Get tuned into the First State of Mind
Listen to the full show or individual segments:
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.
Listen to the full show or individual segments:
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.
Listen to the full show or individual segments:
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.
Listen to the full show or individual segments:
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.
Listen to the full show or individual segments:
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.
Listen to the full show or individual segments:
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.
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.
Art is everywhere we look, and Newark's Main Street is no exception.If you pay attention as you stroll down the sidewalk, you can be drawn into one of these pieces of public art and the story it tells.But the story of how these pieces make their way to the public sphere and their purpose is often overlooked.In this edition of Enlighten Me, Delaware Public Media's University of Delaware summer intern Brenden Patterson takes some time to delve into public art and its place in Newark and beyond.
After over two years of turbulent efforts to launch Delaware's recreational marijuana market, the First State may finally see some legal cannabis products on the shelves starting next month.The Office of the Marijuana Commissioner announced last week that the state's 13 medical dispensaries that purchased conversion licenses may begin selling recreationally on August 1.Delaware Public Media's Sarah Petrowich spoke this week with Marijuana Commissioner Josh Sanderlin - delving into the competitive advantages for these medical dispensaries, how close other retailers are to coming online and the future of unregulated hemp-derived products in Delaware.
Delaware Shakespeare takes the stage at Wilmington's Rockwood Park for its annual series of summer shows starting July 18, with a preview the night before.The show is "Twelfth Night, O Lo Que Quieras," a musical, bilingual reimagining of the Shakespeare classic.In this edition of Arts Playlist, Martin Matheny sat down with DelShakes' Producing Artistic Director Mariah Gantt to learn more.
This week – we bring you the latest episode of the Delaware Humanities' podcast – ‘People and Planet.'In this episode, we focus on Indigenous Dance and its connections to the environment – as well its role in connecting Delawareans to the land and the history of indigenous people in the First State with Herman Jackson of the Nanticoke Tribe in Delaware where he serves as spiritual advisor. Jackson has performed tribal dances throughout the state and around the country since 2012.
State lawmakers have just one day of work left in the 2025 portion of the current legislative session – the first session under new Gov. Matt Meyer.As they work to get a few more bills to the finish line on June 30th, we take some time on The Green this week to look back at what Gov. Meyer and the General Assembly were - and weren't - able to accomplish.Earlier this week, Delaware Public Media state politics reporter Sarah Petrowich joined News Director Tom Byrne to dive into this year's legislative scorecard.
Affordable housing – specifically the lack of it – is an issue that's been in the headlines in Delaware and nationwide for a few years now.And there's no shortage of government agencies, lawmakers, nonprofits, and housing advocates trying to find new and creative ways to deliver solutions. This week, contributor Eileen Dallabrida takes a deeper dive into what issue looks like here in the First State and some of the responses to it.
The Southern Delaware Orchestra, or SODELO is hard at work preparing for a summer concert series featuring a guest conductor, a guest soloist, and the orchestra's debut appearance at the Freeman Arts Pavilion.In this edition of Arts Playlist , Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny gets a preview with violinist Steve Griefer SODELO co-founder and board president.
In this week's Enlighten Me, we head to the University of Delaware to highlight work from student journalists – pieces produced by UD Communications students for a class taught by Nancy Karibjanian, a long-time First State journalist, Director of UD's Journalism Program, and one of founders of Delaware Public Media. This week's featured student journalists are Olivia Hoover and Iyanna Register.
Delaware's fire companies operate as individual entities with limited oversight outside of criminal cases. Some in the service say that's working well, and others want to see a standardized code of regulations and a certification process put in place statewide.Delaware Public Media's Abigail Lee looks into new efforts to add stronger oversight for fire companies in the First State.
First State Ballet Theatre recently announced the line-up for its 2025-2026 season, including something scary for Halloween, a mixture of traditional favorites and innovative new choreography, and a classic Romantic masterpiece.In this edition of Arts Playlist , Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny spoke to the ballet's marketing director Claire McGregor about the upcoming season, as well as a trio of summer performances around the state.
In this week's Enlighten Me, we head to the University of Delaware to highlight work from student journalists – pieces produced by UD Communications students for a class taught by Nancy Karibjanian, a long-time First State journalist, Director of UD's Journalism Program, and one of founders of Delaware Public Media.This week's featured student journalists are McKenna Burke and Tyler Dodson.
© 2020-2025 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
