DOVER — A Dover-area man granted a retrial involving weapons charges was judged not guilty of offenses resulting from a 2013 traffic stop, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Irvan Adams and his mother broke down in tears after Kent County Superior Court Judge Robert B. Young returned the verdict earlier this week, according to defense counsel André Beauregard.

The trial was initially scheduled for three days before a jury, but instead proceeded as a one-day bench trial, Mr. Beauregard said.

The case centered around weapons recovered in a vehicle Mr. Adams was riding in during a traffic stop in Dover three years ago.

The Delaware Supreme Court returned the case to Kent County Superior Court on Sept. 28, 2015, after ruling that an affidavit of testimony was improperly barred from being admitted as evidence.

According to court documents, Mr. Adams’ brother stated in an affidavit on Oct. 8, 2013, that Mr. Adams and another person in a vehicle “had no knowledge that weapons were in the vehicle.”

The affidavit was not allowed into evidence by the court, papers said.

In October 2014, Mr. Adams was convicted of possession of a firearm by person prohibited, possession of ammunition by a person prohibited, carrying a concealed deadly weapon and second-degree conspiracy. He was sentenced to five years of Level V imprisonment.

A new trial was later scheduled after the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Mr. Beauregard said his client served approximately one year in prison as the case proceeded.

“The reason why we won the case is that we were persistent in the search for justice,” Mr. Beauregard said. “My client is able to start a new life without prison being a part of his life. He was always good with the youths within our community and he has dedicated his life to make sure other (young children) don’t follow in his footsteps.”

U.S. Sen. Thomas Carper crosses Loockerman Street Friday with America’s SBDC Delaware business adviser Bobbie Schmittinger during his walking tour of downtown Dover businesses with SBA deputy director John L. Banks behind them. (Delaware State News/Dave Chambers)

DOVER— Tammy Parris always envisioned owning a high end luxury boutique in downtown Dover.

“It was always my dream,” Ms. Parris said.

She is now the owner of Parris Nail Lounge, as she said if it wasn’t for the Small Business Administration her idea would have never turned into a reality.

“The SBA was critical in helping me understand everything I needed to know about opening a business,” Ms. Parris said.

The business is located at 149 S. Governors Ave., in Dover.

Celebrity Style Vintage Boutique owner Marcella Pigford of Dover meets U.S. Sen. Tom Carper Friday in her Loockerman Street store.

“I wasn’t sure if I was able to go through the process myself, but I was able to do so and without them I wouldn’t be here today,” she said.

On Friday morning U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., and Dover officials toured Parris Lounge and Celebrity Style Vintage Boutique to see first-hand how the SBA is helping to create opportunities for business owners in Downtown Dover.

“We’re here to help any way that we can, as our job is to help small business owners be successful,” Sen. Carper said.

The SBA has delivered millions of loans, contracts, counseling sessions and other forms of assistance to small businesses, Sen. Carper said.

The SBA states that its mission is to maintain and strengthen the nation’s economy by aiding, counseling, assisting and protecting the interests of small businesses and by providing loan guarantees through private sector lenders to help qualified small businesses secure financing on reasonable terms.

“I love the idea of job creation and economic growth,” Sen. Carper said. “We want to make sure that people who want to start businesses have that access.

“Anything that creates that nurturing environment is what we strive for.”

Marcella Pigford opened Celebrity Style Vintage Boutique in 2013.

U.S. Sen. Thomas Carper, left, greets SCORE-certified counselor Herb Konowitz of Dover as he enters the Downtown Dover Partnership building for his walking tour of Loockerman street businesses Friday.

The shop is located at 32 W. Loockerman Suite 101 B in Dover.

She said the SBA was a big help in getting her store off of the ground.

“They were amazing,” Ms. Pigford said. “I walked in with an idea, as I was little lost at first. “But they helped me find my way by helping me put together a business plan and finding the location that was right for me.

Nicole Ford, who is a junior at Delaware State University, is an assistant at Parris Nail Lounge and follows her mentor’s footsteps anyway that she can.

“I watch what she does,” Ms. Ford said. “I see what she does right and wrong. She helps me learn, so I can do this one day.”

“The experience has been great. It’s something that I have a passion for. I’ve been doing this since I was 9 and to see it come full circle is a great feeling.”

Ms. Parris said it’s important for business owners to do what they love, as the money will eventually come.

“You have to do what makes you happy,” Ms. Parris said.

“Money is wonderful. It’s a part that’s needed to be successful, but the most important thing is your happiness. If you concentrate on that aspect then the money will eventually follow.”

A Leipsic Volunteer Fire Company rescue boat prepares to tow a capsized commercial crabbing vessel in the Delaware Bay on Thursday afternoon. (Submitted photo/Little Creek Fire Department)

LITTLE CREEK — A dangerous mix of high winds, low temperature, breaking waves and an incoming tide put three men in a perilous spot after their boat overturned in the Delaware Bay on Thursday afternoon.

According to authorities, the 25-foot commercial crabbing vessel sunk after taking waves to the port and starboard sides, leaving the three men clinging to the hull in 53-degree water about three miles east of Port Mahon.

Authorities said the men were rescued within 28 minutes of the emergency notification, and located without injuries by a Little Creek Volunteer Fire Company rescue boat.

A Delaware State Police helicopter hovered over the rescue scene as well, authorities said.

The boat captain was a 34-year-old Townsend resident, joined by a 38-year-old Townsend resident and a 50-year-old Dover resident,

A Leipsic Volunteer Fire Company rescue boat towed a capsized 25-foot commercial vessel back to Port Mahon on Thursday afternoon, before water was then pumped from the boat.

DNREC said. Officials said victims’ identities are not disclosed publicly in any case.

DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police spokesman Sgt. John McDerby said investigation found that the men clung to the vessel that was stern down for approximately 3- to 3½-hours overall.

“They took a wave over the portside of the boat and the captain tried to correct the boat before it took a wave off the starboard side and the boat capsized within seconds,” Sgt. McDerby said.

“They got themselves on top of the boat and were able to hold onto the hull, so they weren’t completely in the water.”

Based on the weather conditions, described by the Little Creek Volunteer Fire Company as “poor,” the ultimate result could have been far worse.

“With the temperature of the water and air and condition of the sea, they were definitely susceptible to hypothermia due to the environmental conditions,” Sgt. McDerby said.

A quick and coordinated response from several emergency responders possibly saved the men from a far worse fate, Sgt. McDerby said.

“This is the reason we’re on the water and have marine units on patrol and able to respond to reports of people and vessels in distress,” he said.

Echoing those thoughts was Little Creek Chief Michael Bundek.

“I was extremely proud of the members who were on board the initial rescue boat that located the subjects,” he said.

“I am equally pleased that all of the responding agencies worked together so effectively. In a nutshell three lives saved, the vessel was recovered and there were no responder injuries.

“Water rescue emergencies of this magnitude are unpredictable and often are low frequency and high risk. The time our members commit to training showed during this rescue which was handled flawlessly.”

Dangerous water reported

A 911 call from the boat reported the vessel was experiencing dangerously high seas in the Delaware Bay, but DNREC said the connection was lost. However, authorities said, a concerned citizen called Kent County Emergency Communications Center at 3:38 p.m. to notify that the vessel did not return to the dock as expected.

Typically, commercial vessels do not file float plans, DNREC said, but do travel in certain areas depending on the time of the year.

A grid search commenced, with rescue boats from the Little Creek, Leipsic and Bowers volunteer fire companies, United States Coast Guard and DNREC taking part, along with the Delaware State Police helicopter.

According to Sgt. McDerby, winds were blowing from the east at 25 knots at the time of the accident, with an incoming tide and four- to five-foot waves.

The stranded crew members were rescued and taken back to the Port Mahon dock, where they were treated for exposure by the Leipsic Fire Emergency Medical Services and Kent County Emergency Medical Services, officials said.

The Little Creek company said the vessel was towed back to the Port Mahon boat ramp by a Leipsic rescue boat. At that point, fire crews pumped the water from the vessel and turned it over to the owner.

DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement investigated the incident and filed a report since damage was estimated at more than $500, Sgt. McDerby said.

Kaila Hindt netted five goals as Smyrna High edged Padua, 13-11, in girls’ lacrosse on a rainy Friday afternoon.

At 7-2, Smyrna has matched the highest victory total in its three-year varsity history.

Shabnam Noroozi-Pooya and Maddie Price added four goals apiece for the Eagles, who led 7-5 at halftime.

Goalie Gabrielle DiRusso made nine saves.

BOYS, Dover 9, Middletown 3: The Senators picked up a nonconference victory on Friday night.

Wilmington Friends 14, Polytech 2: The Quakers took a 10-0 halftime advantage before posting the win.

Zachary Trabaudo and Griffin Ott scored the Panthers’ goals with Nathan Fairbanks making 10 saves.

Baseball

Cape Henlopen 5, Polytech 1: Austin Elliott and David Erickson combined to pitch a one-hitter as Cape won the Henlopen North matchup.

Polytech’s Joseph Haas threw a two-hitter with seven strikeouts as the two teams combined for only three hits but committed seven errors in the wet conditions.

Zach Gelof had a hit, RBI and three stolen bases with Richardson adding an RBI single.

Logan Olshenske had a bunt single for the Panthers’ lone hit.

Lake Forest 18, Laurel 3: The Spartans scored at least two runs in every inning of their Henlopen win.

Cameron Beulah, Eric Berardicelli, Dylan Martin and Hunter Fleetwood each contributed two hits to Lake Forest’s total of 10. Brandon Cashdan and Curtis Reed combined to pitch a two-hitter.

Trace Hitchens hit a two-run triple for the Bulldogs.

Milford 8, St. Georges 6: The Buccaneers scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth before holding off the Hawks, who answered with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh.

Ethan Hurd and Shane Snowden had two hits each for Milford.

St. Mark’s 4, Seaford 0: The Spartans scored three runs in the second inning and winning pitcher Billy Sullivan struck out 10 in five innings.

Justin Gray doubled for Seaford.

Softball

Polytech 12, Cape Henlopen 6: Whitney DeMora hit three homeruns and drove in eight runs to power the Panthers to the conference victory.

DeMora, who hit a grand slam, was also walked twice and scored four runs. Polytech finished off the win by scoring three runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh.

Winning pitcher Taylor Pechin struck out 11 and went 3-for-5 at the plate. Morgan Dodge added two hits.

Cape pitcher Riley Shields was 5-for-5 with an RBI while Hannah Jones had two hits with a triple.

Dover 8, William Penn 6: The Senators scored six runs in the top of the sixth and made the lead stand up as they improved to 6-5.

Syean Deleon had three hits and three RBI while winning pitcher Katie Dunlap tripled.

Sussex Central 14, Woodbridge 0: Hayley McCabe threw a five-inning no-hitter as the Golden Knights won their sixth game in a row.

Central, which finished with 10 hits, scored six runs in the first.

St. Mark’s 15, Seaford 2: The Spartans scored seven runs in the first and five in the second to take control.

Seaford’s Ayanna Cannon had two hits, including a double.

College baseball

William & Mary 10, Delaware 0: The Blue Hens team mustered just one hit in the Colonial Athletic Association loss.

The Hens (25-17, 4-9 CAA) managed only a third-inning single by freshman Kevin Mohollen and three walks, as they were shut out for just the second time this season.

The Tribe snapped a four-game losing skid to Delaware while Hens have dropped four consecutive CAA games.

College lacrosse

MEN, Fairfield 10, Delaware 5: The Blue Hens’ season ended with the Colonial Athletic Association loss on Friday.

Fairfield (8-7, 4-1 CAA) broke away from a 4-4 tie by scoring five straight goals to start the final quarter.

Delaware entered the night needing either a win over Fairfield or a loss by Drexel earlier in the evening to UMass to earn one of fourth berths in next week’s CAA Tournament. Neither one happened as Drexel, which downed the Hens 6-5 in overtime last week, defeated UMass 10-5 to earn the final slot.

The Hens close out the season with a mark of 5-10 (2-3 CAA).

Redshirt freshman attackman Andrew Romagnoli led the Hens with two goals while senior midfielder Steve DeLargy added a goal.

College track & field

Hillman takes seventh: Delaware sophomore Sarah Hillman, a Polytech High grad, posted a seventh-place finish in the College Women’s Discus Throw Championship at the Penn Relays on Friday.

Hillman tossed the discus a distance of 154-feet, 9-inches (47.19) to post the seventh-place showing. Her career best of 162-8, set earlier this season at VCU, would have been good enough for third place Friday.

She threw 43.83 meters on her first toss and 45.03 on her second before fouling on her third attempt. She posted her best throw on her fourth attempt but fouled on her final two tries.

Wolverines earn CAC honors: Wesley College’s Anthony Simpson was named Capital Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year in track & field.

He also earned All-CAC first-team honors for his performance in the 100 meters while taking second-team honors for his performance in the 200.

Senior Carlton Sheppard was honored on the first team in the 800 and on the second team with Vicco Bedell, Nick Stenderowicz, and DaJahn Lowery in the 1,600 relay.

De’Vaughn Trader took first in the long jump to gain his second first-team honors.

Alec Laise and Brandon Hunter each earned all-conference second-team honors as well. Hunter finished second in the triple jump while Laise finished second in the pole vault.

There isn’t much that Elena Delle Donne hasn’t accomplished in her storied basketball career.

But there isn’t much that the Delaware native wanted more than a spot on the U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball team.

So Wednesday was a red-letter day for Delle Donne when she found out she had received just one of 12 roster berths on the U.S. squad for the Rio Summer Olympics.

“It’s so hard to even put it into words,” Delle Donne told USA Basketball. “When Carol (Callan, from USA Basketball) told me, it was emotional.

Just to think this entire basketball journey I’ve been on has been absolutely incredible, but this has been by far the pinnacle of my career and the best news I’ve ever heard.

“It’s absolutely a dream come true. I’ve just been soaking it up today and it’s amazing and a humbling experience as well, with how special and talented this pool of players is.”

Delle Donne is believed to be the first former University of Delaware athlete to compete on a U.S. Olympic squad.

Delle Donne’s legion of First State fans will get the chance to see her play in person today when she and her WNBA Chicago Sky teammates play an exhibition game at the Carpenter Center.

The Sky will be taking on the New York Liberty at 2 p.m. in an exhibition game in Newark. Tickets are still available for the contest.

Ironically, playing on the Olympic team will give Delle Donne the chance to play for Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma, who is also the U.S. head coach.

Delle Donne, of course, originally signed with UConn before abruptly leaving the school as well as the sport. After a year playing volleyball at Delaware, she eventually returned to the basketball court with the Blue Hens and found the college stardom so many predicted for the versatile 6-foot-5 player.

“Yeah, it’s crazy to think that there was a time that I put the basketball down and thought I would never play again,” Delle Donne said on Wednesday. “And now to get here, it’s unbelievable. I wouldn’t trade any part of that journey, I feel like it really makes this moment that much even more special.”

On Wednesday, Auriemma said that Delle Donne is “obviously one of the most talented players in the world.”

The two have long since put her UConn departure behind them and developed a new relationship as coach and player. Auriemma said the biggest issue with Delle Donne’s game right now is simply her lack of international experience.

“But Elena is a quick learner,” he said. “It hasn’t taken her very long to establish herself in the (WNBA) league, being MVP of the league last year. I know that because she’s not limited to one thing on the floor, she can help this team in numerous ways.

“I feel like I know her a little bit,” Auriemma added. “I feel like I know what makes her tick. I think I can get to her in a way that she understands. I’m sure that she’s going to be nervous. She’s going to be anxious. She’s going to be all those things. Our relationship is great, and I would expect it to get even better.”

Delle Donne said she’s always loved the Olympics. And it wasn’t just the basketball, but sports like gymnastics, swimming and beach volleyball as well.

“I was just a huge fan of the Olympics in general, all the different sports, even track and field,” she said.

Now Delle Donne actually gets to be part of it.

Riders rolling

The fact that the Caesar Rodney High golf team is cruising through its Henlopen Conference schedule again is hardly a surprise.

The Riders, after all, haven’t lost a match to a Henlopen team since 2009.

But in a sport where your constant competition is the course itself, CR is also putting up some pretty impressive numbers.

The Riders (12-0) have scored 158 or less in six straight matches. That string is topped by a season-low score of 152 at Wild Quail on April 20.

CR scored in the 150s only three times all last season. The Riders have done it seven times this year already.

And those are the best numbers for CR since 2012, when the Riders scored in the 150s a total of 13 times before winning the second of three straight state titles.

“We’re doing OK,” said CR coach John Newman. “Hopefully our best golf is still in front of us.

“Kind of the neat thing for us is it hasn’t been the same four guys. It takes pressure off. If it’s the same four kids every time, and if one of those kids has a bad day, it’s tough. If you have six guys capable of a pretty good score, hopefully they feed off of each other. I think that’s kind of what’s happening.”

Odds & ends

•Sussex Central High’s 1989 undefeated state championship squad (21-0) will be the first team inducted into the Delaware Baseball Hall of Fame when this year’s induction takes place on June 13 at Frawley Stadium.

Former Lake Forest High coach Bill Falasco will also be among six individuals going into the ‘Hall’ this year. The other inductees include Haverford College coach Dave Beccaria (Salesianum), Caravel coach Paul Niggebrugge (Dickinson), Cliff Brumbaugh (William Penn/Delaware), who played with three teams in the majors, John Tirrell, a contributor to Midway Little League for over 50 years, and the late Fran Lucia, who was a longtime contributor to American Legion baseball.

•St. Andrews Bob Colburn, a fixture in the Delaware high school baseball coaching ranks, has announced he’ll be retiring after 55 seasons. The 78-year-old coach has played a big part in promoting the sport through things like the All-State team, the Blue-Gold All-Star Game and the Carpenter Cup Tournament.

•Dover High’s nonconference football schedule for 2016 includes games against Henlopen South teams Woodbridge and Lake Forest along with Baltimore Poly and Salesianum.

•The four-time Division I state champion Padua girls’ soccer team is ranked No. 24 in the country again this week.

•Of the 51 coaching vacancies in Division I men’s college basketball this year, Delaware is now one of just three schools yet to hire a replacement. It’s been 43 days since UD fired former coach Monte’ Ross.

Local radio personality Norman Short of Cool 101.3 emceed the March of Dimes event Saturday in Dover.

Members of the Chesapeake Utilities team wore gray T-shirts as they marched.

Members of the Dover High School girls soccer team including junior Heather Marino volunteered their time to entertain youngsters like Chance Fogan, 7, of Dover.

01dsn March of Dimes March For Babies 005

From left, Lindsey Harris, her son Donte Jr., 8, and husband Donte Harris Sr. of Newark walked with teammates Debbie Embry and Karin Gotcher, both of Dover, with little Cameron Harris, 11 months, out in front.

01dsn March of March For Babies 004

Delaware State University students wore black and carried a banner during the walk.

Most folks participated as teams and wore colorful T-shirts for the walk through Dover

Steffi Holmes of Dover kicked off the March of Dimes March For Babies event along Legislative Mall Saturday morning.

Hundreds of people participated in the March of Dimes March For Babies event at Dover Saturday morning.

Families and business leaders came together Saturday for the March of Dimes annual March for Babies — the nation’s oldest walk fundraiser honoring babies born healthy and those who need help to survive and thrive.

This year’s sponsors included Nemours A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, WSTW/WDEL, Bayhealth Medical Center, Beebe Healthcare, M&T Bank, Cool 101.3 and Clear Channel Outdoor.

Among those participating was Kent County Ambassador Family: the McGinnis Family, Team TJ’s Baby Chicks. Members began participating in April 2008 with the family team Skye Has No Limits. In March 2007, Skye Brode was born weighing 1 pound, 1 ounce and was only 11 inches long. She was on ventilators to help her breathe during her long stay in the newborn intensive care unit of the hospital before going home.

In addition to the 2.5-mile morning walk, the event included games, craft activities for kids and snacks.

Funds raised by March for Babies in Delaware help support prenatal wellness programs, research grants, newborn intensive care unit, family support programs and advocacy efforts for stronger, healthier babies.

You wouldn’t know it from most of the news coverage. But voters really do want presidential candidates to lay out their plans to keep Social Security financially sound for future generations.

In Delaware, Social Security helps more than 182,000 people pay their bills. It keeps millions in the middle class — and 41,000 above the poverty line. Delaware residents depend on Social Security, and they want it to be there for their children and grandchildren.

They want to know more about the Social Security proposals that have quietly entered the playing field. And televised debates provide a great opportunity to serve that need. Candidates can talk about their views in detail, and really help voters understand how they and their families could be affect by changes to Social Security.

But so far, this opportunity has been wasted. Moderators from the major TV networks have not pressed candidates on the subject. And on those occasions when Social Security has come up, they’ve let candidates dodge the question or speak in meaningless sound bites. We believe it is time to go past clichés and vague generalities and have a Social Security debate that can help our country move forward.

In the coming days, Take A Stand volunteers will begin to deliver petitions to the major networks, urging them to make sure that Social Security gets its fair share of time in the political debates. Our volunteers also will use social media to draw attention to this aim.

Social Security is becoming even more important in Delaware and throughout the country. Employer pensions are vanishing. The cost of health care and other necessities keeps going up. Yet, more people than ever may live into their 80s, 90s and beyond, with limited means to pay the bills. If our leaders don’t act, future retirees could lose up $10,000 a year.

So, the stakes really matter. Proposals that candidates offer for Social Security should be fully debated, and people should understand how these ideas could affect them and their families. All proposals should get careful consideration, with a serious discussion of pros and cons.

For example, some candidates support raising the retirement age, noting that people live years longer than when Social Security was created in the 1930s. But what happens to people with physically demanding jobs who can’t work longer? Some candidates say Social Security benefits should be increased, noting that many retirees struggle with low benefits. But how do we pay for benefit increases, given all the budget realities?

Voters should not be left in the dark about the answers. Americans pay into Social Security throughout their working lives, and they deserve to know — in detail — how every presidential candidate would keep the promise of Social Security for future generations. If someone thinks they’re ready to be president, they should be willing to say what they would do to keep Social Security strong.

While some candidates have been more forthcoming than others, major questions remain about all their proposals, and we urge the networks to press the candidates harder on Social Security.

Having a real plan to update Social Security is a test of presidential leadership in 2016. The news networks should help us find out whether the candidates pass that test.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Rashmi Rangan is the AARP state president for Delaware.

Joe Callahan

DOVER — Like a lot of other kids, Joe Callahan grew up a fan of former Packers’ quarterback Brett Favre.

But only a precious few of them can say they actually got to be a QB for Green Bay, too.

Callahan added his name to that list on Saturday night when the Packers signed the former Wesley College football star to a free-agent contract.

“It’s a dream come true,” he said from his parents’ home in New Jersey. “I’m so excited to be a Packer right now. I grew up a huge Brett Favre fan so I already had the jersey from being a little kid.

“It’s really a dream come true,” Callahan said again. “As a little kid I always wanted to play quarterback for the Packers and now I’m getting a chance to actually play for them.”

Despite his status as the winner of Division III’s Gagliardi Trophy this fall, Callahan beat some considerable odds just to make it this far.

The only other Wolverines to sign NFL free-agent contracts were defensive lineman Bryan Robinson and receiver Larry Beavers. Along with being a small-college player, Callahan stands only 6-foot-1, 216 pounds — a little on the small side for an NFL quarterback.

But Wesley coach Mike Drass has said all along that he believes Callahan has a strong enough arm to make the throws required of a pro QB.

“We’re really excited for him getting this opportunity,” said Drass. “When he came in as a freshman, we knew he was good. But Joe is a guy who got to this point in his career with a lot of hard work — both physically and mentally.”

Callahan, who threw for 5,068 yards and 55 touchdowns as a senior, got a call from the Packers’ coaching staff almost as soon as the NFL Draft ended on Saturday.

While Callahan had heard from a few NFL teams, the Packers had clearly shown the most interest in him. He’ll fly to Green Bay on Thursday for next weekend’s rookie camp.

There were plenty of phone calls to be made to family and friends as the news started to spread. The reality of it all was starting to sink for Callahan.

“That’s all I was hoping for the whole time — just an opportunity,” he said. “Whether it was an invite to rookie camp, if I got signed as a free agent — whatever it was — I just wanted to get a chance to show off my talent and show that I can play at the next level. Like I said, it’s just a dream come true.”

A Diamond State Base Ball Club member covers first base while an outfielder watches. (Submitted photo/Diamond State Base Ball Club)

DOVER — In honor of Mother’s Day, a traditional old-time “base ball” game is moving up a day.

Wearing their 1860s replica uniforms and playing by the rules of that era the Diamond State Base Ball Club will play the Lewes Vintage Baseball Club at noon this Saturday.

1864 RULES
According to the Diamond State Baseball Club, here are some of the rules that governed the game in 1864:
• Fielders do not use gloves.
• The baseball has different stitching and is slightly larger (9 1/2″inch circumference.)
• Wooden bats tend to be longer, heavier and fatter at the handle.
• The bases at first, second and third are made of canvas and are smaller (12″ square)
• Home plate is a flat, circular metal disc painted white.
• Foul lines are marked from the middle of home plate only down as far as first and third bases (90 feet). Flags are placed further down each foul line, 100 feet from first and third bases.
• No base coaches are permitted within the playing area. Players and captains may offer their teammates advice and direction from the bench at any time.
• The first team to strike (bat) is determined by a bat toss or coin flip.
• The pitcher stands in a designated area (not upon a mound) approximately 45 feet from home base and tosses the ball with an underhanded delivery to the striker (i.e.- the batter.)
• The striker (batter) must stand on a line drawn through the center of home plate and extending three feet to either side of the plate.
• If the pitcher fails to deliver hittable pitches to the striker, the umpire may warn the pitcher and then call balls on subsequent pitches deemed to be unhittable.
• If the striker (batter) does not attempt to hit good pitches, the umpire may warn the striker and then call strikes on subsequent good pitches.
• After the umpire calls a third ball, the striker and all runners advance, even if not forced from a base.
• Foul balls do not count as strikes.
• The striker is out after accumulating three strikes during a turn at bat.
• Foul tips caught either in the air or on the first bound by the catcher are considered outs.
• Though not prohibited by rule, bunting is generally considered unacceptable.
• In order to be considered an out, fair balls must be caught on the fly or on a single bound. Runners cannot advance on foul balls.
• The first striker of an inning is the player who follows the runner/striker who made the last out of the previous inning.
• On foul balls, the ball must be returned to the pitcher, and then outs can be made by getting the ball to the base to which a runner is returning, before the runner arrives. The pitcher need not wait for the foul return in the pitcher’s normal position.
• A run cannot score on a caught foul ball, but a runner on third can advance after the ball has been returned to the pitcher.
• A fair ball is a batted ball that first touches the ground, a player, or any object within fair territory (i.e.- inside the lines extending from home base through first and third bases.)
• The batter runner may be tagged out if he overruns first, second or third base.
• Only team the team captain may dispute an umpire’s call.

This year, Mother’s Day fell on a Sunday, which is when the base ball game has typically been played on Legislative Mall during Dover Days weekend.

The nine-inning contest will unfold at a field behind the Governor’s Woodburn Mansion at 151 Kings Highway SW.

Club president Jeff “Swampy” Kabacinski said Dover Days weekend has always brought the biggest crowd of the year to a game, and he’s anticipating more of the same this year.

“It’s kind of a good news/bad news situation,” Mr. Kabacinski said. “We’re more out of the way this year, but there will also be more people in the area due to a busy Saturday on Dover Days who can attend the game.”

First-time spectators will be surprised when the pitcher tosses the base ball (two words in the 1860s) underhand, the fielder’s play barehanded and outs can be made even if a batted ball bounces once before the catch. Eventually, other departures from the modern game will prove surprising and interesting at the same time.

Playing first base one time Mr. Kabacinski caught a ball with his hands and suffered a broken finger as a result.

“It takes some getting used to, I’m not going to lie,” Mr. Kabacinski said.

The Diamond State Base Ball Club arrives with a roster full of players with nicknames such as “Buzzsaw” and “Moonlight” and “Flying Dutchman,” hailing mostly from Wilmington, Newark and Middletown, with a couple each from Newark and Milford.

“With the Lewes club coming from the south and meeting us somewhat in the middle, we’re looking forward to hosting a Delaware-centered base ball game,” Mr. Kabacinski said.

The contest will be unfold on the grounds of the Elizabeth W. Murphey School, thanks to the administration’s approval.

The 83rd Dover Days event starts today with an exhibition of old postcards from the city at the Old State House. The free event runs from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and organizers advised that seating is limited.

From Monday through Friday, guided and walking tours will be available to explore Dover and its history. Walking tours with historical interpreters dressed in period clothing depart every hour from the John Bell House at 43 The Green and last approximately 45 minutes. The guided tours cover the Old State House, John Bell House, and Legislative Mall.

A Diamond State Base Ball Club pitcher delivers the ball underhand during a game.

DEWEY BEACH – Delaware Republicans selected their delegates to the national convention Saturday at a statewide gathering.

The 16 men and women chosen by local Republicans will represent the state at the nominating convention in July in Cleveland. That’s when the GOP’s presidential candidate will be formally selected.

Attendees Saturday spoke of a unified Republican Party that will take back the White House behind Donald Trump.

Mr. Trump, who garnered 61 percent of the vote in Delaware’s presidential primary Tuesday, has a solid lead in the race for Republican Party mantle, but may not be able to clinch the nomination ahead of the national convention.

Sen. Colin Bonini

While all 16 of Delaware’s delegates are sworn to Mr. Trump, they would be released to back whomever they choose should the billionaire fail to gain the needed 1,237 delegates on the first ballot. That would lead to an free-for-all not seen in recent presidential politics.

Talk of a contested convention dominated Saturday’s gathering. But supporters of Mr. Trump and state party officials expressed confidence Delaware delegates would stick with the man the state supported by an overwhelming margin.

“In the end, it’s about the will of the people. It’s not about the will of 16 individuals,” said Rob Arlett, a Sussex County councilman who is chairman of Mr. Trump’s Delaware campaign.

“We, as a committee, have elected them to represent the people of Delaware at the national convention,” he added. “So there’s no question in my mind that they will be credible in their selection and ensure that the will of the people is carried out throughout the entire process.”

The 16 delegates include three automatically included by virtue of their positions within the party: Chairman Charlie Copeland, National Committeeman Laird Stabler and National Committewoman Ellen Barrosse.

The other 13 include one for each of the Northern New Castle, Western New Castle, Colonial, Kent and Sussex regions and eight at-large delegates. They were selected by the party’s executive committee and approved Saturday by large margins.

Among them are Sen. F. Gary Simpson and Delaware Treasurer Ken Simpler.

Dozens of representatives for each of five regions approved the slate as a whole Saturday with little objection.

Despite angst and reluctance from many in the national Republican establishment over backing Mr. Trump, Mr. Copeland described the state party as “very unified.”

“We’re here to beat Hillary Clinton,” the likely Democratic nominee, he said.

Mr. Arlett said he believes 15 of the 16 delegates would support Mr. Trump on a second ballot. He declined to say who the dissenter might be.

Mr. Copeland dismissed concerns about a split should a brokered convention arise. He said he expects Mr. Trump to clinch the nomination with 1,237 delegates beforehand.

Robert Stout, from the Colonial district, is one of the 16 who will attend the July convention on behalf of the state party. Though he was initially a supporter of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who had clashed with Mr. Trump before dropping out of the race in February, Mr. Stout said he will support Mr. Trump if a second ballot is needed.

“The people of Delaware have spoken,” he said.

The attendees also voted to endorse state Sen. Colin Bonini, R-Dover, for governor over political newcomer Lacey Lafferty. Despite endorsing him, the party will not spend resources helping Sen. Bonini.

Rich King, of Long Neck, gets ready to head into the surf on Conquest Beach, south of Dewey Beach last week. With his website and weekly columns, Mr. King has turned his hobby into a full-time of job of supplying information on local waterways. (Special to the Delaware State News/Lexi Coon)

DEWEY BEACH — According to Rich King, “Catching is the byproduct of fishing” and through his immense knowledge of surf fishing, he has caught himself an audience.

Born in northern Delaware, Mr. King, who now lives in Long Neck, began fishing from a very young age. So young in fact, he doesn’t remember his first time reeling in a catch.

“I have been fishing all of my life,” he said.

“I used to fish with my grandfather in the surf. I don’t remember that first fish, I was so young.”

He carried his passion for fishing with him throughout his life, finding ways to continue going to the beach and fish. When asked about his favorite fishing memory, he couldn’t pick one.

“Every story has a good memory attached to it,” Mr. King said. “The good catches, the ones that got away, that time we almost sank, that other time we spent the night on the marsh or a sandbar.”

The list goes on.

The only time he wasn’t surf fishing was when he was in college, and even then, he moved back to Delaware after graduation and picked up where he left off.

Still, it was only a pastime. Or it was up until about five years ago.

Mr. King’s friends knew he understood surf fishing more than most beachgoers, and they knew he could help them.

Whenever he was out on the beach, his phone would vibrate and ring, with voices on the other end asking for suggestions and information on the best spots out there.

One day, he had enough, and decided to start a website, Delaware-surf-fishing.com, to keep all of his friends up to date on the fishing reports in different locations.

“This website was a lark, something I wanted to do for some friends,” Mr. King said. “I posted it on, like, five friends’ Facebook pages, and said, ‘Stop calling me,’ and the thing went viral.”

Within two weeks, the website grew to reach 300,000 readers. In June 2010, the Delaware Surf Fishing brand was born.

“Before this I was pounding nails, building houses,” said Mr King.

At one point, he lived on the beach, tagging sharks for Delaware State University.

The popularity for his brand went viral in such a short amount of time that readership now exceeds that of some local newspapers. His weekly column appears Thursdays in the Delaware State News.

Since Delaware Surf Fishing’s creation, his website has also grown to include surrounding waterways, not just the shorelines.

Rich King casts his line into the water south of Dewey Beach.

“It was born in the surf, but we fish everywhere. It just keeps evolving,” he said, mentioning that he now includes all of the waterway and offshore fishing spots.

Delaware Surf Fishing has also expanded from updating about the activity in the local waterways and fishery issues to include coverage of storms that hit the area.

“We started [covering storms] when Hurricane Katrina hit and all nor’easters. No one used to cover Delaware in the news during these bad storms, so DSF took it upon themselves to do that,” said Mr. King.

During Winter Storm Jonas, the most recent of major storms to his the Delmarva area, the site filtered six months of traffic in two days, reaching over 1.8 million people.

His brand has become a source of connection within the community, too.

In between the many updates that Mr. King provides through his website, he also runs Delaware Surf Fishing’s Instagram, Twitter and two Facebook accounts.

“It’s a social media monster,” he said, speaking of the 34,000 followers he has garnered in a short amount of time.

“It’s become a real job to run all [of those accounts]. Some folks have even reconnected with old friends through our social media sites.”

Rich King writes about the Delaware outdoors every Thursday in the Delaware State News.

While he is bearing the weight of the business, some surf fishers may say he is living the dream.

“Since I’ve kinda turned this into a job I have had the luxury of doing this on the weekdays,” said Mr. King. He has made his childhood passion into his vocation.

Nowadays, Mr. King can be seen driving onto the Delaware beaches on any given day in his Isuzu Rodeo emblazoned with the Delaware Surf Fishing logo. Packed into the truck and back seat of his car are containers filled with fishing gear, from poles to lines to lures.

Along with his brand’s logo on his car, he sports a DSF iFish sweatshirt, a line of clothing he sells online.

But his work doesn’t stop there.

Much like his website, Mr. King reaches out to connect the community. Delaware Surf Fishing regularly organizes beach cleanups and recently began offering surf fishing lessons for those who would like to learn more.

He encourages those who want to surf fish to join clubs or to learn from others who share the same passion.

“Fishing for many people is a way of life. They shape their lives not just around it but because of it,” said Mr. King.

“It is a connection to nature and a great way to relax. Standing on the edge of the Atlantic holding a fishing rod is a bit humbling at times.”

Surf fishing might be intimidating for some, and frustrating for others, but according to Mr. King, fishing does not always equal catching. Sometimes it’s social, to hang out with family and friends, and other times it’s to relax.

“You’re out there fishing,” he said, “and that’s the main part.”

Lexi Coon is a freelance writer living in the Camden area.

Smyrna senior second baseman Ryan “Rhino” Seymour (1) at bat. (Delaware State News/Dave Chambers)

Smyrna sophomore pitcher Eric Carrow (15)

Smyrna sophomore pitcher Eric Carrow (15) gets a fist bump from head coach Mike Henderson after three straight St Mark's outs.

Smyrna senior third baseman Jared Gillis smacks one skyward.

The Smyrna Eagles in a group huddle before the game.

Smyrna senior second baseman Ryan “Rhino” Seymour throws to first.

Smyrna head coach Mike Henderson, right, and assistant coach Mike Dulin

Smyrna junior center fielder Nolan Henderson (14) at bat

Smyrna junior catcher Thomas Penuel

The Smyrna infield celebrates another successful inning.

Smyrna High scored four runs in the third inning and made the lead stand up in a 4-3 victory over St. Mark’s in a nonconference baseball matchup on Saturday afternoon.

Dylan Snow’s two-out RBI single ended up being the game-winner as the Eagles (6-2) won their third game in a row. Ryan Seymour, Brandt Penuel and Nolan Henderson also had RBI in the third.

Jared Gillis, Jeremy Carrow and Shawn Dulin had two hits each to pace Smyrna’s nine-hit attack. Carrow was the winning pitcher with six strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings before John Barkley threw 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief to earn a save.

The Spartans (11-2), who had a five-game winning streak snapped, scored their three runs in the top of the fourth.

Dover 10, A.I. duPont 0: Jordan Hutchins pitched a three-hitter and struck out eight in six shutout innings as the Senators (11-2) won their fifth straight game.

Hutchins (3 runs), Jarvis Worthy (2 RBI) and Dwight Wilson (3 RBI) all had two hits for Dover, which led 6-0 after three innings. Four other Senators had an RBI in the contest.

Lacrosse

GIRLS, Worcester Prep, Md. 19, Polytech 10: Worcester outscored the Panthers, 10-4, in the second half to close out the victory.

Allie McKay had five goals and a pair of assists for Polytech (9-2), Jamie Trabaudo scored twice and Kate Richardson added the Panthers’ other goal.

Goalie Shannon Stephan made five saves as Worcester outshot Polytech, 26-24.

Appoquinimink 9, Sussex Academy 6: Kelsey Smith netted a pair of goals for the Seahawks in the loss.

Sussex Academy’s other goals came from Molly Martiner, Clara Elliott, Bridget Cosgrove and Leah Marsh. Grace Scott made 14 saves.

Caesar Rodney 13, Dover 12: Delaney Steele collected five goals and an assist as the Riders overcame a one-goal halftime deficit on Friday.

Kourtney Olsen (3 goals, 4 assists), Tara Caddio (2 goals), Eibhlin Steele (2 goals) and Abigail McGowan (1 goal) also scored for CR while Kaitlyn Longest made 13 saves.

Grace Gast netted a game-high seven goals for the Senators with Cydney Barnes scoring three. Grace Servon and Mira Prisco also scored goals while goalie Catherine Schoepp made 24 saves.

BOYS, Archmere 15, Caesar Rodney 9: The Auks’ 5-0 run in the second quarter made the difference in Archmere’s victory.

Demetrius Stevenson netted four goals while Luke Rankin had three for the Riders with Jack Bobel and Patrick Matsko scoring the other two goals.

CR’s Tyler Gross made 13 as the Auks finished with a 38-21 edge in shots.

Delmar 18, Lake Forest 10: The Wildcats posted the win in a Henlopen South game on Friday night.

Indian River 13, Smyrna 8: George Martin had four goals and Joshua Lucido had three for the Indians on Friday night.

Also scoring for IR were William Josetti (2 goals) and Max Strong, Andrew White (2 assists), Wyatt Kovatch and Samuel Nitz with one each.

Softball

Sussex Tech 10, Newark Charter 0: Madison Watson (4 RBI) and Rylee Shockley (2 RBI) both homered for the Ravens in their nonconference win.

Nicole Hovatter, Brooke Ward, and Taylor Collins each had two hits for Sussex Tech, which opened the contest with five straight doubles and a homer.

Taylor Wroten and Sarah James combined to pitch a five-inning two-hitter.

Girls’ soccer

Sussex Academy 4, St. Thomas More 1: Isabel Abboud and Kathryn Van Pelt tallied two goals apiece in the Seahawks’ win.

Kierstin Blatzheim made six saves as Sussex Academy held advantages of 14-7 in shots and 8-0 in corner kicks.

Emily Saint scored for the Ravens while Kourtnie Orth stopped 10 shots.

College baseball

Hens split with Tribe: Delaware got a big effort from a trio of pitchers and catcher Nick Tierno knocked in two runs as the Blue Hens defeated host William & Mary 4-2 Saturday afternoon to salvage a split in a Colonial Athletic Association doubleheader.

The Hens (26-18, 5-10 CAA), who suffered a 7-4 setback in Saturday’s opener, earned the much-needed win and stayed alive in the race for one of six spots in the CAA Tournament in late May.

Right-hander Nick Spadafino (Dover) delivered another outstanding effort on the mound in just his second career start and got solid relief support from Colman Vila and Burk FitzPatrick to key the Blue Hen victory.

After beginning his career with 35 straight relief appearances, Spadafino got his first career start on April 20 against Wilmington and fired a two-hit shutout in a 7-0 victory.

Spadafino didn’t get the win, but he went five solid innings and left with the score tied at 1-1. He scattered eight hits and allowed just one run before giving way to Vila (2-1), who allowed just one unearned run in 3.1 innings.

Diaz Nardo (Cape Henlopen) had a run-scoring double to give the Hens a 4-3 advantage in the top of the eighth inning in the opener. But William & Mary scored four runs in the eighth to take the lead and control.

Norfolk sweeps Hornets: Norfolk State pitchers Matt Outman and Jonathan Mauricio pitched matching seven-inning shutouts Saturday to lead the Spartans to a 10-0, 12-0 sweep of Delaware State in a matchup of the MEAC Northern Division’s top two teams.

With the wins, the Spartans (22-17, 15-4 MEAC) took a 4.5-game lead over the second-place Hornets (10-32, 10-8) in the Northern Division.

In game one, Outman (7-2) pitched a five-hit shutout with six strikeouts. The game was stopped after seven innings due to the 10-run rule.

Mauricio (5-2) followed with a four-hit shutout in the seven-inning nightcap, matching his career high with nine strikeouts.

College softball

UD splits with Towson: Blue Hen sophomore third baseman Alyshia Dellatore belted a solo home run off the scoreboard in the top of the ninth inning
as Delaware split a doubleheader with Towson.

The Tigers posted a 2-1 win in nine innings in the opener, before the Hens recorded a 4-3 nine-inning victory in the nightcap.

The Hens’ four homers in the nightcap tied a UD single-game record. Delaware has hit 27 home runs, tied for second most in a season.

On April 17, the Dover Police Department investigated two unrelated home invasions at unidentified residences in the 100 block of Willis Road within 31 minutes of each other. (Delaware State News/Craig Anderson)

DOVER — It’s simple, really.

Avoiding the illegal drug trade greatly reduces the odds of being victimized by a home invasion.

According to police, home invasions are almost always somehow connected to unlawful drug use.

Intent on committing a violent felony, a home invader typically takes drugs, money and cellphones, using darkness as a cover, the Delaware State Police said.

The stolen property likely will never be seen again.

Home invasions are rarely random, according to authorities.

Victims may provide limited information when police arrive to investigate.

HOME INVASION DEFIND
According to Delaware Code, home invasion is a class B felony. Following is its definition by law:
A person is guilty of home invasion when the person knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a dwelling with intent to commit a violent felony therein, and:
• That dwelling is occupied by another person who is not a participant in the crime and
• When, in effecting entry or when in the dwelling or immediate flight therefrom, the person or another participant in the crime engages in the commission of, or attempts to commit, any of the following felonies — murder, robbery, rape or kidnapping in any degree, first- or second-degree assault, manslaughter and
• When in effecting entry or when in the dwelling or in immediate flight therefrom, the person or another participant in the crime is armed with explosives or a deadly weapon or causes physical injury to any person who is not a participant in the crime.

“Targeted victims are cooperative to an extent due to their involvement in illegal activities,” State Police spokesman Master Cpl. Gary Fournier said.

According to Dover Police Department spokesman Master Cpl. Mark Hoffman in general terms, “The overwhelming majority of these incidents involve homes that are specifically targeted by the suspects for a variety of reasons.

“Oftentimes, we find that they are tied to illegal activity, specifically drugs.”

While acknowledging that the level of victim assistance varies, Cpl. Hoffman said, “The majority of the time, they are the callers and are mostly cooperative.

“However, some leave out information because it may be tied to illegal activities the victim is involved in.”

While most intruders try to conceal their identities in some way, “at some level, a majority of the victims know the suspects or there may be a link to the suspect (such as an) associate of a person who has knowledge of fruits of the crime — drugs, money, high value items,” Cpl. Fournier said.

Home invasion stats

“If the victim is cooperating, they usually can provide valuable information to help with the investigation.”

From 2014 to 2016, approximately 55 percent of home investigation cases successfully were cleared by investigating police in Kent and Sussex counties among all law enforcement agencies, according to the State Police. Also, about 37 percent involved a gun.

Each county experienced 35 home invasions in 2014 and 2015, according to police data. In 2016, five of seven home invasions have been cleared in Kent County, three overall with guns involved. One of four cases have been cleared in Sussex County. One with a gun overall.

In Dover, “The majority of the time, the victims tell police a firearm was involved,” Cpl. Hoffman said.

Also, home-invasion style incidents without a weapon or by use of hands only can be categorized as a domestic incident in the statistical data base, authorities said.

On April 17 in Dover, two unrelated home invasions unfolded in the 100 block of Willis Road within approximately 30 minutes of each other. The closeness of incidents was a rarity, police said, and didn’t necessarily indicate that the neighborhood was any more dangerous than it had been before.

“It was a very unusual situation and not something that has been seen in the city of Dover in recent memory,” Master Cpl. Hoffman said.

A suspect was arrested shortly afterward in one case on Willis Road, charged with home invasion, first-degree assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and criminal mischief after a resident was shot once in the chest at 11:01 p.m., police said.

In the other investigation, Dover Police determined that four to five suspects entered a home at 10:30 p.m., threatening three occupants with handguns. A minor assault was reported, and an undisclosed amount of cash was taken.

No rising trend

Overall, there’s no indication that home invasions are trending upward in Dover, Cpl. Hoffman said.

As an investigation proceeds, police say nearby neighbors are told of the crime.

“Yes, while detectives canvass the area and through media releases,” Cpl. Fournier responded when asked if a notification policy exists.

Cpl. Hoffman said, “More often than not, detectives will contact neighbors as part of their investigation.”

The unpredictability of when home invasions occur makes it impossible for law enforcement to conduct a campaign to curb them, unlike speeding and drunken driving enforcement, plus drug dealing hot spot surveillance, among other operations.

By taking safety precautions regarding their homes, citizens can better protect themselves against any possible danger, according to police.

“Obviously the best advice, as with anything, is to be aware of your surroundings, report suspicious activity, and keep your home secured,” Cpl. Hoffman said.

Cpl. Fournier advised residents, “Alarm the residence and have a panic button in the event of a break-in.

“Do not answer the door or open the door to someone you do not know. Call 911 in the event of any suspicious person near your home.”

State Police Major Crimes Units investigate home invasions, considered a Class B felony in Delaware Code, with a possible mandatory minimum sentence of six to eight years in prison depending on circumstances that include frequency of previous felony convictions for home invasion, first- and second-degree burglary, if applicable. A crime against a victim 62 or older triggers an automatic minimum sentence of seven to nine years based on past criminal record.

Home security company SafeWise spokeswoman Clair Jones said, “While a home security system cannot guarantee that your home won’t be intruded, it can drastically decrease the amount of time a criminal has to do harm and increase the likelihood of a successful conviction.

Speaking generally, Ms. Jones said, “Home invasions have always been a point of fear for homeowners, and in many areas of the country violent and property crime rates continue to rise.

“If someone is brave enough to enter your home while you are occupying it, they are likely the sort of person who will have no problem harming you and your family.”

The exterior of the casino at Dover Downs Hotel and Casino. The state’s only public casino revealed Thursday it lost $239,000 in the first three months of 2016, intensifying the need for state action. (Delaware State News/Dave Chambers)

DOVER — Dover Downs Casino made $1.9 million in profit in 2015, a small sum relative to past standards, but certainly preferable to the $706,000 loss it suffered the previously year.

Unfortunately for the casino, 2016 is off to a bad start that leaves executives crossing their fingers for legislation relief.

The state’s only public casino revealed Thursday it lost $239,000 in the first three months of 2016, intensifying the need for state action.

Casino executives say the revenue-sharing model, combined with out-of-state competition, leaves Dover Downs struggling.

“Our fate remains in the hands of our state legislature,” company president and CEO Denis McGlynn said in a statement.

Denis McGlynn

“Recommendations of the legislatively-appointed Gaming and Lottery Study Commission need to be enacted for the health of our industry and for thousands of employees whose livelihood depends — directly and indirectly — on having Delaware’s casinos able to compete effectively in the regional marketplace.

“It is imperative that we re-invest in our facilities and amenities. And if we cannot spend the marketing and promotional dollars that will bring repeat customers into Delaware, they will go to neighboring jurisdictions.”

Revenue has plunged over the past 10 years, the result of competition in neighboring states and a tax rate casino supporters say is too high.

A bill to alter the revenue-sharing formula, slice the table game tax and implement marketing and capital credits went nowhere in 2015, but similar legislation was introduced in January. Supporters appear cautiously optimistic.

Main sponsor Sen. Brian Bushweller, D-Dover, said there “is an increasing level of casual discussion going on about the bill.”

He citing measures passed earlier this year that were aimed at keeping parts of chemical giant DuPont in the state after its merger with Dow Chemical.

Sen. Bushweller said lawmakers need to act to save the thousands of jobs provided by the casinos.

“Of course, my point about the casinos is we got jobs here and we got economic activity here,” he said.

His proposal has bipartisan support, with all of the co-sponsors coming from Kent or Sussex counties.

Even if the specific solutions offered by his bill are not acted upon, Sen. Bushweller said he believes it can be used as a starting point.

But others see the idea as a taxpayer-funded bailout. The bill would take money out of the state’s coffers, starting at $13.9 million and steadily rising to $44.6 million by year four.

Opponents say not only can Delaware’s government not afford to lose that money, it has no obligation to assist the casinos.

“I would open up the market to allow three more casinos to come in and go through a bidding process” with a minimum bid of $50 million per license, said Rep. Charles Potter Jr, D-Wilmington.

The casinos had little competition for a decade and failed to prepare for the possibility the industry would struggle one day, he said. He believes enough help, such as a 2014 bill that shifted more of the slot vendor costs to the state, has been provided already.

Supporters like Sen. Bushweller counter that failure at the casinos would result in a large job loss, particularly impacting Kent County,

Sen. Brian Bushweller

which is home to Dover Downs and Harrington Raceway and Casino.

Currently, Dover Downs is $31 million in debt. That sum is due to be repaid Sept. 30, although officials there are hoping for yet another extension. Should no relief arrive, the casino would have to continue to cut back, Mr. McGlynn said.

Dover Downs laid off 72 employees in 2015 and has shifted “as much of the increases in medical costs on employees as we dare to,” he said in a conference call Thursday.

Although he declined to predict the likelihood of changes, he does believe the plight of the casinos is heard in Legislative Hall.

Sen. Bushweller took a similar stance last week, stating the “issue is not dead.”

“My honest belief is I think we may very well be able to address the casino issue in some way, some meaningful way this year,” he said.

MAGNOLIA — Delaware State Police is investigating a home invasion that occurred early Sunday morning.

The investigation began at about 3:40 a.m. Sunday, State Police spokesman Master Cpl. Jeffrey Hale, Sunday, after troopers were told to respond to a residence located in the 100 block of Woodville Drive, Magnolia, for the report of a home invasion. Upon arriving, troopers were told that two male suspects had forced entry into the home which was occupied by two adults and one juvenile.

The suspects, who were both armed with unknown make and model handguns, confronted the residents and demanded money and drugs from them, police said. The adult female victim was struck by one of the suspects, suffering a minor injury to her head.

All three were detained as the suspects proceeded to rummage through the home, removing an undisclosed amount of cash and cell phones, police said. The suspects fled from the home in an unknown direction.

The two suspects were described as black males dressed in all dark clothing and wearing masks covering their faces. One of the suspects was 6 feet tall while the second was 5-foot 4-inches tall. Both were armed, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Troop 3 at (302) 697-8495, by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333, at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”

Reigning WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne shined in her homecoming for the third consecutive year with 17 points on 7-for-8 shooting as the Chicago Sky defeated the Liberty, 93-59, in a preseason game at the Carpenter Center on Sunday afternoon.

“There’s no court that feels like home more than this court,” said Delle Donne. “I’ve been playing on it since 8th grade so to be here and see so many familiar faces in the crowd is something I don’t forget.”

After recently being named to the 2016 U.S. Olympic team, all eyes were on the Delaware native when she took the court in Newark and the former Blue Hen star delivered.

Delle Donne was efficient in the first half with 10 points in 10 minutes as the Sky led 49-31 at the break. Chicago shot 59.4 percent from the field in the first half, including 66.7% from the three-point line.

Just over a minute into the second half, Chicago rattled off 17 unanswered points to extend its lead to 68-33. By the end of the third quarter the difference was 40 points with the Sky ahead 78-38.

Delle Donne said she’s honored that Delaware fans continue to turn out to see her in the annual exhibition contest.

“It’s surprising, especially because they know after coming a few times that I don’t play that many minutes either,” she said. “But for them to come just to watch maybe 15 minutes of play and then to support our team is really special. It’s incredible that they continue to come back and support me and my teammates.”

Sunday’s game was a chance for another Delawarean, former Smyrna High All-Stater Betnijah Laney, to return to the Carpenter, Laney is in her second season with the Sky after playing at Rutgers.

On Sunday, Laney had six points, seven rebounds and three assists.

“She’s continued to work hard,” said Chicago coach Pokey Chapman. “She had a really great offseason in Australia. Betnijah is a player that can help us on both sides of the basketball. She can play a three, she can guard a three, she’s physical and she rebounds. She does so many things defensively.”

College baseball

DelState splits with Spartans: Justin Lee’s two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the eighth inning brought home the go-ahead hit, and the Spartans clinched the MEAC’s regular-season Northern Division title for the second straight year with a 5-2 win over Delaware State.

The Hornets topped NSU 10-7 in game two of the doubleheader. The Spartans (23-18, 16-5 MEAC), who took three of four from DSU in the weekend series, are assured of the No. 1 seed from the league’s Northern Division in the MEAC tournament later this month.

Held in check for most of Sunday’s opener, the Spartan bats came to life with two outs in the eighth and NSU trailing 2-1. After DSU reliever Darrien Ragins set down the first two batters of the inning, Ragins walked three straight batters as a steady rain began to fall.

Ragins was lifted in favor of Hunter McVey, and McVey was greeted by a two-run single by Lee that gave the Spartans the 3-2 lead.

DSU (11-33, 11-9 MEAC) took the early lead, scoring its first run of the series in the top of the first. Todd Henry led off the game with a double and scored on Darnell Maisonet’s groundout.

In game two, the Hornets bounced back with four runs in the third, five in the fourth and one in the fifth to surge into the lead, 10-2. Austin Bentley knocked in five runs for the Hornets.

Terry Godfrey (1-1) earned the win by pitching the first four innings for DSU.

College softball

Towson 9, Delaware 3: Towson first baseman Holiday Cahill hit three home runs while Nicole Stockinger added one as the Tigers defeated the Blue Hens.

The Blue Hens dropped to 29-19 overall, and are tied for fourth place in the Colonial Athletic Association with Hofstra and UNCW with a 9-9 conference record.

Delaware’s Anna Steinmetz blasted a home run over the centerfield fence, her 13th longball of the season.

Towson took the season series from Delaware for the third consecutive year.

Steinmetz is now tied for second in a UD single season with 13 homers, two behind Mariah Kondravy’s 15 from a year ago.

DOVER — Over the past three years, the number of Delaware homeowners installing solar panels through a lease or power purchase agreement has increased significantly. The financing options help homeowners who are interested in installing clean energy solar panels without paying significant upfront costs or claiming ownership of the system.

In 2015, more than 70 percent of residential solar projects installed in Delaware used solar lease or PPA agreements. The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Energy & Climate offers guidelines for homeowners to consider prior to signing a lease or PPA contract.

In both a solar lease and PPA agreement, the solar installer usually pays to install and maintain the system, and has ownership of the system equipment. In return, the homeowner pays for use of the system in one of two ways: a monthly lease payment, or a power purchase agreement in which the homeowner pays a specific rate for the electricity that is generated each month.

State officials suggest:

• Thoroughly familiarize yourself with terms of the contract. Most contracts are for a 20-year period, so don’t sign anything until you understand and are comfortable with all of the terms and conditions. Make sure the contract is not missing something that you expected or that the solar company discussed with you — get all terms and agreements in writing. Get a second opinion on any elements of the contract with which you aren’t comfortable.

• Understand the system maintenance requirements and your responsibilities during the contract period. Clarify whether maintenance costs will fall on you, or will be the responsibility of the company.

• Understand the full cost of your lease or PPA over the life of the contract, including fees or price increases that may occur during the contract period and annual escalators. Lease contracts should clearly list the monthly payment that will be due each month during your contract. A PPA agreement should include the rate per kilowatt hour for your entire contract. Many contracts include an annual escalator which increases your monthly payment or price per kWh by a set percent each year of the contract. If the annual escalator is set at a rate that increases faster than the price of electricity from your power company, the power from your solar panels could become more expensive than traditional electricity during your contract period.

• Know the current price per kWh that you pay for electricity. You can gather this information by looking at your energy bill or by contacting your electricity provider.

• Make sure your proposed solar contract and estimated savings are calculated using your actual cost of electricity, and not a statewide average or estimated electric rate. Electric rates vary significantly by utility company in Delaware. Be wary of high annual electric cost increase estimates that may be used in contracts to make the lease or PPA agreement seem more attractive.

• Ask your prospective contractor to explain what incentives it will be claiming and how these incentives were factored into the proposed lease or PPA cost. Consider all of the tax credits, state grants and other incentives available for solar installations. Under most lease and PPA contracts, these incentives are awarded to the solar company, not the homeowner.

• Shop around — get quotes from two or three Delaware solar installers and compare costs before committing.

• Consider the pros and cons of owning a system versus leasing or entering into a PPA. While owning a system requires upfront investment, the system will likely pay for itself in a matter of years. Currently, customer-owned residential solar projects in Delaware have an average payback period of only seven years. Homeowners who own their solar system only pay for the difference of the energy they use and the energy they produce, meaning the homeowner will pay significantly less for each energy bill, and may even gather credits to cover other months if their system produces more than the home needs. Over time, the homeowner will save more money in energy costs than they spent on purchasing and installing the system. Most solar panels have a standard 20-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Evaluate whether your finances, coupled with current tax credits and incentives, could make purchasing a system a more attractive option. Low-interest loans may also be available for renewable energy projects, including solar, which could enable you to pay for a system without a lease or PPA contract.

The Delaware Green Energy Program maintains a list of solar installers that offer both customer-owned and lease/PPA systems. Visit www.de.gov/greenenergy for more information.

Outgoing Office of Management and Budget Director Ann Visalli stands inside the Senate chamber at Legislative Hall last week. (Delaware State News/Dave Chambers )

DOVER — In January 2009, the new administration of Gov. Jack Markell entered office facing two budget imbalances. The national recession meant revenue was falling precipitously, and in Delaware, that resulted in a deficit in the current year.

On top of that, the administration was faced with creating a budget for the upcoming year, part of an annual process that had rarely been so challenging before.

Top state officials were immediately tasked with closing the gap, which grew from $600 million to more than $800 million in the spring.

“It was a hole and it got worse,” Office of Management and Budget Director Ann Visalli, appointed to the position in January 2009, said last month.

State officials cut employee pay, eliminated vacant positions, placed a hold on most government-funded travel, increased some taxes and accepted federal stimulus money, allowing them to fill the deficit with a smaller budget.

Now, more than seven years later, the Markell administration is in its final year, and the state is in a firmer financial situation.

Though elected officials say they are not looking ahead to next year, others have begun doing so. Original members of the governor’s cabinet, such as the heads of Safety and Homeland Security Department and the Labor Department, have departed, and even Gov. Markell has referred to gubernatorial candidate Rep. John Carney, D-Del., as the state’s next chief executive.

There are few clearer signs that some Delawareans are starting to prepare for life after Gov. Markell than an announcement last month that Ms. Visalli is leaving her post.

After 22 years with the state, she will move to St. Andrew’s School in Middletown this month. Her last day as head of OMB is May 13, and she will then begin as chief operating officer with the boarding school.

“I cannot thank Ann enough for her service to the citizens of Delaware and her leadership of OMB — especially during such challenging times for our state’s budget,” Gov. Markell said in a statement. “Ann has never been afraid of a challenge and she certainly has overcome many since the start of my administration, finding savings for taxpayers while maintaining key services and ensuring we have invested in the areas like education and workforce training that are vital to our success in the new economy.”

The longest-serving budget director in state history, as far as Ms. Visalli knows, she and Gov. Markell go way back.

A budget analyst with the Controller General’s Office when Mr. Markell was elected treasurer in 1998, she worked with him on the agency’s budget and soon became his deputy treasurer.

Needless to say, that 17-year partnership has been a fruitful one.

Ms. Visalli said there was no deal between the two of them for Mr. Markell to appoint her to a position in his administration should he win the 2008 gubernatorial election.

“You don’t want to jinx yourself when you’re campaigning,” she said. “It’s sort of bad karma to talk about your cabinet until after you win the election, but I felt very committed to the governor no matter what the future held for him so I wasn’t really planning my next job. My goal was just to help him succeed.”

There probably are not that many people who can disagree with the governor on a regular basis, but Ms. Visalli is one of them.

“We have a very healthy debate process. It’s kind of how we get to consensus or conclusion. I always speak my mind and he always speaks his,” she said.

But surely he wins most of those arguments, right?

“It’s probably 50-50,” Ms. Visalli said laughing. “He is the governor, so I do try to defer to him when he’s right, but he’s not always right, but we do have a very healthy process, and again, having worked for him for so long, complete trust for one another.”

A staunch defender of the administration, Ms. Visalli has been a part of some disagreements with lawmakers. Issues like employee health care have at times put the executive branch on one side and state workers and legislators on another, leading to some head-butting.

She downplays any disagreements with the General Assembly, noting it consists of 62 different members who each have their own views and priorities.

Despite spending nearly half her life — and most of her working life — with the state of Delaware, she did not anticipate being an employee in the public sector.

“I was planning to go get my Ph.D., probably be a college professor somewhere and teach economics, but when I was getting my master’s degree, both my parents passed away, so I ended up getting an internship in state government — the budget office, as a matter of fact,” said Ms. Visalli, who received bachelor’s and master’s from the University of Delaware.

As budget director, she hears pitches from state agencies in the fall and works to create a spending plan for the state, which could surpass $4 billion this year for the first time.

The governor presents his budget in January, after which it is handed over to the General Assembly. From there, lawmakers make changes as they see fit, occasionally butting heads with the executive branch.

One of the defining features of the current administration is the tight financial situation. Calling the environment “austere,” Ms. Visalli said the crunch has made it tougher to add programs or services, instead forcing officials to focus more on key components.

The challenges associated with the Great Recession have not stopped the budget from growing by $1 billion in Gov. Markell’s seven-plus years. Officials are fond of noting, however, the budget has actually shrunk when adjusted for inflation and population growth.

Delaware’s unemployment rate in 2009 was 7.2 percent, and it would grow to 8.7 percent over the next year before beginning a steady climb down. It now sits at 4.4 percent.

“I could not imagine having come into the job when I did for a governor I didn’t already have that strong bond with,” Ms. Visalli said.

It is simply astonishing how destructive Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s campaign has been to the Republican Party.

Right now, the evidence is on full view in Indiana. As part of a deal with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s campaign, Kasich isn’t campaigning in the Hoosier State, which votes on Tuesday. But he and his supporters are still telling people to vote for him — even though a vote for the Ohio governor is basically a vote for Donald Trump. If Kasich’s supporters in Indiana want him to have any chance at the nomination, they will vote for Cruz.

Here’s why.

Trump has a slim lead in current polling averages in Indiana. He’s at 37 percent, with Cruz close behind at 35 percent. Kasich is far behind with 16 percent. If Kasich’s voters switch to Cruz (and all else remains equal), then Cruz will win big. If they stay put, Trump might narrowly prevail. Indiana has 57 delegates: 30 will go to the statewide winner; of the remaining 27, 3 each will go to whomever wins in the state’s nine congressional districts.

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has given Cruz a lukewarm endorsement, so perhaps the Texas senator will get a boost from that. But there are signs Trump is rallying nationwide, so he may be doing better than the Indiana polls indicate.

For Kasich to have a shot at the nomination, he has to prevent Trump from getting to 1,237 delegates on the first ballot at the Republican convention. It doesn’t matter how many delegates Cruz has at that point, since he can’t get to 1,237. (Cruz can’t get close to delegates on the first ballot, even if he wins all of the unbound, uncommitted delegates.

But if Cruz clearly has the delegates to win on the second ballot, it’s possible that he might be able to win on the first ballot after all if Kasich and Marco Rubio release the delegates they can release and Cruz gets all of them.)

All that matters for Cruz and Kasich is reaching a second ballot, when now-bound delegates are free to vote their preferences. After that, if Cruz can’t put together a majority, it will become possible for someone else to win. I don’t think Kasich stands much of a chance even in that unlikely chain of events, but at least it’s possible.

Trump’s big sweep in New York on April 19 and in the five states that voted this week have put the reality-TV star ahead of the pace he needs to reach 1,237 bound and committed delegates by the end of the primaries and caucuses on June 7.

But he still needs to win plenty of delegates in Indiana and California to reach that mark. (Trump can still make the delegate count of even if he’s shut out in Indiana, but it would raise the target of how many he needs to win in California.

If Trump sweeps in Indiana, he’ll need to win only a relatively small number of congressional districts in California to reach 1,237.)

And it isn’t just about numbers. If Trump can win big in Indiana, expect any Republican party actors who would ever consider supporting him to go ahead and accept him as the nominee. And that support, in turn, will help Trump do well in California on June 7.

Kasich is also helping Trump by refusing to debate Cruz one on one after Trump dropped out of the debates. The Ohio governor has thus denied himself as well as Cruz free media exposure and a chance to make Trump look cowardly and arrogant for opting out.

A normal candidate in Kasich’s position would have dropped out long before now. By failing to do so, he helped end the chances of the mainstream conservatives who were running. It’s impossible to say what would have happened if Kasich has dropped out after New Hampshire, for example, or after South Carolina and Nevada — but the odds are strong that the GOP nomination fight would have turned out differently.

Is it just an ego trip? Does he unfathomably misunderstand the rules of the game? Have party actors foolishly advised him to do what he’s been doing? Perhaps we’ll find out after the campaign ends.

But for now, it’s pretty simple: Kasich is Donald Trump’s best weapon, and he has been since February.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomberg View columnist covering U.S. politics.

MILFORD — Late Sunday night, the Milford Police Department announced several recent arrests, including:

• On April 27 at approximately 12:08 a.m., a 21-year-old Lincoln man was charged with alleged drug offenses after a K-9 Division traffic stop in the 900 block of North Walnut Street.

Kavoun N. Cannon

Kavoun N. Cannon was charged with possession with the intent to deliver marijuana, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, criminal impersonation and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to authorities a Milford Police officer from the K-9 Division performed a traffic stop on a vehicle after observing an alleged traffic violation. Investigation revealed that Cannon had initially provided the officer with a false name, police said. Further investigation revealed that Mr. Cannon was allegedly in possession of a fully loaded handgun.

The Milford Police K-9 officer had the canine perform a “sniff” of the vehicle which resulted in a positive alert, police said. It was later confirmed that Cannon was in possession of more than 13 grams of marijuana, authorities said.

Mr. Cannon was also wanted out of both Kent and Sussex County Court of Common Pleas. Mr. Cannon was arraigned and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown in default of $35,000 secured bond.

Duane L. Miller

• On April 25, a 39-year-old Milford man was arrested and charged stemming from an alleged domestic incident on Feb. 25 at a residence in the 2000 block of Heather Drive.
Duane L. Miller was charged with noncompliance with recognizance conditions of bond or conditions felony (two counts).

Police said investigation found that Mr. Miller allegedly went to the residence and made contact with a 41-year-old female after being court ordered not to, following a domestic assault that occurred on Jan. 14. Mr. Miller was arraigned and released on $2,000 unsecured bond.

• On April 21, a 28-year-old Milford man was arrested and charged in connection with an alleged domestic incident on April 20, police said. Jason D. Dailey was taken into custody at a residence in the 700 block of South DuPont Highway.

Jason D. Dailey

Charges included strangulation, harassment and offensive touching.

Investigation determined that Mr. Dailey was involved in a verbal dispute with a 30-year-old female, authorities said. During the dispute, Mr. Dailey struck the female in the face and then placed his arms around her neck strangling the female, police said.

Mr. Dailey then stopped and the two left the residence together, according to police. A short time later, when the two returned to the residence, they were involved in another verbal dispute, according to police. During this time, Mr. Dailey punched the female victim in the face and slammed her head against the wall, authorities said.

The female then fled the residence, police said. Mr. Dailey attempted to call and send text messages numerous times to the female after the incident, police said.

On April 21, at approximately 4:42 p.m., police said they responded to the same residence to take Mr. Dailey into custody on arrest warrants for the incidents. Upon arriving, police confirmed that Mr. Dailey was inside the residence but discovered that he had locked himself inside and refused to come out, authorities said.

The Milford Police Special Operation Group then responded to the residence and established contact with Mr. Dailey. After a brief standoff, he exited the residence and surrendered to officers, police said.

Kourtney R. Furber

Mr. Dailey was additionally charged with resisting arrest. He was later arraigned and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution near Georgetown in default of secured bond.

• On April 18, a 19-year-old Felton woman was charged after an alleged domestic incident occurring throughout the day at various locations throughout the Milford city limits. Kourtney R. Furber was charged with one count of harassment.

Investigation revealed that Ms. Furber allegedly called an 18-year-old man’s cellphone more than 300 times throughout the day, police said. Ms. Furber also allegedly called the man at his place of employment and went there to confront him, police said.

Ms. Furber was arraigned and released on $1,000 unsecured bond.

Michelle White

Wayne Williams

• On April 22, at the conclusion of a monthlong investigation, the Milford Police Drugs, Vice and Organized Crime Unit executed a search warrant at a residence located in the Silver Lake Estates Apartment Complex.

Detectives arrested Michelle D. White and Wayne E. Williams, both 34-year-old Milford residents, and charged them with possession with the intent to deliver heroin, possession with the intent to deliver marijuana, possession of a controlled substance Tier 1 quantity, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, endangering the welfare of a child (two counts), second-degree conspiracy and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Mr. Williams was also charged with possession of a firearm by person prohibited.

Detectives seized more than 257 grams of marijuana, police said, 11 bags of heroin and a handgun. Two children ages 8 and 10 were also residing in the residence, according to authorities.

Ms. White was arraigned and committed to Delores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution in New Castle in default of $41,000 secured bond. Mr. Williams was arraigned and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $56,000 secured bond.