So if you were part of Greek life in college, and I was, you know that pledge classes of fraternities have certain rituals they are responsible for completing. And that is not necessarily one and the same, but can be part of things that people would categorize as hazing…. especially if the task at hand is not completed.
According to Bill Rettew of the Daily Local, fraternity members are stealing bricks out of the historic sidewalks of West Chester University. This is based upon an interview with local residents:
Why are the historic bricks from the borough’s brick sidewalks disappearing?
Are they wearing out and not being replaced, stolen to replace those bad bricks by neighbors, or according to one neighbor, part of a long-time West Chester University fraternity hazing ritual, or is something else happening?
Sean Barry lives in the Southeast region of the borough where most of the students who rent live, and the fraternity houses are located. His bricks mysteriously started disappearing from his sidewalk.
He returned from his honeymoon to learn from the borough that he was responsible to repair and replace the bricks or face a fine…..The damage was widespread and the sidewalk bricks or pavers are no longer made. Barry sought an estimate and was told by a professional contractor that the bill would come to between $10,000 and $13,000 to repair his sidewalk. A simple Google search shows that several contractors will repair or replace brick or paver sidewalks for thousands of dollars.
Barry spent 11 hours repairing the sidewalk himself, with the aid of a friend. The thefts continue and bricks are currently missing from Barry’s sidewalk.
Barry witnessed a young male removing a brick from his sidewalk. He confronted him and asked the youth why he was removing the brick and was told that he was a member of a West Chester University fraternity and it was part of the pledging process and he had to collect a number of sidewalk bricks to fulfill a “quota.” The alleged student would not give his name or the name of a fraternity to Barry….Elizabeth Nebel lives on South Walnut Street. She sees some neighbors paving the bricks over with concrete and wonders if it is because of the thefts, and if consequently, West Chester will lose some of its charm.
Barry agrees.
“The bricks are a big part of the town,” he said. “It’s part of the charm.
“But brick by brick we’re losing what makes West Chester special.”
Barry said that he’s happy to live in the Southeast.
“We know it’s a select few and most are good neighbors,” he said. “I’m good to have students as neighbors, but the density comes with unique challenges.”
Now, when I read through the article, I noticed that West Chester University was kind of playing Pontius Pilate. Look that’s somewhat typical for schools with a big off-campus population. They say they can’t be responsible for their kids, yet they are, aren’t they?
And the fraternities’ national organizations are also responsible for their charges. It doesn’t take much to look up the fraternities currently active at West Chester, and not even includes ones that aren’t officially recognized. Sometimes fraternities are also suspended, I don’t know if they list them on West Chester‘s website or not. West Chester also maintains documentation of recent or relatively recent issues within their Greek community so to speak as far as hazing and what not. I also found this report- https://cm.maxient.com/chtr.php?WestChesterUniv
So these bricks levitating from sidewalks around the Borough of West Chester near the fraternities isn’t like typical hazing per se, but I am sure it is part of some initiation process. Now it’s relatively harmless if you take it at its face, except it’s destroying historic sidewalks.
As a historic town, West Chester will have lots of visitors, undoubtedly during America’s 250 celebration this summer. If you were “Greek” in college, please look at the attached list of organizations pertaining to Greek life with chapters on this college campus please contact your national organization an please ask them to ask the students to just knock it off and return what they’ve taken.
All of these organizations have service projects that they generally do, and a lot of times they do it right in their local communities where their chapters are located. It would be really nice to return the bricks.
There is a major article in the Philadelphia Business Journal about West Chester being given the Schiffer Farm at 1469 Morstein as a monumental donation and East Whiteland buying 52 acres at $4.7 million for open space. That is why East Whiteland voters passed the open space referendum last fall. That means dear readers, that saving this land is officially done and dusted!
The article mentions how West Chester University Provost Jeff Osgood said “West Chester did not want to engage in development for the sake of development” but isn’t that confusing given the back and forth in the past about what was it? 15 acres of this property that are mostly in West Whiteland and a wee bit in East Goshen? You know the land that backs up to where is it? Old Phoenixville Pike? Was that land sold before the rest was donated? (I never asked that before, did you?) West Whiteland is about preservation, but East Goshen today? Who knows as that township has changed.
This property straddles more than one municipality, and the thing I find sad is Durango Farm which has operated out of there for years will be relocating. It was in the article, but I had heard that a couple of months ago, elsewhere. I loved seeing the horses swishing their tails on the hill of the front field on Morstein. What East Whiteland acquired is called Ridley Springs, something else I didn’t now since we all just know it as “Schiffer Farm.”
The horses I am guessing will have to be relocated by or before renovation of the land occurs in 2026. Some buildings are reported as decrepit on the site, so while some structures I am guessing will be preserved, some will be removed… or that is what I was told when I asked a while ago. I will miss the horses, but it perhaps was not as easy having horses over there given the people who treated them like a petting zoo and would just wander up and neighbors in the past also told me people would try and feed them which you never do without permission, just like you don’t wander onto land with horses or live stock without permission.
The Philadelphia Business Journal also reported that this land in transition would present learning opportunities for students as well. Something about a collaborative process between the West Chester University kids and East Whiteland to transform a farm into a nature preserve and park. That’s pretty cool.
(An aside is Philadelphia Business Journal is well worth a subscription, although expensive.)
What would also be cool? Since there is open land not wooded, wouldn’t it be a great place for an observatory and wasn’t there one around the area once upon a time?
Also as I am a big gardener, I am a fan of what has happened at Bondsville Mill Park thanks to David Culp. I also would like to see organic community garden plots. That property has tons of deer, so that would require fencing.
West Chester University will use proceeds of the land for scholarships and financial aid, which as well all know for colleges and universities across the country is under attack courtesy of the current administration in Washington D.C.
Here is the full text of Chair of The East Whiteland Supervisors speech. I asked for it because it is such a great thing to have happened in an ugly world and thank you East Whiteland Township for getting it:
Good afternoon, I’m Scott Lambert, Chairman of the East Whiteland Township Board of Supervisors. Today, I’m honored to stand before you and share this truly exciting news, a process that began 2.5 yrs ago which for municipal time lines is a fast turnaround …news that reflect the very best of what can happen when a community comes together with a shared purpose.
East Whiteland Township is proud of the forthcoming acquisition and permanent preservation of a truly special piece of land—RIDLEY SPRINGS FARM.
This milestone is not just about preserving open space, it’s about legacy, vision, and above all, it’s about Improving our community. In 2023, the generous anonymous donor approached the Townships of East Whiteland, East Goshen, and West Whiteland with an opportunity to preserve over 52 acres of beautiful countryside. After thoughtful discussions and deep consideration, East Whiteland Township stepped forward as the only municipality ready to commit to preserving this land for the public good……….. But we couldn’t do it alone.
Thanks to a vital partnership from the West Chester University Foundation—who graciously stepped in to temporarily acquire the land—we were able to act swiftly while securing funding for long-term stewardship. And thanks to the strong support of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Chester County, our County Commissioners Marion Moskowitz , Josh Maxwell who graciously cleared their calendar for a hastily arranged meeting that helped turn the tide.
To our state representatives of Senator Katie Muth and Representative Kristine Howard, The staff at Carolynn Comita’s office that offered some good advice and most importantly the 4044 residents of East Whiteland Township, who voted in favor of the new Open Space Tax, we secured nearly $1.87 million in grant funding to make this dream a reality. This isn’t just about protecting open space, it’s also about creating a vibrant, lasting resource for generations to come …. Our vision for the property reflects a mission deeply rooted in conservation. We will honor WITH THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY the original wishes of the anonymousfamily….. that this land is not developed for commercial, residential, or industrial use. Instead, we’re transforming it into a public nature preserve and park— a place where all are welcome to enjoy …..the best of our ability includes our fierce opposition to pending state House Bill 502 which would strip local government of the power to make land use and zoning ordinances decisions related to large scale energy production facilities -handing it instead to a 7 member politically appointed board in Harrisburg .
On June 12 Nick Cohen a CEO of an energy company, testified in Harrisburg in support of this bill had these comments about local elected officials:
X They should stick to chicken coop and garage decisions X They did not get in the business of local government to make decisions about land use.
Perhaps Mr. Cohen should review the PA MPC /SALDO … this type of overreach further under scores the importance of this transaction. And I hope our voting representatives will not approve this bill in the current state and respect the importance of local municipal input.
While we have much planning to do to prepare this space for public use, here’s a look at what’s ahead:
A beautiful network of scenic hiking and walking trails
A brand-new trailhead and pocket park for rest and recreation
Designated spaces for community events—like 5K races, family fun days, nature walks, and wellness programs…. these details will include input from our community/stakeholders
This land will be a sanctuary and a place where future generations can explore, learn, and thrive. On behalf of the East Whiteland Township Board of Supervisors, I want to thank a who’s who of super people (everyone ) who helped bring this vision over the finish line -the anonymous family, our Township team, Chester County Commissioners, Senator Muth, Representative Howard and Chris Pielli, State Senator Comitta, the West Chester University Foundation, our grant partners at DCNR and Chester County, West Whiteland for agreeing to the annexation of 1 acre of their property and our 4044 residents or 56% of the voting community that supported the preservation of open space.
Thank you all for your commitment to helping preserve this land for public enjoyment for generations to come.
I close with saying everyone should thank East Whiteland Supervisor Scott Lambert. He doesn’t take enough credit for the mountains he moved to get this done.
These are tough times to be a small neighborhood. I am writing today about a neighborhood just up West King Road past Weston in West Whiteland Township. The street is Old Phoenixville Pike. It’s a little neighborhood on a tiny road that is a dead end street. And to me, in my opinion, it’s potentially under siege.
This is a sweet neighborhood I think. Little houses, maybe not so Chester County farmhouse historic, but important to their owners, nonetheless. It’s a narrow dead end street. So when unusual things happen, like trucks you don’t normally see, people notice.
So in the fall I guess it was, I started hearing about this neighborhood when the Weston Tract on West King Road was being discussed. Why? The neighbors back there have been on alert because of a developer sniffing around.
There were many West Whiteland residents who spoke up that recent December night, when Weston was discussed. Among them were the residents over on Old Phoenixville Pike who are also trying to figure out exactly what a developer is doing back behind their neighborhood since somebody keeps doing perc tests or something. Some poor older gentleman spoke about getting his property torn up every time they send an excavator through, and I think that’s horrible. No plans have been filed and that’s what the John Weller from West Whiteland Township said that December night, but obviously something is going on if a developer is doing testing.
John Weller also made a comment that evening about Phoenixville Pike being narrow where those former helicopter warehouses are. BUT…the other side of West King, where those people in that small neighborhood on Old Phoenixville Pike also have a very narrow street, perhaps not even as wide as Phoenixville Pike across King. Another thing to note is neighbors are also concerned there about development happening because the land that’s being tested apparently also has 5 acres that are actually in East Goshen.
A little bit before this all occurred, a West Whiteland resident had reached out about this:
There have been surveyors galore on Old Phoenixville Pike telling residents they plan to build homes or something on the old farming area behind their homes. Supposedly, there is only one way into that property due to an easement the farmer produced back in the 1970s and no other entry or exit around the perimeter. It’s kind of crazy they would put so much traffic on a no outlet road…seems like it could be a safety concern. A developer has been reaching out to residents about drilling back there, but the township claims they haven’t heard anything. Guess it’s time to keep an eye on those agendas!
~ Old Phoenixville PIKE resident November 2023
What I learned then was some neighbors were getting outreach from this developer. There were surveyors all over and maybe some notices or something? (I haven’t personally seen any notices or anything but this is what I was told.) And then came what must have been boring or digging for those perc tests or whatever since you have to perc properly before development occurs, yes? That meant excavators. Big equipment in a tiny neighborhood. If this development goes through, the street is so tiny, existing residents are not only concerned about car lights in their windows constantly, but losing land because (again) the street is tiny narrow. It’s like 14 feet wide maybe?
How would development work? Or would it only work if the developer acquired more land and how would they do that if no residents want to sell? Would West Whiteland stick up for existing residents?
Then around the beginning of December a resident heard pec test number 1 was a fail, but number 2 was OK? I don’t know from perc tests but it struck me as potentially curious.
A percolation test (known as a perc test) is a test to determine the water absorption rate of soil (that is, its capacity for percolation) in preparation for the building of a septic drain field (leach field) or infiltration basin. The results of such a test area a must to properly design a septic system or decide if something goes public sewer. A perc test consists of digging one or more holes in the soil of the proposed leach field to a specified depth, presoaking the holes by maintaining a high water level in the holes, then running the test by filling the holes to a specific level and timing the drop of the water level as the water percolates into the surrounding soil. There are various formulas I am told for determining the required size of a leach field based on the size of a development, the percolation test results, and other parameters.
For leach line testing, test holes are drilled or dug. I read these should be drilled to different depths from three to six feet below the surface. Testing of these holes will result in a value with units of minutes per inch. This value is then correlated to a predetermined county health code to establish the exact size of the leach field.
Testing for horizontal pits typically requires five to eight test holes drilled in a straight line, or along a common contour, from three to ten feet below the surface. Testing is identical to leach line testing, though the result is a different type of septic system, established through a different calculation.
Recently I was told West Whiteland Supervisor Brian Dunn did meet with residents back there and walked their neighborhood. I was not privy to that, but I can tell you the residents were so grateful to him because literally an old timer said in 50 years no one ever came back there to listen to them or visit. I think that’s a disgrace, but with what West Whiteland has been dealing with the couple of years or so cleaning up after old managers and administrations, can you say it’s no wonder?
So West Chester University was given this land by the former landowner it seems?
I received a message on New Year’s Day….as in a holiday, a holiday around the world. The message I was sent was that supposedlysome lawyer or someone for they think West Chester University called some neighbor on New Year’s Day about a shed on an easement I think it was? If true who does that on a holiday? Bully much? It could not have waited until a business day?
Old Phoenixville Pike residents are also constantly bringing up that part of that acreage potentially at play is in East Goshen. That means whenever this whatever pops will it be presented in East Goshen or West Whiteland or both?
Of course this all makes you wonder what is going to happen with the rest of the Schiffer Farm, doesn’t it? Isn’t this a tail end of it? Because if I read the names on the deed right, same names as farm on Morstein with all those wonderful horses, yes? And that’s in two townships too, right? And East Whiteland is right next door over a fence literally.
So the neighbors of Old Phoenixville Pike are extremely concerned with the flooding of their neighborhood. They don’t want to become the storm water run off dump off to new development, either so they are legitimately fearful, aren’t they? With development planned for Weston, and whatever is going on on those West Chester University acres behind them on Old Phoenixville Pike, in 2024 West Whiteland needs to start helping them out sooner rather than later, right?
Post storm photos shared with me come next – from a few different storms. Essentially just like Meadowbrook Manor in West Whiteland. When it rains it can be a problem.
Also back in that area I have to ask, is that a legit landscape or wood business we drive by on 1377 Phoenixville Pike? I thought that was zoned residential but when I asked another person I know from around that way they said always full of trucks and a lot of noise. Also West Whiteland.
But I digress.
Back to Old Phoenixville Pike.
West Chester University could do something other than flip gifted land to a developer. They offer environmental degree programs correct? Why not use this gift for good? So it’s what? 15 acres of nature as in environment? Couldn’t they actually do something related to nature and the environment with the land and NOT sell to a developer? Build an arboretum? Or sell to a nature conservancy perhaps? I mean hello Chester County has a few right?
My entire life I have loved small neighborhoods and open space. You can actually combine small neighborhoods and open space.
Well that’s all I have got. No one seems to really know what’s going on, only that something obviously will happen given the activity onto these acres behind the small neighborhood on Old Phoenixville Pike. Those West Whiteland residents matter. All of the residents in multiple townships in that area matter. Between this and Weston and who knows what else, it’s an area to watch closely. After all, life happens while you’re making other plans.
Happy New Year. Let’s do more in 2024 to preserve where we call home.
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]
How do you write about a man that everyone described as amazing, kind , giving and generous just for starters?
Suffice it to say that it was really difficult and so wonderful all at the same time to dig into the life of the amazing Dick Yoder, former Mayor of West Chester and institution at West Chester University who passed away a few days ago.
To take this journey, I was guided not only by my editor Lance at Vista.Today but by many present and former West Chester notables like current Mayor Carolyn Comitta (and Tom Comitta!) and former Mayor Tom Chambers and Chairman of the Chester County GOP Val DiGiorgio,, Gneneral Manager Bill Mason of WCHE 1520 AM, and former West Chester Borough Manager Ernie McNeely.
What a guy Dick Yoder was! I wish I had met him. I hope my words do him justice. I am only featuring an excerpt of my article here – please visit Vista.Today to read it in its entirety.
Richard “Dick” Yoder, a native West Chester son and two-term Mayor of West Chester, passed away last Sunday, May 1. He was 79 years old.
….Yoder ran for West Chester Mayor in 2001 and again in 2005. He was elected both times. After reaching the eight-year term limit, Yoder he was succeeded by Carolyn Comitta in 2010.
Mayor Comitta, who served on Borough Council during Yoder’s tenure as mayor, credited Yoder as her inspiration to seek higher public office.
“When I was thinking of running for mayor I met with him regularly at Gramm’s Kitchen. We would have lunch and I would ask what it was like to be mayor; what makes a good mayor. He was always generous with his time,” Comitta said. “After I was elected, I continued to have lunch with him regularly. I continued to learn.”
…..Former West Chester Mayor Tom Chambers issued a brief statement about the loss of his dear friend Dick Yoder:
“Dick and I were both born and raised in West Chester and I have known his family practically all my life. We were personal friends. We were also fellow former members of the U.S. Marine Corps……I have lost a good friend and comrade. My condolences and heartfelt sympathy go out to his wife, Jean, and his great family. It was my privilege to have known him and I am grateful that he counted me as one of his many good friends.”
Ernie McNeely, Borough Manager during most of Yoder’s tenure and current Township Manager of Lower Merion, described Yoder as a true gentleman.
“Dick Yoder was a dedicated public servant. He transcended any political label as Mayor of West Chester and had broad support from all parts of the community,” said Val DiGiorgio, chairman of the Republican Party of Chester County, echoing McNeely’s comments…..WCHE General Manager Bill Mason described Dick Yoder as Mr. West Chester. “It was literally god, country, family, and West Chester,” Mason said. “To meet him was to become a friend. He was beloved by everyone he came in contact with.”
Also check out this video tribute done in 2015 when he received Citizen of the Year from The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce:
The behavior exhibited this past weekend is quite simply put: unacceptable. Who wants that kind of behavior and activity occurring in our county seat only blocks from the Chester County Courthouse? No one.
And if this whole debacle can indeed be tracked back to those “I’m Shmacked” people, here’s hoping the District Attorney is a little bit proactive and finds a way legally to deal with this and hold all accountable who should be held accountable.
In February 2012 I ironically wrote a post about this whole shmacked stupidity. At that point in time the organization “I’m Shmacked” came up in connection with a startling series of events at Lower Merion High School. I had said (at the time) that this was germane to folks in Chester County because basically this nonsense could occur anywhere. I wasn’t trying to be psychic, it is just common sense and here we are.
This Shmacked Movement is this project by Arya Toufanian, 20 (?), of Potomac, Md and Jeffrie “Yofray” Ray, a 2011 graduate of Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, PA . In a nutshell it is like girls gone wild for the college party scene.
So if “I’m Shmacked” is behind this, enough is enough. What happened over the weekend in the Borough of West Chester could have resulted in serious injuries and even someone getting seriously hurt or killed.
West Chester University needs to do more here than say they will hold students accountable under their honor code or whatever. Those students who are responsible need to be ejected. West Chester Borough has worked too hard to fix up that town and make it attractive to more than those searching for a good kegger. It is admirable that the University is cooperating with police, but they need to do as much as possible to see that nothing like this ever happens again. And quite frankly, unless students responsible get permanently booted from the University who is to say it won’t happen again?
I hate to sound like a Purtian, but this is why no one ever wants off campus college students as neighbors. Let’s get real, no one wants college students to NOT have fun, but fun should not include destroying property and possibly harming others. And parties like this one which turned into essentially a riot in West Chester will follow these kids for a long, long time. And I have to ask at the end of the day is one kegger worth possibly ruining your immediate future over? Is the behavior at this party the same kind of behavior these kids would exhibit in their parents’ homes? I sure hope not.
I am not going to go into the whole hazards of binge drinking, violent drunken behavior in some, or drunk driving. We all watch the news and we know the reality there. Besides, everyone knows when you are the age of most of these college students you feel invincible and untouchable by reality. Well, they felt untouched by reality…I daresay some of them involved were wishing life was a little less real right now.
Sign me tired of exceedingly stupid and destructive behavior related to alcohol. I know I am not the only one – read this post on “From The Editor’s Chair”
Here is selected coverage on this – there is so much I can’t capture it all:
WEST CHESTER — A 1993 graduate of West Chester University who asked to remain anonymous said he may stop donating to the university after witnessing Saturday’s wild party on Walnut Street.
“I used to give on occasion to WCU, but I doubt I will anymore,” he said. “There may be a lot of great students, but I didn’t see much care from the hundreds that were around me on what was happening.”
He said he saw the events unravel in the early afternoon as he turned his car into the 400 block of Walnut Street on his way home to East Goshen.
He said he stopped his car and was unable to drive forward with the mass of people in the street. Unsure of what was happening, he said, he was boxed in by all the people surrounding his car.
“It seemed like we (the drivers) might just be there for a bit while the drunk students were milling about,” he said. “It lasted a while with no movement, and then the crowd started to get nasty.”…He said he had heard someone in the crowd say the pole was used to smash a car window. And when he later drove past, he saw a parked car’s window had been broken….In between calls to the 911 dispatcher, he took a photograph. At that point, people were standing on parked cars. While in the center of the crowd, he said, he was “worried if my car was next.”
His 14-year-old daughter was in the car with him, he said, and she was scared, too.
WEST CHESTER — Frustrated party guests flipped a car onto its side Saturday afternoon after police broke up a beer blast that organizers were warned not to start. Witnesses said the party was based on a YouTube video called “I’m Shmacked”.
“Booze and education don’t mix,” said West Chester police Lt. William Morris.
Two people were arrested in what Police Chief Scott Bohn described as a “mass disturbance.” In a news release issued Saturday, police classified the incident as a “riot.”….Police said Zachary Geanotes, 19, of Villanova, was charged with riot, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, furnishing alcohol to minors and underage drinking.
Police said Andrew Derr, 19, of Willow Grove, was charged for failure of disorderly persons to disperse, forgery, underage drinking and carrying a false identification card….The West Chester police were assisted by Westtown East Goshen, West Goshen and West Chester University police as the crowd was dispersed.
“I’m Shmacked,” a production company that specializes in video of teens and college students having wild parties, is being implicated in the near riot that led to a flipped car on S. Walnut Street in West Chester this weekend, Action News reported.
According to Philly.com, “I’m Shmacked” was co-founded by 2011 Lower Merion High School graduate Jeffrie Ray.
Police have arrested three people in connection to a wild West Chester party in which guests flipped a car onto its side.
Police were called to a home in the 400 block of South Walnut Street around 12:42 p.m. Saturday after neighbors complained of loud noise. Police say several college students were among the hundreds of people in attendance.
“We saw a cop come maybe a half hour after it started,” said Andrea Lavish, a West Chester student. “I asked, ‘are you going to shut it down?’ She said, ‘I’m not sure yet,’ and she let it continue. Then about 45 minutes later more cops came and shut it down.”
