Delaware
Police, state warn: 73 suspected drug overdoses, 2 deaths in 1 week in Sussex County

Beebe ER Dr. Paul Cowan discusses overdose surge May 1, 2024
Several Beebe Healthcare officials spoke at a press conference at Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing.
Over the past week in Sussex County, there have been 73 suspected drug overdoses, two people are dead and the National Guard has been enlisted to find out why.
Delaware State Police and the Department of Health and Social Services are continuing to warn the public as a surge of particularly severe overdoses happens across the state’s southernmost county.
“Exercise extreme caution, refrain from consuming unknown substances, and avoid illegal drugs altogether,” the agencies said in a news release Thursday. “Individuals struggling with substance abuse are encouraged to seek immediate assistance from medical professionals or addiction support services.”
The 73 suspected overdoses occurred between Friday, April 26 and Friday, May 2, with toxicology tests pending to confirm two suspected overdose deaths, the release said. The majority of overdoses have occurred in the Georgetown, Millsboro, and Milford areas, according to the release.
To determine the drugs’ composition, police enlisted the Delaware National Guard Wednesday to test samples from overdose victims. Initial samples showed packages containing the following:
- Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” a veterinary sedative
- Bromazolam, an unlicensed benzodiazepam
- Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid
- Quinine, commonly used to treat malaria
- Caffeine
The substances involved were packaged in small, white, wax-covered paper bags, police said, typically associated with heroin.
Background: Delawareans asked to ‘exercise extreme caution’ after string of overdoses
Beebe Healthcare in Lewes held a news conference Wednesday to address the more than 30 overdoses the hospital has seen since April 25. One of those patients died and more than 11 required mechanical ventilation and intubation, Beebe Senior Vice President and Chief Physician Officer Dr. Paul Sierzenski said. Many patients also required a significant amount of naloxone to revive.
All involved agencies have warned the recent overdoses have been much more medically severe than usual. There are no patterns related to age, sex or race, Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Director Joanna Champney said at the Beebe news conference.
Support for those struggling with substance abuse and a list of Narcan training events are available at helpisherede.com.
In Sussex, patients can talk with clinicians about substance abuse regardless of their insurance status at the Thurman Adams State Service Center at 546 S. Bedford St. in Georgetown.
More: Fatal overdoses in Delaware appear to be going down, but new troubling trends are emerging
Assistance for those struggling with substance abuse is also available through the following avenues:
- 911: In cases of overdose or medical emergencies, dial or text 911.
- 988: For immediate crisis support, dial 988.
- Delaware 211: Dial 211 or visit delaware211.org for free, confidential assistance in multiple languages.
- Delaware Hope Line: Call 833-9-HOPEDE (833-946-7333) for 24/7 access to resources, support, and crisis assistance.
- Treatment Connection: Find nearby treatment providers at TreatmentConnection.com.
Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught.

Delaware
Catch a native Delawarean on Sunday’s ‘$100,000 Pyramid’

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A native Delawarean will try to climb Sunday night’s $100,000 Pyramid.
Henna Pryor is a 43-year-old woman born and raised in Newark who will be a contestant on “The $100,000 Pyramid” game show on ABC. She will be paired with comedian and former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Bobby Moynihan and “Family Matters” star Jaleel White.
Pryor’s day job is as a keynote speaker, and she has done numerous TEDx Talks in her career about communication and workplace performance. She also is the author of “Good Awkward,” a book about embracing cringe-worthy moments in your life and using them to your advantage. She said the skills in her book and speeches played into her hands while on a nationally televised game show. Instead of being nervous in front of a camera, she felt prepared by her career to take the stage.
“I think I had an advantage as a player that bright lights, big stages are something I’m used to,” she said.
The Newark High School graduate received an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles for the January filming. She said she had many practice sessions before taking the stage, which were more fun than procedural for her. She had watched the show when she was younger and made a connection at a convention. From there, she applied on social media and started interviewing and practicing.
She said because of the tight community found in a small state like Delaware, she has never been starstruck.
“I do think some of that small state stuff gives you a little perspective; it’s just like meeting people from all walks,” she said.
The only thing she wanted to avoid was fumbling her moment on television, but she said she was prepared for the entire experience.
“If you give a keynote speech, even if there’s 800 people in the audience, the only people who really see that are the people that were in the audience,” she said. “No matter how this goes, it’s going to be on national TV, like it’s there’s no way around that.”
See how Pryor did at 10 p.m. Sunday on ABC.
Delaware
It was super close: Top 2 Delaware cheesesteak shops are named. Which is the best?

Casapulla in Elsmere vying for bragging rights for best cheesesteak in Delaware
Casapulla in Elsmere has reached the final four in DelawareOnline’s best cheesesteak in Delaware bracket. 3/25/25
Two local restaurants are squaring off in the Delaware cheesesteak Munch Madness championship, and the contenders that made it to the final round may surprise you.
The championship (or Round 5) begins Saturday, March 29.
Lettuce explain: This is about Delaware cheesesteak glory. Readers can vote for their favorite cheesesteak they want to see crowned as the best in the state. As you’ll soon notice, every vote is important. (Go to the poll below.)
Final 4 recap: 1 Delaware cheesesteak match was close; the other not so much
Last week, before the championship round, we were halfway correct when we predicted the matches between the last four finalists would be close.
Casapulla & Sons in Elsmere cruised to victory against Ioannoni’s near New Castle, racking up 2,290 votes to 1,705. In our prediction, we gave the edge to Casapulla because the family business has six locations across the state, compared with Ioannoni’s one and only shop. But we didn’t expect Casapulla to win big. Ioannoni’s, however, didn’t shrink away from the fight. The restaurant went the distance and hung tough. Yet, Casapulla had too much fire power and eventually forced the stubborn Ioannoni’s to get out of the kitchen.

Owner shares what makes Little Vinnie’s Pizza & Pasta’s cheesesteak the best
Michael Degnars shares why Little Vinnie’s Pizza & Pasta’s cheesesteak is the best in Delaware as it advances to the Final 4 of the Munch Madness tourney.
The nail-biter match came when Little Vinnie’s Pizza & Pasta in Wilmington faced off against Nick’s Pizza Parlor & Bar in Brandywine Hundred. It was a battle of new school versus old school, and the more seasoned restaurant had the upper hand.
Little Vinnie’s squeaked by with 1,620 votes to 1,612 votes. Close cheesesteak battles like that can be hard to swallow, especially for the fans who poured blood, sweat and cheers into the voting ballots. Munch Sadness is real, but there could be only one winner from those two juggernaut restaurants. It was a heck of a match.
Delaware cheesesteak championship: Munch Madness winner prediction
It’s easy to assume Casapulla is going to be the favorite to win the Delaware cheesesteak Munch Madness championship because the restaurant has used its brute strength to power through the last two rounds. They’re on a roll.
Then again, it was no tiny feat for Little Vinnie’s to get past Nick’s Pizza. The spirit of the late great George Foreman has followed Little Vinnie’s into the championship, where the restaurant steps in as the underdog.
Can Little Vinnie’s take down Casapulla? Yes, but it’ll need its fans to vote like crazy to help the restaurant win. That could be too much to ask for a smaller shop like Vinnie’s to ask for, since Casapulla has great name recognition throughout the state, along with locations in every part of Delaware, except Kent County.
All in all, we predict Casapulla is going to be too hot for Little Vinnie’s to handle. But this is March Madness; surprises are always in play.
Thousands of nominations for best Delaware cheesesteak
Last month, you sandwich lovers cast 1,100 votes for your favorite go-to spot for cheesesteaks around the First State that you wanted included in our Munch Madness challenge.
We sliced that thick mountain down to a chewy bracket featuring 32 shops ready to unapologetically smack you in the mouth with a fresh cheesesteak.
How does the Delaware cheesesteak tournament work?
Each week, readers vote and determine which restaurant/shop has the top cheesesteak in each face-off.
And each week, cheesesteak shops are sliced in half, based on your votes.
The bracket began with 32 shops, then 16 and then eight and then four. Now we’re down to the final two competing in the championship, and after this week, a winner will be selected and that sandwich will receive a greasy and golden crown.
To vote, simply click below on the cheesesteak you want to win. That’s it.
Schedule for Delaware cheesesteak March Madness
Below is when new brackets will be announced for the tournament:
- Round 5 with 2: Saturday, March 29 to Friday, April 4
- Winner: Monday, April 7
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.
Delaware
Delaware lawmakers to hold food drives in Glasgow, Milford after food shipments halted

Protest against Trump administration held on Main Street in Newark
About 300 people took to Main Street in Newark on March 8, 2025, to protest Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
Delaware lawmakers will hold donation drives in Glasgow and Milford to support the Food Bank of Delaware after the nonprofit’s food deliveries were canceled by President Donald Trump.
The Trump administration halted food aid shipments and funding earlier this month, resulting in a roughly 900,000 meal shortage for the Delaware food bank. The federal government’s actions have resulted in food banks across the country scrambling to make up for the shortfalls.
In February alone, more than 50% of the food distributed by the Food Bank of Delaware came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Food Assistance Program, which supplies essential items to food banks across the country.
Delaware Democratic legislators are hosting two donation drives to raise awareness of the recent cuts:
- House Democrats will a food drive from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, at the Food Bank of Delaware’s Glasgow location at 222 Lake Drive.
- State senators will hold a similar donation drive at the food bank’s Milford location from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at 102 Delaware Veterans Blvd.
Rep. Eric Morrison, who is organizing the event, said he’s a regular volunteer at the food bank and has seen the increased demand for the nonprofit’s services.
“Without the regular support from the USDA that they rely on, the Food Bank will not be able to feed all of the Delawareans in need,” he said in a news release Friday. “Now is the time that we must band together and do what we can to assist the Food Bank and our neighbors in need.”
Delaware legislators are inviting residents to take part in the food drive by donating to the Food Bank. Most-needed items include: hot and cold cereals, peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, canned meats, rice and pasta.
For more information on how to donate to or volunteer with the Food Bank of Delaware, visit www.fbd.org/get-involved.
Got a tip? Contact Amanda Fries at afries@delawareonline.com.
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