Government & Politics

This category details issues concerning the government and politics within Delaware on the local, county, and state levels. This includes Delaware policies, events, and election coverage.

Year in Review email forum: Delaware’s top story in 2011

The calendar is just about to change from 2011 to 2012 - leaving behind a year of memorable stories and people for an new year that is filled with unanswered questions and unresolved issues. DFM News asked a handful of First State political observers to reflect on the year gone by and what they’ll be looking for in 2012. They weigh in with their thoughts, submitted via email, starting today. The first topic: Delaware’s top story of 2011. ...More

The “driving” factors in the push for more passenger rail in Delaware

Is Delaware on board for more passenger rail? That’s the question behind a number of projects and studies that aim to reduce traffic congestion, cut energy use, and improve air quality by boosting the opportunities for Delawareans to take the train rather than drive between cities in and out of state. Both SEPTA and Amtrak report a long-term increase in the number of people taking the train. In Delaware, parking lots are bulging at some stations, suggesting that more drivers see the train as a convenient and comfortable alternative to battling with traffic on the state’s congested highways. ...More

Not Your Grandfather’s Library: In a digital world, Delaware libraries are evolving

It is five minutes before 10 a.m., and a small group had gathered outside the doors of the Brandywine Hundred Library, waiting for it to open. Once inside, many headed up the stairs to the second level, where the computers sat waiting. By 10:45 a.m., all the computers were in use. A man with a wide-brimmed hat surfed the Web for jobs, while two missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints emailed family and friends. The three patrons demonstrate how library use has changed with technology. It also demonstrates how Delaware libraries are adapting to the demand. ...More

Latest revenue forecast adds little to Delaware’s budget bottom line

The fiscal challenges facing Delaware in the upcoming year are becoming clearer. The year-end projection from the Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council is somewhat improved from September, when figures in many categories were flat or declining. When revenues were on the rise last spring, the state invested in one-time initiatives and raised the salaries of state workers. Cuts in state funding that were proposed to a variety of non-profit agencies were restored. In the spring of 2012, lawmakers and budget-writers are expected to face a much different scenario. ...More

Study of Delaware kids reinforces link between fitness and student performance

Studies have long shown that students perform better when they are physically fit. A new study released Friday makes that point specifically about Delaware students. The research, developed by a partnership between the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) and Nemours Health and Prevention Services (NPHS) shows students in Delaware schools who are physically active and fit perform significantly better in both mathematics and reading. The study also finds that Delaware students who are less fit not only score lower academically, but also tend toward more disciplinary problems like absenteeism and suspensions. ...More

Delaware earns Race to the Top early childhood learning money

Another shot of federal Race to the Top education funding is coming Delaware's way. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Friday that Delaware is one of nine states to earn a share of $500 million in Race to the Top money targeting early childhood learning. Over the next four years Delaware will receive just under $50 million from the latest federal RTTT grant competition, the Early Learning Challenge. That is the full amount Delaware requested to fund its early childhood initiatives. ...More

Dissecting what put Delaware’s offshore wind farm plan in peril

Backers of Delaware’s proposed offshore wind farm are blaming the withdrawal of federal loan guarantees and tax credits for the near-demise of the ambitious project. Without strong and consistent financial help from government, costly, cutting-edge projects like the Mid-Atlantic Wind Park are unlikely to get the billions of dollars in private-sector backing they need to become a reality, the supporters said Tuesday. That was the experience of NRG Bluewater Wind which announced on Monday that it was pulling out of an agreement with Delmarva Power to supply the utility with wind-generated electricity, in a deal that once offered the planned farm its best chance of success. ...More

Markell administration says EPA report validates fracking stance

A new EPA report indicating a link between natural gas drilling and water contamination is further evidence that more research is needed before allowing gas drilling to go ahead in the Delaware River Basin, according to Governor Jack Markell's administration. The governor's office responded Friday to the federal agency’s release on Dec. 8 of its report into water contamination in Pavillion, Wyoming, a farming community where some residents blame the gas industry for polluting their water wells with methane and chemicals used in the controversial gas-extraction technique of hydraulic fracturing. ...More

Background checks: How much digging is too much?

Background checks for job applicants have increasingly been the subject of debate and discussion in Delaware and elsewhere. The use of such pre-employment screenings is far from clear-cut, and some argue the checks may even discriminate against certain applicants. In some cases, employers are required to do such reviews. But more and more, organizations are using such reviews even when a person’s criminal or credit history has little or no bearing on the position sought. ...More

UD and Delaware Dept. of Education outline state budget requests

In laying out the UD’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget request for state budget-writers, University of Delaware President Patrick Harker said its priorities are making an education accessible to Delaware students while alleviating the financial burden on their families, enhancing job opportunities and career competitiveness for students, conducting more outreach to southern Delaware, and stimulating job creation and growth. According to Harker, UD’s goals are consistent with the state’s public education strategies under its federally-funded Race to the Top initiative – something budget-writers also reviewed last Tuesday when the Department of Education presented its FY ’13 budget request. ...More