Most Delaware retailers are now required to accept cash payments thanks to a new law signed by Gov. John Carney Friday. House Bill 299, sponsored by Rep. Franklin Cooke, D-New Castle, prohibits sellers of consumer goods or services from refusing to accept cash payments except in limited circumstances. The law covers sales made at retail stores through in-person transactions. It …
Christina first district to agree to join Learning Collab
After five years of planning and months of discussions around the agreement, Christina School District’s school board voted unanimously Monday night to sign the Wilmington Learning Collaborative agreement. The vote came just after 9 p.m. Monday, two hours after the meeting started. “If in some period of time, all of our third graders can read proficiently at grade three, it …
Legislature to reconvene to tackle Medicare Advantage
In response to protests by state government retirees who say they were left in the dark over a significant change to their health insurance, the General Assembly unveiled a bill Monday aimed at creating additional oversight. The House of Representatives and Senate will hold a special session in Dover on Oct. 26 to debate and vote on the bill. Pensioners …
New Bancroft School under construction, may open fall ‘24
The new $84 million Bancroft School, which will span across several blocks in Wilmington, may be open for students by fall 2024. By then, said George Wicks, supervisor of facilities and planning for the Christina School District, the new building should be standing and the old one torn down. The old school, which serves grades one through eight, was built …
State retirees protest Carney admin’s Medicare Advantage plan
Delaware state government retirees gathered in Wilmington Tuesday with a message for Gov. John Carney and his political appointees: “Keep your hands off our Medicare.” The crowd of mostly senior citizens planned to protest outside the Carvel State Office Building, where the governor, attorney general and New Castle County lawmakers have offices. Rain forced them indoors to the city and …
A look at Brandywine’s city vs. suburban test scores
A look at the test scores of Brandywine School District’s elementary schools shows why the state is focusing only on Wilmington children in its proposal for a program to raise student achievement in the city. Brandywine school board member Kristin Pidgeon this week questioned why Brandywine’s other eight elementaries – all in suburban schools – are not included in the …
Vote-by-mail ruling: More complex than simply barring it
Republicans were quick to say “we told you so” Thursday as word spread that a Chancery Court judge had ruled that Delaware’s new vote-by-mail law violates the state Constitution. Democrats were quick to say the ruling – all but guaranteed to be appealed to the Delaware Supreme Court – will disenfranchise voters, especially low-income voters and people of color. …
Change to state retirees’ health insurance prompts angst
A change to the health insurance held by retirees of Delaware’s state government is causing an uproar. The state’s requirement that retirees and pensioners switch from original Medicare to a specially-tailored Medicare Advantage plan has led to charges that retirees will lose their doctors or be denied services that are currently covered. That’s not true, said Delaware Secretary of Human …
State to spend $28 million on libraries .2 miles apart
Delaware will spend $22 million to construct a new library in North Wilmington just 0.2 miles from an existing library, which is undergoing a $6 million renovation. Once complete, visitors will be able to check out a book at the $22 million library located at 3905 N Market St., then walk five minutes down the road to the $6 million …
Learning Collab, school boards make joint meeting public
The joint meeting of the Red Clay, Brandywine and Christina school districts to discuss concerns about the Wilmington Learning Collaborative will be public. The meeting is set for Tuesday, Aug. 30, at 6:30 p.m. at the Neighborhood House at 1218 B St. in Wilmington. All three district boards have pushed off ratifying or refusing the 16-page draft agreement they received …