Delaware

Taylor Swift inspired workshop at University of Delaware helping students learn data analytics

Published

2 years ago

February 22, 2024

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Taylor Swift inspired workshop at University of Delaware helping students learn data analytics

Inside University of Delaware’s Taylor Swift inspired data analytics series

A Taylor Swift-inspired workshop series at the University of Delaware is helping students learn data analysis.

Data Enchanted is the clever title of a University of Delaware workshop series on data analytics and, if it sounds intimidating, Assistant Economics Professor Dr. Kathryn Bender gets that.

“The friendship bracelets. Yes!” she said. It is a favorite of Taylor Swift fans.

“You’re just sitting there putting a bead on a string and it also makes meeting new people and talking to people a little bit easier,” said Dr. Bender who came up with the theme.

Beyond a bedazzled doorway is where the magic of data happens.

“Are you ready for your life to be changed?” said the professor to the students.

Zach Seymour is a data mentor.

“We’re really there as auxiliaries to help along the students,” he said. Data mentors wear an introduction tee-shirt with a twist to the Taylor song Anti Hero. Seymour says what is happening here is important for entering the workforce.

MORE TAYLOR SWIFT HEADLINES:

“It just gives somebody a real understanding of what they learn in class that they don’t really get just through doing homework and exams,” he said.

And the Taylor tie?

“Taylor Swift songs specifically data from Spotify. So looking at some variables we have made, like how playable it is for a car ride, time signature or length of the song,” said Seymour.

Emma Aucker says she had never done data analysis.

“It’s not something just like raw data. It is like oh, it is her streaming data or something like that. So it is more approachable if you are new to things,” said Aucker. She is excited about learning to use the data analytics tool Stata.

“It’s a way to clean your data, organize your data and manage your data,” she said. The knowledge gained here is for everyone.

However, Aucker does not want bad blood with super fans so she has a confession.

“I do not self-identify as a Swifty because I feel like that’s a little insulting to Swifties. I am very much a Taylor Swift appreciator but I do not think I have their level of commitment,” she laughed. The workshop is eight sessions and awards each student a certificate of completion.

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Delaware

Delaware will save more than $300M after federal tax decoupling takes effect

Published

1 hour ago

December 16, 2025

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Delaware will save more than 0M after federal tax decoupling takes effect

The fiscal year 2027 forecast remained relatively flat from the October meeting. But some expenses declined, including salaries for teachers. Brian Maxwell, state director of Management and Budget, said teacher salary expenses were down because student enrollment has dropped. He said federal immigration policy could be impacting the state’s Multilingual Learners.

“Obviously, there have been a number of students that may not be showing up to class just because of the enforcement of [Immigration and Customs Enforcement],” he said. “So some of the families may be scared to actually send their kids to school.”

Maxwell said overall enrollment is down, but the number of students needing special education services is up. The next student count is in February.

DEFAC members also discussed the revised Healthcare Spending benchmark. In September, the subcommittee devised a methodology that only used healthcare inflation, resulting in a 7.13% for 2026.

“We all gathered in October and there was a fair amount of concern with that outcome,” said Christen Linke Young, director of Health and Social Services. “So the subcommittee reconvened earlier this month to consider a new approach.”

After adopting the methodology using expected national inflation data and a three-year measure of health care cost growth, the benchmark now sits at 4.9%. But Young said there would be no penalty for hospitals exceeding the guideline.

Gov. Meyer and the state’s largest nongovernmental employer, ChristianaCare Health System, reached an agreement earlier this year in a lawsuit the regional hospital system filed last year. The Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board was created by lawmakers in June 2024 to try to rein in hospital spending. But the agreement, which requires new legislation and the governor’s signature, would strip the board of its authority to approve and modify hospital budgets.

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Delaware

Snow melting soon as Delaware warms after icy blast

Published

14 hours ago

December 15, 2025

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Snow melting soon as Delaware warms after icy blast

Delaware may have seen its first snowfall of the season, but it won’t stick around for long.

Despite below freezing temperatures Dec. 15 and Dec. 16, it’s possible that by the weekend there won’t be a trace of snow.

Here’s what to know about this week’s weather and snow melt.

When will the snow melt away?

While Delaware will face freezing temperatures Dec. 15 and Dec. 16, the National Weather Service forecast is calling for a warmup starting on Dec. 17. Here’s the forecast:

New Castle County

Cold weather will continue this evening and into Dec. 16 with lows dropping into the teens. The county will hit 32 degrees on Dec. 16 before dropping to 22 that night. Temperatures start climbing into the low 40s with partly sunny skies on Dec. 17. Highs will hit 51 degrees on Dec. 18. If most of the snow hasn’t melted by that point, it should be gone after rain goes through the area during the overnight between Dec. 17 and Dec. 18. Highs will remain above freezing, hitting 44 on Dec. 18.

Kent County

Lows will drop into the teens overnight before climbing above freezing on Dec. 16. On Dec. 17, Kent County will see partly sunny skies with highs in the upper 40s. It will be mostly cloudy on Dec. 18 with highs hitting 55. There’s a 90% chance of rain during the overnight hours into Dec. 19. The 19th is looking mostly cloudy with highs reaching 47.

Sussex County

After lows hit 19 during the overnight tonight, the high for Dec. 16 will be 38 degrees with sunny skies. Any snow in the southern part of the state will vanish Dec. 17 and Dec 18. Both days will feature sunny skies with highs reaching the low 50s on Dec. 17 and almost hitting 60 on Dec. 18.

What is black ice?

Despite the warm up, overnight temperatures are expected to be below freezing. If you are driving at night, you’ll need to watch out for black ice.

According to The Weather Channel, black ice is a thin layer of ice that forms on roads and is difficult to see. It’s generally found on bridges, overpasses and spots on the road shaded by trees or other objects.

If roadways are wet from rain, snow or fog and temperatures drop below 32 degrees, black ice can form on roadways.

If you hit black ice, you should do the following:

Keep your steering wheel straight.
Do not brake
Take your foot off the accelerator to reduce speed

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Delaware

Delayed openings in Delaware: What schools are starting late?

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

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Delayed openings in Delaware: What schools are starting late?

Potentially icy road conditions have led every public school in Delaware to announce delayed openings for Dec. 15.

Every public school is operating on some sort of delay, most of which are two hours. The Delaware Department of Transportation already sent out a warning about treacherous driving conditions. Whatever has not dried from the Dec. 14 snowstorm will freeze over as temperatures plunge into the 20s and winds kick up over night.

The following school districts have announced delays.