Harrington city manager is running for Kent sheriff; other news
By Andrew Sharp
Here's a look at news and events from around southern Delaware this week.
Harrington city manager Barlow files for Kent County sheriff election
Newly minted Harrington City Manager Norman Barlow, who is the former police chief, has filed to run for Kent County sheriff in the November general election.
Barlow served as Harrington’s police chief for decades, and also as interim city manager multiple times. His latest stint as interim manager came after Daniel Tartt left the position in October. After Barlow’s retirement from the force, he was officially named city manager in early February.
Norman Barlow during his time as chief of police. Harrington Police Photo
If elected, he plans to keep his position as city manager. “I know I can do both (jobs) effectively,” Barlow said. He said he consulted with the city’s legal department in taking this step.
Kelly Pitts, a spokesperson for Kent County government, said in an email that it’s not uncommon for people to work for the county and another employer. They have a policy reducing pay for employees who miss work hours because of another job.
Barlow points to his experience in both policing and government as being helpful for the sheriff position. He’s running, he said, because he feels he can help Kent County and Delaware residents, and he has compassion for people.
The sheriff’s job in Kent County is mainly administrative, with duties including serving legal notices like subpoenas and summonses, and overseeing sales of real estate when owners don’t pay taxes or fees or when they go into foreclosure.
Barlow is running against sitting sheriff Brian Lewis and Will McVay, the chair of the Libertarian Party of Delaware.
Greenwood farmers market gears up for another run
As Seaford looks to restart its farmers market, Greenwood is coming back for season 2. Town manager Janet Todd said Monday that the first one will be Saturday, May 7, and it will be held the second Saturday of each month thereafter through October, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Todd said they already have vendors lined up. There will be more of a focus on produce and flowers this year, and less on artisans and crafts.
The inaugural season went pretty well, she said. “The first one or two was a little slow until people realized it was there, but then people were really receptive to it.”
She said they hope people will come out for the market this year. “We’re excited.”
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Rehoboth teen killed in crash near Milton
A teen girl died and two people were hurt in a wrong-way crash on Gravel Hill Road south of Milton on Saturday night, state police said.
Katelyn P. Irwin, 18, of Rehoboth Beach, died in the head on collision.
Irwin was a passenger in a car driven by a 19-year-old Milford woman, police said. They were on Shingle Point Road, which has a lane split at the intersection with Gravel Hill Road. The car missed its lane, continued on the wrong side of the split, and ended up on Gravel Hill Road where it hit a pickup truck head-on. The truck overturned and hit a fence post and tree.
The driver of the car was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Irwin was not wearing a seat belt and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The truck’s driver, a 43-year-old Smyrna man, was unhurt. A 41-year-old Smyrna woman in the passenger’s seat was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Photos capture tourism moments
While residents might cast a grim eye at all the cars with kayaks on top clogging roads in the summer, business groups see a valuable addition to the area’s economy. One local tourism booster, Southern Delaware Tourism, recently held a photo contest capturing some of the moments that happen once all those cars arrive at their destination. These are the four 2022 winners.
Clockwise from top left: Prime Hook Road, Back Roads winner by Eric Carter of Milton; Amish couple on the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk, grand prize winner by Justin Casanova of Rehoboth; kayakers at Trap Pond State Park, Trails winner by Stephanie Roseti of Gaithersburg, Md.; people on Rehoboth Beach, Family Fun winner by Jessica Heller of Wilmington. Photos courtesy of Southern Delaware Tourism
“The entries clearly demonstrate the variety and richness of experiences available in Sussex County and the incredible enjoyment people get from visiting and living here,” Scott Thomas, executive director of Southern Delaware Tourism, said in a statement. He said they got entries from all over the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond.
Viking(ish) festival planned
Brimming Horn Meadery east of Harbeson is holding a “Party like it’s 793” event with a viking theme June 3-5. The festival is billed as “Delaware’s only viking and heavy-metal themed event,” in a nod to the fierce Scandinavian warrior culture’s well-known passion for heavy metal music. There will be mead, of course, vendors, a pig roast and a viking village. Attendees are encouraged to wear viking gear. The band lineup includes Bastion's Wake, Fires in the Distance, Wythersake, Junius, Amiensus, Dawn of Ouroboros, Ashbringer and Tómarúm. Afterward, everyone will go raid neighboring towns (OK, I made that part up but the rest is true).
Festival raises money for memorial scholarship in honor of officer
A festival honoring fallen Delmar police officer Keith Heacook is scheduled for April 28 at the Amphitheater at Heron Ponds in Delmar. Heacook died in April 2021 of injuries he received responding to a fight at a home in town.
His death sparked an outpouring of community support across the area, as well as outrage over the incident. The festival will run from 6-11 p.m. There will be a free concert with donations to the Cpl. Heacook Memorial Scholarship. The Delmar Fire Department will sell food, beer and wine.
Deadline nears for Harrington Council candidates
The city of Harrington will hold an election Tuesday, May 3 for two council seats, District 1 and District 3. The deadline to file an election petition to run is Tuesday, April 5 at 4 p.m. Candidates must live in the district they want to represent, be qualified to vote and have no felony convictions. Pick up the form at City Hall on Dorman Street.
District 1 is currently represented by Bob Farmer, who was selected to fill Joe Gannon’s seat last year after Gannon retired for a life of sailing. The District 3 seat is held by Vice Mayor Micah Parker.
I should say Harrington is planning to have an election. If no challengers file, the election will be called off. That happens a lot in city and town elections in Delaware these days. Already this year, 21 municipal elections have been canceled per the Department of Elections website.
Take your children to search for imitation chicken reproductive parts
It’s almost Easter, when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus by buying special outfits for their children, feeding them copious amounts of chocolate and teaching them the important spiritual practice of finding eggs in the grass.
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual Easter egg hunt on Saturday, April 9 at the Marvel Museum on South Bedford Street. It kicks off at 10:30 a.m. with bounce houses, face painting, cotton candy and more. The egg hunt starts at noon for ages 3-5, 12:15 for ages 6-9, and 12:30 for ages 10-12. Cost is $5; find more details here.
The town of Greenwood’s Easter egg hunt is also April 9 at 11 a.m. at the playground behind the library. There will be a golden egg and prizes from local shops.
The Harrington egg hunt is scheduled for Saturday, April 16 at 10 a.m. at the St. Bernadettes Church soccer fields. Per the city’s website the hunt will take place in 2002, so wear clothes appropriate for time travel.
Bridgeville nonprofit celebrates a year in operation with community fair
Cornerstone Community Center, which seeks to connect people in need with resources to help them, is holding a community fair featuring free food, inflatables and more at Bridgeville town hall at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 3. All ages are welcome. For more information, go to cornerstone-bridgeville.com or email cornerstoneccllc21@gmail.com. The center is a nonprofit started last year by Latoya Harris.
Outdoors expo canceled
The Delmarva Outdoors Expo at the state fairgrounds in Harrington announced this week that this year’s event, scheduled for the end of April, has been canceled “due to circumstances beyond our control.”
Event organizer Darrell Meade said it was because of ongoing supply chain challenges related to the COVID pandemic, which affected vendors’ ability to sell products. They had booked far fewer vendors than usual this year.
Food bank mobile pantry in Georgetown
The Food Bank of Delaware is holding a mobile food pantry at the Georgetown Probation and Parole office in Georgetown on Friday, April 1. Participants must provide proof of Delaware residency. Advance registration is available, but walk-ups are welcome, the department said.
Free food and games for library celebration
Harrington Public Library is celebrating National Library Week with a number of events, including library lawn games from 4-6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7 in front of the library. There will be free hot dogs, chips and drinks. If it rains, the event will go indoors. Find out more about the Library Week plans here.
Art show opens
Gallery 107 in downtown Seaford, run by the Nanticoke River Arts Council, will celebrate the opening of its “Ode to Spring” art show on Friday, April 8 from 5-7 p.m. Refreshments will be served.
Hat tip to an elementary reading program
Teachers, like parents, have had a tough couple years, but not all the feedback they get is about COVID policies or controversial books. We got a Facebook message recently from a Georgetown resident praising the “Listo!” reading program for Hispanic parents at North Georgetown Elementary.
Ana told us the program teaches parents how to read with their children at home and support their learning. “We didn’t just learn, but also got closer to our children through different activities,” she wrote (translated here from Spanish). She thanked ELL coordinator Jennifer Nein along with Sarah Green, Beth Kopicki and Eunice "Abby" Cortez for their work.
Delaware Public Media has more on this program.
Read this article by someone else
Following news that the EPA was considering adding Georgetown to a list for federal cleanup funds over water pollution, public officials gathered in the town on Friday to address the concerns and what’s being done about it. Some of the groundwater in town is polluted with a dry-cleaning chemical (it’s treated and deemed safe). I missed the event – file it under “one person can’t cover everything” – but my former colleague Shannon McNaught did an excellent writeup on it for the News Journal, which you can read here.
Crew member killed, two hurt in Navy plane crash off Chincoteague
A Naval Air Force plane crashed off Chincoteague Wednesday night, news outlets reported. One crew member died in the crash into Wildcat Marsh and two had injuries that were not life threatening. WAVY TV reported the plane was doing a routine exercise at the time. Read their story here and reporting from the Daily Times in Salisbury here.
First meeting of Bridgeville’s redistricting committee is Tuesday
For those curious about how voting will change in Bridgeville, the first meeting of its redistricting committee is Tuesday, April 5 at 10 a.m. at town hall. While the town Commission has the final say on districts, the committee will make recommendations and residents can get an inside look at the issues they’ll be considering. The committee is made up of Tim Banks, Jim Carlucci, Pat Correll, Roger Hovermale and Jim Arrington. Banks is a former town commissioner and president pro tem, and Correll has a long history in town leadership, including serving as president of the Commission.
Dish of the week
By Edgar Diaz
Photo by Edgar Diaz
Seared scallops with beluga lentils, minted pea purée, and arugula microgreens
This is probably one of the easiest and fastest “fancy” dinners I’ve made recently, taking about 45 minutes total.
Ingredients
6 c boiling water
1 small shallot
4 cloves garlic
Canola oil
6 TB butter
10 oz frozen peas
1/4 c or small handful mint leaves, loose packed
1 c beluga lentils (available on Amazon)
Scallops, thawed; 3-4 per person
Salt
Method
Start water boiling. Fine dice garlic and shallot. Divide in half, and add to two separate saucepans. Cook both pans on medium heat until softened, maybe 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, rinse lentils. Add them to one of the saucepans, along with 3c boiling water. Add frozen peas and mint leaves to the other saucepan, along with the remaining 3c boiling water. Cover lentil pan loosely with a lid, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until softened. Simmer peas 5 minutes or until heated through.
Hopefully, your scallops are thawed. If not, you can thaw them in water for 5-7 mins. Pat scallops dry with paper towel, and season on all sides with kosher salt. Let sit between two paper towels.
Once peas are heated through, strain cooking liquid into a heat safe bowl. Add drained pea/mint/shallot/garlic mixture to a blender; or return mixture to pot and use an immersion blender. Add a splash of the cooking liquid and 3 TB butter. Blend until smooth, adding more cooking liquid or butter as needed. Salt to taste, then set purée aside.
Sear the scallops. Heat a pan over medium high heat until hot. Add 2 TB canola oil, and place scallops into pan. Cook 2 minutes. Turn scallops over, and add 3 TB butter to pan. Cook 2 more minutes, basting scallops with the melted butter. Remove from heat.
The lentils should be done by now. Be sure to check along the way so they don’t burn! The water should be mostly boiled away, and the lentils should be soft, with a slight al dente bite. Season the lentils to taste with salt.
Assemble and serve. Place pea purée onto plate. Top with the seasoned lentils, 3-4 scallops, and microgreens.