October 23, 2015 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Mums rule – 16,000 strong in Longwood show

mumsMG_5272 — Mums will dominate the landscape at Longwood Gardens during the Chrysanthemum Festival, which runs through Nov. 22.

The Chrysanthemum Festival, a riot of color featuring more than 16,000 mums nurtured and transformed by horticulture experts into clouds, balls, spirals, columns, pagodas, and even a cascading fountain, opens on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Longwood Gardens.

Mums in all shapes and sizes of part of the — Mums in all shapes and sizes are part of the Chrysanthemum Festival at Longwood Gardens.

The Chrysanthemum Festival runs through Nov. 22, but a bonus for early visitors is that it will overlap for less than a week with “Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience,” the popular multisensory exhibit that closes on Oct. 31.

According to Longwood officials, gardeners work daily throughout the seasons, grooming and training the plants using the traditional growing techniques from Japan and China, where chrysanthemum displays are a highly respected art form.

The Chrysanthemum Festival is the largest display of exhibition mums in the U.S., and showcases the largest Thousand Bloom Chrysanthemum grown outside of Asia. Longwood’s Thousand Bloom Mum boasts more than 1,500 perfectly arranged flowers on one plant.

Longwood Gardens, located on Route 1 near Kennett Square, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended hours until 11 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday during the Nightscape exhibit. To purchase or reserve tickets, visit longwoodgardens.org.

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

Mums rule – 16,000 strong in Longwood show Read More »

Roadwork for week of Oct. 24

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 Oct. 24 through Oct. 31. Motorists are urged to allow extra time if they are traveling through one of the construction zones.

Route 1 in both directions in Kennett, New Garden, Penn and London Grove townships will be subject to intermittent lane closures for pothole patching. Crews are scheduled to work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Monday, Oct. 26, through Wednesday, Oct. 28.

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 Birmingham Road bridge in Birmingham Township is also closed indefinitely to repair structural damage. Posted detours will be in effect between Lambourne Road and Stoney Run Drive.

Advance warning is being given for Route 52 motorists in Kennett Township. A stretch between Burrows Run Road and Pond View Drive will be closed from Nov. 13 through Nov. 16 for a railroad crossing replacement. Detours will be posted.

The road-widening project continues on Route 100 in Uwchlan and West Whiteland townships. Lane closures will be in effect between Swedesford Road and Route 113 from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Sunday, Oct. 25, through Friday, Oct. 30.

Route 100 in both directions in West Whiteland and West Goshen townships between Greenhill and Boot roads will be subject to intermittent lane closures from Monday, Oct. 26, to Friday, Oct. 30, for ditching. Crews are scheduled to work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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 on I-95 in Philadelphia for a series of bridge inspections, weather permitting. On Monday, Oct. 26, and Tuesday, October 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the left lane will be closed on I-95 south between Broad Street and Island Avenue. From Tuesday, Oct. 27, through Thursday, Oct. 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the left lane will be closed on I-95 north between Island Avenue and Broad Street, and on Sunday, Nov. 1, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the right lane will be closed on I-95 north between Island Avenue and Broad Street.

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.”

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

Roadwork for week of Oct. 24 Read More »

Nominees sought for Kitchen Table Award

Local News

The Chester County Fund for Women and Girls is now accepting nominations for its prestigious 2016 Kitchen Table Award.

The fund established the Kitchen Table Award in 2011 to honor a Chester County woman who represents the mission and values of the fund. Its recipient is an “outstanding Chester County woman who has made substantive contributions through service and/or philanthropy to improve the lives of women and girls through her own time, or talents, or resources.”

The award is named to celebrate the genesis of the fund: the many conversations held around kitchen tables, board tables, and coffee tables that led to the formation of the organization in 1996. Past recipients are Barbara M. Jordan, 2012; Betty Moran, 2013; Alice Hausmann & Bonnie Van Alen, 2014; and Phyllis Copeland, 2015.

The Kitchen Table Award Nominee is announced prior to and recognized during the fund’s annual Making a Difference Luncheon. This year the 11^th Annual Luncheon will be held on Friday, May 6, at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center in Malvern.

All nominations must be received by Tuesday, Dec. 22. To learn more about the award and to download the nomination form, visit: http://ccfwg.org/luncheon/. Questions about the award may be directed to Susan Mostek, the fund’s executive director, at smostek@ccfwg.org or (484) 356-0940.

Founded in 1996, the Chester County Fund for Women and Girls is a grant-making and education foundation dedicated to addressing the needs of women and girls in the county. Its organizers believe that when women gain security, economic sustainability, and physical well-being, the benefits multiply — for themselves and for everyone in the community.

For 19 years, the fund has raised awareness about the critical needs of women and girls, and has awarded more than $2 million in grants to 60 organizations that address the needs of women and girls in Chester County.

The fund’s Girls Advisory Board, whose members are selected annually from high school applicants across the county, has educated a new generation of young women about the importance of philanthropy and community service for the past 11 years. The initiative seeks to improve understanding and awareness of the challenges faced by all women and girls of all ages, backgrounds, and economic levels.

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

Nominees sought for Kitchen Table Award Read More »

Letter to the Editor: Brookes’ daughter not an issue

Opinion

I am writing in response to Lisa Carman’s recent letter questioning the candidacy of Beverly Brookes for UCF School Board. Since Ms. Carman is new to the district, perhaps she is not aware of all of the facts. Two clarifications:

First, Bev has never hidden the fact that her daughter is a teacher in the district. I met her earlier this year, and it is one of the first things she told me. She tells it to voters all the time, and has always said that she will recuse herself from any vote that directly impacts her daughter, and would not participate in contract negotiations. (The board’s contract negotiation committee only includes three out of the nine board members, and will not need to negotiate another teacher contract for four years!)

Bev’s teacher daughter tells everyone that she is exceedingly proud of her Mom for stepping up to run for the School Board. Certainly, the press is aware that Bev’s daughter is a Patton teacher.

Second, Ms. Carman is probably not aware that when our Board President Vic Dupuis, was first elected in 2011, his daughter was also a teacher in the school district, and he has always been considered to be an extremely effective school board member.

Bev is running on a bi-partisan ticket with Kathy Do and Gregg Lindner. I really hope that Ms. Carman’s letter was just a statement from a misinformed resident and not the beginning of a partisan attack against a very honorable woman.

Amy Baram
Pocopson Township

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

Letter to the Editor: Brookes’ daughter not an issue Read More »

Fair to offer one-stop shopping for higher education

School & Education

One-stop shopping for higher education will occur for high school students and their parents at the Exton Square Mall on Monday, Nov. 9.

From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., representatives from over 240 colleges nationwide will gather for the 2015 Chester County College Fair. Attendees will be able complete a cross-country higher education tour in a matter of hours as they navigate the college and university booths, said a press release from the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU), which is coordinating the event.

The fair will be open to the general public and admission is free. More than 5,000 students from 45 area high schools are expected to visit the fair and explore their post-graduation options.

Students and parents are invited to meet with representatives from colleges and universities across the U.S. and across the Atlantic, as well as nursing schools, junior colleges, community and technical colleges, trade and skill schools and branches of the military service. In addition to discussing entrance requirements, financial aid, campus life and academic programs with the counselors, participants will also walk away with informational brochures and catalogs.

According to Jennifer Shealy, CCIU special events coordinator, the fair will feature something for everyone – from four-year and two-year colleges to specialized schools.

“The fair will feature over 240 colleges and institutions from across the country, saving families time and money on college visits and helping students to narrow down their top choices,” Shealy said in the release. “Additionally, Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) and some of our sponsors, Advanced College Planning Solutions and Wells Fargo, will be on-site to provide helpful financial planning tools.”

Shealy added that students and families would have the opportunity to visit with career and technical schools, such as the Cleveland Institute of Art, Automotive Training Center and the CCIU Practical Nursing Program, as well as with representatives from the armed forces.

Among the participating local colleges and universities are Villanova University, West Chester University, Widener University, Drexel University, Franklin & Marshall College, Bucknell University, Delaware County Community College, Temple University and Cabrini College.

Representatives from more distant institutions will also be present, including Colorado State University, University of Connecticut, The American International University in London, James Madison University, Purdue University, Virginia Tech, University of Tennessee, University of New England and Catholic University of America.

The Chester County College Fair, organized by the CCIU on behalf of the guidance counselors of Chester County, is sponsored by CCRES Educational and Behavioral Health Services, Wells Fargo and Advanced College Planning Solutions, the release said.

More information regarding the college fair, including a list of participating schools that is being updated daily, can be found on the CCIU’s web site at www.cciu.org/collegefair.

About Press Release

Fair to offer one-stop shopping for higher education Read More »

PennDOT to add technology to snowplows

Local News

This winter season, more than 700 plow trucks covering interstates and expressways statewide will be outfitted with technology to improve location and operations information through a PennDOT pilot program, Gov. Tom Wolf announced in a press release on Thursday, Oct. 22.

PennDOT Secretary Leslie Richards (left) joins Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf to view technology that aims to make snow removal more efficient. — PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards (left) joins Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf to view technology that aims to make snow removal more efficient.

“This system will allow PennDOT to see operations and conditions on the ground in real-time, helping them to better analyze how they do their jobs and get the best investment out of every dollar,” Wolf said in the release. “A government that works is also a transparent one, and this pilot is a perfect example of maximizing efficiency and modernizing operations.”

The governor joined PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards at the department’s District 8 headquarters in Harrisburg to explain how the Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) system will help improve the department’s real-time information on vehicle movement, plow-route coverage and usage of materials such as salt and anti-skid.

“We expect that this technology will not only help us review truck movement and material usage after a storm, but it should also help us while storms are occurring,” Richards said in the release. “Interstates and expressways are our top priority during winter weather, and this system will help us identify and respond to real-time conditions even better than we do today.”

The AVL system pilot is part of Wolf’s GO-TIME initiative that leverages inter-agency coordination and collaboration to maximize efficiency, modernize state government operations, and provide the highest quality services. The pilot, as one of seven GO-TIME projects identified by PennDOT in 2016-2017, is expected to realize a cost savings of $1.4 million over the next four to six years based on a combination of reduced salt usage and better use of department equipment, Richards said.

In total, 516 PennDOT plow trucks and 212 contracted rental trucks servicing interstates and expressways across the state will have AVL installed. Statewide, PennDOT has 2,200 total department-force trucks and also rents approximately 270 trucks and their operators to maintain the more than 40,000 miles of roadway for which PennDOT is responsible.

PennDOT plans to make the system’s real-time location data available to the public later this year through its traveler information website, www.511PA.com.

About Press Release

PennDOT to add technology to snowplows Read More »