Chester County Press 07-27-2022 Edition

Chester CountyPRESS

www.chestercounty.com

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

Volume 156, No. 30

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

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Kennett School Board names DeAngelis high school principal

By Chris Barber Contributing Writer Former Kennett Middle School Principal Lorenzo DeAngelis was named the new principal of Kennett High School at a special meeting of the Kennett School Board on Monday night.

DeAngelis, 43, of London Grove Township, replaces Jeremy Hritz, who resigned as the principal at the end of the school year last month.

The appointment is effective on Aug. 1.

DeAngelis grew up in Northeast Philadelphia and is a graduate of West Chester

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Kennett Township police officers honored...2A

University. He entered the Kennett School District as a health and physical education teacher and went on to become the dean of students in the high school. He then became the Kennett Middle School assistant principal in 2010 and the middle school principal in 2015.

“I’m excited for this next stage of my life,” he said.

DeAngelis said he is also gratified about the new position because, as the middle school principal, he got to know many of the students who are now in the high school.

“I know all the kids,” he said.

Kennett Township to apply for $1.5 million grant for Chandler Mill Greenway

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

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As a further show of support for the expanding Kennett Greenway, the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously at their July 20 meeting to approve the township’s application Education from a distant to receive a $1.5 million era...1B grant that if awarded will go toward the development of the Chandler Mill Greenway.

The grant is part of the Multimodal Transportation

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With the move of DeAngelis out of the middle school, the principal position there is going to be filled by Jacob Moore, the former middle school assistant principal.

Former middle school English teacher Kathryn King becomes the middle school assistant principal.

Former Kindergarten teacher Ashley McKeown becomes the reading specialist at the Mary D. Lang Kindergarten Center effective Aug. 22.

Former high school business teacher Chanel Ruffin becomes the high school assistant principal.

Fund (MTF) Program and issued through the Commonwealth Financing Authority. In 2016 and 2017, the township was awarded grants that are being applied to the $5.5 million Greenway project.

The Chandler Mill Greenway is an 8,000 linear foot section along Chandler Mill Road and the west branch of the Red Clay Creek. Once completed, the Greenway will serve as a major component the 14-mile loop of the Kennett

The meeting, serving as a “special” one to review new hires, was short, lasting only 11 minutes.

In that time, however, the board also approved a new high school sociology textbook, and Superintendent Dusty Blakey presented the updated health and safety report.

Blakey said the report he just filed is largely the same as the previous one and includes the district keeping in contact with county health officials and does not include posting of weekly incidences of COVID-19.

Photo by Chris Barber

New Kennett High School Principal Lorenzo DeAngelis and his wife, Allison, greet board members and visitors at the meeting Monday night following the announcement of his new position at the high school.

FROM OUR LENS Water break

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

These campers attending the Delaware Football Club’s summer soccer camp at Smith Estates in nearby Hockessin cooled down during a water slide break last Wednesday afternoon. Temperatures in Chester and New Castle counties exceeded 90 degrees this past weekend and led to a heat advisory, and only mild dips are expected to arrive over the next ten days.

Continued on page 2A

Oxford Borough seeks stronger representation for Latino population

By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer Oxford Borough Council has not wavered from its commitment to focus on and represent the borough’s diverse population. The council continues to explore what would be required to establish an Advisory Council of Latino Affairs (ACOLA).

Latinos make up over 30 percent of the population of the Borough and council members continue to move forward on forming a group

where Latino voices can be heard.

Council member Amanda Woolston said, “We are trying to get representation from the diverse population in Oxford and that includes the Latino population.”

Council has continually emphasized the need for representation from the Latino group. It is hoped that a group will soon be formed and persons from that group can be encouraged to run for borough council seats in the future.

Oxford Borough Council is also discussing the

newly designed pedestrian alley that runs between the Octararo Hotel and the Presbyterian Church. There is interest among council members to name that alley. A work group will be formed to gather input from the community and the Oxford Area Historical Association.

The Subdivision And Land Development Ordinance continues to be updated by the Zoning Commission and Planning Commission.

Council plans to educate the public further on expected changes during the council

meeting in August.

In other business in July, Oxford Borough Council approved the following: • A motion to approve pay application #4 in the amount of $324,597.75 for the Transit Center Access Improvements Project/ Streetscapes I. • A Special Events Permit Application submitted by Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. for the Re-Connective Festival on Aug. 5 and 6.

• A motion to approve Eagle Contracting & Landscaping, Inc. Change Order #2 resulting in

a $5,778 decrease in the contract total and Pay Application #4 (Final) in the amount of $19,205.35 for the 2021 Water Main Replacement Project on Eighth and Hodgson Street.

• A resolution to submit a Multimodal Transportation Fund (MTF) Program Grant Application. The grant will support improvements primarily to Mt. Vernon and Pine Streets, including the construction of several traffic-calming rain garden bump outs, and new curbing, sidewalk and ADA Continued on page 3A

Aggravated cruelty to animal charges filed against State Police officer The Pennsylvania State Police announced that a state police trooper has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals after an on-duty incident in Chester County on Dec. 28, 2021.

A criminal complaint filed by the Pennsylvania State Police’s Internal

Affairs Division alleges that Corporal Michael Perillo, responded to assist at an incident involving a loose horse on the roadway. Upon arrival, Perillo drove a patrol vehicle into the horse multiple times, causing it to fall. Using the vehicle, Perillo pinned the horse to the pavement, where

it was then euthanized by another trooper. The horse was on the shoulder of Route 1 in Lower Oxford Township and had already been struck by a motorist before troopers were dispatched.

Perillo, who is assigned to Troop J in Avondale, is charged with two counts of

aggravated cruelty to animals, both graded as a felony of the third degree, and one count of cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor of the second degree.

Perillo has been suspended without pay pending resolution of the case. He was arraigned at the Chester

County Justice Center, and bail was set at $50,000 unsecured.

The complaint was filed before Magisterial District Judge Scott Massey, in Oxford.

Perillo enlisted in the Pennsylvania State Police in September of 2006.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

Chester County Press

Local News Chandler Mill...

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Greenway that connects five municipalities across two states, ten parks and preserves and over 1,500 acres of preserved open space.

Its design will allow for two-lane traffic, create ADA-compliant benefits for pedestrians, and create traffic calming measures and make roadside embankment improvements that will reduce the threat of roadway damage during heavy rains.

In addition, the project will also provide increased access and visibility to the Brandywine Red Clay Alliance’s 45-acre Chandler Mill Nature Preserve, which contains another 1.5 miles of nature trails, create a safe pedestrian and bicyclist link between the township and Kennett Borough and provide easy access for residents in the Falcon’s Lair, Round Hill and Hartefeld developments.

Signing on to a potential $1.5 million grant is just the latest rung of involvement the township has had with the Chandler Mill Greenway. In conjunction with its Trails & Sidewalks Committee and other local agencies, the township has

sponsored over one dozen public meetings, elicited open surveys and scheduled open house walking tours along the Chandler Mill Greenway in the last few years.

In June 2021, the township’s supervisors unanimously gave the goahead to complete a final design of the Chandler Mill Greenway that is expected to be completed this September, which will then be followed by a requestfor-bid process in March 2023 and then lead to the start of construction in the spring of 2023.

‘The community’s project’ Christina Norland, chairperson for the Trails & Sidewalks Committee and the executive director for the Kennett Trails Alliance, thanked the supervisors for their decision to enter the township into the grant application process.

“I’m here today to express the public support of so many of our local institutions,” she said. “We view this project as the community’s project.”

Norland shared many letters of support the project has received from local agencies that include Chatham Financial, the

Kennett Consolidated School District, Longwood Gardens, the Kennett Library, the Kennett Area Parks & Recreation Board of Directors, Kennett Collaborative, La Communidad Hispana and the Garage Community & Youth Center, among many others.

She said that the grant will support four key objectives: it will develop 1.5 miles of greenway; stabilize the area of the road near the creek bank that is threatened by erosion; restore the existing road and creek side environment by removing dead and dying trees and plant a native plants and riparian buffers; and repave Chandler Mill Road and reduce traffic speeds and the number of vehicles attempting to cross the historic Chandler Mill Bridge, which is open to emergency service vehicles only.

“No one expects that this Greenway will be built overnight,” Norland added.

“It’s a long-term infrastructure project that will be built one segment at a time.”

Luis Tovar, the chairman of the advisory commission for Latino Affairs for Kennett Square Borough, told the board that the expansion of the Kennett Greenway – including the

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

At their July 20 meeting, the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors approved the township’s application to receive a $1.5 million grant that if received would be applied to the development of the Chandler Mill Greenway project. Currently in its final design phase, the Project aims to create a pedestrian and bicycle pathway adjacent to Chandler Mill Road along the 14-mile Kennett Greenway.

Chandler Mill Greenway – will become a huge benefit for the Latino community and serve as a social connector for the entire community.

“This is something that is visible and close, and it is something that all residents will be able to enjoy, and it’s a good way to meet and exchange, because it’s the diversity that makes our community so valuable,” Tovar said. “There is so much to learn from one another, and projects like this and future projects will

be meaningful to communi- to support birds and wildties and families.” life -- from developing native plant demonstration In other township gardens, facilitating bird business walks, adding information to the township’s website The supervisors passed a and sponsoring a native resolution that renews the plant pop-up garden. township’s designation as The Kennett Township a Bird Town, in coopera- Police Department will tion with the efforts of the hold its National Night Out Pennsylvania Audubon ceremonies on Aug. 2 at Council and in partnership Anson B. Nixon Park in with 35 municipalities in Kennett Square.

Pennsylvania who share the same designation.

To contact Staff Writer Since 2019, the township Richard L. Gaw, email has developed initiatives rgaw@chestercounty.com.

Kennett Township Police officers Wenrich, Juarez receive promotions

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Kennett Township Police Department officers Amanda Wenrich and Miguel Juarez were formally promoted to new positions at the department, during ceremonies held at the Kennett Township Building on July 20.

Sworn in by Magisterial District Judge Matt Seavey, Wenrich was promoted to the rank of Corporal, and Juarez was promoted to the rank of Detective.

After three years with the Westtown, East Goshen and Parkesburg police departments, Wenrich began her career with the Kennett Township Police in 2015 as a full-time officer with the patrol division. Soon after, she was assigned as a detective in the unit and in 2016, was assigned to a burglary investigation that led to arrest of two co-conspirators.

Wenrich has been trained as a forensic interviewer and has used this skill in child abuse investigations in the township and throughout Chester County, in partnership with the Chester County Detectives Child Abuse Unit. In addition, she is the department’s supervisor for the Municipal Drug Task Force that handles drug investigations within the township and in collaboration with the Chester County Drug and Organized Crime Unit.

She has also completed her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and completed a police supervisor’s certification.

“Amanda’s dedication to duty, her attention to detail and her willingness to learn all facets of law enforcement has resulted in her becoming a very well-rounded and complete police officer,” said Police Chief Matt Gordon. “I believe that the sky is the limit for Corporal

Wenrich’s future in law enforcement.”

Juarez joined the township’s police department in 2017 after working as a part-time officer with the Kennett Square Borough Police Department for one year. He joined the department’s patrol division while also assisting Wenrich with investigations – especially those that involved the need for Spanish-English translation – and started in his new role when Wenrich was reassigned to the patrol division.

In addition to his responsibilities at the department, Juarez is a member of the Municipal Task Force and is a trained negotiator for the Chester County Regional Emergency Response Team, and is its only bilingual translator.

“Detective Juarez has shown his dedication to duty and with his hard work, he continues to improve in his role as detective,” Gordon said. “With

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

Kennett Township Police Department officers Miguel Juarez, second from left, front row, and Amanda Wenrich, were sworn in as Detective and Corporal, respectively, at ceremonies held on July 20. Pictured with Juarez and Wenrich are Police Chief Matt Gordon, front row, Magisterial District Judge Matthew Seavey, Kennett Township Supervisors Richard Leff, Scudder Stevens and Geoffrey Gamble, Police Chaplain Annalie Korengel, and Angie and Matt, the spouses of Juarez and Wenrich.

continued education and that Detective Juarez will To contact Staff Writer experience, I have no doubt continue to flourish in his Richard L. Gaw, email new role.” rgaw@chestercounty.com.

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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Chester County Press

Local News Oxford...

Continued from Page 1A

curb cuts, where needed.

Speeding is a big concern along both streets. The bump out will help with that and make the area safer for both drivers and pedestrians. The bump outs will also add needed green stormwater infrastructure to help the Borough meet the state’s MS4 requirements and reduce the amount of polluted rainwater that reaches local waterways.

• A motion to authorize advertising of an ordinance amending the non-uniform employees money purchase pension plan documents regarding required contributions by participants and forfeitures.

• A motion to authorize advertising an ordinance amending the police pension plan document regarding required contributions by participants.

Council did not approve a curb waiver for 618 Hodgson Street. Borough Manager Pauline GarciaAllen explained that council is working on curbing issues in the borough and will continue to explore the possibility of the borough assuming responsibility for constructing and maintaining curbs.

Currently, curbing is the responsibility of property owners. This complicates making improvements for both property owners and the borough, as curbing is such an integral part of the street and stormwater infrastructure.

Borough ordinances with respect to curbing cannot be changed until a plan to fund the construction and maintenance of curbs is worked through. The borough will continue to work on funding and amending related ordinances.

Council will also be discussing the expansion of Sunnydell Foods and the increased water that expansion will require.

Garcia-Allen reminded council that a resolution was passed to permit two junior council persons.

Anyone interested should contact the Oxford Borough office at 610-932-2500.

Council also discussed the possibility of having a standing work group for w public safety. That will t be discussed more in the t future. t The police department was thanked for the quick response to the recent crime spree on East Mt. Vernon Street.

Concert will serve as major fundraiser for the new Kennett Library & Resource Center

Music legend Patti LaBelle to perform at Longwood Gardens on Sept. 13

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Over the last year, members of the Imagine Capital Campaign Committee for the new Kennett Library & Resource Center have pitched possible revenue source concepts in order to raise the necessary funds to complete the cost of the new $21.1 million facility.

Together, their ideas and their outreach have raised over $15.5 million toward that magic number, but with more than $6 million left to go, the ideas have kept coming.

One member of the Committee – Kennett Square Mayor Matt Fetick – remembered a benefit concert he attended decades ago that raised funds to fight Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis – commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The tickets were pricey and the venue was intimate, but Fetick knew that the cost of his ticket was going to a good cause. In return, he and the limited number of guests that evening were treated to a magical performance by singer-songwriter Carole King.

“Using that concert as a template, I came up with the idea of holding a concert at the Conservatory at Longwood Gardens, perhaps with about 12 tables,” Fetick said. “But as we began to re-emerge from COVID-19, we began to reimagine holding a concert at Longwood’s 1,500-seat Outdoor Air Theater.”

Quickly, Fetick found welcome partners in Longwood Gardens President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Redman and his management team, who not only began designing the framework for a concert but donated the venue and the event planning to the Library. While the plans for the concert began to take root, there was only one dilemma left to solve: Find a performer who would sell out the theater.

“In the middle of the night, I woke up and thought, ‘Patti LaBelle,’” Fetick said. “She would be perfect. She was born in Philadelphia. She is still based in Philadelphia, and performing a concert at Longwood Gardens would amount to doing a show in her own backyard.”

Legendary recording star Patti LaBelle will perform at the Open Air Theater at Longwood Gardens on Sept.

13. The concert will serve as a fundraiser for the new Kennett Library & Resource Center, currently under construction and expected to open in the spring of 2023.

On Sept. 13, Labelle will bring her talents and a large-ensemble band of musicians and back-up singers to the Open Air Theater at Longwood Gardens as a benefit for the new Kennett Library & Resource Center.

“This concert won’t just be Patti sitting on a chair singing songs,” Fetick said.

“She is flying people in for the show. We are coordinating transportation and hotel stays and putting all of the pieces of this together, because Patti said that if she is doing this concert near her hometown, she is going to perform the largest concert that she can.”

Transcendent artist Over the last several decades, only a few performers have managed to transcend musical and artistic genres and remained relevant – and LaBelle has been one of them. Born Patricia Louise Holte on May 24, 1944 in the Eastwick section of Philadelphia, LaBelle has built a nearly six-decade career as a multiplatinum-level recording artist, actress and author that began in the 1960s when she was the lead singer of the band Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. A decade later the group changed their name to Labelle and recorded the LaBelle’s signature “Lady Marmalade,” that launched LaBelle’s transition as a Grammy-winning solo artist and helped generate the sale of more than 50 million records.

Throughout her illustrious career, LaBelle has performed with Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick and Tony Bennett, performed at Live Aid in 1985, contributed songs for the soundtrack to the hit movie Beverly Hills Cop, and performed on

several television specials, including “Motown Returns to the Apollo” and at the Super Bowl XXIX halftime show and acted in several television programs and films. In 2006, she released her first gospel album, The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle -- which rose to number one on Billboard’s gospel chart -- written several cookbooks and performed on Broadway in the Tony Award-nominated smash hit After Midnight.

“I feel that this concert will accomplish several initiatives,” Fetick said “Not only are we going to have a great evening, we are raising money for this new library at a time when we can all begin together outside again, in a world-class venue. It’s the best of everything: it’s a phenomenal performer near her hometown for a great cause in a superb venue.

There are so many things to be proud of.”

The concert’s ticketing package is providing six corporate sponsorship levels ranging from $5,000 to $35,000, VIP tickets at $2,500 each, and individual seating at $150 each.

Included in all corporatelevel ticket packages will be two tickets that will be given to guests who would not normally be able to afford to attend a benefit concert – 60 tickets in all.

“Those 60 tickets are not just for the back row,” Fetick said. “They are located throughout all of the premium seating, and it will give our corporate sponsors the opportunity to pay it forward for these special guests. Through their many

Courtesy photos

LaBelle has performed on stages all over the world, including The President’s Park at the White House for the 99th National Christmas Tree Lighting in 2019.

Kennett Square Mayor Matt Fetick, a member of the Kennett Library’s Imagine Campaign, is producing the concert in partnership with the management staff at Longwood Gardens.

resources, the Library will be able to identify who those tickets will be given to.”

Fetick said that organizing a concert of this magnitude would not have been possible without the support of Longwood Gardens.

“I do not have the resources to get the management team of Patti LaBelle to the table, but Paul Redman has been incredibly generous not only with his time but with the resources of his staff, who have put themselves entirely behind this project.

“Paul Redman’s quiet impact on this area has been – and continues to be -- immeasurable.”

“A unified community’

coming together and saying, ‘We are unified in investing in this building that will support the most vulnerable people in our community.’

“I can call any one of those corporate sponsors and ask them to write a check to benefit the Kennett Library & Resource Center campaign. By producing this concert, however, we are allowing them to show their generosity in investing in the community to their clients or their employees. It’s easy to say, ‘We wrote a check for the new Kennett Library & Resource Center,’ but it’s another thing to say, ‘We did this. You are here as our guests because we reinvested in the community.’”

For more information and to purchase corporate sponsorship-level and individual tickets to the Sept. 13 Patti LaBelle concert, visit www. pattiatlongwood.com.

To learn more about the new Kennett Library & Resource Center, visit https://campaign4.kennettlibrary.org/

From his seat at the Patti LaBelle concert on Sept. 13, Fetick said that he will look at his fellow concert-goers as far more than individual ticket holders.

“I will see a unified community who has stepped up to invest in the most vulnerable people in our community,” he said. “It’s To contact Staff Writer not just sitting at home and Richard L. Gaw, email sending your money in. It’s rgaw@chestercounty.com.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

Chester County Press

Local News Chester County awarded national accolade for Fresh Start Juvenile Record expungement program A Chester County Court System service that offers juveniles who have successfully completed a diversion program the option to have their record expunged when they turn 18, has garnered national acclaim.

The National Association of Counties (NACo) has recognized the efforts of the Chester County Juvenile Probation Office, County Clerk of Courts Office, the District Attorney’s Office, and the President Judge with an Achievement Award in the category of Criminal Justice and Public Safety for the County’s Fresh Start Juvenile Record Expungement program.

The purpose of the NACo award is to honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.

The Fresh Start program was introduced in August of 2019 following recommendations by Chester County’s

Juvenile Probation Office.

Since its start, more than 150 people each year have had their records expunged so that, in the words of the program nomination “a one-time misdemeanor does not turn into a longer ‘sentence’ that prevents future opportunities.”

Similar to the County’s state-wide Clean Slate program that seals but does not expunge records, this expungement service for non-adjudicated juveniles does not require any action by the juvenile to initiate the process.

Chester County Clerk of Courts Yolanda Van de Krol noted, “Also along the lines of the Clean Slate legislation, this expungement service for juveniles is valuable for counties like ours, where the unemployment rate is low.

“It ensures those looking for jobs or looking to go to college who did not realize the importance of expunging their

records, will not have any additional stumbling blocks in their way. We know that this is a valuable service for our residents and are pleased that NACo has acknowledged its importance too.”

Don Corry, Chester County’s director of juvenile probation said, “The typical profile for youth who participate in one of our diversion programs, which allows them to avoid an adjudication of delinquency, is first time offenders who have committed a relatively minor offense and are assessed as low risk for reoffending.

“Expungement at the age of 18 helps those young people who made one minor, yet still illegal, mistake put the past behind them as they move on to higher education, employment and become contributing adults in society,” added Corry.

Examples of the type of records that are expunged for first time offenders who

Courtesy photo

Chester County’s Fresh Start Juvenile Record Expungement program earned the National Association of Counties Achievement Award. Pictured at the introduction of the program are (left to right) Yolanda Van de Krol, Chester County Clerk of Courts; Renee Merion, deputy District Attorney in charge of the Juvenile Unit; and Don Corry, Chester County chief juvenile probation officer.

successfully completed a diversion program include misdemeanors such as criminal mischief, criminal trespass, or disorderly conduct.

The NACo Achievement Awards are given in 18 different categories that reflect

the vast, comprehensive services counties provide. The categories include children and youth, criminal justice and public safety, county administration, information technology, health, civic engagement and many more.

NACo President Larry

Johnson said, “All across the country, counties are working tirelessly to support residents. This year’s achievement award-winning programs showcase how counties work every day to build healthy, safe, and thriving communities.”

Volunteers needed for 245th anniversary of the Battle of Brandywine gala event at Sandy Hollow In less than two month, the fields of Sandy Hollow will be alive with Revolutionary War re-enactors to mark the 245th anniversary of the Battle of Brandywine.

Planning for the event has been underway for two

years. Now, volunteers are needed to make the event a success.

The two-day event takes place on Sept. 24 and 25 at Sandy Hollow Heritage Park, South New Street and Birmingham Road,

Birmingham Township.

The final schedule for the two-day event is being completed but music, battle re-enactments, food, family activities, period vendors and historic interpreters will be part of the gala.

Compass Mark announces board and senior leadership appointments Compass Mark, a non-profit organization serving Chester County, has elected Karen Dielmann and David Frank as board members. Dielmann is the dean of Health Sciences, Sciences and Humanities at Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences. Frank is vice president of taxation at

AMETEK, Inc. and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Compass Mark also named Teri Miller-Landon as director of programs.

She was most recently a deputy director at Lancaster County Probation and Parole and holds a master’s degree in social work from Temple University.

To volunteer, go to www. brandywine2022.com.

Volunteers are also urged to attend the next planning meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 3 at Thornbury Farm CSA, 1256 Thornbury Road, West Chester, PA, 19382. The event has a Facebook page at Brandywine 2022.

“This will be one of the major historical events for 2022 in this area, if not the nation,” said Randell Spackman, chair of Brandywine 2022. “Five years ago, our last re-enactment at Sandy Hollow, we had a large crowd to witness the commemoration of this important event in our history. This year we expect the turnout will be greater.”

“We are looking for event volunteers and for sponsors,” Spackman said. “Our mission is to make community

history accessible to everyone. Brandywine 2022 will be a springboard for those wanting to learn history.”

Officials of both Birmingham and Thornbury townships are supporting the event, along with Chadds Ford Historical Society and Thornbury Farm CSA. The liaison to the British troops is Paul Loane of the 43rd Foot while Tom Bowen is the Continental forces liaison.

“We are putting together dynamite programs for both days. More than 1,000 soldiers and camp followers should participate,” Spackman said. “Besides the battle demonstrations, the camps of the two armies will be open for inspection by the public. Historical interpreters portraying George Washington, Lafayette and Alexander Hamilton will be

available for conversations with visitors. And, some entertaining talks on historical subjects will be staged.”

“This will be an immersive historical experience,” Spackman said. “The sutlers will be selling time appropriate goods. The vendors will have a historical connection.

Colonial games for children will be played. It will be an opportunity to walk back in time. You can’t do that very often.”

There will be a performance element, according to Spackman, including singers from area schools and organizations.

“This is our third re-enactment at Sandy Hollow,” Spackman said. “The first two were in 2014 and 2017.

The first two were very successful. You won’t want to miss Brandywine 2022.”

Literary programming returns to the Delaware Art Museum Partnerships with Brevity Bookspace and the National Book Foundation expand the museum’s offerings for writers and book lovers throughout Delaware and beyond The Delaware Art Museum and Brevity Bookspace are teaming up to present a weekend of engaging literary programming this August, featuring the return of the virtual Wilmington Writers Conference as well as an in-person conversation and book signing in partnership with the National Book Foundation.

On Saturday, Aug. 6, The Wilmington Writers Conference, a signature summer staple, returns. This year’s virtual offering, which costs $10 to attend, will feature a keynote speech and writing workshop by Delaware author Ethan Joella, whose debut novel, A Little Hope, has been praised by The New York Times and “The Today Show,” among other media outlets. Ethan will be joined

by Saliym Cooper of Brevity Bookspace, who will also be teaching a special writing session.

On Sunday, Aug. 7, the Museum and Brevity are partnering with the National

Book Foundation to host a free event welcoming National Book Award–honored authors Clint Smith (How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America) and Kali Fajardo-Anstine (Sabrina and Corina, Woman of Light) for Rewriting American Memory, a conversation about intergenerational histories amongst Black, Latinx and Indigenous peoples. The conversation will be followed by a book signing at the DelArt Store, where guests will have the opportunity to meet Smith and FajardoAnstine and purchase their books. Registration is open at delart.org.

The Store and the Foundation are also supporting a book drive for Brevity Bookspace, featuring NBA– honored titles.

“The National Book Foundation is thrilled to visit Delaware for the first time through our NBF Presents national programming in partnership with

Brevity Bookspace and the Delaware Art Museum,” said Natalie Green, director of public programs at the National Book Foundation.

“We are so excited to connect with Wilmington readers and celebrate two exceptional National Book Award–honored authors, Kali Fajardo-Anstine and Clint Smith.”

The three authors featured during this literary weekend write of hope, history and honoring ancestral roots, all of which align with the museum’s vision of creating an inclusive community space that invites discourse and interaction between people and art.

These literary events are vital to the community in many ways, offering free and low-cost opportunities for artistic practice and conversation while also highlighting the wealth of brilliant authors who live in Delaware and the surrounding region.

“I am so honored to participate in the Wilmington

Writers Conference this year and talk about the ups and downs of a writer’s journey and the need for hope, resilience, and a supportive writing community,” says Joella. “I am a big fan of The Delaware Art Museum Store and Brevity Bookspace and all they have done to enrich the culture and promote writing and reading in our beautiful state.”

The Museum Store and Brevity Bookspace have a long-standing history of successful partnerships that support Brevity’s mission to place more books in the hearts and homes of Delaware residents, particularly those who reside in Wilmington. What began with a pop-up at the third annual Wilmington Writers Conference has evolved to include national campaigns and partnerships.

“It seems only natural to continue a partnership that has brought free books, significant smiles and literary sparkle to Wilmington,”

said Saliym Cooper, owner of Brevity Bookspace. “This year we hope to usher in a new caliber of literary excellence through an experience designed to add more color, conversation and realness. If the top-tier authors slated to attend are any indication, we want all those who register to buckle up for an unforgettable literary weekend.”

Jessa Mendez, the lead museum associate and coordinator of the weekend’s events, is equally excited to bring the literary arts to Delaware once again.

“This weekend is the result of many beautiful events and the Museum visitors who have supported our vision to be a community bookstore. We could not have asked for better partners than Brevity Bookspace and the National Book Foundation,” said Mendez. “Brevity and the Store have always made magic with our collaborations, and we are so excited that Ethan Joella, Clint Smith and Kali FajardoAnstine are joining us in our ongoing journey.”

IF YOU GO: What: Wilmington Writers Conference When: Saturday, Aug, 6, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Where: Virtual; register at delart.org Cost: $10 What: National Book Foundation Presents: Rewriting American Memory When: Sunday, Aug. 7, 1 p.m.

Where: Delaware Art Museum, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, Del. Registration at delart.org.

Cost: Free

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

5A

Chester County Press

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

Guest column

Big events coming up in Oxford

A Day in the Court of Human Persistence (The Little Things Make Our Heart Sing)

By Marie-Louise Meyers It’s not over till it’s over, and may never be in my Lifetime, yours or mine: the Pandemic with the newest sub-variant, the siege of Ukraine, the squeeze of the pocketbook to cover all our needs, but what is not beyond our reckoning the envelope of Time which can be more special more Divine like the star clusters now visible through the new telescope, the refinement of peace of mind is not quarantined, even outside events or people need not disturb what exists within our heart where containment starts.

We can’t always change or re-arrange what is about us, but when freedom reigns within, we are here to say and do the things we know we ought to for no one can change our interior view of what we alone can do.

It’s the little things which make our heart sing, the dance in the pool, the walk in the park, the weekend camping trip satisfying and bewitched.

Courtesy photo

A scene from the Connective Festival in 2019. This year, the Re-Connective Festival weekend takes place in Oxford on Aug. 5 and 6.

We’re now just nine days away from what’s being called the “Re-Connective Festival weekend” in Oxford.

On Friday, Aug. 5, there will be a day of music and special events in downtown Oxford. Then, on Sat. Aug. 6, the arts will take center stage with an art in the park event.

The Connective Festival was just finding its footing as one of the major, destination events in Chester County when the pandemic wiped out the plans for 2020 and 2021 festivals.

Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. and the Oxford Arts Alliance teamed up to plan the “Re-Connective Festival weekend” that is coming up.

On Friday, downtown Oxford will play host to a Rock the Block event with a lineup of music from local and regional acts. There will also be food trucks, lawn games, and much more.

The attractions on Saturday will include artists, art vendors and demonstrators, as well as live music, food trucks, and a creative corner for kids.

Then, on Sept. 2, the Oxford Car Show will return for its 8th year. The car show quickly developed into one of the most popular annual events in Chester County.

It’s good to see the calendar filling up with activities and events. And when you’re in town enjoying music, art, or the car show, don’t forget to visit the shops and restaurants in downtown Oxford. They continue to be vital to the Oxford community, and are worthy of the support.

Did I awaken the ghosts within me, the ones which remained

silent these many years when everything was going so well, when we knew there was a solid foundation to count on, now each day incites new fears with the lingering heartbeat of the Pandemic, and now with our reduced ability to fend off the true economics of our existence, but sharing what we have even at a distance makes sense.

What can we do for our children, especially grandchildren who have had too much of monetary things and not enough of the ethereal and the imaginative forays which can transform even the plain and ordinary.

Go back in time to their great-grand parents, when there was not enough food to entertain, who shared saltines with neighbors and strangers picked black berries in the brambles on dead ends drank out of tin cups tied onto pumps, walked miles for a dip into a municipal pool or lake because there was one car per family then.

Bewitched we walked in the wood where only the trees understood enchantment lies ready and waiting for us to imbibe.

How easily our Lives are mislaid, easily become concave if we don’t make enough of the precious thoughts which invade our consciousness. Instead of being hunkered down and low, put aside trivia and settle on connective links which unite the Human Race.

How easily we become muscled out of our drives, when we are dwarfed by the state of the Nation and our health and economic situation, but with a little nip and tuck, we can survive the economic squeeze if we only believe.

I station myself next to the pond where the breezes blow the cast-off pollen curtain which hides the surface and a rush of waves stakes a flame within me.

I’m not afraid, and seize that moment to swim beyond as the frog croaks and takes a flying leap out of sight.

Not everything underneath is pleased by the shadow I cast, not the Sun Fish nor the Bass laying their eggs in a circle, nor the snapping turtle, who has taken ownership of this stretch of water where I converge with the elements, has dug a hole and laid eggs

in May on land to ensure their survival.

They all have their place and so do we freedom to flaunt our wares and our cares, but not to intervene in theirs.

In the meantime, I am the usurper who scares the Great Blue Heron from his appointed Place, the Kingfisher stuttering his kleck-kleck warning because I don’t play fair.

Humans are always taking over, so I hasten my swim so I can come back in without interrupting the flow of Everyday Goings on at our Pond!

Yet another day to put our stamp on it, who said it must be the same, and fill it from dawn to dusk, where my heart gets its start, and follows right through with a poem or a storyline which is true or embellished just a little to tempt others to lay down their cares and swallow their pride, and enjoy this day, this hour, this minute, and awaken to the unfound beauty around!

Let the fragrance which blows from flowers possess you until you opine with glory, end of the story.

How many of you?

By Winden Rowe To those who are using your right to support the overturn of Roe v. Wade to pass judgment on a woman’s right to choose, I ask: How many of you have ever seen a baby crowning? How many of you know what the ring of fire feels like? How many of you have had your labia torn, burned, or sliced?

How many of you have ever had to stand over a toilet and urinate while squirting yourself with warm water, or hide in a bathroom stall and

bear down in silent agony over tears, burns, and incisions so that nobody would hear you? How many of you have delivered a placenta, or lost your mucous plug or looked for the bloody show?

How many of your abdominal walls have been ripped to shreds, herniated and torn?

How many of you have felt broken, insecure, shredded to bit in your own skin, so ashamed of your own naked body that you didn’t want to take your clothes off in front of your lover? How many of you have woken

with a 105-degree fever in the middle of the night with a clogged milk duct?

How many of you have had milk leak from your breasts during a meeting, during sex or while attending a party?

How many of you have endured all of this AND lost the person who was supposed to help you through it all, or never had them in the first place? How many of you have had to do all of that AND make every single dollar of your family’s income?

How many of you have also shown up to every game,

every conference, every performance, and helped with every homework assignment?

How many of you have been the only parent under the Christmas tree, or the only Easter bunny, and the only one to wake up in the middle of the night to attend to a child’s vomit or a fever, or to find out what those loud noises outside are about?

How many of you have had to get all of the kids in the car and take them to the hospital in the night so you can help the one who is sick? How many of you have had to hear

the whispers, the side glances, the “you can’t talk to her” gestures at their husbands, because you are the oh-so-very threatening single mother, big and scary in her aloneness?

How many of you have heard, “I don’t want to raise someone else’s kids” or “I can’t take this on” when you weren’t asking anyone to raise anyone, or take anyone on?

Our beliefs are our freedom, and so I ask you to reflect on the scenarios I have given, and ask yourself: Is my support of this overturn being done merely to save lives?

Winden S. Rowe is the director of The Center for Change at Kennett Square.

She has been a guest on a variety of media broadcasts and lectures at Jefferson University in the Community and Trauma Counseling Graduate Program. She is a member of HEAL PA, addressing social and political change in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and is a community advisory board member at the University of Pennsylvania on the topic of military trauma.

Opinion

Remember what government can do

By Lee H. Hamilton Here’s a question: When was the last time at least half of Americans said the government in Washington could be trusted to do the right thing all or most of the time?

It was right after 9/11, according to the Pew Research

Center, and that was really just a blip. Before that, you’d have to go back to the 1960s.

And after the 9/11 bump subsided? You won’t be surprised to hear that ever since the end of the George W. Bush administration, the percentage of those trusting government all or most of the time has

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been hovering in the low 20s or even the high teens.

This is not a good state of affairs. Trust is a bedrock requirement of democratic governance. When it’s gone, replaced by suspicion and lack of confidence, our system cannot work. For representative democracy to function as it should, the public officials, politicians, and policy-makers who act in our name have to have the support of ordinary people—who can trust that our representatives will level with us without half-truths and that government can efficiently and effectively deliver the goods, services, and policy impact we expect.

There’s no question that over the past decades—starting with the Vietnam War and Watergate—that faith has been put to the test. In many respects, Americans have taken a dimmer view of the effectiveness and relevance of government the more it has been hamstrung by partisan division, just as they’ve been feeling left to their own in the face of economic and cultural dislocation.

Globalization, the changes wrought by technology, sky-

rocketing income inequality, slow wage growth for working families, concern about hot-button social issues—all of this has ratcheted up a sense of loss of control, and that was before the pandemic.

Yet despite all this, when I look around I’m reminded of just how much our government has accomplished—and how thoroughly it’s taken for granted by many Americans.

People often question the value of government in their lives, even while depending on a monthly Social Security check, or driving on an interstate, or attending college thanks to a student loan, or going online, or relying on the overall safety of our food and medications, or escaping to a national park for vacation…

You get the idea.

When many Americans think of the government’s spending priorities, they imagine that outsized proportions of taxpayer dollars go to others—to foreign aid, say, or welfare.

In fact, the biggest chunk of federal spending has traditionally gone to Social Security, Medicare, and other programs for elderly Americans, sur-

passed recently only by the money for economic stimulus and family income support that kept the economy from crashing during the pandemic.

I’m not going to bore you with a long list of things the federal government has done well. But I do want to say that it takes only a moment’s thought to look back—at everything from the creation of the land-grant colleges to establishing the rules by which American businesses operate to Medicare and the civil rights legislation of the 1960s to, more recently, the Affordable Care Act, enabling the rapid development and approval of life-saving COVID-19 vaccines, and the continued safety provided by the world’s strongest, most advanced military—to recognize the cornerstone role our government plays in shaping American life.

So yes, while government has its failings, it’s also crucial to understand that it can be made to work effectively and fairly—and that we cannot address many of the challenges we face as a nation without a government that has

the public’s confidence. The character, resourcefulness, and resilience of the American people have always been key to the nation’s success, but so have key government initiatives that marshal our strengths, from good education to basic scientific and medical research to the physical and legal infrastructure that undergird our economy.

In the end, there may be plenty of reason to worry about government’s effectiveness, but government must also be part of the solution.

Our charge as Americans is to ensure, through wise use of our votes and our voices, that it can be an effective force for meeting our challenges.

Lee Hamilton is a senior advisor for the Indiana University Center on Representative Government; a Distinguished Scholar at the IU Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies; and a Professor of Practice at the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 34 years.

6A

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

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Chester County Press

In the Spotlight

Section

B

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

L IV I N G H I S TO RY

by Gene Pisasale

Photo courtesy of Alta Hoffman

The Locust Grove School house circa 1930s when the building was converted into a private residence by Delmont and Alta Baily Bittle.

Photo courtesy Chester County History Center

The Locust Grove School children in the early 1900s.

Pocopson Township Board of Supervisors member Ray McKay speaking at the rededication of the Locust Grove Schoolhouse.

Education from a distant era: The Locust Grove Schoolhouse

By Gene Pisasale Contributing Writer A lot of things have changed over the nearly 300 years since schools were opened in America. Since the first buildings were created in the American colonies around the early 1700s, oneroom schoolhouses became the learning centers for our nation’s youth. Some of them survive today as private residences, while others have fallen by the wayside.

However, one thing is certain: despite their small size and simplicity, the early schools provided a firm foundation for the growth and success of our country.

The Locust Grove Schoolhouse in Pocopson Township was one of themand it has gotten a new life celebrated in a re-dedication ceremony conducted on June 4.

The schoolhouse website mentions that the village of Locust Grove had its beginnings in the early 1800s with local businessman Pennock Marshall, who wanted to establish a settlement resembling William Penn’s “greene country towne.”

He laid out three streets in a stand of locust trees and planned a total of 29 lots.

Marshall was to be disappointed; the village never

had more than two dozen families. By 1847, it had only a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, a shoemaker and a general store.

Education was an important part of Pennsylvania society for decades before the Locust Grove School was constructed. William Penn decreed in 1682 that the Governor and Council “shall erect and order all public schools and encourage and regard the authors of useful sciences and laudable inventions.”

The exact year of the school’s construction is not known with certainty, but public records give us an inference. An 1816 deed of Indenture indicates that male inhabitants of East Marlborough, West Bradford and Pennsbury Townships created what would become the Locust Grove School.

The initial parcel of land was given for the cost of one cent each year for 99 years from William Cloud. This supports the assumption that the original Locust Grove Schoolhouse was built sometime around that year on the recently deeded land.

Attendance books beginning December 1855 confirm the existence of the school as a functioning entity by that time, but held no description of the

The Locust Grove School historical marker.

schoolhouse or its specific location. An 1873 map of Pocopson Township shows three masonry schoolhouses; of these three, two remain today, one of which is the Locust Grove Schoolhouse.

The Pocopson School Board minutes use a variety of descriptions to record the 1870s-era period of rebuilding and renovation.

Early racial integration in the classes of the Locust Grove School was decades ahead of its time, long before it occurred on a national scale in the United States. Census records from 1860 indicate 112 households and 601 people lived in Pocopson Township. In January of that year, Locust Grove School had 36 students enrolled. The average attendance during the month was 26 students. There were eight white female students, six African-American male students and 22 white male students.

The Pocopson Township School Board managed three one-room schoolhouses from the time of the Township formation in 1850 up until 1923, when the schools were closed and residents transferred to the newly established Unionville Vocational Joint Consolidated School.

After 1923, the school was converted into a private residence.

A man who would later become known as the “village historian of Chadds Ford” taught at the Locust Grove School. In the early 1900s, the schoolteacher was Christian Sanderson, the leader of the folk band, the Pocopson Valley Boys.

He was a well-known and a colorful member of the community. The West Chester Daily Local dated December 28, 1906 states: “Christian Sanderson, teacher at Locust Grove School, gave an excellent entertainment on Wednesday

Photo courtesy Christian Sanderson Museum

A photograph of Locust Grove School children taken when Christian Sanderson was the teacher in 1908. evening, December 23rd consisting of music, recitations, and gymnastic drills. The music and drills were especially well rendered and both teacher and pupils deserve a great deal of credit for the manner in which the entertainment was conducted.”

Preservation of historic structures has waxed and waned over the decades since Locust Grove Schoolhouse was in operation. In recent years, citizens in Pocopson Township determined that the schoolhouse was an important part of local heritage and should be preserved, refurbished and maintained as a “living” museum for all to see.

Since 2004, volunteers have been involved in refurbishing and maintaining the structure. During the course of its renovation, it was discovered that local residents Barnard Baily and Mary Beth Drobish owned portions of the original chalkboard that was used in the school. They donated the chalkboard and it was reinstalled on the wall, along with a wood-burning stove of the period owned by Baily which is now in the school.

The ceremony on June 4 showcased the hundreds of

The Interior of the renovated Locust Grove Schoolhouse hours of work these people have done to restore a part of local history. Just as it happened 150 years ago to call students to class, the school bell was rung several times during the opening ceremony. The school room is completely finished and hosted dozens of guests for the re-opening event. Further planned work includes refurbishment of the basement and installation of restrooms.

The Locust Grove Schoolhouse is a wonderful example of how citizen volunteers can have a substantial, and quite positive, impact on maintaining local heritage, bringing historic structures to the attention of an appreciative public. The

schoolhouse at 525 Locust Grove Road in West Chester will be open for tours in the coming year. For more information, visit their website at www.locustgroveschoolhouse.org.

Gene Pisasale is an historian, author and lecturer based in Kennett Square..His ten books focus on the history of the Chester County/midAtlantic region. His latest work is Forgotten Founding Fathers: Pennsylvania and Delaware in the American Revolution. His books are available on his website at www.GenePisasale.com and on www.Amazon.com. Gene can be reached via e-mail at Gene@GenePisasale.com.

2B

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

Chester County Press

Obituaries LAURA LEE ARBOLINO Laura Lee Arbolino (nee-Hobbs) passed away on July 14, 2022 after a long and full life.

Lee was very loved and will be missed immensely by her family and friends.

She was predeceased by her loving husband Phil, mother Norma Jane Hobbs (nee-Routzahn) and sister Leslie.

Lee is survived by her two children, Karen and Michael; a son-in-law, Ron; two grandchildren, Madison and Abigail; and two brothers, Wayne and Kevin.

Lee worked at William Penn School District and retired from Interboro School District as director of transportation.

A private memorial will be scheduled in the near future.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

Our Family Serving Your Family

Matthew J. Grieco, Supervisor, Funeral Director / Certified Celebrant

JONATHON WADE CASSIDY PAUL J. ROBERTS Paul J. Roberts, a resident of Rising Sun, Md., passed away on July 3, 2022 at the age of 69.

He was born on Nov. 9, 1952 in Avondale to the late Jonathan Roberts, and the late Jean (McMillan) Roberts.

Paul grew up in Avondale. After attending the Milwaukee School of Engineering, he worked with his father in the family business—J.J. Roberts HVAC and Steam Boilers.

Paul had quite a reputation as a master mechanic and was often referred to as “the boiler doctor,” working in the commercial mushroom industry in Chester County. Upon retirement, Paul devoted his time to the operation of his farm with his wife at Calvert Farm in Rising Sun, Md. Paul is survived by Pamela J. Stegall, his wife of 36 years. He is also survived by brothers, Kenneth Roberts of Landenberg and Brian Roberts (Barbara) of Avondale, his nephews, Kenneth P Roberts (Cindy) of Landenberg, Ben Roberts (Andrea) of Landenberg, and Jake Roberts of Newark, Del. A celebration of Paul’s life was held on July 24 at Nonantum Farm.

Paul was loved by many. He was a kind and gentle man. In lieu of flowers, a donation is suggested to the https://veterinarycarefoundation.org/ for the Nonantum Vet Clinic as a memorial for Paul J Roberts. To send online condolences please visit, www. rtfoard.com.

We own and operate our own crematory

Jonathon Wade Cassidy passed away on July 13, 2022 at home in Oxford. He was 40.

Jonathon was born at Riddle Hospital in Media, Pa., the son of JoAnn Coker Cassidy and John Patrick Cassidy of Oxford. He was the proud father of his daughter, Crystal.

Jonathon graduated as a motorcycle technician from York Technical Institute, and enjoyed riding his motorcycle and taking ATVs out into the woods of Oxford. Jonathon loved attending demolition derbies and the time spent with his Dad, uncles, and cousins getting ready for the demolition derby nights. They would spend hours getting the cars ready and stylish for the show.

Jonathon had a big crowd cheering when he was crashing other cars into the wall during derbies.

Jonathon shared a love of the guitar and fishing with his dad, and, like his pop, he was an avid fisherman at the Conowingo Dam. He shared a love of music with his family, and when he won tickets for Stone Temple Pilots, he was elated to take his brother Cody.

Jonathon loved spending time down at the beach with his family, boating, fishing, crabbing, clam digging, and body surfing the waves.

Jonathon was a quiet man who was down to earth and kind-hearted. He was loved by many who knew him.

Jonathon is survived by his child, Crystal Thomas of Delta, Pa; his mother, JoAnn Coker Cassidy of Oxford; his brother Cody (Kate) Cassidy of Gap, Pa.; April Thomas, and his many uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial service was held on July 22 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home in Oxford.

Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the funeral home to offset funeral costs.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.

Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

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Alleluia But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31 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.

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

3B

Chester County Press

Obituaries ALFRED J. DI NORSCIA, SR. Alfred J. Di Norscia, Sr., a beloved father, peacefully passed away on July 15, 2022 at Chester County Hospital.

He was a 95-year-old resident of Kennett Square.

He married the love of his life, Margaret Di Filippo Di Norscia, with whom he shared 72 years of marriage.

Margaret passed away on February 6, 2021. Born in Kennett Square, Al was the son of the late Joseph Anthony Sr. and Mary Gale Di Norscia. As the last member of his family, Al is predeceased by his sister Anina, and brothers Anthony, Guy, and Joseph, Jr. After graduating from Kennett High School, Al attended Drexel University. He entered the Army Air Corps as a B 29 mechanic and was quickly promoted to sergeant in charge of 110 men of the 8th photo technical squadron, attached to the 40th bomb wing stationed in Erlangen, Germany. Their assignment was to pinpoint and photograph enemy aircraft on the ground to be destroyed. Alfred was one of the last World War II veteran members of American Legion Post 491 in Kennett Square.

Following his honorable discharge in 1946, he began his career with Lukens Steel where he was responsible for the fabrication material division. He then worked for many government contractors including Thiokol Chemical Company, Container Research and All-American Engineering, an Aeronautical Engineering Company.

He became a real estate agent in 1976 but was pursued by All American Engineering again in 1981, to return to work on a military project. In post-retirement, he worked for Country Fresh Mushroom Co. Al was a longtime, faithful member of St. Patrick Church in Kennett Square and for more than 40 years, he attended the Men of Malvern Retreat. Al was also a member of the Optimist Club, the very first Kennett Symphony, and the Beachcomber Band in which he played the saxophone. He umpired baseball for the local Teener’s, Babe Ruth and American Legion Leagues, and coached the local football team, The Choppers. He was an avid fishermen and golfer, and even played nine holes of golf the week of his passing.

He will be remembered by his family as a hardworking and dedicated husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

Alfred is survived by two daughters, Carolyn Peppernick (Thomas) and Madelyn Behrends, and a son, Alfred J. Di Norscia, Jr., all of Kennett Square; eight grandchildren, Kristen Jellison (Darin), Stephanie Arriviello (Chris), Michael Odorisio (Rachael), Erica Spiekermann (Kyle), A.J. Di Norscia III (Martina), Anna Behrends (Marcus), Darren Di Norscia, and Jacqulyn Di Norscia-Murphy; and ten great-grandchildren, Noah, Kate, Nicholas, Christopher, Marilyn, Mariana, Mila, Eli, Mila Grace, and Luca.

His funeral mass was held on July 25 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Kennett Square.

Interment will be in St. Patrick Cemetery.

Contributions in Al’s memory may be made for the prevention of Macular Degeneration to https://support.brightfocus.org or the American Heart Association https://www2.heart. org. Arrangements are by Matthew Grieco of Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc (484-734-8100).

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

Obituary submissions The Chester County Press publishes obituaries free of charge for funeral homes with active advertising accounts only.

Others with a connection to southern Chester

County are charged a modest fee. Obituaries appear on the Wednesday after they are received with a Monday 5 p.m. deadline. They are also posted on www.chestercounty.com. Photos should

be sent as .jpeg attachments to the obituary text.

To submit an obituary to the Chester County Press or for a rate quote, email the information to editor@chestercounty.com.

AMOS W. FENSTERMACHER Amos W. Fenstermacher, 89, of Unionville, passed away on July 13, 2022.

Born in 1932 in Unionville, he was the son of the late William C., Sr. and Esther Alys Hall Fenstermacher.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of New London Lodge #545 F&AM. He loved the Unionville area and enjoyed golf, fox hunting, and steeple chase races.

He is survived by three children, Amy Lynn Schwartz (Richard), A. Walter Fenstermacher, Jr. (Laurie), and Alys Vattilana (Joe Young) and eight grandchildren, Scott (Jen), Wendy, Matthew (Kelly), Erik (Kasey), Andrew (Samantha), Elyse, Jillian (Jesse), and Kira. He is also survived by three sib-

lings, Barbara Massey, Joyce Parrett, and William C. Fenstermacher, Jr.; nine greatgrandchildren, with a tenth grand-child on the way; and his longtime friend and business partner, Joan Fernandes.

He was preceded in death by his twin sister, Mary Zell.

A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 30 at Unionville Presbyterian Church, 815 Wollaston Road in Kennett Square.

Interment will follow at the Unionville Cemetery across from Po-Mar-Lin Fire Co. in Unionville.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., in Oxford.

Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

PAULA ELAINE HANBY Paula Elaine Hanby, of Nottingham, passed away on July 10 at Reading Hospital. She was 58.

She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend.

Paula was born on March 8, 1964 in Nottingham and graduated from Oxford Area High School in 1982.

She worked in information technology at Jennersville Hospital (formerly Southern Chester County Medical Center) for 17 years.

This is where she met the love of her life Anthony Hanby, and they married in 1994. Paula then worked for Deloitte Consulting for 17 years as a systems analyst. She facilitated teams around the globe to support Deloitte’s virtual education platform. Her co-workers considered her to be a memorable woman who made work fun.

As a lifelong resident of Nottingham, Paula enjoyed boating on the Susquehanna, hiking, four-wheeling, and rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles. Her many Labrador puppies were her pride and joy. Paula hosted countless wedding and baby showers, made the best potato salad, and generously sent gifts as a way to cheer up her friends and family. She was kind to all, whether they were two-legged or four-legged. She had a wicked sense of humor, but most of all, a friendly and giving spirit that will be missed by all.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Caroline Brown and her sister, Donna Lynn Webb.

Paula is survived by her husband, Tony; her sons, Clifford (Bridgette) Zell and Steven Zell; her sister, Wanda Brown Nitsch (Chuck); her brothers-in-law Jason and Clayton; a granddaughter, Madalyn; two grandsons, Dylan and Chase; and several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Even though Paula left to put on her angel wings, she lived a special life surrounded by people who admired and loved her.

A celebration of her life took place on July 15 at Edward L. Collins Funeral Home in Oxford.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The American Kidney Fund, 11921 Rockville Pike, Suite 300, Rockville, Md. 20825, or the Brandywine Valley SPCA at https://bvspca.org/donate/.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. Oxford, PA. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

Chester County Press

Local News First state-certified pre-apprenticeship program approved in Chester County The Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) was recently approved for the first-ever state-certified pre-apprenticeship program.

“Build Your Trade” will be offered at the CCIU’s three Technical College High Schools (TCHS) beginning in September 2022. The program will focus on meeting the demand for workers in the construction trade industry and will as provide students with access to all the resources necessary to excel in this line of work.

The pre-apprenticeship program will prepare stu-

dents to immediately enter either an apprenticeship program or the workforce.

While other schools in Pennsylvania provide similar pre-apprenticeship programs, this is the first one to be certified by the state.

The “Build Your Trade” program will be offered to TCHS students in grade 10. Over the course of the three-year program, graduates will receive 72.5 hours of credit, which will be directly transferred to a registered apprenticeship program with ABC Eastern Pennsylvania or

ABC Keystone. Graduates will advance through these programs with accelerated speed and no debt.

Dr. Joe Fullerton, director of Career, Technical and Customized Education at the CCIU, said, “We are excited to receive approval for this pre-apprenticeship program. This will provide students in the building trades programs, such as carpentry, electrical and HVAC, another opportunity to earn valuable work experience for continued growth and success. We are thrilled to be the first pre-apprenticeship program approved

in Chester County.”

TCHS offers many programs aimed at addressing the workforce deficits faced by the Chester County community at large. The Build Your Trade program was designed to help relieve the many workforce shortages in the construction trade industry, in hopes that the pipeline of skilled workers will support the growing demands in Chester County. The “Build Your Trade” program will combine curriculum learning and hands-on technical learning, as well as collaborative efforts with

industry partners on TCHS’ Occupational Advisory Committee and non-profits to help build affordable housing for the community.

In addition to providing credits towards state apprenticeship programs, “Build Your Trade” will provide students with industry credentials and certificates to prepare them for entrance into the workforce.

Students will also have the opportunity to connect with industry partners and hiring businesses as well as the ability to attend job fairs and interviews.

Jill Stoltzfus, TCHS

career readiness coordinator, expressed her eagerness for the program to begin, stating: “We are so excited to be starting our Build Your Trade pre-apprenticeship program, the first state-registered program in Chester County. ABC Eastern Pennsylvania and ABC Keystone have partnered with us and will support students as they transfer to either a registered apprenticeship program or directly enter the workforce.

“Either way, they will support our students with successful opportunities post-graduation.”

Classifieds

Legals Estate Notice

Estate of Brian Paul Thomas, Late of Landenberg, London Britain Twp, Chester County, Pennsylvania. 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 Douglas S. Thomas, Executor, 107 Foxbrook Dr. Landenberg, PA 19350 7p-20-3t

Estate Notice

Estate of Judith E. Cowperthwaite, Late of Parkesburg, Chester County, Pennsylvania. The Register of Wills has

granted LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same to them or their attorneys and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Lynn Cowperthwaite C/O Attorney: Katelyn M. Haldeman, Esq., Legacy Law, PLLC, 147 W. Airport Rd., Lititz, PA 17543

www.bid4assets.com/chestercopasheriffsales, on Thursday, July 21st , 2022 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, August 22nd, 2022.

Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules 7p-27-3t unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten Sale (10) days thereafter.

Sheriff of Real Estate

By virtue of the within menSALE NO. 22-8-238 tioned writs directed to Sheriff Writ of Execution Fredda L. Maddox, the hereinNo. 2019-10840 described real estate will be DEBT $381,357.30 sold at public on-line auction via Bid4Assets, by accessing URL PROPERTY SITUATE IN NEW

GARDEN TOWNSHIP TAX Payment must be made via Bid4Assets. FREDDA L. MADPARCEL # 6003 01480200 Bid4Assets. The balance must DOX, SHERIFF 7p-27-3t be paid within twenty-one (21) SOLD AS THE PROPERTY OF: days from the date of sale via CHICHEE MAE DILLOW AKA CHICHEE DILLOW IMPROVEMENTS thereon: a residential dwelling PLAINTIFF: Mortgage Assets Management, LLC VS DEFENDANT: Chichee Mae Dillow aka Chichee Dillow SALE ADDRESS: 405 Bucktoe Road, Avondale, PA PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY: KML LAW GROUP, P.C. 19311 N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time of the on-line sale.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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