Culminating a yearlong effort, the Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department announced that it has received accreditation from the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission (PLEAC).
Members of the Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department display their PLEAC accreditation certificate.
The unanimous vote from PLEAC occurred on March 30 and places the department among the eight percent of all law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania that have received PLEAC accreditation. Among the many benefits are decreased liability insurance expenditures, reduced agency risk and exposure to lawsuits, improved community relations, and increased agency accountability to the public, according to a police department press release.
The Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association introduced the Pennsylvania Law Enforcement Accreditation Program in July 2001. The program was designed and developed by professional law enforcement executives to provide a reasonable and cost-effective plan for the professionalization of law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania.
To become accredited, an agency must demonstrate that it meets the 132 standards developed by PLEAC. The agency must present evidence to a team of assessors that the agency has a policy in place to address each standard and that officers are stringently complying with the policy. These standards include procedures relating to patrol operations, vehicle pursuits, use of force, detention of prisoners, and property-evidence control.
In order to retain accreditation status, the department must undergo a reaccreditation assessment every three years. The ongoing accreditation process will guarantee that the department continually reviews and revises departmental procedures, thereby ensuring that the Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department is in compliance with the national best practices in policing.
The police department extended thanks to the elected officials of East Goshen, Westtown, and Thornbury Townships and their citizens for their support and encouragement during the accreditation process.
The West Goshen Township Police Department is seeking the public’s help to identify an alleged lawn-care equipment thief.
West Goshen Township Police are hoping someone can identify this theft suspect.
Police said on Friday, April 8, officers responded to the Wawa convenience store at 1050 West Chester Pike, for a report of a theft from a landscaping trailer in the Wawa parking lot. Police said the suspect entered the store, made a cash purchase, and then took a detour after he exited the store, a police press release said.
The suspect proceeded to the rear of the building at which time he removed a white and orange Stihl BR-600 backpack blower from a landscaping trailer and placed it into a light-colored Honda CRV, the release said.
Store surveillance cameras showed the suspect entering the Wawa, committing the theft, and then placing the blower into the Honda CRV, police said, adding that they hope someone can identify the man. Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives at 610-696-7400.
West Goshen Township Police say they are trying to identify the man who helped himself to a landscaping blower on Friday, April 8.
On Saturday, April 9, Unionville High musicians and performers rocked their respective championship competitions.
The Unionville High School Color Guard includes (first row from left) KC Simmons, Fiona Fox, Gwen Snavely, Victoria Childs, and Liam Riley. Second row: Rachel Hughes, Sarah Zrebeic, Sara Lezeu, Dakota Kilgariff, and Heather Rittler, and third row: Helen Nichols, Aisha Lunkins, Kyle Lacey, and Audrey Buchanan.
The Unionville High School Indoor Color Guard won first place at the Cavalcade of Bands Color Guard Championships Scholastic Regional A Division. Following an undefeated season, they competed against eight color guards from southeastern Pennsylvania schools.
Their show, “At the Speakeasy,” is a lively routine with a 1920s flair. The students spun flags, rifles and sabres with complex choreography that had the crowd cheering.
The Unionville High School Indoor Percussion Ensemble took second place in a competitive field of 12 at the Mid-Atlantic Percussion Society Championships. Their program, “Leave Your Mark.” is a musical introspective about making a difference in the world by doing one’s best, a routine that captivated both the audience and the judges.
Unionville High School Drumline (from left in second row) are John Grossbauer, Trevor Seidel, Linyun Wang, Alison Harten, Ellie Kerns, Megan Atkinson, Lexie Grace, and Rose Lacey. Third row: Drew Hunt, Andrew Goodridge, Michael Dirnberger, Eric Folmar, Divyan Jain, Irene Liu, Dana Dirnberger, and Erin Harten. Top row: James Conway, Ryan Hastings, Michael Friedman , Thomas McClure, Sid Iyer, Julia Trigg, Linghai, Wang, and Harry Kolb. The front row includes staffers (from left) Cody Stafford, Chris Houck, Sean Clendening, Matt Marion.
The drumline is excited about competing in the World Guard International Percussion World Championships in Dayton, Ohio, from April 14 to April 17. On Tuesday, April 12, the Unionville High School Indoor Percussion Ensemble will host a free Dayton sendoff show in the Unionville High gym.
Friends, family, neighbors, acquaintances and music lovers are invited to come out and enjoy the program “Leave Your Mark” one last time before the group heads to Dayton for the WGI World Championships. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show will last approximately 30 minutes. The color guard will also do an encore performance of its award-winning show, “At the Speakeasy.”
The guard is directed by Mary Litzenberg, Jen Hilbish, Tanner Jones, Woody Kleintz, Kate Rittler and George Thomson. The drumline is under the direction of Cody Stafford, Trey Collins, Devon Bond, Matt Marion, Maria Graham, Sean Clendening, Brianna Dougherty and Chris Houck.
The recent performances are available for viewing on You Tube. For the color guard, click here. For drumline, click here.
Tuesday, April 12, marks the national observance of Equal Pay Day, the day when women and men around the country recognize the wage gap between working women and men, and offer remedies to address pay inequity. According to statistics released in 2014 by the U.S. Census Bureau, women are paid, on average, 79 cents for every dollar their male counterparts are paid – a gap of 22 cents.
It’s shameful, but here in Pennsylvania women’s pay doesn’t even measure up to the national average. Women are paid about 77 cents on the dollar compared to men according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Women and their families are being shortchanged thousands of dollars a year and hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of a lifetime, according to a press release from the Chester County Fund for Women and Girls.
Here are four ways to close the pay gap:
First, keep affirmative action programs in place to make sure education, jobs and promotion opportunities are open and offered to qualified women.
Second, employers must examine and correct their pay practices; they can get help in examining their pay practices through equal pay self-audit guidelines from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Third, women must stand up for equal pay and for themselves. If a prospective employer cannot show that women and men are paid equally for the job you’re seeking, it makes sense to look elsewhere. Positive signs includes a hiring process that seeks diversity through affirmative action, written pay and benefit policies, job descriptions and evaluation procedures. Women who are paid less than men must discuss the problem with their employer. If there’s a union, ask for their help. If discrimination persists, file a complaint with the local or state Fair Employment Practice Agencies or with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
A fourth way to close the pay gap is through federal legislation such as the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Fair Pay Act. That’s not a solution popular with employers, but it may be necessary. For employers who continue to pay women less, legal penalties or EEOC action may be the only remedies.
Pay equity is a growing national movement. States around the country are introducing pay equity legislation and women continue to recognize the importance of this legislation. Pay inequity penalizes families especially during times of economic hardship so we must address it when trying to boost the economy. At the rate we are going, the wage gap will not close for another 50 years. Women and their families cannot afford to wait that long, the release said.
The Chester County Fund for Women and Girls is about to release the 2016 Blueprint Report on Thursday, May 12 at the State of Women in Chester County. The purpose of the report is to provide community stakeholders with a comprehensive and objective assessment of the current status of women in Chester Count and offer insight regarding how the interests of women can be better served.
The State of Women in Chester County will be held in partnership with the Chester County Women’s Commission and will be hosted by Penn State Great Valley. The event is free but seating is limited. To register, click here.
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. For more than 18 years, the fund has raised awareness about the critical needs of women and girls, and has awarded over $2 million to 65 nonprofit organizations. To learn more, visit www.ccfwg.org.
Today marks the first day of a weeklong celebration of superheroes – April 10 to April 16 is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
Every day across the nation we hear about emergencies that occur in our communities – vehicle accidents; fires; murders; rapes; robberies; identity thefts, embezzlement and other white collar crimes; explosions caused by gas leaks; tornadoes, flooding, earthquakes; terrorism; and active shooters.
We even hear about police officers and other emergency responders who are attacked and murdered. As the news reports about these events, they show us images of emergency responders, victims, witnesses, and bystanders. There’s something missing from every single news report: the public safety telecommunicator.
Every day, the 72 men and women in the Chester County Department of Emergency Services 9-1-1 Operations Center answer more than 700 calls for help – that’s more than 280,000 emergency telephone calls per year. And that’s just telephone calls: How about the almost 400,000 emergency incidents they process a year?
Our telecommunicators talk to everyone from alarm companies to those whose homes were just invaded – the mother and her children hiding in a closet hoping that the invader doesn’t find them. They talk to the teenager who was just mugged and the person who was just sexually assaulted. They talk to the business owners who just discovered their trusted friend of more than 30 years has been robbing them blind. They talk the panicked father through delivering his first child. They talk to the hysterical woman whose husband of 50 years won’t wake up. They talk to every single person who needs a police officer, a firefighter, or an emergency medical professional.
These individuals talk to people frustrated about their power being out and their trash that wasn’t picked up. They talk to everyone. It’s more than the fact that these talented men and women talk to people, they do it with incredible customer service. These men and women are able to be compassionate while obtaining the information they need to get help. They do it all over the telephone. They can’t physically extend an arm and console someone – they do it through their words, their inflections.
These folks also care for every police officer, every firefighter, and every emergency medical professional. The telecommunicator is personally invested in making sure each person gets to go home to his or her family at the end of the call or shift.
These men and woman are nothing short of superheroes. So please take a moment to publicly and privately thank Chester County’s superheroes.
Robert Kagel
Director of Chester County’s Department of Emergency Services
The Chadds Ford Historical Society is partnering with Brandywine View Antiques to host the Second Annual Massive Barn Market on Saturday, April 16.
A local business owner wants to apologize in advance for the expected gridlock on Route 1 on Saturday, April 16; the traffic will be as controlled as possible, she said, but more importantly, it’s for a good cause.
Lisa Vonderstruck, owner of Brandywine View Antiques, promotes the Massive Barn Market during a recent fundraiser for the Chadds Ford Historical Society.
The event is the Second Annual Spring Massive Barn Market, sponsored by the Chadds Ford Historical Society and Brandywine View Antiques. It will be held from 9 to 4 at the society’s Barn Visitors Center at 1736 Creek Rd.
“I’m ready to rock and roll,” exclaimed Lisa Vonderstruck, owner of Brandywine View Antiques. “I’ve already heard from about 5,000 people. Everyone is so excited about this. It’s going to be wonderful.”
Vonderstruck said more than 100 vendors will feature wares ranging from antiques and collectibles to vintage and artisan goods. The debut event served as a test run last year, she said, adding that the 2016 version revs into a higher gear.
In addition to twice as many vendors, the number of food trucks has also increased and will include purveyors such as the Meat House, Mushrooms Café, and Punk’d Pineapple Ice Cream. Vonderstruck recommends making sure you bring ID in case you opt to try one of the newest offerings: an alcoholic Popsicle.
Weather permitting, an antique car show will enhance the festive atmosphere, which will be enlivened further by the music of Campbell and Silver. And just for more fun, a vintage camper will be on display.
Because antiques and history go together so well, Vonderstruck said the partnership with the historical society is a natural. All proceeds from the $5 donation at the gate will benefit the society’s education programs. “We love helping to save history,” she added.
Other changes this year will include more free parking spaces and better signage, including some electronic signs on Route 1. Most vendors plan to accept credit cards, and they will pack extra inventory so that they don’t sell out early, as happened previously.
“ Everybody has been working so hard to put this incredible event on the map,” Vonderstruck said, praising a host of volunteers from the Boy Scouts, who will assist with parking, to the society members who are performing myriad organizational functions.
Vonderstruck said she’s heard from a few people that they plan to arrive at the crack of dawn, but it won’t give them first crack at the merchandise. ”The vendors cannot even buy and sell off of each other until the rope is cut, promptly at 9 a.m.,” she said.
But early birds will get a benefit: A food truck will be open for breakfast.
Gently suspending an egg yolk from its sac, artist Terry Wolf shows how to mix tempera paint. His demonstrations are being held on Fridays in April during tours of the Andrew Wyeth Studio.
Extra-large, white eggs from Wawa were the preferred poultry pick of renowned painter Andrew Wyeth, according to Brandywine River Museum of Art tour guide Jo Lurquin.
Tours of the Andrew Wyeth Studio shows how the family lived when they resided there in the 1950s.
Their unmistakable impact on many of Andrew Wyeth’s most significant paintings resulted from Wyeth’s mastery of tempera, a painstaking technique. The process involves mixing pigment with distilled water and egg yolk to create paint conducive to exacting detail, Lurquin explained during a recent tour.
Those interested in viewing the procedure now have an opportunity. For the first time, the museum is offering demonstrations on Fridays in April during tours of Andrew Wyeth’s studio.
Artist Terry Wolf, a member of the Society of Tempera Painters, has set up shop temporarily in the studio, where he shows visitors the intricacies of the mixing regimen. Wolf paints on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and in Tenants Harbor, Maine. He studied at the Taylor School of Art in Wilmington, at the Barnes Foundation and with Maine artist John Dehlinger.
A somewhat unkempt studio contrasts with the precision that Andrew Wyeth achieved in his paintings.
As Wolf cracks the first egg, the yolk breaks, forcing him to start over.
“You don’t want any of the white,” he explains as he gingerly cradles a yolk in his hand, gently piercing the sac so the yellow liquid runs into a small container. Once the yolk is extracted, it’s mixed with water in proportions that are not forgiving. Too much liquid and the result is runny; not enough egg produces a paint that’s too chalky, he explained.
The painting surface requires the same meticulous attention; ordinary canvas won’t work. Wolf said he often prepares his own boards, a process that takes three days per panel. He applies rabbit skin glue to the boards the first day, gesso the second day, and then sands them on the third.
“I just love it,” he said. Besides, “doing this keeps me out of bars,” he joked.
Wolf said he learned that Wyeth liked tempera because “you can keep on going and going.” Wolf said he could identify with that sentiment and has been known to buy back paintings he sold so that he can work on them a bit longer.
Artist Terry Wolf says he enjoys sharing the magic of mixing tempera paints.
Unlike oil paints that can yellow with time, tempera keeps its color, Wolf said. He said the technique dates back at least as far as the Egyptians.
Because the process requires – and produces – precision, one might think that Andrew Wyeth’s studio would reflect that exactitude. That would be incorrect, Lurquin said.
“Enjoy the messiness of it all,” she added, pointing to random splotches of paint on the walls, floor, and ceiling of Wyeth’s workspace. “His son said he was a wild painter.”
Lurquin said esteemed painter N.C. Wyeth, Andrew’s father, bought the building in 1925, hoping that it would be used one day by one of his five children. Before that, the 1875 structure was known as Birmingham Township Schoolhouse No. 2, Lurquin said.
After their marriage in 1940, Andrew and Betsy Wyeth moved in, adding an expanded kitchen a decade later. In 1961, the Wyeths moved their family a few miles away, but Andrew Wyeth, who died in 2009, continued to use the studio through 2008, Lurquin said.
She said Wyeth appreciated the privacy the studio afforded him; sometimes he was even able to hide his car in the back, making it look unoccupied. Still, some diehards managed to seek him out, prompting a sign on the door that warned those intent on interrupting his work that he wouldn’t be amenable to signing autographs.
A sign on the door of Andrew Wyeth’s studio strives to discourage interruptions.
When the museum acquired the property from Betsy Wyeth in 2010, she helped the museum recreate the living space, contributing memorabilia ranging from her cookbooks to her husband’s expansive collection of toy soldiers. The museum added other accouterments like ‘50s appliances and Revere pots and pans to lend authenticity, Lurquin said.
Throughout the studio, the walls are filled with Wyeth reproductions and photos. The photographs run the gamut from Wyeth’s fencing with actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr. to a collage of smiling portraits depicting Wyeth and Siri Erickson, one of his young models. “You can see their friendship,” Lurquin remarked.
Ann Magee traveled from New Jersey to take the tour. She explained that she’s working on a children’s picture book about Wyeth and thought the experience would be insightful. She particularly enjoyed Wolf’s demonstration.
“He’s fabulous and so talented,” Magee said of Wolf. “I could have listened to him a lot longer. I loved it.”
Patrick J. Murphy and his wife, Alessia Murphy, of Gilbertsville, said they are longtime Wyeth fans. Patrick Murphy said he spotted a notice on Facebook last week and they decided to attend.
“It was very interesting,” Alessia Murphy said. “I really enjoyed it.”
The Brandywine River Museum of Art will be offering historic property tours through Sunday, Nov. 20. Tours of the Andrew Wyeth Studio are available Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday at 10 and 11:15 a.m. and 12:45, 2 and 3:15 p.m.; and Tuesday and Saturday at 10 and 11:15 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. Wolf’s demonstrations will be included on April 15, 22, and 29.
Tours of the N. C. Wyeth House and Studio are available Monday at 10 and 11:15 a.m.; Thursday at 10 and 11:15 a.m. and 12:45 p.m.; and Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday at 10 and 11:15 a.m. and 12:45, 2 and 3:15 p.m. Tours of the Kuerner Farm are available Monday at 12:45, 2 and 3:15 p.m.; and Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 2 and 3:15 p.m.
Tickets are limited and available on brandywinemuseum.org or by calling 610-388-8326.
The Brandywine River Museum of Art, located on Route 1 in Chadds Ford, features an outstanding collection of American art housed in a 19th-century mill building with a dramatic steel and glass addition overlooking the banks of the Brandywine. The museum is open daily (except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day) from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
