The News Journal
Family views full bodycam footage
In the wake of the public release of body camera footage from the police shooting that killed Wilmington teenager Kadir Skinner, his family and attorneys are calling Wilmington Police Department’s original account “just not factual.” The family and...
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Bodycam footage in shooting is released
Body camera footage from three officers at the scene where Wilmington police fatally shot 19-year-old Kadir Skinner on June 24 has been released by the Delaware Department of Justice, in conjunction with the Wilmington Police Department and the mayor’s...
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Jill Biden brings humor, candor to Queen stage
Former first lady Jill Biden made it clear from the start that her conversation on stage at Wilmington’s The Queen theater with sometimes saucy author Jennifer Weiner was going to be anything but boring. “We started 20 minutes late. I forgot they had...
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Delaware announces first state-level surgeon general
Delaware named its newest health care leader on July 13, in step with ongoing efforts to strengthen public health coordination statewide. That morning, Gov. Matt Meyer took to the Carvel State Office Building to sign an executive order establishing...
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WHAT DOES PRISON OVERSIGHT REALLY LOOK LIKE?
The fact that Delaware has a committee intended to monitor the quality of health care in its prisons puts it ahead of a growing, nationwide movement toward greater transparency and accountability for how the government treats those it imprisons....
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Injury rehab acquires site after Montchanin failure
A medical group that wanted to create a brain injury rehabilitation center at the Inn at Montchanin Village & Spa but was denied by New Castle County's Board of Adjustment has found a new location in Delaware City. Delaware NeuroRehab has purchased...
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Delaware needs more FOIA lawsuits or reforms, please
If you think the government should be transparent about issues such as how force is used by police and how much money goes toward defending civil rights lawsuits, you should care about recent court challenges focused on Delaware’s Freedom of...
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Ceasefire falls apart as Iran buries slain leader
The fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran appeared to have fallen apart over continued strife over the Strait of Hormuz as Iranians buried their supreme leader, killed by U.S.-Israel forces at the outset of the war. There were no new...
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State to pay man $4M for wrongful imprisonment
The state agreed to pay $4 million to the first applicant in Delaware’s new wrongful conviction compensation program, according to public documents. Elmer Daniels spent 39 years in prison before his conviction was overturned and he was released at...
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Rehoboth fireworks display was a smoky mess for many
For the nation’s semiquincentennial, Rehoboth Beach advertised an over 6,000-shell show by Zambelli Fireworks. The city paid over $57,000 for it. At dusk the day after Independence Day in “The Nation’s Summer Capital,” thousands of people waited on...
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Upgraded Freeman Arts venue boasts star power
The new and expansive $43 million Freeman Arts Pavilion facility near Selbyville has caught the attention of singer-songwriter James Taylor, who will debut there in a sold-out show in late summer. Michelle Freeman, president and chairman of the Carl...
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Readers list spots they wish would return
A comeback isn’t all that common in the restaurant industry. It’s not often that restaurants are shut down for good and then return for a reboot. The best national example recently might be Red Lobster. While the seafood chain didn’t permanently close...
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Why DE child abuse claims bill stalled
Abill that would have eliminated the statute of limitations for pre-2007 child sex abuse civil claims failed in the final minutes of the General Assembly’s marathon final day. h The bill would have expanded the 2007 Child Victims Act, which eliminated...
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OF THE PEOPLE BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE
As America turns 250, the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln points to what comes next
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Carney’s housing trust veto survives
The war between Mayor John Carney’s office and Wilmington City Council members on how to best approach housing policy continues to rage, but Carney won a battle at the July 2 council meeting. Carney vetoed an ordinance that would have established an...
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ICE bill awaits Meyer’s signature
It may have just gotten harder for ICE to find cooperation among Delaware law enforcement. The General Assembly cleared a bill focused on such dealings with Immigration and Customs Enforcement before session’s end on June 30. The measure could set...
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Pressure grows to release footage of police shooting
Pressure is mounting on Wilmington officials to release body-camera footage and other evidence related to last week’s police-involved shooting, with community members, elected officials and faith leaders demanding greater transparency in the death of...
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Dual demolitions planned for Rehoboth boardwalk
Not one but two demolition projects are now expected to be undertaken on the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk this fall. The Belhaven Hotel is planned for 2 Rehoboth Ave., necessitating the demolition of numerous buildings on the beach blocks of Rehoboth...
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Dozens of bills still hang in balance on final day
After weeks of negotiations, delays and last-minute twists, Delaware lawmakers head into the final day of the General Assembly with a crowded docket and little time left. They still must decide the fate of dozens of bills – from limiting data center...
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Bills would regulate energy drinks in DE
As the current legislative session comes to a close, a package of bills focused on regulating caffeinated and energy drinks in Delaware is under consideration. If you’re wondering why legislators are concerned about some of your favorite drinks, here’s...
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Intern was unfamiliar with DE, but calls it ‘a pleasant surprise’
Every week, reporters, editors and other members of our news team at Delaware Online/The News Journal write a bit about their lives inside and outside the newsroom. In the past, our staff members have written columns about their areas of coverage,...
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DE lawmakers pass bill requiring HIV drug prevention coverage
ADelaware bill that would mandate health care coverage of the HIV drugs PrEP and PEP cleared the House June 25, after it passed unanimously in the Senate the day before. h Backed by Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha, the bill would require health care insurance...
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Court hears arguments on reviving lawsuit
A federal circuit court panel heard arguments June 24 in an appeal to reinstate the Delaware NAACP’s lawsuit claiming active discrimination against Black people by the Wilmington Police Department. The class action suit, filed in a federal district...
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Long-closed diner finally meets its end
Demolition of the old ChesDel diner, which has been left to rot since it closed in 2018, began in mid-June. The restaurant near St. Georges had been a part of the community for 38 years. But a customer hasn’t walked through the doors of the old diner...
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Man indicted in fatal shooting at hospital
John Wallace-Bey, the 23-year-old man accused of killing one 19-year-old and seriously injuring another in last week’s shooting at Wilmington Hospital, has been indicted by a Delaware grand jury. Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced the...
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Police identify victim in fatal hospital shooting
The 19-year-old man killed in a double shooting at Wilmington Hospital on June 16 has been identified as Ethan Hillman. The Smyrna resident was one of two men police say was shot by 23-year-old John Wallace-Bey of New Castle. Police have not provided...
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Environmental facility expands scientific capabilities
The Delaware agency that tests water, air and soil to try to protect people and animals has opened a state-of-art laboratory to improve the quality and quantity of those tests. On June 18, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control...
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How to meet Delaware Online/ News Journal editorial board
Delaware Online/The News Journal is served by an editorial board that convenes regularly to discuss not only the news of the day in the First State, but also how we might respond to it. We write editorials to converse with elected officials and news...
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DOJ cuts grants, halting public safety efforts across U.S.
The United States is experiencing one of the steepest declines in violent crime in modern history, including a murder rate at its lowest point in more than a century. Homicides across 35 major American cities fell 21% in 2025, amounting to 922 fewer...
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Facing ‘growing violence,’ protesters ask for support
Representatives of Indivisible Southern Delaware are facing “escalating security issues” during their weekly sign waves, they say, and they are concerned by Delaware State Police’s perceived lack of action. After sending two letters to police and...
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Police identify suspect in hospital shooting
Wilmington police have identified the 23-year-old man accused of shooting two Wilmington Hospital employees on June 16, leading to an hourslong lockdown at the medical facility and a search for the shooter that led law enforcement into...
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Early morning blaze in Ogletown kills man, pets
One man is dead following an early morning house fire in Ogletown, state officials told Delaware Online/ The News Journal. The man has not been identified and the fire’s cause remains under investigation, Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Thomas P....
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Wilmington clears out homeless campers at Christina Park
A chain-link fence surrounded Christina Park in Wilmington on June 15. By sundown, the barrier might be the only thing that remains, aside from a baseball field, in the park that hosted a tent village for homeless people for about six months. About 18...
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Honor is a big deal for Delaware man
A Delaware man sported a highlighter-yellow T-shirt with matching neon socks, purple soccer shorts and black Adidas sneakers with Skittles-colored stripes. This outfit, which includes a purple hat with a matching jacket, is so drenched in color that...
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Creativity is part of how we grow
When you hear the word “creative,” what comes to mind? For some, it’s a painter with a brush, a musician building a beat or a writer putting words on a page. But creativity is bigger than that. It’s not just about art. It’s about how we think, adapt...
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Family asks why charges differ in fatal DUI crashes
Michelle Palazzolo was speeding when police say she blew through a red light and crashed into the side of a 72year-old man’s car in Brandywine Hun dred, killing him. It was a little before 2:30 p.m. on a Friday in mid-April and the 35-year-old had...
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‘ELEPHANTS’ COME MARCHING IN
While the luxurious Hotel du Pont in Wilmington has attracted a flood of famous visitors over the years, from astronauts to U.S. presidents, hosting soccer stars is the new wave here this summer. Ivory Coast’s national soccer team, nicknamed the...
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Rodney statue finds a temporary home
The statue of Caesar Rodney that once stood in the downtown Wilmington square bearing his name is back in the public view – just not in Delaware. h The 14-foot-tall bronze statue has a temporary home in Washington, DC’s Freedom Plaza, which is on...
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If it’s local you want, we’ve got it.
Our Sunday refresh offers more local news and sports, as well as “Weekend Exclusive” content to help you navigate your lives. So enjoy your Sunday reading filled with stories that will inspire, educate, inform and entertain you.
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Council pushes back on village deadline
Wilmington has given the residents of a homeless community on a city park until June 15 to find another place to live. The City Council on June 4 voted to oppose the deadline until it can get a broader plan for current residents. The council passed a...
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‘An amazing actor’
A teen actor from Harrington is set to debut a new film at Tribeca Festival in New York City. Fourteen-year-old Zoe Ziegler previously took audiences by storm for her role as “Lacy” in the 2023 film “Janet Planet,” which was filmed over two months in...
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Expert concerned by fewer Delaware Bay seals off Lewes
The number of seals seen in the Delaware Bay off Lewes this winter was much lower than usual, according to a local expert. Seal season in Delaware runs November through April, and during that time, boat touring companies take eager wildlife...
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Historic Montchanin inn finds potential buyer
A well-known Hockessin shopping center built more than 50 years ago is up for sale, and a historic inn in Montchanin with roots going back to the 18th century has a signed letter of intent with a qualified buyer, Delaware Online/The News Journal has...
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Movie theater opening at former Dover AMC
Soon Dover residents won’t have to drive miles to go see a movie as a new movie theater plans to open in the former AMC later this year. Delaware businessman Arthur Helmick is bringing the buttery popcorn, oversized ICEEs and large screens back to...
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Chain had folded into bankruptcy 8 months ago
In talking about the reopening of five Iron Hill Brewery locations, including on Wilmington’s Riverfront, co-founder Mark Edelson is looking to the past. And, no, not eight months ago when the oncemighty Newark-founded chain of 22 restaurants imploded...
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What makes a Pittsburgh cookie table so special?
As Delaware Online’s resident Yinzer, I believe there are plenty of things that make the Pittsburgh region better than the Philly region. But there is one thing that truly settles all arguments: the cookie table. We take them seriously, and my family...
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‘GRACIOUS, AUTHENTIC’
AWilmington visionary and two-time mayor. A lawyer and a New Castle County councilman. Leader of the Riverfront Development Corp. A star University of Delaware football player and a promising rookie whose career with the New York Giants was cut short...
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Student in Rehoboth ‘takeover’ speaks out
After four Delaware State University students were charged with intent to start a riot related to a Rehoboth Beach “takeover” May 19, at least one of those students and the Delaware NAACP State Conference of Branches have expressed concerns about how...
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New Castle County approves 17% tax hike
New Castle County residents will get a 17% property tax hike under the county’s 2027 budget passed on May 26. Property owners can expect to pay around $10 more a month from the first tax rate increase that New Castle County has passed in seven...
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Delaware April home sales up from March
Delaware home sales in April climbed from March, but fell from a year ago, while prices rose compared with the previous month and year. Sales of existing homes, not new construction, totaled 1,108 in April, according to the Delaware Association of...
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Surprise gift boosts Needy Family Fund
Sometimes, an ending becomes one more chance to give. Last year was supposed to mark the close of Delaware Online/The News Journal’s Needy Family Fund – a program built over a century that raised millions of dollars and helped generations of...
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Organizers seek to maintain community connection
Balloons drift overhead. Bands march and play. Spectators line the streets, watching as the parade rolls by. For generations, Memorial Day parades have been a fixture in Delaware, with Wilmington’s — the state’s oldest — stretching back more than 150...
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World Cup in U.S. is a thrill for player, fan
For soccer and me, it was love at first touch. So count me among those relishing the planet’s premier sporting event, soccer’s World Cup, being in the United States from June 11 to July 19. It’s been here before, in 1994. I sat in the stands at RFK...
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Trump defends DOJ fund amid GOP revolt
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump is digging in over the Justice Department’s $1.8 billion “anti-weaponi zation” fund as Senate Republicans revolt over a pot of money that could funnel payments to the president’s allies, including Jan. 6 defendants....
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Old Dover post office being renovated for new uses
For the first time in about five years, there’s activity inside the former post office in Dover, and that’s the second victory in a win-win situation downtown, said Mayor Robin Christiansen. Renovations started May 1 to transform the building at 55...
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Old-world Italian fest, new-world realities
Long gone are the days of elderly Italian men and women cooking homemade spaghetti and ravioli, fireworks bursting over Wilmington’s west side, thrilling high-wire acts, and runners participating in 5K and 10K runs. Wilmington’s St. Anthony’s Italian...
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Biden reflects on life, work of his longtime friend
Tributes from Delaware’s leaders have poured in over the passing of former Wilmington mayor and visionary Riverfront developer Mike Purzycki at 80 years old on May. 19. Former President Joe Biden, who is about three years older, added his 60 years of...
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‘Going to rebuild better’
Clergy from across denominations, elected officials and Wilmington residents gathered May 18 in a show of unity and faith just a day after a massive fire gutted the historic Mother African Union Church. The crowd assembled outside the charred...
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Beekeepers open hives and brace for losses
On a cool April afternoon, Dan Borkoski lifts a cinder block from a painted beehive and opens it for the first time since November. Bees pour out as he raises a panel, and a sweet smell fills the air, like banana Laffy Taffy. The University of...
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SUMMER CAN BE FLEETING
I’m not someone who focuses on summer. I used to, for sure, but as I’ve gotten older, I realized “summer’’ is more a state of mind. And when you focus on it too much, it seems to slip by even faster every year. Once you’re out of school, summers rarely...
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AI-integrated cameras raise alarms
For decades, cars dictated urban planning in the United States. h Few could have predicted that they would one day also double as nodes for surveillance. h In thousands of towns and cities across the United States, automatic license plate readers have...
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Space for indigent burials running out
It isn’t easy to spot. Just off the Jack Markell Trail near New Castle, between a few governmental buildings and a cluster of trees, there’s a field. Among the dotted wildflowers and the rumble of nearby I-295, a large marker bears the names of those...
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Christina Park residents seek answers on evictions
After more than five months and over $100,000 spent by the city of Wilmington, residents of the tent village in Wilmington’s Christina Park woke up to eviction notices on their tents May 11. They will have to figure out somewhere else to live by June...
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ICE ARRESTS IN DELAWARE SURGED IN 2025
After settling a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the nonprofit Deportation Data Project has released the most up-to-date information on ICE arrests since President Donald Trump took office. Despite...
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Winterthur trades horse racing for Field & Fête bash
Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library is skipping its traditional Pointto-Point horse racing this May to deliver a new event they believe will be hot to trot: the Field & Fête garden party. Field & Fête is May 16, celebrating Winterthur’s milestone of...
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Teen’s foundation aims to give back to Nemours
Tony Floyd was diagnosed with cancer at 2 years old. That isn’t the only health issue he has navigated in his 23 years of life, either. From epilepsy episodes to heart failure and more, the Bear native has been no stranger to the hospital. Through it...
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Yes, it’s Mother’s Day ... but I’m still blaming her
The interaction lasted only a few moments. My mother and I were picking on each other and she looked at me and said, “When you write your book, you better dedicate it to me for the things I did for you.” I smiled wryly and looked back and said, “Of...
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Refinery repairs to raise sulfur dioxide emissions
The Delaware City Refinery will have nearly one month of increased emissions of a harmful chemical. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced on May 7 that the refinery would begin repairs on equipment at its...
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U.S. pope’s first year sparks reaction
VILLANOVA, PA – It’s been nearly 1,000 years since King Henry IV stood barefoot in the Italian snow to beg forgiveness after clashes with Pope Gregory VII and over two centuries since Napoleon imprisoned Pope Pius VII in France. Now, a new battle is...
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Point-to-Point kaput as Winterthur hosts garden party
The ride’s over. One of Delaware’s most popular rites of spring isn’t happening this year or maybe ever again. Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library has scrapped what would have been its 48th annual Point-to-Point steeplechase races. Winterthur has...
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Wilmington mom celebrates new life
Honey Gorny was lying in a Philadelphia intensive care unit, relying on machines to help her body function. She needed a lung transplant, but the then-56-year-old had spent nearly two years on a list. She already said her goodbyes, already had last...
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Iron Hill Brewery awaits reopening on Riverfront
It won’t be long before you’re back at your usual spot at Wilmington’s Iron Hill Brewery, enjoying that familiar combo of a Pig Iron Porter and a pub burger. How soon? That depends, restaurant officials say. “The plan, subject to permit approvals, is...
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1 FOUND DEAD AFTER WILMINGTON BLAZE
One person was found dead after a fire ripped through a home early in the morning on May 2, the Wilmington Fire Department said. Firefighters arrived at the house in the Triangle neighborhood in the 2000 block of Harrison St. and saw a three-story...
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Navigating my newsroom return after maternity leave
My first newsroom-wide meeting after returning from maternity leave in mid-January was comforting – but also not. On the one hand, little appeared different. I couldn’t help but smile as a coworker monotonously summarized their week ahead; their...
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Iran submits latest proposal to end war
President Donald Trump showed no signs of trying to obtain congressional approval for the war in Iran despite reaching the 60-day deadline to do so, and a maritime blockade remained in effect as the president expressed doubt about Iran’s efforts to...
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ChristianaCare announces plans for health campus
ChristianaCare plans to expand operations in Kent County. The health care system announced on April 30 it has submitted a notice of intent to the Delaware Health Resources Board to develop a new health campus in Camden. The project is part of $865...
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