Last week, Governor Markell and I joined young people with disabilities, their parents and advocates as we celebrated the success of Pathways to Employment. Pathways supports young people age 14 to 25 as they make their transition from school to the world of work.

Inspired by Governor Markell’s commitment to advancing employment opportunities for people of all abilities, the Department of Health and Social Services started Pathways about a year ago as the first program of its kind in the country. With financial support from our Medicaid program, we’re helping reduce the barriers to employment through such services as assistive technology, career exploration and personal care. We’re grateful for the strong support we’ve received from the Delaware Department of Labor’s Division for Vocational Rehabilitation and the Department of Education and, of course, from employers across our state who have recognized that their organizations are stronger when they embrace the skills and talents of all of our people.

Last week, we celebrated enrolling 248 young people in Pathways, including 21-year-old Jakai Walker. Jakai was hired in August by the Casino at Delaware Park to work in its Food and Beverage Department. Jakai’s mother said the kitchen is the one area he has loved since grade school. We know there are many more young people like Jakai who could benefit from the services of Pathways to Employment to fulfill their passions and reach their full potential.

To learn about eligibility, call 1-800-223-9074 or visit the DHSS website. As Governor Markell said last week, hiring people with disabilities isn’t about charity. It’s about maximizing everyone’s gifts and talents. That’s why you have our commitment to keep advancing employment opportunities for all individuals with disabilities as we keep Delaware moving forward.

Park venues to continue in full swing during several weeks of upcoming construction

LEWES – The Cape Henlopen State Park office will close for renovations on Oct. 8, 2016, DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation announced today. While construction keeps the park office shut for several weeks, daily entrance fees, surf fishing permits, hunting permits and lifetime Delaware State Park passes will be available for purchase at the entrance fee booths. Fee booth hours are 8 a.m. – 4 p.m seven days a week. All park transactions during this time will be cash-only.

Office calls and park information will be handled through the Biden Center, by calling 302-644-5005 or emailing park superintendent Paul Faircloth at Paul.Faircloth@delaware.gov.

Although the family campground at Cape Henlopen State Park has closed for the season also for a construction project, the Fort Miles Cantonment Area, beaches, Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier, and hiking and biking trails will still be available for use.

CONTACT: Elizabeth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 356

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What: Launch of Plazas Comunitarias at the Bear Library
Plazas Comunitarias is a program for Spanish speaking adults in Delaware to complete Elementary education courses in Spanish online. The program first originated through a memorandum of understanding on education established between the Mexican and U.S. governments in 1990, aimed at raising the living standards of Spanish speakers living in the United States. Plazas Comunitarias provides an on-ramp for graduates to then further their education in English. Spanish-speaking adults of any nationality are eligible to attend.

The Delaware Division of Libraries partnered with the Mexican Consulate to pilot this program at the Bear Library in New Castle County. If successful, the intent is to expand the program to libraries in Kent and Sussex counties. The first class is at capacity with 15 students.

When:
Sunday, October 2, 2016, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Where:
Bear Library, 101 Governors Pl. Bear, DE

Who:

• Diana Brown, New Castle County Department of Community Services
• Consul Alicia Kerber-Palma, Consulate of Mexico
• Dr. Annie Norman, State Librarian
• Guadalupe Castañeda, Program Coordinator, Plazas Comunitarias Delaware

Student speakers:

• Araceli Luna Perez
• Victor Manuel Perez Romo
• Jose Alberto Alvarez Olivares
• Fidel Espino Fuentes

Contacts:
Yara Mendoza, Consulado de Mexico en Filadelfia
(215) 922-4262 x510, ygmendoza@sre.gob.mx

Dr. Annie Norman, State Librarian
(302) 257-3001, annie.norman@delaware.gov

Booo-B-Q event this year is promoting Delaware Children in Nature program

REHOBOTH BEACH – DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation will host the second-annual “Booo-B-Que By the Sea,” a two-day barbeque cook-off competition beginning Friday, Oct. 21, at Delaware Seashore State Park. The event features a wide variety of family-friendly activities, including a unique 5k Run/Walk over the Indian River Bridge and inlet pathways on Saturday, Oct. 22. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Delaware Children in Nature Endowment Fund, which affords opportunities for young people to participate in outdoor experiences.

“The first Booo-B-Que was a smashing success, and we are excited to bring the event back for its second year,” said Delaware State Parks Director Ray Bivens. “We expect to see even larger crowds this year and are thrilled to benefit the Delaware Community Foundation’s Children in Nature Endowment. Also, our hosting the event at Delaware Seashore State Park offers the unique opportunity to experience the beauty of the Indian River Inlet while enjoying some of the best BBQ on the Atlantic Coast.”

The Booo-B-Que – the name comes from its taking place during the Halloween season – is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS), a competitive cooking organization and the world’s largest non-profit group of barbeque and grilling enthusiasts, with more than 20,000 members worldwide. Every year, KCBS sanctions more than 450 BBQ contests worldwide, with the mission of recognizing barbeque as “America’s Cuisine,” and “to celebrate, teach, preserve and promote barbeque as a culinary technique, sport and art form.”

BBQ competitors from up and down the East Coast from as far as New York, North Carolina, and Connecticut are expected to compete for the opportunity to be named the best BBQ chef in these parts and to win up to $10,000 in prize money. The Booo-B-Que also has the distinction of hosting the state championship for barbeque, and will help one competitor earn an invitation to the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational in 2017. To enter the BBQ competition, both pro and backyard grillers should contact event organizer Sandy Fulton at sandyfulton720@gmail.com.

The Booo-B-Que will be held in the south inlet day use and campground areas of Delaware Seashore State Park. The event features 30-plus food and craft brew vendors, live music, a Jeep show, trick-or-treating, a kids’ costume competition, and an opportunity for visitors to sample and select the “people’s choice award” winners for chicken wings.

On Saturday, Oct. 22, a live auction for low digit surf fishing tags will be held. This year’s auction will feature a once in a lifetime opportunity to bid on surf fishing tag #1. “Delawareans love low-digit license plates and surf fishing tags,” said Parks Director Bivens. “Last year’s auction raised significant funding for the Park system, and we are excited to offer Delaware Surf-Fishing Tag #1 this year.” The live auction will include a select number of low-digit surf plates. The black and white tags have a unique vintage look with raised letters. Bidding will open at $250. The winning bidder for each tag will receive a certificate of authenticity. Once purchased, owners will retain the tag as long as they have a valid Delaware surf fishing permit. All revenue raised from the program will directly benefit Delaware State Parks and surf fishing beach access.

The Booo-B-Q by the Sea Festival’s schedule of events includes:

Friday, Oct. 21:
4 p.m.: Event opens
4:15 p.m.: Tony Windsor – “40 Years of Country”
5-8 p.m.: People’s Choice Wing Competition
5-9 p.m.: Music by Bo Dickerson Band
6 p.m.: KIDS Trick or Treat
6:30-8 p.m.: Bonfire
7 p.m.: Booo-B-Q Social media photo contest
7 p.m.: Guided Bridge Walk (Meet at Bonfire)

Saturday, Oct. 22:
9 a.m.: 5K Run/Walk kicks off
10:30 a.m.: 5K Run/Walk awards
11 a.m.: Booo-B-Q Festival kicks off
Noon-2:30 p.m.: Music by Tom Larsen Band
Noon-4 p.m.: Jeep “Show N’ Shine”
2 p.m.: “Kids-Que” Competition
2:30 p.m. Auction of Delaware Surf Tag-Low Numbers
3:30 p.m.: Best costume competition, Best decorated booth
4-6 p.m.: “Parks Style” pumpkin decorating
5 p.m.: Awards For BBQ Competition
5:30 p.m.: Mini-Jeep Raffle winner announced
6 p.m.: Naturalist program: “Bats and the Blue Bridge”
6:30-8 p.m.: Bonfire and marshmallow roast
7 p.m.: Shipwreck Storytelling: Tragic Tales from Delaware Seashore’s past
7 p.m.: Announcement of social media photo contest winner

Partners and sponsors of the 2nd Annual Booo-B-Que are hoping to raise awareness for Children in Nature and the push to get families outdoors and active. Sussex Outdoors, a public awareness campaign focused on increasing outdoor family activities in Delaware, is one of a number of partners sponsoring the event. “Delaware State Parks provides some of the finest outdoor opportunities in the country and is a perfect setting for getting people outdoors,” said John Hollis, Sussex Outdoors director. “You could not ask for a better backdrop than Delaware Seashore State Park and we’re excited to work with so many great community partners to create a fun family-centered event at this beautiful site.”

In addition to Sussex Outdoors, Booo-B-Q event partners include Memphis BBQ Grills, Boys & Girls Clubs, Walgreens, Discover Bank, Nemours, and numerous other community partners investing in Delaware’s quality of life initiatives.

A special event fee of $5 per person will be in effect for the festival. In support of Children in Nature, all children ages 12 and under receive free admission. Visitors interested in making a weekend out of the festivities can join the fun and get a 20 percent discount on RV campsites at Delaware Seashore State Park for the event. Reservations can be made online at http://delawarestateparks.reserveamerica.com/ or by calling 877-987-2757 and using promotional code BBQ2016.

For more information on the Booo-B-Que Family BBQ Competition, and festivities, visit http://www.destateparks.com/boo-bq/ or http://www.boo-bqrun.com/ to enter the 5K Run/Walk. To sponsor this event and/or the Children in Nature Initiative please contact Caroline Foltz at (302) 739-9185.
For more information on the low digit surf tag auction, visit http://www.destateparks.com/lowdigittag/

CONTACT: Abby Shepard, DNREC Division of Parks & Recreation Marketing, 302-739-9933, or Greg Abbott, Delaware State Parks, 302-739-9203

Vol. 46, No. 355

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Today, the Supreme Court of the United States agreed to hear a case from the state of Colorado involving the level of educational services that must be provided to public school students with disabilities. The case, Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, is significant because it will be the first time in decades that the U.S. Supreme Court has addressed this issue, and different federal courts around the country have come to different conclusions on the question.

“This case may not have significant implications for Delaware public schoolchildren with disabilities,” Delaware Attorney General Matt Denn said. “Delaware state law was changed in 2010, in a bill I worked on as Lieutenant Governor with Representative Quinn Johnson and Senator David Sokola, to require that Delaware public schools provide services to Delaware students with disabilities that matches the highest level of services required by federal courts interpreting this issue. However, sometimes the language that the U.S. Supreme Court uses in issuing its decisions can be as important as the decisions themselves. For that reason, the Delaware Department of Justice will be seeking to advocate – potentially with other state Attorneys General — for the U.S. Supreme Court to find that the highest level of services for children with disabilities currently recognized by federal courts is the correct level for all of the nation’s children, and for the Supreme Court to provide specific guidance to the states as to how to implement its decision in order to ensure that children with disabilities have an opportunity to fulfill their potential.”