Delaware

Delaware officials push back on audit finding Port of Wilmington mismanaged

Published

1 month ago

December 6, 2025

Delaware officials push back on audit finding Port of Wilmington mismanaged

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A report released by Delaware’s state auditor found that the Diamond State Port Corporation Board, the quasi-public entity that oversees the Port of Wilmington, cost the state millions by failing to conduct proper oversight of the port, made misleading comments to the public and used outdated economic development to justify pouring millions in taxpayer funding into port expansion projects.

State Auditor Lydia York’s audit, which covers the fiscal years between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2025, got immediate pushback from Gov. Matt Meyer’s administration, former Gov. John Carney, who is now the mayor of Wilmington, and some state Senate Democrats. State officials and DSPC board members say the findings are “incomplete” and “inaccurate.”

York defended the report and her charge to provide transparency and accountability.

“This is the most comprehensive independent review of the DSPC’s operations since the state purchased the port in 1995,” York said. “I believe it sets a new standard for government transparency.”

The auditor announced the performance audit in February, sparked by the Carney administration’s transfer of nearly $200 million to the port for the Edgemoor container terminal project, the largest-to-date infusion of state money into the DSPC for the project. It happened less than a week before Meyer took office, during the two-week tenure of former-Gov. Bethany Hall-Long.

In February, York questioned the timing. A spokesperson for Meyer spoke to media outlets at the time, reportedly criticizing the lack of transparency and accountability of the move. On Friday, Meyer’s office did not respond to questions regarding whether the governor stood by those earlier statements. York said the transfer was legal.

“Today’s announcement confirms that transfer was fully lawful and affirms the Legislature has an important role — alongside the governor — to ensure the Edgemoor Port project can fulfill its promise as the most transformational economic development project in the history of our State,” said Delaware Sen. President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola and DSPC member and state Sen. Darius Brown in a joint statement on the report.

Delaware has a $635 million plan to rescue the Port of Wilmington by building a new port 2 miles north of the one that’s been in operation for a century and is known for handling fruit and automobiles. The project has been plagued by legal challenges from the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority and ports affiliated with Holt Logistics Corp., whose affiliates operate terminals in Philadelphia and South Jersey.

Port audit’s five findings

The audit found five ways the port corporation board fell short.

Improper use of executive sessions
Failure to hold transparency with members of the International Longshoremen’s Association
Prior port operator Gulftainer USA’s failure to make payments under its 2018 contract, leading to massive state intervention
Use of outdated economic impact data for the Edgemoor project.
Poor oversight of Gulftainer USA

The audit report asserts that in January and September 2022, DSPC violated open meeting laws by not providing required public notice or by talking in secret when the items could have been discussed in public. The report also found the September closed door session did not discuss the items board members said were on the agenda.

Current DSPC Board President and Delaware Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez denied that the report’s findings were true.

Under the Meyer administration, since taking over as Chair, the DSPC has been fully committed to transparency and has provided over 300 files to the Auditor’s Office for the purpose of this performance audit. Despite being given full information, we are discouraged that the ‘findings’ contained significant factual inaccuracies which ultimately led to incorrect and potentially misleading conclusions,” she said in a statement.

Carney’s deputy chief of staff Daniel Walker told WHYY News that the mayor also does not believe the report is factual.

“Unfortunately, this audit is a distraction from the substantive progress made by new operator Enstructure and current efforts to expand the port and grow the good jobs there,” Walker said in a statement. “The focus should be on what it takes to make this expansion happen as soon as possible.”

York said that the DSPC board was given more than a month after completing the report to submit documentation that disproved the report’s findings, but none was provided to her team.

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Delaware

Delaware County’s 250th events aim to boost local economy

Published

6 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Delaware County’s 250th events aim to boost local economy

DELAWARE COUNTY – Delaware County is gearing up for a year-long celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary, bringing together community partners for a series of events and programs.

Delaware County’s plans for the semiquincentennial

The Delaware County America 250 Commission hosted a “We the People” party to unveil plans for the upcoming celebrations.

The events aim to educate and connect the local community while drawing visitors from outside Philadelphia to explore the area’s rich history.

What they’re saying:

“Delaware County is not just watching from the sidelines, we are proud to be an essential part of a massive regional and national celebration,” said Christine Reuther, Delaware County Council Vice Chair.

Andrea Silva, director of the Delaware County America 250 Commission, highlighted the diverse themes that will be showcased throughout the year.

Celebrating 250 years of history

The backstory:

Friday’s event celebrated Delaware County’s 250-year history, with different tables reflecting various themes.

Attendees included Colonial Farmstead, Penn’s Woods Winery, and Pathways to Freedom.

The programming will feature over 100 events, including the Battle for Independence: Amazing Race to Brandywine and the Irish America 250 Kick Off on Jan. 14.

The celebrations are expected to leave a lasting legacy, with hopes of boosting the local economy.

“We want to see real economic impact for our local businesses as visitors from around the world come to shop on our main streets and stay in our towns and eat in our restaurants,” said Reuther.

What’s next:

This year’s county event specifics can be found here.

The Source: Information from the Delaware County America 250 Commission.

America 250Delaware County

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Delaware

Wilmington’s first homicide of 2026 claims life of 19-year-old

Published

18 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Wilmington’s first homicide of 2026 claims life of 19-year-old

A 19-year-old man was shot dead in Wilmington’s Southbridge neighborhood in the early hours of Jan. 9, police said.

Wilmington officers arriving to the 200 block of S. Claymont St. about 3:30 a.m. found the teen there.

The teen, whom police have not named, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Anyone with information about this shooting should contact Wilmington Police Detective Derek Haines at (302) 576-3656. People can also provide information to Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333 or delawarecrimestoppers.com.

Violence by the numbers

This is the first homicide reported this year in Delaware, which last year saw a slight drop in all violent killings.

Delaware police reported 52 people being killed in violent crimes in 2025, a drop of nearly 12% when compared with 59 people killed in 2024, according to a Delaware Online/The News Journal database.

While the number of people killed in homicides statewide is down, the number of people killed by gunfire in Delaware was up in 2025 for the third year in a row.

According to the Delaware Online database, 47 were shot dead in Delaware last year. That was one more victim (46) than in 2024, three more (44) than in 2023 and nine more (38) than in 2022.

Despite the increase in gun-related deaths, there were fewer people shot last year in Delaware for the second year in a row.

Police reported 164 people being shot last year in Delaware. The previous year saw 195 people shot and police reported 210 people being shot in 2023.

This was the fewest people shot in Delaware since 2018, when police reported 146 people being shot statewide.

Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.

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Delaware

MERR responds to dead humpback whale washed up near Bethany Beach

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

MERR responds to dead humpback whale washed up near Bethany Beach

A dead humpback whale washed up near Bethany Beach on Jan. 8, according to the nonprofit Marine Education Research and Rehabilitation Institute.

The juvenile male was first seen Jan. 6, floating at sea about 2 miles off the Indian River Inlet, a MERR Facebook post said. The bloated 30-foot whale ultimately beached near a private community in the early afternoon of Jan. 8, the post said.

MERR is attempting to coordinate with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to get equipment to move the whale out of the water and onto the beach to perform a necropsy, the post said. Right now, there isn’t enough information to determine a cause of death.

Delaware saw at least three dead whales last year, in the Indian River Bay, at Delaware Seashore State Park and at Pigeon Point. The first two were humpbacks, while the Pigeon Point whale was a fin whale.

A necropsy on the Delaware Seashore whale found blunt force trauma across its back, indicating it may have been struck by a ship, MERR Director Suzanne Thurman said.

Recently, on Jan. 4, a dead fin whale was found on the bow of a ship at the Gloucester Marine Terminal in New Jersey, which is located in the Port of Philadelphia on the Delaware River.

Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Facebook.

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