Delaware
How DE delegation is responding to US military action in Venezuela
US military seizes Venezuela’s Maduro in ‘large scale’ operation
The United States seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife in an overnight military operation.
Delaware’s congressional delegation condemned the overnight military strikes in Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of the country’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, on Jan. 3.
Following the capture of Venezuela’s president and his wife, President Donald Trump told reporters the U.S. would “run” Venezuela.
Trump didn’t rule out having the military contribute to running the country, but said U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will run the country alongside Venezuelan leaders, USA TODAY reported.
Rubio said the administration did not notify members of Congress about the strike ahead of time.
Trump stated Maduro and his wife will be taken to New York to face charges of drug trafficking in an indictment.
Delaware’s congressional delegation, all Democrats, expressed criticism of the Trump administration’s actions and questioned the legal authority to intervene without congressional approval.
U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, called the military action “incoherent” and an “illegal” operation in a statement on Jan. 3, criticizing the Trump administration for not notifying members of Congress until after the strike had concluded.
“The Trump administration owes our country transparency and a clear strategy,” Coons said in the statement. “The administration must promptly brief Congress on its plan to ensure stability in Venezuela and the region, its legal basis for this action, and its plans for any further use of military force. Our Constitution requires the administration to seek congressional approval, in the form of an Authorization for the Use of Military Force, before they take any further action to commit U.S. troops or take military strikes against Venezuela.”
U.S. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester said in a statement on social media that the president carried out the operation without congressional approval because he knew Congress wouldn’t approve it.
“If this continues, nothing stops him from sending American troops around the world to carry out his own reckless foreign policy decisions, which thus far have already negatively impacted our standing on the global stage and continue to erode further the separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution,” Blunt Rochester said in the statement.
“The administration must immediately brief Congress on its legal justification for this decision and its plan going forward,” Blunt Rochester added. “Congress must take action on Senator Kaine’s bipartisan war powers resolution to prevent further escalation.”
In a statement on X, U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride said the Trump administration routinely ignores the Constitution and misleads Congress.
“I have fidelity to our Constitution even if I do not have sympathy for Nicolás Maduro,” McBride stated.
McBride criticized the actions. “At a minimum, these individual actions legally and substantively demand Congressional action and public consultation,” she said on X. “But collectively, the military operations we have seen in the Caribbean, the Pacific, and, now, on land in Venezuela, present a significant escalation of unilateral action that betrays a larger goal by this administration. Beyond arguments for or against any individual action, the Trump Administration is clearly seeking to remake the global order in a way that will, ultimately, benefit authoritarians and adversaries.”
“Our values and principles as a nation matter most when we have seemingly altruistic reasons to violate them. I oppose a ‘might makes right in my neighborhood’ foreign policy. It is amoral, illegal, dangerous, and lays the foundation for bad actors like Russia and China,” she added.
Coons added in his statements that the president lacks a clear plan for what comes next for Venezuela.
“This raid risks creating more instability in the region, putting U.S. service members and civilians in the hemisphere at risk, and dividing us further from our regional partners,” he said.
Sophia Voight is a growth and development reporter. Reach her with feedback and story tips at svoight@delawareonline.com.
Delaware
Where to find warming centers in Delaware during freezing temps
A video of tips on how to clean your snow boots and keep them in great condition.
A video of tips on how to clean your snow boots and keep them in great condition.
As temperatures fall, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services will open multiple warming stations to provide shelter for anyone in need starting Jan. 28.
These stations will offer Delawareans “a safe, warm space to get relief from the cold,” according to a post from the department on the social media platform Facebook issued Jan. 27.
Temperatures through Jan. 30 are expected to be below freezing, with another chance of snow predicted for this weekend, according to a recent National Weather Service report.
The warming centers will include facilities located in all three counties, including Wilmington, Dover and Georgetown.
Here’s what Delawareans should know.
Delaware warming stations
New Castle County
Canby Park Office, 1920 Maryland Ave., Wilmington
Churchman’s Corporate Center, 84 Christiana Road, New Castle
Claymont State Service Center, 3301 Green St., Claymont
Kent County
James W. Williams State Service Center, 805 River Road, Dover
Smyrna State Service Center, 200 South DuPont Blvd., Suite 101, Smyrna
Sussex County
Anna C. Shipley State Service Center, 350 Virginia Ave., Seaford
Laurel State Service Center, 31039 North Poplar St., Laurel
Thurman Adams State Service Center, 546 S. Bedford St. Georgetown
Delaware warming station hours
Stations will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 28. Stations will remain open throughout the remainder of the week, through Jan. 30.
These centers will provide space to residents in need of “a safe, warm place to go,” according to the Facebook post.
How to stay warm
With winter now in full force, residents are urged 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 non-perishable 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 covers state government and community impact for Delaware Online/The News Journal. If you have a tip or a story idea, reach out to her at omontes@delawareonline.com.
Delaware
Delaware Senate Democrats oppose more ICE funding after Minneapolis shootings
What are journalists missing from the state of Delaware? What would you most like WHYY News to cover? Let us know.
Delaware’s congressional delegation is calling President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown lawless and vowing to oppose more money for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The effort to vote down additional DHS funding this week comes after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents, respectively, this month in Minneapolis. Renee Nicole Macklin Good, a 37-year old mom, was killed Jan. 7, and Alex Pretti, a Veterans Affairs intensive care nurse, died at the hands of federal officers last week.
U.S. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware said federal agents are wreaking havoc on all Americans, and that this is a pivotal moment for the country.
“It is incumbent upon all of us to do whatever we can in this moment,” she said. “Delawareans, we’re known as a state of neighbors, and I hope that that sentiment stays with us and spreads across the country, because we need it now more than ever.”
The Trump administration, as well as the president himself, have blamed the victims for their deaths. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called Good a “domestic terrorist.” She said Pretti was “brandishing a weapon,” although bystander video shows Pretti holding a cellphone and trying to help a woman who had been pepper sprayed. Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino said Pretti intended to “massacre law enforcement agents.”
DHS received $75 billion in the massive tax and spending bill Republicans passed this summer, known as the “one big, beautiful bill.” Senators are currently scheduled to vote Thursday on six “minibus” appropriation bills to fund the government. If those fail, a partial government shutdown could begin as soon as midnight Friday. Senate Democrats want the DHS funding bill to get a separate vote from the other bills.
Delaware
Delaware needs to take care of littering
A letter to the editor expresses a reader’s opinion and, as such, is not reflective of the editorial opinions of this newspaper.
To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to viewpoints@capegazette.com. All letters are considered at the discretion of the newsroom and published as space allows. Due to the large volume of submissions, we cannot acknowledge receipt of each submission. Letters must include a phone number and address for verification. Keep letters to 400 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content or length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Letters should focus on local issues, not national topics or personalities. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days regarding a particular topic. Authors may submit a second letter within that time period if it pertains to a different issue. Letters may not be critical of personalities or specific businesses. Criticism of public figures is permissible. Endorsement letters for political candidates are no longer accepted. Letters must be the author’s original work, and may not be generated by artificial intelligence tools. Templates, form letters and letters containing language similar to other submissions will not be published.
-
Illinois6 days agoIllinois school closings tomorrow: How to check if your school is closed due to extreme cold
-
Pittsburg, PA1 week agoSean McDermott Should Be Steelers Next Head Coach
-
Pennsylvania2 days agoRare ‘avalanche’ blocks Pennsylvania road during major snowstorm
-
Lifestyle1 week agoNick Fuentes & Andrew Tate Party to Kanye’s Banned ‘Heil Hitler’
-
Sports1 week agoMiami star throws punch at Indiana player after national championship loss
-
Cleveland, OH1 week agoNortheast Ohio cities dealing with rock salt shortage during peak of winter season
-
Technology6 days agoRing claims it’s not giving ICE access to its cameras
-
Science1 week agoContributor: New food pyramid is a recipe for health disasters