May 1, 2020 - ChaddsFordLive.com

Kennett Twp. to sue Moore

Kennett Township supervisors will sue former township Manager Lisa Moore and her significant other to recoup some of the $3.2 million Moore is alleged to have embezzled.

An April 30 press release announced the civil action against Moore and Brian Gore, the latter of whom received medical benefits from the township after Moore allegedly “created a phony marriage to defraud the township, resulting in medical benefits for Gore in excess of $50,000.”

“The Board remains committed to recovering every dollar, and it is wholly appropriate for Moore and Gore to make the township taxpayers whole,” supervisors’ Vice Chairwoman Whitney Hoffman said in the press release.

The Kennett Township supervisors will next meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday for the first public meeting of the month, using the online Zoom app.

Chairman Richard Leff added in the release, “In terms of recovery the township is exploring all options to recover as much money as possible; however, the first step remains the former manager.”

The township has also been working with the firm of Blank Rome, which is focusing on recovery efforts.

Moore, who was charged in December 2019 by the Chester County District Attorney’s office, waived her preliminary hearing last month on 112 counts of first-, second-, and third-degree felonies and 26 counts of first- and second-degree misdemeanors. She is awaiting trial on the criminal charges in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas and has a formal arraignment scheduled for 9:15 a.m. May 7.

About Monica Fragale

Monica Thompson Fragale is a freelance reporter who spent her life dreaming of being in the newspaper business. That dream came true after college when she started working at The Kennett Paper and, years later The Reporter newspaper in Lansdale and other dailies. She turned to non-profit work after her first daughter was born and spent the next 13 years in that field. But while you can take the girl out of journalism, you can’t take journalism out of the girl. Offers to freelance sparked the writing bug again started her fingers happily tapping away on the keyboard. Monica lives with her husband and two children in Kennett Square.

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Five-county area remains closed

Along the Ford

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf today said 24 counties in the state may move from the red to the yellow zone and may partially reopen next Friday, May 8. However, the five counties in the Philadelphia region — Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery will remain under the governor’s stay at home order.

Some counties may resume reopening next Friday, but the five-county Philadelphia region will remain under the stay at home order.

Counties, where restrictions will be reduced, are the more rural counties of Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Venango, and Warren.

In his press conference, Wolf said those counties were chosen because of a reduced per capita COVID-19 case counts, smaller population density, and a greater ability to do contact tracing.

The governor said it’s unknown when the Southeast portions of the state can move from red to yellow. “We don’t control the timetable,” Wolf said, “the virus controls it.”

He also said there’s no idea yet on whether more shifts from red to yellow or yellow to green can happen before the June 2 primary election.

Some businesses can begin to reopen in the yellow phase. Retail businesses can open as long as social distancing can be maintained, but those that require close contact with customers — such gyms and nail salons — will remain closed, as will movie theaters.

Large gathering of more than 25 people will still be prohibited, and restaurants will still only be allowed for takeout service.

“Every human-to-human contact is a chance for the virus to spread,” said Wolf.

Health Secretary Rachel Levine urged Pennsylvanians to continue practicing social distancing, wearing masks and washing hands for at least 20 seconds or for as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.

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.

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Masks decontaminated in DelCo

Along the Ford

_1JF5477-Vivian-Smith — Battelle’s Vivian Smith gives a brief explanation of how N95 masks are decontaminated.

An Ohio-based company will be decontaminating N95 protective masks in Delaware County. Personnel from Battelle, based in Columbus, Ohio, were setting up Friday morning, May 1. They hoped to begin work in the evening.

Vivian Smith, a principal research scientist biologist with Battelle, said each of the four decontamination units could handle 10,000 masks at a time. The protective gear is placed in the cleaning chambers and then hit with vaporized hydrogen peroxide — a 35 percent solution — for about three-and-a-half hours. They are then aerated for another three to four hours before they are sealed and returned to the hospital that sent them. Each participating hospital gets its own masks back.

The aeration process includes running the exhaust through a series of HEPA filters before being vented into the environment, Smith added.

The procedure is for medical personnel and first responders, not for the general public, said Tim Boyce, director of Delaware County’s Department of Emergency Services. Reporters were asked not to disclose the actual location of the decontamination facility, and Boyce said that was at the request of the business owner whose property is being used. The Delaware County site will handle masks from participating hospitals in the Philadelphia region.

Battelle received a $415 million dollar contract from the Food and Drug Administration to set up 60 such facilities across the country; there are 32 facilities set up so far, according to Smith. However, the FDA initially said no to Battelle.

In March, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine released a statement expressing disappointment with the FDA for blocking Battelle’s effort. The agency initially limited the company from decontaminating more than 10,000 masks per day and would not allow the company to send its technology to other states. The FDA eventually changed its position.

“Battelle’s innovative technology has the capability to protect healthcare professionals and first responders in Ohio and across the country, but in this time of crisis, the FDA has decided not to support those who are risking their lives to save others. This is a matter of life and death. I am not only disappointed by this development, but I’m also stunned that the FDA would decline to do all it can to protect this country’s frontline workers in this serious time of need,” DeWine said in his statement of March 29.

The full statement may be found here.

About Rich Schwartzman

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Roadwork for May 2-May 8

Along the Ford

PennDOT has announced the following road projects, which are weather-dependent and could affect drivers in the greater Chadds Ford area during the week of May 2-May 8. Motorists are urged to allow extra time if they are traveling through one of the construction zones. Work schedules are subject to change.

• PECO Energy is planning lane closures for Route 52 (Lenape Road) —between Lenape Farm Lane and Clarks Lane in Pocopson Township — on Monday, May 4, through Friday, May 8.

• Road construction will continue to cause lane closures on Route 1 — between Route 452 and Valley Road in Middletown Township — through June 30.

• Bridge reconstruction continues to close Creek Road — between Riverbend Lane and Country Club Road from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. — in Birmingham Township. The closure is expected to continue through May.

• Barrier installation will cause lane closures on Brandywine Creek Road — between Green Valley Road and Powell Road in Newlin Township — through June.

• Lane restrictions on the Conchester Highway — between Routes 1 and Clayton Park Drive — will continue through Oct. 20, for reconstruction and widening.

About CFLive Staff

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

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