April 22, 2016 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Democrats challenge Republican’s residency

The race for the state House seat in the 158^th Legislative District — specifically for the Republican Party nomination — continues to be controversial.

The state House Democratic Campaign Committee has challenged the legitimacy of a Republican’s eligibility for state representative based on the candidate’s residency.

The committee issued a release on April 21 that said Eric M. Roe, who is running a write-in campaign for the GOP nomination, does not meet the residency requirements to run for the office. The Republicans say it just isn’t so.

State law requires candidates for state representative to be residents of the state for four years and to be an inhabitant of their respective districts for one year before the election. By law, Roe should have been a legal resident of Pennsylvania since November 2012 and of the district since November 2015.

In the release, Nathan Davidson, executive director of the Pennsylvania HDCC, cited Roe’s LinkedIn profile page, saying that page “casts doubts” on his eligibility to run for the seat. The committee said Roe graduated from American University in 2010, then went to work for the Republican National Committee in Washington D.C. and that the RNC reported that he lived in Washington.

Roe continued to live in D.C. until November 2012, listing his residence as Washington while working for Let Freedom Ring, the release said, and that Roe then left the country for a year to study at University College London.

“Roe did not plant roots in Pennsylvania and establish his residency here until he joined the John Jay Institute in August 2014,” according to the release.

Val DiGiorgio, the chairman of the Republican Committee of Chester County, said in an email: “This is a pathetic attempt by the Democrat [sic] Party to confuse voters just days before a primary election in hopes that their Democrat candidate wins the Republican Primary.”

(State law does not allow a candidate for state House to cross-file, but candidates from one party may mount a write-in campaign on another party’s ballot. Rzucidlo said she is running such a campaign in Tuesday’s primary.)

DiGiorgio said Roe has been a resident of the district for 25 years, adding that Roe’s tax returns, driver’s license, car and voter’s registration show he’s been a resident since he was 18.

“This is all public record and indisputable,” DiGiorgio wrote.

He claimed that the Democratic Party candidate, Susan Rzucidlo, has “spent the last two months trying to mislead Republicans, hoping they will vote for her in the Republican Primary. Now, she is propagating blatant lies and should be ashamed of herself. She is a three-time loser, and in her fourth attempt for this office, she knows her only hope for election is underhanded tricks and political games.”

Rzucidlo said she knew nothing about the HDCC press release until after it was issued. She also said DiGrigorio is just trying to blame her for his problems in the GOP.

The 158^th Legislative District has been involved with political controversy for the last two years. Republican Chris Ross has been the representative for 20 years, but two years ago he wanted to retire.

The Chester County GOP endorsed Cuyler Walker to run in 2014, but Walker withdrew at the last minute for reasons never made public. Ross then ran for, and won, another term.

Earlier this year Roe, Perry Bentley and Lenny Rivera sought the GOP nomination. The party endorsed Rivera, but he withdrew his name because of irregularities regarding signatures gathered on his ballot petition.

However, Rivera decided to run a write-in campaign, but changed his mind. Bentley then announced a write-in campaign, and Roe followed suit after the party chose to endorse him over Bentley.

Whoever gets the Republican nomination in Tuesday’s primary will face Rzucidlo in November.

The 158^th comprises London Britain, New Garden, East Marlborough, West Marlborough, Newlin, East Bradford, West Bradford and parts of West Goshen townships and Avondale Borough.

About Rich Schwartzman

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.

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UHS ranked 8th in state

School & Education

U.S. News & World Report has ranked Unionville High School number 8 in the state and number 530 in the country.

According to school Principal Jimmy Conley, that’s not just an acknowledgement of how well UHS does. He said it shows how good all the district schools are and how much effort the community puts into education.

“It’s an honor to be ranked eighth in the state, and it’s an honor we share with the entire community. It’s exciting,” Conley said.

He also said that while getting the ranking is “wonderful, the kids are more than just a number.” He said it’s not just about curriculum, but how the district supports students afterward.

Conley acknowledged the irony that it was the U.S. News & World Report’s listing of the top-ranked colleges and universities that led to the recent controversy over whether or not student decile rankings should be included when a student applies to colleges.

But, he said even that controversy was a good sign.

“I loved how the community came together to discuss this. Everyone was respectful. That type of thoughtful, educated discourse is why we’re successful.”

Conley also noted that the school was ranked 14^th in the country by another reporting agency in November 2014. He said he has to take all reporting with a grain of salt since different agencies look at different areas.

Regional schools ranking ahead off UHS in the report are Conestoga, third; Lower Merion, fourth; and Strath Haven, seventh.

Other regional schools ranked in the top 20 are Renaissance Academy Charter School, Radnor High School, Central Bucks High School-West, Wissahickon High, Council Rock High School-North and Great Valley High School.

About Rich Schwartzman

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Roadwork for week of April 23

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 April 23 through April 30. Motorists are urged to allow extra time if they are traveling through one of the construction zones.

Creek Road is scheduled to close between Brintons Bridge Road and Route 1 in Birmingham Township on Monday, April 25, and Tuesday, April 26. Crews will be working on resurfacing from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. During construction, Creek Road through traffic will be detoured over Routes 1 and 202 and Brintons Bridge Road. Local access will be maintained up to the construction zone.

Route 202 in both directions in West Goshen, East Whiteland and Tredyffrin townships will have to accommodate a slow-moving operation to paint traffic lines on Monday, April 25. Crews are scheduled to work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route 322 in Concord, Bethel, and Upper Chichester townships will be the site of patching on Tuesday, April 26. Lane closures will be needed between Baltimore Pike and I-95 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Route 1 in Concord Township will be the site of utility installation through Sept. 1. Lane shifts will be needed on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. between Brinton Lake Road and Applied Card Way.

Lane restrictions will continue to be needed on Gay Street in West Chester Borough between North Worthington and Montgomery Street for sidewalk installation. Crews are scheduled to work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Monday, May 2.

Work is continuing on the project to widen Route 202, which is scheduled for completion in August 2016. Motorists should expect delays for traffic pattern shifts in Tredyffrin and East Whiteland townships.

Work will also continue on the Speakman Covered Bridge in East Fallowfield and West Marlborough townships. Frog Hollow Road between Concord Bridge and Strasburg roads will be closed and detoured until the estimated completion date of Sept. 20.

Burnt Mill Road in Kennett Township remains closed and detoured between Norway and Spring Mill roads while advance work continues on repairs to the Burnt Mill Bridge, which was closed on April 24, 2014. PennDOT reported progress last week on scheduling the work.

Work is continuing on the Birmingham Road Bridge in Birmingham Township, which closed in September due to structural damage. Posted 24-hour detours will be in effect between Lambourne Road and Stoney Run Drive through Aug. 31.

Daylong lane closures will be in place on Route 100 in Uwchlan and West Whiteland townships from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the installation of aerial fiber optic lines through Friday, April 29. The northbound right lane will be closed from Ship Road to Sheree Boulevard, and the southbound right lane will be closed from Marchwood Road to Sunrise Drive. An additional lane closure also may occur, if needed, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lane restrictions are scheduled on Saturday, April 23, on Interstates 76 and 95 in Philadelphia for patching. From 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., the right lane is scheduled to close on eastbound and westbound I-76 between City Avenue and Passyunk Avenue. Lane restrictions are scheduled on northbound and southbound I-95 between Broad Street and Academy Road.

Lane restrictions will also occur next week on I-76 and Market Street in Philadelphia for sign installations, bridge inspections, deck repairs, and surveys. The work will be done in sections from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 26, Wednesday, April 27, Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1.

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/

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Preschoolers unleash power of ladybugs

School & Education

A plethora of ladybugs – 3,000, to be exact – were released amid squeals and giggles at Chadds Ford’s Chesterbrook Academy Preschool on Friday, April 22.

A teacher at Chesterbrook Academy distributes ladybugs so the preschoolers can release them. — A teacher at Chesterbrook Academy distributes ladybugs so the preschoolers can set them free.

“Every year we join Chesterbrook Academy schools from coast to coast in this celebration of Earth Day,” stated Laura Hughes, acting principal. “All the Chesterbrook Academy schools release the ladybugs at 10 a.m. and the children are encouraged to wear red.”

The ladybug release is one of Chesterbrook Academy’s events that teach the importance of community and the world of nature.

Teachers prepared the toddlers and kindergartners for the release ahead of time by explaining that ladybugs are friendly to the environment. They serve as natural pesticides, chowing down on insects that are harmful to gardens, trees and shrubs.

A handful of ladybugs await their release on Earth Day.

While some of the children were leery of touching the bugs, most of the boys and girls were excited to see them, touch them, and watch them crawl up their arms.

“Don’t kill it, don’t kill it,” cried one boy as another boy tried to pick one up. “Ooh, they tickle,” giggled another young girl.

Topping off the outside activity, one of the children spotted a caterpillar. They all crowded around and explored another miracle of nature before heading off to the playground and the next adventure of the day.

About Lora B. Englehart

Lora has a passion for art, gardening, yoga, music and dancing. She continues to research the life of locally born abolitionist and 1998 National Women's Hall of Fame inductee Mary Ann Shadd Cary. She is a dedicated community volunteer, working with the American Association of University Women, Wilmington, DE branch (programs chair), Chadds Ford Historical Society (former board member) and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art. Lora lives in Birmingham Township with her husband Bill and son Brad. Daughter Erika lives in Pittsburgh with husband Bob and baby Wilhelmina. She is a former French, Spanish and ESL teacher, bilingual life insurance underwriter and public relations coordinator for Delaware Art Museum and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.

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Study examines culinary cravings of crayfish

Local News

While macroinvertebrates are a tasty food source for crayfish, a new study revealed a surprising finding: When crayfish were placed in experimental enclosures in the stream, macroinvertebrate density was higher, not lower.

A Stroud Water Research Center study examines role of crayfish in stream health. Photo by Lind — A study conducted in the Schuylkill River examines the role of crayfish in the ecosystem. Photo by Lindsey Albertson

Stroud Water Research Center’s lead fluvial geomorphologist Melinda Daniels, and Lindsey Albertson, a postdoctoral researcher and ecology professor from Montana State University, conducted the study in Valley Creek, an urbanized and degraded tributary of the Schuylkill River, according to a Stroud press release.

The scientists placed wire-mesh enclosures, some with crayfish inside and some without, in the creek. At the conclusion of the two-week experiment, populations of macroinvertebrates such as caddisflies, which can indicate better water quality, were higher in the crayfish enclosures, despite being a food source for crayfish.

The crayfish enclosures also featured reduced settling of fine sediment pollution on the surface of the streambed. As the crayfish disturbed the rock and gravel bottom with their claws, they agitated and increased suspension of fine sediments, presumably allowing more sediments to flow downstream, the release said.

“We were surprised,” Albertson admitted in the release. “We thought the crayfish would eat the macroinvertebrates and reduce their populations, but we found the opposite. Macroinvertebrate density was higher in the crayfish enclosures. So even if the crayfish were eating some of the macroinvertebrates, we think that all of the fine sediment that had been suspended and washed away created a more macroinvertebrate-friendly habitat.”

Many macroinvertebrates don’t like to live in streams with high sediment loads. It’s a type of pollution that degrades freshwater streams and can be traced to land-use changes like agriculture and development.

“Crayfish show the potential to alleviate some of the problems seen in impaired streams,” Daniels said in the release. “Every organism has its part in an ecosystem, and we’re still learning what the individual roles are.”

The study, “Effects of Invasive Crayfish on Fine Sediment Accumulation, Gravel Movement, and Macroinvertebrate Communities,” was published “Freshwater Science” and can be accessed at http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/685860. For more information on the Stroud Water Research Center in Avondale and its role in protecting drinking water, click here.

About Press Release

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Celebration on tap for Victory at Magnolia

Local News

victory_0271 — Victory Brewing Company opened its second brewpub in Kennett Square in April of 2015, and borough officials say the company's first year is cause for celebration.

It’s been a heady year for the Victory Brewing Company, which just celebrated its first anniversary in Kennett Square – as well as its 20^th year of operation.

Victory Brewing Company co-founder Ron Barchet says the Kennett Square location has exceeded expectations in its first year.

Victory at Magnolia, the 250-seat, upscale brewpub in Kennett Square debuted to enthusiastic crowds last April. Located in Magnolia Place, a residential development at the corner of West Cypress Street and Mill Road, Victory’s industrial chic facility occupies the entire bottom floor – about 8,100 square feet – of a four-story red brick building that is also home to 33 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

To pay tribute to its surroundings and reinforce its commitment to sustainability, the brewpub’s walls were lined with repurposed mushroom board, reclaimed by hand from South Mill Mushroom Farms.

A year later, borough officials are glad that Victory decided to make Kennett Square one of its locations.

“Victory Brewing has been a good neighbor in the borough and they have taken many strides to be inclusive with those that previously chose to make their home here,” said Kennett Square Borough Council President Danilo P. Maffei. “With the rising popularity of craft brewing in Pennsylvania and across the country, their presence has raised awareness of our town and the many wonderful things that our businesses and citizens have to offer.”

Mayor Matt Fetick agreed that Victory has proven to be a positive addition. “They have a fantastic reputation, and there have been no issues whatsoever,” said Fetick. “They are civic-minded and support many great community causes. I’m thankful they chose to invest in Kennett Square!”

Among the beers on tap at Victory at Magnolia right now is an exclusive-to-Kennett, celebratory, first-year anniversary brew.

During a recent interview, Ron Barchet, who founded Victory in 1996 in Downingtown with his childhood friend, Bill Covaleski, said the Kennett Square location has exceeded their expectations during what he described as “a crazy whirlwind of a year.”

In addition to opening the Kennett Square brewpub, Victory added one in Parkesburg in November. Its third restaurant occupies space in Victory’s second brewing complex and features interactive, self-guided tours of the premises, including bottling and packaging operations.

The expansive Parkesburg complex enabled Victory to add canning to its repertoire, and then to rev up the momentum even further, the company announced a landmark alliance in February with Southern Tier Brewing Company under the parent company, Artisanal Brewing Ventures (ABV).

Under the umbrella of ABV, Victory and Southern Tier operate their breweries independently, Barchet said. Both he and Covaleski serve on the board.

Barchet said the downside of relinquishing some control is more than offset by the collective resources and the ability to brainstorm with so many creative people. The alliance created one of the largest brewers in the Northeast, according to the Brewers Association.

“The way the craft beer industry is going, you either grow, or you go down,” said Barchet, noting that the latter was not an option.

He said he and Covaleski feel a strong commitment to the communities where their facilities are based. “Obviously we’ve been successful here [Kennett Square],” he said. “We’re grateful that people like our beer, but we see that as a two-way street in giving back to the community.”

Mary Hutchins, executive director of Historic Kennett Square, said the company has been involved and generous. In addition to hosting a fundraising block party for Historic Kennett Square on May 22 and the Mushroom Cap Half Marathon on Oct. 15, Victory also donates beer to numerous community events and supports county-wide nonprofits like the Chester County Food Bank.

Hutchins said that although she doesn’t have any hard economic data, once Magnolia Place began construction and Victory committed to opening a brewpub, the economic development activity soared in the borough.

“I think Victory committing to the community was a strong sign of confidence in where the borough was heading,” she said. “In addition, we have seen an increase in foot traffic in the downtown, and even though it is hard to pinpoint why, it has continued to increase after Victory opened.”

And it hasn’t been the kind of traffic that causes headaches for law-enforcement, said Kennett Square Police Chief Edward A. Zunino. “I think the staff at Victory Brewing Company works very hard to maintain a safe and friendly atmosphere,” he said. “We have had no issues whatsoever.”

That’s good news for Barchet. “I haven’t heard of any problems, but if one occurs, we want to fix it,” he said.

Barchet would prefer to continue focusing on flavor, brewing up new crowd favorites. He said last year’s Victory Beer Garden at Longwood Gardens proved popular and resulted in two signature beers, a saison created with Longwood lemons and an autumn ale that featured Longwood honey.

Both of those brews will return this summer, and a couple of new ones will be added, Barchet said.

In the meantime, for those who want to tap into an exclusive brew, Magnolia at Victory is now offering a Kennett-only beer to celebrate its first anniversary.

About CFLive Staff

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

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