|
|
Receives Top Gubernatorial Honor NOTE: Sussex Beat is a mix of news, analysis and commentary by Eric Magill, publisher of Sussex County Online.
Sussex County native Bea Simonds of Millsboro received the highest honor a governor can bestow on a citizen of Delaware when Gov. Thomas R. Carper awarded her with The Order of the First State on Thursday, May 18, 2000. Simonds, an advocate for the blind and visually impaired for nearly half a century, received the honor for "significantly enhancing the quality of life for residents of the State of Delaware". Since 1952, Simonds has dedicated her life to helping the blind and visually impaired in Delaware gain personal, social and financial independence. Early in her career, she worked as an itinerant instructor for the state agency now known as the Division of the Visually Impaired. There, she traveled to clients' homes and provided guidance on how to function independently in their personal care, budgeting and household management chores. After retiring in 1969, Simonds was appointed to the Governor's Advisory Council on the Blind and became chairperson shortly thereafter. Today, she still serves in that capacity. Through Simonds' efforts as a lobbyist, Simonds has posted an unprecedented record of success with advocacy legislation for the visually impaired, including influencing legislation that permitted blind Delawareans to serve as jurists and operate 54 cafeterias in state facilities. After the cabinet form of government was introduced in Delaware, Simonds was largely responsible for influencing legislators to raise the Division of the Visually Impaired from a bureau to division status. That act alone erased significant service barriers for the blind. "The Division of the Visually Impaired may well not exist as it does today if it were not for the leadership of Bea Simonds," said Gov. Carper. A member of the Delaware Women's Hall of Fame, Simonds was also instrumental in developing the Incarcerated Braillist Program at the Delaware Correctional Center in Smyrna and the Technical Equipment Program in statewide school districts. Simonds remains an active lobbyist and advocate for Delaware's blind and visually impaired. "Bea's unparalleled leadership and tremendous energy have made all the difference for the blind and visually impaired in Delaware," said Gov. Carper. "Her success as an advocate and lobbyist has made life better for many Delawareans and her countless efforts will affect many generations to come."
Sen. George Bunting (D-Bethany Beach) couldn't have been more accurate in his assessment of the repaving of Route 1 between the Indian River Inlet and Bethany Beach -- the area known as North Bethany, which is the summering home for many affluent upstaters and Washingtonians. For 20 years, the Senator and other local officials have been trying to get U.S. 113 repaved from Millsboro to the Maryland line only to have their requests fall on deaf ears. But in short order, after North Bethany residents whined about the "noise" cars were making on the existing Route 1 surface and that the shoulders were too narrow for their roller blading and jogging activities, DelDOT Secretary Anne Canby had an army of construction crews tearing up and repaving Route 1 to make life easier for those poor, deprived souls. Sen. Bunting, remembering last summer when Canby ordered the speed limit in the North Bethany area lowered to 50 miles per hour after a North Bethany resident complained about the speed of the four-lane highway she built her million dollar beach home next to, said the Route 1 repaving is just another example of well-connected property owners influencing DelDOT decisions. DelDOT spokesperson Michelle Ackles denies the charge and says the repaving project was the result of a DelDOT road rating system. As a resident of Ocean View, I use both Route 1 and U.S. 113 frequently and feel Route 1 certainly should not have been the priority here. So, if you believe Ackles' nonsense about favoritism not playing a role in DelDOT decisions, and you've driven U.S. 113 south of Millsboro, you can only believe that DelDOT has a bunch of incompetent nitwits rating our roadways. Either way, we hope Sen. Bunting and his colleagues will launch an investigation into DelDOT's practices and procedures to determine why North Bethany residents are able to get everything they want when less influential citizens of Sussex County continue to get the shaft.
From the "Why would anyone vote for this man?" department, Sussex County Councilman Dale Dukes made the astonishing statement at the May 16, 2000 council meeting that taxes in the county "are too low". Dukes, a Democrat from Laurel, must have been beside himself as County Administrator Robert Stickels announced that tax rates would remain the same for the 11th straight year. After Councilman George Cole, a Republican from Ocean View, proposed the institution of a tax credit for permanent county residents instead of across-the-board tax relief, Dukes said, "I think we're fine the way we are. I'll vote against lowering taxes, because I think they're too low right now." Perhaps the residents of the 1st Council District will remember that when Dukes comes up for re-election and vote against him.
You can voice your opinion on county issues in the Sussex County Online Forum or cast your vote on various Sussex County issues on our online poll. Just follow the links below to make your voice heard and your vote count:
For all of its faults and questionable practices, the Delaware Department of Transportation does have a helpful web site. You can visit it at http://www.state.de.us/deldot/index.html. Especially helpful for beach-bound travelers are the live traffic reports and traffic cams from Lewes down to Bethany Beach. Local News Index | News Index |
 iSyndicate® Headlines |
|
Sussex County Online Copyright © 1999-2000 Sussex County Online |
