Longwood Gardens’ Orchid House will open Feb. 26. Longwood Gardens reopening its restored Orchid House Feb. 26 is the first sign of changes being wrought during its $250 million Longwood Reimagined project. The Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, attraction is expanding its conservatory in ways designed to modernize the displays, make the plants more accessible and employee more environmentally sound construction. …
Brandywine votes to join Wilmington Learning Collaborative
Gov. John Carney, left, and Dr. Mark Holodick, secretary of the Delaware Department of Education talk to the Brandywine School District board. The Brandywine School District board voted unanimously Monday night to join the Wilmington Learning Collaborative, following the lead of the Christina district. The Collaborative, a idea lobbied for by Gov. John Carney’s office and the Delaware …
Delaware courts to test allowing public to bring in cell phones
Signs in some Delaware courts today detail a trial program allowing people to bring cell phones into the building. Delaware courts on Monday began testing the effect of allowing the public to bring cell phones into select courts in all three counties, after banning electronic devices since 2005. Those attending Family Court facilities in Dover and Georgetown, Justice of …
Defunct literacy council money goes to Kent, Sussex programs
Money in the state budget that is line itemed for a defunct literacy council is being used to pay for family literacy programs through the Department of Education. Money allotted to a defunct literacy council has been going to to family literacy programs at three Delaware high schools, via the Delaware Department of Education. The issue of where $278,000 …
Harlan Elementary’s Thursday night Bedtime Stories promote reading, community
This screen grab from a Harlan Elementary Bedtime Stories livestream shows only a portion of those online. A Wilmington school’s night time story program started to keep students engaged while classes were in virtual mode has grown into a cultural touchstone for students, families and teachers. Every Thursday night, as many as 70 Harlan Elementary School students and …
Sunset Committee backs reorganizing Delaware Motion Picture Commission
The state Sunset Committee would like to see the Delaware Motion Picture and Television Commission reorganized and funded. A powerful state committee voted Tuesday to ask for the Delaware Motion Picture & Television Development Commission to be reconstituted, saying it could be an economic and public relations boost. The Joint Legislative Oversight and Sunset Committee also asked its staff …
Allen says DSU “shall not be moved” from keeping its doors open
DSU was one of more than a dozen HBCUs to receive a bomb threat Monday Delaware State University President Tony Allen called a Monday bomb threat — one of more than a dozen at Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country — “a clear effort to confuse, intimidate and bully our students, staff and faculty.” “We are safe, for …
Want hydrangeas that bees will love? Choose a lacecap, says Mt. Cuba
If you want to choose a native hydrangea that will attract pollinators, all you have to do is follow the buzzing. When Mt. Cuba Garden Center was studying 29 species and cultivars of native hydrangeas, the row filled with lacecap hydrangeas — particularly Hydrangea arborescens ‘Haas’ Halo’ — looked (and sounded like) like an insect version of the Starboard …
New group seeks to get parents, grandparents active in education
A Delaware education nonprofit that wants to foster radical change in state schools by activating the involvement of Delawareans is forming Parent Power, a group of mom, dads and grandparents who want to be involved in the system. Step one, said Sharon Sade’ Truiett, director of advocacy for First State Educate, is for parents to begin attending their local …
Highmark clients can get free COVID-19 tests at pharmacies
Abbott Laboratories’ home COVID-19 testing kit is among those available at area drug stores, when in stock. People who have Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance can pick up a COVID-19 test at any in-network pharmacy without having to pay for it, the company announced Monday. Highmark is complying with an order by the Biden administration that insurance …