July 10, 2015 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Erma S. Singer of Kennett Square

Erma S. Singer, 79, of Kennett Square, died Thursday, July 9, at Garden Spot Village in New Holland.

She was the wife of P. Jay Singer, with whom she shared 59 years of marriage.

Born Aug. 14, 1935, she was the daughter of the late Granville and Belloneida Benjamin Stephens.

Erma was a 1953 graduate of Kennett High School and was employed for many years at Kendal at Longwood in the personnel department.

She was a member of Hamorton United Methodist Church for over 50 years.

Erma loved her family, especially her grandchildren. She was devoted to her faith and her many friends. She was active in Cub Scouts and her monthly Card Club. Along with her husband, she enjoyed traveling and camping, especially post-retirement trips to Alaska, the western United States, and Europe.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by and will be deeply missed by her daughter Jaye Ann Hostetler (Rick) of Oxford; and sons Joe (Margaret) of Landisville, Jeff (Roxana), and Jerry (Sandi) both of Kennett Square; as well as nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren; and her sister Peg Wade of Boynton Beach, Fla., and brother Larry Stephens of Unionville, and many nieces and nephews.

You may visit with Erma’s family from 10 a.m. to noon on Monday, July 13, 2015, at Hamorton United Methodist Church, 1052B E. Baltimore Pike in Kennett Square. Her funeral service will follow. Interment will be at the convenience of the family. A Memorial service will be held at a later date at Garden Spot Village.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to Garden Spot Village 433 S. Kinzer Avenue, New Holland, PA 17557 or to the Hamorton United Methodist Church, 1052B E. Baltimore Pike, Kennett Square, PA 19348 or Rancks United Methodist Church, 700 Ranck Road, New Holland, PA 17557

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

Arrangements are being handled by Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home in Kennett Square.

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United Way working to foster young readers

Local News

United Way of Chester County (UWCC) wrapped up a two-week summer preschool book drive with nearly 420 donated books, valued at over $2,300, according to a United Way press release.

Little Free Libraries operate with a ‘take one, leave one’ approach to foster young readers.

Local residents donated new and gently used books for young children, filling up collection bins at several locations, including three branches of the YMCA of Greater Brandywine, Exton Square Mall, St. James’ Episcopal Church, Second Reading Bookstore, and the Chester County Book Company. These generous donations will support UWCC’s Early Education Initiative, the release said.

Charles Kochka, board president of UWCC explained the initiative’s value by noting: “Studies show that when children receive quality early learning experiences, they enter school more prepared. Success in school predicts success in life.”

To offer families free and accessible early learning activities, UWCC has installed nine Born Learning Trails throughout Chester County since 2009, funded by private, civic and corporate sponsors and built by volunteers. Eight of those Born Learning Trails will have Little Free Libraries, thanks to a recent grant from CCRES, which provides educational and behavioral health services in Chester County.

The libraries promote community involvement with a “take one, leave one” approach at the outdoor Born Learning Trail locations. “The goal is for families who may be unable to purchase books to be able to read age-appropriate books with their children, instilling a love of learning that prepares them for school success,” explained United Way of Chester County’s Manager of Community Engagement Mary Anne Feeley.

Host sites, local volunteers, and library groups plan to maintain the Little Free Libraries. The CCRES grant also benefitted the Summer Preschool Book Drive collection, which will replenish supplies at the sites this summer.

For more information on Born Learning Trails or Little Free Libraries, contact Mary Anne Feeley at 610-429-9400.

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Roadwork for week of July 12

Along the Ford

PennDOT has announced the following road projects, which are weather-dependent and could affect residents in the greater Chadds Ford area during the week of July 12 through July 19. The department recommends that motorists allow extra time if they are traveling through one of the construction zones.

Route 1 in both directions in New Garden and Kennett townships will require lane closures between Newark Road and East Baltimore Pike. The work on guide rail installation will be done from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Monday, July 13, through Friday, July 17.

On Route 202 in Concord and Chadds Ford townships, lane closures will be needed for roadwork in connection with the Wegmans shopping center between Applied Card Way and Route 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Oct. 1.

The Wegmans project will also necessitate lane closures on Route 1 in Concord Township in both directions between Brinton Lake Road and Route 202 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Oct. 1.

Sinkhole repair in West Chester Borough will require lane restrictions on High Street in both directions on Wednesday, July 15, and Thursday, July 16, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The work will extend from Market to Marshall streets.

Brandywine Road in East Bradford Township will require a lane closure between Allerton and South Bridge roads on Monday, July 13, and Tuesday, July 14, for resurfacing. The work is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Market Street in West Chester Borough will be subject to intermittent lane closures on Monday, July 13, and Tuesday, July 14, for road repair. Crews are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will be working between High and Bolmar streets.

Utility installation will result in overnight lane restrictions on East Market Street between Matlack and High streets and on South High Street between Miner and Union streets in West Chester Borough through Friday, Aug. 14. Crews will be working weekdays from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Green Hill Road in West Goshen Township will be subject to lane restrictions in both directions between Pottstown Pike and Hamilton Drive. Crews will be working on Friday, July 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Motorists on Boot Road in West Whiteland Township will experience lane closures between Spring and Spackmans from Monday, July 13, through Friday, July 20 for utility installation. Crews will be working from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Boot Road in West Goshen Township will be subject to lane restrictions for road widening between Clover Mill and National roads. The work will be done weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through July 31.

Burnt Mill Road in Kennett Township is closed and detoured between Norway and Spring Mill roads indefinitely while crews prepare for repairs to a bridge that collapsed on April 24.

Nighttime travel restrictions are scheduled next week on Route 202 in Tredyffrin and East Whiteland townships for the road-widening project. Crews will reduce northbound and/or southbound U.S. 202 from three lanes to two lanes between the Route 401 and Chesterbrook interchanges on Monday, July 13, through Thursday, July 16, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. and from 10 p.m.on Friday, July 17, to 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 18.

Ongoing construction at the Route 202 bridges over Route 401 and Planebrook Road in East Whiteland Township may result in periodic flagger-controlled lane closures on both roadways on Monday, July 13, through Friday, July 17, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Intermittent traffic stoppages also may occur during overnight operations.

Periodic lane closures will be in place on Route 401 (Conestoga Road) at the Route 202 overpass on Saturday, July 18, from 12:01 to 10 a.m., and on Planebrook Road at the Route 202 overpass on Saturday, July 18, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Route 100 will continue to be restricted to one lane in both directions between Sunrise Drive and Route 113 in Uwchlan and West Whiteland townships, from Monday, July 13, through Friday, July 7, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for road widening.

Westbound I-76 in Philadelphia will require closure of the right lane between the South Street and Route 1 (City Avenue) interchanges for highway lighting inspections. The work is scheduled from Tuesday, July 14, through Thursday, July 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

If you want to report potholes and other roadway maintenance concerns on state roads, call 610-566-0972 in Delaware County or 484-340-3200 in Chester County, or visit www.dot.state.pa.us and click on “submit feedback.”

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Fire hits Garnet Ford

Local News

*** Story updated 3:25 p.m., July 10***

Garnet Ford Service Manager Ira Burgis said this morning that he hopes the dealership will be back up to 100 percent operations by Monday. A fire Thursday night severely damaged the main shop and left most of the dealership running on half power.

Two other shops are operational, he said, but even the sales side of the business is temporarily down because of the lack of power.

The exterior of the main shop where the win dow blew out in the fire. — The exterior of the main shop where the window blew out in the fire.

Burgis thanked the fire companies that responded to the 8:50 p.m. call. “They did a great job,” he said.

He was especially appreciative of a member of Garnet Ford’s cleanup crew.

According to Burgis, a member of the crew smelled smoke, grabbed a fire extinguisher and then heard a pop. He then dropped the extinguisher and called 9-1-1.

That pop, Burgis said, was a window blowing out. “I’m glad he called it in when he did, or things would be worse.”

The unofficial cause of the fire, Burgis said, was a laptop in the main service area that caught fire. That computer was near a Ford Mustang, which also caught fire.

Flames damaged that Mustang and another beside it. Two other vehicles in the shop were smoke damaged. There were no injuries.

Chadds Ford Fire Marshal Tom Nelling, who is also the fire chief at Concordville Fire Co., was unavailable for comment.

Update: Pennsylvania State Police from Troop K, Media barracks, confirmed later in the afternoon of Friday, July 10, that the fire did start in the area where service technicians keep the laptops, printers and power strips. However, investigators, including Nelling and Concord Township Fire Marshal Fred Field, could not determine whether the passing thunderstorm Thursday night played any part in causing the fire.

(Main photo: The Mustang and Explorer on the right were damaged by flames. Two other vehicles were smoke damaged.)

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.

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