EMAIL DETAILS

Happy Thanksgiving to you all.
These folks are truly good people who want to honor Beau with 2 things that were important in his time as Attorney General- children and the environment- a children's teaching urban forest.
I believe they will succeed.

PDL

Patricia Dailey Lewis
Deputy Attorney General
Director- Family Division
Sent from my iPhone

> On Nov 26, 2015, at 10:16 AM, Alexander S. Mackler <smacklera@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Long story in the News Journal about the Lewes forest effort:
>
> A Lewes forest may honor Beau Biden
>
> James Fisher, The News Journal 6:05 a.m. EST November 26, 2015
>
> The script for disputes over undeveloped land in Sussex County usually goes like this: Landowner and developer make plans to build homes; neighbors, who like the land the way it is, raise objections; developer makes some tweaks, gets approval, and starts turning dirt.
>
> The Highland Heights development in Lewes may yet return to that script, but so far, it's taking a somewhat different path.
>
> A coalition of resourceful homeowners in Lewes has announced plans to try to purchase the 19 acres where a developer proposes to build the 34 homes of Highland Heights. By buying the land outright, they say, they can preserve it as an urban forest, in perpetuity. What's more, they want to name the forest in memory of Beau Biden, the late attorney general and vice president's son who won durable gratitude in the Lewes area for prosecuting a serial child abuser and pediatrician, Earl Bradley.
>
> "We could approach this in a negative way and say, 'No, no, no, stop, stop, stop,'" said Frankie Bradshaw, a member of the Save a Lewes Legacy group that is organizing the preservation effort. "Or we could put our money where our mouth is and take a positive approach."
>
> The focus of SALL's efforts is a 19-acre forested parcel of land surrounded by residential neighborhoods in Lewes. The land is owned by a corporation, Highland Estates LP, and its owner has linked with a local real estate development firm, Jack Lingo Asset Management, to propose a subdivision plan to the Lewes government.
>
> On the rectangular parcel, two cul-de-sacs comprise the proposed development, connected to each other by a pedestrian and bike path but not linked by roads. Drivers would see them as two small neighborhoods, one accessed from W. Fourth Street and the other from Seagull Drive. Much of the forest would be preserved, according to preliminary plans filed with the town, although two stormwater ponds would be added.
>
>
> A developer's sketch of the proposed Highland Heights development in Lewes. Some residents want to buy the land from the owner and preserve it as a forest named for the late Beau Biden. (Photo: JACK LINGO ASSET MANAGEMENT)
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> All 34 lots proposed for the subdivision would have single-family homes. The development would rise amidst some of the most valuable coastal properties in Sussex County. Existing homes on the market nearby have price tags from $450,000 to $1.1 million, and most cost more than $600,000.
>
> "In-town Lewes is a desirable place to be," said Nick Hammonds, a principal with Lingo Asset Management. "It's within walking distance of a number of amenities, not the least of which is Second Street," a lane of boutique shops and popular restaurants like Half Full and Agave.
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> The developer approached Lewes about the plan in 2013, and since then has seen the design progress through many of the needed steps to get subdivision approval. In September 2014, the city's Planning Commission gave preliminary consent to the plans, subject to 12 conditions, including changes to the drainage systems on the low-lying land and asking that the developer "strongly consider" adding a road to link the two cul-de-sacs.
>
> Lingo Asset Management has not yet come back to the city with a complete and final application, responding to those conditions, but Hammonds said that would happen soon, by December or earlier. Whatever the Planning Commission recommends, final subdivision approval is up to the Lewes City Council, which can choose to place required conditions on it.
>
> Lewes does not lack for retirees of means — people who have stepped down from oversight and leadership positions with governments or large organizations and are eager to put their skills to use some other way in retirement. As Highland Heights went through public hearings, many such people made comments about it, many of them warning the city to be careful about allowing homebuilding in one of the few forested patches of land it has left.
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> Three such residents — Bradshaw, Carolyn Jones and Leslie Ledogar — said they came to believe the project was not the best use of the land. "Urban forests are a gem," Ledogar said. "As we got to studying all the paperwork that came along with the application, we started realizing this is really precious. If we don’t do something about acquiring it we’re going to lose it. Because we can’t put it back."
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> The three women, along with others interested in the cause, have encouraged residents to put lawn signs out imploring city leaders to "save the Fourth Street forest" and "save a Lewes legacy." But they have also talked with the developer about possibly purchasing the land, they said.
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> "We're not naive. It's not going to be a couple hundred grand. It's going to be seven figures," Bradshaw said. "It's 19 acres; it's manageable, from a funding perspective." The organization, she said, is registering to be an IRS-approved nonprofit corporation, to make fundraising easier.
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> "We're pragmatists. We don't want to deprive anyone of their (property) rights," Bradshaw said. "What we want to do is help preserve the fabric of Lewes."
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> Hammonds said he's had discussions with SALL about the property, albeit no "recent conversations" about the idea. "The position of the landowner is, once final approval is secured, the property will be put on the market," Hammonds said. "They would have every opportunity to submit a bid just like any other purchaser would."
>
> The SALL leaders said they have also met with people who worked with Biden in the Delaware Department of Justice, inquiring about the propriety of naming the forest for him. After Biden died in May of brain cancer, Jones said, it occurred to her and others that what he did for dozens of affected families in the Bradley case merited permanent recognition in Lewes.
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> "We owe him, big time," Jones said. "It struck a nerve. People have rallied around this."
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> Bradley, a pediatrician with a home in downtown Lewes and a practice on Del. 1, was indicted in 2010 on charges of molesting and raping 103 children — his patients, nearly all of them girls, whom he would abuse at his doctor's office while their unknowing parents waited in the lobby. Bradley was convicted of all counts in 2011 and was sentenced to serve 14 consecutive life terms plus 165 years in prison, without parole. He appealed to the state Supreme Court, but the high court affirmed his conviction and sentence.
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> The case attracted national attention and came to define Biden's career as attorney general; he was personally involved in investigating and prosecuting Bradley. "It altered the whole course of the issue, here in Lewes and the surrounding area," Ledogar said of Biden's direct involvement in the Bradley case. "He reached out to every single family, personally, and came down two to three times a week to meet with families personally and make sure they were cared for."
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> A person familiar with the Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children confirmed they've been in touch with the Lewes group. If the land is purchased, the Biden family will consider the opportunity, the person said.
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> Biden's widow, Hallie Biden, has publicly endorsed just one effort to name a prominent place after her husband: renaming a new National Guard headquarters in New Castle the Maj. Joseph R. (Beau) Biden III Armed Forces Reserve Center. Biden served in Iraq with the Delaware Army National Guard.
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> If the effort to buy the land succeeds, the SALL leaders said, they would build an endowment to pay for its upkeep as a managed forest. It's possible a few primitive trails could be used by teachers taking students through the forest, they said, but in the main, they want to preserve it just as it is: an undisturbed spot of woods.
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> "The beauty of this is, we want to leave it like it is," Jones said.
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> Contact James Fisher at (302) 983-6772, on Twitter @JamesFisherTNJ or jfisher@delawareonline.com.
>
>
>
>> On Sat, Oct 31, 2015 at 2:57 PM, <hbiden@rosemontseneca.com> wrote:
>> Manus is a good friend. I'll call him Monday.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On Oct 31, 2015, at 11:58 AM, Patty AOL <pdl3560@aol.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Very exciting!!
>>>
>>> Patty
>>>
>>> Patricia Dailey Lewis
>>> Deputy Attorney General
>>> Director- Family Division
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>> On Oct 31, 2015, at 11:21 AM, Alexander S. Mackler <smacklera@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Patty,
>>>>
>>>> A DC lawyer (former Judiciary staffer, knows the VP a long time) named Manus Cooney is going to be taking over as Chair of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 2016. He is going to reach out to you about a few things:
>>>>
>>>> -potential partnership opportunities with the Foundation (he has lots of ideas)
>>>> -naming opportunities for Beau; NCMEC has a few unnamed programs (that Beau had DOJ use often) and NCMEC wants to name one after Beau
>>>> -fundraising/grants
>>>>
>>>> Let me know if you don't hear from him soon, though I bet you will. We spoke to him yesterday, with our Chief of Staff, and Manus seems eager on this.
>>>>
>>>> ASM
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> On Wed, Sep 30, 2015 at 9:40 AM, Patty AOL <pdl3560@aol.com> wrote:
>>>>> Good morning. I am hoping we could schedule a teleconference soon to catch up.
>>>>> In the meantime...
>>>>> Yesterday I met with Charlotte over at FIT. As you may know she reached out to me after speaking to someone in the family. Charlotte and Denise (from the massage business located at FIT) want to spearhead a Beau Biden run. They have already contacted Jim Walsh, a local run organizer. The plan is for June 4, 2016, but permits need to be obtained. They are reaching out to some folks to be on the committee; I suggested Lisa Borin Ogden and Maureen Monagle. I also plan to talk to Lorin Hochman Hurst and someone from DNG.
>>>>> We talked about the importance of making the event family and child friendly. Denise is involved in CYM running, so that is one of the groups we will reach out to.
>>>>>
>>>>> I am meeting with the Forest committee in Lewes on Sunday night. I have their CVs, they certainly appear to be great people.
>>>>>
>>>>> A young man named Lee Zweiacher, from Middletown, working on becoming an Eagle scout had to build a memorial project. He built a park bench and dedicated it to Major Beau Biden. I will send you the pictures he sent me and the letters he sent for Hallie and the Vice-President and Dr. Biden. The bench will be installed and dedicated at the Victory Village, a wonderful new residence for Veterans in Delaware. The benches will be placed along a therapeutic path. Beau's bench will be one of the 10 in the project. Lee specially chose Beau--an anonymous donor is sponsoring the bench.
>>>>> The dedication and flag ceremony will be on November 8, 2015 at 4pm. I will get you his letter and invitation. I hope one or all of you can attend the ceremony. I will certainly attend.
>>>>> Finally, Delaware Lawyer magazine contacted me about writing an article for the February 2016 edition about the legislation, the foundation and my impression of the years of Beaus's service at the Department of Justice. (They tell me that I will be the first woman to write for this "Of Counsel" section of the magazine. )
>>>>>
>>>>> Please let me know when you think we might be able to get together, or at least have a t/c.
>>>>> Have a great day.
>>>>> Patty
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Patricia Dailey Lewis
>>>>> Deputy Attorney General
>>>>> Director- Family Division
>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>>
>>>> Alexander Snyder Mackler
>>>> (302) 598-8678
>
>
>
> --
>
> Alexander Snyder Mackler
> (302) 598-867