A WGMD Local News Article
Smyrna Fire Sunday Leaves 1 Dead
A fire in Smyrna Sunday afternoon has taken the life of one person. The State Fire Marshal says that one person was found deceased by firefighters inside the house trailer on West Big Woods Road. Officials say the fire broke out just before 1pm and crews found flames pouring from the home when they arrived…
Read MoreMilford Voters Choose Archie Campbell for Mayor
Milford voters have chosen a new mayor. Archie Campbell was the top vote-getter with 537 to Todd Culotta’s 334.  He will take over for Mayor Bryan Shupe who is running for the 36th District House seat. In the First Ward, Michael Boyle won 245 votes. Cindy Schofield received 181.  The winners will be sworn in…
Read MoreREMINDER: Delaware Personal Income Taxes Due Monday!
A reminder – the Delaware personal income tax deadline is Monday. Taxpayers who do not file by the deadline because they have a balance due may face additional interest and penalties, which increases the total amount owed. Filing by the deadline will allow you to avoid penalties, even if you are unable to pay all…
Read MoreSaturday is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
Today is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The Drug Enforcement Administration, State and Local Police agencies ask you to get rid on unwanted prescription (or over-the-counter) drugs today between 10 and 2pm. You can get rid of unwanted, unused or expired drugs responsibly – and keep them away from potential abuse by others. This…
Read MoreDE’s Pathways Program Receives Grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies
Delaware has received a $3.25 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to expand access to economic opportunity for Delaware students.  Governor John Carney says the funding would help bolster the Delaware Pathways program. That is for high school and post-secondary students looking to gain work-based learning experiences for in-demand careers – and to earn industry credentials…
Read MoreSussex County Council to Revisit Overbrook Town Center Change of Zone Tuesday
The Sussex County Council will revisit the Overbrook Town Center change of zone application during Old Business on Tuesday morning. The council held a court-ordered second public hearing on the application on April 10th but deferred a vote after over 6 hours of public comment. However, a decision on the application must be made by…
Read MoreThe need for speed: DE middle schoolers race solar powered cars
In Harrington – yesterday teams of middle schoolers from across the state went head-to-head in a solar powered model car race. 19 teams competed to see who had the fastest time trials, including a team from Beacon Middle School in Lewes, who placed 3rd in the time trials and 5th in creative design. The competition…
Read MoreLocal school districts get funding for afterschool, summer programs
Delaware’s Department of Education awards two large grants to downstate afterschool and summer programs. The programs in the Milford and Woodbridge school districts are getting close to $250,000 each to provide afterschool and summer programs for 75 students. In Milford the 4-H club will offer students grades 6-12 a variety of activities focusing on leadership…
Read MoreMobile app surveys to bring anglers, biologists closer together
Marylands Department of Natural Resources hopes anglers across the state will help cast a wide net in a search for fishing data. The department is launching mobile-friendly surveys where you can turn a fishing trip into a bona fide scientific expedition by uploading your catch data. The survey will provide department biologists with information such…
Read MoreDE Sen. calls vote to preserve special counsel “inspiring”
The Judiciary Committee in the US Senate passes a bill aimed to protect the current special counsel investigation into President Donald Trump. Co-authored by Sen. Chris Coons (DE), the legislation would make firing any special counsel a longer drawn out process than current standards. The committee voted to release the bill 14-7, and now can…
Read MoreH2Oi car show rolling into New Jersey this fall
The controversial H2O International car show will have a new location in the fall. The show will be moving up the coast to Atlantic City, New Jersey after problems surrounding last year’s show in Ocean City. Organizers said earlier this week they were getting a bad rap from the media and city officials, and that…
Read MoreCasino relief bill clears DE Senate Finance Committee
Legislation that would give Delaware’s three casinos tax relief is clearing its first hurdle. The Senate Finance Committee approved the bill yesterday. It would slightly lower the tax rate on slots, bring down the state’s take of table game revenue and suspend the table gaming license fee. State Senator Ernie Lopez says he’s against the…
Read MoreMD Senator urges environmentally conscious Farm Bill
Maryland Senator Ben Cardin is leading the charge against broad changes to the Farm Bill. He brought together a group of 28 senators to sign a letter to the Senate Agriculture Committee to reject any broad repeals of environmental laws during the Farm Bill renewal. Writing that “in recent years the crucial must-pass bills are…
Read MoreMilford mayor, city council elections take place Saturday (4/28)
City of Milford has an election coming up tomorrow. Two people are running for the open Mayor’s seat: current city council member Arthur Campbell and owner of Baypro General Contracting Todd Culotta; there is also a race for the Ward 1 city council seat between retired defense analyst Michael Boyle and retired Philadelphia police officer…
Read MoreDelDOT to close roads in Sussex for railroad crossing removal
DelDOT along with Delaware Coast Line Railroad are preparing to remove a bunch of railroad crossings across Sussex County. A total of 6 crossings will be taken out between now and memorial day, however, the work will require prolonged road closures on some major roadways. First on the list: Â Savannah Road between Westcoats Road and…
Read MoreStudy: Delaware drivers among the most aggressive in the nation
A report suggests Delaware has s a lot of aggressive drivers. The website gasbuddy.com used information gathered from its site to conclude that Delaware drivers are the 7th most aggressive in the U S , based on factors like speed, braking frequency and acceleration. Neighboring New Jersey drivers were a spot ahead of Delaware at…
Read MoreDE school district consolidation task force wraps up work
A task force charged with researching if reducing the number of Delaware school districts would save the state money is set to present their final report next month. The recommendations do not rule out combining a few districts, but do suggest counties reassess property values. The group also looked at ways to improve education. Those…
Read MoreDE Senators ask for more rail safety funding
Delawares US Senators are asking for more funding for rail safety projects. Senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper joined Senators from across the mid-Atlantic and northeast asking the Senate appropriations subcommittee on transportation for more than $700 million. The senators say the funding will enhance the safety and reliability of the railways within the Northeast…
Read MoreDelaware joins multi-state gun safety consortium
Delaware Governor John Carney joined the governors from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts yesterday to create the “States for Gun Safety” coalition. The consortium hopes to bring partner states together to research gun violence, as well as perform data collection and analysis across multiple disciplines. The governors say the consortium will…
Read MoreMan found with cocaine after acting strangely in Milford
A man found with cocaine after acting strangely at the Milford Walmart. On Monday night Milford Police officers were called after a man was acting weird and harassing people on the store property. Police contacted Phillip Ames of Milford, and after detaining him found a quarter ounce of cocaine on him. He was charged with…
Read MoreLightship Overfalls returns to Lewes tonight
The lightship Overfalls is scheduled to return to Lewes this evening. The return of the historic ship was delayed earlier in the month due to high winds. The Overfalls will be tugged into the Lewes Canal on the high slack tide, which is scheduled for tonight at 7 PM. The lightship has been getting a…
Read MoreHarrington thieves busted for copper heist
Delaware State Police arrest two thieves suspected of multiple copper thefts from commercial irrigation systems in Southern Kent and Northern Sussex counties. Detectives began their investigation in February after several companies from Camden Wyoming through Greenwood reported their commercial irrigation systems were raided for copper wiring. Police learned two Harrington men, Taylor Provanchie and Thomas…
Read MoreChesapeake Bay grass growth exceeds record for 3rd straight year
For the third year in a row, a record breaking amount of underwater grass was grew in the Chesapeake Bay. Last year’s annual baywide survey found a total of over 104,000 acres of underwater grasses growing in Maryalnd’s tidal waters, a 5% increase from 2016. Officials say it’s the 5th straight year of vegetation expansion;…
Read MoreDE State Auditor candidate blasts opponent for taking money, endorsements from elected officials
A candidate for Delaware’s State Auditor is being called on to drop out of the race. Former State Representative and auditor candidate Dennis Williams is calling for Rehoboth Beach Commissioner Kathy McGuinness to drop out of the race, calling her “too compromised and flawed” to remain in the state auditor’s race. Williams unleashed a blistering…
Read MoreDPH: New mumps cases recorded in Delaware
4 new cases of mumps reported in Delaware, bringing the total this year to 19. That’s the highest number of cases of the contagious illness since 2005. The health department says they have linked 11 of the 19 cases to two multi-cultural themed dances in Wilmington in February and March. Heath officials say it’s important…
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