One of the most notable bills to pass in the General Assembly this year was Senate Bill 9 — the Wetlands Stewardship Act. Once signed by Gov. Matt Meyer, this law will protect half of Delaware’s freshwater wetlands that were previously shielded from development by the federal governmentThis week, Delaware Public Media contributor Jon Hurdle took a closer look at the bill, how it got to the finish line and its expected impact. He joined Tom Byrne this week to discuss his reporting.

As we move closer to the end of July, an uncomfortable reality starts to set in for kids and their families. Summer break is slowly slipping away, and a new school year looms on the horizon. That means families need to start thinking about what gear and clothes they want and need in the fall.Yes, it’s back to school shopping season. And whether you are getting a college student ready to go back to campus or are checking off your K-12 student’s supply list, one thing is clear. You’ll need to dig deeper into your wallet this year.This week, contributor Eileen Dallabrida conducted her annual review of the back-to-school shopping landscape and she joined Tom Byrne earlier this week to let us know what to expect.

OperaDelaware kicks off its new season in October, coming off a successful week hosting a national opera conference in spring 2026 and with a new general director, Eric Einhorn at the helm.On this week's Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny talked to Einhorn about his vision for OperaDelaware, the future of its innovative Company Artist program, and the challenges of creating new opera lovers.

A new study by ChristianaCare looked at how AI-generated avatars could help patients be more prepared for cancer treatment visits.The patients engage with an avatar of the actual doctor they will meet with, to help them be more comfortable when actually meeting the doctor for the first time.In this edition of Enlighten Me, Delaware Public Media’s Joe Irizarry discussed this new way of helping patients and the study looking at the program, with Adam Raben, M.D., Chair of Radiation Oncology at ChristianaCare’s Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute.

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High electricity bills remain a front-burner issue for many Delawareans, who face rising bills with no end in sight.Just last week, the state’s Public Service Commission approved a small interim rate increase for Delmarva Power that goes into effect this month while the PSC considered Delmarva’s full rate increase request.This came on the heels of lawmakers passing a bill that sought to cap what Delmarva Power could recover for nonessential infrastructure spending, limit interim rate increases and require regular audits of Delmarva, and other utilities.Gov. Meyer hasn’t signed that bill yet, but signaled he would. And Meyer has called out Delmarva throughout 2026 for being concerned more about profits than its customers.This week, Tom Byrne sat down with Delmarva Power Delaware Region President Marcus Beal to discuss these issues and the utility’s response.

In the 1930s, with the US in the throes of the Great Depression, President Franklin Roosevelt offered a sweeping job creation agenda. That included jobs for artists, and New Deal programs produced some of the most memorable American art in history.40 years later, another president, Richard Nixon, signed the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act. And like in the New Deal, artists were included and were successful in ushering a new era for public art.An exhibition at the Delaware Art Museum — "Citizen Artist" — celebrates those two eras. In this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny spoke with the museum’s Head Curator and Curator of Contemporary Art Margaret Winslow, and Lynn Herrick Sharp Curatorial Fellow Dorothy Fisher to learn more about it.

In this week’s Enlighten Me, we take another opportunity to highlight work from a student journalist at the University of Delaware.This time — as the nation celebrated its 250th birthday here in 2026 — recent UD grad Delaney Lowe took a deep dive into the political climate in the U.S., a climate that felt tremendously polarized.And during a semester-long look at this political divide, Lowe reported the divide seemed to be widening, even impacting even our closest relationships.

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This weekend marks the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. While many fire up their grills and set off fireworks this weekend to mark the occasion, many others have been hosting or attending events across the state throughout May and June.Delaware Public Media reporters attended several of these events to give you a flavor for these events - and find out what this anniversary means to different people and groups.