Home Care In Crum Lynne, PA

CHESTER – A Crum Lynne man was held on aggravated assault and related charges Monday in a February shooting in which no one was injured.

Rahsaam Briggs, 45, is also charged with reckless endangerment, making terroristic threats and firearms offenses for gunfire in the area of East 21st Street and Edgmont Avenue on Feb. 13.

The alleged victim testified that she had walked to the corner that day and began speaking with two other men. Briggs – who she knew as “Haas” – apparently thought she was speaking to him and an argument ensued, she said.

“He started just blattering words out at me,” the woman said. “We was arguing back and forth, back and forth, so I said to him, ‘I’m not going to argue with you, I have sons.’ ”

She said she called her youngest son and that after speaking on the phone, Briggs began to walk away.

“I said, ‘Why you leaving?’ He said, ‘I’m going to my car to get my gun,’ ” according to the woman. “My reply was, ‘You’re going to need that gun for my beast.’ ”

She told Assistant District Attorney Mary Clay that Briggs did return with the gun and argued with her son before walking off, but the defendant turned at the corner and fired at her from the hip. She said her son, daughter and niece, all of whom were in the same area, fled.

“When he started firing, they ran,” she said. “I didn’t.”

The alleged victim told defense counsel Paul Mallis that Briggs did not say anything, but she felt the “whiff” of bullets passing by her. She added that Briggs had the gun pointed at the lower half of her body and that he was firing “in my direction.”

“When he started shooting, it was meant for me,” she said.

Briggs then walked across Edgmont Avenue to an alleyway, pointed his firearm into the sky and fired again before running off, the woman said.

Magisterial District Judge Wilden Davis also heard from Chester Detective Ryan Stewart, who narrated video surveillance of the shooting that corroborated much of the woman’s testimony.

Stewart said a single shell casing was found in the area of the initial shooting and two more were located at the alleyway. Investigators also found a bullet hole in the glass of a business on the 2100 block of Edgmont Avenue. The alleged victim estimated she was standing about a foot from where that bullet struck, though she said it was in brick.

Stewart noted there was a constable serving an eviction notice on the block at the time and that Briggs appeared to notice the constable between the two shooting events.

Stewart also acknowledged on cross-examination that Briggs did not appear to be pointing the gun directly at the alleged victim in the video, but Clay argued that camera angle was from behind and could not clearly show where he was pointing the weapon.

Stewart also said Briggs is a convicted felon and is therefore prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm.

Briggs is scheduled for formal arraignment at the Delaware County Courthouse in Media on June 14. He remains in custody at the county jail in Concord on 10% of $250,000 bail, according to electronic court records.

The 94 staff members at ABA2Day Behavior Services who are set to lose their jobs with the pending closure of the organization's two Delaware County clinics may not have to look for new work after all.

Representatives of Helping Hands Family said Wednesday they are "in the process" of bringing on ABA2Day's workers and its clients.

"We have jobs for these people," said Colleen MacDonald, a spokesperson for King of Prussia-based Helping Hands.

Both ABA2Day and Helping Hands provide educational and behavioral health services for children with autism and other special needs. Both specialize in applied behavior analysis, or ABA, a psychological intervention that aims to increase social skills and behaviors that are helpful and decrease those that can be harmful or negatively impact learning.

Helping Hands Family has 17 clinics in Pennsylvania along with five in New Jersey, three in Maryland, one in Connecticut, and one in New York.

Earlier this month, Bucks County-based Invo Healthcare, which acquired ABA2Day Behavior Services in 2019, disclosed plans to close ABA2Day's two care centers in Crum Lynne and Newtown Square.

The ABA2Day center closings and layoffs are tied to Invo Healthcare's decision to discontinue home- and center-based services and focus instead on its school-based behavioral health services, which is resulting in about 1,000 Invo layoffs across the country.

“This was a profoundly difficult decision and was made after spending the last year and a half on multiple initiatives, operational upgrades, and significant capital investment to keep the home and center-based ABA services business intact," Invo said in statement provided to the Business Journal. "Invo values its mission, patients, and employees and has spent significant time to carefully put in place transition opportunities for a significant majority of patients and employees and will be supporting those transitions over the coming months.”

MacDonald said Invo reached out to Helping Hands Family to ask if it could take on ABA2Day's clients, staff and building leases before the centers' scheduled closing in early August. Helping Hands answered in the affirmative to all the requests.

"We are growing, and it makes sense to us," MacDonald said, noting the transaction still needs to be finalized. "If all goes well, the idea is to not have any children stop services. If that interruption happened, they would have to go on a waitlist. We hope to take over the buildings so they can go to the same clinics with same care team."

Invo Healthcare of Doylestown, a national behavioral health and special education services company, operates in 27 states and serves more than 70,000 children annually.

In a layoffs notice filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor, Invo stated "challenges faced through and following the pandemic have led us to a place where the quality we committed to would be at risk."

The 94 jobs on the list to be eliminated at the two Delaware County sites consisted of a variety of health care and administrative positions, the most prevalent of which was 28 behavior technician slots.

In its statement, Invo noted the company has been providing school-based services, including ABA therapy, for more than 30 years "and has consistently built and expanded its school-based partnerships." Invo said it remains "fully committed to serving school districts across the country in implementing innovative programs designed to address the behavioral, mental health, and related services needs of students.”

RIDLEY PARK — Josh Shaffer, pastor of Hope Community Church of Delaware County, invited Illya Zayarchenko to speak at his church this summer and update his congregation about how things are going in Ukraine. Zayarchenko had just returned from visiting war-torn Ukraine in June.

Although Illya is a member of the Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Church of Crum Lynne, he has a friendly relationship with many of Hope Community Church’s members, because his business, Ardour Bakery and Coffee Café on Sellers Avenue, is located just steps away from Hope Community Church.

Illya and his wife Raisa, were both born in Ukraine. Illya moved to Delaware County when he was a young boy and graduated Ridley High School, Class of 2002. Raisa came to America after she graduated from high school in 1997 in Ukraine. The couple, now married for 17 years and parents of a son, live in Ridley Township. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Illya Zayarchenko almost immediately began making plans to leave his home and family here and go to valiantly help his friends back in Ukraine.

Zayarchenko used the donations that he collected at Ardour Bakery and some of his own money to purchase night vision cameras and drones, as well as tactical/military grade first aid kits, which he brought with him to distribute. Once he was in Ukraine, he was on the Second Line of defense, he said, about 15-20 kilometers from the front line. What Zayarchenko saw with his own eyes during his June visit overseas, broke his heart.

“There are a lot of little villages over there where some of the biggest fighting so far happened,” Zayarchenko shared. “The houses in the villages were destroyed. Small temporary shelters were brought in from other European countries, but their walls are thin and they have no heat and no insulation in the walls. They won’t be any good for the winter.”

Zayarchenko visited three towns near Kyiv, where much of the fighting is taking place. In Borodianka, Bucha, and Hostomel, He saw entire buildings that had been blown to pieces, burnt shells of former homes and massive holes in the ground from Russian bombs where houses and buildings used to stand.

“I can’t describe the devastation,” he said. “These villages got hit really hard.”

Zayarchenko said that Northern Ukraine is faring slightly better than Eastern and Southern Ukraine where the fighting has begun again. He said the ammunition from the U.S. has helped the Ukrainians better than when they were initially ambushed.

“The Ukrainian people are so grateful to all Americans for their support,” he said. “They can feel how America is standing with them and it means a lot. They are very grateful for Americans’ prayers and support.”

Zayarchenko spoke to the Men’s Club and congregation at Hope Community Church, explaining to them that he knew, after witnessing the destruction, that he had to do something to help residents get back into homes. He jumped on board to help with the Hostomel Project. The Ukrainian government donated a tract of land and the plan is to erect 56 mobile houses for those most in need. Work is slated to begin in September to try and get the residents in their new homes by November or December when the severe winter hits there. People worldwide can follow the project’s progress on Instagram @Myvdoma.hostomel

Zayarchenko plans to take time off from his bakery duties and his full-time employment as a steel boiler technician at Power House Equipment Company in New Jersey to return to Ukraine for a few weeks in October, hammer in hand, to lend a hand with the Hostomel Project and help rebuild. He’s looking for local contractors and other volunteers who would be willing to hop aboard a plane and go over to help with him or at any time that is convenient to them.

“Anybody can do it,” he explained. “There are many ways that individuals and organizations can help. They can just reach out to us and we will discuss the situation with them.”

“If this project goes well, then…” Zayarchenko said, drifting off while thinking about future projects. “You have to start somewhere so you begin building one or two houses and then move onto three and four and so on. It’s amazing how much teamwork can accomplish.”

The congregation at Hope Community Church, whose mission is focused on service, was so impressed with Zayarchenko’s passionate plea to help those affected by the war, that they offered to partner with him in his drive to get the materials needed for the Hostomel Housing project, as well as collect other items needed by the Ukrainians there.

The non-denominational Hope Community Church of Delaware County, located in the former First Baptist Church of Ridley Park at 19 E. Ridley Ave., has a large parsonage, which they call “Hope House.” Hope House is used to host the church’s youth group and other large meetings. Shaffer and members of the Hope Community congregation- Brad Brown, Corey Brown, and Karen Peterkin- recently opened it up as a drop-off site for needed items in Ukraine.

With extremely cold months looming only a month or two away in Ukraine, the newly established Ukraine collection site in Delaware County has already begun accepting warm clothing for men, women, and children, including coats, hoodies, jackets, new underwear, thermal underwear, flannel shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, sweat pants, socks, hats, gloves, scarves, and fall/winter style clothes and shoes in all sizes.

“We wanted to do something to help,” explained Brad Brown, one of the church members spearheading the collection. “When the war first broke out, lots of churches and groups collected needed items and monetary donations for the people of Ukraine, but then we noticed this kind of tapered off as other causes came along and people turned their interest to other news in Serbia, China, and around the world. Well, the Russia-Ukraine war is still ongoing and people there are suffering. We want to continue to help in some way.” Brad’s son Corey Brown, who only recently returned from a summer Mission trip to Kenya with “Start With One Kenya,” jumped on to help with the church’s charitable Ukrainian effort.

“In addition to winter clothing, Ukraine also needs military first aid kits and tourniquets,” he stated. “People can drop them off here too.”

“We’re mostly interested in clothing and shoes because they’re expensive to purchase in Europe and the quality is much better here,” Zayarchenko, who ships the clothing and shoes in large containers to Ukraine, explained. “And the first aid kits and tourniquets — we can’t get them over there. More than anything, though, we need monetary donations to purchase building materials and other needed relief supplies. Some things, like baby diapers, blankets, and household goods are cheaper to purchase in Europe, rather than ship them from here.”

Zayarchenko said that it costs about $25,000 to build a house for four people and $40,000 for a house for seven people. The local churches are helping to solicit donations since all of the permanent homes being built are funded with private donations.

“First priority is being given to families with nowhere else to go — they have nothing — and especially those families with small children,” Zayarchenko stated.

Zayarchenko says he is grateful to Hope Community Church and so many others in his Delaware County community, who are lending support to their neighbors across the world in Ukraine. Personally, Zayarchenko is looking forward to going back in the fall, to continue supporting his comrades in Ukraine.

“On my last trip in June, I was expecting to find a level of tiredness there after five months of fighting, but I found none of that,” Zayarchenko shared. “What I found instead was the same upbeat resiliency and overall strength that was there from the beginning. I found the same spirit in the people, determined to remain strong and protect their country. ”

For more information about donating winter clothing or other items to Ukraine, call Hope Community Church of Delaware County at 484-498-8649, visit http://hopeccdelco.comor drop off before or after Sunday services at 10:30 a.m.

To make a monetary donation, designate “Ukraine rebuilding fund” in the subject line and send a check or money order, made payable to Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Church of Crum Lynne and mail to 1110 Chester Pike, Crum Lynne, PA 19022. To make a corporate donation, or get more information on volunteering to help rebuild Ukraine, call Zayarchenko at 610-306-5988, Pastor Paul Vashisbin at 484-354-5225 or visit https://hopeatubc.org//.

Delaware County lawmakers sent out several press releases in the past week, highlighting the programs in their respective districts that have received state funding recently.

Those grants from the COVID-19 ARPA PA Arts and Culture Recovery Program, and Department of Community and Economic Development’s H2O PA and PA Small Water and Sewer programs:

$15,906 for Media Arts Council: for operating expenses.

$38,024 for The Media Theatre for the Performing Arts: for a sanitary sewer system inflow/infiltration abatement project in the Crum Lynne area.

$213,563 to Aldan: for storm sewer system improvements.

$424,895 to Collingdale: to rehabilitate its sanitary sewer system.

$425,000 to Clifton Heights: to replace the deteriorated stormwater management piping that is negatively impacting sidewalks and causing flooding, located in West Madison Avenue between Cherry Street and Springfield Avenue.

$1.03 million to Media: to benefit the Ridge Road Stormwater Facilities project.

$95,500 to Upper Providence Township: to replace a collapsed stormwater sewer line.

$300,000 to Swarthmore: for stormwater infrastructure rehabilitation.

$262,057 to Morton: to complete the borough’s sewer system rehabilitation.

$250,000 to Marple Township: for the storm sewer rehabilitation project on Lindbergh Avenue.

$1.9 million to the Chester Water Authority: for the replacement of water transmission lines in Chester.

$436,597 to Lower Chichester Township: for a storm sewer upgrade project and sanitary sewer upgrades along Morton Avenue.

$425,000 to the Southern Delaware County Authority: for sanitary sewer improvements in Upper Chichester Township.

$50,634 to Marcus Hook: to assist with stormwater improvements.

$10,671 to the Delaware County Historical Society: for operating costs.

$1.5 million to Middletown Township Sewer Authority: for upgrading two pump systems as part of the Heilbron-Knowlton Pump Station Upgrade Project.

$408,000 to Middletown Township Sewer Authority: to procure and install generators at five pump stations.

$450,225 to Nether Providence Township: to install a storm sewer system along Henry Lane.

$603,750 to Ridley Township: for a sanitary sewer system inflow/infiltration abatement project in the Crum Lynne area.

$100,000 to Ridley Township: for stormwater improvements.

$297,500 to Chester Township: to assist with stormwater improvements.

$391,977 to Brookhaven: for the construction of a detention basin, rain garden and bioswale in the Chester Creek and Ridley Creek Watershed.

$382,500 to Upland: for a storm sewer rehabilitation project.

$346,440 to Aston Township: for the Weir Road stormwater improvements.

$99,952 to Southwest Delaware County Municipal Authority: for manhole repairs located in Aston Township.

$26,259 to Hedgerow Theatre Inc.: to cover operating costs in Rose Valley.

$500,000 to Upper Darby Township: for sanitary sewer upgrades to the Cobbs Creek Interceptor.

$670,932 to Upper Darby Township: for stormwater improvements in Drexel Gardens Park.

$165,538 to Darby Township: for the rehabilitation of 23 manholes located in the township.

$39,676 to Upper Darby Arts and Education Foundation: for operating expenses.

Some of the comments on the press releases, all from Democratic lawmakers:

“From bolstering stormwater facilities to essential sewer system rehabilitation, each dollar reflects a commitment to practical solutions and the improvement of everyday life,” state Rep. Jennifer O’Mara said. “It’s grant programs like Small Water and Sewer and H2O PA that work behind the scenes to preserve the functionality of communities across the commonwealth.”

“Although we are nearly four years removed from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of our arts and culture organizations are still recovering from its impact,” said state Sen. Tim Kearney. “I am pleased that I was able to advocate for these institutions to receive this crucial financial investment, but it’s not enough. They have demonstrated resilience, and adaptability and we need to provide more support to help them sustain their operations. We must ensure that our community remains connected to the vibrancy that arts and culture bring to our lives.”

“Sometimes it is easy to overlook the importance of maintaining and improving our local infrastructure, and we forget the significant role the sewer system plays in safeguarding the health of our community,” said Rep. Joanna McClinton, who is also speaker of the House.

Other lawmakers issuing press releases were state Reps. Heather Boyd, Carol Kazeem and Leanne Krueger.

This is not likely an inclusive list since some of the Delaware County lawmakers did not issue press releases.

Michelle and Jerry Battersby weren't going to let anything keep them from going on vacation this year — not even a hurricane barreling up the coast.

"My husband was in a coma last summer, so we didn't get the chance to go away," Michelle Battersby said. "He was in the hospital for three months. He had to learn how to walk again."

The Crum Lynne, Pennsylvania, couple is staying at the Atlantis Inn in Rehoboth until Saturday.

This summer, Jerry's not just walking, he's dancing in Rehoboth Beach's four-day polka festival, Polkamotion by the Ocean.

The couple has also visited the beach, but the surf was too rough to go far into water. There were a number of families on the boardwalk, despite a thick layer of fog that didn't burn off until late in the morning.

When the sun came out, it revealed sandbags stacked in front of storefront windows and battered-looking fences at the feet of the dunes. A few surfers were out, taking advantage of the frothy waves.

"It's deceptively beautiful," Michelle Battersby said. "I actually said if it gets really, really bad, we might leave Friday. But we might just tough it out and see what happens."

Though Hurricane Florence has swung southward toward North and South Carolina, high surf in Delaware has created the potential for coastal flooding ahead of the storm.

About 1 to 2 inches of rain are expected to fall here, less than previously thought, but still enough to cause flash flooding in areas where the ground is already saturated and the rivers are swollen.

A state of emergency has not been declared here, though it has been in North and South Carolina and Virginia.

Erin Fulford, her husband, Patrick, and their three kids, Natalie, Robin and Rory, were in Myrtle Beach for a family vacation when they were ordered to evacuate.

Instead of heading home, the Bel Air, Maryland, family came to Rehoboth Beach.

"My in-laws are moving up this way, and their best friends are already up here," Erin Fulford said. So they loaded their 7-, 5- and 3-year-old kids in the car and drove north.

“We’ve been in the pool, but we didn’t want to take the kids in the ocean," Erin said. "It looked a little rough.”

If the weather takes a turn for the worst, "I figure there’s plenty to do up here," Erin said. "We can do indoor things. As long as we’re not home, doing projects around the house, I’m not too worried."

Mark and Pattie Hughes, from Pennsylvania, usually vacation in the Outer Banks in North Carolina, which separate the Atlantic Ocean from the mainland. After being ordered out of the area, they came to holiday with some friends in Dewey Beach.

"We've never had an evacuation until this year," Mark Hughes said. "It was a mandatory evacuation and it's probably the first time we said, 'Let's get out of here.' The hurricane's the biggest one, they said. It's life-threatening, catastrophic."

If things settle down next week, they're still going to try to get down to their favorite vacation spot, he added. Otherwise it's back home.

HURRICANE FLORENCE

Hurricane Florence: Our coverage of the storm, how it affects Delaware

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Contact Jessica Bies at (302) 324-2881 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @jessicajbies.