Delaware Roundup: Don’t miss these news briefs from Dec. 9-13

The Delaware Roundup is published every weekend. Send submissions for News Briefs and Calendar items to [email protected]. If possible, please forward submissions within the email or in a Word document.

LEADING OFF

Photo: Evan Krape, University of Delaware

Delaware Sea Grant has been selected to be one of 11 groups nationwide to participate in a national cleanup of discarded fishing gear. This is an effort to clean up U.S. coastal waters as part of the National Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program.  Delaware Sea Grant received a $69,504 grant to lead local gear removal projects in the TRAP Program’s first year of distributing subawards. The UD organization will use these funds to remove derelict recreational blue crab pots from Delaware’s Inland Bays, collect data to understand the problem and its effects, and educate the Delaware recreational fishing community about the impact derelict fishing gear can have on the environment. “These leftover traps can be dangerous for boats, harm marine animals, and hurt the environment. Through our clean-up efforts, we are working to increase capacity at the local level to remove and prevent this type of marine debris,” said Brittany Haywood, coastal ecology specialist at Delaware Sea Grant.

BUSINESS

The Rehoboth Beach-based Meoli Companies have opened their newest McDonald’s restaurant in Milton—their 26th location on the Delmarva Peninsula. The new McDonald’s has already created 64 jobs. The ribbon cutting on Dec. 17 will include donations to the Milton Pantry and Milton Community Foundation. The organization has recently expanded into Virginia with the acquisition of 11 McDonald’s locations in Norfolk. This strategic growth increases their portfolio to 37 restaurants across Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.

Chemours will enter into an agreement with PCC GulfChem allowing the German manufacturer to build a $540 million plant next door to its titanium dioxide site in Delisle, Mississippi.

Del-One Federal Credit Union opened a new Lewes branch at 24157 Zinfandel Lane at the Vineyards near Five Points.

CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Delaware Natural Resources Police (DNRP) and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) have once again helped put Santa’s sleigh into gift-delivery gear by partnering with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots campaign. Gifts collected by DNRP and DNREC staff were loaded onto another of Santa’s helper vessels today at DNREC’s offices on Pilottown Road in Lewes. DNRP officers surrounding Santa and DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin were: Officer Lori Ferguson, DNRP Park Rangers; DNRP Chief Wayne Kline; Cpl. Tyler Beutler, DNRP Park Rangers; Seasonal Officer Layne Smith, DNRP Park Rangers; Sgt. David Redgraves, DNRP Park Rangers; Sgt. Andy Manning, DNRP Environmental Crimes Unit; Officer Michael Bunting, DNRP Fish and Wildlife; Cpl. Austin Bergeron, DNRP Fish and Wildlife; Capt. Carl Winckoski, DNRP Fish and Wildlife; Capt. Bryan John, DNRP Park Rangers; Deputy DNRP Chief John McDerby, and Lt. Casey Zolper, DNRP Fish and Wildlife./DNREC photo

The Del-One Foundation began announcing a series of donations to local charity organizations over the course of the week, including:

• $3,500 to The Christian Storehouse.  Located in Millsboro, Delaware, this organization works hard to provide food, clothing, resources, and other aid to those in need.  The Christian Storehouse also operates a thrift store that assists in funding a local food pantry.
• $3,500 to Our Daily Bread, the only soup kitchen in the Middletown, Odessa, and Townsend region. Last year, this organization served over 43,000 meals to those in need.
• $3,500 to the Delaware Foster Care Transitional Resource Center, which works with young adults transitioning from foster care to a self-supporting and productive adulthood.  It works with program participants to “bring together the people and resources needed to connect/re-connect youth to education, employment, health care, housing, business, personal and community relationships.”

Wilmington-based Cars & Coffee is expected to use rare and exotic cars to deliver more than $60,000 of toys on Dec. 15 to the Nemours Children’s Hospital. Cars & Coffee has been working all year to fundraise and purchase toys to donate to Nemours Children’s Child Life Department.

The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (FHLBank) have donated $1.45 million to selected nonprofit organizations to support initiatives in Delaware that lead to stable housing for individuals and families who are homeless or determined to be at-risk of homelessness. Home4Good grants in Delaware are supported by the following FHLBank member financial institutions: Artisans’ Bank; Community Powered Federal Credit Union; County Bank; Dover Federal Credit Union; First Citizens Community Bank; Fulton Bank; Life Insurance Company of North America Millers Capital Insurance Company; New York Life Insurance & Annuity Company; Orrstown Bank and PNC Bank, National Association. The funding will address four key areas: homelessness prevention, homelessness diversion, rapid re-housing, and innovation. 16 programs from 11 organizations will receive funding. These organizations include:

• AIDS Delaware
• Brandywine Counseling and Community Services
• Catholic Charities, Inc.
• Delaware HIV Services
• Family Promise of Northern NCC
• Lutheran Community Services, Inc.
• Ministry of Caring, Inc.
• The Salvation Army Delaware
• West End Neighborhood House, Inc.
• YMCA of Delaware
• YWCA Delaware, Inc.

Local businesses and Delaware State Police troopers came together to help Louise Cummings, wife of Fallen State Trooper Stephen Ballard, when last week’s powerful storm caused serious damage to her yard, thanks to a neighbor’s uprooted tree. John Landoll and his team from LSG Fencing repaired her damaged fence, and Jeremy Casey and his team from Diamond State Tree Service worked to clear the massive tree and debris left behind. Cummings also thanked the Delaware State Police Troopers who joined the effort, expressing appreciation for their continued support for her family.

Delaware-based music collective”Dutchman” has released a double single featuring the tracks “I Need You Now” and “In Your Heart.”

EDUCATION

Delaware State University has received a $2 million grant to focus on clean water in underserved communities. The grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will help DSU create an Environmental Finance Center that will work with DSU’s Water Quality Lab – the only EPA-accredited lab of its kind at an HBCU – to help communities with antiquated water infrastructure to find funding to improve conditions.

First State Educate recently recognized McCullough Middle School Principal Hyacinth Lewis, a Family Engagement Leadership Institute Scholar, for engaging with families in the Colonial School District. Mini-grants of $2,000 each were awarded to the Christina School District Board of Education and Capital School District Board of Education. Lewis is expected to complete a program in the next nine months focusing on “improving current and creating new equity-focused family engagement strategies that directly impact student learning and well-being.” Christina’s grant will be used to develop a network of collaborative school board members across districts. The Capital School Board is expected to research how incorporating AI (artificial intelligence) into school board policies could improve student achievement.

GOVERNMENT

The City of Wilmington has contracted with the Community Education Building (CEB) to manage the Department of Parks and Recreation’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The CEB, is an authorized School Food Authority (SFA) approved to participate in USDA  Child Nutrition programs. It replaces Whitson’s Culinary Group, whose contract expired on September 30, as the Department’s food nutrition vendor. The seven-month contract with the Community Education Building took effect on November 18 and will continue through June 15, 2025. The new contract includes the following provisions:

• An increase in 800 to 1,200 meals provided through the CACFP program during the life of the contract
• A new menu with an increased variety of meal selections to choose from, including daily fresh fruit sourced directly from the CEB
• The provision of healthier snack options, such as pears, bananas, apples, reduced-fat Cheeto puffs, sugar-free Scooby Snacks, and reduced-fat Spicy Chili Doritos
• The provision of fresher food, as the CEB cooks all meals at its Wilmington site
• The local coordination of milk delivery directly from Wilmington’s Hy-Point Farms to the nutrition program at the Turner Building, at 500 Wilmington Avenue

HEALTH

Atlantic General Hospital and TidalHealth have signed a nonbinding letter of intent to combine organizations on Thursday. The two health systems plan to finalize an agreement in the spring, according to a press release.

POLICE & FIRE

(From L to R) Julian Lopez-Martinez; Kha-lil Jones; Trevor Holland; Anthony Malvestuto; Raja Mitchell; and Sgt. Aaron Metzner (far right).

Trevor Holland, Kha-lil Jones, Julian Lopez-Martinez, Anthony Malvestuto,and Raja Mitchell graduated this week from the 103^rd Wilmington Police Academy, which began in July. Graduates who received special recognition for extraordinary accomplishments during the 103^rd Police Academy include: Julian Lopez-Martinez received the Chief’s Trophy, the Attorney General’s Award, the Academic Excellence Award, the Physical Fitness Award and the Top Marksmanship Award; and Anthony Malvestuto received the Wilmington Retired Police Meritorious Award and the Lt. James A. Diana Award. The addition of these new police officers brings the total number of officers on the police force, which has an authorized strength – or budgeted police officer positions – of 305 members, to just under 285.  The application process for the 103^rd Wilmington Police Academy drew 77 applicants.

SPORTS

Freedom Boat Club Delaware (FBC), part of one of the largest boat club communities in the US, has teamed up with Savvy Navvy to bring easier and safer navigation to more boaters. Here they reflect on how it has helped their boat club members. FBC’s independently owned and operated Franchise locations in Delaware, South Jersey, Lower Hudson Valley NY, Maryland and Washington DC, and comprises one of the largest boat club communities in the US, with more than 2,000 memberships and over 250 boats in over 27 locations.

TRANSPORTATION

Effective April 1, 2025, the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) will implement a new cash toll rate for all vehicle classes at the Delaware Memorial Bridge.  This first phase of a two-phased toll structure plan establishes a cash toll rate of $6.00 for passenger vehicles and an additional $1 per axle for commercial vehicles.  DRBA Executive Director Thomas J. Cook said, “This first phase affects only cash-paying customers at the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Because all E-ZPass rates – including commuter and discount plans – are unchanged, approximately 79% of our customers will not be impacted by this new toll rate.  This initial phase aims to encourage Delaware Memorial Bridge users to transition to E-ZPass.”

The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is seeking organizations to provide third-party Commercial Driver License (CDL) skills exams. Under this new program, once approved, non-DMV entities will be permitted to administer the CDL skills exam starting in Spring 2025 after meeting required criteria such as setting up and maintaining a basic skill testing site that conforms to both DMV and federal standards, creating a detailed route for their CDL road test, and completing the DMV’s training program. As of December 4, 2024, Delaware has 34,629 credentialed CDL drivers. The DMV has completed 1,000 CDL road tests so far this year. Companies interested in becoming a third-party vendor can complete the application online at dmv.de.gov/thirdpartyCDLtesting. Anyone interested in obtaining their CDL can learn more at dmv.de.gov.

 PEOPLE

Linda Shopa, the chief financial officer of Aloysius Butler & Clark (AB&C), one of the region’s largest independent full-service marketing communications agencies, will retire on December 31, 2024, after 35 years with the agency.

AB&C also announced other long-planned leadership changes:

Joanna Ford, previously director of PR & Social Media, has taken on an expanded leadership role as the agency’s Chief Communications Officer. In addition to overseeing all internal and external communications, Ford will take on responsibilities for agency operations. She also joins CEO Paul Pomeroy and Chief Creative Officer Steve Merino as an owner.

Will Davis, who has served as finance director, will become CFO upon Shopa’s retirement. Davis will also expand his responsibilities in the agency’s long-term fiscal planning and operations.

Chris Marts has been promoted to managing director of technology operations. He was formerly IT director.

Danielle Clark has been promoted to senior financial accountant

Pamela Norris, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and former vice provost of research at George Washington University (GWU), has been named the next dean of the University of Delaware College of Engineering. Norris will be the first woman to serve as dean of UD’s highly ranked engineering college, and her appointment will be effective March 1, 2025.

Dr. Varadarajan Subbiah, M.D., MBA, FACP, CHCQM, has been appointed ChristianaCare’s chief clinical effectiveness officer. An experienced physician leader, Subbiah has served as vice president of Utilization Management and Quality since February 2020. As chief clinical effectiveness officer, Subbiah will provide medical leadership and oversee the Clinical Effectiveness Program.

Chad Paine has been named vice president of Information Technology Governance, Strategy and Portfolio Management at ChristianaCare. In this role, he will lead the IT Project Management Office, overseeing the consistent delivery of high-quality project management services aimed at enhancing business performance, increasing efficiencies, and supporting the health system’s strategic and operational priorities

Courtney Trulack has been promoted to Lieutenant from Senior Sergeant of the New Castle County Police. Lt. Truluck joined the New Castle County Division of Police on September 14, 1998. she started her career in the Patrol Division before being promoted to Sergeant in 2013. In 2019 she was assigned as the commander of the Lt. Joseph Szczerba Police Academy. Lt. Truluck has served in the Research, Accreditation, Media, and Policy Unit and recently graduated from the Mounted Patrol Training Academy

University of Delaware innovator Darrin Pochan has been elected to the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) — the highest professional distinction awarded solely to academic inventors. Pochan, Distinguished Professor of Materials Science, is among 170 academic inventors nationwide named to NAI’s 2024 Class of Fellows. Pochan joined UD in 1999, and is internationally known as a leader in the study of soft materials and polymers. His work involves designing molecules that zip up, or self-assemble, into unique structures with desirable properties.

Delaware Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski will step down later this month after 13 years of service at the Department. Governor Carney has named Deputy Secretary Shanté Hastings as acting secretary, and she will take over the position’s duties beginning Dec. 21, 2024.

Mark Saunders has been appointed a new commissioner for the City of Rehoboth Beach, replacing Don Preston, who resigned in November.