Spotlight Delaware

Three new city laws are being proposed to prohibit the public use and retail sale of marijuana in the city of #Wilmington, marking a shift in the city’s approach to the state’s legalization of recreational use. The pieces of legislation come after at-large Councilwoman Maria Cabrera decided to pull her legislation to set zoning perimeters for marijuana-related businesses just last week. The question of whether to allow marijuana retail businesses in the city, and where to allow them if so, has sparked a fervent debate among council members over the past month. Some argue these businesses could benefit the city and provide safe products for those who use the ubiquitous drug, while others worry they will become a nuisance to the community and its residents. #RetailMarijuana ?? Read more: https://ow.ly/HPvt50Ucjqm ?? Brianna Hill/Spotlight Delaware

The federal Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (#DACA) program aimed to protect immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children while a pathway toward citizenship was developed, giving hope to about a half million young people. That dream has faded though, as court challenges have closed it to new applicants and now nearly 900 Delawareans who would otherwise be eligible for it are caught in limbo. Even more have spent most of their lives here, but still don't have any protections. Milli Bravo, 26, immigrated to the United States with her family in 2007. She was told that her family was just going to visit her aunt in the U.S., but they ended up staying. Her family arrived in August, unknowingly missing the cutoff date to be eligible to apply for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) by two months. DACA requirements mandate that applicants must have continuously lived in the U.S. since June 15, 2007. Even those arriving at the time would have no idea how important the difference in weeks would mean for their children. The cutoff date would not be established until DACA was created in 2012 — five years after Bravo first arrived. Many of Bravo’s peers successfully became DACA recipients, known as “Dreamers,” while she was locked out, despite meeting the criteria other than her arrival date. #Delaware ?? Read more: https://ow.ly/V4Tw50UcbAM ?? José Ignacio Casta?eda Perez/Spotlight Delaware

Four months have passed since a federal lawsuit against Wilmington’s ticketing and towing practices was settled, sparking new reforms aimed at transparency and fairness. The city recently passed legislation and amended its code for collecting outstanding debts, giving the city greater flexibility for payment arrangements, retrieving one’s car after it is towed, and establishing clearer processes for handling disputes. But some advocates feel there is more work to be done. As a part of the suit’s settlement agreement, which was released in June, amendments to the procedures for towing and impounding were to be made. The agreement also requested a six-month adjournment of the trial and pretrial dates to finalize the deal and enact necessary legislation, with a fallback trial date if amendments were not approved. This past September, city council passed an ordinance to reform the collection process of parking fines. ?? Read more: https://ow.ly/HY3B50UbpI0 ?? Brianna Hill/Spotlight Delaware

In the wake of an exhausting election cycle, two additional political races are quietly beginning in northern #Delaware between candidates seeking to replace State Sens. Sarah McBride and Kyle Evans Gay – both popular Wilmington-area politicians who are departing their Democrat-leaning districts for higher office. Spotlight Delaware has learned that at least 13 Democrats are vying for the votes of political insiders in those two districts in order to run as the party’s nominees in special elections that are expected to occur in February. According to a memo sent among Democratic Party members, leaders from precincts in each senate district will meet on Dec. 9 to vote for their choice among the nominees. And, because both districts lean heavily Democratic, the two candidates who ultimately receive the party’s nod will become the odds-on favorite to win the special elections and serve as Delaware’s newest state senators. Among the Democratic contenders for the two seats are three health care industry veterans, three nonprofit executives, a former county councilman, a Claymont shopkeeper, a Brandywine high school teacher, a Wilmington city employee, a community college professor, and a Gen-Zer who lost a recent election to become the New Castle County Council president. #NetDE ?? Read more: https://ow.ly/7tRX50Ub8hT ?? Karl Baker/Spotlight Delaware

The commission tasked with studying #Delaware’s funding formula for public education on the heels of a report suggesting spending should be increased by upward of $1 billion annually has a large hill to climb. That’s hampered by an information gap, after a recent survey determined that a large number of the commission members don’t feel they have enough of a grasp on the current or proposed funding systems to formulate a plan. In recent years, Delaware has come under scrutiny for the way its public education system is funded. Advocacy groups like the Delaware NAACP and Delawareans for Educational Opportunity filed a lawsuit arguing that the state’s education system did not provide an adequate education to all students and therefore violated their rights, leading to a historic settlement agreement. #DelawareEducation #NetDE ?? Read more: https://ow.ly/oy1750Uam4w ?? Julia Merola/Spotlight Delaware

Spotlight Delaware is proud to announce our new partnership with Delaware Currents, a news project dedicated to telling the story of the Delaware River from its headwaters in the Catskill Mountains to the Delaware Bay. ?? This collaboration strengthens our commitment to providing free, accessible journalism while connecting Delawareans with quality coverage and trusted community voices. As part of our efforts to expand our impact, Spotlight Delaware is also partnering with other legacy newsrooms, non-traditional outlets and organizations to engage with residents across the First State. We're excited to continue this journey of collaboration and invite additional media outlets to join us. Interested? Reach out to Allison Taylor Levine, MPA at [email protected] to learn more about partnering with Spotlight Delaware.

Politics are all local – at least most of the decisions made impacting day-to-day life. And for residents in Sussex County, this election in many ways was a referendum on development that’s boomed since the pandemic. And when the results came in, both western and eastern Sussex County residents voted out incumbents and elected three new County Council members who aim to pump the brakes on the county’s exploding real estate scene. Time will tell if those council members hold true to their campaign promises, but on its face, Sussex County Council has a new majority voting bloc on the five-member council looking to reimagine land use in southern Delaware. ?? Read more: https://lnkd.in/eSBMAs3W ?? Nick Stonesifer/Spotlight Delaware

Reporters Julia Merola and Brianna Hill returned to their alma mater, Temple University, to present at the Klein News Innovation Camp. From listening sessions to pop-up newsrooms, they highlighted how Spotlight Delaware's unique focus on community engagement helps our newsroom reach audiences historically underserved by legacy media. #Delaware #NetDE ??: Courtesy of Ken Grant

In Episode 7 of #BeyondTheHeadlines, José Ignacio Casta?eda Perez dives into his “Our Delaware” profile of #LaEsperanza, a Georgetown community center serving southern Delaware’s immigrant populations. Learn about a hidden domestic abuse shelter, the legacy of three founding nuns and one nun’s reputation for speeding. #OurDelaware #SussexCounty “Our Delaware” is a monthly series by Spotlight Delaware that explores the history of communities and the institutions that serve them. ?? Listen now: https://ow.ly/ClWv50U9qul

Wilmington officials settled a lawsuit with the ACLU of Delaware, barring police from arresting individuals who had asked strangers for money or who had lingered in public areas. Within an hour, Wilmington police approached Friendship House, asking staff to remove benches that had served as a respite for homeless individuals for over 30 years. Leaders of the Friendship House and Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew (SSAM) refused. City officials, accompanied by a police escort, returned with tools and removed the benches despite objections, leaving exposed rebar behind. Faith leaders and activists held a silent prayer walk in protest. Councilwoman Maria Cabrera joined them, vowing to address the issue. ?? Read more: https://lnkd.in/eG6qxdGh ?? Jacob Owens and Brianna Hill/Spotlight Delaware