Delaware
Following a long history of Olympic success, UD’s Figure Skating community in mourning
Those involved with the University of Delaware’s High Performance Figure Skating Center have celebrated many triumphs, including in the U.S. Nationals and Olympics.
On Thursday they endured the opposite extreme, mourning the deaths of one coach and two young skaters in a plane crash Wednesday night.
“With a heavy heart, we struggle to express the impact of this tragedy on our Blue Hen community,” UD athletic director Chrissi Rawak shared in a social-media message.
Coach Alexandr Kirsanov and young skaters Angela Yang and Sean Kay died when the American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military helicopter on approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia.
Rawak paid tribute to Kirsanov, saying his “passion and commitment touched many lives, leaving a permanent mark on our campus.”
What was originally known as UD’s Ice Skating Science Development Center opened in 1987 when Ron Ludington, who had coached numerous national- and Olympic-level skaters, moved over from the Skating Club of Wilmington.
Though not operated by the university, the UD skating center is located at the school’s Fred Rust and Gold ice arenas located south of campus with other athletic facilities at the David M. Nelson Athletic Complex.
Ludington retired in 2010 but maintained some involvement and died in 2020 at age 85. But the skating program has continued to thrive, with many of Ludington’s skaters becoming coaches at UD.
Among UD-based skaters who excelled at the highest levels were the 1992 Olympic pairs duo of Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval and 2006 world champion Kimmie Meissner. Three-time national champion and two-time Olympian Johnny Weir also got his start at UD.
The skating center was also a destination for those from other countries with high-level figure skaters, especially Russia.
One of them, Oleg Ovsyannikov, sat in front of an international media throng in 1998 and said “I want to say thank you to all the people at the University of Delaware.” Around his neck was the silver medal he had just earned in ice dancing at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, with partner Anjelika Krylova.
Tara Lipinski, who had periodically trained at UD, soon after became the youngest figure-skating Olympic gold medalist when she won the women’s singles at age 15.
More than 30 figure skaters with ties to Delaware rinks competed in the Winter Olympics for the U.S. from 1972 through 2006, including eight at the 1984 Games and six in 1988.
That history has long made UD a draw for figure skaters with high aspirations. Emmanuel Savary, a long-time UD skater, placed 13th at the recent U.S. Championships in men’s singles.
“They get excited and see the possibility that maybe they can be there someday, that it’s a reality,” UD coach Pam Gregory told DelawareOnline/The News Journal before the 2018 Olympics.
Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.
Delaware
Local police departments earn state accreditation
The Delaware Police Officer Standards and Training Commission recently announced that the Dewey Beach Police Department and Rehoboth Beach Police Department have both earned state accreditation from the Delaware Police Accreditation Commission.
As part of the rigorous process, a team of DPAC assessors ensured all accreditation standards were met by completing comprehensive, on-site inspections of each agency, reviewing their policies and procedures for compliance, and conducting interviews with department members.
“This milestone represents a significant step forward for public safety in Delaware. The initial state accreditation of these police agencies reflects a strong commitment to professionalism, accountability and excellence in law enforcement. I commend each department for their dedication to serving their communities with integrity and for upholding the highest standards,” said Joshua Bushweller, Department of Safety and Homeland Security secretary and DPAC chair.
Delaware
DDA inducts three Delaware Century Farms – 47abc
Dover, Del. – Three farms, one from each of Delaware’s counties, were inducted into the Century Farm Program by the state Department of Agriculture on Thursday at the Delaware Agricultural Museum.
Each of the family farms has been owned and operated for at least a century. Each received a sign for their farms, an engraved plate and legislative tributes.
In addition to Secretary of Agriculture, Don Clifton, and Deputy Secretary Jimmy Kroon, state Senators David Wilson (R – District 18) and Kyra Hoffner (D – District 14) were also in attendance.
Wright Family Farms are located in Harrington in Kent County. In 1919, the farm was purchased by William Wright. Over a century later, William’s grandson, Ronald, is the owner and his great-grandson, Greg, said he hopes to continue the family legacy by buying the farm from his father.
Although the event celebrated each family for their hard work and resilience, it also highlighted the challenges farmers have to surmount to stay in business today, let alone for a hundred years.
“The price of equipment, the price of fertilizer, the price of seed, everything is just gone up,” Greg said. “So, you know, everything’s going up that we gotta purchase just to stay in business.”
Clifton, Kroon and Wilson also echoed difficulties in balancing the need to preserve agricultural land with the need to develop housing and sustainable energy projects like solar power.
“I know housing is very important, and we want people to always have good housing, but at some point, I think you’re going to saturate the area with more houses than you have food to feed these people,” Wilson said.
Kroon also said there are difficulties in keeping future generations motivated to stay in farming.
“When you think about it in the context of multi-generational farm families, there’s a real long-term challenge where a new generation may think twice about whether they want to keep farming if it’s always a struggle,” he said.
Clifton said farming has always been a challenging way of life, but it has been so since time immemorial.
“These families, their experience shows that they have an appreciation for the way of life and perseverance and that’s to be honored and emulated to the greatest extent possible,” he said.
Greg said he hopes to pass down the way of life so that his family legacy can live on for another hundred years, as well as for other families.
“A hundred years as the same family tilling the land, that’s, you know, that’s an honor right there,” Greg said. “And I hope that more farmers who are close to 100 years old will be doing the same thing. You know, keep it in the family.”
Delaware
Investigation underway after man’s body pulled from Delaware River
An investigation is underway after police said a man’s body was pulled from the Delaware River in South Philadelphia.
According to police, around 9 a.m. on Friday, April 17, 2026, emergency responders pulled an unidentified man from the Delaware River, near the Navy Yard. Medic’s pronounced the man dead at 9:11 a.m.
Léelo en español aquí.
SkyForce10 flew above as police and other first responders were on the scene.
NBC10
NBC10
Police are working to determine the circumstances of the incident and identify the man.
This is a developing story; check back here for updates.
-
Maryland3 minutes agoMaryland Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for April 18, 2026
-
Michigan9 minutes agoQ&A: Jocelyn Benson on her tenure as Michigan’s secretary of state
-
Massachusetts15 minutes agoPolice shoot and kill man armed with knife in Lexington, DA says
-
Minnesota21 minutes agoBoldy, Eriksson Ek help Wild cruise past Stars in Game 1 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com
-
Mississippi27 minutes agoGeorge County High School senior killed in Highway 26 crash, MHP says
-
Missouri33 minutes ago
Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for April 18, 2026
-
Montana39 minutes ago
Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for April 18, 2026
-
Nebraska45 minutes agoGallery: Huskers Run-Rule No. 12 USC to Take Series