Newark Life Spring/Summer 2024

Letter from the Editor:

Newark residents can do some pretty amazing things, and in this edition of Newark Life, we present a few different stories highlighting these individuals’ accomplishments.

This issue features a story about how three current and former Newark residents achieved a monumental accomplishment by climbing to the base camp of Mount Everest. Mount Everest is the tallest peak in the world at 29,029 feet above sea level.

This issue also offers the story of Kim Burdick, who authored “Revolutionary Delaware: Independence in the First State.” She also contributes to the Journal of the American Revolution, and her Revolutionary War activities include being founder and chairman of the American Revolution Round Table of Northern Delaware, president of the George Washington Society, and life member and Delaware chairman of the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s Farewell Tour. She is also the resident site manager of the Hale-Byrnes House, one of Newark’s most historic buildings.

Jim Jones became interested in Newark history in the 1980s, when he was living in a Main Street apartment above a now-shuttered store called Braunstein’s. After serving in the Peace Corps in Swaziland, trying to hitchhike around the world, working as an agricultural laborer in the south of France, writing a book about crossing the Sahara, working as long-distance camping tour operator in North America, acquiring two advanced degrees in history, teaching history at West Chester University in Pennsylvania, serving on the West Chester Borough Council and other governmental bodies, Jones returned to Newark and started organizing walking tours of the city.

Newark Free Library is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and we take a look at some of the activities and programs coming up in the next few months.

The White Clay Creek State Park has grown considerably since it got a start at 24.3 acres in 1968. In this issue, we take a look at future plans for a park that now covers nearly 3,650 acres and attracts more than 300,000 visits a year.

The Q & A in this issue is with Nick Holmes and Kyle Hickey of Occupy Studio. Beginning in 2018, childhood friends Holmes and Hickey combined their experience in recording, mixing and mastering with providing opportunities for up-and-coming local musicians. Recently, Newark Life caught up with them between sessions to hear about their work, their industry and the local music scene.

At Jerry’s Artarama in Newark, artists of all ages, abilities and intentions are given the tools they need to turn their ideas into reality. This is the subject of the photo essay in this Newark Life.

We hope you enjoy these stories. Please contact us with comments and suggestions for future stories. In the meantime, we’ll be planning the next issue of Newark Life, which will arrive in the fall.

Sincerely,

Avery Lieberman Eaton

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Stone Lieberman

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Steve Hoffman, Editor

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