Tag Archives: daily local news

it’s a simple thing, really in east whiteland. vote no on the open space referendum and it is a yes for instant development just add land parcel.

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Photo I took years ago at Schiffer Farm on Morstein Road.

When I first moved to Chester County, one of my early favorite roads was Morstein Road from West King Road until Waterford Road. To me it was just so pretty. Houses on generous lots, and a big farm with horses swishing their tails. The Schiffer farm. But anything pretty and bucolic here seems to attract predatory developers.

If you live in the vicinity of the Schiffer farm, you have held your breath for years as various nearby parcels fell to developers. Like what was 1536 Morstein. A pretty little farmette. Just a few acres. Now McMansions on Red Barn Lane. First it was sold. Then the trees came down and the lot was wiped clean. Parcels over on Hershey’s Mill Road nearby as well.

The houses are predictable and these people have like NO trees. No real gardens. How do you live like that?

However, the problem is, places like the Schiffer farm is simply a lot of salivating acreage. To a developer that is dollar sign after dollar sign. That is a cram as much in as possible take the money and run and we as residents of anywhere are left holding the bag. Higher school taxes, higher everything (infrastructure including the human variety of township/EMT/police costs.)

When we all heard that Nancy Schiffer was donating her farm on Morstein as in the entirety of it to the West Chester University Foundation, we were filled with dread. Common sense dictates they wouldn’t keep the land, but would sell it. And sure enough as this land transfer started to happen and developer began sniffing around on about 20 random acres that we mostly in West Whiteland and partially in East Goshen. I wrote about that a few times.

what is happening over around old phoenixville pike in west whiteland, really?
about old phoenixville pike and the development plan
whatcha’ doin’ east goshen?

Then we heard something almost miraculous: East Whiteland Township was interested in a nice chunk of acres acres of Schiffer Farm for OPEN SPACE. That would mean a beloved Viet Nam vet and his wife would not have their beautiful 18th century farmette surrounded by development among other things. So some sort of agreement was reached with Nancy Schiffer. Land was donated to West Chester University Foundation with an agreement for East Whiteland to acquire acres.

At first East Whiteland thought their sewer sale proceeds would be the key to purchase. Then the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) filed their litigation against PUC to undo sewer sales to AQUA. East Whiteland Board of Supervisors was disappointed and the board said that the ruling would delay local initiatives and increase sewer rates. One of the local initiatives was this land purchase, sadly. This case is at present tied up in the PA Supreme Court, as a quasi related aside.

Pa. high court will consider benefits vs. higher costs in private ownership of water utilities

So now East Whiteland had to seek alternatives so as not to give up on the idea of some very unique and truly beautiful open space being lost to more plastic mushroom development. In May, Chester County Commissioners awarded East Whiteland a grant of $870,000 towards this goal (see Chester County press release dated May 27, 2024. I think there was another grant but I lost the reference.) But because the sewer sale proceeds are in limbo because of the court case, comes the referendum.

Now cue the referendum on the ballot in East Whiteland, November 5th. It’s for like 30.5 some acres (I might be slightly under, not sure.) The grants and other things will go towards the remaining acreage. The end goal is 50+ acres.

My ballot. I just voted yes proudly.

This referendum seems to be like some giant surprise to people and the misinformation being spread around is staggering. People can’t have it both ways. The can’t constantly bitch about municipalities not doing anything to preserve open space and up comes a once in our lifetimes opportunity and the great uninformed wish to throw the baby out with the bathwater and they make these sweeping pronouncements without doing one iota of research. It’s maddening.

This referendum has been out for months. See:

https://www.eastwhiteland.org/502/Open-Space-Tax-Referendum

Open Space Tax Referendum

Overview:

In 2018, the Township began work on a Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan to guide efforts for creating an enhanced system of recreation and open space facilities throughout the Township. The Plan, which was adopted in 2022, contains a Chapter specifically dedicated to Open Space Preservation (see Chapter 4 beginning on page 33). In addition to encouraging the pursuit of the remaining open space opportunities, the Plan recommends that the Township consider a dedicated source of funding to acquire and maintain open space through the adoption of an Open Space Tax (OST). 

Process:

On May 8, 2024, the Board of Supervisors held a public hearing to consider an ordinance which would authorize an OST Referendum to be placed on the ballot for the upcoming General Election on November 5, 2024. Following the hearing, the Board of Supervisors approved the ordinance, thereby placing the referendum in a position to included on the ballot.

The referendum would allow individual constituents to vote directly on the question of whether to adopt a “blended” tax increase to both the Earned Income Tax (EIT) and the Township’s portion of the Real Estate Tax (RET) – also known as “property tax.” These funds would then be used to finance the acquisition of properties, ensure long-term maintenance, and cover costs associated with an open space program. The referendum will pose the following question:  

 “Do you favor the imposition of a tax on the earned income of Township Residents at a rate not to exceed five one-hundredths (5/100th) of one percent (.05%) and an increase in the real property tax at a rate not to exceed 0.45 mills ($0.45 per $1,000 assessed valuation) for the purpose of preserving natural resources, maintaining wildlife habitat, protecting environmentally sensitive areas, and providing recreational lands by the Township of East Whiteland to be used to retire indebtedness incurred in purchasing interests in or acquisition of real property for natural resource protection, open space preservation, and public recreation?” 

Stated another way, if the referendum passes, the local Earned Income Tax rate would increase from .75% to .80% and the Township Real Estate Tax rate would increase from .445 mills to .895 mills. 

 Documents regarding OST Referendum Process: 

Reports from County and Regional Planning Agencies:

  • Return on Environment: The Economic Value of Protected Open Space in Chester County, PA (Chester County Planning Commission, 2019)
    • Webpage (see tabs for Property Value Impacts, Environmental Benefits, Recreation and Health, Economic Activity, Community Const Savings, and Case Studies)
    • Full Report
  • Return on Environment: The Economic Value of Protected Open Space in Southeastern Pennsylvania (Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, 2011)

If you have any questions about the OST Referendum, please contact Catherine Ricardo, Assistant Township Manager for East Whiteland Township. Catherine can be reached by phone at 610-897-4280 or by email at cricardo@eastwhiteland.org 

Again, for the back of the room: The money raised would also go to existing open space and into a fund for other purchases. It would go to maintenance and improvements on parks and open space already owned. It would allow for a municipal bond offering capability and muni bonds sell in part on their “story” which is open space preservation, which would sell well. And East Whiteland is not buying the entire farm, that is fake news, literally. This referendum is far less expensive than some other Chester County municipalities, and the bottom line is it would be far less long term than if a developer builds because that affects taxes vis a vis infrastructure costs, school districts being over burdened etc.

It’s pretty simple: East Whiteland is trying to do something proactive. Everyone complains they don’t do enough. Can’t have it both ways. Go ahead vote no. It means instant development which costs us more in the end on so many levels. It’s a .445 to a .895 increase. The median appraised value of homes in East Whiteland is still around $200K so that would mean around $90.00 a year. The wording for both the notice and the explanation is based upon some PA law. This would also mean improvements on existing parks and open space and improvement. It would mean a fund that was dedicated to these open space things, a dedicated and distinct fund to allow East Whiteland to compete sometimes in the race for preservation against developers.

If people vote NO it means instant development, more infrastructure stresses, and in the end higher school taxes to keep up with development. You can be pennywise or pound foolish, not both. This is de minimis.

Allow me to share the words verbatim from a gentleman named Tim Phelps who resides in East Whiteland:

Supporting East Whiteland’s Open Space Tax Referendum: A Smart Growth Strategy for a Sustainable Future


On November 5, 2024, East Whiteland Township residents will have the opportunity to decide on the future of their community by voting on the Open Space Tax (OST) referendum. This critical measure will provide much-needed funds to preserve the township’s last remaining parcels of open land for future parks, conservation efforts, and community recreation spaces. By adopting the OST, East Whiteland will secure its place as a leader in sustainable growth while protecting the natural environment that contributes to the quality of life for all its residents.


Why the Open Space Tax Matters
East Whiteland has grown into a regional corporate hub, attracting businesses and residents alike with its balanced approach to development and green space preservation. However, with neighboring municipalities starting to adopt their own Earned Income Tax (EIT) structures, East Whiteland could see an impact on its EIT income, which funds much of the township’s operations. A dedicated OST fund would not only help offset these financial pressures but also enable the township to continue investing in green spaces and natural resource preservation, ensuring the long-term health and attractiveness of the area.


The OST referendum proposes a slight increase in both the EIT and the township’s Real Estate Tax (RET). This blended tax will create a sustainable revenue stream, enabling East Whiteland to acquire additional open space properties and ensure they are maintained for future generations. These funds will be dedicated to purchasing land for natural resource protection, wildlife habitat preservation, and public recreation areas—key elements in the township’s Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plan adopted in 2022.


Learning from Chester County’s Open Space Success Stories
East Whiteland is not alone in recognizing the value of open space preservation. Several other communities in Chester County have successfully implemented similar OST programs, creating lasting benefits for their residents. For example, West Goshen Township used its open space fund to expand local parks and enhance conservation efforts, while East Bradford Township acquired critical lands for public use and natural habitat preservation. These townships have found that maintaining a balance between development and nature is essential to their long-term sustainability.


Chester County, according to data from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), is part of a region where open space investments yield significant economic, environmental, and social benefits. The DVRPC’s studies on open space value demonstrate that these preserved lands generate substantial returns through ecosystem services such as improved air and water quality, reduced stormwater management costs, and increased property values.


DVRPC data also highlights the importance of recreational spaces, which boost community health by providing residents with opportunities for physical activity and relaxation in natural surroundings.

Community Health and Social Benefits
Beyond the environmental and economic benefits, the social and health advantages of preserving open spaces are undeniable. Access to parks and natural areas has been shown to improve mental health, reduce stress, and foster social cohesion. East Whiteland residents will benefit from additional green spaces that promote an active lifestyle, encourage outdoor recreation, and serve as gathering points for community events. Families will have more options for leisure activities, and future generations will inherit a township that values sustainability and environmental stewardship.

A Vote for Smart Growth and a Sustainable Future
Supporting the OST referendum aligns with the principles of Smart Growth, which emphasize sustainable development while preserving natural resources. As development pressures increase, the township must act now to preserve its remaining open spaces. The OST provides a financial
mechanism to do just that, ensuring that future generations can enjoy the benefits of well- maintained parks, protected wildlife habitats, and cleaner air and water.


In closing, East Whiteland residents should consider to vote in favor of the Open Space Tax referendum on November 5. This referendum is for the future—one that balances growth with environmental preservation, protects the township’s financial health, and creates a legacy of sustainability. By supporting this measure, East Whiteland has the opportunity to remain a thriving, vibrant community for generations to come. Let’s come together to protect what makes our township a special place to live, work, and play.

For more information about Open Space planning in the Delaware Valley, please visit DVRPC’s website at www.dvrpc.org/openspace/.


Tim Phelps
Resident

You know what I see at Schiffer in part? I see a spot for community gardens, something people have asked about for years. Allotments and community gardens do build community. It’s a wonderful thing. This investment on the part of East Whiteland residents will reap dividends long after any of us walk the earth. THAT is a legacy worthy of this referendum.

Please don’t spread false information. If you have questions, the township and supervisors are HAPPY to talk to you. There are THREE supervisors to speak with, and they are all quite approachable. Here is where you go to find emails etc. if you don’t know them:
https://www.eastwhiteland.org/214/Board-of-Supervisors

Look it’s a simple equation: a NO vote = instant development. This is a chance to do something worthy in the East Whiteland community. This is East Whiteland LISTENING to residents about preserving open space. VOTE YES!

My last word is if people do not see the forest for the trees here, there are in fact developers waiting to swoop in. These developers (multiple) would be happy to back end run to the West Chester University Foundation and run over East Whiteland. This land is as delectable as a big box of expensive chocolates. Also my opinion has not been particularly delightful when it comes to the West Chester University Foundation because well can you say there is NO emotional attachment to the land, they are just in it for the money honey?

This is actually something where you know for a fact where the money is going. It doesn’t matter if you are a Republican, Democrat, or a member of the Purple People Eater Party, this is something that benefits everyone.

PLEASE EAST WHITELAND RESIDENTS, VOTE YES ON THE REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT NOVEMBER 5, 2024

Let’s git’ r’ done. Land is not free, and this won’t be available forever.

#VOTEYESONOPENSPACE

Schiffer Farm by Cary Galbraith $300

m.kaplan jail interiors next?

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Goodness. M. Kaplan Interiors is back in the news. Quite the whopper of an article in the Daily Local. BOTH Kaplans have been charged: Vuitton toting over-priced car driving Margaret, and Matthew who apparently is in some hospital somewhere according to the article?

Chester County furniture store owners charged in fraud cases
By MICHAEL P. RELLAHAN | mrellahan@dailylocal.com |
PUBLISHED: March 4, 2023 at 10:15 a.m. | UPDATED: March 4, 2023 at 1:37 p.m.

Here are the dockets:

Apparently grifters make the world go round.

Below is the prior post. If you were a victim of this business, contact East Whiteland Police.

ruh roh: interior design firm from malvern (really frazer) outed by 6abc, police on their trail.

and now an (official) word from east whiteland about data centers…and the media coverage (thus far)

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Photos used with permission from Ginny Kerslake

Sorry folks, it has been a busy day. Received official word from East Whiteland regarding the data center of it all. After that I will share the article that prompted this:

In response to recent articles in the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily Local News, where the Township was asked to provide comments and a status update regarding recent data center proposals, below is a statement from East Whiteland Township:

To date, no land development application has been received by the Township and there have been no revisions to the previously approved Zoning Hearing Board application to permit the data center usage at the properties located along the south side of Swedesford Road near the border with West Whiteland Township. 

Also, it is important to note to our residents and businesses that the Board of Supervisors of East Whiteland Township has no interest in entertaining a proposal for a hydrogen power plant within our Township. We are aware of the zoning activities in our neighboring Township and will continue to monitor the situation.

Scott Lambert, Chair of East Whiteland Township Supervisors

~EAST WHITELAND TOWNSHIP 1/19/2023

Philadelphia Inquirer: COMMERCIAL A cleaned-up Superfund site in Chester County could become home to a massive data center
Local residents and environmentalists are concerned about a developer’s plans for a two-million-square-foot data center in East Whiteland Township, Chester County.

by Kevin Riordan
Updated Jan 19, 2023

$6 billion data center proposed for East Whiteland

So to West Whiteland Supervisor Raj Kumbhardare, is a bit of a puzzle here. Supervisor Raj should have more to say more than his evasiveness in The Daily Local News about carts and horse, right? Supervisor Raj as a day job is in database administration so is there anything in this for him? Not being mean but does he care about all of his constituency equally? After all this issue is bigger than computer and database type professionals being excited that the data center is coming, right? And then there is the wondering if he really understands the zoning and how zoning doesn’t exist in a little bubble or vacuum and these changes could potentially have far-reaching changes for the township he is supposed to serve equally to his best efforts so??? I am not saying he’s not a good guy I am asking reasonable questions. I am also wondering how is feeling about carts and horse right now??

And my favorite angry lame duck supervisor is mums the word on this? Why? Rather odd considering….she’s always so pithy, yes?

Anyway, East Whiteland is not being shy about how they seem to be feeling, do they?

Also do not forget this hopeful piece from September, 2022:

Data Center Frontier: With New Incentives, Pennsylvania Makes Pitch for Hyperscale Business
Sept. 15, 2022
With the passage of new tax incentives for data centers in Pennsylvania, developers have announced plans for a hyperscale campus outside Philadelphia that could create 2 million square feet of data center space.
Rich Miller

Tonight class we re-learned a valuable lesson or two:

(1) Sometimes the peasants revolt.

(2) Carts and horses are funny things.

(3) Sometimes municipalities want the public to have actual clarity.

(4) This is an issue that grew legs this week.

(5) Get involved where you live.

when things like human trafficking pop up, is it time for rental properties to be properly inspected in east whiteland and elsewhere?

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What if this rundown house was your only choice for a home?

I am not deliberately trying to pick on East Whiteland Township no matter what some may think. But unlike many other municipalities (and I have been checking), East Whiteland does not have a person or people to regularly and routinely inspect rental properties in this township. They do not even have enough fire personnel to do all the life safety checks on rentals do they? (Asking the question because I heard there were people paid to do that I thought once upon a time out of the fire department or something?)

West Goshen (for example) has a rental property ordinance online. They have someone dedicated to rental inspections. That is in addition to the guys in the zoning department who inspect when the township gets complaints on rental properties.

The Borough of West Chester also has an ordinance and I am told as well as two dedicated rental property inspectors although residents say there are so many rentals they need more.

East Whiteland has a Rental Occupancy Report from 1992. I also found a form to fill out if you have a rental property. It mentions life safety, which is great and necessary. But I do not see anything about specific ordinances pertaining to rental properties and inspections of rental properties. And it is long past time to have that. East Whiteland is growing as a township and has grown exponentially in recent years. Does this township even know out of ALL of the new construction that is complete how many are rental units? And with ALL of the development still in the works and in various stages of construction, let’s get real, they are not all going to be owner occupied, aren’t some of these places going to be rentals? And what about the hotels? Are some of those like long term rentals at times? Sometimes when people can’t find housing they live in hotels/motels don’t they? Motor home parks? Trailer parks? No matter where the rental, shouldn’t people be safe?

Why am I thinking about this again? Human trafficking. If there were regular rental inspections and code enforcements along Route 30/Lancaster Avenue/Lincoln Highway where the human trafficking locations were, would we have even had human trafficking? Maybe, maybe not. I am told that human trafficking happens everywhere. And there is plenty that has happened in Pennsylvania. According to Fox23 in Central PA, Pennsylvania is ranked 11th in the nation for human trafficking. The Philadelphia Sun wrote about human trafficking this past March. The Philadelphia Sun said:

Deception, coercion, recruitment, and abduction are just some of the tools of trade for traffickers.

Trafficking in America is a billion-dollar business in all 50 states, where women, children, and men are being exploited; their lives of no value other than the profits they earn.

Where sex trafficking can occur:

Moving around in your daily life, in the city, suburbs, rural areas

Transportation systems: Septa, Uber, and Lyft

Brothels (houses), motels, and major hotel chains

Escort services

Bars, strip clubs, high-end baller parties

Online via social media, such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

Philadelphia Sun March 13, 2020

In November 2019 a woman named Tammy McDonnell who survived being trafficked spoke at Cabrini in Radnor. Read about it here: Survivor tells how to spot ‘red flags’ of human trafficking.

The stretch of Lancaster Ave/Route 30/Lincoln Highway where these rentals exist is a no man’s land. No one sees the people who live there, not because they aren’t visible but because people don’t want to see them. Mostly immigrant, with little choice in housing. And by culture, used to living in close quarters. So one would think rental inspections along that strip and elsewhere would make sense, right? So everyone was safe?

According to Patch, “The apartments used were at street addresses 483, 577 and 609 Lancaster Ave. in East Whiteland Township…”

Someone sent me screenshots off ChescoViews and Google Earth I guess it was (I am not very good at using Chesco Views):

This stretch of Lancaster is the one that looks so desolate and run down when you drive by except for the too many cars on the D’Ambrosio property (one of the sites of human trafficking right?):

People always ask how East Whiteland can be focused on this grand future of over-development without “seeing” these properties or their residents. During COVID19 especially when we were all at home, you couldn’t help but see as soon as the weather warmed up how many people live in these rental properties alone. I have also had people tell me in confidence that there are some awfully crammed rental properties in some of the townhouse developments.

So….maybe it is time for East Whiteland to look at this differently? They need an updated local ordinance on rental properties right? And I think they need a full time inspector of rental properties and possibly more staff, like maybe a part time one.

East Whiteland needs this NOW, yesterday and into the future. They have to find the money to have proper inspectors because I doubt there enough in the Fire Marshall category, and how much work are they supposed to do anyway? Aren’t they already stretched thin?

Christmas fire 2016. Photos courtesy of East Whiteland Fire Company

I will remind people of Christmas night 2016. That is when one of the rental properties in this stretch of road next to the Wawa at Planebrook went up in flames. A family lost everything that lived in one of these ramshackle rental units. And I think they never came back to East Whiteland. After all, it’s not like there really is any affordable housing right?

So you know how the fire by the Wawa was December 2016? How about that building which is uninhabitable has just sat there and rotted since then? Seriously here are some photos taken over the past few years (a real slum lord special, right?):

Photos taken between 2017 and 2020

I was a renter for years. Face it, a lot of us were, and some still are. Would you want to live in any of these properties? What if you had no other choice? And were these landlords in the human trafficking locations 100% oblivious as to what was going on?

Potential For More Trafficking Victims Out There: Chesco DA
The Chester County DA’s Office calls for watchful eyes on kids in communities.
By Marlene Lang, Patch Staff
Verified Patch Staff Badge
Jul 9, 2020 4:20 pm ET
Updated Jul 9, 2020 4:46 pm ET

NBC10 Philadelphia: ‘I Don’t Want to Be Here.’ Girl’s Message Uncovers Chester Co. Sex Trafficking Ring
Three men face charges for running a human sex trafficking organization in the Malvern, Pennsylvania, area

CRIME My Chesco
Human Sex Trafficking Ring Dismantled in Chester County
July 8, 2020 – by MyChesCo – Leave a Comment

Pennsylvania Real-Time News Penn Live (AP)
Sex trafficking arrests made after 14-year-old’s plea to mom: ‘I don’t want to be here anymore’
Updated Jul 09, 2020; Posted Jul 09, 2020

Daily Local Authorities bust human sex trafficking ring in Chester County; girl, 14, rescued
By Jen Samuel jsamuel@dailylocal.com @jenpoetess on Twitter Jul 10, 2020

KIRO 7: TRENDING
‘I don’t want to be here anymore’: Teen’s frantic Facebook message to mom busts sex-trafficking ring

WFMZ: Chester County officials bust sex trafficking ring
69 News Jul 8, 2020 Updated Jul 8, 2020

6ABC: Teen’s Facebook message to mom led to sex trafficking rescue in Chester County, district attorney says

CBS Baltimore: Prosecutor: Missing Maryland 14-Year-Old’s Plea Leads To Sex Trafficking Arrests

CBS Philly: Authorities: Teen’s Facebook Message To Mom Thwarts Malvern Human Trafficking Ring, 8 Men Arrested

I also want everyone to know as per my sources, the East Whiteland Police Department truly went above and beyond the call of duty with this. It wasn’t just this girl messaging family that went into this. For a smaller department by comparison to large cities and boroughs, they put lots of man and woman power into this.


East Whiteland Police Department did exhaustive investigation and follow-up and coordinating with all different kinds of other agencies and states and it really does show their dedication to our community. These men and women should be publicly recognized for their efforts. In a time when police departments are being criticized, these men and women deserve to be commended. Ok yes, this is the job they sign up for, but this is huge. Or in my humble opinion it is. And kudos to our Chester County District Attorney as well.

I have many questions regarding human trafficking an how it happened. I will be curious to learn if the families of these girls who were rescued had ever reported them missing? If they did not, why not? Immigration fears or something darker? I ask because if my kid was missing I would leave no stone un-turned.


However I think we need to work as an extended community to prevent these things from happening and I think that means they need to have a system in place in East Whiteland Township and elsewhere in which rental properties are routinely and regularly inspected. Everybody’s been talking about this strip of rental properties in particular for years it’s nothing new. And East Whiteland like many other municipalities in Chester County are experiencing crazy amounts of development and growth. Why not have developers who want to be in our communities chip into programs like this? Isn’t it kind of part of infrastructure and municipal services? I mean it’s all great that mythical theory of build it and they will come but who keeps track once the developers have gotten their money out of sites and moved on?


I am calling on people in East Whiteland and Chester County to contact East Whiteland Township and ANY OTHER TOWNSHIP that does not have proper rental property ordinances and inspectors to catch up with the times. A lot of municipalities like East Whiteland are experiencing growth that is off the charts. Renters deserve safe places to live. Low income residents deserve truly affordable housing and safe housing.

Be safe out there. Thanks for stopping by.

Residential rental Properties along Route 30 Malvern. Not all that exist.


nor’easter flashback

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A friend sent me this bit of snowy Daily Local/Chester County history. Nor’Easters of days gone by. This was from February, 1966.

And the paper was 7 cents.

not our pipeline

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Pipeline and sinkhole. Just The Fact Please photo. November, 2017

Before I moved to Chester County, I was somewhat ambivalent about Sunoco and their pipelines. Among other things, I grew up with a father who was for years, in-house PR for a then major oil company.  And part of that was during the Exxon Valdez era.  But oil companies had deep pockets and what did I know? Nothing was near where we lived and those oil company deep pockets were always giving box loads of stuff to schools, bought full page ads in school newspapers for the kids of employees, etcetera.

When you first hear about problems with pipelines, pipeline construction, or even fracking, it is like this fuzzy thing out of focus ahead of you in the haze. It can’t possibly affect you. Until it does. And in my opinion, it is.   I have friends who hail from Western Pennsylvania who literally have been warning people for years.  And they are just nastily labeled “fracktivists”. Guess that is the new label for “concerned citizen”? Because I have got to tell you, the people I knew who once lived in Western PA are…wait for it…MOMS.  You know how dangerous moms are, right?

Then it seems like in an instant but a couple miles in either direction from where you live as far as the crown flies in any direction, stuff starts to happen.

Well issues.

Sinkholes.

You feel like local municipal officials and politicians are just covering their ears saying “na,na,na,na,na,na,na,na,na” in order to NOT have to listen to residents.  Respected environmental activists are labeled as being alarmists.

Then all of a sudden the  PA DEP seems to wake up and temporarily halts work on Sunoco’s Mariner 2 Pipeline.  Only as per residents in some affected Chester County neighborhoods and State Impact by NPR  that might not quite be true as they report on January 9, 2018:

When Danielle Otten woke up Monday morning, she didn’t expect to see men working on the Mariner East 2 pipeline construction site that sits about 40 feet from her backyard, along Devon Drive in Uwchlan Township, Chester County.

For one thing, work in the area had stalled after drilling dried up and damaged nearby water wells this past summer. And just last week, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued a court order halting construction along the 350-mile long pipeline after Sunoco/Energy Transfer Partners continued to violate its permits, causing damage to private water wells, streams and wetlands…..When DEP issued a stop work order to Sunoco last week, it appeared that all work would halt aside from drilling and erosion controls that had to be continued in order to prevent additional environmental damage. But a spokesman for the DEP now tells StateImpact that when it comes to anything other than earth disturbance or water crossings, the agency doesn’t have jurisdiction.

 

In Chester County, as a resident, you can’t avoid the truth of the pipelines. And the risks and dangers. So many of us are on wells. And so many with wells are already having issues. And then there are those other pesky things…you know like sinkholes and so on?

The jarring visuals you see with your own eyes like the beautiful swaths of lands torn assunder are burned into your brain.  Once you see it, you can’t un-see it and you wish you could.

Swing sets and play houses of small children sit in macabre juxtaposition to giant earth moving machines and huge pieces of pipe.

Giant walls, pipes, and earth moving machines also sit across the driveway from senior citizen apartment complexes and grocery stores.

Pipeline so close and on top of churches and schools in addition to residential neighborhoods and please, tell me, how is that safe?

Next to firehouses too? So basically, Sunoco puts those supposed to protect us at risk as well?

You have friends and former neighbors who have Sunoco gobbling up their land for the pipeline.  You count your blessing like we did that we moved long ago from certain parts of Chester County because otherwise this view could be your very own backyard:

Uwchlan Safety Coalition photo

Only you can’t help but wonder if your slice of heaven will remain unmolested by pipelines? Like Medieval Feudal Lords, you are never quite sure what they will swoop in and take, are you?

You are, as residents of Chester County and elsewhere, supposed to bend over and accept these new vistas:

My photo, taken July, 2017

When you say “no I think this is bad” there are people who will  jump all over you. “It’s perfectly safe. You don’t know what you are talking about.”

Perfectly safe? Is that why CBS This Morning ran and over FIVE minute segment on the national news this morning from coast to coast?

Sunoco is raping our land. They are depleting it, irrevocably changing it and in my opinion putting us all at risk.  It is not OUR pipeline, it is THEIR pipeline being forced upon us all and we are not benefiting from it.  This isn’t OUR infrastructure, it’s Sunoco’s infrastructure. What they take is being shipped OVERSEAS.

As another friend Ginny said to others:

Sunoco cannot replace the large, mature trees they are chopping down for this. Nor can they restore the fragile and important wetland there if they wreck it, just as they couldn’t restore the private wells that they wrecked in Marchwood this summer with this pipeline. 

Living with hazardous liquefied natural gas lines is not a part of living in suburbia. In fact it is reckless to put these lines through densely populated areas, right alongside houses, schools, apartment buildings, shopping centers, seniors homes, etc. 

And now, Sunoco also wants Chester County Library’s freaking lawn? (See Dragon Pipe Diary)

When does it stop?  When did Corporate America’s rights become more meaningful than ours in Chester and Delaware Counties and elsewhere in Pennsylvania?  Why are we as residents being forced to live with something that destroys and takes and give nothing back in return? Why don’t residents matter? Why do we spend so much time feeling like our elected officials have forsaken us on this issue?

And why is it when you mention anything about not liking or distrusting pipelines some fool will always hop up and cry foul partisan politics? I mean do they really think we are such imbeciles that an issue which is non-partisan and affects EVERYONE is an example of partisan politics?  Take off the dunce caps, because opposition to Mariner East is clearly bi-partisan.

Pipeline, East Goshen. My photo. Summer/Fall 2017

Today in addition to the CBS News report, Del-Chesco United for Pipeline Safety is a nonpartisan, fact-based, grassroots coalition of locally-based safety groups, made up of concerned Pennsylvanians from across our Commonwealth issued a press release:

Well guess what? I believe these folks, and this pipeline and it’s march across Chester County and elsewhere terrifies me.  These people protesting are our neighbors and friends. And there are quite the growing numbers of experts, environmentalists and others who believe these residents.

There is also a very important petition circling. It is directed at our rather elusive Governor Tom Wolf on Change.org asking him to protect our communities under the PA Health and Safety Statute.

Please sign and share this petition today.

Here are some articles:

Dragonpipe Diary: Sunoco’s destructive plans for the Chester County Library lawn

State Impact PA Despite DEP order to halt Mariner East 2 construction, some work is still allowedJANUARY 9, 2018 | 5:34 PM Susan Phillips

State Impact: Water problems persist along Mariner East pipeline route despite court interventionOCTOBER 12, 2017 | 5:03 PM BY JON HURDLE

State Impact: DEP issues violation to Sunoco for another spill of drilling fluidAUGUST 30, 2017 | 6:40 PM BY JON HURDLE

grist: BRIEFLY Stuff that matters PIPE DOWN

Daily Local: Pennsylvania DEP shuts down construction on Sunoco gas pipeline By Bill Rettew, brettew@dailylocal,com POSTED: 01/03/18, 5:25 PM EST

Daily Local: DEP accuses Sunoco of unauthorized drilling By Bill Rettew, brettew@dailylocal.com POSTED: 01/02/18, 3:49 PM EST

Daily Times, Phil Heron: Editorial: Economic benefits alone won’t resolve pipeline concerns

Look at the end of the day, did we come to Chester County for this view below? I don’t think so. We need to protect what is ours.  And what is ours, is not necessarily theirs.

#Resist

Uwchlan Safety Coalition Photo

barclay friends neighbors sent me photos

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I was visiting a friend in Chester County Hospital today and remarkably, you can smell the smoke from the fire inside the hospital. It’s crazy. It was like someone had a fire in their fireplace.

I have friends who live in that part of West Chester and they have smoke infiltration in their homes. I am only publishing a couple of photos, but there but for the grace of God go all of us.

Other friends of ours (as in a couple of different families) had family members evacuated from Barclay Friends last night. Their family members are safe and sound elsewhere.

Another friend who has been on the scene texted that the fire was not completely out.

Neighbors of Barclay Friends are among the scores of unsung heroes who helped residents to safety. Some media outlets are saying not all are accounted for? (See this report from ABC News ):

Authorities struggled on Friday to account for the whereabouts of all the residents of a Pennsylvania senior living community after a massive blaze tore through their complex during the middle of the night, injuring nearly 30 and leading to a chaotic evacuation.

West Chester Mayor Jordan Norley said Friday afternoon that a few of the more than 130 residents of the Barclay Friends Senior Living Community, located west of Philadelphia, were unaccounted for following the huge fire.

“We’re hoping for the best obviously here,” said Norley, who put the number taken to area hospitals at 29.

Officials said fewer than 20 remained hospitalized and all were in good condition.

County emergency officials said there was the possibility someone could have died in the fire, which erupted late Thursday night. But a spokeswoman for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which was on the scene, told an afternoon news conference that no relatives had reported any family members missing.

Some patients are at Chester County Hospital. These people have lost everything. Especially photos and memories. It’s devastating.

At West Chester nursing home fire, a heroic effort to evacuate residents
by Laura McCrystal, Justine McDaniel, Tricia L. Nadolny & Emerson I. Max, INQUIRER STAFF WRITERS

Flames Rip Through Chester County Senior Living Community Displacing 150 Residents and Staff, Hospitalizing 27-The senior residents of the facility were evacuated into the bitter cold, and while more than 20 people transported to hospitals, officials did not elaborate on any injuries
By NBC10 Staff

The ATF was on scene this afternoon as well, so that should help people get answers, right?

It has been a very long day in the Borough of West Chester. On the eve of Thanksgiving I am grateful for all those neighbors, fire fighters, and EMTs and police who responded to this. I am told by friends that we can always drop off food or snacks to these volunteer fire companies. These men and women do this day in and day out.

Have a good night, all.

east whiteland reporting bishop tube site is OFF planning agenda for 3/22

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Someone asked me about half an hour ago which meeting in East Whiteland was featuring Bishop Tube this week.  I said I thought only the Planning Commission and they asked me WHERE it was on East Whiteland’s Planning Commission  agenda.

HUH???

So I looked and lo and behold there is an AMENDED agenda…and Bishop Tube is postponed until the April 26th meeting.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Maybe it is just me, but could it be the shiny spotlight of public attention and outcry caused this?????? Or is it just a scheduling thing?

Recently we had Maya K. van Rossum opine in her professional capacity as the esteemed Delaware Riverkeeper. She has been a powerful and unexpected blessing to the concerned residents of General Warren Village.  She showed up at East Whiteland Zoning a couple of weeks ago and then last week.  (Other post found here “calling erin brocovitch”)

Interior of Bishop Tube 2017 – photographer unknown – found on a community page

Over the weekend Maya contacted residents to encourage them to write Dinniman and Milne’s offices ASAP (see instructions here.)

So as residents are busy writing letters and calling the PA DEP and so on, East Whiteland Planning Commission pulls Bishop Tube from the agenda? (Bishop Tube was discussed at recent Supervisors’ meeting – CLICK HERE.)

Why?

We may never know but keep writing those letters and making those calls, right?

I have to be honest that while I have issues with the density of the development plan (even if it wasn’t being built on a toxic waste dump of a land parcel), where the issues never abate and concerns continue to grow is with the Pennsylvania DEP.  They are the constant from day 1 with Bishop Tube, and I think they concern me most of all (they are being so Limerick here aren’t they?)

So that being said, residents need to keep on going to meetings and call the DEP (717) 783-2300 is the main number in Harrisburg.    (484) 250-5900 is the number to the Southeast regional office in Norristown.  And keep calling State Senator Dinniman’s and State Rep Duane Milne’s offices too.

Bishop Tube is a site that could be redeveloped, but in my personal opinion with much less density AND after MORE remediation than is currently being discussed because of those buried vats or whatever that the former employees talk about and who can argue with that???

SEE:

I am guessing it is stay tuned on Bishop Tube, yes? But apparently Wednesday, residents get the evening off.  For any questions of why they are no longer on agenda please call East Whiteland Township.  

Final questions to leave everyone with: what does the EPA think of this site ?  You would think they knew all about it, right?  And what role or roles does politics play here and not merely local, but shall we say a larger scale?

Interior of Bishop Tube 2017 – photographer unknown – found on a community page

Interior of Bishop Tube 2017 – photographer unknown – found on a community page

Somewhere on Bishop Tube site  2017 – photographer unknown – found on a community page

 

Read this old Washington Post article about what TCE and other contaminants did to a town years ago:

By Benjamin Weiser March 13, 1989

 

another unexpected loss. good-bye tom murray.

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Tom at the Harriton House annual Plantation Fair in 2008 with reporter and photographer Ryan Richards.

Tom at the Harriton House annual Plantation Fair (Bryn Mawr, PA) in 2008 with then reporter and photographer Ryan Richards . Tom supported local events and he would pop up at many personally, not just send a reporter.

Yesterday I went to say good-bye to my friend Al Terrell.  This morning I am writing about saying good-bye to someone else I called friend.  Tom Murray, Managing Editor/Lead Content Manager of The Daily Local, our Chester County daily newspaper.

Yes Tom, yes Sam, I know…I just buried the lede. But it is like I have to get my head all wrapped around this. And this one is tough.

It was not quite a year ago that I wrote my blog post about Tom Murray coming on as managing editor of The Daily Local .

We had a joke he and I from way back when he took over for Warren Patton at then Main Line Life (eventually Tom’s job grew and he helped create the whole thing known as Main Line Media News and bring multiple papers together.) When he had come on board to Main Line Life, I had as a local blogger and community activist with the then fledgling Save Ardmore Coalition (back in the days of eminent domain for private gain in Ardmore) sent him an email welcoming the “new sheriff in town.”  He laughed and we became friends.  

Just like that.

These photos I am sharing are my favorites that I took of him. September 2008 at the Harriton House Fair in Bryn Mawr. And one he sent me when I said I wanted to write about him assuming the editorial helm at The Daily Local. The other is a newspaper box from Saturday. And a photo shared by whom he first referred to as “his lady” when he first told me about her, Terry Hardin.

Terry sent me this photo this morning. She loved him so much.

Terry sent me this photo. She loved him so much.

Tom gave a lot of us voices back in the day and today, and all my reader’s editorials were published under him. His “As I see it” columns for readers to have a voice.

But he also then became a friend.

I loved talking to Tom. He was a real daily newspaper guy. He was also a modern media guy and not afraid to try new things, new media platforms. He also was with Patch early on – when they were actually micro news sites and not just regurgitations and shameless re-publishers of the work of others that they are today.

When I was stiffed on fees for some freelance writing last year, he was someone whose wise counsel I sought.  What he told me left me better prepared to take on writing assignments after that.  And I loved the few choice words he had for the person who reneged on payment and said I was a lousy writer. “You know you can write, ” he told me “How many years did I edit what you wrote?”

Tom and Diane - photo taken at Harriton Fair 2008.

Tom and Diane – photo taken at Harriton Fair 2008.

I watched him support his late wife Diane through cancer and we all learned the hashtag #distrong . Like everyone else who knew him our hearts all broke a little when he lost Diane. And then when he met his Terry, we smiled and our hearts were happy.  He and Terry were to be married.

One of Tom’s photos from his Main Line Life Days when he also has a local access TV show.

I was at a dinner party Saturday night with my sweet man n Philadelphia when I checked my phone around 10:00 pm. At 9:47 pm my childhood friend Bob Robinson had messaged me to tell me he had heard from Tom’s son Ian that he had suffered a fatal heart attack around 7 pm. Bob and I shared Tom as a friend.

Behind me I heard the chatter of a happy dinner party as I stared at my phone re-reading Bob’s message. A surreal moment. There I am having a conversation with myself in my head “No, no, no. This can’t be true, it must be a mistake” and around me the cheerful banter of friends.

Because of Tom I got to know so many great people who I am lucky to call friends today. One of them, Cheryl Allison (who was a reporter at Main Line Media News for years) said to me

“I’ve never known anyone who was more passionate about the process of gathering and reporting the news. What many may not have known, but what I had the opportunity to witness, was how Tom delighted in finding, encouraging and mentoring talented young journalists starting their careers.”

Another friend, Caroline Mangan O’Halloran, who wrote for him when he was with Main Line Life and Main Line Media News and now pens the fabulous Savvy said to me

“I am terribly saddened by his loss. Tom was my boss at Main Line Life after Warren Patton. Tom and I bantered about (and disagreed) over many things, but he always played fair and shot straight. He respected everyone and was a kind and generous man. An old-fashioned newsman, he was a a truth teller. I too plan to pay him tribute in SAVVY.”

Truer words were never spoken.  He encouraged the inner writer in both professional writers and citizen journalists.   (And yes, perfectionists of the craft of writing I have done these two quotes like this on purpose.  They are beautiful and I want them to stand out.)

I started blogging before it was quite fashionable, and when I started it was often perceived as a bit scandalous and definitely controversial. He was an early champion, yet would call me out if he felt I could do better.

As I had mentioned earlier, during his many year tenure at Main Line Life/Main Line Media News I wrote a lot of reader’s editorials. I wasn’t the only one – Tom was a big believer in the vox populi or the voice of the people.  Tom is one the many traditional journalists I know that has helped me become a better writer. More importantly, this guy does good newspaper. He did the First Amendment and “sunshine” right.

And so I am writing about Tom for my blog. As I write I remember a really great guy and friend. And a man who was a true newspaperman, a dying breed indeed. True newspapermen are to journalism as cowboys were to founding the west. Mavericks, yet good and true. And so darn American if you want to distill it down.

I thought of Tom Saturday morning when we went over to the D.K. Diner in West Chester for a bite to eat in the afternoon. The first thing that greeted us before we went inside was a Daily News newspaper box.  Way back when in the days of Main Line Life I would always tell him if a box emptied out fast.  He liked to know which issues were selling big time.

img_0925

Life is fleeting.

RIP Tom Murray. So many of us will miss you. I had no idea when we spoke last week it would be for the last time. The future of true journalism just dimmed a little.

News— Obituaries Tom Murray, 54, of Folcroft, journalist and media leader

Updated: JANUARY 25, 2017 — 3:21 PM EST by Bonnie L. Cook, Staff Writer @cookb

The Heron’s Nest: RIP, Tom Murray – an ‘old school’ newspaperman

  • By Phil Heron editor@21st-centurymedia.com @philheron on Twitter
  • Jan 23, 2017

Tom Murray, old-school editor with love of the future, dies
By Michael Rellahan, Daily Local News
POSTED: 01/23/17, 5:00 PM EST

Tom Murray had sent me this photo a little over a year ago. Tom at work. He loved the newspaper business even when it frustrated him.

Tom Murray had sent me this photo a little over a year ago. Tom at work. He loved the newspaper business even when it frustrated him.

sometimes….it takes a really BIG and extended village

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Ebenezer AME on Bacton Hill Road has been my passion project the past few years as most of my friends and family  and readers know. 

 If my sweet man hadn’t stopped that winter’s day so I could take photos, I wouldn’t have found my USCT soldier Joshua.
I wrote about this  for three years straight  here until things started to click. I am grateful for the help of so many, especially Al Terrell and those amazing Willistown Troop 78 scouts.


We went from a crazy overgrown site that no one loved to today at Ebenezer in Frazer! 
Look at this and be happy – this is what it means to be an American. This is what it means to honor your history and the dead. This is what it means to honor some of our older veterans – as in from the Civil War.


A shout out to today’s guest star volunteers: WCU Student Veterans Group, WCU Men’s Rugby Club, and two WCU Fraternities, Sigma Epsilon (I don’t know if this should be Sigma Phi Epsilon?)  and FIJI. About 50 students total. Kelby Hershey is apparently the super hero at WCU who brought these folks together today for us—and a new grave was discovered!


It’s a shame that The Daily Local News hasn’t covered this yet. And once again, I have to say thanks to the Philadelphia Inquirer for giving us not one but two articles in 2016.


If any media out there can find it in their hearts to cover Ebenezer, kindly contact me. If there are those out there who want to volunteer, connect with Al Terrell. 

Thank you everyone for your interest. This is 184 years of history, amazing vibrant and important history, and we are all so thankful that so many are starting to realize it. 

Enjoy the photos!

I am closing with a quote that is a favorite of my friend Sara:

”Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Walk humbly with your God .”[Micah 6:8]