Hello everyone,
Delaware Business Now’s website was cruising toward a more normal May if the term normal applies anymore.
Then came Saturday night as a peaceful protest over George Floyd’s death at the knee of a Minneapolis policeman with fellow officers looking on was marred by looting on Wilmington’s Market Street and scattered vandalism elsewhere.
The events at the end of the month overshadowed the state’s Phase 1 reopening. At last report, the inside of Christiana Mall will remain closed.
Looking back saw a lot of unrest with the rise of the reopen Delaware movement and legislators unhappy with the governor extending the stay at home order.
In the meantime, Gov. John Carney, who normally takes pains to refrain from battling the opposite party, fired back at the legislators, a number of whom represent areas in Sussex County that saw an outbreak of the virus.
Fortunately, the stepped-up testing that took place (mostly) in Sussex County found a number of poultry and other workers who did not have symptoms but could have been spreading the virus.
While the opposition to Phase 1 is far less visible, Carney has also been taking heat from some progressives who believe the state is moving far too fast on reopening. Nationwide polling indicates such sentiments are widespread.
Today marks the second day Stage 1, which allows hotels, retailers, malls, and other businesses to reopen, generally with occupancy levels of 30 percent.
Below are May’s top stories:
- Updated: Biden visits downtown Wilmington after looting, vandalism on Saturday night. Updated into June.
- Updated: Troopers release identities of couple slain at cemetery
- Delaware to see Phase 1 openings of restaurants, stores on June 1
- Christiana Mall interior remains closed as Dover and Concord malls open under Phase 1. Updated into June.
- Owners of Middletown pawnshop, brothels hit with a total of $6.79 million in civil penalties
- Carney fires back at Kent, Sussex legislators demanding immediate business, rental reopening
- Amtrak buys Renaissance Center in downtown Wilmington
Finally, an apology is in order for filling up your email inbox over the weekend. Our newsletter went out on Saturday after yours truly forgot to uncheck the Saturday box.
It resulted in a repeat of the feature story and the Our View column. New content had been posted since Friday and readers responded with a comparable number of opens and clicks.
The number of subscribers to the newsletter has risen steadily to 5,200
As always, thanks for the kind words we have received and even criticism from one massage center operator who said we should not use the outdated word parlor. Message received – no more parlors. – Doug Rainey, Chief Content Officer
