At a time of myriad changes for the Kennett Library – ranging from the selection of a new name to explorations into a new building – its relatively new board has another one: a search for a new director.
Donna Murray
Board president Thomas Swett announced on Thursday, Sept. 1, that Donna Murray, the current director, announced her resignation in a private meeting with Swett on Thursday, Aug. 29. Sweet said the library would be launching a search for a new director in the coming weeks.
Murray was hired in 2003 and became library director in 2006. She helped revamp many of the library’s key services, including its children’s and teen’s programs and increased user visits to more than 115,000 per year.
“We are so proud of all that Donna has accomplished in her 13 years here in Kennett,” Swett said in a press release. “Her departure is a surprise, but we wish her great success in her new endeavors. She was always a steady hand at the wheel, no matter what the challenges were. Donna will be missed by countless library users, her staff, and our board.”
Swett said that a special transition team would be formed from the board to ensure continuity of services after Murray’s departure in mid-September. Once that transition team is set up, the board will begin a thorough search for a new library director, the release said.
A hearing for a planned residential development on Oakland Road in Chadds Ford is continuing. A second session for Wonderland Farms was held during the Chadds Ford supervisors’ Aug. 31 workshop and was continued to Sept 28.
Wonderland Farms is a residential development planned for both sides of Oakland Road on the Baldino, Goodman and Lenz properties near Brinton’s Bridge Road. It calls for 23 new single-family homes on the west side of Oakland and 12 twin homes in six buildings on the east side. The applicant is Harrier LLC, a Grace family business.
The applicant closed its case during the Aug. 3 hearing session. (For that story, go here.)During the workshop, supervisors and residents questioned engineer Marty Eustace and sewer consultant Susan Ahern.
One of the areas of concern for Supervisors’ Chairman Frank Murphy is the proximity of the onsite sewage for some of the single-family homes to the location of wells for some already existing homes on Webb Road.
Eustace said all of the septic locations are farther away from the wells than the 100 feet required by state law. The closest, he said was 130 feet away from the nearest well.
Under questioning from Vice Chairman Samantha Reiner, Ahern said all the septic sites on the west side were tested for primary and replacement locations. On the east side, standard seepage beds are planned, also with primary and replacement locations.
Another issue is traffic on Oakland Road. Throughout all the discussions on the project, beginning with Planning Commission meetings, residents on Webb Road and Belfair Lane have said the new homes would create more traffic on an already overly trafficked road. Adding to their unease is that the residents in the proposed twin homes would be able to walk across the street to use the recreational open space, something they say is inherently unsafe.
Eustace said one option would be to install crosswalks with speed humps, but some said those humps could be dangerous for emergency personnel, such as firefighters riding on the back of fire trucks.
Another suggestion was to have flashing lights at the crosswalk area. Murphy also picked up on a suggestion made previously by Planning Commission Chairman Craig Huffman who proposed closing Oakland Road to through traffic.
Harvey Road resident George Watkins said blocking Oakland Road would just cause more problems than it would solve.
Kathleen Goodier, of Webb Road, wanted to know who would be responsible for maintaining the open space, especially the trails through the wooded area.
The combined acreage on both sides of Oakland is 86.89 acres. Eustace said township code calls for 26.07 acres be kept as open space. The plan, he said, has 26.79 acres left open.
The Sept. 28 session is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m.
Other business
Supervisors announced that the Sept. 7 meeting would also start at 5:30 p.m., to have a conditional use hearing for a proposed assisted living facility on Route 202.
Also on Sept. 7, the board is scheduled to consider preliminary approval for the Hillman Road extension, a plan from The Henderson Group to complete the final section of the loop road system around the intersection of Routes 1 and 202. That will be during the regular meeting session that begins at 7 p.m.
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.
Come meet all the wonderful animals available now for adoption at the Brandywine Valley SPCA. All featured pets are “Name Your Price” adoption fee until Monday, Sept. 5. Not ready to adopt? Then sponsor a pet and provide a safe place for our companions to rest until they find their forever homes. Help us give them a second chance at a fresh start.
Jarred
JARRED
My name is Jarred. I am an awesome, totally handsome 5-year-old boy who is looking for a forever home. I’m a low-key kind of guy who can turn it up when it comes to play time. I’ve been told I am super good looking, and who am I to argue? I am also pretty smart. Not to brag, but I know how to sit, lay down and stay. (I probably know a lot more, but I am waiting to whip that out for my potential adopter to dazzle them.) So,what do you say? Shall we make a date for you to come meet me? My calendar is empty and I am just waiting for you to fill it up.
JASPER
Jasper
Hi, my name is Jasper and I am the dog for you. I’m such a good boy. The other day I went to this big event in West Chester, tons of people, and bikes, and I was perfect. I loved meeting everyone and I loved watching the race. I was so good with the dogs that came to meet me, so bring your dog in for introductions. If you are looking for a dog you can take out and about, I am your guy. After all of the excitement, I actually fell asleep on my friend’s lap. I’m the real deal, and I hope you come in to meet me soon. I would love to find a family to call my own. BTW, I am neutered, microchipped, and up to date on vaccinations, just to sweeten the deal.
Puff
PUFF
Hello. My name is Puff. I’m a 4-year-old terrier mix who arrived at the Brandywine Valley SPCA as a stray. I am a pretty girl with gorgeous coloring — a real show stopper. I listen well and know several doggie commands, including a sit that is on point. I love people of all ages and get along with dogs as well, so please bring your pet in to meet me. I am spayed, microchipped and up to date on vaccinations. Come meet me so we can live happily ever after.
MAMA BEAR
Mama Bear
Hi, my name is Mama Bear, and I am a 2-year-old domestic short hair cat that is looking for a home. I arrived at the Brandywine SPCA with a litter of kittens, and was lucky enough to go into foster care. I took wonderful care of my babies and now I am back and ready to be adopted! I’m kind of shy, but super sweet. I just need a home where I can feel comfortable and come out of my shell. I know there is a family out there that would be perfect for me, and I hope they come adopt me soon.
Mickey
MICKEY
Hi, my name is Mickey and I am a 2-year-old petite, short haired grey and silver tabby. My friends have been making great progress with my socialization. I guess I was a little temperamental to start. I just prefer to think of it as personality plus. I am always excited to see my friends. I would be great with an experienced cat owner and I have the potential to be a an awesome companion cat. I am neutered, microchipped and up to date on vaccinations, so come meet me soon! I bet we would become great friends.
BUTTERSCOTCH
Butterscotch
Well, hello! I am an almost 3-year-old who is super friendly and as sweet as I sound. I arrived at the BVSPCA as a stray and have acclimated very well. I am an active guy who loves to hunt and play with my toys. Are you looking for a cuddle buddy? I am definitely your guy. Football season is coming up, and I can say I am a Tiger and Wildcat fan. I love attention and am naturally a social butterfly. My bags are packed and I am waiting for you.
The Kennett Library has been named the recipient of a grant from CCRES Educational and Behavioral Services that will benefit young learners.
The $3,600 award will fund the purchase a second AWE Early Literacy Station (ELS). This is the second time the Kennett Library has received grant funding from CCRES, said a library press release.
The ELS is a 20-inch, all-in-one, touchscreen computer preloaded with educational games that contain more than 4,000 activities across seven major content areas. The computer is made for children aged 2 to 8 to improve their literacy skills while having fun, the release said.
The Kennett Library added its first ELS in the fall of 2015. Since that time, the ELS and its learning games have been used more than 1,700 times. Some of the most popular programs include La Casa de Dora and Diego’s Safari Rescue, which employ popular children’s characters to encourage word and sound recognition. The blend of auditory, tactile, and visual components make the ELS a great tool for all types of learners.
“Right now, the AWE Early Literacy Station is the first thing kids go to when they head to the computer area in the Children’s Library. Not only that, but parents prefer their kids use the Literacy Station over our other PCs,” John Hendrix, Kennett Library’s children’s librarian, said in the release.
Adding a second ELS computer will benefit both the Kennett Library and the community it serves. Patrons can use the existing ELS computer right now and will be able to use the additional device this fall thanks to the CCRES donation. For more information on the AWE computers and other children’s literacy programs, contact John Hendrix at jhendrix@ccls.org or stop into the library.
• The Clydesdale Horses are returning to deliver their favorite adult beverage to downtown West Chester on First Friday, Sept. 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. Restaurants and shops will be open late, so browse through lots of great sales around town, grab a bite to eat, and then watch as the fuzzy-footed giants clippity-clop along Gay and Market Streets. In addition, treasures of all kinds – vintage and new – will be featured at the Vintage Market at the Chestnut Street Garage, 14 E Chestnut St, from 4 to 8 p.m. Parking at meters and metered lots is free after 5 p.m.
• The Kennett Library will host the weekly, hour-long Back to Nature Club, starting on Thursday, Sept. 8, at 9:30 a.m. at Anson B Nixon Park. Children aged 2 to 5 will explore the woods and along the creeks and trails of Anson B. Nixon Park. Activities will include play-based learning, as well as free play and exploration with a parent or guardian. For more information, go here.
A Race for the Buckhorns is one of the images to be on display at the “Lasting Impressions: The Artists of Currier & Ives,” exhibit at Winterthur beginning Sept. 17.
• Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library announces “Lasting Impressions: The Artists of Currier & Ives,” an exhibition of some of today’s most sought-after works that will explore the role of Frances (“Fanny”) Bond Palmer (1812 – 1876) and Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait (1819 – 1905), two of the most prolific artists for the iconic publisher of Christmas cards and Americana, Sept. 17, 2016 through Jan. 8. Through the more than 40 selected works of art along with multimedia installations, the exhibit will explore the work of Palmer and Tait in an art world where both artist and publisher invited Americans to reconsider their notions of artistic creation. For more information, visit Winterthur.org
• It’s Bike the Brandywine on Sept. 17. There are two bicycle runs, one is 80 miles long, the other is 40 miles, along the Brandywine Creek Greenway. The cost is $45 per rider. Online registration closes on Sept.16 at 9 a.m. On-site registration on the day of the race, or at packet pick-up on Sept. 16, costs $60 per rider. Ride check-in is 6:45 a.m. at the Chadds Ford Historical Society on Creek Road. Proceeds from the ride benefit the Brandywine Conservancy’s clean water programs. For information and sign-up, visit www.brandywinemuseum.org/museum/events.
• The Penn State Chester County Master Gardeners will be holding a plant sale and workshop on Sunday, Sept. 18. The plant sale will feature hardy perennials, tubers and native plants raised by master gardeners along with selected special feature plants. All proceeds of the sale support the work of the master gardener program in the community. The workshop will feature presentations on managing deer, creating gorgeous fall containers and creating bird and wild life habitats using native plants that you can add in the fall. The event runs from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the East Bradford Township Building at 666 Copeland School Road, West Chester, 19380. Cost for the workshop is $10. Space is limited. To register, send an email with your name to exa108@psu.edu with the subject line “fall workshop.”
• The Kennett Area Senior Center is offering gentle yoga classes led by Alexis Donahue on Mondays and Thursdays from 1 to 2 p.m. The cost is $59 for a 10-class session for members; $69 for non-members. Call the KASC at 610-444-4819 for more details, or just drop in and check it out for a drop-in fee of just $8.
Students Sarah Mowchocki, of Thornton, and Derrick Wang, of Garnet Valley, participate in a clay project at darlington Arts Center.
• The Darlington Arts Center is accepting registration for fall programs in music, art, dance, and drama. Classes are available for all ages (from preschool through adult) and explore a wide variety of styles; beginners are welcome in all disciplines. The center provides private lessons, one-day workshops, and special programs including an Arts-Integrated Preschool (offered 1, 2, 3, or 4 days each week) and an Afternoon Kindergarten Enrichment program on Wednesdays. Class information and registration is available online at www.darlingtonarts.org, by emailing register@darlingtonarts.org or by calling (610) 358-3632.
• “Understanding and Providing Transitional Support for Senior Citizens” as they age will be the topic for pastors, ministry leaders and others during the first monthly meeting of the Chester County Faith Community Health Ministry Network for the 2016-2017 season. A free presentation by Erin Kershaw, geriatric care manager for Brandywine Elder Care Management, LLC, will highlight the bring-your-own-lunch session from 11:30 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 6, at First Baptist Church, 415 West State Street, Kennett Square. The discussion is designed to provide insights into today’s living challenges for seniors who are requiring progressive support during their aging process. For more information, contact Joan Holliday, faith community nurse and co-chair, at dochollisv@aol.com or 610-717-2180.
• On Saturday, Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Warwick County Park will be hosting Community Day in partnership with South Coventry, Warwick and East Nantmeal townships. Designed as a fun-filled, interactive and educational day, it will feature more than 40 local and nonprofit organizations, craft and food vendors, demonstrators, recreational activities, school groups and more. Planned activities will include pony rides, rock wall, wagon rides, caricatures, face painting, orienteering and kids’ obstacle courses, music, animals and archery. Visit with Smokey Bear and look inside emergency service vehicles. Parking, admission and most activities are free. The park is located at 382 County Park Road, Pottstown, four miles west of Route 100 off Route 23. For additional information, call 610-469-1916 or visit www.chesco.org/ccparks.
• PennDOT has announced that all driver license and photo centers, including its full-service center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, Sept. 3, through Monday, Sept. 5, in observance of Labor Day. Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.pa.gov.
The new “Share the Road” registration plate designed to help fund bicycle safety is now in stock and being shipped to interested vehicle owners, PennDOT announced on Wednesday, Aug. 31.
Share the Road license plates are now available and will help fund bike safety efforts.
The new plates were authorized by Act 36, referred to as the David Bachman Act, which was enacted in June in memory of a PennDOT employee who served as the department’s first bicycle-pedestrian coordinator. All proceeds from the sale of the new plate fund PennDOT’s bicycle and pedestrian safety efforts, as well as highway infrastructure signage for bicyclists, a PennDOT press release said.
The “Share the Road” plate uses the same colors as standard plates – blue, white and yellow – with the addition of an image of the shared lane marking, including two chevrons, a bicycle silhouette, and the words “Allow 4 Feet to Pass.” The bottom of the plate reads “Share the Road.”
Applicants may order a plate by completing form MV-917, “Application for Share the Road Registration Plate.” The cost of the plate is $40; it may also be personalized for a fee of $100 in addition to the $40 plate cost, the release said.
Customers may also place an order for the bicycle plate or learn more about a wide variety of license plates, including other special fund registration plates, by visiting www.dmv.pa.gov and looking under the vehicle services tab, then clicking on registration plates under the drop-down menu.
The plates normally take two to four weeks for delivery. For personalized plates, allow eight to 10 weeks for delivery, the release said.
The Chester County Fund for Women and Girls has announced the appointment of a new executive director.
Michelle Legaspi Sanchez is the new executive director of the Chester County Fund for Women and Girls.
Michelle Legaspi Sanchez, who has been serving as the CCFWG’s director of programs, will assume the post immediately, according a CCFWG press release.
Sanchez, who has several years’ of experience in the Chester County nonprofit community, raised the caliber of the CCFWG during her tenure as program director. She managed all CCFWG’s programming, including grant-making, advocacy and education efforts, the release said.
She led the efforts for the publication of the updated Blueprint Report, optimized the Girls Advisory Board curriculum, and updated the grants policies to align with the CCFWG’s strategic direction of creating positive impact in community-identified priority areas for women and girls.
Prior to joining the CCFWG, Sanchez served as the director of evaluation and reporting at the Maternal and Child Health Consortium of Chester County, where she oversaw the federally-funded regional Children’s Health Insurance Enrollment Initiative and the evaluation systems of all programs.
Following the resignation in June of Susan Mostek, the former executive director, the CCFWG board enlisted a search committee to find a replacement.
“I have worked with Michelle for a number of years, and I think she is going to be an excellent executive director in this ever-changing world of philanthropy,” Mary Lou Sterge, the CCFWG board president, said in the release. “The board is very happy to welcome her to this new position. Michelle knows Chester County very well and will be a huge asset to our work.”
Sanchez holds master’s degrees in both social work and public health from the University of Pennsylvania. She is an adjunct professor at West Chester University and Immaculata University. She currently lives in Downingtown with her husband and their five daughters, the release said.
“CCFWG is a uniquely positioned organization with a mission I truly believe in,” said Sanchez in the release. “I am very fortunate to work with this incredibly committed staff and board to move the organization forward as a bold voice for women and girls.”
The Chester County Fund for Women and Girls leads and unites the community through philanthropy and advocacy to ensure that women and girls have resources and opportunities to thrive. For more than 18 years, it has raised awareness about the critical needs of women and girls, and has awarded over $2 million to 65 nonprofits. To learn more, visit www.ccfwg.org.
