Track officials and the state’s horsemen’s association agreed last month to cut the schedule from 100 days to 81. The cutback is in response to a shortage of horses to fill fields, and an effort to avoid cutting race purses.

Del Park’s executive director of racing John Mooney says it’s a move the track probably should have made sooner. He adds it may be a few weeks before fans see an impact on the size of field running.

“We will be competing [for horses] for the first couple of weeks with Pimlico in Maryland. Last year, Pimlico close following Preakness weekend. So, there will be more competition in the next two weeks than we had last year. But I think this reduced schedule will help us and it certainly will through the summer,” said Mooney.

There is good news for Delaware Park’s signature event, the Delaware Handicap. That race has been upgraded to a Grade I stakes race for the first time since 1989. Delaware Park’s executive director of racing John Mooney says it’s about time the race was moved up.

“I thought it should have come years ago. The last two years we’ve had the champion filly and mare in the United States win it. They’ve gone on to win Eclipse Awards. So, it certainly is deserving in my opinion and we’re all thrilled about it.”

Royal Delta, winner of last year’s Eclipse Award for top handicap mare, won the 2012 DelCap. In 2011, the reigning three-year-old filly champion Blind Luck defeated Havre de Grace, which went on to me named Horse of the Year.

This year’s $750,000 Delaware Handicap is July 20th.

Post-time for Saturday’s first day of racing is 1:15. Race days this year will be on Saturday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday each week with the exception of this Thursday, May 23rd.

The national jobless rate for April was 7.5 percent.

On the county level, some areas in Delaware are faring better than others. Sussex County’s non-seasonally adjusted rate has plummeted since January, sliding from 8.9 to 7.3 percent for April.

Meanwhile, 5.7 percent of Newark’s workforce went without work, and in Wilmington 10 percent of the workforce was out of a job last month.

The Labor Department reports that Delaware workers on average clocked in for 32 and a half hours each week in April. Compared to March 2012, average hourly earnings for private sector workers were up about almost 40 cents to $22.48 per hour.

Ticket sales have pushed the grand prize to $600 million – the biggest Powerball jackpot ever. That breaks the previous record of nearly $587.5 million for a drawing last November. A winner taking the one-time cash option on Saturday’s prize would take home nearly $377 million before taxes.

The ballooning jakpot is thanks, in part, to California now participating in the game.

Delaware Lottery Director Vernon Kirk explains since millions of Golden State residents began playing last month, the jackpot has swelled quickly.

“One of the bigger factors is that California is now a member of the Powerball group and that’s quite an addition to the customer base, if you will. So, with their sales added in, plus the [change to a] two-dollar ticket price in January, we’re seeing these go up more rapidly than before,” said Kirk.

Kirk adds the massive sum is coaxing more First State residents to test their luck.

“This run started March 27 and in Delaware alone we’ve sold $4.8 million worth of tickets to this point and usually the last day — the day of the draw – sales really spike so that number’s going to go way up,” said Kirk.

The jackpot has jumped 240 million dollars since the Wednesday night’s drawing. A Wilmington woman matched five out of six numbers to win 2 million dollars in that drawing.

Delaware’s last Powerball grand prizewinner came last October when a Wilmington couple won $50 million. The couple, which chose to remain anonymous, were the first Delawareans to win the top prize since 2009.

Saturday night’s winning numbers will be drawn at 10:59.

There is also a large MegaMillions jackpot drawing Friday for $190 million with a $140 million cash value.

Lottery officials say the combined $790 million jackpots are the biggest ever to be played for on a single weekend.

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Governor Markell used his weekly address to highlight efforts to address ongoing job training as Delaware seeks to maintain a competitive workforce.

Markell says the state must have a hand in creating a system that delivers the training workers need to qualify for the jobs that are available.

On Monday, Governor Markell attended the opening of the state’s first permanent job training facility in Newark. The 15,000 square foot training center will offer over 50 accreditation programs and skills training courses.

He touted the facility as one way the state is answering the growing demand for evolving skills in its workers.

“The skill demand of today’s jobs are rapidly evolving and the days of one employer, one career are over for most workers. Lifetime learning is no longer an aspiration, it’s a necessity, because workers throughout their careers need to upgrade their skills to remain competitive,” said Markell.

Full text of Governor Jack Markell’s weekly message

We are passionately focused on ensuring Delaware has a world class education system, but we also know learning does not end on graduation day.

The skill demands of today’s jobs are rapidly evolving and the days of one employer, one career are over for most workers.

Lifetime learning is no longer an aspiration – it’s a necessity, because workers throughout their careers need to upgrade their skills to remain competitive. That also means we need a workforce system that delivers the training workers need to qualify for the jobs employers are seeking to fill.

Earlier this week, I joined with elected officials, representatives of the Laborers’ International Union of North America and local union representatives to cut the ribbon on a multi-million dollar training center here in Delaware that will help apprentices improve and add to their skills, advance their careers and gain a competitive advantage in a tough marketplace.

Thursday, I joined the Department of Labor and more than 200 representatives from the business community at a conference focused on how we can best serve businesses and help give entrepreneurs a fair opportunity to thrive, for a company at the idea stage or one that employs thousands of people.

By creating this lifelong educational pathway for Delawareans – from birth through graduation and beyond – and supporting businesses who want to ensure they have access to the best workforce possible, we strengthen the economy, enhance our overall quality of life and keep Delaware moving forward.

USA Cycling has designated the seven-year-old event a Tier 1 criterium race. It’s one of only ten races in the country in that top tier.

Audio

WDDE News Director Tom Byrne's interview with Wilmington Grand Prix event manager Jerry DuPhilly.

Event manager Jerry DuPhilly says Wilmington Grand Prix has slowly built itself into a premier event.

“We’ve had good competition. We’ve had good support. It’s been a good, challenging course. A lot of people come out. Cyclists like to ride in front of big crowds and we have some of the biggest crowds in the country that come out for a [criterium] race. They’ve all been the components to making this thing successful,” said DuPhilly.

That designation has helped the Grand Prix draw its strongest field of criterium competitors ever, according to DuPhilly.

“We have the top three men’s teams in the country as they are currently ranked [by USA Cycling] coming out. And there are the four individual top ranked riders that will all be racing here this weekend. On the women’s side, four of the top five racers will be here led by Erica Allar and three-time Grand Prix winner Laura Van Gilder, who was the points champion last year. So we have a star-studded cast,” said DuPhilly.

The weekend of racing gets underway Friday afternoon at 4 with the the Monkey Hill time trial which challenges the riders with a ride up the cobblestones on Monkey Hill in Wilmington’s Brandywine Park.

Saturday’s full slate of racing begins at 8am. The women’s pro race is at 2:15. The men’s pro race starts at 4pm.

State senators approved the measure in a 16-2 vote on Thursday.

Previously, pharmacists had to keep detailed records of whom they sold hypodermic needles to. They also needed a prescription from a licensed physician to make the sale.

House lawmakers will take up the bill after returning from a two-week legislative break.

House lawmakers approved a measure on Thursday that would establish stricter college entry and graduation requirements for would-be educators.

While Senators easily passed the bill earlier this month, a handful of Representatives spoke out against it.

Reps. Charles Potter Jr. (D- Wilmington North) and John Kowalko (D-Newark South) tried to amend the bill to cut out minimum grade point average standards required for acceptance into a program.

Kowalko says it’s not the legislature’s place to mandate these kinds of benchmarks from universities.

“I know that there’s hope that the better product we get going in, the better product we get going out,” he said. “But we can’t ignore the products that are not as highly polished at that moment in time, which is what we’re doing by law.”

Rep. Paul Baumbach (D-Newark) put forth an amendment to strike a provision requiring the state to track the progress of graduates for five years.

He calls it government overreach and a waste of the state’s resources. “It introduces a dangerous direction of micromanaging our colleges and universities by our state Department of Education that should be focusing on our public schools,” he said.

Rep. Darryl Scott (D- Dover) disagrees. He argues that there are alternatives built into the provision.

“We’re trying to use research-based information to drive the improvements that we’re recommending in this bill and although it requires annual evaluation, it doesn’t require the state-based system, but rather they can use something that includes components. But they have a little bit of flexibility in that respect,” Scott explained.

Both amendments failed to muster sufficient support in the House. The bill later passed with only a few lawmakers voting against it.

Governor Jack Markell (D) touted the idea during his State of the State speech in January.

In a written statement after the vote, Gov. Markell thanked lawmakers for recognizing the need for new teachers “prepared to make a difference on their first day in the classroom.”

“The single most important school factor in a child’s academic success is teacher quality,” he said. “We want to attract the best candidates into the teaching profession because our state’s success in the future is dependent on how well we educate our children today.”

The National Council on Teacher Quality has given Delaware’s efforts to improve teacher preparation a “D-minus.” That puts it in the bottom eight states nationwide for addressing the issue.

Gov. Markell is expected to sign the bill into law.

Council voted 10-2 to approve the approximately $145 million spending plan. The only “no” votes came from Councilmen Justen Wright and Trippi Congo. Councilman Bob Williams voted present.

Williams released a statement following the vote confirming he will veto the Council budget.

“We have worked diligently to work with City Council and reach a compromise,” said Mayor Williams in a statement. “It’s not about me and it’s not about City Council; it’s about proposing a budget that is legal, fiscally responsible, and serves the citizens of the City of Wilmington.”

Williams objected Council’s proposal to eliminate the Deputy Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation position and its inclusion of a $250,000 discretionary fund for unspecified youth programs, saying both are potentially unconstitutional attempts by Council to overstep its legislative authority.

In the budget it approved last night, Council put the Parks and Rec. deputy director back in the budget, but also took out $300 thousand of discretionary fund earmarked Mayor Williams.

“The elimination of the Contingency Fund is unprecedented and completely irresponsible,” added Williams. “What I cannot and will not do is accept a proposal the City Solicitor indicates is unconstitutional due to a violation of the doctrine of separation of powers.”

Based on Thursday night’s vote, City Council appears to have the nine votes required to override Williams’ veto. Williams remains optimistic the can overcome the impasse.

“I am confident the City will have a spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year. We will get there. I’ll veto this budget and we will continue working with Council to come up with a plan that is legal and is in the best interest of our citizens,” said William in his statement.

Coons is co-sponsoring the Military Justice Improvement Act which would circumvent the chain of command for any crime that carries prison sentence of a year or more.

Coons says the bill would give the decision of whether to take a case to trial to experienced legal counsel with a ranking of at least colonel or navy captain.

“Congress is going to take action to ensure that the uniform code of military justice — the legal system that applies in the armed forces — is modernized and updated to make sure that commanders, that the chain of command, are held accountable and are empowered to make sure that sexual assaults in the United States military are a thing of the past,” sadi Coons

The Defense Department estimates 26,000 cases of sexual assault occurred in fiscal year 2012, a 37 percent increase from the year prior.

Coons says the recently overturned sexual assault convictions of two senior officers are upsetting examples of a rampant problem in the armed forces.

We have a problem that is frankly out of control,” said Coons. “We need to make certain that those who stand for us, those who serve in our armed forces are safe from harassment and sexual assault while they serve and defend us.”

The bipartisan bill excludes crimes that are “uniquely military” in nature, such as disobeying orders or being absent without leave.

Lawmakers, brewers and retailers toast new growler sales law.

Lawmakers, brewers and retailers toast new growler sales law.

Video

Governor Jack Markell joined local brewers at the Fordham Old Dominion brewery in Dover Thursday to sign the bill which enjoyed bipartisan support. It was passed by the State House and Senate in less than a month.

The bill’s House sponsor, Representative Debra Heffernan (D-Bellefonte, Claymont, Edgemoor), says selling growlers benefits everyone.

“This is a win-win for craft breweries, especially in Delaware, because they get a wider distribution of their product, for liquor stores because they get to supply a product that our customer wants, and it’s a win-win for the customer because we get to have great craft beer,” said Heffernan.

Gov. Markell, flanked by bill sponsors Sen. David Sokola and Rep. Debra Heffernan , holds up the newly signed "growler law".

Craft brewing has become a part of Delaware’s business landscape. Delaware’s capita per brewery is 10th in the nation with small, independent breweries in each county.

Ed Mulvihill, director of Sales and Marketing for Peco’s Liquors in Brandywine Hundred says the new law means greater exposure for smaller breweries.

“Twin Lakes for example, we have people come in all the time and ask for their other beers that are only available on draft,” said Mulvihill who would have to inform them that the beer was not available in his store. “This will give them the opportunity to brand themselves in a way where costumers will be like ‘Well, I really like the Pale Ale that comes in a can, let me get a growler of the Tavern Stout.’”

Many smaller brewers only distribute their beers in kegs. Jesse Prall, President of the Delaware’s Brewer’s Guild as well as a brewing supervisor for Dogfish Head Brewery, says this will make it easier to get their beer out to the general public.

“It’s huge for every brewery in Delaware,” said Prall.

Representatives from a handful of Delaware’s breweries were present to celebrate the signing. Many might expect that companies in a growing industry would have adversarial attitudes toward each other, but the opposite is true in the First State.

“They are a friendly community” said Markell. “They are competitors but they get along and help each other out. It really is a great feature of the brewing community in Delaware.”

The bill signing comes during American Craft Beer week which celebrates the small and independent brewing industry around the country. In 2012, craft brewing saw the opening of over 400 new small or independent breweries as well as a 17% increase in sales over 2011. In Delaware, three new breweries are in planning or have recently opened.

That means the jackpot will be $550 million for Saturday night’s drawing, with a lump-sum cash value of just over $300 million. It’s the second largest Powerball jackpot ever. The largest was a $587.5 million prize in November.

The numbers drawn last night were 2, 11, 26, 34, 11 with the Powerball 32.

One Delawarean is taking home a respectable consolation prize from Wednesday night’s drawing.

Delaware Lottery reports a 34-year-old woman matched five out of six numbers to win 2 million dollars in the get-rich-quick game of chance. She is one of only two in the country to win that sum from Wednesday’s drawing. The other $2 million winner was in Pennsylvania. The $2 million dollar prize is for matching 5 numbers and adding the multplier option.

Delaware’s last Powerball grand prizewinner came last October when a Wilmington couple won $50 million. The couple – which chose to remain anonymous- were the first Delawareans to win the top prize since 2009.

There is also a large MegaMillions jackpot drawing Friday for $190 million with a $140 million cash value.

Sen. Robert Marshall’s (D-Wilmington West) proposal would expand the list of crimes for which bail could be denied by amending the state constitution.

Currently, judges can only withhold bail in capital murder cases.

Senate President Pro Tem Patricia Blevins (D-Elsmere) expressed concern over specific crimes not being included in the bill. Later legislation would allow lawmakers to draft the actual list of offenses.

Blevins says legislators shouldn’t be able to change the list on a whim and that it’s enshrined in the constitution for a reason.

Public Defender Brendan O’Neill agrees.

“I think we’re overlooking here that these people that are on bail, legally under our system of justice, they are presumed to be innocent,” he said. “That’s why the bail that we have as a constitutional provision is one of the checks and balances in our system of justice.”

O’Neill spoke out against the bill, saying it eliminates a person’s fundamental right to a fair and speedy judicial process.

“I think embarking on this process now of amending our constitution is really taking a step on a slippery slope and it really has the potential to eviscerate the right to bail and the right to be presumed innocent,” he said.

Marshall says he’s willing to address concerns about the bill and change it. Until then, it stays in committee.

The House gaming committee tabled the bill on Wednesday after members expressed concern over nonspecific passages regarding locations and labor guidelines.

Owners of both Delaware Park and Dover Downs spoke out against the proposal, saying it would cannibalize their businesses.

Bill sponsor Rep. Dennis E. Williams (D-Talleyville) doesn’t buy that argument. He says quality casinos would attract out-of-state customers back to Delaware.

He also noted that the two other casinos in the state should’ve followed Dover Downs’ example by reinvesting and updating their business to remain competitive.

“They did the right thing. It looks like a casino. It has marble and all that stuff,” Williams said. “If you go to one of the restrooms at Delaware Park and it’s a cinder block, it’s not really a pleasant atmosphere. You have to go at home instead of going in there.”

Williams says that while the new casinos might affect business initially, he’s willing to give tax incentives to existing gaming centers.

“I think that even the casinos may see if we’re going to start lowering their tax rate half a percent or one percent a year as the other casinos come online and start generating more revenue, that’s a lot of money to them,” he said. “We can save them a lot and still bring in more revenue to Delaware.”

Williams first introduced the bill two years ago, but that legislation died in committee. He says his new bill has a good chance of passing both houses and he’s confident that Governor Jack Markell (D) will sign it.

“He has supported increasing venues in the past and has not changed that position. I don’t remember [his] exact words. He likes the bill,” Williams said.

A statement from Gov. Markell’s office was less concrete, saying simply that he always looks forward to discussing proposals that might add to the state’s economy.

Williams says he’ll consider fleshing out location details and including possible tax incentives for current casinos in order to push the bill out of committee.

The proposal calls for one casino each in New Castle and Sussex Counties. Prospective operators would be selected by a newly created committee and would have three years to build a permanent facility, while operating a temporary location within a year of getting licensed.

Council is scheduled to vote on the budget Thursday, but Williams says if they approve the 147 million spending plan on the agenda he may veto it.

“My administration has made every effort to compromise and we remain open to continued discussion; however, Council’s proposed budget, would leave me no option but to veto,” said Williams in a statement.

Williams calls to a Council proposal to eliminate the Deputy Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation position is an potentially unconstitutional encroachment on executive branch power.

The first year mayor also takes issue with the inclusion of a $250,000 discretionary fund for unspecified programs. His chief of staff John Matlusky characterizied it as a “slush fund” that could also be unconstitutional.

Matlusky also pointed to Williams’ willingness to drop $20,884 in raises for appointed staff as an indication he is willington to work with City Council.

Council President Theo Gregory responded that Council will not back down.

“Instead of sitting down and discussing his concerns over the budget and looking for ways to compromise, the Mayor instead is threatening to veto the budget and threatening to take legal action against our Council,” said Gregory in a statement. “It is evident that he’s adopted the bullying and intimidation approach to governing. I assure the Mayor however, that as long as I am City Council President, he will not bully or intimidate our Council Members nor will he dismiss our views and opinions about the budget and about this government without so much as the courtesy of an explanation or a substantive discussion.

Gregory argued Council has had a discretionary fund for 30 years or more and the Mayor has nearly $600 thousand in similar discretionary funds in the budget.

Gregory says Council could vote to block Williams’ access to discretionary funds until the budget issues are resolved.

Winners of the Small Business Administration’s 2013 Small Business Awards met with the governor to discuss how state government can help them deal with key issues such as rising health care costs and workers compensation insurance rates.

Small Business Administration officials and award winners discuss SBA’s role in Delaware.

Small Business Administration officials and award winners discuss SBA’s role in Delaware.

Video

President and Owner of Mercantile Press of Wilmington Coleman Bye is the 2013 Delaware Small Businessperson of the Year. His company was founded in 1884 and is the state’s oldest printing company. But Bye says that history is not enough to maintain a small business without assistance from groups like the SBA.

“They helped us to develop a strategic business plan and we really tried to regroup and look at where the markets were going within the industry and we identified two segments of growth and we really focused our marketing on those growth segments,” said Bye. “We’re looking now to the SBA to expand [our] building.”

Acting director of the SBA’s Delaware district office John Fleming says the awards also offer an opportunity to highlight the need for lenders to foster small business growth.

“Lenders are important especially to our program because our program is not a direct lending program. What we do is provide a guarantee to the lender and it enables them to make loans that perhaps they may not be able to do without our assistance,” said Fleming. “So, it’s always important to recognize our partners in lending because with out them it really wouldn’t be able to work.”

The small business awards are handed out as part of National Small Business Week. This year’s awards ceremony is May 21at Deerfield Golf and Grille in Newark.

Delaware State Lottery Director Vernon Kirk says tickets are selling at a fast clip for this tonight’s drawing.

“[As of 11 am] we’ve sold 420 thousand [tickets] for Powerball . We would expect that to go up to probably about 1 million by the time the day ends, just on this one period of time and this is pretty comparable to what we usually do in this situation,” said Kirk.

Kirk adds the state depends on these larger jackpots to fuel lottery sales. He says it helps that the other big jackpot game, Mega Millions, is approaching a $200 million top prize this week.

“Right now, this is an unusual circumstance. [Mega Millions] is up to $190 million with a $140 million cash value. So we’ve kind of got dueling jackpots. Mega Millions sales are spiking also. but Powerball still attracts the most attention.”

Delaware’s last overall Powerball jackpot winner was a Wilmington couple that won $50 million last October.

And even if you don’t win the big prize, there are other chances to fatten your wallet. Vernon adds that since January there have been 617 million dollar Powerball winners nationwide, including a Delaware City man in April.

Vernon reminds everyone to play responsibly and if you do win, to sign the ticket immediately, take a deep breath, and seek financial counseling before coming forward to claim your prize.

It’s the second of Governor Jack Markell’s (D) proposed gun control bills to make it through the entire General Assembly.

Several Democrats joined a majority of the Republicans to oppose the measure. Rep. Jeff Spiegelman (R- 11th District) in particular spoke out against the legislation. He questioned Tom Brackin, president of the Delaware State Troopers Association about how the bill would apply in real life.

“What’s to stop the criminal, who is the straw purchaser, from bringing it to you, saying ‘Listen, I lost 12 guns. They’re glocks, I don’t know what model. They’re nine millimeters,’ and washing [their] hands of it, meanwhile I turned around and sold them?” he asked.

Brackin admitted that initially nothing would happen, but went on to say that the straw purchaser could later be arrested if another criminal turns in the firearms.

Spiegelman says the measure targets the wrong person. “This bill, in reality, is much more likely to either inconvenience or criminalize a law-abiding citizen than it is to stop any straw purchase,” he said.

Delaware Homeland Security Secretary Lewis Schiliro disagrees. He says the bill doesn’t put an undue burden on gun owners.

“The requirement to report it somehow creates an infringement on the right, I would argue, goes to the very heart of responsible and safe gun ownership,” he explained.

Under the bill, gun owners are required to report the loss or theft of their firearm to police within 7 days of discovering the weapon is missing. Violators will be subject to a fine of $75-$100 for a first offense and a fine of $100-$250 for a second offense. Any subsequent offenses would result in a felony charge.

House lawmakers debated the bill for a little over half an hour. That’s far less than the time they’ve spent on other gun control measures considered this session

The measure slid by the Senate by one vote earlier this month.

Governor Markell thanked lawmakers for passing what he called an “important law enforcement tool.”

“Law enforcement tells us straw purchasers have two main excuses when the gun they purchased ends up at a crime scene: ‘I lost that weapon’ or ‘That weapon was stolen.’” Markell said. “By requiring individuals to report their gun lost or stolen, this bill helps eliminate those excuses once and for all.”

The Governor says he intends to sign the bill in the near future. With the passage of this bill, Delaware becomes the 8th state to require the reporting of lost or stolen firearms.

Under the bill, if police get information about someone they believe is dangerous, they can investigate that person.

Deputy Attorney General Steve Wood says if law enforcement finds out the tip is credible, they turn it over to his office.

“We have the discretion whether or not to proceed before the court and it’s ultimately up to the court who will determine, by clear and convincing evidence, whether the standard has been met,” he said. “And if all of those happen, then the court can issue an order prohibiting the person from possessing firearms.”

The police can then seize any guns that person owns, or those firearms can be turned over to a friend.

Lawmakers from both parties applauded bill sponsor Rep. Michael Barbieri (D-Newark) for his work on the bill. Rep. William Carson (D-Smyrna) was one of them.

“He [Rep. Barbieri] accomplished what the federal government can’t, what other states can’t. He sat down with the other groups around the table and they worked out a solution that is a very strong bill,” Carson said.

Rep. Harold J. Peterman (R-Milford) was the only person to vote against the bill, saying his constituents thought it would open the door wider for future gun control legislation.

The National Rifle Association withdrew its opposition to the bill after amendments clarifying language and requiring a stricter burden of proof were passed.

Senators will take up the bill next.

Senators wasted little time in unanimously passing the measure Tuesday, only asking for a few clarifications.

Senator Colin Bonini (R-Dover South) supported the measure, but says he’s concerned about a provision that allows schools to stop accepting program kids when they’re at 85 percent capacity.

“I just want to be very certain that we’re going to follow up on this to make sure that, what I think we’re trying to do is increase and codify choice, that we don’t accidentally limit that number,” said Bonini on the senate floor.

Governor Jack Markell’s Education Policy Advisor responded that schools can currently reject applicants regardless of their capacity status. Taber added the figure was selected to allow room for kids moving mid-semester and eliminate discrimination that’s happening now.

“So even if they’re only at 50 percent capacity, they could say, ‘We are at capacity. We will not accept choice students.’ What this does is say they have to accept them up to 85 percent. Beyond 85 percent is discretionary,” said Taber.

The bill also standardizes the application process. Currently, different districts have different deadlines and can request test scores and report cards from students.

The House also unanimously passed the measure earlier this month.

The bill now awaits Gov. Markell’s signature to become law. He’s expected to sign it after raising the issue as part of his State of the State address in January.

The latest statistics show that cases of malignant melanoma in the First State are increasing at a rate two-thirds greater than the national rate (64.3 percent for Delaware versus 20 percent nationally) between 1995-1999 and 2005-2009.

While Delaware public health officials aren’t certain why, they are ramping up a skin cancer awareness and prevention campaign.

Delaware Department of Health and Social Services spokesperson Emily Knearl recommends everyone wear a sunscreen with a SPF of at least 30 and avoid extended time outdoors or in tanning beds. Knearl also notes that while those with fair skin, have green or blue eyes, or have skin that burns or freckles easily are at a greater risk of developing skin cancer, everyone is at risk during the sun’s peak hours between 10am and 4pm.

“Many people don’t realize that a tan is your skin’s response to actual damage from the sun’s rays,” said Knearl. “We’re certainly not telling people not to go outdoors. We just want to remind people that when you are outside, be smart about it.”

Knearl adds that goes for young and old alike.

“A lot of sun damage occurs when someone is under the age of twenty. So people need to be aware that it is particularly important to avoid a tanning bed if you are under the age of 18 and avoid sunburns is you are under the age of 18 as well,” said Knearl.

Cancerous moles that are caught early are less likely to spread to other parts of the body. Moles should be considered questionable if they are asymmetrical, have uneven borders, are larger than the width of a pencil eraser, or change over time. If you feel a mole is questionable, consult a dermatologist immediately.

While melanoma is the most severe and deadly side effect, prolonged sun exposure has also been linked to wrinkles, age spots , and uneven skin tone.

Delaware’s campaign will join with the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention’s “Don’t Fry Day” on May 24th in Rehoboth Beach. Sunscreen, sunburn care, and literature will be handed out for free at that event.

The schedule for the three-day event was released Tuesday, detailing when the more than seventy musicians and bands will take the stage at the Woodlands at Dover International Speedway.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers get the featured slot on day one – performing Friday night June 21st. Tom Petty is the final act on Saturday June 22nd. Foster the People close out the festival Sunday night June 23rd.

The Spinto Band and Dr. Dog, two bands with Delaware roots, both play the first day, with The Spintos hitting The Porch stage at 2:15pm, and Dr. Dog is on the main stage at 5pm.

Firefly officials have also announced that all three day passes for the second edition of festival have been sold out, however single day passes remain available in limited quantity.

For tickets and the complete schedule – you can visit fireflyfestival.com.

Audio

WDDE All Things Considered host Joseph Leahy's interview with Leslie Persans of Kent Co. Division of Inspection and Enforcement.

Last month’s garment factory collapse in Bangladesh, which killed more than a thousand people, is a tragic reminder the topic’s importance.

In Kent County, Leslie Persans oversees building inspections and permitting. She says, in the US, it’s easy to take for granted the safety of our structures.

“I think that a lot of us walk into stores, into government buildings, someone else’s homes and it does not even occur to us that it is not built correctly because we are so used to hearing about building permits and architects and engineers submitting plans for commercial structures,” said Persans.

Persans says the most common safety violation is contractors not constructing buildings according to approved plans. Second-most common she says is builders not seeking permits altogether.

31 state, local, and municipal police agencies began the effort Monday. It runs through May 27th.

Daily checkpoints and saturation patrols will be conducted – mainly in the afternoons and evenings when officials say the majority of unrestrained injuries and fatal crashes occur.

The campaign also features a one-day effort May 20th when Delaware and Pennsylvania state police will target I-95 at the state line.

So far this year 50 percent of fatal crashes in Delaware involved people not wearing their seat belts. That’s compared to 29 percent at the same point a year ago.

Delaware law requires drivers and all passengers to wear a seat belt. Tickets issued go to the driver no matter who is unbuckled in the vehicle and come with $83.50 fine.

Leaders of Laborers International Union of North America, or LiUNA, opened a training center in Newark Monday. It’s the first permanent job training facility in Delaware.

The 15,000 square foot facility features an 8,000 square foot training bay and will offer over 50 accreditation programs and skills training courses to train over 3,000 LiUNA members in Delaware and New Jersey.

The center cost $5 million to build, and Laborers Local 199 spokesman Rob Lewandowski says funding came from a partnership between the union and union contractors.

“So many people characterize unions as sort of having this adversarial relationship between contractors and employers or employees, but in fact, working together is paramount. And pooling our resources is paramount, and that is how we paid for this facility,” said Lewandowski.

Many of the programs offered at the center will provide students college credits, with some apprenticeship programs offering up to 30 credits. Executive Director of the LiUNA Training and Education Fund John LeConche says that those credits are beneficial on many levels.

“It fills the person with a good feeling of self and begins to build a success,” said Leconche. “They are working smarter, they are working safer, and they are able to progress to leadership positions quicker with that educational background.”

In order to graduate from the apprenticeship program, students must complete at least 400 hours of classroom instruction and 4,000 hours of on-the-job training.

The Construction Craft Laborers Training and Apprenticeship Fund of New Jersey and Delaware, a LiUNA affiliate, will teach courses at the center.

There are currently 35 apprentices registered in the program, with a limited number of slots still available. No prior job experience is needed.

The district’s school board voted last week to hire 14 safety personnel to patrol the buildings and grounds of its 15 schools.

Education Board President Charles Bireley says the officers are needed to ensure student safety.

“They will be walking the halls, being involved if there’s an altercation with students or anything like that. They would be involved in that. They’ll be there in the morning when school buses arrive and they’ll be there in the evening when school buses leave,” Bireley.

Bireley adds that the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School also made officials take another look at school safety issues.

“I would say [students] in much greater danger right now than they were 15 years ago . 15 years go we didn’t have as many problems as we have in this country today.”

The district is seeking candidates with previous law enforcement experience, but it has not been determined if any of the new hires will carry firearms. The General Assembly is considering a bill that would ban all firearms in school zones, except those carried by law enforcement.

Bireley says the new officers will cost the district between $600 and $700 thousand annually.

The Delaware State Police currently post school resource officers at both of the district’s high schools.