Delaware

Delaware taps Code Differently grads to advance thousands of stalled unemployment claims

Published

2 months ago

February 2, 2026

Delaware taps Code Differently grads to advance thousands of stalled unemployment claims

This story was reported with support from the Delaware Division of Small Business. DSB assists small businesses by providing guidance and advice, helping navigate state permitting processes, increasing access to funding opportunities and connecting owners with strategic partners. Its mission is to help small businesses start, grow and scale in Delaware.

Thousands of Delawareans stuck in a backlog of unemployment claims are finally getting their checks, thanks in part to a group of recent Code Differently graduates.

Mission Backlog, a program that puts recently-trained software engineers to work inside the state’s unemployment system, is a collaboration between the Delaware Department of Labor and the Wilmington-based tech workforce organization. It’s part of the DOL’s Modernization 2.0 strategy, which the department announced on September 30, 2025.

“You naturally feel a sense of urgency, because people are calling and saying, I need to pay my rent,” Delaware Secretary of Labor LaKresha Moultrie told Technical.ly. “Those benefits support everyday basic needs.”

“People are calling and saying, I need to pay my rent. Those benefits support everyday basic needs.” Del. Labor Secretary LaKresha Moultrie

How do people trained for software engineering fit? The logic behind the partnership, according to Code Differently cofounder and CEO Stephanie Eldridge, was about applying an engineering mindset to a complex system.

“Some may look at it as people answering phones, but the way you’re able to drive this backlog down is with people using those logic and critical thinking skills to understand there’s a pattern,” Eldridge said.

That approach mirrors how software engineers are trained to think, she said, even when the work itself isn’t technical in the traditional sense.

The idea for the collaboration goes back to a conversation Secretary Moultrie had with Eldridge earlier last year.

“She has a lot of bright ideas,” Moultrie said of the CEO, whose organization trains people for careers in software engineering and related technical roles. “Organically, through conversation with Stephanie, we decided to take on a [Code Differently] cohort.”

The official Modernization 2.0 plan describes hiring 25 Code Differently graduates as part of the backlog reduction strategy. To move quickly, the department relied on casual and seasonal roles, a more flexible hiring pathway than the formal, bureaucracy-entwined merit process.

The lingering effects of the pandemic, a nationwide issue

Mission Backlog was launched to help clear a lingering backlog of unresolved unemployment insurance claims.

Those claims are intended to function as a short-term safety net, helping workers cover essentials like rent, childcare and groceries after losing a job. When claims go unresolved, those delays can quickly turn into a crisis for households waiting on decisions.

The backlog in Delaware follows a national pattern. When COVID forced shutdowns, unemployment claims surged far beyond what most states’ staffing models and decades-old systems were designed to handle. Some states relied on emergency staffing, including National Guard deployments, to work through the massive backlogs.

Federal oversight agencies later flagged unemployment insurance as a high-risk area, citing legacy technology, heavy manual processing and administrative strain that made it difficult for states to recover once claim volume eased.

Various efforts to modernize state unemployment infrastructure are underway. For example, Kentucky’s state unemployment agency entered a six-year, $55.5 million contract to modernize its unemployment insurance system, expected to be fully functional by 2028.

When Moultrie stepped into her secretary of labor role in January 2025, the strain was still weighing on Delaware’s system.

“Coming in, we had about 7,000 outstanding claims,” she said. Since then, the department reports cutting that number by 40% by the end of 2025. In December, the state said it had reduced the backlog to fewer than 4,000, crediting workflow changes and staffing initiatives tied to Modernization 2.0.

Moultrie said the department is on track to be fully caught up by the end of the first quarter. State leaders are already looking beyond unemployment claims, exploring whether the same approach could be deployed inside other agencies.

Looking ahead, the challenge will be sustaining gains once the backlog is cleared. Delaware leaders have described the work as an early phase of a longer modernization effort, one that other agencies are now watching closely.

Ultimately, Eldridge said, the most meaningful part of Mission Backlog is who’s doing the work.

“The people that are part of this, who come to us, are unemployed,” Eldridge said. “They have been in the place of people that they’re now trying to to help.”

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Delaware

ATVs and dirt bikes roar down Delaware Ave., lawmakers search for solutions

Published

7 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

ATVs and dirt bikes roar down Delaware Ave., lawmakers search for solutions

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — It’s just like clockwork. As the temperatures rise, ATVs and dirt bikes shift into gear in Buffalo.

New video shows a horde of ATVs and dirt bikes on Delaware Avenue Sunday afternoon. Some are seen driving on the incoming traffic lane, and one even pops a wheelie.

Fillmore District Councilman Mitch Nowakowski represents this area.

“This only leads to more chaos and disruption, and ultimately leads to potential fatalities for both those that are operating and those that are in the vehicles,” Nowakowski said. “And it’s wrong.”

These all-terrain vehicles have proven to be a persistent problem for drivers over the years in Buffalo. Nowakowski says once the snow melts, he starts hearing complaints about these vehicles from residents.

“It’s making our city’s streets unsafer and the velocity and the volume in which they congregate and the manner in which they drive not only jeopardizes their life, it jeopardizes the life of everyone around them,” Nowakowski said.

The councilman wrote a letter on Monday to Family Court Judge Brenda Freedman, requesting a meeting to discuss strengthening a collective response to reckless driving involving young people.

“Councilwoman Everhart and I want to sit down with the judge, explain what’s happening in our districts, where we see car thefts, we see the Kia boys, which I’ve even been a victim of,” Nowakowski said. “We see the violence on the 33 of drag racing where somebody has lost their life. And we want to know what programs are in place. But then, where’s the accountability once somebody is in your courtroom for a second, third or fourth time?”

Nowakowski said police using better equipment and technology has helped curtail all-terrain vehicles on city streets.

“If it comes from them being able to see it through a drone or people calling in. We’ve seen a curb in that,” Nowakowski said.

Those who see illegal activity or a public nuisance can contact Buffalo Police or the city’s 311 Call & Resolution Center.

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Patrick Ryan is an award-winning reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2020. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.

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Delaware

Over 14,000 bags of fentanyl found in woods in Claymont, Delaware

Published

19 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Over 14,000 bags of fentanyl found in woods in Claymont, Delaware

Monday, April 13, 2026 4:54PM

Over 14,000 bags of fentanyl found in woods in New Castle County

CLAYMONT, Del. (WPVI) — Police say over 14,000 bags of fentanyl were found in the woods in New Castle County on Sunday.

The drugs were found off Miles Road in the Radnor Green neighborhood of Claymont, Delaware.

Authorities say a young adult and a juvenile were walking through the woods around 5:30 p.m. when they came upon two grocery bags filled with the illegal narcotics.

After returning home, they reported what they found to a family member, who then called the police.

Police say the grocery bags contained two large packages, often referred to as “bricks.”

Tests confirmed the substance to be 14,0888 individual bags of fentanyl.

Anyone with information is asked to call the New Castle County Division of Police at 302-573-2800.

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Delaware

Delaware Lottery Play 3 Day, Play 3 Night winning numbers for April 12, 2026

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Delaware Lottery Play 3 Day, Play 3 Night winning numbers for April 12, 2026

The Delaware Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Sunday, April 12, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Play 3 numbers from April 12 drawing

Day: 3-8-5

Night: 1-1-9

Check Play 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 4 numbers from April 12 drawing

Day: 9-6-1-4

Night: 7-1-5-1

Check Play 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Multi-Win Lotto numbers from April 12 drawing

01-02-08-20-26-35

Check Multi-Win Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 5 numbers from April 12 drawing

Day: 8-7-6-8-9

Night: 9-9-2-6-4

Check Play 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Sign the Ticket: Establish legal ownership by signing the back of your ticket with an ink pen.
Prizes up to $599: Claim at any Delaware Lottery Retailer, in person at the Delaware Lottery Office, or mail your signed ticket and claim form; print your name/address on the ticket’s back and keep a copy/photo for records. By mail, send original tickets and documentation to: Delaware Lottery, 1575 McKee Road, Suite 102, Dover, DE 19904.
Prizes up to $2,500: Claim in person at Delaware Lottery Retailer Claim Centers throughout Kent, Sussex and New Castle Counties.
Prizes of $5,001 or more: Claim in person at the Delaware Lottery Office (business days 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) with a photo ID and Social Security card.
For all prize claims, directions to the Delaware Lottery Office are available online or via mapquest.com for a map.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Delaware Lottery.

Can I claim a jackpot prize anonymously in Delaware?

Fortunately for First State residents, the Delaware Lottery allows winners remain anonymous. Unlike many other states that require a prize be over a certain jackpot, Delawareans can remain anonymous no matter how much, or how little, they win.

How long do I have to claim my prize in Delaware?

Tickets are valid for up to one year past the drawing date for drawing game prizes or within one year of the announced end of sales for Instant Games, according to delottery.com.

When are the Delaware Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
Play 3, 4: Daily at 1:58 p.m. and 7:57 p.m., except Sunday afternoon.
Multi-Win Lotto: 7:57 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Lucky for Life: Daily at 10:38 p.m.
Lotto America: 11:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Delaware Online digital operations manager. You can send feedback using this form.

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