Lydell Nolt to be sworn in as Kennett Township Police Chief on July 15
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
For Lydell Nolt and his five siblings, growing up in a farming family in southern Lancaster County was a nearly idyllic childhood, but it was not the rolling hills and barns and silos of the farming world that ultimately guided the youngster to pursue a career in law enforcement. It was the Maryland state police. Because the family farm was a stone’s throw away from the state line, the Nolt family did a lot of their errands in Maryland, where the impressionable youngster was glued to the way the officers conducted their business. Professionalism, he said, seemed to roll off of their shoulders. He had kicked around the idea of growing up to be a car salesman, but the idea of spending
his life in the service of others -- much like the officers he admired -- seemed to be a worthwhile pursuit.
After more than four years in the department, the decision Nolt made years ago has paid off handsomely. On July 15, before the township’s board of supervisors, township residents and his family, Nolt will officially be sworn in as the Kennett Township Chief of Police, following a brief tenure as the township’s acting police chief, after the retirement of Albert McCarthy in May. Nolt began his tenure in Kennett Township in 2010.
“Chief Nolt has the experience, education, and perspective to strengthen and grow the department and its ties to the community, and lead the township’s efforts to address new and growing public safety
A mission of service for local motorcyclists
Kennett Square area officials seek economic development study to plan for future growth
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
As one of the region’s most vibrant communities, Kennett Square is a natural location for commercial and residential growth. Officials in the Kennett Square area are collaborating on an economic development study that will help them plan for the future by providing an economic development strategy and an implementation plan. Historic Kennett Square, the organization that does such a good job with Kennett Square’s revitalization efforts, initiated plans for the study last year, and is collaborating with the Borough of
and Kennett Township on the project. Work on the study is expected to begin later this summer.
“Historic Kennett Square is excited and pleased with the increase in the region’s economic development activity, and our goal with the plan is to respond in a responsible manner,” explained Mary Hutchins, the executive director of Historic Kennett Square. “The commitment to planning for the region’s future is a major step to preserving and improving our town center, while retaining the natural and historic heritage of the region. And we couldn’t be happier with the collaboration between Kennett Township and Kennett Borough. It just feels right to address some of the economic development in a cooperative manner.” Hutchins informed Kennett Square Borough Council at its meeting on July 6 that Todd Poole of 4ward Planning and Mark Keener of the RBA Group have been hired as the consultants for the study.
A task force comprised of representatives from Kennett Square Borough, Kennett Township, Historic Kennett Square, Longwood Gardens, the Chester County Planning Commission, and community members is being formed to help with work on the plan.
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U-CF School Board approves principal and assistant principal
By John Chambless Staff Writer
At a brief meeting of the Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board on July 9, two appointments were approved for a principal and assistant principal in the district.
Clif Beaver was unanimously approved as the new principal of Pocopson Elementary School, taking over for retired principal Andrew McLaughlin. Beaver officially started on July 10, at a
Wyncote
salary of $140,000 per year.
Beaver had been the principal at Unionville Elementary School, and district superintendent John Sanville addressed the unusual job switch.
“This was not our usual mode of gaining principals,” Sanville told the board. “When Dr. Mclaughlin announced his retirement, we conducted focus groups at Pocopson with staff, teachers and parents. We heard a desire to keep the academic rigor in place. As we discussed,
we realized that the person who had the unique skill set was already on our staff. That was Clif Beaver.
“We do run a transparent and inclusive operation in terms of hiring,” Sanville continued, “but in this instance, it’s a little different, so that’s why we went out of the box on this one.”
The vacant principal position at Unionville Elementary has been posted. “I suspect we’ll have a massive application pool,” Sanville said, “and we’ll
Golf Club continues to earn accolades, impress golfers
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
Jim Pepple knows his golf course and the land that it is situated on very well. On a sunny morning in late June, he looks out on the Heathlands-style course with its Bent grass and declares that it is too green—the result of a wetter-than-normal month. These days, Pepple will sometimes show up for work at the Wyncote Golf Club in Lower Oxford Township at five o’clock in the morning so that he can play a round of golf at eleven o’clock. On weekends, he makes a point to stop by to sample the prime rib that now ranks among the most popular items on the specials menu. The golf industry is extremely competitive; the restaurant industry maybe even more so. But twenty-three years after Wyncote opened, Pepple still lives and breathes what happens here, still gets excited when the course
earns yet another accolade. The most recent praise for Wyncote, which translates to “windy cottage,” came from Golf Magazine , one of the authentic voices in the industry, which placed the course at number five on its list of the top courses in the state.
“There are 800 public golf courses in Pennsylvania, so getting that type of recognition is always nice,” Pepple explained. Accolades like this have been rolling in almost since the day the course opened in in 1993. It was designed by award-winning
whittle that down. We’ll probably bring in 15 or so folks for interviews. We expect to hire an interim principal for the start of the school year” while interviews are going on, Sanville said.
The board also unanimously approved Amy Jenkins as the new assistant principal at Unionville High School, as of Aug. 1, at a salary of $115,000 per year.
“We had over 70 applicants for the position,” Sanville
said. “We conducted dozens of screenings and interviews, then six applicants moved forward. Of the two finalists, the best fit for Unionville High School was Amy. She brings a wealth of knowledge of technology and ways of integrating it into the classroom. We’re thrilled to have her.”
After the vote, Jenkins told the board, “I’m thrilled to be a member of your team. I’m anxiously awaiting the opportunity
Continued on Page 3A
Newark Road bonanza
By Uncle Irvin
Right now, it looks like New Garden Township is in the sweet spot for commercial development. And that’s good for Chester County, Kennett Consolidated School District, and New Garden Township itself. Newark Road, north of old Route 1, looks like it could be a real blockbuster for property tax relief. Plans by the Ciarrochi family call for an eight-building, 1-millionsquare-foot business park that could eventually employ up to 2,000 people and and spin off property taxes in excess of $1.5 million. The industrial park would be right across Newark Road from the New Garden Flying Field and Technology Park. Water and sewer lines are already in place, as well as the Toughkenamon ramps to the
Route 1 Bypass. These plans are in their infancy, and must be embraced by the whole township and nurtured by the New Garden supervisors. Moreover, pressure must be brought to bear on State Sen. Andrew Dinniman, State Rep. Chris Ross, the County Commissioners and Congressman Joe Pitts to use their political influence to put together a package of financial and tax incentives that can be dangled in front of prospective employers to locate on Newark Road. The Newark Road location is ripe for this kind of commercial development because most of the infrastructure is already in place, except for improvements to Newark Road itself.
(Uncle Irvin’s column is his opinion only, and is not a news story.)
Courtesy photo
Twenty-three years after Jim Pepple opened the Wyncote Golf Club, the accolades are still pouring in. Wyncote was recently named by Golf Magazine as one of the top five public courses in the state.
Kennett Square
Courtesy Photo
Members of ABATE load boxes of food into the Oxford Neighborhood Services Center. See story on Page 2A.
A family faces homelessness after an accident destroys their home
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Lydell Nolt will be officially sworn in as the new Kennett Township Police Chief on July 15. Destination Cecil County
Creativity for kids in Kennett Square....1B
Kennett Square...
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“Between Historic Kennett Square, Kennett Square, and Kennett Township, we wanted to develop a plan for the future,” said Tom Sausen, a Historic Kennett Square board member and chairman of the Economic Development Task Force, in a statement. “It’s important to have a community vision.”
Lisa Moore, the Kennett Township Manager, echoed the sentiment about Kennett Square and Kennett Township working collaboratively on a vision for the future.
“We felt it was important to be a part of this study since the township totally surrounds the borough,” Moore said. “It is extremely important that we have an agreeable vision for the areas that border both municipalities.”
Input from local residents, business owners, and municipal officials will be an integral part of the economic development study.
The project will help establish priorities for where and how the Kennett area grows, taking into account the borough’s ongoing revitalization efforts and the need to protect the natural, rural, and historic heritage of the community.
The consultants from 4Ward Planning and RBA Group will focus on seven areas that include the State Street corridor, the Cypress Street corridor, Birch Street from Walnut to Broad streets, the former NVF site in the borough, the Ways Lane area in Kennett Township, the west side of Mill Road in the township, and the area known as Millers Hill on the eastern border between the borough and the township.
“The primary areas currently have the most potential in the short- and long-term with future economic development,” Sausen said.
Moore added that those areas that will be focused on in the study serve as gateways to the borough and are areas “that need to be improved with creative, innovative development.”
According to Hutchins, a Vision Partnership Program Grant from the Chester County Commissioners, administered by the county’s Planning Commission, will fund part of the $60,000 study. The remainder of the study will be funded by the two municipalities, Historic Kennett Square, and Longwood Gardens.
Chester County Commissioner Michelle Kichline, who serves as the co-chair of Vista 2025, said, “The county is pleased to provide funding through the Vision Partnership Program to help support this project for the Kennett region. The focus of the study—to provide technical data, community consensus, and the vision needed to responsibly guide Kennett’s future development—will improve coordination between the municipalities, the public, and the business community. It will set priorities for where and how the region grows, while protecting its heritage—all very important aspects of the county’s VISTA 2025 strategy.”
4ward Planning and the RGA Group have completed economic studies locally and nationally. In 2013, 4ward Planning completed a market study and financial analysis of the former industrial site in Yorklyn, Del. Additional projects have been undertaken in Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
Michigan, and New Jersey.
Poole will be leading the consulting team as the project manager. He is the president and founder of 4ward Planning and has more than 22 years of experience in economic development issues.
Keener is RBA Group’s director of urban design and has more than 15 years of experience as an urban designer and architect.
The scope of the project will include reviewing planning documents that pertain to the county and the two municipalities; interviewing stakeholders, including residents, municipal officials, developers, and property and business owners; conducting a comprehensive market analysis of the Kennett region; developing a plan of action for economic growth in the region; and reviewing the borough and township zoning requirements as they relate to the seven focus areas.
The consultants will create a
draft report of the outcomes of this work and present it to the task force and the municipalities for review and comments. A final report, once approved, will include an executive summary, a PowerPoint presentation, maps, and renderings.
The task force will meet eight to ten times with the consultants, and a total of three public meetings will be held during the planning process. The study is expected to be completed by December of 2016.
“We have high hopes for this,” said Sausen. “These are areas that have a lot of potential for growth. There needs to be a consensus. And the consultants’ job will be to provide some ideas and get that consensus.”
In other business at the July 6 Kennett Square Borough Council meeting:
~ Kennett Square Borough Council approved a resolution for
Some of the areas that will be the focus point of an economic development study for the Kennett Square area. the 50-year extension commitment of SECCRA Operations.
~ Borough council authorized the Civil Service Commission to generate a certified list of candidates to work for the borough’s police department. Mayor Matt Fetick explained that Kennett Square has had a full-time position open since last year, but the department has been using parttime officers to provide shift coverage. Generating an updated Civil Service Commission list is the first step in filling the position. Fetick said that the police department will be evaluating whether
to fill the full-time position, but securing an updated list of certified candidates is a good idea because it keeps the information about the candidates current.
~ Borough council approved the Special Event Applications for the Marshall Street block party on July 18, the National Night Out on Aug. 4, the Carter Community block party on Aug. 22, the Mushroom Festival Parade on Sept. 11 and the Mushroom Festival on Sept. 12 and 13.
To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
A mission of service for local motorcyclists
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, a long line of motorcycles rumbled up to the Oxford Neighborhood Services Center, accompanied by Oxford Police.
The 26th Annual Dwight Wallace Memorial Food Run ended on July 11 with the delivery of three trailers and a truck full of donated food and supplies for the needy. Members of Chester County ABATE put the food drive together every year by standing outside of local supermarkets and asking for donations of non-perishable foods. At the end of the collection, the members take the food in a long procession and load it onto the food cupboard’s shelves.
This year, State Sen. Andy Dinniman and State Rep. John Lawrence joined the ABATE members, and the group got a certificate of appreciation from the State Senate.
The food run honors all of the fallen chapter members. The food run started when chapter member Dwight Wallace passed away in
1988 and the chapter wanted to do an event in his name.
During June, ABATE members were allowed to collect donations at the Oxford Acme, Oxford Redners, Oxford Walmart, Avondale Acme, and the Kennett Square Big Lots. For more information about Chester County ABATE (Alliance of Bikers Aimed Towards Education) visit www. chestercountyabate.com.
State Sen. Andy Dinniman and State Rep. John Lawrence joined ABATE members for the food drive on Saturday.
The ABATE flag was flying high at the annual Food Run.
Courtesy Photos (2)
Courtesy photos
Police Chief...
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things. It’s my responsibility to set up, transport that integrity into the community, and maintain that for the entirety of my tenure.
“This agency is this community, and this community is this agency,” he said.
Ramping up his department does not stop at having lunch with the residents or visiting schools.
department during the times when McCarthy was on a medical leave of absence.
U-CF School Board...
Continued from 1A challenges,” said Kennett Township Manager Lisa Moore. “He is dedicated to becoming part of the community including the schools and other local organizations through improved communication, school programs, mutual setting of goals and priorities, and a shared goal of community policing.”
Effective policing has a lengthy list of intangibles in its arsenal that are just as important as protecting people, Nolt believes, and it begins with getting out of a police vehicle and talking with the people he and his two part-time officers were hired to serve. As a matter of conducting daily business, Nolt is looking to increase the visibility of the department by visiting local schools, and not only stopping by local businesses, but sitting down and having lunch with them.
“This position allows me the privilege to put this agency and the integrity of that agency on display,” he said recently. “The biggest opportunity I have is for this agency to go into our community with the integrity that people demand, which is to be transparent and do the right
Nolt has also been pushing to equip the department with e-ticket program software –which he hopes to have up and running in about a month -- and is looking to outfit himself and his other officers with body-worn cameras, which are normally fitted on an officer’s chest.
“The unfortunate part of law enforcement is that we’re always racing to catch up, but items are continually coming on the market that can make us do our jobs more safely and efficiently,” he said. “Every police officer in the nation should [be equipped with] an on-body camera. About 98 percent of the time, we’re doing things correctly, but a video documentation can provide an idea of what we did that failed, which allows us to view it
and fix the failure. The police department is a service industry, and if we can integrate technology into our polices and procedures, we’re then able to provide a better product.”
Effective management skills are rarely developed in a classroom; rather, they are best molded on the job, particularly when one is asked to perform duties beyond that which is written in a job description.
Over the past few years, Nolt was thrust into a leadership role when McCarthy went on extended medical leave, stemming from two car collisions he had -- one in 2011 and the second occuring this past April -- while operating a police vehicle. Board of Supervisors Chairman Scudder Stevens praised Nolt for effectively running the police
ARREST FOR THREATS
On July 2, New Garden Township Police responded to a home on Hartefeld Drive for a report of threats. The victim told police that on July 1, he was confronted by Robert Ciarrocki, 62, of Landenberg, over allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a family member. Ciarrocki allegedly told the victim he was going to “blow him away” or hire someone to have him “Camdened,” which is a reference to a torture assault, according to police. Police charged Ciarrocki for making terroristic threats and for harassment. The case is pending an appearance in District Court.
NAKED MAN CITED
On July 5, New Garden Township Police got a report of a naked man outside in the 100 block of Watson Mill Road. Police contacted Wolfgang Feist, 56, of Landenberg, who first denied the allegation, but later admitted that he had been
naked. He had no explanation of why. Police filed a summons against Feist for disorderly conduct. OPEN LEWDNESS ON PLAYGROUND
Kennett Township Police arrested Lamont Winters, 46, of Kennett Square, and Elizabeth Jacque Vachon, 20, of Oxford, on July 8 at 7:30 p.m. after responding to a report of suspicious activity at Greenwood Elementary School. A witness said Winters and Vachon were engaging in a sex act on the playground area of the school. They were arrested for indecent exposure, open lewdness and criminal trespass.
BURGLARY
A home on Pratt Lane in Kennett Square was burglarized overnight on July 7, according to Pennsylvania State Police Avondale. The victim’s unlocked garage was entered, and an unlocked vehicle was searched. The unlocked home was then entered, and cash and gift
cards were stolen. Anyone with information is asked to call Trooper Mantione at 610-268-2022.
DIRT BIKE DRIVER
FLEES POLICE
On July 5 at 10:05 p.m., Pennsylvania State Police Avondale saw a 16-year-old boy driving a small dirt bike without lights in the area of routes 52 and 926. Troopers tried to stop him, but he drove away on Route 926. After a short vehicle pursuit, the teen drove into a field and was taken into custody after he crashed into a fence. He was charged with fleeing police. Anyone with more information is asked to call police at 610-268-2022.
COUNTERFEIT CASH
The owner of a business in the 400 block of East South Street in Kennett Square reported on June 29 that about three weeks earlier, two counterfeit $20 bills were used at the business. The bills had the same serial number. Kennett Square Police are investigating.
“Chief Nolt has not been, and will not be, a status quo performer,” Stevens said. “It’s important to remember that he was hired as a part time police officer at a time of transition in Kennett Township, when our one-person force was moving from a ‘folding notebook in the chest pocket’ kind of department to a fully computerized organization that is blended with the county.”
Nolt steps into his new role at a period when the future of policing in southern Chester County is at a major intersection. Kennett Township has joined with the police departments at New Garden Township, Kennett Borough and the West Grove Borough to explore the feasibility of establishing a regional police force which, if implemented, would provide round-the-clock coverage and create specialty investigative and crime units. While the participating departments continue to sharpen their pencils on the details of the concept, Nolt sees sever-
CARS
FROM
THEFTS
Pennsylvania State Police Avondale reported that there were several thefts of items from unlocked vehicles in Londonderry Township overnight on July 9. The thefts occurred on McGrew Street and Wrigley Boulevard. An unlocked 2004 Toyota Tacoma was also stolen overnight on July 9 from Neill Street in Londonderry Township. Police have advised residents to lock their vehicles and garages at all times. Anyone with information about the thefts is asked to call police at 610-268-2022.
PHONES STOLEN
On June 2 at midnight, two people entered the East Marlborough Township Walmart store and took three smart phones valued at about $570, fleeing in a light blue Chevrolet sedan, according to Pennsylvania State Police Avondale. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 610-268-2022.
HIT AND RUN
A motorist had stopped at a red light at East Cypress and South Walnut streets in Kennett Square on June 28 at 5:12 p.m. when they were struck from behind by a newer model black Ford Fusion with Pennsylvania plates, which then fled the scene, according to Kennett
contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@ chestercounty.com.
al advantages that a regional police department would have.
“While there are a lot of major caveats that can be problematic in regional policing, there are a lot of things you’re tasked to do at an agency that requires specialized training and focus that you just can’t accomplish on your own,” he said. “When you’re a small agency, you do not have the resources to actually form those specialized entities. A regional police agency allows for more specialized training.”
Nolt begins his tenure at a time when the law enforcement profession has been placed under the microscope of public criticism for all to peck away at, when not a week goes by without social media capturing police incidents of threat, intimidation and violence. Nolt
Square Police. The fleeing driver was described as a Hispanic woman, about 30 years old.
PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS
Kennett Square Police cited Brayan Torres, 21, of Kennett Square, for public drunkenness, and a 14-yearold Kennett Square girl for curfew violation, on July 2 at 11:11 p.m., after police got a call about a disturbance at West Mulberry and Center streets. Both were released to parents.
Kennett Square Police cited Robert Armstrong, 45, of Hockessin, Del., for public drunkenness on June 29 at 1:08 a.m., after he was found asleep in his vehicle, which was parked in the 100 block of Race Street. He was released to a relative.
DUI
Pennsylvania State Police
arrested Michael Kirk Trageser for DUI after a traffic stop on July 10 at 11:15 p.m., on Route 1, south of Newark Road.
believes that breaking down these stereotypes begins with transparency -- the simple act of taking the aviator glasses off, stepping out of a police vehicle and offering a friendly hand.
“This uniform is my profession, but at the end of the day, I do all of the same things that the people I serve do,” Nolt said. “I’m just another person, who has been afforded an opportunity to help a vast amount of people, through my profession. I tell every officer I work with, ‘Change, assistance and help starts with you. You may only be able to change one person’s life in two years, but you need to know that you have changed one person’s life.’”
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail rgaw@ chestercounty.com.
Nolt would like to equip his officers with body-worn cameras.
golf course architect Brian Ault. Pepple recalled the time in December of 1994 when he found out that Golf Digest had rated Wyncote as the third-best new course in the country.
“I really did not have a clue yet that I had a good golf course,” Pepple explained. “Brian Ault gave me a good design. It’s the highest-rated course that he ever designed.”
Over the course of the last 23 years, there have been plenty of highlights and times when the Wyncote Golf Club shined in the spotlight. Even the top golfers in the world are challenged by the tall grasses, quick greens, and ever-present winds. Wyncote was the site of two Exelon skins game events that featured top professional golfers like Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia, and Davis Love III. The course earned great reviews. Numerous other professional athletes, including members of the Philadelphia Eagles and basketball great Charles Barkley, have played the course, too. Pepple fondly recalls one of his sons serving as a caddy for Barkley.
One of the more recent highlights for Wyncote is the addition of Tim Brown, a 17-year PGA professional, who joined the staff in April of 2014. Brown was born near Philadelphia and raised in southern New Jersey, learning to play golf in one of the best regions in the country for the sport. When he embarked on his professional career, Brown served as an assistant golf professional at St. Andrews Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida before being selected as an instructor in the Nicklaus/Flick golf schools. In 2000, he became the direc-
tor of instruction at the English Turn Golf and Country Club in New Orleans, and then took the position as head professional at the Timberlane Country Club. In 2009, he was named by Golf Digest as the top golf teacher in the state.
After more than a dozen years teaching golf in the south, Brown wanted to move back to this area. He settled in Avondale and reached an agreement to open a golf academy at Wyncote, where he works with members and guests. He incorporates state-of-the-art technology in his lessons, utilizing the Swinguru 3D center of gravity system, Flightscope 3D-X2 launch monitor, Tomi Putting motion analysis, Casio high-speed cameras and V1 golf video software.
Pepple is glad to have him on board.
“He did more lessons last year than any pro that I’ve had here,” Pepple said, explaining that Brown has proven his skill at working with golfers with various skill levels. One gentleman had a tendency to push the ball too far right or to the left. Brown worked with him one afternoon and had him change his swing plane. The advice worked, and the golfer was driving the ball much further as a result. It’s this type of practical instruction that can help golfers as they develop their skills. As any golfer will attest, improving one’s game is an ongoing effort.
Brown is excited to be teaching golf in this area.
“I think you have the best golf courses in the country within 100 miles of here,” Brown explained. “It’s very, very competitive here. The number of great golf courses in this area is incredible.”
Wyncote certainly has earned
its place among them.
Pepple has seen a lot of changes in the golf scene during the last 23 years. The sport’s popularity ascended to new heights when Tiger Woods arrived on the scene in 1996, changing the history of golf forever. The “Tiger Effect” encouraged many people who had never tried the sport to take up golfing, and helped the U.S. golf economy to grow to $75 billion.
Pepple said that he sees a lot more women enjoying the sport, and couples are playing golf together a lot more. One of golf’s major attributes, according to Pepple, is the sport’s handicapping system that allows participants to compete against each other, regardless of skill level or age. Golf, more than most sports, can be enjoyed throughout a lifetime.
Despite its merits, golf has had a difficult time attracting millennials, which will make it difficult for the sport to grow in the future.
“Golf is a tough game because of the time requirement, the cost of the equipment, and the greens
fees,” Pepple explained.
Yet, on a recent weekday, Pepple looked around him as he was playing his 11 o’clock round of golf and saw as many men and women between the ages of 20 and 35 as there were older golfers.
While Wyncote has always attracted regional golfers who want to put their skills to a test, Pepple has always been a strong proponent of introducing golf to youngsters in this
area. On this day, a group of seven- eight- and nine-year-olds are practicing hitting the ball off the tee as Brown offers words of advice. Wyncote has earned much acclaim since it opened, but its most lasting impact may be this: An awful lot of men and women and boys and girls have fallen in love with the sport of golf on this course.
To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
These youngsters are learning the basics of golf from instructor Tim Brown at Wyncote Golf Club.
Photo by Steven Hoffman
Courtesy photo
The golf course fits the rolling hills of the Oxford countryside.
Courtesy photo
The Heathlands-style course, designed by award-winning course architect Brian Ault, has proven itself to be fun and challenging for even the best golfers.
Tim Brown, a PGA golf professional, provides instruction to a participant in one of the recent golf camps.
Photos (2) by Steven Hoffman
New and exciting dishes for every palate at Wyncote
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
Jim Pepple likes to say that the Wyncote golf course is one that a golfer can enjoy every day because the course presents such unique challenges that no two rounds would ever be the same. Similarly, the dining options are so varied at Wyncote’s Rose & Thistle Room and the Ball & Thistle Pub that a person could eat there every day and enjoy the offerings.
During one recent weekend, executive chef Scott Hart prepared Angus prime rib that was slow-cooked to perfection in an Alto shaam oven; a New Zealand lamb shank braised low and slow until tender; yellow-fin ahi tuna rolled in panko bread crumbs; and appetizers like jumbo shrimp stuffed with crab imperial and finished with a citrus butter sauce or escargot a la bourguignonne.
According to Pepple, there was a time when restaurants would rely on its basic menu offerings to attract guests, but now those favorites on the menu must be complemented with a variety of distinctive dishes. During one recent weekend, nearly three-quarters of all the orders came from the menu of specials that Wyncote was offering.
Hart is continually developing new dishes for every palate, and teaching his staff how to prepare them.
He attended culinary school in Phoenix, Arizona and received further training in French-American foods with southwest influences at various restaurants in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area. Hart has worked for much of the last
decade at Wyncote, first as a sous chef and now as the executive chef for the last six years. He has more than 18 years of experience in the culinary arts, and was given the freedom to introduce new items and to expand the dining options at Wyncote.
“We’ve always been known as a place for good hamburgers,” Pepple said, explaining
that Chester County citizens, in general, still like their meat and potatoes. There are no fewer than five burgers on the regular menu, including a turkey burger and a bison burger. But Pepple and Hart are always eager to develop new signature dishes.
The prime rib and lamb shank have proven to be very popular selections.
Pepple explained that he always enjoyed the prime rib at Harry’s Savoy Grill Restaurant in Delaware. He approached Hart about how Wyncote could produce the best results when preparing its own prime rib, and the chef said that the restaurant would need to get an Alto shaam oven for slow-roasting meats.
Once Wyncote got the oven and started serving the new prime rib and lamb shanks,
one guest stopped Pepple and told him that the prime rib was so good that it rivaled the prime rib at his favorite restaurant in Delaware. Pepple knew right away that the guest was referring to Harry’s Savoy Grill.
The restaurant offerings have always been an important part of the Wyncote experience. Wyncote offers a best-of-both-worlds experience with the Ball & Thistle Pub, which offers dining in a relaxed atmosphere that is reminiscent of a Scottish pub, and the Rose & Thistle Room, which is a beautiful dining area that can accommodate small or large groups. Patio dining is also available to enjoy sunny afternoons or warm summer nights. To complement the dinner offerings during the weekends, there is live entertainment most Friday and Saturday evenings.
Pepple said that if one of the staff members has an idea about how to improve the overall experience for guests, he encourages them to pursue it.
“I put people in positions and then tell them to think,” Pepple explained. “I have ideas, but half of what we do around here is other people’s ideas.”
In addition to the weekend specials, there are specials after 5 p.m. on Monday, which is Taco Night, on Tuesday, when crab cakes are available for half price, and Wednesday when burgers are half price.
Review the full Wyncote menu at www.wyncote.com or call 610-998-1414 to make a reservation.
To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
Remembering an Oxford icon
By Uncle Irvin
When I wandered into the Oxford area in 1970 without a banking relationship, as well as no money, a friend, John Pinno Sr., took it upon himself to take Carl Fretz and me out to lunch. That began a friendship and banking relationship that lasted until Carl retired as president of the Peoples Bank of Oxford.
It is safe to say that Carl’s friendship and trust in my integrity were a large part of the business I built. The amazing part of this story is that Carl spent his whole life doing for the Oxford area what he did for me. There was virtually not a charity or a good cause that Carl didn’t stop his busy schedule to help with.
Even though Carl suffered
from bad health, he continued his agenda of service to the Oxford area.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth.”
(Uncle Irvin’s column is his opinion only, and is not a news story.)
(Editor’s Note: Due to a production error, this column was not included with the story about the passing of Carl Fretz in the July 8 issue.)
U-CF teacher contract negotiators announce fact-finding mission
By John Chambless Staff Writer
Talks between the UnionvilleChadds Ford School Board and the district’s teachers continue to drag on after the June 30 expiration of the current teachers’ contract. The two sides are reportedly at a sticking point, resulting in a factfinding report being requested late last month. A release from the district negotiating team on June 23 said, “While we are still trying to work out some specific differences in contract language, the primary areas of disagreement revolve around salary and benefits. The district’s position is that the current proposal on the table from the Unionville-Chadds Ford Education Association, or UCFEA, is at a total value well in excess of what is sustainable and financially viable.”
The district negotiations team includes Vic Dupuis, Gregg Lindner and Keith Knauss of the school board.
The independent and nonbinding fact-finding report, organized by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board, can help to crystallize both sides of a contract dispute and perhaps lead to a path toward settlement. If no compromise is reached through the fact-finding process, the report is made public by the Labor Relations Board, and negotiations continue.
A late May “Public Resource Document” posted by the school district is still on the district’s website, and indicates that the UCFEA proposal “calls for total cost increases that will average 4.6 percent each year for three years.”
On June 15, the school board and administration approved a 2015-16 budget that will result in a weighted average millage increase of 2.28 percent for families in the district. That is divided into a 2.08 percent increase in Chester County and a 3.11 percent increase in Delaware County, averaging out to an additional $145 to be paid
by Chester County residents this year. The district’s fund balance will be depleted by $354,249. While the budget is not directly tied to the teachers’ contract, it does reflect the fiscal attitude of the board and administration. The UCFEA counters that, as one of the wealthiest school districts in the state, the contract terms could be better. The latest figures available indicate that the UCFEA is asking for threeyear average salary increases of 4.05 percent each year, with three-year average total costs of compensation, including benefits, of 4.62 percent each year. The school district is countering with four-year average salary increases of 1.71 percent per year, with four-year average total costs of compensation, including benefits, of 2.13 percent per year. More current proposed figures have not been disclosed because the negotiations are ongoing.
To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@ chestercounty.com.
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Four years ago, when the Chester County Press first profiled singer-songwriter Jordan White, he was preparing to play a solo gig at the Ugly Mutt in Oxford. There, his voice ached to be heard over the din of a largely indifferent audience, more interested in the contents of their beer glass than in the lyrics of a young man pouring his heart out.
It is now four years later, and that same voice is about to be heard by hundreds of thousands of listeners across the United States. This fall, he will embark on a tour that will introduce him to new audiences along the East Coast.
On July 21, Flexitone Records will release White’s “Crazy Girl” single on i-tunes and over 500 radio stations across the nation, as well as include White on a tour of Flexitone artists that will take him to 400-seat venues and clubs from New York to Florida.
For White, who will perform at the Four Dogs Tavern in West Chester on July 24, it is the high point in a musical journey that began when he met David Ivory, the chairman and chief executive officer of Philadelphia-based Flexitone records.
“I saw David at an awards
show, and afterward, I wouldn’t let him alone until I could be able to audition for him,” White said. “He eventually invited me to the studio a year and a half ago, and when I asked him what he wanted to hear, he said, ‘Just bring your guitar and play.’”
White played six of his original songs for Ivory, and one stuck in Ivory’s head. It was “Crazy Girl,” and it had the right hook and lyrics that Ivory needed to hear. White went back into the Flexitone studio a month ago and recorded the song, which was mastered by Dann Huff, who has produced albums for Faith Hill, Keith Urban, Rascall Flatts and Taylor Swift.
“It’s a song I wrote six years ago while sitting on my bed, and it’s about a four-week relationship I had with a girl at the time I wrote it,” White said. “It’s a trip knowing that something so personal and private is now going to be out there for all of these people to hear. A song is like any type of creative work. Once you get it down on paper and then into the studio, it doesn’t belong to you anymore.”
For White, 31, who is based in the Lehigh Valley but has played frequently in Chester County, seeing a life-long dream finally being realized is peculiar, he said, but one that is
attributable to his own dogged determination. He began playing keyboards in elementary school, and was later inspired by his father’s vinyl record collection, where his first influences were Van Morrison, Jackson Browne and Billy Joel.
Throughout his 20s, he played both with bands and as a solo act, performing a play list of his own making that offered a deep look into personal relationships and the hardships he has known. He shared the stage and opened for national acts such as Third Eye Blind. He also advanced through the early rounds of “American Idol” during season 5.
In 2007, White was a finalist in the Lehigh Valley Acoustic Competition and in 2008, his former band KineticBlu was nominated for two Lehigh Valley Music Awards. In February 2010, White’s original song “September” recorded with KineticBlu, was selected by Sony Music/Red Distribution for inclusion on a national release of hot new musical acts and is available on Amazon.com, iTunes, Rhapsody, and Napster.
“I’ve seen so many talented musicians just throw away their guitar and their dreams after being rejected once,” White said.
“I’ve been rejected more times than I can even count, but for me, it’s all about refusing to
stop. I can’t stop, and I won’t stop. That’s what has gotten me this far. I would take someone with 100 percent persistence and 50 percent talent over someone with 100 percent talent and 50 percent persistence, any day.”
Analogies are very often the supernatural stuff that we cling to for answers and reasoning, and for White, they have marked the many stops and starts of his musical career. On his way to Flexitone to record “Crazy Girl,” he drove through a torrential downpour. A tree collapsed in front of his car while he drove. A bridge that led to the studio was damaged in the storm and closed.
“In many ways, the storm represented the very relationship that I wrote about in ‘Crazy Girl,’ and here I was, driving through a storm in order to record it,” he said. “But I got there. I got through the storm, in order to get to the end result.”
Jordan White will be performing at the Four Dogs Tavern in West Chester on July 24, beginning at 2 p.m. The restaurant is located at 1300 W. Strasburg Road, in West Chester. To learn more about Jordan White, visit his website at www.jordanwhitemusic.com.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail rgaw@ chestercounty.com.
Courtesy photo
Singer-songwriter Jordan White will be performing at the Four Dogs Tavern on July 24.
Courtesy photo
White’s new single, “Crazy Girl,” will soon be released to 500 radio stations across the United States.
Our most generous act
The sources of our compassion do not discriminate. The wellspring of their beginnings are found everywhere – from the lessons of our upbringing, from our faith, and from our conscience. Sometimes, the eloquence of our best actions begin with a newspaper article. Days after a downed utility pole severely damaged their Honey Brook mobile home on June 29, John and Tiffany Rissler and their four children were left homeless when a truck, entering the mobile home park to deliver pipes for a well, clipped a utility wire near the Rissler’s mobile home. In the process, the truck brought down two telephone poles, one of which landed on the Rissler’s roof. Oil from the transformer spilled through the hole in the roof, soaking nearly everything inside the home. The Risslers accepted a credit card from the Red Cross, and an offer from the trucking company to stay in a nearby motel for a few days. On July 6, the home was condemned, and the Risslers have been told that they have two months to have their home demolished, at their expense. Their landlord has told them that there is nothing he can do for them. There is very little money; the only source of income the family has comes from a monthly disability check Tiffany receives for one of her children. “It’s like a nightmare you can’t wake up from,” Tiffany told us.
Within days of the accident, John reached out to the Chester County Press, asking us to write the story of what happened on the early evening of June 29. The article, “Family left homeless after accident is struggling to find a direction,” was written by Staff Writer John Chambless and posted on the newspaper’s website on July 9, and also appears in this week’s printed edition of the Press. In the days since, the story has received nearly 9,000 visits, almost 200 shares, and kicked the kindness and generosity of many of our readers into overdrive. In the last five days, we have received several e-mails from our readers, all of whom have volunteered to provide what they can. A woman asked us to forward her e-mail to the Rissler family, to tell them that she would take the family into her home and provide them with food, clothing and comfort. A 16-year-old girl from Pottstown also wrote, telling us that she went through her clothes and filled a trash bag with sweatshirts, jeans and shirts. The Risslers have set up an online GoFundMe account for donations, and in five days, have already received close to $1,000, mostly in anonymous donations.
“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries,” the Dalai Lama wrote. “Without them, humanity cannot survive.”
At our worst times, how many of us have had to dig deep into our pride and swallow it for the sake of asking for help? There is no cowardice in need; rather, there is heroism, and what the Risslers are doing by asking for help from strangers has allowed all of us – their Chester County neighbors – to put into motion the very act that makes us most human.
To make your contribution to the Rissler family, visit www.gofundme.com/yxkt3a2.
Chester County Press
Editorial missed the point of the dissent in the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage
Letter to the Editor:
The editorial in the July 1 issue excoriated Chief Justice Roberts along with Justices Scalia and Alito for their dissent in Obergefell v. Hodges, the same-sex marriage opinion. In doing so, the writer completely misses the point of the dissent and relies on profoundly misguided logic.
By a common form of tortured logic, the writer asserts
that a dissent to the majority opinion constitutes an objection to same-sex marriage. There is not one word in the dissents expressing opinion on the merits of same-sex marriage. Instead, the dissenters expressed deep concern over the majority’s determination of a new constitutional right and a further erosion of individual rights in the face of politically correct opinion.
The Fourteenth Amendment to
the U.S. Constitution was originally intended to eliminate racial discrimination by state governments. Since it took effect in 1868, the amendment has been stretched to cover all manner of states’ rights never envisioned.
The dissenters in Obergefell were simply expressing their dismay over the senseless argument of the majority and the implications for future damage to individual rights.
How quickly the editors have
forgotten Roberts’ Burwell decision saving Obamacare for the second time. There, as in Obergefell, the Chief Justice asserts the role of the court in a consistent if unpopular philosophy. Both the left and right must now accept that we have a Chief Justice who can and will rise above political pressures and popular ideas to follow principle.
Saving the library from its own board
Letter to the Editor:
Kennett Square Mayor Matt Fetick has asked Borough Council to vote next Monday, July 20, to withhold the further funding to the library until the library board complies with his requests for better accountability through direct representation. The library board has responded by asking “library supporters” to come to Borough Council meetings to protest the possible withholding of funds. The board is spinning Fetick’s move as an attack on the library and the services it provides— little children won’t learn to read, hours will be slashed, etc. But nothing could be farther from the truth. What Fetick is really trying to do is start the process of saving the library from itself—or, more specifically, from its ingrown library board. Fetick is standing up to a library board that doesn’t truly represent the public and because of that the board cannot consistently act in the public’s best interests. Fetick can’t change this problem overnight, but he at least wants representation on the board before the Borough parts with another penny.
To fully understand Mayor Fetick’s actions, you need to understand how the library board actually works today. The library is an independent nonprofit that receives government funding, not a government entity. The current board is largely comprised of members that have been cherry-picked by the board itself, mainly by the board leadership. To be blunt, you make it on the board if the current board leadership likes you, and, as we have recently seen, you are soon drummed off the board if they don’t. There are virtually no checks and balances.
The normal way a government-funded non-profit like the library provides some checks and balances is to have elected officials directly appoint some members to its board. If the board gets out of line, those members will strenuously object, and report back to the officials that appointed them. And if the public ultimately doesn’t like the results, they can hold their elected officials accountable. That’s exactly what Mayor Fetick is asking for.
Now, in theory, the board does have a way for elected offi-
cials to appoint members to the board. The board’s own by-laws provide a way for municipalities to appoint board members, but only if they contribute a certain amount—“pay to play.” But even “pay to play” does not really get you a seat on this library board. That’s because the current board leadership has stated publicly that even townships that meet the rules for appointing a representative must also get approval for their ‘appointees’ from the board!
So, in practice, there is really no way to get anyone on the board that doesn’t meet the approval of current board leadership. The current board is truly a power unto itself. And sadly, the current board leadership seems to like it that way. They believe, and have stated publicly, that they, and only they, have the proper expertise to pick board members who “represent the public.” After all, what do elected officials know about representing the public—especially compared to self-appointed board members.
Is it really any wonder the Borough and other municipalities have serious trust problems
with this library board and its leadership? And why only a few townships contribute any money at all? How would you feel if your representative to Congress was selected, not by vote in your district, but by Congress itself?
Mayor Fetick has taken a stand that there should be no contributions without representation, and he should be applauded for it. But really, for the library’s own good, the library board should amend its by-laws to make sure that each served municipality gets to directly appoint at least one representative, whether the municipality contributes [the fair share rate] or not. That’s the only way to make sure that the board is truly inclusive and accountable. If you would like for your voice to be heard on this matter, please plan on attending the upcoming borough, township and library meetings, and support Mayor Fetick’s initiative. The time has come to demand a change in how the library board is selected, and therefore how it operates.
Saying one thing, doing another
Harrisburg lawmakers made bold promises on education. It’s time to follow through
By Ann VonStetten Schott and Charlie Hample
Gov. Wolf is only half right when he says his landslide win in last year’s election equates with a mandate for adequate, equitable public school funding.
Because while this issue was indeed the cornerstone of his campaign, it was also frontand-center in the re-election campaigns of Republican legislators.
We should know: In last year’s election, we were the Democratic nominees for State Representative in the 13th and 97th State House districts, respectively. While our campaigns played out in two very different parts of the county, there were common themes.
We are both career public school teachers who were making our first runs for major elective office. We made these campaigns because we thought state government was failing our schools, students, and property taxpayers. And while we both came up short on Election Day, we were proud to run visible, competitive races.
In fact, our campaigns were so credible that our opponents spent tens of thousands of dollars to hammer home the messages that they, too, would
“stand up for schools,” and “allocate new natural gas severance tax revenues to education.”
So we were genuinely surprised that both Rep. Lawrence and Rep. Mentzer reversed course when given the chance to deliver on these and other campaign promises. Our opponents did all they could during the 2014 campaign to distance themselves from Tom Corbett’s record on education. Both made bold commitments with respect to responsible education funding and real property tax relief. And now both have voted for a budget proposal that:
Shortchanges schools by providing only three percent of the education investments requested by Governor Wolf. For context, over the past 20 years, no state spending plan has provided less than 90 percent of a governor’s proposed education budget.
Rejects the will of the voters by insulating out-of-state natural gas drillers from any increase in the nation’s lowest effective tax rate.
Shifts the responsibility for school funding onto local districts. While career politicians like our opponents will boast that they held the line on taxes, more than 70 percent
of Pennsylvania school boards have raised taxes for the next fiscal year; the cause and effect could not be clearer.
Exploits one-time sources and off-budget transfers in continuation of the Corbett-era budgets that led to successive credit downgrades. The Lawrence/ Mentzer budget also punts on required Social Security contributions, deferring an obligation in the same manner that caused the current underfunding of the state pension system.
We know that there is sometimes a gap between campaign rhetoric and a public official’s voting record. But the gap in this case is truly astounding: Both Rep. Lawrence and Rep. Mentzer campaigned aggressively on the issue of additional school funding. Not once did we hear them say that delivering on these commitments was dependent on privatizing state stores, a wholly unrelated policy goal. Nothing in their campaign platform or public statements signaled a desire to continue Tom Corbett’s austerity policies. This is where the voters come in. Public education is a core government function and by every standard, Pennsylvania is failing to deliver. We have the nation’s most inequitable
system of school funding and hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania students attend severely underfunded schools. These distinctions are not accidents: They reflect deliberate policy decisions, failure on the part of politicians to honor commitments, and a disengaged electorate. With Gov. Wolf’s veto, the state budget debate is effectively re-set, giving Pennsylvania the chance to do better. In the days and weeks ahead, the public should carefully monitor debates in Harrisburg and make their priorities clear to state policymakers. Voters should be especially attuned to earlier campaign promises with respect to fair and appropriate levels of education funding. Finally, we call on legislators—including the ones who beat us fair and square—to help restore faith in Harrisburg by governing in the same manner that they campaigned: With an unequivocal commitment to public schools.
Charlie Hample, of Warwick, is a teacher in the School District of Lancaster. Ann VonStetten Schott, of London Grove, recently retired from the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District.
M. G. McGrew Jennersville
Michael Guttman Kennett Township
LAURA M. ENGLAND
Laura M. England, 79, of Toledo, Ohio, and formerly of Oxford, Pa., died on June 2 at Hospice of Northwest Ohio. Born near Cream in Lower Oxford Township, she was the youngest of the 13 children of the late R. Ross and Erma Smith England. She graduated from Oxford High School, Class of 1953. She was employed as a legal secretary/paralegal and retired from State Farm Insurance Companies. She was an avid and experienced gardener, and enjoyed reading, quilting, knitting and other needlework. She was interested in genealogy and had compiled and published the history of her mother’s ancestors to their arrival in 1683 in Philadelphia. She is survived by her two daughters, Lynda M. Oros of Toledo, Ohio, and Leslie M. Greifinger of Marietta, Ga.; two grandsons, Jacob and Micah Greifinger; siblings, Verna E. Kirk, John M. England and Myra E. Ferguson; many nephews, great-nephews, nieces and great-nieces. She was predeceased by brothers, Roger R. England, Leroy W. England, Donald I. England, Willard L. England and Floyd N. England; sisters, Doris E. Reisler, Ethel E. Wiggins, Hilda E. Jones and Vera L. England; and son, Peter A. Oros, Jr. The family will receive guests from noon to 2 p.m. on July 20 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. (86 Pine St., Oxford). The memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Interment will be at Rose Bank Cemetery, Calvert, Md. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the charity of the donor’s choice. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
ERMA S. SINGER
Erma S. Singer, 79, was called to heaven on July 9 at Garden Spot Village in New Holland, Pa.
She lived much of her life in Kennett Square. She was the wife of P. Jay Singer, with whom she shared 59 years of marriage. Born in 1935, she was the daughter of the late Granville and Belloneida Benjamin Stephens. Erma was a 1953 graduate of Kennett High School, and was employed for many years at Kendal at Longwood in the personnel department. She was a member of Hamorton United Methodist Church for over 50 years. Erma loved her family, especially her grandchildren. She was devoted to her faith and her many friends. She was active in Cub Scouts and her monthly card club. Along with her husband, she enjoyed traveling and camping, especially post-retirement trips to Alaska, the western United States, and Europe.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by, and will be deeply missed by, her daughter Jaye Ann Hostetler (Rick) of Oxford; and sons Joe (Margaret) of Landisville, Pa., Jeff (Roxana), and Jerry (Sandi), both of Kennett Square; as well as nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; her sister, Peg Wade of Boynton Beach, Fla., and brother, Larry Stephens of Unionville; and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral was held July 13. A memorial service will be held at a later date at Garden Spot Village. In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to Garden Spot Village, 433 S. Kinzer Avenue, New Holland, PA 17557; or to the Hamorton United Methodist Church, 1052B E. Baltimore Pike, Kennett Square, PA 19348; or Rancks United Methodist Church, 700 Ranck Road, New Holland, PA 17557. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.griecocares.com.
ROBERT F. MANCILL II
Robert F. Mancill II passed away peacefully at the Pocopson Home on July 5.
Born in 1924 in Wilmington, Del., he was the son of the late Norman B. and Anna Marshall Mancill of Mendenhall, brother of the late Norman Mancill, and twin brother Alan Mancill. He attended Wilmington Friends School, the George School in Newtown, and
graduated from Lehigh University in 1949. Robert and his twin brother Alan served in the U.S. Army, 12th Armored Division from 1943 to 1945, where Alan was killed and Bob taken prisoner of war. Robert married Janet McGrath in1958 at Christ Church in Wilmington, Del. He was the proprietor of Mancill’s Hobby and Photo Shop in downtown Kennett Square for 30 years. He was also a member of the Kennett Lions Club for many years. Robert was a quiet man, a talented photographer, an avid reader, and a lifelong sports fan, especially baseball. He enjoyed spending time with his family, Sunday drives along the Brandywine River, and entertaining on the back patio in the summers.
He was the loving husband of the late Janet M. Mancill. He is survived by his sons James B. Mancill and his wife Lynn of Hilton Head Island, S.C., Thomas M. Mancill and his wife Barbara of Kennett Square, and Robert F. Mancill III of Pike Creek, Del.; and grandchildren Ashley, Alexandria, Clayton, Travis, Harrison, and Chase; and former daughter-in-law Laura Lynch and her daughter Rachel.
A visitation with family and friends will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on July 16 at the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home Inc. (250 W. State St., Kennett Square). A Quaker memorial service celebrating his life will follow at 5 p.m. Interment will be held privately before the visitation. Memorial contributions in his memory may be made to the Pocopson Home, 1695 Lenape Road, West Chester, PA 19382. To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, visit www.griecocares.com.
PAUL JOSEPH COSGROVE, JR.
Paul Joseph Cosgrove, Jr., 90, of West Chester, passed away on July 6. Son of Paul J. Cosgrove, Sr., and Miriam Reidenbach Cosgrove, Paul devoted most of his time painting scenes of Chester County, New England, and the Southwest. In addition, he explored modern art techniques. He was drafted in his senior year from St. Agnes High School. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy at Panama as Pharmacist Mate 3rd Class. He received the American Theatre and Victory medals. After graduating with a BS from Pennsylvania State University, Paul was employed at Shaw’s Hatchery and Wyeth Laboratories. He was a member of St. Agnes Church and the Knights of Columbus.
Paul is survived by brothers John and William of West Chester; and sister Alice of Warren, of Ohio. He was predeceased by his wife, Anne Mullin Cosgrove; brothers, Robert, Eugene, and Richard; and son, Joseph P. Cosgrove. He is survived by seven children, Melinda of Lincoln University, Mark of Wyndmoor, Timothy of Absecon, N.J., Lois of Trenton, N.J., Thomas of Elverson, Paul J. III of Kennett Square, and Peter of Christiana; seven grandchildren, Tina, Desiree, T. Christopher, Peter, Evyn, Paul J. IV, and Cory; and one great-granddaughter, Adrienne.
A funeral was held July 11. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimers Association, 399 Market St.
Suite 102, Philadelphia, PA 19106. To view an online tribute, visit www.griecocares.com.
MABEL COOK ROMANOWSKI
Mabel Cook Romanowski, 85, of Oxford, and formerly of Jennersville, passed away on July 6 at Ware Presbyterian Village in Oxford.
Born in West Chester, she was the daughter of the late Francis Christopher Cook and Bessie Cole Cook Cheney. She was a member of West Grove United Methodist Church and Alcoholics Anonymous. Mabel enjoyed gardening, cooking, knitting and handcrafts. She is survived by one daughter, Barbara R. Goodman (Roy G.) of Kempton; one son, Robert J. Romanowski, Jr. (Donna R.) of West Grove; three grandchildren, Valerie Daly and Robert J. Romanowski, III and Georgia Kee Goodman; three great-grandchildren, Meghan Daly, Patrick Daly and Taylor Rae Romanowski; and one sister, Mary Moore of South Carolina. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Bobbie Lee Romanowski.
A memorial service will be held on a later date. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Ware Presbyterian Village Employee Appreciation Fund, 7 E. Locust St., Oxford, PA 19363. Online condolences may be made at www. elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
Family left homeless after accident is struggling to find a direction
By John Chambless Staff Writer
A Honey Brook family is homeless and running out of options after a downed utility pole hit the roof of their mobile home on June 29.
Sitting outside their condemned trailer last Wednesday afternoon, John and Tiffany Rissler could do little but shake their heads as they described how a random accident has upended their lives over the past two weeks.
On June 29 at about 7 p.m., Tiffany said, “We were in the living room, and my parents and my brother were in the bedroom. We heard this big boom and the electric went out. I ran back to the bedroom, and my parents were on the bed, underneath the drywall from the roof. My brother had a big bruise and scrape on his leg. I went outside and saw the pole.”
Tiffany called 911 as neighbors gathered on the rutted cul-de-sac to take photos of a truck that
had entered the neighborhood to deliver pipes for a well in the area. The driver had clipped a low-hanging utility wire, bringing down two poles – one which fell to the ground, and the other one which was sheared off above the ground and landed on the Rissler’s home. The oil inside the transformer leaked down through the hole in the roof, soaking everything in the room, including the family’s clothes.
For Tiffany, the date was especially poignant. Her former husband committed suicide five years ago on June 26. A township inspector condemned the damaged home and locked the doors on July 6. While the trucking company, R&L Carriers, agreed to put the family up in a motel, that ended on July 9.
A credit card with $600 from the Red Cross has also mostly run out.
On the afternoon of July 8, when John and Tiffany and two of their four children, Lydia and Alicia, returned to see if
they could salvage something from their home, they found that someone had broken in through a window and stolen their TV.
John Rissler grimly pointed to a plastic bucket that still sat underneath the window. “It’s not our bucket, so somebody brought it over to stand on and get through the window,” he said. The couple called police, who had not arrived 45 minutes after their call.
While Lydia and Alicia entertained themselves by getting in and out of the family’s minivan, John and Tiffany admitted they were at a loss. Since the home is condemned, they have 30 to 60 days to have it demolished – at their expense.
“The only income I get is my son’s disability,” Tiffany said.
“My parents work, but everything they had in cash went for food and gas, and medication for my mom.”
A referral through Connect Points in West Chester will provide emergency shelter, but
will likely split the family up into separate housing in West Chester and Coatesville, Tiffany said. At this point, that may be the only option.
“We could stay in a tent because it’s summer, but we don’t even have enough money for that,” Tiffany said.
The landlord of Brandywine Terrace, Eugene Egan, Jr., has told the family there’s nothing he can do for them, John said. The rundown park was listed for sale in April 2015 at a price of $2 million, chiefly because it sits on 59 acres of land near Honey Brook.
The trucking company has offered the family a settlement of $2,500. But R&L Carriers, an Ohio-based shipping company, has a lengthy list of dismal online reviews, with customers calling them dishonest, uncaring and rude.
“The trucking company’s trying to say it’s the landlord’s fault, and PP&L’s fault,” Tiffany said.
“The landlord and the trucking
company are playing the blame game,” John said. “They’re saying, ‘He did it,’ ‘No, he did it.’”
There are yellow plastic ties on the replaced utility wire over Brandywine Terrace to make it more visible now, but there is no sign of anyone coming to help the Risslers.
“It’s like a nightmare you can’t wake up from,” Tiffany said. “Nobody wants to help. Ever since my children’s dad committed suicide, we’ve gone downhill. We get back up and then something else takes us down. I believe that God’s testing us to see if we can get through this.”
The Risslers have lived in Brandywine Terrace for two years. “I’d love to get out of this
park, but we’ve got nowhere to go. And after all this, to have somebody steal our TV,” John said, his voice trailing off. Lydia and Alicia could still smile as they chased each other around the yard, but Tiffany quietly admitted, “My dream is to get settled in a different place and just have some clothes for the kids to start school in the fall. Right now, I don’t know what we’re going to do. We’ve just got to stay strong and keep our heads high and we can do it.”
The Risslers have set up an online account for donations. Visit www.gofundme.com/ yxkt3a2.
To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@ chestercounty.com.
Photos by John Chambless John and Tiffany Rissler, with two of their children, Lydia and Alicia, in front of their condemned home in Honey Brook on July 8.
A downed pole rests on the roof of the Rissler’s home on June 29.
There are yellow flags on the lower wire now, after a truck pulled down two poles on June 29.
‘Purely Paint’ camp to be held Aug. 3 to 7
Programs let children express their creativity
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Maybe none of the children who attend a Studio KiD event at Kennett Design will ever grow up to call themselves a full-time artist, but such lofty aspirations have never served as the business model for the West State Street studio, anyway. Rather, the goal is to unlock the artist within every child, so anyone who peeks inside the studio in Kennett Square this summer will see the twirling, spiraling, colorful manifestation of young creativity fully at work, and at play.
Studio KiD, with programs that include “Kids Paint” classes every Tuesday and Thursday morning, and a “Purely Paint” summer camp during the week of Aug. 3 to 7. The “Purely Paint” camp, aimed at children from 8 to 11, will introduce campers to the basics of painting, under the supervision of Mindy Kempista. Using acrylic paints and brushes, children will paint on canvas, T-shirts, wood, rocks, shells and other surfaces. The artistic adventure for each day will be modeled after a famous artist’s work, and
Kennett Design has begun
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Longwood transforms itself into a wonderland of dancing lights
schedule.
By John Chambless Staff Writer
Any of the thousands of people who walked through Longwood Gardens in the summer of 2012 during “Light: Installations by Bruce Munro” will tell you that seeing the familiar gardens reimagined with lights and sound was unforgettable.
Clearly, given the recordbreaking attendance, Longwood Gardens has been looking for a way to repeat the experience. On July 1, “Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience” opened with a string of sold-out nights.
The immersive light show was created by Klip Collective of Philadelphia. As guests walk through places they’ve seen many times, they find the sites completely transformed by brilliant lights and surround-sound music that makes Longwood a whole new place.
“Nightscape” showcases nine locations – the Rose Arbor, Large Lake, Flower Garden Walk, Topiary Garden, the Conservatory and elsewhere. Maps are available of the sites, but in many ways, it’s more fun to wander and discover the lights and original music on your own.
“Using our Gardens as the inspiration and the canvas,
Klip Collective is creating an imaginative visual and sound experience,” said Longwood executive director Paul B. Redman.. “Our guests will journey through the landscape and encounter the beauty of the gardens in a new and memorable way, augmented by light, imagery, and sound.”
Klip Collective director Ricardo Rivera said, “‘Nightscape’ is an experience very much in relationship with what’s already here at Longwood. Within each different landscape, we’re interpreting the space through movement, color, light, and sound, feeding
off what’s there and illuminating it with our imaginations in a playful way.”
Klip Collective is a visual art shop bridging projection lighting, technology and storytelling. Klip was founded by photographer Pier Nicola DʼAmico and video artist Ricardo Rivera in 2003 to create immersive video projection experiences. Klip Collective has had installations at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Center for Contemporary Art in Moscow, and Sundance Film Festival’s New Frontier in 2007, 2013 and 2014.
At the Rose Arbor at Longwood, palms are illuminated in changing rainbow of colors. The Flower Garden Drive is turned into undulating waves of blue and green, making the hedges and trees resemble an underwater world. The Legacy Tree leaps to life as blue and violet lights move from the roots through its canopy, as if it’s shooting up out of the ground.
The Large Lake has a musical score that evokes the sounds of the night forest. The Flower Garden Walk is lit by thousands of points of light that scatter among the flowerbeds.
The shrubs in the Topiary
Garden are turned into solidlooking objects that will be a complete surprise to visitors.
Inside, in the Conservatory’s Silver Garden, the desert landscape is turned into an undulating scene. Layers of color and light animate the towering palms of the Palm House. Throughout thr run of “Nightscape,” there will be special programs, including live concerts, family nights, and an “Artist and Friends” lecture series.
Each Thursday in the new Beer Garden, regional artists perform live from 7 to 10 p.m. Visit longwoodgardens.org for the
During the “Artist & Friends” series, visitors can join Ricardo Rivera of Klip Collective, and a panel of technologists and artists as they discuss the design of “Nightscape.” Panel discussions are at 7 and 9 p.m. The schedule is: “Composers for Nightscape_ (July 10); “Designing an Experience” (Aug. 14); “Alternative Storytelling” (Sept. 11); “Effects of Technology on the Art of Storytelling” (Oct. 9). Family Nights are scheduled on July 15 and Aug. 19, when children can play a hide-and-seek game throughout the Gardens, and a live performance in the East Conservatory Plaza at 7 p.m.
As the weather cools, “Gardens on Tap” (Sept. 16 and Oct. 21 at 7 and 9 p.m.) offers lessons on the art and horticulture behind botanically inspired cocktails, spirits, and brews.
“Nightscape” is open Wednesday through Saturday from 6 to 11 p.m. through Oct. 31. Special tickets, which include all-day admission, are required and should be purchased in advance. Admission is $27 for adults (ages 19 and older); $17 for ages 5 to 18 (free for ages 4 and younger). For information, visit longwoodgardens.org/ nightscape.
Longwood Gardens is lighting up the night with sound and light installations through Oct. 31.
Photo by Alicia Fox
Kennett Design’s Studio KiD programs are held throughout the year.
Photo by Alicia Fox
The ‘Purely Paint’ camp at Kennett Design will be held from Aug. 3 to 7.
Photo by Alicia Fox
Under the tutelage of art instructors, children discover their own creativity and transfer it to the canvas.
Chester County Press
Calendar of Events The Art Spot
July 16 to 26
‘Hello, Dolly!’
Avon Grove Community Theater (ACT) will present Hello, Dolly! for two weekends at the Ware Center on the campus of Lincoln University (1570 Baltimore Pike, Lincoln University). Shows are July 16 at 7:30 p.m., July 17 at 7:30 p.m., July 19 at 2 p.m., July 23 at 7:30 p.m., July 24 at 7:30 p.m., July 25 at 7:30 p.m., and July 26 at 2 p.m. Tickets for reserved seating can be purchased at www.actheater.org, and at the door if available. Tickets are $20 for adults, $17 for students and seniors 62 and older. Prices are the same online as at the door.
July 18
‘Best of the ‘50s’ concert
The New London Community Choir will present “The Best of the ‘50s,” a concert of 1950s top hits, on July 18 at 7 p.m. at the Avon Grove High School Auditorium. For more information, call 610-869-8129 or email nlcommunitychoirpa@gmail.com.
July 18
Horse health event
Oxford Feed & Lumber (112 Railroad Ave., Oxford) hosts a horse health fair and tack swap on July 18 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Throughout the day, experts will discuss equine health and safety topics. There will be a tack swap (no charge to sell). Bring a table to set up items to sell. A barbeque will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
July 22
‘Cooking For Two’
Chef Kelly Gormley, owner of Peppercorns Catering, shares recipes and tips for preparing
budget-friendly, perfectly portioned meals for two on July 22 at 7 p.m. at the Oxford Area Senior Center (12 E. Locust St., Oxford). The community is welcome, and the program is free. Call for reservations at 610-932-5244.
July 23 to Aug. 1
‘Fiddler on the Roof’
The Brandywiners present “Fiddler on the Roof” at the Longwood Gardens Open Air Theatre on July 23, 24, 25, 30 and 31, and Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for students (13 to 21) and $15 for children 12 and younger. Group rates are available. Tickets include all-day admission to Longwood on the day of the show. Visit www.brandywiners. org or call 302-478-3355 for tickets.
July 26
Senior Center dinner
The Kennett Area Senior Center (427 S. Walnut St., Kennett Square) sponsors an afternoon “Sunday Dinner with Friends” on July 26 from 1 to 3 p.m., with a “Picnic Style” theme. There will be live music by Joe Allegro. The cost is $10 per person. Everyone is welcome, regardless of age. Call 610-444-4819 a week in advance for reservations.
Through Aug. 21
‘Movies in the Park’ “Movies in the Park” will return to the Oxford Memorial Park on June 19. This family-oriented event is hosted by the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by businesses in the community. The movie previews start at 8:30 p.m. Bring your own seating. This year’s screenings will be: “Big Hero 6” (July 17);
“Planes: Fire and Rescue” (Aug. 21). Concessions will be available at the pavilion throughout the evening. This event is free and open to the public. In the event of rain, the event will be cancelled. Visit www.oxfordpa. org for information.
Through Aug. 12
Nixon Park concert series
Anson B. Nixon Park, on Walnut Street in Kennett Square, is the site of free concerts this summer on Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. Bring your own seating. Picnic suppers are catered by local restaurants. For updated weather information, call 610-444-1416. The series includes: Americana by Mason Porter (July 15); clasic rock by Kategory 5 (July 22); singersongwriter Billy Penn Burger (July 29); rock/reggae by Bullbuckers (Aug. 5); Chicago tribute band Sounds of Society (Aug. 12).
Through Sept. 13
Honey Brook concerts
The Honey Brook Borough Park and Rec Committee is hosting a series of free outdoor concerts this summer at 71 Pequea Ave. (Route 10) in Honey Brook . The schedule is: Philadelphia-based Americana band Black Horse Motel (Aug. 9, 5:30 p.m.); Irish and Scottish influenced tunes by the trio Across the Pond (Sept. 13, 5 p.m.). The Honey Brook Lions Club will be selling food and beverages at each concert. Bring your own seating. The Honey Brook Food Pantry will be collecting food donations at each concert. Donations of nonperishable food items, toiletries and paper products will be accepted. Visit www.honeybrookborough. net for more information.
July 23
Experimental film program
The Delaware Art Museum (2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del.) presents an evening of local avant-garde films from the 1970s and 1980s on July 23 at 6:30 p.m. Part of the museum’s current exhibition, “Dream Streets: Art in Wilmington 1970–1990,” the program titled “Outsider Cinema: Newark and Wilmington Experimental Films of the 1970s and 80s” will feature works by Geo. Stewart, Flash Rosenberg, Arden Films, Steven Leech and others. Multi-keyboardist Woz will be premiering a new composition for Stewart’s abstract phantasmagoria, “Thoth.” Call 302-571-9590 or visit www. DelArt.org.
Through July 31
‘A Different View’ Longwood Art Gallery (200 E. State St., Kennett Square) is continuing Jack Giangiulio’s show, “A Different View,” through the end of July. For more informa-
Creativity...
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include a brief biography of the artist.
“On one day, we’ll work toward a Claude Monet style, and the next day, we’ll create a Jackson Pollock mess,” Kempista said. “I’ll probably have to drape covering over the entire studio on Pollock day, but it should be a lot of fun.”
For Kennett Design owner Marion Hess, the success of the children’s programs is measured not by discovering the “early work” of a future Rembrandt, but celebrating the originality of each child. She recalled a recent class when children were adding their own creative touches to an existing illustration of a giraffe.
“All of a sudden, one little girl decided to paint a bow on the giraffe’s long neck and put eyelashes on it,” Hess said. “She decided to take her painting to the next level, and that’s what gave her originality. One of the things we try to do is pick out something that’s great about each child’s ability. Each child is completing their own masterpiece, and we love to see a child put their own creative spin on their work.”
On Tuesdays and Thursdays in July and August, children ages 8 and older can attend “Kids Paint” with Lou Clayton of LouLou’s Whimsicals. The morning sessions, held from 10:30 a.m. to noon, give children the opportunity to paint their version of a pre-selected painting. Artists
tion, call 610-444-0146 or visit www.longwoodartgallery.com.
Through July 31
Fantasy art in Kennett Square
Metamorphosis Wellness Center (331 E. State St., Kennett Square) is featuring watercolors by Jessie Barber through July 31. Barber is a self-taught fantasy artist who creates paintings inspired by the natural world, animals and fairy tales. Also on view are acrylics by Dottie Randazzo. Call 610-444-8020 or visit www.metamorphosiswellnesscenter.net.
Through Aug. 23
Cartoons at Brandywine The Brandywine River Museum of Art (Route 1, Chadds Ford) hosts “Pointed Pens: Selected Cartoons from the Permanent Collection” through Aug. 23. The exhibit includes maze-like contraptions drawn by Rube Goldberg, political sketches by Thomas Nast, and many others that summarized
can be dropped off at the studio, while their parents can enjoy coffee or shopping in Kennett Square. During the school year, “Kids Paint” sessions are held after school, and on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Studio KiD is also the perfect spot for children’s birthday parties, where for 90 minutes, up to 16 party-goers can enjoy a group painting session, with art supplies and instruction to complete a painting.
“Every child has art in them, and it’s just a matter of how they express it,” Hess said. “We’re providing a vehicle for a child who has an artistic passion and really wants to take off, or a child who doesn’t and just wants to have the experience of completing a finished painting. No matter what their aspirations are, we give them that experience.”
The “Purely Paint” camp at Kennett Design runs from Aug. 3 to 7 from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and is open to children from 8 to 11 years old. The cost is $160.
“Kids Paint” sessions run every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 10:30 a.m. to noon, through Aug. 20, at a cost of $25. Parents can paint with their child for the same cost. A $5 loyalty credit is given to each participant to encourage attendance at multiple sessions during the summer.
To register online, visit www. kennett-design.com. Kennett Design is at 117 W. State St., Kennett Square.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail rgaw@chestercounty.com.
and satirized current events. For more information, visit www. brandywinemuseum.org.
Through July 19
Horace Pippin retrospective
The Brandywine River Museum of Art (Route 1, Chadds Ford) hosts “Horace Pippin: The Way I See It,” a major retrospective for the West Chester folk artist, through July 19. The museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults; $10 for seniors; $6 for students and children ages 6 to 12; free for children age 5 and younger, and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art members. Admission is free on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to noon. To submit items to the Art Spot, 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.
Community and youth center receives grant
The Garage Community & Youth Center has received a $25,000 grant that will support its after-school programs in Kennett Square and West Grove. The grant was received from the Andrew T. MacKnight Memorial Fund, the Claro-Gano Fund: A Grandmother’s Love, and the Walter E. Hering Fund of The Philadelphia Foundation. Kristin Proto, executive director of the Garage Community & Youth Center, said the funds would be used for the development of a two-year fund development plan for the organization.
“The Garage is approaching our 15th-year anniversary in 2016, and a formal development plan will further expand and diversify our funding streams and secure long term sustainability for the organization, she said. e want to ensure that we thrive for another 15 years! Founded in 2001, the two Garage locations provide a safe and supportive environment for at-risk teens during the critical after-school hours, and serves over 500 students a year through free tutoring, mentoring, community service, recreation and enrichment programs. To learn more about the Garage and volunteer opportunities, visit www. garageyouthcenter.org.
‘Holy Mountain III’ by Horace Pippin, is part of the major retrospective of the artist’s work at the Brandywine River Museum of Art. The exhibit ends on July 19.
Chesco Pops marks 10 years with anniversary concerts
The Chester County Pops Orchestra is marking 10 years of music with a summer concert series. A 10th anniversary concert will be performed at Oxford Area High School (705 Waterway Road, Oxford) on July 18 at 7 p.m.; Phoenixville Area Middle School (386 City Line Ave., Phoenixville) July 19 at 3 p.m.; and Fugett Middle School (450 Ellis Lane, West Chester) on July 21 at 7 p.m.
The concert will highlight
Chesco Pops favorites, as well as introduce some new music, including Broadway favorites, music from “Star Wars,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” and “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.”
The program also features “Celebration Fanfare,” a work written especially for this occasion by composer Joe Tracy. The orchestra will also feature its saxophone quartet in “Stephen Foster Revisited.”
Since its inception in the fall
of 2005, the 65-member Chester County Pops Orchestra has been presenting pops, jazz and light classical music. Now under the direction of Joseph Gehring, the Chesco Pops continues to entertain people of all ages. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, free for children and students. For more information and for tickets, visit www.chescopops.org, email chescopops@gmail.com, or call 610-594-9178.
Chester County Sheriff Welsh elected to National Sheriffs’ Association Executive board
Chester County Sheriff, Carolyn Bunny Welsh, has been elected to the position of Sergeant in Arms of the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA). She was sworn into the position at the National Sheriffs’ Association Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. This is the first time a woman has been elected to the executive level of the NSA in the 75 year history of the association.
Sheriff Welsh has served as Sheriff of Chester County since January 2000. She has served on the NSA Board of Directors for four years, and she also serves on the Ethics Training and Accreditation Committee and the Legislative Committee.
Welsh is past-president of the Pennsylvania Sheriffs’ Association and has been named to the Hall of Fame of the International Police Association.
“Sheriff Welsh brings experience, good judgment and great talent to the NSA board,” commented NSA President Sheriff Danny Glick, from Laramie County, Wyoming. “We are pleased to work with her on issues affecting sheriffs throughout the nation. She has shown an enthusiasm and a willingness
to work with all levels of government for the betterment of the citizens of Chester County, Pennsylvania and other counties throughout the country.”
Sheriff Welsh said, “I am honored to become part of the NSA executive committee as Sergeant at Arms. This is a prestigious board with many talented sheriffs from all over the United States.
“They are an outstanding group of dedicated public servants who work for their constituents in each and every county all over the nation. I am proud to be working with them, and have the opportunity to be part of an exceptional group of sheriffs with great abilities and resources.”
Chester County Commissioner appointed to Pipeline
Chester County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone has been appointed to Pennsylvania’s Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force (PITF).
The Commissioner will serve as chair of the County Government work group within the task force, leading the work group’s development of recommendations and best practices.
The purpose of the PITF is to recommend the best ways to plan, site, route and construct pipelines to avoid or reduce environmental and community impacts; to get public participation; to maximize opportunities for predictable and efficient permitting; and to ensure safety and integrity during operation of the pipeline.
Task Force
“Over the next decade, Pennsylvania will undergo a substantial pipeline infrastructure build-out to transport gas from thousands of wells throughout the state,” Cozzone said. “In Chester County alone, there are nearly 600 miles of existing pipeline corridors that run through the landscape of Chester County’s 760 square miles. We were the first county in the state to establish a pipeline notification protocol to bring together operators, municipalities and other government departments and agencies to research and establish a communications plan.
“The result of the pipeline notification protocol, the Pipeline Information Center, is an inter-
active website that, in less than a year has proved to be of great interest and value to Chester County residents. I am pleased to have been asked to be a part of the PITF and look forward to bringing to the table many of the ideas and best practices already being undertaken in Chester County,” Cozzone added. The actions of all work groups within the PITF include coordination with federal and state agencies, local governments, industry representatives, landowners and environmental and cultural resource advocates. A final report, compiling all work group recommendations, will be presented to the Governor in February 2016.
Avon Grove School District seeks individuals to serve on Community Input Group
The Avon Grove School District is seeking individuals to serve on a Community Input Group (CIG) for the purposes of studying the administration’s Strategic Vision for Facilities for the district. In addition, the Community Input Group will be charged with reviewing the district-wide facilities study prepared by Gilbert Architects, Inc., along with building options, enrollment and demographic data, the district’s educational plan, and borrowing and debt service.
The Community Input Group will work together beginning in August 2015 through December 2015 to review all aspects of the
facilities study and the administrative recommendation. The feedback from the group will be presented at a Board meeting in December 2015. Dr. Christopher Marchese, superintendent, presented the administration’s Strategic Vision for Facilities for the Avon Grove School District at the April 22 Facilities Committee Meeting. The vision includes a three-phase plan to implement full-day kindergarten by September 2016; begin constructing a new high school on the Sunnyside Road property by 2017; and renovate the existing Avon Grove High School to become a 6-8 middle school by 2020. The administration’s Strategic
Vision for Facilities was developed based on a thorough review of the district-wide facilities study prepared by Gilbert Architects and presented to the Facilities Committee on March 4, 2015. Public feedback on the study gathered through an online survey was also considered. Individuals interested in serving on Avon Grove’s Community Input Group should apply to the school district by submitting a cover letter of interest and a resume to Dr. Wendi Lee Kraft, Board Secretary, Avon Grove School District at 375 S. Jennersville Road, West Grove, PA 19390 or www.facilitiesinput@avongrove.org.
day, Ben Young, one of the coaches, and members of the team arrived at the winning bidder’s home to spread mulch, pull weeds, and do other yard work.
Avon Grove students win at Envirothon Competition
A team from Fred S. Engle Middle School won first place in the aquatics category at the annual Chester County Envirothon Competition held at Hibernia Park on May 7, and overall Engle placed third out of 31 teams that competed.
The Envirothon is a countywide competition on environmental education. Students study and experience the outdoors by learning about five themes: aquatics, soil, forestry, wildlife, and a current event topic.
Envirothon is open to seventhand eighth-grade students who love learning about the outdoors. Meetings begin in February and are held about once per week until the competition in May. Each team consists of roughly
five members. The teams rotate to test stations for each environmental theme.
A total of 22 students participated in the Envirothon program at Engle Middle School. Of those, 20 students split into three teams competed at Hibernia Park.
Participants for Fred S. Engle Middle School included Sarah Gillespie, Abby Caruso, Kelsey Sheehan, Sarah Renz, Reagan Hottenstein, Sahana Sundar, Kaylin Berghoefer, Gracen Deaven, Carly Clark, Kyra Van Voorhees, Lindsay Felker, Nicolena Govatos, Austin Gaydos, Alan Hoffman, Alex Alvarez, Marin Lynch, Spencer Rigg, Nick Dinsmore, Daniel Crew, and Ian Clark.
Local Interest
McKeever commissioned from the United States Air Force Academy
On May 28, Amanda Evelyn McKeever, a 2011 Oxford Area High School graduate, was commissioned from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado with a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science and a minor in Chinese. At the U.S. Air Force Academy, Amanda traveled across the country with the forensics team and studied abroad at Nanjing University in China. Amanda dedicated hundreds of hours of community service to the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, in addition to conducting psychological research in order
Avon Grove football sign-ups start
Avon Grove NFL Flag Football has begun online registration for players ages 5 through 16. Players must register at www. agflag.com. Mail-in or walkin registrations are no longer accepted.
Fall registration will run through Aug. 15. Late registrations are not accepted. Proof of age is required for new players. Age requirements are determined by the player’s age on Sept. 1. Games will be played on Sunday afternoons in Landenberg from early September through early November. The cost is $85 per player. For more information, email Jim Russell at agflag@aol. com or visit www.agflag.com.
to improve employability for people who are deaf, presenting the research at several prestigious psychological conferences across the country. Amanda also conducted research and policy change for the Dean of Faculty regarding sexual assault and assisting victims through their cases and preventing them from failing out of school. Amanda will be stationed in Virginia as a Behavioral Scientist for the Air Force.
Fort Bragg soldier crowned Miss Rodeo North Carolina 2015
1st Lt. Devin Redding, the budget officer for 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), has been crowned Miss Rodeo North Carolina 2015.
A 2012 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. and veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, Redding hopes to use her title to educate and empower others through rodeo.
“I think it is amazing that we get this opportunity as state queens to motivate and inspire future generations of rodeo competitors, rodeo queens and equestrians,” said Redding.
“Miss Rodeo North Carolina is an opportunity to really make a difference in our state.”
Redding will spend the next several months representing North Carolina at various events and competing for the title of Miss Rodeo America in Las Vegas, Nev. in December.
“We are really proud to have her as a member of our armed forces supporting rodeo and agriculture in North Carolina,” said Miss Rodeo North Carolina National Director Lindsey Harper. Redding is a native of Avondale.
with Karlyn at the awards ceremony are (left to right, front row) her brother Bryson Morgan, Karlyn, brother Branson Morgan; (left to right, back row), grandmother Sandy Walborn, mother Kelly Morgan, father Greg Morgan, brother Ben Morgan, and grandmother Jean Morgan. Representatives from
Courtesy photo
daughter of Peter and Laura King of Oxford. Phillip is the son of William and Melissa Hostetter of Oxford. Victoria graduated from Bishop Shanahan High School, and Phillip graduated from Oxford Area High School.
Local Interest
Oxford Reading Club hosts author and illustrator Lee Harper
The Oxford Reading Club recently hosted children’s book author and illustrator Lee Harper, of Doylestown, who has provided the artwork for several award-winning books, including “Woolbur” by Leslie Helakoski, “Looking for the Easy Life” by Walter Dean Myers and three books
by Wendi Silvano, “Turkey Trouble,” “Turkey Claus” and “Turkey Trick or Treat,” which will be released this summer. Harper has also illustrated his own work, including “Snow! Snow! Snow!,” “The Emperor’s Cool Clothes” and “Coyote.”
At the Oxford Reading Club meeting, Harper spoke about
Local team earns spot in pool championship
The School House Sisters team of Honey Brook has qualified for the 2015 APA Ladies 8-Ball Championship to be conducted by the American Poolplayers Association (APA) in Las Vegas from Aug. 13 to 15. They will be joining hundreds of other APA players from throughout North America who will be traveling to the Westgate Las Vegas Resort &
Casino to compete in the event. The Ladies 8-Ball Championship is held in conjunction with the APA National Team Championships, which will also include the 8-Ball and 9-Ball National Championship tournaments. Last year, the APA National Team Championships, along with the MiniMania events, paid out more than $1
million in prize money. School House Sisters are members of the APA Pool League and participate in monthly league play at Schoolhouse Inn in Honey Brook. Team members include Stacy Hannum (captain), Karen Hoffman,
The
The APA sanctions the world’s largest amateur pool league, known as the APA Pool League, throughout the United States and as the Canadian Pool League in Canada. For more information, visit www.poolplayers.com.
his career and artistic training and provided a step-by-step overview of how his work progresses from sketches to complete paintings. He also showed how his illustrations are incorporated throughout a book and how a book goes from idea to finished product.
The Oxford Reading Club members are working on writing and illustrating their own books, and following his presentation Harper demonstrated how he develops the characters that appear in his books and provided tips to the young author/illustrators for using drawings to complement their writing.
Victoria Huyett King and Phillip Andrew Hostetter, both of Oxford, have
School House Sisters team, from Honey Brook, is going to Las Vegas in August.
Courtesy photos
Award-winning illustrator and author Lee Harper recently visited with elementary school students in the Oxford Area School District to talk about his career and provide pointers on illustrating their own stories. Mr. Harper is pictured with Assistant Superintendent Dr. Margaret Billings-Jones and, from left, Elk Ridge Elementary School second graders Brisa Fonseca, Jackson
Price and Nina Cram, first grader Anderson Boyle and second grader Emmanuel Rodriquez. In addition to visiting the elementary schools, Mr. Harper joined the members of the Oxford Reading Club at their evening meeting to offer expert advice on illustrating the books they are currently writing.
Kasey Hoffman, Annie Sellers and Danise Gentzsch.
the above named having been granted to the undersigned, all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the said decedent are requested to make known the same and all persons indebted to the said decedent to make payment without delay to Sherry Potter Executrix, 5 Karnik Court, Lincoln University, Pa 19352 7p-1-3
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF :John H. Ware,IV a/k/a John Haines Ware, IV, deceased late of Oxford Borough, Chester County, Deceased. Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named having been granted to the undersigned, all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the said decedent are requested to make known the same and all persons indebted to the said decedent to make payment without delay to NancyW. Sapp and Debra W. Kline, Executrices,C/O Christina Mesires Fouraris, Esq., 1701 Market St., Philadelphia,PA 19103-2921 Or their Attorney: Christina Mesires Fouraris, Esq., Morgan, Lewis and Boclius LLP 1701 Market St., Philadelphia,PA 19103-2921 7p-1-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF :Margaret A. Lease a/k/a Margaret Mayo Lease, a/k/a/ Margaret Arnold Lease deceased late of Borough of West Grove Chester County, Deceased. Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named having been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the said decedent are requested to make known the same and all persons indebted to the said decedent to make payment without delay to Susan Federowicz, Executrice, C/O Pappano Breslin 3305 Edgemont Avenue, Brookhaven, PA 19015 Or their Attorney: Dana Breslin, Pappano Breslin
3305 Edgemont Avenue, Brookhaven, PA 19015 7p-1-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF Lois M. Mc Dade, deceased late of Borough of East Nott ingham Township, Chester County, PA Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named having been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the said decedent are requested to make known the same and all persons indebted to the said decedent to make payment without delay to Michael K. Mc Dade Executor , 122 Oxford Rd. Oxford, PA 19363
Or his Attorney: Kenneth R. Pyle, Esqu. The Law Office of Kenneth R. Pyle, P.C. 64 S. 3rd St., Oxford , PA 19363-1603 7p-8-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF Robert L. DiMidio, deceased late of East Brandywine Township Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named having been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the said decedent are requested to make known the same and all persons indebted to the said decedent to make payment without delay to Christopher R. DiMidio, Executor C/O Robert J. Breslin, Jr.,Esq. Pappano Breslin 3305 Edgemont Avenue, Brookhaven, PA 19015 Or to her Attorney: Robert J. Breslin, Jr., Esquire Pappano Breslin 3305 Edgemont Avenue, Brookhaven, PA 19015 7p-8-3t
NOTICE OF ORDINANCE
ADOPTION –CHALLENGE
OPPORTUNITY
The Board of Supervisors of Penn Township is providing public notice of the opportunity to challenge the validity of the herein described Ordinance on the basis that a defect in procedure, as permitted under Section
1002-A(b) or 1002.1-A, of the PA Municipalities Planning Code, resulted in a deprivation of constitutional rights, and to provide a period of limitation to raise such challenges. The Board of Supervisors of Penn Township is providing this Notice for Adoption of Ordinance No. 2015-03, adopted on June 25, 2015, which includes the following: An amendment to the Penn Township Zoning Ordinance of 1968, as further amended, Article II Definitions Section 200 Definitions replacing the existing definition of “Surgery”. This publication is intended to provide notification of ordinance enactment. Any person claiming a right to challenge the validity of the ordinance must bring legal action within 30 days of the publication of the second notice described herein. The full text of the ordinance is available for review at no charge, and copies may be obtained for a charge not greater than the cost thereof, at the Penn Township Municipal Building, 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, PA during their normal business hours. If you are a person with a disability or need special services or facilities, contact Penn Township at 610-869-9620.
R. Samuel McMichael, Esquire Solicitor for Penn Township
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Notice of Incorporation
SOL INVICTUS INC. has been incorporated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988.
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ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF MICHAEL ANGELO PELUSO, SR., deceased late of Coatsville, PA Letters Testamentary on the
Company, C/O
Willits McConnell, Esq., 24 E.
St. , P.O.
565, West Chester, Pa 19381 Attorney: Lamb McErlane PC 24 E. Market St. P.O. Box 565 West Chester, PA 19381 7p-15-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF Emma R. Giordano, deceased late of Paoli, PA Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named having been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the
said decedent are requested to make known the same and all persons indebted to the said decedent to make payment without delay to Francis A. Faralli, Executrix, C/O Anthony J. Beldecos, Esq., Lundy Beldecoe and Milby, PC 450 N. Narberth Ave. Suite 200, Narberth, PA 19072. Attorney: Lundy, Beldecoe and Milby, PC 450 N. Narberth Ave. Suite 200, Narberth, PA 19072. 7p-15-3t
ESTATE NOTICE ESTATE OF : Howard Carr late of West Fallowfield Township, Chester County,
Deceased. Letters Testamentary on the above Estate having been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the said decedent are requested to make known the same and all persons indebted to the said decedent to make payment without delay to: James Richey, Executor, C/O Winifred Moran Sebastian, Esquire, 208 E. Locust Street P.O. Box 381 Oxford, PA 19363 Attorney:Winifred Moran Sebastian 208 E. Locust Street P.O. Box 381 Oxford, PA 19363 7p-15-3t
to the Administrator : Susquehanna Trust and
