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Veterans Treatment Court offers support, mentoring

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Coastal Point • Maria Counts : Active-duty military serice personnel, veterans and their mentors are recognized at Sussex County Superior Courts for their participation in the Veterans Treatment Court program.Coastal Point • Maria Counts : Active-duty military serice personnel, veterans and their mentors are recognized at Sussex County Superior Courts for their participation in the Veterans Treatment Court program.Last month, Sussex County Superior Courts took the time to recognize and honor active-duty military service personnel, veterans and their mentors who participate in the Veterans Treatment Court program.

“Mentors — the strength of the court here is in large measure due to you,” said Delaware Superior Court Judge Richard F. Stokes, who served as a U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps officer during the Vietnam War, “the people who have served, the people that have seen things and understand that when veterans who have served our country come back, they have special problems, because they took the oath and served our country.”

The Veterans Treatment Court’s mission is to divert veterans who meet strict requirements from the traditional criminal justice system and provide them with the tools to lead a productive and law-abiding life.

On Sept. 28, Brig. Gen. Mike Berry, land component commander of the Delaware National Guard, who also serves as deputy commander of Troop 4 for the Delaware State Police, attended the event to show his support of the Court and its veterans.

“Circumstances are what they are. Certainly, the veteran population is a little different than the general population out there. I think that we, the veterans, all deserve an opportunity, and that’s what the mentors are doing.”

Berry also made a point to thank the Court mentors, who support its veterans.

“To see the participation of mentors, and what you all are doing for the mentees, is recognized. The value is recognized, the commitment that you’re making to our veterans. It’s really appreciated,” he said.

Before court business began, a special presentation was made of a completed shadow box containing the service and award ribbons of those involved in Veterans Court.

“It’s awe-inspiring,” said Superior Court Chief of Security Rene Flores Sr., who served in the U.S. Army and Air Force Reserve, and has been deployed in various combat areas, including Afghanistan and Iraq. “There’s a lot of history there. Each branch of service is represented in that box. It reinforces the brotherhood and sisterhood of veterans.”

“The largest set of ribbons was provided by someone who was enrolled in the court,” said Vietnam veteran and mentor Bill Gay. “That someone, after a long and successful career, had made one mistake. Had it not been for the court, that person may have found himself in the general prison population.

“Our hope is that each veteran enrolled in the court is inspired every time they see the displayed service and award ribbon sets, to stay focused on the hard work needed to graduate the Veterans Treatment Court and the rewards associated with graduation. I can say with certainty that, after the first mentees saw the first few ribbon sets placed in this display box, most were anxious to place their ribbons in the box.”

The shadowbox was built by Oscar Gonzales, a retired U.S. Army Ranger, and his three sons — Diego, Niko and Henry.

“It’s exhilarating. It really is. It’s not just seeing the project, because we built it, but it’s seeing everybody else’s expressions and what it means to them. It’s absolutely wonderful to see people’s faces light up with happiness and joy. It’s all about history — past, present and future,” he said. “In order to honor people, you have to remember the things of the past, plus you have to learn lessons from them.”

Gonzales said that, originally, there was talk of buying a box to display the medals.

“I said, ‘No, we’re going to build one.’ We have everything from the Silver Star on down. It all counts.”

Gay pointed out that there are varying sizes of ribbon sets, but the message is the same.

“It reflects that we all worked together when we were on active duty, and it’s our hope that every person enrolled will look at that and remember the great job they did on active duty and reinforce their desire and ability to graduate,” he said.

“We hope it’s especially inspirational to the veterans who are enrolled in the court that they served proudly and they have done a good job. That they now have a temporary problem with the legal system is something they can overcome.”

Paintings offer inspiration in the court

A military-themed painting painted by Randolph Graham, a resident in Sussex Correctional Institution, was also presented to the Court.

“I used to work in Corrections,” said Flores. “He wasn’t a veteran,” he said of Graham, “but he had a son in the Marines. This is his way of giving back to the veterans. … He has made numerous portraits and donated them to numerous veteran organizations. We presented him with the idea and asked, ‘Would you be willing to do this?’ And he did, and he did phenomenal work.”

This wasn’t the first time Flores and his bailiffs have gone the extra mile for area veterans. Earlier this summer, they collected much-needed items to donate to Home of the Brave in Milford, a non-profit whose mission is to “reduce homelessness among our military veteran population.”

They also worked with the Georgetown/Ellendale VFW to have a mural placed in the waiting area of the courtroom, reading, “Thank you to all who have served and all who are still serving!” with the seal of each branch of service displayed.

“I’m a retired veteran, and this is my way not only serving my country while retired, but to give something back to the veterans who served our country and helping those in need,” said Flores. “It’s an awesome feeling. I can’t take all the credit. It’s a team effort. The other bailiffs within my office — it’s a team effort. I present them with challenges, things I want to do, and we come together and make it happen.”

It is important to make the courtroom a welcoming environment for the veterans, said Gay, noting that efforts include placing service flags in the court room and, during each court session, running a patriotic slideshow depicting graduation ceremonies.

Veterans Treatment Court was begun in February 2011, and more than 80 percent of veterans enrolled have graduated from the program since the Sussex County branch of the Court opened in October 2014, with none of them having had issues with the legal system following graduation.

The program is successful in large part due to the efforts of many who want to see the veterans succeed.

“The Superior Court staff, and state and local police, refer vets they encounter in trouble with the legal system to the judge to approve for enrollment in the Vet Court,” explained Gay.

The Court focuses on enrolling veterans who stumbled into trouble with the legal system because of repeated deployments or other issues related to their military service.”

Gay added that the Court does not accept veterans with violent or sexual offenses.

“They’re screened very, very carefully, and the judge makes the final decision as to if they’ll be accepted. Being involved in the Veterans Treatment Court is not a free lunch. They have to work very, very hard.

“The reason Veterans Treatment Court was created was because we had veterans coming back after being deployed two, three, four times,” Gay said. “There was stress on the family, every part of their life. They might have a relatively small infraction with the law.”

Once enrolled in the program, veterans are given a comprehensive evaluation by the Delaware Department of Health & Human Services’ Treatment Access Service Center (TASC) and/or the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ Veterans Justice Outreach Team.

“Once they’re accepted, they get a tailored treatment program. It may be anger management, it may be substance-abuse counseling, it may be PTSD counseling, it may be vocational counseling.

“We want them to live in a stable housing environment, have a good job, and go back to being productive members of their community,” said Gay. “It takes them a minimum of six months. For many, it goes as long as 18 months. They have to work very hard, and attend all meetings, fulfill their treatment programs.”

Veterans encouraged to mentor others

A major component of Veterans Court is mentoring. Currently, the Sussex County Veterans Treatment Court has 16 mentors.

The volunteer mentors serve as a resource to help the veteran with whatever they may need — be it finding stable housing or employment, or accessing benefits or resources of which they may be unaware.

“I’m a Vietnam combat vet, and this particular year coming up is my 50-year anniversary of being in the field,” said Gay, who helps oversee the mentors. “It means a great deal for me to be able to help the veterans help themselves.”

“It’s something I have to do,” added Vietnam vet Tarry McGovern, who works side-by-side with Gay.

McGovern said he’s working with one mentee, a Marine, who had legal trouble after getting into a fight.

“He was a fabulous young fellow, and we’ve become good friends,” McGovern said, adding that he loves being a part of the program. “I try to have them call me once a week, or I call them once a week, and discuss how their week went.

“That’s probably the most important thing — to listen to them, encourage them and do not judge them. We’re just positive influences. You have to be positive all the time.”

Mentor Michael Burkhart, a retired emergency-room doctor, said he first heard of the program after Gay sent out an email to members of the Military Officers Association of America, looking for mentors.

“I thought I could put something back,” he said. “I look at my role as somebody the veteran can complain to, a shoulder he can cry on. As a guy who’s been there… I can at least see where they’re coming from. So many people in the legal system just don’t understand. I’m grateful that Judge Stokes does understand.”

Burkhart served as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and graduated from the Naval Academy. He retired as a captain in the Marine Corps and then joined the National Guard, in which he stayed for 13 years.

Burkhart said he feels for today’s soldiers and wants to help them as much as he can.

“I was lucky. When I got back from my combat service, I didn’t get out — I stayed in a couple more years. So, I got a chance to work through my PTSD with other veterans who had the same experience that I did.

“So I didn’t suffer the consequences that these guys do. They go into combat, and they have these horrible experiences. Then they’re turned loose into the civilian world with a bunch of people who have no idea. Some of these guys — I’m amazed they’re still alive. It speaks to a toughness that they have.

“Many have trouble with drugs and alcohol, but, despite that, they still persevere. This Court provides a way for them to navigate the rocks and shoals, and it’s very rewarding when some combat veteran makes it.”

Burkhart said he thinks a lot of combat veterans these days who have trouble are medicating themselves because of the trauma they endured.

“When day after day — particularly, night after night — you relive these horrible experiences, it makes it very difficult to continue. A lot of guys lost limbs in the war, but a lot of guys have wounds you can’t see, but they are very, very real.”

Veterans Treatment Court is needed, said Burkhart, because once soldiers have seen war, they need to be supported when they return home.

“As an emergency doctor, I’ve always been very hard-nosed about drunk driving, for example. But this is different. No, we don’t want veterans driving drunk any more than we want anyone else driving drunk, but doggone… they took care of us. We must take care of them. They’re put in situation that no man should be put in. We civilians don’t pay for it — they pay for it — and that’s not fair.”

Jobs a key component for returning veterans

Jobs are something that business owners can do to help the returning veteran population, said Burkhart.

“Think about what they’re asked to do, what they learn at age 17, and the leadership, how to act under stress, and solving problems — skills that would be valued by any employer that takes a civilian years to learn — stuff they learn the first day. Yet this tremendous resource isn’t tapped by employers because they’re afraid. Veterans — and particularly combat veterans — are good workers and will make money for your company.

“Give them a job. ‘Thank you for your service’ is a nice thing to say, but a veteran, like everybody else, has to put food on the table. So many people say, ‘A veteran — oh, he may freak out on me. I can’t hire him.’ That’s a horrible thing to do to a veteran. These guys should have preference for employment, not put at the back of the line.

“As a society, we should do everything we can to keep the veterans employed and ensure they have a reason to continue. They look forward to going to work every day and contributing to society, and not grabbing a bottle or a needle.”

As a mentor, Burkhart said it’s “rewarding” to see a mentee graduate from the program, and other area veterans should join the program and serve as mentors.

“Those guys sacrificed for us. The price paid for that sacrifice isn’t paid for by those of us who benefitted. It’s paid for by them again when they can’t find a job, when they can’t stay off the drugs, when they get in trouble with the law, when they can’t sleep at night, when their marriages end up in divorce,” he said.

“What we did by sending them there was bad enough. What we’re doing to them now is horrible. This court is an attempt to fix part of that. I’m extremely grateful to Judge Stokes for taking on this job.”

The Sussex Veteran Treatment Court mentor team is always seeking new mentors. People may qualify to become a mentor if they are a veteran or have had a great deal of experience with veterans as a family member or professionally.

Those interested in becoming mentors who would like more information can email Bill Gay at billgsussexvetcourt@gmail.com or Tarry McGovern at tarrygunner777@aol.com.

Those wishing to support veterans in other ways, or veterans seeking information for themselves about benefits, can go to the Delaware Joining Forces website for a listing of organizations supporting veterans, at delaware.gov/djf.


Bethany welcoming Wags, Witches & Warlocks on Saturday

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Coastal Point • File Photo : Wags, Witches & Warlocks brings costumed humans, tail-wagging pets, a parade and more to Bethany Beach for some Halloween festivities every year.Coastal Point • File Photo : Wags, Witches & Warlocks brings costumed humans, tail-wagging pets, a parade and more to Bethany Beach for some Halloween festivities every year.Wags, Witches & Warlocks, the annual Bethany Beach Halloween festival and parade, will bring the fun for families and their fur-babies this weekend. The festival, hosted by the Leslie Kopp Group of Long & Foster Real Estate, will be held this year on Saturday, Oct. 28.

While the event brings families and pets to town for a day of fun, it is also an important fundraising and awareness event for Partners for Paws of Delaware.

The fun gets going at 10 a.m. with the parade and costume contest. A special feature in this year’s parade will be participation by the Indian River High School Marching Band — the first time the band has performed in the parade, according to Christi Arndt of the Leslie Kopp Group.

The partnership came about through band member Lindsay Phelan, who brought the idea to band director Nathan Mohler, Arndt said.

“Our committee was so pleased that he was immediately interested in working on a performance,” she said.

The parade “is concentrated on Garfield Parkway,” Arndt said.

Registration will begin at 9 a.m. at the PNC Bank parking lot downtown. The parade starts at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Garfield Parkway, and goes up and around Garfield, Arndt said. The band will step off at Hollywood Street and Pennsylvania and will then circle around Garfield as well, she said.

After the parade, costume winners will be announced around 10:45 a.m. near the registration area in the PNC parking lot. Prizes will be awarded for Most Original, Funniest, Scariest, Cutest, Best Pet, Best with a Pet and Best Family.

After the parade, families will be invited to enjoy activities including Halloween crafts for children, pumpkin painting and face painting, and bobbing for tennis balls for their four-legged friends. Several the members of the Indian River Leo Club have volunteered to help with pumpkin painting, face painting and a few other Halloween crafts in the PNC parking lot.

Businesses at Lighthouse Station will offer fun activities, such as bobbing for apples and special activities for dogs, according to Arndt. Comics & Gaming will be offering free comic books and Halloween treats as part of their Halloween Comic Fest. “Surf Hole” (like cornhole) will be set up at Odysea, and Maureen’s Ice Cream shop will also have a special treat for the children, Arndt said.

Bethany Beach shops will be welcoming trick-or-treaters in town from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participating businesses will have posters in their windows, Arndt said.

For more information, go to www.WagsWitchesandWarlocks.com.

Town pride spills over at annual Frankford Fall Festival

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Local children will march through the streets of Frankford on Saturday, Oct. 28, as the Frankford Fall Festival and costume parade returns to town.

The main festival will occur at Frankford Town Park from noon to 4 p.m., with a costume contest that morning at the fire hall, followed by a costume parade to the park.

“Spend time with your family and get to know your neighbor,” said organizer Robbie Murray. “We get positive feedback for all of our events, ‘What a great opportunity to see everybody!’”

Games and activities are being organized by the Envision Frankford coalition, which includes Town Hall, five nearby churches, and the library, fire department and its ladies’ auxiliary.

Kids can burn off some energy in the bounce house and on the park’s playground equipment. People can roll through town on firetruck rides and haywagon rides. The Christiana Care LifeNet helicopter will also make an appearance.

Admission and activities are all free. But some spare cash will let people shop with the vendors, who will be selling baked goods, produce and homemade soaps, along with the Taco Ladies, Hocker’s hamburgers and hotdogs, Rita’s Italian Ice and Antioch AME Church’s barbecue.

The day starts at the fire company parking lot (5 Main Street), with costume contest registration at 10:30 a.m. and judging at 11 a.m. At 11:30 a.m., families will parade up Clayton Avenue toward the playground.

“It’s an opportunity for the kids to walk in the parade and be seen by anybody that wants to line the streets,” said Murray, describing the individual and group costumes that families often create.

Costume prizes will be awarded at the park at 12:30 p.m., in various categories. For those 2 or younger and those ages 3 and 4, prizes will be awarded for Funniest, Most Original, Best Prince/Princess and Best Cartoon. Prizes for the Scariest, Funniest, Most Original and Most Realistic will be awarded in age groups of 5-6 years, 7-9 years and 10-12 years.

“I think, with Envision Frankford, we have a lot of local organizations that have joined together with a desire to bring the community together,” said Murray.

There is one change to the 2017 festival: trick-or-treating will not be Saturday night after the festival. The Town has returned official Frankford trick-or-treating hours to Halloween night, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m., like most other nearby towns.

Details about the festival are available online at www.facebook.com/EnvisionFrankford or by calling Robbie Murray at (302) 236-9333.

Men’s Club celebrates 30 years of service and fellowship

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Three decades ago, a group of men met at St. Ann’s Catholic Church to socialize and improve the community. Now, the St. Ann’s Men’s Club is celebrating 30 years of fraternity and charity.

“I find it very comforting to have something out of the house, to give back to the church, back to the community,” said Thomas Defibaugh, past president of the group. “It’s fun. … It’s a good group of people.”

The Men’s Club began in 1987, when the Rev. John Masterson invited parishioners to form a social ministry. The casual fellowship of men would also perform outreach projects.

The Men’s Club 30th anniversary celebration will be Saturday, Nov. 4, at 6:30 p.m. in Delaney Hall at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 691 Garfield Parkway, Bethany Beach.

The ceremony will include a magic program by Rich Bloch of Dickens Parlour Theatre and speakers the Rev. John Klevence and club President Frank Mack. Past presidents will cut the ceremonial cake. Local chef Charles Oppman will prepare the cake and other sweet treats for the guests.

Due to space restrictions, guests must RSVP to Joe Martinez at (302) 541-4964 or martinezjre@mchsi.com.

“When you get older … you starting thinking about giving more to the community,” said Martinez.

“It’s a service organization. If you want to give back, it’s a wonderful vehicle to do that. In my particular case, we always looked to get involved,” said Board Member Mike Galu, who joined the club almost immediately after moving to Delaware about two years ago.

Over the years, the Men’s Club has leaned more toward fundraising, with charitable donations reaching nearly $53,000 in the past six years. Every year, the 85 members nearly deplete the treasury with charitable donations and start the new year’s administration with a near zero-balance.

But money’s not the entire focus. These guys are also learning more about their community and world. Every meeting features a guest lecture. Past speakers have included a hazmat responder, an art museum’s head of security, a pharmacist and a Civil War expert. Club members have learned about healthcare, the Electoral College, prison ministry and services, nutrition, election debates and local stories of interest.

Memories have been made at picnics, pancake breakfasts, holiday parties, charity golf tournaments and late-night card games. Special trips have ranged from road cleanups and bridge construction sites to Delmarva Shorebirds baseball games and New York City Christmas shows.

“I guess we’re the social arm of the church,” joked past president Joe Martinez. “We try to do community work, and … all that money we donate back to the neighborhood.”

They split the funds between St. Ann’s church endeavors and other neighborhood charity projects. The members’ annual $12 dues pay for administrative costs. Groups in need can contact the Men’s Club at St. Ann’s to request donations.

Monthly meetings are typically held on a Tuesday, with socializing at 6:30 p.m. and business at 7 p.m. Members must be a member or the spouse of a member of St. Ann’s Parish (which includes St. Ann’s Church and the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe). They don’t need to be fulltime residents.

A membership drive is under way, so people can grab a brochure or ask questions at any Mass. Women’s groups are also available in the church and parish. For details, call the church at (302) 539-6449 or visit www.stannbb.org.

Washington, D.C., men killed in crash

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The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit and the Dewey Beach Police Department this week were investigating a motor vehicle crash on Coastal Highway (Route 1) in Dewey Beach that killed two Washington, D.C., men who had been standing next to the road on their bicycles. Police asked for the public’s help with information about the vehicle involved in the accident.

According to the DSP, the crash occurred around 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21, on Route 1, about 100 feet south of Saulsbury Street, when a 2017 Chevrolet Suburban operated by a 61-year-old New York man was traveling Route 1 northbound south of Saulsbury Street when he apparently suffered an acute medical event, causing him to black out.

Police reported that the Chevrolet then crossed into the southbound lanes of Route 1 and rapidly accelerated in a northerly direction, toward the Starboard Bar & Restaurant, where two Washington, D.C., men — James D. Walton, 53, and Richard G. Chittick 58 — were standing while straddling their bicycles, one on the southbound shoulder and the other on the sidewalk.

Police said both men attempted to move out of the path of the Chevrolet but were unable to do so and were struck by the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle simultaneously struck a Delmarva Power utility pole, severing it at ground level. After striking the two victims and the utility pole, they said, the Chevrolet continued into the Starboard parking lot, where it struck an unoccupied 2015 Jeep Wrangler before coming to rest.

Both Walton and Chittick were pronounced dead at the scene. The Chevrolet operator, who was properly restrained, was transported to Beebe Healthcare for treatment. Neither impairment nor distraction was believed to be a factor in the crash, police said.

The Collision Reconstruction Unit was continuing their investigation into the incident early this week. No charges had been filed, but investigators have requested that anyone who may have witnessed the crash or otherwise encountered the involved vehicle prior to the collision occurring contact Cpl. N. DeMalto of the Collision Reconstruction Unit, Troop 7, at (302) 703-3267. The black 2017 Chevrolet Suburban bore a Florida tag.

Coastal Highway was closed for approximately five hours during the investigation.

Ocean View Town Council discusses Hendricks compensation study

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In 2012, the Ocean View Town Council hired Hendricks & Associates to conduct a compensation study to analyze the duties of town employees. The thought was to develop a salary grade and range structure so that the Town would not have retention issues.

“Since 2012, a lot of our positions have changed,” said Town Manager Dianne Vogel. “People are doing different duties. Some positions are new.”

Vogel said each position is looked at in seven different categories, including job complexity, education and experience, and physical demands.

“These weighted points are proprietary information designed by Mr. Hendricks. He uses these points in all of his compensation plans, except for schools.

“These weights don’t change by any amount, ever.”

Now mayor of the town, Walter Curran said this week that, with the Town administrative staff now fully understanding the system, they can better explain the rankings to employees.

“A year ago, nobody had any faith in this system, because nobody really understood it.

There were some mistakes made… We’ve fixed those mistakes. I think, with all the effort of these two leaders, they now fully understand how it works.”

“There was a lot of angst last year that came from employees… This didn’t make sense. There was some disagreement as to where people were placed on the charts... I’m not going to have any issue having my folks understand this now,” agreed Ocean View Police Chief Ken McLaughlin. “I think all of that angst is going to be eliminated.”

Councilman Frank Twardzik said he was also pleased with staff’s review of the study and how it will impact employees.

“When we first started this, we made a promise to employees… We have followed through on that. I commend Dianne for doing that reevaluation on every employee on what their job is. I think that was necessary in order to get an accurate description.”

“I commend all the department heads and the town manager, because you put it an awful lot of work on this,” added Curran.

Take two: Route 54 traffic focus of second public meeting

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It was a long discussion, but it was missing some key players. This time when residents discuss Route 54 traffic congestion and safety, they’ll be speaking with Sussex County officials.

State Rep. Ron Gray (R-38) and Sen. Gerald Hocker Sr. (R-20) have invited the public to a follow-up Route 54 traffic meeting on Thursday, Nov. 2, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Indian River High School auditorium.

They’ve invited Sussex County Councilmember Rob Arlett and Administrator Todd Lawson, plus Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) staff to discuss traffic concerns, including entrance plans for the incoming proposed Royal Farms gas station across from Keenwick Sound development.

A similar meeting was held on Sept. 19. Hocker and Gray turned to the IRHS auditorium after the September attendees threatened to exceed Roxana fire hall’s 274 occupancy limit, showing high public concern. Although debate began with the proposed Royal Farms entrance pattern, discussion had turned to the broader probability at hand: the speed of development.

Although Hocker and Gray hosted the first meetings to help residents, they don’t actually control land-use decisions.

Outside of regular town limits, Sussex County Council approves all development, based on the recommendations of its Planning & Zoning Commission.

Route 54 is challenging on its own, without the proposed townhouses, gas stations and other development. At the end of the day, it’s still just a two-lane road connecting thousands of people to a resort area.

Indian River High School is located at 29772 Armory Road, Dagsboro.

DSP: Selbyville man dies after Sept. 29 crash

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At the request of Selbyville Police Department, the Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit this week began investigating a crash that occurred at the end of September, resulting in the death of a driver.

Police said the incident occurred Friday, Sept. 29, around 11:10 a.m. as Philip E. Lockwood, 73, of Selbyville, was driving a 2015 Jeep Cherokee eastbound on Lighthouse Road (Route 54) approaching Hudson Road, which did not have a stop sign or traffic signal.

A 63-year-old Barrington, N.J., man was driving a 2011 Kia Soul southbound on Hudson Road approaching a clearly marked stop sign at the intersection with Route 54, police said, and for undetermined reasons, the Kia failed to stop at the stop sign and entered into the path of the Jeep, which struck the Kia on the right front side, within the intersection.

After the impact, police said, the Jeep rotated clockwise and exited the southeast corner of the intersection, where it came to a stop after striking a utility pole with the left rear side. The Kia, they said, continued in a southeasterly direction and came to a stop in the grass just south of the shoulder of Route 54.

Lockwood was properly restrained and transported from the scene by EMS to Beebe Healthcare, where he had been admitted until he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, Oct. 15.

The 63-year-old operator of the Kia was properly restrained and transported by EMS to Peninsula Regional Medical Center with undetermined injuries, police noted, while a 62-year-old female passenger was properly restrained and was airlifted by LifeNet to Christiana Medical Center with undetermined injuries.

The Collision Reconstruction Unit was continuing their investigation into the incident this week. Police said neither alcohol nor drugs appeared to be factors in the case. No charges had been filed early this week.


Police investigating local roadside robbery

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Delaware State Police this week were investigating a robbery of a 28-year-old Maryland man while his vehicle was disabled along a Sussex County roadway near Millville.

Police said the incident occurred on Monday, Oct. 23, around 10:59 p.m. as the Willards man was stopped along Roxana Road near Burbage Road after his vehicle became disabled. According to their report, two men stopped and made contact with the victim as if they were going to provide him with assistance. But, police said, the two male suspects returned to their own vehicle and one of them retrieved a handgun.

According to the DSP, the victim was then allegedly ordered at gunpoint to get down on the ground. As the victim was down on the ground, they said, he was allegedly struck in the head with the handgun by one of the suspects.

Police said the suspects allegedly removed a wallet and jewelry from the victim, as well as an undisclosed amount of cash from his vehicle. The men then allegedly fled in an unknown make and model vehicle, southbound on Roxana Road. Police said the victim sustained a minor injury to his head and refused medical treatment at the scene.

The suspect with the handgun was described as a white man, 25 to 30 years old, between 6 feet and 6 feet, 2 inches tall, weighing 190 to 200 pounds, and wearing a light-colored shirt and gray sweatpants. No description was provided on the second suspect or the vehicle in which they fled.

If anyone has information in reference to the incident, they are being asked to contact the Troop 4 Major Crimes Unit at (302) 856-5850. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware crime stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or via the internet at http://www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com.

Frankford auction to benefit various hurricane victims

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This weekend, when some people buy new furniture, they’ll know that 100 percent of the cost helped hurricane victims across the U.S.

The Father’s House church in Frankford will host an auction fundraiser to help hurricane recovery efforts in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. They were battered by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, all within one month this summer.

“We’re a little tiny town with a tiny church, but that don’t mean something big can’t be done. We’re just hoping that people get behind this,” said organizer the Rev. Mike Vaughan.

Auctions will be hosted on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 26 and 27, at the banquet hall of Frankford fire hall. Doors open at 5 p.m., and auctions begin at 6 p.m., both nights.

People and businesses have donated a variety of goods for live and silent auction, including gift certificates, services, new and used furniture, antiques, glassware and other gifts.

A preview night was scheduled for Wednesday night beforehand.

All the money will be donated to the Church of God in Cleveland, Tenn., and the Full Gospel Fellowship, headquartered in Irving, Texas.

“Both of these groups will get the funds directly to the most needed areas. They just stay on top of it,” Vaughn said. “We didn’t want to send it to just anybody, but I’m very familiar [with these organizations]. Long after the media finds something else to be the hot topic, they will continue to reach out to [victims] for years after… They’re going to be there for the long haul. And know that 100 percent of it will get directly to the victims.”

The fundraiser idea came from a local antiques dealer, Vaughn said.

“There’s a lot of people hurting in Texas and Florida and over in Puerto Rico,” Vaughn said. “So I happened to walk into a shop down here in Frankford. … [The owner] was all distraught over what was going on, and I said, ‘We oughta do something.’ He said, ‘We oughta have an auction.’”

It’s not a stretch to imagine Delaware suffering from a brutal coastal storm.

“The community’s coming behind it,” Vaughn said. “It doesn’t take but one high tide and storm to flood the streets of Bethany, and people can empathize in a moderate way what these people are going through … it could take one nor’easter to come through and wipe us out for three weeks.”

He hopes other people across the U.S. would try to help if Delaware faced such hardship.

“At times like these, so many people reach out to the Church,” Vaughn said.

Frankford fire hall is located at 7 Main Street.

People can bring additional cash for dinner each night. On Thursday, the church will sell hotdogs and sodas. On Friday, Frankford Volunteer Fire Company hosts its weekly carryout specials of oyster sandwiches, burgers, hotdogs, sausages and fries.

This weekend, get rid of those old prescription meds

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As part of an ongoing effort locally, state-wide and nationally, people are being encouraged to visit some of their local police departments this weekend to properly dispose of their unneeded or expired prescription medications.

The semiannual Drug Take-Back day will be held on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. During that time, unused medications — both in liquid and pill form — may be dropped off at pre-approved Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) program sites.

“Opioid addiction is a big deal right now. Getting rid of these dangerous drugs from your house so they’re not sitting around, helps reduce the risk of prescription medication misuse,” said Ocean View Police Department Sgt. Rhys Bradshaw.

The OVPD has been participating in the take-back days for many years, and even has a drop-off box available to residents year-round inside the Wallace A. Melson Municipal Building.

“The only thing we don’t like to take is needles,” cautioned Bradshaw.

The OVPD had previously used a decommissioned mailbox for people to drop the medications in, before being approached by CVS Pharmacy, which provided them with a secure box in which to collect the medications.

“We always have people coming in and dropping off,” said Bradshaw, noting that, last year, there were 23 collection sites in the state of Delaware, which together collected 7,684 pounds of prescription drugs. Of those drugs, 265 pounds were collected at the Ocean View Police Department.

According to the Delaware Department of Health & Social Services, 70 percent of people who abuse prescription pain medications get them from friends and relatives, and one in five high school students have abused prescription drugs.

This program is anonymous; no questions will be asked nor requests for identification made by law-enforcement personnel present when people drop off any medications. Citizens can simply drop off their expired, unused or unwanted medication to ensure proper disposal.

“We always have multiple boxes,” said Bradshaw. “They’re from all over, too. We don’t just collect from residents of Ocean View; we have people come in from all over. Anybody can bring them here and drop them off. We seal them in a box, and they’re stored in our secured evidence room until the DEA comes to collect them.”

Participating sites for the Oct. 28 take-back in Sussex County are the Dagsboro Police Department, Delaware State Police Troop 4 in Georgetown, Milton Police Department, Delaware State Police Troop 7 in Lewes, Ocean View Police Department, City of Lewes’ Board of Public Works and the Laurel Police Department.

Permanent drop-off sites in Sussex County are at the Selbyville Police Department, Greenwood Police Department, Ocean View Police Department, Georgetown Police Department, Laurel Police Department, Delmar Police Department, Walgreens at Five Points in Lewes and Walgreens in Seaford.

“You should always try to dispose of medications in the proper way,” said Bradshaw, noting that prescription medications flushed down the toilet or sink can make their way into the water supply, so that is no longer a recommended method of disposal.

For more information about Drug Take-Back Day, visit http://dhss.delaware.gov/dph/hsp/hhdrugtakeback.html.

Magee Farms getting in Halloween spirit

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Despite the fact that the pumpkin crop at Magee Farms’ Selbyville location succumbed to a rainy growing season, the century-old family farm will kick off the weekend with a tribute to TV audiences’ favorite pumpkin patch, followed the next day with more autumn fun at its annual Fall Festival.

The farm will host a showing of the Halloween classic “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27. Movie snacks will be available for sale; moviegoers should bring their own blankets or chairs.

On Saturday, Oct. 28, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Magee Farms in Selbyville will hold its Fall Festival, featuring a bountiful harvest of activities for the family, including horseback rides, a barrel train, a corn pit, a mini-maze, bowling with pumpkins, “feed the pig” game, a hay slide, a petting zoo, pumpkin painting and bounce houses.

In addition, visitors will be able to check out some farm equipment and a firetruck, up close. Food will be available for purchase, and the farm stand will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday as well.

Magee’s events coordinator, Heather Hastings, said the farm has gone all out with activities this year — so much so that once the spots were mapped out for each one, there was no room left for vendors this year, as the farm has had at past festivals. There is a $5 fee for those who wish to take part in festival activities.

Magee Farms is located at 34857 Lighthouse Road, Selbyville. For more information, call the farm at (302) 524-8128.

IRSD official count tops 10,600 students

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Every autumn, Delaware schools take a “snapshot” of the student population. On Sept. 30, Indian River School District officially counted 10,619 students.

“If we keep the same growth pattern, we’re going to eclipse 11,000 in the next five years, probably more like 11,500 to 12,000 students,” Superintendent Mark Steele told the IRSD Board of Education in October.

This 154-student increase is less severe than the 245 average annual increase IRSD has seen in each of the previous seven years.

The September number is the basis for most State funding, including the State’s share of salaries.

Although the student population only increased by 154, the teaching units have increased by about 26. This year, the State will contribute funding toward 818.89 teaching positions, compared to last year’s 792.45.

What’s striking is that 23 of the 26 new positions are directly related to special education.

Although this method is based on population, it’s still frustrating to districts because students will continue to enroll throughout the school year, moving to the area or for other reasons. Districts will not receive any additional State funding based on latecomers.

Exactly this time last year, IRSD was brainstorming how to build several additional schools. Recognizing how jam-packed the schools are, the State approved IRSD to pursue four capital improvement projects: a new elementary school in Millsboro; a new middle school north of Millsboro; expansions to Sussex Central High School; and replacement of the Howard T. Ennis School building in Georgetown.

Except for the State-funded Ennis School, the board hasn’t pursued taking these projects to public referendum, instead spending the year trying to pass a current-expense referendum in spring that would simply keep the lights on.

This autumn, Steele reminded the board that the pressure is still mounting, like at Sussex Central, which is about 115 students over its 1,500 capacity.

“We are behind the 8-ball, as a district,” said board Vice President Rodney Layfield. “We’ve been fiscally responsible for many, many years. I think we continue to be. But we’re in crisis mode.”

The board’s challenge is balancing school choice with school capacity. They were happy to attract out-of-district students, thereby attracting the dollars that follow. But there’s no longer enough room in many of the schools to enroll every Milford, Seaford or Cape Henlopen student who wants to come over.

In fact, this is the first year that IRSD will take a net loss of about $650,000 on school choice, said Business Director Jan Steele.

For instance, she said, many students are attracted to the expanding Sussex Academy charter school in Georgetown and Cape Henlopen’s new Route 24 elementary school.

“I think our elementary schools are full. They’re crowded,” Jan Steele said earlier this month.

“We have the programs, but not the space,” agreed former administrator Gary Brittingham.

Districts must follow specific rules regarding school choice. This month, IRSD approved a more streamlined policy (JECC-A “School Choice Program”).

When competing for spots, the top four priorities remain for returning students, geographic students and siblings of district students. After that, they give priority to district and then non-district students already in the kindergarten center, fifth or eighth grades and preparing to enter the next building level. Next would be children of school employees, all other district students, and finally, any non-district students.

This removes any priority for students based on their daycare or parents’ workplace being located geographically within the district.

This year, IRSD will also join most other Delaware schools in accepting choice applications online at www.SchoolChoiceDE.org.

In other school district news:

• Indian River High School has permission to purchase new marching band uniforms at an estimated $72,000 maximum. The money is already earmarked and not taken from referendum funds. IRSD saves annually in a band uniform depreciation fund. Both high schools are in a 10-year replacement cycle.

• As part of her Miss Delaware platform, Rebeca Bristow helped facilitate installation of a POW/MIA Chair of Honor memorial at Sussex Central.

• The board officially thanked the New Century Club, a community organization that donated real estate property in Georgetown, which IRSD is currently selling to make a profit.

• With more than 70,000 elementary schools in the United States, East Millsboro Elementary was one of about 260 to win a National Blue Ribbon School Award this year.

The IRSD Board of Education’s next regular meeting is Monday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. at Indian River High School.

County could introduce ‘right-to-work’ ordinance next week

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At the urging of Councilman Rob Arlett, the Sussex County Council may introduce an ordinance related to “right-to-work” legislation at its Oct. 31 meeting.

The draft ordinance, “relating to the promotion of economic development and commerce by regulation of certain voluntary payments required of employees in Sussex County,” would be intended, he said, to” provide that no employee covered by the National Labor Relations Act be required to join or pay dues to a union, or refrain from joining a union, as a condition of employment.”

At the Oct. 24 council meeting, the council chambers were packed to standing room only.

More than a dozen people spoke on the “right to work,” both for and against the idea.

Attorney G. Kevin Fasic, whose firm is a member of the Association of Builders & Contractors, Delaware Chapter, was asked to speak on legal issues surrounding the proposed ordinance.

“Prior to last year, the conventional wisdom was that a political subdivision of the State did not have the authority to pass a right-to-work ordinance… That conventional wisdom has changed.”

Fasic stated that a decision in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in November 2016 grants a political subdivision (such as Sussex County) the ability to pass right-to-work legislation under the National Labor Relations Act.

“That decision was appealed to the United States Supreme Court… The Supreme Court declined to hear that case. What that means is the Sixth Circuit decision stands.”

Fasic said that, if the legislation were to pass in Sussex County, there would likely be a legal challenge.

“The District Court here in Delaware would hear that case, and, more than likely, that case would go up to Third Circuit Court of Appeals… If the Third Circuit were to take a contrary stance, you would have a split among the circuits. What that means is the U.S. Supreme Court would undoubtedly take this case up, and my assessment … is that they declined to hear the Sixth Circuit Case — more than likely they would uphold this case.”

Carol Bodine, the secretary for the state Republican Party, as well as an Ocean View Town Council member, spoke in support of the proposed ordinance.

“I’m tired of legislators being afraid to stand up to their opposition, as we have seen on the federal level. Sussex County is the third largest county east of the Mississippi. Let’s stand on the right side of this issue and put Sussex County on the national map.”

Ted Kittila, attorney for the conservative think-tank the Caesar Rodney Institute, said his clients support the proposed ordinance, believing it to be a “necessary and proper exercise of the County’s power.”

Kittila told the council that in 1970 the General Assembly of Delaware enacted the Sussex County Home Rule Act, which he said grants the County the ability to pass the proposed ordinance.

“You have the ability to do this. You have the right to do this.”

State Sen. Bryant Richardson presented council with letters signed by four of the five Sussex County Republican state senators, in support of the proposed legislation, as well as a letter of support from Kent County state Sen. Colin Bonini.

“We want to bring jobs back to our area,” he said. “The poverty rate is very high in Seaford, Laurel and other areas. We need to bring jobs to this area.

“Delaware is the only state where workers’ salaries have declined over the past 10 years. We’re concerned about the prosperity of the working families… I believe this will help us quite a bit.”

Opponents cite lack of need, negative impacts

Opposing the legislation, Charlie Timmons of the Delaware Chapter of the Association of Builders & Contractors said all individuals have the right to work without paying union dues for fees.

“Of the top 10 unemployment states, seven are right-to-work states,” pointed out William Glass, state legislative director for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees. “It does not create jobs.”

Milton resident Bette McGrath said she has deep concerns regarding the proposed ordinance, stating it “undermines the rights of working people.”

“‘Right-to-work’ provisions reduce or destroy representation for workers on the job. Without representation, workers are at the mercy of management without a unified voice,” she said. “I hope council members consider carefully the true meaning of right-to-work and oppose passage of this proposal.”

The Rev. Jermain Johnson of the United Commercial Workers said the proposed ordinance “directly threatens every hard-working family in our community” and silences voices in the workplace. He referred to the concept as not “right-to-work” but “work-for-less.”

“We wanted to build a better life for ourselves, and we continue to do that,” he said. “If ‘work-for-less’ passes, it will make our economic challenges worse… The hardworking families of Sussex County, where I was born, raised and live, deserve better than work-for-less.”

Retired carpenter John Brown said no one can be forced to join a union.

“If you really believe it’s about freedom, Mr. Arlett,” he said. “I would think you would also support a bill for my right as a citizen of Sussex County to choose whether I want to be a member of Sussex County and pay property taxes. Really, it’s the same thing. You either have the right to choose or you don’t have the right to choose.”

Brown also said that putting right-to-work laws into place will not solve any economic issues, as Sussex County has one of the lowest amounts of unionism in the state.

“When businesses come to Delaware, where is right-to-work on that list of things? It’s infrastructure, education, workforce development, etc.… It’s not even the No. 5, 7 or 8 issue.”

Seaford resident Bianca Rodrigues said she and her husband moved to Sussex County five years ago because of the values they believed Sussex County held.

“As a Realtor, the majority of my clients are the working class,” she said, noting that owning a home is part of the “American dream.” “The majority of my clients are working for us, and if this right-to-work legislation were to be introduced and possibly passed in our county, the economic devastation it could have on those people, and therefore in our economy — we’re talking about our neighbors, family — we would lower their purchasing power. It would impact that dream that people work all their lives for.”

County Solicitor J. Everett Moore was asked to give a legal opinion related to the draft ordinance by Council President Michael H. Vincent, as well as Councilman George Cole.

Moore said that Fasic was right in that one county in Kentucky decided to pass a right-to-work ordinance, which, prior to that, was perceived to be a state-level issue.

Moore said that he reviewed Delaware’s Home Rule Statute, which includes a clause stating, “This grant of power does not include the power to enact private or civil law concerning civil relationships except as an incident to exercise and express their grant in power.”

“I read that as prohibiting — that this does not give Sussex County the grant of authority under our Home Rule to pass such an ordinance.”

If it was passed, Moore said, the County would face “very, very expensive litigation.”

“I also believe there would be litigation on multiple fronts, including federal and state,” he said, adding that opposing parties would most likely file for injunctive relief, which would put a hold on the right-to-work legislation going into effect. “That would mean that, during the entire litigation, you would not have this ordinance.”

He added that those opposed to the legislation could also review the County’s record, playing tape of Moore publically advising against the ordinance.

Cole asked what, if the County did pass the ordinance, the financial impact would be on the County.

County Administrator Todd Lawson said, aiming to be clear, that the County was already incurring legal fees related to the proposed ordinance. Lawson said that, in speaking with the County’s insurance company, the deductible would be $250,000.

“However, the insurance company did say they would reserve the right to review the situation, and it doesn’t mean our policy would cover this litigation.”

Arlett said he wanted to introduce the ordinance to get the public’s input on the topic.

“All I ever wanted was the public hearings, so we could hear from the community,” he said. “We’re not here to be the judge and jury today.”

Moore also said that the ordinance, which was not drafted by the County’s legal counsel, could not be introduced on Tuesday, as it was not drafted in the proper format.

“It has to be introduced in a format that could be enacted immediately,” explained Moore. “If it were attempted to be introduced today, it would be improper and could be challenged as well.”

Despite Moore’s stance that the draft ordinance could not be introduced, Arlett motioned to do so anyway.

“To be clear, it is on the agenda today. I want to go on record to introduce this today. I just want to go on record.”

“You can go on record, but it cannot be introduced,” said Vincent.

He requested the item be added to next week’s council agenda for introduction.

“Ultimately, we’re having these conversations before we’re getting a full public hearing, versus the real dialogue with the community. To me, it’s just important to have the public dialogue… I think, ultimately, everyone in this room and everyone in this community desires the same thing: good paying jobs...”

Vincent stated that the proposed ordinance could have been introduced if it was drafted properly.

“For the record, had Councilman Arlett chosen to go to our legal counsel and had the thing drawn up and drafted, there wouldn’t have been mistakes, and it would’ve been right the first time. And that’s a lesson for all of us.”

DelDOT budget highlights Route 113 intersections, Route 24 improvements

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Planning roads is no small task, and the Delaware Department of Transportation is currently working to finalize its six-year budget plan with a number of projects proposed.

This autumn, the public has been invited to review DelDOT’s priorities in the Capital Transportation Program (CTP) for the 2019-2024 fiscal years (the fiscal year begins on July 1 of the previous calendar year, so the 2018 fiscal year has already begun).

Some of the biggest projects include proposed changes to intersections on Route 113 and improvements to Route 24. To improve traffic flow, DelDOT could significantly change the landscape of Route 113.

The 2.75-mile North Millsboro bypass would connect Route 113 north of town to Route 24 east of town. Preliminary engineering would continue through the 2022 fiscal year. DelDOT would begin property acquisition in 2021, and construction could begin in the 2023 fiscal year. The changes could be a big deal for beach-bound traffic heading toward Rehoboth Beach.

Grade-separated intersections are also proposed along Route 113, which would replace traffic signals and intersections with overpasses.

In Georgetown, engineering for the revamped Route 113/18/404 intersection could begin soon and take several years. DelDOT would begin purchasing land in the 2021 fiscal year and begin building in the 2023 fiscal year.

In Ellendale, the Route 113/16 overpass would begin sooner, with construction in the 2021 fiscal year.

Later in Georgetown’s future, engineering for the Route 113/9 overpass would begin around the 2022 fiscal year, but construction for that project isn’t even on the five-year plan yet.

Several overpasses are planned along Route 1, including three in Sussex County — all north of Lewes.

Now that Route 26 and Route 54 have had their turns for improvements, Route 24 between Millsboro and Rehoboth Beach is finally being targeted for relief from congestion. Engineering is under way for a series of projects that will add a center turn lane, bicycle lanes, sidewalks and intersection improvements — all of which are intended to keep traffic moving safely and smoothly.

“Hopefully, it’s going to be a big help,” said project manager Mark Whiteside. “It does take a lot of public outreach.”

DelDOT learned that the hard way when complaints rolled in from the Route 54 Mainline project around 2012. As a result, DelDOT required a public outreach coordinator for the Route 26 Mainline project, which has been deemed to have made the project smoother for all parties involved. (It was deemed so successful, in fact, that the same coordinator was specially placed in the same position for the massive Route 301 project under way in New Castle County.)

The public was also invited to comment on Sussex County’s four-year Transportation Improvement Program (CTIP) for the 2018-2021 fiscal years. In the CTIP, the county government highlights projects that it would like the State to build, but the County does not initiate or build such projects itself.

Once again, the County’s priorities include Route 1 improvements, scenic byways, local roads, intersections, bicycle/walking trails, Routes 24, 404 and 9, and more.

Much to the County’s delight, design is now under way for the realignment of Park Avenue (the U.S. Route 9 Truck Bypass near Georgetown). Not only does it need upgrades with turn lanes, shoulders and intersection improvements, but a realignment would allow Delaware Coastal Airport to expand its runway to accommodate larger planes. Road construction on that project could begin in the 2022 fiscal year.

Projects rankings in the transportation plan are based on safety, efficiency, multi-modal mobility for different types of transportation and other details. The full priority lists are online at www.deldot.gov/Publications/reports/CTP.

The public is being invited to share support or opposition to the proposed projects by contacting DelDOT Community Relations; P.O. Box 778; Dover, DE 19903 or calling (302) 760-2082. DelDOT project details are online at www.deldot.gov/information/projects.


Pickleball Points — Endorsements can make a market, or break a company

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Professional endorsements work because consumers make them work. Seldom, but sometimes, the company involves the athlete in product development. Billie Jean King and Chris Evert were involved in their Wilson autograph tennis rackets.

Endorsements are not to be taken lightly because of the financial risk, which can ruin companies.

I went to dinner in London with a friend — the CEO of a European tennis company — the night before he planned to possibly pay the first million-dollar tennis-racket endorsement contract to the great Bjorn Borg. When asked my opinion, I borrowed a piece of paper from the restaurant and sketched out a few numbers onto one sheet.

The first was my guess as to the average selling price of all his rackets sold, and then I subtracted the number that was my best guess as to his average manufacturing cost of all the rackets he sold. My third calculation was to divide a million dollars by the difference, which I estimated was $20.

He had to sell 50,000 additional units just to pay for the contract and another 50,000 to properly promote the Borg relationship to his products. On top of that, he had to finance the additional 100,000-unit inventory.

When faced with that sheet of paper, he got tears in his eyes and admitted this was his last chance to save his company and keep his workers — all friends and neighbors centered around his factory — employed. He had miscalculated, and you have likely never heard of his company.

That’s one side of the coin, but the other is the benefit of the endorsement. When the pros are involved, they indirectly force the company to add several features that would have likely been missed by some product manager just trying to meet a deadline and sell more units.

The CEO of Pro-Lite Pickleball Paddles, Neil Friedenberg, said, “We listen to our pros on what they look for in a paddle. They have thoughts on weights, length, feel, power — you name it. We always take into consideration their backgrounds, too. This is how we develop new shapes and materials… we coordinate it with what a tennis player looks for, racquetball player, table tennis, squash, etc.”

Endorsements bring players to pickleball who had different backgrounds. Typically, we think tennis, but a great many of them come to pickleball via the racquetball world.

What if a pickleball manufacturer built into a paddle the same geometric benefits of the design of the racquetball racket? Would that be a pickle of a paddle? A game-changer? Well, a pickleball paddle with those specifications is about to come onto the stage next week.

Then there is this photograph is of a new model — the Pro-Lite SuperNova paddle — which was developed in direct collaboration with Simone Jardim, currently the top female player in the world, who brought her distinctive two-handed backhand from her tennis.

There is a longer handle to accommodate her second hand, and Pro Lite altered the face for better performance, with the latest in a carbon-fiber surface over a polymer honeycomb core, to mimic the ball compression and control of a tennis racket. The paddle design intentionally increases the sweet spot, as well as dwell-time of the ball on the paddle.

So endorsements can benefit companies if there is a good fit between the athlete and the company culture.

When asked what I looked for in a potential endorsement athlete, I quickly responded that it was fairly easy, because at the upper levels of all of these sports, the players already have all the shots, and they all are motivated and serious about improving them. They also all had great balance, speed and endurance.

I looked internally, at passion and commitment. I explained that the final decision, for me, always came during a breakfast or lunch where I had a chance to look into the heart and mind of the athlete to see if they had that enigmatic championship quality so easy to recognize, yet hard to define.

While breaking bread, I sometimes found an incredibly gifted athlete who had really never thought much about their game, but by virtue of strength or speed had beaten their opponents. But greatness requires more.

Immediately after winning Wimbledon, the already-great Billie Jean King told me she was already thinking about what she needed to improve for next year’s championship.

Think about it. Striking the Pickleball, the table tennis ball, the tennis ball and the golf ball are fairly straightforward endeavors. Use the face of your equipment to cleanly strike the ball surface and the ball goes exactly to the spot you hit it. What’s the big deal?

The problem, of course, is replicating that one clean shot in the wind, sun or heat, a thousand times. The key is not the shot, but the ability to replicate that shot for hours, under competitive pressure, in unbearable heat and humidity. The professional is playing in all of those conditions, so they become a great barometer as to how the paddles they endorse will perform for you.

Vaughn “The Baron” Baker is a Senior Olympics gold-medalist in pickleball, and is public relations director for the First State Pickleball Club (FSPC) and captain of the Ocean View Crew pickleball community. He spent his career working with top tennis professionals while working for Wilson Sporting Goods and introducing the Prince Tennis Racket and Wimbledon Tennis Lines. For more information, visit PickleballCoast.com.

TOTS preschoolers make a musical night

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Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: Preschoolers are movin’ and groovin’ at a music night at Transitioning Our Toddlers to School (TOTS) in Frankford.Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: Preschoolers are movin’ and groovin’ at a music night at Transitioning Our Toddlers to School (TOTS) in Frankford.These preschoolers were ready to boogie. Live music filled the gym this month at Indian River School District’s Transitioning Our Toddlers to School (TOTS) program.

Armed with an acoustic guitar, Nancy Curry of Makin’ Music Delaware led the children in singing and dancing. She will give three TOTS nighttime shows, plus several classroom visits, this school year, made possible by a $2,500 grant from the Freeman Foundation.

TOTS serves kids ages 3 and 4 who have developmental disabilities or delays.

Kids sing throughout the day, such as the clean-up song. But on their music night, they used listening skills to dance and follow motions.

“This was something that I thought was just little bit different. … This was just pure entertainment,” said Loretta Ewell, TOTS coordinator.

Besides being fun, music can help develop young brains.

“Music has a lot of value in teaching not only social-emotional skills, but academic skills. We can count in music, we use our bodies,” said Ewell, a former music therapist.

The evening also got parents involved with the music, dinner and a parents’ council meeting.

“I just wanted something parents could enjoy as well, as part of parent nights,” Ewell said. “It was a lot of fun. We had 71 total in attendance.”

The TOTS program is located within the G.W. Carver Educational Center in Frankford.

Nature and botanic gardens inspire Millsboro painter

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Coastal Point • Laura Walter: Constance James Collock was inspired by the work being done to bring Delaware Botanic Gardens at Peppers Creek to Sussex County, and painted what she imagines a very specific spot in the complex will look like.Coastal Point • Laura Walter: Constance James Collock was inspired by the work being done to bring Delaware Botanic Gardens at Peppers Creek to Sussex County, and painted what she imagines a very specific spot in the complex will look like.One day, sunlight will shine through the trees, gold and green. A gently sculpted path will turn toward the creek, twinkling gently in the distance.

At least, that’s what local artist Constance “Connie” James Kollock imagines in her new painting, a study of the future Delaware Botanic Gardens at Pepper Creek.

After learning about the public garden coming to Dagsboro, she curiously hoped to see the land for herself, before the 37-acre plot was fenced in against deer and humans. For the past few years, the botanic gardens team have been quietly clearing brush, digging paths and planting thousands of young plants (with many more to come) on a site that was mostly soybean field and forest.

Walking through the woods, “I thought, ‘Oh, golly — I know what this is gonna look like,’” she said, and Kollock was inspired to photograph and sketch the woodland pathways. She finished the task just as the gardens’ staff announced that the property would soon be gated, as the gardens-in-progress are closed to the general public until the gardens officially open around 2019.

Kollock started her painting this spring, transforming acrylic paint into the bright landscape she sees coming in the next few years.

“This is a beautiful spot. … I think it’ll be a unique place, with all the flowers and the old paths and being on the creek like it is,” said Kollock. “I think they’ll be successful. I hope they are.”

At home in Millsboro, her own studio looks out over the picturesque Indian River.

Kollock been painting for at least 40 years, and her work has appeared in a number of galleries, including some in Michigan. Her uncle had a boutique there, which drew her to visit, then paint, then return every summer to keep painting Michigan.

“But I enjoy my Delaware,” said Kollock, whose family originally hails from Millsboro and Dagsboro.

Her artwork often returns to her favorite local subjects, such as the coastal World War II lookout towers or Warren’s Mill in Millsboro. Landscapes and seascapes appear in acrylic, oil and watercolor.

She said art is relaxing for her.

“I get into the painting. And it’s like reading a good book. … I can paint five, six, seven hours at a time and not realize the time has gone by,” Kollock said.

A homemaker for most of her life, she is now proud to share her artwork — both the paintings and some talent she’s passed along — with her grandchildren.

A member of Rehoboth Art League, she also sells artwork from her house.

“People know I’ve been painting a long time,” she said of the people who visit the house to pick artwork for themselves or a gift.

She’s confident in her work, her style and her love of bold colors, having painted for so long. But asked why she signs her artwork in a rectangular print, rather than a scratchy signature, she is unsure.

“I don’t know why,” Kollock said. “Just me, I guess.”

Local takes giving down to the bone (marrow)

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Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: Christian Heneghan donated bone marrow to a 17-year-old girl with leukemia. He registered at a Ultimate Frisbee tournament, not even really thinking about it. Now he’s helped another person who really needed it.Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: Christian Heneghan donated bone marrow to a 17-year-old girl with leukemia. He registered at a Ultimate Frisbee tournament, not even really thinking about it. Now he’s helped another person who really needed it.It may seem dismissive to call donating bone marrow to a stranger a random act of kindness. But that’s exactly how Christian Heneghan looks at it.

Heneghan, 38, took the initial “swab test” to determine his eligibility to be a donor at an Ultimate Frisbee tournament in Poolesville, Md., about six years ago. The testing was part of an outreach effort by Be the Match, which is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program.

He looks back on that day, and what he describes as a “random thing” — he didn’t know he’d have the opportunity to enter the donor program that day, he said — he just wanted to play some Frisbee with some friends.

One year ago, that “random” act led to Heneghan’s admission to a Washington, D.C., hospital as a bone marrow donor. Earlier this month, it led to his receipt of a very special letter.

It all started at the Frisbee tournament, with a simple test. It was, Heneghan said, “non-invasive — just a cotton swab on the inside of your cheek.” And with that simple act, “Now you’re on the registry,” he said.

In the ensuing years, Heneghan said, he got three phone calls that he was a potential match for someone who needed a bone marrow transplant. One potential transplant patient, an 84-year-old man, died before Heneghan had the chance to donate. The second time, he didn’t end up being an ideal match.

But the third time, as they say, was the charm. Heneghan was successfully matched with a 17-year-old girl with leukemia. The lead-up to the actual transplant involves an initial call, once a potential donor is identified, that basically asks “You’re on the registry — do you still want to donate? You came up as a potential match,” Heneghan said.

“If you say yes, you go through a whole rigmarole — ‘Have you been out of the country?’ etc.” he said. Then an appointment is scheduled at a nearby lab, which receives a donor test kit directly from the registry.

Next, what Heneghan referred to as a “pretty strenuous physical exam” is scheduled. In Henerghan’s case, the exam was at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.

“They want to make sure there are no potential hiccups,” he said.

When all of that checked out for Heneghan, a date was set for his bone marrow to be drawn — also at Georgetown University Hospital.

There are two ways to donate bone marrow. One is a non-surgical procedure, which involves the injection of medication that increases the number of blood-forming cells in the bloodstream of the donor. Then blood is removed through a needle in one arm, passed through a machine that separates out the blood-forming cells and returned through a needle in the other arm.

A more involved type of bone marrow donation is a surgical procedure that takes place in a hospital operating room. Doctors use needles to withdraw liquid marrow from the back of the donor’s pelvic bone. Donors receive anesthesia and feel no pain during the donation.

“I just said, ‘What do you want me to do?’” Heneghan said of the two procedure types. The needle-in-the-back method, which he said is “more invasive, but preferred,” was chosen.

In preparation for the donation, Heneghan went to the Blood Bank when it made its stop at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Bethany Beach and donated blood “for me.” On donation day, he said, “they kind of drug you up and stick a big ol’ needle in your back. They took out the maximum they could take out for my weight,” he said.

After the surgery, Heneghan said, “There was not a lot of pain — I healed up pretty good — but there was some,” he acknowledged, including a “decent-sized headache.” The biggest issue was a serious drop in his blood pressure, which was remedied after he pushed “a lot of fluids” into his body. He spent the night after the donation procedure in the hospital.

All of the expenses associated with the donation of Heneghan’s bone marrow were taken care of by the donor registry — with the exception of missed work time.

So after he took it easy for a couple days following the surgery, Heneghan’s life returned to normal; which for him is running his business, the Drifting Grounds coffee shop in Bethany Beach, where he is owner and chief barista.

Although he said he had been somewhat open to contact with the recipient of his bone marrow, he didn’t think about it much after the surgery was over. In addition to her gender, age and the reason she needed the transplant, he knew that she was to receive his donated bone marrow later in the same day that he donated it.

Early in October, just about a year after the bone marrow donation, Heneghan said, “Randomly, I got a call.” It was a representative of the donor registry, telling him they had a letter from his recipient, and asking if he would like it.

He said yes.

The “letter” is actually a card. On the front, the words “One in a Million” are printed. They’re on the inside, too, but they are virtually covered with a note that starts “Dear Donor” and continues to say, “I would like to say a massive thank-you for what you have done.”

She writes that she was first diagnosed with leukemia on her second birthday, relapsed when she was 6 and again at 16. At that point, she said, “The decision was made that I would need a bone marrow transplant.”

“Thanks to you, I have been given a second chance at life. I will be forever grateful for your selflessness and kindness.

“Since receiving my transplant, I have gone on to pass my driving test and have just been accepted into college to study business.

“I’m now looking forward to living my life to the full,” she continued. “I hope that the procedure and the process was straightforward and not too painful for you!”

She said that she and her family “would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts that you took the time to sign up to become a donor.”

“I hope that one day I will be able to meet you and thank you in person,” she said, adding that Oct. 6 was her one-year “transplant birthday.”

“I look forward to celebrating my 18th birthday — all thanks to you!” she concluded. The note is signed “Love, Recipient.”

“It’s a very cool letter,” Heneghan said. “It definitely brightened my day,” he said, adding that he thinks that he would be open to meeting her. “I’m happy” that she contacted him, he said. “I probably will contact her.”

When friends tell Heneghan that he saved a life by donating his bone marrow, he shrugs and says “maybe.”

“It truly was random. I was at a Frisbee tournament, doing the things I love” when he had the opportunity to be swabbed for testing. “I did it; I didn’t think anything about it,” he said, especially that it could be years before he would be able to follow through and actually donate his bone marrow to someone whose life literally depended on it.

That, he said, was the factor that pushed him toward donating. That, and the fact that, in preparation for receiving the donated bone marrow, recipients undergo what amounts to intensive chemotherapy that strips their body of all its ability to fight infection — a very dangerous and scary time for them and their families.

“I figured, if they’re willing to put themselves through that, and it’s literally the last chance they have, well, I can do this.”

“I think anyone in this world would do it, if they had the chance,” Heneghan said.

He added that he is also considering holding either a bone marrow registry event or some kind of fundraiser for the donor registry organization at the coffee shop.

For more information on bone marrow donation, go to www.bethematch.org.

Allen Harim breaks ground on Dagsboro hatchery

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Coastal Point • Kerin Magill: Allen Harim broke ground on its new hatchery in Dagsboro on Wednesday, Oct. 25. Local dignitaries were on hand for the event.Coastal Point • Kerin Magill: Allen Harim broke ground on its new hatchery in Dagsboro on Wednesday, Oct. 25. Local dignitaries were on hand for the event.Allen Harim, a South Korea-based chicken producer with several facilities on Delmarva, broke ground on Wednesday, Oct. 25, on a $22 million hatchery in Dagsboro.

Gov. John Carney attended the ceremony, taking a moment to hold one of the chicks that had chirped from their basket on a nearby table while Carney joined Allen Harim officials, as well as local, state and county officials, in celebrating the beginning of the hatchery construction.

“This is a big deal. This is a really big deal,” Carney said. The governor emphasized the importance of “making sure we cultivate our poultry industry and our individual poultry farmers” in Delaware.

Rory DeWeese, Allen Harim senior director of live operations, said the 70,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility will “encompass” the current building. The hatchery will be capable of hatching 2.5 million eggs each week.

Coastal Point • Kerin Magill: A basket of chicks proved irresistible for Gov. John Carney, who is joined by state Representatives Rich Collins and Ruth Briggs King, as well as Sussex County Council President Michael Vincent at the groundbreaking for a $22 million hatchery in Dagsboro.Coastal Point • Kerin Magill: A basket of chicks proved irresistible for Gov. John Carney, who is joined by state Representatives Rich Collins and Ruth Briggs King, as well as Sussex County Council President Michael Vincent at the groundbreaking for a $22 million hatchery in Dagsboro.“This is an exciting moment for this company and a significant investment for our company on Delmarva,” said Allen Harim President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Moran. “This facility will be energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly and the most technologically-advanced hatchery on Delmarva,” Moran said.

State Rep. Gerald Hocker (R-38th) said, “I’m thankful every day for the chicken industry in Sussex County. Where would Sussex County be without our poultry industry, without our agricultural industry?”

State Rep. Rich Collins (R-41st) praised the new facility, telling those present that he had worked in the Allen hatchery in Seaford as a young man. There, he said, “I learned the value of hard work.

“There are lots of really good jobs in the chicken industry,” Collins said, adding that he thinks the rural location of the hatchery is a plus.

Construction of the facility, DeWeese said, is estimated to be completed by late December 2018. Once it is operating, Allen Harim will close its main hatchery in Seaford. Employees at that hatchery, as well as the existing one at the company’s Nine Foot Road site, will be offered jobs at the new hatchery and at other facilities within the company.

The existing Dagsboro hatchery was built in 1973 by Cargill and was purchased by Allen Family Foods in 1988, before becoming Allen Harim in 2011. The new hatchery will be about twice the size of the current one. New technology will allow Allen Harim to recycle 80 percent of the water used at the hatchery. All wastewater from the hatchery will be disposed of using spray irrigation on land owned by Allen Harim.

Construction on the project is being done by C.R. Crawford Construction of Fayetteville, Ark. That company recently completed a 75,000-square-foot incubation center in Springdale, Ark., for Tyson Foods.

DeWeese said the selection of the general contractor for the job was critical. With such a large facility, producing a high volume of chicks, he said, “You just have to have everything right. You have to have the right attitude. You’ve got to start out with the chicks the right way.”

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