Home Care In Newark, DE

Newark residents head to the polls on January 9 to select a new mayor.The special election was scheduled after Stu Markham announced in September. Four candidates are running with the winner set to complete the remainder of Markham’s term, which ends in April 2025.Delaware Public Media’s Rachel Sawicki sat down this week with three of the candidates – Jerry Clifton, Michael O’Neal, and Demitri Theodoropoulos – to discuss their plans for Newark if elected.Note: Delaware Public Media requested an interview with candidate James Carley, but he declined.

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Jerry Clifton is looking for another stint as mayor after holding the office from 2019 to 2022. Before that, he served 10 terms on City Council.

Interview with Newark mayoral candidate Jerry Clifton

Michael O’Neal is a University of Delaware Earth Sciences professor and faculty union official.

Interview with Newark Mayoral candidate Micheal O'Neal

Demitri Theodoropoulos is the owner of Wonderland Records. He previously ran for U.S. Senate in Delaware as the Green Party’s candidate in 2018.

Interview with Newark Mayoral candidate Demitri Theodoropoulos

Four candidates are running for Mayor of Newark in a special election Tuesday.

One of them is former Mayor Jerry Clifton, who says whoever assumes the seat needs to have experience.

“It’s no time for on-the-job training," Clifton says. "It’s a matter that whoever steps in has got to hit the ground running and take off on day one to understand the issues and start moving forward with a lot of the issues at hand.”

Clifton says he originally didn’t run for reelection in 2022 because, after 22 years in city government, he wanted to pass the torch. But former Mayor Stu Markham’s resignation was “disappointing,” he says, and he wouldn’t toss out the idea of running for another full term in 2025.

Clifton says the city’s biggest issue right now is a lack of revenue streams. He says he would consider revisiting the lodging tax passed a few years ago, and increasing fines.

Last week, University of Delaware professor and climate scientist Michael O’Neal and Wonderland Records owner and one-time Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate Demetri Theodoropoulos participated in a League of Women Voters forum, answering resident concerns about UD, development, and sustainability.

O’Neal says as an officer in the faculty union, he thinks he can be a good negotiator between the city and the university.

“To me, Newark is nothing without the University of Delaware, and the University of Delaware is absolutely nothing without Newark," O'Neal says. "So, finding pathways that make sure that both groups of administrators are thinking about the best, combined interests is one of my primary goals.”

Theodoropoulos says he’s a businessman looking to save money, emphasizing they need to find a revenue stream to save Aetna Fire Company.

“The U of D puts their energy bill on a credit card," Theodoropoulos explains. "If we can talk them out of doing that, or figuring out a better way for them to do that, we could save like $400,000 a year. And I think if we took all that money and put it towards Aetna, I think we’d be okay with the fire company.”

The fourth candidate is last-minute filer James Carley, who declined an interview with Delaware Public Media.

Polls are open on Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The winner will serve the remainder of Markham’s term, which ends in April 2025.

Cameron Goodnight

When Myra Dorley moved to Delaware in 2014, she never intended to open a restaurant. She just couldn't find any West African eateries that suited her taste.

“I love good food and every time I wanted to eat, I had to go to Philadelphia or just a nearby state to get African food,” Dorley said.” I had to do something about it.”

Dorley, who grew up in Liberia, joined forces with her partner, Douglas Jones, to bring a new African restaurant to Delaware. The couple’s vision turned into Catch45, the Newark area’s offering of West African cuisine.

The restaurant, a 45-seat venue located at 1020 Capitol Trail, opened its doors on Sept. 17. The menu features home-cooked recipes from Liberia, such as jollof rice, fried rice, attieke and goat soup. It also integrates American foods like hoagies and cheesesteak sandwiches.

Catch45 joins a sparse number of restaurants in the Newark area specializing in African cuisines. Others include TASTEE Ds African Restaurant and Suya House African Grill.

Putting the restaurant together was a slow process, Dorley said, but the duo made a great team. The couple started discussing the restaurant in 2021.

“We were looking for a spot that was going to be in the middle of everything, convenient and not hidden somewhere,” Dorley said on why the couple chose their restaurant’s location.

Prior to Catch45’s launch, Dorley was a fashion designer. She used her creative eye to develop the restaurant’s design, which features a chic interior with a soft color scheme. The new spot, described as a traditional sit-down, is open six days a week for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

In addition to the food offerings, Jones said Catch45 will bring a different "vibe" than other African restaurants in the area.

"Alongside a home-cooked meal, the environment is going to be cozy, relaxed, great customer service and consistency with both our menu and flavors. ... If there is a change, it will be announced," Jones said.

Jones added that Catch45 will offer occasional live entertainment, such as DJ sets and karaoke on the weekends.

"During the week, everyone can expect to hear good Afrobeats, eat good food and just relax and release that stress," Jones said.

For more information about Catch45, visit, www.catch45.com.

Contact reporter Cameron Goodnight at [email protected] or by calling or texting 302-324-2208. Follow him on Twitter at @CamGoodnight.

In a record-setting project for Delaware, White Clay Creek State Park near Newark will be expanded by 275 acres with grants and state funding.

The plan was announced Monday morning, Jan. 8, in a press release by Gov. John Carney, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Delaware Open Space Council.

“It represents the largest investment and private partner contributions to a DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation project in the Open Space Program’s history,” said Carney. “And it honors the oath that elected officials take to ‘respect the right of future generations to share the rich historic and natural heritage of Delaware.’”

The $26 million project included:

This is the first time Acres for America has funded a project in Delaware. The grant was one of only 10 awarded nationwide in 2023 in the competitive program.

The land is being added to White Clay Creek State Park in three phases and includes the last major privately-owned land surrounded by park property.

About 90 acres was bought in September. The second parcel, about 97 acres, is scheduled to be added early this year, and the last property, about 88 acres, is scheduled to be acquired later this year.

The park, nearly 3,650 acres, is north of Newark near both Maryland and Pennsylvania, and is connected to the White Clay Creek Preserve which stretches into Pennsylvania.

Over 45,000 acres in Delaware preserved by Open Space Program

With this 275-acre addition, DNREC has acquired more than 45,000 acres through the Open Space Program with combined state, federal and partner funds.

Delaware’s 2023 budget included $20 million in funding for the Open Space Program, enabling the purchase of the new land for White Clay Creek State Park.

Created in 1990 by the Delaware Land Protection Act and guided by the Delaware Open Space Council, the program is shared between DNREC’s divisions of Parks and Recreation and Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Agriculture’s Delaware Forest Service and the Department of State’s Historical and Cultural Affairs.

“As our state’s population continues to grow, we have to make sure that we have first-class recreational opportunities for our residents to enjoy, as well as our visitors,” said Carney.

More nature news:Delaware is a top state for birdwatching. See tips on seeds, feeders, places to visit

DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin thanked all the partners who helped to make this park expansion possible, including Mt. Cuba Center and The Conservation Fund, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through Walmart’s Acres for America program, and the du Pont-Langenegger family.

In a tribute to conservationist William K. du Pont, Sabrina du Pont-Langenegger and her husband Conrad Langenegger gifted a $1.3 million endowment through the Delaware Community Foundation to support Delaware State Parks.

Gavin said the expansion project aligns with the White Clay Creek State Park Master Plan, which emphasizes keeping the park natural and maximizing its 37-mile trail system, a favorite feature among park users.

Representing The Conservation Fund, senior vice president Blaine Phillips said the acquisitions will add much-needed open space in one of the fastest growing areas in our region.

“It is a testament to Delaware’s long tradition of building partnerships to achieve major conservation outcomes,” he said.

More Newark-area news:Take advantage of a quieter Newark with these 11 activities while UD students are at home

Ann C. Rose, Mt. Cuba Center’s president, said native plants, migrating and nesting birds and many other species rely on White Clay Creek’s woodlands, stream valleys and ridges.

“We are pleased our support will protect these habitats, and we thank all conservation partners involved for their collaboration and dedication to this important achievement,” she said.

Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, said the foundation is proud to partner with Walmart’s Acres for America program to “support this important project, where people will have the opportunity to connect with nature and will benefit from increased recreational opportunities.”

Reporter Ben Mace covers real estate and development news. Reach him at [email protected].

Lee G. Anderson

Known to friends, colleagues and family as the Fishguy, Professor Lee Grant Anderson’s heart stopped on November 30, 2023. He was born in Pocatello, Idaho on October 22, 1943, the son of the late Clifford and Blanche (Halverson) Anderson. He spent his formative years in Salt Lake City and later in Seattle, where he went to Ingram High School. After graduation he attended Brigham Young University, where he met Sheila Bobbs. The couple graduated together and were married in the Oakland Temple on August 20, 1966. Lee continued his studies at the University of Washington and earned his PhD in Economics in 1970. He accepted his first teaching position at the University of Miami. Not a fan of humidity, and missing the seasons of the year, in 1974 he accepted a position at the University of Delaware’s newly formed College of Marine Studies (now called the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment).

The couple settled in Newark, Delaware, and soon afterward rejoiced in the birth of their daughter, Bronwyn, in 1975 and their son, Pearce, in 1978. Lee’s first sabbatical was in Bergan, Norway in 1981, where he became reacquainted with his Norwegian relatives; his second was in New Zealand in 1988.

Lee’s research and teaching centered on fisheries economics. He contributed countless scholarly articles to the natural resource economics literature and graduated dozens of master’s and PHD students. Researchers worldwide know Lee’s books, The Economics of Fisheries Management and The Bio- economics of Fisheries Management, for their rigorous yet practical approach to the topic of fisheries economics. Both were translated into dozens of languages. He was named the Maxwell P. and Mildred H. Harrington Professor of Marine Studies in 2008 and became a fellow of the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade in 2014. He was a perennial member of the Mid-Atlantic Fisheries Management Council and advised fisheries commissions and government agencies in countries around the world. He received the Council’s prestigious Award of Excellence in 2023. In 2022, Marine Resource Economics presented him with the Publication of Enduring Significance Award (Vol. 9 No 3. – 1994).

With a friendly demeanor and delightful sense of humor, Lee got along well with colleagues, friends, family, and his dog. In his prime he played tennis, skied, took woodland walks, and fished for Bluefin tuna. He once set a goal of reading a million non-academic pages. Lee enjoyed playing poker and pinochle, eating prime rib and sushi, listening to the Beatles and collecting items for his fish museum. He loved traveling the world---most memorably a safari in Tanzania.

He is predeceased by his sister Margo and his daughter Bronwyn Clare. He will be dearly missed by his wife, Sheila, son Pearce (Nikki), granddaughter Harlan Clare, sister Karen (Ned), brother Allan (Linda), sister-in-law Pamela Bobbs, son-in-law Joe Pipitone, and many nieces and nephews.

Interment will be private. A Celebration of Life will be held on December 15, 2023 at 11:00 AM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 500 W Chestnut Road, Newark, Delaware 19713. Reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a contribution to the Lee G. Anderson Fisheries Economics and Management Fellowship, UD Director of Development, College of EOE, 83 East Main Street, Third Floor, Newark, Delaware 19716. Please visit, www.rtfoard.com to send online condolences.

Shopping malls across the country are seeing stores leave at record pace. And Christiana Mall in Newark is no exception. We’ve learned that two of their upscale home goods stores will be closing their doors for good towards the end of January 2024.

When it comes to good shopping in Delaware, there aren’t many options. We are lucky to have King Of Prussia Mall and all that they have to offer so close to us in the First State, but right here at home, the choices are sparse. I think my favorite place to do some shopping is down in Rehoboth Beach at the Tanger Outlets. You can find some great deals down there.

Back to what’s closing at Christiana Mall in Newark. Williams Sonoma and Pottery Barn are both closing their doors. Sadly, these are the only locations for both stores in the entire state of Delaware. I was there over the holiday season and there are signs in both stores announcing closing sales and all sales as final. What a bummer? These are great stores to visit for home goods and especially when looking for gifts for a wedding or shower or housewarming. Both stores do have locations just over the Pennsylvania line in the Shoppes at Brinton Lake on Baltimore Pike.

Though both stores haven’t announced a final day of operation, rumor has it the stores will close in January 0f 2024. Pottery Barn no longer mentions the Christiana Mall location on their store website.

This makes me sad. I still have the same duvet cover and bedding we bought from Pottery Barn like 4 years ago. I just love their stuff.

13 New Stores & Restaurants Coming Soon To King Of Prussia Mall

As if the King Of Prussia Mall isn’t already packed full of stores, there are 13 more on the list of coming soon.

If you’re not familiar with the King of Prussia Mall, it’s located at 160 North Gulph Rd, King of Prussia, PA 19406. KOP Mall is the largest shopping mall in Pennsylvania and the fifth-largest shopping mall in the United States in terms of gross leasable area. It is an upscale mall with 450 retailers. Wikipedia

I’ve spent plenty of time walking the halls of the KOP Mall. On Black Friday, during the holidays or when I was a teen with no other place to go hang out. I remember when it was two separate buildings, The Court and The Plaza. Now I feel old!

I’m always interested in knowing what new stores and restaurants there are to look forward to. I did a quick search to find out. I’ve got to say, I was shocked to see 13 new places are opening up soon in KOP. With department stores like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and everything in between, what stores are even left?

There are some pretty well-known brand names on the list, so they’ll make a nice addition to the existing line up.

With the announcements of so many stores closing their doors this year, this is a nice change of pace.