McGuiness2

DOJ investigator admits to misleading court in McGuiness case

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

State Auditor Kathy McGuiness will not have any charges dropped before her trial begins next week, a judge ruled Tuesday. McGuiness’ attorneys appeared before Judge William Carpenter of the Superior Court of Delaware to ask for a misdemeanor non-compliance with procurement law charge to be dismissed. RELATED: McGuiness pleads not guilty; bail set at $50,000 Defense attorney Steve Wood argued …

Delaware state budget tops $1.5 billion

Lawmakers OK state worker pay raises, $500 bonus

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

The General Assembly’s budget-writing committee on Tuesday approved raises for state workers. Under the governor’s proposed budget, employees on the lower end of the pay scale would get the most significant boost in pay. The Joint Finance Committee approved the increases during its first day of “markup,” a period during which the committee takes the governor’s recommended budget and votes …

Carney Grass

Carney vetoes marijuana legalization

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Delaware Gov. John Carney on Tuesday vetoed House Bill 371, legislation that would have made it legal for Delawareans 21 years of age or older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana. In a statement to the House of Representatives, Carney said while he continues to support medical marijuana, he does not believe promoting or expanding the use of …

Citizens for Judicial Fairness Black

Pro-business group rebrands to focus on judicial fairness

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

  Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware will announce that it is rebranding during a Tuesday rally designed to pressure Gov. John Carney to appoint a Black justice to Chancery Court. The group’s name will change to Citizens for Judicial Fairness, to reflect its growth into an organization with a national focus in highlighting gaps in representation and fighting for equity …

Interrogation

Lawmakers aim to ban deceptive tactics in juvenile interrogations

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

A bill set to be considered by the Delaware House of Representatives would make it illegal for police to lie to children during interrogations.  House Bill 419, sponsored by Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown, D-Wilmington, would ban the use of deceptive tactics, such as making misleading statements about evidence or offering false promises of leniency to extract a confession or other incriminating …

Guns

House bill would raise minimum sentence for felony firearm charge

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

A bill set to be considered by the Delaware House of Representatives would increase the minimum sentence for those who possess a firearm during the commission of a felony.  The crime was created by the 137th General Assembly in 1994 with the minimum required sentence set at three years, or five years for defendants with two prior felony convictions. It …

2021 U.S. Road Fatalities Projected Highest in 16 Years, Delaware at 15-year High

Staff WriterGovernment, Police & Fire, RSS-GOV

An estimated 43,000 people were killed on U.S. roads last year, the highest number in 16 years according to data released this week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The 10.5% jump over 2020 numbers was the largest percentage increase since NHTSA began its fatality accounting in 1975. The 139 fatalities on Delaware […] The post 2021 U.S. …

censusbygettyimages

There aren’t as many Delawareans as the census counted

Ken MammarellaGovernment, Headlines

  The 2020 census counted 967,000 Delawareans, but a new followup analysis by the U.S. Bureau includes Delaware as one of 14 states with statistically significant miscounts, concluding there are really only maybe about 917,000 Delawareans. The bureau’s traditional followup involved a survey of 161,00 housing units and a lot of number crunching. And in Delaware’s case, adjusting the count …

NoWeed

Marijuana legalization fails in Del. General Assembly — again

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

The Delaware House of Representatives on Thursday voted down a bill to legalize, tax and regulate the cultivation and sale of marijuana in the First State. The bill fell just one vote short. House Bill 372, sponsored by Rep. Ed Osienski, D-Newark, represents the second half of a two-pronged approach to marijuana legalization. The first half of the effort, HB …