The Green Valley Road bridge over the west branch of the Brandywine Creek in Newlin Township was closed on Wednesday, May 11, due to structural damage, a PennDOT press release said.
The closure of the 79-year-old bridge resulted from an inspection performed on Tuesday, May 10, that detected severe structural deterioration of the steel beams. The extent of the deterioration had increased since the bridge’s previous inspection in November 2015, the release said.
The posted detour for motorists to follow during the bridge closure is Powell Road and Brandywine Creek Road. The Green Valley Road bridge carries an average of approximately 100 vehicles a day.
The Green Valley Road bridge will remain closed pending the design and construction of a rehabilitation or replacement project. PennDOT is examining the bridge to determine the future course of action.
The Green Valley Road bridge was built in 1937. It is 13 feet long and 18.5 feet wide. The bridge was posted with a weight limit of 19 tons and 28 tons for combination loads.
Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles by visitingwww.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 770 traffic cameras. For more PennDOT information, visit www.penndot.gov.
Fifth-graders in the classes of Dave Lichter and Laurie Swisher at Pocopson Elementary School listen as author and storyteller Robin Moore explains the writing process.
For more than 30 years, Robin Moore, an acclaimed writer and storyteller, has been captivating audiences throughout the country.
Author and storyteller Robin Moore captivates an audience of fifth-graders at Pocopson Elementary School.
On Tuesday, May 10, Moore brought his craft to Pocopson Elementary School, where fifth-graders in the classrooms of Dave Lichter and Laurie Swisher were treated to an hour and a half of animated insight into the writing process.
Lichter, a longtime organizer of the Unionville Community Fair, credited the fair with facilitating the visit. He explained that over the past six or seven years he developed a relationship with Moore because he’s been a popular attraction at the fair.
When Moore learned that both Lichter and Swisher have been reading Moore’s books aloud to their students, he worked Pocopson into his schedule. He even focused his presentation on the books the students had covered: the “Bread Sister” trilogy and “The Man with the Silver Oar.”
“After captivating the students with magical storytelling, he brought out his Irish harp and took them through a writing activity which involved seeing with both your inner and outer eyes,” Lichter said.
Moore invited the students to imagine taking a journey through the interior of a tree and then he gave them a few minutes to jot down their thoughts in their writing journals. Lichter said the fifth-graders would be encouraged to flesh out those details into a story at some point.
“He played his Irish harp while the kids began writing down their story from their ‘journey,’ and my class could not wait to get more time in class to continue their stories,” said Swisher.
Lichter said Moore explained that 90 percent of writing a book involves revisions, and he stressed the importance of research and writing about what you know.
Some of the fifth-graders at Pocopson Elementary pose with author and storyteller Robin Moore, who visited the school on Tuesday, May 10.
For example, Moore, wearing his signature buckskin pants, told the fifth-graders that he had lived in a cabin with no electricity for two years while writing his trilogy. One of the students wanted to know whether Moore set out to write three books, and he said no. In fact, the main character, based on Moore’s great-great-grandmother, originally died at the end of the first book.
But then the editing process came into play, and suddenly Maggie was alive and ready to appear in books two and three, Lichter said. “The Man with the Silver Oar” was rewritten 21 times and the revising process closely resembles the practicing needed to master a musical instrument, according to Moore.
Swisher noted that Moore often personalized the presentation, using pictures to show the students the cabin he lived in for two years – “much in the way of Thoreau.”
Moore told the students that his first book of 30,000 words took him seven years to write. Now that he is more familiar with the process, a book of similar length takes about 90 days. He typically spends about six months a year visiting schools, three months traveling and researching, and three months writing, generally from 8 a.m. to noon each day.
“The kids were highly engaged by his storytelling, as is always expected, and he offered wonderful tips on how to write,” said Swisher. “It was a terrific visit.”
“The kids were absolutely enthralled,” Lichter agreed, adding that the audience would have been happy to continue the experience, but the bell sounded. “It was time for math,” Lichter said.
Tickets are on sale for Longwood Gardens' 'Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience,' which returns Aug. 3.
Shortly after the October finale of “Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience” – Longwood Gardens’ blockbuster summer show – the gardens announced plans to bring it back this year.
The Topiary Garden at Longwood pulsates with light and music during the 2015 version of ‘Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience.’
The exhibit, which will run Wednesdays through Saturdays from Aug. 3 until Oct. 29, sets Longwood aglow with moving imagery, lights, and original compositions projected onto a living canvas of plants. It’s a second chance for those who missed its debut; however, Longwood promises some new surprises to entice repeat visitors.
Nightscape was designed to fill the void created by the loss of the Main Fountain Garden during its 2½ -year restoration. It includes both indoor and outdoor displays, immersing visitors in a kaleidoscope of color and sound.
The outdoor Beer Garden, a popular partnership with Victory Brewing Company, is also returning. The Beer Garden’s wooden structure, constructed using wood from a fallen Longwood sequoia, will be serving pub fare as well as two signature Longwood brews: Longwood Seasons: Summer Zest, a Saison beer brewed with Longwood grown lemons; and Longwood Seasons: Autumn Harvest, a wheat ale featuring floral flavors from Longwood-harvested honey. This summer, two new brews will debut: Longwood Seasons: Grapefruit Solstice, and Longwood Seasons: Fruit House Ale.
The Beer Garden will be open Thursdays through Saturdays from June 9 to July 30 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. and Wednesdays through Saturdays from Aug. 3 to Oct. 29 from 6 to 10:30 p.m. The Beer Garden will also feature live music on Thursdays. This year’s rotating performers are Ensemble Novo, a Brazilian jazz group; singer/songwriter Joy Ike; and Marc Silver, a bluegrass group, the only returning act from last year.
Tickets, which include gardens admission, are now available, and many nights are expected to sell out again since Longwood limits the number sold to keep the exhibit from getting too crowded. The gardens open at 9 a.m.; however, because the exhibit requires darkness, optimal viewing of Nightscape starts at 9 p.m. The gardens will stay open until 11 p.m.
For members, tickets are free; however, they need to make advance reservations to obtain them, Chimes Tower members and those included in their membership level do not require reservations.
For the next two weekends, OperaDelaware is bringing the Bard alive with a spring festival that focuses on William Shakespeare.
OperaDelaware will present the East Coast premiere of Franco Faccio’s setting of “Hamlet” on Saturday, May 14, at 8 p.m.; Friday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 22, at 2 p.m., at the historic Grand Opera House in Wilmington. Lost, forgotten, and now rediscovered, “Hamlet” has been hailed by opera critics as a “a remarkable achievement.”
The company will also showcase “Falstaff,” a production that illustrates the Bard’s comedic genius. Adapted from “The Merry Wives of Windsor” and “Henry IV,” it will take the stage at the Grand Opera House on Sunday, May 15, and Sunday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m.
“Shakespeare in Song” will round out the festival on May 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the OperaDelaware studio on the Riverfront. Actors from the Delaware Shakespeare Festival will join soloists from OperaDelaware to explore favorite Shakespearean texts created by different classical composers.
OperaDelaware is a professional nonprofit opera company with a reputation for excellence in both opera and arts education. Its mission is to enrich the cultural lives of adults, families and students within the Mid-Atlantic region through meaningful arts education and the production of grand opera and intimate opera concerts, featuring established and emerging talent.
It began in 1945 when a group of local artisans gathered under the guidance of Chick Laird to present classic opera with the finest voices in Wilmington at affordable prices. Now, its patrons are geographically and culturally as diverse as ever, stretching across the East Coast, according to its website.
Ticket prices range from $28 to $95. For more information, call 302-442-7807 or visit operade.org.
Pink Gazania by Andre Van As, Chester County Art Association
The Chester County Art Association might be called Chester County Active Association this weekend, and throughout the month of May. The Art Association is located at 100 North Bradford Avenue in West Chester and has exhibition galleries on site as well as in neighboring locations. The Association also offers art classes and instruction throughout the year.
This Thursday May 12 from 5 to 8 p.m., is the opening reception for artist Joshua Ruggeri in the Allison Gallery, and “Art is a Gas” in the Huston Gallery. Joshua Ruggeri ‘s paintings use familiar cultural imagery and words to create narratives about popular culture and contemporary life. His brightly colored paintings are sometimes referred to as “Popoganda” and provide a fun and evocative exhibition. Interestingly Joshua’s took many classes at Chester County Art Association when he was a young student, so it must be a delight for them to showcase his mature work in the gallery.
“Art is a Gas” is a juried exhibition of 1960’s inspired artworks that is exhibited in conjunction with the Chester County Historical Society’s current exhibition: “The Sixties! The Age of Aquarius in Chester County” which runs through August 27. You might get into the 60’s spirit and put on those pair of bell bottoms, platform heels and the macramé vest that are hiding in your closet…and enjoy all the 60’s fun.
This Saturday, at Chester County Art Association, you can check out the two exhibitions, and also enjoy their one-day Plant Sale and art exhibition “Flowers in Soil & Oil” 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. What a terrific way to celebrate the Spring! Seventeen wonderful local artists will display their flower paintings and photographs for sale, including Diane Cannon, Andre Van As, Luo Hong, David Oleski and Doris Davis-Glackin.
While in West Chester on Saturday, make sure to stop into The Church Street Gallery‘s new exhibition of works by architect and artist Brad Earl. His paintings in this exhibition “Retrovision” merge various imagery from city scenes and signage to create vividly colored, imagined scenes – a terrific show.
Around the corner at the Meridian Bank, see The Art Trust‘s new show “VIEW” which offers a selection of artworks form the 127 artists participating in the Chester County Studio Tour May 21 and 22. You can pick up the Studio Tour catalogues and maps too, while supplies last; otherwise, download a AP from their website www.countystudiotour.com
For several months now, Street Road Artists Space has been working on an exhibition of the history of Londonderry Township, for the exhibition entitled “7000 Acres”. With the help of Londonderry Historic Committee, they have been collecting photographs, personal records, letters and stories to present this unique exhibition.
Street Road Artists Space is located at 725 Street Road in Cochranville, and it is open to the public Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the Summer. The opening reception for the show is May 21st from 3 to 8 p.m., and the show will continue through July 15th. Always exploratory and thought provoking, Street Road Artists Space is providing a twist on the traditional historical exhibit by merging contemporary social media platforms with the historical artifacts. They explain that “The project thus examines social media’s potential for being a collaborative take on traditional archival methods, and a unique tool for expanding the definition and influence of community and regional identity in the 21st century.” The artists invite everyone to attend, for free, and to continue contributing their artifacts to the exhibition throughout the length of the show!
In Cochranville, the Art Partner’s Studio celebrates art in downtown Coatesville with an exhibition of paintings by artist Dane Tilghman at their gallery location at the Coatesville Savings Bank, May through July 15th. Tilghman’s paintings depict subjects of jazz and blues music, and he says that by “Using paint and pencil I create full color narratives celebrating the common moments of humanity chronicled through nostalgic black and white photography.” Art Partners Studio has studio programs that partner artists with neighbors through classes, exhibitions, hands-on activities and community art projects.
For more information, check out their website at www.artpartnersstudio.org. Also showing throughout Coatesville are 9 high quality reproductions of artwork from The Philadelphia Museum of Art, from their outreach exhibit entitled “Inside Out”. What a wonderful way to get the word out about the outstanding collection of art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, while also beautifying a city’s downtown environment!
At The Oxford Arts Alliance at 38 Third Street in Oxford, “Four Maryland Artists. Plein Air-ism, a Responsive Echo” is currently showing in their main gallery through May 24. Four painters show their very different painterly responses to the art of painting outdoors. Images with light filled landscapes and colorful natural vistas abound and inspire us all to get outside and start painting. The Oxford Arts Alliance offers art and music classes throughout the year, as well as pottery painting fun in their new ceramics studio. Check out what is going on in Oxford at www.oxfordart.org.
All over Chester County, wineries along the Brandywine Artisan Wine Trail are having art shows in their tasting rooms during the month of May. This weekend artist C.C. Czerwinski exhibits “Everything and Nothing at All” paintings at Galer Estate Winery in Kennett Square on Friday 3 to 7 p.m., and artist Cheryl Schlenker exhibits her paintings at Galer Estate from 3 to 6 p.m. Ten Gallon Hat Winery in Chadds Ford exhibits work from the Visual Expansion Gallery in their tasting room, and clay artist Mitch Lyons exhibits vases and monoprints at Borderland Vineyard in Landenberg. For more information on the many art shows along the wine trail, go to www.brandywineartisanwinetrail.com.
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.
Counting on excitement, the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) is hosting a 24 Challenge® Tournament on Friday, May 13 for elementary and middle school students across the county.
The 24 Challenge® is a tournament-style competition organized around the 24® math game, which always features the answer of 24, encouraging students to understand the process of reaching that result. Millions of students across the globe have participated in these challenges since 1988, a CCIU press release said.
According to the game maker’s website, these events are intended to “activate entire communities and involve parents and families in the goal to raise mathematics achievement among students.”
From 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., students from Charles F. Patton Middle School, and Chadds Ford, Hillendale, and Pocopson elementary schools are among the competitors from 26 Chester County schools. Students from the Kennett Consolidated and West Chester Area school districts are also participating.
This is the first year that the Chester County regional tournament will feed into the statewide competition. And there will be two separate grade band competitions: one for grades 4 and 5 and one for grade 6. Between the two competitions, 90 students are registered to participate, the release said.
The top three students in each grade band will compete at the Pennsylvania State 24 Challenge® Tournament on Wednesday, June 15, in Harrisburg.
Mario Francis Carsello Sr., formerly West Chester, died Monday, May 9.
He was the beloved husband of the late Judith Cathy; the loving father of Mario Francis Carsello, Jr. (Elise) of West Chester, Michael David Carsello (Lisa M.) of West Chester, and Marc Dominic Carsello (Rosemary P.) of Winter Garden, Fla.; also survived by nine grandchildren, three brothers, Robert Carsello, George Carsello, and Romeo Carsello, and his former wife Carol Theresa Carsello of South Philadelphia.
Joan B. Simmons (nee Breen), 81, of West Chester, formerly of Media, died Monday, May 9.
Born in Philadelphia, Joan was the daughter of the late Frank A.J. and Kathryn (Seward) Breen.
A 1952 graduate of Little Flower High School, she was a singer on the Paul Whiteman Show in her teen years.
Joan was predeceased by her husband, Frank M. Simmons, daughter, Julie Simmons Santoleri and five brothers and sisters.
She is survived by her daughter Ginny Simmons O’Hara (Brian) of Uxbridge, Mass., son, Daniel P. Simmons (Marion) of Glen Mills, and son-in-law, Mike Santoleri of Berwyn; loving grandmother of Christopher and Matthew O’Hara; Michael, Daniel, Megan and Cara Santoleri; and Sean, Patrick and Colin Simmons.
Relatives and friends are invited to her Visitation 10-11 a.m. Saturday at Nativity BVM, 30 E. Franklin St, Media, 19063 and to her funeral mass 11. Interment SS Peter & Paul Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Divine Providence Village, 686 Old Marple Road, Springfield, PA 19064.
Arrangements by The Donohue Funeral Home, 1627 West Chester Pike, West Chester, PA 19382, 610-431-9000.
Eleanor K. Muschek (nee Knellwolf), of West Chester, formerly of Somerdale, N.J., died Sunday, May 8.
Born in 1924 in Oaklyn, N.J., she was the daughter of the late John and Julia B. (nee Haederly) Knellwolf.
Eleanor was the beloved wife of the late Nelson H. Muschek; the loving mother of Pamela Hale (Thomas), Kimberly Cairnes, and the late Gregory N. Muschek; the grandmother of Kathleen, Alex, Keith, and Emily; the sister of Lois Zaun and the late John Knellwolf; also survived by four great-grandchildren.
Relatives and friends are invited to her Visitation 10-11 a.m. Friday, May 13, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 409 White Horse Pike, Oaklyn, NJ 08107 followed by her Funeral Service at 11:00 a.m.. Interment Locustwood Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association, 399 Market Street, Suite 102, Philadelphia, PA 19106.
Dorothy M. Trosino, 93, of Chadds Ford, died Thursday, May 5, at her home. She was the wife of the late Ernest Trosino who died in 1977 and with whom she shared 15 years of marriage
Born in Alden, Okla., she was a daughter of the late Charles D. and the late Nancy C. Samuals Cane.
She was a graduate of Delaware County Community College. She was a member of the Kennett Square VFW, loved to travel and worked for God.
Survivors include her stepson, Neil Trosino of Portland, Ore., and many nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by two brothers and one sister.
You are invited to Dorothy’s memorial service at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at the Delaware Valley Christian Church, 535 North Old Middletown Rd. Media, PA 19063. Interment will be in Arlington National Cemetery where she will be laid to rest next to her husband. Contributions in her memory may be made to the church at the aforementioned address. Arrangements are being handled by the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home Inc. (60-444-4116) of Kennett Square. To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit www.griecocares.com
