Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 155, No. 40
INSIDE
Wednesday, October 6, 2021
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Lisa Moore sentenced on 5 counts Former Kennett Township manager is charged with Theft by Deception, Dealing in Unlawful Proceeds, Forgery, Tampering with Public Records and Access Device Fraud and will receive a prison sentence between three and 10 years By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Newark Life
Kennett Brewfest...6A
At 1:25 p.m. on Oct. 4, former Kennett Township Manager Lisa Moore entered the crowded Courtoom #1 of the Chester County Justice Center, dressed casually in a black blouse, black leggings and a cream-colored sweater, and her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail. For the next 73 minutes, she sat nearly motionless beside her attorney, Julia Alexa Rogers, and addressed the Hon. David F. Bortner of the Court of Common Pleas of Chester County with a bare minimum of words. At 2:43 p.m., following a 73-minute hearing that sealed her immediate fate, Moore, 48, crossed her hands behind her back and accepted the gentle click of handcuffs by a county sheriff to her wrists. She was then led out of the courtroom and into custody, to begin her sentence as a prisoner of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As part of a guilty plea deal arranged by Moore, Rogers and prosecuting
attorneys William Judge, Jr. and Michelle Frei of the Chester County District Attorney’s Office, Moore was sentenced by Bortner and taken into custody on five counts stemming from her embezzlement of more than $3.2 million from Kennett Township beginning in 2013 and ending in 2019. Standing at a podium before Bortner, Moore was sentenced to incarceration in a state correctional facility for a minimum of three years and a maximum of 10 years for the crime of Theft by Deception, a felony in the first degree. Moore was also charged with the following crimes, which carry with them probation periods that will be added – consecutively – to her sentencing after her prison sentence is complete: • Dealing in Unlawful Proceeds, a felony in the first degree, which will carry a two-year probation sentence after her prison sentence is complete; • Forgery, a felony in the second degree, for which Moore will serve a one-year
probation; • Access Device Fraud, a • Tampering with Public felony in the third degree, Records, a felony in the for which Moore will serve third degree, that carries a a one-year probation. one-year probation; and As part of her punishment,
INDEX
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Fourteen year-old musical headliner Dylan Zangwill of Exton – who was recently a contestant on “America’s Got Talent” -- delivered a searing performance at the sold-out Kennett Brewfest on Oct. 2, which drew more than 3,000 to enjoy the beers of more than 70 breweries. For additional photos, see Page 6A.
An autumn favorite returns By Chris Barber Contributing Writer
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The Unionville Opinion.......................5A Community Fair made a Obituaries.....2B, 3B & 5B glorious return last weekClassifieds..................4B end, and the autumn favorite did not disappoint folks who had waited the better part of two years for some outdoor fun in the community due to pandemic restrictions. The weather didn’t disappoint either, with the skies providing constant sunshine and temperatures in the 70s. Bonnie Musser, the president and lifelong supporter of the Unionville Community Fair and Farm Show, pulled out all the stops for the return of this 97-year tradition that highlights the crafts, animals and agriculture of southern Chester County. As the three-day event wound down on Sunday, Musser reported that she was pleased that the only mishap of the whole event was that someone lost a wallet. But it was turned in, so everything turned out pretty much perfect. Musser was especially pleased that the turnout was significant. The fair is held on the Willowdale
Photo by Chris Barber
Frequent president and longtime supporter Bonnie Musser has many memories of the farm show when she attended during her youth.
Steeplechase property along Street Road in Willowdale. By noon on Saturday, the whole hillside for parking was filled to the edges, with hundreds of people still coming in. As she looked out over the crowd, Musser explained that estimating the attendance was a little difficult because eager children kept running back and forth between the haunted house
Continued on page 2A
Zangwill steals show at Kennett Brewfest
Unionville Community Fair
The Great Pumpkin Carve 2021...1B
Moore is also required to pay restitution costs back to the township in the amount of $3,249,453 – the sum
and the bull riding and other attractions for repeated visits. In any case, the attendance was good— and everyone was enthusiastic. The fair started out in 1924 as a corn show called the Unionville Community Farm Production Show. Legend has it that the boys in the future farmers group in the high school brought in their corn after harvest Continued on page 3A
New borough manager in Oxford Pauline D. Garcia-Allen has been named as the new borough manager in Oxford. Borough Council made the appointment official at the council meeting conducted on Monday, Oct. 4. The appointment comes after an exhaustive search conducted by a search committee. Mary Higgins, a council member and the chairperson of the search committee said, “It was important for the Borough to identify and hire the best-qualified candidate, one who can effectively communicate with the many internal and external stakeholder groups within the Oxford region. Pauline is that person.” Garcia-Allen is a seasoned professional who holds a bachelor of science degree in journalism and media studies. She also has an extensive background in community and economic development, coalition building, program management, grant funding, and communications. “Pauline brings 20 years of professional experience, a diverse background, and existing relationships with various Oxford area stakeholder groups, all of which will serve the Borough well,” said council president Peggy Ann Russell. Garcia-Allen will begin her tenure with the Borough on Monday, Oct. 25. “I am excited to begin my tenure with the Borough,” she said. “The borough has a wonderful team in place which includes dedicated volunteers, elected officials, and staff, all of whom are committed to serving the residents and businesses in our community. I am honored to be a part of that team and look forward to contributing to the future successes of the organization, our community, and the region.” Borough Council expressed its gratitude to the members of the Search Committee, which included Spence Andress (the citizen representative), council member Ron Hershey, council member Mary Higgins, and council president Peggy Ann Russell.
Moran Farm Development moved to Planning Commission The annual Halloween Parade is also approved
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By Betsy Brewer Brantner referring it to the Planning Contributing Writer Commission to work on a proposal. Council has Oxford Borough Council directed me to work with heard more discus- Planning. The Planning sion on the Moran Farm Commission will consider Development, which will concerns raised by residents now go to the Borough’s at the previous June public Planning Commission. meeting, held at the Public According to Borough Works Building. Questions solicitor Stacey Fuller, “The raised by the public, end result is that Council is Council and Planning will
be addressed there.” Fuller elaborated, saying, “Frost Development is requesting a zoning amendment to permit an age-restricted development on the parcel. However, the age restriction is not the important part. Their argument is because they are doing an age-restricted development, they also
want to do a higher density of homes.” No timeframe was given for the project to move through the planning process at this point. Another issue that keeps being brought up at the council meetings is the need for handicapped parking spaces. Marge Laigaie, a local resident, talked
about the need for more handicapped parking spaces. Laigaie resides at the Oxford Hotel apartments. Although Laigaie was asking for more handicapped spots in the new parking garage, it is important to note an ongoing problem experienced by Oxford Hotel residents. When the Continued on page 4A