Governor’s Weekly Message: Making Investments that Support Student Achievement and Career Success

Wilmington, DE – In his weekly message, Governor Markell marks the beginning of the new school year by highlighting education investments that are helping prepare students for higher academic achievement and career success.

“This week, students across our state are returning to the classroom and thanks to the hard work of teachers and administrators, our schools are setting them on a path toward rewarding careers and success in life through higher standards and innovative instruction that meet the skills needed in today’s high-tech economy.” Governor Markell said. “By investing in educational programs and instruction that meet the needs of today’s world, we’ll ensure that our students have bright futures, and 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/HZxZ0_104_4
Delaware.Gov: http://governor.delaware.gov/podcast_video.shtml
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Transcript of the Governor’s Weekly Message: Investing in Educational Programs and Instruction that Meet the Needs of Today’s World


Governor’s Weekly Message Transcript: Investing in Educational Programs and Instruction that Meet the Needs of Today’s World

This week, students across our state are returning to the classroom and thanks to the hard work of teachers and administrators, our schools are setting them on a path toward rewarding careers and success in life through higher standards and innovative instruction that meet the skills needed in today’s high-tech economy. That starts with our youngest learners.

More support for training, equipment, and resources in high quality pre-school programs are preparing our youngest learners to excel in school. We’re in the fifth year of our world language immersion program where nearly 3,000 kids – including 10% of our Kindergarten students – are taking half of their classes in Chinese or Spanish to become proficient by fourth grade. That program is giving kids a head-start for career success in today’s interconnected world. High school students are taking more college-level classes and getting workplace experience through programs like Pathways to Prosperity, which this fall has grown to 6,000 students who will be a step ahead of their peers when competing for jobs in expanding industries like healthcare, manufacturing, computer science and engineering. For seniors, our schools are working harder than ever to give them the resources to chart their next steps, whether it’s a 2- or 4-year college education or going straight to the workforce.

These efforts have helped us hit record high graduation rates and achieve new milestones in the number of students who are applying for and enrolling in college. And we’re building on our support for teachers by providing leadership opportunities at their schools while ensuring they can also remain in the classroom. By investing in educational programs and instruction that meet the needs of today’s world, we’ll ensure that our students have bright futures, and we’ll keep Delaware moving forward.


Public Health Advises Health Care Providers to Monitor IV Drug Users for Bacteria Exposure

Dover — The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) announced that it has been notified of four cases of Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) bloodstream infection between July and August of 2016 in New Castle County. Typically a foodborne illness, these bacteria usually do not cause blood infections. Three of the four cases of B. cereus reported to DPH occurred in individuals who are intravenous (IV) drug users and currently use heroin. Symptoms of bloodstream infection may include fever, chills, body aches, rapid heart rate, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. If untreated, bloodstream infections can affect multiple organs and even be fatal.

As a result, DPH is encouraging health care providers to carefully monitor IV users who are actually ill for bloodstream infections and to consider B. cereus bloodstream infection a possible diagnosis. DPH recommends that antibiotics be started promptly after blood cultures are drawn and health care providers consider antibiotics that are active against B. cereus.

Two of the four individuals who had B. Cereus bloodstream infection described the heroin they used as having the street name “Butter” and having an image of a butterfly stamped on the packaging. They reported purchasing the heroin from a dealer in the Wilmington area.

“Complications from this illness can include eye infections, risk of blindness, heart valve damage, and musculoskeletal, respiratory, and central nervous system infections,” said DPH Director Dr. Karyl Rattay. “While this infection does not spread from one person to another, it is possible that the heroin itself is contaminated and there may be additional infections from the use of the contaminated drug.”

There is no risk to the general public from these infections.

Other infections such as HIV and Hepatitis C are easily acquired through illicit IV drug use. For information on the Delaware Needle Exchange program, visit http://dhss.delaware.gov/dph/dpc/needleexchange.html.

If B. cereus bloodstream infection is identified in any patient (IV drug user or not), health care providers are urged to obtain consultation with infectious disease physicians early in the course of patient care because these infections can sometimes be difficult to treat and antibiotics to treat this infection must be chosen carefully. In addition, serious complications of the infection can occur if not treated early and with appropriate antibiotics.

If B. cereus bloodstream infection is identified in any patient (IV drug users or not), providers are encouraged to contact DPH’s Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at 888-295-5156 or 302-744-4990 to report.

Persons seeking help for drug addiction can visit HelpIsHereDE.com to connect with treatment and recovery services.

Any heroin or illicit IV drug use could carry risk of a variety of infections regardless of where it is purchased. For further information on infections caused by illicit IV drug use, visit http://www.cdc.gov/pwud/.

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 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, drink almost no sugary beverages.


The Mezzanine Gallery to Exhibit “Patterned Planes” featuring Paintings by Diane Lorio

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THE MEZZANINE GALLERY TO EXHIBIT “PATTERNED PLANES”
FEATURING PAINTINGS BY DIANE LORIO

The Delaware Division of the Arts Mezzanine Gallery presents Patterned Planes, an exhibition of paintings by Diane Lorio. The exhibition will be on view from September 2-30. Please note the Gallery will be closed on Monday, September 5 for Labor Day.

The opening reception will be Friday, September 9 from 5-7 p.m. in the Carvel State Office Building. The reception is free and open to the public and Ms. Lorio will be in attendance to discuss how her recent work reinterprets patterns in organic, social, economic, and mathematical contexts. This series shows patterning in a larger sense: in biological formats such as DNA, in mathematical systems that describe the world, and in the patterns of our choices.

Lorio also received a 2016 Individual Artist Fellowship in Painting. View additional paintings at the annual Award Winners XVI exhibition, which recognizes the 2016 Individual Artist Fellows‘ combined artistic accomplishments. The exhibit is on view now through October 23 at the Biggs Museum of American Art, Dover.

Learn more about Diane Lorio with our YouTube Meet the Artist video series.

The Mezzanine Gallery is located in the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 and open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

About the Delaware Division of the Arts
The Delaware Division of the Arts is an agency of the State of Delaware. 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. Funding for Division programs is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. For more information about the Delaware Division of the Arts, visit artsdel.org or call 302-577-8278.

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

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Governor’s Weekly Message Transcript: Improving Transportation Safety and Efficiency while Creating Jobs

During this year’s highway construction season, the Delaware Department of Transportation is making major strides to improve your ride. We are investing in projects that will enhance safety, reduce congestion and accommodate growing traffic on our roadways. DMV is keeping up its commitment to use technology and innovation to streamline transactions and shorten customer wait times. We are encouraging the use of mass transit by increasing SEPTA and DART bus services, and purchasing clean electric and propane–fueled vehicles that reduce air pollution. Across our state, thousands of men and women are hard at work building and maintaining a transportation infrastructure that will help drive our economic prosperity for years to come.

In New Castle County, an innovative Diverging Diamond Interchange is under construction at Route 72 and Delaware 1 and a new expanded interchange on Route 141 and I-95 will significantly improve traffic flow. We’re resurfacing portions of I-95, I-495 and many other heavily traveled routes. And, work on the new US 301 is on budget and scheduled for a 2018 opening. In Kent County, the Route 1 Thompsonville Road Interchange is nearly complete and the new West Dover Connector is at the half-way point. New interchanges on Route 1 at Little Heaven and South Frederica are also underway. And, work on a new interchange at Northeast Front Street in Milford will start soon. In Sussex County, a project to add a third lane on Route 26 is nearly done and we’re progressing on intersection improvements on Route 9 between Lewes and Georgetown. The Hearns Pond Dam in Seaford – that also carries traffic – is being rehabilitated. And, our latest project to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety along Route 1 in our beach communities is complete. These and many other important projects, both large and small, are possible today because of the leadership of Governor Markell and the General Assembly, who enacted a bipartisan funding package last year that makes significant new investments in our transportation infrastructure.

In the short term, this means orange traffic cones and barrels will continue to be a common sight along our roadways. But please remember, our work zones are there to protect the safety of our roadway workers, while they improve your ride both today and tomorrow. And that will keep Delaware moving forward.