Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas Volume 149, No. 17
INSIDE Spring/Summer 2015
Landenberg Today
Magazine
Police chief tells officer that his April 13 crash was caused by seizure By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Landenberg Today magazine Kennett Run
The Chester County Press has learned that the April 13 vehicular crash involving a police vehicle driven by Kennett Township Police Chief Albert J. McCarthy and another vehicle was caused by a seizure he had at the time of the accident, a fact McCarthy admitted to the officer who reported the crash.
Through information provided to the Chester County Press by State Police Avondale, McCarthy told State Trooper Erick Baker of the State Police that he suffered from a seizure that was caused by a previous brain injury, which he said contributed to the collision of his 2015 Ford Taurus Kennett Township police vehicle with a 2006 Honda Accord driven by Michael S. Hammon, 51, of
EVENT Guide
2015
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer Four of the five Oxford School Board members whose terms are expiring in 2015 are seeking nominations to return to the board in the upcoming Primary Election. The district is transitioning to a system where three of the nine seats on the board are atlarge seats with voters across the entire district electing those representatives, while the other
A CHESTER COUNTY PRESS PUBLICATION
Kennett Run special section
Renowned West Chester folk artist spotlighted at Brandywine.............1B
INDEX Calendar of Events..........2B Opinion..........................8A Obituaries.......................5B Police Blotter.................3B Classified.....................8B
Kennett Square at approximately noon on Hillendale Road. The public information police report said that McCarthy was following the vehicle ahead of him too closely, and at a rate of speed that led to McCarthy’s vehicle colliding with Hammon’s vehicle. Both vehicles proceeded to the intersection of Hidden Pond Drive and East Hillendale Road, before they both stopped.
Hammon sustained a minor injury but did not require EMS transportation. McCarthy was uninjured in the accident, and a family member picked him up from the scene. Although McCarthy was not charged in the accident, the primary violation was identified as “VC 3310(A) Following Too Closely.” It was announced at the April 15 Kennett Township
Photos by John Chambless
Robert Clarke was joined by family and community members for his swearing-in on April 25.
New police headquarters opens in East Marlborough as Clarke is sworn in By John Chambless Staff Writer The public got its first look at the new Police Operations Center at the East Marlborough Township Building on the morning of April 25 as newly
appointed Chief of Police Robert Clarke was sworn in. Board of Supervisors chairman Cuyler Walker administered the oath of office to Clarke, who was flanked by family members, township supervisors, Continued on Page 4A
six seats will remain divided among the three election regions in Oxford. There are two at-large seats up for grabs in the upcoming election, one of them currently occupied by school board president Donna Arrowood. Arrowood, a Democrat, is one of three candidates seeking two of the at-large seats, the others being Becky Fetterolf, who is also seeking the Democratic nomination, and Robert Tenga, who has cross-filed. When
Continued on Page 7A
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer The Avon Grove School Board voted to approve a proposed final budget of $84.7 million at the April 23 meeting. Superintendent Dr. Christopher Marchese and business administrator Daniel Carsley made a presentation about the budget, updating the community about the spending plan as it has evolved over the last few months. Carsley said that the $84,794, 292 total budget includes spending increases of about $3.1 million over the current year. Nearly half of that
increase—approximately $1,485,000—can be attributed to the state-mandated increase in the district’s contribution to the Pennsylvania School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) fund. As of right now, a 2.4 percent tax increase would be needed to balance the budget. The millage rate would increase by .660 mills, from 27.499 mills to 28.157 mills. Even with the tax increase, the district must dip into its fund balance for about $2.9 million to balance the budget. Carsley said that if the district does use $2.9 million from the
Festival awards $80,000 in grants to 47 local organizations By Carla Lucas Correspondent The Mushroom Festival Spring Gala is a time to celebrate the people and organizations that make the annual September fungi celebration the huge success it has become. It’s also the time of year when the Mushroom Festival board honors the work of many local nonprofits and presents the annual grants. On April 17, the Red Clay Room was the site of the Spring Gala. The event was orga-
Photo by Carla Lucas
Representatives of the 47 organizations that received Mushroom Festival Grants at the Spring Gala.
nized by Mushroom Festival board members Gina Puocci, Jen Basciani, Anita Swayne, Michelle Gazdik, and Anita D’Amico. “The Spring Gala is always
voters head to the polls on Tuesday, May 19, they will be voting for no more than two candidates for the two at-large seats. Incumbent Howard Robinson has cross-filed and is the only candidate on the ballot for his seat in Region I, which includes Upper Oxford Township, Lower Oxford Township East, and Oxford Borough East. In Region II, which includes West Nottingham Township, Continued on Page 9A
Avon Grove School Board approves proposed final budget of $84.7 million
Mushroom Festival’s Spring Gala celebrates its 30th anniversary
© 2007 The Chester County Press
Board of Supervisors meeting that McCarthy was placed on administrative leave from his duties. The board also voted 3-0 to appoint Kennett Township officer Lydell Holt as the acting interim police chief for the township. The township will also hire two part-time police officers. McCarthy’s administrative leave was identified as
Four Oxford School Board members seeking reelection
26th ANNIVERSARY
Unionville defeats Rustin, 10-5...............1C
60 Cents
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
very symbolic for the Mushroom Festival,” said Randy Lieberman, president of the Mushroom Festival’s board of directors, in his opening remarks, “because it concludes the past year’s activi-
ties and acts as kick-off for the upcoming year.” The 2015 Mushroom Festival, slated Sept. 12 and 13, will be the 30th time a Mushroom Continued on Page 2A
fund balance, that would leave an unassigned fund balance of $16,454,855, with more than Continued on Page 9A
A SECOND STATE POLICE COVER-UP? By Uncle Irvin Details of Kennett Township Police Chief Albert McCarthy’s second ramming of another motor vehicle that occurred on April 13 are slowly -- very slowly -- starting to come out. So far, the State Police from the Avondale barracks who investigated the incident saw fit to discharge McCarthy free and clear, with no citation, just like in the first incident two years ago. We know that in the first incident, police did not facilitate an immediate medical opinion of McCarthy’s state of mind. In the second incident, the State Police were told by McCarthy at the scene that the crash was caused by a seizure related to a previous brain injury. Records indicate that the state trooper did not insist or request an immediate medical opinion. In both instances, regardless of the cause, McCarthy rammed a vehicle in front of Continued on Page 7A
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