EDGE winners from 2024 celebrate their grant awards

The Delaware Division of Small Business opened the next round of our Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion (EDGE) Program. Applications will be accepted August 1 – Friday, August 30, 2024, at 4:30 p.m.

EDGE is a competition for grant funding. Five STEM-based companies can each receive up to $100,000 for eligible expenses while five Entrepreneur Class (non-STEM) businesses can each receive up to $50,000. Since its launch in 2019, DSBA has awarded over $6 million in grant funds to 100 businesses throughout the state.

Eligible businesses are those that have been in operation for less than seven years and have 10 or fewer full-time employees.

Businesses who have applied for EDGE grants in the past who still meet the requirements, are strongly encourage to apply again In fact, many of the awardees are applicants from previous rounds.

While the main goal is to secure grant funding, DSBA has also heard time and time again from awardees and applicants how the EDGE Grant Competition process allowed them to form, and better understand, their business plan.

In the Milford area, previous EDGE Grant awardees include EZY Venture in Harrington, Dolce Bakery and Coffee Shop in Milford, Brimming Horn Meadery in Milton, The Berry Patch in Lincoln, My Sister’s Fault in Milford, Studio B in Milford and G&R Campground in Houston.

Learn more about the EDGE grant and how to apply by visiting DSBA online.

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Tuesday was no ordinary day on Capitol Hill, as Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland and Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware faced off to see who could make the superior Orange Crush cocktail.

This battle comes after Delaware lawmakers passed a bill to make the drink the official state cocktail. It combines orange juice, vodka, triple sec, and lemon lime soda, and it’s taken quite seriously among Marylanders.

“I really do want to thank Delaware for the flattery. We know imitation is the best form of flattery,” said Sen. Cardin.

The cocktail originated in Ocean City, Maryland. It was first concocted at Harborside Bar and Grill — but that was just the birthplace, said Sen. Coons.

“All of us know that something that is wonderful when invented can be improved,” he said.

The battle started out with the two taking slight jabs at each other, but all in good fun.

“We’re great friends but on this issue of Orange Crush we have to draw the line in the sand,” said Sen. Cardin.

“We share a peninsula, we share a history, we share a hope, we share a yearning, we share a memory, and today we will not share a victory because we will have the best Orange Crush,” said Sen. Coons.

At the duel the two senators were set at separate cocktail making stations. A judging panel that included Washington Post Food reporter Emily Heil, Washingtonian food editor Jessica Sidman, Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware waited in the other room so the judging could be “objective.”

Sen. Cardin quickly made his drinks, taking time with his presentation placing a straw in the drink and finishing with a garnish of orange. Sen. Coons took a bit more time, juicing his oranges and then filling his glass with ice by hand.

When the judges came back into the room they took notice of the presentation.

“First impression — it feels like this is a Top Chef challenge where one chef didn’t finish plating the dish,” Sidman said of Sen. Coons’ cocktail.

“When I was governor of Delaware, we used to compete with Maryland on who had the cleanest beaches, who was the best place to incorporate in, who had the best water, who had the best state parks, the best national parks, and all that stuff. I never imagined we’d be competing on this field today,” said Sen. Carper.

In the end Sen. Coons defeated Sen. Cardin, securing the votes of three of the judges. The one vote against Sen. Coons’ cocktail came from Sen. Carper.

After winning the duel Sen. Cardin read a proclamation from Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland:

“I, Wes Moore, Governor of the state of Maryland, do hereby proclaim the Orange Crush as the official Maryland drink of summer and do commend this observance to all of our citizens in Maryland and Delaware.”

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

This story was supported by a statehouse coverage grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Delaware’s largest hospital system has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a new hospital budget review board.

ChristianaCare is suing the state of Delaware in Chancery Court, alleging the law violates its rights under both the Delaware and U.S. Constitution. The Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board was signed into law in June. The legislation attempts to control health care expenses by requiring hospitals to submit annual budgets, audited financial statements and other financial data to the board for review.

Under the law, if a hospital doesn’t meet the state’s benchmark for controlling increases in hospital costs, the board will work with that entity to meet that benchmark going forward. If the hospital still doesn’t meet the target — or if the two can’t agree on an improvement plan — the review board can take control of the hospital’s future budgets, requiring it to seek the board’s approval on its financial plans.

Other states have their own version of hospital cost review boards. Delaware’s is based on Vermont’s Green Mountain Care Board, which has reviewed the state’s hospital budgets since fiscal year 2013.

In the lawsuit, which seeks to declare the law invalid and permanently stop it from taking effect, ChristianaCare calls the board “a state takeover … of the boards of certain private hospitals, including ChristianaCare, through the creation of a politically appointed, unelected, and unaccountable ‘Super-Board.’”

“The General Assembly rushed its approval of HB 350 and its draconian and unconstitutional measures, without any meaningful investigation concerning their expected effects, which will undoubtedly have a negative impact on patient care in Delaware,” the lawsuit states.

The legal filing also argues the creation of the hospital cost review board includes unlawful and discriminatory price caps for hospital services and forces them to disclose proprietary information.

A spokesperson denied an interview request to speak with a representative of the health system.