Thanksgiving Message From The CEO

To all INI employees,

It's been nearly five months since I've taken on the reins of CEO of the company and I'm still trying to grasp all of the responsibilities that go along with this position.  After having spent more than forty-four years knee deep in operational issues, it's a bit hard to pull away from that day-to-day mind set.  However, with the competent leaders we have in place today, I know everything is in good hands. 

As we prepare for one of the biggest days of the year with our Thanksgiving editions, I also realize how hard our people are working to meet deadlines, improving our products, increasing sales and satisfying readers.  That ongoing dedication and commitment are what makes this company special and what has led to our continuous success. 

It's easy to say we're thankful right now with the holiday upon us, but I want everyone to know we're thankful every day, every week and every month throughout the year!  We're blessed with a great group of employees and I want to say it again......thank you for all you do!!! 

Have a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving! 

Ed Dulin

December Anniversaries

12/2, 7 YRS, Charles Murphy, Okeechobee News

12/3, 2 YRS, Timothy Mastro, Delaware State News
12/5, 14 YRS, Zenaida Matute, Valley Printing
12/5, 14 YRS, Maria Orozco, Valley Printing
12/9, 11 YRS, Victoria Rosado, Delaware State News
12/10, 7 YRS, Katie Erickson, West Valley
12/11, 8 YRS, Kristina Schwartz, Okeechobee News
12/13, 4 YRS, Jan-Dhu McKinney, North Valley
12/14, 5 YRS, Tonda Parks, Delaware State News
12/16, 12 YRS, Tina Pendexter, East Valley
12/17, 5 YRS, Yvonne Kirksey, Delaware State News
12/17, 2 YRS, Karen Riggin, Crisfield Times
12/24, 2 YRS, Brandon Carpenter, Valley Printing
12/29, 12 YRS, Darin Powell, Corporate
12/30, 1 YR, Victoria Twisselmann, Delaware State News

December Birthdays

12/2, Rita Maier, Delaware State News

12/6, Darline Vayda, Okeechobee News
12/7, Victoria Rosado, Delaware State News
12/9, Anthony Blue, Delaware Printing
12/16, Robert Williams, Delaware Printing
12/18, Caleb Corrin, Delaware Printing
12/19, Cynthia Eldred, Delaware State News
12/20, Craig Anderson, Delaware State News
12/20, Arshon Howard, Delaware State News
12/20, Sheryle Sussman, Delaware State News
12/21, Steven Seth, Delaware Printing
12/22, Amber Bonnett, West Valley
12/22, Brittany Taylor, Delaware State News
12/25, David Blatt, Delaware State News
12/25, Penny Bruns, West Valley
12/25, Lori Kircher, Corporate
12/29, Brett White, Valley Printing
12/30, Jose Bucio, Valley Printing

The Night Before Christmas According to Jim Conrad

The Night Before Christmas

The Updated Jim Conrad Version

(Jim is a delivery specialist at the DSN)

 ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas, and it’s starting to snow

I’m afraid that by morning, it’s to shoveling I’ll go;

The oversized stockings by the chimney were nailed,

And when Santa shows up, hope he won’t get impaled,

The kids had been arguing, so I sent them to bed,

With directions to be quiet, or at least to play dead.

The missus in pjs and me in sweat suit

Had two pairs of wool socks and electric blankets to boot,

When out in the yard was a god-awful noise,

I jumped out of bed and tripped over kids toys

I limped to the window and rolled up the blind,

To see if the source of the sound I could find.

The street light was shining right dead in my eye

And at three in the morning my senses did lie

But I thought sure I saw a sled by the street

With a whole bunch of reindeer who thought they were neat

And then to my red blood shot eyes did appear

A Santa Claus dude with a cell phone to his ear

I guess them there elves hadn’t checked out his pack

He seemed to be missing some things from his sack

Then he hollered to the reindeer, “Get this sled on the roof.

For it seems like the elves have made quite a goof

My cell phone reception is not all that good

Perhaps on the rooftop it will work like it should”

So I guess that they dragged him on top of the house

‘Cause all the noise in the rafters didn’t come from a mouse

Well I guess that his cell phone still didn’t connect

Three o’clock Christmas morning. What do you expect?

So he came down the chimney to use our house phone

Guess he figured he have better luck with a dial tone

He must have got thru to the North Pole Exchange

For I heard him yelling loudly in a verbal exchange

If those elves don’t do better, resumes they might need

‘Cause they’ll be looking for work if they don’t get up to speed

Then he left what he had in the stockings that hung

Mumbling “ If I had some decent help, I could get the job done”

He crawled back up the chimney and jumped on his sleigh

And I heard him still mumbling as he started on his way,

“Hope my bill with Fed-Ex is not more than I can pay,

And that folks all around have a MERRY CHRISTMAS anyway”

 

                Original poem by Jim Conrad 17 Dec 2002

 

 

 

 

Just Dulin His Job

News CEO honored for doing ‘a good turn daily’
By K.I. White
Delaware State News

DOVER — Ed Dulin is a familiar face around Delmarva. He grew up in Kent County, playing sports at Caeser Rodney High School in Camden before graduating in 1969 and landing a job in the circulation department of the Delaware State News.

These days, however, he’s likely to be spotted at fundraisers or working on projects for the Greater Kent Committee, the Schwartz Center for the Arts, the Modern Maturity Center or campaigning for mentors.

“Anytime you go to an organization, a charity organization, a civic organization, you run into Ed,” says Bill Andrew, president and CEO of Delaware Electric Cooperative.

He describes Mr. Dulin, president and CEO of the Delaware State News’ parent company Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA, as a person who doesn’t wait to be asked to help.

“He gets involved and then sees projects through to their fruition.”

It’s that willingness to “do a good turn daily” — the Boy Scouts slogan — that put Mr. Dulin on the short list to receive the Del-Mar-Va Council’s 2014 Kent Distinguished Citizen Award, according to committee chairman Mr. Andrew.

“This is not the culmination of what he has done. It’s also a recognition of what he has done and will do. He always gives 100 percent.”

This is the 30th year the Del-Mar-Va Council of the Boy Scouts of America has named a Kent Distinguished Citizen, recognizing those who give their time and talents to improve the quality of life in Kent County. Past winners include civic activists, businessmen, a college president, CEOs and politicians.

The dinner associated with the presentation is considered one of Del-Mar-Va Council’s premier events. Tickets for the Nov. 20 gathering at Dover Downs Hotel and Conference Center are $125, which includes a donation to the Boy Scouts. Money raised will help pay for Scouting programs, including camp scholarships, recruitment efforts, supplies and adult-leader training. The event starts at 6 p.m. with a reception and then a 7 p.m. dinner.

Mr. Andrew, the 2013 honoree, appreciates that the award not only reflects that other people are cognizant of the recipient’s community efforts but also is a vehicle to help Scouting.

“It’s a very nice thing to help the Boy Scouts of America,” he says, “to give back to a worthy organization, to an organization that especially helps young people.”

A former Scout and Scout leader, Mr. Andrew recognizes that the adventure aspect of Scouting appeals to many, but he says it also does an exemplary job of developing character.

That aspect of Scouting fits well with one of Mr. Dulin’s big projects, Mr. Andrew says, citing his efforts in establishing mentoring programs in schools. Mr. Dulin started a mentoring initiative in the Capital School District, which has grown to include each district in the county. Kent County now has more than 500 mentors.

“The youth mentoring program is so important to the lives of those children participating,” Mr. Dulin wrote in an email interview last week. “It’s a tough job, though, to get adults signed up and to find the funds to support the program year after year.”

He aims to continue growing the program by working with key organizations in Delaware. Mr. Dulin, perhaps more than some, understands the need for mentors.

“I suppose you could describe me as a bit of a wild weed growing up,” he wrote. His father died when he was 2 years old, leaving his mom to raise him and his two brothers. “I didn’t have a strong male mentor in my life, so my interests shifted around as the wind blew and I tried my best to stay out of trouble.”

Mostly he managed to avoid trouble. He participated in Cub Scouts, but didn’t climb into the Boy Scouts ranks. Other activities distracted, especially sports. He was the captain of the basketball and football teams at Caesar Rodney and class secretary. He also coached basketball because even then he enjoyed working with youths.

Today, he sees Scouting as another avenue to help young men mature.

“Whichever level young men are involved, they learn the importance of strong values and working together. Another great example of how mentoring, whether by an adult or a peer, can make a difference in someone’s life.”

It’s that desire to make a differ­ ence that caught the attention of Kevin Les Callette, development director of the Boy Scouts. He says the Del-Mar-Va Council’s leadership looks to honor someone whose life reflects the Boy Scout oath, whether they were ever a Scout or not.

They live the Scout law, Mr. Les Callette says, by being loyal and helpful.

“People who work in the community know each other, know who is involved, know what they do,” says Mr. Andrew.

The committee compiles possible candidates for the award and then determines if the one at the top of its list would be receptive, he says. The receptive part comes in to play because the honoree doesn’t just get the Boy Scouts of America’s McKenzie statue. Once he accepts, he is tasked with raising money to support the 10,500 Scouts on the Delmarva Peninsula.

Not only will Mr. Dulin become chairman of the committee but he also has a goal to raise $42,000. That’s up from the $33,500 raised in 2013.

Mr. Andrew has no doubts that Mr. Dulin was the one to select for 2014. “He gives his time, and money, to make Kent County a better place to live and work.”

Mr. Dulin, however, says, “All I’ve been doing is my job and trying to make a little difference in the community.”

He also is quick to share the honor.

“I have to give a lot of the credit back to my peers, though, as whatever I’ve done to deserve this award, it’s due to a team effort in getting things done.”

Mr. Dulin has received his share of awards but, being a native Kent Countian, this most recent one holds special meaning for him, especially since it comes on a milestone anniversary for the award. “Most of the awards I’ve received in the past were related to the newspaper industry, so with this one being more community-based, it’s extremely special,” he wrote. “When I returned to Delaware after spending over 30 years in Arizona, coming ‘ home’ and getting deeply involved in the community was an easy task because of my early roots established here.”

Mr. Andrew doesn’t expect the award to lessen Mr. Dulin’s visibility.

“He will continue to be the community leader we all have come to know.

“He’s a good guy.”

Delaware State News news editor K.I. White can be reached at kwhite@newszap.com or at 741-8233.


 

Ed Dulin, president and CEO of Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA, took the lead in getting mentors into the Capital District and that initiative has grown to include all school districts in Kent County. Mr. Dulin has been named the 2014 Kent Distinguished Citizen by the Del-Mar-Va Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Mr. Dulin will be presented the 18-inch high McKenzie Statue at the 2014 Kent Distinguished Citizen Award dinner on Nov. 20. It is a replica of sulptor R. Tait McKenzie’s “The Ideal Scout” statute, which originally stood in Philadelphia.

 

 

 

The Del-Mar-Va Council of the Boy Scouts of America has named Ed Dulin, president and CEO of Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA, its 2014 Kent Distinguished Citizen in recognition of his efforts to improve the quality of life in Kent County.

Infected USB devices can spread undetectable attacks

Everyone knows how common USB flash drives are today.  In fact, most people who use USB flash drives don’t really think about them as anything more than a storage device, but they are completely capable of being programmed to wreak havoc.

This particular activity would allow a hacker to plant virtually any instructions they wanted on the device itself that would automatically run when it gets plugged in.

With the increase in technology, the use of the USB devices will continue to grow.  It is Independent’s desire to raise awareness among employees by providing some helpful tips for reducing your chances of becoming a victim:

» Avoid plugging any USB drive into your computer that you do not personally own, OR know it’s safe.  This means friends, associates or anyone else who might want to transfer files to your computer via USB drive should be encouraged to use Google Drive, Dropbox or other cloud-based file-sharing services.

» Do not use any USB flash drive that looks as if it was lost by someone else. If you think like a hacker for a minute, the easiest way to start infecting people is to drop or leave infected USB drives in various locations. Most people will think that they have found a free storage device and have no way of knowing that it’s infected.

This is a fluctuating situation, so stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

 

Halloween Fun For All

Staffers at the Okeechobee News dressed for Halloween. Left to right are Katrina Elsken as Doctor Who companion Sarah Jane Smith; Tammi Kelly as Red Riding Hood; and Kristina Schwartz as a devil.

A Big Job To Tackle

Due to the gigantic size of this year's Unclaimed Property the staging was done in the parking lot.  Jim, Dave and other members of the circulation department were on hand to help out when the bulk drivers came for their bundles of Unclaimed Property.

Thanks

Rita

 

UNCLAIMED PROPERTY

Skids of the State of Delaware Escheator Unclaimed Property publication are waiting to be picked up by the carriers.

This year’s publication was 564 pages compared to previous years of 304(2011), 368(2012), 308(2013).

 

Delaware State News readers received this insert along with their Friday, October 31^st delivery

A Huge!!  Thanks to all who worked on this publication.

Dianna Sellers

Classifieds/Customer Service Manager