Republicans have held the position of wanting to give Delawareans the choice of having an EV or not. (Photo by sarawuth702/iStock Getty Images)

Senate Republicans back Governor Meyer’s rejection of EV mandate

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

Delaware Senate Republican leaders are applauding Governor Matt Meyer’s recent stance against the state’s controversial electric vehicle (EV) mandate, signaling renewed efforts to block the regulation first introduced under former Governor John Carney. Senate Republican Whip Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, has circulated an updated version of Senate Bill 96, which aims to halt the adoption of the regulation modeled after California’s …

Thomas Berry Sussex Firefighter

Sussex County mourns death of firefighter at crash site

Betsy PriceCulture, Government, Headlines

A Georgetown man who was a firefighter and Sussex County employee was killed Tuesday afternoon after he stopped on his way back to county offices to help at an accident. Thomas Wilson Berry III, 23, died just before 4:30 p.m. at a vehicle crash on U.S. 9/Lewes-Georgetown Highway. Some reports say he was struck and killed, but others said he …

The audit request comes after a series of educator arrests for inappropriate contact with students in recent years. (Photo by bialasiewicz/PhotoDune)

Senator calls for audit of credentials for school counselors

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

One state legislature is looking to bolster the verification process for the credentials of educators. Senate Minority Whip Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, is specifically calling for a comprehensive audit of the credential verification process for child counselors. Among a number of recent arrests due to educators having inappropriate contact with minors, Pettyjohn cited a recent report by WHYY in which a …

DSU's ECIC higher education graduates, from left: Ayesha Jamison, Michelle Spangler, Luz Quiroga, Evelyn Cubbage, Patrice Jones Cornish, Julissa Valerio and ECIC Scholarship Coordinator Jennifer Seo.

DSU’s early ed. center awards 13 degrees, 223 credentials in first year

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

At the conclusion of its first year, a new program at Delaware State University focused on training professionals to serve the state’s youngest learners, graduated 13 people with degrees and gave credentials to hundreds more.  DSU’s Early Childhood Innovation Center aims to empower and cultivate a highly skilled, educated and diverse workforce by providing holistic, comprehensive and evidence-based supports. Its …

If SB 224 becomes law, some employees would be able to have firearms on private school property.

Some private school workers may be allowed to carry guns 

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Government

Private schools will be exempted from parts of Delaware’s Safe School Zone law, which focuses on who is allowed to have a firearm on campus, under a bill that seems headed to the Senate floor. Senate Bill 224, sponsored by Senate Minority Whip Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, exempts certain employees of a private school from the Safe School Zone law. Only …

Short legislative hall

GOP’s Short: State budget needs oversight, too, if hospitals must have it

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

A Sussex County state representative plans to introduce a bill that will hold lawmakers to the same rules its Democrat members want to set for hospitals: Holding budgets to benchmark. State Rep. Danny Short, R-Seaford, and other Republicans have repeatedly said during House and Senate hearings and debates that the state wants to hold hospitals to a rule it won’t …

hospitalcost review board

Hospital board bill on to full Senate; deal saves Medicaid tax

Betsy PriceBusiness, Headlines

A controversial bill that will establish a board to review and change hospital budgets is headed to the Senate floor after a lively committee hearing. There were some surprises and revelation of a compromise in the Senate Executive Committee Tuesday evening. Surprise one: Dr. Kara Odom Walker, who was secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services when …