GEORGETOWN — Geographically, Sussex County is the largest county on the Delmarva Peninsula and among the larger counties in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Totaling 938 square miles in area, its size, while offering natural beauty, wide open vistas and diverse environs, can present a challenge when it comes to timely and efficient travel.

That’s especially true for the elderly, many of whom no longer drive, but still need to reach medical appointments, the grocery store, worship services or other services that are miles away.

Fortunately, there is a helpful solution.

The Sussex County Advisory Committee on Aging & Adults with Physical Disabilities on Monday, March 16 will host a presentation on the innovative transportation services a new agency is providing to seniors 55 and older, and to adults 18 and older with visual impairments.

Titled ‘‘How Will I Ever Get There?’ — ITN Southern Delaware Offers a Solution!’ Janis Hanwell, executive director of the non-profit agency, will elaborate on the services her organization provides and the various membership and volunteer opportunities available.
The March 16 meeting will be held at 10 a.m. at the County Administrative Offices West Complex, 22215 N. DuPont Boulevard in Georgetown.

The Sussex County Advisory Committee on Aging & Adults with Physical Disabilities is an 11-member panel established by the Sussex County Council to be an advocate for programs and policies that benefit older and disabled residents. The committee meets every other month, in January, March, May, July, September and November. All meetings are open to the public.

The Advisory Committee’s mission is to increase dialogue, make recommendations to Sussex County Council, and to give support, assistance and advice on significant issues and programs that may affect the lives of the county’s aging and adults with physical disabilities populations.

For more information, visit the committee’s page at www.sussexcountyde.gov/boards-committees.

DOVER — There’s more to being in the restaurant business for Clint “Chef Bones” Harris than just preparing mouth-watering food.

While he admits that producing quality food is the goal of every restaurateur, he also enjoys meeting and greeting his customers and says that each person that walks through his doors is “a blessing.”

Mr. Harris is just about to have a whole new city to meet when he opens the doors to his TenderBones Rib Shack at the former longtime home of Where Pigs Fly at 617 E. Loockerman St. in Dover.

“It’s just been amazing how many people have been reaching out to me and I am definitely looking forward to opening a TenderBones in Dover,” Mr. Harris said. “Just the outpouring of support from people coming by and saying ‘Hello’ to me out in the parking lot when we were putting our new sign up and people pulling over and asking about us and when we’re coming to Dover. It really has been amazing.”

“Chef Bones” is tentatively planning a soft opening for the Dover TenderBones takeout-style barbecue restaurant in late March and a grand-opening ceremony the first week in April.

Mr. Harris is well-known at his other location in Bear for his enormous personality, his love of his guests, his monstrous 3-pound Philly cheesesteaks and his throwback Fish Friday’s.

“I believe the customers are actually the most important part of a business,” he said. “The food is good by itself, but I really believe in old-school restaurants where you have a relationship with who is cooking your food. My customers are No. 1 and I just want to treat them like they’re eating a home-cooked meal.

“When I was younger, I used to like when people used to meet in the kitchen for conversation. Everyone also came from all around to go to grandma’s house when she made fish on Fridays. That’s where that tradition started.”

Fish Friday is also a tradition that is held by many southern and black families. His restaurant only offers fish one day a week — on Fridays.

Nowadays, Mr. Harris serves more than 350 orders of fish each Friday.

That’s one of the reasons that he’s looking to hire around 50 people for his Dover location, which is going to be running shifts from 10 a.m. until 11 at night and will be open seven days a week. He plans to start interviewing applicants this week for all the positions he has to offer. So far, he has 275 applications.

He said people don’t necessarily need to have experience to work on his team, just the desire to work.

The team that he assembles will have the responsibility of helping prepare and serve food from a menu that includes wood-smoked brisket, ribs, pork, burgers and the occasional surprise special. The menu will be almost identical to his first location and alcohol will not be served in Dover, just like in Bear.

The funny thing is, the 3-pound Philly cheesesteak is nowhere to be found on “Chef Bones’” menu, even though he’s sold 28,000 of the monster steaks since February 2018, the day he invented the sandwich while his beloved Philadelphia Eagles celebrated their long-awaited Super Bowl victory with a parade through Philadelphia.

Most of his employees in Bear attended the parade while Mr. Harris and his wife put together the cheesesteaks while they were away.

The cheesesteak consists of two-and-a-half to three pounds of ribeye steak, American cheese, onions, and green and red peppers on a 13-inch roll. The chef said the sandwich was designed to be shared.

“I am a diehard Eagles fan and the way the cheesesteak came about was really funny,” Mr. Harris said. “When the Eagles won, I got on social media and said, ‘I going to make four of the best cheesesteaks that you have ever eaten. It was supposed to be just those four.’

“But folks came over and got them and started talking about them and then I started just tweaking it. It was never meant to be a three-pound sandwich. We don’t advertise these things at all. You eat it in portions. My whole idea was to make it something you can share. That is definitely a sandwich you can sit down and share with.”

Now each of those massive cheesesteaks, which sell for $15, come in a Styrofoam carrier signed and numbered by the chef himself.
And for the first time since Mr. Harris’ Bear location opened its doors on June 24, 2017, the chef will be spending most of his time in Dover.

“I’m going to be coming down to Dover for the next year-and-a-half easily,” he said. “I want to make relationships in the community and talk to all of our customers and making sure it runs as smoothly as it does in Bear.

“We do barbecue a little different than everyone else, cooking it around eight-and-a-half hours in a smoker. We’re more like the Carolina ‘fall off the bone’ kind of meat. My ribs are a totally different experience. We drive them crazy up there in the Bear area and hope to do the same in Dover.”

If Dover proves to be successful, which Mr. Harris is confident it will be, he said he is also eyeing future locations in Elkton, Maryland, and Wilmington.

“Once I feel Dover can hold its own, who knows what’s next?” he said.

Right now, his focus is on Dover.

“We love the history of Dover and the location of what used to be ‘Where Pigs Fly’ for more than a quarter of a century,” he said. “It was definitely a no-brainer for us to open up down there.”

And don’t be surprised if the chef asks his customers to take a selfie with him for his Facebook page where he likes to remind his patrons that he feels “blessed by each and every one of them,” and serenades them by singing to them, “When you get home, you’re gonna eat some TenderBoooones!”

Or perhaps a 3-pound cheesesteak.

Brad Richardson of Dover took this photo of the World War II watch tower from Gordon Pond Trail in North Rehoboth on Feb. 9.

NEW YORK — Stocks plummeted Monday morning on Wall Street on a combination of coronavirus fears and plunging oil prices, triggering a brief, automatic halt in trading to let investors catch their breath.

The price of oil sank 20% after Russia refused to roll back production in response to falling prices and Saudi Arabia signaled that it will ramp up its output.

While low oil prices can eventually translate into cheaper gasoline, they are wreaking havoc on already struggling energy companies and countries that depend on oil, including the No. 1 producer, the United States.

The war between the giant oil producers came just as Italy heads for a huge hit to its economy as it enforces a lockdown on 16 million people in the northern part of the country, the heart of its manufacturing and financial industries. The turmoil is expected to push Italy into recession and weigh on the European economy.

The carnage in stock and bond trading was nearly as breathtaking as in oil markets.

In the United States, the S&P 500 plunged as much as 7.4% in the first few minutes of trading, and losses were so sharp that trading was temporarily halted. Stocks trimmed their losses following the halt, and the index was down 6%, as of 11:12 a.m. Eastern time.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1,619 points, or 6.2%, to 24,261 after briefly being down more than 2,000. The Nasdaq gave up 5.6%.

The carnage in the energy sector was particularly arresting. Marathon Oil, Apache Corp. and Diamondback Energy each sank more than 40%. Exxon Mobil and Chevron were on track for their worst days since 2008.

“The path of least resistance is still down,” said Liz Ann Sonders, chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab.

Treasury yields careened to more record lows as investors dove into anything that seems safe, even if it pays closer to nothing each day. Traders are increasing bets that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates back to zero to do what it can to help the virus-weakened economy, perhaps as soon as next week.

All the drops are the result of fear of the unknown. As COVID-19 spreads around the world, many investors feel helpless in trying to estimate how much it will hurt the economy and corporate profits, and the easiest response to such uncertainty may be to get out. After initially taking an optimistic view on the virus — hoping that it would remain mostly in China and cause just a short-term disruption — investors are realizing they likely woefully underestimated it.

The virus has infected more than 110,000 worldwide, and Italy on Sunday followed China’s lead in quarantining a big swath of its country in hopes of corralling the spread. That sparked more fears, as quarantines would snarl supply chains for companies even more than they already have.

The new coronavirus is now spreading on every continent except Antarctica and hurting consumer spending, industrial production, and travel.

The S&P 500 has lost 17% since setting a record last month. If it hits a 20% drop, it would mean the death of what’s become the longest-running bull market for U.S. stocks in history. Monday actually marks the 11th anniversary of the market hitting bottom after the 2008 financial crisis.

A measure of fear in the U.S. stock market soared to its highest level since 2008. That means traders are more worried about upcoming swings in the S&P 500 now than they were during the European debt crisis, the U.S.-China trade war or at the height of recession worries after the Federal Reserve raised rates four times in 2018.

The circuit breaker tripped in the U.S. stock market is meant to slow things down and give investors a chance to breathe before trading more.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note plunged to 0.54%, down sharply from 0.70% late Friday. Early last week, it had never been below 1%.

Short-term yields sank as traders placed increasing bets that the Federal Reserve will cut rates deeper to do what it can to help the economy. The two-year Treasury yield, which moves more on expectations of Fed action, fell to 0.33% from 0.46%.

The Federal Reserve and other central banks around the world have provided the ultimate backstop in the past during this bull market, supporting markets with rate cuts and other measures of stimulus. But doubts are rising about how effective lower rates can be this time. They can encourage people and companies to borrow, but they can’t restart factories, restaurants or theme parks shut down because people are quarantined.

Many analysts and professional investors say they expect big swings to continue to dominate the market as long as the number of new virus cases is accelerating.

Brent crude, the international standard, lost $8.60, or 19%, to $36.67 per barrel. Benchmark U.S. crude fell $7.16 to $34.12.

Investors were already knocking oil down because of worries that a virus-weakened global economy will burn less fuel. But concerns about supply dropped the latest scythe on the market Monday. Reports that Saudi Arabia may increase production of oil to grab market share led to worries that the world may soon be awash in too much oil.

NEW YORK (AP) — McCoy Tyner, the groundbreaking and influential jazz pianist and the last surviving member of the John Coltrane Quartet, has died. He was 81

Tyner’s family confirmed the death in a statement released on social media Friday. No more details were provided.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of jazz legend, Alfred “McCoy” Tyner. McCoy was an inspired musician who devoted his life to his art, his family and his spirituality,” the statement read. “McCoy Tyner’s music and legacy will continue to inspire fans and future talent for generations to come.”

Tyner was born in Philadelphia on Dec. 11, 1938. He eventually met Coltrane and joined him for the 1961 album “My Favorite Things,” a major commercial success that highlighted the remarkable chemistry of the John Coltrane Quartet. The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.

The quartet would go on to release more revered projects, becoming an international renowned group and one of the seminal acts in jazz history.

Tyner eventually found success apart from the John Coltrane Quartet, releasing more than 70 albums. He also won five Grammy Awards.
In 2002, he was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.

By Lorrie Gloede

I would like to comment on an Opinion piece by Judith Butler (“Overturning Citizens United is the right thing to do,” Feb. 29). Judging from other comments, I seem to be in the minority.

We are a representative constitutional republic, not a democracy. There is a difference.

It is not only congressional representatives who do the bidding of Big Money special interests. Ms. Butler mentions the Article V convention process as one way to propose amendments to the Constitution. It has been said there is Big Money behind the push for a convention. Money is an influencer at all levels of government.

Publius Huldah, a constitutional expert and retired attorney, says, “The ostensible purpose of Wolf PAC’s proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution is to circumvent or repeal the US Supreme Court’s opinion in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010). The proposed amendment would permit the federal government to restrict political speech and campaign contributions by corporations. Such a proposed amendment would be a major step in eliminating free speech and the private use of money in this country.

She goes on to say: “1. The federal government does not now have the constitutional authority over the country at large to restrict any form of speech, to restrict campaign contributions, or to limit the spending of money. These are not enumerated powers delegated to the federal government. Furthermore, the exercise of such powers is expressly forbidden by the First Amendment… .

“2. The effect of the Wolf PAC amendment would be to increase the powers of the federal government over The People by delegating to the federal government the power to prevent or restrict certain groups and combinations of people from speaking in the public square on the critically important area of political speech.”

So, there is a serious downside to this amendment; namely, freedom. And it certainly is not fair because some people would be freer than others.

Publius believes that if our representatives were doing what they swore to do when they took office, we would not be having this discussion. There would be no need or desire to pay large sums of money to influence.

A state representative’s main job is to keep his or her state sovereign. Who even knows that, let alone does it?

The problem is not our Constitution and the need for it to be amended; it is a document full of enumerated, limited powers. The problem is that we ignore it. We need education at all levels, and to elect representatives who understand what their job is and who are not afraid to say no when an unconstitutional law or regulation comes our way.

If you don’t think we need education, ask candidates what the purpose of government is. It’s right there in black and white in our founding documents. Many will have to conjure up a reply because they do not know. Support the ones who do. That is the first step.

Lorrie Gloede is a resident of Dover.

WASHINGTON — There was something of a helpless feeling for Delaware’s players when Hofstra came out shooting the way it did on Monday night.

For the first five minutes, the Pride was perfect.

Top-seeded Hofstra sank its first four three-pointers along with five free throws and just seemed to be in control almost all night before finally downing the No. 5 Blue Hens, 75-61, in the CAA men’s basketball tournament semifinals.

Delaware (22-11) did briefly rally to take the lead. Mostly, though, the Pride (25-8) kept the Hens at arm’s length as it reached the CAA title for the second straight season.

The Pride sank nine of their first 12 three-pointers as it ousted Delaware in the semis for the second-straight year. Hofstra never led by fewer than eight points after going up 30-22 with 6:52 left in the first half.

“Early on, in the first half, they were hitting shots,” said UD junior forward Justyn Mutts. “It felt like everything they were putting up was going down.”

“They got very confident on the offensive end,” Delaware coach Martin Ingelsby said about Hofstra. “I think any time we had a breakdown, they really made us pay.”

The Hens simply didn’t have the offensive answers to stay with Hofstra, either. Delaware made just 5-of-23 three-pointers in the contest as none of the Hens finished with more than 13 points.

Delaware couldn’t even help itself from the foul line where it shot just 6-for-12.

“Sometimes the shots don’t fall,” said junior guard Nate Darling, who was only 3-of-11 from the three-point line and finished with 13 points.

“Their matchup zone is very difficult to play against. It’s hard to get some good clean looks out of it. I felt sometimes I rushed a couple of my shots that I could have taken my time on a little bit more. But credit to them.”

“I thought we were playing a little fast,” said Ingelsby. “We couldn’t get into any rhythm in the first half.”

Delaware led only once in the contest. The Hens rallied from a 14-4 deficit to start the game to go up 19-17 on a three-point play from Mutts midway through the first half.

But Desure Buie buried a three-pointer on Hofstra’s next possession and the Pride never trailed again.

Hofstra was up 40-28 at halftime before taking as much as a 22-point advantage with 8:50 remaining.

The Hens kept battling, however.

They ran off 11 straight points to close within 63-52 with 5:43 still left. Delaware then cut Hofstra’s lead to just 68-60 with 1:20 remaining.

But the Hens could never come up with the big plays to really put some pressure on the Pride.

Darling was called for an offensive goaltending that nullified his own dunk. The basket would have gotten Delaware within 63-54 with 5:05 left.

“I’m proud of our group,” said Ingelsby. “I thought we battled in the second half.”

“They were going on all their runs and we never fell apart,” said Mutts. “There was never a time when we started doing our own thing. We did a good job of staying together today.”

Delaware actually made 25 field goals to 20 for Hofstra. The Pride, though, out-scored the Hens by seven points from three-point range and by 17 points from the foul line.

Hofstra was 23-of-29 on free throws as Delaware fouled intentionally in the closing minutes.

While Monday’s loss ended Delaware’s NCAA Tournament dreams, it might not have been the Hens’ last game of the season. Ingelsby said Delaware has already received invitations to the CBI and CIT tournaments but hadn’t decided whether to play in one, yet.

Either way, considering all five starters are slated to return next season, the Hens leave the CAA tourney with big expectations. Hofstra coach Joe Mihalich already declared that Delaware will be next season’s preseason favorite in the CAA.

“I think this group moved our program forward, there’s no doubt about it,” said Ingelsby. “This group has worked extremely hard to put this program in the position it is right now. We’re disappointed about the outcome but couldn’t be more excited about the future heading into next year.”

Free throws

Eli Pemberton netted a game-high 24 points for Hofstra after sinking 5-of-8 threes. He was one of four Pride players in double figures … Mutts (13 points), Ryan Allen (11) and Kevin Anderson (11) also scored in double figures for the Hens. .,. Reserve forwards Ryan Goss and Jacob Cushing are UD’s only seniors.

LEWES — With a trip to the semifinals on the line, the Cape Henlopen High girls basketball game delivered its best defensive performance of the season.

The Vikings held Tatnall to an 11 percent shooting performance from the field. The Hornets only hit four field goals the entire game.

It added up to a 56-21 victory for the second-seeded Vikings over No. 10 Tatnall in the DIAA state quarterfinals on Monday night.

“We knew we were faster than them,” said Cape senior guard Dania Cannon. “We know when we play great defense and we play together that we can beat any team.”

Cape Henlopen (19-4) will play third seed Sanford (20-2) on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the semifinals at the Bob Carpenter Center in Newark.

It is the first time Cape Henlopen has made the semifinals since 2011.

“It’s awesome,” said senior Abbey Hearn. “This has been our goal since last year. We’ve always said, let’s get to the Bob and see what happens from there.”

“That’s been our objective,” echoed Cape coach Pat Woods. “We don’t know what’s going to happen there, but let’s get there and see what happens. It’s exciting for us. We’re going to treat it as a celebration. I think we can compete and it’s just fun to be on that stage.”

Hearn led all scorers with 24 points. The Vikings never trailed and were on top 15-2 after the first quarter as Tatnall missed its first 12 field goal attempts.

Cannon added 14 points while Mehkia Applewhite followed with 10.

Cannon, Applewhite and Hear each recorded three steals to highlight the Viking defensive effort.

“It eases everyone to know that it starts with defense,” Woods said. “We know we can lock up and play defense. We’re more comfortable with that. If some were to say, ‘I need you to hit four threes.’ Well, who knows if they’ll go in? But we know we can defend.”

That defense helped Cape Henlopen keep a double-digit lead despite some offensive struggles at times on Monday.

The Vikings only scored four points in the third quarter. They were held scoreless for the first 6:53 of the second half but still led 31-15 heading into the fourth.

Cape Henlopen’s offense came alive for the final quarter though, scoring 25 points in the fourth.

“We picked up the pace a bit and we got some turnovers to get layups,” Woods said. “That got us going. I didn’t think we panicked.”

WASHINGTON — Members of the Delaware’s congressional delegation on Monday sent a letter to Secretary of the Air Force Barbara M. Barrett requesting a site visit to Dover Air Force Base to address the per– and polyfluoroalkyl substances discovered in some private and commercial groundwater sources.

The substances, which can be harmful to humans, were found near the northwestern and eastern boundaries of the base.

The state said last month preliminary results show two wells by the base have possible elevated levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid. The substances were previously detected in four wells in July.

The Air Force continues to provide alternative water supply to those properties, and the state is working with the base and the owners of the affected wells to protect public health. The owners of the two wells, who each provide water to a single commercial business, have been given bottled water by the base.

The three members of the delegation previously requested Secretary of Defense Mark Esper visit the site.

“The two recent and additional discoveries of contaminated commercial wells near the airbase underscore the importance of a senior Air Force official visiting Dover AFB and publicly briefing the local community, Delaware state government, and the congressional delegation on the plans for PFAS mitigation surrounding the airbase,” Sens. Tom Carper and Chris Coons and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester wrote.

“Such a briefing should include plans to provide permanent municipal water sources to the surrounding community, current or planned remediation efforts, and other efforts undertaken and proposed by the Department of Defense that may affect the Dover, Delaware community.”

The delegation asked for a response by March 27.

DOVER — There are a lot of benefits that come with being a small school — and the Academy of Dover Charter School is hoping to offer that to an additional grade, said Michele Marinucci, head of school.

“It became loud and clear when I came on board and, in talking to our students and our parents, that was something they desperately wanted,” she said. “They love the small atmosphere our school provides, small class sizes, all the extra perks.”

The charter school is up for another public hearing Wednesday, before it goes before the state board of education on March 19 to modify its charter.

The current facility has the ability to hold another grade. Dr. Marinucci said, depending on enrollment, the school would need to add additional staff.

“We’re committed to keeping small class sizes,” she added.

The school, serving grades kindergarten through five, currently has 265 students enrolled. Its charter allows for 300 students at this time, and the expansion would extend that to 330.

“We’re planning to be full. We’ve got the vast majority of our families saying that they plan to stay with us,” she said. “We’ve had a massive turnout of choice applications; we’re still getting them.”

During February’s hearing, parents and staff members came out to voice support for adding the extra grade. Kimeu Boynton, board president for the Academy of Dover Charter School, noted that it would give the school a competitive edge.

“Every year we have parents that are pleased with the educational outcomes of their students when they get to fifth grade,” he said at the hearing. “And the one sole wish is ‘I wish I could keep them at AOD for one more year before they start middle school.’ So that’s very important to us.”

Charles Fletcher, a member of the board, agreed that the additional grade would be competitive. He added that, years ago, the school decided “not to continue with the sixth grade.”

“Now it is the parents that are a part of the program. And we listen to them a little more keenly,” he said. “And it is their efforts that desire us to go toward sixth grade. They are very happy with what we are doing with the school, the academic performance of their youngsters. And we’re very happy with the role that we’re playing in the community.”

In her remarks at the hearing, Dr. Marinucci noted that 86% of the students come from Capital School District. With the current configuration, students attend William Henry for one year after their time at AOD, she said.

She also acknowledged the school has historically faced enrollment and retention difficulties, but AOD is maintaining the status quo for enrollment and saw 50 applications between August and the end of September.

The charter school opened its doors in 2003; Dr. Marinucci came on board in August of last year. With her background in special education as a teacher and director, she said she has a strong focus on social-emotional learning.

The school has longer a school year and longer school days, which have students receiving two hours of English/language arts instruction with 30 minutes of extended reading, an hour of math with 30 minutes extended, an hour of arts and science and social studies, as well as recess.

This year, the school also rolled out more programming. Music classes were brought back this year on a smaller scale, thanks to a volunteer, but next year, music will be offered to all students. AOD also added a print shop, where students will be able to make T-shirts, banners and signs, she said.

Dr. Marinucci noted that the school worked with a group of students when discussing expanding the charter for the school to include sixth grade, and some expressed concern over the lack of sports.

The student-led initiative, which included a survey, has added cheerleading and basketball. She said the school is looking to add more sports next year and to compete with other schools.

In the future, she would like to see their charter extend to include seventh and eighth grade. Adding those future grades, though, would require an expansion or a new facility, which is why the school didn’t include it this year, she said.

“We’re all about listening to our kids and parents and doing everything we can to grow youth into everything they can be,” she said.

GEORGETOWN — There is enough student interest at Sussex Tech High School.

But nothing in the way of instructors.

With that backdrop and the district facing several deadlines, Sussex Tech Superintendent Stephen Guthrie announced Monday night the district will begin the process of discontinuing its Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program, effective at the end of the school year.

“I would like to give you hope that there is something coming. But as much as we advocated for it and as much as we heard from the public, and as much as we have tried to find an instructor, I can’t offer any hope. If there is nobody there, I can’t offer that anybody is coming,” said Mr. Guthrie during the board of education meeting. “We need both a non-commissioned and a commissioned officer. We have followed up on the all the leads. As of today, there is nobody.”

“It is out of our hands … to decide if it stays or goes,” said Sussex Tech Board of Education President Warren Reid.

The district will begin sending notification to students chosen in this year’s lottery and current underclassmen in Tech’s Army JROTC program, accompanied by a press release, Mr. Guthrie said.

“Will that press release say the Army has chosen to close down the ROTC program at Sussex Tech, because it isn’t Sussex Tech’s school board?” said Mr. Reid. “I am not taking the heat. I took the heat leading up to the last meeting. This is not our decision and I want to make that painfully aware that we are not making the decision to close it down.”

“We have no qualified instructors,” said Mr. Guthrie. “That is the reason.”

Tech’s JROTC program, currently about 110 cadets from grades 9-12, is down to one instructor, Maj. Ben Jester, who is retiring after this school year. The program’s other instructor, 1st Sgt. Timothy Spence, resigned in February amid uncertainty of the program’s future to pursue other employment opportunities.

That future status of Tech’s JROTC program surfaced in January when school officials learned that Tech’s work-based learning initiative and JROTC’s requirements of cadets may not mesh.

The work-based learning initiative, part of the district’s vocational/technical education commitment in its revised strategic plan, requires students to leave the school campus part of the school day. That does not adhere to JROTC protocol, which requires JROTC access to cadets daily during the school day.

At the January school board meeting, Maj. Jester recommended closure of the JROTC program.

Mr. Guthrie said in mid-February school officials had “resolved key student scheduling issues which had been a potential obstacle.”

For about six weeks, Sussex Tech advertised in seeking two U.S. Army JROTC instructors for the 2020-21 school year — a commissioned instructor and a non-commissioned instructor.

Mr. Guthrie said Dr. John Sell, Sussex Tech’s Director of Support Services, checked with the 4th Brigade, U.S. Army Cadet Command “every other day or very frequently. We have gotten inquiries from people. We have gotten people who have given us names. We say the same thing, ‘Here is the website where you have to go.’ I have gotten legislators that have written me and said, ‘What can we do to help?’”

As Monday, no candidates were in the interview/hiring pipeline.

“We have not received any word from the 4th Brigade that anybody is interested,” Mr. Guthrie said. “It is not just Sussex Tech and it’s not just Sussex County. There is nobody who has indicated an interest in Army JROTC in Delaware.”

“We have got students, just no instructors,” said Mr. Reid.

In addition to notifying students, Tech faces a second deadline for the proper disposition of more than $100,000 worth of U.S. Army equipment and materials, which is federal property.

Mr. Guthrie noted there are strict procedures for the return of the equipment to the United States government, “which one of our retiring instructors has agreed to handle if necessary. Waiting too long would mean this process would be in the hands of Sussex Tech staff with no expertise in these complex regulations and procedures. That has to be transferred to the proper depositories.”

With closure of the program, district staff needs to schedule replacement courses for JROTC cadets for the fall semester of school year 2020-21.

“Waiting too long means course requests for that slot may not be able to be accommodated,” said Mr. Guthrie.

“Additionally, current cadets should have sufficient time to be allowed to choose to return to their home districts, which may offer JROTC to complete their training. Applicants for next year’s freshman class are currently considering whether to accept admission to Sussex Tech for next year. We want to make sure that they have all the information they need to make that decision.”

“It is a shame,” said Sussex Tech board member Adele Jones. “But I mean if we don’t have an instructor, we can’t have a program.”

“It is not a program within our control. it is a program that requires the JROTC division to give us the names of qualified instructors from which we would have a full interview. We have nobody to interview,” said Mr. Guthrie. “I think it is in the best interest of our students and our program just to announce that we have to discontinue it.”

SEAFORD – A 30-year-old Delmar man was arrested on multiple motor vehicle thefts, commercial burglaries and other related charges, Delaware State Police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said.

Robert L. Barger Jr. was found inside a stolen vehicle and taken into custody without incident by Laurel Police in a Food Lion parking lot, authorities said. Two vehicles were recovered, with several tools that were taken and located at an area pawn shop along with electronic devices, police said.

Police investigated burglaries at Bi-Rite Auto Sales at 24770 Sussex Highway on March 3 and Sunday, according to Sgt. Bratz.

Mr. Barger was charged with motor vehicle theft (two counts), third-degree burglary (two counts), possession of burglar tools, second-degree conspiracy (two counts), criminal mischief and theft (two counts). He was arraigned before Justice of the Peace Court and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown in default of $21,500 cash bond.

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks, oil and other financial markets around the world clawed back some of their historic plunge from a day before amid hopes that the U.S. and other governments around the world will pump in more aid for a virus-weakened global economy.

Investors welcomed Tuesday’s reprieve but weren’t pretending that this is the end to the market’s huge swings, which took the S&P 500 on Monday to its worst day since the 2008 financial crisis. Stocks have had jumps even bigger than this in the past couple weeks, only for the bottom to give out again.

Nonetheless, hope was rising that the big support efforts from global authorities that markets have been waiting for may be on the way, at least in a piecemeal way. President Donald Trump says his administration will ask Congress for payroll tax relief and other quick measures to help protect from the spread of COVID-19, which has pushed airlines to cancel flights and prodded Italy to lock down the entire country.

In Japan, a task force set up by the prime minister approved a 430 billion yen ($4.1 billion) package with support for small to medium-sized businesses.

“Markets don’t trade on good or bad, they trade on better or worse,” said Alec Young, managing director of global markets research at FTSE Russell.

“I would expect the authorities to pull out all the stops to reduce uncertainty,” Young said. “This may be their one opportunity to do that.”

Perhaps the most notable market move Tuesday was that Treasury yields also pushed higher in a sign that fear has receded a bit, though they remain far below where they were even a week ago.

The 10-year Treasury yield rose to 0.60% from 0.49% late Monday. A week ago, it had never been below 1%.

The S&P 500 was up 1.5%, as of 10:54 a.m. Eastern time after paring an earlier gain of 3.7%. It recovered about one-fifth of its loss from the day before.

The recovery is pulling the stock market away from the edge of a bear market, defined as a drop of 20% from a record high. The S&P 500 is down 17.7% from its high set last month. If it can rally back to that point, it would extend the longest-ever bull market, which was born 11 years ago after the market hit bottom on March 9, 2009.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 269 points, or 1.1%, to 24,120, and the Nasdaq composite was up 1.8%.

Brent crude, the international standard, rose $2.89, or 8.4%, to $37.25, while benchmark U.S. crude rose $1.89 to $32.98. Oil prices plunged 25% on Monday amid a price war between producers, who are pulling more oil out of the ground even though demand is falling due to the virus.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.

But because the virus is new, experts can’t say for sure how far it will ultimately spread. That has investors worried about the worst-case scenario for corporate profits and the economy, where factories and supply chains are shut around the world due to quarantines and people stay huddled at home instead of working or spending.

That’s why many say the market will continue to swing sharply at least until the number of new cases decelerates.

Central banks around the world, which have done some of the heaviest lifting to prop up markets and business confidence over the last decade-plus, have already used up most of their ammunition. Several have already cut rates below zero, and the Federal Reserve’s benchmark rate is sitting at a range of 1% to 1.25%.

That adds pressure on governments to do what they can as well. Investors are asking for quick, coordinated aid to provide support to companies and households who are going to be out income because of the virus.

For strategists at BlackRock Investment Institute, that could include generous sick-pay programs or even direct payments to households. For businesses, governments could suspend collecting tax revenue to give them some temporary relief and hold on to cash as the world waits for the outbreak to be contained.

“That would prevent these temporary disruptions from turning into a full-blown global recession,” strategists at BlackRock Investment Institute wrote in a report.

BRIDGEVILLE — ABC’s “Shark Tank” will feature The Frozen Farmer from Bridgeville March 27 at 8 p.m.

The Frozen Farmer’s Katey Evans dives into the tank on the 11^th season of “Shark Tank” to pitch a line of super premium ice cream, dairy-free, gluten-free, and fat-free sorbet, along with “nice cream,” a unique blend of ice cream and sorbet.

“Ever since we opened The Frozen Farmer four years ago, our customers have suggested we pitch our business to ‘Shark Tank,’ said Ms. Evans, co-founder of The Frozen Farmer. She followed the advice after Bethenny Frankel, founder of Skinnygirl lifestyle brand, sent a video encouraging her to reach out to the show. Ms. Evans attended an open casting call and learned that she had been selected.

The show gives budding entrepreneurs a chance to bring their dreams to fruition. “We landed a spot because the show producers saw the value and quality of our products and flavors,” said Ms. Evans. “It’s been a really exciting year going through the casting and filming process.”

All products are made from local ingredients, including those from the fields of her family’s third-generation farm, Evans Farm, on Route 404 in Bridgeville. In fact, the idea for The Frozen Farmer came from the farm. “More than 20 percent of the fruits and veggies in America don’t make it off the farm because they aren’t perfect enough for the grocery store shelves, resulting in billions of pounds of waste annually,” said Ms. Evans.

And with their main customers being grocery stores, this meant a major loss of profit.

Ms. Evans, along with her husband Kevin and her mother, Jo Ellen Algier, created a product line that contributes to cutting food waste and creates a value-added product.

In addition to a roadside creamery, The Frozen Farmer’s products are in nearly 200 grocery stores throughout the region, including Giant Foods, ShopRite and Redner’s Warehouse Markets, and in more than a dozen local restaurants.

“We’ve poured our hearts into this business that is truly the legacy of our family farm,” said Ms. Evans. “It’s is an exciting moment not just for our business and our family, but our whole community.”

DOVER — The Delaware FFA Association will host its 90th annual State FFA Convention this week. The event will take place Wednesday and Thursday at Delaware State University.

FFA members will participate in career and leadership development events, as well as leadership workshops. They will also take part in a day of service: From 10:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, FFA members from across the state will pack more than 1,000 blessing bags for veterans at the Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village in Dover. The bags will include toiletries and games and will be distributed to the five Veteran Affairs facilities in Delaware.

For more information about the convention, visit www.delawareffa.org or contact Bart Gill at bart.gill@doe.k21.de.us.

WILMINGTON — The state will hold meetings of the Government Efficiency & Accountability Review Board in each county this month. Gov. John Carney and members of his cabinet will be in attendance and will accept public comment on ways to improve state government and the delivery of state services.

The Delaware Departments of Labor, Health and Social Services, Education; Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and Transportation will be among the agencies participating.

The first meeting will take place in Kent County on March 19. It will be held at Wilmington University’s Dover Campus in Building A Auditorium at 6. The second will be held at Delaware Technical Community College’s Owens Campus in Georgetown March 24. Attendees should come to the Arts and Science Center Theater by 6:30.

The third will be at the Route 9 Library & Innovation Center in New Castle on March 30. It will begin at 6 in the Black Box Theater and Multipurpose Room A.

“Since taking office, I have talked to Delawareans about our commitment to operating our state government as efficiently and effectively as possible — so we can focus on investing taxpayer dollars where they are needed most,” Gov. Carney said in a statement.

“These GEAR public meetings are another chance for us to hear directly from Delawareans on how we can improve our state government — and strengthen our work around education, public health, workforce training, and social service delivery. Members of our GEAR team have done important work to identify statewide improvements, and we are going on the road to hear directly from Delawareans about their priorities.”

Members of the public can also offer comments regarding state rules and regulations. Comments can be submitted online at https://gear.delaware.gov/public-comment/, emailed to reg_review@delaware.gov or mailed to GEAR – Attn: James Myran, Carvel State Office Building, 820 North French Street, 8th Floor, Office 813, Wilmington, Delaware 19801.

DOVER — Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro is reminding Delawareans and insurers that coronavirus testing is a necessary benefit required to be covered by health care. Insurers and providers should also promote telemedicine to allow people to speak with a doctor remotely, Mr. Navarro said.

First diagnosed in Wuhan, China, late last year, this strain of coronavirus has sickened more than 110,000 people worldwide and killed at least 4,000. As of Tuesday, 35 states had reported cases, with 25 deaths. No instances have been reported in Delaware, but many health experts consider it simply a matter of time.

Anyone who has recently returned from a country with a level two or three travel alert — China, Iran, Italy, Japan and South Korea — in the past 14 days who is experiencing coughing, a fever or shortness of breath should contact the Delaware Division of Public Health at 1-866-408-1899.

Concerned individuals can also contact their primary care provider, calling ahead before visiting. People are also urged not to go to a hospital unless instructed to do so by a medical professional.

DPH’s Smyrna Health Lab can test for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, at no cost to patients. Call the above number, email DPHCall@delaware.gov or visit de.gov/coronavirus for more information.

In the event of an outbreak, medical facilities may experience a great deal of activity. Mr. Navarro said care related to COVID-19 outside of the testing process should be considered in-network by health insurers if their in-network providers are unable to provide care. Immunization should be covered by insurance if one is developed.

Delaware law bars surprise billing.

“I applaud those carriers who have committed to waiving upfront costs for their consumers,” Mr. Navarro said in a statement. “Residents may avoid being tested simply because they can’t afford to pay their co-pays or deductibles, and I commend the companies that are taking the barrier of economic ability out of the equation.”

A spokeswoman for the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services said every hospital in the state has its own surge plan in the event of a wave of activity if the virus spreads here. As of Tuesday, two Delawareans were being tested for the virus, the state said.

Further information about what insurers are required to cover is available at https://news.delaware.gov/files/2020/03/Domestic-and-Foreign-Insurers-Bulletin-No.-115-Coverage-for-COVID-19-Coronavirus.pdf.

DOVER — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Philadelphia District announced Monday the dredging plan for the Delaware Bay will be submitted to Congress for authorization.

The recommendations call dredging sand from the bay to construct a dune and berm system at Bowers Beach, South Bowers Beach, Slaughter Beach, Prime Hook Beach and Lewes Beach while a berm system would be constructed at Pickering Beach and Kitts Hummock.

Initial construction of the project would be implemented in phases depending on funding and future dredging requirements. After initial construction, the sites would be eligible for periodic nourishment every six years.

The study was developed in response to damages along the Delaware Bay shoreline caused by erosion. The proposed project’s dunes and berms would reduce the risk of coastal storm damages.

The USACE Philadelphia District routinely dredges the federal shipping channel of the Delaware River and Bay to enable maritime commerce. In the future, USACE anticipates dredging approximately 930,000 cubic yards of sand from the Delaware Bay every two years.

The study, funded in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, was completed in partnership with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control.

“The chief’s report identifies an additional potential resource for the state to utilize for replenishment projects along the coast,” DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin said in a statement. “We use methods such as truck-fill or near-shore dredge sources that are currently the most economical ways to address the challenges we are facing from climate change. “If funded by Congress, this will give us another tool to consider if state resources are available.”