DOVER — For festival organizers, the 2017 Firefly Music Festival will go down in their log books as one that perpetually stayed ahead of the weather despite gloomy forecasts.

Throughout the sixth annual four-day event, the temperatures ranged from mid-70s to low 90s and despite a few isolated sprinkles on Saturday, the sky was sunny and nearly cloudless almost every day. The forecasts had predicted a 60 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms for Friday, Saturday and Sunday — these storms mercifully never came to pass.

“The whole festival went really well,” said Michael Coco, senior director of operations with Red Frog Events. “We were very fortunate that the weather stayed on our side.”

Thunderstorms especially can shut the event down in a hurry. Last year’s event got its start with heavy rains just before the opening that turned much of The Woodlands into a mud pit. In 2015, downpours and high winds from Tropic Storm Bill forced Firefly organizers to evacuate the venue just before 10 p.m. on Saturday — leading to several performance cancellations and postponements of headline acts.

“Mother nature was kind to us,” said Christiane Pheil, creative programming assistant director with Red Frog Events. “2017 marks Firefly’s sixth year, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the weekend. This year’s music line-up was filled with a wide range of genres that speaks to the inclusive community Firefly has created.”

The crowd cheers during the sixth annual Firefly Music Festival. (Special to the Delaware State News/Jon Lloyd Jr.)

Reduced attendance

Although unconfirmed by organizers, there was a lot of anecdotal evidence for reduced crowd sized at this year’s festival. Going into the Firefly season, organizers said they were expecting to reach close to 90,000 attendees — like they did last year. However, a tour of the festival grounds at peak traffic hours would show that that number was optimistic.

It stands to reason, the first people to notice the attendance dip would be those doing business at the festival. Cycle rickshaw driver Matt Soha noticed right away when the festival started that he was spending a bit more time curbside waiting for fares than he had in previous years. Mr. Soha, who has been trailering in his rickshaw from Columbus, Ohio for Firefly for the past four years, has an “open fare” policy and pulls in around $5 to $15 per ride. Although unsure to what degree the lower attendance will dent the bottom line, but he said the dip in attendance was hard not to notice during his many runs to and from the parking lots and front gates.

“I don’t know exactly yet how much I’ll make over the whole festival,” he said. “But there definitely seems to be less people here overall from last year and the year before.”

Busta Rhymes performs on the main stage early Sunday afternoon at Firefly.

Music fans noticed it too, especially during the main headliners that would have ordinarily filled the viewing areas to capacity.

“Twenty one pilots filled out the main stage area pretty well when they were playing, but during some of the other big acts like Bob Dylan there were big gaps in the field — a lot of people had room to roll out full size blankets and lay down not too far from the stage,” said Lance Barkley of Philadelphia who was returning to Firefly for the third year in a row. “It’s not always like that. Walking all the way to the Lawn Stage and main entrance to the Main Stage can take over 30 minutes when it’s really packed in here. It only took us 15 minutes last night (Saturday) when the main headliners were about to come on.”

Fans speculate that it could be anything from concerns about the weather to ticket prices. This year, general admission tickets were going for $319 for the full four days with possible upgrades to VIP and Super VIP passes going for $699 and $2,499 respectively. Minnie Garrett from Richmond, Virgina, who’s been at all six Firefly Music Festivals, said attendance has had its ups and downs over the history of the festival but this year’s perceived dip is probably due to the talent lineup.

Waka Flocka Flame performs on the Backyard stage early Sunday afternoon at Firefly 2017.

“It’s just my opinion, but I feel like Firefly kind of started as a more purely alternative music lineup,” she said. “It’s kind of progressively taken a shift toward hip-hop, pop and Electronica-type music lately — I’d say with this year’s lineup more than any before. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an interesting change, that’s why my friends and I still bought tickets and came, we love it. I just think that maybe some fans from previous years may have taken a pass on this lineup.”

Band launching pad

However the festival’s aesthetic has changed over the past few years, the principle of giving stage time to lesser known bands has remained the same. Dover’s own hometown hip-hop group Trio got two stage performances — one at the South Hub stage on Thursday morning and one on Sunday morning at the Northeast Hub — plus an additional appearance on the festival’s “Rambler.” The Rambler was a Humvee kitted out with equipment to act as a mobile stage to showcase impromptu pop-up performances throughout The Woodlands during the festival. Doverites Matthieu “Tribe Beats” Howe, Matt “Meeze” Coston and Samuel “SAM” Carter III, who make up Trio said the Rambler performance was a bit of a surprise that Red Frog Events offered them a few days before Firefly kicked off.

The main stage reflects on sunglasses Sunday afternoon at Firefly 2017.

“They asked us if we wanted to do it and we said ‘of course,” said Mr. Howe. “It was a really cool intimate show that was set up near the main entrance around 11 a.m. on Saturday. The whole festival was lit. It was an amazing opportunity to connect with our fans. We took full advantage of it, starting out every day early and coming back late just enjoying the music and being part of the atmosphere.”

Mr. Carter said the festival gave them some much needed face-time with fans.

“The best part was all the love we got from fans,” he said. “It was amazing to just come off stage afterward and talk to people and get to meet everyone.”

In addition to connecting with fans, Trio also spent some time with the other talent and made some connections, they said.

“We got to hang backstage with Wale and T-Pain and we met Chance the Rapper’s brother, which was great,” said Mr. Coston. “We even made a connection with another small band that played after us on the South Hub Stage. They’re a band from New Jersey called Deal Casino. We don’t know yet, but we may actually end up collaborating — it would be great to have some instrumentals with our music.”

The Firefly main stage before Bob Dylan’s show Saturday evening.

According to Kristyn Corder from the Nashville, Tennessee band *repeat repeat, just that act of playing Firefly where so many of the bands her and her fellow musicians admire is an honor.

“We’ve admired Firefly from afar from the get-go and have always hoped to attend, so it is an absolute dream to be here playing,” she said. “Bands that we love like BRONCHO, and Mother Mother have played the festival in previous years, so we’ve always had an eye on all the cool stuff coming from Firefly. We will definitely be back and truly can’t wait.”

From a musician’s perspective, her and her bandmates feel that Red Frog Events runs a top-notch operation.

“It’s such a well-run, beautifully branded event,” said Ms. Corder. “Everyone we’ve encountered here has gone out of their way to make the experience extra special. It’s impressive to see an operation of that scale so well organized, staffed and basically perfected.”

Recuperating and debriefing

In the days and weeks directly following Firefly, there will be and extensive clean-up on The Woodlands site. Gary Camp, spokesman for Dover International Speedway, which rents The Woodlands venue to Red Frog Events said that the company does and excellent job of returning the property to the condition they received it in.

A CSC security officer sprays water on the crowd at the Pavilion stage at Firefly 2017.

“They have a lot of staff out here cleaning up and disassembling everything — they’re pretty quick about it too,” said Mr. Camp. “The Speedway will have a fair amount of our staff out here as well re-seeding and landscaping the ground. That whole process usually takes about two weeks for us.”

On Red Frog Events’s end, they’ll slowly filter out and head back to their headquarters in Chicago and begin pouring over feedback and making plans for next year’s Firefly. The first steps are looking at what worked well this year, and asking themselves what new things to bring next year, organizers said.

Some details for the next Firefly are already nailed down and will soon be released said Ms. Pheil.

“We’ll be announcing our 2018 Firefly dates and ticket on-sale information within the next few weeks,” she said. “Fans can visit fireflyfestival.com for the most up-to-date information.”

The Pavilion stage lights up Saturday evening at Firefly 2017.

Looking at what worked well helps to inform the programming choices for following years, organizers said. Ms. Pheil noted that fans particularly liked the diversity of the musician line-up and the greater variety of food offerings. Mr. Coco said practical things like flushable toilets made a big difference to guests too.

“The flushable restrooms were a big hit and a great addition to the show this year, fans also seemed to really like The Fort and the Jellyfish (art installation) in the pathway,” said Mr. Coco. “We’re already excited to start planning for 2018.”

Mr. Coco noted that the fan curation theme will likely stay in place, and that they “will definitely have some new additions” next year.

A field of 34 Big Block Modifieds turned out for Thursday night’s Diamond State 50 at Delaware International Speedway.

It was the second event of the Full Throttle Series and the third round of the Short Track Super Series Fueled by VP Velocita South Region.

Heats were won by Canada’s Stewart Friesen, Dover’s Dale Hawkins, Brian Kressley of Orefield, Pa. and Jeff Strunk of Bechtelsville. Pa. Jordan Watson of Milford won the consolation.

With 14 laps to go in the feataure, David VonDohren’s hopes were dampened when he slowed to bring out the yellow. The top three were still Friesen, Duane Howard and David VanHorn. Seemingly out of nowhere, Ryan Watt blasted into the top five on the outside.

Ryan Godown stopped to bring out the yellow with six to go and on the restart Watt grabbed the lead with Friesen slipping all the way back to fourth.

Watt would not be denied his first Delaware International win as he led the remaining three laps to take the checkered.

“I love coming down here,” said Watt. “The fans are great. I love the track here. We have had a bunch of seconds down here and led a bunch of laps but just couldn’t seem to put it in victory lane.

“The track was a little too heavy at first and I needed it to go away a little. Then I lost some brakes and couldn’t run on the bottom. But when the top started coming in I didn’t have to use my brakes.”

In the 20-lap AC Delco 602 Sportsman feature, it only took two laps for Matt Stangle to work by Dwayne Crockett for the lead. The last half of the race was all green and Stangle made no mistakes to collect the $1,000 victory, his first at Delaware International.

In the 12-lap Super Trucks main, Robert Smith took the top spot just after halfway and held off Jerry Hill for the remaining distance to take the win.

In the Delmarva Charger 12-lap feature, the red was out on the first lap after a tangle in the first turn involving Randy Merritt, Ben Knotts and Earl Truitt. Truitt was complaining with pains in his chest and was treated on the scene by paramedics before being airlifted to the hospital.

Scott Calhoun held off Robert Paczkowski then Jay Sipple from lap four on to take his second win of the season.

Brothers square off at U.S. 13: Once a year, veteran track official Jerry Ketterman puts together one of the top bracket racing shows in the Mid-Atlantic.

With $1,000 to win in each of the two Bad 8 divisions and a whopping $5,000 to win in Top ET, it tends to bring out the best of the best.

Last Sunday was no exception as a great field of cars were on hand to try for their share of Ketterman’s Super Bad 8 Show money.

The Top ET final boiled down to a pair of brothers, with Jerry Russell of Felton taking home the $5,000 prize.

Russell was paired against brother Jamie Russell in the final. The difference in the race was at the starting line when Jerry had a .004 reaction to Jamie’s .018. Jerry took and the $5,000 with a 6.533/156.33 on a 6.51 dial.

Jamie was on he dial running a 6.119/166.63 on a 6.11 dial. Semi-finalist was the “Delaware Destroyer,” Danny Bastianelli, who lost to Jamie Russell while Jerry had the bye.

Steven Boone of Ingleside, Md., took home the win in Bad 8 Dragster and Doug Farace of Towson, Md., won in the Bad 8 Full Body.

Other winners on the day included: John Myers of Glen Burnie, Md. in Mod ET; Harvey Powell of Felton in Pro Bike; Michael Jefferson of Parsonsburg, Md. in Street; Josh Davis of Laurel in Hot Rod; Angelina Battaglia of Elkton, Md. in Jr. Street; Danielle Donze of Felton in Jr. Dragster 1 and Nicholas Bowie of Greensboro, Md. in Jr. Dragster 2.

Results

Diamond State 50: 1. Ryan Watt; 2. Duane Howard; 3. Stewart Friesen; 4. Brett Kressley; 5. Jordan Watson; 6. Jeff Strunk; 7. Rick Laubach; 8. Billy Pauch, Jr.; 9. Jamie Mills; 10. Anthony Perrego; 11. Jesse Hill; 12. Jim Britt; 13. Brad Trice; 14. David VanHorn; 15. Frank Cozze; 16. Danny Johnson; 17. Ryan Godown; 18. Craig VonDohren; 19. Jimmy Horton; 20. Ron Roberts; 21. Scott VanGorder; 22. H.J. Bunting; 23. Danny Bouc; 24. Jojo Watson; 25. Matt Jester; 26. Dale Hawkins; 27. Robert Dutton; 28. Shawn Ward; DNQ: Billy Pauch; T.J. Williams; Kenny Brightbill; Mike White; Howard O’Neal; Kevin Sockriter
AC Delco 602 Sportsman; 1. Matt Stangle; 2. Jordn Justice; 3. Dwayne Crockett; 4. Scott Hitchens; 5. Mike Hough; 6. Jason Rush; 7. David Jenkins; 8. Matt Smith; 9. Nick Alberti; 10. Brandon Dennis; 11. Ryan Riddle; 12. David Crossman; 13. Trent Van Vorst; DNS: Jeremy Harrington.
Super Truck: 1. Robert Smith; 2. Jerry Hill; 3. David Smith; 4. Thomas Lecates; 5. Mike Kennedy; 6. Dale Elliott; 7. Rocky Whitley; 8. Billy Lockwood; 9. Tim Quay; 10. Kirk Miles; 11. Dick Beauchamp; 12. Thomas “Action” Jackson; 13. Dylan Reed; 14. Bobby Reed; 15. Brian Meisenholder; 16. Matt Esham.
Delmarva Charger: 1. Scott Calhoun; 2. Jay Sipple; 3. Tanner Marvel; 4. Robert Paczkowski; 5. Ashley Merritt; 6. Bud Sipple; 7. Randy Merritt; 8. Earl Truitt; 9. Ben Knotts.

PHILADELPHIA — The Carpenter Cup hasn’t been all that kind to Delaware South for about a decade.

That has all changed for this year’s version of the squad. These players are headed for Citizens Bank Park.

Delaware South rolled through Inter-AC (Pa.) for a 12-7 victory in the Carpenter Cup quarterfinals on Monday afternoon at Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in Philadelphia. The day was highlighted by a six-run top of the third which staked Delaware South to its large lead.

Delaware South will meet a familiar foe in the semifinals of the tournament which features teams from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. It will be Delaware South vs. Delaware North on Friday at 1p.m.

Both the semifinals and finals are hosted at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Delaware South has never played at Citizens Bank Park.

“It’s absolutely crazy,” said Will Kimmel of Milford. “You never expect to play on a Big League field at this age. Now that you’re able to, it’s just a very humbling experience.”

Delaware South has won this tournament once in the past, but it was 2000 when the final two rounds were played at Veterans Stadium. Before last year, Delaware South had a streak of 10-straight years where it fell in the opening round.

Delaware South led wire-to-wire on Monday as every player in the starting lineup either reached base once or drove in at least one run. The game was called due to rain with one out remaining in the bottom of the ninth and declared an official game.

Kimmel and Abraham Mow, two recently graduated seniors from Milford, each scored a pair of runs and got two hits. Mow doubled in the six-run third while Kimmel drove in a run.

Gabe Wescott of Woodbridge also had a RBI-single in the second inning and scored in the third. Luke Oliphant of Sussex Tech drove in a run, scored once and stole three bases. His Sussex Tech teammate, Brayden Graham tripled in the third and eventually came around to score.

Aidan Riley of St. Georges delivered the big blow with a two-run double in the third inning. Riley also singled in the top of the first and scored on a double by Newark Charter’s Kevin Buglio.

The offensive outburst came after Delaware South only recorded five hits in its 5-1 opening round win against Philadelphia Public.

“I thought the first game we struggled offensively but I knew our pitching was very good,” said Delaware South coach Corey Wyatt (Lake Forest). “Today our bats came through. We got a lot of big hits with people on base and we ran the bases extremely well.”

“We just wanted to put the ball in play and hit the ball hard,” Kimmel said. “We found the holes in the defense and just kept running.”

Delaware South stuck with its successful pitching formula from the first game. It started Ryan Steckline, an Appoquinimink grad who is signed to play for Monmouth University next year.

Steckline struck out seven in his three innings of work. He has 13 strikeouts through six innings so far this tournament.

Delaware South did surrender six runs in the bottom of the eighth, thanks in large part to three walks and two hit batsmen. The trio of Brady Stamper (Appoquinimink), Sean Kelby (Newark Charter) and Jeremy Carrow (Smyrna) combined to pitch the final six innings.

“We’re going to have good pitching every game so we wanted to focus on getting the bats warmed up,” Kimmel said. “Hopefully we can go to the ‘Bank,’ hit the ball hard and win some more games.”

SUSSEX COUNTY — In reaction to proposed spending cuts to reduce the state’s projected $380 million shortfall, tourism officials in southern Delaware are readying for a fight to preserve their funding.

“We are fighting to state our case to our legislators, the Joint Finance Committee and powers that be that we understand the state is in a severe budget crisis right now. We get that. We want to be part of that solution,” said Scott Thomas, Southern Delaware Tourism’s executive director. “We feel this is going to make it worse because we are a revenue generator. We help offset residential tax burden.”

Earlier this month, the Joint Finance Committee cut funding to Southern Delaware Tourism — Sussex County’s convention and visitors bureau — by 100 percent, effectively shutting it down as of June 30 if legislators do not take action to restore funding in the session’s final days. By law, the General Assembly must have a budget in place when it adjourns next week.

Southern Delaware Tourism (SDT) in concert with nine chambers of commerce in Sussex County and convention and visitors’ bureaus from Kent and New Castle counties assist in bringing in more than $4 billion annually to the state in visitor spending.

More than $1.7 billion is spent in Sussex County, according to Mr. Thomas.

SDT’s funding is administered through the 8 percent State Public Accommodations Tax receipt (hotel tax) formula imposed on visitors. Five of the 8 percent currently goes to the state’s general fund, with 1 percent each going to the three convention and visitors bureaus, the state tourism office and the beach replenishment fund.

The JFC’s proposal is to shift the 1 percent earmarked for the convention & visitors bureaus to the general fund, essentially eliminating funding for Southern Delaware Tourism and other CVBs.

“So, it’s not being reinvested back into tourism which of course generates a lot of returns in tax receipts. It actually grows the general fund so it can be used to pay for all these other state programs,” said Mr. Thomas. “Our whole message is that this a revenue generator driven by out-of-area visitors by this hotel tax. You need to keep reinvesting and promoting what we have here to keep that on the uptick.”

The JFC’s move eliminates a $1 million investment in SDT marketing programs, services and events. That includes a $590,000 investment in tourism programs and services administered by nine local chambers of commerce in the county.

Concerns among chamber of commerce leaders range from loss of revenue for programs and marketing to loss of jobs and chamber membership.

“The funds we receive from Southern Delaware Tourism comes to over a third of our budget. If that 1 percent is actually taken away, which constitutes 100-percent of the funding to Southern Delaware Tourism, it’s going to result in possible dues increase and reduction of programs that the chamber can offer,” said Greater Georgetown Chamber of Commerce President Angela Emerson. “Our Wings & Wheels festival is our key festival. We bring in over 10,000 people. Wings & Wheels, it could definitely be affected.”

“And jobs could be lost and possibly chambers could be at risk, especially some of our smaller chambers,” said Ms. Emerson.

If funding is eliminated, Mr. Thomas estimates the employment impact will be 16 to 20 jobs “right off the top.”

“Members may not like it if their membership dues get raised,” said Greater Millsboro Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Amy Simmons. “I think if we raised our dues we would lose members.”

Ms. Simmons said the Millsboro chamber would be negatively impacted but not to the degree as some others.

“We get a very small percentage of that money. But it will impact Millsboro chamber by maybe 25 percent of our income, because part of that money can go toward the director’s salary. But we also use the other 75 percent on advertising or promotion of the area to bring people in,” said Ms. Simmons. “Without that money, yes, we will be able to continue with our events but we will not be advertising as heavily because we just don’t have that money, which is going to trickle down the economic ladder. It’s a vicious cycle.”

“We’re one of the smaller chambers. The beach chambers are much more heavily impacted by this. But we are all going to be hurt,” said Ms. Simmons. “And there is a lot of employment through tourism.”

Noting that agriculture and tourism are Sussex County’s two biggest industries, Mr. Thomas says that investment in tourism yields a substantial return on investment. For every dollar the state invests in tourism, the state receives $2.75 in tax revenue.

“That’s a pretty good return on investment,” said Mr. Thomas. “There is a lot of detrimental repercussions that trickle down from this. It’s just moving in the wrong direction.”

Additionally, SDT generates revenue for the Greater Georgetown Chamber through rental of second-floor office space in the chamber’s headquarters on Route 9.

Mr. Thomas has spent a lot of time in Dover the past two weeks in the campaign to plead tourism leaders’ case in hopes funding will be reinstated. Legislators have for the most part been receptive, he said.

“I think they get it. We certainly get that they are in a crisis,” said Mr. Thomas. “We’re trying to keep our message simple. It’s not just us. It’s all of our tourism partners. We’re casting the net to get these visitors here. And this is our funding mechanism.”

“If you divest, it becomes stagnant, the marketing goes away, visitation drops – and other states have learned this the hard way,” said Mr. Thomas, pointing to Colorado. “They said, ‘We’re not going to promote ourselves’ and they suffered. There are case studies across the board.”

“We are trying not only to protect but show the state that this is not a good move, even in the short term,” said Mr. Thomas. “Obviously, we are very concerned. But we feel pretty good about what we are doing. I’ll certainly feel better when this is reinstated. I’d be feeling better if it wasn’t taken out in the first place.”

DOVER — During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised the Affordable Care Act would be repealed and replaced with something better.

Now, if the American Health Care Act of 2017 passes and is signed into law, the president will have broken his promise, Sen. Tom Carper believes.

Sen. Carper, 70, a Democrat and senior member of Delaware’s congressional delegation, said Monday the country would take a step back if it replaces the ACA with the AHCA.

“We’ve made in some cases a little bit of progress, in other cases a whole lot of progress,” he said at a news conference at Westside Family Healthcare, with other state officials and several doctors nearby. “With the Affordable Care Act … I thought we made real progress. We cut in half, in fact, the number of people who didn’t have coverage in the state and actually made a lot of progress in terms of getting value, better value out of health care dollars that we spend.”

Thomas R. Carper

The AHCA bill, which passed the House in May and is now being considered by the Senate, would roll back the 2010 Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare.” It would, according to the Congressional Budget Office, reduce the cumulative federal deficit by $119 billion over 10 years but would also cause 23 million more people to become uninsured by 2026. The CBO says less healthy people, such as those with pre-existing conditions, might face rising costs or a loss of care.

The Associated Press last week said President Trump told Republican senators in a closed-door meeting the AHCA is “mean, mean, mean.”

The ACA is seen by some as the biggest piece of President Barack Obama’s legacy, and supporters view it as a necessary piece of legislation that expands access to care.

But opponents — including a large majority of Republicans, per a March Gallup poll — argue it helped drive costs up and forced some people off their previous plans.

“The Affordable Care Act (‘Obamacare’) has resulted in skyrocketing health insurance prices, a diminishing choice of providers and in some areas a dwindling to no choice of health insurance plans,” U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, a Republican from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, said in a statement after the AHCA passed the House. “That is why I voted in favor of legislation that will immediately lower premiums and begin to fix our broken health insurance system.”

Senate Republicans are considering their own version of the bill, with no vote scheduled so far.

Democrats have blasted the Republican majority for not holding public hearings on the bill, drawing a contrast between the lead-ups to the vote on the ACA and the planned vote on the GOP bill.

“Our Republican friends in the Senate are basically doing this in secret,” Sen. Carper said Monday.

Sen. Chris Coons, 53, a Democrat and Delaware’s junior member of the Senate, last week told CNN Democrats are willing to work with Republicans to improve the ACA but have received a cold reception.

“They have a shrinking window. They’re going to use a vehicle to do this called reconciliation that allows them to do it by just 51 votes, 50 votes plus the vice president,” he said. “In order to do that, they are pursuing a path that would be Republican-only.

Chris Coons

“They are finding it very hard to get to 50 votes in the Republican caucus in the Senate because some of the far right wants to completely repeal the Affordable Care Act. The things that fund it and the consumer protection provisions and the ways it has helped 24 million Americans get access to health care and improved the quality of the health care that more than 150 million Americans have.

“But then there are folks who are moderate Republicans who want to save or extend the Medicaid expansion that their states have benefitted so much from. They have big internal divisions. Mitch McConnell, the Republican majority leader is pushing hard to get this done before the August recess. We’re hearing rumors they are making progress. But we have very little insight to what the provisions are of the bill.”

About 11,000 more Delawareans have coverage due to a Medicaid expansion undertaken under then Gov. Jack Markell as part of the ACA. If the AHCA is to pass, Delaware would need to either come up with more than $150 million to fund health care for that group or effectively kick people off Medicaid.

“What oftentimes I hear people talk about individuals who are on Medicaid that they think they don’t want to work or they can’t work or they’re living off the system,” Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro said. “And the truth is and the facts are these are children. These are our elderly population, our disabled. This is a population that well needs to be protected.”

Delaware’s Medicaid costs are growing, however, and at $767 million, the money associated with it already makes up nearly 20 percent of the state’s current budget. Both Democrats and Republicans in the First State acknowledge health care costs are a problem for the budget, but they differ as to how to solve the issue.

The AHCA would spend $834 million less on Medicaid over the next 10 years, and state Sen. Colin Bonini, R-Dover, believes it would be a welcome change from the ACA.

“The reality is that public health care is on an unsustainable, regardless of whether it’s Obamacare or Medicaid, an unsustainable trajectory and our country needs to have an adult discussion about how we’ll do this,” he said.

NEW CASTLE — A state panel on Monday increased Delaware’s official revenue forecast, but legislators still have their work cut out for them in fashioning a budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.

The Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council on Monday boosted its revenue estimate for the current year by $12.5 million compared to its May projections.

The revenue projection for fiscal 2018, which starts July 1, increased by $13.5 million.

Adding reversions of unspent funds, available revenue for fiscal 2018 increased by $27.4 million.

That still leaves a gap of more than $350 million between estimated revenue and proposed spending for next year, according to Gov. John Carney’s administration.

“It’s a drop in the bucket. … It’s insignificant,” state budget director Mike Jackson said of Monday’s revisions.

Meanwhile, budget talks between Republican and Democratic legislative leaders have bogged down amid disagreements over spending cuts and proposals to increase taxes on Delawareans.

Democratic leaders told the legislature’s budget committee last month to halt its work amid public outcry about proposed spending cuts. It’s unclear whether the committee will resume its work this week.

The House and Senate have approved on a bill increasing taxes on corporations, a key part of Democrat Carney’s plan to balance a budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. Analysts say the bill will generate an additional $116 million annually in revenue.

But GOP lawmakers have yet to sign on to a Democratic plan to increase personal income taxes. If passed, the legislation would raise $68 million in additional revenue in the fiscal year starting July 1, and $211 million the following year.

Republicans have said spending reform needs to be part of any budget deal. Their proposals include forming groups to study Medicaid reform and school district consolidation. They also have suggested developing performance metrics for state agencies and taking a more analytical approach to state spending, using factors such as economic growth, inflation and population, rather than just capping spending at 98 percent of expected revenue.

Deep Water Church Pastor Jeff Dyer, one of the organizers of the Clean-Up for Code Purple, gives instructions to some of the 160 volunteers who helped collect donations on Monday. (Delaware State News/Mike Finney)

DOVER — Never has the saying “Somebody else’s trash might be somebody else’s treasure” rang more true than on a Monday following the Firefly Music Festival.

While thousands of attendees steadily drove away from the four-day music festival on Monday morning, nearly 160 volunteers took to the Woodlands camping grounds behind Dover International Speedway to salvage items to benefit Code Purple Kent County.

Code Purple is an initiative that keeps the homeless out of the cold by providing shelter and warm meals overnight throughout the winter months.

There were couches to be claimed, tents to be dismantled and unopened food to be picked up by an army of volunteers for Code Purple.

“It’s nice to be able to do something for the homeless and to work with Code Purple. It’s very rewarding,” said Christine Lawrence, a volunteer. “People have left usable things. There are also some nasty things, but there are usable things that can be used.

“It’s kind of funny that what somebody else would appreciate is being left behind as garbage. It’s nice to see that some of the stuff that is left behind can be taken advantage of like that.”

Scott Brown recovers an inflatable mattress for Code Purple Kent County on Monday. (Delaware State News/Mike Finney)

John Rundle, a co-organizer of the third annual post-Firefly collection along with Deep Water Church Pastor Jeff Dyer, said the event has grown immensely from its humble beginnings.

“It’s crazy,” Mr. Rundle said. “We came out here two years ago when a friend of mine said, ‘Hey, you guys might want to come out and take a look at this (piles of items left behind).’

“I grabbed Jeff (Dyer) and a few people and we came out and looked and I think we did maybe a quarter of Lot 2 and filled up like two or three trucks.”

Mr. Rundle added, “So we said maybe we should make this a little more organized and the community really jumped on board. We have about 160 volunteers working with us this year.”

The volunteers responded to invitations through Red Frog — Firefly’s parent company — churches, businesses, friends and co-workers.

With wind whipping through the campgrounds Monday morning, volunteers set out to find the highest priority items that Kent County’s homeless population can use the most — such as clothes, sleeping bags, tents, blankets and unopened non-perishable food.

Capitol Cleaners will clean all the sleeping bags free of charge along with other salvageable materials like towels and blankets.

A pair of volunteers bring several items to the Two Men and a Truck donation bins for Code Purple on Monday. (Delaware State News/Mike Finney)

Other items, such as pieces of furniture, grills, batteries, and so on, were also collected and will eventually be sold in a yard sale, from which all proceeds will benefit Code Purple.

“Last year we picked up around a ton of food and water combined,” Mr. Rundle said. “It’s great for Code Purple. It puts them ahead by about 80 to 90 tents by the time that we’re finished.

“We’re sort of the lift end of this. We just collect the items and Code Purple determines how it’s distributed.”

The volunteers, which broke into groups of five people each, began the cleanup project at around 9 a.m. and worked until almost 3 p.m. They filled up two large trucks that were donated by the Two Men and a Truck moving company.

Ron Vascik, who was volunteering with around 25 to 30 co-workers from Raymond F. Book and Associates, said his daughter went to Firefly on Friday to see the rock band 21 Pilots perform.

He missed all of that excitement but could clearly see what was left of it.

“We’re just helping to clean up and just trying to give back,” Mr. Vascik said. “I would suspect probably a lot of people come in from out of town, buy tents and things at Target or something, and then they don’t want to take it back with them.

“So this is a great thing for Code Purple.”

Code Purple was a mainstay at Firefly throughout the festival with its purple donation tents located at each Camping Hub.

The tents were manned by Code Purple team members for the duration of the event, accepting donations for Kent County’s homeless population.

Code Purple members also gave away hand-made bracelets once again in exchange for donations.

Overall, the festival turned out to be quite a boon for Code Purple.

Mr. Rundle couldn’t thank the volunteers enough for their efforts picking up items in the 85-degree heat on Monday.

“I sent a Facebook post out and said I can’t believe how generous the city of Dover and the surrounding areas are,” he said. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

People’s Place has been helping people find their path to growth and independence for over 40 years through the 10 programs and services we provide in Delaware.

We are a statewide agency providing mental health counseling, emergency services, hot lines, domestic violence shelters, case management, mediation, family visitation centers, youth services, veterans’ services, and temporary and transitional housing. Individuals and families receive life sustaining services and we are a vital resource for the most vulnerable members of our communities.

Along with many other Delaware nonprofits, we are deeply concerned about the state of Delaware proposed budget cuts for FY2018.

Last year, People’s Place provided services to over 8,000 Delawareans and anticipates serving an even larger number next year. We are honored to state that our organization is the human services provider of choice in Kent and Sussex counties and an Independent Living program in New Castle County. We work diligently to diversify our funds through grants, individual contributions and fundraising to help with the rising costs of maintaining our 24-hour facilities, supplement operating costs, deficits, and transportation costs to medical appointments for veterans, but we greatly depend on state and federal partnerships to provide these services.

People’s Place requests the community’s help today by contacting your legislators and letting them know how important our services are to Delawareans and requesting they preserve our funding. By finding alternative ways to generate revenue, they have the ability to not only impact our agency, but others that directly affect human life. Continuing partnerships will enable People’s Place to continue to efficiently and innovatively provide the high-quality services that our clients are familiar with.

Working together, we can ensure that Delaware individuals and families continue to receive the assistance they need to make positive changes in their lives, thus, find their individual path to growth and independence.

For more information about People’s Place, please visit our website at www.peoplesplace2.com or contact Kim Rigby at 422-8033, Ext. 198, or krigby@peoplesplace2.com.

Kim Rigby
Communications and Donor Relations manager, People’s Place
Milford

DOVER — A new agreement would raise correctional officer salaries by about $8,000 over two years, the state announced Tuesday.

The deal, the product of months of negotiations between the state and the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, comes at a time when officer morale is low, according to a report produced earlier this month. The Department of Correction has about 180 vacancies, and employees are still reeling from the death of Lt. Steven Floyd in an inmate uprising at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in February.

“This is a really important step forward to address the compensation that we make available for correctional officers,” Gov. Carney said. “We have a significant challenge in hiring new correctional officers, attracting people to the pool and then getting them hired and part of it is compensation obviously affects our staffing levels, which affects overtime, which affects morale of existing correctional officers, which affects the administration of the facilities.”

The collective bargaining agreement was approved Monday by the officers’ union.

Gov. John Carney

Currently, starting pay for correctional officers in Delaware is $32,059, with a maximum salary of $43,147, and officers also get hazard pay of $3,120. The average wage for correctional officers nationwide is $45,320, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The agreement would eliminate hazard pay as a separate category and would fold it into salary. The raise would impact all officers, not just new hires.

It marks “a tremendous first step in the right direction,” COAD President Geoff Klopp said.

“It’s a significant raise for all correctional officers. I can tell you that the atmosphere has changed immediately inside the correctional facilities,” Mr. Klopp said.

A report commissioned by the governor and released earlier this month by a former judge and U.S. attorney noted officers often work more than 40 hours and sometimes up to 80 hours a week because of understaffing and an overreliance on overtime.

“Although overtime is voluntary, the overtime requirements are so excessive that correctional officers report routinely missing out on important family events due to being ‘frozen’ at the end of their shift or being denied vacation time even when a request is put in ‘six months in advance,’” the findings said. “This level of work intrusion into correctional officers’ personal lives has eliminated any sense of work-life balance with significant impacts on their individual and most probably their family’s mental health and wellness.”

The deal with COAD includes a labor-management committee that will focus on attracting and keeping officers, as well as reducing the use of mandatory overtime by the Department of Correction.

It carries a cost of $16 million in the fiscal year starting July 1 and $10 million the following fiscal year.

Asked where lawmakers will find the money for the agreement, given the General Assembly still must a shortfall between projected revenue and expenditures of close to $190 million, Gov. Carney pointed to several bills proposed by Democratic leaders to raise taxes on income, cigarettes and alcohol.

“If people support the correctional officers and they support the things that we’re doing … then they’ll support our revenue package,” he said.

Gov. Carney has also proposed creating a temporary special assistant to lead reforms at the Department of Correction and spending $6.8 million on upgrades and new hires. His recommendations, which must be approved by the General Assembly, include $2 million for new cameras at Vaughn and $2.5 million to hire 50 additional officers at Vaughn and 25 new correctional officer positions at Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution.

Middletown Post-25 outdueled Smyrna Post-14, 16-14, in a high-scoring American Legion baseball game on Tuesday evening.

Middletown is now 2-4 after starting the season with four straight losses.

Smyrna, which blanked Middletown 3-0 in its season opener, is now 3-4.

Nanticoke Post-6 Patriots 7, Milford Post-3 4: The Patriots jumped out to a 6-1 lead after two innings before posting the victory.

Nanticoke outhit Milford, 11-7, in improving to 4-2.

Middletown Post 25’s catcher Vinnie Green watches Smyrna Post 14’s Bredan Mower slide safe into home at Smyrna on Tuesday. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

K.C. Widdowson went 3-for-5, including a double, while scoring twice for the Patriots. Justin Gray, Tyler DeFord and Tyler Elzey all went 2-for-4 while Evan Nibblett drove in a pair of runs.

Jordan Haddaway (73 pitches) after allowing only one earned run and striking out six in five innings. Reliever Jared Kay struck out four.

Smyrna Post’s 14 yan Seymore connects for a hit against Middletown Post 25 in American Legion action at Smyrna on Tuesday. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

Milford’s Dorin Emerick went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a double with Ethan Watkinson picking up three RBI. Milford also turned two double plays.

Milford rallied for three runs in the seventh, getting a two-run single from Watkinson, before falling short.

Fox Post 2 to play at CR: Dover’s Fox Post 2 is moving its home games to Caesar Rodney High for the rest of the season.

Fox Post 2 hosts Milford Post 3 today at 6 p.m. at CR.

High school soccer

Cavs’ Poarch earns Gatorade award: Middletown High’s Alyssa Poarch has been named the Gatorade Player of the Year in girls’ soccer for the state of Delaware.

The 5-foot-7 senior forward and midfielder scored 38 goals and passed for 13 assists this past season, leading the Cavaliers (17-1) to the Division I state championship.

Smyrna Post 14 pitcher Jeremy Carrow against Middletown Post 25 in American Legion action at Smyrna on Tuesday. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

A first-team All-State selection, Poarch participated in a training camp with the U.S. Soccer Under-19 Women’s National Team in March and was named Player of the Year by the Delaware High School Girls Soccer Coaches Association.

Poarch has volunteered locally on behalf of youth soccer camps, blood-donation drives and the Best Buddies program.

“I’ve never seen a high school player as impressive as Alyssa Poarch,” said Wes Kendle, coach at Appoquinimink. “She has the ability to take over a game single-handed, even when the opposition is man-marking her or even putting several players on her. She’s truly a special player.”

Poarch has maintained a 3.26 GPA in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on scholarship at the University of Maryland this fall.

Local golf

Covey tops at Kings Creek: Nicholas Covey (Easton, Md.) shot a one-under par 70 top the boys’ 16-18 division on the second day of the Philadelphia Junior Tour Rehoboth Beach Series on Tuesday.

The event was played at Kings Creek Country Club.

Smyrna Post’s 14 Nate Ridgeway slides safe into third base against Middletown Post 25’s third baseman Joey Lungen in American Legion action at Smyrna on Tuesday. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

Covey had four birdies to pace him to the win. Frankie Markiewicz (Middletown) came in second with a 76 (+5) while Dylan Sterlacci (Dowingtown, Pa.), placed third with a 78 (+7).

Roy Anderson (Chadds Ford, Pa.) won the first-place medal for the Boys’ 13-15 Division after shooting a 78 (+7).

In the Girls’ 16-18 Division, Savanna Haas (Pottstown, Pa.) shot an 87 (+16) to win the gold medal. Hannah Lydic (Ocean View) came in first place in the Girls’ 13-15 Division after shooting an 83 (+12).

Sawyer Brockstedt (Rehoboth Beach) was the winner of the 12 & Under Division after shooting a 42 (+6).

College basketball

Hens hire Clark as assistant: First-year women’s basketball head coach Natasha Adair announced that Bob Clark will join the Blue Hens as the program’s associate head coach.

Clark completes Adair’s coaching staff, which also includes Sarah Jenkins, Mykala Walker, Kayla Miller and David White.

Adair was hired on May 15 as the fourth head coach in Delaware women’s basketball history. Clark coached more than 13 years alongside Adair at the College of Charleston, Georgetown and Wake Forest

“I know I’ve said it before, but I’m simply overjoyed that Coach Clark and his family will be joining the Blue Hens’ family,” said Adair. “I’m really excited that our paths are crossing once again and that we can be reunited at the University of Delaware. Coach Clark brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Blue Hens in addition to his passion and commitment to women’s basketball.”

SMYRNA  – Smyrna Post 14 squared off with Middletown’s Post 25 in American Legion baseball on Tuesday night.

Middletown topped Smyrna, 16-14, to avenge a 3-0 loss to the first-year Legion program earlier in the season.

Here’s our photo gallery from the contest.

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It’s so predictable. Progressives think the reason a bunch of Republican congressmen were shot, one nearly fatally, is because of lax gun laws.

Nothing to do with the fact the shooter was a left-wing supporter of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign last year, the shooter a man who thinks President Trump should be dead.

Consider, for a moment, some of the responses by columnists:

“What’s more harmful: Putting millions already on the margins more at-risk via draconian policies or shooting a racist lawmaker in the hip?” – Jesse Benn.

Or this from Newsweek, which used to be a premier weekly news magazine. “Steve Scalise, shot at a congressional baseball game in Alexandria, was an early endorser of President Trump.”

Or this:

Reid K. Beveridge

“If the shooter has a serious health condition, then is taking potshots at the GOP house leadership considered self-defense?” No record that the shooter has any health condition, by the way.

And so it goes.

Then we have some interesting comments that, if made by a Republican, would be considered off the wall. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, said 93 million Americans lose their lives every day because of guns. I guess that means we’re all dead in four days.

Or David Frum, an ordinarily respected columnist for the “Atlantic,” who said Virginia has no background checks, no licensing, no registration, no permit required for concealed carry and open carry of long guns. Except for the fact that both Virginia and federal law require background checks, long guns can’t be concealed and the shooter had no concealed carry permit either in Virginia or his home state of Illinois.

The message here, it would appear, is that this incident is all about gun laws and nothing about the man who did the shooting. Perhaps there should be, but there is no law against assault rifles in the United States and hasn’t been for more than a decade — since Congress let the one we did have expire because it didn’t make any difference in how many shootings there were.

So, let’s get back to the man who did the shooting. James Hodgkinson had come to Washington, D.C., two or three months ago to protest the Trump administration. We’re told he had lived in his van during that time — this, even though he had a home and a wife back in Belleville, Ill.

Apparently he met one of the other Republican congressmen in the ball field parking lot before Wednesday morning’s baseball practice. He asked if the team was Republican or Democrat. The congressman replied: Republican. Hodgkinson had two guns, an assault rifle of some kind and a pistol of some kind.

There are sure to be at least two opposing reactions to the shooting. As noted above, progressives will use the situation to advocate for more gun laws, though what laws those might be that would have made any difference in this situation is unclear. They will blame the National Rifle Association for sure. The NRA advocates more guns for self-defense.

To which it is fair to point out that had there not been two Capitol Police officers present at the baseball practice, almost surely, many more congressmen would have been shot and probably killed. The gunman had them trapped on a ball field that had only one exit. He had that exit covered.

So, it is ironic that the only reason those two Capitol cops were there at all is because Scalise is part of the Republican leadership, and therefore merits protection. Ordinarily, congressmen do not. No cops with guns, no dead shooter. And in fact, those cops were wounded, but kept on shooting until they killed Hodgkinson.

Conservatives will have a different reaction. Of course, we do not know Hodgkinson’s true mental condition. Until March, he seemed to be an ordinary American who hated Republicans. What we do know is that most of the mass shootings over the past few years have been committed by men who were clearly mentally ill.

This was true of the shooting of then-U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Gifford, D-Ariz., and at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Finally, some of the more serious comments about all this emphasize the rise of such extreme political rhetoric as to suggest violence rather than First Amendment argument. Such rage is hardly new, although it does seem harsher now. In the 1980s, this was rage against President Ronald Reagan. In a somewhat different way, this also was true in the 1930s against President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

And it certainly was true, although less harsh, against President George W. Bush. On the other hand, you never heard any of this against President Obama, perhaps because, first, it would have been considered racist to the extreme, and second, because the Secret Service would have made arrests.

Back in 1970, anti-Vietnam War protesters bombed the U.S. Army Mathematics Research Center at the University of Wisconsin’s Sterling Hall. When the body of a graduate student, Robert Fassnacht, was found in the rubble, one of the bombers, said, “Well, didn’t intend to kill anybody.”

The riots, the vitriol, the extreme politics of the 1960s anti-war movement did a great deal of damage to the United States.

Let’s don’t go there again.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Reid K. Beveridge has covered politics in Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Delaware and Washington, D.C. He is now retired at Broadkill Beach.

First day of summer came in hot, and it should. Now we are on the countdown to the winter solstice and shorter days. It will take a while to notice that change.

Hunters are counting down the days to deer season. Summer is only 10 more weekends until the end of season holiday. So it is time to make the most of them. The kids are out of school and the beaches are getting crowded. Start looking off the beaten path for things to do with less crowds.

Weekdays are the best at the beach, believe that, on weekends we mow the grass, play on the four-wheelers, and do yard work. I call it summer hibernation, when we avoid the beaches on the weekends. So trust me, if you want a better beach experience go on the weekdays.

Beach cleanups

We start weekly beach cleanups on Tuesdays starting at 8 a.m. We meet at different park beaches each week and clean up the beaches. Then we go eat at a local place that will feed us for a reduced price. All are welcome to come help; just get in touch with Rich King at admin@delaware-surf-fishing.com.

Gage Taylor with a flounder at 22 inches from the Broadkill River. (Submitted photo)

We also turn over the volunteer hours to the state parks to help them with grants by accumulating more volunteer hours. Believe it or not, most of the trash is from the sea and not tourists.

Fishing decent

Fishing has been decent for the summer so far. Flounder are good off shore and the Lewes canal. The Cape Henlopen fishing pier is doing OK but as stated earlier in the year. The flounder numbers are down and that is one reason the creel size limit was changed. We probably should have changed the catch limit as well, but that is just my opinion.

Minnows or Gulp have been the best baits. Jigging around structure with a 2-ounce jog head and gulp is working well. Gage Taylor and Jason Schuster hit some nice flatties using bacon recently in the Lewes canal area from their kayaks. Because who doesn’t like bacon?

Lionfish on the way

The lionfish are coming. I wouldn’t panic yet and start fishing for them, but you will be able to order it soon in many area restaurants. I am working with a few nonprofit organizations in Florida and Delaware to bring lionfish to the Northeast. You can cook lionfish just about any way you like to eat fish. I ate lionfish … sashimi, ceviche, blackened, pan seared, fried, baked, poached, and just about any other way you can imagine. It is a very buttery tasting fish and flaky white. It is delicious! Based on that, it is the reason to make this a food fish, it is good to eat and the only way to beat them is to eat them.

We are the only predators for lionfish in the South. They are not poisonous but venomous and that is removed when they are cleaned and heat or cold will neutralize any venom. This is not like eating the famed fugu or pufferfish that is deadly if not prepared correctly and yes, I have tried that as well, once. When they arrive I will let you know.

White perch and catfish

You can catch some decent white perch around the Chesapeake Bay and the C&D Canal. Bloodworms are the best bait. Lot of catfish in the canal too, just mind the consumption advisories for fish in that area. The tidal creeks all have some decent perch action. Short striped bass as well.

Offshore action is heating up for tuna. check with your local charters for open trips.

Plenty of fish at Cape pier

The Cape Henlopen fishing pier is producing croaker, kingfish, spot, small weakfish, short striped bass, skates, dogfish,and rays. All are hitting top and bottom rigs with bloodworms, fishbites, squid, cut bait, or clam. Flounder are hitting gulp and jigs around the structure. The old pier pole area is great to fish from a kayak.

The surf has been decent fishing but random action as far as where and when. I prefer the outgoing tide into the incoming tide cycle. That is about a four to five hour window. The worst part of tidal fishing is the tide. It governs the way the fish feed and where they will be, which makes random last minute trips a little difficult. But it is still fishing and not a day at the desk.

Kids tournament to benefit Lyme Disease Association

There is a kids tournament this weekend at the Indian River Inlet marina to benefit the Lyme Disease Association of Delmarva. It is a two-day fish anywhere tournament. Lyme disease is a serious issue in Delmarva and especially in my neck of the woods, because we literally live in the woods. I have to check for them daily constantly. Be careful in the woods and grassy fields.

Rich King’s outdoors column appears Thursdays in the Delaware State News.

NEWARK — J.P. Caruso didn’t waste any time picking up his first college degree.

Thanks to some heavy course loads, he earned a degree in business education from Appalachian State in just three years.

“I took a crazy amount of classes over the summer and over my last couple semesters,” said Caruso. “I was like, ‘If I can get my masters paid for and get as much school in as I can, why wouldn’t I do that?’”

Caruso plans to bring that same approach to Newark — both in the classroom and on the football field — now that he’s transferred to Delaware.

The Palm Beach, Fla. native has already been taking classes at UD for a few weeks as he begins working toward an MBA.

J.P. Caruso said he thinks he’s developed into a pretty solid dual-threat QB. (Appalachian State sports information)

And the junior quarterback has also started working out with his new football teammates as he starts trying to compete for playing time with the Blue Hens.

Caruso said he’s anxious to study the game under first-year Delaware coach Danny Rocco and offensive coordinator Matt Simon.

J.P. Caruso

“I’m getting coached by guys who know way more football than I could ever imagine,” said Caruso. “Why not soak everything up and take full advantage of the time being coached under Coach Simon — a guy who coached in the NFL?

“Football is a chess match — offense vs. defense. Who can pick up on each other’s mistakes and really take advantage? Talent goes only so far.”

The question with the addition of Caruso is where he fits in with the Hens.

Delaware has a third-year starting QB in junior Joe Walker. But the Hens’ overall passing attack has struggled the last few years.

Rocco, who wasn’t available for comment this week, said earlier that bringing in Caruso creates depth at QB. He’s also said that adding a transfer from a bigger program doesn’t automatically mean he’ll be the starter.

At NCAA Division I-A App State, Caruso was the backup to standout Taylor Lamb, who will be a senior this fall.

“I just felt like it was time to move on and seek other opportunities,” said Caruso. “He (Mountaineer coach Scott Satterfield) said, ‘I honestly don’t want you to leave. You’re our No. 2 guy. All you’ve ever done was great things here. You’ve been a great player and a great teammate.’

“Nothing’s ever going to be handed to you,” Caruso said about his role with the Hens. “You’ve just got to get better every single day.”

At Appalachian State, J.P. Caruso got in 14 games, completing 14-of-18 passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns while running 31 times for 187 yards and a TD. (Appalachian State sports information)

The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder saw his share of playing time with the Mountaineers. Caruso got in 14 games, completing 14-of-18 passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns while running 31 times for 187 yards and a TD.

Usually entering the game in the fourth quarter when App State was trying to run out the clock, Caruso often ended up running the ball himself.

At Palm Beach Gardens High, though, he broke the school passing records held by future Florida Gator and Cincinnati Bengal Eric Kresser. At the time, Caruso was rated as Palm Beach County’s top pocket passer by the Palm Beach Post.

Caruso said he thinks he’s developed into a pretty solid dual-threat QB.

“I liked to use my arm a lot more than my legs in high school,” he said. “Then I got to college and I really learned how to run the ball. Running the zone read, you run it hard and get upfield and make guys miss. That really wasn’t something I did so much in high school.

“But when I got to college and learned that, I was a really quick, shifty guy. Why not use another skill?”

At Delaware, Caruso said he just wants to help the Hens win.

He’s excited about the possibilities under Rocco, who takes over a program that hasn’t made the NCAA FCS playoffs since reaching the national championship game in 2010.

“I saw Delaware as an amazing opportunity with a great MBA program and with a football program that has a great tradition,” said Caruso. “Maybe it’s been on the downside the last couple years but I truly believe that’s going to change with Coach Rocco and the rest of the coaches. I love where the program’s headed and really buy into that.”

DOVER — The “Positively Dover” African American Festival took place on its usual date on the calendar, the fourth Saturday of June last year.

While all of the traditional festival events went on as scheduled, there was definitely something, or rather, somebody, missing.

Concern spread throughout the festival grounds last year that former Dover City Councilman Reuben Salters, the driving force behind starting the event 27 years ago, was unable to attend the event due to health problems.

It was the first time Mr. Salters had missed an African American Festival, which he founded.

Mr. Salters said not to worry, that he will be up and ready when the Inner City Cultural League presents the 27th annual African American Festival at Legislative Mall on Saturday from 10 a.m. until around 7 p.m.

Reuben Salters, right, leads the way during the African American Festival processional around Legislative Mall with Sankofa drummer Brandon Carrion of Dover in 2015. Mr. Salters, the festival’s founder, missed the event for the first time last year with a case of vertigo. (Delaware State News file photo)

“It is pretty special,” said Mr. Salters, about being able to return to the festival this year. “I couldn’t make it last year. I had vertigo.

“I’ll tell you what, the older I get the harder it gets, but we enjoy it and we know we’re providing a good product.”

Mr. Salters is always happy to talk with anyone about the festival, which started out as a small gathering near Memorial Park along Mirror Lake on Park Drive.

Over the past three decades, it has turned into of one of Dover’s marque events.

City Councilman David Anderson noted the absence of Mr. Salters during last year’s festival and said it left a great void.

“(Mr. Salters is) a great man and he’s a visionary, not just for the festival, but for everything, including the Inner City Cultural League,” Mr. Anderson said. “He helps contribute greatly to the best of Dover and the best of our community.”

Festival ‘for everybody’

Katrina Stroud, who is Mr. Salters’ daughter and is also a board member of the Inner City Cultural League, said the festival is not strictly reserved for African Americans.

“It’s a family-friendly event and it’s called the ‘Positively Dover’ African American Festival because it’s a cultural expression that’s kind of set in an African market-type setting, but all cultures are welcome to attend,” she said.

“It’s a celebration of culture and all cultures are welcome.”

Ms. Stroud said the event is a free program and serves as an excellent meeting place for all ethnic groups to exchange cultural and artistic experiences to help create a more diversified, tolerant and respectful attitude toward one another.

It is a day-long celebration of African culture that includes food, crafts, dancing, drumming and music.

Among the must-see events at the “Positively Dover” African American Festival is the Grand Procession that will take place at 11 a.m.

A large group, including Mr. Salters and state and local dignitaries, will march in the procession, walking the inside perimeter of Legislative Mall with drummers, greeting everyone.

“My favorite part of it all is when we do the opening ceremonies,” Mr. Salters said. “The most informative part of the entire festival is the opening ceremony.”

Dennis Minus has led the Grand Procession for the past 20 years, marching around the grounds with an umbrella and whistle, which he tweets while pointing the umbrella to welcome people along the route to the festival.

Eddie Holman to headline

Following the opening of the festival, which also includes a traditional African libation ceremony, performances on Legislative Mall will rule the day.

Singer Eddie Holman will headline this year’s African American Festival, set for Saturday on Legislative Mall in Dover. (Submitted photo)

Scheduled performers include: the Sankofa African Dance Co. and Drummers, the Calvary Baptist Church Choir, Georgetown’s Christy Taylor, the Trinidad and Tobago Steel Band, Line Dancers of Kent County, Fazes Band with Greg Taylor and “Swamp Dog” Blues featuring Anthony Clark.

Eddie Holman will be the headline performer at the festival. Mr. Holman, best known for his 1970 hit song “Hey There Lonely Girl,” will take the stage at 6:15 p.m. He was a 2016 inductee into the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame.

Mr. Holman said his visit to the First State on Saturday will not be his first.

“I performed in Delaware many years ago, but can’t recall the venues,” he said. “I’m looking forward to and I’m excited to be coming to perform at the Dover African American Festival.”

Ms. Stroud said she believes this year’s festival has a little bit of something for every age group.

“We have some of our returning acts,” Ms. Stroud said. “The Sankofa Drummers and Dancers are one group in which our children are involved in a drum and dance troop. They’ll even pull some people from the crowd and let them do some dancing as well.

“The Line Dancers of Kent County will be back because everyone loved them last year and ‘Swamp Dog’ got the crowd moving last year, too, so he’ll be back. We’re also looking forward to hearing our headliner Eddie Holman’s performance.”

The festival will also feature around 100 vendors, many of whom will be selling their wares – many of which are African-oriented products, clothes and art – while others will provide information regarding their businesses, including talking about health issues, offering massages and many other things.

Plus, there will be around 30 food vendors on hand, featuring a diverse food menu, as well as a moon bounce, face painting and crafts for the children.
The biggest thing returning to this year’s festival that pleases Ms. Stroud the most is her father, Mr. Salters.

“Last year when he was not there I was a little concerned,” she said. “He will be there this year walking around and leading the procession, just like old times.”

Activities on tap

Saturday’s 2017 “Positively Dover” African American Festival schedule takes place at Legislative Mall:

• 10 a.m. — Drum workshop

• 11 a.m. — Festival Procession (Sankofa and guests)

• 11:30 a.m. — Sankofa African Dancers

• Noon — Gospel Music Time with Calvary Baptist Church Choir

• 1 p.m. — Christy Taylor/Georgetown

• 2 p.m. — Trinidad and Tobago Steel Band

• 3 p.m. — Line Dancers of Kent County

• 3:30 p.m. — Fazes Band featuring Greg Taylor

• 4:30 p.m. — Sankofa African Dancers

• 5:30 p.m. — “Swamp Dog” Blues featuring Anthony Clark

• 6:15 p.m. — Eddie Holman (“Hey There Lonely Girl)

• Around 7 p.m. — Festival ends

DOVER — Bills to raise taxes on personal income, alcohol and tobacco products were passed by a Democratic-controlled House committee Wednesday, despite sometimes contentious testimony from members of the public in opposition.

All three bills now go to the House floor, where they can expect to be voted on by June 30, the final legislative day of the first leg of the 149th General Assembly.

The measures are being debated as legislative leaders discuss ways to eliminate the remaining $190 million of a $390 million budget shortfall. Top lawmakers in each caucus met Tuesday and will convene again today in an effort to reach a compromise on balancing the budget.

The bills include an income tax increase projected to generate $68 million in the fiscal year starting July 1; it would take another $211 million from taxpayers in the following year.

The alcohol tax and the tobacco tax would raise a projected $5.2 million and $11.6 million, respectively, in the next fiscal year.

Wednesday’s House Revenue & Finance Committee hearing lasted close to four hours with about 40 members of the public appearing before the panel to speak for or against legislation.

The income and tobacco bills received bipartisan support from committee members, while only Democrats backed the alcohol proposal.

Some lawmakers noted their support Wednesday does not mean they will back the bills on the House floor.

House Bill 240 would raise income taxes by 0.15 to 0.4 percent for existing brackets and create a new bracket of $150,001 taxed at 6.95 percent. Currently, all income above $60,000 is taxed at 6.6 percent.

About 10 percent of taxpayers would be in the new top bracket.

The measure would also eliminate itemized deductions, increase the amount for standard deductions and raise the eligibility age for tax credits and exclusion of pension dollars. It would go into effect Jan. 1.

“Personal income tax is one of the most predictable and stable forms of revenue, so it needs to be part of a long-term solution,” said main sponsor, House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst, D-Bear.

Gov. John Carney, a Democrat, had proposed raising income taxes and getting rid of the itemized deductions but not creating a new top bracket, although he has since said he will support the bill. Several measures from Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark would increase taxes by greater amounts on the state’s top earners, but they are less likely to pass the House.

While House Bill 240 was released from committee overwhelmingly, more than half a dozen representatives of nonprofits spoke against doing away with itemized deductions, which include write-offs for charitable donations.

Nonprofits are concerned the elimination would greatly harm charitable giving. According to the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits, Hawaii saw fewer charitable gifts after capping itemized deductions, while Michigan also witnessed a drop-off after erasing three tax credits based on donations.

“Having incentives to give to charitable organizations is absolutely necessary,” said David Kubacki, representing the Delaware Association of Independent Schools.

Eliminating itemized deductions, Autism Delaware Policy & Community Outreach Director Alex Eldreth said, could lead to nonprofits scaling back their services, in turn forcing the state to pick up more — and spend more in the process.

Delaware Secretary of Finance Rick Geisenberger dismissed concerns the change would lead to a decrease in donations, however.

Much of the discussion Wednesday centered on the proposed alcohol tax increase, with about two dozen people testifying against it. Just one person spoke in support, although every opponent represented a brewery, liquor store or alcohol distributor.

Under House Bill 241, Delawareans and visitors to the state would pay more for beer, wine and liquor. A six-pack of beer would cost an additional 6 cents more, while the tax on wine would increase by 13 cents for a 750ml bottle ounces and spirits with more than 25 percent ethyl alcohol would cost an additional 15 cents per 750 ml.

Speakers hammered the proposal, saying it is like “a sign that says Delaware’s closed for small businesses” and will lead to a fewer sales and, in turn, a loss of jobs.

“Nearly 50 percent of every bottle of distilled spirits sold in Delaware goes to pay a tax or fee,” said Jay Hibbard, eastern region vice president for the U.S. Distilled Spirits Council.

The alcohol industry mobilized in force for the measure: At least 45 people attended the hearing wearing stickers proclaiming their opposition to House Bill 241.

Several people said fewer people will come to buy alcohol from Maryland and Pennsylvania, although the state’s alcohol would still be cheaper because Delaware has no sales tax. Paul Ruggerio, executive vice president of NKS Distributors Inc., said about 40 percent of the company’s business comes within five miles of the state line.

Even lawmakers who supported voting the bill out of committee expressed reservations: “If this is what we need to do to get the talks going or negotiations started or let (House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach) have the tools in his toolbox … I’m going to vote to allow this to come out of committee as well but not support this,” Rep. Andria Bennett, D-Dover, said.

Legislators attempted to increase taxes on alcohol in 2009 but the effort fell short. The alcohol tax rate was last raised in 1991, although it was later lowered — a necessary cut to offset the loss of business from the 1991 hike, speakers said Wednesday.

House Bill 242 would raise the state tax on cigarettes from $1.60 to $2.10 a pack and increases taxes on all other tobacco and electronic cigarette products. Gov. Carney had proposed increasing the cigarette tax by $1.

While the bill received opposition from speakers, no one protested raising the price of a pack of cigarettes — rather, vape shop owners argued the tax of 5 cents per mL on vape products would cripple the e-cigarette industry.

“You’re just going to murder our business,” Delmar Vapor Lounge CEO David Eisenhour said.

Although they did not testify, several representatives of health-related organizations issued statements calling for doubling the proposed cigarette tax.

“With a $1 per pack increase, Delaware had the opportunity to make a bold statement about our desire to address the leading preventable cause of death and disease in our state,” insisted Jonathan Kirch, government relations director for the American Heart Association in Delaware. “It is outrageous that some of our elected officials seem more concerned about keeping tobacco prices low than they are about keeping our youth from getting addicted to this deadly product. Compromising on public health is never the right answer.”

Five regularly scheduled legislative days remain.

Jackson Paradee of Dover took home the top prize in the Boys’ 16-18 Division on the third day of the Philadelphia Junior Tour Rehoboth Beach Series golf tournament on Wednesday.

Wednesday’s event was held at Bear Trap Dunes in Ocean View.

Paradee carded a one-over par round of 71 after playing a steady round that included nine straight pars and a birdie on No. 15. Just a few strokes off the lead was Michael Festa (Ambler, Pa.) with a round of 74.

Nicholas Covey (Easton, Md.) was the winner of the three-day Rehoboth Beach Series with a total of 228.

The Boys’ 13-15 Division came down to the last group with Jake Maddaloni (Newtown Square, Pa.) taking the top spot with a round of 75.

Savanna Haas (Pottstown, Pa.) claimed the top spot in the Girls’ 16-18 Division with a round of 82. Just a few shots back in second place was Olivia Perry (Millsboro) with a round of 87.

Winning at her home course was Hannah Lydic (Ocean View) in the Girls’ 13-15 Division with a round of 79. Lydic carded three birdies during her round and was the winner of the three-day JGS series for the Girls’ 13-15. Sarah Lydic (Ocean View) was right behind in second place with a round of 81.

In the 12-and-Under Division, Benjamin Saggers (West Chester, Pa.) rolled in two birdies on his way to a round of 35 (-1) and a first-place medal. Saggers was also the winner of the three-day series.

College baseball

Wesley’s Mears tops D-3 in four stats: Wesley College outfielder Trey Mears is officially the NCAA Division III national leader in four different baseball statistical categories.

The Sussex Central High grad led in Division III in runs per game (1.65), runs batted in per game (1.59) and stolen bases per game (1.21) while tying for the lead in batting average (.500). Mears was tops in all three NCAA divisions in batting average, runs per game and stolen bases per game.

Mears sits in the top-10 in multiple career categories for Wesley. He ranks first all-time in doubles (46), tied for first in hits (222) and stolen bases (103), third in runs batted in (147) and games played (159) and fourth in runs scored (154).

College football

UD sets special-event dates: The University of Delaware has set the dates for next football season’s Homecoming and Parents’ Weekend games.

Parents & Family Weekend will take place on Oct. 14 vs. William & Mary while Homecoming festivities will be held the following week on Oct. 21 vs. Richmond

In addition, UD Athletics also announced that Delaware Day will be held during the season opener on Aug. 31 vs. Delaware State, High School Band Day will take place on Sept. 16 vs. Cornell, and Twirler Day will be held on Oct. 14. The date for Delaware’s annual Hall of Fame Weekend has been set for Sept. 30.

Game times have also tentatively been set for the six home games this season: Aug. 31 vs. Delaware State, 7 p.m.; Sept. 16 vs. Cornell, 3:30 p.m.; Sept. 30 vs. James Madison, 3:30 p.m.; Oct. 14 vs. William & Mary, 3:30 p.m.; Oct. 21 vs. Richmond, 3:30 p.m. and Nov. 11 vs. Albany, 3:30 p.m.

Special Olympics

Delaware Bridge Run announced: Delaware River and Bay Authority officials along with representatives of Special Olympics Delaware announced the first benefit run across the Delaware Memorial Bridge on Wednesday.

The “Delaware Memorial Bridge Run to Acceptance for Special Olympics” will take place on Oct. 1. The entry fee is $100 and registration will be available on July 1 at www.sode.org. All proceeds benefit the Special Olympics Delaware.

The “Delaware Memorial Bridge Run to Acceptance for Special Olympics” 5K will take place on the New Jersey-bound span of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. The benefit run will start at 7 a.m.

A recognition program will take place following the event at the Bridge’s Veterans Memorial Park.

I am getting a little annoyed by so many people submitting false information by way of a Letter to the Editor, in order to intentionally mislead the public and our elected officials on some issue they care about. This time, I must write about “The Keep Delaware Safe and Healthy Coalition,” whose article printed on 6/11/17 [“Myths, fact regarding recreational marijuana”] is just full of false information! You should know the truth, irrespective of how you feel about legalizing marijuana.

They couch their arguments in the format of “myths” and “facts,” seeking to promote their agenda. The problem is, and it is a big one, that most of their “facts” are clearly, irrefutably, dead wrong! When we see that most of the members of this “coalition” are law enforcement officers, we can better understand why: They want to preserve their jobs by arresting, processing, and locking up people for marijuana! Other members include some reputable organizations that obviously did not check the “facts” espoused by whoever wrote the piece. And to that, I say “shame on them”!

Let us look at just a few examples:

1. They say “myth” = by legalizing marijuana, our prisons would not be overcrowded. Then, they say “fact” No one is in prison for smoking a joint, they say, and they point out that many of those incarcerated for pot are also sentenced on other charges. This is patently false and misleading! There are people in prison in Delaware – many – for simply possessing marijuana. I have gotten calls from their family members and seen their sentence orders!

All over America, we are wasting a fortune of your tax money with our current drug policies. Many people are in prison for having a “roach” in their car ashtray!

The best reasonable estimates are (nobody can know the precise numbers) that as many as half of all federal inmates are in for nonviolent drug offenses, with one-eighth serving time for violating marijuana laws! That alone is about 12,000 people. Yet, illegal drugs are available on street corners in every town in America.

2. They say “myth” If pot were legalized, the state would make a lot of money. Then, they say “fact” and argue that Colorado is not benefiting from the funds raised by pot legalization. Balderdash! Many of their statements are vague and cannot be substantiated at all, such as: “Nearly all revenue brought in from marijuana sales in Colorado goes towards the bureaucratic infrastructure needed to oversee the program and to increased law enforcement to address increased dangers on the road.” Worse, they then suggest that, overall, Colorado is losing money, not making money! Hogwash!

They can’t prove what they say because it is FALSE. For example, in Colorado, $40 million comes “right off the top” of tax revenue to benefit schools! I could go on and on, accurately debunking the letter in question, but space does not allow me to address every falsehood they put forth. On this issue, see these two articles:

http://www.9news.com/news/where-does-all-that-colorado-pot-tax-go/298554132

Colorado’s 2015 Marijuana Tax Results: $135 Million, $35 Million Going to Schools

In addition, the authors of the grossly misleading piece do not mention the benefits of the tens of thousands of new jobs created by legalization! More than 10,000 new jobs in Colorado alone! See http://naturalsociety.com/colorados-marijuana-legalization-creates-10000-new-jobs/

3. They say that illegal pot sales account for 70 percent of all marijuana sales in Oregon. False I can find no such statistic, and they cite no sound source for this number “plucked from the air”! I have read the report by the Oregon State Police, mentioned by the deceivers, and a) it equivocated on its numbers, b) nowhere does it say 70 percent, and c) because Oregon grows much more pot than can be consumed in-state, most of the illegal pot is shipped out-of-state!

Moreover, the letter writers ignore the very real benefit that legalization enables people to buy pot in a safe environment (no shootings or stabbings in “drug deals gone bad”) and far away from “pushers” who may be selling heroin and other drugs!

The black market for pot, and other pot problems, always will exist, but the fact remains that any way you slice it, any way you analyze the real benefits/problems, the truth is that legalization is far preferable to the old policies which have failed for 40 years! That is why the majority of states now have legalized marijuana in some form, and why Delaware should be the next.

Ken Abraham
Deputy Attorney General, 1974 -1979
Founder of Citizens for Criminal JUSTICE
Dover