Rich Schwartzman, Author at Chadds Ford Live

Symphony president honored

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on March 29, 2025

During a March 23 performance at Longwood Gardens, members of the Kennett Symphony congratulate board President Tim Blair for receiving the Leadership Service Award by the Music Teachers National Association.

Tim Blair, president of the Kennett Symphony Board of Directors was recently honored with the Leadership Service Award by the Music Teachers National Association. The honor came on March 19 during the MTNA National Conference in Minneapolis, Minn. The award was announced in a press release, but in a follow-up email, Blair, reluctant to talk about himself, simply said only, “I am both humbled and…

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on March 28, 2025

It’s official. The Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board members voted in a special Friday morning meeting to buy four diesel buses instead of five electric buses they voted to buy in November. The board also voted to table upgrading the bus garage for electric buses. As previously reported, the special meeting came about to give time to the board to learn what was happening concerning the…

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on March 27, 2025

Chadds Ford Township supervisors announced Wednesday that the bidding process for Walkable Chadds Ford is underway. Timotha Trigg, the supervisors’ chairman, said during the board’s March 26 workshop that the project has been advertised and that bidders have five weeks to submit their bids through April 17. When bids are received, PennDOT will begin the award process, followed by a preconstruction meeting, which will lead…

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on March 25, 2025

The main house on the Davis Tract, where N.C. Wyeth once lived and worked, will become the headquarters for the North American Land Trust, according to NALT President Steve Carter.

NALT, the North American Land Trust, is getting ready to preserve the 16-acre Davis Tract in Chadds Ford Township, a former home of N.C. Wyeth. The township was awarded a grant of almost $2 million from the American Battlefield Protection Program administered by the National Park Service, and NALT is the sub-recipient of the money to complete the purchase, according to NALT President Steve Carter.…

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on March 25, 2025

May the spring flowering begin.

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on March 23, 2025

Kennett Symphony Board Vice President Colin Hanna, left, accepts a check from Sedona Taphouse Manager Joe Coffman. (Courtesy image)

The Kennett Symphony picked up an extra $385 without a note of music. The fundraiser was Dine Out for Charity held at Sedona Taphouse in West Chester during February. Kennett Symphony Board Vice President Colin Hanna explained how the month-long event played out. “The way it works is that Sedona offers two special half-price menu items on Mondays (only) during a given month — one…

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on March 21, 2025

SIW produce stand is closing.

It’s the end of a local era. H.G. Haskell, owner of Hillgirt Farm and the iconic SIW produce stand on Creek Road in Pennsbury Township, is calling it quits, retiring from farming. The announcement came via the SIW website on March 19. During a brief interview, Haskell only said, “I have mixed emotions about retiring, but I won’t miss the stress.” While Haskell didn’t go…

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on March 19, 2025

Kennett Library Executive Director Chriss Manna says just keeping the lights on and books on the shelf could be a problem without federal grants or some other source of funding.

Federal grant freezes are affecting the local area in more ways than one. As reported, those freezes have put the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District’s plan for electric buses on hold, but now they’re potentially affecting local libraries. And that can affect everything from doing research to simply checking out books. “If the book system goes dead because we can’t afford to pay for it, you’ll…

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on March 18, 2025

There won’t be any decision on new school buses for the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District until later this month. School board directors voted Monday night to table a decision on whether to attempt going forward with the goal of buying five electric buses or to shift gears and buy four new diesel buses. There will now be a special 10 a.m. Zoom meeting on March…

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on March 18, 2025

Picnic Tabled

The picnic at Ponds Edge has been postponed until better weather arrives. And the table is tied down so it won’t blow away.

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on March 16, 2025

Early morning arrivals get first crack at the painting during the 76th annual Chadds Ford Elementary School show.

The 76th annual Chadds Ford Elementary School Art Show and Sale came together smoothly with a steady stream of art lovers and buyers despite some soggy weather. The event, started by the late Betsy Wyeth, is a fundraiser for the CFES PTO, and principal Danielle Clark said the money raised is both appreciated and well spent. “Most recently, in the past year we used the…