Delmar DustPan

Well since our 4th of July events were rained out we had our cookout tonight.

Cooked a couple hot dogs, no grilling just stick them straight into the flame.

when they turn black you know they are done


Hot Dogs and Smores


Apparently a rain date has a similar effect as a parade raindate on fireworks as half or less of spectators from last night showed up for the Laurel Fireworks.

The lack of watchers didn't bother us as they were still super fireworks


Back to our house for more hot dogs and smores

Anthony Lofink, ex-State employee, was sentenced to five years in jail for embezzling $1.2 millions dollars from the State of Delaware. As I had previously posted Mr. Lofink stole the money by filing false claims on the State's Abandoned Property Fund. He worked in that section and was in charge of processing the claims.

Judge Gregory M. Sleet, I think was too harsh on Lofink's father, State Rep. Vincent A. Lofink, accusing him of abusive behavior to his son. Anthony Lofink is 30 years old, whatever happened in the past with his father was over and done with. He made his own mistake and doesn't need to try and blame other factors in his life.

The Judge was however to easy in his chastising of the Finance Department Supervisors and Finance Secretary Richard S. Cordrey. The thief would not had even been discovered had someone not ratted Lofink out. Even then they couldn't find out how he was doing it. As the News Journal reported today in their opinion column "This kind of bureaucratic incompetence only serves to promulgate the unkind and undeserved canard that all state employees are overpaid, under worked and lazy."

So how much more is being stolen from the State of Delaware and they don't even know it?

From the July 9th, 1937 Milford Chronicle
Delmar News

B. F. Lowden, Delmar's Civil War veteran, celebrated his 90th birthday anniversary at his home here on Monday. July 5.

We went to Laurel tonight to watch the fireworks. At first there was just a few drops of rains, than it increased - still wasn't bad, than all hell broke loose. Mother nature superseded the Laurel Fireworks with lighting and pouring down rain. We joined the vast multitude of people rushing for their cars. I assume the fireworks was cancelled and will be tomorrow night.

For fireworks maybe rain dates aren't so bad, for parades they are killers. I use to be with the Millsboro Jaycees and we put on the annual Christmas parade. The time period for Christmas parades is so tight and the parade participants are in so many parades that if your parade is rained out odds are you will only get half the parade participants back on the rain date.

How many people have told you in the past week to "have a safe Fourth of July". Think about it, doesn't that comment go against everything the people did who made the original 4th of July? They didn't listen to authority. They didn't bend over in order to stay in the good graces of the people in power. Do something this Fourth of July that shows you at least can claim heredity to the people who took the risk to make the original fourth of July.

Like illegal immigrants, a group of us Delmartonians snuck into Laurel (Elbert territory) tonight. Lead by our trusty Coyote we followed a trail marked by American Flags and banners heading north to Laurel. Dressed in our Nicaragua manufactured tee shirts that said "Welcome to America, learn the damn language" and our Chinese made "Do Rags" in a patriotic motif, we easily blended in with the natives and watched an hour long parade. Being an election year there was a horde of politicians, some no doubt had to look at a map to find Laurel, most I had never heard of. Below are a few photos;

The flag is passing by

This is Biff Lee the only time I see him is in a parade.

Biden with a sandwich in his hand.

Tom Wagner

That cool guy in shades is Elbert, the well known Laurel blogger.

I understand Elbert is going to be made part of Christine O'Donnell Lower Slower think tank if she gets elected.


And many many more politicians

Vintage Tractor from Delmar

Vintage tractor with a manure spreader full of people

Delmar Wesleyan Church

At the end of June in 1982 two badly decomposed bodies were found in Dividing Creek near Pocomoke City Maryland. It was later discovered the two people, Richard Bull and Lori Todd, had been killed by Jackie Lovett. Earlier, Walter Scott and Gordon Gillis had been found dead in a ditch off Rt 54 near Fenwick Island. They had been killed at a drug party at a house outside of Delmar and their bodies hauled to Fenwick for disposal. Richard Bull was found to be the killer of Walter Scott and Gordon Gillis. Jackie Lovett in turned killed him and Lori Todd. They were killed outside of Delmar and a big manhunt for Jackie Lovett would follow for the next three weeks. Charles Bower and Blanche Jones were arrested as accomplice and the later as a witness.

Jackie Lovett would be arrested July 15th near Whaleysville riding in a car with his brother, Billy Lovett. Jackie, as I recall, got life in prison. Prior to being arrested he lived in the Nero apartments behind my house in Delmar. It shows what a class place the apartments were at that time. Interesting to me, the Lovett family lived a half mile or so from my family when I was growing up on Snow Hill Road in the 1950's and 1960's. The Lovett kids were a little younger than me but my brothers all hung out with Jackie, Larry, Dole, and Billy Lovett.

Altho Jackie was not sentenced to death Delaware does have a number of inmates on Death row. click here to see them.

For some reason my wife and I were talking about that old 1971 tune "Brand new Roller Skate" by Melanie Safka. You remember the one that goes;

I ride my bike, I roller skate, don't drive no car
Don't go too fast, but I go pretty far
For somebody who don't drive
I been all around the world
Some people say, I done all right for a girl

Well, I got a brand new pair of roller skates
You got a brand new key
I think that we should get together and try them out you see...
I been looking around awhile
You got something for me
Oh! I got a brand new pair of roller skates
You got a brand new key
etc etc

I think some commercial on TV had a tune similar to it is how come the subject came up. Well having kids are a sure fired way to make you feel old. My two daughters are 20 and 24 and I am constantly encountering subjects that they have no idea about. The subject related to "Brand New Roller skate" that night was "roller skate key". I knew they had never had a record player and only knew tape cassettes and CD's but it never dawned on me they had never used a roller skate that didn't have a shoe or boot connected to it. One more item to go in "the knowing you are old" pile. To top it off I was told if you are woman you don't roller skate now days because it is a sign you are a lesbian. Who Knew?

I was visited yesterday by two young ladies from the Mosquito Control Force to survey my yard for mosquito breeding areas - none were found. They did however mention they felt the used tire dump off Old Racetrack Road may need spraying again. Now over the years we have complained every summer about mosquitoes and the people that show up to "investigate" I assume are summer help. Each year there is a different one and each year I am told something different. A couple of summers ago a young man swore mosquitoes only flown about a block, so the drainage pond I complain about couldn't be the problem. This year they say the used tire dump, about 5 blocks, from my house could be a problem. Anyway, I took a walk on the railroad tracks this morning to look at the used tire dump, sure enough, as I was walking north on the railroad track between the Delmar Grain silos and the tire dump the mosquitoes increased.

Anderson Recycling, inc, 9320 Old Racetrack Road. A ton of truck trailers block from view a mass of tires in the background. To get a brief idea of the amount of tires you can go to one of the map websites, Mapquest etc, and put in the the address and look at one of the aerial view of the property.

Again the front of the operation showing more tires stacked up. The tires are uncovered in the back and front.

Not a very good picture, trying to look thru a chain link fence and trees from the railroad tracks, but you can see the tires stacked up. Try clicking for larger photo.

I have no idea if this is the source of my mosquito problem, it is just one of no doubt many sources in my area. In addition to the tire dump there is a ditch next to the Delmar Grain silos with standing water in it. This could just as easily be the problem.

This is the ditch by Delmar Grain.


The Mosquito Control Section is part of DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife. They have a list of Frequently Asked Questions you may find interesting. For Sussex County you need to contact the Milford Operational Field H.Q. (302-422-1512). They said they have 12 year-around employees plus 8 summer seasonals working for our good. They also say if you live in town not to contact them.

From their website;
For your getting the most rapid response from our control program, and for our most accurately receiving and recording the information you want to provide (and that we need to have), we ask that you call us directly, rather than your first going through an elected official or third party (i.e. please do not immediately call your State Senator, State Representative or a County official) – if for some reason you become dissatisfied with our response or service, you could always then follow-up by contacting an elected official or third party, but even then we would first appreciate your direct callback, to see if we could still try to rectify your problem.

One exception to your first calling the Mosquito Control Section is that if you
live in an incorporated municipality and desire to request spraying for relief from
biting adult mosquitoes, you must first contact your appropriate city or town official, since by our Spray Policy we only provide such spraying services within a
municipality’s borders only upon official requests from city or town officials. If you

The Delmar Police Department has started listing some of their crime report items on Crime Reports.com. Too see the crime locations in Delmar go to the Delmar Police Department Website and on the right hand sidebar titled "Links", at the bottom click on "Crime Reports", this will take you to Crime Reports.com, on the United States Map that will appear, click Delaware and since, at present, Delmar is the only police force listed in Delaware, click Delmar and a map of Delmar will appear with a number of little shields on it showing Assault, Theft, Breaking and Entering etc. If you click on the shield a pop up will appear with date, time and location of the crime. It looks like the information goes back to 6/19. You can look at different versions of the map - like terrain or satellite image of Delmar.

You can also look at other towns that may list their crime location on Crime Reports.com, like Salisbury.

Good job putting this out on the Internet Delmar Police Force. Now I know where the crime is occurring.

This article has nothing to do with Delmar but I found this social column piece amusing and reflective of the time.

From the Milford Chronicle - Summer of 1937


Column of Social Events Occurring During The Past week; edited by Virginia S. Townsend

Dr. M. Dalema Draper gave a very delightful afternoon to a few of her friends on Wednesday when she had a Chinese tea at her home on Causey Avenue. Wearing a beautiful silk Chinese dress of green and gold she welcomed her guests at 2:30. A "brain tester" was played in which Miss Ida Draper and Mrs Thomas Davis excelled and were rewarded with a silk bag and a carved ivory pin, both with all the ear marks of China. Mrs Edgar Wood presided at the tea table, pouring the fragrant jasmine tea in green pottery bowls. Mrs Wood wore the coveted embroidered Chinese pajamas, while beside her stood her twin boys, Davy and Bill, dressed in miniature replicas of what their mother wore. As Dr. Draper was ready to augment the tea without things Chinese she said. "To those who will eat their rice with these chopsticks, they will be their very own." With much hilarity the rice served in lacquer bowls was eaten and a dozen pairs of chopsticks went to as many homes after the tea. Small pieces of pottery were given as favors as well. It seemed almost impossible that Dr. Draper had planned the tea so long ago that she could bring rice cakes, candy, nuts and fruit home with her for such an affair. It did seem true though when one knew that she left with two pieces of luggage and returned with ten. All during the afternoon she told interesting bits of China and its people. Gorgeous samples of Chinese art in lamps and table covers were in evidence. All friends will be anxious to hear of her visit to this particular country, echoes of which gave those present such a delightful afternoon.

I thought I could take a summer recess from writing about town meetings but I do have to address a part of the meeting last night. Now every one's attention was on the Police/FOP part of the meeting and for the time being I have no comment, other than what I have said in the past, on that but what I do want to comment on is the mosquito problem we have in Delmar.

My wife went to last month's Joint Council meeting to complain about the mosquitoes in Delmar and the lack of any attempt to control the problem. This month she again went to the meeting to asked what progress had been made and Mayor Outten asked her "Well what do you want for us to do about it?" Obviously there had been no attempt to come up with a plan to handle the problem and she was just being brushed off, the same as they do when you ask questions about the Lecates property. She proceeded to tell him she felt the source of the problem were the drainage ponds in town. They are not aerated and should be filled in. Well, after much hemming and hawing Carl Anderton attempted to placate her by telling her they would work on an ordinance to control the drainage ponds (something that will obviously take a year to do, if they even do it.) Another brush off to a resident's problem.

My wife called Starr Conaway at Town hall this morning to request Sussex county spray for mosquitoes around our block. Apparently Starr got into a snit over it so I don't know if we will ever be sprayed. If you have mosquito problems around your house in Delmar you should call Starr Conaway at Town Hall 302-846-2664 ext 101 or email her at sconaway.delmar@verizon.net

So my answer to your question of "What do you want for us to do about it?" Mayor Outten, is I would like for Lonnie Figgs and you to resign. Lonnie only makes about every fourth meeting and you can't seem to handle the job. Please resign and let us put people in who can handle the job.

Well Wicomico County has a new public school system superintendent, a Mr. John Fredericksen from Minnesota. I can only hope that this one puts out a little effort on the school system as opposed to the last few that were just interested in staying long enough to collect a pension than move on to another school system to begin work on yet a third or fourth pension. Why does Wicomico County continue to hire these people? Will next year school term see the new teachers being hired from Minnesota?

From the Bi State Weekly July 1, 1949

SALISBURY YOUTHS EXCITE DELMAR FANS

Donald Fields and Edward Carey, Jr. of Salisbury, caused much excitement at the local baseball field last Sunday when they ran into the back of the Delmar dugout with a pick-up truck. A bicycle, owned by Riley Morris, a Delmar bat boy, was caught between the truck and dugout and severely damaged. No other damages was caused.

The local special policeman immediately took the boys in custody. They were later turned over to a State Trooper, summoned from the Salisbury barracks.

The truck was owned by the Carey boy's father, who operates a grocery store in Salisbury.

I understand since the Fourth of July falls on Friday Mike and Patty Conklin, who run the Mason Dixon Auction, are changing the auction day, this week only, from Friday to this Wednesday. I am assuming the same hours apply; starts at 4 P.M., preview the stuff starting at 10 a.m., furniture and larger items auctioned at 9:30 p.m. It is located at the corner of State Street and the Railroad tracks. Their number is 410-896-3783 if you have any questions. Stop by, you are bound to find something you want.

Well we discovered the The Salisbury Community Band had moved from the Band Stand in the Park to Christ Methodist Church on Philip Morris Drive. No hint of rain or storm but the band director, Dr. Charles F. Smith, Jr panicked at possible storm warnings and changed locations. Bad Call. So everyone dressed for sitting on a blanket in the park on a hot summer eve found their selves sitting in church in shorts and sandals looking like Catholics going to mass.

In spite of the disappointment of not being in the park (so I could lay on a blanket and sleep thru part of the performance) there was advantages to being in the church; like air conditioning, no bugs, and you sit closer to the band and sleeping in church is nothing new for me. Being closer to the band allowed you to see the foot tapping the band does when they play. It always tell me the band is enjoying the music as much as the listeners, of course since the band members tend to the elderly side, it could have just been a sign they had to go to the bathroom. Also being that close you got to see them drain their spit tubes. A gross operation that horn players do regardless if they are playing on a polished hardwood floor or a plush carpet - they are going to dump the spit right there.

The band was directed by Dr. Charles F. Smith, Jr. They did their usual patriotic music, plus a range of other tunes. When they did the swing numbers from the 1930 I thought the drummer did quite well. I think there was a quote attributed to Gene Krupa in which he said "Well at least I let them know there were drums in this band." The drummer tonight did let us know there were drums in the Salisbury Community Band.

The concert lasted an hour and a half and when we left the church there still was no rain. Again bad call on Dr. Smith's part.

Next concert July 6th at the Salisbury Park Bandstand, maybe.

This fourth of July will find us again in Laurel for their fireworks. Laurel really does a nice job. On the 3rd (Thursday) they will have their parade at 7 P.M., another good event. For more activities see the Laurel Chamber of Commerce website. Laurel always goes all out for the Fourth. The homes are all decorated. Some have 40 or 50 flags outlining their property. I usually like to ride thru the town on Wednesday or Thursday to see the decorations.

I was riding thru Laurel today and took a couple of pictures of this building in the down town section. The front is boarded up but when you go a round back there is no building, just a hole. Interesting.

From the Bi State Weekly June 30, 1950

27 IN DELMAR JOIN NEW KIWANIS CLUB

Two over the necessary twenty-five member have applied for membership in the recently organized Kiwanis Club of Delmar.

The charter, which has been applied for, is expected to be presented to the Delmar Chapter in approximately two weeks. The Delmar Club will be the 100th Club in the 7th Capitol District.

Robert Lockerman, temporary chairman, Franklin Cooper, temporary secretary, and Luther Mitchell, advisor, have been nominated to serve until the new club is officially chartered and an election can be held. any person who desires to become a member should see any of the above mentioned officials.

However, Mr. Mitchell states, no future meetings will be held until a suitable place to meet is found.

Membership is expected to reach the 50 mark in the near future.