May 13, 2016 - ChaddsFordLive.com

‘Criminal’ convicted in armed robbery spree

More than three years after a spate of armed robberies terrified six residents in Kennett and New Garden Townships, a Chester County jury on Thursday, May 12, determined that one of the alleged defendants had lived up to his nickname: “Criminal.”

After about six hours of deliberations, the panel convicted Emmanuel Renteria, 27, of West Grove, on 10 counts of robbery and related charges. Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said teamwork played a pivotal role in the case, and he applauded the work of prosecutor Chad Maloney, Chester County Detectives, and officers in the Pennsylvania State Police and New Garden, Kennett Township, Kennett Square and Wilmington police departments.

“Given the fact that he [Renteria] chose the street name ‘Criminal,’ it was just a matter of time before he earned a trip up-state,” said Hogan, referring to the state prison system.

According to the criminal complaint, Renteria was one of three suspects who committed six armed robberies on Jan. 19, 2013, between 3:10 and 4:05 p.m. within a four-mile radius. In one instance, a man was sitting in his car at Guizzetti’s Mushroom Farm talking on the phone to his girlfriend when a white Ford Taurus passed him.

Within seconds, the Ford turned around and a masked man dressed all in black pointed a gun at the victim and then took his wallet and cellphone. Less than 15 minutes later, two brothers who had just returned from a shopping trip were subjected to the same scenario. They told police the Taurus followed them into their driveway where a man dressed in black demanded wallets and cellphones at gunpoint, the complaint said.

The fourth victim was approached in a parking lot in the 600 block of Rosedale Road in Kennett Township. When he told the gun-wielding suspect that he didn’t have any money, the man uttered expletives and struck the victim in the head with the gun, the complaint said.

The trio then moved to the stop sign at the intersection of McFarland and Rosedale roads in Kennett Township, where one of the men waved the gun at another motorist and his passenger, who pulled into Fragale’s Mushrooms to escape the Taurus, which was now following them. As the victim put his vehicle in reverse, one of the suspects shattered one of his windows with the gun, the complaint said.

Police broadcast the description of the white Taurus, and less than an hour after the first armed robbery, Trooper Aaron Dykes from the Avondale barracks spotted the vehicle heading west on Hillendale Road as did Kennett Square Police Officer Andrew Manko. Both attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the Taurus fled, initiating a chase that led to Wilmington, where the Taurus was abandoned and Ninth and Market streets, the complaint said.

The suspects fled on foot; however, Wilmington Police were able to track down Saul Alvarez, 27, of Oxford, using a K-9 unit. The Ford Taurus was registered to his mother, who hadn’t given him permission to take it. Police also recovered a sweatshirt that ultimately led to Renteria through DNA testing, investigators said.

Kennett Township Police Chief Lydell Nolt said the investigation remains open since one of the suspects has not yet been identified. He said Alvarez is serving a 17- to 34-year prison term, a combination of the robbery sentence and a parole violation. He said that both Alvarez and Renteria are known to police as members of the Sur 13 gang and that he was pleased that neither would be on the street anytime soon.

“It’s an example that if you’re going to commit a serious crime … the police department will continue to work to bring you to justice, no matter how long it takes,” he said.

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Roadwork for week of May 14

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 May 14 through May 21. Motorists are urged to allow extra time if they are traveling through one of the construction zones.

Green Valley Road in Newlin Township is closed and detoured between Powell and Brandywine Creek roads due to structural deficiencies at the Green Valley Road bridge. No repair date has been scheduled.

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.

Route 30 in both directions between Route 202 and the Lancaster County line will be the site of a slow-moving, line-painting operation on Saturday, May 14, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Motorists are advised to remain an ample distance behind the painting truck and stay off of the newly painted lines.

Route 3 in East Goshen Township will continue to be the site of road reconstruction through Friday, May 20. Crews will be working between Mary Fran and Rose Hill drives from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays.

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. for the Mainline Health Care project 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 Friday, May 20.

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 month 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 from Monday May 16, through Friday, May 20. The work covers an area between Swedesford Road and Sheree Boulevard.

Kelly Drive will be detoured between Strawberry Mansion Drive and Fountain Green Drive until Saturday, May 14, at approximately 8 p.m. for the Dad Vail Regatta.

On Tuesday, May 17, and Wednesday, May 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the right lane will be closed on eastbound or westbound I-676 between 16^th and 10^th streets for bridge inspection.

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.”

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Ceremony honors fallen heroes’ sacrifice

Local News, Local News Birmingham, Local News Kennett, Local News Pennsbury, Local News Pocopson

BAG_0289 — The Chester County emerald society Drum and Pipe Band performs at the annual Chester County Law Enforcement Memorial Service.

Members of law enforcement live daily with the risk that a fatal ambush could lurk around the next corner – knowledge that motivates them to ensure that those who have lost their lives in the line of duty are never forgotten.

Cpl. Wayne Johnson of the Chester County Sheriff's Office sings the national anthem. To his right is Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan. On Johnson's left is Donna Dunn, — Cpl. Wayne Johnson of the Chester County Sheriff’s Office sings the national anthem. To his right is Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan. On Johnson’s left is Donna Dunn, president of the Lodge No. 11 auxiliary.

On Thursday, May 12, a crowd of more than a hundred, including officers, retired officers, deputy sheriffs, lawmakers, public officials and members of the public, gathered at the Chester County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 11 in downtown West Chester. Their somber task: honoring those who continue to inspire gratitude for their ultimate sacrifice.

The ceremony occurs once a year, during National Police Week. It opened with a presentation of colors by the Chester County Sheriff’s Department Honor Guard and included an invocation by Paul Ferguson, FOP Lodge No. 11’s chaplain; several musical tributes; a rifle salute; and solemn observations from a handful of speakers.

Welcoming the audience, Chester County Detective Harold “Butch” Dutter, the FOP Lodge No. 11 president, noted that 128 police officers across the county lost their lives in the line of duty in 2015, and 35 have died in action so far this year. “One officer killed is one too many,” he said.

West Goshen Township Police Chief Joseph Gleason addresses the crowd.

State FOP President Les Neri said the memorial service offers an opportunity to express gratitude to the families of the officers and let them know that their loved ones’ selfless actions would never be forgotten. “We will forever stand with you,” he said.

Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said he was inspired by a woman’s recent question about whether he feared for his safety, given the criminals he’s jailed. He said he decided to wear a ballistic police vest to the memorial as a reminder of the risks officers face on the job – putting them “in a thousand times more danger than I will ever be as district attorney.”

West Goshen Township Police Chief Joseph Gleason underscored that point by focusing on one of the more recent deaths in Virginia: that of Prince William County Police Officer Ashley Guindon on Feb. 27, the day after she took the oath of office. Gleason pointed out that she had been on the job for an hour and a half and was responding to her first call, a domestic disturbance.

The Chester County Sheriff's Department's Honor Guard retires the colors at the end of the memorial service. — The Chester County Sheriff’s Department’s Honor Guard retires the colors at the end of the memorial service.

As Guindon and two colleagues arrived at the scene, they were met with gunfire. Guindon died at the scene, as did the shooter’s wife, who had been killed before police arrived. Guindon’s colleagues were both wounded, Gleason said. He pointed out that very few professions ask people to lay down their life, calling officers ”the barrier between anarchy and order.”

Rev. Jack Crans, who has served as the chaplain for the Chester County Prison since 1973, said he believes Chester County is special. “You can’t find too many counties where the [police] chiefs are asking for chaplains,” he said. And although he believes “we live in a dangerous time,” he said some of the interactions he’s seen give him hope for the future.

Donna Dunn, president of the Lodge No. 11 auxiliary, read the names of Chester County’s nine fallen heroes. They spanned a wide time frame – from 1887 when Benjamin Irey, a sheriff on his way to serve court papers was fatally struck by a train, to 1988 when Parkesburg Officer Douglas H. Pyle died in a motorcycle crash on the way back from a training program. A memorial at the Chester County FOP Lodge No. 11 contains their names.

Standing at a podium in front of the memorial for Chester County's fallen officers, Steve Plaugher, past president of FOP Lodge No. 11, concludes the program. — Standing at a podium in front of the memorial for Chester County’s fallen officers, Steve Plaugher, past president of FOP Lodge No. 11, concludes the program.

Chester County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone said she views the ceremony as an important way to express gratitude to law enforcement. She said the county is committed to providing key resources, such as the Chester County Public Safety Training Campus. “But this is another way to show our support,” she said.

Former District Attorney Joseph W. Carroll said that even though he left office in 2011, he returns to the memorial service annually because he values the job that police do. “I just want to show my continued support for everything they do for my family and the community,” he said.

Bill Chesko, who had a 27-year police career, can identify with that sentiment. Even though he retired more than a decade ago from the West Chester Police Department, he said he attends the memorial whenever he can. “These guys back each other up every day,” he said. “It’s important to show support.”

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Wineries celebrate Chester County Studio Tour

Arts & Entertainment

Landscape by Kate Bailey on exhibit at the Chaddsford Winery

The wineries of the Brandywine Artisan Wine Trail celebrate the artists of Chester County throughout the month of May. In conjunction with the popular Chester County Studio Tour, May 21 and May 22, eleven of the thirteen wineries of The Brandywine Artisan Wine Trail will participate. Offerings include wine specials, artists’ exhibits in their tasting rooms or donations wine to participating artist studios on the tour.

Most of the wine specials are offered to customers who can show a receipt of purchased art from the studio tour that weekend, so please keep your receipts.

For more information about what each winery is doing to support the arts in Chester County this month, check out www.brandywineartisanwinetrail.com May Events. To download a map of the 53 studio locations throughout Chester County, go to http://www.countystudiotour.com. While on route for the Studio Tour May 21 and 22, stop into the many nearby winery locations that feature great wines and art in their tasting rooms in May.

In Chadds Ford, Chadds Ford Winery will be exhibiting the work of Studio Tour painter Kate Bailey on May 20. Kate will also be exhibiting on the Studio tour at the Roach/Bailey Studio location in West Chester. Chadds Ford Winery will offer complimentary tastings to any customer who has a receipt of purchased artwork from the studio tour on May 21 and 22.

Ten Gallon Hat Winery, also in Chadds Ford, features many artists from the Visual Expansion Gallery in West Chester in their beautiful location. They also are showing the artwork and books of noted local author Red Hamer who wrote “The Four Seasons of Chester County”.

At Stargazers Vineyard in Coatesville, the metal sculpture of artist Monique Sarkessian will be on display in the tasting room. Monique is a well-respected painter as well as sculptor. She will be exhibiting on the studio tour May 21 and 22 at The Sarkessian Studio location in Malvern.

Penns Woods Winery, in Chadds Ford, offers complimentary wine tasting to any customer who has a receipt from artwork purchased at the tour on May 21 and 22.

In Kennett Square, Galer Estate Vineyard and Winery is host to Chester County artists for pop up art shows every Friday, from 3-6 p.m. in their beautiful tasting room. Exhibiting artists include: CC Czerwinski May 13, Cheryl Schlenker May 15, Rinal Pariklh May 20, and Frank De Pietro May 27. Cheryl Schlenker and Frank De Pietro are both featured artists on the Chester County Studio Tour.

Golden Heart, by Lele Galer, Galer Estate Winery

Galer Winery also helped host the Art Trust Gallery show “VIEW” in downtown West Chester, which has a current exhibit of many of the 127 artists on the Tour. Galer Estate Co-owner, artist Lele Galer is a Studio Tour artist showing large abstract paintings and metal sculpture at Stan Smokler’s sculpture studio on Marshall Bridge Road in Kennett Square May 21 and 22. Galer Estate wine is complimentary at Stan Smokler’s studio location throughout the tour dates.

Grace Winery, located in Glen Mills will be exhibiting the work of two Chester County artists in their main tasting room, Victoria McNeil Le Vine and Katee Boyle. Victoria and her husband own and operate the Inn at Grace Winery, and Victoria is also an artist who specialized in floral still life paintings and landscapes. Katee Boyle is an abstract painter and metal sculptor who is also one of the 127 juried artists of The Chester County Studio Tour, who will be showing May 21 and 22 at Vicki Vinton’s studio location in Oxford. Grace Winery is offering a two for one glass of wine special to any customer who has a receipt from artwork purchased at the studio tour.

Painting by Vicki McNeil Le Vine, Grace Winery

The two locations for Kreutz Creek Winery, in West Chester and West Grove, will feature the beautiful photographs of Daphne Longo-Okuoglu all May, and on May 21 the artist will be in the Kreutz Creek West Chester location to meet customers and answer questions about her work. Kreutz Creek Winery offers buy one tasting and get one free for any customer who has a receipt from artwork purchased May 21 and 22 from the studio tour.

Flickerwood Winery’s location in Oxford features the artwork of Carolyn Hess May 21 and 22, with an artist reception on May 20. Carolyn creates lovely folk art red ware pottery. Flickerwood offers a complimentary wine tasting of any wine of your choice to any customer with a receipt from artwork purchased May 21 and 22. They are located next to Vicki Vinton’s Studio and across the street from The Oxford Arts Alliance which currently has a wonderful plein air artist show.

Wilson Vineyard has its own Wilson Gallery with 22 exhibiting artists this month. Their winery is located across the street from Dave Eldreth’s art studio, who is a featured artist on the Studio Tour, and Wilson Gallery is a Studio Tour sponsor too. Borderland Vineyard, just about ten minutes from Wilson Vineyard, features the work of noted clay artist Mitch Lyons, who will be exhibiting his ceramic pieces and his clay monoprint two dimensional works at their tasting room location in Landenberg.

Black Walnut Winery, in their Phoenixville and Sadsburyville tasting rooms, offers complimentary wine tasting to any customer who has a receipt from artwork purchased at the tour on May 21 and 22.

About Lele Galer

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.

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PoliticalFest to bring history to public

Local News

For those looking to immerse themselves in politics without partisan rancor, the Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention announced PoliticalFest, a one-of-a-kind festival celebrating American political history, government and the road to the White House.

This non-partisan exhibit will combine multi-media and interactive displays, historical objects, and special guest appearances designed to entertain and engage residents, tourists, and convention attendees. It will run from July 22 to July 27 at seven participating locations in Philadelphia, according to a press release from the Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention.

“We are excited to announce PoliticalFest and the unique opportunity residents and Convention visitors will have to better understand our democratic process through this multi-platform festival,” former Governor Ed Rendell, chairman of the Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee, said in the release. “PoliticalFest was such a success during the 2000 Republican National Convention, and we expect it to be even more fun, engaging and innovative this time around.”

“It is very important that Philadelphians benefit from the DNC being in town, and PoliticalFest is a great way to engage our community members and involve them in this summer’s historic event,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said in the release. “Philadelphia is home to many historic and cultural attractions, and I am pleased some of them will be showcased through PoliticalFest, enabling both Philadelphians and visitors to learn about American history and politics in a unique forum.”

PoliticalFest, the brainchild of Rendell, was first created in 2000 for the Republican National Convention and was very successful. It is a riff off of FanFest, which enables sports fans interested in particular games to experience the sporting events without being there. Similarly, PoliticalFest is designed to engage delegates who will be in town to participate in the Convention and offer residents a special opportunity to feel more involved in the event.

The experience will consist of exhibits at seven participating locations, each centered on a specific theme related to American politics, government, and history. The locations will feature different displays and attractions, including the campaign trail, a media zone, political entertainment, and more. There will also be a staging area for live performances, political game competitions, and panel discussions.

The seven participating locations and their themes are:

National Constitution Center (525 Arch Street)

Theme: Headed to the White House

The National Constitution Center will serve as the hub for PolticalFest. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the center’s feature exhibition “Headed to the White House,” as well as a mix of activities and political theater, which will include political feud, political trivia, interviews and panel discussions. The center’s permanent exhibits will also be incorporated into PoliticalFest, and C-SPAN’s educational bus will be featured outside the center.

Pennsylvania Convention Center, Hall F (1101 Arch Street)

Theme: Politics and You!

Hall F of the Pennsylvania Convention Center will offer a variety of interactive experiences, including an Air Force One fuselage, an Oval Office replica, political fun and games for children in an area called Future Leaders Zone, and more.

National Liberty Museum (321 Chestnut Street)

Theme: First Families

The National Liberty Museum will be home to items and images from the presidential First Families, featuring the museum’s collection of White House china spanning back to George Washington’s time as president, special programs provided by the Rendell Center for Civic Engagement, dresses from First Ladies, and First Family photo exhibits.

Philadelphia History Museum at the Atwater Kent (15 S. Seventh Street)

Theme: Philadelphia & the Presidency

The Philadelphia History Museum will showcase Philadelphia’s history with the presidency, including a photo opportunity for attendees to be a part of a whistle stop campaign tour.

The Philadelphia Library Company (1314 Locust Street)

Theme: Presidential Archives

The Philadelphia Library Company will feature writings, photographs and artifacts from its personal collection as well as from a variety of partner organizations.

Historical Society of Pennsylvania (1300 Locust Street)

Theme: Founding Documents

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania will give attendees an opportunity to see their treasured collection of some of the nation’s founding documents.

Heritage Center at the Union League (140 S. Broad Street)

Theme: Political Conventions in Philadelphia

The Heritage Center’s exhibit takes a deep dive into the 11 political conventions held in Philadelphia between 1848 and 2000.

Exhibits will be open at each venue daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during PoliticalFest.

A dedicated bus loop serviced by Philly PHLASH vehicles will connect all seven participating locations, and ticketholders will be able to use the bus to travel between locations. This is in addition to PHLASH’s regularly scheduled service. PoliticalFest tickets will be honored on the PHLASH Downtown Loop for the duration of PoliticalFest, so ticket holders can connect to either the main Downtown Loop or the PoliticalFest loop to get around. Many PoliticalFest locations are nearby each other, and ticketholders will be encouraged to walk between many of the sites.

C-SPAN, the nonpartisan, commercial-free cable network dedicated to covering the American political process, will showcase several of its interactive educational exhibits at PoliticalFest. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour C-SPAN’s award-winning multimedia Campaign 2016 Bus and learn about campaign coverage from the network’s signature political program “Road to the White House” as well as explore C-SPAN’s online campaign resources and engage with the American Presidents Exhibit, which brings to life the nation’s 43 presidents through one-of-a-kind oil portraits along with biographies, photographs, and interactive video and audio recordings, the release said.

Attendees will also be able to brush up on history and presidential elections through large educational walls where people can learn more about the 2016 Electoral College, a historical timeline of presidents’ lives and service, and an in-depth look at key events from C-SPAN’s convention coverage since 1984.

“For 30 years C-SPAN has been bringing educational resources to communities across the nation to help students, teachers, and the general public better understand and appreciate the political process,” C-SPAN Vice President Peter Kiley said in the release. “Given our past experience with PoliticalFest in 2000 and our long-standing commitment to sharing our resources, C-SPAN is pleased to be part of PoliticalFest once again. We hope our interactive educational exhibits will engage and provide a fun, informative experience for Philadelphia-area students and visitors, and for convention delegates.”

The University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government is the official sponsor of the entertainment portion of PoliticalFest, called Political Theater, which will take place inside the National Constitution Center’s auditorium. A schedule of Political Theater events will be posted to the Host Committee’s website, www.phldnc.com.

“In a year where the political process has captured the attention of our country like never before, we are proud to be a sponsor of PoliticalFest to bring the resources and expertise of the Fels institute to help engage the public,” Fels Executive Director Dr. Nelson Lim said in the release.

PoliticalFest will be ticketed, open to the public and appropriate for all ages. Tickets will cost $15 for adults, $5 for children 18 years of age and under, college students with a valid student ID and seniors 65 and over; and free to veterans and credentialed convention attendees. One ticket will be valid for all six days of the convention.

Tickets can be purchased through EventBrite, accessible via a dedicated PoliticalFest page on the Host Committee’s website, www.phldnc.com. The National Constitution Center will be the only location selling hardcopy tickets to PoliticalFest during the event’s run time.

About Press Release

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State approves $36M for 31 rail projects

Local News, Local News Birmingham, Local News Chadds Ford, Local News Concord, Local News Kennett, Local News Pennsbury, Local News Pocopson

An estimated 9,200 jobs will be created and more than 39,000 will be retained over the next five years due to 31 rail projects being made possible by two PennDOT-managed grant programs.

“Pennsylvania has the most railroads in the country, and these make up a vital component of our economic and transportation activities,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a press release. “These investments underscore our role in supporting jobs and economies across the state.”

The State Transportation Commission (STC) voted on Thursday, May 12, to approve $36 million for 15 projects through the Rail Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP) and 16 projects through the Rail Freight Assistance Program (RFAP). RTAP is a capital budget grant program funded with bonds, and RFAP is underwritten through the new Multimodal Fund, created by Act 89, a far-reaching transportation program that clears the way for significant investments in all transportation modes, the release said.

The RTAP projects include $665,000 to East Penn Railroad LLC for turnouts, rail, ties, resurfacing and rebuilding a 2,000-foot siding, as well as replacing 3,800 mainline ties, 110 mainline switch timbers, surfacing five mainline turnouts and 18,750 feet of mainline track. East Penn Railroad (ESPN), based in Kennett Square, operates of 109 miles of track in southeastern Pennsylvania and Delaware, including the Octoraro and Wilmington and Northern line.

The RFAP projects include $560,000 to East Penn Railroad LLC to rehabilitate the Lancaster Northern and York Line, including tie replacement and resurfacing, and $259,748 to Consolidated Rail Corp., also known as Conrail, in Delaware County to replace three existing railroad diamonds.

For more information on rail in Pennsylvania visit www.penndot.gov.

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