A WGMD Local News Article
Early Voting/Permanent Absentee Voting Overturned by DE Supreme Court
The Delaware Supreme Court has vacated a Superior Court ruling from February that struck down early voting and Delaware’s 14 year old permanent absentee law. Attorney General Kathy Jennings moved to appeal the ruling and the Supreme Court ruled 5 to 0 that the plaintiffs – Representative Gerald Hocker and Michael Mennella, who were represented…
Read MoreUPDATED: Legislators Vote to Override Governor Carney’s Veto of House Bill 282
The Delaware House of Representatives voted to override Governor John Carney’s veto of House Bill 282. Sponsored by Rep. Paul Baumbach, the bill would revise the membership, structure, and procedures of the State Employees Benefits Committee (SEBC) to increase transparency and accountability. This measure previously passed unanimously through both the House and Senate. Governor Carney’s Statement…
Read MoreSalisbury Woman Sentenced to 50 Years for Attempted First Degree Murder and Related Charges
Today, the Honorable Kathleen L. Beckstead, Chief Judge of the Circuit Court for Wicomico County, sentenced 39-year-old Ashlee Nicole Scott of Salisbury to fifty years in the Maryland Division of Corrections for Attempted First Degree Murder and related offenses. On April 24, 2024, following a three-day jury trial, Scott was convicted, and sentencing was postponed…
Read MoreOne Injured in Rt 24 Crash in Oak Orchard after Dump Truck Overturned
One person was injured after a dump truck failed to remain stopped for a red light and crashed into a pickup truck driven by a 61 year old Lewes man. Delaware State Police say the impact caused the dump truck to overturn spilling a load of rock and dirt onto Route 24. The Lewes man…
Read MoreMaryland Department of Health Announces Funding Opportunity to Address the Opioid Crisis
The Maryland Department of Health is announcing a funding opportunity to address the opioid crisis. The department announced a request for applications (RFA) for Maryland’s Opioid Restitution Fund–the goal of which is to support programs that address the misuse of opioid products and to treat opioid use or related disorders. Over 2,500 fatal overdoses occurred in Maryland in…
Read MoreBicycle and Pedestrian Safety Improvements Coming to Dover Thanks to Grant Issued to DelDOT
Dover will see Bike and pedestrian safety improvements thanks to an over $12 million grant issued to the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT). Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons and U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester celebrated the 2024 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant. The $12,250,000 competitive RAISE grant was issued to…
Read MoreGovernor Moore Announces Launch of Cannabis Workforce Development Program
Governor Wes Moore today announced the launch of the Cannabis Workforce Development Program, the first workforce development initiative developed and administered by a cannabis regulatory agency in the nation. This program, which will prioritize individuals with a history of cannabis-related offenses, is launching after Governor Moore’s historic pardon of more than 175,000 cannabis charges last Monday.…
Read MoreHouse Fire in Salisbury Leaves One Occupant Displaced
The occupant of a home on Coulbourne Mill Road in Salisbury is being assisted by the American Red Cross after an accidental fire that occurred yesterday afternoon. The fire started on the side deck and was the result of discarded smoking materials. Damage to the one story, wood frame, single family home was estimated to be at $200,000…
Read MoreProposed Legislation Urges Establishment of Medical School in Delaware
Legislation has been introduced urging the establishment of a medical school in the State of Delaware. This House Concurrent Resolution calls for the formation of a formal Steering Group to guide the planning and implementation of a medical school. The bill also encourages the pursuit of partnerships with established medical schools and other medical education…
Read MoreHouse Bill 417 Related to Statute of Limitations in Child Sex Abuse Cases Passes DE House
Legislation pertaining to statute of limitations in child sex abuse cases has passed the Delaware House. If signed into law, survivors of child sexual abuse that occurred in Delaware who have been barred from filing suit against their abusers by virtue of the expiration of the former civil statute of limitations, shall be permitted to…
Read MoreDART’s Independence Day Schedule
In Sussex County, DART’s Beach Bus service and Route 305 Beach Connection will operate on July 4th, with Paratransit service operating complimentary ADA-only service. Aside from the routes listed below for New Castle County, all other DART services will not operate on July 4th. Additional Information from DART First State: DART will offer bus service in New Castle County on…
Read MoreDSP Investigating Two-Vehicle Fatal Crash in Camden
The Delaware State Police are investigating a two-vehicle fatal crash that occurred this morning in Camden that left one man dead. The crash happened around 5 a.m. According to police, a 2009 Cadillac Escalade was traveling eastbound on Walnut Shade Road, west of Barney Jenkins Road. At the same time, a 2016 Honda Accord was…
Read MoreDNREC Reminds Drive-On Surf Anglers Reservations are Required for Fourth of July Holiday
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) reminds those who plan to drive-on surf fish at one of the seven Delaware State Parks multi-use beaches that reservations are required during summer weekends and holidays. Drive-on surf fishing reservations for Thursday, July 4th, open Thursday, June 27th, at 11 a.m. Drive-on reservations for each weekend…
Read MoreRamier Bender Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Armed Robbery and Firearm Use in a Crime of Violence
Ramier Bender, formerly of Salisbury, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for Armed Robbery and Firearm Use in a Crime of Violence. The Honorable S. James Sarbanes, Administrative Judge of the First Judicial Circuit issued the sentencing last week. Bender pleaded guilty on March 6th of this year. According to the Office of…
Read MoreSheriff Joe Gamble and the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office Congratulate Major R. Scott Mergenthaler on Retirement
Sheriff Joe Gamble and the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office would like to congratulate Major R. Scott Mergenthaler on his retirement from his over fifty-one-year career in law enforcement. They offer a sincere thank you and well wishes for his dedication and professionalism to the citizens of Talbot County for the last eighteen years of service.…
Read MoreClaymont Man Arrested in Dover for Felony Gun Offenses
Delaware State Police have arrested a 35-year-old Claymont man at a traffic stop in Dover for felony gun offenses. The arrest happened early yesterday afternoon in Dover. Michael DiRocco faces charges that include Possession of a Firearm By a Person Prohibited for a Prior Felony and Carrying a Concealed Firearm–both of which are felonies. DiRocco…
Read MorePhiladelphia Man Sentenced to 12 years for Fentanyl Charges
A Philadelphia man previously arrested and convicted in connection with the 2016 police action Operation Smackdown has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for dealing fentanyl-laced heroin (Tier 2) and possession of cocaine (Tier 1). Al-Ghaniyy Price was convicted at trial in January of this year for December 2022 offenses; he later pleaded guilty to June…
Read MoreManufactured Home Fire in Frederica Leaves Two Critically Injured
The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a manufactured home fire that left two elderly individuals with serious injuries. The fire occurred early this morning in Frederica in Kent County. The fire was reported shortly after 3:00am on Sycamore Dr. in the High Point Mobile Home Park, by a passing motorist. The Magnolia and…
Read MoreDPH Cautions Public to Watch for Rabid Animals During Active Season
With the weather warming up, the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) urges you to take precautions to avoid exposure to rabies and to be on the lookout for rabid animals during this active season. Rabies is endemic in Delaware, meaning it occurs regularly within the state’s wildlife populations. Since 2019, 54 animals have tested…
Read MoreHouse Fire in Smyrna Leaves Occupants Displaced, One Firefighter Injured
Occupants of a house in the Hickory Hollow Development in Smyrna are being assisted by the American Red Cross of Delmarva, and one firefighter is being treated for injuries after a fire occurred yesterday evening. The fire was reported shortly before 10 p.m. in the unit block of Zelkova Road. The fire was placed under…
Read MoreFire at Vacant Mobile Home in Caroline County
A fire that occurred at an abandoned and vacant mobile home on Kibler Road in Greensboro in Caroline County is under investigation. The fire was reported by a passerby yesterday afternoon just before 2 p.m. The house had been abandoned for over 15 years, according to the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal. The fire…
Read MoreDE Lawmakers Approve Legislation Offering Protections for Banks, Other Financial Institutions That Serve Licensed Marijuana BusinessesÂ
In what State Treasurer Colleen Davis calls “a critical step forward for Delaware’s cannabis industry,” legislation providing protections for banks and other financial institutions that serve licensed marijuana businesses has been approved by Delaware lawmakers. Although marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, Delaware has joined many other states in legalizing it for medical or…
Read MoreDNREC to Hold Virtual Public Hearing on July 9th to Discuss Proposed Offshore Wind Project
The Division of Water and Division of Watershed Stewardship will conduct a joint virtual public hearing regarding the proposed offshore wind project. The hearing will take place on Tuesday, July 9th at 6 p.m. An information session on Delaware’s regulatory process was held earlier this month in Lewes. At the July 9th meeting, the Division of…
Read MoreLegislation Creating AI Commission Passes DE House
Legislation that would create the Delaware Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) Commission has been passed in the Delaware House. The Commission’s task will involve making recommendations to the General Assembly and Department of Technology and Information on AI utilization and safety within the State of Delaware. The Commission also will conduct an inventory of all Generative AI…
Read MoreDSP Looking to Identify Suspects in Thefts of Copper Wire from Farm Irrigation
Delaware State Police need your help to identify the suspects who trespassing on farm properties and cutting copper wire – in lengths of 50 to several hundred feet – from irrigation systems. Several farms in the Greenwood and Houston areas have been victim – with the crimes occurring between 10pm and 5am. If you have…
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