Still too many guns on Delco streets
Alook at the week that was, the issues and people who made headlines, and a few darts and laurels for those who deserve them.
DART: It’s the same old story. Gunfire on the streets of Chester. But even for the city of Chester, last week’s shooting gallery was extreme. Police responded to four separate shooting incidents, all in broad daylight. In one, a 16-yearold walking to school at Chester High lost his life. In another, police fired at a suspect when a gun was pointed at them. This is madness and it needs to stop.
LAUREL: To all those who gathered just a few hours later to rally in Media on National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Nobody had to remind Chester Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland, who was in attendance. The mayor noted that he does what so many do, taking his grandchildren to school in the morning, while lamenting that one Chester youth did not return home Friday night.
LAUREL: To groups such as the Chester Panthers Youth Empowerment and athletic Association and the Main Event Boxing Club. They are proving that there are good things happening in the city of Chester, and they are providing a crucial outlet for the city’s youths.
DART: Chester is not the only Delaware County town battling gun violence. In Upper Darby Monday morning, a mother was gunned down after dropping off one of her kids at a bus stop. Miraculously, she survived the ambush attack that township top cop Mike Chitwood branded “a hit.” The hunt is on for the gunman.
DART: The county got a grim reminder of the danger inherent in not taking proper care of guns last weekend. A 3-year-old in Chester Township apparently got his hands on a loaded handgun that he found
in the house. Family members tell police the youth accidentally shot himself in the chest. He died at the scene.
DART: To the loss of another promising young life not far away. A three-car crash Sunday night on I-95 took the life of Academy Park junior Gaion Smith, a respected member of the football team. The crash also left two other Academy Park students with serious injuries. A reminder of just how precious life is – and fleeting. It can be gone in an instant.
DART: To the dealers who lead to deaths – and contribute heavily to the heroin and opioid scourge that continues to ravage the region. Last week a Darby Township man entered guilty pleas to charges of dealing drugs, including the drugs used in a 2016 overdose case. James Kiree Collins is now looking at as much as 114 years in prison.
DART: Just how bad is the heroinopioid problem in Delaware County? On one day last week police in Upper Darby revived five overdose victims, all in the same day. Those included a man and his girlfriend who OD’d in their home. Police were alerted
when neighbors heard two young children in the home screaming for help. LAUREL: To retired Chester Police Capt. Alan Davis and his sister Paula. She went to bat for him when he was wounded in the line of duty. Now he is returning the favor, leading fundraising efforts as she battles cancer. We wish them both well.
LAUREL: Dr. Steve Subers and Arthur Smith. Combined these two educators have 85 years of experience in Delaware County schools. Subers, principal of Paxon Hollow Middle School, has 37 years, while Smith, a longtime Ridley High science teacher, has been in the classroom for 48 years. Both are retiring at the end of the school year. We wish them all the best.
LAUREL: To the Class of 2017. High school graduations kicked off this week. We wish all those collecting their diplomas the best in their future endeavors.
LAUREL: To all those who stopped last weekend to honor those who served the nation on D-Day. After all, about all those brave soldier who
stormed the beaches in Normandy did was save the world. Kudos also again to those who plan these marvelous celebrations at the Delaware County Veterans Memorial. It’s one of the county’s gems. Make sure you plan a visit out on West Chester Pike in Newtown Square.
LAUREL: To state Rep. Steve Barrar, R-160. The Republican has unveiled a new website that is a one-stop for all kinds of services for local vets. Barrar as been a tireless defender of veterans’ rights in Harrisburg.
LAUREL: To justice being served in the Bill Cosby case. After years of conjecture, allegations and salacious finger-pointing, the case is finally being presented to a jury in Montgomery County.
DART: To John Corcoran. The woes of the former volunteer firefighter from Glenolden continue to mount. He was back in county court this week to be sentenced on several child porn raps. He was deemed a violent sexual predator and sentenced to an additional 21 to 42 years on top of the 28-year stretch he already is looking at on federal charges.
LAUREL: To Tommy Pope and Tommy Highland. The guys behind the cable TV show “Delco Proper” are getting their shot at a regular slot on The Comedy Channel. Their show takes dead aim at some of the foibles and, shall we say, unique elements of life here in Delaware County.
DART: To Mike Schmidt. The Phillies Hall of Famer was not exactly Hall of Fame material in his comments about Odubel Herrera this week. The team’s all-time home run king said in a radio interview that he did not think Herrera was a guy you could build a team around because of a “language barrier.” Schmidt quickly issues a clarification to his remarks and called Herrera to offer an explanation.
LAUREL: To Herrera. Baseball is a funny game. A week ago people were calling for Herrera to be sent down to Triple A. Now he’s the hottest hitter in baseball, collecting multiple nights when he both doubled and homered. And the Phils are showing signs of life as well, at one point this week running off four straight wins. Summer might not be a lost cause after all.