Kayakers take advantage of a warm, early autumn afternoon along the Brandywine.
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.
Photo of the Week: Autumn Cruise Read More »
I’m Ballard, an 8-month-old guy who came to the Chester County SPCA shelter Aug, 31. My pals here at the shelter dig me, because I have the unique markings of a jungle cat, long legs, black spots, and can sing like a bangle. Like all “wild” creatures of the night, I can get a little over stimulated. But an easy fix to that is just letting me find my center, all by myself. Trust me. It’s just better that way, and no body likes a cranky puss. Come experience my uniqueness in person, and let start making sweet music together.
Adopt-a-Pet: Ballard Read More »
• Olde Ridge Village will be holding its Fall Festival on Sunday, October 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event is open to all members of the community, their families and children, including their dogs. Activities will include a moon bounce and face-painting for kids, specials at participating shops, and a huge basket with gifts from the Ridge Village Shops. Everyone attending will receive a ticket to win the basket.
• Unionville High School is looking for varsity girls softball coach. The successful candidate for the position must be able to obtain the necessary clearances required by the school district. Anyone interested should send a cover letter and resume to Unionville High School 750 Unionville Rd. Kennett Square, PA. 19348, in care of the Athletic Director ASAP. Applications may also be emailed to jderickson@ucfsd.net. Please call 610-347-1600, extension 3082, if there are any questions. Applications must be received by October 23.
• It’s Music on the Brandywine with Danbi Um and Sejoon Park. Um will perform on violin with Park on piano. Um was admitted to the Curtis Institute of Music at age 10, where she graduated with a bachelor’s in music. She plays a 1683 Amati, the “Ex-Petschek,” on loan from Seth Novatt. Park was born in Seoul, Korea and holds degrees from the Peabody Institute of The John Hopkins University and the Julliard School. Both musicians have performed internationally and won numerous awards. Advance sales end Oct. 12. Click here to buy tickets for performance at Brandywine River Museum of Art.
• On Wednesday, Oct. 14, the Chester County NOPE (Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education) will present a parent and community program from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the UHS auditorium. This program comes through the efforts and support of the Unionville-Chadds Ford Education Foundation and our FOCUS (Family Outreach Committee of Unionville Schools Organization). Through UCFSD’s ongoing efforts to educate our young people about the consequences of drug/alcohol abuse, the NOPE Task Force will be presenting to our 7th and 8th grade students on Tuesday, Oct. 13, and to all UHS students on October 14.
• Longwood Fire Company’s annual open house on Sunday, Oct. 18 will include food, fun activities for the whole family and life-saving demonstrations. Longwood Fire Company is located at 1001 East Baltimore Pike. The free open house will take place from noon until 3:00 p.m. Refreshments provided by Herr’s Food and Wawa will be served. Penn Medicine’s Chester County Hospital will be providing Hands Only CPR and AED demonstrations. There will be a vehicle rescue demonstration with the tentative time set for 1:30 p.m. Also, a LifeNet Air Medical Chopper is planning to be at the open house from 12:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. Members of the Kennett Township Police Department are also expected to participate.
• Violinist Xiang Gao and fellow “6ixwire” virtuoso Cathy Yang will perform at Winterthur on Sunday, Oct. 25, from 2 to 3:30 pm. Heralded as one of the world’s greatest performing artists of his generation from the People’s Republic of China, Gao was a member of the renowned “China Magpie” ensemble established by Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project, combining diverse styles of music from Chinese folk to western classical and rock music. Inspired by Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project, Gao formed 6ixwire with Yang, an internationally acclaimed erhu virtuoso, a guzheng (Chinese zither) soloist, and a former professor of music at the China Contemporary Cultural Academy. The crossover duo will perform flashy showpieces from many parts of the world. For more information on 6sixwire’s concert at Winterthur, please visit winterthur.org or call 800-448-3883.
• This year, for the first time, the Brandywine River Museum of Art is offering fall/Halloween “critters” – crafted of natural materials by museum volunteers – from Oct. 15 through Nov. 15 in the museum shop (open daily, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Critters include ghosts, goblins, witches, spiders, vampires, bats, turkeys, squirrels and owls ranging in price from $10 to $30, all benefiting the Museum Volunteers’ Art Purchase Fund, art education and programming.
• It’s not too early to start shining up those dancing shoes. West Chester’s Uptown! Entertainment Alliance announces its fourth annual fundraiser, a dinner and dance event to be held at the West Chester University Alumni & Foundation Building on Oct. 17. Titled “Footlights & Fun Raising,” the evening will feature live music, food, a silent auction and a red, white, and blue theme. The Sofa Kings, a high-energy 10-piece band from southeastern Pennsylvania, will keep the music up-tempo all night. The event runs from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $85 for single or $80 for two or more and are available now, either online at uptownwestchester.org or in person at Fulton Bank, 116 W. Market St., West Chester, 19382.
• The Kennett Symphony of Chester County will celebrate its 75th anniversary season with an opening night concert on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Unionville High School auditorium. A historical exhibit will be on display, and Music Director Michael Hall will usher in the evening at 7 p.m. with reflections on the symphony’s history. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., followed by a post-concert Q&A with Hall. The program will include Puccini’s melancholy elegy for strings and builds to a boisterous finale with Respighi’s epic tone poem, “The Pines of Rome.” Single ticket prices are $25 to $48 in advance, $30 to $53 on the day of the concert; students 18 and under are $10. For more information visit www.kennettsymphony.org or call the Kennett Symphony at 610 444 6363.
• In conjunction with Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library’s exhibition, “Tiffany Glass: Painting with Color and Light,” Benjamin Macklowe will explore the market for Louis C. Tiffany’s extraordinary creations during an Oct. 20 lecture. Macklowe is president of Macklowe Gallery in Manhattan, the world’s most respected dealer of the Tiffany oeuvre and French art nouveau decorative arts. “Today’s Tiffany Market: Understanding Current Trends, Values, and Authenticity” will begin at 6 p.m. in Copeland Lecture Hall. Admission is $5 for members, $15 for nonmembers, with students free with valid ID. Register at winterthur.org or by calling 800-448-3883.
• The Chester County Planning Commission has scheduled a public meeting to introduce the Chester Valley Trail Extension study (CVTE) on Thursday, Oct. 8, at the West Whiteland Township Building, 101 Commerce Drive, Exton. An open house begins at 6:30 p.m. with a formal presentation at 7:30 p.m., followed by an interactive session for sharing ideas and questions. The CVTE study will investigate alternatives and determine a recommended alignment for extension of the Chester Valley Trail (CVT) from its current terminus in Exton into the Borough of Downingtown, potentially connecting to the existing Struble and East Branch Brandywine trails in the Downingtown area.
• The Music at St. Michael Concert series is pleased to announce a special performance by QuintEssentially Brass at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18. Please join us for a delightful afternoon of musical selections from baroque to jazz and sacred to secular music. Light refreshments will be served after the performance. Suggested donation is $10 per adult, free per child under 18.
• Darlington Arts Center in Concord Township will present a public exhibition of Chinese brush painting artwork by local artists from Josephine’s Dancing Brush Studio. The exhibit opens with a reception on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 2:30 to 5 p.m. The free event will include complimentary wine, cheese, and light refreshments. The exhibit, which will run through Oct. 27, 2015. features works from local artists Susan Bevilacqua, Cynthia A. Candelaria, Lii Ying Chen, Jane Eppehimer, Marion Lai, Patricia Rahi, Florence Stiefeld, Josephine C. Tsai, and Winnie Zhang. Each piece explores traditional Chinese brush painting, a medium that requires special paints, handmade paper from natural materials and brushes made from animal hair. For more information, call 610-358-3632 or visit www.darlingtonarts.org.
Around Town Oct. 8 Read More »
• State police from Troop K, Media barracks, reported a robbery at the Cold Beverage Station in Painters Crossing. The report said three black men entered the store, and while two occupied the employee on the right side of the store, the third suspect entered the back room and stole $3,120 in cash from an unlocked safe. The investigation is continuing into the Sept. 28 robbery that took place at 4:30 p.m.
• Police are investigating a burglary on Concord Road in Concord Township on Sept. 29. A report said the unknown suspect removed various items from the home, and then fled. The incident happened sometime between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• A car fire was the result of a hay bale getting stuck under a car on Route 1 in Chadds Ford Township on Oct. 5. State police said a car hit the hay bale after it fell off a truck. The hay lodged underneath the car and caught fire. Zana E. White, 60, of Philadelphia, was charged for failing to properly secure the load in the truck. No injuries were reported.
• Police arrested Vincent Christopher Baiocco, 30, of Glen Mills, for DUI following a traffic stop on Patricia Lane in Concord Township, at 9:10 p.m. on Sept. 27, a police report said.
• Police said a Wilmington man, Barry Jerell Evans, was arrested for DUI at 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 4. The traffic stop was made on Route 202 in Concord Township.
• Two generators were reported stolen from a construction site on Applied Card Way in Concord Township. Police said they thefts were reported at noon on Oct. 5.
• Victoria Smith, 25, reportedly of Chadds Ford, was arrested for DUI on Sept. 25, a police report said. According to that report, Smith was stopped for traffic violations on Route 1 near Route 202 at 10:12 p.m.
• A 23-year-old from Kennett Square was arrested for driving under the influence of a controlled substance on Sept. 23. State police said Sarah Marianelli was stopped for traffic violations on Route 1 at Ring Road at 1:46 a.m. According to the report, troopers determined Marianelli to be under the influence of a controlled substance.
• Police reported that seven tires were stolen from Concordville Nissan and Subaru on Route 202 in Concord Township on Sept. 18.
• Martina Lyons, 48, of Kennett Square, was arrested for DUI following a traffic stop on Route 1 near Creek Road in Chadds Ford Township on Sept. 17 at 1:41 a.m.
• One driver was transported to Riddle Hospital with moderate injuries following a two-vehicle crash on Route 1 at Conchester Road on Sept. 25. According to a report, the injured driver was trying to make a left turn into the CVS pharmacy when her Ford Escape collided with another vehicle at 12:38 p.m. Both units were towed from the scene.
• A DUI checkpoint on Route 202 at Springwater Plaza resulted in the arrest of a motorist. State police from Troop K, Media barracks, said Saleema Coleman, 24, of Newark, was determined to be driving under the influence of a controlled substance when she came through the checkpoint at 1:56 a.m. on Sept. 19.
• State police from Troop J, Avondale barracks, cited Erica H. Wilson, 23, of Lincoln University, with following too closely after a Sept. 29 accident in East Marlborough Township, a police report said. According to that report, Wilson was driving north on Route 1 when she rear-ended another vehicle that was stopped for traffic in the left lane near School House Road. No injuries were reported.
• On Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 3:46 pm, New Garden Township Police observed a vehicle disregard a red light at Newark Road and Baltimore Pike. After a traffic stop, police said the driver, Otilio Magana-Luna, 34, of Boothwyn, smelled of alcohol, failed field-sobriety tests, and was arrested for suspected DUI.
• No injuries were reported in a four-vehicle, rear-ender accident on Route 322 in Concord Township on Sept. 22. A police report said Donald H. Wilson, 34, of Chester, failed to maintain a safe speed and struck a vehicle in front of him. The force drove the other vehicle into a third, which then hit a fourth vehicle.
• State police from the Embreeville barracks said they are investigating a residential burglary in Newlin Township. Police said the theft occurred sometime between midnight on Sept. 19 and 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 26 in the 600 block of Harveys Bridge Road. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 610-486-6280.
• Police said Nicholas M. Tuggle, 18, of Conowingo, Md., was cited for following too closely following a rear-ender accident on Route 1 near State Farm Drive on Sept. 14. No injuries were reported, police said, but Tuggles’ car, a 2003 Mazda Protégé, had to be towed from the scene.
Police Log Oct. 8: $3K stolen from CF beer distributor, burglary in Concord Read More »
Pope Francis’s recent visit affected more than his direct audiences (Congress, Catholics, the United Nations, and more) and more than our local school and road closures, it affected the perception of religious life. He did not preach to politicians, he spoke as much or more through his actions than his words, and he refused to be pegged as anyone other than he. For me, as a rabbi, Pope Francis is an exemplar of religious leadership for today’s world.
I admit, I was deeply concerned about the separation of church and state in the opportunity given to Pope Francis to address a joint session of the United States Congress. In Pope Francis’s address, though, he did not lobby for particular policies; he did not pontificate on any particular issue, political or moral; and he did not call for greater obedience to any particular doctrine. He presented himself, his perspectives, and his commitments.
His address was an invitation to dialogue, not just with Congress but also with Americans. He named issues which we must discuss: immigration, climate change, family, the sanctity of life, economic justice, social justice, peace, diplomacy, and more. Rather than stake claims, though, he framed the conversation with American cultural icons: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day, and Thomas Merton. He wove together the woof of their social and political achievements along the warp of their religious convictions. In so doing, Pope Francis invited us to greater civic involvement through lived religious commitments in cooperation with others, even if we disagree, so that together we can pursue the common good.
Beyond giving a good speech, he walked his walk. He met with the powerful in our society and the downtrodden. He stopped his motorcade to kiss and bless the ill. He participated in a moving “multi-religious” ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial Museum. Closer to home, Pope Francis made a surprise stop on his way to the World Meeting of Families Papal Mass on Benjamin Franklin Parkway. He stopped at Saint Joseph’s University to bless a statue commemorating the 50th anniversary of Vatican II’s Nostra Aetate, which offered reconciliation between Jews and Christians. The statue, “Synagoga and Ecclesia in Our Time” is only a few months old. Its symbolic imagery, especially in the way it reverses previous statues of synagogue and church personified, is powerful. Now, with Pope Francis’s blessing, it is even more powerful: the statue is the embodiment of the Pope’s valuing in words and action all that interfaith dialogue should be about.
In the days after Pope Francis left the United States, I was horrified to read that he seemed to have supported Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who refuses to do her job giving marriage licenses to those applying if they are same-sex couples. I was not horrified that the Pope might object to same-sex marriage; I rather expect it. I was horrified that he would support a paid government official refusing to do her job because she objected, too. It turns out that Pope Francis strongly supports conscientious objection as a human right; it is just that his meeting with her “should not be considered a form of support of her position.” That quotation is from a Vatican press statement clarifying the Pope’s actions. Again, whatever his beliefs, he refuses to have them misrepresented in such a divisive manner. That careful attention to the Pope’s public persona and his mission of dialogue impressed me even more than his actions or his speeches.
I love that America allows me to be both a Jew and a citizen without compromise. I love how Judaism helps me be a better informed, more active and caring citizen. America’s founding fathers went to great lengths to preserve the public square free from religious domination. It ought to be a place to stand together because of our religious convictions and talk. I am grateful Pope Francis set the tone for our conversation. May we speak with respect for each other, with dignity, and with common purpose.
The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the ownership or management of Chadds Ford Live. We welcome opposing viewpoints. Readers may comment in the comments section or they may submit a Letter to the Editor to: editor@chaddsfordlive.com
Rabbi Jeremy Winaker is the executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Hillel Network, responsible for West Chester University, Haverford, Bryn Mawr, and other area colleges. He is the former head of school at the Albert Einstein Academy in Wilmington and was the senior Jewish educator at the Kristol Hillel Center at the University of Delaware for four years. Rabbi Winaker lives in Delaware with his wife and three children.
Rabbinic Reflections: The pope and the public square Read More »
The Chester County Commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6, celebrated a variety of programs that ranged from creating teddy bears to pouring java to saving lives.
Three of the citations involved the Chester County Youth Center in Pocopson Township, which houses adjudicated youth as well as those simply in need of shelter. The commissioners honored it as recipient of the Juvenile Detention Center and Alternative Program’s 2015 Special Event of the Year for the “Teddy Bear Drop.”
The project, which has also received state recognition, was created in consultation with Chester County Hospital’s volunteers, who make hand-knitted and hand-sewn items for young hospital patients. To boost that effort, residents at the center made 100 cuddly, stuffed animals in just three days, and a group of the young people even got to distribute their creations at the hospital, reinforcing the value of community service.
“We’re very, very fortunate to have this collaboration with Chester County Hospital,” said Gary Blair, the center’s director.
Blair also lauded the work of Sherri Nakrasius, who has worked for more than a quarter of a century at the center, including 16 years as a caseworker. He said Nakrasius, the recipient of the 2015 Staff of the Year Award, has been instrumental in tasks running the gamut from completing paperwork for state inspections to serving as the center’s education liaison.
“We couldn’t do what we do without Sherri,” Blair said.
The commissioners also honored the Chester County Youth Center with the 2015 Program of the Year Award for an initiative with Arts Holding Hands and Hearts, a nonprofit that conducts a variety of therapeutic programs at the center, including weekly yoga classes and expressive arts workshops.
Blair noted that the Arts Holding Hands and Hearts program is another recipient of state recognition.
Accepting a proclamation for National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Gary F. Entrekin, administrator for the county’s Department of Mental Health/Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, introduced the commissioners to a number of people involved in the Coffee Cup, including two students who work there and spoke eloquently about their experiences.
Entrekin said the partnership with the Chester County Intermediate Unit began when the first coffee shop opened in the Government Services Center. Since then, two others have been started and two more are in the works. “It’s opened doors for a lot of students,” Entrekin said. “Employment is the key to self worth.”
The commissioners welcomed Brian O’Leary, the new executive director of the Planning Commission, which received a Sustainability Award from the Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association. Assistant Director David Ward explained that the county was recognized for its efforts to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality.
The commissioners also heard from several emergency services officials, including Director of Emergency Services Robert Kagel, who accepted a proclamation for Fire Prevention Week.
George “Beau” Crowding, deputy director of fire services, said the county is working constantly to improve fire safety through education and inspections. Last year, the county experienced three deaths, 54 injuries, and $15 million in damages, he said.
Crowding said county residents should be grateful that volunteer firefighters are willing to put in the 180 hours of training required for the job. “That’s a huge investment of time,” he said.
Assistant Fire Marshal Jack Weer said the theme of this year’s Fire Prevention Week is “hear the beep where you sleep,” a message to encourage residents to add working smoke detectors to every bedroom.
Weer told a story about a county resident who earlier this week took what she thought were 3-day-old ashes from her fireplace, put them into a plastic container, and set the container on a wood floor before going to bed. Weer said the woman was very lucky that she was awakened by the crackling sound of the fire and was able to crawl out of the house.
“Had she had a working smoke detector, she probably would have been alerted to that earlier,” Weer said. “We’re very fortunate that she was able to get out alive.”
Accolades run gamut from teddy bears to java Read More »
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia officially opened its new Concord Township facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 6.
The new facility is a 44,000-square-foot Specialty Care & Ambulatory Surgery Center at the site of the former Ethan Allen store on Route 1 near Conchester Road.
More than 20 medical and surgical specialties can be handled at the center, including the ambulatory surgery that will enable same-day, close to home surgery without the young patients and their families needing to go into Philadelphia. Doctors from that main facility will come to the new location to work with patients, according to CHOP CEO Madeline Bell.
Bell also said the Concord Township supervisors were the most supportive she’s encountered.
On hand and speaking were cousins: state Sen. Dominic F. Pileggi and Concord Township Supervisors’ Chairman Dominic A. Pileggi.
The senator said the opening of the facility made it “a special day” because top quality health care is one of the factors that go into making a good community and that CHOP “is the finest institution of its kind in the world…and we have this facility in the middle of our community. That’s a quantum leap forward for an already superior community.”
Supervisor Pileggi, choosing a Star Trek metaphor, said the project was done at warp speed, but that it wasn’t just Concord Township that made it happen.
“The CHOP team was one of the most cooperative teams that we ever dealt with. It’s amazing that when you have two parties that are interested in seeing what can be done. If they would [cooperate like] that in Washington, we’d have a better country,” he said.
Also speaking was neurologist Donna Stephenson, who is also the medical director at the center.
“CHOP has created something wonderful here,” she said. It grew out of the smaller facility on Route 202 in Chadds Ford Township. “What we have here is a much larger more comprehensive center of excellence for multiple pediatric specialists. It’s going to serve not only Concord Township, but Chester County, Delaware County, the state of Delaware, the state of New Jersey and even northeast Maryland.”
Stephenson added that the center would also be having an urgent care center with extended hours.
The new center is one of 50 CHOP Care Network locations around Philadelphia.
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.
CHOP officially opens Concord site Read More »
As the days get shorter, the time remaining to see Longwood Gardens’ illuminating nighttime exhibit is also waning.
“Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience,” a confluence of light, sound and imagery by Philadelphia-based Klip Collective, will close on Oct. 31. Longwood officials have not yet said whether it will return next summer. It was designed to help offset the temporary loss of the Main Fountain Garden – and its summer fireworks shows – during an extensive 2 ½-year, $90 million revitalization project.
Since opening in July, Nightscape has attracted more than 122,000 guests and rave reviews, said a Longwood press release. Because the exhibit requires darkness, the optimal time for viewing now occurs after 7:30 p.m. Seeing Nightscape in its entirely takes about an hour and a half, which allows ample time for checking out the night-blooming water lilies or other attractions since the gardens close at 11 p.m.
“The glowing response we have received to Nightscape has exceeded our expectations,” Longwood Gardens Executive Director Paul B. Redman said in the release. “We are thrilled to entertain our loyal guests in an innovative, new way, and at the same time, welcome new guests that may have never visited a garden before. The response to Nightscape is truly a testament to the beauty of our gardens and the creativity of Klip Collective.”
Nightscape comprises nine locations, with each display inspired by and related to the gardens. Locations include the Rose Arbor, Large Lake, Flower Garden Walk, Flower Garden Drive, Topiary Garden, and the Conservatory. Highlights include the Legacy Tree, where blue and violet lights pulse from the tree’s root system through its arching canopy and disperse into the air, and the Large Lake, which celebrates the seasons with an evocative musical score and lively animation. At the Topiary Garden, light breathes life into the sculptural forms, ultimately transforming them into a whimsical band.
The end of the Nightscape display will also mark the closing of the outdoor Beer Garden, a partnership with Victory Brewing Company that has proven popular. The Beer Garden – and its wooden structure, which was constructed using wood from a fallen Longwood sequoia – is open Wednesday through Saturday evenings from 6 to 11 p.m.
Along with pub-style fare, the Beer Garden offers a variety of Victory beers on tap. A new Longwood signature brew, Longwood Seasons: Autumn Wheat, was created by Victory, using Longwood-harvested honey. Summer Zest, a saison that was available during the summer months, was flavored with Longwood-grown lemons.
The Beer Garden has also been a venue for live music on Thursdays from 7 to 10 p.m. An entertaining roster has rotated throughout the summer. Visitors can catch Marc Silver’s infectious bluegrass ensemble on Oct. 8 and Oct. 15 and the innovative, multi-instrument performance of Angela Sheik on Oct. 22. Jon Dichter’s lively gypsy jazz will close out the program on Oct. 29.
Nightscape is on view Wednesday through Saturday evenings from 6 to 11 p.m. through Oct. 31. Tickets, which include all-day admission, are $27 for adults (ages 19+); $17 for students (ages 5–18); and free for ages 4 and under. Tickets are limited and should be purchased in advance. The exhibit is free for members, but they must make advance reservations. To purchase or reserve tickets, visit longwoodgardens.org.
Less than month left to view Nightscape Read More »
