June 1, 2016 - ChaddsFordLive.com

‘Taste the love’ at Cask Bistro & Tap

Caitlin-and-Phil — Staff member Caitlin Milotte and Head Chef Phil Dersch are ready to greet and serve guests at Cask Bistro & Tap in the Concordville Town Centre.

According to Phil Dersch, “You can taste the love.”

Dersch is the head chef at Cask Bistro & Tap in the Concordville Town Centre in Concord Township. The restaurant, across the driveway from the Acme, opened in February amid little to no fanfare. Dersch joined the team two months ago.

Dersch — who has a background in fine dining — said what makes Cask different from other restaurants in the area is that most of the others are chains and the local staff — including chefs — aren’t free to explore, experiment, or change things around without an OK from corporate. But he can at Cask.

The fare is what he called “American continental pub fare,” with some Mediterranean and French thrown in.

“It gives us the freedom to do Asian and Moroccan. I like that freedom. We’re definitely not the mold,” he said. “It shows more love and passion.”

He said everything is made from scratch on the premises. There are nightly specials and du jour items.

“As far as creativity and freedom with what we’re doing, that really sets us apart from the [chain restaurants],” he said. “It’s not a factory on the kitchen…You can taste the love that’s put in the food.”

Dersch spent time as a private chef as well as working as the executive chef at the General Warren Inn in Malvern and running the Green Room at The Hotel DuPont in Wilmington.

The restaurant hours are 4 to 11 p.m. on Monday, then 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. the rest of the week. The kitchen closes at 10 p.m., but the bar stays open until 11.

Dersch said nothing on the menu costs more than $26.

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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Small plane crashes after takeoff; 2 injured

Police

The New Garden Township Police Department responded on Wednesday, June 1, at 8:58 a.m. to the New Garden Flying Field located for a small plane crash that caused non-life-threatening injuries to its two male occupants.

Upon arrival at the airport, located at 1235 Newark Road, police and emergency personnel from Avondale Fire and Ambulance Company and Medic 94 found that a small two-seater aircraft lost altitude after just taking off from the runway and collided with a hangar, a police press release said.

Both the pilot and passenger, ages 68 and 70, were treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries and transported to the Christiana Hospital in Stanton, Del., for additional treatment. The release said that both men’s conditions were stable; their names are not being released until families have been notified.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the aircraft, described as a 1940s Aeronca Champ, left the runway heading in a northeasterly direction when it lost power and attempted to return to the airfield. Upon attempting the turn, the aircraft collided with the east side of a hangar, penetrating the structure where it came to rest, the release said.

No persons were present inside, and minimal property damage occurred to objects within the hangar. The hangar structure has suffered damage and is being evaluated by township engineers, the release said.

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Public invited to celebrate grant recipients

Local News

The Chester County Fund for Women and Girls wants area residents to get first-hand information about how it creates life-changing opportunities.

On Tuesday, June 14, from 5 to 7 p.m., the Chester County Fund for Women and Girls will hold its Grants Celebration at The Gables at Chadds Ford. The free event is open to all Chester County agencies and the public.

The 23 agencies that received $255,000 in grants this year will be honored at the celebration, which will also include light refreshments. Celebrate the essential work of the grantee-partners who work every day to better the lives of women and girls in our communities.

The recipients include:

Alianzas de Phoenixville , $5,000 in general operating support.   The grant supports the organization to provide vital services to Latinas in the larger Phoenixville community, with a special emphasis on reaching and serving Latina women and their children who struggle with isolation, poverty, language barriers and exploitation by landlords and employers.

Bridge of Hope,  $15,000 in general operating support . The grant ensures that homeless single mothers in Chester County obtain permanent housing and become stronger women with more hopeful futures.

Coatesville Youth Initiative, $15,000 in program support for the 2016 Summer ServiceCorps. The grant supports the Summer ServiceCorps program, which helps underserved women in Coatesville plan brighter, more positive futures for themselves, thus helps end cycles of generational poverty and underemployment.

Community Volunteers in Medicine, $7,500 for program support. The grant supports the Women’s Health Clinic Program, offering free preventative and diagnostic women’s health and wellness services to uninsured women and girls in the safety, security and confidentiality of a compassionate medical environment.

The Crime Victims Center of Chester County,  $15,000 in program support for  Helping Victims Heal  and $5,000 from the Girls’ Advisory Board (GAB) for female teen and adult sexual assault support. Helping Victims Heal provides female victims of rape and sexual assault with a full range of services, including advocacy, accompaniment and counseling, while working with law enforcement, legal and medical professionals to address the issues of compassionate treatment and the unique needs of sexual assault/abuse victims.

The Domestic Violence Center of Chester County, $15,000 in general operating support, plus  $5,000 from the GAB for the Girls’ Club. The grant empowers the provision of the direct services necessary to help victims become safe and self-reliant.

Friends Association for the Care & Protection of Children,  $15,000 in general operating support . The grant supports the core needs of women by offering housing and homelessness prevention.

Friends of Farmworkers,  $5,000 GAB grant for legal services to victims of labor trafficking. The grant supports community outreach and education programs that empower victims of labor trafficking by putting rights and referral information directly into their hands, and helps identify victims of labor trafficking in need of direct and immediate relief.

The Garage Community and Youth Center, $7,500 grant for program support , plus a $5,000 GAB grant  for its after-school program for girls. The grant propels the After-School Girls Program, which positively impacts girls’ ability to graduate from high school and aims to break the cycle of poverty.

Home of the Sparrow,  $15,000 for general operating support.   The grant empowers women with the means and tools to avoid homelessness and to advance their educations and life/job-skills so that they may break the cycle of poverty for themselves and for their children.

Interfaith Housing Assistance Corporation of Chester County,  $15,000 for general operating support. The grant empowers single mothers to face their challenges with confidence.

Kennett After-School Association,  $2,500 GAB grant for After-the-Bell program.   The grant supports the girls’ after-school programming activities that help young women feel they are part of something special.

La Comunidad Hispana, $15,000 for program support of prenatal services. The grant supports culturally comprehensive health care services, tailored to meet the needs of over 200 pregnant, primarily Latina women, regardless of income or health insurance.

Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, $10,000 for support of the Safety and Family Stability Program. The grant assists with legal services to low income, vulnerable Chester County women who face serious legal issues impacting their safety and family stability, and who cannot afford an attorney’s help.

Linda Creed Breast Cancer Organization,  $5,000 for mammography screening and diagnostic testing. The grant impacts the Free Mammography program, which provides free breast health services for up to 60 Chester County women.

Maternal and Child Health Consortium of Chester County, $15,000 for the  Healthy Start Program. The grant supports case management, intensive home visits, social supports, education, translation and links to resources to help families ensure their children’s health, safety and successful development.

Mom’s House,  $10,000, for general operating support. The grant empowers low-income single parents reach their educational goals and better provide for their families in the future.

Open Hearth,  $11,000 for program support. The grant enables the Family Savings Partner Program, which helps women become financially viable as they plan for their future.

The Parkesburg Point , $7,500 for program support. The grant supports Steps to Success, a program empowering girls by promoting positive self-esteem, healthy body image and resilience.

Phoenixville Women’s Outreach,  $5,000 for general operating support. The grant enables Phoenixville Women’s Outreach to add an additional 10 hours per week to the director of resident services position.

Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania,  $9,000 in program support. The grant provides wellness exams for women on Medicaid in Coatesville.

Unite for HER,  $12,000 in program support. The grant supports the Wellness Program, a unique partnership with local hospitals through which breast-cancer patients are educated about the healing benefits of complementary therapies and given free treatment vouchers to experience the therapies.

Wings for Success,  $8,000 for general operating support. The grant enables the continuity of service for low-income women who depend on the services to obtain and retain employment and seek career guidance in an effort to advance in the workforce resulting in increased earnings.

To attend the June 14 Grants Celebration, contact Kate Zielsdorf at katherine@ccfwg.org. The Gables is offering a prix fixe dinner following the program; call 610-388-7700 for more information and to make reservations.

The fund is also currently accepting applications for its award-winning Girls Advisory Board (GAB) program at http://ccfwg.org/girls-advisory-board/ until Monday, June 6. Applicants must be females entering their sophomore or junior year in the fall of 2016. Girls must live in Chester County to be admitted into the GAB program and can participate for up to two years.

One of only a few in the nation, the Girls Advisory Board is a unique girls grant-making program in which 20 local girls gain the opportunity to award $20,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations that help other young women in Chester County who are grappling with issues such as poverty, illiteracy, violence, homelessness, mental illness, teen pregnancy and substance abuse.

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PECO: Summer storms merit preparation

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

With a potentially higher number of severe storms predicted this summer, PECO has been working to ensure safe, reliable, affordable and clean energy and energy services for customers.

The company has invested more than $13 million in new technology and projects to prepare for heat and storms this summer, including upgraded substation equipment, new wires and poles and inspections, said a PECO press release.

“Every day, we work hard to provide safe and reliable service to our customers, no matter what conditions we face, and we prepare for severe, damaging weather all year long,” Mike Innocenzo, senior vice president and COO, said in the release. “Critical to our efforts is our use of new innovative technology like our advanced meters and enhanced communication tools that help us restore service faster and provide important information to customers when storms do occur.”

This work is part of more than $500 million invested each year in the company’s systems. In addition, through PECO’s System 2020 plan, PECO will spend an additional $274 million during the next five years to install advanced equipment and reinforce the local electric system, making it more weather resistant and less vulnerable to storm damage, the release said.

PECO completes hundreds of tasks to prepare for the summer season, including system work, testing and drills. And, as part of the Exelon family of companies, PECO now can draw on resources from sister utilities in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and Illinois to restore power quicker after major storms.

As PECO prepares, customers should prepare as well, and the company offers these tips before severe weather hits:

Have a supply of bottled water and easy-to-prepare, non-perishable foods available.
Charge cell phones and mobile devices.
Have a flashlight with fresh batteries on each floor of your home.
Visit peco.peco.com/alerts to choose how to receive information, via text, email or phone, including when power is out in their area, when service is expected to be restored, or when power is restored.
Text “ADDOUTAGE” to MYPECO (697326), to enroll in a two-way texting program to report outages and check their status.

If severe storms hit, a new online interactive outage map gives customers more information. Visit peco.com/outagemap or click on the “Outage Map” link in the “Outage Center” section of peco.com. Customers also can report or view the status of an electric outage through PECO Smart Mobile On-the-Go; just visit peco.com from a mobile device.

Higher temperatures can lead to higher energy bills, and PECO provides a variety of programs to help customers save energy and money. For example, PECO Smart Ideas, the company’s full suite of energy efficiency programs, helps residential, business, government and non-profit customers save energy and money.

In addition, customers can lower their bills this summer by following a few simple tips. Turn off all unnecessary lighting and devices, and keep thermostats at a constant, comfortable level. Raise the thermostat setting for days of extreme heat to save even more. Install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust your home’s temperature settings when you’re away or sleeping. About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows; simply closing blinds and curtains, which act as a layer of insulation, can reduce heat in your home.

For those without air conditioning, use ceiling fans or portable fans with the windows partially open to circulate fresh air into your home. For those with air conditioning, fans can be used to evenly distribute cool air. Run appliances that produce heat (like clothes dryers, ovens and dishwashers) at night when it is cooler. For more ways to save energy, visit peco.com/smartideas.

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Lucy Belle (Mullin) Chambers, formerly of Chatham

Obituaries

Lucy Belle (Mullin) Chambers, 89, of Carmichael, Calif., formerly of Chatham, died Friday, May 13, at her residence in Carmichael, Calif. She was wife of late Robert L. Chambers, with whom she shared 40 years of marriage until his death in 1989.

Born June 28, 1926 in Jennersville, she was a daughter of the late Clarence A. and the late Lilian A. (Wood) Mullin. She was the youngest, having three older brothers, all of whom preceded her in death.

Lucy grew up in Chatham. As a young girl, she attended Chatham Methodist where her mother played the organ. She attended Avondale School, and then later Avon Grove High School. She worked at Lukens Steel Mill in Coatesville while her first husband Joseph Taylor, went to war. Later she moved to California, and re-married to Robert Chambers. She managed the books for their own business, as she had at Pierce Bros. Market in Kennett Square. She spent her days as a homemaker for the family.

She enjoyed reading and visiting with friends and relatives.

Survivors include one daughter, Maureen A. Koepke of Sparks, Nev.; and one son Timothy Chambers, of Port Orchard, Wash.

You are invited to Lucy’s graveside service, 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 7, at Oxford Cemetery 220 N. 3rd St. Oxford PA 19360. Arrangements are being handled by the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home Inc. (610-444-4116) of Kennett Square. To view her online tribute or to share a memory with her family, please visit www.griecocares.com

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Judith Brainerd Johnston of Oxford

Obituaries

Judith Brainerd Johnston, 83, of Oxford, died Saturday, May 28, at Ware Presbyterian Village in Oxford. She was the wife of Murray V. Johnston Jr. with whom she shared 62 years of marriage.

Born in Pittsburgh, she was a daughter of the late Harry H. and the late Marjorie L. (Johnston) Brainerd.

In her early years, she worked for Lord and Taylor in Stamford, Conn. and was a longtime resident of Old Greenwich, Conn. She and her family later moved to Middletown, Del. in 2002 and then to Oxford in 2014. She enjoyed walking, vacationing at the beach, being with her grandchildren and in her early years playing tennis and figure skating.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons, Murray V. Johnston III and his wife Heather of Newark, and David H. Johnston of Florida; one daughter, Beth J. Goodwin and her husband Gregory of Phoenix, Ariz.; one sister Susan B. Hatcher of Middletown; seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and two great-grandchildren on their way.

A private graveside service will be held in Lower Brandywine Cemetery in Centreville. Contributions in her memory may be made to Benevolent Care at Ware Presbyterian Village or Willow Tree Hospice 616 East Cypress Street Kennett Square, PA 19348. Arrangements are by Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home Inc. (610-444-4116) of Kennett Square. To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit www.griecocares.com

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Francis “Pat” Moran of Kennett Square

Obituaries

Francis “Pat” Moran, 92, of Kennett Square, died Sunday, May 29, at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby. He was the husband of the late Mary Lou Myers Moran who died in May of 2014 and with whom he shared 64 years of marriage.

Born in Kennett Square, he was the son of the late Charles T. and the late Mary Jane (Crawford) Moran. Pat served our country during WWII in the Navy. He worked for many years as a truck driver for Mushroom Transportation and Gilbert Peirson Greenhouses.

He was a member of the American Legion, the VFW and the Kennett Area Senior Center. He was one of two surviving members of his childhood group called “The Patch” where he enjoyed playing all types of sports with his buddies. He was a Phillies fan and enjoyed collecting Lionel model trains.

Survivors include two sons, Charles Pat Moran Jr. (Giovanna) of Kennett Square and George W. Moran (Mary Alice) of Wilmington; one daughter, Mary Anne Moran of Kennett Square; one sister, Marian Johnson of West Grove; four grandchildren, Brian Price (Amanda) of Virginia, Travis Price of Arizona, Alicia and Nicholas Moran of Delaware and two great-grandchildren, Amelia and Eleanor Price.

In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by a sister Ann Fiore.

You are invited to visit with Pat’s family and friends from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, June 2, and 8:30 to 9 a.m. Friday, June 3, at the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home Inc (610-444-4116) 250 W. State St. Kennett Square, PA 19348. His mass of Christian Burial will be 9:30 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick Catholic Church 212 Meredith St. Kennett Square. Interment with full military honors will be in St. Patrick Cemetery, Kennett Square. Contributions in his memory may be made to St. Patrick Catholic Church 205 Lafayette St., Kennett Square, PA 19348. To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.griecocares.com

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Jeanne D. Connelly of West Chester

Obituaries

Jeanne D. Connelly, 85, of West Chester, formerly of Lansdowne, died Thursday, May 26.

Born in 1930 in Philadelphia, she was the daughter of the late Francis and Johanne (nee Nielsen) Dulin.

Jeanne was the beloved wife of the late Robert J. Connelly; the loving mother of Patricia Scherf (John), Maureen Connelly (Allen Qualls), Robert Connelly, Theresa Rodriguez (Jeff), and Jeanne Connelly (Matt Dial); the grandmother of Jonathan Scherf (Tara), Neil Scherf (Kelly), Kristin Girvan (Scott), Allen Qualls, Claire Qualls, and Elizabeth Hoagland; the great-grandmother of Fiona Scherf, Bronwyn Scherf, Jack Girvan, Keira Girvan, Tess Girvan, Genevieve Scherf, and Owen Birney.

Relatives and friends are invited to her Funeral Mass 10 a.m. Thursday, June 2, 2016 at SS Peter & Paul Church, 1325 Boot Road, West Chester, PA 19380. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery.

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Police Log June 2: Truck slams antiques shop

Police

_1JF7527 — Crews try to extricate a truck that had slammed into the Springhouse Antiques store on Route 1 in Pennsbury Township.

Updated at 11:15 a.m. with more details on truck accident

• A pickup truck ran off Route 1 Memorial Day morning and slammed into the Springhouse Antiques building just up from The Gables Restaurant at Brinton’s Bridge Road. (See photo.) Troop J, Avondale barracks, has not yet released any official report, but there is speculation that the driver had a medical situation, which caused him to lose control of his 2009 Ford F160. The truck had supposedly been northbound on Route 1 when the driver lost control. The vehicle crossed over the southbound lanes and struck the building. Storeowner Anne Joyce estimated that her shop would be closed for two months because of structural damage. State police issued an incident report on Wednesday, June 1, that identified the driver as Joseph S. Kauffman, 71, of Strasburg. It said Kauffman sustained injuries of unknown severity and was traveling with Michele Kauffman, 67, who was not injured. The report said Kauffman was not cited but did not explain why.

• A Wilmington man may have been injured in a one-vehicle accident in Kennett Township, but police said there was no transport. A report said Leslie C. Tronzo, 56, was driving a 2015 Jaguar on Kennett Pike when the car left the road and struck a mailbox north of Balmoral Drive. Police said the driver was cited for careless driving.

• Erin M. Moore, 21, of West Chester, was cited for driving at an unsafe speed on May 21, according to Pennsylvania State Police. A report said Moore was traveling north on Lenape Road in Pocopson Township when the 1999 BMW she was driving left the road and began to spin while she was negotiating a left curve on a wet road surface. The car crossed the roadway and landed in a ditch, police said. The driver and the 16-year old passenger were uninjured.

• Andrea Rafael Valdes, 28, of Newark, was cited for DUI following a car crash on Kennett Pike in Kennett Township on May 14, according to state police. A report said Valdes displayed signs of impairment and was arrested following a field sobriety test.

• A Coatesville man, Michael A. Morales, 28, was arrested for DUI following a field sobriety test after a crash on Doe Run Road in West Marlborough Township on May 22. The incident happened at 2:09 a.m.

• State police from the Avondale barracks said Stanley M. Snyder, 65, of Toughkenamon, was arrested for operating a vehicle without an ignition interlock system. Police said Snyder was pulled over on Monday, May 23, at 11:34 a.m. on Limestone Road at Route 41 in New Garden Township for counterfeit emissions and inspection stickers.

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