THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2008
VOL. 13 NO. 4
50 cents
Regional Builders wins contract for fire hall renovations
NEWS HEADLINES
By Lynn R. Parks
It will also have to eliminate its full-time athletic director position and its school resource officer position and do away with the German program at its high school. “This is not a happy day,” said superintendent Russell Knorr during a special school board meeting last Thursday night. The meeting, originally scheduled for Tuesday, May 13, was held early so that teachers affect-
Regional Builders in Seaford will complete renovations at the Seaford Fire Hall. The city council Tuesday night agreed with the fire department’s recommendation that Regional’s bid for the final phase of the three-phase project be approved. Regional Builders’ bid of $609,862 was the lowest of 11 bids submitted for the project. Kent Construction, Smyrna, which did phases one and two at the fire hall, had the second lowest bid, with $613,000. The fire company has spent about $2 million so far to renovate the fire hall and the adjacent former city hall. Phase three of the project will include: An overhaul of the emergency medical technicians’ offices, including putting in a new bunk area, kitchen, bathroom and shower and heating and air conditioning system Renovation of the old meeting room into an exercise room and storage space A remake of the recreation room, including renovating the bathroom and enlarging the kitchen Expansion of the upstairs dining hall kitchen to add 150 square feet and renovation of the upstairs cloakroom into a pantry Upgrades of the bay areas, including painting the walls and pipes, new lighting and installation of a safety shower and eyewash area Completing the installation of new windows and doors, including new stainlesssteel bay doors. When this phase is complete, all the wiring in the building will be up to the latest codes, Barry Calhoun, co-chairman of the department’s renovations committee, told the city council in March. Ninety percent of the water pipes will be new, the fire hall will have all new ceilings and all of its air conditioning and heating systems will be new. The fire hall, at the corner of Cannon and King streets, was built in 1950 and expanded in 1970. The adjacent city hall, at King and Pine, was built in 1960; the fire department took over the city’s space when the new city hall on High Street was completed in 2004. The city of Seaford still owns the fire hall, which now stretches from Cannon Street to Pine Street. The fire department has a 99-year lease for the building.
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Save this special edition that contains details about next week’s Seaford Heritage Weekend. AFTERMATH - Homeowners advised to use caution following Monday’s nor’easter. Page 3 VETERANS - He witnessed a Japanese kamikaze attack first-hand and lived to tell about it. Page 8 HEALTH - Dr. Anthony Policastro this week offers readers his 500th column in the Stars. Page 22 SHOOTING FOR TITLE - The Seaford golf team continued its quest for the Henlopen South title with a win over Indian River last week. Page 41 PLAYOFF RUN - The Seaford varsity baseball team remained in the hunt for a state tournament bid with a pair of wins last week. Page 44 STARS - A Seaford girls’ track athlete and a Woodbridge softball player are this week’s Seaford Stars of the Week. Page 43 TROOPER OF YEAR - A Seaford resident was chosen as the Troop 5 Delaware State Police Trooper of the Year. Page 50 WRITERS’ CLUB - Joyce Sessoms and Betty Ricks-Jarman are looking for people who love to write. Page 53
INSIDE THE STAR BUSINESS BULLETIN BOARD CHURCH CLASSIFIEDS EDUCATION ENTERTAINMENT FINAL WORD FRANK CALIO GENE BLEILE GOURMET HEALTH LETTERS LYNN PARKS
6 17-20 24 31-37 38 28 55 54 45 29 22-23 51 16
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MOVIES 7 OBITUARIES 26 ON THE RECORD 37 11 OPEN HOUSES 21 PAT MURPHY POLICE JOURNAL 30 PUZZLES 37 SNAPSHOTS 52 SPORTS 41-48 TIDES 7 TODD CROFFORD 25 54 TONY WINDSOR VETERANS OF WWII 8
SPECIAL TRIBUTE - Brittany Cooper, whose father died of cancer, speaks at the annual Relay for Life of Western Sussex. Despite cold temperatures and rain showers a good crowd participated in the relay. Article and additional photos on page 10. Photo by Bryant Richardson
Budget cuts hot topic in Seaford School District By Lynn R. Parks The Seaford School District had hoped next year to double the number of elementary guidance counselors it has. But now, in the face of projected cuts in state money, the district is predicting that it will not only have to give up that plan but will also have to eliminate the two elementary guidance counselor positions it has.