Teddy is a neutered male domestic short hair one year old
cat that is currently available for adoption at the Chester County SPCA. He
came to us on April 26, because his owner was moving and could not take him
along. Teddy is such a loveable teddy bear; he loves attention and if you walk
by with out saying hello he will let you know. Teddy enjoys having his chin scratched and gets along with
other cats. Teddy is eligible for our Eagles Purrfect Play for Cats adoption
incentive program. This special program, made possible through a gift from the
Philadelphia Eagles Treating Animals With Kindness (TAWK) program, allows us to
offer a discounted adoption fee of only $25! If you are able to provide Teddy a home, visit the Chester
County SPCA at 1212 Phoenixville Pike in West Goshen or call 610-692-6113. Teddy’s
registration number is 96803624. To meet some of our other adoptable animals,
visit the shelter or log onto www.ccspca.org. Join us on Saturday, August 6 for
the 1st Annual Chester County SPCA Poker Run. Not a biker, you can
still support the Chester County SPCA for our 3rd Annual BrewBq
presented by Victory Brewing Co. For more information about our events visit
our website http://www.ccspca.org/events1/1st-annual-ccspca-poker-run/ or call
610-228-0953, ext. 219.
Talks between Unionville-Chadds
Ford School District teachers and the school board have broken down and some
people are thinking about the possibility of a strike.
“We’re growing
frustrated…bargaining seems to be moving backwards,” said teachers’ union
President Pat Clark. “Our best option is to get back to the table and get this
thing worked out.”
Members of the
Unionville-Chadds Ford Education Association and the district have been
negotiating in separate rooms from one another.
Clark said talks broke down
because the district has changed its position on some of the concessions it
made in May regarding pay hikes. He said teachers were fine with a pay freeze
during the first year of a new contract, but balked when the district changed
its position on increases during subsequent years.
“We were asked in public
whether we would accept a salary freeze and we certainly agreed to that [but]
that salary offer disappeared,” he said. “The offer they came back with in July
was actually less money than their May proposal.”
The difference, Clark said, was
in the second and third years where the district wanted to delay step
movement—the incremental increases teachers receive for years on the job.
Instead, the board wants to establish a bonus for one of those years rather
than money on scale.
Clark said the idea is to get
back to the table, but admits that the possibility of a strike has come up. He
added, though, that’s not the focus at this time.
Frank Murphy, the school board
director handling negotiations for the board said there has been no talk of a strike
except for comments made by the teacher association’s negotiator.
“The word strike has not come
up in conversation between the teacher’s union and the school board. The only
time I’ve seen that word used was in the local press when the union’s paid negotiator
out of Harrisburg, Ruthann Waldie used that phrase seemingly to try to raise
the stakes,” Murphy said.
The difference in the May and
July proposals, Murphy said, was based on a July 1 deadline. Had the union
agreed to terms before that date, he said, the district would have reaped
greater savings on the healthcare provision of the proposed contract. That
level of saving could have been passed on to the teachers in their salary.
“The teachers’ association was
aware of the importance of getting a contract by that July 1 date so the school
district could maximize healthcare savings,” he said. “Because the teachers’
association rejected our May offer and no settlement has been reached, savings
we were anticipating to fund salaries are not there to the same magnitude.”
The incremental decrease in the
salary component was made to avoid what Murphy called a “salary-busting
contract.”
The teachers’ contract is based
on three components, salary, benefits and work rules.
Murphy said while the board
accepted the findings of a state-appointed neutral mediator during the winter,
the union rejected the offer that, he said, would have paid the teachers more
than what was proposed in the last two offers.
While talks are not going
smoothly and the sides are not even meeting in the same room, Murphy said there
is a way out of the impasse.
“Union leadership and their
hired negotiator out of Harrisburg have got to stop threatening the public, the
parents and the students with threats of work stoppage. They need to stop attacking
the board as being fraudulent. They need to stop the accusations and start
negotiating in the same room with us in order to get to a deal.”
The two sides are scheduled
meet again on Aug. 9. Murphy said he has no idea what the format will be.
Teachers have been without a
contract since the end of the 2009-2010 school year. They spent the past
academic year working under status quo.
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
Concord Township Planning Commission members were not sure what to do with what they heard, but they will prepare a memo for township supervisors regarding a settlement proposal offered by Costco.
According to attorney Mark Kaplan, the discount club store wants to end litigation over Concord’s refusal to grant conditional use approval for the proposed store last year.
Costco appealed the denial, which was upheld, but then went to Commonwealth Court. That matter has not yet been heard.
In the interim, Costco prepared new plans to address supervisors’ concerns.
The store is planned for the Brinton Lake area, on 16 acres along Evergreen Drive north of the Crozer Medical Center buildings.
Kaplan said the first plan was rejected for several reasons. There was a gas station planned within the parking area, Evergreen Drive cut through the parking lot, was not extended as a loop road to Conchester Road and was not being dedicated to the township.
The new proposal has the gas station in a different location outside the parking area. Evergreen Drive will loop from Route 1 to Conchester Road and will be dedicated to the township. In addition, Kaplan said, Costco will pay for improvements to Conchester Road from Aldan Avenue to the Sun Federal property north of Route 1.
That stretch of Conchester will be paved and widened to a consistent 26-foot wide cart way. Curbing and drainage will also be added. He estimated the cost to be $425,000.
“It’s almost a new road,” Kaplan said.
He added that a big box store will definitely go into that location, but wants it to be Costco.
“The road and parking are cleaner and the gas is off to the side,” he said to summarize the proposed plan.
Several residents, from Concord and Thornbury townships, expressed objections to the plan, saying the store would be too close to existing and planned homes, and that they were concerned about a gas station also being too close to residential property.
Kaplan countered with figures showing the distances were greater than the residents thought and that township Fire Marshal Fred Fields was satisfied that the gas station was in a safe spot, though he wants to go over some procedures regarding potential gas leaks with the developer. Kaplan said he received word from Field through an e-mail a few hours before the July 26 Planning Commission meeting.
Kaplan also said that the gas station would be for Costco members only, not for use by the general public.
The gas station is key for the company he said.
“Costco wants gas,” said Kaplan. “Unless they’re playing chicken with us, they won’t be here [without a gas station].”
With the plan offered as a settlement proposal to end the litigation surrounding the appeals process, there would be no need for Costco to go back for another round of conditional use hearings should supervisors accept the proposal. Kaplan said the initial hearing process was “tortured” with 12 hearings during a year-and-a-half period.
Once opened, store hours would be 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Planning Commission Chairman Steve Miller said he wasn’t sure how the commission was to proceed, but thought there were enough significant changes to warrant another review and will draft a memo, but, “It’s in the hands of the Board of Supervisors.”
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
The House Energy and Commerce
Health Subcommittee approved U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts’ — R-16, of Cochranville —
legislation to help train pediatricians. The bipartisan legislation, H.R. 1852,
reauthorizes the Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education Payment
Program to help keep well-trained doctors in the pipeline by maintaining
existing hospital graduate medical education programs.
“Today, the Subcommittee acted
unanimously to reauthorize an important program that is responsible for
training 40 percent of our nation’s pediatricians and 43 percent of pediatric
subspecialties,” said Pitts. “I’m proud to work with Ranking Member Frank Pallone,
D-NJ, to make sure that we have enough doctors trained specifically to care for
children.”
Despite the program’s success
in reversing declines in pediatric training programs in the 1990s, President
Obama’s fiscal year 2012 Budget eliminated funding for the program. H.R. 1852
maintains the funding levels for the program by providing $330 million to
hospitals over the next five years.
“We’re one step further toward
passage of H.R. 1852, which will ensure that we have well-trained cadre of
pediatric professionals,” said Pallone in his opening statement. “At a time
when we are still facing a shortage of pediatricians in New Jersey and across
the country we should not slow down funds for the pipeline of new specialists.”
Nationwide, 56 hospitals in 30
states participate in the program which funds medical school graduates,
enhances hospitals’ research capabilities and improves hospitals’ ability to
provide care to vulnerable and underserved children. In 2009, the program
supported the training of 5,361 resident physicians.
In Pennsylvania, the Children’s
Hospital of Philadelphia, Temple University Hospital, St. Christopher’s
Hospital for Children and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh all participate in
the program.
• Pennsylvania State
Police troopers are investigating the theft of a 2000 Ford Focus, PA tag number
DSK0433. A report said the car was stolen while parked in a driveway on Hemlock
Drive in Concord Township on July 25. It was taken sometime between 9:30 and
10:45 p.m. The keys were in the car, police said. Anyone with information is
asked to call police at 480-840-1000.
• Four people were
arrested for stealing Gatorade and candy from the Wawa on Route 202 at
Dilworthtown Road. Police say the four fled the store, but were apprehended on
the grounds of Cheyney University. The incident happened at 1:30 p.m. on July
25.
• An employee of the
Acme Market in Concordville had a car trunk closed on her arm and was pushed to
the ground when she tried to stop a couple who were stealing Tide detergent
from the store, a police report said. A white man and a white woman are being
sought in connection with the theft. Police said the pair entered the store
about 5:25 p.m. on July 19, filled a cart with the detergent and left without
paying. The employee followed them from the store and tried taking the
detergent away as they were putting it into the trunk. The two fled toward
Route 1.
• State Police from
Troop K, Media, are investigating a burglary at a home on South Cheney Road in
Concord Township. A report said the 71-year-old resident was away from home
between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on July 20. When she returned, police said, she
saw that her door was open and that valuables were missing. Anyone with
information is asked to call police at 484-840-1000.
•State Police reported no injuries following a
one-car accident at Creek and Cosart roads in Pennsbury Township on July 22. A
report said a car driven by 18-year-old Daniel L. Avery Jr., of Wilmington
crossed into an oncoming traffic lane for unknown reasons. The car, with two
juvenile passengers, struck a concrete wall at about 10:30 p.m.
• Two state troopers and
the suspect received medical treatment after the arrest of David R.
Shuttleworth II, of Garnet Valley, on Water Wheel Way in Concord Township.
According to a police report, Shuttleworth was found to be under the influence
of an unspecified controlled substance shortly after 10 p.m. on July 24. He
allegedly failed to comply with troopers’ commands and resisted arrest.
Shuttleworth was placed into custody following a physical altercation. He was
taken to Riddle Memorial Hospital for medical treatment.
• Police arrested Gary
Danehower, of Garnet Valley, for DUI after a two-car accident on Route 1 near
Cheney Road on July 23. A police report said Danehower struck another vehicle
and eventually pulled over on Andrien Drive near Schoolhouse Lane. Troopers
said they found the suspect behind the wheel of his car with the engine
running, a beer in his hand. The car was missing a tire.
• Police said someone
stole a septic tank lid from Concord Pizza, on West Baltimore Pike, on July 21.
The
Pennsylvania State Police would like to remind parents/caregivers who are
transporting children in vehicles that Pennsylvania law requires that those
under 4 years of age be securely fastened in an approved child passenger
restraint seat. Children ages 4 to
8 must use a booster seat if they are no longer in a car seat. Also, children
from age 8 up to age 18 must be in a seat belt regardless of where they are
seated in a vehicle.
During a two-week period this past spring, troopers
who are certified car seat technicians, found almost 77 percent of the seats
they checked were improperly installed.
Common problems included: failing to securely anchor the child seat to
the vehicle’s seat, failing to use the child’s seat harness to hold the child
in the seat and facing the car seat in the wrong direction.
Parents/caregivers can schedule an appointment for a free inspection of
a child safety seat by calling any state police station. Station inspection
dates and contact information can be found by going to the safety education
link at the state police website (www.psp.state.pa.us).
Whether neighboring residents
want it or not, a big box store will be built along Evergreen Drive in Concord
Township. That’s a given according to the attorney representing the developer
of the property. What store that will be is the, as yet, unanswered question.
It appears at this point in
time it will be a Costco store. That has many people excited.
A passing comment to Concord
Township Fire Marshal Fred Field was that as long as the planned store was
safe, it should be approved. People are tired of driving to the Costco stores
in King of Prussia or near the Christiana Mall in Delaware.
Field said he had heard that
from a lot of people.
He’s not alone. Ginny DeNenno,
of the Concord Township Planning Commission said she’s been hearing the same
thing.
Even conversation in the coffee
shop in Chadds Ford reflects the same sentiment. People want a Costco nearby. A
Costco, not a Walmart or any of the other big box stores. A Costco. They don’t
want it in their backyards, however.
NIMBY, not in my backyard, is
an understandable thought. People don’t want to be inconvenienced with
excessive traffic or noise near their homes. Yet, with proper planning and
design, much of that inconvenience can be avoided or diverted.
The plan offered by Costco for
the Concord Township location seems reasonable and safe. All setbacks have been
met and there is landscaping to act as a buffer.
Concord also gets the
dedication of Evergreen Drive, something supervisors have said they want.
Evergreen also becomes a loop road, another township desire. Sweetening the pot
is the improvement of Conchester Road, a stretch that’s truly in bad shape.
Additionally, Concord will see
increased tax revenue from a business while other businesses will likely see
more people coming into their doors simply through the natural symbiotic
relationship between businesses.
Will there be increased vehicle
traffic in the area? Without a doubt, it can’t be avoided. Such is the nature
of modern living. And it would happen no matter what store goes in there. But
safety concerns surrounding that increase in vehicular traffic can be dealt
with and problems kept to a minimum.
Concord supervisors have shown
an understanding of the practicality of the situation in hearing the latest
proposal from Costco. They withheld conditional use approval last year because
of concerns over the status of Evergreen Drive and the first proposed location
of a gas station.
They could have let Costco go
through the entire appeals’ process and let the courts decide what would
happen, but they kept themselves open to new ideas and may get not only what
they initially wanted, but perhaps something more with an improved Conchester
Road.
Come Labor Day, or maybe a
month later, shovels could hit the ground to build that Costco. That will be a
good thing.
• Strong vocal harmony and
solid instrumental arrangements make this traditional gospel and bluegrass band
joyful, uplifting and just plain fun to hear, as evidenced by their strong
following. The Rockdale Boys have been playing together as a group since 2003
and continue to improve their sound, write new songs, and delight their
audience. For more information, visit their website at: www.rockdaleboys.com.
Following the concert will be the annual Walk-Around, a ‘magical’ sight to see,
with every cottage lit by candles on porch and pathway. The campground is a
tree-lined, 146 year old, Victorian cottage filled, step back in time.
Historic Brandywine Summit Camp Meeting is located at 119 Beaver Valley Road. For
more information on the campground or directions, visit www.bscmai.org.
•Summer Arts to Grow On (SAGO),
summer camp at the Center for the Creative Arts, offers a new program this
summer for its youngest campers who are looking ahead to a creative and
successful Kindergarten experience. For children as young as 4 who will begin Kindergarten
in 2011 or 2012, “Creative Kids KinderCamp” offers the opportunity to sharpen
up essential skills for one or two weeks this summer, August 1-5, 2011 and August
8-12, 2011, 9:00 – 11:30am.
In addition to morning “KinderCamp” in the morning, CCArts’ “KinderCamp”
youngest artists will enjoy creating mixed media projects inspired by basic art
concepts in the afternoon, 12:30-3:00pm. “Take a Walk With a Line” Aug. 1-5 is
followed by “Get Into Shapes” Aug. 8-12. Both are taught by Art Educator,
Elizabeth Rega.
For additional information or to register for camps or classes call
302-239-2434, visit www.ccarts.org or stop in at 410 Upper Snuff Mill Row,
Yorklyn. The Center for the Creative Arts is the place for you to “Find the
Artist Within.” Check class listings for specific dates and times, and take
advantage of the opportunity to explore your creative side!
History Made Personal: Chads’ Ford Barber Shop sign
Most
people walk or drive right by barber shop signs without thinking twice. Yet if
you walk up the stairs of the Christian Sanderson Museum into the Pocopson
Room, your eyes will quickly note a rustic gem produced just after the turn of
the 20th century hanging on the right side wall. What captures the
visitors’ attention is the “Chads’ Ford Barber Shop” sign painted by N.C.
Wyeth, famous artist and illustrator.
This
wooden relic is approximately seven feet wide and five feet high, with two arcs
cut into the top center flanking a black shaded five-pointed star. Hanging on
the wall behind the arc cutout on the left side is a photograph of Chris
Sanderson, posing as Rip Van Winkle in an American Legion production at
Longwood Gardens in June 1937. On the right is a winter scene of Chadds Ford,
snow blanketing a parking area in front of the barber shop bearing the famous
sign.
Painted
in black is a silhouetted portrait of General George Washington, his cockaded
tri-cornered hat the mark of a commanding officer. He is looking to the right
at the young Marquis de Lafayette, who fought with Washington’s troops at the
Battle of the Brandywine and six other engagements of the Revolutionary War, including
the final victory at Yorktown, Virginia in October, 1781.
The
placement of Lafayette on the right may have held some significance for the
artist, as Lafayette is known to have ridden his horse on Washington’s right
side as they marched triumphantly through the streets of Philadelphia in August
1777 before their first battle together. Below these portraits is written “THIS
IS THE PLACE WHERE WASHINGTON & LAFAYETTE HAD A VERY CLOSE SHAVE.”
History
buffs recall the Battle of the Brandywine as the largest land battle in North
America up until the Civil War, a conflict which Washington lost, but survived
to fight another day.
The
sign’s weathered surface reveals its exposure to the elements over many years.
It is known to have hung outside the barbershop going back over 85 years to at
least 1926. In June 1998 students from the joint University of
Delaware/Winterthur Program in Art Conservation were engaged to help restore
the sign that is made of five wooden boards coated with white and black paint.
The entire sign had been covered with a “yellow material from Du Pont” by
Andrew Wyeth, giving the structure a canary-yellow tint.
Diligently
working under the direction of Joyce Hill Stoner, Ph. D., then Chair of the Art
Conservation Department at the University of Delaware, art restorers managed to
stabilize the widespread cracking and flaking paint, while retaining its
historic, earthy charm. You don’t have to touch the surface to understand how
fragile it is, just as fragile as Washington’s ragtag, undersupplied army was
fighting against the British.
So,
the next time you pass a barber shop, think twice about how delicate and
unstable the beginnings of our young nation were… and how two patriots- George
Washington, a Founding Father… and the Marquis de Lafayette, a Founding Son of
the American Revolution… had a very close shave back on Sept. 11, 1777. Visit
the Sanderson Museum – A Man’s Life, A Nation’s
History at 1755 Creek Road in Chadds Ford, just North of Route 1 or on-line atwww.SandersonMuseum.org.
• Gene Pisasale worked
as a petroleum geologist, then later as a portfolio manager/analyst for 24
years in the investment industry. He retired in 2010 to pursue his writing
career and lecture tours. He is the author of several historical novels
including “Abandoned Address- The Secret of Frick’s Lock” and
“Lafayette’s Gold- The Lost Brandywine Treasure.” Gene is married and
lives in Kennett Square. Contact Gene at gpisasale@FoodWineTravelHistory.com or www.GenePisasale.com.
Gene Pisasale is an historian, author and lecturer based in Kennett Square, Pa. His eight books and historic lecture series focus on the history of the mid-Atlantic region. Gene’s latest book is Alexander Hamilton: Architect of the American Financial System, which delves into the life and many accomplishments of this important Founding Father who almost single-handedly transformed our nation from a bankrupt entity into the most successful country in the history of mankind. Gene’s books are available on www.Amazon.com. His website is www.GenePisasale.com; he can be reached at Gene@GenePisasale.com.
Have you ever found yourself
stuck in a rut with no idea how to get out and start moving again? You can remember when you used to have
control of your home, your stuff and your schedule but it seems that somewhere
along the line you lost it. You
can’t imagine how you will ever find time for tasks that were once
routine. When did you fall into
this rut and how will you ever get out?
“Ruts” are something we all
experience at one time or another.
Sometimes an event such as a birth, a move, a divorce or a death can
bring our routines to a complete halt.
Other times it’s perfectionism that keeps us from starting in the first
place – if I can’t do the whole thing and do it right I won’t do anything at all. Maybe you can’t even put a finger on
exactly how you arrived at this point, yet here you are, stuck.
When life stalls like this, it
can feel so overwhelming that it is hard to decide where and how to get
started. And, if you can’t decide
what step to take first, you may choose not to step forward at all. Nevertheless, taking hold of the reins
again and moving forward and is the only way out.
If you are feeling stuck, not
knowing how to regain control of managing your time and your responsibilities,
I’d like to offer some practical tips to help you step up and out of your rut
and get yourself back on track.
Make a List. The best
place to start is with a list. One
of my favorite lists is a three-column list with the columns labeled: To Do/To
Call/To Get. I like this one
because it keeps like tasks together – this way, if I am making phone calls I
can remember to call the vet as well as my credit card company and Aunt Mary
for her birthday. I make my list
in my planner and review and re-write it at the beginning of each week. Any
incompletes move to the next week so they are in front of me when I check my
agenda.
When making your list, be as
thorough and inclusive as possible.
Seeing things written down will remind you what needs to be done and
help you decide where to begin.
Don’t worry if the first task you choose is a small one, accomplishing
any one of your goals is a step toward regaining control of your time and your
environment and it’s one thing you get to cross off your list.
Set A Timer. As you
continue to choose your next goals, and to keep from getting stalled, aim for
progress, not perfection. To help
let go of perfectionism and focus on moving forward, divide your work into
chunks of time. Setting a time
limit will contain the tasks to more manageable and achievable goals. Twenty minutes once or twice each day
to tackle items on your To Do list will insure your continued progress.
Have A Buddy. If you
have others at home, make it a family affair. Instead of waiting for the perfect time when you can clean
the kitchen undisturbed, invite the rest of the family to join in a timed
twenty minute whirlwind attack of any project or chore they choose. Ask each person to share their goal
before the timer starts and regard the progress that each one has made when the
timer ends. You can incorporate
these group chore-storming events into every weekday. Make sure to keep them short and to acknowledge your
individual and “team” achievements.
If you live alone, call a
friend and ask them to take this “clutter-conquer” challenge with you. Choose a time of day that you will both
set a 20-minute timer. Call each
other afterward to report your progress.
Contact a Professional.Helping people get their homes, schedules
and routines on track is what professional organizers are trained to do. Unlike hiring a house-cleaner who will
come in and clean around your stuff, an organizer will assess your individual
needs and situation, make recommendations on how to arrange your things and
your time so that they support your life and, finally, they will work side by
side with you to get the work done.
A rut does not have to last
forever. If you’re ready, take a
deep breath and step forward. You
can do it.
• To contact Annette Reyman for packing/unpacking help, gift certificates,
organizing work or speaking engagements in the Greater Philadelphia area call
(908) 361-7105 or email her at annettereyman@gmail.com.
Reyman is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers
(NAPO®) and Board Member of its Greater
Philadelphia Chapter.
Visit her blog, http://www.areyofhope.blogspot.com
or her website at www.allrightorganizing.com
or follow All Right Organizing on Facebook.
