Letters to the Editor -- October 24, 2008

Ryan has support of Anders in election
Editor:

I am a 35-year owner of a home in Bethany Beach and full-time resident for nine years. On Nov. 4, I am going to vote for Kay Ryan as state representative of the 38th District in the state assembly. We need her voice to speak for us and lead the way to ease the traffic congestion and halt the over-building in this area.

Kay Ryan is well qualified to fill this position. She is a Harvard Law School graduate and a former federal attorney in a position of authority. She is an energetic leader who will actively look after the needs of the district.

So I ask you to vote for Kay Ryan for the position of state representative of the 38th District on Nov. 4. It is important.

Dowell H. Anders
Bethany Beach

Birkmeyer casts his vote with Hocker
Editor:

This letter is to heartily endorse Gerald Hocker for re-election as state representative in the 38th District.

In my opinion, there is no match for Mr. Hocker’s knowledge of Sussex County and the needs of its citizens. In addition to his family’s rich history in this area and Mr. Hocker’s years of experience as a successful business owner in our community, the fact that impresses my wife and me the most is his access as a state representative for his constituents. Whether hosting one of his popular “Coffee’s on Me” sessions or being available in person or by phone, he is always there to listen and take action on the concerns of his constituents. Believe me, this is a unique luxury we have in the 38th.

Another strength of Mr. Hocker that too often gets taken for granted is his selfless support of civic and charity causes in our community. A most vivid recent example of this occurred in connection with the disaster preparedness seminar conducted last month for citizens at the Millville Fire Hall.

Those who attended that evening will recall that we experienced severe storms throughout the day. Mr. Hocker’s business had offered to donate cases of bottled water for the evening. Guess who showed up lugging the cases of water through the wind and rain? Gerald Hocker himself. Since he was sopping wet and a speaker on the program one hour later, he had to return home, change clothes and return to the fire hall. This is but one small example of the genuine community spirit Mr. Hocker exhibits on a regular basis in the 38th District.

If we want to ensure that the needs of citizens in the 38th District continue to be well-represented in Dover, we need to re-elect Gerald Hocker on Nov. 4.

Richard Birkmeyer
Ocean View

Women’s Club thankful for support
Editor:

The Lord Baltimore Women’s Club would like to thank the community for their support for the Club’s recent annual Fall Fashion Show and Luncheon. Fashions were supplied by DressBarn and Twila Farrell, to the delight of all present.

The Club also thanks the following merchants for their very generous prize donations: 4 The Shore Furnishings, Ashley’s Bridal Shop, Beachview Health Assoc., Blossom’s, Bethany Trading Company, Casapulla’s, Creative Concepts, Curves, Déjà Vu, Delaware National Bank, Ellen Rice Gallery, Fat Tuna Grill, G & E Inc., Hair Snippery, Heirloom Trunks, Kool Bean, Made By Hand, Miller’s Creek, Magnolia’s, Oceanova, Oak Arbor Inn, Patti’s Hallmark Shop, Sea Needles, Steakhouse 26, The Gallery On Central Avenue, Touch of Italy Bakeshop, Treasure Quest Shoppe and Wild About Birds.

Thanks also to those who attended our event and made it such a success.

Mary Lou Hack
LBWC Publicity Committee

Power-plant coal-ash landfills are unsafe
Editor:

It was shocking and disturbing to learn at a Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control public hearing on May 29, 2008, that 26 years after Delmarva Power and Light Company ceased dumping coal ash from the Indian River Power Plant onto Burton Island, 26 of 26 offshore sediment samples were discovered to contain seven heavy metal pollutants identified as “Constituents of Potential Concern for either human or ecological receptors.”

These metals include aluminum, arsenic, barium, cobalt, copper, mercury and nickel. Delaware Toxics Release Inventory Reports identify compounds of arsenic, cobalt and nickel as carcinogens.

An ecological risk assessment published by Shaw Environmental Inc., in March 2008, states: “there is a potential for adverse affects to benthic invertebrates in the sediment along the shoreline of Burton Island due to arsenic and barium.” “The only potentially exposed population is recreational fishermen and their families … through the consumption of caught fish and/or shellfish.”

A DNREC environmental scientist was asked at a Center for the Inland Bays Sept. 22 meeting if he would eat clams if they exist around Burton Island. He said, “No.”

From 1957 to 1979, DP&L deposited ash from the Indian River electrical generating station on the 144-acre eastern end of low-level Burton Island, which is surrounded by tidal waters of exceptional recreational or ecological significance under the state’s water quality standards and as impaired waters under the Federal Clean Water Act.

In 1976, DP&L, apparently aware of the environmental hazards created by the disposal of heavy-metal pollutants on Burton Island, obtained a coastal zone permit for construction of an unlined coal-ash landfill on the mainland adjacent to Island Creek (Phase I). This landfill is now approaching its allowable permitted height of 100 feet. In August 2008, DNREC granted NRG Energy, the plant’s owner/operator since 2001, a permit to construct a new improved lined coal-ash landfill (Phase II).

Retired Environmental Protection Agency scientist John Austin has reviewed the well sampling data for this landfill site and concluded that, contrary to statements in the permit application, arsenic levels in monitoring wells have exceeded EPA’s Primary Maximum Contaminate Levels for Drinking Water and that contamination of groundwater downstream of the existing unlined landfill has exceeded the state’s Remediation Standards Guidance under the Delaware Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act.

DNREC Secretary John Hughes has attempted to minimize environmental concerns about the leaching of toxic pollutants into aquifers and bay waters from NRG coal-ash landfills. He has said some of the concerns are unfounded and that some of the criticisms are based on misinformation.

Environmental groups including the Sierra Club, Delaware Audubon, Green Delaware, Citizens for Clean Power, Citizens Coalition, Citizens for a Better Sussex and the Citizens Advisory Committee of the CIB have opposed the issuance of the new NRG (Phase II) landfill permit, and the inadequate voluntary NRG remediation action plan for Burton Island, which consists of leaving the contaminated offshore sediment in place and adding riprap along the shoreline.

Although the riprap may help to inhibit future erosion of shoreline embankments, the geo-textile synthetic fabric underlay base is permeable and therefore will not prevent continued leaching of the landfill’s numerous toxic pollutants into bay waters. The riprap fails to eliminate the long-term pollution problem, which is exacerbated by high water levels and wave action during typical nor’easter storms.

Why doesn’t DNREC require NRG to haul ash from Burton Island out of the Inland Bays’ watershed and deny a permit for the creation of yet another coal-ash landfill? Could political pressure and NRG profits possibly be factors in these decisions? Surely the same railroad hoppers that deliver 64 carloads of coal per day could be used to haul away the annual production of approximately 100,000 cubic yards of hazardous ash containing 770,000 pounds of toxic heavy metal pollutants.

An environmentally safe beneficial use for the Indian River power plant’s coal ash should be found, which, hopefully, will be far superior to the practice of mixing ash from the Edge Moor power plant with Wilmington wastewater sludge and dumping it on the Pigeon Point Landfill adjacent to the Delaware River – a re-use DNREC experts, and the DNREC Secretary, concluded, surprisingly, in August 2008, “does not pose any undue risk to the environment and public health.”

Until cleaner energy sources enable the shutting down of Delaware’s coal-burning power plants, the state’s largest polluters, DNREC must do more to eliminate and clean-up the continuous power plant discharges of thousands of pounds of harmful chemicals to our air, water and land.

Steve Callanen, Sierra Club, Southern Delaware Group
Ocean View

Markell gets support in election bid
Editor:

For the first time in a long time, I find myself actually excited about the coming elections. There are, finally, bright lights at the end of our nation’s regressive, eight-year, autocratic tunnel. We are likely to have the first African-American president in U.S. history, and Delaware has a candidate for governor that brings hope and forward-thinking rationality to our state: Jack Markell.

Given the national financial crisis, it is miraculous that we have a gubernatorial candidate that has the experience of three highly-regarded terms as Delaware’s treasurer and has also achieved real business success in the private sector.

Even better, Jack truly wants to use that understanding and experience for us, the people. A man with a proven understanding of money - that is beyond seeing it as simply a way of keeping score in a personal game of greed and “getting more,” and that wants to use his financial gifts as a tool for improving the public wellbeing - is a powerful, positive force for our future.

After reading his published positions and speaking with him at events, I believe Jack Markell is the positive force we need now - for Delaware’s future. I’m voting Markell for governor.

Jim Dickinson
Georgetown

Hocker’s HOPE Team thanks supporters
Editor:

Hocker’s 2008 HOPE (Hocker Organized Proud Employees) Memory Walk Team for Alzheimer’s is proud to announce that they raised $10,037 toward this year’s Walk, held on Sept. 27 in Rehoboth Beach. This would not have been possible without the combined efforts of the employees and local businesses, as well as our loyal customers who contributed to this amazing donation to the Alzheimer’s Association.

We would like to thank the contributing business community who gave our team gift certificates to add to our raffle basket or to use as team incentives. Those businesses included: Baja Beach House Grill, Bootsie’s BBQ, Casapulla’s Restaurant, Chalkboard restaurant, Cottage Café restaurant, Cut Above Hair Gallery, DiFebo’s restaurant, Fat Tuna restaurant, G&E/Hocker’s Super Center, Karimali for Hair, Ladies Workout Express, Longaberger Baskets by Robin Hinder, Melaleuca by Geoff & April Williams, Millsboro Auto Supply, Nicola Pizza, Silver Stockpile Jewelry, Tom & Terry’s Seafood, & Victoria’s Restaurant. (The lucky winner of our raffle basket was Mrs. Nancy Fritz of Georgetown, Del.!)

We also would like to thank Gerald and Emily Hocker for allowing our team to participate in this year’s event. This is just another example of the Hocker family giving back to their community.

We surpassed our original goal (last year we raised over $6,000) and are pleased to donate towards the fight to find a cure for Alzheimers. Again, we thank all who contributed to make this possible!

Kim Blake, Ruth Ann Marvel
HOPE Team Co-Captains

Kreger more than satisfied with Hocker
Editor:

As a Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) employee living in Delaware, I would like to publicly thank Rep. Gerald Hocker for his efforts on behalf of CSRS retirees. And I’m sure fellow CSRS retirees in Delaware would like me to express their gratitude to Mr. Hocker also.

From his first term, he has introduced and pressed for passage of a bill to provide federal retirees with a tax exclusion similar to that given to all Social Security and Railroad Retirement Act retirees. These employees paid into their respective mandatory retirement systems and pay no State of Delaware income tax on their federal government pensions. CSRS employees also paid into a mandatory retirement system, yet their pensions are taxed by State of Delaware.

When Rep. Hocker was presented with this situation, he immediately saw it as a matter of fairness and equity, and subsequently introduced legislation to correct this inequity. Having visited Legislative Hall with Mr. Hocker to pursue this issue on one occasion and having accompanied a fellow CSRS retiree on another, I understand the intricacy and time-consuming aspects of this process.

So, on behalf of the 7,000-plus federal retirees living in Delaware, original Delawareans and latecomers alike, I thank you, Rep. Hocker, for your continued tenacity and resolve in pursuing this important issue to its success.

Best wishes for success in your continuing efforts on behalf of the concerns of your immediate constituency and those concerns of other residents of the State of Delaware as well.

Harry Kreger
Ocean View

Expecting different solutions from agency
Editor:

According to Moore’s law, we can continue to make memory devices smaller and faster, we can send controllable robots to the moon and plan tactics for diverting comets from hitting the earth, but apparently what we cannot do is control traffic through nine lights on Route 1 through Rehoboth.

Every time I go through that area at the recommended speed limits, I find that, on average, I am stopped by five out of nine of the lights on the highway. Why, I wonder, would any government worth its salt think that it’s better, healthier and contributes to traffic solutions to stop and start cars over and over again – especially when we know it leads to increased pollution in the air and blockages north and south on a highway that was just recently “rebuilt,” if that’s the apt word.

Frankly, I see it as another boondoggle with DOT solving nothing but adding to the problems. Why didn’t they reorganize the fourth lane north and south not to accommodate buses and bikes but to handle the volume of north/south traffic? It seems that the lanes could have been designed for the real purpose; not to further impede traffic that is already moving at a snail’s pace. Was that to convince drivers that Delaware is locked in amber and does not have the capacity for change?

Clearly, a comedy of bad planning and “groupthink”; but not a real solution.

We can only hope that their successors may fare better, but it doesn’t look like the Brainiacs are concentrating on the problem, at least from where I sit.

Nevertheless, at the very least, with how many institutions of learning in the state and how many PhD’s and master’s degrees floating around, one would tend to think that we pool sufficient mental acuity to at the very least coordinate the lights to make the traffic flow smoother.

I have witnessed this condition now for eight years and it never seems to get resolved despite all of the talk, all of the gravitas that seems to be directed at the problem that, in reality, doesn’t really want to deal with the issue, itself.

They say it’s madness to do the same things over and over again and expect a different outcome; yet, here we are being constantly amazed that nothing has changed.

Perhaps the new crew going to be installed in Dover this election will find a way through the maze; but I am not encouraged.

Les Aaron-Friedlieb
Lewes

Markell gets support for economic plan
Editor:

Jack Markell recently released his economic development plan for Delaware. This aggressive, yet realistic, plan shows that Jack understands Delaware’s strengths and weaknesses.

Jack has clearly conducted extensive research and knows that creating a climate that encourages the creation of venture capital to attract and develop small businesses will help our state’s economic growth and stability. Other states have implemented innovative programs that could serve as a model for Delaware. Jack would replicate those programs here in Delaware to create jobs and grow our economy.

Jack also understands that economic growth can and should happen throughout the state – in both urban and rural areas. Again, building on the successful programs of other states, Jack would bring unique yet practical ideas to Delaware to stimulate our economy in all parts of the state.

Jack Markell has the right economic plan for Delaware, and that’s why I support Jack Markell for governor.

Daniel Meloy
Rehoboth Beach

Markell’s vision will lead the way for state
Editor:

I’ve heard Bill Lee complain several times about Jack Markell’s expensive policy ideas while touting his own plan to halt all spending and cut any program seeking additional funds.

I agree that our budget is facing incredible challenges, but I commend Jack Markell for creating dual plans to cut wasteful spending and increase our focus in areas that will benefit all Delawareans and yield high returns for each dollar spent.

We cannot skimp on education and training a workforce prepared to succeed in 21st century jobs and we cannot ignore the investments that need to be made as we prepare for energy independence.

Jack has a great forward-thinking vision for our state and is able to see our current economic problems as an opportunity to focus on the important issues that will turn our state around. I have confidence in Jack’s leadership because he understands the importance of investing in our state’s future while running his administration with fiscal responsibility.

Bill Shea
Greenville

Markell has all the tools to lead Delaware
Editor:

The ability to create a “vision” for a better economy in our state is a talent rarely seen in Delaware politics, yet one that Jack Markell has superbly mastered. Jack has delineated a detailed roadmap for sustainable economic growth in Delaware, with strong emphasis on venture capital formation, job creation, entrepreneurial culture development and general corporate expansion.

In today’s uncertain financial times, the only managerial talent more important than sophisticated conceptual reasoning is the experiential ability to adapt a strong plan to a changing environment, thereby insuring proper implementation and successful outcomes.

Significant left-brain, right-brain thinking, all in one head – the hallmark of an exceptional CEO! That’s the profile we need for Delaware’s chief executive. That’s the bundle of talents we will enjoy under Gov. Jack Markell.

Bob Slavin
Lewes