Governor’s Statement on DuPont Jobs Announcement

Wilmington, DE – Governor Markell released the following statement regarding DuPont’s announcements of employee reductions and that its Specialty Products business would be based in Delaware.

“DuPont’s announcement today is deeply disappointing, especially to the thousands of Delawareans who helped this company grow and succeed for generations. DuPont’s number one asset is its people, and the innovations that the company has produced during its storied history are a testament to the quality of those people. For those affected by today’s announcement, they should know that the State will do all that it can in the coming months to assist them as they evaluate new opportunities.”

“I am pleased that DuPont has committed to basing its Specialty Products business here. That business will be well-positioned not only with products like Kevlar and Tyvex, but also industry-leading electronics and communications, nutrition, and safety businesses. We look forward to doing all that we can to promote the success of that business and will continue to urge DuPont and Dow to see the value of locating other businesses here in Delaware, where they have grown and succeeded in the past.”

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Statement by Governor Markell on Death of Former Democratic Party Chairman Samuel Shipley

Wilmington, DE – The Governor extended his deepest sympathies to the family of Samuel Shipley, a former chairman of the Delaware Democratic Party. He issued the following statement upon the news of his passing:

“Delaware is a better place because of Sam Shipley’s commitment and passion for public service. I am deeply saddened to hear of Sam’s passing. He was an incredible mentor to me, and others, and I could always count on his sound advice when it was needed. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time. He will be greatly missed.”

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State Animal Control Set To Launch January 1 With New Website and Hotline

DOVER ─ The Division of Public Health’s Office of Animal Welfare’s Delaware Animal Services enforcement unit will provide dog control services to New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties beginning January 1, 2016. Delaware Animal Services (DAS) has been providing animal cruelty and rabies control since September, and with the expansion of services to include animal control, all animal law enforcement services will be consolidated into one statewide unit. The City of Wilmington will continue to provide animal control services through a contracted provider until June 30, 2016.

After January 1, a team of 20 Animal Welfare Officers will respond to complaints of animal cruelty, incidents of human rabies exposure, and stray animals, including stray dogs, livestock, and seriously injured, ill, or endangered stray cats.

DAS officers will represent the most highly trained animal control officers in Delaware’s history. In addition to more than 90 years of combined law enforcement experience, Animal Welfare Officers completed state Animal Control and Cruelty Certification Training, the Delaware Constable Academy through Delaware Technical Community College, and field training with animal handling. In December, officers were also trained by a national leader in the field on Community Policing Techniques for Animal Control. The training focused on community-centric approaches to animal control to reduce pet relinquishment and prevent animal neglect through compassionate resources and education to animal owners in need of such services.

“Our officers serve as pet ambassadors in the community to solve underlying issues that cause animals to become homeless or abused. Our ultimate goal is preventing cruelty to animals and animal homelessness, and training is critical to accomplishing that goal,” said Chief Mark Tobin, DAS Supervisor.

“The public should expect that those enforcing animal welfare laws are highly trained and field-tested,” said Hetti Brown, Director of the Office of Animal Welfare (OAW). “With the consolidation of animal control services at the state level, we had an opportunity to ensure all officers received consistent law enforcement and animal services training.”

For the sheltering due to the new enforcement duties, the Delaware Office of Animal Welfare selected Chester County SPCA, which will operate shelters and kennels in Delaware, to provide humane sheltering and adoption services for homeless animals and rehabilitative services for abused animals. The selection was the result of a Request-for-Proposal issued by the OAW last August.

Delaware Animal Services will also focus on preventing pet relinquishment and cruelty through public education and the launch of a compassionate resources program. This program, set to launch in early 2016, will offer resources such as pet food and litter, dog houses, and other animal care items to pet owners in need.

Formation of the new unit began after the Delaware General Assembly passed enabling legislation last June to centralize animal control responsibilities within the state, an action that was first requested in 2013 by the Delaware Animal Welfare Task Force in published recommendations. After the recommendations were published, the OAW worked closely with county, city, and state representatives, local animal shelters and animal welfare organizations, and members of the public to draft two sets of recommendations calling for the establishment of a state-run animal control function.

Residents wishing to report potential animal cruelty or an exposure to rabies through an animal bite or scratch can do so through the Delaware Animal Services Hotline at 302-255-4646. After January 1, the hotline will also accept calls concerning stray or injured animals, or concerns about housing and care of animals. Non-emergency reports may also be submitted by email at DelawareAnimalServices@delaware.gov.

DAS will receive calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from Delaware residents wishing to report stray or injured animals, animal cruelty, or rabies exposures. The in-house dispatch service operates between 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays. After-hours calls are received by our call service, which will dispatch emergency calls to on-call officers.

With the Jan. 1 launch of Delaware Animal Services, a new state website, AnimalServices.delaware.gov, will provide a Lost and Found Pet Registry. Photos and descriptions of all found stray animals will be posted in the searchable registry to help pet owners looking for their companions. A second phase, which will launch later this winter, will include updates to the Lost and Found Registry that will allow residents and organizations to post lost or found animals. The revised website will also offer new options for purchasing dog licenses, reporting non-emergency animal cruelty, and educational resources for the community.

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. 


Christmas tree recycling – a Delaware post-holiday tradition – carries on statewide for 2015/16

Take your tree to a yard waste site or contact your waste collector

DOVER – Delawareans are encouraged to give their recycling spirit a boost after the holiday season by delivering their Christmas trees to one of many yard waste recycling facilities located throughout the state. Please note that Christmas trees are no longer accepted for recycling at any Delaware State Park locations.

Christmas trees will be accepted free of charge for recycling from residents at the facilities listed below. Residents may be able to bring their trees as soon as Dec. 26 and as late as Jan. 30, 2016, but should contact the facility for specific hours and details. Trees will not be accepted from commercial haulers or tree vendors without prior approval. Artificial decorations, including hooks, wire, tinsel and ornaments, as well as wood and metal tree stands, must be removed from all trees before dropping them off for recycling.

“Many Delawareans have been recycling their Christmas trees for many years, and we encourage everyone to establish or continue this eco-friendly tradition,” said Bill Miller, program manager in DNREC’s Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Section. “Recycling these trees that are a product of nature is a wonderful way of giving back to the environment.”

Christmas tree recycling saves valuable landfill space. At least 18 percent of residential waste is composed of grass, leaves, brush, trees and other lawn maintenance and landscaped materials. Prior to Delaware’s yard waste bans, these materials – considered a resource for composting and reuse rather than waste – were deposited in landfills, taking up valuable space and limiting local markets for mulch and compost products.

Many entities collect Christmas trees, including various waste haulers and landscapers. Your regular trash hauler may offer special collections for Christmas trees in January.

Kent County will collect Christmas trees from Jan. 11-15 and 18-22 on your regular trash day for customers in trash districts that have the yard waste collection service.

Christmas trees, stripped of all decorations and detached from tree stands, can be dropped off by Delaware residents for free at any of the following locations:

New Castle County

  • Polly Drummond Hill Road Community Yard Waste Demonstration Site
    Located in the Pike Creek area on Polly Drummond Hill Road, about 1/2 mile north of Kirkwood Highway. Hours: ONLY Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. through Jan. 10. Site will close Jan. 11, 2016 through May 7, 2016 (More information: www.dnrec.delaware.gov/yardwaste)
  • South Chapel Yard Waste Site (operated by Holland Mulch)
    1034 S. Chapel Street, Newark, DE 19702; phone 302-737-1000
    Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 a.m.-noon*
  • Copeland’s Mulch Depot (free for trees purchased at Copeland’s; otherwise $2)
    2 Honeysuckle Drive, Stanton, DE 19804; phone 302-633-9536
    Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.*
    Closed until Jan. 4.
  • Holland Mulch
    135 Hay Road, Edge Moor, DE 19809; phone 302-765-3100
    Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 a.m.-noon*

Sussex County

  • Blessings Greenhouses
    9372 Draper Road, Milford, DE 19963; phone 302-393-3273
    Hours: Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-5 p.m.*
  • Blue Hen Organics
    33529 Fox Run Road, Frankford, DE 19945; phone 302-732-3211
    Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-4 p.m.*
  • Grizzly’s Landscape Supply Service
    18412 The Narrow Road, Lewes, DE 19958; phone 302-644-0654
    Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.*
  • Kaye Construction
    22288 Coverdale Road, Seaford, DE 19973; phone 302-629-7483
    Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.*, closed until Jan. 4
  • Millville Organic Center
    Whites Neck Road (0.5 miles north of Route 26) Millville, DE 19967; phone 302-423-2601
    Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.*
  • Selbyville Pet and Garden Center (free for active customers within the last 6 months)
    38205 DuPont Boulevard, Selbyville, DE 19975; phone 302-436-8286)
    Hours: Thursdays and Fridays 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m.***
  • Stockley Materials
    25136 DuPont Boulevard, Georgetown, DE 19947; phone 302-856-7601
    Hours: Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-5 p.m.*

*Please call ahead as businesses may alter their hours of operation around the holidays.

Only Christmas trees from residents will be accepted for free. Facilities may charge a fee for other yard waste. Other locations throughout the state also accept Christmas trees for recycling for a fee. For information on other yard waste drop-off sites in Delaware, go to: www.dnrec.delaware.gov/yardwaste and click “Yard waste drop-off options.”

Delawareans are also reminded that DNREC’s Polly Drummond Hill Road yard waste site is closing Jan. 11, 2016, and will reopen on May 7, 2016 for Saturdays only. For more information, click: DNREC’s Polly Drummond Hill Road yard waste site to close Jan. 11, 2016; will reopen next May Saturdays only.

For more information about yard waste, visit DNREC’s website, www.dnrec.delaware.gov/yardwaste or call 302-739-9403 ext.1.


Governor’s Weekly Message: Reducing Recidivism by Expanding Job Training Efforts

Wilmington, DE – In his weekly message, Governor Markell highlights efforts to expand job training to offenders to reduce recidivism rates.

“One of the challenges to reducing recidivism across our state and around the country is the need to address the high levels of unemployment experienced by individuals who are involved in the criminal justice system and have completed their sentence of incarceration,” said Governor Markell. “By helping all Delawareans receive training they can use to build productive law-abiding lives, 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/5OHmyqSuugE
Delaware.Gov: http://governor.delaware.gov/podcast_video.shtml
By email: Please contact our press team to subscribe to our press list
Facebook: www.facebook.com/governormarkell
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Governor’s Weekly Message Transcript: Reducing Recidivism by Expanding Job Training Efforts