Kent County has one of the highest percentages of young homeowners in the country. Tierra Mallorca photo from Unsplash.

Kent ranks 5th in country for young homeowners

Ken MammarellaCulture, Headlines

This Old House, a media empire that for decades has been extolling old houses, just looked at how each generation approaches homeownership and what drives the decision to plant roots or seek new horizons. And Delaware makes a prominent appearance. Dover is No. 5 on a list it compiled of the country’s metropolitan areas for the greatest percentage of homeowners …

flood

Brandywine Conservancy, Wilmington offer flood study update

Rich SchwartzmanCulture, Headlines

  The Brandywine Conservancy and the city of Wilmington joined forces to give area residents an update on the flood study prompted by Hurricane Ida. Grant DeCosta, director of community services for the conservancy, was joined by Wilmington’s Assistant Water Division Director Bryan Lennon. DeCosta said Ida was “the catalyst” for the study but that the study won’t be finished …

Gibraltar

Wilmington buys Gibraltar, plans to help preserve it

Betsy PriceCulture, Headlines

The city of Wilmington has paid $900,000 for the elegeant Gibraltar mansion on Pennsylvania and will work to preserve it for future generations, Mayor Mike Purzycki announced Friday. There are no definitive plans at this time for the property, Purzycki said in a press release. The property, the focus of both commercial and cultural interest for decades, hasn’t been able …

train A study starts in 2024 to resume passenger rail service from Wilmington (shown in this photo) or Newark to downstate Delaware. (David Wilson photo from Wikimedia Commons)

DelDOT to study restoring passenger rail service downstate

Ken MammarellaGovernment, Headlines

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 …

The Warehouse has renovated its gym and named it The Mac. (The Warehouse)

Wilmington’s Warehouse adds mental health room, improves gym

Ken MammarellaCulture, Headlines

The Warehouse, which calls itself Delaware’s first community center for teens and by teens, has opened a support room for mental health and overhauled its gym. “I’m excited we are opening two spaces that really reflect teen priorities,” Anthony Green, Warehouse teen executive board president, said in a statement. The Warehouse is at 1121 Thatcher St., on the East Side …

Wilmington residents using city water will receive a mailer survey about lead contamination.

Wilmington mails surveys to help identify lead water contamination

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Health

The city of Wilmington is asking the public to help crack down on lead contamination in water. City water customers in Wilmington and New Castle County will be receiving a postcard with a QR code that links them to the survey to help identify and report lead water service lines on their private properties or inside their homes and businesses. …

A new study will focus on traffic and development along and near Kirkwood Highway. (Photo by Dough4872 from Wikimedia)

Planners: How would you like Kirkwood Highway to change?

Ken MammarellaGovernment, Headlines

A regional planning agency wants your opinion on the future of Kirkwood Highway in its first comprehensive review of eight miles of the retail and business corridor. “We have never looked at the full Kirkwood Highway/Capitol Trail Corridor for both transportation and land use, in this way,” said Dave Gula, principal planner for the Wilmington Area Planning Council. “To our …

The Holiday Open House at Rockwood Park & Museum is Dec. 1-2. (New Castle County Department of Community Services)

On this day of Christmas: Holiday events to mark on your calendar

Ken MammarellaCulture, Headlines

Here are some memorable events to celebrates Christmas in Delaware. These events run only a day or two. There’s a separate list of events that run more often. Camden-Wyoming Christmas Parade. 6 p.m. Dec. 9, starting at Caesar Rodney High School. Organized by the two towns. Caroling on the Cirle and the Georgetown Christmas Parade.  Caroling at 6 p.m. Dec. …

A long line of people seeking low-digit tags at the Georgetown DMV. (Delaware Department of Motor Vehicles)

Only in the First State: Our obsession with low-digit tags

Ken MammarellaCulture, Government, Headlines

This week is prime time for one of Delaware’s odder rituals: a hunt for low-digit tags. The Delaware Department of Motor Vehicles every year runs an online lottery and in-person release of low-digit tags for motor vehicles. This year’s online lottery drew 17,408 entries and is already closed, but the last two in-person events are Thursday. If you’re interested, you …

Residents of Newark and Wilmington are searching a lot for used clothing. (Cottonbro Studio photo from Pexels)

Newark 2nd in US for interest in used clothing; Wilm. 7th

Ken MammarellaBusiness, Headlines

Newark is second on a new list of America’s towns with the most interest in used clothing. And Wilmington is seventh. The list used Google Keyword Planner to see where people were searching the most to buy vintage attire on social e-commerce websites, such as eBay and sites specializing in secondhand fashion. The announcement’s title referred to the best places …