Excellent news for residents of Wilmington's southwest suburbs

Proposed condo development on the site of the old Pike Creek Golf Course, which surrounds several existing townhouse, condo, and apartment communities between Limestone and Polly Drummond roads, has been largely blocked by New Castle County courts this week.  The ruling allows for 28 acres to be developed as the current ownership sees fit (and not operated as a golf course, as some had hoped), but that still leaves 177 acres of designated open space.  An appeal to Delaware's Supreme Court is expected, but for now, most of the old golf course will remain open. 

Here's hoping the county manages to buy the land - Carousel Park West, perhaps?

 Full story from the News Journal here.

Two events at White Clay this weekend: Wild Mushroom Hike, and Spring Weed Out

SUNDAY: A couple of weeks back I wrote about a guided Wild Mushroom Hike occurring in a Kennett Square wildlife preserve that sounded great but was $25.  Good thing I didn't pull the trigger on that one, because now White Clay Creek State Park is offering a guided wild mushroom  hike for FREE (though you do have to pay the nominal park entrance fee if you don't have an annual parks pass).  It's on Sunday, May 1st, starting at 1pm, and the guide will be mushroom enthusiast Glenn Cote.  Come prepared for an intermediate hike.  Currently, the park is saying "call the nature center for meeting location":  (302) 368-6560. 

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SATURDAY: The other event is a volunteer affair.  White Clay Creek needs help removing an invasive weed - the tall, prickly "garlic mustard" - from one segment of the park.  If you missed all of the area clean-ups and are looking for some volunteer clean-up action, this is for you.  The instructions on the park's Facebook page are:

"Saturday, April 30th, 9-11am.  Help us remove garlic mustard from Pleasant Hill Woods. Be sure to wear long pants and boots or sneakers, and bring a pair of work gloves, if you have them. Also, be sure to bring drinking water. Meet at the 9-Foot Road parking lot. "  

So where is that, you're wondering.  I'll try to explain:  9-Foot Road is a driveway leading into the park, and it's off of Thompson Station Rd., across from the W.L. Gore campus in western Newark.   You'll find Thompson Station Road off of Papermill Rd., at the intersection that has Happy Harry's, Tony's Pizza, the Gore campus, and that little house on the corner that always has guitars hanging from the rafters.    If my directions are unintelligible, try this map:

http://files.meetup.com/901803/wcc_middlerun_map_2.0.pdf

You're looking for the "P" for parking that is just to the right of the section marked "9 Foot Rd Area". 

Quick notes: New Delaware Theatre Co. play, the endless hilarity of college paper writing, "curriculum-based" pole dancing

Paramount Records was an early blues, jazz, and spiritual label out of the midwest that put out recordings by Blind Lemon Jefferson, Louis Armstrong, and Lawrence Welk, among others.  Such recordings were, according to the Paramount website, early inspiration for Elvis Presley, Muddy Waters,  B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton.   Delaware's own Kevin Ramsey, who has also written musicals about Sam Cooke and the Louisiana Bayou, has put this history to song.

"Chasin' Dem Blues", the story of paramount records, is debuting today at 8pm at Delaware Theatre Company, on Water Street.  Tickets are $35-$49, with discounts for students and seniors.

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Light mockery warning:  I giggled my way through an article (I won't say where) this morning about a benefit concert for WVUD that occurred recently.  The best part:

"Some performers who gained popularity after participating in the concert in the past were Dr. Dog, whose music was featured on a Fox TV show, and The Walkmen, who were featured on the Spiderman 3 soundtrack."

You know, Dr. Dog - you may know them from that Fox TV show that featured their song!  Or how about The Walkmen - you know, from the Spiderman 3 soundtrack?

The author knew she had to emphasize these bands' successes, and of all the examples she could have given (regulars on the late-night talk show circuit, Coachella and Bonnaroo, world tours), she settled on "music featured on a tv show" and "music featured in a movie".   Because, you know, there is no  pinnacle for a band like ... Spiderman 3. 
Alright, enough ribbing.   Congrats to local bands The Common Room, Stallions, and Lower Case Blues, who played this benefit concert.  May their futures be filled with Fox TV placements that'll make the hometown proud.
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And for ladies needing a brush up on pole dancing skills: there's a "Flirt Level Pole Class", just in case you were afraid of becoming too putan about it ("it's not about gyrating your body for money and/or narcotics - it's just flirting!"), and a "Pole Fusion Class", which is being advertised as a curriculum-based program.  Curriculum-based!  I love it.  Who gets together to create this curriculum?  What does such a conference of pole experts look like?  Both classes are on Thursdays at Physique Pole Studio in Pike Creek.  Bedroom community, indeed.