Delaware
Former Delco assistant fire chief faces charges in alleged racist attack
SHARON HILL, Pa. (WPVI) — Leaders in Delaware County gathered on Thursday to condemn an alleged racist attack in Darby Township back in late November.
State lawmakers, members of county council, local police, and the Delaware County Black Caucus were all in attendance.
“We will not tolerate this type of behavior in Darby Township without a consequence,” said Darby Township Police Chief Mike Sousa.
The man at the center of the investigation is former Sharon Hill Assistant Fire Chief John Romano.
Sharon Hill Council President Tanya Allen said Romano has been suspended by the fire company’s Board of Trustees, and the borough has also severed ties.
“Our community and our neighbors deserve to feel comfort and safety when thinking about a first responder coming and what perspective that person has of them,” Allen said.
The borough also released the following statement on December 31 at https://sharonhillboro.com/about-us/news/statement-from-sharon-hill-borough-council/
The victim says the attack began as Romano blocked traffic on Hook Road loading trees onto a truck in front of J&P Fence, a business he once owned, according to someone who works there.
Drivers were honking their horns and the victim says she was second in a line of seven cars.
She says Romano let the first car pass, but when she went to drive by, Romano used his truck to stop her.
An affidavit alleges he hurled racial slurs and epithets and shot video of her license plate.
Romano now faces charges of disorderly conduct, harassment, terroristic threats, and ethnic intimidation. Police confirm there is body camera video of the incident.
“The officers that were involved were shocked as much as I was shocked after reviewing it and brought it right to my attention and the charges were filed. It was pretty cut and dry and that easy,” said Chief Sousa.
Action News tried to reach Romano at home for comment but no one answered the door. Another worker at J&P Fence told Action News Romano hadn’t worked there for months.
During Thursday’s press conference, State Senator Anthony Williams was critical of Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer’s absence despite being invited.
“I’m saying this with yes, a level of frustration and anger because this same person has come to our community, specifically African Americans, on a number of occasions saying look, I need us to change how Delaware County is viewed. You’re not changing a damn thing when you’re not here!” Williams said forcefully.
During his own news conference, Stollsteimer condemned Romano’s alleged actions and called them heinous but cited the ethics of his position for not attending.
“My understanding from the letter Senator Williams sent to me was they were going to call on an economic boycott of the defendant’s alleged business. I cannot be party to that,” Stollsteimer said. “My ethical duty is to make sure that I am only saying statements related to the facts of the prosecution.”
Stollsteimer went on to say, “My number one duty, unlike a politician who can stand at a press conference and say whatever they want, I actually have a responsibility to make sure something happens, something, in this case, positive happens for the community and that is he is held accountable for the hatred he showed to the victim.”
On Thursday, Stollsteimer also shot back over criticism from Williams of his decision not to release the video it at the time.
“Absolutely not. That is evidence of a crime. It’s not a prop for a press conference, it is evidence of a crime and I would be outside of my ethical duties as district attorney. There is no legitimate law enforcement purpose to release to the public that video evidence until such time as he has gone through the criminal justice process,” Stollsteimer said.
Romano has a preliminary hearing in Delaware County on February 18.
A hearing with the Sharon Hill Fire Company regarding his suspension is also set for February.
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Delaware
Delaware County school employee accused of sex assault of minor in Texas
RADNOR, Pa. – Authorities say a Delaware County school employee is accused of traveling to Texas to sexually assault a minor he met online.
What we know:
Michael Robinson, 43, was taken into custody near Radnor Middle School where investigators say he worked as a paraprofessional.
Investigators believe Robinson traveled to Tyler, Texas in the summer of 2024 to meet a minor he had connected with online.
Robinson, according to U.S. Marshals, allegedly sexually assaulted the teen over the course of a weekend.
Delaware County school employee accused of sex assault of minor in Texas
Prosecutors in Smith County, Texas charged Robinson in December with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child Under 15-years-old.
Robinson is being held at a Delaware County jail where he is awaiting extradition to Texas.
What they’re saying:
U.S. Marshals in Pennsylvania said Robinson’s arrest shows that “sexual predators will always be pursued relentlessly.”
The Radnor Township School District said Robinson has been placed on leave and will not have contact with students.
“Parents of the limited number of children to whom the employee was assigned were contacted by the administration immediately.”
The district said it is cooperating with law enforcement and has “no information indicating misconduct involving district students.”
Delaware
Rehoboth cancels 2026 Polar Bear Plunge after major snowstorm
Lewes Polar Bear Plunge in Rehoboth Beach
Participants flock to the water at the Lewes Polar Bear Plunge, which raises funds for Special Olympics Delaware on Sunday, February 2, 2025.
Rehoboth Beach has canceled the upcoming 2026 Lewes Polar Bear Plunge and 5K Run to the Plunge as the Sussex County resort town continues dealing with the aftermath of last weekend’s snowstorm, organizers of the annual Special Olympics fundraiser said on Feb. 26.
“Rehoboth Beach is navigating significant challenges because of the snowstorm,” a Special Olympics Delaware email announced. “At present, the boardwalk and all beach crossings remain snow covered and many sidewalks throughout downtown Rehoboth are as well.”
The plunge and 5K had been rescheduled to March 1 after severe weather conditions in late January caused it to be moved from its original Feb. 1 date.
The plunge will not be rescheduled for this year.
Last weekend’s storm brought nearly 2 feet of snow to parts of Sussex, closing hundreds of roads when trees and wires were downed. There were also power outages across the county, including Rehoboth Beach which had to restore power to its wastewater treatment facility.
Plunging for a cause
The polar bear plunge is one of Special Olympics Delaware’s more popular fundraisers, drawing more than 4,000 participants last year.
In recent years, the event has been bringing in more than a million dollars for Special Olympics Delaware. Last year, plunge events drew $1.3 million, just shy of the record-breaking $1.5 million raised in 2024.
Alex Seymore, Special Olympics Delaware’s director of digital media, said the organization had already raised more than $1 million from this year’s event.
“We expect a small impact,” Seymore told Delaware Online/The News Journal. “But again, we’re showing that we’ve raised over a million dollars.
He added they are reviewing how the cancelation will impact them and their services.
“It’s been just a couple hours, so we’re not completely positive how it will impact things in the long run,” he said. “We’re thankful for everybody that’s helped raise this money through this time.”
What is still occurring
While the plunge and 5k and been canceled this year, there are other indoor events that will continue as scheduled:
Feb. 27
- 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – pick up packets and souvenir sales for the Plunge and 5K Run to the Plunge at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, 229 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach.
Feb. 28
- noon to 2 p.m. Fire & Ice in the Atlantic Sands Ballroom, 1 Baltimore Ave, Rehoboth Beach.
- 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Restaurant chili contest.
- 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – pick up packets and souvenir sales for the Plunge and 5K Run to the Plunge at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, 229 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach.
Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.
Delaware
Trump Accounts for kids; are they available in Delaware?
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President Donald Trump touted his Trump Accounts for kids platform during his State of the Union address Tuesday, Feb. 24, months before the savings account program goes live this summer.
Roughly 63% of parents open bank accounts for the newborns and young children according to The Financial Brand, showing that in general, opening a bank accounts for your child is a good idea.
But what, exactly, are Trump Accounts for kids, and does it make sense for you to open one for your child? Here’s everything you need to know.
Trump Account for kids explained
The IRS explained in a memo Trump Accounts will be available for any children under 18, with $1,000 seed money available for newborns and very young children.
That account will be seeded with federal government funds.
“A Trump account is a type of traditional individual retirement account that is established for the exclusive benefit of an eligible individual and that is designated at its establishment as a Trump account,” read the IRS’ Trump Accounts memo. “Upon an election under the pilot program, $1,000 is paid by the Secretary to the Trump account of an eligible child.
“An eligible child means a qualifying child who is born after December 31, 2024 and before January 1, 2029, who is a U.S. citizen, and for whom no prior pilot program election has been made.”
The Trump Accounts website confirms parents do not need to make a contribution, but can deposit up to $5,000 a year into the interest-bearing account.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in comments published Jan. 28 a single $1,000 deposit into a Trump Account at birth should grow to an estimated $500,000 by the age of retirement.
When will Trump Accounts for kids lunch, and can I apply in Delaware?
Trump Accounts for kids will go live on Monday, July 5, and parents in Delaware are allowed to apply for the nationwide offering when it opens.
Until then, you can visit the Trump Accounts website to add your name to the email list to get an update when the service goes live.
The IRS and U.S. Department of the Treasury released Trump Accounts guidance you can read before opening an account.
Problems with Trump Accounts for kids
While opening a Trump Account for your child may seem a good thing, TIME uncovered a few problems with President Donald Trump’s namesake account service.
“The program may be open to every child, but its benefits will flow overwhelmingly to families with the means to contribute thousands of dollars a year. What could have been a leveling tool instead risks becoming a widening wedge between the haves and the have-nots,” read a portion of TIME’s take. “For a family living paycheck-to-paycheck that is unable to add anything beyond the government’s $1,000 seed deposit, the balance reaches just $5,839 by age 18. “
The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies echoed much of that sentiment, and said Trump Accounts for kids will have the opposite effect from its stated goals.
Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.
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