OHS’s Safe Family Holiday and SoberLift Launch

Campaigns reinforce increased dangers associated with holiday driving during one of the busiest travel times of the year and the importance of safe driving behaviors

DOVER, Del. (Nov. 26, 2019)The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS) has announced the launch of its new Safe Family Holiday Campaign with a kick-off event on Monday, November 25. The campaign, which runs through Wednesday, January 1, 2020, reinforces the importance of safe driving habits during one of the busiest travel times of the year. Through a combination of tactics – high visibility enforcement, traditional media, social media, and grassroots efforts partnering with restaurants, businesses, and other traffic safety partners – OHS will educate Delawareans about the increased dangers associated with holiday driving to reduce crashes and fatalities on Delaware roadways during the holiday season.

“Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day is one of the most dangerous periods on Delaware roadways with drivers, passengers, and pedestrians being seriously or fatally injured in crashes,” said Director Kim Chesser, OHS. “Our Safe Family Holiday campaign is a creative awareness, educational, and enforcement campaign that reminds Delawareans of what makes holiday travel so dangerous. Most importantly, it also encourages everyone to drive sober, walk smart, slow down, buckle up and put the phone down. OHS, along with our traffic safety partners, want to bring everyone home safe this holiday season.”

In order to view yesterday’s press event and kick-off for the Safe Family Holiday campaign and SoberLift program launch, please click below:

Safe Family Holiday Statewide Events

Carolers will be on-site at the following prominent community events and locations throughout the state, performing their newest round of holiday favorites with a unique safety-messaging twist. They will be joined by street teams that will encourage those in attendance to pledge responsible driving during the holidays.

  • Saturday, Dec. 7 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Winter WonderFEST2019 in Milton, Delaware
  • Sunday, Dec. 8 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Christmas In Smyrna at the Smyrna Opera House in Smyrna, Delaware
  • Monday, Dec. 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.: Caroling on the Circle in Georgetown, Delaware
  • Saturday, Dec. 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Christiana Mall in Newark, Delaware
  • Saturday, Dec. 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Dover Mall in Dover, Delaware

Thanksgiving 2019 SoberLift Program – Statewide

In addition to Safe Family Holiday, OHS is pleased to announce its reactivation of the SoberLift program, in partnership with Lyft®, over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, statewide. The program will begin on Wednesday, November 27, at 3 p.m. and run through Sunday, December 1, at 2 a.m., and will provide free Lyft® vouchers* (maximum value of $15) for individuals who want a safe ride during that period. To participate in the program, individuals need to text “SOBERLIFT” to 99000 to redeem the discount code.

Campaign sponsors include: Breakthru Beverage DE, Captain Morgan, Two Stones, Buffalo Wild Wings, Grain Craft Bar + Kitchen, First State Brew Bus, Kelly’s Logan House, Washington Street Ale House/Oyster House, Wilmington Blue Rocks, Delaware Department of Insurance, Dewey Business Partnership, Bluecoast Seafood and Grill Rehoboth, The Starboard, Liquid Alchemy Brewing, and Aloysius Butler & Clark (AB&C).

“Thanksgiving Eve is one of the biggest drinking nights of the year, thus making it one of the most dangerous nights,” adds Chesser. “We want to make sure that everyone arrives alive to their Thanksgiving and post-Thanksgiving celebrations. This is why we are reactivating SoberLift statewide and strongly urge those out celebrating to plan ahead and take advantage of this program.”

Thanksgiving Eve DUI Checkpoint

The Office of Highway Safety is coordinating the 2019 Thanksgiving Eve Checkpoint Strikeforce in each county statewide on November 27, from 10 PM to November 28, at 2 AM. The initiative will reinforce the Safe Family Holiday enforcement and educational campaigns to keep impaired drivers off our roads. Delaware State Police and local law enforcement will be conducting DUI checkpoints in all three counties in the following locations:

  • New Castle County – RT 72 in Newark
  • Kent County – South State Street in Dover
  • Sussex County – SR 1 in Rehoboth Beach 

Safe Family Holiday Enforcements

The annual Safe Family Holiday enforcement period will be ongoing throughout the state from November 25 to January 1 with Delaware State Police and local law enforcement agencies focusing on impaired driving, speed, pedestrian safety, occupant protection, and distracted driving.

Statistics

Recent statistics emphasize why OHS is focusing on these core areas of travel safety during this campaign.

  • DUIs: From January 1 to November 21, 2019, the state of Delaware has seen 3,722 arrests and 18 fatalities related to impaired driving.
  • Speeding: Last year (2018) Delaware had 34 fatalities related to speed.
  • Pedestrians: Over the past 5 years, 145 pedestrians have been killed in traffic crashes; in 2018, 24 pedestrians were killed in crashes on Delaware roadways.
  • Failure to use seatbelts: Last year (2018) 53% of fatalities were unbuckled. 

*The number of daily codes, available between 4 p.m. and 2 a.m., will be limited.

You can follow the Delaware Office of Highway Safety by clicking on:

Delaware Office of Highway Safety Web Site

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Contact: Cynthia Cavett, Marketing Specialist II & Public Information Officer, Office of Highway Safety | (302) 744-2743 or Cynthia.Cavett@Delaware.Gov.

 

About the Delaware Office of Highway Safety
The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. FAQs can be found at ArriveAliveDE.com.


The Mezzanine Gallery to Exhibit “Curiosity and Flux” by Shawn Faust

On view from December 6, 2019 – January 10, 2020
Free opening reception on Friday, December 6 at 5 p.m.

Wilmington, Del. (November 26, 2019) – Curiosity and Flux, an exhibition of abstract paintings by Shawn Faust, will be on view in the Mezzanine Gallery from December 6, 2019 – January 10, 2020. The artist will host a free opening reception on Friday, December 6, from 5-7 p.m. Faust, a resident of Bear, received a 2019 Established Fellowship in Painting from the Delaware Division of the Arts.

The work in this exhibition represents a shift for Faust, who is best known for his award-winning representational equestrian paintings. For his new abstract works, he merges pictorial elements of representation with non-objective forms as a response to memories and the ephemeral qualities of life.

Shawn Faust compares himself to a chef who is changing the menu by using the same ingredients, tools, and techniques but with differing results. He explains,

“I grant myself permission to diverge and pivot from one medium to another, experimenting with process and mark-making in search of my unknown. As a result, I am in a constant state of flux and possibility.”

Images from left to right: Tides of Change, 2019, acrylic, 36 x 36 inches

The Mezzanine Gallery is open to the public weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is located in the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington.

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Contact: Leeann Wallett, Program Officer, Communications and Marketing
302-577-8280, leeann.wallett@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.


Consumer Alert: Medicare Prescription Plan Finder Causes Confusion

The federal government’s newly-revamped tool can lead to increased costs.

Commissioner Trinidad Navarro has released a rare consumer alert regarding Medicare’s newly-updated Prescription Plan Finder. Throughout this year’s open enrollment period, which ends on December 7, the Department of Insurance has received numerous complaints about the tool and anticipated prescription drug costs.

The Prescription Plan Finder is used to identify and compare coverage options, however the tool’s focus on premium costs can deflect focus from higher personal costs at the pharmacy counter. The tool can organize responses to show lowest premium costs first, but not the lowest total annual costs, as was typical for previous iterations of the tool. Additionally, if a resident enters multiple medications, they may receive search results for plans that do not cover all of the prescriptions entered. The tool is used by more than 60 million seniors nationwide, and is a function of the federal government.

“Residents using this tool should carefully consider costs in a holistic way to ensure they are getting the best coverage and best price. The plan with the lowest premium may not always be the plan with the lowest total costs,” said Commissioner Navarro. “If you, a family member, or a loved one are enrolled or enrolling in Medicare, I urge you to take your time on the tool and make sure all your plan questions are answered before making your final selections.”

While the Department of Insurance has no direct authority over the tool, the office has reached out to members of our congressional delegation to discuss solutions being considered at the federal level.

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AG Jennings, DOJ Fight Corporate Abuse of Class Action Settlements

Delaware leads bipartisan coalition opposing attempt to weaponize class action settlements against state law enforcement actions

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Monday that Delaware has filed an amicus brief in a Minnesota federal court opposing a corporation’s attempt to weaponize a class action settlement against a parallel law enforcement action by the Minnesota Attorney General. Delaware’s brief was also signed by the attorneys general of 35 other states and the District of Columbia.

Following a lengthy investigation, Minnesota’s Attorney General filed suit in 2017 against CenturyLink, Inc. for unlawful business practices, alleging the Louisiana-based telecommunications provider had harmed Minnesota consumers through fraudulent and deceptive billing. Trial in Minnesota’s lawsuit is scheduled for March 2020.

In addition, numerous private litigants have filed class action lawsuits against CenturyLink in connection with the same conduct, which is alleged to have harmed millions of consumers across the United States. In early 2018, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated the private class action lawsuits before Judge Michael J. Davis in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.

In October, CenturyLink announced that it had reached a tentative settlement with the private litigants in federal court. Under the proposed settlement, consumers would only receive a small fraction of the losses CenturyLink is alleged to have caused. CenturyLink then asked Judge Davis to bar the Minnesota Attorney General’s state court restitution claims against it, arguing that any further relief ordered by the state court would be “duplicative” of payments consumers will receive under the private settlement.

“Class action settlements aren’t get-out-of-jail-free cards,” said Attorney General Jennings. “This issue is bigger than any one state or business; this is about giant corporations playing by a different set of rules than everyone else. The injunction that CenturyLink has requested would undermine state consumer protection laws and send a message that corporations can violate the law and unilaterally avoid full accountability by leveraging private settlements to squeeze out law enforcement efforts. I’m grateful to my colleagues for standing up to say we won’t let that happen.”

Delaware’s brief makes four principal arguments:

  1. CenturyLink’s request is unconstitutional under the Eleventh Amendment
  2. Additional federal statutes bar the Courts from granting CenturyLink’s request
  3. The approach advocated for by CenturyLink would incentivize class action settlement abuse, diminish recoveries for fraud victims, and enable bad actors to keep more of the proceeds of their misconduct.
  4. State attorneys general are not represented in class actions and are legally separate from private litigants

The Minnesota Attorney General filed a separate brief opposing CenturyLink’s proposal on November 15. A hearing on the matter will be held before Judge Davis on December 11.

Delaware’s amicus brief was also signed by the attorneys general of: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia.

Delaware’s work in this matter was led by Deputy Attorney General David Weinstein, with assistance from Fraud Division Director Owen Lefkon, Director of Impact Litigation Christian Wright, and Deputy Attorney General Michael Clarke.


Poinsettia Sale to Run Dec. 2-21 at Greenhouse on DHSS’ Herman Holloway Campus

NEW CASTLE (Nov. 25, 2019) – The annual holiday sale of poinsettias grown at the greenhouse on the Department of Health and Social Services’ Herman Holloway Campus near New Castle will begin Dec. 2 and run through Dec. 21.

The greenhouse is operated by Bright Spot Urban Farm and proceeds from the sale of the nearly 1,800 poinsettias grown this season will help support its youth programs. Bright Spot Farms was founded by West End Neighborhood House in Wilmington.

Available in red, white, pink and multiple specialty colors, the 6.5-inch pots are $9.50 each or $10 for specialty colors (Maroon, Ice Punch, Marble Star, Princettia Hot Pink, Princettia Pink, Golden Glo, Winter Rose Red, Sparkling Punch, Ice Crystal, White Glitter and Ruby Frost). For orders of more than 25 plants, the price is $8.50 for each plant. Plants in the 8-inch pots come in red, white and a mix of red and white, and cost $30 each. The larger plants in the 10-inch pots come in red or white and cost $35 each. There is also a smaller 4.5-inch pot (table-top size) for $4.50 each. It comes in red, white, Ice Crystal, Ice Punch, Ruby Frost, Gold Rush and Sparkling Punch.

The prices include a choice of gold, red or green foil wrap on the pot. Delivery is a flat fee of $7 in New Castle County, no matter the number of plants.

“Our students are gaining exposure to and learning skills in a field that many of them never considered as a career, while also learning valuable lessons about teamwork and discovering new capacities they didn’t realize they had,” said Sindhu Siva, program director at Bright Spot Farms. “All of this is made possible by incredible customers who know the sale of our products goes toward supporting our youth programs. We encourage you to come out to the greenhouse to check out our poinsettias and learn more about our students and the programs we offer.”

Bright Spot Farms provides paid hands-on training in agriculture and horticulture for high school students. Bright Spot believes in the power of farming to transform people through building confidence and fostering leadership. The program’s objective is to heal and empower young people gram by rooting farming in an ethic of community service.

Students participate in one or more three-month sessions during which they learn about different aspects of production, marketing, and sales in addition to conflict resolution, problem-solving and public speaking. Students selected to continue for a second year receive leadership training and coach and mentor new students in the program.

The greenhouse is on the Herman Holloway Campus, 1901 N. DuPont Highway (U.S. 13) and is open to the public. Follow the signs for the greenhouse. The greenhouse will be open for walk-in sales Dec. 2 to Dec. 21. The hours are noon to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The greenhouse will be closed on Sundays. Bright Spot accepts cash, check or credit card.

Orders can be made online using the order form found at https://www.brightspotfarms.org/poinsettias or by emailing brighstpotventures@gmail.com. For more information, call 302-255-2993.