From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

In the summer of 1776, Delaware became a separate state by cutting ties with Great Britain and Pennsylvania. This pivotal moment in history marked Delaware’s independence and its identity as one of the original 13 states that signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4.

Established by Congress in 2016, the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission is gearing up for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with America250. This initiative aims to engage Americans nationwide. Delaware recently joined the efforts as the 37th state.

“Delaware 250 is the state of Delaware’s official undertaking in commemoration of the United States Semiquincentennial,” said Margaret Hughes, coordinator of Delaware 250.

“We’ve got Delaware 250 which is working across the state with museums, with historical groups, with heritage societies, with genealogical groups, with communities across the state to think about what this anniversary means.”

For Hughes, the 250th anniversary is a significant milestone, prompting a deep dive into the community’s history.

“When we’re thinking about the moments of the 250th, we’re thinking about how to uplift all of the stories and all of the contributions of Delawareans over its long history,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to reflect on our past, to think about where we are in the present day and to look forward and plan for a future for our state.”

Delaware 250 is offering quarterly grants to various stakeholders, including community groups and organizations, to facilitate exhibits, speaking engagements and other celebratory events for 2026.

“We launched our first round of grant funding this past spring. We funded nine projects across the state in each of the counties,” Hughes shared. “We funded nine projects across the state in each of the counties. One of the recipients included the Delaware Art Museum to work on an exhibit. They’re in the planning phases for an exhibit that will go up in 2026.”

Workers in Delaware experienced the lowest wage growth in the United States over the past year, according to recent data from ADP Pay Insights.

Employees in Delaware who have remained in their positions for at least 12 months saw their wages increase by 4.1%, bringing the median annual salary to $60,000. This figure places Delaware at the bottom of the rankings for wage growth across all states.

On average, other states saw a wage growth rate of 4.9% for job-stayers. In stark contrast, the top-performing states for wage growth in June showed significantly higher increases. Montana led with a 7.3% rise, followed by Idaho at 6.5%. Alaska, North Dakota, and Oregon each reported a 6% increase.

ADP’s Pay Insights report provides a unique view of salary trends by analyzing the same cohort of nearly 10 million employees over a 12-month period.

DELAWARE COUNTY — A Delaware County judge is siding with concerned residents over the rapidly increasing poultry farms in the area.

The concern is over the distance between the farms and residents as well as the output of waste from the chickens.

“They bring in all the chickens, they take out the chickens, they bring in the feed. They don’t take the manure. We get that,” said Pam Kingfisher a Delaware County resident.

She is part of a group called Green Country Guardians. The Facebook group’s thumbnail says, “Farms, not factories.”

She supports the Spring Creek Coalition, a citizen-led group that is suing the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry.

Kingfisher said the poultry farms that are already built are already causing problems.

“My creek is now dead. Double Spring Creek is dead. The water is, the rocks are brown and slimy, and it stinks year-round, not just in August,” said Kingfisher.

She said the creek used to be full of fresh water and is disappointed by its current state.
Kingfisher said the farms are not strongly regulated.  

“We followed trucks full of dead chickens, feathers flying; you know it’s just out here. It is still the Wild West. They got away with a whole lot of crazy stuff,” Kingfisher said.

In a decision on June 28, Delaware County Judge Dave Crutchfield said nearby residents were not informed of the farms before construction began.

It also said that poultry waste is a concern for nearby waterways.

“It’s a very big win because when you see words like ‘the problems should be inherently visible. It should be inherently apparent to anybody.’ Judge Crutchfield understood exactly the problem,” said Grant Hall another Delaware Country resident.

He is also involved in the movement against the state and poultry farms. He said that he is not anti-poultry, but he wants the regulations.
“To get reasonable regulations is what we have been asking for. Reasonable regulations that are enforced,” Hall said.

To understand more about the state’s side, 2 News reached out to the ODAFF, they said they don’t speak on active cases.

2 News was told the legal battle will continue, however the residents are confident with their efforts so far.

Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere —