Joe Ciccanti

18-Year-Old Sentenced to Life Plus 60 Years Following First-Degree Murder Conviction

By Joe Ciccanti / March 12, 2026

An 18-year-old from Salisbury, Mykel Elliott, was sentenced to life plus 60 years in prison by the Wicomico County Circuit Court after being convicted of first-degree murder and related charges. He was sentenced today, Thursday, March 12th. Prosecutors said Elliott and others targeted victims in Salisbury in April 2023 during a gang-related dispute linked to…

Legislation Introduced in Maryland to Deliver Immediate Electric Bill Relief and Address Renewable Energy Mandates

By Joe Ciccanti / March 12, 2026

In Maryland, Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey has introduced and presented Senate Bill 706 — Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) – Alterations before the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee. The measure proposes changes to the state’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard and is intended to address electricity costs by adjusting current renewable energy requirements…

Senate Passes Housing Package Including Bills by Senator Blunt Rochester

By Joe Ciccanti / March 12, 2026

Aimed at expanding affordable housing and encouraging new development, U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester has announced Senate passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act by a vote of 89–10. The package includes two bipartisan measures she sponsored: the Accelerating Home Building Act and the Community Investment and Prosperity Act. The Accelerating Home Building…

Delaware Accelerates Statewide Early Literacy Strategy With More Than $8 Million to Strengthen Classroom Reading Instruction

By Joe Ciccanti / March 12, 2026

  Delaware is accelerating its statewide Early Literacy Plan with more than $8 million in new investments to strengthen reading instruction. The Delaware Department of Education announced a $1.9 million State Implementation Fund grant and $6.1 million in Bridge to Practice grants to 25 districts and charter schools. Rather than launching new programs, the state…

Delaware Senate Passes Bill Granting Subpoena Powers to Counties to Ensure Fair Market Property Values

By Joe Ciccanti / March 12, 2026

The Delaware Senate has passed a bill rounding out the first wave of legislation that officials say was aimed at rectifying the recent statewide property reassessment process that caused property taxes to spike for thousands of Delawareans. Senate Bill 230(S), sponsored by Senator Spiros Mantzavinos, grants subpoena power to all three Delaware counties so finance…

Maryland Flags to be Lowered to Half-Staff for Former Lt. Gov. Melvin A. Steinberg

By Joe Ciccanti / March 11, 2026

Governor Wes Moore has ordered the Maryland Flag lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset, tomorrow, Thursday, March 12th.  This is the day of interment for former Lieutenant Governor and State Senator Melvin A. Steinberg, who passed away on Tuesday, March 10th. Melvin A. Steinberg was a member of the State Senate from 1967 to 1987…

UPDATE: Fraternal Order of Police Endorses Scott Hamilton for Wicomico County Sheriff; Hamilton Issues Statement

By Joe Ciccanti / March 11, 2026

UPDATED– 03/11/26:  Statement Regarding Lodge #111 Political Endorsement Following the recent endorsement vote at the regular monthly meeting of Lodge #111 in support of my candidacy for Sheriff, I want to address the process used and how we are moving forward. I have spent today gathering as many facts as possible to issue this statement,…

Maryland State Police to Increase Patrols Over St. Patrick’s Day Weekend

By Joe Ciccanti / March 11, 2026

Maryland State Police are urging motorists to avoid aggressive, distracted and impaired driving throughout St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Maryland State Troopers from all 23 barracks, including the State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort (SPIDRE) team, will focus on aggressive, distracted and impaired driving while conducting increased saturation patrols along roadways where impaired driving-related crashes often…

Joint Drug Investigation by Delaware Agencies Leads to Arrests for Felony Drug Offenses

By Joe Ciccanti / March 11, 2026

Delaware State Police, in a joint investigation with Delaware Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement and the DEA, arrested 25-year-old Maddyan Ata and 34-year-old Mohamed Lamar of Magnolia, and 20-year-old Alex Gomez-McDowell of Dover on felony drug charges. The investigation, which began in June 2025, targeted two Dover-area businesses suspected of large-scale drug distribution: Ali Baba Smoke…

Maryland State Police Urge Marylanders To Be Cautious of Phone Scam Circulating

By Joe Ciccanti / March 11, 2026

Maryland State Police are urging residents to be cautious of a phone scam circulating in which impersonators pretending to be law enforcement officers try to steal personal information. Police are receiving reports from citizens about scammers who are fraudulently identifying themselves as police officers or troopers to gain financial information or money from residents. The…

Fatal Hit-and-Run Crashes Reach Record High, AAA Foundation Study Finds

By Joe Ciccanti / March 11, 2026

Imagine crossing the street and suddenly losing consciousness—only to wake up injured in the roadway as the vehicle that struck you disappears into the night, leaving no driver behind to help or call for assistance. New research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicates hit-and-run crashes like that are becoming more common across the…

Delaware State Police Arrest Lewes Man for Burglary to an Occupied Residence

By Joe Ciccanti / March 11, 2026

Delaware State Police have arrested a 57-year-old Lewes man on charges of burglary and offensive touching following an incident that occurred early yesterday morning in Lewes. According to State Police, On March 10th at about 2:00 a.m., troopers responded to a residence on Plantation Road in Lewes for a report of the burglary in progress.…

DNREC Announces 2025-‘26 Deer Harvest Totals, Launches New Interactive Game Harvest Dashboard

By Joe Ciccanti / March 11, 2026

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has released statewide deer harvest totals for the 2025–26 season and introduced a new interactive Game Harvest Dashboard that allows hunters and the public to explore deer and turkey harvest data across the state. During the season, hunters harvested 16,746 deer — including antlerless and …

Accidental Fire Caused by Unattended Burning of Tree Limbs

By Joe Ciccanti / March 11, 2026

Unattended burning of tree limbs led to an accidental fire yesterday afternoon on Union Church Road in Salisbury. The fire occurred at a 24′ x 24′ detached two-story garage. According to the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, the occupant of the home had been burning tree limbs and brush behind the garage. He stepped away…

UPDATED: Millville Voters Send 2 Incumbents back to the Town Council

By Joe Ciccanti / March 8, 2026

UPDATED – 03/08/26 – Voters in Millville have sent two incumbents back to the Town Council. Deborah Sosnoski was the top vote-getter with 295 votes – Ron Belinko received 263. Challenger Jean Hanely won 172 votes. Town officials tell the Talk of Delmarva that Sosnoski and Belinko will be sworn in at the March 24th…

UPDATED: Delaware DOC Apprehend Absconder from SCCC

By Joe Ciccanti / March 6, 2026

UPDATED – 03/06/26 – An offender who walked away from an approved work pass from the Sussex Community Corrections Center has been apprehended. Corrections officials say 54 year old Adam Blades was apprehended on Thursday by DOC officers and returned to custody. Blades was arraigned at JP Court 2 before being committed to SCI on an…

Delmarva Power Announces “The Exelon Promise” Initiative Amid Rising Energy Costs

By Joe Ciccanti / March 5, 2026

As higher energy supply prices continue to impact customers, Delmarva Power today announced a new customer-focused initiative from its parent company, Exelon, called The Exelon Promise. The strategy aims to provide immediate bill relief, strengthen customer protections amid growing electricity demand, and pursue long-term reforms to address the underlying drivers of rising costs. Energy supply…

National Gas Price Average up 27 Cents, Delaware’s Average Up 21 Cents in in the Last Week

By Joe Ciccanti / March 5, 2026

The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline jumped nearly 27 cents since last week to $3.25, according to AAA. The conflict in the Middle East has sent crude oil prices higher to the mid $70 per barrel range. At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI rose 10 cents to settle at…

Accidental Barn Fire in Princess Anne

By Joe Ciccanti / March 5, 2026

A barn fire that occurred in Princess Anne, Somerset County yesterday afternoon was an accident, according to the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Fire officials say the blaze resulted from the failure of the wood stove chimney. The fire occurred at an approximately 30 X 30 Pole Barn causing an estimated $60,000 in damage. No injuries…

One Dead, Two Injured After Motor Vehicle Collision in Ocean City, Maryland

By Joe Ciccanti / March 5, 2026

An Ocean View, Delaware man is dead after a two-vehicle collision last night (Wednesday, March 4th) in Ocean City, Maryland. The Ocean City Police Department responded to the area of 122nd Street and Coastal Highway at approximately 10:05 PM.  Good Samaritans at the scene initiated lifesaving efforts. Ocean City EMS continued those efforts. The victim,…

Delaware Transit Corporation Secures Federal Grant for Major Fleet Rehabilitation

By Joe Ciccanti / March 5, 2026

The Delaware Transit Corporation says a new federal grant will help improve bus reliability, reduce maintenance costs, and extend the life of dozens of vehicles in its fleet. The agency has been awarded $14.3 million through the Federal Transit Administration’s Bus and Bus Facilities Program to launch a midlife rehabilitation program for 51 buses, about…

Four Displaced Following Fire in Delmar, Wicomico County

By Joe Ciccanti / March 5, 2026

Four people have been displaced after a fire yesterday at a wood-framed two-story duplex on  Executive Club Drive in Delmar, Wicomico County. According to the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, The blaze started on the inside of the garage and was accidental due to improper disposal of pellet stove ash. Also, officials say…

Senator Coons Speaks on Senate Floor Regarding War in Iran

By Joe Ciccanti / March 5, 2026

U.S. Senator Chris Coons delivered a floor speech after voting in support of a war powers resolution related to the war with Iran, urging colleagues to consider the impact on service members and their families. Senator Coons also questioned whether the Trump administration has clearly defined key elements of the potential military action, including its…

AAA Warns Drowsy Driving Deaths Spike After Daylight Saving Time Shift

By Joe Ciccanti / March 5, 2026

With Daylight Saving Time set to begin Sunday, AAA is warning drivers about the dangers of drowsy driving. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says fatigue may contribute to up to 10 times more fatal crashes than official statistics show. Studies also indicate fatal crashes increase about 6% nationwide in the week following the time change, partly due to…

Sussex County Land Trust Receives 2026 Conservation Stewardship Award for Hudson Park Project

By Joe Ciccanti / March 5, 2026

The Sussex County Land Trust (SCLT) has been selected as the 2026 Conservation Stewardship Award winner in the Green Conservation Category by the Sussex Conservation District (SCD), in recognition of the organization’s efforts in land management, stormwater planning, and environmental stewardship. SCLT will be formally honored at the Conservation Stewardship Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, March 11th,…