10:05 a.m., Nov. 30, 2007--The city of Newark will be the site of two special events that will affect motoring and parking along Academy Street on Friday, Dec. 7.

On that date, Newark will hold its annual Winter Fest from 6-9 p.m. In conjunction with the festival, there will be a 5-kilometer Reindeer Run to benefit Special Olympics Delaware.

For the 6:30 p.m. run, Academy Street will be closed for use by walkers and runners from Main Street past Park Place to the James F. Hall Trail. Motorists who had planned to use Academy Street are asked to make other arrangements between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. that day. This also will cause delays and alternate routes on the Laird evening 1 and 2 UD shuttle buses and for the Unicity bus.

City police will erect barricades at 4 p.m. and will monitor the driveways, several of which are to University of Delaware parking areas. Police will assist drivers crossing Academy Street until approximately 5:30 or 6 p.m., when the road will be completely closed off for the run.