• More than 2,400 students at Coastal Carolina University were named to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2018 semester. Among those students earning a spot on the Dean’s List is Lauren McDonnell, from Chadds Ford. McDonnell is majoring in elementary education.
• Meredith Jones, of Chadds Ford, graduated from York College of Pennsylvania on Dec. 19. Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in literary & textual studies.
• More than 1500 students were named to the Dean’s List at York College of Pennsylvania. To be eligible for this honor, a student must be registered for at least 12 academic credit hours and earn a semester GPA of 3.50 or higher. Among those named to the list are Anna Crawford and Meredith Jones, both of Chadds Ford. Crawford is a sophomore in the nursing program and Jones is a senior majoring in literary and textual studies.
The state of Pennsylvania approved a medical marijuana dispensary for the Chadds Ford area two weeks ago. The license went to GTI Pennsylvania, a licensed medical marijuana grower and operator of four other dispensaries in the state.
According to the state’s approval process, the dispensary is supposed to open within six months.
A RISE medical marijuana dispensary is scheduled to open in the Chadds Ford area within six months.
The address the state used is 68 Watkin Avenue, a residential property in Concord Township. However, the dispensary will likely not be at that location.
Tim Hawkins, GTI’s president of marketing in Pennsylvania, said there are a number of things that need to be worked out beforehand but that the location does need to be in the Chadds Ford area.
Getting the OK from the township would be no different than opening any other legal business in the state, he said.
“There’s no difference whether you’re selling hamburgers or medical marijuana,” Hawkins said.
The address situation comes from the application process, Hawkins explained, because Pennsylvania wants the dispensaries to be spread out in the state so that all potential customers would have access to a dispensary. One thing GTI can’t do in terms of locating the dispensary is to move it outside of the designated area.
“They look at demographics and make sure there are more dispensaries in areas more densely populated, and fewer dispensaries where it’s less populated…The state is making sure this is spread out throughout the state and making sure everybody in the state has equal access to a dispensary.”
Again, he stressed the dispensary does not have to go in at 68 Watkin Avenue, but just another suitable location within the area chosen by the state, one that is not within 1,000 feet of a school. The next step of the process is to identify an address that meets all regulations and that can be purchased or leased. From there, the application process moves to the state health department and the municipality approval.
To qualify for a medical marijuana card, patients need to fill out an application on the state’s website, have been under treatment for any of one of 21 different conditions and then get a doctor’s certification. For full details on getting started, go here.
Knowing what to get may be confusing, but Hawkins said GTI’s dispensaries — operating under the name of RISE — has a medical professional on duty at its dispensaries to evaluate and recommend what type of medical marijuana to buy. Those recommendations may be adjusted, for dosage or strain, depending on the patient’s reactions.
Once the store is open to the public, only medical marijuana card-holders may enter, Hawkins said. Prior to that official opening, however, there will be a soft opening for the press and general public to come in and see the facility. There will be no product or money in the dispensary until after that soft opening, Hawkins said.
GTI currently operates four RISE dispensaries in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania is one of 22 states that allow medical marijuana. Ten other states also allow adult recreational use.
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.
Longwood Gardens near Kennett Square, PA, plans five spectacular seasonal displays and nearly 600 daily horticultural, educational, performing arts, and holiday programs for 2019. One of the great gardens of the world and home to the most significant fountain collection in North America, Longwood’s Main Fountain Garden will again dazzle guests with daily fountain performances and Illuminated Fountain Performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, beginning May 9. Other favorite events return including the spring bulb display that showcases more than 250,000 bulbs in spectacular bloom; a year-round performing arts series featuring concerts, musicals, and other performances; and the popular holiday display, A Longwood Christmas.
The outdoor gardens and Conservatory open at 9 am every day of the year. Closing time varies by season, as the Gardens frequently remain open later for special events, Illuminated Fountain Performances, and the holiday display.
Orchid Extravaganza: January 19–March 24. Longwood transforms its Conservatory into an orchid oasis as colorful blooms cascade down walls, spill from containers, and hang from above throughout Longwood’s 4.5 acres of indoor gardens. Outdoors, vibrant witch hazel punctuate the landscape and entice guests to stroll the beautiful subtlety of winter. In early March, Longwood’s famed blue-poppies (Meconopsis ‘Lingholm’), known for their unique blue hue, returns to the Conservatory for a limited time. Longwood has successfully produced a crop of blue-poppies each winter since 2003.
Spring Blooms: March 30–May 5. Relish being outdoors as Longwood’s 1,083 acres herald the arrival of spring. Enjoy our spectacular outdoor spring bulb display, culminating in a rainbow of more than 250,000 spring bulbs blooming in our famed Flower Garden Walk and Idea Garden. Flowering trees, shrubs, and other burgeoning blooms entice guests to explore the splendor of our landscape.
Festival of Fountains: May 9–September 29. Summer at Longwood makes a splash as the Gardens’ fountain collection jets to life. The Main Fountain Garden offers jaw-dropping performances daily and extended hours for Illuminated Fountain Performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. A number of new shows will be added for guests to enjoy highlighting a number of musical genres. Guests can also enjoy the Open Air Theatre fountains, which perform daily, as well as the picturesque Italian Water Garden, which offers a cool respite from the warm summer sun.
The wildly popular Fireworks & Fountains Shows return with six new shows: May 26, July 3, July 20, August 10, September 1, and September 28. Other performing arts highlights include the return of the Wine & Jazz Festival on June 1 featuring live jazz music and wines from around the region and world.
The Festival of Fountain also features the Gardens in their summer splendor. Flowering annuals and perennials abound, as well as our breathtaking Waterlily Display that showcases aquatic plants from all over the world. Guests can also embark on a walk in the expansive Meadow Garden, enjoy a shaded stroll among Longwood’s historic trees, and enjoy sitting under the stars with family and friends in our popular Beer Garden.
Wine and Jazz tickets go on sale March 13 at 9 am. General admission tickets for Festival of Fountains and Fireworks and Fountains Shows go on sale April 8 at 9 am.
Autumn’s Colors: October 3–November 24. The Gardens embrace the harvest season with pumpkins and thousands of chrysanthemums indoors and out. Our miniature Garden Railway delights guests young and old with its fanciful cars and engines and our fountain shows continue daily through October 27, with Illuminated Fountain Performances every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening through October 26. Also in October we welcome master artisans from Japan who will create large-scale Ikebana displays, the ancient Japanese art of floral arranging. Chrysanthemum Festival (October 24–November 24) spotlights Longwood’s horticulture expertise as chrysanthemums are crafted and grown into extraordinary shapes, some taking as long as 18 months to complete. The highlight of the display is the Thousand Bloom Mum, a single chrysanthemum that boasts more than 1,500 uniform blooms on a single plant.
A Longwood Christmas: November 28, 2019–January 12, 2020. Thousands of poinsettias, towering Christmas trees, and fragrant flowers transform the Conservatory into a warm holiday wonderland. Outdoors, more than 500,000 decorative lights glitter in more than 100 trees and colorful fountain displays set to holiday music enchant visitors. Evening choral concerts, strolling carolers, and organ sing-alongs fill the Gardens with the festive sounds of the holiday.
Year-round in the Gardens. There is something to discover every day of the year at Longwood. Our Indoor Children’s Garden is home to a creative crew of garden residents, innovative water features, and an amazing palette of plants to inspire imaginations of all ages. The Meadow Garden offers 86 acres and more than 3 miles of walking trails. Our three imaginative treehouses delight the young and young at heart. Longwood’s Education Programs encourage gardening at all levels. Classes and lectures on garden-related subjects are offered year-round, as well as student programs for those interested in horticulture as a profession. About Longwood Gardens. In 1906, industrialist Pierre S. du Pont (1870–1954) purchased a small farm near Kennett Square, PA, to save a collection of historic trees from being sold for lumber. Today, Longwood Gardens is one of the world’s great horticultural displays, encompassing more than 1,000 acres of dazzling gardens, woodlands, meadows, and fountains, and home to a10,010-pipe Aeolian organ and 4.5-acre Conservatory. Longwood continues the mission set forth by Mr. du Pont to inspire people through excellence in garden design, horticulture, education, and the performing arts, through programming that includes exhibitions, musical performances by leading artists, renowned horticulture education programs, horticulture research, environmental stewardship, and community engagement.
Longwood Gardens is open daily (including holidays) and is located on US Route 1 near Kennett Square, PA, 30 miles west of Philadelphia. Admission is $23 for adults; $20 for seniors (age 62+); $20 for college students (with valid ID) $12 for youth (ages 5–18 or with valid student ID) and free ages 4 and under. Timed tickets should be purchased in advance. Group rates available. Details at longwoodgardens.org.
The YMCA of Greater Brandywine, in conjunction with director Chris Logan Harley and Uptown Entertainment Alliance, is putting together a series of videos entitled, “Don’t Spoil the Fun!” to highlight the importance of keeping fun in youth sports leagues, so that kids of all ages want to keep playing for life.
A report by the Aspen Institute indicated that many kids drop out of sports simply because it’s not fun anymore. This video series will highlight some of the ways parents, specifically, can have an impact on their child’s sports experiences by their own negative behavior, with too much emphasis on competition and winning.
“It has been a great partnership with Uptown and the Y,” says Tim Conway, creative services director at the YMCA of Greater Brandywine. “YMCA sports leagues exist to help kids develop important life skills such as leadership, teamwork, good sportsmanship, responsibility and more, while having fun, learning new skills and being with their friends; and it was heartwarming to see such a varied group come together to share in our passion and bring these stories to life.”
Harley shares that belief in the project, so much so that he worked at a reduced rate. “Team sports are not only a great way for kids to learn about themselves and work with others, it provides values and lessons that will go a long way into their adult life. Fun should always be the focus; competition and everything else will follow if you are having fun and I think we are getting that message across in these videos.”
The total team effort includes the actors from Uptown Entertainment and community members who volunteered their time. Lara Connolly, mother of two of the child actors from Uptown Entertainment, was honored to have her children be a part of the shoot, saying, “In a society where the focus is on how to make our children the best of the best in a variety of activities, it is comforting to know that a pillar of our community continues to keep steadfast to their mission of keeping children and families first.”
The videos, with some serious and some humorous overtones, will debut this month.
State Reps. Stephen E. Barrar and Carolyn Comitta took the oath of office Tuesday to begin their next terms in the state legislature. Barrar is beginning his 12th term representing the people of the 160th in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Comitta is entering her second term.
Barrar will continue as the majority chairman for the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee, which oversees legislation dealing with veterans’ issues, disaster relief, homeland security, fire and emergency services matters, and the readiness of the Pennsylvania National Guard.
“Serving in this leadership position for the last eight years has been an honor, and I am eager to continue this important work for our military and first responders. Without dedicating both attention and action to the challenges facing these important groups, we risk sacrificing the safety they provide to all Pennsylvanians,” Barrar said
In the upcoming session, Barrar is eager to cultivate relationships by working with his colleagues in the House and the Senate, as well as with the administration’s state agencies which his committee oversees. He also has a number of goals for the Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee:
Finalize into law legislation that modernizes the Title 35 Emergency Management Code.
Address the funding, personnel and training needs of Pennsylvania’s fire and EMS organizations through the implementation of Senate Resolution 6 initiatives.
Create or enhance programs for our veterans and their families.
Update archaic provisions regarding our National Guard when they serve on state active duty and enhance the National Guard College Tuition Assistance Program.
Establish a program to address the post-traumatic needs of our emergency responders.
Secure funding for Pennsylvania’s National Guard Youth Challenge Program.
Comitta, representing Pennsylvania’s 156thLegislative District which includes West Chester, is a former educator, councilwoman and mayor of West Chester. She said she seeks to focus on issues including commonsense gun safety reform, community revitalization and development, education and the environment. She also said she’s committed to working in bipartisan coalitions to achieve successes that benefit everybody.
“I’ve dedicated my life to public service: first as a teacher, then as a council member, a mayor, now as state representative,” Comitta said. “I have found the most important thing a public servant can do is bring people together to improve our community.”
Comitta served on several committees her first term, including Environmental Resources & Energy and Aging & Older Adult Services, and was appointed to the Pennsylvania Joint Legislative Air & Water Pollution Control & Conservation Committee. She also was appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf to the Pennsylvania Commission for Women.
•Police said Schuyler Bryton Allen, 22, of Wilmington, was arrested for DUI after a traffic stop on State Farm Drive at Route 202 in Concord Township on Dec. 8. The police report said Allen was initially stopped for traffic code violations at 1:28 a.m.
•Police are investigating the report of a stolen debit card. The report said the card was stolen Dec. 12 while the victim was at the Starbucks in Glen Eagle Square. The victim told police unauthorized transactions were made to her account.
•Brothers Pizza on Route 1 was burglarized sometime during the overnight hours of Dec. 20-21. Police said the store was broken into and $750 in cash and a $500 iPad were stolen.
•A 43-year-old woman from Anchorage, Alaska was arrested and charged with aggravated assault following a Christmas Eve incident at the Concordville Inn. According to a report, Christina Kathrin Houser entered the inn’s restaurant as it was closing and she became disorderly when asked to leave. State troopers from the Media barracks were called and Houser allegedly kicked and spat at them and threatened to kill one of the troopers. Bail was set at $100,000 during the arraignment, but she was unable to post the bail and was confined to Delaware County Prison.
