Delaware
Can you go outdoor skating in Delaware? Yes, but beware of frostbite
People lace up their skates and hit the ice at Bellevue Pond
Watch this video of people ice skating on Bellevue Pond at Bellevue State Park in Wilmington, Feb. 6, 2026.
You can skate on certain outdoor ponds in Delaware this weekend, but do so with abundant caution.
Bellevue State Park announced on its Facebook page recently that its pond was open for ice skating. However, not all frozen over surfaces are good for that. Newark closed its reservoir north of the University of Delaware campus on Jan. 29 to prevent people from falling into the deep waters.
Bellevue State Park, in its announcement, said skaters need to exercise caution, especially around drainage pipes where ice might be thinner.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says ice that is 4 inches or thicker is good to walk and skate on. Ice that is 9 inches or thinker can handle a car, but it has to be this cold for weeks on end for that to be a safe option. So, put your skates on and skate carefully on approved lakes with others around.
The U.S. National Ice Center, which is a government agency tracking ice buildup, shows that the Delaware River from near the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal northward is 90-99% ice. The Delaware Bay also has significant ice buildup.
How to avoid frostbite
According to the Mayo Clinic, frostbite is an injury caused by the freezing of skin and the underlying tissue. Exposed skin is at risk of frostbite in conditions that are freezing cold and windy or wet. Frostbite also can occur on skin covered by gloves or other clothing.
It can take 10-30 minutes to experience frostbite on uncovered skin during this period of dangerous wind chills. Dress warmly, and if possible, stay inside. A warm-up to average winter temperatures is forecasted throughout Delaware later this week.
Delaware
Was Taylor Swift in Dewey Beach, Delaware, this weekend? What we know
Dewey Beach restaurants and bars on gloomy Memorial Day weekend
As they say at The Starboard, “When it rains, we pour.”
No, Taylor Swift was not in Dewey Beach this weekend.
However, there was a little truth to the rumors that pervaded social media.
Travis and Jason Kelce were invited to a wedding in Dewey this weekend, Starboard owner Steve “Monty” Montgomery said.
“The groom played football with them at Cincinnati and is close with those boys,” Montgomery said.
The Starboard is one of Dewey’s most iconic bars and restaurants and has offshoots across town, such as Starboard RAW and Starboard Sauced.
Montgomery said he did close Starboard RAW for the wedding party May 29, but the professional football-playing brothers and Travis Kelce’s ultra-famous fiancée, Taylor Swift, did not end up attending the wedding.
Reach Shannon Marvel McNaught at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Facebook.
Delaware
ISP investigating after Delaware County Sheriff deputy shoots at vehicle
MUNCIE, Ind. — Indiana State Police is investigating an officer-involved shooting that took place in Muncie early Sunday morning.
According to ISP, around 12:13 a.m., officers from multiple agencies were called to an event in the area of Bunch Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on reports of a person shot.
A Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived at the scene and approached on foot. While the deputy was walking, he made an encounter with a vehicle and discharged his sidearm at the vehicle.
The circumstances and reason behind why the deputy fired his weapon remain under investigation.
The gunfire struck the vehicle, but no one was injured during the course of the incident.
The ISP Criminal Investigations Division is investigating the deputy’s use of force. Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be used by the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
The investigation remains active and ongoing; no additional information is available at the time of this article’s publication.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.
Delaware
New study finds PFAS contamination widespread throughout Delaware River Basin
A new study released by the Delaware River Basin Commission says PFAS contamination remains widespread throughout the Delaware River Basin, raising continued concerns about drinking water, wildlife and long-term environmental health across Pennsylvania and neighboring states.
The report, released Wednesday, summarizes more than 20 years of research into PFAS — commonly known as “forever chemicals” because they break down extremely slowly in the environment.
The study is especially significant for Northeastern Pennsylvania because several counties either fully or partially fall within the Delaware River Basin, including Pike, Monroe, Wayne and parts of Carbon County, where many communities rely directly on Delaware Basin waterways for drinking water and recreation.
Other NEPA counties with portions connected to the basin include Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties.
Major waterways tied to the Delaware River Basin in Northeastern Pennsylvania include the Lehigh River, Lackawaxen River, Brodhead Creek, Tobyhanna Creek and portions of the Lackawanna River watershed, along with numerous streams throughout the Pocono region.
Researchers found PFAS contamination consistently present in surface water, sediment, fish and blue crab tissue samples collected at 21 locations throughout the basin.
Officials said contamination levels increased as the Delaware River moved downstream toward Delaware Bay, suggesting ongoing pollution sources such as industrial facilities, wastewater discharges and stormwater runoff.
“Safeguarding water for over 14 million people requires science-informed management actions,” DRBC Executive Director Kristen Bowman Kavanagh said in a statement.
PFAS are used in a wide range of products because they repel water and oil. They have been linked to a variety of health concerns and environmental risks.
The study identified different PFAS compounds in different sample types, highlighting what researchers described as the complexity of contamination throughout the river system.
“The Delaware River Basin is a global hotspot for PFAS pollution,” said DRBC Senior Chemist and Toxicologist Jeremy Conkle, who led the study.
The commission said continued monitoring will focus heavily on the tidal Delaware River and tributaries impacted by development and population density.
Officials also announced the launch of a new interactive online mapping tool that allows the public to explore PFAS contamination data across the Delaware River Basin, including local watersheds.
The tool combines information from federal and state agencies along with other organizations to provide a regional look at known contamination sites.
The DRBC will also host a public webinar on June 15 to review the study’s findings and demonstrate the new mapping application.
The Delaware River Basin provides water resources to more than 14 million people across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and New York.
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