The town of Smyrna is likely to have to raise local taxes due to a budget deficit this year.

Smyrna deficit smaller than predicted, tax increase still likely

Jarek RutzGovernment, Headlines

The town of Smyrna has a multimillion dollar budget deficit that it will try to combat by raising the taxes of local residents.  Sheldon Hudson, town manager, said the Smyrna Town Council originally thought the deficit would be $8 million, but the Budget Committee has since clarified that it has shrunk to the tune of about $6 million, $2 million …

Kent County is the first to have its property reassessments completed. (Photo from The Law Firm of Bingaman Hess)

Kent County residents first to see new property values 

Jarek RutzGovernment, Headlines

Kim Patterson Luton of Dover got a Christmas present nobody would want: A letter detailing the new reassessment of her family’s property. The letter, which arrived in mid-December, concerned property built in 2005 and long assessed at $59,300. Under the new evaluation, her home is assessed at an eye-popping $419,300.   “My husband and I are seniors and living on fixed …

Goldey-Beacom College will host the school fair event on Jan. 27.

Delaware school fair on Jan. 27 part of national choice week

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

An all-day event for students to explore the various educational opportunities in Delaware is coming to a state college later this month. The National School Choice Awareness Foundation is having dozens of school fairs across the country in January for National School Choice Week 2024. Independently planned by local organizations, these events provide parents with the opportunity to meet with …

Robert D. Leech of Sussex County had his masseuse license suspended for inappropriately touching some of his clients.

Sexual touching charges lead to suspension of masseuse license

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Police & Fire

A Sussex County masseuse  has been charged with multiple counts of unlawful sexual contact after his clients complained, and police continue to seek any other people who were affected. Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock announced Wednesday his suspension order of Robert D. Leech of Sussex County. According to the order, the establishment was named Fusion Wellness and Spa and was …

The PECC has been working over the past year on recommendations for pay adjustments for Delaware educators.

Educator pay raise proposals to get joint hearing Jan. 11

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

Delaware’s General Assembly will have its first public look and discussion about proposed educator pay raise recommendations next week. At 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, the House and Senate education committees will come together to listen to a presentation on the final report from the Public Education Compensation Committee. Watch the meeting here. The 15-person compensation committee – made of …

The proposed US Wind benefits package includes annual payments over 20 years, worth $2 million dollars to each town.

US Wind offers 5 Delaware beach towns $2 million each

Jarek RutzBusiness, Headlines

A national offshore wind energy development company is making its case to Delaware’s coastal towns. US Wind, Inc. recently presented a package of community benefits for Delaware’s coastal residents to the Delaware Association of Coastal Towns. The community benefits package includes a stream of annual payments over 20 years, worth $2 million dollars to each town.  The payments would begin …

Delaware's school choice application window closes Jan. 10.

School choice window closes next week 

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

Parents have eight days to submit applications if they wish to send their children to a school outside of their residential district or assigned school. Delaware is one of the 13 states in the country that allows families to apply for their children to attend any public school – district or charter – rather than sending them to the neighborhood …

The Taylor Swift-themed course consists of eight workshops this year. (Original photo by Suzanne Cordeiro, AFP for Getty Images)

Taylor Swift economics workshops launched at UD

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

The Swiftie lore has reached the University of Delaware. The largest university in the First State has recently introduced a Taylor Swift-themed data visualization course for undergraduate students. “Data Enchanted: Transforming Numbers Into Knowledge” is taught by Kathryn Bender, an assistant professor of economics who wasn’t a huge Taylor Swift fan herself until doing research for the class. “So I …

Along with the TreeCycle event, Delaware has 24 sites to recycle this year's Christmas trees.

Turn your Christmas tree into rich soil by doing this

Jarek RutzCulture, Headlines

Keep the holiday cheer alive while transitioning to 2024 and help conserve and improve Delaware’s soil by recycling your Christmas tree.  The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the Delaware Center for Horticulture (DCH) are asking First Staters to give their real trees to a yard waste recycling site rather than dumping them off in landfills.  The …

There's more than a dozen First Day Hikes available for Delawareans on New Year's Day.

First Day Hikes: get active on New Year’s with these trails

Jarek RutzCulture, Headlines

You can get 2024 off to a vigorous — or ambling — start by taking part in one of the annual free New Year’s Days hikes at Delaware parks. They range from flat, easy courses to more challenging ones. You can even bring your favorite mug to Rockwood Park on Monday, Jan. 1, and the museum staff will make you …