Chester County Press 11-25-2020 Edition by Ad Pro Inc.

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

Volume 154, No. 46

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Wednesday, November 25, 2020

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Oxford rejects bid on former borough hall A new Request For Proposal to be issued By Betsy Brewer Brantner Contributing Writer

Kennett Square Life

Oxford Borough Council rejected the only bid— at $220,000—that was received for the former Borough Hall and train station at 401 Market Street. Borough solicitor Stacey Fuller explained that under state law Council had 60 days to approve or reject the bid. Borough Council’s decision came just a few weeks after the bid was received. Council member Dick Winchester supported accepting the bid from Jeff Hamm, a local business owner. Winchester said,

“We have to continue to pay for maintenance and utility bills on this. The bidder is a well-known business person. I feel comfortable with him.” Council President Peggy Ann Russell reminded Council of the former Borough Manager’s email from July 16, 2020 which read: “Selling the building below market value would be a disservice to the taxpayers in the Borough. The building is essentially owned by the taxpayers and should be sold for whatever the highest bidder or for the highest price that Photo by Steven Hoffman we can get for it. Several Oxford Borough has rejected an initial bid that was received on the former borough reasons for doing this are Continued on Page 2A

administration building on Market Street. A new Request For Proposal is being issued.

Contracts with West Grove Fire Company; does not renew with Avondale Fire Department Black Friday Shopping Guide

London Grove chooses single-service fire and EMS for 2021

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer After assessing separate financial proposals from two local fire and EMS departments for providing services to London Grove Township in 2021, the township’s Board of Supervisors voted in favor last week of establishing a single-service contract with the West Herr’s Christmas lights Grove Fire Company for display opens...1B next year. In the process, the township has chosen not to renew its contract with the Avondale Fire Department for 2021. As a result of the

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board’s decision, the township will save about $75,000 next year. The decision to choose a single source contract for its emergency services next year stemmed from the need for the township to explore cost-cutting measures during COVID-19, which has led to the layoffs and furloughs of many township residents and has consequently affected the township’s Earned Income Tax revenue – to the tune of a deficit between $400,000 and $500,000. Township Manager Ken Battin said that moving to a

single-service fire and EMS provider in 2021 is not only going to help make up that gap, but serve as the latest effort by the township to consolidate one of its key services. He pointed to two other recent examples: Taking over the management of the Inniscrone Golf Club, and assuming management of the Municipal Authority in 2021. “The next big ticket item on our list was emergency services,” Battin said. “One of the things we’ve been doing in the township over the last several years has been to consider methods

of doing government better. How can we make what we do more cost effective and better for our community?” While London Grove Township’s decision places full reliance on the West Grove Fire Company next year, it is a bottom-line blow to the Avondale Fire Company, which is projected to lose about $300,000 in revenue that used to come from the township in the form contributions to fire and EMS, its Relief Association and fund drive, and additional events held throughout the year. “Our initial reaction was

one of disappointment,” said Brandon Michaels, president and fire police captain at the Avondale Fire Company. “The Avondale Fire Company and its EMS division has served the residents and businesses of London Grove Township for many years, and will no longer be able to provide our services to those who are just a short distance from the fire house.” As municipalities continue to streamline services in an effort to tighten their financial belts, London Grove’s decision to consolidate its Continued on Page 4A

Kennett Township holding line on real estate taxes for 2021 By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer By a 3-0 vote at their Nov. 18 online meeting, the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors adopted the township’s 2021 preliminary budget, one that does not propose a real estate tax increase for residents. It does, however, propose the introduction of a local services tax at a rate of $52 a year and levied on those residents who are employed in the township. Presented by township Manager Eden Ratliff and Finance and Human Resources Director Amy

Heinrich, the township’s preliminary budget for next year features a projected $6.1 million in revenue, $5.6 million in operating expenses and $500,000 in transfers to capital. It also includes funding for infrastructure improvements in the township; contributions to the regional Fire and EMS Commission; and a contribution to the Kennett Library Capital Campaign. Next year’s budget will also include $38,000 that will be targeted to local non-profit organizations, many of whom are providing front line support during COVID-19.

The two-hour meeting that laid out the proposed budget for next year was attended by more than 80 residents. It was the most recent in a series of budget hearings the board has held that began on Sept. 16, that have provided residents with a line-by-line glimpse at what next year’s budget will look like from a revenue and expenditures standpoint. At each of these meetings – including one held on Nov. 11 – the township has heard a familiar refrain from its residents: In a year that has been severely impacted by a deadly virus, now is not the time to increase taxes in Kennett Township.

“After the last public budget hearing many of our citizens urged the supervisors to delay a tax increase as many community members continue to navigate the impacts of COVID-19,” said Vice Chair Whitney Hoffman. “While costs continue to increase along with demands for government services, we pushed and cut as much as we could to balance this budget without an additional burden on the taxpayers.”

that advised the township to conserve where it can, its police department will hire one full-time officer by Jan. 1, 2021 – but delay hiring a second officer until May 1. The township will also stand pat on the hiring of a new planner in its planning department until June 1, 2021. The good news for the township will be that the alleged embezzlement of $3.2 million by former township manager Lisa Moore will not be factored Delay on new hirings into the 2021 budget. About $1 million of the total has In response to public input already been recovered and at earlier budget meetings Continued on Page 4A

Neskie appointed as new junior supervisor in East Nottingham Township By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer Lauren Neskie has been appointed to serve as a junior supervisor for East Nottingham Township. She will serve in this role until August of 2021. District Judge Scott Massey officially swore in Neskie at the Nov. 10 meeting of the East Nottingham Township Board of Supervisors. “I’m very honored to be selected,” Neskie said. “I just want to help the commuPhoto by Steven Hoffman nity in any way that I can.” As a non-voting junior District Judge Scott Massey officially swore in Lauren Neskie at the Nov. 10 meeting of the East Nottingham Township Board of Supervisors. supervisor, Neskie will

attend public township meetings that the supervisors are involved in. She can participate in discussions and will make regular reports to township officials about current events and concerns, especially as they relate to young people. Neskie can also share information about any township activities that are of interest to her peers. In her first meeting as a junior supervisor, she talked about how students are navigating their way through a school year that has been greatly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Continued on Page 2A

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Local News Junior Supervisor... Continued from Page 1A

Neskie is a senior at Oxford Area High School where she is enrolled in multiple honors courses and AP courses. She said that she has always been interested in government and politics, and that led her to seek the junior supervisor position. Kelli Karlton, the township secretary for East Nottingham, said that there were three applicants who sought the junior supervisor position this year. “The board had a hard time making a decision after conducting interviews because all three of the applicants were well qualified,” Karlton said.

Oxford Borough Hall... Continued from Page 1A

that the funds received for the building could be put toward a reserved account or added to the pension fund to pay for the costs associated with the earlyretirement benefit, then a tax increase can be avoided. It can also be used to build up the capital fund for future projects in the Borough, and if the building is put back on the tax rolls, it will generate property tax revenue for not only the Borough, but also the county and the School District.” A roll call vote was taken with council members Mary Higgins, Bob Ketcham, Kathryn Cloyd, and Russell voting in favor of rejecting the bid, while council members Amanda Birdwell and Winchester voted against the bid rejection. Council member Ron Hershey was absent. The motion to reject the bid was approved. Fuller said, “This is a public process. Mr. Hamm will be notified of this decision following the meeting.” Cloyd stated, “It appears there wasn’t adequate advertising done for the sale of the building. We feel we can get more bids by re-issuing the Request For Proposal. Local people were not even notified of the sale.” A new motion was approved to reissue a new Request For Proposal

She added, “I work very closely with the student board members and feel very passionate about the program. I love that the Board of Supervisors continues to support the program every year. It gives the students a great opportunity to not only learn about local government, but work closely with adults and improve their public speaking. They learn about accountability, hard deadlines and real-time issues.” The township secretary also said that Lauren is already showing that she is a huge asset to East Nottingham Township. At Oxford Area High School, Neskie is a participant in Oxford’s chapter of the Future Business

Leaders of America, serving as the historian this year. She is also the secretary of the school’s Interact Club. She was the parliamentarian for her class from 2017 to 2019. In sports, she is the school record holder in diving (217.95), and was a league finals qualifier in the Javelin in 2019. She was a varsity cheerleader from 2017 to 2019, a volunteer gymnastics coach for two years, and also participated in marching band, concert band, and student government. She has also worked as a lifeguard, an aquatics program instructor, and a child care associate at the YMCA in West Grove. She is looking forward to serving her community as

a junior supervisor. Neskie said, “A goal I have as junior supervisor is to establish either a freshman mentorship program in the high school or a mentorship program for high schoolers to help the kids at the Lighthouse Youth Center with school-related work and activities.”

allowing more time for advertising. The proposal will be advertised in the Chester County Press and Daily Local. The proposal will also be circulated to Oxford Mainstreet, Inc. the Oxford Chamber of Commerce, and other investor groups or businesses in the local area. It will also be posted on the Oxford Borough website. The new bids will be opened on Jan. 7, 2021. The former borough hall and train station holds historic value as well as two small parking lots adjacent to the building. Council approved advertising the 2021 budget notice. The budget will be available to the public for review. The public can review the budget and ask questions which will be addressed at the Dec. 7 meeting. The budget will be available on the website and will be available for pick up outside of the borough hall by appointment. Updates from the search committee regarding the Borough Manager job posting and ordinance were discussed. Fuller will continue to review the ordinance. The job posting will be released pending final approval from Higgins, the Search Committee Chair. Applications for the position must be received by Dec. 18. Oxford Borough recently issued a press release regarding the pandemic, noting that it is not over yet and, in fact, the

coronavirus is on the rise locally. The release stated: “Due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in Chester County and the surrounding areas, effective immediately, all Borough Council and committee meetings will be held virtually with no in-person attendance permitted. Please visit our website to view the calendar of upcoming meetings and obtain instructions on accessing the meetings virtually. Additionally the Oxford Borough offices will be closed to the public until further notice. Our staff will be available to assist you and answer any questions over the phone and can be reached at 610-932-2500.” Oxford Mainstreet representatives Christy Hannum and Brian Dix informed council of upcoming plans for the BID district. Hannum’s priority continues to be fundraising and development of the Shoebox Theatre. Hannum is hoping for an opening in April of 2021. Hannum has raised $28,000 for the project. They are installing two handicapped bathrooms at the cost of $12,000 apiece and will continue to raise funds. Council expressed full support of the project. Individual council members displayed their own personal checks which would be donated to “purchase a seat” in the theatre. Dix is the new OMI Main Street Manager and said, “I am dedicated to rejuvenating the business district and to continue to assist our businesses to have a safe accessible town. Things will be different due to the pandemic,

but we plan on continuing the tree lighting with a pre-recorded ceremony on Dec. 4 which will go on Facebook. We will do our best to promote the holiday spirit. I just finished my first month at OMI and I’m excited to join Mainstreet. We will have Small Business Saturday after Thanksgiving. With the help of Public Works our decorations will be installed. We will make sure that the public knows our downtown is here.” Hannum said 10 businesses joined together to run radio ads during the holidays on the country station WXCY in Maryland. Council announced that the Oxford Borough Planning Commission has an opening. Interested Oxford residents can send a Letter of Interest to the Borough at P.O. Box 380, Oxford, PA. 19363 or email to virtual@oxfordboro.org. During the public comment period, John Reynolds, the borough’s representative to the Oxford Area Recreation Authority, discussed the plans to approve a motion to withdraw from the Joint Municipal Agreement with East Nottingham Township on police services for the park on Locust Street. Upon advice from Fuller, council will do further research on this. Police Chief Sam Iacono told council that the final draft of the body camera policy should be completed by the end of the month. “All of our equipment is here and ready to go,” Iacono said. “However, the representative coming here to get us up and running on the equipment is traveling from Texas. With

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

Courtesy photo

A senior at Oxford Area High School, Neskie will serve as a junior supervisor for the township until August 2021.

the pandemic, his travel is being curtailed around the holidays. We will move forward after the holidays.” The police chief informed council that the flag box which was located at the former Borough Hall was moved to the front of the police station by Boy Scouts Troop 13. An Oxford police officer was involved in a vehicle accident when another driver ran a stop sign. The officer has returned to work and the other driver has been cited for a stop sign violation. Major damage was done to the police vehicle, which will be reviewed by the insurance carrier. Four applicants will be coming before the Civil Service Commission in the continuing hiring process. Background checks of those applicants have been completed. In other police business, a motion to authorize civil service commission to begin process for promotions in the police department was approved. Actual promotions will take place in March. Mayor Phil Harris reported that he is continuing to work with the Oxford Area School District as he monitors the rising numbers of COVID cases. The Chief and Mayor contributed to the community and church care packages for outgoing Lincoln University students. Harris and the police chief continue to participate in the outreach program “Crucial Conversations.” The mayor is continuing to work with the Oxford Arts Alliance on the unity mural. Harris is also try-

ing to coordinate a meeting with the new development person for La Comunidad Hispana. In other business, the 2020 Borough Day is being cancelled due to the pandemic. Council approved the hiring of consultant Roseann McGrath for the process of hiring a Borough Manager. She has been approved for approximately 50 hours at $125 per hour. A Motion to Approve the North Second Street Utility Improvements Agreements with B.P. Patterson in the amount of $188,434 was approved. The project will replace the water main on North Second Street from Mt. Vernon to Lancaster Pike. Four water main services will be replaced. An extension to Sycamore Crossing Phases 6 and 7 Final Subdivision Plan was approved to run through and include the date of January 19, 2021. Council approved a motion to appoint Birdwell as the council’s representative on the OMI Board, pending the resignation of Brian Hoover. A motion was approved for the yearly contract between DigiTEK Computer Service with active access inclusive and the police department in the amount of $6,500. HARB Recommendations were approved by council for 64 Pine Street and 200 N. Third Street. An agreement for a sign easement on 221 Locust Street was also approved. Russell ended the meeting on a positive note by saying, “In spite of the pandemic, we still need to remember we have a lot to be thankful for.”

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Local News Dinniman helps secure grant for all-abilities playground State Sen. Andy Dinniman recently visited the Christian Life Center of New London Township to discuss the upcoming all-abilities playground with senior

pastor Josh Roberts. The visit came after Dinniman helped secure finding for a number of all-abilities playgrounds throughout Chester County. Most recently, he secured a

$50,000 grant for the center. “We need to create playgrounds and community facilities that provide access and fun for all,” Dinniman said. “The playgrounds being worked on around

Chester County – and the one right here, at the Christian Life Center in New London Township, will do just that.” Dinniman expressed his gratitude to the Christian Life Center for their work

and support of this project. Roberts discussed the timeline of the playground’s opening, pinpointing a potential opening for Summer 2021. He also detailed some of the accessible features,

such as a wheelchairaccessible zip-line. “I am looking forward to visiting these historic grounds again when the project continues,” Dinniman said.

Chester County Commissioners announce $2.5 million COVID-19 Emergency Responder Organization Support Program Chester County’s first responder community is getting a financial boost from the Chester County Commissioners to help the fire, emergency medical services (EMS) and police organizations that have suffered the impacts of COVID-19. The $2.5 million COVID-19 Emergency Responder Organization Support Program will provide funds to cover equipment needs, to offset unplanned expenses related to the pandemic, and to restore revenue lost due to the cancellation of fundraising activities during 2020. Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell and Michelle Kichline approved a resolution at their Oct. 29 public meeting, authorizing the Chester County Department of Emergency Services to administer the $2.5 million fund. Moskowitz said, “Throughout this pandemic, our first responders have remained focused on meeting the health and safety needs of all of our residents, despite the added dangers that COVID-19 has brought

them, and regardless of the additional cost of PPE and cleaning supplies that they have had to face.” The $2.5 million Chester County COVID-19 Emergency Responder Organization Support Program is funded from CARES Act funding acquired by Chester County government. The first part of the program covers Chester County fire and EMS organizations that are registered as a 501(c)3, that have a primary 9-1-1 response territory in Chester County, that have their main station located in Chester County, and that have been formed and in operation no later than Dec. 31, 2019. “Our first responder organizations have suffered financially during COVID19 because of additional costs for their own safety and protection,” Maxwell said. “But they have also missed out on fundraisers that are a significant part of their income and that are well-loved community events. We had to make sure they are compensated for these sacrifices.”

Specifically, the grant funds for eligible fire and EMS organizations can be used to cover unreimbursed working capital costs needed to maintain the organization during COVID-19 disruption including payroll, rent and mortgage, supplies, lost fundraising revenues and other COVID-19 expenses like hazard pay and PPE. Expenses must have been incurred during the period of March 27 and Dec. 30. A second part of the program, that meets the needs of Law Enforcement in Chester County, notes that eligible police departments must have a station or barracks located in Chester County and must have been formed prior to, and in operation no later than Dec. 31, 2019. The law enforcement grants will provide each eligible police department and each State Police Barrack located in Chester County with specialized cleaning and decontamination equipment to address the threat of COVID-19 spread. Kichline added, “We remain extremely proud of

Courtesy photo

Chester County fire, EMS and law enforcement organizations will receive $2.5 million in grants to cover equipment needs and to offset unplanned expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pictured (left) is Lieutenant Pat Griffin, firefighter/EMT and, (right), Rob Castaldi, firefighter/paramedic of Paoli Fire Station, cleaning equipment to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

our first responders – our fire, EMS and law enforcement officers – who helped to define the word ‘essential’ during this pandemic. When COVID-19 shut us down, they all remained going, knowing that emergencies of all types would continue, and would need a fast response. This action

came at a cost, so it is right that we apportion some of the CARES funding to relieve that cost.” Chester County’s COVID19 Emergency Responder Organization Support Program is part of a major $31.7 million COVID19 funding program approved by the Chester

County Commissioners. It includes a $10.7 million COVID-19 Public School Grant program, $15 million in subsidies and grants for childcare support, and $3.5 million for the Restore Chester County: Nonprofit Innovation & Resiliency Fund made available to Chester County nonprofits.

First Generation Farms and Beltran family receive agriculture awards The Chester County Commissioners, along with the Chester County Agricultural Development Council (Ag Council), recently presented two annual agriculture awards at First Generation Farms in Avondale. The 2020 Chester County Farmers of the Year award was presented to Sonya Beltran and her family, owner-operators of First Generation Farms. The Beltran family grows fresh white and cremini mushrooms for restaurant and food service customers up and down the East Coast. Sonya was initially nominated on her own for the award by the American Mushroom Institute, for excellence as a mushroom grower and industry advocate. Upon receiving notice of the nomination, she requested that her family also be recognized. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without my parents’ hard work and sacrifice,” she said. Sonya’s parents, Daniel and Maria Beltran, came to the area from Jalisco, Mexico in 1980. Daniel worked his way up through every job in the mushroom industry until he was able to buy his own mushroom houses and start the busi-

ness now known as First Generation Farms and Masda Mushrooms. From humble beginnings, the Beltran’s farm now encompasses over 50 growing rooms with an average production of around 11 million pounds of fresh mushrooms a year. Sonya, the eldest of the Beltran’s three children, officially joined the business eight years ago and is currently the Director of Operations, overseeing worker safety, product marketing and sales. Although the pandemic has been extremely challenging for the food service supply chain, Sonya says that worker safety has always been their business’ number one priority. She partnered with La Comunidad Hispana to offer voluntary onsite COVID-19 testing, and has worked with employees when they needed flexible schedules due to childcare disruption. “Without the harvesters, we wouldn’t be here,” said Sonya. In addition to her work on the farm, Sonya serves as the vice chair of the Mushroom Council, the national mushroom trade promotion group geared towards expanding the

Courtesy photos

The 2020 Chester County Farmers of the Year award was presented to Sonya Beltran and her family, owneroperators of First Generation Farms.

Commissioner Marian Moskowitz, Commissioner Josh Maxwell, Scott Taylor (spouse of Sonya Beltran), Sonya Beltran, Avril Beltran, Daniel Beltran, Maria Beltran, Commissioner Michelle Kichline, Chester County Ag Council Board Chair Chris Alonzo during the award presentation.

consumer market for fresh mushrooms. “I’m excited about promoting “The Blend,” a cooking technique that combines chopped mushrooms with ground meat to make recipes more delicious, nutritious and sustainable,” said Sonya. “Mushrooms add Vitamin D, which is critical for healthy immune systems, and they are very cost-friendly for a pandemic budget.” In the end, it all comes back to family though. “There aren’t a lot of women mushroom growers, but I didn’t do this to be the next female Latina grower,” Sonya said. “I am honored to be able to do this work and expand my parents’

dream.” The Duncan Allison Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award In a typical year, the Chester County Commissioners and Ag Council present the Duncan Allison Award for Distinguished Service to Agriculture to a deserving individual who has positively promoted, made significant contributions to, or provided exceptional services for the county’s farming community. Since this year has been anything but typical, the Commissioners and Ag Council have chosen to recognize the entire Chester County agriculture community for their many acts of service and food donations

to residents in need during the pandemic. Examples of this generosity abound including the Chester-Delaware Farm Bureau’s milk giveaways, the Chester County Food Bank’s longstanding gleaning programs in partnership with area farms and the mushroom industry which donated thousands of pounds of fresh mushrooms to food banks for distribution.

“We usually think of agriculture as Chester County’s top industry for economic reasons but its generosity of spirit, especially during tough times, is what makes agriculture the heart of our communities,” said Chester County Ag Council Board Chair Chris Alonzo. For more information about the Chester County Ag Council and our awards program, visit www.chescofarming.org.

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Local News Fire company... Continued from Page 1A

fire and EMS services next year could be a sign of things to come. “The current model of how fire companies serve communities in Chester County is broken, antiquated and not working,” said township supervisor David Connors, who has also been a key stakeholder in establishing an EMS council for southern Chester County. “Sixty percent of out township is served by the West Grove Fire Company and 40 percent is served by the Avondale Fire Department. Geographically, it makes sense, but financially, you have so many duplications of services between these two houses. There has to be changes in place – whether it comes from the county or the state -- that will help these companies merge, consolidate their equipment, and reduce the probability

Real estate tax...

of these redundancies from happening. “Communities like London Grove cannot just sit on the sidelines and hope for a miracle,” he added. “This is where the drastic action comes into play. We have to make decisions like this.” Connors stressed that for now, the township’s exclusive contract with the West Grove Fire Company is for 2021 only. “We’re going to review this again at the same time next year,” he said. “We’ll let Avondale resubmit a bid and address our concerns, and open up discussions again.” Michaels said that the Avondale Fire Department held an informational meeting on Nov. 23 that provided its membership with information about London Grove’s decision, and discussed potential cost-saving options that the company’s board of directors will con-

chase additional parcels to be used for open space, and challenge a new-look staff directed back into town- to redefine how it governs ship’s reserves, as will -- all under the weight of the remaining money still the current pandemic. expected to be recovered. While the township has ‘Professionalizing decided to not increase real the township’ estate taxes for 2021, it may not be able to keep “One of the unspoken that promise in future years. challenges that our departRatliff said that while a tax ment heads deal with is freeze is good for the gen- that the departments we eral public in the short term, inherited a year ago were it presents a challenge to not where they needed to the rapidly changing face be as a second-class townof a township that needs ship,” Ratliff said. “We to support an expanding are professionalizing the police department, fund its township, which is somecontinuing mission to pur- thing that we have to do. Continued from Page 1A

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

London Grove Township’s choice to exclusively use the services of the West Grove Fire Department will have a significant financial impact on the Avondale Fire Department.

tinue to pursue. financial obstacle for 2021, high level of service to our To contact Staff Writer “While this decision we have every confidence remaining contracted com- Richard L. Gaw, email ultimately poses a large that we will maintain our munities,” he said. rgaw@chestercounty.com. The reality is that there are improvements that we are required to do, and unfortunately, that is going to cost money.” In a prepared statement he read at the conclusion of the presentation, supervisor Scudder Stevens compared the work of developing this year’s budget as “making sausage in the governmental budget process,” made even more challenging by funneling it through the current economic downturn. “We acknowledge that private business has shriveled with declining employment and cost abatements,” he said. “But we know that

we can’t. We don’t have an option to treat the township as a business. It isn’t a business and we can’t just stop providing the services that each of us expects and has the right to enjoy. We have an ethical and legal obligation to provide for the health and welfare of our residents. And that is where the tension comes in: What is necessary, and what is not?” Stevens said that while creating an annual budget provides for the necessary operations of the township and “keeps the lights on for the township,” the process, by virtue of its focus on

monetizing these services, does not adequately reflect “what makes Kennett Township unique and special.” “We have to find a way to cover not only the light and heat of our community, but the quality and character, as well,” he said. “We are more than double lines on the roads, mowed highway shoulders and rights of way. We are more than emergency workers addressing our emergencies. We are kids playing baseball and soccer, fishing and swimming in our waters, parties on the green in the park, and walks in

our open space, enjoying the birds and flowers. “When we talk budgets, we need to embrace the larger picture,” Stevens concluded. “We didn’t last year, and we didn’t this year. We need to do better next year. We need to find a better balance.” Kennett Township’s 2021 budget is expected to be approved by the supervisors at their Dec. 16 meeting. The preliminary budget is also included on the township’s website. To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.

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Opinion

Editorial

Opinion

Citizens of Resilience

Why we shouldn’t give up on bipartisanship, even now

As this editorial is being written, one week before Thanksgiving Day, deaths attributable to COVID-19 in the United States have surpassed the quarter-million mark, in perfect and terrible harmony with the sudden increase in positive cases, denoted on charts by a vertical line that has careened into orbit, like a rocket ship at liftoff on its way to the stars. At last count, there are 281,852 positive cases of COVID19 in Pennsylvania and 9,581 deaths – figures that are rising by the hour – and of the 522,000 residents who live in Chester County, 381 of them have died as a result of this virus, a number that may be north of 500 by Christmas Day. While the widespread distribution of a safe and effective vaccine next year may serve as a miracle serum and a boon to the economic fortunes of both Wall Street and the U.S. economy, the immediate future of America teeters delicately on the thin ice of uncertainty. More than two weeks after the Nov. 3 presidential election, the outgoing administration is still, defiantly and without substantiated evidence, dangling allegations of fraud as a hammerhead tool of interference, clogging the wishes of the Presidentelect to collaborate on a plan moving forward. In our politics and our ideologies, we are more divided than at any time since the Civil War; the polar ice caps continue to crash into the sea; and the social discord of our focus on race continues to be a wound not only of our flesh but of our spirit. As this editorial is being written, one week before Thanksgiving Day, our nation is a broken module, a fragile gift with an unsightly crack in it, and at the moment, no amount of prayers and good tidings spoken at our respective tables next Thursday are likely to lend solace or reconciliation to the outrageous, unprecedented and ungodly events of this year. We are bruised and battered, prizefighters against the ropes, but rather than acquiesce to defeat, we define this holiday season in the same way that soldiers do when describing the temporary haven of a foxhole, or when the marginalized articulate the gift of a blanket or a winter coat. We are burrowing in the soft and familiar emotions of that which has never left us. We are shopping this weekend for turkeys and yams and turnips and potatoes – in stores and markets, where we will run into friends and neighbors whose smiles we have not seen since March. We are digging out the dog-eared recipes from our grandmother’s kitchen like treasured and timeless heirlooms. We have narrowed our invitation lists down to the nub of essential personnel only, and made Zoom plans to gather with absent friends and family, touching the screen where their faces are. This year, we will fling the internal focus of our annual thanks outward in words that sound like compassion and hope, in the way a sailor does with a net in the hope of capturing fish at sea. We will speak from the part of our bodies where our most solemn feelings live, because this year, we will share our grace with strangers less fortunate, those wounded and fragile and defeated, and to those we never knew, who because of this virus will never see another Thanksgiving table. We have been forced to spend the better part of this year on our own private islands, but if we take the time to look at the rest of this nation, we begin to see millions of other private islands. We have been through wars, famine, disease and conflict and endured a Great Depression, and we have never, not once, abandoned the yearly ritual of sitting at the tables we have set in celebration of this American holiday. We will assemble again this Thursday with every one the scars and the remnants we have all endured in this, the most difficult year of many of our lives, and we will wear them like battle wounds, the evidence of our engagement. We are, in this regard, no more than the mirrored reflections of those Americans who have come before us, and we will keep coming back to this table because this is all we know. We are the world’s Citizens of Resilience. Happy Thanksgiving.

By Betsy de Parry In the wake of the 2020 election, many Americans are wondering whether bipartisanship is even possible anymore. For the millions suffering from cancer and other debilitating diseases, I hope so. Because 18 years ago, when I faced a deadly diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), bipartisanship laid the foundation that gave me my life back. The treatment that saved me resulted from years of research that would have amounted to nothing without the law authored by two senators, Indiana Democrat Birch Bayh and Kansas Republican Bob Dole, in 1980. Known as the Bayh-Dole Act, this law allows universities, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations to own the early-stage inventions they make in the course of their research, using federal grants. These institutions can then license their intellectual property to private firms, which have the resources and

experience to turn promising ideas into widely available medicines. Prior to the Bayh-Dole law, the government retained ownership of intellectual property rights, and only occasionally translated them into realworld products for patient use. At the time the law passed, fewer than five percent of these government-owned inventions were licensed for commercial production. Fortunately, Sens. Bayh and Dole set partisanship aside to fix this logjam. Their landmark legislation has helped create a legal framework for private firms to pioneer more than 200 groundbreaking medical innovations -- including the one that saved my life. When I was diagnosed with an incurable form of NHL in January 2002, my only treatment option at the time was chemotherapy. It was known to slow the disease’s progression but it would inevitably return. But chemotherapy didn’t slow the progression of my disease. A few months into treatment -- and in the nick

of time -- a new type of treatment for NHL hit the market: radioimmunotherapy (RIT). Unlike chemotherapy, which attacks both cancerous and healthy cells and requires up to eight treatments, RIT targets cancerous cells only, and takes only one or two injections. In September 2002, I received two doses of the cutting-edge RIT drug Zevalin and have been in remission and healthy ever since. A crucial part of Zevalin’s therapeutic regimen is the infusion of the drug rituximab, a medication designed to reduce the number of cancerous B cells in the blood. Using grants from the National Institutes of Health, researchers at Stanford University unearthed this B cell technology in the 1970s and 1980s. This discovery may never have become a commercially viable cancer treatment had those researchers not left Stanford and formed Biotherapy Systems in 1985 to further develop and commercialize their B cell technology.

Finally, in 1997, the FDA approved their drug rituximab under the brand name Rituxan. I’m far from the only patient who owes her life to the drug innovation ecosystem BayhDole supports. Under this law, private companies have been able to bring patients hundreds of treatments -- including the epilepsy drug Lyrica, the ovarian and breast cancer therapy Taxol, and the multiple sclerosis medication Tcelna. Patients owe a debt of gratitude to senators Bayh and Dole, who recognized that empowering private drug companies to turn government-sponsored research into usable medicines and treatments is not a partisan issue. Their bill found its way through Congress at a divided moment, when Ronald Reagan had just won election but Jimmy Carter was still in office. Their willingness to work together in the service of public health and patients like me should inspire us today. Betsy de Parry is a patient advocate and the author of “Adventures in Cancer Land.”

Election takeaways By Lee H. Hamilton Every year right after an election, I’d find a small pile of requests waiting for me from journalists. They wanted some sort of comment on what it all meant. “What are the voters telling us?” they’d ask. It’s human nature to want to make sense of such a complex picture–to draw conclusions from many millions of individual decisions. But it is also politically important, because how elected officials interpret the results—or seek to convince others to interpret the results—goes a long way toward shaping the impact of the election. The key thing to recognize in the wake of November’s voting, and this will not come as news, is that we live in a sharply divided country. When the votes are all counted, projections suggest Joe Biden will wind up with about an eight million vote, four percentage point lead, hardly a landslide but still a decisive margin. At the same time, Republicans retain a narrow margin in the Senate and made gains in the House. What all this adds up to is a governance challenge. Without Republicans and Democrats agreeing to find common

ground, it will be hard for the U.S. to exert strong influence around the world and to get ambitious things done. When voters are as on edge as they still appear to be, building a broad and sustainable consensus in favor of difficult policy decisions is arduous. It’s also worth remembering that our election is watched all over the world, and not casually: ordinary citizens and political leaders in country after country pay close attention. Because the U.S. plays such a critical global role, they worry when they see us conducting an election that the losing side characterizes as corrupt or in some way faulty. That’s why the statements of the outgoing president and his Republican allies have been damaging. They feed into the false narrative Vladimir Putin has been trying to peddle about our system: that it is falling apart. In the run-up to the election, my chief concern was about efforts to suppress votes. Yet despite the obstacles thrown in their way, millions more Americans voted this time around than ever before. Their determination to make their voices count despite long lines and other inconveniences was inspiring.

Similarly, the remarkable efforts by state and local elections administrators of both parties to hold a free and fair election in the middle of a pandemic with more turnout than they’d ever experienced ought to be recognized and celebrated. It was a heartening display of dedication to American values. It is not a perfect system; we always have islands of misconduct. But I used to spend election day going around to visit precincts, and always was deeply appreciative of the seriousness of election day workers from all walks of life and backgrounds. They understood what was at stake and wanted to make sure our system worked and was fair and honest. So, to see one party mounting an all-out attack on the integrity of the countless Americans who view running elections as a sacred trust is, to put it mildly, disturbing. We’re all pleased or disappointed with the results of elections, depending on our preferences, but win or lose, our civic duty as citizens is the same. We should take pride in our country and its ability to conduct these elections fairly. The dangerous game of questioning the validity of the vote

could have reverberations for years to come, and sow even more division than we already face. The point is a lot of candidates lose in an election. Half of them, roughly. A vital part of our democracy is how we and they come out of it–that we accept the result and continue to support and improve the system, always working toward a more perfect union. This is what makes it possible for us to govern in this great and diverse country. Americans can accept differences of opinion and not condemn the people who voted for a different candidate. We accept the results of the election and move on. To behave otherwise is to weaken our democracy, perhaps beyond bearing. 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.

Thanksgiving Blessing 20/20 By Marie-Louise Meyers There is a sadness that grips us this Thanksgiving, for many the favorite Holiday where Family and Friends Gather Together! We may wonder what to make of it this year’s special day when our governing bodies and health officials encourage us to stay at home and stay safe, rather than participating in the most frenetic traveling day. Children for many generations have learned about the Pilgrims who faced great hardships who paused for one day in a peaceful celebration with Native Americans where each felt some comfort in a sharing of their bounties of the Earth and Sea. Was it enough to build a life on in this

wild land, but they had little choice, a storm-tossed tossed sea separated them from the Mother Country! How much truth to the embellishment through songs, stories, and paintings which in glowing color illustrate a table overf lowing with the harvest gleaned, unimaginable to both the Pilgrims, who had suffered so much and for the Native American, who came out of the woods magnetized by the overflowing of goods. A transfiguration of the Holiday to the present. Children’s eyes all aglow, ravenous for turkey and stuffing with pumpkin and mincemeat pie. Best of all, fun with all those special people in their lives, impromptu football games or card games or what ever

delights like the camaraderie which flows, the snoozing which comes naturally in an easy chair from an overabundance of tryptophan. This year uppermost in most people’s minds is not the Feast but the Pandemic, the dire warnings accompanying We Gather Together. The songs are still with us especially in Church, but then it may be a virtual one to keep crowds from attending. Maybe it won’t be turkey or gluttony which makes this day stand apart, but still a sense we are in it together no matter our strained circumstance for the sake of a safe meal with members of our household or alone reading scripture or sharing memories even with

framed photos sitting across from us. No matter how little, we are still vibrant and alive, and isn’t the real meaning of Thanksgiving giving thanks for what we have and giving to others less fortunate. It may mean a phone call to buoy them up, it may mean leaving a meal all ready for them to shove into the oven. Offer up a prayer to the weary Health-workers if it’s the only thing you can do, it’s surprising how many of those sentiments will come back to you. Above all allow Patience and Faith to do their part as we did once in WW11. Sacrifices then as now are part of our Belief system until our Nation gets back on its feet. The Good News, something to be thankful for are the

Vaccines, tried and tested, almost too good to be true waiting in the wings. Until then let your children and grandchildren know you’re willing to hunker down and

lie low until the curtain opens once again revealing a healthy and thriving Society. *(Remember the mark of a civilized society is to care for those who are most vulnerable.)

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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Chester County Press

Local News Chester County Register of Wills Office extends hours for marriage licenses applications Technology enhancements allow virtual and self-service scheduling options Chester County Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans’ Court Michele Vaughn has announced the extension of hours for marriage license applications, as well as improvements in technology to accommodate virtual appointments and self-service scheduling. These new offerings will improve services to customers and meet the increase in demand that the Register of Wills and Clerk of the the Orphans’ Court is currently experiencing. Office hours will be extended to 6 p.m. every Wednesday, to accommodate those who need a marriage license, but don’t have the flexibility of applying during the workday. Regular office hours for marriage license applications are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, the Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans’ Court office has been experiencing a substantial increase in marriage license applications from all over the region,” said Vaughn. “We have doubled our appointment times to accommodate this increase, and the extended office hours every Wednesday will give us the capacity of adding nearly 500 more marriage license applications a year to the approximately 2,500 applications that we currently process.” Vaughn added, “We certainly don’t want to stand in the way of love, and we all find it rewarding to be part of a happy couple’s wedding journey,” When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the region in March and closed Chester

County government and courts offices to all but essential employees, staff in the Register of Wills/ Clerk of the Orphans’ Court established virtual services for issuing both marriage licenses and probating wills. Thanks to the county’s investment in technology, the virtual service continues. When the county opened back up to in-person services in June – but by appointment only self-service schedules were added, allowing those who needed to probate estates or apply for a marriage license to schedule their own appointments. “This new scheduling tool has proven to be efficient and effective not just for the applicants, but also for staff in the office,” said Vaughn. For more information on the new services, or to schedule an appointment

go to www.chesco.org/168/ Register-of-Wills-OrphansCourt, or call 610-344-6335. Chester County’s Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans’ Court provides of number of services for the public. The Register of Wills probates wills and appoints estate representatives for decedents who die with or without a will. The Register of Wills also serves as an agent for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for filing and payment of inheritance taxes. The Clerk of the Orphans’ Court accepts filings for adoptions, guardianships of minors and incapacitated persons, and issues marriage licenses. Office hours for estate probates and filings of accounts for audit are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Office hours for marriage

Courtesy photo

Michele Vaughn, the Chester County Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans’ Court.

license applications are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with Wednesday hours expanding to 6 p.m.

All other filings can be made during the office hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Chester County proceeds with $5.6 million in community development activities Chester County is moving forward with $5,620,481 in community development activities slated for 2021, including three new affordable housing developments at a critical time for families in need. Pat Bokovitz, the director of the Chester County Department of Community Development updated the Commissioners and the public on receipt and distribution of the funds at the Chester County Commissioners’ recent meeting. “COVID-19 had challenged our affordable housing offerings with higher demand that emerged very suddenly, and will continue for the foreseeable future,” said Bokovitz. “The affordable housing units we’ll begin constructing in 2021 are a tremendous relief in the effort to support families in need, and we appreciate the Commissioners’ support for these endeavors.” Bokovitz explained at the meeting that the funding primarily draws from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “There is no question that there is a dire need for affordable housing across the nation during

COVID-19, and Chester County is experiencing this need as well,” said Marian Moskowitz, the chair of the Board of Commissioners. “We are excited to push forward with our support for Chester County’s families in this way.” Plans for new affordable housing developments include: • $800,000 in funding for Church Housing Corporation, to construct 50 affordable general occupancy rental units at a new community called Kimber Village just outside Phoenixville in East Pikeland Township; • $1.2 million in funding for Ingerman Group, to construct 60 affordable general occupancy rental units in a new community called Willows at Valley Run on Business Route 30 in Caln Township; • $150,000 in funding for Community Basics Inc., to construct 57 affordable rental units for individuals in a new 55+ community called Aston Parke Apartments in Caln Township off Business Route 30; • $180,000 in funding for Community Youth and Women’s Alliance to renovate its shelter in

Coatesville; and • $400,000 in funding for Friends Association to renovate its shelter in West Chester. County Commissioner Josh Maxwell said, “This is a significant pipeline of activity in community development plans for affordable housing and shelters compared to previous years, and it comes just when it is needed most.” Funding is also being provided for ongoing support programs for homeowners in need of assistance: Good Neighbors Inc. is receiving $45,000 in funding for its home repair program servicing affordable housing units; Good Works Inc. is receiving $105,000 in funding for homeowner rehabilitation services for affordable housing units; Housing Partnership of Chester County is receiving $40,000 in funding for its housing rehabilitation program and $100,000 for its senior home maintenance program. Chester County Commissioner Michelle Kichline said, “The work of the county’s nonprofits that focus on housing repair needs is crucial. They take

this funding, and with a network of staff, volunteers and donors, deliver amazing service to homeowners.” In addition, $1,600,481 in public services funding will support nonprofits that serve communities with emergency shelter operations, case management services, rent assistance and home-

less prevention, first-time homebuyer program, legal and fair housing services, credit and budget counseling, employment training and 211 Call Center and street outreach services. Community construction funding includes $500,000 for Valley Township’s reconstruction

of Wagontown Road, which will stabilize the roadway and prevent erosion into the Brandywine Creek. The Borough of Phoenixville is receiving $500,000 for streetscape improvements on Gay Street, including curbs, sidewalks and streetlights that will expand downtown accessibility.

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020

WISHING YOU A SAFE & HAPPY HOLIDAY Take necessary precautions this season while protecting those you love.

For more information, visit: ibx.com/COVID19

Thanksgiving is more than a meal. There are many ways to cherish this time of togetherness while protecting our families. • Celebrate safely. Follow the latest guidance for get-togethers in your area. Try to minimize gathering size. Use video visits when you can. • Shop carefully. If you go shopping, wear a mask and keep social distancing. Consider shopping from local small businesses. • Take care of yourself. Sleep well, eat healthy, exercise regularly and stay connected with family and friends to relieve stress. • Support your community. If you’re able, find ways to help those in our region who are fighting hunger this holiday. We must remain committed to fighting COVID-19. With just a few extra precautions throughout the season, we can enjoy our holidays safely and joyfully. And for that we can be thankful.

Chester County Press

In the Spotlight

Section

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020

A holiday tradition returns in Nottingham Herr’s annual drive-through Christmas lights display opens this week for the holiday season

Courtesy photos

Herr’s Christmas lights display will bring holiday cheer now through Jan. 2, 2021.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Nottingham as Herr Foods unveils its annual drivethrough Christmas lights display - a holiday tradition for many local families. The festive display can be enjoyed - for free from Nov. 25 to Jan. 2,

2021. Herr Foods has been offering the bright, colorful displays each holiday season for more than 30 years. Visitors can experience the holiday displays from dusk to dawn - approximately 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. each day. Herr’s creates dozens

of Christmas displays at the company’s headquarters at 20 Herr Drive. A team of five people work over six weeks to create the attraction. It takes more than 600,000 lights to create the displays, of which 90 percent are LED lights. The LED lights use between 80 percent and 90

The Christmas lights display has been a tradition for area families for more than 30 years.

percent less energy than incandescent lights. There are approximately 220 sets of lights used for lighting “Big Blue,” the largest tree display, which

is 90 feet high and situated along Route 272. The Christmas lights display typically attracts approximately 9,000 vehicles each year.

Herr Foods, a family-owned snack food company that is one of the largest employers in the area, will be celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2021.

The Garage Community & Youth Center plans 11th annual holiday auction The event will take place—virtually—on Dec. 5 This year, the Garage Community & Youth Center’s annual holiday auction is going virtual. On Saturday, Dec. 5, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., The Garage will be broadcasting its holiday auction through Facebook Live, delivering the best Christmas party in town to the proximity of living rooms. While this year’s event may look a bit different than years before, everyone at The Garage Community & Youth Center is excited to offer a wide array of items, including experiences, gift certificates, and theme baskets as auction items. The organizers of the event are proud to highlight community businesses and they are honored to be sponsored by Sheridan Lawyers, Core Family Practice, Willowdale Chapel, and Hilton Garden Inn, among many others. One hundred percent of proceeds will go to support community youth in their journey to reach their highest potential. While 2020 has been a year of adaptation, perseverance, and trans-

formation, the Garage Community & Youth Center is proud to be part of the community for almost two decades, and grateful to be able to serve its members during this unprecedented year. The auction event will be hosted through Facebook Live, but visitors do not have to have a Facebook page to view the auction catalog, bid on items, view the sponsors, or provide other forms of support. Additional information on how to participate can be found at www. garageyouthcenter.org/ holiday-auction, including how to register to bid, how to RSVP on Facebook, and how to view the auction catalog. Registration is now open.

Registrants are entered to win a party pack donated by Citadel.

To learn more about The Garage or the upcoming holiday auction,

please visit https://www. garageyouthcenter.org/ holiday-auction or con-

tact Kate Martin at kate. martin@garageyouthcenter.org.

Holiday magic at Brandywine The wonder of the holiday season starts early this year at the Brandywine River Museum of Art. Visitors can enjoy “Holiday Magic at Brandywine” with the opening of the Brandywine Railroad–a holiday favorite since 1972. On view through Jan. 10, 2021, this year’s seasonal offerings will also include the return of artist and composer Ann Wyeth McCoy’s doll-

house, which features six rooms filled with threedozen dolls and hundreds of miniature objects that will delight visitors of all ages. While slightly modified this year to provide a safe and socially distant experience, the Brandywine Railroad display will still have plenty of model trains, miniature details and the engaging elements that everyone

loves–including interactive components operated by hands-free foot pedals. The iconic O-gauge display will feature trains running on a thousand feet of track through a small village, a drive-in movie theater and even a carnival. New this year are two model train sets with layouts once owned by Nicky and Jamie Wyeth–sons of the renowned American

artist, Andrew Wyeth. Beginning on Nov. 27, the Brandywine’s whimsical Critter ornaments–handcrafted by volunteers at home this year–will be back to decorate the towering trees in the Museum’s threestory atrium. Thousands of these unique treasures will be available for purchase during the annual Holiday Critter Sale from Dec. 2 to 6. A selection of

some of the Brandywine’s most popular Critter creations are also available for purchase online and can be shipped across the country. The online Critter shop can be found at www. brandywine.org/critters. To ensure the safety, security and quality of the visitor experience, the Brandywine has implemented a variety of new COVID-19 procedures, including face mask

requirements, timed ticketing and capacity limits. All guests will need to reserve timed tickets prior to visiting the Museum; advance reservations are recommended. More information on these safety procedures and timed ticketing can be found at www.brandywine.org. The Brandywine River Museum of Art is located at 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road in Chadds Ford.

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020

Chester County Press

Local News Cecil College art professor helps bring normality back to the holiday season Henri-Ă&#x2030;mile-BenoĂŽt Matisse was fond of saying that art has the power to heal oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soul. The Palette & The Page gallery embraces this concept by hosting a holiday showcase in conjunction with Elktonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First Friday Art Loop in December. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the spirit of everything being different in 2020, these events will feature artwork created by 16 of our gallery artists and presented in the Special Exhibit Gallery safely along with live acoustic music and raffle,â&#x20AC;? said Patti Paulus, co-owner and artist coordinator. The gallery will be limited to ten people as the artwork will remain on exhibit through the end of

December. The First Friday Art Loop will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and masks are required. Helping headline these events is renowned regional ceramic artist Lauren Vanni with several wheel-thrown pieces that feature elements unique to each. Vanni, a professor of art and design at Cecil College, has also teamed up with Paulus for collaborative works that combine calligraphy with wheel-thrown and sculpted clay. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I choose glazes that create interesting colors and effects when in combination with each other,â&#x20AC;? Vanni said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I enjoy glazes that move in

the kiln and blend to blur the edges of separation between them. I look for glazes that break over the texture to enhance the contrast on the formâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surface. Glazes like these highlight surface marks or alterations I have done to the form in the making process.â&#x20AC;? Every artist submitted pieces that are priced under $100 to provide an opportunity for holiday shoppers to discover that unique piece of art to fill the soul during this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pandemic holiday season. For Vanni, the pandemic has created a time crunch along with providing unforeseen inspiration. As a teacher, she and her students

Ten Thousand Villages online gift festival The Oxford Presbyterian Church will have a Ten Thousand Villages Online Gift Festival now through Dec. 15.

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have transitioned to hybrid and online learning, which involves planning, preparation, and problem-solving. It is particularly challenging in the arts where â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;handsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is more than a learning style; it is the disciplineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foundation. From these challenges, she has learned many new approaches to teaching ceramics to benefit future classes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am blessed to have the workspace I have,â&#x20AC;? said Vanni. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is a studio and classroom, enabling me to teach ceramics to students each week. Making thoughtful, developed work takes time, research, and experimentation. During times like these, finding the path to investigate and discover can be challenging. I try to appreciate where I am at the moment and what I can accomplish now rather than on what I am unable to do.â&#x20AC;? For Paulus and the 16 artists taking part in this holiday showcase, the creative power of the art they make is designed to heal everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soul during these trouble-

Courtesy photos

A berry bowl

A vase by ceramic artist Lauren Vanni.

Lauren Vanni made this tall salt-glazed bottle.

some times. Vanni said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think it is important to continue to do work and participate in exhibitions as an artist and teacher. I might not be able to make the work I want to make due to time, space, or mindset, but I try to appreci-

ate the moments I have and take the opportunities that are presented to me. Art can bring people together.â&#x20AC;? To learn more about The Palette & The Page holiday showcases and the artists, visit www.paletteandpage. com.

Chester County Prison receives state Best Practices Award Prison recognized for Cognitive Behavioral Equine Enhancement Program Chester County Prison has been selected as the statewide winner, receiving the 21st Century Criminal Justice Best Practices Awards in the large jail category for its Cognitive Behavioral Equine Enhancement program. The award is sponsored by the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP), the Pennsylvania County Corrections Association, the PA Prison Wardens Association, the CCAP Insurance Programs, and JDCAP. The award was presented to Chester County by Janine Quigley, Chair of the Committee on County Criminal Justice Systems for the 21st Century, at a recent Commissionersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; public meeting. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Criminal Justice Systems for the 21st Century award program was created to address population management within county prisons across the Commonwealth

of Pennsylvania, and to recognize effective, targeted practices and programs that create a lasting solution to overcrowding in prisons,â&#x20AC;? said Quigley. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chester Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cognitive Behavioral Equine Enhancement Program brings together corrections staff, adult probation staff and the nonprofit sector to provide a system of support that targets anxiety, depression and hopelessness among prison inmates. The results have been incredible. It is clear that the program is having a positive effect on recidivism, and it can be shared and replicated in other counties so that our communities as a whole benefit,â&#x20AC;? added Quigley. In 2013, Chester County Adult Probation began looking at ways to reduce recidivism for new arrests or technical violations, and to reduce the jail population by avoiding the return of probation/parole violators.

Staff in Adult Probation began a Thinking for Change (T4C) curriculum at the prison â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an integrated, cognitive behavior change program for offenders that includes cognitive restructuring, social skill development and development of problem solving skills. The success of the T4C curriculum eventually led to Chester County Prison and Adult Probation working with Gateway HorseWorksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Stable Pathways equineassisted psychotherapy program. Through private donations, the Cognitive Behavioral Equine Enhancement Program (as it came to be called) moved to the Prison with the building of a facility to accommodate horses transported from HorseWorks. Using horses, but never riding, offenders are invited once a week into a safe, non-judgmental space to build a trusting relationship with the horses and the

Courtesy photo

Chester County Commissioners Michelle Kichline (left), Marian Moskowitz (center right) and Josh Maxwell (right) present the Criminal Justice Systems for the 21st Century Award to Chris Murphy, Chief of Probation, Parole and Pretrial Services for Chester County.

equine specialist-certified mental health professionals. Chris Murphy, Chief of Chester County Probation, Parole and Pre-Trial Services, said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our partnership with Gateway HorseWorks started with our Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Re-Entry and Assessment Program, but later expanded to include

male inmates housed at the Work Release Center at Chester County Prison. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over the years, the results of the Cognitive Behavioral Equine Enhancement Program have been incredible, with recidivism rates for new arrests and technical violations recorded as drastically lower than state-

wide and national levels. We are proud of this program and the results that it has achieved, not just in the lowering of recidivism rates, but in giving both men and women who qualify for the program access to creative and effective ways of addressing mental health issues.â&#x20AC;?

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020

Chester County Press

Obituaries

CARLOS ZAVALA

WELLS A. â&#x20AC;&#x153;BUDDYâ&#x20AC;? STIDOMS, JR. Wells A. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buddyâ&#x20AC;? Stidoms, Jr. died peacefully while surrounded by his family in his home in Oxford on Oct. 23. He was 73. Wells was born on July 29, 1947 to Norma and Wells Stidoms, Sr. He was a member of the Oxford Fraternal Order of Eagles Club. He worked for Tipton Trucking in Oxford for more than ten years. After retiring, he loved relaxing with his friends and family as they were the most important things in life to him. He could make anyone laugh and smile with his one-line jokes that never made any sense. He was greatly loved by all who came to know him and will be dearly missed by all. Wells is survived by his daughters, Stacie Stidoms,

Additional Obituaries on Page 7B

Leanna McGonigal (Brian McGonigal), and Norma Janine Stidoms; one brother, Roy Stidoms, Sr.; five grandchildren, Wade, Shaun, Avah, Thomas and Robert, all of Oxford. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Norma and Wells Stidoms, Sr. Of Elkton, Md.; two sisters, Rose and Wanda; one brother, Jess Stidoms; and his loving spouse, Geri Patterson. There will not be a funeral at this time. In lieu of flowers, please consider the National Autism Association, 1 Park Avenue, Suite 1 Portsmouth, R.I. 02871 or the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer, 1700 K Street NW Suite 660 Washington, D.C. 20006 in honor of Wells Stidoms. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

WILLIAM THOMAS MCCLURE William Thomas McClure, Jr., 78, passed away on Nov. 13 at the Hospice & Community Care Mount Joy facility. Tom was the son of the late William Thomas, Sr. and Louise Kauffman McClure. Born and raised in Oxford, he graduated from Oxford Area High School in 1960. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1961 to 1965. He lived in Michigan and worked at the Ford Motor Plant in the truck division. After moving back to Oxford, he was custodian for 25 years in the Oxford Area School District. Music was his life and he played keyboards in the Tammany Hall Band for 20 years. Tom is survived by a son, William Thomas McClure, III, a daughter, Candice Diane Ford (Larry), three granddaughters: Madalyn McClure, Cloe McClure, Cierra Miller, daughter-in-law, Jen McClure, a sister, Diane McClure Murry and many loving nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his longtime companion, Pat Elicier. A celebration of Tomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life will be held at a later date. If so desired, memorial donations in Tomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name may be made to Hospice & Community Care, 685 Good Drive, Lancaster, PA 17604-4125. Please visit Tomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s memorial page at www.TheGroffs. com.

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Carlos Zavala, 68, of Oxford, passed away on Nov. 18 at Seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospice in Newark, Del. He was the husband of Maria Elaina Lopez Zavala, with whom he shared 46 years of marriage. Born in Guanajuato, Mexico, he was the son of Guadalupe Garcia of Mexico and the late Salvadore Zavala. Carlos was a member of Saint Rocco Catholic Church in Avondale. He owned his own small family mushroom farm in Chester County for 23 years. Farming was his passion. Carlos enjoyed playing poker. He was the best father and grandfather and will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife; mother; one son, Javier Zavala of Mexico; two daughters, Laura Zavala and Magaly Zavala Villa both of Oxford; and five grandchildren, Maria, Lilly Julian, Layla and Roman. He was preceded in death by a son, Carlos Zavala, Jr. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Nov. 21 at Saint Rocco Catholic Church in Avondale. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Saint Rocco Catholic Church. Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

CONNIELLY BLEVINS Connielly Blevins, a resident of Nottingham, passed away on Nov. 5 at Twin Pines Health Care Center in West Grove. He was 83. He was the husband of Janice Ehrhart Blevins. Born in West Chester, he was the son of the late William Gather and Mandy May Powers Blevins. Connielly enjoyed his family and especially enjoyed fishing in the Octoraro Lake, Turkey Point and Susquehanna River. He is survived by his wife; two daughters, Dawn Phipps of Oxford and Amanda Blevins of Elkton, Md.; four grandsons, Michael Phipps, Jr., William Phipps, Kaleb Blevins, CJ Shaw; and one granddaughter, Tatiana Courts. He was preceded in death by his five brothers and one sister. Connielly was the last survivor of his siblings. Services and interment will be private. 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 He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.

Psalm 18:17 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. We are offering a special discount of 25% off each and every help wanted/ classified advertisement to any business that advertises on the PRESS church page.

For more information or to place an ad, contact Brenda Butt at 610-869-5553 ext. 10

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Lions Club of Oxford

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HERR FOODS, INC. NOTTHINGHAM, PA

932-9330 ENCOURAGES YOU TO ATTEND THE CHURCH OF YOUR CHOICE

P.O. Box 270 Oxford, PA 19363 Meets First and Third Thursday at 6:30p.m. Nottingham Inn, Nottingham, PA

Landenberg Church United Methodist All Are Welcome 205 Penn Green Rd. In Historic Downtown Landenberg Landenberg, PA 19350

610-274-8384 Services Every Sunday â&#x20AC;˘ 9:00 am

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020

Chester County

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

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CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020

Chester County Press

Local News Avon Grove Lions Club names Haas Student of the Month Max Haas has been named the Avon Grove Lions Club Student of the Month for October. He is the son of James and Vicky Haas of Avondale. Max’s list of school activities includes Avon Grove baseball, serving as student leader for Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the president of the Model UN and of the Avon Grove Leadership Academy. He also belongs to the National Honor Society, the Avon Grove Computer Science Honors Society and the robotics

team, and serves as the teacher assistant and NHS tutor. Max has been very involved with his community, volunteering with Boy Scouts of America, the local food bank, and with his church. He also helps out with the Knights of Columbus Oktoberfest, the Avon Grove baseball clinic, Respite Night, Avon Grove Sports Booster Bingo, Night to Shine. He worked 232 hours on an Eagle Project. Max is an Eagle Scout and earned the Presidents

Award for Educational Excellence. He was inducted into the Order of the Arrow, and received the President’s Volunteer Service Award (Gold), International Spirit Award, the World Conservation Award, the Keep America Beautiful Hometown USA Award, the Introduction to Business Outstanding Performance Award, the International Business Outstanding Performance Award. Academically, he has achieved high honors and distinguished honors

throughout high school. Max plans to attend the United States Air Force Academy or the United States Naval Academy and major in aerospace engineering, and possibly minoring in business. The teachers that he has been most influenced by are Ms. Cahill, Mrs. Penn and Mrs. Wilkinson.

Courtesy photo

Max Haas was honored as the Avon Grove Lions Club Student of the Month.

Legals ESTATE NOTICE

ESTATE of Ethel Wilhelmina Clay Estate of Ethel Wilhelmina Clay, late, of Lower Oxford Township, Chester County, PA, deceased. Letters of Administration on the above estate have been granted to the undersigned; 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 Kirstan ClayWeinfeld, Administrator, 1100 N Dupont Rd, Wilmington, DE 19807. 11p-11-3t

ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Mary Elizabeth Joyce, Late of West Grove, Upper Oxford Twp., Chester County, PA, LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate

have been granted to the undersigned, who request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to Robert James Joyce-12 Marie Lane West Grove, PA. 19390, Executor. 11p-11-3t

ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Lauretta Serricca, 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 person named. All persons having claims against said estate to make known the same to them and all persons indebted to the said decedent are requested to make payment without delay to the

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Executor named below. Lauretta Serricca, dec’d late of North Coventry, Pennsylvania. Executor: John Serrica, 1309 Powder Mill Hollow Road, Boyertown, PA 19512 11p-11-3t

ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Diane L. Sammelwitz. Late of Penn 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 Ellen S. Casey (1300 Sunny Ayr Way, Lansdale, PA 19446), Personal Representative, or Elle Van Dahglren, Esq. (Elle Van Dahlgren Law, LLC, 20 Montchanin Rd., Ste 1000, Greenville, DE 19807). 11p-25-3t

NOTICE

The London Grove Township Zoning Hearing Board will conduct a public hearing on, Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 7:00 p.m., in the London Grove Township Building, 372 Rose Hill Road, West Grove, PA for the following purpose: 513 Coatesville Road- To hear the appeal of Barbara Stickley for a special exception to build a family home with an attached in-law suite with a full second kitchen under section 27-303.8. This property is in the Agricultural Preservation (AP) District. William Grandizio, Chairman, Zoning Hearing Board 11p-25-2t

ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Edward Brian McMillan, Late of East Fallowfield Township., Chester County, PA, LETTERS TESTAMENTARY on the above Estate have been granted to the undersigned, who

request all persons having claims or demands against the estate of the decedent to make known the same and all persons indebted to the decedent to make payment without delay to: Christopher Brian McMillan, Executor, C/O Pappano & Breslin, 3305 Edgemont Avenue, Brookhaven, , PA 19015 11p-25-3t

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the New Garden Township 2021 Preliminary Budget adopted by the Board of Supervisors at their meeting held on November 16, 2020, is available for public inspection on the Township website: www.newgarden.org, or at the Township office, located at 299 Starr Road, Landenberg PA 19350, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9AM to 3PM. The 2021 Budget is scheduled for final adoption at the December 21st, 2020 Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting, virtually using the ZOOM meeting conference software. The meeting agenda and information on how to join the ZOOM meeting will be available the Friday before the meeting on the Township website and will be posted at the Township Building. The general public is welcome to join the meeting via a computer, laptop, tablet, cell phone or land line phone. NEW GARDEN TOWNSHIP, LANDENBERG, PA BUDGET SUMMARY- 2021 PRELIMINARY BUDGET FUND EXPENDITURES 01-GENERAL FUND $6,352,530 03-FIRE FUND $123,100 04-PARKS FUND $22,000 08-SEWER FUND $2,915,550 09-AIRPORT FUND $1,325,320 20-SINKING FUND $537,950 30-CAPITAL FUND $1,725,100 31-OPEN SPACE FUND $1,255,100 32- SEWER CAPITAL FUND $630,000 33-AIRPORT CAPITAL FUND $50,000 34-CAPITAL RESERVE FUND $375,400 35-STATE

LIQUID FUELS FUND $465,600 TOTALS $15,777,650 Kathryn Parlier, Township Secretary 11-25-1t

ESTATE NOTICE

Estate of Lynda A. Barr, Barr, Lynda A., Deceased, late of Kennett Twp., PA. Notice is hereby given that, in the estate of the decedent, the Register of Wills has granted letters of administration to the person named. All persons having claims against said estate to make known the same to them and all persons indebted to the said decedent are requested to make payment without delay to: Ronald Ciarmello, c/o John R. Lundy, Esq., Lundy Beldecos & Milby, PC, 450 N. Narberth Ave., Suite 200, Narberth, PA 19072, Administrator. Lundy Beldecos & Milby, PC, 450 N. Narberth Ave., Suite 200, Narberth, PA 19072 11p-25-3t

INCORPORATION NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Department Of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, for the purpose of obtaining a Certificate of Incorporation pursuant to the provisions of the Business Corporation Law of 1988 for Cardinal Points Group, Inc. Purpose for which it was organized: the ownership and management of real estate and related activities. Donald B. Lynn, Jr., Esquire, Larmore Scarlett, LLP, P.O. Box 384, Kennett Square, PA 19348. 11p-25-1t

NOTICE

PENN TOWNSHIP ZONING HEARING BOARD NOTICE is hereby given that the Zoning Hearing Board of Penn Township

will hold a Public Hearing at the Penn Township Municipal Building, 260 Lewis Road, West Grove, Pennsylvania, on December 8, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. at which time the Board will hear the following matter: Application of Michael Imming seeking variances from the minimum rear yard requirements and the maximum lot coverage requirements of Zoning Ordinance Section 1501.A.3.e(1) and Section 502.G, so as to allow the construction of a swimming pool on a 0.32 acre “cluster development” residential lot located at 216 China Circle, West Grove (UPI # 58-3-27.66) in the Township’s RS – Residential Subdivision zoning district, with a rear yard set-back of 13 feet in lieu of the 15 feet now required, and total lot coverage of 4,175 square feet (31%) in lieu of the 25% maximum allowed. If you are a person with a disability and wish to attend the public meeting scheduled above and require an auxiliary aide, service or other accommodation to participate in the proceedings, please contact the Township Secretary at (610) 869-9620 to discuss how Penn Township may best accommodate your needs. Edward M. Foley, Solicitor, Brutscher, Foley, Milliner, Land & Kelly, LLP, 213 E. State Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348 11p-25-2t

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

Chester County Press

Obituaries

Additional Obituaries on Page 4B

HOWARD GORDON TENNENT On Nov. 5, Howard Gordon Tennent passed away peacefully at his home in Kennett Square at the age of 104 years and eight months. Howard is survived by his beloved wife of 71 years, Jean Tennent; his four children, Kirk, Barbara, David, and Douglas and their spouses; his six grandchildren, David Barkan, Joel Barkan, David Tennent, Jr., Babs Smith, Max Kutsch, and Liz Tennent and their spouses; and one great-grandchild, Avery Barkan. Howard was born on Feb. 29, 1916 to Henry Kirkpatrick “Kirk” Tennent and Mabel Taylor Clarke. A Leap Day baby, Howard only celebrated 26 real birthdays throughout his rich, long life. He was born in Quebec City, Canada, and the family (including Howard’s brother, Clark Peck “Buddy” Tennent), moved to Leroy, N.Y. when Howard was eight. The family also lived for a short time in Terra Haute, Ind. Howard received his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his Ph.D in chemistry from the University of Wisconsin. Howard and Jean were married on Nov. 26, 1949. In 1951, they welcomed their first child, Kirk, and purchased their house on Chandler Mill Road in Kennett Square, where Howard lived with Jean until his passing. Howard was a gifted storyteller and through his final days had an uncanny memory of his experiences spanning more than ten decades. As a teenager, his father introduced him to Amelia Earhart in an airplane hangar, and as a young man, he watched Babe Ruth and

TERRI LOUISE JONES Terri L. Jones went home to be with the Lord on Nov. 19. She was 71. She is survived by her son, Christopher Jones, daughter, Kimberly McCaw, five grandchildren, father, Robert Adams III and many extended family members. Terri opened an in home daycare called “The Nursery Nook” for a few years. She was a teacher at Bethany pre-school for three years, followed by employment as children’s librarian at Cecil County Public Library. Some may remember her as “Scary Miss Terri” at Halloween, for her puppetry and ventriloquism, or for driving the bookmobile as children’s outreach librarian until her retirement in 2010. She also ran an online business doing many children’s parties which included being Mr. and Mrs. Santa for the holidays. Terri was a graduate of Oxford Area High School (Class of 1967) and Lincoln University (Class of 1971). Terri, who was a member of Janes United Methodist Church in Rising Sun, Md., accepted Christ as her Savior as a child. She was reunited with her husband, Larry, on his birthday. As Terri would say, “It was God’s amazing plan.” The public viewing will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 27 at Oxford United Methodist Church at 18 Addison St., in Oxford, and again from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 28. A private service, which guests can attend by invitation only, will be held at 2 p.m. COVID-19 restrictions will be in place during these services so attendees should wear face coverings and practice social distancing. 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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Stan Musial play baseball. In Leroy, he listened to thenGovernor Franklin Delano Roosevelt give a speech at his hometown’s baseball field (and later lamented that FDR’s vehicles had roughed up the infield, causing bad hops at Howard’s second base position). Howard enjoyed a long and storied career as a research chemist at Hercules, Inc., where he was the senior research associate at the Hercules Research Center, and at Hyperion Catalysis International, Inc., with whom he continued to consult up until his death. Howard was a pioneer in the field of nanotechnology and holds multiple patents. Earlier in his career, Howard invented a new way to synthesize carboxymethylcellulose, making it practical for use as a binding agent with food and pharmaceutical applications. Howard’s team also enabled the mass-production of polypropylene, a widely used, recyclable plastic. Howard was revered and respected by his colleagues for his unique combination of analytical skills, innovative thinking, persistence, and professionalism. For decades, Howard and Jean were very involved in the Kennett Square Quaker Meeting. Howard was a longtime advocate for social justice issues and a proponent of Quaker tenets such as tolerance and non-violent conflict resolution. The couple was active during the civil rights movement in the 1960s, when Howard was also a member of the Kennett Consolidated School Board. Howard and Jean helped arrange for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to speak at Unionville High School on May 2, 1967. Dr. King’s speech that night was celebrated for helping the town’s diverse citizens come together and begin to address their differences. In the 1960s, Howard was also very involved with the Red Clay Valley Association (now

known as the Brandywine Red Clay Alliance), which is dedicated to preserving the history, open lands, and water quality of the Red Clay Creek. One of Howard’s last important actions occurred earlier this fall, when he proudly submitted his mailin ballot for the general election. Before submitting, he reviewed his signature as it appeared in the voter registration record and then practiced—using his hand recently damaged by melanoma—to ensure his ballot signature matched the official record. As he aged, Howard enjoyed a quiet and peaceful life at home with Jean, spending most of his time in his living room chair, looking out through sunny floorto-ceiling windows at nearby birds in trees and on well-stocked feeders, and beyond to the brook winding through their property. He remained a voracious reader of news, non-fiction, and scientific journals into his last years. And he closely followed the ups and (mostly) downs of the Philadelphia professional sports teams, most passionately his beloved Eagles. At age 101, he celebrated his Eagles’ long-awaited Super Bowl victory with his family. A memorial service will be held on Dec. 5 at 1 p.m. Those wishing to attend should contact David Tennent at tennent.david@gmail.com for information on joining this virtual event. The family suggests that anyone wishing to honor Howard’s life make a donation to the Brandywine Red Clay Alliance. To view Howard’s full obituary and share a message with his family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com. Arrangements are being handled by Kuzo Funeral Home of Kennett Square.

WILLIAM A. MORTON, JR., M.D. William A. Morton, Jr., M.D., died peacefully of a stroke in Oxford at the age of 100. He was born on Sept. 27, 1920 in Bellaire, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and was inducted into the U.S. Army, joining the U.S. Army Medical Corps where he was trained as a medical doctor at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. He was deployed to Germany in the spring of 1945 for the last months of World War II. Honorably discharged with the rank of captain, he returned to Pennsylvania to build a family with his new wife, Anne T. Caffrey. He spent a decade working in advanced urological medicine at the Cleveland Clinic and the Guthrie Clinic as well as Hahnemann University Hospital. In 1957, he moved his young family to West Chester, Pa. with goal of bringing the best in urological care to a small-town hospital. Chester County Hospital became the hub of his medical practice for the next thirty years, and despite the rural location, he applied cutting-edge care to his thousands of patients, even inventing and innovating surgical approaches that became urological standards. He was a tireless supporter of Chester County

Hospital, contributing over $250,000 to the hospital’s charities during his professional career. A lifelong nature lover, he would spend hours hiking, bird-watching, and studying animals. He visited many national parks, with a particular love of Yellowstone, The Grand Tetons and Virgin Islands National Park. With Anne, he enjoyed collecting art from local artists like Barclay Rubicam, N.C. Wyeth, and wildlife artist Douglas Allen. After retiring from medical practice in 1990, he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren. He never sought the spotlight or congratulations for his medical service to the community and was surprised when, after writing a short article for a medical journal in 1991, he became mildly famous as the author of “Scrotum Selfrepair.” His only comment on notoriety was, “You can’t be a urologist unless you have a sense of humor.” When Anne passed away in 2006, he spent the next years mostly in California, seeking sunshine. He is survived by his children, William III, Virginia, and Walter, as well as the grandchildren, Nicole and Mimi. A memorial service will be held at a later date. 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.

HELP WANTED Union Fire Company No. 1, of Oxford, Pa. is accepting applications to fill a full time Administrative Assistant – Fire and EMS Services. Position is an administrative position, under the authority of the Board of Directors. Applicant must have proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and QuickBooks. All applicants must be a minimum of 18 years old, possess a valid driver’s license and have clean criminal and driving records. Previous Fire Company or EMS Administrative experience a plus. Starting salary, including benefits will be based on experience. Union Fire Company is an equal opportunity employer. Submit applications to Union Fire Company, Attn: Chairman of the Board, 315 Market St, Oxford, Pa. 19363. Complete job description along with application is available at www.oxfordfire.com Applications will be accepted until December 2, 2020.

CHESTER COUNTY PRESS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2020