Delaware

RISE salutes Rep. Paul Baumbach for bills on Medicare privatization for Delaware retirees

Published

2 years ago

January 12, 2024

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RISE salutes Rep. Paul Baumbach for bills on Medicare privatization for Delaware retirees

3-minute read

John Kowalko
| Special to the USA TODAY Network

A special heartfelt thank you to state Rep. Paul Baumbach from all retirees and RISE members for HB 281 and HB 282. Just look at all those sponsors he has gotten onboard and more have signed on since he prefiled:

As far back as mid-August in 2022, when Councilwoman Lisa Diller and I decided to found RISE Delaware, we realized that it would take a massive, organized effort on everyone’s part to stop the state of Delaware from imposing its Medicare Advantage plan on its current and future retirees. Joined by Connie Merlet we decided to formally create and incorporate the entity “Retirees Investing in Social Equity” known as RISE Delaware.

We agreed that retirees must organize and force a change in the Carney administration’s plan to privatize Medicare. The state plan being proposed at that time would impede the health care access for over 28,000 state pensioners including state of Delaware retirees and retired Delaware teachers, as well as college and university faculty covered through the state of Delaware’s health benefits — including police and firefighters and other first responders. Please refer to my guest post of Aug. 18, 2022 in the Delaware State News for more details.

RISE Delaware organized its first rally on Oct. 4, 2022 at the Lewis Redding Building in Wilmington and despite a driving rainstorm more than 50 people showed up to protest the proposal to take away their promised benefits. We scheduled another rally on Oct. 12, 2022 in Dover at Legislative Hall and more than 150 people attended to support and vocalize their opposition to the Medicare privatization plan that the administration was threatening them with. RISE hosted numerous other rallies and engagement sessions with legislators. On June 13, 2023, we held a rally in Dover at Legislative Hall with well more than 150 people in attendance. The Delaware State News did an excellent job of covering these rallies and an important point was raised. As a RISE cofounder and rally organizer I was obligated to remind those in attendance not to rely on ongoing litigation for their benefits to be honored, instead insisting that retirees reach out to their elected officials to take legislative action. This is what I said:

“The battle is not going to be won solely by the courts. It’s going to be by laws changing towards taking action. So, as much as we need to fight in the courts to preserve, at least temporarily, our rights, that is not where the war is going to be won.”

During 2023, RISE Delaware held several other rallies against Medicare Advantage throughout the state. The rallies and social media efforts have helped the organization develop a network of retirees who have generously supported the legal efforts of RISE.

Despite the success of the lawsuit granting our organization a temporary stay of the Medicare Advantage mandate, we. At RISE, had always been aware that a permanent solution to stopping this privatization effort would have to come via legislators passing laws that would guarantee fairness and health care access for all current retirees and spouses and for future retirees.

More perspective: Enough is enough: Delaware retirees deserve health benefits they were promised

Now I’d like to recognize and thank a special legislator, Baumbach, who, as the vice chair of the Retiree Healthcare Benefits Advisory Subcommittee, also realized that a permanent solution would have to be made in law. Baumbach took legislation that state Rep. William Carson Jr. and I had worked on together and crafted into a more formidable and doable group of bills that would benefit all retirees current and future. These bills are HB 281 and HB 282. I cannot overestimate the debt of gratitude all of us retirees owe to Baumbach but be assured that now is the time for all RISE members, activists, and supporters to email, hard-mail and call their representatives and senators and tell them to support and vote for these two very important pieces of legislation.

John Kowalko is a retired state representative who represented the 25th district and is a cofounder of RISE.

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Delaware

Delaware Lottery Play 3 Day, Play 3 Night winning numbers for Dec. 21, 2025

Published

11 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Delaware Lottery Play 3 Day, Play 3 Night winning numbers for Dec. 21, 2025

The Delaware Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Play 3 numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

Day: 5-6-7

Night: 4-9-0

Check Play 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 4 numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

Day: 8-8-0-2

Night: 6-7-3-8

Check Play 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Multi-Win Lotto numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

01-08-13-16-18-24

Check Multi-Win Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

11-24-27-38-46, Lucky Ball: 15

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 5 numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

Day: 6-2-3-4-3

Night: 0-7-5-3-8

Check Play 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Sign the Ticket: Establish legal ownership by signing the back of your ticket with an ink pen.
Prizes up to $599: Claim at any Delaware Lottery Retailer, in person at the Delaware Lottery Office, or mail your signed ticket and claim form; print your name/address on the ticket’s back and keep a copy/photo for records. By mail, send original tickets and documentation to: Delaware Lottery, 1575 McKee Road, Suite 102, Dover, DE 19904.
Prizes up to $2,500: Claim in person at Delaware Lottery Retailer Claim Centers throughout Kent, Sussex and New Castle Counties.
Prizes of $5,001 or more: Claim in person at the Delaware Lottery Office (business days 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) with a photo ID and Social Security card.
For all prize claims, directions to the Delaware Lottery Office are available online or via mapquest.com for a map.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Delaware Lottery.

Can I claim a jackpot prize anonymously in Delaware?

Fortunately for First State residents, the Delaware Lottery allows winners remain anonymous. Unlike many other states that require a prize be over a certain jackpot, Delawareans can remain anonymous no matter how much, or how little, they win.

How long do I have to claim my prize in Delaware?

Tickets are valid for up to one year past the drawing date for drawing game prizes or within one year of the announced end of sales for Instant Games, according to delottery.com.

When are the Delaware Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
Play 3, 4: Daily at 1:58 p.m. and 7:57 p.m., except Sunday afternoon.
Multi-Win Lotto: 7:57 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Lucky for Life: Daily at 10:38 p.m.
Lotto America: 11:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Delaware Online digital operations manager. You can send feedback using this form.

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Delaware

State police investigating 3-vehicle crash in Camden-Wyoming area

Published

23 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

State police investigating 3-vehicle crash in Camden-Wyoming area

Delaware State Police are investigating a three-vehicle crash in the Camden-Wyoming area that left one man dead on Dec. 20.

The crash happened around 6 p.m. on Westville Road between Allabands Mill Road and Mallard Drive. Police said a Ford Fusion was traveling west, while a RAM 2500 towing a utility trailer headed east with a Chevrolet Suburban behind it.

Investigators say the Suburban tried to pass the RAM in a no-passing zone and sideswiped the Ford Fusion. As it moved back into the eastbound lane, the Suburban struck the front driver’s side of the RAM. The SUV then swerved on and off the road before leaving the roadway, hitting a tree and catching fire.

The driver of the Suburban, an 84-year-old Camden-Wyoming man, died at the scene. His name has not been released pending family notification. The drivers of the RAM, a 31-year-old Dover man, and the Ford Fusion, a 37-year-old Hartly man, were not injured, according to reports.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information, surveillance or dash camera footage is asked to contact Delaware State Police Sgt. J. Jefferson at 302-365-8484. Tips may also be submitted through a private message to Delaware State Police on Facebook or by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 800-847-3333.

To share your community news and activities with our audience, join Delaware Voices Uplifted on Facebook. Nonprofits, community groups and service providers are welcome to submit their information to be added to our Community Resources Map. Contact staff reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.

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Delaware

1 killed in Delaware County apartment fire: Dozens of residents displaced

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

1 killed in Delaware County apartment fire: Dozens of residents displaced

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UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP, Pa. – An apartment fire in Delaware County killed one person and injured seven on Saturday, while displacing dozens more.

Upper Darby apartment fire

What we know:

Firefighters were called out to the Llanerch Place apartment building on Township Line Road in Upper Darby Township around 10:30 a.m. Saturday. When they got there, they found a fire on the second floor of the three-story building.

Firefighters pulled two people from the flames and paramedics took them to the hospital. One of them died at the hospital, according to the Upper Darby Township Fire Department. The other is in critical condition.

Six other people were also injured, but officials said none of their injuries were life-threatening.

Crews were eventually able to put out the fire, but there was significant damage to the building, between fire, smoke and water damage.

The approximately 75 people who live in the building were all displaced by the fire.

What we don’t know:

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. The UDFD Fire Marshalls, the Upper Darby Township Police Department and the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshalls are investigating the fire.

The Source: Information in this story is from the Upper Darby Township Fire Department.

Delaware CountyCrime & Public Safety

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