October 7, 2016 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Roadwork for week of Oct. 8

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 Oct. 8 through Oct. 15. Motorists are urged to allow extra time if they are traveling through one of the construction zones.

Utility installation will require a lane closure on Raintree Road in Pennsbury Township through Wednesday, Oct. 12. Crews will be working from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Paddock Lane.

Lane closures will also be in effect on Route 322 in both directions in Concord Township. Crews will be setting barriers along the shoulder between Station and Spring Valley roads from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The work is scheduled from Wednesday, Oct. 19, through Friday, Oct. 21.

Patricia Lane in Concord Township will be the site of utility installation at Glenview Road from Wednesday, Oct. 19, through Wednesday, Nov. 2. The work is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lane restrictions are scheduled next week on the Route 30 east exit ramp to Route 202 north as well as on Route 202 in East Whiteland Township, for guide rail installation and concrete barrier removal. Crews will be working on and off between Monday, Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. until 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 12.

Also on Route 202, a lane closure will be in effect between Boot Road and business Route 30, from Wednesday, Oct. 12, until Friday, Oct. 14. Crews will be conducting pipe inspection from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Work will 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, which has been extended to Oct. 21.

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.

Burnt Mill Road in Kennett Township remains closed and detoured for reconstruction between Norway and Spring Mill roads. The estimated completion date is Dec. 20.

Utility installation on West Market Street in West Chester Borough will require lane restrictions at North Church Street. The work is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday, Oct. 17, through Wednesday, Oct. 19.

Route 100 in West Whiteland Township at Waterloo and Swedesford roads, Town Center Mall, and the Exton Mall entrance will be the site of lane restrictions for curb replacement. Crews are scheduled to work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Monday, Oct. 10, through Friday, Oct. 15.

Weather permitting, crews will be working next week on high-friction surface treatment. On Monday, Oct. 10, through Friday, Oct. 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., lane restrictions are scheduled on Route 52 between Edgemill Way and Shropshire Drive in East Bradford Township and on Ship Road between Swedesford Road and Old Valley Road in West Whiteland Township.

Stargazers Village will close Strasburg Road between Sunset Drive and Stargazer Road in West Bradford Township, from Monday, Oct. 17, through Monday, Oct. 31, for the construction of a roundabout. Detours will be posted.

The shoulder of I-476 in both directions will continued to be closed between I-76 and I-95 for fiber optic cable installation. The work is scheduled from Monday, Oct. 10, through Sunday, Oct. 16; crews will be working from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A shoulder closure is scheduled on northbound I-95 in Tinicum Township from Monday, Oct. 10, through Sunday, Oct. 16 from midnight to 5 a.m. between Routes 420 and 291 for foundation work.

For motorists venturing into the City of Philadelphia over the weekend, Philadelphia Police said delays could be expected on Saturday, Oct. 8, when the Friends of Rittenhouse Square hold an outdoor dining event on 18th Street between Locust and Walnut streets from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

On Sunday, Oct. 9, the 5,000 Yards Dash Run/Walk will start at 901 North Columbus Boulevard in Philadelphia and end at 901 North Delaware Avenue. Police suggest allowing plenty of extra time for traffic delays. Also on Sunday, Oct. 9, the Old City Festival will take place along Arch Street from Second to Fourth streets and on Third Street from Market to Race streets. The event, which will require street closures, will begin at 11 a.m. and conclude by 6 p.m.

Finally, another Sunday, Oct. 9, event, the Columbus Day Parade, will be held along South Broad Street. The following street closures will be in effect during from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Broad Street from Washington to Bigler streets, the 1400 block of Bigler Street, Washington Avenue from 13th to 17th streets, and Oregon Avenue from 13th to 15th streets.

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.”

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

Roadwork for week of Oct. 8 Read More »

Family Promise applauding its volunteers

Local News

Since its inception more than a year ago, Family Promise of Southern Chester County has relied on a cadre of volunteers in its effort to help children and their families who are experiencing homelessness regain sustainable independence.

Family Promise of Southern Chester County is celebrating the volunteers who make its outreach possible.

During the week of Oct. 16 through Oct. 23, designated as National Family Promise Week, the local chapter of this national initiative will join more than 200 affiliates across the U.S. to honor its nearly 600 volunteers, according to a Family Promise press release.

“We are fortunate to have so many wonderful volunteers at Family Promise of Southern Chester County,” Susan Minarchi, its executive director, said in the release. “They are truly the life blood of our program, and we look forward to celebrating them and their efforts to help families experiencing homelessness in our community.”

Since 1986, Family Promise has helped more than 700,000 people nationally with housing, case management, and other services. Started as a local effort to address the crisis of family homelessness, Family Promise works on the principle that the elements to help children and their families — who make up 40 percent of all people who are experiencing homelessness — already exist in the community.

The program brings together a network of resources, including congregations to provide food and temporary shelter, facilities to provide space for case management, and most importantly, thousands of volunteers who share a few hours of their time to help families turn their lives around.

Family Promise of Southern Chester County opened its doors in November 2015. Since then, it has served 17 families representing 60 people, including 38 children. It works with a partnership of 27 local congregations and numerous other organizations who provide various in-kind contributions, enabling Family Promise of Southern Chester County to operate economically, the release said.

More than 75 percent of the families served have found stable employment and permanent housing, the release said.

Family Promise of Southern Chester County was created to alleviate family homelessness and works to increase awareness of the crisis of family homelessness in Southern Chester County. In the 2014-2015 school year, 442 school-age children were impacted by homelessness in the Oxford, Avon Grove, Kennett Consolidated, and Unionville-Chadds Ford School Districts, the release said.

To volunteer, make a donation, or provide services, contact Family Promise of Southern Chester County at www.familypromisescc.org or call Minarchi at 610- 345-1100.

About CFLive Staff

See Contributors Page https://chaddsfordlive.com/writers/

Family Promise applauding its volunteers Read More »

Arguments made in Woodlawn Trustees case

Local News, Local News Chadds Ford, Local News Concord

Oral arguments have now been heard in the two appeals that came on the heels on Concord Township’s approval of a major land development plan for the Woodlawn Trustees property.

That approval came in the spring of 2015, and members of Save the Valley appealed. Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Green heard oral arguments in that litigation in August. No decision has been made yet.

On Thursday, oral arguments were heard in the second appeal. This one came not from opponents of the plan, but from a developer who was denied a reverse subdivision because, attorney Marc Kaplin said, of political reasons.

Kaplin, representing Concord Ventures, told Senior Judge Charles B. Burr II, that his client is the equitable owner of 60 acres of the Woodlawn Property. Part of the agreement of sale was that a portion of two other parcels — totaling 11 acres — be joined with another 49-acre parcel. All that was needed was for Concord’s supervisors to approve a lot-line change.

According to Kaplin, the request was denied because residents were still angry with the supervisors over their approval of the development proposed by Eastern States Development Co. and McKee Concord Homes.

McKee and Eastern States want to build 160 homes on 230 acres. Concord Ventures is looking to construct 29 townhomes, 167 apartments and a 7,200-square-foot clubhouse on its 60 acres that are bordered by Route 202, the Delaware state line, and Watkin Avenue. However, Concord Ventures had not submitted any land-development plans, so all that was needed was the lot-line change to satisfy the agreement of sale.

“I was driving to Concord thinking we’d get approval, but received a phone call from one of the supervisors’ saying we were going to be denied,” he told the judge.

Kaplin further said that he was told that there would be a packed township building with people who wanted to “skewer” the supervisors for approving the larger plan and that supervisors would deny the application to prevent further anger.

“The supervisors had no legitimate reason to turn us down,” Kaplin reiterated. “All we were doing was putting an imaginary line on a map.”

At issue in the appeal is why the reverse subdivision was denied. Was denial a matter of political expediency or did the subdivision plan contain deficiencies?

Kathy Labrum, the attorney representing Concord Township, characterized the Concord Venture’s request as “a major subdivision.”

She also said that questions existed over the exact placement of the lot lines. Engineers for the township and the applicant could have worked things out, she said, but the applicant revoked a time extension the township would have needed to finish its review of the plan.

One of the issues, Labrum said, was that the lot-line change would have created an odd-shaped lot, which is not permitted under township code.

“If it doesn’t comply with our ordinances, the board doesn’t approve it,” she said.

The motion to deny the request — which came from former Supervisor Kevin O’Donoghue months before his re-election bid — cited environmental sensitivity for the denial.

However, Kaplin told the judge that would be irrelevant since Concord Ventures was not filing a land-development plan.

Where both sides agree is that the engineers could have worked out any concerns that existed over the exact location of the lot lines.

There’s no timetable on when Burr will make his decision.

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.

Arguments made in Woodlawn Trustees case Read More »

Author to discuss 93-year-old track star

Arts & Entertainment

Penn State’s Great Valley campus is inviting the public to learn the secrets held by a 90-year-old track star.

Author Bruce will speak about his best seller on Tuesday, Oct. 11. — Author Bruce Grierson will discuss his best seller on Tuesday, Oct. 11.

Author Bruce Grierson will discuss his best seller, “What Makes Olga Run, The Mystery of the 90-Something Track Star and What She Can Teach Us About Living Longer, Happier Lives” on Tuesday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. at Penn State Great Valley. Admission is free but tickets are required at https://olgaruns.eventbrite.com, according to a Penn State press release.

Olga Kotelko, one of the most decorated master athletes ever, will be remembered just as much for her contributions to science as for her exploits on the track. Kotelko let herself become a human guinea pig to shed light on optimal aging and the limits of human potential and allowed Grierson to document the findings. In this talk, he reveals what this extraordinary project unearthed on aging well.

Kotelko is not your average 93-year-old. She not only looks and acts like a much younger woman, she holds over 23 world records in track and field, 17 in the 90 to 95 age category. Convinced that this remarkable woman could help unlock many of the mysteries of aging, Grierson set out to uncover what drove her. In his book, he considers every piece of the puzzle, from her diet and sleep habits to how she scores on various personality traits, from what she does in her spare time to her family history, the release said.

She participated in tests administered by some of the world’s leading scientists and offered her DNA to groundbreaking research trials. What emerged is not only a tremendously uplifting personal story but also a look at the extent to which health and longevity are determined by inherited DNA, and the extent to which that inheritance can be shaped.

Grierson is a five-time Canadian National Magazine Award-winning feature writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Popular Science, Eighteen Bridges, The Walrus, Psychology Today, Time Magazine, Scientific American, The Guardian, and elsewhere. He is the author of U-Turn, co-author (with Kalle Lasn) of Culture Jam, and author most recently of What Makes Olga Run? He lives in Vancouver with his wife and two daughters.

About Press Release

Author to discuss 93-year-old track star Read More »