Delaware
Legislative Hall ‘moving forward’ with renovation, expansion plans, despite opposition
Gov.-elect Matt Meyer stresses education in school visit after election win
Matt Meyer visited Glasgow High School the day after winning the race to be Delaware’s next governor. 11/6/24
Delaware’s Legislative Hall may soon look a little different.
Plans to expand and revamp the Statehouse are “moving forward,” beginning with a new parking garage, said Richard Puffer, who chairs the legislative committee overseeing the project.
The $150 million project has raised renewed concerns over the expense and need for the renovations.
Here’s what Delaware needs to know.
When has Legislative Hall last changed?
Legislative Hall has been Delaware’s state capitol building since 1933.
In addition to House and Senate chambers, the building houses offices belonging to members of the state General Assembly and is home to several committee rooms and the formal office of the state governor. It also has many murals, portraits and exhibits.
Plans to renovate and expand Legislative Hall began in November 2021. The last time Legislative Hall was renovated and expanded was in the 1990s.
There is “a great need” for more meeting and office space, both for employees and the public, said Puffer, who also serves as the chief clerk of the state House of Representatives.
What is included in the project?
A costly part of the project will be the new parking garage.
The current design will include approximately 350 parking spaces, including 240 for public access and 97 for state legislators and employees.
Once the garage is finished, construction will then begin on an underground tunnel connecting the garage to the capitol, Puffer said.
Additional work will include building up to four new large meeting rooms and moving the entrance from the west to the east side of the building across the street from the new parking garage.
How long will this project take?
The budget for the project should be finalized in June 2025, Puffer said.
If all goes smoothly, construction for the garage will begin in July 2025 and conclude by the end of December 2026 – with additional work set to begin in the summer or fall of 2026 and be completed by late 2028.
How much will this project cost?
As of now, roughly $40 million has already been invested into the project, with an additional $10 million from the FY 2025 Bond Bill, which was passed in June.
Puffer also said an additional $110 million has been requested for renovations and expansions.
Cost of the project questioned
John Flaherty, Delaware Coalition for Open Government board member, recently told the Office of Management and Budget, the project is “self-serving” and does not serve the public.
“How busy is the General Assembly” to warrant such an expensive change, given that the state legislature will convene for nearly 42 days out of the year this upcoming session, Flaherty said.
Other individuals who oppose this project, including Delaware Black Commission founder Jakim Mohammed, also call this a “wasted, taxpayer-funded” expenditure.
Mohammed also feels that attention should instead be focused on pressing issues facing the state, including education, infrastructure and housing.
Former state senator Karen Peterson recalled how parking and meeting space at Legislative Hall had “never been an issue” before, and how these renovations will be “taking money away.”
“We should be funding the needs, not the wants,” Peterson said.
While Puffer said he understands these concerns, he also mentioned how these expansions will help allow people “to participate in the legislative process.”
The Legislative Hall Committee is scheduled to hold its next meeting on Dec. 10 at 12:30 p.m.
For more information on how to attend or tune in virtually, visit the state General Assembly website.
Olivia Montes covers state government and community impact for Delaware Online/The News Journal. You can reach her at omontes@delawareonline.com.
Claiming lottery in Delaware
18 states have laws that allow national lottery prize jackpot winners to remain anonymous, but is Delaware among them?
The Delaware Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Monday, June 8, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 8 drawing
03-24-34-43-49, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Play 3 numbers from June 8 drawing
Day: 1-0-8
Night: 8-4-4
Check Play 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Play 4 numbers from June 8 drawing
Day: 5-1-2-1
Night: 5-5-9-3
Check Play 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Multi-Win Lotto numbers from June 8 drawing
03-05-08-15-20-24
Check Multi-Win Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from June 8 drawing
04-23-25-30-47, Star Ball: 04, ASB: 05
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Play 5 numbers from June 8 drawing
Day: 0-3-7-5-0
Night: 6-5-6-5-6
Check Play 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
- Sign the Ticket: Establish legal ownership by signing the back of your ticket with an ink pen.
- Prizes up to $599: Claim at any Delaware Lottery Retailer, in person at the Delaware Lottery Office, or mail your signed ticket and claim form; print your name/address on the ticket’s back and keep a copy/photo for records. By mail, send original tickets and documentation to: Delaware Lottery, 1575 McKee Road, Suite 102, Dover, DE 19904.
- Prizes up to $2,500: Claim in person at Delaware Lottery Retailer Claim Centers throughout Kent, Sussex and New Castle Counties.
- Prizes of $5,001 or more: Claim in person at the Delaware Lottery Office (business days 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) with a photo ID and Social Security card.
- For all prize claims, directions to the Delaware Lottery Office are available online or via mapquest.com for a map.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Delaware Lottery.
Can I claim a jackpot prize anonymously in Delaware?
Fortunately for First State residents, the Delaware Lottery allows winners remain anonymous. Unlike many other states that require a prize be over a certain jackpot, Delawareans can remain anonymous no matter how much, or how little, they win.
How long do I have to claim my prize in Delaware?
Tickets are valid for up to one year past the drawing date for drawing game prizes or within one year of the announced end of sales for Instant Games, according to delottery.com.
When are the Delaware Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
- Play 3, 4: Daily at 1:58 p.m. and 7:57 p.m., except Sunday afternoon.
- Multi-Win Lotto: 7:57 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: Daily at 10:38 p.m.
- Lotto America: 11:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Delaware Online digital operations manager. You can send feedback using this form.
PALMYRA, NJ — The body of a man who was reported missing was found along the Delaware River on Monday afternoon, New Jersey State Police said.
At around 1 p.m., troopers responded to a report of a dead man’s body who washed ashore in Palmyra.
The man was identified as Carlos Gil-Reyes, 31, of New York.
He was reported missing on Friday after last been seen swimming in the Delaware River in the Hawks Island Area in Delanco Township.
A friend of Gil’s, Argeni Infante, witnessed him disappear and told NBC, “He swimmed out from the boat with my other friend…and, the last word he told my friend, ‘Hey, I can’t no more, I love you.’”
State Police were unable to confirm any further details regarding the case.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Blue hen statue becomes UD campus landmark
Blue Hens Forever bronze statue, 7.5 ft and 3,000+ lb, unveiled outside UD’s Alumni Hall as a new campus landmark.
There’s a new big man – er, Blue Hen – on campus at the University of Delaware.
The Blue Hens Forever sculpture is intended as a campus rallying point that will serve as a key landmark for the UD.
Weighing in at over 3,000 pounds and measuring 7.5 feet tall, it’s impossible to miss the bronze statue when walking around campus.
Funded by the school’s alumni association, the statue traces back to the original 2019 plans for Alumni Circle, a project recognizing high-achieving UD graduates. Pandemic-related delays pushed back work on Alumni Circle – and the statue – until 2025, when the Board of Trustees approved it.
The statue is located outside of Alumni Hall, just off Main Street on the northern end of campus.
It was installed May 14, just before the end of the school year, but was formally unveiled May 31 as part of Alumni Weekend festivities.
The sculptor is Brian Hanlon, a New Jersey artist who has decades of experience crafting college and professional sports sculptures.
Beth Brand, the university’s vice president for development and alumni relations, said she was confident the statue was on its way to becoming a celebrated UD landmark.
“If you go to campuses across the nation, there’s so many great traditions and points of pride in statues and sculptures on campus,” Brand said. “We didn’t have a real central point for people to take pictures with the Blue Hen.”
The sculpture is already garnering buzz around campus, Brand said.
“It was installed just before graduation, which was pretty intentional,” Brand said, “so that we could have students and graduates take advantage of photo opportunities.
Alumni took notice too, flocking to the statue throughout Alumni Weekend.
Jacob Marks, a recent UD alum who works at the school bookstore, put it simply.
“I mean, it’s a really big chicken,” he said.
Marks said he has always leaned into the uniqueness of UD’s mascot, always explaining to out-of-towners that the name dates back to the Revolutionary War.
Commenters on an alumni association Facebook post about the statue welcomed its addition to campus, but a few wondered how many people would try to hop on its back and “ride” the statue.
Brand said that concern is soon to be taken care of. Summer additions include lighting, security cameras, landscaping and a “Do Not Ride” sign.
Jackson Cooper is an intern reporter for Delaware Online/The News Journal. He can be reached at jcooper@delawareonline.com.
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