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Chester CountyPRESS
www.chestercounty.com
Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas
Volume 150, No. 10
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
60 Cents
Supervisor’s arrest: Residents press township for answers By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer The London Grove Board of Supervisors reserved the first portion of their March 2 meeting to answering the questions of its constituency regarding the February arrest of newly elected supervisor Raymond Schoen. For more than 30 minutes, residents peppered William Lincke, an attorney with the Photo by Richard L. Gaw Media, Pa. firm of Beatty William Lincke, an attorney with the Media, Pa. firm of Beatty Lincke and the solici- Lincke and the township’s tor for London Grove Township, answered the public’s questions on March 2 about solicitor, with inquiries and Raymond Schoen, a township supervisor who was arrested on Feb. 10. opinions about Schoen, a
Supervisors hear pros and cons of saving a Unionville home By John Chambless Staff Writer There were plenty of new issues to consider at the March 7 meeting of the East Marlborough Board of Supervisors, but during public comment at the opening of the meeting, the big issue was the perennial problem of the Whitewing Farm bed and breakfast. For the past three years, neighbors of the business have fought owners Lance and Sandy Shortt, who are seeking permission to hold large outdoor events at the site, such as weddings.
Neighbors have complained about noise and traffic on the narrow road to the farm, as well as what they say is a violation of the zoning ordinance. The Shortts have said they cannot afford to run Whitewing as only a bed-and-breakfast inn, and must cater larger events to survive financially. On March 7, resident Rob McPherson spoke to the supervisors about a recent mediation meeting with the Shortts. “The meeting was kind of a waste of time,” McPherson said, adding that the attorney for the Continued on Page 4A
Lincoln University could be facing a tuition hike, more cuts to programs and services, and significant reductions in personnel costs unless lawmakers reach an agreement on the long-delayed state budget and free up funding for the four state-related universities. Dr. Richard Green, Lincoln University’s interim president, delivered this message during a state Appropriations Committee hearing in Harrisburg last week. Green and lead-
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer When Susan Pierce first decided to build her farmstead on 56 acres on Bayard Road in Kennett Township in the early 1800s, the concept of sharing her property with the rest of the township residents was just not thinkable. However, this is 2016 – more than 200 years after what is now known as The Susan Pierce House was first constructed – and times have changed. Last year, local real estate developer Michael Pia, Jr., and his wife Stephanie decided they were going to purchase the property and its farmhouse
Photo by Richard L. Gaw
Kennett Township has purchased a 45-acre parcel of property on Bayard Road, which will gradually be converted into a passive park.
from the home’s most recent owners. In the end, after more than a year of negotiations with Kennett Township, they kept 11 acres of their own, while
ers from the three other state-related universities— Penn State University, the University of Pittsburgh, and Temple University— appealed to Pennsylvania legislators to provide funding or jeopardize the educational opportunities for students. Lincoln University’s state allocation is proposed to be approximately $14 million, nearly 25 percent of its annual operating budget of $56 million. Courtesy photo Green testified during the Dr. Richard Green, Lincoln University’s interim presiAppropriations Committee dent, appealed to Pennsylvania lawmakers to end the hearing about how the state state budget impasse and provide the proposed allocaContinued on Page 3A
Continued on Page 3A
The new park in Kennett Township: How it happened
Lincoln University president appeals to state lawmakers to end budget impasse By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer
42-year-old West Grove resident, who was formally arrested on Feb. 10 by the Birmingham Township Police on a triple count of criminal trespassing, theft and receiving stolen property, for his involvement in the alleged theft of firearms from a home in December. Without making direct reference to Schoen – who was not present at the meeting – board chairman Richard Scott-Harper began the meeting by telling the audience that as part of being a “pro-active board,” it was
tions to the four state-related universities.
arranging that the remaining 45 acres become Kennett Township’s first public park, to be shared by all, for generations to come. Continued on Page 2A
Stranger than fiction By Uncle Irvin It is strange indeed that an exotic fly infestation would remain silent for at least six years around here. In the Feb. 24 Chester County Press, reporter Richard Gaw, who has covered New Garden Township for five years, Continued on Page 3A © 2007 The Chester County Press