Delaware
Delaware history in News Journal March 1-7: Fire rescue, power rate jump
He speaks for silent Gettysburg witnesses
Greg Gober is fascinated by the living link to Gettysburg’s history – and he wants to protect the trees that stood by during the battle 161 years ago.
“Pages of history” features excerpts from The News Journal archives including The Morning News and The Evening Journal. See the archives at delawareonline.com.
March 1, 2006, The News Journal
Under plan, 59% electric rate hike to be phased in
Delmarva Power has proposed phasing in electricity rate increases to reduce the shock of a 59% price hike for residents scheduled to begin May 1.
If the proposal is approved by the state, the typical residential bill would go up slightly less than $18 a month on May 1. Then on Jan. 1, the typical bill would go up again by the same amount. On May 1, 2007, a last increase of $34 would be added, assuming no other change in the market price for electricity. …
Delmarva Power officials unveiled the proposal Tuesday as part of a response to an executive order issued last month by Gov. Ruth Ann Minner. She asked state agencies to study possible responses to the rate hike, including the option of reregulating the industry.
In 1999, state lawmakers removed controls on the price of wholesale electricity, reshaping the power market in the state. As part of the change, electricity rates were lowered by 7.5% until 2003.
Delmarva Power says the coming 59% increase is mainly caused by price hikes in the cost of the fuels that generate electricity, such as natural gas and coal.
Under deregulation, Delmarva must buy about one-third of its total power needs on the wholesale market every year. If the wholesale market is lower next year, customers could save some money. If the wholesale market is up, then rates could go even higher than they are currently expected to go….
Deregulation was expected to reduce electricity prices by bringing competition to the electric market, but only the largest power customers in the state are able to shop for power. Residents do not have a choice about who supplies their electricity.
Some lawmakers are calling for the state to reregulate the industry….
Reregulating part or all of the electricity market is unlikely to have any impact on the 59% rises in bills, experts say, but could prevent dramatic price spikes in the future….
March 3, 1976, The Morning News page
Sussex prison dilemma prompts judicial warning
If the General Assembly doesn’t do something soon about the crumbling Sussex Correctional Institution, he will, a federal judge strongly hinted yesterday.
Judge Murray M. Schwartz said he frankly hopes lawmakers will come up with the extra $1.6 million needed for a thorough overhaul of the Georgetown prison this month.
If they do, he said, it probably will “wash out” the inmates’ suit to close the prison. Schwartz is hearing the suit now, but isn’t expected to make a ruling for several months.
Should he find that the “legislature has abdicated its responsibilities [to the prison],” Schwartz warned, “then that has opened up a hole the federal court will have to fill.”
The state earmarked $2 million from a bond issue for Sussex prison renovation, but the base construction bid opened in January was $2.8 million. With alternate improvements officials want, the cost would rise to $3.4 million.
Acting Correction Commissioner Paul Keve, a defendant in the inmates’ suit, said it “looks very hopeful” that $1.6 million originally appropriated for another prison project will be reallocated to the Sussex work….
Several times yesterday, Schwartz expressed puzzlement over the state’s defense to the suit which seemed to be, “Yes, Sussex is bad, but we’re going to improve it,” the judge remarked.
The improvements are part of the defense, replied Deputy Atty. Gen. John Willard. But he said he would also contend the prison’s deficiencies aren’t an unconstitutional denial of due process or cruel and unusual punishment, as the inmates claim.
The prison’s 45-year-old main building “defeats efforts to improve it in a superficial way,” Keve said, and demands instead a “drastic, complete, comprehensive” renovation.
He said a new kitchen is most urgently needed, but the plans also call for complete replacement of the plumbing, electrical and heating systems, construction of a gymnasium, medical-dental suite and space for classrooms and group discussions.
Prisoners have complained of a lack of rehabilitation programs….
March 6, 1926, The Evening Journal
Woman, baby, dog rescued from burning home
Mary Anderson … and a year-old baby were carried from the burning house at 4 W. 12th St. in Wilmington this morning. …
The fire, which originated in the chimney of the house, caused a spectacular blaze that destroyed the roof and damaged the interior of the dwelling, and drew a large crowd.
Trolley traffic on Market Street was tied up for 20 minutes or more. Long lines of cars from the Boulevard, Washington, Shellpot and Darby lines blocked both tracks for two squares or more, owing to the lines of fire hose that were stretched across Market Street.
The fire was first discovered by Mrs. Anderson who was in the house with the year-old baby of Margaret Thomas who was at work. Smelling smoke, Mrs. Anderson went to the second floor and seeing a flame around the stove pipe hole in the chimney, threw water on it. Thinking she had extinguished the fire, she started downstairs.
In the meantime, the blaze broke out around the edge of the roof and the smoke was seen by John Wright and Stanley Pletuszka, who were in the office of the Pittsburg Independent Oil Company at 12th and Market streets.
Wright ran to the fire alarm box at 13th and King streets and turned in an alarm to which Engine Companies 1,7 and 10 and Truck Company 1 responded.
Pletuszka ran to the house where he was joined by Lloyd Smith of West 13th Street. Finding the door fastened and knowing that Mrs. Anderson and the baby were in the house, they broke down the door.
They met Mrs. Anderson coming downstairs and when an attempt was made to get her to leave, she refused, insisting that the fire was out. The rescuers had to carry the woman from the burning building, then returning they found the baby in the lower part of the house and carried it to the home of a neighbor where the baby and the woman were cared for.
Herbert Johnson, son of Mrs. Anderson of Orange Street, hearing that his mother’s home was on fire, hurried there and with other men saved practically all of the furniture in the house. A small dog, owned by Mrs. Anderson, was rescued by Johnson, but a larger dog defied the efforts of other men to take it from the house. …
The firemen prevented the spread of the fire by deluging the building with water, the chemical streams first used being found insufficient to check the fire. …
The loss is estimated at $800.
Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com.
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.
Take a boat ride to Fort Delaware in the Delaware River’s Pea Patch Island
Take a boat ride to Fort Delaware, once a bastion of military defense and a prison camp during the Civil War, on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River.
The Delaware history column features excerpts from The News Journal archives including The Morning News and The Evening Journal. See the archives at delawareonline.com.
100 years ago, The Evening Journal, June 1, 1926
Cordial welcome given Swedish royalty
Thousands of Wilmingtonians yesterday afternoon greeted Crown Prince Gustavus Adolphus and his wife, Princess Louise Alexandra, of Sweden, who were guests of the city. …
The royal party arrived on a special train at French Street Station and were greeted by a reception committee headed by Mayor Forrest. …
The crowd waiting at the station for a glimpse of the couple was so great that it had to be held back by ropes and guards.
When the Princess alighted from the train she was presented with a bouquet by Mrs. Christopher L. Ward, a member of the reception committee. …
The royal visitors were escorted to waiting automobiles to begin their hasty trip to Old Swedes Church. …
During the trip, the Mayor pointed out the Old Town Hall, the public buildings which were decorated with the American flag and the flag of Sweden, and the William P. Bancroft School.
A crowd estimated at 3,000 persons greeted the city’s guests at the church. The royal couple entered by walking through the cemetery and a lane of Boy Scouts bearing American and Swedish flags. …
Near the entrance, the Prince and Princess were greeted by the Rev. Dr. Frederick M. Kirkus, rector of Trinity P.E. Church. …
Inside, they were met by Bishop Philip Cook of the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware. …
A silver plaque was presented to the Prince bearing an engraving of Old Swedes Church and an inscription commemorating the royal couple’s visit. The plaque’s frame is made of wood from the old church. …
Prince Gustavus offered thanks for the warm welcome.
“I am deeply moved by being here at this church and to stand in the place where the first Swedes in this country offered their worship,” he said. “This day I shall always remember and the memory will always be pleasant.”
Also from 100 years ago, The Evening Journal, June 1, 1926
Holiday automobile traffic heavy
An average of 12 cars a minute passed Station No. 2 of the State Police on the duPont Boulevard and the Glasgow-Elkton Road during a 12-hour check-up on Memorial Day yesterday.
In all, 9,101 cars passed the State Police station, according to Superintendent C.C. Reynolds of the State Police.
This was the heaviest traffic State Police have had to handle since last July 5, when 9,221 cars were counted in a 12-hour check-up….
Although there were several accidents, none were serious.
State Police kept the heavy volume of traffic moving fast. On the Philadelphia Pike, the officers speeded up traffic by having slow-moving vehicles pull to one side at times, allowing faster cars to move ahead.
50 years ago, The Morning News, June 3, 1976
Mayor’s overtures may bring oilmen to Delaware
Mayor Thomas C. Maloney will try to convince visiting oilmen today that Wilmington and its port should be the onshore headquarters for offshore oil and gas development.
Maloney has organized a two-day show-and-tell for the American Petroleum Institutes’ Atlantic Offshore Committee, a group touring the East Coast looking for potential onshore support sites.
Maloney’s invitation is one of the few direct Delaware overtures to the oil industry, which generally considers the state unfriendly. That attitude stems, in part, from Delaware’s Coastal Zone law banning refineries, superports and pipelines along the state’s shores.
Although the oil companies like Delaware because of the natural deepwater in the Delaware Bay and its proximity to where future drilling may occur, most oil industry representatives say there are enough other states actively soliciting onshore development. …
When the chairman of the committee heard of Maloney’s invitation, he wrote to other members, urging them to take a “hard look” at Wilmington.
Offshore oil drilling has been a controversy in Delaware for about five years. The Interior Department expects to hold a lease sale this summer for ocean bottom land 50 to 100 miles off the coasts of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
20 years ago, The News Journal, June 5, 2006
Kenseth tames Dover’s ‘Monster Mile’ before planned changes
The scene was a familiar one after the NASCAR Nextel Cup series race at Dover International Speedway on Sunday.
Sunburned fans filed down from the grandstands, coolers in tow, heading back to their cars. The driver crews hustled their machinery back to the haulers.
And Matt Kenseth, who won the Neighborhood Excellence 400 presented by Bank of America, celebrated in victory lane. …
An estimated crowd of 134,000 fans included Rocky and Gloria Chase of Cape May, N.J., who got married in the infield before the race with the Kent County Clerk of the Peace performing the ceremony. …
But nothing will be the same at Dover now that the speedway is about to undergo a five-year improvement that track officials dubbed “The Monster Makeover.”
Changes will include more parking, an outdoor concert area, improved concession areas and more skyboxes. All of it is being done to appeal to a younger demographic while not alienating hard-core fans who have supported the sport for years.
Reach reporter Ben Mace at rmace@gannett.com.
Delaware public transit plans for Philadelphia World Cup matches
Hundreds of thousands will visit Philly for the World Cup. Here’s how Delaware riders will get there by public transit.
When thousands of soccer fans descend on Philadelphia for the 2026 World Cup, the trip to the game will begin long before kickoff.
For most Delaware residents relying on public transportation, that journey starts on Amtrak or SEPTA platforms – navigating a transit system preparing for global‑scale crowds.
“Capacity is already sufficient for expected demand and we are prepared to scale operations if needed,” John Golden, a SEPTA senior press officer, told Delaware Online/The News Journal. “Travel demand is expected to be distributed, with many matches occurring during off‑peak commuting periods or weekends.”
More than 500,000 visitors are expected to come to Philadelphia for six FIFA World Cup matches at Lincoln Financial Field and the 39‑day FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill in East Fairmount Park, according to Visit Philadelphia. The events run from June 11 to July 19, with matches in Philadelphia scheduled between June 14 and July 4 – coinciding with the nation’s 250th birthday celebration.
DART said it plans to operate on normal schedules during the World Cup, meaning SEPTA will be the primary public transit option for most travelers heading from Delaware to Philadelphia for the games.
What to know about SEPTA
SEPTA isn’t planning on any baseline service increases on the Wilmington/Newark line or the Media/Wawa line, as both lines have sufficient existing capacity, Golden said. SEPTA will monitor ridership in real time and will be prepared to add additional resources if necessary.
Golden recommends travelers give themselves two hours of travel time.
There are no discount passes, but through a partnership with Airbnb there will be free rides home on SEPTA’s Broad Street Line [B] after all six FIFA World Cup matches in Philadelphia (from NRG Station only), Golden said.
Golden said SEPTA will “maintain a flexible, responsive operating posture to adjust service as needed.”
Additionally, he said they want want locals and visitors to know SEPTA transports about 800,000 riders safely every day throughout the Philadelphia region.
“Planning for FIFA and the other events scheduled for this summer began last year and we are working with other local agencies, including the City of Philadelphia, Amtrak, NJ Transit and others to ensure that everyone’s experience is a positive one, not just during FIFA and America 250 events, but throughout the summer and beyond,” he added. “We encourage riders to visit SEPTA.org, where they will find up-to-date information on schedules, fares, enhanced service, and more.”
Extra police patrols will be added to both the B Line trains and stations to get riders home safely and SEPTA encourages riders to utilize the SEPTA Transit Watch App, where they can report safety and security issues discreetly.
Getting around in Philly
Once you manage to get to Philadelphia, the city’s convention and visitors’ bureau offers some suggestions on how to navigate the City of Brotherly Love.
- Take some comfortable shoes and walk in Philadelphia, which has consistently ranked as one of USA TODAY’s Most Walkable City to Visit in the country.
- There’s biking. No worries if you didn’t bring yours, Philadelphia has the Indego program – an around-the-clock bike-share program that provides thousands of classic and electric-assist bicycles at more than 250 stations around the city. Riders must be 14 or older to ride classic bikes and older than 15 to ride the electric bikes. Costs vary by the type of bike and the amount of time needed to use them.
- Don’t want to sweat? There’s SEPTA, which offers an expansive network of subways, buses and regional trains with one-way fares starting at just $2.90.
- Uber and Lyft are the go-to ride share services in Philadelphia, but you want to make sure you have these mobile apps installed with your payment information stored.
Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.
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