Uncategorized Archives - Page 17 of 18

New sexual abuse suit vs. Conestoga – most damaging of all? Plus, Tredici debuts, two Nova bars close in Bryn Mawr; Catholic ed back in Berwyn & much more

June 27, 2017 / By Caroline O'Halloran / /

The Tredyffrin/Easttown School District is absorbing yet another fusillade – this one, an utterly explosive federal lawsuit that, in effect, blames Conestoga, its culture and staff for the months-long sexual abuse of a 15-year-old female student by 67-year-old TV studio aide Arthur Phillips.

Revolting.

To bolster its case, the suit details T/E’s “recent history of sex-related scandals”:

School aide/coach Christine Towers’ affair with a 15-year-old male student. Arrested exactly one year to the day before Phillips, Towers is in jail for her crimes.
The “No Gay Thursday” locker room hazing allegations that officials attributed to lax supervision.
The middle school sexting/cyberbullying charges.

The suit says the three scandals show a “pattern of deliberate and reckless indifference to signs of ongoing sexual harassment and sexual abuse” in the district.

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Social edition: Giant Steps for Sarcoma; LM Conservancy, Riverbend & JCHAI galas; Fred’s Footsteps GNO; Devereux does Devon & The Cottage kicks off in Wayne

June 16, 2017 / By Caroline O'Halloran / /

Braving steamy temps, throngs of sarcoma warriors, survivors, their families and friends – 1,300 strong – walked or raced through Wilson Farm Park in Chesterbrook on June 11.

The teams: Identifiable by their custom tees, at least 30 teams turned out for the 5K chip-timed race and one-mile walk, many led by people battling sarcoma on crutches, wheelchairs and with prosthetic limbs.

Gang green: Some 80 family and friends wore green t-shirts in honor of Pat Maher of Devon, who tragically lost a four-year-battle with sarcoma last June at age 47. Pat led his green-shirted team in the first Steps to Cure Sarcoma event two years ago.

The hometown hero host: Conestoga ’06 star and Ewing’s sarcoma survivor Mark Herzlich, 29, who will play his 7th season for the New York Giants this fall.

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New reality TV show “Get Real Main Line”; Drugs & dining out in Radnor; Young & Restless at the shore; A Wayne exit, an Ardmore arrival & lots more

June 8, 2017 / By Caroline O'Halloran / /

Remember when the Main Line was buzzing about a “Real Housewives” show based here?

And how Bravo TV said thanks but no thanks and took their cameras elsewhere?

Because, apparently, we Main Liners are too cookie-cutter and won’t let our highlighted hair down.

Ha.

Little did they know.

Now we’re letting it all hang out – at least some of us are – on “Get Real Main Line,” a reality show that’s been filming for a year and was just picked up by a major network.

“Get Real” stars Toni Filippone, Conestoga Class of ’93, perhaps the Main Line’s mouthiest and funniest lesbian, out and proud, married to Berwyn caterer Meridith Coyle since August 2015.

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Well, Hello, DanDan, Bryn + Dane’s, BodyX, The Cottage, Louella, Orchestra, Hope Chest. Plus, Friends fund funeral for Stoga ’16 star; Axed coach sues Stoga officials & more

May 24, 2017 / By Caroline O'Halloran / /

Devon is fired up over DanDan.

It hasn’t officially opened but the new restaurant – at the old Ella’s near the Devon Acme – is already packin’ ’em in.

Just like it does in Center City.

And for good reason.

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Bryn Mawr’s new BYOB & wine school; Dogs to horse around at Devon; Ardmore (& Target?) rising; Moms’ gifts & more

May 9, 2017 / By Caroline O'Halloran / /

The Conestoga High School hazing scandal was a big fat, tragic mess. But look at what Penn State and one of its fraternity presidents – a young man from Malvern – are dealing with.

Brendan Young, 21, an avid golfer whom you may have seen play at Chester Valley Golf Club or working at Golf Galaxy in Berwyn, is one of 18 Beta Theta Pi brothers facing criminal charges after a pledge died in their frat house in February.

In all 200 charges were lodged against the Penn State junior.

Another local defendant, Nick Kubera, who graduated from Downingtown H.S. last year, is facing 43.

While all 18 are in hot water, the charges are scalding for Young and some of his frat brothers: involuntary manslaughter and stuff like felony aggravated assault, tampering with evidence, and hazing.

Horrific.

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Wait til you see what Valley Forge Park’s got cooking; 8 reasons to love new AmRev Museum; Pun’s Toys, LM taxes & Cricket Club news; Saluting Dodo & G. Sills & more

April 27, 2017 / By Caroline O'Halloran / /

Ah, Valley Forge National Historical Park, the Central Park of the Main Line.

Walk, ride or hike its 3,500 acres and you can just smell the history.

But the Park’s not resting on its cherry laurels these days.

Far from it.

Thanks to its newly invigorated nonprofit arm, the Valley Forge Park Alliance, it’s marching forward with dazzling plans that will affect ALL of us – anyone who “recreates” in the park (90 percent of visitors), brings guests there, or even drives through.

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Remembering Adam Wright (Stoga ’13, Dartmouth ’17); Spicy spots heading to Devon; Big loss for Tredyffrin cops; Debut of Glo-Barre; Must-see dance video & more

February 15, 2017 / By Caroline O'Halloran / /

In every way, the stunning death of Adam Wright was wrong.

He was far too young, too gifted, and too, well, good, to go so soon.

And yet his 21 glorious years on our patch of earth – on Margo Lane in Berwyn, at Conestoga High School (Class of ’13), and at Dartmouth College (Class of ’17) – will forever be remembered.

And remembered with a smile, if Adam has his way.

Throngs of mourners attended “A Celebration of the Life of Adam Wright (June 29, 1995 – Jan. 30, 2017)” at Paoli Presbyterian Church last Saturday.

It was a sendoff for the ages – a testament to a life that was brief, but so brightly lived.

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Luxurious Life Time Athletic, DryBar coming to Ardmore; White Manor Country Club sold; local ‘FADD’ to fight ODs; a Broadway good-bye & more

January 17, 2017 / By Caroline O'Halloran / /

The elite health & fitness company likes the Main Line so much, it’s putting not ONE, but TWO of its mega clubs here.

Our first Life Time – a scratch-built, 140,000 sq. ft. whopper with a “resort-like” outdoor pool and waterslides – will debut in June on Swedesford Rd. in Tredyffrin. (Life Time’s calling it King of Prussia, but the map says it’s Wayne, if only by a hair.)

And just announced: our second Life Time will be in Ardmore – an exclusive “diamond” level club (a notch above KOP’s “onyx premier”) in the former Macy’s building, one of two Grand Dames of Suburban Square. (The tall Times building is the other.)

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Election aftershocks, T/E drug use/mental health update, Wayne’s new BYOB, Firepoint in N. Square & more

November 15, 2016 / By Caroline O'Halloran / /

No matter how you voted, you have to feel sickened by the reported assault of a black female student by a group of white male students on Villanova’s campus last week.

Here’s what reportedly went down: The young woman was walking through the SEPTA tunnel around 9 pm Thursday when a group of guys en route to an off-campus formal approached and knocked her down, shouting “Trump! Trump! Trump!” The student’s face and head hit concrete. According to her friend, she was badly shaken, suffered nausea, vomiting and dizziness and was reluctant to report the attack at first.

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