Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 3:20pm VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: O'Donnell speaks to WDEL
By Amy Cherry
Updated Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 6:15pm
WDEL's Amy Cherry talked with her one-on-one.
After avoiding reporters and remaining behind closed doors for more than 30-minutes at Wednesday's Tea Party Express rally in North Wilmington, O'Donnell sat down with WDEL to talk about the issues.
O'Donnell tells WDEL that she was not avoiding reporters. She insisted she's running
an open and transparent campaign, and that anyone who wants to interview her should
simply contact her office. She says Wednesday was solely about the Tea Party Express,
though O'Donnell is officially endorsed by the Tea Party.
O'Donnell also refuted claims that she had anything to do with a controversial video
posted on Liberty.com that involves former O'Donnell staffer, Yates Walker. In the
video, rumors are spouted that Congressman Mike Castle is gay. O'Donnell denounces the
video, and says there's a reason Yates is a former staffer.
When it comes to the economy -- the most important issue in all of the Congressional
and Senate races nationwide -- O'Donnell says to get the U.S. back on track the big
spending has got to stop. She says she would like to see ObamaCare repealed, and the
Bush tax cuts extended. She also insisted that the country would be in better shape
without the economic stimulus.
The latest polls by Rasmussen and Public Policy Polling show O'Donnell trailing
behind Castle by double-digits. But in a WDEL interview O'Donnell says, "We are neck and
neck, and that's very exciting." She says without the full weight of the party behind
her, as they advocate against her, she's still contending "with two candidates, who have
establishments and mutli-million-dollar war chests."
O'Donnell refused to address whether she'd run as a third party candidate if she lost
the primary. She calls it a "moot point," saying she's very confident she'll beat
Castle.
WDEL has made requests to speak with Congressman Mike Castle.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 12:50pm House damaged when car hits it
By Mellany Armstrong
Updated Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 12:55pm
WDEL's Mellany Armstrong reports
A woman and her young daughter are safe after a car crashed into their house Tuesday night in Limestone Gardens.
Lindsey Vitalo says she and her 7-year-old daughter were upstairs in their home in
the 4500 block of Pickwick Drive around 10 p.m.Audio Here
County police say the driver of the car, 22-year-old Sean Talmo, told them he blacked
out. The car traveled 100 feet off the road and went into the house. Talmo was treated
for neck pain. Police found a small amount of marijuana in the car. The Vitalos are
staying with relatives until the home can be repaired.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 1:35pm Voter registration more convenient for teens
By Amy Cherry
WDEL's Amy Cherry reports.
Governor Jack Markell signs House Bill 381 into law at William Penn High School in New Castle, making voter registration more convenient for teens.
Now, when 16-year-olds go to get their first drivers license, they can also register
to vote. They'll still have to wait until their 18 to cast their first ballot.
State Rep. Valerie Longhurst of Bear co-sponsored the bill, and she stresses the
importacne of voting early.
"People that do register early and start voting early, it becomes a habit, and they
continue to vote later on in life."
Longhurst says 16 is a good age for these students to get a handle on politics.
"16-year-olds are a lot more educated than we give them credit for. They're becoming
independent, and they're having all these new experiences and milestones coming along.
Being able to vote gives them the opportunity to stary learning a little bit more about
politics and understanding the direction that they would like to take the country because
they will eventually be our leaders. "
At Tuesday night's public hearing some expressed their worry over increased traffic
and safety problems, but John Tracey, attorney for the Toll Brothers says the company is
at the beginning stages of their traffic study and plans could change.
In addition to traffic issues, New Castle County Councilman Tim Sheldon says there
needs to be more recreation and green space.
Sheldon says the county and state do not have enough money to buy green space so the
burden needs to be lifted by contractors building in the area.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 12:50pm Red flag weather warning for NCCo, Kent
By Mellany Armstrong
Updated Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 3:20pm
New Castle and Kent counties are under a red flag warning, which means a high risk of fire because of the dry weather.
The National Weather Service says the warning is in effect from noon until 7 p.m.
Accuweather meteorologist Joe Lundberg says a cold front is coming through with some
gusty winds.Audio Here
Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 12:50pm Group releases "extreme" weather report
By Mellany Armstrong
An environmental activist group says we may see more damaging snowstorms and other extreme weather because of global warming.
Environment America released a report Wednesday in Dover calling on legislative action
to cut pollution. This is the group's Delaware spokeswoman, Hannah Leone.Audio Here
The group is urging Senators Carper and Kaufman to reject the legislation.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010 - 10:23pm PSC OK's SUN Park contracts
By Frank Gerace
Updated Tuesday, September 7, 2010 - 11:43pm
Delmarva Power's Dover SUN Park is a step closer to reality.
The state Public Service Commission Tuesday approved contracts with North
Jersey-based White Oak Solar Energy and Delaware's Sustainable Energy Utility for
purchase and preservation of Solar Renewable Energy Certificates, or SREC's.
Construction of the SUN Park, the first tenant of Dover's Garrison Oak Technology
Park, is slated to start later this year, with the facility, which will be one of the
largest solar power plants in the Mid-Atlantic region, expected to be fully operational
next summer.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010 - 10:23pm Middletown man in critical condtion after cycle/SUV crash
By Frank Gerace
A Middletown man is in critical condition after his motorcycle crashed into an SUV over the weekend, and Newark police are hoping to hear from witnesses.
Police say an SUV was turning left from Thorn Lane onto Elkton Road around 7 Saturday
night when the motorcycle ran the light at the intersection.
the SUV driver sped up, hoping to get out of the way, but the motorcycle hit the back
of the SUV and knocked its rider to the pavement.
The man, who wasn't wearing a helmet, is being treated at Christiana Hospital for a
head injury, broken arm and broken pelvis.
The westbound lanes of Elkton Road were closed for about an hour after the crash.
No charges have been filed, and anyone who saw the accident can call Newark police or
text 302NPD and their information to TIP411.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 12:41pm 4 thrown from boat into DE Bay
By Associated Press
A Milford boater faces charges after he and three friends were thrown from a boat into the Delaware Bay near Dover.
The state's division of Fish and Wildlife says Kenneth Blakely of Milford was
operating a 21-foot Carolina Skiff when he
made an abrupt turn and hit a navigational aid Saturday.
Blakely and three passengers were thrown into the water between Bowers Beach and
Cedar Creek and the boat continued running and turning in circles across the bay until it
ran out of gas.
Emergency responders pulled Blakely and his friends from the water. No one was
injured. A fisherman recovered the boat in the Delaware River shipping channel on Sunday.
Blakely has been charged with negligent operation of a vessel and failure to maintain
a proper lookout.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010 - 6:52am Ship likely killed whale that washed ashore
By Associated Press
Courtesy of MERR
An official with a marine research nonprofit says a 31-foot whale that washed ashore at Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes was probably killed by a large ship.
Suzanne Thurman, executive director of the Marine Education, Research and
Rehabilitation Institute, says the fin whale was about six months old, and washed to
shore Friday around noon. It was probably brought to shore by waves from Hurricane Earl,
which passed by.
Thurman says the calf had extensive damage to one side and a broken back.
After a necropsy was conducted, the animal was buried.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010 - 10:23pm Masked suspects sought in Wilmington 7-11 holdup
By Frank Gerace
Wilmington police are looking for 3 masked suspects in an early-morning holdup at a Greenhill Avenue convenience store.
The clerk at the 7-11 at 830 Greenhill Avenue told officers two of the suspects
jumped over the counter around 2:10 Tuesday morning and rummaged through the register
while the third held the clerk at gunpoint.
The robbers took off with some cash, and were last seen running westbound on 6th
Street.
Anyone with information can call Wilmington detectives or Crimestoppers, or go to
tipsubmit.com.
Audio Here
