News and Events in
The Borough of Oxford
And Surrounding Areas
News for Immediate Release
Jan. 11, 2012
PennDOT Invites High School Students to Enter Distracted Driving PSA Contest
Harrisburg – Pennsylvania high school students are invited to enter a PennDOT contest aimed at discouraging distracted driving. Students can submit a 30-second radio public service announcement, or PSA, and the winning announcement will be professionally produced and sent to the student’s local media market.
“We hope students will use this contest as an opportunity to learn about the very real dangers of distracted driving and never take safety for granted,” said PennDOT Secretary Barry J. Schoch. “Developing and recording these PSAs is a great way for students to share this important message with their peers and even their parents.”
Distracted driving poses a serious safety risk to drivers of all ages, and particularly to relatively inexperienced drivers. According to PennDOT, in 2010 there were 14,294 crashes statewide involving drivers who were distracted or were using a hand-held cell phone. Approximately 37 percent of those crashes involved a driver who was 16 to 25 years old.
To enter the contest, high school sophomores, juniors and seniors should submit recorded scripts in MP3 or MP4 format. Students may also submit written scripts.
One finalist will be chosen from each of PennDOT’s 11 engineering districts. The winning students will be invited to travel to Harrisburg to have the PSA professionally recorded and then distributed to their local radio stations. Winning students from each PennDOT district will receive certificates and recorded copies of their PSAs.
Entries may be submitted by email to RA-penndotpress@pa.gov. Students can also submit entries by mail to: PennDOT Press Office, c/o Erin Waters, 8th Floor-Keystone Building, 400 North St., Harrisburg, PA, 17120. Entries must be received or postmarked by March 23.
Visit www.DriveSafePA.org for full contest rules.
Media contact: Erin Waters, 717-783-8800
News for Immediate Release
Jan. 9, 2012
PennDOT Driver License, Photo Centers Closed Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Driver Licensing, Motor Vehicle Services Available Online
Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation today announced that all driver license and photo centers, including its full-service center in Harrisburg, will be closed Saturday, Jan. 14 through Monday, Jan. 16 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Customers may still obtain a variety of driver and vehicle products and services online through PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website, www.dmv.state.pa.us. Driver and vehicle online services are available 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week and include driver’s license and photo ID renewals; vehicle registration renewals; driver-history services; changes of address; driver license and vehicle registration restoration letters; and exam scheduling. There are no additional fees for using online services.
A complete listing of PennDOT driver and photo license center closings in 2012 is available on the website under “News, Stats and Facts.”
PennDOT reminds motorists they can log on to 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions before heading out.
Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews.
Media contact: Jan McKnight, 717-787-0485
Shorter Daylight, More Active Deer Drive Need
for Extra Caution on Roads
Harrisburg – As the end of Daylight Savings Time will soon bring an earlier nightfall, PennDOT is cautioning motorists that most crashes involving deer happen at this time of year.
Deer are most active during their breeding season, and particularly between sunset and sunrise. Harvesting and hunting activity can also increase the movement of deer.
PennDOT statistics show nearly half of all reportable crashes in the past five years involving deer occurred in the months of October and November, with nearly 77 percent taking place between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. Last year, there were more than 3,000 crashes statewide involving deer, resulting in more than 600 injuries and eight fatalities.
To reduce the risk of a deer-related crash, motorists should slow down and be especially cautious during morning and evening hours. Motorists should also increase following distance between vehicles, especially where deer-crossing signs are posted. Deer often travel in herds, so if you see one deer crossing the road, there’s a strong chance that others will follow.
To report a dead deer on state roads, motorists can call 1-800-FIX-ROAD.
For more fall safety tips and other highway safety information, visit www.DriveSafePA.org. Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews.
Media contact: Craig Yetter, 717-705-1092
Bed Bugs Info Sheet
What are bed bugs?
- Bed bugs are small, flat, oval-shaped insects that feed on the blood of sleeping people and animals. Adult bed bugs are reddish-brown and about 1/4-inch long and are the shape and size of an apple seed. Bed bugs do not fly, but can move rapidly over floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces.
- Female bed bugs lay 2 or more eggs per day in secluded areas. The eggs are very tiny, whitish, and hard to see without magnification (the size of a dust speck). When first laid, the eggs are sticky, causing them to adhere to surfaces.
- Newly hatched nymphs are straw-colored and no bigger than a pinhead. As they grow, they molt (shed their skin) five times before reaching maturity. Under favorable conditions (70-80°F), the bugs can complete development in as little as a month
- Bed bugs are resilient; most are not affected by conventional pesticides. Plus, adults can go for more than a year without feeding. Infestations are unlikely to diminish by leaving the premises unoccupied.
- Bed bugs are active mainly at night. During the daytime, they prefer to hide close to where people sleep (typically within 8 feet of a bed).
- Bed bugs do not transmit disease. Some people have mild to severe allergic reaction to the bites while others show no signs of the bites at all.
How Can I Prevent or Control a Bed Bug Infestation?
Bed bugs are very efficient hitchhikers, catching a ride on luggage, clothing, shoes, beds, bedding, boxes and furniture. This is a particular problem for hotels and apartments, where turnover of occupants is constant. As difficult as it can be to eradicate bed bugs, it makes sense to take precautions to avoid them in the first place. Here are a few simple precautions:
- Education: Become familiar with what bed bugs look like, where they like to live and signs of infestations.
- Travel: When traveling use a luggage rack, tabletop or other hard surface to hold your luggage when packing or unpacking rather than setting your luggage on the bed or floor. Check the sheets, mattress and box spring (especially the seams at the head of the bed), and drawers when you arrive. The headboard is a frequent hiding place for bugs in hotel rooms, but can be difficult to exam. If bed bugs are discovered, request another room, preferably in another area of the building. When returning from a trip or overnight visit, unpack directly into a washing machine. Carefully inspect or vacuum your luggage for bed bug stowaways.
- Used Furniture: Avoid bringing curbside furniture into your home, especially if it is a mattress, box spring, couch or other upholstered item. If you obtain used furniture, inspect it very carefully for signs of infestation before bringing into your home.
- Apartment building: Once bed bugs are introduced in an apartment buildings they move between apartments or rooms, by crawling or via a person. Preventative inspections by all tenants, housekeeping staff, or pest control firms is the best way to uncover infestations in their initial stages when they are easiest to control and before they spread.
- Clutter: Reduce as much clutter as possible from your home, especially on the floor and near the bed. Clutter is the biggest obstacle in controlling bed bugs. Closets, items stored under the bed, piles of clothes and even piles (or files) of paper are all great hiding places for bed bugs.
- Vacuuming: Regularly and thoroughly vacuum rugs, carpets, floors, under beds, around bed legs, bed frames, and all cracks and crevices around the room. Use the vacuum hose to clean the edges of the bare mattress, sofa and chairs and around wall edges and baseboards. After vacuuming, remove the filter bag and place in a tightly sealed trash bag and take outside to your trash bin. Otherwise, vacuumed bugs can emerge from your vacuum cleaner.
- Temperature: Don’t overheat your apartment in the winter. Bed bugs thrive in temperatures near 80. Keep your home between 68-70 degrees.
- Washing and drying: Wash clothing and bedding suspected of being infested in hot water and dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes. The heat (above 125 degrees) kills both the bugs and eggs. Many delicate items that are dry can be put in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes to kill the bugs. Dry cleaning also kills the bugs, but before dropping something off, be sure to let your cleaners know that your items may be infested with bed bugs.
- Around your bed: Pull your bed out from the wall. Do not store items under the bed. Be sure your bedding does not touch the floor. Place the legs of your bed in a small cup or bowl and place that bowl in a slightly larger bowl full of soapy water. Or encircle the legs of the bed with strong double side tape (at least 2” wide). This prevents the bugs from crawling into bed with you.
- Covers/ Encasements: As a precaution, you can purchase a protective cover that encases your mattress, boxspring and pillows. They can prevent your bed from becoming a home for bed bugs. They are made of a material that bed bugs cannot eat or crawl through. If you already have bed bugs, the encasements will trap the bugs inside. If the encasement is left in place (without tearing) for a year and a half, the bugs will die inside. Also, the light color of the encasement makes bed bugs easier to see. Not all encasements are effective. It is very important that the product is specifically tested and designed to be used against bed bugs. It will be more expensive, but only buy products from: Luna, Protect-A-Bed, SafeRest or AllerZip. Check the encasement regularly for holes and patch any tears with duct tape.
How Can I Tell if I Have Bed Bugs?
- Bite marks: These can appear on the face, neck, arms, hands or other body parts exposed when sleeping. Bite marks are similar to that of a mosquito or flea- a slightly swollen and red area that may itch (some people do not feel anything). Bed bugs often bite successively in a line.
- Search: Bed bugs hide during the day. Look for them with a flash light and magnifying glass in seams of the mattress, box spring, couch and upholstered furniture, bed frame or headboard and any items near the bed, dresser (especially drawers), cracks, crevices, pipes, fire detectors or picture frames.
- Their flattened bodies enable them to fit into tiny crevices. When cleaning or changing bedding look for:
- Live bed bugs
- Very tiny white egg clusters
- Rusty or reddish stains caused by blood stains of squashed bugs
- Bug skins that were cast off as the bugs grow
- Dark spots and stains of excrement about the size of a period.
Where Do They Hide?
Bed bugs prefer to hide close to where they feed. Initial infestations tend to be around beds, but the bugs eventually become scattered throughout the bedroom or spread to adjacent rooms or apartments.
Bed bugs can live in almost any crevice or protected location. The most common place to find them is the bed within seams, tufts and crevices of the mattress, box spring and headboard. The bed frames should be examined too, especially if the frame is wood. (Bed bugs have an affinity for wood, fabric and paper more so than metal or plastic).
Nightstands and dressers should be emptied and examined inside and out, then tipped over to inspect the woodwork underneath. Oftentimes the bugs will be hiding in cracks, corners, and recesses. Other common places to find bed bugs include: along and under the edge of wall-to-wall carpeting (especially behind beds and furniture); cracks in wood molding; ceiling-wall junctures; behind wall-mounted picture frames, mirrors, switch plates and outlets; under loose wallpaper; amongst clothing and clutter stored in closets; and inside clocks, phones, televisions, computers and smoke detectors.
What Can I Do If I Find Bed Bugs?
To control bed bugs effectively, a combination of actions will be needed:
- Make sure you really have bed bugs, not fleas, ticks, cockroaches or other insects
- Let your landlord know immediately
- Don’t panic. Eliminating bed bugs is difficult, but it is not impossible. Don’t throw out all of your belongings immediately; most items can be treated and saved. Throwing out belongings may spread the infestation, and could be unnecessarily stressful and expensive.
- Don’t pass your bed bugs on to others. If you do need to throw out a mattress, box spring, couch or other infested item encase with a mattress disposal bag or heavy plastic bag tied tight. Otherwise, the bugs or eggs could fall off in your hallway, elevator or stairs. Again, be sure to contact your landlord first. If you are not able to attain a disposal bag, destroy the item and clearly label that it is infested with bed bugs so that no one else picks it up (along with the bugs!).
- Kill any bugs you can find by crushing them with a rag or using gloves.
- Keep records – including dates, times and locations where pests are found
- Carefully and regularly vacuum your mattress, box spring, couch, upholstered furniture, rugs, floors, under beds, around bed legs, bed frames, and all cracks and crevices around the room with the vacuum hose. Bed bugs and especially the eggs can be difficult to dislodge. The best results will be achieved by moving and scraping the end of the vacuum suction wand along infested areas such as seams and fabric folds of beds and sofas, and the perimeter edge of wall-to-wall carpets. Immediately after vacuuming, remove the vacuum bag and place in a trash bag, tie it shut and discard outside of the apartment.
- Reduce the number of hiding places. Clean up clutter, especially around your bed or bedroom. If bed bugs are in your mattress, buy a mattress/box spring encasements and leave in place for a year. Seal crevices along the walls and ceiling to remove hiding places (including holes for wires and smoke detectors)
- High temperatures can kill bed bugs. Heat infested articles and/or areas to at least 125ºF for 3 hour. The higher the temperature, the shorter the time needed to kill bed bugs at all life stages. Raising the indoor temperature with the thermostat or space heaters won’t do the job. Specialized equipment and very high temperatures are required to successfully heat treat a structure
- Launder in hot water and high heat. Frequently wash your bed linens, bedspreads, and clothing in hot water (140 F) and dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes. Transport clothes in sealed plastic bags. Tie up and throw away bags used to transport dirty clothes and place clean clothes in new sealed plastic bags to store until the bed bugs are eliminated from your home. Bed bugs and their eggs can hide in laundry hampers so clean them when you do the laundry.
- Place difficult to launder items in a clothes dryer on high heat for 30 minutes like: toys, shoes, backpacks, etc, Also, most garments designated as ‘dry-clean only’ (e.g., cotton, wool, silk, linen, rayon, nylon, poly blends) will not be harmed provided they are dry before being placed in a clothes dryer at moderate (less than 160F) settings. While dry cleaning procedures kill bed bugs, there is risk of infesting the establishment when buggy items are de-bagged and tagged.
- Contain items in a black plastic bags which cannot be put in a washer or dryer. They can often be de-infested by placing the bag outdoors or in a closed vehicle on a hot and sunny day for at least 24 hours. Pack only a fewer items per bag and monitoring with a thermometer to ensure the contents heat to at least 120°F.
- Cold treatments (below 0 ºF for at least 7 days) can eliminate some infestations. However, do-it-yourself freezing is not usually reliable for bed bug control. Home freezers typically are not cold enough to kill bed bugs.
- Spread diatomaceous earth (food grade only) to safely to kill bed bugs and keep your family and pets safe. The sharp edges of the mixture break through the outer protective layer of the bed bugs and exposes them to dehydration.
- Do not use pesticides in your home! You are more likely to harm your health than the bed bugs’. They are highly resistant to pesticides and the use of pesticides may only cause them to spread to other parts of your home. If pesticides are necessary, call a professional exterminator. Be sure your exterminator has specific experience treating bed bugs.
- Arrange for follow-up inspections and possible treatments with your exterminator as the bugs can easily resurge if not thoroughly treated.
BOROUGH AWARDED $367,467
IN COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PROGRAM
2011 AWARDS
Chester County Department of Community Development has announced that the Borough of Oxford has been awarded $367, 467 in funding from Chester County's Community Revitalization Program for 2011. This will continue Phase 2 of the Borough's Streetscape Program.
The project will beautify and increase pedestrian safety along North Third Street and Lancaster Avenue with activity to include: new curbs, landscaping, sidewalks/crosswalks, streetlights, and traffic lines.
With the approval of this new grant, the Borough has now received $3,291,937 in funding from Chester County through Community Development Block Grants or the Community Revitalization Program.
The Borough appreciates the support of Chester County as we continue to move forward with our revitalization.
Snow Removal from Sidewalks
Borough Code
§21-802. Responsibility for Removal from Sidewalks.
Every person in charge or control of any building or lot of land fronting or abutting
on a sidewalk, whether as owner, tenant, occupant, lessee or otherwise, shall remove
and clear away or cause to be removed or cleared away snow and/or ice from a path of
at least 30 inches in width from so much of said sidewalk as is in front of or abuts on
said building or lot of land.
A. Snow and ice shall be removed from the sidewalks in all areas no later
than 6 p.m. of the day following the cessation of the fall of snow, sleet or freezing
rain.
B. In the event that snow or ice on the sidewalk becomes so hard that it
cannot be removed without likelihood of damage to the sidewalk, the person
charged with its removal shall, within the time mentioned above, cause enough
sand or other abrasive to be put on the sidewalk to make travel reasonably safe,
and shall, as soon thereafter as weather permits, cause to be cleared a path in said
sidewalk of at least 30 inches in width.
(Ord. 608, 6/9/1987, §102)
§21-803. Responsibility for Removal from Roofs.
OXFORD BOROUGH SNOW REMOVAL POLICY
MISSION STATEMENT: To clear Borough Streets of snow and/or ice in a safe and efficient manner with priority given to the health and safety of the Borough citizens and traveling public.
Plowing/Salting Procedures:
. For winter storms, Oxford Borough is sectioned into three routes. Each route will be worked on simultaneously by one truck. Three additional smaller trucks will be assigned to routes where needed the most.
. Road clearing will be undertaken around-the-clock unless conditions render clearing efforts useless. In such cases, plows will remain on standby for emergency situations.
. Each route includes high priority roads and lesser priority roads. When a snowstorm begins, operators will cover their entire route with salt and anti-skid materials. This keeps the snow and ice from freezing to the streets. Plowing begins when the snow accumulates to a depth of two to three inches. For minor storms, the entire route may be completed at once. However, if the storm intensifies, only priority roads will be cleared. Secondary roads and cul-de-sacs will not be plowed until the main roads can be kept open. As the storm lightens, all roads will be opened. Roads will be plowed curb-to-curb; cul-de-sacs and intersections will be cleared after the storm has passed.
Citizen Participation
. It is not uncommon for snow plows, in the course of clearing roads, to push snow in front of driveways. Plowing operations typically cause snow to be moved to the right of the moving truck and onto the shoulder or edge of the roadway. Homeowners can prevent their driveways from being plowed shut by removing snow to the downside of the driveway.
. During a winter storm, do not park vehicles on the street. Remove all vehicles from the street before the storm and keep them off the streets until streets are cleared. Having vehicles in the street not only delays the clearing of streets but can result in the vehicle being towed.
. Do not shovel or push snow into the street. This practice causes a safety hazard and could cause an accident. Homeowners can be fined for this or be held responsible for an accident.
. Any installation within the right-of-way, including a mailbox and post, is installed at the owner's risk. Residents are encouraged to install mailboxes at the maximum usable distance from the edge of the roadway. The Borough will replace mailboxes or posts that have been struck by the plow, but not those items that are damaged by the force or placement of plowed snow. Mailboxes and posts should be checked for deterioration to reduce the possibility that the weight of plowed snow may break or push the post over.
. If your yard was damaged by a Borough snow plow, please notify the Borough so we can put your yard on our repair list for the spring yard clean-up. Yards generally will not be repaired until spring.
. Any damage to vehicles caused by snow and/or cinders from the plow truck are not the responsibility of the Borough. This is why we ask that vehicles be removed from the streets. Plows must clear streets curb-to-curb for subsequent storms.
The Oxford Borough Public Works Department spends long hours in tough conditions to make the roads as safe as possible. Please cooperate with them and appreciate the fact that they are doing their best to serve the community. To report hazardous conditions, call the Public Works Garage at 610-932-7970. Messages will be checked periodically throughout the storm.
Snow Emergency Routes: All snow emergency routes in the Borough are posted with snow emergency route signs. A snow emergency must be declared by the mayor. In the event of a snow emergency no parking will be permitted along the snow emergency route until the snow emergency has been lifted. Any vehicles parked along the snow emergency routes are subject to towing at the vehicle owner's expense. Snow emergencies will be broadcast over several local media outlets including local radio and television stations. It is the vehicle owner's responsibility to know when a snow emergency has been declared.
Undedicated Streets: Please note the Borough does not remove snow and ice from undedicated streets.
New Phone System for the Borough
This year the Borough installed a new phone system installed in the Borough Hall for the Administrative and Codes Office. When calling the Borough please listen carefully to the menu since it has changed. The phone number is still 610-932-2500. The following are the new extensions:
Artie Anderson, Treasurer - 301
Betsy Brantner, Borough Manager - 302
Linda Himmelberger, Administrative Assistant - 303
Ginny Holt, Water Clerk - 304
Susan Bowles, Water Clerk - 305
George Guss, Codes Enforcement Officer - 306
Jean Kutz, Codes Administrative Assistant - 307
To receive the latest in Borough News dial 7.
Tax Collector Appointed for Chester County
The Chester Tax Collection Committee (CTCC) recently appointed Keystone Collections Group to serve as the Earned Income Tax (EIT) and Local Services Tax (LST) collector for school and municipal taxing authorities within Chester County. This important change was brought about under Act 32 of 2008. Act 32 requires municipal governments and school districts in all Pennsylvania counties, except Philadelphia, to select a single tax collector to serve the Earned Income Tax collection needs of the political subdivisions within the county. Keystone will officially start EIT and LST collections for the CTCD effective January 1, 2011. This means that Keystone will be responsible for processing payments for the 4th quarter of 2010, as well as the 2010 final earned income tax returns due April 15, 2011. In the next few weeks, individuals and employers will receive detailed instructions and contact information from Keystone to help answer questions and provide taxpayer assistance.
For additional information on Keystone Collections Group, please visit their website
www.keystonecolleccts.com
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