Delaware
Middletown runs away with record, team title at New Castle County meet
WILMINGTON – On the track, Middletown’s sprinters appeared to perform with relative ease.
The relays were won by wide margins. Handoffs were clean. Form remained intact through the finish. When they are at their best, the Cavaliers barely touch the ground, coach Yvenel Sainsume said.
But the aftermath of Middletown’s boys 4×200 relay at the New Castle County championships at Abessinio Stadium May 9 revealed the toll of another state-record run.
Leadoff man Zamir Miller bent over with his mouth ajar, hands on his knees. Freshman phenom Riley Robinson laid on his stomach, spread like a starfish on the infield turf. There were gasps for air between high fives and hugs.
The Cavaliers team of Miller, Amir Jones-Branch, Robinson and Brandon Jervey ran 1:25.62 to break the 4×200 state record of 1:25.98 set by Salesianum at the 2023 county meet.
About an hour later, the same team ran 41.60 to win the 4×100. It was a meet record and No. 3 on the state all-time performance list.
Middletown for a second straight year won the boys team championship, accumulating 127 points to best second-place Salesianum (94 points) and third-place Appoquinimink (56 points). Next week, the Cavaliers will defend their Division I title, entering as the favorites in several sprint events.
Dealing with cumulative fatigue and a few nagging injuries, Middletown has picked its spots throughout the spring.
At the county meet, the team prioritized a chase of the sprint relay state records over maximizing team point output across the lineup. They were chasing their own standards – last year, Middletown set the 4×100 state record (41.34) and was Delaware’s fastest in the 4×200 (1:25.84).
So far this spring, the holdovers from last year’s squad – seniors Miller and Jones-Branch – have shown they are even better than they were a year ago. But it was Robinson’s third leg in the 4×200 that created much of the separation between Middletown and runner-up Appoquinimink (1:28.07).
“Riley is a dog,” Jones-Branch said. “You would think as a freshman you would be scared to come in and hang out with the big dogs, but he never gets scared. He never backs down from a challenge. He always steps up. He’s always talking. He steps up and competes.”
Robinson has the fifth-fastest 100 time and the 12th best 200 in the state this season. He credited the team’s embrace of him for his performance.
“I want to be like Zamir and Amir,” Robinson said. “They’re very helpful. They help all of the young guys. If you feel left out, they’ll joke with you. Me personally, I think that’s what really helped me out.”
Jervey, the anchor, is Middletown’s queen chess piece. The junior won the individual 100 in 11.04, joining 400 champion Jayden Feaster, 300 hurdles winner Ethan Earle and pole vault leader Jessie Standard as Middletown’s individual-event winners.
Jervey is also among the state’s best hurdlers and ran on Middletown’s winning 4×400 with Logan Elmore, Sharvell Corbin and Feaster.
“It didn’t even feel like I was going as fast as I did,” Jervey said. “We felt like we were going a little slow. So, when that [4×200] time came out we were a little shocked. But it felt good.”
Meet records fall in distance events
When Tatnall’s Dylan McCarthy led the 1,600 through 400 meters in 63 seconds, it became obvious this group of Delaware’s top milers were intent on pushing the pace.
After that first lap, Saint Mark’s Alec Jurgaitis took the lead and stayed on the gas pedal through the middle laps with McCarthy, Tatnall senior Gavin Leffler and Salesianum junior James Dempsey attached.
At the bell, Jurgaitis surged and only Dempsey could hold on. At the start of the final turn, Dempsey let loose a big kick that Jurgaitis couldn’t match.
Dempsey won in 4:11.24, taking down the meet record set by Charter of Wilmington’s Kieran Tuntivate in 2015 by a half-second. Jurgaitis finished second in 4:13.93 and McCarthy placed third in 4:15.51.
“For Alec to take it, that was really gutsy,” Dempsey said. “I just wanted to go with him. I was like, ‘I have a lot left in me so I’m going to push here.’”
Dempsey ran the final 400 in 57.59. It was his first win at a major championship meet. He now ranks third on the state all-time performance list.
“In indoor, I didn’t want it bad enough,” Dempsey said. “I kind of realized that if I want to run in college and run at the next level, I have to push myself even harder this year.”
Dempsey has prodigious talent.
As an eighth grader at Dickinson in his second year in the sport, he ran a 4:42 mile on the Abessinio track. He lowered his time to 4:29.51 as a freshman and 4:16.75 as a sophomore.
“We have been trying to get him to be patient,” Salesianum distance coach Scott Davis said. “He’s been coming along, dropping a ton of time. We knew it was there. It was just a matter of being patient and sitting.”
In the boys 800, Charter of Wilmington’s Brandon Williams and Jurgaitis separated early from the field. Running from the lead, Williams summoned a faster second lap than his first to hold off Jurgaitis.
Williams ran 1:52.59 to break the meet record of 1:52.89 set by Mount Pleasant’s Johnelle Joe in 2017. Jurgaitis finished second in 1:53.46.
“I could feel Alec on me with about 200 to go, so I just full sprinted from that point to the line, basically,” Williams said. “I was scared like the whole time.”
Charter of Wilmington coach Rick Schuder said Williams has a laid-back personality, but is an aggressive runner, often taking charge from the front as he did at the county meet and when he set the indoor 800 state record in February’s indoor state meet.
“I think he’s ok with pressure,” Schuder said. “He’s always run his best at the big meets. I think he’s ok with it. He just rises to the occasion.”
Williams will hunt for the Charter of Wilmington school record of 1:51.91 set by Chris Brown in 2019 at the upcoming state championship and Meet of Champions. Williams now ranks tenth on the state all-time performance list.
Alec Jurgaitis leads Saint Mark’s to 4×800 victory
In most years, the New Castle County meet is split between consecutive days. This year, the first day of competition, including the preliminary straightaway races and multiple novice sections, unfolded on Thursday, May 7 before the bulk of the action on Saturday, May 9.
On the first day of the meet, Jurgaitis took the baton for the final leg of the 4×800 just a few strides behind race leader Middletown. Watching from the infield, his Saint Mark’s teammates felt good about their chances.
Jurgaitis, a senior, owns the fastest personal best of anyone in the race and unlike at the indoor state championship won by Middletown when he risked a fast first 400 meters to close a large gap, Jurgaitis was positioned to run under control and unleash a fast kick.
“I saw him sitting on them with a lap to go and I was like, ‘I know Alec. I know he’s ready to go now,’” said second leg Connor Wrinn. “And he did. He ran some ridiculous time.”
Saint Mark’s wins boys 4×800 at New Castle County meet
The Spartans ran 7:52.30, which is No. 12 on the state all-time performance list.
Jurgaitis’ 1:52.26 split gave Saint Mark’s the victory in 7:52.30. That time ranks 12th on the state all-time performance list. Middletown finished second, breaking its school record with a time of 7:55.82.
Evan Paskevicius (2:00.35) and Wrinn (1:58.43) ran well but Saint Mark’s still trailed midway through the race. Sophomore Ryan Brooks ran the critical third leg that set up Jurgaitis well.
Brooks lingered behind Middletown through the first 600 meters then made up two seconds with an all-out sprint in the final 200. His split of 2:01.26 was a personal best.
“He had such a great workout Monday,” Jurgaitis said. “He was beating me in the last few reps… He’s just pushing that last 200 as hard as he can. I knew he had it in him and he was going to race to put me in the best position.”
“[My coach] told me just give Alec a chance,” Brooks said.
Notes from around the track
- With a 61.31-second last lap, Tatnall’s Michael Simmons won the 3,200 in 9:39.33 over Delaware Military Academy’s Ryan Organek (9:44.67). Simmons is the first freshman to win the boys 3,200 at the New Castle County meet. “I’m just glad to be part of a moment,” Simmons said.
- Appoquinimink’s Wayne Roberts won the 200 with a personal best of 21.93. He also finished second in the 400 in 48.47.
- Wilmington Friends’ Chukwuma Chukwuocha won the triple jump with a jump of 44-6.5. “It’s definitely more mental for me,” the Friends junior said. “I know I can do it. I’ve done it before. It’s all about trusting the process and understanding that it’s not all going to happen at once.”
- Odessa’s Rodney Coker won the 110 hurdles by two thousandths of a second over Salesianum’s Austin Thomas (14.653 to 14.655).
- Howard’s Zi’Yon Henderson-Conkey and Korey Manley took first and second in the high jump, both clearing 6-2. Manley also finished second in the triple jump. The county meet was only his second ever track and field competition.
- Tatnall’s Max Martire won the county discus title for a third straight year with a throw of 176-4.
- Howard’s Suhayl Benson won the long jump by one inch over Delaware Military Academy’s Chris Keller. Benson could not complete his final three jumps after suffering an injury while racing the 400.
- Salesianum’s Roan Samuels won the county shot put title for a second straight year with a throw of 57-3.
Brandon Holveck reports on high school sports for The News Journal. Contact him at bholveck@delawareonline.com.
Watch the votes take place for the future of the Montchanin inn
Watch the New Castle County Board of Adjustment vote on whether the historic Inn at Montchanin should become a new neuro-rehab site, Dec. 18, 2025.
A medical group that wanted to create a brain injury rehabilitation center at the Inn at Montchanin Village & Spa but was denied by New Castle County’s Board of Adjustment has found a new location in Delaware City.
Delaware NeuroRehab has purchased the two-story Tilton Building at Fort DuPont, a facility that had been part of the Governor Bacon Health Center. The building has been listed for $3.15 million.
A subdivision was approved by the Delaware City Council in April.
The site at 2546 Colter Road will become the state’s first comprehensive post-acute inpatient brain injury rehabilitation center, according to the medical group. It will serve individuals recovering from traumatic brain injuries, strokes, neurological disorders, and other acquired brain injuries.
Construction and renovation for the 57,000-square-foot facility will begin soon, the group’s spokeswoman said. The 28-bed rehabilitation center is scheduled to open in 2027.
The historic Fort DuPont campus is along the Delaware River and the C&D Canal. The land had been a military installation dating back to the Civil War and is named for Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont, a Civil War Naval hero. It became a training facility until the end of World War II.
Fort DuPont was acquired by the state in 1947 and hosted the Governor Bacon Health Center. In 1992, it became part of the state park system.
Plans for the 219-acre site include new homes, shops, and gathering spaces while preserving and adapting many of the former military buildings dating back to the 19th century.
The Tilton Building was originally constructed in 1909 and reconstructed in 1936 following a fire, according to a brochure from Emory Hill, a commercial real estate and property management group. It served as the barracks for the First Regiment of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stationed at Fort DuPont. The building housed up to 628 enlisted men and supported the regiment’s engineering operations at the fort.
Later, it was a hospital for children and elderly patients. It was named for Dr. James Tilton, a Delaware physician and the first surgeon general of the U.S. after the Revolutionary War in 1948. The medical facility closed in the 1990s.
Last summer, Delaware NeuroRehab, which has outpatient locations in Dover, Newark, and Lewes, revealed plans to purchase the historic Inn at Montchanin Village & Spa from LeDee Lickle Wakefield, an owner and trustee. The upscale hotel, owned by descendants of the du Pont family, is on a triangle-shaped plot bounded by Route 100 and Kirk and Rockland roads.
In July 2025, an attorney representing Haresh Sampathkumar of Delaware NeuroRehab Inpatient LLC contacted New Castle County’s Board of Adjustment and said the doctor planned to buy the historic Inn, which, in the mid-19th century, was home to laborers who worked at the nearby DuPont Co. powder mills and at Winterthur estate. Wakefield’s parents turned the site into a hotel in the early 1990s.
Sampathkumar wanted to repurpose the historic Inn at Montchanin, located about 10 miles northwest of Wilmington, as a 34-bed short-term recovery facility that would have provided brain-injured patients with physical, occupational, speech, and other rehabilitation services.
Sampathkumar said the rehabilitation center was needed and filled a gap in care for patients who often must leave the state to receive specialized post-acute rehabilitation services.
The doctor said he had no plans to change the exterior of the buildings on the site, other than installing ramps that would have made them compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. He said the 76-seat Krazy Kat’s restaurant, open since 1996 in a former blacksmith shop, and the Inn’s spa, located in a stone barn on the property, would continue to operate.
Delaware NeuroRehab needed a variance from the county Board of Adjustment because the more than 4-acre site is slightly smaller than the 5 acres required for an institutional residential building.
Residents of the affluent Montchanin area, which has million-dollar homes, opposed the plan, while the county’s Land Use Department had recommended its approval. The Board of Adjustment voted against the plan, with one member citing the property was too small for its planned use. The variance was denied in December 2025.
The Inn at Montchanin Village & Spa and the Krazy Kat’s restaurant went back on the market for $7 million this past February. According to a July 9 listing, it is still for sale. The listing said to contact the broker for the current sale price.
The Delaware City location for the Delaware NeuroRehab has the same goals as what were proposed for the Inn at the Montchanin site. Delaware NeuroRehab said the new rehabilitation center will provide an intensive program designed to help patients gain independence and transition back into their homes, communities, and workplaces.
“Too many Delaware families are forced to travel out of state during one of the most difficult times in their lives,” said Sampathkumar, founder and medical director of Delaware NeuroRehab, in a prepared statement. “Our vision is to provide nationally recognized brain injury rehabilitation close to home, allowing patients to recover while remaining connected to their families, caregivers, and support systems, and ultimately return to meaningful daily activities including work.”
The project is expected to create more than 60 healthcare and support positions.
Patricia Talorico writes about food, restaurants and Delaware history. You can find her on Instagram, X and Facebook. Email ptalorico@delawareonline.com. Sign up for her Delaware Eats newsletter.
Measles in Pennsylvania worries Delaware health officals
Delaware health officials are on high alert as measles cases rise in Pennsylvania.
As measles cases increase in Pennsylvania, Delaware health officials say they are on high alert, warning that “infectious diseases don’t care about state borders.”
Dr. Ayanna Buckner, chief physician in the Delaware Division of Public Health’s Office of Epidemiology, said as of July 9, Delaware did not yet have any confirmed measles cases.
But she noted the state is vulnerable given its close proximity to outbreak locations, prior exposure incidents in Delaware and the highly contagious nature of the disease.
She also noted Delaware has already encountered potential measles threats this year, including an exposure linked to an out-of-state patient who sought treatment at Nemours Children’s Hospital and the detection of measles in a Lewes wastewater sample.
“We do feel that our Delaware community is at high risk,” Buckner said. “We spend so much time doing investigations around infectious diseases, and measles is the one that we are on pins and needles about this summer.”
As of July 8, Pennsylvania had 101 confirmed measles cases so far in 2026, up from 94 on July 6. The majority of those were in Lancaster County – 60 total cases this year, including 52 since late April – and Lebanon County – 20 cases. These counties do not border Delaware.
However, four cases have been confirmed in Chester County since April. Chester borders the First State.
“We can’t say, ‘Oh, that’s over there in that state; we’re [OK],’” Buckner said. “Again, because infectious diseases don’t respect state borders.”
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity. Quotations are verbatim.
Question: How concerned should Delaware residents be about measles?
Answer: So far this year, the Division of Public Health has issued two health alerts about measles. The first was in February, when an unvaccinated resident of another state who was infected sought treatment at the Nemours Children’s Hospital emergency department. Health officials notified anyone who was potentially exposed and conducted contact tracing.
The second alert came in April, after routine wastewater testing in Lewes detected measles in a water sample.
“We were concerned that a measles case would pop up in Delaware, but that never happened. So we are making a guess that perhaps someone was traveling through the area. But again, if someone with measles travels through here, they could still potentially expose people that they come in contact with in Delaware.”
If a fully vaccinated person is exposed to measles, then visits or cares for an unvaccinated person, what’s the risk to the unvaccinated person?
Everything in the study of infectious diseases is a risk calculation, and a situation like that would be considered low risk. But “that is why vaccination is so important.”
What would you say to someone who is hesitant about vaccination?
“I cannot give a stronger recommendation for them, especially at this time. And I say especially at this time because every meeting I’m in, when I’m meeting with other states, when I’m attending national meetings, we’re always talking about measles.”
Given large-scale public events throughout the region this summer, such as the FIFA World Cup and American 250th anniversary events, “one of our biggest concerns is measles.”
My child isn’t old enough to be vaccinated. Are there common sense precautions I can take?
The first dose for infants is usually given between 12 and 15 months. Some states with outbreaks are recommending that babies get them earlier. Delaware is not one of them. However, it has long been recommended that a baby six months old or older who is planning to travel abroad get the measles vaccine.
“Be thoughtful about prevention and be really vigilant. If someone is telling you they’ve got a rash, they’ve got a cough, really try not to be around them. So often folks are like, ‘Oh, I can’t miss work,’ or ‘I don’t want to miss this playdate.’ But if someone’s sick, don’t bring your baby around.”
If I suspect myself or my child has measles, should I show up unannounced at a doctor’s office?
No. Call ahead and follow the health care facility’s instructions.
Are adults who were vaccinated decades ago still protected?
If you were born before 1957, you are considered immune. If you were fully vaccinated, you’re also considered immune. If you’re concerned, however, your doctor can order a blood test to check for immunity. Such testing is fairly common.
“When we are doing a measles investigation, the first thing we ask is, ‘Are you vaccinated? Can you show us proof of vaccination?’ If we can’t find it in our Delaware database, then we ask people, ‘Can you show us your records?’ If people don’t have them, then we think about whether we need to recommend prophylaxis. But one of the steps in between is people will frequently go and have their (blood) drawn, which can demonstrate immunity.”
If a measles case is identified in Delaware, what happens next?
The process begins by identifying those who were exposed and inquiring about vaccine status. Then, health officials will “make appropriate recommendations about prophylaxis” – or a measure taken to prevent a disease from occurring before it becomes an active illness.
“We will also work with facilities depending on what type of facility it was. If it’s a hospital, we usually can get names and make phone calls to them. But sometimes it’s a public event, and we don’t have someone who can just give us all the names, so we will use social media and/or provide a letter that the facility can provide to inform people. I strongly encourage everyone to follow the Division of Public Health social media pages … We also strongly encourage health professionals, school leaders, business leaders, as appropriate, to sign up for our Delaware Health Alert notification, and that’s on our website.”
Which famous people have visited Hotel du Pont in Delaware?
Athletes, world leaders, actors and other famous people have visited the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington over the years.
Southern rap icon 2 Chainz is coming for Delaware’s neck this summer in a special event highlighting his recently released New York Times Bestseller, “The Voice in My Head is God.”
This book talk is set for Wilmington Public Library on July 21. Folks interested in attending are required to purchase the book at registration. The cost of a ticket includes the book.
Here’s what to know about 2 Chainz, “The Voice in My Head is God” and how he was involved in one of the greatest hip-hop concerts that Delaware never got to see.
Who is rap star 2 Chainz?
Tauheed Epps, better known by the stage name 2 Chainz, is a 48-year-old Georgia native who used to rap under the controversial moniker Ti– Boi when he was a member of the duo Playaz Circle, alongside his friend Dolla Boy. In 2007, the duo signed to Ludacris’ Disturbing tha Peace (DTP), a label that operated under Def Jam, according to an article from Revolt.TV.
That same year, Playaz Circle dropped the major song “Duffle Bag Boy” featuring Lil Wayne. The Atlanta-area rapper eventually went solo and began his journey as a trap music icon who switched his name to 2 Chainz, under which he’s gained a ridiculous amount of music collaborations and success.
According to RIAA.com, 2 Chainz has racked up over a dozen singles and albums combined that have each gone platinum (including “I’m Different” and “Based on a T.R.U. Story”). That doesn’t even include the multiple guest records he’s appeared on that have gone platinum, too.
From Lil Wayne to Drake, 2 Chainz has worked with everyone
Some of the artists 2 Chainz has teamed with include Quavo and Gucci (“Good Drank”), Wiz Khalifa on the song “We Own It” (Fast and Furious) and J Cole (“Chris Tucker”), plus repeat collabs with artists like Kanye West (“Champions,” “The One”), Drake (“Sacrifices,” “No Lie”) and a joint album with Lil Wayne (“Welcome 2 Collegegrove”).
The rapper 2 Chainz has been nominated for six Grammys Awards and won his first in 2017 for Best Rap Performance on Chance The Rapper’s tune “No Problem.”
That time 2 Chainz brought in LeBron James
Thinking outside of the box, 2 Chainz brought on LeBron James (yep, the same NBA superstar who reportedly is considering signing with the Philadelphia 76ers) as an A&R for his 2019 album: “Rap or Go To the League,” Billboard reported.
2 Chainz releases new book, ‘The Voice in My Head is God’
The rapper’s new book released this past spring and highlights how 2 Chainz, raised by a single mom while his dad served prison time, chose to step away from the streets and discovered “his purpose: not by fame or fear, but by faith,” per the book’s synopsis on Amazon.
“In his most personal work yet, Grammy Award–winning rapper 2 Chainz shares the spiritual journey behind his success, offering a raw, reflective, and deeply motivational meditation on the inner voice that’s guided him his whole life: God.”
2 Chainz and the super Delaware concert that never was
One of Delaware’s greatest hip-hop concerts to never happen was supposed to include several rap legends a few years ago, and 2 Chainz was one of them.
This super concert was titled “Masters of the Mic: Hip Hop 50 Tour,” a celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, and it was set to be held at Frawley’s Stadium in Wilmington in 2023.
The tour stop to Delaware was slated to feature a lineup that included a blend of contemporary rappers and pioneers such as Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Fat Joe, Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh, EPMD, Rakim and Slick Rick.
Just days before the event, however, The Grand in Wilmington announced on social media that the plug had been pulled on the concert “due to circumstances beyond our control.”
A big reason the event was sunk is likely due to the price of tickets, which were initially $170 per person. The Grand offered the same tickets for $100 on Facebook not long before the show was canceled.
This upcoming book talk with 2 Chainz should be redemption for Delaware fans who missed him because of the canceled tour stop in 2023.
How much are tickets to see 2 Chainz in Delaware?
Interested guests are required to purchase 2 Chainz’s new book, “The Voice in my Head is God,” to attend his Delaware book talk. The price of ticketed admission is $28.52 and includes the book. Be warned: Tickets may not be available if you wait too long. Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite.com.
Where in Delaware is 2 Chainz for his book talk?
Wilmington Public Library (10 E. 10th St., Wilmington) from 6 to 8 p.m. July 21. For more information, visit facebook.com/WilmingtonLibraryDE or Wilmington Public Library’s Eventbrite page or call (302) 571-7400.
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.
-
Technology3 minutes agoNo, Flock isn’t threatening people for debating surveillance
-
World6 minutes agoIsrael signals readiness for another Iran strike as Trump declares ceasefire over
-
Politics11 minutes agoKelley Paul: America’s Founders were the ‘first civil rights heroes’
-
Health18 minutes agoYour resting heart rate could reveal more about your health than you think, doctors say
-
Sports21 minutes agoShohei Ohtani ruled out of MLB All-Star Game as Dodgers plan to manage nagging injury
-
Technology33 minutes agoFake VA shoe offer targets veterans
-
Business36 minutes agoLos Angeles hotels saved by last-minute surge in World Cup bookings
-
Entertainment41 minutes agoEmily Ratajkowski’s viral essay on sex life as a single mom scores her a seven-figure book deal
