SMYRNA — Woodbridge High’s wrestling team would have liked a better ending.

But the Blue Raiders couldn’t complain about the journey.

Woodbridge made the DIAA Division II wrestling state finals for the first time only to fall to top-seeded Caravel, 57-7, in the championship match at Smyrna on Saturday evening.

The Buccaneers had been the favorite to capture the small-school state title after six-time defending champion Milford moved up to Division I this season.

Caravel (12-3) won its three state tourney matches by a combined 180-26. And the Bucs were confident enough to have state champion t-shirts made up that their wrestlers pulled on minutes after the match ended.

The state title was Caravel’s second but first since 2011. The Bucs lost in the finals a year ago.

But this was new territory for Woodbridge (13-6), which beat Laurel, 48-18, in the semifinals earlier in the day.

“This is a school that 12 years ago didn’t have a wrestling program,” said Raiders’ coach Shane Marvel. “They canceled it. But they brought it back. We made the state tournament, last year we made the semis and this year we made the finals so who know what’s next?

“They (Caravel) really don’t have any holes,” he said. “They’re tough top to bottom. I know Smyrna just won the Division I (title) but I think they could give Smyrna everything they could handle. It’s a good program.”

The Raiders did hold a 3-0 lead in the finals after Cole Gibbs (160 pounds) won a 7-2 decision to start the match. Woodbridge,
though, won just two more individual matches the rest of the way.

Hunter Young (195) registered a 16-8 major decision and Michael Hutchison (285) won a 9-2 decision before Caravel won the final eight bouts. The Raiders had three points deducted for a flagrant misconduct penalty.

Nicholas Hall (170) gave the Bucs the lead for good with a pin in 2:53. The sophomore is from Camden, wrestling for Caesar Rodney’s Fifer Middle School as a youngster.

“It was always our goal to win the state title,” said Hall. “It’s crazy. We just had to come out at a different level and show them who we are.

“I knew I had to get things started, even going up a weight class. If I wrestled how I always wrestle, I knew I’d come out on top. It was very exciting when I got the pin.”

Against Laurel, Taeshuan Ford-Jackson (195), Phoenix Dean (220), Hutchison (285) and Duane Cooke, Jr. (106) put together a run of four straight pins that left Woodbridge in control. Gavin Manning (132) and Brandon Williams (138) also won by fall for the Raiders.

Cody Drummond had a pin for the Bulldogs, who were trying to make the state finals for the third time.

“It was good to get in the finals,” said Marvel. “I’m a little disappointed we didn’t show up once we got there. But it’s another big step in the right direction for our program for sure.”

SMYRNA — Bryce Mullen is the first to admit, he was having a hard time catching his breath.

But with a state title on the line, Mullen was going to do all he could to push through.

Mullen earned a sudden victory in the first period of overtime to lift Smyrna High to a 36-34 win over Milford High to claim the Division I dual meet wrestling state championship on Saturday. Mullen won 4-2 after a takedown in the overtime period at 152 pounds to complete a late Smyrna comeback.

“I was getting a little gassed, not going to lie I was pretty tired,” Mullen said. “But I had the whole wrestling community behind me, which gave me another wind and I was ready to go after that.”

It is the second title in a row for the Eagles, who have won six of the last eight Division I championships. Smyrna has now won a combined 11 state dual titles across Division I and Division II since the tournament started in 1994.

Milford was the seven-time defending Division II champion and was competing in the Division I title round for the first time. The Buccaneers fell to Smyrna 45-25 in the regular season finale but nearly reversed the result on Saturday.

The Buccaneers were on top 34-27 with two matches left before Joey Natarcola recorded a pin for Smyrna at 145 pounds and Mullen won it for the Eagles at 152.

“My kids gave everything they had,” said Milford coach Don Parsley. “I couldn’t be more proud of the group. I think we’ve shown that we can be competitive at any level. Smyrna is a great team. Some things went our way in some respects. And honestly he could have called that near-fall at the end of regulation which would have given us the victory. We didn’t get the call and we get taken down in overtime to our demise. But it wasn’t for lack of effort.”

Smyrna finished the season unbeaten against Delaware opponents.

The top-seeded Eagles rolled through their regular season schedule. Their closest result against an instate team was a 10-point victory against Cape Henlopen.

But Smyrna had to work extra hard to take home the title once again. It won the final three matches against Sussex Central to rally for a 39-31 victory in the semifinals before the comeback against Milford in the finals.

“We could come out here and blow everyone out and walk away feeling good about it but it feels a lot better to overcome some adversity,” said Smyrna coach Aaron Harris. “Milford came out with everything they had and there was a lot of adversity. We dug down deep and overcame it.”

The biggest point of adversity for Smyrna came in the 138-pound contest.

Milford was already winning 28-27 when Smyrna’s Isaiah Jenkins suffered an ankle injury. Milford’s Tim O’Hara was winning by a point as Jenkins tried to continue but after he took his second injury timeout Harris decided the match should not go on.

It mean an injury default and six team points to Milford.

“When I see he’s hurt and he can’t continue, I don’t even hesitate to make that call,” Harris said. “Forget about the score. I just want to make sure my kids are safe. Sometimes your kids get extra motivated by something like that and I think our next two guys were.”

Natarcola quickly pulled momentum back to Smyrna with a pin in 2:57.

Mullen’s bout against Dom Feightner was scoreless until a Mullen reversal earned him a 2-0 lead in the second period. Feightner picked up two points thanks to a reversal of his own with less than 15 seconds left in the contest to tie.

The break in between the third period and overtime allowed Mullen to reset himself.

“I wasn’t expecting him to get the reversal so I was a bit discombobulated,” Mullen said. “But after that break, I was able to collect myself and get calm.”

J.T. Davis added a pin at 182 for the Eagles while Amir Pierce recorded a tech-fall at 132 pounds and Drew Mayhall had a major-decision in the opener at 160. Smyrna also won by forfeit at 220 with Hugo Harp and another at 106 with Gabe Giampietro.

Milford was led by an Anthony Diaz tech-fall in the 285-pound match plus major-decisions from Gage Copes (170) and Jack Thode (120) plus a decision by Bevensky Augustine (195). Corey Messick claimed a full six points for Milford at 113 after Smyrna was disqualified for stalling.

“As things unfolded it just kept going back and forth,” Parsley said. “This match had everything. It had three forfeits, a disqualification for stalling and an injury default. Then a sudden victory in the final match of the night to bring home the victory.

At the end of the day, it was a great high school match. You don’t like to lose them but I can wrestle a 100 matches like that no matter what the result.”

And to top it all off, Harris was celebrating his birthday and the Eagle crowd was able to serenade its coach with a rendition of “Happy Birthday” as he collected the championship trophy.

“All I asked for my birthday was for them to get me another state title,” Harris said. “It feels good. It will feel better when we graduate a bunch of seniors and I’ll have the new guys next year to coach up and hopefully next year we’ll be right back in this position.”

SEAFORD — Work has begun on first-phase construction and a groundbreaking is set for the Sussex Montessori School, a free public charter school structured on collaborative and personalized learning experiences.

The ceremony is set for Thursday, Feb. 27 at the school location on Dairy Lane off Stein Highway in west Seaford. Gov. John Carney is expected to attend.

The exact time for the groundbreaking is not yet finalized, according to Sussex Montessori spokeswoman Kaneisha Trott.

Sussex Montessori School is scheduled to open in fall 2020, initially serving grade K-3 students.

Bancroft Construction, with office headquarters in Wilmington and Princeton, New Jersey, is teaming with Sussex Montessori School on the new school project.

“Bancroft is very excited to be part of the Sussex Montessori team,” said Bancroft Project Executive Rob Jadick. “We are excited for the city of Seaford and for the entire Sussex County area, but most of all for the children who will be entering this historic first class of students this fall.”

“We are very excited about building a beautiful, inviting campus for our families, and we want all Delaware families to know that they are welcomed here, and we are committed to helping our children become great leaders in our community.” said Lisa Coldiron, Sussex Montessori’s Head of School.

The new school will be constructed on the former Wheaton property on Dairy Lane. It will be open to any Delaware resident, per state charter school mandate.

Slated for completion by June 2020, phase one construction will include 10 new classrooms configured into two separate buildings along with support areas. It will include installation of new water and sewer services to the property and an upgrade of electrical service and establishment of service.

Renovations to the property include re-purposing the farmhouse to provide a nurses’ area as well as a renovation of the apartment structure to provide space for food distribution and toilet facilities.

Other members of the design team include Montchanin Design Group and Baker Ingram & Associates.

Last November, U.S. Sen. Tom Carper along with the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development announced a $7.6 million USDA Rural Development long-term loan to the future Montessori School.

PNC Bank will provide short-term financing.

Sussex Montessori School is a project of Montessori Works, DE whose mission is to expand accessible Montessori Education in Delaware.
Bancroft Construction Company is a full-service construction management, general contracting, design-build, preconstruction, virtual design and program management firm serving the Mid-Atlantic region. For more information, visit www.bancroftconstruction.com.

DOVER — A 25-year-old Felton man was charged with first-degree murder Friday following a year plus investigation into a January 2019 shooting death, authorities said.

Warrants were issued for Cahlil N. Simmons, who was taken into custody without incident in the unit block of Farmhouse Trail, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Rich Bratz said. The U.S. Marshals First State Taskforce made the apprehension.

At Troop 3 in Camden, Mr. Simmons was also charged with first-degree attempted robbery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and first-degree conspiracy. Following arraignment before Justice of the Peace Court 2 in Rehoboth Beach, he was held at Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington in default of $550,000 cash bond, police said.

Police said investigation continues and asked anyone with information to contact Homicide Unit Detective Daniel Grassi at 365-8441. Information may also be provided to Delaware Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-TIP-3333 or online at www.delawarecrimestoppersweb.com.

Police said Jesse Stanford, 30, of Cambridge, Maryland, was shot during a home invasion in the 200 block of Kentwood Drive on Jan. 5, 2019. Troopers were dispatched to the scene in the Kentwood Mobile Home Park at approximately 5:57 p.m. and found Mr. Stanford with a gunshot wound to his upper body, police said.

Investigation determined that two unknown suspects entered the residence and fled after the shooting, police said. Two other adults in the residence at the time were not injured, police said.

Police said no property was taken.

Mr. Sanford was transported to an area hospital in serious condition, police said at the time.

DOVER — The Harrington city manager who says he was unfairly fired over accusations of abusing the privileges granted by his job will get a public hearing Tuesday.

At issue are allegations made in the fall by a former city planner. Jeremy Rothwell, who worked for the city from December 2016 through June 2019, in October formally presented claims to City Council that Mayor Anthony Moyer misused his authority for personal gain, including having the city pay personal expenses, while Manager Don Williams took advantage of a flex time privilege and turned a blind eye to Mr. Moyer’s actions.

Council members two weeks ago voted to release the conclusions of an investigation by the state’s Public Integrity Commission into the issue.

“It is more likely than not that Mr. Moyer and Mr. Williams both engaged in conduct that would constitute violations of the State Code of Conduct,” the findings state.

“However, Mr. Williams is no longer working for the city and the city may pursue civil remedies to recoup any monies owed. The issue with Mr. Moyer is more complicated because he holds an elected office. The PIC cannot remove an elected official, even if the allegations are substantiated after notice and a formal hearing.”

Mr. Williams was placed on paid leave in October and fired in January, although City Council has characterized his status as being on an unpaid suspension until the hearing. Mr. Moyer voluntarily stepped away from city duties after the accusations were made but returned to his role in December.

In Mr. Williams’ absence, Police Chief Norm Barlow has served as acting city manager.

Both Mr. Williams and Mr. Moyer have disputed the allegations, and Mr. Williams’ attorney said earlier this month Tuesday’s meeting is a chance for his client to clear his name.

The portion of the Public Integrity Commission that was released includes 13 bullet points laying out the specific issues the commission found to be “more likely than not.”

The claims concerning Mr. Moyer are that he “regularly exceeded the authority granted to him by city charter,” used his position to block a stop-work order on a commercial property he owned, tried to have his driveway and the commercial property’s sewer line replaced, entered into a $3,500 contract with a friend without informing City Council and billed Harrington for a personal E-ZPass violation.

Mr. Williams, the findings say, “exhibited a conflict of interest as to Mr. Moyer that affected his ability to independently exercise his official judgment,” took “excessive” time off without reporting vacation time and should pay back the city for accommodations at a recent trip to Nashville, Tennessee.

The other bullet points state the city might have been billed twice for work on the gas lines at its Public Works Building, at least one city employee has leaked confidential information to Mr. Moyer, Harrington may want to be more stringent in who it contracts with and city employees are not aware of the proper division of power between City Council and the mayor.

The statements from the report are in line with most of Mr. Rothwell’s allegations, claims made based off his experiences while employed by the city and by documents and video obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests.

Other side of the story

Mr. Williams and Mr. Moyer, for their part, believe they have been treated unfairly, with people adopting a presumption of guilt rather than waiting to hear all the facts.

“It is my feeling that both the city and PIC only focused on one side of the story and never once attempted to gather information or ask questions of the city manager or myself,” Mr. Moyer wrote in a recent response to the conclusions. “This whole process has been tried in the papers, not only hard on us but family as well there has to be a better way. Unbelievable!”

Chris Johnson, a lawyer representing Mr. Williams, said his client was fired in violation of the city’s charter, which requires the city manager be given a written explanation and a public hearing before removal. The charter does allow for the officeholder to be suspended before that hearing occurs, but Mr. Johnson said Mr. Williams was informed last month he was terminated with no reason given.

According to Mr. Johnson, the Public Integrity Commission also failed to keep Mr. Williams informed, never approaching the former manager for his explanation. Mr. Williams’ termination, the attorney alleged, stems from an incident with Mr. Rothwell, though he declined to go into detail about the occurrence.

Mr. Rothwell accused Mr. Williams of regularly leaving work early or arriving late, which he termed criminal fraud.

“Since my office window and desk directly faced the rear employee entrance to City Hall, I can testify to having witnessed the city manager consistently coming into work hours late and/or leaving work hours early on a regular basis,” he wrote in a letter to City Council. “From June 20th to September 13th he claimed to have worked 474 hours, but actually worked only 375 hours.

“This discrepancy of 99 hours at $31.97 per hour (based on his initial contract salary of $66,500 per year) amounts to $3,165.14 in fraudulently claimed wages in only a three-month period, and I can testify under oath to having witnessed the same behavior throughout his entire tenure as city manager. Under Delaware law, theft of anything greater than $1,500 is classified as a felony.”

At a City Council meeting, Mr. Rothwell said the city manager’s calendar and time sheets indicate he took 58 personal appointments and seven days off between his hiring in February 2017 and June 2019 but did not use any personal or sick time.

The ex-city planner also cited a fall conference in Nashville attended by Mr. Williams. While the event lasted from Oct. 20 to Oct. 23, Mr. Williams stayed for seven days, bringing his family with him. He charged their travel costs to the city, ultimately reimbursing it after Mr. Rothwell presented the allegations to City Council, according to the documents shared by Mr. Rothwell.

Mr. Johnson admitted Mr. Williams mixed business with pleasure on the Nashville trip and was willing to pay back the total, which came to around $900, but never received a bill from the city. He disputed, however, the allegation involving abuse of flex and vacation time policies, saying his client simply did not get sick and was able to do his job even if it meant working some irregular hours at times.

Mr. Williams was hired as city manager in February 2017 after nine years with Milford in code enforcement and building inspection. He received a five-year agreement worth $66,500 in the first year, with pay raises of at least 3 percent in subsequent years, according to a copy of that contract provided by Mr. Rothwell.

Though Mr. Rothwell accused Mr. Williams of acting subservient to the mayor, his contract states he answers to the council.

According to Mr. Johnson, City Council never requested Mr. Williams report solely to it.

Mr. Rothwell was fired from the city last year, which he says was improper and stemmed partially from a personal vendetta by the manager and mayor. He has since filed a lawsuit against Harrington.

According to Mr. Rothwell, Mr. Moyer rented out space in a building he owns without the proper permits and failed to meet city standards for upkeep. In August 2017, he allegedly allowed a potential business owner to set up in his property at 40 Commerce St. despite failing to first obtain permits for renovations and change the zoning from residential to commercial.

Mr. Rothwell said he confronted Mr. Williams about the lack of certification, only to be told the mayor claimed Mr. Rothwell informed him permits were not required. Mr. Moyer continued to assert this even after Mr. Rothwell produced documents contradicting his statement, according to Mr. Rothwell.

Mr. Moyer then allegedly pressured the city building inspector into withholding a stop work order.

In his letter, Mr. Moyer said Mr. Rothwell told him he did not need a permit and painted his visit to the city’s building division as the actions of “an upset landlord” rather than the mayor seeking to assert his authority.

Another issue involving the building at 40 Commerce St. later arose due to unpenalized violations of the International Property Maintenance Code, such as chipped paint and peeling siding, Mr. Rothwell wrote in a letter presented to City Council in October. In early 2018, according to Mr. Rothwell, Mr. Moyer missed four mandatory property visits by the code enforcement officer — two more than needed for the city to issue a fine.

After the code enforcement officer informed Mr. Williams, he was instructed not to penalize Mr. Moyer, Mr. Rothwell’s narrative states. An inspection was eventually held on a Saturday — the only one to take place on a weekend — more than a month after the other rental units in the city had been examined.

In 2018, according to the letter, Mr. Moyer used a trailer owned by Harrington Parks and Recreation for personal use, driving it to New York. In the process, he received an E-ZPass toll fine from New Jersey for $55.70, which he billed to the city.

City documents indicate Harrington did indeed pay $55.70 in April 2018 to the collection agency New Jersey uses to issue fines for E-ZPass violations. The Public Integrity Commission’s conclusions say Mr. Moyer did not recompensate the city until than more than a year had elapsed.

Mr. Moyer admitted he initially forgot to pay the toll but said he thought he had taken care of the issue with New Jersey’s E-ZPass vendor a long time ago.

He also pushed back against the report’s claims he misused his authority to have a driveway and sewer line repaired, entered into an improper contract and generally overstepped his authority.

The contract with a friend came from his work in the HVAC field, Mr. Moyer wrote. Because of his duties in that area, he knows many contractors and sometimes has access to equipment, such as a commercial heater he offered to the city for no cost, he said.

That heater, which cost $6,000, was installed by a local contractor Mr. Moyer introduced to the city’s director of public works, the mayor wrote, describing the signing of a contract as one of the powers granted to him by the city charter.

Harrington’s founding document says City Council has the ability to enter into contracts, which must be signed by the mayor.

The claim the city was billed twice for gas is accurate but only because of a quirk of how the gas lines are set up, Mr. Moyer said.

It’s unclear whether City Council plans to push for any punishment for the mayor, who in his letter both shot down the argument he overreached and lamented the commission’s process.

“Although I respect the Public Integrity Commission (PIC), I feel the system is not fair to those accused of doing wrong in that there is no redress to the individuals making the accusations (the right to confront your accusers) I also feel there are statements made in the conclusion where the PIC committee was either not provided a fully copy of the charter for the city or due to bias chose to not investigate the full reading of the charter before making incorrect conclusions,” Mr. Moyer wrote.

DOVER — He arrives from an ethnically diverse community, with at least 50 different languages spoken and residents representing 65 countries, Upper Darby Township Police Department Superintendent Timothy M. Bernhardt says.

New Dover Police Chief Thomas A. Johnson Jr. started as an Upper Darby patrol officer in May 1996, then ascended into an array of positions protecting and serving a Pennsylvania town of about 83,000 residents. He’s a cross-trained firefighter and paramedic, too, committed to coordinating first responder efforts at every opportunity.

All that’s no small task.

During the Monday through Friday work week, thousands of transients pass through the area commuting to and from Philadelphia by using public transportation station stops for trains, trolleys and buses. Center City is less than 10 miles away.

Town limits abut West Philadelphia, stretch to within about seven miles of the airport next to Interstate 95 and roughly 10 miles from where the Eagles, Flyers, Phillies and 76ers play in the South Broad Street area.

Pennsylvania’s sixth largest municipality has seen three homicides — two shootings and a vehicular incident — in 2020, all bringing arrests, Supt. Bernhardt said. The department cleared 75 percent of its homicide cases in 2018, which he said was more than 10 percent above the national average.

“We don’t have an inner part of the city or poverty stricken area,” Supt. Bernhardt said. “Residential areas are made up of single family homes, townhomes and rowhomes.

“There’s no dilapidated or boarded up homes, no housing projects, there’s a small percentage of lower income housing….”

Dover has been troubled by a spate of shootings since late December 2019, along with ongoing nuisance crimes downtown. Incoming Chief Johnson is equipped to utilize staff in a way to quell the violence, his former boss said.

“Like anything else in life it’s an adjustment and Tommy has the background to deal with the violent crimes,” Supt. Bernhardt said. “He’s a seasoned veteran, and he’s (worked plenty of serious cases that happen everywhere.)”

Upper Darby PD enlists 133 sworn officers who handle more than 60,000 service calls annually, assisted by 23-non-sworn officers covering a municipality of 7.62 square miles. Supt. Bernhardt said the department’s annual budget is more than $31 million.

Chief Johnson was a captain overseeing the Upper Darby department when chosen from a field of more than 20 applicants nationwide to lead the Delaware capital’s police force. He’s the second ever chief hire from outside Dover PD in 95 years, the first coming in 1949 with the addition of James E. Turner (who then served over 18 years) from Delaware State Police.

On Thursday, a noticeable contingent of family, friends and former co-workers made the roughly 75-mile trip south to support Chief Johnson’s 15-minute swearing-in ceremony inside a packed Public Assembly Room at the Dover Police Department. He thanks his mother Ruth first, then wife Janice and children Tom III and Carly.

Chief Johnson was a captain overseeing Upper Darby’s detective unit when he retired and left for Dover.

“He’s a great guy, great employee, supervisor, trainer, you name it,” Supt. Bernhardt said at mid-week. “Morally and ethically you’ll never find a better officer than Tommy.

“He’s been looking for this opportunity for some time. Delaware is definitely fortunate to get him, he’s an ace hire.”

‘Up the ladder’

East Lansdowne Fire Company President Jim Carr met Chief Johnson 35 years ago and watched him “work his way up the ladder, ultimately to the top position as chief.”

Transitioning from regular fire responses, Chief Johnson served on the company’s Board of Directors for at least 10 years, handling many administrative duties.

Back in the day, Chief Johnson responded to alarms at the front of the crew.

“He was an aggressive firefighter who wasn’t one to hesitate about going in,” Mr. Carr said. “He immediately knew where to go and exactly what to do, he got his hands dirty.

“He was the epitome of cool, calm and collected during serious, sometimes chaotic situations.”

While the company’s membership has dwindled to around 20 currently active members, Mr. Johnson likely slowed the manpower drain while keeping operations going. Newcomers to the area often arrived to the borough from communities with paid fire departments, and didn’t have a mindset to volunteer.

“He’s the guy who always had creative ways to boost morale, increase membership, get the community more involved,” Mr. Carr said.
Every organization has internal spats at times, and Chief Johnson diffused any continuing animosity.

“When there were little disagreements among factions in the department, he was the peacekeeper,” Mr. Carr said.

With Chief Johnson spearheading the process, East Lansdowne was one of the companies to receive a SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response) grant to have full-time firefighters at the station to aid rapid response.

“Those grants are not easy to get and we just recently completed our second one,” Mr. Carr said.

Ever the first responder, Chief Johnson was the driving force in the fire company’s partnership with the Crozer-Keystone Health Services to create round the clock ambulance coverage, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“He’s very intelligent and well rounded, he knows everything about police, fire and EMS work,” Mr. Carr said. “He knows all the emergency services and how they run inside and out.”

Curbing drunk drivers

Twice, Chief Johnson earned top DUI enforcement recognition by the Delaware County Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Victim Service Specialist Debbie D’Addona worked with him the past two years in a mutual assist type relationship.

MADD joined police during DUI task force and checkpoint efforts that Chief Johnson headed up, providing past victims to share their stories beforehand, providing refreshments for staff and more.

“Those were huge events that sometimes included media, drones, a whole lot of attention,” Ms. D’Addona said. “He coordinated them and it was very meaningful to us. Afterward he would always provide us data and information from the night that we could use as well.”

Safety for everyone involved was a top priority at the checkpoints, and Ms. D’Addona said he “instructed officers beforehand that they should act in a compassionate and respectful manner with everyone they come in contact with.”

Cooperation wasn’t limited to just the roadway.

“He was extremely professional and always made an effort to understand what other activities MADD was involved with and how he could assist in promoting them,” Ms. D’Addona said.

Patricia Sterling of Wyoming took this photo called “Blue Skies” at Bombay Hook on Jan. 24.

DOVER — The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) announced Saturday that the second of two pending test results for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has come back negative.

The individual, a New Castle County resident, is no longer hospitalized and is continuing to recover from their underlying illness at home. DPH will not be providing any additional information about the individual. Three Delawareans have been tested for COVID-19 and all three results have been negative. There are no other persons under investigation in Delaware at this time, say DPH officials.

In addition, DPH continues to monitor 27 asymptomatic travelers (travelers who are not sick with fever/cough/shortness of breath) arriving in the U.S. from mainland China after Feb. 3. The CDC recommended that such travelers be monitored for 14 days after their return.

During the 14 days after their return from China, these persons are being asked to remain at home while self-monitoring for symptoms. If any of these persons shows symptoms of fever, cough and/or shortness of breath, they should call DPH right away to determine next steps, which may include transport to a local hospital for evaluation, isolation and testing.

DPH is emphasizing that these individuals are not sick, and exhibit no symptoms consistent with coronavirus. Individuals being monitored for symptoms are not considered Patients Under Investigation (PUI), which are those individuals who meet criteria for testing based on symptoms and travel history. DPH began reporting the number of returning travelers being monitored, as well as PUIs, on its website https://dhss.delaware.gov/dph on Monday, Feb. 10. Numbers will be updated every Tuesday and Friday afterward.

Individuals who traveled from China prior to Feb. 3, 2020, are asked to self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days after their return. If they become ill within 14 days of their return, they should avoid contact with others, and call ahead to their health care provider to discuss their recent travel, symptoms, and next steps.

The health care provider should in turn contact DPH to coordinate next steps. Individuals who returned from China prior to Feb. 3, 2020, do not need to be excluded from school or work. DPH continues to encourage employers and administrators to review their own health policies to make decisions regarding exclusion from work/school for these individuals.

Both CDC and DPH continue to state that the risk of COVID-19 spreading to the general public remains low. While the number of cases are increasing in the U.S., there is no spread of the virus in the community. Risk is based on exposure. Only those individuals with recent travel to China or who have had contact with someone who has had recent travel and is ill, have an increased risk of becoming ill.

For persons without an associated travel risk, it should be assumed that most respiratory illnesses are not COVID-19. As of Feb. 3, all persons returning from Hubei Province in China, as well as symptomatic persons returning from mainland China, will be quarantined for 14 days near a United States airport of entry, per federal orders.

DPH officials are also emphasizing that Asian American/Pacific Islander individuals are at no higher risk of carrying COVID-19 than any other individual. DPH urges people not to make assumptions that someone might be ill or could become ill based on their accent, background or skin color.

I was excited to read that Mountaire is trying to focus on animal health by becoming One Health Certified. However, after researching what that actually means for chickens, it is clear that it is not meaningful animal welfare progress.

If Mountaire really wants to prioritize the health of its animals, they should adopt the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC). Every major animal protection organization in the U.S. agrees that this set of standards best addresses the welfare concerns of chickens. Unlike with the BCC, One Health allows for the use of chickens that have been bred to grow so fast that their bodies cannot support themselves, leading to pain, the inability to wal, and diseases.

More than 170 American companies have adopted the BCC, including Subway, Popeye’s, and Burger King. And major producers like Perdue have committed to supplying chicken that meets BCC standards. Since the One Health certification does not meet these standards, Mountaire won’t be able to supply chicken to hundreds of companies.

It seems to me that not only is the BCC the right thing to do for the health of the chickens, it is the right thing to do for the health of the business.

Wynne Hewitt
Wilmington

RENO, Nev. — With the Nevada caucuses less than a week away, Democratic presidential candidates campaigning Sunday were fixated on a rival who wasn’t contesting the state.

Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden and Amy Klobuchar all targeted billionaire Mike Bloomberg, accusing him of buying his way into the election and making clear they were eager to take him on in a debate.

“He thinks he can buy this election,” Sanders said of the former New York mayor at a rally in Reno. “Well, I’ve got news for Mr. Bloomberg — the American people are sick and tired of billionaires buying elections!”

Their attacks are a sign of how seriously the field is starting to take Bloomberg as he gains traction in the race and is on the cusp of qualifying for Wednesday’s Democratic debate in Las Vegas. Bloomberg has bypassed the traditional early voting states including Nevada, focusing instead on the 14 states that vote in the Super Tuesday primary on March 3. He has spent more than $417 million of his own multibillion-dollar fortune on advertising nationwide, an unprecedented sum for any candidate in a primary.

The focus on Bloomberg comes amid anxiety among many establishment-aligned Democrats over the early strength of Sanders, who won last week’s New Hampshire primary and essentially tied for first place in Iowa with Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana. Sanders is hoping to notch a victory in Nevada on Saturday as moderates struggle to unite behind a candidate who could serve as a counter to the Vermont senator, who has long identified as a democratic socialist.

The hundreds of millions of dollars that Bloomberg has pumped into the Super Tuesday states has only heightened the sense of uncertainty surrounding the Democratic race.

Klobuchar, speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” accused Bloomberg of avoiding scrutiny by blanketing the airwaves and sidestepping debates or tough televised interviews.

“I think he cannot hide behind the airwaves and the money,” she said. “I think he has to come on the shows. And I personally think he should be on the debate stage.”

Klobuchar said she’s raised $12 million since her better-than-expected finish in third place in New Hampshire. She’s maintained her campaign through a series of strong debate performances and argued that Bloomberg being on stage with his rivals would level the playing field.

“I’m never going to beat him on the airwaves, but I can beat him on the debate stage,” she said.

Biden, speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” suggested that Bloomberg will face increased scrutiny as the race continues, pointing to his record on race.

“$60 billion can buy you a lot of advertising, but it can’t erase your record,” he said.

Biden knocked Bloomberg’s past support of stop-and-frisk policing policies and his comments suggesting cracking down on racist mortgage lending practices contributed to the financial crisis, as well as his 2008 refusal to endorse Barack Obama for president. Bloomberg has been airing ads that tie him closely to Obama on issues like gun control and climate change.

At Sanders’ rally, the crowd cheered as the Vermont senator joked that Bloomberg is “struggling, he’s down to his last $60 billion” and derided him for skipping the early primary states. But Sanders then broadened his attacks to encompass Biden and Buttigieg, who have been raising millions from high-dollar events.

“It is not just Donald Trump. It is not just Mike Bloomberg,” he said. “We’ve got candidates who are running for the Democratic nomination, Pete Buttigieg, Joe Biden — nice guys, I don’t mean to criticize them. But they are reaching out, both of them have received campaign contributions from more than 40 billionaires.”

LAS VEGAS — Joe Biden, standing on a Las Vegas stage roughly 1,000 feet from the scene of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, took on White House rival Bernie Sanders for his past vote to exempt gun manufacturers from liability for shootings.

The former vice president devoted the majority of his Saturday night speech at a Democratic gala on the Las Vegas Strip to deliver a fiery charge against the National Rifle Association and gun manufacturers, vowing to hold gun makers accountable if elected president.

“When I’m the president, we’ll take them on, remove the immunity and allow those parents who are trying now to sue for the pain and mayhem they have caused,” Biden said on stage at the Tropicana casino-resort. The resort sits adjacent to the grounds where a gunman in 2017 unleashed a torrent of gunfire on a country music festival—an incident that only Biden referred to Saturday night.

Biden, after decrying “carnage in our streets” and the anguish of families whose loved ones were killed in gun violence, said he “will not rest until they’re able to sue the gun manufacturers and get a ban on assault weapons.”

Biden didn’t cite Sanders by name when referring to a 2005 federal law that shields gun makers from liability in most crimes, but said, “some of the people running for office voted for that exemption.”

“Ladies and gentlemen that immunity was granted. Granted. And it was a horrible, horrible decision,” he said.

Sanders has since changed his position, co-sponsoring legislation to repeal the protections for gun manufacturers. He’s also called in his campaign this year for sweeping gun control measures.

Biden’s speech came after a frenzied Saturday of campaigning across Las Vegas on the first day of early voting in Nevada’s Democratic caucuses. Biden, counting on Nevada’s diverse population to keep his campaign alive after disappointing finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire, faces his biggest challenge in the Western state from Sanders. T he progressive icon is seen as the most well-positioned in the state and has reached deep into Latino neighborhoods.

After holding forth on gun violence, Biden lasered in on health care, a sticking point for Sanders with Nevada’s most politically powerful labor group, the casino workers’ Culinary Union. Again without naming Sanders, Biden repeated a recent argument from the powerful Culinary Union that a single-payer “Medicare for All” system would eliminate union members’ health coverage won through collective bargaining. Biden touted his idea to add a “public option” to existing health insurance markets.

And, he added, “I can actually get my plan passed.”

Sanders, who was the first candidate to take the stage Saturday night, laced into billionaire candidate Mike Bloomberg, rattling off a list of heresies against the Democratic Party he accused the former New York mayor of committing. Bloomberg implemented “racist policies like stop and frisk” in New York, opposed the minimum wage and higher taxes on the wealthy during the Obama administration, Sanders said.

“The simple truth is that Mayor Bloomberg, with all his money, will not create the kind of excitement and energy we need to have the voter turnout we must have to defeat Donald Trump,” Sanders said.

It was a rare attack by name from Sanders. Bloomberg is skipping the Nevada caucuses and was not at the Clark County Democratic Party dinner where Sanders, Biden and other 2020 contenders spoke.

While the state’s formal presidential caucuses are still a week away, Democrats opened the first of four days of early voting across more than 80 locations. State party officials at some sites across Nevada were overwhelmed by long lines.

A spokeswoman for the Nevada Democrats, Molly Forgey, downplayed concerns related to the large early turnout as the political world anxiously watched from afar less than two weeks after Iowa’s presidential caucuses turned disastrous. Forgey said Nevada Democratic Party staff and volunteers were working to make every site as efficient as possible.

Early votes cast on paper ballots will be added to in-person caucus votes made on Feb. 22, when Democrats will attend about 2,000 precinct meetings around the state. The Nevada State Democratic Party abandoned its plans to use an app like the one that caused trouble in Iowa and has scrambled to come up with a new system to tabulate results.

Former Sen. Harry Reid, an icon in Nevada’s Democratic politics, told reporters that “people should not be counting Joe Biden out of the race yet,” but also offered warm words for Sanders’ candidacy. When asked he downplayed concerns from some Democrats that Sanders might hurt other candidates should he become the nominee.

Elizabeth Warren, reeling after a weak performance last week in New Hampshire, t ook the stage Saturday night with a raggedy voice, having lost it after a day barnstorming the city. Warren talked about Reid tapping her over a decade ago to oversee the bank bailout after the mortgage crisis, which hit Nevada particularly hard.

“When I saw the crash and saw how many millions of people lost their homes and lost their savings and lost their jobs, I was determined that this would never happen again.”

Earlier Saturday, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar began to introduce herself to the state’s voters, addressing an African American festival in a Las Vegas park. She praised the state’s voting protections and Democratic legislative majority while pitching her appeal to pivotal Midwestern voters.

“In the middle of the country where I’m from I want a little more Nevada there,” Klobuchar said. “My plan is to build a great blue wall around those states and make Donald Trump pay for it.”

Former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Peter Buttigieg, who is looking to show he can win support from voters of color after strong finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire pitched his brand of moderation to the Latin Chamber of Commerce in Las Vegas, noting his tax plans would touch top earners “but it’s not unreasonable.”

“We don’t have to go back to the tax levels of the 1960s to deliver on our promises. At least not my promises,” Buttigieg said, noting the massive expense of Sanders’ health care plans. “I’m not interested in creating a tax just because…”

Campaigning in a state with a large immigrant population, Buttigieg also drew on his own background as the son of an immigrant from the tiny Mediterranean island nation of Malta.

His father, Buttigieg said, was “drawn to America and chose to become an American as an immigrant, but also was always wanting America to be closer to its ideals.”

Billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer, who like Biden is banking on a most diverse pool of voters in Nevada and later South Carolina to lift his campaign, pledged Saturday night to take on President take on corporations, fight for a living wage and “will kick Donald Trump’s ass on the debate stage.”

DOVER — Residents who pay to use the city of Dover water/wastewater utilities have been enjoying some of the lowest fees in the state over the past decade, according to City Manager Donna Mitchell.

However, in trying to keep up with aging infrastructure and other cost increases, Mrs. Mitchell recommended to members of the Utility Committee at the Council Committee of the Whole meeting at City Hall on Tuesday night that city council agree to a plan that will raise water/wastewater rates in the city over the next four years.

It would be the first water utility rate increase in Dover in 10 years.

Mrs. Mitchell has proposed that the city double the monthly fee it charges people to use the water utility from $2.50 and gradually increase its rate for how it charges its customers.

She said that an average residence in Dover currently uses 3,000 of gallons of water per month and has an average monthly bill of $12 for water and $23 for sewer.

Under her proposed plan, the average homeowner in 2021 would pay more than $50 higher than what they are currently paying and, by 2024, the average homeowner would be paying more than $100 above their current bill per year.

“Our current rates were at the very bottom (among cities and towns in Delaware) and our recommended rate brings us up a little bit higher and we are pretty close to Newark with that rate,” Mrs. Mitchell said.

The rise in water/wastewater rates will be spread out over the next four years if they eventually get approved by Dover’s city council and are implemented.

“The water rate increases, based on the water study, were seven percent, seven percent, six percent and two percent over the next four years, starting in Fiscal (Year) ’21,” said Mrs. Mitchell. “We also talked about tiered rate for water consumption … The more water usage, the higher you pay for your water usage.

“The wastewater is the same, we had a seven percent, seven percent, six percent and two percent (increase over the next four years) and all the monthly flat charge the first year goes up from $2.50 to $5.”

Customers of Tidewater Utilities and Artesian Water are currently paying the most expensive rates in the state, with Tidewater’s average customer paying $41 per month for water and $107 for sewer. Artesian consumers are paying an average $35 each month for water and $85 for sewer.

Mrs. Mitchell said Dover’s water/wastewater rates are expected to eventually fall in line with Newark, whose customers pay an average of $21 a month for water and $24 for sewer.

Dover City Councilman David Anderson asked Mrs. Mitchell if the proposed higher rates were in response to the rash of water main breaks the city has experienced over the past couple of months.

“Just for the record, part of the reason for adjusting these rates and for making them more in line with market rates, is to provide sufficient money for infrastructure and the upkeep of our infrastructure. Is that correct?,” he said.

Mrs. Mitchell responded, “Yes. The operations/maintenance cost increases as well as to do more for the infrastructure.”

Dover City Councilman Tim Slavin said the rate increase is something the city will need to do due just to some unique circumstances that it faces.

“We’ll be getting now to see what we’ve planned for over the past five years, which is the balance of the way we fund the city is tipping toward usage and utilities rather than property tax rates,” he said, “and that’s a response to the large amount of tax-exempt property we carry in the city that uses services but pay no taxes.”

Now that this sham of an inquisition is over and our president, Donald J. Trump, has been acquitted of all charges, I hope that the so-called representatives will get back to the job they were sent to Washington for — to serve the American people and not their own selves.

How about giving our president credit for a booming economy (more money in 401Ks then ever before), lowest unemployment across the board for blacks, Latinos and, yes, whites then the previous administration. Our military is stronger and our country once again is respected around the world.

Our president did not bow to the king of Egypt, Syria or the Sudan as in the past. He stood strong and defended our country in the face of adversity.

The Dems on the Hill planned this impeachment before November 2016 when they found that Mr. Trump was the nominee.

The Republicans and Conservatives didn’t try to impeach President Obama for running guns to the cartel (which came back to kill border patrol agents) or having the IRS scandal take place or even when he talked with Russia’s president Putin and said that he could do more for him once the election is over.

Then we find that, through Hillary, 20 percent of our uranium was sold to Russia. There was a quid pro quo that the whole thing was based on the Clinton Foundation would receive a bundle of cash after all was said and done. And then there was Joe who took his son on Air Force 2 to the Ukraine for a business dealing that amounted to millions of dollars. But, that’s another story.

John Gondeck
Denton, Md.

The Wesley College softball team opened the season with a 9-0, 5-2 sweep of Keystone in a nonconference doubleheader on Sunday.

The Wolverines started off with three runs in the first inning of the first game, including two on a triple from Brandi Dalious (Polytech). Wesley added five runs in the second.

Winning pitcher Dori Loukopoulos allowed just one hit in four innings with five strikeouts.

In the nightcap, Dalious again gave the Wolverines the lead for good with a three-run homer in the first.

Winning pitcher Jessica Anderson (Smyrna) went the distance, throwing a six-hitter while striking out 13.

Delaware 5, Cleveland State 3: Brittney Mendoza and Halle Kisamore each belted home runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Blue Hens in the final game of the Incarnate Word Cardinal Invitational.

Delaware, which won all five games at the tournament, is now 9-1, the best start since the program’s inaugural season in 1976.

Delaware trailed the Vikings 3-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, but Mendoza quickly tied the game by leading off with a homer to left-center. One out later, Brooke Glanden (Lake Forest) doubled to right, before Kisamore drilled a walkoff homer down the – line to set off the Blue Hen celebration.

Sarah Piening earned the victory after firing 1.1 frames of scoreless relief while Glanden and Sarah Bessel each finished 2-for-3.

Women’s basketball

Drexel 52, Delaware 32: The Blue Hens tied the school record for fewest points in a game as the Dragons snapped Delaware’s three-game winning streak.

Drexel’s 52 points were the second-fewest for a Blue Hen opponent this season. The Dragons (11-1 CAA, 18-6 overall) led only 19-11 at halftime before beating Delaware (5-7 CAA, 9-14 overall) for the 11th straight time.

Sophomore Jasmine Dickey had 12 points and 12 rebounds for her league leading 11th double-double of the season.

College baseball

Florida Atlantic 8, Delaware 2: The Owls completed a three-game sweep in a rain-shortened five-inning game.

The Blue Hens tied the game at 2-2 with a pair of runs in the second inning before FAU scored the game’s final six runs.

Elon 8, Delaware State 0: Hornet freshman pitcher Dylan Byler was cruising for five innings before the Phoenix erupted for seven runs in the sixth to complete a three-game sweep.

Prior to the sixth, Byler held the Phoenix to just two hits and retired the side in order in the first and fifth innings. Byler faced 24 batters in 5.1 innings, allowing five hits and four runs, striking out one and walking two.

Delaware State did not get its first of four hits in the game until Miguel Rivera (Polytech) singled with two outs in the fourth. The Hornets had just the one hit until Alex Vasquez singled to lead off the eighth.

Tripp Kimmell (Milford) and Trey Paige also had hits.

Boys’ basketball

Salesianum 59, Sussex Tech 57: The Sals outscored the Ravens by five points in the second half to rally for the nonconference win Saturday night.

Kevin Custis netted 26 points, sinking six of the Ravens’ 10 three-pointers. Skylar Johnson added 14 points for Sussex Tech, which outscored Sallies 13-3 from the foul line.

The Ravens finish the regular season with a record of 12-8 after winning 10 of their last 15 games.

MILLSBORO — The Delaware State Police are investigating an industrial accident that seriously injured a Virginia man Sunday.

Delaware State Police spokeswoman Master Cpl. Juanita Huey said a preliminary investigation determined the industrial accident occurred at approximately 2:24 p.m., at Mountaire Millsboro, located at 29106 John J. Williams Highway when a 58-year-old man from Melfa, Virginia was assisting with the renovation of the building on the Mountaire Complex.

The man was working on the grated walkway removing the old grates and replacing them with new ones approximately 20 feet in the air when he fell and landed on the ground where he sustained serious injuries.

He was removed from the scene by Millsboro EMS and transported to the Beebe Hospital and was listed in stable condition Sunday night.

BEIJING — Chinese authorities on Monday reported a slight upturn in new virus cases and 105 more deaths for a total of 1,770 since the outbreak began two months ago.

The 2,048 new cases followed three days of declines but was up by just 39 cases from the previous day’s figure. Another 10,844 people have recovered from COVID-19, a disease caused by the new coronavirus, and have been discharged from hospitals, according to Monday’s figures.

The update followed the publication late Saturday in China’s official media of a recent speech by President Xi Jinping in which he indicated for the first time that he had led the response to the outbreak from early in the crisis. While the reports were an apparent attempt to demonstrate the Communist Party leadership acted decisively from the start, it also opened Xi up to criticism over why the public was not alerted sooner.

In his speech, Xi said he gave instructions on fighting the virus on Jan. 7 and ordered the shutdown of the most-affected cities that began on Jan. 23.

The disclosure of his speech indicates top leaders knew about the outbreak’s potential severity at least two weeks before such dangers were made known to the public. It was not until late January that officials said the virus can spread between humans and public alarm began to rise.

New cases in other countries are raising growing concerns about containment of the virus.

Taiwan on Sunday reported its first death from COVID-19, the fifth fatality outside of mainland China.

Taiwan’s Central News Agency, citing health minister Chen Shih-chung, said the man who died was in his 60s and had not traveled overseas recently and had no known contact with virus patients.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe convened an experts meeting to discuss containment measures in his country, where more than a dozen cases have emerged in the past few days without any obvious link to China.

“The situation surrounding this virus is changing by the minute,” Abe said.

Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said the country is “entering into a phase that is different from before,” requiring new steps to stop the spread of the virus.

Japan now has 413 confirmed cases, including 355 from a quarantined cruise ship, and one death from the virus. Its total is the highest number of cases among about two dozen countries outside of China where the illness has spread.

Hundreds of Americans from the cruise ship took charter flights home, as Japan announced another 70 infections had been confirmed on the Diamond Princess. Canada, Hong Kong and Italy were planning similar flights.

The 300 or so Americans flying on U.S.-government chartered aircraft back to the U.S. will face another 14-day quarantine at Travis Air Force Base in California and Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. The U.S. Embassy said the departure was offered because people on the ship were at a high risk of exposure to the virus. People with symptoms were banned from the flights.

About 255 Canadians and 330 Hong Kong residents are on board the ship or undergoing treatment in Japanese hospitals. There are also 35 Italians, of which 25 are crew members, including the captain.

In China’s Hubei province, where the outbreak began in December, all vehicle traffic will be banned in another containment measure. It expands a vehicle ban in the provincial capital, Wuhan, where public transportation, trains and planes have been halted for weeks.

Exceptions were being made for vehicles involved in epidemic prevention and transporting daily necessities.

Hubei has built new hospitals with thousands of patient beds and China has sent thousands of military medical personnel to staff the new facilities and help the overburdened health care system.

Last Thursday, Hubei changed how it recognized COVID-19 cases, accepting a doctor’s diagnosis rather than waiting for confirmed laboratory test results, in order to treat patients faster. The tally spiked by more than 15,000 cases under the new method.

Omigod you guys, you totally have to come see Legally Blonde at Milford High School during the first week of March! 

Based on the book and movie of the same name, Milford Drama Club’s latest musical theater production is the story of Elle Woods, a sorority girl who enrolls in Harvard Law School in an attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend.  As Elle struggles with professors, classmates, coursework, and even a murder trial, she discovers that she has more to offer than just her looks—and that she has the power to change her world.

Director Carissa Meiklejohn says, “This story has a powerful message for girls about being independent. While it may be packaged in pink wrapping, at its heart, it is a story about being positive, encouraging, and supportive from which anyone can learn.”

The musical is rated PG-13 due to mature dialogue and themes.

Meiklejohn says, “I am so proud of this cast which is made up of freshmen through seniors. They have all worked so hard to bring these enjoyable characters to life.”  Featured student performers include Jocelyn Argo, Jayden Arthurs, Brianna Bailey, Brooke Bunting, Jacob Elliott, Jakob Faulkner, Keren Garcia-Aguilar, Jesus Gomez, Janae Greer, Anna Hatfield, Will Kahn, Abby Lincoln, Jacqueline Matias-Morales, Mya MacFarland, Adam Morales Jr., Keyla Natareno, Dylan Phillips, Daimi Roblero, Kylie Short, Sophia Sobota, Ireland Stump, Haley Thompson, Paige Thompson, Mystery Villa, Julie White, and Rebecca Wisniewski.

Performances will be held in the MHS auditorium on Thursday, March 5; Friday, March 6; and Saturday, March 7.  All three evening shows will begin at 7:00 PM.  There will also be an afternoon matinee on Saturday, March 7 at 1:00 PM.  Tickets will be available at the door.  $5 for students age 18 or younger; $6 for seniors 60 or older; $8 for all others.  

For additional information, please contact Producer Erica Snyder at (302) 422-1610 or esnyder@msd.k12.de.us.  

DOVER – No injuries were reported after an occupied home was shot multiple times at approximately 8 p.m. Friday, Dover Police spokesman Master Cpl. Mark Hoffman said.

The home in the 900 block of Carvel Drive was struck five times, authorities said. Officers were called to the scene for a shots fired report, but did not see any victims and were not contacted by anyone in the area, police said.

At around noon Saturday, a resident contacted police to report damage.

Police said investigation continues and asked anyone with information to call 736-7130. Callers may remain anonymous. Tips may also be submitted to law enforcement through Delaware Crime Stoppers at 800-TIP-3333 or online at delawarecrimestoppers.com; a cash reward of up to $1,000 is possible for information leading to an arrest.

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s push to ban the sale of assault weapons failed on Monday after some of his fellow Democrats balked at the proposal.

Senators voted to shelve the bill for the year and ask the state crime commission to study the issue, an outcome that drew cheers from a committee room packed with gun advocates.

Four moderate Democrats joined Republicans in Monday’s committee vote, rejecting legislation that would have prohibited the sale of certain semiautomatic firearms, including popular AR-15 style rifles, and banned the possession of magazines that hold more than 12 rounds.

The bill was a top priority for Northam, who has campaigned heavily for a broad package of gun-control measures. The governor’s spokeswoman, Alena Yarmosky, said he’s disappointed with the result but determined to continue to press for the measure.

“We will be back next year,” she said.

David Majure, a gun-rights supporter who attended the committee hearing, said he’s glad about Monday’s results but not convinced the bill is dead for the year.

“I’m happy about it, but I don’t trust them,” he said.

Virginia is the current epicenter of the country’s heated debate over guns, as a new Democratic majority seeks to enact strict new limits.

Democrats ran heavily on gun control during last year’s legislative elections when they flipped control of the General Assembly for the first time in more than two decades.

But gun owners, especially in rural communities, have pushed back hard. Last month, tens of thousands of guns-rights activists from around the country flooded the Capitol and surrounding area in protest, some donning tactical gear and carrying military rifles. And more than 100 counties, cities and towns have declared themselves Second Amendment sanctuaries, vowing to oppose any new “unconstitutional restrictions” on guns.

The proposed assault weapon ban has received the most opposition. Gun owners have accused the governor and others of wanting to confiscate commonly owned guns and accessories from law-abiding gun owners. Northam and his allies have said repeatedly they do not want to confiscate guns, but argued that banning new sales of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines would help prevent mass murders.

“This bill will save lives,” said Democratic Del. Mark Levine, who sponsored the legislation.

Earlier proposals to ban possession of AR-15-style rifles or to require owners to register them with state police have been scrapped. The governor had hoped a watered-down version would win over enough Democratic moderates for passage.

But moderate Democrats in the state Senate have said for weeks they are uncomfortable passing legislation that would affect so many current gun owners.

An estimated 8 million AR-style guns have been sold since they were introduced to the public in the 1960s. The weapons are known as easy to use, easy to clean and easy to modify with a variety of scopes, stocks and rails.

Lawmakers voted to table the bill Monday with little debate, while noting that there was confusion over what types of guns would constitute an assault weapon.

“There are obviously a lot of questions about definitions in this bill. Definitions do matter,” said Democratic Sen. Creigh Deeds.

The Senate has now rejected three of the governor’s eight gun-control measures. Moderate Democrats have already voted with Republicans to kill a bill that would make it a felony to “recklessly leave a loaded, unsecured firearm” in a way that endangers a minor, and a bill that would require gun owners to report the loss or theft of a gun to police.

Lawmakers in both the House and Senate have already advanced several other gun-control measures and should finalize passage in the coming days. Those bills include limiting handgun purchases to once a month; universal background checks on gun purchases; allowing localities to ban guns in public buildings, parks and other areas; and a red flag bill that would allow authorities to temporarily take guns away from anyone deemed to be dangerous to themselves or others.

DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrian President Bashar Assad congratulated his forces Monday for recent gains in northwestern Syria that led to his troops consolidating control over Aleppo province, pledging to press ahead with a military campaign to achieve complete victory “sooner or later.”

Assad, who rarely appears in public, said in a televised address that the onetime economic hub of Aleppo, the provincial capital, will “return stronger than it was before.”

“This liberation does not mean the end of the war, and does not mean the end of the schemes nor the end of terrorism or the surrender of enemies,” Assad said, seated behind an empty wooden desk and wearing glasses. “But it means that we rubbed their noses in the dirt as a prelude for complete victory and ahead of their defeat, sooner or later.”

The address came amid an ongoing military advance in northwestern Syria that has sparked a humanitarian catastrophe which the U.N.’s humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock warned “has reached a horrifying level.” In a statement, he said the U.N. believes 900,000 people have been displaced since Dec. 1, most of them women and children.

In the past few weeks, government troops backed by Russian air power have captured more than 1,500 square kilometers (580 square miles) in the northwest, consolidating their hold over Aleppo province after capturing over 30 villages and hamlets in the western countryside in a single day Sunday. The advance secured the provincial capital that had for years remained within range of opposition fire.

The new gains, along with securing a key highway through rebel territory, are set to better link northern and southern Syria, including the city of Aleppo, which was Syria’s commercial center before the war. The highway, known as the M5, links the country’s four largest cities and population centers and is key to controlling Syria.

The developments sparked late-night celebrations in the streets of Aleppo that continued through Monday, with state media showing residents waving flags and dancing in roads packed with vehicles.

“We should not rest, but continue to prepare for the coming battles, and therefore the battle of liberating Aleppo countryside and Idlib will continue, despite the empty noise that is coming from the north (Turkey),” Assad said.

Lowcock said “the crisis in northwest Syria has reached a horrifying level,” calling the violence “indiscriminate” and stressing that “the only option is a cease-fire.”

He warned that “the biggest humanitarian horror story of the 21st century will only be avoided if Security Council members, and those with influence, overcome individual interests and put a collective stake in humanity first.” He did not identify any countries but the message appeared directed first and foremost to Russia, Syria’s closest ally.

The government’s rapid advances have sparked rare clashes between Syria and Turkey, which backs the rebels and has troops in the region to monitor a 2018 cease-fire deal. Turkey’s president warned Assad to halt the advance, which also risks shattering an alliance forged between Turkey and Russia.

Turkey, which backs the opposition, has sent thousands of troops and equipment into the opposition enclave, to try to stall the Syrian government’s advance. Ankara has also called for an end to the Syrian government offensive. Already home to more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees, Turkey fears a new wave of them may overwhelm its borders.

A Turkish delegation was in Moscow on Monday to discuss the crisis, and Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said the delegations would continue talking Tuesday.

During Monday’s session, the Turkish delegation “stressed the need to quickly reduce tensions on the field and to prevent the further deterioration of the humanitarian situation,” the ministry said. It added that the sides also discussed measures that can be taken to fully implement the cease-fire for Idlib.

Rescuers and a medical aid worker said airstrikes on Darat Izza, a town still in opposition hands in northwestern Aleppo, knocked two health facilities out of service. One hospital was hit directly, wounding two staffers, said Mazen Kewara of the Syrian American Medical Society, which supports the hospital’s dialysis unit. Video from the rescue team, Syrian Civil Defense, showed extensive damage. Another airstrike hit near the other medical facility, some 150 meters (yards) away.

Syrian rebels were driven out of the provincial capital’s eastern quarters in late 2016, which they had controlled for years while battling government forces in charge of the western section. However, rebel groups continued to target government forces from outside the city with mortar rounds. They also controlled large parts of western rural Aleppo province, territories that linked them to Idlib province, the last major rebel stronghold.

Assad spoke shortly after a statement by the Syrian military praising troops for rapidly taking over rebel-controlled territory in the northwest, vowing to continue to chase armed groups “wherever they are.”

Gen. Ali Mayhoub, spokesman for the Syrian Armed Forces, said in a televised speech that government troops were continuing their ground advances to “eradicate what is left of terrorist groups,” and he congratulated the soldiers for the swift advances in “record time.”

Support from Russia and Iran has enabled Syrian troops to regain control of much of the territory they had lost to armed groups trying to topple Assad.

Over 400,000 people have been killed and half of Syria’s population displaced since peaceful protests in 2011 turned into a civil war.

Separately, state media reported that Syrian authorities on Sunday had uncovered a mass grave containing nearly 70 bodies in eastern Ghouta, an area outside of Damascus that rebel fighters lost control of in April 2018.

The area, which includes the town of Douma and extends into the capital’s suburbs, was widely destroyed as Syrian troops drove out rebel fighters there two years ago.

Ayman Khallou, a forensic doctor at a military hospital, told Syria’s state news agency that most of the remains found in the mass grave were handcuffed. He said most of the bodies appeared to have gunshot wounds to the head, while some were strangled. The official provided no immediate evidence to support the claim. Human rights groups blame both sides in the conflict for carrying out atrocities in the civil war.

Syrian authorities said a woman’s body was among those in the grave. Damascus’ military police chief said a tip had led to the discovery of the mass grave in al-Ebb, a farm area southeast of Douma.

The report led to speculation among Syrians that the body could be that of Razan Zaitouneh. The prominent activist was documenting violations by government and rebel groups in the war when she disappeared, along with two other colleagues and her husband, in December 2013.