Chester County Press 06-01-2022 Edition

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Chester CountyPRESS

www.chestercounty.com

Covering Avon Grove, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square, Oxford, & Unionville Areas

Volume 156, No. 22

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

$1.00

Thousands enjoy Kennett Square’s Memorial Day Parade By Chris Barber Contributing Writer The turnout for Kennett Square’s Memorial Day Parade on Monday showed just how eager the public was for its return. Concerns and restrictions prompted by the COVID19 pandemic caused the cancellation of the parade in 2020 and a substantially reduced ceremony in 2021. Additionally, there was a frequently mentioned concern that Bill Taylor, who had led the extravaganza for years, had announced his Photo by Chris Barber retirement in 2019. This year, with perfect Military flag bearers lead the Kennett Square Memorial Parade up Broad Street on Monday. weather and widespread

INSIDE

publicity abounding, spectators started arriving an hour before the announced 10 a.m. start, and they gathered at least three-deep along the Broad Street and State Street sections of the procession. “This was a great parade,” could be heard throughout the crowd as that last fire truck rolled by. Moving through town from South Street up the hill to State Street and then out to the Union Hill Cemetery, the parade extended for more than an hour and a half. The event offered a wide variety of marchers from scores of antique vehicles

and military companies to floats from local businesses. The school bands from Kennett and Unionville brought music and flags near the beginning, and bagpipe players were sprinkled among the other attractions. The usual Shriner motorcycle riders were on hand, zooming in circles, as well as scouts, tractors and a couple of Uncle Sams on stilts. There was also a substantial representation of Latino culture, including dancers, marchers and several dancing horses. Two Chinese dragons weaved from one side of the street to the other, and a bevy

of little girls with batons showed their skills along the way. Following the procession through town, a tribute at the cemetery honored those who had given their lives for their country while serving in the military. Much of the credit for this year’s event can be attributed to community volunteer Dave Haradon and the committee that helped plan the parade and all its details. Haradon led the formation of the committee and vowed not to let the traditional event die. Taylor, the former parade chairman, said that he was persuaded Continued on page 2A

‘You – the Class of 2022 – were the accomplishment’

Cited for their adaptability and perseverance, 444 graduate from Avon Grove By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

COVID-19 with a resiliency and determination that will lay the groundwork for their future. “You – the Class of 2022 – were the accomplishment,” Snead said. “The Class of 2022 successfully navigated two full years of high school during a pandemic, and that is quite an accomplishment. You learned how to be flexible, with little to no notice, and demonstrated

During her remarks at Local family will represent U.S. at World Meeting of the start of the 94th annual Families in Rome...1B Commencement ceremony for Avon Grove High School on May 25 at the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, Principal Dr. Christie Snead looked out at the Class of 2022 and saw 444 young people who have emerged from two years of

hard work and determination. What makes your class unique is your ability adapt and persevere. “These two qualities have been tested over the last two years when our society shifted. You adapted to make the changes and persevere through challenging times. Whether you excelled in a classroom, in a shop, on stage, on the court or on the field, you

Photos by Richard L. Gaw

The 444 graduates of the Class of 2022 received their diplomas during Avon Grove High School’s 94th annual commencement ceremony, held May 25 at the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark.

experienced challenge and disappointment. Instead of throwing in the towel, you accepted the challenge by adapting and persevering. My hope is that you will look back on those times with pride and continue to

grow in your experiences.” Snead told the audience of more than 4,000 guests in attendance that of the Class of 2022, 82 percent will continue their education, attend over 100 colleges in Continued on page 4A

New Garden Flight Connection instructor Melissa Shrewsbury will be one of 115 women pilots competing in the 45th Air Race Classic from June 21-24 Soldier’s Cross dedication at Oxford Area Regional Park...3B

Local pilot prepares for the flight of her life

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By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

© 2007 The Chester County Press

As a child growing up in Cecil County, Melissa Shrewsbury quickly became obsessed with learning as much as she could about the wide open universe she was seeing through her telescope. She studied the patterns of the moon, and how to find stars, and over time, her goal of someday reaching space became a journey that began when she received her pilot’s license six years ago. For the

past year, Shrewsbury has been a certified flight instructor with the New Garden Flight Connection, and taking her students high above the New Garden Flying Field and beyond, the sensation of flight has become a regular one for her. From June 21 to June 24, the 28-year-old pilot will embark on a sensation of another kind -- her largest and longest journey through the skies. Shrewsbury and her copilot Lauren Heisey – a

student of Shrewsbury’s -- will be participating in the 45th Air Race Classic (ARC), the annual all-women cross-country airplane race that this year will feature 51 teams and 115 female pilots for a 2,549-mile competition. Starting at Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Fla. on June 21, the race will then make nine stops along its route: Moultrie Municipal Airport Photo by Richard L. Gaw in Moultrie, Ga.; Muscle Melissa Shrewsbury and her co-pilot Lauren Heisey Shoals Airport in Muscle will be participating in the 45th Air Race Classic from Continued on page 2A

June 21-24.

New report shows 20-year high in Chester County home construction Report also finds number of homes sold in 2021 was highest in 16 years as owners cashed out in soaring market A new report from the Chester County Planning Commission shows that more homes were built in the county in 2021 than in any year since 2001, and that the growth was largely driven by apartment construction. The report also said that despite soaring prices, more homes were sold than in any year since 2005. “The numbers for units built and sold and the prices for which they were sold are staggering, yet not surprising,” said Chester

County Commissioners’ Chair Marian Moskowitz. “People and jobs continue to move to our county because it is a special place to live and work. That means the private market continues to build, especially apartments in developed suburban growth centers like Exton, West Chester and along the Route 202 corridor, to meet the demand. “The only damper on this otherwise positive report is that we are still not producing enough housing for those with modest incomes.

This issue – strategies for attainable, affordable housing – is an even greater focus for us now.” A total of 3,743 homes were built in 2021, with apartments accounting for 1,963 of that total. That figure represents more than a threefold increase in the number of apartments built in the previous year. Sales of new and existing homes increased by more than 17 percent over 2020 figures. The median home sale price continued to rise, reaching $420,000 in

2021. The 2021 median sales price was the highest, adjusting for inflation, since the County began collecting housing data. Only 15 percent of homes sold in the county last year were considered ‘affordably priced’ at under $250,000. “While this report makes clear that demand to live in Chester County is driving both the apartment market and home sales, it also reflects the fact that our current housing stock does not offer a sufficient diversity of options,” said Chester

County Commissioner Josh Maxwell. “We must encourage opportunities for first-time homebuyers and housing near public transportation.” The median sale price for detached units jumped by approximately 16 percent to $475,000 in 2021, while the median sale price for townhomes and twins also increased significantly, rising by nearly 18 percent to $369,000. “We know the pandemic changed many people’s Continued on page 4A


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