WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023
CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
5A
Chester County Press
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Opinion Editorial
23 in 2023 Before the calendar flips to a new month—and a new year!—we thought we’d take a look back at 23 different people, places, things, or events that made a positive difference here in southern Chester County in 2023. Winter Park at The Creamery: 2023 got off to a fun start with the debut of the new Winter Park at The Creamery, an outdoor skating rink with a surface made of Glice, a synthetic product. This new attraction proved to be so popular that the event returned a month earlier for its second year. Hospital news, part 1: In the spring of 2023, ChristianaCare unveiled new details about its plans for a neighborhood hospital at the West Grove Campus, formerly the Jennersville Hospital. ChristianaCare will open a neighborhood hospital that includes 10 emergency department beds and 10 inpatient beds, and will offer emergency care, behavioral health emergency care and provide diagnostic capabilities. Local residents look forward to the opening of this neighborhood hospital and the much-needed health care services it will provide. The new Kennett Library & Resource Center: For decades, the Kennett Square area needed a larger, modernized library to meet the needs of a growing community. That library finally became a reality this year with the opening of the beautiful, new 33,425-foot building that will serve as a
focal point of Kennett Square for decades to come. Kennett Square Borough residents support funding for that brand new library: When voters went to the polls in November, Kennett Square Borough residents wisely voted in favor of a referendum to allocate funding from taxes to the brand new library. Public libraries need this kind of support. Landenberg Village begins a new chapter: The Landenberg Village, which includes the hotel, the store and an adjacent pump house, was sold this summer to the Fenix Capital Group, a real estate company that specializes in creating innovative and sustainable projects in Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania. We can’t wait to see what this new chapter for Landenberg Village brings. London Grove Township builds a better mousetrap: This year, London Grove Township received the top prize in PennDOT’s Build a Better Mousetrap Contest during the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors’ Excellence Awards ceremony. London Grove’s public works crew brainstormed ways to address failing inlet tops and risers to win an award. This is just one example of the good, and often thankless work, that public works employees do on behalf of residents. The Mushroom Festival: Always a highlight, the Mushroom Festival was great this year. Not only does the Mushroom Festival celebrate Chester County’s top crop,
proceeds from the event benefit the entire community through grants that support local nonprofits. School projects: Some of the best school districts in the state are right here in Chester County. The official dedication of Avon Grove High School took place in 2023, while the Kennett Consolidated School District moved forward on plans for two new elementary schools to replace aging buildings. The school buildings won’t make the world a better place; the students who will be educated in them just might. Centennial: When the 2023-2024 school year got underway, the UnionvilleChadds Ford School District started a series of special events to celebrate the centennial school year that will include a parade, bus tours, an open house, and a Centennial Gala in 2024. Unionville Community Fair: This year marked the Unionville Community Fair’s 99th year, with a major milestone coming in 2024! Hospital news, part 2: County officials applauded the news that Penn Medicine plans to buy Brandywine Hospital and deliver important health care services to the western part of the county. Willowdale Steeplechases: Race day is always a springtime highlight. This year’s event raised funds for clean water and veterinary excellence through donations to the Stroud Water Research Center and The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s New Bolton Center.
Kennett Run: The 2023 Kennett Run was the 34th year for the popular event which, like the Mushroom Festival, raises funds for organizations and nonprofits that serve the community. Recognizing citizens and businesses that make a difference: Organizations like the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce, Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce, and Kennett Collaborative spent another year working on behalf of local businesses and business owners. One of the important things that these organizations do is to recognize the efforts to people who make a difference in the community. The 2023 Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen was Luis Tovar. We can’t wait to see who the Southern Chester County Chamber bestows the prestigious award on in 2024. Pia Center at LCH opens: The Pia Center at LCH, which provides dedicated space for behavioral and mental health services at the LCH West Grove location, opened in 2023. The space was purposefully designed to create a safe and welcoming place for patients seeking care. Patriotism on display: Chester County is the scene of some fine Memorial Day Parades. The most patriotic procession might be the one that takes place in Kennett Square, and they all offer a chance for people of all ages to show their appreciation and respect for those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Penn Township’s big projects: Two major projects in Penn Township—the new Medic 94 Emergency Operations Center and the Sports Park—took major steps forward this year. Curtis Mason: Speaking of Penn Township, the aforementioned big projects and many others wouldn’t have been possible without longtime supervisor Curtis Mason. Mason chose not to seek reelection in 2023 after more than two decades as the chairman of the Penn Township Board of Supervisors. His work has left quite a lasting impact on the township. Heroes among us: On one eventful day in September, southern Chester County residents got a reminder of how heroic police officers and firefighters are as they go about their day-to-day work. Local, state, and federal law enforcement officials spent two weeks working tirelessly to apprehend an escaped murderer—and to keep everyone in the community safe. In the morning, Danilo Cavalcante was captured. That evening, firefighters from Oxford and many of the surrounding communities battled a terrible blaze that destroyed three buildings in the heart of downtown Oxford. Thanks to the efforts of the firefighters and two Oxford Borough police officers who alerted sleeping residents about the fire, no one died and there were no major injuries from one of the worst fires in Oxford Borough’s history. The Oxford Area Neighborhood Services Center: In the aftermath of
the devastating fire that displaced more than 90 Oxford residents, the work of the Oxford Area Neighborhood Services Center was more important than ever. Lincoln University and Gov. Shapiro: The Lincoln University Concert Choir performed at the inauguration of Gov. Josh Shapiro. Toward the end of 2023, Gov. Shapiro visited the Lincoln University campus to sign an important piece of education funding legislation as the state finalized its spending plan for the fiscal year. The Santa Train: Santa Claus was riding the rails and making stops in Kennett Square, Tougkenamon, Avondale and West Grove as part of a first-ever “Santa Train” in southern Chester County. This new event was a welcome addition to the holiday schedule, and we hope it returns in 2024. State Rep. John Lawrence: As stakeholders and local residents lined up to oppose DCNR’s plans for the Big Elk Creek State Park, State Rep. John Lawrence took a leading role in advocating on behalf of his constituents. A public meeting to discuss the DCNR plans will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 10. This serves as a reminder that so many of the events and situations and people making a difference in the community in 2023 will be part of the story of 2024. We can’t wait to see how the year ahead will unfold. Happy New Year!
State Legislature approves bill to protect sexually exploited children and human trafficking victims Pennsylvania Senators Maria Collett (D-12), Cris Dush (R-25), and Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-28) recently celebrated the final passage of their legislation to ensure children who are victims of human trafficking can seek justice and access essential support services. Under current state law, any minor who is exploited for commercial sex must identify their third-party perpetrator to be considered a victim of human trafficking. The senators’ bipartisan package of
legislation, once signed by the governor, would change that. “Even though this landmark bipartisan legislation is finally on the way to the Governor’s desk for signature, as lawmakers, we all need to recognize that abolishing Human Trafficking is not a one and done thing,” Dush said. “I was happy to work with Senators Collett and Phillips-Hill on this initiative, but we need to remain focused and continue to work to combat this worldwide crime against humanity. We will continue our work by
getting SB45 across the finish line to ensure that third party control is not a requirement in any section of our law.” Sen. Dush’s Senate Bill 44 amends Titles 18 and 23 of the Pennsylvania criminal code to ensure third-party control is never a consideration for access to victim services. The bill passed the PA Senate on Wednesday night and now heads to the Governor’s Office for signature. “These bills remove barriers to early interventions like counseling, legal assistance,
housing supports, childcare and more to ensure victims of human trafficking have the tools they need to heal while the wheels of justice turn,” Collett said. “I’m heartened by our Senate colleagues’ unanimous support for SB44, and I look forward to seeing our partners in the House complete these efforts by sending SB45 to the Governor’s desk.” Sponsored by Sen. Collett, Senate Bill 45 eliminates the third-party control requirement to access victim services under the National
Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline Notification Act (Act 197 of 2012). The bill awaits a final vote in the Pennsylvania House. This package of bills also expands the authority already granted to officers appearing undercover as minors in Title 18, allowing undercover law enforcement to pose as a third party selling a minor into sexual exploitation. “The legislature continues to make strides and passing this bipartisan legislation builds on the foundation we – as
Republicans and Democrats – have built to fight human trafficking in every corner of the state,” Phillips-Hill said. “With this bill, we ensure that criminals are prosecuted and victims are able to get the critical support they need.” In 2021 alone, 315 human trafficking victims – including 42 minors – were identified in Pennsylvania through the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Pennsylvania had the eighth highest number of signals sent to the hotline in the nation that year.
Longwood’s Christmas Past That Lasts By Marie-Louise Meyers
back to the Pastwith frosted pink “Thor Carmen” in the Step boldly forth but not entrance while setting out on into the future, but dipping St. Nikolaus Day, shoes shined
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ready to be filled, the tradition which still gives us a thrill as this walking tableaus with luminaries everywhere, and everything you remember is made new again with Christmas at Longwood. From the time you enter the Visitor Center, the sublime notes of Christmas greet you, and lead you through a labyrinth of hand-painted botanical murals, glowing lanterns lead you to Flower Garden Drive to the Wildlife Tree with brick toy feeders in the primary colors dating back to 1932. The Large Lake makes you think these three dimensional plastic stars fell from the sky one day and landed here while the supersized bulbs in the Small Lake light up the scenery. The Canopy Cathedral tree makes you think childhood has been reinvented with hanging ornaments everywhere. Longwood’s truck restored as if it roared straight out of the 60’s to land in front of the Pierre du Pont house. It never gets any better, as if
a magic torch ignited primary colors you come across while you put aside all the pain and anguish outside, even the rush to do everything right as you enter the tunneled expanse with its ever-changing charisma as if ushered into a Fantasy of lights with textural accompaniments to delight the eye and the ear as if the spheres have awakened along with the celebratory rites while a gigantic Christmas tree is carved to allow you to find your way to the Pump House and Bell Tower where a colorcast tree is fully captured in the still water beneath. The Conservatory is always the heart of the Christmas Message imparted this year through the striking Community trees in the Ballroom with home-made ornaments topping the list with baubles, satin-covered balls, and beads hanging from the decorated trees like those you might have engineered yourself long ago with tinsel as if uniting the separate entries.
Varied Poinsettias decorate the Main Conservatory floor, igniting the surprises of long ago when such a gift was relished with hopes it would bloom again the next year. How wonderful to get an invitation to a Party in the Music Room, vintage is the only way to describe the decor as you peruse more than just standard fare instead filled with glowing lights and reverie as if a date with the Andrew Sisters singing their hearts out. Suspended ornaments greet you with amaryllis and birch branches in the Acacia Passageway till awe struck by the chandelier in the Orchard Room. The Silver Room enhanced by the enchantment of silver ornaments while kokedama, an art from is featured with living plants growing in soil balls. Call it Retro if you like but more like a sight to be seen. Homemade is the name of the game with ornaments of paper, styrofoam, leaded glass, and garlands placed on man-
telpieces stairs everywhere. All your bonafide hopes and dreams no longer sidelined, they’re all here in a colorful expanse of yesteryears where imaginative gardeners meet hand in hand with skillful artisans. Live organ music and Olde Towne Carolers put you in the mood when even the railways will take your children’s breath away round a meticulous recreation of Longwood. Stay awhile as the fountains burst forth in colored lights with music to match the season. Everything you remember of Christmas Past restored again to you like a an authentic dream come true. Exotic filigree, and yet just a short drive away to enter the Land of Make Believe that lasts forever in your fantasy made real once again or at least until next year’s display portrays something new and perhaps even more entrancing for you, but this is Reverie at its finest which lasts until January Seventh.