News Briefs from the Week of Oct. 18: 37 things you might have missed

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BUSINESS

Court of Chancery published updated Guidelines for Persons Litigating in the Court of Chancery. Last updated in August 2021, the Guidelines identify best practices for moving cases forward to completion in the Court of Chancery. The Guidelines discuss the conduct of in-court hearings and trials and address other procedural issues for litigating cases before the Court of Chancery. you can find the updated guidelines on the court website here.  

Carson Development will break ground Oct. 29 on the Reese Apartments, a 48-unit affordable and workforce housing initiative in Felton. The development will provide essential social services, including health and nutrition education, family programs, and financial counseling.

All four applications for the Northstar development – one of the most significant developments ever proposed in Sussex County – received unanimous approval Oct. 9 from Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission. The preliminary site plans need no further approval by Sussex County Council for the subdivision that will bring 852 housing units – 758 single-family homes on about 380 acres and the rest apartments off Route 9 – and about 12 acres along Route 9 for restaurants, offices, or other commercial enterprises. The project is sandwiched between Beaver Dam Road and Route 9 west of Lewes. (Reported by Cape Gazette).

The Delaware River and Bay Authority’s (DRBA) contractor, UHPC Solutions North America LLC of Orange, NJ, has launched work on the Delaware Memorial Bridge that includes bridge joint replacements and under deck cleaning operations. The work is causing some bridge backups.

TRANSPORTATION

Ground has been broken for a $9.8 million passenger terminal expansion at Wilmington ILG Airport in New Castle. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2025.

Construction for a $13 million taxiway improvement at Delaware Coastal Airport in Georgetown is expected to start in early 2025 with a combination of federal and Sussex County money. The Delaware Coastal Airport Advisory Committee met Sept. 25 for an update on the six-phase project planned to begin in March with $3.4 million in grant money. The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to provide about $3 million annually through airport improvement entitlement money, said Robert Bryant, airport manager (Reported by Cape Gazette).

LONG-TERM TRAFFIC ALERTS

Substation Road between Burbage Road and Beaver Dam Road will be closed between October 22 and December 6^th for road resurfacing and drainage work.

The on-again, off-again Rehoboth Avenue repaving project is ON AGAIN. DelDOT has informed the City of Rehoboth Beach that it will undertake milling and paving this fall, following the annual Sea Witch Festival. The DelDOT contractor, A-Del, is currently performing curbing and concrete work on medians along Rehoboth Avenue, and pedestrian connections along the avenue will also be upgraded. The contractor will pause work for the Sea Witch Festival, which is October 25-27.

CULTURE

Set to the beautiful score by Sergei Prokofiev with choreography by Viktor Plotnikov, FSBT’s production of this ill-fated love story returns for the first time since 2018 to make its debut on the main stage in Copeland Hall on Oct. 19 and 20. Photo Credit: Tisa Della-Volpe

Works by Charles Willson Peale and members of the Peale family, regarded as America’s first family of artists, are currently on view at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library. While best known for its collection of American decorative arts, the seven oil paintings and four smaller case objects bring to light Winterthur’s premier collection of American paintings from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

Delaware State University alumnus Norman Oliver ’85 has made an unrestricted $200,000 donation to his alma mater – one of many contributions he’s made over the years to the school. The former Wilmington City Councilman is a business and community leader in Wilmington, where he owns a commercial and residential company that has built more than 30 affordable housing units, provides school transportation for homeless children, and is well known for his “Stormin’ Norman Basketball League” and his Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway.

Special Olympics Delaware’s annual Night of Heroes on Oct. 16 honored key contributors who have significantly impacted the organization. This year’s award recipients include:

• Outstanding Athlete: Deshawn Scye, Sussex Riptide

• Outstanding Agency: Bank of America Support Services

• Outstanding Unified Partner: Heather Smyth, Sussex Riptide

• Outstanding Unified Champion School: Heather Hitchens, Lake Forest School District

• Outstanding Law Enforcement Agency: Department of Correction

• Outstanding Coach: Kyle Rosin, Newark Dragons

• Outstanding Family: The Handlin Family

• Outstanding Volunteer: Phil McKeaney

• “Ann Grunert” Lifetime Achievement: M FEIF Gallagher

• Hall of Fame: Larry Zucker, Wilmington Wizards

EDUCATION

DelawareCAN, an education policy advocacy organization, released “The State of Educational Opportunity in Delaware”, a survey of parents of school-aged children. The survey provides insight into the educational opportunities available to children across Delaware. The survey found that Delaware’s investments in school options lead the country. The state has among the highest percentage of families who believe they have a choice in where they can send their children to school. Low-income families have far fewer choices than middle- and upper-income families. While Delaware ranks in the top tier of states for families feeling like they have a choice, there is nearly a 20 percentage point difference between low- and middle-income families. For more information about the survey or to access the full Delaware report, visit www.delawarecan.org

The Boys & Girls Club of Delaware celebrated the 75^th anniversary of its H. Fletcher Brown Club, located at 1601 Spruce St. in Wilmington, and recognized Gilbert Jackson and Richard Johnson for their contributions to the Club.

GOVERNMENT

Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. (“CLASI”) received a $425,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to fight housing discrimination and promote more inclusive communities in Delaware. The HUD grant will support a range of fair housing enforcement activities by CLASI, a statewide non-profit civil legal aid organization with offices in Georgetown, Dover, and Wilmington. These activities will include investigating alleged housing discrimination, conducting testing to uncover discrimination in rental and sales markets, filing complaints on behalf of people whose fair housing rights have been violated, and engaging in education and outreach to the public, housing providers, and government agencies.

The City of Rehoboth Beach is establishing a work group to develop a mixed-use zoning classification, one of the priorities identified in the 2020 Comprehensive Development Plan. The Mixed-Use Zoning Ordinance Task Force will be charged with developing a code classification that clearly articulates flexible design guidelines and standards for mixed-use projects. This zoning classification would be limited to the city’s commercial district and should provide protections for nearby residential and commercial properties.

Delaware workers’ compensation insurance rates will decrease for the eighth year in a row, effective December 1. The voluntary market is expected to decrease average loss costs by 8.4%, and the residual market will see an average rate reduction of 9.21%. The announcement follows confirmation of the Delaware Compensation Rating Bureau (DCRB) filing by independent actuaries, and a public hearing with DCRB and the State’s Ratepayer Advocate. Actual savings will vary by policy.

The Delaware Department of Insurance announced the completion of its first follow-up Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (“Mental Health Parity”) examination, which also included reviews of complaint and grievance handling, policyholder services, claims, utilization review, and pharmacy review. The investigated insurer, Highmark, exhibited a number of violations that they have a corrective action plan to address, in addition to paying a fine of $329,000. Exams are in process, scheduled, or planned for additional health carriers.

4th District Councilwoman Michelle Harlee has fully supported the Southbridge Community Development Corporation’s (SCDC) Beautification Open Space project. This transformative initiative, aimed at revitalizing the community through environmental stewardship, includes the installation of eight large planters at the intersections of S. Heald and New Castle Avenue along A Street. Half of the planters are filled with pollinator plants generously donated by the Delaware Nature Society, will serve as a vibrant addition to the community’s streetscape while promoting ecological sustainability. At the heart of this project is the proposed establishment of the Neighborhood House Inc’s Youth Beautification Crew (NHI Youth Beautification Crew), a workforce composed of local youth trained by Omega Landscaping, a Wilmington minority-owned business. The youth will learn essential skills for maintaining the planters and contributing to future beautification projects in the neighborhood. By involving the next generation in hands-on beautification efforts, this initiative aims to instill a sense of pride, responsibility, and ownership in the young residents of Southbridge.

Kent County Recorder of Deeds Eugenia Thornton announces a new, streamlined payment process for downloading and printing from the County’s Land Management Records System, USLandRecords.com, a secure database of property records in Kent County. While viewing the database online is free, the documents are watermarked “Unofficial Copy.” To print or download an official copy without the watermark, users must first register on the site, and then pay with a credit or debit card. This keeps the documents more secure, according to Thornton. “In the recent past, payment processing was handled by PayPal,” she said. “Effective immediately, the vendor will use its own payment interface.”

DelDOT Maintenance & Operations employees competed at the recent 2024 American Public Works Association Western Snow & Ice Conference and National Snow Roadeo in Loveland, Colorado. The Roadeo is an exciting one-day event that tests the skills and knowledge of equipment operators nationwide. Among the 350 competitors, Alan Smith of Canal District finished 6th overall in the loader competition, and the team of Robert “Cubby” Cubbage and Curtis Reed of Central District finished 7th in the single axle and 12th in the tandem axle competitions. Reed also placed 30th in the skid steer competition, and Brian Downward of Central District placed 35th in the grader competition.

RETAIL/RESTAURANTS

Delaware State University (DSU) has become the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to own and distribute a clothing line and private label brand of merchandise. Select DSU apparel and items are now available on Amazon Marketplace, Walmart.com and online, thanks to a partnership with Everything Collegiate, LLC, a black-owned business based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Rite Aid has launched its “Tackle the Flu” sweepstakes to encourage residents to actively safeguard their health this flu season. Getting vaccinated is the best way to play a strong defense against illness—especially as we enter peak respiratory illness season. Customers visiting their local participating Rite Aid store through Nov. 12 can enter the sweepstakes by scanning a QR code at the pharmacy counter and entering information for a chance to win two tickets to an upcoming home game for their local pro football team (no purchase or immunization required!).

Philly Pretzel Factory, the nation’s largest Philly-style pretzel brand, has opened a new store at 9 West Main Street in Middletown, Delaware.

Beau Fazio has been named executive chef at Bodhi Kitchen, a modern Asian restaurant in downtown Rehoboth Beach. His career included being a food runner at Arena’s, and cook at Zogg’s, Dave & Skippy’s, Salt Air, Rehoboth Ale House, and Abbott’s. At 19, Chef Beau joined Heirloom, where he worked under James Beard Awards Finalist Chef Matt Kern.

HEALTH

ChristianaCare plans to build a multidisciplinary health center on its Middletown Campus that will provide a range of primary care and specialty health care services to increase access to high-quality health care in one of Delaware’s fastest-growing communities.The 87,000-square-foot ChristianaCare Health Center at Middletown is being planned on undeveloped land surrounding ChristianaCare’s freestanding Emergency Department on Middletown-Odessa Road. Construction of the health center is slated to begin in 2025, and the new facility is expected to open for patients in early 2027.

More than 200 Community Health Workers (CHWs) from Delaware attended the annual Community Health Worker (CHW) Summit at Bally’s Dover Casino Resort on Oct. 16. CHWs serve as a frontline liaison, guiding individuals and families through the health, social, and community services systems to foster health and well-being. Attendees of the retreat heard from local and national speakers on a variety of topics related to social determinants of health and overcoming adversity.

Veterans in Delaware who live in Kent or Sussex County will no longer have to travel to the Wilmington VA or to a community provider for an X-ray or CT scan. A new Radiology Suite has been added to the Wilmington VA Medical Center’s Kent County VA Clinic located in the Blue Hen Mall Plaza at 655 South Bay Rd, Suite 3C in Dover, Delaware. Appointments for the new Radiology Suite will begin Oct. 28 beginning with CT scans and X-ray services to begin Oct. 30.

The YMCA of Delaware has launched two dynamic group fitness programs: Les Mills Strength Development and Les Mills Shapes. Now available at all YMCA branches statewide and included with every YMCA membership at no extra cost, these cutting-edge workouts are designed to build strength, improve endurance, and promote overall well-being in a supportive and engaging environment.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Jim Murphy is the new executive director of the American Heart Association Delaware. Murphy, who has extensive experience in business development and community engagement, joins the AHA following a successful career at Experian, Data Axle, Preferred Communications, and MBNA America, where he led the nonprofit sector and led groundbreaking initiatives in product development, strategic sales, and partner management.

Merissa Courtright is Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library’s first chief development officer, a newly created position to enhance the institution’s philanthropic efforts. Courtright brings a wealth of experience from her previous role as Chief Development Officer at Duke University School of Medicine’s Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center. During her tenure, she successfully raised more than $10 million annually and led her team to secure an additional $19 million in philanthropic revenue each year.

Dan Shortridge has published “Joe Biden’s Delaware,” which chronicles the tragedies and triumphs that have framed the life of Delaware’s first president. The book highlights stories from Archmere Academy to his family’s house at North Star, his first campaign to his son Beau’s death, and his time teaching law to his short retirement at the beaches.

Christine (Chris) Keithly is Bayhealth’s new vice president for patient care services and associate chief nursing officer. With more than a decade of leadership experience, she joined Bayhealth earlier this year.

Arsalan Sheikh has been named executive director for ChristianaCare’s Cecil County campus. He will operationalize the health system’s strategy and be responsible for clinical and non-clinical campus operations, campus financial performance, and campus growth. He will also be responsible for the campus’s quality, safety, clinical effectiveness, patient experience and caregiver experience outcomes. Dr. Sheikh most recently served as chief medical officer for the Cecil County campus. He previously served as medical director of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism for Luminis Health, which serves over 1 million patients in Maryland.

Emma Odren has joined the New Castle Chamber of Commerce as its incubator and economic development manager. The chamber also announced that it has added Enstructure Mid-Atlantic President Bayard Hogans to its board of directors.

Mike Mozer and Daphne Morrison had been promoted to general manager positions for Grotto Pizza. Wilmington resident Mike Mozer is the general manager of the Newark Grotto Pizza. Mozer previously was the GM at the newly built Dewey Beach location, and Morrison moved into the role when he left for Newark.

Clifton Murray of Selbyville, Paul Downes of Laurel, and Connor Vincent of Laurel were honored at the Sussex County Farm Bureau annual banquet on Oct. 5.

• Farm Family of the Year – The Clifton Murray Family: Clifton “Bud” Murray began farming at a young age alongside his father, C.A. Murray, and his two younger brothers, Carlton and Jay Murray. In addition to his agricultural achievements, Bud served as mayor of Selbyville for 30 years.
• Distinguished Service to Agriculture – Paul Downes: Under Downes’ leadership, Mountaire expanded from one processing plant to four and added 10 grain elevators. He was also instrumental in the growth of the Thanksgiving for Thousands program. In 2017, Downes received the J. Frank Gordy, Sr. Delmarva Distinguished Citizen Award from the Delaware Poultry Industry, now known as the Delmarva Chicken Association (DCA).
• Rising Star – Connor Vincent: After growing up on her family’s farm in Laurel, Vincent pursued a degree in Agribusiness Management and earned a degree in Elementary Education, which she used to integrate agriculture into her lesson plans. She recently transitioned to a career as a crop insurance agent at King Crop Insurance andis currently serving as the Sussex County Young Farmers and Ranchers chair.

FOND FAREWELLS

The Delaware Judiciary mourns the passing of retired Judge Merrill C. Trader on October 10, 2024. Judge Trader, 92, was appointed in 1972 to the Court of Common Pleas, where he served three consecutive terms before retiring from the bench in 2009. “Judge Trader left an indelible mark on the court. Even now, 15 years since his retirement, the court still follows practices implemented by Judge Trader,” said Court of Common Pleas Chief Judge Carl C. Danberg. During his 36 years on the bench, Judge Trader developed a reputation as a strong jurist who worked tirelessly, prepared carefully, and was the consummate professional, and he demanded nothing less from the attorneys who appeared before him.