Winners of the second DNREC Photo Contest were announced during Governor’s Day (July 30) at the Delaware State Fair. Left to right as shown above are contest winners and the categories for which they were cited: Vicente Pineda, People Enjoying Nature; Bill Cheadle, Watersheds: Landscapes and Waterways; Emma Serbinski, Youth; and Fred Waski, Hunting and Fishing. /Delaware DNREC photo
Winners of the 2026 DNREC Photo Contest gathered at the Delaware State Fair today to be honored by Governor Matt Meyer and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. This year – the second for the annual contest – DNREC encouraged photographers of all ages and skills levels to submit eye-catching images they had taken of the natural world in Delaware spanning five categories: People Enjoying Nature, Watersheds: Landscapes and Waterways, Wildlife and Aquatic Life, Hunting and Fishing, and Youth Entries.
Participants in a two-day Introduction to Living Shorelines training event (Sept. 22 and 23) offered by DNREC will make field trips to existing projects/Delaware DNREC photo
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will host a two-day training event Tuesday Sept. 22 and Wednesday Sept. 23 for anyone interested in an introduction to the development process and components of living shorelines in Delaware. Presented in conjunction with the Delaware Living Shorelines Committee, the in-person training event will be held at the DNREC Field Office on Pilottown Road in Lewes, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and concluding at 4 p.m. each day.
The training focuses on the ecology behind living shorelines and implementing projects based on specific goals. On day one of the training, participants will learn about the causes and kinds of shoreline issues, define the types of living shoreline solutions, and become acquainted with the plants and animals comprising and living in shoreline habitats. Day two of the training will span techniques and applications, an introduction to living shoreline materials, designing for specific goals and a review of project permitting.
Self-service kayak rentals are available on the bayside of Delaware Seashore State Park and include a kayak, paddle and life vest. Photo by DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation.
Paddle your way through Delaware’s scenic waterways, earn prizes and discover new places to explore with two new programs coinciding with the 75th anniversary of Delaware State Parks. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Division of Parks and Recreation has launched Paddle Quest, a statewide paddling challenge, along with new self-service kayak rentals at Delaware Seashore State Park.
Paddle Quest encourages participants to explore Delaware State Parks by kayak, canoe or paddleboat while promoting safe boating practices. Participants must submit a picture of themselves wearing a properly fitted Personal Flotation Device at a qualifying boat launch or boat rental area and visit a minimum of two locations to qualify for prizes. All entries must be submitted to Paddle Quest by Sept. 1.
Last week, Cleary’s Notebook News (CNBNews) received notice from Nextdoor Neighbor, the neighborhood‑based social media platform, that our account had been banned. The stated reason: three short snippets of press releases we posted allegedly violated their guidelines.
We immediately appealed. On Saturday, July 25, 2026, Nextdoor issued its final decision:
“Appeal not approved: Account indefinitely suspended.”
No explanation. No citation of a specific rule. No opportunity for correction. Just a permanent ban.
Local Reviewers With the Power to Silence You
Nextdoor relies on local “Reviewers” — ordinary users granted extraordinary authority — to censor posts, remove publishers, and suspend accounts. Because Nextdoor is a privately owned company, it has the legal right to remove anyone it chooses. But the way this ban was handled raises legitimate concerns about bias, personal grudges, and selective enforcement.
Volunteer registration is now open for the 39th annual Delaware Coastal Cleanup, set for Saturday, Sept. 19, at more than 40 sites statewide. Hosted by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, this popular annual event welcomes participants who turn out to help maintain the state’s beaches, coastline and waterways from 9 a.m. to noon. Individuals as well as groups can sign up at the de.gov/coastalcleanup webpage now through Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 4:30 p.m.
Each year, the Delaware Coastal Cleanup draws hundreds of volunteers who collect litter, debris and recyclables from shorelines and natural areas. The event directly supports DNREC’s mission to provide quality outdoor recreation experiences while protecting public health and the environment.
What: Ribbon-cutting for the new Hidden Falls Mixed Species Exhibit at Brandywine Zoo
Who: DNREC Secretary Greg Patterson, Wilmington Mayor John Carney and representatives from the Delaware Zoological Society and DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation
When: Thursday, July 23, 11 a.m.
Where: Brandywine Zoo, 1001 N. Park Drive, Wilmington, Delaware 19802
Why: The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control in conjunction with the Delaware Zoological Society will unveil a new year-round exhibit at Brandywine Zoo, with indoor and outdoor areas featuring five species of animals impacted by loss of their natural habitat. The project was funded by $2.5 million in public and private donations.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is now accepting project proposals for the Surface Water Matching Planning Grant Program overseen by the DNREC Office of Environmental Finance. Eligible county and municipal governments, conservation districts and estuary programs are encouraged to apply for funding to support the planning and development of projects that improve Delaware’s surface water quality.
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (June 20, 2026)–Gloucester City Firefighter Jack Driscoll participated in a HYROX contest held recently in Stockholm, Sweden. Jack is a Gloucester City native who graduated from Gloucester Catholic High School. He placed second in the World Wide contest in the Overall and Age Group.
Afterwards, Driscoll said, “I went all in on the sport this year and had some big goals written down before the season started. I wanted to win a pro race and won five. I wanted to make it to the start line of an Elite 15 race and made it to two, one in solo and one in doubles. I wanted to podium at Worlds, and pulled a hard-fought 2nd out of the best of the best.
“Thank you to my family and friends for all the support this year, especially my girlfriend Erika Tvedten I couldn’t do it without you all. And thank you to all the people who have cheered me on at races and online all year! Time to build better for next year.”
Camden County awarded Audubon Family Park a $25,000 grant for upgrades and maintenance, supporting safer and more accessible recreation for local families.
The Salem County Prosecutor’s Office was notified of the deaths of Rip and Boomer, who died together while on duty on Friday. The dogs were brought to an emergency veterinary hospital in Delaware, where they were pronounced dead, Miller told NJ.com. The circumstances of their deaths were not disclosed.
CHEER-Groundbreaking of the Camden County LINK Trail
Audubon is part of the newly launched 34‑mile LINK Trail, a major regional project that will give residents a safe, scenic route for walking, biking, and running. Construction on the Audubon–Haddon Heights segment began in March and is expected to finish by year’s end.
JEER-Gloucester City’s Public Buildings in Disrepair
We have $50,000 plus to purchase a new truck for the Gloucester City UEZ director. Yet, the Police Administration Building, the Municipal Building, and the Water Department storage tanks are all in need of painting. At the water works, one of the glass windows is broken, plus a broken-down trailer bed has been lying beside the property for a decade or more. The mayor and council are well aware of these maintenance issues.
CHEER-Audubon Civic REACH Community Leadership
The nonprofit umbrella group continues to energize civic life, celebrating the grand opening of the Audubon Historical Society Museum and organizing community events that strengthen local pride. CHEER- So happy that those driving E-bikes and E-scooters will have to be licensed and wear a safety helmet. Plus they need to have insurance.
A new AI model called COMPASS uses tumor gene expression data to predict which patients will respond to cancer immunotherapy drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Analyzing past data from 16 clinical cohorts, COMPASS predicted ICI response 8.5 percent more accurately than the best existing approach.
If validated in clinical trials, the tool could lead to better precision medicine and cancer drug development.
Newswise — Cancer immunotherapy drugs known as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can be miracle drugs for cancer patients, curing some and turning deadly disease into a manageable chronic condition in others. But these drugs work for only a subset of patients, with few indications why — a knowledge gap that has detrimental effects on patient prognosis, clinical trial recruitment, and research that could lead to new therapies.
