West Chester

A high-level change is under way in the West Chester Area School District, as two longtime district employees prepare to retire while another moves out of Henderson High School and into the Spellman Administration Building. Marc Bertrando has worked in the district for 15 years, the last four as the principal at Henderson. Starting on July 1, however, the 39-year-old father of three will instead make the drive about a mile down the road to the administration building on Paoli Pike, where he will serve as West Chester's new assistant superintendent for secondary schools.

For the first time in program history, West Chester (9-2) has made it into the 24-team Division II playoffs for a fourth straight year. The Golden Rams, who beat Cheyney (1-10), 35-13, on Saturday, are the third seed in the Northeast Region. They'll host 8-2 Indiana (Pa.) on Saturday. The winner travels to West Virginia the Saturday after Thanksgiving to play second-seeded Shepherd (9-1), which got a bye. The top seed is California, Pa. (11-0), which won at West Chester on Nov. 3. In 2004, the Rams made it to the national semifinals before losing at Valdosta (Ga.)

West Chester Councilman Richard E. Fazio says he is prepared to "walk away" from a deal in which the council would exchange a borough building for one owned by Chester County. Under the terms of the proposal made public last month, county government offices in the Dague Building at New and Market Streets would be moved into the Borough Building at Gay and Adams Steets. Borough government offices would be relocated to the Dague Building. Fazio, angered by County Commission Chairman Earl M. Baker's comments about the plan, said, "The ball is in their court and we are prepared to walk away.

A Chester County Court jury yesterday quickly rejected a West Chester defendant's claim that he accidentally shot and killed his longtime girlfriend. After a half-hour of deliberations, the panel found Brian K. Thompson, 37, guilty of first-degree murder for shooting Crystal Thompson, 36, with a shotgun on July 7 near their home on Barnard Street in West Chester. The conviction carries an automatic life sentence, which Judge James P. MacElree 2d is expected to impose on Thursday.

It took some last-second heroics for West Chester to capture the 1986 Eastern Division championship of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. With only six seconds left in the game, senior running back Mike Burnetta ran 56 yards for the touchdown that gave the Golden Rams a 7-3 win over Millersville. Yes, West Chester coach Danny Hale wants to see that kind of success repeated this year, but, this time around, he could do without the heart- thumping theatrics. That might be tough, however, and he realizes it. "I think the PSAC has improved tremendously," Hale said.

From his living room, Paul Rice saw it all. The drugs, the late-night fights, even the prostitutes. In front of Rice's house was one of West Chester's prime drug areas - a patch of woods and brush whose dark shadows attracted drunks and drug dealers from all over town. The area, often used as a shooting gallery by drug addicts, stretches from the corner of West Chestnut and West Brandywine Streets to less than 100 yards from Bishop Shanahan High School. "For 22 years it's been that way," Rice said.

Scotland comes to West Chester on Sunday when the Pipes and Drums of Delaware Valley band will be "Kirking the Tartan" at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Route 202 and Pleasant Grove Road, West Chester. The traditional ceremony will take place during the 11 a.m. service. The band will parade into the sanctuary bearing the Confessional Banners and the flags of Scotland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The procession will be led by the church beadle, or clerk, carrying the Bible.

Bowing to opposition from local businesspeople, borough leaders have temporarily shelved a proposal to pay a consultant $10,000 to evaluate the chances of luring factory outlet stores into vacant storefronts downtown. But while the plan faces an uphill battle, borough leaders say the talk of recruiting outlet stores into West Chester's scenic downtown business district may prod local merchants to finally reach agreement on what can be done to enhance the area. "It seems to be that we talk and discuss but nothing ever gets done," said Borough Council member Mary Zimmerman.

Patient customers formed lines outside Stan Zukin's pharmacy 20 years ago, waiting to squeeze into the tiny, cluttered store. Those cramped quarters in a converted Market Street rowhouse were the beginning of what now is a West Chester landmark. By 1970, Zukin decided to move his Original Thatcher's Pharmacy to the corner of Gay and Walnut Streets and expand it. Eight years ago he built a parking lot behind the store. Ample parking, long hours and plenty of hustle have made Zukin's pharmacy a successful West Chester business.

West Chester senior Eric Olinick notched a 2-over-par 72 Tuesday to win the Slippery Rock Invitational. Senior Matt Maurer, son of head coach Mark Maurer, fired a 79 for West Chester's next-best score. The Golden Rams placed sixth in the 12-team tournament. Olinick followed his victory Tuesday with a 12th-place finish in the Indiana (Pa.) Invitational Wednesday. He fired a 4 over 75 at the Indiana Country Club. The Golden Rams finished 12th in the 14-team event. Shanahan grads produce.