Good & bad to fixing the Conchester
A look at the week that was, the issues and people who made headlines, and a few darts and laurels for those who deserve them.
LAUREL: To what is undoubtedly music to the ears of anyone who has the misfortune of having to drive on the Conchester Highway on a daily basis. Those jackhammers may be making a racket, but it’s sweet music to know this very dangerous stretch of Route 322 that runs from I-95 in Chester to Route 1 in Concord is finally going to be updated and fixed. Too bad it took decades to get the ball rolling on this killer stretch.
DART: To the fact that driving on Route 322 likely will get worse before it gets better. Construction on the road will be done in two phases over several years. No, there is no truth to the rumor that it takes nearly that long to get through the Cherry Tree Road intersection. LAUREL: To the spirit of Mike Fusco. The Aston resident and co-founder of the Friends of the Chester Creek Trail group spent years pushing to convert the old, abandoned rail line into a hiking and biking trail. He never got to see his dream come to fruition, but surely he was smiling as the Chester Creek Trail was officially dedicated last weekend.
DART: To the fact that it took so long to get this project completed. And the fact that battles are still being waged in many parts of Delaware County to preserve our quickly disappearing open space. Oh, and one other little item that tends
to crop up when projects are delayed: The price tag often goes up. Preserving this 2.8 mile stretch carries a bottom line of a cool $6.5 million.
LAUREL: To our noisy neighbor. Yes, Philadelphia International Airport carries with it some problems, such as the constant drone of jets overhead. But it’s also responsible for a $3.6 billion boost to the county’s economy, and a whopping $15.4 billion bang for the region. That’s something to make some noise about.
LAUREL: The good news from the airport wasn’t just about economics either. The report released this week also noted that, at least for now there is no need for a fifth runway, which would likely mean another intrusion into Delaware County, where two-thirds of the airport property actually sits.
DART: To United Airlines. After this week do we really need to say any more? Just a shameful way to treat
customers. The company’s stock plunged the day after that video went viral showing a doctor being dragged off an overbooked United jet to make room for a United crew. This incident will be talked about for years as a textbook example of how not to react on a corporate level.
DART: To Sean Spicer. The president’s spokesman did not exactly have a banner week either, after he inserted his foot in his mouth by claiming that Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons, as did Syrian strongman Bashar Assad. Spicer tried several times to clarify his remarks, before finally admitting he never should have gone there. To his credit, his apology, offered several times, seemed real.
DART: To Andy Carr. At one time he was the respected head of the very popular recreational gym and boxing facilities in Upper Darby. Carr helped a lot of people turn their lives around, but this week he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for dealing meth. Federal prosecutors described Carr as the “muscle” for the Warlocks motorcycle club, who would intimidate and threaten violence as he collected drug debts.
LAUREL: To all those who gathered at the Delaware County Veterans Memorial last weekend for the first flag-raising casket memorial Seven Irish-American veterans were honored at the event.
LAUREL: To local politics. Things are heating up in the era of President Trump. Three people have already come forward to announce their plans to challenge U.S. Rep. Pat Meehan, R-7 in 2018. Dan Muroff and Molly Sheehan both attacked Trump policies during their announcement.
DART: The truth is anyone mounting a challenge to Meehan in the 7th Congressional District will face an uphill battle because of the way the district has been
gerrymandered. The district, which covers the bulk of Delaware County, now has been cut up to include portions of four other suburban counties.
LAUREL: To the K-9 dog APO, who was the featured guest of honor at last weekend’s free microchipping event for dogs sponsored by the Delaware County Kennel Club, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, and Delaware County Council. APO is now retired after serving two tours of duty in Iraq before his police duties. We’d say he’s earned it.
DART: To Jillian Tait. The Chester County mother pleaded guilty to her role in the horrific torture and beating death of her son, 3-year-old Scotty McMillan. She is expected to testify in the capital murder trial of her former boyfriend, Gary Lee Fellenbaum. It’s almost incomprehensible that human beings are capable of doing what police say these two did to a human being, let alone an innocent little boy.
LAUREL: To the students at Hilltop Elementary School in Upper Chichester. They designed a ‘buddy bench’ for the community to encourage inclusiveness. Now all elementary schools in the district are going to follow suit. Good for them.
LAUREL: To all those who made their way back to Eddystone borough last weekend, ironically to celebrate and remember what is likely the borough’s darkest day. Several relatives of those killed in the explosion that rocked the Eddystone Ammunition Co. 100 years ago came back to honor the memory of their relatives. More than 130 people were killed in the blast. Many of the bodies were never recovered.
DART: To the Flyers. Have a nice summer, guys. Another year out of the playoffs.
DART: To the Phillies. Make up your minds, guys. One night you’re scoring 12 runs in a blowout win. A few nights later you’re getting the same treatment by the Mets. And what makes it even more aggravating is the fact that an inordinate number of Mets jerseys follow this team south down the Jersey Turnpike. Every time the Mets hit a home run, the place would erupt in cheers. That should not happen in Philly.
DART: While we welcome the NFL Draft to put Philly once again in the national sports spotlight, this little shindig at the Art Museum is coming at a cost. In particular, it means that – regardless of how you view it – one of the city’s top tourist attractions is now off limits. That’s right, you can’t run up the famous ‘Rocky’ steps of the Art Museum, doing your best Sylvester Stallone imitation. Yo, NFL, what’s up with that?