Latest News

Avelo notes: Wilmington flight schedule now runs through April

Avelo Airlines has extended its schedule until the end of April, with additional service from Wilmington Airport (ILG) to a couple of Florida destinations for spring breakers and those seeking warmer weather. The schedule had been posted through Valentine's Day. The 16-jet airline will ramp up Wilmington-Orlando flights to five a week, with Fort Meyers proving to be a...

Royal Farms to add EV chargers from Florida company

Blink, a Florida-based manufacturer, owner, operator, and provider of electric vehicle charging equipment and services, announced it has been selected to provide EV charging for Royal Farms.  The Baltimore-based convenience store chain will install a total of 30 Blink DC Fast Chargers (DCFC), providing 60 charging ports. Royal Farms will install the EV chargers at more than a dozen locations...

Gas prices hold steady as demand shows uptick

Gas prices in Delaware remained largely unchanged during the past week. as refineries switch to less expensive winter blends. However, the price at the pump was still more than a dozen cents lower than the same period a month ago. Independent gas stations in Middletown had the lowest prices at the pump, with one station coming in at $3.40 a gallon...

Powerful coastal storm to bring wind and heavy rain to state

A powerful coastal storm is expected to lead to a damp and windy weekend in Delaware on the first day of fall. The National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, NJ upgraded the severity of the winds in coastal areas of the state. Winds will be lighter in northern Delaware. Rainfall could be up to three inches in central and...

Delaware preserves 151,257 acres of farmland as development pressures intensify

Delaware reached a milestone in permanently preserving 151,257 acres of farmland. Four farms in New Castle County, 16 in Kent County, and 40 in Sussex County were preserved in the most recent round. The Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation selects those farms approved for easement purchase using a discounted ranking system. The foundation does not own the land...

Hunter Biden loses bid for a video hearing on gun charges

Hunter Biden was unsuccessful in a bid to attend his initial appearance in Wilmington on felony gun charges via video conference. The date for the in-person appearance was changed from late September to Oct. 3. Hunter Biden is expected to plead not guilty to the charges. The charges were filed after a plea deal fell apart when...

In $1.2 billion deal, Georgia dealer giant buys Koons Automotive, owner of Delaware Lexus dealer

Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., one of the nation's largest automotive retail and service companies, signed a definitive agreement to acquire Jim Koons Automotive Companies, the ninth largest privately-owned dealership group in the U.S in a $1.2 billion deal. Koons operates a Lexus dealership in Wilmington.  Koons recorded $3 billion in revenue in 2022 and includes 20 dealerships, 29 franchises, six collision centers, and one...

Markham resigning as Newark mayor

Newark Mayor Stu Markham announced he will resign from office effective Wednesday, October 18, 2023. He was sworn in as mayor in April 2022, and previously served as the councilperson for District 6 from 2006 until 2020. According to a Newark Post story, Markham cited stress as the reason for stepping down. “You're on call 24/7. Everything you do is exhausting....

Amazon to add 3,000 workers in holiday hiring push as the company releases Delaware economic impact figures.

Amazon is hiring 250,000 employees throughout the U.S. in full-time, seasonal, and part-time roles, with 3,000 of those positions based in Delaware. This week, Amazon released its latest investment and economic impact data for Delaware from its 2023 Economic Impact Report provided by Keystone Strategy. Since 2010, Amazon has invested over $6 billion in Delaware, including infrastructure and employee compensation, and...

How we rank: Wilmington on list of 15 happiest towns with Delaware viewed as good location for tech start-ups

A study conducted by Merger & Acquisition Advisor, webacquisition.com found that California is the top state in the US for tech startups, scoring 88 out of 100. At the other end of the spectrum, Mississippi is ranked as the least conducive state for tech startups, scoring 35. That's nothing new. What was surprising was Delaware coming in sixth. In finishing...

Medicare reports eBright group saved $9.5 million in health care spending

The eBrightHealth Accountable Care Organization (ACO) reduced healthcare spending by about $9.5 million and earned a quality score of 86.7% in performance year 2022, according to recently released performance data by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. ACOs help local physicians, hospitals, and other providers to work together and take responsibility for improving quality, enhancing patient experience, and keeping...

My take: Shoprite brings back human checkout lanes

Shoprite has made it crystal clear that human-driven full-service checkouts have returned to its northern Delaware stores by announcing the move in its weekly ad circular. Unlike its competitors, the Kenny family chain - a Wakefern grocery cooperative member - pretty much eliminated full-service checkout lines a couple of years ago. The stores also added hybrid checkouts...

Wilmington Housing Authority receives $5 million federal grant for work in reducing hazards

The  Wilmington Housing Authority received $5 million as part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development  Capital Fund Housing-Related Hazards and  Lead-Based Paint (LBP) Capital Fund Notice of Funding Opportunity awards.  The Notice of Funding Opportunity  provides a total of $157 million with 20 awards under Lead-Based Paint and 54 awards under Housing-Related Hazards. The program provides funding to public housing agencies  to evaluate and reduce...

Employer-employee forums scheduled for paid medical leave and retirement savings programs

The Delaware Department of Labor’s Division of Paid Leave will host four public forums to introduce all Delawareans to the new Delaware Paid Leave (Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program) and Delaware Expanding Access for Retirement and Necessary Savings (EARNS) programs. Delaware Paid Leave will use an employer-employee tax for family leave at employers that do not offer coverage Delaware EARNS will provide...

Blood Bank of declares emergency after low number of donations during summer

The Blood Bank of Delmarva declared a blood emergency following a summer of low donor turnout as well as the increased need for blood as a result of summer activities. Contributing to the shortage was the recent Labor Day holiday, back-to-school activities, and a 50% decrease in youth donors since 2019. The region’s blood supply is well below...

My take: A perfect storm for offshore wind projects

(Turbine towers near Copenhagen’s harbor at Sunrise Denmark gets about half of its electricity from wind) Good evening, The rosy outlook for offshore wind projects has dimmed as a perfect storm of inflation-driven costs, regulatory delays, and declining public support takes hold. This comes in the wake of a warning from Ørsted CEO Mads Nipper that the Danish company stands ready to walk...

Del Tech breaks ground on $7 million child development center

Delaware Technical Community College last week held a groundbreaking ceremony this month for a new $7 million child development center on its Stanton Campus. U.S. Sen. Tom Carper and U.S. Rep. Lisa-Blunt Rochester joined college leaders in celebrating the $7 million project, which was funded from the federal American Rescue Plan funds.  “This project was made possible by...

UD, DSU fare well in college rankings

The University of Delaware remains  in the upper tier of colleges and universities  in the United States, according to recent rankings released by U.S. News & World Report and the Wall Street Journal. UD advanced 13 slots to the rank of #76 among the nation’s best overall universities, according to U.S. News & World Report. Also, UD placed 36 among top public national...

My take: Chicken litter to biogas  decision a no-brainer

After some controversy, Bioenergy Devco secured permits from DNREC for a chicken waste to biogas plant near Seaford from DNREC. At first glance, the plant seemed like a no-brainer. Anaerobic digesters are used worldwide to produce gas that powers industries and waste treatment plants. Bioenergy Devco will work with Dover-based Chesapeake Utilities to transport biogas via truck to its distribution system....

County Police report two separate incidents near Biden home

New Castle County reported two unrelated incidents on Sunday around the security checkpoint on Barley Mill Road, near President Biden's home. In an incident that made national news, an officer found a protester near Centerville Road and Barley Mill Road. The officer talked to the man who said he he was exercising. ...