Cape Henlopen School District’s referendum will be held on June 12th, the day after school ends. You can click on the images below to get the full sized versions.

Here’s what the referendum is going to look like:

And this is the District’s Fact Sheet on the referendum:

If you’re interested in learning more about the referendum, the next meeting to discuss it will be Tuesday, May 27th, at 6:30 p.m. at Shields Elementary School.

More to come…

Every December media outlets recap their favorite and/or biggest stories for the year. In that same tradition, I’ve decided to put up some of my favorite blog pictures of the year and 10 posts I’ve made that I feel changed the course of world history and, of course, saved all of humanity.

My Favorite Pictures of 2007

A beautiful day at Tower Road.

A Civil War Reenactment during Milton’s 200th Anniversary.

Governor Ruth Ann Minner running away from me and out of the Georgia House in Millsboro the night of the 41st District special election.

Even after his resignation from the State House for ethics issues, John Atkins’ supporters launched a failed write in campaign to send him back to Dover. His campaign signs cropped up all over the 41st.

The table where Laura Bush ate breakfast at the Royal Treat on Wilmington Avenue in Rehoboth Beach.

The Cohen brothers, they found the ill fated Rissos dolphin washed up at Tower Road.

The Rissos dolphin dying on the beach at Tower Road.

The SINKING South Side approach of the “new” Indian River Inlet bridge and the road it tried to pull down with it.

John Andretti, I met him. How cool.

The “Dic Dang” sandwich at the Corner Market Bistro in Milton.

Lighting the balloons up like lanterns during Milton’s 200th Anniversary celebration.

Joe Biden talking about Iraq at Browseabout Books on Rehoboth Avenue.

Jared Morris and Dan Gaffney having fun at the Best of Delaware celebration in Dover. (And yes, Dan always has that light shining above him, it’s the most amazing thing…).

The French invade Rehoboth Beach.

Disheveled Barbies from Washington DC spotted loitering on Columbia Avenue after their Dream House furniture was recalled.

Dr Wray and Stell Parker Selby changing seats at the Cape Henlopen School Board meeting in December after Wray resigned the Presidency.

My Favorite Posts of 2007

# Ten: Your Sussex County Council

# Neuf: The French visit Rehoboth

# Eight: The Atkins Scandal

# Seven: The Indian River Inlet Bridge

# Six: Biden at Browseabout Books

# Five: European Football

# Four: Laura Bush visits Rehoboth Beach

# Three: My interview with John Andretti

# Two: Toy Recalls

# One: The Global Warming

A view of historic downtown Milton.

Once again the town of Milton has proved itself the place to be for history, art, music and even a little rum punch.

The Milton Historical Society had it’s second annual Auction and Garden Party on Saturday where you could bid on everything from rides in vintage airplanes to rare books and antiques. The best part was that it was outside on a perfectly clear and cool night, you couldn’t have asked for more…but there was….

Surfers at the Indian River Inlet were the subject of this oil painting by Karen Snoots.

At the Federal Street Gallery it was “A Celebration of the Ocean” featuring oil paintings by Karen Snoots and photography from local Sussex Countians Jim Mott and Gary Cooke, all with portions of the proceeds benefitting local non profit organizations.

You can LISTEN to Mark Carter, Chairperson of the Delaware Surfrider Foundation, one of the evening’s beneficiaries, talk about what Surfrider does in Delaware and nationally, HERE. You can listen to Mark talk about the art show in Milton that runs through September 30th HERE. And HERE Mark talks about what’s coming up for Surfrider the weekend of the 22nd.

And you can LISTEN to Karen Snoots discuss her art and what inspires her HERE.

As for the rum punch…I liked that, too….

That’s US Senator from Delaware and 2008 Presidential hopeful, Joe Biden, at Browseabout Books

Yes, it’s true. My favorite currently serving US Senator from the State of Delaware, Joe Biden, was at Browseabout Books on Rehoboth Avenue today, signing copies of his new book, “Promises to Keep.” And there was quite a crowd for a Sunday morning, I stood in line for about an hour with my books. Biden was scheduled to be there from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and ended up signing books for another hour and then giving a press conference.

Senator Biden busy signing books for the large crowd that showed up in Rehoboth this morning.

You can LISTEN to Browseabout Books owner, Steve Crane, talk about the book signing HERE.

Sussex County Councilman Vance Phillips made a quick appearance and he talks about why he stopped in HERE and HERE.

Jill Biden, the wife of Senator Joe Biden, was at Browseabout this morning, talking to people in the crowd and answering questions. Mrs. Biden talks about what it’s like on the campaign trail HERE.

Terri and Richard Clifton, parents of Chad Clifton who was killed in Iraq, speak with Senator Biden after the press conference.

Terri Clifton, whose son, Chad, was killed in Iraq, talks about her son and how Senator Biden was at the Dover Air Force Base, with her and her husband, when her son finally came home. You can LISTEN to Terri Clifton HERE. In that clip, Mrs. Clifton makes an interesting comment about her son’s journal that never made it home.

I was the only one at the press conference to ask a question about Iraq. I figured, how many times will I get the chance to actually ask Senator Biden an upfront question, so I went for the big one. I asked about his 3 part plan for Iraq and how it jives with the Iraq Study Group Report. I often cite page 39 of the report, which strongly advises against dividing Iraq into 3 regions. (I was a little nervous but managed to kind of get the whole question out). You can LISTEN to my question and his answer HERE.

Senator Biden stands up to answer my question about his plan for Iraq. In his hands is the book, “A Random Soldier,” written by Terri Clifton. It contains the writings of her son, Lance Cpl. Chad Clifton, a Marine who was killed in action in Ar Ramadi, Iraq in 2005.

Now, in his answer to my question, Senator Biden says “I think it was recommendation 77 or 78 of the plan, they said that it is not our preferred choice but it may end up being our only choice, even the Iraq Study Group said that in the original plan.” So I looked up both recommendations and here they are:

RECOMMENDATION 77: The Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense should devote significantly greater analytic resources to the task of understanding the threats and sources of violence in Iraq.

RECOMMENDATION 78: The Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense should also institute immediate changes in the collection of data about violence and the sources of violence in Iraq to provide a more accurate picture of events on the ground.

That didn’t really talk about his plan to divide Iraq into 3 parts, so I re-read all of the recommendations and I can’t seem to find the one he’s talking about, though he does talk about the “original plan” which may be different than the one in print. On Monday I will call his office for a clarification.

You can LISTEN to the entire press conference, posted in 2 parts because it was long. Part one is HERE. And part two is HERE.

Incidentally, this is what Senator Biden wrote in my book, “To Maria - Thank you for asking - Joe Biden” It’s like he knew what I was going to ask.

You’re welcome, Senator.

UPDATE: Can you guess what US Senator from the State of Delaware who’s running for President was seated at the table next to me at Fish On in Lewes tonight?

I met Charles Brandt a few years ago in Rehoboth Beach at a signing for his book, “I Heard You Paint Houses,” the story of the “last ride” of Jimmy Hoffa as told by Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran, the man who took Hoffa on that “ride.” I went to the signing on a lark, and ended up asking him a myriad of questions about people and places that were familiar to me and surprisingly in his book.

So when he came back to Rehoboth this month to promote his new book, “Unfinished Business,” written with Joe Pistone (AKA Donnie Brasco), I asked him about his “Houses” book tour, and the people he met along the way with questions and stories. Enough people, interestingly enough, to warrant an epilogue to the book. If you have the hardback already, you can download the Epilogue here for free, or you can just buy the paperback and it’s already in there.

“At every signing there have been people coming up to me with stories.” -Charles Brandt

Mr. Brandt told me the story of a man who solved the mystery of the missing airstrip in Baltimore, an airstrip that was now a Gap store. And the former union driver who came in to get an autographed copy of his book for James P. Hoffa, Jimmy’s son. And the man from Palm Springs who received a call from Josephine Hoffa wondering if he knew the whereabouts of her missing husband.

Mr. Brandt was also approached by law enforcement officials who dealt with the case. Like the Department of Labor prosecutor that turned Frank Fitzsimmons into an informant.

One of my favorite stories was the man whose father bugged Sam Giancana’s house for Sam Giancana. Apparently Giancana was a paranoid man living on the lamb in Mexico and he bugged his own home to see what the other mob bosses were saying about him when they visited. Giancana ended up getting wacked 3 days before his Church Committee testimony.

The most intriguing story Charles Brandt told me, though, wasn’t generated through a book signing, it came from good old fashioned reporting. Eric Shawn, a reporter from FOX News, followed a lead on a woman who witnessed the hit on “Crazy” Joey Gallo. The woman was an editor for the New York Times and was one of many witnesses who left the scene without ever being questioned. She identified Frank Sheeran as the “lone gunman,” which contradicted the news stories that there were 3 gunmen. The police, however, confirmed the “lone gunman” story. Also confirmed was one interesting guest sitting at “Crazy” Joey Gallo’s table, Jerry Orbach of Law and Order fame. He refused to cooperate with the investigation. I wonder what Detective Lennie Briscoe would have to say about that?