Doerfler chosen as new president of Kennett Square Borough Council
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
Kennett Square Borough Council has a new president after Doug Doerfler was chosen to serve in the leadership role at the meeting on Feb. 19. Doerfler was the only nominee for the position, which became available when LaToya Myers made a surprise announcement at the Feb. 4 meeting, stating that she was stepping down as president. Myers decided to resign from the role after council approved new rules for public comment that she does not believe are fair. She immediately tendered her resignation as president, leaving council without a leader.
At the Feb. 19 meeting, council member Jamie
Mallon nominated Doerfler to serve as president. Council then unanimously approved the nomination. Doerfler will serve as president through the end of 2019 as borough council will reorganize at the beginning of 2020, following the November elections.
As he accepted the gavel, Doerfler commented on the unusual nature of the events that prompted this change in leadership. He acknowledged that no one is happy about the situation, but he was willing to accept the responsibility of serving as president.
The next item on the agenda after the new president was selected was the resignation of council vice president Ethan Cramer
U-CF school board approves artificial turf fields
By JP Phillips Correspondent
Ever since last June, when the outdoor master plan proposal was introduced by K&S Consulting, UnionvilleChadds Ford School Board meeting comments
were dominated by residents who were both for and against various aspects of the plan, especially the artificial turf project.
Months of turf talk came to an end on Feb. 25, when the school board unanimously approved financing that included the fields.
Board president Jeff Hellrung thanked residents for the numerous public comments, e-mails and conversations. “I just want to prepare everyone that probably none of you will get exactly what you want,” he said at the Feb.
Cold brews and chilly winds add up to a big success in Kennett Square
Local boy now set to receive potentially lifechanging procedure
Avondale youngster Kevin Lightner needs a surgical procedure to help control his seizures. After the insurance company rejected the procedure twice, the family just won the third and final appeal to get it approved to New York City to be treated by a neurological team at Mount Sinai Hospital. The neurological team recommended a surgical procedure to insert a Responsive Neurosimulation (RNS) device to help control the seizures, but Aetna, the family’s insurance company, rejected the surgical procedure twice. The Lightners filed a third appeal to the insurance company in late 2018, praying that they would win the appeal so that their son could have the procedure that could potentially change his life for the better.
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
The family, friends, and supporters of Kevin Lightner are all cheering the news that he could soon receive a potentially life-changing surgical procedure that doctors have said could bring his seizures under control. Kevin, a twelve-year-old sixth grader from Avondale, has been suffering seizures since 2015. The seizures can occur at any time, and Kevin sometimes suffers between 25 and 50 of them in a day, so they are extremely disruptive to his life. His parents, Lisa and Dan, have been taking him
Lisa Lightner said that the family learned that they had won the appeal in early
February. The family was able to schedule the surgery for March 6.
“We’re very relieved,”
Lisa Lightner said of the decision about the appeal.
“And we’re so appreciative of the community’s support.”
She said that even after receiving the good news by telephone call and by email, she was nervous all over again when the letter arrived officially putting the decision in writing.
“There was still a part of me that worried that they could rescind it or say that it was a mistake,” she explained.
Now that the surgery has
By John Chambless Staff Writer
The 2019 Kennett Winterfest proved once again that nothing draws a crowd like beer. The more beer, the better.
On the afternoon of Feb. 23, the southern end of Broad Street in Kennett Square was a magnet for thousands of patrons, who came to sample the distinctive brews of 67 brewers and distillers from this region and surrounding states. Set up in two long tents, the brewers handed
out small samples of their wares while heaters provided some warmth against the icy winds that occasionally whipped through the crowd. No one seemed to mind, and everyone came dressed for the temperatures, which weren’t too bad compared to past years, when gripping a tiny mug was hard to do with frostbitten fingers. There were several notable outfits in the crowd, including three striped onesies that were easy to pick out. With the band AfroBear providing an upbeat
New Garden rules on historic home debate
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
The historic Middleton Home on Newark Road in Landenberg absorbed yet another layer of tugand-pull legislation to its delicate and uncertain future last week.
At the Board of Supervisors meeting on Feb. 19, township solicitor Vince Pompo ruled that the contents of a proposed amendment -written by the township’s Historic Commission that would impose stricter rules regarding the preservation of historic homes in the township -- would not be applied to an agreement between Wilkinson Homes and the township regarding the home, which sits on the periphery of Middleton Crossing, an L -shaped,
seven-lot subdivision of homes currently being developed by Wilkinson Homes, with prices that range from $539,900 to $649,900.
The agreement between the township and the builder, which was reached by Township Manager Tony Scheivert, Pompo and Bill Romanelli of Wilkinson Homes, proposes that the builder will agree to preserve the home for 18 months, beginning from the original date of sale, while making an effort to sell the home – all under the guidelines of the existing rules and regulations on preservation of the township’s historic structures. If the home is not sold during that time period, the agreement states that the builder would then be
Photo by JP Phillips
The new double turf fields will be built on this site at the Unionville High School campus. Two new grass fields will be constructed near the current bus depot.
Photo by John Chambless
The crowd filled two huge tents for the whole afternoon.
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soundtrack, patrons lined up to sample their favorites, discover breweries from far away, and munch on pretzels that were helpfully put on strings so they could be worn as necklaces, freeing up both hands for drinking.
Food trucks provided meals and snacks throughout the day from Abuelita’s Empanadas, Dia Dolce Cupcakes, George and Sons Seafood, Ka-Chi Korean With a Twist, Natalie’s Fine Foods and Southbound
BBQ. There were vendor tables to promote the upcoming Kennett Run, sell commemorative Winterfest gear, and dispense fiery samples from Frankly-Deep Hot Sauce.
While patrons got to sample some very limitedproduction beers, and the breweries scored points and future customers, Historic Kennett Square was the big winner, raising thousands of dollars that will be put back into programs to benefit residents and draw more visitors to Kennett. In terms of a win-win situation, it was hard to beat.
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G REA ICH
20 work session, regarding the master plan. “I know I’m not going to get exactly what I want out of this project either, but we are going to try to do something that’s in the best interest of both our students and our community.”
Some of K&S’s suggestions were penciled into the district’s Long Range Facilities Plan (LRFP), which divvies out projects over the next ten years. The board does not approve the LTFP; rather, they approve financing for projects planned over the next few years. Each year, fully fleshed-out projects are discussed as part of usual business.
On Monday, the board approved $9.1 million of the $14 million needed to finance the first three years of the LRFP, plus the turf fields planned for year four. The district’s fund balance
will make up the difference. Most items are routine, such as roof, carpet and heater replacements in some of the district’s six schools. The only included items from the K&S proposal are the new double turf field ($2 million), two grass fields ($400,000), and field safety netting ($150,000).
Board member Vic Dupuis noted that school financing rates are at historic lows. “The timing is tremendous,” he said. Director of Business and Operations Bob Cochran added that this is the first issuance for new money since the high school expansion project in 2009-10. Any other borrowing was done to refinance old debt at more favorable rates.
In order for the artificial turf fields to be constructed, two grass fields will need to be built in the bus garage area. Preparation will begin as soon as ground studies, plans, permits and contracting are completed. Though the double field is not planned until 2022, many board members made it clear that sooner is better.
Other hotly debated items in the outdoor master plan – such as new tennis courts, a field house, parking, and traffic flow improvements – are not in this borrowing issue. Financing for proj-
ects planned for years four through six will likely happen in late 2020 or early 2021. Superintendent John Sanville said that a report on parking and traffic flow will be presented this spring. The board also unanimously passed the preliminary 2020-21 budget of $98.6 million during the Feb. 18 work session. Cochran explained that the budget is a “worst-case scenario” that represents a weighted 3.63 percent increase – 3.65 percent for Chester County residents, and 3.58 percent for Delaware County. Since PA Act 1 law dictates that weighted increases cannot exceed 2.3 percent, the board approved registering $856,000 in exceptions with the state.
Sanville made it clear that this preliminary budget is submitted as per state law, and the final number will be less. “As the administration and board work over the spring to shave costs where they can, our real work is ahead of us,” Sanville said. The 2020-21 approved school calendar was upheld after debating if it was wise to have the April 28 primary day as the first snow day. The calendar has two other snow days built into the schedule; primary day will be used should a third day is needed.
Photos by John Chambless
Three friends arrived in onesies, ready to sample some brews.
Two Roads Brewing Company handed out samples of their brews.
Six food trucks were on site all afternoon for hungry visitors.
Heaters placed throughout the tents kept the chill away.
Samples of Frankly-Deep Hot Sauce drew a steady crowd of visitors.
A booth promoted the upcoming Kennett Run.
HitchHiker Brewing Company had samples of their Cosmic Void, Usual Chaos and more.
from that leadership post. Cramer also cited the new rules for public comment as the reason for his decision.
After council accepted the resignation, Mallon nominated Peter Waterkotte to serve as council vice president. There were no other nominations, and this appointment was also approved unanimously.
As a part of the overall discussion about the president and vice president positions, council member Wayne Braffman noted that the president is granted very few extra powers by the borough codes, and for all intents and purposes, the president is simply one of seven members of council with no extra authority over policies.
Braffman explained that the duties of the president include running the meetings for council, signing certain documents, and representing the borough at public events if the mayor isn’t available. “I want everyone to understand how limited this role is,” Braffman said. He added that he views one of the most important duties of a council president to be effectively distributing and sharing information with various borough officials, including all the council members.
Braffman said that when he and a large group of the other council members came on board more than three years ago, one of the things that he became aware of was the borough council’s method of operation—specifically, only
one or two council members were handling large amounts of the responsibilities, and only a few people were privy to information.
The current borough council, Braffman explained, has established several committees and taken other steps to make sure that all council members are included and involved in activities. Information is now shared between all council members.
“We’ve been working hard to change the culture of council,” Braffman said.
In his public safety report to borough council, Mayor Matthew Fetick said that the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission will be undertaking a study soon, and one of the goals will be looking for ways to redirect heavy truck traffic around Kennett Square.
It has long been a problem that trucks heading for distribution centers and companies in New Garden Township cut through the borough.
Fetick said that one of the immediate steps that they are hoping to take is to have signage installed along Route 1 to inform truck drivers of the best routes to take to reach their New Garden Township destinations. The study could lead to other steps to address the issue of truck traffic in the borough.
Plans are moving forward on a two-story expansion of the parking garage. The expansion will add approximately 95 parking spaces. The project is currently out to bid. At the Feb. 19 meeting, borough council considered a waiver request regarding the
stormwater requirements for the project. While the project will include a retention bed and an infiltration bed to address stormwater runoff, they will not be sufficient to meet the ordinance requirement of a 50 percent reduction in stormwater runoff. Essentially, the retention bed and infiltration bed would be sufficient to handle run-off on most storms, but statistically speaking a “two-year storm,” which is a storm that could be expected once every two years, would produce too much rain for the system to handle. A storm with rains of more than 2.65 inches an hour would potentially create issues with stormwater run-
off. It would cost between $40,000 and $50,000 to put a second retention bed under the parking garage. Cramer offered an amendment to the motion that called for borough manager Joseph Scalise to utilize that approximate amount of money in the 2020 budget to remediate a stormwater management issue somewhere else in the borough, rather than using it on a second retention bed under the parking garage.
Borough council approved the waiver request by a 6-1 vote, with Myers being the dissenting vote.
To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
Oxford breweries Bog Turtle and Hollow Earth were side by side.
Zeroday Brewing Company was handing out Mango Habanero pale ale, and another specialty named Financial Panther.
The band AfroBear provided a lively soundtrack for the afternoon.
Sampling mugs were given out at the gate.A range of Kennett Winterfest merchandise was on sale. Soft pretzels were a popular snack.
One patron wore his kilt to the Winterfest.
Oxford junior receives Widener Leadership Award
Oxford Area High School junior Ashley Navarrete, daughter of Maria Zavala and Efren Navarrete, was recently named a winner of the 2019 Widener University/ NBC-10 High School Leadership Award. Now in its eighth year, this awards program is designed to recognize
high school students in the Philadelphia region who embody the university’s commitment to develop and inspire leaders to affect positive change. Those who receive the award have been recognized for their ability to demonstrate courage by standing up for what is right,
finding a way to address a wrong or making a difference in a significant way. Ashley will join approximately 70 other honorees for a special awards event at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia on March 28. Award-winners will also be invited to attend a leadership training conference to be held later this year on the Widener campus. Award recipients will receive a scholarship of $20,000 over four years should they enroll at Widener University for undergraduate studies.
Ashley is president of the Class of 2020 as well as the high school’s art and chess clubs. She has been a member of the school’s Diversity Committee for two years and organized last year’s March for Our Lives student walk-out against gun violence one month after the Feb. 14, 2018 school shootings in Parkland, Florida. Ashley is a member of the stage crew, working on this spring’s production of Seussical. She also volunteers at the Lighthouse Youth Center in Oxford.
Helix Tattoo Lodge debuts in Oxford on Friday
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
Oxford Borough will be celebrating the opening of a new business on Friday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Helix Tattoo Lodge at 5 p.m.
This is the second location that owners Justin Holcomb and Josh Sargable are operating a Helix Tattoo Lodge. The first is in Cecil County, Maryland. There is an award-winning team of tattoo artists bringing their work to downtown Oxford. The Oxford location will have four stations featuring eight professional artists working in rotation for the best possible experience for customers.
The award-winning staff of local artists specialize in every tattoo style imaginable, from photo-realism to ornamental, and are able to execute any project from the simplest designs to the most difficult cover ups and body suits.
This is the first tattoo studio to open in Oxford in the borough’s history.
Mary Lou Baily, the Main Street Manager for Oxford Mainstreet, Inc., said that they are excited that Helix Tattoo
Lodge selected Oxford Borough for the second location.
“Tattoos are another form of artistic expression,” Baily said, “and we are excited to welcome the Helix Tattoo Lodge and their artists to the downtown Oxford family.”
Helix Tattoo Lodge is located at 62 South Third Street in Oxford.
The Helix Tattoo Lodge is open from noon to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Connect with Helix Tattoo Lodge on Facebook and Instagram.
To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty. com.
Courtesy photo Helix Tattoo Lodge, featuring amazingly artistic work, officially opens in downtown Oxford this week. A ribbon-cutting ceremony takes place at 5 p.m. on Friday.
Courtesy photo Oxford Area High School junior Ashley Navarrete was recently named a winner of the 2019 Widener University/NBC-10 High School Leadership Award.
The Avon Grove Charter Middle School Leos recently spent the day at the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware. The Leos were given a tour of the house and learned about the operation of the facility. After the tour, they made snacks for the residents -- Rice Krispie treats and chocolate covered pretzels with sprinkles. From left: Gabrielle Velez, Aaron Goldman, Tommy Tyree, Anneli Erion, Leah Cross, Jordyn Defrank, Grace Degler, Jack Daghir, Julia Bishop, Ada Early and Ben Greto.
Chester County Press
Local News
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allowed to pursue a demolition permit from the township, in order to tear the home down.
Pompo said that the builder will be held to the contents of the original amendment, but that once the board approves the amended guidelines about preservation of historic structures, they would be applied to all future homes and structures in the township.
In response to questions about the proposed amendments and their possible application to the Middleton property that were raised at the board’s Jan. 22 meeting, Pompo said that he was “a bit equivocal” in his response to the questions, and gave some additional thought since then.
“My understanding of the facts is that during the approval process for the plan for the Middleton subdivision, it was raised that there were historic structures on the property, and that the applicant at that time had applied for and received a demolition permit for these historic structures,” Pompo said.
“Then, during the review period for the subdivision plan itself, there was an agreement reached between the developer and the township that was embodied later in a condition of approval, in which the developer would agree to market the property for a stated period of 18 months.
“That condition was not only agreed to, but
it was also included on the signed plans and that those plans are ready to be signed by the board and recorded,” Pompo added. “At the present time, there is no new historic resource ordinance that has been put into any motion by the board with any action, except for my review, that includes some continued conversations relative to finalizing that ordinance. It’s my view that that ordinance will not affect the condition as has been established by the board in that decision. It would not in any way impede the implementation of that condition, based on those facts.
“We would anticipate that the condition would be complied with, and that the property would be marketed for the 18-month period, and at the end of that period, if it’s not able to be sold, that the effectiveness of the demolition permit would continue. The revised ordinance regarding historic structures in the township, once approved, would apply to all future historic properties in the township.”
The origins of what led to the dovetailing of the proposed amendments to the way the township should approach the preservation of historic structures and the 18-month agreement the township made with Wilkinson Homes dates back to Dec. 18, 2017, when the Historical Commission proposed to the Board of Supervisors that the Middleton Homestead be deeded off and sold as a separate
two-acre parcel, in order to attract a buyer who could invest the time and money to maintain the historic home. In response to the commission’s appeal, Romanelli told the board that the builder would be willing to find potential solutions for saving the home.
Soon after, Romanelli met with Scheivert and Pompo to discuss the Middleton home. They reached a cooperative agreement that stated that once the property goes on the market, there will be an 18-month window of time for it to be sold to an interested buyer, “as is,” meaning that there will be no renovations to the existing home. If there is no buyer in that period, Wilkinson would pursue a demolition permit from the township for the home.
The Middleton home has not yet been put on the market by Wilkinson Homes, which owns the property.
In September of last year, the Historic Commission submitted a modified version of its ordinances to the township’s board of supervisors that called for stricter enforcement of rules regarding the preservation of historic homes in the township – all with the intention of saving pieces of the area’s history from being demolished by a developer’s wrecking ball.
While the Historic Commission awaits the board’s ruling, Scheivert said that the township will soon schedule a meeting to discuss the parameters for the proposed amendments that will include
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been scheduled, the family is busy making the plans that it needs to make in order to prepare Kevin for the surgery.
Lisa said that she’s nervous, but she will also be glad when her son is able to have the procedure completed.
Kevin is autistic and has already faced developmental challenges throughout his childhood, but the seizures profoundly affected his day to day quality of life once he started having them more than three years ago. The seizures are most likely related to a chromosome condition that he was born with.
Lisa explained that
Scheivert, Pompo and Dr. Margaret “Peg” Jones and Lynn Sinclair of the Historic Commission. The meeting will be followed by advertising the adoption, and a review by the Chester County Planning Commission and the New Garden Township Planning Commission. The matter will conclude with a ruling by the board of supervisors.
In other township business, the supervisors passed Ordinance No. 236, which establishes and duties of the Historic Commission. The ordinance rewrites a past version of the township code of ordinances to establish the commission, and outlines the responsibilities of its members, establishes the membership and appointment of
Kevin is a strong, resilient kid, but he needs help to address the medical condition properly. The RNS device is the best option for the Lightner family, but the device is typically used for those who are 18 years old and older. According to Lisa, there have been instances where insurance companies have approved the RNS device for an offlabel use because of its effectiveness in reducing seizures. What the RNS system does for a patient’s brain is somewhat similar to what a pacemaker can do for a heart. It can monitor brain waves, and can respond to activity that looks like a seizure or is different than the usual brain activity. The device would also allow the medical team
no more than nine members to the commission, as well as details rules regarding vacancies and removing members.
Under the revised ordinance, the commission may request funding from the township’s board of supervisors, in order to assist them in their activities. All requests for expenditures by the commission need to go through the board.
The board also passed Res. No. 808, which endorses the Chester County Planning Commission’s Landscapes3 plan, the county’s long-range comprehensive plan that was officially adopted by the County Commissioners on Nov. 29, 2018. The county is currently requesting
to monitor the activity and make adjustments to Kevin’s treatment as needed. The Lightner family hopes that the device will help allow their son to return to how he was before the seizures started, when he was full of energy and active. As result of the decision on the appeal, the Lightners won’t have to wonder what kind of a difference the RNS Device would have made on Kevin’s life. Once the surgery takes place on March 6, Kevin can move forward with the next chapter of his life.
To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
county municipalities to adopt a resolution that endorses the planning concepts of the plan. This is not an adoption of the plan by the township, but a policy statement that the township endorses the plan.
The board also passed Res. No. 809, which gives township approval to PennDOT to apply for funding to make upgrades to the Thompson Road railroad crossing. Supervisor Randy Geouque was honored with a plaque that thanked him for his service as the board’s chairman during 2018.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.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.
March 7
‘Trades of Hope’
Kristen Yaros of Trades of Hope will present the story of the organization that sells fashion accessories and home décor items made by women working their way out of poverty in more than 16 countries at the monthly meeting of ACE Anti-Human Trafficking Alliance of Oxford on March 7. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Oxford Public Library (48 S. Second St., Oxford).
Trades of Hope is a member of the Fair Trade Federation. There will be items for purchase at the meeting. Call 610-9320337 for more information.
March 14 to 16
‘Little Shop of Horrors’ Unionville High School (750 Unionville Rd., Kennett Square) presents a student production of the musical comedy “Little Shop of Horrors” on March 14, 15 and 16 at 7 p.m.
Online ticket sales begin Feb. 24 at www.showtix4u. com. Tickets are $12 in advance, $14 at the door ($12 for students/seniors).
April 27
Friends Folk Club
The Friends Folk Club kicks off its 33rd season with The Ronstadt Brothers on April 27 at 7:30 p.m.
The band presents a fresh take on the traditional Southwestern and Mexican songs of their family’s heritage while offering innovative original material to millennials discovering the treasure of roots music. The concert will be held at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church (116 Lancaster Pike, Oxford). Doors open at 7 p.m. Proceeds will benefit St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church. Bring nonperishable food items which will be given to the local food cupboards. Tickets are $15 (children 12 and younger free). A food truck will be serving beginning at 5:30 p.m. For more information and reservations, call 610-869-8076.
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: Popa Chubby (March 1, 8 p.m., sold out); Chicago 9 –Chicago tribute (March 2, 8 p.m., $25 and $30); Open Mic with host Michael Hahn (March 3, 7 p.m., $4); Eric Gales (March 8, 8 p.m., $30); One More Tric Town with the Knobs and
others (March 15, 8 p.m., $15); Beyond the Pale (March 16, 4 and 8 p.m., $20 and $24); Open Mic with host Karter James (March 17, 7 p.m., $4); Outside the Wall – Pink Floyd tribute (March 23, 8 p.m., $25 and $30); Jimmy Vivino and Bob Margolin (March 27, 8 p.m., $20 and $25); Broadway SingAlong Night hosted by Calabrese Performing Arts (March 29, 8 p.m., $15); Dukes of Destiny (March 30, 8 p.m., $18 and $22); Iron Butterfly (April 4, 8 p.m., $50); Dead Flowers – Rolling Stones tribute (April 5, 8 p.m., $18 and $22); Conjunto (April 6, 8 p.m., $14 and $22); Kim Richey (April 7, 7 p.m., $27 and $32); Soften the Glare (April 12, 8 p.m., $16 and $20); John Eddie and His Dirty Ol Band (April 13, 7 and 9:30 p.m., $26 and $30); Jane Lee Hooker (April 20, 8 p.m., $20 and $25); Allen Roth Band (April 24, 8 p.m., $26 and $30); Pat McGee (April 26 and 27, 8 p.m., $25 and $30); Brian Auger (April 30, 8 p.m., $40); Terry Reid and the Cosmic American Derelicts (May 4, 8 p.m., $30 and $35); Sin City 45th anniversary (May 11, 7 p.m., sold out, May 12, 3 p.m., $15 and $20); Brand X (May 18 and 19, 8 p.m., $53 and $58).
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.
Annual Jonathan Beech Memorial Concert announced
The 12th Annual Jonathan Beech Memorial Concert will be held at Kennett High School on March 23 at 2 p.m. Proceeds from this year’s concert will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Philadelphia, Northern Delaware, and Susquehanna Valley.
This year, a combined church and community choir with orchestra will perform John Rutter’s “Mass of the Children,” featuring soloists Erin Coats Lippard and Jason Buckwalter. Donna Beech will direct. The program will also feature selections by the Kennett High School Select Chorale, the Kennett Middle School Treble Choir and more. There is a suggested donation for this charitable event of $20 for adults ($10 for students). Contributions of $25 or more, received by March 15, will be listed in the program, if desired. All contributions are tax-deductible. Ticket information may be found at www.jonathanbeech memorialconcert.org.
Jonathan Martin Beech
passed away on March 10, 2007, 11 days after his 15th birthday, following a fouryear battle with brain cancer.
Throughout that time, he faced his ordeal with great courage and, when options ran out, he accepted his fate with peace and serenity. On a special memorial page in the 2007 Kennett High School yearbook, his friends wrote, “During those four years, he never once complained or used his illness as an excuse to not try his best. Instead, he used all the time he had to achieve great accomplishments in school,
music, and friendships. He made sure his remaining time was used for a purpose, and was not wasted. He showed us how to live our lives with dignity, perseverance, and most importantly, a smile. Jonathan was an inspiration to us all and he will forever remain in our hearts.”
The annual concert raises funds each year for different organizations that helped Jonathan and his family during the last four years of his life. Kennett High School is at 100 E. South St., Kennett Square. Visit https://khs.kcsd. org.
Jonathan Martin Beech passed away in 2007.
A combined church and community choir with orchestra will perform John Rutter’s ‘Mass of the Children.’
Editorial Commentary
History, saved through compromise
The Middleton Homestead on Newark Road in Landenberg sits vacant of many things, like occupancy and activity and a family to run through it, and about the only sound that can be heard there now is one that happens when the winter wind tangles in the thick greenery of the tall trees that separate the home’s faded elegance from the promise of a new development that is about to tear chunks out of what was once empty pasture, and replace it with the expensive and invented grandeur of modern-day living.
If there is any echo of a narrative to be heard, it’s in the sound of what happens when progress collides with preservation. It’s going on now and has been going on for more than a year, in public appeals from the New Garden Township’s Historic Commission to the township’s Board of Supervisors to do all it can to preserve the Middleton home.
It’s also being heard in what has become one of the best potential solutions for historic preservation heard in the township in several years, offered up, ironically, by Wilkinson Homes, which is currently developing Middleton Crossing within earshot of the Middleton property. The builder, who now owns the home, agreed to an 18-month window of time, beginning when it officially puts the historic home on the market, to actively sell the home and, if it is not sold during that period, that it will pursue a demolition permit from the township in order to demo the home.
It is a gift of time that could potentially save a piece of the township’s history, one that comes from the most unlikely of sources, a builder whose name and reputation has long been synonymous – fairly or unfairly -- with progress at any cost, and a name that’s been a thorn in the Historic Commission’s side for a very long time.
But there it is, a tabula rasa blank slate offering, in the form of a year-and-a-half calendar of time, substantially long enough for the parties of progress and preservation to put their differences aside and do the heavy lifting of compromise. We have some ideas:
The Historic Commission and Wilkinson Homes should develop a two-tiered selling strategy that combines the knowledge of the real estate market with the knowledge of the township’s history. From the time the home is officially listed, representatives from these two entities should both be present to provide prospective homebuyers with their respective expertise.
The Historic Commission should, in cooperation with Wilkinson Homes, develop an across-the-board marketing plan for the Middleton house that includes social media, the use of the township’s website and the scheduling of a public walk-through, all of which will not only create a “buzz” around the home’s sale, but provide a walkable history lesson.
As stated in the 18-month agreement between the builder and the township, the builder will not undergo any cosmetic or major renovations of the home. Therefore, in order to best showcase the home, the Historic Commission should enlist the services of local scouts and volunteer service agencies to undertake the exterior maintenance of the home’s property, while taking on the responsibility of doing some interior sprucing.
The Historic Commission must become a regular presence at the township’s Board of Supervisors meetings, and give regular, in-person updates about the progress of the potential sale and preservation of the Middleton home, to the board and the general public.
When the 18-month clock begins to tick on this possible solution to save the historic Middleton home, it will tick fast, and there will be no more excuses, no more finger pointing and no more shredding of tears over the loss of local history. It will be the time, rather, to usher in compromise, save a precious heirloom from the developer’s wrecking ball, and see that the old home on Newark Road will someday have a family running through it again.
Christina Sappey voted against the American Dream
By Eric Roe former state representative
The benefits of homeownership should be available to all Pennsylvanians, not just the wealthy. For millions of Pennsylvanians, buying a home leads to greater financial security, while providing families a safe, stable place to live. Speaking as a millennial and new homeowner myself, I know it’s not easy to get on the first rung of the housing ladder. The down payment alone can be a giant barrier between a family and the American Dream. Many of my peers have spent years searching for an affordable home to buy, which isn’t easy in such a desirable location like Chester County.
Thankfully, this past week the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed HB 128 to create what are known as First-Time Homebuyers Savings Accounts. This was legislation that I cosponsored last session when I was still a state representative for Chester County’s 158th legislative district. Once this bill is signed into law, it will give first-time homebuyers a leg up by allowing them to claim a state tax deduction for certain savings they make toward the purchase of a single-family home. Even better news was that the bill passed almost unanimously. Out of 203 members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, composed of Republicans and Democrats, only one
of them voted against it: Chester County’s very own Christina Sappey (D-158).
It is estimated that these savings accounts could result in an annual increase of up to 4,000 new home purchases within the state. The likely economic impact could range from $7.8 million to $68.8 million annually, spurring additional economic activity and creating family-sustaining jobs. So why did Christina Sappey vote against every Pennsylvanian working in the real estate business? Why did she vote for the status quo, against helping millennials buy homes? In a state that sees its young people flocking to places like Texas and the Carolinas, where taxes are lower, jobs are
Letter to the Editor
plentiful, and the economies are booming, I cannot figure out why she would vote against keeping Pennsylvanians in Pennsylvania. In my experience as a former state legislator, I know that there are reasonable, good people on both sides of every issue. In an increasingly partisan world, however, we should embrace opportunities for Democrats and Republicans to come together on common sense solutions. Indeed, all the other state representatives did that this week – just not mine. As the old adage goes, “Stand up for what you believe in, even if that means standing alone.” Well, Christina Sappey stood alone. Is this an indicator of what she believes?
State lawmakers must support legislation to resolve health care issue
Letter to the Editor:
Pennsylvania state troopers accept the dangers of their job. So do our loved ones. It’s the price we pay for seeking to serve our communities. But what we cannot accept is when a so-called non-profit is trying to restrict the healthcare benefits for fellow troopers and their families. That’s exactly what will happen if behemoth UPMC disqualifies anyone who doesn’t use them as the primary provider of health services. UPMC has moved to do just
that on June 30, 2019. Highmark is the primary provider for troopers and, due to contractual obligations with the commonwealth, changes to our healthcare cannot take place until 2020. For six months or more, troopers and their families seeking care at a UPMC health care site would need to prepay for their health costs. This could prove insurmountable for the vast majority of troopers. We dread the following scenario, but this could happen: A trooper could be critically injured in the line
of duty only to find their expensive, long-term rehabilitation and recovery unprotected due to these unfair, draconian measures by UPMC that seem to be contrary to their nonprofit status.
We always thought nonprofits where there to help their communities and serve the people who live there. What UPMC is doing more closely resembles corporate greed at its absolute worst.
We ask that every legislator in the Pennsylvania General Assembly to support legislation that will soon be introduced to
resolve this issue between Highmark and UPMC. It’s inconceivable that those who protect our commonwealth could find themselves unprotected when it comes to healthcare. Troopers, their families, and potentially millions of Pennsylvania who will be impacted by this, must be protected. Failure to do so could literally cost lives.
Harry R. Dannehower III, Retired Trooper, Legislative Liaison Pennsylvania State Troopers Association
Family medical leave reform introduced by Killion, Dinniman
Senators Tom Killion and Andy Dinniman have introduced a bill to substantially extend family medical leave provisions in Pennsylvania.
The bipartisan legislation would expand family medical leave rights to siblings, grandparents and grandchildren for the first time ever in the state.
Under the bill, up to six weeks of protected, unpaid leave would be provided to an employee in order to care for a terminally ill sibling, grandparent or grandchild. This would only apply if the ill relative does not have a living spouse, child over the age of 17 or parent under the age of 65 to care for them.
“Terminally ill individuals need all of the family support they can get,” said Killion. “We must ensure that siblings, grandparents and grandchildren can take time to care for loved ones if no one else is able to do so. This kind of family care is the hallmark of any compassionate society and is long overdue in
our state,” he added.
Dinniman said, “Pennsylvanians shouldn’t be forced to choose between their jobs and their families when it comes to caring for a terminally ill sibling, grandparent, or grandchild. We should be supporting those relationships and responsibilities – not making an already difficult time more challenging. We’ve worked diligently and carefully to make this legislation as specific and as business-friendly as possible. And it’s high time that it becomes law.”
The family medical leave reform legislation has local roots in Chester County, resulting from the experiences of West Goshen resident Anne Marie Pearson.
In 2009, Pearson’s sister, Joanne, was diagnosed with late stage gynecologic cancer and needed around-the-clock care. Joanne Pearson was unmarried, did not have children, her father was deceased and her mother was elderly.
Anne Pearson applied for family medical leave
to care for her sister, but was denied because she was a sibling, which does not fit the strict definition of “family” under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. Her only option to care for her sister until she passed away was to leave her job of 17 years, which she did.
“I often thought who would have taken care of Joanne if I didn’t sacrifice my job and my livelihood? No one should have to ever choose between keeping their job or taking care of a sick family member,” said Pearson.
Pearson added, “Decisions like these
can be devastating to Pennsylvania families. The traditional family unit of ‘mother-fatherchild’ doesn’t always exist in today’s world and no one single law can specify who is considered family. It’s time we have some real legislation and policies that reflect our communities. Expanding the family medical leave law is good for both businesses and families.”
The family medical leave legislation authored by Killion and Dinniman has officially been introduced as Senate Bill 140. For more information, contact Shannon Royer at sroyer@pasen. gov or (717) 787-4712.
Chamber honors Kjellerup as ‘Outstanding Citizen’
By Chris Barber Correspondent
On Feb. 23, the 250 guests at the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Gala at Longwood Gardens gave a standing ovation to the 2018 Outstanding Citizen, Peter Kjellerup, as he approached the stage to receive his award.
Kjellerup, 73, is the founder of Dansko in Penn Township, a former horse trainer and a passionate environmentalist. As he spoke from the dais, he said he was humbled to be standing on the other side of the microphone, facing so many people.
left, hands the plaque signifying the title to Peter Kjellerup following the announcement of the award.
Of the honor he said, “I asked myself, ‘Why me?’”
He referred to his roots in Denmark where, “There is no poverty, no people on the street, free healthcare and everyone, even the government, is concerned about the environment.”
That is what drew him to be interested in nonprofits, he said.
Kjellerup, who came to America in the early 1980s, sought to establish a center to train horses for dressage. Sorting out the geographical possibilities, he said the Unionville area came out on top. That is where he and his wife, Mandy, designed, built, owned and operated FiveStar Farm. There, he was the head instructor and trained world-class horses.
In 1990, Peter and Mandy co-founded Dansko, an importer of Danish clogs and shoes that now distributes the product worldwide. The company has grown with Peter as its vice president from 1990 until 2018, when he retired.
In 2012, Mandy and Peter redeemed their shares in Dansko to establish a trust for the employees, and now Dansko is 100 percent employee-owned, according to a biography distributed at the event.
Kjellerup has also
initiated environmental and clean water efforts in Costa Rica, Belize and Kenya. He is proud of his service as a board member of the Stroud Water Research Center, The Land Conservancy of Southern Chester County, the Cabot Kjellerup Foundation and the Cabot Kjellerup Realty Trust.
The Chamber of Commerce has held its annual meeting since 1968, when they honored the first “Man of the Year.” In time, the banquet evolved into the “Outstanding Citizen”
recognition. Until recently, the event was named “the annual banquet.” This year it has been dubbed “The Chairman’s Gala.” Newly elected Chairman of the Board, Erik Gudmudson, said the change was to honor the effort and successes of the people who fill that post every year.
Additionally, the term “gala” more correctly described what has become one of the most prestigious and formal annual events in the region, Gudmudson said.
Acting as host and master of ceremonies, retiring 2018 chairman Doug Doerfler greeted the guests, introduced speakers and identified those who contributed to the chamber throughout the year.
Last year’s Outstanding Citizen, Jim McLeod of Oxford, gave the introduction speech for Kjellerup.
Currently, McLeod is the executive director of the Oxford Area Senior Center, and he sells real estate. But in the course
of his 67 years, he has been involved with and contributed to a litany of causes, organizations and businesses.
Chamber President and CEO Cheryl Kuhn reported on the successes and contributions of the chamber over the past year. She said she was especially proud of the scholarships they gave to students in the Unionville, Kennett and Avon Grove high schools, as well as the Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week for juniors and seniors.
His invisible footprint: A conversation with Peter Kjellerup
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Growing up in Denmark, Peter Kjellerup dreamed of becoming a farmer. He eventually achieved that dream, but at the time, he didn’t know the incredible course his life would take, beginning with his marriage to Mandy Cabot in 1982 and the start of Dansko, Inc., in 1990.
Kjellerup is also defined by his dedication to making the world a better place, both globally and locally. For his service to his community and the world, Peter received the Outstanding Citizen of the Year Award from the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 23. On the eve of this honor, Kjellerup talked about his early life, his wife Mandy, his many passions and his commitment to the world he lives in.
No one gets to become Citizen of the Year without having inspired others, or by having served as a mentor to others. Who inspired you, particularly when you were growing up, both in Denmark, and later in Germany, where you earned an equestrian degree in Hamburg?
When I was young, my riding instructor, Gustav Martens, changed the path I was probably going to take, which was the path my parents wanted me to take. My father didn’t agree at all with what I was doing in the horse world, and it was really my mother who protected me and let me develop my skills. Martens took me in as a protégé when I was 14 years old. I began teaching other kids how to ride properly, and ran
an equestrian summer camp for him. I was very sure that this was the path I wanted to take in life, and as a consequence, it led me to run a farm for 12 years. I looked up to Martens as a father figure and mentor.
You and Mandy have had a tremendous partnership, and together, you’ve been able to accomplish so much. How does she inspire you?
Mandy’s nature and her whole character is unselfish. It’s never about Mandy, and that fits together so well for us.
She has strengths that I don’t have, and I have strengths that she doesn’t have, and we figured that out about a month after we first met. I am more of a hands-on guy, while Mandy is very good at the administrative work that isn’t my strength. When we set out to build our business, we felt that the sum of our combined strengths would serve us well. Also, we bring the best out in each other.
You effectively retired from Dansko, Inc., at the end of last year. The word retirement implies an ending, but you’re just beginning.
We’ve already started on our next chapter, big time. While we still work with several non-profits locally, Mandy and I had been looking for a place where we could both spend some time in our retirement and make an impact. We ended up in Belize, where we now have a house. Mandy and I are involved with programs related to the Waterkeeper Alliance in Belize, originated by its founder, Robert Kennedy, Jr. Now that the Waterkeeper Alliance
is in place, Mandy and I are trying to get the government to preserve the bays and to protect mangroves and manatees.
We are also working to preserve a 22,000acre parcel of land that is nestled in the Maya Mountains and contiguous with several key nature reserves. Twentythousand of those acres is virgin rainforest, and the rest has been poorly farmed in citrus and coconuts. We are looking to rehabilitate that smaller piece and introduce native cacao as well, so that local farmers can model a more sustainable way of making a living. We believe that the impact we can have in Belize is enormous.
Do you feel that the business prototype that Dansko, Inc., has developed will pay itself forward to future generations of entrepreneurs and business leaders?
The values of young people are changing. At one time, it was all about getting rich quick. The focus today is on impact. Where can you put your dollars if you’re an investor, or your skills if you’re an employee, so that you can make an impact consistent with the values that you believe in? It’s a shift that’s starting to come through today, and with this new generation, things will change for the better. I’m also hopeful that Dansko’s model of 100 percent employee ownership catches on in a meaningful way. Not only does it give employees a vested interest in the business that they help grow, but it allows them to invest back into our community.
Your motto is “The
journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” To many who know you and have worked with you, it’s a large footprint, but it’s a footprint that, while being felt, has never been seen. Was that part of a larger intention you wished to achieve in life?
It all happened coincidentally, through a kind of serendipity.
Mandy and I will both tell you that none of this was really planned. What was planned was our wish to share things – the idea that if you have something to share, please share. When we were starting out with our farm [Five-Star Farm, an 80-acre, 60-stall training facility], our philosophy was built on how we could share our knowledge and
our background. With Dansko, it was about sharing great footwear with our customers and a great workplace with our employees. It was just in our nature to do these things, not something we needed to be acknowledged for.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty. com.
Photo by Chris Barber
In 2012, Kjellerup and his wife redeemed their shares in Dansko, Inc., to establish a trust for the benefit of their employees, who now own the company.
Photo by Chris Barber
Participants at the banquet gather for a photo after the Outstanding Citizen presentation. From left: 2017
Outstanding Citizen Jim McLeod, 2018 Outstanding Citizen Peter Kjellerup, 2018 SCCCC Chairman of the Board
Doug Doerfler, and SCCCC President and CEO Cheryl Kuhn.
Photo by Chris Barber 2017 Outstanding Citizen Jim McLeod,
JAYNE I. FERNSLER
Jayne I Fernsler, RN, BSN, MSN, DSN, died peacefully after a lengthy illness in her home in Oxford. She formerly lived in Delaware for 42 years after moving there from Reading.
Jayne was raised on a farm in South Annville, Pa. She attended a oneroom schoolhouse for six years before graduating from Annville Cleona High School. After graduation from Reading Hospital School of Nursing, she received her BSN from the University of Pennsylvania, her MSN from University of Delaware and her DSN from the University of Alabama.
In addition to her parents, Samuel K. and Elizabeth Soliday Fernsler, she was predeceased by her sisters, Amy Greenawalt and Mary Sutherly. She is survived by her brother, Richard Fernsler (Ruth); sisters Patricia Rentchler, Dorothy Light (Jay), and Lynda Bowman (Charles), all of Lebanon County; and many loved nieces and nephews and their children. In addition to her immediate family, she is survived by her dear cousins, as well as longterm and recent friends who will dearly miss her.
Jayne was employed by the Reading Hospital, the American Cancer Society and the University of Delaware. She was a past volunteer for the American Cancer Society, Delaware Hospice, the Oncology Nursing Society, and the White Clay Creek Preserve. She loved to read and travel, especially taking trips centered around nature. She had many other interests, but most of all she enjoyed learning and had a mind that thirsted for knowledge. She was a member of Christ Church United Church of Christ, Annville, and in Oxford attended the Oxford United Methodist and Presbyterian churches.
A visitation for family and friends will be held March 30 at 10:30 a.m. at Christ Church United Church of Christ, 200 S. White Oak St., Annville, Pa., where a memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Christ Church, or to Ware Presbyterian Village, Attn: The Village Care Fund, 7 E. Locust St., Oxford, PA 19363. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
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JOHN M. CRAIG
John M. Craig, 91, of Lincoln University, passed away peacefully on Feb. 19 at Jenner’s Pond in West Grove, surrounded by his loving family. Born in West Grove, he was the son of the late Morton L. Craig and Ester Dabler Craig. He was the husband of the late Marie Mitchell Craig, with whom he shared 14 years of marriage; and the late Ruth Ellen Laws Craig, with whom he shared 44 years of marriage. He was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Courtney Taylor of Lincoln University; and his sister, Jean Clark of Springfield, Pa.
Jack was an Army/Air Force veteran stationed in Okinawa, Japan. He was employed with the DuPont Company for 30 years. He lived in West Grove for 72 years, and during that time he served on the West Grove Borough Council, the West Grove Recreation Association (which also ran the swim program at Bicknell’s Pool in Oxford and the annual Turtle Derby in West Grove). Jack enjoyed gardening, carpentry, reading, bird watching, travel, puzzles and spending time with his family, and with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed Donut Day, family reunions at Nottingham Park, horseshoe tournaments and trips to Shady Maple. He has left behind the tradition of making donuts for his family to enjoy for years to come.
Jack is survived by his nine children, Jacques Craig (Jill), Jonathan Craig, Ann Marie Spencer (Larry), Michele Swan (the late Kenneth Swan), Beth Tanzilli (John), Wallace Craig (Janet), Thomas Craig, Stephen Craig (Lisa), and Edward Taylor (Cindi); 16 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild; and his sister, Ruth Trimble of Kennett Square.
A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. March 2 at the Avon Grove Church of the Nazarene (240 State Rd., West Grove), where friends and family may visit from 9 to 11 a.m. Interment will be in Kemblesville United Methodist Church Cemetery in Kemblesville. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jack’s memory may be made to Willow Tree Hospice, 616 E. Cypress Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348. Visit www.elcollinsfuneralhome. com.
EVELYN GLORIA HUK
Evelyn Gloria Huk, 92, of Oxford, passed away on Feb. 17 at Ware Presbyterian Village in Oxford. She was the wife of the late Frank Huk, with whom she shared 55 years of marriage. Born in the Bronx, N.Y., she was the daughter of the late John and Elsie Genzler Fetzer. Evelyn was an active member of St. Paul Episcopal Church in Chester. She was employed with Widener University and Swarthmore College in the Registrar’s office, helping to inspire honor students. Evelyn enjoyed sewing, knitting, crafts, playing bingo, going to the beach and spending time with her family.
She is survived by two daughters, Lorraine Bucurel (Craig) of Lincoln University, and Linda Peirish (Bud) of Wexford; one son, Frank Huk (Marian) of Cape May Courthouse, N.J.; and five grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sister, Florence Vidstrand.
A funeral was held Feb. 22. Interment was in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Willow Tree Hospice, 616 E. Cypress St., Kennett Square, PA 19348. Online condolences may be made at ww.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
Obituary submissions
HARRY W. MILLIMAN
Harry W. Milliman, formerly of Newtown, Conn., passed away two weeks shy of his 94th birthday at his residence in Kendal Crosslands in Kennett Square, with family and caregivers at his side. Born 1925 in Boston to Mary J Connors and Harry R Milliman, he was the eldest of their three children. Sisters Beatrice McDonald and Merion O’Sullivan predeceased Harry. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Harry joined the Navy at age 17 and served as a signalman on escort destroyers in World War II. He sailed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and saw much of the world. Following discharge, Harry was a draftsman for Factory Mutual Fire Insurance Company. Harry graduated with a degree in accounting from Bentley College and gained employment in the credit department of Remington Firearms in Bridgeport, Conn. During his career with Remington/DuPont, Harry traveled throughout the country, eventually rising to head of the department. Harry enjoyed his field trial champion Gordon Setter dogs, driving country roads in his Corvette convertible, gardening, travel to Maine, beaches, and dreaming up ingenious ways to keep the squirrels out of his bird feeders. An avid football and baseball fan, despite moving to Eagles/Phillies country and everyone’s best efforts, Harry remained a loyal Patriots and Red Sox fan. We loved him anyway.
Harry is survived by his sister-in-law, Delores (Dee) Nelson; nephews Jack O’Sullivan and William McDonald; and nieces Greta Nelson, Sara Leff and husband Richard Leff, and Susan McDonald. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Kendal Crosslands Employee Appreciation Fund, PO Box 100, Kennett Square, PA 19348. Visit www.griecocares.com.
RALPH M. WILLIAMS, SR.
Ralph M. Williams, Sr., 79, of Oxford, passed away on Feb. 20 at Jennersville Hospital in West Grove. He was the husband of Diana Toy Williams, with whom he shared 50 years of marriage. Born in Shamokin, he was the son of the late Russell, Sr., and Eleanor Kramer Williams. Ralph retired from the United States Post Office in Aston, Pa., after 40 years of service. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and Air Force. His favorite thing to do was spend time with his grandchildren, and he attended every sporting event and school function they were involved in.
He is survived by his wife, Diana; one son, Ralph M. Williams, Jr. (Victoria) of Oxford; one daughter, Maureen Williams-Hughes (Jeffrey) of Quarryville; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Barbara Houghton and Rita Williams, both of Aston. He was preceded in death by a brother, Russell Williams, Jr.; and three sisters, Kay Diehl, Betty Zernell and Marilyn Gopell. Services will be private. Visit www.elcollinsfuneralhome. com.
STEVEN R. KILPATRICK
Steven “Randy” R. Kilpatrick, 66, of Oxford, passed away on Feb. 20 at Neighborhood Hospice in West Chester. He was the husband of Patricia Martelli Kilpatrick, with whom she shared 48 years of marriage. Born in Wilmington, Del., he was the son of the late Paul and Joan Tyler Kilpatrick. Randy was a co-owner and retired from McGeary Grain, Inc., Lancaster, as a grain merchant. He enjoyed collecting antiques and was a car enthusiast.
He is survived by his wife; one son, Shawn M. Kilpatrick (Rebekah) of Mt. Wolf; one daughter, Christine Powers (Kevin) of Holtwood; and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a sister, Carol Kilpatrick Pace.
A memorial service was held Feb. 26. Interment will be private. Online condolences may be made at www. elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
a pancake and omelet breakfast on March 9 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the church’s Community Outreach Center. The menu varies, but includes French toast, bacon and sausage, biscuits, sausage gravy and more. Tickets at the door are $7 for adults, $5 for ages 4 to 11, free for ages 3 and younger.
4-H youth leaders represent Chester County at state 4-H conference
Nearly 30 Chester County 4-H youth members represented the Penn State Extension’s 4-H Youth Development program in Chester County at the 2019 Pennsylvania 4-H State Leadership Conference and the Pennsylvania 4-H State Leadership ConferenceJunior from Feb. 1 to 3 in State College.
The 4-H youth county delegates were among nearly 600 attendees, representing county 4-H programs from across Pennsylvania, at the statelevel leadership conference.
The conference was open
to all 4-H teens, 13 and older, and the Pennsylvania 4-H State Leadership Conference-Junior was open to all 4-H youth, 10 to 13 years old. This year’s conference theme was “Leadership in Overtime.”
During the conference, 4-H youth participated in interactive workshops to develop and strengthen their teambuilding, decision-making, and communication skills. The skills gained will be used in their 4-H clubs, schools, community, and future endeavors. The conference included motivational
speaker Clint Pulver, as well as Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding and his wife, Nina.
Closing ceremonies of the conference included the installation of the new Pennsylvania 4-H State Council. The council is a group of young people selected from around the Commonwealth to be the official spokespeople for the Pennsylvania 4-H program.
To find a local program, visit the Penn State Extension website at https://extension.psu.edu/ programs/4-h.
FFA members attend convention
Thirty members of the Oxford Area High School chapter of Future Farmers of America attended the Midwinter FFA Convention on Jan. 7 at the Harrisburg Farm Show complex.
The students learned about the scope and impact of Pennsylvania agriculture, including everything from apples and maple syrup production to honeybees, soil conservation and careers in Ag.
Several FFA members also presented their livestock projects for judging at the Farm Show. Senior Kaitlin Bell won the awards for Champion Senior Showman,
Grand Champion Beef Showman and Reserve Supreme Champion Market Animal Showman. She earned second place in the open show and was class winner in the junior show for her yearling Angus heifer, earned sixth place in the open show and seventh place in the junior show for her bred Angus heifer, and won second place in the open show for her Angus bull.
Freshman David Bell was winner of the Angus heifer class in the open show and earned second place in the junior show. David also earned fourth place in the intermediate division of the showman
competition.
Sophomore Gavra Goldie’s Cinnamon rabbits earned first place in the Junior Buck category and second place in the Intermediate Doe category; her New Zealand rabbits earned second place in the Intermediate Doe category and third place in the Intermediate Buck category; and her Silver Martens earned Best of Breed and Best of Variety in the Senior Chocolate Doe category and Best of Variety in the Senior Black Doe category. Additionally, Gavra’s Cinnamon Breed History poster placed sixth in the poster competition.
Local 4-H youth members represented the Penn State Extension’s 4-H Youth Development program in Chester County at the 2019 Pennsylvania 4-H
Courtesy photo
Oxford Area High School Future Farmers of America members were recently recognized by the Oxford Area Board of School Directors for their success at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in January. Center, from left, are sophomore Gavra Goldie, holding Nutmeg; senior Kaitlin Bell and freshman David Bell. They are pictured with, from left, FFA chapter assistant Liz Ward, Superintendent David Woods, Michelle and Scott Goldie; Tiffany and David Bell; FFA Advisor Diane Miller, OAHS Assistant Principal Dana Douglas and Board President Joseph Tighe.
Indians fall to Sun Valley in PIAA playoffs, 60-46
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Ask any athlete or coach to reveal his or her greatest fear in competition, and more often than not, their answer would be getting off to a slow start. During the first quarter of last Saturday’s round two PIAA Division 1 District 5A playoff game, that fear became reality for the Unionville basketball team, and despite their heroic march to get back in the game, the five points they scored in the first quarter proved too large a burden to overcome.
During the Indians’ 60-46 loss to visiting Sun Valley, one story line came in the form of the Vanguards’ 6-foot2 shooting guard Vinny DeAngelo, who torched Unionville for 34 points, including 15 of 16 from the free throw line. DeAngelo racked up nine of his team’s 14 first-quarter points, while Unionville’s primary shooters – Bo Furey-Bastian, Wyatt Hockenberry, Drew Lenkaitis and Logan Shanahan – could not bury their jumpers, or do much to penetrate Sun Valley’s 3-2 zone defense.
Unionville began to slowly claw its way back into the game early in the second quarter, beginning when Shanahan found Lenkaitis for a basket in the paint, but it was answered by a three-pointer by Sun Valley’s Marvin Freeman that extended his team’s lead to 17-7. With 2:20 left in the half, Furey-Bastian nailed a three-pointer, which was followed by two Hockenberry free throws and a Lenkaitis jumper that closed the Vanguards’ lead to 25-14 at halftime.
As the third quarter opened, however, the offensive side of Unionville’s game began to get wider, as the Indians opened up the floor and took better shots. Within two minutes, what once had been an 11-point halftime lead had been whittled down to three points, following FureyBastian’s steal of a Sun Valley pass that ended in a layup to make the score 26-23. With 4:30 remaining in the quarter, DeAngelo coughed up the ball that led to a pass from Lenkaitis to a cutting Connor Ash, followed by a three-pointer by Hockenberry with 3:20 left that trimmed Sun Valley’s lead to 29-28.
“We were getting some open looks early, but we began pressing a little bit,
and when we got into a deficit, there wasn’t as much trust there,” said Unionville coach Chris Cowles. “Even with that deficit, we ended up getting it back to basically a tie game.”
It was about then – as the clock wound down to its final minutes of the third quarter -- that DeAngelo effectively made the game his own. His eight points in the quarter all came in its closing minutes, which included a jumper at the buzzer that extended Sun Valley’s lead to 12 as the quarter closed.
During the fourth quarter, the ball remained largely in DeAngelo’s hands, but this time, it was mostly from the free throw line. In a whistle-filled eight minutes, DeAngelo went 11-12 from the stripe, where Sun Valley scored 16 of its 20 points in the fourth quarter.
“I think the refereeing was pretty horrendous,” Cowles said. “I think that had a lot to do with [Sun Valley] getting bonus [free throws] because they were struggling offensively, but when the refs began calling touch fouls on their end and not our end, then it became a situation where [Sun Valley] was shooting foul shots every time we were on defense. That actually had an impact on the game. It wasn’t the reason we lost the game, but certainly those guys [the referees] took it upon themselves to take over in that fourth quarter.”
After DeAngelo, the Vanguards’ next-highest scorer was Isaac Kennon with nine points, then Freeman, who scored eight points. Furey-Bastian led Unionville scorers with 18 points, while Lenkaitis had 13 points.
The Vanguards advanced to the second round of the District 1-5A playoffs after a convincing 82-65 victory over Phoenixville in their opening round game that set up a rubber match against Unionville, who split their series with Sun Valley during the regular season.
The Indians earned the right to get to the second round of the PIAA playoffs with a 60-46 first-round victory over Radnor on Feb. 21, backed by a 21-point effort by Lenkaitis, 18 points by Furey-Batian and a stellar effort by Jon Passarello, who knocked down 11 points while subbing for the ailing Hockenberry.
Backed by a wellrounded scoring attack and a swarming defense,
Unionville jumped to a 14-17 first-quarter lead, holding Radnor’s top scorer Jack d’Entremont to just one three-pointer. Working his way for better shot position, d’Entremont tallied nine points in the second quarter to send his team into halftime down 25-21, but in the second half, Furey-Bastian and Lenkaitis took over, scoring 27 of their team’s points, while Passarello contributed six points of his own.
Unionville head coach Chris Cowles said Passarello made strong contributions to a team effort whose patient offensive perimeter scheme continually found cracks in the lane that led to crisp passing and layups.
“Wyatt [Hockenberry] had been sick for the past three or four days and hadn’t practiced, so we felt that Jon was the best decision to get us off to a good start,” Cowles said. “If we have good spacing, everything’s going to open up for us. We also have to be disciplined in our first two reads and if we are, then things really open up. We did a great job doing so in the second half. It was the best we’ve done in a long while.”
With the win over Unionville, Sun Valley will face Pottstown in the District 1 5A playoffs on Feb. 27, while the Indians will face off on the same night against Holy Ghost in a playoff consolation game.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
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RN, PCA and MA Meet & Greets
Every Tuesday
8 am - 10 am and 4 pm - 5:30 pm
Meet and Greets will be held at all Tower Health hospitals:
Reading Hospital
300 S. 6th Avenue, M Building, West Reading, PA
Brandywine Hospital 201 Reeceville Road, Coatesville, PA
Chestnut Hill Hospital 8835 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Jennersville Hospital 1015 West Baltimore Pike, West Grove, PA
Phoenixville Hospital 140 Nutt Road, Phoenixville, PA
Pottstown Hospital 13 Armand Hammer Boulevard, Suite 320
Pottstown, PA 19464 (The Chesmont Building)
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Unionville reserve Jon Passarello helped lead the Indians to a
PIAA playoff win against Radnor on Feb. 21.
Photos by Richard L. Gaw
Unionville’s Drew Lenkaitis connects for two of his 13 points during the Indians’ 60-46 second-round PIAA playoff loss to Sun Valley on Feb. 23.
Wyatt Hockenberry guards Sun Valley’s Vinny DeAngelo, who scored 34 points in the Vanguards’ victory.
to serve the Reedville Village subdivision. The discharge from this pump station will flow through a force main back into the Pine View estates subdivision and be conveyed through the subdivision gravity collection system and pump station to the Oxford Area Sewer Authority collection system within the Borough of Oxford as explained above. Construction of the Reedville Village subdivision and pump station are not expected to begin for several years after the start of construction of the Pine View Estates subdivision. The projected volume of sanitary sewage (domestic strength waste) from the 18 dwelling units in the subdivision is 3,960 gallons per day based on 220 gallons per day per dwelling unit. This equates to 9.9 EDUs based on 400 gallons per day per EDU. This sewage planning module submission is intended to address the sewage planning elements associated with all 184 dwelling units within the Pine View Estates subdivision. The project is located within the West Branch of the Big Elk Creek watershed which is designated as HQ-TSF-MF (High Quality Trout Stocking-Migratory Fish). Potential conflicts were identified through a submission to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission which identified a high probability that archaeological resources may occur within the proposed project area but no specific action is required at this time. This public notification is required in that the project requires resolution of one or more conflicts between the proposed alternative and the consistency
requirements described in the rules and regulations of the Department of Environmental Protection which are contained in Title 25, Chapter 71 of the Pennsylvania Code, Section 21(a) (5)(i),(ii) and (iii). The Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory search results indicated that further review was required by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Letters from each agency have been issued stating the potential conflicts have been satisfactorily addressed. The sewage facilities planning module and related documents may be viewed at Lower Oxford Township, 220 Township Road, Oxford, PA 19363, Tuesdays and Thursdays between the hours of 8:00 am and 2:00 pm Monday through Friday. Comments regarding the project sewage facilities planning module must be in writing and sent or delivered to Ms. Debbie Kinney, Secretary, Lower Oxford Township, 220 Township Road, Oxford, PA 19363 within 30 calendar days immediately following publication of this notice.
2p-27-1t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Carolyn B. Welsh, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, March 21st, 2019 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, April 22nd, 2019. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 19-3-110
Writ of Execution No. 2018-04230 DEBT $191,128.08
ALL THAT CERTAIN lot or piece of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate in the Borough of Oxford, Chester County, Pennsylvania, bounded and described according to a final Subdivision Plan of Penn Oak, made by Tatman and Lee Associates, Inc., dated 05/13/1990, last revised 06/25/1993 and recorded on 07/02/1993, as Plan #12109, as follows, to wit:
BEGINNING at a point on the southerly side of Locust Street (LR 15005), the northeast corner of Lot #26 and the northwest corner of the about to be described Lot; thence, along said Locust Street (LR 15005), north 65 degrees 37 minutes 56 seconds east, crossing over a 20 feet wide sanitary sewer easement, 125.00 feet to a point;
THENCE , leaving said Locust Street (LR 15005), south 12 degrees 41 minutes 8 seconds east, crossing over a drainage easement, 232.15 feet to a point, a corner of Lot #24 on said Plan; THENCE, extending along Lot #74 and passing through said drainage easement and 100 year flood line, south 60 degrees 10 minutes 11 seconds west, 54.64 feet to a point, a corner of Lot #25;
THENCE, along said Lot #25, the two following courses and distances:
1. NORTH 49 degrees 17 minutes 32 seconds west, passing through a 20 feet wide sanitary sewer easement, 63.41 feet to a point; and NORTH 23 degrees 32 minutes 32 seconds west, passing through a 20 feet wide sewer easement, 54.99 feet to a point, a corner of Lot #26 on said Plan; THENCE , along Lot #26, north 23 degrees 32 minutes 32 seconds west, passing through aforementioned 20 feet wide sanitary sewer easement, 120.01 feet to the first mentioned point and place of beginning.
BEING Lots #27 as shown on said Plan. Containing 22,934 square feet of land, be the same more or less.
BEING Parcel ID 6-8-4.24 and being known for informational purposes only as 200 W. Locust Street, Oxford, PA
BEING the same premises which was conveyed to Wilbur B. Ford and Kathleen Ford, by Deed of Joseph A. Petrucci and Misty Beth Petrucci, husband and wife, dated 04/09/2001 and recorded 06/26/2001 in Book 4992 Page 001 in the Chester County Recorder of Deeds Office, in fee. And the said Wilbur B. Ford has since departed this life, subsequent to which an estate was probated in the Chester County Register of Wills Office under Estate File Number 15-15-1942, whereby Letters of Administration were granted unto Kathleen Ford on or about December 28, 2016.
PLAINTIFF: The Bank of New York Mellon FKA The Bank of New York, as Trustee for the Certificateholders of the CWABS, Inc., Asset-Backed Certificates, Series 2007-9 VS DEFENDANT: KATHLEEN FORD
SALE ADDRESS: 220 West Locust Street f/k/a 4 Penn Oak Lane, Oxford, PA 19363
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: SHAPIRO & DeNARDO, LLC, 610-278-6800
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or
“Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 2p-27-3t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Carolyn B. Welsh, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, March 21st, 2019 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, April 22nd, 2019. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 19-3-111 Writ of Execution No. 2017-07208 DEBT $248,610.10
ALL the right, title, interest and claim of Edward V. Stout, Jr. and Jacqualynn M. Stout of, in and to:
ALL the following described real estate situate partly in the Borough of Avondale and partly in the Township of New Garden, County of Chester and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Having erected thereon a dwelling known and numbered as 26 Gap Newport Pike, Avondale, PA 19311
DEED Book 3778, Page 1867, Parcel Number 04-04-0008.
PLAINTIFF: LSF9 Master Participation Trust VS DEFENDANT: EDWARD V. STOUT, JR. and JACQUALYNN M. STOUT
SALE ADDRESS: 26 Gap Newport Pike, Avondale, PA 19311
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: BENJAMIN N. HOEN, ESQ., 412-434-7955
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 2p-27-3t
