State, courts, Firefly say masks, vaccines, tests mandatory as Delta rises

Betsy PriceHeadlines

Photo by Mika Baumeister/Unsplash   As new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continued to rise, Gov. John Carney, the state, Delaware courts and Firefly Music Festival made a lot of moves. Carney said schoolchildren must wear masks indoors and that state employees and workers at long-term care facilities and healthcare facilities must be vaccinated or be tested weekly for the coronvavirus. …

Moms say they will keep kids home rather than send to school masked

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Some Delaware parents say they will keep their children out of classrooms rather than send them wearing a mask. Some parents who oppose Gov. John Carney’s mandate requiring school children and those in childcare to wear masks indoors say they will not send their kids back to school. “For my kid personally, it’s not good for his mental state,” said …

State to mandate masks in all schools, state facilities; more rules to come

Charlie MegginsonEducation, Government, Government & Politics, Headlines, Health

Gov. John Carney said Tuesday that masks must be worn by those over the age of 2 in all public, private and parochial schools, as well as childcare homes and centers. Carney also said state employees and visitors to state facilities must wear masks indoors beginning Monday, Aug.  16. This requirement applies to everybody, regardless of their vaccination status.  The …

New COVID-19 cases continue climb as Delta variant spreads

Betsy PriceHeadlines, Health

Many libraries say they are out of the Abbott at-home COVID-19 test kits that they were giving away this week.   Delaware’s new COVID-19 cases continue to climb, with an average of 147 new cases on Thursday, That’s up from 20 new cases a day on June 20, the low point before the Delta variant began to prey on the …

State urges unvaccinated to take shots to protect economy, schools

Daniel Larlham Jr.Education, Headlines, Health

  As the number of COVID-19 cases rise dramatically, Delaware officials on Thursday asked the unvaccinated to be immunized to protect themselves and others. Gov. John Carney said he is considering requiring state employees to be vaccinated and mulling options to implement mandatory face masks in schools. Carney and Rattay held a public briefing on COVID-19 in Delaware. The Delta …

State tells unvaccinated people to test weekly; testing kits now at libraries

Betsy PriceHeadlines, Health

This Abbott Laboratories at-home COVID-19 test kit is available at Delaware libraries. The state of Delaware is recommending that unvaccinated people get tested weekly for the COVID-19 virus. In a press release issued Tuesday, the state also said those who are not vaccinated should be tested five to seven days after being exposed to someone with COVID-19 and that they …

Mom’s efforts to change law means homeschooled kids get more services

Charlie MegginsonEducation, Headlines, Health

Three years ago, as their daughter was about to enter kindergarten, Megan and Buddy Willey learned young Caroline would no longer qualify for speech therapy through the school district. The Bridgeville family homeschools their children, two of whom require the services of a speech pathologist. State law allows all children to receive federally funded speech therapy through the public school …

$80 million Clean Water Act sets up trust to direct cash into projects

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Wetlands in Sussex County. Photo by Joann Kingsley/Delaware Community Lens   A bipartisan bill aimed at addressing wastewater and drinking water issues in Delaware’s underserved communities was signed into law by Gov. John Carney Thursday after six years in the making. House Bill 200, the Clean Water for Delaware Act, creates a framework and funding source which lawmakers say will …

Bill to mandate police body cameras signed into law

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

    Nate McQueen, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety, leads applause for police officers during a ceremony that made police body cameras a state law.   Delaware has become the eighth state in the country to mandate the statewide use of body cameras by police officers. Gov. John Carney was joined by members of the House Black Caucus, …

‘Walking the talk:’ Carney signs bill to raise minimum wage to $15

Charlie MegginsonBusiness, Government, Headlines

Gov. John Carney shows off minimum wage raise law he signed Monday. Delaware Gov. John Carney, a Democrat, signed a bill Monday which will incrementally increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025. Senate Bill 15, sponsored by Sen. Jack Walsh, D-White Clay, and Rep. Gerald Brady, D-Greenville, passed along party lines in both the House and the …