Category: DELAWARE

Registration Deadline Jan. 21 for the 2026 Delaware Wetlands Conference

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is proud to present DNREC’s largest biennial Delaware Wetlands Conference to date, on Jan. 27 and 28, 2026 at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Del.

Featuring more than 65 sponsors and exhibitors, and 75 presentations between speakers and posters, the 2026 conference put on by the DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship will provide a breadth of learning and networking opportunities. This is DNREC’s largest professional conference and is funded solely by sponsorships and nonprofit exhibitor support, as well as ticket sales.

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DNREC Urges Safe Handling of Wild Birds

Hunters and Wildlife Watchers Encountering Dead or Sick Wild Birds,
Especially Snow Geese, are Advised to Report Location to DNREC

With the reopening this week of Delaware’s waterfowl hunting season, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control reminds hunters that safe handling of wild birds is imperative following the recent detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a sick snow goose found Dec. 8 in eastern Kent County. After returning presumptive positive for H5 avian influenza from the University of Delaware’s Allen Laboratory, the goose was sent for further testing at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory, returning a result of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza on Dec. 15.

The third and final segment of duck season opens Wednesday, Dec. 17, followed three days later by the migratory Canada goose season – and hunters are asked not only to handle waterfowl safely after harvesting them, but to fill out DNREC’s sick and injured wildlife reporting form for any affected waterfowl or other wild birds they might come across while hunting. This would include sightings of any wild birds showing uncoordinated movement and an inability to fly, which indicates they are likely in the throes of HPAI.

Avian influenza is a highly contagious airborne respiratory virus that spreads quickly among birds through nasal and eye secretions and manure. Due to close contact with thousands of other snow geese while feeding and roosting, they can get sick and die. Snow geese, which are waterfowl, migrate from the Arctic and form large flocks in Delaware each winter. It is unknown when or where these geese may have acquired the virus given their highly migratory nature and their association with other waterfowl and waterbirds throughout the Atlantic Flyway through which they travel into Delaware and more southern states.

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AMERICAN LEGION POSTS HOSTING WATCH PARTIES FOR ARMY-NAVY GAME

Nationwide, American Legion posts are hosting watch parties for the Dec. 13 ‘America’s Game’, which will be broadcast at 3 p.m. ET on CBS.

For the second straight year, The American Legion is the official veterans organization and associate sponsor of the Army-Navy Game presented by USAA. The game will be broadcast at 3 p.m. ET on Dec. 13.

And across the nation, that broadcast will be shown in American Legion posts that are hosting watching parties. Posts are inviting both their American Legion Family members and the community to watch “America’s Game” while learning more about the organization’s mission and programs.

For more than a month posts have been sharing their watch party plans on the Army-Navy Game section of our national website. It’s not too late to share you plans. 

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‘Gift of Lights at Dover Motor Speedway’ Returns

Drive-thru light show open every evening from Thanksgiving through Jan 4.
Several theme and discount nights, including $5 Military Mondays on Dec. 1 and Dec. 8, planned throughout the schedule.
Buy tickets at GiftOfLightsDover.com

DOVER, Del. (Nov. 20, 2025) – The holiday spirit will sparkle once again during the return of the “Gift of Lights at Dover Motor Speedway” drive-thru light show at The Monster Mile.

The fourth annual Gift of Lights event will illuminate the campgrounds of Dover Motor Speedway nightly from Thanksgiving through Jan. 4, featuring more than 100 festive scenes and 2.5 million lights along an almost two-mile pathway winding through the property.

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Annual passes provide access to Delaware’s 17 state parks

Delaware State Parks will begin the sale of its 2026 park passes and surf fishing permits on Dec. 9.

Passes and permits can be purchased online at the destateparks.com/buy-a-pass webpage or at park offices. Daily entrance fees in state parks will begin on March 1, 2026 with the start of the annual fee season. The rates include:

Daily entrance fees:
⦁ Inland parks: $5 for vehicles registered in Delaware: $10 for out-of-state vehicles
⦁ Beach parks: $10 for vehicles registered in Delaware: $20 for out-of-state vehicles

Annual passes:
• $50 for vehicles registered in Delaware; $100 for out-of-state vehicles; 50% discount for seniors and military members

Lifetime Pass:
⦁ $150 for Delaware residents only, ages 65 and older

Surf Fishing Permits:
⦁ No changes to the surf fishing permit program or fees in 2026, but the off-peak surf fishing permit will be discontinued in 2027 now that weekend and holiday reservations were removed from most surf fishing beaches in July 2025.

New fees were adopted for 2026 for the first time in 10 years after extensive public outreach, including three public open houses, communication across multiple channels, endorsement by Park Friends groups and the approval of the state Parks and Recreation Advisory Council. In a survey of more than 1,200 people, 68 percent of respondents said they strongly agree or agree that a fee increase was justified to continue current services.

“Delaware State Parks are now hosting 7.4 million visitors annually, nearly 2 million more people than in 2015, and we are grateful our residents and visitors appreciate the quality of the parks and the programs they provide,” said DNREC Secretary Greg Patterson. “And they appreciate the value; for Delaware residents, a family can spend a day in a state park for less than a single movie ticket, and a pass to get them in any park unlimited times for a whole year is less than a family dinner out.”

Under restrictions on federal funding used to operate parks in Delaware and around the country, charges for out-of-state residents are not allowed to be more than double that for in-state residents.

The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation will continue to offer free or low-cost options to make Delaware State Parks accessible for all. In partnership with the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, those who receive assistance from a State Service Center are eligible to purchase an annual pass for $10. A park pass also can be reserved online at no cost using a library card.

For more information on fees, visit the destateparks.com/passes-permits-and-fees webpage.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo and the Indian River Marina.  For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Officer-Involved Shooting

The Philadelphia Police Department is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at approximately 4:11 AM in the 25th Police District.

Officers were dispatched to the area of 9XX W. Erie Avenue for a report of a person with a gun. Upon arrival, officers encountered a 35-year-old Hispanic female holding a firearm to the right side of her head.

Officers issued multiple verbal commands ordering her to drop the weapon. The female did not comply to these commands. One officer deployed a Taser, which struck the female but had no effect. The female then fled across Erie Avenue, at which time she pointed the firearm in the direction of the officers.

In response, Officer #1 and Officer #2 discharged their duty weapons, striking the female multiple times. She fell to the ground and dropped her firearm. Officers transported her to Temple University Hospital, where she remains in critical condition.

A firearm was recovered at the scene – a .22 caliber Kel-Tec handgun with an obliterated serial number, loaded with one round in the chamber and nineteen rounds in the magazine. 

The female is currently charged with Aggravated Assault on Police and Violations of the Uniform Firearms Act (VUFA). 

No officers or other civilians were injured. 

Body-Worn Cameras were activated for the duration of the encounter.

This investigation remains in its preliminary stages and is under review by the PPD’s Officer Involved Shooting Investigation Unit (OISI), PPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB), and by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office (DAO).

Per Departmental policy, the discharging officers have been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation. 

DISCHARGING OFFICERS

Officer #1 – 36/H/M

  • District of Assignment: 25th District
  • Years of Service: 3

Officer #2 – 25/A/M

  • District of Assignment: 25th District
  • Years of Service: 2

Wreaths Across America Returns to Dover Motor Speedway

  • Monster Mile stop is part of the annual trek from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
  • Parade and ceremony to honor nation’s veterans free to the public.

DOVER, Del. (Nov. 12, 2025) – Dover Motor Speedway once again hosts the only First State stop on Wreaths Across America’s annual trek down the East Coast to honor America’s heroes laid to rest at Arlington National Cemeteryon Thursday, Dec. 11. This marks the second annual visit to Dover Motor Speedway for the event.

Wreaths Across America’s 60-vehicle convoy of tractor-trailers, Patriot Guard riders, veterans, Gold Star Families and first responders will parade through Delaware before arriving in Dover at the Monster Monument at Victory Plaza for a ceremony before making its way to Arlington.

The festivities will be hosted by Matt Pencek, on-air host of WRDE Coast TV.

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New Jersey’s Largest Jazz Festival Returns to Newark for 14th Year

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) today announced details of the 14th annual TD James Moody Festival, taking place November 8-23, 2025. Co-curated by NJPAC’s Jazz Advisor Christian McBride, this year’s festival, which draws thousands of fans to the city of Newark, aims to showcase jazz as a powerful cultural force for social justice. From groundbreaking jazz masters Arturo Sandoval and Stanely Clarke to the censored “Poet of Havana” singer-songwriter Carlos Varela and hip-hop stars Chuck D, Rakim and Slick Rick baring their souls in the annual Represent! show, this year’s Festival is rooted in jazz’s intertwined history with activism. Presented at various accessible locations throughout Newark, the citywide Festival offers a diverse program of several acts fusing jazz with poetry, spoken word, dance, blues, pop, African-Caribbean music, and more — making it a destination for all arts lovers. New for this year, eligible TD Bank cardholders will receive special perks at the TD James Moody Jazz Festival. Review more information and the full list of benefits here.



Brazilian Taste Recalls Frozen Chicken and Beef Croquette Products


Brazilian Taste, a Lexington, S.C. establishment, is recalling approximately 4,120 pounds of chicken and beef croquettes due to misbranding and an undeclared allergen, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. The product contains sesame, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label.

Letter to the Editor: Dear former President Barack Obama,

During former Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign, you chastised “the brothers” for what you perceived as their reluctance to vote for a black female. You said: “We have not yet seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all corners of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running. Now, I also want to say that that seems to be more pronounced with the brothers.”

Did you tell “the brothers” who, for the sake of racial solidarity, you tried to shame into voting for Harris that you only believe in left-wing racial solidarity?

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