WCU professor delivers final New Garden Township air-quality study
The report magnifies revelations shared at a Sept. 2024 presentation that reported high volumes of Hydrogen Sulfide detected near mushroom composting sites
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Reflective of the oneyear findings he and his graduate students uncovered from February 2023 to February 2024, Lorenzo Cena Ph.D., M.S., the director of environmental health and associate professor at West Chester University,
delivered his final air-quality study for New Garden Township to the township’s Board of Supervisors on Jan. 8.
The entire 83-page report – which is available on the township’s website at www. newgarden.org. – measured ammonia, methane and Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) emissions from outdoor
fresh mushroom production (FMP) facilities throughout the township in order to determine whether they achieved acceptable levels as established by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The study was in response to the township receiving several complaints by its
residents over the past years regarding the persistent odors that regularly permeate from the township’s mushroom composting plants, their concern for what the effect of these gases have on their overall health and the extent to which Hydrogen Sulfide levels were damaging their household appliances.
In the introduction to the report, Cena wrote that his study served to break ground on a littleresearched topic.
“Residents in New Garden Township and surrounding fresh mushroom production (FMP) facilities have lodged complaints about the rise of these emission for decades,” he stated.
“Among their concerns are health, inability to enjoy their property due to overwhelming smells and metal corrosion observed on surfaces and equipment around their property.
“There is little research which studies residential well-being and the impact on health that chronic
plans for Big Elk Creek Preserve
ing
By Andrew Dinniman
Sosangelis selected to chair East Marlborough Township board
By Monica Fragale Contributing Writer
Ellen Sosangelis became the official head of East Marlborough Township’s Board of Supervisors at the Jan. 6 reorganization meeting, and John Sarro became the vice chair.
Sosangelis, then the vice chairwoman, became the acting board chair when then-chairwoman Kathryn Monahan resigned from the board of supervisors last September. Sarro has pre-
viously served as both the chairman and vice chairman of the board of supervisors.
Act 69 of 1933 sets the first Monday of the new year (or the first Tuesday, if the former is a holiday) as the day for township supervisors to reorganize their boards.
The board also voted to have Supervisor John Auger serve on the Unionville Area Regional Planning Commission, Sosangelis and Auger serve as East Marlborough’s representa-
tives to the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, and Supervisor Jim Chance serve as the voting delegate and alternate for the township on the Kennett Fire & EMS Regional Commission.
Other appointments made at East Marlborough’s reorganization meeting include the following:
• Neil Lovekin as township manager, secretary, and administration open records officer;
East Marlborough
By Monica Fragale Contributing Writer
East Marlborough supervisors voted on Jan. 6 to switch their monthly township meeting from the first Monday to the second Wednesday of each month.
The reason, according to township manager Neil Lovekin, is to allow East Marlborough staff extra
• Peter Barsz as treasurer;
• Jeffrey Simpson as public works director and roadmaster;
• Robert C. Clarke Jr. as police chief, emergency management coordinator, assistant fire marshal, and police open records officer;
• Charlie Shock as codes and zoning officer;
• The firm of Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees as township solicitor;
• Berkheimer as tax collector and sewer user fee collector;
• Vandemark & Lynch as engineer;
• Margaret Egli and Corinne Raphel Sweeney as Kennett Library Board representatives;
• Mary Ann Gorko as registered elector;
• United Inspection Agency as fire marshal;
• The firm of Herbert, Rowland & Grubic as township wastewater engineer; and
• The firm of Glackin, Thomas and Panzak as landscape architect consultants.
Township changes meeting day
time to close out the prior month’s financing.
The next supervisors meeting will be Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.
Moving the supervisors meeting, Lovekin said, gives “township staff and the treasurer time to close out the month so we have accurate numbers for you.
It’s just kind of is a better reflection as to month’s
end.”
It would also bring East Marlborough more in line with other municipalities that meet later in the month.
“The other advantage,” according to board vice chairman John Sarro, “is it won’t interfere with Labor Day or Memorial Day.”
It was originally proposed to move to the second
Monday. However, according to Chairwoman Ellen Sosangelis, that day each month would conflict with both Unionville-Chadds Ford and Kennett Consolidated school board meetings.
In other business, the supervisors:
• Held executive sessions on Dec. 2, 2024 and Jan. 6, 2025 to discuss personnel
matters.
• Appointed John Cox to the East Marlborough Historical Architectural Review Board.
• Appointed Morgan Bratton to the Environmental Advistory Council.
• Approved the third escrow release for Longwood Gardens’ sewer expansion project.
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Elk, Franklin, London Britain, East Nottingham, Oxford, Lower Oxford, and Upper Oxford have
Continued from Page 1A
exposures to mushroom farming byproducts may have on human health.”
In his study, Cena wrote that exposure to H2S “is dangerous and can create lethal conditions and that exposure to concentrations between 2.0 ppm (parts per million) and 20 ppm can cause fatigue, irritability, poor memory, nausea, dizziness, headaches, respiratory and eye irritation, as well as airway constriction for those with asthma.
Over the past several years, health-related agencies have established various guidelines for H2S levels; for instance, while the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces an H2S limit of 20 ppm in occupational settings such as mushroom composting facilities, the Pennsylvania Department of Protection (PA DEP) has set acceptable H2S levels at 0.005 ppm averaged over 24 hours and 0.1 ppm averaged over one hour.
‘Elevated and irregular’ levels of Hydrogen Sulfide measured
As part of their study, Cena and his team set up three monitors at locations between 100 and 600 feet of suspected sources of emissions and at elevations similar to area compost production facilities – between 350 feet and 435 feet in height. During a reading at one location in December
of 2023, the study’s results showed “elevated and irregular” levels of H2S that saw lower limits of detection registered at 0.5 ppm and upper limits of detection that spiked to 100 ppm, well above the PA DEP’s ambient air quality standard of 0.1 ppm averaged over the course of one hour.
“The device was able to demonstrate that the PA DEP ambient air quality standards had been exceeded,” the report wrote. “However, concentrations at or above 100 ppm were only identified at this sampling location and appear atypical, indicating that the device may have been experiencing a sensor malfunction. H2S concentration [at Location A] did not violate occupational standards, but did exceed ambient air quality standards in Pennsylvania.”
At all three locations, elevated concentrations of H2S were observed primarily from midnight to 8 a.m., when 42 percent of peak readings were observed, while in contrast, 26 percent of peak readings were recorded between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
The study concluded that composting operations conducted overnight or in the early morning hours cause increases in H2S levels in residential communities.
Report overlaps Sept. 4 New Garden presentation
The written report served as a rehashing of Dr. Cena’s oral presentation on Sept. 4, 2024 at the New Garden
Township Building, where before the township board and a capacity audience of residents, he said that the levels of H2S measured during his research were as much as 33 times higher than the recommended levels established by the DEP for the general public. During his concluding remarks, he urged the mushroom industry to identify “point sources and tasks” to lessen potentially harmful H2S levels at composting plants throughout Chester County as part of a collaboration between researchers, local governments, mushroom operators and the American Mushroom Institute (AMI).
Cena said that he is currently applying for a grant from the Pa. Department of Agriculture for a twoyear study intended to develop what he called “a larger-scale study” that would install ten monitors that will be able to detect higher concentrations of gases.
Following Dr. Cena’s findings, the meeting was opened up to public comment, when nearly two dozen residents shared the side-effects of exposure to H2S, not just with their health but the corrosive effects the gas was having on their household appliances.
At the meeting, the AMI introduced a ninemonth Mushroom Farm Compost Hydrogen Sulfide Mitigation Pilot study it is conducting in partnership with the Director of the Mushroom Research Center at Penn State that
involves the installation of six MultiRae gas monitors and a weather station that captures and calculates H2S levels at a Chester County farm.
In addition, the study is exploring a possible H2S mitigation practice that will involve the application of carbon activated tarps over wastewater “lagoons” to see if they lessen H2S levels.
Recommendations
In the report’s conclusion, Cena wrote that employees, residents and the general population should be protected from exposure to H2S, as well as methane and ammonia –other common by-products of mushroom composting emissions – stating that “exposure to these gases
is known to cause delirious effects to health and pose a nuisance concern at lower concentrations.”
Cena also made the following five recommendations:
• Evaluate the sources of the gas releases and quantify the concentrations from the source within the mushroom composting facilities
• Remedy deficiencies in business operating procedure in comparison to the Best Practices for Environmental Protection in the Mushroom Farm Community, published in 2012 by the PA DEP
• Inform residents and other stakeholders of chronic exposure to H2S and its consequences to human health
• Consult with a professional engineer and a
Grant received from The Cigna Group Foundation
certified industrial hygienist to evaluate business procedures associated with the release of hazardous gases, and
• Consult with health officials to determine the impact that chronic exposure to odorous gases from mushroom composting facilities such as H2S has on residents’ health and wellbeing.
The township said on its website that it has forwarded the report to all requisite state and county officials and encourages residents to reach out to local legislators and state regulatory agencies with questions or concerns.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
New London Counseling Center receives funding to address youth mental health crisis
New London Counseling Center has been awarded a $100,000 grant from The Cigna Group Foundation – the philanthropic arm of The Cigna Group – to support subsidized therapy for local youth and other community services, as well as community education for local non-profit youth-serving organizations
and schools to be better equipped to address youth mental health care.
“Our efforts are addressing the youth mental health crisis by breaking down traditional barriers for mental health care by getting into our communities where our students are already gathering,” said Dr. Katie Bowman, executive director
of New London Counseling Center. “By offering free community education through local youth organizations, we will educate young people about how to manage stress, cope with difficulties, and build resilience, thereby impacting an entire generation and creating healthy habits that can last a lifetime. In addition, we will provide individual and group therapy for youth in need of more support.
“We are grateful to have The Cigna Group Foundation’s support in making mental health care affordable, accessible, and available to so many Chester County youth.”
“To effectively intervene in the youth mental health crisis, we need strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations committed to improving the health and vitality of young people,” said Melissa Skottegaard, board chair of The Cigna
Group Foundation. “Communities are only just beginning to grapple with the impact of the youth mental health crisis post-pandemic. We are privileged to partner with New London Counseling Center to enable their important work to improve the mental health of youth in the communities we both serve.”
According to a recent analysis by The Cigna Group’s Evernorth Research Institute, the number of young people with mental health conditions has increased 28 percent since 2018, and the number of young people with at least two mental health diagnoses has risen 48 percent over the same period. More than one in four parents report having a child with mental health challenges, diagnosed or undiagnosed, and many report challenges to obtaining behavioral health care for their child,
including access barriers.
The Cigna Group Foundation has a long history of impactful partnerships with nonprofits, and recently announced a philanthropic and community engagement initiative that has committed more than $27 million in grants over the next three years to nonprofit organizations focused on improving youth mental health, improving veteran mental health, and reducing barriers to health equity.
Since opening in April 2019, New London Counseling Center has served clients of all ages — from children as young as five to older adults — through one-on-one counseling, group therapy, and workshops. Its mission is to offer accessible and
affordable mental health services to anyone in the local community, helping individuals and families navigate life’s challenges, build resilience, and restore well-being. Through collaborations with local organizations, the agency extends its impact to ensure that mental health care is accessible to all.
For additional information on The Cigna Group Foundation’s youth mental health grant program, visit www.thecignagroup.com/ community. For information about New London Counseling Center programs, visit www.newlondoncounselingcenter. com
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Lorenzo Cena Ph.D., M.S., the director of environmental health and associate professor at West Chester University, delivered his final air quality study for New Garden Township to the township’s Board of Supervisors on Jan. 8.
issued official statements against the DCNR plan and stated their support of the original state commitment for a preserve.
Organizations such as the Chester County Association of Township Officials, the Oxford Regional Planning Committee, and S.A.V.E. have done the same. The Chester County Commissioners have joined them in opposition by sending letters to Governor Shapiro and DCNR Secretary Cindy Dunn. It appears many more statements are being drafted.
A bit of history is always of value. In the early 1980s, DuPont donated several thousand acres along the Pennsylvania-Delaware border to these two states with the clear goal of it being a wilderness preserve. In 1984, Pennsylvania Legislature on a motion from the Chester County delegation voted to accept the land as a state preserve. Its protection was further strengthened when a young senator from Delaware named Joe Biden and our Chester County congressman, Joe Pitts, introduced and got passed in 2000 a bill designating the area as a Federal Wild and Scenic River. Chester County residents were jubilant. Many also believed that a large preserve would reduce our area’s impact on global warming.
So, starting in 2007, there was a joint effort of the State, county, and others to purchase the 1,700-acre Strawbridge tract. The understanding always was that the tract would be added to the White Clay Creek Preserve. By combining these areas with the adjacent Natural Resources Area in Maryland and land in Delaware, we would be creating the largest land preserve between Washington, D.C. and New York City.
Early promises
During this period (2006-2010), I was State Senator and DCNR directly communicated their commitment for the preserve concept to State Rep. John Lawrence and me. In fact, Drew Gilchrist of DCNR wrote to me in July 2018 that once the Strawbridge purchase is completed “the property in its entirety will be transferred to the Commonwealth as an addition to the White Clay Creek Preserve.”
DCNR’s Gilchrist also says of the first phase of the Strawbridge purchase in 2009, “it is known as the Elk Creek section along the Maryland/Pennsylvania border. The White Clay Creek preserve is currently 2,136 acres. The addition makes it a total of 3,118
Chester County Press
Local News
acres.”
Let me also note that DCNR made the case for the Strawbridge Tract as a preserve, when it pointed out that there are 690 plant species on the property, 15 of which are endangered or rare as well as threatened animal species such as Big Turtles, Short-Eared Owls and Regal Fritilary Butterflies.
Remember all that I mentioned is from DCNR and makes the case for a preserve. Both Rep. Lawrence and I were so confident that DCNR was working for a larger preserve that in a Dec. 4, 2018 news release after additional funds arrived, I wrote that Christmas has come early with funds “critical to acquire and permanently protect 1,718 acres owned by George Strawbridge by adding them to the White Clay Creek Preserve.”
Let me add that in 2015 and 2019 when Cindy Dunn came to see me as part of her Senate confirmation, she stated support for the Strawbridge tract being added to the White Creek Preserve. I believed her and voted for confirmation. This support was reiterated in an April 25, 2019 letter from Secretary Dunn, noting the Big Elk section trails and thanking me for my “interest and commitment to the White Clay Creek Preserve.” Also in 2019, DCNR entered into the Pennsylvania Bulletin that the Strawbridge purchase would provide passive recreation and no recreational facilities were proposed.
So all of us in Chester County were elated that DCNR was committed to our dream of an enlarged preserve becoming a reality.
Then came the bombshell. In the waning days of the Wolf Administration, with the backing of DCNR Secretary Dunn, Governor Wolf designated the Elk Creek land as a state park, not as part of the White Clay Creek Preserve. There is only one preserve in the state park system and that’s White Clay Creek. Making it a regular State Park means that they could put in any amenities and infrastructure for overnight
Longtime State Sen. Andrew Dinniman continues to be a vocal opponent of the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources’ plans to develop the Big Elk Creek Preserve.
camping on the purchased Strawbridge land.
About a year after the action, Secretary Dunn finally came to Chester County to announce the park overnight camping plan at a November 6, 2023 meeting with residents. At the meeting, verbal outrage was expressed by residents and well it should be, since DCNR broke its promise and the commitment it had repeated since 2007 that the Strawbridge purchase would be added to the White Clay Creek Preserve. Nefarious bait and switch
For those attending the meeting it became apparent that DCNR did a bait and switch and a nefarious one at that. I feel the same way. What else can you call a broken promise made over several decades and not using the $8 million in county funding for the promised preserve?
To counter the citizen resistance, DCNR decided to form a task force and offered another DCNR bait and switch by promising (DCNR must like unfulfilled promises) that they would take camping, cabins, and RV parking off the table “indefinitely.” Does DCNR think we are all stupid? We realize that the word “indefinitely” means DCNR can, whenever it wants, put the camping, cabins, and RV
by 30-foot cabins; standard, full-service and walk-in campsites; and parking spaces for RVs.
parking sites back into what it now calls Big Elk Creek Park.
This took on an even greater backlash when John Hallas, the DCNR official assigned to the task force, recently told a USA Today reporter, “We are continuing to assess and study the overnight opportunities in the future.” In essence, he defined the word “indefinitely.” I have been on dozens of task forces, but I have never been on or seen one with guards at the door to keep the public and press from entering or a task force that won’t release the names of its members to the public. It even gives each member a number, so when it put its minutes online, the public won’t know the names of who made the comment. It says it did this because of the strong and vociferous views of those at the November 6, 2023 meeting. There wasn’t ever a hint of violence on November 6, and aren’t public meetings supposed to be the place where the public can express what’s on their mind, even with emotions? How a government agency gets away with such a lack of public transparency is beyond my understanding.
The lack of transparency and controlled public input actually sets the stage for a third potential bait and
switch. DCNR can now say that they gave citizens the opportunity to express their views, but they don’t agree, so they will do what they want. Believe me, in my years as a State Senator, I have seen public input ignored by state agencies again and again.
Local and county officials are quickly learning about another problem with the DCNR plan. DCNR has the power to ignore local zoning and ordinance laws as well as the County’s Open Space Plan. However, while ignoring these locally enacted rules, they can stick the community with the increased cost of police, fire, ambulance, and road repairs resulting from their plan. As a result, local taxes can rise. Isn’t state government wonderful?
There are 123 state parks and only White Clay is a preserve with policies to protect that status. If they want to put overnight camping in the other 122 parks, fine, but leave us alone and keep your commitment to add the Big Elk land to White Clay Creek and enlarge the only state park preserve.
‘The task is clear, the cause is just’
So how can our community respond to a state agency that thinks it has all the answers and doesn’t
keep its promises? I can tell you from decades of experience the only thing that works is public pressure and protest.
I was glad to hear that conversations are already taking place to attend DCNR appropriation hearings, a rally in the capitol rotunda, increased press contacts and use of social media, as well as reaching out to allies. This brings the unfairness of bait and switch and the justice of our cause to the public, legislature, and most importantly to the governor. We are fortunate that our Governor Josh Shapiro listens and cares about what citizens say and hope. We all need to thank those who have spoken out, including State Rep. John Lawrence, the County Commissioners, local officials, and non-profits. We also thank State Sen. John Kane for his willingness to meet on this matter with his constituents in Franklin and London Britain. United we will prevail.
So the task is clear, the cause is just, and it’s up to us to make sure our dream of an expanded preserve now and in perpetuity becomes a reality.
Andrew Dinniman, D.Ed., served as Chester County Commissioner from 1992 to 2005, and as Pennsylvania State Senator from 2006-2020.
New House rules enhance member voices, encourage meaningful discussion in policy debate
Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Jesse Topper (R-Bedford/Fulton) made the following statement about the adoption of new House rules for the 2025-26 legislative session.
“Facing unprecedented circumstances, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives came together yesterday to adopt operating rules governing the entire 2025-26
Legislative Session that reflect how the House should work in an environment of closely divided government,” Topper said. “They are a fair and reasonable representation of the political realities facing our Commonwealth and give members a greater opportunity to be the voice of their constituents in Harrisburg.” Topper added, “Key among House rule changes that
enhance member voices and reflect the close divide in the State House of Representatives are Committee splits of 14-12 on all standing committees with 13 votes needed to report a bill out of committee. Last session, the splits were 14-11 with 12 votes needed to report a bill out of committee. The removal of the ability to table all amendments to legislation
in one bundled group.
“Bringing back fairness to the process used to discharge bottled-up legislation out of a committee,” he said. “The House Republican Caucus looks forward to continuing to share our ideas and having a fair hearing on issues of importance to our members and the districts they represent during the course of this session.
Courtesy photo
Big Elk Creek Preserve...
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
State Rep. John Lawrence remains an advocate for area residents who are opposed to DCNR’s plans for the Big Elk Creek Preserve.
Courtesy photo
On Nov. 6, 2023, DCNR held a public meeting at Lincoln University where they introduced the initial development and restoration ideas for Big Elk Creek State Park that included 30-foot
Courtesy photo
The Big Elk Creek Preserve.
UCFSD opens registration for full-day kindergarten
The Unionville-Chadds Ford School District (UCFSD) announced the opening of registration for its highly anticipated fullday kindergarten program for the 2025-26 school year. Registration began on January 13 for instruction offered at Chadds Ford, Hillendale, Pocopson, and Unionville Elementary Schools.
This new offering represents an important milestone for UCFSD, providing an innovative and enriching foundation for young learners. Designed to spark curiosity and foster a love of learning, the program combines academic instruction with opportunities to develop key skills such as collaboration, communication,
and teamwork.
Kindergarteners will engage in core subjects like English language arts, math, science, and social studies while exploring their natural curiosity through immersive outdoor, play-based learning. With nearly 140 acres of campuses as their classroom, students will experience a dynamic
education that aligns with UCFSD’s Portrait of a Graduate, inspiring them to build character and embrace lifelong learning.
“UCFSD’s full-day kindergarten is more than just an extended schedule—it’s a thoughtful foundation for our students, designed to ignite curiosity, foster a love of learning, and set the stage for future success,”
said Michael Audevard, the district’s director of curriculum & instruction.
Parents are encouraged to register early to secure their child’s place in this transformative program. Eligible
M&T Bank appoints Phillips as Chief Customer Officer
M&T Bank Corporation
announced the appointment of Krista Phillips as its first Chief Customer Officer.
In this newly created role, Phillips will lead and unify M&T’s customer experience, marketing, and analytics teams, enhancing the bank’s ability to offer outstanding experiences in a rapidly evolving industry. Leveraging data and unique insights, she and her team will address a comprehensive range of customer needs and ensure consistent brand delivery across M&T’s footprint.
“Krista’s appointment as Chief Customer Officer reinforces M&T’s longstanding commitment to placing the customer at
the center of everything we do,” said Chris Kay, M&T’s head of enterprise platforms. “Her extensive experience in marketing, brand management, and customer-centric strategies will be invaluable as we continue to evolve our capabilities and drive our organization to the next level.”
Phillips brings more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Most recently, she served as executive vice president leading consumer credit cards and enterprise marketing at Wells Fargo. Prior to that, she was managing director at Citi, where she held various senior roles, including head of
brand management, advertising, and insights for the Global Consumer Bank, head of Citi cards products, and product director of cobrands and loyalty.
“I am thrilled to join M&T Bank and take on the role of Chief Customer Officer,” said Phillips. “This position is particularly meaningful to me because it aligns with my passion for enhancing customer experiences and leveraging data-driven insights to meet our customers’ needs. I look forward to leading the talented teams at M&T and driving forward our commitment to putting customers at the heart of everything we do.”
Phillips reports to
He’s 6’1”, but he still looks up to me.
Chris Kay and is based in Wilmington, Del. She is also a member of M&T Bank’s Executive Leadership Team.
M&T is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T’s principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, provides banking products and services with a branch and ATM network spanning the eastern U.S. from Maine to Virginia and Washington, D.C. Trust-related services are provided in select markets in the U.S. and abroad by M&T’s Wilmington Trustaffiliated companies and by M&T Bank. For more information about M&T Bank, visit www.mtb.com.
Courtesy photo Krista Phillips
A dream, still
On April 18, 1959, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a speech at the March for Integrated Schools.
“Make a career of humanity,” he told the thousands of young people in attendance. “Commit yourself to the noble struggle for equal rights. You will make a better person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.”
More than 60 years later, that “noble struggle for equal rights” continues. There has been progress, but it isn’t linear.
MLK was assassinated on April 4, 1968, but his work as a leading figure in the civil rights movement lives on.
The life and legacy of MLK will be honored by the Martin Luther King CommUNITY of the Greater Kennett Area during the organization’s annual event at Lincoln University on January 20. The theme of this year’s event is “We still have a dream!”
The day begins with a fellowship brunch followed by a program with civil rights-inspired choir performances, readings from Dr. King’s sermons and letters, and a keynote speech by historian Dr. Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, a professor of Afro-American Studies, African American Religion and the Victor S. Thomas Professor of History and African American Studies at Harvard University.
Attendees can also participate in the “Be A King” Volunteer Fair, which brings together local community organizations that will share information about how residents can volunteer to address needs in the community, to bridge social barriers, and to improve the lives of others.
Kudos to organizations like the Martin Luther King CommUNITY of the Greater Kennett Area for helping to keep MLK’s dream alive.
As Dr. King said, we can all play a part in shaping a “finer world to live in,” and volunteering for or helping out community organizations that work to improve the lives of those in need is a good way to do that.
Tickets for the annual fellowship brunch and program can be obtained at the Martin Luther King CommUNITY of the Greater Kennett Area at www. mlkcommunity.org. The Volunteer Fair takes place from noon to 3 p.m.
Additionally, on Saturday, January 18, the Martin Luther King Jr. CommUNITY of the Greater Kennett Area’s “Change for Change” program takes place in conjunction with the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union. Donations of loose change (or dollars) can be dropped off at the credit union from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. All funds donated will then be used to support either the Kennett Food Cupboard or the West Grove Bridge Food Pantry. Additional details about this are also on the website.
Everyone is also invited to the Kennett Library on Sunday, January 19 from 1:30 to 3:30 for a free film entitled My Name is Pauli Murray, followed by a discussion about the civil rights movement. There is also a MLK Eve Worship Service at 4 p.m. at the St. Michael’s Lutheran Church at 109 E. Doe Run in Unionville on Sunday, January 19. The service will feature the Kennett Community Choir under the direction of Leon Spencer.
It says something about this country, and this community, that MLK’s work and words still inspire us to take action.
Guest Column
What does Chester County government do for our townships?
By Geoffrey Gamble
We, the Kennett Township Supervisors along with the township Manager have striven very hard to watch the dollars we spend and to contain the inevitable pressure to increase the taxes already burdening our residents, 26 percent of whom are on a fixed income.
It is therefore very disappointing when other layers of the Commonwealth’s government do not follow that example – particularly Chester County, whose Commissioners decided to raise real estate taxes by 13 percent – almost five times the rate of inflation. What is the cause of these huge increases year over year?
If you look at the county budget, the three greatest increases are for personnel up 10.5 percent (a $20 million increase in salaries), operating expenses up 12.3 percent, and operating capital up 28 percent. As residents of the county, we might ask, “What for?”
County Commission Chairman Josh Maxwell made a statement saying that the two major “Big Ticket” items in the budget were the purchasing of new encrypted radios for the police throughout the county and the extensive security improvements they are doing to the Chester County Prison in response to the Cavalcante escape. He then added that the prison HVAC/air circulation system must be replaced, and that too will cost. Maxwell went on to say that they need to hire more county child services
personnel since there aren’t enough to handle the case load of child abuse in the county.
On the matter of encrypted radios, I have been advised that Maxwell’s statement is not true - or at least not accurate. The Police, Fire and EMS in the Kennett Region are not scheduled to receive anything. Even if we actually were getting new equipment, the upgrading of the radio equipment is something that is in the normal course of doing business and should be budgeted accordingly. There should be no “surprise” when we need new communication expenditures.
On prison upgrades, I can only ask why these upgrades weren’t made two years ago after the first prison break, which took place long before Cavalcante made his escape. We are paying for the Commissioners’ malfeasance in not maintaining proper security at the prison in the first place. If the facilities had been maintained properly, the escapes wouldn’t have happened, and we wouldn’t be paying a huge lump sum now. Another reason for the extraordinary county tax increase may be because the county used one timeonly ARPA money to start programs that now require an increase in taxes in order to keep them going.
Some time ago, former County Commissioner Michelle Kichline, a Republican, said that her Democratic colleagues used the large “one time”
COVID-19 money on programs and people whose expense would not be covered in subsequent years, and would require a large tax increase which will shock everyone – and so it has.
The county programs that the ARPA money funded can be found on the Chesco website - 41 pages of them. Many of these grants are for very good reasons, such as contributions to food banks and efforts to increase the availability of affordable housing.
Others are questionable, such as SILO [Serving, Inspiring, and Loving Others], Holistic Wellness, and 34 tablets for prisons - or prisoners - but at least these are one-time grants. Many other grants look like three- to five-year commitments for which there is no money left over to cover.
One of the Commissioners’ attempts in sugarcoating the increase was to compare Chester County to the other counties’ expenditures –Montgomery County up 9 percent and Delaware County up 23 percent - as though that is a validation. This is a poor excuse and a weak attempt at CYA. Eric Roe, the lone Republican Commissioner, is no better - and maybe even worse. He announced that the increase contained no pork or anything frivolous and then proceeded to vote against the tax increase anyway! This reminds me of the old story - you wake up a Democrat legislator in the middle of the night, and he shouts, “The answer is that we need to spend
Financial Focus
more money on it! What’s the question?” Conversely, you wake up a Republican legislator in the middle of the night, and he shouts, “The answer is No! What’s the question?”
In my three years as a Supervisor, I am still trying to figure out exactly what Chester County actually does for Kennett Township. They don’t maintain our roads. They don’t provide us with police, fire and ambulance services. They do provide dog licenses - for a fee. They do provide voter services, which in this Commonwealth are screwed up half the time with delays in counting and fears of fraud. As far as I can see, the way it works is that we give the county money and then have to kiss their rear ends to get it back, and even then, we never get back as much as we have given them. Their 2025 budget is around $730 million, and these Commissioners each make an annual salary of about $86,000.
I question whether the county, as an intermediate political unit in the Commonwealth, adds real value to our current government system. I also believe that any government entity that has taxing power is justified in raising taxes to the level of the annual rate of inflation. Beyond that, it carries the burden of proof as to why taxes should go even higher. Chester County has not met that burden.
Geoffrey Gamble is a member of the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors.
Time for New Year’s financial resolutions
Now that the calendar has flipped, it’s time for some New Year’s resolutions. You could decide you’re going to exercise more, lose weight, learn a new skill, reconnect with old friends — the possibilities are almost limitless. This year, why not add a few financial resolutions to your list?
Here are a few to consider:
• Reduce your debts. It may be easier said than done, but if you can cut down on your debt load, you’ll increase your cash flow and have more money available to invest for your future. So, look for ways to lower your expenses and spending. You might find it helpful to use one of the budgeting apps available online.
• Boost your retirement savings. Try to put in as much as you can afford to your IRA and your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan. If your salary goes up this year, you’ve got a good opportunity to increase your contributions to these retirement accounts. And once you turn 50, you can make pre-tax catchup contributions for your 401(k) and traditional IRA. You might also want
to review the investment mix within your 401(k) or similar plan to determine whether it’s still providing the growth potential you need, given your risk tolerance and time horizon.
• Build an emergency fund. It’s generally a good idea to maintain an emergency fund containing up to six months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid, low-risk account. Without such a fund, you might be forced to dip into your long-term investments to pay for short-term needs, such as an expensive auto or home repair.
• Keep funding your non-retirement goals. Your traditional IRA and 401(k) are good ways to save for retirement — but you likely have other goals, too, and you’ll need to save and invest for them. So, for example, if you want your children to go to college or receive some other type of postsecondary training, you might want to invest in a tax-advantaged 529 education savings plan. And if you have short-term goals, such as saving for a wedding or taking an overseas vacation, you might want to put some money away in a liquid account. For a
short-term goal, you don’t necessarily need to invest aggressively for growth — you just want the money to be there for you when you need it.
• Review your estate plans. If you haven’t already created your estate plans, you may want to do so in 2025. Of course, if you’re relatively young, you might not think you need to have estate plans in place just yet, but life is unpredictable, and the future is not ours to see. If you have already drawn up estate plans, you may want to review them, especially if you’ve recently experienced changes in your life and family situation, such as marriage, remarriage or the addition of a new child. Because estate planning can be complex, you’ll want to work with a qualified legal professional. You may not be able to tackle all these resolutions in 2025. But by addressing as many of them as you can, you may find that, by the end of the year, you have made progress toward your goals and set yourself on a positive course for all the years to come.
This article was written by Edward Jones for
use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor, Joe Oliver.
Joe
Joe Oliver
Murder Mystery: An Auction
Murder
Murder most foul and delicious at Chaddsford Winery
By Caroline Roosevelt Contributing Writer
You’re either a gamesand-organized-fun person, or you’re not. Historically, I am more of a mingler, but I was happy to provide fresh eyes and perspective on Chaddsford Winery’s 10th annual Murder
Mystery: An Auction For Murder event as it kicked off last Saturday and will be performed on weekends through the end of January. In honor of the tenth anniversary, Chaddsford Winery is taking the evening back to the theme of their first iteration of the murder mystery dinner:
An Auction for Murder
The event includes a fivecourse dinner paired with wine from CFW, with each course stationed in a different location in the winery and as guests eat and drink their way through the property, they hopefully find clues to solve the murder.
The story for the evening centered around a murder at an auction for George Washington’s wine, which had been discovered under the winery’s old farmhand cottage. Upon entering the winery, I was greeted by the auctioneer character, J.J. Huckster. I joined all the other attendees in the foyer, as we awaited instructions and the beginning of the event. Once everyone was in their places, J.J. Huckster led us to the barrel room. As I descended the wooden staircase, the temperature dropped, almost matching the temperature outside. The event details suggest bringing a coat, and while I usually take these recommendations lightly, I’m glad I actually behaved and wore a wool coat. The first course, a charcuterie spread of cheese, cured meats, olives and accompanying veggies was thoughtfully paired with three different wines from the estate. As a seasonally agnostic wine drinker, I chose the blush. Once served, I took my seat with the rest of the group, and enjoyed my
pairing as J.J. Huckster started the auction and Ms. Burgundy was subsequently murdered. From this point on, the game was afoot, and the wine poured. The next course, a grilled cornbread and mushroom ragout paired with the 2023 Presage Epilogue, solidified itself early on as one of my favorite courses. In my humble opinion, you just can’t miss with cornbread and something warm to scoop up with it. The wine played nicely with the creamy mushroom, and while others were searching for clues, I zeroed in on my plate and chatted it up with the other guests, as the wine did its thing.
We made our way back to the wooden staircase for the third course, a rigatoni with tomato cream and peas paired with 2023 Carbonic Cabernet Franc served by the suspicious Monsignor (whom I had convinced myself was the murderer by this point).
I met a lovely family of sisters and mother who
were celebrating a birthday, and had previously attended a murder mystery aboard a train, as well as several couples, all of whom had attended murder mysteries before.
These people knew the formula, where to look for the clues, and who the murderer was before I even got to dessert. While waiting in line at the braised short rib and creamy polenta station, I overhead an attendee whisper to their friend, “It’s never the one you most suspect, and it’s never the one you least suspect. It’s usually the one who you ‘medium suspect.’”
I medium suspected a lot of people all the time for various things so this didn’t help me much, but the 2020 Artisan Series Merlot swirled beautifully in my glass, and I did my best to find a clue or two, although usually I was just nodding my head to another guests’ discovery and repeating to everyone throughout the night that “my brain just doesn’t work this way.”
I then joined my fellow sleuthers in the tasting room for chocolate panna cotta and warm holiday spirit. We filled out our cards, providing our final decision on who we each thought murdered Ms. Burgundy, as well as why.
Spoiler alert: I was dead wrong. However, I’d still mark the evening a suc-
cess. The food, the wine, the company shared and the location were all divine and I’d been charmed by an evening of organized fun. Clearly, I’m not alone, as this event has been running for ten years, and this Friday’s performance is already sold out.
Murder mystery aficionados have until the end of January to join in on the fun at Murder Mystery: An Auction For Murder. Tickets are available now at https://www.chaddsford. com/pages/murder-mystery-an-auction-for-murder. The evening runs from 6:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Chaddsford Winery on Jan. 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31. Wear a heavy coat.
Chester County Library Trust Speaker Series kicks
The Chester County Library Trust Speaker Series will begin on Wednesday, Jan. 29, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Struble Room at Chester County Library in Exton with Philadelphiabased author and teacher, Jim Zervanos.
That Time I Got Cancer:
A Love Story, is a memoir by Jim Zervanos, detailing his unexpected battle with cancer and its profound impact on his life and relationships. The narrative begins with Zervanos experiencing alarming symptoms that lead to a life-threatening diagnosis, compelling him to confront
off with author, cancer survivor
his mortality and reevaluate his connections with loved ones. The book delves into the spiritual dimensions of Zervanos’s journey, emphasizing his reliance on faith, mindfulness, and the support of friends and family. There are 1.8 million Americans diagnosed with cancer every year; 16 million are living with cancer. Jim hopes his story about love and relationships, and not wasting time on negativity will provide hope for patients and their families—not to mention the countless friends and coworkers impacted by life-threatening illnesses. He also advocates for med-
ical professionals to adopt “Narrative Medicine,” promoting the value of the patient’s personal story as part of the holistic clinical picture.
That Time I Got Cancer:
A Love Story, is lauded for its honest and heartfelt depiction of a life-altering experience and offers readers a profound exploration of love, mortality, and the human spirit. Kirkus Reviews describes it as “a precise, moving, and expertly crafted remembrance,” highlighting how the experience redefined Zervanos’s relationships and perception of life. Register for the event at https://
bit.ly/CCLTrustSeriesZimZervanos. This evening is sponsored by the Chester County Library Trust.
To find out more about Jim’s story, check out this 60-second YouTube teaser, edited and produced by The Patient Story, which has 165,000 views, and this longer 20-minute video featuring an interview with Jim, with photos, and compelling footage to tell his full clinical story.
The mission of the Chester County and Henrietta Hankin Branch Libraries is to provide informational, educational, and cultural services to the residents of Chester County so that they
Courtesy image
Murder Mystery: An Auction For Murder will be performed on Jan. 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31.
may be lifelong learners. Chester County Library & District Center is at 450 Exton Square Parkway in Exton. For hours or more information, visit the website at www.chescolibraries.org.
Three of the guests at the first Murder Mystery: An Auction For Murder at Chaddsford Winery this past weekend enjoyed an evening of wine, food and murder mayhem.
Photos by Caroline Roosevelt Three suspects who may or may or not be involved with the crime.
We all deserve to work for a better life.
IN REALITY
50% of LGBTQ+ or denied a promotion at work because of who they are. Get the facts and hear real stories at LoveHasNoLabels.com
DAVID J. EDGINGTON
David J. Edgington, of Oxford, passed away on January 7, 2025 at Chester County Hospital in West Chester. He was 76.
He was the husband of Dianna Phillips Edgington. Born in West Chester, he was the son of the late Ralph Wayne and Ginny James Edgington.
David was a lifetime member of the West Grove Fire Company Station 22 and volunteered as an EMS.
He is survived by his wife; one brother, Ron Edgington (Carole); one stepdaughter, Tammy Ramberger (Ray); one step-son, Tim Sinex (Melissa); four step-grandchildren, Nathan Ramberger, Ashley Ramberger, Shelby Ramberger and Nicholas Sinex; three great- step-grand- children; one niece; one nephew; and several great and great-great nieces and nephews.
Services were held on Jan. 11 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to West Grove Fire Company Station 22, 101 Walnut Ave., West Grove, Pa. 19390.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. (www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com) in Oxford.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.
Jonas Garrison Cochran, a resident of Chesapeake City, Md., passed away while at home on December 27, 2024. He was 52.
He was born in Wilmington, Del. Jonas was the son of Gary E. Cochran of Chesapeake City, Md. and Sandra Lee Duvall of North East, Md.
Jonas grew up in Oxford and graduated from Oxford Area High School in 1991.
Jonas was an avid fan of The Pittsburgh Steelers football team. He also enjoyed collecting baseball cards.
Jonas is survived by his father and stepmother Laura Cochran; his mother; his two daughters, Cerina Cochran and Jordana Cochran; a step-son, Seth Nunn; two brothers, Eric Cochran of Woodbury, N.J. and Matt Holton of North East, Md.; two step-sisters, Caraline Hickman of Washington, D.C. and Meg Reid of Hartford, Conn.
Services were held at Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford on January 3.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, Va. 22116-7023.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.
AMERICAN DREAMS
P. DOROTHEA MURRAY
On January 4, 2025, Dorothea Murray passed away very peacefully at Chester County Hospital. Her daughter, Phyllis, and son-inlaw, Hal, were at her bedside.
P. Dorothea Denham Murray was born on Feb. 20, 1926 in Denver, Colorado. She spent the first ten years of her life on a homestead in eastern Colorado, after which her family moved to Aurora, Colo. At the age of 19, she married the Rev. Dr. Andrew E. Murray and moved to Pottsville, Pa., and several years later to Lincoln University, Pa., where she resided for the rest of her life.
Dorothea devoted much of her life to advocating for issues of peace and justice. She was one of the first woman graduates of Lincoln University in 1959. She often said that her true education began with the Lincoln University community, where she was sensitized to the need for racial equality. Her advocacy for human rights and for peace led her to involvement in several initiatives in the Presbyterian Church, both at the local and national level, including the founding of a Diversity Camp at Camp Donegal.
In the 1970s, Dorothea was involved with the Human Rights Study Committee in Oxford which led to the founding of the Oxford Neighborhood Services Center. As part of that Committee’s work, she led a sub-committee to start a Day Care Center in Oxford.
Dorothea was also actively involved with the local Democratic Party as a Democratic Committeewoman in Lower Oxford East and as a candidate for State Representative. Though she did not win that race, she
JOHN ANDREW VANDERGRIFT
John Andrew Vandergrift, of Unionville, passed away peacefully in Chester County Hospital on January 7, 2025. He was 77.
He was born on February 7, 1947 to the late Andrew Vandergrift and the late Mary Richards Vandergrift.
John went to school at HandiCrafters in West Chester.
He began working as a custodian at Longwood Gardens where his father was a carpenter. He was very proud of his nearly 35 years of service to a place he loved. John retired early in 2002 to care for his parents, and he lived his whole life in the house his father built.
He knew many people around Kennett Square and made new friends wherever he went. John had a youthful enthusiasm and a smile for everyone he met. He was a lifelong member of Willowdale Chapel.
He liked to walk to Landhope Farms across the street and buy many newspapers so he could keep up with the local news. He enjoyed collecting toys, watching movies, listening to country music, and traveling. He visited many places with friends and family. John was also a devoted Philadelphia sports fan, especially the Eagles. John is survived by many friends and loving cousins, including Joanie Chandler, Jason Seaton, Nikki Seaton, Leslie Johnson, Robert Johnson, Christy (Johnson) Gentil, and Marianne Johnson.
You are invited to visit with John’s family and friends from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Friday, January 17 at Willowdale Chapel at 675 Unionville Road in Kennett Square. Services will begin at 11 a.m. with interment following at Union Hill Cemetery.
Donations may be made in his name to Willowdale Chapel, 675 Unionville Road, Kennett Square, Pa. 19348. Arrangements are by Kuzo Funeral Home of Kennett Square.
did garner more votes than any previous Democratic candidate for that seat, which was always a point of pride for her.
Though Dorothea was involved in many projects in the community and political realms, the heart of her service and belief was in the Presbyterian Church. She was an active member of Oxford Presbyterian Church and served as an Elder and Clerk of Session, as well as chairing and being part of countless committees and of Presbyterian Women. She sang alto in the choir until relatively recently.
Dorothea is survived by her daughter, Phyllis J Murray and her son-in-law Hal Weiner and his children Mari Gonzalez (Kim), Joshua Weiner, Justin Weiner (Beth), and Jane Duda (Steve); great-grandchildren Devon, Lucy, Tyler and Olivia, and many nieces and nephews. Her husband Andrew pre-deceased her in 1991.
She is also survived by her many friends and fellow justice warriors.
A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 25 at Oxford Presbyterian Church, 6 Pine St. in Oxford, where friends and family may visit from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Oxford Presbyterian Church, Lincoln University, 1570 Baltimore Pike, Lincoln University, Pa. 19352 or Oxford Area Neighborhood Services Center at 35 N. 3rd St., Oxford, Pa. 19363.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc (www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com) in Oxford.
JOHN L. WILKINSON, SR.
John L. (Jack) Wilkinson, Sr., age 69, passed away on January 9, 2025 at his home in Landenberg. Jack was born in Wilmington, Del. and was the son of the late W. Lawrence Wilkinson and the late Pauline Lamborn Wilkinson.
After graduating from Kennett High School in 1973, Jack pursued a career specializing in mechanical repairs and restoration of International Harvester and Cub Cadet tractors and equipment. During his lifetime, Jack worked for several local I.H. and Cub Cadet equipment dealers before opening his own business, Wilkinson’s Garage, in Landenberg. He was known for his ability to repair almost anything.
In 1976, Jack married his high school sweetheart, Marlene E. (Griffith) Wilkinson, with whom he shared 48 years of marriage. In 1978, they built their home on the family farm in Landenberg and reside there still.
Jack had many hobbies, including restoring classic cars and antique tractors. Later in life, he often went saltwater fishing with his wife and grandchildren at Cape Henlopen State Park pier, while enjoying many summers at his residence in Lewes, Del. He loved spending time and taking care of his three grandchildren from infancy through middle school age.
In addition to his wife Marlene, he is survived by his son, John L. Jr. (Melissa), granddaughters Gianna and Victoria, and grandson John L. Ill. Also surviving are his sisters, Patricia (Thomas) Springer, Kitty (Ronald) Petrucci and Lynne (David) Hughes, as well as many nieces and nephews.
A private service for immediate family members will be held at the funeral home.
Arrangements are being handled by Kuzo Funeral Home of Kennett Square.
THOMAS F. MCCORMICK
Thomas F. McCormick passed away on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at his home in Cochranville, Pa. He was 82. He was the husband of Elizabeth Owen McCormick, of Cochranville, with whom he shared 62 years of marriage. Born in Darby, Pa., he was the son of the late Francis and Frances Stanley McCormick.
Thomas was a very unique and gifted man whose energy and creativity drove him to do amazing things throughout his life. He fancied himself a craftsman, and an artist and he loved building things that were interesting and innovative. He had an ability to grasp complex topics easily and had great technical abilities.
Professionally, he was highly accomplished in many trades and he achieved great proficiency as a woodworking craftsman, an electrician, a carpenter, a mason, a master certified plumber and a businessman. His hobbies were all related to creating things of beauty, drawing upon his abilities to use his mind and his hands to turn his visions into reality. He loved spending time in the garden and around his property with his many animals.
His energy and generosity was unlimited and he was driven by a passion to have a positive and lasting impact on everyone in his life—family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and all those in need. Thomas will be missed dearly by all who were lucky enough to cross his path and benefit from his generosity and spirit.
He is survived by his loving wife Elizabeth; his five children, Patricia Smyth (and husband William) of West Lampeter, Thomas McCormick (and wife Katherine) of Castle Rock, Colorado, Suzanne Dempsey (and husband Michael) of Oxford, Michael McCormick (and wife Bridget) of Reading, and Francis McCormick (and wife Melissa) of Landenberg; his 14 grandchildren and his 8 great-grandchildren. He was affectionately known by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren as PePop.
He was preceded in death by three sisters, Mary Ellis, Frances Imparato, Kathleen “Kassie” Fasciocco, and one brother, James McCormick.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 17 at the Union Presbyterian Church, 5637 Street Road in Kirkwood, Pa. Friends and family may visit from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the service will begin at 11 a.m. Interment will be in the adjoining church cemetery. Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. (www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.) in Oxford.
NOTICE:
DEStorage.com Newgarden
Located at 710 Newark Rd Landenberg, PA 19350
Will be holding a Public ONLINE Auction at www.ibid4storage.com
Closing February 19, 2025 at 10 AM.
The following units will be sold because of nonpayment of rent pursuant to the Pennsylvania Self Service Storage Facilities Act. Auction bidding and additional information about the contents, including photographs, is available on www.ibid4storage.com. Sale and payment will take place at the storage facility. Containing: Furniture, household items, totes, clothing, and boxes
Unit # 4071- Kim Evans
Unit # 3235- Hunter Warrrington
Unit # 1081- Julissa Estrada
Unit # D119 & 125439- Sam Imburgia
Unit # 2015- Cassandra Mathis
DEStorage.com
Newgarden reserves the right to withdraw any storage unit from sale or cancel the sale without prior notice.
ESTATE NOTICE
Estate of Betty Lou Heibeck, also known as Betty L. Heibeck, Late of London Grove Township, Chester County, PA. LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Beverly Lynn Rogevich, Executrix, Or Attorney: Winifred Moran Sebastian, Esquire, 208 E. Locust St., P.O. Box 38, Oxford, PA 19363
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ESTATE NOTICE
VIRGINIA L. KEHRER TRUST u/a dated 12/7/1990 as restated. VIRGINIA L. KEHRER, Deceased. Late of New Garden Township, Chester County, PA. This Trust is in existence and all persons having claims or demands against said Trust or decedent are requested to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to RANDY J. KEHRER, TRUSTEE, c/o P. Kristen Bennett, Esquire, 3711 Kennett Pike, Ste. 100, Wilmington, DE 19807, Or to his Attorney: P. KRISTEN BENNETT, GAWTHROP GREENWOOD, PC, 3711 Kennett Pike, Ste. 100, Wilmington, DE 19807
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ESTATE NOTICE
Estate of Nancy Sue McNatt, Late of Oxford, Lower Oxford of Southern Chester County, PA, LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Warren D. McNatt, Jr., Executor, 261 Lancaster Pike Oxford PA 19363
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INVITATION FOR BIDS FOR THE CONCRETE PACKAGE FOR THE PROPOSED AMPHITHEATER AT THE PENN TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY PARK, 260 LEWIS ROAD, WEST GROVE, PENNSYLVANIA 19390
PENN TOWNSHIP, CHESTER COUNTY, PA.
PROPOSALS will be received by the Board of Supervisors, Penn Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. until 3:00 P.M., Prevailing Time, on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at the Penn Township Offices located at 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, PA 19390, for the following: The Project includes the construction of a concrete pad and walkways associated with the Amphitheater Project at the Penn Township Community Park to Handicap Accessibility and seating areas, including proposed benches and painted handicap legends, 5’ wide concrete walkways and fine grading. All Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud by the Township Director of Operations at 6:00 P.M. Prevailing Time, on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at the Penn Township Board of Supervisors meeting held at the Penn Township Building, 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, PA 19390. Specifications and Forms of Proposal may be obtained From the Director of Operations at the Office of the Penn Township, at the Township Office address above between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. beginning Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 9:00 A.M.. There is no fee for the Project Manual and Bid Package. No Project Manuals and Bid Packages, including the Form of Proposal and Specifications will be sent out by the Township.
Proposals must be upon the forms furnished by the Township and securely sealed in an envelope marked “ Penn Township Community Park Amphitheater Concrete Package.”
Each Bidder must deposit with his/her bid, security in the form of a bid bond or certified check in the amount of not less than ten percent (10%) of the total bid made payable to the order of the Penn Township. Pennsylvania prevailing wage rates will apply to this project, in addition to any and all other applicable federal, state, and local laws, statutes, ordinance, rules and regulations.
Penn Township reserves the right to accept any or all bids or parts thereof, or to reject any
Notice of Self Storage Sale
Please take notice
Storage First Downington located at 3925 Hazelwood Ave Downington PA 19335 intends to hold a public sale to the highest bidder of the property stored by the following tenants at the storage facility. The sale will occur as an online auction via www.storageauctions.com on 1/29/2025 at 10:00AM.
Samyrah Stocker unit #186; Alexis Ledsome unit #305. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms and conditions apply.
or all bids or parts thereof, for any cause whatsoever, as they deem for the best interest of the Township.
No bidder may withdraw his/her bid within sixty (60) days after the date set for the receiving and opening of bids. Each bid must be accompanied by a signed commitment of the proposed surety offering to execute a Performance Bond, as well as the Letter of Intent, and Non-Collusion Affidavit, Nondiscrimination/Sexual Harassment Clause, Public Works Employment Verification Form, and Statement of Bidder’s Qualifications.
The successful Bidder will be required to furnish a Contractor’s Performance Bond and Labor and Materialmen’s Bond in an amount of 100% of the accepted bid and a Maintenance Bond in the amount 10% of the Contract Amount. The Surety Company and form of surety shall be subject to the approval of Penn Township. The Bond Company should have no less than an “A” rating (Best Rating) and provide documentation of their authority to do business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In addition, the Bond should be provided without a reinsurer. Funding assistance for the Amphitheater Improvements at the Penn Township Community Park has been provided in part through a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund. By Order of the Penn Township Board of Supervisors, Karen Versuk, MBA PhD, Director of Operations 1p-15-2t
COURT NOTICE
Vaughan McLean, M. Jacqueline Larkin, Esquire, Attorney ID No. 309190, 100 North 18th Street, Suite 700 Two Logan Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103, 215-569-200, mjlarkin@vaughanbiaso.com
Attorney for the Plaintiff Citadel Federal Credit Union, Plaintiff VS Tracey Harris, Defendant In the Court of Common Pleas Chester County, PA, Civil Action- Law Division, No. 202402166-CT NOTICE TO PLEA
You have been sued in court. If you wish to defend against the claims set forth in the following pages, you must take action within twenty (20) days after this complaint and notice
are served, by entering written appearance personally or by attorney and filing in writing with the court, your defenses or objections to the claims set forth against you. You are warned that if you fail to do so the case may proceed without you and a judgement may be entered against you by the court without further notice for any money claimed in the complaint or for any other claims or relief requested by the plaintiff. You may lose money or property or other rights important to you. YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS PAPER TO YOUR LAWYER AT ONCE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LAWYER OR CAN NOT AFFORD ONE, GO TO OR TELEPHONE THE OFFICE SET FORTH BELOW TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU CAN GET LEGAL HELP.
CHESTER COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION LAWYER REFERENCE SERVICE,15 W. GAY ST. 2ND FLOOR, WEST CHESTER, PA 19380
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PUPLIC NOTICE
2025 Oxford Region Planning Committee (ORPC) Meetings, The ORPC is an advisory body to the municipalities of the Oxford Region. The Oxford Region includes Oxford Borough and the Townships of East and West Nottingham, Elk, and Lower and Upper Oxford. The ORPC is scheduled to meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month in 2025 via Zoom, or occasionally in person at the Lower Oxford Township Building. Meetings begin at 7:00 pm. In the event there is unfinished business, the ORPC will also meet on the following first Thursday. We strongly recommend checking the ORPC website for meeting type (virtual or in-person), updated news, meeting cancellations, change of meeting venue, meeting reports, and agendas for upcoming meetings: chescoplanning.org/municorner/ projects/oxfordregion/home. html. Throughout 2025, in addition to its regular business, the ORPC will be continuing its work on an update to the 2012 Oxford Region Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plan. You may view the Plan at the above web address. The ORPC values the input of all residents of the region and encourages your participation! Robert Ketcham, 302 229-8194
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PUBLIC NOTICE
PENN TOWNSHIP BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 2025 MEETING SCHEDULE All Regular meetings of the Board of Supervisors will be held on the 1st Tuesday of each
month unless otherwise noted below. Work Session Meetings will be held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, January through March, and then September and October. Agenda deadline is 12 p.m. the Wednesday preceding the meeting. All meetings begin at 6 p.m. at the Township Building in the Finnen Community Room, 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, PA 19390 unless notice is posted otherwise at the township building, on the township website and/or social media. The public is invited. The Board of Supervisors of Penn Township will meet in the 2025 calendar year on the following dates for Regular Meetings: January 6, February 4, March 4, April 1, May 13, June 3, July 15, August 5, September 2, October 7, November 18 (due to Election Day), and December 2. Work Session Meetings are as follows: January 21, February 18, March 18, September 16, October 21, 2025.
NOTICE
PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING SCHEDULE 2025
All regular meetings of the Planning Commission will be held on the 4th Wednesday of each month with the exception of November and December. Agenda deadline is 12 p.m. the Thursday preceding the regularly scheduled meeting unless otherwise approved by the Planning Commission Chairman or his designee. All meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. and are held at the Township Building in the Finnen Community Room, 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, PA unless notice is posted otherwise at the township building, on the township website and social media. The public is invited. The Planning Commission will meet in the 2025 calendar year on the following dates: January 22, February 26, March 26, April 23, May 28, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October 22, November 19, and December 17, 2025. 1p-15-1t
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Human-trafficking awareness in Pennsylvania
January is HumanTrafficking Awareness Month and this infographic highlights key court data related to human trafficking. Over the past five years, 1,235 human-trafficking offenses were filed on 366 cases.
Human trafficking is a type of human rights abuse where people profit from the exploitation of others – mainly using force, fraud
or coercion to manipulate victims into engaging in sex acts or labor/services in exchange for something of value.
The infographic includes the total number of humantrafficking cases and offenses over the last five years, defendant demographics and the top 10 counties with the highest number human-trafficking offenses.
Next ACE AntiHuman Trafficking
Alliance
meeting on Jan. 18
ACE (Advocating, Collaborating, Educating) AntiHuman Trafficking Alliance of Oxford will host a Crystal Singing Bowl Sound Bath Session on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 10 a.m. Sound Therapy is a method of using crystal bowls to create sounds that penetrate deeply within one. This is known to provide emotional, mental and physical healing. Please bring a mat, blanket and pillow if desired. Chairs will be provided, also. ACE meets at the Oxford Senior Center at 12 East Locust Street in Oxford.
ACE is able to offer this session for a donation because of the generosity of Carol Hart Metzker, a trained therapist who provides this therapy for victims of human trafficking and other traumas. She is a wellknown advocate for trafficked victims and an author.
Donations by check or cash will be accepted for Thistle Hills, a restorative home for women in transition.
It is not necessary to have a donation, and everyone is invited to come to enjoy the experience. Posttherapy refreshments will be offered after the Crystal Singing Bowl Sound Bath Session session.
Fourth quarter free throws seal win over Downingtown East Schumacher, Talbert lift Kennett to 54-53 victory
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Throughout the rich history of basketball, the greatest teams ever assembled have been orchestrated by the work of duos, alpha one and alpha two partnerships that, when combined, have lifted their teams to great heights. Russell had Cousy. Reed had Frazier. Shaq had Kobe. Jordan had Pippen. During Kennett High School’s Jan. 11 contest against visiting Downingtown East, two such teammates emerged, just as they have done all season: center Conner Schumacher and guard Aiden Talbert, and while it was Schumaker who dominated the offensive scoring, it was Talbert’s free throw with three seconds left that lifted the Blue Demons to a come-from-behind 54-53 victory and evened their record at 7-7.
With pivotal players Derek Kronenberg, Sam McGrory and Jaden Panda out with injuries, Kennett came into the game at a disadvantage but managed to stay with the Cougars for most of the first quarter. However, Head Coach Brian Grashof’s team held
sway in a quarter that was highlighted by two three-pointers by Connor Littlepage, but finished with a last-second jumper by Talbert in the key that brought the Blue Demons to within two points, 12-10. Downingtown East’s full-court press stymied Kennett for much of the second quarter, leading to poor passes, turnovers and a momentum shift that saw the Cougars jump out to a 21-14 lead after a threepointer by Sergio Hunt with 4:28 remaining in the first half. After a near dunk by Abraham Sesay extended the D-East lead, Schumacher drilled a bank shot to cut the Cougars’ lead to 23-16 with 3:40 left in the half, but shots by Littlepage and a threepoint shot by Howard Neff helped give the Cougars a 31-26 lead at halftime. While the third quarter saw Downingtown East continue to hold on to a small lead, the fourth quarter saw Kennett use the free throw line to their advantage, led by Schumacher’s five points from the line. The center was hounded by Sesay near the key throughout most of the fourth quarter, which led
to two early fouls by Sesay, the second of which led Schumacher to the line where he converted two free throws with 6:40 left to bring the Blue Demons within one point, 39-38. After a stolen pass by Joey Pell led to a basket by Chase Krupansky that gave D-East a 42-38 lead, Schumaker converted both ends of a three-point play with 5:14 remaining to bring the Blue Demons to within two points, 43-41.
With 3:56 left, another foul against Schumacher saw him make another free throw that tied the score at 45-45. Over the game’s last minutes, both clubs traded leads: Neff’s drive tied the game with 1:19 left; Kennett’s Will Hogan’s shot gave his club a short-lived 53-51 lead with 32 seconds left; Neff’s two free throws with 21 second remaining tied the score at 53-53; and following an in-bounds pass, Talbert was fouled with three seconds remaining and calmly sank the game-winning free throw.
“My mindset going into every game is to get to the basket and help my team,” Schumacher said of his team’s comeback win. “I am taking on a leadership
role this year, to bring the guys together and going into that quarter being down a few points, I knew it was up to Aiden and me to keep the team together. We have to come together with the young guys who are stepping up from JV and build a team chemistry.
“Going on that fourth quarter, I just knew that if we trusted in our coach and the plays that we had, I knew that it would work out well for us.”
Blue Demon Head Coach Vince Mostardi praised his team for its resilience to overcome a late deficit.
“That has been the model of our team this year and that’s what we’re trying to bring to the table,” Mostardi said. “We want to be a tough-minded team. Our practices are tough and physical, so that we make the games easier. I told them at half time we have to be the last team to punch today and that’s what we did today.
“We’re down three players in the rotation now, so it’s the ‘next man up’ mentality and that’s what we did today.”
With the win, Kennett
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com. Downingtown East’s
– who was led by Schumacher’s 25 points and 14 points by Talbert – will play host to Great Valley on Jan. 16 and Chichester on Jan. 19. Downingtown East – who was led by Neff’s 18
Chester County Intermediate Unit’s Summer Adventures Camp and Activities Fair planned for January 23
It’s never too early to think about summer so jump-start your planning on Thursday, January 23 with summer fun at the Chester County Summer Adventures Camp and Activities Fair.
This year’s event will take place at the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) at 455 Boot Road in Downingtown. The event is free to attend and will be open from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The Summer Adventures Camp and Activities Fair will provide attendees with the opportunity to explore camps, activities, and local vendors. K-12 students and their families are encouraged to meet with representatives and gather information to plan for a summer to remember. Last year’s vendors included summer schools and tutors as well as camps that specialize in music and theater, sports and exercise, arts and crafts, outdoor activities, and more.
“The Chester County Summer Adventures Camp and Activities Fair offers a one-stop shop for local families to explore their summer options,” said Jay Della Ragione, special events coordinator for the CCIU.
“In addition to getting a jump on summer plans, attendees get to enjoy an evening of fun with games and raffles. We aim to make planning easier for families while offering an event that is enjoyable for all.”
The Summer Adventures Camp and Activities Fair is sponsored by CCRES Educational and Behavioral Health Services. In the event of inclement weather, the snow date for this event is Thursday, January 30, 2025.
For information, please visit www.cciu.org/summer-adventures or contact Jay Della Ragione at summercampfair@cciu.org.
Kennett Head Coach Vince Mostardi gathers with his team at the start of the second half.
Photos by Richard L. Gaw
Aiden Talbert sank a free throw with three seconds left to give the Kennett High School varsity basketball team a 54-53 win over visiting Downingtown East on Jan. 11.
points – fell to 7-8 overall and will visit Avon Grove on Jan. 16.
