Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 156, No. 44
Wednesday, November 2, 2022
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Sappey vying for third term in Harrisburg By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer On Oct. 17, a lone figure walked into the crowded New Garden Township Building meeting space without fanfare or conversation, and took a seat at the very end of the first row. For nearly one hour, State Rep. Christina Sappey did the job that she was first elected in 2019 to do: listen to the constituents of the 158th District. Of
INSIDE
Unionville High School senior earns the Congressional Award Gold Medal...1B
the more than 100 New Garden residents who assembled, nearly everyone expressed their anger to the township’s Board of Supervisors over the rising rates of their wastewater bills in recent months, the residue of the township’s sale of its wastewater system to Aqua for $29.5 million. At the end, Sappey was asked to speak to those in attendance, all of whom had seen their sewer bills nearly double in recent
Leon Spencer: The ‘Purple’ candidate for Pennsylvania’s 158th District By JP Phillips Contributing Writer
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In his campaign against Christina Sappey that will determine who will represent the 158th District in Harrisburg for the next two years beginning in 2023, Republican challenger Leon Spencer is entering the race at a crucial time in Pennsylvania politics. Half of the Pennsylvania State Senate and all of the State House seats will be decided this Election Day on Nov. 8, and all races matter because the Pennsylvania General Assembly makes Kennett Run Charities, Inc. many decisions that directawards more than $25,000 ly impact the businesses to area organizations...6B and constituents in the Commonwealth. With the
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months. She called the price hike “unconscionable,” but instead of matching the fury of the room, she spoke calmly, assuring her constituents that their frustrations are a part of the Big Water takeover of Pennsylvania, but that their voices will continue to be heard. Since defeating Republican Eric Roe in 2018, Sappey has trekked from her district to Harrisburg for two terms, on a seemingly end-
U.S. Supreme Court already handing over responsibility to the states to decide on abortion with more issues potentially to come, it’s more important than ever to pay attention to what is happening in the State House. Further, because of procedural rules adopted each year, whichever party holds the majority—even if it is by only one seat-has complete control over which bills are debated. The majority party selects all committee chairs, and those chairs choose the bills to be discussed and moved out of committee. Of all the bills that reach the floor, the Majority Leader decides which ones will have a vote,
less tour that has seen her both listen and act. As she wraps up her campaign for reelection to the Pa. House in a vote that will be decided on Nov. 8, she is a stakeholder on the precipice of huge decisions that must be made for southern Chester County and the entire Commonwealth. While Sappey and her fellow lawmakers in the Pa. House continue to juggle Courtesy photo an inordinate number of Rep. Christina Sappey takes the Oath of Office and is issues --- public education, sworn in as a state representative to begin serving the Continued on page 2A
constituents of the 158th legislative District in 2021.
FROM OUR LENS A Halloween witch hunt
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
For Abby Pubusky, her collection of nine witches that graced her front lawn in Kennett Square last week began in 2016, when she saw them advertised in a magazine and purchased her first three. As her collection has grown, so have the number of passers-by, many of whom stop to admire the arrangement and take photographs.
Continued on page 3A
Lawrence challenger: ‘I am running for the rights of people’ Democrat David Cunningham is facing incumbent John Lawrence for the right to represent the 13th Legislative District in Harrisburg By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer The separate campaigns being conducted by State Rep. John Lawrence and Democratic challenger David Cunningham – the results of which will determine who will repre-
sent the 13th Legislative District for the next two years on Nov. 8 – are a contrast in experience and ideals, waged by one of the most recognizable political figures in Chester County and a new arrival on the area’s political landscape.
First elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2010, Lawrence has been a stalwart advocate for his constituents and an active participant in Harrisburg. As he campaigns for what would be his seventh term, he has also become a
leading voice against the forces that are conspiring to dramatically change the dynamics of health, safety and wastewater management. After broadly condemning Tower Health last December for abandoning its Jennersville location,
Lawrence worked with Sen. Carolyn Comitta, the Chester County Commissioners and Penn Township Supervisor Victor Mantegna to broker the arrangement with ChristianaCare to take over the hospital -- a deal Continued on page 4A
Kennett Square Borough receives $2 million to advance municipal and community services complex The Pennsylvania Governor’s Office of the Budget awarded the Borough of Kennett Square $2 million from its Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) on Oct. 26. The funding will be used toward the completion of the borough’s multi-purpose complex. The borough purchased several buildings at 600 S. Broad Street with the intention to transform the
underutilized space into a comprehensive municipal and community services complex, which will include administrative offices, the police station, and additional space for community-service providers. The complex is widely regarded as the borough’s next major step to elevating Kennett Square and helping its citizens. The community recognizes the critical role that State Rep. Christina
Sappey and State Sen. John Kane played in promoting the complex and securing funding. “We are a borough that cares deeply about the future of our community,” said Kennett Square Mayor Matthew Fetick. “To that end, our police department and community-service providers deserve a facility that gives them space, infrastructure, and location in the borough to do their jobs effectively and
reach our residents. We could not have done this without the enthusiastic support and efforts of Rep. Sappey and Sen. Kane. We are excited for their continued help in improving our community.” RACP is an annually available competitive grant program authorized in the state’s budget. Kennett Square will use the grant money to renovate a portion of the main building to create an accredited police
station for the department. The new facility will specifically be designed to address security concerns and provide adequate, safe, and productive space for police operations. “I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to help the Kennett community secure funds for this important project,” said Rep. Sappey, an advocate of the project. “The complex will help keep crime Continued on page 4A