Lazy Lewes Afternoon

Kevin Fleming’s ‘Wild Delaware’

Make sure you check out Kevin Fleming’s blog site at WildDelaware.com, where he regularly posts photography from his upcoming book, Wild Delaware.

Here’s an example: (copyright Kevin Fleming)

Bennett Criticized for Position on Rogers

From the Coast Press:

Sussex County Council candidate Jud Bennett has a catchy description of Lynn Rogers, the official he hopes to unseat in this year’s general election. Rogers, he says, is a “blank check” for development.It’s a description Bennett insists is justified by Rogers’ voting record on housing projects and other proposals that have helped attract new residents and visitors to a county that’s often characterized as too prone to growth-related woes such as water pollution and traffic congestion.It’s a description that may be heard throughout this year in a political rematch between Bennett, a Lewes retiree, and Rogers, a Milton businessman. They tangled in a 2004 race in which Rogers managed to win by a margin of just three votes among the 17,000 cast.

But it’s not a description that’s roundly embraced, even among those who have questioned Rogers’ approach to representing Lewes, Milton and the rest of his sprawling coastal district.

“I think Jud should use caution in his remarks about Rogers,” said Mike Tyler, president of the development-watchdog group Citizen Coalition. “I wouldn’t agree with his blank-check comment. However, (Rogers’) record isn’t exactly scintillating.”

UPDATE: Bennett responds.

Dear Friends,

In regard to this week’s Coast Press article by Bruce Pringle with the ABSOLUTELY ERRONEOUS headline “BENNETT CATCHES CRITICISM” implies an interesting but inaccurate conclusion. My statement about Rogers being a “Blank Check for Development” in a previous article that reporter Pringle took entirely out of context, was indeed clearly explained to him and meant to encompass Rogers’ entire voting record and land use philosophy, and certainly not his recent mixed bag. Mr. Pringle, as he sometimes does, misrepresented my statement by taking it out of context and not telling the whole story.

In his past 2 terms, Rogers voted 85% of the time in favor of most upzones with Cole being the lone dissenter. Developers love him and so does the Positive Growth Alliance. What Mr. Pringle failed to tell you, in his feeble attempt at a “gotcha article” was that Sandra Ware, whose negative comments concerning me were high lighted among others, is the former President of the Positive Growth Alliance (PGA) and completely in bed with RIch Collins (not literally I hope). Anyway, it is the silly season, and the games have started in full force.

Regardless, the bottom line is that Lynn Rogers and I, no matter how anyone chooses to categorize it, have acutely different philosophies on how to manage growth in Sussex County. You the voters will have to choose in November, if you want more of the same or want realistic change that will protect your quality of life for now and for the future.

Respectfully submitted,

JUDSON Bennett-Candidate for Sussex County Counci

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