Chester County Press 02-28-2018 Edition

Township enters into purchase agreement for St. Anthony in the Hills

On Feb. 20, after ten years of negotiations between New Garden Township and St. Anthony of Padua

ship’s Board of Supervisors approved the township’s acquisition of the 137.5-acre St. Anthony in the Hills property, for an undisclosed

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

At its Feb. 20 meeting, the New Garden Township Board of Supervisors approved the township’s

acquisition of the 137.5acre St. Anthony in the Hills property for an undisclosed price, contingent upon the details expected to be ironed out during a 90-day agreement of sale. The cost of

Young Down Syndrome athlete inspires coaches, teammates and fans

Sophie’s got game

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

Earlier this season, a singular moment occurred during a game in the Kennett Area Park and Recreation Girls Basketball League that defied not only logic, but the general tenants of athletic competition.

With her team leading by a wide margin, Olivia, playing for the opponent’s team, suddenly and inexplicably handed the ball to Sophie Kail, an 11-year-old guard with the Regester Associates, Inc. Blue Ducks.

She has known Sophie since kindergarten, and with the encouragement of her teammates, Olivia helped guide Sophie in the direction of the Blue Ducks’ basket and soon, members

of both teams formed a wall of encouragement around Sophie as she prepared to shoot.

Standing beneath her team’s basket, Sophie took three shots. When the third made its way through the basket, parents, coaches, scorekeepers and players on both sides erupted in applause that reverberated around the entire gymnasium, in a joyous echo of noise.

“I began to cry at the scorer’s table,” said Pam Ramagano, Kennett Area Park and Recreation League director. “I thought it was such a great moment, because it was a very selfless thing for that player to do. I think Sophie’s made us all love this league even more, if that’s possible. I

the purchase will be paid for through the township’s Open Space funding.

At the board’s authorization, township manager Tony Scheivert will sign a letter of intent to execute

the agreement between the township and St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Wilmington, the current owner of the parcel.

The acreage is located in the area just southwest of the

intersection of Gap-Newport Pike (Route 41) and Limestone Road (Route 7), just north of Somerset Lake, and sits on the headwaters of the Broad Run Creek. It

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love teachable moments like that. These girls are 9, 10 and 11 years old, and to have that foresight already at such a young age has allowed these girls to begin teaching me. The best part is that I get to see greatness in all of the kids, especially the opposing team.”

For Sophie, being a member of the Blue Ducks is merely an opportunity to extend her young athletic involvement a step further, which has also included intramural cheerleading, swimming lessons at the Kennett Area YMCA and the Special Olympics. Yet, for everyone else, the opportunity to coach and become teammates with a young athlete with Down Syndrome has given youth sports a new perspective.

Students, superintendent talk safety of schools in Avon Grove

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

The Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, during which 17 people were killed and 14 others were wounded when a gunman opened fire with an AR-15 rifle, has put the topics of school safety and gun control at the forefront.

At the Avon Grove School Board’s first meeting since the tragic school shooting in Florida, several students at the high school shared their concerns about the security of the school buildings in the district, and Superintendent Dr. Christopher Marchese made an effort to assure the students, their parents, and the staff that Avon Grove has already improved security measures and will continue to do so moving forward.

During his superintendent’s report to the school board at the Feb. 22 meeting, Marchese noted that

it has been a very difficult week for schools across the country as more and more details are learned about the Parkland, Florida shooting—the 17th school shooting in the U.S. in 2018.

Marchese explained that one of the things that he noticed when he visited the district for the first time in 2013 was that security measures needed to be bolstered. He became the superintendent of schools in November of 2013, and by the start of the next school year a number of steps had been taken to improve security of all the district’s buildings. Updated equipment was installed to ensure that the doors to the school buildings remained locked. Teachers were provided with access badges. A new camera system with widespread coverage of the inside and outside of the school buildings was added.

Marchese also explained that the staff and students

are trained on how to respond in the event of an active shooter situation.

“We have crisis plans in place and we practice drills,” Marchese said.

He added that the district has an agreement in place with the State Police to have officers make regular walk-throughs of the schools. Searches by K-9 units are also conducted.

Fencing has also been installed around portable classrooms outside the schools.

“It deters people from entering into those areas,” Marchese said.

Marchese noted that because the district’s school buildings are older, especially the high school and middle school, it is more difficult to make them as safe and secure as modern school buildings because they simply weren’t designed with safety as a top priority.

Avon Grove is in the process of evaluating its long-term facilities needs,

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For Nicole McGlothin, the first-year coach of the Blue Ducks, helping Sophie learn the game of basketball has allowed her to erase the original assumptions she had about coaching.

“At first, I went into coaching expecting that my players already knew the fundamentals,” said McGlothlin, who shares coaching duties with

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Student discipline policy again debated by U-CF School Board

By John Chambless Staff Writer

The fallout from student suspensions at Unionville High School continued on Feb. 26 as the UnionvilleChadds Ford School Board got embroiled in a lengthy debate over student discipline.

Last September, students were suspended after a football game at Unionville High School for smoking and other infractions. Parents complained to the board that some of the teens did not deserve the outof-school suspensions that could show up when it is time for them to apply to colleges.

The board has wrestled with the district policy ever since, and the conversation has expanded to include the nature of infractions and what consequences they call for. Over the past couple of months, the board has looked at revising the language of the disciplinary policy to allow a student to ask for a recision of their penalty. The district administrator, John Sanville, was selected as the ultimate judge.

At the Feb. 26 meeting, board member Tom Day asked Sanville generally how many students get suspended in a typical year. Sanville said, “Walking the halls right now, we have 59 students who have been suspended, out of the 1,400 students at Unionville High School. Of those 59,” he added, “20 have no other discipline.”

That 20 is apparently the number of students who faced suspensions due to the incidents at the football game. Many parents have complained that

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Barry Ritz. “But I have a few players, like Sophie, who need to learn those fundamentals, so it’s allowed me to step back as a coach.

“Sophie puts the fun in what we do, and it’s been enlightening to watch her teammates and opponents give her a chance. Everyone light ups when Sophie gets the chance to shoot.”

For Sophie, being a member of the Blue Ducks is not just an opportunity to run up and down the court. She is the team’s designated in-bounds passer; leads her team in a cheer at the end of huddles (One-twothree-DUCKS!); and takes her customary shots at the beginning of each quarter. Occasionally, her enthusiasm for the game runs headlong with a reluctance to leave the court when replaced, which leaves the Blue Ducks with an unfair 6-5 player advantage.

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was owned and operated by the church as a sanctuary for inner-city Wilmington children, as a lasting legacy to the vision of Father Roberto Balducelli, who served as the founder and caretaker of the facility until his death at the age of 99 on Aug. 9, 2013. The first seeds of the collaboration between the township and the par-

“Sometimes she runs on the court when she’s not supposed to, and the opposing team and coaches say to Nicole, ‘Oh, just let her go,’” Ramagano said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 6,000 babies are born with Down Syndrome in the U.S. each year, but in recent decades, thanks to appropriate support and treatment, life expectancy for people with Down Syndrome has increased dramatically, from 25 years in 1983 to more than 60 years today. The good news doesn’t stop there; avenues for athletic competition for those with Down Syndrome have increased as well, from the 4.9 million Special Olympics athletes from 172 countries to the start of the Trisome Games in 2016.

Made up entirely of Down Syndrome athletes, the Trisome Games drew nearly 1,000 contenders

ish dated back to 2008, when Father Balducelli approached the township with the idea of entering into a conservation agreement. Following a public hearing in Dec. 2015, the board voted unanimously to enter the township into a conservation easement in cooperation with the parish. That agreement was later rejected by the parish, which led to the township’s negotiation with the parish to purchase the property.

from 36 countries to Italy to compete in judo, rhythmic gymnastics, swimming, synchronized swimming, tennis and table tennis.

“Everything is a test drive,” said Sophie’s mother, Debra. “You go once or twice to see if it’s going to work or not, because what does it hurt to try? Sophie loves basketball and all sports, so my husband John and I figured we’d try this league,

Although it is too early to speculate what function, if any, the property will have in the township, “The intent will be to have this land available for all residents to use,” said board chairman Randy Geouque.

In other township business, the board approved a request by Giant Food Stores, LLC, to obtain and utilize a liquor license for the purpose of selling wine and beer at its 63,000-square-foot store, located at 350 Scarlet Road

figuring that she’d meet a lot of friends from school and make new friends, as well. The peer monitoring she receives from being on this team is fabulous. Her teammates and opponents have been so great with her.”

At the Blue Ducks’ last regular-season game on Feb. 24 at the Kennett Middle School, Sophie split her time between on-court action and taking a breather from the sidelines, where she cheered as her teammates Emma McGlothlin, Anais Ritz, Lila Klimas and Alison Geary led the Blue Ducks to a 22-17 victory. After the game, Sophie joined her teammates on the floor for an informal shoot-around.

in the New Garden Shopping Center.

Representing Giant Food Stores, attorney Ellen Freeman requested an approval resolution to permit the transfer of a restaurantliquor license from outside of New Garden Township to within it. It will be the first liquor license in the township permitted to a traditional grocery store.

Freeman told the board that grocery stores selling beer and wine is a national trend, and in almost every other state, it’s permitted. About ten years ago, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) started to approve liquor licenses in grocery stores who were able to comply with the PLCB regulations, she said.

To date, Freeman said the PLCB has approved licenses in nearly 400 grocery stores in Pennsylvania, including 59 Giant Food stores across the state.

The beer and wine section will be located at the backleft side of the store, and will permit alcohol sales on Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sundays, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Purchase of beer

will be limited to the equivalent of two six packs at a time, while the purchase of wine will be limited to a maximum of four bottles per visit. Distilled spirits and hard liquor will not be available for purchase at the store.

In addition, the license grants the store the permission to provide tables and seating for up to 30 customers who wish to purchase bottles of beer for consumption at the store, where there will be a two-beer limit per visit that must also accompany a food order. Patrons who wish to order beer can accompany their visit to the area by selecting from a salad bar, or purchasing sandwiches or full entrees.

There will be no bartenders, draft beer, happy hour or entertainment at the location, and security cameras will be placed and monitored throughout the area. Giant Food employees and managers who work in the area will be fully trained in detecting fraudulent IDs, and determining whether or not a patron is intoxicated. Construction is planned to begin in July and be completed by September.

“Sophie is a Type A personality,” Debra said of her daughter. “There’s no fear on my part that I’m going to squash her incredible drive.”

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

Referring to an overhead map of the store that was given to the board, Scott Schaeffer, brand compliance manager for Giant Foods, said that the design of the licensed area separates it from the footprint of the remainder of the store.

“This creates a fluid design, where the customer can come in and out of the area, even when the rest of the store is closed,” said Schaeffer, who told the board that there have been no citations issued for the violation of the state’s liquor code at any of Giant Food’s other Pennsylvania stores that have obtained licenses to sell wine and beer.

Sean Goodrick of Tevebaugh Architecture walked the supervisors through the minor modifications that have been made to the site plan of the planned police facility in the township, which is scheduled to become the new home of the Southern Chester County Regional Police Department. Goodrick referred to the presentation he made to the board last Nov. 20, when the board recommended modifications to the site design, in order to accommodate reduced impact in variances, as well as find ways of reducing the cost of the new facility.

The key modifications, Goodrick said, will be the elimination of a second sally port in the detainment area of the new building’s design; working with the township and its engineer to re-design the force frame design of the existing sewage system near the building, that also serves New Garden Township Park; achieving setback requirements for the location of the building; and improving the safety of parking and accessibility routes at the site.

Goodrick said that Tevebaugh Architecture submitted the revised design to PennDOT a month ago, and is currently awaiting comments from them, which will be necessary before the project can move forward to the public bidding process. The board subsequently authorized that bidding can begin, once Tevebaugh receives comments from PennDOT.

The Zoning Hearing Board appointed Ronald Dungey to the board, to fill the position previously held by William

on Oct. 14, 2017.

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Avon Grove School Board adopts resolution opposing school vouchers

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

The Avon Grove School Board handled a full agenda at its meeting on Feb. 22, and the topic that garnered the most discussion among board members was a proposed resolution that would signify to state lawmakers that the district opposes Senate Bill 2 and any other legislation that would implement tuition vouchers that would take taxpayer money from public schools and allow people to use it for tuition at private or religious schools.

The State Senate has a proposal currently in committee that would establish education savings accounts. Taxpayer money would be deposited into these education savings accounts and parents would have the option of using those funds to pay for tuition at private schools or religious schools. Initially, the legislation would be targeted toward students who live in low-achieving public school districts, but the belief is that if this legisla-

The vote was 4-3 in favor of the resolution tion were to be approved, it would quickly be expanded.

Proponents of tuition vouchers say that it’s a way to give parents and children more choice in education, while critics say that tuition vouchers only serve to drain much-needed funds from public schools.

The resolution that the Avon Grove School Board was considering stated, in part, that “Education Savings Account voucher programs such as those under Senate Bill 2 divert state funds, on a per-student basis, from a school district’s basic education subsidy to be sent to less accountable schools and institutions, and....public school districts accept, educate and protect the rights of all children who come to their doors, as opposed to those institutions that can reject applicants based on any number of factors and are not required to uphold the rights of students with disabilities...”

School board member Rick Dumont said that he was going to vote against having Avon Grove adopt

the resolution because he would like to see tuition vouchers in Pennsylvania.

“This is meant for districts that are failing,” Dumont said, explaining that only 15 percent of the school districts in the state would meet the criteria to be considered a “low-achieving” school district—and Avon Grove certainly wouldn’t be among them. He said that tuition vouchers would offer parents more options.

School board member

John Auerbach said that he sympathized with parents who live in low-achieving districts, and he agreed with Dumont that Senate Bill 2 might offer them options.

But several other school board members made arguments against legislation like Senate Bill 2.

Herman Engel said that he viewed the proposed legislation as a first attempt to dismantle the public education system as it is today, and he was against taking funds away from public schools.

Bill Wood noted that there is no means test in the legislation, so a wealthy

family that would already be sending their child to a private school could apply for the tuition voucher, even though they were never in a situation where a lowachieving public school was limiting their education.

Bonnie Wolff, the board’s vice president, said that she was strongly opposed to Senate Bill 2. She noted that in the community where she grew up in New York State, the school district was once very good, but was really hurt when the largest business went out. Now, the school district is struggling, in part, because of a lack of adequate resources.

Wolff also noted that the Pennsylvania Constitution specifically does not allow public money to be used for sectarian schools, and the tuition voucher legislation would do just that.

“Draining money away from a school district is a huge mistake,” Wolff said.

When the vote was taken, school board president Tracy Lisi joined Engel, Wolff, and Wood in voting in favor of the resolution,

while Auerbach, Dumont, and Lynn Weber voted against it.

In other business at the meeting, superintendent Dr. Christopher Marchese reported to the school board about the agenda of the most recent meeting of the Facilities Committee.

He explained that the committee reviewed the list of maintenance projects that are currently planned for the district’s facilities for the next year. The committee also discussed a mobile emergency response plan that would enable all employees to utilize their Smartphones or devices to have access to emergency response materials.

The school board reviewed several policies, including those pertaining to charter schools, charter school extracurriculars, and operating guidelines for board committees, all of which were up for their first reading. The policy on charter schools is heading back to committee.

The school district said farewell to one of its most valued employees when

Barbara Perzel’s retirement was formally approved. Perzel served the school district in a variety of roles through the years, most recently serving as the administrative assistant to the superintendent of schools. Marchese praised her contributions to the district.

Students from the Fred S. Engle Middle School offered a sneak preview of the school’s production of “Annie, Jr.” for the school board and those in attendance at the meeting. Eight performers provided the sneak peak, while the full cast included about 90 members.

The next Committee-ofthe Whole meeting is taking place on Thursday, March 8 to discuss facilities planning. The meeting will take place in the little theater at Penn London Elementary School. The next regular meeting will take place on Thursday, March 22 at 7 p.m.

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

KHS Finance Club visits Stock Exchange

The Kennett High School Finance Club was founded in the fall of 2016 by a few students who wanted to form an organization that fed their growing interest in investing and emphasized not only education but also philanthropy.

“We aim to learn as much as possible about the market by actively investing and simulating authentic stock market conditions. Our ultimate mission is to then donate all of our profits back to the community,” said club president Michael Crognale.

Since the club’s inception, membership has increased to approximately 40 students who, last fall, set for themselves a very lofty goal: the group’s leaders decided that they wanted to visit the New York Stock Exchange.

After their initial planning, however, they discovered that it was far more difficult to gain access to the floor of the NYSE than they had anticipated. That’s when Vincent Crognale stepped in to help them. Crognale is the father of Finance Club president Michael Crognale, and he is First Vice President of Wealth Management and Branch Manager at Janney Montgomery Scott. He took it upon himself to make the students’ goal a reality by using his contacts to arrange the club’s visit.

On Jan. 24, 22 members of the club, along with Crognale and Shawn Duffy, KHS’s Finance Club advisor and social studies teacher, travelled to New York City. They were treated to nearly

two hours on the trading floor; they also ate lunch on Stone Street and took pictures with the “Fearless Girl” and “Charging Bull”

statues. Later in the afternoon, they visited the 9/11 Memorial and the new trade center and returned home that evening, tired

but inspired. “Not only did Mr. Crognale make it possible for Kennett students to enjoy a truly once-in-

a-lifetime opportunity, his firm paid for our transportation. All of us are extremely grateful for his generosity,” Duffy said.

New stores are coming to Shoppes at Longwood

Ross Dress for Less, Ulta Beauty, Carter’s/OshKosh

B’gosh and Fine Wine & Good Spirits “Premium Collection” will be opening soon at the Shoppes at Longwood Village on Route 1.

Last week, the Walters Retail Group announced that the Shoppes at Longwood Village, which opened in the fall of 1992, will be adding Ross Dress for Less (22,000 square feet), Fine Wine & Good Spirits

“Premium Collection” store (12,000 square feet), Ulta Beauty (10,333 square feet), and Carter’s/OshKosh B’gosh (5,000 square feet). Construction will begin this spring, with the new stores opening in spring and fall

of 2019.

The Shoppes at Longwood Village is at the intersection of East Baltimore Pike and Bayard Road in Kennett Square. The 141,940-squarefoot shopping center is anchored by TJ Maxx,

Famous Footwear, Staples, Jos. A. Bank, Salon Secrets Spa and Boutique, Norman’s Hallmark and Starbucks, and includes such restaurants as Two Stones Pub, Hearth Kitchen, Capriotti’s, Red Sombrero, and Wendy’s.

and the one option that was recommended by a Facilities Input Group, which was comprised of various stakeholders in the district, called for the construction of a new middle school and a major renovation to the existing middle school and high school. The projects could enhance the overall safety of Avon Grove’s schools. The Avon Grove School Board is expected to make a decision on a facilities plan later this spring.

During public comment, five students at the high school talked about their concerns about security in schools, with several suggesting that they do not feel safe.

Several students said that the emergency drills that Avon Grove requires them to do aren’t sufficient and will not prepare them for a real incident. According to the students, the drills are announced ahead of time, so students know that they are drills. The drills also aren’t very realistic.

Senior Shannon Oakes, who serves as a student representative to the school board, pointed out that visitors to the high school can get inside the building simply by pushing a button and being buzzed in. There is security stationed near the front entrance, but by that point, the visitors are already in the building, and could pose a threat.

Oakes shared a story about how a physical

education class she is in recently did a team-building exercise in the front lobby. During the short time that the class was there, two visitors were admitted to the building and were in close proximity to students.

Oakes encouraged district officials to tighten security measures to ensure the students’ safety.

“I do not feel safe in school,” she said.

Marchese said that the district is looking at a variety of ways to make sure that each student feels safe and is safe when they are in the schools.

The superintendent explained that Avon Grove has a safety committee that regularly reviews the district’s policies and protocols pertaining to safety.

Additionally, the district is looking at ways to undo cuts that were made to the guidance departments in the district’s schools about seven years ago. The goal is to provide as much support for students as possible, including those who might be in crisis.

“There are a lot of people working together to make sure the children are safe in our schoools,” Marchese said.

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty. com.

Parking garage, borough manager’s contract addressed at Oxford Borough Council meeting Kay Jewelers opens in Oxford

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

Oxford Borough Council unanimously approved a contract extension with borough manager Brian Hoover for two more years at its meeting on Feb. 19. Hoover was hired by the borough in July of 2016 after previously serving as the borough manager of Glenolden, Pa. for 13 years.

Borough council also approved a settlement agreement with Police Chief John Slauch, whose contract was not extended at the end of 2017. The terms of the settlement agreement were not disclosed.

A considerable amount of time was also spent discussing items related to the proposed parking garage.

The project is now going through the land-development process, and there are a lot of activities associated to it that officials are handling simultaneously.

Steve Krug of Krug Architects, the firm that has been facilitating the development of the parking garage, provided the monthly update about the project, explaining that officials were scheduled to meet with engineers in the

coming days.

Pauline Garcia-Allen of Econ Partners, updated borough council about the ongoing efforts to secure funding for the project. Including a $1 million private gift from an anonymous donor, the borough has secured approximately $5 million in funding for the project. Another grant application was to be filed by the Feb. 27 deadline in an effort to acquire additional funding. The borough is also applying for a waiver of a matching requirement for one of the grants that it has secured.

Council member Robert Ketcham made an impromptu presentation. He questioned the methodology of a parking study that was completed about seven years ago, and said that the deficit of parking spaces in the downtown district identified by the study might not be accurate. He said that now that the borough has metered spaces in three parking lots in the downtown, they will have a better idea of how often those spaces are used, and about how much existing demand for parking there is in the downtown. The

borough is going to ask Spotts Stevens and McCoy, the firm that completed the parking study, to come to a meeting in March to detail the methodology of the study.

In other business, Garcia-Allen also talked about the possibility of acquiring grant money to pay for issues that are identified through an environmental site assessment and asbestos inspection. The borough has retained EnviroSure, Inc. to do the first phase of an environmental site assessment.

During public comment, Randy Grace, a borough resident, business owner, and a former council member, asked the longtime members to talk about where they stand with regard to the parking garage project. Grace noted that the three new council members have recently received a lot of new information about the project, so he didn’t want to put them on the spot and ask them to share their views on the project. But he wanted to get an idea of whether the veteran council members still supported the project, which has already moved well beyond the talking phase.

Council member Ron Hershey said that he still supports the project, and he believes it will be beneficial for Oxford.

Peggy Ann Russell, the council vice president, pointed out that she voted against the project last year, and nothing has occurred to change her mind—she is still in opposition to the project, she said.

Council member John Thompson affirmed his support of moving forward with the project, saying, “I 100 percent support it. The funding is there.”

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty. com.

Important information about parking in Oxford Borough

The Borough of Oxford has installed parking lot kiosks in the three borough-owned parking lots that are scheduled to be activated on March 1, 2018. Parking in the borough-owned parking lots requires using a kiosk to pay for parking by the hour. The kiosks accept coins and credit cards for payment, or you can download the

parking APP WHOOSH to pay for parking from the convenience of your vehicle. Remember your license plate number when going to the kiosk to pay for parking. Parking in the lot is pay by plate.

Monthly parking lot permits are available at a substantially reduced cost to employees and residents of the downtown district. Parking permits are required to park in the residential zones surrounding the downtown district. These permits are available to the residents free of charge and are only good for the zone in which you live. More information may be obtained on the borough website oxfordboro. org or by contacting the Borough of Oxford at 610-932-2500.

As the new

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their children were guilty of poor decision making that is typical of most adolescents, and did not deserve their suspensions.

During public comment at the beginning of the meeting, a Birmingham Township woman said, “I have concerns about the way the recision policy is written. It states that after a child has a ‘Level B’ offense, they will not be able to submit a request for recision. I’d like to go over some of the ‘Level B’ offenses that I find very subjective and arbitrary,” she said, citing the third unexcused lateness to school within one semester, failure to sign in at the attendance office when late to school, using “profanity or other abusive language,” and failure to return the elevator key. “I’m asking this board that ‘Level B’ offenses be removed from the draft, and that any child should be given the opportunity to ask for recision,” she said.

Board member Robert Sage commented that after he reviewed the suspension policy in light of the September incidents, “I think the administration was well intentioned, and that the policy was followed as it was written,” he said. “The investigations weren’t perfect. Overall, I think more was done right than was done wrong, but I think we can do better. … As a board, over the next few months, there is more work to be done. We need to reconsider out-of-school suspensions as a disciplinary tool. There are lots of alternatives. I think we need to be more careful as we do investigations, and remember that our principals and administrators are not trained investigators. We need more flexibility in discipline and how the standards are applied – whether it’s a suspension, and how the suspension is applied, and maybe we have a punishment that better fits the crime.”

Board member Jeff Hellrung added, “I’d like to focus on more discretion on the part of the administration to consider aggravating circumstances when assigning consequences. And I

think our 10-day, out-ofschool suspensions are way too long. We’re not doing anything for students while they’re sitting at home. I’d like to see more restorative justice, community service or maybe other things, so we can craft the consequences more directly to what went wrong, and use our disciplinary policy for its primary purpose, which is corrective training.”

Board member Gregg Lindner said, “My preference would be that we change our policy in reporting suspensions on the common application, with the notable exceptions of weapons or other violent actions. That would remove the superintendent from the difficult decisions, and it comes in line with what other districts across the state have done.

“I believe we need a review of our policy on suspensions for specific levels of offenses,” Lindner continued. “For what occurred in September, I believe that, for the overwhelming number of suspenisons, the number of days was far too excessive. We seem to have community agreement, although for very different reasons. I think everyone agreed that 10-day suspensions are not the way to move forward.”

There were voting items on the agenda regarding the suspensions of three unnamed students. The board voted to uphold the suspensions in all three cases. No other details were disclosed.

A revised version of Policy 218, the code of student conduct, was on the table for a first reading. The revision states that the district will not report suspensions to colleges, except for extremely serious offenses that would affect the safety of campuses. In the applications to be filled out by families, however, there is still a question about any suspensions the student may have received. That leaves families with the quandary of whether to lie on the application.

Sanville said of the revision, “This is a cleaner way for the board to go. We are not breaking new ground here. This is an accepted practice statewide that allows the district to make a decision not to disclose student disciplinary records. I

think we’re on solid footing from a legal and precedent standpoint.”

Sage expressed his hesitation about shifting the responsibility to families, saying, “it puts families in an ethical quandary. They’d like to not report the suspension. The school isn’t going to do it. So if the parents don’t think the suspension was justified, it leaves the family the only option to really clear their student’s record -- to lie. That concerns me. I’m not sure that this is the way to correct some sub-optional outcomes we got from the recent group of suspensions – especially because those students who owned up to what they did got a suspension.”

Board member Steve Simonson agreed, saying, “Honesty and integrity are important character traits. With what happened last fall, we put some students in the position of asking whether they should have told the truth. They see themselves as being punished, when others who didn’t tell the truth did not get disciplined. To potentially put students in this position in regard to the common app, it creates a similar situation. I’m concerned about that.”

Day, referring to Sanville’s comment about the number of students with suspensions, said, “So twothirds of the students have had multiple disciplinary actions. … When we think about what we were trying to achieve with the recision policy, we were trying to achieve a work-around because of the common application. We can look parents in the face and say, ‘Yes, we suspended your kid, but don’t worry about it, beacause we’ll never report it.’ That makes us feel better, but that family still has to report that suspension on the common application. So, are we really serving the children we’ve been having conversations about for the past two months? Or are we just making ourselves feel better?”

The board ultimately decided to table the issue for another month, chiefly because of information from the district solicitor that they were given on Monday afternoon. “The board is getting some infor-

mation on short notice,” Sanville said, “But I do encourage the board that we need to make a decision and move on.”

The first reading of the revised policy is now scheduled for March, with a vote slated in April. Both versions of the policy are online at the district’s website (www.ucfsd.org) for public inspection.

At the end of the twoand-a-half-hour meeting, a woman from Pocopson Township commented to the board that, “At the end of the day, it’s about what’s best for the children in the district – not just the ones involved in the September incident. What’s most alarming is that there have been 59 children suspended. If nothing else, the incident shed light on the fact that an out-of-school suspension has enormous ramifications – academically and emotionally. And it’s a long-lasting impact.

“Everyone should be held accountable for their actions,” she said, “and I would never want a student to think that disciplinary action should be dismissed in any way. We don’t want our children to lie.

But after the incidents that happened in September, it gave me pause. I think the ‘no report’ is definitely a good thing in general for the entire district. If I’m sitting on a college board, I only want to know if kids are a danger to society. I think that was the original intention of the reporting –a violent circumstance.

“If a child has admitted what they did wrong, and done things to improve their

behavior, perhaps going through the process of a recision is a greater learning experience for them. That student would feel that their voice had been heard. Then the family could fill out the application as they choose.”

At the opening of the meeting, Sanville asked for a moment of silence for the families of the students killed and wounded in Parkland, Fla., this month.

“Since Feb. 14, all of us have had feelings about the enormity of it all, and have transitioned to how we view our own schools and security,” he said.

“There are questions we all ask ourselves as we see 4,100 students come to our schools every day: Are we prepared in case of an emergency? What’s our strategy moving forward? It really starts with the work of this body, the school board, and their commitment to make sure our children are safe. This board approved a

31-point security plan. We don’t spend a lot of time talking about it -- it’s just part of the culture here. The plan cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, without much fanfare.”

Sanville also cited the board’s support for health and wellness initiatives, in addition to the social workers and school psychologists who serve as a resource in schools.

“So far this year, we’ve had over 100 emergency drills – not just fire drills, but lockdown, active shooter, tornado, evacuations,” Sanville said. “There are dozens of scenarios that our staff and children practice every year. We don’t have all the answers. But we constantly review our protocols and try to revise our plans to be as prepared as we can be.”

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty. com.

This cartoon has been canceled

For the past several years, Pennsylvania had been considered the Gerrymandering Capital of the United States, and for good reason. The boundaries of its congressional map resembled a child’s work on an Etch-a-Sketch, whose sole purpose was to maintain a heavy Republican advantage that helped lead to the GOP to win 13 of 18 seats in three consecutive elections. The worst of those boundaries was the Sixth District, including Chester County, which has been criticized for its peculiar shape, likened to “Goofy Kicking Donald Duck.”

But now that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s redrawing of the congressional map is in effect for the May 15 primary and subsequent November election, it has become the new face of a continuing controversy. Supporters say that the new map levels the political playing field, opening the door to Democrats to compete in – and perhaps win -- 18 congressional races this year, on their way to taking back state control of the House of Representatives.

Supporters say that the new congressional map compensates for the Democrats’ natural geographic disadvantages in the state, where solid votes can be counted on in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, but in very few districts between the two bookend cities.

Those opposed claim that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has invented a constitutional crisis, and with the worst possible timing, given that crucial primary and midterm elections are this coming November.

While opinions vary according to party, the facts outweigh opinions, and the facts are that the redraw has the power to affect –and potentially undermine – the immediate political future of several rising legislators in Pennsylvania. Most prominent among them is Republican Rep. Ryan Costello, who is currently serving his second term as U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania’s Sixth Congressional District, which includes portions of Berks, Chester, Lebanon and Montgomery counties.

While Costello was first elected in 2014 by a Republican-leaning constituency that was largely “captured” by the redrawn confines of the Sixth District, the boundaries of his new constituency edge to the left, and include Reading, a Democratic-leaning city.

Top Statehouse Republicans have pledged to challenge the judicially enacted map, which they say amounts to an illegal overreach by the Democratic-majority court. Costello expressed his anger for the Supreme Court’s new map, calling it “political corruption” and “1,000 percent partisan” that has, in Costello’s opinion, created a Democratic gerrymander.

Whether it’s an injunction, temporary restraining order or an effort to impeach Supreme Court judges, challenging the Supreme Court’s redrawing could be a valiant fight, but one that would clearly smack of hypocrisy.

Arguing whether or not courts have the authority to draw a map under the U.S. Constitution is a filibuster for the truth: The very reason the Pennsylvania Supreme Court stepped in was to solve a problem that the Republicans themselves created, one that the Supreme Court ruled “clearly, plainly, and palpably” violated the state’s Constitution. The Republican plan, the court wrote, was “aimed at achieving unfair partisan gain” and “undermines voters’ ability to exercise their right to vote in free and ‘equal’ elections, if the term is to be interpreted in any credible way.”

Now is the time for our Republican legislators to put away their political axes, and get on with the governing of everyone in their redrawn districts. For Costello, it will be an opportunity to reach out and get to know the citizens of Reading, no longer as the sweepstakes winner in a biased cartoon show, but as the unified leader he and his Republican colleagues aspire to be.

Passage of sensible gun safety laws come down to political will

Letter to the Editor:

The Second Amendment reads, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Of course in those days there was no Federal army, just state militias in which the members owned their own guns that they brought with them when their unit was mustered. Collectively, these were the “well-regulated militia” mentioned in the Amendment, and indeed, they were “necessary to the security of a free State” at that time. However, this scenario clearly does not apply today, as we no longer depend on individually armed state militia to defend our national security.

Noticeably, the Second

Amendment makes no mention whatsoever of the right to bear arms for personal defense; this was only established by a 5-4 Supreme Court decision District of Columbia v. Heller (2008). Heller was based rather flimsily on the English Bill of Rights of 1689 that actually established the right of Protestants to maintain their arms, after they had been ordered to disarm by the Catholic King James. Furthermore, the Heller majority had to contort its own argument by stating the 1689 act was not really the establishment of a new right, but the restoration of a traditional one to maintain arms for self-defense, a stretch to say the least. Otherwise, they would have to admit the obvious -- that the circumstances in 1689 England had nothing to do with the United States

in 2008.

The upshot is that this very recently established “right” has almost nothing to do with the Second Amendment itself, unless you totally torture the interpretation of its actual wording. In other words, the current right to bear arms for self-defense is not enshrined in the Constitution, but dubiously argued in Heller, a weak 5-4 Supreme Court ruling.

But even Heller makes clear that the types of arms allowed -- as well as the conditions associated with their ownership and use -- CAN be regulated, as long as sufficient arms remain available for self-defense. Otherwise, the sky’s the limit, and we could all walk around with nuclear suicide vests just because we personally deemed them necessary for self-defense.

So what does that mean to the more than 60 percent of the American public that would like to get AR-15s and other primarily offensive – not defensive – weapons off the streets and out of the schools?

Don’t believe for one second that the problem is the Constitution or even Heller, as politically toxic as it has turned out to be for gun safety advocates. There’s no need to repeal either. The true bottom line is that there is essentially nothing blocking sensible gun safety laws but political will. The gun lobby, led by the NRA, knows this all too well, and that’s exactly why it acts as it does. But now so do the brave students at Parkland...and so do you.

A call for action from a concerned parent and community member

Shortly after the shootings in Florida, Winden Rowe, MS, LLC, a therapist in Kennett Square and the mother of two sons who attend Kennett High School, wrote the following letter to Dr. Barry Tomasetti and the board members of the Kennett Consolidated School District. The Chester County Press is reprinting the letter, with permission from the author.

Dear Dr. Tomasetti et. al.,

I am a mother of two high school students at Kennett High School, as well as a community member, and now a very concerned citizen.

February 14th was another tragedy in schools in the United States.

When I asked my children what was happening at school to address the matter – another devastating loss in our country – my children’s response was “Nothing. I hope it does not happen to us.”

When I asked community members who teach at

the school about how this is being addressed with the faculty, I was told that many safety measures are in place, but there was nothing being done to address the community, and offer ideas, and an opportunity to rally as a community.

When I asked fellow parents what they had heard, again, silence.

Silence in anything is cosignatory, and irresponsible in this matter.

As a therapist, and a teacher, I understand that certain barriers exist from time to time that may direct the course of action or possible hold backs, but to do little to nothing to address yet another tragedy (double digit school shootings in the US since the start of the year), and to allow for Super Bowl wins to take precedence over bringing our community together to grieve, to address fears, to talk about if we, Kennett High School – a school to watch – are watching over our very own greatly saddens me.

But I am not writing to you in order to complain.

I am writing to you in an effort to collaborate.

In this community, you have me, and many more like me, who want to help, who want to break the silence and demonstrate to our children that we are not willing to go on another day acting as if this is not a national crisis.

I am vocal, passionate, and have a background and skill set in trauma.... addressing it, and healing it, and I am offering to you my help, and services, in order to establish a process and norms for when tragedies like this strike.

Kids need more than a lowered flag. They need to see us, their leaders and teachers, doing something, anything other than sitting idle.

Perhaps a town hall meeting. Not a board meeting where community members who want to speak have to sign up ahead of time. No, something maybe a little less coordinated, and a lot more inclusive.

I plan to not rest until I see that our community is doing something about this.

It should be every mother, father, and child’s God given right to put our children on the bus to school every day and not wonder in the back of our heads if we are next. And to wonder that silently. Please come to the table. Please offer more than a “we understand your concern.” Please, please be the example. Make Kennett a school to watch because we are doing something daring, and different, and brilliant. And perhaps a bit messy. But this cannot go on any longer. It simply cannot. Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Winden S. Rowe, MS, LLC Kennett Square

Ed. note: Ms. Rowe recently informed the Chester County Press that her letter has been positively received by the Kennett Consolidated School District, and a meeting has been arranged, in order to discuss the establishment of norms and processes to address these crises.

State Sen. Fontana to introduce bills aimed at preventing mass shootings

Calling it the “Protection for Pennsylvanians” legislation, state Sen. Wayne D. Fontana (D-Allegheny) recently announced that he will introduce two bills aimed at preventing gun violence and mass shootings.

“These commonsense proposals would help prevent the kind of indiscriminate mass murder that occurred in Florida last week,” Fontana said. “Inaction is no longer an option.”

The Fontana bills would: ~ ban the sale and use of 150 different models of military grade semi-automatic assault weapons -- as well as gun magazines that have a capacity of more than 10 rounds; and ~ empower family members to petition a court to temporarily suspend an individual’s access to firearms if they can prove that the person is threatening harm to themselves or others.

“As former co-chair of the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee, I often spoke with hunters, sportsmen and gun enthusiasts,” Fontana said. “Very few believed

that assault weapons had any practical or rational use. Most sportsmen and women also had no problem with reasonable efforts to keep firearms away from convicted criminals and the mentally ill.”

Fontana said it’s time for people on both sides of the gun issue to “seek common ground and workable solutions that protect second amendment rights while preventing the epidemic of mass shootings that have become endemic to America.”

The Brookline lawmaker’s assault weapon ban bill would mirror a law enacted in Connecticut after the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. In the case of last week’s Lakeland, Florida tragedy, the teen suspect used an AR-15 semi-automatic style weapon during the massacre. This militaryinspired rifle has been the weapon of choice by several mass shooters including at Newtown, Connecticut; Aurora, Colorado; and Santa Monica and San Bernardino, California.

“These military-grade weapons have no legitimate place in civilian life,” Fontana said. “With poor accuracy, they have no useful purpose for hunting or self-defense. These rapid-fire weapons are specifically designed to spray bullets and kill many people quickly.”

Fontana added that family members and police officers are frustrated by how difficult it is to get firearms away from individuals in crisis. He said his bill would enable family members to ask a court to implement an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) in cases where an individual has threatened harm to themselves or others.

Modeled after domestic and sexual assault protection orders, a court could require an individual to surrender their firearms to the police during the suspension period -- which could last for up to one year. The individual would have the right to request a hearing to have the ERPO order rescinded.

“My fellow Americans and I are tired of feeling helpless,” Fontana said. We are fed up with these relentless and horrific accounts of innocent people being slaughtered. I cannot and will not remain silent any longer.” Fontana said “it would be best if these gun issues were addressed by the U.S. Congress so that uniform measures could be implemented nationwide. However, until that happens, it’s on us in Pennsylvania to work to ensure the safety of those in our state.”

“By enacting this ERPO process, our state would empower loved ones, who are closest to someone who is exhibiting dangerous behaviors, to temporarily take away their access to guns,” Fontana said. “Around 42 percent of mass shooters exhibit warning signs or concerning behaviors before they commit a crime. ERPOs would help families and police officers prevent a possible tragedy before it happens.” Fontana said being a member of the state Senate’s minority party has frustrated efforts to rally support for bills that prevent gun violence.

A new season for Peter Sculthorpe

The veteran artist is working on a book that will sum up his career while he pursues new art

By John Chambless Staff Writer

A couple of years ago, Peter Sculthorpe was thinking he might have reached a critical turning point in his career. Over the preceding 40 years, he had built a powerful body of landscape paintings and a sterling reputation, but he was wondering whether he had done all that he wanted to do.

Speaking last week in his studio in Rockland, Del., Sculthorpe was happy to announce that rumors of his retirement have been greatly exaggerated.

“I haven’t given up on Pennsylvania,” he said.

“I’ve promised myself that I still want to go and find working farms that have history. This whole area is still filled with history that is probably going to disappear in a couple of decades. It’s hard to say. For a while,

I was put off by the idea that the popularity of this type of art had a shelf life. But I don’t think that it does now. I guess it really boils down to the fact that I still want to be successful as a painter.”

Working in Chester County since 1970, Peter has seen once-pristine meadows become housing developments, and meandering back roads become straightened and stripped of their charm by highway engineers. It has become harder to find the places where people haven’t been. But he has kept looking, finding isolated locations in faraway places such as Monhegan Island and Newfoundland. For longtime admirers and collectors of his watercolors and oils, Sculthorpe’s eye for the tiniest detail – stone walls, weather-worn barns, wind-whipped coastlines, summer swelter and

winter’s icy grip – draw the viewer into the scene, inviting deep inspection.

While he can depict every facet of a scene, he also invents groupings of buildings, taking a lifetime’s mastery of his subject matter and rearranging things to suit his purposes. When the grandeur of a scene is ruined by a telephone line, a highway or some other distraction, he omits it and places the viewer in a world that’s finely observed, but carefully constructed.

With all the success he had with limited-edition prints of his paintings, and all of the successful exhibitions he has had nationwide, Sculthorpe’s work has only been compiled into a book only once, for the 2015 volume, “The Art of Peter Sculthorpe: Paintings Spanning Four Decades.”

The book, hampered by technical problems, was well received but fell short of the artist’s exacting eye for color. The reproductions of his works just didn’t shine the way they were intended.

So when his longtime printmaker, Bob Tursack, suggested another book, Sculthorpe was skeptical.

Drawing from Sculthorpe’s collection of images of his work – he has documented each one since the early 1980s – the scale of the

Through March 4

‘Any Body’ Bookplace Gallery (2373 Baltimore Pike, Oxford) presents “Any Body,” a show highlighting the human figure, through March 4. Artists include Ruth Ansel, Lisa Bartolozzi, Jill Beech, Mark Bockrath, Marijke van Bucem, Reenie Chase, Alex Cohen, Gillian Pederson-Krag, Georgia Ellis, Harold Kalmus, Meinrad Lekie, E.M. Saniga, Steven Tanis, Vicki Vinton, and Denise Young. The gallery is open Friday through Sunday. Visit www. bookplaceoxford.com.

Through March 10

Paintings by David Eldreth

The Oxford Arts Alliance (38 S. Third St., Oxford) hosts a show of abstract paintings by David Eldreth through March 10. Eldreth will discuss his work in the gallery on Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit www. oxfordart.org for more information.

March 16 and 17

Chadds Ford Art Show

Chadds Ford Elementary School (3 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford) hosts the 69th annual Art Sale and Show, featuring more than 65

‘No. 9,’ by David Eldreth, is part of his solo show at the Arts Alliance (see listing).

professional regional artists, on March 16 and 17. A free reception and sale will be held March 16 from 7 to 10 p.m. (adults only), with regular hours on March 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be free guided tours of the art collection at the school, and an Art Paint Along for adults and children will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Admission is free, and 30 percent of purchases benefit educational enrichment programs at the school. Call 610-388-1112.

March 23 to April 21 Francis Di Fronzo solo show Somerville Manning

book Tursack proposed was within the realm of possibility. “There will be something like 450 images in the book,” Sculthorpe said. “This is a new idea that’s been common in Europe. My printer, Brilliant Studio, is headed up by Bob. He hammers away at the idea that everything has to be as good as it possibly can be. He knows my palette, and he can reproduce something for me that he just knows will be right. He came up with this idea that my body of work should be contained in a volume. I thought it was a great idea.”

The book will be about 42 inches wide when opened, allowing Sculthorpe’s huge paintings room to breathe. “The idea that the finished book will be an art object in itself,” he said. “It’s basically a traveling exhibition of someone’s life as a painter. Bob has published a book on a Chinese photographer in this format, and it was just a beautiful book.”

However, there will be, Sculthorpe said, only three copies of the book printed initially. Taken aback by the idea of putting so much work into a book that will not be available for sale, he has gradually come around to the idea. The large volumes can be scaled down to a size and format that can be sold

to collectors. That means they will be a lasting tribute to an artist who has often stayed out of the limelight, content to let his artwork do the talking.

“I think my work is timeless, it’s not part of a fad,” he said.

“Representational work will always prop up the art world. The fads will come and go and millions will be spent, but this kind of art remains.”

The as-yet-untitled book project could take shape by the end of the year, Sculthorpe said. In the meantime, he is

happy to be working on new paintings – one huge winter scene was in progress on his easel last week – and getting back to working outdoors when the weather improves.

“So, I’m not done with painting,” he said, smiling. “I realized this is what I do. I didn’t think this was as ingrained in me as it really is. I’m happy to finally come to that realization.”

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@ chestercounty.com.

County filmmaker wins award for documentary

Gallery (101 Stone Block Row, Greenville, Del.) will host a solo exhibition of paintings by Francis Di Fronzo from March 23 to April 21. A reception with the artist will be held April 6 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m, including an Artist Talk at 6:30 p.m. Di Fronzo has received national attention as a featured artist in the popular television series “Better Call Saul” and his distinctive paintings that provide an uncomfortable mix of nostalgia and lamentation of the postindustrial American landscape. Call 302652-0271 or visit www. somervillemanning. com.

“Goodnight Ladies,” a 37-minute documentary film about the world’s most famous Master of Fox Hounds, Nancy Penn Smith Hannum, has won a WINNIE award at the Equus Film Festival for best of Equestrian History.

Directed by Christianna Hannum, Nancy’s granddaughter, the film is the story of a woman whose passion for her sport was unbridled. Christianna said, “My grandmother was as famous as they come. She hunted in Chester County for more than a half-century. How to capture her on film? She broke every bone in her body riding fast horses and jumping big fences. People worshipped her. ‘Goodnight Ladies’ is a film about an archaic sport, yes, but also a film about class, about America, and about a woman who never stopped in the pursuit of what she believed in.”

The Equus Film Festival was founded in 2013. The

recent festival presented more than 80 films. Awards were presented in New York City in November. “Goodnight Ladies” was featured in an Equus film festival in January in Timonium, Ms. “We were sold out,” Christianna said.

“I’m looking forward to the same type of reception in South Carolina later this month.”

The Equus film festival in Camden, S.C., will be held from Feb. 23 to 25. Equus is making plans for possible film festivals in England and France with “Goodnight Ladies.”

Equus was created to highlight and award the diverse and creative efforts of those who artistically pay homage to the horse. “Goodnight Ladies” has also won the Eastman Kodak award for cinematography and best short film in Paolo Alto, Calif. The film was a Rome Film finalist. Christianna Hannum was born in Chester County.

“Goodnight Ladies” is her first film. The premiere took place on the 100th anniversary of Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Fox Hounds at the Chester County Historical Society on Nov. 14, 2012. The documentary film began as a larger feature, “Keeping Sound,” in 1998.

“With ‘Goodnight Ladies,’ I was able to condense and shape a very personal film into a more traditional picture of my grandmother,” Christianna said. “This shorter film is about the joy of the human spirit and a woman who never stopped believing in what she stood for. I show the grandmother I remember, speeding down country roads in her battered Jeep. Gran was passionate about her grandchildren, and this film is for them, and for their children.”

Nancy Penn Smith Hannum died in 2008. Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds was founded in 1912 by Nancy Hannum’s stepfather, Plunket Stewart.

More Obituaries appear on Page 3B

PATRICIA JUNE RIOS

Patricia (Patti) June Rios, 60, of Lincoln University, died on Feb. 20, peacefully at home.

She was the wife of Robin Rios, with whom she shared 42 years of marriage as well as a remarkable bond of true love. Born in West Chester, she was daughter to James and Hazel (Wiles) Miller, who also live in Lincoln University. Patti was a technician at Orca Company for many years, where she assisted in the construction and development of dive equipment. Patti was a devout wife, loving and compassionate mother and an extraordinary grandmother. She simply adored her family.

Survivors include, in addition to her husband and parents, one son, Robert Rios and his wife Lindsay of Oxford; one daughter, Sonya Rios-McMillan and her husband Brennon of Lincoln University; five brothers, Michael, Stephen, David, Jeffrey and Joseph Miller; one sister, Pamela Blakeslee; and four grandchildren.

A celebration of her life was held Feb. 27. To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, visit www.griecocares.com.

PATRICIA C. BROWN

Patricia C. Brown, of Kennett Square, passed away on Feb. 14. She was 88 years old.

Born and raised in Kennett Square, she was the daughter of the late Francis Campbell and the late Grace O’Neill Campbell. She was the beloved wife of Clarence L. Brown; mother of Claudia Leslie Davis, Marta Carol Brown, Corey Patrick Brown and Sondra Patricia Brown. She is also survived by seven grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her sisters, Carolyn Field and Marian Tavoni. A funeral was held Feb. 24. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to: St. Jude Hospital, www. stjude.org, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

‘In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.’ Psalm 138:3

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NORMAN A. BARRON

Retired Delaware Superior Court Judge Norman A. Barron died on Feb. 13, after a brief illness, with his wife and twin brother by his side. He was 75 years old.

Norm was born and raised in South Orange, N.J., and attended Hamilton College, graduating in 1964. After college, Norm served in the U.S. Navy, being honorably discharged in 1968 as a full Lieutenant. Norm arrived in Delaware in 1971 after receiving his law degree from Emery University and was employed as a Deputy Attorney General in the Delaware Department of Justice and later served as Chief Deputy Attorney General. In 1980, Norm was appointed as Delaware’s first Chief Magistrate by then-Governor Pierre S. du Pont and served with distinction for eight years. After a brief period as Assistant Public Defender, Norm was nominated to serve as a Superior Court Judge by then-Governor Michael N. Castle and, after confirmation, served on the court from 1989 until his retirement in 2001. Despite his stern demeanor on the bench, Norm was very kind and cared deeply about his family and friends. His sense of humor was one of his greatest assets.

In his retirement, Norm and his wife, Alice, spent many winters in the Sarasota, Fla., area, where they enjoyed innumerable rounds of golf, warm weather and friendships. Norm finally achieved a golfer’s ultimate goal by shooting a hole in one at the age of 71.

Norm was predeceased by his parents, Norman M. and Frances B. Barron; and his brother, Fraser. He is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Alice Bricker Barron; and his two brothers, Mortimer of Amarillo, Texas, and his twin, Tim (Loren) of Kennett Square. He is also survived by nephews Christopher Barron (Tracy) of Annandale, Va., and Rupert Barron (Eve) of Houston, Texas; and neices Allison Dunbar of Los Angeles, and Alexandra and Cecelia Barron of Kennett Square.

Interment was held privately. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Norm’s name to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ASPCA, PO Box 96929, Washington, DC 20090-6929. To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, visit www.griecocares.com.

BETTY ELLEN LINCOLN SLAUCH

Betty Ellen Lincoln Slauch, 82, of Oxford, passed away peacefully at her home on Feb. 18. She was the wife of the late Edward Samuel Slauch. Born in Folcroft, Pa., she was the daughter of the late William E. and Ellen C. Krough Lincoln. Betty was a Graduate of Oxford High School Class of 1954, 40-year member of the Union Fire Company No. 1 in Oxford, and current President of the Ladies Auxilary, Founder of T.O.P.S. PA472 Oxford, member of Pocahantas, and a Lifelong homemaker and caregiver. Betty is survived by daughter, Brenda Slauch; sons, Edward Slauch II (Marsha), Donald Slauch (Leona); eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. In addition to her husband and parents, Betty was preceded in death by her daughter, Judith Lynn Slauch McGlothlin; and four brothers. A funeral was held Feb. 23. Interment as in the Oxford Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Betty’s name can be made to the Union Fire Company No.1, 315 Market Street, Oxford, PA 19363. Online condolences can be made at www. ruffenachfuneralhome.com.

JOHN R. WILSON

John “Bob” Robert Wilson, 81, of Oxford, died on Feb. 19 at Jennersville Regional Hospital in West Grove. He was the husband of Sandra Watson Wilson, with whom he shared 55 years of marriage. Born in West Chester, he was the son of the late John Robert and the late Jane (Van Horn) Wilson. Bob attended Mercersburg Academy before serving our country during peacetime in the Army Security Agency –Japan. Bob worked in sales for Prentice Hall until 1990, when he started a sign business in Delaware, Mr. Sign. He was a dedicated family man. He was a member of the Oxford Presbyterian Church, bridge clubs, and a previous member of the Kennett Square Golf and Country Club. He enjoyed fox hunting, sailing, and refinishing antiques. In his later years, he enjoyed RV travel, golf, poker, bridge, and reading.

Survivors include, in addition to his wife, two daughters, Cheryl Stradling and her husband John of Kennett Square, and Michelle Wilson of Wilmington, Del.; and three grandchildren.

A visitation will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. March 3 at the Oxford Presbyterian Church (6 Pine St, Oxford). A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m., with a luncheon at noon. Interment will be held privately. Contributions in his memory may be made to either the Oxford Presbyterian Church (6 Pine Street, Oxford, PA 19363); or the Benevolent Care Fund at Ware Presbyterian Village (7 East Locust St., Oxford, PA 19363). To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, visit www.griecocares.com.

WILLIAM D. PRATT

William “Bill” D. Pratt, 81, of Kennett Square, passed away on Feb. 11 after a short illness.

Due to the loving care of his devoted wife, Bill was able to live out his life in the home he loved. Bill died surrounded by love. Bill was born and lived his entire life in beautiful Chester County. He attended Sanford School and was a proud member of the Class of 1955. He had a strong work ethic and spent 27 years at the Kennett Square Post Office before retiring in 1992. He found great pleasure in the simple things of life. He adored his family and loved all sports. Bill and Judy were blessed with many years of retirement together.

Bill was predeceased by his mother and father, Esther Garrett and Edward LeRoy Pratt; and his brother, Richard L. Pratt. He is survived by his wife of nearly 30 years, Judith E. Pratt; two daughters, Susan Pratt Murphy (Kevin), and Sandra Leigh Pratt; three stepchildren, Sharon L. Eggers (Steve), Jeffrey W. Riggs and Joseph H. Coover, Jr. He was a loving “Pop-Pop” to 12 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

At Bill’s request, there will be no memorial or funeral services. However, a contribution may be made to Neighborhood Hospice, 400 E. Marshall Street, West Chester, PA 19380. To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, visit www.griecocares.com.

Feb. 28

Joseph’s People meeting The next monthly Joseph’s People West Grove meeting for the unemployed/ underemployed will be on Feb. 28 at 6:45 p.m. in the Parish Life Center of ABVM’s Church (300 State Rd., West Grove). The presenter will be Darren Chick, speaking on “Reinventing Yourself: What Have I Forgotten

That I Know How To Do?” Joseph’s People provides prayerful support, introduces community resources, encourages member interaction, and discusses job opportunities. Visit www.josephspeople.org.

March 3

Chocolate Festival

The Oxford United Methodist Church (18 Addison St., Oxford) hosts the fifth annual Chocolate Festival on March 3 from 1 to 3 p.m. For $5, patrons will get six tickets, allowing six samples of chocolate treats (additional tickets are 50 cents each). Local bakers are encouraged to enter the contest, which will include cakes and cupcakes, cookies, candy and fudge, brownies and other desserts. Awards will be given. Call 610932-9698 for more information.

The Chester County Press publishes obituaries, free of charge, for those with a connection to southern Chester County. Obituaries appear on the Wednesday after they are received, space permitting. They also are posted on www.chestercounty.com. Photos should be sent as .jpg attachments to

NANCY LOU ROSS

Nancy Lou Ross, 82, of Cochranville, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on Feb. 16 at her residence.

She was the wife of Joseph W. Ross, Sr., with whom she shared 40 years of marriage. Born in Port Huron, Mich., she was the daughter of the late Albert G. Wolfe and the late Evelyn Bailey Wolfe. Nancy was a secretary in the maintenance department at the Franklin Mint in Wawa, retiring in 1992.

She was a member of St. Michael Lutheran Church, where she volunteered for many activities, including volunteering at the Luther House in Jennersville. She enjoyed crocheting, cooking, and being with her family and friends, especially her grandchildren.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons, John Glyshaw of Portland, Ore., and Joseph Ross, Jr., of Kennett Square; four daughters, Karis Hollenbeck of Prospect Park, Kathy Glyshaw and her husband Kirk Nabors of Columbia, Md., Susan Evans and her husband Robert of Elkton, Md., and Sandy DeWilde and her husband John of Morrisville, Pa.; one brother, Charles Wolfe of Port Huron, Mich.; one sister, Lois Buckley of Port Huron, Mich.; 12 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Nancy was predeceased by several brothers.

A memoprial service was held Feb. 23. In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to St. Michael Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 178, Unionville, PA 19375. To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, visit www. griecocares.com.

DEAN W. NEEDHAM

Dean W. Needham, 65, of West Grove, passed away on Feb. 15 after a courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

He was the husband of Virginia “Ginny” Shivery Needham, with whom he shared 36 years of marriage. Born in West Grove, he was the son of the late W. Edgar and Virgie Johnson Needham. He was a member of Beulah Baptist Church in Oxford. For 20 years, Dean worked for the Southeastern Veterans Center in Spring City. He was very proud to serve the veterans and meet their transportation needs. He was also a bus driver for DuVall Bus Service for the Avon Grove School District and worked in his family’s mushroom business in his earlier years. His hobbies included history, medicine and technology, and he had a love of the outdoors. He especially loved his dogs, Abbey and Ellie, and his cat, Joey.

Dean is survived by his wife; two sons, Shawn Needham of Philadelphia, and Brian Needham of West Grove; one sister, Virginia “Ginny” Peterson (David) of West Grove; and two nephews, Jeff Peterson (and family) of Nottingham, and Mike Peterson (and family) of Little Britain.

A funeral was held Feb. 20. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., to offset funeral costs. Online condolences may be made at www. elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

MARY MARGARET MCDONALD

Mary Margaret McDonald (Glaab) peacefully passed away on Feb. 15 at her home in Kennett Square. She was 91 years old.

Mary was predeceased by her husband of 59 years, Dr. Charles Cameron “Cam” McDonald, Ph.D., a research scientist with the DuPont Company. She was also predeceased by two sons, Peter Scott McDonald of Boothwyn, and John Sutherland McDonald of Wilmington, Del.; and a brother, Charles Michael Glaab of Sarnia, Ontario. Mary is survived by two sons, Charles Lachlan McDonald and his wife Susan of Atlanta, Ga., and Eric Cameron McDonald of Kennett Square; and three daughters-in-law, Renay and Patti McDonald and Pamela Gieseler. Mary is also survived by eight grandchildren; and two brothers, Peter William Glaab of Sarnia, Ontario Canada, and John Kenneth Glaab of Uruapan and La Paz, Mexico.

Mary graduated from St. Joseph’s High School in Toronto, Ontario Canada, and then attended the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, where she graduated as a lab technician and met her husband. After college, she worked for the Polymer Corporation as a lab technician, and in 1948 was elected “Miss Polymer.” Mary left Canada to live in Chicago, Ill., where Cam received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the Illinois Institute of Technology. In 1955, Mary moved to Wilmington, Del., so Cam could begin his career with DuPont, and then in 1979 they moved to Hamorton Village in Kennett Square. For many years, Mary was active in the business community, where she owned and operated the Decoy Book Store in Kennett Square. She was an avid reader and an active member of her book club. Mary was a member of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church in Kennett Square, and for many years was a continuing education student at the Academy for Life Long Learning at the University of Delaware’s Wilmington campus.

Mary loved to travel and regularly proclaimed she was “willing to go anywhere, anytime with anyone.”

In addition to her family she will be missed by her neighbors who considered Mary a beloved member of their community and by her many friends.

A service was held Feb. 26. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the Willow Tree Hospice in Kennett Square, who helped make Mary’s final weeks comfortable and peaceful. To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, visit www. griecocares.com.

JOHN J. HENDERSON, JR.

John Joseph Henderson Jr., 68, of West Chester, passed away on Feb. 16 at his home, surrounded by the love and comfort of his family and friends.

He was the husband of Susan May Henderson, and together they shared 45 years and four months of marriage. Growing up in West Chester, John was the eldest son of Gertrude Short Henderson and John Joseph Henderson, Sr. In 1967, John graduated from Unionville High School, and in 1968, he attended the Computer Programming Institute of Delaware. In 1969, John went to boot camp in Fort Bragg, N.C., where he earned a medal for sharpshooting and afterward entered the U.S. Army Signal School to continue his passion for computers at Fort Monmouth, N.J. Upon completion, he was called to Vietnam on Nov. 15, 1970, and was stationed there until Nov. 14, 1971. As a result, he was awarded The Army Commendation Medal. John married Sue Carr in 1972, and together they had two sons, Jason Matthew and Christopher Bryan. Over the next couple years, he had the honor to work with the URA. In addition to his sons, he coached and umpired many of the community’s youth in sports such as soccer, basketball and baseball.

In addition to his wife, Sue, he is survived by his sons Jason Henderson (Dawn), Christopher Henderson (Krista); five grandchildren; three siblings, his brother Robert Henderson, and his sisters Susan Agostini and Sandra Cecchi. He was also a beloved brother-in-law to Claude, Bryan, Kent, Bob and Jim, and Gail, Lynn and Karen; and uncle to several nieces and nephews.

John will always be remembered as a fun-loving, modest man with a playful sense of humor. He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and loved to fish.

A funeral was held Feb. 23. Burial was at the Unionville Cemetery in Unionville. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Neighborhood Home Hospice, 795 East Marshall Street, Suite 204, West Chester, PA 19380. To view John’s online tribute and to share a memory with his family, visit www.griecocares.com.

JEAN A. PRATT

Jean A. Pratt, formerly of Unionville, passed away on Feb. 10 at the Pocopson Home. She was 96 years old. She was the beloved wife of the late John Marshall Pratt, who passed away in 1988. She is survived by her son, John Pratt and daughter, Jane Pratt; two grandchildren; sister Hazel Hairsine; and two great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her siblings, Cecil Rector, Ernie Rector and Nancy Yerkes.

A graveside service was held Feb. 24 at the Union Hill Cemeter in Kennett Square. Visit www. longwoodfuneralhome.com.

Feb. 24

Kennett Winterfest

Broad Street in Kennett Square will be the site of the annual Kennett Winterfest on Feb. 24 from 12:30 to 4 p.m. The event features unlimited beer tastings from 60 breweries, music by Shady Groove, food trucks and a warm-up tent. No one under 21 admitted. The event will be held rain, show or shine. Tickets are $60 ($15 for designated drivers). For tickets and more information, visit www.kennettwinterfest. com.

Feb. 24

Willowdale fundraiser

JUMP for Willowdale, an exuberant evening in the spirit of Carnival, will be held Feb. 24 from 8 to 11 p.m. at the Yellow House on the steeplechase Grounds.

Guests will enjoy music by DJ Freeze and silent bidding on a few special auction items. Proceeds from JUMP will help fund the Willowdale races, which raise money for the Stroud Water Research Center, the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s New Bolton Center, and Quest Therapeutic Services, Inc. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.willowdale.org or call 610-444-1582.

Feb. 28

Gardening class

The Oxford Area Senior Center (12 E. Locust St., Oxford) hosts a gardening program with Steve Seivwright, a landscaper with 43 years of experience, on Feb. 28 at

7 p.m. He will discuss the benefits of composting, correct watering methods, the importance of sunlight and using raised beds. For those that don’t have garden space, gardening in pots will be taught. The program is free and includes seeds for planting. For reservations, call 610-932-5244 or email oxsrctr@ zoominternet.net.

March 2

Fundraiser for anti-trafficking

On March 2, there will be a fundraising event for Meet Me At the Well at the Concord Country Club (1691 Wilmington Pike, West Chester). The group works to fight sex trafficking. There will be bidding on more than 30 silent auction items such as sports memorabilia, vacations, and themed baskets. There will be cocktails and hors d’oeuvres by chef John Klebart, a James Beard Award nominee. Local artists will be selling their work. Contact Diana Suchodolski for details at 302-743-7765 or email Diana.Suchodolski@ TheWellDE.org.

March 3

ACE meeting

A preview of the soonto-be-released book “Puppets on a String” will be presented at the March 3 meeting of ACE Anti-Human Trafficking Alliance of Oxford at 9:30 a.m. Selections from this book of heartwrenching poetry will be read by the poet, MarieLouise Meyers, at the Oxford Senior Center (12 E. Locust St., Oxford).

A discussion period will follow. Refreshments will be served at 9 a.m. Call 610-932-0337 for more information.

March 15 to 17

‘The King and I’

Unionville High School will stage the classic musical “The King and I” on March 15, 16 and 17 at 7 p.m. Online tickets at www.showtix4u.com are $12. Tickets at the door are $14 for adults, $12 for students and seniors. Performances will be at Unionville High School (750 Unionville Rd., Kennett Square).

March 18

‘Azul’ in West Chester

The Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 N. High St., West Chester), hosts “Azul,” a theater/dance piece exploring Picasso’s blue period, on March 18 at 3 p.m. It interweaves flamenco music and dance with stunning imagery to create a dramatic canvas of Picasso’s thoughts, doubts, actions and torments. The Latin Program at Uptown! promotes Latin culture in West Chester and neighboring communities through live theater, dance and music performances. Purchase tickets at www. UptownWestChester.org, at the box office, or call 610-356-2787.

To submit items to the Calendar of Events, e-mail jchambless@ chestercounty.com. There is no charge. Not every submission can be included. Items should be submitted at least two weeks before the event.

The Chadds Ford Historical Society’s 2018 Spring Lecture Series, called “Picturing The Past,” uses historic images to discuss a wide variety of historical topics. The series includes four lectures during consecutive weeks:

Wednesday, March 14, 7 p.m.

Eyewitness Images form the American Revolution, Arthur Lefkowitz

This slide presentation is based on Arthur Lefkowitz’s new book, titled “Eyewitness Images from the American Revolution.” Despite the absence of photography and combat illustrators, the American Revolution was accurately recorded by a number of artists. Historian Arthur S. Lefkowitz, author of six award-winning books about the American Revolution, will present a color slide presentation of 18th century artistry in the form of studio executed history paintings, portraits, illustrations, maps and rapidly executed drawings done in the field. The pictures in the presentation have been gathered from museums in the United States, Canada, Ireland, England and France.

Wednesday, March 21, 7 p.m.

Pets In America: The Story of Our Lives with Animals at Home; Dr. Katherine Grier

Kasey Grier is a history professor and director of the Museum Studies Program at the University of Delaware. Dr. Grier is a specialist in material culture studies whose research interests lie in the history of everyday life in America. Her presentation reflects a travelling exhibition that has been touring the United States since 2006. Her most recent book, “Pets in America: A History,” grew out of a developing interest in the history of animalhuman interaction.

Thursday, March 28, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, April 5, 7 p.m. Chadds Ford Then and Now II, Phyllis Recca

This presentation is a continuation of Phyllis’s first lecture for CFHS and covers eight new sites in the Chadds Ford area. Learn about Christy’s Restaurant and Reyburn’s Tavern, viewing rare photos from private collections. Find out what happened to Quimby’s Gas Station and why there was confusion regarding the Chadds Ford Barbershop sign created by N.C. Wyeth. This fascinating lecture helps us to discover more about our local heritage and how places have changed over time.

Admission to the lectures is free for all Historical Society members, and $5 for non-members. The 2018 Spring Lectures Series is held in the CFHS Barn Visitors Center at 1736 Creek Road (Rt. 100), Chadds Ford. For more information visit www. chaddsfordhistory.org.

Charles Philips: Draftsman, Bicyclist & Photographer, Pamela C. Powell Pamela Powell, photo archivist with the Chester County Historical Society, will introduce the photography of Charles Philips, an ambitious young draftsman with the Pusey and Jones Company in Wilmington, who photographed working mills, covered bridges, railroads, churches and Friends meetinghouses in southern Chester County and northern Delaware. He photographed the landscape on his bicycling adventures riding north out of Wilmington between 1895 and 1912.

CLASSIFIEDS

Article VI Section 601.C.4 of the Elk Township Zoning Ordinance of 2002, as amended. The applicant proposes to relocate equipment shelter from building to under tower legs within fenced compound at the above described location. All persons wishing to participate in this hearing are invited to be present. Any person with a disability requiring a special accommodation to attend this hearing should notify the secretary at (610) 255-0634, as early as possible, but not later than five (5) working days prior to the hearing. The Board of Supervisors will make every reasonable effort to provide reasonable accommodations. R. Samuel McMichael, Esquire, Solicitor for Elk Township 2p-21-2t

NOTICE OF FICTITIOUS NAME

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to do engage in business under the fictitious name of : Warrior Spirit Youth Lacrosse Camps, located at 703 Fox LN, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania 19425, has submitted an application for a fictitious name under 54 Pa. C.S. Pursuant to Pennsylvania's Fictitious Name Act. Jason Wolensky, 703 Fox LN, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania 19425 2p-28-1t

INCORPORATION

NOTICES

Warrior Spirit Youth Lacrosse Camps LLC, has been incorporated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988. Jason Wolensky, 703 Fox LN, Chester Springs, Pennsylvania 19425. 2p-28-1t

NOTICE OF FICTITiOUS NAME

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to do engage in business under the fictitious name of : SchmidtFitt Customized Personal Training , located at 42 Sheffield Lane, West Chester, PA 19380, has submitted an application for a fictitious name

under 54 Pa. C.S. Pursuant to Pennsylvania's Fictitious Name Act. Ryan Schmidt, owner. 2p-28-1t

PUBLIC NOTICE

PENN TOWNSHIP BUILDING

GROUNDS MOWING AND LAWN CARE, SEASON TERM: APRIL 1, 2018 THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2018

General SpecificationsPenn Township intends to receive proposals for Mowing and Lawn Care for the Season Term:APRIL 1, 2018 through November 30, 2018. All bids shall be submitted on the official form provided by Penn Township. All bidders must walk the sites included in the grounds mowing and lawn care contract with Penn Township Facilities and Grounds Maintenance Technician, Danny Peters, prior to bidding. Danny Peters can be reached at 610-869-9620 or 484-753-2081 or by email at dpeters@ penntownship.us. Each proposal shall be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope as such and shall be addressed to the Board of Supervisors, Penn Township Municipal Building, 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, PA 19390. The name of the item for which the proposal is submitted must also be indicated on the outside of the envelope in the lower left hand corner. Proof of insurance and proof of workman’s compensation to be provided with proposal. A list of references and recent projects including name and telephone numbers of current and prior clients for whom they have done work must be included. Prices shall be quoted without Federal Excise or Transportation Taxes or Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Sales Tax as the Township is exempt from taxes. The Township reserves the right to reject any and all proposals or any part thereof or to waive any minor discrepancies in the proposals or specifications when deemed to be in the interest of the Township. Failure of the bidder to sign the proposal or have the signatures of an authorized representative or Agent on the proposal in the space provided may be cause for rejection. By submitting its proposal, the bidder agrees to enter into a contract with the Township to furnish the quantity of materials or services listed at the unit price or prices quoted.Items bid shall meet specifications prepared by the Township, and upon request, the bidder shall make available to the Township samples, technical specifi-

cations and information in regard to their materials. A complete proposal package is available at the Penn Township Municipal Building at 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, PA during regular business hours 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday or by calling the office at 610-869-9620. Any bidder may withdraw their proposal at any time. PENN TOWNSHIP RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY BIDS OR ANY PART THEREOF. Proposals will be OPENED by the Township Secretary on March 19, 2018 @ 10:00 a.m. for consideration by the Supervisors at the Board of Supervisors Meeting at the Township Building at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21, 2018. 2p-28-2t

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE OF Jimmie Hughes, late of East Fallowfield Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, Deceased. Letters Testamentary on the estate of the above named Jimmie Hughes, 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

Oxford Township. Applicants must have a valid Pennsylvania Class B-CDL license with a clean driving record. Applicants must

also have the following: -Heavy equipment experience including dump trucks, loaders and backhoes; -Ability to lift 50-80 pounds; -Ability

Local News

Kennett Township agrees to five-year contract with its police department

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

The Kennett Township Board of Supervisors voted 3-0 at its Feb. 21 meeting to approve a new, five-year contract with the Kennett Township Police Association, the union component of the township’s police department. The terms of the new agreement became effective on Feb. 22.

The terms of the contract, which began negotiations last September between the union and township manager Lisa Moore, outlines agreements related to pension packages; benefit packages; medical, dental and life coverage; pay scale for officers; cost of uniforms and equipment; fitness reimbursement; the definition of full- and parttime officers; grievance and arbitration procedures; and drug and alcohol testing procedures.

Kennett Township Police Chief Lydell Nolt called the five-year contract “beneficial to both the department and the township.”

“It allows both sides to

have a good understanding of where they’re going,” he said. “From the township’s perspective, the Association appreciated the fact that the township worked very hard to create a five-year deal.”

“When we started on this contract, Lydell and I looked at other surrounding municipalities’ police contracts, and this contract is very comparable to all of the other police departments,” said Township Manager Lisa Moore. “We’re not giving them anything that the other municipalities are not also giving their police. It’s been a long negotiation, but we finally feel that we have a very solid contract with [the township police] at this point.”

In other Kennett Township Police Department news, Nolt said that the police department has recently received a $21,384 grant from the Southeastern Regional Task Force, which funded the installation of an automatic license plate reader on a township police vehicle. Installed two weeks ago, the reader has already led to four arrests, Nolt said. “This system will allow

officers to use camera technology to systematically check vehicle registration plates for wanted suspects, stolen vehicles, suspended violations, and protection from abuse violators,” he said.

Nolt also praised the use of body cameras on township police officers, which has been in place since January.

“I would say that this has probably been the best thing I’ve done since I started here,” Nolt said. “The amount of data, and the integrity by which we gather that data, is tremendous for everyone – the general public, the police officers, and the way that officers are able to manage their operations.

“They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Video and audio coverage [with the body cameras] is worth ten thousand words.”

Nolt also said that township officers recently attended “Bridges Out of Poverty,” a communitybased program intended to assist individuals as they navigate out of poverty.

“Sometimes we play a role

in people’s lives in certain stages when they are dealing with financial issues,” Nolt said. “We want our officers to have a good understanding of what these individuals are dealing with, and how sometimes our actions can affect them, both positively and negatively.”

In other township news, the township has created a community-based land stewardship volunteer group, to promote environmentally-beneficial land management practices in the township. Those interested in becoming a volunteer can learn more by visiting the township’s website.

The township will be hosting “Managing Your Streamside Property,” coordinated by the Brandywine red Clay Alliance, at the township building on March 6, beginning at 7 p.m.

Moore said that the township will soon be collaborating with PennDOT in an effort to apply for grants that will go toward the construction of a planned roundabout at the Five Points intersection in the township.

The township has begun

rehabilitation of the historic Pines-Fussell home it owns, at the corner of McFarlan Road and Old Baltimore Pike. The work includes stabilizing the home’s foundation, replacing windows, doors and the roof, and installing an HVAC system. The township owns the house only. The surrounding property is owned by the Fairfield Inn.

Although the township has been operating under a provision that eliminates it from pursuing a possible tenant there for the next three-and-a-half years, it continues to explore future uses. Defining it as “a home that is looking for a project,” board chairman Scudder Stevens said that there is the possibility that the home could be used by an Underground Railroadfocused organization.

“We’ve got feelers out all over the country,” he said.

“We have connections in Hollywood, in California, as well as other areas where people have emigrated out of Kennett Square, in great diaspora.”

Moore, a member of the Chester County Landscapes

3 steering committee, said that the committee will be meeting on March 6 in Chester Springs, and that the public will have an opportunity to provide input, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The Landscapes project is in the process of creating a comprehensive plan for the future of the county. To address a growing concern of many residents who use the dog park at the township’s Barkingfield Park, township public works director Roger Lyle said his department has been applying wood chips at the dog park, in an effort to reduce the volume of mud that high traffic there has caused. Lyle said that he will be visiting Concord Township to see how its use of a playground mulch at its dog park keeps mud volume down, with the idea of potentially applying it at Barkingfield Park. Finally, the Rosedale Road Streambank Rehabilitation Project has begun, and should be completed by the end of February.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

Diver Chevrolet goes to bat for Piedmont Baseball & Softball

Diver Chevrolet is partnering with Piedmont Baseball & Softball in Wilmington, Del. Diver has joined forces with the national Chevrolet Youth Baseball program to provide new equipment and invitations to free instructional clinics.

“Playing the game of

baseball helps kids develop skills like leadership, cooperation and sportsmanship while bringing families and communities together to show their support,” said Rich Diver, president at Diver Chevrolet. “Diver Chevrolet and Chevrolet Youth Baseball are proud to participate in a sport

LEGALS

dated 10/16/78 and last revised 3/5/79 and recorded in the Office of the Records of Deeds under Plan Number 2208 as follows as wit:

BEGINNING at a point on the northeasterly side of Lower Hopewell Road (T-312), said point being the northwest corner of this about to be described lot and the southwest corner of Section II; thence from said beginning point and extending along Section II, the two following courses and distances: (1) north 62 degrees 10 minutes 29 seconds east, 455.00 feet, to a point, said point being on the southwesterly side of a 20 feet wide drainage easement; (2) south 27 degrees 49 minutes 31 seconds east, 200.00 feet to a point a corner of Lot 4; thence along the same south 62 degrees 10 minutes 29 seconds west, 455.00 feet to a point on the northeasterly side of said Lower Hopewell Road; thence along the same north 27 degrees 49 minutes 31 seconds west, 200.00 feet to the first mentioned point and place of beginning.

CONTAINING 2.089 acres of land be the same more or less.

BEING Lot 5 as shown on said Plan.

BEING the same premises which John O. Hagy, Jr. and Hazel M. Hagy, his wife, by Deed dated 7/15/93 and recorded 8/4/93 in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds in and for the County of Chester, in Deed Book 3600, Page 0857, granted and conveyed unto Craig Brian Ellis and Lisa Evans Ellis, their heirs and assigns, as tenants by the entireties, in fee.

PLAINTIFF: The Bank of New York Mellon f/k/a The Bank of New York, as Trustee for the certificateholders of the CWABS, Inc., Asset-Backed Certificates, Series 2007-9 VS

DEFENDANT: CRAIG BRIAN ELLIS, LISA EVANS ELLIS and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

SALE ADDRESS: 122 Lower Hopewell Road, Oxford, PA 19363

PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: SHAPIRO & DeNARDO, LLC, 610-278-6800

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 2PM. CAROLYN B. WELSH, SHERIFF 2p-21-3t

that brings so many smiles to kids and families in Wilmington. Chevrolet believes that in play, there are possibilities and supports the spirit of teamwork that baseball instills in its players.”

2018 is Chevrolet’s Youth Baseball program’s 13th year. Since its introduc-

Sheriff Sale of Real Estate By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Carolyn B. Welsh, 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, March 15th, 2018 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, April 16th, 2018. 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. 18-3-170 Writ of Execution No. 2016-07790 DEBT $223,833.31

PROPERTY situate in Borough of Kennett Square

TAX Parcel #3-3-37.2

IMPROVEMENTS: a residential dwelling.

PLAINTIFF: Nationstar HECM Acquisition Trust 2016-3, Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, not individually, but solely as trustee VS DEFENDANT: BARBARA A. JOHNSON SOLELY IN HER CAPACITY AS HEIR OF RICHARD A. JOHNSON a/k/a RICHARD ANGELO JOHNSON a/k/a RICHARD A. JOHNSON SR. DECEASED and RICHARD ANGELO JOHNSON JR. AS HEIR AND EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF RICHARD A. JOHNSON a/k/a RICHARD ANGELO JOHNSON a/k/a RICHARD A. JOHNSON SR. DECEASED and DANEEN RANDOLPH SOLELY IN HER CAPACITY AS HEIR OF RICHARD A. JOHNSON a/k/a RICHARD ANGELO JOHNSON a/k/a RICHARD A. JOHNSON SR. DECEASED

SALE ADDRESS: 206 Linden Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348

PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: KML LAW GROUP, P.C., 215-627-1322

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

2p-21-3t

tion, it has helped aid local teams, benefiting more than 12.4 million young people. In 2017, more than 1,500 Chevrolet dealers participated across the country. Diver Chevrolet will present an equipment kit that includes batpacks, scorebooks, industrial-

In addition to its commitment to youth baseball, Chevrolet is the Official Vehicle of Major League Baseball. For more information, visit www.chevrolet. com/youthsports.com.

strength batting tees, ball buckets and T-shirts. The sponsorship also includes youth clinics featuring current and former MLB/ MiLB players and coaches, or instructors from Ripken Baseball. In addition, Diver Chevrolet will present a check representing a onetime monetary contribution to Piedmont Baseball & Softball.

Make 2018 your year for a new career.

Be inspired to change the lives of your patients every day, and join the talented team of RNs, PCAs, and MAs practicing within the dynamic, highly advanced environment of Tower Health. In addition to a culture that promotes career advancement, you'll enjoy a diverse experience which offers training in new specialties and abundant opportunities to grow in your professional practice. Learn more and plan to attend one of our upcoming: RN and PCA Meet and Greets

Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20 and 27

8am - 10am and 4pm - 5:30pm

Meet and Greets will be held at all Tower Health hospitals: Reading Hospital • 300 S. 6th Avenue • West Reading, PA

Brandywine Hospital • 201 Reeceville Road • Coatesville, PA

Chestnut Hill Hospital • 8835 Germantown Avenue • Philadelphia, PA

Jennersville Hospital • 1015 West Baltimore Pike • West Grove, PA

Phoenixville Hospital • 140 Nutt Road • Phoenixville, PA

Pottstown Hospital • 1600 E. High Street • Pottstown, PA

• Pre-registration is not required.

• Upon arrival at your facility of choice, ask for the HR Department at the front entrance.

Advancing Health. Transforming Lives.

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Sudden Cardiac Arrest: Marjorie’s Story

by Barbara Curtis

For the past 30 years, Marjorie Riley has been an active volunteer at The Encore Shop, an upscale consignment boutique benefitting patients of Chester County Hospital. She works behind the scenes processing merchandise and pricing items as a consigner.

“We see beautiful items brought into the store with tags still on them. I think to myself, ‘wow, this has never been worn.’ The proceeds provide services for the hospital,” said Riley. Although she has a longstanding connection with Chester County Hospital, she did not expect to require the life-saving care that she has always supported through her volunteer work.

On February 10, 2017, Riley was getting ready to run some errands. As she was about to leave her home, she turned back to grab her scarf when she started to feel uncomfortable.

“I sat down at my kitchen table and just didn’t feel right. I was a little nauseous but overall OK. I didn’t realize how serious it would become,” she explained.

Once she was sitting down, she suddenly couldn’t breathe. She was gasping for air and tried to cry out for help before she passed out completely. “I don’t know how my husband heard me, but I’m thankful he did,” she added.

Her husband, Clement Riley, rushed to her aid and called 9-1-1. The responders dispatched emergency

services and instructed him on how to perform handsonly CPR so that he could begin the chain of survival.

Once EMT’s arrived, they transported Riley to the Emergency Department (ED) at Chester County Hospital, where a team of physicians were waiting to treat her. As part of protocol, EMT’s announce specific codes so that hospital staff are immediately available to tend to emergent patients.

Riley’s call was a “code blue” – she had experienced sudden cardiac arrest.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. If not treated within minutes, SCA may cause death.

While in the ED, Riley required additional CPR to be revived. This time by

through the coronary arteries, reducing the workload on the heart.

Riley spent the next few days in the critical care unit, where she underwent a cooling process to help protect against organ failure until she was stabilized. Despite her improvement, she continued to have persistent atrial fibrillation. A series of echocardiograms revealed that she had severe mitral regurgitation, a condition where the mitral valve does not properly close allowing blood to flow backward into the heart. A clot was also discovered in the upper left chamber of her heart.

She was scheduled for a mitral valve repair and a left atrial appendage excision with Steven Weiss, MD, chief of Cardiac Surgery. “Dr. Weiss told me the stars were aligned when I had my cardiac episode,” Riley said. Dr. Weiss added, “Many things had to go right for

Christopher Ware, MD, an emergency physician at the hospital. She was whisked up to the catheterization lab where cardiologist Zainal Hussain, MD, implanted an intra-aortic balloon pump to help increase blood flow

Mrs. Riley to have such an incredible outcome. From her husband successfully performing CPR, to urgent cath lab resuscitation, excellent intensive care management, and thorough investigation to find the

cause of her event. All the members of her care team, including her husband, are to be congratulated.”

In less than a week after her valve repair, Riley had a pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) combination put in by electrophysiologist Hope Helfeld, DO. An ICD continuously monitors heart rhythms. If it detects a dangerous rhythm, such as ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, which can cause sudden cardiac arrest, it delivers a life-saving shock, preventing the patient from experiencing another arrest.

All Chester County Hospital patients who have cardiac surgery receive a red pillow in the shape of a heart. It is designed to provide sternum support when coughing after surgery. Riley’s is signed by her nurses, physicians and surgeons.

She pointed out one of her favorite notes from a nurse named Maryfe, “Dear Ms. Marjorie – Please do take care. May the good Lord bless you and your family.” Her husband Clement also signed her pillow with a sweet and simple message, “Love ya.”

When discussing her experience, it brings a tear to her eye. “Once I realized I was in the hospital, everybody I came in contact with was wonderful. I was so impressed with how concerned and caring the team was. The nurses visited with me and told me who they were and what they did. The entire team was exceptional and it showed in the way they interacted with me. My husband attributes it as an example of leadership and I couldn’t agree more,” she said.

After she was cleared to go home, Riley began cardiac rehabilitation for 18 weeks to help regain

her strength so she could return to an active lifestyle. For regular exercise, she joined a SilverSneakers program – a free fitness membership that provides physical activities for seniors as a way to maintain good health. She is also looking forward to continuing to play golf once the weather warms up. “I play at the Kennett Country Club. My contemporaries took good care of me once I recovered from surgery last season. I never had to pick up the ball – just hit it,” she said with a laugh. “Clem and I will be heading to Florida soon and we will play a few rounds down there. And once the season starts, I’ll be back in full swing at Kennett.”

Hope Helfeld, DO, FACC, and Zainal Hussain, MD, FSCAI, are on the medical staff at Chester County Hospital and see patients at West Chester Cardiology.