THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 2006
VOL. 11 NO. 7 NEWS HEADLINES
50 cents
CAPS AND GOWNS
DOORS CLOSING - A local grocery store is closing its doors next week because of rising utility costs. Page 3 NEW POLICE CHIEF - The new Blades police chief has an impressive background in police work. Page 5 TOP TEACHER - People say there is “something magical” going on this Woodbridge Teacher of the Year’s classroom. Page 8
Jill Lewandowski Teacher of the Year
STANDOFF - After firing more than 50 shots, a distraught man turns a gun on himself as police negotiations fail. Page 11
FOR THE KIDS - There is plenty for children to do at the upcoming Kids’ Fest this Saturday. Page 20 SEAFORD EAGLES - 1948 is the next to last year for the Seaford Eagles as attendance starts to slip. Page 22 THE RAVENS - Sussex Tech High School has one of the biggest graduation classes in the area. Page 30 SUPER SOPHOMORE - Seaford’s Derrik Gibson is named to the first team all state as he high school baseball season comes to an end. Page 41 SUSSSEX HOUSING - Retirees are finding that their dollars go a long way in western Sussex as far as housing is concerned. Page 51
3 6
BULLETIN BOARD CHURCH CLASSIFIEDS CROSSWORD ENTERTAINMENT GOURMET HEALTH LETTERS
18 24 32 19 20 39 13 53
Even indoors, Seaford High graduation is a special event By Ronald MacArthur
Seaford’s Derrik Gibson
INSIDE THE STAR BEHIND PAGE ONE BUSINESS
GRADUATION TIME - Above, members of the Woodbridge High Class of 2006 laugh as high school teacher Russell Bean Jr. speaks during Sunday’s graduation ceremony. The class donated $500 for portable bleachers at the district’s new athletic fields. See more photographs on page 52. Photo by Mike McClure. Right, Seaford graduates Eric Kimpton and Claire Rekitzke are winners of the Seaford Kiwanis Club Honor Cups as the two members of the class with the most Honor Key points (most involvement in school activities). They received the cups during Seaford graduation on Friday night. Graduation was moved indoors because of rain. See more photographs and awards on pages 9, 12 and 16. Photo by Ronald MacArthur
LYNN PARKS MOVIES OBITUARIES OPINION POLICE JOURNAL SNAPSHOTS SPORTS TIDES/WEATHER TODD CROFFORD TONY WINDSOR
28 7 26 54 11 48 41-47 55 25 39
Even though for the first time in 14 years Seaford High commencement was held indoors because of inclement weather, there were still plenty of smiles from the 181 members of the Seaford High Class of 2006. High school principal Clarence Davis made the decision Friday morning to move inside because of conditions on the field at Bob Dowd Stadium from a heavy rain the night before, even though the rain held off throughout the day. It was a good thing because loud claps of thunder could be heard throughout the ceremony in the Madden Auditorium on Friday night. “The decision was really not based on me making a weather forecast but on the wet, muddy field conditions. There was one inch of standing water in some locations of the field,” he said.
“We try to be proactive and always practice for an indoor and outdoor graduation.” The overflow crowd viewed commencement in the gymnasium on video equipment. “Unfortunately, the number of family members the seniors were able to invite went from 17 to seven because of fire code regulations when we moved inside,” said Lynne Banning, a high school administrative assistant who helped to coordinate the ceremony. As always, commencement is a time to honor those who excel in academics. The class had its awards assembly earlier in the week (see a complete list of awards in this edition). Eric Kimpton, who is also a threesport athlete, is the class valedictorian with a 4.41 grade-point average and the salutatorian is Jennifer Stephens,
who is president of the National Honor Society, with a 4.34 grade-point average. The two participate in collegeprep classes at Delaware Tech College which allows for a higher than 4.0 grade-point average. Distinguished diplomas (averaging 4 or above on state testing out of a perfect score of 5) were presented to Victoria Carey, Rebecca Chambers, Clifton Ebron, Cassi Greenwood, Jeremy Halter, Charles Hildebrand, Eric Kimpton, Katelyn Mack, Shane McLaughlin, Mike Ruehr, Jennifer Stephens, April Stevenson, Myron Thomas, Zachary Townsend, Katelyn Webber, Jordan Wills, Haley Workman and Dana Young. Kimpton and Claire Rekitzke were presented with the prestigious Seaford Kiwanis Club Honor Key Cups for Continued to page 9