Delaware
Thomas Jefferson University to run Delaware’s first medical school
Thomas Jefferson University is opening a regional campus of its Sidney Kimmel Medical College in Delaware, an effort that will result in the state’s first medical school.
Jefferson beat out three other bidders to establish the four-year program in partnership with the state. The other bidders were the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, the consulting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Ponce Health Sciences University in Puerto Rico, Spotlight Delaware reported.
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The inaugural class of 40 medical students will begin instruction in July 2028. Initially, the campus will be based at the University of Delaware in Newark, with Jefferson faculty providing instruction. A permanent home for the campus is still being finalized, the Inquirer reported.
The medical students will receive 18 months of preclinical training on campus before receiving clinical training from healthcare providers in Delaware’s southern counties, where the state’s physician shortage is most deeply felt. That shortage is compounded by an aging population, Delaware officials said.
“Jefferson is committed to being part of the solution to Delaware’s physician shortage,” Jefferson CEO Dr. Joseph Cacchione said in a statement. “We are proud to help build a future where every Delawarean has access to the care they deserve. Jefferson is all in.”
The school’s creation is being supported by $157.4 million from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Delaware is one of three states without a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program. Since the late 1960s, Jefferson and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine have reserved seats for Delaware students.
“Sidney Kimmel Medical College has trained generations of physicians for more than 200 years, more than any other medical college in the country,” Said Ibrahim, dean of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, said in a statement. “It is a privilege to bring our mission to Delaware’s patients and communities.”
Jefferson has announced several expansions recently. The university is establishing a full-time doctor of nursing practice-nurse anesthesia program and several online graduate programs at the Lehigh Valley Health Network Center for Healthcare Education in Lehigh County. It also is opening a satellite respiratory therapy lab at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Allentown.
Delaware
Delaware County prison warden resigns after just months on the job
From Delco to Chesco and Montco to Bucks, what about life in Philly’s suburbs do you want WHYY News to cover? Let us know!
Willie Bonds has tendered his resignation as warden of the George W. Hill Correctional Facility in Delaware County after less than six months running the prison.
“The resignation was submitted due to a personal family matter and an opportunity to pursue other career interests,” said Michael Connolly, communications director of Delaware County, in a written statement.
The Delaware County Jail Oversight Board named Bonds the warden in February. He took over for interim warden David Mascollino, who spent five months on the job.
Mascollino had stepped in following the resignation of warden Laura Williams in August 2025. Bonds will remain in his current role until the county implements a succession plan.
“While the County was looking forward to his continued good service, County leadership respects his personal decision and is immensely grateful for his work on behalf of our residents, the incarcerated population, and the dedicated staff of George W. Hill,” Connolly said.
The county will name an interim warden and work with the prison’s leadership to identify a permanent replacement, Connolly said.
“As this process moves ahead, Delaware County remains committed to continuing its efforts to build George W. Hill into a facility that every resident can be proud of and continuing the major investments and upgrades to the facility already well under way,” he said.
Delaware
Delaware closer to allowing public campaign expenses to cover security
When will Delaware’s 2026 midterm elections take place?
Delaware’s midterm elections are coming up. Here’s what voters need to know before heading to the polls.
Delaware candidates and elected officials may soon be able to use campaign funds to protect themselves on and off the campaign trail.
A House bill introduced June 4 would allow funding for security costs for Delaware officials and candidates. Lawmakers said those expenses would be covered through voluntary contributions, not taxpayer dollars.
Nationally, the bill arrives during a fraught period for public officials. In recent years, several lawmakers in other states have been targets of politically motivated violence, resulting in serious injuries, property damage and, in some cases, deaths.
In Delaware, lawmakers didn’t point to any local examples, but said many legislators are on edge. A 2024 research report from the Brennan Center for Justice found that 43% of interviewed state lawmakers experienced threats, as well as 18% of local officials.
Some public officials in that research said they were less likely to hold public events, work on contentious topics or even run for higher office.
The Delaware bill mirrors similar proposals introduced across the country aimed at improving safety. At the federal level, candidates and officeholders — along with their families and staff — are already allowed to receive such protections.
To advance, the bill will need to clear its final committee and the Senate floor before June 30. Otherwise, lawmakers start all over again next session, after the midterms.
‘A responsibility to act’
Campaign expenditures in Delaware are currently limited to mostly advertising, food and refreshments, as well as attendance at political events and travel expenses.
If passed, House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown’s bill would cover several security-related expenses, include:
- Electronic security systems located in a candidate’s home or office
- “Personal security,” a category the Delaware Department of Elections said it would further define if the bill passes.
- Cameras, fences or “other comparable security-related equipment”
These funds can also be used to help protect their families in certain circumstances, Minor-Brown told Delaware Online/The News Journal.
They cannot be used to pay for firearms, however.
House Minority Whip Jeff Spiegelman raised a concern about this during the bill’s June 11 hearing in his chamber, calling guns another matter of defense.
Fellow sponsor House Majority Leader Kerri Evelyn Harris said the choice was not to include firearms in the bill, saying this could lead to discomfort for many, and potentially do more harm than good.
Minor-Brown also said candidates covered in this bill must have filed for office and currently be campaigning. Additionally, the New Castle Democrat said money must come from voluntary contributors.
No officeholder or candidate is required to abide by this measure, Harris told lawmakers, as the use of funds will remain “entirely optional.”
The bill comes as lawmakers nationwide have faced rising intimidation and violence in recent years.
This includes former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, who, alongside her husband Mark, were shot and killed in what officials described as “a politically motivated assassination” last year, as reported by USA TODAY.
In Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro’s home was the target of an arson attack last April.
And just a few weeks before, New Mexico Republican Party headquarters in Albuquerque was vandalized, almost a year after it was damaged in an arson attack.
Minor-Brown also pointed toward the 2022 attack on former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, the assassination of conservative politico Charlie Kirk last year, as well as the attempts on the life of President Donald Trump.
“This is not about politics. It’s not about partisanship,” Harris said ahead of the floor vote. “It’s about safety.”
Minor-Brown said lawmakers should not have to choose between their safety and performing their elected responsibilities. As such, lawmakers have “a responsibility to act” now, she said.
Several other states – including New Jersey and Maryland – have proposed similar legislation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Other states have also enacted laws on the safety of candidate families and staff, cybersecurity and using campaign funds to pay for home security systems. Minor-Brown told Delaware Online/The News Journal she expects to see measures regarding cybersecurity in Delaware.
This bill passed the House on June 11. It is now scheduled to be heard in Senate committee on June 25.
Olivia Montes covers state government and community impact for Delaware Online/The News Journal. If you have a tip or a story idea, reach out to her at omontes@delawareonline.com.
Delaware
Comcast Xfinity cable down: TV streaming outage hits New Hampshire, Texas, Delaware, Wyoming and Maine
Comcast’s Xfinity cable service is down for thousands of people in the United States on Monday afternoon.
More than 12,000 users are reporting the outage with the cable service run by NBC’s parent company, according to Down Detector, a platform that tracks such outages based on users’ reports.
Much of the outages seemed to be concentrated in New Hampshire, Texas, Delaware, Wyoming and Maine, according to the outage map shown on Down Detector.
According to Down Detector, 77% of the customers reported issues with the cable TV services, 12% with the broadband internet and 8% with TV streaming.
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Comcast Xfinity Outage Map
The map of Comcast’s Xfinity outage showed that urban centers across the country were affected. It included cities in the east and west cost, north and southern states and well as parts of central US.
The map showed outage reports concentrated in Boston, New York City, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Miami and large parts of Florida.
In the north, Minneapolis and Chicago reported the most outages. While in the South, Houston was affected. Customers from Denver also reported a significant number of outages.
In the east coast, most outages were reported up north. Portland Salem and Seattle reported a large number of outages. Additionally, the areas around San Francisco and Carson City reported outages.
Here’s the map of the Comcast outage per Down Detector, as of 4:28pm ET.
Comcast’s Response
As of now, Comcast or Xfinity has not acknowledged that the issue is widespread. The X account of Xfinity support is replying to queries on social media, asking customers to message them their service ID.
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For instance, one such post on X read: “Hello! Thank you for contacting the Xfinity support team. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience due to the service interruption. Please DM us with your first and last name and your complete service address, so we can assist you further.”
Thus, those seeking a solution to the problem may send their service details and the disruption that is happening to Xfinity.
Comcast’s Xfinity is one of the largest cable and broadband services in the US. It serves around 11.27 million traditional cable TV customers in the Unites States. Its broadband user base is approximately 31.25 million strong.
This is a developing story.
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