VOL. 11 NO. 47
THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2007
50 cents
A YEAR AFTER THE FLOOD - Property damage remains, but there has been progress in preventing future floods. Page 2 60TH-YEAR REUNION - Class of 1947 gathers for the 98th time in 15 years. Page 10 RETIREES HONORED - District recognizes former employees. Page 12 IS LAUREL HIGH SCHOOL GETTING NEW BOOSTER CLUB? Find the answer on page 10. MINOR LEAGUE SOFTBALL - The Laurel all-star team opens up District 3 play with a win on Monday. Page 39
INDEPENDENCE DAY - Shown are scenes from previous Laurel Independence Day celebrations. The top photo shows part of the crowd crossing the Central Avenue bridge. At top right a young girl blows kisses to the parade onlookers and at bottom right two young girls give a patriotic salute. See inside this edition for the Fourth of July magazine.
Laurel physician closing her practice Dr. Joyce Stout blames rising insurance premiums, low insurance reimbursements GO GOLD - Laurel cheerleader Meghan Eudy encourages the Gold team during the annual BlueGold all-star football game last Saturday at the University of Delaware. Two Laurel players and three Delmar players competed in the game. See stories on pages 39 and 41. Photo by Mike McClure
INSIDE THE STAR © Auto Alley . . . . . . .47 Business . . . . . . . . .6 Bulletin Board . . . .16 Church . . . . . . . . . .20 Classifieds . . . . . . .30 Education . . . . . . . .28 Entertainment . . . .26 Gourmet . . . . . . . . .38 Health . . . . . . . . . . .24 Letters . . . . . . . . . .19 Lynn Parks . . . . . . .14 Mike Barton . . . . . .49 Movies . . . . . . . . . . .7
Obituaries . . . . . . .22 On the Record . . . . .8 Opinion . . . . . . . . .50 Pat Murphy . . . . . .37 Police . . . . . . . . . . .36 Snapshots . . . . . . .48 Socials . . . . . . . . . .49 Sports . . . . . . . . . . .39 Tides . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Todd Crofford . . . .21 Tony Windsor . . . .27 Weather . . . . . . . . .51
By Lynn R. Parks In the three years that Dr. Joyce Stout has had her own medical practice, costs have steadily gone up, said her billing clerk, Belva Robinson. Those costs include premiums for malpractice and other type of insurances, Robinson added. “They just go up and up and up every year,” she said. At the same time, Robinson said, reimbursements from insurance companies for patients’ treatment have steadily gone down. “Costs are increasing, and reimbursements are decreasing,” Robinson
said. “That really makes it hard for any physician trying to operate alone to practice.” Hard for some, impossible for others. As of July 1, Stout will close the Laurel practice, Rossakatum Primary Care, that she opened in 2004. “The operating costs of medical practice continue to soar while insurance reimbursements continue to decline,” she said in a letter to her patients. “Those of us who try to practice medicine in the way of the ‘oldfashioned doctor’ find they cannot afford to keep their doors open. I love being a doctor and caring for patients, but I have to close my doors.”
Frederick Van Dusen, a family practitioner in Felton, is also closing his practice the end of this month. Like Stout, he blames low insurance reimbursements for his decision to close his practice. “Every attempt has been made to stay in business,” he wrote in a June 5 letter to his patients. “I have refinanced my former home and the building in which the practice is located. Despite these attempts, I have been swimming against the tide.” Stout and Van Dusen are not alone. Falling reimbursements by private Continued on page 5
Survey says yes to guns, no to Sunday hunts State representative asks constituents for opinions on several issues A recent poll sent throughout the 40th Representative District revealed residents support the right to carry a firearm, but oppose Sunday hunting. State Rep. Biff Lee (R-Laurel) sent out the surveys earlier this year to the
homes of registered voters in his district. The poll covered a dozen topics, ranging from gambling to stem cell research. Lee said that while the poll is nonscientific, the results will help guide
him as he makes decisions in Dover. "Nearly 1,100 people took the time to complete and return the surveys," he said. "That tells me these respondents Continued on page 4