Delaware
🎃👻🍬 Welcome to our 2024 Halloween Guide 🍬👻🎃
Halloween is making a statement everywhere right now.
End caps of grocery stores overflow with bags of candy corn and mini chocolate bars. Skeletons and witches loom throughout the neighborhood, and farms, bars, breweries, museums and other venues are ready to entertain you, scare you silly, or both.
So, whether your idea of Halloween is a trunk or treat with other families, chased with streaming “Hocus Pocus,” or it’s more zombie run and Frightland, we’ve got you:
Right up there with apple-picking, corn mazes and haunted houses, pumpkin-picking has become a fall traditiion for many.
In 2020 alone, as many as 66,200 acres of pumpkins were harvested in the United States, producing over 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins that year, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.
From the classic orange jack-o’-lantern to the whimsical Cinderella’s coach, pumpkins are a staple of the season – and many are ripe and ready to be picked.
Here’s where – and how – you can pick your perfect pumpkin in the First State this fall.
Halloween is just around the corner, and a majority of Americans have begun their planning and shopping for Halloween costumes.
According to the National Retail Federation, an estimated $12.2 billion was spent on Halloween last year across the country, nearly a third of which was spent on costumes, and the shopping wave seems to start earlier and earlier.
Here are some stores around Delaware to look for the perfect costumes and decorations this Halloween season, plus some events and contests that will get the spooky season started.
It’s about that time of year when Halloween costume planning is starting to set in.
If you’re out of classic ideas and looking for something topical and modern, here are some costumes inspired by the happenings of 2024 so that you’re the life of your upcoming Halloween celebration.
Halloween celebrations are filled with plenty of tricks and treats, and while horror-filled fun comes with the season, it may not be suitable for everyone.
Whether you have small kiddos in tow or want something a bit tamer, here are some Halloween celebrations around the state that are perfect for family outings and children of all ages.
Halloween thrill-seekers in Delaware, this spooky season’s events are ready to scare the pants off you, so going commando might not be wise.
Here’s a mix of freaky, witchy and eerie events that will be conjured around the First State, before and after Halloween.
If you thought southern Delaware had a lot of fall events, wait until you see the lineup for Halloween.
You’ll be fighting a candy hangover for months after attending all the parades, haunted houses, fantasy trails and more at or near the Delaware beaches. There’s no shortage of costumed events for adults, children, families, pets and zombies.
Mark your calendars for these events.
Halloween is still just over a month away, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to start planning this year’s Halloween party.
Just in time for the spooky season, these Halloween cocktails are unique ways to get into the spirit. If Sober October is more your speed, it’s even easier to make these into equally refreshing alcohol-free beverages.
Delaware is also home to plenty of cocktail bars and breweries that serve fall-inspired drinks.
Here are some recipes to try at home and some Halloween-inspired brews to look for in Delaware.
There is no replacing trick-or-treating on Halloween. Kids and parents in costume greeting their neighbors and getting their favorite candy creates memories that can last a lifetime.
If you want an earlier start on the Halloween fun, there are some trunk-or-treats around the First State that can get everyone warmed up for holiday itself.
Trunk-or-treats are events where people park their cars and give out candy in a parking lot. Instead of a neighborhood, it’s a lot and instead of houses, it’s car trunks. Community center and churches are common places to see these events.
Grab a bucket, bag or pillowcase, throw on a costume and check out some of these trunk-or-treats in all three Delaware counties right as Halloween season is in full swing.
In the home state of Dogfish Head’s iconic Punkin Ale, craft breweries take fall seriously.
Over the next month, breweries will roll out autumnal-themed events tying all sorts of things ― horror comics, candy, brunches and cooking and pet costume contests ― to, well, beer, of course.
So grab your favorite flannel and make some plans to celebrate pumpkin season with some of the state’s best beer-makers.
The calendar has turned over to October meaning the clock is ticking for your Halloween preparations.
McDonald’s is ready, according to the Instagram site @snackolator. The fast food giant is bringing back Boo Buckets.
This Halloween season, forget about ghosts: The scariest thing is what the holiday does to the environment.
According to Waste Managed, Halloween generates a significant amount of waste, from discarded single-use costumes to nondisposable decorations to plastic candy bags.
Luckily, there are several ways to help curb your carbon footprint this year, but also make for fun new traditions for the whole family to enjoy.
Here are a few tricks-slash-treats you can help make for a sustainable and spook-tacular Halloween season.
As Halloween approaches, many revelers are eager to elevate their costumes with makeup but aren’t sure how to achieve their desired looks.
While envisioning a face painted hauntingly white, intricately marked with swirls of black paint, hollow eye sockets and adorned with red petal flowers, they end up with makeup that feels dry, coverage that looks uneven and fades quickly.
However, with the right tools and a bit of practice, anyone can bring their Halloween vision to life.
Whether you’re leaning toward creative glam or venturing into special effects and fantasy looks, Delaware-based makeup artists Daysla Ixtli and Chyna “Chy” Gibbs have expert tips to help you nail your spooky transformation.
It’s the spookiest time of the year and, in some cases, the only time you’ll see most of your neighbors.
Halloween is on the horizon, as shown by the holiday displays at local grocery stores, Walmarts and Targets.
Here’s what you need to know about Halloween.
Check out some creepy houses of Halloweens past.
Here are some tips to ensure a safe night of Halloween trick-or-treating.
Delaware
Democrat Matt Meyer and Republican Michael Ramone square off in Delaware's gubernatorial contest
Ramone has argued that Delawareans would be better served by restoring political balance to state government. Known for his willingness to work across party lines, he has won reelection several times in a district where Democrats heavily outnumber Republicans. His reputation for bipartisanship could help him appeal to moderate Democrats and unaffiliated voters, but he faces an uphill battle in solid-blue Delaware, where voter registration numbers favor Democrats.
Both Meyer and Ramone focused heavily on education during the gubernatorial campaign. Meyer, a former middle school math teacher, says his priorities include increased funding for public schools, particularly for low-income students, students with disabilities and English language learners. He also has called for universal prekindergarten and higher salaries for public school teachers.
Ramone supports performance-based incentives for Delaware teachers, expanded access to voucher programs and more money flowing to classrooms instead of school administration.
Ramone, who was elected to the state House in 2008, became the GOP gubernatorial nominee after winning 72% of the vote in a three-way GOP primary.
Meyer advanced to the general election contest against Ramone after defeating Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long and former state Environmental Secretary Collin O’Mara in a Democratic primary. Meyer, who took 47% of the vote, led all candidates in fundraising, but he also was helped by a scandal involving Hall-Long’s campaign finances and reports about her office staff being used for non-government work.
Outgoing Democratic Gov. John Carney, who is prohibited by law from seeking a third term, appeared poised to become mayor of Wilmington, Delaware’s largest city, after winning a September Democratic primary.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
MANCHESTER, Iowa (KCRG) – According to Carla Becker, Delaware County Auditor, the 2024 election is “just a strange little election.”
She said there are a couple of reasons for that.
One—the window of time to apply for a mail-in absentee ballot was shorter than in years past. She said people also seemed to be cagier about the mail in general.
“There’s a little—I don’t want to say distrust, but [people are] just a little worried about the the mail and how long it’s taking our out-of-state mail,” said Becker.
Other reasons that make this a “strange” election also had to do with trust.
“We’re trying to reestablish trust in the process,” said Becker. “I think [people] lost that a little bit. I think, you know, through the the activities that happened in ’20 and after the election was over.”
Becker was talking about the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 by some supporters of former President Donald Trump. The attack disrupted Congress as it began the process to certify the results of the 2020 election.
Becker wasn’t the only person to talk about trust.
TV9 posted up in front of the Lindale Mall in Cedar Rapids and stopped a few people on the street to hear their perspectives.
“There’s not a lot of trust, I don’t think, on either side. Doesn’t matter who you’re going to vote for. So that’s disturbing,” said Lori Mitchell of Cedar Rapids.
“I hope it doesn’t cause an uproar. You know, I hope that people stay sane. Either way, whoever wins, you know?” said Ayanna Quinn.
“I’m pretty nervous about all of it. I think there’s a lot on the line right now and — kind of nervous about all the division and everything,“ said A.J. Truelove of Marion.
Voters were rattled by the past and anxious about the future, but Becker said she and other election officials were doing their part to rebuild a sense of trust.
“Just building that confidence again in elections,” said Becker.
Copyright 2024 KCRG. All rights reserved.
Delaware
Governor Carney Releases Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board Report – State of Delaware News
WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney, on Monday, released the eighth annual report of the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board. Governor Carney established GEAR under Executive Order #4 in February 2017 to identify ways for state government to sustain its culture of continuous improvement. Specifically, GEAR aims to improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of public services, while reducing costs.
“One of my first actions as Governor was to establish GEAR as an ongoing effort to contain government spending growth, improve the effectiveness of our service delivery, and better meet the needs of the citizens we serve,” said Governor Carney. “Over the past eight years, GEAR has played a crucial role in saving money and promoting a culture of continuous improvement across state government. Delaware residents and businesses have seen the benefits of their hard work.”
More than 100 practitioners from 23 state organizations are executing projects within a portfolio of 147 initiatives to improve efficiency. The savings from this work are estimated to total $101 million over the life of projects underway.
The report highlights key accomplishments and ongoing efforts across state government in 2024, including:
- Saving taxpayer dollars by restructuring leases, establishing a state land use inventory, streamlining the process of registering trade names, modernizing the client experience at State Service Centers, expanding broadband access across Delaware, enrolling more school libraries in the Delaware Library Catalog and Consortium, modernizing the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program with digital payments, optimizing long-term care delivery, and continuing to streamline financial, human resource, criminal justice, and information technology systems.
- Recognizing state employees who do this innovative and cost-saving work through the GEAR P3 Innovation and Efficiency and Trailblazer Award programs.
- Modernizing our public schools through EdGEAR, focusing on student enrollment, school finance, and unit count information systems.
- Recruiting and retaining professionals who specialize in this work by establishing job classifications for project managers, business process analysts, change management specialists, and specialists in continuous improvement.
The 2024 Annual Report also provides policy and budgetary recommendations aimed at continuing government efficiency and accountability initiatives.
“With more than 150 state employees engaging in training, practicing Lean philosophy methods, and working on projects as part of GEAR across Delaware Government – the Carney administration built a very strong foundation for driving greater efficiency and effectiveness, and sustaining a culture of continuous improvement”, said the GEAR Program Management Team led by Charles Clark and Daniel Madrid, Executive Director and Deputy Director of GEAR respectively and Bryan Sullivan, OMB’s Director of Management Efficiency. “Now we are poised to accelerate these efforts and achieve even greater measurable outcomes. GEAR looks forward to continuing these efforts with the guidance of a new Governor and his Cabinet, the Chief Justice, State Treasurer, Controller General and other members of the GEAR Board as the State strives to continue to support an adaptive, highly effective, and efficient Delaware State government for generations to come.”
GEAR’s accomplishments were recently included in Results for America’s “2024 Invest in What Works State Standard of Excellence,” a nationally recognized state benchmarking program.
Related Topics: GEAR, GEAR Board, Government Efficiency and Accountability Review Board
Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.
Here you can subscribe to future news updates.
WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney, on Monday, released the eighth annual report of the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board. Governor Carney established GEAR under Executive Order #4 in February 2017 to identify ways for state government to sustain its culture of continuous improvement. Specifically, GEAR aims to improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of public services, while reducing costs.
“One of my first actions as Governor was to establish GEAR as an ongoing effort to contain government spending growth, improve the effectiveness of our service delivery, and better meet the needs of the citizens we serve,” said Governor Carney. “Over the past eight years, GEAR has played a crucial role in saving money and promoting a culture of continuous improvement across state government. Delaware residents and businesses have seen the benefits of their hard work.”
More than 100 practitioners from 23 state organizations are executing projects within a portfolio of 147 initiatives to improve efficiency. The savings from this work are estimated to total $101 million over the life of projects underway.
The report highlights key accomplishments and ongoing efforts across state government in 2024, including:
- Saving taxpayer dollars by restructuring leases, establishing a state land use inventory, streamlining the process of registering trade names, modernizing the client experience at State Service Centers, expanding broadband access across Delaware, enrolling more school libraries in the Delaware Library Catalog and Consortium, modernizing the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program with digital payments, optimizing long-term care delivery, and continuing to streamline financial, human resource, criminal justice, and information technology systems.
- Recognizing state employees who do this innovative and cost-saving work through the GEAR P3 Innovation and Efficiency and Trailblazer Award programs.
- Modernizing our public schools through EdGEAR, focusing on student enrollment, school finance, and unit count information systems.
- Recruiting and retaining professionals who specialize in this work by establishing job classifications for project managers, business process analysts, change management specialists, and specialists in continuous improvement.
The 2024 Annual Report also provides policy and budgetary recommendations aimed at continuing government efficiency and accountability initiatives.
“With more than 150 state employees engaging in training, practicing Lean philosophy methods, and working on projects as part of GEAR across Delaware Government – the Carney administration built a very strong foundation for driving greater efficiency and effectiveness, and sustaining a culture of continuous improvement”, said the GEAR Program Management Team led by Charles Clark and Daniel Madrid, Executive Director and Deputy Director of GEAR respectively and Bryan Sullivan, OMB’s Director of Management Efficiency. “Now we are poised to accelerate these efforts and achieve even greater measurable outcomes. GEAR looks forward to continuing these efforts with the guidance of a new Governor and his Cabinet, the Chief Justice, State Treasurer, Controller General and other members of the GEAR Board as the State strives to continue to support an adaptive, highly effective, and efficient Delaware State government for generations to come.”
GEAR’s accomplishments were recently included in Results for America’s “2024 Invest in What Works State Standard of Excellence,” a nationally recognized state benchmarking program.
Related Topics: GEAR, GEAR Board, Government Efficiency and Accountability Review Board
Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.
Here you can subscribe to future news updates.
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