New Castle DIGEST: Early Winter 2022
City of New Castle News, Media, Interviews & Events
I. December News Round-Up
New Castilians Offer Neighbors in Need Some Holiday Help
December marked a real Season of Sharing in the City of New Castle, as organizations and residents throughout the city teamed up to provide toys, meals, fun events and much more for children and families in the community, particularly those in need. Some collection drives were almost overwhelmed by support they received this year!
On Dec. 3, the Historic NC Hundred Lions teamed up with the Police Department and GWFC to offer ‘Breakfast with Santa’ at the Fire Hall.
Numerous organizations, including New Castle Little League (NCLL) and the NC Court House Museum, teamed up with the local US Marine Corps Reserve to collect Toys for Tots. Paired with their own day of Santa-led fun at the field, NCLL brought in way more books and toys than could fit in the collection bin!
Donation receptacles for the Food Bank of Delaware at New Castle Public Library were overflowing for much of the month… and are filling up again already, just a week after being collected prior to Christmas!
NCPD once again sponsored several families this year, with the help of a dozen local organizations and individuals. A special meeting with Santa (played by John Behornar of GWFC) provided a chance for a very personal delivery of gifts, resulting in lots of big smiles.
While the holiday drives are over, the needs they addressed sadly remain. People wishing to follow the reformed Scrooge’s exhortation to “keep Christmas all the year” can continue to help their neighbors who may be struggling by supporting some of the organizations below:
Russ Smith’s Full Remarks on His Resignation from City Council
There was sad news this month too, which we will leave to Councilman Russ Smith’s own words from the December meeting.
As some of you know, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last Summer. And since, I’ve been taking chemotherapy, which I don’t recommend to anybody! [Smith got a good laugh at that.]
That has been in preparation for surgery… [in] the first week of January. Then will come recovery, then more chemo, and radiation… Therefore, at this point, I don’t think that I can effectively carry out the duties of a member of council. I will be submitting my resignation, effective Dec. 31.
As I do, and the subject of elections comes, I hope folks will encourage good people to run for council this April. I think we have some very good people that could be effective – maybe it’s you!
It’s been a real honor to serve the city of New Castle, and I hope to continue to serve the city in a volunteer capacity. Thank you.
Several speakers - officials and members of the public - lauded Smith’s years of service to New Castle and wished him well in the battle ahead. We share those sentiments.
With Mr. Smith’s resignation, there will now be three council seats up for election in April 2023, in addition to the mayor’s office.
Shell Fuel Station opens at Basin & Frenchtown Roads
It is once again possible to get gas within the City of New Castle, without being a BJ’s Card holder. After months of construction (which followed months of equipment delays), the new Shell gas station sharing space with Dunkin’ at the corner of Frenchtown and Basin Roads is now operational.
Getting a fuel provider back into that lot was a priority of the Trustees of the New Castle Common, which owns the parcel and contracted with the new franchisee near the beginning of 2022. Supply chain issues caused months to go by before the site could be overhauled with new underground tanks and updated pumps.
Newark Man Dies in Multi-Car Collision in Front of WPHS
A man driving south on Rt. 141 mid-day on December 16 lost his life in a serious collision in front of William Penn High School that shut down Basin Road for over three hours, snarling up traffic in much of the city. Police suspect the man, seatbelt on, was speeding when he crossed the median, striking an SUV.
The vehicle would hit two other cars before coming to a stop. The SUV driver was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries; neither of the other two drivers involved were hurt. Police continue to investigate the specific cause of the fatal crash.
Read more on the front page of the current Weekly, or from WDEL.
Trustees Address Park Questions, Bellanca Future… and Receive an Antique Tome from the Old Library
The Trustees of the New Castle Common (TNCC) discussed multiple issues around Battery Park at their December meeting, which was open to the public…
Board president Pete Toner noted that previous mention of returning the operation of the park to the city was “one Trustee’s opinion.”
The main issue Mr. Alfree (said “one Trustee”) and others on the Board want to address is the issuance of permits, which several feel should be a city function, given the Trustees’ lack of direct enforcement power. Tina Masiello emphasized the amount of time and redundant work this creates for TNCC staff.
The recently-shuttered basketball court will be completely refurbished once the work can be contracted. The court will be “full-sized” and “up to the standards of the tennis courts” nearby.
TNCC will hold off consideration of new pathways, given the Playground Subcommittee has already secured funding for one connecting the playground to parking. Mr. Toner made clear his opposition to anything that puts “new blacktop over existing grass.”
The Trust’s responsibilities when the new playground equipment is installed will include simply adding mulch to the level specified by the design plans.
The Park Committee, which includes citizens, is currently being reconstituted.
Another long-term maintenance issue returned this month: the Bellanca Airfield and Museum. A maintenance fund that the Friends of Bellanca agreed to set up when the Trustees leased them the property rent-free was never established, leaving TNCC to foot the bill for numerous repairs over the years. And several big repairs are needed again, foremost among them a drainage issue that could cost tens of thousands of dollars to correct.
The Trustees are working with the Friends of Bellanca to gauge where things stand, what the group can realistically commit to, what the Trustees can or should commit to, and where to go from here.
Among the members of the public speaking at this month’s meeting was Chris Burke, who discovered a very unique book in the Old Library over five years ago while working on a project there. By that time, he said, “the books had been shipped off, some to the local library, the most important ones to Dover… But they seemed to have missed one!”
After holding onto it for several years, Burke presented The Vindication of Mr. Randolph’s Resignation, a 1795 collection of political writings that had once belonged to the Trustees and bore numerous signatures, including that of Nicholas Van Dyke.
“I always thought this building was gonna fall down,” he said. “Now it’s absolutely beautiful and a great place to keep it. And I don’t want it, so I’m giving it to the President now.”
II. ICYMI: December Media Highlights
“In case you missed it,” December was BUSY in the City of New Castle!
At the very beginning of December, Arasapha Garden Club’s Wreath Workshop adorned historic buildings throughout downtown with wonderful wreaths. We loved seeing the beautiful, regular scroll of the festive creations from this year’s workshop on Arasapha’s social media!
Lots of people braved terrible weather to support Community Collaboration of DE’s Holiday Hoopla 5K… check out their great photos and give CCD a follow!
This year’s Spirit of Christmas brought well over a thousand people out for a chilly but beautiful Saturday on December 10, in the event’s first year fully back from Covid. There were private home tours, wonderful performers, carolers and regular revelers in gorgeous period costumes, and much more! Check out some of our favorite pics from the day below, or many more in our album here.
Our Facebook coverage of the Planning Commission’s recent discussions around a report on the Lukens Drive project proposal by city planner Chris Rodgers engendered a torrent of comments from citizens around the issue of development. See the posts, here and here.
Of course, there was this post about the beautiful cabbages down at the Wharf…
And finally, we always love scrolling the latest from the Hermitage Natural Area, where project manager Jim Sidlowski’s great photos on Facebook and Insta have given breathtaking glimpses into the changing of the seasons throughout the month… check out their socials to beautify your own feeds!
And more… Way too much to recap it all here. Follow @CityTopicsNCDE on Facebook and/or Insta in order to never miss a thing!
III. A New Year’s Reflection from the Mayor
As 2022 wraps up, New Castle Mayor Michael Quaranta reflects upon the Turning of the Wheel and the beginning of another year in our little city…
As we look forward to 2023, let me wish all of you, your families and friends, good health as we begin a new year. Our rich past is filled with a culture and history that is the envy of other American communities. We honor our founders and the families that immigrated here decades later to make a new life for generations to come.
The pace of our work never slows as we continue to provide high quality police, fire and public services to our residents and commercial businesses, and make investments in the repair or replacement of critical infrastructure. We are also intent upon fulfilling the goals of our comprehensive plan and making strategic and deliberative progress.
The future is bright for our community, and I look forward to serving you as the year unfolds.
Thanks to Mayor Mike for sharing his thoughts. Best wishes for a Happy New Year to him and everyone who has stepped up to serve in local public offices, including the full-time city staff and public workers who keep everything running… and to all New Castilians. 🥂
IV. Of Development and Dog-Whistles (Editorial)
It’s a Tough Economy; the Unhoused need Empathy, not Stereotypes
With 20-degree average temperatures setting in and messages everywhere about generosity of spirit and the brotherhood of man, it was especially jarring this month to come across some decidedly uncharitable sentiments about people in our communities struggling with housing insecurity. Recent posts about potential new developments in the city prompted mostly productive discussion, while a minority felt a need to wring their hands about the “type of element” that might move in, with a few name-checking ‘Section 8’ specifically.
As it happens, I am quite familiar with the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program (formerly called Section 8). I am a member of the DE chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO). And I have served as a HUD-qualified housing inspector. I, personally, have been the guy who regularly ‘has to go in’ to the homes of voucher holders who are frequently characterized as uniformly bad, negligent or even dangerous.
And this view of low-income renters is not just cynical, but factually wrong.
The vast majority of homes that I inspect are well kept, usually passing routine (annual) inspections on the first attempt. Contrary to the ‘just don’t care’ narrative, if anything, many voucher holders assiduously keep their homes in excellent condition, for fear of losing them. And where low-income properties do cause issues, the problems often belong at the feet of derelict landlords, not renters. Most program participants are elderly, disabled, or working single parents whose jobs (or fixed incomes) simply do not pay enough to provide a home in a market where the median rent is now higher than 90% of other US markets.
Delaware is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. Let’s do numbers… The median monthly rental cost for 2-bedroom unit sits at around $1525, but that already-high figure mostly includes ongoing leases. More tellingly, new leases begun this year frequently exceeded $1700/month. Meanwhile, next year’s increased state minimum wage will provide someone working four, 40-hour weeks with a monthly income of $1880 before taxes.
Good luck squeezing every other one of life’s expenses into the remainder! A few more quick numbers that illustrate the point rather starkly…
DE Median (not minimum) Income: 34,513
Annualized 2-bedroom median rent: 18,300
Median Rent as % of Median Income: 53%
HUD Recommended Rent:Income Ratio: 30%
Yes… Delaware’s median-income resident may qualify for housing subsidies - that is how severe the shortage of affordable housing in this state is. This crisis of affordability has caused steep increases in homelessness over the past several years, which New Castle County tried to address by creating the HOPE Center, right up the road from us (a frequent recipient of donations from the NC Hundred Lions Club).
Let’s not even get started on how tough it is to buy a home right now (a problem which is pushing more people into the rental market).
The point is: “the rent is too damn high” - for almost everyone. Yawning inequality has made it so that the ‘type of person’ who qualifies for public assistance is a majority of our neighbors and fellow citizens.
“Those people” … are us.
So let’s absolutely be critical of newly-proposed developments and how they might or might not fit into the life of New Castle. Wealthy developers absolutely deserve close scrutiny of their plans and intentions. After all, they are mainly trying to make money, while we all have to live here with whatever they leave behind.
But let’s not deride our less-fortunate fellow citizens, nor rely on lazy and cynical stereotypes to stoke fears about something so banal as property values. Let’s not ‘otherize’ people just wanting a better home for their families. There are lots of valid reasons to be suspicious of - or even to generally oppose - new development. But in a decent society, “someone poorer or different than me might move in” is just not one of them.
If anything, I would hope that the immense compassion and generosity shown by New Castilians this month (see first story above) would translate to people asking of these new proposals: “will there be enough truly affordable units for working people and young families who are struggling?”
V. Community Event Calendar
DECEMBER:
12/31-New Year’s Eve Service,6:30pm at Buttonwood UMC Church.Featuring special musical guest Rasheem Shambry.12/31 - New Year’s Eve Partiesfeaturing special drinks and menus at:Booth House Tavern(closes at 1am!)Jessop’s Colonial Tavern(kitchen closes at 10pm, bar at 11)Zollie’s Jazz Cucina(closes at 10pm, last seating 8:30 - almost booked!)Porto-Fino Pizza & Restaurant(closes at 11pm)
JANUARY:
1/1 - New Year’s Jazz Brunch, 11am to 2pm at Zollie’s.
Brunch is from 11am to 2pm. Live Jazz is from 12pm to 2pm.1/3 - Trustee Meeting, 7pm at Penn Farm House (not open to public).
1/6 - LIT for the Holidays final evening at Read House, 6:30pm.
Explore special art installations and holiday charm in the beautifully-bedecked 18th century mansion-turned-museum.
1/8 - Choral Evensong Service & Reception, 4pm at IEC on the Green.
1/10 - New Castle City Council Meeting, 7pm at the Senior Center.
1/13 - ‘Friday Flicks:’ Tár, 1pm at New Castle Public Library.
Screening of the 2022 musical drama starring Cate Blanchett and directed by Todd Fields.
1/18 - ‘Mobile Museum:’ Animal Adaptations, 4:30pm at the Library.
The DE Museum of Natural Science will visit with a special program about adaptation for kids 6-12, featuring live animals and amazing specimens! (Younger and older siblings welcome - registration required.)1/19 - Preparing Your Garden for Spring, 6:30pm at the Library.
Master Gardener Rebecca Rendeiro “guides attendees through the months of January to April, reviewing the important tasks each month requires to ensure a healthy, green garden once Spring arrives.” Online event with concurrent screening in the community room. Sponsored by Arasapha Garden Club. (Registration Required)1/23 - NC Planning Commission Meeting, 6:30pm at 1 Municipal Drive (NCPD).
1/27 - ‘Well-Seasoned Heirlooms:’ Chinese New Year, 12pm on Zoom.
“This January… we are toasting the New Year through our own Delaware connection with the Chinese New Year. We are also chronicling the history of The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 throughout our community.” Presented by the NC Court House Museum.1/27 - ‘Friday Flicks:’ The Banshees of Inisherin, 1pm at the Library.
Screening of the 2022 comedic drama starring Colin Farrell and Brendon Gleeson.
On-Going Events
Regular Historic Tours at:
New Castle Court House Museum (Weds-Sunday)
Read House & Gardens (Thurs-Sunday)
Historic New Castle Designer Show House remains open in the Van Dyke House at 400 Delaware to raise funds for the Sunday Breakfast Mission (check for hours).
Second Tuesday Mix & Mingle at Zollie’s Jazz Cucina, 4 to 7pm.
Meet neighbors to enjoy beer, wine and spirit tastings and a Tapas-style food buffet.Fourth Friday Art Loop at participating shops and galleries around downtown, including the Opera House, Mo’zArt Gallery, Cobblestone Antiques, Landmark Antiques, and more!
Remember, you can always check our Facebook Events Tab for an up-to-date ‘master calendar’ of what’s going on in town (that’s listed on that site, anyway)…
OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW…
MAY YOU BE HAPPY THE WHOLE YEAR THROUGH!
Thanks for reading - please share if you find the Digest useful. Have a great month!