Local News Birmingham

‘Shop with Sheriff’ elicits mix of smiles, tears

Read more about the article ‘Shop with Sheriff’ elicits mix of smiles, tears
Instead of a sleigh, this reindeer – also known as Chester County Deputy Sheriff Peter Gardner – leads a flotilla of law-enforcement vehicles escorting two school buses for the 2016 edition of 'Shop with the Sheriff.'

With flashing lights and wailing sirens, the law-enforcement caravan followed a lead motorcycle driven by a deputy sheriff decked out as a reindeer; it also included Mrs. Claus in a prison van as it pulled up to the Walmart in East Marlborough Township on Saturday morning, Dec. 3. Such unconventional touches added a twist to the “Third Annual Shop with the Sheriff, ” an anticipated…

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Award reinforces legacy of child advocacy

Read more about the article Award reinforces legacy of child advocacy
Allie Pless (from left), Karyn Pless and Will Pless display the the John J. Crane Allied Professional Award.

When the prosecutor tried to speak to the young child about the abuse she had suffered, the girl quickly crawled under a table. Undaunted, the assistant district attorney followed suit, ultimately gaining her trust. Peggy Gusz, executive director of the Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc., (CVC) said that image represented one of her earliest memories of interacting with David Pless, who worked in…

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PennDOT: Holiday crashes dip; DUI arrests rise

Although Thanksgiving holiday crashes handled by state police decreased this year, DUI arrests saw an increase from 2015. The Pennsylvania State Police investigated 931 crashes during the five-day Thanksgiving holiday driving period from Nov. 23 through Nov. 27. The total represented a decrease of 8.1 percent compared to the 1,013 crashes investigated during the Thanksgiving holiday driving period in 2015, said a PennDOT press release.…

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PennDOT offers tips to improve holiday travel

With increased traffic expected for the upcoming Thanksgiving travel period, PennDOT and Pennsylvania State Police outlined measures they will take and tools available to drivers to make holiday travel as safe and smooth as possible. Thanksgiving travelers are encouraged to visit the “Historic Holiday Traffic” page at www.511PA.com, which allows users to see how traffic speeds on the Wednesday before and Sunday after Thanksgiving in…

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Conservation agreement saves Beaver Valley

It’s going to be a happy Thanksgiving for some area conservationists: Bulldozers won’t be tearing up the fields along Beaver Valley Road in Concord Township to make way for new homes because a conservation agreement has been reached that will keep the valley from development. Full details are not yet available, but the Beaver Valley Preservation Alliance and Save the Valley are reporting that 240…

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Passion pervades planners’ Crebilly meeting

Read more about the article Passion pervades planners’ Crebilly meeting
A schematic from Toll Brothers for Crebilly Farm shows a proposed layout of 319 homes.

A crowd of more than 250 packed the auditorium of Stetson Middle School primarily to express spirited opposition to Toll Brothers’ development plans for Crebilly Farm, a scenic 330-acre property that saw action during the Revolutionary War. The meeting of the Westtown Township Planning Commission on Wednesday, Nov. 16, began with the Pledge of Allegiance. However, when Planning Commission Chairman Richard Pomerantz asked Toll Divisional…

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DA: UHS aide had illicit contact with 2 teens

A 42-year-old female teacher’s aide substitute at Unionville High School is accused of initiating sexual contact with two male students. The Chester County District Attorney’s Office and the Pennsylvania State Police announced the arrest of Sheri Lee Maufort, who lives in West Chester, on charges that include institutional sexual assault, corruption of minors, and related offenses. The illegal conduct occurred off campus and outside of…

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Conservancy seeks flood of Brandywine votes

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The Brandywine Conservancy is backing "River of the Year" honors for the Brandywine Creek.

Members of the esteemed Wyeth family found artistic inspiration in its scenic, rippling currents; George “Frolic” Weymouth, the co-founder of the Brandywine Conservancy, made his home at a crook aptly named “Big Bend;” more than 500,000 area residents rely on it for drinking water, and countless others enjoy it for a variety of recreational pursuits. Now, the Brandywine Creek needs the public’s assistance to elevate…

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Toll Brothers to unveil plans for Crebilly Farm

Read more about the article Toll Brothers to unveil plans for Crebilly Farm
The main entrance to the 330-acre Crebilly Farm in Westtown Township is on Route 926.

Updated on Nov. 14 with information from County Planning Commission On Wednesday, Nov. 16, area residents will get their first look at development plans for Crebilly Farm in Westtown Township. In July, Toll Brothers announced during a Westtown supervisors’ work session that it had secured an agreement of sale for the scenic, 330-acre property. The developers’ representatives indicated that they would comply with existing township…

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Election mars students’ record as predictors

Even the students – who had a perfect record as election prognosticators – got it wrong this time. Since its inception in 1996, students in Chester County who participated in Kids Voting USA have accurately predicted the presidential winners. That winning streak ended this year, however, with students aligning their presidential picks with the voters of Chester County and selecting Hillary Clinton, a choice that…

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Free seminar to focus on nonprofit thefts

The Chester County Office of the Controller will host its second community “fraud protection” seminar on Tuesday, Nov. 15,  at 6:30 p.m. at the Henrietta Hankin Library in Chester Springs. This free seminar will explain how thefts occur within nonprofit or community groups, and will offer guidance on how to structure financial controls to avoid fraud, a county press release said. “This program is in…

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