DOVER – From exploring the developments of the Victorian era and how it shaped Dover, to the duPont family’s place in the history of Delaware, First State Heritage Park’s “First Saturday in the First State” Jan. 5 offers much to see and do.

Here is a list of programs and activities on Saturday, January 5, 2019:

9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Steam, Steel, and Streets: A Very Victorian Revolution (John Bell House on The Green, 43 The Green)
The end of the 19th century saw a flurry of changes in cities and towns across the Western world, and Dover was no different. Explore the advancements and developments of the Victorian era and how they shaped Dover – then and now.

A Capitol Experience (Legislative Hall, 411 Legislative Avenue)
Tour Delaware’s state capital building, and experience Delaware history. Photo ID is required for all adults entering the building.

Biggs Kids: Peace! (Biggs Museum of American Art, 406 Federal Street)
This program celebrates the role each of us plays in making the world a better place. Visitors are encouraged to add their own pictures depicting peace to a giant, community-made peace sign.

Ringing in the New Year with Jazz (Johnson Victrola Museum, 275 South New Street)
Guided tours will include classic jazz music while visitors learn how the Victor Talking Machine Company was instrumental in bringing the New Orleans sound to the entire globe.

10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Tours of the Governor’s House At Woodburn (The Governor’s House, 151 Kings Highway)
Enjoy guided tours of the official residence of Delaware’s Governor since 1965, and Hall House, the Governor’s guest house.

10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Dover’s Heroes of the Revolution Walking Tour (Meet at the John Bell House on The Green, 43 The Green)
Discover how Dover was a hotbed of activity during the struggle for American Independence. Tours begin on the half hour.

10:30 a.m.

The duPont Family: A Brief Introduction (Delaware Public Archives, 121 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard)
The duPont family has been closely tied to Delaware from 1802 to the present. Historian Lucas R. Clawson will answer questions and discuss the duPont family’s place in history.

1:00 p.m.

Divided Delaware (25 The Green – The Old State House)
This in-depth presentation will analyze three important moments during which divisions prevented greater social change from occurring in Delaware.

1:30 – 4:00 p.m.

The Once and Future Courthouse (Kent County Courthouse, 38 The Green, Courtroom #1)
From the 1690s to the present, find out how this site went from a courthouse to a hotel and back again.

Admission to all park sites and programs is free. Centrally-located free parking is available at the First State Heritage Park Welcome Center and Galleries, located at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard North. For more information about “First Saturday” events and all First State Heritage Park programs, please call 302-739-9194 or visit destateparks.com/History/FirstStateHeritage.

First State Heritage Park is Delaware’s first urban “park without boundaries,” linking historic and cultural sites in the city that has been the seat of state government since 1777. The park is a partnership of state agencies under the leadership of DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation, working in collaboration with city and county government, nonprofit organizations and the private sector.

Media Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

DOVER – Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has launched a new law enforcement app, enabling the public to connect with the department’s Natural Resources Police officers, receive alerts, and submit anonymous tips from their smartphones.

“Technology is playing an ever-increasing role in the ways we communicate, and this new Natural Resources Police app offers the public an easy electronic means of reporting crimes and concerns,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “The app also gives our Natural Resources Police officers an efficient new tool to gather tips and share information and alerts with app users.”

Developed by software company tip411, the Delaware Natural Resources Police (DENRP) app encourages the public to provide DNREC’s Natural Resources Police (NRP) with factual and anonymously reported information leading to the arrest of poachers, polluters, and other violators. The app is available for free download by searching “DENRP” via the Google Play Store or the iTunes App Store. The app can be used with 100 percent anonymity, as tip411’s technology removes all identifying information before NRP officers see the tips.

Delaware’s tip411 system enables the public to connect with the three branches of DNREC’s natural resources police to report crimes and hazards to public safety. In addition to enforcing all Delaware criminal and motor vehicle laws as do all Delaware police agencies, DNREC’s three law enforcement branches focus on specific enforcement areas:

Environmental Crimes Unit Natural Resources Police – text keyword ECUTIP
The Environmental Crimes Unit (ECU) investigates environmental violations, primarily focusing on unlawful releases of liquid, solid, and hazardous waste, and air pollution violations. Common complaints include illegal dumping, open burning violations, unlawful asbestos removal, illegal transportation of solid or hazardous waste, and water quality violations for wells, failing septic systems, and illegal disposal of wastewater. The ECU also has a K-9 tracking unit.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police – text keyword FWTIP
Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, including two K-9 tracking units, investigate hunting, fishing, and boating violations; respond to and investigate boating and hunting accidents; respond to poaching complaints through Operation Game Theft; and patrol state-owned boating access areas, fishing ponds and piers, and 19 state wildlife areas encompassing nearly 65,000 acres statewide. F&W NRP officers also conduct marine law enforcement patrols and boating safety checks on Delaware waterways, including the state’s three-mile offshore limit in the Atlantic Ocean.

State Parks Enforcement Natural Resources Police – text keyword STATEPARKTIP
Delaware’s Park Rangers patrol 16 state parks encompassing more than 26,000 acres. Rangers enforce park rules and regulations such as surf fishing regulations, campground policies, trespassing in restricted areas, and hunting, fishing, and boating on state parks properties. Rangers also respond to and investigate visitor injuries, motor vehicle accidents and all other crimes and offenses occurring in or near Delaware’s state parks. Alerts including park closings, special event notifications, and weather advisories also will be available through the tip411 app.

Anyone without a smartphone can send an anonymous text tip via their cell phone to Delaware Natural Resources Police officers by texting the appropriate NRP section keyword as listed above and their message/tip to 847411 (tip411). For more information on the new app, visit de.gov/tip411.

Tip411 users also are advised that DNREC’s new app does not take the place of dialing 911 for immediate emergency response. In the event of an emergency situation, call 911.

To report possible crimes, DNREC’s Natural Resources Police also can be reached by phone:

• Environmental Crimes Unit Natural Resources Police: 24-hour Environmental Emergency Response Line, 800-662-8802
• Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police: Illegal hunting, fishing, or boating activities, 800-523-3336; Operation Game Theft (wildlife crimes): 800-292-3030
• State Parks Enforcement Natural Resources Police: 24-hour dispatch, 302-739-4580

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

DOVER – The third of four open houses to gather public input on creating a master plan for the future of White Clay Creek State Park in Newark will be held 4-7 p.m., Wednesday Aug. 1, at Deerfield, 507 Thompson Station Road, Newark, DE 19711.

DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin announced in May that DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation is beginning the process of creating a master plan for the future of the park and will be holding four open houses this summer to gather public input before a plan is drafted.

The Aug. 1 open house will focus on roads and trails, for public input on topics such locations, surfacing, widths, uses, and connectivity. Posters on existing roads and trails will be provided for discussion, and staff will be available to answer questions. The open houses are an opportunity for members of the public to convey what they enjoy about the park and what concerns or ideas they might have for the future. This is an important, initial step in the planning process.

The fourth and final open house is scheduled from 4-7 p.m., Monday, Aug. 20, at Deerfield focusing on current and future recreation opportunities in the park.

White Clay Creek State Park is the second-largest park in DNREC’s park system. The park hosts more than 322,000 visitors each year and contains the most trail miles. The park also holds popular summer concerts, a well-attended summer camp program, the high school cross-country state meet, and other events. Visitors enjoy birding, mountain biking, hiking, fishing, and horseback riding.

In addition to the open houses, the public is encouraged to participate in a brief online survey to provide comments. A second survey with more specific questions will be developed later. To submit general comments, please email DNREC_WCCmasterplan@delaware.gov, or write to DNREC-DPR, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, Attn: WCCSP Master Plan.

The public is also encouraged to visit the White Clay Creek State Park Master Plan web page  for the latest information and updates, and to check back frequently for the latest news and draft documents for review once developed. In addition to the webpage, announcements will be made by DNREC press releases, signs in the park, and other means.

Media Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation’s popular Summer Concert Series is now underway featuring performances at six state parks across the state.

The concerts feature music for everyone in every genre, from modern/alternative to folk at Bellevue State Park, White Clay Creek State Park, Killens Pond State Park, Holts Landing State Park, Trap Pond State Park, and Wilmington State Parks including Rockford Park and The Sugar Bowl at Brandywine Park. Most concerts begin at 6:30 p.m.

The Summer Concert Series is sponsored by Drive Sober Arrive Alive DE, Dogfish Head, Friends of Bellevue State Park, Friends of White Clay Creek State Park, Friends of Wilmington Parks, Friends of Killens Pond State Park, Friends of Holts Landing State Park and Trap Pond Partners.

For more information, including times and dates, visit www.destateparks.com/summerconcerts/

Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 48, No. 153

NEW CASTLE COUNTY – DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin encourages volunteers to sign up for the Department-sponsored 27th annual Christina River Watershed Cleanup along the river and several tributaries next Saturday, April 14 from 8-11 a.m. at 14 sites throughout northern New Castle County.

“Clearing debris from the Christina River Watershed not only improves the landscape for residents and visitors to enjoy, it improves the health and quality of the river and its tributaries, the primary sources of public water supply for New Castle County residents and businesses. The work these volunteers do is important, and we thank them for it,” said Secretary Garvin.

The annual cleanup will be held rain or shine. For the second year, the City of Newark site will hold its Spring Community Clean Up in conjunction with the Christina River Cleanup.

Since the cleanup began in 1992, more than 360 tons of tires, appliances, household items, and plastic and styrofoam have been cleared from the Christina River, White Clay Creek, Naamans Creek and other tributaries. More than 13,000 volunteers have filled trash bags along Churchmans Marsh, White Clay Creek State Park, the City of Wilmington and various other locations.

DNREC has been a sponsor and an integral part of the Christina River Watershed Cleanup since its inception. Specifically, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife provides planning support in addition to staff and boats to transport volunteers and to offload trash collected from remote locations. The cleanup of the river within the city of Wilmington benefits DNREC’s ongoing marsh restoration work at the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge. Three State parks – Brandywine Creek, Fox Point, and White Clay Creek – and several New Castle County parks, also serve as primary Cleanup locations.

For a complete list of cleanup sites and to register for volunteering, please visit www.ChristinaRiverCleanup.org or call 302-307-2757. Volunteers are encouraged to sign up for one of the 14 sites as soon as possible so adequate supplies can be provided to each site captain. For safety and efficiency, volunteers are encouraged to wear long sleeves and pants, boots or water-resistant shoes, hats, heavy-duty gloves, sunscreen, and insect repellant. Waders or hip boots are helpful for the City of Wilmington, Newport Boat Ramp, and Churchman’s Marsh-Christiana sites. Due to insurance requirements, volunteers under the age of 16 must have adult supervision. All participants must wear a life jacket while on board any boat.

As a thank you, volunteers will receive a Christina River Watershed Cleanup reusable tote bag, perfect for shopping trips, featuring a blue variation of Ramiro Lopez-Villalobos’ design for this year’s cleanup logo. The first 500 volunteers will also receive water bottles donated by KCI Technologies. The Delaware Department of Transportation will be providing various giveaways for younger volunteers. Water and a variety of refreshments will be provided at all locations.

More than 50 organizations and businesses sponsor the cleanup each year. In addition to DNREC, primary sponsors include: Christina Conservancy; Artesian Water Company; New Castle County; Partnership for the Delaware Estuary; Dow Chemical Company; ICNA Relief / Islamic Society of Delaware; and SUEZ Water in Delaware. DNREC has welcomed several new sponsors to the Cleanup ranks this year: Delmarva Power; DuPont Company; and IncNow, a Delaware incorporation company. Along with KCI and DelDOT, the Cleanup also is pleased to bring aboard sponsors Bloom Energy; BrightFields, Inc.; and Duffield Associates, Inc.

For more information on DNREC’s programs, visit www.dnrec.delaware.gov.

Follow the Division of Fish & Wildlife on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DelawareFishWildlife.

Vol. 48, No. 76

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