Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 155, No. 23
INSIDE
Wednesday, June 9, 2021
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Kennett School Gordon sworn in as Board set to new Kennett Township approve final Police Chief budget A 1.23 percent tax increase is likely By Chris Barber Contributing Writer
Cecil County Life
Photos by Richard L. Gaw
Matthew Gordon, behind podium at right, was formally sworn in as the new Police Chief for the Kennett Township Police Department, in a ceremony held on June 2 before 150 guests at the Creamery in Kennett Square. Oxford Area High School graduation...1B
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Matthew Gordon was officially sworn in as the new Chief of Police for Following a 17-month Kennett Township Police period when he served Department, during a June in an interim role, 2 ceremony before more
than 150 guests at the Creamery in Kennett Square. Following introductory remarks by township Continued on page 2A
The Kennett Consolidated School District board presented its final operating budget for 2021-22 at a finance meeting on Monday, June 7. Mark Tracy, assistant superintendent for business affairs, gave the report virtually and announced a tax increase of 1.23 percent – less than was anticipated in the preliminary budget that was approved earlier in the spring. This final budget will be voted on at the school board meeting on June 14. The $90.2 million budget is an increase of about $2 million over last year’s
$88.2 operating budget. The millage rate will rise from 31.49 to 31.87 mills. A mill is a tax of $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property value. An average property owner whose home is assessed at $340,000 will pay $70 more per year if the budget is approved as is. Tracy said he was especially pleased as he went over revenue reports that tax payments had remained at almost the same level as last year, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tracy went on to report anticipated renovations to the district’s schools. The next upgrades will be Continued on page 2A
East Marlborough officials continue to review plans for the Chester County Balloon Festival By Monica Thompson Fragale Contributing Writer Family Promise participates in entrepreneurship summit...3B
INDEX
Chester County Balloon Festival organizers will return to East Marlborough supervisors next month to seek approval for a temporary outdoor permit for the three-day festival on Willowdale Steeplechase
Classifieds.................4B
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owners. “We’re an equestrian community,” James Sinclair of Liondale Farm said. “I just think it would be in the best interest to say fireworks are probably not a good idea anywhere.” Speaking on behalf of his family and a neighbor, Sinclair explained that the fireworks, especially those
held so close to Sinclair’s and Brown’s properties, would aggravate the horses and cause them to injure themselves. “Fireworks and horses have traditionally been arch enemies,” Sinclair said. “Horses aren’t used to having fireworks going off across the street. Even Continued on page 3A
New Garden to purchase 105 acres at Loch Nairn Golf Club By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
© 2007 The Chester County Press
for Sept. 10 to 12 on the Willowdale Steeplechase grounds and will feature balloon flights, music, food trucks, and a pop-up balloon history museum, among other things. This will be the 14th year of the Balloon Festival. Fireworks, originally planned for Sept. 11, were a concern for nearby horse
Golfing operations to end after 2022 season
Opinion.......................5A Obituaries.............2B-3B
grounds. Some of the issues organizers need to resolve, which were topics of the supervisors’ June 7 virtual meeting, are the removal of fireworks from the schedule and the addition of a signed contract with township police and local fire and EMS services. The festival is planned
At their June 7 online work session, the New Garden Board of Supervisors unanimously authorized the township to extend funds
for its purchase of a 105acre parcel in the northwest corner of the township, on property owned by the Smedley family that forms the 18-hole golf course at the Loch Nairn Golf Club in Avondale.
Under the conditions of the agreement, golfing operations at Loch Nairn will continue through the 2022 golf season. Once concluded, the township will assume ownership and maintenance of the golf
course for the purpose of preserving it as open space. The agreement also states that after the sale of the property is completed, Loch Nairn will continue to own and operate all of its restaurants on the property, which
includes The Greathouse, The Farmhouse and The Tavern, as well as use these facilities as sites for weddings and other special events. Soon after the agreement of sale was approved Continued on page 3A
Pennsylvania Wreaths Across America State Police Mobile Unit honors veterans at corporal arrested Jeff D’Ambrosio Chevrolet for obstruction and tampering of records By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer
Jennifer Ruhl, a Pennsylvania State Police corporal with 23 years of experience as a state trooper, is facing charges of obstructing administration of law, unsworn falsification, tampering with public records or information, and hindering apprehension or prosecution after allegedly trying to conceal a DUI arrest of a father of another Pennsylvania State Police trooper. The Chester County District Attorney’s Office and the Pennsylvania State Police jointly announced the arrest of Ruhl last week. She is currently suspended without pay and will be
arraigned sometime this month. Ruhl, 50, is a resident of West Chester. District Attorney Deb Ryan said in a statement that, “This investigation demonstrates that no matter who you are, no person is above the law, and everyone must be held accountable. We hold law enforcement to the highest standards, and the defendant betrayed her sworn oath with these criminal acts. Law enforcement must continue to police their own, just as Pennsylvania State Police did here.” The allegations against Ruhl stem from an incident Continued on page 4A
On Monday, June 14, the Wreaths Across America’s Mobile Education Exhibit will be on display at Jeff D’Ambrosio Chevrolet at 2158 Baltimore Pike in Oxford. The Exhibit represents the TEACH pillar of the Wreaths Across America mission, sharing information about the veterans and those who serve our country, and how everyone can play a part in remembering and honoring them. “We are proud to host this event,” said Mike Sockoloskie, the general sales manager at Jeff D’Ambrosio. “My father, Edward Sockoloskie,
Photo courtesy of Wreaths Across America
Watch for the Wreaths Across America Mobile Unit coming to Jeff D’Ambrosio Chevrolet at 2158 Baltimore Pike in Oxford.
served as a marine in World War II and I am happy to do anything I can do to honor him and his service.” The Mobile Education Exhibit will be open to the public from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Chevrolet has been a sponsor of Wreaths Across America for many years, and when this opportunity came up they were delighted to participate.
“The goal of the Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit is to bring community together and teach patriotism while remembering the service and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes,” said Karen Worcester, the executive director, Wreaths Across America. “However, over the last year, in light of the Continued on page 4A