Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 157, No. 15
Wednesday, April 12, 2023
$1.50
Lack of digital equity continues to affect several sectors of southern Chester County By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer In early 2021, as southern Chester County entered its second year of a worldwide pandemic that had impacted schools, businesses and homes, a group of 50 area citizens first met to address and advocate for the improving and providing digital access throughout the region, particularly
in more vulnerable areas where access to technology is scarce. From that meeting, the Southern Chester Digital Equity Coalition was formed, and one of its key members – former Kennett Township supervisor Whitney Hoffman -- told the township’s supervisors at their April 5 meeting that while digital infrastructure in the region is one of the
strongest in the commonwealth, there remains a long way to go before complete equity is reached. “We have some places [in the township] that don’t have good wired access to houses, and then we all found out during the pandemic when kids were issued Wi-Fi hot points to get on the internet for their virtual classes, that you couldn’t get good cellular
access everywhere in the township,” Hoffman said at the start of her presentation. “It’s a real problem.” While internet access to the government and informational services, healthcare, e-commerce and education are all vital, having connectivity to emergency management and safety agencies during a crisis is absolutely crucial, and not everyone in the
township has that capability, Hoffman said. “What happens in Kennett Township all the time is that during a storm, we all lose power and if you don’t have power and cell phone coverage and someone has a heart attack in a house, that’s a real problem,” she said. “Getting hold of emergency services involves having really good connections. Dropped calls can not
only be inconvenient, they can cost lives.” The problems on the road to achieving digital equity in southern Chester County are not unlike what is happening in other regions of Pennsylvania, said Hoffman, who listed the lack of reliable access, outdated cable infrastructure and the area’s rural topography as major factors. Continued on page 2A
INSIDE Kennett Square Borough Police Department
shares plans for new police station It will occupy the first floor of the borough building By HaLeigh Abbott Contributing Writer A presentation by the Kennett Square Borough Police Department about plans for the new station Chester County Library that will occupy the first Book Sale takes place floor of the borough buildApril 14-16...6A ing highlighted a council meeting last week. Kennett Square Borough Council also addressed a variety of ongoing issues and future projects during the meetings that took place on April 3 and 5, including the sewer contracts with Kennett Township, the controversy surrounding the Kennett Y’s decision to close the outdoor pool to members and community during the summer,
and proclamations declaring April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and 811 Safe Digging Month. The first floor of the borough building located at 600 S. Broad Street will be dedicated to the new police station, allowing for a more secure and visitor-friendly experience. The current building, located at 115 N. Broad Street, has served its purpose, but new challenges and requirements for accreditation have expedited the need for an upgrade that is made possible by a $2 million grant awarded to the borough by the Photo by HaLeigh Abbott Governor’s Office in 2022. The Kennett Square Borough Police Department recently shared plans for the new Continued on page 2A
station that will occupy the first floor of the borough building at 600 S. Broad Street.
Singer-songwriter to perform at The Kennett Flash on April 20...1B
FROM OUR LENS
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Catch and release
Rep. Houlahan acquires funding for community projects By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
A few students from Avon Grove Elementary School spent a portion of their Spring Break last week casting their lines at a small pond located in the Preserve at Inniscrone Golf Club development in West Grove.
and Berks counties that will receive a total of $10.4 million through Houlahan’s In West Grove Borough last work to secure Community week, U.S. Representative Project Funding through the Chrissy Houlahan looked U.S. House Appropriations down Oakland Avenue and Committee. The West Grove reimagined the street as a project will receive $216,656 vital connector to schools, that will be used to refurbish businesses and parks, and the deteriorating condition of one filled with the sound of the street, repair its storm children riding bikes on a water system and construct new sidewalk. sidewalks that will improve Thanks to Houlahan, her public safety. vision of a redefined street “The installation of new in West Grove is about to sidewalks on Oakland become a reality. Avenue will instantly increase The Oakland Avenue connectivity for residents as Revitalization project is one soon as they come around of 15 priorities in Chester Continued on page 3A
Penn Township supervisors discuss speeding issues, Red Rose Inn visitors and a responsible contracting ordinance By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Contributing Writer
© 2007 The Chester County Press
$10.4 million will go to 15 projects in Chester, Berks counties
There will be a dedication of the new Avon Grove High School on April 13, but the Penn Township Board of Supervisors said at a recent meeting that there are still items to complete on the project.
“I’m very surprised at a lot of things I think should be done that are not,” supervisor William O’Connell said. O’Connell reported that he does not believe that all of the curbs have the required 6” reveal. He also does not think that the wastewater pump station has a large enough discharge pipe. This
can lead to clogging. At the time of the board meeting, landscaping work at the high school was underway but not yet complete. The board also heard complaints about speeding on Waltman Way. Because this is a private road owned by the school district, the township has no jurisdiction in the
matter. To date, speed limit signs have not been installed. “It’s private property. We don’t have any control of it. It’s the school district,” O’Connell said. To help with speeding issues, the township has erected electronic speed signs on three township roads – Jenners Pond Road, West
Ewing Road and Pennocks Bridge Road. The signs not only let drivers know their speed, but they also collect data which is then reported to the State Police each Monday. Of the three current locations, there does not appear to be much speeding on Continued on page 3A