June Anniversaries

6/1	2 YRS	Jessie Ryan	Delaware State News
6/2	7 YRS	David Cannon	Dorchester Banner
6/3	22 YRS	Timothy Gary	Delaware State News
6/5	1 YR	Terry Comegys	Delaware State News
6/6	4 YRS	Krystal Boyles	Delaware Printing
6/7	2 YRS	Marc Clery	Delaware State News
6/12	1 YR	Scott Bracken	North Valley
6/13	5 YRS	Vernon Bailey	Delaware Printing
6/16	4 YRS	Phillip Frerichs	Delaware State News
6/17	35 YRS	Bret McKeand	Arizona Region
6/19	1 YR	Connie Thomson	Corporate Services
6/20	4 YRS	Donald George	Delaware Printing
6/23	36 YRS	Barbara Bryan	Delaware State News
6/23	4 YRS	Paul Clipper	Dorchester Banner
6/24	16 YRS	Glenn Rolfe	Sussex Weeklies
6/24	8 YRS	L Lee Hoover	Delaware State News
6/26	22 YRS	Jasper Purnell	Delaware Printing
6/26	48 YRS	Edward Dulin	CEO

Thank You Note

Editor's Note: Hugh Duncan, Sun City Community Assistance Network board president, submits a monthly guest commentary highlighting different aspects of the agency’s services to the community. Following a commentary published May 2 editions of the Sun City and Sun City West Independents, Mr. Duncan shared the following:

Since my column on the property tax break for disabled persons appeared in last week’s issue, the County Assessor in the CAN office is getting 15-20 calls per day seeking information and/or paperwork.

She is also having 5-7 in office appointments per day to process applications.  Good to know people read my column.

Thanks to you and Charlene for giving me the space in the newspaper each month.

Hugh

Reporter's Notebook

Newspaper begins a fifth year of service

By Susan Canfora

This week, the Salisbury Independent begins its fifth year of publication. That’s a milestone that makes us incredibly proud of the newspaper that has grown to be a readily conumed news source in Wicomico County.

Since May 2014, we have published thousands of news articles, feature stories and photographs to keep our valuable readers informed and entertained.

They include reports of major crimes, education, city and county government issues, business and real estate that keep the economy healthy, feature articles often about the unheralded and photographs that truly are worth 1,000 words.

Why, in this world of quick headlines found by flicking a thumb on the screen of our phones, is the newspaper still important?

One of the best arguments I’ve read is in a Stanton Communications article that reminds us electronic content is “a mass of copy, art, photos, videos, comments, likes and shares that the reader makes his or her own judgments about.”

A newspaper, though, is an experience, an experience and a daily snapshot of history.

“It becomes something richer and more innately important than all the information within. It gets your fingers dirty. It opens your mind to information, stories and perspectives you likely would not have chosen to receive” through feeds.

“The newspaper compels you to turn each page, see what’s there and consider stories you might otherwise pass over because something compelling — a photo or headline — captured your attention.”

When I was growing up in western Pennsylvania, newspapers were ubiquitous in my home. Every afternoon, the daily paper was delivered to our house, and to our neighbors up and down the street and throughout that small town. The paper boy would fold it into a perfect square and, more often than not, hit the porch when he threw it from the sidewalk.

On Sundays, before daylight or that first cup of steaming coffee, my mother would send my dad out to buy the Pittsburgh Press, Youngstown Vindicator and New York Times, all which she read thoroughly. They were in a neat stack beside her favorite chair in the living room and she would return to them every evening.

Long before I started school, my father read the big, colorful comic section to me, always beginning with his favorite, Blondie, as I followed each word with my eyes and began to love the strong smell of ink that, over the years, found its way into my veins.

That was my first introduction to reading, recognizing words in bold, black headlines and arranging them into sentences.

By my sophomore year in high school I was certain I wanted to be a newspaper reporter in a career that is invariably interesting, fastpaced and educational.

From that first issue, on the streets May 15, 2014, Greg Bassett and I, with photographers Kristin Roberts, Todd Dudek and Joey Gardner, legendary photographer and writer Brice Stump and contributors, have consistently concentrated on articles and photographs that showcase our community from unique angles.

As the years go by, we’ll continue to meet that commitment for our readers who, like us, don’t mind getting their fingers a bit dirty.

Professional Recognition

Salisbury Independent captures 3rd straight Public Service Award

Salisbury Independent
For the third consecutive year, Salisbury Independent was awarded the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association's top award in the category of Public Service.

In awards handed out at the press association’s annual convention last week, reporters Susan Canfora and Greg Bassett, and photograpger Brice Stump were recognized for the newspaper’s continuing coverage of the opioid crisis in Wicomico County.

Last year the newspaper took an innovative approach to its coverage, tying its own community reporting with a special series aired by Maryland Public Television, thereby bringing even more coordinated attention to a complicated local problem.

Canfora and Stump also teamed up to profile Salisbury’s Debbie and Mike Wessels, who relayed their experience as the parents of Mac Wessels, a Salisbury native who died of an opioid overdose.

Stump’s haunting cover photo of Debbie Wessels succeeded in raising community awareness while also personalizing an issue that many people can’t see.

The annual MDDC Editorial Contest is judged by newspaper and website reporters and editors from across the nation.

Salisbury Independent’s sensitive coverage and problem-solving objectives on the opioids issue were also cited for MDDC recognition in 2015 and 2016.

Bassett received a first-place award in the Investigative Reporting category for his stories on the Wicomico County Council’s efforts to conduct a forensic audit on how the county’s Human Resources Director was awarded a pay raise in 2016.

The newspaper relied on public documents as well as direct interviews to detail which steps occurred in which order, and sought to identify the source of council-executive tensions on the matter. Susan Canfora and Todd Dudek shared a second-place award in State Government Coverage for their stories and photographs of a bipartisan forum held in Salisbury that included Gov. Larry Hogan and state Comptroller Peter Franchot as participants.

The event, coordinated and sponsored by the Greater Salisbury Committee, was the the first of its kind locally.

In the just-completed General Assembly session, the relationship forged between the two leaders as a result of that Salisbury event — and as telegraphed in Canfora’s reporting — was on display as both the governor and comptroller sparred with the legislature’s Democratic leadership.

Photographer Joey Gardner captured a first-place award in the General News Photo category for his Salisbury Independent cover photo from the 2017 Relay For Life event at WinterPlace Park.

Gardner captured a stunningly intimate photo of Salisbury’s Jack Rich igniting a caldron in a pond during a luminary lighting.

“The fact the Salisbury Independent has captured first place for the third consecutive year in the Public Service category is a testament to just how seriously the newspaper takes its mission to help build a better community,” Publisher Darel La Prade said.

“We believe it is not just our job to report the news honestly and accurately, but to select stories that make a genuine difference in the quality of life in Salisbury and Wicomico County.

“That Greg and his team do this consistently make them incredibly valuable to the community at large,” La Prade said.

Salisbury Independent competes in a newspaper division that includes other weekly publications with a circulation of 20,000 or more in Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C.

This photo of Jack Rich lighting a caldron in the pond at WinterPlace Park during the 2017 Wicomico Relay for Life luminary lighting was a first-place winner in this year’s MDDC Editorial Contest.

SPECIAL TO SALISBURY INDEPENDENT/ JOEY GARDNER

Joey Gardner

Brice Stump

Greg Bassett

Susan Canfora

Todd Dudek

May Monthly Health Alert

Skin Cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer, it is still the most diagnosed form of cancer in the United States.   Click the link below to learn how to prevent this form of cancer and to read the symptoms.  All presented by Highmark BCBS of Delaware.

http://www.athighmark.com/ccToolkitDE/files/pdf/health-promotions/May2018SkinCancer_BCBSDE.pdf

Newshound celebrates with friends

Newshound, played by rookie Karen Harrity, attended Sherman the Shorebird’s birthday party. Sherman is the mascot of the Delmarva Shorebirds, a minor league baseball team affiliated with the Baltimore Orioles. The party at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium in Salisbury took place May 6. Newshound was there representing the Salisbury Independent, and Karen, the distribution manager for our Delmarva weeklies, was making her debut appearance as Newshound.

Celebrating 5 Years

Delaware State News graphic artist Sue Short celebrated her 5^th anniversary with INI in early April.  And, in the true tradition of the Delaware State News Advertising Team, she was surprised with a celebration featuring not just cupcakes but also ice cream.  What?  10 a.m. is too early for ice cream?  Not at the Delaware State News!  Everyone enjoyed the break from their busy day to wish Sue, “Congratulations,” enjoy the treats and swap stories about the “good old days” of the newspaper universe.  Be sure to share your “Congrats” with Sue the next time you see her!

Prison coverage among 22 awards for Delaware State News

By Andrew West

Delaware State News

DOVER — The Delaware State News has received a first place for breaking news, and two related awards, from the Maryland-Delaware- D.C. Press Association for its coverage of the February 2017 prison uprising and death of a correctional officer.

On Friday, the press association honored newspapers for excellence in journalism at an annual banquet. The theme was “News with Integrity.” The Delaware State News had 11 first-place honors.

“We are very proud our newspapers did so well,” said Delaware State News Publisher Darel La Prade. “The State News took home 22 awards. That is outstanding. What makes it especially gratifying is the breadth of the winning awards. Our journalists, designers and sales people were recognized for everything from covering breaking news to columns to features to ad design to photography.

“Our winning entries represent the sort of all around excellence we strive to achieve every day,” he said. “And it is especially rewarding that the recognition comes from our peers, other journalists, who have a tendency to be especially harsh judges.

“The cherry on top, of course, is that our newspapers won these awards in service to our readers and advertisers, and knowing that is the ultimate prize.”

Under a bold headline that read, “Prison officer killed,” the front page of the winning Feb. 3, 2017, edition carried Marc Clery’s powerful photo of grieving correctional officers following news of Steven Floyd’s death at the hands of inmates.

Inside the edition, the Delaware State News had another nine full pages of coverage of the prison siege, including an account of how law enforcement officials used a backhoe to break down a barricade to end the standoff and rescue a prison counselor.

“After a torturous ordeal that went through the night, we learned of Sgt. Floyd’s demise,” Delaware Gov. John Carney told the media that day. “My prayers all day yesterday were that this event would end with a different result. But it didn’t. So today we mourn with the family of Sgt. Floyd.”

That edition also reviewed the longstanding concerns the correctional officers had about prison staffing and safety, and a report on a tense roadside protest in Smyrna.

Reporters Ian Gronau, Craig Anderson and Matt Bittle, photographer Marc Clery and freelance photographer Doug Curran, and this editor all had credit lines. Behind the scenes, copy editors Allan Ryder and Craig Horleman and managing editor Ashley Dawson all contributed to the intense day of coverage.

The Delaware State News staff also won a second-place award for front page design for this edition.

Indeed, it was a team effort, the type of work that makes an editor proud of a staff.

Mr. Gronau earned a second-place award in the continuing coverage category for a multitude of stories that followed the prison uprising. Over the course of the year, there were 50 front-page stories related to the prison incident and security concerns.

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In addition to the breaking news award, the Delaware State News had three other editorial first-place awards in Division C of the MDDC Press contest. The newspaper competes with other small dailies.

Ms. Dawson and Mr. Horleman were honored in the arts and entertainment category for “Curtain falls on the Schwartz,” a report on the closing of the historic downtown Dover theater in June 2017.

Sports editor Andy Walter won a first place for sports column with “Knapp’s story is Wesley’s story, too.” The column shared the story of Ben Knapp and his inspiration to the Wolverines’ football team.

Mr. Clery won first place for breaking news photo for an altercation, showing a fight between a man and a woman wielding a screw driver.

He won a second place in feature photo for “Thunder Over Dover” showing the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds doing the Calypso Pass with one jet inverted above another.

The inspiring story of Eric Porter — headlined “Porter Strong” — won reporter Craig Anderson a second place in feature story-profile. Mr. Porter suffered a spinal fracture in an auto accident. He has used his own recovery to inspire others to try to “keep climbing” and walk again.

The “From the Editor” column – written by this editor – was awarded two second place awards.

“A daily newspaper opens up work to students” was second in the local feature column category. It discussed how teacher Katie Maddalena used the Delaware State News as a literacy project for sixth-grade students at John Bassett Moore Intermediate in Smyrna.

This editor and Polytech High students Maureen Iplenski and Torie Seagraves won second place in the features- driven multimedia category for “Moore gives voice to the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr.” The online version of the column featured short excerpts from an interview with the Rev. John Moore and a clip of him re enacting a King speech.

For news page design, graphic artist Lee Hoover and freelance photographer Doug Curran won first place for “Emergency 9-1-1.” Ms. Hoover, Mr. Clery and freelance photographer Gary Emeigh won second place for “Delaware State Fair.”

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The news, layout, advertising and graphics teams won first place for custom publication for the 2017 Kent County Profile. The annual magazine, produced in collaboration with the Kent Economic Partnership, featured Dover Air Force Base’s newly- completed runway on the cover.

The same teams also won the advertising- driven special publication standalone category for the annual wedding guide, “Live, Love, Laugh.” Heather Cregar and Ms. Hoover, along with the advertising graphics and layout teams, won second place in the same category for the Dover Days Official Program.

Ms. Cregar and Ms. Hoover won a first in self-promotion campaign for “The Best Just Got Bigger,” advertising the newspaper did after making the page sizes 25 percent taller.

Sue Short, Katrina Sullivan and Sharon Harvey won first place for restaurant/entertainment ad – large print only for a Country Liquors ad. Ms. Short and Ms. Harvey also won second place in this category for a Sinking Springs ad.

Ms. Short, Ms. Harvey and Karl Krauss also won the restaurant/entertainment small print category for Belle Bridal Expos.

Graphic designer Ms. Hoover won a first place for retail ad for Dream Vacations.

Ms. Hoover, Tim Gary and Barbara Bryan won second place in the advertising small print category for DART First State.

Barbara Anne Jones, Ms. Cregar and the advertising graphics team earned a second-place award for best event with the Delaware Outdoor Expo.

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The Milford Chronicle, Sussex Post, Dorchester Banner and Salisbury Independent – sister weeklies of the Delaware State News – combined for 20 awards in other divisions.

We congratulate them on their continued success, and wish to give a special shout- out to Angi Hicks, a graphic designer in the Milford office. She and Salisbury advertising manager Cathy Koyanagi won a best in show for real estate amazing views advertising. Ms. Hicks also won a best in show with Sussex Post advertising manager Jenny Keim for small print advertising campaign for a Clifford Short Insurance ad.

The first-place winners in each division – from small weeklies to metropolitan dailies – vie for best-inshow awards.

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We’re proud of the honors for our staff members. But we certainly want to thank our readers and advertisers for their ongoing support of “News with Integrity” and allowing us to play a role in democracy and serve your communities.

Visit the “From the Editor” column at delawarestatenews.net for links to several of the prize winners in today’s column.

Andrew West is editor of the Delaware State News.

The staff of the Delaware State News won a first-place prize for its breaking news coverage of the February 2017 prison uprising in the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association editorial contest. Ashley Dawson and Craig Horleman won a top prize for a report on the closing of the Schwartz Center and the Delaware State News’ annual economic development magazine Kent County Profile also took first place.