prevailing wage

Contractors: Prevailing wages bill will raise state costs

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

A bill that would increase the prevailing wage for contractors making products offsite is unlikely to be heard in the House after the legislature passed the 2024 fiscal year’s budget on Wednesday. Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 102, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend, D-Newark, would require laborers making products away from a building site to be paid …

New Castle County Police are concerned about pop-up parties at county parks.

A pop-up party at a NCCo park? No way, police say

Ken MammarellaGovernment, Headlines

A post-midnight shooting at an illegal pop-up party at Glasgow Regional Park has led New Castle County Police to take “a proactive approach” on controlling parties at county parks. The party apparently involved people leaving a Newark hotel and deciding via Instagram to move to Glasgow Park, even though it was closed, according to Cpl. Michael McNasby, a spokesman for …

ev

EV bills inch closer to law as GOP continues opposition

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

Several energy-related bills waltzed through the House Resources and Energy Committee Tuesday, despite Republican opposition. Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 7, sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Hansen, D-Middletown, would update the responsibilities of the State Energy Office to include developing the State Energy Plan, the state’s Climate Action Plan, and transitioning Delaware towards more renewable energy. The bill is a …

The Redding Consortium unveiled its proposed spending plan for next fiscal year.

Redding Consortium approves $16 million spending plan

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Members of the Redding Consortium Monday night voted to approve a spending plan for the next fiscal year, which includes more than $16 million in operating funds and carryover funds left over from this previous budgets. The largest allocation $7,914,637 for outside school time services and in-school health services. These can be considered wraparound services, which help fill the gaps …

New Castle County council meeting, property tax

New Castle County OKs $331.4M budget, lowers property tax

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

New Castle County’s 2024 budget includes the first property tax reduction in 50 years. The tax reduction comes in the form of an automatic 5% tax credit for those paying property taxes, said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. “It’s the first decrease, we’re being told, since this form of government was created in the 1960s,” Meyer said. That decrease …

Veolia has filed for a rate increase for New Castle County water customers. (Photo by Jacek Dylag on Unsplash)

Veolia work would raise average monthly bill $4.51

Ken MammarellaBusiness, Headlines

Veolia on Thursday filed a $43 million infrastructure plan with the Delaware Public Service Commission. If the commission grants the request in full, the average residential water bill for Veolia customers in New Castle County would go up $4.51 per month. With additional infrastructure investments on the horizon, the company, which serves more than 100,000 Delawareans, has also proposed a …

New Castle County is giving away money to schools whose students pledge to adopt environmentally-friendly practices. (Pexels)

New Castle schools could win money for environmental pledges

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Thirty New Castle County schools will split $15,000 in cash prizes as part of an environmentally-friendly initiative. Wednesday, county executive Matt Meyer announced the return of the “Great Schools, Clean Streams” campaign, in which participants assign their pledge to the school of their choice in the county.  The five pledges are: Scoop the poop –  Picking up after a pet …

The deadline to apply to the Redding Consortium's scholarships is today at 4:30 p.m. (Unsplash)

College scholarships application deadlines are approaching

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

A variety of community groups are offering college scholarships, and students who want to apply need to get on it, because at least one deadline is today. “Our scholarship programs are created by generous people who understand that higher education is expensive and they want Delaware students to have more opportunity,” said Allison Levine, vice president of marketing for the …

green

NCCo sewer bills go fee-free when paying online

Ken MammarellaGovernment, Headlines

New Castle County has started to accept credit cards and digital wallets for sewer bills – without any extra fees to users. “NO FEES!” the county announced on a insert on attention-grabbing green paper in the bills for sewer service charges that just went out. As the insert explains, the county has an arrangement with a company called Paymentus that …

The Newark library (New Castle County photo)

New 2-story Newark library to be built on same site

Ken MammarellaGovernment, Headlines

New Castle County has decided to update the Newark Free Library on the same site. The new, two-story building will have 50% more interior space, and there will be 80% more parking, Diana Brown, manager of the county’s 10 libraries, said this week. “Details of what will be inside will be developed with public hearings this year,” Out & About …