Delaware

Hornets on the rise? Delaware State receives $20 million for new field house

Published

5 months ago

July 14, 2025

Hornets on the rise? Delaware State receives million for new field house

There’s a new feeling of optimism around Delaware State University Alumni Stadium, where the school’s red-and-blue hornet logo highlights a field where fall football practice will soon begin.

The Hornets began the first steps of what they’ve deemed their “Athletics Transformation Project” in 2024 to expand and enhance their athletic facilities.

Delaware’s bond bill approved on July 1 included $20 million for DSU to construct a new field house to continue this “transformation.”

“It’s going to inject a lot of energy and goodwill into our campus,” said Athletic Director Tony Tucker. “We can’t wait to get started.”

Capitalizing on celebrity

Delaware State’s new project, years in the making, drew in-state interest. But another move by the HBCU has drawn nationwide attention.

DSU hired former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver/returnman DeSean Jackson as its new head football coach in December.

“He’s still a very relevant name and figure,” said Tucker. “He’s brought a lot of energy to the football program, as well as the university as a whole.”

Tucker was elevated to the AD position last December just before Jackson’s hiring, which Tucker termed a “perfect storm” coinciding with the school’s “transformation.”

“This is the perfect time for Delaware State athletics, not just to revitalize itself, but to reach heights never seen before by the university,” said Tucker.

What will the new Delaware State University field house include?

The new field house would be a 70,000-square-foot building near Alumni Stadium.

The main draw would be a 50-yard turf field, creating indoor practice space for the school’s sports teams. There would also be meeting sites, lounge spaces and new locker rooms.

Jackson said the building will help the program attract talent, an area where the Hornets have struggled in the past.

“Coming from a big school like Cal and seeing them transform over the years [through upgrades], I think it’s really gonna help with recruiting,” he said.

“Not having people overlook us, and go to rival schools like Norfolk and Howard who have eye-popping facilities, will be huge.”

While the facilities would mostly be used by the football program, they would be available to all students.

“Other sports that do indoor training will have access, and even non-student athletes on campus will have access to the various spaces,” Tucker said. “We’re very excited for the energy and goodwill it’s going to inject into our athletic programs and our community.”

What steps lie ahead?

While the approval for the field house was huge for Delaware State, it was far from its only win on July 1.

The Joint Finance Committee included in the bill a section highlighting its desire to “work towards exploring options for funding” a new convocation center for the school.

The center would be a new home for indoor sports such as basketball, wrestling and volleyball, while also giving the university additional ability to host events. Currently, the teams play at the campus’ Memorial Hall, an 1,800-seat arena.

The space is projected to cost $90 million. But Tucker emphasized that the center, as well as upgrades to Alumni Stadium, could have potential benefits to the entire community.

“Delaware is a small state, which we happen to be in the direct center of,” said Tucker. “Our location at the center of the state could be a shiny new place for a lot of Delaware high school competitions.”

Currently, the University of Delaware hosts many of these events. Recent controversy surfaced over the school’s rental fees, the DIAA turned away from UD as football championship host. The Class 3A and Unified football state championships were both at Alumni Stadium in 2024.

Tucker emphasized the goal would be not to step on UD’s toes, but to benefit the greater Delaware athletic community.

“It’s just about providing a situation where our high school athletes and parents are the winners,” he said. “Not having to travel all the way to Northern Delaware would be very beneficial for some of the Southern Delaware community.”

Jackson added, however, that the improvements could lessen the gap between Delaware and Delaware State, especially in football.

“Delaware has been getting a lot of talent over us over the past year or so,” said the coach. “If we can say ‘We can play on the same playing field,’ we’re probably going to be able to get some guys we couldn’t have before.”

When will the DSU field house be built?

No timeline is set yet for the construction of the field house. However, Tucker said they have a goal of 18 to 24 months.

The other changes will likely take more time and more funding. But Jackson feels confident they’ll come, as the team grows in success.

“The sky’s the limit,” the coach said. “I think the success we’re going to have this year will open up a lot of eyes, and make us hard to look over.”

Adam Denn is a general assignments reporter for Delaware Online/The News Journal. You can reach him for story ideas at ADenn@gannett.com

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Delaware

How much snow fell on Sunday? Totals for Philadelphia area

Published

4 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

How much snow fell on Sunday? Totals for Philadelphia area

PHILADELPHIA – Snow stacked up quickly across the Philadelphia region Sunday, with new reports showing nearly 9 inches in some suburbs and several inches on the ground in much of the city.

December Snow in Willow Grove, PA (Photo: Tyler Thrasher/FOX)

The latest Public Information Statement from the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, issued at 10:36 a.m. Sunday, shows significantly higher snowfall totals than the early-morning reports. Many communities that were sitting at 1 to 3 inches before sunrise are now in the 5 to 8 inch range, especially north and west of Philadelphia.

5,500+ PECO homes, businesses without power Sunday as winter storm impacts region

In the city, an observation from Center City lists 3.6 inches of snow, while neighborhoods in the Northeast like Fox Chase, Bustleton and Somerton are reporting between 4 and 5 inches. An official reading at Philadelphia International Airport shows 1.3 inches, underscoring the sharp gradient from the airport to the rest of the city.

The heaviest bands have focused on parts of Chester, Montgomery, Bucks, Lehigh, Carbon and Northampton counties, where multiple towns are now reporting 7 to 8 inches. South Jersey and northern Delaware have also seen a solid plowable snow, with widespread 4 to 7 inch totals in some communities.

These totals are based on reports collected through about 10:30 a.m. Sunday and may continue to rise where snow is still falling.

Snow totals in the Philadelphia area

Philadelphia

Fox Chase: 5.0″
Bustleton: 4.9″
Rockledge (city border): 4.9″
Somerton (1 SW): 4.3″
Center City/Philadelphia (observer): 3.6″
Philadelphia International Airport: 1.3″

December Snow in Willow Grove, PA (Photo: Tyler Thrasher/FOX)

Southeastern Pennsylvania

Chester County

East Nantmeal Twp: 8.8″
East Nottingham Twp: 8.5″
Malvern: 8.0″
Berwyn: 8.0″
Exton area: 7.9″
Atglen / West Sadsbury Twp: 7.8″
West Caln Twp: 7.5″
West Chester (2.4 SSE): 6.5″

Montgomery County

Blue Bell (2.3 NW): 8.7″
Near Worcester Twp: 8.5″
Skippack area: 8.0″
Harleysville / Salford Twp: 7.5″
Pennsburg area: 7.0″
New Hanover Twp: 7.0″
Pottstown area (including Stowe and NE Pottstown): 6.6″–7.3″
Norristown: 7.2″
Willow Grove / Jenkintown corridor: 6.0″–6.4″

Bucks County

Doylestown (3.4 SW): 8.0″
Hilltown Twp: 7.8″
Tinicum Twp area: 7.5″
Perkasie / Souderton / Trumbauersville: around 7.0″
Fricks: 7.0″
Newtown / Langhorne area: around 6.0″
Levittown: 5.0″
Croydon: 5.2″

Delaware County

Bethel Twp: 6.5″
Springfield: 6.0″
Upper Chichester: 5.5″
Aston: 4.8″
Morton: 4.9″
Lansdowne: 4.0″

Berks, Lehigh, Carbon and Northampton counties

East Nantmeal / Alburtis / Earl Twp / Lake Harmony / Lehigh Twp (Carbon): around 7.0″–8.0″
Coopersburg (Lehigh): 8.0″
Center Valley: 7.0″
Macungie (1 NW): 6.5″
Allentown: 5.6″
Bethlehem area: around 6.0″
Pen Argyl: 7.0″

New Jersey

Burlington County

Moorestown: 7.0″
Mount Laurel / Burlington: 5.8″
Medford Lakes: 4.8″
Mount Holly (NWS office): 3.6″

Camden and Gloucester counties

Haddon Township: 5.7″
Pennsauken: 5.7″
Pitman: 5.6″
Washington Twp (Gloucester): 5.5″
Monroe Twp (Gloucester): around 4.0″
Winslow Twp: 3.1″

Atlantic, Salem and Cumberland counties

Hammonton: 4.0″
Woodstown: 4.5″
Salem: 3.8″
Pennsville: 3.5″
Ventnor City: 2.5″
Atlantic City International Airport: 0.6″

Delaware

New Castle County

Bear: 6.8″
Hockessin: 6.0″
Wilmington (north): 5.4″
Newark area: 3.9″–4.6″
Middletown area: 3.8″
New Castle County Airport: 3.3″

Kent County

Smyrna / Clayton / Cheswold area: around 2.0″
Magnolia area: 1.4″

Winter Light Spectacular at Lehigh Valley Zoo canceled Sunday due to snow, cold temperatures

By the numbers:

Highest total so far: 8.8″ in East Nantmeal Township (Chester County)
Other standout totals: 8.7″ in Blue Bell (Montgomery County), 8.5″ in East Nottingham Township (Chester County), 8.0″ in Doylestown area, Coopersburg and parts of Carbon County
City of Philadelphia: generally 3″–5″ away from the airport, with around 3.6″ in Center City and up to 5.0″ in Fox Chase
Many suburbs: now in the 5″–8″ range, especially north and west of the city

What’s next:

Snow continues to impact travel across the region Sunday, with many neighborhood and secondary roads still snow-covered or slushy. Drivers should plan for reduced visibility, slick spots, and extended travel times, especially in areas that picked up more than 5 inches of snow.

The Source: This article is based on observed snowfall totals from the National Weather Service Mount Holly Public Information Statement.

WeatherPhiladelphia

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Delaware

How much snow will we get? Delaware under winter weather advisory

Published

16 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

How much snow will we get? Delaware under winter weather advisory

Delaware is under a winter weather advisory for the weekend, with snow and bitterly cold conditions expected.
Snowfall of 1 to 5 inches is possible across the region, with higher amounts of up to 6 inches in New Castle County.
The snow is expected to begin Saturday night and continue through mid-morning on Sunday.
Bitterly cold temperatures and low windchills will follow the snow, lasting through early next week.

Gas the snowblowers and get those shovels out because snowfall is headed for Delaware.

Snow is forecast for this weekend with bitterly cold conditions then settling in through early next week.

On Saturday, Dec. 13, the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey, placed all of Delaware under a winter weather advisory and the Delaware Bay under a gale warning.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia and areas surrounding the city are under a winter storm warning.

Here’s a look at what to expect with the Delaware weather forecast for Saturday, Dec. 13, through Sunday, Dec. 14.

Delaware weather radar

When will it snow?

A period of snow is expected the night of Dec. 13 through mid-morning Dec. 14, according to the National Weather Service.

This may start as some light rain or a rain/snow mix south and east of I-95 before quickly changing to all snow. Snowfall intensity may increase for a time early in the morning on Dec. 14.

About 1 to 5 inches of snow across the region is possible. While the location of where a zone of higher amounts can occur is less certain, the greatest chances for this is mostly across the I-95 corridor, the weather service said.

The snow will begin falling around 11 p.m. in Wilmington while snowfall will begin in the central portion of New Castle County by midnight and the southern part of the county by 1 a.m., according to the NWS.

The northern part of Kent County can expect snow to start falling around 2 a.m. and areas around Dover by 3 a.m.

Snow will begin in the southern part of Kent County and northern portion of Sussex County around 4 a.m.

Most of Sussex County can expect snow at 5 a.m. while the southern part of the county will see snowfall by 6 a.m. Areas around Rehoboth Beach can expect snow by 7 a.m.

How much will it snow?

That will depend where you are in Delaware.

A total of 1 to 5 inches of snow across the whole area. There could be a zone of 5-plus inches near I-95 into southern New Jersey and northern Delmarva, where snowfall rates near 1 inch per hour are also possible, according to the NWS.

Snowfall intensity may increase for a time early Sunday morning, forecasters said.

Most parts of New Castle County can expect up to 4 to 6 inches, while Kent County could see up to 1 to 2 inches in some areas. Sussex County should expect at least an inch, the NWS said.

Delaware snow forecast

Here’s an AccuWeather town-by-town snow forecast for this weekend in Delaware:

New Castle County

Middletown: 3 to 6 inches
New Castle: 4 to 6 inches
Newark: 4 to 6 inches
Pike Creek: 4 to 6 inches
Wilmington: 3 to 6 inches

Kent County

Dover: 2 to 4 inches
Felton: 2 to 4 inches
Harrington: 2 to 4 inches
Milford (In Kent and Sussex counties): 2 to 4 inches

Sussex County

Georgetown: 1 to 3 inches
Millsboro: 1 to 3 inches
Rehoboth Beach: 1 to 3 inches
Seaford: 1 to 3 inches

Snow impacts

Here are some of the likely impacts of the weekend weather, according to the NWS:

Snow-covered roads and slippery conditions possible the night of Dec. 13 and the morning of Dec. 14.
Rain to snow could reduce the snow totals some. In addition, any pre-treating of surfaces would get initially washed away on the night of Dec. 13.
Hypothermia or frostbite could occur with prolonged exposure and lack of proper clothing. Some impacts to infrastructure are possible the night of Dec. 14 through Dec. 16.

Windchills reach single digits, gale warning

When you’re outside shoveling, make sure to bundle up because it’s going to be bitterly cold Dec. 14 into Dec. 16.

Bitterly cold conditions will arrive Dec. 14 and continuing through early next week with the coldest time frame the night of Dec. 14 through the night of Dec. 15. Air temperatures on Dec. 16 stay below freezing across the region.

By Sunday night, the windchill will make it feel like 6 degrees in Wilmington, 4 degrees in Dover, and 5 degrees in Rehoboth Beach.

Many areas will not get above freezing from Sunday through Tuesday until a warming trend begins Wednesday, Dec. 17.

Peak gusts of 25 to 40 mph will be present Sunday into Sunday night which will result in very low windchill values.

Areas of blowing snow are possible, which may result in roads becoming snow-covered again and reduced visibility at times, according to the NWS.

Wind gusts between 35 to 40 knots are probable on the Delaware Bay and the New Jersey and Delaware Atlantic coastal waters along with hazardous seas. Areas of freezing spray are possible the night of Dec. 14 and Dec. 15.

How do I stay safe in the snow?

It is strongly recommended that you stay at home when it snows.

But if you absolutely need to drive, make sure you bear in mind the following safety tips:

Drive slowly. Snow and ice can decrease traction on the road, so be sure to reduce your speed.
Avoid using cruise control.
Increase following distances from the usual two seconds to roughly five to six seconds, as it’ll take longer for you to come to a stop on snowy roadways.
Make sure you have at least a half a tank of gas in your car.
Make sure you have an emergency driving kit in your vehicle. Items should include blankets or sleeping bags, extra warm clothing, first-aid supplies, drinking water and shelf-stable food items like protein or energy bars and trail mix.

If there’s a chance you’ll have to shovel your driveway or walkway this weekend, make sure you pay attention to the latest weather forecast, wear appropriate clothing and boots, and drink lots of water.

Make sure you also pace yourself as you’re shoveling. Check if you feel any pain or soreness and have your phone close by in case of an emergency.

What should I do to keep warm?

With winter fast approaching, residents are recommended to take the necessary steps to stay safe as the weather turns cold.

This includes making sure your homes “can be safely heated” and you always have crucial items on hand in case of an emergency, including nonperishable and pet foods, water and medicine.

Delawareans are also encouraged to have a driving kit in their car this winter.

Items should include blankets or sleeping bags, extra warm clothing, first-aid supplies, drinking water and shelf-stable food items like protein or energy bars and trail mix.

Olivia Montes contributed to this story.

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Delaware

Search Warrants in Dover Lead to Arrests for Drug and Gun Offenses – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Search Warrants in Dover Lead to Arrests for Drug and Gun Offenses – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware

Date Posted: Saturday, December 13th, 2025

The Delaware State Police have arrested 39-year-old Neal Barnes, 52-year-old Anthony James, and 51-year-old Kevin Walker, all from Dover, Delaware, for felony drug and gun charges following three search warrants in Dover.

On December 11, 2025, members of the Kent County Drug Unit executed search warrants at three residences on the 60, 70, and 100 blocks of Vanessa Drive in Dover. The search warrants were obtained following an investigation of Neal Barnes, Anthony James, and Kevin Walker for the distribution of illegal narcotics from their residences. During the search warrants, all three suspects were detained inside their respective homes without incident, and a child was present in Walker’s residence.

During a search of Barnes’ residence, detectives found the following items:

Approximately 2.76 grams of cocaine
Approximately 99.76 grams of crack cocaine
9mm handgun and ammunition
.38 caliber handgun and ammunition
Digital scales
Drug paraphernalia

During a search of James’ residence, detectives found the following items:

Approximately 19.88 grams of crack cocaine
Approximately 52.59 grams of cocaine
Drug paraphernalia
$2,472 in suspected drug proceeds

During a search of Walker’s residence, detectives found the following items:

Approximately .69 grams of heroin
Approximately .35 grams of methamphetamine
Approximately 11.77 grams of crack cocaine
Approximately 31 ecstasy pills
Approximately 14 acetaminophen and oxycodone hydrochloride pills
Approximately 21 buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual films

Barnes was arrested and taken to Troop 3, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $57,000 cash bond.

Neal Barnes

Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony)
Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony)
Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Felony)
Possession of a Firearm/Destructive Weapon if Previously Convicted of a Violent Felony (Felony) – 3 counts
Possession of a Controlled or Counterfeit Substance except Human Growth Hormone without a Prescription
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

James was arrested and taken to Troop 3, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $146,000 cash bond.

Anthony James

Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony)
Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony)
Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Tier 2 (Felony)
Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tier 2 (Felony)
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Walker was arrested and taken to Troop 3, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $39,500 secured bond.

Kevin walker

Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Tier 2 (Felony) – 2 counts
Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tier 2 (Felony) – 2 counts
Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance (Felony) – 2 counts
Possession of a Controlled or Counterfeit Substance except Human Growth Hormone without a Prescription – 5 counts
Endangering the Welfare of a Child by Committing a Drug Offense with a Child in the Dwelling