wilmington parking tickets

Wilmington to send parking tickets to court, end city review

Betsy Price Government, Headlines

An organization pushing reform of Wilmington’s parking fine practices praised the city’s move to abandon its administrative appeals process and send appeals directly to court. “This is a significant step in the right direction,” said Ken Grant on behalf of the Wilmington Fines and Fees Justice Team. “After years of hearing about issues with the city’s administrative process for parking …

Wilmington Loop

Loop coalition: Finish walkable bike trail around Wilmington

Betsy Price Culture, Headlines

A group of business, community and government leaders would like to see several New Castle County walkable bike trails connected to become a seamless 16-mile Wilmington Loop. Doing so, says leaders of the coalition, would transform the city’s economy and quality of life because it would: Connect communities, jobs, schools, cultural institutions and state and national parks. Create safe paths …

Wilmington Police Chief Wilfredo Campos

Wilmington’s new police chief is 26-year department veteran

Betsy Price Government, Headlines

Wilmington has a new police chief: Wilfredo Campos, a person of color and a captain who has been with the department for 26 years. Campos, 50, grew up in Wilmington and will become the city’s 33rd police chief and the first person of Hispanic descent to be named to that post. He will be paid $200,000 and begin his job …

ellerbe Police arrest man for 2015 murder

Wilmington crime report: Murders, shootings down in 2022

Betsy Price Government, Headlines

The number of murders in Wilmington was at its lowest for 15 years in 2022, and the number of shootings was the second lowest in 17 years, according to a new report issued by Delaware’s largest city. Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and lame duck Chief of Police Robert J. Tracy on Tuesday released the Wilmington Police Department’s 2022 Year-End Crime …

Wilmington crime

Wilmington police chief to step down

Charles Megginson Government, Headlines

The city of Wilmington is in need of a new top cop. Police Chief Robert Tracy has been selected as a finalist to become police commissioner in St. Louis, Missouri, he announced Monday night. Whether or not he gets the job, Tracy will leave the Wilmington Police Department, the mayor’s office confirmed Tuesday. It’s not clear when Tracy plans to …

Wilmington Police Department Community Fairs

Wilm. PD hopes weekly walks will address social, health needs

Charles Megginson Headlines, Government

Wilmington police officers will take weekly walks through the city to engage with residents and distribute information about social services, Mayor Mike Purzycki announced Wednesday. The initiative aims to address unmet social service and public health needs in Wilmington neighborhoods, according to the mayor. “Our police officers have demonstrated time and time again that if they have an opportunity, beyond …

Wilmington Police Department Police Cadet Program

Wilmington launches police cadet apprenticeship

Betsy Price Government, Headlines

  The Wilmington Police Department is re-establishing its Police Cadet apprenticeship program. Open to young adults 18 to 21 years old, the initiative will give participants experience working directly with police officers and community members. The department last offered an apprenticeship program in the 1990s. “We are excited to re-start our department’s historic Police Cadet Program, with an eye towards …

Wilmington gun violence

Wilmington gun violence report: Pay for lots more intervention

Betsy Price Government, Headlines

A report on reducing and preventing gun violence in Wilmington recommends the city fund several existing intervention organizations. create a coordinator position to oversee those groups and create more programming. Organizations that wanted to provide programming must have street level relationships and already actively engage in intervention work, the report from The Community Based Public Safety Collective. Mayor Mike Purzycki …

Urban Art Exchange stables

Wilmington turns stables into art studios

Betsy Price Culture, Headlines

The city of Wilmington and CityFest Inc. showed off their new Urban Artist Exchange and the work of its 21 teen summer apprentice artists at an open house last weekend. The event coincided with Wilmington Open Streets and featured storytelling as well as a drumming and dance performance at the nearby amphitheater. “Because we had a critical mass of people …

a boat that is floating in the water

Once controversial Kalmar Nyckel tall ship celebrates 25th anniversary

Betsy Price Culture, Headlines

Delaware’s tall ship, the Kalmar Nyckel, sails to the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation Tuesday. Photo by Deborah Webb.   The Kalmar Nyckel celebrated her 25th anniversary Tuesday with the crew sailing Delaware’s tall ship through the 4th Street drawbridge to its foundation’s shipyard, and then giving a two-cannon salute after the national anthem was played. About 200 people watched it sail …