Kennett schools will reopen remotely on Sept. 8
By Chris Barber Contributing Writer
The Kennett Consolidated School District Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved Superintendent Dr. Dusty Blakey’s remote reopening model at a special meeting. With that approval, the model, which calls for the school year to start on Sept. 8, will be submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
The submitted plan applies to the actions of the first marking period, which ends on Nov. 13. Plans for the
continued execution will be addressed at the October school board meeting.
The board does not ordinarily meet in August, but needed to resolve the question of how the schools would reopen in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has proven to have the potential to be spread widely if the necessary precaustions aren’t taken.
Blakey presented his report based on the need to both educate the students and keep them safe. He reminded the board and the 424 people who had accessed the Zoom online presentation
that he originally had at first considered three options: inperson attendance, a hybrid model that included remote and in-person instruction, and a total remote option. He said he had surveyed his faculty as well as community members in order to make his decision. He admitted that, “No plan is perfect.”
Blakey said he also sought advice from state and local agencies as well as from other nearby superintendents. His frustration was exacerbated, he said, because in many cases the information from the state
and county were contradictory. He realized that he and the other heads of schools were on their own for making plans.
One of the pieces of data that influenced his decision, he said, was the survey of faculty that yielded the majority felt more comfortable and safe with a totally remote model than in-person education.
The bulk of the meeting was dedicated to presentations by administrators of the kindergarten, elementary schools, middle school, special populations and high school. They explained the
outcomes of their planning, utilizing a PowerPoint presentation.
Greenwood Elementary School Principal Dr. Tracey Marino said the plans “….(M)irror the school day as much as possible) and aim to follow state Department of Education mandates.”
This includes 180 instruction days and/or 990 hours of school.
April Reynolds, who talked about the kindergarten program, said the curriculum includes motor activities as well.
Director of Special
‘Kennett Students Speak’ postponed, Aug. 8 online event planned
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Normally, the long steps at the front of Kennett High School are most known for their use at the school’s annual Commencement exercises, when each graduate gets to walk in the limelight of his or her achievement before an admiring audience seated below.
On Aug. 1, those steps were to host “Kennett Students Speak,” a live event that would give sev-
eral KHS students and graduates of color a forum to share their grievances against the school for what they deem has been racial insensitivity and marginalization of African-American and Hispanic students over the past several decades.
On July 31, however, event organizers – and KHS graduates – Naomi Simonson, Daniela Carmona and Kassie Allyon -- decided to postpone the event on the recommendation of officials in the Kennett Consolidated School District, who
expressed concern that the event could possibly lead to legal action against the organizers.
In its place, a virtual event will be held on Aug. 8, beginning at 1 p.m. (kcsdstudentconcerns@gmail. com.) In addition to guest speakers who will share their stories and concerns, the forum will be open to KHS students, alumni, school administration, teachers and families who live in the district.
“We wanted it on one hand to be cathartic for stu-
‘Always’ and ‘Sunny’:
dents past and present, to give them an opportunity to share their stories that may not have been heard or responded to the first time around,” Simonson said. “It was also an opportunity for the administration to listen to students in a way they hadn’t before. What you see throughout all the schools in the district is a lack of trust between students and the administrations, so we were hoping to present this event as a united front for everyone.”
If there was a galvanizing
voice that inspired the now postponed Aug. 1 event, it was – and is – found in www.instagram.com/ blackbrownchestercountyspeak, which was created as a safe space for students of color throughout Chester County to share their stories of discrimination, racism, homophobia, bullying and marginalization, either from student to student or student to teacher/administrator. The forum has received posts from students in the Avon Grove, Coatesville,
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Chester County couple nearing end of Appalachian Trail journey
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Last Wednesday afternoon, Kera Passante paused from the most incredible walk of her life to tell the story of how she and her boyfriend Bill Welch put their entire lives on hold this past March to walk the entirety of the 2,193-milelong Appalachian Trail, a massive undertaking for the courageous and the willing, that begins in Georgia and ends in Maine.
The phone call was made from a stop on Bald Pate Mountain near Bridgton, Maine - mile 1,928 on the Appalachian Trail – and just
moments before Passante and Welch began their descent of a summit that will lead them to several more peaks and valleys on their way to finishing a journey that began five months ago.
For 34-year-old Welch – a West Chester native – and 32-year-old Passante -- who grew up in Kennett Square – the idea of embarking on America’s most famous trail took a serious turn during the couple’s hike through the Pennsylvania portion of the “A.T.” on Christmas Day in 2018.
“It was something that we had both wanted to do since we were kids, and we kept
talking about the idea of someday hiking the entire trail,” Passante said. “But that day, our conversation took a giant leap forward. We asked ourselves, ‘How many times are we going to talk about this thing that we want to do? Let’s just do it.’”
Welch and Passante promptly finished the hike, returned to their Malvern home and began what would become a planning process that would take them the next 15 months. Piece by piece and obligation by obligation, they put their life on hold. As winter became spring, they
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Nancy Johnson’s whimsical and heartwarming new book, Moe and Lucy
– Reunited at the Rainbow Bridge came about after the family’s beloved Jack Russell terrier named Moe passed away.
“Initially, I wanted to write Moe and Lucy -Reunited at the Rainbow Bridge to help myself heal from a broken heart,” Johnson said. “The unexpected loss of my son’s Jack Russell terrier, Moe, hit me extremely hard.” Johnson, a former staff writer with the Chester
County Press, started writing down some ideas for a story while Maize was cuddled up in her lap. Moe and Lucy had four litters of 16 puppies together, including a dog named Maize, also one of Johnson’s beloved pets.
“I thought about Maize being the very last of all the puppies Moe and Lucy had together and then suddenly I envisioned Moe and Lucy reunited together in a happy afterlife,” Johnson explained.
Lucy helps Moe explore what is beyond the Rainbow
Bridge—the most amazing dog park anywhere. She also helps him learn how to stay connected with his loving family here on Earth.
According to Johnson, the story that she crafted is appropriate as a story time book for young children or for middle readers to read themselves, but the touching, timeless tale has a wider audience—anyone who has ever had to say goodbye to a special dog.
Johnson explained, “While writing this book, I became keenly aware of the
Photos courtesy of Bill Welch and Kera Passante Kera Passante and Bill Welch began their 2,200-mile journey along the Appalachian Trail on March 4, and expect to complete their trek in late August.
A cut above: Linda’s Hair Techniques celebrates 30 years in business
By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
Thirty years ago this week, Linda Deeney opened her salon, Linda’s Hair Techniques, for the first time. She still loves the work of making others feel good about how they look as much as she did on that day in August of 1990.
“I have always loved doing hair,” she said. “It’s a lot of work, but I love the people and I love what I do.”
By the time Deeney opened Linda’s Hair Techniques in 1990, she had already built up a loyal client base after working as a hair stylist for about 10 years. She is one of those people who was blessed with knowing what her life’s work would be from a very young age. She was still a student in high school when she first went to work for a salon shampooing hair. She later earned a scholarship and started hairdressing school in the Academy of Hair Design in Wilmington, Del.
The transition to working as a professional stylist was a smooth one.
“I’ve been working ever since,” she said, explaining that, even when she’s on vacation, she’ll catch herself looking at a person’s hair and analyzing how she would style it.
Deeney was born and raised in southern Chester County. She and her husband live in Landenberg, and when it was time to open her own business, she chose a location in the Chelsea Station in Avondale. She later moved the business to its present location in the London Grove Village shopping center. She likes being located in the same com-
munity where she grew up.
She is an Avon Grove High School graduate, and her business has been able to support school and community activities through the years—something that she takes great joy in being able to do.
Trends in hairstyles are always changing, but from the very beginning Deeney’s business was built on the foundation of providing service to clients that is a cut above.
The staff at the salon has always played an important part in achieving that mission. Deeney said that she has been fortunate to have hairstylists who have made Linda’s Hair Techniques their home.
“A lot of my staff has been with me 14, 15 years,” Deeney said. “They stay for a long time.”
She explained that she and the other stylists are always undergoing training to stay informed about the latest trends and best practices in the industry. Sometimes, they take part in in-salon education programs, while other times they travel to attend training classes.
While the work of a hair stylist comes naturally to
her, Deeney said that it has been an ongoing learning experience to handle the business side of things.
“It hasn’t always been easy, but I keep pushing forward,” she said. “It takes a lot of learning to run a business. A lot of people have helped me out through the years.”
She said that helping to make other people look and feel their best brings her joy. She has been styling hair for four decades now, and during that time there have been many different hair trends. Deeney said that she does not prefer one style period over another—she has liked something about all the trends, even mullets, which she will still do for people who prefer that style.
“I like how the styles change,” Deeney said. “I’ve really liked it all.”
Linda’s Hair Techniques offers a full range of services, including manicures, pedicures, facials, waxing, and more. Information about those services is available on the website lindashairtechniques.com.
Deeney’s perseverance and dedication to her clients have been helpful as she, as well as hairstylists
all across the U.S., faced significant challenges trying to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pennsylvania salons were required to shut down to help slow the spread of coronavirus, and they were among the last industries that could reopen.
It was very difficult for Deeney and the other staff at Linda’s Hair Techniques to be kept away from their clients. Some of Deeney’s clients have been a part of her life since before she even opened her own salon. Each week that passed meant that more appointments needed to be cancelled.
“It was so rough,” Deeney admitted. “I would go down every week and call the people to cancel the appointments for that week. That was hard.” It was heartening to be able to welcome clients back since the salons were permitted to be reopened.
The absence did serve as a reminder of just how important a hair stylist can be in a person’s life. A lot of Pennsylvanians missed out on at least one appointment during the shutdown, and booking an appointment at a salon was a nice treat for
a lot of people once the reopening started.
“People have been so nice,” Deeney said, explaining that she worked for seven days a week, up to 80 hours a week, to take care of all the clients who hadn’t been able to get their hair cut in several months.
Navigating through the pandemic was a hurdle, but there have been other hurdles during the past 30 years. Most salons don’t reach the 30-year mark, and Deeney expressed her gratitude to the many people who played a part in making Linda’s Hair Techniques a success.
“This business is about relationships,” she said. “We get invitations to birthdays and weddings. We become a part of the family.”
Those relationships are also why she still loves her job as much as did 40 years ago when she started working as a hairstylist and 30
years ago when she opened her own salon.
“I love what I do,” she said. “I am very comfortable behind the chair.” She added that she feels very blessed to be reaching an important milestone this week.
“I would just like to thank my husband Dave, my family, my staff and friends for all the love and encouragement throughout the past 30 years,” Deeney said. “Without them, I could not have made it this far. It has been both a blessing and a pleasure to build a business in an area in which I was born and raised.”
To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
Linda’s Hair Techniques 911 Gap Newport Pike London Grove North Avondale, Pa. 610-268-3221
Lawrence bill regarding coronavirus testing signed into law
Legislation authored by State Rep. John Lawrence (R-West Grove) to ensure transparency and accountability with the Commonwealth’s COVID19 response on broad based coronavirus testing was signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf.
“Robust COVID-19 test-
ing is critical to moving Pennsylvania forward in the coming days,” said Lawrence. “Our ability to get back to work, back to school and back to normal hinges on vigorous testing capability and hopefully an effective vaccine in the near future.” House Bill 2455
requires the governor to submit comprehensive, federally required state-level COVID-19 testing plans to the General Assembly for review. In addition, the Pennsylvania Department of Health must provide biweekly reporting on technology and testing supplies procured by the state, the number of positive and negative tests processed by the state laboratory in Exton, demographic data on test results, and limitations experienced by the state lab, including lack of chemical reagents or other testing components.
Lawrence originally introduced House Bill 2455 after learning the state Department of Health blocked the Chester County Health Department from using thousands of COVID-19 test kits procured to test
first responders and medical professionals. Chester County eventually secured authorization to utilize the kits and continues to provide COVID-19 testing at sites across the county.
A second COVID-19 related bill authored by Lawrence, House Bill 2540, passed the House last week with broad bipartisan support. The bill establishes the State Epidemiology Advisory Council, to bring together the top infectious disease doctors in the Commonwealth, and
would be responsible for providing the General Assembly and the governor with fact-based, scientifically accurate policy recommendations in response to the coronavirus pandemic. House Bill 2540 has been referred to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee for further review.
House Bill 2455, now Act 70 of 2020, passed the House and the Senate with near-unanimous bipartisan support. The new law is effective immediately.
Courtesy photos
Hair stylist Linda Deeney is celebrating the 30th anniversary of her salon, Linda’s Hair Techniques, this week.
The staff at Linda’s Hair Techniques includes (from left to right) Alyssa, Allison, Shantal, Brittany, Linda, Patty, and Joyce.
School...
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Education Dr. Heather Collins said, “We will support the social and emotional needs of the students and staff as well.”
The new calendar shows Sept. 8 and 9 are designated for orienting the students to the system.
The school classes begin at 7:40 a.m. and conclude at 2:35 p.m. Students will all have computers and educa-
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moved out of their house, put all of their items in storage. Welch took a leave of absence from his job, and Passante -- a licensed professional counselor specializing in experiential therapy – did the same.
On March 4, 2020, Welch and Passante arrived at the face of Spring Mountain in Georgia, and with the support of their friends and families at their backs, took their first steps on the Appalachian Trail.
During the first leg of their journey, the weather was not kind. In Georgia, they were pelted with a “bi-polar” flip-flop of continuing weather moments that fluctuated between severe cold and snow to 60-degree temperatures. They trudged through waves of fog that complete obscured vistas, as well as through thunderstorms and hailstorms. In the common vernacular known among Appalachian Trail thruhikers, they “embraced the suck.”
Averaging between 15 and 20 miles a day, they worked their way northward, coinciding with the similar destinations of what are known as “Trail Angels,” fellow travelers and residents along the trail who provided them with overnight accommodations, food, advice and companionship.
Early in their trip, as they reached Neels Gap near Blood Mountain in Georgia after a 16-mile hike, they searched for a place to camp for the night and heard faroff music and saw a blazing campfire. They introduced themselves to the rest of the travelers as “Bill and Kera from Philadelphia.”
The next morning, as they rose from their tent, they met their campfire friends, who had forgotten the names of their companions from Philadelphia, but had resorted to calling Kera “Sunny” and Bill “Always,” in reference to the TV show, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
As Welch and Passante continued to ascend and descend, however, they began to take notice of what was happening on their cell phones, far beyond their wooded and insular cocoon. A global pandemic had gripped the entire world.
Welch and Passante considered shutting their journey down, but the idea of hopping on public transportation back to Chester County and piecing back together lives that it had taken them so long to put on hold “didn’t make sense,” Passante said.
“One of the reasons I wanted to do something like this for myself was to gain self awareness, self reliance, and learn how to exist in equanimity with life, in a world of uncertainty,” she said. “Two weeks into this trip, the entire world got
tional “kits.”
The weekly schedule begins with a Monday “Jump Start Day” when problems are solved, logistics are addressed and expectations are explained. On Tuesdays through Fridays, the educational program is carried out online both in real time and with pre-recorded segments. Attendance will be taken daily, and communication with teachers is available. When asked if the stu-
dents would be glued to a computer screen all day, Director of Curriculum Dr. Lydia Hallman said, “No.” There will be many opportunities throughout the day for independent study, group work, recess and lunch, she said.
High School principal Jeremy Hritz, who gave the concluding presentation, said, “You will see (curriculum) consistency from kindergarten through high school.”
Assistant superintendent Dr. Michael Barber reported on the athletic schedule, as he did at the July meeting.
“We’re planning on a sport-by-sport basis,” he said. Sports will begin (or not) on Sept. 15, following a review of conditions.
The board members, while voting unanimously and showing strong support for Blakey, expressed their ambivalence about the school district being left on its own to design new
faced with the same exact challenge I came out here seeking. I feel as though everything I came here to face for myself turned into a worldwide challenge, and I got to see my friends and family navigate those challenges at home.
“The voices from the people we care about kept telling us, ‘Keep going.’ We began this more for ourselves initially, and then we found that there were a lot of people who are looking to us to do something really special now.”
Eventually, the last throes of winter gave way to the promise of spring along the Appalachian Trail, as Welch and Passante navigated past the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee; the Jefferson National Forest, Shenandoah National Park and the famous McAfee Knob in Virginia; through West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, the southern ridge of the Appalachian Mountains in upstate New York, and through New England, which saw them hiking through four to five mountains a day.
Passante estimated that she and Welch will reach Mount Katahdin in Maine –designated as the endpoint of the Appalachian Trail – by the end of August.
After a few days of rest and transition, “Always” and “Sunny” will embark on a 3,000-mile cross-country bike trip from Maine to San Diego. While there is no firm start date on the calendar, the estimated two- to three-month trip will take off from Bar Harbor, Maine, and include a pit stop in Chester County to see family and friends. Their goal is to arrive in San Diego by Kera’s birthday on Nov. 8.
“Prior to heading off to the Appalachian Trail, we put every piece of our belongings in storage except for our bikes,” Passante said.
“We had an idea to bike home to Chester County from Maine after finishing, but we decided while we
were out here to decide to go for it, and plan the bike trip.”
For every one of the more than two million courageous souls who embark on their own personal adventure on the Appalachian Trail every year, there are equal amount of reasons for doing so, and even more internal voices that keep pushing their journey forward. For Passante, the most persistent voices have been that of her mother Sandra Passante, who is an essential worker in the medical field, and that of her father Frank Passante, who passed away last year.
“Sometimes when I am out here on the hard days, I hear my father tell me how strong I am, and that really inspires me to keep moving forward,” she said. “When I call home, I hear my mother’s voice. Through
schedules in light of the pandemic.
Board member David Kronenberg was particularly passionate with his comments on the issue.
He said, “I have to take a moment to voice my anger and disappointment in our political leadership in their failure to address their responsibilities in this crisis. If management plans had been put in place in February, we would not be facing this crisis today.”
Blakey reminded his board and his virtual audience that Kennett Consolidated was the sixth of the 12 districts in Chester County to decide to open virtually. He also reiterated his attitude toward the reopening adjustments for the 2020-21 school year: “No exact plan will meet every single person’s needs,” he said. The presentation of this meeting will be on the district website as soon as possible.
the pandemic, she has been working 16-hour days, and when I listen to what she has to go through now, it makes me realize that if she’s that strong, I can be strong enough to climb that mountain of us, or push our way over these peaks.”
With less than 300 miles left to travel on a nearly 2,200-mile trail, Passante said that the journey she and Welch are on is a celebration “about things that take time. It’s an overwhelming feeling to be so connected to nature, one that has allowed me to walk through spring and into summer and see the seasons literally unfold and blossom before my eyes, and to not only track that growth externally but to watch myself grow with each step at the same time.
“It’s a feeling of deep
connection to the world around me, and it’s all been a mirror to what’s happening inside of me. Now that we’ve come 1,900 miles, I’ve begun to notice how much my inner peace reflects an acceptance with the world all around me.”
To follow Kera Passante and Bill Welch on their jour-
ney along the Appalachian Trail and beyond, visit them on Facebook, “Thru-Hikers 2020 – The Grumples” or on Instagram at www.instagram.com / always_sunny_at.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Photos courtesy of Bill Welch and Kera Passante Passante and Welch pause at the Vermont-New Hampshire border.
The Appalachian Trail extends from Georgia to Maine.
The couple has been regularly posting photographs of their journey on their social media pages.
When Passante and Welch complete the Appalachian Trail, they will have walked a combined 4,400 miles.
Passante and Welch have averaged a distance of between 15 and 20 miles per day.
Kennett Students Speak...
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Downingtown, Great Valley, Kennett, Octorara, Oxford Area, Unionville-Chadds Ford and West Chester school districts.
Simonson echoed sentiments of many of those posts on her Facebook page.
“For literal(ly) decades, students have fought to have their voice heard, and valued,” she wrote. “Students report other students and staff alike for their discriminatory behavior, yet no definitive actions are taken to stop what’s happening in kindergarten - 12th grade classrooms every day of the school year. As a result of this a toxic, psychologically traumatizing culture is perpetuated throughout the district.”
The Aug. 1 event was
scheduled to include speakers from recent and past KHS graduating classes.
“A lot of these experiences cut across years,” Simonson said. “We were just hoping to highlight the issues in a way that it hadn’t been before, because not only is it systemic, it’s been perpetuated consistently throughout the years. The issues that the 2010 graduate had are the same issues that 2020 graduates are having, as well.”
As the momentum of the Aug. 1 event continued to build on social media, Simonson said that she and her fellow organizers began to hear from a wide swath of the Kennett community, including current and past students who shared their stories. Not all comments were positive.
“We had a lot of students coming forward,” she said.
“We had community mem-
bers who had been part of similar efforts going back 15 to 25 years, who were part of the group who protested against guidance counselors who used to tell black and brown students that they shouldn’t pursue higher education. We also got a negative response, primarily from community members who wrote that during their time or their children’s time in the district, that they hadn’t experienced these things.
“We had a split between the people who said that this was their every day life and those who didn’t want to acknowledge the problem.”
Three weeks before they announced the event to the public, Simonson, Carmona and Allyon met with Kennett Consolidated School District Superintendent Dr. Dusty Blakey, Kennett High School Principal Dr.
Jeremy Hritz and other district officials, to discuss the general outline of the forum. During the meeting, Dr. Blakey said that the district is currently creating several initiatives aimed at providing additional opportunities for students of color throughout the district.
While Simonson said she was encouraged to hear about the initiatives, she stressed the necessity to not bury past history, but to use it creatively in creating future solutions.
“You can’t effectively change the future if you do not address the past,” she said.
As the event date quickly approached, however, Simonson received a phone call from Dr. Blakey on July 24. He informed her that if students decided to come forward with their stories and include names of teaches and administra-
tors, there was a concern that the organizers could be named in defamation suits initiated by individuals who may have been specifically referred to during the event.
On July 25, Simonson posted a notice on her Facebook page, and reached out for legal advice from local law firms. One week later, “Kennett Students Speak” was officially postponed.
“So many amazing lawyers and law firms lent their support, and while we felt comfortable moving forward, it became obvious that we didn’t have the support of the district in general,” said Simonson, who reaffirmed that the event’s purpose will be to raise awareness, not demonize specific individuals and the district as a whole. “This is a conversation that students with marginalized identities have had since the school’s
creation. We talk among ourselves about what we go through all of the time, but this conversation was supposed to be different, in the sense that it would be the first time the administrative members were seeing and hearing the stories.”
Simonson said that she and her fellow organizers hope to schedule a live event sometime in the future, specifically for those in the district who do not have the technology to access the Aug. 8 online forum.
Kennett Consolidated School District officials did not respond to requests for comment.
To attend the Aug. 8 online “Kennett Students Speak” event beginning at 1 p.m., email kcsdstudentconcerns@gmail.com.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Chester County resumes in-person, first responder training to remain prepared for emergencies during pandemic
The Chester County Department of Emergency Services (CCDES) has resumed in-person training for first responders, with escalated precautions, at the Public Safety Training Campus in Coatesville.
“Having a comprehensive reopening plan allows us to restore public safety training as soon as possible while maintaining an aggressive prevention and preparedness posture to ensure the health and safety of our Chester County responders, instructors and
staff,” stated Mike Murphy, CCDES Director.
The Public Safety Training Campus reopened on July 26 to complete the Fire I Certification Class, which started prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the same time frame, a Basic Vehicle Rescue class was held.
The next class is a Fire II Certification Class, which will begin when conditions allow.
“It is imperative that we be able to offer training and certification sessions that
enable our responders to remain compliant with the various regulatory bodies.
All the while assuring that the sessions are provided in the safest possible environment,” said J. Patrick Davis, director of training and development CCDES staff instructors, evaluators and students are required to undergo health screening and temperature checks before entering any building on the training campus. Anyone with a fever or other symptoms will not be permitted to attend
training until released by their physician.
Masks are required and social distancing is strictly enforced at all times during training, with classrooms set up to maintain social distancing. Students are divided into smaller groups, and are not permitted to cross over to another group during training.
Hand sanitizer is located throughout the training campus and classrooms and bathrooms are disinfected before and after each training session.
Courtesy photo
The Chester County Department of Emergency Services (CCDES) has resumed in-person training for first responders.
Moe and Lucy...
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number of people – children and adults - grieving from the loss of their beloved dogs. I hope this story brings readers smiles and evokes happy memories of the pets they have loved and lost.”
Charming illustrations by classically trained artist Grace Lackey bring the story to life. The images depict Moe and Lucy, along with dogs of every breed and mix imaginable, in a “dog heaven” of sorts.
The dogs spend their days romping in beautiful fields, swimming in ponds, ripping apart squeaky toys, eating whatever and whenever they want, and enjoying games like virtual reality cat chasing.
Johnson’s diverse professional background includes writing for everything from the financial services and education fields to retail stores. She wrote extensively for The Chester County Press and its family of
“While writing this book, I became keenly aware of the number of people – children and adults -grieving from the loss of their beloved dogs. I hope this story brings readers smiles and evokes happy memories of the pets they have loved and lost.”
~ Nancy Johnson, author of Moe and Lucy – Reunited at the Rainbow Bridge
magazines, covering topics ranging from school board meetings to human interest features. She currently resides in Aiken, S.C. with her husband, three Jack Russell terriers, a horse, and a miniature donkey. She freelances for equestrianrelated magazines.
To learn more about Moe and Lucy – Reunited at the Rainbow Bridge or to order the book, visit www.moeandlucy.com. The author is happy to sign and inscribe books upon request. In addition to being available online, the book can be purchased in southern Chester County at Oxford Feed & Lumber and Pets & Friends.
Comitta announces over $1.1 million in emergency education relief funds for West Chester and Cheyney universities
State Rep. Carolyn Comitta, D-Chester, announced that Cheyney University and West Chester University have been named as recipients of $750,000 and $353,678, respectively, in Governor’s Emergency Education
Relief Funds (GEER).
“The top priority for the upcoming school year is our students’ safety,” Comitta said. “We still have many challenges ahead, but this funding will support a return to safe instruction, whether
in-person, remote, or a mixed approach. Students, faculty and staff can be assured that our public universities will be better prepared and equipped to handle the impacts of the pandemic.”
Approximately $28 mil-
lion has been dedicated to postsecondary institutions and adult basic education providers across Pennsylvania to assist them in implementing public health and safety plans to help resume operations in the fall. These funds
come from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, and are authorized by the governor. GEER Funds may be used for, but not limited to, the purchase of protective equipment; hand sanitizer/ cleaning products; equipment or technology to take classrooms online; installation of barriers or other protective devices in buildings; or to purchase health apps to assist in contact tracing and monitoring of student health.
Courtesy photos
The dogs go on numerous adventures.
Author Nancy Johnson hopes Moe and Lucy – Reunited at the Rainbow Bridge can bring a little comfort to those who’ve lost a beloved dog.
Charming illustrations by classically trained artist Grace Lackey bring the story to life.
New Pa. mask enforcement laws aim to slow upward trend of COVID-19 cases in state
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
In order to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in Pennsylvania, the Wolf administration issued a series of orders beginning in March – regulated over the past five months by the state’s red, yellow and green phases of reopening – that staggered the reemergence of businesses and ushered in new protocols.
At the forefront of this measure, Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine stressed the importance of maskwearing as paramount to helping stop the spread of the virus. Combined with social distancing, their message was simple: Wearing a mask can protect people and better pave the way for the business of Pennsylvania to return to normalcy.
On April 1, Levine signed a business safety order that doubled down on the requirement for all businesses to abide by the mask rule by requiring that they were to be worn by everyone in the state upon leaving their home.
As the calendar flipped to August, however, the rate of coronavirus cases throughout the state did not flatten the way state officials had hoped. Conversely, and directly in defiance of the mask-wearing order, the State Health
Department has reported that the numbers have been on the rise. As of Aug. 2, the department confirmed there are currently 113,590 cases of COVID-19 in the state – 888 new positive cases were confirmed on Aug. 1 alone – and 13,590 deaths from the virus. (Chester County has recorded 4,890 confirmed cases of the virus, and 344 deaths.)
In a statewide effort to reverse the upward statistics and crack down on mask violations, a new order issued last week by Levine now thrusts the state’s business owners, state and local agencies, and its workers and residents into the role of enforcers, giving them the authority to report suspected health and safety violations to law enforcement or the state’s Department of Health.
Per the Secretary of Health’s order, businesses must require all customers to wear masks while on premises, and deny entry to individuals not wearing masks, unless the business is providing medication, medical supplies, or food, in which case the business must provide alternative methods of pick-up or delivery of such goods. There are limited exceptions to the mask order, which include those who cannot wear a mask due to a medical condition; those for whom wearing a mask
would create an unsafe condition; individuals who would be unable to remove a mask without assistance; individuals under the age of two; and individuals who are communicating or seeking to communicate with someone who is hearing-impaired or has another disability where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
“As the state has put in place new mitigation efforts to offset recent case increases, we must renew our commitment to protecting against COVID-19 by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing and following the requirements set forth in the orders for bars and restaurants, gatherings and telework,” Levine said. “Pennsylvania has been a model for the country on how to reopen effectively using a careful, measured approach. However, we know the virus has not gone away as we see cases rise, so we must work together to stop another surge.”
This beefed-up order now empowers employees to report potential violations to their employer if they feel they are not being appropriately protected in their workplace. If that does not produce the desired result, a worker can reach out directly to local law enforcement via a nonemergency number, or to the Department of Health and fill out a COVID-19
complaint form, which is available on the Health Department’s website.
Anyone who feels a business is in violation of the Worker Safety order or Building Safety order may contact local law enforcement or file a complaint with the department.
The Secretary of Health’s order also applies to restaurants and other retail food facilities, including prohibitions or limits on dine-in services and masking requirements. Since dine-in services have resumed, the Health Department has received several complaints from customers about restaurant
staff not wearing masks as required, ignoring social distancing and not adhering to public health restrictions to limit person-to-person spread of COVID-19.
When a violation is reported to the Health Department, the business receives a notice about the complaint that is also referred to the Department of Agriculture, who sends inspectors to follow up and may issue warnings and fines to restaurant owners. Complaints regarding concerns at restaurants and retail food facilities can be submitted to the Health Department’s website.
Local police departments throughout the state have received guidance from the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association on how to enforce the new orders. Each department has discretion to warn or cite a business for violations, and the decision whether to issue a warning or a citation can be made on a case-by-case basis and determined by the unique circumstances of each encounter.
All citations will be issued in conjunction with the Pennsylvania’s Disease Control and Prevention Act of 1955 and the Administrative Code of 1929, which are the same statutory sections that were used for business closure enforcement. Under the Pennsylvania’s Disease Control and Prevention Act of 1955, any person who violates any of the provisions of this act or any regulation shall, for each offense, upon conviction thereof in a summary proceeding before any magistrate, alderman or justice of the peace in the county wherein the offense was committed, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $25 and not more than $300, together with costs, and in default of payment of the fine and costs, to be imprisoned in the county jail for a period not to
‘Today, we are one’
Look, Morgan Freeman could read from a textbook about modern theories of quantum mechanics and make it sound not just comprehensible, but captivating, interesting and important.
The Academy Award-winning actor with the distinctive, golden pipes was enlisted recently to use his deep, reassuring voice with its mellifluous tone to read a statement about equality during Major League Baseball’s Opening Day events. The statement was written by Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Andrew McCutchen.
The former National League MVP has become one of baseball’s leading voices in highlighting racial injustices. McCutchen and his wife, Maria, came up with the idea for players to join together to hold a ribbon spanning the entire field before Opening Day. McCutchen also wrote the words that Freeman read in a video that played in ballparks.
In the video, Freeman read: “In order to achieve or affect a change and lead a new canvas of optimism, empathy must lead the charge. This moment signifies our charge, our brotherhood, our unity. Equality and unity cannot be until there is empathy. Today and every day we come together as brothers, as equals, all with the same goal to level the playing field. To change the injustices, equality is not just a word, it’s our right. Today, we stand as men from 25 nations on six continents. Today, we are one.”
‘Today, we are one’ is not just a pretty sentiment. It’s the essence of what being a part of a team is. It’s also a reminder that sports can serve as a powerful force for bringing people together. There are times when sports is a reflection of society. There hasn’t always been equality in sports. But sports can also help bring about change and play a small part in bringing us together.
“Together, we are one.” Powerful words, indeed.
Chester County Press
Letters to the Editor
Congress must take up an important amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act
Letter to the Editor:
In the midst of this tragic epidemic and its incalculable losses in life, American citizens wonder what to do. The number of extremely important issues swirl before one’s eyes. There has been a thread of public responsibility about war making powers that has been before the public for decades. Our constitution gives the authority to decide to go to war to
Congress. Since World War II laws authorizing the President to initiate war without Congressional agreement have passed. The President has the authority to respond to an emergency of aggression against the U.S. regardless of these laws.
Presently there is legislative initiative to reinstate Congress’ authority for deciding about war. President Trump has spoken aggressively and belliger-
ently about Iran, and with the present national turmoil and his decreasing support, the danger of military aggression against Iran intensifies.
An amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act has been proposed that would require Congressional approval before war with Iran, and it specifically states that previous laws allowing the President to initiate military action do not authorize action against Iran. This amendment must come before the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote. I plead with citizens to call or write members of the House of Representatives to allow this vote and to support the amendment. We do not need another “national emergency” concocted to elect an irresponsible leader.
For a mask to work, it must cover the nose and the mouth
Letter to the Editor:
It is encouraging to see so many of our local residents following the guidance of the CDC, our President, and our governor to wear masks. The number of coronavirus cases in Chester
County had been dropping, but there have been recent increases.
As a nurse who has worn masks for 40 years, I want to remind everyone that for a mask to work it needs to cover both the nose and mouth.
Sadly, I see a sizable percentage of masks worn below the nose. The COVID-19 virus is a respiratory virus. Respiratory viruses transmit by going from one person’s mouth or nose into another person’s mouth or nose. Proper mask wearing will help stop the spread and let us get back to a more normal life. Thank you for doing your part to protect others by keeping your nose and mouth covered in public.
Support for Operation Legend
Letter to the Editor:
As a former Pennsylvania sheriff, I support President Trump’s initiative with Operation Legend to address crime across our nation’s cities. Providing support with federal agents and other resources when
there is an increase in violence will not only protect the citizens and property but will save many lives. This quick, decisive action shows how committed President Trump is to restoring public safety and bringing criminals to justice. Since the begin-
ning, he has always stood for law and order to ensure there is peace and security in all communities across America.
There is a lot at stake in this election in November, especially with the unrest going on in our country. We need a strong, courageous
Commentary
leader like President Trump who stands for law and order and who cares about safety and security for all American citizens.
Carolyn “Bunny” Welsh Former Chester County Sheriff Chadds Ford
It’s time to learn what our system’s about from the inside
By Lee H. Hamilton
I’ve spent a long time in politics, and over those years one thing has remained constant: There are a lot more Americans who criticize government than there are who serve and do something about it.
I’ll admit, there have been times when I’ve felt a bit resentful. It’s hard to enter the fray, be expected to listen patiently to criticism from all comers, and then look around to find that many of them are nowhere to be found when it comes to the hard work of improving our communities and our system.
But far more than annoyance, what I’ve felt is amazement at the immense but often un-grasped opportunity our system offers. This is especially acute these days, as millions of Americans take to the streets and to social media with passionate intensity, driven by deeply held beliefs or newfound conviction and a sense that it’s
time to weigh in. I agree— but then, I think it’s always time to weigh in. That’s what our system asks of us as citizens. And in particular, I’d argue that it asks us to do it from the inside, not just from the outside.
We desperately need citizens to enter the public arena—people who are not afraid to plunge in and try to improve our democratic institutions. To be sure, critics and ordinary engaged citizens have an important role to play in shaping the public discourse. But if at some point in their lives they and others do not also see a duty to serve, our nation is in trouble.
I know the arguments you can find against it. You have to compromise your values. It’s thankless. The system turns you into a cog. You make yourself a target of scrutiny. You can’t actually accomplish anything.
To all of this, I say: So? There is no question that our governing institutions need improving. But it’s not going to happen unless
people with the power to change them roll up their sleeves and set about doing so. And those people are the ones inside those institutions, who’ve learned how they work and who understand that actual change happens by dint of legislation, administration, and the nitty-gritty details of reform.
There are plenty of other things you can do, too: vote, spend time learning the issues you care about, make informed judgments about your elected representatives, get involved in organizations that advocate for the causes you value. But as writer Andy Smarick put it recently in The Bulwark, “[G]overning is formative. Knocking on doors as a candidate is not just about winning votes. Sitting through a long bill hearing is not just about following the legislative process. Taking part in public debates is not just about self-expression. Making a tough governing decision is not just about resolving a policy matter. Through these activities, the public servant listens to fellow citizens, learns of competing priorities, and witnesses principles in conflict.”
In our democracy, these and other skills are vital— not just for public officials, but for any citizen who wants to be involved in the community. Listening to our peers, understanding
their hopes, appreciating the differences among them, grasping why accommodation and compromise are crucial to resolving those differences, and learning how to accomplish them are part and parcel of making a representative democracy work. People who do this feel in their bones how hard it is to govern in a large, diverse republic—and why we depend on large numbers of ordinary people to step forward, find their niche, and participate on town boards, in state legislatures, and in Congress. So, as I look about at the remarkable levels of public engagement in this intense political year, I find myself hoping that more comes out of it than simple public pressure. I hope that people who’d never considered it before decide it’s time to step forward, serve in public office, and help their fellow citizens make this a better country.
Lee Hamilton is a Senior Advisor for the Indiana University Center on Representative Government; a Distinguished Scholar at the IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies; and a Professor of Practice at the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.
Marjorie Herbert Kennett Square
Brent Thompson Ph.D., R.N. Lincoln University
Masks...
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exceed 30 days.
The Administrative Code of 1929 states that every person who violates any order or regulation of the Department of Health, or who resists or interferes with any officer performing his or her duties, will be forced to appear before a justice of the peace, alderman, or magistrate of the county. If convicted, the offender will be sentenced to pay a fine of no less than $10 or more than $50. In default of payment, the offender shall be sentenced to county jail for a period of 30 days.
“We have been largely successful in our fight against COVID-19, thanks to the hard work and sacrifices of every Pennsylvanian,” Gov. Wolf said. “But with a recent and ongoing rise in cases, we must remain vigilant, continue to listen to healthcare professionals and each do our part to prevent this dangerous virus from spreading through our communities.
“We want Pennsylvanians to do the right thing,” Gov. Wolf added. “For all those who are claiming an exception who do not have one, they are potentially putting the lives of those they encounter at risk. Wearing a mask is a non-partisan, non-political statement that you care about the people you encounter and is a sign of kindness and respect.”
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Avon Grove Lions make donation to Project Cure
House Majority Leader Benninghoff demands that Gov. Wolf, PIAA allow parents in stands
House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) joined 62 other Pennsylvania House Republicans in writing to Gov. Tom Wolf and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Agency (PIAA) to request a change in recent policy prohibiting spectators at PIAA events, including parents of athletes.
“At a time when folks
He joined 62 other House Republicans who are supporting this demand have had the five-monthslong experience of social distancing and protecting themselves and others from a contagious virus, it makes no sense that people might be less safe sitting in the football stands or around the high school track at a soccer match, with appropriate modifications, than in the aisles of their local mega retailer,” the letter to Gov. Wolf reads.
“On July 31, 2020, you reminded Pennsylvanians that you are looking to keep decisions as to school reopening local, saying, ‘School governing boards and administrators will determine if school buildings reopen and if classes resume in person, remotely, or a combination of the two.’ Should not similar allowances be made for whether spectators should
be allowed at a local school’s sporting events?”
In the letter to the PIAA, the members said:
“The parents of these students have supported their children and, oftentimes, the school sports team in various ways during the student’s journey and there is a deep satisfaction from the ability to watch their loved ones compete in something they value.
While we understand that you feel constrained by the Governor’s orders in this regard, we wish to remind you that PIAA is an independent agency that has the ability to think outside the box to come up with a commonsense solution that can allow both sports to proceed as normal while, at a minimum, allowing parents of students to watch their loved ones in person.”
Courtesy photos
The Avon Grove Lions donated 14 hospital beds to Project Cure in Jennersville. The beds will be sent to Africa for people in need. Pictured are (left to right) Lions John Manley, John Dykins, Eric Hansen and Bob Yeatman.
County Commissioners announce key administrative leadership appointments
New solicitor, human resources director and deputy county administrator bring wealth of professional experience to Chester County government from Villanova University School of Law. She resides in Paoli.
Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell and Michelle Kichline approved the appointment of new Chester County solicitor Nicole Forzato at their public commissioners’ meeting. This approval is the third of three administrative leadership appointments made by the commissioners in recent months.
In addition to the appointment of Forzato, Tiffany Sowers joined the county as human resources director, and Brianne Zanin moves to the commissioners’ office as deputy county administrator.
Forzato assumes the role of Chester County solicitor following an almost 20-year career in law, including roles in county and state government. She comes to Chester County from the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General where she served as senior deputy attorney general, criminal prosecution. Prior to that, Forzato was senior assistant solicitor for Montgomery County, Pa. She also served as law clerk in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas and focused on both criminal and civil law in private practice. A bachelor of arts and bachelor of honors graduate of Villanova University, Forzato received her Juris Doctor degree
“After a thorough search for a new County Solicitor, we are pleased to welcome Nicole to Chester County,” said Moskowitz, the chair of the Chester County Commissioners board.
“Tom Whiteman’s decades of service in our Solicitor’s Office, and the counsel he provided to many boards of commissioners prior to his retirement are greatly valued. We knew that his would be a tough act to follow and are confident that Nicole’s immense experience in, and understanding of government law will serve the County of Chester and our citizens very well.”
New Chester County human resources director Sowers brings to the County a wealth of HR experience, including her prior work as vice president of human resources for Theraplay, Inc., an organization that provides occupational, physical and speech therapy, and feeding and concussion programs for children from birth to age 21. She also served as human resources director for ViaOne Services in Kennett Square and for Physiotherapy Associates in Exton. Sowers received her bachelor of arts in psychology from Millersville University, earned a
masters in industrial/organizational psychology from West Chester University, and her certifications include senior professional in human resources (SPHR) and SHRM senior certified professional. She has always called Chester County home and resides in West Grove.
Chester County Commissioner Josh Maxell said, “The position of director of human resources for Chester County, one of the area’s top employers, is an important one requiring comprehensive knowledge of HR policy and law, as well as the ability to successfully lead a large
staff. Tiffany has already begun to embrace this role. Tiffany has focused her energy on recruitment, employee relations, training and development, and the County’s award-winning Wellness Program. We are excited to work with her and look forward to the new ideas and fresh outlook she brings to Chester County’s HR department.”
Zanin moves to the Chester County commissioners’ office as deputy county administrator, supporting county administrator Bobby Kagel in the supervision and direction of all county government programs and administrative operations.
Zanin has served as director of open space preservation for Chester County for nearly two years, and during this time successfully merged Chester County’s Department of Parks and Trails with Open Space Preservation. Prior to moving to Chester County, she was deputy director of the county of Maui department of parks and recreation where she oversaw the performance management of more than 275 full-time and 400 part-time employees. She is a graduate of Missouri Baptist University and is a member of the National Association of Counties and the
County Commissioner Michelle Kichline said, “Brianne has a great strategic and practical understanding of the role of county government and the services and programs that it provides to all citizens. She has worked with many state, county and local municipal representatives, and we are confident that she will undertake the deputy administrator role with professionalism, providing strong support to our county administrator Bobby Kagel.”
International City/County Management Association. Brianne resides in West Whiteland.
Courtesy photo
New leadership appointments for Chester County government, clockwise from top right: Tiffany Sowers, director of human resources; Nicole Forzato, county solicitor; and Brianne Zanin, deputy county administrator.
In the Spotlight
Chester County launches fascinating digital timeline of Local History
Just when your summer needs a virtual boost, the Chester County Archives & Records Services is launching a digital timeline of Chester County history that’s informative, engaging and utterly absorbing.
Chester County Archives & Records Services staff, in partnership with the Chester County Commissioners’ Office, has published the new digital timeline at Chesco.org, reflecting nearly 340 years of Chester County history. Accompanied by richly produced photos and fascinating descriptions, the digital timeline features more than 40 historic events that have shaped Chester County into the place we recognize today.
“We’re happy to present this engaging visual history that provides a wide range of events that have shaped not only Chester County but also Delaware County and the broader Philadelphia region,” said Laurie Rofini, director of Chester County Archives & Records Services.
“The timeline sheds light on Chester County’s transition from a remote frontier in William Penn’s ‘holy experiment’ to a county consistently ranked among the top places to live in the U.S.” Some major events will forever be associated with
visited Chester County frequently, including an event on July 14, 1863 when he spoke to a crowd in front of Horticultural Hall encouraging men to enlist in the United States Colored Troops.
Chester County history, including the 1777 Battle of Brandywine and the 1989 Open Space referendum.
Other lesser-known events, from the county’s first iron forge established in 1717 by Samuel Nutt to the creation of the Chester County Library in 1935, have also had major impacts on the county’s history.
Rofini notes that condensing more than 300 years of history into a handful
of highlights is challenging. Users are invited to share their preferred events via the Chester County Archives Facebook page @ChescoArchives.
The Chester County Archives has also begun scheduling access to its reading room by appointment only. Researchers may call 610-344-6760 during business hours or send an e-mail to ccarchives@chesco.org to
Seneca Falls, NY, women and men gathered to promote legal, economic, social and educational gender equality. This photo shows Horticultural Hall and Ann Preston, M.D., who delivered the key address.
schedule an appointment with an archivist. Information on obtaining copies of records is available on the Archives website.
Publication from the
opened and became the first industrial park in Chester County, symbolizing the County’s rapid, post-war suburbanization.
Historic Kennett Square announces new plans for this year’s Kennett Brewfest
The backyard edition of the Kennett Brewfest earns rave reviews as details about the event are released
The Kennett Brewfest has built a 23-year legacy as one of the region’s premier festivals for beer lovers. In addition to raising funds for Historic Kennett Square and keeping the vibrancy of the community alive, the Kennett Brewfest has always had one primary focus: to bring an unmatched beer-tasting experience to festival participants while celebrating the amazing art, science, and creativity of the brewing community. While the Brewfest will look different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, that focus remains unchanged.
Kennett Brewfest organizers are committed to keeping the spirit of the festival alive while also ensuring the safety of the Brewfest community— brewers, participants, and volunteers. After careful consideration, they’ve conceived a pivot that meets these criteria. The 2020 Kennett Brewfest backyard edition pivot offers the same high-quality beer that people have come to expect from the Kennett Brewfest while supporting brewers and giving ticket holders the ability to enjoy a variety of exceptional beers in the safety and comfort of their own backyards. With the enthusiastic participation of 48 breweries, the Kennett Brewfest backyard edition will offer two different cases curated by the Kennett Brewfest organizing committee.
This year’s ticket options will enable the purchaser to take home one or both of these limited-edition cases. Those beer-loving enthusiasts who choose to purchase both cases will be rewarded with 48 distinct beers from 48 outstanding breweries. The number of available cases will be limited, so organizers are urging beer lovers to act quickly when tickets go on sale in August. Ticket holders will be able to pick up their cases on Saturday, Oct. 3 in the same location as the regular Brewfest, 600 South Broad Street in Kennett Square.
Organizers and brewers alike are happy with this creative plan. Longtime Brewfest organizer and local architect Jeff Norman said organizers never considered simply cancelling the event, knowing they owed it to the brewers as well as to participants to find a solution.
“Our pivot to the Kennett Backyard Brewfest will allow our loyal beer-loving patrons the opportunity to enjoy what will be, in essence, our legendary connoisseur tasting in a case—in the comfort and safety of their own homes among socially distanced family and friends,” said Norman. “Forty-eight fabulous breweries will provide 48 different new and unique beers. What could be better than that?”
distinct beers from 48 outstanding breweries.
Jim Adams, co-owner and head of customer experience management at West Chester’s Levante Brewing agrees. “Levante is excited to participate in the 2020 Kennett Backyard Brewfest,” he said. “We feel it demonstrates an innovative spirit to provide an exceptional craft beer opportunity for everyone but, most importantly, also demonstrates a focus on preserving the health and safety of everyone. When people find out about what we and
“This is a brilliant idea!” said Matt Katase, co-founder of Brew Gentlemen in Braddock, Pa. “Love, love, love it. Fantastic, well done.”
other breweries are doing in partnership with the Kennett Brewfest, they’ll realize that this has never been done before and they’ll be excited.”
SingleCut Beersmiths, located in Queens, NY, has seen many different event coordinators in the region restructuring the events this year.
“We definitely think the Kennett Backyard Brewfest is one of the most creative ones we’ve seen yet,” said Tasha Laurenson, a sales representative for SingleCut Beersmiths.
“The Kennett Brewfest is
also an essential fundraiser for Historic Kennett Square, a nonprofit that’s been supporting our local small businesses and wider community in countless ways for decades—and throughout these difficult past months as well,” said Norman. “I think it’s also important to point out that we were the first nonprofit-run festival locally that decided, many years ago now, to pay brewers for the beer. We’ll also be working once again with our amazing local partner, Waywood Beverage. This is truly a community event, and we know it’s more
important than ever to support our brewers. We’re excited to give people the opportunity to support both Historic Kennett Square and the brewers—and also, of course, to enjoy a phenomenal selection of craft beers they’ll never see in these two unique combinations in mixed cases again.”
Stay tuned to the Kennett Brewfest website and social media pages for further updates and details.
For more information, visit the Kennett Brewfest’s website at www.kennettbrewfest. com or the event’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
Chester County Planning Commission. In 1965, the Pickering Creek Industrial Park in Uwchlan Township
This year’s ticket options will enable the purchaser to take home one or both of the limited-edition cases Those beer-loving enthusiasts who choose to purchase both cases will be rewarded with 48
Horticultural Hall, site of the 1852 Pennsylvania Woman’s Rights Convention. Photograph by Thomas W. Taylor, West Chester, circa 1870. Ann Preston, MD. Carte-de-visite by J. W. Hurn, Philadelphia, 1867. Both courtesy of the Chester County Historical Society, West Chester, PA.
Pennsylvania’s first women’s rights convention was held June 2-3, 1852 at Horticultural Hall in West Chester. Inspired by the 1848 national convention in
Frederick Douglass, circa 1897. National Archives In 1895, famed abolitionist and civil rights activist Frederick Douglass delivered his last public lecture at West Chester Normal School (now West Chester University). He
Courtesy photos
The Kennett Brewfest backyard edition will offer two different cases of beer curated by the Kennett Brewfest organizing committee.
JOHN J. PAPAY
John J. Papay, 73, of Kennett Square, passed away at his home on July 23. He is survived by his loving wife, Nancy L. Papay, with whom he shared 43 years of marriage. Born 1947 in New York, NY, John was the devoted son of the late John J. Papay, II and the late Elizabeth Gera Papay.
John attended the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn for his undergraduate degree and continued his education at Northwestern University where he earned his Ph.D in organic chemistry.
John spent his entire career working as a chemist for DuPont, specializing in engineering polymers, where he particularly enjoyed puzzling through solutions to technical challenges.
John’s family brought him tremendous joy and pride. He was a dedicated father to his two children and always put their interests above his own. He was unfailingly supportive of them throughout his life.
He had a lifelong passion for building and spent many years as a woodworker, creating fine furniture. Later in life, he reveled in his two personas as both grumpy grandpa and patient playmate to his three young grandchildren, which brought them great joy. For the past decade, he enjoyed volunteering with Longwood Gardens and the Kennett Library Adult Literacy Program, where he tutored a student in English.
In addition to his wife, Nancy, John is survived by his son, John P. Papay (Ellen), along with their three children, Rose, Jack and Charlotte, as well as his daughter, Kate Weingart (Robert).
Services will be held privately with family.
In lieu of flowers, John’s family kindly requests that memorial contributions be made to the Kennett Library, Attn.: Adult Literacy Program, 216 E. State St, Kennett Square, PA 19348.
To view John’s online tribute and share a message with his family, visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.
My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. Exodus 33:14
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TACY E. WILSON
Tacy E. Wilson of Oxford, age 92, passed away on July 29. Tacy was born in Oxford on Sept. 7, 1927 to the late Samuel John England and Pearl Lydia (Williams) England. Throughout Tacy’s life, she was involved in many organizations that brought her much joy. She was a founding member of the Degree of Pocahontas Ocklokonee Council 212 as well as being a member of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary and Oxford Senior Center. Tacy enjoyed many aspects in her life but adored gardening and tending to her flowers and vegetables. Tacy would always be outside taking care of her yard and finding house work to do. When she wasn’t busy outside, Tacy could be found playing cards or acing crossword puzzles.
She is survived by her daughter, Linda Williams and her husband, Johnny; niece, Christina Hughes and her husband, Charles; nephew, Thomas Williams and his wife, Melanie; and sister-in-law, Elizabeth England. In addition to her parents, Tacy was preceded in death by her husband, Curtis Wilson; brother, Samuel England; and sister, Margaret Williams. Services for Tacy will be held privately at the convenience of the family. To send online condolences, please visit www.rtfoard.com.
RONALD DAVID HART
Ronald David Hart, a resident of Spring City, Pa. and formerly of Blackwood, NJ, passed away at home on July 22. He was 60. He was the husband of Anita Dillow Hart with whom he shared 17 years of marriage. Born in Philadelphia, he was the son of Anna Mae Murry Hart of NJ and the late Robert Lee Hart.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
Ronald enjoyed the outdoors, camping, fishing, hunting and cooking.
He is survived by his wife; his mother; four children, Brigitte Hart (Caliph), Ronald David Hart, Jr., Gregory Hart and Katelyn Hart; four granddaughters, Brianna, Amira, Jadelyn and Farrah; six siblings, Diana Hart, Rich Hart, Doris Hart, Robin Tibbet (Larry), Pam Reeves (Larry) and Maryann Ottaviano; and many nieces and nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews; and great-great nieces and great-great nephews.
He was preceded in death by three brothers, Robert David Hart, William Russell Hart and Robert Lee Hart, Jr. and one sister, Rosalie Turner.
Funeral services were held on Aug. 3 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.
Interment will be private.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.
Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
VIRGINIA BALDWIN
Virginia (Ginny) Detwiler Baldwin passed away on July 27 at the age of 98 years young with her daughter, son, and family by her side.
She was born to Raymond and Katie Detwiler in Cedars, Skippack Township in Montgomery County, Pa.
Ginny grew up next to her grandparents’ farm. She remembered carrying water to the field for her grandfather and horses while they plowed. On the farm, she developed a love for animals, particularly horses, where she first rode farm horses bareback, later buying her own horse. During World War II, she was an Air Raid Warden for the town of Cedars where her duty was to drive around the area and make sure everyone’s house was dark during a warning by an air raid siren. She loved the outdoors and sports where she learned to skate with her mother’s ice skates on the frozen grass. She later enjoyed skating on local streams and ponds near Zieglerville, Pa.
Ginny attended a two-room school house from 1st through 8th grade in Skippack, Pa. and received a well-rounded education leading to four years at the J. Horace Landis Joint Consolidated High School in Schwenksville, Pa. She excelled in field hockey, basketball and tennis and participated in musicals. She was elected secretary of her class and continued in this capacity for over 70 years, keeping the class together with a newsletter she titled “The Glue.” After high school she enrolled at the Lansdale School of Business and received a secretarial degree which her father paid her a monthly fee of $20 to attend. As a senior, she assisted the local dentist who volunteered giving
needy students dental care. Her first job was secretary to the principal of her high school. Her second job was secretary and bookkeeper at the National Bank of Schwenksville where she worked for ten years.
Ginny married Richard “Dick” Baldwin of San Angelo, TX in 1951 after having met him on a blind date during World War II in 1942. Dick was employed with the DuPont Company and they were transferred several times. Their final move was to the DuPont Engineering Department in Newark, Del., where Ginny also worked for several years before becoming a homemaker and raising a daughter and son.
In 1962, Ginny and Dick purchased property in the area known as The Wedge outside of Newark, Del. and spent 52 years there before they moved to Jenner’s Pond Retirement Community in Jennersville in 2012. Ginny was very active in many community and church organizations but she was most proud of the Thanksgiving service at the “Wedgestone” which she organized and hosted for 50 years and accommodated up to 200 people on their property. Her second favorite volunteer position was secretary for the Brandywine Region AACA antique car club for eight years. Dick and Ginny were also members of this club for 37 years while they toured and showed their 1940 Buick. Ginny is survived by her daughter Bonnie Baldwin Church, son Rich Baldwin, daughter-in-law Leticia Baldwin and granddaughters Breanna Baldwin and Rebecca Baldwin.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your favorite charity in her memory.
To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.
Obituary submissions
PAUL F. EYANSON
Paul Eyanson died on July 26 at home surrounded by his family. He was a devoted husband, loving father, and awesome grandfather, educator and coach. He was 80 years young.
Born to the late Jim and Dorothy Eyanson of Philadelphia, he married his wife, Linda (nee Mattson), 53 years ago and had two children, daughter Jennifer (Kevin Robinson) and son Mark, who preceded Paul in death. He doted on his four wonderful grandchildren, Ethan, Tyler, Max, and Kathryn Robinson. He is survived by two sisters: Nancy Brenek and Connie Connell, in addition to numerous nieces and nephews. Family was the center of his world.
Paul graduated from Malvern Prep, received his undergraduate degree from West Chester University, and his master’s degree in physical education from Southern Connecticut University. As an athletic trainer at Muhlenberg College and Yale University, he quickly developed a passion for teaching and coaching and accepted a position at Conrad High School in Wilmington in 1969. During his eight years as head track coach he produced several league champions and state finalists.
Wanting to have a stronger connection to his community, he left teaching to start a construction and home improvement business in Oxford, but continued to follow his passion for coaching. He moved from his early days of coaching youth soccer and softball to high school track at Oxford, Avon Grove and Kennett in his later years where he always encouraged his athletes to “compete with themselves,” not just in sport, but in life.
Paul specialized in teaching the more difficult skills events, with an emphasis on the pole vault. He took enormous satisfaction in guiding vaulters from those first awkward attempts to reaching a personal record of “flying over the bar.” Many of his vaulters earned college scholarships, but all of them learned an important lifelong lesson of succeeding at a task that requires grit, focus, and self-discipline. He considered his athletes his second family and was fortunate to connect with many of them during his final days.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
In memory of Paul, his family will be sponsoring scholarships for young athletes to improve their pole vault skills. The fund will provide opportunities for students to attend specialized pole-vault training and summer camps where they can receive safe, professional, and individualized coaching. Donations to “The Sky is The Limit” Scholarship Fund in memory of Coach Eyanson are appreciated and can be made on GoFundMe with The Sky is The Limit Coach Eyanson Memorial Fund.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.
Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
GLENN A. COMBS
Glenn A. Combs, 71, of West Grove, passed away on July 31 at his residence. He was the husband of Diane McGeehan Combs, with whom he shared 49 years of marriage. Born in Philadelphia, he was the son of the late Glenn R. Combs and the late Josephine Cozza Combs.
Glenn was a heavy equipment operator, last working for Meco Constructers in Bensalem, Pa. until his retirement in 2009. He was a member of I.U.O.E. Local No. 542 since 1981.
Glenn served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was a member of Assumption BVM Church in West Grove.
Glenn enjoyed watching the Phillies and Eagles, playing Blackjack, doing yard work, gardening, and being with his family and friends, especially his grandchildren.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by one son, Matthew J. Combs (and his wife Gretchen) of Oxford; one daughter, Elizabeth A. Dunn (and her husband Christopher) of Oxford, and two grandchildren, Catherine Lacek and Delaney Combs.
You are invited to visit with his family and friends from 10 to 10:45 a.m. on Aug. 7 at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 300 State Road in West Grove. A funeral mass will follow at 11 a.m. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Route 82 in Kennett Square.
In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to the LaMancha Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 656, Unionville, PA 19375 or to the National Wildlife Foundation, P.O. Box 1583, Merrifield, VA 22116.
To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com. Arrangement are being handled by the Foulk Funeral Home of West Grove.
CONSTANCE M. FORD
Constance M. Ford died on July 31 at Maris Grove, Glen Mills, Pa. She was 99. Connie was born on Nov. 30, 1920, to Mabel (Benson) and William P. Hourigan in Geneva, NE. Her grandparents came to Nebraska from County Cork, Ireland. After graduation from the University of Nebraska, Connie taught English and history at Geneva High School. She met her future husband, Earle M. Ford in Geneva at a USO dance during World War II. Connie and Earle married in 1947 and settled in Kennett Square, Earle’s hometown. Earle was an accountant and popular local musician and Connie worked part-time at the Kennett News. They enjoyed ballroom dancing and listening to live music on their nights out. Connie was predeceased by her husband of 48 years in 1995. She is survived by her son, Thomas L. Ford and his wife , Katy of Wilmington, Del., her daughter, Janice Ford Benner and her husband, John of Ivyland, Pa., and her granddaughter, Laura Ford and her husband, Matt Croskey of Wilmington, Del.
An avid reader, especially biographies, Connie also enjoyed daily walks, tinkering around the house, and Nebraska Cornhuskers and Philadelphia Eagles football. Everyone knew not to call her on Sunday mornings as she would be engrossed in the political news shows. She was a pioneer at Maris Grove, moving there in 2006, where she was described as a private little lady, with “the most beautiful white hair, like the queen.” Connie was a devout Catholic and attended weekly mass into her 99th year.
Services will be private at the convenience of the family.
To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.
Arrangements are being handled by the Kuzo Funeral Home, Kennett Square.
RANDAL C. BREWER
Randal C. Brewer, a resident of Rising Sun, Md., passed away on July 25 at his sister’s home.
He was 61.
Born in West Grove, he was the son of the late Talmadge C. and Frances Ward Brewer.
Randal was self-employed as a mushroom contractor.
He liked working on cars, antiquing and loved animals.
Randal was a very kind person. He would do anything he could to help someone who needed it. He will be sorely missed by his family.
He is survived by one sister, Sandra Reese (Kevin) of Windsor; two brothers, Charles Brewer of Charlestown, MD and Clifford Brewer (Evelyn) of Creston, NC; four nieces, Heather Clinton, Annabelle Bennett, Amanda Brewer and Tiffany Drury; and one great-nephew and one great-niece. He was preceded in death by one nephew, Charles Brewer, Jr.
A graveside service was held on Aug. 1 at the Oxford Cemetery in Oxford.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to your favorite local pet shelter.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to GEORGE S. ORTEGA, JR.,
ADMINISTRATOR, 705 Lincoln St., Oxford, PA 19363, Or to his Attorney: JANNA M. PELLETIER, 535 N. Church St., Ste. 309 West Chester, PA 19380
7p-29-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF Corinne Rhodes, late of Oxford Borough, Chester County, Deceased. Letters of Administration on the estate of the above named Deborah Cozzone 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: Deborah Cozzone, Administrator, c/o Attorney: Winifred Moran Sebastian, Esquire, 208 E. Locust Street, P.O. Box 381,Oxford, PA 19363 Phone: 610-932-3838 7p-29-3t
INCORPORATION
NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of State on July 13, 2020 for the purpose of forming a nonprofit under the name Starlight Theater Inc., pursuant to the provisions of the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988, as amended. The corporation has been organized for the following purpose: Promoting the Arts. 8p-5-1t
NOTICE OF CERTIFICATION OF ORGANIZATION
Limited Liability Company. Notice is hereby given that on June 17, 2020 a certificate organization was filed with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for in Theory, LLC, pursuant to the provisions
Legals
of the Pennsylvania Limited Liability Act of 1994. John S. Benson, Solicitor, Penglase& Benson, Inc., 18 North Main Street, Doylestown, PA 18901 8p-5-1t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF Lois T. Laffey a.k.a Lois Thomson Laffey late of West Fallowfield Township, Chester County, Deceased. Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named Lois T. Laffey a.k.a Lois Thomson Laffey 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: Norman G. Laffey, Sr., Executor, c/o Attorney: Winifred Moran Sebastian, Esquire, 208 E. Locust Street, P.O. Box 381,Oxford, PA 19363
8p-5-3t
INCORPORATION
NOTICE MJ HENDERSON PC has been incorporated under the provisions of Chapter 29 of the Business Corporation law of 1988 as a Professional Corporation. 8p-5-1t
INCORPORATION
NOTICE
Inventions Extraordinaire Inc.has been incorporated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988. Fromhold Jaffe & Adams, 789 E. Lancaster Ave., Suite 220, Villanova, PA 19085 8p-5-1t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Fredda L. Maddox, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, August 20th, 2020 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, September 21st, 2020. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
SALE NO. 20-8-330 Writ of Execution No. 2018-12403 DEBT $386,920.13
All that certain lot or piece of ground with the building and improvements thereon erected, situate in the Township of Kennett, County of Chester and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. described in accordance with a plan of property of James H. Perry and Ethelyn A. Perry (deceased), made by
Howard L. Robertson, civil engineer and surveyor, Wilmington, Delaware dated November 30, 1985 as follows:
BEGINNING at a point in the Northeasterly side of the Kennett Pike, said point of Beginning being the Northeasterly end of a 20 foot radius intersection curve joining the said Northeasterly side of the Kennett Pike with the northwesterly side of Byron Road (50 feet wide); Thence from said point of beginning by the said Northeasterly side of Kennett Pike Keeping Parallel to and 30 feet Northeasterly of the center line thereof the following two courses and distances (1) North 38 degrees 58 minutes, 50 seconds west 144.99 feet to a point of curve of a curve to the right having a radius of 1033.22; (2) in a northwesterly direction by said curve to the right an arc distance of 97.28 feet to a point, thence by line of lands now or formerly of Sarah P. Ogden a/k/a Sara R. Ogden, unmarried the following two courses and distances; (1) North 87 degrees 23 minutes 30 seconds East 292.33 feet to a point; (2) North 23 degrees, 14 minutes, 30 seconds west, 80.00 feet to a point; thence by lot No. 2 the following two courses and distances; (I) North 66 degrees 45 minutes 30 seconds East, 37.07 feet to a point; (2) South 50 degrees 56 minutes, 2 seconds East 271.22 feet to a point in the aforementioned northwesterly side of Byron road; Thence thereby the following two courses and distances (1) in a Southwesterly direction by an arc of a curve to the left having a radius of 380 feet; an arc distance of 60 feet to a point of tangency; (2) South 53 degrees, I Minute, 10 seconds west, 328.42 feet to a point of curve of a 20 foot radius intersection curve to the right; Thence in a southwesterly and northwesterly direction by said curve to the right an arc distance of 31.42 feet to the place of beginning. Being No. 1 Lot on said plan. Tax ID: 62-2-48.3
PLAINTIFF: The Bank of New York Mellon FKA The Bank of New York, as Trustee for the certificate holders of the CWABS, Inc., Asset-Backed Certificates, Series 2006-26 VS DEFENDANT: Victoria Perry Robinson and Michael Robinson
SALE ADDRESS: 1 Byron Court, Chadds Ford, PA, 19317
PLANTIFF ATTORNEY: Parker McCay PA, 856-596-8900
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM.
FREDDA L. MADDOX, SHERIFF 7p-29-3t
NOTICE TO OWNERS OF TAX SALE FOR UNPAID TAXES
TO OWNERS OF PROPERTIES DESCRIBED IN THIS NOTICE AND TO ALL PERSONS HAVING LIENS, JUDGMENTS, MUNICIPAL CLAIMS OR OTHER CLAIMS AGAINST SUCH PROPERTIES.
On September 14, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time), the Chester County Tax Claim Bureau will hold its public sale of Chester County properties for the purpose of satisfying unpaid tax claims thereon. The sale will be held at 313 W. Market Street, Room 5102, West Chester, Pennsylvania. If the sale is continued at the discretion of the Chester County Tax Claim Bureau, the continued sale will be held at 601 Westtown Road, Room 351, West Chester, Pennsylvania. The properties to be sold are listed below including a brief description of each property, the names of the owners or reputed owners of such properties, except in case of unknown owners, together with the approximate amount of the Upset Price of such property.
THE UPSET PRICE includes the sum of: (1) any tax liens in favor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; (2) the amount of the claim absolute and interest thereon on which the sale is being held; (3) amounts of any other tax claims or judgments due on such property together with interest on the judgment to the date of sale; (4) the total amount of all accrued taxes including taxes levied against the property for the current year, whether or not returned; (5) the amount of municipal claims on such property; and, (6) the record costs and costs of sale including pro rata costs of the publication of notice and costs of mail and posted notices in connection with the return of claim and mail and posted notices of sale.
After confirmation of the sale by the Court and payment of the Upset Price by the purchaser, a deed will be recorded in the
name of the purchaser at the cost of the purchaser, which costs shall include any transfer taxes demanded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or other amounts appearing to be due in connection with the property being sold.
Prior to the actual sale, any owner or lien creditor of record against a property may, at the option of the Tax Claim Bureau: (1) cause a property to be removed from the sale by payment in full of taxes which have become absolute and of all charges and interest due on such taxes up to the time of payment or (2) cause the sale against such property to be stayed by entering into a written installment agreement with the Tax Claim Bureau providing for immediate payment of twenty five (25%) percent of the amount due on all tax claims and tax judgments filed or entered against such property, together with interest and costs on the tax returned to date, which agreement shall provide for not more than three (3) installments for the balance due, all to be paid within one (1) year of the date of said agreement and which agreement shall meet the other requirements of the Real Estate Tax Sale Law.
TERMS OF SALE
THE Purchaser of any property at the Upset Sale shall pay to the Tax Claim Bureau the entire purchase money on the date of sale, no later than 3:30 p.m.; and in case said amount is not paid, the sale shall be voided and the property put up for sale again. All sales are subject to confirmation by the Court of Common Pleas of Chester County. All sales are under and subject to the provisions of the Pennsylvania Real Estate Tax Sale Law Act of July 7, 1947, P.L. 1368, No. 542 as amended and to such conditions as may be announced at the sale.
The Bureau makes no warranty, guarantee or representation with respect to the accuracy of descriptions or ownership of any property or with respect to procedural irregularities. The Bureau makes
no warranty whatsoever regarding the condition of
tax sale.
Section 607(g) of the Pennsylvania Real
5-4-52
$43,488.25
MICHAEL J NS SUMMIT AVE LOT DWG & GAR $7,077.63
5-4-311 DILWORTH JANET
IRREVOCABLE TRUST REED
MICHAEL J TRU SS OF W SUMMIT AVE LOT & DWG
$10,983.49 OXFORD
6-4-118 ELLIS TRACEY RAE WS OF N THIRD ST LOT & DWG
$7,510.03
6-4-172 LEAMER ZACHARY LEAMER NORA ES WESTERN TERR LOT & DWG $5,652.12
6-8-51 RUFFENACH HENRY J WS OF PENN AVE LOT & 2 DWGS $29,608.15
6-8-102 GUNN RACHEL NS OF SOUTH ST LOT & DWG
$4,798.00
6-9-77.3P RUTLEDGE CHARLES IV RUTLEDGE RACHEL ES OF S FOURTH ST LOT 14 & DWG
$2,402.67
6-9-112 PHILLIPS LAWRENCE A & JOYCE K WS NOTTINGHAM AVE LOT & DWG $6,993.70 ATGLEN
7-3-20 WINTERS WILLIAM R L JR NS VALLEY AVE LOT DWG & POOL $14,021.79
7-3-86 WADE AMY BENNER WS HIGH ST LOT & DWG $7,935.77 PARKESBURG
8-3-116 HAWK MARK A HAWK THOMAS E ETAL NS MAIN ST LOT DWG & GAR $3,252.68
8-3-137 JENNINGS AMANDA NS MAIN ST LOT & DWG $5,001.36
8-3-190 TEEL SAMUEL L TEEL PAULA R NWS MAIN ST LOT
$4,528.57
8-5-110.1 BRAKEL NATHAN MILES SS OF W FIRST AVE LOT & DWG $8,608.37
8-5-124 PECK JOHN & CHRISTINE G NS OF W SECOND AVE LOT & DWG $11,149.19
8-5-168 ECKERT ANGELA M SS OF W SECOND AVE LOT DWG & GAR
$6,728.12
8-5-298.1 MCNEAL CORRI NE COR OF W FOURTH AVE & W LOT & DWG $1,581.86
8-5-352 TERLINGO MATTHEW SS OF W FOURTH AVE LOT & DWG
$12,345.36
8-6-7.2 VERSACE JOHN F & JANICE J SS OF GAY ST LOT 2 & DWG $13,864.60
8-6-24 KUSY DEBORAH LYNN ES GAY ST LOT & DWG
$6,575.62
8-6-25 STOLTZFUS DENISE M ES GAY ST LOT & DWG
$4,563.12
8-6-69 DURBOROW KATHLEEN E SS OF W FIFTH AVE 1 AC & GAR $20,825.86 8-6-70 DURBOROW KATHLEEN E SS OF W FIFTH AVE LOT
$10,503.33 SOUTH COATESVILLE
9-2-5 KOZACHESON BROS INC SE COR BAKER & RAILROAD ST LOT & GAR $9,489.18
9-2-6 KOZACHESON BROS INC SS BAKER ST LOT $8,886.59 9-2-7 KOZACHESON BROTHERS INC SS BAKER ST LOT $6,655.29
9-2-12 KENNEDY JANE B NW COR OF S FIRST & GIBBON LOT & APTS $10,164.90
9-2-22 KOZACHESON BROTHERS INC NE COR GIBBONS AVE & RAILR LOT
$7,474.94
9-2-25 BRYANT JAMES P SS GIBBONS AVE LOT & DWGS
$5,655.32 9-2-87 LONDON ROBERT L & LINDA M WS PARKWAY LOT & DWG $3,859.40 9-3-35 KOZACHESON NICHOLAS JR SS REMINGTON AVE LOT & DWG $34,687.15 9-10-109 SELLERS HARRY A NS BACK GAP RD LOT & DWG
$5,265.63 9-11-4 SUBER GOLDIE SS OF LOWER GAP RD LOT $1,778.96
9-11-6 WILLIAMS MINNIE SS GAP RD LOT & DWG $1,956.02 MODENA
10-4-35 JOHNSON JASON JOHNSON LISA NS N BRANDYWINE AVE LOT & DWG
$5,123.00
DOWNINGTOWN
11-4-159 MCGLINN CHARLES NS WASHINGTON AVE LOT OFF & WHSE $7,998.16 11-4-190 HARLAN WARREN W TAYLOR MELANIE H NW COR AT JEFFERSON AVE & LOT 2 DWGS GAR & STORE
$10,560.26 11-7-409 SIMMONS HUGH L NS W LANCASTER AVE LOT BARBER SHOP & APT $6,481.71
11-8-265 SARMENTO LUIGI B & COLETTE D C NS JACKSON AVE LOT & DWG $5,799.70 11-8-291 DAGOSTINO ANTHONY P REVOCABLE TRUST DIXON SAMUEL WS OF ROAD F LOT 17 & DWG
$13,293.88
11-9-40 FELL MABEL B FELL BENJAMIN WILLIAM NS GRANT AVE LOT 48 & DWG $6,640.77 11-10-81 RENZULLI RONALD F & CATHERINE LAIRD SS OF PROSPECT AVE LOT 6 & DWG
$12,765.94 11-11-2.8D THOMAS CAROLYN L N OF PROSPECT AVE LOT 20 & DWG $16,834.57 11-11-113.27 JOHNSON RICHARD W & PHYLLIS M NE COR OF TALUCCI DR LOT 23 & DWG $9,772.90 ELVERSON
13-3-6.2 LAKEMAN JOHN L N OF MAIN ST LOT $1,984.74 13-4-9 TRAIN JONATHAN G & AMY J WS OF WATER ST LOT GAR & DWG 3 TRACTS
$6,587.92
SPRING CITY
14-1-11 BERKEY ROBERT C SR NE COR AT RIDGE AVE & GLAS LOT & DWG $7,445.39
14-4-260 WEISS JOHN J & PATRICIA A SS OF NEW ST LOT & DWG $8,332.05
14-4-446 KANES GABRIEL SS HALL ST LOT & DWG $7,177.64 PHOENIXVILLE
15-1-22 SLIGH STEPHEN C NS OF CROMBY RD LOT & DWG
$6,160.69 15-3A-13 SZCZEPANSKI STANLEY ES OF RT 113 3.8 AC S DWG & BLDGS $18,896.90 15-5-94 ZANKMAN BARBARA NS EMMETT ST LOT DWG & GAR $6,443.04
15-5-464 SUMMER16 LLC WS NORTH ST LOT & DWG
$4,364.06
15-5-465 BYRD SATERRI NS OF PENN ST LOT 1 & DWG
$6,657.68 15-5-499 DUREN ANDREW JR NS HIGH ST LOT & DWG
$4,547.78 15-6-19 HILL DONNA ES DAYTON ST LOT & DWG
$12,618.63 15-9-177.1 LOURIE ELIZABETH NS OF PROSPECT ST LOT & DWG $5,689.62 15-9-361 BARKER THOMAS L & JULIA M BARKER LLOYD T SS CHURCH ST LOT & DWG
$6,015.16 15-9-510 DAVISON WILLIAM S DAVISON JOHN C SS HALL ST LOT & COMM BLDG $9,635.73 15-9-525 SMITH RONALD H ES MAIN ST LOT & DWG $7,284.26
15-9-572 DAVISON WILLIAM S DAVISON JOHN C NS MORGAN ST LOT & IND BLDG $19,347.63 15-9-573 DAVISON WILLIAM S DAVISON JOHN C NS MORGAN ST LOT & DWG $7,295.49 15-9-738 MORALES CAROL NS E MORGAN ST LOT & DWG $4,884.77 15-9-773 ONEIL JONATHAN ONEIL ELIZABETH ADM ETAL WS MAIN ST LOT & DWG
$8,075.27 15-10-23 PICKETT JANET SS HALL ST LOT & DWG $5,822.08 15-11-141 ROSSMAN J TODD & JAMI B CAINES CREEK UNIT 117 & DWG $6,946.09 15-12-140 KRONMULLER MARY ANN NS PENNSYLVANIA AVE LOT & DWG $7,185.24 15-12-403 OWENS THOMAS J ES HARRISON AVE LOT 216 &
DWG $10,348.97 15-13-365 MEADOWCROFT JAMES & CHERYL NS SECOND AVE LOT & DWG $9,449.53 15-13-484 FENNELL DANIEL J HESS-FENNELL MARGARET SS SECOND AVE LOT DWG & GAR $8,557.21 15-13-488 FENNELL DANIEL HESS-FENNELL MARGARET SS SECOND AVE LOT & DWG
$8,586.44 15-13-813 HRIVNAK ANDREW R & CATHERINE T NS VIRGINIA AVE LOT & DWG $10,175.68 15-14-231 NOLTE FRED A JR ES PARK DR LOT & DWG
$9,322.24 15-17-112 MENDENHALL LINDA W ES OF S MAIN ST LOT & DWG $15,525.47 COATESVILLE
16-2-41 HINES ULEY M & BRENDA E NW COR OF GRAHAM AVE & POP LOT DWG & GAR $2,294.79 16-2-84 BUTLER FREDERICK SLATER IV NS COATES ST LOT & DWG $4,332.07 16-2-89 BOYER LOUIS A & ALETHEA M NS COATES ST LOT & DWG $5,692.61 16-2-98.3 RAY YVONNE NS OF COATES ST LOT 4 & DWG $8,350.98 16-2-115.2 ANDERSON CHARMAINE WS GLENDALE AVE LOT & DWG $7,397.99 16-2-148 LONG GEORGE & ANNIE SS COATES ST LOT & DWG $2,813.95 16-2-152 JOHNSON KAREEM SS COATES ST LOT & DWG $2,302.36 16-2-164.1A LEWIS SPARTACUS SR SS COATES ST LOT 620 & DWG $3,267.20 16-2-186 BURGESS CASSANDRA A NS MERCHANT ST LOT & DWG $2,285.75 16-2-202.1 FERGUSON CLYDE SS OF COATES ST LOT & DWG $3,500.00 16-2-202.2 BOOKMAN NATHAN & BREND K SE COR AT COATES ST & N CH LOT & DWG $2,012.35 16-2-210.1 SMITH HARRY L
Efforts to reduce homelessness result in 23 percent decline over five years
2020 Point in Time Count registers number experiencing homelessness in Chester County Point in Time Count is one component of understanding homelessness, and is part of Decade to Doorways: The Community’s Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness in Chester County.
A report compiled by the Chester County Department of Community Development (DCD) and the Decade to Doorways partnership has found that 522 people were identified as experiencing homelessness in Chester County in the early hours of Jan. 23, 2020. This represents a decrease of 23 percent over five years in the number of people experiencing homelessness.
The Point in Time Count is a national effort mandated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to determine the number of people experiencing homelessness. This includes individuals and families who are residing in emergency shelters and transitional living facilities, as well as unsheltered individuals on the street or in places not meant for sleeping.
In Chester County, the
Of the 522 individuals experiencing homelessness on the evening of January 23, 2020, 499 men, women, and children were housed in emergency or transitional shelters. Of the 499 that were housed, 203 were veterans at the Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center campus. The street count found 23 individuals who were unsheltered— sleeping in cars, tents or places not meant for human habitation. These individuals were found in some of Chester County’s urban centers, including Phoenixville, Malvern, West Chester, Kennett Square, Oxford and the city of Coatesville.
Chester County’s approach to the Point in Time Count is both datadriven and strategic. The numbers provided to HUD are included in the Annual Homeless Assessment Report, which is presented to Congress every year.
“Chester County’s well-established Decade to Doorways initiative allows us to do more than support the federal ‘count’ of those who are experiencing homelessness,” said Pat Bokovitz, the director of Chester County’s Department of Community Development. “Decade to Doorways has created a strong community-wide network of services – partners, if you like –that helps us to prevent and end homelessness by shifting from just managing homelessness, to diverting and quickly re-housing those who are experiencing homelessness.
Indecent exposure
The Pennsylvania State Police, Avondale Barracks, is investigating a report of an indecent exposure that occurred at the White Clay Creek Preserve (405 Sharpless Road in London Britain Township) on Friday, July 24, at approximately 2 p.m.
The victim said that she was on a run through the Preserve when she passed a white, non-Hispanic male, with short, dark hair. He was also described as wearing a light blue and white horizontal striped t-shirt, khaki cargo shorts and
appeared to be in his late twenties or early thirties.
The victim continued her run and eventually turned around to return home.
When the victim passed the individual again, he had his genitals out of his pants and was masturbating while watching her. The individual was now wearing orange, tinted sports-style sunglasses in an attempt to conceal his face.
The victim screamed and sprinted past the individual.
When she returned to her residence in Delaware, she contacted the Pennsylvania
State Police to report the incident.
The Pennsylvania State Police is requesting for anyone who was in the area during the time of this incident and saw someone fitting the description of the actor, to please contact Trooper Thomas Waters of the Criminal Investigations Unit at 610-268-2022.
Theft from a vehicle, identity theft, and additional charges
The Kennett Square Police Department arrested Kevin Luna-Zavala on June 22. He faces charges
“The teams who are out canvassing locations throughout Chester County on the designated Point in Time Count night have a background in case management and have experience working with people experiencing homelessness, so their observations and subsequent actions go beyond just collecting numbers.”
The annual Point in Time Count takes place every year in January, so 2020 numbers were counted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chester County’s Department of Community Development (DCD), through the Decade to Doorways network, has responded to the COVID-19 health crisis in different ways, to continue meeting the shelter needs of those experiencing homelessness during this challenging time.
DCD staff transitioned over 100 community members residing in emer-
of theft from a motor vehicle, access device fraud, identity theft, and other related offenses.
An arrest warrant was issued for the suspect on March 31.
According to police, the charges stem from a report that was filed with the Kennett Square Police Department on July 31, 2019. The report was made regarding thefts from a vehicle and fraudulent online purchases that were made using a bank card. During the course of the investigation, police officers were able to recover fingerprints from the victim’s car which matched Luna-Zavala’s. Officers were also able to also locate conversations online involving LunaZavala discussing how to spend the victim’s money. Charges have been filed with District Court 15-3-04.
gency shelters and places not meant for human habitation into area hotels.
“Using hotels was deemed the best means of ensuring the health and safety of our most vulnerable community members,” said Bokovitz.
“In addition to the immediate move from emergency shelters to hotels, the Decade to Doorways partnership pulled together a group of community agencies and housing providers to connect residents with housing resources and other services to meet their specific, and often complex needs,” added Bokovitz.
Since the start of the pandemic in mid-March, over 50 households have taken part in a housing program that has resulted in being placed in permanent housing or who are currently looking for a permanent home. To support this drive to place
DUI charges
Maria Navarrete-Zavala, 26, of Kennett Square was arrested and charged with DUI and related traffic offenses after officers were dispatched for a report of a domestic disturbance. When they arrived at the scene, police officers were notified that Navarrete-Zavala drove to the residence to pick up her children, but had been drinking. The incident occurred on July 12 at approximately 8:33 p.m. in Kennett Square Borough.
Upon making contact with the suspect, police observed indicators suggesting intoxication and field sobriety tests showed impairment. She was taken into custody and submitted to a chemical test of her breath, resulting in a B.A.C. of .183 percent. Navarrete-Zavala was processed and later released at her residence pending the issuance of a summons.
individuals and families in permanent housing, the Housing Authority of Chester County (HACC) has increased payment standards across Chester County, as well as signon bonuses for new and existing landlords to partner with HACC, and rental prevention funds.
“Homelessness is a community issue and will only end by a community response. COVID-19 has affected all areas and individuals in our community, especially those who are homeless or housing insecure,” noted Bokovitz.
“We continue to seek landlords with available housing to reach out to the Housing Authority of Chester County to be part of this community response to prevent and end homelessness.”
Landlords can contact the Housing Authority of Chester County by calling 610-436-9200 or emailing rentrelief@haccnet.org.
DUI and related traffic offenses
Marcos Vasquez-Gabriel, age 28, of Landenberg, was arrested and charged with DUI and related traffic offenses, after he was allegedly involved in a hit-and-run accident. The incident occurred on June 25 at approximately 7:38 p.m. in the 500 Block of Las Rosa Drive in Kennett Square Borough. Kennett Square police officers located Vasquez-Gabriel and the vehicle involved in the accident at the Center Street Apartments parking lot. Upon making contact with Marcos Vasquez-Gabriel, the police officers observed indications suggesting intoxication. Field sobriety tests showed impairment. He was taken into custody for suspicion of DUI and consented to a chemical test of his blood. Vasquez-Gabriel was processed and later released at his residence pending issuance of a summons.
ALFONZO L. WALLS, JR.
Alfonzo “Ricky” L. Walls, Jr., 37, of Kennett Square, passed away on July 31.
Born in Lancaster, Pa., he was the son of Alfonzo L. Walls, Sr. of Kennett Square and Tracey Weathers Davis of Oxford and his stepmother Angela Walls of Kennett Square.
Ricky worked for Big Lots in Kennett Square as an assistant manager. Prior to that, he had worked at Jiffy Lube.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by his brother, Brandon Davis of Oxford and a host of aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was predeceased by his grandfather, Kerry Walls, his grandmother, Alice Walls, and his aunt, Donna Walls.
Ricky was a 2001 graduate of Kennett High School, and he went to U.T.I. in Eagle, Pa., where he studied auto mechanics.
He served his country for four years in the U.S. Army. He loved animals, horticulture, playing video games and being with his family and friends. He was a member of the Kennett Fire Company and in his earlier years, was a Boy Scout, and played little league baseball. He loved people and helping out whenever he was needed.
You are invited to visit with his family and friends from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8 at the Episcopal Church of the Advent, 401 North Union Street (Union and Fairthorn Sts.), in Kennett Square.
His Funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. Burial will be private.
To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.
CATHERINE BROWN
Catherine Mary “Sis” Brown, age 85, of Lincoln University, passed away on July 28 at her home while surrounded by her loving family.
Catherine was the wife of her late husband, Hugh E. Brown, who predeceased her in 1974.
Born in Philadelphia in 1935, Catherine was the daughter of the late Thomas P. O’Donnell and the late Catherine Durham O’Donnell.
Catherine was a devout Catholic and attended St. George Parish for many years before becoming a member of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish. For well over 20 years, Catherine never missed Sunday mass.
Catherine, or “Sis”, was a caring, sweet, wonderful woman. In her free time, she enjoyed getting together with her bunco group. Yet, what she loved most of all was spending time with her family. She was extremely family-oriented and cared about everyone around her. Catherine was always taking care of others and was truly a grandmother to all.
Catherine is survived by her sister, Mary Ann Wieland and brother-in-law, Joe; her daughter, Marianne K. Hannan and son-in-law, Robert; two grandchildren, Robert Hannan III and Thomas Hannan; many nieces and nephews; her great-nieces and great-nephews; and her great-greatnieces and great-great-nephews. In addition to her late husband, Hugh, Catherine was predeceased by two brothers, Thomas O’Donnell and John O’Donnell.
Catherine’s viewing was held on Aug. 3 at ABVM Parish in West Grove. Interment was at Peter and Paul Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made to the American Cancer Society, 1626 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19103 or to ABVM Parish, 300 State Rd, West Grove, PA 19390.
Arrangements are being handled by Foulk Funeral Home of West Grove.
EPHRAIM R. PENNINGTON, JR.
Ephraim R. Pennington, Jr., passed peacefully at Ware Presbyterian Village in Oxford on Aug. 1. He was 77.
Born in Hemlock, NC, he was the son of the late Ephraim R. Sr., and Mattie Osborne Pennington. He lived in Southern Chester County.
Ephraim was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
He was a member of Auburn Baptist Church, Landenberg.
Ephraim was a devoted and loving husband and father. He enjoyed serving his church, fly fishing, woodworking and blue grass music.
He is survived by his wife Annette Miller Pennington of Oxford; one son, Robert Pennington and wife, Beth of Dallas, TX; one daughter, Tina Hagen and husband, Michael of Ft. Rucker, AL; Annette’s son, Chris Hunter and daughter, Ronda Fabian and husband, Steve of Rising Sun, MD; two brothers, Curtis Pennington and wife, Sandy of Downingtown and Paul Pennington and wife, Paula of West Grove; two sisters, Janet Pennington Caldwell and husband, David of Avondale, and Regina Pennington of West Chester; as well as many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and a great-nephew and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Gary Pennington; wife and mother of his children, Patricia Bird Pennington; and wife, Joanne Peirson Pennington.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8 at Auburn Baptist Church, 500 Auburn Rd., Landenberg, where friends and family may visit from 10 to 11 a.m. Interment with full military honors will be held in the adjoining church cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Auburn Baptist Church, c/o Ron Gehman, 1157 Pilgrims Pathway, Peach Bottom, PA 17563 or Ware Presbyterian Ladies Auxiliary, 7 E. Locust St., Oxford, PA 19363.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
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