The Green

Federal funding cuts are impacting states to varying degrees across the nation, particularly with unprecedented changes to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program known as SNAP.These changes were outlined within President Donald Trump's tax and spending package known as the ‘One Big Beautiful Act,' which for the first time ever will require states to pick up some of the tab for SNAP administrative costs.Additionally, beginning in 2028, states with high payment error rates will be required to pay for a portion of benefit costs, and Delaware had one of the highest error rates in the country in 2024.Delaware Public Media's Sarah Petrowich spoke with state officials to understand what these changes mean for Delaware and how the state plans to cover these unprecedented costs.

The U.S. is one of only seven countries to see a significant increase in maternal mortality rates in 2023, according to the World Health Organization.The U.S. sees steeper rates than any other high-income country, and maternal and infant mortality risks spike further in Black community.Delaware was among seven states with the lowest maternal mortality rates in the nation in 2024. But Black pregnant people here are still significantly more at risk during pregnancy and postpartum, representing 45% of the maternal deaths despite making up only 21% of the state's population.Delaware-based organization Black Mothers in Power wants to see those numbers drop in the First State. That's why they're opening a Maternal Care Center in Wilmington, according to BMIP Founder and Wilmington City Councilwoman Shané Darby.She and project director Kristin Bainger sit down with Delaware Public Media's Abigail Lee to talk about the ins and outs of the new facility.

The Division of the Arts' Mezzanine Gallery in Wilmington continues to spotlight the work of Delaware artists with an exhibition this month by Paula Brown.Brown is a relatively recent arrival to the First State, spending much of her life on the West Coast. Her work - much of it impressionistic landscapes and seascapes - shows off her adeptness with pastels and oils.And on this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny sits down with Brown to talk about her art, her background, and the importance of Bach, Brahms and... Dr. Seuss.

Work is underway on the Thompson Island living shoreline project in Rehoboth Beach.The project on a part of Delaware Seashore State Park offers a large scale, nature-based engineering solution to protect the island's shoreline while enhancing the aquatic environment around the island.For this edition of Enlighten Me, Delaware Public Media's Joe Irizarry speaks with project manager, Bob Collins of the Delaware Center for the Inland Bays about this living shoreline and expected impact – including the history and cultural significance of Thompson Island it can help preserve.

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The US saw 22,000 new jobs in July, far lower than the average 186,000 jobs added monthly on average in 2024.And some of the jobs posted aren't even real — they're put up by AI or are ghost positions, which companies put up in case they need to hire for a role that's currently filled.Gen Z is having a particularly difficult time finding work out of college. They're ghosted, put through five-interview long processes and made to wait weeks for responses.On this edition of Enlighten Me, Delaware Public Media's Abigail Lee sits down with the University of Delaware's Lerner Career Services director Jill Pante to discuss how Gen Z job seekers and their potential employers can better get through the hiring process.

For eight years, Delaware Shakespeare has been leaving the boards and hitting the road for its annual community tour - taking the Bard's plays to neighborhoods around the First State.This year, DelShakes tour presents Two Gentlemen of Verona.And on this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny spend some time with DelShakes' Producing Artistic Director Mariah Gantt to learn more about the tour and the play.

For eight years, Delaware Shakespeare has been leaving the boards and hitting the road for its annual community tour - taking the Bard's plays to neighborhoods around the First State.This year, DelShakes' tour presents Two Gentlemen of Verona.And on this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny spend some time with DelShakes' Producing Artistic Director Mariah Ghant to learn more about the tour and the play.

The Delaware Community Foundation this week announced a five-year, $13.1 million dollar grant to the Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging Research.The money will help further the center's research by expanding the number of participants in clinical studies, creating new forms of testing to find biomarkers which predict Alzheimer's development, and fund the purchase of an MRI machine - a critical tool for the diagnosis of cognitive aging.Earlier this week, Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging Research director Dr. Christopher Martens joined Delaware Public Media's Isreal Hale to explore what this financial boost means for their research.

These days it seems everyone is racing to get in on the fast-developing world of artificial intelligence – seeking any way and every way to plant their flag in the AI industry.That includes the state of Delaware which recently announced it is the first state in the nation to join OpenAI's Certification Program, which is expected to deliver programming to schools and workforce training programs to allows student to workers to build AI fluency and earn certifications in AI tools.Delaware Public Media's Tom Byrne recently sat down with Delaware Dept of Labor Secretary LaKresha Moultrie to learn more about the OpenAI Certification Program and the benefits it could provide the state.

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Delaware launched its first wave of recreational marijuana dispensaries on August 1st, giving the majority of existing medical marijuana centers the ability to begin recreational sales.As of Monday, the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner has issued 85 conditional licenses for the rest of the marijuana business community, with three cultivators already actively growing.In part three of our Delaware's High Hopes series, Marijuana Commissioner Josh Sanderlin talks about his optimism for the remaining market launch, as well as the contentious veto of a marijuana zoning bill.Delaware Public Media's Sarah Petrowich also checked back in with license holders to discuss the challenges and successes they've seen in getting their businesses off the ground and what's next for Delaware's recreational marijuana market.

Reading Assist is among 15 organizations from around the world recently recognized by the Library of Congress for their efforts to improve literacy and strengthen the communities they serves.Delaware Public Media's Joe Irizarry sat down with Reading Assist CEO Caroline O'Neal to learn more about why the organization was honored and its ongoing work in the community- including how it's navigating the ups and downs of federal funding.

After a busy summer season featuring three blockbuster musicals and a cabaret series, performers from the Clear Space Theatre Company in Rehoboth Beach will be back on the boards in one week, launching a series of shows to round out the year, beginning with the apolitical political farce, POTUS.DPM's Martin Matheny sat down with Clear Space's Managing Director, Joe Gfaller to talk about that show and the rest of the 2025 season.

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OperaDelaware is gearing up for a new season. Anchored by two masterworks - Tosca and Andrea Chenier - the upcoming season also features some innovative performances intended to dismantle the stereotype of opera as stuffy and staid, including "Opera Deathmatch" and a chamber work where a cell phone plays a major role.On this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny chats with OperaDelaware's Vice President of Engagement, Kerriann Otano and soprano Emily Margevich, one of the opera's Company Artists.

Delaware's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control released its latest survey of Delawareans opinions on Climate Change.This is the fourth time since 2009 DNREC has taken the public's temperature on climate change and related issues. The results continue to show an overwhelming majority of state residents are concerned about climate change and view it as a serious threat – and will be used to help craft Delaware's 2025 Climate Action Plan – due to be delivered in November.DPM's Tom Byrne recently sat down with DNREC's Climate and Sustainability Program administrator Susan Love to discuss the survey results and how they help state officials develop a plan to address climate issues in the years ahead.

This week, we bring you the final episode of the Delaware Humanities' podcast – ‘People and Planet.' The podcast explores how Delawareans connect to the environments and cultures around them, and the cultural practices and creative works that bring us closer to the planet we call home.On this episode, we feature a more grounded, personal look at the impact of connecting to nature and culture.The natural world and cultural identity have played a substantial role in writer and nature photographer Leslie Hsu Oh's professional and personal journey.Her work has taken her around the country and the world to experience the vast array of what the planet and its cultures has to offer.And the memoir she is working on, Fireweed, weaves together themes of family, cultural identity, and the natural world to tell her very personal story of self-discovery and healing after experiencing profound loss.

Last week, Delaware broke ground on a new Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill.The $90 million dollar project will deliver a 3-story facility with 120 beds to replace the current hospital building built in 1961.Earlier this week, DPM's Tom Byrne sat down with Dava Newnam, Deputy Cabinet Secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services to learn more about the new hospital and what it's expected to mean for its patients.

A recent study by ChristianaCare's Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute shows some areas of Delaware have higher odds of advanced breast cancer.The research explains some of the reasons for the elevated rates, and how that is shaping ChristianaCare's response.This week Delaware Public Media's Joe Irizarry sits down with Dr. Scott Siegel, the lead author and director of Cancer Control & Population Sciences at ChristianaCare's Cawley Center to discuss the research, and what comes next.

For more than four decades, the Delaware Theatre Company has been entertaining audiences in and around Wilmington.Recently, the organization underwent a reinvention of sorts, announcing that it was moving to a leadership model with two people at the top - an Artistic Director and a Managing Director.Earlier this year, the company announced Broadway veteran Mimi Warnick as its Producing Artistic Director, and this month, they named her colleague, Managing Director Candice Buchanan.On this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny chats with Buchanan and Warnick about their vision and the future for Delaware Theatre Company.

One of the major events on the Nanticoke Indian Tribe's calendar is its annual Powwow. The 47th edition of the Powwow will be held Sept. 6 and 7 in Milton.But to bring the event to life again this year, the tribe needed some financial help, turning to the community to deliver $30,000 in needed funding - nearly half coming from a GoFundMe effort.In this edition of Enlighten Me, Delaware Public Media's Abigail Lee sits down with Avery Johnson, the chief of the Nanticoke Indian Tribe, to talk about the 47th annual powwow, the cultural significance of powwows and how community fundraising brought this year's event to the finish line.

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Delaware's 2025 statewide assessment results reveal only a 1% increase in math and reading proficiency rates for grades 3-8.Relatively stagnant test scores have become a familiar theme for the First State as school districts continue to work on making up for COVID learning loss and return proficiency rates to pre-pandemic levels.This struggle persists while the state is in the process of overhauling its core education funding formula in the hopes of making more equitable investments and improving student outcomes.Delaware Public Media's Sarah Petrowich spoke with Education Secretary Cindy Marten about her reaction to the latest assessment scores, how the state is moving forward and what countywide reassessments mean for the new funding formula.

Last month's flooding in Texas killed over 130 people with Kerr County receiving the most damage and deaths.In the aftermath of the flood, the response to the disaster came from far and near, and included University of Delaware doctoral student Julie Elliott as she studied the disaster response.This week Delaware Public Media's Joe Irizarry sits down with Julie Elliott to discuss the scene in Texas right after the flooding and the recovery response -- as well as what can be learned about improving flood responses in the future.

This weekend marks the beginning of college football season, and for many, a big part of any college football experience is halftime.That's when college marching bands take center stage - and some of the best in the nation are marching bands at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, like the Approaching Storm at Delaware State UniversityThis fall, the Biggs Museum of American Art in Dover celebrates that HBCU band tradition with a new exhibit called "Battle of the Bands," with art by New Orleans-based artist Keith Duncan.And in this edition of Arts Playlist, Martin Matheny talks to the Biggs Museum Director of Learning & Engagement Kate Huffman, and Chief Curator Laura Fravel about this exhibition.

2025 marks the Univ. of Delaware football program's transition to FBS Football following its invitation to join Conference USA.The change is an important milestone for UD athletics, elevating the Blue Hens to the highest level of competition in the NCAA.However, it also presents UD with some challenges as it navigates unfamiliar terrain.In this edition of Enlighten Me, Delaware Public Media's University of Delaware Intern Brenden Patterson reports on how the UD Athletic Dept. is meeting those challenges.

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This week– we bring you an in-depth sit-down with Gov. Matt Meyer.Meyer joined DPM News Director Tom Byrne and DPM's State Politics Reporter Sarah Petrowich earlier this week for a discussion of topics ranging from this week's General Assembly special session on property reassessment to the massive, proposed data center near Delaware City, the roll-out of recreational use marijuana sales, and more.Our conversation started with this week's legislative special session and what it delivered.

Our in-depth interview with Gov. Matt Meyer continues with a discussion of Port of Wilmington expansion, the proposed data center project near Delaware City and the start of legal marijuana sales in the First State.

We conclude this week's in-depth interview Gov. Matt Meyer on The Green.Meyer joined DPM News Director and DPM's state politics reporter Sarah Petrowich earlier this week – and in the final portion of that interview we discussed the how actions in the nation's capital are affecting Delaware.

The Delaware Div. for the Arts' continues its work spotlighting First State artists at its Mezzanine Gallery at the Carvel State Office Building in Wilmington. This month, the gallery's exhibition features Shilpi, a Middletown-based artist.In this edition of Arts Playlist, she speaks with DPM's Martin Matheny about her art.

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Plans to build one of the largest data centers in the country near Delaware City in New Castle County has sparked outrage from some nearby residents while prompting state and county lawmakers to raise concerns about its impact on the environment and the electrical grid.Delaware Public Media contributor Jon Hurdle recently offered an initial peek at the project – known as Project Washington, the reaction to it, and is tracking what's next in the process as it develops.

When Delaware's General Assembly reconvenes next week for a special session on property reassessment issues, there will be a new member in the House chamber.Democrat Alonna defeated Republican Nikki Miller in the House District 20 special election to replace former State Rep. Stell Parker Selby. Berry's victory in the Milton area district was a narrow one – a margin of just 121 votes. Tuesday night, Delaware Public Media state politics reporter Sarah Petrowich spoke with Berry about her win and what's next.

It's summertime in the First State, a time when many of us head to the beaches. But on your way to surf and sand, you'll likely pass through one of the state's most threatened habitats – its marshes and wetlands.DNREC recently released a map charting marsh migration - how wetlands are moving inland as sea levels rise - and how migrating marshes are bumping up against growing development.This week, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny chats with DNREC environmental scientist Allison Rogerson about the map and what it tells us.

Earlier this year, the Delaware Symphony Orchestra began writing a new chapter in its long history, announcing the appointment of Argentinian/Italian conductor Michelle Di Russo as the orchestra's new music director.In this edition of Arts Playlist, Di Russo sits down with Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny as she prepares to take the podium as the orchestra's music director for the first time in October.

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Delaware's Prescription Opioid Settlement Distribution Commission underwent a mass restructuring over the past year.The commission is in charge of distributing the funds awarded to the First State through legal challenges against opioid manufacturers and distributors.After a grant recipient was flagged for potential misuse of funds last year, the commission completely overhauled its grant program and welcomed a new Executive Director Brad Owens.Delaware Public Media's Sarah Petrowich spoke with Owens about the new-and-improved commission, the latest grant cycle and his plans for the commission.

Cooch's Bridge Historic Site, near Newark, is one of the state's most storied historic locations, known for being the site of the only Revolutionary War battle in the First State. It was also home to generations of African-Americans, both free and enslaved.Composer and percussionist Jonathan Whitney, a Newark native, is bringing those stories to life in a work called "Cooch's Bridge: The African-American Presence."In this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny chats with to Whitney about his music.

This week, we bring you the latest episode of the Delaware Humanities' podcast – ‘People and Planet.'On this episode, we focus on a pair of First State destinations that help connect people to their planet by educating them about the world around them.The Delaware Museum of Nature and Science and the Brandywine Zoo each offer windows into habitats in our own backyards and around the world and how we can engage with them in a meaningful and positive way.And to explain how they do that the podcast welcomes Delaware Museum of Nature and Science executive director Mandy Santiago and Brandywine Zoo director Brint Spencer.

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As July starts to slip away, summer break heads into the home stretch for students. That means families need to start getting the gear kids need for school this fall.What does the current economic climate mean for back-to-school shopping this year? Are retailers expecting the same boost to late summer sales? And are there deals to be found for families on a budget?Contributor Eileen Dallabrida takes a closer look at the back-to-school shopping landscape.

What does a meat brewery look like? And can scientists make better steaks than farmers? Delaware Public Media asks these questions and more in a conversation with Andrew Sayles, the COO and co-founder of a local start-up producing the building blocks of cultivated meat.

In this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny makes his way to Historic Odessa for a look at the immerse varieties of a commonplace object most of us have at home - the teapot.

The Lewes Junction Railroad & Bridge Association recently announced that the historic Steam Locomotive No. 60, initially built for the Pennsylvania Railroad, is going to be restored for display in Lewes with the goal of it being ready for next summer.In this edition of History Matters, Lewes Junction Railroad & Bridge Association board member David Ludlow discusses the restoration work and how this project helps bring the area's railroad heritage to life.

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We often hear about the impact climate change, development, and other factors can have on the plants, birds and animals that live in the First State and the habitat that supports them.But the new edition of the Species of Greatest Conservation Need offers a much deeper dive into the risks faced and how serious they are – offering a picture of which species face the greatest threat. This week, contributor Jon Hurdle digs into the report – examining what it tells us and what actions it could prompt

Delaware is one of 12 states with a plastic bag ban, and while many places may not have a ban, some instead charge a fee to use them.Researchers from the University of Delaware and Columbia University conducted a study examining how effective these bans and fees are in reducing litter, especially along the shoreline.This week, Delaware Public Media's Joe Irizarry sits down with Kimberly Oremus, an associate professor in UD's School of Marine Science and Policy, to discuss if the policies are making a difference.

Summer is a busy time at Clear Space Theatre in Rehoboth Beach, with three big musical productions, a cabaret series, and weekly kids shows.In this edition of Arts Playlist, our Martin Matheny s sits down with Joe Gfaller, Clear Space Theatre Company's managing director to learn more about their summer offerings.