• The Unionville Girls Volleyball team lost to Upper Merion in three sets Saturday 12-25, 22-25, and 9-25. The Unionville team was led by strong play from Jessica Homitz (5 kills and 7 digs), Molly McCloskey (6 kills), and Olivia Hojinacki (13 digs). This brings the Unionville team to 3-4 in the league and 5-7 overall.
• The JV volleyball team lost a tough match to Upper Merion on Saturday. Set scores were 14-25, 15-25. The team came together and played extremely well against a tough opponent. There were standout performances from Kat Tuerff on offense and Olivia Yeomans setting.
• The ninth grade Boys Soccer team defeated Downingtown West on Friday by a score of 3-1. Aggressive team play and clinical finishing from Noe’ Rouizem, Grady Farrell, and Carlos Paredes sealed the win for the Indians.
• Unionville varsity field hockey defeated Rustin with a score of 5 to 0 in the pouring raining on Thursday, Sept. 29. Katie Anderson scored 2 goals and made 1 assist. Allison Newbrough and Amanda Panati scored 1 goal. Claire Donovan made 2 assists. Lizzie Gaebel made 1 save in goal.
Cailtin Barker played an outstanding game in goal for Rustin making 26 saves.
• Unionville Boys Soccer teams played in the wind and rain at Rustin on Sept. 29. In the opener, Aegean Cuylan assisted Andrew Bowers on a goal late in the second half and the JV team hung on for a 1-0 win. In the varsity game, Sam Price scored for Unionville but the team ended with a 3-1 loss. The teams will travel on Saturday to face Perkiomen Valley.
Cyrus, an 18-year-old Clydesdale horse weighing about 2,200 pounds. is lifted to safety after getting stuck in a muddy ravine at Thornbury Farm in Thornbury Township.
Updated at 6:45 p.m. with new details
An 18-year-old Clydesdale named Cyrus experienced a dramatic rescue on Wednesday, Oct. 5.
Cyrus is secured to a harness in preparation for being lifted out of the muddy ravine.
After crews worked for four hours to extricate the horse from a mud pit, a giant crane lifted the animal to safety.
Westtown-East Goshen Police Lt. William Cahill said when he arrived at the scene about 10 a.m., two vets were already working to sedate the horse. He said the horse had last been seen at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4.
Cahill said workers at Thornbury Farm, a 300-year-old property owned by the Spackman family, had reported the horse missing about 8 a.m. and then located it outside a fenced area, with about 80 percent of its body submerged in mud.
Emergency personnel descended on the farm at 10 a.m. and crews toiled for four hours to get the approximately 2,000-pound animal secured so it could be eased out of the mud. Cahill said crews utilized air knife trench rescue tools to slowly extricate Cyrus from the marsh. Then the horse was attached to a harness from Bob’s Crane Service, the same company that raises and lowers the lighted, 700-pound, stainless steel mushroom on New Year’s Eve in Kennett Square.
The horse begins its ascent after being pulled out of the mud by emergency workers.
As onlookers and emergency workers held their breath, Cyrus was lifted into the air from a makeshift wooden platform about 2 p.m. and transported to higher ground.
“We are really fortunate to be in an area with access to such highly trained personnel who have great resources,” said Cahill. “Everyone really did a great job.”
Randell Spackman, whose family has owned the historic farm for about 100 years, said the horse is owned by Penny Parker, who rents space in the barn. “It was a tough situation,” he said, expressing profuse thanks to the approximately 75 emergency services workers who responded to the scene.
Thornbury Farm owner Randell Spackman expresses thanks to the emergency services workers who helped to rescue Cyrus.
“I hope these vets can do something wonderful for the horse,” said his mother, Susie Spackman, who had been nervously watching the rescue.
Her son was optimistic that the horse would survive the ordeal. “Everyone just came out of the woodwork and came together,” he said. “I think there’s going to be a happy ending.”
Units from the Westtown-East Goshen Police Department, Birmingham Township Police Department, West Chester Fire Department, Longwood Fire Company, Wagontown Fire Company, and the Chester County Rescue Task Force were among some of the responding agencies.
Chris Weaver is the franchisee for the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Brinton Lake. The store is open seven days per week and offers higher end bird seed.
Wild Birds Unlimited is now open in the Shoppes at Brinton Lake. The shop, which specializes in supplying feed and feeders for bird enthusiasts, is located in the upper part of the center, between Cardinal Camera and the office of state Sen. Tom Killion.
Wild Birds Unlimited is a franchise with more than 300 outlets, according to Chris Weaver, the franchise holder for the Concord Township shop.
Weaver said his shop is somewhat high end, aiming for the more affluent clientele. While there are some apartment dwellers who like feeding birds, the hobby is geared more toward people who have larger yards.
“This particular franchise focuses on higher end seeds and feeders, so we cater to more affluent people,” he said. “By and large, most of our customers are people who own property.”
What separates higher-end birdseed from what is available at hardware stores is the amount of filler. Weaver said his seed has no filler so all the feed gets used.
Weaver said the most popular seed is the black oiled sunflower seed, but he carries blends that are tailored to regions for specific bird species. Most of the blends have the black sunflower seeds, but others will include peanuts, other seeds, and even some millet for the ground feeding birds.
Seed prices range from $20 to $45 for a 20-pound bag, but they also sell smaller sizes for some blends.
Feeders and stands range in price from $10 to $200, Weaver said.
Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information, visit the store’s website at www.wbu.com/glenmills or its Facebook page: www.facebook.com/wbuofconcordville. The phone number is 484-800-4941. The email address is wbuconcordtwp@gmail.com.
Police are continuing their investigation into this Oct. 5 accident on Route 202 that sent two people to the hospital.
No details have been forthcoming as of yet but, sometime after 1 p.m., a car carrier ran off the road and through a guard rail on Route 202 in front of the Brandywine Mills complex in Chadds Ford Township. Northbound traffic was forced to turn of 202 at Applied Bank Boulevard. Traffic in both directions was backed up. State police on the scene said a press release would be issued later.
A colt meanders in a pen at Thornbury Farm, oblivious to the activity behind the fenced-in area where emergency crews working to rescue a horse that got stuck in the mud.
Emergency personnel descended on Thornbury Farm in Thornbury Township this morning for the rescue of an approximately 2,200-pound horse that got stuck in the mud, an ongoing effort that has yet to succeed.
Emergency crews are working to free a horse that got stuck at Thornbury Farm.
Units from the Westtown-East Goshen Police Department, West Chester Fire , Longwood Fire Company, Fame Fire Company, Wagontown Fire Company, the Chester County Rescue Task Force responded to a 10:50 a.m. call at 1250 Thornbury Road. Officials said that the animal was 80 percent submerged in a mud pit.
As crews struggled to free the animal, some of the other horses circled the rescue area and had to be relocated while some paid no attention to the flurry of activity, which included two hovering television news helicopters.
The 300-year-old farm, which is owned by the Spackman family, is located on portions of the Brandywine Battlefield.
***UPDATE*** details are not yet available, but the horse has been freed after a four-hour effort.
Officials at the Sanderson Museum are extending thanks to the volunteers who took a recent trip down memory lane to celebrate Chris Sanderson’s life. They also want to express gratitude to the volunteers who operated the museum, which could always use more volunteers.
October 7th marks the kickoff celebration event for the Chester County Collects exhibition at The Chester County Art Association, CCAA, in West Chester. With over 90 art objects from 10 prestigious art collections throughout Chester County, this show promises to be an exciting and inspiring way to look at art, through the eyes of the collector.
What inspires someone to collect a certain artist? How does collecting inspire their lives and how is art incorporated into their home? Some of the 90 exhibition pieces include paintings, sculpture and furniture by Thomas Hart Benton, George Cope, Wharton Esherick, Frank Gehry, George Nakashima, Horace Pippin and George Whitney. What fun it is to to imagine living in Chester County with such wonderful art in one’s home. The opening celebration is October 7th, from 5 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $125 per person which go to support the arts at CCAA. Thereafter, there will be a $15 general admission price, or $10 for members, and $5 for children under 12.
Every year CCAA has one exhibition that is organized by the CCAA Board, as special art event and fundraiser for the arts association. Last year it was the Founder’s Day Exhibition highlighted with works by N.C. Wyeth from collections at The Hill School and The Westtown School. This year kicks off what the CCAA Board hopes will be an annual exhibition tradition, Chester County Collects.
“We never will run out of collections to visit!” says Kathleen Deets Price, the Board member and Chair of Chester County Collects. In an interview with Kathleen, she explained “We want people to understand what inspired collectors to start collecting art. Art comes in so many different forms. Different things appeal to different people. Art is not just something that is in a gold frame on the wall! Anyone can collect art, but how do you get started on it? ”
Kathleen is also an art collector, and she and her late husband Reverend Stephen Price started very humbly, with nineteenth century prints purchased at local auction houses that were both beautiful and affordable. “Art was a great passion for both of us. We would go to galleries and museums and compare notes about which ones we liked best. It was such fun.”
As their fascination with collecting grew, and their eye became more acute, they sold off some works and started to purchase more significant painted works. Most recently, Kathleen purchased “The Dove” by Simi Knox, the first African American artist to paint the official portrait of a president. As soon as she saw it, she felt compelled to purchase it. Art can touch the soul to inspire or rekindle emotions in an extraordinarily powerful way, and the impact of “the Dove” went straight to her heart. Her husband died early this year after a long illness, and she saw the painting and was awestruck. She saw the Dove as representing Stephen, released from his pain, and soaring. This painting will be in “Chester County Collects” and is placed there in his memory.
When you go to the show, imagine that this personal passion and identification that Kathleen feels for “The Dove” is felt by each of the other collectors, for each of the pieces in the show.
The Dove, by Simi Knox
One of the many remarkable collections featured n this exhibition is by a local Kennett Square family who own a number of important contemporary art works, that often have a socio-political message to them. One such image is a photograph “Emerson” by Vik Muniz from his iconic Aftermath Series. Vik Muiz combines painting, photography, and collaged objects and found elements into an impermanent art piece. Then he photographs the entire work, and that photograph becomes the lasting artwork.
“Emerson” part of the series Aftermath by Vik Muniz
“Emerson” is an image of a street boy who was part of a street gang that stole Muniz’s camera and supplies on the day of the shoot. The artist found the children and convinced them to return his valuable equipment by explaining his craft as a photographer, and then taught them how to pose in the manner of Greek classic sculpture. Once you know the story and you look again at “Emerson” , the story becomes personal. The child is someone you now know, we are more concerned about his fate, we are interested in interpreting the collaged materials, and we have entered into the world that the artist has encouraged us to understand.
New CCAA Executive Director, Wendy Kershner, remarks “I couldn’t have stepped in at a more ideal time! I see the amazing art on display as a fitting tribute to the art association itself–reflecting our impressive legacy while at the same time featuring the dynamic growth we’re currently undergoing. I’m truly thrilled and honored to be a part of the future of CCAA and expanding our role in the community.”
The exhibition will take part in all the galleries at The Chester County Arts Association location at 100 Bradford Avenue in West Chester, and all of the Board and staff have worked hard to make this an exemplary show of art from all over Chester County.
Throughout the month of October, the featured collectors will have evening discussions at CCAA to talk about the joy and the art of collecting. The passion, excitement and vast knowledge from each of these collectors is absolutely infectious! If you can’t make the opening event, definitely try to come to either “A Discussion with the Collectors” Tuesday October 11th at 6:30pm, or “A Discussion with the Curators” Tuesday October 18 at 6:30 with Lisa Menardi from Winterthur. Both of these lectures are $15 each, and include a visit to the show.
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.
Ricardo Rivera, the creator of 'Nightscape,' makes adjustments to one of his installations at Longwood Gardens, where he will appear for a panel discussion on Friday, Oct. 7. Photo courtesy of Longwood
As “Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience,” a confluence of light, sound and imagery by Philadelphia-based Klip Collective, draws to a close on Oct. 31, Longwood Gardens’ guests will have one final opportunity to hear from its creator.
Ricardo Rivera (top center) discusses Nightscape, his light and sound installation at Longwood Gardens. Photo courtesy of Longwood Gardens
On Friday, Oct. 7, Ricardo Rivera, and fellow artists from Klip Collective, Kevin Ritchie and Mark McCallum will chat about virtual reality and how it is changing the way we create and communicate. The session, which starts at 7 p.m. in the Longwood Beer Garden, represents the final segment of Artist & Friends, a combination of panel discussion and Q&A. The participants will also explore the immersive world of experiential installations, explaining their impact.
Nightscape was designed to help offset the temporary loss of the Main Fountain Garden – and its summer fireworks shows – during a 2½-year, $90 million revitalization project. It is on view Wednesday through Saturday evenings from 6 to 11 p.m. through Saturday, Oct. 29.
Special tickets, which include all-day admission, are required and should be purchased in advance. Admission is $27 for adults (ages 19 and up); $17 for students (ages 5 to 18); and free for ages 4 and under. Members do not require a ticket, but do require a free reservation, which can be obtained online.
Nightscape is a rain-or-shine event. If rain threatens, guests are encouraged to bring umbrellas to view the outdoor portion of the display, and comfortable shoes are recommended in any weather. Seeing Nightscape in its entirety takes more than an hour. Visitors who are unfamiliar with the gardens might want to arrive early enough to visit the display sites during daylight, which will make their nighttime transformation even more striking.
Longwood Gardens dates back to 1906, when industrialist Pierre S. du Pont purchased a small farm near Kennett Square to save a collection of historic trees from being sold for lumber. Today, it is one of the world’s great horticultural displays, encompassing 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands, meadows, fountains, a 10,010-pipe Aeolian organ and 4.5-acre conservatory. Longwood is located on Route 1 near Kennett Square. For more information, visit longwoodgardens.org or call 610-388-1000.
After a crowd-pleasing appearance this summer at Anson B. Nixon Park, West Philadelphia Orchestra is returning to the Kennett area.
West Philadelphia Orchestra will perform Friday, Oct. 7, at The Kennett Flash.
On Friday, Oct. 7, West Philadelphia Orchestra will play its first-ever show at The Kennett Flash, according to a Flash press release.
West Philadelphia Orchestra began as neighborhood friends’ fiddling on porches and in parks, making noise at protests and outsider art gatherings, and dedicated to livening up their bohemian village. Over the years, WPO has become larger and louder, the parties wilder and more ecstatic, and the band developed a singular mash-up blend of Balkan brass traditions, American jazz and global beats, the release said.
The band’s new album, “Tour de Filli,” is a culmination of this evolution, marking the point at which they have transformed a foreign brass tradition into our own. With cutting brass, searing woodwinds, and some of the tightest beats around, West Philadelphia Orchestra invites audiences to lose themselves in earthy sounds that shake, break and roll, the release said.
“WPO’s Balkan dance parties at the now-shuttered Tritone were legendary. Your wedding/bar mitzvah/birthday blowout will be, too, if you book their traditional brass klezmer band, a Jewish folk group that plays everything from Busta Rhymes to Neutral Milk Hotel,” said a Philadelphia Magazine article.
Listen to a sampling of West Philadelphia Orchestra on National Public Radio’s World Cafe Live here.
Tickets – $15 in advance, $18 the day of the show – are available at www.kennettflash.org or www.ticketfly.com. Doors open at 7 p.m. for an 8 p.m. show. BYOB is permitted for $4 at the door (beer and wine only), and dinner service is available from La Verona.
The Kennett Flash is located at 102 Sycamore Alley in Kennett Square. Call 484-732-8295 for more information.
• State police from the Avondale barracks are investigating the reported theft of a Rolex watch. The theft took place in August from a residence on Upland Road in East Marlborough Township.
• Michael P. Brackin Jr., 26, of West Grove, was cited for his involvement in a traffic accident that injured two people on Route 1 near North Mill Road in New Garden Township on Sept. 1, according to state police. A report said Brackin was following too closely when he lost control of his vehicle and struck traveling in front of him.
• On Wednesday, Sept. 21, at 1:40 a.m., New Garden Township Police arrested Christos Tarabicos, 35, Coatesville, for possession of marijuana. A report said officers stopped Tarabicos after he committed a moving violation in the 900 block of Newark Road. In addition to the marijuana, police said they found a container of “clean” synthetic urine, which is used to pass drug examinations. He was processed and released pending his appearance in district court.
• New Garden police said they arrested Brian Fanning, 27, of Kennett Square, and charged him with sale or use of certain solvents and noxious substances, possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct. The rep[ort said police were responding to a report of an unconscious person inside a vehicle. When they arrived, police said, they found Fanning conscious and alert, but that he had vomited next to his vehicle. He said it was a stomach bug, according to police, but a witness said she saw Fanning holding an aerosol can wrapped in a towel prior to passing out and believed he was “huffing.” An aerosol can was found in the vehicle and taken as evidence. He was released pending a court appearance.
• State police from the Embreeville barracks are investigating an incident of identify theft. Police said that between Aug. 5 and Aug. 16, a Newlin Township woman’s personal information was used to make several unauthorized purchases and that the suspect attempted to open several store credit cards.
