The office was temporarily closed since September 2021 after suffering significant damage due to Hurricane Ida customers were going to the Rockland Post Office for their PO Box and retail needs “We want to thank our loyal customers for their patience and understanding while efforts were made to restore the Post Office,” said Postmaster Blanche Olliviere “We are excited to return to our home office to serve our deserving customers in their usual setting.” The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 169 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America restore long-term financial sustainability dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage products and services to fund its operations Copyright© 2025 United States Postal Service Where did Kamala Harris eat after her historic night being introduced as vice president-elect at the Wilmington Riverfront Harris and her family had been staying at the Inn at Montchanin Village at 528 Montchanin Road for the past week.  The upscale inn, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, isn't a big hotel It's 11 restored buildings on the property dating from 1799 The settlement was home to laborers who worked at the nearby DuPont Co It's only about 4 miles away from Biden's Greenville home off Barley Mill Road Krazy Kat's Restaurant is housed in a renovated blacksmith's shop on the site of the Inn at Montchanin Village It's known for its farm-to-table cuisine and whimsical decor including tiger-print chairs and portraits of military-garbed cats and dogs The restaurant gets its name from a village resident who owned a number of cats What Joe is jonesing for: Will Joe Biden toast his victory with a Bobbie or a plate of pasta? said he knew the Harris family was staying at the property and the Biden-Harris campaign was set up in one of the banquet rooms on the site He said Joe and Jill Biden have been visiting the inn all week Harris and Biden staffers "have been and out That was kind of their satellite workplace," Tagle said Tagle said he received a "completely unexpected" call from a Harris adviser asking if he could cook up a banquet feast for about 20 people They wanted the celebratory feast after Harris made her appearance at the Wilmington Riverfront with President-elect Joe Biden who has been Krazy Kat's executive chef for the past 1½ years It's his third stint working at the restaurant "They wanted fish and salmon and I didn't have enough on hand for a 20-person banquet I'm tight with what I have," the chef said Tagle said he improvised and made braised short ribs, grilled salmon, asparagus and beef tenderloin with a port wine sauce and whipped up deviled eggs and rice pilaf.  he got another call asking for more food First president from the First State: Delaware history is made: The First State gets its first president in Joe Biden he added grilled chicken with wild mushroom sauce some halibut and served a burrata salad with pears and apples using local produce he bought at SIW Vegetables in Chadds Ford "They got to have a lot of local stuff," Tagle said "I made another big pot of rice that they plowed through." Tagle said the food was delivered to a banquet room and Harris was there.  but one of Harris's staff members insisted on introducing him to the newly elected Vice President It's fine,' but I thought it was super cool that she took the time to give a small statement of thanks," Tagle said Tagle said Harris told him: "Family is important to me I always want to have dinner with my family and it's been hard lately To be able to sit down with my family to this amazing food means the world." "This was from the Vice President [elect]. I'm just a kid from Delaware so it was definitely a surreal moment to be part of that history Tagle said he told Harris his three daughters admired her 'My daughters are absolutely going to lose it when they hear I met you.' 'Let's send them a picture.'" A staffer took a photo that Tagle posted on his Facebook page Sunday morning Tagle, who also runs a food service business Dan Tagle Cuisine said he has cooked for famous people before But this one kind of got me a little bit." Tagle said his parting words to Harris were: "Hey if you need any culinary help in D.C Harris checked out of the Inn at Montchanin on Sunday morning Tagle said the staff "was completely thrilled and star struck Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico One of the cars came to rest on its side at 2:18 p.m. at the intersection of Montchanin Road and Adams Road in New Castle County. The Department of Natural Resources rushed to the scene and determined no gas was spilled. Crews are using heavy lifting equipment Wednesday night to get the cars back on the tracks. highly curated editorial content brings attention to hidden gems From quiet trails to cozy cabins and local diners she’s all about finding unique and unforgettable places With a background in retail and hospitality management she has a strong understanding of what makes an experience truly memorable and what travelers genuinely value Share LinkBest Hotels & Resorts In Delaware: 12 Amazing Places To StayDiscover the best hotels in Delaware ranging from luxury accommodations to unique boutique stays follow along and check out the best hotels in Delaware Delaware is full of accommodation choices, but may we suggest an option that's more one-of-a-kind? Check out this list of unique hotels that will make for a much more memorable stay than your average hotel The hotel features a range of rooms that will appeal to visitors from all over the globe The luxurious and spacious guest rooms are the perfect mix of European elegance with modern comforts like flat-screen TVs Onsite amenities like an upscale French restaurant and a fitness center provide an excellent respite for urbanites on the go There is also an adult-only floor with access to a private rooftop sundeck and spa It was built in 1783 but was remodeled in 1891 to reflect the popular "steamboat Gothic" style and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places Quaint rooms in this home come with comfortable furniture Some rooms feature beautiful stained glass windows and luxurious slipper tubs There are also several circular sitting areas for relaxing Enjoy breakfast in the sunny conservatory or the elegant dining room with antique furniture and a roaring fire Nothing is better and feels more like a vacation than booking a hotel that has a pool From a rooftop pool to an indoor heated saltwater pool here are some of the best hotels with a pool in Delaware modern studios come furnished with cheerful decor The hotel provides complimentary wifi and parking Catch some rays and enjoy the rooftop outdoor heated pool and two onsite restaurants while you're there Everyone deserves a little bit of luxury, and what better way to treat yourself than staying at a luxury hotel and spa Check in to any of these accommodations and relax in a serene oasis the perfect getaway for a luxurious weekend The property is also nearby Downtown Wilmington Relax and relish in all that Montchanin Village has to offer and the elegant marbled bathrooms are top-notch within walking distance of all the attractions Indulge in the day spa with therapeutic massages Kick back and order some room service in their luxurious and spacious rooms Boutique hotels are the perfect places to come back to after a busy day of exploring the city and sights and in the center of everywhere you want to be The inn is within walking distance from Lightship Overfalls and under a mile from Lewes Beach The retro-inspired rooms come with free wifi They also have two-bedroom suites that offer a kitchenette to make your stay even more comfortable Complimentary s'mores are served around a cozy fire pit which is perfect because there is a nearby kayak and boat launch The hotel's 24 guest rooms offer high ceilings and luxe design with amenities like REVO speakers You can explore three excellent dining experiences The Quoin is a one-of-a-kind experience that you'll want to check out With gorgeous views and excellent accommodations The spacious rooms have a modern nautical theme and feature free wifi Enjoy a complimentary breakfast and take a dip in the saltwater pool Sleep comfortably in one of their roomy suites with private balconies and amenities like a convenience store Have you stayed at any of the beautiful hotels in Delaware? Do you think they are some of the best-rated hotels in the state? Let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you! Are you looking for more top hotels in Delaware to plan your next holiday? Check out this bed and breakfast. Choose your stateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasNorthern CaliforniaSouthern CaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingSubscribe... Enjoy your own private fishing pond and then head to one of Missouri's underrated fishing spots with a stay at this cozy cabin. Thanks for subscribing. We’ll see you in your inbox! Elizabeth Snyder – a Gore family heir and one of Delaware’s richest residents – has lost a legal maneuver to stop former Phillies owner Ruly Carpenter from constructing a dozen homes on his late mother’s property near Montchanin A Superior Court judge rejected Snyder’s allegations that the New Castle County Board of Adjustment erred when it approved five variances for her neighbor’s land on Montchanin and Buck roads The judge’s 36-page ruling affirmed the board’s decision Monday This legal hurdle puts the project one step closer to breaking ground will be a cluster of cape-style homes for people over 55 along the Brandywine Valley National Scenic Byway Each home is expected to sell for about $1 million The 20-acre property is currently owned by the Mary Kaye Carpenter Trust The trust sought to subdivide the land after Ruly’s mother who lived in one of the two existing houses on the property said the the project is currently getting final county approvals but a date for construction to begin has not been set “We are very pleased with the decision,” Stabler said Preliminary approvals for the development hinged on rezoning the property and getting variances The property was rezoned from suburban estate to suburban Gore & Associates who Forbes estimates is worth about $675 million challenged the Board of Adjustment’s jurisdiction in granting the variances for the project He claimed the application for the development was not properly noticed and the plan was not submitted in accordance with county codes “The court finds that the board neither committed legal error nor exceeded its jurisdiction in reaching its decision,” Wharton wrote Wharton wrote that the Board of Adjustment considered the impact the development would have on Snyder’s land ensured the project would include several acres of open space mature trees and protected natural resources “The court considered all the relevant factors,” Stabler said said the judge’s decision was “well-reasoned” and that overturning a Board of Adjustment decision is difficult Contact Jessica Masulli Reyes at (302) 324-2777 jmreyes@delawareonline.com or Twitter @JessicaMasulli 2016Police are on the scene of a fatal accident in Montchanin (WPVI) -- Police have released the name of the man who died in a head-on crash Wednesday in Montchanin died in the crash that happened around 7:45 a.m in the 900 block of Montchanin Road near Adams Dam Road Investigators say 26-year-old Brandon Harper lost control of his Jeep Grand Cherokee as it crossed railroad tracks The vehicle entered the opposite lane and hit Santangelo's Toyota Rav 4 Investigators say the Toyota flipped and landed on a stone wall on the edge of the road The Toyota's driver was properly restrained but died at the hospital from his injuries Harper is hospitalized with unspecified injuries They do not believe alcohol was a factor in the crash This was supposed to be Patty McCoy's busiest week of the year 100 (known locally as Montchanin Road) from Buck Road to Kirk Road has been closed since Monday which means McCoy's Mother's Day customers haven't been showing up in their normal droves.  "I have nobody walking in. They can't get into the store," said McCoy, the owner of Petals Flowers & Fine Gifts Mother's Day is perennially the busiest time of the year for flower shops McCoy says this week accounts for roughly a third of her yearly business She said no one from the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) notified her or the businesses that neighbor Petals about the construction "This month of May is like Christmas and it carries us through the summer because it's dead in the summer," McCoy said.  McCoy says DelDOT told her it posts public notices for its construction projects on its website But she believes when a business will be affected by construction it should be individually notified McCoy says she would have asked for the project to be delayed until after May According to DelDOT's website, Eastern Penn Railroad Company is rebuilding the railroad crossing on Montchanin Road between Barley Mill Road and Kirk Road The road closure is scheduled to last until May 12 as long as there are no weather delays.  Northbound motorists are being detoured onto Barley Mill Road and Route 52/Kennett Pike to Kirk Road and back to Montchanin Road Southbound drivers are detoured onto Kirk Road to Route 52/Kennett Pike and back to Montchanin Road DelDOT did not immediately respond to requests for comment.  More: Global helium shortage is taking the air out of Mother's Day, graduation parties in Delaware Petals will remain open and is still accessible but McCoy contends that proper detour signs around the Del Customers can access the store from Rockland Road Those driving north can avoid the construction by taking Del which runs through the Inn and Montchanin Village with the normally empty cases now overflowing as McCoy placed her orders a month ago anticipating her normal holiday flood.  I have to take them and they're perishable So if I don't sell them it's not like I can hold onto them next week." Phone or online orders typically only make up 25 percent of the shop's business partially because Petal's specializes in custom arrangements the store had made only a fifth of its total number of deliveries from this week a year ago The problem could soon get worse for Petals Beginning May 13 Rockland Road will be closed further up the road from the current construction site for more railroad maintenance If the project starts before the current one is finished the only way for customers to make it to Petals would be via the road that runs through the Inn at Montchanin.  but I'm like 'Not so fast,'" McCoy said.  McCoy and her employees deal with regular backups on Kirk Road and Rockland Road 100 and Rockland Road has helped slow traffic but McCoy doesn't think it's enough.  "Honestly I think this whole intersection should be redone and they should shut down the road through the Inn at Montchanin," McCoy said "There is always a backup coming up to this light Contact Brandon Holveck at bholveck@delawareonline.com or at (302) 324-2267. Follow on Twitter @holveck_brandon.  Luxury townhomes will soon line the bank of the Brandywine River at the site of the former Bancroft Mills Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and partners from Montchanin Builders announced the project at a groundbreaking ceremony yesterday.  The Overlook at Rockford Falls will feature 34 townhomes that border the river and easily connect to trails at Alapocas Run State Park The site is also within walking distance of Rockford Park and the Delaware Art Museum.  "Not only is this area of Wilmington steeped in natural beauty and rich history but it is convenient to numerous cultural and recreational amenities," Mayor Purzycki said in a statement Construction began in January and is scheduled to be completed by 2020.  Two have already been completed and 20 others have buyers.  Founded by Joseph Bancroft, Bancroft Mills opened in 1831 and was once the largest cotton finishing mill in the country, according to a City of Wilmington press release. It closed in 1961 as textile producers began to leave the northeast for the south, the release said. A fire in November 2016 destroyed most of the historic mill buildings which had been completely vacant since the early 2000s.  The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  In March 2017, Delaware lawmakers approved a rare land swap between the state and the Buccini/Pollin Group that will facilitate a 350-apartment development on the Bancroft ruins down the hill from the townhomes built by Montchanin.  One of the last visible signs of the mill, its 230-foot smokestack, was demolished in October to make way for the BPG apartments The time table for the $70 million Buccini/Pollin project was thrown off by the 2016 fire and is still unknown.   Lenape Indian Tribe looks to reclaim historic Delaware land, establish sovereignty Delaware nonprofit hires ex-criminals to help keep them out of prison, give them 2nd chance 300-plus water rescues finish busy week for lifeguards from Ocean City to Rehoboth Beach Contact Brandon Holveck at bholveck@delawareonline.com First State Update Delaware's News Authority | Delaware Breaking News | Local News Greenville – The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is investigating a fatal crash that occurred earlier this morning a 66-year-old Wilmington man was operating a 2004 Nissan Titan Pickup Truck southbound on Barley Mill Road (Rt 141) in the left lane approaching the intersection of Montchanin Road (Rt A 37-year-old Middletown woman was operating a 2002 Nissan Altima westbound on Montchanin Road approaching the intersection of Barley Mill Road The intersection is controlled by a traffic control signal The traffic signal for Barley Mill Road was green in both directions and the traffic signal for Montchanin Road was red Fournier said the Nissan Altima failed to stop for the red traffic signal and proceeded into the intersection the front of the Nissan Titan Pickup Truck collided with the right side of the Altima in the intersection both vehicles were redirected in a northwest direction and the pickup truck overturned onto its roof The Altima rotated 180 degrees and came to a stop on the northwest side of the roadway The 37-year-old female was transported by EMS to Christiana Medical Center (CMC) where she was pronounced dead Her name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin was transported by EMS to CMC where he was treated and will be released with non-life-threatening injuries The intersection of Barley Mill Road and Montchanin Road was closed for approximately three and a half hours while the collision was investigated and cleared [media-credit name=”DelDOT” align=”aligncenter” width=”800″][/media-credit] Greenville – Rescue crews from the Cranston Heights and Talleyville Fire Companies along with New Castle  County Paramedics and Trooper 4 have been dispatched to Barley Mill Road and Montchanin Road for a  rollover with entrapment Delaware State Police Trooper arriving on scene reported one trapped and in serious condition First arriving reported negative entrapment and confirmed patient in serious condition Video from DelDOT cameras shows Good Samaritans assisting one patient out of the overturned vehicle About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy, Terms & Rules Facebook the Phillies captured the first National League pennant in the team’s 32-year history There was no connection then between these two events but in time the Carpenter name and the Phillies baseball franchise became inextricably intertwined and resulted in some of the most memorable teams in the club’s long history To say that Carpenter was born into privilege would be a gross understatement the Wilmington chemical firm better known as Du Pont who joined the company and married Margaretta in 1906 was a senior executive and member of the board of directors of the company by the time little Robert came along in 1915 Carpenter married Mary Kaye Phelps in Wilmington The couple would have three children: Robert III (known as Ruly) In 1940 Carpenter and his father partnered with Connie Mack in the ownership of the newly organized Wilmington Blue Rocks a team in the Class B Inter-State League that Mack used as a farm club for his Philadelphia Athletics The relationship led to the Carpenter family’s purchase of the Phillies soon thereafter The National League had purchased the team from debt-ridden owner Gerald Nugent and sold it to New York businessman William Cox who promptly got caught betting on the Phillies and was banned from the game This created an ownership limbo for the team; it desperately needed a white knight a wealthy owner who could not only save the team but turn it around That man turned out to be Robert Carpenter, Sr., who bought the team for $400,000 on the strength of a strong recommendation from Connie Mack, who told Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis that the Carpenter family would stabilize the franchise The elder Carpenter immediately handed over the reins to Robert Jr. The Blue Rocks conveniently became a Phillies farm team for the 1944 season Carpenter was in the Army at the time, so he hired Herb Pennock the Boston Red Sox farm director and a former pitcher for the New York Yankees and other teams Pennock had been a favorite player and boyhood idol of Carpenter’s Carpenter hired marketing consultants to investigate ways to increase ticket sales and installed a modern accounting system to keep track of the organization’s substantial money flow All of these moves paid off quickly for the Phillies Carpenter was discharged from the Army as a staff sergeant in 1946 and took over as president of the Phillies He assumed the general manager’s duties two years later By 1949, key youngsters Ashburn, Ennis, Simmons, and Roberts had all successfully broken into the big leagues, and for the first time in many years, the Phillies had a contending team. They finished in third place that year, their best season since 1917. For his efforts and innovations, Carpenter was named Major League Baseball’s Executive of the Year by The Sporting News was the interim manager of the Cincinnati Reds team that dealt crucial blows to the Phillies’ pennant run in September 1964.) The Phillies were without the services of Curt Simmons who was in the Army after his National Guard unit was called up for Korean War service Despite Simmons’s absence the Phillies played the Yankees fairly even The team brightened the spirits of Philadelphia It was thought that the Phillies had a good young nucleus and would remain competitive for years The success and likeability of the players helped the Phillies win the affection of the city at the expense of Mack’s Athletics The 1950 team drew four times as many fans as the Athletics Carpenter’s ownership was part of the death knell of the Athletics in Philadelphia By 1964 the Phillies were back on top – for most of the season. Led by Rookie of the Year slugger Dick Allen and superstar pitcher Jim Bunning the Phillies were 6½ games ahead in the National League with only 12 games to play dropping ten straight games and ultimately losing the pennant to the St both Connie Mack Stadium and the neighborhood surrounding it had fallen into disrepair The 50-year-old structure was a shell of its former grand self and Carpenter sold Connie Mack Stadium in 1967 for $600,000 to Philadelphia Eagles owner Jerry Wolman absorbing a loss of more than one million dollars if one figured in all of the refurbishing Carpenter had done The Phillies went on the hunt for a new ballpark and government obstruction and incompetence and the financiers chose South Philadelphia as a site the Phillies began play in a brand-new multisport facility known as Veterans Stadium and popularly called “The Vet.” They shared the stadium with the football Eagles and were across the street from the Spectrum The Vet was demolished in March 2004 after Citizens Bank Park was built But Carpenter was no softie when it came to issues like free agency, unions, and sports agents. He was from the old school, viewed playing professional baseball as a privilege, and thought players were already well compensated for that privilege. He became particularly upset with Curt Flood who famously refused to report to the Phillies after he had been traded from the St a city he felt was racist and perhaps dangerous to his well-being But his argument was much larger and more far-reaching than that which allowed teams to control players for their entire careers – or trade them to a new team without their consent – was an affront to human dignity my foot,” the usually mild-mannered Carpenter once raged in an interview He was equally unhappy with players’ unions.”I don’t think the union was necessary,” Carpenter once said. “I don’t believe the union belongs in sports.” On agents, he said, “Look, if a player comes in to me and we sit and talk, and he’s had a good year, he’s going to get whatever he wants from me. But if he comes in with a sharp-shooting lawyer, I’m going to dig up every negative thing I can about that player.”6 People can draw their own conclusions whether the Phillies’ decision not to sign black players of consequence until years after most of the other teams in the league had black stars hurt the franchise Carpenter had no regrets about leaving baseball, Ruly said. “It probably was better for him that he got out when he did,” he said. “So much had changed – the advent of free agency, multiyear contracts and hassles with the players associations – I don’t think he would have been very happy with any of it. I also don’t think he would have been happy with some of the new owners.”8 After he relinquished the club to his son, Carpenter was known to stop by Veterans Stadium now and then and pore over minor-league farm reports. He also continued his earlier involvement as a booster of the University of Delaware’s athletic program. “He was a very unpretentious man,” his son said. “I think he would like to be remembered for his total contributions to athletics.”9 Perhaps it was ironic, but after Carpenter retired, the Phillies finally established the consistency and excellence that he had sought for so long. The team won three straight National League East division titles, 1976-1978, and won the franchise’s first World Series championship in 1980. “[My father was] tickled to death,” Ruly said. “But the Whiz Kids were his biggest thrill.”10 a year after the Phillies won the World Series the Carpenters sold the team to a group headed by Phillies vice president Bill Giles for about $30 million Although he wanted the team (and thus himself) to earn money Carpenter also believed that because of his inherited wealth he had a civic obligation to provide a good team for the city He was heavily involved in charitable causes his entire life and he was a founding member of the Delaware Association for Retarded Children (DARC) later called the Delaware Foundation Reaching Children with intellectual disabilities Carpenter was also heavily involved with Delaware sports at the high-school and college levels In 1953 he instituted the annual Delaware High School Blue-Gold All-Star Football Game The game is played in June at the University of Delaware’s Delaware Stadium This biography is included in the book “The Year of the Blue Snow: The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies” (SABR, 2013), edited by Mel Marmer and Bill Nowlin. For more information or to purchase the book in e-book or paperback form, click here Connie Mack and the Early Years of Baseball Philadelphia’s Old Ballparks (Philadelphia: Temple University Press “Athletics Days in Philadelphia Worth Remembering,” Reading (Pennsylvania) Eagle 1  “Robert Carpenter Jr. 2 Ibid 3 Rich Westcott 4 Ibid 5 Ibid 6 “Robert Carpenter Jr. 7 Ibid 8 Ibid 9 Ibid 10 Ibid If you can help us improve this player’s biography, contact us Executives · 1950 Philadelphia Phillies · 1964 Philadelphia Phillies Meet the Staff Board of Directors Annual Reports Inclusivity Statement Contact SABR Delaware State Police have arrested all four suspects involved in the crime spree that occurred on Friday in the Wilmington area troopers responded to the area of Marsh Road and Naamans Road in Wilmington for a suspicious vehicle The 911 caller reported that she was being tailgated and “brake-checked” by a black Jeep Grand Cherokee The black Jeep came to a complete stop in front of the victim causing the victim to come to stop as well another 911 call was received for a motor vehicle collision at Thompson Bridge Road and Guyencourt Road the victim was rear-ended by a black Jeep Grand Cherokee The victim was taken to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries another 911 call was received for a suspicious vehicle in the area of Kennett Pike and Twaddell Mill Road The 911 caller reported that a black Jeep Grand Cherokee was tailgating her both the Delaware State Police and the Pennsylvania State Police were dispatched to the area of Creek Road at the Pennsylvania state line for a motor vehicle collision The investigation revealed that the victim was rear-ended by a black Jeep Grand Cherokee on Creek Road in the area of Cossart Road in Pennsylvania The victim drove a short distance into Delaware and pulled into a private driveway on Montchanin Road The black Jeep Grand Cherokee also pulled over and a suspect exited the Jeep and approached the victim The suspect then held the victim at gunpoint forced her to get into the front passenger seat of her vehicle and demanded that she take off her clothes according to police The suspect sexually assaulted the victim and then drove her from Delaware to a nearby location in Chadds Ford Township The suspect left the victim on the roadside in Chadds Ford and fled from the area in her vehicle an officer from the Wilmington Police Department saw the Jeep parked next to a maroon Nissan Pathfinder at the Royal Farms on South Market Street in Wilmington where the occupants appeared to be changing vehicles The officer pursued the Jeep into Pennsylvania but lost sight of it a Delaware trooper responded to the area of I-95 and Marsh Road for a hit-and-run motor vehicle collision involving a maroon Nissan Pathfinder The 911 caller reported that a passenger in the Nissan pointed a gun at the victim as the Nissan fled the scene The caller gave the Nissan’s tag number to dispatchers and a computer check showed that the car was reported stolen by Elkton PD during the first week of April troopers observed the Nissan entering Delaware from Pennsylvania and began pursuing it as it traveled south on I-95 The Nissan became disabled on the off-ramp to Concord Pike later identified as 21-year-old David Hinson of Bear later identified as 21-year-old Michael Caldwell of Wilmington fled from the car on foot but were apprehended a short time later Troopers recovered a firearm while searching the area where the Nissan became disabled where they were charged and committed to the Department of Corrections The Delaware State Police continued investigating and searching for the remaining suspects in this case detectives developed two additional suspects identified as 19-year-old Mahkiya Powell of Wilmington Delaware and 24-year-old Tonnaire McNair-Matthews of Wilmington and McNair-Matthews was taken into custody later that day with the assistance of the FBI Receiving Stolen Property Over $1,500.00 (Felony)- 2 countsResisting Arrest with Force/Violence (Felony)Disregarding a Police Officer Signal (Felony)Unlawful Use of a Payment Card Under $1,500 (Felony)Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage CollisionHinson was arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to Howard R Young Correctional Institution on a $6,600 secured bond Aggravated Menacing (Felony)Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)Resisting Arrest with Force/Violence (Felony)Caldwell was arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to Howard R Young Correctional Institution on a $15,000 cash bond Tampering with Physical Evidence (Felony)Conspiracy 2nd Degree (Felony)Theft Under $1500.00 (Misdemeanor)Powell was arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 11 and committed to Howard R Young Correctional Institution on a $5,000 secured bond Tonnaire McNair-Matthews is pending extradition to Delaware Rape 1st Degree (Felony)Kidnapping 1st Degree (Felony)Robbery 1st Degree (Felony)Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony (Felony)Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited (Felony)Receiving Stolen Property Over $1,500.00 (Felony)Attempt to Commit Unlawful Use of a Payment Card Unde local investment adviser firm as part of an ongoing buying spree that has included three regional banks in four years The parent company of WSFS Bank announced late Wednesday that it recently bought Powdermill Financial Solutions a Montchanin-based business that specializes in estate planning investment tracking and philanthropy management for the rich Powdermill Financial Solutions is run by accountant and Delaware native Steve Petrucci who started the company out of his home under the name Petrucci & Associates The firm moved to a commercial space in 2006 and changed its name three years later after Thomas L publisher and chairman of Florida-based duPont Publishing STORY: WSFS posts $17 million profit in second quarter STORY: WSFS' $101 million acquisition of Penn Liberty Bank OK'd "Our staff has worked with WSFS in the past and we've always been impressed," Petrucci said Thursday they contacted me and said they'd like to add us to their repertoire." Powdermill Financial Solutions handles investment services for families all over the country including clients Petrucci described as "ultra-high net worth individuals corporate executives and self-made business owners" who value the firm based on "trust while its address is incorrectly listed on Google Petrucci said one of his main concerns while considering the deal was whether WSFS would retain the company's objectivity and independence including its practice of offering fixed-fee services rather than asset-based charges if we did combine and had to offer a solution to one of our clients it might not necessarily be a WSFS product," the St Marks High and University of Delaware graduate said Powdermill Financial Solutions will retain its name and Petrucci will continue to operate the business which will now operate as a subsidiary of the bank The firm's seven employees will get their paychecks from WSFS but staffing levels are not expected to change said acquiring Powdermill Financial made more sense than attempting to replicate the services the business provides "You need to acquire an existing firm that's entrenched and well known in those circles." Levenson said the purchase fits with the bank's ongoing efforts to expand its wealth management offerings and fee-generating business about 35 percent of our revenue comes through fees," he said "Our goal is to get that up around 40 percent by the fourth quarter of 2018." WSFS outperformed Wall Street expectations last week when it posted a $17.5 million net profit from March through June a 35-percent jump from the same period in 2015 Core income from bank fees increased $2.3 million Fees from credit/debit cards and ATMs grew by $791,000 while deposit service charges jumped by $243,000 Those revenue increases have been helped by a recent run of acquisitions The largest bank headquartered in Delaware Pennsylvania-based residential mortgage company Array Financial Group and a related abstract and title company called Arrow Land Transfer Company for an undisclosed sum in 2013 Array Financial later was renamed WSFS Mortgage WSFS paid $64 million for First National Bank of Wyoming The purchase gave WSFS $308 million in assets and $250 million in deposits at six Kent County branches a deal that included eight branches in Pennsylvania's Chester and Delaware counties The company then agreed to pay $101 million to buy Penn Liberty Bank and its 11 branches in Chester and Montgomery counties WSFS raised $100 million in a public debt offering in June but Levenson said he does not expect the 184-year-old institution to acquire any more commercial banks in the next 12 to 18 months the bank will focus on acquisitions between $5 and $20 million that will compliment its existing wealth management services "That's our fastest growing business and that's where we will be looking for opportunities," he said Contact business reporter Scott Goss at (302) 324-2281 sgoss@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @ScottGossDel The Secret Service was on high alert in Greenville and a large battalion of national and international press were swarming the area One of the biggest events ever in Delaware was about to happen and it was capturing the nation's – and the world's – attention About 1,300 people would come to a place in northern New Castle County where a U.S The event sounds like last Saturday night when Greenville resident Joe Biden made his victory speech as president-elect at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington But it actually was 83 years earlier on June 30 Roosevelt was arriving by train to a small rail station in Montchanin who was in the second of his four historical terms came to the First State to attend the Greenville wedding of his namesake son to an heiress of the du Pont family fortune The event was heralded as the wedding of the decade A White House Stenographer's Diary documented President Roosevelt's activities on June 30 and it's included in the collections of the Franklin D Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park the former train station in Montchanin It's next door to the Inn at Montchanin Village off Route 100 and Kirk Road where on Nov 7 family and friends of Kamala Harris helped her celebrate her historic triumph as the first woman first Black person and first person of Asian descent to be elected vice president PARTYING IN MONTCHANIN: Kamala Harris and family celebrate historic win at Krazy Kat's The surrounding area also holds another place in modern U.S were walking on the grounds of a private residence near what appears to be either Greenville or Montchanin earlier on Nov 7 when they got the news about the Biden-Harris victory in this year's presidential election You're going to be the next president of the United States," a beaming Harris said to Biden during the congratulatory phone call captured on a video that has since gone viral presidency had such a close connection to the Greenville area was some eight decades before Ethel du Pont and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr at Owl's Nest, a du Pont family Greenville estate deep in the heart of northern Delaware's Chateau Country The posh area, about 10 miles west of Wilmington got tagged Chateau Country because members of the du Pont family built sprawling country estates in the rolling hills as they made their fortunes in explosives and chemicals Ethel du Pont's Tudor-style residence on a 220-acre property off Owl's Nest Road became the home of Greenville Country Club in 1961 The joining of two of the nation's best-known families – the du Ponts and the Roosevelts – would be an extravagant affair with global interest The couple was even featured on the cover of Time Magazine was an American heiress, socialite and the eldest child of Eugene du Pont Jr Her grandfather Eugène du Pont served as the first head of the modern-day DuPont Co was the third son of sitting President Franklin Delano Roosevelt Sr. and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt He also was the grandnephew of President Theodore Roosevelt.   Ethel du Pont said in interviews at the Owl's Nest estate that she and Roosevelt would likely have "a small wedding" the following June a 22-year-old senior at Harvard University, made it known he wasn't fond of media attention "This is worse than campaigning with father," said the son of the nation's president as he faced a barrage of news photographers in Greenville who looked like his charismatic father and had the same speaking voice, at a college dance three years earlier The romance heated up when Franklin came to Ethel's debut in Wilmington and she visited the Roosevelts at Christmas celebrations and was spotted on other family outings DELAWARE HISTORY: The First State gets its first president in Joe Biden Much was made of the families' political differences FDR built the New Deal Coalition which defined modern liberalism. The du Ponts were conservatives who were financial backers of the Liberty League And even though Franklin Jr. was the son of the current president the wedding wasn't going to be held at the White House That wasn't unusual for Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt who celebrated the marriages of all five of their children during their long administration chose to be married at locations other than the White House, according to the White House Historical Association nonprofit organization founded in 1961 by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy 12 children of incumbent presidents were married at locations other than the White House The buzz surrounding the du Pont-Roosevelt nuptials in Delaware began to build in 1937 and the event was turning out to be anything but small.  More than 300 invitations were issued for the Wednesday evening wedding at Christ Episcopal Church Christiana Hundred in Greenville An additional 900 invitations went out for the reception at the du Pont family's Owl's Nest estate A U.S president's arrival in Delaware called for some tidying up Ethel du Pont's mother personally supervised a group of workmen as they removed old paint from the church building off Buck Road where du Pont family members worshipped They redecorated the church inside and out spruced up the surrounding gardens, planted new trees and installed new roads and special guards were hired for the June 30 ceremony to keep “gate crashers” away from the neighborhood Secret Service were stationed at the church and at Owl's Nest worried that there weren't enough Delaware State Police officers even had troops brought in from Fort DuPont a then-active military base in Delaware City Reporters from around the world gathered at Wilmington's Hotel du Pont and drew lots as to who would get to watch the wedding rehearsal at Christ Church Christiana Hundred. Old newsreels of the wedding can be found on YouTube motel and boarding house in the area was filled by guests FDR arrived by train in Montchanin at about 12:45 p.m He was greeted by about 400 supporters. News Journal columnist Emerson Wilson would later write that he was surprised to see the extent of the president's physical disability was a paraplegic and was not completely comfortable being open about his condition Photographers were not allowed to snap pictures of FDR as he departed the train.  "I was shocked to see the president descend the ramp from the train by putting all his weight on his arms and dragging his feet," Wilson wrote decked out with peonies and lilies. The wealthy bride who had a 12-foot veil and a designer gown walked down the aisle covered with a white satin runner President Roosevelt sat in the front pew and listened as Ethel promised to love and honor her husband It's not known if he noticed that she left out of the vows an assurance to obey Franklin Jr. and to endow him with her worldly goods Guests were treated to a wedding buffet supper at Owl's Nest provided by a Pennsylvania caterer complete with a wedding fruit cake that weighed 40 pounds along with telephones and telegraph instruments were set up in a field across from the reception to relay all the details to their news organizations First lady Eleanor Roosevelt left the reception at 6:30 p.m in a rainy downpour to go to the third floor of the Odd Fellows building at 10th and King streets in Wilmington She was recording her weekly radio show that would be broadcast by WDEL She talked about the wedding and then returned to Owl's Nest shortly after the broadcast ended the first family departed on the train for a trip to their family home in Hyde Park The married couple went on a European honeymoon and settled down Franklin Delano Roosevelt III (born 1938) and Christopher du Pont Roosevelt (born 1941) There would be no happily ever after.  The pair separated and formally divorced in 1949 in Reno representative for New York and worked under the Kennedy and Johnson administrations He went on to have four more wives as well as two more sons and a daughter Ethel married Michigan lawyer Benjamin Warren and had another son She died at age 49 by suicide in 1965.  Her family endowed the Harvard Medical School Ethel Dupont-Warren Fellowship Award for research through its department of psychiatry Bridge inspections and holiday traffic will cause congestion in Delaware during the upcoming week BRIDGES:  DelDOT will be performing bridge inspections at area spans starting May 31 with daytime and nighttime lane closures 13 will close over the Norfolk Southern Railroad between Garasches Lane and D Street on Tuesday The right southbound lane will close on the span on Wednesday until 3 p.m.Lanes in both directions will close on the Del until 3 p.m.The right southbound lane on the I-95 bridge over the Brandywine will close Tuesday to 5 a.m.Single lanes on the I-495 bridge at the I-95 interchange will close Wednesday to 5 a.m.Single eastbound lanes will close on the Del Lanes will close on the Red Mill Road bridge over White Clay Creek Thursday June 2 between 9 a.m I-95: Ongoing long-term construction is closing lanes weekdays in both directions of Del and periodically closing lanes at night on I-95 13 northbound to I-295 southbound is closed until November for construction on a larger project to rebuild sections of the interstate NEWARK: Individual lane closures will continue on Christina Parkway (Del 4) between Elkton Road and South College Avenue until the end of June as crews repair the roadway and make it ADA compliant HOCKESSIN: Mill Creek Road in Hockessin is closed after the discovery of a 200-foot span of sagging concrete The wooded section of roadway between Brackenville Road and Nathalie Drive will be blocked until July as crews rebuild the pavement and reinforce the embankment on the northbound side MONTCHANIN: The bridge over the Brandywine at Smiths Bridge Road will close Tuesday May 31 until the end of June as crews paint the span BEAR: Lanes are closing on Howell Street Road and Dennys Road Monday through Friday between 9 a.m through the summer as crews add walkways on the street 13 and the the North Smyrna on-ramp to Del 1 for the construction of a traffic signal DOVER: Lanes on Bay Road between Bufton Drive and Del 1 will close at night starting Tuesday until June 7 WOODSIDE: Henry Cowgill Road will close between Berrytown Road and Willow Grove Road at midnight June 6 until midnight June 8 Del. 1: Lanes continue to close periodically during the day on Del. 1, near Mulberrie Point Road, as part of the Little Heaven Grade Separated Intersection project until June 15 daytime lane closures will occur directly north of Milford Neck Road on Del Route 113 to Blairs Pond Road will close intermittently starting Wednesday June 1 8 a.m BEACHES: Traffic officials warn drivers to plan for congestion around the beaches and on Del 1 during the Memorial Day weekend holiday as thousands flock to Delaware's ocean communities SEAFORD: Briarhook Road will close between Hill Road and Atlanta Road from Tuesday until June 8 as crews replace a crossroad pipe BRIDGEVILLE: Cannon Road will close between Indian Mission Road and Friendship Road from Tuesday until June 21 as crews install a sewer main BAYARD: Camp Barnes Road between Double Bridges Road and Mulberry Landing Road is closed until June 3 for work on a nearby sewer LAUREL: The Chipmans Pond Road closure was delayed one week until June 11 between Fire Tower Road and Christ Church Road as crews repair the bridge over Chipman Pond PRIME HOOK: A bridge on Prime Hook Road in the National Wildlife Refuge is being built REHOBOTH: Lanes are closing on Rehoboth Avenue between Canal and 5th streets weekdays starting Monday until June 30 for the construction of a sidewalk Want to be a neighbor of the president of the United States but a “census-designated place” in New Castle County roughly bordered on the north by the Winterthur estate on the east by Montchanin Road (Route 100) and on the west by Centerville Road the rolling hills along the Brandywine Valley National Scenic Byway have been a prestigious address nicknamed "Chateau country" as the home to members of the du Pont family But now that Joe Biden has advanced from senator to vice president to president Greenville has taken on contemporary prominence as well Realtor with Brandywine Fine Properties Sotheby’s International Realty said the Greenville area offers spacious countryside views near big-city amenities a short drive to popular vacation spots with a wonderful quality of life," Hobbs said You can easily get to the Wilmington train station if you want to go to New York or Washington It's a quick trip to the Jersey shore There are a lot of museums and attractions in the area He said the designation of the Brandywine Valley National Scenic Byway points to "a concerted effort on conservation," with plenty of preserved open spaces Many of the homes are on multi-acre lots offering privacy along with peace and quiet Here are the top 10 most expensive homes in the Greenville area not new construction listings yet to be finished $1.495 millionPending: 120 Brook Valley Road This home features a fireplace and built-ins in the living room a second fireplace in the great room/family room with a wet bar for entertaining, an office a fully equipped butler’s pantry leading to a large dining room and a gourmet kitchen there's a terrace with a fireplace an outdoor kitchen station and a hot tub in a yard that overlooks a private du Pont estate 9. Montchanin Road, $1.5 million206 Montchanin Road The entrance hall features a turned staircase, while the living room leads to the large sunroom overlooking the pool and opens to the attached greenhouse a fireplace and two corner built-in cupboards a walk-out lower level with game room and pool access cobblestone courtyard with portico and a detached 2-bedroom garage apartment with a pool and views that overlook a 15-acre field owned by the Delaware Nature Conservancy built-ins and walls of windows overlooking the rear yard and pool top-of-the-line stainless steel appliances and two separate serving areas the home features more than $1 million in renovations including zoned heating and cooling updated windows and a standing-seam metal roof There's plenty of room for entertaining inside with a large kitchen and outside on a covered terrace with a TV and firepit Professionals could work from their very own oval office overlooking the grounds and a spacious semi-circular sunroom equipped with audio-visual equipment.  3,836 square feet on the first and second floors with a walkout lower level of 1,836 square feet of finished living space perfect for a fitness area and game room/recreation area and co-listed with Stephen Mottola of the Mottola Group This French country home features a great room with 12-foot a floor-to-ceiling stone surround gas fireplace with reclaimed wood mantel The rear composite deck offers an exterior speaker system and views of the rear yard and open space beyond was created by the Waterbury company with large center island, seating for 6 wine refrigerator and a custom countertop lighting system All exterior ground maintenance and snow clearing of streets driveways and sidewalks are covered by the homeowners association MORE REAL ESTATE NEWS: Impossible dream? Home buyers face record prices, bids thousands over list price 2-bath carriage house with attached 4-car garage The cottage house was recently remodeled and features an updated kitchen with custom cabinets paneled Asko dishwasher and stainless-steel Wolf range The large flagstone sunroom has an exposed stone wall while the living/family room has a fireplace and built-in cabinetry.  The carriage house has been fully remodeled with top-of-the-line materials featuring a magazine-worthy family room/kitchen area with vaulted ceilings and exposed beams floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace and custom kitchen with island and seating.  The 2-story entry foyer has an ornate grand staircase and wood ceiling The master bathroom is fitted with his-and-hers amenities and heated marble and mosaic flooring The home includes a sunroom and three fireplaces.  Brandywine Fine Properties Sotheby’s International Realty This home features a 37 x 24 sunny family room with soaring tray ceiling floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace and a wet bar 7-car detached garage and a separate 1-bedroom apartment with private entry MORE DREAM HOMES: 10 most expensive homes for sale at Delaware beaches This custom home was built in 2015 with 3 sections – the main living area according to the listing by Brandywine Fine Properties Sotheby’s International Realty.  "Only the best building materials were used in construction: wide plank hardwood floors top-of-the-line fixtures and finishes and an airy feeling thanks to the 10-foot ceilings," the listing states The foyer features a slate entryway and custom staircase The living room has a gas fireplace surrounded by custom built-ins The open-concept dining area is flooded with light The main kitchen has an island and custom cabinetry while the second kitchen provides extra space when preparing meals for entertaining with a main home of more than 16,000 square feet and a gate house with 3,000 square feet listed by Rory Burkhart and The Burkhart Realty Group with Keller Williams Realty this property is next to du Pont's famed 1,000-acre Winterthur estate the gated property features a pool and pool house detached 3-car garage with apartment above 2-lane bowling alley and commercial golf simulator Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com A deserted and damaged 1799 school building in Brandywine Hundred would be torn down under a redevelopment plan New Castle County officials are expected to consider next month of Montchanin-based Setting Properties Inc. wants to raze the former Forwood School near Silverside and Marsh roads to make way for Branmar Commons Plans for the 12-acre site call for three-story townhomes and five buildings with 30,000 square feet of retail A zoning change from the New Castle County Council will be required A public meeting to present the plans is scheduled at 6:30 p.m No construction timeline has been announced who represents the area and would have to sponsor the rezoning said he is waiting to see the development plan before determining his position on the proposal Setting owns the property and former school which was converted into a home and has been empty for years The building is not listed on any historical registers because of modifications over the years The dilapidated stone structure sits on one of the last undeveloped parcels in Brandywine Hundred a prominent family of early Delaware settlers "It has had a lot of structural modification made to it that turned it from a school-house to a house It no longer has the integrity of a historic structure," Tarabicos said The school was built with local field stone and originally measured 20 by 22 feet Work started shortly after the General Assembly in 1796 approved a school fund using marriage and tavern license fees for public education – one of the first in the nation a local history enthusiast whose family roots date to the earliest settlers in Brandywine Hundred said Forwood also is one of the oldest of its kind in the state "It functioned for educational purposes for the longest of any in Delaware and probably darn near for the first 13 colonies It has a history that is unmatched," he said The school was unique because it was public – before then Forwood provided a resource to children of the modest farmers and craftsmen of Brandywine Hundred a former Forwood student who compiled research by the Delaware Writers Project The school was expanded in 1864 and served as a public meeting place for debate on issues like slavery which wasn't allowed to be discussed in the church The school closed in 1939 after the area became part of the Alfred I The land reverted back to the Forwood family which in 2003 unsuccessfully tried to redevelop the site into a mixed-use project with retail and housing The following decades saw the building converted into a house that later fell into a state of "demolition by neglect," Hanby said Tarabicos said they examined whether the building could be saved He said a consultant found that would require dismantling the stone piece by piece building a new foundation and reassembling it all "It would not be the same and it would not be feasible from our perspective," Tarabicos said He said they are planning a small replica of the school built from stone that comprised the original park-area near the entrance of the development "There is no desire to demolish it and get rid of it We want to maintain some connection to the site," Tarabicos said "A small replica will not be the same," he said "The bones and the stones are still there and still good and could be renovated as is as a memorial to the Brandywine education system." Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or xwilson@delawareonline.com Timeline: Forwood School development plans 1796: Delaware General Assembly approves using tavern and marriage license fees to fund education 1799: One-room Forwood School opens at Silverside and Marsh roads 1834: School becomes known as Brandywine Hundred District 5 1864: Building is expanded to 40 by 20 feet 1939: School is closed and area becomes part of the Alfred I July 8: Public meeting planned about redevelopment proposal Plans call for razing the structure and constructing retail and housing on the site The Delaware Supreme Court has paved the way for former Philadelphia Phillies owner Ruly Carpenter to build a dozen homes in Greenville rejecting an effort by Elizabeth Snyder – a Gore family heir and one of Delaware's richest residents – to stop the development on her late mother's property The court on Tuesday upheld the Superior Court's August ruling denying Snyder's contention that New Castle County officials were incorrect to approve variances for the development planned at Montchanin and Buck roads "We have reviewed the appellant's contentions and find them unpersuasive," read the seven-page Supreme Court order affirming the previous judgement on the issue the Superior Court found that the county Board of Adjustment accurately considered the impact the development would have on Snyder’s land mature trees and protected natural resources.The proposed development The 20-acre property is owned by the Mary Kaye Carpenter Trust The project is currently getting final county approvals The project required a rezoning along with variances The zoning for the land was changed from suburban estate to suburban That opened up the possibility for more homes on the 12-acre parcel which Forbes estimates is worth about $675 million in suing the county and the trust planning the development The suit challenged the Board of Adjustment’s jurisdiction in granting the variances for the project and claimed the application for the development was not properly noticed and the plan was not submitted in accordance with county codes STORY: With land limited, builders target Delaware golf courses STORY: Ruling affirms New Castle County power to block sprawl "The (Supreme) Court cited the lower court and the board's findings that there was little or no negative impact by this project on the neighbors adjacent property and the community character was being maintained by the proposed project I am encouraged that the scenic byway is now protected by an unusual size which sets a precedent for future development along the byway." Councilman Bob Weiner said the Supreme Court decision was based on “reasoned factual and legal findings” by the Board of Adjustment Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or xwilson@delawareonline.com When we last checked in on Great Delaware Crab Cake Search in July we were feeling secure that Woody's Dewey Beach Bar & Grill had the best cake to date The casual Sussex County restaurant off Del on a visit to some of the state's beach towns, gave it a subtle shout-out when he posted an Instagram story of a Woody's visit and included a photo of its plump crab cake "Went to Woody's last Thursday to try the famous crab cake I'm from Baltimore and very picky about crab cakes It would be great with a bit of mayo and Old Bay.  Honestly I have a vacation home in Dewey Beach and I'm a regular customer of Woody’s I live in Wilmington and tried many of the places listed in your [past] article Their crab cakes are loaded with crab with no filler Some recent visits to other locations for crab cakes suggested by readers still haven't changed my mind about Woody's — and the quest continues through the end of the summer — but I did encounter some fine cakes Krazy Kat's at the Inn at Montchanin, 528 Montchanin Road, has long been known for its jumbo lump crab cakes I went for a recent dinner and our server told us the cakes are made and held together with nothing more than a creamy shrimp mousse What's also nice is that the eatery gives you a choice — you can get one or two cakes at dinner ($20/$32) Krazy Kat's crab cakes are very meaty and there is little to no filler and some very nice lumps But the cakes tasted like they were handled too long and packed a little too tight The cakes also seemed in need of a touch more brownness on top It's been a while since I've been to Kat's dining room that's decorated with funky fun feline and canine decorations is there anything better than the portrait of the red tabby dressed in royal garb Crab cakes probably would not be my first choice here What definitely would bring me back to Kat's is the Hudson Valley foie gras appetizer ($17) This luxury food item is served with a mini peach cheesecake sugar-roasted almonds and port wine reduction.  Several readers have touted George & Sons' at 1216 Old Lancaster Pike in Hockessin for crab cakes And indeed I'm very fond of this family-run seafood store/restaurant where everyone from the oyster shuckers to the servers are friendly and affable and the casual surroundings warm and pleasant.  While I liked "Dad's Crabcake Sandwich" ($18) the 5-ounce patty on a brioche bun served with lettuce tomato and roasted red pepper aioli gets one demerit for mixing the jumbo lump meat with claw meat and the claw meat adds more "crabbiness" to the patty but the shellfish snob in me prefers cakes made with all jumbo lump I suggest splurging on George's famed lobster roll is George's signature dish for a reason: It's terrific and stuffed with shellfish You can get the lobster meat cold and mixed with mayonnaise or served hot with butter I'd suggest first splitting an order of steamed littleneck clams ($16 for two dozen) and definitely try the delectable she-crab soup (with a lovely touch of sherry) when it's available I also wouldn't mind calling ahead to order a couple dozen of steamed hard shells to pick at one of the tables I've had hit-or-miss meals previously at Big Fish Grill Wilmington Riverfront but the jumbo lump crab cake ($16.95 for one $25.95 for two) I sampled this month was a winner This is definitely a contender in the Great Delaware Crab Cake Search lightly seasoned cake was beautifully browned and the inside had just enough creaminess to keep the jumbo lumps together The eatery serves a “whale-sized" softshell on a brioche bun with lettuce ripe slice of tomato and a side of remoulade Woody's in Dewey tops in Delaware Crab Cake Search Limestone BBQ and Bourbon influenced by famed Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas The News Journal/delawareonline.com reserves the right to edit letters for clarity Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico In the two months since Ben du Pont and Don Wirth revealed they were buying the DuPont Country Club 150 new members have joined what had been an institution whose membership rolls were withering the business partners of Rockland Sports — the official company name — hope their $18 million in planned investments and upgrades will lead to a wave of even more members "The way to do that is not to have a $20,000 initiation fee," du Pont said. "The way to do that is have a bunch more families join." the duo revealed more details about their plans this week.  said bulldozers could be on the grounds as soon as this fall Initial plans have already been submitted to New Castle County Phase 1 of the project involves transforming the 18-hole Montchanin practice course which is a car ride away from the Rockland Road clubhouse will be relocated to the Montchanin course which will likely be cut down to 11 or 12 holes The goal is to turn Montchanin and the area around it into a modern training facility At the center of that facility will be a newly constructed golf training center, complete with six bays equipped with TrackMan technology allowing for simulated play both into a screen and — when the garage-style doors lift open — out onto the range The bays will be heated and allow for play year-round The room will also contain a bar and fireplaces "There's a very social aspect of it," du Pont said The practice facility's upgrading will allow for a more robust junior program and the potential for a full-scale golf academy.  Phase 1 also includes the addition of three swimming pools and a 17,000-square-foot fitness center just off the clubhouse area There's also the potential to add four more indoor tennis courts to up the indoor total to 10.  such as raising the bar in terms of food quality and modernizing the outdoor dining area you might be depressed," du Pont said of coming upgrades to the Legends bar The new ownership has already launched a new mobile app that provides members the opportunity to make tee times and see what's going on at the club.  Other minor changes have come on the business side the club had about 40 employees and 200 contractors working in various roles and the owners said that as the club expands its offerings What’s the best thing for the members the community and the business?" said Wirth du Pont said he sees an opportunity to add a field house and it fits within our mission of being sports- and family-centric," he said No changes are now planned for Brantwyn Estate which is the former home of du Pont's grandfather It now operates as an upscale wedding venue said the estate hosted about 70 weddings this year They hope to raise that to 100 to 120 per year that a high-end spa or a boutique hotel could be added one day "We’re long-term focused," du Pont said "Neither of us are looking for big checks in the near term we’ll see what we learned and see what we think we’re missing and keep investing." For now, that means steady membership fees. Dues will remain unchanged at least through 2019 du Pont said prices would be consistent with inflation with some initiation fees cut in half a Gold member — in the top tier of membership — has a $2,500 individual initiation fee and monthly dues of $370 And social members right now have initiation fees waived and a price of $94 per month The 150 new members have brought the total membership close to 2,000 the club will be in better financial stability the facility has struggled to make money in recent years as new generations have become less willing to pay sometimes hefty dues When du Pont joined the club over a decade ago he said there were more than 5,000 members.  They think catering to families will make a difference "We’ve listened to a fair amount of experts who say families are looking for more things to do together over shorter periods of time," du Pont said "It used to be that hitting balls on the range was an appetizer Members and nearby residents will have the opportunity to see fireworks at the club on July 7 Du Pont said he looked forward to seeing the show over the landscape referred to as the gateway to Delaware's Chateau Country.  And he reiterated what he vowed in April: There are no plans to build homes and no plans to lease or sell any portion of the property “I think there are so many fun things we can do for the county and the community long before we would think of selling anything," he said Amid plans for former GM plant, residents ask about traffic, noise, contamination Rommel Harley-Davidson consolidates ahead of Middletown expansion Former DuPont employee stole trade secrets, solicited China-based investors Contact reporter Jeff Neiburg at (302) 983-6772 jneiburg@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @Jeff_Neiburg The Stoltz real estate organization is selling five retail and office properties in the commercial heart of affluent Greenville including the Greenville Center and Powder Mill Square on Kennett Pike in a deal valued at more than $100 million Its existing holdings include the massive 46-acre Greenville Place residential complex and nearby Greenville Market Shell gas station on Kennett Pike single owner of property in Greenville’s commercial district Other Stoltz properties that are part of the deal include Montchanin Corporate Center 141 that was built in 1970 as the headquarters for Columbia Gas System Inc.; the Greenville Professional Center complex at 3704 Kennett Pike; and the Barley Mill House at 3701 Kennett Pike Settlements are staggered with some to be held next week The Greenville Center closing is expected in about 60 days “To me it’s irreplaceable real estate in our hometown,” said Greg Pettinaro “It’s great to get it back under local ownership It’s an asset we plan to keep for a long time.” Sources close to the deal said Pettinaro didn’t want it Pettinaro said he plans to work with the community The family-owned business intends to preserve the character of the properties and make sure they’re compatible with Greenville’s personality One improvement being considered is to make the shopping area more walkable “I want to be a good neighbor,” Pettinaro said who heads the Stoltz entity and is the face of the organization in Delaware is “very upset” at having to sell the Greenville properties Successful business people are often “criticized as being too tough “In the last six or seven years he (Stoltz) has felt very unwelcome in Delaware,” Tarabicos said “He’s been a very good property owner and landlord He’s been a good steward of valuable and important property not only in Greenville but all around the area Tarabicos said other than the Christiana Mall the upscale commercial properties in Greenville are “arguably the most coveted properties in Delaware.” With the divestitures Stoltz will now be free to concentrate on the development of Barley Mill Plaza which has been a flash point among rich and powerful Greenville residents since Stoltz bought the property from the DuPont Co The most recent plan to develop a proposed a 1.6-million-square-foot retail and office complex on 37 acres of the site was struck down by the Delaware courts “It’s a fascinating property and has great possibilities,” Tarabicos said “Keith will be able to give Barley Mill Plaza his full attention Within 60 to 90 days Stoltz will “kick it into high gear,” Tarabicos said That statement has an ominous tone to many neighbors a civic group formed in 2011 to fight the development at Barley Mill Plaza “I’m not optimistic about working with Stoltz He can prove me wrong by coming up with something that’s reasonable.” Even Stoltz’s sale of the five retail and office properties has not been without contention the deal to sell some of the properties was threatened by legal action stemming from failure to record deed restrictions Stolz agreed to in 2011 attorney for the civic group Citizens for Responsible Growth were exchanging heated letters about restrictions related to the Greenville Center “Your letter seems to suggest that you believe that my client (and his counsel) will attempt to transfer his five properties in Greenville without addressing these issues,” Tarabicos wrote to Beck on July 8 “That suggestion is an insult to me and also to the parties involved in these transactions.” The deed restrictions were recorded on Monday – four years after they were signed by Keith Stoltz Pettinaro said he agreed completely with the deed restrictions and made their recordation a condition of the sale “The sophisticated and well-respected purchaser of the Greenville properties is a respected member of the local community and they .. have no intention of closing on these transactions unless and until these issues have been resolved,” Tarabicos wrote Stoltz’s dust-ups in Greenville had largely been with tenants over leases waged a legal battle with Stoltz in the 1990s over his plan to bring a national competitor into the shopping center to compete with her independent coffee shop Her case was settled without going to court and Brew HaHa still has a presence in Powder Mill Square who ran Café Francine’s in the Greenville Center walked away from her business after a costly and painful battle with Stoltz boutique clothing shop Lolita sued Stoltz when the landlord said it would bump Lolita from a visible location in Powder Mill Square to a back corner of the shopping center But the most contentious battle in Greenville’s history began in 2008 when Stoltz Real Estate Partners announced plans for three ambitious projects along the Del 141 corridor in the Greenville area that included: •A $525 million redevelopment of the 24-building Barley Mill Plaza that called for 700 apartments or condominiums; 1.48 million square feet of office space; 731,250 square feet of retail space that included stores •A $19 million addition to the Greenville Center shopping center at Kennett Pike and Buck Road The project included an approximately 12-story building of mostly residential units near Greenville Manor housing community It called for 12,800 square feet of office space and 22,235 square feet of retail which included incorporating some existing space •An expansion of the former MBNA office campus on Del 100) that was once the headquarters of Columbia Gas System Stoltz bought the nearly 20-acre office campus from Bank of America free-standing office building totaling 36,501 square feet The surrounding Greenville community erupted and a well-funded group called Citizens for Responsible Growth emerged with members from several civic groups Residents expressed alarm that the massive developments including the 12-story building at the Greenville Center would alter the character of Chateau Country And neighbors were aghast at plans for Barley Mill Plaza explaining that 2.9 million square feet of shops and restaurants with one proposed building 11 stories and three proposed buildings eight stories tall alter the natural light to nearby homes and destroy the bucolic landscape of the area •Abandoning the 12-story residential tower and parking garage at Greenville Center It would be replaced by a two-story building with retail on the first floor and office space on the second level There would be a freestanding retail building of approximately 4,000 square feet at the corner of Kennett Pike and Buck Road and additions to an existing building at the northwestern corner of the property totaling 3,469 square feet The plan called for a parking variance and a reduction in landscaping •Dropping the scale of the Barley Mill Plaza development that called for 1.6-million square-feet of shops and offices on 92 acres 141 would need to be rezoned from office to commercial use •Rezoning no more than two acres of Montchanin Corporate Center along Del 100 from office regional to commercial neighborhood with the development of a commercial building not larger than 6,000 square feet Plans called for the lifting of deed restrictions on the property that had been in place since the late 1960s •Seeking a variance to add an additional 19 parking spaces at Greenville Professional Center at 3704 Kennett Pike Stoltz agreed to certain deed restrictions including building height limitations of 50 feet at Greenville Center The deed restrictions would be legally recorded with the New Castle County Recorder of Deeds The restrictions would run with the properties and be conveyed to any new owners If Stoltz’s plans did not get land approvals he could withdraw from compromise plans and return to the status quo The Stoltz company began work on getting the necessary land approvals for the four projects The variances were granted at Greenville Center and Greenville Professional Center at 3704 Kennett Pike But there were complications with two other properties The rezoning at Montchanin Corporate Center was overwhelmingly rejected by New Castle County Council And although Barley Mill Plaza was successfully rezoned in 2011 residents living closer to the development felt their interests were sacrificed to the building-height concerns of the people living closer to the Greenville Center shopping center The compromise bitterly divided the community leading to acrimonious feelings between residents concerned about the development of Barley Mill Plaza and those more concerned about a 12-story tower at Greenville Center A group of citizens splintered off from CRG and formed Save Our County The new group sued New Castle County and the property owner Barley Mill LLC in December 2011 saying the rezoning of 37 acres at the front of the property violated state law The group claims a traffic study of the roads near the plaza should have been completed before the council voted on the rezoning Save Our County scored a major victory in 2013 when Delaware Chancery Court ruled the rezoning of 37 acres to retail development was invalid because at least one vote by a member of New Castle County Council was made arbitrarily – and that vote was necessary for the ordinance to pass The ruling was upheld by the Delaware Supreme Court in 2014 even the brightened prospect of being in closer proximity to a Cheesecake Factory and Cinnabon did not assuage their worries about the effect that the large scale development and its accompanying traffic would have on their quality of life,” Leo E Despite seven years of high-profile back and forth regarding Stoltz’s proposed Greenville projects nothing substantial has physically happened to the properties with the exception of Barley Mill Plaza Work is underway on transforming 34 acres of Barley Mill Plaza at the rear of the site into the new Odyssey Charter School campus But that changed approximately eight weeks ago when Keith Stoltz contacted John Danzeisen of CRG with word that he was going to reject the 2011 compromise and return to the status quo he was going to walk away from the compromise,” Danzeisen said Stoltz changed his mind and was going to live by the compromise the variances would have to be rejected through a formal land approval process and that would take time It was at that point in the negotiations that CRG and the community learned the deed restrictions were never recorded – four years after the compromise was inked Residents worried that the properties would pass to a new owner without the deed restrictions CRG alerted the people at the Save Our County civic group and began discussions about hiring attorney Jeff Goddess who waged a successful battle against Stoltz for Save Our County I find it curious and amusing that you are now seeking to enlist support from the Save Our County people and their able counsel believe that your efforts to ‘protect’ your neighbors in the vicinity of the Greenville Center was at the expense of ‘protecting’ the folks of Barley Mill Plaza,” Tarabicos wrote “I am not quite sure why they would even care if the Greenville Center Declarations of Restrictions were ever recorded.” Community leaders said there is high energy today among residents around the entire land-use process One positive thing that resulted from the recent dust-up over the deed restrictions was the joining together of a number of civic organization He commends Stoltz and Tarabicos for bringing the Odyssey Charter School to Barley Mill Plaza But Kelly believes the community still has a battle ahead of it when it comes to Barley Mill Plaza We’re not just going to roll over,” Kelly said “We didn’t spend all that effort to after three years say: ‘OK you can go in there and do what you want.’ We’re going to insist that something that comes there is consistent with the character of the community.” Contact Maureen Milford at (302) 324-2881 or mmilford@delawareonline.com The Greenville Post Office could be closed as part of a U.S following significant blows to national sales the Montchanin Post Office appears to be safe for now USPS is studying consolidating some stations and branches that report to larger post offices Wilmington Post Office -- the state's largest -- has satellite stations and branches throughout the city and surrounding suburbs Other units that report to Wilmington's postmaster include: Rodney Square in downtown Wilmington Newport Branch and the main office window at Hares Corner in New Castle The Hares Corner facility in New Castle is the main processing plant for all mail that comes in and out of Wilmington but its retail window comes under the jurisdiction of the Wilmington postmaster Stand-alone post offices like Montchanin are not part of the review have no branches and do not report to a larger office During the 2008 fiscal year which ended Sept mail volume declined 9.5 billion pieces (4.5 percent) The original 2009 outlook had volume dropping another 8 billion pieces but it now appears that number may exceed 20 billion Daiutolo said several factors are driving the slide thanks to "weaknesses and failures in sectors that are historically among the largest generators of mail — finance consumers began using the Internet to pay bills and reined in spending causing declines in Standard and Periodicals Mail volumes our financial picture is challenging,” he said Daiutolo said residents should be reassured that they will have a chance to comment on the proposal before final decisions are made The studies are being conducted by local management who understand their customers’ habits and needs best along with customer input via questionnaires They should be complete by the end of this fiscal year making it unlikely any branch would close before the end of this calendar year.