GEORGETOWN — Indian River School District officials are counting on no planning money in the state’s fiscal year 2018 budget for a new Howard T. Ennis School.

At the June 19 Indian River board of education meeting, district Director of Business Jan Steele told board members that Delaware’s Office of Management and Budget has notified the district that “we will not be getting planning money this next year as we anticipated. The state does not have those additional funds to grant us.”

“Hopefully, and I can’t say we have been promised, but they are suggesting that we would then be eligible for planning money the next year (FY19),” said Ms. Steele.

Essentially, this means there will be an overall delay in the 100-percent state-funded project to replace the outdated Ennis School, which provides special education services for pupils ages pre-school to 21 with significant disabilities within the IRSD and other districts that send students there.

In addition to the delay, state leaders are now considering a second parcel for the school. Both parcels are owned by the state of Delaware as part of the state-managed Stockley Center located near Sussex Central High School.

An initial 61-acre, triangular-shaped parcel at the corner of Avenue of Honor and Patriots Way has been joined by a 28-to-30-acre parcel located across from Sussex Central High School on Patriots Way.

“The legislators have gotten involved and are going to write legislation in the bond bill to transfer whichever property the state sees fit to the district as of June 30,” Ms. Steele said, adding that the district’s certificate of necessity will “be signed after July 1 which gives us a whole other year of acceptance and that way it can be put into the bond bill for next year.”

IRSD Superintendent Mark Steele doesn’t view this as a major setback.

“It gives us that opportunity to narrow this land down and get the transfer, because it has to be done in epilogue language. Once it goes through epilogue then it actually transfers from DHSS (Department of Health & Social Services), where it currently is now, over to the Indian River School District,” Mr. Steele said. “Both are state agencies so it is just a process to go through. No money exchanges or anything like that.”

The new Ennis School project, a proposed 76,500-square-foot facility, carries an estimated price tag of $47 million. It will be completely funded by state money, so a referendum is not required.

“This is significantly bigger because what they needed to do was add at least an additional eight classrooms and there wasn’t room on the property where the Ennis School is currently located to add those rooms,” said Ms. Steele.

Ennis School this past year served about 140 pupils. The current school was built in the early 1970s. “So, you’ve got everything built on the inside according to what the standards were in the 1970s. That is completely different than what it is today,” said Mr. Steele.

Lucreatia Wilson was one of the founders of the Star Hill Museum 32 years ago. She is contemplating leaving the museum to be closer to her family in Utah. (Delaware State News/Mike Finney)

DOVER – The historic Star Hill Church Museum, which is listed in the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program, might be nearing its final destination.

Lucreatia Wilson, director of the museum, will soon be leaving Delaware to be closer to family in Utah, which could put the future of the facility in jeopardy.

She helped found the museum, which celebrates African American history, 32 years ago.

Ms. Wilson recently gathered her support staff of Florence Brown, Virginia Harris, Barbara Hickson and Dr. Vivian Griffin together to let them know of her intentions.

“We just kind of touched on it a week ago and we decided to pray on it and see what the Lord says,” Ms. Wilson said. “Right now, the future is up in the air. I’ve been doing this, plus working a regular job, for 31 years. It’s time.”

She said she would like to see another facility step up to display all of the African-American historical items that currently fill the walls and shelves of the museum, which is located in a back wing of the Star Hill A.M.E. Church at 357 Voshells Mill Star Hill Road.

“I’m not going to give it to the state’s collections,” said Ms. Wilson. “I’m not going to do that, but I would like to place it somewhere where it will have a permanent home where they will continue to tell the story of what it was like to live as a slave and what it was like to escape on the Underground Railroad.”

A Juneteenth Celebration

Guests at the Juneteenth Celebration at the Star Hill A.M.E. Church on Saturday got the chance to learn about Underground Railroad history through the eyes of Willis Phelps, a historian and Civil War re-enactor.

Phyllis Davis, portraying Harriet Tubman, sings “Steal Away” during the Juneteenth Celebration at the Star Hill AME Church on Saturday. (Delaware State News/Mike Finney)

The program was attended by around 25 people, including Rep. Trey Paradee, Kent County Levy Court Commissioner Jody Sweeney and Dover City Councilmen David Anderson and Fred Neil.

Mr. Phelps and his oldest daughter, Phyllis Davis, put on a three-part presentation with the theme, “Once Upon a Time in America.”

“This is our American history story and that means all of us, no matter what your race or culture is,” Mr. Phelps said. “It is all of our history.”

The opening part of the play was titled “Esau,” in which Mr. Phelps acted as a former slave/soldier who talked about “Juneteenth,” an American holiday that commemorates the June 19, 1865, announcement of the abolition of slavery in the U.S. state of Texas.

Ms. Davis, who portrayed Harriet Tubman, took center stage for the second act, “The Conductor, Harriet Ross Tubman,” as she walked among the pews at Star Hill A.M.E. Church singing chilling songs about the Underground Railroad experience.

Willie Phelps, a historian and Civil War re-enactor, was the focal point of a three-part play during the Juneteenth Celebration at the Star Hill AME Church on Saturday. The theme of the historic play was “Once Upon a Time in America.” (Delaware State News/Mike Finney)

“It’s thrilling getting the chance to portray Harriet Tubman,” Ms. Davis said. “I love doing it. I love teaching a part of history and doing what I can to bring history to life.”

Mr. Phelps changed into a dark blue Union soldier’s uniform for the final act, “Pvt. James H. Elbert, United States Colored Troops; Rescue mission at the Combahee River, South Carolina.”

The future remains unclear

While programs such as the Juneteenth Celebration are popular and informative, Ms. Wilson believes the Star Hill Church Museum needs more space in the future if it wants to flourish.

Ms. Wilson is the founder/president of the Star Hill Historical Society and a founding member of the Underground Railroad Coalition of Delaware.

All of the items, including historic documents, books, photographs, a display of African-American culture and a table of inventions by African Americans, are on display at the museum.

It is a natural fit to have the museum at the church considering the church was a safe place for freedom seekers and a site for anti-slavery meetings.

However, it doesn’t appear to have adequate space for all of its historical items, which were all purchased out-of-pocket by the staff at the museum throughout the years.

Star Hill A.M.E. Reverend Rita Mishoe Paige said her church will always continue to tell its history.

“We want you to know that we are going to continue our programs,” Rev. Paige said. “Our history has to be told because if we don’t tell it no one else will.

“It’s not in the history books and so we have to continue to research and continue to tell the research that we find.”

As for Ms. Wilson, she said she will continue to pray.

“Right now the museum will remain open,” she said. “We will continue to pray and wait for God’s direction of where and which direction that we should go.”

DOVER — Tick, tick, tick.

Lawmakers have less than a week left to balance the budget (and take care of all other business this year), pitting them against the clock.

June 30 is the final day of the fiscal year and the last of four regularly scheduled legislative days remaining.

June 30s are typically a marathon, with lawmakers coming into session in the late afternoon or early evening and working until the wee hours of July 1.

The budget was not signed until after 5 a.m. the previous two years, and there’s the potential for another very late night.

Because this is the first leg of the 149th General Assembly, any bills not passed by the time lawmakers break for the year can be picked up where they were left when senators and representatives return in January.

While that’s good news for supporters of causes like marijuana legalization and reinstatement of the death penalty, advocates would doubtless prefer to see their measures passed sooner rather than later. Unfortunately for them, the budget is all-consuming.

This year, the General Assembly is tasked with eliminating a shortfall of approximately $390 million. A bill raising the franchise tax would generate about $116 million, while the Joint Finance Committee has cut about $80 million, and “soft cuts” — areas lawmakers do not plan to fund but do not have to vote on — of about $95 million exist.

Bills raising taxes on income, alcohol and cigarettes would bring in about $85 million in the next fiscal year, leaving around $14 million left.

Proposals from Gov. John Carney to reduce education funding and require state employees to pay more for their health care could then eliminate the rest of the gap.

The catch, as always, is in the details.

Negotiations

Democrats and Republicans have been meeting for months in an effort to come to an agreement on the budget. While Democrats control both chambers, the party lacks a three-fifths supermajority in the Senate, which is needed to raise taxes.

That gives the GOP substantial bargaining power, and Republicans have used it, resisting tax hikes thus far.

Members of the party are pushing for spending reform, and while lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree structural reform (a favorite term of Gov. Carney’s) is needed, their approach differs. Republicans, at least publicly, have been more amenable to large cuts than Democrats, although House Speaker Peter Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, said members of both parties privately called him to protest cuts several weeks ago.

Rep. Schwartzkopf said Thursday the two parties are closer to reaching a deal, which could see Democrats agree to examine Medicaid reform, school district consolidation and fiscal restraints in return for Republican votes on taxes.

“This is something that both sides, all four caucuses, leadership have talked about, some of the language,” he said Thursday. “We’re going to try to put it in one bill. We have a copy of the bill we want to just talk to our caucuses about. See where they stand on it.

“Doesn’t have anything to do with money, not right now anyway, no dollar signs on it, but this is the … prelude to getting to the money discussion.”

The draft bill would create committees to study merging some of the state’s 19 school districts, reducing Medicaid costs and limiting budget growth based on inflation and population increase.

Republicans have also pushed for prevailing wage reform, which governs how much laborers on state-funded construction projects are paid, but Democrats have steadfastly resisted changing the wage.

Democrats have questioned why they need to give up something for Republicans to do, in the words of Rep. Schwartzkopf, “what is in the best interest of our state” but the opposition counters tax increases do not help Delawareans.

“Enacting tax increases does nothing to address the underlying issues; it just pushes off the day of reckoning,” Senate Minority Leader Gary Simpson, R-Milford, said in a statement. “If we keep walking down the same path, we’re going to continue winding up at the same destination.”

Politics likely comes into play too: Republicans might be able to gain some seats in the 2018 election by tying the cuts to services and tax increases to the Democratic majority. Just one flipped seat in the Senate would give the GOP control of the chamber for the first time since 1973.

Fairly or unfairly, voters may blame negative effects on Democrats.

The budget process has been stormy at times, with politicians tossing not-so-veiled shots at the other side and even the Facebook pages for the Senate Republicans and Senate Democrats engaging in an indirect war of words.

Members of the leadership meetings have stomped out at times, although they’ve returned and discussions have picked up again, according to Rep. Schwartzkopf.

He is hoping the budget can be passed before Friday, though technical limitations (the need to draw up and print the budget) makes that unlikely if no deal is reached soon. The speaker does believe, however, lawmakers will come to an agreement before the last day of the legislative session.

Rep. Quinn Johnson, D-Middletown, noted the bond bill may not be finished until around 5 a.m. Saturday, a remark that led to some other lawmakers joking he is taking an optimistic view.

In contrast to Rep. Schwartzkopf, Senate Minority Whip Greg Lavelle, R-Sharpley, is not sure there will be an agreement by Friday.

“We’re still working on it,” he said. “I mean, it’s not easy. There’s broad differences of opinion across a range of issues and we’re not there yet.”

Joint Finance Committee

JFC eliminated or reduced a number of programs and groups several weeks ago, ranging from the elimination of the Board of Education to reductions to many health-related programs, including efforts to combat heroin addiction, infant deaths and cancer.

Some of those cuts could be undone by the committee if lawmakers come to an agreement on revenue.

Members of Kent County Tourism are certainly hoping one cut in particular is reversed. JFC voted to transfer 1 percent of the public accommodation tax to the state, effectively depriving the nonprofit of $400,000 — nearly all of its funding, according to Executive Director Wendie Vestfall.

“So if this cut ultimately is final we are looking at possibly closing our doors,” she said.

The organization has produced an economic impact of about $4.5 million so far this year, she said.

Other nonprofits are also facing what could be a serious hit to their bottom line, and even drive some out of business, in the form of a $5.2 million, or 11.3 percent, cut to grant-in-aid. The exact nature of that cut has yet to be decided, and it’s possible lawmakers could go in a different direction.

Spending reform would help prevent nonprofits from being “held hostage,” Sen. Lavelle opined.

JFC has yet to address controversial proposals from Gov. Carney to cut $37 million from school district funding and shift $6.5 million in health care costs to state employees.

The governor has called the health care change a key part of stemming expenditure growth, but lawmakers were not keen to put more of the burden on state workers in a previous JFC meeting.

Other business

Still on the table are bills to, among other things, legalize marijuana, put the death penalty back in place and raise the minimum wage.

House Bill 110 would allow individuals at least 21 years old to buy cannabis from licensed shops, making Delaware the ninth state in the nation with legal marijuana. Delawareans would not be allowed to grow their own plants, unlike most of the states that have legalized the drug.

The bill is currently awaiting a vote on the House floor. If it is approved by the full chamber, it will go the Senate.

Passage is generally seen as unlikely, particularly because the proposal requires a supermajority in both chambers.

House Bill 125, which would reinstate capital punishment after the Delaware Supreme Court struck it down in August, has been awaiting a Senate committee hearing for six weeks after passing the House.

The bill has bipartisan support, but while it passed the House with a bit of breathing room, the Senate vote is expected to be closer. However, a vote will not take place until next year, unless backers try to suspend the rules to get it on the floor this week.

Senate Bill 10 would raise the minimum wage by 50 cents over four years, stopping when the wage floor reaches $10.25. The measure was expected to be voted on in the Senate earlier in June but was pulled from the agenda because it did not have the votes.

Nonetheless, it remains in the queue, to the delight of most Democrats and frustration of most Republicans.

Set to be voted on Thursday is House Bill 190, which would remove some of the limitations in the 1971 Coastal Zone Act. The law limits industrial activity and development along the state’s coast.

The proposal, supporters say, would drive economic activity.

Plenty of bills will be passed this week, and while they are doubtless important, no single piece of legislation impacts every Delawarean like the budget.

While unlikely, there does technically exist a chance legislators will fail to find consensus and will exit July 1 without a budget. Although questions surround that possibility, it is believed lawmakers would pass a continuing resolution temporarily funding the government — or at least the essential services.

Rep. Schwartzkopf said he believes state employees would not be paid and many services would halt for the duration of the period where there is no budget, but he is unaware of that ever happening in Delaware.

The steps, legislators say, have been trying at times, and they are not done yet, but (a bit of) time remains.

“They say it’s like watching scrapple being made,” Rep. Schwartzkopf said of the process.

State champion Cape Henlopen High put five players on the first team of this year’s girls’ lacrosse All-State team.

Polytech added two first-team selections as the Henlopen Conference had almost half of the 15 players named to the first team.

Cape’s first-team honorees were midfielder Evelyn Shoop, attack Cailey Thornburg, midfielder Alia Marshall, defender Annie Judge and goalkeeper Iseabal Crene. Marshall and Judge are both juniors while the other three Vikings are seniors.

Cape Henlopen, which has won nine straight DIAA state crowns, had three more players selected to the second team.

Polytech’s first-team All-Staters were junior attack Madilyn McKay and senior defender Grace Stang.

Lacrosse
Girls’ All-State team
First team
Att-Brooke Schmuesser Ursuline Sr.
Att-Cailey Thornburg Cape Henlopen Sr.
Att-Madilyn McKay Polytech Jr.
Att-Lauren Phillips Caravel Sr.
Mid-Evelyn Shoop Cape Henlopen Sr.
Mid-Kendra Schweizer St. Mark’s Jr.
Mid-Olivia Duarte Caravel Sr.
Mid-Alia Marshall Cape Henlopen Jr.
Mid-Sydney Yanick Archmere Jr.
Mid-Erin O’Doherty Ursuline So.
Def-Maggie Malloy Archmere Sr.
Def-Annie Judge Cape Henlopen Jr.
Def-Cara Grzybowski Ursuline Sr.
Def-Grace Stang Polytech Sr.
GK-Iseabal Cryne Cape Henlopen Sr.
Second team
Att-Lindsay Monigle Cape Henlopen Jr.
Att-Megan Noonan St. Mark’s So.
Att-Jane Lyons Ursuline So.
Att-Isabel Zungailia Tower Hill Fr.
Mid-Caroline Donovan Archmere So.
Mid-Blair Atkins Wilm. Friends Sr.
Mid-Kendall Adkins Wilm. Charter Sr.
Mid-Brianna McCoy Tower Hill Sr.
Mid-Kristin Cunnnigham Appoquinimink Jr.
Mid-Victoria Lockwood Cape Henlopen Fr
Def-Hope Abbott Wilm. Charter Sr.
Def-Audrey Saliba St. Andrews Jr.
Def-Louise Conaty Tower Hill Sr.
Def-Jody Boyer Cape Henlopen Jr.
GK-Rebecca Dolan Wilm. Charter Sr.

The Predators from West Chester, N.Y. run out onto the field to compete in the 64-team tournament Saturday at DE Turf. (Special to Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)

FREDERICA — NXT Lacrosse held its Blue Hen First State Shootout Boys Lacrosse Tournament at DE Turf Sports Complex on Saturday. For the last five years, NXT Lacrosse has held this popular event at Caravel Academy. This weekend is their first time to hold an event at DE Turf. Sixty-four teams, primarily fifth- through ninth-graders, from the Mid-Atlantic area are playing in the event.

Special to Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh

Coaches of the Atlanta (Ga.) Lightning call out starters names for their game against Baltimore Rock. (Special To The Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)

Hundreds of families and fans line the fields at DE Turf for the multi-state lacrosse tournament. (Special To The Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)

Amanda Much, of Wayne, Pa., shopping at one of the vendors set up at DE Turf Saturday. (Special To The Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)

Young lacrosse players watching action out on the field. (Special To The Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)

Brady Covey of the Atlanta Lightning races up field with the ball past Baltimore Rock defender Brian Edwards. (Special To The Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)

Hudson Gregory of Atlanta Lightning comes up from behind to knock the ball loose from Jackson Zaranski of Baltimore Rock. (Special To The Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)

Baltimore Rock’s Will Talmage puts a block on Andrew Carey of the Atlanta Lightning. (Special To The Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh)

Small cell antennas are not a threat; they are a boon for Delaware. A recent [June 6] letter to the editor concerning new rules for siting wireless antennas, “Safety and financial effects of HB 189,” needs a response. It warns about the negative zoning and right-of-way (ROW) impacts of HB 189, the Advanced Wireless Infrastructure Act, but in reality, this bill does not reduce zoning controls and sets Delaware up for some very significant technological advantages. HB 189 is not a threat to revenue, property rights, or public safety; it is a good thing for Delaware.

First, a little background on the bill. It is about creating the small cell infrastructure to bring high-speed wireless data service to Delaware neighborhoods, schools, and business districts, and positioning Delaware for the next generation of services: fifth-generation or 5G.

Everyone very much wants this to happen. Customers increasingly rely on their smartphones, and 5G is going to be a groundbreaking upgrade in wireless connectivity (100 times faster than the status quo), offering huge economic, public safety, and lifestyle benefits, including Smart Cities technologies and self-driving cars. Nationwide, wireless providers will invest $275 billion in infrastructure to deploy 5G and, once available, the technology will create an estimated 3 million jobs and grow U.S. GDP by $500 billion.

Small cells are nothing like the giant cell towers that primarily support the current wireless network. This technology is usually about the size of a large shoebox and is typically mounted on existing structures like street lights or utility poles.

Many states, not just Delaware, are creating new, streamlined, uniform rules for siting small cells, realizing that forcing providers to go through the maze of permitting processes written for towers is total regulatory overkill, and directly inhibits access to cutting-edge wireless in their communities.

Similar to revised regulations in other states, HB 189 is carefully written to preserve local zoning controls and reasonable fees. Traditional communications providers have long had access to public ROW, and wireless companies will be subject to the same rules that have capably protected public spaces in the past. DelDOT’s authority to ensure the safety of travelers and pedestrians remains intact, and it will have the ability to enforce spacing and concealment standards. None of that is changed.

There are also provisions in the legislation that direct small cells be located on existing structures whenever possible. Small cells are relatively unobtrusive to begin with; people won’t notice a difference in the Delaware landscape because of the new regulations.

What Delawareans will notice is a huge increase in their technical capabilities, as small cells deploy 5G wireless. There are obviously going to be advantages for people interested in digital entertainment, but many of the changes are going to have a big impact on the way we work, energy consumption, transportation, and public safety. More than 80 percent of all 911 calls are now made from wireless devices. It is not an overstatement to say that the reliability and speed of 5G wireless will save lives – studies show that even a one-minute improvement in emergency response time results in an 8 percent reduction in mortality.

Delaware has nothing to fear from HB 189, and much to gain from current enhancements and from 5G wireless. This bill will help make sure Delaware is ready to be a part of the bright digital future 5G is going to create.

The Committee of 100 is a non-profit association of Delaware business leaders that work to promote responsible economic development. The Committee of 100 is celebrating its 50th year of service to Delaware’s quality of life.

Paul H. Morrill Jr.
Executive director, The Committee of 100
Wilmington

A family tent campsite at Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes includes paved pads with water and electric available for RVs. A limited number of paved sites are pull-through. (Submitted photos/DNREC)

DOVER — According to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, statistics show camping is gaining in popularity at the state’s five park campgrounds. So far in 2017, officials said, 5,658 visitors have camped for 2,391 nights in the campground parks and Indian River Marina Cottages, an increase of 7 percent in camping nights over 2016.

In addition, reservations in 2017 have been booked up to a year in advance.

“Camping in our state parks is an experience you won’t forget,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin.

“Campers and visitors alike can enjoy our waterpark, canoeing, ziplining, horseback riding, our beautiful trails, and so much more. Our improved campgrounds also play a large role, especially for RVers. Delaware’s state parks offer the best in camping — no wonder it is more popular than ever.”

The increase in camping reservations, especially at Lums Pond and Cape Henlopen state parks, DNREC said was beneficial because more than $6 million has been spent to upgrade the campgrounds to accommodate the needs of modern campers and address long standing infrastructure issues.

Campgrounds at the inland parks still have openings for camping this summer season, while at the beach parks, campgrounds are filling fast with 65 percent of the campsites already booked through Labor Day weekend, DNREC said. Officials believe that is a sign that Delaware State Parks could see a record year of campers.

At Lums Pond in Bear, where DNREC said three-point hook-ups were added in 2016, camping nights were up 400 percent this spring, in comparison to the past five years of camping stays for the same period. As the only campground in New Castle County and located just off the U.S. 95 and the U.S. 40 corridor, Lums Pond has become a popular campground for RVers, DNREC said. The s sites feature new 50-amp electric service, water and sewer hook-ups.

Lums Pond State Park campground in Bear, renovated in 2016, has sites with paved pads and three-point hookups for RVs as well as tent sites and pondside yurt tents.

After nearly eight months of construction, Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes showcased its campground improvements, DNREC said, including back-in, pull-through, and walk-in campsites; a new camp store; sites with 50 or 100 amp electric service and water hook-ups; a new playground; laundry area; and a paved one-way road system.

Killens Pond and Trap Pond state parks’ campgrounds also were renovated over the winter. Electric was upgraded to 50-amp service in several loops and restrooms were renovated. At Trap Pond’s campground in Laurel, DNREC said a multi-year re-forestation effort is underway.

More information is online at destateparks.com/camping.

DOVER — Dr. Dina Vendetti came to Dover in 2000 from York, Pa. to answer St. John’s Lutheran Church’s call for a principal to lead a kindergarten through eighth-grade facility to add to its existing preschool.

Dr. Dina Vendetti, left, with classmate Dean Blaha, hoists the trophy for the Leadershp Central Delaware Alumni Best in Class, an award presented to the 2004 LCD Class at the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce Awards for Excellence Dinner Thursday night at Dover Downs. Dr. Vendetti is also this year’s Honorary Mayor of Central Delaware, sponsored by the chamber. (Delaware State News/Ashley Dawson)

Seventeen years later, she’s built a program that serves 55 students and has become a celebrated figure in central Delaware’s business leader atmosphere.

In late April, she was named this year’s Central Delaware Honorary Mayor — through the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce (CDCC). On Thursday night, at the chamber’s annual Awards for Excellence Dinner she won the Volunteer of the Year award and her Leadership Central Delaware program alumni class of 2004 won the Best in Class award.

“Dina is one of the most committed people I know to Central Delaware and to creating leaders here,” said CDCC President Judy Diogo, “She does this through her involvement with the chamber and our leadership program, but also through her work as principal at St. John’s. She’s one of the most passionate and dedicated people in Central Delaware when it come to growing and cultivating our leaders.”

The Honorary Mayor distinction is one started by the chamber about five years ago, said Ms. Diogo.

“In part, it’s a big fundraiser for the chamber, but it’s also a chance to give advertising and promotion to members and their businesses who agree to be part of the program,” she added. “We give about $10,000 worth of advertising through the course of the campaign to the candidates and the winner is the candidate who raises the most funds for the chamber.”

Ms. Vendetti, a Baltimore native, won the mayorship by being able to add close to $7,200 to the CDCC’s coffers by the end of her three month campaign. She was in a run-off against three other candidates.

“The biggest source of the money was a fundraising letter I sent out to about 100 different people including people familiar with the chamber’s mission and family and friends — I think the self-addressed stamped envelope I included with each one really helped my cause,” said Dr. Vendetti

“I’m also a little bit of an amateur Italian chef, and I raffled off $20 tickets for a three-course Italian meal prepared in the winner’s home for 12 people. I was telling people you can’t even feed 12 people pizza for $20 so it’s a real bargain if they win. I ended up netting a little over $1,000 for the chamber with that.”

She also ran a number of different smaller fundraising efforts and sold spaghetti sauce and candy bars as well.

Community cheerleader

Although the honorary mayor has no legislative power, Dr. Vendetti feels it can be a nice platform to promote civic pride and further the goals of St. John’s and the chamber.

“I think the position can be as little or big as you make it,” she said. “So far, I’ve done little fun things like attend ribbon cuttings and participate in the Dover Days Parade, but I think it can be an opportunity to show some hometown pride.

“I have a big blue sash and a black top hat that I’ve been decorating for events — I love it here, and this is a chance to be a cheerleader for Central Delaware. But, another thing that I’m thinking about is maybe using the position to help expand the chamber’s leadership training to include college kids and even high school kids rather than focusing strictly on young professionals in the business community. Leadership workshops and seminars could be really beneficial.”

It also gives St. John’s school promotion that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

“In the spirit of the campaign, the chamber pushed people to participate with different events, newspaper ads and newsletter mentions,” Dr. Vendetti said.

“Each time my name was mentioned, St. John’s School was, so it was great exposure. Our small business could have never afforded that kind of marketing.”

Well entrenched in the CDCC, Dr. Vendetti also serves on the chamber’s board of directors and has chaired the Leadership Central Delaware program steering committee for nine years.

The program, which is a 10-month course started in 2001, aimed at “preparing the leaders of tomorrow” and providing business education and skills to entrepreneurs in Central Delaware. The program now boasts approximately 360 alumni — a group to which she belongs. Her class of 2004 took home the best in class award on Thursday night for racking up the most community involvement points out of any other alumni class.

In the competition for Honorary Mayor of Central Delaware, St. John’s Lutheran School principal Dr. Dina Vendetti, third from left, ran against, from left, Paris Patton of Allstate Insurance, Gigi Boyd of Lady Lifters and Sarah Zimmerman of First State Heritage Park. (Submitted photo)

“Since our purpose is to build leaders, once they graduate, we wanted to have a way to sort of track their success and track their involvement in the community so we came up with this award,” said Ms. Diogo.

“Each year, classes who graduate turn in a complete recording of their volunteer and leadership activities in the community and they get points for that. The class that accumulates the most points, gets selected.”

School work

Dr. Vendetti joins Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen at his desk in City Hall. (Submitted photo)

St. John’s Lutheran School has had its ups and downs over the years since its inception, said Dr. Vendetti. Although she now has 32 years of experience working for the Lutheran school system, keeping a healthy enrollment at the small school has taken some effort at times.

“We were growing steadily until 2009 when the economy bottomed out and we lost a lot of students — there was a time actually where I was worried we wouldn’t make it,” she said. “We’ve maintained though and we’ve been steady since. I’d certainly love to add more kids though. Our most comfortable number is around 100 students, so we have a little room to grow.”

Dr. Vendetti credits her involvement with the CDCC in part for helping keep the school afloat in hard times.

“We are a very small business here at St. John’s School,” she said. “When I first started, I needed to be able to build a network of relationships and get in touch with how the community made its choices and how to market to them. The chamber has been absolutely invaluable at every step of the process for this. When times got hard too, they’ve helped us keep our name in the public eye and let people know about the work we’re doing at the school.”

Recently, the school has eyed the possibility of enlarging programming to include high school students.

“We actually had one high school student graduate with us this year through an online program we have access to,” Dr. Vendetti said. “It’s a little bit of a hybrid of homeschooling and going to school. He would come to school three days per week so we could provide support. It’s a great program, and we’d really like to look into expanding it.”

For more information on St. John’s Lutheran Church or school, visit stjohnsdover.com. For more information on the chamber’s programs, visit cdcc.net.

Mark A. Bartell

DOVER — A 51-year-old Cheswold man was sentenced to 24 years in prison last week after raping his wife in 2015 and then trying to arranged her murder afterward, officials said.

Delaware Department of Justice said Mark A. Bartell will then serve six months of home confinement or work release following release from prison, then three years of probation.

He must also register as a Tier 3 sex offender.

In April, Bartell a Kent County Superior Court jury convicted Bartell of two counts of second-degree rape, one count of fourth-degree rape, and two counts of solicitation.

He was facing a mandatory minimum of 20 years maximum incarceration and possibly up to 75 years.

Deputy Attorneys General Denise Weeks-Tappan and Stephen Smith prosecuted the case.

The DOJ said Bartell sexually assaulted his wife in her bedroom the morning after an argument.

He allegedly attempted to hire James T. Vaughn Correctional Center inmates to kill her after he was arrested and incarcerated, officials said.

On Jan. 25, Resident Judge William L. Witham Jr. denied Bartell’s request to separate the rape and criminal solicitation charges against him.

Bartell unsuccessfully argued that a jury would unfairly evaluate his overall case based on his incarceration at the time.

DOVER — If there were more people like Dave Sylvester in the world it would be a much happier place, said Dover resident Marsha Young.

As Ms. Young strolled into the Governor’s Café at 144 Kings Highway on Monday morning, she was greeted with a hello and a high five from Mr. Sylvester.

Those fleeting moments, Mr. Sylvester said, is what it’s all about to him. He likes to spread happiness and good vibes around whenever he can.

Downtown Dover served as the starting point for Mr. Sylvester’s “Hug and High-5 Tour” on Monday, which is sponsored by Duke Cannon Supply Co.

His goal: 25,000 hugs and high fives, as his driving tour will take him throughout the contiguous 48 states over the next 79 days before ending at the reopening of Love Park in downtown Philadelphia.

Jenna Gibbons, of Lincoln, gives Dave Sylvester a spirited high five at the Governor’s Cafe on Monday morning. (Delaware State News/Mike Finney)

Ms. Young appreciated her high five so much that she went back and got a hug from Mr. Sylvester.

“I was telling (Mr. Sylvester) I didn’t grow up around (Dover), so I don’t fit in with people around here,” Ms. Young said. “I have nothing in common with anybody around here.

“Most of the time you walk down the street and you say, ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ and you don’t even get that in return. I’m like, ‘What?’”

She added, “I grew up and I taught my grandson if somebody says, ‘Hi, how are you?’ you say, ‘Fine, thank you, how are you?’ It’s the proper thing to do. If they acknowledge you, you acknowledge them. So it was refreshing.”

Dover’s Marsha Young reaches up to give Dave Sylvester a high five on Monday morning. She came back a couple of minutes later to receive a hug. (Delaware State News/Mike Finney)

Spending those kinds of positive moments with people has been first and foremost for Mr. Sylvester ever since he had a lifelong friend perish in the 9/11 attacks.

From that moment on, he made it his own personal mission to replace deep sorrow with proactive positivity, manifested in the simplest forms of human affection: A hug or a high five.

“Right after Sept. 11th, I think we all wanted a hug,” said Mr. Sylvester, known as Big Dave to his friends. “We all wanted a reason to feel good again. We’re all looking at planes differently in the air, and this that and the other, and I didn’t like that feeling.”

So he jumped on his bicycle and took off – across the United States and eventually around the world, crossing North America, Africa, Asia and Australia.

Jenna Gibbons, of Lincoln, gives Dave Sylvester a spirited high five at the Governor’s Cafe on Monday morning. (Delaware State News/Mike Finney)

“As I was going around riding my bicycle across the United States I was getting a lot of hugs, I was getting a lot of high fives and getting a lot of support,” Mr. Sylvester said. “From that, it just blossomed.”

He said that since Sept. 12, 2001, he has given out 184,064 hugs and high fives. Those numbers don’t count toward his current tour’s goal.

Mr. Sylvester is quick to answer questions regarding his journeys around the world, share photographs and just try to get even the slightest smile that he can from those people that he comes into contact with.

“It’s been great thus far,” he said, of the first day of his current tour. “I got (to Governor’s Café) and have just been meeting people and talking to people. It’s been wonderful just meeting people and going over my story with people.”

Kim Gibbons, from Magnolia, enjoyed the chance to meet Mr. Sylvester as she enjoyed her breakfast on the front deck of the Governor’s Café.

“I just think it’s a really great way to promote some positivity,” Ms. Gibbons said. “There’s so much negative stuff in the news especially right now, so I think it’s really nice, especially right here in our hometown, to see somebody spreading love throughout the country.

“It’s really cool to learn a little bit about what he’s doing and to see all the pictures from the different places he’s been.”

Tim Calio, of Wilmington, agreed.

“It’s pretty neat,” he said. “It’s good to see people are still doing unique, cool things like traveling the world and spreading a good message.”

Mr. Sylvester, from Philadelphia, keeps count of his hugs and high fives he has experienced with an old-fashioned hand-held counter that was given to him by a friend.

Never, after 9/11, did he think his journey would touch so many.

“I was naive then, naive enough to think that 9/11 would be a watershed moment and there wouldn’t be any more mass killing like that anymore, but every day it seems there is another event to show just how wrong I was,” Mr. Sylvester said.

“My path been as fulfilling a life experience as I could have ever dreamt and prompts me to go further.”

His ‘further’ journey began quietly on a Monday morning in Dover. After returning home to Philly Monday night, things will certainly get a lot busier as his tour heads to Baltimore today.

“I love being able to do what I do,” said Mr. Sylvester. “There’s nothing like trying to spread a little bit of love in the world.”

QUEENSBURY, N.Y. — A teenage girl’s actions, not mechanical malfunctions, caused her to slip under a restraining bar on an amusement park gondola ride before falling into the arms of bystanders below, police said Monday.

Warren County sheriff’s Lt. Steven Stockdale told The Post-Star of Glens Falls that “human error” on the part of the 14-year-old Delaware girl caused her to slip out of the two-person gondola while riding with her younger brother Saturday at Six Flags Great Escape.

The ride was stopped, and the girl dangled briefly before dropping about 25 feet into a crowd poised to catch her.

Onlookers, many of them recording the incident with their cellphones, broke into cheers when the girl landed in the arms of several people. She was taken to Albany Medical Center for unspecified injuries.

Stockdale said in an email that the girl, whose name hasn’t been released, “looks like she’s going to be OK.”

Authorities said further investigation was being done to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the fall.

State inspectors cleared the Sky Ride for resuming operation, but officials at the park 55 miles (88 kilometers) north of Albany said the gondolas would remain idle for at least a second day Monday, pending an internal review.

Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services, a Cincinnati-based industry consultant, said he was familiar with the Sky Ride from previous visits to the park.

“It’s not something that you could just slip out of,” Spiegel said. “If a rider wants to circumvent the safety stipulations, they can do it. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if they put additional safety restrictions on this ride, maybe safety belts.”

After the girl began dangling from the gondola, word was relayed to the operator to stop the ride. As the teen helplessly flailed her legs, people on the pavement below yelled for her to let go and they would catch her. Matthew Howard Sr., a contractor from Schenectady visiting the park with his family, was among those who broke her fall.

“I couldn’t let that little girl die,” Howard told The Associated Press on Sunday.

CHESWOLD — A trapped woman pleaded “Help me, help me” but a neighbor couldn’t get close enough to save her.

Robert Poore was sitting at the kitchen table around 9:30 p.m., Sunday when he heard someone scream “smoke!” from outside.

He immediately exited his home and saw a blaze engulfing the building next door at 179 Commerce St.

After charging up a flight of stairs and kicking open an apartment door, Mr. Poore couldn’t barrel through the intense heat and black smoke pouring from the residence.

“I just reacted and went up there,” he said.

The would-be rescuer unwillingly retreated to safety. A victim was later found dead inside the second floor residence of the burned building.

Sandra Caldwell sits in front of a burned out apartment building at 179 Commerce Street in Cheswold Monday, talking to neighbor Robert Poore. (Delaware State News/Craig Anderson)

“I feel so, so bad that I couldn’t do anything more,” Mr. Poore said at around noon Monday in the aftermath.

No other resident injuries have been reported, officials said.

A Dover Fire Department responder suffered smoke inhalation that required transport to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia in critical but stable condition.

Early Monday afternoon the Delaware Fire Marshal’s Office said investigation into the cause and origin of the fire was continuing. An autopsy by the Delaware Division of Forensic Science was scheduled for today.

Fire investigators estimated $50,000 in damage to the building,

According to residents and neighbors, all the apartment’s utilities had previously been shut off and the victim was believed to have used a candle to light the apartment beforehand.

Displaced resident Sandra Caldwell said she let the victim charge her cell phone on her cord earlier in the day because she had no power.

“I didn’t know her well, but just felt I should check on her,” she said. “There wasn’t any reason for it, I just thought that I should.”

Mr. Poore said he too barely knew the victim, who was partially disabled with leg and arm injuries and sometimes walked down the street.

He was still shaken by the experience of her death a day later.

“It’s hard,” he said. “I’m dealing with it, but it’s hard.”

Mrs. Caldwell, who lived next door to the source of the fire, offered her condolences and support for Mr. Poore’s efforts.

“You did the best you could, you did all you could even though you had your own physical problems,” she told him Monday.

According to Mrs. Caldwell, “He was literally trying to run through the thick smoke clouds and save a life. He is a hero in my eyes even if he wasn’t able to do that.”

Mr. Poore said he was administered oxygen afterward because “I was coughing up stuff and having trouble breathing right for a bit.”

Three other apartments were damaged, and approximately 10 residents (including several children) were displaced.

Mrs. Caldwell returned to see if anything could be salvaged from her apartment of more than 11 years, but wasn’t holding out any hope.

“I’m pretty sure everything is gone,” she said.

If not for her husband seeing the fire while walking down an alleyway and alerting the family inside, Mrs. Caldwell is convinced they might have perished as well.

“We are all here only by the grace of God,” she said.

According to Mrs. Caldwell, her family was staying at a local hotel after the American Red Cross responded to the scene.

“They have been awesome,” she said.

Arriving within moments

Cheswold Volunteer Fire Company Chief Josh Dempsey reported that a vehicle driver arrived at the station just moments after the fire began to alert members of the developing incident less than a quarter-mile away. He said trucks were pulling out of the driveway as an official call came in and the alarm whistle began to blow.

Within seconds, four Cheswold VFC trucks arrived to an intense blaze.

“Firefighters were met with extreme heat that melted some parts of their fire gear,” Mr. Dempsey said.

The Dover Fire Department responded with three trucks, including two ladders, and the Leipsic FC provided two. Three ambulances and two medical units also arrived, along with a Delaware State Police helicopter. The Clayton VFC provided backup for any other calls Cheswold may have received.

Mr. Dempsey estimated it took 20 to 25 minutes to knock down the fire, and about an hour to bring it completely under control.

A few dozen bystanders gathered as the fire response unfolded, Mr. Poore said, and the scene was cleared by about 2:45 a.m. Monday.

Cheswold firefighters have responded to three incidents within 400 feet of each other in the area in the past 15 months, officials said. One blaze was deemed accidental and another occurred at an abandoned house, according to authorities. Mr. Poore said months ago he helped evacuate a family from a fire less than a full block away.

Volunteer firemen from Kent and Sussex counties, as well as Maryland, were called in to assist Felton Community Fire Company with a major fire at the site of the former San-Del packing plant late Monday afternoon. Special to the Delaware State News/Gary Emeigh

SANDTOWN — Smoke was visible from several miles away as a fire raged at a former pickle packaging plant in western Kent County Monday evening.

Several fire companies from Delaware and Maryland responded to the blaze at 3051 Willow Grove Road, about five miles from the Maryland border, at 5 p.m.

The Felton Community Fire Company served as lead agency for the blaze and was not immediately available for comment.

The Felton company’s live run log described the fire as a structure/commercial incident.

Fire raged inside warehouses of the former San-Del pickle and pepper packing plant in photos posted on the Camden-Wyoming Fire Department’s Facebook page.

Soon after the fire was reported, the Camden-Wyoming Volunteer Fire Company posted the photos.

Commenters described how far away the tower of thick black smoke could be seen — including from nearby Magnolia (12 miles) and Denton, Maryland (15 miles).

A flurry of reports alleged seeing smoke in Delaware from the Cape May Ferry heading into Lewes (42 miles) and at the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal (47 miles) on Del. 1 north of Middletown, and in Maryland from Easton (44 miles), Kent Narrows (34 miles), and Federalsburg (30 miles), among others.

The property was last used for a wood recycling business, owned by Mike Davidson Enterprises. The operation, cited numerous times, was shut down by DNREC in 2014.

The Delaware Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.

Trevor Fleetwood struck out 10 in four innings to help Felton-Harrington capture the Walt Bowers baseball tournament with a 13-0 victory over Camden-Wyoming on Monday night.

Fleetwood also recorded three hits at the plate and scored twice. Dymere Hooks had a pair of hits and two runs while Kyle Parham drove in two runs with two hits.

Matt Vaughn doubled for Camden-Wyoming.

Felton-Harrington 16, Smyrna-Clayton 0: In the semifinal game contested on Sunday, Michael Brubaker pitched a four-inning no-hitter with nine strikeouts.

Brubaker, Asher Grubb and Aiden Young each had two hits to pace the Felton-Harrington offense.

Felton-Harrington 19, Dover 3: Trevor Fleetwood and Adam Mudri combined to strike out six in the opening round on Saturday.

Brayden Vockel, Brayden Shockely and Michael Brubaker each had two hits. Mudri also had a pair of doubles.

Nathaniel Bowles tripled and drove in a run for Dover while Frank Henry V was 1-for-2.

M.O.T. Blue 12, M.O.T. Red 5: In a first-round game played Saturday, Cody Popp had a home run and four RBI for M.O.T. Blue.

J.D. Portale was 2-for-3 and drove in a run while Landon Singleton struck out eight and only allowed one hit.

For M.O.T. Red, Dakota Hurtt was 2-for-2 with two RBI and Blake Caccano two hits.

Pat Knight

Smyrna-Clayton 9, Milford 0: Nolan Oakley homered and went 3-for-4 to keep Smyrna-Clayton alive in an elimination game on Monday night.

Nate Donahue had four hits in four at-bats for Smyrna-Clayton, three singles and a double.

Juan Sandoval and Tyler Brown tripled to lead Milford while Tyler Smith doubled.

Dover 23, Marydel 8: Dover won an elimination game on Sunday night behind four players who had two-hit performances.

Chase Christiansen, Brett Shelton, Caleb Blane and Elijah Ortiz all had multi-hit games for Dover. Aidan Durham was the winning pitcher with four strikeouts.

Smyrna-Clayton 12, Dover 1: Austin Abbott had a home run in a first-round game contested on Saturday. Cale Howell and Nolan Oakley each scored twice.

Camden-Wyoming 10, Felton-Harrington 0: Grant Ellege and Chase Engstenberg combined to pitch five innings of shutout ball in an opening-round victory on Saturday.

Ellege, Patrick Easton, Baylon Aviles and Chrys Roscoe each went 2-for-2 for Camden-Wyoming.

Deak Deakins

M.O.T. Red 15, Camden-Wyoming Gold 14: M.O.T. Red won a back and forth matchup on Monday night to advance to the championship round where it will face Camden-Wyoming Blue.

Jackson Lloyd led M.O.T. Red with four hits. Dane Hiser paced the Camden-Wyoming Gold offense with two hits.

Camden-Wyoming Blue 10, Felton-Harrington White 5: Chase Flegal doubled and had three hits in Camden-Wyoming Blue’s victory on Sunday.

Anthony Christianson, Parker White and Zachary Raiche also recorded three hits for Camden-Wyoming Blue. Billy Wine added a pair of hits.

Ryan Perkins led Felton-Harrington White with two runs, three hits and a double.

M.O.T. Blue 15, Marydel 0: Liam Robinson homered and doubled in the first-round game played on Saturday.

Connor Robitsky and Luke Robinson each were 3-for-3 with a double. Ethan Egloss tripled and Avery Alderman also went 3-for-3 with two runs for M.O.T. Blue.

Quinn Phillips had a hit for Marydel who also received impressive defensive performances by Wyatt Hurd and Cadence Nickles.

Camden-Wyoming Gold 19, Smyrna-Clayton 9: Jay Sanchez was 3-for-4 with three RBI and Dane Hiser was 3-for-5 with two RBI in a first-round game from Saturday.

Cobe Stevens led Smyrna-Clayton with two runs and a 3-for-4 day at the plate.

Milford 7, Dover 6: Brandon Wright had the game-winning hit on Saturday in the final inning for Milford.

Local golf

Whitby leads DSGA Amateur: Defending champion Jay Whitby, of Wild Quail Country Club, is in first after the first day of the Delaware State Golf Association Amateur tournament.

Whitby was the only player in the field to make par at the Rookery North course in Milford, shooting a first-round 70 to finish the day even.

Whitby had a birdie on the first hole and eagled the second. He recorded 13 pars on the day.

Round two is today and the field will be cut to 36 players. The third and fourth rounds will both be held on Wednesday.

FREDERICA — Robert and Catherine Murphy, who own just over 25 acres about a mile south of DE Turf Sports Complex outside Frederica, sought a rezone and amendment to the Kent County Comprehensive plan at a Levy Court meeting Tuesday night.

The decision on the matter was tabled.

The Murphys, represented in part by Gregg Morgan from Becker Morgan Group, are seeking the rezone to have their property developed.

They believe their proximity to the newly popular DE Turf makes the piece of property and ideal location for amenities, such as restaurants and hotels, and can spur economic growth in the area.

“Kent County is in a transition phase, especially this part of the county,” said Mr. Murphy during the hearing. “The adage, ‘build it and they will come’ — well, they’ve come. This part of the county isn’t just a pass-through place any more, it’s a destination spot.”

Their proposal, which includes changing the zoning from agricultural conservation/low density residential to general business/highly commercial, was fielded at an earlier Regional Planning Commission meeting on June 1 and ruled on at the subsequent business meeting on June 8. The commission voted to recommend approval to the Levy Court — citing the opportunity for economic development in the area.

The property is southeast of the Rt. 1 intersection with Milford Neck Road and has frontage on both Rt. 1 and, although narrowly, on Pritchett Road at its rear.

About a dozen community members and leaders, including Frederica Mayor William Glanden and ex-county commissioner Bradley Eaby turned out to offer their support for the rezoning. However, support was far from unanimous. Almost ten residents who have homes directly adjacent to the property in question were concerned about increased traffic and changing the character of what has traditionally been a rural area.

A particularly enthusiastic dissenter, Alex Schmidt owns a home behind the property and has a backyard that faces it. Before beginning his testimony, Mr. Schmidt pointed out that Mr. Murphy has already listed his property for sale for $7.5 million dollars and marked the zoning commercial as if the meeting with the county were a “foregone conclusion.”

“It’s completely out of character with the way the area is now,” he said during the hearing. “The folks there don’t want to live right next to a Wawa and hotels. There are many other properties close to the turf field that have better access and less impact on residents — those should be considered first.”

Ultimately, Levy Court commissioners decided unanimously to table the matter for a ruling on a later date. It will be rescheduled for another public hearing in approximately 30 days (exact date unknown). Commissioner Eric Buckson, who presides over the district in question, said that tabling the matter would give the applicant an opportunity to examine alternatives to a commercial lot entrance that would likely have to be built on a narrow strip of the property at its rear.

“I am willing to support a rezone if they can figure out a way to make it work and eliminate an entrance on Pritchett Road,” said Mr. Buckson.

Ven Bundick, 7, gets help slam dunking the ball from Steve Poole with the Green Beret Program during Restore Central Dover event on Kirkwood Street in Dover on Tuesday.( Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

DOVER — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

NCALL and its Restoring Central Dover initiative is counting on those very concepts as it kicked off its “Lights-On Dover-Strong” campaign with a community event on South Kirkwood Street Tuesday night.

Chanda Jackson, a community engagement specialist with NCALL, said Restoring Central Dover is working on ways to promote unity, decrease crime and improve communication between the police and the community with its new “illuminate downtown” program.

“With the ‘Lights-On Dover-Strong’ campaign, residents will pledge to take action to keep their neighborhood safe by reporting any suspicious or criminal activity to the Dover Police Department and will ask their neighbors to keep their porch lights on,” Ms. Jackson said.

She added that calls to Dover police may be made anonymously, lessening worries about any possible repercussions from reporting a crime.

The “Lights-On Dover-Strong” plan is to provide citizens with dusk-to-dawn LED lights for their front porches, as well as solar-powered LED flood lights for their backyards, in hopes of chasing away crime from targeted troubled areas in downtown Dover.

David Clendaniel, chairman of the safety work group for Restoring Central Dover, hopes that distributing the lights provides an opportunity to meet with community members and helps them take back their neighborhoods from crime.

“Restoring Central Dover is born out of concerns for downtown safety, not only for residents but also for businesses and economic development,” Mr. Clendaniel said. “Safety is a concern for all citizens and all businesses and we really have made a lot of improvements in downtown Dover.

“We want to make sure we have lights on the houses so that it deters crime and people can see more what’s happening around them and feel safe.”

Dover City Councilman Fred Neil said “Bravo!” when he heard about the plan to illuminate areas downtown.

“I don’t think there’s any question about lighting being a key to crime prevention and to be able to see what’s happening out there,” Mr. Neil said. “I don’t think there’s any question about the fact that the more lighting you have, the brighter it is, that it’s tougher for the criminals to hide.”

Kids pose for a photo during Restore Central Dover event on Kirkwood Street in Dover on Tuesday. (Delaware State News/Marc Clery)

Mr. Clendaniel said a National Institute of Justice study conducted in 2008 showed that improved lighting in an area decreases crime by 21 percent.

He added the target area includes homes from State Street over to West Street, including a large portion of downtown.

Mr. Clendaniel said the “Lights-On” campaign will be distributing lights to around 200 households to be installed in their front porch lighting fixtures.

The LED bulbs will feature a built-in sensor that can detect changes in light and will automatically switch on as dusk approaches and will turn off at dawn.

The backyard LED flood lights will feature motion detectors and are solar-powered, so there won’t be any additional costs to the homeowner’s electric bill.

NCALL’s Restoring Central Dover group is working on the project in partnership with the Dover city council, Dover Police Department, Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility, The Home Depot, Help Initiative Inc. and Delaware State University.

Mr. Clendaniel said it will be up to the community if the program is to be successful.

“We hope to engage the citizens of Dover to help enhance the city lighting,” he said. “There’s already good city lighting on the streets, but we want to do more in the front of the houses and the rear of the houses, as well.

“We want to engage with the residents. We want them to report crimes when they see it and the real goal is we want crime to be not an attractive thing or an easy thing to commit in Dover.”

While the light bulbs will be provided free of charge, Restoring Central Dover will be asking residents to sign a pledge.

“As we pass out these light bulbs we’re going to go to the houses in the target area and give them a light bulb for their porch,” Mr. Clendaniel said. “In order to get a free light bulb, we’re going to ask residents to sign a pledge — one is to keep the lights on and two is to report crime when they see it.”

DOVER — Budget talks took a step backward Tuesday, raising further questions about the likelihood of the budget being settled by the end of the week.

Republican lawmakers announced they are planning legislation that would fund the government through the month of July if the General Assembly is unable to come to a consensus on balancing the budget.

Senior GOP leadership also skipped a meeting with Gov. John Carney and Democratic lawmakers, leaving Democrats seething.

The news comes as June 30, the final day of the first leg of the 149th General Assembly, draws near and lawmakers remain without a budget deal.

Leaders of all four caucuses have been meeting for five months to balance the budget but have failed to reach an agreement thus far, raising questions about what happens procedurally if there is no budget come July 1.

The Republican announcement Tuesday means the state might be able to avoid a government shutdown, although budget officials, who have not seen the draft legislation, still are unsure as to how exactly the funding would work and Democrats said they have questions about the legality of the continuing resolution, throwing another wrench into the mix.

The proposal would fund the budget for July at “current rates of spending,” according to a news release,

The release caught Democrats unaware and left them scrambling to respond: Senate President Pro Tempore David McBride, D-Wilmington Manor, said he would talk when the bill is introduced and then several hours later issued a statement expressing “determination to get a fair, balanced budget deal done before the end of this legislative session.”

A spokesman for Gov. Carney in an email criticized the Republican announcement.

John Carney Jr.

“The Republican proposal to put off the difficult decisions we need to make is not the right move,” Jon Starkey said. “The governor proposed a long-term, balanced budget plan in March. It’s the General Assembly’s responsibility to pass a budget by June 30. The people of Delaware and the governor expect them to do that.”

House Speaker Peter Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, said lawmakers had a productive closed-door meeting Tuesday morning, but then things fell apart. Republicans said they would not produce votes on tax bills without prevailing wage reform, according to Rep. Schwartzkopf, which Democrats have steadfastly opposed.

Prevailing wage governs the rates paid to laborers on state-funded projects, and Republican lawmakers say several bills they have introduced would lower costs by 24 percent by halting prevailing wage.

Under the wage, an electrician on a state-funded construction job in Delaware earns $66.85 an hour, while the average hourly wage for an electrician nationwide is $27.24.

The two parties appear to be stuck waiting to see who blinks first.

“Republicans are fond of saying we kicked the can down the road,” Rep. Schwartzkopf said. “Well, we’re trying to fix it. We’re trying to fix it this year, we’re trying to take the hard votes to fix, we’re looking for partners in this thing. They’ve been pushing this off every month.”

The caucuses are working on a resolution that would create committees to examine Medicaid costs, school district consolidation and limiting spending. Republicans are not content with just studying the issues but want to ensure the reports produced by the committees are not simply set aside by Democrats.

“The precedent that’s living on in the perpetuity right now without some changes is a government that gets more expensive, less effective and efficient every year,” Sen. said Greg Lavelle (R-Sharpley).

“So, we’re trying to make those structural changes that we hear the governor and the other side want by putting teeth into some sort of agreement that forces us to come back and look at these issues next year. That’s the reality. If that has to take three extra days to figure it out, then that has to take three extra days to figure it out.”

Democrats have proposed closing a budget gap of about $390 million with an even mix of taxes and cuts, although some of those cuts would be shifted to local governmental units.

The Joint Finance Committee meeting for Tuesday was canceled about 90 minutes after it was supposed to begin, and the committee is set to meet today.

The clock is ticking.

SANDTOWN — A Monday night fire at a site that once housed a pickle packaging plant and later a recycling facility was intentionally set, investigators said Tuesday.

The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office released few details about the blaze first reported by a passing motorist just prior to 5 p.m.

Fire companies from Maryland, Kent and Sussex counties responded to 3051 Willow Grove Rd., and the fire was deemed under control at 9 p.m., authorities said.

Smoke from burning piles of recycling debris outside on the dormant Mike Davidson Enterprises property could be seen for several miles as the incident unfolded, according to multiple Facebook posts.

Most claims ranged from Magnolia (12 miles away) to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal (47 miles) north of Middletown on Del. 1, with an unconfirmed sighting from Waldorf, Maryland (89 miles) to the west from across the Chesapeake Bay as well.

Working Willow Grove Liquors and Food Mart on Monday night about five miles to the east, Pat Patel noticed a commotion outside as emergency vehicles sped past in both directions for up to three hours.

“It was nonstop trucks flying back and forth,” he said. “There were lights, sirens everything.”

Based on the thick, black plume of smoke he saw, Mr. Patel immediately sensed the enormity of the blaze.

“I thought ‘This is a big one,’ “ he said. “I’d never seen anything like it before.”

Eventually, a customer informed the storekeeper of the fire.

“This is almost always a very quiet area,” Mr. Patel said. “It was crazy last night, however.”

The site, which was also used as the San-Del pickle and pepper packaging plant, sits about five miles from the Delaware-Maryland state line in western Kent County.

Flames were also reported inside a commercial structure, which investigators described as a “large fire load.”

Citing an ongoing investigation, the Fire Marshal’s Office would not release further details on the origin of the blaze.

Two responding firefighters were treated for undisclosed medical conditions at Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital in Dover.

Damages were still being assessed on Tuesday afternoon, investigators said.

On Monday night and Tuesday morning the DNREC Emergency Response and Prevention Section was onsite to monitor the situation, officials said.

Two Little Creek Volunteer Fire Company trucks were seen leaving the property just before noon Tuesday.

The Fire Marshal’s Office asked anyone with information to call the Investigations Division at 739-4447, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, or through Crime Stoppers delaware.crimestoppersweb.com website or Mobile App.

Looking back

In a 2010 Delaware State News article, Mr. Davidson said the company the company took in 7,819 tons of construction and demolition materials the previous year.

The company opened as a wood recycling and bagging operation in May 2005.

According to the story, the company mulched and dyed wood and tree limbs received from customers, then sold the product. Steel and aluminum materials were recycled at scrap metal sites, and cardboard and plastic bottles were sorted and recycled.

“I’m no tree hugger,” Mr. Davidson said at the time, “but I don’t think that we should just be throwing all of this stuff out.”

In March 2014, the Delaware Department of Justice charged Mike Davidson Enterprises with being a chronic violator of the state’s environmental compliance orders and DNREC regulatory requirements.

The complaint sought $8.3 million in restitution to clean up more than 100,000 tons of materials on the site, DNREC said at the time.

According to DNREC, compliance alleged violations began in January 2010 – two months after the company received a resource recovery permit.

DNREC suspended the permit in May 2013, citing 22 alleged violations.

On Tuesday, Lincoln resident Karen Mayfield was headed to the area to visit her mother when she learned of the previous night’s fire.

She seemed incredulous that there was still material to burn there.

“It’s been shut down for years, so I don’t know why there’s anything left,” she said. “The state knew it was a problem and got what it wanted, but then didn’t follow up with cleaning it.

“It’s an eyesore and a hazard.”

DOVER — One man was killed and another seriously injured in a double shooting at a south Dover apartment complex Tuesday night, police said.

Dequan Dukes, 21, of Dover, was transported from the Pine Grove Apartments complex with at least one apparent wound to the upper body. He was pronounced dead at Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital a short time after the incident at 8:48 p.m., Dover Police said.

Mr. Dukes was found seated in a vehicle parked between the D and E buildings at 255 Webbs Lane. Investigators released limited details and did not disclose the make and model of the vehicle and in which seat Mr. Duke was located.

The wounded man — a 25-year-old Felton resident — was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle suffering from several gunshot wounds, police said. No further details of his injuries condition were released.

Any possible relationship between Mr. Dukes and the wounded man would not be disclosed “at this time” according to Dover Police spokesman Master Cpl. Mark Hoffman.

Police said Mr. Dukes’ next of kin was notified. He did not live in the apartment complex.

Authorities would not say whether witness interviews were conducted.

Police asked anyone with information to call 736-7111. Callers may remain anonymous. Tips can also be submitted to law enforcement through tip lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, or online at www.tipsubmit.com.

Other city shootings

Eight other shootings involving 12 victims (two fatals) within the city have been reported during the past four months, including:

• Darren Weiford, 21, was charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony after a 20-year-old Dover area woman was found dead at the First State Inn on June 1.

• Two 28-year-old men were shot in the Capitol Green neighborhood at 2:09 p.m. on May 24. One victim declined medical treatment on a hand wound and the other was transported to the hospital with an injury to his lower left leg. Both were initially described by police as being “minimally cooperative” as an investigation began.

• A 23-year-old man was shot in the foot during a drive-by shooting on May 19 in the 1400 block of S. Farmview Drive. He was driven to the hospital by a friend for medical treatment.

• Three men were injured during a reported home invasion on April 18 at the Towne Point Apartment Complex at 820 Carvel Drive. An exchanged of gunfire between a victim and multiple suspects was involved, police said.

• A 22-year-old man was shot in an alley between Sussex Avenue and Collins Drive on April 18. He was wounded in the arm, abdomen, and leg and later charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of firearm by person prohibited. Police said 65.1 grams of marijuana and a .22 caliber revolver were located in a vehicle during a K-9 search.

• On April 12, a 24-year-old man suffered minor injuries to his hands and face after a drive-by shooting incident in the Simon Circle Community Building area. The victim told police a passenger fired at him with a shotgun, and he returned fire with a legally owned handgun he was openly carrying.

• Two teenagers were hit by gunfire in Manchester Square on March 29. The victims – ages 16 and 17 – were standing in a parking lot when a passenger fired multiple rounds in their direction. The younger teen was grazed in the leg and refused treatment with parental approval and the other victim was admitted to the hospital with a non-life threatening wound to the knee.

• On February 28, a 25-year-old Dover man was shot to death at Towne Point Apartments at 820 Carvel Drive. The victim was located inside a parked vehicle in the back of the complex at approximately 7:40 p.m.