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MORNING STAR
✳ MAY 18 - 24, 2006
Opinion Keep beer out of the stores
VIEWPOINT Laurel residents should be proud of effort to build the new library “Knowledge will forever govern ignorance. And a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives” - James Madison (1751 - 1836), fourth president of the United States.
Knowledge is indeed power. And there is no greater source of knowledge, no wider window to the vast and complicated world in which we live, than a well-stocked library. Laurel, to the great benefit of its citizens, now has such a library. The newly-renovated and much larger Laurel Public Library will hold a grand opening ceremony Saturday, May 20, from 2 to 4 p.m. Getting the new facility was not easy: First, there was money to raise, $3.5 million. And there were more than 40,000 books, DVDs, compact discs and videos that in the spring of 2004 had to be packed up and moved into temporary quarters on Market Street. Those same materials had to be packed up again and moved back to the new facility not quite two years later. We commend the Laurel community on its new library. The facility, especially its upstairs Delaware room, is beautiful and citizens are rightly proud of it. We also commend the members of the library board and all the library employees and volunteers for their hard work in making the new facility possible. The community of Laurel is indeed lucky to have people so dedicated to providing it with knowledge.
The expanded and renovated Laurel Public Library.
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Proposed legislation in the state to allow beer sales in grocery stores (and I assume at convenience markets) is being debated in the General Assembly. As shocking as it seems, people were equally as surprised when a bill was being debated to allow Sunday liquor sales in the state. That bill passed and Sunday sales are taking place. It’s a safe bet that liquor store owners will lobby with every breath in their bodies against House Bill 437. You can also bet that once beer sales are allowed in grocery stores, wine and liquor sales will not be far down the road. Once the door is open, everyone will want to come in. Legislators need to take a long, serious look at this legislation. I’m all for competition and a free market, but there comes a time to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough. Although I understand concerns by the liquor store owners, my opposition to this bill has nothing to do with their plight. At some point, someone needs to stand up and say enough is enough. The current system of restricting all liquor sales to stores at least provides a safety net to keep young people from purchasing liquor. The stores are watched closely and if they sell liquor to minors, they face loss of business. Adding grocery and convenience stores into the mix will only make it tougher for the state to keep up with enforcement of underage drinking. Underage consumption of alcohol is a serious problem in every corner of the United States, including western Sussex County. Drinking is looked at as a way of life thanks to the attention it gets in movies and videos; it’s looked at as part of our culture. Young people are hit with mixed messages from every angle. Alcohol companies are sponsors of major sporting events and concerts attended by young people. Although many other states already allow alcohol sales in grocery stores, that is not a legitimate reason for starting the practice in Delaware. Our young people are deluged with alcohol messages; they don’t President Bryant Richardson Vice President Pat Murphy Secretary Tina Reaser
Treasurer Carol Wright Richardson Executive Editor Ronald MacArthur
Managing Editor Mike McClure Editorial Lynn Parks Tony Windsor Kay Wennberg Cindy Lyons Taylor Circulation Karen Cherrix
need to be hit with those messages in the grocery store. I realize that if a teenager wants to get alcohol, he or she can probably get it by hook or crook, but we don’t need the addition of another outlet for booze.
RONALD MACARTHUR Legislators need to take a long, serious look at this legislation. I’m all for competition and a free market, but there comes a time to draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough.
TASK FORCE You probably missed recent action by the Delaware House of Representatives relating to school referedums. State Rep. Joe Booth, who has the Cape Henlopen School District in his area, was able to get House Resolution 62 enacted. Now we have a nine-member task force to study and recommend possible changes concerning the conduct of school district referendums. The group will review state laws and regulations as well as the codes of conduct currently in place. The task force will report back to the General Assembly before the end of this year. Why all the fuss? Booth was pulled into the “pizzagate” controversy in the Cape Henlopen District. A pizza party was given to the school with the most voters in the district’s recent successful referendum. Some people are not happy with that action. In fact, a lawsuit has been filed against the district over actions during the referendum. Booth promises reform. BUSY MONTH - It seems that everyone is trying to cram special events into the last two weeks of May before June hits us. The next two weeks are busy ones. The Western Sussex Relay for Life takes place on Friday, May 19, and Saturday, May 20, at the Cancer Care Center at Nanticoke Memorial Hospital. The event starts at 6 p.m. on Friday and runs to 8 a.m. on Saturday. The annual Community Day, sponsored by the Clarence Street Church of God, is scheduled for Saturday, May 20, starting at 10 a.m. And that night starting at 5:30 a.m., the place to be in Seaford will be the Seaford Fire Hall to pay trib-
Sales George Beauchamp Barbara Conn Rick Cullen Carole Kauffman Jimmy McWilliams Debbie Bell Composition Rita Brex Catherine Doyle
Laurel Star Advisory Board Dale Boyce Sandy Davis Toni Gootee H. Robert Hickman Jane Hudson Linda Justice Albert Jones Kendal Jones Mike Lambert
ute to retiring state Rep. Tina Fallon (tickets are available at the Seaford City Hall, 629-9173). In Laurel, two major events are taking place on Saturday, May 20. The new Laurel Library will have its official grand opening ceremony at 4 p.m. followed by the event of the season in the town, the annual Laurel Alumni Banquet and the announcement of the multitude of scholarships the organization awards. The JC Block Party is taking place in downtown Laurel on Sunday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Thursday, May 25, the second annual Horsey Family Youth Foundation golf tournament takes place at The Rookery near Milton and the annual spring dinner of the Greater Seaford Chamber of Commerce is that night at the Seaford Fire Hall. The new Shiloh House of Hope, to be built in Bridgeville, is having what it calls a “friend-raiser” at the Sam Yoder community center in Greenwood on Friday, May 26, at 6 p.m. The “house” will be a place for troubled teens. On Memorial Day weekend, the Seaford chamber is having its annual Towne & Country Fair with events at the Gov. Ross Mansion in Seaford. There will also be a safe boating event taking place on Saturday, May 27, at the Blades Marina Park starting at 10 a.m. Each town has Memorial Day ceremonies on Monday, May 29. Then after taking a little break, we are gearing up for high school graduations which all take place between June 1 and June 4. Delmar’s Day in the Park takes place on Saturday, June 3. Janet Lee Don Phillips Cora Selby Richard Small Debbie Waller Seaford Star Advisory Board Shirley Baynum Beverly Blades Tommy Cooper
Edward Cranston Mike Hall Nancy Harper John Hollis Karen Johnston Jan Lundquist Ron Marvel John Rittenhouse Bill Royal Steve Theis Layton Wheeler
Publishers of the Seaford Star and Laurel Star community newspapers, (Salisbury, Md.) Business Journal and the Morning Star Business Report