2020 A Good Year For Piping Plover Population

Piping plover chick, 18 days old. Photo by Evangelin Von Boeckman.

It was a productive summer at the Delaware beaches for nesting shorebirds. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources Thursday reported that 21 nesting pairs of piping plovers were monitored, and they produced about 51 fledglings. The small beach nesting birds are on Delaware’s state endangered list. The rate of fledglings, at 2.4 per pair of…

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UD Cuts Back To Avoid $250-Million Budget Hit

The University of Delaware is cutting costs as it anticipates a heavy budget hit due to factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic. UD President Dennis Assanis said Thursday the University had no choice but to turn to personnel actions, which include voluntary retirement incentives, voluntary schedule reductions, periods of unpaid leave and other measures. These…

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Juvenile With Lighter Starts House Fire In Salisbury

Salisbury fire

The Red Cross is assisting a Salisbury family which was displaced by a fire that investigators say was started by a child with a lighter. According to the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, the blaze broke out late Wednesday afternoon on Price Road. Salisbury firefighters responded to the blaze, which was controlled in less than…

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Delmar, Md. Man Charged With Attempted Murder

A Delmar, Maryland man has been arrested for attempted murder and other charges. According to the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, deputies investigated a report earlier this month about a July 2019 incident in which a woman was shot in the hand. The victim’s husband was implicated, and Marion Marvin Gladden Junior, also known as Tinker,…

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Developer Pulls Proposed Office Complex In Milton

Milton-Logo

A plan to build a complex of two medical office buildings in Milton has been pulled by the developer. The Cape Gazette reports Phoenix Holdings LLC withdrew its application for rezoning of an eight-acre parcel on Mulberry Street from residential to commercial. Milton Town Council had been scheduled to consider the application next Monday. Beebe…

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Md. Agrees To Place Polling Place On Smith Island

Citizens of Maryland’s Smith Island will be able to vote in person on Election Day after all. The Maryland Board of Elections has decided to provide an in-person polling location, which was very much in doubt over the summer. Congressman Andy Harris and State Senator Mary Beth Carozza say they’re pleased Smith Islanders will be…

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New Signs Highlight Del. River Watershed

Governor Carney, Representative Pete Schwartzkopf, DelDOT Deputy Secretary Nicole Majeski, Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed State Policy Manager Kelly Knutson, and Delaware Nature Society Director of Advocacy and External Affairs Emily Knearl with the new sign

New signs have gone up in Delaware to mark the boundaries of the Delaware River Watershed. Six of them have been placed on major roads throughout the state to indicate the importance of the watershed, and its importance to residents, the economy and wildlife. One sign was posted in the Lewes area. The Delaware River…

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Rehoboth Barriers Come Down Nov. 2nd

Rehoboth Beach has set November 2nd as the date for removal of remaining barricades that were set up during the pandemic to create additional space for outdoor dining. City Commissioners took the action at their most recent meeting. Restaurants approved for outdoor dining may continue to offer tables for patrons adjacent to their facades through…

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Special Event Zone Provisions Take Effect In OC

OC Special Event Zone

Ocean City has been preparing for months for the arrival of an unsanctioned pop-up motor vehicle rally. Now that the time is here, the town is hoping all of that preparation pays off. Frequent activity in the past has included speeding, burnouts and vehicles doing “donuts,” often with rowdy crowds close by cheering them on.…

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Sussex Co., DelDOT Enact Revised MOU

(shown left to right are Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission Chairman Robert Wheatley, DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan, and Sussex County Council President Michael H. Vincent).

Sussex County and DelDOT are on the same page regarding future development proposals and their surrounding traffic issues. County Council has approved a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Transportation to improve coordination and planning in future years. It’s the first major update to a previous agreement that dates back to the 1980s. The…

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Sussex Co. Streamlines Problem Property Mitigation

Problem properties will be dealt with more effectively in Sussex County. County Council has adopted several ordinances to move the procedure for dealing with messy properties from the courts to an administrative practice. The move follows passage of legislation in the Delaware General Assembly that streamlines the process of identifying and resolving issues surrounding properties…

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Cape HS Student Tests Positive For Coronavirus

A student at Cape Henlopen High School has tested positive for coronavirus. The Cape Gazette reports the student is staying home for a 14-day quarantine, and Delaware Public Health indicates no further quarantine of students or staff is needed. Cape Henlopen School District officials also say a mask requirement is enforced and everyone ‘consistently’ maintains…

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Suspect Arrested For Seaford Homicide

A Seaford man has been arrested in connection with an August homicide at The Woodshed Bar and Package Store on Bridgeville Highway. Delaware State Police say 19-year-old Unique Smith was arrested Monday at an apartment in Salisbury by members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force. Smith had been developed as a suspect in the August…

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Milton Fire Accidental

Fire damaged a row of stores and residential properties at 105 Federal Street in Milton just after noon Tuesday. Milton Firefighters found smoke and flames coming from the rear of the building – companies from Lewes, Georgetown, Ellendale, Memorial were called to assist along with county paramedics. State Fire Marshal investigators were on the scene…

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Del. Introduces Street Art Trail

Art hits the streets of Delaware. The Delaware Tourism Office has unveiled a statewide, interactive street art trail highlighting nine large works of art, perfect for a selfie background. Local and national artists were recruited to paint these works of art. They will be on display at the Cape May – Lewes Ferry terminal, Big…

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Salisbury Sanitation Employee Tests Positive For COVID-19

A City of Salisbury employee who works in the sanitation collection division has tested positive for coronavirus. City officials say as a precaution one other employee has also been quarantined due to the possibility of exposure. Also, all sanitation employees will be tested. Salisbury Director of Field Operations Tom Stevenson says operations have already been…

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Del. Phases Out Solitary Confinement In Prisons

Delaware has effectively done away with what’s known as solitary confinement of prison inmates. The Department of Correction had been working for years to end the practice of ‘restrictive housing’ as a disciplinary measure. Commissioner Claire DeMatteis says reforms were based on practices that are shown to create safer environments for officers, inmates, counselors and…

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UPDATED: DOC Arrest Sussex Absconder

UPDATED 9/21/20 – Corrections officials have apprehended an inmate who railed to return to the SCCC from an approved work pass on September 14. Officials say 20 year old Lenear Kellam from Laurel was arrested by Laurel Police on Monday, September 21. He was at the SCCC for violation of parole. ==================================================== The Delaware Department…

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AUDIO: Senate Candidate Stands By Controversial Social Media Post About RBG

Republican US Senate Candidate Lauren Witzke Monday responded to criticism of her social media post following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. The post originally included a meme of young African-American children who appeared to be dancing in celebration of Ginsberg’s passing. The meme, a reference to Ginsberg’s past decisions that upheld a woman’s…

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IRSD Offers Curbside Meal Pick-Up For Students

Curbside meal pick-up for Indian River School District students will start this Wednesday, under an extension of the U.S.D.A. Summer Food Service program. Meals will be offered at no charge each Wednesday from 10:45 a.m. until noon at various schools in the district. Parents or guardians may drive up to the designated location for contact-less…

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