Chester County Press 08-26-2020 Edition by Ad Pro Inc.

Chester CountyPRESS

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

Volume 154, No. 34

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

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INSIDE Supervisors give A taste of the Unionville

final approval to Kennett Gateway plan

Community Fair

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer Historic Kennett Square wins award...5B

The dream of Kennett Square becoming a truly walkable community recently took another bold step forward to turning that dream into an even larger reality. During their Aug. 19 online meeting, the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors gave a 3-0 final approval to the proposed development of the Kennett Gateway, a 13.15-acre planned development along Ways Lane and East Cypress Street that will be the future home of 53 townhouse units, 24 apartments and 14,000 square feet of commercial space. The planned village will be developed by the Commonwealth Group, LLC, a Wilmington-based development, leasing and management company that has been involved in office, residential and industrial building throughout the Mid-Atlantic region since 1973. The decision was reached after the Chester County Commission recommended final approval to the board at their Aug. 12 meeting, following the board’s July 15 direc- and July 1 online meetings, when board chairman Dr.

New executive tor of Water Resources Authority...3B

Continued on Page 2A

Photo by Chris Barber

Organizers of the Unionville Community Fair recently held the first of three Taste of the Fair events that were planned after the announcement that the popular annual tradition would not be able to take place because of restrictions that are in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus. On Aug. 15, antique auto shop owner Lou Mandich, left, greeted drive-in visitor Irenee DuPont Jr., age 100, who arrived at the Taste of the Fair in his 1936 Olds Touring Coupe, which he said his father gave to him as a Christmas gift two months before his 16th birthday. The next Taste of the Fair event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Foxy Loxy grounds in Unionville. For a story and photos about the first event, please see Page 1B.

Supervisors commit township to support Black Lives Matter initiatives ‘The Kennett Township Board of Supervisors stands in solidarity with the black community,’ board chairman Dr. Richard Leff said on Aug. 19, in introducing a resolution that will include four key action plans By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

County observes International Overdose Awareness Day...5B

INDEX Opinion.......................5A Obituaries...................2B Classifieds.................4B

Before over 40 attendees who watched online, the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors voted unanimously at their Aug. 19 meeting to enter the township into a firm commitment to support the Black Lives Matter movement, in the form of four initiatives that will engage how the township governs and how its police department operates. The action items are: 1. To conduct a review of all existing policies to ensure they are antiracist and that all policies to be developed are

also antiracist and not developed to serve only those with privilege. 2. To conduct annual diversity training with a focus on confronting direct and indirect racism. 3. To explore and implement tools and resources within the Kennett Township Police Department to enhance emergency service delivery in times of crisis for all persons. 4. When policies fail, Kennett Township will wholeheartedly and enthusiastically start over and seek out new and more effective antiracist policies until they work.

Board Chairman Dr. Richard Leff, who worked with township manager Eden Ratliff to create the action plans, said that the township has already received public input on the resolution, which will lead not only to the formation of these plans, but to periodic reviews of the plans that will be shared and discussed with township residents in the future. “As I paid attention to other resolutions that are being considered in other municipalities, there was some discussion of, ‘A resolution is great, but if there are no action plans, what’s really going to change?’” Leff

said. “We are trying to work through these action items for a final resolution.” As stated in the resolution, the township acknowledges the Black Lives Matter movement; recognizes that systems of oppression such as slavery, sharecropping, Jim Crow, redlining and mass incarceration continue to affect the physical and mental health, safety, and education of African Americans; acknowledges that recent incidents such as the murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery “remind us that police brutality and disregard for black people’s lives has caused the loss of

numerous lives for no reason other than racist biases; and that it strives to be a welcoming place where all people feel protected. “Kennett Township strives to be a welcoming place where all people feel protected, included, secure and safe,” the resolution stated. “The Kennett Township Board of Supervisors stands in solidarity with the black community, and strive to hold our township departments and ourselves to the only standard that will begin to protect all of us -- one of equality and justice that embraces all people, not just Continued on Page 3A

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In Franklin Township, work on Hess Mill Road Bridge likely to begin in October Work on the Hess Mill Road Bridge replacement project is now scheduled to begin in October. The replacement of the bridge in Franklin Township will not only provide an important infrastructure upgrade for local residents, there will also be a significant environmental benefit—the new bridge’s span of 32 feet will eliminate the current stream flow restrictions that result from the existing bridge’s span of 25 feet.

Franklin Township officials proactively took steps in recent months to prepare for the project, with the goal of completing the work in 2020 rather than waiting until next year. During the construction work, through-traffic on Hess Mill Road will be detoured. All local residents on Hess Mill Road will have full access to their properties for the entire duration of construction. Additionally, all local residents on Hess

Mill Road will have full electric service for the duration of the project. The electric power outages that will be necessary will be local to the bridge area and will only be required for short periods during heavylift crane operations. According to Franklin Township Supervisor John Auerbach, the township engaged the Chester County Conservation District (CCCD) to evaluate the environmental impact of Continued on Page 3A

Courtesy photo

The replacement of the Hess Mill Road Bridge in Franklin Township is scheduled to begin in October. The replacement bridge will not only provide an important infrastructure upgrade for local residents, there will also be a significant environmental benefit.

‘Bill the barber’ celebrates 50 years in Oxford By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer Bill Bilger had a decision to make. After completing the training to become a licensed , he

Photo by Steven Hoffman

Bill Bilger is known by a lot of people as “Bill the barber.”

had been working for other barbers for more than five years. Now, he wanted to have his own barbershop, but where would that be? One opportunity that Bilger was considering was in Wellsboro, Pa., a small borough in Tioga County. The other option that he was considering was a barbershop in Oxford—about as far as a person can get from Wellsboro while still staying in Pennsylvania. Bill and his wife Carrie couldn’t decide between the two opportunities. So he decided that he would flip a coin. When the coin landed in Oxford’s favor, the decision

was made. “I guess it was meant to be,” Bill said during an interview last week. “I’ve been happy here.” Bilger will mark his 50th anniversary in Oxford during the first week in September— an impressive milestone for any business. During those 50 years, Bilger has earned a moniker that a lot of his customers know him by. “Bill the barber—that’s what they call me,” he said with a laugh. For people like Matt Elberson, Bill the barber is the only one to turn to for a good haircut and some friend-

ly conversation. On a recent summer afternoon, Elberson was in Bill Bilger’s barbershop at 107 South Third Street in Oxford. He has been coming here for 16 years, and he was happy to talk about why he thinks Bilger’s old-fashioned barbershop has succeeded for half a century. “This is the best place to get your hair cut in Chester County,” Elberson said. “I won’t get my hair cut anywhere else.” With his good-humored personality and experience, it’s easy to understand the foundation that he has built his business on for all these years. Bill said that it’s

always important to give a customer a good haircut and then to also treat each person with respect. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the President of the United States or a trash collector—Bill maintains that he treats everyone fairly— and equally. “When they come through the door, they are all the same to me,” he explained. “They are all important in their own way so I treat them all the same.” Bilger, who grew up in Bucks County, explained how he decided to become a barber in the first place. “I was out of high school Continued on Page 4A

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

Chester County Press

Local News Kennett Gateway plan... Continued from Page 1A

Richard Leff and supervisors Whitney Hoffman and Scudder Stevens gave preliminary approval to the development’s plans, based on the recommendations of a subcommittee of the township’s Planning Commission. In its recommendation, the subcommittee stipulated that final approval would be subject to several conditions in the proposal that needed to be addressed in the form of 19 waivers including road maintenance, lighting, sidewalks, access easements, parking, stormwater concerns and alternate vegetation replacement. “I think that we brought a compelling development that required a lot of understanding and a lot of legwork to try and come to some sort of a solution,” said Donald S. Robitzer, Jr., the vice president and the chief operating officer for The Commonwealth Group, LLC. “The hard ones always take that sort of collaboration. There is a reason that the township’s wishes are the wishes of the people. We’re very proud to be a part of that. As local developers, we look forward to enhancing the opportunities within the township, and working alongside you to come up with a creative solution to what has otherwise been a

burden that nobody has been willing to tackle. “Hopefully, we can get it done together in an affordable way that creates a lot more safety and experiences for our renters, or homebuyers and our businesses.” Kennett Gateway is the first mixed-use commercial and residential development to be proposed and approved within the Ways Lane vicinity, and what Leff called "the anchor" for what may lead to future commercial and residential growth there. Despite its ruddy aesthetics, the Ways Lane area has long been considered a diamond in the rough for potential development, and has been praised as a strong candidate for residential growth due to it being a short walk to the Kennett Library, schools, restaurants, businesses and activities in the borough. In her Aug. 19 policy briefing summary for the project, township director of planning and zoning Diane Hicks said that the area enables the township to break ground in an underutilized section. “In summary, Kennett Township recognizes that the Kennett Gateway application is the first mixed use commercial/residential development to be proposed within the Way’s Lane area,” she wrote. “Way’s Lane has the potential for commercial and /or higher

density residential development and thus a boost to Kennett in the area of economic development.” In her summary brief, Hicks focused on what items have been the largest stumbling blocks standing in the way of this area reaching its potential: Ways Lane is a private road that is owned by 19 or so property owners, and has become a roadway beset with poor infrastructure. Hicks wrote that after meetings with the township’s Planning Commission and various consultants and the project’s developer about how to properly maintain the road, she recommended that the township cannot require the developer to maintain “a portion of the roadway he does not own. “That being said, I feel the township should require some type of agreement on how the roadway will be maintained with the expectation that communication on this issue will continue in a positive direction,” she wrote. Township manager Eden Ratliff said that the township will take ownership of Ways Lane near the Kennett Gateway property and will be responsible for maintenance of the road near the project, while at the same time pursuing better solutions for the road. “This proposal puts the township in a position to own the challenges of Ways Lane and really drive – with public and private partnerships – toward solutions in that area,” Ratliff said. “A lot of that is predicated on the desire for economic redevelopment as reflected in the 2016 Kennett-Area Economic Development Study.” John Jaros, land use counsel for the Commonwealth Group, LLC, thanked the township officials for their cooperative effort in work-

Photos by Richard L. Gaw

The Kennett Township Board of Supervisors gave a 3-0 final approval last week to the development of the Kennett Gateway, a 13.15-acre planned development along Ways Lane and East Cypress Street that will be the future home of 53 townhouse units, 24 apartments and 14,000 square feet of commercial space.

Township officials believe that The Kennett Gateway will serve as the stimulus for additional commercial and residential growth in the Ways Lane vicinity.

ing with the applicant through the many phases of development approval for the Kennett Gateway. “This is the kind of cooperative effort that over my 30 years of experience should happen between a township and a developer,” he said. “We feel that we have rolled up our sleeves and worked very long and hard on this, and this cooperative effort has resulted in where we are this evening.” Hoffman expressed her enthusiasm for the development, specifically because it will break ground as the first development of its kind in the township that adopts the Traditional Neighborhood

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Design (TND) concept, whose design incorporates a range of housing types fitted within a network of well-connected streets and blocks, humane public spaces, and includes amenities such as stores, schools and places of worship – all within walking distance of residences. As he had in recent discussions about the proposed development, Stevens continued to express his concerns for the great number of contingencies that still need to be resolved in the development. He was later assured by Ratliff, Jaros and township solicitor David Sander that these contingencies will be the responsibility of the township to execute, enforce and ensure that they are met. “We’re just looking for a creative solution,” Ratliff told Stevens. “We all want the same thing. Let’s figure out how to get there, and this was the end product, and it’s something that we can all have confidence in.” Despite his reservations, Stevens assured those in attendance at the meeting that he is not “an obstruc-

tionist” to the planned development, and in fact sees Kennett Gateway as a “lynchpin” effort to stimulate residential and economic growth in the township. “Ways Lane is the continuing elephant in the room for the township,” said Stevens, who first began discussing development in Ways Lane in 2012 when he first joined the township board, in an effort to “do something more creative and more meaningful for the long-term well-being of the township.” Robitzer estimated that the starting cost of townhomes in Kennett Gateway will begin in the $300,000 range, and said that there is scheduled to be units in the townhome complex that will be affordable to at least 80 percent of those who earn the average annual median income. He also estimated that the monthly rental fee for apartments will fall between $1,100 and $1,700 per month, depending on the apartment size. To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

Chester County Press

Local News Hess Mill Road bridge... Continued from Page 1A

the project. After a thorough inspection both upstream and downstream, the CCCD determined that the 25-foot span of the existing bridge was restrictive to the flow of the stream. As a result of the environmental improvements that are a part of this project, the CCCD provided a grant of approximately $271,000 to complete the work. The township will then fund about $134,000 of the work. The total project is estimated to cost approximately $405,000. Originally, the township was going to replace the bridge in 2019, relying entirely on township funds for the work. Then, in June of 2020, Franklin Township was able to secure the grant funding from the CCCD, which enabled the township

Black Lives Matter initiative... Continued from Page 1A

those with the most privilege. Reading from a prepared statement he wrote, “Now is a time that requires action, for we cannot be inactive and address this issue. My fellow supervisors and I sit here this evening in humble recognition that we are part of our township’s white majority, that the lenses of our eyes and the frame of our minds have been formed by our similar cultural, historical, and racially-advantaged experiences. “Might it be that some of our ordinances, policies and procedures harbor innocent, unintended vestiges of racial

to avoid an infrastructure capital loan. The bridge could be closed for six or seven weeks while the construction work is completed. A tentative schedule for the work includes an Oct. 8 start—that’s the approximate date that the Hess Mill Road Bridge will be closed and the dismantling of the bridge will begin. The prefabricated bridge is expected to be received around Nov. 9 so that the installation work can begin. The work on the bridge accessories and the finish of the roadway will be completed next. The target date for completion of the entire project and for the reopening of the new Hess Mill Road Bridge is Dec. 1. The existing Hess Mill Road Bridge is a wooden structure that was constructed in 1974. The bridge is located approximately 600

feet west of South Guernsey Road. Most motorists are unaware of the bridge as the bridge surface is asphalt paving over wood that matches the roadway. Bridge profiles on either side are not visible from the road. The wooden guard rail is the only bridge feature visible to passing motorists. The bridge has been inspected annually by consulting engineers commissioned and paid for by PennDOT. Since 2011, the bridge has been rated in poor condition and the bridge is classified as being structurally deficient. The primary supporting structure is wood consisting of a series of beams fastened together to form a mat. These beams are in poor condition. In preparation for the project, the township conducted several traffic count studies using video equipment. In

addition to the traffic data collected, the videos indicated that many overweight trucks are using the bridge. The bridge has reached the end of its service life. The replacement bridge will be a prefabricated, reenforced concrete arch bridge. It will be delivered to the site in several large pieces and erected by a heavy-lift crane. This construction technique significantly shortens the service outage for Hess Mill Road. The replacement bridge will not have a posted weight limit—it is capable of carrying all registered vehicles. In 2012, New London Township replaced the West Avondale Road Bridge with a structure that is very similar in configuration to the proposed Hess Mill Road bridge. The bridge construction schedule is subject to change

bias?” he added. “I feel that if this is even a possibility, we owe it to our community to investigate and correct any inequities that arise out of our governance.” Supervisor Stevens supported Leff’s comments, and said that the township’s resolution “pulls much of the discussion into the open and out of shadows, which is really what this is all about. It’s getting these issues in front of us so that we can know what’s going on. We cannot hide from that truth. I say that in a time when for awhile now, this country has been immersed in hatred. We need to confront the hatred. We need to go back to the point where we had respect and love for each other.

“The reality is, ‘Why do we need to do it?’ Because this country is a racist country,” Stevens added. “Its DNA going back to 1609 has been based on segregation and denigrating one human being for the betterment of another. This is all economic, and this is a way of holding down and taking advantage of labor for the betterment of those who have the power to be able to do it.

to identify it. We have to live with it. We have to embrace the hardship of it, and it is only when we do that, that we begin to disarm it.” While public comments during the discussion generally expressed support of the resolution, one resident criticized the township, claiming that the resolution was an example of “identity politics, race bating, political correctness and white guilt.” “[The township’s] welldocumented, negligent governance and oversight over the past several years should be your focus rather than on other matters,” the resident wrote. “This strikes me as misdirection, diversion and wagging the dog that adds to the carnival atmo-

‘Silence doesn’t work’ “This is where our DNA comes to the surface, and we have to recognize it and hold it up to the light, and say her name and keep it open an up front…Silence doesn’t work. We have to speak it. We have

The Bible Evangelical Church is excited to join the Oxford area community Pastor Doug Stirling invites the community to join us this Sunday at 10:30 a.m. We have programs available for folks of all ages including children’s church Sunday mornings As a new church in the community, we need your help. We are looking for: musicians/vocalists, social media contributor, worship leaders, Sunday school teachers, youth leaders, and anyone desiring to serve God in local ministry. Call Pastor Doug for more information. We are “not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;” (Romans 1:16) We are located at 866 5th Street (corner of 5th Street and Media Road) Bible Evangelical Church “Where Christ is King!” 610-842-7245

Courtesy photo

In 2012, New London Township replaced the West Avondale Road Bridge with a structure that is very similar in configuration to the proposed new Hess Mill Road Bridge.

and residents should monitor the Franklin Township website for updates. The township is working diligently to improve the sphere of the township.” In his response, Leff reflected on his earlier written statement, when he said that “as supervisors, we are sworn to protect the safety and well-being of all of our residents and visitors. Waiting until harm has occurred when the potential for injury has already been identified, leaves scars unnecessarily inflicted.” Leff then further responded the township residents who are opposed to the resolution. “There is enough momentum and enough information out there that every government entity in the United States should be taking a look at what they are doing and what they are not doing,” he Continued on Page 4A

schedule to move the project completion date earlier than Dec. 1 to avoid any potential issues caused by winter weather.

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

Dr. Richard Leff, the chairman of the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors, read a prepared statement he wrote at the board’s Aug. 19 meeting that supported the township’s commitment to the Black Lives Matter movement through several township initiatives.

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

Chester County Press

Local News Barber... Continued from Page 1A

and decided I wanted to take up a trade,” he said. One day, he went to a local barber to get his hair trimmed. The barber who was cutting his hair that day told him, ‘The barber business has been good to me. You should think about it.’” He went home and talked to his parents. Soon, he was being trained as a barber at the Tri-City Barber School. Once he was licensed, he worked for a few other barbers as he learned his trade. Then, with the help of a flip

Black Lives Matter initiative... Continued from Page 3A

what they are not doing,” he said. “Since Kennett Square is part of the United States, I felt it was incumbent upon us to do so. “Are we perfect? Probably not, but I think we’re pretty good, but I’d like to get us better.” “I want to make sure that everybody knows that we take this seriously, and that we’re taking steps to make sure that we’re performing every governmental function in an unbiased and fair manner,” said Supervisor Whitney Hoffman. “It’s to make sure that everybody is well trained and that we’re doing everything we can. It’s very good business practice but it’s very good community practice, and everybody, no matter who they are, should feel incredibly comfortable coming to their local government to have their concerns or issues addressed.” The resolution was originated and proposed by attorney Anton Andrew,

of the coin, he made the most important decision of his professional life—he decided to pursue the opportunity to own a barbershop in Oxford. Bilger recalled that he had some friends who resided in or nearby Oxford, and he had been hunting and fishing in the area a few times. There were six or seven other barbershops in town back then, so there was no guarantee that the new guy could even make the cut. But he was skilled at his craft, he was friendly, and he was willing to work the long hours necessary to run his own business. who is also a Democratic candidate for the Pa. House of Representatives’ 160th District, which includes Kennett Square and Kennett, Pennsbury and Pocopson townships. “The necessity -- the imperative -- to end racism in our nation is self-evident, as our founding fathers wrote, in that all of us are created equal,” he said. “At the end of our Pledge of Allegiance, we end with ‘liberty and justice for all.’ That is something that people across the entire spectrum of this country share a consensus about. Those are our guiding principles. “And yet, we have yet to achieve those goals, especially as it pertains to people of color in our country. Racism and injustice persist and permeate our country, our commonwealth, and our communities, including here in my beloved Kennett Square.” Andrew said he was encouraged by the township’s support of the resolution. “It acknowledges that like every other municipality, it

Bilger with Jack Winchester, one of the barbers who worked for him during his time in Oxford.

Early in his career, Bilger said, he got some good advice about running a barbershop. It starts with the most important thing: Do

Courtesy photo

The resolution was originated and proposed by attorney Anton Andrew, who is also a candidate for the Pa. House of Representatives’ 160th District.

has work to do to identify racism, and it commits the township to that task,” he said. “This is not a political issue. This is a human rights issue. By taking this vision forward, it proves that [Kennett Township is] truly trying to make America hold to its original policy of ‘freedom and justice for all.’” To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

a good job of cutting hair. Another helpful tip is to always be cleaning when you’re not clipping because cleanliness is very important in this line of work. Another tip that he found helpful is to try to be visible to the community if you’re not cutting hair. That way, people know that the barbershop is open and that appointments are available. For the first 24 years in Oxford, Bill’s barbershop was located at 37 South Third Street. He moved to the location at 107 South Third Street 26 years ago. He said that he liked both those locations, and is really thankful that he ended up opening his barbershop in Oxford all those years ago. “I really just wanted a barbershop that families could come to,” he said. Bill and his wife live in Bartville, Pa. in Lancaster County—about nine miles from the shop in Oxford. He said that owning a barbershop provided a good life for he and his wife while they raised their daughter, Lisa. He still looks forward to coming to work every day. When asked what he likes best about his job, he replied, “Just one thing? I like everything about it.” Certainly one of the favor-

Photos by Steven Hoffman

Bill Bilger will mark his 50th anniversary in Oxford during the first week in September.

ite aspects of the job for Bilger is the conversations with people in the shop. He likes to talk about hunting, fishing, or anything else that his clients are interested in talking about. He does try to avoid politics as a topic of conversation, but other than that the conversations in the barbershop can go off in many different directions. “I get along well with my customers,” he said. “We discuss all kinds of things.” Some of Bill the barber’s customers have been getting their hair cut in this barbershop for decades. He considers a lot of his customers to be friends. Bilger has seen a lot of hairstyle trends come and go during his time in the business. He has met many people. Still, he is quick to point out that even though he knows 50 years has passed since he came to Oxford “It doesn’t seem like it’s been that long for me.” Because he has liked the

work environment so much, he doesn’t have any plans to stop cutting hair. “I’m going to tell you something about barbers,” he said. “They will stay in the profession for as long as anyone.” One example is Jack Winchester, one of the barbers who worked for Bilger, who kept cutting hair until he was 72. Bill the barber said that he is perfectly happy with his career and his life. “If I had it to do over again, I would do the same thing. I have no regrets at all,” he said. Bill Bilger’s barbershop is open each Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments are also available. The telephone number is 610-932-4120. To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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

A township with its eyes wide open In his introductory remarks before Kennett Township’s passage of a resolution on Aug. 19 that will commit the township to pursue several initiatives as a result of the Black Lives Matter movement, board chairman Dr. Richard Leff read a prepared statement that he had written. “My fellow supervisors and I sit here this evening in humble recognition that we are part of our township’s white majority, that the lenses of our eyes and the frame of our minds have been formed by our similar cultural, historical, and raciallyadvantaged experiences,” Leff read. “Might it be that some of our ordinances, policies and procedures harbor innocent, unintended vestiges of racial bias? I feel that if this is even a possibility, we owe it to our community to investigate and correct any inequities that arise out of our governance.” A deferential overview of Kennett Township would suspect it to be among the last municipalities to engage in the beliefs that have captivated the millions who have joined together in

towns and cities all across America and the world as one large voice set out to, in the late Sen. John Lewis’ words, “Get into good trouble.” The facts speak for themselves. Kennett Township is among the wealthiest municipalities in Pennsylvania, and more than three-quarters of its population is white. A car ride past its beautiful homes, freshly manicured lawns and sweeping vistas of preserved land seems a galaxy removed from the long and ugly litany of systemic racism and police brutality that has led to the murders of several black men and women. The collective and powerful chorus of “Black Lives Matter,” heard at peaceful protests in Kennett Square and West Grove in June, is not a sound that often reverberates in Kennett Township, and there are very few ashen gray sidewalks there for a black man to have his head crushed into by the knee of a white policeman. Upon that deferential view, it would seem to some that the township’s foray into matters such as this is little more than a frivolous sidebar of activity that has no bearing on

its residents. They believe that the township is better suited now to navigate its way through the lingering stench of a major embezzlement scandal, restore its standing in the community, and continue to place its priorities in the normal and myopic governance of a township like holding the line on taxes, clearing roads and paying its bills on time. Yet as he continued to speak, Leff introduced the township’s residents to the rest of the world. “We need to be cognizant of the damage done to people of color far and wide when humiliating acts are committed against people who look like them,” Leff said. “Minneapolis and other big cities seem far away, but just down the road in Chadds Ford, a black man was pulled over in his driveway last year and handcuffed in front of his teenage daughter and wife. Not in our community, but just down the road. “Can you put yourself in that man’s place? In his wife’s or daughter’s place? Now, can you put yourself in the place of a person of color living in our township? It happened just down the road, [so] what’s to say that it couldn’t happen here?”

Dr. Leff spoke about the township’s presence as one of the most prominent points along the Underground Railroad, and its recent restoration of the historic Fussell House – which sheltered slaves on their way north toward freedom – supports this commitment. He spoke about the diverse cultural background that forms local school districts. He spoke about interim Police Chief Matt Gordon, “who is committed to respectful, humane, and equitable enforcement of our laws,” he said, “and who has spoken out in emotional terms of the injustice of what happened to George Floyd in Minneapolis and other gross discriminatory acts and abuses of power.” He continued to dissect the argument that believes that if the atrocities that have claimed the lives of hundreds of black Americans at the hands of racism are not felt in Kennett Township, then there is no reason for the township to join the discussion. “To those who say we have had no incidences of racial bias, I say that is no reason not to act preemptively,” Leff said. “As supervisors, we are sworn to protect the safety and well-being of all of our residents and visi-

tors. Waiting until harm has occurred when the potential for injury has already been identified, leaves scars unnecessarily inflicted. “Some have said that singling out black lives as mattering is unnecessary and redundant; [that] if we believe in the equality of all people, and in the value of life, then all lives and not just black lives matter. We should not have to say Black Lives Matter. Can we all not recognize the historical, sanctioned mistreatment of blacks in this country, and the dark shadow it still casts to this day? “People of color are asking us to listen to them,” Leff said. “They are showing us the pictures of the abuse and inequities of their daily lives. They are asking us, ‘If you see us, if you feel our pain, speak up.’ “I do believe in the equality of all, and that all life matters; but in recognition of past and continued injustices against black people, I will say, “Black Lives Matter, Black lives matter, black lives matter.” And I will keep saying it until blacks and everyone are afforded the same rights and privileges that I enjoy.” As he concluded his prepared statement, Leff assured the township’s resi-

dents that this initiative “does not make us out to be weak or flawed, [but] assures our continued growth and strength.” This newspaper will go one step further: That by this commitment, Kennett Township has shown its resiliency to join the conversation to end systemic racism in this country. We also believe it has set the tone and established a cornerstone of action, one that every other municipality in southern Chester County should follow. By virtue of this commitment, the governance of Kennett Township has proclaimed that the color of our skin should never dictate whether we should orchestrate justice, nor should we measure our choice to enter into the uncomfortable task of changing our nation’s course based solely on our proximity to conflict. Kennett Township’s decision is pulled from the pages that have documented our nation’s highest achievements and have been written into our history books: Change is made possible when we remove our blinders of comfort and see for ourselves what the rest of the world is doing.

Letters to the Editor

‘I will vote for Joe Biden’ Letter to the Editor: This is a response to the opinion piece supporting re-election of Donald Trump based on the threat that policing will be defunded and chaos will reign if Biden is elected. The headline starts with the premise that “Pennsylvania cannot afford defunding the police,” and references a June Philadelphia budget decision that “removes and redirects $33 million from the police depart-

ment budget.” It neglects to note that $19 million of that was the cancellation of an increase proposed in May, which is no longer feasible during a period of revenue shortfall due to the pandemic—the impact of which can arguably be laid at the president’s feet due to his inaction and ignorance of science. The remaining $14 million was redirected to the managing director’s office to be used for crossing guards and public safety enforce-

ment officers. The writer of the opinion piece then links this June decision to an uptick in crime that started in May. All of this is beside the point that the great majority of funding for police departments comes from local and state funding, not the federal government. So Joe Biden’s statement that funding for police could be redirected to dealing with social issues that the police are currently being called to confront should be rec-

ognized as the theoretical policy statement that it is. It also ignores Mr. Biden’s proposal for a $300 million investment in policing contingent on officers mirroring the diversity of their communities. Don’t fall for these weak scare tactics. Be afraid of the consequences of reelecting a narcissist that alienates our allies, cozies up to dictators, ignores our intelligence community, uses our military against our citizens for his own

personal ends, discourages voting, embarrasses the country with playground bullying tactics, surrounds himself with felons, disparages any kind of legitimate expert, punishes anyone who disagrees with him, encourages white nationalists and Nazis, divides Americans against each other and cares only about himself and his friends. I was a lifelong Republican until this year when I changed parties. I will vote for Joe Biden,

a man who has demonstrated his ability to work with people he disagrees with, understands the Constitution and the real definition of the rule of law that puts no one above other citizens, knows the requirements of foreign policy, respects science and expertise, and has empathy for people whose lives and experiences are different from his own. Deborah Gillespie Kennett Square

Guest column

Were millions of dollars in pandemic relief funding really necessary for cyber charter schools? By Brian P. Fox It’s time we shine a light on a critically important issue and start asking some questions. As Pennsylvania’s school districts face revenue shortfalls of $1 billion or more due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pennsylvania’s charter schools stand to see a windfall of pandemic relief funding while experi-

encing no loss of revenue. First, under the recently enacted state budget, charter schools will receive $15 million in state health and safety grants to address COVID-19-related health and safety needs. This is much needed funding for school districts and brickand-mortar charter schools that plan to offer some sort of adjusted schedule for in-person learning in the

Chester County Press Publisher - Randall S. Lieberman

Steve Hoffman..................................Managing Editor Richard L. Gaw..................................Associate Editor Brenda Butt.........................................Office Manager Tricia Hoadley...........................................Art Director Alan E. Turn...............................Advertising Director Teri Turns................................Advertising Executive Helen E. Warren......................Advertising Executive Amy Lieberman.............Marketing/Public Relations The Chester County Press (USPS 416-500) is published every Wednesday by: AD PRO, Inc., 144 South Jennersville Rd, West Grove, PA 19390 Mailing Address: PO Box 150, Kelton, PA 19346 Phone: 610-869-5553 FAX 610-869-9628 E-mail (editor): editor@chestercounty.com HOURS: Monday- Friday 8am - 4pm, no weekend hours

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fall. But for cyber charter schools that offer all of their instruction virtually, this is simply free money. Next, under the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief fund, charter schools are entitled to $71 million in emergency, one-time funds to help schools respond to COVID-19 impacts. Brickand-mortar charter schools reasonably incurred additional costs transitioning to an alternative learning system after school buildings were closed in March. In contrast, cyber charter schools should not have incurred the same costs, since their usual instructional method is virtual. Finally, at least 26 charter schools were awarded Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling between $24 million and $56 million which may be used for limited purposes such as payroll costs, continuation of healthcare benefits, interest on mortgage obligations, and rent and utility pay-

ments. Given that charter schools are publicly funded schools, the need for these loans should be questioned, especially in light of the fact that charter schools experienced no loss of revenue due to the pandemic. Any single form of relief funding can potentially be justified as an attempt to ensure that public schools can continue to safely serve their students. However, there are two factors which should make us question the true intention of such funding – and why cyber charters are reaping the rewards when not impacted in the same way. First, Act 13 of 2020 ensured that charter schools would receive no less funding than they were entitled to as of the date public schools switched to online education. While Act 13 also guaranteed school districts the same level of state funding, local revenues were significantly decreased due to the pandemic. Second, 90 percent of charter school

funding comes from mandatory tuition payments from school districts. Those tuition payments are based on the expenses of local school districts from the previous school year, so any impact on school district finances due to the pandemic would take years to impact charter schools. With families stuck at home because of the pandemic and parents considering how to best educate their children, Pennsylvania’s cyber charter schools have also stepped up their advertising hoping to capitalize on the fears of parents who may be reluctant to send their children back to inperson classrooms this fall. Despite apparently needing millions of dollars in pandemic relief funding, cyber charter schools still have plenty of money to spend on television and radio ads. Ensuring public schools can safely educate Pennsylvania’s children as a global pandemic continues is a paramount concern.

School district leaders are very thankful for the relief funding provided by the state and federal governments. But, we need to stop and ask ourselves, where is that funding needed the most? As school districts scramble to find revenues to safely operate, cyber charter schools stand to, once again, be the beneficiaries of a flawed education funding system. Cyber-charters draw resources away from our local schools. Their advertising states they are of no cost to the parents yet it’s the local school district that pays the cyber charter tuition. Cyber charter schools are a direct funnel of public funds to private hands with little to no transparency or accountability on how those funds are used. Cyber charter schools are like a parasite on our K-12 public schools. Brian P. Fox lives in Cochranville, Pa. and volunteers for the Octorara Area School District.

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

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Chester County Press

In the Spotlight

Section

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

Taste of the Fair provides a gourmet nugget of the longtime Unionville tradition By Chris Barber Contributing Writer The COVID-19 pandemic may have scuttled many of Chester County’s festivals and special events this year, but organizers of the Unionville Community Fair could not be deterred. They have worked hard to still bring different aspects of the Unionville Community Fair to the community. “Taste of the Fair” kicked off its first event of three that will give the public at least bits of an annual event that is dear to their hearts and serves as a harbinger of the fall festivities to follow. Longtime fair organizer Bonnie Musser, who is known by many as the first lady of the festival, said that she and her fellow board members knew it was a bad sign in late spring when the 2020 Mushroom Festival was cancelled. She said it was obvious to them that many of the usual sponsors would be faced with limited funding, and that the 250-person crowd limit imposed by the state would not work for the Unionville Community Fair. The event regularly attracts thousands of guests and participants. Referring to the 250-person limit, Musser said, “We have about that many volunteers alone running it.”

Photos by Chris Barber

Visitors at Taste of the Fair take a look at a restored Model T Ford brought to the event by its owner.

Musser reported having a meeting with Jayne Shea, a former fair chairperson, and several other longtime volunteers. She said they sat around on a porch with proper social distancing brainstorming about what to do next.

According to Musser, Shea said it would be good to give folks just “a taste of the fair.” The name stuck, and they proceeded to plan for a drastically reduced celebration that still captured some of the memorable charm of

Pennsylvania master farmer Charlie Brosius of West Marlborough Township shows off the old calliope he refurbished and brought to Taste of the Fair.

Horseshoe-tossing aficionados are invited to take part in a tournament that will continue at the next Taste of the Fair events in September and October.

the annual fair. They came up with a model of three “tastes:” one in August, one in September and one in October—October is the month in which the fair traditionally takes place. On Aug. 15, the first event, “Taste of the Fair: Ice Cream Sundaes” took place in the middle of Unionville on the grounds of the Foxy Loxy Ice Cream Parlour and Coffee Shoppe. Shea, who is the owneroperator of Foxy Loxy, presented the theme of offering $5 ice cream sundaes that people could put together on that day. There was more during the Taste of the Fair event. As they laid out plans, the items expanded to include a horseshoe-tossing tournament, live music, a visit by a local cow, a few children’s games and an open house at Lou Mandich’s antique car garage, which sits adjacent to the Foxy Loxy property. As it turned out, the event was enthusiastically received by friends and neighbors with an almost serene and sentimental atmosphere reminiscent of the old days when the fair was held at what is now the

elementary school for the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District. A lot of the success can be attributed to Mandich, who sent out invitations to all of his antique car customers. They arrived in droves. The event even included Irenee DuPont Jr., age 100, who drove up in his 1936 Olds Touring Coupe that he said his father gave him as a Christmas gift two months before his 16th birthday. Pennsylvania master farmer and former state Secretary of Agriculture Charles Brosius showed up with a calliope he recently refurbished that played uplifting, celebratory music that had people gathering around and asking for more. Out front, a horseshoetossing tournament was getting started, and a pen in the yard housed a local cow from Baily’s Farm that lounged in a pile of hay and stared back at onlookers. The next Taste of the Fair will be on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Foxy Loxy grounds. The theme will be “Classic Chocolate” and

will include the chocolate cake competition that usually takes place at the regular fair. Musser said there will be a heavy emphasis on classics of the past with plenty of old music and old vehicles as well as a continuation of the horseshoe-tossing tournament. Children will be offered the opportunity to learn how to create decorative table ornaments – hocus pocus – out of natural objects. More details will be announced later. The third Taste of the Fair will again take place at the Foxy Loxy grounds in October. The date has not yet been set. Musser said the theme will be “Apple and Pumpkins,” and there will be apple pie judging as well as pumpkin judging. Children will be encouraged to come in Halloween costumes, and there will be a display of carved pumpkins. Children who have created hocus-pocus table ornaments will have them judged at that time. Given that the Mandich garage is adjacent, it is likely that more antique vehicles will show up again.

A child and parent spend some time with Priscilla the cow, who paid a visit from the Baily Farm in Unionville.

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

Chester County Press

Obituaries PHYLLIS D. WALLS

BYRON JOHNSON Byron Johnston passed away on July 24. He is survived by his mother, Sharon Johnston, and by his children, Jaxton and Declan Johnston. Services will be announced in the future. Arrangements were handled by the Cremation Service of Delaware.

Phyllis Diane Walls (Donnie), a resident of Oxford, passed away peacefully and comfortably in her home on Aug. 22. She was 61. She is survived by her father, Ralph Walls; one sister, Geri Hicks (and her husband Lary) of West Grove; one half-sister, Jackie Weaver; one niece, Jamie Byrd (and significant other, Russell); one nephew, Dennis Byrd (and wife, Desiree) of TN; five great nephews, Cody, Aidan, Colt, Dennis, Jr. and Anthony; two great nieces, Sabreena Byrd (and fiancé, Alex), and Makenzi Byrd; one step great niece, Scarlett; two great-great nieces, Bella and Zoë, and her best friends, John and Kathy Eller. She is preceded in death by her mother, Lettie Mae Walls. Phyllis was a great friend to anyone she crossed paths with. She had a heart of gold and the soul of an angel. She loved frogs and her dog, Rocky. She was a school van driver for DuVall Bus Service for several years. She took to children that weren’t hers and helped raise them as if they were her own. She will be greatly missed by the many people who loved her. Special thanks are extended to Donnie’s best friend and roommate, Michelle Taylor, as well as to Keith Thomas, Megan Taylor and Robert Bridges for taking very good care of her the past few years. Funeral services will be held on Friday, Aug. 28 at New London Baptist Church, 226 Pennock Bridge Road in West Grove. The viewing will be from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. with a short service to follow. Burial will be held at New London Presbyterian Cemetery 1986 Newark Rd, Lincoln University, PA 19352. A celebration of life will be held immediately afterward at the New London Baptist Church. All are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., 86 Pine St., Oxford, PA 19363. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

JOYCE E. THOMPSON Joyce E. Thompson, a resident of Lincoln, Del. and formerly of Coatesville, Pa., passed away on Aug. 21 at Christiana Hospital in Newark, Del. She was 81. She was the wife of the late Howard Eugene Thompson, Sr. Born in Coatesville, Pa. she was the daughter of the late Jerry and Elizabeth Collins Gilbert. She is survived by one son, Howard E. Thompson, Jr. (Heather) of Lincoln University; three daughters, Kathy Tolbert (Steve) of Leesburg, FL, Suzanne Huf (Mark) of Oxford and Michelle Duffy (Bill) of Quakertown; and seven grandchildren, Josh Thompson, Stephen Forward, Amy Huf, Brian Forward, Michael Forward, Alisha Forward and Wyatt Thompson, as well as a host of great-grandchildren. She is also survived by four siblings, Jerry Gilbert, Shirley Bowman, George Gilbert and Myrtle Davis. She graduated from Scott Senior High School in Coatesville and was the food service manager for the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District for over 30 years until her retirement in 2002. She enjoyed fishing, knitting, ceramics, trips to the beach, cooking for others and her love was well known for her dog, Tasha, as well as the many other dogs on the farm. Friends and family may visit from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 27 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., 86 Pine St. in Oxford. Interment will be in Unionville Cemetery. Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.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 5pm 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.

CHURCH DIRECTORY AVONDALE Avondale Presbyterian Church 420 Pennsylvania Avenue 610.268.2919 www.avondalepc.org St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother 8910 Gap Newport Pike 610.268.0296 www.stgabrielavondalepa.org

Unionville Presbyterian Church 815 Wollaston Road 610.347.2327 www.unionvillepresbyterianchurch.org

KENNETT SQUARE

WEST GROVE and SURROUNDING AREAS

Willowdale Chapel 675 Unionville Road 610.444.2670 www.willowdalechapel.org

Bethel AME Church 300 E. Linden Street 610.444.2974 www.bethelameckennsq.org Bible Evangelical Church of Kennett Square 500 E. Cypress Street 610.467.1081 www.bibleevangelicalchurch.org Episcopal Church of the Advent 401 N. Union Street 610.444.4624 www.adventks.org First Baptist Church of Kennett Square 415 W. State Street 610.444.5320 www.firstbaptistkennettsquare.com Greater Works Ministries 553 Rosedale Road 610.444.5581 www.gwministries.net Kennett Square Missionary Church 408 Bayard Road 610.444.0867 www.kennettsquarebaptist.com Kennett Square Presbyterian Church 211 S. Broad Street 610.444.5255 www.pcks.org New Garden Memorial U.A.M.E 309 E. Linden Street 610.444.3357 www.uamechurch.org Second Baptist Church of Kennett Square 132 S. Willow Street 610.444.0885 St. Patrick Catholic Church 212 Meredith Street 610.444.4364 www.stpatrickkennettsquare.org

Assumption BVM Church 300 State Road 610.869.2722 www.assumptionbvmwestgrove.org Avon Grove Church of the Nazarene 240 State Road 610.869.9500 www.avongrove.church West Grove Presbyterian Church 139 W. Evergreen Street 610.869.9458 www.westgrovepres.org West Grove United Methodist Church 300 N. Guernsey Road 610.869.9334 www.westgroveumc.org Willowdale Chapel – Jennersville 111 Vineyard Way, Jennrsville 610.444.2670 www.willowdalechapel.org Landenberg United Methodist Church 205 Penn Green Road, Landenberg 610.274.8384 www.landenbergchurch.com Christian Life Center 125 Saginaw Road, New London 610.869.2140 www.CLCFamily.church New London United Methodist Church 1010 State Road, New London 610.869.8129 www.umc.org St. Michael Lutheran Church 109 E. Doe Run Road, Unionville 610.347.1696 www.stmichaelpa.com

610.869.2685

Curtis S. Greer, Supervisor

610.444.4116

Catherine Kelly, Supervisor

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

Chester County Press

Local News New executive director of Water Resources Authority named Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell and Michelle Kichline recently announced the appointment of Seung Ah Byun as the new executive director of the Chester County Water Resources Authority (CCWRA). Byun brings to Chester County more than 20 years of extensive water resources experience in nonprofit, government, academia and private consulting. She most recently served as a water resource engineer with the Delaware River Basin Commission in West Trenton, NJ and the senior planner for water resources with the Brandywine

Conservancy. She also contributed to the development of watershed management plans, conducted source water assessments, and analyzed wastewater collection systems during her time with CDM Smith, Inc., an engineering and construction firm. Her collective experience spans the water resources field, ranging from water supply availability to stormwater management to local policy-based initiatives for water quality improvement. Byun received her bachelor of science degree in systems engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, a master of

science degree in environmental engineering from Drexel University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in city and regional planning with a focus on environmental planning and urban design. She has also served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Pennsylvania, Weitzman School of Design. The Commissioners approved Seung Ah Byun’s appointment as executive director of the County’s Water Resources Authority following the move by former executive director Jan Bowers to lead the Chester County Department of Facilities

Management. While Byun knows she has big shoes to fill, she is looking forward to the challenge of managing and protecting Chester County’s valuable water resources. Chester County’s awardwinning Water Resources Authority was created by the County Commissioners in 1961 and remains Pennsylvania’s only county-level water resources management agency. Today, CCWRA oversees flood protection, the county’s stormwater and water-quality improvement plan, and is responsible for other sustainable water Courtesy photo resources management Seung Ah Byun is the new executive director of the Chester County Water Resources Authority. programs.

Groups present Sen. Pat Toomey with Pennsylvania Legislator of the Year Award The Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund presented Sen. Pat Toomey with the Pennsylvania 2019 Legislator of the Year

Award for his efforts to help animals in Pennsylvania and beyond by sponsoring the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act. In addition to this award, Sen. Toomey is one of

four recipients of the 2019 Humane Legislators of the Year Award for leading Senate passage of the bill. The PACT Act passed both chambers of Congress and was signed into law

in November 2019. Under Sen. Toomey’s leadership, the Senate passed the PACT Act by unanimous consent. It makes malicious animal cruelty, including crushing, burning, drowning, suffocating and impaling live animals and sexually exploiting them a federal crime when committed in a location under federal jurisdiction. Americans do not support torturing innocent animals, and Congress agreed that it was time to close the loop-

hole in federal law. Already, federal prosecutors have applied the PACT Act to charge those accused of the most egregious acts of cruelty. “I’m honored to receive the HSUS Pennsylvania Legislator of the Year award,” said Sen. Toomey. “The Humane Society of the United States is a great partner and played an integral role in the multi-year fight to get the landmark PACT Act across the goal line.”

“Pennsylvania animal advocates have good reason to be proud that U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey led the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act in the U.S. Senate and we are pleased to honor him with this award. Thanks to his persistence and leadership on seeing this bill through, animal cruelty is recognized as the serious crime that it is,” said Kristen Tullo, the HSUS’ Pennsylvania state director.

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

Chester County Press

Legals

8p-26-1t

ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Antionio T. Gingras, Notice is hereby given that, in the estate of the decedent set forth below, the Register of Wills has granted letters, TESTAMENTARY or of ADMINISTRATION to the persons named. All persons having claims or demands against said estate are requested to make known the same to them or their attorneys and all persons indebted to said decedent are requested to make payment without delay to Annette Barone, Executrix, 153 Hegerow, West Grove, PA, 19380 Attorney: John A. Prodoehl, Jr, Esq., P.O. Box 147, Broomall, PA 19008 8p-12-3t

ESTATE NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that Letters Testamentary have been granted to Kelly Kilbride, Executrix for the Estate of Ellen M. Frank, whose last address was Oxford, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Any person having a claim to this Estate is asked to make same c/o R. Samuel McMichael, Esquire, P.O. Box 296, Oxford, PA 19363. 8p-19-3t

ESTATE NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that Letters Testamentary have been granted to Brenda Thomas, Executrix for the Estate of WILLIE T. CLEMONTS, the Borough of Oxford, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Any person having a claim to this Estate is asked to make same c/o Attorney: Eric S. Coates, Esquire, 247 Reedville Road, P.O. Box 510, Oxford, PA 19363 8p-19-3t

INCORPORATION NOTICE

Fab Eye Care Center, P.C. has been incorporated under the provisions of Chapter 29 of the Business Corporation law of 1988 as a Professional Corporation. Lundy Beldecos & Milby, PC, 450 N. Narberth Ave.,Suite 200, Narberth, PA 19072, 8p-26-1t

NONPROFIT INCORPORATION NOTICE

Classical Education Initiative has been incorporated under the provisions of the PA Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988. The MacMain Law Group LLC, 433 West Market Street, Suite 200,West Chester, PA 19382 8p-26-1t

NONPROFIT INCORPORATION NOTICE

Goshen Walk Homeowners Association has been incorporated under the provisions of the PA Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988. Noel and Bonebrake, 25 East Second Street, Media, PA 19063

ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE OF Everett P. Priestley, DECEASED. Late of New London Township, Chester County, PA, LETTERS of ADMINISTRATION on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to: Everett V. Priestley, ADMINISTRATOR, PO Box 82, Kemblesville, PA 19347. 8p-26-3t

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Oxford Borough Planning Commission meeting scheduled in August has been rescheduled for Wednesday, September 2, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. https://zoom.us/j/9546987549 8?pwd=QUQzV2lEVWpHcCtRaDFm QURncjVEUT09 Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, conference, huddle, and training rooms, as well as executive offices and classrooms. Founded in 2011, Zoom helps businesses and organizations bring their teams together in a frictionless environment to get more done. Zoom is a publicly traded company headquartered in San Jose, CA. zoom.us Passcode: 598979 If you wish to participate in this meeting and require an auxiliary aid, service or other accommodations to observe or participate in the proceedings, please contact the Borough Manager to discuss how your needs may best be accommodated. 610-932-2500. By: Brian H. Hoover, Borough Manager 8p-26-1t

Notice of Application to Establish a Branch

First Citizens Community Bank, with its principal place of business located at 15 S. Main Street, Mansfield, Pennsylvania 16933, Tioga County, Intends to apply to the Federal Reserve System for permission to establish a branch office at 741 W. Cypress Street, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348, Chester County. The Federal Reserve System considers a number of factors in deciding whether to approve the application, including the record of performance of banks in helping to meet local credit needs.

You are invited to submit comments on this application, in writing, to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Ten Independence Mall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106. The comment period will not end before September 11, 2020, and may be somewhat longer. The Federal Reserve Board’s Policy Statement regarding notice of applications may be found at 12 C.F.R. 262.25. To obtain a copy of the Federal Reserve Board’s procedures, or if you need more information about how to submit your comments on the application, contact Judy Lynn, Director, at 215-574-6171. The Federal Reserve System will consider your comments and any request for a hearing on the application if they are received by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia on or before the last date of the comment period. 8p-26-1t

NOTICE OF FILING AN APPLICATION

Notice is hereby given that on August 26, 2020, First Citizens Community Bank, with its principal place of business located at 15 S. Main Street, Mansfield, Pennsylvania 16933, Tioga County, filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities an application for a Letter of Authority to establish a branch at 741 W. Cypress Street, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348, Chester County. All interested persons may file comments regarding this application, in writing, with the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, Bureau of Bank Supervision, 17 North Second Street, Suite 1300, Harrisburg, PA 17101-2290. In order to be considered, comments regarding this application must be received by the Department of Banking and Securities no later than ten (10) business days after the date of publication of this notice. 8p-26-1t

Sheriff Sale of Real Estate

By virtue of the within mentioned writs directed to Sheriff Fredda L. Maddox, the herein-described real estate will be sold at public sale in the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W Market Street, 3rd Floor, Room 3300, West Chester, Pennsylvania, as announced on Thursday, September 17th, 2020 at 11AM. Notice is given to all parties in interest and claimants that the Sheriff will file with the Prothonotary and in the Sheriff’s Office, both located in the Chester County Justice Center, 201 W Market Street, West Chester, Pennsylvania, Schedules of Distribution on Monday, October 19th, 2020. Distribution will be made in accordance with the Schedules unless exceptions are filed in the Sheriff’s Office within ten

(10) days thereafter. SALE NO. 20-9-336 Writ of Execution No. 2014-09985 DEBT $235,213.08 Property situate in the ATGLEN BOROUGH, CHESTER County, Pennsylvania BLR# 7-5-1.3 IMPROVEMENTS thereon: Residential Dwelling PL AINTIFF: Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, d/b/a Christiana Trust, Not Individually But as Trustee for Pretium Mortgage Acquistion Trust VS DEFENDANT: Ron Whitney a/k/a Ron Whitney, Jr., in His Capacity as Executor and Devisee of The Estate of Walter L. Handly Philadelphia Region of the S.C.C.A. SALE ADDRESS: 404 Glen Run Drive, Atglen, PA 19310-9440 PLANTIFF ATTORNEY: PHELAN HALLINAN DIAMOND & JONES, LLP 215-563-7000 N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or “Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. 8p-26-3t

Sheriff Sale of Real Estate

ALL THAT CERTAIN, MESSAGE, LOT OR PIECE OF LAND SITUATE ON, IN THE BOROUGH OF OXFORD, COUNTY OF CHESTER, STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, BOUNDED AND DESCRIBED, AS FOLLOWS, TO WIT:

“Sheriff of Chester County”. The balance must be made payable to “Sheriff of Chester County” within twenty-one (21) days from the date of sale by 4PM. 8p-26-3t

All that certain lot or piece of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon erected situate on the North side of Market Street in the Borough of Oxford County of Chester and State of Pennsylvania known as and numbered as 635 Market Street, bounded and described as follows:

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Beginning at a stone on the south side of Market Street; formerly New London Road, a corner of land now or late of Martha Ann Russell deceased and running thence by said land North 2 degrees West 210 feet to a stake line of land of Thomas L. Davis; thence by land now or late of said Thomas L. Davis, South 66 degrees East 37 feet to a stake; thence by land now or late of Charles M. Steele, deceased, South 2 degrees East 210 feet to a comer in the South said of Market Street aforesaid and thence along said Street, North 88 degrees West 37 feet to the place of beginning. Containing 7, 710 square feet of land, be the same more or less. BEING UPI NUMBER 6-5-155 PARCEL NO.: 6-5-155 BEING KNOWN AS: 635 Market Street, Oxford, PA 19363 BEING THE SAME PROPERTY CONVEYED TO ALEJANDRO FRANCO AND SARA J. FRANCO WHO ACQUIRED TITLE BY VIRTUE OF A DEED FROM DANIEL R. KOHLER AND KAREN M. KOHLER, DATED AUGUST 17, 2004, RECORDED AUGUST 27, 2004, AT DOCUMENT ID 6265, PAGE 1123, OFFICE OF THE RECORDER OF DEEDS, CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. Exhibit “A” PLAINTIFF: LSF11 Master Participation Trust VS DEFENDANT: Alejandro Franco; Sara J Franco, AKA Sara J Strommer SALE ADDRESS: 635 Market Street, Oxford, PA 19363 Plaintiff Attorney: Manley Deas Kochalski LLC. 614-220-5611 N.B. Ten percent (10%) of the purchase money must be paid at the time and place of sale. Payment must be paid in cash, certified check, or money order made payable to the purchaser or

Help Wanted Borough of Oxford Civil Service Commission Notice of Examination Entry level Police Officer NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Borough of Oxford Civil Service Commission will administer an entry level police officer examination for the purpose of establishing an Eligibility List on Saturday, September 19, 2020 beginning at 8am. The examination will include both a Physical Agility and Written Test. Applicants are required to pass the Physical Agility test in order to be eligible for the Written Test. Applicant Requirements: • Be twenty-one (21) years of age at the time of the test • Possess a High School Diploma or GED Certificate • Be Act 120 Certified or eligible for Certification-before receiving a conditional offer of employment • Be a citizen of the United States • Possess a valid driver’s license • Comply with any other qualifications as set forth in the Civil Service Rules of the Borough of Oxford. TESTING LOCATIONS: Physical Agility Test: Oxford Area School District Athletic Complex, 736 Garfield Street • Begins at 8:00am Written Test: Oxford Senior Center, 12 East Locust Street. • Begins at the conclusion of the Physical agility Test. Application Packets are available at the Borough of Oxford Police Headquarters located at 57 North Fourth Street between the hours of 8:00am and 4:00pm Monday through Friday. Completed applications must be received at the Oxford Borough Police Headquarters no later than Friday, September 4, 2020 at 4:00pm. An application fee of $50.00, payable by cash or check (payable to the Oxford Borough), will be due with the application. The Borough of Oxford is an Equal opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to qualified persons without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, age, veteran status, marital status or non-job related physical or mental handicap or disability. Borough of Oxford Civil Service Commission.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

Chester County Press

Local News Chester County to participate in International Overdose Awareness Day As part of the commitment to tackle the opioid and heroin epidemic, the Chester County Department of Drug & Alcohol Services announced its participation in International Overdose Awareness Day, which is Monday, Aug. 31. On this day, the county will be joining communities around the world in encouraging residents, businesses and organiza-

tions to raise awareness of overdose, reduce the stigma surrounding overdoses and drug related deaths, remember the lives lost to overdose and acknowledge the grief felt by families and friends who have lost a loved one. To mark the occasion, 104 pinwheels will be displayed in front of the Chester County Justice Center on Market Street

in West Chester and the West Chester Borough Building on Gay Street in West Chester, representing the 104 lives lost to accidental overdose in Chester County in 2019. In addition, citizens are invited to participate in a social media campaign in which a pinwheel graphic is shared to remember loved ones and spread awareness on that day.

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Last year, 110 International Overdose Awareness Day purple pinwheels were displayed at the Chester County Government Services Center on International Overdose Awareness Day – representing the 110 lives lost in 2018 to accidental drug overdose. This year’s display of pinwheels will represent an additional 104 lives lost to accidental drug overdose in 2019.

Historic Kennett Square wins challenge grant Historic Kennett Square has been named a recipient of a 2020 AARP Community Challenge grant, one of only five grantees selected in Pennsylvania. The grant will be used to install barriers, parklets, benches, and creative sidewalk markings to beatify State Street at the heart of

town while allowing all residents to safely social distance. “The Community Challenge Grant is incredibly timely during the COVID crisis,” said Bo Wright, executive director for Historic Kennett Square. “Now, more than ever, we need the funding to experi-

ment with ways to make our community more livable and safe for social distancing, while also supporting local businesses.” “We are incredibly proud to partner with Pennsylvania’s five grantees as they work to make immediate improvements in their communities, encourage promising ideas

County Commissioners meeting set for this Wednesday evening The public meeting will take place at 7 p.m. via Zoom COVID-19 may have temporarily changed the way that Chester County government conducts its public meetings, but county residents are still encouraged to “attend” those meetings to find out, first hand, the role and responsibilities of county government. A Chester County Commissioners’ public meeting has been scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26 to provide an evening opportunity for residents to attend a meeting. As with all Chester County government public meetings, whether live or virtual, attendees have the opportunity for public comment, or ask questions about or comment on agenda items. Details of the Zoom link for the Aug. 26 meeting can be found at https://chesco. org/271/Meeting-Schedule-Agendas-Minutes. All Chester County government public meetings are recorded and posted on the Chester County website, www.chesco.org.

Sappey announces over $254K for special needs children in Chester County schools State Rep. Christina Sappey announced that several Chester County schools and school districts would be the recipients of $254,487 in Governor’s Emergency Education Relief funds and Pennsylvania Department of Education federal funding through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. “No matter how our schools choose to move ahead, we need to make sure those with special needs are never left behind,” Sappey said. “This money allows our educational institutions to better prepare themselves and meet the needs of all of our children. A quality education for all students is our number one goal, even in the face of a pandemic.”

tion to bolster remote services and supports for students with complex needs; providing services and supports to students with disabilities who experienced a loss in skills and behavior and/or a lack of progress due to the mandatory school closures; grant amounts were calculated using an allocation formula based on the number of students with complex special education needs within each local education agency. These funds are to be used For more information, for the following: Providing contact Sappey’s office at enhanced real-time instruc- 484-200-8264. The grants will be distributed to the following schools: • Avon Grove Charter School: $5,000. • Kennett Consolidated School District: $24,803. • Downingtown Area School District: $35,858. • Avon Grove School District: $37,355. • Unionville-Chadds Ford School District: $49,672. • West Chester Area School District: $101,799.

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and jumpstart long-term change,” said Bill JohnstonWalsh, AARP Pennsylvania State Director. “Our goal at AARP Pennsylvania is to support the efforts of our communities to be great places for people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities and the coronavirus pandemic has only underscored the importance of this work.” This project is part of the largest number of Community Challenge grants to date with more than $2.4 million awarded among 184 organizations nationwide. Other Pennsylvania grantees include Philadelphia’s Mount Airy Community Development Corporation and Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission, Penn State University, and Quarryville Borough. The full list of grantees can be found at www.aarp.org/ communitychallenge.

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Historic Kennett Square has been named a recipient of a 2020 AARP Community Challenge grant, one of only five grantees selected in Pennsylvania. The grant will be used to install barriers, parklets, benches, and creative sidewalk markings to beatify State Street.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020