|
This winter could
be the snowiest
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Even before the workweek
grime has a chance to settle on that magnificent snow pack,
private and government meteorologists are warning of another
major storm late tomorrow into Wednesday.
No one is guessing
accumulations yet, but the computer models were showing
scary-looking precipitation amounts, bulls-eyed right over our
area, the National Weather Service said.
MORE
 |
|
Delaforum photo
Schools are
closed following the weekend storm. But the kids who
can't get to their classrooms are heading for the
hills -- like this one in Rockford Park, |
Coons to run for
Biden's Senate seat
MEMOS
AT RANDOM
Chris Coons positioned
himself to follow the path of the man whose Senate seat he seeks
and jump from county government into the national political
spotlight. The county executive announced on Feb. 3 that he
will run for the seat Vice President Biden occupied for many
years. It is being filled in the interim by Ted Kaufman. All but
certain to get the Democratic nomination, Coons will oppose
Congressman Mike Castle. The Delaware contest is one of about a
half dozen that are considered crucial if President Obama's
party is to keep control of the Senate. Coons, who previously
was president of County Council, where Biden was serving when
first elected in 1972, is regarded by political pundits as a
decided underdog in the race against long-serving and popular
Castle.
√
Rezoning of Pilot
School site
headed to County Council
DELAFORUM NEWS
Columbia
Place,
a proposed 147-unit
age-restricted residential development in western Brandywine
Hundred, emerged as a sort of test case for the veracity of the
comprehensive development plan, applicability of a key provision
of the Unified Development Code and the integrity of the land
use approval process.
During a
contentious two-hour presentation before County Council's land
use committee on Feb. 2, the project was variously described as
a good illustration of the kind of 'smart growth' deemed a
preferable alternative to 'suburban sprawl' and a serious threat
to the style of life residents of the state's northernmost
hundred cherish.
When Council next meets
in plenary session on Feb. 9, it is scheduled to vote on a
proposed ordinance to rezone the 15-acre Pilot School property
on Garden-of-Eden Road, near Concord Pike, to permit Reybold
Group to redevelop the site to include 17 single-family houses,
50 townhouses and 80 condominium apartments in two four-story
buildings. The project has been vehemently opposed, primarily by
residents of neighboring Tavistock and Edenridge, who have
mounted a concerted effort to block it or, at least,
considerably scale it back.
If normal procedure is
followed, Councilman Robert Weiner, who previously has voiced
opposition to the project, will control whether a vote is taken
or the measure is tabled. He represents the area and as such is
sponsor of the proposed ordinance. At the end of the committee
meeting, he said he intended to study the points raised by both
sides, but added the opponents "still have questions [and] I,
too, have questions."
Although president Paul
Clark and other members of Council praised the objectors for
their diligence and thoroughness in preparing and presenting
their case, it appeared that a majority of the 12 members who
attended the meeting were inclined to support the Department of
Land Use's recommendation that rezoning be granted. All 13
members of Council are also members of all of its standing
committees. William Tansey had an excused absence.
MORE
√
WSTW wants a taller
tower
MEMOS
AT RANDOM
Delmarva Broadcasting has asked
for and probably will receive a Board of Adjustment use variance to
build a fifth transmission tower adjacent to its studios in Brandywine
Hundred. Michael Reath, general manager, said the 495-foot structure,
tallest of the group, will support a new broadcast antenna for WSTW-FM,
replacing one destroyed when struck by lightening last fall, and
cellphone disks. At a community meeting on Feb. 1, hosted by Councilman
Robert Weiner, Reath said the new setup will provide better reception
for the radio station and reduce interference its signal causes to
telephones and other devices in nearby buildings. He said the towers
have been there since 1948, when the surrounding area was rural and
companion station WDEL's studios were in Wilmington.
Cutting
government costs seen
helping to balance state budget
DELAFORUM NEWS
Proclaiming
"no [new] taxes, no layoffs, no additional pay cuts," Governor Jack
Markell submitted a proposed fiscal 2011 state budget which relies on
"more efficient government" to close more than half of a $253.7 million
gap to remain in balance.
An extensive
list
of "efficiencies and savings," totaling $143.6 million, range
from merging divisions within the Departments of Education and
Natural Resources & Environmental Control to switching from
weekly to bi-weekly grass cutting at the Department of Health &
Social Services Holloway campus.
Ann
Visalli, director of management and budget, refused to be pinned
down on which of the 47 moves will require legislation, which
will be ordered by the governor and which will be at the
discretion of cabinet secretaries and other officials. She did
say that "none of this is wish list; they're part a balanced
budget."
Pressed at a news media briefing the evening before Markell
formally unveiled his budget proposal on Jan. 28, she
acknowledged that some opposition to specific items can be
expected. "Some people are going to be uncomfortable with these
recommendations -- that's part of the process," she said.
Anything removed from the list must be replaced by something
else with an equal or larger pricetag, she explained.
"It's our budget and we're going to get it done," she said.
MORE
√
Federal help totals
$17 million
MEMOS
AT RANDOM
County government so far has
received nearly $17 million in federal stimulus money for 10 programs,
chief of staff Nicole Majeski told County Council. The largest grant, $7
million, was provided by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban
Development for neighborhood stabilization. The Department of Energy
provided $3.7 million for energy conservation projects at 20 county
facilities and the county Department of Public Safety received a $1.6
million justice assistance grant. Also at a meeting of Council's finance
committee on Jan. 26 acting chief financial officer Ed Milowicki
reported that county revenue through December is running, on an
annualized basis, $1 million ahead of what was expected at the start of
the current fiscal year last July 1.
At its plenary session later
that day, Council enacted ordinances authorizing 'recovery zone' bond
financing for Citrosuco North America Inc. and Gibraltar Preservation
Group. Citrosuco will be able to borrow up to $15.5 million -- increased
from $13.5 million originally proposed -- to finance construction
of fruit juice storage tanks at the Port of Wilmington. Councilman
Penrose Hollins said that will create 21 new jobs at the port and
provide for 120 during construction. The preservation firm will renovate
the historic mansion and build an office building on its property in
west Wilmington creating 57 new jobs and providing between 100 and 150
during construction. A measure to authorize financing for a Rama Corp.
hotel was tabled, without explanation, by its sponsor, George Smiley.
√
Library catalog will
go statewide
MEMOS
AT RANDOM
By the end of the coming
summer, patrons of the county library system will have direct access to
some 2.5 million books and other items at more than 30 libraries
throughout the state.
Anne Farley, director of the
Department of Community Services, told a County Council committee on
Jan. 26 that, instead of technologically updating its current on-line
catalog at an estimated cost of $300,000, the department will 'migrate'
it, without cost, into the state Division of Libraries electronic
catalog and become its largest component. That means that county system
cardholders not only will be able to locate material in whatever
facility it is housed but also access data banks to which the various
libraries subscribe. That will have the effect of extending statewide
the present arrangement by which patrons can order lendable items from
any branch in the county system and have them delivered to the branch
they usually patronize.
State librarian Annie Norman
said the state library catalog now includes all the public libraries in
Kent and Sussex Counties as well as Delaware Technical & Community
College and Wilmington University. Wilmington Institute Free Library
also is expected to join the system, she said. Although the lending
system is integrated, participating libraries remain autonomous and will
continue to be responsible for staffing and operating their facilities.
But they benefit in that duplication in acquiring new material for their
collections is reduced. Farley said the New Castle acquisition budget
this year is $880,000, a bit more than half what it used to be. Norman
said a feature of the state catalog is an automatic spelling checker.
"You can search for what you want even if you can't spell it," she said.
Conventional books comprise 80% of the present state
catalog; recorded books are 10%; and D.V.D.s make up 5% of the
collection. Other material accounts for the rest.
©
2010. All rights reserved.
Go to
ARCHIVE to access previous
articles.
All local articles and photographs
by
JIM PARKS unless otherwise noted
√
= first in Delaforum
---
Hyperlinks on this site are not intended to
violate
copyright. Any one to which the
copyright owner
objects will be removed
upon request.
---
CLICK HERE to contact Delaforum
|
