August 2023 - Dirty Popcorn

Dirty popcorn

Jet Phynx’s Black Film Festival provides a showcase for aspiring filmmakers. And that’s just the beginning.

Gerald duPhily • jduphily@tsnpub.com

Director of Publications Jim Miller • jmiller@tsnpub.com

Contributing Editor Bob Yearick • ryearick@comcast.net

Creative Director & Production Manager Matthew Loeb, Catalyst Visuals, LLC

Digital Services Director Michael O’Brian

Contributing Writers

Adriana Camacho-Church, JulieAnne Cross, David Ferguson, Mark Fields, Pam George, Lauren Golt, Catherine Kempista, Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald, Steve Lanahan, Ken Mammarella, Matt Morrissette, John Murray, Kevin Noonan, Bob Yearick

Contributing Photographers

Jim Coarse, Justin Heyes and Joe del Tufo/Moonloop Photography, Butch Comegys, Lindsay Rudney duPhily Matthew Loeb

Special Projects

John Holton, Cullen Robinson, Bev Zimmermann

THE WAR ON WORDS

A monthly column in which we attempt, however futilely, to defend the English language against misuse and abuse

By Bob Yearick

MEDIA WATCH

•USA TODAY appears often in “War” because it is haphazardly written and edited. Here’s a not untypical example — two sentences from a recent story by Jordan Mendoza, with errors in italics and my comments in parentheses: “When officers arrived, deputies saw a person (OK, were they officers or deputies? Why not stick with officers — which pretty much covers everyone in law enforcement — and use the pronoun they instead of deputies?) laying in the hallway (the verb is lying; laying means placing, putting) . . . After arriving, officers heard a gunshot from further inside the house (farther is used for physical distances; further is for figurative distance).”

•Reader Luann Haney submits this from an online article about the Covid lockdown: “Many folks were stuck in a sedimentary lifestyle for months.” The writer meant sedentary — “tending to spend much time seated; somewhat inactive.” Sedimentary means of, relating to, or containing sediment. Luann’s comment: “People can be such stick-in-the-muds.”

A DELUGE OF DANGLERS

A modifying phrase or clause in a sentence must clearly and sensibly modify a word in the sentence. In a correct sentence, the subject (or doer) that is modified should immediately follow the comma after the modifier. When a sentence does not clearly state the subject being modified, the introductory phrase (which almost always begins with a preposition or participle) becomes a dangling modifier

It seems that a growing number of writers just don’t grasp this concept. Here are recent examples, with the incorrectly modified word italicized and the word that should be modified in boldface:

•A reader spotted this, the intro for Sanjay Gupta's podcast, on CNN.com: “After swimming from Cuba to Key West at age 64, Dr. Sanjay Gupta asks Diana Nyad about how she’s staying fit into her 70s.”

•Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, reviewing And Just Like That, the sequel to Sex and the City: “After pulling out a box, we cut to Carrie in a revamped version of her old wedding gown. . .”

•Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY: “When entering Yellowstone National Park, a park ranger hands visitors a pamphlet full of helpful information."

Word of the Month palter

Pronounced pol-tur, it’s a verb meaning 1. to act insincerely or deceitfully: equivocate; 2. haggle.

•A reader heard this on a WDEL network newscast: “With less than a day of oxygen left, searchers are hoping to find the submersible.”

•In this example, as is often the case, there is no word that the modifier can describe: Keith Pompey, in The Philadelphia Inquirer, writing about the Sixers’ Paul Reed — “Sweeping the NBA G League MVP and rookie of the year honors in 2021, argue the potential was always there.”

HOW LONG, OH LORD, HOW LONG?

(In which we address the ongoing abuse of the apostrophe) Although noting that it was quickly corrected, reader Jane Buck found this headline in newsroom@insidehighered.com: “Breaking News: Supreme Court Block's Biden's Debt-Relief Plan.” Hmmm . . . that’s not even a plural, which is where misplaced apostrophes usually appear.

MENU MISHAPS

A reader noticed that the menu for the new Mission BBQ on Concord Pike lists “Cold Slaw” as one of its dishes. I’m sure it’s refreshing during these dog days of summer.

DEPARTMENT OF REDUNDANCIES DEPT.

•Gobsmacked! This Britishism is the perfect word for my reaction while watching the first episode of the fourth and final season of Jack Ryan on Prime Video. Dr. Ryan, played by John Krasinski, is testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee when he refers to his “former predecessor.” A predecessor, as everyone knows, is someone who formerly held the office or job. And Dr. Ryan’s predecessor will always be his predecessor, never his former predecessor.

Maybe I’m over-reacting (imagine that!), but it amazes me that someone wrote those words, then innumerable people had to read them and approve them, a director had to direct the scene, and finally Krasinski — who seems like a smart guy — had to speak them. Astounding.

•A news anchor on WDEL made a common mistake when he reported that a car was “traveling at a high rate of speed.” Speed itself is a rate — it’s defined as the rate at which someone or something is able to move. Better to say, “traveling at a high speed” or “at a high rate.”

of individuals from the state who have passed away from a drug overdose/ drug poisoning.

Things worth knowing

These stories become part of a statewide art exhibition featuring that person’s portrait and narrative.

CELEBRATING DELAWARE’S BEER, WINE & SPIRITS TRAIL

Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington DE June 1, 2023 – Dec 3, 2023

DE Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health with support from Highmark

FIND THE POPCORN!

DE Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, O ce of the Lt. Governor of

We’re so excited about this year’s Dirty Popcorn Festival at the Delaware Art Museum we dropped a few kernels on our way to the show. Please help us find them (we pride ourselves in being tidy) by telling us what four pages we dropped a kernel. If you’re correct, you could win lunch. Three winners will be selected from those who answer correctly by Aug. 10. Email your answer with subject line “I Found The Popcorn” to Contact@ TSNPub.com.

Theresa Clower was inspired to create INTO LIGHT Project shortly after the death of her son, Devin Bearden, to an accidental drug overdose in February 2018 in Baltimore. Having never attempted portraiture work before, she picked up her graphite pencil and began drawing. It was a cathartic experience that allowed her to say goodbye to her son. In so doing, Theresa tapped into an entirely new calling – drawing the faces of others who had lost their lives to drug addiction. From there, INTO LIGHT Project held the first exhibition in Baltimore in 2019. Since then, exhibits have been held in 7 states, with more booked for 2023.

To find out more about INTO LIGHT Project’s founder and Executive Director Theresa Clower, watch this biography

The 13th annual Delaware Beer, Wine & Spirits Festival returns to the Delaware Agricultural Museum & Village in Dover on Sat., Aug. 26 from 4-7:30pm. The event is the only statewide festival for the state’s craft alcohol industry and features producers on the Delaware Beer, Wine & Spirits Trail. The event features more than 70 products for sampling; live music by Lyric Drive and Earth Jam; food trucks; vendor marketplace; lawn games and more. Admission is limited to 500 with private tables and VIP options. Visit DeBeerWineSpirits.com.

For more information contact:

Jane Donovan DE State Ambassador, INTO LIGHT Project 302-438-5537 ajanedonovan@verizon.net

REIGNITING THE COMMUNITY AT 37TH AIDS WALK

Theresa Clower Founder, INTO LIGHT Project 302-455-9595 tclower@intolightproject.org

Or visit https://intolightproject.org/

Thank you for considering a submission to our project. We look forward to working together to change the conversation about drug addiction and erasing the stigma of SUD by helping others to better understand this insidious disease.

Delaware’s oldest and largest HIV/AIDS fundraising event, AIDS Walk Delaware, will take place Saturday, Sept. 16 in Wilmington (Brandywine Park) and Rehoboth Beach (Grove Park). The event is presented jointly by AIDS Delaware and the Delaware HIV Consortium. REIGNITE THE COMMUNITY: Test, Treat, Prevent, Respond, is this year’s theme and is a call for the public to get reengaged in the goal of ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S. by 2030. That goal is best reached by assuring people get tested, know their status, and if they are HIV positive to get them into care and on a structured, medical regimen, says AIDS Delaware.

INTO LIGHT Project, a national non-profit organization to changing the conversation addiction and erasing stigma, the personal stories.

Congratulations to last month’s winners of the Find The Pints contest: Kelly Hess, David Gerhardt, Courtney Selna.

Funds raised from the AIDS Walk help provide free HIV testing, medical case management services, HIV-specific mental health counseling, HIV education and prevention programs, housing and transportation services. For event details, visit AIDSWalkDelaware.org.

NEW LIGHT THEATRE PRODUCTION TO BENEFIT REACH RIVERSIDE

New Light Theatre, a Delaware based nonprofit theatre with a charitable mission, will presents Godspell, 2012 Revised Version Aug.11-20 at the E.O. Bull Center in West Chester, Pa. Proceeds will benefit REACH Riverside, a nonprofit working to transform Wilmington’s Riverside neighborhood into a vibrant and healthy place to live.

Godspell 2012 is an updated arrangement of powerhouse musical numbers and exuberant storytelling from a group of friends, invited by Jesus, who have come together to “sing about love.” Through dynamic games and playful takes on parables, a close-knit community is built on the foundational messages of kindness, tolerance and generosity, empowering every person to be the light in the world, and to build a “beautiful city” of humanity, “brick by brick, heart by heart.”

New Light Theatre is committed to raising awareness and support for organizations that illuminate, and to deepening our empathy and connection with one another through meaningful artistic work. Visit Newlighttheatre.com.

NEW FESTIVAL DEBUTS AT TUBMAN-GARRETT RIVERFRONT PARK

Aspirited new festival is set for the Riverfront as the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival is set for Saturday, Aug. 19 (noon-6pm). The event offers beer and bourbon tasting, cigars, live music and plenty of BBQ. Other features include arts and crafts, beer, bourbon and BBQ seminars and a retail shop offering everything from hot sauces to BBQ accessories. General admission and VIP tickets available. Visit Delaware.BeerAndBourbon.com.

DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON BREWFEST

Beer lovers can sample suds and raise money for the restoration of the King Gambrinus statue as the Downtown Brewfest returns to Market Street, Wilmington on Saturday, Aug. 12 from noon-7pm. The event will feature more than 20 craft breweries as well as a homebrew contest and cornhole tournament. Live music will be provided by the Flying Komoroski Brothers, Sug Daniels and Frankie Goes to Dollywood. Designated driver, general admission and VIP tickets are available. Visit BrewfestWilm.com.

WHO MAKES THE BEST BURGER?

Delaware Burger Battle returns for its 10th year on Saturday, Aug. 26 from noon-3:30pm at Rockford Park. The annual fundraiser features friendly competition among area chefs for bragging rights over who makes the best burger. Entries are judged in three categories: Critic’s Choice, People’s Choice and Best Alternative Burger.

Burger Battle has raised more than $93,000 for charity since its inception and this year’s beneficiaries are the Food Bank of Delaware and the Delaware Restaurant Association’s ProStart program. Tickets at DeBurgerBattle.com.

CHERNE’ ALTOVISE ANNUAL BACKPACK GIVEAWAY

For the ninth year, local accessory designer Cherné Altovise's will conduct a backpack giveaway, this year from 1-5pm at The Chancery Market in Downtown Wilmington. Students (grades K-12) must be present to receive a backpack and school supplies but can also enjoy face painting and other free activities. Visit CherneAltovise.com.

DELAWARE CITY HOSTS FREE OUTDOOR CONCERT SERIES

Scenic Battery Park in historic Delaware City will be the setting for a series of free outdoor concerts, beginning with a performance by the Newark Community Band on Saturday, August 5 (5pm start). Guests are encouraged to bring their own blanket or chair. Other performances in the series include The Joe Baione Vibraphone Experience on Aug. 10 (6pm), Alicia Maxwell Project on Aug. 16 (6pm), John Hoey Orchestra on Aug. 20 (6pm), and Jake’s Rockin’ Country Band on Aug. 27 (6pm). Additional details at VisitMyDC.com.

WILMINGTON CELEBRATES PARIS AL FRESCO DINNER TRADITION

The fifth edition of Le Diner en Blanc returns to Wilmington on Saturday, Sept. 16 at a site to be announced. Organizers say last year’s “secret affair” attracted more than 2,300 guests to Cool Spring Reservoir. Per tradition, this year’s location will be revealed only minutes before the event starts.

The concept was launched in Paris in 1988 and has since become a worldwide phenomenon. And while much has changed in the world since the event’s conception, the principle of Le Diner en Blanc remains the same: People gathering at a secret location for the sole purpose of sharing a gourmet meal with good friends in one of their city’s most beautiful public spaces.

Le Diner en Blanc hosts are Wilmington entrepreneurs Sherell and Michael Flagg and this year’s attendance goal is 3,000. Guests are required to dress in all white and for a chance to attend you must sign up online for consideration.

Other guest requirements: bring your own table, two white chairs and a white tablecloth; picnic basket of fine food along with stemware and dinnerware; champagne or wine (beer and hard liquor are prohibited).

For more details or to sign up, visit Wilmington.dinerenblanc.com.

DOWNTOWN

Chris White Gallery

701 N. Shipley Street

475-0998 • chriswhitegallery.com

Artist: K.O. Simms, A Retrospective of Paintings, and Jack Knight, Playful MixedMedia Wall Constructions

City of Wilmington’s

Redding Gallery

800 N. French Street

576-2100 • cityfestwilm. com/redding-gallery

Artists: Two Exhibitions: Clifford Brown Through the Years- A Photographic Journey & Bruce Gulick presents an Architectural Tapestry of Wilmington.

Christina Cultural Arts Center

705 N. Market Street

652-0101 • ccacde.org

Artist: Velvet Poindexter

The Grand Opera House

818 N. Market Street

658-7897

thegrandwilmington.org

Grand Gallery: Metaphorical

Imagery: The Intersection

Between Hip-Hop Lyricism and Superheroes by Andre Jones

baby grand Gallery: The Rock Collection by Jocelyn Vasta-Kern

John William Gallery

1313 N Market Street

585-317-5409

Artist: Roderick Hidalgo:

Awakening

Urban Artist Exchange

Open Studios

16th & North Walnut Streets

493-7614

Artists: In the Summer Group Show

Friday, Aug. 4th 5pm Start

Next Art Loop: Friday, August 4

RIVERFRONT

The Delaware Contemporary 200 South Madison Street

656-6466 • decontemporary.org

Artists: PROTAGONISTS, Lauren E. Peters

WEST SIDE

Delaware Center for Horticulture

1810 N. Dupont Street

658-6262 • thedch.org

Artist: A Little Closer/A Little Bigger by Susan Conner

BEYOND THE CITY

Bellefonte Arts

803-C Brandywine Blvd

547-2573

Artist: “Bellefonte In Bloom”

Bellefonte Vintage

901 Brandywine Blvd

983-5059

Artist: Sea Glass Art by Sami

Finist and the Owl

811 Brandywine Blvd, Bellefonte

954-804-5410 • madebykasumi.com

Artist: Mary Jardin Wimberley

cityfest presented by

A

presented by

‘Eyes and Ears of the People’

Local Journalism Initiative hopes to bridge Delaware’s information gap

By Ken Mammarella

More than a million dollars is being dedicated to new efforts to improve journalism in Delaware and, by doing so, improve Delaware.

“When we see we a loss of local news, we see a reduced quality of life,” says Allison Taylor Levine, founder of Delaware’s Local Journalism Initiative.

“When local news declines, so does democracy,” the nonprofit explains on ljidelaware.org, noting the impact includes less efficient government, worse civic engagement and growing polarization, misinformation, bias and inequity.

Levine has been thinking about these problems for a decade, and new funding will add Delaware to the growing list of communities nationwide where “solutions journalism” will use the power of the written word — plus photography, video, audio and any other form of informative media — to research and present potential solutions for the community to consider. ►

Allison Levine and Darel La Prade representing Local Journalism Initiative of Delaware at June's Collaborative Journalism Summit in Washington, D.C.

Photos courtesy LJI of Delaware

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 6:30 PM

Delaware Art Museum

2301 Kentemere Parkway

Wilmington, DE 19806

Attire: Cocktail and Sneakers

Sponsors:

“Can journalism fix everything?” she asks rhetorically. “Certainly not, but I think that local journalists can be the eyes and ears of the people.”

The push began when the Knight Foundation, through the Solutions Journalism Network, gave a $200,000, two-year grant to the initiative, which Levine, vice president for marketing and communications for the Delaware Community Foundation, had created in 2021.

In June, the Longwood Foundation awarded an $800,000 grant to the initiative to launch Spotlight Delaware, a newsroom that will do investigative journalism on government, education and land use.

The initiative has so far raised about $1.4 million and set up four projects: internships; a study of Delaware’s news ecosystem; the Delaware Journalism Collaborative, which is focusing on polarization; and Spotlight Delaware, a newsroom that could in a few years become one of the largest in the state.

The internships are intended to “increase coverage of underrepresented communities in Delaware and build a pipeline of aspiring journalists, particularly those who are passionate about and experienced with BIPOC (Black, indigenous and people of color) and other underrepresented communities,” the site says. The program is a partnership with the Delaware Community Foundation and the Maryland Delaware DC Press Association, and it placed four students in 2021, two in 2022 and two this year.

“The ecosystem is a collection of different ways that people get local news, including formal newsrooms but also parents standing on the sidelines of soccer games, church newsletters and social media,” Levine says. That ecosystem is fragmented, now that newspapers have lost their dominant circulation, and legacy media have slashed their news-gathering staff. In 2009, WHYY canceled Delaware Tonight. And in 2011, WILM eliminated all local coverage.

In 2022, Levine co-presented a study assessing Delaware’s news ecosystem with Fiona Morgan, director of community listening for the American Journalism Project. It found multiple problems, starting with news deserts that cover most of the state’s geography and several demographics.

“Little news and information is available in Kent County (especially outside Dover), New Castle County below the canal, much of eastern Sussex and all of western Sussex,” the report reads. “Local news does not fairly represent historically underrepresented communities, particularly Black communities.”

Other key concerns they found through interviews and other research: “Delawareans feel disconnected and disengaged from local news teams,” and “access to Delaware government information is very limited,” with education and land use among the issues that are poorly covered.

The Delaware Journalism Collaborative is focusing on “the toll of polarization” in politics, racial relations, the economy and culture, says Darel La Prade, the project manager. Its first package was about Return Day, a Delaware tradition about unity that became polarized in 2022.

Music by DJ Tim Dogg and the Vince Lardear Trio, Food by Toscana, Drinks, Art and Fun!

“It was my idea to examine Return Day because of the great irony involved,” says La Prade, previously publisher for the Delmarva Group of Independent Newsmedia. “It should be the event that epitomizes the neutralization of the polarization that occurs naturally in a political campaign.”

The collaborative shared that Return Day content with partner organizations to print, post and discuss, and future projects will also be posted on a website to be created at DEjournalism.org.

Its 17 initial partners included mostly media organizations, but also the state library system and Larry Nagengast, who has nearly 50 years of experience in local journalism. (To be transparent: I wrote one of the three articles in that Return Day package. As an editor at The News Journal, I worked with Levine, Nagengast and initiative board members Matt Sullivan and Andre Smith.)

“Spotlight Delaware will start by focusing on accountability, holding the state government accountable, covering education policy and land-use decisions, and all the infrastructure related to land use,” Levine says. “We’ll do that by focusing on statewide public policy and looking at how it plays out in

specific communities, including the geographic areas that don’t get as much coverage.”

It is expected to launch at the end of the year, with Levine running the operation full time, and the next three hires being an editor in chief, a membership and community development manager and a senior government reporter. By the end of the third year, she hopes to have nine people in the newsroom — which would make it one of the largest in the state — and six in business operations.

Its content will be posted on another website, to be created at SpotlightDelaware.org, shared with other media outlets (like the collaborative does) and go wherever people are getting their news.

“We’re trying to build something that is very different from a traditional news outlet,” Levine says. “I am less excited about people visiting SpotlightDelaware.org. I will be more excited if they hear stories from Spotlight Delaware in their YouTube feeds or on Delaware Public Media or if they read it in the Cape Gazette or Hoy en Delaware . That’s what I will consider a win that they get better-quality information from the places they already want to go.”

The Longwood Foundation recently awarded the Delaware Journalism Initiative $800,000 to launch Spotlight Delaware, an investigative newsroom.

In 2008, Noah Merenda (l) and David Sanchez brought Spaceboy Clothing to downtown Wilmington. Before long, their neighbors turned into customers.

Cool couture purveyors Spaceboy Clothing have helped transform the 700 block of Market Street. Now, new adventures in LoMa await.

By

Scott Pruden

Photos by Joe del Tufo

Stepping up to the funky façade of Spaceboy Clothing in downtown Wilmington, it’s hard to imagine that the combination t-shirt/ screen print shop and event space was ever not here. This stretch of Market Street — once a row of empty or dilapidated storefronts — now plays host to some of the coolest attractions the city has to offer. Within a few blocks of the shop sit Bardea and Bardea Steak. There’s constant traffic in search of caffeination at either the neighboring Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks. ►

Other busy spots — restaurants Stitch House Brewery, Cavanaugh’s, Chelsea Tavern and live music venues The Queen and The Grand add to the appeal. A few blocks down, The Quoin adds a splash of boutique hotel elegance that at one time only the Hotel du Pont could boast. Meanwhile, spots like Lou’s Jewelry and Pawn and Olympic Subs & Steaks serve as echoes from a previous age, continuing to thrive among the new arrivals.

And in the center of it all sits Spaceboy, which —while it can’t claim full responsibility for the vibrancy of these few blocks of Market — can certainly claim to have played a significant part in its blossoming to its current state.

But even as the bustle grows around its spot on the 700 block of Market Street, Spaceboy’s contribution to the neighborhood has also forced a change: With the sale of its building, the shop will move on to bring its creative spark to the LoMa district a half-dozen blocks south, perhaps igniting yet another Renaissance around it.

A Mutual Love of Design

David Sanchez and Noah Merenda, the two men behind Spaceboy, met as teenagers, both artistically inclined. Sanchez, who describes his mom as “the artsy parent,” had begun dabbling in graphic design and screen printing in high school, while Merenda leaned toward photography. Growing up in rural Maryland, he’d lived near one of the largest antique auction houses in the region and had developed a taste for the vintage and funky from his parents.

“Both my parents were kind of auction-y people, so I spent a lot of my time at auctions —Wednesdays and Friday nights. And my mom was a crafter,” Merenda says. “She would do crafts and would sell at markets, so I kind of grew up with that.”

Once the two met, they connected quickly around shared interests, which included music, art and the urban environments in which both often thrived. One thing that they say was particularly attractive to them was the sort of retail shops they’d see in neighborhoods of cities like New York City, Philadelphia and Atlanta, and while they lived together on Maryland Avenue just off Union Street, they found themselves admiring the small shops nearby.

Enter the internet. In 2008, the Spaceboy website launched with a fun mix of edgy and Delaware-centric t-shirt designs, finally putting the work of Sanchez and Merenda out to the world. The next year, the two opened their first brick-and-mortar location in Elsmere.

While their focus has always been on graphic tees, in those early days Merenda maintained his ongoing gig as a photographer to help support the business. That emphasis on cultivating multiple revenue streams would come in handy as the enterprise grew.

While word spread about the friends’ cool designs, another pair of entrepreneurs were doing their own part to make New Castle County a more interesting place.

In 2008, developers Chris and Rob Buccini of Buccini/Pollin Group launched a massive undertaking to help kick start the revitalization of downtown Wilmington, and the Market Street corridor, in particular.

The two shelled out more than $170 million to buy nearly 30 properties between Fourth and Ninth streets, with nine buildings along the 800 block designated for mid- to high-end residential space with street-level retail.

Buccini/Pollin wasted little time putting its revitalization efforts in action. And when it came time to add an artistic edge to the neighborhood they were revitalizing, who do you think they called? That’s right — the boys from Spaceboy.

The Elsmere shop had already earned front-page attention from local arts and entertainment guide Spark when Sanchez and Merenda got a call from the developers inviting them to move to a space on Seventh Street just off Market.

“They brought us to Seventh Street just to kind of spawn something happening on that street, because there was nothing there,” Sanchez says. “We were like, ‘Yeah, you’re building a realdeal venue here and DCAD is here,’ and those two things kind of made us believe that we could help make change down here.”

That proximity to the Delaware College of Art and Design has, over the years, not only provided Spaceboy with a regular rotation of artists for their clothing, but also a reliable stream of employees, Sanchez says.

A New Type of Business

But succeeding in retail in this unique environment wasn’t just a matter of providing cool products to help draw younger residents to the shiny new Buccini/Pollin apartment buildings. It took creativity on top of what Sanchez and Merenda were doing with their clothing designs.

“When I was traveling looking at boutiques, I saw that they always had some kind of thing in the background,” Merenda says. “They weren’t just making money from their wear. When I was looking at Atlanta and different places, they would have a head shop in the back. And that would kind of spur income so they could survive. So, we’ve done the same thing with t-shirt printing.”

Indeed, what one sees upon walking into Spaceboy is just a taste of what the shop does these days. In addition to the store’s unique and Delaware-centric graphic tees, they offer custom screen printing and embroidering for private and corporate clients.

And the creativity didn’t just extend to clothing. The pair rode the excitement of their shop being downtown and branched off into not just providing cool threads, but also serving as an entertainment venue of its own. ►

Spaceboy hopes to bring the same creative energy to Wilmington's LoMa district that it did to the 700 block of Market Street. The new location opens in September.

“At first everyone was excited just to have something of [Spaceboy’s] kind here,” Merenda says. “We were doing shows in the back, and it was getting crazy at nights and on the weekends. We were a lot younger and had a lot more energy and time to put into the actual grind, but I think the response was great.”

Then came the national media highpoint for Spaceboy: On the April 17, 2010, episode of Saturday Night Live, Delaware local boy Ryan Phillippe introduced music guest Ke$ha wearing one of Spaceboy’s signature t-shirts emblazoned with an image of the First State and a banner with “Wilmington, Delaware” across the bottom.

It was a testament not just to the appeal of the shop, but also to one famous Delawarean’s appreciation of what this local shop had to offer, Sanchez says.

“It was crazy because it was right after we opened and he just happened to be in our shop to buy a shirt,” he says. “We had no idea he was going to wear it on SNL. And when it happened, I was like, ‘Well, I’m good!’”

Music and comedy acts in the shop followed.

“When I first met [Dave], he was in a band and at the time was doing DIY shows and putting on shows in event halls and churches and stuff like that,” Merenda says. “And we just always wanted to make it easier for the younger generation to have a voice. Most of our shows have been all ages. And we don’t expect to make a ton of money from events, but it’s what we like doing. And it gives people more options and a reason to come downtown.”

In 2018 the shop moved around the corner to 706 N. Market and into a building — appropriately enough — owned by DCAD, which gave them even more room to expand their retail and corporate printing operations. The space, which encompasses two entire storefronts, also allowed for more vintage clothing and collectable inventory and an even larger event space. Lately, Spaceboy has expanded beyond downtown Wilmington to add Spaceboy Ink printing “hubs” in Newark and Aston, Pa. The satellite locations serve as convenient spots for Spaceboy to serve its commercial printing customers.

Unfortunately, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the temporary halt for many businesses hit Spaceboy just like everyone else. But despite the shutdown and slow return to work, Sanchez and Merenda held the business together; finding themselves printing lots of masks; continuing with online sales; and eventually ramping back up their custom printing for business customers — many of them their neighbors. ►

Music has always been a key part of the Spaceboy business model.

“I was sitting in a neighborhood merchants meeting the other day and looking around at all the shirts we p rinted from all the different companies that were there,” Merenda says. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, we’ve done all these people’s shirts. They’re customers.’”

And as longtime business owners on the block, they’ve also gained something of legendary status.

Sanchez recounts a recent conversation with someone at a neighborhood bar, when the conversation came around to what each person did for a living. “I was like, ‘Oh, you ever heard of Spaceboy?’ And everyone got really excited about it. It's been a long road, but it's definitely been rewarding. It's been awesome.”

As for the next move for Spaceboy to its new location at 205 N. Market, the transition will be a gradual one over the month of August, with Sept. 1 set as the opening date for the new location.

The hope is that the LoMa district, with Spaceboy’s arrival, will undergo a rebrand into an arts district for which the shop will serve as the centerpiece, Merenda says. And as sad as they’ll be to leave their immediate neighbors, he said they look forward to a new adventure.

“BPG kinda helped us come here and helped us get a space," says Merenda. "They saw the value in us and helped spur that. And you know, throughout that we've grown and gone different places, made different relationships and, but now we're, after all that time, actually going back to kind of where it started — helping to spur the downtown. And with the waterfront and that connection, I'm looking forward to kind of seeing what different kind of business we

OUTDOORBARISNOWOPEN! O OUUTTDDOOOOR R B BAAR R IIS S N NOOW W O OPPEENN!!

PRESENTED BY DOGFISH HEAD CRAFT BREWERY

LAUGHTER FILLS THE HALLS AT THEGRAND!

SEPT 17, 2023 - Tig Notaro: Hello Again

OCT 5, 2023 - Preacher Lawson

OCT 6, 2023 - Pinky Patel

NOV 4, 2023 - The MothTrue Stories Told Live

MAR 16, 2024 - The Irish Comedy Tour

APR 5, 2024 - An Evening with David Sedaris

May 2, 2024 - Lewis Black Live

FROM DINOSAURS TO DISNEY, THEGRAND HAS IT ALL!

SEPT 26, 2023 - Disney Junior Live on Tour: Costume Palooza

NOV 24, 2023 - The Underwater Bubble Show

DEC 18, 2023 - A Christmas Carol

JAN 25, 2024 - Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live

MAR 13, 2024 - Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood - Live!

JUNE 4, 2024 - SHREK - The Musical

THE LIGHTS OF BROADWAY ILLUMINATE THE PLAYHOUSE!

OCT 13-15, 2023 - Pretty Woman: The Musical

NOV 17-19, 2023 - Million Dollar Quartet Christmas

JAN 5-7, 2024 - Annie

MAR 7-10 2024 - On Your Feet! The Emilio & Gloria Estefan Story

APR 19-21, 2024 - Come From Away

MAY 9-12, 2024 - Little Women: The Musical

CELEBRATE THE MUSIC AND CULTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY!

SEPT 22, 2023 - Hip Hop 50th Anniversary Concert @ Frawley Stadium

SEPT 29, 2023 - Pedrito Martinez Group

SEPT 30, 2023 - Tablao Flamenco

NOV 11, 2023 - The Rock Orchestra Plays David Bowie

FEB 17, 2024 - The Rock Orchestra

Plays Bruce Springsteen

APR 13, 2024 - DuPont Brass

Sponsored by MAAF

MAY 4, 2024 - The Rock Orchestra

Plays Fleetwood Mac (including “Rumours” and more)

SEPT 6, 2023 - Roger McGuinn

SEPT 20, 2023 - Direct from Sweden The Music of ABBA

SEPT 21, 2023 - Ryan Adams

OCT 5, 2023 - Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt Together On Stage

OCT 7, 2023 - Bob Mould

OCT 8, 2023 - An Evening with Kenny Wayne Shepherd

OCT 8, 2023 - Al Stewart & The Empty Pockets

OCT 28, 2023 - Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age

NOV 1, 2023 - Pink Martini

Featuring China Forbes

NOV 2, 2023 - Sons of Serendip

NOV 9, 2023 - Masters of Illusion

NOV 10, 2023 - Deadgrass

NOV 11, 2023 - Menopause The Musical®

NOV 18, 2023 - Graham Nash: Sixty Years of Songs and Stories

NOV 30, 2023 - Tab Benoit & The Dirty Dozen Brass Band

DEC 7, 2023 - Watchhouse

DEC 9, 2023 - The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra

DEC 10, 2023 - An Evening with Judy CollinsHolidays & Hits

JAN 11, 2024 - The Greatest Love of AllA Tribute to Whitney Houston starring Belinda Davids Not Associated with the Estate of Whitney Houston

MAR 2, 2024 - The Joni ProjectA Tribute to Joni Mitchell

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Court and Spark

MAR 2, 2024 - An Evening with Sutton Foster

MAR 24, 2024 - Gaelic Storm and High Kings

APR 3, 2024 - One Night of Queen Performed by Gary Mullen and The Works

APR 26, 2024 - Tom Rush

MAY 9, 2024 - The Temptations and Four Tops

MAY 19, 2024 - An Intimate Evening with David Foster and Katharine McPhee

The Shooter

Jet Phnyx’s Dirty Popcorn Festival provides a showcase for aspiring Black filmmakers. But the Wilmington native’s creative inspiration goes far beyond that.

By Ken Mammarella

Jet Phynx wants residents of the hood to know that life offers more choices than sports and drugs.

He wants to reach “that kid whose mattress is on the floor, who has to get his lunch and dinner from the corner bodega because his mom is drunk off beer from the corner liquor store.”

He wants that kid — and others like him — to see what he has overcome, thanks to his ambition, his growing skill set and his spirituality. “God is the Creator,” he says. “He is also a creative. When you’re tapping into God, every person is a creator.”

Phynx is a creative as well, or, as he describes himself on LinkedIn: “The Shooter — cinematographer, director and overall visual creative.” ►

Before opening Snuff Mill, Lhulier was fine following his muse. The Delaware native had worked in some of the area’s finest restaurants, and from 2005 to 2007, he owned The Chef’s Table in New Castle. As a personal chef and caterer, he was his own boss without significant overhead.

Jet Phynx's creative agency delivers the "visual sauces, from culture to corporate." Photos by Benni Black

He is extra busy now and getting extra attention with the second annual Jet Phynx Dirty Popcorn Black Film Festival. The Delaware Art Museum, which hosts the free festival, says it “aims to discover, raise up and celebrate diverse new voices in and around Delaware through film, and preserve the work of local Black filmmakers.” Participants are asked to register at delart.org.

The festival, which runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 12, is planned to include screenings, meet-and-greets with filmmakers, a Q&A panel and a closing ceremony featuring audience awards.

Iz Balleto, the museum’s community engagement specialist, looks forward to increasing engagement among participants. “We want this to grow. We want this to give light to all the BIPOC talent,” he says, using the acronym for Black, indigenous and people of color. “We’re going deeper with our stories.”

For example, an artist who connected to the museum at the first festival came back to the museum in May for the Tradition, Cultura, Memory Fashion Show, in which she created what Balleto called an “emotional mural on what it’s like to be a migrant.”

“I want creatives to come network,” Phynx says. And maybe mentor, too.

On the day of his interview, Phynx was reviewing 112 films that had been submitted. He also has created an accompanying exhibit that will run for a month at the art museum.

That’s on top of running Jet Phynx Films, “a creative agency … delivering the visual sauces from culture to corporate,” from its offices in downtown Wilmington, including video production, branding, photography, studio rental and post-production for thousands of clients so far.

IT STARTED WITH MUSIC

Phynx grew up in Delaware. His father, Frederick Duncan, was an interior designer who longed to be a jazz saxophonist. Egyptian artifacts adorned the house. Jazz created the atmosphere. After he was diagnosed with throat cancer and had his vocal cords removed, Duncan communicated often via music.

“We would write music,” Phynx recalls. “He would play a jazz record and put the cover on the floor, and I would have to pick which cover went with the song. It was just like this little game, and we used to play it all the time. That’s how I found out that Kenny G was actually white.”

His parents divorced when he was 9, and he was mostly raised by his grandparents, who instilled energy and deep faith in him.

“It kept me balanced and focused from making a lot of mistakes in the industry, because there is so much temptation,” he says, referring to “the devil and all this darkness — the women, the money, the drugs and just having celebrity status. All that can make you crazy.”

During those formative years, Phynx also was writing lyrics that he likens to poetry. “I really wanted to put my thoughts into music,” he says.

He also had this “weird duality” of also being interested in sports, so he was part of the Elkton High School football team that won the state champion in 2000. He studied fashion merchandising at the University of Delaware until he decided to develop his career in places with stronger creative cultures.

He was 20 the last time he saw his father, on the day he died. His father asked him to write out his birth name — Parris — and look at it in a mirror. “It said Sir Rap. You’re a man, and you’re supposed to rap , he said. The world didn’t get to hear me. Make sure they hear you. Be my voice.”

First, he needed to bestow his rap name, which he got from a friend in the business. “You got to take off like a jet,” he said. Ooh, I like that.”

The conversation continued on the issues he was dealing with, including “rotten ashes. And we both said Jet Phoenix. That’s cool.” He simplified the spelling for the mythical bird that rises from the ashes, although it’s still pronounced the same away.

Thus began his first career, starting in 2010, as a rapper who has recorded hundreds of songs. He built his career by moving around and learning from lots of boldfaced names in different communities, living in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Toronto, Miami, Baltimore and the Washington, D.C., area.

“I was always destined to be this person,” he says. “My dad set the tone, and it was just for me to get there. It’s like my dad was somewhere roaming in Egypt like Indiana Jones, and I’m just looking for the artifacts. And I’ve kept that in my mind. I’ve always kept the creative mind spirit in my head. I always had to keep moving and keep going. There are so many different evolutions of Jet Phynx. Right now, I fully feel I have the drive where the phoenix is about to burst all the way into the sky, and everyone will see everything that’s been building.”

Phynx, who’s now 40, returned to Wilmington to establish

what he hoped would be a “normal life, away from the devil and that darkness. He and his wife have a son, Kendrick, now 12.

Kendrick has assisted his father in teaching classes and has accompanied his father in the field. “He knows how to shoot really well, but his real passion is in sports and coding. So I encourage him to stay in that lane and will eventually show him a little bit of what I’m doing.”

Phynx is intrigued how the cityscape of Delaware’s largest city could stand in for other places in filming, if only he could help establish a momentum and a talent pool for what he calls Delawood.

He has “played a major role in developing artists’ careers and overall personas (Lady Gaga is just one example),” he writes on LinkedIn, and his client list for visual content includes Coca-Cola, Under Armour, Roc Nation, RCA Records, Atlantic Records, Skechers, Zelle and SoundCloud.

In 2017, Jet founded his independent production company. It specializes in entertainment and lifestyle branding, producing full- and short-length films, it says on JetPhynxFilms.com

In 2022, he and Ozprana (the professional name for Anthony Osborne, vice president of Jet Phynx Films) created 11 episodes of the Reel Talk podcast to “explore the journey to the source of creativity,” they write on their Apple homepage. “As Black creatives, Jet and Oz dive into what it means to be a creative in the urban space and culture with topics ranging from camera talk, editing styles, originality and branding, mental health, business management and developing the mindset to be a successful creator.” ►

“He has pushed me the hardest

I’ve ever been pushed by anyone,” Ozprana says. “And that goes for all aspects: musically, creativity, spiritually, mentally, wisdom, accountability, being a great man. … He gives me his all and continues to share his gifts, knowledge and resources as long as I give my all. He doesn’t settle for less — EVER. With his Michael Jordan attitude towards creativity, execution and his Steve Jobs approach to detail, you will see why his work is the level and quality it is.

“I don’t think many could handle the chaos, pressure and magnitude of our industry without a ‘Jet’ in their corner. There’s so much to our world that simply can’t be learned in school or in a conventional way. With all he has given to me I can now stand by his side and return the favors to him and other people that want to get into our industry.”

“When you’re from the hood, you only have two options: either be a drug dealer or be able to get into sports,” Phynx says. “Most people aren’t thinking about being a doctor or anything like that because those dreams don’t come from that. I started realizing that the camera is the new basketball. With the camera, you can be creative, and you can go to the next level.”

Ozprana (l) is appreciative of the role Jet has played in advancing his career. Now he's looking to pay it forward.

Ministering To the Mind, Body and Spirit

DSU’s New Castle County Alumni Chapter will honor four leaders who have served their communities and the state for decades

By Bob Yearick

On Sunday, Aug. 20, the New Castle County Chapter of the Delaware State Alumni Association will honor four community leaders at its 40th Scholarship Luncheon: Frank Burton Jr., Enid Wallace-Simms, Carol S. Wright, and Eugene Young Jr.

While all four are, as the announcement for the event states, “distinguished individuals who have contributed to the uplift of our local community while promoting the importance of education,” it’s safe to say that, among the four, only Burton has experienced a theophany.

Derived from the ancient Greek, theophany means “a personal encounter with a deity.”

Frank Burton Jr. is a 32-year veteran law enforcement officer who served 22 years with the FBI. So when he says — almost matter-of-factly — that he “had an encounter with God” on Aug. 22, 1997, on Pikes Peak, the assertion has to be given some credence.

Lending further weight to his story is the result of the encounter, which took place during his visit to the Colorado landmark with three fellow FBI agents. Based on what he perceived as God’s message that day, Burton started a ministry – Spiritual Men of Warfare Visionaries (SMWV). Meeting at his house in Bear, the group numbered just 13 in 1997, but it grew quickly. For several years, says Burton, “there were 100 people at my house the first Saturday of every month.”

Forming SMWV led Burton on a path of ministry. He became a licensed minister and an apostle, and he and his wife, Pastor Tasey Burton, launched Perfect Will Ministries in New Castle. The medium-sized, non-denominational church celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

Burton has a degree in English from DSU, where he was a standout in football and baseball. He was elected to the DSU Hall of Fame for both sports in 2000. In June, he received a Master of Science degree in Administration of Justice from Wilmington University. ►

Frank Burton Jr.

Burton retired from the FBI at the end of 2013, and then became even busier: in 2015, he published a book, From FBI Agent to An Apostle; in 2018, he formed Burton Executive Security Training (B.E.S.T.), which specializes in church security and executive protection training; he has held several positions at WilmU for the past nine years; and last year, he was recruited to be the chaplain for the University of Delaware football team. And, of course, he and his wife continue to minister to their congregation at Perfect Will Ministries.

Of the Aug. 20 honor, Burton says, “This event is important to me because it promotes scholarship, academic excellence, leadership, unity, and something near to my heart — community service. It makes me feel honored to know that DSU recognizes those same elements in me.”

Enid Wallace-Simms likes to joke that, following retirement from Delmarva Power in 2021 after 41 years, she now has two full-time jobs “with no pay”: chair of the Delaware State University Foundation Board and chair of the Delaware YMCA Board of Directors.

Born in Wilmington’s Hilltop neighborhood, Wallace-Simms has spent much of her career in service to her community and to her alma mater, DSU.

As Delmarva Power’s manager of

Customer and Community Relations and then senior Public Affairs manager for Government and External Affairs, she worked with community and civic organizations to identify opportunities for the enormous resources Delmarva Power offered, including its pool of volunteers, its financial aid, and its support of various boards, educational systems, and community groups.

A 1974 graduate of DSU with a B.A. in distributive education, Wallace-Simms has worked tirelessly for the school. She established a roundtable luncheon series with JP Morgan Chase, DuPont, Astra Zeneca, and Delmarva Power, along with DSU’s president and its Advancement Executive Team that resulted in major grants and sponsorships for the university.

A 2003 recipient of the YMCA’s Black Achiever in Business and Industry Award, Wallace-Simms is a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights for the State of Delaware, and also serves on the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service.

Looking forward to the Scholarship Luncheon, she says, “It’s wonderful to be honored by an organization that I have been dedicated to for so many years.”

Enid Wallace-Simms

Carol S. Wright touched the lives of more than three generations of children while teaching every age group from elementary schools to the college level, the latter at Wilmington University and the University of Delaware.

Her 50-year career as a Delaware educator earned her many accolades. She was named Red Clay School District Teacher of the Year for 1994-95, and she received the Delaware State Education Human and Civil Rights Award in 2009. The Wilmington Chapter of the National Association for University Women named her Woman of the Year for 2001, and in 2016 she was Phi Delta Kappa’s Educator of the Year. The United Methodist Church Laity honored her for her work with the youth at Wilmington’s Ezion-Mount Carmel United Methodist Church.

Wright also was a member of the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ 2006 Exhibit, “Remember Me — Stories about Delaware’s African Americans, 1700s-1880s.”

In retirement, she continues to be active in many professional and community-based organizations, including Phi Delta Kappa, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the National Association of University Women, Delta Kappa Gamma International Honor Society for Women Educators, and the National Alliance of Black School Educators and Connecting Generations.

Wright earned both a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s in curriculum and instruction from Delaware State. She also holds a certification in school administration from Wilmington University.

Ever since graduating from DSU in 1969, she has been a dedicated supporter of the university’s alumni and fundraising programs and activities. She has held many positions with the New Castle County Alumni Chapter, including chairing the 2022 Scholarship Committee.

“I am thrilled, overwhelmed, and beyond grateful for this honor,” Wright says. “This organization has brought so much value and worth to my life, and I cannot do enough to express the gratitude that I feel.”

Appointed by Gov. John Carney, Eugene Young Jr. has been the director of the Delaware State Housing Authority since May of 2021. In cooperation with other state agencies and advocates, Young drives DSHA's mission to assist others in providing quality, affordable housing ►

Carol S. Wright

Eugene Young Jr.

J’s cafe

opportunities and appropriate supportive services to low- and moderate-income Delawareans.

Before his appointment, Young was president and CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League and co-founded Network Delaware, a grassroots organization of community members, leaders, organizers, and activists seeking to bring sustainable change to Delaware.

Born and raised on Wilmington’s Eastside, Young graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore County with a dual major in information systems and sociology. He received a master’s in public administration from Wilmington University and studied nonprofit management at the University of Delaware.

Young began his service to the community 16 years ago when he co-founded Delaware Elite, a youth leadership development program that provided inner-city youth with academic enrichment, leadership training, and college access. He has experience working in the non-profit sector, as well as for the city, state, and federal government. He served as an aide within the Delaware General Assembly and then as an aide to Newark, N. J., Mayor and current U. S. Sen. Cory Booker.

Although he is not a DSU alumnus, Young notes, “My Mother is a Hornet, my cousins are Hornets, some of my closest friends are Hornets. I am overwhelmed with gratitude to be recognized alongside my fellow honorees. DSU is a powerhouse institution of higher learning with a focus on equity, excellence, and evolution. Knowing they see those same values in me is truly a fantastic feeling. Moving forward, I will continue my efforts to uplift and advance my community and look forward to bringing about positive change for many more years to come.”

Kameryn Ward-Stokes , a 2023 DSU graduate, also will speak at the luncheon. He was awarded a full scholarship from the New Castle County Alumni Chapter four years ago and is now interning with the Philadelphia 76ers through the NBA x HBCU Fellowship Program.

— The New Castle County DSU AA 40th Scholarship Luncheon is set for Sunday, Aug. 20, at the Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. and the program begins at 2 p.m. Tickets are $85 each, $600 for a table. To order, go to: NCCDSUAA.eventbrite.com. Questions? Email DSUAAnewcastlecounty@gmail.com.

Kameryn Ward-Stokes

A Delaware Original

Pizza by Elizabeths: A 30-year legacy of artisan excellence and extraordinary loyalty

By Pam George

With its mint green accent walls, salmon pink upholstery and crystal lamps, Pizza by Elizabeths is a beacon for ladies who lunch. On any given day, they crowd tables for two under the cathedral ceiling. Come dinner, families are nestled in the plush booths, and couples sip craft cocktails at the bar.

Whether it’s lunch or dinner, many customers order pizza named for famous Elizabeths, including the Montgomery, the Taylor and the Queen. But interestingly, pizza is not always the longtime patrons’ favorite food.

“I love, love, love their tomato soup,” says Ellen Roberts. “I had some on Saturday even though it was 90 degrees outside.” Joan Bernard maintains that the restaurant’s chicken salad is “perfect and fresh.” And Cheryl Heiks craves the crabmeat-and-artichoke dip with whole wheat bread sticks or the buffalo chicken dip.

Holly Holland, meanwhile, is addicted to the balsamic vinaigrette. “I could drink it,” she says. Holland and her family have been going to Pizza by Elizabeths since it opened. “So many great memories with family and friends,” she says. ►

Photos by Justin Heyes

Thirty years of teamwork. Pictured in back (l-r): Eliezer Valentin, Carlos Ortiz-Rivas, Luis Torres. Seated (l-r): Danny "Foz" Gildea, Van Thongvong, Betsy LeRoy, Jackie Christopher, Bryon Geiger, Tom Donahue.

Thirty years of them, to be precise. Pizza by Elizabeth has ruled the artisan pie scene since 1993. But that’s not the Greenville restaurant’s only notable achievement. Social media posts regularly celebrate employee anniversaries of 19, 20 and 25 years.

The credit goes to co-founder Betsy LeRoy. For while oversized images of the famous Elizabeths hang throughout the dining room, she is the face of the brand.

Meeting of the Minds

Betsy LeRoy was born in Michigan, but the family moved when she was 9 for her father’s job with the DuPont Co. She is the fifth of six children. However, seven years separate her from her nextoldest sibling.

“They’re kind of like one family, and we’re another,” she says comparing his four sisters to her and her younger brother. “One sister was already married by the time we moved and had a child, and two were in college.”

The age gap diminished when the children all grew into adulthood.

LeRoy studied early childhood education at the University of Delaware, and her interest in helping children hasn’t waned. She’s worked with children ages 3 to 5, and today, she is a courtappointed special advocate for a foster child.

Although LeRoy was a hostess at H.A. Winston & Co. in Brandywine Hundred, her hospitality experience was limited. However, she loved cooking, and so did her neighbor, Betty Snyder.

“She really liked my pizza sauce, and I really liked her dough,” LeRoy recalls. “We traded recipes.”

While on vacation, Snyder talked about having an empty nest — her fourth child was bound for college. What would she

do next? The conversation turned to restaurants, and Snyder asked LeRoy, “Why don’t we open a pizza restaurant in Greenville?”

LeRoy, who had two sons, ages 3 and 5, laughed. Snyder convinced her to explore the idea, and their research led them to Spago in Los Angeles, where Wolfgang Puck had pioneered the concept of artisan pizza with gourmet toppings. The women had much better pizza, they agreed.

Growing Pains

Before LeRoy knew it, the women were looking at space in One Greenville Crossing, the one-story shopping center that fronts Kennett Pike, and Pizza by Elizabeths opened in 1993. The name was a no-brainer, given the partners were both named Elizabeth. But they also followed the marketing advice of Snyder’s husband, Ritchie. To gain credibility, he told them to take ownership of a product or service.

Inspired by the canine-festooned White Dog Café in Philly, they put photos of famous Elizabeths in the bathrooms; the 13-seat restaurant was so slender there was little room for wall art.

Holland was among the first customers. “I remember that tiny restaurant and waiting for a table — worth the wait!” she says. Al Mascitti, then the dining critic for The News Journal, evidently agreed. He praised the 10 available cheeses and nine each of veggie and meat toppings — plus herbs and seasonings.

“Ultimately, though, the number of toppings isn’t as impressive as their uniformly high quality,” he wrote. “Pepperoni and sausage don’t taste like this at Pizza Hut, and no cheeses this tasty make their way onto Domino’s.” The crust, he continued, was chewy without being thick or doughy, and it was nicely crisp on the bottom.

When the partners tried to expand in the place, they met parking space restrictions from the county’s Unified Development Code, enacted to check development. Eager to grow the business, Snyder and LeRoy looked toward Rehoboth Beach, which had no artisan pizzas.

To the Beach & Back

The partners found an old house at 23 Baltimore Ave. It was a great location but a fire hazard, given the restaurant needed a wood-fired pizza oven. In 1997, they razed the house to build a 140-seat two-story structure with a balcony.

Rehoboth Beach’s dining scene was nothing like it is now, LeRoy says. “If you wanted pizza, you went to Grotto or Nicola’s.” Customers were slow to choose artisan pies over boardwalk fare. And while business picked up, finding staff was challenging.

“We sat down and said: ‘If we do everything in our power, work as hard as we can and make concessions, can this be successful?” she recalls. The answer was yes, but there would be a cost to their families.

“We decided we were going to take a big loss, and we sold it,” LeRoy says. It is now home to Eden.

Meanwhile, changes in New Castle County’s code had allowed the partners to expand the Greenville site to 24 tables and have a dining room with doors for private events.

In 2002, Snyder’s husband died suddenly at the age of 54. For 33 years, he’d worked at W.L. Gore and Associates, the business

Snyder’s family started, and she joined the company. After several years, Snyder sold her share of the business to LeRoy, who quietly became the sole owner.

In 2008, Pizza by Elizabeths moved into nearby Greenville Shopping Center, where it once again became neighbors with Janssen’s Market, which had also relocated to larger digs. Admittedly, there’s a lot of musical chairs in Greenville. Pizza By Elizabeths now occupies Brandywine Brewing Co.’s old spot, and the brewpub’s former owner, David Dietz, later opened BBC Tavern in Pizza by Elizabeths’ original location.

What’s on the Menu

Pizza has been the menu’s start since the start. However, entrees have come and gone as chefs changed.

Opening chef Amporn Vasquez was the diminutive darling of news articles for her skill and story. The Thai native, one of seven children, ran away from home three times to escape an abusive mother and the threat of an arranged marriage.

Before becoming a chef, Vasquez cared for LeRoy’s young children and cooked their meals. At age 50, she graduated cum laude with a Delaware Technical Community College culinary degree, and her bright personality made her well known at Pizza by Elizabeths. In 2011, Vasquez won a Faces of Diversity American Dream Award from the National Restaurant Association and was named Chef of the Year by the First State Chefs’ Association.

After Vasquez retired, Paul Egnor took over. Lamb chops, ►

Tom Donahue has been part of the team for 21 years.

lasagna, curried tilapia and chicken pot pies joined pizza on the menu. And, for a time, so did craft beer brewed on site. When COVID hit, the restaurant scaled back to primarily pizza, salads, dips, soup and other legacy items.

“We’ve put a couple of things back on the menu, like our tacos, but I don’t know that we’ll ever do burgers or that kind of thing again — it’s just that’s not in our wheelhouse,” LeRoy says.

The restaurant no longer has its own beer. “It was Paul’s dream,” LeRoy explains. “He wanted to do it so badly, and another guy who worked here really wanted to do it, and I backed them. Then they started having kids, and nobody wanted to be the one that was here brewing overnight.”

Twenty years ago, the team devised the idea for a pizza truck but put it on hold. Now, two employees have resurrected the concept. “I said, ‘Well, it’s not going to happen anytime soon, but if you want to look into it …,’” she says. “So, they’ve kind of been thinking about that.”

Staying Put

LeRoy’s support for her team’s ideas is likely one reason she has so many longtime employees. For instance, Van Thongvong started 25 years ago as a dishwasher and has had just about every job in the restaurant, he says. Now he is a manager.

“Betsy is a good boss, and it’s fun here,” says the Middletown resident, who briefly worked in a real estate office after graduating with a criminal justice degree.

The kitchen has so many veteran staffers the restaurant no longer operates with an executive chef. Indeed, LeRoy no longer works nights or weekends, and she confidently travels without checking email. However, she’s not interested in selling.

“My main goal for this restaurant is for everyone who works here to be able to continue to work here,” she says. She explains that a new owner might look at the salaries of the longtime employees and clean house. So, LeRoy told her children that they must take on the restaurant if anything happens to her or her husband, Ben. “I told them they could basically do it by Zoom because everyone here is so good.”

Loyal customers can attest that the team does not go through the motions. When you order a pizza, salad or tomato soup at Pizza by Elizabeths, it tastes how you’d expect.

“I think that the reason we’ve endured is because we were the first that had gourmet pizza,” LeRoy says. “And I don’t think anyone has been able to beat us yet.”

Nineteen-year veteran Danny "Foz" Gildea slices a fresh pie.

Rock Solid

Veteran musicians and a father-son combo power the Stone Shakers. New EP out this month.

By Matt Morrissette

Although you may not know the band by name, it’s a safe bet you’d recognize nearly all the members of Stone Shakers from the legendary Shine A Light shows at The Queen or from the myriad of local acts the members have graced with their talents over the last decade. Featuring an enviable lineup of the best of the best that the Delaware music scene has to offer, the band is readying themselves for a new EP of original music set for release this month.

Stone Shakers is the brainchild of longtime pals and bandmates, Anthony Cappella and Kevin Walsh (both formerly of Shytown). It started as a more traditional acoustic band featuring Cappella on standup bass; Walsh handling both mandolin and guitar duties; local standouts Pete Cogan and Ritchie Rubini on harmonica and percussion respectively; and stellar vocalist Samantha Poole on the front-and-center mic.

“We wanted to do something very different musically,” Walsh says in explaining the genesis of the band’s sound. “At the time, no one locally had a predominantly acoustic approach with a mandolin and harmonica flavor.” ►

The Stone Shakers (l-r): Kevin Walsh, Samantha Poole, Glenn Walker, Tony Cappella and Bob Reuther. O&A photo

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Over the past couple years, the band underwent some changes. Cogan and Rubini amicably parted, and the band welcomed Glenn Walker on drums and Bob Reuther on second guitar. In adding more muscle to their sound, Cappella moved to electric bass.

“The key to the band has always been chemistry between all the members, past and present,” Cappella says.

In another sense, the band is also an expression of family. Though their live shows are stacked with their unique takes on classic Americana tunes with some canny takes on classic rock anthems, their recordings are a labor of love and shared creativity between Walsh and his son, Ian, who collaborate on the band’s original compositions as well as on production duties.

The senior Walsh is the longtime owner of Hammerhead Studios — East, formerly based in Greenville (Del.) where the band primarily recorded both their first selftitled EP from 2018 and their upcoming release, Last Kiss. Since completing the recording, he’s moved his studio (and home) to the beach.

Ian is a highly accomplished musician, songwriter, and producer who moved his talents to Los Angeles after catching the music bug from his father. Out west, Ian has made a name for himself with the Pulse Music Group and as a musician in the band, Bel Heir. As a producer and songwriter, he has lent his talents to records by Em Beihold, Plain White T’s, Blink 182, Phem, and countless others.

Despite his busy life in L.A., Ian never passes up a chance to work with his father or reconnect with his Delaware roots. His studio in L.A. is even named after his father’s studio in Delaware.

“I write most of the songs with Ian, and because we record most of the music at my home studio, each EP is a special opportunity to work with my son,” Walsh says. “I’m especially proud of the work we did together and with the band on the new EP.

One of the keys to Stone Shakers’ synergy is the rich history the members have in the fabric of the Delaware music scene. Currently, Walsh works with Vinyl Shockley, Earth Jam, and The Snap in addition to his pivotal role in Stone

Shakers. Cappella is also a very busy man, playing in legendary local jam band Montana Wildaxe as well as What The Funk, Howl Train, Vinyl Shockley, Earth Jam, Region and TRO.

Stone Shakers’ singer — and secret weapon — Samantha Poole, is well-known for belting out pop-rock hits with The Snap since 2009 alongside Delaware music scene linchpin Ben Leroy. She also has a thriving solo career with an EP called Wild Ride released last year.

To illustrate how tight knit and intertwined the local music scene is: Poole’s father played in a band in the 1970s with current Stone Shakers drummer, Glenn Walker.

Discussing joining Stone Shakers, Poole has this to say: “After playing a hurricane relief benefit with our respective bands at the time, Tony [Cappella] and Kevin [Walsh] approached me about doing a band together. I was hesitant due to having pretty young kids at the time, but they understood my time constraints. I just couldn’t pass it up. One doesn’t get a chance very often to play with that caliber of pro musicians.”

Among their favorite places to play in the area, the members all cited Pizza by Elizabeths as their home away from home, with Dew Point Brewing Co., Constitution Yards, and Blue Ball Barn all garnering honorable mentions. However, it seems The Queen holds the most special place in the memories of their musical lives with the annual Shine A Light show (in which Cappella holds a crucial leadership role) being a yearly rite of passage.

Following this month’s release of Last Kiss on all major streaming platforms, look for Stone Shakers to headline Meals on Wheels’ annual benefit, the Ultimate Tailgate, on Thursday, October 12 at Delaware Park followed by a return to Pizza By Elizabeths on December 15.

Ian (l) and Kevin Walsh at Hammerhead Studios East.

TUNEDIN

HOMEY AWARDS CELEBRATE THE BEST IN LOCAL MUSIC

The Queen boasts one of the biggest nights for local music when the 2023 Homey Awards return on August 6. There will be 28 award presentati¬ons along with live performances from this year’s Song of the Year nominees: Alicia Maxwell Project with “Tappan Zee,” Curtis Jr. with “I Don’t Mind (Life Aside the Ocean),” Gunpowder Milkshake with “Flamingo’s Ode,” John Faye & Sug Daniels with “Lightning in a Bottle,” and Mikeal Anthony Greto with “The Piper.”

Hosted by Mark Rogers, host of Hometown Heroes, the Homey Awards annually celebrate the local musicians and songs featured on the Hometown Heroes show throughout the past calendar year.

The award show is presented by Delaware Public Media With production assistance from Gable Music Ventures. The show starts at 7pm; tickets are $15 and available online at TheQueenWilmington.com.

FREE CONCERT SERIES CONTINUES AT NEW CITY AMPITHEATER

The Levitt AMP Wilmington Music Series rolls into its second month of offering a variety of free performances to the public — all at the newly opened Urban Artist Exchange (UAE) Ampitheater.

Olatuja brings its brand of Afro-beat, jazz, funk and soul to the stage on August 9. The spicy sounds of Southern Louisiana fill the air on August 16 with the arrival of Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas. Gerald Veasley’s Electric Mingus Project delivers what JazzTimes called “an admirable tribute” to the jazz legend on August 23. Then, on August 30, audiences will be treated to the tunes and interpretations of Brooklyn-based Gabriel jazz cellist Gabriel Royal.

The UAE Ampitheater is located at 1500 Walnut Street, and the shows all start at 6:30pm. Visit CityFestWilm.com.

Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas

SUMMER JAM SERIES UNITES BANDS, STORES, VENUES

Following its kick-off event at International Groove Records then other July shows at Kelly’s Logan House and Spaceboy Clothing, the Summer Band Jam series continues this month with more battle-of-the-band excitement.

August 5 sees Blameshifter, PinWheel and the Dustin Manucci Trio face off at Rainbow Records in Newark. On August 12, Rainbow hosts Hive Mind, Penny Death and Advanced Fiction. Then the action shifts to Squeezebox Records in Wilmington, where Eastern Elk, Fragments of Greatness and Red Smith give it a go on August 19.

Summer Band Jam concludes with a grand finale on Sept. 2 (location to be announced). Visit RainbowRecordsDE.com.

CARLY SIMMONS & EARTH JAM ROCK BRANDYWINE SUMMER SERIES

The Brandywine Summer Concert Series wraps up this month, but not before two more acts rock the outdoor amphitheater — one of the biggest of its kind in our area. Country singer Carly Simmons performs on August 3 and classic rock jamband Earth Jam plays August 10. The free shows are 7-9pm and guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs, blankets and coolers. A food truck will be on site. Visit BrandywineRedClay.org.

NITRO NITRA LIGHTS UP WILMINGTON

Two months after rocking the main stage of the Ladybug Music Festival, Nitro Nitra is back with another outdoor Wilmington performance.

For the Wilmington Summer Concerts, Nitro Nita will perform from 6-7:30pm on August 24 at 7th & West Park.

In September of last year, the band released its single “Walk Into the Sun,” just five months after being featured on NBC’s American Song Contest. The show marks the final performance in this year's Summer Concert Series. Visit WilmingtonAlliance.org.

Nitro Nitra

HOMEY AWARDS

PRESENTED BY: &

WIN A $50 GIFT CARD TO PIZZA BY ELIZABETHS!

Fill in the

You know the drill:

(1) Ask your friends to help “fill in the blanks” for the missing words needed below.

(2) Once completed, read aloud and watch hilarity ensue.

(3) Got a funny one? Take a photo and send it to us at Contact@OutAndAboutNow.com.

Randomly drawn winner will get a $50 Gift Card to Pizza By Elizabeths

(One entry per person; must be 21+ to enter; due by the 21st of each month.). Have fun!

BARBIE’S NEXT ADVENTURE

“OMG, today is ( holiday )!” Barbie shrieked. “Let’s celebrate!”

“Should I call the rest of our ( adjective ) friends?” asked Barbie’s close pal, ( first name of friend ).

“( exclamation ), yes!” Barbie replied, “We’re going to ( verb ) all day and night! Woo hoo!”

“Did someone say it’s time to celebrate?” asked Ken, suddenly walking into the room with a tray of ( liquid ) cocktails. Within the hour, a roomful of people were ( verb ending in -ing ) to the ( music genre ) sounds of ( famous musician ). The celebration was on!

“( exclamation ), Barbie!” shouted ( first name of second friend ). “How do you always throw the ( adjective ending in -est ) parties? You are so ( adjective )!”

“Thank you!” Barbie shrugged. “Ken deserves some ( plural noun ), too. He helped ( verb ) the ( noun )!”

As on cue, Ken walked through the door, with tray of ( plural noun ).

“Did someone say it’s time to ( verb )?”

THE CITY

NEW URBAN ARTIST EXCHANGE (UAE)

AMPHITHEATER OPENS

Mayor Mike Purzycki and Cultural Affairs Dir. Tina Betz invite you to experience the unifying power of live music as the inaugural season of FREE summer concerts from the Levitt AMP Wilmington Music Series continues at the new Urban Artist Exchange (UAE) Amphitheater, at 16th & N. Walnut St. in Wilmington’s East Side Historic District. DuPont Brass kicked off the 10-concert series on July 12, followed by the gospel quintet The Legendary Ingramettes (July 19) and bluegrass band NuBlu (July 26). (The DuPont Brass performance was made possible through the MidAtlantic Tours program of MidAtlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment of the Arts.)

The concerts continue each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. through mid-October. Upcoming August shows include: Olatuja Project (Aug. 9), Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas (Aug. 16), Gerald Veasley’s Electric Mingus Project (Aug. 23), and Gabriel Royal (Aug. 30).

Bring picnics, blankets, and lawn chairs to the shows, which will have an open lawn setting. Visit www.cityfestwilm.com for a full schedule of shows, directions, and info. on parking and wheelchair accessibility.

“When we first set out to create the Urban Artist Exchange years ago,” said Mayor Purzycki, “Tina Betz and I imagined UAE would be a distinctive destination known for welcoming creative people and using the arts to transform the East Side physically, socially, and culturally. There’s no doubt this incredible space has exceeded all expectations, and we’re just now getting started. This free outdoor music series at the beautiful new amphitheater just confirms that our original transformational vision was on target, and I, for one, can’t wait for folks to come out and experience this beautiful setting for themselves.”

Mayor Purzycki and Director Betz thanked the Levitt Foundation again for its support of Wilmington’s continuing commitment to enriching the City and its residents through its love of music and a rich history of nurturing musicians of all genres.

FAN GIVEAWAY HELPS CITY SENIORS BEAT THE HEAT

Wilmington seniors can still get FREE fans from the City while supplies last. The electric fans are being given away Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Mayor’s Office of Constituent Services, on the 7th floor of the Redding Government Building at 800 N. French St. To be eligible for a FREE fan, recipients must: (1) live within the City of Wilmington limits and be 65 years of age or older (proof of age/residency required) and (2) cannot have received a City fan in 2022. You should NOT use an electric fan when the temperature outside is higher than 95 F as this can increase the risk of heat-related illness.

DuPont Brass kicks off the Levitt AMP Wilmington Music Series at the new UAE Amphitheater on Walnut St.

MAYOR CELEBRATES NEW TILTON PARK PLAYGROUND

Mayor Mike Purzycki and Dir. of Parks and Recreation Ian Smith recently joined with West Side Grows Together, the Cool Spring Tilton Park Neighborhood Assoc. (CSTNA), and the Friends of Tilton Park along with City officials, invited guests, and local residents for a ceremony to mark the completion of renovations to Tilton Park, at 8th & Franklin streets. These include a new, state-of-the-art playground and adjacent amphitheater completed in May at a cost of $996,000.

“I continue to be impressed and encouraged by the outpouring of support and participation by the community for projects like this one,” said Mayor Purzycki. “Tilton Park is a great source of pride for this section of the City, and neighbors have long taken a special ownership interest in keeping the park a clean and safe space for area children and families. We made this park a priority so that our younger residents would have a first-rate place to play, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results. With the opening of this new playground our young people once again have a safe, attractive, welcoming place to play.”

The Mayor thanked Parks Dir. Smith and his team, as well as the City’s many other partners for their invaluable contributions to this project – the product of years of collaboration between community leaders, government officials, and neighborhood residents. The Tilton Park upgrades, which come on the heels of renovations to nearby Cool Spring Park and together total about $1.6 M, are one more example of what can be achieved when communities and government work together to address a pressing need.

MAYOR DECLARES FIRST LEMONADE DAY WILMINGTON

The City of Wilmington partnered with WDEL 101.7 FM and 93.7 WSTW to bring the national entrepreneurial education program known as Lemonade Day to the First State. To mark the occasion, Mayor Mike Purzycki proclaimed Sat., July 15, 2023, as

Lemonade Day Wilmington.

“If you want a vibrant economy in our City, you have to build it from the ground up, and that requires entrepreneurs,” said Mayor Purzycki. “Everybody, given a little bit of an entrepreneurial nudge, can have their own path, and this program helps to plant that seed by engaging kids in doing something they’ll never forget. For that reason, this event really resonated with me.”

Lemonade Day was founded in 2007 in Houston, TX, by Michael Holthouse. His vision was to empower today’s youth to become tomorrow’s entrepreneurs by helping them start, own, and operate their very own business – a lemonade stand. The main objective of Lemonade Day is to empower youth to take ownership of their lives and become productive members of society – the business leaders, social advocates, volunteers, and forward-thinking citizens of tomorrow. To learn more, visit lemonadeday.org/wilmington.

Mayor Purzycki addresses community members gathered to celebrate the new Tilton Park playground.

Mayor Purzycki proclaims July 15, 2023, Lemonade Day Wilmington

Restaurants and Beer Garden

Banks’ Seafood Kitchen & Raw Bar

Big Fish Grill

Ciro Food & Drink

Constitution Yards Beer Garden

Delaware Duck Café and Catering

Del Pez

Docklands

Drop Squad Kitchen

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

Riverfront Bakery

River Rock Kitchen

Starbucks

Taco Grande

Timothy’s on the Riverfront

Ubon Thai

RIVERFRONT MARKET

OPEN

MON-FRI: 9AM-6PM

SAT: 9AM-4PM

Stop in and enjoy fresh produce, salads, sandwiches, pizza, sushi, Mexican, Thai cuisine, Peruvian Rotisserie, Soulfood and much more!

Dine-in or carry out

DuPont Environmental Education Center

The DuPont Environmental Education Center provides a 13,000 square foot facility along the 212-acre Peterson Wildlife Refuge, where guests can explore the marshes and look for various species of amphibians, birds and fish.

They offer guided tours, weekly drop-in classes, and have easy access to the Jack A. Markell Bike Trail.

Delawarenaturesociety.org/centers/dupont-environmental-education-center

Danielle Johnson Arden Shady Grove

Photo by Joe del Tufo