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BUSINESS
Delaware Prosperity Partnership (DPP), the lead statewide economic development organization for Delaware, and the Port of Blyth (PoB), a leading offshore energy base in the North East of England, have signed a cooperative agreement to leverage the strengths of both organizations to foster innovation, facilitate market expansion and enhance workforce capabilities in both Delaware and Blyth. The five-year memorandum of understanding outlines areas of action for a partnership that will enhance the visibility of both DPP and the Port of Blyth while also supporting economic growth for Delaware and the North East of England.
Del-One Federal Credit Union, the state’s largest federal credit union, has opened a new branch in Lewes.
Fears Boxing and Fitness Club has opened at 32 West Loockerman Street in Downtown Dover. The Club offers general fitness and basic workout training in boxing, including training in basic safety precautions, to help clients start their personalized fitness plans.
CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Georgetown-based Stockley Tavern’s 2024 Bags, Booze, and Boobs fundraiser raised a total of $114,000 for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition (DBCC). Front row left to right: Cindy Fluharty, Shondelle Graulich, Tracy Adams, Francesca Vogel, Alyssa Belote, Teresa Rogers, and Connie Holdridge. Back row left to right: Clint Fluharty, Tommy Engle, Ken Adams, Steve Smyk, JB Burnett, Robbie Fleming, Chess Hedrick
Maddi Way, a junior at Saint Mark’s High School set up a volleyball tournament that raised $30,324 to benefit SL24: UnLocke the Light Foundation, which shares mental health awareness and resources in Delaware. After sharing her personal journey, Way and her Spartan teammates won the tournament, beating Newark Charter 3-1.
Wayback Burgers restaurants in Delmar, Dover, Greenwood, Middletown, Milford, Millsboro Newark, and Smyrna donated 10 percent of all app and online sales to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, an organization dedicated to honoring the bravery and sacrifice of our country’s military members and first responders. All proceeds will positively impact the foundation’s multiple programs and our nation’s heroes and their families.
The Delaware Farm Bureau Women’s Committee will be volunteering at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Millsboro on Dec. 14, as a sponsorship group for the Wreaths Across America program. Wreaths can be purchased in advance for $17 through the Women’s Committee, which will receive a portion of the proceeds. Committee members will also help place the wreaths at gravesites on National Wreaths Across America Day.
Do More 24 Delaware, the state’s premier charitable giving initiative, has opened registration for its annual event taking place March 6-7, 2025. Organized jointly by United Way of Delaware (UWDE) and Spur Impact, Do More 24 Delaware is a 24-hour fundraising marathon that leverages collective marketing to raise unrestricted funds for the state’s nonprofits. Upon signing up, nonprofits will gain access to fundraising support including, campaign how-to guides, marketing and PR toolkits, educational webinars, peer-to-peer fundraising tools, promotional media opportunities, and a donation page on domore24delaware.org. Nonprofits are also eligible to apply for free one-on-one support from a dedicated social media ambassador to help them promote their fundraising campaign.
EDUCATION
The DE529 Education Savings Plan, Delaware’s tax-advantaged program designed to help pay for higher education expenses, received “Silver” status from Morningstar, the country’s most widely cited and influential investment plan rating group. This is the second consecutive year DE529 received the rating after being upgraded from “Bronze” status in 2023.
GOVERNMENT
Governor John Carney released the eighth annual report of the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board the day before Election Day. Governor Carney established GEAR under Executive Order #4 in February 2017 to identify ways for state government to sustain its culture of continuous improvement. Specifically, GEAR aims to improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of public services, while reducing costs. More than 100 practitioners from 23 state organizations are executing projects within a portfolio of 147 initiatives to improve efficiency. The savings from this work are estimated to total $101 million over the life of projects underway. GEAR’s accomplishments were recently included in Results for America’s “2024 Invest in What Works State Standard of Excellence,” a nationally recognized state benchmarking program.
Gov.-elect and current New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer has launched his transition website. Features of the website include portals for visitors to apply for consideration to join Meyer’s team and to share ideas on how to best push the First State into the future.
The Delaware House Republican Caucus has elected new leadership for the 153rd General Assembly. State Rep. Tim Dukes of Laurel was elected by his fellow House Republicans as the House Minority Leader. State Rep. Jeff Spiegelman, who represents Townsend, Clayton, and Smyrna, was chosen as the new House Minority Whip. They will lead a caucus of 14 members, one less than the previous General Assembly.
The Senate Majority Caucus has selected its leadership team for the 153rd General Assembly. Senator Dave Sokola has again been nominated as President Pro Tempore while both Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend and Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman have been re-elected by their peers to continue serving in their respective leadership roles.
Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings, alongside a bipartisan coalition of 30 state attorneys general, announced today the completion of the $1.37 billion settlement agreement with Kroger, addressing the grocery chain’s role in the opioid crisis. Delaware will receive more than $2.7 million for opioid abatement, all of which will be overseen by the Prescription Opioids Settlement Distribution Commission. Payments are anticipated to begin early next year.
Delaware Republican Party Chair Julianne Murray told WDEL she has filed a complaint letter with the state Board of Elections over her concern with the impact of 3,000 late-arriving absentee ballots that may have caused Republican Colin Bonini the position of Kent County Register of Wills. Bonini, a state senator for 28 years, went from being 400 votes ahead of Democrat D.J. Cox to 800 behind between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
The City of Rehoboth Beach will host a series of listening sessions this coming week to gather feedback from residents, business owners, and visitors regarding their experiences with the city and to help shape the city’s future priorities. Each listening session will include small-group discussions about strengths and opportunities as well as a prioritization exercise and full-group discussion. Listening sessions will take place:
- Tuesday, November 12: 5:30-7:30 pm on the second floor of the Rehoboth Beach Library, 226 Rehoboth Avenue
- Wednesday, November 13: 1-2:30 pm at CAMP Rehoboth, 37 Baltimore Avenue
- Thursday, November 14: 9-10:30 am and 5:30-7:30 pm; both sessions at the Rehoboth Convention Center, 229 Rehoboth Avenue
- Saturday, November 16: 10-11:30 am at the Rehoboth Beach Museum, 511 Rehoboth Avenue
HEALTH
The Wilmington Learning Collaborative (WLC), in partnership with the Christina School District, is expanding the Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Chill Project™ to Wilmington, Delaware. This initiative is funded by the Wilmington Learning Collaborative and supported through Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware’s BluePrints for the Community investment program for the design and materials for the AHN Chill Rooms(™), which will be established at Maurice Pritchett Sr. Academy and The Bayard School and will feature IKEA as the furniture and design partner. This marks the first time the AHN Chill Project will be implemented outside of Pennsylvania, creating a new opportunity for students, teachers, and families in Wilmington to access evidence-based mental health resources in a school setting. The project also includes a key partnership with Nemours Children’s Health, which will operate the AHN Chill Rooms and facilitate the AHN Chill Project model at both schools. AHN has licensed the rights for the AHN Chill Room™ design and the AHN Chill Project model to the collaborative.
RETAIL AND RESTAURANTS
Sierra Moon Surf and Skate is consolidating its two locations in Rehoboth Beach into the former Carlton’s space at 31 Rehoboth Beach.
Christian Miller, a 21-year-old youth leader and Eagle Scout has opened Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck in Milford. He is using his business to serve various non-profit organizations in his area.
Yaya Sport, which sells soccer apparel, gear, accessories, and personalized team uniforms, has opened at 202 Main St. in Millsboro. La Plaza Delaware and the Delaware Alliance of Latino Entrepreneurs celebrated the opening.
SPORTS
Delaware State University plans to become the first historically Black institution to offer Division I women’s wrestling during the 2025-26 school year. Jahi Jones, the executive director of the HBCU Wrestling Initiative, said his organization has contributed $1.25 million to help launch the program.
TRANSPORTATION
DART is offering free rides to Veterans on Monday, November 11. Veterans displaying a Veteran’s ID card (this would also cover spouses and partners) or DD 214 can ride for free on all DART bus services all day.
The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) will complete technology upgrades to the Wrong Way Detection System located at Rt 10 and Bay Road intersection with the Rt 1 northbound off-ramp on Nov. 12 between 9 am and 3 pm. The detection system was installed in 2022 to detect wrong-way movements onto Rt 1 NB and to prevent wrong-way-related crashes. Motorists can expect temporary shoulder closures at the intersection of Bay Road and Rt 10 during the installation of the upgrades. Once the upgrades are complete, system testing will require a brief closure of the ramp from Rt 1 northbound to Bay Road and a rolling closure of Rt 1 northbound.
PEOPLE
DiSabatino Construction President Larry DiSabatino was presented with the prestigious Gilman Bowl honor by the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce during its Superstars in Education luncheon on Nov. 16. DiSabatino started as a shop boy at his father’s company, which is now a five-generation organization. The Gilman Bowl celebrates the contributions of business leaders in Delaware who work to benefit the community as well as their own field and is named for Marvin S. Gilman, a celebrated developer and economist
Christian Douglas Wright has joined the Court of Chancery as Magistrate in Chancery, filling one of two newly funded Magistrate in Chancery positions designed to aid the court in its ever-increasing workload. Wright graduated from Caesar Rodney High School, the University of Delaware, and Duke University Law School. After law school, he clerked for the Honorable William T. Quillen of the Superior Court. Between clerking and working for the Department of Justice, Magistrate Wright spent 17 years as a corporate litigator. As a partner in the Corporate Litigation Section of Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP, he handled a variety of corporate governance and complex commercial issues, including in the Court of Chancery.
Kert Anzilotti, M.D., MBA, FACR, has been appointed president of the Medical Group of ChristianaCare. Anzilotti has served as interim president since June 2024. He will also continue in his role as system chief medical officer of ChristianaCare.
Danielle Blake has been named vice president of member engagement for the Delaware State Chamber. She has more than 10 years of chamber of commerce experience, most recently working with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
Jimmy Strusowski, a service account manager with Seiberlich Trane Energy Services, has been recognized by The ACHR NEWS as a 2024 Top 40 Under 40 HVACR Professional.
Richards, Layton & Finger attorneys have been named in four 2024 Lawdragon 500 guides Lawdragon selects its honorees through a comprehensive process involving journalistic research, nominations, and peer vetting. The practice area guides and the Richards Layton lawyers named in them are:
Lawdragon 500 Leading Bankruptcy Lawyers
- Mark Collins
- Daniel DeFranceschi
- Kevin Gross
- Paul Heath
Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers
- C. Stephen Bigler
- Catherine Dearlove
- Mark Gentile
- John Mark Zeberkiewicz
Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental Lawyers
- Robert Whetzel
Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators
- Frederick Cottrell
- Catherine Dearlove
- Raymond DiCamillo
- Steven Fineman
- Anne Foster
- John Knight
- Michael Merchant
- Jeffrey Moyer
- Srinivas Raju
- Lisa Schmidt
- Gregory Williams
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