November 19, 2020 - ChaddsFordLive.com

The Kaolin Road Bridge is open

A day after Kennett Township Manager Eden Ratliff said the township was waiting to get the official word from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the township announced the reopening on its Facebook page and website.

The bridge reopened Thursday morning.

“The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has reopened the bridge carrying Kaolin Road over the west branch of the Red Clay Creek in Kennett Township,” according to a PennDOT press release. “PennDOT’s contractor (J.D. Eckman Inc. of Atglen) replaced the existing superstructure on the single-span 60-year-old bridge that is 60 feet long and 44 feet wide.”

“I’m excited the bridge is going to be back open,” said Supervisors’ Vice Chairman Whitney Hoffman.

The bridge repair and replacement project was part of a $4.9 million project covering bridges in three counties. Work on the bridge began July 13 and was expected to finish next year.

Ratliff said at Wednesday’s virtual supervisors’ meeting that the Kaolin Bridge project was ahead of schedule. He also echoed comments that Acting Kennett Police Chief Matt Gordon made in September, warning motorists to stop at the sign at Marshall Bridge and Kaolin Road.

“For those of you who have willingly and without hesitation been running the stop sign there … that bridge is going to be open, so you should stop at the stop sign or else there will be an accident,” Ratliff said at the meeting.

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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Raymond H. Clarke, Jr. of Hockessin

Obituaries

Raymond H. Clarke, Jr., 79, of Hockessin, died peacefully on Wednesday, Nov. 11, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Born in 1941, to the late Raymond H. Clarke, Sr. & Hilda M. Sutliff in Flushing, NY, Raymond attended PS 41 in Bayside, N.Y. & Bayside HS. He then went on to pursue his higher education at Fordham University in Bronx, NY.

Raymond began his professional career in 1959 as a banker with JP Morgan in NYC. He remained a dedicated employee of the company for 36 years. He was one of the banking officers tasked with opening the Morgan Christiana DE site & in 1987 he moved his family to DE. Raymond ultimately retired as a Senior Vice President for the company. Following his banking career, Raymond served as the office manager for Dr. Anna C. Giacalone in Chadds Ford, PA.

Raymond enjoyed spending time with family, listening to classical & opera music, and reading. Many BBQs, parties, and family events were held in the Clarke households, both in NY and in Delaware. Raymond was always in the middle of things serving food, cleaning up, or offering friends & family members a cold beverage. Both Raymond & Doreen enjoyed traveling and spending time with social groups like the church youth group, Mr. & Mrs. Club in NY, the Bunco crew, and the Sages of St. Mary of the Assumption in DE. Raymond was a trusted friend & confidante to more people than anyone could imagine. He was always ready with a word of advice, a few dollars to help you make ends meet, or a safe place to sit and talk about life. Above all, Raymond loved the Lord. He served the Lord in many capacities. No job was too big or too small for him. At different times throughout the years, he was seen sweeping the sidewalks, decorating for holidays, running the kitchen at VBS, & serving on the school board of the church’s elementary school. He also held various official positions including congregational President at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Bayside, NY, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Newark, DE, & Concordia Lutheran Church in Wilmington, DE.

Raymond is survived by his loving wife, Doreen S. Clarke, with whom he shared 52 years of marriage. He is also survived by his daughter, Leanne Bier (Steven) & his son, David Clarke (Dawn); his grandchildren, Austin & Emma Clarke, Jeremy Bier, Sean, Brianna, & Casey Abate, all of whom will cherish the memories they have of him forever; his brothers, Theodore Clarke (Laraine) of Port Charlotte, FL & Tracy Clarke of Wilmington, DE; brothers-in-law, Donald Supper (Barbara) of Tucson, AZ & Gary Supper of Glen Head, NY; as well as numerous nieces & nephews.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a funeral service was held privately for Raymond’s immediate family on Tuesday, Nov. 17, A celebration of Raymond’s life for all his family & friends will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the Clarke family suggests memorial contributions be made in Raymond’s name to Concordia Lutheran Church, 3003 Silverside Rd., Wilmington, DE 19810.

To offer condolences, please visit www.dohertyfh.com

About CFLive Staff

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County says reconsider holiday plans

Along the Ford

1200px-RoastTurkey — With fewer people at the Thanksgiving table, a smaller bird might suffice.

As Thanksgiving and the holiday season approaches, many people look forward to spending time with family and friends. This year looks much different due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Delaware County is recommending residents to reconsider traditional holiday plans, according to a press release.

COVID-19 cases in Delaware County have been rising and the county has now exceeded the highest number of outbreaks since the height of the pandemic. At the height of the pandemic, there were 232 cases a day in Delaware County. On Nov. 18, Delaware County reported 287 cases, bringing the total of positive cases in Delaware County to 17,184. There have been 836 COVID-19 related deaths in the county.

Public health investigators are linking a majority of cases in Delaware County to social gatherings and are strongly urging people to not host gatherings this holiday season. The safest way to celebrate the holidays this year is to celebrate virtually or with just the people in your household.

“While it’s extremely difficult to not gather with the ones we love this year, it’s necessary if we want to mitigate the spread of the virus and protect our loved ones and the community,” said Delaware County Council Chairman Brian Zidek. “It’s a small price to pay now in order to protect our community and schools and businesses who may be forced to shut down if our numbers continue to rise.”

The Chester County Health Department has issued Holiday Guidance during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Holiday Guidance:

Limit in-person holiday gatherings to only people you live with or limit to a small group of individuals with whom you are regularly in contact.
Keep visits short – gatherings that last longer pose more risk than short gatherings.
Host a virtual holiday dinner with extended family or friends, especially if they are at higher risk for illness from COVID-19.
Prepare traditional family recipes for family and neighbors and deliver them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others.

The full guidance can be found here.

About Press Release

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Outdoor dining extended in CF

Local News Chadds Ford, Local News

Chadds Ford Township supervisors Wednesday night voted unanimously to extend the outdoor dining permits for another 120 days. Supervisors began issuing the permits this spring to help restaurants that were forced to close due to Gov. Tom Wolf’s pandemic response order.

No extra fees are included in the extension unless the building inspector has to make a return visit to verify that tents are safe and that all safety regulations regarding outdoor heaters are met.

The action came during a brief 30-minute work session conducted via Zoom on Nov. 18.

The board also authorized spending $3,000 for an interpretive sign marker at the Brinton 1704 House on Oakland Road. The signage is part of the Brandywine Battlefield Historic Marker Project — part of the Brandywine Battlefield Taskforce — but the township will be reimbursed for that money, according to township Manager Maryann Furlong. The Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution and its Color Guard will reimburse the township once they get proof the work is done.

That vote, too, was unanimous.

Furlong gave the board, and the few people watching on Zoom, a brief overview of what’s being considered in developing the township’s 2021 budget. She didn’t go into any detail with numbers, saying that the breakdown of expenses and revenues would be similar to what they were for this year’s budget. She did add, however, that the township lost money due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There was a 10 percent drop in liquid fuels money from PennDOT and county aid for the road program. Business closures cost the township some tax revenue, and there was a loss of approximately $15,000 because the township never received CARES Act funding from Delaware County.

The budget will be discussed further during the supervisors’ next meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m.

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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Around Town Nov. 19

Along the Ford

• Even Charles Dickens has to take a seat to COVID-19. Celebrate the Holiday season with West Chester Studio at Uptown! for a virtual presentation of “Tiny Tim’s Christmas Carol,” a family musical adapted from Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Showtime is 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 18. The show will be recorded on stage with a three-camera crew and professional sound edited and streamed to families across the area. Tickets are $25 per household and available here.

It’s Winter Festival Time at the Delaware Art Museum on Dec. 12.

• The Delaware Art Museum will continue its tradition of a Winter Festival, situating it al fresco this year. DelArt invites the community to celebrate the season during a family-friendly market and entertainment event on the museum grounds on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free for members and $5 for nonmembers. Capacity is limited to comply with social distancing guidelines, therefore reserved and timed tickets are required. Guests should wear masks unless seated and eating or drinking. A ticket also entitles the bearer to Museum admission that day.

• Chester County History Center’s Home for the Holidays Outdoor Market is from noon to 6 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 20, and Sunday, Nov. 21, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The idea is to buy local, put your money where your heart is. It takes place on the Terrace at CCHC and Evans Alley.

• The Residence at Chadds Ford is taking part in a winter coat drive to benefit St. Agnes Parish in West Chester. New and gently used winter coats for children and adults are accepted. Donors should bring the coats neatly bagged and drop them off at the Residence at 1778 Wilmington Pike (Route 202) in Chads Ford Township. Donations are accepted through Dec. 16.

About CFLive Staff

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