With the help of a generous Court of Common Pleas judge and a good attorney, 38 year old former Sussex Central High School principal, Dana Goodman, is free on bail.  Judge Rosemary Beauregard reduced Goodman’s bond from $331,000 to $125,000 dollars, which he was able to post Thursday. 

 He has been ordered to have no contact with the 17 year old victim,  the Indian River School District or its employees and no contact - direct or indirect - with any children under the age of 18.  Goodman is charged with 30 counts of 4th degree rape and continual sexual abuse of a child and endangering the welfare of a child.  All are felony offenses.

On Goodman’s release the school district has this comment:

Statement concerning the posting of bond by Sussex Central High School Principal Dana Goodman: 

“Mr. Goodman continues to be prohibited from having any contact with Indian River School District students or staff while his case is being adjudicated. The Indian River Board of Education has directed administrative staff to advertise the position of principal of Sussex Central High School, identify qualified applicants to be interviewed by the board and conduct background checks on all such applicants consistent with IRSD procedures.”                                               

                                Susan Bunting, SuperintendentMay 9, 2008

Earlier this week the Indian River School District appointed former IR and Woodbridge School District teacher and administrator, Robert Powell, as the interim principal at Sussex Central High School for the remainder of the school year.  Also Assistant IR Superintendent Gary Brittingham has been assigned to the school for the rest of the school year. 

The school district has now announced a special meeting for parents and members of the community regarding Sussex Central High School: 

BOARD OF EDUCATION TO HOST SPECIAL MEETING REGARDING SUSSEX CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

 The Indian River Board of Education will host a special meeting on Monday, May 19 to address the future of Sussex Central High School. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the school’s auditorium. Parents and community members will have the opportunity to comment and ask questions during the meeting. A sign-up sheet will be available prior to the meeting for those who wish to address the Board.  MEDIA INQUIRIES: Susan Bunting, Superintendent, (302) 436-1000

The Indian River Power Plant, Delaware’s worst polluter.

Last week I started getting e-mails from various sources telling me about another public hearing in Millsboro over the issuance of a permit for the Indian River Power Plant, Delaware’s worst polluter. This time, the permit was over a proposed “Activated Carbon Injection” system designed to reduce mercury emissions from the smokestacks.

I thought, “Less mercury? Woo hoo!” But then, I started getting e-mails from various environmental groups that were filled with cautions over the plan. I didn’t get it. But now, unfortunately, I do.

NRG’s plan is to use an “Activated Carbon Injection” system to trap mercury, which is great, and apparently cost effective. What isn’t great is that when the system is saturated, the mercury infused waste will be dumped in the fly ash pile already on the plant’s site. An ash pile that has no barrier between it and the ground, it isn’t covered, and it isn’t equipped to handle toxic waste. So basically the mercury can leech into the ground, or it can simply fly off the top of the uncovered ash pile.

“A new solid waste is going to be generated and where and how this waste is managed is really a significant issue for the public.” ~ John Austin, Citizens for Clean Power AUDIO

(As an aside, it seems that even though studies are showing that fly ash piles are indeed toxic, the EPA is just getting around to thinking about it, meanwhile the piles are not regulated by either the EPA or DNREC, but what the heck, substances like arsenic couldn’t be dangerous, right?)

41st District Representative Greg Hastings, the only legislator who bothered to show up for the hearing.

“From sitting here tonight, it just makes me more aware of the work I need to do.” ~ 41st District Representative Greg Hastings AUDIO

And while an NRG Energy Representative assured the crowd the plant wanted to be a “good neighbor,” years of the facility thwarting regulations has left some, shall we say, “skeptical.”

Three representatives from NRG Energy in Millsboro. I’m showing them sitting down from behind because I’m so nice.

“You did stand here and say you want to be a “good neighbor.” I’m going to look in your face and I’m going to say, “As a physician who deals with cancer patients you be a “good neighbor,” do not fight these people, do not fight us by saying you won’t put it in a lined fly ash pit.” Do you like to sleep at night? Do you?” ~ Dr. Kim Furtado to NRG Representatives at the hearing AUDIO

Michael Fiorentino from the Mid Atlantic Environmental Law Center attended the hearing to ask questions. I think he was hired by one or more of the citizens groups in the area. I spoke with Mr. Fiorentino after the hearing to get his take on the plan:

“Our primary concern here tonight was that in the effort to control one dangerous pollutant we don’t end up squeezing that pollution out in another form.” ~ Michael Fiorentino, Mid Atlantic Environmental Law Center AUDIO

There were a few speakers who surprised me. One was a man named Brooks Freeman from Lewes:

“I’ve only spent 6 months of my entire life away from this area. I’ve never smoked, and I’ve never drank. I am a cancer survivor.” ~ Brooks Freeman AUDIO

The other was a Thomas Sullivan, a Millsboro resident:

“Three years ago my doctor warned me not to eat one fish out of the Indian River.” ~ Thomas Sullivan AUDIO

Now, I’ve got to say that the best part of the evening was when I stood up and tried to ask some questions, and for the record, I was extraordinarily polite. AUDIO But unfortunately, Hearing Officer, Robert Haynes of DNREC told me “No, no, no” and said I could ask DNREC and NRG questions after the hearing was over. I guess they didn’t want me on the record.

Well, Mr. Haynes denying me the right to ask questions really ticked off a woman in the crowd that I never saw before, and who left before I could find out who she was. I want to thank her for standing up for me like that. I found Mr. Haynes response to her unsettling, to say the least. Apparently, I’m not a “member of the public.”

“She’s a member of the press, she’s not a member of the public.” ~ DNREC Hearing Official Robert Haynes, ruling that I’m not a member of the public, and therefore I have no right to ask questions in a DNREC public hearing. AUDIO OF MY RIGHTS BEING DENIED BY A BUREAUCRAT

Now, just to add a little salt to the wound, after the hearing, the three NRG Representatives went squirrelly. One disappeared immediately, and the other two refused to answer my questions. And yeah, I have audio of the NRG people blowing me off. AUDIO OF NRG EMPLOYEES REFUSING TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS

For the record, here are the horrifying questions I was going to ask DNREC and NRG Energy

1. What is the total amount of mercury in pounds or tons put out by the IRPP per year.

2. Are you (NRG) using the cleaner burning coal now? What kind of coal are you currently burning?

3. What percentage of NRG’s electricity is contracted to Delaware energy companies, how much goes to out of state contracts?

4. Is the 80% reduction based on total output or is it for each unit?

5. How often will emissions be tested, by whom, and is NRG responsible for telling DNREC they aren’t in compliance? Who tells DNREC if there is a violation?

6. Tell us about the erosion around the fly ash pit, is the seawall compromised? Why isn’t it lined or covered? Are fly ash pits regulated by the EPA or DNREC?

7. Will NRG be “mothballing” Units 1 & 2 on schedule?

8. What is the public comment time frame?

Yes, all scandalous and out of line. No wonder DNREC Hearing Officer, Robert Haynes shut me down. HERE’S A SCANNED COPY OF MY NOTEBOOK PAGES WITH THE SCARY QUESTIONS.

So, I have been officially ruled “not a member of the public” by DNREC. And here I was walking around like I had the right to ask questions about a state permit for a facility in my backyard and in the backyard of the people in WGMD’s listening area.

Shame on me.

Incidentally, the NRG Representatives told Mr. Haynes that they have to have the permit in three weeks which means no opportunity for the public to digest what went on Wednesday night, and then add their comments to the record for consideration.

You can contact DNREC Hearing Officer Robert Haynes at 302-739-9039 and his email address is Robert.Haynes@state.de.us.

At a special meeting on Tuesday, May 6, the Indian River Board of Education hired Robert Powell to serve as interim principal of Sussex Central High School for the remainder of the 2007-2008 school year. In addition, the board assigned Assistant Superintendent Gary Brittingham to the school for the remainder of the year.
“The Board of Education has put Sussex Central High School in good hands. Mr. Powell and Mr. Brittingham are competent and experienced administrators who will assure that the final six weeks of the school year run smoothly,” Superintendent Susan Bunting said. “We are especially pleased to have Mr. Powell back in our ranks. He is a talented educator who will work extremely hard to keep students and staff focused on instruction as the school year comes to a close.”

Powell spent 26 years as a teacher and administrator in the Indian River School District before retiring from the Woodbridge School District in 2005. He began as a health teacher at Selbyville Middle School in 1975 and received the district’s Teacher of the Year Award in 1980. That same year, he became assistant principal at Sussex Central Middle School and served in that capacity until 1989, when he was named the school’s principal. He was principal of Sussex Middle until 2001 and was named Delaware’s Principal of the Year in 1999. He accepted a principal’s position in the Woodbridge School District in 2001.  

Powell has recently served as a hearing officer for the Indian River School District. He will begin his duties at Sussex Central High School on Thursday, May 8.

SUBTITLE: WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY 

The Indian River School Board meeting in Executive Session tonight.

  

So, let’s just get right to it, the Indian River School Board met tonight in Dagsboro, and, as they warned WGMD News earlier in the day via e-mail… 

Tonight’s special meeting of the Indian River Board of Education was scheduled for the purpose of addressing the state budget crisis and its impact on our district. These discussions will take place in executive session, as will any discussion related to the situation at Sussex Central High School. There will not be a public comment session at this meeting. However, the board will host two public comment sessions at its next regular monthly meeting on May 27. 

…they went right into executive session.

Now, under the cirumstances, (you know, with Dana Goodman, the Sussex Central High School principal sitting in prison for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student), you’d think they would have taken the time to at least speak to the small group of parents who showed up.  

Incidentally, the parents didn’t want to comment on Sussex Central principal Dana Goodman, either. In fact, the only thing the parents had to say was that they were there to, “support our school and our administration,” whatever that means. They could certainly learn a lesson from the parents in the Cape Henlopen School District who take the board to task on a regular basis.

It was pretty obvious from my short interview before the meeting with Board President Charles Bireley that no one wanted to discuss Principal Dana Goodman. AUDIO For the record, he denied that the Board ever received a formal complaint from anyone about Dana Goodman. No letters, no e-mails. Just “rumors.”

Dr. Don Hattier was more forthcoming when I spoke with him on his way in, saying that if the charges against Goodman are true, “he’s gotta go.” AUDIO Holy cow, what an understatement.

Superintendent Susan Bunting said she was advised not to discuss the situation other than it being a “personnel” issue.

Is this the same Indian River School Board that fought a religious lawsuit tooth and nail? I guess maintaining the label “Easter Break” on a vacation was worth the lawsuit, while commenting on a principal who may have been boinking a student just isn’t worth the hassle.

Or maybe the Indian River School Board just cares about things that they think are popular. Apparently religion in schools is popular and protecting students from a possible sexual predator is not.

We’ll see, since they’re supposed to release a statement today.

And while I’m at it, I want to point out this comment from our blog:

It’s about time someone questioned the behaviour of the ‘victim’. 

Yeah, a 17 year old girl. I guess this commenter doesn’t think that adult male human beings have the ability to restrain themselves.

We send our kids to school for like 7 hours a day, and we have to be able to trust the teachers and administrators who come in contact with them. I don’t care if the girl left school at the end of the day to turn tricks, when she walks into Sussex Central High School, she should be out of bounds for any adult.  

Good grief. Did I actually have to take the time out of my day to explain that to some of you? 

As Uncle Ben said in Spiderman “Remember, with great power, comes great responsibility.” We give a “great responsibility” to the schools we send our kids to, and when they fail us this miserably doors shouldn’t be closed to the public.

I went to the Delaware Republican Party’s Convention this weekend at the Baycenter in Dewey Beach and it was quite a treat. I think the best way to give you the feeling of the Convention is with pictures and audio, and maybe a story or two…(if you see someone’s name highlighted, click on it and you’ll get their audio)….

Priscilla Rakestraw (left) and Michele Rollins.I had to put this picture on the top of the page, because it’s my favorite picture from the entire event. It’s Priscilla Rakestraw, the State’s Republican National Committeewoman, and Michele Rollins, who I would love to see run for office someday soon. (I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t see Michele Rollins turning the State’s serious pollution problems into a joke by wading out into the bay and staring at her Keds, and she’d kick butt on healthcare.)


From left to right this is Clerk of the Peace George Parish and his wife Bunny, Charlotte Hastings and her husband, 41st District Representative Greg Hastings.

Friday night I sat with a table of fine Sussex Countians, right in between Judson Bennett and Representative Ben Ewing. The picture above was the good looking side of the table. I kind of noticed that there were a lot of people wearing “Tim Smith” stickers where I was sitting. Tim Smith won the vote in Sussex County over Christine O’Donnell 44-35, but it was the Northern part of the State that gave her the endorsement to run for the Senate against Joe Biden. Pretty interesting considering O’Donnell got the majority of her write-in votes in 2006 from Sussex. O’Donnell needed 60% of the vote and she got 60.7%. Smith said he would stick to his promise to not primary O’Donnell.


41st District Representative Greg Hastings and US Senate Candidate Christine O’Donnell.

The “Draft Bill Lee” movement was successful, with Judge William Lee receiving over 80% of the vote to win the endorsement from the Delaware State Republican Party to run for Governor over Mike Protack. Judge Lee was in Orlando on vacation with members of his family, and was expected to happily accept the honor.


“Brud” Lee, speaking to the Convention after his father was endorsed by the Party to run for Governor.   

“I’m sure he’ll be as honored as I feel, personally, that his ideals and his name is thought of in such high regard by republicans.” ~ Brud Lee, son of Judge Bill Lee 

 

State Senator Charlie Copeland accepting the Party’s endorsement for Lt. Governor.

Delaware Republican State Chairman, Terry Strine, stepped down as party head after losing his National Committeeman seat the previous night to Laird Stabler by a 40-35 vote. Tom Ross, a New Castle County Republican, will be taking Strine’s place in the top spot.


The new Delaware Republican Party Chairman, Tom Ross

I asked the new Party Chair if he was the fighter the Delaware Republican Party needed right now:   

“I have no problem fighting. Anyone that knows me would be glad to let you know that I’m not afraid to mix it up. But we’re going to run a very aggressive, vigorous campaign because quite frankly, in a nutshell, we’re right on the issues and the other side has broken this state.” ~ New Delaware State GOP Chair, Tom Ross 

 

4th Senatorial District Candidate Michael Fleming

And how could I not mention Michael Fleming, (aka “Michael Flemming”), who’s running for Charlie Copeland’s seat in the 4th Senatorial District? I went to college with Michael, and thankfully, people thought he was older than me. That’s really why I’m mentioning him, and he knows it.

“‘Cause I love Sussex Countians.” ~ Clerk of the Peace George Parish 

That was the quote that made the entire Convention totally worth it. 

Today it took me 18 minutes and 7 light cycles to get onto Route 1 in Lewes, I was about 20 cars back to start. On Tuesday my large, plain pizza from Pizza Villa was cold when I got home because you couldn’t turn left onto Route 1 from the Midway Shopping Center. My friend almost ran out of gas stuck in traffic and trying to find a gas station they could actually turn in to.

Why?

Because the Department of Transportation has Route 1 totally screwed up from the Nassau Bridge through Rehoboth Beach. One lane, each way. Two or three or four State Police cars in every intersection. No way to turn left into shopping centers. Blocked lanes, split lanes, lanes with no lines. What’s the deal?

This is a debacle. DELDOT’s inability to manage and control the Route 1 construction project is just another example of how poorly they operate. Do I need to even mention the Indian River Inlet Bridge?

Today is the kick off of the Delaware Republican Party’s Convention at the Bay Center in Dewey Beach. I can only imagine the smiles on GOPers faces as they drive through yet another dysfunctional state project. What a shame it doesn’t look like they’ll be able to take advantage of how badly the state’s been run for so many years.

Gas is too expensive to waste idling on Route 1 all day trying to turn left. But the worst part is this construction nightmare is supposed to end on May 22, just in time for the tourist season to kick in. No traffic rest for the Eastern Sussex County weary. 

Thanks Carolyn Wicks, head of DELDOT, I look forward to the day when you’re out, I wish it was today. You, and your little governor, too.

Senator Harris McDowell’s wind farm hearings may have cost the tax payers a bundle in DC lawyers and expert witnesses, but today, those few days of hearings resulted in a report, a long report. And long must mean it’s good. You can read it HERE.

That report was immediately refuted by a Minority Report put out by members of the same committee. You can see where other Senators are in disagreement with that report HERE.

But the report that everyone seems to ignore, is the Public Service Commission’s final staff report that is based on over a year of hearings, negotiations, studies, and the work of several independent consultants. That report, for those of you who can handle it, is HERE.

Meanwhile, Pat Gearity from Citizens for Clean Power is asking the Senate Energy and Transit Committee for the MOTHER LOAD of information about what they’re doing and the money they’re spending.

More to come…

Democrats and Republicans from the Delaware House and Senate are introducing legislation that would prohibit Delmarva Power and Light from charging their customers for for the costs they’re racking up while fighting to prevent having to enter into a long term contract for wind power.

SYNOPSISThis concurrent resolution recommends that the Public Service deny any request by Delmarva Power to recover from or pass-through to its ratepayers the costs it has incurred opposing the Power Purchase Agreement negotiated between Delmarva Power and Bluewater Wind pursuant to the criteria established in House Bill No. 6.    READ IT HERE…

 This is from a Sponsor of the legislation, Representative John Kowalko of Newark:

This resolution was crafted to reinforce my previously stated position that Delmarva Power and Light and its agents have always and will continue to put the interests of the company before that of the ratepayer. Statements made to me by President Stockbridge and VP Glen Moore at various public venues have always been consistent that they (Delmarva/Pepco) intend to pass through to the ratepayers expenses incurred in waging an obstructionist campaign against the mandates of HB6 and the best interests of their customers. They are certainly entitled to financial outlays accrued in meeting the obligations of HB6 but since that PPA was on the table December 18,2007 all subsequent expendetures should be their burden to bear. 

Looks like it’s on!

From the AP:

The Senate energy committee has approved a draft report critical of a proposed wind farm off the Delaware coast. The panel voted 4-2 in favor after dropping a recommendation that the Senate vote to instruct the legislature’s controller general to vote against the wind farm, which would kill the idea. 

The panel instead recommended that the Senate instruct the controller general to give serious weight to its report.

Stanton Democrat Karen Peterson, who voted against the report, said the hearings on which it is based were biased.  Three of four state agencies delayed a vote after controller general Russell Larson said there was no consensus in the General Assembly.

I spoke with Representative John Kowalko (D-Newark) and he was to the point:

“I consider the report bogus.” ~ Representative John Kowalko

I’m sure there will be more to come…

We are four different bloggers (two Republicans and two Democrats) with four distinct points of view. But we have come together because we agree that it’s time for Delaware to say yes to offshore wind power.

Bluewater Wind’s offshore wind farm has been reviewed in hearings, subject to repeated analyses, supported by thousands of letters and e-mails from citizens, selected in a competitive process, survived intense negotiations, and endorsed by a majority of members of Delaware’s House of Representatives.

One hurdle remains: House Concurrent Resolution 38, which enjoys the support of 35 legislators of both parties, has passed the House, and is headed to the Senate. We are calling upon the Senate to take one last decisive step to make Delaware the first state in the U.S. to make offshore wind power a reality.

We offer this joint statement as a prologue to our separate posts on the subject. But together we agree that the time has come to say yes to our energy future.

Dave Burris
Maria Evans
Jason Scott
Tom Noyes

TIME TO INVEST IN DELAWARE FIRST

Tourists will need a few extra quarters so their kids can check out the wind farm from the boardwalk with cool binocular things like they have on the top of the Empire State Building

Let’s face it, I’m not that green. I’m a global warming skeptic. I drive a car that’s less than stellar on gas mileage. I would march a billion rats into a laboratory for testing to ensure I’d have one less wrinkle a decade or two down the road. But I’m in favor of the wind farm proposed to sit off the coast of Rehoboth Beach.     

The wind farm construction, according to Bluewater Wind, will bring in around “400 - 500 construction jobs and 80 – 100 operations and maintenance jobs for the life of the 25 year contract.” Along with that, a regional shipping hub would be established at the Port of Wilmington and there’s a commitment to a teaching and training program for wind farm technicians.

For Sussex County, I can imagine opportunities beyond what Bluewater Wind is offering the state.

Charter boats can take tourists sightseeing or fishing at the wind farm. Souvenir shops will have little windmills to sell next to the light houses. Windmill t-shirts and earrings and snow globes…those cool binocular things on the board walk that you can put a quarter into so your kid can see the wind farm up close…local artists capturing the wind farm in oil and water and on film…other governments coming to our shores to check out the first off shore wind farm in the United States.  

But instead of investing in the state of Delaware, Delmarva Power wants to enter into long term contracts with on shore wind companies in other states. Gary Stockbridge, the President of Delmarva Power called these contracts, “an exciting day for the development of renewable energy in the region,” but I’m not sure why. “The region” will simply be paying for other states to develop and build wind farms. Somehow that’s not “exciting” to me.

It’s time to bring some new life into Delaware.  Call your State Senator today and tell them you want your money invested in Delaware’s future, not shipped off to Illinois or Indiana.

Click HERE find your Senator and their contact information.  

From Tom Noyes at Tommywonk:      

Given that worldwide energy demand will grow at least 50 percent over the next 20 years, it is hard to imagine how energy prices will not continue to climb. Instead of costing us extra, offhsore wind will almost certainly save us money. READ MORE ….  

From Jason at Delaware Liberal:

For Christians, the choice is clear. Disciples of Christ are called to love and to allow concern for justice shape their daily lives. As an extension to that calling christian spiritual leaders agree that, stewardship of the environment is a permanent reality. READ MORE…  

From Dave at Delaware Politics:

A week ago, one prominent Delawarean told me that the project was dead, the deal had been cut, that all of the players, including Senate leadership and the Governor candidates, were involved. It was over. DP&L was one of the good old boys and BWW was not and that was it.

I say that’s bullshit. I have two kids that have to breathe in Eastern Sussex County for the next 80 years, God willing. It’s only dead if YOU let it die…. READ MORE…