Connect with us

Delaware

Top ideas for having fun in Delaware’s snowstorm

Published

on

Top ideas for having fun in Delaware’s snowstorm


play

Delaware is expected to receive heavy snow starting Saturday, Jan. 24, and running through Monday, Jan. 26.

Most adults, especially those who are already constantly shoveling driveways, would prefer to stay inside with a hot beverage. However, adults with children, especially children who used up their screen time, may need to help the youngsters enjoy the winter wonderland that Mother Nature is laying out in front of us.

Advertisement

To aid those who have to venture outside, here are some activities for parents and children.

Sledding in Delaware

Grab your toboggan, oil up the runners on your sled or grab a coaster sled like Clark Griswold in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and head for the hills, no matter how small the elevation.

Here’s a quick list of great places to go sledding in Delaware.

Advertisement

One place you shouldn’t sled is the Delaware dunes. The dunes contain fragile wildlife habitat and protect the beaches and the communities they border.

Building a snow fort

There will be mounds of snow built up from shoveling and snow plows. This gives children and adults the perfect opportunity to build up the best fort to make sure snow marauders won’t take over your home.

It’s best to avoid tunnels and igloos because of the potential for collapsing, but an open fort is safe and a key element for our next activity.

Advertisement

Snowball fights

You have your defense system – the fort – which means you have an advantage over those people who refused to prepare for battle. Call a few friends up and have a neighborhood snowball fight.

Safety tip: Avoid headshots and using iceballs. Sure, it gives you a tactical superiority, but we’re not looking for anyone to get hurt − just have a lot of fun.

Snow sculptures

Sure, you could make a snowman, there’s nothing wrong with being traditional. However, expand your imagination and create an army of soldiers. You could create snow dinosaurs and have your own Jurassic Park. You could re-create Stonehenge or the idols on Easter Island.

Advertisement

If those are a little above your abilities, there are always snow monsters that will protect your home.

How to dress for cold weather

Before you go outside, you need to dress for the weather.

According to the National Weather Service, wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing. Remove layers to avoid sweating and chill. Outer garments should be tightly woven, water-repellent and hooded.

Wear a hat because much of your body heat can be lost from your head. Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from extreme cold. Mittens, snug at the wrist, are better than gloves. Try to stay dry and out of the wind.

Advertisement



Source link

Delaware

Delaware County school employee accused of sex assault of minor in Texas

Published

on

Delaware County school employee accused of sex assault of minor in Texas


Authorities say a Delaware County school employee is accused of traveling to Texas to sexually assault a minor he met online.

What we know:

Advertisement

Michael Robinson, 43, was taken into custody near Radnor Middle School where investigators say he worked as a paraprofessional.

Investigators believe Robinson traveled to Tyler, Texas in the summer of 2024 to meet a minor he had connected with online.

Robinson, according to U.S. Marshals, allegedly sexually assaulted the teen over the course of a weekend. 

Advertisement

Delaware County school employee accused of sex assault of minor in Texas

Prosecutors in Smith County, Texas charged Robinson in December with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child Under 15-years-old.

Advertisement

Robinson is being held at a Delaware County jail where he is awaiting extradition to Texas.

What they’re saying:

U.S. Marshals in Pennsylvania said Robinson’s arrest shows that “sexual predators will always be pursued relentlessly.”

Advertisement

The Radnor Township School District said Robinson has been placed on leave and will not have contact with students.

“Parents of the limited number of children to whom the employee was assigned were contacted by the administration immediately.”

Advertisement

The district said it is cooperating with law enforcement and has “no information indicating misconduct involving district students.”

Crime & Public SafetyDelaware CountyNews



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Delaware

Rehoboth cancels 2026 Polar Bear Plunge after major snowstorm

Published

on

Rehoboth cancels 2026 Polar Bear Plunge after major snowstorm


play

Rehoboth Beach has canceled the upcoming 2026 Lewes Polar Bear Plunge and 5K Run to the Plunge as the Sussex County resort town continues dealing with the aftermath of last weekend’s snowstorm, organizers of the annual Special Olympics fundraiser said on Feb. 26.

“Rehoboth Beach is navigating significant challenges because of the snowstorm,” a Special Olympics Delaware email announced. “At present, the boardwalk and all beach crossings remain snow covered and many sidewalks throughout downtown Rehoboth are as well.”

Advertisement

The plunge and 5K had been rescheduled to March 1 after severe weather conditions in late January caused it to be moved from its original Feb. 1 date.

The plunge will not be rescheduled for this year.

Last weekend’s storm brought nearly 2 feet of snow to parts of Sussex, closing hundreds of roads when trees and wires were downed. There were also power outages across the county, including Rehoboth Beach which had to restore power to its wastewater treatment facility.

Plunging for a cause

The polar bear plunge is one of Special Olympics Delaware’s more popular fundraisers, drawing more than 4,000 participants last year.

Advertisement

In recent years, the event has been bringing in more than a million dollars for Special Olympics Delaware. Last year, plunge events drew $1.3 million, just shy of the record-breaking $1.5 million raised in 2024.

Alex Seymore, Special Olympics Delaware’s director of digital media, said the organization had already raised more than $1 million from this year’s event.

“We expect a small impact,” Seymore told Delaware Online/The News Journal. “But again, we’re showing that we’ve raised over a million dollars.

He added they are reviewing how the cancelation will impact them and their services.

Advertisement

“It’s been just a couple hours, so we’re not completely positive how it will impact things in the long run,” he said. “We’re thankful for everybody that’s helped raise this money through this time.”

What is still occurring

While the plunge and 5k and been canceled this year, there are other indoor events that will continue as scheduled:

Feb. 27

  • 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – pick up packets and souvenir sales for the Plunge and 5K Run to the Plunge at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, 229 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach.

Feb. 28

  • noon to 2 p.m. ​Fire & Ice in the Atlantic Sands Ballroom, 1 Baltimore Ave, Rehoboth Beach.
  • 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Restaurant chili contest.
  • 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – pick up packets and souvenir sales for the Plunge and 5K Run to the Plunge at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, 229 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach.

Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Delaware

Trump Accounts for kids; are they available in Delaware?

Published

on

Trump Accounts for kids; are they available in Delaware?


play

President Donald Trump touted his Trump Accounts for kids platform during his State of the Union address Tuesday, Feb. 24, months before the savings account program goes live this summer.

Roughly 63% of parents open bank accounts for the newborns and young children according to The Financial Brand, showing that in general, opening a bank accounts for your child is a good idea.

Advertisement

But what, exactly, are Trump Accounts for kids, and does it make sense for you to open one for your child? Here’s everything you need to know.

Trump Account for kids explained

The IRS explained in a memo Trump Accounts will be available for any children under 18, with $1,000 seed money available for newborns and very young children.

That account will be seeded with federal government funds.

“A Trump account is a type of traditional individual retirement account that is established for the exclusive benefit of an eligible individual and that is designated at its establishment as a Trump account,” read the IRS’ Trump Accounts memo. “Upon an election under the pilot program, $1,000 is paid by the Secretary to the Trump account of an eligible child.

“An eligible child means a qualifying child who is born after December 31, 2024 and before January 1, 2029, who is a U.S. citizen, and for whom no prior pilot program election has been made.”

Advertisement

The Trump Accounts website confirms parents do not need to make a contribution, but can deposit up to $5,000 a year into the interest-bearing account.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in comments published Jan. 28 a single $1,000 deposit into a Trump Account at birth should grow to an estimated $500,000 by the age of retirement.

When will Trump Accounts for kids lunch, and can I apply in Delaware?

Trump Accounts for kids will go live on Monday, July 5, and parents in Delaware are allowed to apply for the nationwide offering when it opens.

Advertisement

Until then, you can visit the Trump Accounts website to add your name to the email list to get an update when the service goes live.

The IRS and U.S. Department of the Treasury released Trump Accounts guidance you can read before opening an account.

Problems with Trump Accounts for kids

While opening a Trump Account for your child may seem a good thing, TIME uncovered a few problems with President Donald Trump’s namesake account service.

“The program may be open to every child, but its benefits will flow overwhelmingly to families with the means to contribute thousands of dollars a year. What could have been a leveling tool instead risks becoming a widening wedge between the haves and the have-nots,” read a portion of TIME’s take. “For a family living paycheck-to-paycheck that is unable to add anything beyond the government’s $1,000 seed deposit, the balance reaches just $5,839 by age 18. “

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies echoed much of that sentiment, and said Trump Accounts for kids will have the opposite effect from its stated goals.

Advertisement

Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending