OHS partners with Ben Kennedy Racing, Junior Motorsports, and Tommy Baldwin Racing

Dover – The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) has an action packed weekend (Sept. 27-29) at the Monster Mile reminding fans to Drive Sober and Arrive Alive.  On Friday September 27^th, OHS is the title sponsor for the ‘Drive Sober 150’ NASCAR K&N Pro Series East with Grand Marshalls- Bill and Muriel Elliott of the HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers and Sgt. Andrew Rubin of Newark PD waving the green flag.  OHS is also teamed up with #96 Ben Kennedy and Ben Kennedy Racing for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race in the ‘Drive Sober 150’.

OHS will also be teaming up with #7 Regan Smith of Junior Motorsports Saturday in the ‘5-Hour Energy’ NASCAR Nationwide Series race, and then on Sunday with #36 JJ Yeley of Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in the ‘AAA 400’ NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.  Race fans will have several opportunities to meet the drivers throughout the weekend including the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East driver autograph session Friday September 27^th from 1-2pm at the Lucas Oil display in the FanZone.  Then OHS will host autograph sessions with #7 Regan Smith of Junior Motorsports at the Drive Sober display Saturday from 10:15 am-11:00 am and on Sunday with #36 JJ Yeley of TBR from 9:30 am- 11:00 am.

OHS will be promoting the Drive Sober message all race weekend with various actives in the Monster Mile Fan Zone including Choose Your Ride police cruiser-cab, designated driver pledges, show cars, and t-shirt giveaways for participants of the DUI Pit Stop Challenge game.

“We are very excited to work with each team and partner this weekend by reminding fans to make the smart choice of choosing a designated driver before the race starts,” said Jana Simpler, Director for the Office of Highway Safety. “That designated driver can be a friend, family member, or a cab ride home.  We want fans to have fun this weekend but also be safe and have a sober ride home.”

The Choose Your Ride Delaware State Police (DSP) cruiser-cab will patrol the campgrounds Saturday morning with NASCAR driver JJ Yeley and DSP Sgt. Shavack.  The police cruiser-cab is a custom taxi cab wrap on half of the Delaware State Police patrol car.  The intent is to convey a special message for impaired drivers: choose your ride.  Yeley and Sgt. Shavack will stop and talk with campers about making the smart choice of having a designated driver or calling a cab if fans decide to drink this weekend along with handing out giveaway items and signing autographs.

“Through the continued partnership of the Delaware State Police and The Delaware Office of Highway Safety, we continue to combat and raise awareness of the deadly consequences of drunk driving,” said Sergeant Paul G. Shavack, Director of Public Information for the Delaware State Police.  “We hope that this hybrid police cruiser-cab sends a simple but powerful message and serves as a great visual reminder to “Choose Your Ride” before getting behind the wheel intoxicated.”

Race fans will also have two opportunities to take a pledge to not drive impaired.  The first one is by signing their name on the #36 Drive Sober TBR show car.  Race teams, drivers, and media will also take the pledge in the infield by signing the #36 Drive Sober race car in the Sprint Cup garage.  The second pledge can be taken at the HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers tent located next to the OHS FanZone booth.  Fans who take the HERO pledge get special access into the Designated Drivers tent which has 2 tv’s, skydeck, games, snacks, and coupon for a FREE hot dog and soft drink.

For a full list of OHS race weekend activity visit www.ohs.delaware.gov  or follow OHS on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe, Like OHS on Facebook www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE. For OHS Drive Sober campaign updates visit www.DUIrealtime.com.

DOVER — More than 250 citizens, educators, business leaders and local government officials were brought together on Tuesday, Sept. 24, by the Delaware Tech Terry Campus and the Central Delaware Business and Entrepreneurship Consortium—with support from the Delaware Economic Development Office — to advance the common goal of improving the economic life in Kent County.

“My administration has no higher priority than working to grow the economy and fostering an environment for job creation,” said Governor Jack Markell, a speaker at the conference. “I am the first to say that we have more work to do, but as analysts at the Federal Reserve have pointed out, Delaware is well-positioned for decades of growth. We have seen progress across our state, including in Kent County where Kraft recently expanded, adding jobs and construction began on the Garrison Energy Center.  To keep moving forward, we must remain focused on the key factors for growing our economy, such as strengthening our workforce, bringing down the cost of business, and improving our infrastructure.”

Dr. Mark T. Brainard, executive vice president of Delaware Technical Community College, emphasized how Delaware Tech’s mission is in keeping with the focus of the Summit: “Delaware Tech helps build stronger communities by employing more than 700 Kent County residents with an annual payroll of $15 million. The College is also committed to its number one priority – connecting Delawareans with jobs through education. In fact, according to our 2012 placement data, it’s not surprising that 94% of our graduates are either employed or continuing their education.”

Fifteen speakers and twenty-eight exhibitors helped showcase many economic opportunities in Kent County in order to build better communities.   Discussion topics that were covered included, “Creating a Climate for Agri-Business”, “Kent County Landscape: Economic Outlook and Year in Review” and “Where Are They Now? Engines of Economic Growth.”

Delaware Tech connects Delawareans with jobs in healthcare, surgical tech, certified electronic health records, and energy, to name a few. Their Program Advisory Committees help ensure that Delaware Tech graduates have the right competencies for today’s and tomorrow’s workforce.

To learn more about all of Delaware Tech’s continuing education and training opportunities, go to https://www.dtcc.edu/continuing-education.

The Delaware Quilt Documentation Project will hold a Quilt Harvest Day on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Blue Ball Barn located in Alapocas Run State Park, 1914 W. Park Drive, in Wilmington, Del.

 The project is designed to record the rich tradition of quilt-making in the state of Delaware and to help preserve its legacy for future generations. Owners of quilts made before 1950 are encouraged to bring their quilts to this informative documentation process which involves photographing each quilt, recording its physical characteristics and gathering historical information about the quilt and/or the quilt-maker. Admission to the session is free and there is no cost for the documentation of quilts made in Delaware. Walk-ins are welcome, but an appointment is recommended to guarantee that a particular quilt is included in the documentation process. A donation is requested for the documentation of quilts without a Delaware provenance.

 After the documentation process has been completed, data related to Delaware-made quilts will be compiled and analyzed, and a book featuring the most representative and historically important quilts will be developed. The project plans to mount a traveling exhibition of selected quilts which will be displayed in each of Delaware’s three counties.

 The Delaware Quilt Documentation Project is a collaborative effort between the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs and the University of Delaware. Information about Delaware quilts will be submitted to The Quilt Index, a national data base maintained by The Alliance for American Quilts. The project is supported, in part, by grants from the Delaware Humanities Forum and the National Quilting Association, as well as individual contributions. For additional information contact the project co-coordinators Ann Baker Horsey of the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs at 302-739-6402 or Dr. Fran Mayhew of the University of Delaware at 302-368-8423. To make an appointment, call Dr. Mayhew.

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Contact:
Jim Yurasek
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Phone:  302-736-7413
E-mail:  Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov
Web:   http://history.delaware.gov

Wilmington – Attorney General Beau Biden announced that Thomas H. Fort, Jr., a Wilmington-area man arrested on child pornography charges earlier this year following an undercover child predator investigation, was sentenced to a nine year prison term today.

“Those who possess and distribute child pornography are a danger to our children,” Biden said. “In this case, not only did the defendant distribute graphic videos of child pornography, but he actively solicited inappropriate and graphic images of teens online.  The sentence handed down today sends a clear message that these crimes will not be tolerated.”

Fort, age 55, who pled guilty to two counts of Dealing in Child Pornography in July, was sentenced today by New Castle County Superior Court Judge Jan R. Jurden.  Fort was arrested in January, 2013 following an online undercover investigation by the Child Predator Task Force which was initiated after an undercover detective obtained a video of child pornography online.  The investigation resulted in the execution of a search warrant Fort’s residence in the 2300 block of Marilyn Drive.  Several computers and digital storage devices were seized during the search containing multiple videos of child pornography.  Fort was arrested on January 17 and has been held since that time on $750,000 cash bail.

The ongoing investigation after Fort’s arrest revealed evidence that he had used a webcam to meet teens in online chatrooms where he solicited unlawful images of a sexual nature from juveniles.

Read the January, 2013 press release announcing Fort’s arrest at:
https://news.delaware.gov/2013/01/18/biden-announces-lengthy-prison-term-for-child-predator-multiple-arrests-by-child-predator-task-force/

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Lieutenant Governor Asks Parents to Encourage Their School Districts to Apply for Grants

WILMINGTON – The Delaware State Board of Education gave final approval yesterday to a new state program that will make new funds available for programs targeted at academically advanced students. The program, created through legislation proposed last year by Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn and the chairs of the General Assembly’s education committees, allows school districts to design programs targeted at students who are ahead of grade level in reading, writing, math, or science.

Under the new program, local school districts and schools are permitted to apply through October 25th for start-up grants for new programs targeted at students who are at least a half year ahead of grade level based upon current state standards. Most of the new programs are expected to be offered beginning in the 2014-2015 school year.

“There is a tremendous demand among parents for programs in our public schools that will really challenge their kids who are capable of doing advanced work,” said Lieutenant Governor Denn. “This program will make it possible for many of our schools to set up new programs that will give kids a chance to move ahead much more quickly in reading, writing, math, and science.”

Because the new program is only available to schools and districts that submit applications, Denn encouraged parents to contact their local school districts to ask them to apply. “If parents want these types of programs in their school districts, they need to let their superintendents and school board members know,” Denn said.

Programs proposed by schools and districts can also include elements of social studies, the arts, and other subjects as long as they are focused on reading, writing, math or science.

“When we provide programs that enable our children to excel in their education, we prepare them for future excellence and help them reach their fullest potential,” said Rep. Darryl Scott, D – Dover, Chair of the House Education Committee. “Helping students who may be falling behind is and will always remain one of our top priorities; at the same time, we should also challenge students who surpass their peers in academics.”

Sen. Sokola, D – Newark, chair of the Senate Education Committee, said, “These programs provide challenging instruction to children with exceptional academic capacity. This legislation is an effort to encourage more programs that provide appropriate opportunities for our students who are capable of advanced academic work.”