Delaware Roundup: Don’t miss these news briefs from Dec. 16-20

The Delaware Roundup is published every weekend. Send submissions for News Briefs and Calendar items to [email protected]. If possible, please forward submissions within the email or in a Word document.

The Davey Tree Expert Company again will be on hand at the TreeCycle event to chip and mulch trees with a commercial chipper/grinder, producing organic material to be used in DCH gardens, the Shearman Street community garden, and public landscapes throughout the City of Wilmington.

DNREC is again sponsoring the Delaware Center for Horticulture’s TreeCycle event that aims to make beneficial reuse of holiday trees by turning them into wood chips and mulch while also keeping the trees out of the state’s landfills. TreeCycle is a family-friendly recycling event to be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 4, at the DCH parking lot, 1810 North Dupont Street in Wilmington. DNREC also reminds residents who don’t plan to take their trees to a yard waste drop-off site that they should check with their waste hauler or municipality to see if the hauler or town offers curbside collection of holiday trees. If residents find that curbside pickup is unavailable to them, they are advised to check DNREC’s by-county listing of yard waste drop-off sites.

Another free disposal option with the environment in mind is the Coastal Delaware National Wildlife Refuges’ collection of holiday trees for a salt marsh restoration project at Bombay Hook NWR near Smyrna from Dec. 27 to Jan. 13, 2025. The project, undertaken by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, calls for placing the disposed holiday trees so that they will help “catch sediment and help build back some of the marsh and reduce the impact of waves along Bombay Hook’s wildlife drive,” according to a recent Coastal Delaware National Wildlife Refuges Facebook post. Trees must be stripped of all decorations before they are dropped off at the refuge. The project is also being supported by the Delaware Wild Lands conservation organization. For more information, call 302-595-1609. More information about yard waste collection in Delaware can be found at de.gov/yardwaste.

PRESS RELEASE PITCH OF THE WEEK

PR people and companies send us hundreds of releases each week. Some of them have absolutely nothing to do with Delaware. Sometimes you get one that just make you smile, like this one from Verizon. If any of these items interest you, please consider a local retailer for your purchase.

“This festive season, it’s easier than ever to find, stream, and DVR your favorite holiday movies, especially for Verizon customers with myPlan, myHome, and Fios TV – but what if today’s tech were around when these classic films were being written and produced? Would plots still hold up, in the spirit of Charles Dickens, via the Ghost Of Holiday Future?

Here’s how the latest gadgets, devices and holiday deals from Verizon could’ve saved the day for beloved characters in six iconic holiday films:

• “Home Alone” – With the Verizon Gizmo Watch 3 smartwatch on Kevin McAllister’s wrist, once his mom realized he was missing, she could have tracked his location in real time with the Verizon Family App. The moment Kevin realized he was left behind or caught sight of burglars, he could’ve texted his parents through the Gizmo Watch’s trusted contacts feature.
• “Elf” – Instead of getting lost in New York City, Buddy the Elf would have had a smoother trip, managed Santa’s naughty list, and fixed his sleigh on time if he’d seen Verizon’s Apple Holiday Deal; he’d have snagged the iPhone 16 Pro, 10th-generation iPad and Apple Watch Series 10, all on Verizon, while trading in an old iPhone in any condition and signing up for a select plan. Plus, with Apple Maps, Buddy could easily navigate to The Big Apple. With Apple AI, he’d find an appropriate gift for his dad. And with an Apple Watch, he could receive real-time updates on Santa’s location and changes to his route.
• “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” – Clark Griswold wouldn’t have spent hours getting tangled up in thousands of Christmas lights, only for them to not even work! If Clark had a Google Pixel and Wemo WiFi Smart Plugs, with just a few taps on the phone, Clark could’ve automated his entire Christmas light display, all from his pocket. And if Clark were wearing the Google Pixel Watch 3, it would have checked in with him after detecting one of his hard falls or crashes, and automatically dialed emergency services and shared his location if he didn’t respond. It’s a beaut, Clark!
• “A Christmas Story” – Poor Flick would’ve known better than to get his tongue stuck on a frozen pole – by first checking the pole’s temperature with a Google Pixel 9. The Pixel thermometer app tells you the exact temperature of an object, like your body temperature, food, coffee and more. After all, tongues can be awfully “fra-gee-lay.”
• “The Santa Clause” – With the Ultrahuman Ring AIR, instead of feeling sluggish, Santa could’ve prepared better in advance by monitoring his sleep index, cardio age, and overall health to make sure he was in peak condition for the big night.
• “The Nightmare Before Christmas” – Instead of kidnapping Santa, what if Jack Skellington had a better way to learn about Christmas Town? With the large display, long-lasting battery and dual stereo speakers of the TCL Tab 8 Plus Tablet, Jack could’ve video-called Santa for a tour of Christmas Town, and maybe even gotten a crash course in holiday cheer, without all that mischief!”

BUSINESS

Capital One received approval from the Office of the Delaware State Bank Commissioner to complete its pending acquisition of Discover Financial Services  and its subsidiary bank, Discover Bank, which is a Delaware-chartered bank.

Marine veteran and local entrepreneur Casey Taylor and his wife Amy have opened Play It Again Sports®, the leading family sporting goods resale concept, in Newark at 29 University Drive. The brand provides athletes of every age a place to sell their quality used sports and fitness equipment, including football equipment, baseball gloves and bats, hockey gear, snow and ski, golf clubs, soccer gear, lacrosse equipment, treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, benches, weights, and more.

Applications for Delaware’s fifth annual Startup302 funding competition will be accepted January 2-26 from technology-enabled startups with high-growth potential and at least one founding team member from an underrepresented group. Prizes include cash grants from a pool of over $100,000, mentorship opportunities, and connections with potential investors and key influencers. Coordinated by Delaware Prosperity Partnership and innovation-supporting partners from the Delaware business community and beyond, Startup302 launched in 2020 and has provided $800,000 in funding to 52 ventures since 2021. This year’s FinTech, Life Sciences, and Environmental Impact categories reflect Delaware’s evolving innovation and industry landscape. Startups don’t have to be Delaware-based to enter. Thanks to sponsors, there is no charge to enter. This year’s Startup302 prize sponsors include the Delaware Division of Small Business, Discover Bank, DuPont, FMC, M&T Bank, Highmark Delaware, JPMorganChase, Delaware Biotechnology Institute, The Mill, Bronze Valley VentureLab and University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. Organizing partners include the Innovation Space, Chartline Capital Partners, CAFÉ (Center for Accelerating Financial Equity), the Delaware Small Business Development Center, the Delaware Bioscience Association, the Delaware Sustainable Chemistry Alliance (DESCA), The Emerging Enterprise Center, the Pete DuPont Freedom Foundation, the Women’s Business Center at True Access Capital and World Trade Center Delaware. An online information session for prospective entrants was recorded on December 5 and is available for prospective applicants to review at startup302.org.

The New Castle County Chamber of Commerce will host an EdX talk on the State of the Philadelphia International (PHL) and Wilmington (ILG) Airports on January 28, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Chase Center. This event will provide attendees with a unique opportunity to hear directly from local leaders about the ongoing transformation of PHL and ILG, and how these changes drive economic growth, workforce expansion, and community development. Tickets are available to purchase online HERE.

The Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce (CDCC) has secured a new venue for its 2025 Home & Garden Expo from February 28-March 1 at the NASCAR Cup Series garage at Dover Motor Speedway. The venue includes expansive open space with plenty of room for customized vendor displays, demonstrations, and large crowds to move through the space without any bottlenecks. Plus, the location in the racetrack infield at Dover Motor Speedway will allow for numerous outdoor displays that will be easily accessible from the adjacent vendor space inside the garage. Vendor spots are available by contacting the CDCC office at (302) 734-7513, ext. 206, or emailing Cindy Friese at [email protected].

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant has signed a letter of intent to open a new location next to the Liacouras Center arena on Temple University’s Philadelphia campus.

Surf Bagel has opened a new location in Fenwick Island. With Lewes, Long Neck, Midway, and Milford locations, Surf Bagel’s expansion into Fenwick brings daily baked bagels, smoothies, wraps, coffee, and iconic merch, all served in a casual atmosphere with a coastal southern Delaware vibe!  The new location is conveniently located on Coastal Highway, just two blocks from the beach.

Spark’d Creative Pastry has moved to the I.M. Pei Building from the DE.CO Food Hall as the Buccini/Pollin Group has officially changed management to the Bardea Restaurant Group. Spark’d replaces coffee and quick-serve cafe I.M. Coffee in the building on 11^th and Market Street, owned by the Buccini/Pollin Group.

The Buccini Pollin Group, Inc. (BPG), lead developer for the 28-acre Lower Hill District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, announced that construction is now complete on the $300 Million FNB Financial Center.

CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

This year on GivingTuesday, Dec. 3, the University of Delaware community came together on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3, to support hundreds of UD programs, including the 140 projects featured on HenFunder, the University’s crowdfunding platform. With more than 3,200 donors contributing just under $389,000, this year marked the largest number of donors and dollars raised for UD programs on GivingTuesday since the global fundraising event began in 2012.

For the second year, Salesianum School will open its doors on Christmas Day from 12-3 pm, welcoming Wilmington Housing Authority (WHA) residents and the surrounding community for an afternoon filled with food, fellowship, songs, and cheer. The event is expected to unite more than 300 WHA residents — more than double last year’s turnout with hundreds of Salesianum students, families, alumni, and friends. Salesianum students have recruited hundreds of event volunteers who will prepare and serve food and provide companionship to WHA residents who may have otherwise spent Christmas alone. In addition to volunteers, students have solicited sponsorships, personal donations to help defray the event’s cost,
and a gift drive so that each attendee will receive a special gift; guests will enjoy Christmas carols and a visit from Santa.

The 8^th Annual Deer Park Goes Pink 5k, held on Sunday, October 20, 2024, raised $38,000 for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition.

The Del-One Foundation continued its rollout of $3,500 holiday donations to Delaware organizations. More than $120,000 was raised and donated to local organizations over the past two years by the Del-One Foundation, which announced these $3,500 donations this past week:

• AtTAcK Addiction raises awareness about the disease of addiction by educating communities and assisting families of those in recovery and “seeks to remove the stigma of addiction by affecting positive change in Delaware”
• Hope on Deck, whose mission is to “provide essential items and services to vulnerable populations, including individuals struggling with addiction, those in recovery, homelessness, and foster care children affected by parental substance use disorder or mental health issues.
• Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing (DIMH), which shelters and assists 200 or more men annually and helps them secure employment, housing and stability. Additionally, more than 400 homeless adults are assisted each year in the daytime resource center.

Now in its eighth year, the award-winning Fire and Ice Festival will begin Friday, January 31 with a “Weekend for the Books” theme in downtown Bethany Beach, Ocean View, Millville, Frankford and beyond to experience the Quiet Resorts jam-packed with winter fun! Festival goers can enjoy multiple walking ice tours throughout the festival weekend. There will be more than 75 ice sculptures, including four live carving demonstrations by The Ice God and internationally renowned artists. There will also be a large skating rink, a huge kids’ inflatables kingdom, magic shows, a pop-up beer garden, a chili cookoff, and a seasonal stop at your favorite shops, restaurants, and businesses.

You know those iPhone photos of Delaware tourist attractions that have drawn oohs and ahhs from the people you shared them with? Well, try sharing them with Southern Delaware Tourism, which is launching its 9th Annual Southern Delaware Tourism Photo Contest. Both locals and visitors are invited and encouraged to enter. Entries will be accepted beginning at midnight on January 1 through 5 p.m. on March 7. inners will be announced Friday, March 21, 2025. There will be one Grand Prize-winning photo (attached here) as well as one winning photo in each of three categories. To find contest rules and entry instructions and to upload your entries, go to https://visitsoutherndelaware.com/southern-delaware-tourism-photo-contest. Be sure to read all entry and eligibility rules and requirements prior to uploading entries. Winners will be notified via email on Friday, March 21, 2025.

EDUCATION 

A team of Goldey-Beacom College (GBC) entrepreneurship program students, led by Dr. Scott Glenn, took second place at the Global Solutions-sponsored Virtual Business Expo on December 18. The Virtual Business Expo is an online competition designed to help solve global challenges. Kansas State University took first place, and Indiana University finished behind GBC in third place. Each U.S. college is paired with a university in Jordan or Iraq, and Goldey-Beacom welcomed a partnership with Erbil Polytechnic University, located in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Through these eight-week programs, college students come together in cross-cultural teams to improve global citizenship, strengthen skills in problem-solving, and foster connections while collaborating online and enhancing job skills.

Delaware State University’s Department of Languages and Literature recently received the Public Service Award for World Language and Cultural Literacy from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). The award – presented by the ACTFL Board of Directors – recognizes the Department for expanding its TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Program and establishing a Chinese Language and Culture Center in partnership with Xiamen University in China.

The University of Delaware’s Online MBA program moved up five spots to 41st in the nation, as announced this week in the 2025 Poets&Quants Best Online MBA Programs rankings. The UD Online MBA program is placed among the top 11% of all accredited programs. UD’s five-place increase from last year’s rankings tied for the eighth highest among schools.

Seven First State Military Academy students who competed in an AP Calculus competition, Project Phase of Modeling the Future Challenge, were selected to compete in the national competition and will be the only school from Delaware representing the First State. The students’ proposal for the competition is “Beyond the Fields: The Hidden Cost of Delaware’sShrinking Agricultural Landscape.” The students who will represent First State Military Academy and the State of Delaware are Kylie Ford, Gavin Thompson, Ryan Allen, Sebastiano Pupillo, Aliah Ngone Vessah, Olivia DeNight, and Jeyson Ramos.

United States Congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride (D-Delaware) and State Representative Bryan Shupe (R-Delaware) are the 2024 recipients of the Biden School Civility in Public Service Award sponsored by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Ithaca Initiative in the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Delaware. The award, established by the Biden School in 2022, is an annual event that honors two public servants from disparate places on the political spectrum who successfully worked collaboratively for the public good. McBride and Shupe were recognized for their leadership efforts in passing the Digital Citizenship Education Act (SB195), making Delaware one of the first states in the nation to legislate media literacy beginning in kindergarten.

A team of DSU College of Business students have won $6,000 for developing an artificial intelligence model that can effectively predict and detect credit card fraud. The Fraud Busters – Keon Caison, Jenia David, Emanuela Halm, and Giomar Tellez – outdid two other DSU teams to win the FICO Analytic Challenge competition, which netted each member of the winning team $1,500. The Fraud Buster won the competition by developing a machine-learning model that analyzed transactional data and used artificial intelligence (AI) to distinguish fraudulent transactions from legitimate ones.

ENVIRONMENT

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has released an updated energy plan to help guide the state toward continuing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to clean energy sources. The 2024-2028 Delaware State Energy Plan maps out strategies we can deploy to meet the state’s energy and emissions reduction goals while maintaining a reliable and resilient grid and increasing energy justice in disadvantaged communities. The state energy plan was last updated in 2009.

The City of Seaford will benefit from a $3 million state investment to clean up a riverfront site for redevelopment as part of Seaford’s revitalization. The funding will be used by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s brownfields section to manage the cleanup of a former city power plant site next to the Nanticoke River. More than $207,000 from Delaware’s Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act and DNREC’s Brownfields Program have already been spent for site investigation and preliminary cleanup of the property where Seaford’s oil-fired power plan operated for more than 80 years before it was decommissioned in 2015.

The final phase of construction for the Lewes-Georgetown Trail has begun. A key component of the state’s growing network of recreational and transportation infrastructure, this expansion is made possible through funding secured in 2023 from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program. The 17-mile Lewes-Georgetown Trail has been a transformative addition to Delaware’s landscape since the first phase opened in October 2016.

The City of Wilmington and Wilmington Water have partnered with the University of Delaware Water Resources Center over the past two years to develop the City’s Service Line Inventory Map, ensuring the City’s continued compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s revised Lead and Copper Rule. Eight graduate and undergraduate students  reviewed more than 70,000 work orders dating back to 1916 to help inventory the City’s water supply system.

GOVERNMENT

The Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council (DEFAC), a non-partisan group of business and community leaders, academics, and government professionals, predicts the state will end the fiscal year with a $370 million surplus and set Delaware’s budget limit a little more than $7 billion for the next fiscal year. It’s the largest amount Delaware has seen in the past seven years. Outgoing Governor John Carney has maintained seven consecutive budget surpluses, which has seen the general fund balance grow to $1.8 billion in four years, with help from the financial support from the federal government during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SPORTS

Southern Delaware Tourism has named Focus Multisports’ Coastal Delaware Running Festival its 2024 Best Event Award at its annual awards banquet at the Lighthouse Restaurant in Dewey Beach, Delaware with Senator Tom Carper as the keynote speaker. The Coastal Delaware Running Festival presented by Grotto Pizza is an award-winning annual running event consisting of a Boston Qualifier Full Marathon, Half Marathon, Challenge Runs, 9k and 5k in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware State Parks, The Town of Lewes, and Dewey Beach that brings approximately 10,000 people consisting of 4,000 plus participants with family and guests to the Coastal Delaware for a fun-filled weekend in April. The event is an RRCA State Championship Event and awarded Delaware’s Best Half-Marathon by the national Half-Marathon Magazine. It is promoted locally, regionally, and nationally.

TRANSPORTATION

DART will operate regular weekday services statewide on Christmas Eve, December 24, and New Year’s Eve, December 31, and SEPTA Wilmington/Newark Line train will operate regular weekday service. On Christmas Day, December 25, and New Year’s Day, January 1, DART statewide services, both fixed route and paratransit, will not operate.  SEPTA Wilmington/Newark Line train service will run a Holiday schedule. Please view Holiday Schedule for details.

 PEOPLE

Caleb Everett, professor of anthropology and psychology and a senior associate dean at the University of Miami, has been named the next dean of the University of Delaware College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). Everett joined the University of Miami in 2007 and is currently senior associate dean for faculty affairs and college diversity. He previously served as senior associate dean for academic affairs. He served as chair of the anthropology department from 2017 to 2021. With 24 academic departments in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences; more than 25 centers, programs, and institutes; and featuring outstanding research and teaching facilities, CAS serves over 7,500 students, supported by more than 400 staff and 600 faculty members.

Delaware’s Congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride announced the hire of Michaela Kurinsky-Malos to be her deputy chief of staff and communications director. Kurinsky-Malos previously served as McBride’s campaign manager.

Bayhealth named Hasitha Vemula, MD, to the Bayhealth Endocrinology, Blue Hen practice in Dover.

GGA Construction named Christina Kelley as its new business development manager. In her new role, she will engage with industry-related organizations, represent GGA at community events and on various committees, identify new partnership opportunities, and foster both new and existing relationships.

U.S. Senator Tom Carper, a 23-year veteran of the Navy and the last Vietnam veteran serving in the U.S. Senate, today announced the names of his service academy nominees for the Class of 2029, bringing these Delawareans one step closer to joining the ranks of America’s military officers. Each year, members of the United States Congress are charged with nominating top candidates from their home state, ensuring the best and brightest are considered for admission to the nation’s leading service academies.

Senator Carper’s nominations to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis:

1. Alexander Bauer of Felton, Milford Senior High School
2. John Chakwin of Middletown, Delaware Military Academy
3. McKenna Dineen of Wilmington, Delaware Military Academy
4. Patrick Donahue of Lewes, Cape Henlopen High School
5. Elyse Fuller of Camden Wyoming, Polytech High School
6. Mason Fyock of Lewes, Cape Henlopen High School
7. Nicholas Gioia of Wilmington, Salesianum School
8. Jacob Girard of Wilmington, Salesianum School
9. Alaina Glaviano of Newark, Delaware Military Academy
10. Bailey Hainsworth of Historic New Castle, Delaware Military Academy
11. Brianna Hammond of Felton, Delaware Technical Community College
12. Luke Housey of Wilmington, Salesianum School
13. Angelique Louie of Dover, Caesar Rodney High School
14. Jacob Massey of Frankford, Indian River High School
15. Tyler Messick of Hockessin, Conrad School of Science
16. Quinn Murphy of Wilmington, Sanford School
17. Leah Norton of Claymont, Brandywine High School
18. MaKinley Stuart of Camden Wyoming, Caesar Rodney High School
19. Christian Wittmeyer of Middletown, Archmere Academy
20. Richard Zhuang of Dover, Dover High School

Senator Carper’s nominations to the United States Military Academy in West Point:

1. Alexander Bauer of Felton, Milford Senior High School
2. John Chakwin of Middletown, Delaware Military Academy
3. McKenna Dineen of Wilmington, Delaware Military Academy
4. Patrick Donahue of Lewes, Cape Henlopen High School
5. Cade Donnelly of Frankford, Indian River High School
6. Elyse Fuller of Camden Wyoming, Polytech High School
7. Mason Fyock of Lewes, Cape Henlopen High School
8. Nicholas Gioia of Wilmington, Salesianum School
9. Alaina Glaviano of Newark, Delaware Military Academy
10. Bailey Hainsworth of Historic New Castle, Delaware Military Academy
11. Brianna Hammond of Felton, Delaware Technical Community College
12. Jacob Massey of Frankford, Indian River High School
13. Tyler Messick of Hockessin, Conrad School of Science
14. Quinn Murphy of Wilmington, Sanford School
15. Corinne Nolan of Hockessin, Sanford School
16. Leah Norton of Claymont, Brandywine High School
17. Johnathan Parrish of Newark, Charter School of Wilmington

Senator Carper’s nominations to the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs:

1. John Chakwin of Middletown, Delaware Military Academy
2. Cade Donnelly of Frankford, Indian River High School
3. Elyse Fuller of Camden Wyoming, Polytech High School
4. Jacob Girard of Wilmington, Salesianum School
5. Bailey Hainsworth of Historic New Castle, Delaware Military Academy
6. Timothy Hammack of Magnolia, Delaware Technical Community College
7. Justin Hinds of Wilmington, Salesianum School
8. Angelique Louie of Dover, Caesar Rodney High School
9. Quinn Murphy of Wilmington, Sanford School
10. Leah Norton of Claymont, Brandywine High School
11. MaKinley Stuart of Camden Wyoming, Caesar Rodney High School

Senator Carper’s nominations to the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point:

1. John Chakwin of Middletown, Delaware Military Academy
2. McKenna Dineen of Wilmington, Delaware Military Academy
3. Mason Fyock of Lewes, Cape Henlopen High School
4. Bailey Hainsworth of Historic New Castle, Delaware Military Academy
5. Brianna Hammond of Felton, Delaware Technical Community College
6. Kieran Morrissey of Rehoboth Beach, Cape Henlopen High School
7. Quinn Murphy of Wilmington, Sanford School
8. Leah Norton of Claymont, Brandywine High School
9. MaKinley Stuart of Camden Wyoming, Caesar Rodney High School
10. Christian Wittmeyer of Middletown, Archmere Academy

Peter Osborne

Peter Osborne has more than 15 years of experience as an award-winning business reporter and editor, leading two papers (the Delaware Business Times and Dallas Business Journal) to recognition as the nation’s most improved business publications. Osborne also helped launch The News Journal’s now-defunct Business Monday section and worked in communications and business development for MBNA America and Bank of America.