Organizations wanting to launch or expand an urban agriculture or community garden project to benefit their neighborhood can apply for new micro-grants from the Delaware Department of Agriculture.

The Delaware Department of Agriculture announced today that they have hired a new State Apiarist, Meghan McConnell, a native of Millville, NJ. In her position, Meghan will be inspecting bee colonies, conducting surveys for the presence of honey bee parasites, and is responsible for securing samples of suspect colonies to determine suitable measures to control and/or eradicate disease.

The Delaware Forest Service (DFS) has unveiled a new online tool that uses geographic information systems (GIS) software to help cities, towns, and neighborhoods to measure and increase their community tree canopy percentage. The link is: de.gov/treecanopy Developed by the Delaware Department of Agriculture's GIS specialist Jimmy Kroon, the tool covers the entire First State: municipalities as well as homeowner associations and neighborhoods can assess their current level of tree cover as a starting point to explore opportunities to plant new trees and maintain their existing ones.

The Delaware Forest Service is seeking new recruits for its upcoming wildfire training classes at the Delaware State Fire School (1461 Chestnut Grove Road, Dover, DE 19904). No previous experience is needed. Candidates should be over 18, physically fit, motivated to learn, and willing to travel for at least two weeks (usually during the summer) for out-of-state fire assignments. This year’s training will take place over two separate weekend sessions: The first is on October 21 and 22 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day (lunch included). The second is on November 4 and 5 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day (lunch included). The cost for each session is $50. Register by October 16 by contacting the State Fire School at (302) 739-4773 or email: fire.school@state.de.us.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Department of Agriculture have proposed new regulations expanding the scope of legal possession of firearms within Delaware’s state parks, state wildlife areas and state forests.

For the first time, the Delaware Forest Service (DFS) will issue turkey hunting permits through a separate lottery for the 2019 spring season. Previously, statewide permits were available only through DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife. The 2019 Delaware turkey hunting season runs for four consecutive weeks from Saturday, April 13 to Saturday, May 11, with a special youth and non-ambulatory disabled hunter day scheduled for Saturday, April 6.  State forest turkey permits will be issued for one of four season segments: A (4/13-4/19), B (4/20-4/26), C (4/27-5/3), or D (5/4-5/11).

Emerald ash borer (EAB), a destructive insect from Asia that attacks and kills ash trees, has been confirmed at two additional sites in Delaware: one near Middletown, New Castle County, and another near Seaford, Sussex County. Originally found in northern Delaware in 2016, the new detections create added urgency for homeowners and municipalities to determine if they have ash trees on their property and decide on possible management options. Current guidelines recommend the removal or treatment of ash trees if located within 15 miles of a known infestation. Because Delaware is geographically small and EAB can go undetected for years, residents are urged to educate themselves now and take action. For the latest information from Delaware's Department of Agriculture, residents are urged to go to de.gov/ashtrees

The Delaware Forest Service has published a new fifth edition of its popular "Big Trees of Delaware," a comprehensive list of the largest trees covering nearly 80 native and non-native species in the First State. Featuring full-color photos and high-quality illustrations of tree leaves, the book is available as a print edition at state forest offices, as well as an online PDF version to be downloaded or viewed on a web browser.  There is no cost for the book.

DOVER, Del. – The Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) announced today that they expanded the spotted lanternfly quarantine to include all portions of New Castle County north of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. This is due to recent detections of established populations outside of the initial quarantine zone enacted in February 2019 that included eleven […]

The Delaware Department of Agriculture has partnered with the Delaware Electric Cooperative to launch a new irrigation grant program to help Delaware farmers install environmentally friendly irrigation systems.

Agency: CSD Closing Date: 5/13/2020

Statewide flu totals in Delaware decreased for the third week in a row, according to the Division of Public Health (DPH). During the week ending March 10, DPH reports 290 laboratory-confirmed flu cases, down from the prior week’s total of 381 confirmed cases. The latest numbers increase the total number of influenza cases for the season to 7,433. DPH is also reporting one additional flu-related death, a 62-year-old female from New Castle County with multiple underlying health conditions, bringing the number of flu-related deaths for the 2017-2018 flu season to 31.

NEW CASTLE (April 10, 2018) – In the wake of a dozen overdoses in Camden, N.J., including four that were fatal on Friday, Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker is urging people in active substance use in Delaware to be aware of the increased possibility that heroin could be […]

The Division of Public Health (DPH) is advising parents and teachers to be aware of a recent trend among youth known as “JUULing.” JUUL is a brand of e-cigarette that looks similar to a flash drive and can be charged in the USB port of a computer. JUULs can be appealing to youth for a variety of reasons. Pods come in a variety of fruit and candy flavors, the devices can be difficult to distinguish from a real flash drive, and the vapor dissipates quickly instead of hanging in the air like a smoke trail. This has caused concern among school administrators across the country as youth have taken to “JUULing” on school property, even in class.

The number of prescriptions for opioid medications in Delaware, as well as the total quantity of opioids dispensed, have dropped significantly in the 12 months since the Department of State enacted stricter prescribing regulations to help combat the opioid crisis statewide.

NEW CASTLE (Aug. 14, 2018) – Eight people have died from suspected overdoses in a four-day span across the state causing Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker to alert the community to the wave of deaths and urging people in active use to seek treatment immediately and to carry […]

NEW CASTLE (Oct. 16, 2018) – More than 90 students with disabilities are expected to participate in career-building experiences during Delaware’s Disability Mentoring Day on Oct. 17 at locations in Newark and Talleyville. Disability Mentoring Day is held each October during National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Several New Castle County school districts have again joined […]

DNREC announced the creation of a new permit program that establishes regulatory conditions for the sandblasting of outdoor water tanks to remove lead-based paint. Contractors often use sandblasting to remove paint from water tanks in preparation for repainting them. Effective immediately, all water tank sandblasting projects involving removal of lead paint are required to have an air quality permit from DNREC that will ensure sufficient containment measures are taken to prevent the release of lead paint chips into the environment.

NEW CASTLE (March 28, 2019) – As part of its Community Naloxone Distribution initiative, the Division of Public Health (DPH) will hold two additional community naloxone distribution events in New Castle County next week. This initiative is part of a multi-pronged approach to address the opioid crisis and reduce the number of individuals dying from […]

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) and Partnership for Drug-Free Kids are collaborating to bring dedicated, science-based resources and support to Delaware families. The two entities will work together to provide innovative, digital resources and one-on-one support to parents and caregivers as they help a loved one struggling with opioids or other […]

NEW CASTLE (Sept. 3, 2019) – Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Dr. Kara Walker announced the appointment of Yrene Waldron, former Executive Director of the Delaware Health Care Facilities Association, to lead the Division of Health Care Quality. She will begin her duties Sept. 16. “I am thrilled that Yrene is joining […]

To encourage Delawareans to support fall prevention strategies, Governor John Carney and Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long proclaimed the week of September 22-28, 2019 as Falls Prevention Awareness Week in Delaware. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) designates the first day of the fall season as National Falls Prevention Awareness Day, which is September 23 this year.

NEW CASTLE (Oct. 23, 2019) – “Remembering Farnhurst: Stories from the Delaware State Hospital, 1894-1920,” a new book by local anthropologist Katherine A. Dettwyler, details the early history of the Delaware State Hospital, now known as the Delaware Psychiatric Center. Dettwyler spent four years transcribing seven State Hospital ledgers that detailed the admission and clinical […]

The Division of Public Health announced updates to its My Healthy Community data portal. DPH launched My Healthy Community earlier this year to allow Delawareans to access information about the overall health of their communities.

NEW CASTLE (Jan. 27, 2020) – Across Delaware, about 18,000 child support recipients receive their child support payments electronically loaded to a prepaid debit card. In January 2019, the Delaware Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) teamed up with U.S. Bank to issue a new prepaid debit card, the U.S. Bank ReliaCard®, for child support […]

Newport --

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announces that their contractor Pennoni will be inspecting the bridge in Newport with lane closures on March 25, 2020 and March 26, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., pending weather.

Bridge on Route 141 over Christina River

Wednesday, March 25, 2020: Alternating lane closures on Route 4 Westbound/ East Justis Street from North Augustine Street to North James Street.

In addition, the left turn lanes will be closed on Route 4 Eastbound and on Marshall Street. [More]

Angola --

Location: Route 24/John J. Williams Highway between Hollymount Rd and Sloan Road, Angola (Walden/Burton's Pond Subdivision)

Times and Dates: 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. AND 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. [More]