Delaware
$60M investment will expand high school and college opportunities for Wilmington students
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For decades, schools in Wilmington have faced funding and resource challenges, compounded by a complex governance structure that left many students, especially Latino and Black youth, with limited access to culturally responsive teaching and adequate resources. While systemic inequities in education have long impacted students of color and the community at large, recent efforts aim to shift the narrative toward greater opportunity and support for underserved communities.
Over a decade ago, the Longwood Foundation recognized the urgent need to address educational disparities affecting Wilmington’s inner-city students. To support this mission, they began assisting charter schools in finding spaces to operate, as many struggled to secure adequate facilities.
“The original impetus 12 years ago was the continued challenges of our inner city education system, and unfortunately, those continue to exist today,” said Thère du Pont, Longwood’s president and chair of the Community Education Building board. “[Longwood] had a number of charter schools that wanted to serve inner-city students and that couldn’t find a building that either the city or the Department of Education would approve.”
In 2014, the foundation established the CEB, a hub for local charter schools and the University of Delaware. The multi-story building on downtown Wilmington’s central Rodney Square was donated by credit card giant MBNA in 2012 and became a cornerstone for the community’s education efforts.
Now, a new $60 million plan will expand higher education access for Wilmington students, thanks to the recent donation of another building to the Longwood Foundation.
“The new one will add a high school … early college would be added, Delaware State will take a floor and operate their nursing program, it’s their college of Health and Sciences,” du Pont said. “And then very significantly Delaware Law School, which is operated by Widener University, will move from its suburban campus [to] downtown and bring 800 students into the building on day one.”
The project’s funding is a collective effort: $10 million from the city, $10 million from the donation of the Bank of America building, $23 million from the state, and possibly another $10 million from the county. The Longwood Foundation will fill in the remaining gap to ensure the building’s success.
“In the new building, it will mostly be university classrooms, maybe some lecture halls and specifically, we are already working with Delaware Law School to give them a 150 to 200-seat lecture hall,” he added.
Delaware
Power outage number tops 13,000 in Delaware County as storm hits
Storms hit Saturday shortly before 3 p.m. in Delaware County with limbs down on lines, wires down, plus lightning strikes, and quickly nearly 8,000 PECO customers were without power.
There was an accompanying deluge as well in parts of the county, with many low-lying areas flooding. The power outage number continued rising to 10,365 by 3:10 p.m., and to over 13,000 by 3:30. By 4 p.m. that number began to decline.
The first lightning strike dispatch was to a house in the 100 block of Edgewood Avenue in Haverford Township, and crews were dispatched minutes later to the Five Guys on Town Centre Drive in Concord Township.
Crews arriving on both scenes reported nothing was evident, but they would investigate further, according to radio traffic.
Fire stations were also sent to a water rescue in the 2800 block of East County Line Road in Haverford. Police arrived first and reported that half the vehicle was underwater. The officer soon located the driver, who had gotten out and made it to safety, according to radio traffic.
Police, fire and ambulance dispatches continued rapid fire at 3:30 p.m. PECO was asked to respond to numerous locations. Numerous alarm calls were also received at the county communications center.
A National Weather Service-issued severe thunderstorm warning was in effect for eastern Delaware County until 3:30 p.m. There was also a flash flood warning for the same area until 6:45 p.m.
One rainfall measurement was available at 3 p.m. That was St. Davids, where 0.71 inch of rain was recorded in less than 45 minutes, eventual reaching eight-tenths of an inch.
The Philadelphia International Airport recorded 0.32 inch of rain.
Sunny skies were expected to dominate the weather for the workweek, with high temperatures rising into the 90s on Wednesday and likely to stay there at least through Friday.
Delaware
New information on “sophisticated cybercriminal attack” against Delaware County
Saturday, July 11, 2026 1:40PM
MEDIA, Pa. (WPVI) — There is new information about what is being called a “sophisticated cybercriminal attack” against Delaware County.
According to officials, hackers were able to gain limited access to the county’s network and some of the data stored on it.
They are working with cybersecurity experts to learn the extent.
The sheriff’s office, district attorney, libraries and county council have all been dealing with disruptions since the attack on June 26.
The county’s internal networks are now up and running, and work is still ongoing to reinstate external-facing county services.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Delaware
Investigation underway after controversial traffic stop in Delaware
DOVER, Del. (WPVI) — Delaware State Police are investigating a controversial traffic stop making the rounds on social media.
The video shows a trooper forcing a woman out of her car, slamming her to the ground, punching and tasing her.
It happened on July 7, in Dover, Delaware.
But Delaware State Police say the video doesn’t tell the whole story. They released a statement to provide what they call necessary context and clarity.
State police say the woman, identified as 38-year-old Sierra Hopkins, was initially pulled over in the area of S. Bay Road and Lafferty Lane in Dover for having suspended tags, no car insurance, and no driver’s license.
She was issued citations and let go, but then stopped again minutes later by the same trooper on E. Lebanon Road, who decided to follow protocol and have her car towed.
State police say he did this because Hopkins had been cited for the same violations five days earlier.
Things quickly escalated during this stop, with police stating she refused to leave her car, resisting, kicking and scratching the trooper in the face.
It all happened while several juveniles were in the car.
“This is such a vulnerable and tender moment… I’m sure her children were present, which brings another cause of concern because that’s trauma,” said Fleur McKendell, President of Delaware NAACP State Conference.
McKendell says her organization is pushing for a full and thorough investigation.
“It’s really deeply concerning. It’s evoked a lot of strong emotions from myself, my organization, as well as the public. I think it’s important to understand the full context of the content we have viewed before reaching conclusions, so I’m very eager to review available video footage and the circumstances that preceded and occurred during that incident,” says McKendell.
Delaware Governor Matt Meyer is also weighing in on this confrontation.
He released the following statement to Action News:
“Every law-enforcement officer is entrusted with a duty to protect, to serve, and to uphold the dignity and rights of every person, in every community. Policing relies on trust. That trust is not automatic; it is earned every day through mutual respect, integrity and transparency. The people of Delaware deserve transparency, and this administration will not turn away from that responsibility.”
Hopkins was later charged with assault of a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest; driving without a license, endangering the welfare of children and other registration violations.
State police did not mention the current status of the trooper.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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