Spotlight Delaware

Caesar Rodney, Laurel school districts seek tax increases through referendums The Caesar Rodney and the Laurel school districts will ask their communities to approve tax increases during referendums scheduled for Monday.

Caesar Rodney and Laurel voters head to the polls Monday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. to decide on tax referendums to fund operating costs and retain educators. Caesar Rodney seeks $6M annually; Laurel seeks $1.6M.

What the increases would cost homeowners and why districts say they need them:

Delaware could increase fees on its $2B corporate franchise Delaware’s golden goose will likely become even more lucrative later this year. 

Gov. Matt Meyer’s proposed budget would raise annual fees on LLCs and other noncorporate businesses, plus expedited filing fees, generating an estimated $81 million for Delaware’s General Fund starting July 1.

Immigrant advocates move to dismiss Trump’s voter data lawsuit Delaware immigrant advocates asked a judge to dismiss a Trump administration lawsuit demanding state officials turn over sensitive voter data.

Delaware immigrant advocacy groups asked a judge to dismiss a federal lawsuit by the Trump administration seeking access to sensitive voter data. The groups argue the request puts immigrant citizens at risk of wrongful targeting.

Southern New Castle County Residents: Help us understand what you're looking for when you're looking for something to do. RSVP to our focus group: spotde.short.gy/so-ncco-arts-listening

Some classes disrupted after several Delaware schools received bomb threats  At least five schools in Delaware received automated voice-recorded bomb threats on Wednesday. And the calls might be linked to larger nationwide threats

At least five schools in Delaware received automated voice-recorded bomb threats on Wednesday, and the calls might be linked to larger nationwide threats.

NCC Council gives Henry more authority over Police Accountability Board New Castle County Council gave more authority over appointments to the county’s police accountability board to County Executive Marcus Henry. 

The New Castle County Council passed an ordinance earlier this week taking more authority over appointments to the county’s Police Accountability Board away from community groups and giving it to County Executive Marcus Henry.

Caesar Rodney, Laurel school districts seek tax increases through referendums The Caesar Rodney and the Laurel school districts will ask their communities to approve tax increases during referendums scheduled for Monday.

Two Delaware school districts are asking voters to approve tax hikes in Monday referendums. Caesar Rodney is seeking $6 million annually, about $23 per month for a $300,000 home. Laurel is requesting $1.6 million, about $14 per month for a $230,000 home.

Freeman Arts to face new era as Grimes exits, new stage is unveiled Patti Grimes, the influential executive director of Selbyville’s Freeman Arts Pavilion, will exit her role later this summer. 

Patti Grimes, the inaugural – and influential – executive director of Selbyville’s Freeman Arts Pavilion, announced last week that she will exit her role later this summer.

Delaware City data center faces major setback after environmental denial Delaware’s environmental agency ruled that a plan for a massive data center is not allowed under the state’s Coastal Zone Act. 

Delaware’s environmental agency ruled that a proposed data center near Delaware City is not permitted under the state’s Coastal Zone Act, citing plans for 516 diesel generators and 2.5M gallons of stored fuel. The project could be halted unless the developer appeals or revises it.

Port of Wilmington officials: Edgemoor plans clear a key hurdle Delaware’s quest to build what could become the Mid-Atlantic’s biggest port container terminal may have quietly cleared a key hurdle last month.  

Delaware’s bid to build a major container terminal at Edgemoor cleared a key hurdle: state officials say approval from the Port of Philadelphia is no longer needed to resecure permits a judge voided in 2024.

Days after Gov. Matt Meyer called it “unacceptable” that Delaware schools stayed closed nearly a week after a major snowstorm, some Colonial School District students still couldn’t get to class Monday due to road conditions.

Read more: spotlightdelaware.org/2026/02/03/a...

Sussex County Residents: Help us understand what you're looking for when you're looking for something to do. RSVP to our focus group: spotde.short.gy/sussex-arts-listening

‘Afraid to die’: Parents of disabled adults struggle to find housing Parents of adults with disabilities describe the process of finding housing for their children as overly complex even while options can be limited.

For more on the three families navigating Delaware’s disability housing system, read the full article here:

Beyond the Headlines: Housing needs of disabled adults Reporter Julia Merola joins “Beyond the Headlines” to discuss her article, "Parents of Disabled Adults Struggle to Find Housing."

In this episode, Reporter Julia Merola discusses her article, “Afraid to Die,” and the three families navigating Delaware’s disability housing system as their adult children age out of school-based services.

Major budget hearings. School board debates. Zoning battles. We track the decisions shaping Delaware so you don’t have to. Sign up for our free newsletter.

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Data center regulation bill advances in Delaware legislature A bill that would require data centers companies to pay more for their electricity will likely come up for a vote in the full Delaware House of Representatives after it moved out of committee on Wednesday.  

A bill that would require data centers companies to pay more for their electricity will likely come up for a vote in the full Delaware House of Representatives after it moved out of committee on Wednesday.

Get Involved: Budget hearings, port updates, and a county apology? Government works best when its citizens are knowledgeable and engaged. Delaware’s government has scores of commissions, working groups, agencies and legislative committees. All must hold meetings that are open to the public. Below we highlight a few of those meetings that are happening this week.

Stay informed as lawmakers kick off budget hearings, state officials weigh a million-dollar development grant, and port leaders revisit the Edgemoor expansion. New Castle and Sussex councils also take up ethics, zoning and growth issues.

Northern New Castle County Residents: Help us understand what you're looking for when you're looking for something to do. RSVP to our focus group: spotde.short.gy/no-ncco-arts-listening

Legislature passes reassessment ‘quality control’ bill The Delaware legislature passed a bill that would give New Castle County the authority to review the results of its property reassessment. 

The Delaware legislature passed one half of a two-bill package Thursday that would give New Castle County new authority to review the results of its much maligned property reassessment.

Frigid temps impede snow removal, raising residents’ ire Days after a crippling snowstorm swept through New Castle and Kent counties, residents say many residential streets remain treacherous, with corresponding sidewalks and parking spots that are impassable, affecting everything from daily commutes to school openings.

Days after a crippling snowstorm swept through New Castle and Kent counties, residents say many residential streets remain treacherous, with corresponding sidewalks and parking strips that are impassable.

The tough conditions have been impeding everything from daily commutes to school openings.

Dover City Council delays final panhandling vote, calls for AG guidance  The Dover City Council opted, once again, to delay a final vote on its controversial anti-panhandling ordinance.

The Dover City Council opted, once again, to delay a final vote on its controversial anti-panhandling ordinance, instead voting to send the proposal back to committee for further review.

Meyer proposes $6.9B budget, attempts to close spending gap Gov. Matt Meyer kicked off months of budget negotiations Thursday with a proposed $6.9 billion state spending package.

Gov. Matt Meyer kicked off months of budget negotiations Thursday with a proposed $6.9 billion state operating budget that he said will “invest in our children, our housing, our health care and our workforce.”

Trump administration investigates Nemours over its care for transgender youth Despite lawsuits from Delaware's attorney general, federal officials opened investigations into several hospitals, including Nemours Children’s Health, the state’s foremost pediatric specialty provider.

Over the past two months, Delaware’s attorney general has twice sued the Trump administration, accusing federal officials of using executive orders and funding threats to restrict health care access to transgender youth seeking gender-affirming treatments.

Advocates cite ‘grave concerns,’ demand Laurel PD accountability following immigrant list Laurel-area Haitian leaders are calling for accountability after learning that local police officers shared immigrant addresses with the FBI.

Laurel-area Haitian leaders are demanding accountability after police shared a list of locations tied to Haitian immigrants with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Advocates fear profiling and future data sharing with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Legislature overrides Meyer’s labor bill veto, Senate advances vetoed marijuana bill override  Delaware's Senate voted to override Gov. Matt Meyer's two vetoes issued on bills last year, underscoring longstanding political tensions.

Tensions within Delaware’s Democratic leadership surfaced again Wednesday as lawmakers moved to override vetoes from Gov. Matt Meyer.

The Senate cleared overrides on labor and marijuana bills. The House finalized the labor override, with the marijuana vote still pending.

Millsboro sewage leak raises questions about aging infrastructure A broken pipe has caused tens of thousands of gallons of sewage to seep into the ground and marshy area along the Indian River in Millsboro.

A broken pipe has caused tens of thousands of gallons of sewage to seep into the ground and marshy area along the Indian River in Millsboro, prompting an environmental investigation and raising questions about the town’s aging infrastructure.

Two candidates vie for vacant Wilmington seat on the Christina school board The Christina School District Board of Education has announced that two candidates will vie for a nomination to the board’s vacant, Wilmington-based seat that previously was held by Shannon Troncoso. 

The Christina School District Board of Education has announced that two candidates will vie for a nomination to the board’s vacant, Wilmington-based seat that previously was held by Shannon Troncoso.

Dover residents, officials divided ahead of anti-panhandling ordinance vote City leaders and residents remain divided on the legality of Dover’s contentious anti-panhandling ordinance ahead of Wednesday night's vote.

Ahead of a final vote on Dover’s contentious anti-panhandling ordinance scheduled for Wednesday night, city leaders and residents remain divided on its legality, and whether current state laws would make the ordinance moot.

Should Delmarva Power be allowed to generate power? Lawmakers may decide As chair of the Senate Environment, Energy and Transportation Committee, Sen. Stephanie Hansen (D-Middletown) said she will begin the discussion this legislative session of whether Delmarva Power should be allowed to own electricity generation sites.

After a surge of complaints over high Delmarva Power bills, Sen. Stephanie Hansen began asking why other Delaware utilities keep rates lower. Their answer — owning power generation — has reignited debate over a decades-old ban on Delmarva doing the same.