Delaware
Delaware summit unites state and national leaders in fight to end community violence
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Violence prevention efforts were front and center at Delaware State University this week as End Community Violence Now hosted its first Community Violence Intervention Summit. The event at the university’s Dover campus gathered state and national leaders to celebrate progress and to share research, lived experiences and strategies to end community violence.
“We believe in a collective impact approach to addressing gun violence, particularly community violence,” said Lauren Footman, executive director of End Community Violence Now. “Our role is to not only coordinate our community violence organizations, but to ensure that they have the financial resources and the capacity-building resources to reduce gun violence across the state of Delaware.”
The summit began with a presentation from the Delaware Division of Public Health, revealing data that underscored both progress and ongoing challenges. Delaware ranked 39th in the nation for firearm deaths in 2023, with 124 deaths reported. The state ranked 28th in homicides, recording 55 deaths that year — a decrease from 64 in 2022. But suicide-related deaths rose: Delaware ranked 42nd nationwide, with 144 suicides in 2023, an increase from 130 in 2022.
“For communities of color … there is disproportionate impact of suicide prevention,” Footman said. “Suicide is one of the leading causes of gun violence in the state of Delaware.”
Despite those numbers, Footman’s group continues to lead coordination efforts on violence prevention across the state, including initiatives tied to the Group Violence Intervention strategy, an approach that’s already producing measurable results, particularly in the town of Laurel.
“In Wilmington, we have seen historic declines to prepandemic levels,” Footman said. “In Laurel, there’s been no reported homicides or shootings in 2025, and that’s where we’ve had targeted intervention and coordination.”
The organization hopes to see the intervention strategy expanded into more parts of the state.
“We are looking forward to when the state of Delaware fully expands GVI to Sussex County because it has been so helpful in the Laurel pilot,” she said.
Delaware
State Police Investigating a Single-Vehicle Fatal Crash in Delmar – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware
Delaware State Police are investigating a single-vehicle fatal crash that occurred Friday evening in Delmar.
On December 19, 2025, at approximately 6:30 p.m., a Toyota Tundra was traveling westbound on Bacons Road, just west of Bi State Boulevard. As the vehicle approached a left-hand curve, it exited the north edge of the roadway, struck a utility pole, and overturned multiple times.
The driver, a 24-year-old man from Delmar, Delaware, was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His name is being withheld until his family is notified.
Bacons Road was closed for approximately 7 hours while members of the Delaware State Police Troop 7 Collision Reconstruction Unit conducted their on-scene investigation and utility crews replaced the damaged pole.
The investigation is ongoing. Troopers ask anyone who witnessed the crash to contact Master Corporal R. Albert at (302) 703- 3266. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime or have lost a loved one to a sudden death and need assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit / Delaware Victim Center is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). You may also email the Victim Services Unit at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.
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Delaware Valley picked up five bonus point wins to take a 40-29 home dual win over High Point in Frenchtown.
Luke Cyphert started the dual at 215 with a pin over High Point’s Kaleb DeFalco. Julian Bednar (120), and Tristian Fawthrop (132) also won via pin.
Oliver Paul gave the Terriers (3-0) five points off a 21-6 tech over John McCarthy at 175, Michael Hasson took a 23-7 tech over Tyler Brarman at 144 and state qualifier Sebastian Dobak earned a 7-1 decision over Gerard Empirio at 150. Vincent Rainey outlasted Thomas Jaust at 113 for a 7-4 sudden victory win.
Trey Falkenstein picked up a forfeit at 138 to make it a four match sweep for Del Val between 132 and 150.
Luke Tompkins recorded a pin for the Wildcats (1-1) at 157 while Jack Kitchart picked up a pin at 190. Region 1 third place finisher Gavin Mericle took a 2-1 decision win over Luken Alberdi at 285, Logan Takach recorded a 7-3 decision over Tanner Donaruma at 126 and Jayden Ruplall earned five points at 165 with a 17-1 tech over Rylan Bush.
Primo Maschio won the $110,000 DSBF series championship for sophomore male pacers Thursday at Bally’s Dover
Photos by Quenton Egan Photography
DOVER — Following decisive wins in both preliminary legs, Primo Maschio dug deep to head off Lew Not Lou for a 1:52.3 triumph in the $110,000 Delaware Standardbred Breeders’ Fund (DSBF) series championship for 3-year-old male pacers on Thursday, Dec. 18, at Bally’s Dover.
Primo Maschio and driver Trae Porter landed second-over on the first turn behind Shore Not Beach (driven by Pat Berry), who worked to clear early leader Lew Not Lou (Jason Thompson) for the lead at the end of a :27 first quarter. Left uncovered off the first turn, Primo Maschio drove on to assume control of the terms with a circuit to go, and the Badlands Hanover-Primadonna gelding rolled to the half in :55.
Up the backstretch and through the far turn, Primo Maschio faced sustained pressure from Lew Not Lou, who re-emerged from third to force a :28.2 third quarter and pose an even bigger threat off the home turn.
“I was a little worried,” said Porter of Lew Not Lou taking aim at Primo Maschio off the corner. “He got to my saddle pad, but as soon as we got to the top of the stretch, my colt dug in deeper. He’s such a nice horse.”
Primo Maschio kept Lew Not Lou a neck at bay while Shore Not Beach stayed on from the pocket to finish third, just a length shy of the top pair.
Walter Callahan trains Primo Maschio, now a 19-time winner with $414,618 in earnings from 27 career starts, for Forrest Bartlett. As the overwhelming 1-10 favorite, Primo Maschio paid $2.20 to win.
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