NEW CASTLE (Dec. 29, 2017) – With low temperatures in the teens or single digits through much of next week, Code Purple shelters are opening in all three counties for individuals who are homeless and in need of a place of refuge.

Often organized and staffed by volunteers, Code Purple sites in Delaware typically are located at houses of worship and community shelters. The sites provide safe, warm and short-term housing and hot meals to individuals and families who are homeless. The activation of Code Purple varies, with decisions sometimes made day-by-day. Shelters typically are opened when winter-weather conditions – low temperatures, low wind chills, strong winds or heavy snow – make it difficult for anyone to be outside for extended periods. Being outside during extreme cold brings the risk of frostbite or hypothermia for anyone who does not take proper precautions. During the coldest periods of the weekend, prolonged exposure could result in frostbite in less than 30 minutes.

“This cold weather is dangerous, so I urge anyone without a place to sleep to find the nearest overnight Code Purple shelter,” Governor John Carney said. “I am grateful to the organizations and volunteers who staff and run the shelters across our state. And I appreciate their compassionate and welcoming spirit on behalf of their neighbors in need.”

Since most Code Purple sites use volunteers to manage operations, the activation and implementation vary by county and site. To be connected to Code Purple resources, call Delaware 2-1-1, search for “Code Purple” on the Delaware 2-1-1 mobile app or on its website at www.delaware211.org and click on the Code Purple button. Or call the Delaware Housing Alliance’s Centralized Intake Line at 302-654-0126, ext. 112.

“During these dangerously cold nights, we are grateful that Code Purple volunteers across our state are there to provide a warm place to stay, a hearty meal and a welcoming hand to people in need,” Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker said. “If you see anyone without a place to go this weekend or at any time during the winter, we urge you to refer them to the nearest Code Purple location or to Delaware 2-1-1 to be connected to services.”

Details about the shelters, which are organized and operated by nonprofit organizations or volunteers, include:

NEW CASTLE COUNTY

Wilmington and Newark: The lead agency for Code Purple in New Castle County is Friendship House, which operates two Code Purple winter sanctuary programs – one in Wilmington and the other in Newark through the Newark Empowerment Center. The Wilmington program is operated in collaboration with the Salvation Army. Beside the Friendship/Salvation Army winter sanctuary program, the Sunday Breakfast Mission and the Rick VanStory Resource Center offer overnight shelter to both men and women.

The Salvation Army has extended Code Purple for tonight through the night of Jan. 1:
• Salvation Army building, 400 N. Orange St. Those who seek overnight housing will receive a hot snack, continental breakfast and a shower.
• Newark Empowerment Center connects people with overnight stays at a rotating group of churches when Code Purple is declared in Wilmington. To register and receive location, call 302-544-0165.

KENT COUNTY
Code Purple has been declared through Jan. 6. Sanctuaries opening Friday evening:

Men
• Centennial United Methodist Church, 44 E. Mount Vernon St., Smyrna. 5 p.m.
• People’s Church of Dover, 46 S. Bradford St., Dover. 5 p.m.

Women
• Christ Church, 523 S. State St., Dover. 5 p.m.
• Milford Community Center, 105 NE Front St. 5 p.m.

For information about future locations, call the hotline at 1-800-733-6816.

SUSSEX COUNTY
Code Purple is declared when temperatures fall below 32 degrees. Sanctuaries throughout the weekend and into next week:

• St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 202 N. North St., Seaford (men only). Check-in at 8:30 p.m.
• Gateway Fellowship, 8011 Cannon Road, Bridgeville (women and children only). Check-in at 8:30 p.m.
For both sites, dinner is provided at 7 p.m. at the CROSS building, 703 E. King St., Seaford, with transportation to Gateway Fellowship afterward.

• Avenue United Methodist Church, 20 N. Church St., Milford (men only). Check-in at 7 p.m.; meals provided on-site.

• OPENING JAN. 1: Laurel Nazarene, 100 Walnut Drive, Laurel (men, with separate space for fathers with children). Check-in at 7 p.m. Dinner provided at the CROSS building, 703 E. King St., Seaford, with transportation to and from the CROSS to be provided.

• Georgetown Presbyterian, 203 N. Bedford St., Georgetown. Call Pastor Mike at 302-344-1912 or leave a message at the church at 302-856-6842. The sanctuary is only open for extreme weather. People must call ahead about availability.

• Immanuel Code Purple Shelter, 37439 Oyster House Road, Rehoboth Beach, open nightly until April 1 regardless of the temperature (serving men and women). 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. daily.

For more information, call the hotline at 302-519-0024 or visit:
https://codepurplesussexcounty.com/

David Elder, 45, of Lewes, was found guilty by a Superior Court jury of the rape of a senior citizen and faces a mandatory life sentence because of previous convictions that qualify him for sentencing as an habitual offender. In the early morning hours of December 28, 2015, Elder unlawfully entered the residence of a 78-year-old woman and raped her while wearing a ski mask to disguise his identity. After a four-day jury trial prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Casey L. Ewart, Elder was convicted of Rape First Degree, Rape Second Degree, Burglary First Degree, and Wearing a Disguise During the Commission of a Felony on December 15, 2017. Elder is already a registered sex offender as a result of a 1993 conviction for Unlawful Sexual Contact Second Degree, and he was previously declared to be an habitual offender in connection with a conviction for Failure to Re-Register as a Sex Offender in 2012. Sentencing is scheduled for January 26, 2018, and Elder is facing a mandatory life sentence for the Rape First Degree charge. DOJ paralegal Veronica McKain and Administrative Specialist Angelique Waters provided valuable assistance to the prosecution team, while Det. Joshua Rowley of the Delaware State Police and DOJ Social Worker Carla Ennals played vital roles in the successful prosecution of this case.

A Laurel man who raped and impregnated a teenage girl faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, with the possibility of up to 50 years in prison, after pleading guilty on December 15, 2017, to charges of Rape Second Degree, Sexual Abuse of a Child by a Person in a Position of Trust, Supervision, or Authority 2nd Degree, Rape 4th Degree, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Defendant Omar Cameron repeatedly raped a juvenile girl over a lengthy period of time ending in early 2017, until one of those rapes caused the victim to become pregnant. After the victim’s mother learned of the pregnancy, she reported it to the authorities and Cameron was arrested. DNA testing subsequently confirmed that Cameron was responsible for impregnating the victim. A sentencing date is pending. Det. Tyler Bryan of the Laurel Police Department led the investigation and arrested Cameron, while Deputy Attorney General Casey L. Ewart prosecuted the case and was assisted by Administrative Specialist Angelique Waters and Social Worker Carla Ennals.

DOVER – To achieve public compliance with laws and regulations through education and enforcement actions that help conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between Dec. 18-24 made 1,485 contacts with hunters, anglers, boaters and the general public, issuing 10 citations. Officers responded to 31 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations or requests to assist the public. An increased Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence continued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area and Michael N. Castle Trail.

Citations issued by category, with the number of charges in parentheses, included:

Wildlife Conservation: Hunting migratory waterfowl without required federal waterfowl stamp (1) and possession of unlawfully taken Canada goose (1).

Boating and Boating Safety: Failure to observe slow no wake (1).

Public Safety: Possession of drug paraphernalia (1)* and shooting within 15 yards of a public roadway (1).

Other: Trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area (5)*.

*Includes citation(s) issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area.

DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife recognizes and thanks the majority of anglers, hunters and boaters who comply with and support Delaware’s fishing, hunting and boating laws and regulations. Citizens are encouraged to report fish, wildlife and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580. Wildlife violations may also be reported anonymously to Operation Game Theft by calling 800-292-3030 or online at http://de.gov/ogt.

Are you AWARE?
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police remind anglers that it’s time to purchase their 2018 Delaware fishing licenses, as 2017 licenses expire Dec. 31. A valid fishing license is required for fishing, crabbing and clamming in Delaware in both tidal and non-tidal waters.

Anglers under the age of 16 and residents age 65 and older are not required to purchase fishing licenses in Delaware, however they are still required to obtain a Delaware Fisherman Information Network (F.I.N.) number. License exempt anglers also include non-resident boat fishing license holders who do not have an individual license and individuals fishing on licensed boats who do not have an individual license. Some requirements differ for non-resident anglers.

To obtain the free F.I.N. number by visiting https://www.delaware-fin.com/ or calling 800-432-9228 toll-free.

Delaware fishing licenses are sold online, at the licensing desk in DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, and by license agents statewide. To find a participating agent, or to purchase a license online, visit Delaware licenses. For additional information on Delaware fishing licenses, call 302-739-9918.

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DEFWNRPolice/.

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Twitter, https://twitter.com/DE_FW_NRPolice.

Contact: Lt. John McDerby 302-354-1386 or Sgt. Brooke Africa 302-382-7167, or Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police 302-739-9913

DOVER – The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today that a draft report outlining recommendations for the formation and work plan of a Regulatory Advisory Committee (RAC) for Coastal Zone Conversion Permits is now available for public review and comment. Comments on the draft report – prepared by the non-profit Consensus Building Institute (CBI) of Cambridge, Mass. – will be accepted through Jan. 19, 2018.

The report contains 13 recommendations for DNREC to consider as it establishes a Regulatory Advisory Committee to develop regulations for Coastal Zone Conversion Permits. The recommendations were informed by a series of interviews with stakeholders held in October and by two public workshops held in November. The report, available on the DNREC website at http://de.gov/conversionpermits, also contains a list of stakeholders interviewed by CBI and a summary of the public workshops.

Comments on the report can be submitted by emailing CZA_Conversion_Permits@delaware.gov, by USPS mail addressed to CZA Conversion Permits comment, Attn: Kevin Coyle, 100 West Water Street, Suite 5A, Dover, DE 19904, or via online survey found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CZCPArac.

HB 190, the Coastal Zone Conversion Permit Act, was signed into law by Governor Carney in August. The Act authorizes DNREC to issue permits for construction and operation of new heavy industry uses within 14 existing sites of heavy industry use within the state’s Coastal Zone. It also authorizes DNREC to issue permits for the bulk transfer of products under certain circumstances. The Act requires DNREC to develop and promulgate regulations for the issuance of conversion permits by Oct1, 2019.

Vol. 47, No. 270

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Snow Goose Conservation Order opens in February

DOVER – For hunters still looking to harvest a deer or add more venison to their freezers, January offers several opportunities as the 2017/18 hunting season winds down.

Deer hunting seasons opening in January:

• Handgun Deer: Jan. 6-13
• Shotgun Deer: Jan. 13-20, including Sunday Jan. 14
• Muzzleloader Deer: Jan. 22-27

Note: Deer archery and crossbow seasons will remain open until Jan. 31, 2018.

In other hunting news, hunters planning on participating in the 2018 Snow Goose Conservation Order are reminded to register for a free Snow Goose Conservation Order number on the Hunter and Trapper Registration (HTR) website on or after Jan. 1, 2018 as the Snow Goose Conservation Order opens Feb. 12, 2018. Hunters participating in the Conservation Order must register through the HTR website prior to hunting and report their hunting activities after they have finished pursuing snow geese for the season. Hunters who do not have access to the internet may call 302-735-3600 and will need their hunting license or license exempt number to complete the registration. Snow goose hunters will also need to obtain a (H.I.P.) number if they have not already done so.

Also, new this year, registered motor vehicles used to access designated public lands owned or managed by the Division of Fish & Wildlife are required to display a Delaware Conservation Access Pass (CAP). Hunters can opt to receive one free annual vehicle pass with the purchase of any Delaware hunting license. To obtain a free CAP, or to purchase an additional pass, hunters will need to have the registration card for the vehicle to which the pass will be assigned.

Delaware hunting licenses, state waterfowl stamps, and conservation access passes can be purchased online at Delaware Licenses, at the license desk in DNREC’s Dover office at 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, or from hunting license dealers statewide.

For more information on hunting, click 2017-2018 Delaware Hunting & Trapping Guide, Wildlife Area Hunting Maps, and Sunday deer hunting. Hard copies of the guide and hunting maps are available at the license desk in DNREC’s Dover office, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901. More information also is available by calling the Wildlife Section office at 302-739-9912.

Vol. 47, No. 269

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.