A WGMD Local News Article
Positive Coronavirus Cases Rising in DE; Nearly 1/4 of Delawareans Vaccinated
The number of positive cases of coronavirus has now passed 100,000 statewide in Delaware – with Friday’s new cases at 458. New Castle County has the bulk of the new cases – with Kent and Sussex at 75 each. The 7-day average of all new positive cases remains at 6.4% – which is quite a…
Read MoreEden Fire Displaces Family of 11
A fire at a home on Mercer Road in Eden, Maryland was found to be accidental by the Maryland State Fire Marshal. Occupants of the home were alerted to the blaze by a smoke alarm that activated in the single story home just before 10:30 Saturday morning. Eight adults and three children were able to…
Read MoreRoute 1 Crash Saturday Morning in Rehoboth Beach
A crash between a pickup truck towing a small utility trailer and a Rehoboth Beach Ambulance is under investigation by Delaware State Police. The crash occurred just after 10am at the intersection of Route 1 and Old Landing Road. Police say the utility trailer was southbound with green light when the ambulance, with a patient…
Read MoreUPDATED: Seaford Voters Send Both Incumbents Back to City Council
UPDATED – 04/18/21: Seaford voters have sent both incumbents back to the city council. James King was the top vote-getter with 169 votes, Orlando Holland received 166. Scott Pickinpaugh won 128 votes and Jeffrey Benson, Junior grabbed 124 votes. City officials say only 47 absentee ballots were cast of the 316 total ballots. ================================ Seaford…
Read MoreDE Unemployment Higher than National Average
Delaware’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was up 2-tenths of a percent in March to 6.5% from February. The US unemployment rate dropped from 6.2% in February to 6% in March. The rate in Sussex County is just below the state’s rate at 6.4%. The only sector to show an increase in over-the-year jobs is Transportation…
Read MoreDE State of Emergency Extended Another 30 Days
Governor John Carney on Friday formally extended the State of Emergency declaration another 30 days to confront community spread of COVID-19, and issued the following statement: “We have fully opened our vaccine program so that any eligible Delawarean who wants a COVID-19 vaccine should be able to get one,” said Governor Carney. “We are making progress by…
Read MoreDE to Start 10-Digit Dialing April 24
Federal communications officials are urging all Delawareans to start dialing the area code and 7-digit phone number on local calls starting on April 24, 2021. The change is due to a decision made by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last summer. On July 16, 2020, the FCC adopted rules to establish 9-8-8 as the new, nationwide phone number…
Read MoreDel. House Sets Date For In-Person Meetings
The Delaware House of Representatives plans to conduct session “physically” at Legislative Hall for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic later this month. House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D- Rehoboth Beach, said Friday that an in-person hybrid session is planned April 29th for floor votes and party caucuses. It’s expected that the…
Read MoreMd. Citizens Redistricting Panel Members Named
The Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission is now in place as it moves to develop new maps for state legislative and congressional districts. Three co-chairs of the commission filled out the group by naming six members Thursday. It’s made of two Republicans, two Democrats, and two people not affiliated with either party. Governor Larry Hogan established…
Read MoreBags Into Benches: Plastic Bags Recycled
Unused plastic bags in Delaware are being put to use. A non-profit organization, Eco Plastic Products of Delaware, accepted DNREC’s excess plastic bags when state parks converted carry-in carry-out bags to corn and paper products last year. About 2,000 pounds of bags, in the area of 450,000, will be made into 15 benches that will…
Read MoreDPH To Close Dental Clinics In Service Centers
Delaware Public Health plans to permanently close its dental clinics that operated within Delaware State Service Centers. The clinics have not operated since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health officials said closing the clinics was under consideration before the pandemic due to declining use and a shift to school- and community-based outreach. The DPH…
Read MoreChoptank Fiber Connects First Customers To Broadband
Choptank Fiber has made its first connection for broadband internet service on the Eastern Shore. Sherry Hollingsworth of Denton has officially been hooked up, decades after her grandfather became the first homeowner to be served by Choptank Electric Cooperative. Governor Larry Hogan took part in a ribbon-cutting at the home in Denton, reaffirming the state’s…
Read MoreTraffic Stop In Dagsboro Results In 2 Drug Arrests
A traffic stop has led to the arrests of two men on drug charges. Delaware State Police said a driver did not signal an abrupt lane change on 9 Foot Road in Dagsboro, and that further investigation resulted in the discovery of suspected heroin and drug paraphernalia. 29-year-old Garrett Allbritton of Selbyville was charged with…
Read MoreACLU Reacts To Sussex Reassessment Agreement
Plaintiffs in a school funding case are pleased with the ultimate resolution: an agreement with all three Delaware counties, including Sussex, to move forward with property reassessment. The ACLU of Delaware and Community Legal Aid Society represented Delawareans for Educational Opportunity and the NAACP of Delaware. The Sussex County agreement is the last in a…
Read MoreDel. Bill Looks To Support Future Of Telemedicine
Delawareans could continue to have access to tele-medicine services even after the COVID-19 pandemic under a bill filed in the State House of Representatives. The Telehealth Access Preservation and Modernization Act would codify several provisions of emergency legislation that was enacted last year. Those provisions are set to expire July1st. Representative David Bentz, D-Newark area…
Read MoreDel. Lawmaker Wants More Numbers To Back Minimum Wage Discussion
The Delaware Controller General Office may be asked to develop a local economic impact analysis of legislation that would increase Delaware’s minimum wage. State Representative Bryan Shupe, R-Milford is introducing a bill that he says would help guide lawmakers and Delawareans. The economic analysis could be facilitated by the Controller General Office or contracted out.…
Read MoreMd. Commerce Sec. Schulz Announces Candidacy For Gov.
Maryland Commerce Secretary Kelly Schulz Wednesday announced her candidacy for Governor, saying she would pursue the Republican nomination in next June’s primary. Schulz has also served in the House of Delegates and owned a small business in the cybersecurity field. She is also a past Secretary of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. “The past year has…
Read MoreLt. Gov. Rutherford Will Not Run For Md. Gov.
Maryland Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford says he will not be a candidate for Governor in next year’s election. Rutherford said in a social media post Wednesday that it was a decision he made with his family’s best interest in mind. He added that he would continue to have an “active role in enhancing Maryland’s response…
Read MoreFishing Enthusiasts Line Up Hours Before Permit Voucher Distribution
Vouchers for a Delaware surf fishing permit are going quickly. Cape Henlopen State Park was to be allocated 250 vouchers for distribution today, but they were already gone shortly after 8:00 a.m. Many fishing enthusiasts spent the night parked in their vehicles, lining up for one of one-thousand vouchers. After a cap of about 17,000…
Read MoreEastern Shore Lawmaker Gets GOP Leadership Role
Members of the Maryland House of Delegates Republican Caucus have elected new leadership. Delegate Jason Buckel of Allegany County will serve as House Minority Leader. Delegate Christopher Adams of the Eastern Shore’s District 37-B becomes Minority Whip. Former Minority Leader Nic Kipke and Minority Whip Kathy Szeliga had previously announced their intention to step down…
Read MoreWicomico River Dredge Plan Highlighted In Virtual Session
A plan to conduct maintenance dredging on the Wicomico River will be detailed at a virtual public meeting, hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The dredging plan, the cycle and timeline as well as information on the Deal Island Wildlife Management Area placement site selection will be presented. The session is tonight (Wednesday)…
Read MoreHogan Signs 66 Bills, Calls Session A Success
66 bills have become law in Maryland, just hours after the conclusion of the 2021 General Assembly session. Governor Larry Hogan Tuesday signed bills that address the need for more Internet access and expand tele-health services. He also praised lawmakers for working to pass tax cuts and to approve a massive COVID-19 relief package. To…
Read MoreDel. Bill Looks To Expand SEED Scholarship Access
More Delawareans would have access to the state’s SEED program that offers free credits at Delaware Tech, under a bill introduced in the General Assembly. The SEED scholarship program has helped almost 13,000 high school graduates afford college since 2005. State Senator Nicole Poore, D-New Castle said the bill she is sponsoring (SB 12) would…
Read MoreCovid-19 Funeral Assistance Available from FEMA
Coronavirus hasn’t been without tragedy. Over 1500 Delawareans have died since the pandemic began. FEMA has started accepting applications for Covid-19 Funeral Assistance – for Covid-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20 of this year. They will help ease some of the financial stress and burden. While this is a new service – FEMA…
Read MoreUPDATED: Funeral Services Set for Selbyville VFC Ladies Auxiliary President, Laura Madara
UPDATED – 4/13/21 – 1pm – The funeral services for Laura Madara will be a full fire department service with all the honor, respect and tributes appropriately bestowed upon her as a member of our fire service community. Visitation will be Saturday, April 17th, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Selbyville Fire Company, Station…
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