Friday, June 29, 2012
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Tuckahoe Steam & Gas Association still powering forward after 40 years
EASTON, Md. — After nearly 40 years, the Tuckahoe Steam & Gas Association has grown leaps and bounds — both in membership and at its grounds along Route 50.
But the work continues as the group tries to reach a wider audience with its agricultural history.
The all volunteer organization has about 250 active members that help maintain the 61-acre grounds, its many buildings and collections of antique agricultural equipment all with the goal of educating people and youth of “what used to be here,” according to Pat Harvey, a longtime volunteer whose father was a founding member in 1973.
“There’s a lot of people that have moved into this area that have no idea,” she said while checking on exhibits in the association’s Rural Life Museum.
The association hosts several events throughout the year to spread its mission and raise money to keep the operation going. It holds its annual Tuckahoe Steam & Gas Show every July, demonstrating equipment and displaying just about everything used on a farm from before 1950, several truck and tractor pulls throughout the year and rent the grounds for groups to hold special events.
The main events throughout the year bring thousands of people to the grounds but Harvey said there are a lot of people they are missing who are missing out.
“There’s a whole lot of people that drive by here and say, ‘Oh, tractors, that’s not me,’” she said. “It’s a matter of getting people to come out and see us.”
Harvey said the association has been working to expand its school tour program and would also like to make videos of some of the collections to still reach schools on tighter field trip budgets and create a larger online presence.
Though the association has a long and successful history, Harvey said they face the same struggles as other volunteer organizations in balancing what they want to do with what they realistically can do as everyone has many other commitments. Collecting the story behind an antique that comes into the association’s collection is something that often falls through the cracks.
“We need to do more of recording histories and writing things down,” Harvey said. “The people who bring things in here know about it but if they’re gone we could lose the story of it.”
The most recent major project on the grounds, apart from replacing a pavilion last year, is the Tuckahoe Machine Shop Museum which opened in 2008. In 2000, a handful of association volunteers and members from the Chesapeake Area Metalworking Society began restoring machine tools that had been collected over the decades. What tools that were on display were in a corner of the rural life museum and it was expanding fast, said volunteer Dave Welser, who is also co-chaiman of the annual Steam and Gas show, held this year July 5-8.
“They figured in self defense they better build us a building and this is the result,” he said standing in the 4,000 square foot machine shop loaded with presses, milling machines and lathes among others driven by an overhead lineshaft. We’re still growing and it’s hard to stop growing.”
Many of the tools came out of other shops and factories on Delmarva or the surrounding area, like the Holland Tack factory in Baltimore. Walking throughout shop, Harvey notes the design of many of the tools as compared to their modern counterparts.
“There’s so much more grace in the machines that used to be built than what is now,” she said. “The machine itself is a piece of art just in the way it was built.”
“By the 1880s and 1890s that had all become too expensive to do,” Welser added.
Volunteer often use the tools to make or repair parts for other equipment on the grounds, Harvey said, which adds necessity to it as an attraction.
“There’s not too many places you can go out and buy parts for your steam engines,” she said.
But the work continues as the group tries to reach a wider audience with its agricultural history.
The all volunteer organization has about 250 active members that help maintain the 61-acre grounds, its many buildings and collections of antique agricultural equipment all with the goal of educating people and youth of “what used to be here,” according to Pat Harvey, a longtime volunteer whose father was a founding member in 1973.
“There’s a lot of people that have moved into this area that have no idea,” she said while checking on exhibits in the association’s Rural Life Museum.
The association hosts several events throughout the year to spread its mission and raise money to keep the operation going. It holds its annual Tuckahoe Steam & Gas Show every July, demonstrating equipment and displaying just about everything used on a farm from before 1950, several truck and tractor pulls throughout the year and rent the grounds for groups to hold special events.
The main events throughout the year bring thousands of people to the grounds but Harvey said there are a lot of people they are missing who are missing out.
“There’s a whole lot of people that drive by here and say, ‘Oh, tractors, that’s not me,’” she said. “It’s a matter of getting people to come out and see us.”
Harvey said the association has been working to expand its school tour program and would also like to make videos of some of the collections to still reach schools on tighter field trip budgets and create a larger online presence.
Though the association has a long and successful history, Harvey said they face the same struggles as other volunteer organizations in balancing what they want to do with what they realistically can do as everyone has many other commitments. Collecting the story behind an antique that comes into the association’s collection is something that often falls through the cracks.
“We need to do more of recording histories and writing things down,” Harvey said. “The people who bring things in here know about it but if they’re gone we could lose the story of it.”
The most recent major project on the grounds, apart from replacing a pavilion last year, is the Tuckahoe Machine Shop Museum which opened in 2008. In 2000, a handful of association volunteers and members from the Chesapeake Area Metalworking Society began restoring machine tools that had been collected over the decades. What tools that were on display were in a corner of the rural life museum and it was expanding fast, said volunteer Dave Welser, who is also co-chaiman of the annual Steam and Gas show, held this year July 5-8.
“They figured in self defense they better build us a building and this is the result,” he said standing in the 4,000 square foot machine shop loaded with presses, milling machines and lathes among others driven by an overhead lineshaft. We’re still growing and it’s hard to stop growing.”
Many of the tools came out of other shops and factories on Delmarva or the surrounding area, like the Holland Tack factory in Baltimore. Walking throughout shop, Harvey notes the design of many of the tools as compared to their modern counterparts.
“There’s so much more grace in the machines that used to be built than what is now,” she said. “The machine itself is a piece of art just in the way it was built.”
“By the 1880s and 1890s that had all become too expensive to do,” Welser added.
Volunteer often use the tools to make or repair parts for other equipment on the grounds, Harvey said, which adds necessity to it as an attraction.
“There’s not too many places you can go out and buy parts for your steam engines,” she said.
MSI parents join Maravell in fight for site
ROCKVILLE, Md. — More than 80 Montgomery County citizens joined in a rally on May 30 at the Rockville District Courthouse to save Nick Maravell’s farm.
Unless Maravell’s pending legal actions succeed, the 32-year-old farm will be turned into parking lots and Montgomery Soccer Inc. soccer fields after Aug. 15.
“We question the very legitimacy of the county’s lease,” said Maravell. “Until the legal issues are resolved, and in light of the overwhelming support we have received from residents across the county and nation, we will continue to farm and to advance the Brickyard Educational Farm.
“As long as we have active support, we see no reason to stop doing what we are doing.”
Maravell, who has created an educational center on the site with his daughter, Sophia, leases the farm from the Montgomery County School Board. Sophia Maravell said she wants to keep the land as a learning tool because the school board owns it and “it’s the most appropriate use of the land.”
“We want to use this special piece of land as a Montgomery County farm-to-school hub for local children to learn about sustainable food and farming,” said Sophia Maravell, who is the educational director and second-generation farmer at Brickyard Educational Farm. She has been farming the land for three decades and lives in the house that backs up to the tract. She said the new educational center has served 1,000 students since February.
“We hope that many Montgomery County schoolchildren will have the opportunity to visit Nick’s Organic Farm to learn about the important link between local farms and food for our tables,” said Dolores Milmoe of the Audubon Naturalist Society’s Green Kids’ project. “That opportunity will be lost, and valuable farmland will be forever destroyed, if soccer fields are constructed on the site.”
In March 2011, without any open public debate, the Board of Education turned the lease over to Montgomery County amid plans for Montgomery Soccer Inc. to construct and operate soccer fields. Maravell was able to secure a license with the county to continue to farm the land until August 15, 2012.
Maravell has challenged the decision and filed a case with the Montgomery County Circuit Court, alleging that the school board violated the Open Meetings Act. The suit sought to void the lease from the Board of Education to the county for the land, but it has now been dropped.
To date, Nick’s Organic Farm has won three legal victories in the effort to save the farmland. On Dec. 8, Judge Richard E. Jordan denied the School Board’s motion for a summary judgment against Nick’s Organic Farm, which would have allowed the School Board to avoid trial. Second, the judge partially denied the School Board’s motion to quash subpoenas for the seven school board members to be witnesses at the planned trial on Dec. 15. In a separate matter with the State Board of Education on Dec. 6, the County School Board also lost its administrative motion to restrict the information the State School Board would be able to consider in deciding whether the local board violated state education law.
Montgomery Soccer Inc., parent Dena Leibman said she felt manipulated by MSI’s acquisition of the farm. “I’m an MSI soccer mom, whose kids have loved playing on MSI teams since kindergarten. Soccer is a huge part of our lives, and occupies my family’s weekends year round.”
Leibman explained that MSI had sent out an email to its substantial listserv of parents, laying out its plans to build up to three new fields on a place called the Brickyard site. She said the email did not specifically mention that those fields would be built on Maravell’s 32-year old organic farm, nor what that would mean to Maravell’s farming operation and “our county’s rich farming heritage,” she said.
Leibman said parents were asked to write letters and were upset when they learned that they had unknowingly taken sides in a complex land-use issue without having the full story.
“We need to fix the fields that are already here,” said Camille Torfs-Leibman, 14-year-old MSI soccer player and daughter of Leibman. “We rather play on good quality fields than ruin a priceless jewel.”
Eleven-year-old Antonia Torfs-Leibman, also an MSI soccer player, suggested MSI use the acquisition money to redo the fields closer to the schools.
“They’re only doing two or three (on the Brickyard site),” she said. “It’s not really worth it.”
“They should give up the quest for Nick’s farm,” said Leibman. “Let’s leave Nick’s farm alone.”
“The County prides itself on being a supporter of agriculture, but when it comes to precious land like this, officials need to hold true to those values and support the farm,” said Caroline Taylor, director of the Montgomery Countryside Alliance.
Taylor led the group in a chant of “We will be heard — no farms, no food.”
Other speakers included Meredith Begin, regional organizer of Food & Water Watch,
Dea Keen, farm manager of the Brickyard Educational Farm, farmer Michael Tabor and students from Montgomery County Public Schools.
On March 21, a group of Montgomery County citizens filed a Maryland Public Information Complaint in Circuit Court to compel the production of records “willfully and wrongfully withheld” in regard to the Plaintiffs’ MPIA request for documents submitted in regard to the Brickyard Road lease.
According to a press release issued by the group, known as the Brickyard Coalition, affidavits have been filed in Circuit Court stating the county is unable to find a large number of records related to the Brickyard lease. According to these affidavits, no county records — including e-mails, documents and calendars — can be found for Ike Leggett, Tim Firestine, Jennifer Hughes, David Dise and Cindi Brenneman in regard to key matters related to the Brickyard lease.
“The struggle is far from over,” Maravell said.
Unless Maravell’s pending legal actions succeed, the 32-year-old farm will be turned into parking lots and Montgomery Soccer Inc. soccer fields after Aug. 15.
“We question the very legitimacy of the county’s lease,” said Maravell. “Until the legal issues are resolved, and in light of the overwhelming support we have received from residents across the county and nation, we will continue to farm and to advance the Brickyard Educational Farm.
“As long as we have active support, we see no reason to stop doing what we are doing.”
Maravell, who has created an educational center on the site with his daughter, Sophia, leases the farm from the Montgomery County School Board. Sophia Maravell said she wants to keep the land as a learning tool because the school board owns it and “it’s the most appropriate use of the land.”
“We want to use this special piece of land as a Montgomery County farm-to-school hub for local children to learn about sustainable food and farming,” said Sophia Maravell, who is the educational director and second-generation farmer at Brickyard Educational Farm. She has been farming the land for three decades and lives in the house that backs up to the tract. She said the new educational center has served 1,000 students since February.
“We hope that many Montgomery County schoolchildren will have the opportunity to visit Nick’s Organic Farm to learn about the important link between local farms and food for our tables,” said Dolores Milmoe of the Audubon Naturalist Society’s Green Kids’ project. “That opportunity will be lost, and valuable farmland will be forever destroyed, if soccer fields are constructed on the site.”
In March 2011, without any open public debate, the Board of Education turned the lease over to Montgomery County amid plans for Montgomery Soccer Inc. to construct and operate soccer fields. Maravell was able to secure a license with the county to continue to farm the land until August 15, 2012.
Maravell has challenged the decision and filed a case with the Montgomery County Circuit Court, alleging that the school board violated the Open Meetings Act. The suit sought to void the lease from the Board of Education to the county for the land, but it has now been dropped.
To date, Nick’s Organic Farm has won three legal victories in the effort to save the farmland. On Dec. 8, Judge Richard E. Jordan denied the School Board’s motion for a summary judgment against Nick’s Organic Farm, which would have allowed the School Board to avoid trial. Second, the judge partially denied the School Board’s motion to quash subpoenas for the seven school board members to be witnesses at the planned trial on Dec. 15. In a separate matter with the State Board of Education on Dec. 6, the County School Board also lost its administrative motion to restrict the information the State School Board would be able to consider in deciding whether the local board violated state education law.
Montgomery Soccer Inc., parent Dena Leibman said she felt manipulated by MSI’s acquisition of the farm. “I’m an MSI soccer mom, whose kids have loved playing on MSI teams since kindergarten. Soccer is a huge part of our lives, and occupies my family’s weekends year round.”
Leibman explained that MSI had sent out an email to its substantial listserv of parents, laying out its plans to build up to three new fields on a place called the Brickyard site. She said the email did not specifically mention that those fields would be built on Maravell’s 32-year old organic farm, nor what that would mean to Maravell’s farming operation and “our county’s rich farming heritage,” she said.
Leibman said parents were asked to write letters and were upset when they learned that they had unknowingly taken sides in a complex land-use issue without having the full story.
“We need to fix the fields that are already here,” said Camille Torfs-Leibman, 14-year-old MSI soccer player and daughter of Leibman. “We rather play on good quality fields than ruin a priceless jewel.”
Eleven-year-old Antonia Torfs-Leibman, also an MSI soccer player, suggested MSI use the acquisition money to redo the fields closer to the schools.
“They’re only doing two or three (on the Brickyard site),” she said. “It’s not really worth it.”
“They should give up the quest for Nick’s farm,” said Leibman. “Let’s leave Nick’s farm alone.”
“The County prides itself on being a supporter of agriculture, but when it comes to precious land like this, officials need to hold true to those values and support the farm,” said Caroline Taylor, director of the Montgomery Countryside Alliance.
Taylor led the group in a chant of “We will be heard — no farms, no food.”
Other speakers included Meredith Begin, regional organizer of Food & Water Watch,
Dea Keen, farm manager of the Brickyard Educational Farm, farmer Michael Tabor and students from Montgomery County Public Schools.
On March 21, a group of Montgomery County citizens filed a Maryland Public Information Complaint in Circuit Court to compel the production of records “willfully and wrongfully withheld” in regard to the Plaintiffs’ MPIA request for documents submitted in regard to the Brickyard Road lease.
According to a press release issued by the group, known as the Brickyard Coalition, affidavits have been filed in Circuit Court stating the county is unable to find a large number of records related to the Brickyard lease. According to these affidavits, no county records — including e-mails, documents and calendars — can be found for Ike Leggett, Tim Firestine, Jennifer Hughes, David Dise and Cindi Brenneman in regard to key matters related to the Brickyard lease.
“The struggle is far from over,” Maravell said.
Woman In Critical Condtion After A Near Drowning
A woman is on a respirator and in critical condition after a near drowning in Ocean City Saturday morning. Ocean City Beach Patrol Captain Butch Arbin tells WGMD that the woman and two friends were on the beach around 140th Street at 6am. None of the three were are swimmers and when the woman got into trouble the two friends watched her drown – and dragged her out as her body got close to shore and they started CPR. Beach Patrol officials remind everyone to keep their feet in the sand till the guards are in the stand.
Woman Arrested For Burglarizing Fatal Crash Victim's Home
MILFORD, Del.- Police arrest a woman suspected of burglarizing the home of 55-year-old Dawn Noble who died earlier May 31st after getting hit by a tractor trailer at US 113 and Delaware Route 14. Robbin Sapp, also 55, was arrested after evidence from surveillance cameras revealed her attempting to pry Noble's apartment door open with a screw driver. When that didn't work she went back to her apartment and returned with a claw hammer and tried again, breaking the screw driver off in the lock.
Later, she allegedly convinced an apartment maintenance man to allow inside retrieve an item she says she sent Noble to pick up for her. The Maintenance Man became suspicious after she spent an extended time inside and asked Sapp to leave. Police say there is no evidence that at the time of this incident, that Sapp or the Maintenance Man knew Noble had been struck and killed just a block away.
Maryland State Police Conducting Death Investigation
POCOMOKE CITY, Md.- Maryland State Police say homicide detectives are conducting an investigation into the death of a man after he led police on a foot chase and resisted arrest after being involved in a car crash earlier this week in Worcester County.
The deceased is identified as 23-year-old Yakuna McDonald, of the 1200-block of North Tomcat Court in Virginia Beach, Va.. Troopers said that after being involved in a car crash and then leading police on an extended foot chase on Tuesday, May 28, McDonald was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, where he was being treated. Three days later, he was pronounced dead.
Yakuna's brother, 22-year-old Thadius McDonald, of the same address, was arrested and charged after the motor vehicle crash. Thadius was charged by the Pocomoke City Police Department with possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.
Authorities said that at 5:30 p.m. on May 28, officers from the Pocomoke Police Department responded to southbound Route 13, south of Brantley Road for a reported car crash. The preliminary investigation indicates Yakuna was the driver of the car and his brother, Thadius was the passenger.
Police said that the preliminary investigation by the MSP Homicide Unit indicates that upon arrival of officers from the Pocomoke City Police Department, the brothers were observed standing near the vehicle and possibly impaired. The car they had been driving was on its roof on the southbound shoulder of Route 13.
Police said that after officers on the scene noted a controlled dangerous substance in the vehicle, they attempted to take both men into police custody. As police were arresting Thadius, they say Yakuna began to run, and led officers on a foot pursuit for approximately one-half mile.
Police said that when the officers were able to catch up to Yakuna, he resisted arrest by kicking and fighting, injuring at least one of the arresting officers. Authorities said that once handcuffed, officers attempted to carry Yakuna to a nearby police vehicle for transport, when he fell unconscious.
Investigators said a state trooper from the Berlin Barrack, who had arrived on scene after the foot pursuit began, immediately performed CPR on Yakuna. An ambulance, already on scene to treat the injured officers, took over the medical treatment of Yakuna and transported him to PRMC.
During his medical treatment, Yakuna was placed in the Intensive Care Unit. Three days later, he was pronounced dead, police said. Yakuna's body will be transported to the State Medical Examiner's Office in Baltimore where an autopsy will be completed to determine the cause of death.
An MSP spokesperson said the Pocomoke City Police Department is handling the investigation into the car crash and the alleged controlled dangerous substances found on the scene.
$80,000 Worth Of Sunglasses Stolen In Queenstown
QUEENSTOWN, Md.-Maryland State Police are investigating a burglary that happened early Saturday morning at 431 Outlet Center Drive (Sunglass Hut) in Queen Anne's County.
Police said the suspects gained entry through the front door. They said the burglars took a large amount of inventory from the store.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Maryland State Police Centreville Barrack.
Two Teens Arrested In string Of Delaware Robberies
DOVER, Del. (AP) - Police in Delaware say they've arrested two teens in a string of armed robberies that targeted restaurants, pizza places and a Dunkin' Donuts.
Delaware State Police say the robberies occurred in February, March and May. The men also allegedly burglarized a sporting goods store in Newark where they shattered a front window and stole several guns before fleeing.
Police say they arrested 18-year-old Jalen Hubbard and 18-year-old Ramee Gregory, both of New Castle, on Wednesday.
Both men are facing robbery and other charges.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Milford Woman Drowns in Backyard Swimming Pool
Delaware State Police say a 52-year-old Milford woman drowned in a backyard swimming pool at a home in Milford Thursday afternoon.
Police say they were called to the house on Isdell Road around 5:30 p.m.; police say Joy Ann Harding’s boyfriend found her unconscious in the pool; he then removed her from the pool and called 9-1-1.
Harding was pronounced dead a short time later at Milford Memorial Hospital; her body has been turned over to the Medical Examiner to determine the exact cause of death.
Police say they do not know how long Harding was in the pool before she was discovered.
Police say they were called to the house on Isdell Road around 5:30 p.m.; police say Joy Ann Harding’s boyfriend found her unconscious in the pool; he then removed her from the pool and called 9-1-1.
Harding was pronounced dead a short time later at Milford Memorial Hospital; her body has been turned over to the Medical Examiner to determine the exact cause of death.
Police say they do not know how long Harding was in the pool before she was discovered.
Georgetown man seriously injured in Route 113 crash north of Millsboro
Millsboro-State Police continue to investigate a 3-vehicle crash this morning north of Millsboro that left a 72 year oldGeorgetownman hospitalized with serious injuries. Police say William Lawrence was driving a 1050 Ford pickup truck and pulled off to the side of Route 113. When he pulled back into traffic, he drove into the path of a UPS truck which hit the pickup causing it to spin and ejectLawrence. The UPS truck was then struck by a Mercedez. Lawrencewas flown toChristianaHospitalwith serious injuries. His pickup was not equipped with seatbelts as they weren’t required in that year’s vehicle. Neither of the other drivers was injured.
The incident occurred just before 10 a.m. in the area of southbound Route 113 and East Piney Grove Road north of Millsboro. Troopers and EMS are currently on the scene.
The incident is still under investigation and traffic is being impacted in the area.
———————————————–
***Update***
DSP News Release: State Police Investigating Crash North of Millsboro
Location: US 113 southbound, south of E. Piney Grove Road, Millsboro, DE
Date of Occurrence: Friday June 1, 2012 at approximately 9:46 a.m.
Operator and Vehicle Information:
• Operator #1: William S. Lawrence, 72, Georgetown, DE
• Vehicle #1: 1950 Ford F1 pick-up truck
DSP News Release: State Police Investigating Crash North of Millsboro
Location: US 113 southbound, south of E. Piney Grove Road, Millsboro, DE
Date of Occurrence: Friday June 1, 2012 at approximately 9:46 a.m.
Operator and Vehicle Information:
• Operator #1: William S. Lawrence, 72, Georgetown, DE
• Vehicle #1: 1950 Ford F1 pick-up truck
• Operator #2: Eric Carmean, 46, Seaford, DE
• Vehicle #2: 2010 United Parcel Service (UPS) box style truck
• Vehicle #2: 2010 United Parcel Service (UPS) box style truck
• Operator #3: Randall Forester, 63, Reston, VA
• Vehicle #3: 2001 Mercedes Benz sedan
Resume:
Millsboro, DE- The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating a serious crash that occurred north of Millsboro.
The incident occurred around 9:46 a.m. this morning as William S. Lawrence was operating his 1950 Ford F1 pick-up truck southbound on US113 just south of E. Piney Grove Road. Eric Carmean was operating a 2010 UPS box style truck southbound in the right lane and Randall Forester was operating a 2001 Mercedes Benz sedan southbound in the left lane approaching Lawrence, who had pulled his truck to the right shoulder of the highway. Lawrence then re-entered the southbound lanes into the path of the UPS truck which struck the pick-up truck on the front left side causing it to spin clockwise in the roadway, ejecting Mr. Lawrence from the vehicle. The UPS truck initially attempted to swerve to the left lane to avoid contact with the pick-up, and was struck by the Mercedes Benz in the left rear.
Lawrence was removed from the scene by EMS and transported to Nanticoke Hospital, but was later airlifted by LifeNet to Christiana Medical Center with serious injuries. The pick-up truck Lawrence was driving was not equipped with seatbelts and it was not required in that year vehicle.
Carmean and Forester, who were properly restrained, were not injured in the crash.
The crash remains under investigation and traffic in the area was impacted for over three hours as the crash was investigated and cleared.
• Vehicle #3: 2001 Mercedes Benz sedan
Resume:
Millsboro, DE- The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating a serious crash that occurred north of Millsboro.
The incident occurred around 9:46 a.m. this morning as William S. Lawrence was operating his 1950 Ford F1 pick-up truck southbound on US113 just south of E. Piney Grove Road. Eric Carmean was operating a 2010 UPS box style truck southbound in the right lane and Randall Forester was operating a 2001 Mercedes Benz sedan southbound in the left lane approaching Lawrence, who had pulled his truck to the right shoulder of the highway. Lawrence then re-entered the southbound lanes into the path of the UPS truck which struck the pick-up truck on the front left side causing it to spin clockwise in the roadway, ejecting Mr. Lawrence from the vehicle. The UPS truck initially attempted to swerve to the left lane to avoid contact with the pick-up, and was struck by the Mercedes Benz in the left rear.
Lawrence was removed from the scene by EMS and transported to Nanticoke Hospital, but was later airlifted by LifeNet to Christiana Medical Center with serious injuries. The pick-up truck Lawrence was driving was not equipped with seatbelts and it was not required in that year vehicle.
Carmean and Forester, who were properly restrained, were not injured in the crash.
The crash remains under investigation and traffic in the area was impacted for over three hours as the crash was investigated and cleared.
————————————————
The Delaware State Police are currently investigating a collision involving a UPS truck and another vehicle in Millsboro.The incident occurred just before 10 a.m. in the area of southbound Route 113 and East Piney Grove Road north of Millsboro. Troopers and EMS are currently on the scene.
The incident is still under investigation and traffic is being impacted in the area.
Former Camden Town Manager Sentenced for Theft
DOVER, Del.- Authorities say former Camden Town Manager James Plumley and Smyrna contractor Mark Moore were given suspended prison sentences Thursday for their roles in embezzling $120,000 from the Town of Camden in a scheme where they conspired to fraudulently charge the town for repairs to town facilities that never took place.
Kent County Superior Court Judge Robert B. Young sentenced Plumley to 10 years in prison, suspended for 18 months of probation. Plumley had repaid $90,000 in restitution to Camden before he pleaded guilty to his crime. Moore was sentenced to five years in prison, suspended for three years of probation, and was ordered to repay $33,000 in restitution to the Town of Camden.
Camden Police Chief William E. Bryson, and Camden Police Capt. Gary R. Melvin initiated an investigation of the crime that revealed the thefts began in March 2010 and lasted until February 2011. The investigation lasted approximately one month and resulted in Plumley and Moore's arrest on Jan. 26, 2012. Both men were indicted on March 5. Plumley pleaded guilty to felony theft on March 28 and Moore pleaded guilty to felony theft on April 17.
The state sought jail time for both defendants. The case was prosecuted by Chief Kent County Prosecutor Kenneth Haltom.
Mother in SUV Strikes 5 kids in Md., 1 Dead
LEWISDALE, Md. (AP)- Prince George's County police say a mother accidentally backed her SUV into five children in the driveway of her Lewisdale home, killing one of them.
Police spokeswoman Julie Parker says 8-year-old Natalie Hernandez-Cruz has died of her injuries. Another child is in critical condition and the three others have minor injuries.
Parker says Natalie's mother, Maria Anna Cruz-Lopez, mistakenly stepped on the accelerator instead of the brakes and accidentally drove her SUV into the children around 8:45 p.m. Thursday. She says the mother has not been charged, and alcohol and drugs are not a factor.
Police are trying to determine the relationship between the woman and the other children.
Police ID Pedestrian Struck and Killed by Tractor-Trailer in Milford
MILFORD, Del.- Milford police have released the name of the pedestrian who was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer Thursday morning. The victim has been identified as 55-year-old Dawn Marie Noble of Milford.
Police said that at around 4:20 a.m. Thursday, Noble attempted to cross the southbound lanes of Route 113, just south of Route 14, when she was struck by a tractor-trailer. Noble was pronounced dead at the scene by Sussex County paramedics.
Police have not released the name of the tractor-trailer driver. There is no indication the driver was injured in the crash.
The roadway was closed for three hours before being reopened.
Anyone with information about this accident is asked to call the Milford Police Department at (302) 422-8081, the Delaware State Police Crash Reconstruction Unit at (302) 697-4454, ext 216, or by texting keyword "DSP" to 274637
Police Arrest Pair for Cashing Forged Checks in Salisbury
SALISBURY, Md.- Police have arrested two suspects accused of cashing forged checks at businesses in the Salisbury area.
The Wicomico County Sheriff's Office reports that early last month a deputy began an investigation into the theft of blank checks and their subsequent forgery and cashing at Salisbury area businesses.
Police said an investigation revealed that the complainant discovered more than $400 in unauthorized checks had been cashed, which led the deputy to investigate at the establishments where the checks were presented.
Investigators said that upon review of surveillance videos, the pair responsible for presenting the forged checks was identified as two co-workers of the victim, 43-year-old Suzane Taylor of Laurel, Del., and 22-year-old Amanda Moore of Salisbury.
The deputy obtained warrants for the arrests of Taylor and Moore on theft and forgery charges. Taylor was arrested on May 24 and Moore on May 31.Both were charged with theft and forgery. Taylor was ordered held in the Wicomico County Detention Center in lieu of $10,000 bond, while Moore was released on personal recognizance.
Salisbury Man Accused of Attacking Stepfather
SALISBURY, Md.- Police have arrested a Salisbury man accused of assaulting his stepfather and threatening him with a knife during an argument.
Kyle Kurt Cusick, 31, is charged with first- and second-degree assault and related charges. The Wicomico County Sheriff's Office said that shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday, May 27, a deputy responded to a reported domestic situation at a home on the 27000 block of Pemberton Drive.
Police said that upon arrival, the deputy learned that the male resident had barricaded himself in his bedroom in an attempt to protect himself from his stepson, identified as Cusick, who had already assaulted him and threatened him with a knife.
During the subsequent investigation, police said the deputy found out that Cusick had been consuming alcohol when he became enraged, which led to the assault on his stepfather.
Police said the deputy recovered the knife used in the incident.
Cusick was taken into custody on the aforementioned charges and ordered held in the Wicomico County Detention Center in lieu of $50,000 bond.
Suspect Sought in Millsboro Shooting
MILLSBORO, Del.- Millsboro police are looking for a suspect wanted in connection with a shooting that occurred last week outside an apartment complex.
Police are looking for 32-year-old Rayfus R. Whaley of Millsboro. He is wanted on the charges of first-degree assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, carrying a concealed deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a person prohibited.
Anyone with information on Whaley's whereabouts is asked to contact the Millsboro Police Department at (302) 934-8174 or Crime Stoppers at 800-847-3333.
Police said the shooting occurred shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday, May 24, at the Millsboro Village Apartment complex on Old Landing Road.
According to police, an investigation determined that a fight broke out in a common area between numerous people. Investigators said that during the fight, Whaley discharged a small caliber pistol. The bullet struck the victim, resulting in a non-life-threatening injury. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Police said Whaley then fled the scene.
Man Admits to Eating Parts of Victim
BALTIMORE (AP/WBOC)- A 21-year-old Maryland college student accused of eating a man's heart and part of his brain was studying electrical engineering and a member of ROTC.
More details about Alexander Kinyua are coming out Friday after he was arrested this week and charged with first-degreee murder and related offenses.
Authorities say Kinyua has admitted using a knife to kill and eat parts of a man from Ghana who was staying with Kinyua's family in a Baltimore suburb.
Investigators found the head and hands of 37-year-old Kujoe Bonsafo Agyei-Kodie on Tuesday after Kinyua's father called police.
Kinyua is a native of Kenya and a student at Morgan State University, a historically black college in Baltimore.
He was charged earlier in May in another attack in which the victim was brutally beaten but survived.
Judge Revokes Zimmerman's Bond in Trayvon Martin Case
SANFORD, Fla. (AP)- A judge on Friday revoked the bond of the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin and ordered him returned to jail within 48 hours.
Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester said that George Zimmerman and his wife, Shellie, misled the court about how much money they had available when his bond was set for $150,000 in April. Prosecutors claim Zimmerman had $135,000 available that had been raised by a website he set up.
Zimmerman's wife testified at the bond hearing that they had limited funds available since she was a nursing student and Zimmerman wasn't working.
"He can't sit back and obtain the benefit of a lower bond based upon those material falsehoods," Lester said.
Defense attorney Mark O'Mara said the fact that Zimmerman and his wife never used the money for anything indicated "there was no deceit."
Prosecutor Bernie De la Rionda described the Zimmermans' testimony as "misleading."
"This court was led to believe they didn't have a single penny," said De la Rionda. "It was misleading and I don't know what words to use other than it was a blatant lie."
Prosecutors also said Zimmerman had failed to surrender a second passport, but the judge dismissed that concern as the equivalent of someone who has lost a driver's license, applies for a new one and then finds the old driver's license.
Zimmerman is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder and claims self-defense. Zimmerman shot Martin in February during a confrontation at a gated community of townhouses in Sanford, Fla., where Zimmerman lived and where Martin was visiting his father's fiancee.
The delay in an arrest for 44 days prompted protests nationwide and led to Sanford's police chief stepping aside so emotions could cool down.
At Friday's court hearing, De la Rionda and O'Mara also asked a judge to stop the public release of witness names and statements made by Zimmerman to police officers. Those documents normally are part of the public record under Florida law.
"What's occurring, unfortunately, are cases are being tried in the public sector as opposed to in the courtroom," De La Rionda said. "We are in a new age with Twitter, Facebook, and all these things I've never heard of before in my career. Everybody gets to find out intimate details about witnesses that never occurred before. Witnesses are going to be reluctant to get involved."
A consortium of more than a dozen media groups, including The Associated Press, asked the judge to ignore the request, saying such records are presumed to be publicly available under Florida law.
Rachel Fugate, an attorney for the Orlando Sentinel, cited the Casey Anthony trial as an example of a highly publicized case in which a jury was able to be seated despite intense media coverage. The Florida mother was acquitted last year of killing her 2-year-old daughter.
"Discovery in Florida has traditionally been open ... and Florida hasn't encountered problems seating juries and giving defendants fair trials," Fugate said.
O'Mara said Friday on a website that he doesn't expect the case to be ready for trial until next year.
O'Mara said he expects to call on 50 witnesses who need to be deposed before he decides whether to file a "stand your ground" motion which would ask for a hearing before a judge without a jury. At the hearing, Zimmerman would argue self-defense under the Florida law which gives wide latitude to use deadly force rather than retreat in a fight if people believe they are in danger of being killed or seriously injured.
Driver Charged After SUV Crashes into Home
BLADES, Del.- A Seaford man is facing DUI and related charges after the SUV he was driving went off the road and crashed into the house of an elderly Blades couple.
Delaware State Police said the incident occurred shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday, as 20-year-old Nicholas G. Raneri was operating a 2002 Chevrolet Blazer westbound on Airport Road just west of Brickyard Road. Troopers said Raneri drove the Blazer off the south side of the roadway and then crashed into a home located at 9636 Airport Road in Blades.
Police said flames began to come out of the SUV, which then ignited the home on fire. The homeowners, a 78-year-old woman and her 73-year-old husband, heard the crash and were able to get out of the home unharmed. Raneri was also able to exit his vehicle. He was transported by EMS to Nanticoke Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Raneri was charged with driving under the influence of drugs, inattentive driving, and failure to have insurance in possession.
The Delaware State Fire Marshal's Office is conducting the investigation into the fire, which was brought under control by the Blades Volunteer Fire Company. The home and a vehicle parked in the carport were reported as total losses.
The Delaware State Fire Marshal's Office is conducting the investigation into the fire, which was brought under control by the Blades Volunteer Fire Company. The home and a vehicle parked in the carport were reported as total losses.
Salisbury Students Have Mixed Feelings About State Tuition Hike
SALISBURY, Md.- If your son or daughter attends a Maryland college, you could be paying even more than first thought for their education, especially at Salisbury University.
The Board of Regents for the Maryland University System this week approved a 3 percent tuition increase for most in-state students.
For SU students, this is in addition to an earlier 3 percent hike.
On Friday, full-time SU student Reggie Wardell said the tuition hike could leave him strapped.
"If you have other expenses such as rent like I do, with financial aid I put that towards school and towards rent," he said,"But now that the price for tuition goes up that is less money towards rent."
University officials said, in-state students will pay a total of 6 percent increase while out of state will pay a 2.3 percent increase in tuition.
The money would equal to about $975,000 that will go toward school enhancements and student services.
"Most of that will be applied toward financial aid, but we also have a Center for Student Achievement and some of that money will go there as well to address our retention initiative," said Betty Crockett, SU's vice president of administration and finance.
"When you look at the quality of the education we provide, the services we provide the maintenance of our facilities hopefully in the long run the students will see that it was a good investment," she said.
The university lists in-state tuition for students at $5,576 for the next academic year. Last year, tuition was $316 lower. Students paid $4,960 if they were a resident of Maryland.
The recent increase is a change that Robbie Gilroy said he can live with as long as he said he gets his money's worth.
"Providing more faculty will be beneficial for the school as far as receiving classes that you need in the fall semester or the spring semester," Gilroy said.
The campus was empty Friday because students are on a break but once they come back in the fall this year, Crockett said they can expect to see that increase in tuition.
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