DOVER, Del. – The Delaware Aglands Foundation Board announced that they will institute a rolling application process for their Young Farmer Loan Program to offer young farmers more flexibility in acquiring a farm.

Delaware farmers, between 18 and 40 years old have the opportunity to apply for the Young Farmers Loan Program. The program provides long-term, no-interest loans to help eligible farmers purchase land, reducing the financial impact on farmers just starting out or looking to expand.

“In the past, we asked that applicants apply by a specified date in the fall, but we realized this was restricting their opportunities to find the perfect farm when it came on the market,” said Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Austin Short. “This new rolling application system will allow a young farmer to apply when they secure the contract on the farm and have their application reviewed when they absolutely need it. The application window will close once the funding is fully utilized for that fiscal year.”

Applicants must have at least three years of farming experience, and their net worth must not exceed $300,000. Eligible farms must contain at least 15 acres of cropland and must not be enrolled in a conservation easement at the time of purchase. The 30-year, no interest loans may fund up to 70 percent of the value of a property’s development rights, defined as the difference between full market value and agricultural value, up to a maximum of $500,000.

Delaware’s Young Farmers Loan Program began in 2011 to help lower barriers to young people wanting to get started in farming. Thirty-five farmers have purchased land so far in all three counties, totaling 2,700 acres of farmland using $8 million in loans. That includes both individual farmers and couples, all seeking to purchase new land or expand their existing farms. Land purchased through the program is permanently preserved through the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation.

Interested applicants can visit the Department of Agriculture website, agriculture.delaware.gov, for an information and application packet, or can contact Deputy Secretary Austin Short at 302-698-4500 or austin.short@delaware.gov.

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Media Contact: Stacey Hofmann, 302-698-4542, Stacey.Hofmann@delaware.gov

CAPE HENLOPEN – In response to complaints that surf-fishers were not complying with state regulations, DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation Natural Resource Police Rangers performed a three-hour enforcement operation at Cape Henlopen State Park from Navy Beach to Gordon’s Pond on Sunday, July 28^th.

Five full time officers and eight seasonal officers, with assistance from DNREC’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, checked 303 vehicles on the designated surf-fishing beach to ensure that at least one vehicle occupant was actively fishing. In addition, officers required individuals to show proof of a valid fishing license and the mandatory vehicle equipment. Seven summonses were issued and nearly 50 verbal warnings were given. The majority of violations were for individuals not actively engaged in fishing and for invalid permits.   

“I appreciate the ongoing efforts from DNREC Park Rangers who work collaboratively to ensure surf-fishers are following the rules and using our State’s natural resources appropriately,” said Ray Bivens, Director of DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation. “We welcome responsible anglers to join us at our beaches and are thankful for the compliance and cooperation during our recent enforcement operations.”

Park Rangers remind surf-fishing permit holders that all individuals who drive on designated surf fishing beaches must possess a valid surf fishing vehicle permit; must be actively engaged in surf fishing; must possess required surf fishing vehicle equipment, including a jack, shovel, low-pressure tire gauge, board, and tow strap; and also must possess proper saltwater fishing tackle.

Media Contact: Jayme Gravell, DNREC Division of Parks & Recreation, 302-739-9112

Social service agencies will partner with law enforcement to prevent gun violence

WILMINGTON, Del. – State of Delaware social service agencies will partner with law enforcement to prevent gun violence in the City of Wilmington under a Group Violence Intervention (GVI) project announced by state and city leaders on Tuesday.

Governor John Carney joined Wilmington Mayor Michael Purzycki, Attorney General Kathy Jennings, Wilmington Police Chief Robert Tracy, and Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Kara Walker to announce their shared commitment to launching the evidence-based GVI strategy in Wilmington.   

Evidence shows that gun violence is concentrated among a small number of people at very high risk for both victimization and violent offending. The GVI strategy is intended to help these high-risk individuals avoid involvement in the criminal justice system, keep them safe, stabilize their lives, and create accountability for violence. DHSS, the Delaware Department of Correction, and the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth & Their Families are among the agencies that will provide intervention services under the partnership.

“For any city to be successful, it needs to be safe,” said Governor John Carney. “Under the leadership of Mayor Purzycki and Chief Tracy, we’ve seen a significant reduction in gun violence in our city. But – as there are in all cities – there are still communities that are disproportionately impacted by gun violence in their neighborhoods. Those shootings traumatize children and families, and tear apart entire communities. We know that this gun violence is concentrated among a small group of people who are at very high risk for offending – but also at a very high risk for being victims of gun violence. We believe we can make a real difference if we are able to reach those at highest risk, and help them avoid involvement in the criminal justice system, keep them safe, and stabilize their lives. Thank you to Mayor Purzycki, Chief Tracy, Attorney General Jennings, Professor David Kennedy and many others for their partnership on this important work.”

“Wilmington is making significant gains regarding public safety,” said Wilmington Mayor Michael Purzycki. “We are a safer City today because we are policing the City differently, and that difference is largely because of the trust that has been built between the police department and our citizens. Chief Tracy has introduced new and effective layers to our policing methods in Wilmington and today we add another layer that can continue to improve lives and further reduce crime. My thanks to the Governor, to the Health and Social Services Secretary and to our criminal justice leaders for embracing this effort and to David Kennedy, Chief Tracy and former Chief Cummings who are deeply invested in making sure this initiative works for all of us.”

“This is a new day in Wilmington’s efforts to curtail violence in our neighborhoods,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “Through this initiative, we are recognizing the social and economic dynamics that so often drive violent crime, and we are disrupting those dynamics at their source. This program has shown remarkable promise in sharply reducing group violence and I am committed to its missions: protecting public safety, addressing the causes of anger and hopelessness that exist in our most underserved communities, and providing meaningful alternatives to those who would build a better life for themselves.”

The intergovernmental initiative will bring together state-level social service agencies with the Wilmington Police Department, the Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and community leaders in an effort to further and more significantly reduce homicide and shooting incidents in Wilmington. Intervention will be based on frontline knowledge, and real-time data on violence and individuals who face the highest risk of violence.

The GVI work will be led by Bobby Cummings, the former Wilmington Police Chief who has been appointed Director of Group Violence at the Department of Health and Social Services. The National Network for Safe Communities at John Jay College, led by Professor David Kennedy, will provide technical assistance.

“Over the past several years, the Wilmington Police Department has embraced a range of proven, evidence-based policing strategies, with focused deterrence being key,” said Wilmington Police Chief Robert J. Tracy. “Implementing Group Violence Intervention – the next phase of our layered, comprehensive approach – carries the promise of achieving continued reductions in violent crime, while simultaneously offering support and wraparound services to those who embrace an alternative to engaging in gun violence.”

“We’re extremely excited to be working with Delaware and Wilmington to prevent homicide and gun violence,” said David Kennedy, Director of the National Network for Safe Communities at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “We’ve known and worked with Chief Tracy for years, and the commitment of the Governor’s Office puts Delaware amongst a small but growing number of states making an executive commitment to evidence-based public safety approaches. This work saves lives, keeps people out of the justice system, and builds trust between police and communities. We’re honored to be part of it.”

“As leaders, we all have a responsibility to alter the cycle of poverty, trauma and violence in order to keep individuals and families safe and healthy,” said Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services. “The newly appointed Director of Group Violence Intervention in the Department of Health and Social Services will have the resources and the staffing support to meet the social services needs of the small number of people in Wilmington who are at a very high risk for both victimization and for violent offending.”

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This year the Division will invest nearly $3 million
in more than 100 arts and community organizations

Wilmington, Del. (July 30, 2019) – The Delaware Division of the Arts is investing nearly $3 million in more than 100 arts and community organizations that will serve Delawareans statewide with arts programming and services, arts education, and arts marketing and promotion. This first round of funding for FY2020 includes: General Operating Support, Project Support, Arts Stabilization, StartUp and Education Resource grants.

“Every year I am impressed by the vitality of the arts in Delaware. The applications that come in from communities throughout the state represent the finest in arts programming and services. From art leagues, museums, choral groups, and symphonies, to theaters, dance companies, and film, Delaware’s offerings are tremendous. We are fortunate to live in a state where the elected leaders recognize how this investment in the arts serves our communities, our schools, and our local economies,” said Paul Weagraff, director of the Delaware Division of the Arts.

Grant review panels made up of Delaware artists, arts educators, arts and nonprofit organization administrators, corporate and fundraising managers, and interested community members, provided an impartial peer review of these grant applications based on established evaluation criteria, reflecting the importance of having diverse public and expert participation in the grant-making process.

The awards include:

• General Operating Support for fifty-nine (59) arts organizations.
• Project Support for twenty-five (25) community-based organizations that provide arts programming for children and adults; economically disadvantaged and at-risk students; individuals and family members dealing with cancer; and young children and community members from across Delaware.
• Five (5) Arts Stabilization Fund projects that support capital improvements and repairs to facilities owned by arts organizations.
• StartUp Support for one arts organization seeking to strengthen its management capacity prior to applying for general operating support.
• Thirteen (13) education-based partnerships between Delaware’s schools, arts organizations and artists that provide teacher training and standards-based arts learning experiences for pre K-12 students statewide, in alignment with the new Delaware Standards for Learning in the Visual and Performing Arts.

Grants for Fiscal Year 2020

Funding for the Delaware Division of the Arts comes from the Delaware General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, an independent federal agency. In addition, the funds for capital improvements grants—provided by the Arts Stabilization Fund—are drawn from the Arts Consortium of Delaware, Inc. (ArtCo) endowment. A complete list of grants for the first round of FY 2020 can be found here.

The Division also awards grants on an on-going basis throughout the year, including Arts Access grants, Artist Residencies, Individual Artist Fellowships, Individual Artist Opportunity grants, and TranspARTation grants. Full grant descriptions are available on the Division’s website and at the end of the release.

Interested members of the public, artists, arts organizations, and community leaders are encouraged to visit the Division’s website to learn more about these programs. Notification of grant deadlines, guidelines and applications, as well as technical assistance opportunities are published in the monthly e-newsletter, Arts E-News. Please visit our website at arts.delaware.gov for more details.

GRANT PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS

Arts Organizations: Non-profit Delaware organizations whose primary mission is the promotion, production, presentation, or teaching of the arts

General Operating Support – support of annual operating expenses to ensure that year-round participation in the arts is available to the people of Delaware. This grant category utilizes a three-year application cycle. Full applications are due every three years, with Interim applications due in the “off” years. Annual March 1 deadline.

Arts Stabilization – supports improvements to facilities owned (or under long-term lease) and operated by the organization. Arts Stabilization grants are funded through the Division’s participation in the Arts Consortium of Delaware, Inc. (ArtCo) endowment. Annual March 1 deadline.

StartUp – a comprehensive program of financial support, training, and consultation to develop and strengthen the management capacity of emerging arts organizations so that they can operate in a sustainable manner. Completion of the StartUp program is a prerequisite for emerging organizations seeking General Operating Support. Annual March 1 deadline.

Arts Access – supports small budget projects that include the presentation of performing, visual, literary, media, or folk arts in communities throughout the state. Applications must be submitted at least six weeks prior to the project start date, and are reviewed as they are received, beginning on July 1 of each year. Organizations that receive General Operating or Project Support from the Division are not eligible to apply. Rolling deadline.

Community-Based Organizations: Non-profit Delaware organizations, colleges, universities, and government entities that do not have the arts as their primary mission

Project Support – supports arts programs provided by CBOs that assist in the growth of a vibrant cultural environment by encouraging the continued development of arts activities in communities throughout the state. College and university projects must be non-credit and serve the general community.  Annual March 1 deadline.

Arts Access – supports small budget projects that include the presentation of performing, visual, literary, media, or folk arts in communities throughout the state. Applications must be submitted at least six weeks prior to the project start date, and are reviewed as they are received, beginning on July 1 of each year. Organizations that receive General Operating or Project Support from the Division are not eligible to apply. Rolling deadline.

Schools: Delaware pre-K through 12 public, charter, private, and parochial schools

Artist Residency – grants for residencies with visual, literary, performing, or media artists working with students in the classroom or in professional development workshops with teachers. Rolling deadline.

TranspARTation – grants that support transportation costs for schools to travel to Delaware arts and cultural institutions and venues in order for students to attend arts performances, events and exhibits. Rolling deadline.

Arts Organizations and Schools:

Education Resource – grants to strengthen standards-based arts education projects, programs, and activities that utilize the arts education resources of the Delaware arts community or strengthen arts organizations’ capacity to serve as professional development resources for teaching artists and educators.  Annual March 1 deadline.

Individual Artists: Delaware residents, 18 years of age or older, not enrolled in a degree-granting program

Artist Fellowships – supports individual artists in their work as visual, performing, media, folk, and/or literary artists. Applications are received and processed by Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. FY2020 Masters categories are Dance, Jazz or Music. Annual August 1 deadline.

Artist Opportunity Grants – provides up to $750 to support individual artists with unique professional and artistic development or presentation opportunities. Quarterly deadlines, January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1.

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Contact: Dennis Lawson, Interim Communications Coordinator
302-743-8927, dennis.lawson@delaware.gov

The Delaware Division of the Arts, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, is dedicated to cultivating and supporting the arts to enhance the quality of life for all Delawareans. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit arts.delaware.gov or call 302-577-8278.

New laws will ban single-use plastic bags and create a Litter Investigation and Enforcement Fund

WILMINGTON, Del. –  At the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary on Monday, Governor John Carney joined members of the General Assembly and environmental advocates to sign House Bill 130 and Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 5, two pieces of legislation aimed at confronting litter in Delaware. Both new laws will help protect Delaware communities from litter, and protect Delaware’s environment and wildlife from the harmful effects of discarded waste.  

House Bill 130 will ban the use of single-use plastic bags and encourage a shift to reusable bags in Delaware. Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 5 will address the problem of individuals dumping large quantities of trash on public and private property by increasing penalties for unlawful dumping and creating a Litter Investigation and Enforcement Fund.

“We live in a beautiful state. We should keep it that way,” said Governor Carney. “One of the best ways we can take pride in our communities is to keep them clean. That’s why I was proud to stand with mayors, county executives, and other local leaders recently to announce the Delaware Anti-Litter Alliance – a coalition of public officials committed to keeping our state litter free. And that’s why I was pleased to sign these bills into law on Monday. These new laws will help us protect Delaware communities from litter, protect our environment, and  protect Delaware wildlife. Thank you to members of the General Assembly and Delawareans up and down our state who have pledged to help Keep DE Litter Free.”

A 2018 study from Keep Delaware Beautiful and the State of Delaware identified 6,000 pieces of litter for every mile of Delaware roadway surveyed.

Join the campaign: Keep DE Litter Free

“Limiting the use of plastic bags will go a long way toward preserving our environment for future generations. Our young people and future leaders will be the beneficiaries of our actions, and today we take a step forward in making them proud,” said Representative Gerald Brady, prime sponsor of the plastic bag legislation. “We want our waterways to be clean and vibrant, our wildlife to be healthy and our stormwater systems to be effective. I have to thank my colleagues, Governor Carney and many advocates for their passion and support to move this legislation, which will help our society as a whole.”

“This legislation is not just about protecting our environment but also about protecting our health,” said Senator Trey Paradee. “These single-use bags never fully break down. Instead, they turn into tiny bits of microplastic that end up in our food supply and eventually inside of all of us. I’m extremely proud of my colleagues in the Delaware General Assembly for taking this important first step toward reducing the amount of plastic in our environment. This is a clear demonstration that we can work together to improve our state for everyone and I look forward to continuing that effort next year.”

“Our children and grandchildren deserve to inherit a Delaware free of trash and pollution. But we can’t expect someone else to take care of our natural environment for us,” said Senator Stephanie Hansen. “Preserving our forests, waterways and green spaces requires direct and deliberate action, which is why I am proud to have sponsored Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 5 and co-sponsored House Bill 130. These two bills are vital first steps for reducing the amount of plastic waste that inadvertently ends up in our streams and woodlands and changing the culture around the kind of deliberate littering that damages and disrespects our state and our country.”

“These pieces of legislation are essential steps at curbing hazardous behaviors, litter, and our dependence on single use plastics,” said Ginger North, Director of Conservation at the Delaware Nature Society. “We commend Governor Carney and the members of the General Assembly for taking these steps and limiting the number of plastic bags and other waste that litter our beautiful state and are a hazard to our environment, wildlife, and public health.”

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