Chester County has decided to close all public parks through March 30, according to the county website. Trails will remain open but may not be fully staffed. Trail amenities will be closed, the site said.
The move comes after the county learned of its first presumptive case of coronavirus. According to reports, the infected person is a 57-year-old woman who contracted the virus from another person outside of the state.
The Chester County Art Association is also closing through March 29.
According to the CCAA press release: “All Winter session classes, workshops, lectures and events in the West Chester facility are suspended at this time. The Exton facility is closed for the rest of the month, and we are not holding any programs in the Kennett area. Our goal is to reschedule all programs for a later date, and we request that registered students accept an account credit at this time for upcoming programs and/or programs in progress.“
With the Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf declaring all schools to be shut do for two weeks, Unionville-Chadds Ford School District moved to Phase 3 of its Pandemic Action Plan. School Board directors voted to enact the plan during their plan work session last Monday.
As a result, distance learning begins Monday, March 16. Superintendent of Schools John Sanville issued the following:
“… Gov. Tom Wolf announced that all K-12 Pennsylvania schools will be closed for the next two weeks in an effort to safeguard students, staff, families and communities at large from the spread of COVID-19.
“We are officially transitioning to Phase 3 of our Pandemic Action Plan effective immediately and our buildings and campuses are closed. District buildings will remain closed from today through March 29, during which students and staff will participate in distance learning and instruction. Buildings are set to reopen on Monday, March 30, however, we will continue to monitor the situation and inform you of any changes.
“Beginning March 16, students are expected to participate in distance learning as directed by their teachers – this will be an A day in our learning cycle. Specifics regarding online learning at the secondary level will be shared with students and parents through email and Canvas. Elementary parents will receive information via email regarding the K-5 distance learning plan. We have a system in place to deliver learning materials to our K-5 families through the help of our transportation team. Principals will be sending out more specifics following this message about their school’s distance learning plans and how students and parents will receive assignments and materials.
“No one expected the school year to look like this – we find ourselves in uncharted waters. I am encouraged by the fact that our teachers spent today preparing to offer an educational experience with continuity over the next few weeks. While I’m confident in our staff and students – I am also realistic that we will have some challenges. We will do our best to address them as they come.
“Thank you all for your continued support. We can only hope that things will improve with time and that we may begin to look at returning back to our normal practices. Until then – please stay healthy and safe.”
Leah Hoopes, of Bethel Township, holds a sign expressing her views.
A group of an estimated 80 people — many armed — rallied in support of the Second Amendment at state Rep. Stephen Barrar’s Concord Township office Friday afternoon. According to Barrar, the rally was initially called for by two “anti-gun” groups but members of those groups failed to show.
“I’m disappointed they didn’t make it,” Barrar said. “I wanted them to hear gun owners’ opinions on the Second Amendment. … The other side didn’t show up. I guess they didn’t want a debate.”
State Rep. Stephen Barrar talks with Second Amendment advocates at his Concord Township office Friday afternoon.
Barrar is retiring from office at the end of this year and he told the group that the two Democrats who are after his seat (Anton Andrew and Cathy Spahr, whom Barrar did not name) are “extremely anti Second Amendment. We need an army to stand up against them. I can’t do it and Harrisburg won’t.”
Leah Hoopes, of Bethel Township, one of the organizers of the pro Right to Keep and Bear Arms assembly, said she got people together after Barrar called her to have their side represented, thinking the groups Gun Sense and Delaware County United for Sensible Gun Policy would be protesting Barrar’s position on Red Flag Laws.
Hoopes said she and the others support Barrar’s position that Red Flag laws are unconstitutional. Those laws permit police to take firearms away from people who a family member claims might be a danger to themselves or others.
During a brief interview, Barrar said he absolutely believes such laws are unconstitutional.
“They take away rights from people who haven’t committed a crime,” he said.
Dan McMonigle, of Firearms Owners Against Crime, said Red Flag laws are an issue for him and other members and is concerned about Republicans such as state Sen. Tom Killion who supports those laws.
“We hope he changes his mind, but we don’t think he will,” McMonigle said. “The moms from Moms Demand Action support him but the dads have given up on him.”
Val Biancaniello, of Marple, a self-described constitutional conservative, said she was there to offset the groups that didn’t show.
“It’s distressing that any group would threaten the Second Amendment and impose Red Flag laws and interfere with the right to bear arms,” she said.
While many of the people at the rally called themselves constitutional conservatives and wore pro-Trump garb such as MAGA hats, not everyone fit that category.
Kyle Burton, of Marple, attended. Last Saturday he was re-elected to be treasurer of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania. “I’ll work with anyone regardless of party, race or gender who want to protect the natural right to self-defense.”
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.
Chester County has decided to close all public parks through March 30, according to the county website. Trails will remain open but may not be fully staffed. Trail amenities will be closed, the site said.
