Sea Witch’s Sunday dog parade steps off at 1 p.m.

MJ Powell, host of Your Turn DELMARVA, joined The Talk of DELMARVA’s entry in Saturday’s Sea Witch parade in Rehoboth Beach. The cover photograph, supplied by THE TALK OF DELMARVA NEWS TEAM, captures MJ waving to spectators along the route.

The Sea Witch Festival’s final day brings the costumed-dog parade to Rehoboth Beach at 1 p.m. Sunday. Registration and judging begin at noon, and the organizer’s schedule lists winners at the Bandstand at 2:30 p.m. The parade and related outdoor activities are weather-dependent.

Saturday’s costume parade and its temporary traffic arrangements should not be confused with Sunday’s schedule. The chamber’s current program provides the day’s activities and weather contingencies. Items left along Rehoboth Avenue after Saturday’s parade are being held outside the Streets Department office, 20476 Lincoln Street, until 4 p.m. Monday, according to the chamber.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 23; I Dewey report on Mike Bradley’s program, October 22; local updates October 24. Cover photograph and identification supplied by THE TALK OF DELMARVA NEWS TEAM. Organizer’s activity schedule · Festival information · WGMD source

Woodland Ferry debate centers on fares, staffing and vessel size

The Woodland Ferry’s future drew scrutiny on The Talk of DELMARVA as a state transportation funding discussion raised the possibilities of charging fares or finding an outside operator.

Rep. Danny Short opposed both approaches in remarks carried by the newsroom. He favored a smaller vessel that he argued would be easier to staff and less expensive to operate. Broadcast reports described the ferry as closed for maintenance since September 11 and discussed the difficulty of finding appropriately licensed captains.

No fare, operating contract or replacement vessel had been announced in the reports.

The Talk of DELMARVA News and Mike Bradley’s local coverage, October 20–23; recorded remarks by Rep. Danny Short.

Laurel’s superintendent transition takes effect October 30

Laurel Superintendent Shawn Larrimore will step down October 30 after 13 years with the district, the school board announced Thursday.

Director of Student Services Susan Whaley and Assistant Superintendent Ashley Giska will jointly assume the superintendent’s responsibilities. The announcement reported by WGMD did not give a reason for Larrimore’s departure.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 22; follow-up newsroom coverage October 23. WGMD source

DNREC adds a mobile air-monitoring unit

DNREC has introduced an electric truck, monitoring trailer and equipment intended to measure air pollution in neighborhoods where residents raise concerns.

Mari Lou reported that $440,000 in federal funding secured by Delaware’s congressional delegation supported the purchase. The mobile equipment supplements 11 permanent monitoring stations operated by the Division of Air Quality.

The announcement concerns added monitoring capacity. It did not report new neighborhood measurements or establish that a particular location’s air is safe.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 23; local newsroom follow-up October 24. WGMD source

State parks mark a 75,000-tree milestone

An American holly planted at Trap Pond State Park on October 19 marked Delaware State Parks’ 75,000-tree planting milestone, DNREC announced.

The plantings are part of the state’s A Tree for Every Delawarean initiative. Killens Pond received 29,900 trees and Trap Pond 29,200, according to the agency figures reported by Mari Lou. The work includes forest restoration, stream buffers, erosion control and replacement of dead trees.

The agency also announced 88 additional trees for an October 28 planting at Fox Point State Park. The statewide initiative has a goal of one million new trees by 2030.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 20, incorporating DNREC’s announcement. WGMD source

Park Avenue rail work brings a full closure

DelDOT announced a full closure of Park Avenue at the railroad crossing between Lewes-Georgetown Highway/SR 9 and Springfield Road beginning Friday, October 23, at 7 a.m.

The announced completion deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday, November 5, with the detour lifted no later than that time. Delmarva Central Railroad is resurfacing and maintaining the crossing.

Passenger-vehicle detours use Springfield Road, Gravel Hill Road and SR 9. Trucks have a different route involving US 113, Wood Branch Road, Speedway Road, Zoar Road and Gravel Hill Road. Drivers should follow the posted route appropriate to their vehicle and check DelDOT for changes.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 20; The Talk of DELMARVA traffic updates; announced limits checked against DelDOT. DelDOT closure and detour notice · WGMD source

Berlin earns a Christmas-town finalist designation

Berlin was among 25 finalists in Hallmark’s Christmas-town competition, WGMD reported. Carlinville, Illinois, won.

Berlin’s recognition includes the finalist designation and website exposure described in the report. The town was not selected as the winner for a future film.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 22; local newsroom update October 24. WGMD source

Rural physician recruitment draws attention to Kent and Sussex

The Talk of DELMARVA’s Monday news bulletins described a Delaware health-department effort to recruit physicians for rural Kent and Sussex counties. The announcement discussed support for medical students and residency-related assistance tied to service.

The coverage focused on building a primary-care workforce in areas where residents face access challenges.

The Talk of DELMARVA News, October 19; recorded DHSS statement.

Mount Vernon Road resurfacing continues near Princess Anne

Maryland highway officials announced resurfacing of Mount Vernon Road/MD 362 between Crisfield Lane and Fitzbound Road near Princess Anne. The schedule reported by Mari Lou calls for single-lane closures Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m.–5 p.m., with work extending into late December.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 19, citing MDOT. WGMD source

Salisbury releases fair-housing guides

Salisbury released three updated fair-housing guides for residents, renters and property owners, according to Monday’s local newsroom report. Mayor Randy Taylor framed the resources around housing stability.

The Talk of DELMARVA News, October 19, noon hour.

School-bus proposal sets out new safety equipment and a November 2 comment deadline

Delaware education officials are proposing updated school-bus construction and safety standards, including electronic child-reminder systems, speed governors set at 65 mph, electronic stability control and audible backup alarms, WGMD’s Tuesday afternoon newsroom bulletins reported.

The proposal described in the October 20 reports would apply the new equipment requirements to buses placed into production on or after January 1, 2027. It also addresses emergency layouts, first-aid equipment and restraints, with provisions for preschool and special-education transportation.

The newsroom reported a public-comment deadline of Monday, November 2, and a proposed January 1 effective date if the changes are approved.

WGMD newsroom report aired October 20 during the 4, 5 and 6 p.m. hours.

Sunday voting differs across the state line

Delaware early-voting sites are closed Sunday, October 25. Maryland’s centers are open Sunday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Delaware early voting resumes Monday and Tuesday, October 26–27, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Hours change to 11 a.m.–7 p.m. October 28 through November 1. Voters may use an early-voting site in their county of residence; Election Day voting is at the assigned polling place.

Maryland early voting continues daily through Thursday, October 29, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., including the weekend. Voters use a center in their county of residence.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, with polls open 7 a.m.–8 p.m. in both states. Official location lists and individual voter records should be checked before traveling.

The Talk of DELMARVA News; WGMD voter-service coverage, October 21–24. Schedules checked against both state election authorities. Rechecked Sunday morning, October 25. Delaware election calendar · Maryland election information · WGMD source · WGMD source

Solar approvals sharpen Sussex farmland debate

Sussex County Council approved three solar-array conditional-use applications in the Laurel and Seaford areas and deferred a fourth near Delmar at its October 20 meeting, Mari Lou reported.

The applications also prompted discussion about protecting productive farmland. Councilman Matt Lloyd raised the issue during council comment, and Councilman Steve McCarron supported further discussion. The approvals and the policy discussion are separate: the coverage did not report adoption of a new countywide acreage limit.

The four applications listed in the source material were Conditional Use Nos. 2597, 2601, 2639 and 2652.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 20, updated October 22; Mike Bradley and local newsroom follow-ups October 21–22. WGMD source

Jennings files civil suit against Glock

Delaware Attorney General Kathleen Jennings filed a civil lawsuit alleging Glock sells handguns that can be readily converted into illegal automatic weapons with conversion devices commonly called switches.

The state seeks an injunction restricting civilian distribution of the pistols it describes as easily convertible, along with damages and other relief. The Justice Department’s October 22 announcement says the requested restrictions do not cover sales to law enforcement.

The filing presents the state’s allegations and requested remedies. It does not itself impose a new sales ban or establish liability.

Joe Ciccanti, WGMD.com, October 22; Delaware Department of Justice filing announcement checked. Delaware DOJ announcement · WGMD source

Hicks: require workforce housing and put stronger limits on rural growth

Jill Hicks wants Sussex County to require workforce housing in development applications, strengthen protection for forests and waterways, and make its growth plan govern where construction actually goes. The Democratic candidate for County Council District 5 laid out those priorities in a lengthy October 20 interview with Mike Bradley.

Hicks argued that incentives alone have not produced enough housing for teachers, nurses and other essential workers. She favors inclusionary zoning: requiring a development application to include homes affordable to households earning roughly 60%–120% of area median income. She said more responsible growth and workforce housing can be pursued together, with development directed toward places equipped to support it.

Bradley pressed her on state housing legislation and its effect on county control. Hicks said SB 23 was not a complete answer and criticized the lack of county-state discussion before its introduction. When the conversation turned to HB 450 and increased density in growth areas, she said the move from two to four units per acre went too far. Zoning decisions, she argued, should stay close to the people who know the area.

On roads, Hicks assigned responsibility to both DelDOT and the county. She said Sussex had allowed substantial building in state investment Level 4 areas, where the state had not planned infrastructure spending. Her answer was to align county zoning and the comprehensive plan with state investment priorities, track transportation projects more closely, and decide whether major roads are meant to serve destinations or move traffic through the county.

She also wants the comprehensive plan to include an implementation program, with zoning, goals and incentives that direct building toward intended growth areas while limiting rural sprawl. Asked about AR-1 density, she said the county must revisit it rather than continue allowing development where infrastructure is not planned.

Hicks welcomed passage of the forest-preservation ordinance but wanted stronger provisions. She favored retaining 50% of forest in both growth and rural areas, treating buffers separately from preserved forest, and keeping developers from paying a fee instead of preserving trees. She supported restoring a yield-plan requirement for cluster subdivisions: first determine how many houses a conventional layout could accommodate, then cluster that number on a smaller footprint to preserve open land.

For tidal waterways and other natural resources, Hicks argued that existing buffers should be wider. She also called for a larger, more dependable return of state farmland-preservation funding to Sussex and an easier process for farmers seeking to participate.

Asked to distinguish herself from incumbent John Rieley, Hicks emphasized initiative. She described helping establish the Sussex Preservation Coalition after development removed woods near her home and said her professional experience involved bringing people together to solve complicated problems.

Mike Bradley interviewing Jill Hicks, October 20, 8 a.m. hour. Podcast published by Julia Hardy. WGMD source

Carey puts baseload power, local control and practical flood measures at the center of her campaign

Carlie Carey is running for Delaware House District 38 on lower energy costs, less state direction of local businesses, and a practical approach to flooding in the coastal communities. In her October 20 studio interview with Mike Bradley, the Republican candidate, who faces Democrat Maureen Madden, used a recent candidate forum to explain where she sees the clearest differences with her opponent.

Energy was the first dividing line. Carey reiterated her opposition to offshore wind and said her test for an energy policy is whether it lowers Delawareans’ bills. She favors reliable baseload generation and said an experienced power-plant professional has been helping her understand the available options. She contrasted that approach with her opponent’s support for offshore wind.

Carey also argued that decisions should be made as close as possible to the people affected. Drawing on her experience in small businesses, she said more regulation is not necessarily what a business needs to operate successfully. She wants owners and residents to have more say rather than have Dover dictate their choices.

On flooding, Carey said the problem in Bethany and other coastal areas predates the current campaign and needs attention now. She proposed revisiting earlier engineering ideas, including a bladder dam discussed for Bethany and drainage swales formerly used in Fenwick. She said the region needs to weigh what is functional and effective alongside appearance and other considerations.

Carey said she accepts that climate changes and believes residents should be good environmental stewards. Her disagreement was with the policies proposed in response and with requiring expensive changes that many households cannot afford, such as electric vehicles, geothermal systems or solar installations. Bradley separately criticized Delaware’s electric-vehicle mandate and offshore-wind policy during the exchange.

In the second segment, Carey emphasized her lifelong ties to Sussex County and the relationships built through living and working in the district. She said she would treat constituents respectfully when they disagree with her and would not dismiss an opinion simply because it differs from her own.

She also pushed back against the suggestion, raised at the forum, that she was running simply to maintain outgoing Rep. Ron Gray’s approach. Carey presented her candidacy as her own decision and said her preparation, local experience and willingness to serve were the case she wanted voters to assess.

Mike Bradley interviewing Carlie Carey in studio, October 20, 7 a.m. hour. Delaware official candidate list

Stuckey wants housing requirements, local planning tools and a broader energy supply

Ryan Stuckey says Sussex County’s growth problem is also a workforce problem: when teachers, medical residents and service workers cannot afford to live nearby, employers and residents feel the effects. The Democratic candidate for Delaware House District 41 made housing and development the core of his October 22 interview with Mike Bradley, while also taking questions on energy, taxes, gun rights and independence from his party.

Stuckey described his Dagsboro coffee business as a daily vantage point on traffic and development. Serving in local planning and zoning, he said, taught him that officials often have little room to reject a project that complies with existing rules. His response was to work on the rules themselves. He said he researched and proposed changes to three chapters of town code that the town council approved unanimously.

At the state level, he wants to give local governments more effective planning tools. He favors local control and public accountability, including an appeals process that brings contested decisions into an open forum. He criticized administrative approvals that leave residents unsure how a decision was reached.

Stuckey favors reducing unnecessary permitting, but said faster approvals for developers should come with community obligations. He proposed conservation-oriented subdivisions that concentrate homes on a smaller footprint and preserve more forest and open land. He also supports inclusionary zoning, tying a portion of homes to local affordability rather than building only higher-priced retirement housing.

His energy answer was broader than a commitment to a single technology. Stuckey said Delaware should consider additional solar, wind and nuclear power, and even reopening conventional plants if warranted. Asked specifically about natural gas, he said he had not studied the question enough and would seek expert advice. He was receptive to offshore wind’s potential but said concerns about wildlife and other effects deserve investigation.

On taxes, Stuckey favored considering targeted relief for lower- and middle-income residents and opposed a sales tax, arguing that it would hit people on limited incomes hardest. He said he had long been an independent and chose to run as a Democrat to try to gain Sussex County a stronger voice in the room where state decisions are made.

Bradley challenged him on whether Democratic leaders could pressure him through committee assignments or funding decisions. Stuckey said his accountability would remain with the neighbors he serves across his café counter and that he was running to obtain results rather than advance a political career.

A competitive pistol shooter, Stuckey opposed the permit-to-purchase measure discussed in the interview. He objected to financial and time barriers that could prevent a working person from exercising a constitutional right. He supported gun ownership alongside measures such as background checks intended to keep weapons from the wrong hands.

In contrasting himself with Republican opponent John Atkins, Stuckey emphasized working relationships. He cited his support for seeking federal community-project funding for a local police station and said he would work with officials from either party to deliver for Sussex.

Mike Bradley interviewing Ryan Stuckey, October 22, 8 a.m. hour. Podcast published by Julia Hardy. WGMD source

Katz calls for health-system reform, dependable energy and congressional limits

Dr. Mike Katz used his October 21 statewide address to promise a more independent approach to the US Senate and changes aimed at household costs, health-care access and government accountability. The Republican challenger to Sen. Chris Coons put his medical and business background at the center of his argument.

On health care, Katz said high spending is not producing enough improvement in overall health. He called for a shift toward prevention, primary care and coordinated treatment, supported by patient information that follows a person across providers. He also argued for timely mental-health and addiction treatment and improved access to medical and mental-health services for veterans.

His proposed cost agenda includes reducing unnecessary prior authorization, confronting the market power of insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, strengthening competition and price transparency, and protecting people with pre-existing conditions. He said the aim should be lower premiums, prescription prices and out-of-pocket costs while keeping medical decisions between patients and physicians.

Katz connected that agenda to his experience at A.I. du Pont Hospital for Children, private practice, surgery centers and health-system operations. He also cited his work on the Delaware Health Information Network and legislation restructuring it as a public-private partnership as examples of coordinating care and managing resources.

Energy and housing were other parts of his affordability case. Katz supported American energy production, including nuclear power and natural gas, improvements to the electric grid and permitting changes intended to expand supply and reduce costs. On housing, he said unnecessary barriers to construction should be removed so young adults can buy homes and families can find affordable rents.

For retirees, Katz promised to protect Social Security and Medicare and oppose benefit cuts. He also pledged to protect Medicaid coverage for eligible families, people with disabilities and those needing long-term care. He paired those commitments with a call to reduce fraud, waste and duplication, balance the federal budget and begin paying down the national debt.

Katz said independence would include challenging President Trump or any future administration when he believed its actions were wrong for Delaware. He cited his state-Senate role in civil-union legislation as part of his record on equal treatment and said he would challenge his own party when necessary.

He supported congressional term limits and a ban on congressional stock trading. He also promised to explain his votes, remain engaged in Delaware between elections and avoid using the Senate seat as a route to higher office or an administration appointment.

Dr. Mike Katz’s October 21 statewide address, approximately 16:47–28:26 in the WGMD-linked campaign replay; introduced in Joe Ciccanti’s WGMD report. WGMD source · Watch Katz’s statewide address

Mid-Shore projects feature in Maryland’s draft transportation plan

Maryland’s proposed fiscal 2027–2032 transportation program includes Mid-Shore road, transit and airport work within a six-year statewide plan totaling $21.9 billion, Joe Ciccanti reported.

A $12.5 million US 50 project in Talbot County combines pedestrian access and traffic-flow improvements between Dutchmans Lane and Lomax Street. Work was described as continuing into fall 2027. A $5.7 million roundabout at MD 392 and MD 14 in East New Market is expected to start construction in summer 2027.

The account also distinguishes completed resurfacing in Caroline County from future work. The draft program is scheduled for submission to the General Assembly in January; proposed allocations are not assurances that every project has finished or every future milestone is fixed.

Joe Ciccanti, WGMD.com, October 21, incorporating MDOT project information; broadcast follow-up October 22. WGMD source

Beauchamp: rein in spending, keep dependable power and revisit septic rules

Delegate Barry Beauchamp says Maryland needs to control spending before imposing more taxes and fees, maintain dependable electric generation, and give Eastern Shore homeowners more workable septic-system rules. Those were central themes in his October 20 conversation with Mike Bradley as the Republican campaigned for District 38B.

Beauchamp described the district as politically competitive and said he had knocked on thousands of doors, seeking support beyond his own party. He argued that affordability gives candidates a way to reach voters who may otherwise be reluctant to vote Republican.

He singled out vehicle-registration fees as an example of the pressure on working households. He said Maryland’s approach to its budget cannot be sustained simply by collecting more from residents and businesses. Drawing on his decades in business, he argued that government must bring spending into line with available revenue.

Education spending was part of that answer. Beauchamp said the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future needed to be reined in because its commitments were not financially sustainable. He expected the legislature to revisit portions of the program and said he wanted spending choices examined rather than treated as untouchable.

On electricity, he argued that Maryland had allowed conventional generation to close before dependable replacements were ready. He described solar and wind as potential contributors but said they must be in place before other plants are retired. He also questioned the subsidies supporting renewable development. Bradley added his own criticism of renewable-purchase mandates and their effects on bills.

Beauchamp then connected septic regulation to home values. He said Eastern Shore groundwater and soil conditions differ from those on the Western Shore, and that replacement-system restrictions can leave longtime owners unable to sell a home at a value that supports retirement. He wants more flexibility for existing homes, while drawing on his own company’s experience installing septic systems.

On juvenile crime, Beauchamp criticized legislation that allows later review of some lengthy sentences and said the legislature had rejected amendments he and other opponents sought. He favored a stronger accountability approach for serious offenses.

Beauchamp entered the House after Carl Anderton left for a position in Gov. Wes Moore’s administration. He presented his appropriations work, business background and attention to household costs as reasons voters should retain him.

Mike Bradley interviewing Delegate Barry Beauchamp, October 20, approximately 7:21–7:35 a.m. Official name and District 38B confirmed through the Maryland General Assembly.

Winn links bridge work, the revenue cap and public-safety pay to his reelection case

James Winn says the clearest test of a council member is whether a needed project gets done. In his October 22 interview with Mike Bradley, the Wicomico County council member pointed to Barren Creek Road and bridge work, a changed park proposal, and a traffic signal as examples of the approach he wants to continue.

Winn currently holds an at-large seat and is seeking the District 2 seat. He said serving while holding a full-time job gives him the perspective of working families and that younger residents need representation in county decisions.

Barren Creek was a central reason for running again, he said. Winn described working for more than three years to revive the project and said the groundbreaking had taken place the previous day. He framed reopening the connection as a district need and said residents in the Mardela area had repeatedly raised it with him.

He also defended working with the county executive amid wider council-executive conflict. His example was a proposed park on Levin Dashiell Road. He said a town hall made clear that neighbors opposed the location and that he worked with the administration to redirect the funding toward another park project. He argued that cooperation, rather than personal conflict, made progress possible.

Taxes were another major part of his case. Winn supports keeping the county’s property-tax revenue cap. He said growth in the tax base had allowed the county to reduce the property-tax rate from 91 cents to 77 cents while still funding services. In his view, the cap requires county officials to look for efficiencies and other revenue sources instead of defaulting to a higher tax burden.

He paired that position with support for public safety. Winn cited a rise in starting deputy pay from about $45,000 to $70,000, increased support for EMS and volunteer fire companies, and a property-tax break for qualifying volunteer firefighters. He said the county had also increased its fund balance while investing in projects. During the interview he corrected himself to distinguish the fund balance from the annual budget.

Winn returned to listening sessions when discussing the intersection at Wright’s Market. He said residents’ concerns about moving farm equipment helped push officials to reconsider an S-turn design and pursue a traffic signal instead. He described that as both a safer fit for the community and a less expensive project.

His broader argument was that a council member should remain accessible, hear local concerns early and work across county agencies to turn those concerns into completed work.

Mike Bradley interviewing James Winn, October 22, approximately 7:40–8 a.m. Current at-large office and District 2 candidacy checked against county and campaign records.

Rutledge wants a state investigative bureau and a different focus for Maryland’s attorney general

James “Jim” Rutledge wants Maryland’s attorney general to put more emphasis on gangs, fraud and cybercrime and less on national political litigation. The Republican challenger to Attorney General Anthony Brown set out that case in his first interview with Mike Bradley on October 23.

Rutledge described a legal career spanning roughly four decades, including work as a felony and juvenile prosecutor and service in local government in Bel Air. He said growing up on a Harford County farm shaped his work ethic and interest in agriculture and conservation. A high-school visit to Dachau helped inspire his decision to study law.

Asked about the office, he distinguished the statewide attorney general from local state’s attorneys, who prosecute frontline county cases. He said he wanted the state office to support those prosecutors, advise state government on constitutional issues, and strengthen specialized investigations.

One proposal was a Maryland Bureau of Investigation independent of the governor. Rutledge envisioned drawing experienced investigators from municipal departments, counties and Maryland State Police into a unit focused on corruption, fraud and gangs. He said overwhelmed local prosecutors need that investigative capacity.

On juvenile crime, he emphasized going after adults who recruit younger people into gangs. He proposed using Maryland’s gang and corruption laws against adult organizers for crimes carried out through those relationships, rather than treating each juvenile incident in isolation.

Cybercrime was another priority. Rutledge wants the consumer-protection operation to use modern investigative methods against scams targeting older residents and online predators targeting children. He said government should learn from the trained teams and open-source investigative methods used by major companies to protect their own operations.

Rutledge also criticized the Community Trust Act. He argued that restrictions on communication between local and federal law enforcement were unconstitutional and said he would have urged the governor to veto the measure. That was his legal position in the interview.

He accused Brown of allowing national Democratic priorities to dominate decisions about suing the federal government. Rutledge said his own test would be Maryland residents’ needs and the rule of law. He also highlighted the Maryland State Fraternal Order of Police’s endorsement as a significant part of his campaign case.

Mike Bradley interviewing James “Jim” Rutledge, October 23, approximately 7:40–8 a.m.

Lewis seeks another term to expand partnerships and drug interdiction

Wicomico Sheriff Mike Lewis says a fully staffed department, a larger public-safety facility and relationships with federal and neighboring agencies position his office to expand drug interdiction over the next four years. He made that case for another term in an October 23 interview with Mike Bradley.

Lewis acknowledged that he had previously discussed retiring. He said he still had the energy and experience to serve, and that his daughter’s family moving back to the region reinforced his interest in the county’s future. He described the decision as a commitment to keep working with the deputies and staff rather than turn the office over before he felt ready.

He reported 103 sworn deputies and a total staff of about 139. After earlier recruiting difficulties, he said the office had reached its full deputy complement and had additional applicants interested in joining. He credited the move from a roughly 13,000-square-foot building to a 60,000-square-foot public-safety facility with helping both recruitment and retention.

Lewis emphasized his law-enforcement experience: 22 years with Maryland State Police and 20 as sheriff. He said work on drug interdiction and organized-crime cases had built contacts across agencies and across state lines that are useful when trafficking moves through DELMARVA.

For the next term, he wants closer day-to-day cooperation with Homeland Security, DEA, the US Marshals Service and FBI. He said he had offered space in the new building for an FBI presence, hoping that co-location would make joint work easier. He also wants more coordinated operations with neighboring counties along the US 13 and US 113 corridors, including arrangements that allow personnel to work together across county lines.

Bradley asked why a county sheriff takes part in national border and enforcement discussions. Lewis answered that the supply routes reaching Wicomico connect to problems outside county boundaries and that contacts farther along those routes help local investigations. He argued that his national work supports his local enforcement mission.

Lewis also discussed using drones, tracking technology and court-authorized phone monitoring in investigations. He said phone monitoring must require a judge’s signed order and linked those tools to pursuing traffickers.

Asked about relationships with county government, Lewis said successive executives and the council had helped bring the new facility to completion. He pledged to work with whoever wins the coming county elections and help incoming officials make a smooth transition.

Against opponent Lana Foley, Lewis asked voters to weigh his experience running the department and his existing partnerships. He also said he was encouraged by conversations with voters from both parties during early voting.

Mike Bradley interviewing Wicomico Sheriff Mike Lewis, October 23, approximately 8:20–8:40 a.m.

Maryland reports fewer stolen-benefit reimbursements

Maryland officials reported a 71% decline in reimbursements for stolen food and cash benefits during July–September, compared with the same period a year earlier, as the state moved to chip-and-tap EBT cards.

The Department of Human Services figures reported by Joe Ciccanti put reimbursements at approximately $898,000, down from $3.14 million, with 65% fewer theft claims. Those measures concern claims and reimbursements; they do not measure every theft or establish that the card transition alone caused the decline.

Joe Ciccanti, WGMD.com, October 21; local follow-up October 22. WGMD source

State teacher-vacancy figures do not describe every district

Mike Bradley reported Maryland officials’ figures showing teacher vacancies falling from 2,145 in the 2022–23 school year to 572 in the current school year, a 73.3% decline.

The statewide announcement credited recruitment, retention and salary initiatives. It did not provide the district-by-district figures needed to assess each Eastern Shore school system’s experience.

Mike Bradley’s local-news roundup, October 20–21; state figures attributed as presented on air.

Barren Creek Road reconstruction reaches an announced milestone

Wicomico County announced an October 21 groundbreaking for reconstruction of Barren Creek Road, the route near Mardela Springs that broadcast reports described as closed since a 2016 washout.

The county announced the groundbreaking for October 21. In his interview the following morning, Councilman James Winn said the ceremony had taken place and described his work to revive the project.

Mike Bradley’s local coverage, October 20–21; road name and scheduled milestone checked against Wicomico County’s announcement. Wicomico County groundbreaking announcement

Final tests find election-office powder nonhazardous

Final laboratory testing found no hazardous material in powder mailed to Delaware’s election commissioner’s office, Joe Ciccanti reported in an October 21 update.

The update superseded the earlier preliminary testing and relocation reports. It said operations at 905 S. Governors Avenue were to resume October 22, while the FBI and US Postal Inspection Service continued investigating. Later local broadcasts reported operations had resumed. Testing of the substance did not identify a sender or motive.

Joe Ciccanti, WGMD.com, October 21; The Talk of DELMARVA newsroom follow-up October 22. WGMD source

Salisbury apartment fire displaces six residents

An accidental fire at Pine Bluff Village on Riverside Drive in Salisbury displaced six residents, according to the fire-official account reported by Joe Ciccanti and subsequent local bulletins.

Alarms activated and no injuries were reported. The estimated loss was $20,000. Management and the American Red Cross were assisting affected residents at the time of the reports.

Joe Ciccanti, WGMD.com, October 22; local newsroom follow-up October 23. WGMD source

Hebron man sentenced in Salisbury killing

A Wicomico County judge sentenced Logan Trader, 25, of Hebron to 40 years, with all but 25 years suspended, followed by five years of supervised probation, Mari Lou reported.

Trader pleaded guilty to second-degree murder July 28. The report, citing court records, described a Salisbury gunfight after a dispute over a prior drug transaction. An uninvolved pedestrian was struck and died.

The sentencing account distinguishes the full imposed term from the 25 years left unsuspended.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 23, citing court records and the Wicomico County State’s Attorney. WGMD source

Hurlock burn-pile fire seriously injures an elderly man

An elderly man suffered serious burns after an outside burn pile spread to grass and vehicles on Osborne Road in Hurlock, Joe Ciccanti reported.

The fire marshal attributed the spread to an accidental fire extension and estimated the loss at $30,000. The report did not identify the patient.

Joe Ciccanti, WGMD.com, October 22, attributing the investigation to the fire marshal. WGMD source

Maryland reviews disaster-assistance center planning

Maryland emergency-management partners held a workshop on Disaster Assistance Center staffing, communications, site planning and survivor support, Joe Ciccanti reported.

Recommendations from the exercise will inform the next version of the plan. The workshop documents a planning step, rather than a demonstration that every proposed center is already operating.

Joe Ciccanti, WGMD.com, October 22; local newsroom follow-up October 23. WGMD source

Two charged in Salisbury assault investigation

Salisbury police accused Tyrelle Moss and Torres Savage in an October 18 assault outside Bury Tavern, Joe Ciccanti reported. The 43-year-old victim was reported in critical condition.

The October 22 account said Moss had been arrested and Savage was being sought. Those are the statuses reported at that time; the accusations are not convictions.

Joe Ciccanti, WGMD.com, October 22, attributing the investigation to Salisbury police. WGMD source

Dorchester death investigation leads to an indictment

Jacob Motley, 27, of East New Market, was arrested following an indictment in the death investigation of Timothy D. Wolfe Jr., 35, Joe Ciccanti reported.

The charges listed in the October 21 report include involuntary manslaughter, assault and reckless endangerment. The report dates discovery of Wolfe’s body near Golden Hill Road in Church Creek to August 15. The charges remain allegations.

Joe Ciccanti, WGMD.com, October 21. WGMD source

Somerset school employee faces abuse-related charges

Maryland State Police arrested Maurice Cotton Sr., 61, after a reported incident involving a 16-year-old at a Princess Anne barbershop, Joe Ciccanti reported.

The October 21 account lists sexual abuse of a minor, second-degree assault and a fourth-degree sexual offense. It identifies Cotton as a school employee and reports detention without bond at that time. The charges are allegations.

Joe Ciccanti, WGMD.com, October 21, attributing the case to Maryland State Police. WGMD source

All-way stop proposed near Laurel

Local bulletins reported plans to change the Old Stage Road/Salt Barn Road intersection near Laurel from a two-way stop to an all-way stop following fatal crashes in August and September.

The October 21 reports did not establish an installation date.

The Talk of DELMARVA News, October 21.

Teen-driver resources remain available after safety week

National Teen Driver Safety Week ended Saturday, but Delaware’s family resources remain available. The Office of Highway Safety’s new Local Lowdown installment features a Dover police school resource officer discussing safer driving.

OHS reports that 26 teenagers ages 15–19 died in Delaware crashes during 2021–25. The agency encourages recurring family conversations about speeding, distraction, impairment and unsafe passengers or drivers, along with parents modeling responsible habits. Its Graduated Driver Licensing Parent Orientation Program explains the responsibilities that accompany a new license.

WGMD local news, October 20; resources and the five-year fatality count checked against OHS’s October 19 release. Delaware OHS teen-driver resources

Wedgewood recall requires a product-and-lot check

Wedgewood Pharmacy has recalled certain unexpired compounded veterinary medicines because unreliable laboratory testing could mean products have too little or too much active medication. The company’s October 21 announcement, posted by the FDA, covers affected shipments from February 18 through October 6. It does not mean every Wedgewood product is recalled.

Owners should compare their product and lot with the company’s recall lookup. For an affected product, the notice directs owners to stop using it, retain it and contact recall services at 866-562-5931; medical concerns should go to their veterinarian. The notice lists phone hours Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–9 p.m. Eastern, and Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

The medicines covered are for companion and other non-food-producing animals. A veterinarian should guide treatment alternatives.

Aired network report, October 22; scope and customer instructions checked against the company announcement posted by FDA. FDA-posted Wedgewood recall notice · Product and lot lookup

McGee moves from Snow Hill to Pocomoke City

WGMD’s local bulletin reported that Snow Hill Police Chief Andy McGee is leaving for the chief’s role in Pocomoke City, with Detective Sergeant Rudell Brown named interim chief in Snow Hill during the replacement search.

Pocomoke City’s official announcement identifies its new chief as Richard “Andy” McGee.

WGMD morning newsroom, October 19; McGee’s identity and Pocomoke appointment checked against the city’s announcement. Brown’s interim assignment is attributed to the aired bulletin. Pocomoke City police-chief announcement

On the national shows: energy, affordability, constitutionalism and the closing campaign

The week’s syndicated interviews brought competing campaign strategies and policy arguments to The Talk of DELMARVA. The hosts frequently endorsed candidates or urged their audiences to help; these accounts identify who made the case.

Bruce Blakeman: a New York campaign built around utility bills and public safety

Bruce Blakeman told Clay Travis and Buck Sexton that his route to the New York governorship depends on discontent with taxes, utility bills and public safety. He argued that the state should expand natural-gas production rather than rely on the wind and solar policies he criticized. He also promised to reverse sanctuary policies and allow more cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration officers.

The hosts pressed him on the electoral arithmetic: Republicans need votes outside their upstate base and a stronger showing in New York City. Blakeman said he was seeking Jewish voters and Democrats dissatisfied with their party’s direction. He described the race as competitive using polling available to his campaign. The Saturday Sound Off presentation also carried a Blakeman interview; its original recording date was not established.

Scott Bessent: the administration’s answer to the affordability squeeze

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Clay and Buck that the administration’s approach combines private-sector job growth, allowing workers to retain more income through tax changes, and expanding supply. He acknowledged the energy-price shock but argued that wage growth, food prices and prescription costs showed progress. He tied housing rents to the relationship between population and available supply and defended the administration’s immigration approach in that context.

Asked whether the economy was too dependent on artificial intelligence, Bessent said construction and manufacturing investment showed a broader base. He described a sequence in which building factories first creates construction jobs and later produces manufacturing jobs. The hosts also asked about the GENIUS Act. Bessent discussed stablecoins, dollar-backed payments and bringing digital-asset activity into a US regulatory framework. His account was the administration’s case for its policies and expected benefits.

Scott Perry: debt and a difficult Pennsylvania district

Rep. Scott Perry described his Pennsylvania Tenth District contest to Mark Levin as another expensive fight in a closely divided district. He argued that federal debt is the product of decisions by both parties and presented himself as someone willing to challenge that spending. He also recounted the federal seizure of his phone and criticized the investigation. Levin supported his candidacy and urged listeners to help. The policy contrast Perry wanted to emphasize was constitutional limits and spending restraint, alongside the campaign’s battle over his record.

John Braun: manufacturing experience and affordability

John Braun, Washington’s state-Senate Republican leader, told Levin that his experience building a manufacturing business informs his congressional campaign in Southwest Washington. He described growing a family emergency-vehicle business and working in what he considers a difficult regulatory environment. He paired that background with Navy service and years in the state legislature.

Braun emphasized affordability, taxes, border security and parental rights. He also discussed the practical work of turning out voters in an all-mail election and following up with people who had not returned their ballots. Levin endorsed the campaign. Braun’s argument was that legislative experience and the challenges of running a business would translate into a different approach in Congress.

James Lindsay: the dispute over national conservatism

Dr. James Lindsay and Levin spent a substantial part of Tuesday’s conversation criticizing national conservatism. Lindsay argued that some of its advocates use the word “liberal” to conflate progressive politics with the constitutional tradition of the American founding. He defended individual rights and the role of thinkers such as John Locke while accusing the movement of substituting a collective national project.

Levin pressed him on appeals to the common good and whether the proposed economic approach would expand state power. Their disagreement was with a movement on the right, rather than only with Democrats. Both argued that constitutional limits should remain the test for conservative policy.

Shabbos Kestenbaum: antisemitism and the coalitions around campus activism

Buck Sexton, hosting without Clay on Wednesday, interviewed PragerU’s Shabbos Kestenbaum about antisemitism, youth politics and campus activism. Kestenbaum argued that Palestinian activism has become a connecting cause for otherwise different political movements. He linked that argument to how candidates discuss Israel and to the stakes he sees in Michigan’s Senate race.

Sexton asked whether hostility toward Israel was becoming more normalized among young Americans and what Jewish voters were taking from it. Kestenbaum described his own move away from the Democratic Party and argued for a stronger political response. The interview’s focus was how those experiences shape voting and activism.

Doug Schoen: participation numbers cannot tell the whole electoral story

Democratic pollster Doug Schoen told Sexton that the House and Senate presented different pictures. He expected Democrats to be well placed in the House, while describing several Senate races as close enough to remain uncertain. Sexton asked about Texas and other competitive states and about reading the early-vote totals.

Schoen’s analysis treated turnout as one input, not a substitute for knowing whom people supported. The interview gave listeners a different forecast from the more optimistic Republican assessments heard elsewhere on the station.

Greg Abbott and Byron Donalds: turn out the whole ticket

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott used appearances with Hannity and Levin to promote his state record and urge participation. His arguments focused on immigration, public safety, bail policy and the contrast he drew with his opponent. Hannity supported his reelection and connected the race to the importance of keeping Republican voters engaged through the final days.

Florida gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds made a related down-ballot argument with Clay and Buck. After redistricting, he said, voters should check their congressional district and take the House races as seriously as the contests at the top of the ticket. He highlighted Republican candidates in competitive districts and argued that a strong statewide turnout could help determine control of Congress.

Newt Gingrich, Mark Halperin and Matt Towery: different ways to read a close race

Gingrich offered scenarios for Republican improvement, putting weight on turnout and the closing campaign. When an Ohio early-vote claim came up, he identified it as unvetted rather than treating it as a settled count. Halperin and Towery’s discussions with Hannity likewise examined competitive states, polling and which voters campaigns still needed to reach.

Towery challenged how public polls and media coverage portrayed Republican prospects. These interviews asked what might happen next and how campaigns should respond. They did not provide election results, and their differing forecasts remain part of the week’s political debate.

Bill O’Reilly, Julian Epstein and Brian Kilmeade: diplomacy, party direction and history

O’Reilly’s Hannity conversation included the president’s diplomacy and the choices facing the United States in dealing with Russia. His emphasis was on judging leverage and consequences rather than assuming talks alone settle a conflict.

Democratic attorney Julian Epstein criticized the ideological direction of parts of his own party and discussed antisemitism and candidate rhetoric with Hannity. Brian Kilmeade discussed his book about moments that helped unite the country, alongside the campaign. Their conversations approached the election through different lenses: foreign policy, political identity and the lessons offered by history.

Roger Marshall: Kansas and control of the Senate

Sen. Roger Marshall used his Hannity interview to ask Kansas Republicans to treat the race as consequential rather than assume the state would remain safely Republican. He emphasized his record and asked supporters to turn out. Hannity endorsed him and framed the contest around control of the Senate.

Rich Valdes substituted for Levin on Friday. His interviews, calls and commentary belong to his hosting shift, rather than to Levin personally.

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, The Mark Levin Show and The Sean Hannity Show, October 19–24; original program/date and replay limitations preserved. Doug Schoen — firm biography

Accountability remarks prompt a debate about serving in government

A recorded excerpt of Sen. Elissa Slotkin discussing consequences for people enabling a president drew sustained criticism across the week’s talk programs. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton interpreted the language as a threat that could deter younger employees from public service.

Sean Hannity and America First Legal’s Gene Hamilton discussed the remarks in legal and political terms. MJ Powell and Friday substitute host Rich Valdes also raised oversight and intimidation arguments. Their interpretations were separate from a resulting prosecution, ruling or finding about criminal intent.

YNTA and syndicated/local talk coverage, October 20–24; Gene Hamilton’s identity checked against America First Legal.

Sexton calls for more research in a health-policy discussion

Buck Sexton used recorded Robert F. Kennedy Jr. remarks to discuss nutrition, chronic disease, peptide research and domestic production. He argued for further research and criticized aspects of the existing market.

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, October 21, 1 p.m. hour; Buck Sexton hosting solo.

DOJ warns against stacking manufactured-home lot-rent increases

Delaware’s Consumer Protection Unit has received complaints that manufactured-home community owners combined inflation-based increases with phased market-rent increases in the same year, Mari Lou reported.

Consumer Protection Director Victoria Finkle said the approaches cannot be combined in that way and warned of possible enforcement under the manufactured-housing law and Consumer Fraud Act. The statutory framework allows specified alternative methods for setting increases; the Justice Department’s letter explains its interpretation of how those methods interact.

The report describes complaints and the agency’s legal position. It does not identify an adjudicated violation by a particular community owner.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 19, incorporating DOJ’s explanation; relevant Delaware Code provisions checked. Delaware rent-increase statutes · WGMD source

Delaware opens a coordinated inspection pathway

Delaware’s new joint-inspection pilot gives eligible businesses that have not yet opened a coordinated path through state applications and pre-opening inspections.

The Office of Small Business Access, led by Anastasia Jackson, coordinates participating agencies under Executive Order 21. Owners are introduced to the service through Delaware One Stop and may opt in to a process that identifies required permits and applications and helps coordinate agency reviews.

The pilot covers a range of small businesses, including shops, salons, restaurants, childcare operations and some manufacturing or distribution facilities. Its launch establishes the announced process, not measured proof that every participant will open faster.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 19; Mike Bradley’s follow-up local coverage. WGMD source

Verizon broadband project joins JobsFirst

Delaware has added Verizon’s BEAD broadband project to its JobsFirst permitting accelerator, Mari Lou reported.

State officials say the project will reach more than 2,000 homes and businesses. Chief Information Officer Bob Osmond described a $43.3 million commitment and nearly four dollars of private capital for each federal dollar invested.

The announced acceleration coordinates permitting. It is separate from completion of construction or confirmation that a particular address can order service.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 20; state and company statements attributed in the report. WGMD source

Cooperative puts Beat the Peak savings above $50 million

Delaware Electric Cooperative says its voluntary Beat the Peak program has saved members more than $50 million in power costs since 2008, including $4.5 million in 2026.

The program asks members to cut electricity use when wholesale power is most expensive. The totals are the cooperative’s estimates of program savings; the report does not establish an equal dollar saving for every household.

Joe Ciccanti, WGMD.com, October 22; The Talk of DELMARVA newsroom follow-up October 23. WGMD source

Maryland creates a maritime task force

Gov. Wes Moore created a Maryland Maritime Task Force to coordinate industry, workforce and regulatory opportunities, Joe Ciccanti reported.

The group will examine federal and commercial prospects, training, funding and possible incentives. Its work also includes preparation for a potential federal Maritime Prosperity Zone program if Congress establishes it. The executive order does not itself award such a designation.

Joe Ciccanti, WGMD.com, October 22; local follow-up October 23. WGMD source

Workers’ compensation reductions take effect December 1

Delaware Insurance Commissioner Trinidad Navarro announced a tenth consecutive annual workers’ compensation decrease, effective December 1.

The official October 20 announcement puts the voluntary market’s average loss-cost decrease at 3.99% and the residual market’s average rate decrease at 4.11%. Actual policy savings will vary. Lower insurance costs do not change an injured worker’s compensation benefits.

The Talk of DELMARVA News, October 21–22; figures checked against the Department of Insurance announcement. Official insurance announcement

Public Advocate seeks scrutiny of utility returns

A local news report said Delaware’s Division of the Public Advocate petitioned the Public Service Commission to examine utilities’ authorized return on equity.

That regulatory measure concerns the return permitted on invested equity. It should not be confused with the percentage change in a household bill or a statement of a utility’s realized profit.

The Talk of DELMARVA News, October 22, 5 a.m. hour.

FTC sends refunds in Walmart money-transfer settlement

The Federal Trade Commission says it is distributing more than $9.8 million to 65,022 consumers affected by alleged failures to prevent fraud through Walmart’s money-transfer services. Walmart settled the agency’s charges in June 2025.

Recipients should follow the deadline on their checks, which the FTC says is 90 days. Questions about an existing payment can go to refund administrator Rust Consulting at 1-833-472-1990. The FTC says recipients never need to pay a fee or supply account information to obtain an agency refund.

WGMD morning newsroom, October 19; payment figures and instructions checked against the FTC’s October announcement. FTC refund announcement

Clay Patton’s DELMARVA Ag Report: harvest pressure, soybeans and fuel costs

Harvest pressure weighed on grain markets through the week, while a late rebound in soybeans provided one brighter spot in Clay Patton’s DELMARVA Ag Report. His Monday-through-Friday updates on First Light DELMARVA followed the grain, livestock and dairy trades alongside the fuel costs and fieldwork facing producers.

Grain markets: soybeans recover some ground

Friday morning’s report carried Thursday, October 22 closing futures: December corn at $4.6050 a bushel, November soybeans at $12.5300 and December Chicago wheat at $6.2475. Compared with the October 16 closes carried in Monday’s report, corn was down 13¾ cents, soybeans down 8¼ cents and wheat down 35¾ cents a bushel. These are the futures quotations from the broadcasts; local elevator bids include their own basis.

The path through the week mattered. Corn fell from $4.7425 at the October 16 close to $4.62 on Tuesday, briefly gained ground Wednesday and slipped again Thursday. November soybeans declined from $12.6125 to $12.4525 by Wednesday before recovering 7¾ cents Thursday. Patton linked that recovery to stronger export-sales news and Chinese buying.

Wheat sustained the largest decline among those three contracts. Thursday morning, Patton connected selling pressure with renewed hopes for peace in the Black Sea region and the possibility of more grain reaching the market. His earlier reports emphasized the pressure arriving with continued harvest progress.

Harvest and cover crops

Wednesday’s fieldwork update turned to Maryland Extension’s account from Frederick County. Silage harvest had advanced, soybean harvest was continuing, and producers were preparing or planting cover crops behind harvested fields. Rain was the next ingredient they wanted to help those crops germinate and emerge.

That report put a practical task beside the daily price changes: getting the next cover established while finishing the crop already in the field. It was a central Maryland field report, rather than a yield estimate for all of DELMARVA.

Livestock and dairy

Cattle were a stronger feature early in the week and in the Wednesday trade discussed Thursday morning. Hogs were weaker in several of the updates. By Friday’s broadcast, Patton reported that both cattle and hogs had fallen in Thursday’s session.

Dairy trading also changed direction. Early support associated with New Zealand prices gave way to a weaker tone later in the week. Friday’s report described mixed trading and a sharp move in fluid milk on thin volume, with Patton cautioning against treating that session alone as an established trend.

Fuel relief and farm policy

Tuesday’s report described an announced $8 billion Harvest Fuel Relief effort intended to address higher input costs and market disruptions. Patton said commodity-specific payment rates were expected in November and discussed the inclusion of specialty-crop producers and fishermen in the request for fuel-cost information.

Thursday’s update brought the issue home to the Eastern Shore through Rep. Andy Harris’s support for the effort and his concern about fuel costs cutting into farmers’ and watermen’s earnings. Separate local coverage and MJ Powell’s discussion also addressed the announcement; Powell questioned its political timing.

Patton’s midweek reports additionally highlighted Pennsylvania’s first ten-year strategic plan for agriculture, broadening the policy roundup beyond immediate harvest costs.

Clay Patton, DELMARVA Ag Report on First Light DELMARVA, WGMD 92.7 and 98.5, October 19–23, 5 a.m. broadcasts. Grain quotations: October 16 and October 19–22 closes; Friday morning’s report covers Thursday’s close. Related local coverage and MJ Powell commentary, October 20–22.

Dyed-diesel relief raises a cross-border enforcement question

Delaware enforcement agents said they would honor Maryland’s temporary dyed-diesel waiver for qualifying agricultural and forestry hauling while Maryland’s authorization remained effective, Mari Lou reported in an October 19 update.

The report distinguishes that state enforcement position from federal requirements and from separate hauling-permit rules that depend on the vehicle, load and road. The temporary announcement is not blanket permission for every diesel-powered vehicle to use dyed fuel.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 19; local newsroom coverage October 20. Current operating eligibility remains governed by the applicable official authorization. WGMD source

Young striped-bass survey improves but stays below average

Maryland’s 2026 juvenile striped-bass index rose to 5.5, compared with 4.0 in 2025 and 2.0 in 2024, according to the DNR survey account reported by Mari Lou and discussed by Eric Burnley.

It remains below the survey’s long-term average of 10.8, marking an eighth consecutive below-average year. The survey captured 723 juveniles, with fish more widely distributed than in recent years.

The young-of-year measure concerns reproduction and nursery conditions. An improved index does not establish recovery of the adult stock.

Mari Lou, WGMD.com, October 19; Eric Burnley’s October 21 fishing feature. WGMD source · WGMD source

Burnley’s week: rough seas, trout stocking and inlet tog

Persistent northeast winds and rough water limited fishing during the week. In his Sunday morning report, Eric Burnley described northeast winds of 5–10 knots and seas of 3–4 feet, following Saturday’s rougher conditions.

Monday offered the better window in his outlook: northwest winds of 5–10 knots and seas near 3 feet. He expected northeast winds and higher seas to return Tuesday.

Old Inlet Bait and Tackle reported tog at Indian River Inlet, with more keepers taking sand fleas. Burnley said rough surf continued to prevent beach fishing. Earlier weekday reports also covered White Clay Creek trout stocking and catches of white perch and crappie.

Eric Burnley, The Talk of DELMARVA fishing features, October 20–25; Sunday report posted on WGMD.com at 5:02 a.m. Eastern. WGMD source · WGMD source · WGMD source · WGMD source · Sunday fishing report

DELMARVA high-school football scoreboard · October 22–24

Lake Forest’s 51–12 win over Milford and Easton’s 42–7 win over Wicomico join the weekend’s results across Delaware and the Eastern Shore. The scoreboard below includes 30 reported finals, organized by region and date.

Andy Walter joined Mike Bradley Friday morning to discuss Henlopen tournament positioning and the Sussex Tech–Delmar, Seaford–Newark Charter and Indian River–Woodbridge matchups.

Delaware · Friday, October 23

Delaware · Saturday, October 24

Maryland Eastern Shore · Friday, October 23

Upper Eastern Shore / Cecil County · Friday, October 23

Virginia Eastern Shore · Friday, October 23

Delaware · Thursday, October 22

Maryland Eastern Shore · Saturday, October 24

Finals still being confirmed: Wilmington Friends–Mount Pleasant; Delcastle–Wilmington Charter; Hodgson–William Penn; Newark–Concord. Middletown–Caravel’s result designation is also being checked.

Mike Bradley and Andy Walter’s Friday preview; WGMD’s Saturday sports bulletin; expanded results from school athletics records, score-reporting platforms and Shore Daily News. Sunday morning update includes Parkside’s 40–19 win over Queen Anne’s County. School athletics results · Milford’s official schedule · Kent County school-platform schedule · Maryland score reports · Additional Delaware score reports · Virginia Eastern Shore results · Saturday Maryland results

Matt Borbash connects Navy Week to the science beneath the fleet

For Matt Borbash, Sussex County Navy Week was a chance to connect work far offshore with a region he knows personally. The Navy’s deputy hydrographer joined Mike Bradley on October 19 to explain both the week’s outreach and the ocean science behind the fleet.

Borbash described sailors visiting from several Navy organizations, including hometown personnel returning to the region. School and junior-ROTC visits would introduce students to STEM careers in and out of uniform. He also described partnerships with local chambers, Delaware State Parks and community organizations, including the Food Bank of Delaware and Habitat for Humanity. The Sea Witch weekend was part of the week’s closing activities.

His own technical work begins with the shape and depth of the ocean. Borbash explained that mapping the seafloor helps ships and submarines navigate safely, but also feeds computer models of currents and the way sound travels underwater. Those models can matter to operational effectiveness as well as safety.

The tools include sonar aboard survey ships, airborne lidar and autonomous underwater systems. Their measurements become navigation charts and inputs to high-performance computers used to forecast ocean conditions.

Bradley asked why the work matters beyond the military. Borbash connected dependable charts to cargo vessels reaching ports safely, the cost of insurance and keeping maritime trade moving. He described the Navy’s work in international waters alongside NOAA’s hydrographic work in US waters as different parts of the same national need.

Mike Bradley’s interview with Matt Borbash, October 19, 8 a.m. hour; name checked against Navy and hydrographic records.

Salute the Troops remembers Klass, Mosko and Moore

Jake Smith’s Salute the Troops tributes this week honored three service members whose names were checked against official records.

Monday’s tribute remembered Army Pfc. Alexander Blake Klass, 20, of Willamina, Oregon. He died July 4, 2020, in a noncombat incident while supporting Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo.

Tuesday’s tribute honored Navy Lt. Christopher E. Mosko, an explosive ordnance disposal officer who died during combat operations in Afghanistan in April 2012.

Wednesday’s tribute remembered Army Spc. Antonio I. Moore, 22, of Wilmington, North Carolina, who died January 24, 2020, during a vehicle rollover while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria.

Salute the Troops with Jake Smith, October 19–21; official casualty releases and New Jersey Executive Order 95 used for identity checks. Alexander Blake Klass official record · Christopher E. Mosko official memorial order · Antonio I. Moore official record

Monday on YNTA: Europe, elections and access to care

Europe’s unrest, election administration and access to treatment drove Monday’s Your News Talk America. Jake Smith’s guests did not all give the same explanation of events overseas.

Paul Davis: Europe’s upheaval and America’s alliances

Paul Davis of the Institute of World Politics argued that the unrest reflected deeper problems of political identity, immigration and weak leadership. He compared cooperation among different radical movements with earlier revolutionary alliances and asked what Europe’s condition means for the United States. Smith connected that question to NATO and the strength of American partners. Davis’s concern was that a country’s military and diplomatic importance cannot be separated from its domestic cohesion and ability to govern.

Antonio Graceffo: unemployment and different explanations for the violence

Economist Antonio Graceffo, speaking from Italy, focused on young people’s prospects and the political organizations involved in street violence. He corrected the geographic scope of a youth-unemployment figure raised by Smith: the roughly 40% figure he had discussed concerned southern Italy, not the entire country. He also drew a distinction in his own research, saying he had found clearer links to left-wing organizations than to Islam. Smith pressed a stronger religious explanation. Graceffo’s caution on that point was an important difference within the discussion.

Peter Connelly: the strain on public services

Irish lobbyist and immigration analyst Peter Connelly approached the unrest through the cost of supporting a growing population. Speaking from Ireland, he discussed health spending, housing and social-service demands and argued that governments cannot keep expanding commitments without the economic growth to support them. Smith asked whether France’s financial pressures could spread across Europe. Connelly also questioned how the unrest was being covered, contrasting what he was seeing on social media with traditional coverage.

Julia R. Cartwright: when spending promises meet borrowing limits

Economist Julia R. Cartwright of the American Institute for Economic Research examined the fiscal problem beneath the headlines. She argued that France’s familiar response of spending more to quiet discontent is harder when debt, deficits and borrowing costs are already under pressure. Political instability, she said, compounds the difficulty of making durable budget decisions. Smith brought the question back to the United States and to possible spillovers through a connected global economy. Cartwright’s analysis focused on the limits of financing promises, rather than treating unrest alone as an economic diagnosis.

James S. Robbins: what is the United States defending in Europe?

James S. Robbins of the Institute of World Politics linked the discussion to NATO, national identity and the future of US-European relations. He argued that changes in Europe’s political and cultural direction raise questions about the relationships Americans have long assumed. He pointed to the growth of nationalist and conservative parties as a possible correction, while saying established parties were resisting them. Smith asked whether events overseas could influence American voters considering the direction of their own government.

Don Palmer: verification and enforcement

Don Palmer, a Heritage Foundation election-integrity fellow, argued that state election officials should cooperate with federal citizenship checks and voter-roll review. He said the penalties for illegal voting can provide a deterrent if prosecutors enforce them, and favored notifying people whose eligibility is questioned and requiring the issue to be resolved. Smith pressed him on registration as well as voting. The discussion moved among registration records, investigations and prosecutions; Palmer’s case was for more systematic verification and enforcement.

Lora Ries: denaturalization and the consequences of an invalid status

Heritage’s Lora Ries explained her position that immigration fraud should be investigated even when it is alleged long after citizenship was granted. She described how a finding that an underlying immigration status was invalid could affect benefits derived from that status. Smith pressed her about allegations involving Rep. Ilhan Omar and about comparisons with earlier denaturalization cases. No adjudication of those allegations was supplied with the interview. Ries also argued that US policymakers should treat events in Europe as a warning about immigration policy.

Sara Itkoff: target fraud without cutting legitimate autism care

Sara Itkoff of Autism Families Alliance described a Georgia reimbursement reduction that she said threatened providers’ ability to serve children with autism. Her distinction was between investigating dishonest billing and reducing the capacity of the entire care system. She urged insurers, providers and other stakeholders to work together on more targeted enforcement. When Smith raised broader fraud allegations, Itkoff returned to the effect on children and families who legitimately need treatment. DIAL participants added personal experience, including a listener’s account of his late wife’s work teaching children with autism.

Jake Smith’s Your News Talk America interviews, October 19, 9 a.m.–noon. Guest identities checked against the day’s show notes. Monday show notes and replay entry

Tuesday on YNTA: institutions, banking and sports eligibility

Tuesday’s Your News Talk America moved from Europe’s unrest to banking access, an Amelia Earhart theory, the economy and school-sports eligibility.

Alex Newman: sovereignty and immigration

Alex Newman of Liberty Sentinel Media framed the unrest in France as part of a wider Western European problem. Drawing on time living in Sweden, he argued that immigration policy, national sovereignty and the decisions of political elites were connected. Smith asked whether Americans were treating Europe as a distant problem rather than a warning. Newman’s answer was that US conservatives should expect similar political pressures at home. The exchange was an ideological assessment of the direction of Western governments.

Elaine Ellinger: how to understand the threat

Elaine Ellinger argued that security services should examine the ideology and incentives behind extremist activity rather than respond only to individual incidents. Smith asked about the distinction between Muslims as individuals and Islamist movements. Ellinger said individuals participate to varying degrees but that her focus was the structure of the ideology. The interview put that interpretation alongside the day’s discussion of violence in France and the pressures on European governments.

Simon Hankinson: why an ordinary French protest can change character

Heritage researcher Simon Hankinson joined after technical problems delayed his appearance. A former US consul general in Marseille, he said public-sector strikes and union solidarity demonstrations are familiar parts of French life. His concern was the combination of those traditions with unemployment, alienated young people and political groups looking to exploit unrest. When Smith asked about banning organizations, Hankinson raised the difficulty of doing so without restricting free speech. He favored exposing and challenging their activities.

Mark Shaw: the Earhart–Kilgallen connection

Author and former defense attorney Mark Shaw discussed his book Girl Around the World and the connection he had traced between Amelia Earhart and reporter Dorothy Kilgallen. He described their relationship in New York social circles and focused on Kilgallen’s July 6, 1937 column as a lead that he believes deserves more attention. He criticized researchers and institutions for overlooking material he considers important. Smith asked how that evidence fits among the many competing accounts of Earhart’s disappearance; Shaw presented his own theory and research path.

E.J. Antoni: the regulatory pressure behind debanking

Heritage economist E.J. Antoni criticized banks’ sharing of customer information and the use of regulatory pressure against disfavored customers. He also resisted putting all the blame on individual banks: in his view, an industry that is heavily dependent on regulators has limited room to resist demands. Smith asked whether customers could fight back by moving to community banks. Antoni said consumer choice alone cannot remove the regulatory incentives and argued that restraining government power is central to preventing recurrence.

Phil Kerpen: a strong corporate sector and a squeezed household

Phil Kerpen of American Commitment offered an optimistic view of corporate performance while acknowledging that many households still dislike fuel and borrowing costs. He said rising investments can cushion people who hold stocks, even while those without such assets feel left behind. He also explained why fuel prices can climb rapidly during a supply shock and decline more slowly as inventories recover. Smith distinguished gasoline from diesel and its effects on trucking and agriculture. An observation from economist Jeffery Degner was read from DIAL; it was a written contribution, not a live interview.

Paula Scanlan: female athletes and eligibility rules

Paula Scanlan used a reported Washington cross-country walkout to argue for preserving female sports categories. She said the effects reach beyond one competition to the opportunities athletes have worked toward over years. Smith asked about other cases and about the response of sports organizations. Scanlan argued that governing bodies were failing to respond to widespread concern. The discussion included Smith’s separate criticism of professional-league leadership; it did not provide a league document establishing any individual player’s eligibility.

Jake Smith’s Your News Talk America interviews, October 20, 9 a.m.–noon. Guest identities checked against the day’s show notes. Tuesday show notes and replay entry

Wednesday on YNTA: benefits, voter rolls and foreign policy

Wednesday’s Your News Talk America examined the cost of a single-payer health system, routes into rehabilitation, election verification and US leverage overseas.

Brandon Arnold: financing comes before promises

Brandon Arnold, executive vice president of the National Taxpayers Union, challenged Medicare for All on its financing and on the role it would leave for private insurance. He argued that taxing wealthy households alone would not meet the cost of the proposals he was discussing. Smith contrasted existing programs supported through years of payroll contributions with an expanded universal promise. Arnold’s larger point was that any proposal needs a credible financing mechanism. The conversation also turned to the use of death records to identify improper benefit payments and the distinction between an error and fraud.

Lauren Fitzgerald: getting from the ER to rehabilitation

Lauren Fitzgerald, PAM Health Dover’s director of strategic initiatives, explained how referrals can come from an emergency department or, in suitable cases, from home. Asked about a fall, she recommended an emergency evaluation first to identify injuries. She said PAM’s navigators work with hospital case managers, physicians, patients and families to assess a rehabilitation referral. Examples included stroke-related problems, loss of strength after illness and difficulty with daily activities. She said direct transfer may sometimes happen the same day, depending on clinical criteria and an available bed. This was a provider interview about PAM’s services.

Don Palmer: federal tools and state voter rolls

In his second appearance of the week, Don Palmer focused on California and the use of the federal SAVE system to check citizenship. He argued that a system used to assess eligibility for government benefits should also be used for voter verification. Smith asked why states resisted federal access and how litigation could address the dispute. A DIAL participant asked about possible remedies. Palmer’s argument concerned verification practices and cooperation; the different registration estimates raised during the program were not a count of unlawful ballots.

Scott McKay: Europe as a political warning

Scott McKay, contributing editor of The American Spectator, discussed France’s unrest in the context of political organization, law enforcement and American debates about the left. Smith asked whether US voters were recognizing a connection to their own choices. The conversation also moved to Cuba and the question of which outside powers might gain influence if the island’s government weakened. That question carried into the next interview, rather than being resolved as an announced US policy.

Christine Balling: Cuba’s intelligence relationships and outside influence

Christine Balling of the Institute of World Politics distinguished Cuba’s longstanding intelligence relationships with China, Russia and Iran from the question of whether those countries would intervene to help it. She said China had not meaningfully stepped in to replace lost fuel supplies and doubted that immediate action was its priority. Asked about the reported Florida action involving Raúl Castro, she described it as largely symbolic and questioned the practical value of trying to bring the elderly former leader to the United States. DIAL questions extended the discussion to possible future arrangements for Cuba.

Bradley A. Thayer: leverage among three powers

Dr. Bradley A. Thayer argued that a possible Trump meeting with Putin and Xi should be viewed through the balance of power, rather than as a favor granted to either rival. He said Russia needs an alternative to growing dependence on China and that China needs economic access to the United States. Smith pressed him on whether the president could divide the two. Thayer’s answer was that the United States should use those differing needs to its advantage. He tied that approach to the longer struggle with communism discussed in his book.

Jake Smith’s Your News Talk America interviews, October 21, 9 a.m.–noon. Guest identities checked against the day’s show notes. Wednesday show notes and replay entry

Thursday on YNTA: unelected power, energy and representation

Thursday’s Your News Talk America put institutional power beside practical questions about energy, housing, policing and political representation.

Joshua Lisec: who controls money after Congress appropriates it?

Joshua Lisec discussed Unelected, his coauthored book about power outside elected office. He argued that Congress has effectively ceded too much control over spending once appropriated money enters the administrative system. His concern was the chain of grants, nongovernmental organizations and institutions that make decisions beyond voters’ direct reach. Smith linked the thesis to the approaching midterms and accountability for federal officials. Lisec argued that the post-election period matters because political control can determine how those institutions are used.

Ryan Morgan: recovering shipping volume does not erase war costs

Epoch Times Pentagon reporter Ryan Morgan explained why energy shipments returning toward earlier levels through the Strait of Hormuz would not necessarily bring an immediate return to earlier prices. He pointed to crew hazard pay, insurance costs, naval protection and continuing uncertainty. Asked about large conventional bombs and possible strikes on Iran, he distinguished a dramatic explosion from the ability to destroy a deeply buried facility. Morgan said he wanted to clarify what was known rather than keep a rumor mill spinning, and cautioned against assuming one weapon would end the conflict.

Sarah Wagoner: the cost of restricting energy options

Heritage analyst Sarah Wagoner argued that regulation helps explain why some states’ electricity and fuel costs are higher than others. California was her example: she criticized policies that limit conventional supply or require particular energy sources, including carbon-market and fuel-standard programs. She acknowledged the wider effects of Middle East supply disruptions but said local policy determines how much flexibility a state has to respond. Smith connected the issue to household affordability and asked why political leaders continue policies she considers costly.

John Gibbs: housing demand, investors and supply

Heritage’s John Gibbs used Spain to illustrate a housing squeeze. His argument had two demand components: population growth and investors buying second or vacation homes. Without a matching expansion of supply, he said, residents compete for fewer available homes. He criticized an emphasis on making evictions harder or controlling rents, arguing that discouraging landlords can reduce rental supply further. Smith asked what Americans should learn from that combination. The discussion was about Spain; a separate DIAL question referring to Portugal did not change the country under discussion.

Rafael A. Mangual: use of force and pretrial detention

Manhattan Institute fellow Rafael A. Mangual challenged the premise that New York’s police need a broad new correction in how they use force. He argued that the department’s record shows restraint and that political pressure on its leadership can undermine stability. Smith asked about an attack on an off-duty detective and the difficulty of governing while answering to police critics. Mangual also compared pretrial-detention approaches in New York and Tennessee, emphasizing the importance of assessing public-safety risk rather than treating every defendant alike.

John H. Cox: smaller constituencies instead of bigger campaign budgets

Former California gubernatorial candidate John H. Cox argued that political structure matters as much as the people elected within it. He criticized a system built around expensive advertising, short sound bites and donors seeking influence. His proposed alternative draws on New Hampshire’s large legislature and small constituencies: candidates can reach neighbors directly and be judged on competence, character and local accountability. Smith and DIAL participants tested the idea against independent candidacies and changes to the Seventeenth Amendment. Cox’s aim was to reduce the money needed to get elected and the leverage that money gives donors.

Jake Smith’s Your News Talk America interviews, October 22, 9 a.m.–noon. Guest identities checked against the day’s show notes. Thursday show notes and replay entry

Friday on YNTA: the Middle East, independent politics and Medicare

Friday’s Your News Talk America included sharp disagreements and some answers that challenged the question’s premise, alongside campaign and consumer interviews.

Curtis Houck: how networks frame political investigations

Curtis Houck, managing editor of NewsBusters, discussed his organization’s review of broadcast-network coverage of allegations involving Virginia political figures. Smith asked whether the networks were giving viewers enough information and whether framing investigations as political intimidation displaced examination of the evidence. Houck criticized omissions and the amount of context given to partisan defenses. The exchange was about media choices and framing; the program did not supply the underlying charging documents for its legal claims.

Asaf Romirowsky: Hamas and the regional security problem

Asaf Romirowsky, executive director of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, argued that Hamas’s activities in Gaza and the West Bank must be understood within a wider network involving Iran and its partners. He said weakening Hamas militarily does not end recruitment or rearmament. Smith asked whether a change in Israel’s leadership would alter that security problem. Romirowsky said any Israeli leader would face the same obligation to protect the public, while the election would also test the government’s record since October 7 and its handling of living costs.

Marc Ginsberg: the West Bank’s security vacuum and settler violence

Former US ambassador to Morocco Marc Ginsberg joined the panel after a connection delay. He described parts of the West Bank as beyond effective control of either the Palestinian Authority or Israeli forces, allowing armed groups and criminal networks to operate. He condemned terrorism against Israelis while also arguing that violence by Israeli settlers and the Netanyahu government’s approach were worsening the situation for Palestinians willing to support negotiations. Romirowsky agreed with him on the problems of smuggling, recruitment and Hamas’s growing appeal. The panel’s shared security concerns did not erase their different emphasis on the Israeli government’s responsibility.

Rod Blagojevich: do not confuse a forecast with the campaign still to come

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich argued that Republican voters should not assume unfavorable public polls settle the midterms. He said he watches campaign behavior and spending for clues to what campaigns’ private research shows. He acknowledged the historical disadvantage facing a president’s party in midterm House elections but rejected an inevitable Democratic wave. Smith asked about a late shift and the role of Trump’s rallies. Blagojevich compared the closing weeks to the fourth quarter of a game, when mobilization can still change the result.

Chris Getty: what three to five independents could change

Lyons Mayor Chris Getty, running as an independent in Illinois’s Fourth Congressional District, said a small group of lawmakers who refuse to caucus with either major party could force negotiation in a closely divided House. He proposed voting issue by issue, sometimes with Democrats and sometimes with Republicans. Smith challenged whether independent voters actually seek independent candidates. Getty said his own campaign’s fundraising, local-government experience and conversations with working families showed a route to competitiveness. His case centered on groceries, housing and results rather than loyalty to party leaders.

Thomas Aiello: where the Jones Act applies

Thomas Aiello of the National Taxpayers Union criticized the cost of restrictions on shipping between US ports. Smith asked whether the same rules affect fuel brought directly from Russia or another foreign port. Aiello drew the distinction: the Jones Act governs the domestic port-to-port leg, while an import from a foreign port is a different transaction. He argued that the domestic shipping restrictions can make fuel distribution more expensive and interact with reduced refining capacity. The answer separated two issues that were being discussed together: the source of the fuel and the route used to move it.

Diane J. Omdahl: Medicare choices and moving to another state

Registered nurse Diane J. Omdahl, author of Medicare For You, explained why initial enrollment and later coverage choices deserve close attention. She distinguished hospital coverage, outpatient coverage, prescription-drug plans and Medicare Advantage’s way of providing benefits. When Smith described a move between states, she corrected the idea that a person must simply wait for annual open enrollment: leaving a plan’s service area can create a special enrollment opportunity. She emphasized checking provider networks and available coverage when moving or when a plan ends. Her role in the interview was as an educator rather than an insurance salesperson.

Sydney Altfield: scholarships beyond private-school tuition

Sydney Altfield of Teach Coalition explained the federal tax-credit approach to donations to scholarship-granting organizations. She said scholarships can support eligible educational expenses beyond private-school tuition, including tutoring and after-school needs for public-school families. Smith asked whether New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s support was an election-year maneuver. Altfield gave a different answer: she credited Hochul with recognizing a benefit to children and breaking with opposition from teachers unions. She urged other governors to consider the program on that basis, presenting it as a family and education issue rather than a strictly partisan one.

Jake Smith’s Your News Talk America interviews, October 23, 9 a.m.–noon. Guest identities checked against the day’s show notes. Friday video show notes and replay entry

Bradley’s other newsmakers: Ocean City leadership, Delaware’s balance of power and community work

Beyond the individual candidate interviews elsewhere in this edition, Mike Bradley’s morning conversations brought municipal leadership, legislative priorities and community projects into focus.

Rick Meehan: experience, access and a different Boardwalk vehicle

Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan presented experience and relationships as the case for another term against Council President Matt James. In Monday’s interview, he said the mayor’s job involves listening, remaining accessible and representing the town beyond its borders. He was heading to Annapolis for a meeting on coordinated takeovers, seeking a statewide legislative response to a problem he said local governments should not have to solve alone.

On Boardwalk transportation, Meehan wanted to reopen the discussion with smaller, narrower or electric vehicles. He said he had received sustained feedback from residents and businesses and defended revisiting the issue after the former tram service ended. His proposal was to examine different equipment and a different approach, rather than assume the old operation would simply return.

Meehan also connected town services and events to value for visitors. With household travel costs higher, he said the town needs to keep the beach accessible, manage competing uses and give families reasons to feel a visit was worthwhile.

Brian Pettyjohn and Valerie Jones Giltner: what a larger majority could change

In their Wednesday appearances, Sen. Brian Pettyjohn and Rep. Valerie Jones Giltner urged Republicans to take state legislative races as seriously as national contests. They argued that preventing a Democratic supermajority matters because it affects the opposition’s ability to check constitutional changes and other major decisions.

Pettyjohn discussed planning ahead for voting and the distinction between county early-voting sites and an assigned Election Day polling place. Jones Giltner argued that frustrations expressed between elections only translate into change if voters participate. Bradley pressed the stakes in competitive districts and warned against assuming a traditionally Republican district would take care of itself.

The interviews also put energy policy into that argument. Jones Giltner blamed state regulations and legislation for reducing conventional generation options and adding pressure to electricity costs. She said Sussex County’s Republican majority does not give it control over state energy policy. Her broader case was for more balance in Dover and closer examination of legislation before disputes reach the courts.

Stephen Marino: a biscuit tradition supports after-school care

Epoch Dream Center development director Stephen Marino explained the work behind a familiar sweet-potato-biscuit fundraiser. The tradition began at Nelson’s United Methodist Church and was entrusted to Epoch in 2023, he said. Selling the biscuits helps fund academic support, mentoring, transportation, wellness activities and family-style meals for children in western Wicomico County.

Marino said the organization had served the area for 14 years and described the value of children having a dependable place with adults who know and support them. The order deadline was October 23; pickups announced in the interview were October 27–28. His conversation connected a longstanding local recipe with the practical costs of after-school services.

Foundation Baptist Church: carrying a cross across Sussex

The Georgetown church’s pastor described its third annual crosswalk, a roughly 36-mile route from the southern Sussex border toward Milford. He said the aim was to make the church’s Christian message visible to the people passing along the route. Participants share the work of carrying the cross, with others carrying signs or providing support.

He described a long day on foot, starting around 6 a.m., and said people could join for part of the route or encourage walkers at checkpoints. The event was announced for October 31. The church was also using social media to let supporters follow the group’s progress.

Dave Jones: a commercial campaign tied to food donations

Dave Jones described Atlantic Refrigeration’s turkey-donation campaign in a Wednesday business interview. Running October 15–November 15, the promotion connects system sales and matching support with donations to the Food Bank of Delaware. He also described a partner contribution of side dishes from Platinum Roofing. This was an Atlantic Refrigeration promotional segment.

Mike Bradley’s interviews: Rick Meehan, October 19, 7 a.m.; Brian Pettyjohn and Valerie Jones Giltner, October 21, 7–9 a.m.; Dave Jones, October 21, 8 a.m.; Stephen Marino and Foundation Baptist Church’s pastor, October 22, 7 a.m.

Your Turn: listeners disagree about diplomacy and US aid

MJ Powell’s Russia–Ukraine discussions drew a range of reactions during the week. In Tuesday’s 3 p.m. hour, she questioned a possible Trump–Putin–Xi meeting that excluded Zelensky, while distinguishing nuclear dialogue from imposing a settlement on Ukraine.

Bill of Sussex County proposed shared governance and resource access in disputed territory. Powell challenged the premise that Putin would agree to share control. Fred from Seaford warned about European security and disagreed with Powell about how likely Trump was to pursue negotiations without Zelensky.

A caller identified as Tom supported nuclear powers talking even when little resulted. Powell pressed him on why Ukraine would be judged differently from Russia or China. Bill from Felton questioned the scale of US aid and acknowledged that he lacked proof for circulating corruption claims.

Later discussions brought Mark, Larry, Fred and Bill into debate about leverage, sanctions and trusting Putin.

Monday’s discussion of Mahmoud Khalil shifted to judicial authority in detention and removal proceedings. Powell and callers debated the reach of the courts and time limits; their arguments were separate from an established docket or ruling.

Your Turn DELMARVA with MJ Powell, October 19–21. Tuesday’s 3–4 p.m. discussion was recovered from the station’s alternate recording.

Your Turn: health access, retirement and everyday choices

Tuesday’s Your Turn DELMARVA discussion put health-care access into everyday terms. Wendy described experience with pharmacy work and nurse-practitioner care; Phil in Laurel recounted an emergency visit. MJ Powell used those calls to explore workload, where patients can turn for help and why obtaining care can be frustrating.

Powell also discussed an Alzheimer’s research and funding proposal with a private commercial interest. The conversation concerned the effort to develop and support research.

Thursday’s discussion of reported obstetric-provider departures in Idaho produced a direct challenge to the host. Adam Collins from Milford emphasized doctors’ exposure to legal risk, while Fred from Seaford pressed the question of exceptions. They disagreed with aspects of Powell’s interpretation of the report and kept the discussion focused on how legal rules can affect a physician’s willingness to practice.

Later, George, Glenn and Kelly brought different work histories, benefit questions and survivor experiences to the Social Security conversation. The calls showed why retirement policy is heard differently by people who have paid into the system under different circumstances.

Wednesday’s conversation about streaming and the cost of entertainment produced a practical alternative from Ray: borrowing physical DVDs through Delaware libraries. He described using library service and interlibrary delivery as an option alongside paid streaming.

Your Turn DELMARVA with MJ Powell, October 20–22; individual caller contributions, not polling or personal medical/financial advice.

Your Turn: voting experiences and media skepticism

MJ Powell’s later-week programs paired election discussion with questions about media coverage, legal disputes and political accountability.

Rich of Lewes recalled an older Maryland election and raised concerns about identification practices. Wendy described a concern about campaign signs. Milton challenged Powell’s expectations for younger voters and predicted stronger Democratic results. The callers’ disagreements kept the conversation from moving in only one political direction.

On Wednesday, Powell challenged a CNN characterization and discussed checking the sources behind answers generated by artificial intelligence. Friday’s discussion returned to investigations, court preparation and the responsibilities of people serving in government.

Earlier in the week, caller 3M worried about Democratic polling leads while Powell questioned how surveys were conducted. A Thursday exchange compared Delaware voting check-in experiences, including Bob in Fenwick’s account of presenting his driver’s license. The calls reflected what individual voters had seen and what they wanted explained before Election Day.

Your Turn DELMARVA with MJ Powell, October 21 and 23; host interpretation, recorded material and caller contributions distinguished.

The coming week

Sunday, October 25: Maryland early-voting centers are open 7 a.m.–8 p.m.; Delaware early-voting sites are closed. Sea Witch’s dog-parade registration and judging begin at noon, with the parade at 1 p.m., weather permitting.

Monday–Tuesday, October 26–27: Delaware early voting resumes 7 a.m.–7 p.m. On Wednesday, October 28, its hours change to 11 a.m.–7 p.m. for the remainder of the early-voting period through November 1. Maryland early voting continues 7 a.m.–8 p.m. through October 29.

Wednesday, October 28: DNREC’s announced Fox Point tree planting follows the state-parks milestone. Delaware’s transportation funding task force also announced a 3 p.m. meeting; its public survey deadline was October 23, so the old invitation to complete that survey has expired.

Friday, October 30: Laurel’s superintendent transition is scheduled to take effect. For community events discussed on the air, use current organizer instructions rather than assuming that a prior order deadline or preliminary schedule remains open.

WGMD’s dated service and community reporting, October 20–24; election and festival schedules checked against official sources. WGMD source · WGMD source · WGMD source · WGMD source

Harbeson grief-support group meets Wednesday

Harbeson Methodist Church’s GriefShare listing schedules its next session for Wednesday, October 28, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Eastern. The free, in-person group meets in the Fellowship Hall across the street from the church at 18647 Harbeson Road, Harbeson.

The organizer’s listing welcomes participants at any stage of grief and identifies Pastor AJ Kelley as the contact. There is no official childcare. Check the linked group schedule for registration and any changes before attending.

WGMD community announcement, October 24; church identity, next session, location and cost checked against its GriefShare organizer listing. Harbeson Methodist Church GriefShare schedule