Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders reported to her board on the information she gathered from her entry plan findings.
She conducted a widespread survey in the first two months following her arrival at Kennett, and she revealed the results at the board's Jan. 13 meeting.
Rizzo Saunders prefaced the report items with how the information was gathered and collated.
Rizzo Saunders said that she listened to and conducted interviews with local leaders, four former superintendents, teachers, stakeholders (taxpayers), administrators and students.
She also emphasized how important it was for her to find out what the expectations were from her new community.
“I made a promise to listen to all of the stakeholders. …Listening will remain an essential theme of my leadership,” she said.
Rizzo Saunders called her results a “call to action.”
Upon her arrival last summer, she shared that she chose to come to Kennett because it has a tradition of excellence, strong support from the community, resilience and fiscal responsibility.
Building on those percep-
tions, she proceeded with her lengthy report at the board meeting.
Rizzo Saunders separated her information into three categories: Strengths, Challenges and Opportunities.
On the subject of strengths, she reiterated the cooperation and service of community organizations.
Many interviewed said they were pleased with the extra-curricular activities, even beyond the sports. A
large number said they were especially pleased with Mary D. Lang Kindergarten School because it succeeded in presenting a critical first step in the children’s education and was a “model of best practices.”
There was a general positive liking and trusting of the school faculty and administration.
On the subject of challenges, Rizzo Saunders spent time talking about
Oxford Area School Board hears from Lincoln University students
Speakers respond to ‘silent majority of keyboard warriors’ critical of university’s temporary use of Oxford Area High School’s gymnasium
By Gabbie Burton Contributing Writer
The Oxford Area School Board had a busy night on Jan. 14 with a work session and three committee meetings that covered nearly all the hot-button issues facing the board.
A highlight of the meeting included a segment when the Facilities and Safety Committee heard public comments from Lincoln University students regard-
ing the online backlash the university has received from the community about its basketball teams’ temporary use of the high school’s gymnasium.
Their comments came on the heels of the Oxford School Board’s 6-3 vote on Nov. 26 to approve the HBCU’s basketball teams to use the high school gym while the university’s gymnasium undergoes renovations. The decision
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Kennett Township shares 2024 highlights at board meeting
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
As
audit for 2023. In her administrative report, Dobbins listed the following accomplishments the township made in 2024: • An historic marker dedication was made at the Brandywine Battlefield • The completion and
dedication of the Kennett Greenway on Chandler Mill Road
• Supporting the efforts of local organizations to obtain funding for interior renovations to the Fussell House and
• The township’s Finance Department accomplished a clean 2023 compliant audit
Dobbins also listed the passage of key ordinances and resolutions the township made in 2024 that included the adoption of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Plan in March; the adoption of resolutions that have streamlined the township’s committee structure; the establishment of the Medal of Merit; the financial
Legal vs. Accessible: Pa. women facing barriers in reproductive healthcare
By Gabbie Burton Contributing Writer
going
and
the care you asked for. You are counseled on information you didn’t want or ask for. This is the current reality for some women who seek to terminate their pregnancies in southern Chester County and across Pennsylvania. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned in the summer of 2022, states across the nation have restricted or banned abortions entirely. While Pennsylvania is not one of them and access to
abortion remains legal in the state, there are restrictions, including a 24-hour waiting period; parental, guardian or judicial consent if the pregnant person is a minor; a 24-week gestational limit; insurance limitations and mandatory counseling.
LCH’s Women’s Health Center in Jennersville provides women with several reproductive services.
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Photo by Gabbie Burton
Several Lincoln University students attended the Jan. 14 Oxford Area School Board meeting to address the community criticism about the university’s temporary use of the high school’s gymnasium while the gymnasium at Lincoln University is being refurbished.
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prompted negative feedback from community members on Facebook, some of whom who have accused LU students of potentially “trashing” the facility and not trusting the college students to be “in with our underage kids.”
“We come here to thank the majority of the school board for letting us use the gym,” said LU student Drake Smith during public open comment, “but we’re also here because we’re troubled by a silent majority of keyboard warriors.”
Facebook commentary on the measure can be found dating back to the time of the initial vote in various posts made on Oxford community message boards.
In response to a community comment addressing concern for the measure, Board President and Facilities and Safety Committee Co-Chair Mark Patterson, a nay vote on the measure, clarified that the university and high school students would not be using the gym at the same time. He also recognized the university for previously allowing Oxford swim teams to use Lincoln pools for roughly 20 years, starting in the 1990s, for meets and practices.
Patterson went on to state that a “review” by concerned board members took place and that any concerns they had, “have been mitigated.” The other two nay votes were board members Jennifer Kehs and Mike Blessington.
‘We should be treated as a neighbor’
While the board feels their concerns have been met, the negative feelings of certain community members remain, as do their Facebook activities.
“Some people think that
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support of the Kennett Fire Company’s Fire Apparatus Fleet review and assessment; the authorization of a feasibility study for the expansion of a municipal facility for the township’s administration’s offices and its Police Department; and the three-year agreement the township signed with the Kennett Area Park Authority to support Anson B. Nixon Park.
In her report, Finance and Human Resources Director Amy Heinrich listed the following budget highlights that begin the new year:
• The township’s General Fund revenue through December 2024 is $894,000, or 9.5 percent higher than budget projections
• Overall, taxes are $180,000 above budget and real estate taxes ended 2024 at $18,000 above budget
Lincoln is full of boogeymen, but that’s not the case. We’re here to show you otherwise,” Smith said.
“We should not be treated as a nuisance. We should be treated as a neighbor.”
Smith was one of five LU students who spoke at the meeting, while several other students showed support from the audience.
Sophomore Nathaniel Harris, vice president of internal affairs for Lincoln’s Student Government Association, also addressed the board, citing the perceived rift between the Oxford community and university.
“The current relationship between my institution and Oxford is not one that I’m proud of,” Harris said. “Let me be clear. The divide between our communities, I believe, is not one of true hatred or disdain, but a divide that stems from a lack of understanding and an unwillingness to inquire and learn about our vastly different cultures and upbringings.”
After the meeting, Harris shared that he was not surprised there was backlash but was surprised it was over something he felt was not a “big deal.”
“I wasn’t surprised at all by the sentiment behind the comments,” he said of the
• Earned income tax ended the year $88,000 above budget and above 2023 by 7.6 percent, and real estate transfer and local service taxes are $56,000 and $21,000 above budget, respectively
• Building and zoning fee revenue is showing an increase of $479,000 – a 130 percent increase over budget, and
• Interest income is $106,000 or 47 percent above budget, and income for the Public Works Department is $27,700 -- or 222 percent over budget
Police Chief Matthew Gordon highlighted several initiatives the township’s Police Department was involved in during 2024 that included:
• Participation in 15 community events
• Hosting a successful National Night Out in partnership with the Kennett Square Borough Police Department
community’s online sentiment regarding the college’s use of Oxford’s gymnasium. “That is why we want to build that connection. We want to get rid of that narrative that Lincoln students are just not good [to the] community, because we can be.”
In addition to discussion about LU’s gym usage, the committee also welcomed Alyssa Wingenfield of McClure Company and Jay Darkey of JPD Architects to discuss renovations planned at the high school.
Most of the proposed renovations are “red” projects that are considered more crucial, such as replacing outdated HVAC equipment and repairing roofing. However, the presentation also included “green” projects, such as replacing the stadium field with turf which has garnered attention on Facebook and in board meetings with community members, who have expressed both positive and negative feedback.
“We’ve had several meetings outlining what those projects are in priority, and we had the Finance Committee inform us about what we could spend to repair those things and do these upgrades without having to do a tax increase,”
• The hiring of Officer Dave Ford, and Officer Ben Thomas’ successful first year in the department, where he answered nearly 500 calls for service, assisted in two felony investigations and completed SWAT training
• Continued patrol of the Greenwood Elementary School
• Department participation in the Sunny Day Camp, that promotes strong relations between police and children and adults with special needs, and
• Partnering with the Pennsylvania State Police to provide services for President Joe Biden and his motorcade through Kennett Township on Dec. 31, 2024.
Director of Public Works
Ted Otteni discussed several projects his department accomplished in during 2024 that included stabilization of the smoke house roof at the Spar Hill Preserve property; the completion of the paving and embankment remediation project along the Chandler Mill Road portion of the Kennett
Patterson said. “The board approved the first plan, which was to not approve tax increase to the folks in the community and all of our stakeholders, and that’s what these folks will be reviewing this evening.”
The rehashing of the presentation was to highlight phase one of the suggested renovations which would total about $9.5 million as is and does not include the turf field yet. If the field is feasible and approved, its’ installation would take place in a later phase of the renovations. The groups are planning to begin phase one of renovations this summer.
Heated exchanges
An additional meeting held included a fiery policy committee meeting that involved discussion about Policy 6300, Material Selections Policy - Libraries.
Board Vice President Jenifer Warren had heated exchanges with Blessington and Kehs over edits to Policy 6300. Kehs suggested instead of continuing on the path of rounds of edits which has been occurring for roughly a year and a half, they return to the “original document” the district is operating under and start
Greenway; the replacement of a failing drainage inlet and pipe in the Hamorton neighborhood; and renovations to the administrative offices and police department in the Township Building. Otteni said that the department is currently at work to replace the pump station force main on Rosedale Road.
New connectivity to Anson B. Nixon Park
In other township business, the supervisors gave their approval for a trail easement agreement with COR Management, LLC., the owner of a parcel along Walnut Road, to allow the township to initiate the full use of a paved trail across the property that provides a connection from The Flats at Kennett to Anson B. Nixon Park as well as other destinations in Kennett Borough. The easement is 15 feet wide and approximately 50 feet in length. The board also voted in favor of accepting the Route 41 Corridor Improvement Study and Corridor
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Continued from Page 1A complaints that students who performed at the average level “fell through the cracks.” She called them the “middle students,” of which about 40 percent of the students are in that category.
A respondent (or respondents) told her: “Only certain kids get the best opportunities.”
Rizzo Saunders said that some students in the district are less present in advanced placement courses and other special programs.
She was also told schools needs more bilingual staff and that the school counselors are overloaded.
Some staff and parents were concerned about teacher turnover, inconsistencies in curriculum between buildings and that some teachers need more uniformity in curriculum.
In the area of opportunities, Rizzo Saunders said partnerships with community organizations are helpful and should be pursued.
She hopes for more bilingual and crosscultural programs and looks forward to aligning professional strategies among staff.
over from there. However, this was overlooked in favor of addressing edits Blessington made which were presented to the board in print the night of the meeting.
Tenille Dewees, who joined the meeting virtually and thus did not receive the new edits, stated that it was “not appropriate for us to show up to a policy meeting and be blindsided by revisions.”
The meeting moved 10 other policies in the
Rizzo Saunders also mentioned enhanced mental health and response to behavioral needs.
“We are at a pivotal crossroads,” she said. She added, just to make sure it was clear: “These are the things I was told.” Her next step is forming focus groups of stakeholders to develop five-year plans aimed at evidence-based processes. She will place a board member on each of those committees, she said.
Board President Dave Kronenberg responded to Rizzo Saunders’ report. He said this was the first time he had heard a new superintendent introduce an entry plan.
He added that Rizzo Saunders gave “new ears” to the feelings of the Kennett School District community.
In other business, Director of Facilities David Brice reported on the progress in the construction of the two new elementary schools. He said there has been completion of some ramps, walls, wiring, plumbing and lighting.
Greenwood Elementary School has received a new entrance ramp and further work continues to be done to the new school's foundation.
review cycle forward with little discussion; however, the debate over the edits to Policy 6300 caused tensions to run high and contributed to the meeting running about 20 minutes over schedule. Ultimately, Blessington quickly ran through his edits and the committee will further go over edits at next month’s policy committee meeting.
To contact Contributing Writer Gabbie Burton, email gburton@chestercounty.com.
Improvement Plan. The origins of the plan date back to 2022, when Kennett, New Garden, London Grove and Londonderry townships were awarded a Vision Partnership Program grant from Chester County to develop a transportation study and corridor improvement plan for the corridor, extending from the Route 796 intersection in Londonderry Township to the Route 7 interchange in New Garden Township.
While Kennett Township comprises only four-tenths of a mile of the corridor, the board said that it recognizes its major connectivity to several roads and traffic patterns in the township.
The board also approved the appointments of George Plumley as a full member of the township’s Planning Commission and Diane McGovern as an alternate member of the Commission.
In his closing comments
regarding the proliferation of the phorid fly in southern Chester County, supervisor Geoffrey Gamble called for the legal reinstatement for the use of the pesticide Diazinon in Pennsylvania. Although it is still available in other states, Diazinon was banned by the Pa. Department of Environmental Protection for public use in the Commonwealth in 2004, due to its high health risks. The township’s Historical Commission will present “Homes with History” on Feb. 8, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Township Building’s meeting room. The event will feature speaker Jeffery Marshall, who will discuss how to research historic properties and discover the unique history of buildings in the township.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Photo by Gabbie Burton
Lincoln University student speaker Jocelyn Hargrove.
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Dr. Richard Leff, center, will serve as the chairman of the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors for 2025, succeeding Geoffrey Gamble, right, who served as the chairman in 2024. Patricia Muller, left, will serve as vice chairperson.
Voices Underground introduces power of King’s legacy and words to children
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
The universal intention of Voices Underground, a community outreach initiative of Square Roots Collective, took another
step further at the Kennett Library on Jan. 18, as small children and their parents heard the words and the story behind the rise of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as our country’s most prominent civil rights leader.
In addition to storytelling, the program featured a coloring session.
Reading from the biography, Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr? by Bonnie Bader, Kennett High School assistant principal Chanel August Ruffin introduced her audience to King as a young child in Atlanta, Ga., the son of a Baptist minister, and the discrimination he and other African Americans faced during the 1940s. Ruffin then read about Kings’ rise as an important voice in his efforts to end desegregation, his speech at the March on Washington in 1963, the loss of his life five years later, and his enduring legacy.
“Martin Luther King, Jr. used his words, not his fists,” Ruffin read. “And although he died more than 50 years ago, his dream still lives on.”
According to its website, Voices Underground is “a team of scholars, artists, and activists specializing in African American history and driven by the conviction that true, transformative, and ongoing storytelling is foundational to the work of racial healing.”
“Voices Underground’s mission is to promote racial healing through storytell-
ing, and I feel this is a foundational exercise of that mission,” said LaNisha Cassell, executive director of Voices Underground.
“We are reaching kids right when they are forming their own thoughts and opinions and learning how to think for themselves. This is an opportunity for us to start them early by sharing stories about an important figure such as Dr. King.
“At the same time, their
parents are also forming ways to teach their children, but perhaps they don’t have the words to teach them.
This helps us be able to do that and assist parents in helping them bring those messages home.”
Based in Kennett Square, Square Roots Collective is a collection of for-profit businesses, non-profit ventures and formal and informal partnerships with like-minded organizations throughout
Chester County that together create positive initiatives and influence. Cassell said that Voices Underground is creating several programs in February that will coincide with Black History Month. To learn more about Voices Underground, visit www. voicesunderground.com.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
MLK Breakfast highlights the need to continue seeking Dr. King's dream
By Chris Barber Contributing Writer
Martin Luther King Day
keynote speaker Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham told her audience at Lincoln University’s Wellness Center on Jan. 20 that the quest for freedom never stops, even as historians tout significant moments of achievement.
An estimated 200 people, including volunteers, students and civil rights advocates gathered on Monday to mark the birthday holiday of the late, prominent civil rights leader who lived from 1929 to 1968.
Citing historically recognized events in which Black heroes rose to overcome their slavery, bondage and discrimination, Higginbotham said while progress has been made, the work is not done without constant courage and suffering.
“History manifests itself in conflicts,” she said, adding that the character of pursuing freedom shifts in time.
She gave four points of advice to her audience: Don’t patronize or spend money on racist companies or stores; trust the power of grass roots actions; recognize that there are varieties of protests; and always push for voting rights.
She spoke frequently of her own grandfather, Rev. Walter Henderson Brooks, a former slave who entered Lincoln in 1866 and received his degree in 1872. Brooks was an orator, poet, journalist and reformer, as well has a scholar of Black Baptist Church history.
Higginbotham is the
Victor S. Thomas Professor of History and African and African American Studies at Harvard University. She has received numerous awards, most notably the 2014 National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama for “illuminating the African American Journey.”
The holiday event was hosted by the Martin Luther King CommUnity of the Kennett area. Lincoln University President Brenda Allen offered her welcome to the guests as well, echoing the theme, “We still have a dream.”
Several individuals including Lincoln students and Kennett Square Mayor Matt Fetick presented quotes from King’s speeches, including his most famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
Fetick added he first attended a King breakfast event in 2004.
“I never really thought about racial justice before that,” he said.
He also praised the late Mabel Thompson for initiating the event in 2001. He said she had a vision of the community joined as one regardless of race, religion or gender.
Thompson was the founder who generated the word “community” into the message “commUNITY.
The MLK Day event also featured a brunch of chicken and waffles, which the guests ate while they were entertained by the Lincoln University choruses and sang along with songs led by MLK CommUNITY
President Carol Black.
Kennett Square residents
Marc and Susan Pevar presented a song called, “Top of the Mountain.” Marc said he did not want to take credit for the song because it came to him miraculously in a dream.
The breakfast concluded with an emotional performance of “We Shall Overcome.”
The breakfast event concluded with the singing and holding of hands to “We Shall Overcome.” Black informed the audi-
ence that next year’s event will be held at Kennett High School. She said Unionville High School would be an appro-
Photos by Richard L. Gaw
Kennett High School Assistant Principal Chanel August Ruffin read from Who Was
Martin Luther King, Jr? as part of Voices Underground’s story time event at the Kennett Library on Jan. 18.
priate place for a statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to commemorate the civil rights leader having once spoken at the school.
All photos by Chris Barber
The Lincoln University choruses entertained at the breakfast.
Keynote speaker Evelyn Higginbotham urges the audience to keep seeking King’s dream.
“We know that in Pennsylvania, while abortion remains legal and has remained legal, it is certainly not accessible to many people across the state,” said Signe Espinoza, executive director of Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates.
Limited access, TRAP laws
Espinoza said that at the time of Roe v. Wade’s passage in the early 1970s, there were over 175 abortion providers across the state. Today, there are only 17 facilities, excluding hospitals. According to abortionfinder.org, Pa. has 21 in-person providers across the state and nine virtual options.
“Access to abortion has been something that antiabortion elected officials have been chipping away at for decades,” Espinoza said. “The threat to abortion didn’t start when Dobbs fell. The threat to abortion has been in our backyards for decades.”
Espinoza cites targeted restrictions on abortion providers (TRAP) laws as a significant contributor to the loss of abortion access across the state. According to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, TRAP laws include abortion providers having to meet building requirements for ambulatory surgical centers; the requirement of doctors providing abortions to have hospital admitting privileges at a nearby hospital; and reporting requirements that force doctors to supply the state government with medical or patient information as needed, among other measures. Consequently, the layers of requirements can restrict providers and force doors to close.
In Chester County, there is only one in-person abortion clinic left: West Chester’s Planned Parenthood Surgical Center. For local communities in southern Chester County, The Planned Parenthood Surgical Center is about 40 minutes from Oxford, about 30 minutes from Coatesville and over 20 minutes from Kennett Square, and without a reliable form of transportation, access to abortion services in Chester County is very
difficult for some women.
“That means that someone from Oxford has to get to West Chester, or someone from Coatesville has to get to West Chester,” said Cheryl Brubaker, executive director at the Fund for Women and Girls. “Public transportation doesn’t exist, so that complicates some of the barriers that exist. We always push back that Pennsylvania is an ‘access state.’ Yes, it is legal, but it’s not an access state.
“It’s an opportunity state, where we can really come together and make change so that it is accessible to more people.”
Misinformation
Transportation and TRAP laws are not the only barriers to abortion access in the county. Misinformation is also a potential barrier to reproductive access.
Those seeking abortion services may turn to pregnancy crisis centers, that are often run by anti-abortion advocates and religious organizations and do not provide abortion services, referrals, prenatal care or even birth control. They may, however, offer free pregnancy tests, free limited ultrasounds and family counseling in an effort to influence patients against abortion.
Crisis pregnancy centers outnumber abortion providers across the state nine to one and in Chester County alone there are six crisis pregnancy center locations. One such pregnancy crisis center is Chester County Connect Care, whose client website states that they provide free pregnancy tests, free ultrasounds and counseling, but the agency “does not provide extended OB/GYN or pre-natal care, birth control prescriptions or devices, fertility testing, abortion services or referrals for abortions.”
The client website provides information on pregnancy options that lean pro-life; however, the transparency on the client website ends there.
The client website does not disclose the center’s religious affiliations which can only be found on a separate information website link at www.ccconnectcareinfo.org. The first of four pillars of the organization state that it is, “important to know,” that, “the core of Chester County Connect Care’s mission lies the pro-
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found desire to share the transformative love of Jesus Christ and the abundant life He offers to our clients,” yet this is not found on the client website.
The information site also states that Connect Care underwent a rebranding in 2022 including changing its name from Chester County Women’s Services in order to, “expand our reach to abortion-vulnerable individuals and increase the positive impact that our services have on women, men, and families.”
Additionally, the information website includes a video called “In Her Shoes” which walks the viewers through a typical appointment at the center. The client website features a nearly identical video called “What to Expect,” except all religious and biblical references have been noticeably cut from this version.
Connect Care was contacted for an interview and was initially responsive. However, a representative of the organization requested the Chester County Press sign a “confidentiality” agreement and send over questions prior to an interview. The representative did not respond to further communication and did not respond to a reporter’s questions pertaining to the differing information on the agency’s websites.
Connect Care has three locations in the county: Coatesville, Kennett Square and West Chester.
Other crisis pregnancy centers in Chester County include Birthright of West Chester and Coatesville, and Phoenixville’s A Baby’s Breath and Genesis Women’s Clinic. Espinoza did not reference any one crisis center specifically but shared her thoughts on the practice of crisis centers across the state.
“You’ll know very quickly that they are not real providers, because they are often run by anti-abortion activists who have very shady and harmful tactics and their intention is to really scare you and shame you and pressure you out of getting an abortion,” said Espinoza. “They actually play a really critical role in what it looks like to access abortion in a state where these centers – fake providers, fake clinics and anti-abortion centers – are all over in our communities and it’s really, really dif-
ficult for folks to get real care when we have 17 abortion providers left in the state, and they outnumber us.”
Espinoza also shared that the Pa. Attorney General’s website has an online form to “report reproductive health deceptive activity.”
According to the website, the goal is to, “report misleading and deceptive conduct by crisis pregnancy centers,” including, “misrepresenting services offered, misrepresenting the danger of abortion, delaying reproductive health services through duplicative tests, and/or hidden fees.”
Reproductive care does not start nor end with just abortions and finding trusted providers is an important step to managing reproductive health. For other general reproductive health services in the county, options include regular primary care and OB/GYN doctor offices, but if this is not accessible, LCH community health centers, including their Women’s Health Center in West Grove, are also options.
Services offered at LCH’s Women’s Health Center include annual exams, breast and cervical cancer screenings, IUD and Nexplanon insertion and removal, family planning and contraception, STD screenings, pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, prenatal care, postpartum care and more. LCH does not perform abortions nor provide direct referrals for abortions, but they will provide information on where locations for the service are.
“What I would say to any individual searching for care and is not sure where to go is that community health centers like LCH are an excellent
option for everyone,” said Kate Wickersham, director of development at LCH. “We do have insurance that we accept and Medicaid that we accept, and we also accept those who are uninsured, who have the availability of the sliding fee discount scale.”
Wickersham also highlighted that all LCH locations are along the SCCOOT Route, making public transportation an option for those hoping to access LCH resources.
Putting up a fight
While LCH and other providers offer care across the county to those who need it, when it comes to reproductive care in southern Chester County, accessibility still remains one of the greatest barriers to residents receiving their needed and preferred care.
The work to make abortion and reproductive care more accessible to Pennsylvanians is far from over for those on the front lines of the issue. While the state’s legislature has a Democratic majority and a
Democratic governor that are supportive of reproductive health care, the senate has a Republican majority, making it hard for advocates like Espinoza to see the changes they want to see.
“It still makes it incredibly difficult for us, because it means we can’t get anything proactively done,” she said. “With the incoming Trump administration and the incoming state administration at the end of the month, there’s only so much we can do through the legislature, if anything at all.”
Though there are continued challenges facing pro-choice advocates, Espinoza said the motivation to fight seems to only be growing stronger.
“Make no mistake,” she said. “We know that sexual, reproductive health care is certainly under threat, and we’re going to make sure that we are on deck to put up a fight.”
To contact Contributing Writer Gabbie Burton, email Gburton@chestercounty.com.
State lawmakers launch bipartisan Competitiveness Caucus
Pennsylvania State Senators Kristin PhillipsHill, R-York and Lisa Boscola, D-Northampton, along with State Representatives Paul Friel, D-Chester and Josh Kail, R-Beaver announced the formation of a new bipartisan, bicameral group in the state General Assembly: the Pennsylvania Competitiveness Caucus.
The legislators said the new caucus aims to unify efforts across the Capitol and party lines to strengthen the state’s economic competitiveness and ensure a robust, dynamic economy today and into the future.
The formation of the Pennsylvania Competitiveness Caucus
comes at a crucial time for the commonwealth. As the state faces challenges in retaining businesses, attracting new investment, and reversing stagnant population growth, the caucus will serve as a dedicated platform for lawmakers to collaborate on policies that drive economic growth and make Pennsylvania an attractive place to live and work.
“Although we sit on opposite sides of the aisle, we are united in our belief that making Pennsylvania more economically competitive through the advancement of pro-growth policies will benefit working-class families, reverse our stagnant population growth,
and ensure our commonwealth is an attractive place to live, work, and raise a family for generations to come,” Phillips-Hill said. “I am thrilled to be joining this bipartisan group of my colleagues to elevate this vital conversation and focus on key policies that will grow our state.”
The Pennsylvania Competitiveness Caucus will build on the momentum created by recent progrowth wins in the 2024-25 state budget, including permitting reform and eliminating Pennsylvania’s start-up tax by improving the treatment of net operating losses. These policy victories reflect a broader effort to enhance the state’s
economic landscape – a commitment the caucus intends to carry forward.
“The most recent budget was a giant step forward in making Pennsylvania more competitive today and building the workforce of tomorrow,” Boscola said. “We need to keep the momentum going, and that takes both parties and both chambers working together to create commonsense policies that help our businesses thrive and create family-sustaining jobs.”
The caucus will work to strengthen the commonwealth’s long-term economic competitiveness and focus on key public policy impacting the commonwealth’s abil-
ity to attract and retain business investment in Pennsylvania.
“Our Competitiveness Caucus recognizes the enormous potential of Pennsylvania to be a global leader in industry, technology and innovation,” Friel said. “We also know that the prosperity of our citizens is tied to the policies that unlock this economic potential, and we are dedicated to developing legislative approaches that strengthen our families, our businesses and our commonwealth.”
The Pennsylvania Competitiveness Caucus will unite legislators from all four caucuses to work together on the shared
mission of positioning Pennsylvania as a leader in economic performance.
“The time to unleash Pennsylvania’s potential as an economic powerhouse is now,” Kail said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to co-chair the bipartisan, bicameral Competitiveness Caucus, and look forward to collaborating on actionable policies that will spur prosperity in Pennsylvania.”
The caucus will hold a news conference at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 28 in the Main Capitol Rotunda to discuss the goals for the legislative session. Immediately following, the caucus will hold its first meeting for members only.
Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates works to achieve public, governmental and media support for reproductive health care.
Courtesy images
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
The stratagem of human decency
In the annals of American history, our nation’s highest moments have often arrived in defiance of prevailing sentiment, and two of them have been achieved in the form of courageous and clandestine whispers very near where we now live.
In 1849, Harriet Tubman was informed of the inevitable fate that awaited African Americans during that time: She would soon be sold as a slave, to toil under the hot sun in obscurity for the remainder of her life –an invisible human being with breath, a pulse, and with legs and arms strong enough for working on plantations.
Hiding throughout the day, she made it through Maryland, Delaware on roadways and waterways mostly in the dead of night, navigating her way through a myriad of landscapes and weather, and eventually, she arrived in Pennsylvania, where she found freedom as a selfemancipated woman.
Risking her life and
the lives of others, Tubman found her way back to Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and over the course of a decade and 13 separate journeys, Tubman led more than 70 people to freedom who had once been most assuredly destined for slavery and provided instructions to another 50 in helping them to find freedom – many right through the heart of Kennett Square in what became a center point in the Underground Railroad movement.
To Dr. Bartholomew Fussell, the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 – a decree that required that all escaped slaves upon capture be returned to the enslaver and that officials and citizens of free states had to cooperate – held very little meaning to his Quaker beliefs. Working with local abolitionists, he sheltered runaway slaves in the root cellar of his Fussell House home in Kennett Square – the catacombs are still there – and provided medical services to the sick and the injured. In the great document of Chester County, Dr. Fussell’s actions against the
County’s tax increase was necessary to continue to provide services residents rely on
Letter to the Editor:
In his guest column in the Jan. 15 edition of the Chester County Press, Kennett Township Supervisor Geoffrey Gamble complained that the recently approved county tax increase of 13 percent has failed to match inflation. The last tax increase approved by the Commissioners was in 2021. Prices in Pennsylvania have risen 17.5 percent since January 2021. Without in any way dismissing the challenges of covering expenses in retirement, I’d note that, for the 26 percent of Kennett Township residents receiving Social Security, their benefits rose 17.9 percent in the same period — increases designed in part to cover increased taxes. Geoffrey Gamble sees no value in the services the county provides for our taxes. I invite readers to spend a few minutes skimming through the latest (2023) Annual Report Summary of County income and expenditures provided by our elected Controller [that can be found on chesco.org].
I’m grateful and rely on those services — services my township would struggle to provide on its own.
David Ross West Nottingham
code of law to protect innocent citizens have earned him a place in its history.
On Jan. 20, Donald J. Trump took an oath to become the 47th President of the United States, and before the last song at the last inaugural ball was performed, his campaign promise to initiate mass deportations of undocumented citizens in the United States was underway. Tom Homan, Trump’s new “border czar,” said that the deportation would first go after criminals and national security threats, but that he would not rule out deporting entire families.
In a recent interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Trump reiterated Homan’s words, saying that he would be open to deporting all undocumented immigrants in the country over the course of his four-year term, and that he would consider using “military assets” to do so.
“On Day 1, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history to get the criminals out,”
he said during a rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden just before the 2024 Presidential election. “I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered, and we will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail, then kick them the hell out of our country as fast as possible.”
There are an estimated 11 million undocumented citizens living in the U.S. without legal immigration status, and about 155,000 live in Pennsylvania. Of that number, an estimated 30,000 work in the state’s agricultural industry, which includes mushroom farms and composting sites throughout Chester County. According to statistics by The American Immigration Council, this population makes up nearly ten percent of the state’s entire workforce.
While the H-2A program will permit U.S. employers to bring foreign citizens to the U.S. to temporarily fill the agricultural jobs expected to be lost because of deportation efforts, many in the industry fear that it will not be enough to make
up for the loss of undocumented workers in the wake of an aggressive deportation campaign. Further, many experts are forecasting what could become a huge disruption in food production and jacked-up pricing, all leading to a vast economic destabilization of the entire agricultural industry and a significant punch in the gut to local mushroom farmers.
It is only fair – and accurate – to declare that this act of mass deportation will impose not just an economic hardship on southern Chester County but an emotional one as well. While these proposed efforts are rightly expected to deport the less desirable element of this wave of illegal immigration, this administration’s “scorched earth” philosophy of anyone and everyone is wrongly targeting the decent individuals and families who aspire to a better life. Bloodthirsty criminals? It is hard to equate the term to those who seek assimilation and legal status; who attend adult literacy programs; who toil long and without argument in our mushroom-producing facili-
ties and contribute to a multi-billion-dollar industry; who proudly express their heritage in what has become part of the county’s rich tapestry; and who are the foundations by which their “dreamer” children – those born and raised in the U.S. – pursue college and careers.
As of now, we do not know who among us will attach themselves to the winged legacies of Harriet Tubman and Dr. Bartholomew Fussell in their efforts to protect this population, but we encourage them – schools, non-profit organizations, houses of worship, municipalities and private citizens – to pursue every legal manner of recourse to prevent these families – these cultures – from being ripped apart. Time and time again in the course of our nation’s most ferocious conflicts, the act of civil disobedience – the stratagem of human decency – has proven to be the finest residue of our most honorable intentions. That time is again upon us.
To truly protect the Big Elk Creek State Park, DCNR should enter into a conservation easement with a land trust
Letter to the Editor:
I am a member of the Big Elk Creek Task Force, established by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) as a result of a public meeting to discuss its vision for Big Elk Creek State Park held in January 2023. DCNR was pressured to create an advisory group to include members of the community. DCNR must have been put off by the word advisory and now I can see why. They do not want to be advised at all. In a recent task force meeting, we were able to speak directly to DCNR Secretary Cindy Dunn. The main topic was to re-establish Big Elk Creek (BEC), as part of the White Clay Creek Preserve. Below are my main take-aways from this futile meeting.
Secretary Dunn brushed off our request to re-establish BEC as a “preserve,” indicating it to be a nomenclature issue. Re-establishing BEC as part of the White Clay Creek (WCC) Preserve is in no way a nomenclature issue. In fact, it would change the way DCNR staff manage the site, similar to how they manage their only Preserve in Pennsylvania. WCC uses existing infrastructure, provides bathrooms and a trail system with associated parking areas that leave minimal impacts to the surrounding natural lands and neighbors.
Secretary Dunn considers the word “preserve” as a weaponized term, meant to keep others out of the area. I take offense to that sentiment. A majority of the task force members have been pushing DCNR to re-estab-
lish BEC as part of White Clay Creek Preserve since the task force was established. The intent of this request is to limit DCNR’s impact to the area, to respect the rare and endangered species on the land, to maintain the bucolic nature of the area, and in no way is it intended to keep anyone out that wants to visit the land and walk on the trails.
Secretary Dunn indicated that DCNR is in the forever business. Initially, I scoffed at that remark. However, upon further consideration, they are in the forever business. Whatever they do on that land, however they plan to manage that land, it will have impacts to the land and the surrounding communities forever. But in actuality they are not in the forever business. They are land developers that
often build inappropriate infrastructure in inappropriate places for recreational purposes, often ruining the resources they want the public to see. I have worked in state parks for 13 years and have seen recreational values trump conservation values every time. DCNR is not a land trust. The only way we can protect the vast natural and historic values of BEC in perpetuity is to urge DCNR to enter into a conservation easement with a land trust to ensure the lands that George Strawbridge meant to be forever open and part of a much larger wildlife corridor remain so. Transcripts of meetings are available at the website www.SaveBigElkCreek.org.
Eileen Butler Task Force member No. 16
Big Elk Creek State Park should be re-designated as a preserve
Letter to the Editor:
Thank you for your continued, excellent coverage of proposed infrastructure at Big Elk Creek State Park. It has been one year since a standing-room-only town hall was held at Avon Grove Charter School. Richard Gaw’s account (01/18/2024) of that event well-captured the passion and logic with which residents and numerous officials opposed plans by the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) for RV campgrounds and other infrastructure. You subsequently published letters
from Ciaran Weatherill and Jason Blom, members of local Boy Scout Troops, who advocated for a return of Big Elk Creek lands back to preserve status. Count me in with them. Furthermore, we have been joined by at least eleven municipalities and related organizations which have written letters opposing development to Governor Josh Shapiro and/ or Secretary Cindy Dunn of DCNR.
This critical mass of written objection is not to omit the tireless work of Anteia Consorto and State Representative John Lawrence. She has
effectively mobilized a grass-roots organization, Save Big Elk Creek www. savebigelkcreek.org. He has applied constant pressure to prevent unwanted development, including the filing of Right-to-Know requests which have been largely rebuffed by DCNR.
As a BIEL master plan task force is about to finish its work, you published last week a timely guest column from former State Sen. Andy Dinniman in which he took to task DCNR for reneging on the initial promise to keep those lands as a preserve. Senator Dinniman’s column offered
a great deal of historical background and insight. He was at the table when the lands were transferred from a private seller, and he is familiar with the funding and effort which Chester County has invested into acquiring these lands.
Thank you for adding his voice to those of other residents, officials, and organizations who are asking for BIEL to be redesignated as a preserve which is open to the public and to be enjoyed in its natural state.
George Hundt, Jr. Executive Director S.A.V.E.
Longwood Gardens’ Winter Wonder showcases blooming gardens under glass
Escape the winter chill for Mediterranean-inspired beauty during Winter Wonder at Longwood Gardens, on view now through March 23. Featuring Longwood’s new 32,000-square-foot West Conservatory and preserved Cascade Garden, the Winter Wonder season showcases breathtaking indoor landscapes and engaging opportunities to learn, relax, and explore.
The recently opened West Conservatory, with its dramatic crystalline roofline, shines in winter as its Mediterranean-inspired garden comes into full bloom. Vibrant colors, exotic textures, and sunloving scents fill the air, transporting guests to a warmer, welcoming oasis under glass. Californialilacs (Ceanothus ‘Concha’), pincushion (Leucospermum ‘Brandi Dela Cruz’), and cascading heart-leaf pelargonium (Pelargonium cordifolium) are just a few of the many plants that bloom indoors in winter months.
Just steps away, the Cascade Garden, an intimate garden highlighting the plants of the rainforest, enchants with its 16 waterfalls and winding path. Its preservation within a new 2,800 square-foot, standalone glasshouse provides a serene escape for all who
enter. Longwood’s East and Main conservatories continue to delight, offering acres of indoor colorful plantings and rich textures that are the perfect contrast to the muted hues of the winter landscapes outdoors.
Winter’s Botanical Highlights
From January through March, the conservatories come alive with a rotating palette of seasonal blooms, each bringing its own unique charm. In January, delight in the fiery orange hues of tall kangaroo-paws (Anigozanthos flavidus ‘Orange Cross’) and crisp white cyclamen, complemented by the golden tones of scarletplume (Euphorbia fulgens ‘Algevo’) and striking aloe (Aloe ‘ANDora’ Safari Orange). February ushers in the delicate blue blossoms of blue-flax (Heliophila coronopifolia), the intricate beauty of melasphaerula (Melasphaerula ramosa), and the vibrant coral of globe-mallow (Sphaeralcea ‘Newleaze Coral’).
As spring approaches in March, revel in the sweetly scented freesia (Freesia ‘Blue Sensation’), the bold crimson petals of poppy-flowered anemone (Anemone coronaria), and the captivating star-
like blooms of Portuguese squill (Scilla peruviana). Throughout the season, the ethereal hanging baskets of cape-primrose (Streptocarpus ‘Concord Blue’) lend a dreamy ambiance to the conservatories, their cascading flowers a perennial favorite.
Culinary Delights
Winter is the perfect time to savor the new 1906 fine dining restaurant. Led by Chef George Murkowicz, a culinary innovator with a passion for locally sourced ingredients, 1906 offers an elevated lunch menu focused on seasonality and sustainability, Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Learn more and make reservations for 1906 at longwoodgardens.org/dine.
For a selection of readyto-eat sandwiches and salads, hot entrée selections, and freshly prepared desserts, visit The Café. No reservations are needed for The Café which is open Wednesday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Learn and discover with educational opportunities
Longwood offers a variety of educational opportunities and experiences that encourage new skills and a greater appreciation for horticulture. From free talks and lectures to more in-depth classes, guests can discover more about nature in a variety of ways.
Join Longwood’s talented staff for a look at the science and research required to create the dazzling displays that make Longwood a great garden of the world. The monthly Science Series invites guests to meet the experts behind Longwood’s
innovative displays, with engaging talks on sustainability, plant care, and conservation. Each lecture is free with Gardens Admission.
Captivating Performances
Longwood’s Conservatory becomes an intimate venue for live performances this winter, featuring renowned artists in classical, jazz, and world music. Highlights include accomplished organist Clair Rozier on February 23, the Danish trio Dreamers’ Circus on March 5, The Naghash Ensemble on March 16 performing Armenian folk and spiritual music, and the Kennett Symphony on March 23.
Visit longwoodgardens. org for more information about Winter Wonder, including plant highlights, events, and ticketing details. Tickets are $25 for adults (ages 19-64), $22 for seniors (ages 65+) and college students (with valid ID), and $13 for youth (ages 5-18). Gardens and the Garden Shop are
open Wednesday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Tuesday.
About Longwood Gardens
In 1906, industrialist Pierre S. du Pont purchased a small farm near Kennett Square to save a collection of historic trees from being sold for lumber. Today, Longwood Gardens is one of the world’s great horticultural displays, welcoming 1.6 million guests annually and encompassing 1,100 acres of dazzling gardens, woodlands, meadows, fountains, a 10,010-pipe Aeolian organ,
and grand conservatory. Expanding on its commitment to conservation, in 2024 Longwood Gardens acquired the 505-acre Longwood at Granogue, a cultural landscape in nearby Wilmington, Delaware. Longwoo d Gardens is the living legacy of Pierre S. du Pont, bringing joy and inspiration to everyone through the beauty of nature, conservation, and learning. Open daily, Longwood is one of more than 30 gardens in the Philadelphia region known as America’s Garden Capital. For more information, visit longwoodgardens.org.
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
On
Photo credit Becca Mathias for Longwood Gardens
Acacia salicina in the West Conservatory.
Photo credit Albert Vecerka/Esto
An interior view of the 1906 Restaurant.
Photo credit Becca Mathias for Longwood Gardens
Orangery in the Main Conservatory.
Photos by Richard L. Gaw Mascots from three of the four participating elementary schools pose with the directors of the Day of Service, held this year at Hillendale Elementary School on Jan. 20.
Julie Crater, left, a teacher at Pocopson Elementary School, helps members of the school’s student council create a fleece blanket that will be used at a local Ronald McDonald House.
HAZEL V. OWENS
Hazel V. Owens, born on April 28, 1943 in Damascus, Virginia, passed away peacefully on January 15, 2025 in West Grove.
She was the beloved daughter of the late Mary E. Roark and John W. Owens.
Hazel was the devoted mother of Donna Hampton (Joyce) of York, Pa., and Lenna Pierson (Mark) of Landenberg, as well as mother-in-law to Sandi Hampton of West Grove. She was a proud grandmother to Jeremy Hampton (James), Andrea Hess (Joel), Amanda Mills (Greg), Heather Murphy (Sean), Samantha Barnes (Steph), David Pierson (Monica), Joshua Hampton, and Michael Latham. Her legacy continues through her great-grandchildren: Jaxson, Adalynn, Cameron, Malcolm, Sawyer, Haydn, Dylan, Easton, Hope, Marcus, and another on the way. She is also survived by sisters Peggy Parsons of Stevens, Pa. and Jeannie Nantais of Newark, Del., as well as a host of nieces and nephews.
Hazel was predeceased by her parents; her son, Randy Hampton; her granddaughter, Rachel Hampton; her siblings John Owens and Kathryn Bolden, and her former spouse and father of her children, James W. Hampton.
Hazel’s creativity and passion for life shone brightly through her many talents. She wrote and produced
numerous church plays, often enlisting family members to participate and crafting costumes that are still in use today. Throughout her life, Hazel held various roles including dietician, nanny, cook, women’s shelter manager, home health aide, Sunday School teacher, and seamstress. However, her most treasured role was being “MomMom Hazel (Pazel)” to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Twin Pines Nursing Home and Willow Tree Hospice for their compassionate care during Hazel’s final years. She formed lasting friendships with both residents and staff.
A service to honor Hazel’s life will be held on Thursday, January 23 at Kuzo Funeral Home, 250 W. State Street, Kennett Square. Visitation begins at 11 a.m., followed by a service at noon, with Pastor Robert L. Vannoy.
Interment will take place at Union Hill Cemetery in Kennett Square. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Manna Ministries at New London Baptist Church, 226 Pennock Bridge Road, West Grove, Pa. 19390, where Hazel volunteered until her health declined.
Hazel’s memory will forever bring joy and comfort to those who knew and loved her.
To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.
MARY ANN PICCARD
Mary Ann (Ritz) Piccard, 87, died on January 7, 2025. She is survived by her son, Douglas Piccard, and her grandson, Mark Felix Piccard.
She was the daughter of the late Herman and Anna Mary Ritz of Lancaster, Pa., and has been a resident of Kennett Square since 1968. She was predeceased by her husband, John Augustus Piccard, and son, Mark Robert Piccard.
Mary Ann earned her bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College, and her master of science degree in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania before marrying John. She was working at DuPont’s Experimental Station when Douglas arrived, and she turned her energy and drive toward raising her sons. When they were older, she began forays into working again. She took up studying electrical engineering at Widener University and was awarded a master of science degree in electrical engineering. With this degree, she again found work with DuPont and eventually retired from there.
Mary Ann was always an avid artist, wielding anything from a cutting torch to a fine brush and pen. Her favorite subjects were horses and unicorns. Her other subjects were manifested with her skill at gardening, from flowers to fruit, and with that fruit, creating jams and jelly. She applied her engineering and artistic skills to authorship too. She published the Official Star Trek Cooking Manual, one still sought after for its straightforward, detailed instructions and wide pallet of recipes.
Her memorial celebration will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on March 29, 2025 at the Kennett Square Senior Center, 427 South Walnut Street, Kennett Square.
Memorial contributions in Mary Ann’s honor can be made to the animal rescue of your choice.
Arrangements are being handled by Matthew J. Grieco of Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. (484-7348100) of Kennett Square.
To view Mary Ann’s tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.griecofunerals.com.
RENEE QUINN HOTCHKISS
Renee “Quinny” Quinn
Hotchkiss, 6 months old, of Oxford, passed away on January 17, 2025 at Children’s Hospital of Hershey.
Born on July 1, 2024, she was the daughter of Raelyn Lee Hotchkiss of Oxford.
During her brief visit, she touched many lives. Renee’s life was a gift and she was loved by all who met her and will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her mother; grandmother, Judi Hunter of Oxford; great-grandparents, Raymond and Florence Hunter of Oxford; and three aunts, Cara Hotchkiss of Oxford, Kora Hotchkiss of Oxford and Aely Hotchkiss of Downingtown.
Services are private
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in loving memory of Renee Quinn Hotchkiss to the Ronald McDonald House, www.rmhc-centralpa. org or the Children’s Hospital of Hershey https:// secure.ddar.psu.edu/s/1218/02-hershey/index-navfrm. aspx?sid=1218&gid=1&pgid=928.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. (www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com) in Oxford.
DENNIS EARL BLADEN
Dennis “Skeeter” Earl Bladen, a resident of Newark, Del., departed this life on January 17, 2025 while at his residence. He was 78. He was the husband of Joyce Brison Bladen, with whom he shared 50 years of marriage. Born in West Chester, he was the son of the late Joseph Bladen and the late Pearl Froman Bladen.
He was a graduate of Avon Grove High School and Goldey-Beacom College.
He served his country for three years in the U.S. Army.
Skeeter worked at General Motors for 30 years before retiring, and he then worked for 12 years at the Speakman Plumbing Company.
He enjoyed all sports, traveling, and his many trips to St. Lucia with his wife.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter, Dennis Henry, grandchildren, Roderick and Necole and many nieces and nephews.
You are invited to visit with his family and friends from 11 a.m. to noon on Friday, January 24 at the Kuzo Funeral Home, 250 West State Street, Kennett Square.
His funeral service will follow at noon.
Burial will be private and will be at a later date at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.
JAMES DANIEL BEAIL
James Daniel “Jimmy” Beail, a father, grandfather, friend and lifelong mentor of many, passed away on January 13, 2025. Jimmy was surrounded by his loving family as he peacefully passed. He was 93 years of age at the time of his death.
He was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., the son of the late Edward Beail and the late Agnes (Flannery) Beail. He was one of six with two older brothers and three sisters. He adored his baby sister Joan, who was with him in his last days.
From a young age, Jim was taught that hard work will take you anywhere you want to go. He was willing to pass on his 93 years of life lessons to anyone willing to listen.
Jim married Ruth and moved to Delaware County. His brother, Bernie, encouraged him to join the union and become a brick-layer. He enjoyed a career with John B. Kelly for over 50 years. He loved his craft. In fact, it was one of his favorite hobbies.
Jim and Ruth resided in Green Ridge, Pa., where they raised their three children, Jimmy, Sharon, and Anne. Sadly, their marriage ended in divorce.
On December 28, 1991, he met his true soulmate, Joy Barlow. They shared 31 beautiful years together. Jim and Joy loved being with their families, going on trips, visiting friends, and just running errands together. It was true love.
Prior to his passing, Jim was a father, a caregiver, a loyal friend, and role model to many in the community. He was a father figure to several of his friends. He showed others the value of hard work, compassion, and true love.
He will be remembered for his love of family and his true desire to help his fellow man. He was the most generous, hard-working person his family knew. He was a gentle man, always willing to lend a hand.
He loved to work with his grandsons, Aaron and Chad. While he was in his 90s, Jim could outwork his younger team members. He loved being on the job and going for coffee and a donut to start the day. In his later days, he would sit and supervise. He was so proud of all his grandchildren. They brought him great joy.
James is survived by his children, James W. Beail and his wife, Patrice Beail, Sharon Schofield and her husband, Timothy Schofield, and Anne Emerson and her husband, David Emerson. Also surviving are his grandchildren, Candace Schofield, Chad Schofield, Erica Beail, Lexie Mungo and husband, Kahlaf Mungo, Sarah Schofield, Zachary Emerson and wife, Elizabeth Emerson, and Aaron Emerson, and great-grandchildren, Anna Schofield, Henry Schofield, Zyaire Mungo, and Zariyah Mungo.
He will be deeply missed by his family.
Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service that will start promptly at noon on Saturday, January 25 at Mendenhall Inn, 323 Kennett Pike in Mendenhall, Pa. A luncheon will follow.
Arrangements are being handled by Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory (484-7348100) of Kennett Square. To view Jim’s online obituary, please visit www.griecofunerals. com.
AUDREY E. BOYLE
Audrey E. Boyle, of Nottingham, passed away at home on January 13, 2025. She was 66.
She was the wife of Thomas Joseph (Joey) Boyle, Jr., with whom she shared 27 years of marriage. They were together for 39 years.
Born in West Grove, she was the daughter of the late James Bernard and Audrey Phyllis Rennard Ehrhart. She was a graduate of Oxford Area High School.
Audrey was employed with Jennersville Hospital for over 20 years as a medical technician and retired from Dart Manufacturing, Lancaster after 5 years.
She is survived by her husband; a stepson, Jason Boyle (Jenette) of Nottingham; seven step-grandchildren; two sisters, Linda Howell of New York and Janice Blevins of Nottingham; and her dog, Gus.
She is preceded in death by two sisters, Shirley Taylor and Charlotte Hodge.
Funeral services were held on January 20 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.
Interment was in Union Cemetery, Kirkwood.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.
JOHN E. PAXSON, SR.
John E. Paxson, who put faith and family first in life, died January 9 at Lancaster General Hospital with some of those he loved most by his side. He was 82. John was born in West Grove, the oldest child of Everard and Elizabeth Fuchs Paxson’s three sons. The family lived on a farm, and John’s early education was in a one-room schoolhouse. John graduated at the age of 16 from Avon Grove High School. He was a four-sport athlete, especially excelling in baseball and in track and field.
As an adult, he showed his love of sports by becoming a faithful supporter of the Oxford Little League and Golden Bears football.
John was 19 when he met Sara Highfield at a bowling alley in Kennett Square. They married two years later and were together for 60 years.
John took a job as an insurance agent at Prudential Insurance Company at a friend’s suggestion. He was good at the work, and soon decided he wanted to be his own boss. He opened the Paxson Insurance Agency in 1982 with Sara at his side at home and in the office. The business was a great success that lasted for more than 20 years.
John was a man of faith who often led prayers before his family’s meals. He was actively involved in the churches he attended, serving as an elder at Nottingham Presbyterian Church and Kirkwood Presbyterian Church, before settling at Manor Presbyterian Church in Cochranville 20 years ago. John took his role as elder seriously. He was always willing to counsel church members in need.
John’s father and brothers all passed at very young ages, so John cherished every one of his 82 years, considering each one a gift. Those years allowed him to see his three children happily settled and to meet his six grandchildren. His grandchildren were everything to him, and he happily attended birthdays, graduations, school performances and sporting events as often as he could.
John was preceded in death by his parents and siblings. In addition to his wife, Sara, he is survived by his three children, John E. Paxson, Jr. (Chris) of Nottingham; Thomas C. Paxson (Whitney) of Washington, D.C.; and Kimberly Anderson (Scott) of Oxford; and his six grandchildren, Ian Paxson (Maria), Zachary Paxson, William Paxson, Madeline Paxson, Eleanor Paxson and Katherine Anderson.
John’s family invites you to join them as they celebrate his life on January 25 at the Manor Presbyterian Church at 505 Street Road in Cochranville. Friends and family may visit beginning at 9:30 a.m. A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. and be followed by a luncheon on the church premises.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Manor Presbyterian Church.
Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. (www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com) in Oxford.
AMERICAN DREAMS
Grant from AstraZeneca Foundation will advance health equity in Southern Chester County
LCH Health and Community Services has been selected as a secondyear grant awardee of the AstraZeneca Foundation’s Creating Health Access for Next Generation Equity (CHANGE) program, which aims to advance health equity and improve access to quality healthcare for people experiencing disadvantages due to their race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and more.
This funding will provide critical support to increase access to equitable, affordable healthcare for our community.
This opportunity allows LCH to focus on access to behavioral health, care man-
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
1p-8-3t 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,
agement for chronic health conditions, building partnerships with local schools to increase access to care for children and families, and bringing care to the community through health screenings.
LCH serves as a safety net for families, offering vital support through connections to essential resources, including health insurance enrollment, specialist appointments, and partnerships with food and housing organizations.
“We’re grateful to the AstraZeneca Foundation for this second-year CHANGE grant and its commitment to helping us increase access to quality healthcare in our
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 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
community,” said LCH CEO Ronan W. Gannon. “As we partner to advance health equity, this support will help LCH address chronic illnesses, provide preventive services, and ensure that everyone—regardless of income, language, or insurance status—can access the care they deserve.”
The AstraZeneca Foundation works to advance health equity and foster community wellbeing in the U.S. through strategic grant-giving and capacity building support for nonprofit organizations. The Foundation also provides financial support for AstraZeneca employees affected by fed-
required to furnish a Contrac-
tor’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
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE – PENN TOWNSHIP
ZONING HEARING BOARD
NOTICE is hereby given that the Zoning Hearing Board of Penn Township will hold a Public Hearing at the Penn Township Municipal Building, 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, Pennsylvania, on February 10, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at which time the Board will hear the following matter:
Application of Sebastian Muah seeking variances from the 25% maximum lot coverage and from the 50-foot minimum rear yard setback under Zoning Ordinance Sections 502.G and F, so as to allow the reconstruction of a deck at property located at 77 Allsmeer Drive, West Grove, PA 19390 (UPI #58-3-33.24) in the Township’s RS-Residential
erally declared disasters in the US and its territories. Established in 1993 as a nonprofit charitable organization, the Foundation is a separate legal entity from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals with dis-
Suburban Zoning district.
If you are a person with a disability and wish to attend the public meeting scheduled above and require an auxiliary aide, service or other accommodation to participate in the proceedings, please contact the Township Secretary at (610) 869-9620 to discuss how Penn Township may best accommodate your needs. Edward M. Foley, Solicitor, Brutscher, Foley, Milliner, Land & Kelly, LLP, 213 E. State Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348 1p-22-2t
INCORPORATION NOTICE
CHS Brewing Inc. has been incorporated under the provisions of the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988, as amended. Brutscher, Foley, Milliner, Land & Kelly, LLP, 213 East State Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348
1p-22-1t
ESTATE
NOTICE
Estate of Diane Launa Morrison, Late of Paoli, 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 Launa M. Engelbrecht, Executrix, C/O Attorney: Stephen Asbel, Reger, Rizzo and Darnall LLP, 2929 Arch St. 13th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104 1p-22-3t
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Courtesy photo
LCH Health and Community Services is receiving funding that will allow it to provide critical support to increase access to equitable, affordable healthcare for the southern Chester County community.
Local News
Day of Service...
Continued from Page 1B
• 60 bookmarks and 40 cards for the Nemours Children’s Hospital and • 155 decorated onesies and toddler shirts for YoungMoms, Inc.
Chelsea Wirth, a parent volunteer at Hillendale Elementary School, has worked with other parent volunteers over the past several years to produce the event in commemoration of King’s message of unity and his long-time service to others.
“Back when we start-
ed this event, our original intention was to combine three actions – ‘Learn, Create and Donate,’” Wirth said. “Through them, our students and families are able to make the connections with the organizations they are helping. They are not just dropping something off. They are meeting the people who work for these organizations, and they are learning about the people who benefit from what these organizations are doing for other people. The largest part of this event is that they are creating something for those people in our community.
“When those connections are made, it becomes a pattern of who you are and what you do.”
Wirth, a mother of three, said that her children look forward to participating in the Day of Service every year.
“They look forward to meeting the organizations that are here every year,” she said. “They look forward to meeting the new organizations, being with their school community and their friends and creating something wonderful.
“As a mother, that means a lot, because I feel as if I am creating a pattern that
will enable my children to hopefully remain contributing members of society as they grow. When I look around this room, I know that this forms a complete picture of what MLK Day is really all about.”
Chester County Commissioner Marian Moskowitz said that her visit to Hillendale Elementary School was one of a few volunteer stops she was making on Jan. 20.
“Every one of these events is special,” she said. “It’s nice for a community to be together in order to commemorate service to others. When my husband and I
were raising our children, we didn’t have anything like this to take them to.
These kids here today are going to grow up and carry on the legacy of volun-
Oxford Educational Foundation marks 30 years of mentoring
The National Mentoring Month of January may be drawing to a close, but the Oxford Educational Foundation's mentoring program has been a 12-month success since it began in 1995.
For the last 30 years, the Foundation has placed hundreds of mentors in Oxford schools, who meet students with the expectation of developing a positive an ongoing relationship.
“Research shows that mentoring is linked to improved academic, social, and economic prospects for young people, and that ultimately strengthens our community,” said Dr. Raymond A, Fischer, executive director of the Oxford Educational Foundation.
Mentors can play a powerful role in providing young people with the tools to make responsible decisions and to stay focused and engaged in school.
The program’s impact on individual students can be noticed in the child’s increased school attendance and academic success, decreased discipline referrals, and improvements in social skills. It positively affects the lives of the mentors, as well. Mentors have reported a sense of satisfaction in recognizing that they can make a difference.
Although the program is not a cure-all for the needs and challenges of today’s youth, it can provide a meaningful, positive relationship in the life of a child
who otherwise may receive little encouragement. These children need to know there is someone to whom they can turn not only when they have a problem, but also to share a success.
As we focus on engaging more community members in volunteering, we will share a simple message: Mentors make a difference.
If you know of anyone who could give an hour or two a week to serve as a mentor, please contact the Oxford Educational
and
and
Foundation’s volunteer coordinator, Kim Lewin at coordinator@oxfordeducationalfoundation.org
or Dr. Ray Fischer, executive director, at rfischer@ oxfordeducationalfoundation.org.
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Chester County Commissioner Marian Moskowitz, second from right, with representatives from a local chapter of Meals on Wheels.
teerism, and it reminds parents, as well.”
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
The Oxford Educational Foundation has been operating a mentoring program, placing hundreds of mentors in the Oxford schools, since 1995.
Courtesy photos
Mentors can play a powerful role in providing young people with the tools to make responsible decisions
to stay focused
engaged in school.
YMCA of Greater Brandywine debuts Fit Truk to improve community health
The YMCA of Greater Brandywine (YGBW) hosted elected officials, healthcare providers and community leaders on January 14 for a ribboncutting event to celebrate the launch of the YGBW Fit Truk, a fully equipped wellness hub on wheels.
The organization is the first YMCA Association on the east coast – and the second in the nation – to operate a Fit Truk.
The Fit Truk can provide a full fitness experience to 40 people at a time and includes office space for healthcare providers to perform screenings, administer vaccinations and more –offering opportunities for partnership.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was hosted at Hollinger Field House on the campus of West Chester University and included remarks from Jeanne Franklin, public health director for the Chester County Health Department, State Sen. Carolyn Comitta, Patrick Kinzeler, Co-CEO, Elite Therapy Solutions, State Rep. Chris Pielli and a number of YGBW Leaders.
After the official ribboncutting and the reading of a proclamation issued by Gov. Josh Shapiro, guests cheered on staff as they participated in an interval workout on the Fit Truk.
“It certainly is a good afternoon in Chester
County,” said Heather Worthy Wilson, chief strategy and growth officer for YGBW. “I’ve devoted my career to improving individual and community well-being – both in and outside of YMCAs across the east coast – and I’ve never been more excited to be part of the Y movement.”
“With the Fit Truk, we have the opportunity to deliver fitness directly into our community – but also to provide vital health screenings performed by medical providers,” said Bertram L. Lawson II, the president and CEO of YGBW. “Together, we can fast-track the delivery of our mission to all in Chester County – moving beyond our branch walls and forging new paths to connect our neighbors to vital health services.”
The Fit Truk unites the wellness expertise of YGBW staff with the medical expertise of local healthcare providers. Veronica Lopez, YGBW’s VP of health strategies, is a registered nurse that brings extensive health care experience to the organization.
“Together, we can promote preventative health, reduce hospital readmission rates and foster a culture of wellness that extends beyond traditional medical settings,” Lopez said. “This not only benefits the community but
provides much needed relief to an overburdened healthcare environment.”
The Fit Truk also extends the organization’s work to ensure that all in the community have access to tools, knowledge and resources that promote a healthy lifestyle and reduce and prevent chronic disease. With the Fit Truk, YGBW can expand services, reaching zip codes where services are needed.
“Chester County is known as a county with great wealth and resources, yet our county also has great need,” shared Franklin. “According to the Census Bureau, over 35,000 residents are living in the poverty level and an additional 60,000 earn less than the basic cost of living which impacts their overall health.”
Lawson echoed Franklin’s remarks, noting that serving more than 87,000 members of the Chester
County community is not enough. “We have more work to do,” he said.
Last year, YGBW awarded $2.5 million in financial aid to ensure that all people have access to life-impacting services, regardless of financial means. Lawson noted that the organization raised just over $1.3 million – leaving a gap to fill and more money to raise in 2025.
YGBW is the first YMCA Association in the nation to obtain Medical Fitness Facility Certification by the Medical Fitness Association. The branches of YGBW are the only facilities in the state of Pennsylvania to hold this certification.
“The certification process is rigorous and signifies that our team is qualified to deliver fitness as part of a comprehensive treatment plan to treat and reverse chronic disease,” Lawson added.
YGBW is on a path to becoming the trusted ancillary provider of local healthcare systems. The organization offers a number of Evidence-Based Health Interventions, like LIVESTRONG for Cancer Survivors – with plans to offer Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring, Healthy Weight and Your Child and more later this year.
“To my fellow healthcare providers in attendance today, know that we see your work and your dedication – and share your desire to live in a community, where everyone has access to the resources, knowledge and care needed to live their healthiest lives, concluded Lopez, speaking directly to the medical community.
To discuss partnership opportunities, sponsorship opportunities or to reserve the Fit Truk, visit ymcagbw. org/fittruk.
About YGBW’s Fit Truk: https://ymcagbw.org/healthy-living/ fit-truk-ymca-of-greaterbrandywine.
The organization is working to rollout Welld Health to enable two-way data exchange between medical providers and YGBW, provider referrals and billable services. These innovations, combined with the Fit Truk and Medical Fitness Facility Certification enable many opportunities to collaborate along the healthcare continuum.
YGBW Wellness staff demonstrate fitness equipment on the Fit Truk.
Courtesy photo
Guests celebrate after Bertram L. Lawson II cuts the ribbon on the YMCA of Greater Brandywine’s Fit Truk. Pictured are Jackie Canan, the senior association director of wellness programming, State Rep. Chris Pielli, Veronica Lopez, RN, the VP of Health Strategies, Heather W. Wilson, chief strategy and growth officer, Bertram L. Lawson II, president and CEO, Wendy Young, association director of community and mobile health, Patrick Kinzeler, co-CEO of Elite Therapy Solutions, Josh Guffey, co-founder of Fit Truk, Joe DelViscio, owner of Empower U Specialty Fitness, and State Sen. John Kane.
