Kennett board authorizes township to advertise 2024 budget by vote of 2-1
Scudder Stevens dissents, says township Manager Eden Ratliff’s recommendation to maintain current police staffing levels ‘is unreasonable and irresponsible and unjustified’
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
In what may be the last controversial action of his 12-year tenure on the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors – which comes to an end on Dec. 31 -Scudder Stevens was the
lone dissenter at a Nov. 1 meeting that authorized the township to advertise the adoption of the township’s 2024 budget.
While board chairman Geoffrey Gamble and supervisor Richard Leff gave their approval to move forward on to the final adoption of
next year’s budget, Stevens objected to Manager Eden Ratliff’s recommendation that the township maintain its current staffing level for the Kennett Township Police in 2024. Currently, the department’s nine-member staff consists of Police Chief Matthew
by Richard L. Gaw Kennett Township Board of Supervisors Geoffrey Gamble, Richard Leff and Scudder Stevens discuss the township’s proposed 2024 budget on Nov. 1.
The 35th Kennett Run will take place on May 4, 2024
Kennett Run Charities gifts $19,900 to 12 agencies
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
With the season of giving soon to be here, Kennett Run Charities – the fundraising wing of the annual Kennett Run – got a recent jump on the holidays by awarding a total of $19,900 to one dozen area agencies at its annual presentation meeting on Nov. 2 at the Kennett Library & Resource Center. Those organizations receiving contributions were: A Child’s Light ($2,000); Arts Holding Hands & Hearts, Inc. ($1,500); Camp Dreamcatcher ($1,400); Kennett After School Association/After the Bell
($2,000); Kennett Education Foundation ($1,500); Meals on Wheels of Chester County, Inc. ($2,000); the New London Counseling Center ($1,000); the Rotary Club of Kennett Square ($1,500); The Barn at Spring Brook Farm ($2,000); the Unionville Community Fair ($1,000); Walk in kNowledge ($2,000); and Young Moms ($2,000).
Since its founding in 1989, Kennett Run Charities has raised more than $1.4 million for organizations throughout southern Chester County. In his presentation before recipient agencies and race sponsors, Kennett Run President Robert Merkle said that the 2023 Kennett
Run – held on May 6 –raised over $30,000 for the Kennett Square community, as well as the $2,500 investment Kennett Run Charities made to improve trail conditions in Anson B. Nixon Park prior to the event. In addition, the organization is investing $7,800 in high school sports booster programs to help fund equipment needs, create scholarship opportunities and increase student participation.
Merkle said that through effective marketing – due in part to Kennett Charities’ partnership with Launch Collective and Chavez Communications – the Kennett Run increased its
Oxford Veterans Breakfast at Senior Center to be held on Nov. 11
By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer
Clarissa Sherrow is ecstatic to be able to host the Veterans Breakfast again this year. The popular annual event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 11 from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Oxford Senior Center at 12 E. Locust Street in Oxford. Sherrow has been doing this for years, with the help
of many friends, organizations, and volunteers.
“This is something I look forward to every year,” Sherrow said. “We need to remember the veterans and this breakfast is a chance to give back to them. The most important thing about the breakfast is it gives the veterans an opportunity to talk with other veterans. We always get someone who is new to the breakfast and it is great to see them finding
friends they haven’t seen in a long time. We continue to lose veterans every year, so we need to honor them and help them in any way.”
The Oxford Veterans Breakfast brings veterans in from the local Oxford area, as well as veterans from Chester County, other places in Pennsylvania, plus Maryland and Delaware.
Sherrow said, “We normally serve up to 200 people. Veterans are invit-
ed to bring a guest with them. We serve scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, potatoes, gravy and coffee. They do come for all the good food, but they also come to talk to others who know what they have been through. It’s really important for veterans to talk to other veterans.”
The breakfast also gives local groups who help the veterans an opportunity to share information with the local men and women who served their country.
Sherrow explained, “I know our community suffered a
People are eager to volunteer their time to help with the breakfast. Local scouts usually participate as well as the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce.
Royal Ruse wins Pennsylvania Hunt Cup
By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Contributing Writer
The 89th running of the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup on Sunday, Nov. 5 featured not only the excitement of horses racing over fences, but it also took place on a perfect fall afternoon in the Chester County countryside. The featured race of the day was the Pennsylvania Hunt Cup, which was run over four miles and 18 fences for a purse of $35,000. The winner was Royal Ruse, owned by Charles Fenwick, trained by Sanna Neilson and ridden by Gerard Galligan. Galligan was a last-minute replacement for Parker Hendriks, who had taken a fall racing last week.
“I didn’t know I was riding until last night,” Galligan said in a post-race interview. “I’m very lucky to ride such a good horse. It’s so much fun riding over those big fences on such good horses. It’s the best feeling in the world.”
Awesome Adrian placed second and third-place finisher Shootist was disqualified. Most of the race was led by Monbeg Stream, ridden by Freddie Procter, until he fell at the secondto-last fence. To the relief of the crowds, the horse got back on his feet and was walked back to the staging area. The first timber race of the day was the Lewis C. Ledyard Maiden Timber
Photo by Richard L. Gaw Elizabeth Buck holds the hands of her mother, Bridget
Photo by Marcella Peyre-Ferry
Royal Ruse was this year’s winner of the prestigious Pennsylvania Hunt Cup.
Photo
Gordon, Corporal Amanda Wenrich, Detective Miguel
Local News
Lincoln University submits grant proposal for Hosanna Church restoration
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
One of the most important symbols of the history of Chester County and its prominent role in civil rights is on the verge of being awarded the gift of preservation.
In coordination with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Commonwealth’s 250th Celebration Commission (A250PA), the Pennsylvania Legislature has made funding available for projects related to the meaningful understanding of the Declaration and its significance for today.
Under the guidance of Lincoln University
President Brenda Allen, former Sen. and Lincoln trustee Andy Dinniman and Lincoln Vice President Ava Willis-Barksdale prepared a grant proposal with Dr. Larycia Hawkins, director of Lincoln University’s new Center for the Study of the Underground Railroad for the restoration of Hosanna Church/Free African Meeting House at Lincoln University.
Hosanna A.U.M.P.
Church and cemetery are surviving monuments to the 19th century village
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Juarez and Officers Elysia Simmons, Pedro Melendez, Brian Bolt, Robert Dowd and Colin Vannicolo, and one office administrator.
While Ratliff urged the board to consider his request for next year’s budget, “The plan for 2024 will be to study alternate policing options and have community engagement,” Ratliff said. His comments served as a response to the 90-minute presentation Gordon gave to the board on Oct. 18, when he requested that the township consider increasing the size of the township’s police department with the addition of two more officers beginning in January and two more officers in January 2025.
During his presentation, Gordon referred to several factors – among many -- that he felt necessitated increasing the size of the department. Hiring additional officers, he said, would:
• Greatly reduce the number of 12-hour shifts recorded by the current staff over consecutive days, which contributes, he said, to added stress and fatigue
• Better be able to respond to the continuingly rising number of service calls to the department
of Hinsonville that was settled by free -- and determined to be free -- Black Americans who were landowners and laborers and directly involved in major social movements like the Underground Railroad and the eventual abolition of slavery; the founding of Ashmun Institute (renamed Lincoln University in 1866 to honor President Abraham Lincoln); and the Civil War, during which 18 Hinsonville men enlisted in the Union army, many of whom are buried at the Hosanna cemetery. The congregation built their first church at this site in 1843, just five miles from the Maryland border, where slavery was legal prior to 1865. During that time, Hosanna hosted abolitionist meetings, and its members operated within an extensive, interracial network of pro-freedom activists. Worship services provided sanctuary for freedom seekers while members sheltered and fed
• Closer match the formulaic data generated by the International Chiefs of Police that establishes staffing levels based on coverage area population, and
• Be able to more effectively respond to the township’s increased exposure to crime.
“We heard a very thorough presentation [by Chief Gordon], but the question becomes, ‘What does the board want and what is the community willing to support?’” Ratliff said. “What we’re recommending is to go through a process with the Board of Supervisors to figure that out in a comprehensive, public way.
“At the end of that process, if we do it well, the staff led by [me] will provide a renewed recommendation to the Board of the Supervisors and the community for future policing in Kennett Township.”
Ratliff later said that his recommendation to maintain the current staffing of the police department was reached after consultation with other township officials.
“Our process is a collaborative approach between myself, the Chief of Police, the Finance and Human Resources Director, and the Public Works Director,” he said. “We work together. We agree and we disagree and ultimately, the respon-
freedom seekers at their nearby homes.
Chartered in 1854, Ashmun Institute was cofounded and supported by Hosanna members who were acknowledged Chester County Underground Railroad agents. Some church members, along with numerous Ashmun/ Lincoln students, joined the 200,000 United States Colored Troops to reunify the country and liberate four million Americans from slavery.
As read on the historic marker located at the site, Hosanna was first known as the African Meeting House and in 1843, formally organized as a church. Hosanna served as an important stop on the Underground Railroad. Many of the great abolitionists of the time, including Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth, spoke at Hosanna.
Former long-time Lincoln University administrator and dean Cheryl Renée Gooch, now the executive direc-
sibility for developing final and complete recommendations is mine.”
‘Irresponsible and inappropriate and unjustified’
Stevens, who later in the meeting described Ratliff’s recommendation as “irresponsible and inappropriate and unjustified,” began his comments by expressing his displeasure with maintaining a “status quo” position for a department that he said is in severe need of more uniformed personnel.
“I listened on several occasions to our Chief and considered various aspects of police work and it seemed perfectly reasonable and appropriate – perhaps even necessary – that the police uniformed group be increased by the requested [number of] two,” he said. “There is an on-going concern by the officers and some of the board members expressing the need for two officers on the night shift, and the concern is the risk to personnel who are out there on the road by themselves, [who] if they come upon an event that requires police intervention, they’re by themselves.”
Stevens said at a minimum, the township should hire at least one additional officer in 2024 and one additional officer a year for the next several years in “step-by-step” increments that he said will allow the
tor of the African American Resources Cultural and Heritage Society, is the author of Hinsonville’s Heroes: Black Civil War Soldiers of Chester County, Pennsylvania (The History Press, 2018). In 2015, she spoke at a celebration at the church.
“This church was the social and spiritual center of the community here,” she said. “Hinsonville was a community of self-determined people who assisted their fellow human beings
township to effectively manage the cost of these increases.
“We are in a position where we have a much better view of what is, what our needs are and what our capabilities are to deal with them,” Stevens said. “The data that has been presented [demonstrates] that we need those personnel -- those officers to do the work that we need to have done.”
Now that the majority of the board has accepted his recommendation, Ratliff’s next action will be to begin looking at options to determine what the township can realistically provide with its current roster of police.
“We will look at academic research, we will figure out what the community needs are and what the police needs are for the community and begin to untangle that,” he said. “It will be a series looking at alternatives and figuring out what direction the board wants to go and begin pulling those levers, as part of a databased decision process.”
‘I don’t know what we want’
The other two supervisors expressed a collective “Let’s wait and see” stance on police personnel, and called for further evaluation and public comment before decisions are made. Using a family analogy, Gamble said that the township’s relationship with its Fire
in escaping slavery, while also helping to establish a university to educate free men of color. Imagine that. A lot happened here. There’s memory here.”
America250PA was begun in 2018 to plan, encourage, develop and coordinate the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, Pennsylvania’s integral role in that event and the impact of its people on the nation’s past, present, and future. All 67 coun-
and EMS units is similar to having siblings.
“You don’t get to choose them and in our current system, we don’t get to decide how much we’re going to have to pay,” he said. “The police are like a marriage. Once you hire a policeman or policewoman, they are there forever. I campaigned a few years ago [for supervisor] on the idea that we [may want to dissolve] our police department. I have since come to realize that we need a police force, but the question becomes, ‘What kind of police force are we going to have?’
‘How many do we need?’”
Gamble said his reason for not being in favor of increasing the size of the police staff in 2024, “is that I don’t know what we want, and by we, I mean the community,” he said. “I think we have to think a little outside the box and I think we need some breathing room before we tie the knot and go any further.”
Gamble suggested that the township explore the concept of using the PA State Police, the Southern Chester County Regional Police Department and the Kennett Borough Police Department as possible resources that could provide assistance to the township’s police.
Referring to the possibility of seeing a larger police force in the future, Leff said, “I would prefer eventually to get to a better spot, but where that is I am wholeheartedly willing
ties in the Commonwealth have signed resolutions in official support of the initiative, making America250PA the first U.S. Semiquincentennial State Commission in the nation to receive statewide county support. For a related story, see "The Declaration of Independence and the Meaning of Freedom" on Page 5A. To learn more about America250PA, visit www. America250PA.org.
to explore and re-explore every option. I am fine with looking at options in 2024, with an open eye toward evaluating how things are going.”
As spelled out at the board’s Oct. 4 meeting by Ratliff and Finance and Human Resources Director Amy Heinrich, the township’s operating budget for next year is projected to be $8.9 million in revenue and $7.7 million expenses. Its anticipated revenue will mostly come from $6.54 million in earned income, local service, real estate and real estate transfer taxes, and an additional $2.4 million in fees, fines, grants and interest. Conversely, its operating expenses are projected to be $1.2 million higher in 2024, due to increases in the township’s membership to the Fire & EMS Commission, which will see a 41 percent increase in 2024; a $260,000 one-time cost for the construction of the Magnolia Crossing project; and $143,000 that will be needed to hire two additional staff and appointing a part-time staffer to full-time status in the Public Works Department. The Nov. 1 meeting served as the township’s fourth engagement of its 2024 budget. The board is expected to approve the final budget at its Dec. 6 public meeting.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Under the guidance of Lincoln University President Brenda Allen, former State Sen. and Lincoln trustee Andy Dinniman, Lincoln Vice President Ava Willis-Barksdale and Dr. Larycia Hawkins, director of the University’s new Center for the Study of the Underground Railroad, have submitted a state grant proposal for the restoration of Hosanna Church/Free African Meeting House.
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race, which was won by Paddy’s Crown, ridden by Teddy Davies, owned by Adlestrop Hill, and trained by Emily Hannum. This was followed by the Arthur O. Choate, Jr. Memorial, which was won by Rhythmia, ridden by Harrison Beswick, owned by Upland Partners and trainer by Todd McKenna.
The day of racing concluded with two divisions of the Athenian Idol Apprentice Rider Training Flat Race. The winner of the first division was Get Khozy, ridden by Elizabeth Scully, for trainer Richard Hendriks and owner Del Rio Racing, LLC. In the second division, the winner was Kenilworth King, ridden by Virginia Korrell for trainer Leslie Young and owner Kenilworth King Syndicate, LLC.
The day’s races were run in memory of Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, who passed away in August at the age of 82. He earned 3,426 career racing wins as a trainer, including 1,242 in steeplechasing. Sheppard, along with the late Paddy Neilson, originated the Athenian Idol flat race as an opportunity for apprentice riders.
Throughout the day, event announcers interviewed friends of Sheppard, who shared their memories with the crowds.
Trainer Leslie Young, who started working with Sheppard when she was 16 years old, recalled him as an amazing man to work for.
“For as many horses as he had, he definitely tried to make sure they were fresh and happy,” Young said.
Trainer Sanna Neilson, who began working for Sheppard when she was
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great loss with the fire of September 13. I hate to ask for any donations knowing how much our community has been giving lately.
14, also shared a memory. “I loved working for Jonathan. He was a wonderful mentor and a fantastic guy.”
The day’s festivities also included a parade of horsedrawn carriages, and an appearance by the Cheshire Fox Hounds. Tailgating of all kinds could be found among the spectators, including the carriage drivers.
Jack Day and his wife
were passengers in one of the carriages with driver Richard O’Donnell.
He commented, “The grass is so nice and green it really is beautiful. The countryside is so beautiful regardless, it’s just fabulous. We live in Monkton, Maryland, and we have nice countryside, but it’s hard to beat this one here.”
Proceeds from the races benefit the Chester County Food Bank.
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runner registrations by 22 percent this year in comparison to 2022, about seven percentage points greater than what other charitable races across the U.S. are recording.
“I feel confident in saying the runners had a much better time this year than in 2022,” Merkle said. “The 5K race time dropped by about a minute, and the 10K times by over 2 minutes. The PoweRunners had a similar improvement. I’m sure the wonderful weather had a lot to do with the faster times.
“We do a lot of our social media marketing in conjunction with the Ches-Mont League high schools. I think the effectiveness of this for us is shown by the outsized increase we experienced in runners between 14 and 19, and 30 to 49 years old.”
The following sponsors of the Kennett Run were also recognized for their long-time support of the fundraising event: Brutcher, Foley, Milliner, Land & Kelly; Café Americana 2; Chadds Ford Climate Control; Chatham Financial; Chavez Communications; Chester County Eye Care; Delaware Orthopaedic Specialists; Kendal Crosslands Communities; Launch Design Collective; Mercer Restoration/ Aureus Group; Perna & Abracht, LLC; Phillips Mushroom Farms; Pollock Music Lessons, LLC; Qfix/Civco; SERVPRO of Kennett Square/Oxford; Sinton Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc.; Taylor Oil & Propane; The Tri-M Group, LLC; The 2SP Group; and WSFS.
The 35th Kennett Run will be held on May 4, 2024.
To learn more about the Kennett Run and Kennett Run Charities, visit www. kennettrun.com.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
“We need to remember the veterans and this breakfast is a chance to give back to them.”
However, I know this community is a very giving community, and many organizations look forward to helping with this breakfast.”
Every day, memories of World War II are disappearing from living history.
The men and women who fought and won this great conflict are now in their 90s or older and, according to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs statistics, only 119,550 of the 16.1 million Americans who served in World War II are alive as of 2023.
Oxford values their veterans, which is evident by the number of banners flying along Oxford streets as a way to honor and remember the price the veterans paid for their country.
Anyone wanting to help or donate to the Oxford Veterans Breakfast should contact Sherrow at 484-645-4513.
Many veterans suffer silently with PTSD, or illnesses that were caused
“Please spread the word of the breakfast to any veterans you know,” Sherrow said.
Photos by Marcella Peyre-Ferry
Sally Smith, a resident of Bryn Mawr, is pictured atop Harvey.
The horses from the carriage parade delighted the crowds.
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Representatives from one dozen area agencies gathered at the Kennett Library & Resource Center on Nov. 2 to receive grants from Kennett Run Charities that will assist their respective organizations. The fundraising wing of the annual Kennett Run has raised over $1.4 million for area agencies since its founding 34 years ago.
Pa. Secretary of Education visits Avon School District’s after-school program
The Avon Grove School District recently hosted Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid Mumin for a visit highlighting after-school programming at Avon Grove Intermediate School.
The Oct. 25 event highlighted Lights on After School, a nationwide effort organized by the U.S. Department of Education’s Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers to bring awareness to the importance of providing accessible, high-quality programs to families who need after-school care.
Dr. Mumin addressed students in the cafeteria, where he emphasized the positive impact of the program and
reminded the students how wonderful it is to have afterschool activities that are both educational and fun.
The students enjoyed their after-school snacks and enthusiastically engaged with Mumin as he asked them about their hopes for the future.
Administrators then provided the visitors with a tour of the various activities that are regularly offered through the program, including games in the gymnasium, creating art with robotics, and making slime in a science lesson. Mumin had the opportunity to participate in the activities and learn about the partnership between the local agencies that often visit or provide
services, such as the Chester County Food Bank and the Avondale Fire Company.
The program, operated in a partnership between the school district, the Chester County Intermediate Unit and the Century Community Learning Centers, is free for eligible families and offers student enrichment opportunities while also supporting families who need assistance during non-school hours.
Kim Hall, principal at Avon Grove Intermediate School, shared her appreciation for the program.
“It’s a wonderful partnership and program,” she said. “The staff do an incredible job of making each day exciting and unique for the students.”
Luther House celebrates 25th anniversary
More than 100 people attended a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the founding of Luther House at St. Michael Lutheran Church in Unionville on Sunday, Nov. 5. Luther House is a fourbuilding campus in Jennersville that provides affordable housing for low-income seniors. It is located on 18 acres and was constructed with funds primarily provided by the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) under its HUD 202-Sec
3 Program, beginning in 1998. The first residents moved into Luther House I in 2001. This was followed by the submission and approval of additional grants that supported the construction and occupancy of Luther House II (2002), Luther House III (2006), and Luther House IV (2009).
Luther House was founded by a volunteer organization from St. Michael that formed the Lutheran Senior Services of Southern Chester County to construct
affordable senior housing in the county.
The founders included Lou Wonderly (grant writing), Marilyn Forney (HUD expertise and contacts), Art Knechtel (finance), Bob Mattson (operations), Darwin Wika (building construction) and Lou Minella (legal).
Luther House services include not only housing, but food, healthcare, financial and even pet care services. Over the last 25 years, more than 800 qualified individuals have
benefitted from its resources. Currently, almost 275 seniors reside at Luther House, with a waiting list for apartment availability of over 100.
For more information about Luther House, please contact Ms. Diana Seip, the director, at dseip@lutherhousepa.org.
than 100 people attended a
of
Courtesy photo
Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid Mumin watches an Avon Grove student use a tablet device to create art with paint.
Courtesy photo
More
celebration
the 25th anniversary of the founding of Luther House at St. Michael Lutheran Church in Unionville on Sunday, Nov. 5. Pictured are Bob Mattson, Diana Seip, Kay Wika, Art Knechtel, Lou Wonderly, and Lou Minella. Missing from the picture is Marilyn Forney.
Taking a giant LIHEAP
For the past several years – hidden behind the gold rush of opportunity that has enabled Chester County to become the richest county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – the county’s invisible population known as the Working Poor has continued to remain vastly underserved and ignored.
The discrepancy is vast and it is real: While the median household income in the county rose from $109,969 in 2021 to $117,232 in 2022 and while the median property value soared to $384,100 last year, the number of county residents living near or below the poverty line teeters on the brink of rising to seven percent. To tack on further insult to this population, every phase involved with the cost of living has continued to climb while their wages have remained stagnant or at best trickled ever so slightly northward.
The greatest gift of Chester County is not measured by its accumulative wealth but by the number of individuals and agencies that continue to wage a battle against poverty in support of the Working Poor who live here, and now, the state’s government is again entering the fray.
Last week, the Shapiro administration announced the renewal of the annual Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a federally funded initiaitive that helps low-income Pennsylvanians pay their home heating bills to better ensure they are able to stay warm and safe during the cold winter months.
The LIHEAP crisis grant is for people who meet the income limits and are in jeopardy of having their heating utility service terminated, have broken heating equipment, have already had their heating utility service terminated, or who are out of or have less than two weeks’ worth of deliverable fuel such as fuel oil, propane, coal, or wood. The minimum LIHEAP crisis grant is $25 and the maximum crisis grant is $1,000.
During the 2022-2023 LIHEAP season, 312,169 households in Pennsylvania received $125,572,518 in LIHEAP cash benefits, with each household average a cost benefit of just over $400. More than 135,000 households statewide received $98,923,752 in LIHEAP crisis benefits, and these households received an average payment of $688.
While it is understood that this winter’s LIHEAP season will not singlehandedly solve the crisis of poverty in Chester County, it will go a long way to alleviate the indignity of having to endure a winter of discontent.
Learn more.
Available for renters and homeowners, the LIHEAP application period for both cash and crisis grants is open through April 5, 2024. Pennsylvanians can apply for LIHEAP and other public assistance programs online at dhs.pa.gov/COMPASS or by phone at (866) 550-4355. Pennsylvanians do not need to know their own eligibility to apply for these programs. Those who have applied and were denied previously but have experienced a change in circumstances can reapply. To learn more, visit dhs. pa.gov/liheap.
The Declaration of Independence and the meaning of freedom
By Andy Dinniman, D.Ed.
In 2026 we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Southern Chester County has played a vital role in the fight for freedom up to this very day. While almost all of us know of the Battle of the Brandywine, we are probably not as familiar with the role played out in New London and Lower Oxford Townships.
The Pennsylvania Legislature, in coordination with the Commonwealth’s 250th Celebration Commission (A250PA) has made funding available for projects related to the meaningful understanding of the Declaration of Independence and its significance for today. Under the guidance of Lincoln University President Brenda Allen, former State Senator Andy Dinniman, a Lincoln trustee, and Lincoln Vice President Ava WillisBarksdale prepared a grant proposal. State Senator Dinniman and Dr. Larycia Hawkins, director of Lincoln University’s new Center for the Study of the Underground Railroad, presented the grant proposal before a legislative committee in October.
The grant is for the restoration of Hosanna Church/Free African Meeting House at Lincoln University. Hosanna is emblematic of the essence of the Declaration of Independence and the struggle for freedom in the American Revolution, and the fight against slavery, as well as the issues of equity and inclusion in our own time. This restoration project solidifies Hosanna’s place in the rich history of the area in which it is located, which includes the
original Free Black community of Hinsonville, the New London Academy, and Lincoln University.
Just as Lincoln University was the first degree-granting Historically Black University in America, the New London Academy, just five minutes away from Lincoln, was the first public (free) school in Pennsylvania. Three signers of the Declaration of Independence were educated at New London Academy, including Thomas McKean, the second governor of Pennsylvania, whose family farm was also located near the Academy. The New London Presbyterian Church was instrumental in the founding of New London Academy.
Hinsonville, established in 1830, was a Free Black community, located, in part, on what is now Lincoln University. The Pennsylvania Historic Marker says the Hosanna structure, which this project aims to restore, was first known as the African Meeting House and in 1843, formally organized as a church. Only six miles away from states where slavery was legal, Hosanna served as an important stop on the Underground Railroad. Many of the great abolitionists of the time, including Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth, spoke at Hosanna. On its grounds are the graves of Black soldiers who fought in the Civil War.
Any understanding of African American history and the current issues of equity and inclusion in America and in Pennsylvania must appreciate the role of Lincoln University, founded in 1854, with the help of Hinsonville residents and an Oxford Presbyterian min-
ister, James Miller Dickey.
Lincoln graduates have included such prominent figures as Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, poet Langston Hughes, presidents of African nations – Nnamdi Azikiwe (Nigeria) and Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana), as well as many national and commonwealth leaders.
Albert Einstein came to Lincoln in 1947 to push for the fundamental civil rights embodied in the Declaration of Independence.
Restoring Hosanna preserves a tangible reminder of the struggles for freedom in this area of Pennsylvania. It represents not only the history, but also the hopes and dreams of today and tomorrow. The restoration will once again create a community meeting house where all can come to discover that history and to contemplate the current meaning of the Declaration. It is the responsibility of each generation of Americans to assess the meaning of the Declaration of Independence for their time.
It is important to note the economic force that emanates from historic tourism, with Hosanna being the venue for information and exploration of this particular historic area. Hosanna and Lincoln University are just 20 to 30 minutes away from the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway that runs through Maryland and Delaware. Hosanna will function as a magnet bringing visitors from the Byway into this area of Pennsylvania.
Hosanna is also near the largest piece of open space on the Route 95 corridor, between the District of Columbia and New York
City. Thus, it will also serve as a needed information center for visitors to this large area of natural landscape, which marks an area where those escaping slavery passed through. But it is much more than historic tourism. The Hosanna restoration embodies the four pillars of A250PA: Educate, Preserve, Innovate and Celebrate. Our project, through preservation, educates and celebrates three signers of the Declaration of Independence; the area where the second governor of Pennsylvania lived; the Free Black Community of Hinsonville; the Underground Railroad; the place where great abolitionists came to speak; the first public school in Pennsylvania; the first Historically Black degreegranting University in America; and the very epicenter of where so many of the struggles for freedom took place. We will provide innovative ways to learn about this area and to continue to herald its significance in our current time. This project surely meets the legislative funding selection requirements that it be a legacy project that welcomes A250PA visitors to the Commonwealth and that it be a lasting legacy of freedom for future generations of Pennsylvanians.
To find out additional information on this project and how to assist in support for the grant, please contact Ava Willis-Barksdale (awillisbarksdale@lincoln.edu) at Lincoln University.
Andy Dinniman, D.Ed. is a Lincoln University Trustee and served as a State Senator from 2006 to 2020.
Proposed federal nursing home mandates to increase staffing would limit access to care
By Beth McMaster
homes
working around the clock to provide the best care for the loved ones of countless Pennsylvania families. It’s a labor of love we take personally because every resident deserves to live their lives with dignity, and their families deserve peace of mind. Unfortunately, administrators are also working 24/7 to find enough qualified workers to meet Pennsylvania’s new mandated staffing requirements.
To be clear, the mandate is well-intentioned, but a worker shortage crisis has made meeting the mandate a full-time effort, which often falls short because even staffing agencies cannot find enough workers to fill all the positions the government says are required. Unfortunately, things could get worse.
On top of state staffing mandates, new proposed federal mandates through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will only make these challenges more difficult.
Senior care facilities will certainly be making our case that more mandates don’t improve the health and safe-
ty of residents, and even if they did, the employee pool to meet these minimums simply doesn’t exist.
We are already seeing the myriad of unintended consequences prescriptive staffing ratios are having in Pennsylvania, including reducing the number of beds available to those who need them, raising costs for residents who have the ability to pay for their own care, and the outright closure or sale of facilities.
Worse, dedicated employees are facing severe burnout. These unfunded mandates only result in the exacerbation of the access-to-care crisis by further contributing to hospital backlogs and preventing older adults from being able to receive care in the most appropriate setting when they need it most.
CMS estimates in their proposed rule that nearly 90,000 new RNs and nurse aides will be required nationwide to meet these proposed standards. Additionally, CMS has not included licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in the staffing calculations — unlike in Pennsylvania’s rule, they have erroneously determined that LPNs, who play a significant role in every nursing home’s care team, do not contribute to
the quality of care for our residents. Nearly 79 percent of nursing homes will need to staff up, but where will these staff come from?
A recent member survey from LeadingAge PA, which represents nonprofit and mission-driven nursing homes and other aging services providers in Pennsylvania, found nearly 60 percent of respondents have been unable to fill work shifts to meet the state mandates since July 1, despite working with staffing agencies.
As a result, over 50 percent have been forced to reduce the number of beds available (up from 34 percent in a March 2023 survey) and overwork an already exhausted workforce. It’s become so bad that nearly 16 percent indicated they will have to consider selling or closing their facility if the federal mandate is implemented, and over 60 percent would have to further reduce their census.
Of course, the federal mandate comes without new funding to pay for it. CMS estimates the cost would exceed $4.2 billion per year, but LeadingAge national estimates the cost is closer to $7 billion nationwide. In Pennsylvania alone,
the additional cost would be $436 million annually. Pennsylvania nursing homes, despite serving one of the oldest populations in the nation, are chronically underfunded. According to an independent report commissioned by LeadingAge PA in 2022, in Pennsylvania’s nursing homes there was a shortfall of nearly $1.2 billion in Medicaid in 20192020. Facilities rely largely on Medicaid to cover the costs of residents who do not have the assets to pay for their care.
While the $294 million Medicaid rate increase in state fiscal year 2022-23, the first across-the-board increase in nearly a decade, was a good first step in addressing this shortfall, providers continue to face increased costs, and an estimated $900 million gap remains. Increased costs, the lingering impact from the pandemic and insufficient Medicaid funding have already begun to erode last year’s investment.
Like many facilities across the commonwealth, United Church of Christ Homes in Camp Hill is trying to find a way to address state mandates, prepare for federal mandates and present a balanced budget, all without
adequate funding. In some cases, if one person calls off work because of illness, the facility could be punished for being out of compliance. The only option is to overstaff as much as possible, which isn’t always an option.
We certainly respect that the government wants to improve the lives of nursing home residents. So do we. It’s our never-ending
Beth McMaster, NHA, is the president and CEO of United Church of Christ Homes in Camp Hill.
Nearly 700 competitors participate in 8th Mushroom Cap Half Marathon
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Just before 8 a.m. on Nov. 4, exactly 1,342 running shoes positioned themselves in an athletic scrum at the start of the 8th Mushroom Cap Half Marathon and Fungi 5-miler along Birch Street in Kennett Square.
By the time the last runner crossed the finish line three hours and 27 minutes later, what began the morning as two distinctive races had morphed itself into a celebration of camaraderie and community, with postrace nourishment provided by Sovana Bistro and beverages by Penn Beer.
Backed by the support of corporate sponsor Chatham Financial, more than one dozen area businesses and 130 volunteers, this year’s Mushroom Cap Half Marathon and Fungi 5-miler drew 671 entries for races that wove their way through Kennett Square Borough and parts of Unionville.
Among 224 entries, the top finishers in the Fungi 5-Miler were Otto Cao of Oxford (30:51); Theo Penders of West Chester (31:31): and Tim Beatson of Landenberg (32:18). Top women finishers included Amy Peloquin of Kennett Square (36:32); Lara Costa of West Grove (37:59); and Acacia Schelp of Kennett Square (39:18).
The Mushroom Cap Half Marathon drew 447 entrants, and was won by Charlie Schuetz of Mendham, N.J. with a time of 1:15:55. Elaine Estes of Philadelphia finished second with a time of 1:19:47 and Chris Rinschler of Downingtown finished third with a time of 1:19:41. Other top women finishers included Elizabeth Doherty of Lancaster (1:28:27); Emily O’Neill of Chester Springs (1:34:04); and Sandy Howe
of Philadelphia (1:34:21).
Begun in 2015 by founders Sarah Nurry and Karen DiMascola, the annual race serves as a charitable event coordinated by Run2Shine, the fundraising wing of the event. Over the past seven years, it has donated more than $70,000 to area nonprofit agencies that provide advocacy, education, health and assistance to families throughout Southern Chester County. To learn more about the Mushroom Cap Half Marathon, and to make donations to Feeding America and Kennett Area Community Service, visit www.mushroomcaphalf. com.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Photos by Richard L. Gaw
Nearly 700 competitors lined up for the start of the 8th Mushroom Cap Half Marathon, held in Kennett Square on Nov. 4, that included a half marathon and a five-mile run.
Members of the Hockessin Athletic Club running team ran in tandem.Betty Olmstead, a 77-year-old runner from Wilmington, joins with race volunteer Kara Gibbons before the race.
Seth Lupton of Philadelphia with co-worker Gabriela Pedroza of West Grove.
The team from Beast Pacing helped runners keep at their desired times throughout the race.
The father-and-son duo of Cole and Patrick Wagner.
Cat Stenta, left, with fellow competitors Stephany Everett and Anne Doerfler.
Obituary submissions
The Chester County Press publishes obituaries free of charge for funeral homes with active advertising accounts only. Others with a connection to southern
James “Porky” Winchester, of Kennett Square, passed away on Oct. 29, 2023 at the Chester County Hospital. He was 79.
Born in West Chester, Pa., he was the son of the late Charles C. Winchester and the late Cora Davis Winchester.
He was a truck driver and retired after many years from mushroom transportation. He also drove a truck for Spaz Beverage.
Porky was a member of the VFW in Kennett Square. He was an avid Phillies fan. He loved the outdoors and walking, and he enjoyed spending time with his friends.
He was predeceased by one brother, Charles Winchester, one sister, Ann Kafigian, and two halfbrothers, Morris Davis and Ronald Davis.
His service and burial will be held privately.
To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh. com.
Arrangements are being handled by the Kuzo Funeral Home in Kennett Square.
Chester County Commissioners enact real estate tax rebate for volunteer fire company and EMS agency members
Ordinance approved by Commissioners acknowledges value and dedication of volunteers who provide fire protection and emergency medical services
Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell and Michelle Kichline approved an ordinance to enact a tax rebate for volunteer members of Chester County-based fire companies and not-for-profit emergency medical services agencies.
The Active Volunteer Real Estate Tax Rebate
Ordinance provides a financial incentive in the form of a rebate on Chester County real estate tax imposed by the County of Chester for first responder volunteers. Volunteers can be an emergency responder, an administrative member of a fire company or EMS agency, or both.
“Generations of families in Chester County have made it their mission to serve their family, friends, neighbors, and community as volunteer firefighters and EMTs,” Moskowitz said. “It is a responsibility that requires extensive training and time, with a dedication like no other.
“This rebate is one way that we can show how valued these volunteers are, and that we can add value
for future generations of volunteer first responders.”
Chester County’s Active Volunteer Real Estate Tax Rebate program is based on a point system earned through emergency response calls, training, meeting attendance, public education activities, leadership roles and other activities such as fundraising events.
Attainment of the maximum number of points available will result in a 100 percent rebate on the
county property tax, with lower points levels resulting in a lesser percentage tax rebate. Volunteers must be residents of Chester County who volunteer with an eligible agency.
Maxwell said, “This real estate tax rebate is one of the most comprehensive tax incentive programs in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and is the only such program in southeastern Pa.
“Our first responder vol-
unteers are there for us every hour of every day, saving lives, and are very deserving of this. They give back to our communities in such an important way, and the least we can do is give back to them in the form of a rebate.”
Kichline added, “Chester County is the fastest growing County in Pennsylvania, so our growth in population brings with it an increased
need for first responder services – at a time when volunteerism is waning.
“We must find ways to not only keep our volunteers but attract new ones. By signing this ordinance today, Chester County is taking an important step to retain the expertise of the volunteer first responders that we have now, and to incentivize those who are seriously thinking of becoming volunteers.”
The ordinance signed by the Commissioners is effective immediately, with volunteers being eligible for a real estate tax rebate applicable to the 2024 tax year, for service provided between Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2023. County staff will be reaching out to all eligible volunteer fire and EMS agencies to share the criteria and application process for the real estate tax rebate program.
A new ordinance passed by the Chester County Commissioners provides a county property tax rebate for volunteer members of fire companies and
Courtesy photos
Firefighter I students train in firefighting skills at the Chester County Public Safety Training Campus.
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF Hilda M. Martin, late of West Grove, Chester County, Deceased. Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named have 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:
JacquelineC. Smith, Executrix, 408 Cedar Spring Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348
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ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF BEVERLY J. BENESKI, DECEASED. Late of Lower Oxford Township, Chester County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been 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 NICHOLAS MACHINAS BENESKI, EXECUTOR, c/o William B. Cooper, III, Esq., P.O. Box 673, Exton, PA 19341, Or to his Attorney: WILLIAM B. COOPER, III, FOX ROTHSCHILD, LLP, P.O. Box 673, Exton, PA 19341 10p-25-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
Estate of Phyllis Ruth Slabaugh , Late of East Nottingham Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania , LETTERS Of Administration on the above Estate have been 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 Administrator: Kenneth Slabaugh, c/o Jeff P. Bryman, 225 Wilmington
West Chester Pike, Suite 200, Chadds Ford PA 19317 Or Attorney: Jeff P. Bryman, Esq., Law Offices of Pyle & Bryman, 225 Wilmington West Chester Pike, Suite 200, Chadds Ford PA 19317
NOTICE
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It is the intent of the Board of Supervisors of Penn Township, Chester County, PA, to continue the appointment of Ronald R. Woodworth, Certified Public Accountant to audit the books for the year of 2023. He will be appointed by resolution at the 2024 organizational meeting. BY THE ORDER of the Penn Township Board of Supervisors 260 Lewis Road West Grove, PA. Caitlin A. Ianni, Secretary 11p-8-1t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF EDNA H. SETTINE, DECEASED. Late of West Nottingham Township, Chester County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been 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 RHONDA M. FRAIM and GREGORY A. SETTINE, EXECUTORS, c/o Daniel R. Coleman, Esq., 300 W. State St., Ste. 300, Media, PA 19063, Or to their Attorney: DANIEL R. COLEMAN, ECKELL, SPARKS, LEVY, AUERBACH, MONTE, SLOANE, MATTHEWS & AUSLANDER, P.C., 300 W. State St., Ste. 300, Media, PA 19063 11p-8-3t
PUBLIC NOTICE
BOROUGH OF OXFORD ZON-
ING HEARING BOARD
The Zoning Hearing Board of the Borough of Oxford will meet on Tuesday November 21, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the meeting room
of Borough Hall, 1 Octoraro Alley, Oxford, Pennsylvania to conduct a hearing and possibly make a decision on the Application of Elva Renteria. The Applicant is requesting a variance from the minimum front yard setback from Old Street (required 20 feet; proposed 15 feet) and such other relief as may be necessary to construct a single family detached manufactured dwelling on a property the Applicant owns located at 109 N. Fifth Street, Oxford, PA 19363. The property subject of the Application is located in the R-2 Residential Zoning District. If you are a person with a disability and require an accommodation to attend or participate in the hearing, please contact the Borough at 610-932-2500.
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ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF Howard W. Calkins, late of West Chester, Chester County, Deceased. Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named have 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: Rosalie Calkins White, Executrix, C/O Law Office of Paul D. Nelson, 334 West Front Street, Media, PA 19063 or Attorney: Paul D. Nelson, Esquire, 334 West Front Street, Media, PA 19063 Phone 610-891-1270
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ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF, Elaine C. Sheets, late of Oxford, PA, Chester County, Deceased. Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named have 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: Brinton Sheets, Executor, C/O Attorney: Ira D. Binder, 227 Cullen Rd, Oxford, PA 19363
NOTICE
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OXFORD BOROUGH RESI-
DENTS NOTICE OF PUBLIC
MEETING
Oxford Borough has scheduled the following public meetings in November and December 2023: The Finance Committee will meet on Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 10:30 am to continue discussions about the 2024 budget for Oxford Borough and recommendations outlined in the draft Strategic Management Plan, prepared by Keystone Municipal Solutions. The plan outlines short and long term financial, managerial, and economic development strategies that the Borough can consider implementing to strengthen financial capacity and improve the delivery of services.
The Task Force working to update Oxford Borough’s Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance will meet again on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. These updates will
play a pivotal role in managing growth, safeguarding natural and historic treasures, ensuring safe access and circulation, and keeping Oxford an affordable place to live. These meetings are open to the public and will be held at Borough Hall, at 1 Octoraro Alley, Oxford, PA. If you are a person with a disability wishing to attend the aforementioned public meeting and require auxiliary aid, service, or other accommodations to observe or participate in the proceedings, or you have questions please contact the Borough Manager at 610-9322500 to discuss how your needs may be best accommodated.
Pauline Garcia-Allen Borough Manager 11p-8-1t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Fredda L. Maddox, the hereindescribed real estate will be sold at public on-line auction via Bid4Assets, by accessing URL www.bid4assets.com/ chestercopasheriffsales, on Thursday, November 16 th, 2023 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, December 18th, 2023. 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. 23-11-308
Writ of Execution No. 2023-00070
DEBT $452,172.75
THE LAND REFERRED TO HEREIN BELOW IS SITUATED IN THE COUNTY OF CHESTER, STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, AND IS DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS:
ALL THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PIECE OF GROUND SITUATE IN LONDON GROVE TOWNSHIP, CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, BOUNDED AND DESCRIBED ACCORDING TO A PLAN OF SUBDIVISION OF THE HILLS OF SULLIVAN FOR THE WILKINSON GROUP MADE BY EDWARD B. WALSH & ASSOCIATES, INC., CIVIL ENGINEERS, 760 SPRINGDALE DRIVE, EXTON, PA 19341 (610) 363-1360, DATED 2-8-1993 LAST REVISED 3-l-1994 AND RECORDED AS PLAN #13027 AS FOLLOWS TO WIT:
BEGINNING AT A POINT ON THE NORTHERLY SIDE OF WELLSVILLE LANE A CORNER OF LOT 59 ON SAID PLAN, THENCE EXTENDING ALONG SAID LOT AND ALONG LOT 58, NORTH 25 DEGREES 46 MINUTES 11 SECONDS WEST PARTLY CROSSING A 20 FEET WIDE STORM WATER EASEMENT THE DISTANCE OF 180.00 FEET TO A POINT IN THE BED
OF SAID EASEMENT AND A CORNER OF LOT 77, THENCE EXTENDING ALONG SAID LOT AND PARTLY CROSSING SAID 20 FEET WIDE STORM WATER EASEMENT, NORTH 55 DEGREES 15 MINUTES 56 SECONDS EAST 185.67 FEET TO A POINT ON THE SOUTHERLY SIDE OF RUSHFORD PLACE, THENCE EXTENDING ALONG SAME SOUTH 67 DEGREES 16 MINUTES 25 SECONDS EAST RE-CROSSING SAID 20 FEET WIDE STORM WATER EASEMENT 91.54 FEET TO A POINT OF CURVE, THENCE EXTENDING ON THE ARC OF A CIRCLE CURVING TO THE RIGHT HAVING A RADIUS OF 25.00 FEET THE ARC DISTANCE OF 39.27 FEET TO A POINT OF TANGENT ON THE NORTHERLY SIDE OF WELLSVILLE LANE, THENCE EXTENDING ALONG SAME SOUTH 22 DEGREES 43 MINUTES 33 SECONDS WEST 35.44 FEET TO A POINT OF CURVE, THENCE EXTENDING ON THE ARC OF A CIRCLE CURVING TO THE RIGHT HAVING A RADIUS OF 325.00 FEET THE ARC DISTANCE OF 235.42 FEET TO THE FIRST MENTIONED POINT AND PLACE OF BEGINNING. CONTAINING 38,168 SQUARE FEET MORE OR LESS. BEING LOT 76 ON SAID PLAN.
TITLE TO SAID PREMISES IS VESTED IN MARTIN HARVITZ AND LISA STRATTONHARVITZ, HUSBAND AND WIFE BY DEED FROM LISA STRATTON-HARVITZ DATED SEPTEMBER 23, 2014 AND RECORDED SEPTEMBER 25, 2014 IN DEED BOOK 5019, PAGE 153 INSTRUMENT NUMBER 11367701.
THE SAID MARTIN HARVITZ DIED ON MARCH 29, 2020 THEREBY VESTING TITLE IN HIS SURVIVING SPOUSE LISA STRATTON-HARVITZ BY OPERATION OF LAW.
TAX I.D. #: 59-8-191.44
PLAINTIFF: AmeriHome Mortgage Company, LLC VS
DEFENDANT: Lisa StrattonHarvitz a/k/a Lisa StratonHarvitz and United States of America, c/o United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
SALE ADDRESS: 4 Wellsville Lane, Avondale, PA 19311
N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time of the on-line sale. Payment must be made via Bid4Assets. The balance must be paid within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale via Bid4Assets. FREDDA L. MADDOX, SHERIFF 10p-25-3t
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State Sen. Kane and Rep. Sappey announce over $450,000 in DCNR funding for 158th Legislative District
State Sen. John I. Kane and State Rep. Christina Sappey announced the allocation of grant funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) for conservation projects in Chester County. This funding, derived from the state’s conservation budget, will have a significant impact on preserving and enhancing natural spaces in the county. The grants awarded by the DCNR will support various organizations and municipalities in both the
9th Senatorial District and the 158th House District. These grants empower local communities to undertake important conservation projects that promote environmental sustainability and improve community spaces.
“It is so rewarding to see these funds being directed towards conservation projects in Chester County,” Sen. Kane said. “This investment will not only preserve our precious natural resources but also enhance the quality of life for our residents.
Sin City Band salutes
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“This funding from the DCNR will not only preserve the natural beauty of Chester County but also contribute to the creation of sustainable and vibrant community spaces. It is an important step towards ensuring a better future for our environment and the well-being of our residents.”
“I’m very pleased to see funding for these important projects awarded,” said Rep. Sappey. “Creek restoration is more important than ever. The riparian buffers in both of these projects
are critical for preventing erosion, providing shade which keeps water temperatures down- creating healthy ecosystems, and also vital in preventing flooding.
“I appreciate that DCNR supports these efforts and our local partners who are doing so much to protect our environment and its inherent beauty.”
The following grants have been awarded in Chester County:
• Brandywine Red Clay Alliance received a
$115,000 grant. Funding will be used for the restoration of 1,850 feet of Bucktoe Creek in New Garden Township. The project includes streambank stabilization, installation of instream habitat structures, riparian forest buffer, landscaping, project sign, and other related site improvements.
• Kennett Township will receive a $300,000 grant that will be used as payment toward the acquisition of approximately 24 acres along Burnt Mill Road. This land will be used for trail connection and woodland protection.
• Brandywine Red Clay Alliance received a $50,300 grant. This funding will be used for the installation of approximately 7 acres of riparian forest buffers along waterways in the Lower Delaware River Watershed. The project includes landowner outreach and engagement, buffer plantings and post-planting establishment, project sign, and other related site improvements.
Kennett Square artist presents original portrait to West Chester University president
Local Kennett Square
artist Katie Lickfield, a 2023 graduate of West Chester University who was an active member of the Dub-C Autism Program (D-CAP) on campus, knew just what to give West Chester University President Chris Fiorentino upon hearing about his impending retirement in June — an original oil/ acrylic portrait painted by one of his favorite Golden Ram artists.
Lickfield wanted to make sure that the painting wasn’t like any other presidential portrait. The abstract portrait, which captures the popular university president’s kind and warm spirit, was recently presented by Lickfield during a surprise meeting arranged by Andrew Lehman, vice president for university affairs and chief of staff, and Jen Bacon, dean of the college of arts and humanities.
“When I heard that you would be retiring, I wanted to do something special,” Lickfield said when presenting the painting to the university president. “I want to make sure that you remember West Chester University forever and how much you mean to the students of this University. I want you to take all of these memories with you, because they will be with you forever.”
Fiorentino, who was not only surprised but very moved by the thoughtful gesture, said, “Katie, this is wonderful. You got me just right! I am very appreciative and grateful. This university is so fortunate to have you as a talented and gifted alumna. You make all of us proud.”
Fiorentino placed the painting prominently on the credenza in his office so it is among the first things seen by visitors when they enter.
“I’m going to make sure everyone who visits me sees this painting. It speaks volumes about the incredible career that I have had at this remarkable institution,” he said.
Lickfield, who has been painting since 2019, also gave Fiorentino a second painting that featured the university’s iconic ram statue found in front of the Old Library building on South Church Street.
Currently working as a paraprofessional at Hillendale Elementary School and St. Cornelius Early Learning Center, both located in Chadds Ford, Lickfield is a local oil/ acrylic painter and abstract designer whose work is
inspired by visits to favorite places like the Sassafras River, Delaware beaches, Longwood Gardens — and West Chester University. While at West Chester University, she received a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies with a minor in studio art.
Lickfield, who continues to inspire many with original note cards and
prints, said, “I’m glad that President Fiorentino liked my paintings. Painting often brings me relaxation, strength, happiness, and joy. It also brings me to a place to release stress and anxiety to focus on the world, and what and where my imagination takes me.” Lickfield’s artwork can be seen at: https://society6. com/katielickfield.
Courtesy photos
Katie Lickfield and West Chester University administrators gathered during a surprise meeting to present a portrait of university president Chris Fiorentino. Pictured are Andrew Lehman, vice president for university affairs and chief of staff, Cherie Fishbaugh, director of autism services/Dub-C Autism Program, Chris Fiorentino, university president, Katie Lickfield, artist and WCU alumna, Jen Bacon, dean of the college of arts and humanities, Tabetha Adkins, vice president for student affairs, and Jeffery Osgood, executive vice president and provost.
Katie Lickfield (right), a local Kennett Square artist and West Chester University alumna, presents a portrait that she painted of WCU President Chris Fiorentino (left).
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