Unionville senior center Brandon Boon breaks away vs. Cumberland Valley, supported by Asger Hansen, Zach Nance, Zak Vandenbraak, Glen Brown, Sean Green and Joey Hagen.
UHS rugby teams opened the 2016 season with wins.
Unionville High School Boys Varsity and JV rugby teams secured hard fought wins in their opening games against reigning two-time state champion Cumberland Valley High School last weekend. The varsity ground out three scores to overcome a late 1 point deficit to win the game 17 to 13 in the opening weekend of Rugby PA’s White Division play. The varsity team will host North Bay Rugby Club for an exhibition match on Wednesday, March 30th at 5:30 p.m. at the UHS Stadium. All students welcome to attend. On Sunday, April 3 the girls’ varsity team will play an away match at West Chester and the boys varsity and JV will have an away match against Kutztown.
Herbert Toliver, 81, of Cochranville, died Wednesday, March 23, at his residence. He was the husband of Charleen Peirson Toliver, who died in 2013, and with whom he shared 46 years of marriage.
Born in Ashe Co., N.C., he was the son of the late Calvin E. Sr. and Biddie Perkins Toliver.
He was a general foreman at Lukens Steel Co., retiring in 1991 after more than 30 years of service.
Mr. Toliver enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, mowing, bird watching, and being with his family and friends.
He is survived by two sons, Ronald “Tee” Phillips and his fiancé Pou Chenelle of Rising Sun, Md., and Allen Toliver and his wife Sally of Cochranville; one daughter, Audrey Emerson of West Grove; one brother, Shirley M. Toliver of Todd, N.C.; one sister, Louise Adams of Oxford; seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
He was predeceased by one step son, James Emerson, four brothers and two sisters.
You are invited to visit with his family and friends from 10 a.m. to noonon Tuesday, March 29,, at the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home, 250 West State Street in Kennett Square. His funeral service will follow at noon. Burial will be in Union Hill Cemetery, Route 82 in Kennett Square.
In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 399 Market Street, Suite 102, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Walter J. Winther died peacefully of natural causes on Monday, March 14.
He was 89 years old and predeceased by Shirley, his wife of 68 years.
Walt was born in Philadelphia, and after graduation from Frankford High he joined the Navy and was trained as a gunner in the TBF Avenger. He attended the Wharton School and became the comptroller of Matlack Trucking prior to becoming owner and President of Delaware Express Trucking in Elkton, Md.
He is survived by son Robert, daughters Janice and Jacqueline, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Celebration of life plans are pending.
In lieu of flowers donations made to Safe Harbor of West Chester, 20 N Matlack St, West Chester, PA 19380, 610-692-6550, www.safeharborofgwc.org.
A Chester County man pleaded guilty on Thursday, March 24, to one count of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering in connection with a telemarketing scheme that bilked tens of thousands of senior citizens out of more than $13 million, federal prosecutors said.
U.S. District Court Judge Gerald A. McHugh Jr. scheduled a sentencing hearing for Marc Roy Ferry, 35, of Downingtown, on June 22.
According to court documents, between 2009 and March 2014, Ferry and Ari Tietolman, charged elsewhere, and others, used Tietolman’s network of telemarketers in Canada and India to target American senior citizens with deceptive telemarketing calls. They sold worthless or non-existent services and then debited the victims’ bank accounts without their consent.
Using the business names Fraud Watch, Patient Assistance Plus, Legal Eye and Trust One, the worthless or non-existent services these telemarketers sold included purported fraud protection and discounted legal services, as well as a discount prescription card. Tietolman and others, it is alleged, had been running the scheme since at least 2005.
During the calls, Tietolman’s telemarketers made various false representations, such as that they were calling on behalf of, or were affiliated with, the victim’s bank, or insurance company, or the U.S. government. In addition to misrepresenting the value of the products being marketed, Tietolman’s telemarketers also misrepresented their cost, sometimes telling consumers the products were free, or less expensive than the amount that was ultimately debited from the consumers’ bank accounts.
Tietolman allegedly attempted to conceal his involvement in the scheme by employing Ferry and others to run “front” companies – including First Consumers, LLC – and open bank accounts in the companies’ names to process the fraud money. Ferry admitted that Tietolman paid him and others to form U.S. corporations. The sole purpose of these corporations was to process the fraud proceeds generated by the telemarketing scheme, said a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Ferry sent Tietolman online logins and passwords so Tietolman and others could control the bank accounts from Canada. Tietolman also allegedly sent Ferry and others bank account information for the U.S. victims, which was used to print remotely created checks (RCCs). The RCCs were all made payable to the fraud companies and did not require a signature by the account holder, the release said.
Because the RCCs did not require the account holder’s consent, each time a check was created and submitted to the bank for payment, the victim had no opportunity to object or prevent the debit from occurring. Ferry and others deposited the RCCs in bank accounts held by the fraud companies, allegedly per Tietolman’s instructions, the release said.
Tietolman, according to court documents, instructed Ferry and others to deposit the RCCs in batches of less than $10,000 to avoid federally-mandated reporting requirements. After the checks were deposited, Tietolman instructed Ferry and others to wire the majority of the funds to accounts in Canada.
Ferry faces a maximum possible sentence of 70 years in prison; restitution to the victims, three years of supervised release; a possible fine or up to double the amount involved in the money laundering; and a $300 special assessment, the release said.
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Trade Commission, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, the release said.
Residents in southeastern Chester and southwestern Delaware counties will benefit from a $2.4 million vegetation management investment to trim trees and remove vegetation along 310 miles of aerial electric lines, said a PECO press release.
The work is underway in Bethel, Birmingham, Chadds Ford, Concord, East Marlborough, Kennett, London Britain, New Garden, Pennsbury and Thornbury townships, and the Borough of Kennett Square. It will be completed by the end of June and will improve electric service for more than 20,000 customers, the release said.
“Vegetation growth causes about 20 percent of all electric outages,” John McDonald, vice president of technical services, said in the release. “Our comprehensive vegetation management program has helped us reduce vegetation-related outages by more than 50 percent during the last five years and is vital to safely keeping the lights on for our customers.”
Each year, PECO invests approximately $500 million to enhance its electric infrastructure, including preventive maintenance and equipment upgrades to provide safe and reliable service to customers. As part of this work, PECO will invest about $42 million in vegetation management work around approximately 3,500 miles of aerial electric lines in 2016.
PECO’s vegetation management crews are trained in arboricultural techniques as defined in the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A300 Standard. This standard takes into account the type and location of the tree, its relation to overhead equipment and overall health of the tree. Customers are notified before work begins in their area, the release said.
For more information, call 1-800-494-4000 or visit peco.com and click on the Trees and Powerlines link under the Customer Service / Service Request tab on the home page.
At its meeting on Wednesday, March 23, the Pennsbury Township Board of Supervisors heard differing views on whether township business is relaxed or hectic.
Codes Enforcement Officer Russell Drumheller reported minimal activity for the month. “It’s slowed up a lot,” he said. But that lull is likely to be short-lived, based on the presentation from Planning Commission Chairman Dennis Smith.
Smith described “a big month” with four meetings. He said two of the meetings were devoted to each of the township’s ongoing “large complicated projects:” Longwood Gardens and Windmill Hollow, a subdivision on Brintons Bridge Road. Smith said progress has been made, and he expressed gratitude to township engineer Matthew Houtman for his assistance with the subdivision.
After the meeting, Smith explained that the Longwood project involves crafting an agreement among the three townships with acreage in Longwood: Pennsbury, Kennett and East Marlborough. The goal is to facilitate Longwood’s ability to make changes within its borders without infringing on the townships’ regulations, he said.
The supervisors unanimously passed a resolution that is required as part of an application for a PECO Green Region Grant, said township Manager Kathleen Howley. She said the township would be required to match the award of up to $10,000. The money would be used to clear brush and invasive plants from the township’s land along Route 1.
Solicitor Tom Oeste said progress has been made on the township’s amendment to its Riparian Buffer Ordinance. He said the Chester County Planning Commission is reviewing the document, and depending on whether the county recommends changes, the ordinance could be ready for a vote at the April 20 meeting.
Howley said the long-delayed replacement of the Route 926 Bridge would be the subject of a PennDOT open house and presentation on Wednesday, March 30 at Pocopson Elementary School. The program will include an open house at 5:30 p.m., enabling attendees to circulate among the various subject displays; a presentation from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.; and a Q&A from 7 to 7:30 p.m., according to PennDOT.
Howley also reminded the audience the township’s annual yard sale will be held on Saturday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and a free shredding event is scheduled for Saturday, April 30, from 9 a.m. to noon in the township’s parking lot. For residents doing spring-cleaning, the township will have bins available near the maintenance garage for disposal of large items, excluding hazardous materials and electronics. The times are from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, and Friday, April 29; and Saturday, April 30, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
During public comment, Alma Forsythe, a Pennsbury resident known for her environmental advocacy, said she wanted to call the supervisors’ attention to concerns raised recently by representatives of the Chester Delaware County Farm Bureau at a meeting in New Garden Township. She said the bureau is unhappy with some of the language in Landscapes 2, Chester County’s strategic plan for smart growth.
The bureau is asking municipalities “to take an interest in protecting land that might be used for something other than farming,” Forsythe said, adding that the bureau feels its industry is in danger of being destroyed by development.
Former Delaware County Sheriff Joe McGinn addresses a Chadds Ford Township audience on what to do if confronted with an active shooter situation. The order of action, he said, is to run, hide, fight.
People have three options when confronted with an active shooter situation: run, hide or fight. That was the word from former Delaware County Sheriff and current county liaison to Homeland Security Joe McGinn.
McGinn’s comments came during a March 23 presentation hosted by the Chadds Ford Township Community Emergency Response Team.
McGinn said an active shooter situation could happen anywhere or at anytime. It can start out as a robbery or burglary that deteriorates into violence, a workplace situation involving a disgruntled customer or employee, a case of domestic violence, or as an act of terrorism.
However, McGinn added, “Every active shooter has an agenda. That agenda is to take you out.”
The first thing a person should do happens before confrontation with a violent person. That first step is situational awareness. McGinn said people, when out in public, should operate on “yellow alert,” being relaxed, yet alert to all situations, much like driving defensively. In that relaxed, alert state, a person can spot things ahead of time in order to avoid being in a bad situation.
One point to be aware of, he said, is to know where the exits are in any building you enter.
“I don’t go anywhere without learning the location of exits,” he said.
But situational awareness can’t always prevent a bad situation. In those cases, the order of action should be run, hide and fight.
The first thing a person should do is run away, if possible. Leave your belongings where they are and move quickly to the nearest exit. Try to get others to escape with you. Get out of the building, prevent others from gong in, and then call 911.
If escape is not an option, hide. But cowering under a desk is not good hiding. Getting into a room that can be locked is a far better option. Lock and barricade the door, turn off the lights, keep quiet, and turn off cellphone ringers.
But even while hiding, people should have a plan for fighting back. Improvise weapons, if need be, chairs or fire extinguishers as examples. And should an armed attacker enter that space, fight with determination. The idea is to distract, disrupt and disarm.
He said the potential victims in a mass-shooting situation should become their own first responders. It takes law enforcement, on average, two to three minutes to arrive on a scene, but for every minute that goes by without the shooter being engaged, 2.5 people die.
McGinn acknowledged the idea of fighting back can be controversial, but fighting back is better than being a victim.
“People will die as long as the shooter can shoot…If the shooter isn’t stopped, we’re going to die. Should we fight back? Yes. Fight, or decide to be a victim,” he said.
McGinn also stressed the need for mindfulness.
“Your best defense is your brain…If your brain is not actively engaged, you’re relying on luck,” he said. “Be aware. Be mindful.”
That mindfulness could, at times, help prevent a problem. If a co-worker is acting strangely, out of his or her norm, expressing anger or frustration more than normal, say something. An intuitive co-worker may notice characteristics that could signal potentially violent behavior.
McGinn touched briefly on the mindset of the shooter, saying mass shooters tend to see themselves as victims in life, yet they become the victimizer when they take up a gun to shoot people. But that shooter becomes a victim again when the law arrives. When they commit suicide when confronted, it’s a way to avoid being the victim of police.
Although no questions surfaced specifically about gun-free zones, a question did come up regarding people legally licensed to carry a concealed weapon.
McGinn told the questioner to talk with the employer about whether an employee should be armed on the job.
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.
• Poseidon Ponds and Gardens is celebrating its grand opening with an open house this Saturday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at its location at 1301 Brinton’s Bridge Road — next to The Gables. Come see what is going on for the spring of 2016 and sign-up for garden workshops throughout the season. We will also have all your garden supplies available for purchase, seed starting, terrarium supplies, gift baskets and spring pansies and Easter flowers. Call for more information: 267-886-7662.
• The Kennett Area Senior Center’s Walnut Street Café Community Breakfast will be offered on Monday, April 4, from 7 to 9 a.m., with a meal that scrambled eggs, home fries, sausage, bacon, sausage gravy and biscuits, and omelets made to order. All breakfasts include juice, fruit, coffee, tea and milk. The price is $5.75 for members and $6.75 for non-members.
• The Penn State Chester County Master Gardeners Hotline will be open starting April 4 for the 2016 gardening season. You can call the Penn State Extension Office at 610-696-3500 with your garden-related questions weekdays from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. Chester County Master Gardeners answer questions on a variety of topics including growing vegetables, fruits, ornamentals, and native plants; controlling invasives; turf grass; plant identification; pruning; and insect and disease problems. The latest research-based advice encourages the use of integrated pest management and environmentally sound practices promoting the health of our ecosystem. More information about Penn State Extension Master Gardeners of Chester County may be found at http://extension.psu.edu/plants/master-gardener/counties/chester.
• The Grand in Wilmington presents a family-friendly afternoon of illuminated illusions with LUMA: Art in Darkness on Sunday, April 10, at 3 p.m. in Copeland Hall. Tickets, which are on sale now, are $23 for children and $27 for adults and may be purchased by calling The Grand’s Box Office at 302.652.5577 or online at www.TheGrandWilmington.org. LUMA Theater is a light spectacle that captures the audiences’ imaginations by using the dark as the canvas and light as the brush. LUMA creates colorful illusions by combining rhythmic gymnastics, dance, magic, puppetry, and physics with well-coordinated motion.
• Delaware County Council welcomed nine student artists who were winners in the annual “Kick Butts Day Bookmark Contest” organized by the Delaware County Tobacco-Free Coalition. While varying in color and characters, all the bookmarks had one message: Don’t use tobacco. “While we have made progress in reducing tobacco use, nearly one in five Americans still smokes. And if the current trend in tobacco use continues, 9,200 Pennsylvania youth will become daily tobacco users,” said Councilman John McBlain. During Kick Butts Day, students are encouraged to stay tobacco-free and to educate one another on the risks of all tobacco use. Students in kindergarten to grade 8 throughout the county were invited to create original bookmarks that encourage a tobacco-free lifestyle for young people. Student winners were Malysia Grandy, Trinity Okutoro, Alexia Surplus, Jacob Shapiro, Lana Sok, Sakhmet Anyika, Debbie Ho, Marie Selena Jimenez and Aisha Omer.
• Spring has arrived, and so has a special crop of Critters at the Brandywine River Museum of Art. Critters are whimsical and distinctive ornaments and decorations, crafted individually by hand using natural materials. Available through April 25, critters make great gifts for showers, housewarmings, and other special spring occasions. The cost ranges from $10 to $25. They are available in the Museum Shop, which is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Proceeds from the sale of critters benefit the Volunteers’ Art Purchase Fund, and Art Education and Programming.
• Natalie and Audrey Gartner, aged 15 and 12, from Chadds Ford, have been selected to dance with the Diamond Elite Performance Company at the Summer Stages Program in Barcelona, Spain this summer. Natalie and Audrey have been dancing competitively for more than 10 years. They attend a cyber charter school, and both have been awarded high honors in their studies, despite rehearsing from 11 to 15 hours a week. Last year, they were accepted to represent their state in a national dance convention, known as Dance Excellence, in Los Angeles, Calif.
• Mt. Cuba Center invites the public to enjoy a spectacular display of spring wildflowers at the Annual Wildflower Celebration at the botanic garden from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 24. This free event will be held rain or shine and is an opportunity to stroll through the famed gardens and view a colorful array of native spring wildflowers, enjoy live music, gardening demonstrations, family programming, and more. A variety of food selections will be available for purchase and the first 1,000 families will receive a free native coreopsis plant. During the Annual Wildflower Celebration and throughout the spring wildflower season, visitors can see an unrivaled display of trilliums and native orchids, which attract early spring pollinators. Mt. Cuba Center features diverse naturalistic gardens, including ponds, a meadow, and woodland areas, as well as formal gardens and a research trial garden. Free parking for this event is at the Red Clay Reservation, 1003 Old Wilmington Road, just east of Brackenville Road. Shuttle buses and a walking path provide access to the garden from the parking area. Due to the rolling terrain and mulched paths at Mt. Cuba Center, the use of wheelchairs is limited. Pets are not permitted.
Come meet all the wonderful animals available now for adoption at the Brandywine Valley SPCA. All featured pets are “Name Your Price” adoption fee until Monday, March 28. Not ready to adopt? Then sponsor a pet and provide a safe place for our companions to rest until they find their forever homes. Help us give them a second chance at a fresh start.
Colby
Colby
Hi world, Colby here. I’m a 6-year-old domestic short hair, with incredibly soft fur and golden eyes. As you can see I’m not shy at all and love to greet my human friends at the door. My pals here tell me that I’m one of the best cuddle bunnies you will ever meet, and did I mention I’m a total social butterfly? Well folks I would consider myself to be the total package, but I’m missing one very important thing — a family and home to call my own. Won’t you let me fill your home with kitty love? I promise you won’t regret it. Come meet me at the Brandywine Valley SPCA, I’ll be waiting with my bags packed.
Annie
Annite & Coal
Coal
Hi Hi. My name is Annite and this is my brother Coal. We came to the shelter as surrenders on Jan. 1 and have been doing okay adjusting, but only because we have each other. Our pals here say that we are incredibly silly when we start to play or chase the white tip on our tails. Yes it looks like my brother pranked me when I was sleeping and I have not been able to turn it back to black. Don’t worry though I did eventually do the same to his tail. Hehe. Even though we do well together, Coal and I do very well with other cats. I really hope we find a home together soon; the stress of being here is making me loose a bit of hair on my fanny. Ladies you understand my problem right? If you have a place in your home for two tailed dipped siblings, swing by the shelter and ask for Annite & Coal.
Click HERE to learn about all of our cats at our Pennsylvania Campus
Its
Otis
My name is Otis, I am a 1-year-old grey and white domestic short haired stud muffin. I love to lounge around sun bathing when possible and take catnaps. I get along well with my feline roommates and am inquisitive towards dogs. They kinda smell like cheese, and who doesn’t love cheese? I love cuddles and play time with anything that moves. PS: Have you ever met a cat that is treat motivated? Well I give kisses for treats and I’m certainly not too proud to beg.
Click HERE to learn about all of our cats at our Delaware Campus
Glen
Glen
Hello. I arrived at the shelter after being hit by a car. Unfortunately, I had to lose one of my legs but that hasn’t slowed me down, and now I am a cool tripod. I love to play and run, as much as I love to cuddle and rest. I just came back from being fostered where they spoiled me by giving me lots of love and attention and even shared their bed with me. Now it’s your turn. Please stop by and ask for Glen, I bet we will be best friends.
Wayne
Wayne
Hi, I’m Wayne, a handsome 4-year-old who is just biding my time at the shelter until someone realizes what a wonderful catch I am. I’m pretty much what everyone looks for in a man — good looking, a great listener, and a ton of fun to hang around with. I know tons of doggy commands like sit, shake, down and stay and probably a bunch more that I will whip out when you least expect it. I’m easy to handle on a leash so we can enjoy long walks together, and I am housebroken. I mean really, what more could you ask for in a dog? Run, don’t walk down to the shelter to meet me!
Click HERE to learn about all of our dogs at our Pennsylvania Campus.
Hatis
Hatis
Hatis here. I’m a 2-year-old stud that weighs in at 61 pounds. Yup, that makes me the biggest love bug you will ever meet. I’m super treat motivated and will perform doggy commands to claim my reward (sit and give paw are two commands I’ve mastered). The crew here has told me that I’m a gorgeous black & white brindle boxer specimen who’s warm brown eyes will make your heart melt. Also totally potty trained and refuse to go potty in my clean kennel. I would like to my new parent to be an energetic companion, who will take me for walks and lets me shower them with kisses. Does that sounds like you? Swing by the shelter today and scoop me up.
Larry
Larry
Hello my name is Larry. I am super sweet and loving. My pals here say I can be a little shy and shelter life kinda scares me, but once I get comfortable in my new home I know I will become a huge lover. I love to take long walks, play doggy games outside and enjoy treats a little too much. Because I’m a bit nervous I wear my lucky sweater all the time for comfort and it’s no secret that it makes me look really cool. As you can probably see I have conquered the puppy dog eyes so I tend to get my way a lot. Come find out for yourself and let my gorgeous face win you over.
Click HERE to learn about all of our dogs at our Delaware Campus.
