Initial filings for unemployment benefits in Delaware rose last week compared with the week prior, the U.S. Department of Labor said Feb. 5.

New jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, increased to 458 in the week ending Jan. 31, up from 327 the week before, the Labor Department said.

U.S. unemployment claims rose to 231,000 last week, up 22,000 claims from 209,000 the week prior on a seasonally adjusted basis.

US WORKFORCE: Employers announce most job cuts since 2009 as economy wobbles

Mississippi saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims jumping by 75.4%. Nebraska, meanwhile, saw the largest percentage drop in new claims, with claims dropping by 70.7%.

HOPEWELL TWP. — The powerhouse Delaware Valley High School wrestling team appears to be right where it wants to be in pursuit of a fourth Group 1 state championship in five years.

Ranked fourth in The Trentonian’s Public School state rankings, Delaware Valley upped its record to 17-0 on Friday night when it beat Hopewell Valley, 61-12, in the so-called “Dawg Brawl in the Valley.”

The fact DelVal won easily was, of course, no surprise. What was a positive was the way it got the job done, particularly from 175 through 215 against three of Hopewell Valley’s better wrestlers.

“I felt really good about how we wrestled tonight,” said Delaware Valley coach Andy Fitz after his team handed Hopewell just its second loss of the year. “We  were (recently) off the mats for a week, but we are really rolling again.  We want to be our best in February and March. We wrestled very well against a well-coached team tonight. I was really happy with some of those results in the upper weights.”

Hopewell Valley held its own in the early going when Luca Schiavon had a nice 5-2 win at 120, Parker Humphrey prevailed, 4-3, at 126 and Dylan Hersh pinned at 138.

The problem for Hopewell was DelVal is stacked in the middle and four straight pins quickly gave the Hunterdon County team a 39-12 lead.

One of the best bouts of the night followed at 175 where Hopewell Valley’s Ethan Barker hit a Peterson Roll and led Olivier Paul, 7-6, after one period. From there, however, Paul wisely elected to wrestle mostly on his feet and the result was takedown clinic en route to a 20-10 major.

Hopewell Valley 190-pounder Scott Mangan has a record of 23-2, but he proved to be no match on this night for Matthew Sencher. The result was a Sencher pin in 1:31 with a cradle as the lead ballooned to 49-12.

DelVal’s Luke Cyphert then hammered home another victory when he pinned Gavin Barker in 2:52 at 215 pounds. This left Gavin Barker at 15-6 on the season afterolder brother Ethan Barker earlier fell to 21-3.

When Luken Alberdi pinned at heavyweight, it meant DelVal was able to record nine pins on the night.

With the regular season rapidly winding down, it’s reaching the point where DelVal’s focus will center on the sectionals, which get underway on the Monday of Feb. 16. DelVal’s biggest challenge in Group 1 could very well come from Manville (25-0) in its own Central Jersey section.

“We do a lot of with Manville during the summer and we are as familiar with each other’s opposing lineups as we are with our own,” said Fitz. “We also actually do a lot with Hopewell Valley too. Manville is a very well coached program. It should be a fun night (in the expected sectional final).”DelVal certainly looks ready.”

Delaware Valley 61, Hopewell Valley 12

f106: Vincent Rainey (DVR) over Said Jan Rahmani (HVH) (Dec 9-3)113: Jaxon Bingert (DVR) over (HVH) (For.)120: Luca Schiavon (HVH) over Tristan Fawthrop (DVR) (Dec 5-2)126: Parker Humphrey (HVH) over Tanner Donaruma (DVR) (Dec 4-3)132: Julian Bednar (DVR) over Dylan Somma (HVH) (Fall 2:42)138: Dylan Hersh (HVH) over Jacob Maddalena (DVR) (Fall 3:58)144: Tye Falkenstein (DVR) over Jace Kalina (HVH) (Fall 1:25)150: Michael Hasson (DVR) over Louis Decibus (HVH) (Fall 1:28)157: Hunter Taffera (DVR) over Max Pollara (HVH) (Fall 3:32)165: Kieran Sutter (DVR) over Ben Franco (HVH) (Fall 1:12)175: Olivier Paul (DVR) over Ethan Barker (HVH) (MD 20-10)190: Matthew Sencher (DVR) over Scott Mangan (HVH) (Fall 1:31)215: Luke Cyphert (DVR) over Gavin Barker (HVH) (Fall 2:52)285: Luken Alberdi (DVR) over Ken Pineda (HVH) (Fall 0:54)

After years of debate, a pedestrian bridge over busy Route 9 could be coming to Cool Spring. 

Sen. Chris Coons recently shared congressionally funded projects included in the appropriations package passed by the Senate. In total, $68 million was secured for Delaware projects. 

Among the recipients is the Delaware Department of Transportation for completion of the Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail, including a new pedestrian bridge and approaches. 

According to Charles “C.R.” McLeod, DelDOT’s director of community relations, the funds will go toward design of a pedestrian bridge over Route 9. 

“The funding will be used to move forward with design for an elevated trail crossing on Route 9 at Cool Spring,” McLeod said. “We don’t have dedicated project funding yet or a timeline – the design work will help determine the exact layout and rendering of the structure, and provide us with an estimate of what the project will ultimately cost to build, so a lot of details are still to be determined.”

The final phase of the trail is projected for completion in late 2026. This six-mile stretch, running from Airport Road in Georgetown to Fisher Road in Milton, will complete the 17-mile, $17.4 million project, making it Delaware’s longest continuous trail. The first phase in Lewes opened nearly a decade ago in October 2016. 

In 2017, the section of railroad that runs from Cool Spring to Lewes was decommissioned after it was determined that repairs to the swing bridge over the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal in Lewes would be too costly. While the trail’s first phase was built adjacent to the railroad, future phases between Lewes and Cool Spring were built on the former railroad track after it was removed. Railroad tracks remain from Georgetown to the Harbeson area. 

It’s unclear if DelDOT has decided to move forward with a bridge for the trail. In December, the Delaware Bicycle Council approved a grant of $35,000 to Sussex County for a feasibility study for a tunnel under Route 9 at Cool Spring at the same location. 

“Sussex County has been in contact with DelDOT representatives and will coordinate efforts to ensure we are working together to determine the feasibility of either crossing, whether it be a bridge or a tunnel,” said Chip Guy, Sussex County’s communications director. 

The Stephen P. Hudson Park trailhead sits on the south side of Route 9. Trail users are discouraged from crossing Route 9 at the park. Instead, the safest way to cross Route 9 now is to travel to Fisher Road, cross Route 9 at the signal and then head back east. 

McLeod said DelDOT is committed to the pedestrian bridge.

“Yes, [we are] committed to the project; however, the project is not currently in our six-year capital transportation program, so it will need to be added and funded once a preliminary concept and estimate are completed,” he said.

Other funded projects in Sussex

• Better Homes of Seaford – $716,000 for construction of affordable housing in Seaford 

• Children and Families First Delaware Inc. – $632,000 for renovation and expansion of a foster youth home in Seaford 

• Interfaith Community Housing of Delaware Inc. – $2.5 million for construction of affordable housing in Milford 

• Milford Housing Development Corp. – $750,000 for construction of affordable housing in Kent and Sussex counties 

• NeighborGood Partners – $2 million for construction of affordable housing in Laurel 

• Sussex County Habitat for Humanity – $1 million for construction of affordable housing in Sussex County.