I have long known there is an endemic rot in the housing market, but recently, I have been unwilling to tell people we are in for another housing crash, chiefly because my husband and I had to reposition ourselves in advance of the calamity and for personal financial reasons I didn’t want to widely advertise the forthcoming calamity.

Interestingly, on the 26th of May, Alan Greenspan broadcast the prognostication of another debacle in the housing market.

Although Mr. Greenspan maintains that the coming crash is going to be worse and have more profound effects on the economy than the previous one, he wouldn’t identify (pardon my talking-head jargon) the fundamentals supporting his supposition. Nor would he suggest a time frame.

I have noticed that economists do not like submitting details because their careers are at stake. I’m a retired grease monkey, so, I don’t care if I’m partially right, a little bit off or dead wrong. I am not a bear who always seems to think the market is going to crash whenever it approaches a resistance level, as some are maintaining now. Nor am I a Chicken Little who says the ski is going to fall every time the Fed hints at raising the rates; that portent is mostly a tactic to prompt more monetary easing.

As a hobbyist futurist, unlike Mr. Greenspan, I will address specifics. The problem is rotted in population statistics that anybody with half a brain can understand. Because the numbers speak for themselves, the “powers that be” don’t want to point out to the average person that there’s a storm a-brewing on the horizon. This is because someone is going to have to flip the bill, folks, and I don’t think it’s going to be economists or politicians.

The crux of the matter is that my generation, the ginormous Baby Boomer crowd, will be lumbering to our graves over the next 10 to 20 years. With the availability of safe contraception, many of my generation restricted themselves to producing one or two children, and a higher percentage than ever before opted out of having children entirely.

That means a lot of the houses we are sitting in are not going to have any heirs who want to take up residence in them. This is because the deceased owners’ progeny mostly bought their own places or, as often as not, their careers took them far afield of the hold family homestead.

Already, there are many houses rotting on the market for two or more years, and believe me, heirs are not getting the money they thought they would for these castles, especially if the house is currently over 50 years old.

Now, you might think this is a boon for those in the market for a home; not necessarily. Many of those who were previously blocked by circumstances from home ownership still are, and will yet be unable to purchase even those undervalued, aging properties.

As for those heirs who think they are going to make a fortune renting out Mom’s old place when she buys the farm, they ought to think again because, as likely as not, the government is going to make it more attractive to abandon aging properties than to hold onto them. I’d love to explain that exertion, but I must observe word count.

As more of the Boomers die, the situation is only going to worsen, and I can explain that in brief. Unless the federal government mandates that properties deserted by death and/or disinterest be given to immigrants and the homeless, Michigan is not the only state that will be suffering from Detroit-like blight.

Giveaway programs are not going to work the requisite magic because the statistics still won’t support the builders whose laborers will be out of work, which will place downward pressure on commodities from pork bellies to lumber.

There is a “final” solution, but it will hurt a lot, and Germany is exercising that option as we speak, while the Chinese have backed away from their “one couple, one child” policy. Please do not mistake the Chinese for being great humanitarians because they realized they have a serious problem. I suspect all the pains that can be extrapolated from such a dire circumstance are what Mr. Greenspan was alluding to without sounding like a party-pooper.

Carol Hotte
Felton

EASTERN SUSSEX –– When many people take a dip into the ocean, their biggest fear is getting bitten by a shark or stung by a jelly fish. But the real threat is the water itself, not the creatures residing in it.

According to Kris Knutsen, aquatic safety administrator and the beach patrol captain for Delaware State Parks, rip currents pose the biggest threat to swimmers, especially the novice and weak.

“Rip currents account for 80 to 95 percent of beach patrol rescues,” Mr. Knutsen said. “A rip current can very quickly take a bather from knee- or waist-deep water, to water over their head.”

A rip current, also known as a rip tide, is a strong but narrow current moving directly away from shore, that travels directly through waves.

“Rips currents typically run perpendicular to the beach, but may be skewed to the north or south, depending on the incoming swell,” Mr. Knutsen said.

“Rips can be identified by their sandy-brown coloration, mushroom shape, and decreased wave size within the neck of the rip.”

Although rip currents may be spotted by the eye, in many cases they catch swimmers by surprise –– or even if the lull in waves is identified, beach goers may have it mistaken for gentler waves instead of a dangerous current, making weak swimmers unknowingly enter hazardous conditions.

“Persons caught in a rip may start to panic, and make poor decisions about how to get out of the rip,” Mr. Knutsen said. “Even relatively strong swimmers are unable to swim against a typical rip current, and most who try will tire quickly without making any progress.”

Lifeguards hold the key

The best preventative measure in avoiding drowning due to a rip current is to swim on a beach patrolled by lifeguards. The Delaware State Parks system currently has about 50 lifeguards patrolling four different coastal swimming areas from Lewes to Fenwick Island.

Swimmers in guarded areas have only a 1 in 18 million chance of drowning according to the U.S. Lifesaving Association. There were only 14 drownings on unguarded beaches in the entire country in 2015.

But that doesn’t mean swimmers should venture out when they know there is a rip current –– usually about one a day forms at Delaware’s beaches as rip currents are a natural occurrence in the ocean’s wave cycle.

Mr. Knutsen said it isn’t embarrassing to rely on a lifeguard to get out of a rip current. The U.S. Lifesaving Association’s 2015 national report showed that out of the 95,023 rescues, 48,213 were rip current-related.

“This kind of rescue is performed by beach patrol members on a regular basis and is actually fairly routine,” he said. “Most rescued individuals are not injured, nor do they require medical attention.”

Other dangers

Although rip currents should be a major concern for beach goers, there are other times to use caution as well.

Mr. Knutsen said in his 25 years of guarding at the beach, he has seen injuries including dislocated shoulders and spinal damage from people just trying to have fun either surfing or body boarding.

“Injuries are especially likely for those who ride head first, ride straight into shore, or those attempting to ride shore breaks and plunging waves,” he said.

“Those wanting to surf should learn to look for spilling or rolling waves, assume a proper body position, and ride the shoulder of the wave off to the side.”

Another natural concern like rip currents is storms.

“Those who elect to stay on a beach during lightning storms probably take the greatest risk,” Mr. Knutsen said. “Lightning is not absorbed directly into the sand, but rather skitters across the surface. Patrons standing several hundred yards away from a strike may still be affected. Those who elect to seek shelter under an umbrella or tent, and those who continue to hold a fishing pole are only encouraging a direct strike.”

So although the beach and ocean are a fun playground, it’s always necessary to exercise caution, swim near a lifeguard and always follow directions given by the guards.

“Remember, the chances of being caught in a rip, injured in the surf, buried in a sand cave-in, and/or struck by lightning, are astronomically higher than any shark encounter,” Mr. Knutsen said.

CHESWOLD — Authorities are seeking an unidentified suspect after two women were touched inappropriately inside a Wal-Mart early Wednesday morning, police said.

Authorities are attempting to identify a suspect after two females were allegedly touched inappropriately at the Cheswold Wal-Mart early in the morning on June 2. (Submitted photo/Delaware State Police)

According to Delaware State Police, the alleged incident at 36 Jerome Drive took place around 3:30 a.m. That’s when a 54-year-old woman

checked out at a register and a man followed her out of the store and began a conversation.

At one point, police said, as the woman was facing away from the man, he reached into his pants and exposed himself, pressing up against her and startling her, police alleged.

The man then fled the area in a tan/gold colored SUV with possible Delaware registration, police said. Further investigation revealed the same person allegedly had placed his hand on the back of a 31-year-old woman as she was checking out approximately 20 minutes earlier. The woman was offended by his actions and informed the man to keep his hands to himself before the two went separate ways, police said.

The suspect depicted in the surveillance images was described as a white male between age 30 to 40, 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-11 tall wearing a black and white head cover, blue/green shirt, dark pants and sneakers. He may be operating a tan/gold colored SUV with possible Delaware registration, police said.

State police ask anyone with information to contact Sgt. J. Lloyd at 698-8434. Information may also be provided 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.”

DOVER — The leading lawmaker in the House of Representatives will have to beat challengers from both parties if he wants to keep his seat.

James DeMartino announced Wednesday he plans to file this week to challenge Speaker of the House Peter Schwartzkopf, a Democrat who represents the 14th District, which includes Rehoboth Beach.

James DeMartino

Mr. DeMartino, a lawyer, lives in Lewes.

“Republicans in Sussex County will unite to defeat Pete this year,” Mr. DeMartino said in a statement. “As a result of the increase in crime, heroin epidemic, increased road congestion, lack of opportunity for our graduates and stagnant job growth, it is time for new ideas and for a vision of manageable growth along with a safer environment.

“Old ideas don’t work any longer. Times are changing and we need to change with it. We need to capitalize on our community strengths of tourism, small business and agriculture to help develop a working strategy for our future.”

Rep. Schwartzkopf, the sole Democrat in the General Assembly from Sussex County, was first elected in 2002 and has served as speaker of the House since 2012.

Don Peterson has filed to run as a Democrat, marking the first primary opponent Rep. Schwartzkopf will face.

Mr. DeMartino said he will file Friday.

Secretary of Delaware Health and Social Services, Rita Landgraf shows Gov. Jack Markell the cake that celebrates Delaware’s Public Health national accreditation at the Jesse Cooper building in Dover on Wednesday. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

DOVER — Delaware’s Division of Public Health celebrated getting its stamp of approval from the Public Health Accreditation Board with the hanging of a banner and slicing of a cake Wednesday.

“We chose to go for the accreditation because the process of applying is a vehicle to ensure we are doing the important work that needs to be done to best serve the residents of Delaware,” said Dr. Karyl Rattay, director of the Division of Public Health.

Completing the 300-documents accreditation application required the division to take a good look at itself — something not done previously.

Data was sifted, community input was received, a strategic plan was developed and after the collection of necessary documents, the division finally was considered for accreditation.

“We embraced all of the information we collected and it took a long time to get to this point but it was so worth it,” Dr. Rattay said. “We were able to determine we were using the appropriate strategies, properly tracking our priorities and that we had the right policies and processes in place.”

But scrounging up all the information to earn the accreditation didn’t happen overnight. It took seven years and was spurred by the H1N1 flu and its presence in Delaware.

“I remember that H1N1 press conference,” Gov. Jack Markell said. “That was at the start of my administration and I’ve never been to a press conference with so many cameras since. It was very serious. And we’ve dealt with so many other things that the Division of Public Health deals with every single day.”

Dr. Rattay said it’s important given the economic times that the division be strategic, have the right priorities and use its resources wisely to handle not just day-to-day public health issues but also health crises.

“New things are coming all the time that we need to be prepared for,” said Rita Landgraf, secretary of Delaware Health and Social Services. “It started out with H1N1, then there was Ebola and now Zika.”

The accreditation is valid for five years, so the division must reapply in 2021, going through the entire internal review process once more.

“We are planning on applying again because it’s important for us to continue the process of improving and implementing new measures and meeting the highest standards so we can provide the best services to Delawareans,” Dr. Rattay said. “The accreditation we announced today didn’t end the journey of improvement, it simply allowed us to press the pause button for a moment.”

Aside from internal improvements, the accreditation places Delaware’s Division of Public Health among an elite group of only 19 states and territories that have met the same requirements.

In 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified accreditation as a key component in improving public health infrastructure and holding state health departments to the highest standards.

More information about the Public Health Accreditation Board and the requirement for accreditation can be found at phaboard.org.

DOVER — The courts and Department of Justice are butting heads over an initiative that would rewrite the state’s criminal code, illustrating a startling discrepancy in the views of the chief justice and the attorney general.

Chief Justice Leo Strine has pushed for large-scale criminal law reform, but Attorney General Matt Denn and law enforcement are staunchly opposed, raising questions about the possibility of such an enterprise.

Leo Strine

Wednesday, a select group of lawmakers received an overview on the initiative, and afterward Mr. Denn issued criticisms that seemed to be aimed at the courts.

Language included in the budget in 2014 created a committee made up of members of the judicial, legislative and executive branches to review the state’s criminal statutes and propose changes, with an eye toward simplifying provisions, eliminating redundant language and potentially lessening some charges.

The Joint Finance Committee heard testimony from University of Pennsylvania professor Paul Robinson, an expert in criminal law, as he made his pitch for a large-scale overhaul.

Clarifying and cutting down the code makes it easier for both civilians and police to understand it, Mr. Robinson said, arguing such a process would also lead to greater cooperation from the public.

“Frankly the wasted costs in the justice system are huge,” JFC co-chair Rep. Melanie George Smith, D-Bear, agreed, even though she raised some other questions about the initiative. “No one’s looking to let out murderers and rapists.”

But Mr. Denn and several police organizations have expressed concerns a major revamp would have a host of negative impacts, such as harming public safety and erasing decades of case law.

“The code as it’s written now has existed for 40 years, all of the terms have been interpreted by the courts, prosecutors and law enforcement officers know what they mean, and when you eliminate all of them, create brand-new ones and hit the reset button, you create a tremendous amount of uncertainty that we think is a serious public safety issue,” Mr. Denn said after the meeting.

Matt Denn

He said he asked JFC for a chance to testify but was denied.

Mr. Denn, who has pushed for reducing some minimum mandatory sentences, increasing punishment for gun offenses and providing greater equity in the system, said he would be willing to look at small changes but believes rewriting the body of the code would create far more problems than it would solve.

Gov. Jack Markell, who was not involved in the hearing, offered a centrist viewpoint on the matter.

“It may be the kind of thing that makes sense, but if it is, it is also the kind of thing where there are a lot of stakeholders who are going to add a lot of value to add to the conversation and I think part of the responsibility here is to get all those stakeholders into the room to listen to them, to really understand where they’re coming from, and that is a long and very involved process,” he said.

Mr. Robinson speculated during the committee meeting the Department of Justice’s opposition may stem from the change eliminating the power of the agency to “overcharge” people, which gives prosecutors more power to get a plea bargain.

“I’m interested in doing justice,” he said. “If you care about justice, you care about people getting what they get, no more, no less.”

Mr. Denn categorically rejected his comments on redundant charges, bristling at the suggestion prosecutors do not act “ethically and responsibly.”

With Chief Justice Strine holding one point of view and Mr. Denn taking another, pressure could continue to mount — from both sides.

A shipment of a 190-foot long pre-cast bridge beams, destined for the West Dover Connector, travels on South Saulsbury Road in west Dover on Wednesday. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

DOVER — Judging by the enormous size of the trailer being pulled by a semi-truck down Scarborough Road Wednesday afternoon, it’s obvious that big things are on the way when it comes to the Department of Transportation’s West Dover Connector project.

The first of several scheduled super loads that will take place within the next month for the project arrived in Dover just a little past 1 p.m. Wednesday, not long after high winds swept through the city.

Two more loads arrived later in the afternoon.

DelDOT contractor Mumford & Miller Concrete Inc., of Middletown, will receive multiple shipments of pre-cast beams from Northeast Prestressed Products LLC in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, until July 6.

“We’re going to have shipments arriving on various days for both the Norfolk Southern Railroad and sections of Puncheon Run Creek over near New Burton Road and we’re going to build a bridge that crosses both the railroad and the creek,” said Greg Layton, community relations officer for DelDOT.

The shipments themselves are a sight to behold and typically will include the use of two tractor-trailers. The maximum load length will be

Delaware State Police escort a shipment of a 190-foot long pre-cast bridge beams as it travels on South Saulsbury Road in west Dover on Wednesday. The beams were shipped from Pottsville, Pennsylvania. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

190 feet and the heaviest load will be 234,500 pounds.

It is a large piece of the puzzle that is the $38 million West Dover Connector Project, which is designed to alleviate congested traffic and expected to be completed by next summer.

Rob Vetter, executive director for the Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization, said the connector has been on his organization’s radar for the past decade.

“I think it’s going to greatly improve access to downtown [Dover], access to Route 13 and to other areas of the city,” Mr. Vetter said. “I think obviously the need was identified years and years ago and so I think it’s going to be a help with traffic flow.”

The 3.2-mile-long road will go from the Eden Hill Commercial Center to the south end of Rodney Village, next to Brecknock Park, with no lights or stop signs to delay travel.

Traffic lights at both ends of the connector will help control flow.

The roadway will also have exits and entrances at New Burton and Wyoming Mill roads. It will include one lane in each direction, a grassy median and shoulder paths for bicycles.

“I think it’s going to improve bicycle and production access, too,” Mr. Vetter said. “It will be nice when you can get to Schutte Park from Camden on your bike. That will be pretty cool.”

DelDOT officials have projected that more than 19,000 vehicles will take the West Dover Connector in lieu of other roads by 2035.

“I see it as an economic development tool which will grant us access to the western industrial parts of the city of Dover,” Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen said during the February 2015 groundbreaking. “It’ll join Camden with us and provide an easy access around the city.”

As for the upcoming month, the mammoth shipments for the project will continue.

Delaware State Police and DelDOT personnel will accompany the oversized loads with temporary road blocks and will provide intersection control along the routes.

The shipments will take place between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on various weekdays and require temporary daytime closures of the northbound and southbound lanes of the Roth Bridge on Del. 1 in the form of rolling roadblocks.

DelDOT said the closures are a permit requirement by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which maintains the Roth Bridge, and will also take place on Monday; Tuesday; June 20 through June 23; June 27 through June 30; July 5 and July 6.

The shipments are not weather dependent and no loads will be permitted on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays and during the Firefly Music Festival June 15 through June 19.

HARRINGTON — The Delaware Wine and Beer Festival is moving to the Delaware State Fairgrounds in Harrington. The festival, now in its seventh year, will take place on Oct. 15 from noon to 5 p.m.

It has been previously held at the Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village in Dover and Pizzadili Winery in Felton prior to that location.

Those who purchase tickets before July 8 will receive a special early bird price of $25 per ticket. After July 8, ticket prices will jump to $35 per ticket. Day of event tickets will be $40 at the door. Designated driver tickets will also be available for $10.

“The attendance at the Delaware Wine and Beer Festival has grown significantly over the past few years, said Wendie Vestfall, Kent County Tourism executive director.

“It has become a ‘Don’t Miss Event’ on everybody’s calendar. We made the decision to move the festival to the Fairgrounds to accommodate the growing crowds and to be able to add more entertainment and activities to the day.”

Kent County wineries, breweries, and distilleries will be featured at the festival put on annually by Kent County Tourism Corp.

Those wishing to be a sponsor or vendor at the event should contact John Doerfler, Kent County Tourism Corporation’s Events and Sales Director at jdoerfler@visitdover.com or 302-734-4888.

To purchase tickets and for more information go to delawarewineandbeerfestival.com.

DOVER — Delaware State University has been fined $32,000 for breaches of state environmental regulations and improper record-keeping.

In a notice posted online May 31, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control stated DSU had a boiler operating at below the minimum efficiency, ran generators on designed “ozone action days” and did not keep certain records, violating several permits the university holds.

Boilers, for instance, are required to run at levels of at least 70 percent efficiency, but one boiler fell short of that mark during a March 2013 inspection. The university was also found to have been operating a generator during a day when high pollution had been identified and emergency generators were supposed to be shut down temporarily.

Delaware State opted to pay $32,275 to the state and perform an environmental improvement project, which will see it renovate two boilers. It also had the option of writing a check for $56,925.

“Obviously there were some violations,” DSU spokesman Carlos Holmes said, noting the school has a “good relationship” with DNREC. “Most of them were a few years ago. We have since made the adjustments and the corrections we need to make in areas of record-keeping and that type of thing.”

DOVER — Republican lawmakers announced Thursday a counterproposal to a Democrat-backed plan to raise money for cleaning the state’s waterways.

The Clean Water & Flood Abatement Task Force, formed by a resolution from Sen. Bryan Townsend, D-Newark, and Rep. Michael Mulrooney, D-Wilmington Manor, has hosted several meetings to discuss a solution to Delaware’s dirty rivers, streams and lakes. At an April meeting, participants considered adding a fee of $35 to income tax filings, $75 to businesses licenses and $180 to the Gross Receipts Tax.

Thursday, Republicans proposed tapping into funds held by the Sustainable Energy Utility and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control from auctions allowing companies to produce carbon emission byproducts.

Sen. Bryan Townsend

Members of the minority acknowledge the state’s waterways are in need of assistance but have expressed hesitance to authorize anything resembling a tax.

“We’re all in agreement on the need for clean water, and there are clearly projects that need funding,” Sen. Gregory Lavelle, R-Sharpley, said in a statement. “The question is how do you pay for it? Before we go out and ask for more tax money, let’s look at what’s available.”

The plan, however, was blasted by Senate Democrats, with Sen. Harris McDowell, D-Wilmington, accusing Republicans of robbing “Peter to pay Paul instead of … stepping up to be part of a more comprehensive solution to protect our environment.”

“Delawareans should not have to choose between clean energy and clean water,” Sen. Townsend said in a statement. “They deserve both, and they should not have to wait any longer. This last-minute proposal fails to account for how greenhouse gas emissions ultimately affect water quality and flooding in Delaware’s marshes and along our coastline. A bipartisan task force has met for nearly 12 months and is prepared to recommend a balanced solution. I invite my Republican and Democratic colleagues to join citizens up and down our state who support moving forward with a focused, sustainable funding mechanism for clean water in Delaware.”

The Republican proposal could be filed as an amendment to the yet-to-be-introduced fee bill or as a separate piece of legislation.

DNREC issued the following statement Thursday concerning Senate Republicans’ suggested use of RGGI funds for addressing clean water concerns in Delaware:

“Delaware uses RGGI funds to further greenhouse gas mitigation programs and climate change adapta-tion initiatives that are critical to our future. Already we have begun that work via RGGI proceeds by moving our power plants and fleets to cleaner-burning natural gas; by investments in energy efficiency and clean transportation, and through adaptation and resiliency planning programs for climate change and sea level rise. RGGI revenues are critical for continuing our progress

“In addition, RGGI is a market-based program, where auction allowance prices are volatile and have in fact decreased drastically over the last six months, by 35-40 percent.

“The funding required for addressing our water woes dwarfs the revenues Delaware receives from RGGI. Redirecting these funds would sacrifice critical activities for combating climate change, while also being insufficient to address clean water needs. Solving our clean water challenges requires a dedicat-ed and reliable funding source that doesn’t hinder other efforts to make Delaware a safer, cleaner state.”

Legislation

The House of Representatives passed a bill moving the state’s primary election to April, coinciding with the date of the presidential primary. It would take effect in 2020.
The state’s presidential primary was April 26 this year, and the primary is scheduled for Sept. 13.

Main sponsor Rep. Stephanie T. Bolden, D-Wilmington, said the legislation is intended to increase voter participation.

In 2008, 38 percent of Democrats and 28 percent of Republicans voted in the first presidential contest, but only 28 percent of Democrats and 16 percent of Republicans cast ballots in September’s election.

Rep. Richard Collins, R-Millsboro, was one of two representatives who voted no on the bill.

“As incumbents it’s not good that it’s hard for people to challenge us,” he said, noting moving the deadline up also gives potential candidates less time to decide on a run.

This past week has seen several bills filed, and with nine legislative days left, the clock is ticking for lawmakers looking to get their ideas turned into law before the 148th General Assembly comes to a close.

A year after allegations Planned Parenthood was selling fetal tissue for profit, a continent of Republicans has introduced a proposal banning the sale of fetal tissue.

Leading GOP lawmakers in August wrote a letter to the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services questioning what oversight was provided for Planned Parenthood of Delaware and whether the nonprofit sold any fetal tissue.

State health officials said the organization did not have a tissue donation program and was monitored by the department.

Another bill, which has bipartisan support, would exempt volunteer firefighters from having to pay for Delaware background checks, which are currently required for anyone hoping to join a department.

DOVER — Summer is a time for fun, especially when the temperatures begin to heat up and outdoor activities become much more frequent.

However, with more things to do for entertainment — including diving into the ocean, a lake or a swimming pool — the dangers to individuals begin to increase.

That’s why Kent County’s Parks and Recreation Division will host its 18th annual Safe Summer Day from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday at Brecknock Park in Camden.

Safety and health professionals will be at the free event that is designed to ensure that everyone enjoys a healthy and safe start to the summer season.

“This event would be best described as a community awareness event,” said Sgt. John Witzke, an EMS with Kent County Levy Court and co-chair of the event. “We have multiple nonprofit agencies that provide valuable services to our community and while this information is available in the public domain, it may not be easily accessed by our community.

“This event brings these agencies together under one ‘roof’ to benefit our community. In addition to information, Kent County Levy Court uses this event as a prelude to a wonderful summer full of adventure and excitement for our youth.”

Sgt.Witzke anticipates more than 40 agencies will participate in the Summer Safe Day event, including: Bayhealth, Crisis Intervention, Delaware Electric Co-op, DEMA, Delaware State Fire School, Domestic Violence Coordination Council, Dover YMCA, Civil Air Patrol-Eagle Cadet Squadron, Office of Highway Safety, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 12-05, Westside Family Healthcare, and others.

There will be plenty of activities and things for families to see and do, with an inflatable slide for kids, a dunk booth and lots of demonstrations from different safety agencies.

Wayne McCarty, safety coordinator and facilities specialist for the Division of Parks and Recreation and co-chair, said he has one event he looks forward to every Safe Summer Day.

“My personal favorite is the Patriotic Presentation at noon,” Mr. McCarty said. “It gives the public the opportunity to thank all the first responders, law enforcement, military and medical folks for all they do for the nation and local community.”

Sgt. Witzke said Safe Summer Day will be a day filled with learning to be safe — while having fun at the same time.

“What we want to prevent are injuries that preclude our youth from enjoying their time away from school,” he said.

“Summer is a time of fun, relaxation and rejuvenation for us all and what better way to promote safety than with a day at Brecknock Park where local fire department, police and EMS agencies provide tips and information on how to safely enjoy these days of not only summer, but all year round.”

DOVER — ecarte dance theatre will present its spring concert 7 p.m. Saturday in the Education/Humanities Theatre of Delaware State University.

The modern dance and contemporary ballet company will premiere six works choreographed by artistic director Judith Engelgau and ballet mistress Tricia Massey.

Opening the evening will be “Turn and Face the Strange,” a tribute to David Bowie, featuring his music from 1969 to 2015, danced by the

Members of the ecarte dance theatre include Michelle Bryan of Dover, Melani Coles of Milford, Kim Haggard of Dover, Tricia Massey of Felton and Lisa Scott of Woodside. (Solona Creative/Tracey Sanders)

entire company, ranging in age from 4 to 68.

“Voyage” explores the excitement and nostalgia experienced when leaving home for the first time and is danced by the company’s young novices and apprentices to music from the movie “Brooklyn.”

“White Noise” is choreographed to two different versions of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sounds of Silence.”

It is performed by senior dancers Michelle Bryan, Melani Coles, Wendy Eaby, Kim Haggard, Ms. Massey and Lisa Scott.

A selection chosen from ecarte’s recent Young Choreographers Workshop, “We Are a Secret Nobody Knows,” is choreographed by Gabrielle Beish and danced by apprentices. “Strangled Breaths” is more classical in style, danced en pointe to the soundtrack from “The Revenant.”

The performance concludes with two pieces choreographed by Ms. Engelgau.

“Landing” is a wistful, lyrical piece featuring Gabrielle Beish, Emma Hardy, Emma Massey, Ruby Rogers and Akerah Winder.

A modern work that combines the country and rock influences of Little Big Town, “Peace on a Battlefield,” focuses on the quiet moments within chaos and confrontation.

The dance theatre would like to welcome the visually impaired community by presenting a Sensory Seminar prior to the performance. All those interested in participating should call 674-4689 for more information.

Tickets at $15 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens may be purchased at the box office the evening of the performance. Group discounts are available with prior notice.

The New York-based pop band The Heydaze will perform at Saturday’s June Jam in Houston and at the Firefly Music Festival in Dover on June 17. (Submitted photo)

If local music fans don’t know who The Heydaze are now, they will in the coming week.

The New York-based pop quartet is set to headline Saturday’s June Jam in Houston and will play next weekend’s Firefly Music Festival at the Woodlands of Dover International Speedway.

The Heydaze combine quirky lyrics with catchy guitar riffs and snappy hooks to create a sound it calls “Windows Down, Stereo Up” music.

After building a following at the University of Pennsylvania with songs it put on Sound Cloud and YouTube, such as “Little Bandit” and “Arnold Palmer,” The Heydaze released a four-song self-titled EP last summer. It caught the attention of Island Records, which signed them to a deal in the fall.

The band started when lead singer and guitarist Jesse Fink met fellow Penn student and guitarist Andrew Spellman and they started writing songs together.

Soon after, they met bassist Alexander Glantz and in 2013, The Heydaze — named after the annual Hey Day at Penn, a tradition that marks the moment when juniors “move up” to seniors following the last day of classes — was born.

Smaller acoustic shows came first but then larger venues followed after the success of its recordings.

Drummer Tyler Matte eventually joined the band and the sound was complete.

“We got together in stages but I think it’s all really meshed well,” said Mr. Fink in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.

“We all have different musical influences but there are overlaps which make the whole thing work.”

With the popularity of the band came some hard decisions as Mr. Fink dropped out of Penn after his junior year and Mr. Glantz after his freshman term.

Mr. Fink said that didn’t set well with the folks at first.

“They were tentative initially. But all of our parents are really supportive and really believe in this project,” he said.

“By the end of my junior year there came a point where I had to decide if this was going to be my profession or if we’re all just doing it as a small hobby.

“For me to take it seriously, it needed to be my primary responsibility without having tons of other things to worry about.”

The front man of the group said he never really thought of himself as a lead singer.

“Andrew really found my voice. He kind of located this ability in me to be a lead singer and brought it out,” Mr. Fink said.

Aside from selling out its own shows, The Heydaze have toured nationally in the last year with singer Jesse McCartney and the pop duo Timeflies.

While 2015 was the most successful for The Heydaze, 2016 is all about “taking the next step,” said Mr. Fink.

“After we were signed by (Island Records), we spent time in New York and Los Angeles writing with talented people and working with a bunch of producers to get our set super tight.”

The band has two new songs on a forthcoming albums that it will perform at both Delaware shows. One is called “Hurt Like Hell” and the other is “Easier.”

Headlining June Jam, The Heydaze will play from 8:15 to 10 p.m. Although the crowd is expected to be around 2,000 at June Jam and perhaps 10 times that at Firefly, Mr. Fink said the energy will be the same at both.

“We don’t look at June Jam as a small gig at all. We’re not taking it lightly, and look to put on a great show,” he said.

At Firefly, The Heydaze will play The Porch Stage from 3 to 3:45 p.m. June 17.

While it will be front and center at June Jam, the band will find itself at Firefly as one of more than 100 acts.

“There are upsides to both situations,” Mr. Fink said.

“Headlining is a ton of fun. But it’s definitely cool and magical when you are playing in front of bunch of people who don’t know who you are and you can win them over. That’s the most satisfying thing you can do.

“So it’s a cool juxtaposition to be headlining June Jam and be an opener at Firefly.”

The Heydaze will be the first Firefly band to play June Jam.

“(June Jam president) Bob Hartley reached out to (former Firefly director) Greg Bostrom and said ‘What’s the chance of seeing one of your bands come in early and play June Jam?,’ ” said June Jam vice president Lynn Fowler.

“I contacted several bands from the Firefly lineup and The Heydaze met our criteria and were happy to hit our area and perform for us.”

Firefly will be the band’s first major festival and the members are looking forward to it.

“I’ve always admired Firefly for the way it combined these rock and alternative bands with (those having) pop sensibilities,” Mr. Fink said.

“I’ve always regarded the lineup as one of the best of the major festivals.”

The four-day Firefly Music Festival gets underway Thursday and will feature headliners Florence + The Machine, Mumford and Sons, Kings of Leon and Deadmau5.

Tickets, of the four-day and one-day variety, are available at fireflyfestival.com.

June Jam lineup

Saturday’s 38th annual June Jam sets up shop at the G&R Campground with a lineup of country, Southern rock, blues and more.

Dover rockers Shades of August kick things off at noon followed by local country band Mason Dixon at 1 p.m.; the Rush tribute band kRush takes the stage at 2 p.m. with the Junior Jammers at 3 and country’s Robbie Booth at 3:30 p.m.

The afternoon continues with Sussex County’s own lower case blues at 4:45 and Southern rock’s Smokin Gunnz at 5:45. The classic rock group Kategory 5 plays at 7 just before The Heydaze.

The family-friendly picnic setting will offer games, raffles, 50/50s and vendors while helping to raise money for local charitable organizations.

“The June Jam organization and our volunteers have provided support throughout the year for Toys for Tots, Special Olympics, Code Purple, an individual with breast cancer, two house fire victims, an individual with severe intestinal issues, Kent County Tourism, Friends of Delaware Veterans, Gals that Give and Technology Student Association,” Ms. Fowler said.

“Our plan is to donate year round to local organizations and individuals in need.”

Tickets, at $35, can be purchased at the gate. The campground is at 4075 Gun and Rod Club Road in Houston.

Smyrna at Night

Before June Jam and Firefly, the third annual Smyrna at Night blasts off tonight bigger than ever before.

Twenty-eight acts will perform in 10 stages across the Kent County town starting at 5:15 p.m. until 10.

Nalani and Sarina will be one of the headliners for Smyrna at Night. (Submitted photo)

The free, family-friendly event will feature food trucks, outdoor games, craft vendors, beer and spirits, restaurant specials, a biergarten and more.

Pittsburgh-based Lovebettie, lower case blues, Washington indie-folk band Wylder and New Jersey pop-rock sister duo Nalani and Sarina will be the headliners for the one-night event.

Venues include the Smyrna Opera House, Sheridan’s Irish Pub, Oddfellows Cafe, Painted Stave Distilling, Blue Earl Brewery and more.

Due to the anticipated large crowd, parking will be very limited. Officials suggest parking at North Smyrna Elementary School.

Cultural Arts Gala Monday

Staying in Smyrna, The Inn at Duck Creek Cultural Arts Gala to benefit the Smyrna Opera House and the Smyrna Museum will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday.

This will be a tented event on North Main Street in the historic district.

The night will include a four-course gourmet dinner, tastings by Blue Earl Brewing, Harvest Ridge and Painted Stave, a live auction and musical entertainment by the Brothers Stonesifer.

Ron and Ellen Sayers will be honored for their support of the community.

Tickets are $100.

For more information on sponsorship opportunities, volunteering or to be placed on the mailing list to receive an invitation for the event, telephone (302) 653-6449 or email qcsjr@comcast.net.

Battle of the Relationships

If laughs are more your thing, Liberty Comedy’s Battle of the Relationships presents three stand-up comedians in three different life phases — single, married and post-married — at the Schwartz Center for the Arts at 7:30 tonight.

The show features Shaun Eli, Nick Griffin, who has appeared on
“Late Night with David Letterman” 11 times, and Ophira Eisenberg, who has her own show on NPR called “Ask Me Another.”

Tickets are $24-$30 and can be purchased by visiting schwartzcenter.com, calling 678-5152 or the box office at 226 S. State St.

Now showing

New in theaters this weekend is the sci-fi fantasy film “Warcraft 3D,” the comedy adventure sequel “Now You See Me 2,” the horror sequel “The Conjuring 2” and the re-release of the film “Ali.”

On DVD and download starting Tuesday is the epic “London Has Fallen,” the Olympic-themed “Eddie the Eagle,” the religious film “The Young Messiah,” sci-fi’s “10 Cloverfield Lane” and the Sally Field romantic comedy “Hello, My Name Is Doris.”

Delaware State News photos/Marc Clery

Class of 2016: Polytech High School

Valedictorian: Thomas Michael Gilmore

Salutatorian: Madeline Susan Carlson

Heather Nicole Alfree

Victoria Jane Alioa

Destiny Marie Alioa

Brett Christopher Alper

Zachary Thomas Anderson

Jennifer Uchechi Anyanwu

Kylie Michelle Arndt

William Jaedon Arthur

Scott Garrett Austin

Kalvin George Bahel

John Paul Bailey

Jaelise Ivette Ballestas

Yeimy Anahi Barrios

Meagan Noelle Barter

Alexa Leigh Baurys

Donald David-Keller Baynard Jr.

Derek Alan Beachy

Philip Mark Beachy

Nathan Michael Beachy

Sara Mae Bebout

Brandon Christopher Belile

Katriana Evelyne Bell

Cleo Delilah Bell

Dominique Angela Bennett

Gabrielle Elaine Benton

Kaitlin Krista Bergold

Gabriella Ann Berrios

Joseph Parks Berry

Kyra Charis Black

Samantha Leigh Black

Mark Anthony Bonnie

Nikolas Paul Boone

Hannah Noel Booth

Susannah Lyn Boyles

Elainah Rose Boyles

Robb Javon Bozeman

Samuel Christian Jordan Branch

John Tanner Brennan

Jessica Nicole Brewer

Liam David Brodin

Brandon Nicholas Brown

Avery  Burgos

Desiree Destiney Burrows

Evan Balthazar Buss

Abigail Joy Byler

Kayla Marie Campbell

Dustin Abraham Carey

Leanna Dawn Carroll

Brandon Nathaniel Case

Cherise Olivia Castello

Michale Antonio Catalfamo-Smith

Matthew Craig Cecchett

Adam Jefferson Cerri

Daniel Steven Chaisson

Chase Edward Chappel

Sharlie Symone Chisholm

Justin Juwan Clinkscales

Logan James Cluff

Eboni Charleen Coaxum

Tyler Lee Coburn

Emmalee Michelle Cole

Jordan Xaiver Coleman

Corey Irving Collins

Mason Harold Collins

Morgan Elizabeth Cook

Brittney Nicole Cooley

Gabrielle Charice Cooper

Eunice Avigail Cortez

Lindsay Ann Coté

Andrea Gabrielle Crawford

Racquel Leslie Crego

Victor Farad Crews Jr.

Christopher Chad Croom

Carmen Joy Cruz-Nelson

James Eugene Culbreth

Cameron Lee Culver

Jacob Vincent Curry

Matthew James Curry

Brianna Rose Curto

Robert Anthony D’Agostino

Cody Tyler Davis

Lauren Nicole Davis

Aleeya Julia Davis

Anna Marie Ida Del Vecchio

Emmalee Grace Dellert

Whitney Faye DeMora

Christopher Adam Deo

Adrian Felipe Diaz

Carissa Jordan DiCarlantonio

Christin Taylor DiLorenzo

Kayla Noel Dodge

Morgan Cherie Dodge

Lauren Elizabeth Dodgen

Lauren Ashley Donovan

Jacob Gabriel Downes

Iosif Jankiel Drane

Nicole Andrea Duarte

Da’Vonne Sheree Duncan

Nicholas Fisher Edwards

Matthew Thomas Erickson

Megan Renea Errickson

Curtis Frank Evans

Nathan Thomas Fairbanks

Marcel Terrel Fene

Macy Lynn Fluhr

Jennifer Marie Foster

Deshawn Elijen Franklin

Kevin Herbert Douglas Fredrickson

Hayley Nichole Friess

John Colby Fuchs

Zachary Tyler Gafford

Liam Noel Gallagher

Samantha Louise Galloway

Muhammed-Jibrael  Garfield

Matthew James Garrison

Giana Lee Garronbone

Lisa Wanjiko Gathura

Eva Mumbi Gatune

Aurorah Amanda Gayle

Alexandria Eve Gilbert

Trevor Ingraham Glacken

Jonathan Edward Gordy

Palesa Clair Graham

Kayli Elizabeth Graves

Samantha Marie Gunter

Richard Douglas Haass Jr.

Spenser James Hahn

Kayla Marie Hammond

Jenna Marie Harper

James Brosnon Harrison

Tayler Nichole Hayward

Jonathan James Heishman

Caroline Mary Hermance

Brenna Rhian Hewett

Yazmine Lay’Shae Hicks

Sydney Robin Hill

Raevyn Lynn Horton

Solomon Douglas Hunt-Jackson

Jessejames Matthew Hutchison

Joseph Leo Isip

Nathan Edward Jackson Jr.

Mikayla Elizabeth Jacobsen

Junette  Jean

Bryce Cameron Jeffries

Marissa Whitney Johnson

Taylor Elizabeth Johnson

Mark Anthony Jones

Savannah Elaine Kelley

Courtney Mi’Kael Kinard

Veronica Katelynn Kitching

Eleanor Mary Knapp

Dylan Jacob Kobus

Kathryn Lynn Kozel

Sarah Elizabeth LaBerge

Justin David Land

Matthew James Land

Samantha Lynn Land

Thomas Francis Lantzy

Brandon Jawan Lee

Carolyn Marie Lee

Lauren Nicole Lee

Jason Jean-Pierre Lewis

Jonathan Alexander Lewis

Ian Vernon Lewis

Justin Tyler Lipesky

Courtney Renee List

Justin Nicholas Loebe

Brenda Marie Lomax

Darius Adrian London

Ciera Monique Loper

Ida Marie Loving-Moore

Brooke Elizabeth Marble

Mykel Jordan Martin

Emily Rose Mattson

Morgan Marie McCloskey

Megan Margaret McCloskey

Alison Leigh McKay

Joshua John McNulty

Marie Elaine Medina

Bryan  Mena

Krystal Liane Mendez

Benjamin Barrett Miller

Mariah Tiffany Miller

Zoë Takoda Miller-Sowers

Daniel William Minshall Jr.

Tyler Mark Moore

Alexa Diane Morgera

Joshua Matthew Morrow

Devonte Lastarr Moses

Yasmeen Amirah Moten

Sarah Halima Mouhtarim

Shayla Nikkay Nelson

Lillian Marie Nickles

Victoria Louise Nicolo

Nicole Lane Norsworthy

Seth Anthony Nott

Connor James O’Hea

Wyatt Edward Olivarez

Logan Albert Olshenske

Rafael Antonio Ordonez

Griffin Nicholas Ott

Michael Edward Pacholok

John Taylor Pardee

James Everett Parker

Nicolino Carmen Patone Jr.

Taylor Danielle Pechin

Amanda Nicole Phillips

Alyssa Lauren Pierce

Dustin Lee Pleasanton

Cole Harvey Porter

Austin Robert Price

Zachery Allen Price

David Tyler Pritchett

Joseph Melvin Quiñonez III

Laura Elizabeth Reed

Rachel Shana Reed

Brandan Robert Rees

Ryan Howard Rembold

Lauren Elizabeth Rentz

Kayley Michelle Reynoso

Caroline Elizabeth Richard

Daniele Debroah Richards

Brittney Nicole Richards

Kathryn Elizabeth Richardson

Jason Matthew Rigby

John Lawrence Riggins

Sean Matthew Roberts

Aaliyah Chantel Rogers

William Alfredo Ruiz Cooper

Taylor Michael Rutt

José Enrique Santos Jr.

Camron O’Neil Satchell

Garrett Austin Satterfield

Marisa Lois Schilling

Ryan Nicolaus Schumacher

Nickolas Tyler Senne

Ronald Lee Seymore III

Devon Francis Shehan

Zachary Thomas Shultie

Eric Philip Siverson Jr.

Jared Anthony Skinner

Chanel Monique Smith

Joshua Michael Smith

Kyle Eugene Smith

Benjamin Raymond Josiah Smith

Kiasia Denae Smith

Noah Jacob Snyder

Justin Michael Stapleford

Nicole Ivana Starecheski

Ashlie Nicole Stone

Jacob Lawrence Sullivan

Robert Joseph Talamini-Kelemen

Joie  Tang

Zachery Charles Taylor

Kaylin Marie Testerman

Morgan Michelle Tesznar

Alexis Danielle Thwaites

Jacqueline Elaine Tolson

Jamie Louise Trabaudo

Omni Judia Truesdale

Naomi Marie Valmassoi

Nicholas Bradey Van Vorst

Benjamin Michael Wager

Amanda Olivia Waishes

Mizan Amarri Walker

Aurora Lynn Wallace

Erica Brittany Walters

Miranda Nichole Warren

Brandon Ray Watkins

Kyre Nadjir Weaver-Postell

Erika Kelli Wharff

Deonika DaeShawn White

Chyane Shenique Williams

Isaiah Michael Williams

Destini Zyhaire Williams

Jessica Rene Wirick

Nicole Erin Woods

Christopher Davis Wright

Brandon Michael Wright

Chanel Tanika Wright

Dillan Jayson Young

Victoria Diane Zeitler

WILMINGTON — On Thursday morning, Delaware Technical Community College officially inaugurated its fifth president, Dr. Mark Brainard, at the Chase Center on the Riverfront.

“I’ve been blessed to serve in many challenging and meaningful positions in my career,” Dr. Brainard said. “They have all been personally and professionally gratifying experiences but I’m especially proud to be here during this 50th anniversary celebration.”

Dr. Brainard was appointed president by the board of directors back in August of 2014 but the official event was pushed back so the inauguration would line up with Delaware Tech’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

His inauguration was preceded by an old-fashioned picnic in Georgetown on Monday and a legislative brunch in Dover on Tuesday.

“This week isn’t about me or my inauguration,” Dr. Brainard said. “It’s about celebrating the history of the college and looking forward to the future.”

Dr. Brainard added that the year will be full of events and activities to celebrate the college’s short but important history.

One of the goals Dr. Brainard has set for the college is to complete 50 community services projects before the end of the year –– one for every year Delaware Tech has been in operation.

The inaugural week will finish today with a reception at the Stanton Campus in Newark.

DOVER — Former Caesar Rodney High teacher and state champion wrestling coach Richard L. “Dickie” Howell Jr. was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison Thursday morning for an admitted sexual relationship with a student in 2014.

After Kent County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clark issued his decision at the end of a nearly one hour hearing, the prosecution described the sentence as “appropriate,” and Howell’s attorney said his client thought the sentence was fair.

“Considering the quantity and quality of the evidence, this was the best result,” said attorney Alex Funk, who represented Howell.

Richard L. “Dickie” Howell Jr.

Describing the victim as a “very strong young lady,” prosecuting Deputy Attorney General Kathleen Dickerson said “we’re satisfied with the court’s sentencing.”

In response to Mr. Funk’s mention that other Delaware educators convicted of sexual crimes with students received far lighter sentences than the six-year mandatory minimum prison stay or far more Howell faced, Judge Clark said none of the other cases involved the high number of offenses that Howell’s did.

The judge pointed to the length of a roughly 10-month affair as factoring into his decision along with the “very significant” harm caused to the victim due to the illegal relationship between teacher and student conducted at his Wyoming home and at Caesar Rodney High.

In late February, Howell pleaded guilty to three counts each of felony fourth-degree rape and first-degree sexual abuse of a child by a person in a position of trust, authority or supervision.

Upon release, Howell will be on Level III probation and Judge Clark ordered him registered as a Tier III sex offender. He is to pay restitution and have no contact with anyone younger than 18.

Howell was credited three extra days from his Feb. 26 effective sentencing date. He can reduce the stay in prison with good time served.

Howell is one of the most successful coaches in Delaware history. Caesar Rodney won the state title under Howell eight times, most recently in 2012, and he won his 300th career dual meet victory two years ago.

The victim’s voice

In an impact statement before sentencing, the victim described the post traumatic stress disorder she now experiences, and was accompanied by a service dog who helps her “function every day.”

“I now have a mental disability that will affect me for the rest of my life,” she said,

The victim, now attending college out of state, said she was vilified on social media and elsewhere by adults and children after Howell’s arrest, and was “driven out” of her high school, the CR district and eventually Delaware.

“I have only one friend left in Delaware,” she said, while also describing her fear of going into the public because she might be recognized.

Comparing her plight to an 8½-hour surgery she experienced, the victim said she would rather go through that “a million and a half times” than experience the suffering endured in the aftermath of Howell’s arrest.

The victim described her opportunity to speak to the court as “liberating” because “my voice can finally be heard.”

Howell “said himself that I’m the strongest person he’d ever met, well he took that away,” said the victim, who mentioned flashbacks she experiences during the day and nightmares when attempting to sleep.

Speaking to Judge Clark, the district attorney general said some educators had tried to blame the victim while supporting Howell after the arrest.

Entrusted with the responsibility of educating and protecting his students, Ms. Dickerson said Howell instead “used her in one of the most baseless ways possible — for his sexual gratification.”

Ms. Dickerson read aloud lurid text messages between the then 50-year-old Howell and 17-year-old student, In one text, Howell thanked the victim for the “best present ever” after a sexual encounter on Christmas night while his kids were away from home, the prosecution recounted in court.

How it began

While acknowledging that the student victim began the affair by telling Howell “she liked him more that just a teacher,” according to Ms. Dickerson, the adult was responsible for not crossing any line of unprofessional conduct. Initial texting between the two became flirtatious, Ms. Dickerson said.

The teacher and student exchanged inappropriate photos of each other via text, Ms. Dickerson said, and Howell sent video of himself performing a sexual act and following up by addressing the student as “baby” and indicating he deserved a visual response.

Ms. Dickerson described the victim as losing her virginity in the living room of her teacher’s house.

“He knew right from wrong and he chose to cross the line day after day,” she said.

Also, Ms. Dickerson said the victim “lost out” on some “major events of childhood.”

Ms. Dickerson said the acts were not a momentary slip of judgment but “a pattern of criminal behavior.

“It wasn’t one day, it was weeks that led into months.”

Ms. Dickerson referenced an incident in 2013 when Howell was reprimanded for pulling the ponytail of one student and touching two on the forehead to check their sweat level. In 2012, she said, Howell contacted a student on a Christian Mingle website, first questioning her age to be there and then asked her how she was doing.

Howell, wearing an orange Department of Correction outfit with black letters, appeared to choke back tears at one point, while putting his hand on his forehead and later dropping his head while shaking it slightly.

Reading from a hand-written note, Howell agreed with both the defense and prosecution’s assertions and expressed remorse to the victim, her family and anyone else affected by what he’d done.

“I lost my job, house, kids, freedom and was shamed in the media,” he said.

Howell maintained, “I did essentially turn myself in,” unlike other cases, and ended the relationship while risking the chance of arrest.

“I do take responsibility for this, I have paid and will continue to pay for the rest of my life,” he said.

While pledging full accountability for his actions, Howell said he hoped the victim would be able to achieve her dream of graduating from college. He described himself as previously a good teacher and coach who mentored thousands of boys and devoted himself to helping them succeed on the wrestling mats and in life.

“I know I can be productive again,” he said.

Future plans

Hoping to some day continue helping people by perhaps working with the elderly or as a physical trainer, Howell said he longs to hug his mother again and watch his sons graduate from college and medical school.

Mr. Funk pointed to Howell’s otherwise clean criminal record, and psychological examinations that determined he was not a sexual predator or pedophile, and no risk to re-offend.

Howell began working in the district on Aug. 28, 1991, and the school board accepted his resignation on April 9, 2015.

Also, Howell’s background of being a mentor and teacher to thousands of students and athletes were a great part of the “99 percent” of his life where he did good, according to Mr. Funk, who also read snippets from a small sampling of the dozens of character letters written in his behalf.

“He’s a good man, he’s a tragic man, he’s a flawed man but he’s good man,” said Mr. Funk, who also described Howell as a “broken man who self destructed” and is now just a hollow piece of what he was before.

Describing life in prison, Mr. Funk said Howell is in lockdown nearly all the time except for 45 minutes in a facility exercise cage three times a week. The attorney expressed belief that Howell is receiving substantial, meaningful punishment and “he describes it as hard on him.”

Howell is given 30 seconds to shower, Mr. Funk said, and washes his clothes in a sink with no detergent. He once used a cellophane wrapper from a food tray to stave off infection after a foot injury. Howell received two each of the four shirts and pants allotted by the Department of Correction, according to his attorney.

Howell eats his breakfast at 5 a.m. after a tray is delivered through his cell door, which follows guard checks at 3 a.m. and 3:30 a.m.; he has no way of keeping time due to his solitary confinement, Mr. Funk said.

DOVER –– In its 75th year, the Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization is celebrating its history with a Diamond Anniversary theme at this weekend’s competition held at Dover Downs.

Fifteen winners of local Delaware pageants will take the stage competing in the areas of evening wear, interview, swimsuit and talent.

Nineteen-year-old Emalie Lawson of Hartly has already spent 15 years in the pageant world and is competing for the Miss Delaware crown a second time under her current title, Miss Sussex County.

Ms. Lawson first got into pageants when she was only 4 years old and said she was instantly hooked.

Emalie Lawson

“A friend of mine was competing in Tiny Miss Dover and wanted me to compete with her. While my parents had never even thought of putting me in pageants they let me compete. I had so much fun and I ended up winning, and a pageant girl was born,” she said.

The rising sophomore at Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia has chosen the platform of early childhood literacy.

“I chose my platform because ever since I was little, I loved to read. You can never find me without a book of some kind. While reading is not only fun, it is an essential part of life,” Ms. Lawson said.

Another love of hers is dance, an art she’s been practicing since before grade school. She’s bringing a contemporary jazz dance to the stage for her talent.

Twenty-two-year-old Miss Milford and University of Delaware graduate Rebecca Gasperetti, of Magnolia, is going into Miss Delaware with only three other pageants under her belt.

“I believe pageantry goes beyond the glamour –– I am very passionate about community involvement and I saw the incredible things previous Miss Delawares and local title holders have done, and the opportunities they were given to help make their voices heard, and I really wanted to be a part of it,” she said.

The issue she promotes with her title and plans to dedicate her energy toward is homeless awareness and prevention.

Her classic vocal talent has been half a lifetime in the making. While at the University of Delaware, Ms. Gasperetti had a minor in applied voice and has rehearsed an opera piece to perform as her talent at the competition, which gets underway tonight with the preliminaries.

The woman crowned Miss Delaware will have an entire year dedicated to service and promoting their platform, a big opportunity considering how passionate all the women are about their platforms.

“Being Miss Delaware will give me the opportunity to take my platform to schools across Delaware,” Ms. Lawson said. “When I was younger I really looked up to the Miss Delawares and I want to be able to be that role model for the next generation.”

Ms. Gasperetti has already taken a big step in her platform by founding Code Backpack but will ramp up her efforts if she takes home the crown on Saturday.

Rebecca Gasperetti

“This program provides backpacks filled with non-perishable food items, refillable water bottles, and seasonal clothing to shelters,” Ms. Gasperetti said. “The backpacks are refillable, so people may go to shelters to stock up on supplies.”

Due to the weighty issues that platforms bring to the competition, Miss Delaware isn’t a run of the mill beauty pageant.

“People who come will see that this is more than swimsuits and gowns. It’s about creating well-rounded women for both academic pursuits and the workforce,” said Brian Martinenza, president of Miss Delaware’s board of directors.

Although the winner receives a sparkling crown and a trip to the Miss America Pageant, all the contestants are winners when it comes to the scholarship aspect of the pageant.

The crowned Miss Delaware will receive a $10,000 scholarship and another $30,000 in scholarship money is up for grabs and awarded to winners of various segments of the competition such as preliminary talent and community service.

“The competition provides a whole host of opportunities for the girls but those opportunities require a lot of

Miss Milford Brooke Mitchell, of Selbyvile, was named Miss Delaware last year at Dover Downs. (Submitted photo)

fundraising throughout the year,” Mr. Martinenza said.

The board of directors of the Miss Delaware Organization is very new and still establishing its footing on the fundraising front and is pushing for strong ticket sales this year.

But as its the organization’s 75th anniversary, there is more to attract attendees than previous years. The history of Miss Delaware will be on display, showing off memorabilia ranging from previous winners’ gowns to newspaper clippings and even shoes.

A reception on Saturday afternoon before the finals will celebrate former Miss Delawares, also known as Forever Miss Delawares. Many of the Forevers will be in attendance, some of whom are currently involved in the organizations. The winners will span across two decades.

The reception is at 4:30 p.m. in Ballroom A at Dover Downs. It is free and open to the public.

The Miss Delaware competition will be held tonight and Saturday at 7:30 at Dover Downs. Doors open at 7 p.m. Crowning is at approximately 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Tonight, all of the contestants will compete with the final eight in the spotlight Saturday.

Tickets are $40 for tonight’s portion of the competition and $50 for Saturday’s and are available at the door or can be reserved by calling 1-800-711-5882.

DOVER — The Delaware Division of Public Health announced Friday a fourth Zika case involving a Delaware resident, this time a Kent County man. Like the three previous cases, he acquired the illness from a mosquito bite while traveling abroad.

The Kent Countian traveled abroad in May. The first three cases announced in February and March were New Castle County residents (two women and a man). None are considered infectious if they are bitten by a mosquito that then bites another person; the virus leaves the blood after about a week and all current Delaware cases are two weeks to several months old.

There have been no confirmed cases of transmission by a local mosquito bite anywhere in the continental U.S. Pregnancy is not a factor in any of the four Delaware cases.

While much less common, Zika can be spread by men via sexual activity so Public Health officials recommend condom use for men who have been diagnosed with Zika virus or have symptoms for at least six months after symptoms first appeared.

Public Health also said Zika education materials targeting pregnant women and their male partners will be distributed at Delaware Women, Infants and Children clinics and other locations. Recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the kit contains mosquito repellent, condoms, thermometers and informational brochures. Information can be found at dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/zika.html.

Zika, a generally mild illness, has been linked to serious birth defects in Brazil and other countries and is most often spread by mosquitoes. Transmission can occur from a mother to her fetus. Sexual transmission from male to female has also been confirmed.

About one in five people infected with the virus develop the disease, and most people who are infected do not develop symptoms. The most common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms typically begin two to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

A total of 109 Delawareans have or will be tested for Zika; 84 of those tested negative. The other 25 test results are still pending. Sixteen of those tested are pregnant.

To report a potential Zika illness or receive further guidance on patient testing, call the Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at (302) 744-4990.

WASHINGTON — Twenty-one states on Thursday sought more than $150 million in uncashed money orders from Delaware, where more than 1 million businesses take advantage of friendly incorporating laws and unclaimed financial property is a major source of state revenue.

A lawsuit filed directly to the U.S. Supreme Court is another escalation in an ongoing dispute involving uncashed money orders from Dallas-based MoneyGram, which has been submitting unclaimed money to Delaware.

MoneyGram is incorporated in Delaware — just like more than half of all publicly traded companies in the U.S., and about two-thirds of the Fortune 500 companies. Delaware benefits significantly from rules that ultimately routes unclaimed property to the company’s state of incorporation instead of the state of origin.

As a result, abandoned property is the third-largest source of general fund revenue for Delaware, and is expected to total more than half a billion dollars in the current fiscal year.

Other state officials contend the MoneyGram checks should be sent back to the state of purchase. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have previously sued Delaware over the same issue, which the Supreme Court has yet to consider.

“We are committed to get this money for unclaimed MoneyGram checks reverted to the states, claiming what rightfully belongs to our taxpayers,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who announced the lawsuit in Washington.

A Delaware official disputed the allegations and last week asked the Supreme Court to keep the status quo.

“Delaware cannot speculate why Texas did not intervene in the existing Supreme Court case, but is hopeful that the Supreme Court will provide all states with guidance on how companies should handle this particular type of unclaimed property in the future,” said Thomas Cook, Delaware’s secretary of finance.

Other states in the lawsuit are Arkansas, Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah and West Virginia.

Under U.S. Supreme Court rulings, states follow a two-tier priority scheme for reporting and claiming abandoned property.

Under the primary rule, unclaimed property is reported to the state of the owner’s last known address appearing on a company’s records. But if the owner’s address is unknown or incomplete, the unclaimed property is reported to the company’s state of incorporation.

DOVER — DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife Mosquito Control Section wants to know more about dead birds people might spot.

The division is asking for the public’s help in monitoring West Nile virus in Delaware by reporting the discovery of sick or dead wild birds that may have contracted the virus. West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne disease of concern to human health and to owners of unvaccinated horses.

The division’s Mosquito Control Section wants reports on only dead crows, blue jays, cardinals, robins, hawks or owls. It also wants to know if people spot clusters of five or more sick or dead wild birds of any species.

Bird specimens should have been dead for less than 24 hours and not appear to have died or been killed by other obvious causes.

“We are interested in when and where West Nile virus might first appear in Delaware this year and in monitoring the timing and locations of its possible spread throughout the state,” said Dr. William Meredith, Delaware Mosquito Control administrator. “Our sampling strategy this year will be to collect and test a sample of wild birds found throughout the state from early June to late September.”

Birds collected by Mosquito Control are processed by the Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Poultry & Animal Health Lab, and are then submitted to the Delaware Division of Public Health laboratory for virus testing.

From early July through mid- to late October, Mosquito Control also will operate its statewide network of about 20 sentinel chicken stations placed in prime mosquito areas, which “keep watch” for West Nile and eastern equine encephalitis, another mosquito-borne viral disease that affects horses and humans.

“The prevalence of prime mosquito production habitats in Delaware, combined with our high human population density, presents quite a challenge, but our effective approach to controlling mosquitoes has helped reduce the frequency of West Nile virus transmission and prevent large outbreaks,” Dr. Meredith said.

In 2015, two mosquito-related human cases of West Nile were reported in Delaware, neither of them fatal.

Wild birds are considered better indicators of West Nile early in the season from May through July than Mosquito Control’s sentinel chickens, which become better indicators later, from August through October. The period of greatest concern for disease transmission is in late summer and early fall, Dr. Meredith said.

Dr. Meredith said uncollected specimens will not transmit West Nile to humans or to pets that come in contact with a sick or dead bird. Dead birds can be left to decompose in place or can be buried or bagged and disposed of in the garbage. He does recommend avoiding direct skin contact by wearing gloves and/or by using a shovel.

Sick or dead birds can be reported to the Mosquito Control Section between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, by calling Mosquito Control’s field offices:

• New Castle County and northern Kent County from Dover north, call (302) 836-2555

• Remainder of southern Kent County and all of Sussex County, call (302) 422-1512

A message can be left after hours. Callers should give their name, phone number, address and leave a brief message.

The same numbers also may be used to report intolerable numbers of biting mosquitoes to help the Mosquito Control Section determine when and where to provide control services. For more information on Delaware’s Mosquito Control program, please call the main office at (302) 739-9917.

Zika and chikungunya viruses are two other mosquito-borne diseases currently found in South and Central America and the Caribbean. Concern exists of these viruses possibly occurring in local mosquito populations in Southern and Middle-Atlantic areas of the United States, including Delaware. Neither involves wild birds as hosts, but are transmitted by mosquitoes person-to-person.

For more information about West Nile virus in humans, please contact the Delaware Division of Public Health at (302) 744-1033 or (888) 295-5156.