Brandywine View Antiques is one of my favorite places, so I thought I would give them a little shout out today. I have been a customer for years, I am not compensated for mentioning them on this blog, I’m just a happy customer.
They are three floors of fun and outside for great garden accents. They are one of my favorite resources for vintage garden finds. They are also one of the best places to find vintage and antique mirrors and I think they are a wonderful accent for any home and everyone should have at least one.
And I adore the owner she’s good people. If you don’t find them here in their store you can often find them places like Clover Market. They are definitely worth the drive!
Location: 1244 Baltimore Pike. Chadds Ford, PA 19317 Hours: Wednesday – Sunday: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. (610) 388-6060|lisa@brandywineview.com
Let’s start with talking about the Little Darby Creek. Little Darby Creek is a tributary of Darby Creek in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and is about 2.6 miles long and runs through Radnor Township.
Little Darby Creek is within the “Piedmont Uplands physiographic province. The Piedmont Uplands section has generally old, hard upland rocks that eroded from the Appalachian Mountains….A masonry arch bridge with a length of 24 feet (7.3 m) carries Darby Paoli Road over the creek and was built in 1840….The drainage basin of Little Darby Creek is a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery. It is in approved trout waters. Recently it has been overgrown with kudzu, a high-climbing perennial vine from eastern Asia.”
~wikipedia
Little Darby Creek is known as a habitat for freshwater eels, which I think are an endangered species, right?
Here is an old presentation talking a lot about this if anyone is interested:
So why is this important? Well Radnor rents to a farmer. The farmer uses chemicals on his fields and on his crops and I don’t know for sure about engineered seed, but would it surprise anyone since he is NOT an organic farmer? And his crops feed his cattle, right? The fields he rents go down to Little Darby Creek in part, correct? Are their other natural water sources nearby? And if this is public land, can the public access this or anyplace runoff might go?
Now in 2013, Radnor inked a deal to buy 71 acres of Ardrossan for $11+ million. Wheeler Field, Quarry Field, Rye Field. “Everyone loves the cows” was a catchy phrase back then attributed to a commissioner then who is on Delaware County Council now, and some say has higher aspirations still. The farmer is also on two other fields nearby supposedly, correct? Not owned by Radnor Township but old Ardrossan Land?
So there is a farmer farming on the Radnor Township land. That started I guess around 2015 as per an old Patch article? In same family that worked for Hope Scott when it was Ardrossan proper, correct? Main Line Media News reported back then that residents were concerned about chemicals being used on the land. At that time, Main Line Media News quoted Commissioner Elaine Paul Schaefer (now of Delaware County Council):
“I believe a license agreement with the current farmer will be on the agenda for one of our next meetings, so we will have the opportunity to hear resident comment and discuss all the issues involved,” said Schaefer. “The current farmer has been farming the Ardrossan land for over 25 years, and his father farmed it for the generation before him. I believe that most residents would like to see this farmer continue to farm the land, as his very unique operation provides the beloved cows that beautify the landscape. As I understand it, the proposed license will require that the farmer utilize best management practices and adhere to the NCRS (Natural Resource Conservation Service) approved soil conservation plan.”~ ELAINE PAUL SCHAEFER TO MAIN LINE MEDIA NEWS 3/3/2015
So, I think it’s wonderful part of Ardrossan is still farmed, don’t misunderstand me, but well, what chemicals are being used on the fields? Have they made the reports public on Radnor Township’s official website ever, or do people have to dance with Right To Know forms all of the time? Especially since the farmer who farms there (his farm is called Fern Valley Farm, correct?) also has the cows/steer he tends to, the last of the famous Ayrshire steer, right? So if he is raising feed corn etc. for said cattle, what are they ingesting? Way back when Radnor inked this deal with the farmer, people urged the farmer to be as organic as possible so what today, in 2022 is happening?
Here’s where the latest mystery comes in: why can’t the EAC (Environmental Advisory Committee) discuss an environmental issue? Why were they told they couldn’t discuss the toxic and any chemicals Radnor’s farmer is using on township owned Ardrossan field? Next is it true the chemical report from farmer on chemicals on Ardrossan field owned by Radnor Township include paraquat agent orange? Glyphosate too? Doesn’t field drain to little Darby Creek? And what about protected eels there?
A resident went to the township and provided thoughtful commentary about chemicals used by the farmer in March of 2022:
Although not directly noted (as I do not know how to add the direction arrow to the Quarry Field), between the bottom of the Quarry Field and the boundaries of the Skunk Hollow Community Garden, lies the Little Darby Creek. This creek is a part of the Darby Creek system, is stocked, on an annual basis, with trout for fishing by both adults and especially children, is played in and most importantly, the endangered American Eel has been directly observed moving up through this creek and into the Willows Pond.
Thus, there are several herbicides delineated to be toxic to fish, to water invertebrates and generally to be avoided. DEVOUR, by Federal law, is NOT to be used in parks, golf courses and playgrounds – thus, as this field is Township owned, PLU, this herbicide should not be used!
Thank you…. for passing on to me the official records for herbicides applied to the Township-owned property called ‘the Quarry field’, in which the farmer….applies to the field in order to grow a good crop of Corn, that will be fed to his cattle. The records that I have received are from 2016, 2017, 2018, with the note that nothing was grown in the Quarry Field in 2020. What seems to be absent are any records for 2019 and 2021.
For purposes of review, the principal herbicides applied have been consistent across the time span, including Acuron, Princep, Warrior II, Max Supreme, Abundit Extra, Devour, LamCap II, Gramoxone.
ACURON is a Syngenta product, an herbicide for long-season re-emergent weed control and specifically for Corn. It is a restricted pesticide/herbicide, and hazardous to the applicator through skin irritation and allergic reaction. This product may damage fertility. It is a mix of chemicals, including Atrazine. “Research has liked Atrazine to birth defects and cancer in people, and even miniscule doses can chemically castrate frogs. It has been banned or is being phased out in more than 35 countries but is the second-most commonly used herbicide in the United States. “It is known as an Endocrine-disrupting pesticide. “
PRINCEP, aka Simazine, is manufactured by Syngenta, focusing on corn, to address 40 broad-leafed weeds and annual grasses. The chemical is not persistent in soil. It is a restricted -applied chemical, with applicator issues of eye irritation, and a suspected but not proven carcinogen. The MSDS sheets indicated that it is toxic to fish and other water invertebrates.
WARRIOR II – manufactured by Syngenta US. The primary use is to ‘defeat’ beetles, weevils and borers. This chemical is HIGHLY toxic to bees if directly exposed or if ‘’visiting’ flowers in bloom. P.S. Now being used to address Spotted Lanternfly.
MAXSUPREME – is a liquid activator adjuvant specifically formulated to maximize herbicide performance for the designated crop.
ABUNDIT EXTRA/EDGE – a Syngenta product, this is a pre-emergent herbicide, containing Glysophate which is formulated for ‘tolerant corn’. It has acute toxicity as an inhalant. It is noted on the USMS sheets to avoid spillage near water, as it is toxic to water organisms.
DEVOUR, manufactured by Innvictus Cone, LLC. A highly-toxic, PARAQUAT-based, not selective, broad spectrum herbicide. There are lawsuits moving through the courts to remove this chemical from use, as mis-use of this herbicide has been proven to cause at 250% increase in the disease Parkinson.
There is established FEDERAL law that the use of DEVOUR is prohibited in parks, on golf courses and playgrounds!
LAMCAP II – manufactured by Syngenta, a restricted insecticide. This chemical is extremely toxic to fish, aquatic organisms, and toxic to wildlife. Note the MSDS sheets advise to be careful to avoid wet ground, to avoid runoff into water.
GRAMOXONE SL2.0 – manufactured by Syngenta- A ‘knockdown herbicide. The active ingredient is PARAQUAT [see comments in Devour that relate to Paraquat (and Parkinsonism). Gramoxone is toxic to fish and other water invertebrates.
To accomplish this research I examined the website for each of these chemicals, focusing on the purpose, usage and any possible toxicity. Since the purchase of sections of Ardrossan by Radnor Township, resulting in an increase of acres of parkland [Public Land Use], means that the resident/owners of this land needs to be protected, as well as the wildlife that inhabits the land and waters.
~Radnor REsident 3/23/22
So this resident has come to a blogger because she feels she isn’t being heard. She is a senior citizen. Radnor Township had best not entertain any thoughts of retribution, because this person is like family, and not the only people like family I still have in Radnor Township.I have had this commentary for months. I never did anything with it because I just assumed that Radnor would deal with this, not avoid commentary on it altogether. But when watching the EAC meeting recording, I noticed something somewhat terrifying to me: the citizen’s EAC was told not to discuss this and it made me stop and go HUH and isn’t it just bizarre? I mean it’s NO big secret that Radnor Township Commissioner Lisa Borowski (former BOC Prez and Vice Prez) has aspirations and is running for State Rep in the PA 168th, right?
Turn up the volume the Chair woman person doesn’t SPEAK UP
Then look at the rest of the board of commissioners there. Sometimes the Vice President is O.K. but not great, but the President? Still trying to figure out why current Radnor BOC President is there since she doesn’t seem to be in the least impressive. And yes, I am allowed those opinions and I often watch the meetings.
Most of these commissioners don’t remember the bad old days of Radnor (the Bashore years) , long before they paid attention to anything if they were even residents. So these commissioners are run by the current manager and his staff, and why is this manager this way? I ask because as a finance guy, he was quite good, but as the path of least resistance for manager, one word: “MEH”. I can also have that opinion.
I found another report that I am throwing up here for the sake of conversation sort of related. From 2017 a Pollutant Reduction Plan. Has any of that report ever been applied? I don’t know all that is in it, but if anyone is interested, here it is:
Now I also discovered an interesting document pertaining to the farmer and Radnor’s field. I found the resolution that contained the license agreement. Signed by William A. Spingler in 2015. (In 2017 Spingler was sentenced for his disgusting behavior towards a very old woman and a good summary can be found as done by 6 ABC Action news. If you look at the video, you see who his attorney was – another former Radnor Township Commissioner and can you say ick in Radnor politics much? Of course the SAME week Spingler was sentenced ANOTHER Radnor Commissioner was arrested and charged with child porn, Phillip Ahr.)
But I digress.
The agreement signed by this farmer in return for the use of taxpayer owned fields says in part (TYPOS WERE RADNOR’S NOT MINE):
5. Rent/License Fee – Fern Valley shall pay an annual license fee of $1.00 upon approval of this license by the Radnor Township Board of Commissioners. Fern Valley may not assign this license or encumber any portion of the Property without the prior written consent of the Township.
Fern Valley will at all times utilize best management practices in conducting its farming operations and prior to any spraying, Fern Valley shall supply the Township with a copy of all licenses to use herbicides and pesticides. Fern Valley shall only spray such herbicides and pesticides as they are licensed to spray and all spraying shall be conducted by a person who is licensed to spray the herbicides and/or pesticides. Annually, Fern Valley shall provide a schedule of proposed herbicides and pesticides to the Radnor Township Director of Pubhc Works. No chemicals, fertilizers or equipment may be stored upon the property except for equipment and vehicles used to farm the property. No spraying of herbicides or pesticides shall occur within 100 feet of a stream.
This license shall be renewed from year to year unless terrninated by either party. Either party may terminate this license by giving sixty (60) days written notice.
So if the list of chemicals is supposed to be provided, are they regularly available at this point and why can’t the issue be discussed? I still don’t understand what the big deal in Radnor Township’s mind is since that agreement lays out disclosing of chemicals, etc?
So Radnor what about the chemicals? Has that creek been tested regularly? Why are no outside environmental groups involved or are they involved and if so who? Does Trout Unlimited know for example? What does Delaware County say or a state thing like the PA DEP? Why does everything Radnor these days feel like a regression to most unpleasant times?
Radnor if there is NO issue, then PROVE it. And if you are going to have an EAC that can’t discuss certain things, maybe you shouldn’t have one?
Radnor, Radnor, Radnor…your history dictates secrets only stay buried for so long, so why have them?
So….residents weren’t happy, and neither was the township. PennDOT was contacted. Also before all that there was this letter East Whiteland send out this letter:
Where’s the poop? Why right here (see screenshot above.) “If I was a supervisor” he says? But he’s not, is he? Nor is he on sewer, is he? He’s on septic while trying to control the flow of township poop in Willistown, right? (https://www.willistownsewer.org/ )
He is the Willistown website guy for sure. He is also the “Walkable Willistown” guy. (See https://www.walkablewillistown.org/ ) Think about this pretzel 🥨 logic for a second: he would be O.K. with miles of concrete (impervious surfaces) which would mean removal of heritage trees and possible land takings, but sewers are bad and he thinks magically ALL septic users would be strong-armed into sewer lines? That is a fallacy. Someone taking over a municipal sewer system doesn’t mean all septic systems go away, are banned, or whatever. It just means the sewer changes hands, doesn’t it?
Pretty ludicrous so far, right?
The other thing is why does anyone think developers need sewer lines as an excuse to develop? Also ludicrous, because he’s kind of got it twisted (shocker, I know, right?) The development is already here, isn’t it?
Development causes stresses on infrastructure. Infrastructure includes where the poop goes (other than on his posts, of course), otherwise known as SEWER and septic, right?
It’s kind of See Spot Run basic.
Also See Spot Run basic? The fact that Willistown residents need to do their own research and not depend on the local version of fake news, AKA this guy.
Again, state laws protect utility companies like AQUA and that is WHY they can jump rates willy nilly.
Again, local zoning is guided by the State Bible known as the Municipalities Planning Code (MPC.) The MPC has not been comprehensively updated since the late 1960s, early 1970s (I forget which.)
State elected officials (State Senators and State Representatives) are the ones who need to change the laws and update the MPC.
So while Spot is running all over the Internet with fake news and around town designing nasty street signs, perhaps Spot might wish to talk to State Senators and State Representatives to try and solve the underlying issues which if corrected might help slow the roll of development stressing infrastructure causing municipal sewer sales and big companies buying sewer systems and price gauging residents? Just a thought…
Verbal diarrhea makes the world go round, doesn’t it? And here I used to think West Vincent and West Whiteland were the most amusing municipalities to watch. Pshaw, they’ve got nothing on modern day Willistown.
Ciao ciao. Until the next scintillating poop-centric Facebook post appears. Some poop you just can’t make up….Spot undoubtedly sees me as free advertising, well I see him as popcorn worthy entertainment in the made for Lifetime TV movie or Bravo Reality show that Willistown has become.
You know these people are just incredible. I don’t mean that in a positive sense. The Stepford Wives for Totalitarianism just seem to keep ramping it up. And for what? So they can now make every school year going forward as unpleasant as possible?
What I would like to know is when are school districts going to start counter suing them for the money they are wasting with all their crap at public meetings and their unfounded litigation?
The video snippet above was on MSNBC. And it just sort of boggles my mind that they consider if you have an alternative lifestyle choice or are exploring that that you are in the equivalent of special needs and should be segregated from the rest of the population. It appears they think kids who might be exploring different things including their identity and sexuality should be in the equivalent of an educational leper colony. I will be amused to see how this theory works out when they discover some of their kids are those kids. And there’s nothing wrong with kids exploring who they want to be and who they are since that’s what every kid does growing up right?
The TESD school board meeting is this evening August 22 at 7:30 PM at Conestoga High School at 200 Irish Road Berwyn, PA 19312.
So these are the people who are basically against everything and vaccines. They want all vaccines to be optional. You know, polio anyone? Yet they want to be in the public schools? Why don’t they just homeschool their kids?
With these people, the only rights that matter are theirs. The only opinions that matter are theirs. It’s time to stand up to these bullies and send them packing so I hope people pack the meetings. They are not more important than us. And wowza am I glad I have no kids in any school district , although all of us taxpayers are paying for their collective bullshit and I have a problem with that.
I used to think Willistown was one of the most beautiful places around. But as the years have gone by, I have found that beauty marred by ugliness within the actual community. We have all read about it when the issues have burbled over into local and regional news. The ugliness can be staggering.
The whole smear campaign against Willistown Supervisors Bill Shoemaker and Bob Lange does NOT sit right with me. A pied piper on a septic has it all wound into the sewer and other issues, and it’s not right in my opinion. So I thought I would de-bunk the myth of the mysterious campaign donation once and for all. It’s why I wrotewhen a gotcha is a big fat nothing. And I also went the extra mile and did my own verification of the facts of the matter, because the below bothered me.
So guess what? It is good that the assertion “Bill got $$$ from Aqua” bothered me. Why? Because it’s not true. It’s FALSE as in a LIE.
There is also a failed politician in Willistown desperately seeking relevance (for another run for something perhaps?) who wishes to essentially say I am a bad person etc, etc in her nonsensical passive aggressive manner. I am not having any of that, either. She made herself a public figure by running for public office and therefore becoming a politician, and espouses much publicly so I am in turn expressing my opinion here. I will start that she announces before she speaks at meetings that she ran against Bill Shoemaker for Supervisor. She of course, lost. It’s odd and she did it at the most recent meeting. ( See willistown needs a sedative.)
I block this person on social media who was a recent enough political candidate for elected office, so I don’t see the nonsense unless someone sends me a screen shot. Well several someones sent me a particular screenshot.
In this screenshot they were referring to a blog post I wrote about this topic. That’s fine, people have different opinions. BUT perhaps she needs clarity?
Shall we file this whole thing under we hold these untruths to be self-evident? Again, I block this failed politician so I’m not sure where it appeared, but it is in response to the post I wrote after watching the Willistown meeting earlier this week live.
She was right there at the meeting in front of the township cameras, and you can see her on the videos and meeting rocking back-and-forth on her feet in a blue pattern summer dress.
So I don’t know if she had listening issues that evening, or what the deal is but I did not hear supervisors say they were too busy to read/answer emails. I did hear supervisors say, including one of her political persuasion, who said that some of the emails received would have delayed responses because some of the emails sounded like they needed more involved responses. Is that actually unreasonable?
What I also heard is I don’t think all of the supervisors are even on social media, some of them who are don’t have time to read all the back-and-forth drivel on social media (which is reasonable as they work), and most importantly they don’t govern via social media. That reality seems to escape this politician without an elected office.
She seemed upset to be on camera although she was right there front and center of the camera’s range? What she also neglects to mention in her remarks is this was a public meeting and people have the right to record it. And the reason people recorded it was so what actually happened could be seen accurately. No interpolation, actually seeing it unfold as the events of the night occurred. The township records the meetings too. And if you watch her on the meeting video was she also recording / photographing at least parts of the meeting? Sure appeared that way, did it not?
And where she also needs to buy a clue is one reason a lot of municipalities need to sell sewer systems is because they can’t afford them in part because of the stresses development puts on infrastructure.
The sewers don’t cause development, but development causes infrastructure expenses all across the board to go up, and no one ever wants to talk about that cost of development because why? Oh yes the other thing that this failed politician doesn’t understand: zoning with regards to development. The Municpalities Planning Code (MPC) is the state bible which guides all local zoning in Pennsylvania. It needs to be comprehensively updated. That would require state elected officials who are state reps and state senators to actually enact an act of the state constitution to perform a comprehensive update the MPC, just like they are the very same folks who need to amend the laws that protect corporations like AQUA at expense of residents vis-à-vis rate hikes!
Large tracts of land are sold to developers because they are ponying up the coin to buy said land. They are developing because the current zoning as dictated by the MPC allows it. The development stresses infrastructure including sewers. Development is also causing overcrowding in school districts which is another conversation entirely.
Like me or dislike me, I am entitled to my opinions on a meeting where the behavior of the majority of residents was deplorable and inappropriate. You can feel passionate about a local issue without acting like a crazed mob of thugs.
I am sure this failed politician will next blame the lack of rain and climate change on the sewers. This is why you don’t allow failed politicians like this to actually make it into office. She is just as bad as a Marjorie Taylor Greene even if she sits on the other side of the political aisle.
And regarding the size of the board room in Willistown: I have no idea what the board room looked like before this. What I do know is townships out here seem to ALL mostly have small boardrooms. No one asked for a larger venue ahead of meeting advertising time, so a larger venue was not sought.
And also there’s another sad reality of local government and that’s usually nobody much shows up. This time people showed up because they were led to believe that a decision was happening on something that decision was not being made on that night.
Also, if I can find the sewer on agendas and minutes going back quite a ways, why can’t anyone else find it referenced? It’s time to also stop saying no one told the residents when the residents weren’t paying attention, isn’t it?
It actually doesn’t matter what the issue is in this particular township, it’s how everything is approached at public meetings on the part of the public. there are so many people that scream and shout first and think later. They make these offensive comments about the supervisors essentially being their employees. They are your elected officials. Yes they should be responsive to residents, but when residents are acting irrational nobody responds to that. But they aren’t your boys and girls and what they get as far as compensation is a pittance. It’s not a real salary, more like a really small stipend. And local elected officials no matter what residents think, spend almost a second full-time job as far as hours dealing with residents and township business every week
The same thing goes with the township staff. A lot of people are incredibly rude to a lot of the people in this township, a lot of whom are very nice and hard-working. I do have a caveat for that however, because in Willistown in the past they have had Township staff that I always thought literally “what were they thinking” because they had a lot of former Radnor Township employees who migrated west after the scandal years in Radnor. A former zoning officer who wasn’t very good immediately comes to mind.
The thing about choosing township staff anywhere is sometimes I don’t think you have a very big pool to choose from, and they all seem to migrate between municipalities. But I definitely think it would behoove municipalities in general to do a little more homework.
Willistown has a new township manager. I don’t even know what her name was she was announced at the meeting but there were so much hubbub you couldn’t hear it really watching the zoom. I do think she needs to step up and be visible and do things like help take control of the meetings and help the supervisors run the meetings more efficiently. in other words, a township manager literally has to manage. That is also a balancing act because her bosses are the elected officials.
Township managers and township employees work for the township as in the municipality, they don’t work for individual residents and that is often what residents assume. However, things like taxes that residents pay go towards salaries, so it’s not like there isn’t a connection there.
Every single time Willistown residents don’t get their own way these days a lot of them scream “corruption.” Trust me when I tell you, you don’t know from true municipal corruption. I have seen residents fight actual corruption. And then there is this whole thing about being offended by two supervisors because they are related by marriage, and their family has owned land for generations. So what? It’s neither immoral, unethical, or illegal. And that whole argument is
As I have said before, I’m not actually in favor of municipalities selling out their sewer systems to big corporations. But it’s often not as simple a conversation at times as “don’t sell.” I think that is the case here.
No matter what happens, if Willistown is to survive, the residents have to stop the baseless ad hominem attacks and stick to the actual issues and actual facts. And they have to be more proactive, less reactive. They need to consistently participate in where they call home, and that doesn’t just need to happen in Willistown, it sadly needs to happen most places.
Here’s hoping Willistown exorcises it’s ugliness. Start with public meetings.
It is my opinion that certain individuals seem to be trying to incite a riot in Willistown? What do the want, a mini January 6, 2021 in Willistown? WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THIS TO WHERE YOU CALL HOME?
So I am going to once again ask is this is about the sewer issue or personal animus on the part of whomever seems to be driving the bus on this issue now and WHY????
I almost titled the something in the water post “Hey Willistown don’t let reality get in the way of your delusion”, but then I decided that was just a little too rude. But it’s about these signs. We all keep seeing them and not all of them are actually in Willistown.
It makes you wonder why these signs have to be so nasty and where they originated from.
Above is a screenshot from a second Willistown sewer website called WillistownSewer.org which apparently will be replacing SaveOurSewer.org. In addition to lawn signs there are also BUMPER STICKERS:
Ok, do Willistown residents realize their issue is being hijacked for personal animus?
And why are these signs targeting two individuals (Supervisors Bill Shoemaker and Bob Lange) in Willistown all over as in also outside of Willistown? If y’all don’t want us non-Willistownians commenting, maybe don’t post the signs outside of the township for starters?
Ok, I am waiting. I know it is time to cue the refrain of “She doesn’t live in Willistown, she shouldn’t say anything!”
No I don’t live in Willistown. I wouldn’t want to at this rate because people are mean as snakes. There is this nasty edge meets a misplaced sense of entitlement no matter what the issue. And to me, this whole sewer issue has turned personal, which defeats the purpose of trying to win an argument in the first place. Next example? Here, this screenshot:
So. The thing about political campaign donations is companies and individuals associated with big companies give out political donations like jelly beans. Both sides of the aisle, always similar amounts to candidates on both sides to hedge their bets a lot of the time. I mean is this guy implying in his opinion that an honorable man sold out his municipality, an entire municipality, for $250? For real? My opinion is political candidates should not take donations from big old corporations. All of these corporations want something, even if it is just a certain perception. And then these donations will always do more harm than good, also because of perception at times.
At the meeting the other night, Supervisor Bill Shoemaker said he DID NOT accept a donation from a PAC attached to AQUA. But it shows up on one of those websites that track campaign finance:
I have not shown all donations, you can look yourselves. Democrats and Republicans and organizations.
BUT…..what is the question no one asked when seeking a GOTCHA? Did Bill Shoemaker accept the check and did it get cashed? The answer is NO. The check was recorded because it was CUT and OFFERED, NOT ASKED FOR. That is a VERY big difference.
“The name of the PAC used for the intended Shoemaker contribution was “The H2O State Political Action Committee”. We wrote a check for $250 to Mr. Shoemaker in September of 2021 which he did not accept. Because the check was issued, we had to report it with the state by law, however, it was not accepted.
Please let me know if you need anything else.“
~AQUA e-mail
Yep, it pays to actually do your homework. Check was offer and recorded. not cashed and accepted. And yes, I redacted emails including the AQUA email person. No great love for AQUA but not being the one that gives out their e-mail address. If you all really bother, you too can find publicly available information and whom to contact.
Another thing? Part of the AHA GOTCHA was Bill Shoemaker supposedly went to the home of the AQUA person who lives in Willistown, right? So is the accuser stalking either the Willistown supervisors or the AQUA person? Hiding in the bushes when people entertain privately in their homes? Driving up and down in front of driveways like certain people have done (and I have seen with my own eyes) on Castlebar Lane in front of Wildflower Farm? REALLY????? That my friends, is creepy A.F., yes? And seriously, what business is it of anyone where the supervisors or I socialize for that matter? Lots of people entertain. Lots of people get invited places. SO WHAT? I also have to ask is this is what some rather random woman was over at Sugartown Strawberries recently taking photos of some poster having to do with the Hayride to Hell movie?
Note the red shirt guy at the window….
Is this now Willistown? Playing I Spy on whomever whenever? Are wiretaps next? Is this like Watergate?
And the person mailing out flyers, creating websites, lawn signs, and collecting email addresses doesn’t work for the township. He wants all of you residents of Willistown to dance to his tune, but instead of just telling all of you to essentially just show up, why didn’t he put on his big boy pants and suggest that he or a group of you contact the township BEFORE the meeting, BEFORE the meeting was to be advertised and ASK like adults if the meeting could be moved to a larger venue? And why does a person who is reported to be on septic CARE about the sewer?
AGAIN, I go back now to these new street signs and bumper stickers because they only target two supervisors. There have always been three supervisors, yet only two are ever targeted. I think that is done as a political motivation and personal animus, and just like the First Amendment may allow individuals to pay for street signs like this, I am also allowed to have that opinion. These are after all the same people who like to point out that Bill and Bob are related by marriage and the families are large landholders. Are they the largest landholders? I don’t know and I don’t care. What that says to anyone rational is they have a vested interest in the Willistown community. Family roots. Generational connections to the land. Why is that bad and they didn’t become supervisors to have a gateway to other things, did they? They have deep roots in the community, which doesn’t make them villains in some bad play or made for Lifetime TV movie. AND if they were NOT involved in the community the same folks would criticize them for that too.
Listen Willistown, civic engagement is good. Misinformation, inciting riots, and mob mentality is not. Careful whose star you’re hitching your wagons to. So far they are doing you and your issue a disservice. Watch which Pied Piper you follow across that field.
With the planned sale of The Ship Inn it begs the questions of why isn’t there more fine or non-pub, non-chain, non-franchise dining in Chester County? But first, another Ship Inn update:
PUBLISHED: August 15, 2022 at 5:04 p.m. | UPDATED: August 16, 2022 at 5:47 a
So when I posted the other day about the Ship Inn I had no idea if any local or regional media would pick up the the story, but the Daily Local did. And the PhillyVoice too . I am glad they did, because it gives a whole other perspective on what’s happening here, namely from the current owner who is selling.
This is why I have included two snippets from the Restaurant Impossible TV show in 2021. I think that the TV show gave a fairly realistic look inside a restaurant that basically was failing, right? But then when you read this article yesterday it’s like that was all a great misunderstanding, wasn’t it?
I re-watched The Restaurant Impossible episode today. I added the two video snippets because I thought it was important to watch. And it’s very different from the articles today. His wife is the proprietor of the Duling-Kurtz house in Exton.
Duling-Kurtz is expensive and a bit dated. But it is truly a lovely place. The food is never bad, but I never found it exciting. They have a decent wine list, and I have not been there since before COVID. One of the things I liked back then is sometimes musicians I knew would play in the bar. I always thought that was a nice touch, and when you would see the owner (Ship Inn owner’s wife) on the floor it was seamless and sort of passing through checking on things, smiling, not stopping to yell at waitstaff in the dining room.
The Ship Inn is someplace I gave a lot of chances to over the years, including after the television makeover. I kept going back not so much because the food was out of this world, but because I wanted to support a local fine dining establishment, and I am a lover of history. This place oozes history. So to say I am not concerned at the thought of it becoming some kind of a brewery/pub would be dishonest period.
My concerns are not just limited to wondering about a historic asset being preserved appropriately, but because with this place possibly stopping as a fine dining institution it once again limits the options of fine dining in Chester County.
Take for example the Dilworthtown Inn. It closed in April, 2019 with the death of Jim Barnes. The Dilworthtown was one of my favorite places honestly. The food was good the atmosphere was impeccable. They were also the location for fun things like the Dilworthtown Wine Festival. The property was sold in 2020, January, just before COVID.
The Dilworthtown was a complex of three restaurant gems: Dilworthtown Inn, Inn Keeper’s Kitchen, Blue Pear Bistro. When the property sold a website went up, and then crickets. (https://www.historicdilworthtown.com/).
NO ONE has looked into the fate of The Dilworthtown in essentially TWO years! It’s a magical and fabulous property that sold and then nothing —- so what’s going on? I feel so badly for the new owners because I can’t imagine buying a property that’s somewhat substantial and historic and then a pandemic hits. But are there any updates?
We still have The General Warren Inn in Malvern. Another place I love but it is never consistent. I know COVID was hard on them affecting hours and days open – lunch was 86’d. The food is good, but sometimes it’s really good, and other times it’s just good. And I’m not saying that to be mean, but that has been my personal experience. I still go there, but not as often.
And the last time I was there was a group of couples for dinner, it was before Covid and we were a large group, all of us having patronized the restaurant in the past, but not what you would call a regular. We were kind of left in service wasteland while the waitstaff paid attention to the people that they recognized. It was embarrassing for me personally because it was my idea for all of us to go there. And no one wanted to be rude and get up and walk away from the table because of the lack of service, so by the time we all finish getting served our dinners which was staggered and no one ate at the same time because it was like they kept forgetting about us, and the restaurant was practically closing.
There was no accommodation made to our bill, which is something which should’ve happened automatically because it wasn’t like it was a big secret we were in dining wasteland there that night. And it is not an inexpensive place. Now we have been back since, and I am happy to patronize them because it’s a gorgeous place and it’s local, but as an intermittent diner I would like to be made to feel more welcome. Just because you don’t go to a place weekly or super often, it doesn’t mean as a patron you shouldn’t be valued, right?
And when you talk to people about fine dining, they all say “but we have kids, so pubs are easier.” Fine dining can be welcoming to children too. It’s fun to dress up for dinner, and we live in a more casual world so you don’t do that very often. But what is even less evident out here in Chester County is actual fine dining.
There is a need for fine dining. There are lots of other dining options, but everyone wants that special place for special occasions. You have some places in the Borough of West Chester, but as restaurants they are ok, but parking is so not fun. And that also goes for Phoenixville. Last time we went to Phoenixville for dinner it was before we saw Al Stewart. We had dinner at the Black Lab Bistro. Dinner was wonderful there, and the service was really good. However it took my husband 40 minutes to park. So I sat in the restaurant by myself for 40 minutes before he came in.
So that’s the thing of it: we need fine dining, and you need more options for fine dining where there’s actually easy parking.
The Ship Inn going pub removes one more option. If the pub doesn’t come in that deal falls through I don’t know that the owner will actually reopen. And if he reopens will he have any staff left? And if he reopens would it be any different? People all over are talking about this “transaction” and the owner attempting to divest himself of the Ship Inn.
But this trend towards pub food isn’t just here. I was speaking to a friend of mine today who mentioned that friends of his lamented there really wasn’t any place special to eat dinner where they lived.
Years ago when I worked in New York, and it’s also been my experience since then because my th sister lives there, there is always an option in New York City. There are so many restaurants. And there are so many cool little restaurants that you actually can find places that are fairly affordable. Philadelphia? I’m not so sure at this point. There used to be so many places, but between Covid and the sheit show that the city of Philadelphia is in, there aren’t as many fabulous restaurants I think anymore.
I would love just some more pretty fine dining establishments (fancy or semi-casual) where you can go and feel special in Chester County. We have some other great restaurants, but they’re more like great casual dining, not a great experience with classic French, American, or high-end Northern Italian food, etc.
We have lots of pubs/micro breweries with food, lots of Asian, Indian, Thai, sushi, steak houses. We have lots of chain restaurants, franchises, coffee places. We have barbecue, but only one place is to die for and thank goodness we will soon have sit down when Farm Boy Barbecue opens their own restaurant home in Malvern where the Friendly’s once was.
But classic fine dining is becoming a lost art in a sea of mediocrity out here in Chester County.
It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out. I will close the post at the end with a new Philly Voice article about the Ship Inn sale…if it goes to closing. I say if because in May of this year, Breweries in PA website reported VK Brewing who is now buying the Ship Inn as going to Delaware County:
You can add VK Brewing to the list of breweries that will soon be calling Pennsylvania home. The brewery, which is the brainchild of Jason Van Keuren and Najib Abiaad will soon open its doors in a 4,000+ square foot facility in Glen Mills, PA.
We recently spoke with both Jason and Najib to get a better perspective on the business and their plans for the brewery once they open for guests later this year….
As we learned, the duo had originally met during a casual neighborhood gathering. Jason had been pouring samples of his beer for his neighbors. The two were enjoying Jason’s beer and thus began a relationship that would bring their partnership together to build out a brewery/ restaurant for locals to enjoy.
The brewery intends to open in a 4,000+ square foot facility which was formerly a yoga studio. As of this writing, construction is underway to transform and breathe new life into the space. Once completed they plan to operate a 10 barrel brewery offering a wide variety of beer. But, as Jason confirmed, “I like more of the classic styles of beer” so guests can expect a rotating taplist of both traditional and modern craft beer….The plan is for the brewery to open in late 2022 as construction is still ongoing. However, you can keep up with the brewery in planning by following them on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
~ BREWERIES IN PA 3/2/22
I guess I’m a little confused. These people are new to being in the brewery/brew pub business, correct? so are they opening in Glen Mills and Exton? Or just Exton? They have a Mainvest going. Opening restaurants are an expensive proposition. Especially for newcomers. So do they have other backers as well? Their plans are on the Mainvest, and truly I wish them well but this property is so historic and special. Hopefully, we will all be looking forward to their grand opening soon.
Here is the Philly Voice article…but remember this blog had the story first 😊
The other day I wrote a post about Willistown. Tonight was mostly full psycho on display. A small group of people were polite and respectful even in their disagreement with Willistown Township Supervisors. Those individuals, I applaud because THAT is the way you do it.
The rest? Not so much.
My personal opinion is still *someone* is revving up a lot of these people with an ocean of misinformation. Like people thought they were acting on this tonight? What agenda item said that? Here was the official agenda for August 15, 2022:
Ahhh yes, don’t let reality get in the way of your delusion, right? And then there was the whole will they or won’t they sell if litigation is pending. So glad there is a recording.
Then there was all of the shouting something about sewer sewer sewer. Is that like Marcia Marcia Marcia? So yes screaming and cursing and yelling and chanting something about sewer was going to make them throw up their arms and say what exactly? That most of you were extra rude and some needed their mouths washed out with soap? O.K. we’ll go with that.
I have been to a LOT of contentious meetings. But this was something extra special this evening. It was like a super long Saturday Night Live skit of what their writers see when people go to local meetings.
One thing I loved is yelling at the Willistown Supervisors about why there wasn’t a bigger meeting room arranged for? Well, umm did your fearless creator of nasty lawn signs REQUEST a bigger venue? And as for those chastising elected officials for not governing via social media do you hear yourselves? On what planet does that occur?
I am not someone who routinely agrees with local government. I am not exactly a cheerleader of a lot of local governments, but I have to ask how is it so many people with more money than sense in Willistown have a distinct lack of knowledge of basic process?
It’s not so hard to see how government is run, right or wrong. But for starters, they don’t govern via social media. And the lack of civility and decorum was astounding.
I can NOT take credit for this comment but it was so true:
An engaged citizenship is a wonderful thing, but some showed a terrible lack of civility and decorum. Lets put away the pitchforks and work reasonably and rationally to get out of this mess.
~ willistown Resident 8/15/22
Pitchforks. Yup. Lots of verbal pitchforks and being rude as f***, including a failed politician who, well, resembles an alley cat with a bad attitude and a bargain basement dress she should have thought better of for on camera (but I digress, Glamour Don’ts aren’t part of this.)
And the person mailing out flyers, creating websites, lawn signs, and collecting email addresses doesn’t work for the township. He wants all of you residents of Willistown to dance to his tune, but instead of just telling all of you to essentially just show up, why didn’t he put on his big boy pants and suggest that he or a group of you contact the township BEFORE the meeting, BEFORE the meeting was to be advertised and ASK like adults if the meeting could be moved to a larger venue?
You want respect people? Give respect. There used to be this whole thing about the worthy opposition. Attack ratting and ankle biting doesn’t count.
Rude signs accomplish nothing. “Clean Up Sewer Mess” with the website address would have worked fine, but someone’s personal animus and perhaps ego got in the way, yes?
And then you had the people who wanted the meeting to become a parking lot brawl and the hell with the people signed up on zoom? What were you planning? To tar and feather the people YOU elected? I mean come on already: YOU the residents of Willistown elected them to do a job, but you want to scream at them for doing a job? Crikey no wonder the last township manger beat tracks.
Again, you all don’t know process and this is a rare municipal case of the politicians elected as supervisors actually know more about Roberts Rules of Order than the Willistown Mob. Usually it’s residents educating elected officials.
And oh yes, and engaged citizenry is where it’s at, but this isn’t it. It’s disorder, rude behavior, cursing and lots of shouting. A mob is just a mob. So don’t go patting yourselves on the back since you mostly looked stupid. And oh yes I can indeed express that opinion. Please, you think you invented pack the meetings? It’s all about HOW you do it, and the only thing you almost accomplished tonight was getting the whole shibang shut down for the night because um meeting rooms can only LEGALLY hold so many people. Which is AGAIN, WHY someone should have gone to Willistown Township to request a large room ahead of time.
Willistown residents need to decide who of the residents is leading them on this issue because right now quite frankly you all are being led astray by individuals with warped agendas. Do yourselves a favor and form a reasonable consortium of individuals who don’t think every meeting is either storm the Bastille with special information on hidden agendas , or failed politicians who have to preface statements every single time that they ran against Bill Shoemaker (and lost.)
The thing I found so sad was yes, a fair representation of Willistown citizenry turned out. And instead of harnessing your power even before the meeting, you all blew it. Most of you are lucky the police didn’t toss your asses out, and well they could have.
I have seen bad municipal governments. That’s not Willistown. You people need to get your crap together. Get your facts straight, get yourselves straight, learn about process, learn about state laws that need to be changed to protect residents from rate jumps by companies like Aqua. In other words, learn how to fight.
Everyone else? Enjoy the show. Definitely popcorn worthy. And where is Joan Rivers when you need her? Oy.
The new company going into the grand old colonial gal is called VK Brewing. Veteran owned.
Soooo…time will tell. I hope they honor the past of The Ship Inn. Of course I like others wonder what will happen with all of the memorabilia and historical bits?
Chef Robert Irvine tried to bring a horse to water but hey you can’t make him drink. I won’t miss the now former owner yelling at his employees on the dining room floor at the Ship Inn. Here’s hoping they keep him off of the dining room floor at Duling-Kurtz the other place he and his wife own.
