TSD Review Dec 28 YearInReview

TownSquareLIVE Weekly Review – December 28, 2023

Sonja FreyTown Square Live, Weekly Review

This Year’s Top Headlines Include Oaths of office open most diverse General Assembly ever EastSide breaks ground on $25 million community STEM hub Delaware House passes bill to make EpiPens more affordable Marijuana legal in Delaware Sunday; Carney won’t sign, veto Division of Alcohol starts process to create legal pot industry First new Wilmington school in 50 years topped off …

Ammunition appropriations

GOP reps: Dems never told us about Appropriations bill releases

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

Republican members of the House Appropriations Committee say they were not notified that Democrats planned to release bills from the House Appropriations Committee they sit on. The bills were signed by the Democrat members Wednesday, maybe during a caucus meeting, and then press releases were sent out saying they had been released by the committee, which never met. Among them …

Schwartzkopf and Longhurst

Worst kept secret: Longhurst is new House Speaker

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

On Friday, speaker of the House Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, choked up several times as he announced that he would be stepping down and that Rep. Valerie Longhurst, D-Bear, will succeed him as the new speaker. It will be the first time a woman has been elected the speaker of the House in Delaware. With Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long presiding …

doulas

Reps share personal experiences with doulas as bill passes House

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

Two Delaware House of Representative members talked up the benefits of their doulas before a bill requiring Medicaid to cover their services passed unanimously Thursday. A doula is someone who provides physical and emotional support to pregnant women. The bill would require the state to cover their services for three prenatal and postpartum visits, both up to 90 minutes, as …

Special election District 37

4 bills awaiting their fate in legislature as session end nears

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

Several bills that have been making their way through the legislature are still in limbo despite being passed by committees and either the Delaware Senate or House of Representatives earlier in the session. House Bill 80, sponsored by Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown, D-New Castle, would require doula services to be covered by Medicaid starting Jan. 1, 2024. A doula provides support …

police

House Committee approves two bills adding police oversight

Sam HautHeadlines, Government

Despite opposition from police reform advocates and one vocal Democrat, two bills that add accountability and transparency for Delaware police officers easily passed the House Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee Wednesday. House Bill 206, sponsored by Rep. Kendra Johnson, D-Bear, would change the Council on Police Training to the Police Officer Standards and Training Commission, and would expand it …

traitors

Legislators called traitors, lawbreakers in gun permit debate

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

More than 35 people, including National Rifle Association members, shooting survivors, libertarians and gun violence activists spoke passionately about a proposed handgun permitting bill Wednesday. Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 2, sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth Lockman, D-Wilmington, would require a person to acquire a permit before they can purchase a handgun, but exempting active or retired police …

Anna Shvets

Committee OKs bill requiring insurance companies to pay for abortions

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

A bill that would require Medicaid and other health insurance plans to cover abortion services passed the House Health & Human Development Committee with all Democrats and one Republican voting for it. House Bill 110, sponsored by Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown, D-Newcastle, would make sure that Medicaid and state insurers don’t require deductibles, coinsurances, copayments or any other cost-sharing requirement for …

TSD Review Jan 12

Town Square LIVE Weekly Review – Jan. 12, 2023

Sonja FreyTown Square Live, Weekly Review

Click on the image below to view the PDF This Week’s Top Headlines Include: Community Mt. Pleasant’s Matt Auerbach named Eagles fan of 2022 Former Uber driver: Giving rider kidney ‘easiest decision’ Polly Drummond waste site shut after 2nd suspicious fire Wilmington’s new police chief is 26-year department veteran Business DuPont trailblazer given state chamber’s highest award Read Aloud Delaware …

a building with a grassy field

Corrections summit ends with apology to inmates, families

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

SUSSEX CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION/GOOGLE MAPS STREET VIEW A two-day virtual summit on Delaware’s correctional system ended with Sen. Marie Pinkney apologizing to current and former inmates for perceived failures in the state’s criminal justice system.  “To those who have been involved in our justice system or to those that love people that have been involved in our justice system, we apologize …