Sussex agency helps solve credit, mortgage woes

Shown at the grand opening are (l-r) Rony Peralta; Carlos Herrera, housing clinic director; Angus; Diana Bernal, credit clinic director; Rashmi Rangan, DCRAC executive director; and Jenna Fenstermacher, clinic coordinator-Public Ally.

DCRAC opens office in Georgetown

Title and payday loan officers and pawn shops in Sussex County – look out. Sussex County now has an office where Cape Region residents can learn to fix their credit, hold onto their homes and even dust off their resumes – all free of charge.

The Delaware Community Reinvestment Action Council Inc. (DCRAC) opened a Georgetown office on Tuesday, Oct. 27, in the Georgetown Professional Park – an appropriate location next to the county’ social security and unemployment offices.

Founded in 1987, DCRAC aims to educate and advocate for equal treatment of under served populations when it comes to obtaining credit. Largely based on outreach, the council helps people become responsible and educated consumers through educational seminars on budgeting, credit counseling and first home-buyer advice. With two offices in Kent and New Castle counties, DCRAC executive director Rashmi Rangan said, a Sussex County office was long overdue. Plus, all clinic directors speak both English and Spanish. Rangan said because of the demand in Sussex County – parts of which have some of the highest foreclosure rates in the state – DCRAC decided to set up shop. Foreclosures are now creeping east toward Rehoboth, Lewes and Bethany. Although the nonprofit agency is designed to help low-income residents, Rangan said she is seeing more and more eastern county residents who need DCRAC’s services.

“The landscape is changing. I never dreamed I would see people needing help holding onto their homes with $150,000 mortgages,” she said. On Monday, a tax clinic helps residents tidy up their income tax problems. On Tuesday, a credit clinic helps residents repair their credit and learn to budget. On Thursday, a housing clinic helps first-time homebuyers and those facing foreclosure.

“Today, a half a million dollar mortgage is not unheard of. We’re seeing these people face foreclosure. These are people we never considered for our traditional clients,” said Rangan. “I fear this economic climate is only going to get worse. Our services in Sussex County are needed more than ever,” she said.

For more information, call 1-877-825-0750, or visit: dcrac.org.

Milton council: Let the police chief do his job

At a Monday, Oct. 5 Milton Town Council meeting, the council decided to table a proposal to enact objectives and goals for Milton Police Department Chief William Phillips. Phillips was put on administrative leave for six months after internal department complaints arose regarding his leadership. The council, however, reinstated the chief at a Sept. 3 public hearing with a 3-1 vote. At the council meeting, with a 4-2 vote, council agreed to table the objectives for six months to allow the chief to regain his leadership and organize the department.

Drowning in Milton

Shipbuilders Village, a residential development in northwest Milton, constantly floods during heavy rains. For five years, residents in the back of the development along Spinnaker often wade to their cars to get to work, or they wake up to find runoff covering their front doorsteps. Milton Mayor Don Post pledged to take care of the problem in a May letter sent to residents. Nothing has been done yet. Now, the Town of Milton is swimming in a legal puddle over obtaining easements to pump the water out of the drowning development.

John Brady revived at Democratic Jamboree

Sussex County Recorder of Deeds John Brady, who, last year, gave up the GOP and registered as a Democrat, turned up at the 2009 Sussex County Democratic Jamboree, Saturday, Aug. 29. After collapsing from low-oxygen levels on July 28, Brady lost 45 pounds from being hospitalized and from a better diet.

Doctors told him his heart was only pumping at 20 percent capacity, causing his oxygen level to drop. They also inserted a pacemaker.

Brady said he’s feeling much better, although not 100 percent. The Cape Region’s hot weather hasn’t helped him recover any faster, however. “The weather isn’t helping. But, I’m trying to do my best,” said Brady. He was mum on whether he plans to seek another elected office seat.

A second Democrat considers House race

Frank Shade

Frank Shade, president of Punkin Chunkin for seven years, said he would consider entering the race for the 37th Representative District, should that seat become available.

Rep. Joe Booth, R-Georgetown, who holds the seat, announced his candidacy last week for the 19th Senatorial District seat, an election just three weeks away. If Booth is victorious, Shade, a Democrat, said he’d jump in for the Democratic nomination in the potential House race.

“I feel this is the correct thing to do. I feel I have a good rapport with the people in this area,” said Shade. “I feel my leadership abilities that I demonstrated in my life so far made me think this it the right thing to do.”

Shade, 60, lives in Nesbitt Station just outside Lewes and is Sussex County director of purchasing and fleet management. From 2002 to 2008, Shade served as president of the Punkin Chunkin Association, and, by choice, Shade said did not seek another term. Instead, he became a Punkin Chunkin trustee and director of promotions and media. Under his presidency, he said Punkin Chunkin has earned an international reputation.

Shade moved to the Cape Region in 1990 and was one of 10 paramedics hired to set up a countywide paramedic program for the Sussex County Paramedics Division. He also sits on the boards of the Delaware Autism Foundation and the Sussex County Cancer Survivors Fund.

“I feel I have a good face and name recognition that will make me a good candidate,” he said.

If the 37th District seat becomes vacant after the Monday, Aug. 3 Senate election, Democrats will have to determine a candidate in caucus. Sussex County Democratic Party Chairwoman Pat Ewing is out of town and unavailable for comment.

Who will fill Sen. Adams’ shoes?

Sussex County Republicans and Democrats are planning to nominate candidates for a special election to be held within 41 days after Sen. Thurman Adams’ death, Tuesday, June 23. Adams – Delaware’s longest serving lawmaker and a conservative Democrat – held the 19th Senatorial District seat since 1972.

Rep. Joe Booth, R-Georgetown, seems to be winning over Republicans, prior to their nomination. Republicans Dave Wilson, a Bridgeville representative, Ruth Briggs King with the Sussex County Association of Realtors, and Eric Bodenweiser of Bodie’s market, have also expressed an interest in the seat.

It appears as if Adams’ daughter Polly Mervine has her eye on the seat for the Dems. Other Democratic candidates could include former Sussex County Councilmen Lynn Rogers and Finley Jones, along with DelDOT employee Jim Westhoff.

Lt. Gov. Matt Denn has yet to set a date for a special election, but is expected to by the end of the week.

DeLuca replaces Adams in the Senate

Anthony DeLuca

Delaware state Senate Democrats named new leadership Wednesday, June 24, following the death on Tuesday, June 23, of Senate President Pro Tempore Thurman Adams. Senate Majority Leader Anthony DeLuca, D-Newark, was named to succeed Adams for a post that was voted on by the entire Senate. The Senate Democratic caucus named Senate Majority Whip Patricia Blevins, D-Elsmere, as Senate Majority Leader, and Sen. Margaret Rose Henry, D-Wilmington, as majority whip.

Sen. Thurman Adams dies

Sen. Thurman Adams

Sen. Thurman Adams, a popular Bridgeville legislator and one of the most powerful leaders in Delaware, died at about 9 a.m., Tuesday, June 23. Adams is also Senate president pro tempore. House Majority Leader Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, said, “The state has lost and elder statesman, and I lost a friend.

He said Adams’ record speaks for itself. “He was one of the most powerful people in the state of Delaware. We didn’t always agree, but he was straight with me. I could walk into his office anytime and talk about anything. I will always cherish his friendship,” said Schwartzkopf.

Not only has the news shocked many Democratic leaders, it’s also sending the Senate into a tailspin, as legislators scurry to replace its leader.

Sen. Karen Peterson, D-Wilmington, said little information was given about his illness. She also said she believes the Senate will meet today, Tuesday, June 23, to determine a course of action without the Senate’s most senior leader.

“That’s a shock. The Senate leadership was getting conflicting information: he’s doing great; he’s not doing so well,” she said.

“Obviously, it leaves a huge whole. He was a gentleman, but he was a force,” said Peterson. Peterson said she heard Adams was dehydrated and when he was rehydrated, his coumadin levels shot up. She also said Adams had severe stomach problems.

“Here we are in the last four days of session without a pro tempore. For session purposes, the position needs to be filled. You hate to jump in there but we need to decide quickly. I imagine this will be the first order of business on the Senate agenda,” Peterson said. “I’m just shocked. He’s worked in the trenches a long time.”

No pay cuts?

I am frustrated with Delaware state employees – and reluctant General Assembly members’ inability to pass state pay cuts at 2.5 percent. As I’ve written before, 34 states have introduced or passed state employee pay cuts. In Hawaii, about 15,000 employees had to accept a 16 percent pay cut and Delaware is looking at 2.5 percent. Would Delaware employees rather have layoffs?

House Majority Leader Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, said if the pay cuts are not approved, it will result in layoffs for 500 workers. Perhaps that’s the way to go? It’s a heck of a lot easier to anger 500 people rather than 32,000. As House members seek re-election, pay cuts become a central platform – and potential barrier to re-election. Schwartzkopf also pointedout that House members are elected every two years and are less insulated than Senate members, who serve four-year terms, where one-third of Senate members face re-election

In the private sector, pay cuts have been issued, along with layoffs. At the Cape Gazette, employees have not seen pay raises in two years. The paper also laid off six employees last December. Clearly, the news business is facing its own battle with survival. But, I think pay cuts and layoffs are common at other private ventures.

I think state workers need to buck up to the plate.

Castle amendment addresses aliens

Mike Castle

REP. MIKE CASTLE (R-DE) and Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) successfully passed on Thursday, June 11, an amendment to the H.R. 2410, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, that addresses the growing number of aliens who are to be deported from the United States, but who are refused or delayed entry by their home country.

The Castle/Dent Amendment requires quarterly reports to U.S. Congress from the Secretary of Homeland Security that publicly lists the countries that refuse or unreasonably delay repatriation. The report also includes the total number of criminal aliens in the United States.

“Incarcerating citizens of foreign nations who have committed crimes in the U.S. is a huge drain on the resources of our local law enforcement officials,” said Castle. “It is my hope that by ‘naming and shaming’ countries which refuse or delay to repatriate convicted criminals, we will put new pressure on them to cooperate and get these individuals off our streets.”

According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, eight countries including Laos, Iran, Eritrea, Vietnam, Jamaica, China, India, and Ethiopia are refusing or delaying repatriation of more than 147,000 aliens – increased from 139,000 in February 2008.

U.S. courts have ruled that the U.S. government cannot legally hold criminal aliens in custody for longer than six months following their sentence of imprisonment if their home country refuses or unreasonably delays admitting them back unless the individual is proven to be “especially dangerous.” As a result, more than 17,000 convicted criminals have been released in our communities because their home country refuses or delays repatriation.

H.R. 2410, the FOREIGN RELATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT, authorizes appropriations for the State Department, Peace Corps and other Foreign Service operations, and sets guidelines for how the United States conducts its foreign relations. Castle and Dent plan to continue to raise the public safety issue in the coming weeks and months.