Delaware
Delaware Memorial Day parades face challenges, still connect neighbors
Raw Video: Rehoboth Beach Memorial Day event
Here are some highlights from an event on Memorial Day in Rehoboth Beach honoring fallen soldiers. 5/27/25
Balloons drift overhead. Bands march and play. Spectators line the streets, watching as the parade rolls by.
For generations, Memorial Day parades have been a fixture in Delaware, with Wilmington’s — the state’s oldest — stretching back more than 150 years.
But a recent video shared on Reddit of Newark’s May 17 parade, showing sparse crowds and few participants, has sparked new questions about turnout. City officials say just 22 groups took part this year, down from 29 a year ago.
“This is just sad,” commented a user under the post.
With parades taking place across Delaware this weekend, some are asking whether these longtime events can keep their footing — and stay relevant in a digital age — at one of the year’s biggest moments for turnout.
Connecting with community
Parades take many forms, from the solemn tone of Memorial Day to the playful Middletown Hummers’ Parade. But at their core, they all share the same purpose: bringing communities together around a common cause.
“It’s so important to permit outreach, and strengthen partnerships within the community,” said Fred Cooke, an organizer for Middletown’s Memorial Day parade. “That’s what allows these things to grow.”
Cooke pointed to Middletown’s Memorial Day parade as a model, where the town brings together local businesses, fraternities and sororities, church groups and others to build a larger community event.
“By tapping into the resources around us, we’ve created a real event,” Cooke said.
Multiple parade organizers attributed the success of these events to their ability to make connections, and stand by them.
“Putting things together and developing these relationships certainly helps,” said Marvin Pedigo, an organizer for Smyrna’s parade slate.
Some lacking turnouts can’t be solved
Those partnerships don’t always come easily. Jayme Gravell, Newark’s chief of community engagement, said the University of Delaware’s student move-out often limits collaboration — and likely contributed to lower turnout this year.
“People are moving out, people are leaving town,” she said. “It’s just hard to draw interest or support when people aren’t here.”
The uncontrollable factor of conflicting events creates a dilemma for parades like the one in Newark. As Cooke pointed out, it’s one that smaller areas of Delaware don’t have to face, giving them an advantage.
The purpose behind a parade can shape its audience. While many are built around celebration, Memorial Day carries a more solemn tone, honoring those who died in military service. For that reason, Pedigo said the Smyrna-Clayton parade focuses less on turnout and more on showing respect for those lost.
“We really only partner with smaller civic organizations, and it’s a smaller turnout,” he said. “The emphasis should be placed on honoring those who fought for this country.”
Both communities pointed to other local parades as proof crowds are still there. Newark’s Halloween parade draws about 50 groups each year, compared to 22 for Memorial Day, while Smyrna’s Christmas parade typically brings in 90 to 100 groups.
“We haven’t seen any kind of dramatic parade fall-off,” Pedigo said. “Just the occurrence of certain circumstances.”
Where will Delaware Memorial Day parades take place?
Three parades will take place across the state this coming week, allowing locals to honor fallen veterans. They are listed below:
- Middletown Memorial Day Parade- Begins at Redding Middle School, 201 New St., Middletown, at 10:30 a.m. May 25.
- Smyrna-Clayton Memorial Day Parade- Parade begins at Market Street Plaza and West Commerce Street, Smyrna, at 10 a.m. May 25.
- Wilmington Memorial Day Parade– Begins at Delaware and Woodlawn avenues, Wilmington at 6 p.m. May 30.
Adam Denn is an intern reporter for Delaware Online/The News Journal. You can reach him at ADenn@delawareonline.com
Delaware Leaders Confront Crushing Utility Costs
Gov. Meyer urges PSC to freeze rates as Delaware tackles Delmarva’s returns, solar delays, data centers and nuclear options.
This story was produced by Spotlight Delaware as part of a partnership with Delaware Online/The News Journal. For more about Spotlight Delaware, visit www.spotlightdelaware.org.
New Castle County Councilman Tim Sheldon says he recently brokered a handshake deal to pause a data center development project near Newark.
Sheldon, who represents the Newark area, said the deal followed private negotiations with the developer’s prominent Delaware attorney, Shawn Tucker, who told him the New York-based developer behind the project, Shelbourne, agreed to consider the Newark site for uses other than a data center. “This is my art of the deal,” Sheldon said.
But the deal is dependent on the county finalizing an approval for an exploratory plan application from the developer, which would grandfather the land into zoning rules that existed prior to this year, Sheldon said.
That means the developer would not have to follow the county’s recently-passed data center regulations if the company ultimately decides to build a data center there. Since the property’s zoning already allows data center projects, the county likely does not have the legal authority to deny that exploratory plan application. An email sent between Sheldon and Tucker, dated June 10, shows that Tucker agreed to pause the data center project under those conditions.
Neither Tucker nor Shelbourne representatives responded to requests for comment about this deal.
Last year, Shelbourne filed documents with the county that showed plans to demolish the existing White Clay Center office and industrial buildings and construct a three-building data center campus that covered about 850,000 square feet.
After the filing, the plans became wrapped into a larger community backlash in northern Delaware against the growth of the data center industry. Neighbors have voiced fears that such data centers would use too much water and energy, and be too noisy.
Sheldon’s handshake agreement is not binding, and the developer still has the legal right to build a data center.
New Castle County General Manager of Land Use David Culver said he saw the email from Tucker but has no other information.
Sheldon noted that the agreement is between him and Tucker — and not with the county as a party. He further stated that if he decides not to run for reelection in 2028 or loses to a challenger, “it may be null and void.”
“If I’m not there, there’s no promises,” Sheldon said.
Asked if he would try to secure an official county deal barring a data center on that property, Sheldon said the project is “too far in the process” and he doesn’t want to risk the progress he’s made.
He said he will instead work to find another company to lease or buy the land. He said in a text after the interview that the deal is “the best I could’ve got.”
“Nobody else has even done this much and it seems like I’m getting hammered because I did something,” Sheldon said in the text.
Sheldon said an Amtrak train maintenance site will open next door to the White Clay Center property in the next few years, and he thinks the track upgrades needed for that project could make the neighboring site more attractive for manufacturing.
Delaware Public Media reported last week that Alstom, which conducts maintenance on Amtrak’s high-speed Acela trains – will open a new facility on 1601 Ogletown Road, next to the White Clay Center office and industrial buildings.
Alstom did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
What’s the status of data centers in Delaware?
Beyond Shelbourne’s proposal, several other building projects proposed in Delaware could become data centers.
The biggest is Project Washington, a 1.2-gigawatt data center campus planned for the land just north of the Delaware City Refinery. It would use enough energy to power almost a million homes.
That plan faced a major setback in March after a state board unanimously upheld Environmental Secretary Greg Patterson’s decision that the project is not permitted under Delaware’s Coastal Zone Act, a landmark law designed to limit heavy industry along the state’s shorelines.
Developer Starwood Digital Ventures was expected to appeal that decision, but it is unclear whether it will. Representatives from Starwood did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Another potential data center plan is slated for land near the southern approach to the St. Georges Bridge off U.S. Route 13. The St. Georges project includes the land that hosts the popular Halloween attraction Frightland.
County records show plans for three distribution centers covering 3.6 million square feet on farmland, along with 150 homes.
The records say the buildings will be warehouses. But project engineer Verdantas also submitted letters to the county suggesting that the buildings could be a data center campus.
Delmarva Power filings this winter showed two other potential data center projects. But Technical.ly reported that only one of those projects is still on the table, which would be located in Harrington. City officials are still in the preliminary stages of discussions about that plan, according to the report.
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Thursday, July 2, 2026 4:08AM
FELTON, Del. (WPVI) — A 65-year-old man was killed Tuesday after a camel fell on him in Delaware, according to police.
The incident happened around 7 p.m. on Indian Point Road in Felton.
According to Delaware State Police, the man was tending to his camel when the animal fell, resulting in fatal injuries.
The victim’s identity has not been released.
Officials have not provided additional details about the incident.
It is legal to own a camel in Delaware with a Department of Agriculture Exotic Animal Permit.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Delaware is in the midst of a heat wave the like of which the First State hasn’t felt since 2011.
With temperatures hitting the 100s and heat index values reaching the 110s, it’s time for people to be careful outside – especially pet owners.
When a heat wave arrives, your pets will need extra attention, too. Dogs and cats can be vulnerable to extreme temperatures, making it important to know the signs of heat-related illness and how to keep them safe during hot weather. Here’s what pet owners should know.
Can heat stoke impact my pet?
When heat waves hit, dogs are also susceptible to heat stress and head strokes, according to the American Kennel Club.
- Heat stress: Heat stress in dogs occurs when a dog’s resting temperature hits 104 degrees. The signs and symptoms of heat stress include a dog looking for shade, limiting its movements, choosing to sit or lie down, panting, vomiting and excessive saliva.
- Heat stroke: This condition occurs when your dog’s resting body temperature exceeds 106 degrees. The symptoms include the dog acting confused; excessive drooling and thickening saliva; gums being bright red, blue or purple; refusing to drink water; losing consciousness; or having seizures. Immediate veterinary attention is required.
If your pet shows signs of heat stress, act quickly to help cool them down. The American Kennel Club recommends moving your dog to a shaded area, placing ice packs under its front legs and on its chest, and pouring cool water over its head and body. Offer fresh water to drink and, if available, have your dog lie or stand on a cooling mat to help lower its body temperature.
When should I walk my dog in a heat wave?
The first thing you should do is be aware of the type of dog you have. Overweight dogs and short-nosed dog breeds have a high risk of problems related to heat, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
When exercising, do the following:
- Do not walk, run or hike during the hottest part of the day or on particularly hot days.
- Take frequent breaks when exercising.
- Bring water for you and your pet.
- Avoid asphalt or other hot surfaces that can burn your pet’s paws. You can also use booties to cover its paws during walks.
How can I protect my pet around the house?
Even in your house, you pet could be battling the heat.
The AVMA and ASPCA offers these suggestions:
- Provide different temperature zones within your house for your pet’s comfort.
- Leave your pets at home if possible when you need to go out and about.
- Never leave a pet in the car, even in the shade or with windows cracked. Cars can overheat quickly to deadly temperatures, even when the weather isn’t severe.
- Make sure your pets have unlimited access to fresh water.Keep your pet free of parasites that are more common during warm weather, such as fleas, ticks and heartworms.
- Make sure all unscreened windows are closed and any screens are tightly secured.
- Talk to your vet or groomer about a summer haircut, but don’t shave your dog’s hair.
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