Delaware

‘Takeover’ events on uptick statewide; 4 wanted for Rehoboth incident

Published

1 hour ago

May 20, 2026

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‘Takeover’ events on uptick statewide; 4 wanted for Rehoboth incident

Several “takeover” events, large gatherings of young people often organized via social media, have happened recently in Delaware.
Six police agencies responded to a “takeover” event in Rehoboth Beach May 20.
Police are seeking four Delaware State University students for allegedly inciting a riot at the Rehoboth event.

The rate of “takeover” events in Delaware appears to be going up with the temperature, with recent incidents in all three counties.

“Takeover” events are typically shared via social media, which results in large gatherings of young people that sometimes require a police response.

The evening of May 19, six police agencies in at least 10 vehicles responded to the area of the bandstand in Rehoboth Beach for such an event and now, four Delaware State University students are wanted for inciting a riot.

The Rehoboth “takeover” event was advertised to take place on the beach and boardwalk, according to Rehoboth Beach Police Department spokesman Mark Sweet, but police had “minimal advance notice.”

“As the event grew, additional resources from the area to include the Delaware State Police, the Department of Natural Resources, Dewey Beach Police, Milford Police, Lewes Police and Bethany Beach Police, responded to growing concerns over the safety of people and property,” Sweet said in a statement.

He did not say how many people attended the event or how many were arrested, but said charges included disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, underage consumption and marijuana use in a public space, he said.

Multiple business owners in the beach block of Rehoboth Avenue said there were at least a hundred people at the event and at least one business closed early.

The event was the fifth “takeover” this year, Sweet said, and the people responsible have previously promoted similar events in Rehoboth.

Police are actively looking for the four Delaware State University students, Sweet said, to charge them with conspiracy and intent to commit or facilitate a riot, both felonies. The suspects are ages 19 to 22.

“At this time, there is no known danger to the public and we will continue to monitor future events to ensure the safety of our residents, visitors, business owners, employees, and their property,” Sweet said. “We will take the necessary actions to keep the peace and good order of the City of Rehoboth Beach so that all may enjoy everything the City has to offer.”

The Ice Cream Store is located at 6 Rehoboth Ave. Owner Chip Hearn said his employees had no problems and witnessed no crimes.

“But they’re not out there watching, they’re serving customers,” Hearn said. “I thought police handled it extremely well.”

What’s a junebug?

Large groups of students, typically high school- or, increasingly, college-age, often gather at the Delaware beaches at this time of year. Seniors come to celebrate graduation, and locals call them “junebugs.”

Dewey Beach, especially, has long dealt with the issue.

“Oftentimes underage kids are at a loss for structured activities and they end up loitering outside bars and other restricted venues,” Dewey Beach Police Chief Constance Speake said in a 2024 town newsletter. “Some bring alcohol in back packs and gather on the beach.”

All of Delaware’s ocean beach towns have a curfew. Rehoboth, Dewey and Bethany beaches all have an 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew for those younger than 18. Fenwick Island’s curfew is midnight to 6 a.m.

Rehoboth was the last to institute a curfew, in 2025, and the only one to issue any curfew violations last year. In nine separate incidents, 21 civil citations were issued, 10 of which were for juveniles under the age of 16, according to Sweet.

The context

Large gatherings of students haven’t been confined to the beaches recently, though.

Six teens were arrested at the Christiana Fashion Center May 16 after police responded to reports of 100 juveniles fighting in the parking lot. They were charged with disorderly conduct and other offenses.

In Kent County, public parks closed multiple times in April to prevent such gatherings.

In Smyrna, George C. Wright Jr. Municipal Park closed early April 24 due to a planned, unpermitted party, the Smyrna Police Department said in a Facebook post.

Kent County Parks & Recreation closed three parks earlier in April “due to credible reports of large, unsanctioned gatherings,” a social media post said.

The closures were made out of precaution because past parties have resulted in vandalism and large amounts of trash, Kent Department of Community Services Director Jeremy Sheppard said.

Reach Shannon Marvel McNaught at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Facebook.

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Delaware

Delaware revises recreational fishing regs for bluefish

Published

13 hours ago

May 20, 2026

Press Room

Delaware revises recreational fishing regs for bluefish

Revised recreational fishing regulations for bluefish give anglers a larger daily possession limit. /Delaware DNREC graphic: Duane Raver Jr.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has revised Delaware’s fishing regulations for bluefish to benefit recreational anglers, with the daily possession limit for 2026 and 2027 increased from three to five bluefish for anglers fishing from private vessels and from shore, with the limit for anglers aboard for-hire vessels raised from five to seven bluefish a day. The regulatory change from DNREC – now in effect – also ensures the state’s compliance with regional fisheries management plans.

The action taken by Delaware on bluefish adopts management measures approved by the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Bluefish Management Board in 2025. Both entities reviewed the 2025 management track assessment for the species, which found that bluefish overfishing was not occurring. They also recognized that while the stock was not overfished, it was not yet fully rebuilt to the biomass target the fisheries management bodies had set.

Spawning stock biomass was estimated to be about 89% of the biomass target in 2024, with stock projections that it will have reached rebuilt status in 2025, though awaiting confirmation in the 2027 stock assessment.

Based on the positive trajectory for the stock, the MAFMC and ASMFC adopted a recreational harvest limit (RHL) for bluefish of 22.02 million pounds for 2026, and of 22.50 million pounds RHL for 2027. Compared to 2025, these values represent an increase of approximately 40% for the RHL – resulting in Delaware raising the daily possession limit for bluefish in 2026 and 2027.

For more information on this and other fishing regulations, see the online 2026 Delaware Fishing Guide.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on more than 75,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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Delaware

Former Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki dies at 80

Published

1 day ago

May 19, 2026

Press Room

Former Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki dies at 80

WILMINGTON, Del. (WPVI) — The state of Delaware is mourning the death of former Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki.

Purzycki was born in 1945 in Newark, New Jersey. He was a standout football player at the University of Delaware before going on to become a real estate developer, attorney and politician.

As a two-term mayor, Purzycki worked to reform downtown Wilmington and is credited with reshaping the riverfront from what had been an industrial wasteland into a vibrant destination.

Delaware Governor Matt Meyer reflected on Purzycki’s impact, saying he left a lasting legacy in the state.

“He served with integrity, he put his head down, he got real things done in neighborhoods across this city,” Meyer said.

Purzycki was 80 years old.

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Delaware

Delaware Lottery Powerball, Play 3 Day winning numbers for May 18, 2026 – AOL

Published

2 days ago

May 19, 2026

Press Room

Delaware Lottery Powerball, Play 3 Day winning numbers for May 18, 2026 – AOL

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

Here’s a look at Monday, May 18, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from May 18 drawing

04-13-34-61-65, Powerball: 12, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 3 numbers from May 18 drawing

Day: 1-5-5

Night: 4-1-6

Check Play 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 4 numbers from May 18 drawing

Day: 3-6-9-2

Night: 3-3-8-4

Check Play 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Multi-Win Lotto numbers from May 18 drawing

04-06-17-19-26-29

Check Multi-Win Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from May 18 drawing

23-27-29-36-51, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 03

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 5 numbers from May 18 drawing

Day: 9-4-6-6-2

Night: 3-5-6-8-7

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.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware Lottery Powerball, Play 3 Day winning numbers for May 18, 2026

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