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House ethics committee to meet Friday; will it include Brady hearing?

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

The House Ethics Committee will meet Friday. Photo by Brian K. Leonard. September 2021   An ethics complaint against a Wilmington state representative likely will be the topic of discussion at a House Ethics Committee meeting Friday, and a watchdog group says the secretive government meeting should be public.Ā  Rep. Gerald Brady, D-Wilmington, was discovered in July to have sent …

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Little is being said about state redistricting, despite calls for transparency

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

League of Women Voters proposed redistricting of Sussex County. Delawareā€™s state House and Senate districts must be redrawn and approved by Nov. 7, but legislative leaders have yet to announce a date to convene a special session to vote on the new district lines.Ā  In August, a broad coalition of community organizations sent an open letter calling on Democratic House …

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Rep. David Bentz announces he wonā€™t run for re-election

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

Rep. David Bentz   Rep. David Bentz, D-Christiana, announced Tuesday that he won’t run for re-election in 2022. ā€œFor the past six years, Iā€™ve had the privilege and honor to serve the residents of the 18th District in the House of Representatives,” he said in a press release issued by the House Democratic Caucus. “Starting out as a legislative aide …

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Legislative leaders spar over mask protests at school board meetings

Betsy PriceEducation, Government, Headlines

Delaware legislators issued dueling press statements about people opposing the school mask mandate. Photo by Vera Davidova/Unsplash   Democratic members of the Delaware Senate Education Committee lashed out Wednesday night, calling vocal protesters at school board meetings opposing the state mask mandate “immature and irresponsible.” “Our schools and our childrenā€™s education should not be held hostage by a vocal minority …

John Carney et al. posing for the camera

New grants will help ready sites to lure commercial, industrial business

Charles MegginsonBusiness, Government, Headlines

Gov. John Carney on Tuesday signed a bill that will allow state organizations to have possible commercial sites ready for quick building or move in.   Gov. John Carney signed a bipartisan bill Tuesday aimed at attracting new businesses to Delaware by investing in site readiness. Senate Bill 127 establishes a fund to provide economic assistance to qualified businesses and …

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Brady announces he will not run in 2022 after using racial slur

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Rep. Gerald L. Brady Democratic State Rep. Gerald Brady will not seek re-election in 2022, he announced Monday. Brady has represented the 4th district, which includes Greenville, in the House of Representatives since 2007. His statement comes a week after he was caught using a racist slur to refer to women of Asian descent.Ā  He said in a statement Monday …

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State Democrat leaders condemn Brady for racist speech

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Rep. Gerald L. Brady   House Democratic leaders condemned one of its own Tuesday after an email was uncovered in which he joked about human sex trafficking and referred to women of Asian descent as ā€œchink broads.ā€ Rep. Gerald Brady, D-Trolley Square, sent the message from his state email June 27 in response to a plea from an out-of-state advocate …

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Hereā€™s list of $70 million in projects picked by legislators for their districts

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

  The General Assembly has posted the list of its $70 million in community redevelopment projects picked by individual legislators.   The list of projects included in the Delaware General Assemblyā€™s $70 million community redevelopment grants includes $2 million for a private school stadium, $1.6 million for the Delaware Agricultural Museum and $1.35 million for the Nanticoke Indian Association. Community …

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List of Bond Bill’s community projects still unpublished

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

    When the General Assembly passed a record-setting $1.3 billion bond bill last week, the spending package did not include a list of the $70 million in projects chosen by legislators for their districts. The Community Redevelopment Fund includes one-time allocations which legislators earmark for nonprofits, schools and community agencies in their districts. Ordinarily, each organization receiving funding would …

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39 new nonprofits included in Grants-in-Aid bill headed to Carney

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Gov. John Carney, center, and state legislators pose after the governor signed the state budget and bond bills Wednesday. On the heels of the largest bond bill in state history being passed by the General Assembly Wednesday, the State Senate rubberstamped a $63.2 million grant package, closing out a markedly peaceful week of budget discussions. The FY 2022 Grants-in-Aid bill …