The Game - Clue, The Delaware Way Version
In 1944, Englishman Anthony Pratt filed a patent on a murder/mystery game he had invented to pass the time during air raid drills in underground bunkers Though it was quickly acquired by Waddington's, the game was not launched until 1949 when it was simultaneously released in the U.S. by Parker Brothers. Notably, the version that reached publication included 324 possible combinations of room/weapon/offender.
The Setting - Woodburn, the Governor's Mansion where a select few have been brought together to hash out Delaware's edu-political future over a dinner. The appetizers include the Organics Valley Veggie Tray and Goldens Gourmet Veggie Strips with entrees by Panera Bread. Desserts to be supplied by Serpe's Bakery. It should be noted that Woodburn's residents share their home with several benevolent spirits and one particularly evil manifestation - the ghost of a southern slave raider who died while hiding in a poplar tree that still graces Woodburn today.
The Rooms -
Mr. Boddy -
There is no doubt that Mr. Boddy will be played by Kathleen Davies, a top official in Delaware's Auditor's Office - subject hit piece published by the News Journal on July 30th. In May, Kathleen's name was quietly removed from the department's website as she was placed on paid administrative leave b/c someone in OMB starting questioning her absolutely legal and appropriate reimbursement method for work expenses. A footnote in the state's BAM manual states that direct reimbursement is acceptable despite the preferred method of P-Cards. She's still a state employee and has not been charged with anything. However, she has laywared up and is obviously digging in for the fight of her life and career. She's known in local circles to have a high regard for integrity as well as for her commitment to transparency. She recently testified to the legislature in support of a bill by Rep. Kim Williams that would have raised the bar for charter school audits. We also know that Kathleen was working on a charter school petty cash audit that has since been quashed by State Auditor Tom Wagner since Davies was put to pasture.
Current A.G. and former Lt. Gov. Matt Denn, rode the coattails of "change agent" Gov. Jack Markell into an office view of The Green. The two-term shadow and Education Advocate
of the Del Dem Markell, he had already mounted a quiet campaign for Governor in 2016, the heir apparent to the term-limit-bound Markell. But, a surprising announcement that our state's Prince of the Political Dynasty, Beau Biden, son of Vice President Joe Biden, would not seek another four years as Attorney General and was determined to go for Governorship derailed Denn's presumed candidacy. He filed for the Attorney General's race instead where he won hands down. Sadly, Beau passed away from cancer a year ago and the Democratic Party has been sputtering ever since. Besides, Denn has his hands full, defending the state in an OCR suit brought by the ACLU and the Community Legal Aid Society over whether or not charter schools are gaming the system to re-segregate minority, special education ,and poor students.
The Gov. Jack Markell who turned Kids into Rats was the campaigner for "change" eight or so years ago,when his successful primary split the Democratic Party wide open. He has strayed from his public platform and sold much of the state to the private interests that control the Star Chamber of Commerce and out-of-state private entities. Under Markell's reign, the Great Recession has taken hold in Delaware and the middle class has been decimated. Jack tells me that the Recession is over, yet thousands of Delawareans have yet to realize "this." With many constituents offering votes of no confidence in this politician, it is widely hoped that the outgoing governor will receive his due political appointment in Washington D.C. essentially sending him packing.
The Honorable Auditor Tom Wagner, State Auditor of Accounts, has been elected a stunning seven times. He's identified millions of dollars in cost savings for Delaware residents with a special focus on Education and Transportation. He has a 100% conviction rate for the cases he's forwarded to the office of A.G. Yet, he let his own home go to foreclosure - with a last minute save from friends at M&T Bank - and he's balked repeatedly when it comes to anonymous tips submitted by the public. A lone Republican on the Dover "hill", Wagner's best agent was Kathleen Davies - a rising star - and as the public is soon to learn - Wagner's and OMB's sacrificial lamb.
Brian Maxwell is Markell's replacement for Visalli. Brian is no
noobie - he's Visalli's male counterpart. He, too, dates back to the Gov's years as State Treasurer and prior to that he was an Assistant Vice President at Citigroup. You can read his letter to the public here: http://omb.delaware.gov/letter.shtml This guy is so loyal to Markell, he sticks to him like sweaty underpants.
The Delaware Charter Network is one of the state's strongest lobbies. Which is quite remarkable given its small staff of three. But, it's efficient, fending off countless efforts to reform charter school law to level the playing field between charter and traditional public school systems. What's often forgotten is that the choice law and the charter system was never meant to be equal to the traditional system - it was designed to create laboratories of innovation that would lead to new practices that would be shared with the traditional system. But, in-fighting between the pro-charter and anti-charter factions has greatly impeded these conversations. At the end of the day, all charter's are experiments and parents who engage them (this writer includeded) must accept responsibility for enrolling his/her child in a great experiment. It's also notable that Charter's appear to be the only schools that the state can successfully close - Moyer, Pencader, Reach, and Met have all met demise at the hands of the Delaware Department of Education and the state's Gov-Appointed Board of Education. It's also notable that a slew of charter schools have come under fire for financial mismanagement - Family Foundations, Academy of Dover, Providence Creek, Thomas Edison and more. It would be foolish to think that Davies didn't have her hand in the audits of these schools, putting her high on the Network's Hit List.
New Castle Counties Collective Traditional School Districts, with the exclusion of Red Clay, have long shunned charter schools. NCCo districts have often cried foul on charter's, lamenting how they take funding away from traditional districts. The problem with this argument is that the funding follows the students to whichever school he/she attends, absent home school and private and therefore, it's not really all that fair that traditional districts claim the money ever really belonged to them. It belongs to the students. The traditional's have also denounced charters for creaming and re-segregation of schools through selective enrollment processes and counseling out - which bolsters that ACLU OCR challenge. But, none of this has ever actually been proven with the exception of Charter School of Wilmington's famed "test." Although the OCR finding might finally be the decisive opinion. Conversely, Charter schools are the only schools the state has successfully closed in decades. With a nod to the neighborhood schools law it is nearly impossible to take out a traditional public school. But, that's not why the Collective makes the list of suspects - it's this: it's the number of CFOs who proclaim he/she could steal money right out of first state financials -FSF, the state's accounting software - in a wink of an eye, if he/she really wanted to and no one would ever know better. Was this what Davies was about to learn?
Friends, the question is: Who did it and with what? I'm guessing Markell with a Visalli and Botulism in Woodburn's Basement!
Leave Your Guesses in Comments and We'll see how this political mystery plays out in the coming months!
The Setting - Woodburn, the Governor's Mansion where a select few have been brought together to hash out Delaware's edu-political future over a dinner. The appetizers include the Organics Valley Veggie Tray and Goldens Gourmet Veggie Strips with entrees by Panera Bread. Desserts to be supplied by Serpe's Bakery. It should be noted that Woodburn's residents share their home with several benevolent spirits and one particularly evil manifestation - the ghost of a southern slave raider who died while hiding in a poplar tree that still graces Woodburn today.
The Rooms -
The Weapons - A Candlestick, Knife, Revolver, Syringe, Wrench, Lead Pipe, and Botulism
Mr. Boddy -
Current A.G. and former Lt. Gov. Matt Denn, rode the coattails of "change agent" Gov. Jack Markell into an office view of The Green. The two-term shadow and Education Advocate
of the Del Dem Markell, he had already mounted a quiet campaign for Governor in 2016, the heir apparent to the term-limit-bound Markell. But, a surprising announcement that our state's Prince of the Political Dynasty, Beau Biden, son of Vice President Joe Biden, would not seek another four years as Attorney General and was determined to go for Governorship derailed Denn's presumed candidacy. He filed for the Attorney General's race instead where he won hands down. Sadly, Beau passed away from cancer a year ago and the Democratic Party has been sputtering ever since. Besides, Denn has his hands full, defending the state in an OCR suit brought by the ACLU and the Community Legal Aid Society over whether or not charter schools are gaming the system to re-segregate minority, special education ,and poor students. 
The Gov. Jack Markell who turned Kids into Rats was the campaigner for "change" eight or so years ago,when his successful primary split the Democratic Party wide open. He has strayed from his public platform and sold much of the state to the private interests that control the Star Chamber of Commerce and out-of-state private entities. Under Markell's reign, the Great Recession has taken hold in Delaware and the middle class has been decimated. Jack tells me that the Recession is over, yet thousands of Delawareans have yet to realize "this." With many constituents offering votes of no confidence in this politician, it is widely hoped that the outgoing governor will receive his due political appointment in Washington D.C. essentially sending him packing.
Brian Maxwell is Markell's replacement for Visalli. Brian is no
noobie - he's Visalli's male counterpart. He, too, dates back to the Gov's years as State Treasurer and prior to that he was an Assistant Vice President at Citigroup. You can read his letter to the public here: http://omb.delaware.gov/letter.shtml This guy is so loyal to Markell, he sticks to him like sweaty underpants.
The Delaware Charter Network is one of the state's strongest lobbies. Which is quite remarkable given its small staff of three. But, it's efficient, fending off countless efforts to reform charter school law to level the playing field between charter and traditional public school systems. What's often forgotten is that the choice law and the charter system was never meant to be equal to the traditional system - it was designed to create laboratories of innovation that would lead to new practices that would be shared with the traditional system. But, in-fighting between the pro-charter and anti-charter factions has greatly impeded these conversations. At the end of the day, all charter's are experiments and parents who engage them (this writer includeded) must accept responsibility for enrolling his/her child in a great experiment. It's also notable that Charter's appear to be the only schools that the state can successfully close - Moyer, Pencader, Reach, and Met have all met demise at the hands of the Delaware Department of Education and the state's Gov-Appointed Board of Education. It's also notable that a slew of charter schools have come under fire for financial mismanagement - Family Foundations, Academy of Dover, Providence Creek, Thomas Edison and more. It would be foolish to think that Davies didn't have her hand in the audits of these schools, putting her high on the Network's Hit List.
New Castle Counties Collective Traditional School Districts, with the exclusion of Red Clay, have long shunned charter schools. NCCo districts have often cried foul on charter's, lamenting how they take funding away from traditional districts. The problem with this argument is that the funding follows the students to whichever school he/she attends, absent home school and private and therefore, it's not really all that fair that traditional districts claim the money ever really belonged to them. It belongs to the students. The traditional's have also denounced charters for creaming and re-segregation of schools through selective enrollment processes and counseling out - which bolsters that ACLU OCR challenge. But, none of this has ever actually been proven with the exception of Charter School of Wilmington's famed "test." Although the OCR finding might finally be the decisive opinion. Conversely, Charter schools are the only schools the state has successfully closed in decades. With a nod to the neighborhood schools law it is nearly impossible to take out a traditional public school. But, that's not why the Collective makes the list of suspects - it's this: it's the number of CFOs who proclaim he/she could steal money right out of first state financials -FSF, the state's accounting software - in a wink of an eye, if he/she really wanted to and no one would ever know better. Was this what Davies was about to learn?
Friends, the question is: Who did it and with what? I'm guessing Markell with a Visalli and Botulism in Woodburn's Basement!
Leave Your Guesses in Comments and We'll see how this political mystery plays out in the coming months!
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Hey Kevin, I got a few you missed - cut off the list because they were released in 1978, but survey worthy nonetheless!
Hey Readers, here's the link to KO's post: https://exceptionaldelaware.wordpress.com/2016/07/03/the-best-ballad-between-1979-1987-which-is-your-favorite/
Hey Readers, here's the link to KO's post: https://exceptionaldelaware.wordpress.com/2016/07/03/the-best-ballad-between-1979-1987-which-is-your-favorite/
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C&E's Greatest Hits of All Times
Don't always trust the screen counter, it's there for fun, but internally we can track every individual and unique hit by country. And these hits represent the countries watching Delaware through my sad little blog.
United States 149352
Russia 13221
Ukraine 12545
Germany 9027
France 8928
China 4905
Japan 4000
Poland 2693
United Kingdom 2266
Turkey 1608
Total 249,595
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$1 Billion.
That's the estimated health care cost for Delaware's state employees by 2020. (Remember when 2020 was just a tv show? I'm definitely feeling my age.)
Our Gov. wants to balance his budget on the backs of state employees. And he's got it wrong. At least that's the opinion of the working poor, the non-unionized and unionized alike.
Yes, not all state employees belong to a union. And some are paid just dreadful wages. Single parent supports a family of four on $20,000? Who does that these days? Imagine all the two earners families who don't ever see the light of day over $45,000? And Delaware has a ton of them, under-employed earners who have yet to make a post-recession comeback!
If you are non-union, why even work for the State? For the health insurance. I am a SME - Subject Matter Expert. I have a special set of skills and knowledge that the state needs to fulfill its commitment to our jointly chosen field.
When I was stay-at-home wife and mother, my husband carried our health insurance at the cost of $12,000/year. Twelve grand was our share, plus co-pays and deductibles. Thank you, private sector. It broke us, b/c after paying the premium we couldn't afford to go to the doctors or medical aid units. While we tried to keep up with our children's healthcare needs, they went years without visiting a dentist or eye doctor. A two day stint in the hospital under my husband's insurance cost us more than $3,000.00.
My job was our savior. Although the pay is low, the affordable insurance means my children and I can see our doctors and specialists. My husband, however, is still capitated to his employer's plan.
I can't tell you how insulted I was to read Ann Visalli's comments in the News Journal this morning:
(the no-brainer part - Graduated premiums. Make the state's $100,000 + employees pay more for insurance.)
St. Andrew's can have you! Insult them for a while.
via GIPHY
That's the estimated health care cost for Delaware's state employees by 2020. (Remember when 2020 was just a tv show? I'm definitely feeling my age.)
Our Gov. wants to balance his budget on the backs of state employees. And he's got it wrong. At least that's the opinion of the working poor, the non-unionized and unionized alike.
Yes, not all state employees belong to a union. And some are paid just dreadful wages. Single parent supports a family of four on $20,000? Who does that these days? Imagine all the two earners families who don't ever see the light of day over $45,000? And Delaware has a ton of them, under-employed earners who have yet to make a post-recession comeback!
If you are non-union, why even work for the State? For the health insurance. I am a SME - Subject Matter Expert. I have a special set of skills and knowledge that the state needs to fulfill its commitment to our jointly chosen field.
When I was stay-at-home wife and mother, my husband carried our health insurance at the cost of $12,000/year. Twelve grand was our share, plus co-pays and deductibles. Thank you, private sector. It broke us, b/c after paying the premium we couldn't afford to go to the doctors or medical aid units. While we tried to keep up with our children's healthcare needs, they went years without visiting a dentist or eye doctor. A two day stint in the hospital under my husband's insurance cost us more than $3,000.00.
My job was our savior. Although the pay is low, the affordable insurance means my children and I can see our doctors and specialists. My husband, however, is still capitated to his employer's plan.
I can't tell you how insulted I was to read Ann Visalli's comments in the News Journal this morning:
Ann Visalli, Markell’s budget director, who announced her resignation Friday to take a job with St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, said changes to the health care plan would ask employees “to be good consumers and have a stake in how their healthcare dollars are spent.” http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/health/2016/04/09/state-employee-health-care/82607460/Come on, Ann. You can't seriously think that state employees are abusing their healthcare benefits? That's what you are insinuating, whether you publicly admit it or not. Healthcare dollars are spent on HEALTHCARE! We, the employees of the State, don't set the co-pays and fees. YOU, the State do, when you negotiate with the INSURANCE PROVIDERS! Do YOUR job and negotiate for savings from THEM. Not US!
(the no-brainer part - Graduated premiums. Make the state's $100,000 + employees pay more for insurance.)
St. Andrew's can have you! Insult them for a while.
via GIPHY
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Jake left a fascinating comment on yesterday's satyric post on an animal welfare and the SPCA's serving Delaware. I don't usually wade into this type of manure. I just wanted to make a point - ALL of the agencies and organizations claiming to be serving our state's unwanted, lost, and sick animals are playing politics when they shouldn't be. They should be playing caregiver. Except, that would require certain politicians to stop playing God. And some just can't...stop. Like a trainwreck, Patti.
And be sure to follow the link below to Delaware SPCA's response to yesterday's NJ story. Their director is far better spoken that First State's Director Usilton. (And I still think that someone's contract should be euthanized.)
Here ya go, Jake. And Happy Autism Awareness Day!
Jake has left a new comment on your post "Playing Politics with Innocent Animals - Not an Ed...":
The director at Delaware SPCA provided an excellent response to the inflammatory nature of the article. Fortunately residents can see what is happening, and a state contractor trying to strong arm other shelters to force them to do their job is completely innapropriate.
https://www.facebook.com/DelawareSPCA/posts/1065227660185721
Before dog control contracts, Kent County SPCA (now known as First State Animal Center) was a small shelter and built the larger facility to do their job as dog control. Needless to say, the majority of their funding was pulled due to politics by the State, and as a result their are limited funds to hold animals.
Capacity care for animals is based on the number of personnel and health resources needed to care for those animals, and Kent County has the smallest population in the state with under 170,000 people and with lower per capita earnings, so clearly the donation pool is much smaller than the shelters in New Castle County. As a result, FSAC is using boarding and daycare in the second building to supplement their donations to still remain a larger number of animals than they handled before dog control. Unfortunately Mr. Lamb doesn't have the business sense to realize that a shelter with a donation base under half a million can't handle the same number of dogs as they were handling when their revenue was $4 million with the various contracts.
Mr. Lamb wanted the contract and has aligned himself with the folks that have been trying to put FSAC out of business for years, but what I think is odd is that those complaining about the SPCA's never spoke up when Faithful Friends wasn't taking dogs from FSAC, and was also importing animals from other states. In fact, BVSPCA also still imports dogs into their shelter, and where is the shock and awe about the fact he wants other shelters to do his job while he brings animals into his shelter from the south?
Maybe folks need to accept the reality that a handful of folks plotted and planned to get FSAC out of dog control and those folks and their new contractor need to assume responsibility for those actions.
-Original Message-----
From: "Blevins Patricia (LegHall)"
To: Anne Cavanaugh
Cc: "Ranji Jennifer (Governor)" , "jane@faithfulfriends" , "bengal98@aol"
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:39:14 +0000
Subject: RE: meeting tonight recap - confidential
Maybe you could bid on Kent County at $3.52 per person, same as Wilmington. You would beat their bid. If they lost just one contract, they would be underwater for sure, because they are so drastically underbidding New Castle County.
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Wilmington is not the only place to find deep institutional poverty alive and well.
Route 40. With some Northern New Castle County's last pastoral views sandwiched between shopping centers of various sizes and blight, where low-rise apartment buildings sprung up against the working class neighborhoods of the 1990s, before there was a mortgage crisis.
Where arsonists move faster than mobile home park managers when it comes to demolition...
Where residents fear retribution from their lot owners for speaking too loudly about the drugs, crime, homelessness, and the squatting that happens just next door, a few hundred feet from the Boys and Girls Club.
Further off the main Route, you can't miss the McMansions, where builders capitalized on cheap farmland. But, most of us have to drive past at least one and often more than one trailer park to reach those well-manicured greenscapes. Those trailer parks and the older Section 8 neighborhoods that line the highway.
Where Brookmont Farms became Sparrow Run because sum years back some well-meaning political hack thought a new name might re-invigorate the suburbs version the projects.
And where Westside Family Healthcare led the charge into a poverty stricken corridor and opened the first clinic for un/under-insured residents. Long before MedExpress put down roots or Glasgow Medical Aid grew its foot print.
Yet,
The Route 40 Corridor is still a sleeper cell of poverty. All the conversations in the world, and I am told there have been many, haven't made a dent. The poor get poorer everyday.
Just Read This, http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/crime/2016/04/02/glasgow-mobile-home-fires-point-bigger-concerns/82526586/
More importantly, look at the photos from the fire. A picture tells a million stories.
Route 40. With some Northern New Castle County's last pastoral views sandwiched between shopping centers of various sizes and blight, where low-rise apartment buildings sprung up against the working class neighborhoods of the 1990s, before there was a mortgage crisis.
Where arsonists move faster than mobile home park managers when it comes to demolition...
Where residents fear retribution from their lot owners for speaking too loudly about the drugs, crime, homelessness, and the squatting that happens just next door, a few hundred feet from the Boys and Girls Club.
Further off the main Route, you can't miss the McMansions, where builders capitalized on cheap farmland. But, most of us have to drive past at least one and often more than one trailer park to reach those well-manicured greenscapes. Those trailer parks and the older Section 8 neighborhoods that line the highway.
Where Brookmont Farms became Sparrow Run because sum years back some well-meaning political hack thought a new name might re-invigorate the suburbs version the projects.
And where Westside Family Healthcare led the charge into a poverty stricken corridor and opened the first clinic for un/under-insured residents. Long before MedExpress put down roots or Glasgow Medical Aid grew its foot print.
Yet,
The Route 40 Corridor is still a sleeper cell of poverty. All the conversations in the world, and I am told there have been many, haven't made a dent. The poor get poorer everyday.
Just Read This, http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/crime/2016/04/02/glasgow-mobile-home-fires-point-bigger-concerns/82526586/
More importantly, look at the photos from the fire. A picture tells a million stories.
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It's World Autism Day! Shine Blue, Delaware.
I want to depart some awesome and inspiring words to you today, tell you of a journey conquered, teach you something rare and humorous, move you to tears...
And Autism will do all of that. But, I am having trouble finding the words. Bear with Me.
Autism is Brutal.
Terrifying.
Devastating.
Brutal. Like the cat that shadows you wherever you roam.
Get down, Brutal. You may not climb the bookcases. They are not the ladder to the ceiling fan. No Ceiling Fans!
Oh! Brutal, please do not smother your baby brother in diaper cream and call him "snowman."
Brutal, please stop slamming your head into the stroller frame.
No, Brutal. The material inside the couch is NOT edible.
Stop, Brutal. You may not swing from the drapes in the living room. Nor may you use them to try to reach the ceiling fan. What have I told you about ceiling fans?
Please Stop Scratching Me, Brutal. Please stop Scratching Yourself!
Oh Brutal, (and then to the teenage store clerks) We will leave, Brutal, just as soon as you finish destroying the book section in Happy Harry's. And you know what, Brute? We won't ever come back. Promise.
Hands, Brutal? What is on your HANDS, BRUTAL? (autism mom knows exactly what is on those hands)
Words, BRUTAL! PECS? IPAD? The last hour has been about a treat? You want a TREAT?
Yes, Brutal, you are a Treat. Eat your perfectly white-yet-thoroughly-cooked pancake.
Autism is Brutal. And you cling to the littlest things for longest times.
And then, like a breath of fresh air, you realize and appreciate Awesome and Amazing!
Mom, want to watch the Fault in our Stars?
Sure.
Mom, will it make you cry again?
Hopefully not. We've seen it 50 million times.
Mom, are you crying yet?
No.
5 minutes later and every five minutes thereafter,
Mom, Are you Tears? Are you Crying?
And sometimes,
You just can't tell Brutal from Amazing or Awesome from Brutal.
Celebrate World Autism Day!
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When your state's two largest Animal Shelters refuse Stray Animals, you should start to worry and wonder,
http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2016/03/30/catfight-des-largest-animal-shelters-refuse-strays/82437796/.
The reality is that most of us like sweet little animals, if only in pictures.
So, what evil illness is spreading so quickly that these vicious animals can't dare to be mixed with the cute and cuddly ones?
Has it been a super-human spring where the world is suddenly overpopulated by billions of baby furry things?
Are the shelters teaming with animals clawing at the windows for a fresh breath and a new home?
No? What, then? Political Infighting. It goes something like this:
Brandywine Valley SPCA won the state's animal control contract and opened a new facility right here in Delaware. Only, their inn isn't big enough for all the animals.
Note: They've moved as many vetted guests as feasible to temporary mangers in other states, but it's just a short-term solution.
Then Brandywine did the next reasonable things to do - the center reached out it's brethren Delaware SPCAs asking 1st State Animal Center and SPCA and the Delaware SPCA for help.
And got smacked down.
I'm told it went something like this (fictionalized personification of email/text/phone calls between 1st State and B-wine):
Yes, you may vent the obligatory WTF now.
It didn't go much better with Delaware SPCA, they didn't respond, leaving B-wine and Lambchops hanging in the wind and animals lining up for Euthanasia.
So, here is the crazy - Despite sharing a name, SPCA, most of these organizations are not truly networked or even patchworked together. There is no ladder to climb, no mother ship to beam up to when you have a complaint, concern, or compliment. Yes, there is an ASPCA (A=American) but they literally have nothing to do with the little "chapters" that spring up in the states or elsewhere.
Got Money? Got Space? U2 could open your own SPCA.
It all boils down to this (hold your Easter Bunnies close):
They have similar names and equivocal missions, with open cages and capacity; Yet, Delaware's SPCA's behave like politicians. It's a pretty pathetic state of affairs when they'd rather see animals put to death even though they have mission statements that read like this:
http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2016/03/30/catfight-des-largest-animal-shelters-refuse-strays/82437796/.
The reality is that most of us like sweet little animals, if only in pictures.
So, what evil illness is spreading so quickly that these vicious animals can't dare to be mixed with the cute and cuddly ones?
Has it been a super-human spring where the world is suddenly overpopulated by billions of baby furry things?
Are the shelters teaming with animals clawing at the windows for a fresh breath and a new home?
No? What, then? Political Infighting. It goes something like this:
Brandywine Valley SPCA won the state's animal control contract and opened a new facility right here in Delaware. Only, their inn isn't big enough for all the animals.
Note: They've moved as many vetted guests as feasible to temporary mangers in other states, but it's just a short-term solution.
Then Brandywine did the next reasonable things to do - the center reached out it's brethren Delaware SPCAs asking 1st State Animal Center and SPCA and the Delaware SPCA for help.
And got smacked down.
I'm told it went something like this (fictionalized personification of email/text/phone calls between 1st State and B-wine):
"Yo, Kenny U., 1st State Got Space?
"Yep, I got, Lambchops. But, I ain't sharing wit u."
"Ken, man, we gonna have to take Fido out if we don't get no help."
"Take out Fido, dude. We in the doggie daycare bid-ness now."
Yes, you may vent the obligatory WTF now.
It didn't go much better with Delaware SPCA, they didn't respond, leaving B-wine and Lambchops hanging in the wind and animals lining up for Euthanasia.
So, here is the crazy - Despite sharing a name, SPCA, most of these organizations are not truly networked or even patchworked together. There is no ladder to climb, no mother ship to beam up to when you have a complaint, concern, or compliment. Yes, there is an ASPCA (A=American) but they literally have nothing to do with the little "chapters" that spring up in the states or elsewhere.
Got Money? Got Space? U2 could open your own SPCA.
It all boils down to this (hold your Easter Bunnies close):
They have similar names and equivocal missions, with open cages and capacity; Yet, Delaware's SPCA's behave like politicians. It's a pretty pathetic state of affairs when they'd rather see animals put to death even though they have mission statements that read like this:
The mission of the First State Animal Center and SPCA is twofold:WE PROTECT ANIMALS FROM PEOPLE…by prevention of cruelty and suffering, rescue of the trapped or injured, emergency medical treatment, temporary housing for homeless animals and the reduction of homeless pet overpopulation through targeted spay/neuter and education programs.AND WE PROTECT PEOPLE FROM ANIMALS…through our serious commitment in placing only stable, safe and well-adjusted animals into homes where they will thrive while simultaneously educating the public about responsible pet guardianship. -http://www.fsac-spca.org/info/#/mission/
Let us all bow our heads and pray now that 1st State's board euthanizes Director Ken Usilton's Contract for direct violation of the organization's mission.
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The Newark Post is on top of the CSD BOE race. This article recaps interviews with all four candidates: http://www.newarkpostonline.com/news/article_8a9880ee-f822-5093-b5bf-7fb374862c43.html
It's worth reading, especially if no group steps up to hold a candidates forum. In past years, the Downes Elementary School PTA has organized an event to provide access to candidates. As of now, The PTA facebook pages notes an upcoming "Meet the Candidate" opportunity. Stay Tuned.
Now, let's address the BIG election rumor: It's been alleged that the two candidates were recruited to solidify a Board voting block. Now, I haven't spoken to either candidate as of writing this. But, I have a hard time assigning Mason that profile. As far back as my election, I can remember Meg talking about running. The big hurdle: CSD employees cannot also be CSD BOE members. There's a law against that. Meg wasn't in a hurry to retire, she was dedicated to developing Maclary post-NCS elementary school expansion. More than that, she had certain respect for Dave Resler, the incumbent. And it was rumor for much of the last year that Resler, having graduated all of his children from Newark High School was ready to retire from his seat. It could be argued that Meg put-in even after Resler registered his run, and that somehow denotes a conspiracy. But I would argue that this is just Mason moving onto the next phase in her life and in her devotion to the district.
As for Brady, she's the mother of two CSD students. And works with hundreds more at the Boys and Girls Club. Could she have been recruited to run against Paige? Sure, why not? But, again I have hard time with the profile. She's a working mom, like Paige, who was appointed and then elected - and neither of those actions had anything to do with a voting block. In fact, it's tremendously hard to generate candidates for school boards. In the last 10 years, CSD has seen far more candidates from the Tea Party than it has viable opposition to sitting members. Many elections haven't been contested at all. And as for Brady, just as it did for Paige, there comes a time for some when you are inspired to take on more in your life and deepen your commitment to your district and community. When all the stars align in your own personal star chamber. Moreover, I would like to suggest what Brady may bring to the table something that has been sorely missing for several years - a certain connection to the poverty that plagues the Route 40 corridor, to the suburbs. And we are talking poverty pockets so deep that they echo the City of Wilmington and everything that the WEIC has been assigned to address. While all of our attention has been diverted to Wilmington, Route 40 schools are at capacity and growing and serving children that are coming to school tremendously less prepared than their Downes Elementary counterparts.
Yes, it's said, when it comes to School Board candidates, whoever wins Downes wins the district. But, I wouldn't be surprised if this contest was truly run and lost right at home in District F.
It's worth reading, especially if no group steps up to hold a candidates forum. In past years, the Downes Elementary School PTA has organized an event to provide access to candidates. As of now, The PTA facebook pages notes an upcoming "Meet the Candidate" opportunity. Stay Tuned.
Now, let's address the BIG election rumor: It's been alleged that the two candidates were recruited to solidify a Board voting block. Now, I haven't spoken to either candidate as of writing this. But, I have a hard time assigning Mason that profile. As far back as my election, I can remember Meg talking about running. The big hurdle: CSD employees cannot also be CSD BOE members. There's a law against that. Meg wasn't in a hurry to retire, she was dedicated to developing Maclary post-NCS elementary school expansion. More than that, she had certain respect for Dave Resler, the incumbent. And it was rumor for much of the last year that Resler, having graduated all of his children from Newark High School was ready to retire from his seat. It could be argued that Meg put-in even after Resler registered his run, and that somehow denotes a conspiracy. But I would argue that this is just Mason moving onto the next phase in her life and in her devotion to the district.
As for Brady, she's the mother of two CSD students. And works with hundreds more at the Boys and Girls Club. Could she have been recruited to run against Paige? Sure, why not? But, again I have hard time with the profile. She's a working mom, like Paige, who was appointed and then elected - and neither of those actions had anything to do with a voting block. In fact, it's tremendously hard to generate candidates for school boards. In the last 10 years, CSD has seen far more candidates from the Tea Party than it has viable opposition to sitting members. Many elections haven't been contested at all. And as for Brady, just as it did for Paige, there comes a time for some when you are inspired to take on more in your life and deepen your commitment to your district and community. When all the stars align in your own personal star chamber. Moreover, I would like to suggest what Brady may bring to the table something that has been sorely missing for several years - a certain connection to the poverty that plagues the Route 40 corridor, to the suburbs. And we are talking poverty pockets so deep that they echo the City of Wilmington and everything that the WEIC has been assigned to address. While all of our attention has been diverted to Wilmington, Route 40 schools are at capacity and growing and serving children that are coming to school tremendously less prepared than their Downes Elementary counterparts.
Yes, it's said, when it comes to School Board candidates, whoever wins Downes wins the district. But, I wouldn't be surprised if this contest was truly run and lost right at home in District F.
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