On July 27, 2013 at 9 a.m., Noon and 3 p.m., U.S. military members are invited to attend free lecture/tours of the hull of His Majesty’s Sloop DeBraak, a British warship that was escorting and protecting a convoy of British and American merchant ships en route to the United States when it was capsized and lost off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798. Normally $10 per person, free tickets for the July 27 tours are available for current and former members of the U.S. military and their families (restricted to persons aged 10 and above). Tickets are available only through the Shop Delaware website (http://shop.delaware.gov/index.php?cPath=155). For additional information, call 302-645-1148.

All programs begin at the Zwaanendael Museum, located at 102 Kings Highway in Lewes, Del., where a lecture on the ship will be presented in conjunction with “A Seaborne Citizenry: The DeBraak and Its Atlantic World,” an exhibit that has been on display at the museum since Dec. 1, 2012. The exhibit tells the story of the vessel, its crew and the historical context within which it operated in the late 18th century. Ticket holders will then be transported, via van, to the DeBraak hull facility in nearby CapeHenlopenState Park for a curator-led tour of the surviving section of the ship’s hull.

This special offering is part of the Blue Star Museums program, a vehicle for outreach to members of the United States armed forces. A collaboration between the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and more than 1,800 museums across America, the program offers free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2013.

  -End-

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

Contact: John Petersen, Delaware Forest Service, 302-233-8180 (cell)

A crew of 20 wildland firefighters under the direction of the Delaware Forest Service that departed on Friday, July 5 from Blackbird State Forest in Smyrna has joined over 680 personnel working on the 65,000-acre Stuart Creek 2 fire, located 25 miles east of North Pole, Alaska. The blaze is only 5 percent contained and burning through a mix of hardwoods and black spruce. The crew is assigned to a “remote spike camp” and tasked with preparing their own meals from “fresh food boxes” issued by fire officials. Delaware’s firefighters are also making the adjustment to the long hours of daylight typical to an Alaskan summer. Their first operational day on the fire was scheduled to be Monday, July 8.

According to a Monday update from the Eastern Area Coordination Center EACC, “The crew is still in staging at the “Tirebase” spike camp. Morale is high. Daytime temperatures have been in the seventies with nighttime temperatures in the fifties. Precipitation is forecasted for this afternoon and evening.”

Crews typically serve 14 days on the fire line before traveling home.

The National Preparedness Level is now at 3 on a 5-point scale.

The latest fire information on Stuart Creek 2: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3468/

Delaware’s Eastern Area Inter-Agency Resource Representative (IARR) Crew Report:
DES#1: http://gacc.nifc.gov/eacc/logistics/crews/crews_files/iarr_report.pdf

National Incident Management Situation Report: http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf

Selected photos from crew mobilization at Blackbird State Forest:

Commemorating the Fourth of July at the parades, fireworks celebrations and other gatherings up and down our state is an annual reminder of the strong sense of community that exists among Delawareans.  Just before the holiday, we concluded a legislative session here in Dover, where we made significant progress in strengthening our communities now and well into the future.

To improve our business environment, we addressed the dramatic increases in workers compensation costs and reformed our unemployment insurance system. We made progress on lowering taxes, particularly for manufacturers, and invested in initiatives that have helped spur job creation.

Our schools will produce our workforce of tomorrow and our budget adds more than 30 million dollars in education investments. Laws passed this year will better prepare our teachers, simplify school choice for families and increase accountability for charter schools.

To further our commitment to the safety of all Delawareans, we removed the private sale loophole that allowed anyone to buy a gun without a background check. And we required reporting of lost and stolen weapons.

Finally, we can proudly say Delaware is more welcoming than ever. All Delawareans who make lifetime commitments to each other now have full marriage rights and, last month, we ended legal discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

Recently, experts from the Federal Reserve confirmed Delaware is well-positioned for growth. By continuing to improve our schools and foster a healthy business climate, while making our state a safe and welcoming place, we’re keeping Delaware moving forward.

Dover – In his weekly message, Governor Markell provides an overview of the work accomplished during the most recent legislative session.

“Recently, experts from the Federal Reserve confirmed Delaware is well-positioned for growth,” said Governor Markell. “By continuing to improve our schools and foster a healthy business climate, while making our state a safe and welcoming place, we’re keeping Delaware moving forward.”

Every Friday, the Governor’s office releases a new Weekly Message in video, audio, and transcript form. The message is available on:

YouTube: youtu.be/ni8Ody-EJPU
Delaware.Gov: governor.delaware.gov/podcast_video.shtml
By email: Please contact our press team to subscribe to our press list
Facebook: www.facebook.com/governormarkell
Twitter: www.twitter.com/governormarkell

Transcript of the Governor’s Weekly Message: Making Progress for Delaware’s Future

Wilmington – The Delaware Children’s Department is releasing up to $200,000 worth of mini grants so that organizations statewide can apply for funds to offer end of summer and after school programming aimed at violence and suicide prevention. The mini grants are being administered by the Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services (PBHS), under the Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF). Funds to support expanded youth mental health services were part of Governor Jack Markell’s FY 14 Budget proposal and were fully funded under the FY 14 Budget just passed by the General Assembly.

“Many of our young people are in need constructive activities outside of school,” said Governor Markell. “This funding provides opportunities for positive social interactions and learning new skills, while also addressing the mental health needs of our youth and ensuring their overall safety and well-being.”

“We know that after-school and summer programs have many positive impacts on the kids that participate, including improved performance and better behavior in school. These grants are an important part of our effort to improve the overall well-being of Delaware’s children,” said Lt. Governor Matt Denn who spearheaded the initiative.

Two point two million dollars in overall funding was approved to support targeted prevention programs. The mini grants will be available for use between August and December. PBHS plans to make larger, more comprehensive grants which will run from October 2013 through June 2014, available in August. DSCYF Cabinet Secretary Jennifer Ranji said the mini grants will provide immediate support for organizations.

“We chose to roll out a portion of the funding through mini grants now, to allow organizations to take immediate advantage of the resources that have just been made available. We are looking forward to working with our community partners in this prevention effort.”

Applicants can request funding for programs that address suicide and/or violence prevention. The programming and/or activities may be academic, cultural, artistic, or agricultural in nature, and activities may occur in community centers, faith-based institutions, and educational settings. The primary targeted population is youth and their families, where “youth” is defined as individuals 18 years of age and younger.

Public, private non-profit agencies; public or private colleges and universities; faith-based organizations; local school districts; and city and county governments in New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties are eligible to apply.

Grant applications can be found online at www.kids.delaware.gov/phbs/pbhs.shtml or by calling Deanna Watson at (302) 633-2586; or emailing her at Deanna.Watson@delaware.gov.
The Children’s Department provides services to children who have been abused, neglected, are dependent, have mental health or substance problems, have been adjudicated delinquent by the Courts, as well as prevention services targeted toward all youth. For more information, please visit www.kids.delaware.gov.