newarking

Well, spring lasted about two weeks here this year so I finally got out on the road with my bike.  I barely made it before May - Delaware Bike Month.  Not having seen my friend Steve in a while, I decided to head over to his house.  After a nice visit and rest I headed up Red Mill Road to Paper Mill Road.  This part of the ride was into the teeth of a stiff wind.  It was a nice ride and I mapped it here.  Here is the elevation map of the ride:

The Bike Month Ride of Silence event will touch Newark.  For more information visit one of our two large bicycle dealers on Main Street.

Bike Line : 212 East Main Street Newark, DE 19711

Wooden Wheels : 301 Newark Shopping Center Newark, DE 19711

Further information about biking in and around Newark is available from the White Clay Bicycle Club.  They are even offering rider information tags for your helmet for free.  They hold a number of rides during the week and on weekends in and around Newark.  If you have never riden in a group, this is a great place to start.

My goal is to once again ride in the MS Society Bike to the Bay event.  My ride report from last year is available here.  I WILL make it this time!

Another snippet from the book Newark, Delaware Past and Present, written by Egbert G. Handy and Jas. L. Vallandigham, Jr. in 1882.

My last Newark History post from the book was on Newark Delaware’s First Charter, and this one looks at some local laws created a few years later establishing some laws for Newark’s official marketplace area. It appears that the marketplace was right by the Newark Academy building, on the side where the Stone Balloon had be located at for the last few years.

In 1772 “An Act for establishing a market in the town of Newark and for regulating the same,” took effect.

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So I ventured out at around 11ish last night to catch some friends at Shaggy’s. Couple of buddy’s have been talking about some decent (as in “can actually play their instruments”) bands as of late, and while I’m not a student and shy away from some of the larger bars (at least in the beginning of the night), I set out to check it out. After waiting in line for a few minutes (it was packed!), I decided maybe it wasn’t the crowd for me. I did get to hear Hijinx do a cover of Bon Jovi’s “Wanted”, and everyone is a closet Jovi fan, so I enjoyed it.

I forgot to mention on my walk over to Shaggy’s, I heard the band Feverdog play a Dave Matthews tune (”American Baby”) at Klondike Kates. While I didn’t get to actually see either band, it was cool to at least hear them play across the street or while waiting in line.

After a few phone calls and meeting up with a friend at Iron Hill, we made our way down to Deer Park to catch last call. Little did I know their was a band playing there too! Liquid A had the stage, and had the entire crowd bobbing up and down and created a really fun atmosphere.

How awesome, I thought, that I got to hear three different bands in three different bars in one night! Okay, maybe I’m just a drunk, but it’s exiting to know that the little city you live in has a pulse. If you’re into music and aren’t a cover band hater, be sure to venture out next Thursday and get your rock on!

Kevin Sun will host the Newark celebration of International Tai Chi Day this year.  He and other tai chi practitioners and teachers will hold demonstrations and lessons starting at 2:00 PM at the Old College lawn.  There will also be a lion dance demonstration. 

Newark is a special place for moving and still meditation.  There are some remarkable tai chi, kung fu and karate teachers in the area.  You may run into them while just walking down Main Street.  I know I have. 

We have  at least one 25 year tai chi master in town as well as accomplished Gung Fu, Chi Gung and meditation masters.  These people do not like to make their accomplishments public, but they can be found.  You may find them in any of Newarks’ wonderful parks early in the morning.  Or you may find them down by White Clay Creek.  Moving quetly through the still air.  An easier and more fruitful way to meet some of them would be to come out to National Tai Chi Day!

Here is a partial listing of the martial arts schools in the area.  This is not a list of attendees at National Tai Chi Day.

American Karate Studios
16 Polly Drummond Center, Newark, Delaware 19711

China Wind, LLC
Traditional 5 Animal Hung Gar Kung Fu
280 E. Main Street, Suite 113, Newark, DE 19711

Karate Kids
Astro Shopping Center, Newark, Delaware 19711

Ming Tao T’ai Chi Ch’uan Studio, Inc.
Traditional Yang Family T’ai Chi School, Hsing-Yi, Pa-Kua, LiuHoPaFa
P.O. Box 432, Newark, Delaware 19711

Sachetti’s Martial Arts
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Pekiti-Tirsia, MMA, Kids & Adults
Four Seasons Plaza, Rt. 896, Newark DE 19702

Shaolin Martial Monk School
Traditonal Shaolin Kungfu,Tai Chi,XIng YI, Bagua
168 Elkton Rd, Newark, Delaware 19711

The Shaolin Wushu Kung-fu Institute
14 Peddler’s Row, Newark, DE 19713

Shao Lin Tiger & Crane Kung Fu Academy 
Traditional Hung Gar Gung Fu, Tai Chi Chuan
Market East Plaza, 280 E. Main St, Suite 116, Newark, DE 19711

Tai-Kai Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Mixed Martial Arts training center
691 College Square, Newark, Delaware 19711

Top Notch Karate
2632 Kirkwood Hwy, Newark, Delaware 19711

Zentokukai of Delaware
Okinawa Shorinji-Ryu Toude Karate-Do
120 Salem Church Rd, Newark, Delaware

For 32 years Newarkers have been celebrating spring by attending Ag Day festivities and this year is no different.  This year the event will be held on April 28th from 10 AM to 4 PM, rain or shine.

From early morning rock and roll from Plainview to later folk performances the entertainment lineup looks strong this year.  The list of bands and times are as follows:

9:30 AM - Plainview plays Rock and Roll

12:00 PM - “Dodging Cupid” returns to Ag Day.

1:00 PM - Ashling Ah’lyn plays soft rock and folk music with a strong celtic influence.

2:00 PM - “87 Southbound” plays honky tonk and western swing.

3:00 PM - Chapel Street Junction is rooted in bluegrass but plays country and Irish music as well.

 While listening to the music, visitors may browse the exhibitors and look at the live animals.  A hayride is always a favorite with the kids as are face painting and the horse rides.  Adults usually gravitate to the good sausage sandwiches served at the main driveway.

Ag day is being held once again at and around Townsend Hall on the University of Delaware campus.

The Downtown Newark Partnership (DNP) and the Alpha Xi Delta (AZD) sorority are hosting a 5k Run/Walk this Saturday, April 21

You can pre-register at the Downtown Parking Office, on the second floor of the Galleria, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday, or at the Trabant University Center kiosks on April 19 and 20 or online. The pre-registration cost is $15 for the race and $5 more for brunch to be held after the race at Shaggy’s on Main.

It’s also possible to register on the day of the race, though the costs rise to $20 for the race and $10 for brunch. Pre-registration on Saturday starts at 8:00am at the Main Street Galleria.

There are raffle prizes for race participants and donors. Students could win a Nintendo Wii and 100 hours of free parking in downtown Newark. Area residents could win a one-year permit for free parking in downtown Newark.

The Downtown Newark Partnership will use its portion of the proceeds for improving the appeal of the town through downtown community arts programs.

Alpha Xi Delta proceeds will be divided into two charitable donations, one to a scholarship fund for a college student battling cancer and the other Girls Inc. of Delaware.

For more information, or to donate or volunteer, contact Andrew Haines at (302) 366-7155 or e-mail ahaines(at)newark.de.us.

After the idling of the Chrysler plant and the closing of Avon it is nice to see some good news on the job front.  Comcast will be joining Lowes and Home Depot as new large employers in greater Newark.

Comcast has announced plans to open an 800 seat, state-of-the-art customer service facility in Newark.  The phone center will be located at 300 North Wakefield Drive near the intersection of Rt. 273 and I-95.  They expect to have a grand opening event near the end of this year.  No word yet on specific job openings but the application process is open.  Applicants should visit Comcast.com - Not Comcast.net - for information about upcoming job fairs and even to apply online.

 The new customer service center is required to handle the expansion of Comcast services that now include Digital Voice.  The voice over Internet packet (VOIP) phone service is expanding quickly.  Comcast operates similar centers in New Castle and Dover.

New Castle County Executive Chris Coons says “We are excited to work with Comcast and look forward to their plans for additional hiring in the next few years. I thank Governor Ruth Ann Minner and the Delaware Economic Development Office for their dedicated leadership in this effort and others to ensure our local economy continues to grow.”

The space Comcast will use became available after the purchase of MBNA by Bank of America.