New school year, new superintendent | Inquirer Greater Media

Swarthmore Borough council is expected to vote on Sept. 2 to approve its next permanent borough manager, Sean Halbom. Halbom, who has years of government experience and most recently served as township manager in Upper Frederick Township, will succeed Bill Webb, who is stepping down to take another government position in Virginia.

Delaware County is poised to become Philadelphia’s first collar county to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The county’s council could vote on the ordinance as early as September.

The county last week also named a new crisis service provider to fill the hole left by Crozer Health’s closure earlier this year. Belmont Behavioral Health will operate a 24-7 crisis center for those experiencing a mental or behavioral health emergency, and manage a mobile crisis unit to respond to 911 emergencies.

Also in healthcare news, the Foundation for Delaware County has agreed to pay $3 million to cover the cost of medical records for thousands of former Crozer patients.

Frustrated by train delays these last couple of weeks? SEPTA says its slower service has nothing to do with impending cuts but rather safety checks it’s undertaking for its aging railcars. The delays come ahead of Regional Rail service reductions, which go into effect Sept 2., including on the Media/Wawa line, when midday trains on weekdays will operate every two hours instead of every hour. Fares will also increase. Unsure how the cuts will impact you? Check out The Inquirer’s interactive tool where you can put in your address to see service changes. We also have a guide to alternate transportation options in the region.

Reminder for drivers: Middletown Township is continuing paving on certain roads through Sept. 2. There will be partial paving on High Meadow Drive, Ridley Creek Drive, and Lantern Lane, and full paving on Harrison Road, Penn Way, Little Lane, Eric Lane, Josephs Way, Wedgewood Lane, and North Old Middletown Road.

Longtime Swarthmore resident and retired Swarthmore College performing arts librarian George K. Huber died this summer at the age of 85. In addition to books, he collected models of famous buildings and original artwork. Huber, who moved to Swarthmore in 1964, also helped organize the TriCollege Libraries collaboration project with Haverford and Bryn Mawr Colleges.

Wawa is among Forbes’ ranking of America’s Best Employers by State, released last week. The beloved convenience chain came in at No. 67 in Pennsylvania.

Hit reality series Love Is Blind is currently casting for its ninth season, and Philadelphia is one of the cities under consideration for the show. A number of area residents have applied, hoping they’ll make the cut, including Victoria Andreacchio, a 27-year-old from Delaware County.

Pendle Hill, a Quaker study and retreat in Wallingford, held a reopening of its pottery studio earlier this month. Now known as Sally’s Place, it pays homage to retired teacher Sally Palmer, who taught there for many years. (The Swarthmorean)

Media native and actor Drew Seltzer will make a two-episode appearance on the CBS legal comedy-drama, Elsbeth, this coming season. He found a passion for acting at Rose Valley’s Hedgerow Theatre, where he appeared in numerous Main Stage productions, according to Patch.

Reminder for families: Both the Rose Tree Media and Wallingford-Swarthmore School Districts are closed Monday for Labor Day. On Tuesday, classes will resume at WSSD, and some Rose Tree Media students (kindergarten through sixth grade, and ninth grade) will start school. The remaining RTMSD students will begin classes on Wednesday.

WSSD also put out a reminder about its electronics policy during school hours. Elementary school students are not allowed to use devices, middle school students can use them only before and after school or for medical purposes, and high school students can use them before and after school, between classes, and during lunch, as well as for medical purposes. Parents in the district having been pushing for reduced cell phone use, especially for younger children. You can read our recent deep dive into why here.

White Dog Cafe in Glen Mills is hosting a wine pairing dinner next month to celebrate its partnership with Penns Woods Winery, which has created a special red wine exclusively for the White Dog Cafe locations. The White Dog Red Release Dinner will take place Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. and will include five Penns Woods wines, including its new creation, paired with a tasting menu. Learn more about the event and get tickets here.