March 21, 2012 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Sargio Joseph De Michiel

de_michiel_photo — Sargio Joseph De Michiel

Sargio Joseph De Michiel, 83, died peacefully in his home
surrounded by his loving family and wife Joan. He died on the first day of
spring, a fitting parting, as it was a day of new beginnings.

Raised in New York City, he proudly served our country as a
sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corp in occupied China at the end of World War II.
While serving, he was a Golden Gloves lightweight champion boxer. After leaving
the service, he resumed his fine arts studies at The Arts Students League in
New York City and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. He met
his wife Joan Kabalan in Philadelphia. They married in Cape May, N.J. and later
resided in New London, where they raised their eight children. Sargio was not
only prolific of family, while operating “Sargio Signs”, a successful
commercial sign business, but continued his fine arts endeavors in other
artistic mediums including sculpting, pottery and wood carving. His
entrepreneurial spirit led into many endeavors, including building his own
homes, owning several restaurants and farming. Later in life Sargio taught art
classes at the Chester County Art Association, the Academy of Lifelong Learning
in Wilmington, the Harrisburg Art Association and his home studio.

Sargio was compassionate about his community and was a
strong advocate for the rights of the developmentally disabled. He is survived
by his wife Joan, daughters Dianne (Doug), Maria (Angelo) and sons, Sante
(Amy), Mark (Janice), Greg (Lauren), Jeff (Donna) and Brian. He is also
survived by his fourteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his beloved daughter, Joanne and
sisters, Olimpia and Gloria and his father and mother, Sante and Maria De
Michiel.

You are invited to visit with his family and friends from 9
to 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 24, at Assumption BVM Church, 300 State Road,
West Grove. His funeral Mass will follow. Burial will be in St. Patrick’s
Cemetery, Kennett Square.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to : Wounded
Warriors Project, P O B0x 758517, Topeka, KS 66675

Online condolences may be made by visiting www.griecocares.com

Arrangements by the Foulk & Grieco Funeral Home, West
Grove, PA (Phone: 610-869-2685)

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School board wants change in prevailing wage law

Local News

Andrew-Vogts — School board wants change in prevailing wage law

The Unionville-Chadds Ford
School Board wants the state legislature to change the law for prevailing
minimum wages. The current law requires a prevailing wage — set by the state —
to be used on all construction jobs costing in excess of $25,000, a figure that
hasn’t been changed since set 51 years ago.

School Board Director Jeff
Hellrung offered a resolution — based on one set by the state association of
school boards — that asks the legislature to pass HB 1329 and raise the
prevailing wage limit from $25,000 to $185,000. The resolution passed 8-0 with
Director Frank Murphy abstaining because he was late for the meeting.

“It’s a burden to us,” Hellrung
said. “It inflates the cost of projects. It adds 10 to 30 percent to the cost
of a capital project.”

The law says the secretary of
labor and industry shall “determine the general prevailing minimum wage rate in
the locality in which the public work is to be performed.”

A prevailing wage is more than
the agreed upon wage set between employer and employee.

“When no workmen for which a
prevailing minimum wage is to be determined hereunder are employed in the
locality, the locality may be extended to include adjoining political
subdivisions where such workmen are employed in those crafts or trades for
which there are no workmen employed in the locality as otherwise herein
defined,” the law reads.

There was a brief discussion on
the resolution.

Keith Knauss said he would like
to see no prevailing wage at all. He said the district could have saved $6
million on the high school project had it not been for the prevailing wage
requirement.

Jeff Leiser agreed, saying that
he would prefer to see a free market decide the wage rate.

There was one minor dissent,
but only to the wording of the resolution. The measure called the increase from
$25,000 to $185,000 as a “modest” increase.

Kathy Do asked that the word
“modest” be eliminated because the increase, she said, was 700 percent.

However, she said, “It’s not a
deal-breaker.”

The wording stood and the
resolution passed.

U-CF isn’t the only political
entity in the area requesting passage of HB 1329. Birmingham Township passed a
similar resolution.

John Conklin, chairman of the
Birmingham Township Board of Supervisors, has called the prevailing wage
requirement an unfunded mandate.

The board met at Chadds Ford
Elementary School and members were entertained by CFES fifth-grader Andrew
Vogts who played the violin at the beginning of the meeting.

About Rich Schwartzman

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.

School board wants change in prevailing wage law Read More »

Adopt-a-Pet March 22

Local News

Mickey is a 2-year-old domestic short-haired cat that was
surrendered to the shelter in January because the other cat in the home did not
like him – little did that kitty know that it was his loss! Mickey has the best of both personality
traits in that he is playful as well as affectionate, and would enjoy cat naps in
a lap after chasing his string toys.
Mickey loves kids of all ages and would make a great pet for a family or
a single person looking for a new furry companion! If you are able to provide Mickey or any of our other
animals here at the shelter a home, visit the Chester County SPCA at 1212
Phoenixville Pike in West Goshen or call 610-692-6113. Mickey’s registration number is 96806796. To meet some of our other adoptable
animals, visit the shelter or log onto www.ccspca.org.

About CFLive Staff

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In My Experience: Life Changes

Along the Ford

Dear
Jeanne-Marie

It seems like
everything is always changing and often in ways I did not expect. How can I get
my life to be more constant?

Signed,

Wants Peace
and Quiet

Dear Wants
Peace and Quiet,

You can’t stop
the natural flow of life.

Signed,

Jeanne-Marie

In My Experience

My daughter
always liked board games. It
started with Candyland and it went from there. Over the years we spent many
hours on the floor challenging each other. Looking back, the best game I had bought and played
endlessly (or so it seemed) with her was The Game of Life. Luckily this game
was bought before she entered adolescence and ‘knew it all’. So she was open to
seeing how different choices lead to different outcomes, and also how no matter
the outcome, an obstacle could arrive with the throw of the dice. It helped her
to learn about money, education, relationships, lifestyle, and of course-LIFE.
Best gift I ever gave her.

However, as a
person tuned into observing patterns, there is another part of life that I have
noticed over the years. Life seems to move along a pattern of seven-year
cycles:

Age 7-First grade is the start of
serious education. No more Playdoh and naps.

Age
14-Hormones kick in and our world turns upside down.

Age 21-We are
adults and fully into preparing for our careers.

Age 28-After 5
years in the work world, we have fallen in love and are ready to marry.

Age 35-If our
marriage has survived the ‘seven
year itch’, we are now parents.

Age 42-Our
children are starting school and we have to let go a little.

Age
49-Mid-life crisis is in full swing and we are now divorced.

Age 56-Our
children are in college and we are tired of our career.

Age 63-We
become grandparents.

Age 70-We are
in Florida, in Disney World acting like kids.

Age 77-Health
issues become serious. Friends die.

Age 85-We are
old and surprised to still be alive.

Age
92-………

Is this chart
completely accurate? Of course not.

Does it apply
to everyone? No way.

Is the outcome
the same? Yes.

We all die.

Lesson here:
LIFE is short. Embrace the changes.

*Jeanne-Marie Curtis came from
Philadelphia to Chadds Ford Township in 1990. She has her BBA in HR
Management/Employment Law. She is the author of Junctions by Jeanne-Marie
(Every Woman’s Journey and Journal) available at ChaddsFordLive.com
Products/Books.

*To submit a question: email
Jeanne-Marie at junctionsbyjm@aol.com

About Jeanne-Marie Curtis

In My Experience: Life Changes Read More »

Free Your Space: Use It or Lose It

Home and Leisure

It can be a challenge to keep on
top of our stock of supplies, especially those things that are used in the
background of our busy lives.
While we run to keep up with kids, new gadgetry and demanding jobs, we grab
new products along the way, push the old stuff to the back and, before we know
it, our cupboards are overflowing with “I-don’t-know-what.”

Seasonal clean-outs are cyclical
opportunities to address some of the ‘stuff’ of our lives that have outlived
their expiration dates. “Spring
Cleaning” is a perfect time to go through some of our familiar-yet-forgotten
supplies. To name a few:
cosmetics, medications and spices are some accoutrements of our daily
lives. And, while these staples
can last a long time, they rarely last forever and require an occasional review
to curtail and maintain our collections.

Cosmetics:
Did you know that makeup and
lotions have expiration dates?
Sometimes we collect extra cosmetics because of a good sale, a one-time
whim or phase, or because we receive samples. After a while, it’s easy to forget exactly what we have and
even where we have it. To address
this issue, set up a staging area – a made-bed with a towel (not your favorite)
laid out to absorb any leaks. Then
go on a treasure hunt. Check
bedroom and bathroom drawers and cabinets to find all your makeup, lotions, and
perfumes and gather them to your stage.

Begin by weeding out the items
that you know you will never use again:

If it’s been
opened, toss it in the trash.

If still
sealed, check the expiration date to decide if you will pass it on or throw it
out.

Check the expiration dates of
the keepers before returning them to their containers. If you can’t find the date, this
website will help: http://checkcosmetic.net/.

Medications:
Prescription drugs or over the
counter, it is important to go through you stock of medications at least
annually. It can be confusing and
dangerous to keep medications around that no longer work for you or are not
compatible with your other meds.
Clear the kitchen table and empty out all your medications from one
cabinet. (Unlike toiletries, it is
best to tackle these items one area at a time so as not to mix any medications
up). Dispose of the drugs that
have expired and the ones that you are no longer supposed to be taking –
expired or not. Return the drugs
you will keep to their cabinet, keeping over-the-counter drugs separate. As for the rejects, it is important to
be responsible about their disposal.
Many medications have safe disposal methods posted right on the
containers. Some medications are
flushable. Others can be thrown in
the trash after mixing them with coffee grinds or kitty litter first (to ensure
that some unsuspecting animal or child does not consume them). Protect yourself by removing any
identifying labels before discarding the container. Visit the FDA
website for more about safe drug disposal and the DEA
website to find out about prescription drug “Take Back Days” in your community.

Spices:
Whether you’re an avid gourmet
chef, a casual Rachel Ray, or the microwave queen of the east coast, I’ll bet
you have a few spices in your kitchen.
And, unless you are a college student just starting out, I’d also bet
that they’ve been there for a few years.
This is okay since most spices have a shelf life of up to five years. As you can see I said five, not fifty. Ok, so they’re sitting there not hurting anyone – big
deal. Well they are also taking up
lots of cupboard space that could possibly be better used for getting some of
your more current inventory off the countertops. Also, just because you
haven’t touched them in years, that doesn’t mean that they’ve remained
untouched. Spices are edible and
if you’re not going to eat them, there may be a bug or two that would be happy
to help (trust me on this, I know).
Some of the spice companies have guidelines as to how long a spice is
good for on their websites. Some
containers are marked with expiration dates. Here are a couple of quick decision makers:

1.
If it’s in a little rectangular tin can (with
the exception of black pepper), throw it out. Those cans have not been made since the 90’s.

2.
If you haven’t used it at all in five years,
throw it out. If you finally find
a recipe that calls for it, why would you want to risk ruining your creation
with something gone bad?

For more information about how
long to keep your spices visit the McCormick
website or SpiceAdvice.com.

* To contact Annette Reyman for
organizing work, productivity support, gift certificates or speaking
engagements in the Greater Philadelphia area call (610) 213-9559 or email her
at annette@allrightorganizing.com.
Reyman is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers
(NAPO®) and Board Member of its Greater
Philadelphia Chapter.
Visit her website at www.allrightorganizing.com
or follow All Right Organizing on Facebook.

About Annette Reyman

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Obama’s Iran policy commits him to war

Opinion

Despite the alleged difference
between President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Iran,
both embrace a position that logically commits them to war. If war is to be
avoided, as Obama says he wishes, he will have to abandon his current stance.

The difference between Obama
and Netanyahu is more apparent than real. Both say Iran’s possession of a
nuclear weapon is “unacceptable.” Both have vauntingly put “all options on the
table,” including the nuclear option. Both say they are willing to give harsh
economic sanctions and diplomacy more time.

Some difference seems to exist
between where each would draw the “red line.” Netanyahu says he cannot tolerate
Iran’s having even partially finished components and know-how; by that low
standard, Iran has already crossed the line. Obama seems to draw the line at
actual production or possession of a nuclear weapon. In practice this may be a
distinction without a difference, since if Iran were to decide to build a
weapon, it certainly would not do it in the open.

That is a big “if,” however.
Neither American nor Israeli intelligence believes Iran has decided to make a
nuclear warhead. For a decade American and Israeli demagogues have said an Iranian
bomb is just a few years away. Yet Iran’s uranium, which is under the watchful
eye of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has not been enriched to weapons
grade. Iran insists its nuclear research is for electricity and medicine.
Moreover, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei for years has said that Islam forbids
possession of nuclear weapons. In February Khamenei
repeated:

“The Iranian nation has never
pursued and will never pursue nuclear weapons. There is no doubt that the
decision makers in the countries opposing us know well that Iran is not after
nuclear weapons because the Islamic Republic, logically, religiously and
theoretically, considers the possession of nuclear weapons a grave sin and
believes the proliferation of such weapons is senseless, destructive and
dangerous.”

One may reasonably be skeptical
of what the head of any government says, but one is obliged to present some
evidence to contradict a particular claim, especially one made over many years
and supported by American intelligence.

At best Obama has bought some
time with Netanyahu. The last thing Obama wants before the election is a new
war that would, as the least of its consequences, send gasoline prices soaring.

But let’s not yet conclude that
Obama deserves another Nobel Peace Prize. The time he bought is time in which
the Iranian middle and working classes will suffer greatly under the tightening
sanctions, which impede the country’s ability to sell its oil and to import
needed commodities. Food prices are already skyrocketing as the value of the
Iranian rial plummets. Innocent people, particularly children, are suffering.

This is reminiscent of the
1990s sanctions on Iraq that killed 500,000 children and fueled the
anti-Americanism that led to the attacks on September 11, 2001. One recalls
President Clinton’s UN ambassador and later secretary of state Madeleine
Albright’s infamous comment that the murder of those children was “worth it” in
the effort to drive Iraqi president Saddam Hussein from power. Will Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton say the same thing some day?

The other track Obama touts is
diplomacy. But the big question is this: What is there to talk about? Iran’s
government (with the support of the people) insists it may legally enrich
uranium for peaceful purposes. Indeed, it may do so under the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty, which it has signed. But Obama and Netanyahu want
Iran to end its enrichment program. When Iran arranged to acquire enriched
uranium in a swap with Turkey and Brazil, Obama scotched the deal (after being
for it).

So the United States and Israel
are making a demand that Iran cannot accept without becoming subservient to
them. This it will not do. What then? Considering what Obama (“I don’t bluff”)
and Netanyahu demand, war is the only remaining option. Their objective simply
cannot be achieved except by regime change, and the Iranian government cannot
be expected to accommodate them.

Obama’s adulators desperately
want to believe he is a man of peace. They need to wake up.

* Sheldon Richman is senior fellow at The Future of Freedom Foundation
(www.fff.org) and editor of The Freeman magazine.

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Police Log March 22

Police

• Jon Eren Olgun, 26, of
Coatesville, was arrested for DUI and drug charges following a traffic stop at
Route 202 and Dilworthtown Road on March 18. Olgun’s vehicle was stopped for
traffic violations at 4:07 a.m., a police report said. The report went on to
say that he was determined to be driving under the influence and that drugs
were found on his person at the time of the arrest.

• Police are investigating at
attempted theft of a wallet at Marshall’s in the Concordville Town Center on
March 18. According to a police report, a woman shopper turned toward her
shopping cart to see a man removing the wallet from her purse that was in her
shopping cart. The suspect, described only as a black man about 35 years old,
threw the wallet into an adjacent rack of clothes and walked away after the
victim shouted, “Hey, what are you doing?” The victim retrieved her wallet and
its contents.

• State police arrested a
Concord resident for DUI after a traffic stop on Brinton Lake Road at Spring
Valley Road. A police report said Sean Joseph McGillen was stopped for traffic
code violations at 1:37 a.m. on March 16. He was charged with driving under the
influence of alcohol or a controlled substance and in violation of the
Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act.

• An Ohio woman was arrested on
theft by deception charges when she tried to make a purchase at Walgreens on
Route 202 using fraudulent store coupons. The defendant, Amanda S. Panek, 27,
of Lakewood, Ohio, used fraudulent coupons in four other stores in Delaware,
Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, the police report said. An
estimated $3,555 of baby formula was found in her van, the report said.

About CFLive Staff

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Bits & Pieces March 22

Along the Ford

• Pennsbury Township supervisors are still studying the possibility of moving the Hope House onto township land.

Aaron McIntyre, supervisors’ chaiman, prepared a letter to support a grant application for Phase 2 of the Strategic Action Pan for the Brandywine Creek Greenway. Pennsbury joins sixteen other townships named to support the application. There will be no cost to the township.

• Birmingham Township supervisors approved participation in the “Strategic Action Plan for the Brandywine Creek Greenway.” Birmingham joins 16 other townships named in the grant application that was described by supervisors’ Vice Chairman Bill Kirkpatrick as “yet another study.” There is no cost to the township to participate. Also approved was expenditure on the 20-year sewer plant for $2589.25 for maintenance on the brush auger part of the intake system.

• The Chadds Ford Business Association’s April meeting will be a luncheon and business expo at Penn Oaks Golf Club on Route 202. The event is noon, Thursday, April 12, 2012. Cost is $15 and includes lunch and entrance to expo.

• Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Chester County will be holding a garden fair and sale on April 28, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the East Goshen Township Building, 1580 Paoli Pike in West Chester. The event will include classes, workshops, plant sale, demonstrations, and a silent auction. A fee of $25 ($35 at the door, space permitting) provides admission to all talks and activities. The plant sale is free and open to the public.

• Artist Bob Jackson will discuss his art and a new book about his art in a lively and informal chat at the Brandywine River Museum, Saturday, April 7, from 1-3 p.m. Robert C. Jackson Paintings contains 130 images of Jackson’s paintings with details, photographs of the artist at work, sketchbook reproductions, and an interview. Jackson is one of a group of contemporary artists dedicated to preserving the great American still life. Copies of the book are available in the Brandywine River Museum Shop for $59.99 (hard cover).

• The Delaware Museum of Natural History celebrates the science of small at NanoDay, sponsored by ING Direct, on Saturday, March 24, 2012, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Family-friendly activities illustrate the world at the nanoscale, making this new field of science accessible and fun. Visitors can investigate nano particles used in sunblock, grasp forces stronger than gravity, and play with sand that doesn’t get wet — even under water! Other activities include using super thin materials used in solar cell technology and measuring yourself in nanometers. NanoDay runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Darlington Arts Center is hosting an open house for parents to learn about their unique Preschool at Darlington Program for ages 3 – 5 on Friday, March 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. Darlington has had a preschool enrichment program for many years, and this fall will be launching a full-fledged preschool curriculum. Learn about the use of the arts to teach early education curriculum, and how this unique program is set up. For more information, please visit www.darlingtonarts.org or call 610-358-3632 .

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