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Delaware County fire chief resigns over controversial Facebook post on Trump assassination attempt

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Delaware County fire chief resigns over controversial Facebook post on Trump assassination attempt


On Monday morning, Simmonds took to social media again. This time, he announced his resignation from both roles.

In a statement on Facebook, Simmonds said, “I am truly sorry that my actions as an individual now bring Prospect Park Borough and Fire Company into a negative light. I know that my position requires me to always put the Borough and Fire Company in mind while posting or speaking anywhere in public.”

Simmonds went on to call the Facebook post a “terrible” and “stupid” mistake.

Borough officials reacted to his resignation in a statement.

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They said Simmonds was a dedicated public servant. But, they added, “grossly inappropriate language condoning political violence, which violates the oath every public official takes to uphold the Constitution and laws of our country, our state and our borough, forfeits the confidence of our public that such official may continue to serve.”

Action News caught up with Delaware County residents, who also called the comments unacceptable.

“I think it’s absolutely horrible to wish any harm to anybody,” said Charles Callahan from Chester.

Mark Dawson, of Ridley Park, told Action News, “I don’t think it’s appropriate at all, but you see it on both sides. It’s not something our leaders should be doing.”

“You’re a public figure. You can’t be encouraging violence,” he added.

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The Prospect Park Fire Company Board of Trustees appointed the assistant fire chief to fill the role of fire chief for the remainder of the term.

The board said its members are now thinking of Corey Comperatore, the firefighter killed during Saturday’s shooting at the rally.

“Our hearts go out to Corey Comperatore and his family. The man is a true hero and was a dedicated member of the fire service,” the board said in a statement.

The board declined to do an on-camera interview with Action News. Borough representatives never responded to our request for comment.

Action News attempted to speak with Simmonds at his home in Prospect Park, but he didn’t answer when we knocked at the door.

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Delaware

A Delaware Water Gap park visit may cost more in ‘25: How you can weigh in

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A Delaware Water Gap park visit may cost more in ‘25: How you can weigh in


A fee increase and expansion are proposed for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and federal park officials want to hear what people think about it.

The National Park Service on Monday opened a 30-day public comment period to solicit public input on several proposed changes to the park’s fee system.

The proposal includes an increase in fee amounts, a two-week extension of the fee season, changes to the annual pass purchases, and the addition of two new fee sites. If approved, the changes would go into effect in April 2025.

The last fee increase was implemented in 2015, and the park service says revenues aren’t stretching as far as they once did. For starters, visitation to the park has increased 26% since 2019, the park service says. And due to inflation and rising costs, the $10 amenity fee currently charged at the park now purchases nearly 33% less than it did in 2015 when the fee was increased from $7 — it now takes over $13 to buy the same goods and services.

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“Over the past several years, the park’s budget has remained relatively flat while costs and visitation have both increased, facilities and equipment have aged, and the need for routine maintenance has grown,” Superintendent Doyle Sapp said in a news release on the proposal.

“It is essential that we seek additional revenue sources to help us fill the funding gap so that we can continue to offer outstanding recreational opportunities and visitor experiences while protecting the park’s natural and cultural resources in perpetuity,” he continued.

The park service is authorized to collect and retain revenue under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, provided the money is used to enhance visitor experiences. More information on the act can be found at nps.gov.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area does not charge entrance fees to visit the park. Amenity fees are charged for specific areas used for swimming, picnicking and launching boats.

Over the past three years, revenue from Delaware Water Gap’s amenity fees has been used for restroom repairs and upgrades throughout the park, river campsite improvements, multiple trail projects including rehabilitation, stabilization and resurfacing of the McDade Recreational Trail, and work at George W. Childs Park. Revenue also has been used to pay for seasonal maintenance, fee collection and public safety staff.

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“What you pay here, stays here, in this park, where it is used for repair, maintenance, and facility enhancements directly related to visitor enjoyment, access, health, and safety and for seasonal staff that serve park visitors and improve their experiences,” Elizabeth Winslow, the park’s fee program manager, states in the release.

The National Park Service is seeking public comment on the proposed changes that include:

  • Increasing amenity fees from $10 per vehicle per day to $20 per vehicle per day at the sites that charge amenity fees and extending the fee season by approximately two weeks to Nov. 1.
  • Increasing the cost of an annual pass from $45 to $60 and discontinuing discounts for multiple passes issued to the same household.
  • Charging amenity fees at two new sites, Kittatinny Point in New Jersey, and Hialeah Picnic Area in Pennsylvania. Day passes for these sites would be available through recreation.gov, the NPS online reservation system, or in person by using a drop box and fee envelope like those used at other unstaffed fee sites in the park.

If approved, increased revenue from the proposed fee changes would allow the park to hire additional seasonal employees, including custodians, trail workers, interpretive park rangers and visitor center staff, and public safety staff to help meet the public’s needs and ensure outstanding visitor experiences, according to the release.

Additionally, over the next five years the park plans to invest around $800,000 of fee revenue on hiking trail improvements and vegetation management, including on popular trails such as the Toms Creek Trail, Cliff Park Trails, and Hornbecks Creek Trail in Pennsylvania, and the Van Campens Glen Trail, Military Road Trail, and Rattlesnake Swamp Trail in New Jersey. Improvements to the facilities at Milford Beach also are planned.

To comment on the proposal, go to parkplanning.nps.gov/DEWAFees25 and click on “Comment Now” or mail your written comment to Superintendent Doyle Sapp, Attention: Fee Change Proposal, 1978 River Road, Bushkill, PA 18324. The 30-day comment period is open until midnight on Jan. 14, 2025.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a nearly 70,000-acre unit of the national park system, located in Pike, Monroe and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Sussex counties in New Jersey.

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Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.



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Man injured after car slams into truck in Bear, Delaware

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Man injured after car slams into truck in Bear, Delaware


Man injured after car slams into truck in Bear, Delaware – CBS Philadelphia

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We are learning new details about a crash that left a man seriously injured in Bear, Delaware.
A man was driving a car that slammed into the back of a truck on Summit Bridge Road near Brennan Boulevard Thursday night.
The investigation revealed the truck was stopped at the traffic light but for reasons still unknown the car did not stop.

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It’s not much, but Delaware has first measurable snowfall. Dangerously cold air moves in

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It’s not much, but Delaware has first measurable snowfall. Dangerously cold air moves in


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Saturday is the winter solstice, and parts of Delaware have already had a small, but still measurable, amount of snowfall.

For the first time since Feb. 17, 2024, measurable snowfall was reported in Delaware to the National Weather Service. Community reports of 0.1 inches of snow outside of Newark and in Smyrna are on the board after a storm brought rain and snow to the First State. That is the smallest amount of snowfall that can be recorded.

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Wilmington last received measurable snowfall on that February date, but received only a trace Friday night. Parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey saw more than 5 inches from the same system.

Winter starts with cold snap

The storm ushered in dangerously cold air that will grip the Northeast for the weekend.

The temperatures are not so extreme that advisories will be issued, but it is not a good idea to stay outside for very long, said National Weather Service meteorologist Amanda Lee in Mount Holly, New Jersey.

On the night of Dec. 21, temperatures will dip, according to the weather service:

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  • 17 degrees in Wilmington
  • 16 degrees in Dover
  • 17 degrees in Georgetown

The overnight of Dec. 22 will be chillier, with temperatures dipping past the teens and wind chills in the single digits. It could plunge to:

  • 10 degrees in Wilmington
  • 10 degrees in Dover
  • 9 degrees in Georgetown



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