This story originally ran on Spotlight Delaware. Spotlight Delaware is a community-powered, collaborative, nonprofit newsroom covering the First State. Why Should Delaware Care? The House District 36 seat race could be pivotal in this year’s general election, and it has quickly become one of the most heated in Delaware. That contention comes partly from the support of developers who have …
Challenger asks for recount in House District 36 GOP primary
Challenger Patrick Smith on Wednesday asked for a recount of the vote against incumbent Bryan Shupe in the Republican primary for District 36 in the Delaware House. The key issue: one more absentee vote recorded Wednesday for Shupe and the state’s arithmetic on calling for an automatic recount. Smith said in a statement that he filed a petition Wednesday with …
New store in Milford combines books and crafts
Kori Lewandowski loves books. She also loves crafts. And whenever family members and friends asked what she wanted to do with her life, if cost were no object, “it’s always been to open a bookstore.” And so she finally is. The Crafty Reader is scheduled to open Aug. 30 at 39 N. Walnut St. in Milford. She plans to be …
Milford revives Memorial Day ceremony
In 2023, Dee Davis and her husband went to the Milford Senior Center on Memorial Day to attend the annual Memorial Day service they had attended for many years before. According to Davis, they were shocked to see the doors locked and no cars in the parking lots. “We were shocked that there was no program,” Davis said. “I don’t …
Milford electric rates to rise 2.4% in June
Starting in June, electric bills for the average residential and small business accounts in Milford are going up 2.4%, the city has announced. Commercial accounts in Milford can expect an increase ranging from about 2.3 to 3.0%, depending on demand, load factor, seasonality and time of use. “The power cost increase is entirely due to market-driven capacity cost increases that …
Meet Bobby Pancake, celebrating High 5 Hospitality’s 20 years
Bobby Pancake has heard it all. The CEO of Newark-based High 5 Hospitality is accustomed to people commenting on his last name, especially since High 5 operates Eggspectation, a Christiana-area restaurant famous for breakfast and brunch. How does he handle it? “I deal with it the same way Kevin Bacon deals with it,” he said. “So, I’m Bobby Pancake, and he’s Kevin Bacon. …
New Milford school gets its name: Milford Middle School
After a few months of consideration with plenty of public input, the Milford School District Board of Education finalized a name Monday night for its new middle school. The new Milford middle school, a key component of Milford School District’s strategic plan to accommodate rapid enrollment growth, will be called “Milford Middle School.” Opening in fall 2025, the building had …
Physical therapy, movement helps seniors thrive in retirement
Keep it moving — that’s the top tip for longevity from local experts to Delaware’s aging population. “As we get older, we get lazy,” said 71-year-old Rick Stetler. Stetler was wrapping up a session at Milford’s Aquacare Physical Therapy last week. He is one of the hundreds of retirees pouring into Delaware yearly and expected to dramatically increase the size …
Hearing on Milford homeless village is comment-palooza
A Milford City Council hearing on a proposed tiny house village for the homeless packed the council chamber, lobby and a basement overflow room on Monday with people who spent four hours expressing their opinions. No vote was taken. Everyone who spoke agreed that it was important to help the homeless. They also stressed that the city should do something …
DelDOT to study restoring passenger rail service downstate
A Delaware Department of Transportation unit has received a federal grant of up to $500,000 to study bringing back passenger rail service to the Delmarva Peninsula. “The Diamond State Line will provide rail service south from Wilmington or Newark through Dover to Harrington, and then continue southbound along one of two potential routes, based on the presence of existing railroad …