Delaware

We thought retiring to Delaware was the right next step. We couldn't have been more wrong.

Published

2 months ago

March 31, 2025

We thought retiring to Delaware was the right next step. We couldn't have been more wrong.

We’d always dreamt of owning a beach home for family vacations and weekend getaways, but our budget and the kids’ constantly packed schedules never made it possible.

Then, many years later, as we edged toward retirement and the kids were out of the house, we put the idea back on the table and bought a lovely home in Delaware just a 10 to 20-minute drive from a string of pristine beaches.

The house is in a newly built development dotted with duck-filled ponds and a quick drive to the heart of a quaint historic village filled with restaurants, live music venues, and a sprinkling of art galleries.

My husband spends hours casting off the coastline for striped bass and bluefish, and our neighbors, many newly retired like us, are welcoming and down-to-earth.

Moving here is one of the best decisions we’ve ever made, but three years in, we’re planning our exit.

We moved from New Jersey

Before Delaware, we’d lived in the same house in the same suburban New Jersey town for more than 15 years.

However, during that time, we’d always felt on the periphery of the social scene, rarely got dinner invites, and found it difficult to make friends.

We both had good jobs and lived a middle-class life, but our roots were blue-collar. My husband was the only person we knew in the area who had not graduated from college.

We longed for a change, a fuller calendar, and a respite from nagging loneliness.

We weren’t the beach lovers we thought we were

Delaware’s dramatically lower property taxes and more affordable real estate meant less strain on our budget.

We also purchased a newer home, which meant spending less time and money on the endless repairs our 94-year-old colonial in NJ demanded.

Despite the benefits, homesickness has been impossible to shake.

We miss living a short 20 to 30-minute drive from our family who are still in Jersey. And while the small village we live near is nice, it’s just that — small.

We prefer being closer to the hustle and bustle of New York City with its diverse neighborhoods, major museums, and vibrant theater and music scenes, all of which we frequented often while in New Jersey.

We’ve also realized we weren’t the beach lovers we thought we were. Going to the beach had once been a treat. Now, we easily take it for granted, which makes it less special.

Plus, traffic jams and packed beaches in season make getting there a headache and a sweaty nailbiter, with parking lots at capacity by 8:30 a.m.

The noise, the grind of cars, and the lines snaking out of seemingly every coffee bar and lunch spot conspire to make a summer day about as relaxing as a full-throttle city commute.

We also miss our hikes through the small mountain range that was minutes away from our NJ house. The flat, bleached terrain without a hill in sight just isn’t the same.

To get that outdoorsy experience now, we must drive 90 minutes north, on a dismal, nerve-jangling highway.

We feel like part of a community here, which has been the greatest gift

Welcome mats for pickleball teams, girls’ nights, potlucks, and a dizzying number of groups and clubs have made it easy to build friendships both casual and close.

Unfortunately, we are too homesick for the area we left to feel truly relaxed. It is as if we are at a terrific party — great to be invited, but not to stay indefinitely.

The gift of these friendships has given us a sense of belonging that had always been just out of reach in our old neighborhood, and, importantly, a social confidence and insight that will help us choose our next community wisely.

Our turnabout has surprised us, but aging has brought into focus how we want to spend our time, and where. And that’s nearer to the convenience and culture of a major city, steeped in a diverse community, surrounded by varied terrain, and closer to family.

We have learned that retirement decisions can’t always be about money. Sometimes they need to be driven by what enriches the soul.

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Delaware

Delaware Lottery Play 3 Day, Play 3 Night winning numbers for June 5, 2025

Published

17 hours ago

June 6, 2025

Press Room

Delaware Lottery Play 3 Day, Play 3 Night winning numbers for June 5, 2025

The Delaware Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Thursday, June 5, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Play 3 numbers from June 5 drawing

Day: 2-4-5

Night: 3-9-7

Check Play 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 4 numbers from June 5 drawing

Day: 6-1-2-4

Night: 5-2-1-8

Check Play 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Multi-Win Lotto numbers from June 5 drawing

01-04-09-21-22-35

Check Multi-Win Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from June 5 drawing

01-14-19-28-41, Lucky Ball: 07

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play 5 numbers from June 5 drawing

Day: 7-8-6-8-1

Night: 1-6-6-1-1

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

Integrating arts in Delaware classrooms spurs academic and emotional growth

Published

1 day ago

June 5, 2025

Press Room

Integrating arts in Delaware classrooms spurs academic and emotional growth

This spring, her students created puppets tied to their English-language arts unit on global water issues.

“The current unit for ELA is to read about problems related to water around the world. They learned about problems with people not having enough water, problems with people not being able to get to water and having to walk really far, and then also water pollution,” she said. “And we focus mainly on water pollution … because in Wilmington, pollution, like on the streets, is a problem and it is something that the students can relate to.”

The curriculum encouraged students to create a video public service announcement — but Salisbury saw an opportunity to take it further.

“We decided that the video itself is already sort of adding a little artistic element, but creating the puppet as well will add sort of another aspect to it,” she said. “We sort of brainstormed all these different questions that we might ask a scientist or someone who lives by water, or even if we could talk to an animal that lives in the water, what could we ask them about water pollution and its effects?”

For the second time this school year, Emma Salisbury, Kuumba Academy’s third-grade team lead, brought puppet making into her classroom to support her students’ academic learning and to make the process of learning more joyful and hands-on. (Johnny Perez-Gonzalez/WHYY)

Through this approach, students brought to life characters ranging from scientists to river otters affected by pollution. As they brainstormed, designed and sewed their puppets, they merged science, language and art into one unified project.

The impact was especially noticeable with students who arrived midyear.

“Even like this year, I had two students come sort of in the middle of fall … There’s one in particular, she really blossomed into being very artistic,” Salisbury said. “She’s made a ton of growth in reading this year, and writing as well, which is super exciting. And I remember right before winter break she even said to me … ‘Thank you so much for all that you’ve taught me. Like, my old school… I didn’t learn like this. I didn’t understand anything.’”

four puppets raised in the air — A group of finished student puppets fly into the air, each one representing a unique voice, character and creative expression. (Johnny Perez-Gonzalez/WHYY)

Salisbury believes immersing into the arts gives students more control over their learning — especially during a season that can be overwhelming.

“Opening myself up to adding arts in … helps to make things seem a little less serious and … adds a little more fun and joy into what we’re doing,” she added.

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Delaware

Major Delaware drug bust helps get fentanyl off the streets, likely saving lives

Published

2 days ago

June 4, 2025

Press Room

Major Delaware drug bust helps get fentanyl off the streets, likely saving lives

Detectives in New Castle County have pulled off a major drug bust in Wilmington that they say included crack, heroin, ecstasy and lots and lots of fentanyl.

Working with the FBI and a high-tech device that uses lasers to test the compounds of narcotics, county officials say they were able to arrest three in what they are calling a major drug ring.

“This is a great lockup, members of our high risk offenders team working with the FBI task force conducted since March,” said Master Cpl. Richard Chambers of the New Castle County Police Department.

The investigation began after county police got a tip that people were dealing drugs in Wilmington, and after a monthslong investigation, they were able to make arrests and seize drugs mainly from a home on Maple Street in the city.

The three suspected drug dealers now face a long list of charges, police say. However, they say the real story is the lives likely saved from getting the illegal drugs off the street.

“A tiny bit of fentanyl can kill a lot of people, and this is great to have this amount of drugs off the streets,” said Chambers. “This could save a lot of lives.”

According to police, the bust puts a major dent in the illegal drug market in the area, but the fight is never over for law enforcement as long as lethal drugs remain on the streets.

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