St. Cloud food, beverage taxes down 19%, hotel taxes down 50%

ST. CLOUD — As COVID-19 spread through the St. Cloud community this year, fewer people attended schools, booked hotel rooms or visited local restaurants.

As a result, the city's sales tax ledgers are down more than $1 million as of the end of October.

The food and beverage tax — which applies to takeout, prepared deli items, and fare from bars and restaurants — is down 19% from last year, from about $1.34 million in October 2019 to $1.09 million this year.

St. Cloud Finance Director Ruth Wipper anticipates the tax could be down close to nearly 23% when November and December taxes are included.

"The normal logic to do projections doesn't quite apply this year," Wipper said. "I would expect we would see it lower than the October collections simply because of the indoor dining ban and the fact that outdoor dining isn't very viable right now, whereas sometimes there's a lag in collections.

"So what we received in October probably still contained some outdoor dining, along with the allowed indoor dining," she continued.

The last two months of the year are usually good for indoor restaurants because people celebrate holiday parties or make a pit stop while out shopping. This year, regulations to limit the spread of COVID-19 prohibited indoor dining and large gatherings.

The nearly 20% decrease in city taxes is a direct reflection of how St. Cloud bars and restaurants are faring. Collectively, sales at dining establishments and places with prepared food are down about 1/5 from last year.

MORE:The restaurants the St. Cloud metro lost and gained in 2020

"It could vary by individual business, certainly," Wipper said. "That would equate to the sales being down but not necessarily true for each individual business. I think some are up and some are down."

The anticipated annual drop in sales taxes is particularly significant because it will likely be three or four times what the decline was during the Great Recession; the city saw a 6% decrease in food and beverage taxes in 2008.

"This is a very different economic situation than the Great Recession," Wipper said. "A recession is kind of more of a slow decline for a lot of governmental revenues. This was — bam — doors shut. And that's very different."

Pandemic restrictions also canceled weddings, conferences and athletic tournaments so the city's hotel/motel tax also saw a hit of about 50% from last year as of the end of October.

In 2019, the city had earned about $1.4 million in hotel/motel taxes by the end of October; this year, the city has earned about $678,000.

The city uses food and beverage taxes to pay for debt service on projects at River's Edge Convention Center and other city-owned facilities such as the Paramount and Municipal Athletic Complex.

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The hotel/motel taxes are used for operations at the convention center and convention and visitor's bureau, with a small amount going to the MAC and city-owned gardens. Because of the revenue decline, the city is not funding the convention coordinator and facilities director positions in 2021.

The city has also seen declines in fees from water and electrical usage during the pandemic.

"Those have kind of bounced around," Wipper said. "In the beginning of the pandemic, they were down. Then it was a nice, dry spring and everybody was at home watering their lawns so water sales were pretty strong. But the last time we talked about it, the public utilities director said we are down about a million gallons a day in water sales as you look at schools, hotels, campus — lots of big water users — closed."

Revenue from the city's parking system is also down $1 million from last year.

One bright spot is the city's half-percent local option sales tax, which funds regional projects.

"Year-to-date we were down only about 2.5% compared to the previous year," Wipper said. "But we had a very strong November/December last year and I don't think we will have as strong (of a November/December) this year. I'm thinking we're going to end up being down about 5% on local area sales tax."

Pandemic restrictions do not impact this tax as much, given the 2018 Supreme Court ruling South Dakota v. Wayfair, which found states can charge tax on purchases made from out-of-state sellers.

"All internet sales are subject to local area sales tax, so anything anyone is buying online is now subject to the area sales tax," Wipper said. "That has helped lessen the impact of some of the stores being closed."

The pandemic caused an $8.5 million shortfall in the 2020 budget — and officials built the anticipated shortfall into the 2021 budget, which is 2% less than the 2020 budget.

"We have anticipated what we hope is a worst case scenario — but who knows these days," Wipper said. "We tried to budget for a worst case scenario and hope that we're wrong."

City officials anticipate the first half of 2021 looking similar to the end of 2020 in terms of sales tax revenue, given the lag before a majority of people are vaccinated and people can begin eating and drinking outside again.

"That's a long way off," Wipper said. "It's really easy to add things back into a budget but it's much harder in June and cut something else out of it.

"So we tried to come in super conservative on our estimate. If we're lucky, we'll be wrong and be able to put some things back in or put some more in the reserves as the year goes on."

Jenny Berg is the cities and schools reporter for the St. Cloud Times. Reach her at 320-259-3680 or jberg@stcloudtimes.com. Follow her on Twitter @bergjenny.

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Target digital sales make significant gains because of COVID-19 ...

Target's digital sales grew by more than 100% in March and are up 275% in April as consumers ordered more essentials and groceries online for delivery and pickup amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Though online growth accelerated dramatically, the Minneapolis-based retailer announced Thursday that in-store sales started to soften as millions sheltered in place.

In categories such as food and beverage and essentials, sales were up 20% in March. Apparel and accessory sales dropped by similar margins. Apparel is down more than 40% month-to-date in April.

Shares of Target fell 2.8% Thursday and closed at $103.86.

"Consumer behaviors continue to change dramatically, particularly as public health officials have told Americans to minimize their time in stores," Target CEO Brian Cornell said in a call with reporters to discuss the retailer's COVID-19 response.

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Online sales were up and total company comparable sales were up more than 7%. Target is spending $300 million in temporary benefits, wages and bonuses for workers, a COVID-19 measure announced in March that was scheduled to last at least until May 2.

Target said Thursday that it is extending the $2-an-hour temporary wage increase for employees and a paid leave program for workers most susceptible to the coronavirus until May 30. Employees 65 and older, pregnant or with underlying medical conditions can access paid leave for up to 30 days.

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When thousands of other retailers have had to temporarily shutter stores or switch to a purely online model, Target has reduced hours at its nearly 1,900 stores, dedicated shopping time for vulnerable guests, installed plexiglass partitions and started to limit the number of shoppers in stores to promote social distancing as of April 4.

That hasn't been enough to placate all workers. Target Workers Unite, an employee activist group, announced this week that some workers plan a mass sickout May 1 because they don't feel the efforts go far enough to prioritize their safety.

"I think the majority of our team feels as if we're doing everything possible to protect them, to make sure we're creating a safe environment for our team and our guests, and we'll continue to make sure we focus on that throughout the pandemic," Cornell said.

Other measures Target has taken include staffing drive-up curbside pickup and hiring 80,000 workers for its Shipt grocery delivery service.

"In April, we've seen weeks when drive-up volume was up to seven times greater than normal and single days in which order pickup volume was twice as high as Cyber Monday," Cornell said of the contactless shopping options.

Cornell said the shift toward digital is "likely to be long lasting as guests continue to weather the crisis" and they develop new routines from being home with their families.

"We certainly expect that there's going to be changes consumers are going to make in how they live, how they shop, how they work and what they value," Cornell said. "We better make sure that we're agile enough to respond to those changes. We recognize that there's going to be several more months where there's going to be significant concern, as we work through this pandemic."

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Strong sales at liquor, grocery stores during COVID-19 a bright spot ...

Are you managing pandemic stress and anxiety with a "quarantini" every evening? If so, you're in good company.

As bars and restaurants closed at the start of Colorado's COVID-19 outbreak and many residents began to indulge a bit more at home, sales at liquor, convenience and grocery stores soared. It was the one bright spot in an otherwise dreary retail picture that began five months ago.

Liquor, grocery and convenience stores, considered essential businesses, were allowed to stay open even as restaurants and bars were shuttered.

Customers rewarded them with bursting sales in March that have tempered slightly. It's been a welcome boon to the stores' and city's coffers.

LAST MONTH: Hardware stores help sales tax collections in Fort Collins

At Wilbur's Total Beverage, 2201 S. College Ave., home deliveries exploded from up to 12 per day to 150. Curbside pickup ballooned to 250 per day as owner Mat Dinsmore hired more help to manage the new business model.

Business is leveling off as the city settles into a new normal. There's no more panic buying out of fear liquor stores will be shut down, Dinsmore said.

In Fort Collins, grocery, convenience and liquor stores generate about $45 million in monthly taxable sales, which results in more than $1 million in tax revenue that helps pay for everything from parks to police.

After suffering a more than 20% drop in sales tax revenue in May — reflecting purchases made in April, the first full month of shutdowns — tax revenue has stabilized somewhat.

For June sales reported in July, tax collections were down just 3.8% from a year earlier, a negative trend for the last three months, but much improved from the start of the pandemic.

"We're pleased and surprised and confused" by the numbers, said Fort Collins interim chief financial officer Travis Storin. "It's not a bad thing, but something we are seeking to understand" better.

Federal aid that flowed in to Fort Collins through the CARES Act (up to $2,400 per couple and $600 in weekly unemployment benefits) plus the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses "put money directly in the hands of residents and, in some cases, businesses," Storin said.

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"We know it stimulated the economy ... what still is to be determined is to what extent is the federal stimulus propping this up or not." And what happens now that the money has expired.

The federal unemployment payments ran out in July and Congress has yet to agree on an extension. President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week allowing $400 in additional benefits, with states on the hook for paying 25% of that. Critics have argued the president lacks the authority to issue the executive order.

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Is Fort Collins in an economic bubble?

The national gross domestic product is down nearly 33% from prior years, what Storin said was the worst quarter on record. "We're not seeing that in Fort Collins or in many cases along the Front Range. It's that piece that keeps us curious."

Woodward Saunders, owner of Liquor Kabinet in west Fort Collins, said the shutdown, while horrible for bars and restaurants, "has been a little bit of a blessing" for his neighborhood store.

"We're getting a lot of revenue from the bars being closed," he said. "We hate to take that from them, but if there's a way we can keep people happy staying home, we'll be there for them."

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Where other stores may slow down in summer when college students go home, Liquor Kabinet, at the corner of Overland Trail and Prospect Road, is always busy. It's one of the last liquor stores en route to Horsetooth Reservoir.

At Mulberry Max, the number of people shopping at the liquor store, 460 S. College Ave., didn't increase significantly, but customers spent more per trip. The trajectory has started leveling off, General Manager Josh Beard said.

Grocery, liquor and convenience stores generated $1.4 million in sales tax revenue in July (based on June sales), up 11% from a year ago. In May (based on April sales), they generated $1.28 million, up only 2.5% from the previous year.

"It's a pretty anxiety-producing time, and a lot of people turn to alcohol to help them with that to varying degrees," Beard said. "We're seeing an increase in business due to people's self-management of their own stress, for better or worse."

Kinks in the supply chain

Supply chain hiccups are causing stock issues with beer and boxed wine, Beard said. "With more people drinking at home and less at the bar, breweries' demand for cans has skyrocketed," resulting in a beer can bottleneck up the supply chain.

"This will play out over the next few months as customers will be seeing smaller selections of their favorite brews. Breweries are having to decide which beers are more important to package and which need to get cut in the short term."

Dinsmore has the same problem. He had no Mexican beer for two months and there was a national can shortage.

INDUSTRY: Woodward sales plunge during COVID-19 pandemic

"When COVID hit, (breweries) quit kegging beer," he said, and canned cocktails were in short supply. "Some weeks we'd order 200 cases and get 10."

A month ago he ordered 1,500 cases from Coors and got 380. "It's just an oddity of life," Dinsmore said. "Between distribution issues and cans, all of a sudden no one was drinking at a bar or restaurant, everyone was drinking cans or bottles and it created kinks in the supply chain."

Now Beard worries about the return of Colorado State University students next week and balancing revenue and responsibility.

"Although a lot of them are very responsible young people, I'm concerned about the few making bad choices and throwing parties that are too big and what role we are playing in that," Beard said. "We are trying to encourage them to make good choices, but we are wondering how that will play out."

Slow return to shopping

Overall, the city's hardest-hit retailers remain clothing retailers, restaurants and bars. Bars that don't serve food are still shut down, and restaurants are open at about half capacity.

Restaurants and bars reported $33.7 million in taxable sales in July (for June sales), down nearly 20% from a year ago, as they struggle with consumers' comfort levels and mandates that limit the number of diners inside and outside.

But, like the city's total tax collections, the picture is starting to improve slightly. Restaurant and bar revenue nationwide has slumped more than 26%, while Fort Collins' establishments are down about 20%.

July's report is an improvement over the prior two months, when sales were down more than 28% in June (for May sales) and down about 43% in May (for April sales).

Coronavirus in Colorado:Fort Collins to consider $13 million budget cut for 2021 as COVID-19 toll persists

As summer slowly fades into fall, restaurateurs are worried about winter, when it's too cold to be outside.

"It's a question of what happens when the weather changes and we lose these patios," said Dwight Hall of CooperSmith's in Old Town Square.

"We have a lot of 'what if' scenarios, but things are changing so fast, it's been difficult to know which direction to go."

While customers are eager to be on the patio this summer, they have not hesitated to eat inside on rainy days, he said.

Even if his dining rooms are full while accounting for social distancing, he'll only be able to serve only a fraction of previous years' customer base during the pandemic.

"My gut says we'll probably be dealing with this for a little while," Hall said. "We need to figure out a way to get through with the current model until next summer. I don't think the headwinds will ease up anytime soon."

Pat Ferrier is a senior reporter covering business, health care and growth issues in Northern Colorado. Contact her at patferrier@coloradoan.com. Please support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a subscription today.

What's to blame for Brewers big attendance drop in 2022?

Even as the smallest market in Major League Baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers have routinely drawn crowds like a big-timer.

They've been 10th or higher in MLB attendance in each of their competitive seasons: 2017, 2018, 2019 and even 2021, when COVID-19 meddled with ballpark capacities for the first half of the year.

But a gaze across the seating bowl during games this year will catch a lot more forest green than usual.

The Brewers entered Wednesday 14th in MLB, drawing 30,359 fans per game — a drop of 15.9% compared to 2019 (the last season of "normal" attendance regulations throughout the year) and 14% compared to 2018. The former number is the seventh-biggest drop in MLB and the latter is ninth, outpacing most teams that have maintained a similar plane of competitiveness in that window.

Major League Baseball, still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and already seeing a decline in attendance each year from 2015 to 2019, has pushed about 5.2% fewer fans through its turnstiles this year than in 2019 and 6.7% fewer than 2018.

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So why is Milwaukee worse off than most MLB teams?

With the Chicago Cubs headed into town for a three-game series and Milwaukee still in the playoff hunt, Milwaukee would usually be on the precipice of three weekend sellouts. But 2022 is different.

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Brewers president Rick Schlesinger pointed out that the current projection between 2.5 million and 2.6 million fans for the year would still put the Brewers in the top half of baseball.

"Any comparison to our 2019 season where we drew more than 2.9 million fans (after finishing in 2018) one game shy of reaching the World Series will necessarily fall short in light of the disruptions to our business caused by the pandemic, restricted attendance and a delayed start to the 2022 season."

The 2019 season marked the fourth-highest attendance in franchise history, so to use it as the initial bar seems a tad unfair. But why would Milwaukee see bigger declines than elsewhere?

Is the price to attend a Brewers game too high?

Those noticing the attendance decline might immediately point to low-hanging fruit when considering a team's drop in attendance: Either the team just isn't as fun to follow or the prices to attend have become too high.

For now, let's set aside the inevitable snark over the Brewers' recent slide as a crowd deterrent. Although not running away with the division as they did in 2021 and not yet engaged in the high-stakes thrill rides that were the Septembers 2018 and 2019, the Brewers have maintained 8-12 games above .500 for most of the year and remain one of seven bona fide playoff contenders for six National League playoff spots.

And while prices for any big-league ballpark experience are debatably too high for an average family, Milwaukee's median prices for tickets and parking would rank 11th-cheapest in baseball, behind the Royals, Angels, Reds, Phillies, Marlins, Tigers, Orioles, Rockies, Twins and Cardinals.

That median cost for a family of four with tickets and parking: $163.60. Across MLB, you'll find a wide range, with the Red Sox at the top of that list ($346) and the Royals at the bottom ($113).

Theoretically, a family of four can even attend most Sunday Brewers games for as low as $39 plus fees, with $6 tickets to Bernie's Terrace and $15 advance-pay general parking.

Concessions at the field do come at a high cost, though American Family Field allows for fans to bring in sealed non-alcoholic beverages and small food items.

According to data gathered by Chris Hartweg of the independent website Team Marketing Report based in Chicago, the lowest available cost for a beer at AmFam ($9) was more expensive than all but seven other MLB stadiums, a soda ($6) was more expensive than all but six other stadiums and a hot dog ($6.75) was more expensive than all but three other locations.

Then again, ESPN's data on a per-ounce basis places the Brewers among the most affordable 10 to 12 teams for domestic light beer, soda and water.

The average fan might not see one particularly big factor

Schlesinger pointed to something else most fans don't see.

"One material factor that differentiates us from other markets is group sales," he said. "In a normal year, we would sell approximately 600,000 group tickets. This year, we will finish at approximately 400,000. If we were experiencing an average year of group sales, our attendance rank would be in the right around 10th in all of baseball, which is consistent with a normal season for us."

The Brewers have had as much success with group sales as anyone in baseball, thanks in part to the certainty of staying on schedule on account of a retractable roof. But with businesses still operating remotely or on a hybrid basis, most companies aren't seeking group outings.

"In addition, there are companies that are still not 100% comfortable organizing groups to be in large-capacity events," Schlesinger said. "The good news is that we are seeing a shift in these trends. Fans are more comfortable now visiting large-capacity venues, and even for companies that continue to work remotely, they are placing an even higher value on gathering their employees together for social outings."

Schlesinger said season-ticket packages and individual sales remain strong, but the late start to the 2022 season because of baseball's labor dispute also hurt the ticket office, delaying the start of individual ticket sales. The Brewers were slated to open the season at home with six games (all since relocated elsewhere in the schedule), one of 11 teams that were expected to start the season with multiple home series.

Did the pandemic hit smaller sports markets harder?

Cleveland, a team in first place in the American League Central, has drawn just 17,191 per game this year. Minnesota, the team hot on Cleveland's heels, is at 22,590. Both have open-air stadiums, so it stands to reason attendance might fluctuate thanks to unpredictable spring weather more so than in Milwaukee. Their declines outpace even Milwaukee.

Cleveland has lost 21.9% compared to 2019 and a staggering 29% of fans compared to 2018, even though this year's team is only slightly off the pace of winning that the 2018 and 2019 teams enjoyed.

Minnesota's decline is 20.2% compared to last year (just 8% compared to 2018), though the 2019 team won 101 games and surely drew well as a result. The 2018 team finished below .500.

Other "small" markets such as Arizona (25.2% drop from 2019), Cincinnati (17.8%), Kansas City (12.5%) and Pittsburgh (11.7%) outpace the average, but that's not universally consistent. Tampa Bay (5.3%), albeit working with smaller total numbers of fans overall, hasn't declined as rapidly, while Baltimore and Detroit have gained fans compared to 2019 (though both drew poorly that season as the two worst teams in baseball and both are down compared to 2018).

Oakland, embroiled in a possible relocation saga and other issues deflating fan interest, has seen the largest fan decline compared to 2019 at 54%, miles ahead of second-worst Arizona.

The Cubs are bad. That should be a good thing, right?

It wouldn't be uncommon for Cubs fans to take some credit for the Brewers' successful attendance showing, even if their presence hasn't produced a significant impact on Milwaukee's top-10 attendance status. Trust us, we checked.

But despite Brewers fans happily embracing a down season for Chicago, it doesn't help at the ticket office that the Cubs have been a non-factor in the National League Central standings this year. In six games against Chicago at American Family Field, the Brewers have drawn an average of 34,450 fans — among the best crowds of the season, but not the boon they've been in other years.

In 2019, a year when Chicago was a winning ballclub (though not a playoff team), Cubs games brought in 40,377 fans per contest.

Are the Brewers just not as fun as before?

The Atlanta Braves saw skyrocketing attendance in the early 1990s when the team rose to prominence, then again with the opening of Turner Field in 1997, but also a steady decline in the years that followed, even as the Braves went to the playoffs 11 straight years and 14 out of 15.

Have the Brewers started to bore fans with success? Or, is it simply a team that can't inspire the same fervor as past years, particularly because this year's team came in as the odds-on favorite to win the division, and yet the Brewers haven't played well enough to make a playoff berth certain?

"We don’t believe that extended patterns of winning dials back the enthusiasm; we do think it dials up the expectations," Schlesinger said, adding that in past years, such as 2008, simply contending was enough to raise the temperature of Brewers fever in Milwaukee, and that era has passed.

"Have expectations changed? Sure, both for our fans and for the organization," he added. "Making the postseason is a major accomplishment, but we have higher aspirations. Success brings higher expectations, and if we can hand pick a challenge to face, that’s one we’ll take any day."

Nine teams have seen attendance gains from 2019, including squads in Toronto, San Diego, Atlanta, Seattle and the White Sox in Chicago, so even in the post-COVID environment, it's possible to ward off declining attendance. Most of those increases can be explained by team improvement.

What can the Brewers do to get fans back?

Schlesinger said upgrades to American Family Field, including the X-Golf addition to the club level in left field, will hopefully help turn the tide. He said they're doing their best to listen to fans.

Schlesinger pointed to a beefed-up food and beverage delivery service at the stadium as an improvement, plus the residual benefit of reconnecting with the community in a post-COVID landscape.

"We have had more opportunities to connect players with fans directly this year, whether that’s though community appearances or initiatives like we have with players picking up bar and restaurant tabs around town, and we will continue to bring those engagement experiences back into the daily mix," he said. "We are re-imagining our ticket discount programs, exploring postgame events and examining our all fan giveaways beyond the traditional bobbleheads."

If group sales are indeed the biggest culprit, then the situation figures to slowly correct itself as businesses return to in-person events.

Another deep playoff run wouldn't hurt, either.

JR Radcliffe can be reached at (262) 361-9141 or jradcliffe@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JRRadcliffe.

Liquor sales on the rise? Asheville sees 30% increase in ABC ...

ASHEVILLE - The city reaps the largest share of the spoils when it comes to liquor sales in Asheville, and its fiscal year 2022 Alcohol and Beverage Control revenues saw a $824,368 spike, or 29.7%, over the previous year.

Mark Combs, general manager of the Asheville ABC Board, said the reason was plain: after bar and restaurant sales dipped at the height of the pandemic, "they're back," with a 52.75% increase in mixed beverage sales over fiscal year 2021.

"(When COVID) restrictions ended in 2022, we did the best mixed beverage sales ever, in history," Combs said. “People basically hung from the chandeliers when the COVID restrictions ended. (They) traveled, they went to restaurants, they went to bars and just let it all hang out, and that made it an incredible year.”

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Mixed beverage sales account for alcohol sold to permittees, such as restaurants, bars, hotels and other businesses. Retail sales at Asheville's nine liquor stores account for the rest.

Of the ABC Board's net profits, 25% goes to the county, but the bulk of it, 75%, is distributed to the city.

ABC Revenues for the City of Asheville:

FY19: $2,568,132.21

FY20: $2,422,956.17

FY21: $2,773,557.90

FY22: $3,597,925.12

Combs said Asheville has the highest ratio of mixed beverage to retail sales in the state, typically around 35%, driven by the area's strong tourism and its rash of restaurants and bars.

In fiscal years 2020 and 2021, under the duress of COVID and subsequent shutdowns, mixed beverage sales dropped 19%. But despite those hits, ABC sales in Asheville never truly flagged, as retail sales offset the decline.

"Retail sales kept us from dying," Combs said.

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Overall Asheville ABC sales:

FY20: $39.9 million

FY21: $44.5 million

FY22: $50.3 million

Will trends continue?

ABC revenues were presented to Asheville City Council Oct. 25 by Budget Manager Taylor Floyd.

"We saw some really significant growth in our share of ABC revenues in the last fiscal year,” Floyd said. Despite this, he said the city doesn't expect the trend to continue.

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Combs said he anticipates ABC revenues will remain consistent with fiscal year 2022 as expenses rise. Inflation is driving up liquor and personnel costs, which could impact distributions.

“I don’t think it’s going to climb as fast as it did last year,” Combs said, but he also does not anticipate a drop.

Sarah Honosky is the city government reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. News Tips? Email shonosky@citizentimes.com or message on Twitter at @slhonosky.

Salem, Oregon residents prepare for the worst of coronavirus outbreak

As Coronavirus continues its spread in Oregon with four new presumptive positive cases announced Wednesday, local residents and business are finding various ways to cope with the reality and the worry of a new pandemic disease.

New cases in both Marion and Polk counties were announced Wednesday — the first identified case in Polk and the second case in Marion County — bringing the state total to 19.

One of the two Marion County presumptive positive cases is currently a patient at Salem Health, according to hospital spokesperson Elijah Penner.

Salem restaurants are carrying on business as usual, but are noting some drop in traffic as locals choose to stay in or order take-out.

Some businesses are struggling to find replacement products for those made in China.

Entertainment venues are cleaning often and planning for the show to go on.

Track coronavirus:Interactive map shows cases in Oregon

Local hospitals are not seeing a considerable rise in patients and continue to ask those who are not having an emergency, but who still need medical care, to call their primary care or urgent care clinic before going in.

Salem-Keizer Public Schools does not have any confirmed coronavirus cases, but the district is taking additional cleaning measures in schools and on buses, and providing resources on when to go to school and when to see a doctor.

Here are several examples of how Salem-area residents are responding:

Event, entertainment venues

For Salem's Riverfront Carousel, it's business as usual — just with more sanitation.

Staff is washing their hands regularly and sanitizing poles, door handles and other surfaces every hour on the hour, operations manager Bryan Eldridge said. On the weekends, when the carousel is busier, they will sanitize every 30 minutes.

"We're up and rolling and still open for fun," Eldridge said. "As of right now, I think things are good, and we have a pretty good handle on everything."

The goal is to keep the facility clean and safe for customers. And, as of now, they don't plan to cancel any upcoming events. They plan to be in full swing for spring break unless something new develops.

UPDATING:Salem-area events affected by Gov. Kate Brown's event restrictions

Lisa Joyce, the executive director of Pentacle Theatre, sent out an email to those on their mailing list, saying they are following the recommended protocols from the CDC and other agencies, which includes increasing the frequency of cleaning, sanitizing seat arms and ensuring soap is well-stocked in bathrooms, among other measures.

Pentacle Theatre also offers a ticket exchange policy with no additional fees for those who do not feel well enough to attend a show. People can contact the theater at 503-485-4300 or tickets@pentacletheatre.org to be assisted by staff.

The Elsinore Theatre published a statement to their website encouraging staff, volunteers and patrons to stay home if they don't feel well.

Executive director Tom Fohn said their northwest tour of "Disenchanted!" is scheduled to hit the road in Washington this week. The musical has stops scheduled in both Wenatchee and Tacoma over the next several days.

"The biggest thing for us is the safety of our crew and our team and making sure that everyone feels comfortable," Fohn said. "These are very unusual times, and the industry itself feels paralyzed."

Restaurants

Though business continues as usual for many restaurants, some have noted a decline in traffic as local residents opt to stay in instead of dining out, while others are noting an increase in to-go orders.

Mitch Teal who, along with his wife Cathy Teal, owns two area locations of Brew Coffee & Tap House, said: "For us it is more of a slow down in new visitors."

We have seen a slowing in the percentage of sales increases compared to pre-virus concerns."

The couple has increased sanitation efforts and coached employees on best practices for not catching or spreading viruses.

"It may smell a bit more like sanitizer at Brew now, but people seem to appreciate the extra effort."

Tanachai Hanidhikul owns Thai Orchid in downtown Salem. They're open normal hours and taking precautions to sanitize restroom doors, the entrance and other "high-touch" areas.

"For our sales, it seems dine-in customers are a little bit less than usual. Our to-go and delivery seem to be normal or slightly better."

Sassy Onion owner Kevin Boyles said some catering clients have canceled events. He's also noticed Sassy Onion cafes "located in office buildings have seen a significant drop in sales where our guests are office personnel and being asked to work from home when possible."

"The paranoia associated with COVID-19 has definitely impacted our business, and I fear it will get worse before it gets better. We have posted signs provided by Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association that communicate symptoms and preventative measures we are taking to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. In addition, we are continuing to follow the Health Departments guidelines which does not allow for sick employees to work in any food service establishment."

Jonathan Jones, who owns Epilogue Kitchen & Bar with his wife Maura Ryan, has been shaken by news of longstanding Seattle restaurants forced to close permanently, citing the pandemic's impact.

It's alarming, he said, "The shocking speed at which a couple restaurants went from open to closed permanently, and the number of restaurants 'closed indefinitely.' These were not young places, either. They’re established eateries with followings."

The couple has decided to abbreviate the hours at their nearly-year-old restaurant, opening at 5 p.m. (instead of their typical 4 p.m.) and suspending late-night service. They're also planning to shrink their wine list, holding off on new wine purchasing.

"This is to hopefully weather the coming storm of slow / no business that is almost certainly headed our way," Jones said.

Tena O’Sullivan, co-owner of Sisters Irish Bistro in the Reed Opera House, also is looking into limiting hours.

"We are looking at closing earlier in the evening and possibly not opening in the afternoon because there’s no business and that is difficult," O'Sullivan said.

Even with St. Patrick's Day around the corner, O'Sullvan said, "This past Friday and Saturday was the lowest we have ever seen with our business."

Thomas Ghinazzi, chef-owner of the newly opened Earth & Sea restaurant in Carlton had a winemaker dinner scheduled with Veronique Drouhin of Maison Joseph Drouhin "that we have to cancel due to travel restrictions and cancellations."

Small businesses

Salem's small business community also is feeling the pinch. Local hot sauce company Hoss Soss has hit a production bottleneck, literally.

Owners Matt Kuerbis and Catharine Sutherland are struggling to continue production of their "heat you can handle" sauces because their co-packer, the company that produces and bottles their products, can’t secure a supply of the 6-ounce wide neck glass bottles they use.

"This appears to be due to coronavirus supply chain problems in China," said Sutherland. "We are reaching out independently to other glass suppliers and hearing the same thing."

They're being told it might be months before shipments of bottles manufactured in China are released.

Best Damn BBQ Sauce owner Mike White has postponed plans to hire a company to conduct tastings of his products at area grocers, because "nobody will probably sample in public for the next month. I plan to demo pretty hard in May which is National BBQ Month ... but we will see if COVID-19 is still a major threat. This could be a problem for sales at farmers' markets if the virus keeps its path of destruction."

Amy Church, owner of Willamette Valley Kitchen Company, continues with normal classes and sales at the moment, but said, "It is definitely a scary time for retailers as we anticipate difficulties receiving many of our products which originate in China over the coming months. I have always attempted to stock American-made products in my store as much as possible, but for the items we sell, there is not always a US-made option. I can only hope that the virus is nearing an end in China and there will only be limited delays getting needed products over the summer and into fall."

Nursing homes

Following Gov. Kate Brown’s executive order signed Tuesday, DHS is directing nursing and assisted care facilities to take extra measures to protect their elderly residents, who are considered a high-risk group.

Hollie Fowler, senior director of marketing and product development with senior care provider Prestige Care, said the care communities are restricting visitor access to one to two "essential visitors," which include vendors and suppliers.

The company has 34 Oregon assisted care facilities — including one on Orchard Heights Road and one on Skyline Road — and more than 70 locations nationally.

Fowler said the communities are encouraging family members to contact the residents via phone, email, Skype and FaceTime to limit exposure.

Community administrators are regularly taking resident and staff temperatures and staff is disinfecting all "high-touch" areas and surfaces every two to four hours, she said.

Those who do visit are required to undergo “rigorous screening,” such as asking them if they've traveled internationally or been exposed to anyone who has traveled internationally.

Staff is discouraging outside entertainment or "enrichment programs" from entering the communities, though officials say they are continuing to provide entertainment for residents internally.

Cherriots

While ridership has stayed relatively the same, 32 out of 167 Cherriots Shop and Ride service reservations were canceled in the past week, according to Cherriots director of communications Patricia Feeny.

Shop and Ride is a service aimed at helping seniors and people with disabilities get to designated store locations such as Walmart and Fred Meyer.

Bus maintenance staff also has increased detailed cleaning, attacking "common touchpoints" such as handrails, dashboards, seats and operator cab areas with sanitation wipes.

Starting March 6, crews began spraying virus-killing disinfectant solution in all buses each night, Feeny said.

“It’s just another precaution to keep up with what we need to to keep the bus as clean as possible,” she said.

Additionally, the service began a staff hand-washing campaign last week. Bus operators also have started wearing gloves and buses are equipped with more hand sanitizer and wipes.

Feeny said at this point, the bus service is proceeding with its regular routes, but will consider reduced service if operators fall ill and there is not enough staff to cover routes.

“We are not at that point yet, but we will be prepared if we need to take that action,” she said.

Customers can view up-to-date information on bus routes on the Cherriots website or call customer service at 503-588-2877.

Spirit Mountain Casino

At Spirit Mountain Casino in Grand Ronde, staff has begun cleaning each slot machine and gaming area every hour.

The maintenance staff has tripled the cleaning schedules of community areas such as bathrooms and beverage counters and are using an electrostatic sanitizing system each day throughout the property.

The staff also has tripled the amount of hand sanitizer stations throughout the property and is "strongly encouraging" guests to wash their hands. Casino officials are asking any employees who have flu-like symptoms to stay home.

Casino shuttle services for Coyote Club members and all restaurants on the property are running normally.

Health clinics are not busier due to concerns about COVID-19, said Kelly Rowe, executive director health services for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde

"We’re always busy," Rowe said. "And it’s flu season so we have a lot of people who are coming in with flu-like symptoms, colds, (and for) regular walk-in care."

The clinic staff is taking many of the same measures as they do for every flu season, "there's just heightened awareness around it right now," she said

"Housekeeping staff is coming through not just making sure our clinical rooms are clean, but our waiting areas and check-in areas. All of our staff are doing spot cleaning."

The clinic also is using algorithms from the CDC to identify if somebody is high-risk and requires testing. So far, the clinic has not had a patient that is high-risk and required any COVID-19 testing, Rowe said.

Oregon Department of Corrections

No inmates at the Oregon Department of Corrections have tested positive for the coronavirus, said prison officials. One adult in custody was tested, but the result was negative.

Of the 14,435 inmates in Oregon, almost one-third are over the age of 46. Salem’s four prisons house about 3,600 inmates.

Corrections Director Colette Peters is a member of Gov. Kate Brown’s coronavirus response team and is working with other agencies to prepare for the spread of the virus.

The department has a plan in place to continue operations should an emergency — like an epidemic spreading to inmates or employees — occur.

Prison health services are reaching out to vulnerable inmate populations for monitoring and education on social distancing, sanitation and coronavirus symptoms.

“DOC is performing continual surveillance for influenza-like illnesses at each institution,” prison officials said in a statement.

At this time, no patients under observation have shown symptoms that would compel COVID-19 testing.

“We are especially concerned about the elderly and immunocompromised patients under our care, and no clinically progressive influenza-like illness are occurring in that population either at this time,” officials said.

Salem-Keizer Public Schools

Salem-Keizer Public Schools does not have any confirmed coronavirus cases.

The district is taking some preventative precautions, including additional cleaning measures in schools and on buses, and providing resources on when to go to school and when to see a doctor.

Concerning an employee who recently returned from a trip to Italy, district communications director Lillian Govus said the individual does not have any signs of illness and was cleared by the Oregon Health Authority to return to work.

She was asked why the employee didn't just work from home, to which she said, "If we start making determinations against (the county and state agencies') guidance, it creates opportunities where we're not letting industry professionals guide that response."

Govus said it's important they know where to draw the line. For example, she said the district has had some parents requesting to not send their children to schools with "Chinese kids."

"Do we do that to ease their fears?" she said.

Attendance rates in the district don't seem to be affected by news of the virus. Until Monday, Govus said attendance rates were actually slightly higher than this same time last year.

On Monday, attendance rates did slightly drop, she said, but district officials are unsure how many were excused versus unexcused. Keeping a child home while healthy counts as an unexcused absence.

Govus said there also is research that suggests keeping kids home from school reduces their safety if they need to access mental health supports, food, medical care for special needs and more.

Emergency responders

Salem Fire Chief Mike Niblock said his department is working with the lead health agencies. Two weeks ago, they activated their emerging infectious disease protocol response. 911 dispatchers are now asking screening questions to ensure responders have correct personal protective equipment.

Niblock said during the bird flu outbreak, the department invested in pandemic supply of gowns and masks.

“We have a very large supply of those types of things,” he said. “Every apparatus is equipped with 10 PPE kits with gloves.”

Their key goal is limiting exposure and getting patients the care they need, Niblock said.

“Right now we have everything we need to respond to this,” he said.

Salem, Stayton, Silverton hospitals

Despite Oregon's 19 presumptive positive COVID-19 cases, Salem Health and Santiam Hospital officials said they have not seen any considerable increase in patient visits.

Santiam Hospital in Stayton acquired lab kits to collect specimens from patients for suspected cases on Friday, but doctors said no samples have been sent to the state, according to Lauren Benjamin, Santiam Hospital marketing/ PR and physician recruitment coordinator.

Salem Health officials did not disclose how many specimens were sent to the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory and said the hospital will only collect specimens when patients meet OHA criteria.

Legacy Silverton Medical Center officials referred all questions to the Centers for Disease Control.

Santiam Hospital occupancy is around 42%, which is not unusual, Benjamin said.

"Clearly we’re in the flu season," Benjamin said. "I think that’s something to point out. And if you haven’t been vaccinated for the typical flu virus, you should probably get vaccinated."

Salem and Santiam hospital officials say they're continuing to follow cleaning protocols to ensure sanitation is up to standards.

Coronavirus is spreading in the US. Here's everything to know, from symptoms to how to protect yourself

Salem Health also is keeping volunteers informed about COVID-19 developments and asking that they take everyday precautions, according to Elijah Penner, Salem Health public information officer.

"I think the most important thing is for people to be aware we’re here for (the patients) and that we can help support them and any healthcare needs that come their way," Benjamin said. "We’re ready ... if something did happen that is more serious."

Officials urge patients who are not having an emergency, but who still need medical care, to call their primary care or urgent care clinic before going in.

This allows staff to screen patients over the phone or at the car side to help reduce the risk of spreading germs, Penner said. People who have mild symptoms should stay home and treat their illness as they would any other viral infection.

If someone is experiencing a medical emergency, they should call 911 or go to the nearest ER.

COVID-19 stripped millions from Rockford, Illinois, restaurants

Food and beverage tax revenue dropped 15%

Some restaurants report 4th quarter losses up to 60%

ROCKFORD — Rathskeller Rockford reopened its doors under new ownership Oct. 4, breathing new life into an iconic northwest side eatery that had closed the previous December.

While traditional German cuisine, baked goods and cold beer are once again being served up in the shadow of the Auburn and Main streets roundabout, business is still hindered by restrictions put into place to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.

NJ lottery hurt from COVID-19, small jackpots, state to get money back

After a massive drop in revenues during the COVID-19 pandemic, New Jersey has one, albeit small, financial bright spot ahead: Rather than spending at least $13 million to pay a bonus to the private company running the lottery, that company will pay a multimillion-dollar penalty to the state for failing to meet its sales targets.

Sluggish ticket sales due to the coronavirus and smaller jackpots in the Mega Millions and Powerball games led to a down fiscal year 2020, James Carey, executive director of the Lottery Commission, said Thursday. Sales through the end of June were $3.2 billion, a nearly 8% drop compared to $3.49 billion in 2019, he said.

The lower sales means Northstar New Jersey, a gaming conglomerate that runs the sales and marketing of the lottery, hasn't been able to deliver money it had promised to the state. Under its 15-year contract, Northstar agreed to send $1.08 billion back, a percentage of overall sales that goes toward the public employee pension fund. But it had contributed just $937 million through June, Carey said.

Because the figures have not been audited yet, Carey said it's unclear how much Northstar will owe. The state had set aside $13 million toward an incentive payment, but since that won't happen, the money will go toward the pension fund.

In recent years the state has paid Northstar bonuses and fees upwards of $100 million for strong sales meeting benchmarks of the contract. But the dropoff means Northstar will owe an unknown shortfall payment to make up for the losses.

"The pandemic undoubtedly had an influence in this year’s results, but the sales of the multi-state games were the primary factor and statistically you’d like to see better results from them," Carey said, referring to Mega Millions and Powerball, which are played in most states.

Those games had several large jackpots in the 2019 fiscal year, which meant that players kept buying tickets without hitting the grand prize, increasing sales. There were far fewer large jackpots in the past year, Carey said.

Last week:$124 million Mega Millions winning ticket sold in New Jersey

New Jersey:Thousands of New Jersey workers have waited months for unemployment help, with no answer

On top of that, the lockdown orders issued by Gov. Phil Murphy in response to the coronavirus put a large dent in ticket sales for March and April, Carey said. In April, for example, sales of all games dropped 29%, or $63 million, from the year before, according to lottery commission documents.

Those lagging sales contributed to a financially painful period from which the state is still trying to recover. The Murphy administration projected a revenue shortfall for this year and the 2021 fiscal year of $10 billion and plans to borrow $9.9 billion to compensate, though taxpayers would spend decades repaying that with interest.

The pandemic forced Murphy and lawmakers to extend the 2020 fiscal year past its June 30 deadline to Sept. 30. But the contract with Northstar kept the 12-month fiscal year, which means 2020 ended for the company last month.

Although poor lottery sales negatively affect the state, it at least added some protections to recoup money. The administration renegotiated the contract with Northstar last year to lower the incentives and raise the performance targets of the conglomerate.

That adjustment came two years after the Trenton bureau of the USA TODAY Network Atlantic Group reported that the previous administration failed to do so when Northstar added new styles of games that triggered renegotiations for more favorable terms. The updated contract is expected to save the state up to $100 million over the next decade.

The audited figures are expected to be complete between October and December, Carey said.

Although sales have rebounded in recent months, Carey said there's "an element of uncertainty" going forward because of the pandemic. A second wave is expected in the fall and it could trigger more strict measures that drag down ticket sales.

"We don’t know where the economy and where the world will go in the next couple of months," Carey said, adding that the "fiscal year was a challenging year and we’re going to work hard to do better in the coming year and see what happens."

Dustin Racioppi is a reporter in the New Jersey Statehouse. For unlimited access to his work covering New Jersey’s governor and political power structure, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: racioppi@northjersey.com Twitter: @dracioppi

Kentucky Derby 2020 will make history for ways businesses felt pain

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In a typical year, Ladyfingers catering hauls truckloads of beef tenderloin, appetizers and dessert trays through the back door at the Barnstable Brown gala on Derby Eve.

It serves 7,000 meals at Thunder Over Louisville corporate parties.

And during the frenzied two weeks leading into the Kentucky Derby, its payroll triples to more than 170 chefs, bar managers, servers and drivers.

Petition asks Clemson to loosen COVID rules at bars and restaurants

For nearly a year, Clemson students and the places where they party have become lightning rods for the debate over financial versus personal health as the coronavirus raged. And in Clemson, where college students are the largest economic driver, the impact has been devastating, according to hospitality merchants and workers.

The economic challenges led Clemson student and bartender Jay Gwinn to launch a petition to ask the Clemson City Council to change the COVID restrictions in the city to match statewide mandates, which would remove the mask mandate and allow bar patrons to stand while eating and drinking.


Delaware State gives next steps for campus security after protest

They shut down a campus street for hours. Hundreds surrounded the public safety building to protest against university police and the handling of sexual assault cases. They packed an entire auditorium for a town hall meeting that stretched nearly nine hours long.

This week, students demanded to feel safe on their Delaware State University campus. Now, they're starting to see the next steps from their school.

"Your bravery and strength are clear and compelling," said President Tony Allen in a statement Friday evening, following the town hall that ended around 3 a.m. the same day. "Now is an opportunity for us to support you better and with the care and compassion you should expect."

Allen outlined what he stressed to be "initial steps" for the Dover institution. These measures join the president's previously shared plan to pair university experts with a student coalition, the counseling center, police and the Title IX office to create “sexual assault awareness activities and interventions” on campus.

Some new steps

Assigning Deputy Chief Joi Simmons as the university's “ Sexual Assault Awareness officer .” Allen noted she has extensive training in sexual assault education, investigations and survivor services.

.” Allen noted she has extensive training in sexual assault education, investigations and survivor services. Upgrading security to include lighting throughout the main campus and DSU Downtown — including the emergency blue lights system .

— including the . Ensuring that the existing public safety escort service is “fulfilling the needs of students.”

Enhancing camera use on campus and in the residence halls . Allen did not specify further where these cameras would be located.

. Allen did not specify further where these cameras would be located. Extending counseling hours to Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon, through the end of February — at which point Allen says DSU will reassess its regular hours. Additionally, virtual health services are available . This will join special support groups for students who are survivors or allies, he said.

. This will join special support groups for students who are survivors or allies, he said. Allen also plans to convene the first in a series of “mandatory sensitivity trainings” for the entire university community throughout the remainder of this semester.

More:Delaware State responds to protest cries with town hall meeting — but closed it to public

Still growing:Colleges are shrinking. But HBCUs like Delaware State are riding a wave of their own

Why were Delaware State students protesting?

Calls without answers, long times spent waiting for response, avoiding stairwells, fear of walking alone at night — students had a lot to say about campus safety. And they found a megaphone to do it.

Hundreds of students protested in Dover on Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 18, calling for change within the Delaware State University Police Department. The protest pushed into the late afternoon.

Students called for better response times, better training and more transparent handling of sexual assault cases by the Delaware State University Police Department. Several said they do not feel safe on campus. Others fear more sexual assaults are going unreported because they say they are not taken seriously.

Background:Delaware State students protest for more action, better response from university police

The university responded with a town hall meeting, set for 6 p.m. the next evening in the Education and Humanities Theatre. Media was barred from attending. Parents also told Delaware Online they were unable to attend.

The meeting would end up stretching nearly nine hours in the night, several students said Friday. Ending by about 3 a.m., the packed house heard emotional testimony, firsthand accounts and cries that the meeting be a first step to more action.

The university community now absorbs some early steps in what their president deemed a long-term effort.

"I want to emphasize that these are initial steps, aimed at immediately improving our current practices," he wrote Friday evening. "We will work closely with the coalition as we build out our long-term plan."

Have a story to share? Kelly Powers is a culture reporter for the How We Live team — covering race, culture and equity for the USA TODAY Network's Northeast Region and Delaware Online. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (484) 466-9121, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.

Goldfish infestation costs Wilmington $320,000

Christina Jedra

The News Journal

The restoration project is budgeted at $320,000.

Public Works responded after neighbors alerted them about the fish population.

The fish were multiplying and overwhelming the park's ecosystem, a city official said.

The city of Wilmington is spending over $300,000 to restore a pond that was overrun by up to 600 pounds of goldfish.

"It was an orange mass of fish," said Sean Duffy, the water division director for the Public Works Department.

The fish, Asian carp commonly owned as pets, were 4 to 6 inches long each, Duffy estimated. Feeding time was a sight to see, said Sally O'Byrne, who lives across the street from the pond at Cool Spring Park.

"When the guys would throw bread in, there would be a golden mound that would rise up out of the water," she said.

The city started work about three weeks ago to drain the water and remove the fish and overgrown plants from the pond, which is over an acre in area and up to 10 feet deep, Duffy said. It is different from Cool Spring reservoir, which sits underground at the park, but not directly under the pond.

The fish, an invasive species, had to go because without a predator, they overwhelm the ecosystem.

"You start losing diversity," Duffy said.

Carp are "fast-growing, aggressive and adaptable" fish that are invading waters throughout the United States and hogging resources from native species, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

Cool Spring Park used to have 13 species of dragonflies and damselflies, said O'Byrne, who has a master's degree in environmental planning and assisted in the park's design. Now, she said those creatures are rare.

Alison C. Etinoff, the contractor managing the restoration project, said some of the fish removed were as small as an inch long and some weighed as much as a pound. With swimmers of different sizes, she said it’s impossible to know how many there were.

“We lost count,” she said.

Duffy said “approximately 500 to 600 pound of goldfish were removed (about 4,000 fish).”

Duffy said all they can do is hypothesize about what caused the infestation.

"Some people may think, ‘There's no fish in here. Why don't we put them in there and make it more attractive?'" Duffy said. "And some people have fish they just don't want and don't want to kill them. They figure there’s a big body of water. Why not put them in there?"

The city learned of the problem over a year ago when neighbors complained, Duffy said.

"When we saw the number of fish, and they were just multiplying, we realized we were heading toward a catastrophe," he said.

O'Byrne said the waste produced by the fish acted as a fertilizer for the cattails at the edge of the pond.

"They were growing so tall that you couldn’t even get a view of the pond from the areas around it," Duffy said.

Clara Zahradnik, who lives nearby, said the swarm of fish attracted fowl like a blue heron and a snowy egret.

"It would be this yellow-orange swirl. It was quite spectacular," she said. "They weren’t gobbling up the fish fast enough."

The $320,000 budgeted to restore the pond was taken from the water and sewer budget for fiscal year 2017, Duffy said. It will cover the cost of draining and refilling the pond, replanting native plants and stocking the pond with native fish, such as bluegill and largemouth bass, which will "prevent a population explosion of goldfish if they were ever introduced again," Duffy said.

The park is slated to reopen by May.

"So much money was spent because mistakes were made," O'Byrne said.

The park area was previously an open reservoir dating back to the 1870s. The most recent incarnation of the park was opened to the public in 2009, Duffy said.

O'Byrne commended the park's design but said there were problems with ongoing care.

"It incorporated native plants that would be good for amphibians and dragonflies," she said. "But the maintenance crew was weeding it out. They didn’t recognize the plants. ... It was a problem of supervision and training."

The outcome for the removed fish appears grim.

The fish have been "rehomed," Duffy said, but he doesn't know where all of them went.

"Some went to places they could continue to live and thrive," he said, but added, "I don't believe the entire population ended up finding new homes."

Though initially the plan was to donate some of the fish to the Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, Duffy said “the facility could not receive them due to full capacity, so the fish were repurposed.”

Duffy said the experience has been an educational one for his Public Works Department.

"What we’ve learned is there’s a certain amount of ongoing maintenance (required)," he said. "We'll probably have it in our new plan, but when we built the pond, we weren’t anticipating some of these issues."

O'Byrne said the situation is a lesson for residents, too.

"If the person who first put those first three fish in the lake, if he’d gotten rid of them in a humane way, none of this would’ve happened," she said. "Somehow people value their pets over other wildlife."

Contact Christina Jedra at cjedra@delawareonline.com, (302) 324-2837 or on Twitter @ChristinaJedra.

Bethany Beach police arrest 3 after fight, fireworks lit on boardwalk

Bethany Beach is enforcing an 11 p.m. juvenile curfew after a large crowd of teenagers caused chaos on the boardwalk Wednesday night and three were arrested.

Around 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, police spotted two males fighting on the beach at Garfield Parkway, surrounded by over 300 teenagers “chanting, yelling and enticing" them, according to a Bethany Beach Police Department news release.

Officers separated the two males and while they were taking statements, police said, another teen tried to remove a baton from an officer’s hip.

“The officer was able to retain his weapons and give chase,” the news release said.

The 18-year-old Newark male was then taken into custody, and as officers walked him up the ramp to the boardwalk, “the volatile crowd of teenagers began chanting and enticing officers,” according to police.

The crowd moved from the beach to the boardwalk in the area of the bandstand, where someone lit “an extremely large ground base sprinkler firework display,” damaging the boardwalk, according to the news release.

More:How legislation will prevent restaurants from ever being built in Cape Henlopen State Park

“The unknown suspect caused a chaotic situation where (approximately) 100 subjects fled the area to prevent themselves from being burned and struck by the active fireworks display,” the post said.

A few minutes later, another suspect “lit an explosive, mortar style firework display that caused significant panic and distress to the crowds congregated on the boardwalk,” according to the post.

The firework sprayed in a 50-yard radius and numerous people were struck and burned, police said. A 17-year-old suffered “burn marks along her left hip/rib cage,” according to police. She was treated on the scene.

Security and body camera footage allowed police to identify the suspects who lit the fireworks, the post said. An 18-year-old male from Falls Church, Virginia, was taken into custody without incident, while the other suspect, an 18-year-old male from Selbyville, fled but was later taken into custody, police said.

More:What to know and do at the Delaware beaches this weekend

All three teens were charged with various misdemeanors.

Neither Bethany Beach police nor Town Manager Cliff Graviet immediately returned calls. Police Chief Michael Redmon was placed on administrative leave in May after he was charged with DUI.

"Parents," the Bethany Beach Police Department said in a Facebook post Thursday, "Let's do better. This is unacceptable to our Town, businesses, hotels, and guests."

The same post said police "bumped our juvenile curfew" to 11 p.m., but according to the Bethany Beach Town Code, an 11 p.m. curfew for anyone under 18 was already in place.

The Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce's slogan is "The Quiet Resorts." Incidents involving unruly teens are uncommon in Bethany Beach compared with, for example, Dewey Beach, which just last month was dealing with crowds of "June bugs," or recent high school graduates.

Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on Sussex County and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught

SEPTA Regional Rail defect could affect Tuesday commute

Brittany Horn

The News Journal

A defect discovered in about one-third of SEPTA's Regional Rail fleet may affect commuters heading from Wilmington to Philadelphia come Tuesday morning.

With fewer rail cars on the tracks, SEPTA will implement its modified Saturday schedule starting Tuesday, but will add more rush-hour trips to make up for the reduced number of trains, officials said Sunday. Rush-hour service will be at 30-minute intervals on most lines, according to SEPTA, but commuters should expect more crowded trains.

All 120 Silverliner Vs, which SEPTA got between 2010 and 2013, are out of commission after structural "fatigue cracks" were discovered in steel equalizer beams Friday. Further inspection found similar cracks under most of the trains inspected this weekend, said SEPTA General Manager Jeff Knueppel, and within 24 hours, all Silverliner Vs were removed from service.

The cracks mean that the trains will likely remain out of service through August until all necessary repairs and replacements can be made, he said.

Wilmington residents rally to end violence

Final details regarding the new schedule, slated to start Tuesday, have not been released, though more details are expected Monday afternoon. SEPTA officials said they are working to find alternative solutions to the transit problem.

In the meantime, Regional Rail riders can use other modes of transportation like buses, trolleys and subways, which will honor Weekly and Monthly TrailPasses, according to SEPTA.

Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or bhorn@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn.

Wilmington bank vice president who was hit by stray bullet has died

EDITOR’S NOTE: Earlier versions of this story had an error. One person has died from Tuesday’s double shooting.

A senior vice president at WSFS Bank died overnight after being shot Tuesday while driving in the 600 block of N. Washington St. in Wilmington, multiple sources confirmed Friday.

Carrie Mondell, senior vice president and director of operational risk management at WSFS, was shot three blocks from the bank's corporate headquarters at 500 Delaware Ave. Sources with knowledge of the Tuesday evening incident said she was on her way home when she was struck by a stray bullet.

"She was an innocent bystander," said a woman near where the shooting occurred. Neither she nor anyone else spoken to on Friday wanted their names used.

Wilmington police identified the fatal victim as Mondell on Monday — three days after confirming she had died from her injuries. Mondell, along with an unidentified 22-year-old man, was shot shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday on the 700 block of N. Washington St., according to police.

The two, who were not together, were taken to an area hospital in critical condition.

"She succumbed to her injuries overnight last night – between Thursday night and Friday morning," Wilmington police spokesman David Karas said in an email, after hours of prodding multiple officials for an update.

Karas said the 22-year-old gunshot victim remains in critical condition as of Monday afternoon.

City police on Wednesday identified the victim of a Sunday night shooting as 19-year-old Marell Lowe.

RELATED:Police identify 19-year-old killed in Wilmington shooting Sunday night

RECENT:Wilmington Police investigating apparent shooting outside West Center City McDonald's

WSFS chairman, president and CEO Rodger Levenson said they are devastated.

“It’s impossible to put into words the grief and shock we all feel. She was a caring and passionate person who served WSFS for more than 14 years," Levenson said in an emailed statement. "Carrie loved and supported her family and many friends. At this time, we ask to respect the privacy of the family and our associates as they grieve this tragic loss."

On Friday morning, two officers stood near where the shooting occurred, speaking to an officer in an unmarked police SUV. All of them left shortly before noon.

Mondell was in her car when she was shot through the passenger side, said one woman.

Several people said police pulled Mondell out of the vehicle. A neighbor gave an officer a towel to try and help stop her bleeding until paramedics arrived.

A woman said the male shot was standing at Seventh and Washington streets, near a boarded-up building. She pointed to her forehead to show where the bullet struck him.

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki released a statement Friday afternoon condemning the "senseless" violence.

“After a year of the lowest amount of violent crime in recent memory, this latest shooting incident is another painful reminder of how much work lies before us to reduce the gun violence that has gripped our nation," Purzycki said. "We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to apprehend the perpetrators of these senseless crimes caused by illegal gun use and remove them once and for all from our streets and neighborhoods. While it is no solace to the grieving families, I am confident that by employing best strategies we will continue to reduce the scourge of violence in our city.”

Mondell is the 12th person to die from gunfire this year in Wilmington.

The number of shootings this year is considerably lower than last year, which saw a record number of homicides by gunfire.

So far this year, 75 people have been shot in Wilmington, 12 fatally. Last year at the same time, 105 people had been shot – 24 of them fatally.

Amid lawsuits and higher costs, Chemours is shoveling cash onto ...

Amid billion-dollar pollution lawsuits and high materials costs, Delaware-based Chemours is shoveling cash onto shareholders.

The chemical company and DuPont spin-off announced late Thursday that it will repurchase $750 million worth of company stock by 2020 and increase its dividend by nearly 50 percent to 25 cents per share.

The moves comes after Chemours' stock price had been stuck in a rut for a year, dipping to a 12-month low earlier this month.

Acknowledging Chemours' low valuation, CEO Mark Vergnano on Friday said investors inaccurately have viewed his company as a lumbering, mature entity that primarily produces pigments, called TiO2.

He does not believe that the numerous environmental lawsuits Chemours faces in North Carolina, West Virginia, and New Jersey are depressing the stock value.

"I think we get tagged with being a TiO2 stock," he said. "But TiO2 is just one of our three businesses."

After Thursday's announcement, investors snapped up company shares, causing the stock price to spike more than 10 percent by midday Friday. While welcome, the dividend and share repurchases were not designed to juice Chemours' stagnant price, Vergnano said

On Thursday evening, Chemours reported that it earned $281 million during the second quarter of 2018, up 75 percent from a year earlier. The strong earnings were driven by the performance of its environmentally friendly refrigerant, Opteon, with sales in Europe surging as countries ditch older varieties.

"Opteon continues to be a growth engine for fluoroproducts," Vergnano told analysts on Friday, referencing the company's largest division.

Still, many analysts were skeptical about the company's future, and peppered Vergnano with questions about rising costs of raw materials.

John McNulty of BMO Capital Markets asked how the Delaware company will negotiate "raw material inflation" from sources around the world.

Vergnano said "value stabilization contracts" with suppliers will deflect some price increases, while Chemours will raise prices on its own product.

Chemours, headquartered in downtown Wilmington, employs about 1,000 people in Delaware.

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Pollution costs

During its past year of stock turmoil, Chemours has been hit with numerous regulatory actions and lawsuits over water, soil and air contamination at plants throughout the Eastern United States. Liabilities from pollution have been a concern that has lingered over the company since it spun off from DuPont in 2015.

During Friday's earnings call, Vergnano said the company had spent $35 million during the second quarter of 2018 to clean wastewater at its sprawling, 2,150-acre, Fayetteville, North, Carolina plant, which produces Teflon and related products.

Chemours also is spending another $100 million for a pollution control system for the plant. It will be operational at the end of 2019, the company said.

The issue is over releases of a chemical, called GenX. into the air and into the Cape Fear River, which provides drinking water for a region of more than 200,000 people.

The chemical – which replaced its toxic cousin, PFOA, a decade ago – first was found in North Carolina water about a year ago. The company since has been hit with multiple lawsuits filed by a county government, a water utility and residents.

North Carolina regulators also partially revoked a wastewater permit last fall for the company's Fayetteville plant. They referred the pollution matter to the state Bureau of Investigation “to determine if there is evidence of criminal violations.”

While GenX has been touted as a safe alternative to PFOA, critics say it also is toxic.

“It seems that every day we learn more about the danger these substances (GenX) pose and the extent of Dupont’s and Chemours’ callous disregard for the lives of thousands of North Carolinians,” attorney Ted Leopold said in a statement in January.

Asked last year if potential liabilities linked with environmental lawsuits could derail what appears to be a promising future, Vergnano said, "At this point, no. I mean, we're taking all of these all very seriously."

Potential costs from GenX's precursor also may loom in the future for the company.

In early 2017, DuPont and Chemours arrived at the two-thirds-of-a-billion-dollar settlement over PFOA, with residents who lived near a West Virginia plant. The chemical has been linked to kidney and testicular cancers, thyroid disease, hypertension and other illnesses.

Analysts saw the deal as a positive step because it lent a degree of certainty to the company after being plagued by a cloud of potential litigation from thousands of legal claims.

But, in June, a federal report was published that concluded that PFOA could be hazardous at a fraction of the concentration in drinking water that today triggers a health advisory.

On Friday, Vergnano would not say whether he agrees with the conclusions of the report.

“That’s an area that we want to engage in but I’m not ready to say anything more about that,” he said.

Chemours' sales of fluoroproducts, which include Teflon and refrigeration products, totaled nearly $2.7 billion for the company in 2017.

The company has spent nearly $1 million during the past year in federal lobbying. The company had targeted only members of Congress until July, when it began to lobby the EPA directly, according to federal disclosure reports.

Contact Karl Baker at kbaker@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2329. Follow him on Twitter @kbaker6.

Swavy death: Dancing TikTok star ID'd as shooting victim in ...

Matima Miller, known online by the name Swavy, has been identified as the victim of a Monday morning homicide in Wilmington's Southbridge neighborhood.

In the hours after Miller's death, many on the internet reacted with sadness, saying the dancing TikTok star Swavy had been shot and killed even before police identified the victim. Miller's TikTok account, @babyface.s, has more than 2.5 million followers, and an Instagram account linked to Miller has more than 370,000 followers.

Police responded to the 700 block of Elbert Place at about 10:42 a.m. Monday and found the 19-year-old Miller with a gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital, where he died, police said.

A popular YouTube user, Kid Maury, shared a video Monday night to his more than 600,000 subscribers, saying his friend Swavy had been shot and killed.

Miller's last TikTok video, posted late Sunday or early Monday, had nearly 5 million views as of Tuesday morning, with more than 160,000 comments, many acknowledging his death.

"Fly high," many commenters wrote.

Commenters Monday and Tuesday on Miller's last Instagram post, a picture taken at what appears to be a Wawa, were wishing the same.

Miller's TikTok page featured many videos of him dancing and playing paintball.

Wilmington police have not released any additional information about the Monday morning shooting as of early Tuesday, other than to confirm Miller's identity.

Miller's family declined to speak with reporters Tuesday.

There were still signs that something tragic had occurred in the 700 block of Elbert Place early Tuesday morning.

Blue and silver mylar balloons were tethered to a metal pole that had a section of yellow crime tape tied to it. Not far from that, a longer strand of the crime tape snaked through the shrubs and lawns of the homes.

A bouquet of blue and white flowers accompanied 22 lit candles placed outside a door of a house on Elbert Place. More than a dozen white tealight candles were also on the doorway’s landing.

A person watching from a second-story window quickly dropped out of sight when reporters tried to get their attention.

A man and woman walked by looking at the candles but didn’t want to speak. They said they didn’t know what had happened.

“It’s sad,” said another woman who’d walked out of her home. “It’s a loss for our community.”

Did you know Matima Miller, better known as Swavy, and want to talk to us to contribute to an obituary? Please email Jeff Neiburg at jneiburg@delawareonline.com. Or Amanda Fries at afries@delawareonline.com.

At Delaware's women's prison, tampons will cost you

An inmate going through her menstrual cycle at Baylor Women's Correctional Institution must ask a guard for sanitary pads.

She will be given six MaxiThin sanitary napkins per request, to prevent hoarding, bartering and using the napkins in other ways.

But if any of the 349 inmates want tampons, they have to pay, and that can be expensive for women who can make as little as 18 cents an hour in prison jobs.

A 20-count package of Tampax tampons costs $4.74 at the commissary while an 18-count package of Always Maxi Pads with Wings is $4.74. Twenty pantyliners go for $1.20.

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Although the prison provides free pads, some former inmates and advocates say female inmates should have access to free tampons. Many make their own out of the pads they receive, which critics of the current policy says is an unsanitary idea.

Sen. Margaret Rose Henry, D-Wilmington, has introduced a bill in the state Legislature that would require the Department of Correction to provide free tampons, in addition to the already free pads, to female inmates who are bleeding. It has not yet gone to a committee hearing.

Henry believes that since most prisons are run by men, they are "not as sensitive to the issues that women face."

There's now no legislation that requires the Department of Correction to provide feminine hygiene products, but it's DOC policy to provide free sanitary napkins, said department spokeswoman Jayme Gravell.

DOC officials worry that providing free tampons to inmates could result in an inmate getting toxic shock syndrome, a potentially life-threatening bacterial infection that can occur if a woman leaves a tampon in for too long.

“There’s certain risks associated with providing tampons," Gravell said. "And until we feel comfortable that they’re going to be used appropriately, we’re going to issue the napkins.”

In recent months, a handful of states, including Maryland, have introduced legislation that would also require prisons to provide free feminine hygiene products. Arizona lawmakers are considering a bill that would give inmates an unlimited supply of menstrual products, including pads, tampons, cups and sponges. It will cost that state about $80,000 a year.

Last year, the Federal Bureau of Prisons released a memo requiring federal prisons to provide free menstrual pads and tampons to female inmates.

Donial Fayson, who was at Baylor from 2001 to 2009, said she rarely saw women buy tampons when she worked at the commissary while in prison.

Instead, she watched women make their own tampons by splitting the pad and taking the stuffing out. They would roll and fold it, twisting a knot at the end.

"Women are creative," she said.

Lincoln resident Krystle Blackwell, whose cousin is currently incarcerated at Baylor, said her cousin has written to her about how inmates "have to make our own tampons by scraping the pads."

Blackwell, who describes herself as an advocate for Baylor inmates, said her cousin and other people she knows at Baylor have told her that the inmates who buy tampons are typically the ones who work.

Although Fayson preferred to use pads while at Baylor, she said it was hard for women to buy tampons if they didn't have money. When working at Baylor, she said she made about 18 cents an hour.

Gravell, the DOC spokeswoman, said inmate workers can make an average of $15 to $20 a month, based on the number of hours they've worked.

Acting Warden Dorene Fields and Acting Deputy Warden Brian Emig said they have not heard of inmates using pads to make tampons.

"That said, it doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened because the women use private bathrooms and we have no way to verify how the hygiene items are used," Gravelle said.

Nationally, there have been some cases of toxic shock syndrome at prisons that have provided free tampons, Gravell said. She said the DOC is not aware of any inmates experiencing toxic shock syndrome while in custody.

Some prisons that provide free tampons have also experienced plumbing issues, because inmates will flush used tampons down the toilet, Gravell said.

Emig said inmates are given six sanitary napkins at a time to avoid stockpiling. Inmates have been known to swap hygiene products for other items, or use them as a form of currency.

Guards have also seen inmates use sanitary napkins to cover vents and toilet seats as well as use the adhesive to stick things on walls, Emig said.

But inmates are not limited to six sanitary napkins per cycle, he said. They can ask for more at any time.

“We never deny the issuance of a sanitary napkin, but we also at the same time have to make sure they’re being used for the right reasons,” Emig said.

Henry, the Senate majority leader, first heard of this issue when a Delawarean called her. After doing research, she was surprised to learn women had to pay for tampons.

The bill is still awaiting consideration from a committee. Henry said a fiscal review is being done to figure out how much it would cost the state to provide tampons at no charge.

She believes the current national spotlight on women's rights and the #MeToo moment further emphasizes that "it's a humane thing to do."

"We want people to be healthy and clean in prison," Henry said. "It's part of self-worth and self-esteem. Women are at a disadvantage because we have this additional burden that men don't have."

Paulette Rappa, executive director of The Way Home Program, a Georgetown nonprofit that helps formerly inmates transition back into their communities, said it's "surprising this has to be a law."

"These are the invisible people," she said of inmates. "For us to have to pause and even consider to make this a law, shows how invisible they have become. They are still citizens and they are still human beings."

Rappa said she has heard from former inmates that when there is a shortage of female hygiene products, tampons are bartered among inmates. She said they can become a "premier item" in prison.

Fayson, now a web developer based in Kansas, believes incarcerated women should have access to quality female hygiene products. But some people believe inmates should lose all their rights when they enter prison, she said.

"I'm still a woman at the end of the day," Fayson said. "And I still want to take care of myself."

Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 324-2386 or at mnewman@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @merenewman.

Phillies save season after Bryce Harper, Jean Segura injuries

PHILADELPHIA – So the Phillies season has come down to this, here, in Game No. 51, not yet one-third of the way through the season:

They had to win Wednesday night. It was that simple.

The Mets had already won earlier in the day, putting them 13 games ahead of the Phillies in the NL East. The Phillies were already seven games back for the third and final wildcard spot.

Everything was on the verge of falling apart.

The Phillies had already lost five in a row and 12 of 16, including three straight in extra innings. Phillies manager Joe Girardi was already facing questions about getting fired. The players were facing questions about their determination and enthusiasm.

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And management was facing questions about a flawed and expensive roster, with the fourth-highest payroll in baseball at around $230 million.

None of that is going away, even after their unlikely 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday left them 12½ games behind the Mets.

"I think we really needed it bad," Girardi said about the win.

And yes, the Phillies played that way.

Before the game, Girardi revealed that second baseman Jean Segura will miss the next 10-12 weeks with a broken finger. Soon after, Bryce Harper was scratched from the lineup with a sore right forearm.

Phillies left fielder Kyle Schwarber called it "kind of a little gut punch there."

Then Aaron Nola imploded, allowing five runs to start the sixth inning, putting the Phillies in a 5-2 hole.

The season was about three innings away from falling apart.

Then shortstop Nick Maton, called up earlier Wednesday to replace Segura, hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth. Two batters later, Schwarber hit another two-run homer.

Just like that, the Phillies were back in front.

Of course, the bullpen still had to close it out. That included closer Corey Knebel, who had given up ninth-inning homers in two straight games. Perhaps sensing another collapse, many fans started leaving their seats as Knebel jogged in from the bullpen.

This time, Knebel came through, retiring the Giants in order to preserve the victory. The fans who stayed stood and cheered, letting out a collective sigh of relief.

Perhaps the Phillies did, too, knowing that they just might have saved their season, on June 1, with 111 games left to play.

They tried small-ball, manufacturing a run in the third on three singles and a stolen base, then scoring another in the fifth on a safety squeeze by Maton.

It was 2-0, and Nola was cruising.

He had thrown 58 pitches through five innings. But, of course, we have seen this movie before. Nola started the sixth by giving up two straight doubles and a single. Then he hit a batter and gave up a three-run homer to Wilmer Flores.

Just like that, the Phillies were down 5-2.

"I made some bad pitches, some bad two-strike pitches," Nola said. "I just hung that curve to Flores."

Maton, Schwarber and the bullpen bailed him out.

But one win does not solve the Phillies' problems.

The Phillies will have to replace Segura at second base for the long haul as Girardi said he might not return until September. So far, the options are Maton, rookie Bryson Stott, who had two hits Wednesday to raise his average to .143, and journeyman Johan Camargo.

Ideally, Stott would have been sent down to the minor leagues by now in order to play every day. But with Segura joining shortstop Didi Gregorius on the injured list, the Phillies have no choice but to keep him with the big-league club for depth.

Gregorius is expected back in the coming days.

That’s just one of the Phillies' problems. They're last in the National League in defensive runs saved, according to Baseball Info Solutions. The bullpen ERA is 4.17, among the worst in baseball.

And even with his 12 homers, Schwarber is still hitting just .192 while batting leadoff. J.T. Realmuto is mired in a season-long slump. Nick Castellanos had gone 18 games without a homer before hitting two earlier in the week.

Harper has been by far the Phillies' most consistent player, hitting .303 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs. But he hasn't played the outfield since mid-April, and likely won't for the rest of the season because of an elbow injury that would have ended his season if not for the National League instituting the designated hitter rule this season.

Girardi said after the game that Harper's forearm soreness is not related to his elbow issues, and that he hopes Harper will be back on Friday when the Phillies open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels.

But who knows how much longer Harper can keep playing through his pain.

"I think we all know what the deal is there," Schwarber said. "The guy’s going out grinding every single day. It’s obviously really nice when he’s in the lineup, and the days that he can’t go, we have to find a way to do our thing."

The Phillie need Harper, just like they need Schwarber, Castellanos and Realmuto.

Combined, those four players account for $624 million in salary for the life of their contracts.

They're supposed to carry the team with their offense, to overcome the defensive shortcomings and the much-maligned bullpen.

That hasn't happened, at least not consistently enough. That explains the Phillies' 22-29 record. And it also explains why they were so desperate for a win not even one-third of the way through the season.

"Do I believe that the record shows who we are as a team? No, I do not believe that," Schwarber said. "I think we’re better. But we do have to find a way to win baseball games.

"At the end of the day, that’s what it’s about – winning baseball games."

The Phillies need to do much more of that. Somehow.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.

Nicola Pizza aims for spring 2022 opening on Coastal Highway near ...

Nicola Pizza is hoping to complete its move from downtown Rehoboth Beach to Coastal Highway near Lewes by spring 2022.

Demolition has begun on the self-storage facility at 17501 Coastal Highway, and the Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission has approved Nicola's preliminary site plan.

It details a two-story, 9,640 square-foot restaurant. The almost 2-acre property will include 144 parking spaces and a 1,726-square-foot deck.

Much like Nicola's on Rehoboth Avenue, the new building will feature a takeout window. It will also have an outdoor fire pit.

The parking lot will connect to both Coastal Highway and Savannah Road. Traffic will enter and exit from Savannah Road at Ocean One Plaza, which Nicola's Caggiano family also owns.

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Planning and Zoning Commissioner Kim Hoey Stevenson asked planners to start a dialogue with the adjacent Arby’s property owners, where a private road connects Arby’s to the light at Savannah Road and Village Main Boulevard.

Arby’s is not legally obligated to allow Nicola’s to share the road, but Hoey Stevenson noted the request should be made.

“If there was a lot of traffic, it would be safer if they could go out where the light is,” she said.

NIcola Vice President Nick Caggiano Jr. said they don’t have a definite construction timeline yet, but hope to open in spring 2022.

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The downtown Nicola Pizzas, two separate restaurants on Rehoboth Avenue and First Street that connect at the back, are being sold. Caggiano said settlement will happen in April but declined to name the buyer.

Nicola announced their departure from downtown Rehoboth Beach in August after almost 50 years in "The Nation's Summer Capital."

Nick Caggiano Sr. said the move was a "no-brainer" after the property next to Ocean One Plaza went up for sale. The Caggianos also own another adjacent property and business, Home 2 Suites by Hilton.

"Everything is going to be under one property," Caggiano Sr. told Delmarva Now in November. "If that property was not available right next to me, I would probably say I would not move."

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