•••• ................. .. Newspaper Since 1910 .:• 98th Year, 42nd Issue ©2007 November 9, 2007 Newark, Del. , Up FRONT 'This is huge' A tradition Christina District Past uses referendum approved by don't predict starts' at, a large margi'n the future BY MARY E. PETZAK historic spot NEWARK POST STAFF WRITER By MARTY VALANIA h.e 6,786-1,916 vote on Tuesday Newark residents 'plan Tnight was more than approval of a NEWARK POST STAFF WRITER $10.47 million bond issue allow­ Veterans Day ceremony at ing Christina District to finish building et's just say I bought WWJ swear-in site a suburban elementary school and reno­ L a house that I thought vate a new middle school for the city and was in the perfect loca­ send children to schools closest to home tion as far as my job and By CHRISTINE NEFF for the first time in almost 30 years. The ' the local schools were cOn­ overwhelming public approval was a cerned. NEWARK POST STAFF WRITER vindication and investment in a District Previously, the house was very day, along a path near Old administration and a school board that owned by people that were ECollege, Newark residents and thought they had lost all community sup­ dealing drugs. They were University of Delaware students walk port only 18 months ago upon discovery caught and pros­ past a piece of history, many without even , of a $13.9 million budget deficit. ecuted and the noticing, Waiting at Sterck School for the votes house has been This World War I monument is on the to be brought in and tallied, administra­ A slab of blue rock stands there, near University of Delaware campus between sitting unoccu­ Recitation and Elliott Halls, marking the spot tors, poll workers, committee members, pied ever since. Jastak-Burgess Hall and Recitation Hall near teachers and parents milled about hug­ where New Castle County men were sworn Old College. Now, I'm not into the U,S. Army during the First World ging, raising thumbs, crossing fingers thrilled about the War. A plaque on the boulder includes the and high-fiving each other. Some did house's history, -state seal and reads, "In honor of the men little "happy dances" because they were but, hey, it's a of rural New Castle County who entered the Episcopal Church, she found that the group so optimistic. perfect spot for '-----'---------' used to present flowers at the monument on Barely seconds after the vote was tal- me, and I'm not Valania military service of their country on this spot during the World War. This tablet is erected a regular basis. See SCHOOLS, 21 going to pass on by the University of Delaware and commu­ She didn't find a record of when the tra­ it just because of that history. nity of Newark." dition stopped. "It just disappeared into the Besides, I have no record of Recently, longtime Newark resident dust," she said. crime of any sort. Victoria Owen stumbled across this boulder. But, after tracking down the marker, she Country Club Should I expect neighbors While reading minutes from past meetings or the police to be against me of a women's organization at St. Thomas's See VETERANS, 18 ~ occupying that house because project will . of what the previous owners did? No way I should be held responsible for what hap­ move ahead pened there before I moved in. Still asking for another If I were the owners of La Tolteca restaurant, that's plan, planners give posi­ exactly what I would've been thinking. But then tive recommendation word came of the Newark Police Department's (along By CHRISTINE NEFF with others) opposition to 'the establishment moving from NEWARK POST STAFF WRITER the Newark Shopping Center . ' he Newark Planning Commission to 60 N. College Avenue. T voted Tuesday to forward the Opposition was based Country Cll,lb Estates project solely on what took place onto city council with a recommenda­ at that address by previous tion for approval, even though mem­ owners. bers of the commission and the com­ La Tolteca is a restaurant munity continue to express a desire with 75 percent of its sales for the developer to come up with a coming from food. It's a res­ different plan for the property. taurant that won't be open The 5-1 vote came after more than past 11 p.m. It's a restaurant PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE NEWARK POST BY TEJK ASSOCIATES an hour of tense discussion between with a strong track record Nadine Slack, left, of the VFW Post 475 Ladies Auxiliary and Victoria Owen have organized the commission and the attorney for of obeying the law when it a Veterans Day ceremony at a monument marking the spot where local soldiers enlisted Aston Development Group. Members comes to alcohol. in World War I. See COUNTRY ClU ,20 See ,13 PAGE 2 • NEWARK' POST . - NOVEMBER 9,2007 737 -0724 • Fax 737-9019 Can we help? POLICE BLOTTER • Police Blotter is compiled each Offices: The paper's offices are weekfrom the files of the Newark located conveniently in Suite 206, Police Department, New Castle Marijuana, cocaine ·found in car; driver wanted Madeline Crossing, 168 Elkton Rd., County Police and the Delaware Newark, DE 19711. Office hours State Polic.e by the newspaper The Newark Police are look- no charges against intent to deliver a schedule n are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. staff. jng for a man they say had about Gardner and he narcottc, trafficking in cocaine Phone: (302) 737-0724 24 pounds of 'marijuana and was free to leave over 100 grams, possession with more than 600 grams of cocaine the area. intent to deliver a schedule I Facsimile: (302) ~37 -9019 Police arrest two men in a car parked in the 700 block Police obtained non-narcotic, possession of a e-mail: [email protected] after break-in of Christina Mill Drive. a search warrant for firearm by a person prohibited, To subscribe: Call 1-800-220-3311 . Police were called to the the Jeep and found maintaining a vehicle and dwell­ To begin a convenient home-deliv­ On Thursday, Nov. 1, around location on Monday, Oct. 29, approximately 24 Gardner ing for keeping controlled suO­ ery subscription, simply call. 7:25 p.m. a resident of the 600 around 9:25 a.m. for an argu­ pounds of marijua- stances and PQssession of drug block of Lehigh Road in the ment. Officers . found Jason na, 610 grams of cocaine, drug . paraphernalia. - place a classified display To or Park Place Apartments heard Gardner, 28, of the 700 block of paraphernalia and a loaded .38 Police do not know Gardner's ad: Call 737-0724 or 1-800-220- noises coming from his living Christina Mill Drive in the park­ caliber revolver in. the vehicle, whereabouts. He has ties to the 3311. room. Investigating the noise, he ing lot. A 2007 Jeep Cherokee said police. state of Georgia, said police: He discovered two unknown men was parked nearby. Police subsequently received is described as a white male, 6' HE STAFF of fhe Newark Post is in the room. The men ran from Based on information an arrest warrant for Gardner. tall, 220 pounds with brown hair Teager to assist readers and adve(­ the apartment when they saw the receiyed from a witness, detec­ The warrant charges him with and brown eyes. tisers. Reporters, writers, editors resident, said police. tives were called to the scene trafficking in marijuana; posses­ Anyone with information , Newark Police officers and salespeople can be contacted ang Seized and 'imp9unded the sion of a weapon while commit­ should contact the Newark responded to the scene and as listed; xehicle. At theJillle, police had tj,ng a felony, possession with Police at 366-7111. obtained a description of the MartJ valalila is the General suspects. Investigation showed Manager of the Newark Post He -sets they came into the apartment policies and manages all departmen" through an unlocked window. House robbed may have had a broken jaw, old Newark woman during an tsin the Newark office.,Call him at A short time later, an officer said police. The·suspects fled the argument about a mutual friend, 737-1t124. - saw, two men that matched the An unknown suspect kicked area before police arrived. One police were told on Saturday, descriptions ofthe suspects walk­ open the rear door of a home victim was taken by ambulance Christine Jeff is the news editor. Nov. 3, at 8:39 a:m. The incident ing on Apple Road near Winslow in the unit block of Falling for treatment. occurred in the 900 block of She leads the day-to-day operation of Road, about three blocks away Tree Court and then stole sev­ Wharton Drive. The victim had the newsroom. Call her at 737-0724. from the burglary scene. The eral items from inside, includ­ Electronics stolen two black eyes and a swollen Mary E. Petzak is a staff suspects were detained and, sub­ ing a home theater system, flat nose, said police. Investigation reporter and speciali~~s in educatiOn sequently, identified by the vic­ screen television, laptop com­ from home will continue. puter, digital camera, silverware coverage. Reach her at 737·0724. tim as the men who had been An unknown suspect entered Various symbols and letters Joe Backet,prepares the sports inside his home. and jewelry, police were told on were spray painted on a public Sunday, Oct. 28, at 1:59 p.m. a home in the 300 block of pages of this newspaper.