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2025 grants budget that benefits nonprofits rises 27% over ’24
The record-busting $98.5 million grants-in-aid budget bill for fiscal year 2025 sailed unanimously through the Delaware Senate Sunday, even though it is nearly 27% higher than the last one. The 2024 budget, which ends today, June 30, was $98.5 million. Senate Bill 327 was one of hundreds before the Delaware House and Senate on the final day of the 2024 ... Read More
Chef Robert Lhulier takes on Brandywine Restaurant
The ability of a restaurant to adapt and thrive is an admirable trait in the post-pandemic era. The hospitality industry must navigate labor shortages, high food prices, evolving diner demands, and soaring credit card fees. In the past, new restaurants had more time to work out the kinks. No longer. For instance, Wilmington-based Tsionas Management, which owns 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue ... Read More
Del. Supreme Court vacates lower court absentee ballot ruling
The Delaware Supreme Court has thrown out a lower court ruling on absentee ballots in a unanimous vote, saying neither of the plaintiffs had standing to sue. While Democrats celebrated the decision, Republicans pointed out that the decision said nothing about the merits of the case, which focused on whether the state director of elections could choose voting by machine ... Read More
Greenville’s favorite mailman honored with epic send-off
It may not be quite as renowned as Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, but Eric Garofalo is rocking his Beloved Mailman Farewell Tour in Greenville. Festivities have included parties thrown by neighborhoods, a shower of gifts and cards, and even few bittersweet au revoirs at mail boxes along the route of a man whose presence customers say is so much a ... Read More
With Senate vote, Carney veto overridden; 1st time in 47 years
It’s official – the Delaware General Assembly has overridden a veto by Gov. John Carney. And House Bill 282, sponsored by Paul Baumbach, D-Newark, has become state law. It will go into effect Jan. 1, 2025, altering the membership, leadership, structure and procedures of the State Employee Benefits Committee, which controls health insurance and more for employees and retirees. Carney ... Read More
State moves to take Christina School District out of city
The state legislature has stepped in and created a path for the removal of the Christina School District from the city of Wilmington. House Concurrent Resolution 146, sponsored by Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha, D-Wilmington, supports Christina’s city students and plans for the eventual withdrawal of the district from the city’s bounds. It’s a result of the recommendation made by the Redding ... Read More
Delabear eulogized in resolution urging wildlife awareness
Delabear, the black bear spotted in Newark Saturday and killed Tuesday night on Route 1 in New Castle, was memorialized Thursday in resolution which urged drivers to be on the lookout for wildlife. House Resolution 33, sponsored by Rep. Sophie Phillips, D-Christiana, and Speaker of the House Valerie Longhurst, D-Bear, said the House “mourns the loss of this majestic creature” also ... Read More
Wilm. Council wants city to hire parking consultant
Tired of driving around the same four blocks for a half hour trying to find a parking spot? The Wilmington City Council is taking action to remedy the parking concerns of residents and visitors. Resolution 24-039, sponsored by Councilman James Spadola, R-at large, requests that the city administration hire an external consultant to assess Wilmington’s parking needs. “Every resident, business ... Read More
TownSquareLIVE Weekly Review – June 27, 2024
This Week’s Top Stories Include Community Firework displays around Delaware start Saturday State moves to bolster sports tourism with $11.3 million in grants State may get official cocktail: The Orange Crush Trans athlete bill sparks healthy debate in Senate committee Senate moves to address school funding study with commission NBN Sports Academy opens new facility in Hockessin Click on the ... Read More
House votes to override Carney veto; now on to Senate
For the first time since 1977, the Delaware House of Representatives has overridden a governor’s veto on a bill. Gov. John Carney issued a letter to the General Assembly Tuesday saying he is vetoing House Bill 282, sponsored by Rep. Paul Baumbach, D-Newark. The bill aims to shift membership, leadership, structure and procedures of the State Employee Benefits Committee. Wednesday, ... Read More
DNREC must hold certain in-person hearings, if bill passes
A bill that would force DNREC to hold public meetings in person and allot at least two hours for public comment on major issues got quite a lot of comment during a hearing Wednesday before being approved. House Bill 434, sponsored by Rich Collins, R-Millsboro, the bill will keep the Delaware Natural Resources and Environmental Control Department “transparent and citizen friendly” ... Read More
Trans athlete bill sparks healthy debate in Senate committee
A bill forcing transgender student athletes to compete only with others who share their biological gender drew some healthy discussion in the Senate Education Committee Wednesday. “While the public could be broadly accepting of the idea that adults who want to identify as a different gender and undergo hormone treatment to live out their lives should be given space to ... Read More
Black bear seen in Newark killed by vehicle on Route 1
The black bear seen around Newark was struck and killed by a vehicle on Route 1 Tuesday night. The accident happened about 11 p.m. on Route 1 near School Bell Road in New Castle, according to the Delaware Natural Resources Police. Delaware State Police and the Delaware Department of Transportation removed the bear. Wildlife biologists with the Department of Natural ... Read More
Delaware ranked best in nation at tipping
Here’s another thing that Delaware is first at: Tipping at restaurants. That seems to surprise Food & Wine magazine, which noted in a recent article how small the state is and suggested the higher tipping likely is because Delaware has no state or local sales taxes. Carl Georigi, CEO of Platinum Dining Group, wasn’t surprised – but only after he ... Read More
Carney vetoes bill to rework employee benefits committee
Gov. John Carney on Tuesday vetoed a bill to restructure the state committee that tried to move state retirees from a rich health plan to a Medicare Advantage one to save money. House Bill 282, sponsored by Rep. Paul Baumbach, D-Newark, is one of several that grew out of a year’s worth of committee hearings. It promised to revise the ... Read More
Senate moves to address school funding study with commission
After a couple of briefings on the landmark December 2023 report on school funding that says Delaware should invest up to $1 billion more into it, the state legislature is moving to take action. Tuesday, the Senate passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 201, sponsored by Sen. Laura Sturgeon, D-Hockessin and chair of the Senate Education Committee, which establishes the Public Education ... Read More
Trans athletes should compete based on birth gender, bill says
A controversial topic that has swept the nation – transgender athletes – will show up in the Delaware General Assembly Wednesday. Dubbed the “Fairness in Girls’ Sports Act,” Senate Bill 191 is on the agenda of the Senate Education Committee and if approved would force a trans student athlete to compete only with others who share their biological gender. Sponsored ... Read More
Legislator: Mental health programs hurt Delaware classrooms
A member of the state task force that’s trying to improve student behavior and school environments in schools said that tiered mental health programs are killing Delaware classroom productivity. “They don’t need all the fancy stuff,” said Sen. Eric Buckson, R-Dover, said. “They don’t need the interventions. They don’t need the couches, they don’t need the specialists. They just need ... Read More
Delaware House to salute 6 departing members
Among the last week’s work in the 2024 session will be Delaware House of Representatives saluting six legislators who are leaving or have left the Delaware House. They include Rep. Sherry Dorsey Walker, D-Wilmington; Rep. Sean Matthews, D-Middletown; Rep. Paul Baumbach, D-Newark; Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach; Rep. Michael Ramone, R-Newark/Pike Creek; and former Rep. Ruth Briggs King, R-Georgetown. On ... Read More
Bond bill: 5 school districts will share $160 million for projects
The state will invest $160 million for school projects in six districts and $100 million in deferred maintenance and capital improvements in state buildings, according to the $1.1 billion capital budget introduced Monday. The $160 million for school construction projects is the largest amount of money designated and will go to Smyrna, Red Clay, Colonial, New Castle County Vo-Tech, Polytech ... Read More
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