Delaware
NY weather: Thunderstorms with pea-sized hail to hit Delaware and Sullivan counties Sunday
The National Weather Service issued a report at 6:19 p.m. on Sunday for strong thunderstorms until 6:45 p.m. for Delaware and Sullivan counties.
Wind gusts of up to 40 mph and pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) are expected.
“At 6:18 p.m., Doppler radar tracked strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Sidney Center to 7 miles northeast of Deposit. Movement was east at 35 mph,” according to the weather service. “Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible.”
Locations impacted by the alert include Sidney, Walton, Delhi, Colchester, Hamden, Masonville, Andes, Margaretville, Fleischmanns and Harvard.
The weather service adds, “If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.”
Shielding yourself from approaching lightning: Expert safety guidelines
Each year, lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times, with the majority of these electrifying events occurring during the summer months. Unfortunately, lightning is responsible for claiming the lives of approximately 20 people annually, as reported by the weather service. The threat of lightning becomes more pronounced as thunderstorms draw nearer, peaking when the storm is directly overhead and gradually waning as it moves away.
To protect yourself during a thunderstorm, take these recommendations into consideration:
1. Lightning safety plan:
- When venturing outdoors, it’s vital to establish a clear plan for seeking shelter in case of lightning.
- Monitor the sky for threatening signs and listen for the sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it’s an indication that lightning is nearby.
- Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.
2. Indoors safety measures:
- Once you’ve found shelter indoors, abstain from using corded phones, electrical appliances, or plumbing fixtures, and refrain from approaching windows and doors.
- These precautions help reduce the risk of electrical surges, as lightning can follow conductive pathways.
3. Wait for the all-clear:
- After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.
- It’s important to remember that lightning can strike even when a storm seems to have passed, so exercise caution.
When indoor shelter isn’t available:
If you find yourself outdoors with no access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:
- Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, which expose you to greater lightning risk.
- Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In forested areas, stay close to lower stands of trees.
- If you’re in a group, ensure that individuals are spaced out to prevent lightning current from transferring between people.
- Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If you have no alternative, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas. It’s crucial to note that a tent provides no protection against lightning.
- Do not approach water bodies, wet objects, or metal items. Although water and metal do not attract lightning, they conduct electricity effectively and can pose significant risks.
In summary, when facing the threat of lightning, vigilance and preparedness are your best allies. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the chances of lightning-related accidents and prioritize your safety.
Rainy roadways ahead: Essential safety tips for heavy rain
When heavy rain strikes, safety is paramount. Equip yourself with these guidelines from the weather service to navigate wet roads and avoid hazards:
Beware of swollen waterways:
- In heavy rain, refrain from parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a grave danger.
Maintain safe driving distances:
- Adhere to the two-second rule for maintaining a safe following distance behind the vehicle in front of you. In heavy rain, allow an additional two seconds of distance to compensate for reduced traction and braking effectiveness.
Slow down and stay cautious:
- On wet roads, slowing down is paramount. Gradually ease off the accelerator and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.
Choose your lane wisely:
- Stay toward the middle lanes – water tends to pool in the outside lanes.
Prioritize visibility
- Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by activating your headlights. Be particularly vigilant for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them.
Watch out for slippery roads:
- The first half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mix of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.
Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:
- Don’t follow large trucks or buses too closely. The spray created by their large tires reduces your vision. Take care when passing them as well; if you must pass, do so quickly and safely.
Mind your windshield wipers:
- Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely limits your sight, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or protected spots.
- If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes. Keep your headlights on and turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.
By following these safety measures, you can significantly reduce risks and ensure your well-being when heavy rain pours down. Stay informed about weather conditions and heed advice from local authorities to make your journey safe and sound.
Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
Delaware
State Police Investigating Single-Vehicle Fatal Crash in Delmar – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware
Delaware State Police are investigating a single-vehicle fatal crash that occurred yesterday in Delmar.
On November 13, 2025, at approximately 5:12 p.m., a GMC Sierra was traveling northbound on Sussex Highway approaching West Snake Road. For reasons still under investigation, the GMC left the west side of the roadway, crossed the median and entered the southbound lanes of travel. The GMC then exited the west side of the road and struck a tree.
The driver, a 30-year-old man from Georgetown, Delaware, was pronounced dead at the scene. His name is being withheld until his family is notified.
Sussex Highway was closed for approximately 4 hours while the scene was investigated and cleared.
The Delaware State Police Troop 7 Collision Reconstruction Unit continues to investigate this crash. Troopers ask anyone who witnessed the crash or has relevant information to contact Sergeant A. Mitchell at (302) 703-3269. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime or have lost a loved one to a sudden death and need assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit / Delaware Victim Center is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). You may also email the Victim Services Unit at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.
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Witness captures video of state and Seaford police assisting ICE
Christa Keim took this video the morning of Nov. 6 near the Seaford Lowe’s.
Provided by Christa Keim
The American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware is calling on Gov. Matt Meyer to issue more guidance on when state and local law enforcement can assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after Delaware State and Seaford police did just that.
The two agencies responded to ICE’s request for assistance in detaining Carlos Chag-Gonzalez outside the Seaford Lowe’s the morning of Nov. 6, according to an ACLU DE news release.
“It is still unclear whether ICE possessed a valid judicial warrant for Chag-Gonzalez, nor is it known if state and local law enforcement requested to see a warrant,” the Nov. 13 release said. ICE, Delaware State Police and the Seaford Police Department did not immediately respond when asked if they had or saw a warrant.
ACLU DE Campaign Manager Helen Salita signed the letter to Meyer. Without evidence of a warrant and purported witness statements that indicate there was no public safety emergency, the letter said, the incident raises concerns about whether police violated previous ICE guidance from the governor’s office.
The letter asks Meyer’s office to detail their next steps in creating new guidance by Nov. 20.
Previous guidance
The letter pointed out Meyer’s office has made previous efforts in response “to public outcry to not support the federal administration’s immigration enforcement program.”
Earlier this year, Misty Seemans, a deputy legal counsel with the governor’s office, told Spotlight Delaware’s José Ignacio Castañeda Perez state law enforcement resources would not be used “to effectuate federal administration policies” unless there is a valid court warrant and “an exigent circumstance where the community is at risk.”
And after Camden police entered into an agreement with ICE in April, which they later withdrew, Delaware enacted a law prohibiting agreements between law enforcement and ICE.
Most recently, the Wilmington City Council passed a unanimous resolution “opposing collaboration between the city and ICE,” the letter pointed out.
“However, the incident in Seaford illustrates that despite these meaningful steps, the rules around when and how our state and local law enforcement cooperate with ICE remain murky,” the letter said. “That is why your office must act immediately to issue firm guidance outlining how all Delaware agencies interact with ICE.”
“Without clear guidance, inconsistent responses from state and local agencies risk undermining public safety by decreasing trust in law enforcement and diverting resources away from programs that keep our communities safe. We also run the risk of Delaware being unintentionally dragged in to the federal administration’s immigration enforcement regime under backdoor, misleading pretenses that state and local law enforcement must respond to public safety threats where none actually exist.”
What police, ICE say happened
Chaj-Gonzalez was arrested after resisting officers from ICE Baltimore’s Salisbury sub-office, a Nov. 7 statement provided by ICE spokesperson Casey Latimer said. (Note: The ACLU has spelled the last name as “Chag,” while police and ICE have spelled it “Chaj.” We are working to clarify the correct spelling.)
ICE sought Chaj-Gonzalez because he is an “illegal alien” from Guatemala and has unlawfully entered the U.S. 10 times, the statement said. He has been issued a “notice to appear” and will remain in ICE custody, according to the statement.
Latimer did not respond to requests for Chaj’s age and other information.
Delaware State Police spokesperson India Sturgis said her agency responded to the incident “following a report that a federal agent had been assaulted,” but the ICE statement said no officers were injured. Sturgis later said Delaware State Police happened to be in a neighboring parking lot when Seaford police were dispatched to the incident.
“Given our close proximity, we responded to assist. As far as our threshold, our troopers assist any agency or individual when help is needed,” she said.
A Seaford Police Department news release said Chaj-Gonzalez “allegedly physically resisted federal agents, before fleeing and hiding under a nearby utility trailer,” the news release said.
Seaford officers responded and remained at the scene until more federal agents arrived, the release said. They also assisted in moving the trailer under which the man was hiding so agents could take him into custody, the department added.
The suspect “obtained a minor injury” while being taken into custody, the release said, and was treated by Seaford police util EMS arrived. Seaford police contacted the owner of the trailer but had no other involvement, the release said.
“ICE claimed it was a minor injury,” the ACLU letter said, “However, a statement from a witness said, ‘they busted some [guy’s] head open’ and that ‘a lady cop was putting pressure on his head.’” Neither the letter nor the news release provided the name of the witness.
“I can’t confirm at this time whether or not this was our first assist for ICE,” Seaford Police Department spokesman Tyler Justice said via email Nov. 6. “In this situation, we were requested by them to respond to assist which is generally our threshold for any federal agency or local partners. We do not have any information as to what grounds the individual was being detained on.”
On Nov. 7, the Seaford Police Department released another statement on social media, titling it “incident clarification.”
“We understand in this highly politicized environment that whatever we do, some are going to think we were right and some are going to think we were wrong. So the most we can do for the community is to try and be as honest and transparent as possible,” the statement said.
“We do not participate in civil immigration enforcement. We take our responsibility for the safety and security of ALL of our community members very seriously. However, when situations involving federal partners turns into a criminal investigation, as it did yesterday, we are legally allowed to and will assist, as we would for any criminal investigation within our jurisdiction.”
“(Delaware State and Seaford police’s) actions during the operation led directly to ICE’s ability to detain Chag-Gonzalez. For many Delawareans, especially immigrant communities, state and local law enforcement’s actions equate to undertaking an active role in immigration enforcement,” the ACLU’s letter to Meyer said. “These actions violate community trust, reignite fear and anxiety, and threaten the goodwill our state has built between community members and law enforcement through actions like banning (police and ICE) agreements.”
Delaware is at a crossroads, according to the letter.
“Will we allow our state and local law enforcement to continue to play by the old rules even as ICE terrorizes our communities, or will we hold our state agencies accountable for ensuring that Delaware is not willingly or unwillingly aiding ICE?” the letter said.
“We must be clear about where Delaware stands and ensure our guidelines reflect our state’s values and guarantee that Delaware remains a place where all people — regardless of immigration or citizenship status — can live and thrive without fear.”
You can read the full letter at aclu-de.org.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Facebook.
EDGE Winner Group Photo: EDGE 2.0 Winners – front row (l to r) NFN Brain Connections (2), KiposTech, Jupiter Modern Market. Back Row (l to r) Prismm (2), Lectrolyst, KiposTech, Crystron (3), Director CJ Bell
Newark, Del. – It was an evening of celebration and excitement as Governor Matt Meyer, and the Delaware Division of Small Business (DSB) announced the winners of the EDGE 2.0 Grant Competition. EDGE, the Division’s flagship pitch and funding competition, stands for Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion.
Seven awards totaling an enhanced allocation of $1.15M dollars, were presented to Delaware small businesses in a ceremony at the Audion at the University of Delaware’s STAR Campus Wednesday evening. Seventeen companies pitched their projects to an expert panel of judges in late October in two categories: Nine in Entrepreneur and eight in STEM.
The winners for the Entrepreneur category are Insight Ag Scouting (Wyoming), Juniper Modern Market (Milton) and NFN Brain Connections (Dover).
The winners in the STEM category are Crystron Technologies (Wilmington), KiposTech (Newark), Lectrolyst (Wilmington), and Prismm (Newark).
Three of the eight STEM finalists also competed for $1M dollars in federal funding, as part of a special bonus round in this year’s competition. Prismm is the recipient of that award which comes in the form of a direct investment through the Delaware Accelerator and Seed Capital Program (DASCP). DASCP is one of three programs providing funding to small businesses under the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) administered by DSB.
“EDGE 2.0 winners are turning ideas into paychecks and pride across our state, hiring Delawareans, investing in equipment, and keeping opportunity close to home,” said Governor Matt Meyer. “Delaware is a state of neighbors, and we will keep clearing the path for these entrepreneurs with practical support, fast service, and accountability. From shops and farms to labs and kitchens, their success strengthens every community.”
EDGE 2.0 is an expansion of the Division’s program which launched in 2019. EDGE 2.0 still features two established tracks – Entrepreneur and STEM – applies to businesses in operation for less than 7 years and requires a 3:1 funding match and for more than 50% of the company to be located in Delaware.
But there were extensive changes designed to take the program and small businesses to the next level. They included: more funding: $1.15M total available dollars (up from $750K in prior rounds) – $400K available for Entrepreneur (60% increase) and $750K for STEM (50% increase), a new online submission process, no set number of winners, no set amount awarded to each one, eligibility expansion to businesses with 15 or fewer full-time employees, having under $700K in assets, and finalists and awardees receiving additional post-pitch in-kind services and/or award supports. These supports will include memberships to networking organizations and expedited pathways to DSB funding programs and more.
“We wanted to enhance the ability of small businesses to not just get funding, but to receive practical support and tools to help them scale in way that will provide a foundation for longevity,” said DSB Director, CJ Bell. “These companies are the best of the best applicants and I’m excited to see where they go from here.”
Including this round, EDGE has supported 127 small businesses by distributing a total of $9.1 million in grant funds since its inception. This includes 83 businesses in New Castle County, 27 in Kent County, and 17 in Sussex County.
“We are thrilled to help these businesses expand and growThese seven businesses are joining an elite group of entrepreneurs,” said Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez. “Small businesses enhance economic diversity in our state by helping create new industries, jobs and markets. When small businesses thrive, we all thrive.”
EDGE is conducted twice a year. Grants are awarded through an extremely competitive selection process. After thorough internal review, finalists are selected to pitch their proposals to an outside expert panel of judges, who recommend whether to fund them and at what level. In August, 179 businesses applied for funding. Of those, 136 were in the Entrepreneur category and 43 in the STEM category.
Since 2019, more than half (53%) of the 127 awardees have been either woman, minority, or veteran-owned small businesses. Another 14% have been both women and minority owned, and 16% fall into more than one additional categories previously listed.
This was the twelfth round of the program. To learn more about EDGE visit de.gov/edge!
Entrepreneur Awardees:
Insight Ag Scouting (Wyoming) – $75,000
Insight Ag Scouting is a crop and field health monitoring company that uses advanced technology such as drones, sensors, and data analytics to assess crop health, pest infestations, soil conditions, and other key factors. EDGE grant funding will be used to support their growth and expansion plans through the purchase of soil sampling and necessary transportation equipment.
Juniper Modern Market (Milton) – $125,000
Juniper Modern Market is a community-based gourmet grab-and-go cafe, grocery and marketplace planning to open in downtown Milton, January 2025. The company will use EDGE funding to purchase commercial-grade equipment systems including coolers, ovens, grab-and-go hot equipment, a dishwasher, juicer, espresso machine, and extra ovens.
NFN Brain Connections (Dover) – $200,000
NFN Brain Connections works with individuals to restore confidence, focus, and mental balance. Many of those served come to them after experiencing a concussion, brain fog (i.e., Menopause), or early signs of memory loss. EDGE funding will be used to support its office expansion needs, including establishing a larger location in Dover, the purchase of technology infrastructure, the development of an online hub for clients and families, and website upgrades.
STEM Awardees:
Crystron Technologies (Wilmington) – $ 162,500
Crystron produces advanced battery materials and are on the edge of commercializing a breakthrough Cathode Active Material (CAM) for the Lithium-ion batteries. The company reports that its CAM eliminates 65% of current manufacturing steps, reduces energy consumption and emissions by 80%, lowers production cost by 40%, generates no waste, and consumes no water. The company will use its EDGE funding to take its prototype to market by enhancing production capacity, building a larger prototype, and expanding its testing infrastructure.
KiposTech (Newark) – $300,000
KiposTech is a Delaware-based agri-tech startup pioneering next-generation poultry biosecurity. Its flagship innovation, KiposPro, is a patent-pending “plasma bazooka” that uses ionized gas, to continuously eliminate airborne pathogens, dust, and ammonia inside barns 24/7, without filters or chemicals. EDGE funding will be used to take its machine from pilot to production – supporting manufacturing setup, on-farm validation, and safety certification.
Lectrolyst (Wilmington) – $162,500
Lectrolyst uses its innovative “electro-agriculture” technology to convert CO2 waste into valuable chemical products including acetate which then gets fed into precision fermentation for protein products. The company reports that this process enhances solar-to-food efficiency by 4x, reduces land use by 88% and reduces fertilizer use by 60% making it a sustainable alternative for producing fermented proteins, pharmaceutical ingredients, and vertical agriculture. Lectrolyst will use its EDGE grant funds for equipment, materials and testing to optimize its electrochemical stack systems for incorporation into the new containerized systems, and for designing, building and testing a new stack/assembly system.
Prismm (Newark) – $1,000,000 SSBCI/$125,000 EDGE
Prismm is a Delaware-based fintech SaaS company that has built a transaction-enabled digital vault to help banks, credit unions, and wealth managers simplify and automate the inheritance process, so assets transfer seamlessly. The company’s platform automates beneficiary mapping, pre-onboards heirs, and enables compliant transfers upon verification of death. SSBCI and EDGE funds will be used to expand its team, complete technical integration of its platforms, and also for marketing.
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The Delaware Division of Small Business (DSB) is a service-focused state agency, within the Delaware Department of State, that is committed to helping businesses start and grow in Delaware. Our Regional Business Managers can help you navigate government processes, connect with partner organizations that offer resources to small businesses and identify opportunities to access capital. DSB also oversees the Delaware Tourism Office and Office of Supplier Diversity.
Media Contact
Andrea Wojcik
Division of Small Business
O: (302) 672-6802; C: (302) 554-0060
andrea.wojcik@delaware.gov
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