For the second time in about a month, state police issued an alert about an attempted child luring; however, further investigation revealed the incident had been fabricated, police said in a second press release on Tuesday, Feb. 23.
The first release said a juvenile girl was waiting for her bus on Tuesday, Feb. 23, a little after 8 a.m., in the 600 block of Marshall Road in Wallace Township when she was approached by an individual driving a maroon Ford pickup truck, police said.
The driver asked the girl if she needed a ride and left when she said no. He is described as a white, non-Hispanic male approximately 40 years old; he was wearing a black vest and dark sunglasses. He also had full tattoo “sleeves” and collar-length dark hair with a red streak in it, police said.
The second press release, issued about 4 1/2 hours later, said the incident “was found to be fabricated.”
Last month, an incident report from the Avondale barracks described the attempted abduction of a 10-year-old girl in Penn Township on Tuesday, Jan. 19.
According to police, the girl exited her school bus near Oxford Circle and Hilltop Drive in Penn Township about 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 19. As she was walking on the sidewalk toward her home, a skinny white male wearing all black clothing and sunglasses grabbed both of her wrists and told her to go with him. She was able to escape and run to her house, police said.
Police and area school district have asked parents and guardians to be vigilant at bus stops and to report any suspicious activity immediately. Police said the girl worked with police to provide details for a composite sketch. To view the sketch, click here.
Anyone with information on an individual matching the sketch – or an individual resembling the sketch who recently made a significant change to his appearance – is asked to contact the Avondale barracks at 610-268-2022.
Residents in bucolic Pocopson Township got a reminder at the supervisors’ meeting on Monday, Feb. 22, that some of the actions of past boards are not set in concrete.
Pocopson Township Supervisors Alice Balsama (from left), Elaine DiMonte and Ricki Stumpo review documents during Monday night’s meetings.
The supervisors indicated that several issues, including the future of the Barnard House and the earned-income tax (EIT), would be revisited and thoroughly reviewed, and they voted to undo one previous action: the authorization of an inventory of historic buildings in the township.
Under an agreement with the county that was approved in June amid dissent, Pocopson committed to pay $42,000 to the county with the understanding that at the conclusion of the study, it would receive $30,000 in Vision Partnership grant funds.
Supervisors’ Chairwoman Ricki Stumpo, who voted against the measure in June, pointed out that the township’s Historical Committee did an inventory in 2006. “It’s sitting in a drawer somewhere,” she said, adding that $42,000 seemed to be excessive to research 64 homes.
Supervisor Elaine DiMonte pointed out that some of the owners of the historic properties weren’t even interested in cooperating. Resident Randy Mims, a member of the Historical Committee, said he had opposed the study. “They could never tell me what they were going to use this for,” he said.
Because the study would benefit so few residents and because it contained an exit clause with 30 days’ notice, the supervisors voted to terminate it. They said they had paid $5,456 since June and would request that work product.
The supervisors said they are working to obtain the two outstanding permits for electrical work and structural engineering at the Barnard House. Without those documents, the township cannot get a certificate of occupancy so that the Kennett Underground Railroad Center (KURC) can move into its portion of the building.
In a unanimous vote, the supervisors accepted the resignation of Richard Jensen, who served as the township’s codes officer as well as project manager for the Barnard House. The project manager duties will now be handled by Keystone Municipal Services, Stumpo said.
A celebration followed Monday night’s supervisors’ meeting as Supervisor Elaine DiMonte cuts a birthday cake for Supervisors’ Chairman Ricki Stumpo,
The supervisors also agreed to try and schedule a meeting with the Chester County Commissioners to discuss options for the remaining portion of the Barnard House. The county sold the building to the township for $1 in 2008, a purchase that came with some restrictions on its use.
Although the historic building, once a stop on the Underground Railroad, was originally envisioned as the home of KURC as well as the township’s offices, the latter use has hit a number of obstacles due to the building’s layout and renovation costs, the supervisors said. In an effort to move forward, they authorized Township Secretary Susan Simone to obtain estimates for completing work on the building’s windows and doors.
“We’re kind of at a crossroads,” said Supervisor Alice Balsama.
On a more positive note, the supervisors applauded the work that has gone into the Locust Grove Schoolhouse, a project that has been financed with more than $500,000 in donations and grants, none of which required a township match.
Kris Firey-Poling, chair of the Historical Committee, said one of the committee’s goals is to get residents involved in the schoolhouse project. “We really want them to come and visit and participate,” she said, adding that a couple of initiatives are scheduled.
On May 7, volunteers will be priming the schoolhouse walls and ceiling, and on May 19, volunteers from XL Catlin will participate in a global day of giving by doing the painting. A year ago, eight workers from the company’s Exton office participated in a successful paint-scraping detail.
Poling said the committee voted recently 6-3 to complete the remaining work without using money budgeted by the township. Stumpo asked when the project might be available for public programs. When told that it would take a couple of years, she asked whether township funds could expedite the process.
Sarah Mims, a member of the Historical Committee, said the project could be completed as soon as the fall if the committee had the funds. However, she stressed that the group does not want to rely on public money. “Can we explore a loan?” she asked, adding a caution that some of the grant regulations might not permit that arrangement.
In other business, resident David Poling inquired about the township’s EIT and the fact that it had doubled. “What’s the township doing with that tax money?” he asked.
The supervisors responded that the tax is one of several items on their list for reevaluation. “This is one of the items on our agenda,” Balsama said.
Stumpo added that because the township no longer has space available for developers, it needs to come up with funds to replace the subdivision income; however, she said the EIT might not be the fairest option. “This is something we plan to discuss,” she said.
Balsama agreed, pointing out that the analysis would take some time. “We’re not going to be precipitous about it,” she said.
The next supervisors’ meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 14. In the meantime, Stumpo issued a reminder for residents’ having trouble resisting the baby chicks for sale at Brandywine Ace Hardware: Township ordinances require at least ½ acre of land to keep up to five chickens.
Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board directors on Feb. 22 tabled a vote on whether or not to stop reporting students’ decile rankings to colleges and universities.
The decile ranking divides students into 10 categories based on their grade point average. It reflects their standing within the class, whether they are in the top 10 percent of the class or lower. Currently, the district includes those rankings during a student’s college application process.
The issue dominated the two-and-a-half hour meeting with parents, students and directors offering their views.
Parents in favor of keeping the current system of reporting the rankings stressed the benefits of competition and academic achievement, saying that reporting the rankings to prospective colleges is an incentive for students to work hard.
Those opposed say it only benefits students in the top 10 percent of the class and hurts the others.
Former Director Kathy Do and candidate Beverly Brookes argued to end reporting the rankings.
Brookes said that one of the complaints she heard while running for the board was that “Unionville School District tends to ignore the average to above average students. A great deal of accolades go to the top 10 percent, and a lot of attention is paid to the special needs students, but the remaining 80 percent seem to be left in limbo,” Brookes said.
She also told the board that the education professionals in the district have recommended doing away with reporting the rankings.
“I urge you to support their professional judgment,” she said. “This action will help the entire school population.”
Do said it’s the board’s responsibility to do what’s best for the entire community “or at best, do no harm. Eliminating decile ranking is a textbook example of an opportunity for you to serve the best interest of the great majority of the students while doing no harm to the remainder of the students.”
She cited her son’s high school experience with music and sports, saying the district allows him and other students to pursue their passions.
“He’s a good student who takes AP and honors classes along with the un-weighted music classes. His GPA is very good, by national standards it’s excellent but, at slightly below 4.0, by Unionville standards he is just above average,” Do said.
The only way her son can get his average into a higher decile would be to give up some of the music or sports activities, the things he loves doing. She said that would be counter to the “holistic” educational approach that the district has said it favors.
Several students also spoke, two said the reporting of decile rankings should be stopped, but one told the board he wants it kept.
Brad Saunders, a junior at UHS, said he made many conscious decisions to make education a priority and that he’s put in “a lot of work so I can be a top student. I feel that these decisions should be rewarded and that the rankings provide colleges with a valuable data point that demonstrates to them the ability of a student.”
He added that removing academic rankings would be just as unjust as removing athletic rankings.
However, board members and parents cited a meeting with various college admissions officers earlier this month in which those officers said the schools, one being Penn State, don’t use decile rankings in their admission process.
Resident Colleen Boyle said the criteria used are grade point average, high school recommendations, college interviews, college essays and extra curricular activities.
None of the school directors said they were in favor of continuing to report the decile rankings, but none were sure of the best way to proceed. Most said they wanted more information.
They are questioning if it should be replaced with something else, dropped entirely beginning with the Class of 2017 or to discontinue the practice beginning with the Class of 2020, students who are currently in eighth grade.
Director Gregg Lindner said the ranking should be dropped entirely if it’s detrimental.
“That’s what I want to do. I believe it’s detrimental,” Lindner said.
Elise Anderson said there’s strong evidence to remove the ranking system, but she’s not 100 percent convinced that doing so wouldn’t hurt the top 10 percent of the students. She wants more data, she said.
John Murphy, too, said he wasn’t ready to act on the matter, a view shared by most of the others.
Michael Rock, a professor at Bryn Mawr College, said that school doesn’t consider the ranking at all.
“Unionville has a top ranking, that’s what gets kids into the top schools…Decile rankings don’t mean a hill of beans,” Rock said.
Another director, Bob Sage, said the current policy is harmful to students not in the top 1 percent of their class and that other schools have made the change. However, he thinks dropping the reporting altogether might hurt the top students and that the district needs to find a solution that benefits all students.
The board is expected to make some decision during its March meeting.
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.
Blending seven exposures brings out the details in the dark and light areas. Other digital darkroom work bring out the candy-like colors. Below is a variation on the image.
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.
This Saturday, February 27th, the Highspire Ballet Academy in Downingtown will be hosting a unique event that will be a thrill to all your artistic senses. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. there will be a multiple live sessions of art and movement. Under the directorship of Gleidson Hoffmann, ballet dancers will perform throughout the day.
The youngest students will start in the morning, followed by warm up session and moving to professional dancers in the afternoon. Respected Chester County artists were selected to capture the ballet movements in their respective art mediums in a plein air day of sketching and painting to the music and movement of the ballet performances. The local esteemed artists include painters Adrian Martinez, Jeff Schaller, Randall Graham, Teresa Haag, David Katz, David Oleski, Brian Eppley and Diane Cirafasi. Seeing these great artists at work will be such fun!
Highspire Ballet Academy owner Tracy Hoffmann will act as concierge and will be available to describe the classes and workshops presented at the ballet academy. Gleidson Hoffmann will act as the master of ceremonies, to introduce the various movements and routines.
This lively and colorful event is free to the public with ample free parking, and light refreshments will be served throughout the day. There will be an exhibition opening reception for the completed artwork on Friday, April 1st, and everyone is welcome to attend.
The Highspire Ballet Academy is located at 534 Trestle Place in Downingtown, and this intriguing event was organized by still-life painter David Oleski, who also runs the Downingtown Arts Festival in the summer.
Couple by Endre Penovac
In Kennett Square, the big draw is the latest collection of new artwork at Mala Gallerie. This month Mala is showcasing two internationally famous artists Endre Penovac and Helena Stockar.
Penovac is from NoviSad Serbia, and while he has exhibited all over Europe, this is his first exhibit in the United States.
Refugees by Helena Stockar
Stockar is a refugee from Czechoslovakia who moved to Chester County. Her work often recalls her memories and experiences as a refugee, and places them in the context of universal struggles. Local artists Abigail Patterson, Lele Galer, painter Carrie Barcomb, Leander Fontaine and Monique Sarkessian all have works at the gallery as well.
Together-Ranunculus, Peony and Quince, by Monique Sarkessian
Gallery owner Zvezdana Stojanovic Scott, known her friends as Stella, completely transforms this very small gallery space every month. The feat is nothing short of magic. Mala Gallerie has done up their gallery window to reflect the “National Parks” theme of this year’s Philadelphia Flower Show. Vote for their window display to put Kennett Square on the map!
Lele Galer is an artist who has chaired numerous art shows, taught art history and studio art, public art and has chaired, written and taught the Art in Action Art Appreciation series for the UCFD schools for the past 12 years. She worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and wrote for the Associated Press in Rome. She has been dedicated to Art History and art education for most of her adult life. Lele and her husband Brad own Galer Estate Winery in Kennett Square.
