All balloon photos in this post are courtesy of Lee Ann Embrey and used with permission.
So balloons are kind of part of Chester County. Or they will be until there isn’t enough open space left for them to land.
My friend Barry owns US Flag Balloon, Space Shuttle Balloon, & Flighthouse Balloon. (They have a website and you can find them on Facebook too!) I have flown in his American Flag balloon on 9/11 before. It’s amazing.
All balloon photos in this post are courtesy of Lee Ann Embrey and used with permission.
Anyway yesterday they took the Space Shuttle Balloon up with some other ballooners. It was a perfect flight with a textbook safe landing as you can see from the photos one of my friends took, and well the video 6ABC and PHL17 published stories on their TV newscast talking of a Chester County balloon crash?
OMG 6abc Action News ! SERIOUSLY?? Do you even vet your viewer submitted stories for truth or accuracy? I know the pilot and balloon owner. That wasn’t “an emergency landing” , that was a plain old end of flight. (I can’t say much about PHL 17 because I did not see that report.)
They fly from point A to point B, land, and the ground chase team helps pack up the balloon and they are on their way.
All balloon photos in this post are courtesy of Lee Ann Embrey and used with permission.
Again, I flew in his American Flag balloon on 9/11 once. My husband and son were part of the ground chase team. Maybe you should APOLOGIZE and CORRECT the record for US Flag Balloon, Space Shuttle Balloon, & Flighthouse Balloon? If you were really nice maybe they would take you up for a ride sometime.
There was NO emergency here. Oy vey no wonder people complain about #FakeNews because this IS fake news.
Barry and company are all fine, and weather permitting the American Flag will be flying tomorrow (weather permitting and here is the event information on Facebook.)
When we saw the news (those of us who didn’t get a chance to watch the balloon go up, at first because of the “story” we thought our friend had crashed.
Not cool Action News, not cool at all.
All balloon photos in this post are courtesy of Lee Ann Embrey and used with permission.
Yesterday on the news I heard about a hit and run in Bryn Mawr, in Lower Merion Township where I used to live. At an intersection where I almost got hit several times over the years. The intersection is the big one at Lancaster Avenue and Bryn Mawr Avenue right where Bryn Mawr Trust Company is and across from Ludington Library. I held my breath every time I crossed, and played chicken with cars ignoring the stopped traffic and pedestrian crossing signal more than once. I hate that intersection for pedestrians.
This is a busy pedestrian intersection and on weekends there are things like the Bryn Mawr Farmers Market in the big municipal parking lot. Lots of the vendors who serve that Farmers Market hail from Chester County, incidentally.
This light has signals which are supposed to stop traffic in ALL directions for pedestrians. Only I have discovered that many impatient Main Line and other drivers often disregard this.
So why am I writing about this in Chester County? Because the truck that mowed down a mom and her twin children headed WEST on Route 30/ Lancaster Avenue, so who knows who may have seen the truck.
And this mom is part of a group I belong to called Philadelphia Social Media Moms. They sent out an e-blast a while ago asking people to tweet out the following:
Here is a tweet you can copy and paste. We are trying to raise awareness so the perpetrator will be caught: 6yr old in hospital, Black Ford F150 still at large. See something? Call police. #PSMM4Janeane http://ow.ly/ks5hi
By my calculations, 24 hours have passed since this incident. This mom has one child at home and one at DuPont in Wilmington.
This is not ol, and what this mom wrote to those of us who are part of this group chilled me to the bone. I will share an excerpt only:
It is a terrible thing to see your child hit so hard [they are ] knocked out of [their] shoes. Please know we appreciate all your kindness and help
This is one of the things I disliked most about living on the Main Line, and in particular, Lower Merion. They always talk a good game about pedestrian friendly communities and business districts, but the reality is often quite different. Like now.
This intersection is no stranger to horrific accidents, either. Here is a photo from July 2007. A woman named Maryjo Delvescovo, 43 died from her injuries in this accident. I remember at the time the media saying she left behind a child. This photo taken by a friend of mine is pretty raw:
Accident at same intersection in 2007
If you know anything about this accident, please call police ASAP! Police are asking for witnesses or anyone with information to contact them at (610) 649-1000 or (610) 645-6260.
It would be nice if the driver of this black pick up truck were to come forward on their own of course.
This is why I wish more municipalities around here enforced pedestrian cross-walks more like they do in other places including New York State and Washington, D.C.
I am just sitting here shaking my head as I type. I remember having conversations with one local politician in particular about this very intersection in the past. I said at the time I was afraid a pedestrian would get hit. Mind you, I completely expect this politician to have a large case of political Alzheimer’s when it comes to this.
Please…if you know anything come forward. Everyone else, please say a prayer for this family whose children and mom were hit.
Lower Merion police are asking for the public’s help with information on the truck or the driver who stuck a woman and her two children crossing Lancaster and Bryn Mawr avenues Thursday afternoon. One of those children remains hospitalized in Delaware with head injuries.
According to police, the woman and her five-year-old twins were crossing Lancaster when the driver of a black pickup truck going north from Bryn Mawr onto west on Lancaster Avenue stuck them.
….One of the children was taken to Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., overnight Thursday for a head injury….The driver failed to stop and continued going west on Lancaster Avenue toward Villanova. The vehicle was described as a full-sized black pickup truck similar to a Ford F-150.
When I saw a post on a friend’s Facebook wall this evening from one of their friends, I had to read it half a dozen times to make sure I wasn’t reading incorrectly. When I read what I read I started to cry, and also thought I would throw up. It was Just. That. Awful.
Here:
I have to ask why these things happen in West Vincent Township? I am told this occurred in West Vincent Township within the last week? This is crazy and it is sick and this guy shooting up dogs should not be able to hide behind antiquated farming statutes.
Do we really believe this guy with the gun doesn’t know his neighbors’ dogs? Do we believe that he really gave these dogs a chance? Can it be said if he had, they would be with their humans?
I am generally speaking a big supporter of farmers, and I get how farmers do not want livestock worried in a field. The thing is this: if you are a farmer or are dog saavy you know when a dog is herding, playing, or attacking.
Oh and here is a voicemail left for a neighbor (who turned this over to grieving family and police apparently) by the dog shooter:
I just don’t believe this farmer guy did not have any options other than to gun down two dogs who could still be considered puppies. The family knows nothing can bring back these beloved pets. But they do feel there should be some accountability – the wife said to me in a note:
[We] know that nothing will bring our pups back, but if we could save another family from having to go through this, we would do anything. This man will do this again, I know this in my heart. He is using this law as justification and is showing absolutely no remorse
These people have little kids. How the heck do you tell little kids their neighbor shot their beloved dogs? And yes I get there are laws designed to protect farmers, but most of the farmers I know wouldn’t just shoot puppies. They might round up the dogs and turn them over to animal control for return to their families but they wouldn’t just gun down a neighbor’s pets.
My heart bleeds for these people. I think West Vincent resdients should bring this up in person at the next township meeting. I think the media should investigate. I think the Chester County SPCA and Humane Society should investigate.
2.20.2013 UPDATE:
I am told by sources that the Chester County SPCA is going out to investigate today? Here is hoping they check things out thoroughly. Sources tell me this guy really isn’t much of a farmer that the sheep mostly keep his lawn cut? Also if this guy is in a R2 (think that is the residential zone) in West Vincent, does he legally have enough acres to keep farm animals/livestock which is what sheep are? If his acreage with the amassed lots he owns is under 10 acres how does that work? I mean out there you must have a minimum of 2 acres to keep one horse for personal use, right? But farm animals are different and how many years has this guy had sheep? I ask because is it not true if he does NOT have the correct acreage he could be in violation of current zoning and prior to the 2010 revisions as well? Are all his grazing or “pasture” areas fenced in? Is he connected over there or something? Also, if this guy is in a residential zone, is he compliant with PA gaming laws in a residential area with regard to the safety zone for discharging rifles and shot guns?
I had more farmers contact me today. Some who were very amusing to me because they scoffed at the idea of this guy really being a farmer. (I don’t know so I leave it up to the experts as it were.) Including one who said he had to shoot a feral dog years ago because it mauled and killed two of his sheep – he said he hated to do it, but in that case the dog was wild and was caught in the act. This farmer said to me if he had seen these dog he would have maybe fired a warning shot, but most likely he would have plunked them in a stall in his barn and called the police to return the dogs to the owners with a warning.
I found a reference to PA law below – not a lawyer, not sure if it applies, but read it:
§ 2505. Safety zones. (a) General rule.–Except as otherwise provided in this
title or to any political subdivision, its employees or agents,
which has a valid deer control permit issued under section
2902(c) (relating to general categories of permits), it is
unlawful for any person, other than the lawful occupant, while
hunting game or wildlife, taking furbearers of any kind, or
pursuing any other privilege granted by this title, to hunt for,
take, trap, pursue, disturb or otherwise chase any game or
wildlife or to discharge, for any reason, any firearm, arrow or
other deadly weapon within or through a safety zone, or to shoot
at any game or wildlife while it is within the safety zone
without the specific advance permission of the lawful occupant
thereof. (b) Penalty.–A violation of this section is a summary
offense punishable by a fine of not less than $200 nor more than
$500. A second or subsequent offense within two calendar years
is a summary offense punishable by a fine of not less than $500
nor more than $1,000. (c) Definition.–As used in this section, the term “safety
zone” means:
(1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2), the
area within 150 yards around and that area which is below the
highest point of any occupied dwelling house, residence, or
other building or camp occupied by human beings, or any barn,
stable, or other building used in connection therewith or any
attached or detached playground of any school, nursery school
or day-care center.
(2) When applied to properly licensed persons hunting
with bow and arrow or crossbow, the area within 50 yards
around and that area which is below the highest point of any
occupied dwelling house, residence or other building or camp
occupied by human beings or any barn, stable or other
building used in connection therewith and the area within 150
yards around and that area which is below the highest point
of any attached or detached playground of any school, nursery
school or day-care center.
(Nov. 25, 1988, P.L.1082, No.125, eff. imd.; Mar. 29, 1996,
P.L.41, No.13, eff. imd.; Dec. 19, 1996, P.L.1442, No.184, eff.
60 days; June 28, 2002, P.L.474, No.79, eff. 60 days; June 23,
2004, P.L.435, No.43, eff. July 1, 2004)
Cross References. Section 2505 is referred to in section
2741 of this title.
So this Bing image shows how residential this is, right? Maybe Chester CountyDA needs to look at discharge of weapons in R2 zone ? Do you all not see
numerous dwellings that *possibly* could be well within the 450 ft gun safety zone? I am told the area where he keeps the sheep is fenced, but in poor repair, with a section patched with plastic garden fence? If dogs as big as sheep can get in, sheep can get out, right? Again, is he possibly in potential violation of zoning and gun laws? Pine Drive is the first development approved in WVT in the late 60’s or early 70’s, correct?Isn’t it the only development ever approved with 1 ACRE LOTS? So what about that safety zone in the entire residential development and discharging a weapon? Guns are a hot nationwide topic are they not? Even in PA?
FIVE people have sent me photos. Here are the ones pertinent to this discussion:
