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It was super close: Top 2 Delaware cheesesteak shops are named. Which is the best?

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It was super close: Top 2 Delaware cheesesteak shops are named. Which is the best?


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Two local restaurants are squaring off in the Delaware cheesesteak Munch Madness championship, and the contenders that made it to the final round may surprise you.  

The championship (or Round 5) begins Saturday, March 29.

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Lettuce explain: This is about Delaware cheesesteak glory. Readers can vote for their favorite cheesesteak they want to see crowned as the best in the state. As you’ll soon notice, every vote is important. (Go to the poll below.) 

Final 4 recap: 1 Delaware cheesesteak match was close; the other not so much

Last week, before the championship round, we were halfway correct when we predicted the matches between the last four finalists would be close.

Casapulla & Sons in Elsmere cruised to victory against Ioannoni’s near New Castle, racking up 2,290 votes to 1,705. In our prediction, we gave the edge to Casapulla because the family business has six locations across the state, compared with Ioannoni’s one and only shop. But we didn’t expect Casapulla to win big. Ioannoni’s, however, didn’t shrink away from the fight. The restaurant went the distance and hung tough. Yet, Casapulla had too much fire power and eventually forced the stubborn Ioannoni’s to get out of the kitchen. 

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Owner shares what makes Little Vinnie’s Pizza & Pasta’s cheesesteak the best

Michael Degnars shares why Little Vinnie’s Pizza & Pasta’s cheesesteak is the best in Delaware as it advances to the Final 4 of the Munch Madness tourney.

The nail-biter match came when Little Vinnie’s Pizza & Pasta in Wilmington faced off against Nick’s Pizza Parlor & Bar in Brandywine Hundred. It was a battle of new school versus old school, and the more seasoned restaurant had the upper hand.

Little Vinnie’s squeaked by with 1,620 votes to 1,612 votes. Close cheesesteak battles like that can be hard to swallow, especially for the fans who poured blood, sweat and cheers into the voting ballots. Munch Sadness is real, but there could be only one winner from those two juggernaut restaurants. It was a heck of a match.  

Delaware cheesesteak championship: Munch Madness winner prediction

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It’s easy to assume Casapulla is going to be the favorite to win the Delaware cheesesteak Munch Madness championship because the restaurant has used its brute strength to power through the last two rounds. They’re on a roll.

Then again, it was no tiny feat for Little Vinnie’s to get past Nick’s Pizza. The spirit of the late great George Foreman has followed Little Vinnie’s into the championship, where the restaurant steps in as the underdog. 

Can Little Vinnie’s take down Casapulla? Yes, but it’ll need its fans to vote like crazy to help the restaurant win. That could be too much to ask for a smaller shop like Vinnie’s to ask for, since Casapulla has great name recognition throughout the state, along with locations in every part of Delaware, except Kent County.

All in all, we predict Casapulla is going to be too hot for Little Vinnie’s to handle. But this is March Madness; surprises are always in play. 

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Thousands of nominations for best Delaware cheesesteak 

Last month, you sandwich lovers cast 1,100 votes for your favorite go-to spot for cheesesteaks around the First State that you wanted included in our Munch Madness challenge.

We sliced that thick mountain down to a chewy bracket featuring 32 shops ready to unapologetically smack you in the mouth with a fresh cheesesteak.    

How does the Delaware cheesesteak tournament work?  

Each week, readers vote and determine which restaurant/shop has the top cheesesteak in each face-off. 

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And each week, cheesesteak shops are sliced in half, based on your votes. 

The bracket began with 32 shops, then 16 and then eight and then four. Now we’re down to the final two competing in the championship, and after this week, a winner will be selected and that sandwich will receive a greasy and golden crown. 

To vote, simply click below on the cheesesteak you want to win. That’s it. 

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Schedule for Delaware cheesesteak March Madness 

Below is when new brackets will be announced for the tournament: 

  • Round 5 with 2: Saturday, March 29 to Friday, April 4 
  • Winner: Monday, April 7 

If you have an interesting story idea, email lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com. Consider signing up for his weekly newsletter, DO Delaware, at delawareonline.com/newsletters. 



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Delaware County school employee accused of sex assault of minor in Texas

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Delaware County school employee accused of sex assault of minor in Texas


Authorities say a Delaware County school employee is accused of traveling to Texas to sexually assault a minor he met online.

What we know:

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Michael Robinson, 43, was taken into custody near Radnor Middle School where investigators say he worked as a paraprofessional.

Investigators believe Robinson traveled to Tyler, Texas in the summer of 2024 to meet a minor he had connected with online.

Robinson, according to U.S. Marshals, allegedly sexually assaulted the teen over the course of a weekend. 

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Delaware County school employee accused of sex assault of minor in Texas

Prosecutors in Smith County, Texas charged Robinson in December with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child Under 15-years-old.

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Robinson is being held at a Delaware County jail where he is awaiting extradition to Texas.

What they’re saying:

U.S. Marshals in Pennsylvania said Robinson’s arrest shows that “sexual predators will always be pursued relentlessly.”

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The Radnor Township School District said Robinson has been placed on leave and will not have contact with students.

“Parents of the limited number of children to whom the employee was assigned were contacted by the administration immediately.”

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The district said it is cooperating with law enforcement and has “no information indicating misconduct involving district students.”

Crime & Public SafetyDelaware CountyNews



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Rehoboth cancels 2026 Polar Bear Plunge after major snowstorm

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Rehoboth cancels 2026 Polar Bear Plunge after major snowstorm


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Rehoboth Beach has canceled the upcoming 2026 Lewes Polar Bear Plunge and 5K Run to the Plunge as the Sussex County resort town continues dealing with the aftermath of last weekend’s snowstorm, organizers of the annual Special Olympics fundraiser said on Feb. 26.

“Rehoboth Beach is navigating significant challenges because of the snowstorm,” a Special Olympics Delaware email announced. “At present, the boardwalk and all beach crossings remain snow covered and many sidewalks throughout downtown Rehoboth are as well.”

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The plunge and 5K had been rescheduled to March 1 after severe weather conditions in late January caused it to be moved from its original Feb. 1 date.

The plunge will not be rescheduled for this year.

Last weekend’s storm brought nearly 2 feet of snow to parts of Sussex, closing hundreds of roads when trees and wires were downed. There were also power outages across the county, including Rehoboth Beach which had to restore power to its wastewater treatment facility.

Plunging for a cause

The polar bear plunge is one of Special Olympics Delaware’s more popular fundraisers, drawing more than 4,000 participants last year.

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In recent years, the event has been bringing in more than a million dollars for Special Olympics Delaware. Last year, plunge events drew $1.3 million, just shy of the record-breaking $1.5 million raised in 2024.

Alex Seymore, Special Olympics Delaware’s director of digital media, said the organization had already raised more than $1 million from this year’s event.

“We expect a small impact,” Seymore told Delaware Online/The News Journal. “But again, we’re showing that we’ve raised over a million dollars.

He added they are reviewing how the cancelation will impact them and their services.

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“It’s been just a couple hours, so we’re not completely positive how it will impact things in the long run,” he said. “We’re thankful for everybody that’s helped raise this money through this time.”

What is still occurring

While the plunge and 5k and been canceled this year, there are other indoor events that will continue as scheduled:

Feb. 27

  • 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – pick up packets and souvenir sales for the Plunge and 5K Run to the Plunge at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, 229 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach.

Feb. 28

  • noon to 2 p.m. ​Fire & Ice in the Atlantic Sands Ballroom, 1 Baltimore Ave, Rehoboth Beach.
  • 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Restaurant chili contest.
  • 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – pick up packets and souvenir sales for the Plunge and 5K Run to the Plunge at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, 229 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach.

Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.



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Trump Accounts for kids; are they available in Delaware?

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Trump Accounts for kids; are they available in Delaware?


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President Donald Trump touted his Trump Accounts for kids platform during his State of the Union address Tuesday, Feb. 24, months before the savings account program goes live this summer.

Roughly 63% of parents open bank accounts for the newborns and young children according to The Financial Brand, showing that in general, opening a bank accounts for your child is a good idea.

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But what, exactly, are Trump Accounts for kids, and does it make sense for you to open one for your child? Here’s everything you need to know.

Trump Account for kids explained

The IRS explained in a memo Trump Accounts will be available for any children under 18, with $1,000 seed money available for newborns and very young children.

That account will be seeded with federal government funds.

“A Trump account is a type of traditional individual retirement account that is established for the exclusive benefit of an eligible individual and that is designated at its establishment as a Trump account,” read the IRS’ Trump Accounts memo. “Upon an election under the pilot program, $1,000 is paid by the Secretary to the Trump account of an eligible child.

“An eligible child means a qualifying child who is born after December 31, 2024 and before January 1, 2029, who is a U.S. citizen, and for whom no prior pilot program election has been made.”

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The Trump Accounts website confirms parents do not need to make a contribution, but can deposit up to $5,000 a year into the interest-bearing account.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in comments published Jan. 28 a single $1,000 deposit into a Trump Account at birth should grow to an estimated $500,000 by the age of retirement.

When will Trump Accounts for kids lunch, and can I apply in Delaware?

Trump Accounts for kids will go live on Monday, July 5, and parents in Delaware are allowed to apply for the nationwide offering when it opens.

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Until then, you can visit the Trump Accounts website to add your name to the email list to get an update when the service goes live.

The IRS and U.S. Department of the Treasury released Trump Accounts guidance you can read before opening an account.

Problems with Trump Accounts for kids

While opening a Trump Account for your child may seem a good thing, TIME uncovered a few problems with President Donald Trump’s namesake account service.

“The program may be open to every child, but its benefits will flow overwhelmingly to families with the means to contribute thousands of dollars a year. What could have been a leveling tool instead risks becoming a widening wedge between the haves and the have-nots,” read a portion of TIME’s take. “For a family living paycheck-to-paycheck that is unable to add anything beyond the government’s $1,000 seed deposit, the balance reaches just $5,839 by age 18. “

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies echoed much of that sentiment, and said Trump Accounts for kids will have the opposite effect from its stated goals.

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Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.



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