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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Milford</strong> <strong>Review</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> News Of <strong>The</strong> Week for Greater <strong>Milford</strong>, Delaware<br />
September 20,<br />
2011<br />
Chefs<br />
Throw<br />
Down At<br />
Abbott’s<br />
Abbott’s Grill hosted a Chef Throwdown competition on Thursday, September 15 on their<br />
back patio for a unique spin on their famous wine tasting and pairing events, with each<br />
chef cooking up creative dishes and pairing them with one of four fall beers from Dogfish<br />
Head.<br />
Full story and Photo Gallery begin on page 4.<br />
Public Hearing<br />
To Determine<br />
Future of Offices<br />
by Bryan Shupe<br />
<strong>The</strong> building that currently holds the<br />
Chamber of Commerce for Greater <strong>Milford</strong><br />
and Downtown <strong>Milford</strong> Inc. may<br />
have big plans in the near future. On<br />
Monday, October 31 the City of <strong>Milford</strong><br />
will hold a public hearing to reveal the<br />
plan for the downtown site and a summary<br />
of the process for approving the<br />
project. <strong>The</strong> reconstruction of this site<br />
will prepare the property for a complete<br />
rehabilitation of the City Water Plant and<br />
the City owned office building located on<br />
Washington Street.<br />
More on page 2<br />
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101 Delaware Veterans Blvd., <strong>Milford</strong>, DE 19963<br />
Phone: 302-422-4453<br />
Fax: 302-422-4787<br />
www.bgclubs.org<br />
WATER RENOVATION from page 1<br />
<strong>The</strong> primary focus of the project will be rebuilding<br />
the water plant but the project will also include the<br />
demolition of the offices located in front of the water<br />
plant to meet production needs for the City. <strong>The</strong><br />
City of <strong>Milford</strong> expects to move the billing staff back<br />
downtown in this location to increase accessibility to<br />
residents.<br />
“Due to aging infrastructure, maintenance and repair<br />
work to this facility has been difficult and unproductive,”<br />
commented City Manager David Baird. “<strong>The</strong><br />
City has been repairing and replacing water production<br />
and treatment facilities around town for several<br />
years and this should be one of the final steps in that<br />
process.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Milford</strong> City Council has been advised that a<br />
$4 million loan from the State of Delaware has been<br />
approved for the project to finance the improvements<br />
associated with the demolition and reconstruction<br />
of the Washington Street Water Plant and the office<br />
buildings located on the same site. <strong>The</strong> borrowing<br />
is expected to be completed through the issuance of<br />
a loan from the State of Delaware Drinking Water<br />
Revolving Fund (DWSRF Loan). According to City<br />
Manager David Baird “35 percent of the principal will<br />
be forgive immediately” which would bring the loan<br />
down to $2.6 million.<br />
Following the public hearing on Monday, October<br />
31 the City Council will be asked to approve a referendum<br />
for the project. If approved, the referendum will<br />
be held in November to determine whether the public<br />
wants to pursue the project and the borrowing of the<br />
loan. According to the Charter of the City of <strong>Milford</strong><br />
the referendum must be set at least 30 days after the<br />
approval and no more than 60 days after the approval.<br />
Eligibility of <strong>Milford</strong> residents for the referendum will<br />
be the same as annual elections.<br />
<strong>The</strong> public hearing for this project will be held at<br />
7pm on Monday, October 31 before the City Council<br />
meeting at City Hall. For more information on the<br />
public hearing visit www.cityofmilford.com.<br />
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St. John’s 21st Annual German<br />
Oktoberfest Set for Oct. 7-8<br />
by Bryan Shupe<br />
239 NE Front St., <strong>Milford</strong><br />
St. John’s German Oktoberfest will open on Friday,<br />
October 7 at 6:00 pm and continue through<br />
Saturday, October 8 at St. John’s Church, located<br />
on the corner of Seabury Avenue and School Place<br />
in <strong>Milford</strong>. <strong>The</strong> festivities will kick off on Friday<br />
evening with music from <strong>The</strong> Funsters and celebrate<br />
European cultures through live entertainment,<br />
food and fun.<br />
<strong>The</strong> original Oktoberfest in Germany started<br />
in 1810 to celebrate a royal weeding in Munich,<br />
Germany and has continued as an annual tradition<br />
around the world. <strong>The</strong> Oktoberfest celebrations<br />
in <strong>Milford</strong> began in 1990 by a German man<br />
named Karl Thomas and wife Renate as a way to<br />
raise money for St. Johns Church. Revenue made<br />
from the first year went to put a new roof on the<br />
church.<br />
<strong>The</strong> international food court this year will be serving<br />
traditional German entrees, along with Italian,<br />
Hispanic, Polish, and Filipino dishes. Homemade<br />
crab cakes, hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, Italian<br />
ice, pretzels, and homemade baked desserts will<br />
also be on the menu. A favorite among attendees<br />
is the homemade ice cream which will be available<br />
again this year.<br />
On Saturday the festivities include arts and crafts,<br />
a white elephant gift exchange, helicopter rides,<br />
over 100 homemade desserts, and entertainment<br />
throughout the day. Kids will be able to enjoy inflatable<br />
games including a slide, moon walk, and<br />
obstacle course. A petting zoo and pony rides will<br />
be open for children to enjoy as well.<br />
On Saturday afternoon, a new German Band,<br />
Immergrün Musikanten, will join the <strong>Milford</strong> Oktoberfest<br />
for the first time. Spanish dancers and the<br />
McAleer School of Irish Dancers will also appear<br />
later that evening. Starting at 4:30 pm Saturday<br />
afternoon, Elvis and the local band <strong>The</strong> Honey<br />
Combs will appear to play music well into the<br />
night.<br />
St. John the Apostle’s Church welcomes all to enjoy<br />
the food, music and fun of the 21st Annual<br />
German Oktoberfest Weekend beginning on Friday,<br />
October 7 through Saturday, October 8. St.<br />
John’s Church is located on 506 Seabury Avenue.<br />
For more information call 422-5123, ext. 13.<br />
A Full-Service Facility:<br />
Cardio Equipment<br />
Free Weights<br />
Hammer Strength & Cybex<br />
Spinning - Yoga - Zumba<br />
And Much More!<br />
Click Here to Learn More At:<br />
extremetotalfitness.com<br />
O N L Y T H R E E L E F T<br />
Open HOuse<br />
2190 Reynolds Rd., <strong>Milford</strong> • Sat. 11-3 • Month of May<br />
www.TapaHOMES.cOM • iNFO@TapaHOMES.cOM
Dogfish Head Chefs’ Throwdown at Abbott’s Grill<br />
by Bryan Shupe<br />
Abbott’s Grill hosted a Chef Throwdown competition<br />
on Thursday, September 15 on their back patio<br />
for a unique spin on their famous wine tasting<br />
and pairing events. Chefs from Abbott’s Grill, Nage<br />
and Dogfish Head contended against each other for<br />
the title of King Chef as they cooked up creative<br />
dishes and paired them with one of four fall beers<br />
from Dogfish Head. Each chef was allowed to cook<br />
one dish to pair with one beer.<br />
<strong>The</strong> idea was developed out of the success from<br />
the wine dinners in the past and the love of craft<br />
beers from the Abbott’s staff. Naturally, Dogfish<br />
Head was chosen as the beer to be used since it is<br />
local and has been on tap at the restaurant since<br />
their opening. <strong>The</strong> sales representative from Dogfish<br />
Head, Nick Vital, helped come up with the<br />
idea of the Chef Thowdown to closely mimic an<br />
Iron Chef type of competition, where chefs go head<br />
to head to compete for best dishes.<br />
Continued on page 6<br />
Celebrity chefs for the evening were Benton Wallace<br />
from Nage, Dennis Marcoux with assistance<br />
Matt Adams from Dogfish Head and Abbott’s<br />
Grill’s own Kevin Reading and Ryan Cunningham.<br />
“We let them have total creative control,” stated<br />
Karen Stauffer of Abbott’s Grill. “<strong>The</strong>y could<br />
cook anything they wanted; it just had to pair well<br />
with the beer that we gave them. We decided on<br />
beers through a blind assignment a week before the<br />
event.”
FALL OPEN HOUSE<br />
Saturday, September 24 H 10-6<br />
“Bucks for Boots”<br />
Bring in your old boots & get $20 off a Brand New pair!<br />
“Spin the wheel”<br />
10 - 50% Off ALL Merchandise<br />
Excludes Hay, Feed, Wormer & Gift Certificates.<br />
U.S. 13, Across from the Fairgrounds<br />
302-398-4630<br />
FREE Refreshments & Activities<br />
10 a.m. ~ 6 p.m.<br />
Pony Rides & Games for Kids<br />
11 a.m. ~ 2 p.m.<br />
Dress Western and<br />
you’ll be entered to win<br />
a $100 Gift Certificate!
ABBOTT’S THROWDOWN from page 4<br />
“We just wanted to create a fun and casual beer<br />
festival type of atmosphere, where guests got to<br />
interact with the chefs, see what was being created<br />
and dine at their own pace,” commented Karen.<br />
“It worked out really well. We’ve had nothing but<br />
great compliments on the set-up, the chefs, and of<br />
course the beer.”<br />
At the end of the night Abbott’s own Ryan Cunningham<br />
was crowned King Chef chosen by the<br />
patrons on the back patio who enjoyed the food<br />
and drink of the evening. Ryan paired Dogfish<br />
Head’s Punkin’ Ale with Punkin’ Ale braised pork<br />
cheeks, local fall squash, Fifer Orchard apples and<br />
natural jus. Abbott’s owner Kevin Reading came<br />
in a close second serving Dogfish Head’s Midas<br />
Touch with Roasted duck, phyllo-wrapped fig,<br />
port-duck reduction and butternut squash brown<br />
butter.<br />
“Tickets sold so well, and we had so many requests<br />
the day before and night of, that I’m sure<br />
we’ll do more beer events in the future,” stated<br />
Karen. “<strong>The</strong> general manager of Dogfish Head<br />
Pub was here and he loved the idea. He said he’d<br />
love to expand it and involve more chefs, more<br />
beers, and do the event on a larger scale. So who<br />
knows, the Dogfish Head Throwdown could easily<br />
turn into a bigger, annual event.”
Parade Committee Announces Entry Deadline<br />
Staff Report<br />
Now that a crisp cool front has moved through<br />
the area, the shift of thoughts is to Fall and the<br />
Community Parade. <strong>The</strong> Committee has been<br />
meeting all year long to be ready for the annual<br />
event. This year’s parade is Wednesday, October<br />
19, 2011. Groups and businesses wanting to participate<br />
will need to complete an application and<br />
return it to the Parade Committee by October 8,<br />
2011 for consideration. <strong>The</strong> parade will host over<br />
10 bands and a Philadephia String Band. Local<br />
groups like the Roller Derby Girls, <strong>The</strong> Book Mobile<br />
and Bayhealth will be participating this year.<br />
Additional entries that have already registered are<br />
preparing early for the event. there is no fee for<br />
entry and businesses particpating are requested to<br />
make a contribution to offset the costs associated<br />
with the more-than one hour parade that spans 1.7<br />
miles in length.<br />
All along the parade route, the morning of the<br />
parade day, locals are already placing tape, chairs<br />
and blankets marking their “best viewing” spot for<br />
the parade. <strong>The</strong> Parade Committee enjoys organizing<br />
the annual event and has done so for 24 parades<br />
to date. “This is our 25th parade and the committee<br />
has endured shrinking budgets, and other<br />
challenges but has endured to continued to offer<br />
the families on Delmarva an event for everyone to<br />
enjoy,” stated Mr. Charles Gray, Parade Chairperson.<br />
With an annual budget of over $10,000, the<br />
all volunteer committee is charged with rasing the<br />
money and organizing the participants, as well as<br />
other logistics behind the scenes.<br />
“25 years: a Medley of Past Favorites” is this year’s<br />
theme and that eans pretty much everything goes.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Parade Committee also has a Facebook page<br />
that features under discussions their 25 year history<br />
of themes and an online application link that<br />
automatically sends the application to the committee<br />
when the “submit” button is clicked. In years<br />
past, the parade has enjoyed an audiance of upwards<br />
of 35,000 spectators and 3,000 particpants<br />
(those walking up Walnut Street). <strong>The</strong> parade<br />
kicks off at 6:30pm at the corner of Walnut Street<br />
and Seabury Avenue and will arrive downtown by<br />
6:50pm. “<strong>The</strong> Parade has brought citizens from all<br />
over the Delmarva Peninsula, Pennsylvania, New<br />
Jersey and even Virginia to watch the parade in a<br />
beautiful downtown and River area. No other parade<br />
or event in <strong>Milford</strong> has attracted so many on<br />
one day or night,” stated Mr. Gray<br />
“Our sponsors have been with us for the journey<br />
as well. Sponsors like Dave Wilson, Richard<br />
Y. Johnson, and Gooden’s Floral Shop have made<br />
it possible for the Committee to concentrate their<br />
efforts on the parade and not the logistics. Three<br />
(3) reviewing areas have stands for the Master of<br />
Ceremonies, porta-restrooms, and usually a vendor<br />
or two. Our Master of Ceremonies has equally<br />
been with us as long, Eagle 97.7 and Alex Vaughan<br />
just to name two,” included Mr. Gray. <strong>Review</strong>ing<br />
stands are located at City Hall, Church of God,<br />
and Gooden’s Floral Shop. <strong>The</strong> route is from South<br />
Walnut and Seabury to North Walnut and 10th<br />
Street. Vendors will be located at City Hall, PNC<br />
Bank, Downtown with some Downtown Merchants<br />
remaining open, and Church of God. Spectators<br />
should expect to see some favorites and some<br />
new entries as well.<br />
Contributions are still accepted by sending a check<br />
to: MCP, Inc. PO Box 1153, <strong>Milford</strong>, DE 19963.<br />
If you received a notice in the <strong>Milford</strong> Electric Bill,<br />
it is not too late to send your slip in with your contribution<br />
to the address above. Families can also<br />
participate in an upcoming fundraiser to be held<br />
at the <strong>Milford</strong> Skating Center, October 12, 2011.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Pizza Skating Party is from 6:30-9:00pm and<br />
features all the pizza you can eat. Admission for everyone<br />
is just $3 and skate rental is $2. A limo ride<br />
through the parade with friends is the main door<br />
prize and is courtesy of Racing Limos of Dover.<br />
This is a great dinner and a skate value for a family.
‘U JUST ASK’ Forms<br />
To Help Area Needy<br />
Staff Report<br />
A group of area women have formed “U Just<br />
ASK (Actively Supporting with Kindness), a new<br />
community effort aimed at helping those in need.<br />
“Our name says it all if you have a need ‘U Just<br />
ASK,’ and we will try to help as many people as<br />
possible,” says the group, which includes Kris<br />
Phillips, Lisa Mallard, Pamm Swadley, Donna<br />
Schanne, Connie Warren, Laura Rust, and Faith<br />
Ennis. “Throughout the year we will be having<br />
many giveaways from coats, Thanksgiving dinners,<br />
to toys at Christmas, uniforms for school aged children,<br />
just to name a few. We will be looking for<br />
many volunteers throughout the year to help with<br />
these missions. Maybe you can lend some time delivering<br />
goods, wrapping gifts, dropping off donations,<br />
attending our meetings, giving us names of<br />
those in need, or just offering up a prayer for our<br />
success. It doesn’t necessarily cost anything to help<br />
one another. We know that with GOD guiding<br />
our efforts we will be successful. ”<br />
“We never know how much of an impact we can<br />
have on someone if we just offer one small act of<br />
kindness,” says the group. “It may change their day<br />
completely. If the day is a success we hope to have<br />
it monthly!”<br />
Some suggestions offered by U Just Ask for that<br />
day are paying for coffee for the person behind<br />
you in line, paying a toll for someone, bringing<br />
in your neighbors trash or newspaper, or baking<br />
some cookies for a shut in.<br />
“<strong>The</strong>re are so many ways we can perform a small<br />
act of kindness and it doesn’t have to cost a penny,”<br />
says the group.<br />
For more information, U Just Ask has created a<br />
Facebook page and will be building a website in<br />
the near future.<br />
LoweLL F. Scott, Jr., M.D.<br />
611 FeDeraL Street, Suite 3<br />
MiLton, De 19968<br />
Phone 302-684-1119<br />
Fax 302-644-1187<br />
<strong>The</strong> group’s first event will be “Random Acts of<br />
Kindness/Pay It Forward Day” on September 28,<br />
2011 community wide.
Music School Offers<br />
Students Unique Experience<br />
by Bryan Shupe<br />
<strong>The</strong> Music School of Delaware has been part of<br />
downtown <strong>Milford</strong> for several years and is the only<br />
statewide, accredited, community music school in<br />
Delaware. With its main campus located on Walnut<br />
Street in <strong>Milford</strong>, and 5 satellite campuses in<br />
Kent and Sussex Counties including Dover, Felton<br />
Lewes Seaford and Angola, the Music School of<br />
Delaware continues to partner with local band and<br />
choir directors to assist and develop their students<br />
through music education.<br />
“Since schools’ budgets are getting cut across the<br />
State, the arts programs are many times the first to<br />
go,” commented Julie Sutton, Program Administrator<br />
of the <strong>Milford</strong> site. “Band and choir directors<br />
need to offer their students private instruction<br />
in addition to their usual classes. <strong>The</strong> opportunity<br />
to do so is getting more difficult as budgets are being<br />
cut.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> Music School of Delaware offers these students<br />
the ability to focus on private instruction<br />
which is proven to be more productive for each<br />
individual. <strong>The</strong>ir professionally trained instructors<br />
teach beginners, conservatory-bound teens and<br />
adults in both private instruction and group settings<br />
at the <strong>Milford</strong> location each week.<br />
“We take each individual and see where they are<br />
and where they are going,” commented Ms. Sutton.<br />
“Each student is different and works at a different<br />
pace. We also encourage our students to perform<br />
in the community which offers them opportunities<br />
for experience and allows them to share their gifts<br />
and talents.”<br />
Currently <strong>The</strong> Music School of Delaware is in<br />
the process of creating a children choir for Middle<br />
School-aged students and a new program called<br />
Garage Band which helps students learn to work as<br />
a team while composing their own pieces of music.<br />
<strong>The</strong>ir unique lessons also include classes for children<br />
at a very young age. Kindermusik and the Suzuki<br />
Academy introduce students to music education<br />
as early as 2 ½ years old. While Kindermusik<br />
focuses on music-making and music listening activities,<br />
the Suzuki Academy actually allows these<br />
very young children to experience the instruments<br />
first-hand.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Music School of Delaware offers a musical<br />
experience for everyone by introducing students to<br />
a diversity of musical genres through almost every<br />
contemporary instrument including woodwinds,<br />
brass, strings, percussion and voice. <strong>The</strong>ir vision<br />
is to create more music for more people in more<br />
places.<br />
Whether through private or group lessons <strong>The</strong><br />
Music School of Delaware has become an outstanding<br />
facility dedicated to music appreciation in <strong>Milford</strong>.<br />
A faculty concert will be held at the school<br />
on Wednesday, October 26 and the first recital for<br />
the school year will begin on Saturday, November<br />
12. <strong>The</strong> Music School of Delaware is located on 10<br />
South Walnut Street and is open Monday through<br />
Thursday from 12pm to 6pm, except for scheduled<br />
events. To learn more about <strong>The</strong> Music School of<br />
Delaware visit www.wilmingtonmusic.org or call<br />
302-422-2043.
Varsity Football Falls To Indian River<br />
by Sean Marraffini<br />
After a slow start in the opening week of the season <strong>Milford</strong> looked to get into<br />
a winning grove against Indian River but IR came out on the attack. Throwing<br />
for deep yardage and forcing turn overs IR defeated the Buccaneers 41-0.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Buc’s started off on offensive opting to run. Chas Holden had a short run<br />
to get <strong>Milford</strong>’s offense going. A four and out drive lead to a <strong>Milford</strong> punt which<br />
was run back for a touchdown, putting Indian River up 7-0 after the extra point.<br />
Despite the best efforts of Buc’s quarterback Nicholas Jefferson and the <strong>Milford</strong><br />
defense the Buccaneers where unable to stop the Indians offense, which used the<br />
long ball and good blocking to make it to the end zone.<br />
“As I told the boys here, we have to learn from our mistakes,” Head Coach<br />
Mike Tkach said. “Now we need to chop away this coming week as we have Sussex<br />
Tech coming in. We have to prepare for them.”<br />
“We are going to bust our butts.” Tkach said.<br />
When asked for the game plan against Sussex Tech, “We have to go back to<br />
fundamentals.” Tkach said. “We might make some changes but we are going<br />
to have the best people out there. Play some <strong>Milford</strong> Buc football and get after<br />
Tech.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> Buccaneers game vs. Sussex Tech is on Friday, September 23. Game time<br />
is 7:30pm.
<strong>Milford</strong> Cross Country Looks<br />
To Repeat Success in 2011<br />
by Bryan Shupe<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Milford</strong> Cross Country team hosted their<br />
Henlopen Opener at home against Seaford on<br />
Wednesday, September 14. Carl Richardson and<br />
Molly Bliss led the way as the boys and girls each<br />
scored the top 18 places to shut out Seaford 15-<br />
50. For the boys, Kierian Firch ran a career-best<br />
to surge onto varsity for the first time, while Wesley<br />
Wilkins, Justino Cosentino and Brian Gilewski<br />
also ran career-bests. For the girls, Alexis Doughty<br />
shattered her career-best, while Natalia Hernandez<br />
and Katie Hopkins also added their bests.<br />
<strong>The</strong> team as a whole has performed very well<br />
during the preseason and is looking forward to<br />
the fall season. With the big win against Seaford<br />
last Wednesday, at <strong>Milford</strong> Millponds Nature Preserve,<br />
Coach Czar Bloom looks to have a strong<br />
group of athletes for this week’s meets against local<br />
rivals Woodbridge and Lake Forest.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> key that the team needs to remember is that<br />
the success from last year was due to a lot of hard<br />
work,” commented Coach Bloom. “<strong>The</strong>y cannot<br />
think it was luck and lose focus.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> captains for the boys’ team are Michael<br />
Doughty, Taiwan Savage and Carl Richardson.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y each are veteran who had the chance to<br />
experience the Henlopen Championship and<br />
are excited for the new 2011 season. “We look<br />
really strong and have a deep team this year,”<br />
commented Michael when asked about how<br />
the team looked in preseason.<br />
Captain Taiwan Savage admitted that the team<br />
has to “do a better job during the regular season<br />
and be more focused. We lost to Caesar Rodney<br />
during the regular season but came back to beat<br />
them in the Henlopen Tournament,”<br />
“We are going to have a strong front running<br />
pack this season,” stated team captain Carl Richardson.<br />
“We have a lot of depth and fast runners<br />
that will push each other.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> captains for the girls’ team are Stefanie Clendaniel,<br />
Molly Bliss and Shay Safiane. Stefanie is a<br />
4 year veteran to the varsity squad and is “really<br />
excited to see a lot of young sophomores and freshmen<br />
stepping up as leaders on the team.”<br />
Molly Bliss stated that “everyone has their<br />
strengths. It is a very close family and everyone<br />
pushes themselves.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> girls’ team is looking to progress this year as<br />
they continue the success of last year. “We need to<br />
beat Sussex Tech in the regular season and go further<br />
in the State Tournament,” commented team<br />
captain Shay.<br />
Coach Czar Bloom is excited about the 2011 season<br />
and is looking forward to the cooler weather.<br />
He reminds the team that their success will depend<br />
on how hard they work and their ability to stay focused.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Milford</strong> Cross Country team schedule,<br />
photos and updates by Coach Bloom himself can<br />
be found at http://www.eteamz.com/mhscc/.
New Hope for Prostate Patients<br />
Staff Report<br />
New cutting edge technology is offering new hope<br />
for prostate patients. That’s the message from a Bayhealth<br />
urologist during Prostate Cancer Awareness<br />
Month.<br />
According to Bayhealth Urologist Greg Spana,<br />
MD, the advent of fiber optics, lasers, and surgical<br />
robots has enabled surgeons to perform complex<br />
operations through tiny incisions or through no<br />
incision at all. This has been a “game changer” for<br />
prostate surgeries.<br />
In addition to reducing pain and shortening recovery<br />
times, minimally invasive surgeries such as<br />
da Vinci Robotic surgery, allows for greater precision<br />
by the surgeon.<br />
“Robotic surgery for prostate and kidney cancer<br />
provides the surgeon with a magnified 3D view of<br />
the operative field and unmatched precision when<br />
cutting out tumors and sewing tissue together,”<br />
said Dr. Spana.<br />
<strong>The</strong> enhanced 3D magnification gives the surgeon<br />
a better view, allowing him to make more precise<br />
incisions to minimize blood loss and preserve tissue<br />
and nerves. For example, a urological surgeon may<br />
utilize robotic surgery to perform a prostatectomy<br />
and remove cancerous prostates through five small<br />
incisions of five to eight millimeters each. That<br />
compares to traditional “open” prostatectomies in<br />
which a surgeon would typically need to perform<br />
a six to eight inch incision from the pubic bone<br />
toward the umbilical area. <strong>The</strong> open surgeries typically<br />
required patients to be hospitalized for two to<br />
three days but, with robotic surgery, a patient usually<br />
requires only overnight hospitalization.<br />
Robotic surgeries are also making a dramatic difference<br />
for kidney cancer patients who previously<br />
received a long open incision on their flank, had<br />
part of their ribcage removed, and endured an entire<br />
kidney resection. Open surgeries for kidney<br />
cancer frequently left patients in pain and recovering<br />
for three to five days in the hospital. By contrast,<br />
robotic surgery allows surgeons to preserve<br />
most of the kidney while resecting only the tumorous<br />
tissue. <strong>The</strong>se patients suffer far less pain and<br />
may usually return home within two days.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> development of minimally invasive surgeries<br />
has optimized outcomes for our patients while<br />
allowing them to recover and return to their activities<br />
far more quickly. It’s revolutionizing the world<br />
of surgery,” said Dr. Spana.
Skating Center Owner<br />
Thanks Walls For<br />
Irene Assistance<br />
I, like everyone else, was glued to the tv, radio, or<br />
internet wondering if we would be missed, be hit,<br />
or survive Hurrican Irene. As the new owner of<br />
the <strong>Milford</strong> Skating Center, located along the tidal<br />
Mispillion River, I too had to wonder if the business<br />
would survive.<br />
I had witnessed North Easters and the tidal flooding<br />
the Mispillion had dealt downtown <strong>Milford</strong> before.<br />
Now with a vested interest in Downtown’s<br />
survival, I called the City and Police Department to<br />
find how they were preparing to save Downtown.<br />
To much disappointment, I was told nothing is being<br />
done in a concerted effort. Nor, when I asked<br />
where I might find sandbags, the answer was not<br />
helpful at all. I was feeling alone and facing a natural<br />
disaster without one sandbag or a prayer.<br />
Dennis Silicato and contractors have been working<br />
hand in hand with me to renovate the property.<br />
<strong>The</strong> business has been located in Downtown <strong>Milford</strong><br />
since 1984. A fresh coat of paint, new look,<br />
new carpet, we were all on our way to a complete<br />
makeover. Time and money was invested; but,<br />
what, where, and how was I gonna save the Skating<br />
Center.<br />
Of course I called around to merchants to see if I<br />
could find sand bags-none. Finally, I started calling<br />
friends and after several “I wish I could help<br />
you, but I just don’t know where to tell you to<br />
look”, I called Bob Walls. Bob, eventhough<br />
his business is on the highway, eventhough<br />
his home is not in downtown or even <strong>Milford</strong>,<br />
he said, “I’m not sure but let me call you<br />
back.” My shoulders felt a little less heavy and<br />
my heart not racing as much. I awaited his<br />
return call and with a little time, Bob Walls<br />
called with an answer. He had found where I could<br />
get the bags and asked them to hold them for me.<br />
I want to thank you Bob Walls for rescuing me and<br />
the business I hold close to my heart.<br />
Having become the new owner in July and recently<br />
filling out a business survey, why doesn’t the<br />
city have a preparedness plan for commercial sites<br />
or information to find materials, or even a stock<br />
pile of bags for use/purchase, needed to prevent<br />
business/property loss? Fortunately, Irene didn’t<br />
swallow <strong>Milford</strong>, but we know it can happen again.<br />
What proactive steps is the City currently taking<br />
to safeguard the parkways, the Downtown Business<br />
District? Should we really be waiting until after the<br />
big one to decide what to do?<br />
Thank you Bob Walls for your time and your interest<br />
in saving <strong>Milford</strong> Skating Center. You are<br />
someone I could count on!<br />
Carmen Kemper<br />
<strong>Milford</strong> Skating Center, Owner<br />
Riverwalk Festival<br />
Chairperson Thanks<br />
After another<br />
successful Riverwalk<br />
“Freedom”<br />
Festival, as the<br />
chairperson, I<br />
wanted to take<br />
the time to sincerely<br />
thank the<br />
many volunteers<br />
and coordinators<br />
of the festival.<br />
Community<br />
Angela Dorey<br />
<strong>The</strong> goal of<br />
the festival is to show appreciation for our first<br />
responders and to support the local community.<br />
However without the assistance of so many volunteers<br />
in our community the festival would not<br />
be possible. Much of the coordination is done
ehind the scenes and I wanted those who dedicated their time and efforts to<br />
be known. Thank you to the City of <strong>Milford</strong>, the <strong>Milford</strong> Police Department,<br />
Gary Emory and the <strong>Milford</strong> Parks and Recreation Department, Bill Carpenter<br />
and the Carlisle Fire Department, Kids Korner chairperson Deanna Smith and<br />
her team at Artisans Bank, Food Vendor chairperson Lynn Hammond of KSI,<br />
Traffic and vendor chairperson John Workman, Duck Dash chairperson Donna<br />
Stalvey of First Class Properties and Wilma Besnoska of Americinn, Firework<br />
and sponsorship chairperson Ruth Abbate of Delaware Electric Signal, Patriotic<br />
Remembrance chairperson Kay Hudson with the <strong>Milford</strong> Library, First<br />
Responders chairperson Andy Hamilton with Ellendale Fire Department, Tug<br />
of War chairperson Mary Betts with Parks and Recreation Department, Paddleboat<br />
organizer Dave Danno, Volunteer Coordinators Beth Hammond with<br />
Trans Products Trans Services, Shirley Pennington with Bowers Fire Company,<br />
and volunteer extraordinaire Eric Hitch for doing everything that no one else<br />
wants to do. I would never have enough room to list everyone who deserves a<br />
big thank you…. Everyone that participates is greatly appreciated and I look<br />
forward to working with each and every one of you next year.<br />
Thank you to the entire <strong>Milford</strong> Community.<br />
Angela Dorey<br />
Dorey Insurance & Financial Services<br />
Riverwalk “Freedom” Festival Chairperson