Month: June 2022

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Mohegan

Mohegan Sun shows love for Sue Bird one day after her retirement announcement

UNCASVILLE — While the Seattle Storm headed down the tunnel from the court to their locker room an hour before tipoff Friday night, Cali Durham charged up the Mohegan Sun Arena stairs, waving precious cargo.

“I asked her to sign this,” Durham, 10, said, holding a small Pride Month poster she’d made, “and my friend, too, and she did.”

Durham was wearing one of several green-and-yellow Seattle No. 10 jerseys dotting the stands Friday night as Sue Bird, UConn legend turned WNBA legend, came to town for the second-to-last time as a pro to play the Connecticut Sun. Bird announced Thursday that this season would be her last.

The Storm, also featuring UConn alumnae Breanna Stewart and Gabby Williams, drew a solid hand as they came out for the pregame shootaround from a crowd that stretched into the upper tier of the arena.

All three Huskies products were starters. All three got applause when they were announced. Bird, called out last, drew a roar as most of the crowd of 7,088 jumped to their feet.

“Of course it means a lot,” Bird said after the game. “Especially being in Connecticut, it was kind of funny to walk out there and see so much green and yellow in the stands.”

Some of the fans wore Bird’s jersey. One, behind the scorer’s table, waved Bird’s UConn jersey. Others…

“There was a bunch of people courtside: Two guys had” — Bird chuckled — “my Sports Illustrated Swimsuit picture, like, on a T-shirt. That was hilarious.”

Bird scored 14 points in almost 28 minutes — the crowd shouted again when she hit a left-side 3-pointer in the first minute — and…

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Lenni Lenape

New Jersey sues Ford over mining that tainted tribal land

RINGWOOD, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey officials sued Ford Motor Co. on Thursday, alleging that the automaker contaminated the ancestral homeland of a Native American tribe by dumping paint sludge and other pollutants into a former mine.

The action in state court seeks unspecified damages to restore the land, and to compensate the state and local communities for losses they sustained when natural resources were damaged.

The suit accuses Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford of dumping contaminants at the former Ringwood Mine site, a 500-acre site that encompasses the homelands of the Ramapough Lenape Nation, a tribe formally recognized by the state.

Get more from the Citrus County Chronicle

Tribe members attended Thursday’s news conference and spoke of years of illnesses and deaths they attribute to contamination of their land.

“Can you promise my community a future?” tribe member Angel Stefancik asked New Jersey officials during the news conference. “I’ve lived on contaminated land my whole life. I want the kind of land where my ancestors grew up, where you can walk barefoot. I want my rabbits, my toads, fruit trees.

“I lost my grandmother to cancer,” she said. “I’m 22 and I have a long list of chronic conditions. It’s so hard living in that area, but this is my land. I was born there and I will die there.”

The state’s lawsuit alleges that Ford purchased Ringwood Mines in 1965 to use it as a landfill where it could dispose of hazardous waste generated by its auto assembly plant in Mahwah, which was one of the largest auto assembly plants in the U.S.

Between 1967 and 1974, the lawsuit asserts, Ford disposed thousands of tons of toxic paint sludge in the forests and on the grounds within the Ringwood Mines, as well as in its abandoned mineshafts and pits. Other pollutants were…

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Mohegan

Fans flock to Mohegan Sun Arena to catch a glimpse of Sue Bird in her final season

UNCASVILLE — Well over an hour before the start of Friday night’s game between the Connecticut Sun and Seattle Storm, fans flocked the tunnel adjacent to the court at Mohegan Sun Arena.

From little girls to middle-aged men, everyone eagerly waited with the hopes of an interaction with Sue Bird. Many wore her jersey. Some had on UConn gear. Others held signs honoring the star point guard, who officially announced Thursday that she’d be retiring from professional basketball at the end of this season.

Cali Durham’s eyes went wide and her face lit up as Bird signed a hand drawn poster wishing the 41-year-old a “Happy Pride Month.” The 10-year-old, wearing a green and yellow Storm No. 10 jersey, recently did a school project on Bird and has been wanting to see her play in person for a long time.

“I look up to her because she’s just one of the reasons why I feel like I can play basketball and I shouldn’t care what people think,” Durham said. “She’s just been a really big idol to me.”

A even larger group of fans formed in the same area a half hour later, again hoping to catch a glimpse of Bird. When she was announced in the Storm’s starting lineup before the game, the crowd erupted. Seattle’s other former UConn stars, Breanna Stewart and Gabby Williams, got loud cheers, too.

The stands at Mohegan Sun Arena were fuller than they’d been all season, the lower bowl packed and much of the upper deck crowded as well. A Sun…

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Lenni Lenape

N.J. sues Ford over toxic history at former iron mines and on Native American land

State authorities on Thursday filed a lawsuit against the Ford Motor Company for dumping automobile paint sludge in former iron mines and on Native American land in Ringwood, marking another chapter in what has become more than half a century of corporate and government failures to clean up harmful toxic waste.

The Ringwood mine area is the only contaminated site in the United States to be placed on the federal Superfund list twice. It also sits precariously close to a reservoir that supplies drinking water to millions of New Jerseyans.

Now, the state Department of Environmental Protection is suing in state Superior Court for natural resource damages — a form of compensation that seeks to fund restoration projects to bring contaminated land as close to its pre-pollution state as possible.

The mine area is home to about 200 residents, including many members of the state-recognized Ramapough Lenape Nation, who for decades have complained of cancers, respiratory diseases, skin ailments and other health problems.

On Thursday, some of them grew emotional describing the loss of family members and what was once fertile land for hunting, fishing and foraging. Powerful people had stood behind lecterns and made promises before, only for them to fail to come to fruition.

“What’s to say, when you’re out of office, the next people aren’t going to say, ‘Oh, throw it to the back of the line’ because there are so many people ahead of us?” Marcey Langhorn, a member of the tribe’s Turtle Clan, asked acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin and DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette during a press conference at Ringwood State Park.

“For me, to trust the state is very hard.”

A spokeswoman for Ford said the company “takes its environmental responsibility seriously.”

“We understand this has affected the community and have worked cooperatively with (local, state and federal…

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Nanticoke

First steamboats, then trains: How they changed life in rural Sussex County

Michael Morgan  |  Special to Salisbury Daily Times

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WATCH: History of Dewey Beach Tower 3

Learn a bit of history of the the tower’s along the Delaware Coast.

Produced by Megan Raymond

“The house the school was kept in,” William Morgan (no relation to the author of this article), “was pine slabs, notched up, and covered with boards and slabs, a hole cut at the top of the roof at one end to let out the smoke.”

His second school was, “built in the woods and was some(what) warmer in winter and plenty of lizards, scorpions and snakes about in the summer time.”

Born in Northwest Fork Hundred in 1780, Morgan was 6-years-old when he first went to school. In spite of his reptilian classmates, Morgan received a rudimentary education that enabled him to pursue a variety of occupations.

As an adult, he worked as a carpenter, studied medicine under a local doctor, and became a Methodist preacher. He lived much of his life near Seaford; and he kept a journal of the important happenings in his life.

Toward the end of his life, he wrote a short autobiography that dramatically illustrated how southern Delaware changed during the first half of the 19th century.

In the years after the American Revolution, western Sussex County…

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Mohegan

Bonner leads Sun past Storm

Mohegan — Ask DeWanna Bonner how she’s doing on any given day and the Connecticut Sun veteran will most likely answer, “I’m old.”

On a Friday night in which a sizable percentage of the 7,088 fans came to Mohegan Sun Arena to see the Seattle Storm’s Breanna Stewart and most especially old favorite Sue Bird, it was Bonner who shined when it counted.

Bonner scored 15 of her game-high 20 in the fourth and added 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals to lead the Sun to an 82-71 win.

Connecticut (12-4) clinched the season series against the Storm (9-6). It won at Seattle on June 5, 93-86.

Bonner missed 10 of 12 shots through three quarters. She made six of her seven field goals in the fourth, including two threes.

“My teammates, man, they just kept telling me to keep shooting, it’s going to fall, it’s going to fall at the right time,” Bonner said. “That’s what (happened). Once I got one going, I felt a little bit better. They just told me to keep staying aggressive because I think I passed up a couple of shots (earlier).”

Jonquel Jones had 17 points, 13 rebounds and four assists for the Sun and Brionna Jones added 19 points. Alyssa Thomas added 10 points, eight assists and five rebounds.

Connecticut shot 52.2-percent.

Stewart led Seattle with 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists and Bird scored 14 with four assists.

“The fourth quarter, we struggled,” Stewart said. “In order to steal a game on the road, you have to play better in all (four) quarters.”

Connecticut had gone cold in the third quarter (it shot 35.3-percent from the floor) and needed someone to get rolling. That someone was Bonner.

Bonner tied the game with a tough 14-foot pullup jumper and followed with a three…

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Lenni Lenape

Ford sued for allegedly dumping ‘toxic sludge’ on Ramapough Lenape land

Ford Motor Company is being sued by New Jersey state officials for contaminating hundreds of acres of land, with a large population of Ramapough Lenape people, that the company used for the waste disposal for its largest assembly plant that was built in 1955.

The lawsuit accuses the automobile company of contaminating the water, soil, groundwater, vegetation, and the air in the area in Ringwood, New Jersey, as well as selling part of the land to the state without disclosing to them the damage that they had caused there.

The lawsuit is pursuing action on eight counts, including negligence and trespassing.

According to the lawsuit, in 1965, Ford purchased 400 acres of Ringwood Mines for the purpose of disposing of its waste from the automobile plant built a decade previously.

The Ringwood Mines area has nearly 50 residential units and about 200 residents.

Starting 1967, for seven years the company used the space to throw away “tons of toxic paint sludge and drummed waste and other non-liquid hazardous waste”.

Meanwhile, around 1970, the company sold off parts of the land to numerous entities including a non-profit and other government institutions, without disclosing the full extent of the damage they had caused on the land.

“Bottom line is that Ford demonstrated little to no regard for the environment,” said the acting attorney general, Matt Platkin, when announcing the lawsuit on Thursday.

“They turned a blind eye to the risks that their actions have imposed on the lives of 200 residents who live here, which includes Native Americans who are historically and disproportionately exposed to environmental harms,” he said, according to a video of the announcement shared on Facebook.

Vincent Mann, chief of the Ramapough Lenape Nation’s Turtle Clan, and New Jersey’s commissioner of environmental protection, Shawn M LaTourette, were also present at the announcement.

“Today is one…

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Mohican

Trails at Mohican State Park, Mohican State Forest, Malabar Farm State Park closed due to storm damage

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has closed two Northeast Ohio parks due to “significant” damage caused by recent storms

“Trails, bridges, stairs, and boardwalks located in Mohican State Park and Forest, as well as Malabar Farm State Park sustained significant damage. In many areas these trails are impassable due to downed trees and must be closed for visitor safety,” ODNR said.

Here’s what’s happening at each park:

Mohican State Park — Ashland County

  • All trails are closed (this includes hiking trails, bridle trails, and the mountain bike trail).
  • Campgrounds are open to existing reservations with limited amenities.
  • Lodge operations, with limited amenities, are expected to resume over the weekend as electric services are restored.
  • Click here for more information.

Mohican State Forest — Ashland County

  • All trails are closed.
  • All forestry camping areas are closed.

Malabar Farm State Park — Richland County

  • Mt. Jeez overlook trail is open, all remaining trails are closed.
  • Big House, visitor center, and gift store are closed.
  • Click here for updates on the Malabar Farm Restaurant.

ODNR said anyone who had cabin, lodge or camping reservations is being contacted.

It’s unknown how long the closures will last. Trails will be reopened when the damage has been repaired and trees have been cleared.

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Delaware Tribe

Anderson school board moves to permanently discontinue pregame ritual at basketball games

The decision comes after video of a ceremony before a game went viral and the Delaware Tribe called on the school to stop.

ANDERSON, Ind. — Anderson Community Schools has permanently discontinued a pregame routine that has been held at high school basketball games.

It comes after video of the ceremony went viral and the Delaware Tribe called on the school to stop.

(Note: The video attached is an earlier 13News story on the mascot controversy.)

According to our partners at the Herald Bulletin, the school board voted unanimously Tuesday to eliminate the ritual and to move toward a formal partnership with the tribe.

Under an agreement, the school would keep the Indians mascot name and logo.

“We will continue our commitment to show our students that when the time comes, we do make right decisions, not necessarily the easy ones,” ACS Superintendent Dr. Joe Cronk said during his presentation to the board.

Chief KillsCrow had been in talks with Cronk after a viral TikTok surfaced that appears to show students performing in Native American garb before a basketball game. The school district said the 70-plus year tradition is meant to honor Chief William Anderson, for whom the city of Anderson is named. But the Delaware Tribe said the school’s tradition falls short. 

KillsCrow argued the performance didn’t show the identity of their Lenape Tribe. For example, Chief Anderson wouldn’t wear the garb of the school mascot.

Amid the controversy, Anderson High School then suspended the use of its mascot pending an internal review. 

KillsCrow said previously he would work to educate others about his tribe.

RELATED: Superintendent will take Anderson mascot issue to school board 

“The Delaware Tribe is committed to the education of communities in support of our culture,” KillsCrow said….

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Nanticoke

Shipbuilding in Sussex was really big business

What do the Mispillion, Broadkill and Nanticoke rivers and Broad Creek have in common, except being waterways in Sussex County?

They were all sites of shipbuilding enterprises in the 19th century and early 20th century.

Shipyards in Milton, Milford, Seaford, Laurel and Bethel were mainstays of the small towns’ economies, and by best estimates, about 1,000 wooden ships were built during a 50-year period.

After several months of building, a ship launching was a major event in small towns. Schools and businesses were closed as nearly everyone gathered on launch day.

So why Sussex County? An abundance of white oak forests and easy access to major waterways, including the Chesapeake and Delaware bays, were the major factors.

You would be hard-pressed to find any remnants of this industry that once thrived, except in one location. Thanks to the Lofland family, the site of the Vinyard Shipyard along the Mispillion River in downtown Milford has been preserved. The rest are marked with historic signs and markers.

The industry flourished until transportation modes began to change throughout the country in the late 19th century, including steam-powered ships, trains and automobiles. Some shipyards were able to adapt to the changes, but most did not.

In Bethel, along Broad Creek, which is a tributary of the Nanticoke River that empties into Chesapeake Bay, many different types of ships were built, but sailing rams were unique to the small town. They were highly sought after by Chesapeake Bay watermen because of their flat hulls.

About 40 vessels were constructed in Bethel up until 1918, according to author James Marvil in his book, “Sailing Rams: A History of Sailing Ships Built in and near Sussex County, Delaware.”

Only one sailing ram, Victory Chimes, is still afloat. Built in 1900 by the George K. Phillips Co., the ram was…

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