By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Brookhaven voters on Nov. 8th will choose three people from among six candidates to serve on Borough Council for a four-year term. Incumbent Democrat Janice Sawicki, former Councilman Michael Ruggieri and newcomer James LaPera, Jr. are running against Republican incumbent Daniel McCray, and newcomers Donna Fooks and Susan Rendler-Truesdale. Sawicki, 60, a [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Blackthorn Lane residents Kathy and Jeff Resnick are known for the elaborate Christmas display they have been creating for the past several years. But the surprise and historically record-setting snowfall that hit the area on Saturday gave the Resnick family the opportunity to take their creativity to a whole new level. Heads [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com A decision by the Aston Board of Commissioners to forego using the township’s leaf collection vacuum machine and instead require residents to place leaves in biodegradable bags has angered some residents, especially senior citizens. At last week’s commissioners meeting, senior citizen John Ford said it was much easier to put leaves at [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com F or his courage, professionalism and leadership, Aston Police Sergeant Jeffrey Brown, during last week’s Board of Commissioners meeting, was awarded the police department’s Medal of Valor, it’s highest honor. Police Chief Dan Ruggieri, who presented the medal, said Brown’s “courage and devotion to duty was extraordinary.” On July 4th, the Central [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com S unny skies provided a perfect backdrop for Sunday’s official dedication of the 9/11 Memorial at the Rocco Gaspari, Sr. Park in Lower Chichester Township. Surrounded by a hand built stone wall and flags representing the United States, firefighters and police, the centerpiece of the memorial, a four-foot, 800 pound beam, which [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com D ressed in poodle skirts and pony tails, members and volunteers of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Delaware County celebrated its 39th year of providing volunteer services last week with a 50’s theme luncheon at the Lazaretto Ballroom in Essington. In addition to lunch, the afternoon’s activities included a [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com T rainer Borough Councilman Greg Miley, at the conclusion of last week’s Council meeting, read a statement on behalf of his employer to quell a rumor that has been circulating for several weeks. “There is no basis to the rumors or innuendos that the Congoleum Corporation is shutting down its operations in [...]
M eghan Kok, a 16 year-old member of Aston Presbyterian Church (APC), along with the pastor, Rev. Jane Ritterson, and members of Compassion Corps leave Nov. 5th for a two-week special mission to Uganda. “I first heard of Compassion Corps when Jan Bean and Beth McMillen came to our church for a special mission luncheon. [...]
Hundreds enjoy annual Kids Fun Fair More than 500 people attended the eighth annual Kids Fun Fair sponsored by Sen. Dominic Pileggi (R-9) at Sun Valley High School in Aston last Saturday. “This fair is a fun way for the senator to provide his constituents state-related information,” said Michelle Lewis, event organizer. The fair featured [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com P enn-Delco School District Director of Facilities Tom Calvecchio died Friday evening at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Calvecchio, 53, was born in Philadelphia, raised in Lansdowne and was a 1976 graduate of Lansdowne-Aldan High School. Calvecchio moved to Aston Township in 1999 and has been employed by the Penn-Delco School [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com A dministrators, teachers, students and parishioners gathered last week to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the opening of St. Joseph School in Aston. Following mass, the congregation made its way to the school next door where St. Joseph pastor, Rev. Robert Vogan, presided over the school’s rededication. “May this school continue to [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com More than 3,000 residents attended Aston Township’s 10th annual Community Day last Saturday on the grounds of the Community Center. Sponsored by the Aston Business Association, the day’s events included a parade, business expo, book sale, and countless activities for children including several moon bounces, big slide, face painting and a bike [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com A bi-partisan political effort is underway to save at least 1,000 direct jobs and potentially hundreds of others that would be affected in four southeastern Delaware County communities if the Sunoco Marcus Hook and ConocoPhillips refineries close unless a buyer is found. Last week’s news that both facilities would be shuttered has [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com R ain did not dampen the spirits of the more than 1,200 Brookhaven residents who attended the 25th anniversary of Family Day on Saturday. From great food to games, demonstrations, music and informational booths, it appeared that everyone there had a good time. “(I take) this opportunity to thank all of our [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com M elissa Ann Lash, 31, of Aston Township, has been charged with six counts of theft, six counts of receiving stolen property, possession of a controlled substance and operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license. According to police, Lash, a cleaning [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com U pper Chichester Commissioners President James Stewart attended last week’s Lower Chichester commissioners meeting and apologized for the publication of a survey that made disparaging remarks about Lower Chichester Township. Commissioned by Upper Chichester Township, the survey was designed to gather information relating to economic revitalization, and included questions relating to demographics, [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com From entertainment and great food to rides, games and Pirates galore, the communities of Marcus Hook, Parkside and Trainer last weekend basked in community pride and spirit. “We come to this event every year,” said Marcus Hook resident Marcia Reynolds. “I enjoy the variety of food and music and my kids totally [...]
By PhilPerrone pperrone@chesterspirit.com Early last Friday evening, a small crowd began to form in the parking lot of Sun Valley High School and along Pancoast Ave. Soon, fire truck sirens would be heard from the distance, ushering in the start of the annual Sun Valley Homecoming Parade. As the minutes ticked by, swarms of Sun [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Cocco’s Pizzeria and Pub in Aston was robbed early Saturday morning and thieves got away with an undisclosed amount of cash. Cocco’s owner, Bruce Bley, is asking for the public’s help in providing information which would lead to the apprehension of the individual or individuals responsible. Bley said there was no evidence [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Several communities held touching and solemn ceremonies to honor first responders, soldiers and the brave men and women who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. A beam from the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City was transported with honor throughout communities of Southeastern Delaware County. [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Family and Community Days, festivals, and picnics are being held throughout our coverage areas over the next few weekends. These events, which take place annually, are intended to provide fun for families and promote community pride and unity. Marcus Hook The annual Marcus Hook Riverfront Festival celebrates its rich history; this year [...]
An Open Letter to the Community By Mayor Wendell N. Butler, Jr. If you ask why I want to be Mayor, the answer is simple. Chester is my home. It is the place where I raised my children. It is [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Brookhaven resident Lucille Lavner has lived in the Hilltop Condominiums for more than 33 years. She has a beautiful home and until about a year ago, was enjoying life. That was until she began finding bats in her living room and bedroom. Now Lavner says she’s living a “nightmare” and has asked [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Family, friends, neighbors, borough officials and residents gathered Saturday afternoon at the Brookhaven Municipal Center to welcome home U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Michael Skinner from an eight-month tour of duty in Afghanistan. The Brookhaven Fire Company created an arch bearing the American and Marine Corps Flags, while members of the [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Upper Chichester Township celebrated its 16th annual Community Day Sunday with a carnival on the grounds of the municipal building on Furey Road. The day was dedicated to the township’s veterans. Residents spent a [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com In commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the communities of Marcus Hook, Trainer and Upper Chichester are joining with Lower Chichester Township in a very special project. In late May, Lower Chichester Commissioners President Rocco Gaspari, Jr., and his brother, Police Chief Tom Gaspari, were accompanied [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com The Aston Public Library recently held story times which successfully brought cultures from across the world to children of the area. Ben Belahbib, of Morocco, and Yosmar Salazar Marquez, of Venezuela, shared the culture of their native countries with children as part of the Aston Library’s “One World, Many Stories” summer program. [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com The Chichester Board of School Directors, last week, approved the first readings of the district’s attendance and communicable disease and immunization policies. The district requires that enrolled school age children attend school on a regular basis and only the following are acceptable for absence: sickness, quarantine, death of an immediate family member, [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Even though Hurricane Irene did not wreck the havoc initially predicted, some local communities were hit quite hard. Trees and power lines were down as were traffic and street lights; power was off for many and some areas sustained wind and rain damage. In Aston, both PECO and local public works employees [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com For the past several months, Parkside Borough Council has been discussing the adoption of what has become a controversial firearms ordinance and tonight (Wednesday, Aug. 24th) the final draft is scheduled for adoption at Council’s 7 P.M. regular meeting. If adopted, the act will limit the outdoor use of firearms and provide [...]
Dedication ceremonies for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC will take place at 11 A.M. on Sunday, Aug. 28th precisely 48 years after the civil rights legend delivered his iconic “I Have A Dream” speech during the 1963 March on Washington. The dedication program, supported largely by [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com As part of its annual administrators retreat, Chichester School District administrators used part of their summer vacation to give back to communities which comprise the district by working in small groups and performing various service projects. According to the district’s State and Federal Programs Liaison Sandy Cislo, in previous years, team building [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Sheree Ostroff has lived in the Trainer Hill mobile home community for the past nine years, and if she does not come up with more than $3,000 by Friday, she and her three dogs will be evicted. Ostroff, who suffers from several medical maladies, said her father purchased the mobile home for [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Iacobucci Homes will not purchase the Butler tract at the intersection of Sommers Lane and Chichester Ave. The original plan was to build a 74-unit housing complex at the site, but the plan was scrapped because the owners refused to lower the price of the property. Raymond and Fran Iacobucci, in July, [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com A13-year Southwest Delaware County Municipal Authority (SWDCMA) employee died and another unidentified worker was injured when the pair was trapped last week in a well at the SWDCMA pumping station. Larry Fisher, 53, of Aston, and the unidentified worker were removed from the well at approximately 11:30 A.M., Thursday. A SWDCMA press [...]
31 places get $434,996 in energy grants Delaware County Council has approved 38 grants to 31 municipalities for energy-efficient projects that include LED traffic lights, new heating/air-conditioning (HVAC) systems and indoor lighting upgrades that, together, could save over one million kilowatt-hours of electricity. The grants, totaling $434,996, are funded through a $3.6 million Energy Efficiency [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com T he Brookhaven Borough Council meeting room was filled nearly to capacity last week as dozens of residents of the Traditions at Ridley Creek, a 55-and-older community, came to complain about a variety of issues. It was the second time in seven months that matters ranging from the lack of a promised [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com L auren Shipman is a rising junior liberal arts major at Neumann University. She is also a member of Philadelphia PowerPlay, a power wheelchair hockey team that plays indoor hockey games throughout the country. Shipman, who has cerebral palsy, immediately thought of Neumann University as the perfect site when Delaware County was [...]
By JessicaBautista jbautista@chesterspirit.com U nlike 20 years ago, sending a child to private or parochial school requires more than just a small monthly sacrifice. Hoping to relieve some of the financial burden on households, Covanta Energy presented $5,000 representing the company’s Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) for scholarship donations for qualified families who [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com W ith the air conditioning now repaired in the Aston Community Center gymnasium, the Aston Public Library’s summer programs returned to their customary location last week. The first show, titled “Silly Side Show Circus,” featured lion tamers, magicians and characters such as Ringmaster Maestro Magnifico, his clown Binky, and sidekick Scuppers the [...]
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Tobacco Control Project (SEPATCP) is celebrating with several municipalities and private partners that have taken proactive measures to ban smoking on, in, or near their facilities, especially since smoking has tremendously adverse effects on young children. Young Lungs at Play (YLAP) is a health initiative funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, [...]
The Aston AA 10U softball team recently won the DelVal PeeWee B Youth Softball Championship, defeating Bethel Township, 5-4. The Lady Bandits finished the regular season with a 13-1 record and went undefeated throughout the playoffs. Celebrating their distinction are (front row from left) Melanie Chiponis, Linda Kulis, Kylie Kane, Julia Skwirut, Julia Burnell, Amy [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Abandoned houses and deteriorating properties will not be tolerated in Lower Chichester Township. Commissioners, last week, adopted an ordinance regulating the required upkeep of properties and setting fees for violators. During the May Board of Commissioners meeting, President Rocco Gaspari, Jr. praised the enactment of Act 90, known as the Neighborhood Blight [...]
By LeslieKrowchenko Special to the Spirit Like most people, The Alumni Group (TAG) was familiar with the analogy which compares paying rent to digging a hole and putting the money in the ground. They decided it was time to stop burying the funds. After more than two years as renters, the organization, which serves to [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com For many years, carnivals have not been allowed in Trainer Borough, but during last week’s Council meeting, solicitor Kyle Burch said that is about to change. “Pursuant to Council’s directive, I have prepared an ordinance which will repeal the current prohibition of carnivals within the borough,” said Burch. “The ordinance will also [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com For more than 10 years, Aston Township children have attended and enjoyed Camp Rainbow, which operates five days a week during the summer at the Aston Community Center. Co-sponsored by Aston Township and Neumann University, the program, which this year has averaged 100 children per week, features arts and crafts, indoor and [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Brookhaven Councilwoman Donna Erickson said the borough is the first community in the county to test positive for the West Nile virus this summer. At Council’s meeting last week, Erickson said the positive finding was made from testing a mosquito sample off Patton Ave. and asked residents to be vigilant in maintaining [...]
Vowing to support troops who continue risking their lives for American freedom, Delaware County Council honored three military men by adding their photos to the county’s Armed Services Tribute Board last week. Ridley Township brothers, Army National Guard Spc. Steven Gillon and Marine Cpl. Daniel Gillon were added to the board by their father, Michael [...]
Marcus Hook couple busted day after wedding: police take 140 bags of heroin By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Marcus Hook residents Dominic DiGiacomo, 27, and Nina Bates, 25, of the unit block of West 8th St. were arrested in a drug sting operation July 3rd; just one day after they were married by Borough Mayor Jay Schiliro. [...]
By LorettaRodgers lrodgers@chesterspirit.com Since its inception in 1997, more than 450 people have graduated from the Citizens’ Police Academy in Brookhaven. The number of graduates grew by 25 last month as the 17th graduating class was inducted during ceremonies at the Brookhaven Municipal Center. In addition to the graduates, a number of guests attended including [...]
© 2012
Chester Spirit. All Rights Reserved.
Log in 