. Enjoy some desserts, tea and teacocktails at a Gal-entine’s Tea, a celebration of friendship. The event takes place inside the historic ambiance of Greenbank Mill and tickets support the educational programs of the organization. Tickets are $15 (includes dessert and tea); alcoholic drinks are an additional $5 each. The organization maintains several historic buildings, including a
19th-century gristmill and textile mill and an 18th-century farmhouse. Call 302-999-9001 or visit www.greenbankmill.com.
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, or guests can BYOB. The schedule includes: 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 non-conformity 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).
Reactors Comedy Club Reactors Comedy Club, in the Quality Inn and Suites (943 S. High
St., West Chester). Hosts live comedy presented by Reactors on weekends. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., and showtime is 8:30 p.m. Admission is $20 at the door. Visit www. reactorscomedyclub.com. The schedule includes: Jimmy Carroll and Todd Chappelle (Jan. 25 and 26 at the Quality Inn and Suites); Chris Rich, Tommy Highland and Brendan Donegan (Feb. 2 at Timothy’s Lionville, 120 Eagleview Blvd., Exton).
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.
Longwood Gardens hosts a world of exotic orchids through March 24 (see listing).
Unionville falls to East in overtime, 49-46
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
When Unionville’s Bo-Furey Bastian nailed a three-pointer at the very end of the Indians’ 49-46 overtime loss to visiting West Chester East on Jan. 19, the shot served as a “too little too late” imprint on a game that was going to be decided on the ability to make clutch shots at crucial moments.
The Vikings made those shots in overtime, while Unionville could not.
After battling to a 43-43 tie at the end of regulation, East capitalized on Unionville turnovers in overtime, highlighted by two clutch jumpers by Tym Richardson and Andrew Carr, and two free throws by Ben Delaney, that pushed the Vikings’ overall record to 14-2 overall and third place in the Ches-Mont National behind Coatesville and
Downingtown West. While their overall records coming into the game may have been a bit different – Unionville entered with a 10-4 record and just a game behind Sun Valley in the Ches-Mont American –Saturday’s contest was an evenly matched one, as indicated by a 15-15 tie at the end of the first quarter. The Indians got on the board on a layup by Drew Lenkaitis with 6:20 remaining, and after two free throws by Carr put East up 7-2 with just over five minutes left in the quarter, Unionville responded with a rebound and layup by Lenkaitis, a layup by Furey-Bastian, and a clever display of time-eating dribbling by Connor Ash in the closing seconds of the quarter, that ended with his game-tying layup.
After a four-point effort by Unionville in the second quarter put them behind, 24-19, at halftime, the Indians
outscored East 17-11 to take the lead, 36-35, at the end of the third quarter. A few baskets gave East a lead in the early part of the third, but a pair of three-pointers by Logan Shanahan and Wyatt Hockenberry at the two-minute mark pushed the Indians ahead, 32-31. Two Richardson free throws with under a minute left gave East a 35-34 lead, but a beautiful bounce pass from Shanahan to a cutting Furey-Bastian put Unionville up by one at the start of the final quarter.
While the pace of the game for the first three quarters may best be described as patient and purposeful, the last quarter kicked into a frenzied overdrive that ended regulation with no clear winner. In short, it was a trading of baskets from one end of the court to the other -- a pass from Hockenberry to Ash on a breakaway tied
the game, 38-38, which was followed by a jumper by Richardson, which was followed by a basket by Carr and returned by a layup by Lenkaitis.
With 52 seconds left in the game and the score tied, 43-43, East called a timeout, but efforts to get the ball into the hands of Carr or Richardson in the closing seconds were interrupted by a strong Unionville defense, which led to a second East timeout with 6.6 seconds left.
On East’s in-bounds play, Ash was fouled after stealing the pass, but neither team was
in the one-and-one, so Unionville inherited the ball on the sideline. On Unionville’s ensuing in-bounds play, the pass was deflected and the Indians were called for a foul, leading to a lastsecond shot attempt by Richardson that fell short at the buzzer. Carr led all scorers with 16 points, followed by 11-point efforts by teammates Richardson and Brenden Merten, who contributed a trio of three-pointers. Unionville was led by 14-point games by FureyBastian and Lenkaitis, while Hockenberry
chipped in nine points for the Indians. Looking to end their three-game losing streak, Unionville hosted Bishop Shanahan on Jan. 21, Bayard Riustin on Jan. 24, and travels to Great Valley on Jan. 29. Now enjoying a fourgame winning streak, East visited Henderson on Jan. 22, hosts leagueleading Coatesville on Jan. 24 and plays Avon Grove at home on Jan. 29.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty. com
“ From the first day I started working as a Registered Nurse in the operating room at Jennersville Hospital, I was made to feel like a part of the team because of my colleagues’ 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!”
– Noreen, RN
RN, PCA and MA Meet & Greet
Tuesday, January 29th
8 am - 10 am and 4 pm - 5:30 pm
Meet and Greet 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 Wednesday, January 30th. For details and to register, visit: careers.towerhealth.org/events
For current openings and to learn more about us, visit: careers.towerhealth.org
Photos by Richard L. Gaw
Unionville’s Bo Furey-Bastian defends East’s Andrew Carr during the Indians’ 49-46 overtime loss to the Vikings on Jan. 19.
Unionville’s Connor Ash sets up the Indian offense during the second half.
Unionville’s Logan Shanahan looks for an open man in the third quarter.
Public input sought on Water Trail plan
As part of the Brandywine Creek Greenway initiative, the Brandywine Conservancy and Chester County Planning Commission are studying the feasibility of a Brandywine Water Trail, a formalized route along the waterway for recreational use, enhanced by connections to land trails.
Two public meetings are scheduled for Feb. 5 and 12 to get input from the community on routes that are currently used; areas that are unsafe and need improvement; areas where additional access would be helpful; and opportunities for stewardship and education.
The first public meeting is scheduled Feb. 5
from 5 to 7 p.m., at the Downingtown Borough Annex (4 West Lancaster Ave., Downingtown). The second public meeting will be held Feb. 12 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Brandywine River Museum of Art (1 Hoffman’s Mill Rd., Chadds Ford). Both meetings will be held open-house style, and attendees can arrive at any time during the twohour window. Families are welcome to attend, and light refreshments will be provided. Registration is requested at www.brandywine.org/ events. There is no cost to register.
Once complete, the Brandywine Water Trail will be a 22-mile, bi-state water route that connects
or demands against the estate of the said decedent are requested to make known the same and all persons indebted to the said decedent to make payment without delay to: Randall Ribaudo, Executor, c/o Winifred Moran Sebastian, Esquire, 208 E. Locust Street Address: P.O. Box 381, Oxford, PA 19363 1p-16-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
NOTICE
ESTATE OF Helen R. Ribaudo, also known as Helen Ruth Ribaudo, late of Oxford Borough, Chester County, Deceased. Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named Helen R. Ribaudo having been granted to the undersigned, all persons having
ESTATE OF DAVID E. FELDMAN, late of Kennett Square, Chester County, PA, Died November 26, 2018. Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named David E. Feldman, having been granted to the undersigned, all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the said decedent are requested to make known the same and all persons indebted to the said decedent to make payment without delay to: Jessica Feldman , Executrix, C/O George S. Donze, Esquire, Donze & Donze, 696 Unionville Road, Suite 6, Kennett Square, PA 19348 1p-16-3t
communities to the river in Pennsylvania and Delaware, improving access to the waterway for increased recreational and educational use, while also protecting and enhancing the natural, scenic, cultural and historic resources along the river. The feasibility study will focus on the east and west branches of the Brandywine starting from Coatesville and Downingtown, to the Brandywine Creek State Park in Delaware. Residents of both states are welcome and encouraged to attend one or both of the meetings to provide input.
The Brandywine Creek Greenway is a regional planning initiative of the Brandywine Conservancy
INCORPORATION
WALTMAN FLANAGAN & ASSOCIATES INC. has been incorporated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988. 1p-23-1t ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF Margaret Jane McMaster, late of Lower Oxford Township, Chester County, Deceased. Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named Margaret Jane McMaster having been granted to the undersigned, all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the said decedent are requested to make known the same and all persons indebted to the said decedent to make payment without delay to: Laura Linda Lewis, Executrix, c/o Attorney: Winifred Moran Sebastian, Esquire 208 E. Locust Street, P.O. Box 381 Oxford, PA 19363 1p-23-3t
– involving 27 municipal partners in Chester and Delaware counties in Pennsylvania and New Castle County and the City of Wilmington in Delaware – to create a 40-mile conservation and recreation corridor along both branches of the Brandywine. The Greenway stretches from the Christina River in the City of Wilmington to the Pennsylvania Highlands in Honey Brook Township.
The Brandywine Creek Greenway and its network of parks and trails form the western limit of the Circuit Trails, a regional trail network of the greater Philadelphia region. To learn more, visitwww.brandywinegreenway.org.
Low-cost loan program announced for college students
State Sen. Andy Dinniman last week encouraged prospective college students who may be applying for financial aid this year to consider the new PA Forward Student Loan Program.
The program provides low-cost, alternative student loans for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as loans for parent borrowers. It is designed to complement other forms of student aid, such as the PA State Grant Program and low-cost federal loans. It is ideal for Pennsylvania students who need help paying for college after exhausting their eligibility for gift aid and low-cost federal student loans.
Additionally, borrowers who are in repayment and want to combine their debt after graduation to outstanding student debts and achieve a lower
Events slated at library
From daily storytimes and weekend programming to a teen service club, book club for adults, and crafting sessions for all ages, Avon Grove Library offers opportunities for learning and enjoyment this month. The programs are free and most do not require registration. Visit www.avongrovelibrary.org.
Babies, toddlers and preschoolers, along with their caregivers, can attend storytimes held every weekday at the library. Most are themed for certain age groups, but older and younger siblings are always welcome.
Toddler Storytimes are held every Tuesday at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m.
Preschool Storytimes are held every Monday at 10 a.m., Wednesday at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. and Friday at 10 a.m.
Bilingual Storytime is held Thursdays at 10 a.m. Participants will have the opportunity to hear stories and songs in both English and Spanish. The session also includes a craft and open playtime.
Avon Grove Library partners with Starbucks in Jennersville to offer a weekly Storytime at Starbucks, held every Thursday at 1 p.m.
Pets and Friends Storytime, a partnership with the Pets and Friends store in Jennersville, is held the first and third Monday of each month at 1 p.m. in the store. The Feb. 18 Pets and Friends Storytime will still be held, even though the library itself will be closed for Presidents Day.
Storytime at Treetops Kitty Café is held the third Thursday of each month at 10 a.m., including stories, crafts and playtime fun with the cats that are up for adoption. Treetops Kitty Café is at 305 State St., Kennett Square. Registration and a fee are required. To register and for more information, visit www.treetopskittycafe.com.
Big Yellow Mug Storytime will be held in the coffeehouse at the Christian Life Center (125 Saginaw Rd, Lincoln University) the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m.
On the first Saturday of each month, from 11 a.m. to noon, slots are available for a 10-minute session reading aloud to Cooper or Wesley, the Paws for Reading canine partners. All ages are welcome. Registration is necessary for this free program.
monthly payment can benefit from a PA Forward Refinance Loan. “This new program will help bridge the gap in funding for many students and young people who are facing the challenges of the rising costs of higher education,” said Dinniman, minority chair of the Senate Education Committee. “Fortunately, we now have these low-interest loans available to those who have already exhausted grants, gifts, scholarships and other funding sources.”
PHEAA is the lender and servicer of the loans, with tax-exempt financing provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
PA Forward participants can borrow up to the total cost of attendance with low interest rates. There are immediate credit approvals and flexible repayment options, with no application or origination fees. Borrowers can get discounted interest rates by enrolling in an automatic
direct debit repayment program and simply by graduating.
Borrowers can receive a .25 percent interest rate reduction for enrolling in an automatic direct debit program and an additional .50 percent interest rate reduction for achieving successful graduation.
Borrowers also benefit from a six-month grace period after graduation before the first payment is due. This allows borrowers time to get their finances in order, including time to find
a job, before repayment begins. Borrowers who take full advantage of the program’s benefits could save thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.
PHEAA encourages students and their families to exhaust all eligibility for grants and scholarships before considering a student loan. When borrowing is necessary, students should first apply for low-cost federal student loans before turning to an alternative student loan, which often have higher interest rates.
To help students make informed choices about their higher education funding plan that can prevent unnecessary or excessive borrowing, PHEAA created MySmartBorrowing.org. This free resource helps users understand how different career, school, and financial decisions made during the college planning process can influence their total cost of an education and their ability to repay any student loans after graduation.
Commissioners name new director of Emergency Services
The Chester County Commissioners this week announced the appointment of Michael Murphy, Jr., as director of the Department of Emergency Services.
“The safety of Chester County residents is one of our top priorities and our director of Emergency Services plays a pivotal role in ensuring that safety,” said Chester County Commissioners’ chair Michelle Kichline. “We are fortunate to have someone with Mike’s experience and
professionalism take on the directorship role.”
Murphy replaces Robert Kagel, who served as director of the department for four years before his appointment as Chester County Administrator. John Haynes, Deputy Director of 911 Operations, has been serving as interim director since Kagel moved to the Commissioners Office.
Commissioner Kathi Cozzone said, “Chester County maintains an excellent emergency services record
and we know that Mike will continue in the tradition of Bobby Kagel and the fine department team. Mike has the respect of the Department of Emergency Services staff as well as that of Chester County’s first responder community.”
Commissioner Terence Farrell added, “In the event of an emergency, county residents deserve assurance that there is someone in leadership that can make the right decisions quickly. Mike has been with the county’s Department of
Emergency Services for 20 years and has a tremendous depth of knowledge of all areas of the department. We also thank John Haynes for stepping in and leading the department as interim director.”
A longtime resident of Chester County, Murphy has served as Emergency Management Coordinator and Deputy EMC for Caln Township, and has served as a firefighter with the Thorndale Volunteer Fire Company since the age of 16.
