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Millions in Delaware opioid relief dollars at risk of ‘fraud, waste, abuse’

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Millions in Delaware opioid relief dollars at risk of ‘fraud, waste, abuse’


Code Purple awarded $570,000 for day center, wraparound services

In 2021, when Delaware began receiving the first wave of opioid settlement money, lawmakers unanimously approved a bill that created the fund and the distribution committee and made them part of the Behavioral Health Consortium.

The overarching goal, a synopsis of the bill said, was “to ensure that settlement money is used to remediate and abate the opioid crisis and is not diverted to other purposes.”

Code Purple Kent County applied for two grants from the fund.

The agency first sought and received $70,000 to provide a mobile van and wraparound services for people struggling with opioid addiction. Services included transportation to treatment, housing, job training, medical assistance and child care, as well as support groups, social events, computer access and a pantry with free items and furniture, according to Hall-Long’s government website.

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The agency later was awarded $500,000 out of $980,000 it requested to operate a day center for people struggling with addiction, mental health issues, and lack of housing. Hall-Long’s website said the money would go toward “short-term term respite care, case management, individual and group therapy, job training and placement, COVID-19 testing, and other services that address the social determinants of health, such as food, transportation, clothing, and financial support” over a three-year period.

In August 2023, the agency received $290,000 of its allocation. Days later, Zaragoza contributed $1,200 to Hall-Long’s gubernatorial campaign.

Jennings and Susan Holloway, director of the distribution committee, said they received complaints in late 2023 and referred them to York. The auditor would not agree to an interview about the ongoing investigation.

Holloway also did not agree to an interview, but said in a written statement issued by Hall-Long’s office that the dozens of opioid settlement grant recipients are monitored by a staff member who “regularly communicates with grantees, conducts site visits, and assesses compliance. Funding is frozen if discrepancies are flagged and validated.”

Holloway’s statement said that in the case of Code Purple, her staff “noticed data inconsistencies, which triggered a manual review of the numbers. Unsatisfied with the review, funding was immediately frozen while staff conducted two site visits to gain more insight’’ from the agency.

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“They were unsatisfied with their additional review and as a result, funding was then permanently frozen in December 2023, and the organization has not received money since.”

Holloway said her office notified Jennings’ office in December that funds to Code Purple were frozen.

Her statement emphasized that it was her office’s “monthly reviews that uncovered the potential issues at Code Purple, investigated further, and took immediate action to freeze funds and notify the proper state agencies for further investigation.”

Hall-Long’s statement piggybacked on what Holloway said.

“The commission employs a rigorous process in evaluating and ensuring compliance with all grantees, with grant awards being considered during public meetings first at the commission with final approval from the Behavioral Health Consortium,’’ she said.

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“The disbursement of funds occurs in phases after thorough data reviews and site assessments. Non-compliance with these standards results in an immediate cessation of funding for the recipient. In addition to having funds halted, an awardee would be referred to the proper state agencies for investigation, ensuring that violators are subject to the appropriate consequences. This process worked recently when issues were raised.”



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Delaware

U.S. House GOP bans Delaware’s U.S. Rep. from same-sex bathrooms

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U.S. House GOP bans Delaware’s U.S. Rep. from same-sex bathrooms


From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-South Carolina, has introduced legislation that would bar transgender women from using women’s restrooms and other facilities on federal property.

It comes just a few days after she filed a resolution intended to institute a bathroom ban in parts of the U.S. Capitol complex that she said was targeted at Delaware Congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride, a Democrat, who First State voters elected to serve as the first openly transgender person in Congress just two weeks ago.

Mace said to reporters Monday that McBride, who she misgendered during her comments, didn’t “belong in women’s spaces, bathrooms and locker rooms.”

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While not specifically mentioning Mace’s bills, House Speaker Mike Johnson issued a statement Wednesday dictating that House policy in January would ban transgender women from using facilities — like bathrooms and locker rooms — that do not correspond with the sex they were assigned at birth.

“All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings — such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms — are reserved for individuals of that biological sex,” Johnson said in a statement. It was not clear how the policy would be enforced.

“Each Member office has its own private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol,” he added.

Mace’s resolution, which she said she wanted to be included in the rules package for the next Congress, requires the House sergeant at arms to enforce the ban.



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Delaware Co. woman charged with DUI after crashing into Pennsylvania state police vehicle

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Delaware Co. woman charged with DUI after crashing into Pennsylvania state police vehicle


Wednesday, November 20, 2024 10:33PM

A Drexel Hill woman has been charged with DUI after investigators say she crashed into a Pennsylvania State Police vehicle on I-476.

RIDLEY TWP., Pa. (WPVI) — A Drexel Hill woman has been charged with DUI after investigators say she crashed into a Pennsylvania State Police vehicle on I-476.

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Police say Sara Lawver crashed into the troopers’ patrol car in Ridley Township just after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Troopers were conducting a traffic stop at the time and barely avoided being hit.

No one was injured.

Lawver also faces charges of reckless driving and recklessly endangering another person.

Copyright © 2024 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.

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Today in Delaware County history, Nov. 20

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Today in Delaware County history, Nov. 20


100 Years Ago, 1924: From Washington, D.C.: The Census Bureau today made public estimates of the population of cities between 25,000 and 100,000 population as of July 1, 1924. The population of Chester was given as 66,602. These figures were published by the Times last July on special information from the Census Bureau. The last census, taken in 1920, gave Chester a population of 58,030.

75 Years Ago, 1949: Col. Frank K. Hyatt, Pennsylvania Military College president, is likely to remember today — his 64th birthday — a long, long time. At 7:30 a.m. Saturday, the popular prexy was routed from his bed by the din of the college band and the cheering of the students. When Col. Hyatt investigated the excitement at close range, he was presented with a television set and cries of “Happy birthday!”

50 Years Ago, 1974: Approximately 3,000 production and maintenance workers belonging to United Aerospace Workers Local 1069 went on strike early today against Boeing Vertol Co. It was the first walkout at the Ridley Township plant since 1968 when Local 1069 was out for four days. Local 1069 President Robert T. McHugh said today that negotiations had continued past the midnight deadline set by Local members when they voted to go on strike.

25 Years Ago, 1999: Aston police busted an underage drinking party after responding to a complaint early yesterday. Twenty-one arrests were made, with nine revelers from Aston, three from Delaware, four from West Chester, two from Glen Mills, and one from Folcroft, Media and Maryland. According to a report, officers responded to the 2200 block of Bridgewater Road about 2 a.m. They found two kegs of beer in a bathtub and began questioning those at the house. Officers quickly determined their ages were between 18 and 20. One 21-year-old male was also cited for public drunkenness.

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10 Years Ago, 2014: A group of Widener University communications students published a magazine that features stories and photographs about the school’s home city of Chester. The project was undertaken by the five students of Sam Starnes’ magazine journalism course offered in spring. The students produced every aspect of the publication, including conceiving and writing stories, taking photos and helping to design the publication. “The students did all of the reporting and writing,” Starnes said. “We ran the class just like a newsroom.” Unveiled Thursday afternoon, the 28-page magazine includes photos and stories highlighting Chester’s arts community, Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Laran Bronze foundry and the locally owned Phatso’s Bakery.

— COLIN AINSWORTH



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