Newark Life Fall/Winter 2015

Fall/Winter 2015

Newark Life

Magazine

Newark's professional players The REP hits the stage Page 16

Inside : • Searching through Newark's archival history • Junior rower has drive to succeed

www.newarklifemagazine.com

A Chester County Press Publication

Table of Contents Newark Life • Fall/Winter 2015

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Carr has the drive to succeed at rowing

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16

The Resident Ensemble Players step into the spotlight

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Spotlight on Captain Blue Hen Comics

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The stunning rebirth of the Newark Shopping Center

52

A new place for Girl Scouts to call home

60

Downtown Newark Partnership activities

68

Photo essay: The Michael Castle Trail

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Equestrian team excels

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Chapel Street Players continue 2015-16 season in style

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A vast storehouse of history is open to everyone

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52

72

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Cover design: Trisha Hoadley Cover photo: The REP hits the stage

Many elements make Newark vibrant Letter from the Editor: The next time that you’re looking for an evening of entertainment, may we suggest one of the Resident Ensemble Players’ shows? The 2015-16 season offers something for everyone, including “Heartbreak House” (Nov 11 - Dec. 6); the thriller “Wait Until Dark” (Jan. 20 - Feb. 6); the play version of “To Kill a Mockingbird” (March 2-20); the Tony-award-winning “Red” (April 13 - May 8); and Alan Ayckbourn’s romantic comedy “Things We Do For Love” (April 20 - May 8). In this issue of Newark Life, writer Richard Gaw looks at how the Resident Ensemble Players at how The University of Delaware have become one of the leading cornerstones of professional theater in this region.

The arts and culture available to residents is just one illustration of why Newark is such a great city to live in. In this issue of Newark Life, our writers and photographers have attempted to shine a spotlight on some of the other things that make this community a special one.

Writer John Chambless updates readers about the efforts of the local Girl Scouts organization to find a new home in the area.

We have a story about the renovation and

refurbishment of the Newark Shopping Center, which recently celebrated its grand re-opening. While we’re in the business district, we also take readers inside Captain Blue Hen Comics, a one-stop pop culture shop that has been a mainstay on Main Street since 1981.

We introduce readers to Rose Carr, the Newark teen who was named to the USRowing Junior National Team that competed in Rio de Janiero, Brazil in August. Carr’s coaches at the Newport Rowing Club credit her exemplary work ethic as the reason for her extraordinary success at a young age. We also spotlight the equestrian team at the University of Delaware that has made such a difference in the lives of students like Jenny Schmidt.

As always, we hope that you enjoy the stories in this issue of Newark Life and we welcome your comments and suggestions for future stories. We’re already looking forward to bringing you another issue of Newark Life in the spring of 2016.

Sincerely, Randy Lieberman, Publisher (randyl@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553) Steve Hoffman, Editor (editor@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553, ext. 13)

www.newarklifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2015 | Newark Life

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—————|Newark Profile|—————

Carr has the drive to succeed

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

I

n a sport where one-one-hundredth of a second can make all the difference, a firstplace finish often hinges on the drive and determination of the athlete.

Drive and determination are two things that Rose Carr has in ample supply.

The sixteen-year-old Newark resident only started rowing in the fall of 2011, but in

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less than four years she transformed herself into a top competitor, earning a spot on the USRowing Junior National Team that traveled to Rio de Janiero, Brazil this past August to compete in the World Junior Championships.

According to John Cohn, the head coach of the Newport Rowing Club, there is no secret to Carr’s success. She has become an elite rower because of her willingness to work hard and dedicate herself to the sport.

Courtesy photo

Last summer, Rose helped the U.S. team win two races in the international CanAmMex Regatta on Lochaber Lake in Nova Scotia.

Newark teen Rose Carr was named to the USRowing Junior National Team that competed in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Carr’s coaches credit her exemplary work ethic as the reason for her extraordinary success at a young age.

“From the very start, she was pushing the envelope on that,” Cohn explained during an interview in September. “Rose is extremely determined and she’s a very hard worker.”

Rose, who is now a junior at the Conrad Schools of Science, credits her older sister, Continued on Page 8 Courtesy photo

Carr, a resident of Newark, was named to the USRowing Junior National Team that competed in Rio de Janiero, Brazil in August. www.newarklifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2015 | Newark Life

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Rose Carr...

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Tara, a senior at the same school, with introducing her to the sport of rowing. Tara first gave rowing a try in the spring of 2011 and, according to Rose, had a natural gift for the sport.

“My sister picked it up right away,” Rose explained.

“Tara was really good as a novice rower.”

Rose enjoys sports, and had tried basketball, running, and tennis. She also was a swimmer, and the endurance that she built up while swimming helped when she first started rowing. Even so, rowing did not come as naturally to Rose as it did to Tara.

“It took some time for me to grow into rowing because it was so different [from other sports],” Rose explained.

She was able to get the sequencing of the sport Continued on Page 10

Celebrating a good performance.

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Courtesy photo

www.newarklifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2015 | Newark Life

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Rose Carr...

Continued from Page 8

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down quickly, and she liked rowing enough to double down on training. Rose’s days now often begin well before the sun rises so that she can get extra practice time in during the morning.

Cohn said that Rose sets an example for others to follow because her work ethic and approach to the sport are ideal.

“She’s always the first one to get out there and do extra work,” Cohn explained. “She’s a leader in that way, and as a coach, that’s exactly the kind of leader that I would want to have.”

Rose’s exemplary work ethic helped her make great strides. In the spring of 2012, she competed at the novice level and gained valuable experience in competitions before advancing to the varsity squad in the fall of 2012.

Rowing offers Rose the added benefit of competing alongside her own sister.

For most of the 2014-15 season, Rose and Tara partnered for doubles sculls competitions, taking first place in all but one of their races. They concluded the Continued on Page 12

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Carr receives a high-five from a coach after a strong performance.

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Rose Carr...

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season with their second consecutive first place in the Mid-Atlantic Junior District Championship Regatta, and a fifth-place finish at the National Championship Regatta in Florida.

“I think it’s awesome that we get to compete together,” Rose explained.

The sisters have a natural trust with each other, and they balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

“They are a phenomenal team,” Cohn explained.

“They complete each other and they are both great athletes to coach.”

The successes that the sisters enjoyed also prepared Rose to compete on a larger stage against stronger competition.

Last summer, Rose helped the U.S. team win two races in the international CanAmMex Regatta on Lochaber Lake in Nova Scotia. Then, she qualified for the national team after training at the 2014 Junior National Development Camp and earning a promotion to the High Performance Junior National Team.

That set the stage for the trip to Rio de Janiero, Brazil as part of the USRowing Junior National Team in August.

Continued on Page 14

Courtesy photo

Rose said that it was an incredible experience representing the U.S. and being part of the U.S. Rowing Junior National Team.

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Courtesy photo

Rose teams up with her sister, Tara, for doubles sculls competitions, taking first place in all but one of their races during the most recent season. They concluded the season with their second consecutive first place in the Mid-Atlantic Junior District Championship Regatta, and a fifth-place finish at the National Championship Regatta.

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Rose Carr...

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“It was incredible being on the team,” Rose explained. “I wanted to work toward this level and I got there. It was an incredible experience just being there with the high levels of competition.”

As a sixteen-year-old, Rose was one of the youngest members of the USRowing Junior National Team, and she didn’t make it into one of the competition boats because there were more experienced members on the team. Just having the experience, however, was invaluable to her.

Predictably, the opportunity to be a part of the USRowing Junior National Team has inspired Rose to work even harder so that she can be in the position again in 2016.

“I would love to go back,” Rose said. “I want to train as hard as I can to be in the boat.”

Courtesy photo

Even though she started rowing just four years ago, Carr has earned numerous medals in the sport.

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Cohn is optimistic that Rose will again have that opportunity.

“She has two more years where she can make the Junior National Team,” he said. “The hope is that she will make it into one of the competition boats.”

The Carr sisters will have one more year to compete together in doubles sculls competitions. Rose said that she’s really looking forward to the opportunities to team up with her sister. They have their eyes on qualifying for—and winning—Youth Nationals—in the spring of 2016.

Rose credited the coaching staff at the Newport Rowing Club with helping her develop into a top competitor in such a short period of time. Coaches Sam McDonald and Dan Hagelburg helped her immensely, and now Cohn is helping her reach new levels by working with her on technical aspects of the sport and by coming up with a comprehensive training plan.

“I wouldn’t be anywhere close to where I am without him,” Rose explained of Cohn.

The young athletes at the Newport Rowing Club have flourished under Cohn’s guidance. The club was founded in 2010, and has already sent rowers to national championships five years in a row.

Many of the athletes have earned good opportunities at the collegiate level and are now competing for some of the best rowing teams in the country.

Rose will soon start exploring her options, and she is really focused on becoming the best rower that she can be.

“My motivation is that I want to be able to compete at an elite level—and to truly be an elite athlete,” she explained.

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

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Rose Carr in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

www.newarklifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2015 | Newark Life

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——————|Newark Arts|——————

Since its beginning in 2008, the Resident Ensemble Players at The University of Delaware have become one of the Northeast’s leading cornerstones of professional theater. With a diverse new season underway, the stage lights of The REP are burning brighter than ever.

“The Threepenny Opera,” performed in the 2012-13 season.

The shared experience of being one, together

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

L

et the tired and exhausted sentiment go forth, once more: The American theater is dead, yet again.

It’s taking its final curtain call for the millionth time, so you’d better applaud now.

It’s money, mostly. General audiences have been

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completely priced out. At last check, tickets to see “Hamilton,” the new Broadway musical about one of our nation’s forefathers that’s set to a rap beat, now top $300, and that’s through legitimate avenues, such as going to the theater box office. Attempting to score a seat or two from shifty dudes on the corner of 48th and Ninth could set you back a few more Benjamins.

And what about those who can still afford to see

All photos courtesy of The Resident Ensemble Players

“All in the Timing,” performed in the 2014-15 season.

shows? Wow. Apparently, they’re unable to shut off the outside world, or at least that’s what the actress Patti LuPone said. In a recent Broadway musical she was performing, called “Shows for Days,” there was a moment when her character enters the audience. One evening, LuPone grabbed the cell phone of a woman in the audience who kept tweeting and texting during the performance, and gave it to an usher to hold. In the following days, LuPone went absolutely ballistic in the press, pointing at any and all owners of LED-lit devices who fire them up during performances as if they were culprits in a conspiracy.

The incident is certainly not isolated. It is not uncommon at any theatre -- from community theatre to Broadway -- to witness the incessant humbuzz. At yet another Broadway show recently, a young fellow attempted to stoke up his cell phone at an outlet that was actually on the performance stage itself.

So with that, we may as well toll the bell and let the pulsing heart of the American theater take its final beat.

Apparently, the audiences who have attended the performances by The Resident Ensemble Players at the University of Delaware since it began in 2008 never got the memo.

Since it shifted gears from the Professional Theatre Training Program seven seasons ago in order to become a truly professional theater company, the Resident Ensemble Players -- commonly known as “The REP” -- have given audiences a diversity of shows and a bevy of talent to match any regional company, while offering it at a reasonable cost to audience members. To illustrate the affordability of The REP, ticket prices for the general public range from $23 to $29, with a wide array of flexible subscription prices

“Angels in America,” as performed by The Resident Ensemble Players at the University of Delaware.

“The 39 Steps,” performed in the 2014-15 season.

Continued on Page 18 www.newarklifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2015 | Newark Life

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The REP...

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available that lower the cost of an individual ticket.

Housed in the beautiful 435-seat Thompson Theatre at the Roselle Center for the Arts, the REP began its eighth season on Sept. 23 with “The Patsy,” a new version of the classic French farce by Georges Feydeau. True to its mission, the 2015-16 season will be dotted with a unique blend of dramas, comedies, classics and emerging new plays, including “Heartbreak House” by George Bernard Shaw (Nov 11 - Dec. 6); the ingenious thriller “Wait Until Dark” (Jan. 20 Feb. 6); the play version of “To Kill a Mockingbird” (March 2-20); the Tony-award-winning “Red” (April 13 - May 8); and Alan Ayckbourn’s Continued on Page 20

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“Anything to Declare?,” performed in the 2012-13 season.

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www.newarklifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2015 | Newark Life

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The REP...

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romantic comedy “Things We Do For Love” (April 20 - May 8).

Built entirely on the premise to engage theater audiences with a wide variety of classic, modern, and contemporary plays performed in a wide variety of styles, the mission of the REP is simple: Choose plays based on the quality of the script and power of the play; make the productions affordable so that they are accessible to everyone, regardless of income; showcase the range of its resident players; and link the REP with the University by affording undergraduates the opportunity to see quality productions of the major plays and playwrights, often in conjunction with a college course they are currently taking.

“Because of our relationship with the University, we select plays that are or can be in the curriculum of the average undergraduate,” said Sandy Robbins, founder and producing artistic director of The REP. Continued on Page 22

“Macbeth,” performed during the 2014-15 season.

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“For instance, because the work of George Bernard Shaw is included in the syllabus of several English courses, we’ve incorporated ‘Heartbreak House’ into our season. We selected ‘Red,’ because the play’s subject, the artist Mark Rothko, is studied in our art and history departments.”

There’s yet another connection to the University: The REP and the UD Department of Theatre provide undergraduates with a variety of general education courses designed to expand appreciation for -- and future participation in -- theatre. These courses are regularly taught by members of the nationally respected faculty of the Department of Theatre and by the professional actors in the REP.

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“The Millionairess,” performed during the 2014-15 season.

The REP has also gleefully opened its doors to some of America’s most well-known playwrights to try out their new works. Most recently, the REP welcomed award-winning playwright Theresa Rebeck to workshop her plays, “O Beautiful” and “Fever.”

Newark Life | Fall/Winter 2015 | www.newarklifemagazine.com

“The reputation of The REP is based on its distinct offerings -- six diverse plays every year,” Robbins said. “The combination of highercaliber performances, taking place in a user-friendly facility, six times every year, enables us to ensure that audiences have six exciting experiences, each different from the others.”

The resumes of the ten-member ensemble of actors and directors -- all but one are P.T.T.P. graduates -- are dotted with roles in some of the most important plays in the lexicon of theatre, both contemporary and classic. In addition to their work with The REP, the actors have performed at some of the most prestigious regional theatres in the United States.

“The primary focus during the early years of the P.T.T.P. was to develop people who would have

“Juno and the Paycock,” performed in the 2014-15 season.

satisfying careers in live theatre, and with a particular bend toward the classics,” Robbins said. “We felt if you could do those, you could do anything. We can now capitalize on those years by giving several of Continued on Page 24

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our P.T.T.P. graduates the chance to come back as professionals.

“Theatre is considered a team sport that rarely accommodates divas,” he added. “There are a lot of people who enjoy the life of doing ten weeks in Seattle, followed by a movie in New York City, just as there is a minority of actors in the industry who, for whatever reason, say no to fame, but instead choose a life and a family and a stability that comes with being in great plays, one after another. There is a wonderful connectivity of our players to the Newark community. They send their children to local schools. They shop at the same grocery stores. They get to spend their lives performing in the service of the community they live in.”

And as for Patti LuPone’s rage?

Over the years, The REP has developed some very creative methods of informing its audiences that the use of technology during performances is prohibited, and much like any theatre at any level, these directives are intended as a courtesy to the actors...partly.

The rest of it has to do with telling the audience that

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something magical is happening right now, in front of them.

“Everyone likes everything nowadays,” said the playwright John Logan, whose play “Red” will be performed this season at The REP. “They like the television and the phonograph and the shampoo and the soda pop and the Cracker Jack. Everything becomes everything else and it’s all nice and pretty and likable. Everything is fun in the sun! Where’s the discernment? Where’s the arbitration that separates what I like from what I respect, what I deem worthy, what has... listen to me now... significance.”

Robbins has walked into theatres -- whether for rehearsal or to see a live performance -- in much the same way most of us walk through our homes. To him, there is a familiarity to the theatre, a comfort. It may be the clearest path to whatever definition of Home there may be.

Even before he brought the P.T.T.P. to the University of Delaware campus in 1989 -- and helped re-shape it as The REP in 2008 -- Robbins had spent most of his life in theatre. He has directed Shakespearean productions at festivals from Illinois to Indiana to Oregon to Los Angeles. He directed the international premieres of Sam Shepard plays in Moscow, Cyprus and Finland.

There is a moment that he gets to witness from the back of Thompson Theatre, that crystallizes the very reason why Robbins loves what he does. The REP partners with several middle and high schools in the Newark community by inviting students to see live performances of plays that they are studying in school. For many, these are the first plays they will have ever seen; for others, the mere mention of “theatre” conjures up dry recitations of Shakespeare in dreadfully dull readings in high school English classes. They arrive at the theatre merely to fulfill an assignment, jaded and aloof.

Then the play begins, and from the back of the theatre, Robbins sees a transformation begin to happen. He sees teenagers who, three minutes before had sat slouched in the seats, suddenly snap up in rapt attention.

He then begins to hear the most beautiful sound you can possibly imagine in the theatre: Engaged silence.

“Theatre requires you to become a part of something larger, to be truly human and present, and get to experience that which is eternal,” he said. “It’s the reality that 435 people of all races and lifestyles and differences can walk into Thompson Theatre, and none of our differences really matter. We’re laughing and crying, as one. Those are the moments we live for...what this is

“All in the Timing,” performed in the 2014-15 season.

all about.

“Theatre is the shared experience of being one, together.”

To learn more about The Resident Ensemble Players at the University of Delaware and to obtain tickets to the 2015-16 season online, visit www.rep.udel.edu.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail rgaw@ chestercounty.com.

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—————|Newark Business|—————

Captain Blue Hen Comics Newark’s one-stop pop culture shop

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

I

t’s a Wednesday afternoon, the day that new comic books arrive, and Captain Blue Hen Comics is filled with beaming customers who are here to immerse themselves in this haven of pop culture. Ever since Captain Blue Hen Comics opened on East Main Street in 1981, it has been a beloved destination for comic book fans, but now, more than three decades later, there’s much, much more than comics at Delaware’s favorite comic book shop.

As he stands at the front of a store filled with what he calls “fun stuff for fun people,” owner Joe Murray contemplates how to describe or quantify all the items that are on display for customers.

“I like to say that we have more than enough for anybody to find something that they like,” Murray said. “We are always trying to diversify, to cover a greater range.

We also like to say that we are a one-stop pop culture shop. Our job is to sell fun stuff to fun people.”

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Photo by Steven Hoffman

A visit to Captain Blue Hen Comics is all about having fun, according to owner Joe Murray.

Newark Life | Fall/Winter 2015 | www.newarklifemagazine.com

Indeed, you can find an incredible range of products here, ranging from the latest Superman comic to one of the Fables books, a series that deals with people from fairy tales and folklore that was first published

by DC Comics in 2002 and just recently ended its run. Do you like “The Walking Dead” television show? Of course you do.

At Captain Blue Hen Comics, you can pick up an issue of the comic book series that preceded the cultural phenomenon. Or, you can delve into literally thousands of stories featuring the X-Men, Superman, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Captain America, and any of the other members of the enormously popular Marvel Cinematic Universe. There’s even a display of new Star Wars merchandise promoting the upcoming movie, “The Force Awakens.”

There can be no doubting the fact that 1981, the year that Captain Blue Hen Comics was founded by Paul Stitik, was a time long ago and a galaxy far, far away when it comes to the status of pop culture in society. When the seventh episode of the Star Wars saga debuts in December, it is expected to set box office records. Comic book movies featuring the likes of Iron Man and Batman and Spiderman have come to dominate the box office each summer. On television, the pop-culture-celebrating “Big Bang Theory” reigns supreme while “The Walking Dead” earns rave reviews from critics and fans alike.

“We’re in a pop culture renaissance right now,” Murray explained.

And his store is the perfect spot to revel in it.

There are literally thousands of comic books, and while some might be valued between $30 and $300, an overwhelming majority of them are inexpensive. That keeps with Murray’s simple goal to have Captain Blue Hen be a place where fun people can buy fun stuff. It is not simply a place for collectors. And while a majority of the store’s space is dedicated to comic books, there are a wide variety of items always on display, ranging from graphic Continued on Page 28

Photo by Steven Hoffman

On the average week, 75 new issues will arrive at the store.

Photo by Steven Hoffman

New Star Wars merchandise is on display in advance the movie’s arrival in December.

Photo by Steven Hoffman

Captain Blue Hen Comics has been a mainstay on Main Street since 1981.

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novels to board games to trade paperbacks to trading card toys.

Murray grew up in Smyrna, Del. and graduated from the University of Delaware in 1989. He was a customer of Captain Blue Hen Comics before he started working here in 1992. He purchased Captain Blue Hen in 2001, at about the same time when the original owner, Paul Stitik, retired from his career as a schoolteacher and wanted to ease up on his commitments to the store.

Murray explains the thoughtfully planned layout of Captain Blue Hen Comics.

The front of the store is open and inviting—to everyone, not just comic book enthusiasts. The front display table features the more mainstream books and merchandise that will be familiar to everyone.

Next, in the front corner of the store, is the children’s area, with toys, books, and comic books that are ageappropriate for the youngest fans of Superman and his kind.

The goal, Murray said, is to make Captain Blue Hen a friendly and interesting place for everyone in the family.

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Photo by Steven Hoffman

The front display includes merchandise that everyone is likely to be familiar with.

“We have a lot more parents coming in here with their kids,” Murray said. He’s a big believer that comic books can have a positive impact on children.

“There are a lot of reasons that comics are helpful for children as they are learning how to read,” Murray said, explaining that comics are a limitless source of interesting stories for enthusiastic readers. Comics also offer

reluctant readers a fun chance to increase their vocabularies because so much can be figured out by the context that words are used.

Beyond the children’s area is the raucous realm of the superheroes, where literally thousands of outof-this-world stories await in the pages of colorful comics.

Most of Captain Blue Hen’s regulars—and there are plenty of them—come in to peruse the new comics that are available. There are 75 or more new titles a week.

Marvel and DC Comics publish between 60 and 70 percent of the comics on the market, but comics of any kind can be found in this store. More discerning customers will find a wide selection of the critically acclaimed series by Image Comics artists, Continued on Page 30

Photo by Steven Hoffman

There is a wide selection of graphic novels from popular series like “The Walking Dead.”

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including “Spawn,” “The Crow,” “Witchblade,” or “The Walking Dead.”

Adjacent to the new comics section is the collection of vintage comics and back issues of popular titles.

“Comic book shops were originally built on back issues,” Murray said, explaining that for a time the popularity of back issues waned.

But now, comic book enthusiasts are looking for them again, and Captain Blue Hen is expanding its supply.

After 34 years of building up a following, Captain Blue Hen is a destination for people from throughout Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and even New Jersey.

Customers tend to be loyal

Photo by Steven Hoffman

There are items for any age at Captain Blue Hen Comics.

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Greenbank Station • 2201 Newport Gap Pike • Wilmington, DE 19808 30

Newark Life | Fall/Winter 2015 | www.newarklifemagazine.com

P E R R Y V I L L E because, well, there’s a lot to love about the place.

“We have customers who have been coming here since the day that we opened,” Murray explained.

Pete Lindholm is one of the longtime customers. He said that he has had the opportunity to visit comic book stores all over the country, and Captain Blue Hen Comics stands out because it is such a family-friendly place for all customers. He likes that there is a children’s section because that helps reach the next generation of comic book readers.

More than 400 people have signed up as Captain Blue Hen Comics members, and they have the opportunity to give the staff a list of titles that are pulled for the customer each time a new issue arrives.

“We are the concierges for comics,” Murray explained.

“We believe that our customers are here for the experience as much as the product. Unlike a lot of other retail jobs, everybody comes here because they want to be here. So we’re here to engage the customers as much as possible.”

The rapport between the customers and the small but devoted staff at Captain Blue Hen Comics is an essential part of the overall experience. Murray and the staff has more than 80 years of combined experience, and they are all experts in all things pop culture by this point.

“My staff is amazing,” Murray explained.

The staff includes store manager Kita Roberts, Dave Williams, Jason Colatriano, and Stitik, the original owner who is still an important part of the team. Stitik is a friend to many of the longtime customers, and also plays an integral role by scouring eBay and other online sites and going to auctions to purchase comics for the store.

Like Murray, Williams was a customer at Captain Blue Hen Comics before he was an employee. He can recall his first visit to the store as a youngster in the early 1980s.

“I was amazed,” he said. “I couldn’t believe that there was a place this focused on comics. It was like going to Willa Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.”

When he got older, Williams’ dream of working at his favorite place on Earth came true, and he is still there today. He is a comic book expert and a featured player in the store, and writes a lot of the blog posts on the store’s website.

“It’s always fun working here. It’s been my second home since before I worked here,” Williams explained, adding that he reads about 15 different titles a week.“I try to read as much as I can so that I can talk about everything with the customers. Part of the reason why I like the Continued on Page 32

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job is that you know that the people who are here want to be here. They aren’t buying something that they have to buy. They are buying something here for their enjoyment. This is a place where you can come and talk with us or the customers. It’s a gathering place for people.”

Murray said that the customers and staff are always engaging in conversations, and sometimes even lively debates, about anything and everything, including what will be the better battle in an upcoming movie, Captain America vs. Iron Man or Batman vs. Superman.

Murray knows many of the customers by name, which is actually true of the entire staff, and said that he’s been compared to Sam the bartender from “Cheers,” the bar where it’s so friendly that everyone knows your name.

After more than two decades in the business, Murray also possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of comic books, starting from when American boys and girls followed the innocent adventures of Superman to the golden age of comics right up to the present day.

Murray is well known for his expertise, and does a variety of programs, ranging from talks to young children to

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scholarly presentations for college students to helping a school library assemble a graphic novel collection.

Murray said that Captain Blue Hen Comics also participates in a number of community activities each year, including a food drive, a toy drive for children, and participation in the annual Main Street Mile.

Free Comic Book Day, the popular national promotion that takes place on the first Saturday in May, is always a popular event that puts the store in the spotlight. The store recently held a flea market where customers could sell their stuff. And Murray is working out plans with other local businesses and restaurants for a “Back to the Future” Day. “We really do a lot of fun events,” Murray explained.

For more than three decades, Captain Blue Hen Comics has successfully navigated all the ups and downs of the industry. At one time, there were maybe 10,000 comic book stores in the U.S., compared to between 2,000 and 3,000 stores today. But Captain Blue Hen Comics remains one of the most enduring stores on Main Street Continued on Page 34

Comics...

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in Newark, thanks in large part to its beloved status with customers.

Murray talked about how one longtime customer recently moved to Dover, Del. At first, the customer wanted to have his favorite comics mailed to him each month because the drive back to Newark simply wasn’t convenient. Before long, the customer decided that he missed the experience of visiting Captain Blue Hen Comics too much, and resumed picking the comics up himself.

At the end of the day, it’s that relationship with customers that makes this store an indelible part of the community.

“The way that I look at it is, at the end of each day, we did a lot of work,” Murray explained. “We didn’t cure cancer. But maybe we did give a lot of people fun today.”

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

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Captain Blue Hen Comics 280 E. Main St. Suite 101 Newark, DE 19711 Hours

Photo by Steven Hoffman

The children’s area is very popular with customers.

Newark Life | Fall/Winter 2015 | www.newarklifemagazine.com

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—————|Around Newark|—————

First State’s beer history recounted in new book Delawareans are familiar with Dogfish Head, Fordham, and Iron Hill breweries but many are not aware that the state has one of the oldest brewing histories in the United States. Extending back over 375 years to the landing of the Swedes at Fort Christina, the state’s rich brewing history has largely been overlooked and overshadowed until now.

Wilmington native John Medkeff, Jr. hopes to set the record straight by telling the story of beer and brewing in the First State from the earliest European settlers until modern day craft breweries with his new book, “Brewing in Delaware.”

Medkeff began his research in 1996 on a topic he discovered to be scarcely documented. Brewing in Delaware includes more than 200 brewing-related images that Medkeff culled from museums, historical societies, private collections, and his own personal archives. Many of the photographs are

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rare and some have never been published before.

"Brewing in Delaware" is available for purchase at most Delaware bookstores and online retailers. The pictorial history is part of the “Images of America” series by Arcadia Publishing, the nation’s leading publisher of local and regional history.

All of the author’s proceeds will be donated to two Delaware charities, the Delaware Historical Society and the Friends of Historical Riverview Cemetery.

If your organization or business is interested in having Medkeff do a book signing or lecture, you may contact him via email at info@delawarebeerhistory.com.

Those interested in learning more about Delaware’s brewing history are encouraged to visit Medkeff’s website, DelawareBeerHistory.com, and his Facebook group, Delaware Beer History.

———————|Newark Arts|———————

Chapel Street Players continue season The Chapel Street Players have a long and rich history as a community theater group, and their 2015-16 season is underway.

The first show in the group’s home on Chapel Street was presented in November 1970. Through all the improvements to the theater itself, the spirit of the group has remained constant. In the theater’s 50th anniversary book, Ron Knox, then president, stated, “We are called ‘community,’ but the only difference between our theater and so-called ‘professional’ theater is that we can’t get paid in dollars. I believe we have as much dedication and professional commitment as any Broadway troupe. And that’s what makes it work – our willingness to commit time, talent and energy for the sheer pleasure of it!”

This year’s lineup includes: Scrooge’s Christmas Dec. 4, 5, 10, 11, 12 at 8 p.m.; Dec. 6 at 2 p.m.

Written by Ken Jones Directed by Timothy Sheridan All the characters of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, “A Christmas Carol,” are brought to life in this unique adaptation for the stage. “Scrooge’s Christmas” is a story of second chances and of reconciliation. It is Christmas Eve and the people of London are full of warmth and good cheer except for one man, Ebenezer Scrooge. Years of loneliness have caught up to Scrooge and he has shut out the world around him to live a melancholy life of solitude. On this fateful night, three spirits of Christmas guide Scrooge through introspection and help him to open his heart and rediscover the feelings he once thought were humbug.

Adult tickets are $15 (seniors $10, students $5).

Picnic Feb. 12, 13, 18, 19, 20 at 8 p.m.; Feb 14 at 2 p.m.

Written by William Inge Directed by Don Pruden This 1953 Pulitzer Prize Winning play takes place on Labor Day in the Continued on Page 38

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joint back yards of two middle-aged widows. One house belongs to Flo Owens, who lives with her two awakening daughters, Madge and Millie, and a boarder who is a spinster school teacher. The other house belongs to Helen Potts, who lives with her invalid mother. Into this atmosphere comes a young man named Hal Carter, whose animal vitality upsets the entire group. Flo is sensitively wary of the temptations Hal poses for her daughters. Their reactions and decisions regarding Hal bring startling choices and changes to their futures. Adult tickets are $15 (seniors $10, students $5).

Enchanted April April 8, 9, 14, 15, 16 at 8 p.m.; April 10 at 2 p.m.

Written by Matthew Barber From the novel by Elizabeth von Arnim Directed by Michelle Cullen Four very different women respond to an advertisement in the Times appealing to “those who appreciate wisteria and sunshine” to rent a small medieval Italian castle for a month. Mrs. Wilkins and Mrs. Arbuthnot, the original two respondents, are joined in their act of escape by the socialite Lady Caroline, whose beauty and general melodiousness have become something of a burden to her, and the formidable Mrs. Fisher, who sets about imposing her will on the rest. But there, among the wisteria blossoms and Mediterranean sunshine, the four women clash — and then begin to bond and bloom.

Adult tickets are $15 (seniors $10, students $5) Who-Dame-Dunnit?

Try Not to Die Laughing June 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 at 8 p.m.; June 19 at 2 p.m.

Written and directed by Scott F. Mason Local Dame Edna Honorary Understudy, Scott Mason, is back as the Dame in a comedy murder mystery that skewers crime solvers from Agatha Christie types to the modern day Crime Scene Investigators. Edna’s sister Agnes’ stately manor home is the setting for the reading of the will of a dearly departed when a murder most fowl (misspelling appropriate) occurs and a series of famous detectives are helpless to solve the crime. Fear not, our favorite “giga-star” Dame Edna uses her sparkling brilliance and gilded accessories to figure out whodunit.

All tickets are $20 for this fundraiser show.

For information, visit www.chapelstreetplayers.org, call 302-368-2248, or email CSP_boxoffice@yahoo.com.

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——————|Newark Business|—————— 60 years and 11 American presidents later, the Newark Shopping Center is experiencing a stunning rebirth, thanks to the ingenuity of its builders and the passion of its business owners

Opening its new doors to a new era

By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer

R

Photo by Richard L. Gaw 40

Newark Life | Fall/Winter 2015 | www.newarklifemagazine.com

ight in the middle of the Sept. 12 celebration that officially dedicated the opening of the refurbished Newark Shopping Center, a University of Delaware student stridently rode her bike past city officials, business owners and several members of Atlantic Realty Companies – the rock-solid, collaborative team that orchestrated the $10 million renovation that will lead the Center well into this century.

The student seemed oblivious to the pomp and circumstance. She parked her bike in front of the Newark Natural Foods, and walked into the store.

So what? her actions seemed to suggest. She had shopping to do. And there it was: definitive proof that this shopping center had successfully been reborn.

When the Newark Shopping Center first opened in 1955, Dwight Eisenhower was in the White House, the Dodgers were still in Brooklyn, “I Love Lucy” was the highest-rated television program, and J.J. Minster and Son was among the new shopping center’s original tenants.

It’s 60 years later, and Barack Obama now occupies the White House, the Dodgers are in Los Angeles, “I Love Lucy” is forever enshrined in reruns, and the Minster name is still a mainstay at the Newark Shopping Center.

“This is a dream come true!” said Marilyn Minster, owner of Minster’s. “We have been here since the center’s heyday and watched it decline after the original owners passed away. When I first met [Atlantic Realty president] David Ross and learned of Atlantic Realty’s

plans to modernize this center, I was thrilled, and I did whatever I could to get us to where we are today.”

“This renovation of the Newark Shopping Center is a welcome addition to our Great American Main Street Award-winning downtown, just as it was in 1955 when it first opened its doors,” said Newark Mayor Sierer.

“Now more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly than ever and featuring a strong connection to the Pomeroy Trail, the Newark Shopping Center is sure to have many more decades of leadership of our downtown retail marketplace.”

Atlantic Realty Companies partnered with Angelo, Gordon & Company to acquire and carry out a full-scale redevelopment of the center. The renovation includes new building facades, roofs, updated signage, landscaping, pedestrian connections within the center, and improvements to the parking lots. A path now allows pedestrian access through the center of the shopping complex to a Continued on Page 42

Photos by Richard L. Gaw

David Carr of Atlantic Realty, with Marilyn Minster of Minster’s Jewelers, celebrate the re-dedication of the Newark Shopping Center on Sept. 12. www.newarklifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2015 | Newark Life

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new apartment building that is scheduled to open next summer. This pathway also connects with the recently completed Pomeroy Trail.

“We needed to be good listeners,” Ross said of Atlantic Realty’s collaboration with local merchants and leaders.

“We had to reach out to the people who know what’s going on in the community. They’re going to use this center every day, and they will know better than we ever will. There, we have been able to take our expertise and apply it, once we understood what’s working and what’s not working. There have been some really key people we’ve used as sounding boards in order to help us come up with our plans and implement them.”

Currently 75 percent leased, the Center is home to Minster’s, Newark Natural Foods, Goodwill, Dollar Tree, PNC Bank, Enterprise, Newark Discount Liquor, Empowered Yoga, Rita’s Italian Ice, Armed Forces, No. 1 Chinese, The Mediterranean Grill, Zahra International Market, and Mayflower Japanese Restaurant. As the center continues to grow, Atlantic has recently leased space to Churrascaria Saudades Brazilian Steakhouse, Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, Sports Clips, Big Z Pizza, Hair By Anthony, and other tenants.

Ross said that the residential component of the Center, now under construction, is expected to open next summer.

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

Kim Lemberg and Haley Waites of Newark Natural Foods’ Cafe 67.

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Photos by Richard L. Gaw

And that student who wheeled her bike past the pageantry of the Center’s re-opening, on her way into Newark Natural Foods -- known now as the Center’s anchor store?

“She may not have known that we even existed before we came to the Newark Shopping Center,” said Anita Moos, marketing manager for Newark Natural Foods, which was first incorporated in 1967 and is celebrating its 40th anniversary. “For 40 years, we were hidden, even though we were on Main Street. Now that we’re front and center in the community, we’re being recognized by an entirely new audience who normally would not have ventured into our store. This center has become the true epitome of what a real community is all about.”

Moos said that Newark Natural Foods is drawing from an even wider swath of the community now, everyone from older Delawareans to the Millennial Generation -- as well as more UD

Newark Natural Foods now serves as the Center’s anchor store.

Newark Natural Foods Manager Karen Taylor, with Anna Johnson.

Continued on Page 44

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students and their parents, who tell Moos and her staff how thrilled they are that their son or daughter, who may be living off-campus, has easy access to healthy food, either at the store or at Cafe 67.

“Promoting healthy eating is part of our mission, because we’re not just a store, we’re also educators,” Moos said. “Being here at the Newark Shopping Center has allowed us more room to expand our health-related events, such as exercise classes and educational seminars, which are open to everyone.”

Moos said that since the store moved down the street, attendance at their Sunday Farmer’s Market has quadrupled.

“Who gets to drive to a farm anymore to buy fresh produce?” she said. “With our weekly market, it allows our customers to meet farmers in the middle of the City of Newark and buy produce that was picked fresh that morning.”

Karen Taylor, manager of Newark Natural Foods, said that the move enabled the store to achieve three goals: to increase parking, to establish a viable loading dock, and become more visible from Main Street.

“Having an anchor store here that was already present in the community for so long was a great plus for the redevelopment of this shopping center,” she said.

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

A member of the Newark Dixie Ramblers performs at the Sept. 12 dedication ceremony.

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“I watched the heyday of this center, and then saw its decline, and I stayed, and now that it’s coming back and joining Main Street, I am thrilled,” Minster said. “I am confident that the center will come back the way it used to be. I told everyone if we go another 60 years and have another grand re-opening, that I plan to be here.”

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, e-mail rgaw@chestercounty.com .

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

From left, Candace Thomson, Jonathan Keegan and Damon Eleuterius from Churrascaria Saudades Brazilian Steakhouse.

Photo by Richard L. Gaw

With its new location, Newark Natural Foods has begun to attract more students from the University of Delaware.

www.newarklifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2015 | Newark Life

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www.newarklifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2015 | Newark Life

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—————|Around Newark|—————

A new place for Girl Scouts to call home Northern Resource Center slated to open in January

By John Chambless Staff Writer

A Photo by John Chambless

Anne T. Hogan (left) and Carol Boncelet outside of the Northern Resource Center in progress.

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s the new Northern Resource Center nears completion in Newark, the central tower of the building serves as a symbol of what the Girl Scouts organization can do – act as a beacon for girls, and shine light out into the world.

For Anne T. Hogan, the CEO of Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay, the lighthouse has special resonance. During a walk-through of the building, which Continued on Page 54

or

The Northern Resource Center will have a public ribbon-cutting on Jan. 15.

Photo by John Chambless

Continued on Page 53

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is due to open in January, she said, “Think about this: We sit on almost the highest point in Delaware, and our council is the whole Delmarva Peninsula. We have the bay on one side and the ocean on the other side. We are a beacon for all girls.”

The $6.5 million project is a leap of faith arrived at after the University of Delaware did not renew the ground lease for the former Girl Scouts headquarters, tucked near the base of a bridge on South College Avenue in Newark. With a December moveout date, the race was on to find another home base.

Carol Boncelet, the vice president of the capital campaign for the new headquarters, said, “our project team looked at 84 properties in northern New Castle County. This site is close to 95 and Route 1, so when we have girls come up from Smyrna, Middletown or Dover, or even farther in the Delmarva Peninsula, this is a great location.”

The seven-acre wooded property on Old Baltimore Pike was the site of a home that has been taken down, along with dozens Continued on Page 56 Photo by John Chambless

Anne T. Hogan, the CEO of Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay, in what will be her office.

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Photo by John Chambless

The new Northern Resource Center will have plenty of space for offices and events.

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of trees, to allow construction of the 17,500-squarefoot facility. “The former owner of this property was a Girl Scout family,” Boncelet said. “So they were very excited that we got the site.”

Taking down the trees was a painful necessity, but there will be tree plantings held at the site in the spring.

One of the big benefits of the site is its wooded surroundings and a stream nearby, both of which will be used for nature exploration activities with Girl Scout troops. Girls can also stay overnight in the new building, and use it for meetings and group activities. There’s a retail store for sales of patches, uniforms and other Girl Scout supplies, and the administrative offices will be in one large room to facilitate communication. The inside of the beacon will house a display of photos of Girl Scouts at different levels, as well as the Girl Scout promise. A museum area will show memorabilia of Girl Scouting’s long history. And there’s room to park a tractor trailer behind the building during cookie selling season, so local troops can replenish their stock as the sale goes on.

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All in all, the new building offers everything the organization could want. It is being funded through a capital campaign with several donor recognition levels. Girl Scout troops can get involved by holding fundraisers of their own, and past Girl Scouts will be asked to contribute what they can. The campaign is something of an easy sell, since anyone involved with Girl Scouts can see the benefits it offers.

Hogan said, “I am absolutely the woman I am today because of Girl Scouts.” She had a career in banking, joined the board of the Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay, then topped a list of 80 applicants for the CEO position. “I’ve been here seven years now,” she sad.

“Through Girl Scouting, I had leadership roles in the world of banking that I never would have had the confidence to do otherwise. With everything I have done, Girl Scouting helped me to try new things.”

For Jennifer Acord, the communications and marketing manager, “I grew up as a Girl Scout in Middletown,” she said. “I’m also a Girl Scout mom now. The big thing is the skills and the character building that you get in Girl Scouting. It was doing things you wouldn’t get to do otherwise.”

Hogan added, “When we grew up, girls didn’t have

the opportunities to play sports, to be involved in so many things. Girl Scouting was one of the few organizations that girls could join and do things they wouldn’t otherwise be able to do.”

The declining number of stay-at-home mothers, the increased demands of after-school activities and the lack of adult volunteers have worked against the Girl Scouts in recent years, but the numbers are catching up lately, Hogan said. “We have to function at the speed of girls,” she said. “Our biggest challenge is that we continually have about 300 girls on the waiting list. We cannot get volunteers. The demand is there. If we could get enough volunteers, we could greatly increase our membership.”

Boncelet said she may owe her career as an engineer to the early lessons in confidence she got in scouting. “I was a Girl Scout for a few years, I loved the camping, but that risk-taking, the idea that girls can do anything, helped me at college. At the time, I was one of two women in the Applied and Engineering Physics program at Cornell,” she said. “I was at Delmarva Power for about nine years, and a couple of other utilities.”

Continued on Page 58

Photo by John Chambless

Anne T. Hogan and Carol Boncelet inside the beacon in the center of the building, which will be a showcase spot for Girl Scouts.

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Hogan emphasized that “any girl can be a Girl Scout,” and that those who cannot afford dues can access membership and program scholarships. There’s a strong emphasis on reaching out to urban areas, and a focus on STEM education as part of Girl Souting as well. These days, Girl Scouting is less about making crafts and s’mores as it is working with a 3-D printer and learning about engineering careers.

During a walk-through of the building, as workmen hammered and drilled all around them, the women smiled broadly at the progress they were seeing.

“We’ve raised $3.7 million at this point,” Boncelet said. “One of the things that Girl Scouts hasn’t been as good at is asking people for money. We ask for their time. But now it’s time for former Girl Scouts to help us out financially.”

“I would much rather put money into programs for girls than pay for a mortgage,” Hogan said.

“Traditionally, this council has always raised the funds before they put a shovel in the ground. So this has

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The finished building will have two wings, centered on a beacon.

caused us some challenges. But this building’s going to last for the next 50 or more years for girls on this peninsula.”

There is a public ribbon-cutting scheduled on Jan. 15 at 11 a.m., and a family-friendly program on Jan. 16 from 1 to 3 p.m., with a dedication, tours, a time capsule installation and activities.

For more information on the new Northern Resource Center, or to donate, visit www.gscb.org/beacon, email cboncelet@cbgsc.org, or call 302-456-7169.

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty.com.

www.newarklifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2015 | Newark Life

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—————|Downtown Newark|—————

Newark Shopping Center celebrates 60 years with grand reopening 60

Newark Life | Fall/Winter 2015 | www.newarklifemagazine.com

Investment in Downtown Newark, which has been steadily progressing over the past decade, took a giant leap forward this fall as the Newark Shopping Center celebrated its 60th birthday. Largely vacant and in a state of disrepair when it was purchased in 2012

by Virginia-based Atlantic Realty Company, the center now sports a freshly repaved parking lot, modern infrastructure and refreshed storefronts, along with one tenant who has been there since 1955, Minster’s Jewelers.

New tenants, as well as existing tenants expanding their footprints, are quickly filling vacant space. Newark Natural Foods, a longtime resident of the Market East plaza just to the east of Newark Shopping Center, reopened in a new, greatly expanded storefront in the Newark Shopping Center, complete with Café 67, a coffee shop and deli offering fresh, local prepared foods.

Cappriotti’s, Newark Discount Liquors and Goodwill are all expanding their footprints as well. Newark’s already diverse restaurant scene will take another leap forward

——————————

with the opening of Churrascaria Saudades, a Brazilian-style steakhouse. Salon by Anthony, a longstanding tenant in the shopping center providing creative hair and professional styling will be joined by Sport Clips, a national haircut chain focusing on the men’s market.

Owners and tenants of the Newark Shopping Center hosted an open house on Saturday, Sept. 12, with a formal ribboncutting, music and celebrations to ring in a new era. Take the time to stop by and check out the reinvented shopping center.

Gift cards After a brief hiatus this summer during a shift to a newer, improved and more modern program, the Downtown Newark Gift Card program will be back in full swing in time for the holiday season. Accepted at dozens of shops and restaurants, Downtown gift cards make a great way to help support the local downtown community while giving your special someone the flexibility to choose from many different retailers.

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—————|Downtown Newark|————— Continued from Page 61

Parking Did you know that you can park for free every day of the week in Downtown Newark? Just park in one of the pay-to-park lots, and look for the “Newark’s great, we validate” logo in merchants’ windows. Ask our friendly merchants for parking validations as you shop and dine around town, and that’s it, free parking. Parking is easier than ever, too, with “smart” credit-card enabled on-street meters that eliminate the need for carrying around too many quarters.

The off-street lots are easily found with the interactive map found at cityofnewarkde. us/parking, and on the street, thanks to new pavement markings.

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City of Newark launches new logo As the digital age transitions to the mobile age, logo artwork everywhere is evolving to remain current and modern. Newark’s previous logo, designed in the early 1990s, faced limitations when viewed on smaller screens, losing much of the intricacy of its design. Newark’s new logo will provide a great first impression across all platforms, of Newark as a contemporary, vibrant municipality.

—————|Downtown Newark|————— 41st annual Turkey Trot This year’s running of Delaware’s second-oldest continuously held foot race is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 21, at Handloff Park, on Barksdale Road in Newark. Featuring a 5K as well as a 10K T.A.C.-certified course, runners and walkers can enjoy the cool fall weather, with the first 250 registrants receiving long-sleeve t-shirts. Prizes will be awarded to winners in ten men’s and ten women’s divisions in each event, the 10K and 5K runs, as well as a 5K walk, as well as randomly awarded “door prizes” donated by generous local businesses and organizations for those who stay for the post-race ceremony. Registration is available at cityofnewarkde.us/play, or in person at the Parks and Recreation office. Once again this year, the Ancient Order of Hibernians will be collecting donations of coats to be distributed to people in need throughout the local area; simply bring coats in good condition to the race to donate.

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—|Downtown Newark|—

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29th annual Thanksgiving breakfast Join Newark friends and neighbors for a hearty breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, fruit, coffee, juice and tea, along with great fellowship.

Organized by Newark’s Parks and Recreation staff with the help of community members, area merchants and dedicated volunteers, it’s a great way to kick off the holiday season among in a caring atmosphere among community members who may not be able to share in a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Advance registration is suggested, and volunteer assistance is needed. Please call the Parks and Recreation Department at 302-3667000 for additional information.

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—————|Downtown Newark|————— Small Business Saturday Downtown Newark’s merchant community is a proud partner of the national Small Business Saturday movement, encouraging everyone to support their local retail community. This event is held annually, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, with free parking downtown and merchants offering a variety of specials, the best choice is always to avoid the chaos of the crowded Black Friday mall crowd. Grab a coffee and breakfast, and take a relaxing stroll among our shops, offering something for the whole family. Can’t decide between outdoor gear or décor, games or footwear, jewelry or clothing? Grab a Downtown Newark Gift Card, and give someone their choice between dozens of downtown shops and eateries.

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Winterfest Winterfest is a collaboration between Newark Parks and Recreation Staff and the University of Delaware that rings in the holiday season the best way we know how. Featuring a tree-lighting, holiday entertainment, caroling, ice-carving and so much more, you won’t be disappointed. Join the fun on the evening of Friday, Dec. 4, from 6 to 8 p.m., on Academy Street in the heart of Downtown Newark for this traditional celebration. Once again this year, the Delaware Special Olympics will be hosting their annual “Reindeer Run” in conjunction with Winterfest, to register, visit www.sode.org . This program is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Delaware

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Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

—————|Downtown Newark|————— Restaurant Week As Downtown Newark has evolved into a regional dining destination, Restaurant Week provides everyone an opportunity to sample the newest restaurants, and the newest offerings of their old favorites. Scheduled this year from Jan. 18 to 24, the week is a welcome respite from post-holiday doldrums, with eateries featuring three tiers of prix-fixe meals to fit every budget and taste, for lunch as well as dinner. Each restaurant tailors specials throughout the week to feature the absolute best that they offer, and guests never leave disappointed.

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—————|Middletown|—————

Enjoy the Michael Castle Trail: 13.2 miles along the C&D Canal

By Carla Lucas Correspondent

R

eedy Point Bridge, St. George’s Bridge, the Roth Bridge, the Summit Bridge and the Chesapeake City Bridge all cross the C&D Canal. How many times have you crossed the canal over one of those bridges? Multiple times a day?

Weekly? Monthly? Yearly?

Of all those bridge crossings, have you ever thought about what it would be like to spend time along the canal instead of quickly speeding over it? The Michael Castle Trail, a new trail along the northern bank of the canal, gives you an opportunity to experience nature.

“When complete, the trail will be one of the longest uninterrupted trails in Delaware,” said Eric Ludwig, the regional manager for the Delaware Fish and Wildlife Division, the organization that manages the new trail.

“The trail provides better access for people to enjoy time outside and to view wildlife. There are no vehicles allowed on the trail that can interfere with pedestrian safety.”

All Photos by Carla Lucas

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The St. George’s entrance before the trail, and after the construction of the trail.

ail:

A variety of habitats can be experienced along the trail. Wetlands highlight the route from Delaware City to where the trail meets the C&D Canal. It follows the waterway to Summit Marina. On the western side of the marina, the trail traverses woodlands of mature locust and tulip poplar trees before returning to the canal.

According to Jeff Dayton, a member of Michael Castle’s staff, when Castle served as a U.S. Congressman, the idea for a trail along the C&D Canal was brought to his attention about a decade ago. Wayne Smith, who was then a Delaware State Representative, and Tim Plemmons of Delaware Greenway, approached Castle with an idea to build a trail along the canal, similar to a successful project in Cape Cod, Mass. It was intended to connect Delaware City, Del., to Chesapeake City, Md., with a multi-use trail along the canal -- 13.2 miles from town to town. The goal was to turn what was once a dirt road used mostly by hunters and fishermen into a paved and maintained trail for all to enjoy.

“The canal was mostly a marker,” explained Dayton. “You’d talk about being upstate above the canal, or downstate below the canal. We wanted people to think about the canal.”

In the early stages, there were public meetings with various user groups of the lands Continued on Page 70

Eric Ludwig on the Michael Castle Trail near the St. George’s Bridge. He is the Regional Wildlife Manager for the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, the organization responsible for maintaining the trail.

The trail passes through Summit Marina. www.newarklifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2015 | Newark Life

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The eastern portion of the trail follows the waterway.

All Photos by Carla Lucas around the canal, including hunters, bikers, equestrians, moto-cross riders, walkers, boaters, and dog trainers to determine how a project of this magnitude would impact their activities.

“It was easy to get done,” said Castle.

“There was general support for the trail.

Most people thought it made good economic sense for the surrounding communities, and it would be a new outlet for people to enjoy the outdoors.”

There was no cost of land acquisition, since the property surrounding the C&D Canal was already owned by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, leased to Delaware, and managed by the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife.

The lease was modified to allow the trail on the land. Funding to create and complete the trail came from both state and federal sources.

Multiple government agencies are playing a role in turning the concept into reality. Delaware Fish and Wildlife is managing the Delaware portion of the trail. DelDOT did the actual construction of the paved trail. Delaware State Parks provides assistance with the management of the trail. Delaware City will build the bridge to connect the trail to their town. The Army Corps of Engineers designed and built the Maryland portion of the trail, and Chesapeake City has agreed to maintain the Maryland section.

Through an act of Congress, and with the help of Delaware’s Congressional representatives – Tom Carper, Chris Coons, and John Carney – the trail was named the Michael Castle Trail.

“It was a surprise,” said Castle, “as no one consulted me. I appreciate it.”

To date, Phases 1 and 2 are complete, opening much of the trail in Delaware’s 11-mile portion. Maryland’s section 70

Biking is becoming an extremely popular use for the Michael Castle Trail.

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The western portion of the trail features the woodlands section.

is scheduled to officially open on Oct. 5.

This fall, construction of Phase 3, the trail from near Summit Bridge to Maryland, will be completed. Finally, within the next year, a bridge crossing the wetlands to Delaware will finally link the two towns that anchor the C&D Canal.

According to Ludwig, trail use is increasing each year. Last year, the trail had 22,000 visits.

The numbers are expected to increase as more of the trail is completed and word spreads of its existence.

Access to the trail is available with improved parking areas at St. Georges and Biddles Point. This fall, a third parking area is expected to be added at Summit Bridge. The trail can also be accessed at Summit Marina. A map of the area is available online by going to destateparks.com and searching “Michael Castle Trail.”

“The trail is a beneficial asset for our state, district, and neighbors,” said Castle. “It gives people the opportunity to see a part of Delaware they’ve never seen before. Most have only crossed the bridges over the canal.

Now the trail allows for more and more people to experience nature along the C&D Canal.”

The Aqua Sol Restaurant and Bar is along the Castle Trail for those who want a little refreshment along the way.

There are benches along the trail where you can watch boats of all sizes come through the C&D Canal. www.newarklifemagazine.com | Fall/Winter 2015 | Newark Life

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—————|Newark Recreation|—————

Equestrian team excels

By Steven Hoffman Staff Writer

W

hen Jenny Schmidt was making a decision about which college she wanted to attend, one of the factors that she considered was whether the school offered the opportunity to compete on an equestrian team.

The Shamong, New Jersey native grew up riding horses on the farm next to her family’s house, and she wanted to be able to continue to ride horses and talk to others who shared the interest when she embarked on her college career.

“It meant a lot to me because horses have always meant a lot to me,” Schmidt explained during an interview in September.

“I’ve been riding for a long time. It’s a fun thing to do, but it also teaches you a lot.”

For example, caring for and

Courtesy photo

Maggie Curran, a co-captain of the Western team, at the semifinals earlier this year.

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Courtesy photos

Above: Davide Alexis is a member of the equestrian team this year, and a co-captain for hunt seat.

Left: Jenny Schmidt is the president of the University of Delaware equestrian team.

Below: The equestrian team during the 2014-2015 season.

riding horses will teach a person how to be patient and gentle enough to be a calming presence for the horse, but also tough enough to get back up after a fall off the horse.

Today, Schmidt is a senior wildlife conservation major and the president of the University of Delaware’s equestrian team.

The University of Delaware equestrian team is one of the largest club sport teams on the Delaware campus of approximately17,000 people. The equestrian team has between 80 and 100 active members who vary greatly in their skill levels. Some of the team members have never competed in horse shows before, while others, like Schmidt, have some experience as riders. Other team members have a background competing nationally on the A-Circuit.

Every member’s riding discipline is different, too, ranging from western pleasure to gaming, eventing to dressage, hunters to jumpers, to simple backyard riding.

Schmidt said that when she was younger, she “played every sport under the sun,” but once she learned how to ride horses, she knew this was the activity for her.

“I liked it because it was different from any other sport that I had tried,” she explained.

One of the major differences, of courses, is having an animal as a teammate. An essential aspect of learning how to ride is mastering the ability to communicate with the horse.

Schmidt is so fond of horses that, as a teenager, she worked Continued on Page 74

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and saved up money to purchase her first horse, Cosmo, when she was 17.

“Cosmo was a thoroughbred, but he never raced,” she explained.

“That was a highlight for me—training him and riding him. He turned into a pretty good horse.”

Participating on the equestrian team has helped Schmidt as she has progressed through college. At the University of Delaware, she started out in the lowest divisions as a freshman, competing frequently in that year.

Courtesy photo

Schmidt said that riding horses offers many benefits.

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Courtesy photo

The University of Delaware Western Team Regional Champions of 2015.

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She moved up two class rankings and finished first individually in the region, second in the zone, and 16th nationally in her class.

As a club sport, the equestrian team is very much on its own to make sure that things run smoothly. This includes accepting the responsibility to conduct searches for and hiring coaches. The team’s coaches include Whitney Carmouche, who is the English team coach, and Amy Freeman, the Western coach.

“We do have an advisor, but it’s a student-run club,” Schmidt said, explaining that there are ten executive positions that students serve in, each one with its own responsibilities.

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Courtesy photo

“We have executive meetings, team meetings, and practices once a week,” Schmidt explained.

Add in the strength training and conditioning that many of the team members do, and it’s a significant commitment of both time and energy.

The team hosts one home show per semester, and two per school year with other schools from the surrounding areas invited to compete. As a member of the equestrian team, each person is required to attend the home shows that are hosted over the course of the year to make sure that they run smoothly.

Schmidt estimates that she spends at least ten hours a week on

Maggie Curran.

Courtesy photo

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equestrian team activities, and it’s time well-spent.

The equestrian team includes both an English team and a Western team. Schmidt explained that in addition to the different tacks and clothing for each style, a key difference between the two is that English team competitors take part in jumps during competitions, while Western team competitors do not. English riding takes many of its traditions and equipment from European mounted military styles, while the western style traces its development to the needs of the cowboys who worked cattle from horseback. The two styles are similar.

Courtesy photo

The 2015 regional champions for Western and English styles.

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“When people start out riding, they usually learn English riding first,” Schmidt explained. “We have a lot of people on the team who do both.”

Schmidt is on the English team, which practices on a farm in Townsend, Del. The equestrian team competes in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, which was founded in 1967 to promote competition for riders of any skill level regardless of financial status. More than 300 colleges compete in four disciplines: hunter equitation, equitation over fences, western horsemanship and reining.

During the horse shows, the riders are judged on the presentation and how well they ride the horse. Each rider is randomly paired with a horse through a random drawing. Schmidt explained that there might be a few notes written down about each horse to help the riders, but that’s all.

One of the challenges of the competition is for each rider to make the necessary adjustments to work well together with the horse.

The equestrian team is consistently strong, and a perennial contender in its region.

“We’ve been regional champions four out of five years,” Schmidt explained.

The team president emphasized that success is measured by more than simply first place finishes at horse shows. With each person starting the season at a different skill level, it’s also important, she said, for every member to advance their skills during the course of the next year.

One illustration of a team member improving is McKenzie Culotta, who joined the equestrian team having never participated in a horse show. Culatta went to the first show and had a strong finish.

She then kept improving throughout the rest of the season.

“Having everyone progress is what will 80

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QUALITY EDUCATION Affordable Tuition

Schmidt with Cosmo.

Courtesy photo

make me happy,” Schmidt said.

In addition to competitions, the equestrian team members also organize social events, like riding on the trails at Fair Hill, to build camaraderie among the members.

When Schmidt arrived on the University of Delaware campus more than three years ago, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to major in. Then she took an Introduction to Wildlife Conservation course and just like that she found her calling.

“When I took that class, it was exactly what I wanted to learn about,” she explained.

In addition to majoring in wildlife conservation, Schmidt is minoring in environmental humanities, which looks at how people connect with the environment around them. She has enjoyed her time at the University of Delaware, and one reason for that is the opportunity to participate on the equestrian team. She is looking forward to what the 2015-2016 season holds.

“I’m really excited about this year,” Schmidt said.

For more information about the University of Delaware equestrian team, visit the team’s Facebook page.

To contact Staff Writer Steven Hoffman, email editor@chestercounty.com.

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—————|Around Newark|—————

October events celebrate the season The City of Newark is lining up plenty of community fun for the fall season, so mark your calendar for these upcoming events:

Halloween Parade

Sunday, Oct. 25, 3 p.m. on Main Street Newark’s 68th annual Halloween Parade is drawing near. Plan now to be a part of this special Halloween event, complete with marching bands, floats, antique automobiles, costumed characters, and more. The parade begins at Tyre Avenue and Main Street and marches west on Main Street, to College Avenue.

Pre-registration is not necessary if you wish to come in costume and walk in the parade. A special lineup space will be provided. Check in at the information booth at George Read Park by 2:30 p.m. on parade day. Politicians or political groups must be in costume and pre-register to march. Pets are not allowed.

There is no rain date for this event. For cancellation information, call 302-366-7147.

Road closures during the parade are: Main Street (Library Avenue to North College); Tyre Avenue / Delaware Circle; Delaware Avenue (Chapel Street to Library Avenue).

For more information, call the Parks and Recreation Department at 302-366-7000.

Trick-or-Treat Main Street

Sunday, Oct. 25, 4 to 5 p.m. on Main Street Ghosts, goblins, fairies, and princesses are invited to join in the fun of Trick or Treat Main Street. The event is paired with the Halloween Parade for twice the fun. There will be goodies from many stores and downtown businesses. Bring a camera and have your picture taken in the pumpkin patch. All municipal lots will offer free parking during the events. For the safety of children, Main Street will remain closed throughout Trick or Treat Main Street. There is no rain date for this event. Pets are not allowed.

For more information, call the Parks and Recreation Department at 302-366-7000. For cancellation information, call 302-366-7147.

Halloween Party at George Wilson Center, Oct. 29, 4 to 5:30 p.m., George Wilson Center

All ids ages 3 to 12 are invited to the Halloween Costume Party with games, refreshments, and a costume contest. No pre-registration required – pay at the door. Fee: $2 at the door.

Mayor’s Masquerade 5K Fun Run/Walk,

Oct. 31, 8 a.m. registration, Delaware Technology Park, 1 Innovation Way The course will be on the James Hall Trail. Awards will be given in seven age categories and overall male and female. Costume Awards will also be given for those running or walking in costumes. Online registration will be at www.fusionracetiming.com. You may still complete our standard registration form and mail or walk in your registration form to the Parks and Recreation office. Proceeds from this even will support Newark Parks and Recreation Programs. Fee: $15 pre-registration (on or before Oct. 30); $20 same-day registration Race time is 9 a.m.

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The Newark Halloween Parade will draw thousands of participants and spectators on Oct. 25.

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—————|Newark History|—————

A vast storehouse of history is open to everyone at the University of Delaware Library

From the University of Delaware’s Special Collections: The railroad crossing on Main Street.

At right, the way it looks now.

By John Chambless Staff Writer

W

ith roots dating back to its original charter in 1758, Newark (or NewArk as it was originally called) has a rich history that’s intertwined with that of Delaware and the tristate region. If you’ve lived here for decades, or if you’re a recent arrival, the wide, diverse aspects of the town’s beginnings are a fascinating trail to follow.

The scattershot approach of an internet search for Newark’s history is one thing, but to get the facts – the real objects that tell a story, and the context in which they existed – there’s a nearly inexhaustible storehouse on the second floor of Continued on Page 85 84

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the University of Delaware Library. Special Collections is available to everyone, and much of it is viewable on your computer.

Special Collections comprises the Special Collections Department, the Manuscripts and Archives Department, and the Mark Samuels Lasner Collection, which is on loan to the University of Delaware Library. Stacked on seemingly endless shelves in the library are the touchstones of Delaware history – books, manuscripts, maps, prints and graphic materials, broadsides, periodicals, pamphlets, photographs, audiovisual material, ephemera and just about everything else from the 15th century to the present.

According to L. Rebecca Johnson Melvin, the librarian and head of the manuscripts and archives department at the University of Delaware Library, “Special Collections houses the rare books, special topical collections, manuscripts, archives, photographs, maps, graphic materials, ephemera collections, audio-visual materials, and electronic records that comprise the primary historical sources and special collecting areas of the library. These collecting areas focus on the academic program strengths of the University of Delaware.”

When it comes to Delaware history, for example, Special Collections is a goldmine.

“There are significant holdings related to history and Delawareana,” Melvin said. “Chemistry; history of science and technology; the fine, decorative, and applied arts; English, American, and Irish literature; and horticulture and landscape architecture. Many subject areas, such as the history of the book and book arts, are collected comprehensively and used for interdisciplinary research. The subject of paper making, for example, is important to regional history, as in the Curtis Paper Mill on Paper Mill Road, but may also be studied for chemistry of paper making, technology of mills, economics, or for the aesthetics of its use in bookmaking and decorative arts.

“Special Collections holds rare books and archival collections in all of these collecting areas that are available for all Delawareans and indeed world scholars to use,” Melvin said. “Research is conducted on-site and some information is provided to users via online reference services.”

Continued on Page 86

Above: The Washington House, then and now.

Old College Hall (above) and how it looks today (left).

Below: The Cooch’s Bridge monument was featured in an early postcard.

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Once you visit the Special Collections site (www.lib. udel.edu/spec), the wealth of material is overwhelming – but a whole lot of fun to wander around in.

“Newark is certainly a focus of the Delaware Collection, and many members of the community have used the library resources for family histories, information about businesses on Main Street, property searches, architectural histories, and other information,” Melvin said.

“The sources in Special Collections were particularly useful for the 250th anniversary of Newark in 2008, and heavily used to illustrate the book ‘Histories of Newark, 1758-2008 : 75 stories about Newark, Delaware, and its citizens.’”

The topics being researched through Special Collections, Melvin said, “have varied -- from information about tangent stones in the Mason Dixon Line to 1970s-era poetry and music of Newark. Many items related to this topic are currently on display in the exhibit at the Delaware Art Museum, ‘Dream Streets.’

“A growing number of digital collections using Special Collections material are available from the Library,” Melvin said. “One of the most popular is the Delaware Postcard Collection. Images from this collection were Continued on Page 88

The Deer Park Tavern has had a colorful history, dating back to the days of temperance protests (top) and its years with a rowdy reputation.

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History...

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featured on a regular basis in the Newark Post. The collection, which is viewable online, features more than 2,000 Delaware postcards, scanned front and back, that you can examine in detail with a zoom-in feature. They focus on tourist-centric locations such as Rehoboth or historic monuments, but many of them show places that you’d never expect to be featured on a postcard.

It’s the unique, personal items that perhaps say the most about how people lived in bygone eras. You can page through Agnes P. Medill Boys’ and Girls’ Liberty Clubs of Delaware scrapbook compiled from 1918 to 1922, and see photographs, news clippings, and information that Agnes P. Medill kept when she was employed by the Delaware College Extension Service to organize Boys’ and Girls’ Liberty Clubs in the Delaware public schools.

“During the 1918 school year, she organized at least 15 clubs throughout Delaware schools,” Melvin said.

Special Collections has also collected vital oral histories from Newark residents to preserve their stories. They include 37 interviews documenting the history of the Iron Hill School No. 112C, which was one of the African American schools built in Delaware with funds provided

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The Opera House on Main Street has had many uses over the years. At right, workers at the former N e w a r k Assembly Plant.

The Newark Train Station was a hub of activity in the last century.

by Pierre S. du Pont. Printed transcripts and the recordings themselves are online.

Then there’s the Chrysler Corporation Newark Assembly Plant oral history collection, with digital audio interviews with 12 former employees of the plant. These interviews were conducted by University of Delaware students in 2011.

Melvin also singled out a collection of 22 oral history Continued on Page 90

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interviews of people who lived in the New London Road/Cleveland Avenue community in Newark.

“These interviews, collected during two oral history projects by University of Delaware professor Bernard L. Herman and students from 2004 to 2006, feature members of the New London Road community and discuss various aspects of life in the predominantly African-American community,” Melvin said. “The collection contains transcripts of selected interviews created by students, as well as research data, recipes, and galley proofs for the book ‘Food Always Brings People Together: Recipes, Poems, and Stories from the New London Road Community, Newark, Delaware,’ written by the University of Delaware Center for Material Culture Studies, under the direction of professor Herman. The interviews and transcripts are linked to the collection description, as is another project, an audio walking tour using excerpts from the oral histories.”

The Delaware Collection encompasses all areas of the state, but has particular strengths in Newark and New

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At left, Main Street in the years when traffic was two-way. The building that once housed the State Theater (right) is now the Galleria. Below, a vintage aerial view of Newark.

Castle County.

Some collections document Delaware politics and political history. These holdings include the personal papers of Rep. Thomas R. Carper, and Senators George Gray, Willard Saulsbury, Willard Saulsbury, Jr., J. Allen Frear, Jr., John J. Williams, Ted Kaufman, and Joe Biden.

Family papers of Delaware residents Newark Farm and Home Supply was a present the daily mainstay of the downtown for decades. It is and business life in now the site of the Main Street Plaza. the state over the past several hundred years. Collections include the Latimer Family Papers (1690-1927), which includes prominent figures such as James Latimer (1719-1807), founder of Newport, Del., and Henry Latimer, a surgeon in the Continental Army; the personal, professional, and family papers of James Curtis Booth (1810-1888), a chemist and the first state geologist of Delaware; and the notebooks and diaries of Delaware resident and physician John Janvier Black (1837-1909).

One particularly intriguing collection is the archive of 48 volumes of typescripts compiled and written by the Federal Writers’ Project of the Works Progress Administration for Delaware in 1938 for the guidebook, “Delaware: A Guide to the First State.” This archive includes hundreds of short essays on Delaware history, buildings, and people.

When it comes to research, the most mundane things become vitally important. In Special Collections, you’ll find a large collection of city directories, commercial directories, telephone books, and maps dating from the early 19th century that provide essential starting points for research. A collection of account books, ledgers, and receipt books from various individuals and firms includes that of Gilbert W. Chambers, a blacksmith in Newark, for 1890-1899, and 1908-1921. And there’s a guest register

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and account book for the Deer Park Hotel for the period 1944-1952.

When it comes to images, the collection includes a series of pencil drawings of Newark by Seth C. Brace, done between 1842 and 1844, when he was a member of the faculty of Newark College, which later became the University of Delaware. Trade catalogs and other advertising ephemera also depict Delaware locations and are often the only existing images of buildings that no longer exist.

One of the most notable sources of historical architecture information is “Historic Buildings of Newark, Delaware.” The State Historical Division and the Newark Planning Department commissioned this inventory of all pre-1945 buildings, sites, and structures in Newark.

Thirty-seven of the sites were nominated to the National Register of Historic Places based on their significance.

Descriptions include National Register numbers keyed to tax maps, which help locate the properties.

There are separate collections of Newark-related photographs housed in Special Collections. “University of

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Delaware Photographs” includes photos of buildings, faculty, student groups and special events on campus and in the city of Newark. These photographs span 1833 to 1961.

Getting the chance to read diaries and journals is like stepping into the shoes of the long-departed. The Special Collections area holds the journal of Lucian Cyrus Boynton from 1835-1853. He was a lawyer and comments on religion, nature, and higher learning.

In a diary kept by Joseph Cleaver in 1853 and 1854,

The Academy Building on Main Street is little changed from the days when it held students who would eventually sign the Declaration of Independence.

the Delaware College student reflects on student life at the college, curriculum, and involvement in the Athenaean Society. You can also look through the poignant memories of Jennie Wilds and Caddie Lynch, whose autograph albums and daguerreotypes date from 1856 and 1857, when Jennie Wilds attended the Deer Park Seminary for young women, located at the Deer Park Hotel in Newark. Her friend Caddie Lynch also attended the Deer Park Seminary in 1856-1857. The two autograph albums in this collection belonged to Wilds and Lynch and bear sentimental inscriptions from many of their school friends.

It’s that kind of hands-on contact with history that makes Special Collections very special for anyone interested in probing the past.

Special Collections in the University of Delaware Library is located on the second floor of Morris Library (181 S College Ave, Newark). Special Collections is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Tuesdays until 8 p.m. The Special Collections exhibition gallery is open during the same hours.

To contact Staff Writer John Chambless, email jchambless@chestercounty.com.

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