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Chester CountyPRESS
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Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 154, No. 12
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Gov. Wolf: ‘We need to act now before the illness spreads more widely’
All non life-sustaining businesses in state ordered to close By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Just two days after Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf recommended that nonessential businesses in the state shut down in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the commonwealth is now living in an even more intensely scrutinized new reality. On March 19, Wolf ordered all non lifesustaining businesses in Pennsylvania to close their physical locations, as well as the enactment of enforcement actions against businesses that do not close physical loca-
tions that went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on March 21. On March 17, Gov. Wolf recommended that nonessential businesses such as hair salons, fitness centers and gyms, movie theaters and retail stores for a twoweek period. However, due to the lack of a serious response to the initial compliance, Gov. Wolf said that he and state officials were forced to step up safety measures. “I had hoped for voluntary compliance so our public safety officials could focus on assisting with the crisis,” Wolf said in a video statement on March 19. “Unfortunately we have not seen full com-
pliance. We have no time to lose.” Those businesses included on the list represent a wide swath of sectors from several Pennsylvania industries, including agriculture, business services; construction; financial institutions, real estate, rental and leasing operations; manufacturing; leisure and hospitality; media and information centers; and transportation and utilities. The new guidelines have ordered the closing of several sectors of manufacturing in the state, which include: apparel and textile; primary metal and Continued on Page 3A
Although the schools in Pennsylvania have been closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, they are still providing meals for those in need. The food program outside the school buildings began locally on March 18, A look at Oxford’s com- and as of now will continue until further notice. mercial history...1B It was rainy and raw on Monday morning, but the
food service crews from the Kennett Consolidated School District were out in force giving out “grab and go” bagged lunches. The staff members have planted their food stations and trucks at three locations in the district: Mision Santa Maria on Gap-Newport Pike in New Garden, Chavelos Mexican Restaurant (old Brown Derby) in Toughkenamon and The Garage parking lot
on Union Street in Kennett Square. Any student under 18 is welcome to come and pick up a lunch between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Food Service Manager Janie Davis said Monday that the lunches are prepared by the Kennett kitchen staff, and the menus are changed daily to add variety. She said they prepare about 300 lunches daily to
During pandemic, conservancy leaders encourage public to seek solace at local nature preserves Jim Horn begins term as board chair...5A
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Todd Pride, the Managing Director for The Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County.
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Last Friday morning, a family of three –a father, a mother and their teenage son –walked along the Chandler Opinion.......................4A Mill Nature Preserve in Obituaries..................2B Kennett Township, withClassifieds..................3B in a stone’s throw of the headquarters of the Land Conservancy for Southern Chester County (TLC). The family was not alone. They were eventually followed by a senior couple, © 2007 The Chester County Press a young man on a bicycle and a young mother and her infant daughter, who bounced gently in the comfort of a sack strapped over her mother’s shoulders.
INDEX
Courtesy photo
On March 19, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all non life-sustaining businesses in Pennsylvania to close their physical locations, as well as the enactment of enforcement actions against businesses that do not close physical locations, that went into effect on March 21.
No school, but meals are still delivered By Chris Barber Contributing Writer
Local Girl Scouts celebrate international culture...6B
$1.00
In fact, a long and soothing walk around the more than 1,500 acres TLC has protected throughout the region, reveal the presence of a community who has come to the woods to lean on the power of nature, during one of the most unprecedented periods the world has experienced in many generations. For millions of Americans, walking in nature these days has become the essential medicine – an outdoor therapy session – and it’s become the practice of many who can now be seen in properties protected by the TLC, the Brandywine Conservancy and the Natural Lands Trust. “Unless we hear from gov-
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ernment authorities that we must close, TLC is keeping our preserves open, and promoting them as an outlet and resource for the public –families, children and individuals,” said TLC Managing Director Todd Pride. “There has been a lot of media coverage about the importance of keeping kids busy these days, and we’re helping families to fill parts in that void.” While TLC’s group activities and educational programs are suspended through April 13 and maybe longer, “We’re now pushing content directly to area teachers, to families and Continued on Page 5A
cover the three locations. On Monday at the Kennett Square location, she said they had 80 bagged lunches ready to go. At the Toughkenamon location, Kathy Tavoni, a Krapf Bus Company driver, joined school district staff Carolyn Isakoff, Mark Tracy and Donna Giuliani at the table. She and her Krapf colleagues drove the lunches to their locations. Krapf Bus Company
Vice President for Risk Management Shawn McGlinchey said that Krapf is working with the district to deliver the food free each day using school district trucks. “We are paying our drivers in conjunction with the project. I’ve been in the Coast Guard, and this is what you do for people,” he said. In his announcement of the school closings last Continued on Page 2A
Body cameras coming to Oxford Police By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer Like so many police departments these days, body cameras are quickly becoming a necessary fixture, and the Oxford Police Department will be acquiring them in the late summer or early fall. The body cameras will become a vital addition to the department, and 50 percent of their cost will be paid for by a Department of Justice (DOJ) grant and the remainder by a private individual. Police Chief Sam Iacono said he has been in discussion with other departments about the use of body cameras, and concluded that the cameras will help officers and the community by providing another record of events. Iacono said that new car cameras are also coming. “It has been some time since we have updated these, and our updates will allow all of our tools to interface with each other,” he said. Iacono said he is also very pleased with the fact that the department has picked up a less lethal weapon – a shotgun filled with beanbag
shells. “It still hurts when it hits you, but if we can save one life that weapon is well worth what we pay for it,” he said. Because all new weapons and devices require training before they can be used, the department will provide training for Oxford officers so that they can train other officers -- which will save the department from having to pay the cost of paying for outside training The department is also equipping its officers with firearms that have an attached flashlight. Currently, officers hold their weapon in one hand and their flashlight in another; a firearm with a flashlight attached to the under rail of the weapon provides an officer greater flexibility in any situation. As all new equipment does, this will require training due to the change in weight of the weapon. The department is also completing training on their recently acquired new CODY software system, which will enable them to improve a multitude of functions in their department, such as providing greater efficiency in entering incident reports, and organizing Continued on Page 2A
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