DHA to Carney: Don’t appoint hospital cost-review board

Bradley VasoliHeadlines, Health

By Bradley Vasoli In a letter to Governor John Carney (D) this week, the Delaware Healthcare Association (DHA) urged him to forego nominations to the controversial Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board. The DHA, an advocacy group formed by Delaware hospitals, argued that the commission will take its ultimate form during the upcoming administration of Carney’s fellow Democrat Matt Meyer, who …

The usage and policies surrounding artificial intelligence vary widely in Delaware schools as the technology behind AI rapidly advances.

Educators grapple with how to use AI in Delaware classrooms

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

Every conversation with leaders from nine Delaware colleges and high schools about artificial intelligence’s presence in the classroom reveals unique ways the evolving technology is being used.  It’s created a problem for schools and colleges wrestling with setting up their guardrails and adopting recent guidance published by the Delaware Department of Education. “AI has been in the education space for …

PJM coal-fired plant

CRI’s Stevenson disagrees on Carney’s response to PJM’s capacity auction

Bradley VasoliBusiness, Government, Headlines

  Delaware Governor John Carney and four other Democratic governors are pushing for changes at PJM, a regional power grid operator, after its recent auction pointed to sharp increases in electricity costs. But David Stevenson, director of the Center for Energy & Environment at the Newark-based Caesar Rodney Institute, sees three general problems with the governors’ letter. Delaware’s Carney joined …

The complaint asks DNREC to start over and redo its permit process for the offshore wind project.

Complaint filed against DNREC for US Wind project

Jarek RutzBusiness, Headlines

The Caesar Rodney Institute and two individuals have asked the Superior Court of the State of Delaware in Sussex County to prohibit the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) from issuing permits for an offshore wind project. “DNREC is not following its own rules and regulations in filing this permit process,” said David Stevenson, director of the Center …

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 has several groups directly focused on educational advocacy and reform.

Get to know the state’s education advocacy groups

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

Delaware pours billions of dollars into education each year, only to receive stressful news like some of the lowest standardized test scores in the country. A number of Delaware nonprofits devoted to improving education in the state want to see more impact for the state in jobs, test scores and another areas. Some have specific focuses such as encouraging more …

3 town halls will explore education issues this week.

Test scores, discipline focus of Save Our Schools town halls

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

Town halls set for all three counties will focus on education issues such as academic performance, parental rights, discipline and violence in schools. Sponsored by Citizens for Delaware Schools, the town halls set for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will feature Tanya Hettler, director of the Caesar Rodney Institute’s Center for Education Excellence, and Elana Fishbein of the national nonprofit No …

Because the state ended its COVID leave mandate, Delaware teachers will now have to tap into their 10 sick days if they have COVID.

Teachers no longer granted 10-day COVID leave

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

For the first time since fall 2020, Delaware teachers will not be granted paid COVID-19 leave.  That means they have to use their normal sick leave if they or a family member gets sick. “The argument can be made that we’re further away from the craziness of COVID, so I get it,” said Jennifer Saunders, who’s taught in Red Clay …