AGP Executive Report

Pride & Community: Delco Pride’s Pride Month kickoff is this Saturday in Media, with organizers saying the biggest win is more young people showing up through school GSA groups—plus a follow-up festival next weekend in Upper Darby with 130+ vendors and entertainers. Arts & Local Media: The Delaware Division of the Arts brought home 20 awards at the Delaware Press Association Communications Contest, highlighting how grants and storytelling keep Delaware’s creative scene visible. Boating Safety: The BoatUS Foundation expanded its free, state-approved boating safety course to 15 additional states, including Delaware, making safe-on-the-water education easier for recreational boaters. Energy & Cost of Living: Delmarva Power filed a proposal to expand Delaware energy efficiency programs for 2027–2029, aiming for major electric and natural gas savings for homeowners, renters, and businesses. Education & Inclusion: Delaware Academy High School’s enrollment data shows multiracial students rose to 2.7% for 2025–26, up from 2.5% the year before. Health & Wellness: Delaware’s Division of Public Health hosted an Advancing Healthy Lifestyles conference in Dover, featuring former White House chef Sam Kass on food insecurity and chronic disease. Local Culture Calendar: CIAO Delco’s 16th Annual Italian American Heritage Festival returns Sunday, June 7, at Rose Tree Park in Media with food, performers, cars, bocce, and family activities.

ACLU-DE & Transparency: The ACLU of Delaware says it has settled its lawsuit against Dewey Beach over withheld body-worn camera footage; the town voluntarily provided the records after the March filing, a win the group says should push more agencies to release footage when the public requests it. Community Health & Food Security: Dedicated Financial and Delaware Retiree are hosting a June 9-11 grand opening in Lewes with a health and wellness showcase, blood drive, and a Food Bank of Delaware donation push. Juneteenth in West Rehoboth: The West Rehoboth Juneteenth Celebration returns June 19 with storytelling, art, music, food, and guided tours of the West Rehoboth Legacy Mural, plus an oral history experience. Arts for Kids: Art Strong DE opened in Milton, offering summer camps, classes, and birthday parties for ages 5-10 starting June 29. Local Culture & Pride: Delaware Pride Festival is set for June 6 at Boardman Arts Park, with Pride events and indie horror screenings also on the calendar. Education & Equity: Delaware Academy High School in Delhi reported a 36.4% jump in Hispanic enrollment for 2025-26, reaching 15 students. Healthcare Spotlight: Delaware’s first medical school is moving forward with a partnership involving Thomas Jefferson University, framed as a long-term pipeline for Sussex County care.

Delaware Arts & Education: Delaware Division of the Arts and the Biggs Museum open “Award Winners XXVI,” spotlighting the state’s biggest-ever class of 27 Individual Artist Fellows, with $184,000 in fellowships and a statewide tour kicking off June 4. Local Arts Spotlight: The Smyrna Opera House hosted the second annual “Futures in the Arts” celebration, honoring 40 Delaware seniors headed into arts careers with cords, certificates, and performances. Nature & Community Learning: Delaware Botanic Gardens at Pepper Creek welcomes ornithologist Dr. Ian Stewart for a June 11 talk on Delaware birds and how to attract more to your yard. Health & Aging Watch: CMS data highlights Delaware nursing home size and ratings, including Cadia Rehabilitation Pike Creek and Evergreen Post Acute among the largest in their counties. Food & Public Support: Grace Community United Methodist Church in Chester will give away hundreds of pieces of meat June 6 as part of its Grace’s Corner Food Pantry. Delaware Higher Ed Access: Delmar students can now qualify for Wor-Wic scholarships after eligibility rules expanded across the state line. Regional Media: Delmarva Public Media racked up a record 17 Associated Press awards at CAPBA, including multiple student-produced honors.

Community Events: Northampton’s annual Paw Prints on the Canal returns June 14 (11 a.m.-4 p.m.) at Canal Street Park with 170+ vendors, dog-training demos, a “sharp-dressed” pet contest, rescue adoptions, and proceeds benefiting the Northampton Police K-9 unit. Lifelong Learning: The University of Delaware’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute opens registration for summer classes June 22–July 25 across Dover, Lewes, Wilmington and online, with topics spanning nature, culture, history, cooking and exercise. Education & Access: Delaware students at Delmar High School can now qualify for Wor-Wic scholarships, expanding opportunity for students who cross the state line to graduate. Local Culture & Media: Delmarva Public Media brought home a record 17 Associated Press awards at CAPBA, including five for student-produced work. Health & Institutions: Delaware’s first four-year medical school is set to launch in 2028 with Thomas Jefferson University selected to run it, with early cohorts tied to rural practice and free tuition options. Environment & Water: Gov. Matt Meyer issued a statewide drought watch urging voluntary water reductions as precipitation deficits grow, especially in Kent and Sussex.

America 250 Travel & Culture: Hotels nationwide are rolling out America’s 250th celebrations, from Native hoop dancing and stargazing at Utah’s Amangiri to special “1776 Suite” packages at Gaylord National near D.C. Delaware Health & Education: Delaware is set to open its first four-year medical school in 2028, with University of Delaware hosting pre-clinical training for Thomas Jefferson University’s Sidney Kimmel Medical College campus; the first class is 40 students, with free tuition tied to serving rural Delaware. Local Justice & Civil Rights: Delaware lost a court fight over releasing employment wage records tied to an ICE case, with AG Kathleen Jennings and Gov. Matt Meyer calling it “naked racial profiling.” Community Spaces: Philadelphia’s Chinatown Stitch park is inching forward with a modular shelter now on site, while funding uncertainty hangs over the Vine Street Expressway cap project. Pride & Sports Culture: Philly’s Pride Month calendar is packed with arts and events, while World Cup 2026 match venues span the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. School Life: More states are moving toward cellphone limits in schools, aiming for distraction-free learning.

Delaware Medical School: Delaware has selected Thomas Jefferson University to run the state’s first four-year medical school, with the inaugural class of 40 starting in 2028 and a tuition-free rural pathway for students who commit to serving underserved areas. Arts & Education: Delaware high school seniors were honored at the Future in Arts Celebration in Smyrna, with 40 students recognized across music, dance, theater, visual arts, film design and education. Culture & Community: The Delaware Botanic Gardens at Pepper Creek will host a June 11 bird lecture with Delaware Nature Society ornithologist Ian Steward, plus tips for attracting more birds to your yard. Sports Policy: Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell unveiled a bipartisan college sports reform plan focused on how athletes are compensated, as NIL and transfer rules keep reshaping the landscape. Local Lifestyle: Delaware lawmakers are considering lowering the minimum age for unsupervised hunting from 18 to 16, aiming to expand youth access while requiring safety and licensing training. Pride & Events: The Delaware County Pride Festival returns June 13 in Upper Darby with drag, live music, food, and 130+ vendors.

Healthcare & Education: Delaware has selected Thomas Jefferson University to help establish the state’s first four-year medical school, aiming to build an in-state pipeline for doctors—especially for primary care and rural medicine. Criminal Justice Reform: Delaware cleared more than 64,000 low-level offenses from public criminal background checks under its Clean Slate automation push, designed to reduce barriers to jobs, housing, and education. Youth & Community Learning: Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids expanded its seed-to-cafeteria school garden program statewide, adding six new school sites and reaching about 28,500 students. LGBTQ+ Community: CAMP Rehoboth’s new executive director, Dr. Robin Brennan, says she’s in a listening-and-learning phase as she settles into leading the LGBTQ+ community center. Marine Conservation: Madison Bridges is set to study marine biology at the University of Delaware after years of ocean-focused volunteering, diving training, and conservation work. Arts & Culture: Delaware’s Mezzanine Gallery opens Milton Downing’s “A Good Tree” exhibition June 5–July 3 in Wilmington. Public Safety: NFPA and the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition honored Middletown Mayor Ken Branner and fire safety advocate Sean Tracey with Bringing Safety Home awards. Local Life: A Wildwood beach incident is still under investigation after a 14-year-old swimmer went missing during a school trip.

Delaware Education & Community: Delaware’s Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is inviting families to “Walk to DeBraak” on June 4 at Cape Henlopen, a guided look at the HMS DeBraak shipwreck and surviving hull section as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary programming. School Culture & Learning: Teachers are pushing back on “professional development” reading lists, with Delaware educators joking they’d rather read for fun this summer—while still craving books that help them understand students better. LGBTQ+ Support: In the region, GLYS is hosting a family and youth event after the Pride Parade in Buffalo, highlighting drop-in support, peer groups, and case management for LGBTQ+ youth. Local Politics & Civic Life: Rehoboth Beach’s mayoral race is heating up: four candidates filed, including two commissioners tied to a March dispute that included allegations of misconduct and demeaning communications. Leadership in Schools: Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland named Dr. Shawn Joseph permanent superintendent, citing progress on teacher vacancies and a renewed focus on literacy and math outcomes.

Community Safety & Empowerment: A Delaware County trafficking survivor is turning her story into support through “Heels and Shells,” hosting sold-out women’s confidence and preparedness classes like “Pretty Tactical 101” at a gun range. Education & Equity: Delaware Academy High School’s 2025-26 enrollment is 92.5% white, spotlighting how demographics shape local school conversations. Household Costs: A new map shows where electricity prices jumped most nationwide, with big Mid-Atlantic increases and rising grid-demand pressures. Delaware/Region Culture: Philly’s 250th-anniversary tourism boom is driving long lines—so locals are sharing alternatives for food hubs and photo-op spots beyond the usual stops. Arts & Learning: A roundup points to major visual arts openings and installations, including a June “Visual Arts Roundup” for museum and gallery-goers. Public Health Transparency: Pennsylvania lawmakers push for school-level measles vaccination data so parents can spot outbreak risk school by school. Sports & Community: Delaware’s connection to NASCAR remains in focus after Kyle Busch’s Dover win and the details around his sudden death. Local Civic Tension: Newark’s curfew around Delaney Hall returns amid protests over immigration detention conditions and renewed family visitation.

Immigration & Community Tensions: Newark officials imposed a mandatory curfew around Delaney Hall after clashes with protesters, even as Gov. Mikie Sherrill said family visitation is set to restart at the immigration detention center; Education & Access: A new “Soccer in Schools” push from the Philadelphia Union aims to expand youth soccer across the region, with plans to reach Delaware schools over time; Arts & Culture: A national debate is heating up over why art schools are disappearing, pointing to financial pressures and bureaucracy that turn learning into a market-driven product; Local Civic Life: Delaware leaders responded after a federal court ordered the state to release employment records tied to an ICE subpoena dispute; Student Life & Costs: A Delaware-focused op-ed argues library access shouldn’t come with a “study tax,” criticizing parking enforcement that penalizes students during finals; Community Giving: 100 Women Who Care Southern Delaware awarded about $15.5K to the Sussex Help Fund, supporting immigrant families facing crisis after deportations.

Delaware Immigration Records Fight: Delaware leaders, including Gov. Matt Meyer and AG Kathy Jennings, pushed back after a federal court ordered the state to release Delaware Department of Labor wage records tied to an ICE subpoena dispute—an overreach they say targets immigrant communities and small businesses. Education & Community Support: The Philadelphia Union launched “Soccer in Schools,” starting at Thomas Holme Elementary, aiming to reach 32,000 students in year one and eventually expand into Delaware and New Jersey. Local Philanthropy: 100 Women Who Care Southern Delaware awarded about $15,570 to the Sussex Help Fund, which supports immigrant families in crisis with essentials like utilities, food, and legal help. Arts & Culture: The Southern Delaware Chorale named Amy Morgan its new artistic director as it closes a landmark 40th season. Delaware Outdoors & Nature: A Delaware County, Ohio bald eagle was rescued and released after rehab for lead poisoning, a reminder of how wildlife can be harmed by tackle and ammunition. Community Events: Music on the Delaware hosts the Loren Daniels Trio at Walton Theatre in Dover for a final coffeehouse of the season.

Education & Scholarships: JAGA 2026 scholars swell to 475 students receiving college grants, with this year’s class headed to schools including UNF, Jacksonville University, Wake Forest, and Virginia Tech. Community & Culture: The Southern Delaware Chorale names Amy Morgan its new artistic director as it closes a landmark 40th season. Local Arts & Design: Becker Morgan Group wins a Home Builders Association of Delaware Regal Award for Best Custom Home over $500,000. Delaware Civic Life: Delaware must comply with a Third Circuit order to turn over employment data to ICE after a long legal fight over wage records tied to immigration enforcement. Housing: Lafayette Place in Milford breaks ground, aiming to add up to 95 affordable homes. What to Do: Rehoboth’s 10th annual Southern Delaware Wine, Food & Music Festival returns May 30, raising funds for local nonprofits. Native Community: The Nanticoke Indian Tribe hosts a free history presentation and dance performance in Millsboro May 30. Sports & Youth: The Delaware County Hero Bowl ends early after juvenile disturbances near Cardinal O’Hara High.

Arts Leadership: Southern Delaware Chorale names Amy Morgan its new artistic director, bringing choral-conducting and community-education experience to its next chapter. Theater & Community: Clear Space Theatre in Rehoboth Beach hires Wes Drummond as artistic director as it pushes ahead with arts education expansion and a new larger facility. Local Culture & Lifestyle: Rehoboth’s “Puppies and Pilates” launches June 20, pairing a feel-good workout with puppy socialization. Coastal Scene: “Beach Besties” spotlights Delaware beach life through two local influencers’ insider guides. Native Culture: The Nanticoke Indian Tribe hosts a free history presentation and dance performance Saturday in Millsboro. Food Access: Delaware’s Grocery Initiative awards $712,500 in grants to 28 groups to expand healthy, affordable food options statewide. Housing: Milford breaks ground on Lafayette Place, an affordable housing project expected to add up to 95 homes. Civic/Legal: Delaware must comply with a Third Circuit order to turn over employment data to federal immigration investigators. Immigration & Work: The state’s fight over wage records continues as courts reject Delaware’s delay request. Education Spotlight: Epping High School announces its Class of 2026 Latin honors students. Politics/Primary: Delaware’s party change deadline for the Sept. 15 primary is Friday, May 29 at 11:59 p.m.

DEI in Schools Fight: Ohio’s SB 113 faces mounting backlash over a vague ban on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, with educators warning it could chill efforts like recruiting and retaining Black teachers. Delaware Education Funding: Delaware lawmakers are urged to treat SB 302 as a start, not the finish line, as advocates push for a more student-centered formula that truly boosts support for students who need it most. Local School Costs: Radnor’s school board approved a 3.36% tax increase for 2026-27, raising bills for typical homeowners. Rehoboth Beach Accountability: The Delaware NAACP questions Rehoboth’s response to a May 19 beach “takeover,” saying the process and rhetoric escalated before evidence of widespread violence was clear. College Sports NIL Overhaul: Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell floated a bipartisan college-athlete compensation bill aimed at “restoring order,” as NIL and transfer-portal chaos continues. Boating Safety Access: The BoatUS Foundation expanded its free, state-approved boating safety course to 15 more states, including Delaware. Health Care Coverage Change: UnitedHealthcare will expand Synapse Health-managed DME networks in Delaware starting Sept. 1, 2026. Environment & Tech: A new analysis links Virginia data-center diesel generators to public health harm, raising fresh pressure on generator emissions. Culture & Community: Epping High School announced its Class of 2026 Latin honors students, and Rehoboth Elementary students took part in Law Day activities with a Delaware law education center.

Police reform in Camden: A new look at how Camden, NJ cut violent crime and became a national model for policing—highlighting the often-overlooked role of community groups and local media. Education & youth civic learning: Rehoboth Elementary students took part in Law Day activities with the Delaware Law Related Education Center, connecting classroom civics to real-world courts and citizenship. Delaware politics, right now: Delaware’s party-change deadline for September primaries hits midnight Friday, with closed primaries and key statewide races already shaping up. School funding setback: Delaware transportation leaders rejected a nearly $900,000 infrastructure grant for the planned bilingual ASPIRA Georgetown charter school, citing program rules. Voting rights fight: A Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais narrows Section 2 enforcement of the Voting Rights Act, making it harder to challenge district maps that dilute minority voting power. Local history gets a boost: Kent County Levy Court backed the proposed Greater Dover Museum to expand space for exhibits, education, and preservation. Culture & community calendar: Lewes’ America 250 jazz concert—“Swingin’ History”—is set for June 16 in Stango Park.

Delaware 250 Jazz Night in Lewes: Coastal Concerts and the City of Lewes will host “Swingin’ History: An All-American Night of Jazz” on Tuesday, June 16 at 7 p.m. in Stango Park, featuring the Delmarva Big Band, jazz vocalist Jackie Johnson, and narration by Lewes historian Trina Brown-Hicks, with 1920s–40s music, dance, and free commemorative booklets for the first 500 guests. Higher Ed Leadership: University of Delaware names Ellen Herbst, a Delaware native and UD alum, as its new executive vice president for finance and administration, effective July 1. Trans Rights in the Spotlight: A documentary trailer for “State of Firsts” follows Sarah McBride’s path to Congress and the backlash she faced, including a reported ban on using women’s restrooms in the Capitol; theatrical screenings begin June 12 in Wilmington. Access to Justice & AI: Christopher Pitt launches a public conversation on using AI to expand access to justice for underrepresented, self-represented Delaware-area residents. Local Learning & Careers: Delaware students shine at the BPA National Leadership Conference, bringing home 11 national championships and dozens of top finishes. Sports & Community: Delaware’s Farm Credit Foundation awards $457,000 in scholarships to 66 students pursuing agriculture careers.