Former state Rep. John Kowalko, an unapologetic voice for Delaware’s progressive movement and a longtime advocate for government transparency, died Oct. 25 at the age 80.

Kowalko, sometimes called the “Bernie Sanders of Delaware,” represented Newark’s 25th District — home to the University of Delaware — from 2006 until his retirement in 2022. Known for his blunt style and fierce defense of the poor and working class, Kowalko was the most outspoken progressive in the 41-member House, long before the rise of the newer progressive wave that followed the 2020 elections.

During his tenure, he was a tireless champion of public education and open government. As a member of the Delaware Coalition for Open Government, Kowalko pressed officials for transparency and accountability, notably seeking answers about embezzlement issues within the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund.

Even after retiring, Kowalko continued his activism. He co-founded Retirees Investing in Social Equity (RISE) Delaware, which helped block the introduction of Medicare Advantage into the state employees’ retirement health plan. Earlier this year, he celebrated a personal milestone when the long-sought Inspector General bill, an initiative he had championed for two decades, was signed into law by Gov. Matt Meyer.

FROM JOHN KOWALKO: Amid Trump’s abusive cuts, I stand with science. We all should, Delaware | Opinion

In a joint statement, Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola, Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend, and Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman praised Kowalko’s decades of service and dedication to Delaware’s working families. They said Kowalko consistently fought for progressive priorities with conviction and compassion, earning deep respect among colleagues and constituents alike.

The Senate leaders added that Kowalko’s unwavering commitment to open government helped shape a culture of greater transparency in Dover.

To share your community news and activities with our audience, join Delaware Voices Uplifted on Facebook. Nonprofits, community groups and service providers are welcome to submit their information to be added to our Community Resources Map. Contact staff reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.

This story was produced by Spotlight Delaware as part of a partnership with Delaware Online/The News Journal. For more about Spotlight Delaware, visit www.spotlightdelaware.org.

A state board charged with examining opioid overdoses found that expanding treatment options, police officer training and shelter access could reduce the number of deaths for Delawareans battling mental illnesses along with addiction. 

The Delaware Overdose Fatality Review Commission, which does not have public meetings, released its annual report on Oct. 21, reviewing a sample of 103 overdoses from 2022 to create recommendations for how state leaders can best address opioid deaths in the First State. 

The state saw 338 fatal drug overdoses last year, a roughly 36% decrease compared to 2023. For years, Delaware ranked as one of the hardest-hit states in the nation on a per-capita basis, but the figures represent a second straight year of decreases and the lowest annual total since 2017.

In the commission’s report, it conceded its sample is not perfect, and that there were obstacles in securing more complete data. One of those obstacles, the report said, was securing data from the state’s largest hospital. 

“Notably, data from ChristianaCare was unavailable for this report and the 2022 dataset, which further limits the completeness of the overall information,” the report said. 

The commission’s director, Julia Lawes, said in an email the hospital did provide the data, but not in a “timely manner” due to a third-party service provider. However, Lawes said the issue had been addressed and measures were put in place to prevent it from happening in the future. 

The report also said there were 58 people excluded from the data because the commission was only able to obtain their death certificates and limited information about their circumstances. The report speculates this could mean these individuals did not interact with various medical providers or law enforcement prior to their deaths. 

According to the report, the average person who died from an overdose in 2022 was a 42-year-old white male, and most people had high school diplomas and worked in construction. 

The data also said that nearly 92% of people who died of a fatal overdose had fentanyl in their systems. 

What did the commission recommend?

One of the commission’s first recommendations was that Delaware providers expand treatment options and improve follow-ups for those battling mental illnesses as well as addiction. 

The report said services in the state can be “fragmented and disjointed,” and it recommends expanding the continuum of care to better serve patients. When asked about whether that meant stronger communication between providers or consolidating their services, Lawes said it could be both. 

“Ultimately, we’d love to see improved care coordination across the board throughout the state, so people can more easily access the full range of services they need,” Lawes said. 

Another recommendation from the commission includes improving training for law enforcement when it comes to interacting with those who may be struggling with addiction and have a mental illness. 

This training, the report said, could include partnering with different diversion programs that keep people out of the justice system and guide people to the appropriate care. 

An additional recommendation included expanding access to shelter services for people who are homeless. According to the report, nearly half the people in the sample were either unhoused or housing-insecure, meaning they had no identified residence. 

The report stressed its support of “housing first” models that support placing people who are homeless into permanent living arrangements.

But the report also said that model could face “implementation challenges” following an executive order that bars federal agencies from funding programs that use housing first policies. 

Data from the commission’s sample found that of those who were homeless prior to their death, 10% had accessed treatment or services through a shelter, with the lowest shelter use in Kent and Sussex counties. 

The report pointed to a lack of public transportation in the two counties and recommended creating dedicated shuttle routes for “high-need” areas and partnering with ride-share companies to provide vouchers for trips to medical or treatment appointments. 

“These measures could help ensure that individuals are not denied access to life-saving treatment and recovery support simply because they lack transportation,” the report said.

Get stories like this delivered to your email inbox by signing up for the free newsletter at spotlightdelaware.org/subscribe.

Senate Republicans said in a statement that federal tax policy is not to blame for Delaware’s woes.

“What’s hurting Delaware isn’t federal reform, it’s runaway spending and misguided state policy,” they wrote. “When government tries to provide everything, it replaces opportunity with dependency. Real progress doesn’t come from bureaucracy, it comes from empowering people to work, create, and build a better life for their families.”

The financial impact of the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ on state programs

According to the Delaware Healthcare Association, this summer’s massive tax bill will cut $4 billion in funding to the First State over the next 10 years. The bill’s new work requirements for Medicaid recipients aged 19-64 who are covered through the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion could result in over 50,000 Delawareans losing their Medicaid coverage and more than 30,000 becoming uninsured.

The new law also makes the largest cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, in U.S. history. For the first time, older Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 and parents without children under age 14 who don’t have a work-limiting disability will be subject to work requirements. While the federal government previously paid for 50% of the administrative costs, the federal share will drop to 25% beginning in October 2026.

Delaware distributes more than $20 million in monthly SNAP food benefits to about 60,000 Delaware households. But SNAP recipients will be forced to survive without food assistance next month, due to the government shutdown.

“Households who were approved for food benefits on or after Oct. 17, 2025, will receive benefits for October,” a spokesperson for the Delaware Division of Social Services said in a statement. “However, further benefits will be on hold until the federal government re-opens and funds are approved by Congress for distribution to states.”

Delaware Democratic Congresswoman Sarah McBride said the lack of funding for food assistance is a choice by the Trump administration.

“They have chosen to call these programs ‘Democrat programs,’ and they believe that they are punishing people who they presume didn’t vote for them in the last election,” she said. “That’s no way to govern a country and it’s no way to serve constituents.”

Sens. Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester, along with dozens of other Democratic senators, sent a letter Thursday to Brooke Rollins, secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, asking her to use legal authority to release November’s food stamp funding. The senators pointed to her legal ability to use contingency funding to pay out benefits. The administration has already used its discretion to transfer money to the federal supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children, known as WIC.

“Any halt in SNAP funding will have devastating impacts for program beneficiaries, increasing food insecurity and undermining family budgets,” they wrote. “Given the critical importance of SNAP benefits, the USDA must take all steps possible to ensure that families do not go hungry.”