A Unionville High School student may or may not be charged with a crime after a hunting knife was found in his pickup truck that was parked on school property.
According to Unionville-Chadds Ford School District Superintendent John Sanville, filing charges would be at the discretion of the state police.
On Sept. 25, dogs searching for drugs, alcohol, tobacco and weapons were performing a routine check when they reacted to a pickup truck. According to Sanville, the dogs alerted for gunpowder, not drugs.
Because no weapons of any kind are permitted on school property, high school administrators discovered the identity of the student who drove his vehicle onto campus. During an interview, the student indicated that he is a hunter, and that he has carried guns in his car in the past– but never onto campus, said an email from Principal Jimmy Conley.
A subsequent search of the vehicle found no guns or any ammunition, but the student, who was extremely cooperative, said he had a hunting knife with a three-inch blade in the back seat. The Pennsylvania State police were contacted, and the student has been suspended from school; schools are no place for weapons, the email said.
Sanville did not identify the student, but did say he’s a “good kid who’s never been in trouble.”
As part of the district’s security policy, dogs are called in to search the grounds four times per year. This was the first such search of this school year.
“As always, the safety and well being of all of our students is our top priority,” said Conley in the email. “I have said this before, but I believe that it is worth reiterating, that this is a learning experience for our student. As a school, we are here to support all of our students.”
The incident comes just a day after Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan issued a press release saying the parent of a middle school student would not be charged with having a firearm in his unattended car while on school property on Sept. 3.
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.
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 Sept. 26 through Oct. 3. The department recommends that motorists allow extra time if they are traveling through one of the construction zones.
Paving and base repair will continue on Webb Road in Chadds Ford Township between Baltimore Pike and Oakland Road. The work will be done from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28, through Friday, Oct. 2.
Paving will also continue on Smithbridge Road between the Delaware state line and Valley Brook Road in Chadds Ford and Concord townships and Chester Heights Borough from Sunday, Sept. 27, through Friday, Oct. 2. Work will be done from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Electrical work is scheduled for the same segment of Smithbridge Road. The work, which will require lane restrictions, will be done from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28, through Friday, Oct. 2.
Lane closures on Route 202 in Concord and Chadds Ford townships will continue for roadwork between Applied Card Way and Route 1 in connection with the Wegmans shopping center 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., also through Oct. 1.
Burnt Mill Road in Kennett Township is closed and detoured indefinitely between Norway and Spring Mill roads while advance work continues on repairs to the Burnt Mill Bridge, which was closed on April 24, 2014.
The road-widening project continues on Route 100 in Uwchlan and West Whiteland townships. Lane closures will be in effect between Sunrise Drive and Route 113 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Tuesday, Sept. 29, through Friday, Oct. 2.
Work is continuing on the project to widen Route 202, which is scheduled for completion in August 2016. Motorists will experience traffic pattern shifts and lane closures in both directions in East Whiteland Township between the Routes 30 and 401 interchanges.
Lane closures are scheduled next week on I-95 in Philadelphia for a series of bridge inspections that are weather-dependent. On Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the left lane will be closed on northbound I-95 between I-76 and I-676; on Wednesday, Sept. 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the right lane will be closed on southbound I-95 between Washington Avenue and the Walt Whitman Bridge.
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.”
Thomas “Tommy” P. Vahey, 71, of Cochranville, died Thursday, Sept. 24, at his home. He was the husband of Roberta Work Vahey, with whom he shared 24 years of marriage.
Born in Philadelphia, he was a son of the late Michael and the late Sabina (Shevlane) Vahey.
Tommy was a 1962 graduate of Bonner High School and earned a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Villanova University. He was a longtime bartender in the area and eventually owned his own restaurant, Seamus Mulligans Pub in Kennett Square. He was a longtime active member of Brandywine Baptist Church and the Concord Masonic Lodge F. & A.M. 0625. He enjoyed playing golf and spending time with his family and friends, especially his dog Maggie-Mae.
Survivors include in addition to his wife, three brothers, Joseph (Pat), Harold (Regina), and Michael “Jack” (Ginny); two sisters, Joan McCray and Mary Mallee; five daughters, Traci Nardo of Newark, Jodi Vahey (Paul Pappili) of Wilmington, Kelly Vahey of Leland, N.C., Robyn Welsh (Scott) of West Grove, and Anita Snow (John) of Kennett Square; one son, Anthony Pannell (Kim) of Kennett Square; several grandchildren, nieces and nephews and one great-grandson. He was predeceased by one sister, Kathleen “Cass” Lyons.
You are invited to visit with Tommy’s family and friends from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015 at the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home Inc, (610-444-4116) 250 W. State St. Kennett Square, PA 19348 and from 10-11 a.m. Friday, Oct 2 at the Brandywine Baptist Church 1463 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA, 19317. His funeral service will follow 11 a.m. Friday, at the church. Interment will be in the adjoining cemetery. Contributions in his memory may be made to the church at P.O. Box 162 Chadds Ford, PA 19317. To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.griecocares.com
Unionville Community Fair Queen and Princess Pageant participants – Clarisse Cofrancesco (from left), the queen alternate; Fair Queen Shannon White; Fair Princess Lexus McKinney; and Lauren Chamberlain, the princess alternate – pose after receiving their crowns and sashes.
Updated at 6:30 p.m. with information from KACS
Endearing memories – from delectable apple pies to cow pie Bingo – and the promise of new ones set the tone on Thursday, Sept. 24, for the official opening of the 2015 Unionville Community Fair.
To open the pageant, Carly Rechenberg (left), the 2014 Unionville Fair Queen, sings the national anthem as Kennett Square Borough Council President Leon Spencer listens.
Held at Unionville Elementary School, the Unionville Community Fair Queen and Princess Pageant annually marks the start of a coveted event that is celebrating its 91st year. Four contestants – two each for princess and queen – all walked away with honors.
Carly Rechenberg, last year’s queen, took a break from her studies at Messiah College to present the crown to Shannon White, 17, who ended her reign as the 2014 fair princess; Clarisse Cofrancesco, 17, was named the alternate. White crowned Lexus McKinny, 12, as the 2015 fair princess, and Lauren Chamberlain, 13, was named the alternate. All received scholarships ranging from $50 to $500.
Rechenberg said she was grateful to be part of the pageant legacy and imparted some advice to the girls on stage: “It flies by so cherish every moment.”
Kennett Square Borough Council President Leon R. Spencer Jr. expressed delight to return as emcee. He said the pageant, not unlike “spiced wafers” and fall foliage, represents a welcome sign of the season. Spencer also introduced the pageant judges: Karen Manzone, the 2008 fair queen and recent Bryn Mawr College graduate; Michelle Thomas, a gemologist and chief financial officer at Bove Jewelers in Kennett Square; and Chris Trombetta, a recent musical theater graduate of West Chester University.
Spencer noted that neither the fair nor the pageant could happen without a lot of hard work by numerous volunteers. Elaborating on that theme, longtime Unionville Fair board member Bonnie Musser announced that this year’s fair is dedicated to Dave Salomaki, who began serving as the fair’s director of awards in 1991. Salomaki has kept that behind-the-scenes role ever since, adding a stint on the fair’s board of directors from 2003 to 2005.
Because the fair honoree always receives artwork, Bonnie Musser (left) presents Dave Salomaki, a Longwood Gardens fan, with a painting featuring water lilies.
Musser said that when Salomaki began as director of awards, which requires tallying the judging results, he collected hand-written data and took it to Hewlett-Packard, where it could be plugged into a computer system. Technology has eliminated that chore from the routine; however, the job still entails a lot of detailed computations to ensure that competitors receive their awards, and Salomaki has never missed a fair, Musser said.
Calling Salomaki a consummate community asset, Musser pointed out that his service is not limited to the fair, where he basically survives on cold pizza for five days each year. His other activities include serving on the board for the United Way of Southern Chester County, working the polls in East Marlborough Township, judging Delaware’s First Lego League competition, and participating in both the choir and the hand-bell choir at Calvary Lutheran Church.
Salomaki said he appreciated the recognition. “My reward is the kids,” he added, describing their visible excitement as they bring in their creations, ranging from produce to Lego constructions, for display. “It’s wonderful to keep this going for the kids – for the adults, too – but for me, it’s about the kids.”
Danielle Chamberlain, the fair president, said in keeping with this year’s theme, “Harvest the Fun,” some new activities were added to an ever-growing list that includes the popular lip-synching contest and the Willowdale Pro Rodeo. One of the new attractions may squash the notion that pumpkins belong in pies. A group from “Punkin Chunkin,” a celebrated event held annually in Dover, De., will demonstrate how to propel pumpkins, using various slingshots and catapults.
Pageant participants Clarisse Cofrancesco (from left), Shannon White, Lauren Chamberlain, and Lexus McKinney pose with pumpkins – which they won’t be chunkin’ – at Barnard’s Orchard.
“Only the professionals will be doing this,” Chamberlain said.
Other additions will include the Give and Take Jugglers, who will stroll around the grounds, and the Little Circus, a self-contained, 45-minute show that will take place on Sunday from 1 to 2 p.m.
Chamberlain said the Kennett Area Community Service, which maintains the Kennett Food Cupboard, would be participating in the parade this year and would also have a truck on the fair grounds to collect donations.
Melanie Weiler, KACS’ executive director, said a truck would be accepting donations of non-perishable food items or personal products from Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon. “The Food Cupboard is always in need of cereal, canned vegetables and fruit, as well as canned proteins like tuna or chicken,” she said.
The 91st Unionville Community Fair, hosted by Landhope Farms, will be held on the fairgrounds behind the store, 101 E. Street Rd., Kennett Square, from Oct. 2-4. For a schedule of activities, visit http://www.ucfairinc.org.
If they haven’t gotten the letter yet, parents of students in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District soon will. The letter is from Superintendent John Sanville explaining why their children’s PSSA test scores are lower than anticipated.
The letter accompanies the scores from the 2014-2015 school year and says, “The [Pennsylvania State System of Assessment] was updated to align to the new Pennsylvania Core Standards. As part of this update, ‘passing’ scores were raised significantly. The new threshold has meant that fewer students are receiving advanced and proficient scores.”
Sanville explained that the “momentary shift was expected,” and he reassured parents that U-CF students will still score well above state averages.
The district adopted new curricula in both reading and math in preparation for the new state standards. Sanville said early feedback from teachers is “positive” and there will be ongoing monitoring to provide the district with necessary information to “provide all students with focused and relevant educational experiences.”
“We continue to offer a world-class learning environment that emphasizes the role of our students as successful members of society,” he said.
Sanville’s letter is one of three recent letters explaining the lower scores. One of the other letters was from the Chester County Intermediate Unit, which said the shift was a result of the “first-time administration of a Pennsylvania State System of Assessment aligned to the Pennsylvania Core Standards, which were adopted in 2013.”
The CCIU letter also said, “Preliminary results indicate that 70 percent of the commonwealth’s eighth-graders are no longer proficient in math, which will undoubtedly come as a surprise to over 50 percent of parents whose same children were proficient or advanced in mathematics as seventh-graders on the PSSA.”
That letter also included a message from Michael Christian, superintendent of the Owen J. Roberts School District, who told parents that their children should not feel discouraged and that “this year’s scores are a baseline for a new state-mandated assessment and are just one data point of our children’s academic achievement.”
Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera said the same thing in a letter to parents. He noted that the scores represented merely a snapshot in time that determines a baseline for future growth.
“Comparing your student’s scores and levels of performance on the new assessment with those from previous years is not a valid comparison and may not provide an accurate depiction of their learning,” Rivera said.
All the letters referenced were dated in September, with no specific day mentioned.
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.
Mansfield Construction is preparing to present new residential plans for two sites on Oakland Road, but submit the plans as a single project. According to Jackie Grace-Hochman, the plans should be ready for the Chadds Ford Township Planning Commission by its November meeting, if not October.
Mansfield, a Grace family business entity, previously submitted separate plans for the two sites to the Planning Commission.
Grace-Hochman said proposed plans call for 14 townhouses to be built on the east side of Oakland Road from Brinton’s Bridge Road south, and for 24 new single homes to be built on the west side of the street, the site of the former Goodman property.
Between the two sites, more than 50 acres will remain green space. Grace-Hochman also said the townhouses planned for the east side of Oakland would be “historically accurate, similar in appearance to the theme of that corner.”
That corner is the five-way intersection separating Chadds Ford and Birmingham townships.
Last year, the Planning Commission voted to recommend that supervisors adopt a PRD-3 ordinance for the Goodman property, but no plan was ever formally submitted. That proposal would have involved the creation of the new type of Planned Residential Development because it called for 35 new homes, but the new proposal would not need that. The density proposed with 24 new homes is consistent with the already existing PRD-1.
The commission also approved lot-line changes for the property on the east side of Oakland Road. Mansfield owned three parcels of land between Route 202, Oakland Road and Brinton’s Bridge Road. All three were partly in a PBC, or Planned Business Campus, zoning district and partly residential. The lot-line changes restructured the parcels so that one parcel was only residential and the others were PBC.
Those two parcels in the PBC district were then joined into one parcel. Mansfield intends to sell that larger PBC property, likely to an auto dealership.
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.
