Delaware

New appliance rebates coming to Pa., De., N.J. after last-minute Biden approval

Published

12 months ago

January 22, 2025

New appliance rebates coming to Pa., De., N.J. after last-minute Biden approval

Trump also started the process of withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement Monday and ordered agency heads to review all regulations that restrict “consumer choice” of appliances. Experts have said Biden-era energy efficiency standards for appliances would be difficult for the new administration to reverse.

While Biden’s expanded tax credits for home electrification and energy efficiency under the Inflation Reduction Act have disproportionately benefited wealthy households, the home energy rebate programs are expected to help low- to moderate-income households afford home improvements that will reduce their energy bills. In Philadelphia, Black, Hispanic and low-income residents spend more of their income on energy costs than households overall.

“These rebates are really important because they help working families in the United States access dollars that help lower the cost of these better, more efficient machines that are going to save them money on their energy bills,” said Ari Matusiak, CEO of Rewiring America, a national nonprofit that promotes electrification and related government rebates and tax credits.

States design their rebate programs within guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy under the Biden Administration, which require some of the money be reserved for families under certain income thresholds.

Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey all plan to launch their rebate programs this year, with Pennsylvania aiming for rollout of some rebates in “early 2025.”

The three states plan to offer all types of rebates available under the federal program, including rebates for appliances, home electrification infrastructure and energy-saving home retrofits. Pennsylvania plans to restrict the energy-saving home retrofit rebates to multifamily housing.

Income eligibility requirements for some of the rebates will vary by state, but all three states plan to restrict appliance rebates to households earning no more than 150% of area median income.

It’s crucial that the rebates reach low-income neighborhoods with high rates of energy poverty, said Pamela Darville, a volunteer with POWER Interfaith who helps lead the organization’s climate justice and jobs team. She wants to see Pennsylvania do extensive outreach about the programs in these communities, make the application user-friendly and available in multiple languages, partner with community-based organizations to find eligible applicants, offer long-term maintenance assistance and ensure the rebates reduce costs up front, so there’s no need for families to wait to be reimbursed.

“Those are just some of the things that we think will lay the foundation for equitable rollout by the state,” Darville said. “We all want energy-efficient appliances, but some of us just can’t afford it.”

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Delaware

New child care center coming to Wilmington in 2026: Education roundup

Published

8 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

New child care center coming to Wilmington in 2026: Education roundup

As the winter holidays fade to memory, most Delaware schools should be heating back up.

In the Wilmington area, two Catholic schools – Archmere and Nativity Prep – have announced new leadership at their highest ranks. And in the same city this spring, the YMCA of Delaware is slated to bring its new Early Learning Academy on the East Side.

Also just ahead of the new year, Delaware Community Foundation announced open applications for some 82 scholarships. Last year, that meant more than $850,000 in aid for Delaware students.

In this weekly roundup, we’ll catch you up on these and other education stories you may have missed.

(Did we miss another good education story? Let me know: kepowers@gannett.com)

Wilmington will soon see a new YMCA Early Learning Academy

YMCA of Delaware is looking to inject more affordable child care into Delaware’s largest city.

As previously reported, the Community Education Building – or a Wilmington high-rise packed with four schools, seven nonprofits, some 1,500 students and family services – is bringing its new, 11,000-square-foot Youth Development Center next door, on Wilmington’s East Side. And thanks to this partnership, it will now include a YMCA Early Learning Academy.

Launching this spring, the academy will gear up to serve up to 100 children, according to a press release, from infancy through pre-K. Enrollment begins Jan. 5, according to the YMCA.

The academy will “focus on nurturing academic readiness, social-emotional development, and lifelong confidence during the most critical years of child development,” according to the nonprofit. All said, the goal is to ensure each child gets “a strong start.”

The overall youth center came together with well over $20 million in funding, fueling aims for athletic facilities, spaces for workforce development programs, an early learning center and more near the 1200 block of Wilson St.

“This project is about opportunity – creating a space where families feel supported and every child has the chance to succeed,” said Jarrett Royster, CEO of the YMCA of Delaware, in a statement.

ICYMI: New scholarships for Delaware students available

The Delaware Community Foundation has opened applications for its 2026–2027 scholarships.

From Dec. 15, 2025, to March 15, 2026, students can apply for 82 scholarships covering a wide variety of majors, backgrounds, and financial needs. For the first time, according to the foundation, that also includes funding for students pursuing trade programs. The aid is fueled by community donors.

Awards range from a single $500 payment – to one-time awards of $20,000 or four-year scholarships of $10,000 a year.

Just last year, the foundation said it awarded some $851,500 to 245 Delaware students, a 30% increase from the year before. This year they’re right back at it.

Interested students and families should check out the 2026-2027 Scholarship Compendium online.

Archmere Academy announces new head of school

Just before the holiday season hit full swing, Archmere Academy announced a new head of school to lead the historic, Catholic prep school’s next chapter.

That will be Daniel Hickey of Archmere’s own class of 1989.

Hickey will have hefty shoes to fill. According to this Dec. 16 appointment announcement, Michael Marinelli has led the Claymont institution for the last 15 years. Marinelli is looking to retire, as he told his board of trustees about two years ago, after a long stint strengthening enrollment, enhancing campus and steering a school through pandemic shutdown.

Now, after an “extensive national and international search,” the board has approved Hickey to step up, effective July 1, 2026. The next head of school already maintains “deep ties” to Archmere, according to the school, alongside experience in leadership and Catholic education.

After graduating, he headed to Dickinson College to major in English and minor in fine arts, while also playing football. English remains his passion subject to teach. Later, he worked in admissions in both Dickinson and American University, where he also earned his master’s degree in literature. He returned to Archmere in 1998 to lead, teach and coach football.

By 2006, he was wrapping up his doctorate degree in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, according to Archmere, and he joined Tower Hill. There, he held various positions of leadership, including head of the Upper School. Since 2017, Hickey has been head of school at Upland Country Day School in Pennsylvania.

As Hickey said in a portion of his first written statement to the Archmere community: “I am extremely excited and deeply committed to leading Archmere into its next chapter – solidifying its reputation as one of the finest independent Catholic schools in the nation, while preserving and renewing the heritage and communion that has meant so much in my own life.”

Wilmington’s Nativity Prep School names new president

The Nativity Preparatory School – a tuition-free, Catholic middle school for boys in the heart of Wilmington – also just named its next leader.

Tony Alleyne will serve as the next president of the school, effective Jan. 5, bringing more more than 20 years of experience in education and leadership to the school in its 23rd year. The board of trustees announced the hire on Dec. 29.

“Dr. Alleyne brings a rare combination of educational excellence, visionary non-profit leadership and deep care for young people,” said Pat Blewett, chair of the board, in the announcement.

Alleyne most recently worked as the founder and executive director of Delaware College Scholars, a nonprofit promoting college access and more. That program has raised more than $10 million, according to Nativity Prep, while managing a $1.2 million organizational budget and other student supports.

Before that post, Alleyne also spent a decade at St. Andrew’s School near Middletown. The educator worked as a history teacher, coach, dorm parent, college counselor and senior admissions administrator – later rising to interim director of admissions. He has also worked in North Carolina, where his teaching career began, as well as a stint in Shanghai.

Here in Delaware, Alleyne has served on several boards, while also earning national and regional honors. The new president brings with him a doctorate in educational leadership from University of Pennsylvania, alongside a mater’s degree from Columbia University’s Klingenstein Center.

“Nativity’s belief in the dignity, brilliance, and potential of young men – especially those from communities like the one I grew up in – aligns perfectly with my own values and life’s work,” Alleyne said in a statement.

Got another education tip? Contact Kelly Powers at kepowers@usatodayco.com.

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Delaware

Bliss, Houser score 19 each as Delaware beats Kennesaw State 67-52

Published

20 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

Bliss, Houser score 19 each as Delaware beats Kennesaw State 67-52

NEWARK, Del. (AP) — Christian Bliss’ 19 points helped Delaware defeat Kennesaw State 67-52 on Sunday.

Bliss also added eight rebounds and seven assists for the Fightin’ Blue Hens (5-9, 1-2 Conference USA). Tyler Houser scored 19 points while shooting 7 for 9, including 3 for 5 from beyond the arc. Justyn Fernandez had 10 points and shot 5 of 16 from the field.

Simeon Cottle led the way for the Owls (8-6, 0-3) with 16 points and seven assists. Kennesaw State also got 11 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and four blocks from Braedan Lue. Ramone Seals had 11 points.

Delaware took the lead for good with 2:43 remaining in the first half. The score was 29-22 at halftime, with Houser racking up nine points. Bliss scored 15 points in the second half to help lead the way as Delaware went on to secure a victory, outscoring Kennesaw State by eight points in the second half.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Delaware

2026 restaurants will serve smash burgers, bagels, ‘down home cooking’

Published

1 day ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

2026 restaurants will serve smash burgers, bagels, ‘down home cooking’

Everything from smash burgers and Caribbean curry bowls to protein-packed meals and low-alcohol drinks is what the National Restaurant Association predicts will be among the hot culinary trends in 2026.

The association’s What’s Hot Culinary Forecast highlights trends set to shape America’s menus.

The 2026 report shows that diners are craving fusions of past trends and modern flavors.

They say diners will be seeking out local sourcing, comfort foods, value menus, smash burgers, allergen-friendly menus, and adding protein to drinks like smoothies and foods such as pancakes

With that in mind, here are some new restaurants and food businesses on the horizon that are expected to open in 2026 and may be embracing these trends as they launch:

Dixie’s Down Home Cooking, 2 N. Main St., Smyrna. A Facebook post said that the restaurant, which will be open at 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday and with a brunch service on Sunday, is coming in February. It’s the former site of the short-lived Inn at Duck Creek at Smyrna’s famed Four Corners. Comfort food seems likely.

Lefty’s Alley & Eats, the restaurant-bowling alley-arcade in Lewes, will open a second location in Newark in June 2026. The exterior of the 55,000-square-foot building, near the University of Delaware at The Grove, is complete and interior construction is ongoing, a news release said.

The Surf Bagel chain is opening a store in Churchmans Place shopping near Christiana Hospital in spring 2026. This will mark the seventh location for the Delaware-based chain. The Stanton-area store at 1103 Churchmans Road is taking over the site of the former Fuego Peri Peri Grill, which closed this past April after operating for three years.

Karma’s Korner is a cafe and grocery that Katie Kutler, owner of kaffé Karma in Greenville, announced on Instagram that she is creating in Wilmington’s Forty Acres neighborhood. It’s in the former Ciro Forty Acres space. Karma’s Korner will serve coffee, bagels, breakfast sandwiches, pastries, baguettes, healthy to-go meals, salads, juices kombucha and more. Stay tuned. Visit Instagram and Katie Kutler’s health and wellness YouTube channel for updates.

Bubba’s 33, a family-style restaurant with smash burgers (!), pizzas, wings and salads, will replace the old TGIFridays on Concord Pike that closed in August after 34 years. Its targeted date is spring 2026. Bubba’s 33 was founded in 2013 by Kent Taylor, the founder of Texas Roadhouse. It has locations in Maryland and New Jersey.

La Pizzeria Metro in the Town of Whitehall near Middletown is coming soon. It’s a spinoff of the Tumolo family’s La Pizzeria Metro off Miller Road. The new restaurant will have state-of-the-art pizza ovens for making wood-fired and New York-style pizza. The family is making pasta and gelato. Artisan sandwiches and salads also will be on the menu, along with beer and wine. Tumolos also operate Cafe Riviera in the Concord Mall.

A sign touting Casa Kahlo Mexican Grill & Bar has been posted outside of the closed Colbie’s Southern Kissed Chicken off Route 7 between Border Cafe and Royal Farms, which opened in September 2021. There’s a Casa Kahlo in the Newark Shopping Center. We reached out to the restaurant for more information and didn’t immediately receive a return call.

The first Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers in Delaware is planning to open in mid-January at 645 S. Ridge Road in Middletown, said franchise owner Jason Ingermanson. The 3,013-square-foot restaurant with a drive-thru is in front of Kohl’s along Middletown-Warwick Road, next to Chick-fil-A. Freddy’s specializes in steakburgers with patties “pressed thin to create deliciously crispy edges,” according to the company website. Frozen custard is similar to ice cream but it includes egg yolks and is churned slowly so less air is whipped into the mixture, making it denser.

In Middletown, Primo Hoagies is listed as “coming soon” on the company’s website at 1615 Lake Seymour Drive behind Kohl’s off of Middletown-Warwick Road. A spokesperson at the corporate office said an opening date hasn’t been set when reached by phone on Dec. 29. Founded in 1992 in “South Philly,” the hoagie and cheesesteak chain has grown to more than 130 locations, mostly in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with two in Delaware in Claymont and Wilmington. The menu also includes chicken cutlet sandwiches and the “Schwartzie” with corned beef, roast beef or turkey with Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian dressing.

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At the Northside shopping center in Middletown in front of Target, five restaurants are planned in three buildings near Middletown-Warwick Road. The sites are expected to be finished and open by April, said Pat Gallagher, executive vice president at Metro Commercial real estate.

Honeygrow and Paris Baguette are coming to the building south of Popeyes. Honeygrow started in Philadelphia, with a focus on healthy, simple foods with stir-fry bowls, salads and fruit desserts. The company has 60 restaurants in nine states, with three in Delaware, according to a July 7 report by Restaurant Business website. Paris Baguette is an international bakery and café with more than 4,000 locations, but just over 200 in the U.S., according to the Chain Store Age website. The chain doesn’t have any other Delaware locations, according to the company’s website. Paris Baguette sells whole cakes along with pastries, breads, doughnuts, sandwiches, wraps and hot and cold beverages.

Next door, First Watch and Qdoba will be opening in the Northside shopping center in the building near Doc Levinson Drive and Dash-In. First Watch is a breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant with more than 600 restaurants in 32 states including six in Delaware. Qdoba is a Mexican restaurant with 861 sites including four in Delaware.

In a third new Northside building in Middletown, Tropical Smoothie Café is the first business planned in a strip of stores with more than 16,000 square feet next to PetSmart and Sprouts near Middletown-Warwick Road. The restaurant serves smoothies, sandwiches, wraps, salads and bowls with fruits, nuts, granola and yogurt at more than 1,500 restaurants including seven in Delaware.

Wing Stop and Smoothie King are coming to the new Levels Crossing shopping center in Middletown on Middletown-Warwick Road at Levels Crossing Road, across from Royal Farms. Those businesses should be opening in the spring, said Andy Fox, partner at DSM Commercial, a real estate and construction management company. Wing Stop serves chicken wings, tenders and sandwiches in a variety of flavors with sides like fries and cajun fried corn. The company has 2,353 restaurants with seven in Delaware as of Oct. 6. As the name implies, Smoothie King specializes in smoothies made with fruits and vegetables, iced coffees, bowls with fruits, granola and toppings and toast with fruits, avocado or hard-boiled eggs. The company has more than 1,300 restaurants with two in Delaware.

In Camden, south of Dover, the Oishii Sushi Hibachi & Bar is planning to open any day now, according to its Facebook page as of Dec. 29. The restaurant’s address is 386 Walmart Drive #1 near Dollar Tree in the Camden Town Center with Walmart off of Route 13 South. The staff plans to offer “a warm, modern dining experience,” featuring “New York City-level sushi craftsmanship,” “fresh ingredients” and “beautiful plating.”

In September, a final site plan for a Cook Out restaurant was approved for 22928 Sussex Highway in Seaford. The Cook Out menu features burgers, barbecue, hot dogs and milkshakes in 40 flavors. It originated in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1989 and now has over 300 stores in six states. The only other Delmarva location is in Salisbury, Maryland. When Cook Out will open is unknown; the company did not return requests for more information.

Signage for Cape Deli has been up at the former Kaisy’s Delights location on Savannah Road in Lewes for some time. A helped-wanted advertisement said the restaurant was expected to open in December. The ad called the restaurant a “full service ‘East Coast-style’ deli and bakery.’

Pizza Machine, owned by the Dewey Beer Co. team, is opening a second location in the Safeway shopping center, off Coastal Highway in Rehoboth Beach. The space was formerly home to Hammy’s.

The menu will be similar to the Harbeson location, but the pizza will be “classic style” rather than wood-fired, Dewey Beer Co. spokesman Harrison Albert said. The restaurant also will offer a specialty beer menu that includes Dewey Beer and other craft breweries, according to Albert. It was also expected to open by the end of the 2025.

Eden restaurant, which has had a home on Rehoboth Beach’s Baltimore Avenue for more than two decades, is moving and will reopen in the space of Red, White & Basil at 20200 Coastal Highway in Rehoboth, over Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend. The last night of service at Eden’s current location will be New Year’s Eve 2025.

JAM Bistro, a longtime Rehoboth favorite which was open for 14 years on Baltimore Avenue, is coming to the former Coho’s Market space at 305 Rehoboth Ave.

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. Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Facebook. Ben Mace covers real estate and development news. Reach him at rmace@gannett.com.

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