Chester County Press 04-17-2024 Edition

‘Plumes of doom’: One development’s concern, and pursuit of answers

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

Hydrogen Sulfide is a chemical compound with the formula H2S and is often a colorless gas with a rotten egg odor, commonly referred to as “sewer gas.” H2S is heavier than air, very poisonous, corrosive, flammable and explosive.

Corrosion of metal and concrete is a major issue associated with the generation and oxidation of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen Sulfide gas causes severe corrosion of equipment, in particular piping.

Source: Corrosionpedia.com

You are not likely to have health effects if you are

exposed to typical environmental concentrations of Hydrogen Sulfide. You can have respiratory and neurological effects if you are exposed to higher concentrations of Hydrogen Sulfide, at least 100 times higher than typical environmental levels. The effects can include eye, nose and throat irritation, difficulty breathing in people with asthma, headaches, poor memory, tiredness and balance problems.

Source: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

On March 21, nearly 200 local area residents packed the New Garden Township Building to hear the results

of an air-quality study that evaluated the levels of Hydrogen Sulfide in New Garden and London Grove townships.

Occupying seats normally reserved for New Garden’s elected officials at the front of the room were representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH), the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP)’s Bureau of Air Quality, and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PADOA). The focus of the 56-page study was based on findings from three air quality monitors the PADOH had set up that measured

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Kennett School Board scales back proposed tax increase

at its April 8 meeting. During the board’s January meeting, school board member and Finance Committee chair Michael Finnegan presented a preliminary budget with a 4.8 increase for the upcoming school year. It would have placed an additional $278 burden on average property owners who last year paid $5953 in property taxes.

At April’s meeting, however, Finnegan announced that there have been decreases in several expenditures, including staff

retirement costs, special education costs, reduced enrollment and self-insurance, as well as an increase in overall state funding. As a result, the school district’s anticipated tax increase is now at 2.8 percent, or a $168 increase for the average property owner.

“In January, the proposed budget listed an increase of 4.8 percent, which was higher than I was comfortable with,” Finnegan said.

He added that the current announced general operating budget for next year is $103.7 million, an increase from $98.6 million for this year.

“That is the first time since I was here that it was over $100 million,” he said.

A written accounting of the details of the

Who will pay for curbing in Oxford Borough?

By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer

Oxford Borough Council continues to discuss paying for curbing in the borough. The big question is whether the individual property owners or the borough itself will pay for improvements to sidewalks and curbing. These are topics that have been discussed for years, and council continues to seek a fair solution. Seeking grant funding is one possibility, but grant funding is very competitive. Future projects, including one for Mt. Vernon Street, are being discussed. Borough officials continue to do their due diligence by talking to engineers and the borough solicitor. It is anticipated that the Mt. Vernon project will not include sidewalks, but does have curbing, which could

cost upwards of $500,000.

If property owners are asked to pay, and refuse to pay, or are not able to pay, attaching a lien on the property may be a possibility. Curbs are a necessary requirement for stormwater management and to protect the longevity of the road.

Council will continue to discuss this matter going forward.

A project on Hodgson and Eighth Street is also under consideration. The borough continues to look at the ordinance language and will discuss it with engineers. Council members are aware of the hardships that property owners could face if sidewalk or curbing improvements are mandated. The Oxford Borough

Borough of Oxford. The new website enables residents to become more informed and involved in their community and it gives them a front row seat to local government.

At the April 5 meeting, Oxford Borough Council approved a resolution amending the borough’s Civil Service Commission rules and regulations. This will amend the rules for the physical agility part of

the testing process. Going forward MOPAC standards will be used. Borough council also approved the appointment of Cierra Neidigh to the Historical Architectural Review Board (HARB).

A special event permit application for the Oxford Presbyterian Church’s Apple Festival on Sept. 28 was approved, as was a Special Event Permit Application for Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. First Fridays. The First Friday lineup includes May

7 through April 13 this year.

Cinco de Mayo, June in Bloom, August Hometown Harvest, October Oxford Pride, November Heroes, and December Country Christmas, which is scheduled this year for Dec. 6. Oxford Mayor Phil Harris presented Jay Kennedy, treasurer for the Oxford Library Board, a proclamation for National Library Week. The Oxford Library, and all libraries, are a vital part of the community they serve. The Oxford Library is often a setting for classes for adults and children, and it provides information on employment, taxes, health, plus books, movies, access to computers and the internet, and so much more.

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

For the past several years, the residents of the Landenberg Hunt development in New Garden Township have been experiencing negative side-effects from exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide gases.

Courtesy photo Oxford Mayor Phil Harris presented Jay Kennedy, the Oxford Library Board treasurer, with a proclamation for National Library Week. National Library Week ran from April

Landenberg Hunt...

Continued from Page 1A

Hydrogen Sulfide levels at three areas: the New Garden Flying Field, the Avon Grove Charter School and the New Garden Township Building, from August of 2021 to December of 2022.

Referring to a nearby screen filled with charts and graphs, Dr. Julie Miller, a public health toxicologist with the PADOH, shared the data:

• The highest hourly levels of Hydrogen Sulfide may have led to short-term (acute) respiratory effects in “certain individuals” in Landenberg and West Grove; specifically, those who have respiratory conditions like asthma. Further, the results concluded that on certain hours and days, hourly Hydrogen Sulfide odors that can negatively impact those with asthma;

• That longer exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide is “unlikely” to lead to longterm health effects, and that when averaged over a longer period, the levels were lower than levels where long-term effects might occur; and that

• Hydrogen Sulfide levels were above common thresholds of 8 parts per billion (ppb) that could lead to headaches, nausea, fatigue and stress in some residents. Further, 28 percent of the hours monitored were above the odor thresholds, and 13 percent of the hours monitored were 30 ppb over the odor threshold. The highest Hydrogen Sulfide levels at the West Grove and Landenberg monitors were reported to most occur on Tuesdays and Fridays

Tax increase...

and were highest during the evening and early-morning hours of fall months.

The PADOH recommended that mushroom-growing facilities suspected of high levels of Hydrogen Sulfide “engage in best practices and engineering controls” to reduce odors. They also suggested that these facilities do all they can to ensure that these emissions are located away from residential areas. They also advised residents to remain inside their homes when these odors become “bothersome,” leave the area for a few hours and consult their physicians if they are experiencing health problems from breathing Hydrogen Sulfide.

In her comments, Miller said that while exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide has not been shown to cause cancer in humans, the effects from low-level exposure can range from irritation to the eyes, nose and throat to headaches, poor memory, tiredness and difficulty with balance.

For nearly every resident in attendance, these results and recommendations, while informative, did not properly address the elephant in the room: that for the past several years, the overall quality of their lives have been negatively impacted by the Hydrogen Sulfide gases produced by spent mushroom substrate (SMS) created at nearby mushroom composting facilities.

One by one – from young parents to empty-nest retirees -- residents began to form a line in the middle of the room, patiently waiting for their chance to speak to the state’s leading

Continued from Page 1A went from $36.6 million in 2023-24 to $38.3 million in 2024-25.

2024-25 budget shows a $2.9 million increase in professional services and a $229,000 reduction in contracted services. The bill for employee benefits

health, environmental and agricultural experts. When they got to the microphone, they effectively opened the door to their homes and introduced the experts to what they endure every day. They brought them into their basements, where they have been forced to replace household appliances that have been severely damaged from exposure to Hydrogen Sulfide gases. They brought them to their backyards where their children play within site of nearby mushroom facilities. Finally, they brought them into the impact these odors were having on their overall health.

Landenberg Hunt resident Ron Lupo has been instrumental in helping to galvanize his neighbors’ concerns and share them with elected officials like Rep. Christina Sappey and the New Garden Township Board of Supervisors.

At one point during the meeting, he showed state officials photographs of corroded meter boxes and HVAC units from the neighborhood and referred to the clouds created in the production of mushrooms as “the Plume of Doom in our neighborhood.”

For some, the one-hourand-forty-five-minute feedback session served as the residents’ first opportunity to publicly address what had been up to that point confined to frustrations shared only with their families and neighbors. For others – specifically several residents who live in the Landenberg Hunt community – their comments were merely an affirmation of what they had already shared with the Chester County Press at two earlier

The final vote on the budget will be on June 10. School district CFO Mark Tracy announced that the cost of construction for the new Greenwood Elementary School has risen.

He said that, considering inflation and lessons learned from bids awarded on New Garden Elementary for similar materials and services, the estimated increase is a little over $6 million, “mostly due to updating hard project construction costs and dou-

meetings: the first in the summer of 2023 and the second this past January.

These are their stories.

Ammonia, raw sewage and stench

The Landenberg Hunt development is a winding trail of 43 well-kept homes off Starr Road, wedged between the New Garden Township Building to the east and a mushroom growing facility to the west. From forever home to forever home, there is every indication that a sense of permanence exists there, and that roots have been staked firmly in the ground: children’s play equipment, basketball hoops in blacktop driveways, rocking chairs on front porches and a nearly continuous sweep of manicured lawns and gardens.

Over the past year, the Chester County Press had become informed of the growing concern of the developments’ residents by Lupo and Don Morgan, a fellow Landenberg resident, who have shared information and history, and last August, at their invitation, a Chester County Press reporter drove to the development, where in the backyard of longtime residents Jerry and Laurie Hauck, he heard the testimony of more than one dozen of the Hauck’s neighbors.

For more than one hour, the group spoke about the encroaching impact that the composting processes at nearby mushroom facilities were having on their homes. They described the persistent odor as smelling like “ammonia,” “raw sewage” and “stench,” and as supporting evidence,

bling the cost of demolition based on the New Garden bids.”

He added that in reviewing the financing strategy, even with the increased estimates, the district is still within the planned contingencies and will be able to stick to the bond issue schedule that will require no increase of debt

The effects of Hydrogen Sulfide have had a major impact on household appliances within the development, and have forced homeowners to continually replace items that have been damaged from exposure. they displayed examples of household appliances and precious heirloom jewelry that had been corroded beyond repair by the lingering and aggressive effects of Hydrogen Sulfide.

Their stories were personal and their expenses costly: one resident said that he has been forced to replace his home’s heating device eight times. Another neighbor said that air conditioning service contractors have told him that they refuse to service homes in Landenberg Hunt because of the frequency of their visits.

Two new residents to the neighborhood – young mothers with small children – said they moved to the Landenberg Hunt to take advantage of the superb public schools for their children.

“We did not know that a mushroom composting facility was nearby, because we didn’t drive around the corner when we first bought our house,” one mother said. “On inspection day, it smelled horrific, and my husband and I smelled a chemical smell. After the inspection, I saw my

service or tax increases due to construction for the life of the projects.

In other business: School Board President David Kronenberg announced that 34 applications from 12 states have been received from individuals seeking to replace Superintendent Dusty Blakey, who announced that he will retire in mid-July.

The board approved as well a contract with Reading Allowed, a company which helps with children who have trouble reading. The cost was not announced and it was not stated in the board agenda. Director of Human Resources Chris Marsala presented a report from a

husband crying in the backyard. He told me that we lived right next to a mushroom composting farm. I called the business the next day and they told me that it’s a lot like living next to a pig farm.

“We moved in and less than a month later, my daughter’s nose was constantly stuffy, and she was always getting sick and had difficulty breathing. My son was all of a sudden coming down with allergies. We had to get air purifiers in their bedrooms. In the middle of the night, you smell sulfur coming into the house.”

“If it is corroding our cars and our appliances, what is it doing to the inside of our bodies?” the other woman asked.

Like thousands of their fellow residents in southern Chester County last summer, however, those living in the Landenberg Hunt development waited in anticipation for the results of the PADOH survey before they could truly galvanize, armed with pertinent facts that could justify their concerns.

On January 18, when 25 neighbors from the

lengthy project she is heading to deal with student homelessness, which she said is about 250 in number in the Kennett Consolidated School District. The definition of homelessness, she said, is not just the lack of a dwelling to live in, but it involves economic hardship, domestic violence, abandonment in hospitals, instability, living in cars or abandoned buildings, or living with other school age children if they have no other place.

The details of the policy state that these students must be provided with waivers for protection in areas of clubs, graduation, athletics, materials and dress code, among many other factors.

Courtesy photos

PADOH survey were still three months away.

‘You hold your breath and run to your car’

For more than one hour, the concerns that the residents had expressed echoed from the summer before and reverberated around the cavernous township meeting room. The first to speak was Lupo, who said that when he and his family first moved to the development in 1997, the odors were moderate, but they have gotten exceedingly worse in the past 15 years.

“I think it’s time we address this problem, because there are ways to correct the problem,” he said. “We have to make it known to the mushroom industry that the maintenance on our homes is coming out of our pockets because of them. We need to get this straightened out and find a way forward.”

When Josh and Brittany Blacker moved into the

development in 2019, their home had a brand-new HVAC unit. Within one year, several of its coils had disintegrated. After two winters without heat and two summers without air conditioning, last winter – with two newborn daughters coming home from the hospital – they were forced to replace their unit at a cost of $16,000. Isaiah Hollis and his wife moved into the development seven years ago. “At least once a month, my wife is not feeling well,” he said. “Same with my kids. You go out in the morning and take that nice first breath? Not in my neighborhood. As you go out in the morning, you hold your breath as you run to your car. Before I get home from work, I beg my wife to light candles before I get home. Otherwise, when I walk inside, it smells like someone blew up the house.”

Several neighbors then touched on another subject: their overall impact of Hydrogen Sulfide on their health. While many said that were now being treated for allergies and frequent colds, Kim Stimeling said she and her husband’s oldest child, now four, suffers

from cold-induced asthma, and their year-and-a-half year-old son was recently diagnosed with cancer.

“Thankfully, the cancer was confirmed not to be environmentally related, but the fact that our minds went there, and in light of hearing other parents talking about their children’s health, should not even be a thought in our minds,” Stimeling said. “It is a very real concern and a scary realization that has sat with me for a year now.”

While the residents of Landenberg Hunt said they continued to seek allies and answers, New Garden Township has already been at work to find them. Allaband told the audience that the township is in the second year of a study being conducted with Dr. Lorenzo Cena, associate professor in the Department of Health Sciences at West Chester University, that will measure Hydrogen Sulfide levels in the township, the results of which will be

shared at a public meeting at a future date. “What we need to do is to wait for the numbers from the state and wait for the numbers from the West Chester University study and do a comparison,” Allaband said at the meeting. “If we can combine it all and split the findings down the middle, it will give us a better snapshot of the problem, if there is a problem. I believe that if it’s identified that there is a problem, the state and the federal government will chip in and there will be grant funding available to do remediation and develop a corrective action plan.”

‘This is about real problems’

Allaband said that solutions to greatly reduce Hydrogen Sulfide emissions from SMS is already underway throughout Europe and parts of Canada. A fully automated, maintenance friendly technology known

as “scrubbing” -- containing a storage tank for outdoor installation, a gas scrubber, an air collection room and a chimney -- has been proven to clean the air effectively.

If there has been one repetitive chorus shared at the two gatherings with the Landenberg Hunt community and at the town hall meeting on March 21, it is that their grievances have not been articulated as finger-pointing exercises pointed at a multi-billiondollar industry. Rather, the tone of their voices has had everything to do with seeking answers and proactive solutions, that they said can only be achieved through the cooperation of the industry itself.

“Does the answer to this problem -- where the threshold of how it can be solved seems to be very gray or blurry or unattainable -- have to be a reactive

solution or can there be a proactive solution where we can work this out, and where both sides can be happy?” one neighbor asked. “This is about real problems – health issues, property values and corrosion.

“We have to garner some kind of sympathy from the politicians and the community and the environmental agencies who are out to do the right thing and make that public, so that these [mushroom growing facilities] want to be compliant and do the right thing.”

The entire Pennsylvania Department o f Environmental Protection report – and a summary -- can be found on the New Garden Township website, www.newgarden.org.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

Landenberg Hunt development met at the New Garden Township Building at a town hall meeting moderated by township board chairman Steve Allaband, the results of the

State Sen. Kane announces over $3 million in MTF grant funding

Funding for East Baltimore Pike and Schoolhouse Road project is included

State Sen. John I. Kane recently announced over $3 million in grant funding awarded to the 9th Senatorial District from the Department of Community and Economic Development’s Multimodal Transportation Fund.

This fund is dedicated to the development, rehabilitation, and enhancement of transportation assets to existing communities, streetscape, lighting, sidewalk enhancement, pedestrian safety, connectivity of transportation assets, and transit-oriented development.

Sen. Kane said, “These grants represent a substantial investment in the infrastructure of our communities. They’ll be put to use enhancing safety, improving accessibility, and promoting growth in our district. Our communities in the 9th District deserve the best, and this funding will help make that possible.”

The Commonwealth

Financing Authority approved the grant on the morning of March 26. The authority was established in 2004 as an independent agency of DCED to administer Pennsylvania’s economic development programs.

The grant awards include the following:

Chester County

Improvements to East Baltimore Pike and Schoolhouse Road - $750,000

(158th Representative District with Rep Christina Sappey).

Delaware County

Pedestrian crosswalk improvements in Aston Township - $377,706.

(161st House District with Rep Leanne Krueger)

Construction of Phase 2 of the Chester Creek Trail - $300,000.

(161st House District with Rep Leanne Krueger)

Installation of flashing beacons near Wallingford Elementary School by Nether Providence

Township - $208,200.

(161st House District with Rep Leanne Krueger).

Roadway improvements at West Chester Pike and North Crum Road by Edgmont Lot B-1, LP- $734,640.

(168th Representative District with Rep Lisa Borowski).

Creation of a pedestrian-friendly environment at the intersection of Chichester Avenue and Market Street by Lower Chichester Township - $442,152.

(159th House District with Rep Carol Kazeem)

Pedestrian safety improvements at the intersection of Chichester Avenue and Huddell Avenue by Lower Chichester Township - $250,000.

(159th House District with Rep Carol Kazeem).

To learn more about Sen. Kane, visit his website at www.pasenatorkane.com.

A look at Pa. child abuse data during Child Abuse Awareness Month

Courtesy image

Under Pennsylvania’s child abuse laws, 32,075 people were charged in 36,386 child abuse cases between 2019 to 2023, resulting in 10,915 case convictions. Of those defendants who were charged in child abuse cases, 56 percent were between the ages of 19 and 35 and 23 percent were charged with endangering the welfare of children. The infographic highlights key data and demographics about child abuse in Pennsylvania.

The gift that she owns

“No power on this earth can destroy the thirst for human dignity.”

~ Nelson Mandela

From the time she was first elected to represent Pennsylvania’s sixth congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, Chrissy Houlahan has been everywhere, not just as a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, but in every town and municipality from Chester County and southern Berks County.

During her time in office, she has visited schools and hospitals and non-profit agencies and small businesses, where she has served to champion causes, beliefs and issues that touch everyone – from around the world to Pennsylvania to here in southern Chester County. Further, she has been a tireless advocate for civil rights, education, the environment, gun violence prevention, health care, affordable housing, the homeless, immigration, national security, small businesses, transportation and infrastructure, the lives and welfare of veterans and the U.S. workforce.

To those who have worked side-by-side with her – both in the U.S. House, on caucuses and in private conversations from Landenberg to West Chester and everywhere in between – it is of very little surprise that she is the recipient of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award which “recognizes members who demonstrate the bipartisan leadership and constructive governing necessary to move our country forward.”

In the poison of our nation’s political rhetoric and discord of incivility, Houlahan is an outlier, a bipartisan connector who is a key voice in the Problem Solvers Caucus, a group of U.S. House officials who push legislation past the slog of partisanship, such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Visit the agenda of any municipality and chances are that Houlahan has spoken there or is making plans to do so. She has already held more town hall meetings—84 at last count – than any other elected official in Pennsylvania, where the topics have been wide-ranging and constructive in conversation.

Her journey has been generously paved with the gifts of curiosity, grace and the power of her convictions.

On April 5, she visited Coatesville Area Senior High School to meet with students on the Raiderbots and Raiderbots Squared robotics teams and students participating in the SIFMA Foundation’s Capitol Hill Challenge, which focuses on personal finance and economics.

On April 2, she expressed outrage about the recent Israeli airstrike in Gaza that killed seven, calling it “a senseless act of violence.” She criticized Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s characterization of this tragedy as “unintentional” and called for a thorough and transparent investigation, as well as an end to the “cycle of violence” between Israel and Palestine.

In March, standing beside members of the Democrats for Border Security Task Force, she applauded President Biden for signing the Homeland Security Appropriations bill into law, as a means to enact common sense border security. She also called for Congress to pass a bipartisan border security bill that would provide the Department of Homeland Security “with the necessary policy and funding changes to secure our border as well as bring relief to our agencies, personnel, and border communities.”

We are both the victims -- and the cause -- of our nation’s nefarious times. Too often, we are lightning quick to judge, to misinterpret others with different opinions, and to our detriment, co-opt the insidious gaggle of our media’s most boisterous gasbags to reinforce our opinions. We have become a nation divided evenly by “Us” and “Them,” and the middle ground that once existed between us has become an erosive wasteland, squandered by our stubborn determination to be right.

Chrissy Houlahan does not live in the calamity of this unfolding chaos, nor does she help govern by it. To every Democrat and Republican in her district, she cares very little about the letter that is assigned to their political affiliation, and while that decision may not be in the best interests of most politicians in Washington, D.C. or even Harrisburg, it is the gift that she owns, and all of us – no matter what political flag we fly under – are each the beneficiaries of that gift.

Financial Focus

Time for financial spring cleaning?

Spring is here, which means it’s time for some spring cleaning. This year, in addition to tidying your home and surroundings, you might want to consider sprucing up your financial environment, as well. Here are some suggestions for doing just that:

• Improve your vision. Once the days are warmer and longer, you may want to get outside and clean all the winter grime and smudges from your windows, allowing you to see the world more clearly. And you may want to bring more focus to your financial vision by asking some key questions: Is my investment strategy still appropriate for my needs, goals and family situation? If not, what changes should I make? Am I prepared for changes in my life, such as health challenges or a need to retire earlier than planned? The answers to these and other questions can help you clarify where you are, in terms of your financial picture, and where you want to go.

• De-clutter. As you look around your home, you may find things such as expired health care products, old prescriptions, ancient cleaning solutions, and so on, in addition to duplicate household items (how

many blenders do you really need?) and non-working equipment — printers, laptops, etc. Most people find that eliminating this clutter gives them a good feeling – and more livable space. As an investor, you can also find clutter in the form of redundant investments — for example, you might own several nearly identical mutual funds.

You might be better off selling some of these funds and using the proceeds to find new investments that can help you further diversify your portfolio. As you may know, diversification is a key to investment success, but keep in mind that it can’t prevent all losses.

• Plant seeds of opportunity. Whether they’re planting camellias and crocuses or carrots and cilantro, gardeners are busy in the spring, hoping their efforts result in lovely flowers and tasty foods. And when you invest, you, too, need to plant seeds of opportunity in the form of investments that you hope will grow enough to enable you to make progress toward your goals. So, you may want to review your portfolio to ensure it’s providing this growth potential, given your individual risk tolerance.

• Reduce dangers. You

may not think about it that much, but your home and surroundings can contain potential hazards. You might have ill-fitting caps on cleaning products with toxic chemicals, or sharp cutting instruments protruding from shelves in your garage, or heavy, cracked tree branches hovering close to your roof.

Spending some time on a spring-cleaning sweep can get rid of these dangers — and devoting time to consider the possible threats to your financial security, and those of your family, can pay off, too. For starters, review your life insurance to determine if you’ve got enough. Your employer may offer some coverage as an employee benefit, but it might not be sufficient, so you may need private coverage. The same is true for disability insurance, because if something were to happen to you, and you couldn’t work for a while, you’d still want to protect your family’s lifestyle. Spring is a great time for brightening your physical space — and your financial one, too. This article was written by Edward Jones for

Brown, Struzzi, Smith pen letter to PIAA to level the playing field in high school sports broadcasting

Following years of inaction by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) to fix a broken broadcasting policy, Reps. Marla Brown (R-Lawrence), Jim Struzzi (R-Indiana) and Brian Smith (R-Jefferson/Indiana) have sent a formal letter to PIAA demanding change.

The PIAA recently entered into an agreement with the National Federation of State High School (NFHS) Association, the body that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the United States. NFHS can provide a streaming service, and often, schools will choose to exercise that capability in high-profile situations. What this does is eliminate the ability for local media outlets cov-

ering the away teams to do what they do best and requires anyone who wishes to stream the game to pay a subscription fee to access it. Brown, Struzzi and Smith issued this statement after sending the letter, signed by 45 lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, to the PIAA:

“The PIAA’s current broadcasting policy is unfair on many levels, and most importantly, to the families of the players on the fields and courts of Pennsylvania. Our athletes work for years to hone their skills in their respective sports, and a lucky few get the chance to show those skills in PIAA playoff matchups. However, those matchups can be several hours away from their local communities.

“Pennsylvania is blessed with many local media out-

District attorneys applaud ban on ghost guns

The district attorneys of Chester County and Delaware County lauded the Pennsylvania State House for the passage of a ghost gun ban, and they urged the State Senate to pass the legislation as well.

Last week, the Pennsylvania State House passed HB 777, a ban on certain privately made firearms that are often referred to as ghost guns. These guns are designed and packaged to be assembled through kits and other individual parts

without serial numbers. They are easily assembled with common tools and sold without background checks. Two local District Attorneys urged the State Senate to act quickly to pass this legislation.

Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said in a statement: “Banning unserialized and untraceable ghost guns is common sense.

Taking these dangerous weapons off the streets will protect Pennsylvania citi-

zens and police officers from cheap guns that are the new favorite weapon of felons. I echo Gov. Shapiro’s call for the State Senate to pass this legislation quickly.”

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stolsteimer, who is also a current candidate for Pennsylvania Attorney General, said in a statement: “This critically important legislation provides law enforcement with a desperately needed tool in the fight against illegal guns. Ghost guns are, first and

foremost, lethal weapons— they can kill and maim just as effectively as any other firearm. For too long, the kits to create these weapons have been allowed to circulate without even minimal oversight. Sadly, members of law enforcement are confronted with the consequences of this loophole every day. We are enormously grateful to the leadership in the legislature for taking steps to bring Pennsylvania into line with other states in regulating these firearms.”

lets who faithfully cover high school sports throughout the season. More often than not, those outlets are happy to travel whatever distance is required to cover their teams for their communities. But time and time again, they’re blocked by the exclusivity contract between the PIAA and NFHS. These athletes finally reach their moment on the big stage, and all too often their friends and family are blocked from watching them by an NFHS paywall. “During a 2022 hearing the Department of Education assured lawmakers that the issue of exclusivity between PIAA and the NFHS Network would be resolved.

On January 26th, 2023, legislation was introduced to allow visiting teams in high school athletic competitions, and their local broadcasters, the same rights to broadcast, stream, and provide play-byplay as the home team. As of today, House Bill 30, the Fair Play in Broadcasting Act, has strong bipartisan support and could move from the House Education Committee at any time.

“It has become clear that fair broadcasting is not a priority being addressed in the PIAA. We, and the 42 other lawmakers who signed our letter, believe this issue needs to be addressed as soon as possible for the sake of Pennsylvania’s players, families and fans.”

In the Spotlight

Loaves of love with Brandywine Valley Bread

By HaLeigh Abbott Contributing Writer

Brandywine Valley Bread is not a new business, but certainly one that deserves revisiting—over and over again.

Owned by husband and wife duo, Fran McLaughlin and Maria QuarantaMcLaughlin, their small Downingtown shop welcomes regulars and new customers with fresh baked bread and artisan coffees.

Fran and Maria began their bread journey in 2018 when Fran started experimenting with sourdough. His friends and family suggested he start selling it, and he took the opportunity since he was unhappy in his restaurant job and looking to make extra money.

After providing samples to the Downingtown Farmers Market, Brandywine Valley Bread began sell-

ing sourdough loaves each weekend. This quickly grew to the Lionville and Kennett Square farmers markets, all while selling out at every location. Their storefront, located at 3941 Lincoln Highway East, opened on Nov. 11, 2018. Previously a bagel shop, Fran and Maria didn’t have the funds to change the sign out front that read “Bagels,” so they decided to feed the customer demand.

“The ball just bounces your way sometimes,” said Fran, and the steady stream of customers to the store confirms the success.

What makes their bread, bagels and pastries so incredible is the owners’ dedication to local.

“Local food always tastes better. It’s harder to work with because it’s more finicky, but it’s always worth it,” said Fran. With a grain mill in house, Fran processes his own flour with grain from local purveyors. Small Valley Mill in Harrisburg provides the majority of the grains, including landrace grains, which are ancient, pre-hybridized varieties that are increasingly harder to find.

Maria can often be found working at the coffee bar, where her homemade syrups and specialty coffees rival that of big-name chains. From the classic drip to the exciting Lemonade Espresso (made in-house and organic), it’s the perfect accompaniment to a bagel or pastry. She and Fran both work the front of the house, greeting customers and catching up with their regulars they know by name and order.

If you’re lucky, you might also get some help from one of their four children who are professional labelstickers for their boxes and drinkware. This year, Brandywine Valley Bread leveled up their ovens to help keep up with demand. In the future, the McLaughlins hope to expand to a cafe-style shop with seating.

Sen. Comitta and YMCA of Greater Brandywine to celebrate Earth Day at free community event on April 20

“We want a place where people can sit down, eat their croissant, and drink their coffee,” explained Fran. Timing is everything for the expansion, as well as the baking.

If you’d like to indulge in some delicious loaves, pastries, bagels, or even buy a sourdough starter from Brandywine Valley Bread, be sure to visit them each Wednesday through Sunday at their Downingtown location, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or until

Courtesy photo

What makes their bread, bagels and pastries so incredible is the owners’ dedication to local.

Photos by HaLeigh Abbott

Owned by husband and wife duo, Fran McLaughlin and Maria Quaranta-McLaughlin, the small shop welcomes regulars and new customers with fresh baked bread and artisan coffees.

SANDRA THOMPSON

Sandra Wolfe Thompson passed away peacefully at her home holding her husband’s hand on April 7, 2024.

She graduated from Aliquippa High School and Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio. She did her master’s degree work at the University of Pittsburgh, and she taught Advanced Placement English for two years.

She married J. Stark Thompson, with whom she shared over 60 years of marriage. While Stark was at the Ohio State University, Sandy worked for Chemical Abstracts in what was then new areas of computer technology.

She moved to Newark, Del. when Stark took his first assignment with DuPont. They moved to California, to London, and to Brussels, before moving back to Kennett Square. Her love for travel led to establishing Kennett Travel with Neil Joines. The agency and her clients became her passion. Sandy loved her job and her staff, many of whom became lifelong friends.

She served on the Chester County Chamber of Commerce. She especially enjoyed many years on the board of the Kennett Symphony of Chester County. She was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Del.

Sandy loved baseball. Above all, she enjoyed being a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. Her family and friends were the most important part of her life.

She is survived by her husband, Stark; their son, Doug, and his former wife, Natalia, and their daughter, Valerie, of Kennett Square; and a son, Gregg, and his wife, Heather, and their children Gavin, Payton, and Gates of New Concord, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers, Sandy requested donations be made to the Kennett Symphony. She dedicated many years of service to the Kennett Symphony, and held it very close to her heart. Online donations can be made at kennettsymphony.org or checks can be mailed to Kennett Symphony, P.O. Box 72, Kennett Square, Pa. 19348.

You are invited to visit with Sandy’s family and friends from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on May 7, 2024 at Lower Brandywine Presbyterian Church, 101 Old Kennett Road in Wilmington, Del.

Her Celebration of Life will begin at 11a.m.

Interment will follow at noon in the adjacent cemetery. Arrangements are being handled by Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. (484-734-8100) of Kennett Square.

To view Sandy’s online obituary, please visit www. griecofunerals.com.

Psalm 34:10

TheChesterCountyPressfeaturesadedicatedchurch/religious pagethatcanhelpyouadvertiseyourhouseofworshipand/or business.Thepageisupdatedweeklywithnewscripture.Only$10 Weeklyforthisspace. Weareofferingaspecialdiscountof25%offeachandeveryhelp wanted/classifiedadvertisementtoanybusinessthatadvertiseson thePRESSchurchpage.

Anti-Human Trafficking Alliance of Oxford will host a Crystal Singing Bowl Sound Bath Session on April 20, beginning at 9 a.m. Those who participated in January Comcast recently announced that it is expanding its Xfinity and Comcast Business services to more than 2,500 residents and businesses in East Nottingham Township. “We are committed to investing in and expanding our network to ensure that more residents and businesses in Pennsylvania have the connectivity they need to succeed,” said Dan Bonelli, senior vice president of Comcast’s Freedom Region, which serves these areas as well as southeastern Pennsylvania. “We are proud to provide more Chester County residents with fast, secure and reliable Internet services that are built to meet the community’s needs today and into the future.” Construction is underway in East Nottingham and planned to continue through the first quarter of

second session of this restful and peacefilled therapy. Sound Therapy is

method of using

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within one. This is known to provide emotional, mental and physical healing. Please bring a mat, blanket and pillow if desired. Chairs will be provided, also. Snacks will be provided at the end of the

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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 SHERI LYNN

KEEN, ADMINISTRATRIX, 115 Garfield Ave., Norwood, PA 19074, Or to her Attorney: STEPHEN J. OLSEN

please contact the Lower Oxford Township’s Secretary/ Treasurer, Deborah Kinney, at 610-932-8150 ext 1. 4p-17-2t

GAWTHROP GREENWOOD, P.C., 17 E. Gay St., Ste. 100, West Chester, PA 19380 4p-10-3t

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE OF BARBARA JEAN

ZILKO a/k/a BARBARA J. ZILKO, DECEASED. Late of East Nottingham Township, Chester County, PA LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to TRACEY SLOAN, EXECUTRIX, c/o Ryan M. Bornstein, Esq., 800 Lancaster Ave., Ste. T-2, Berwyn, PA 19312, Or to her Attorney, RYAN M. BORNSTEIN, HARVEY BALLARD & BORNSTEIN, LLC, 800 Lancaster Ave., Ste. T-2, Berwyn, PA 19312 4p-10-3t

2024 BID NOTICE EXPANSION TO SALT SHED

INVITATION TO BID NOTICE

is hereby given that the Lower Oxford Township will receive sealed Bids until the 13th day of May 2024 at 12:00 p.m. at the Lower Oxford Township Building, 220 Township Road, Oxford, PA 19363. The bids will be opened at the Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting to be held on May 13, 2024, at approximately 7:30 p.m. at which time the Bids will be opened in the Board Room for the following: Expansion of existing Salt Shed. Work description: This work shall include furnishing all labor, materials, equipment, and other incidentals necessary for the following:

Expand the salt shed 20’ x 35’. Reroof and re-shingle existing roof. Provide 12’ poured concrete wall with rebar to tie into existing wall. Install 4’ footer under upright 8’ wall.

Build 2” x 6” wall on top of concrete with 4’ of plywood inside. Supply and install roof trusses and CDX 5-ply roof sheathing. Install T-1-11 on sides of expansion. New rain gutters to be installed on the entire building.

Project must be completed no later than October 1, 2024. Bidders must include Certificate of Liability insurance with submission.

Note: Excavation and disposal of old shingles will be the responsibility of Lower Oxford Township.

If you have any questions or require additional information,

2024 BID NOTICE

Sealed proposals will be received by Lower Oxford Township, 220 Township Road, Oxford, PA 19363. Bids will be accepted until 12:00 Noon, Monday, May 13, 2024. Bids will be opened at 7:30 p.m. on May 13, 2024, at the Board of Supervisors regular meeting and action will be taken by the municipality on the awarding of each bid item. Bidders are asked to bid on each of the following:

1. Seal Coat In-Place (oil & chip)

a. 50,000 sq. yards +/- per specs

2. Diesel Fuel & Heating Oil

a. 6,000 gallons +/- per specs.

3. 10’-20’ Paver with operator and screed man per specs, 40 hours

4. 10-12 Ton Vibratory Roller with operator per specs, 40 hours

5. 3-5 Ton Vibratory Roller with operator per specs, 50 hours

6. 2,300 Gallon Water Truck, w/ Operator per specs, 50 hours

7. Skid Steer w/18” Planer and Broom w/Operator per specs, 30 hours

8. Laborers (price for each) per specs 150 hours 9. 8’ Self-Propelled Road Widener w/Operator per specs, 25 hours

10. 48” Milling Machine w/Operator, 25 hours

11. Tri-Axle Dump Truck w/Drivers, 345 hours

12. TACK (EM-50TT) Applied, 27,200 sq. yds. +/Proposals must include bids on ALL items.

PA prevailing wages apply only to equipment rental. All materials must be in accordance with PENNDOT 408 specs. The Bidder must be a PennDOT Prequalified Prime Contractor. The Bidder must meet with Township Roadmaster prior to bid opening. Liquidated damages apply at the rate of $870.00 per calendar year. Each bid proposal shall be accompanied by a certified check or bid bond in the amount of ten (10) percent of the total bid and drawn to the order of Lower Oxford Township. A performance & payment bond will be required by the successful bidder, as well as a certificate of insurance. For contracts under $5,000 – bonds must be in 50% of the contract amount – Contracts in excess of $5,000 – bonds must be in 100% of the amount of the contract. Such bonds shall be furnished at the expense of the bidder. Bidding packets are available and must be picked up in person

weekdays from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the Lower Oxford Township Office, located at 220 Township Road, Oxford, PA. The Board of Supervisors reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids and to award the bid in the best interest of the Township. Deborah J. Kinney, Secretary/Treasurer, 610-932-8150 ext 1 4p-17-1-2t

PENN TOWNSHIP PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Supervisors of Penn Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania will hold a public hearing on May 7, 2024 commencing at 6:00 p.m. at the Penn Township Municipal Building located at 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, Pennsylvania, 19390 to inform the public and receive public comment and input concerning the adoption of the 2024 Penn Township Comprehensive Plan. The Board of Supervisors intends to consider and may adopt a resolution accepting and adopting the 2024 Penn Township Comprehensive Plan at a Board of Supervisors meeting on May 7, 2024 commencing upon conclusion of the above-noted public hearing, said meeting

cated at 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, Pennsylvania. Winifred Moran Sebastian, Esquire, Lamb McErlane PC, Solicitor 4p-17-2t INCORPORATION

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County Commissioners recognize 300-year-old family farm in Cochranville

The Chester County Commissioners recently toured Hidden View Farm in Cochranville, owned for three centuries by the Cochran family, to recognize the farm’s Tricentennial designation. Hidden View Farm is one of just two farms in Pennsylvania to achieve such an honor.

The Cochran family established Hidden View Farm in 1724 in Cochranville – which is named for the family – after they immigrated from Scotland by way of Northern Ireland. Current owners Robert and Adrienne Cochran still have the original deeds to the property which were signed by William Penn’s sons.

Over the centuries, the farm has been home to seven generations of the Cochran family, as well as to a thriving crop farm, butcher shop, beef cattle operation, and many horses. Today, Robert and Adrienne Cochran farm

35 acres of hay for cattle and horses, and lease 75 acres to a neighboring farmer who grows corn, wheat, soybeans, and cover crops. The family also enjoys fox hunting and keeps a kennel of hounds.

To be a Tricentennial Farm, a farm needs to be owned by the same family for at least 300 years. A family member must live on the farm on a permanent basis, and the farm must consist of at least 10 acres of the original holding, or gross more than $1,000 annually from the sale of farm products.

As part of the recognition, Chester County Commissioners’ Chair Josh Maxwell and Commissioner Eric Roe presented a citation to Robert and Adrienne Cochran, and daughters Abbey and Emma, congratulating them on their tremendous achievement of Tricentennial Farm sta-

tus. In the citation, the Commissioners “commended the Cochran family, past and present, for their commitment to Hidden View Farm, their passion for farming, and their contributions to Chester County’s agricultural community.”

Since the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture began the Century, Bicentennial, and Tricentennial Farm recognition program in 1977, over 2,300 farms across the state have been recognized for reaching Century and Bicentennial status. Only two have achieved Tricentennial status. The Cochrans initially received their official designation from the Department of Agriculture at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in January.

The Cochran family preserved Hidden View Farm in 2002 through Chester County’s Agricultural Land Preservation Program. Commenting on the preservation of the farm, Adrienne Cochran noted, “Both Bob and I agree that the farm needed to be saved for future generations. It has been in use for 300 years by the Cochran family, and we would hope that by preserving it, the land will remain in agricultural production and ensure the farming tradition will continue for many more years.”

The Cochran family’s Hidden View Farm original deed, signed by William Penn’s sons.

Courtesy Photos Cochran Family’s Tricentennial Hidden View Farm in Cochranville.

Chester County Commissioners recognized Cochran family’s Tricentennial farm designation. Pictured left to right: Chester County Commissioners’ Chair Josh Maxwell, Emma Cochran, Robert and Adrienne Cochran, Abbey Cochran, and Commissioner Eric Roe.

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