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Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 154, No. 5
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
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Four employees terminated as part of township’s realignment By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Four long time staff members of Kennett Township were recently dismissed from their duties as part of an effort to realign the structure and priorities of the township’s management. On Jan. 24, the township terminated receptionist and permit coordinator Cathy Rowe; assistant to the treasurer and right-to-know officer Megan Cadreau; and
Michael O’Brien, assistant to the township manager. A fourth employee, Sara Meadows, who had served as the township’s historian and records keeper, was also terminated because her position was not funded in the 2020 budget. The decision to terminate the four employees was made by Township Manager Eden Ratliff in consultation with the township’s Board of Supervisors and Finance/ Human Resources Director
Amy Heinrich. Rowe, Cadreau and O’Brien were all offered severance packages at the time of their termination. Ratliff has not heard yet whether any of the three have accepted those packages, which include a continued salary for a period of time and a longer continuation of the township’s health care benefits. The transition was part of an effort to shift the township’s priorities and
departments towards planning and governance, and to create a stricter and more robust form of financial management and controls. “The township conducted a thorough review to determine the best path forward to restore trust and confidence in all parts of township operations and services,” Ratliff said. “There was a lot of push and pull to make sure that we were making the right decision for the township in the long-
term, and ultimately it was a team decision, and we’re all on the same page.” Ratliff said that although the salaries for the three employees was higher than the position responsibilities demanded, they were not a factor that led to the dismissal of Rowe, O’Brien and Cadreau. Ratliff found that their annual salaries far exceeded those of comparable positions held at other municipalities in Continued on Page 3A
Sewer Authority Buzz Tyson honored for 25 director offers years as the executive director update to Oxford of the Lighthouse Youth Center INSIDE Borough Council about loan responsibility By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer
2020 Health & Medical Guide
YoungMoms: Continuing to provide direction, inspiration...3B
Oxford Area Sewer Authority director David Busch had some good news and some bad news to deliver to Borough Council on Monday night. The good news,” said Busch, “is the Sewer Authority signed an agreement to sell a 33-acre parcel on Reedville Road and we also have a lot of interest on our property at 14 S. 3rd St. where the Authority is currently located.” However, the bad news is that that the Borough of Oxford, East Nottingham,
West Nottingham and Lower Oxford Townships were recently told they are left owing $1.2 million that resulted from two missed payments on a USDA loan that the Sewer Authority took out. According to a Guarantee Agreement signed by the four municipalities, the municipalities will need to pay a proportionate payment in April of this year. Since the majority of rate payers are in the borough, the borough will be paying the largest portion of that amount—44 percent. Busch said, “The problem is that all four municipalities Continued on Page 2A
Buzz Tyson has often spoken about how the community has blessed the Lighthouse Youth Center with tremendous support in its effort to provide positive programs and activities for youngsters in Oxford. The Lighthouse Youth Center itself has often been described as a blessing to the young people in the Oxford community. But last Thursday, as Tyson reached the 25th anniversary as the executive director of the Lighthouse, it was he who was being called a blessing. “We’re so thankful that Buzz is part of our team,” said Barry Hostetter, a longtime member of the Photo by Steven Hoffman Lighthouse’s board of State Rep. John Lawrence (right) presented Buzz Tyson directors. “It’s amazing (middle) with a proclamation honoring him for 25 years how many kids he has at the Lighthouse. Kathy Book (left) is the president of Continued on Page 2A
the Lighthouse Youth Center’s executive board.
‘I love where East Marlborough has a new township manager Oxford is headed’ Phil Harris, the new mayor of Oxford Borough, is enthusiastic about the town’s present—and even more optimistic about its future By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
New exhibitions link women’s suffrage and civil rights movements...1B
Photo by Monica Fragale
Neil Lovekin has been named the new township manager in East Marlborough Township.
By Monica Fragale Contributing Writer
INDEX
The East Marlborough Township Board of Opinion.......................7A Supervisors appointed Neil Obituaries...........2B&7B Lovekin as the new township manager on Monday Classifieds............4B-5B night. He begins that position on Feb. 10. “I look forward to being here,” Lovekin, a Willistown resident, said at the township © 2007 The Chester County Press meeting. After former township manager Laurie Prysock left in December, the supervisors spent the next two months looking for a replacement.
Hannah Christopher worked as the interim manager – a role that supervisors praised her for at Monday’s meeting. “We selected Neil after a pretty exhaustive search,” supervisors’ Chairman Robert McKinstry said. There were 55 applicants that were then whittled down to six, and then to three, before Lovekin was selected. Lovekin previously worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Community Development and the Chester County Department of Emergency Services. He has worked for
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the last six years as the assistant borough manager and zoning officer for Malvern Borough. His last day there is Feb. 7. He plans to have an open-door policy in East Marlborough. Christopher will remain the township treasurer and also serve as the assistant township manager. The supervisors proposed a resolution thanking her for her service as the interim manager. “Hannah’s done a great job,” said East Marlborough Police Chief Robert Clarke.
In the weeks since Phil Harris joined the short list of men and women who have served as mayor of Oxford Borough, he has been busy meeting with residents and business owners and the leaders of a variety of organizations in the Oxford community. His goal has been to talk to as many people as possible because it is these residents, business owners, and community leaders who are laying the groundwork for the borough’s future. Harris was appointed to serve as mayor by Borough Council on Dec. 16, and he was officially sworn in eight days later. “Being appointed as Mayor is truly an honor,” Harris said.
He jumped into the new role with fervor, doing ride-alongs with police officers, meeting with officials from organizations like the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce, the Lighthouse Youth Center, the Oxford Senior Center, Oxford Mainstreet, Inc., and the Oxford Arts Alliance. The Harris family attended an MLK Day community celebration at the Shiloh Presbyterian Church. Harris also met with numerous business owners, some of whom he already knew through his work with a local distribution company. What has surprised him most is that there are so many people doing good things in Oxford, and yet that stands in opposition to so many of the comments on Continued on Page 4A
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Local News Buzz Tyson... Continued from Page 1A
spiritually helped. We’re so blessed to have a person like Buzz Tyson as an executive director.” Kathy Book, also a Lighthouse board member, said that Tyson “has poured his heart and soul into the youth of our community, and is a tremendous role model. Buzz has excelled in building relationships in the Oxford community and beyond.” State Rep. John Lawrence stopped by on Jan. 30—25 years to the day that the executive director started his work at the Lighthouse—to present Tyson with a proclamation. “Buzz is a remarkable leader,” Lawrence said, explaining that it takes a special person to be able to meet with a group of community leaders about funding for the Lighthouse in the morning, and then spend time feeding 150 youngsters a meal in the afternoon. Lawrence added that the Lighthouse has really made an impact on a lot of people’s lives through the years. The Lighthouse is a parachurch organization that is supported by churches of all denominations. Its mission is to provide free educational programming, such as homework assistance and help with college preparations, as
well as recreational activities, in a safe environment for youngsters who are between the ages of 9 and 18. The Lighthouse also provides snacks and meals to the children. All this is done in a positive, Christian environment that is aimed at bringing encouragement to young people. Tyson was just 25 years old when he was hired as the executive director in 1995. At that time, the Lighthouse was situated in a small building on South Third Street in Oxford, and the youth center’s offerings were very limited when compared to the programs and activities that are available today. Hostetter took part in the interview process that resulted in Tyson being hired as the organization’s executive director. Tyson held a bachelor’s degree in recreation management from Lock Haven University, and he had competed in track and field at the collegiate level. Tyson already had experience working at a youth center, as well as at the Tel Hai Camp, where he helped expand programs. Several Lighthouse board members knew Tyson, at least indirectly. Hostetter, for instance, at one time purchased cows from Tyson’s uncle. Like any 25-year-old taking a new job, Tyson felt some uncertainties with the new job, but he liked the
The Lighthouse Youth Center on Commerce Street.
mission of the Lighthouse and wanted to give it a try. Tyson recalled that when he first started at the Lighthouse, he would sometimes run races with youngsters from one traffic light to the next as a way of bonding with them. “We would race to see if they could win a soft pretzel or a snack,” Tyson explained. “I would always race them in hiking boots, and I don’t think I ever lost. It was a way to have a connection and to build relationships with the kids.” It didn’t take Tyson long to fall in love with the Lighthouse and the community. It also didn’t take long for the word to spread that the Lighthouse was a good place for children in the Oxford schools to spend some time after school. Tyson worked hard to make connections and establish partnerships in the community.
Soon, Lighthouse officials started working on purchasing the building that they had been renting. That purchase took place in 1997. Next came an extensive renovation project that allowed the Lighthouse to accommodate even more activities for youngsters. While the core mission of the Lighthouse remains largely unchanged, the youth center has constantly evolved to meet the changing needs of the community. When it became apparent that many children in the community were lacking sufficient food throughout the day, the Lighthouse expanded the meals that it could offer. Tyson guided the Lighthouse as the organization embarked on what officials called “Project Blessing,” the construction of a brand new home on a four-acre parcel on Commerce Street that was purchased in 2013. Over the course of the next five years, the Lighthouse undertook a campaign to raise funds for the $3.2 million project. Tyson noted that the very first— and rudimentary—design
Photos by Steven Hoffman
Buzz Tyson was honored for his 25th anniversary as the executive director of the Lighthouse Youth Center.
of the new facility, which was drawn on a napkin, very closely resembles the finished product that visitors see today. The construction process was completed with just three change orders. Last year, 351 young people attended programming at the Lighthouse. Sixtytwo children attended the daily Lighthouse Learning Hour where homework help is offered. The Lighthouse also served 10,317 meals last year. The Lighthouse has rewards programs to encourage youngsters to do well in school. Tyson and the staff, which is largely volunteer, also assists students who are looking to go to college by arranging campus visits or by providing help filling out applications. Lighthouse officials love seeing when youngsters who have taken part in the program grow up and get into college or start their work careers as adults. The Lighthouse even offers some scholarships for students who go on to post-
secondary education. Tyson has now been the executive director so long that some of the kids who came to the Lighthouse in his first years at the center now have children of their own who come to the Lighthouse. Officials love to see that, too, because it’s another illustration of the role that the youth center has played in the community. Tyson reflected on his 25 years at the Lighthouse, saying that patience and perseverance are essential to his duties working with youngsters. He explained that it’s just not possible to make a difference in a kid’s life in an instant. It takes patience and perseverance and time to really make a difference. “It’s all about us blessing the community,” Tyson said. “It’s been a good 25 years.” He expressed his gratitude to the countless volunteers and some very good board members who have helped immensely through the years. There are way too many dedi-
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The construction of the new home of the Lighthouse Youth Center was a major achievement because the facility includes ample space to prepare and serve meals for youngsters, as well as the necessary room for recreational activities.
cated volunteers and staff members who have helped the Lighthouse with its mission through the years for Tyson to mention just a few. He did say that, “The Oxford community and the surrounding areas have been very good to the Lighthouse.” He noted that the new home was completely paid for within a year of the completion of the project, a very rare feat for a nonprofit organization—and a stunning illustration of the level of support that the Lighthouse enjoys in the community. Several members of the Lighthouse’s board of directors credited Tyson with helping the youth center grow. When he started out, the Lighthouse had an annual budget of $45,000. Now, the annual budget is $390,000. One illustration of how dedicated Tyson is to the Lighthouse and the kids who utilize the programs is Buzz’s BBQ Chicken and Catering. Initially, Tyson made the chicken barbecues
as fundraising opportunities for the Lighthouse. Now, he gives some of the kids the chance to have their first work experience by helping him with the barbecue business. As the core of the business is Tyson’s willingness to help others. A few years ago, he held a barbecue fundraiser to help an Amish family that he knew. The family had a daughter stricken with cancer. Tyson’s barbecue fundraiser allowed for a significant donation to be made for research. In turn, the Amish community boosted its support for the Lighthouse’s annual auction by making significantly more hand-crafted furniture. The good deeds go round and round. Book pointed out during the small celebration to mark the milestone that Tyson has now spent half his life leading the non-profit. Ed Herr, the president of Herr Foods and a Lighthouse board member, said that he has seen Tyson’s leadership grow
State Rep. John Lawrence, Kathy Book, Buzz Tyson, and Barry Hostetter were on hand last Thursday, which was 25 years to the day that Tyson started at the Lighthouse.
during the last 25 years. “I have had the joy of working with Buzz as a board member for the last 25 years,” Herr said. “I have watched him grow into one of the best leaders I know. He is always trying his best to do the right thing. Buzz is great at building relationships and finding favor with people, and he has encouraged all of us to give to help the kids at the Lighthouse. Buzz’s role model is Jesus, and he knows that when he engages us to help transform the lives of these Lighthouse kids, our lives are also transformed.” Hostetter, a manager for Hostetter’s Grain, Inc., said that Tyson is a like a brother to him, and has helped
him with his own spiritual life as much as anyone else in his life. Book added, “On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are thrilled to celebrate Buzz Tyson’s 25 years of service to The Lord here at the Lighthouse. I think everyone knows that Buzz’s favorite bible verse is from 1 John 4:19, which says, ‘We love because He first loved us.’ Buzz has loved the youth of this community for 25 years, and we could not be more honored as a board to serve alongside him and wish him continued blessings for the next 25 years.” To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
want to be able to provide three months of paid time off to every employee, because it doesn’t allow us to properly deliver government services. “It is also unfair to the Kennett Township taxpayer who is paying for greater compensation for employees of their township than what a taxpayer in another municipality is paying for.” Ratliff said that these terminations are not directly connected to the eight-month investigation into potential fraud in the township, which led to the December arrest of former township manager Lisa Moore, who is alleged to have embezzled more than $3 million of township funds. At the Jan. 15 Board of Supervisors meeting, board chairman Dr. Richard Leff said that “substantial changes” have already been completed in the realignment of the township staff, and that Ratliff has reorganized four departments. Ratliff said that he will provide additional information about the changes being made to township staffing, structure and operations at the board’s Feb. 5 meeting, which will take place at 7 p.m. at the Township Building.
Chester County. Rowe, who had been employed at the township for nearly 22 years, was earning an annual salary of $90,189; Cadreau, a 16-year employee, was making $91,680; and O’Brien, a six-year township employee, was paid $72,600. Ratliff said that a “reset” of the township’s staff salary structure was necessary, and will go into effect immediately. Ratliff also said that another peek inside the township’s compensation structure revealed that some employees were receiving between six to eight weeks of vacation time a year that included carry-over allowances and pay-outs. He called the vacation package “inconsistent with municipal government” and has put in new vacation policies for township employees. “We obtained data from over 20 municipalities in Chester County, where we could see salaries that were offered and benefit packages that were extended, and it was clear that we were inconsistent with other municipalities,” Ratliff said. “We want to be competitive To contact Staff Writer and attract the talent to Richard L. Gaw, email work here, but we don’t rgaw@chestercounty.com.
A note to our readers Due to technical difficulties, the Health & Medical Guide was inadvertently not inserted into last week’s Chester County Press. You will find it in this issue. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused.
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Facebook and community message boards that suggest that the town is headed in the wrong direction. “A lot of people and organizations like the Oxford Area Neighborhood Services Center and Lighthouse Youth Center are doing tremendous work,” Harris explained. “We see an inspired community working for the collective good. This is in direct conflict with the various Facebook narratives many have come to know. We’re making a name for ourselves. It’s not all rosy, but it’s not all what you see on Facebook, either.” Harris wants to help shine a spotlight on the good initiatives that are taking place
Sewer Authority... Continued from Page 1A
have to agree on how this money is paid.” He explained that there are a number of options such as a re-amortization of the past due amount, but there would be costs with that scenario, and it would raise payments. Busch explained, “We could borrow but when you are in default, which we are, we would be borrowing at higher rates.” “On top of that, we also need a new guarantee agreement between the municipalities and the Sewer Authority,” Busch said. The other option is each municipality could give the Authority a check for
in the community and to let everyone who is working for the betterment of Oxford know that he is here to help. *** Becoming the mayor of Oxford Borough wasn’t a part of Harris’s plans when he and his wife, Mandie, moved to Oxford with their two children. In fact, as recently as November 2019, his goal was to win a seat on Oxford Borough Council. But the slate of Democratic candidates swept the seats that were up for election. But then, less than a month later, Lorraine Durnan Bell resigned as mayor, creating the vacancy that Harris was selected to fill at the last council meeting of 2019. So far, he’s been impressed with just about everything Oxford has to offer—the
dedication of the business owners who have invested in the town, and the generosity and kindness of the leaders of nonprofit organizations that work to help those who need it most. He loves the architecture of Oxford’s buildings and has been impressed with the talented local artists, including school students, who showcase their artwork at the Oxford Arts Alliance. He’s impressed by the projects and activities planned by OMI, as well as the work of Oxford Borough Manager Brian Hoover. He’s excited about the prospect of Oxford having a theater in the downtown to attract visitors to the downtown district. “Oxford has so many wonderful initiatives, programs,
the proportionate amount they owe. Busch said three of the municipalities have agreed to do that. But with the Borough paying 44 percent, that is a big number to come out of their budget. When the Reedville Road property sells, that money will go toward the USDA loan. Busch, who came in to the authority after the loan default, has been the director for three years. “We have made many changes. Growth continues to increase and will continue when we add a line through East Nottingham on to West Nottingham Township.” When asked by borough council member Ron Hershey if this could happen again, Busch said, “There is no guarantee what works today will work tomorrow.
We need to replace sewer lines. We are fixing sections at a time, but we need to do more. We need to replace whole lines.” Busch said, “We are trying to do this in a reasonable manner. No one is getting a free ride. Developments grow slowly here. We are selling about 35 EDUs a year. We are looking at grants, and saving anywhere we can, but we would have to talk to our solicitor if no decision can be made.” Borough Manager Brian Hoover said, “Hopefully, the property sales will reduce the check that has to be written. We have to protect the Borough. This is not a taxpayer issue.” Council said the discussion was better suited for executive session.
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charities, and churches,” he said. “This community is filled with so many amazing individuals and its potential is immeasurable.” Oxford clearly has an enthusiastic and energetic promoter in its new mayor. “I’m a high-energy guy and I want to bring that to this job,” Harris said. He explained that this is his 27th year of handling sales for a local wholesale distribution company. Harris described the business as a “family-owned distributor” that primarily serves family-owned businesses—many of them owned by immigrants, and some of those businesses are located in Oxford. As a result of all the experience working in sales, Harris is very comfortable meeting with different people and groups. “I’ll have a conversation with anybody,” he said, explaining that one of his goals as mayor is help bring people together. During his 27 years, he said, he has gotten to know many of the customers very well. He was always willing to help out in any way that was needed. “I pride myself on fighting for these family businesses and doing what’s right for them,” he said. Through the years, Harris has even helped some of the business owners that he has worked with study for citizenship tests. He has also owned a small residential construction company for the last 26 years, and the business relies heavily on referrals, so he knows how important it is to maintain a high level of ethics when doing
business. His work experience has also helped him be a problem-solver. One illustration of how he might bring this skill to his duties as a mayor came at one of the first borough council meetings he ever attended. There was a discussion that night about a request from the police department for $800 for the baseball card outreach program. The police officers are featured on these cards and they are distributed to the community, especially youngsters, so that borough residents get to know a little bit about the police officers who are serving the community. At the council meeting, there was no immediate way to fund the baseball card outreach. Harris pointed out that the baseball cards are a way to help children understand that the police are heroes, and that they are there to protect them. After the meeting, Harris felt compelled to try to help out. He phoned then Mayor Bell and asked if a corporate donation might be possible to help offset the costs of the baseball card outreach program. He reached out to Hugo Sandoval, a business owner in town that Harris knew from his work at the distribution company. Hugo’s brother Erik Sandoval is studying criminal justice and planning to enter the police academy. Hugo and Erik were more than happy to make a donation to support the police department’s outreach efforts. “That’s the power of bringing people together,” Harris explained. “We’re
Courtesy Photo
Phil Harris, the new mayor of Oxford Borough, is excited about the town’s future.
only as good as the people from the community who participate.” *** Before Harris even applied to fill the vacancy, he met with Oxford Borough Police Chief Sam Iacono to let him know that he might be applying for the position. Mayors of small Pennsylvania boroughs have the duty of overseeing the operations of the police department. The working relationship between a police chief and a mayor is an important one. “I’ve spent a lot of time with the chief. He’s fantastic,” Harris explained. Since he was named mayor, Harris has also worked to get to know the other police officers. “I am so impressed with them,” he said, explaining that during ride-alongs, he has seen firsthand how skilled the officers are at handling the situations that they encounter on a daily basis. One of the things he would like to see accomplished is to help work with the borough Continued on Page 6A
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council members to get a new contract with the police department. The previous contract is expired. “The men and women are working without a contract. They are out there every single day working hard,” Harris said. He has also identified several other goals. Harris took part in meetings with La Comunidad Hispana, an organization that has been trying to establish a location in the borough for the last several years. He said that he has prioritized trying to help facilitate La Comunidad Hispana’s move into the borough. “Our community needs this. We need more health services for residents,” Harris explained. Oxford’s diversity is already a strength, Harris said, but he also wants to work on efforts that boost inclusion in town. He explained that he wants everyone to feel comfortable at borough council meetings, and more outreach to the Latino community
would be beneficial. Harris noted also that there are already a large number of Hispanic-owned businesses in town, and he would like to see an Hispanic Business Alliance formed as a way to ensure that those businesses thrive. “OMI is fantastic about reaching out to make sure the Hispanic business owners are participating in events,” Harris said, adding that he could see someone like Raul Juarez, the owner of La Tienda and the new Taqueria Los Juarez, as a leader when it comes to making sure that the unique needs of Hispanic-owned businesses are being met. *** While Harris is a relative newcomer to Oxford Borough, he and his wife are both longtime residents of southern Chester County. They are both Unionville High School graduates. Harris explained that they chose to move to Oxford, even though they could have moved anywhere in the county, because they liked the community and took a tour of the Oxford schools and found everyone to be so
Oxford Borough mayors, 1961-present John H. Ware III, elected Burgess (1956) Title changes to Mayor (1961) Lewis B. Cauffman (1962) John I. Watson (1966) Francis L. Maule (1970) John W. Roberts (1975) Paul E. Andriole (1982) W. Donald Pierce (1990) Harold Gray (1994) Geoffrey L. Henry (2006) Lorraine Durnan Bell (2018) Phil Harris (2019)
warm and welcoming. His wife is an instructional aide who works in the school district, and Harris said that he wants to talk to principals and teachers as much as possible to learn about what students in the community are dealing with. These insights will help elected officials make decisions that help address the issues that exist. Another effort that Harris supports is holding meetings at different parts of the community to make sure that residents in the various segments of Oxford Borough feel like they are being adequately represented. For example, he would like to hold meetings at Ware Presbyterian Village as a way to increase those residents’ participation in the local government. He also wants to engage with various churches. “How could I truly be effective if I don’t get to know our pastors, priests, elders and parishioners?” he asked. “There is a wealth of ‘real world’ knowledge to be found in these places of worship. I will be rotating throughout the community, to learn of individual struggles, concerns, questions and initiatives. This is another way I hope to build trust and shape the future of our community.” Harris would also like to facilitate activities that bring different groups together. For example, the police and teachers in the schools could take part in a ping pong tournament with students. This would help instill a sense of belonging in the youngsters, and it would also help them
Courtesy photo
The Harris family.
understand that the police and teachers are there to help them. Helping to bring the community together in a more unified way is certainly one more thing that Harris hopes to achieve. The new mayor has a lot on his plate, and his term as mayor ends in less than two years now. He said that it’s nice being able to look to former mayors like Paul Andriole and Harold Gray and learn from how they handled the duties of the job. Harris said that he has received a great deal of help from former mayor Geoff Henry, who served in that role for 12 years, as well as Lorraine Durnan Bell, who has been willing to help out, too. Harris said that he has been extremely impressed with the veteran council members as well as the preparation that the newly elected council members have put in between the time they were elected and now. Gone, Harris said, is any sort of rivalry between himself and the slate of
Democratic candidates who won seats on Borough Council. The new council members were prepared and they were ready to hit the ground running when they took office, joining the incumbent members on a strong borough council. Now, Harris just wants to help in any way that he can. Whether it’s a former mayor, a current or former council member, a business owner, a lifelong resident of the borough or someone who is just visiting the town for a day, Harris is ready to talk about how to make
Oxford better. “I want to work with everybody,” he explained. “I welcome every opinion. We all want the same thing—we want what’s best for Oxford. I love where Oxford is headed.” Harris encouraged residents to contact him through the Oxford Borough mayor’s Facebook page or by email at pharris@oxfordboro.org. He is also working on establishing regular office hours. To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.
Oxford Borough seeks nominations for Citizen Recognition Awards Oxford Borough mayor Phil Harris has announced that nominations for the Citizen Recognition Awards are now being accepted. The awards, which have been handed out since 2007, seek to recognize citizens or organizations that have made significant contributions that strengthen the fabric of the Oxford community. Nomination forms will be available at the Oxford police station, borough hall, and on the borough’s website at www.oxfordboro.org.
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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.
Opinion Editorial
The Girl Dads One night last week, the father started the car in the parking lot of the church gymnasium in Chester County, where he has just come from. His driving companion was a 13-year-old basketball player who sat shivering against the winter cold, staring ahead silent at the memory of what she believed was the worst game she has ever played. She could not find the rim. She threw poor passes. She allowed her opponent to score at will and, most heartbreaking of all, she felt as if she let her teammates down. The loss drifted in her body until it found a place to linger, and it chose the basketball player’s heart as the place where it could make the largest impact. The father was silent. He didn’t know what to tell her, and he feared that if he opened his mouth to speak, everything would come out wrong. Leaving the parking lot, he inhaled the pungency and echo of what has become the familiarity of his and his daughter’s life in basketball – the cramped myopia of the tiny gym,
the referee’s whistle, the blend of perfume and sweat, the flip-flop motion of the young athletes’ long hair up and down the court, the banter of fathers just like him, and the zipping up of winter coats over uniforms in the church lobby, preparing for the harsh realities of weather. The father has shared this journey with his daughter since she was six years old, when she began watching the game on the family television, and soon, names like LeBron and Joel and Ben and Kobe were as commonly used as the names of her friends, teammates and family. For these seven years, he has watched along with her, admiring the acrobats and the ballerinas and the warriors and the trench men who apply their craft on beaming hardwood floors before packed arenas and millions more watching from home. The father has watched his daughter attempt to duplicate their moves and their symmetry not only from beneath the makeshift rim he rigged up in the driveway, but also in church and school gyms in Unionville, Kennett Square,
Sappey hosting mental health panel discussion on Feb. 6 State Rep. Christina Sappey invites residents of the 158th Legislative District to attend a panel discussion on mental health. The discussion will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6 at the West Bradford Township building, 1385 Campus Drive in Downingtown. State and county directors, as well as private and nonprofit providers, will cover the importance of removing mental health stigma, what services are available here in Chester County, how to access them and how mental health impacts people at different phases of life, from childhood through senior years. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Sappey’s office at 484-200-8264.
Chester County Press Randall S. Lieberman Publisher Steve Hoffman..................................Managing Editor Richard L. Gaw..................................Associate Editor Brenda Butt.........................................Office Manager Tricia Hoadley...........................................Art Director Alan E. Turn...............................Advertising Director Teri Turns................................Advertising Executive Helen E. Warren......................Advertising Executive Amy Lieberman.............Marketing/Public Relations The Chester County Press (USPS 416-500) is published every Wednesday by: AD PRO, Inc. 144 South Jennersville Rd, West Grove, PA 19390 Mailing Address: PO Box 150, Kelton, PA 19346 Telephone: (610) 869-5553 • FAX (610) 869-9628 E-mail (editor): editor@chestercounty.com HOURS: Monday- Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., no weekend hours Annual Subscription Rate: $40.00 | Senior Citizen Rate - $30.00
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West Grove and Oxford. She is currently wearing her fourth uniform, climbing the ranks of both leagues and talent, and her aspirations are to eventually be good enough to play for the high school that she will eventually attend. The father took the exit off of Route 1, and soon, the recognizable buildings and homes of the life he shares with his wife, his son and his daughter came into focus again. He has made this ride from the church gym hundreds of times, but only last week did he fully acknowledge the beauty in its repetition. This time, it permeated his skin and took up residency in his mind, and he knew that this moment would serve as a touchstone to all of the other moments he has had with his daughter on these car rides back and forth on her basketball journey. Last Sunday, January 26, the father heard the news first on the car radio, and at first, it seemed surreal. He pulled the car over and read the reports on his I-phone, and saw that the news was confirmed when he watched it unfold on television later that afternoon. A 41-year-old father, just a
few years younger than he is, was killed along with his 13-year-old daughter and seven others after the helicopter they were riding in disappeared in the earlymorning fog in the hills of Calabasas, Calif. When the news became final, the father did not think about the fame and legend of Kobe Bryant. Rather, he thought of Bryant as the father of a young basketball player, who was accompanying his 13-year-old daughter on their way to her basketball game. He imagined the gifts Gianna gave Bryant, that allowed him to temper down the tenaciousness that drove him to be the best basketball player of his generation and approach the game again, lovingly, through his daughter’s eyes. For Bryant, Gianna had given him the gift to see basketball a different way. Last Monday, ESPN reporter Elle Duncan shared a memory of Bryant. They met backstage at an ESPN event in New York a few years ago, and when Bryant noticed that Duncan was pregnant, he asked her if she knew the gender of her child. When Duncan told him that she was expecting a girl, Bryant, who had
three daughters at the time, high-fived her. “Girls are the best,” he told her. “Just be grateful that you’ve been given that gift because girls are amazing.” The father pulled into the family driveway after a silent ride home from the gym. He looked over at the young basketball player. Her silence is the gift she is giving me, he thought – a gift that will soon promise the invitation to huddle into her vulnerability and sort through her failures like they are discoveries. He has shared these same rides with his son, but this is a different language than that. Hers is the language of women, where after silence and reflection comes the river flow of emotion willingly revealed. This is why girls are amazing, he thought. The father pulled the car into the garage, but instead of leaving, the father and the 13-year-old basketball player began to talk about the game that she had just played -- a scene that was similarly being played out all over Chester County and all over the United States and all over the world. The father is reminded of a
photograph he saw soon after the word spread that Kobe and Gianna Bryant had died. It is of the two sitting courtside at a basketball game, lost in the language of basketball. The father imagined the content of the conversation, and despite the fact that he lives in a different world than Bryant did, he suspects the conversation was very similar -- one of Xs and Os, of heartbreak and victories, with few commas and no pauses. The basketball player sat in the cold car in the garage and grasped for reasons to explain why she had played so poorly. She told her father that she had a long way to go to be good at this game, and didn’t know where to begin. “Love your family,” the father told the basketball player. “Love your teammates. And outwork everyone else in the gym.” That’s what Kobe used to tell Gianna, the father remembered. He then gathered the basketball player’s gym bag, and together, they entered their home.
$1.55 million in state funding awarded to expand mushroom, dairy farming in Chester County Two projects in Chester County were awarded $1.55 million in total state funding to support mushroom agriculture and dairy funding, state Sen. Andy Dinniman announced. “Chester County has a rich agricultural heritage and farming remains the top industry in Pennsylvania,” Dinniman, who serves on the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, said. “This funding will go a long way in helping farms in our region – large and small – expand their operations to bring more fresh, locallygrown and locally-crafted products to consumers both near and far.” The funds, approved by the Commonwealth Finance Authority, are as follows: • $1.5 million for the Chester County Economic Development Council on behalf of South Mill
Champs, a large mushrooming farming operation, for the extension of a natural gas pipeline in Elk Township. The 3-mile extension will support South Mill’s $115 million expansion project and the development of a 900,000 square-foot-building on 134 acres. The expansion will allow South Mill to create 500 new jobs and grow an additional 70 million pounds of mushrooms. The new site, previously used for growing hay and small plot farming, is planned to include spawn development, mushroom growing, processing, packaging, and logistics. The natural gas extension will also provide access to other small businesses and commercial sites in the area including a broadcasting station, a custom furniture crafting company and a
beauty salon. In the future, South Mill also intends to develop residential properties to support employee housing needs, which will be able to tap into the pipeline. The project is being funded by the Pipeline Investment Program. The total cost of the extensions, meter station, permitting and materials, engineering costs and administrative fees is more than $4.5 million. South Mill Champs will contribute more than $3 million in funds. Operating the U.S. and Canada, South Mill Champs produced 110 million pounds of mushrooms annually. • $50,000 for True North Farmstead LLC to assist with the construction of a value-added facility for pasteurization and cheesemaking at their sheep farm in East Bradford. True
North, a farm consisting of a small flock of East Friesian ewes, will utilize the grant funding to renovate the 10’ x 18’ tack room of their existing barn. This will allow the farm to produce artisan cheese for sale at local farmers’ markets, through CSAs and at events held on site. Renovations include concrete flooring, drainage, HVAC, electrical and plumbing upgrades. The project also calls for the purchase and installation of a complete pasteurization and processing system including a 15-gallon vat pasteurizer, digital indicating thermometers, chart recorder, chiller, packaging system and more. The project is funded by the Pennsylvania Dairy Investment Program at a total cost of $59,955, True North will provide $9,995 in matching funds.
Dinniman appointed to board of Lincoln University State Sen. Andy Dinniman has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of Lincoln University. Dinniman, who holds a doctorate in education and serves as minority chair of the Senate Education Committee, said he was honored to be named to the board by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati. “Lincoln University has a rich legacy in turning out leaders of the highest caliber and trailblazers who make a difference in our society and beyond,” Dinniman said. “I look forward to working to ensure that Lincoln remains a strong and vibrant institution of higher education
to inspire and educate the young people of today and tomorrow.” Dinniman said he would continue to work on efforts to strengthen enrollment at Lincoln through dual enrollment and other cooperative programs. Founded in 1854, Lincoln University is the nation’s first degree-granting historically black university. Lincoln has numerous notable alumni including poet Langston Hughes; Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; musician Cab Calloway; Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first president of Nigeria; and Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana.
Dinniman also serves on the Pennsylvania Public Higher Education Funding Commission, the Education Commission of the States, the Pennsylvania State
Board of Education, the Pennsylvania State Public School Building Authority, and the Pennsylvania Higher Educational Facilities Authority.
Courtesy photo
State Sen. Andy Dinniman pictured with Dr. Brenda Allen, president of Lincoln University.
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Two new exhibitions link women’s suffrage and civil rights movements “Votes for Women: A Visual History” and “Witness to History” now at the Brandywine River Museum of Art through June By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer In the 1900s, two movements occurred in our nation’s history that were separated by four decades, but will be forever connected by their unbreakable mission to see social justice assume its rightful place in the equality of all men and women. From now until June, each movement – women’s suffrage and civil rights for African-Americans – will be celebrated in a collaborative series of exhibitions at the Brandywine River Museum of Art. Commemorating the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the museum is presenting “Votes for Women: A Visual History,” an exhibition that rediscovers the visual language of the women’s suffrage movement. Organized by Brandywine River Museum of Art curator Dr. Amanda C. Burdan, the exhibit – which will be open until June 7 -- features more than 200 artifacts that provide a compelling narrative of the suffrage movement through drawings, illustrations and posters from museums, historical societies and private collections; early film footage as well as historic photographs and banners from rallies and marches, including the 1913 Women’s Suffrage Procession in Washington D.C.; and examples of the costumes, clothing, sashes and other emblems of women’s activism worn by suffragists. While the 19th Amendment finally granted women the right to vote, ongoing voting struggles persisted for marginalized groups following its ratification. Presenting an inclusive historical narrative, “Votes for Women: A Visual History” recognizes the significant contributions of women of color and their community networks, which have been historically overlooked, giving the false impression that women of color were absent from the struggle for voting rights. As a way to recognize women of color from the suffrage movement, the museum has commissioned a diverse group of women artists to create “Hidden Figures of the Suffrage Movement,” a mural of
illustrated portraits of some of the women whose role in winning voting rights has been historically minimized because of their race or ethnicity. The exhibition will also schedule a series of public programs that will include lectures, music and theatrical performances, gallery talks and more. “This exhibition picks up on the visual explosion of the suffrage movement in the early 20th century,” Burdan said. “With a younger generation joining the cause, there was a dramatic shift in the marketing of the movement and how the suffragists spread their message through the material culture of the time— making themselves and their campaign more visible. “Votes for Women: A Visual History” not only highlights the success of these efforts, but also underscores how the imagery of the movement effectively penetrated American culture, creating a renewed momentum towards the finish line of ratification in 1920.” Serving as a companion to the “Votes for Women: A Visual History,” “Witness to History” explores the historic March 25, 1965 civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama through the camera lens of Stephen Somerstein, then a 24-year-old college student. The 55 photographs in the exhibition – which runs through June 14 -- capture the moment-bymoment imagery of the peaceful protest march that eventually led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Equipped with five cameras and only 15 rolls of film, Somerstein captured
Photo by Stephen Somerstein
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking to 25,000 civil rights marchers at the conclusion of the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965.
stunning photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other prominent activists such as Rosa Parks, James Baldwin, Bayard Rustin, John Lewis and Joan Baez, as well as demonstrators and bystanders who had gathered along the route. “When we look back and see the struggles, the sacrifices and the literal blood that was shed in the women’s suffrage and the civil rights movement, it becomes so much more important that we don’t waste the sacrifices that have been made,” Burdan said. “A person voting for the first time doesn’t always realize that it was their given right to cast a ballot, and it becomes inspiring to see the lengths to which people went in the early part of the 19th century and in the 1960s to secure that right, and that it is essential that we do not waste it.”
Burdan said that the power of the two exhibits rests in their respective visual elements. I think people react more strongly to visuals than they do to words,” she said. “It’s more difficult to get people to read a speech about suffrage or a book about the Voting Rights Movement, but when we have the immediate impact of photographs and hand-stitched signage and banners, it’s literally like touching history.” The Brandywine River Museum of Art is located at 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road in Chadds Ford. For more information about these and other upcoming exhibits and programs, visit www. brandywine.org.
Courtesy of Library of Congress
Nine African-American women standing with Nannie Burroughs holding banner reading, “Banner State Woman’s National Baptist Convention,” circa 1905-15.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Photo by Stephen Somerstein
Courtesy of Library of Congress
Suffragists in parade, circa 1910.
One of 55 photographs taken by Stephen Somerstein at the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965 that now forms part of “Witness to History,” an exhibit now at the Brandywine River Museum of Art.
Photos by Richard L. Gaw
“Votes for Women: A Visual History,” now at the Brandywine River Museum of Art, offers a compelling narrative of the suffrage movement told through illustrations and posters, historic photographs and banners, and examples of the costumes, clothing, sashes and other emblems of women’s activism worn by suffragists.
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Obituaries BETTY ANDREWS LANGER Betty Andrews Langer, 85, of Pine Mountain Valley, Ga, passed away on Jan. 27 at her home. She was born in Philadelphia on September 14, 1934 to Arthur and Eleanor O’Neal Andrews. She attended public school in Philadelphia and on February 10, 1955, she married William “Bill” Langer. She and her family moved to Harris County in 1964 and she worked at the front desk of the Holiday Inn (now Mountain Creek Inn) in Pine Mountain, Ga. She later took a position as secretary at the Harris County Junior High School and finally worked as a bookkeeper for Hargett Wood Products. She loved watching football, antiquing and collecting, especially Santas, but more than anything, she will be fondly remembered for her love of hosting her family for dinners and holiday events. Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Langer, and four siblings, Jeannette Andrews, Artie Andrews, Wilbur Andrews and Eleanor Doperak. She is survived by her daughters, Dawn Clack of Richmond Hill, Ga, Debbie Thorne of Pine Mountain Valley, Denise Frantum (and her husband, Steve) of Hamilton, Donna Langer of Pine Mountain Valley; and one sister, Helen Warren of Coatesville, Pa; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. A private memorial will be held at a later date in Pine Mountain, Ga.
William J. Turner
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CATHERINE A. CHAPMAN
EDWARD J. NADROTOWICZ
Catherine Anna Chapman, age 91, of Rising Sun, Md., passed away on Jan. 27. She was born on Sept. 5, 1928 in Rising Sun, Md. to the late Harry Wilbur Reider and Bessie Nicholina (Berreker) Reider. Catherine worked as a seamstress and cashier at the Bainbridge Naval Training Center and also worked in the cafeteria at Rising Sun Elementary School for many years. She attended the Grace Bible Chapel Church. Catherine enjoyed attending the Cecil County Fair and her favorite event was the demolition derby. She also enjoyed watching boxing and wrestling and loved going to the beach. Her favorite beach to visit was Ocean City, Md. Catherine took on the role as a caregiver for her five grandchildren for many years while their parents worked. She was devoted to her family and had a special place in her heart for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her cat, Cookie was her pride and joy, and the cat will miss Catherine greatly. Throughout her life, she owned many animals, and she loved cats and toy poodles. Catherine will be missed dearly by family and friends. Catherine is survived by her daughters: Pauline Morrow (and her husband, Michael Jr.), Darlene Nicholas (and her husband, Dennis), Marlene Olejar (and her husband, Edward), and Charlene Haines (and her husband, Benjamin); her grandchildren: Cathy Rohrer (and her husband, Rob), Robin Depew, Michael Morrow lll (and his wife, Tina), Susan McMillan (and her husband, Jeff), and Carrie Ferraro (and her husband, John); her greatgrandchildren: Brianna Rohrer, Madison Garvin (and her husband, Josh), Meghan Rohrer, Brent Jenkins, Clayton McMillan, Ava Morrow, Nicholas Depew, Sara Morrow, Michael Morrow IV, Justis McMillan (and her son, Kolton); her step-grandsons: Lowell Haines (and his wife, Mandy) and Bobby Haines; her step great-grandchildren: Amber Timmons (and her husband, Danny), Dan Nailor (and his wife, Brittney), Tyler Haines (and his wife, Fei); great-great-grandchildren: Danica, CJ, Sunni, Olivia, Roo, and Zoey. She is preceded in death by her husband, James Robert Chapman; son, Harry James Chapman, brother, Wilbur Delaware Reider; sisters: Leora Minnie Reider and Alice Logene Reider. A viewing was held on Jan. 30 at R.T. Foard Funeral Home, P.A. in Rising Sun, Md. A celebration of Catherine’s life was held on Jan. 31 at Grace Bible Church, Rising Sun, Md. Burial was at Friends Cemetery. To send online condolences, please visit, www.rtfoard.com.
Edward Nadrotowicz has passed away. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy serving during the Korean and Vietnam Wars as a Senior Chief Petty Officer in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and along the East Coast of the United States. He was an active member of Sacred Heart Church, Oxford. Edward sang in the choir and served as sacristan. He enjoyed fishing, reading, praying and especially spending time with his grandchildren. He is survived by his three children, Marilee Connor (John) of Norristown, Edward J. Nadrotowicz (Patricia) of Monroe, NY and Eileen Bates (Thomas) of NC; eight grandchildren, Kathryn, Nicholas, Jack, Zachary, Thomas, Jason, William and Sophia; and three step-grandchildren, Lauren, Brendan and Malerie. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Sacred Heart Church. Interment was in Oxford Cemetery with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Sacred Heart Church, 203 Church Road, Oxford, PA 19363 Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
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TILDEN G. HALEY Tilden Glen “Mike” Haley, passed away peacefully at his home in Nottingham on Jan. 28. He was 83. Known to his family as “Glen,” he was born in Charleston, WV on Oct. 1, 1936, the oldest son of the late Tilden Creel and Beulah Grace Haley. Friends and family also know him as “Mike,” the loving husband of Cindy for 34 years, and devoted father to his stepdaughter, Heather (married to Greg) McCummings of West Grove, son, Michael Haley of Hainesport, NJ, and his youngest son, the late Jason Haley. He was also a beloved Poppy/ Pop Pop/Old Pop to his grandchildren, Hannah, Colton and Austin McCummings, Delaney and Anthony Haley, Angela Cluck, Brielle Hervey and the late Shay Rose Haley; and great-grandchildren, Hunter, Leah Ann and Emily. He is also survived by his two sisters, Lenora Susan Hood of Lorain, OH and Maryann Crowder of Charleston, WV, and many nephews and nieces. His brother, Charles Wesley Haley of Newport News, VA predeceased him. Mike was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He retired from the Burlington County College in New Jersey as a HVAC Mechanic in 2006. Prior to that, he worked at his business of office furniture installation and repair. He enjoyed golf, traveling, walking, the outdoors and especially spending time with his grandchildren. Arrangements will take place in West Virginia privately in the spring. Contributions may be made in his memory to the Parkinson’s Foundation, 200 SE 1st Street Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131 or the Brandywine Valley Home Health Care and Hospice, 121 Bell Tower Lane, Oxford, PA 19363. Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.
Obituary submissions The Chester County Press publishes obituaries, free of charge, for those with a connection to southern Chester County. Obituaries appear on the Wednesday after they are received, space permitting. They also are posted on www.chestercounty.com. Photos should be sent as .jpg attachments to the obituary text. To submit an obituary to the Chester County Press, email the information to: editor@chestercounty.com.
Alleluia The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10 The Chester County Press features a dedicated church/religious page that can help you advertise your house of worship and/or business. The page is updated weekly with new scripture. Only $10 Weekly for this space. We are offering a special discount of 25% off each and every help wanted/ classified advertisement to any business that advertises on the PRESS church page.
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Local News Brunch/Silent Auction fundraiser to be held March 7
YoungMoms: Continuing to provide direction, inspiration By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer At first, Marina was lost. She was 16 years old, pregnant and overwhelmed by a series of questions she was asking herself that had no easy answers. How am I going to finish high school? How am I going to afford child care, and clothing and supplies? How am I going to prepare to be a young mother? Eventually, Marina was led to YoungMoms, a Kennett Square-based nonprofit organization that provides individual and group support services to teenage mothers throughout southern Chester County. Through the work of mentors, case managers, staff and volunteers, YoungMoms guides teenage mothers – at no cost – through obstacles, while helping them to graduate from school, find employment, learn parenting skills and gain valuable life skills. Today, with the help of her mentor Marianne, Marina graduated from high school and now works full time in the insurance industry. The success stories that come out of YoungMoms do not end there. In 2015, Nicole was a struggling young mother and a college student who was faced with job and financial instability. Soon after she arrived at YoungMoms, she was paired with her mentor Shari as well as a case manager, who helped Nicole get ahead of
her financial challenges, as well as find employment, create a resume, and polish her interviewing skills. Eventually, she worked with Shari to prepare for her medical assistant exam. Nicole now works full time at a hospital. Since its beginning in 2010, the organization, in alliance with several other area nonprofit groups, has given close to 200 young mothers like Marina and Nicole the tools they need to stay in school, pursue college or vocational training, parent more effectively and make sound financial decisions. On March 7, a few of these success stories will be shared at the YoungMoms annual brunch and silent auction, which will be held at the Willowdale Chapel in Kennett Square. Last year, the event drew more than 250 guests and raised more than $30,000. Together with contributions from the United Way, corporate and foundational grants and private donations, the event helps to pay for programming, education and development and case management services. “While we’re certainly looking to raise funding at our annual event, we’re also looking to raise awareness of and interest in the organization,” said Molly Henry, YoungMoms’ communications and development coordinator. “It’s a great platform to showcase and celebrate the stories of the young mothers who have
Courtesy photo
YoungMoms mentors provide friendship, encouragement and guidance that help strengthen a young mother’s support system and improve her chances of reaching her goals.
been impacted by the work of YoungMoms. “This event gives people a sense of who we are and what we do. It generates a lot of buy-in and volunteers, who connect with us as we move our mission forward.” At YoungMoms, each program participant sets wide-reaching academic, employment, parenting and life goals, all of which are nurtured by the resources and people available at the organization to accomplish them. Typically, young mothers remain in the program between two and four years – enough time to allow them to steadily progress towards self-sufficiency. “It’s the only way to effectively help that young woman approach her future and create a more stable environment for her family,” said YoungMoms Executive Director Linda
Mercner. “The gift of being able to work with them for two- to four-year periods allows us to establish those trusting relationships, know when the bumps occur, and help them navigate so that they begin to know how to advocate for themselves. “Knowing the feeling that you are valued, and that there are many people here who want to invest their time in you, is very empowering.” “Almost immediately, these young moms gain a sense that this is not a place where they will be judged, and very often, we meet in group settings, which allows an opportunity for everyone to bond around their similar experiences, to allow them to belong to a community of their peers that builds their confidence and their self-esteem,” Henry said. “It can be very isolating
Courtesy photo
Young mothers remain with YoungMoms between two and four years – enough time to allow them to steadily progress towards self-sufficiency.
being a new mother, and when you combine that with being a teenager who often is from circumstances where she isn’t receiving a lot of support, it is even more isolating. Here, they see that there are many people who keep showing up for them, which leads to empowerment and then to success.” Too often, trauma, depression and anxiety serve as a triple-threat detractor in the progress a young mother makes along her journey. In fact, studies have indicated that teen moms are more than twice as likely to suffer from postpartum
depression than older mothers. It’s a startling statistic, but one that YoungMoms meets head on, by utilizing emergency funds for young mothers who seek personal counseling, and holding special Club Nights on the topic. At a recent training session held at the Willowdale Chapel, clinical psychologist Dr. Dani Parsell gave staff and volunteers an indepth look at the impact of depression and anxiety on teen moms, how to recognize symptoms, and resources available to assist those who are struggling. Continued on Page 7B
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Legals
35th Annual
Antiques Show Sponsored by Singerly Fire Co. Featuring 40 dealers from 4 states
Saturday, Feb. 8th- 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9th- 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. (Snow/Inclement weather date Feb. 15th & 16th)
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ESTATE NOTICE
Estate of Smucker, Kathryn, dec’d., Late of Honey Brook, 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, Mary Ann Wenrich, Executor, c/o Good & Harris, LLP, 132 West Main Street, New Holland, PA 17557 1p-22-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
Estate of, Peters, Carl T, dec’d., Late of Coatesville , 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, Gail A. Nelson, Executrix, c/o Hope Bosniak, Esq., Dessen, Moses & Rossitto, 600 Easton Rd., Willow Grove, PA 19090, Dessen, Moses & Rossitto, 600 Easton Rd. Willow Grove, PA 19090. 1p-22-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF ELSIE M. GROSECLOSE aka ELSIE MARIE GROSECLOSE , DECEASED. 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
CLASSIFIEDS Apartment for Rent Large 2 bedroom Apt. All utilities included. Near Lewisville. Large Yard, Washer, Dryer 610-405-6481
to the decedent to make payment without delay to Co- Executors: Larry F. Groseclose and Carl J. Groseclose, c/o Matthew J. Canan, Esquire, The Law Offices of Matthew J. Canan, 137 E. Locust Street, P.O. Box 510, Oxford, PA 19363. Attorney: Matthew J. Canan, Esquire, The Law Offices of Matthew J. Canan, 137 E. Locust Street, P.O. Box 510, Oxford, PA 19363, Telephone No: (610) 932-9464, E-mail: matthew@cananoxfordlaw. com 1p-29-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
Estate of Martha S. Smith, aka Smith, Martha S. DECEASED, late of Coatesville, PA. Letters of Administration 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 Laura A. Bradley, Administratrix, c/o David W. Crosson, Esq., Crosson & Richetti, LLC, 609 W. Hamilton St., Suite 100, Allentown, PA 18101. Attorney: Crosson & Richetti, LLC, 609 W. Hamilton St., Suite 100, Allentown, PA 18101 1p-29-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF WILLIAM L. PAGE, DECEASED. Late of the Township of Londonderry, 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 TIMOTHY LEE PAGE, EXECUTOR, 2295 Timber Lake Rd., Pocono Lake, PA 18347, Or to his Attorney: MICHAEL J. LYON, LYONS DOUGHERTY LLC, 6 Ponds Edge Dr., Ste. 1 Chadds Ford, PA 19317 1p-29-3t
INCORPORATION NOTICE
Law Office of Edward J. Schwabenland PC has been incorporated under the provisions of Chapter 29 of the Business Corporation law of 1988 as a Professional Corporation. Edward J. Schwabenland, Esq., 366 N. Buck Rd., Downingtown, PA 19355 2p-5-1t
PUBLIC NOTICE
AT&T proposes to replace an existing 29.9’ utility pole with a new 40’ utility pole and install a top-mounted antenna at 42.5’ at 451 Boot Road, Downingtown, PA (20200005). Interested parties may contact Scott Horn (856-809-1202) (1012 Industrial Dr., West Berlin, NJ 08091) with comments regarding potential effects on historic properties. 2p-5-1t
ESTATE NOTICE
Estate of Robert L. Hosking, Deceased, Late of Coatesville, 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 Patricia Lee Pressman, Executrix, 222 Upland Way, Wayne, PA 19087 Or Attorney: Richard B. Pressman, Esquire, 1335 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. 2p-5-3t
ESTATE NOTICE
ESTATE OF David Stitz, DECEASED. Late of E. Marlborough Township, Chester County, PA, LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION 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 Carmella Stitz, ADMINISTRATOR, 101 Chalfont Rd., Kenntt Square, PA 19348 or _ATTORNEY: R. Kerry Kalmbach, Esquire, 109 W. Linden Street, Kennett square, PA 19348 2p-5-3t
PUBLIC 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 Thursday, February 20, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. at which time the Board will hear the following matter: In Re: Application of Michael Owen and Mary Jo Marren seeking variances from the minimum side yard requirements, the minimum rear yard requirements and the maximum lot coverage requirements of Zoning Ordinance Sections 502.E, .F and .G, and Section 1501.A.3.e(1) so as to allow the construction of a swimming pool on a 0.31 acre “cluster development” residential lot located at 641 Blanca Court, West Grove (UPI # 58-3-33.66) in the Township’s RS – Residential
Subdivision zoning district, with a rear yard set-back of five feet in lieu of the 50 feet required; a side yard set-back of 10 feet in a lieu of the 25 feet required, and total lot coverage of 4,900 square feet (36.3%) in lieu of the 25% maximum allowed. 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 2p-5-1-2t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Fredda L. Maddox, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, February 20th, 2020 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, March 23rd, 2020. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter. Sale No. 20-2-65 Writ of Execution No. 2018-10606 DEBT $215,241.40 ALL THAT CERTAIN piece or parcel of ground with the improvements thereon erected, situate in the Township of West Nottingham, County of Chester, State of Pennsylvania, known and numbered as 101 Aarons Lane, bounded and limited as follows, to wit: Tax ID Parcel No. 68-06-0141.060 PLANTIFF: Eastern Savings Bank, FSB VS DEFENDANT: Dean A. Sullins SALE ADDRESS: 101 Aarons Lane, Nottingham, PA 19362 PLANTIFF ATTORNEY: JSDC LAW OFFICES 717-533-3280 N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. FREDDA L. MADDOX, SHERIFF 1p-29-3t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Fredda L. Maddox, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, February 20th, 2020 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, March 23rd, 2020. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter. SALE NO. 20-2-70 Writ of Execution No. 2016-00689 DEBT $166,421.96 Property situate in the KENNETT SQUARE BOROUGH, CHESTER County, Pennsylvania. BLR # 3-3-2023 IMPROVEMENTS thereon: Residential Dwelling PLANTIFF: CitiMortgage, Inc. VS DEFENDANT: James N. Vann, in His Capacity as Executor and Devisee of The Estate of James N. Stafford & Keith N. Stafford, in His Capacity as Devisee of The Estate of James N. Stafford SALE ADDRESS: 136 North Walnut Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348-2936 PLANTIFF ATTORNEY: PHELAN HALLINAN DIAMOND & JONES, LLP 215-563-7000 N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. FREDDA L. MADDOX, SHERIFF 1p-29-3t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Fredda L. Maddox, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, February 20th, 2020 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Penn-
sylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, March 23rd, 2020. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter. SALE NO. 20-2-74 Writ of Execution No. 2019-02165 DEBT $146,620.64 ALL THAT CERTAIN, MESSAGE, LOT OR PIECE OF LAND SITUATE ON, IN THE BOROUGH OF ATGLEN, COUNTY OF CHESTER, STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, BOUNDED AND DESCRIBED, AS FOLLOWS, TO WIT: All that certain lot or piece of ground situate in the Borough of Atglen, County of Chester and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, bounded and described according to a Subdivision Plan of Property of James E. Brown, made by the Design Coalition Architects & Planners dated May 4, 1985 and recorded November 4, 1985 in Chester County as Plan File No. 5873 and being more fully described as follows, to wit: Beginning at a point in the bed of Valley Avenue, said point also being the Southeast corner of Lot No. 2 as shown on said plan; thence extending from said point of beginning, leaving the bed of Valley Avenue and continuing along Lot No. 2, North 02 degrees 25 minutes 00 seconds West, 265.02 feet to a point along lands of the Penn Central Railroad; thence extending along same, North 81 degrees 09 minutes 00 seconds East 75.00 feet to a point; thence extending South 02 degrees 25 minutes 00 seconds East 264.40 feet to line in the bed of Valley Avenue South 80 degrees 30 minutes 00 seconds West 75.00 feet to the first mentioned point and place of beginning. Being Lots No. 3 and 4 as shown on said Plan. BEING UPI NUMBER 07-03-0019 BEING THE SAME PROPERTY CONVEYED TO JAMES P. STAUFFER AND JULIE E. STAUFFER, HUSBAND AND WIFE WHO ACQUIRED TITLE, AS TENANTS BY THE ENTIRETY, BY VIRTUE OF A DEED FROM ELIZABETH W. BROWN, WIDOW, DATED OCTOBER 29, 1999, RECORDED NOVEMBER 3, 1999, AT INSTRUMENT NUMBER 0088737, AND RECORDED IN BOOK 4661, PAGE 1757, OFFICE OF THE RECORDER OF DEEDS, CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. PLANTIFF: The Money Source Inc VS DEFENDANT: James P. Stauffer & Julie E. Stauffer SALE ADDRESS: 645 Valley Avenue, Atglen, PA 19310 PLANTIFF ATTORNEY: MANLEY DEAS KOCHALSKI LLC 614-220-5611 N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase
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E
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020
CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
5B
Chester County Press
Local News District Attorney Ryan announces new administration Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan recently announced her appointment of Michael R. Barry as First Assistant District Attorney, Andrea Cardamone as Chief of Staff, and David M. Sassa as Chief of the Chester County Detectives. “This is an outstanding team of highly experienced, ethical, and hardworking people who have dedicated their careers to public service,” Ryan said. “They all have extensive backgrounds in law enforcement as well as lengthy records of success in serving and protecting the community. I am incredibly proud to have them working at the District Attorney’s Office in these positions.” Barry served as a prosecutor at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office for almost 19 years, and worked for five years in the appellate unit and trial division. Later, he served as a homicide prosecutor for six years where he handled over one hundred and fifty cases. He was pro-
moted to Bureau Chief of the Central Division in 2010 and supervised fifteen attorneys for all non-homicide crimes in North Philadelphia and Center City for six years. Barry then served as the Deputy District Attorney of the Pretrial Division for two years, where he oversaw a team of one hundred prosecutors and staff. He was also the co-chair for the MacArthur Safety and Justice Challenge’s Racial and Ethnic Diversity Subcommittee, chair of the hiring committee, and taught the office’s clinical training program. In 2009, he was awarded the 2009 F.O.P. Lodge of Award of Special Recognition for the successful prosecution of a case involving the murder of two retired police officers, received the Center City Crime Victim’s Service Community Safety and Public Dedication Award in 2014, and the 2016 Philadelphia Gay News Person of the Year for the
successful prosecution of Com. v. Williams, et. al. a.k.a. the “Center City Gay Bashing Case.” Barry is a graduate of the Temple University Beasley School of Law in 1998 and the University of Scranton with a degree in Philosophy in 1994. Cardamone has worked at the Chester County District Attorney’s Office for over 17 years, where she has successfully prosecuted some of the most complex and difficult cases, from homicides to corruption, over the course of her career. As Deputy District Attorney, she supervised the investigations and prosecutions of sexual assault cases, and also ran the Elder Abuse Task Force and served as an Intern Supervisor. Cardamone worked as an adjunct professor at West Chester University for 10 years and serves as President of the Board of Trustees for the Malvern Public Library. She received the Anti-
Courtesy photos
Michael R. Barry has been named the First Assistant District Attorney.
David M. Sassa, the Chief of the Chester County Detectives.
Andrea Cardamone is the new Chief of Staff.
Defamation League’s 2017 Beau Biden Shield Award and the 2018 Chester County Prosecutor of the Year Award. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1999 and summa cum laude from Washington and Lee University in 1993 with a B.A. in Economics and English. Sassa has been a law enforcement officer for over 30 years, and 24 years at the Chester County Detectives, where he is the longest serving detective currently employed at the District Attorney’s office. He was a police officer at the North Coventry Township Police
Department from 1989 to 1996, where he served as a patrol officer, detective, and sergeant. Sassa has worked at the Chester County District Attorney’s Office since 1996 as a detective in the drug and major crimes units, and was the Detective Sergeant in charge of the major crimes and child abuse units for over 11 years. Sassa has served as the executive director of the Children’s Advocacy Center since 2014, where he has worked on several child abuse prevention statewide committees, and has extensive experience investigating major crimes
including, homicides, robberies, narcotics, sexual assaults, and child abuse investigations. He is certified as a police firearms and rifle instructor through the Pennsylvania State Police. Sassa was the recipient of the John J. Crane Award for Excellence in 2017 for his work protecting children. He graduated from the Montgomery County Police Academy Act 120 program in 1989, and holds an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Montgomery County Community College. He graduated from the FBI National Academy in 2014.
Legals money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. FREDDA L. MADDOX, SHERIFF 1p-29-3t
the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, March 23rd, 2020. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10) days thereafter.
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
SALE NO. 20-2-75 Writ of Execution No. 2018-07206 DEBT $361,174.74
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Fredda L. Maddox, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, February 20th, 2020 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in
Property situate in the FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, CHESTER County, Pennsylvania BLR # 71-4L-17 IMPROVEMENTS thereon: Residential Dwelling
PLANTIFF: Lsf8 Master Participation Trust VS DEFENDANT: Joseph L. Beitler, Jr. a/k/a Joseph L. Bettler, Jr. & Kristi D. Mizenko SALE ADDRESS: 126 Carriage Run Drive, Lincoln University, PA 193521210 PLANTIFF ATTORNEY: PHELAN HALLINAN DIAMOND & JONES, LLP 215-563-7000 N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM.
FREDDA L. MADDOX, SHERIFF 1p-29-3t
Sheriff Sale of Real Estate
By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Fredda L. Maddox, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, February 20th, 2020 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, March 23rd, 2020. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten (10)
days thereafter. SALE NO. 20-2-83 Writ of Execution No. 2019-06501 DEBT $627,627.38 ALL THAT CERTAIN lot or piece of ground, Situate in Kennett Township, Chester County and State of Pennsylvania bounded and described according to a Plan of Hayfield Lane, made for Jack and Kathryn Massau by Regester Associates, dated 02-21-1996 and recorded as Plan No. 13455. The property is more fully described in a Deed dated 3/13/11, and recorded 3/21/11, in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds in Chester County in Record Book 8145, page 1119, from John R. Morrison and Debra K. Morrison to Piotr Nowak and Marzena Nowak. Tax Parcel No. 62-4-306.9
PLANTIFF: Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB VS DEFENDANT: Piotr Nowak & Marzena Nowak a/k/a Marzenna Nowak SALE ADDRESS: 102 Hayfield Lane, Chadds Ford, PA 19317 PLANTIFF ATTORNEY: WILLIAM J. LEVANT, ESQ. 610-941-2474 N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. FREDDA L. MADDOX, SHERIFF 1p-29-3t
FAMILY MEDICINE – TOWER HEALTH MEDICAL GROUP WELCOMES JAMES KNOX, JR., MD
Jennersville Hospital is pleased to announce the return of James Knox, Jr., MD to the Southern Chester County community. Effective Tuesday, December 3, Dr. Knox will begin seeing patients in his Oxford, PA office. He brings over three decades of experience in compassionate care, health education, wellness, and disease prevention to patients of all ages from newborns through older adults. Dr. Knox’s clinical interests also include sports medicine where he provides comprehensive care to athletes and physically active individuals. Learn more about Dr. Knox at towerhealth.org/physician-network. NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS Same day or next day appointments often available. Call 610-932-6386 to schedule an appointment today.
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6B
CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020
Chester County PRESS
EX
TR
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Hopewell EarlyAct Club donates to Oxford Neighborhood Services Center
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EarlyAct, a community service club at Hopewell Elementary School sponsored by the Oxford Rotary Club, recently sponsored a fundraiser in support of the Oxford Neighborhood Services emergency relief
fund. Students and staff members raised a total of $1,060.50 that will help the center provide food for area families in need as well as assistance with rent and heating. Club members and Principal Dr. Nicole Addis
presented the check to Carla Brown, Neighborhood Services Center program director. Each school year, the EarlyAct members plan and organize three projects to benefit their school, local and global communities.
Delaware Art Museum to display Schoonover painting featured on ‘Antiques Roadshow’ On Jan. 6, a Delaware native and his gorgeous painting by American illustrator Frank Schoonover were featured on PBS’s “Antiques Roadshow,” which was filmed at Winterthur last year. The painting, originally published with the caption “At a Hail from the Boat He Went to the Rail,” is an illustration from the 1923 book Privateers of ’76, a tale of Massachusetts boy Stephen Claghorn and his adventures at sea during the American Revolution. The painting pictures the moment toward the end of the story when Claghorn, alone and adrift aboard a derelict ship, is rescued, improbably, by his Salem schoolmaster. The Delaware Art Museum recently announced that it will display the painting in its American illustration gallery for the next six months. The owner’s family purchased the painting directly from the artist for $300 in June 1960. During the Antiques Roadshow segment, the owner described his father’s love of illustrated books, and how his mother saved for two years to purchase a work from Schoonover’s Rodney Street studio in Wilmington.
When the owner was told on air that his beloved family painting was worth approximately $125,000, he teared up and said: “My father would be so thrilled to know that people were being turned on to illustrations, and my mother would be really thrilled with what you just said.” John Schoonover, grandson of the artist and proprietor of Schoonover Studios, agreed: “I was very pleased to see my grandfather’s illustration on Antiques Roadshow, and glad [Roadshow expert and art dealer] Debra Force acknowledged the increasing interest in American book and magazine illustration.” The Museum has a robust collection of illustrations by Frank Schoonover. Schoonover, a prominent artist of the Brandywine School, studied with Howard Pyle in the late 1800s, even receiving a coveted scholarship to study with him in Chadds Ford in the summer of 1899. He later moved from his native Philadelphia to Wilmington to set up his studio, where he also conducted classes. Schoonover was renowned for his illustrations of stories
featuring pirates, cowboys, historical heroes, and other romantic adventurers. He produced covers and illustrations for classics of young people’s literature, notably “Kidnapped,” “Robinson Crusoe,” “Heidi,” “Hans Brinker,” and “Swiss Family Robinson.” Schoonover also produced images of coal miners and other laborers, especially in industrial northeastern Pennsylvania. Schoonover was one of the founders of the Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts (the predecessor of the Delaware Art Museum) and remained closely involved with the Museum and its teaching studios throughout his life. At his death in Wilmington in 1972, after a career of over 60 years, he had produced about 2,200 illustrations for over 130 books and numerous magazines, including The Saturday Evening Post, Harper’s Magazine, Scribner’s Magazine, Outing, American Boy, The Ladies’ Home Journal, and Collier’s. In addition to this loaned painting, the Museum currently has seven Schoonover illustrations on view.
Hopewell Elementary School spellers have a way with words
ENTER TODAY www.chestercounty.com or www.facebook.com/ChescoPress for more information call 610-869-5553
Courtesy photo
Hopewell Elementary School homeroom champions recently participated in the school-level of the National Spelling Bee. The winner was sixth grader Michael Solensky, who will represent Hopewell at the Chester County Spelling Bee to be held at the Chester County Intermediate Unit on February 10. Pictured front from left are Assistant Principal Jason Soule; Michael Solensky; sixth grader Elizabeth Penrose, the Bee runner-up; Principal Dr. Nicole Addis and Academically Talented Program teacher Jennifer Shelley. Homeroom champions included (second row from left) sixth graders Chris Tatum and Jackson Torrens; fifth grader Abby Whelan and sixth grader Ben Whelan; (top row from left) fifth graders Luci Clay, Phoenix Gonzalez and Keval Mehta; sixth grader Maegan Sarkioglu and fifth grader Harry Sleesman. Fifth grader Ella Thorgersen is not pictured.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020
CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
7B
Chester County Press
Local News Obituaries Continued from Page 2B
DOROTHY L. BENNETT
Sappey hosting REAL ID information session on Feb. 20 State Rep. Christina Sappey will host a REAL ID information session from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20 at the West Goshen Township Building. Sappey, accompanied by PennDOT officials, will review what REAL ID is, answer any questions on applying for a REAL ID and help residents determine if REAL ID is right for them. “By October of this year, a REAL ID could be very useful for some Pennsylvanians, so I encourage residents to learn about it as early as pos-
Dorothy Lee Bennett, 81, of Nottingham, passed away on Jan. 31, at Penn Medicine Hospice, West Chester. She was the wife of the late James M. Bennett. Born in London Grove Township, Chester County, she was the daughter of the late Graham and Leona Rich Heath. She was a Baptist by faith. Dorothy loved watching NASCAR, reading Danielle Steel books, country music and travelling. She is survived by four daughters, Robin L. Brooks, Karen L. Steffy, Kathy L. Williams and Rebecca L. Pine; ten grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; and four siblings. She was preceded in death by five siblings. Services are private. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Penn Medicine Hospice, 400 E Marshall St., West Chester, PA 19380. Arrangements by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral The Chester County Home, Inc., Oxford. Commissioners are accepting Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuapplications from qualified neralhome.com. residents for one of three positions representing Chester County on the Chester Water Charles “Danny” Daniel Gwaltney, Authority (CWA) Board. Sr., 65, of Earlville, Md., passed away Chester County residents on Feb. 1. He was born on Sept. 6, who qualify for the CWA 1954 in Rising Sun, Md. to the late Board must be over 18 years William Bryant Gwaltney, Sr. and of age and live or own a Rose Marie (Moore) Gwaltney. business in Chester County, Danny was a member of the Wards specifically within the Chester Hill Baptist Church in Warwick, Md. Water Authority service area. for over 30 years. Qualified individuals are Danny is survived by his wife of 37 years, Diana asked to submit a resume Gwaltney; daughter, Amy Watercutter and her husband, and cover letter by Monday, Brian; son, Charles Daniel Gwaltney, Jr. and his wife, February 24, 2020 explainDanielle; seven grandchildren: Zack, Hannah, Brandon, ing why they are interested Chase, Reba, Lexi, and Jackson; six sisters and one in serving on the Board, and brother. In addition to his parents, Danny is preceded in how they are qualified. death by one sister. Applications should be sent to A celebration of Danny’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on Deb Leach, Chester County Friday, Feb. 7 at R.T. Foard Funeral Home, 111 S. Queen Commissioners’ Office via St. Rising Sun, Md., where family and friends may begin email at dleach@chesco.org, visiting at 9 a.m. Burial will follow at Calvary Baptist or mailed to 313 W. Market Cemetery. To send online condolences, please visit www. Street, Suite 6202, West rtfoard.com. Chester, PA 19380.
sible before lines at the DMV grow longer as we approach the deadline,” Sappey said. Starting Oct. 1, 2020, Pennsylvanians will need a REAL ID, or another federally accepted form of ID, to board a domestic flight and enter federal buildings and military bases. REAL ID applicants will be required to pay a one-time fee and provide documentation such as proof of identity and address. For more information about this event, residents can contact Sappey’s office at 484-200-8264.
Chester County Commissioners invite applications for Chester Water Authority Board position
CHARLES D. GWALTNEY, SR.
The Chester Water Authority provides water to more than 200,000 households and businesses some of which are located within southern Chester County. The Chester County Commissioners are tasked with appointing three Chester County citizens as representatives on the ninemember Chester Water Authority Board. The vacant board position fills an existing appointment that expires in November 2022. A full term on the Chester Water Authority is five years. Following a review of all applications and a selection of follow-up interviews, the Chester County Commissioners will make an appointment recommendation for the Chester County CWA Board position at a future Chester County Commissioners’ Sunshine Meeting.
YoungMoms... Continued from Page 3B
While YoungMoms has firmly established a foothold in the Kennett area, its reach now extends to the Oxford community, where mentors and staff hold Club Nights for teenage mothers. Not only is YoungMoms expanding geographically, the stories of the young women who benefit from their services have become more global. “We’re also seeing a lot of young women coming to us from crisis situations in Central America, such as Guatemala,” Henry said. “Their backgrounds require a whole different scope of need because they’re not only coming to us as young mothers, they’re often arriving with almost no resources and no ability to speak the English language. “We are continually amazed that these women, despite their experiences, are working seven days a week here, often living in very challenging conditions, and are still the most phenomenal mothers who are doing everything they can to help their children have a better
life,” Henry said. Perhaps the clearest evidence pointing to the impact that YoungMoms has had on the community is in the faces of some of its many volunteers and mentors: They are the young mothers who received support and guidance from their mentors at YoungMoms, and now wish to pass it along to others. “Our goal has always been to grow in terms of being able to increase the amount and depth and quality of our services, and we continue to grow slowly and sustainably,” Henry said. “If we continue to do our job well, a young mother will tell another young mother about how YoungMoms has helped her along in her journey.” YoungMoms is looking for mentors throughout Southern Chester County to work with young mothers. For information, email courtney.taylor@ youngomscommunity.com. YoungMoms is located at 111 Marshall Street, in Kennett Square. Phone: (855) 964-6667. To learn more, visit www.youngmomscommunity.org. To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
YoungMoms Annual Fundraising Brunch & Silent Auction March 7, 2020, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Willowdale Chapel, 675 Unionville Rd., Kennett Square, Pa. $30 tickets can be purchased by visiting www.youngmomscommunity.com, or by email at youngmomsks@ gmail.com. Tickets will be available until Feb. 25.
CONNECT WITH EXPERIENCE Expert cardiovascular care close to home. When you choose Jennersville Hospital, you’re connecting to our experienced team of cardiologists, right in Southern Chester County. From risk assessments and diagnostic procedures to vascular surgery, you can be confident that the most advanced cardiac care is always nearby. We are pleased to welcome William Strimel, DO, MBA to our expert team of cardiologists. Dr. Strimel is board certified and brings nearly two decades of specialized experience in diagnosing, treating, and managing cardiovascular disease.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Strimel, call 610-869-1278. Connect to our cardiac program at Jennersville.TowerHealth.org.
Cardiology Associates of Jennersville 1101 W. Baltimore Pike, Suite 304 West Grove, PA 19390
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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020