Commissioner Stewart Cites Captive Division’s Contribution to State’s General Fund

DOVER — Delaware’s Bureau of Captive and Financial Insurance Products received the “Highly Commended” award in the “U.S. Captive Domicile” category from Captive Review Magazine during its service awards ceremony on August 10. The judges cited Delaware’s “continued commitment and investment in the captive insurance industry, both within its own borders and further afield.”

“I’m proud that Delaware continues to receive recognition as one of the premier captive jurisdictions in the United States and across the world,” said Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart. “As our reputation grows, Delaware attracts more businesses who want to establish their captive operations here. The result is a steady increase of captive insurance premium tax monies flowing into Delaware’s general fund.”

Delaware was also cited for adopting International Financial Reporting Standards and for passage of omnibus captive legislation HB 15, which included definition of a “series captive insurance company.” Delaware Captive Bureau Director Steve Kinion’s participation in industry events around the world and his outspoken advocacy for captive issues in general were also mentioned as factors in Delaware’s recognition.

Captive Review selected Vermont as 2015 U.S. Captive Domicile winner, an award given to Delaware in 2013. Delaware is currently the third largest captive domicile in the U.S., and the sixth largest worldwide.

Captive insurance companies are owned by the entities that they insure, and are usually formed by businesses who wish to better manage the cost and administration of their insurance coverage. More than 1,000 captive entities are currently domiciled in Delaware.

As an early celebration of Constitution Day on September 17, the Delaware Public Archives will present a special program about the United States Constitution on Saturday, September 5, 10:30 a.m. at the Archives. Presented by Henry J. Foresman, Jr. this program will explore how both James Madison and John Dickinson, in their own way, helped shape the Constitution and our early republic. While James Madison is remembered as the father of our Constitution, many forget the contributions of John Dickinson, who after Madison may have been the most learned scholar of government and politics from antiquity to the age of the American Revolution.

Henry J. Foresman, Jr. is a retired Colonel in the United States Army, having served 33 years on active duty. He is now Director of the Washington Office of the Third Army and has served in his current position at the Pentagon since May 2012. His responsibilities include the coordination and interaction with Department of Defense and Army Staff and Agencies on behalf of the Commanding General Third Army. Other major responsibilities include the Administration of Office; Budget Management; and Congressional interaction.

The program is free to the public and will last approximately one hour. No reservations are required. For more information, contact Tom Summers (302) 744-5047 or e-mail thomas.summers@delaware.gov.

The Delaware Public Archives is located at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard North in Dover. The Mabel Lloyd Ridgely Research Room is open to the public Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. On the second Saturday of every month the research room is open from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Dover – Back to school is a busy time and there are many things for time-crunched parents to remember. The Division of Public Health (DPH) wants to help with these tips for a healthy and safe school year:

• Wellness check: DPH recommends that children and adolescents have an annual wellness check-up that includes a physical examination. At these visits, the child’s health care provider will screen the child’s overall health, including vision, hearing, and oral health. Health care providers also take this opportunity to assess promote healthy behaviors and strategies to prevent diseases. Annual wellness checks beginning at age 2 are strongly encouraged.

• Immunizations: To prevent communicable diseases such as chickenpox, measles, and mumps, DPH’s Immunization Program recommends that Delawareans be up-to-date with their immunizations. New for the 2015-2016 school year, meningococcal and Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccines are strongly recommended for 9th-grade entry. Starting in the 2016-2017 school year they will be required. For a list of required immunizations by age, visit the Delaware Immunization Program’s website or call 800-282-8672.

• School medical forms: Medical and safety forms should be completed as soon as possible and returned to the school. In particular, school nurses need to know medical and learning conditions, prescribed medications, and allergies.

• Sports participation forms: Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association forms must be completed by parents or guardians and signed by the student’s physician.

• Backpacks: Backpacks should be light – most doctors and physical therapists recommend that kids carry no more than 10 percent-15 percent of their body weight in their backpacks when loaded. Children should wear backpacks over both shoulders not just one to reduce the risk of muscle and neck strains or injuries.

• Reflective tape: Buy back-to-school outer clothes and supplies with reflective tape to assist bus drivers and other motorists to see children at bus stops, and walking or bicycling to and from school.

• Bus Safety: Parents should review bus information with their children. Write down the bus driver’s name, bus number, driver phone number, and the pick-up and drop-off times and locations. Keep that information handy at home and also include it in the child’s backpack for their easy reference.

• Pedestrian Safety: All children should be coached about crossing at crosswalks and be taught to obey traffic signals, highway signs, and laws. Safe routes to and from school should be mapped out, and children should be reminded never to accept rides, candy, or other invitations from strangers. When possible, younger children should be accompanied by a trustworthy adult.

• Healthy lunches: Parents should complete and return school forms to establish lunch accounts quickly, sending some lunch money the first days of school as a back-up measure. To prevent foodborne illness, pack lunches in insulated coolers with ice or ice packs to keep food at 40 F or below. Pack nutritious, lunches with protein, whole grains and fruits, and vegetables. Water or non-fat milk are great drink choices.

For more information about preparing children for returning to school, visit the KidsHealth from Nemours parenting website.

A person who is deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, or speech-disabled can call the DPH phone number above by using TTY services. Dial 7-1-1 or 800-232-5460 to type your conversation to a relay operator, who reads your conversation to a hearing person at DPH. The relay operator types the hearing person’s spoken words back to the TTY user. To learn more about TTY availability in Delaware, visit http://delawarerelay.com.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations. DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

Wilmington, DE – In his weekly message, Governor Markell highlights education efforts across Delaware to better prepare our students for success.

“Educators and school leaders across the state are working hard to ensure our students learn the skills they need and have the opportunities they deserve in and outside of the classroom,” said Governor Markell. “Our children are our future and the prosperity of our state relies on helping them realize their potential. By expanding educational opportunities to best serve all of our students’ talents, we’ll keep Delaware moving forward.”

Every week, the Governor’s office releases a new Weekly Message in video, audio, and transcript form. The message is available on:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/4A7rfAxnq7M
Delaware.Gov: http://governor.delaware.gov/podcast_video.shtml
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Transcript of the Governor’s Weekly Message – Expanding Educational Opportunities for Students

As we welcome students back to school, I am optimistic about the year ahead. Educators and school leaders across the state are working hard to ensure our students learn the skills they need and have the opportunities they deserve in and outside of the classroom. That means implementing higher standards that prepare our children for college, careers, and life; giving more young people access to college-level classes and workplace experiences before they graduate; and working together to find out which teaching techniques and lessons are working the best. Their efforts are paying off as more students graduate on time and enroll in college. And, much more often than in the past, they leave our schools with a head start on earning a degree or securing a job. Our young people are making great progress. But our mission to ensure all students receive the best possible education never ends, so I am excited about the new opportunities available in the coming year. More than 15 high schools will launch hands-on Pathways to Prosperity programs that prepare students to excel in expanding industries, like manufacturing and computer science. We’re increasing assistance filling out college applications and securing financial aid, because no one should be denied the chance to continue their education because of an inability to pay. And we’re expanding our world language immersion initiative to 16 programs, giving more than 2100 students the chance to take half of their classes in Chinese or Spanish and become proficient by fourth grade. Our children are our future and the prosperity of our state relies on helping them realize their potential. By expanding educational opportunities to best serve all of our students’ talents, we’ll keep Delaware moving forward.