In his weekly message, Governor Markell discusses statewide efforts to educate Delawareans on how to be financially stable.

“When people are financially secure, they can buy a home, pay for college, start a business, or save for retirement,” said Governor Markell. “Providing our communities with the tools people of all ages need to learn how to succeed financially will empower our residents, strengthen our economy, and will 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/9TknU19wpco
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
Twitter: www.twitter.com/governormarkell

Governor’s Weekly Message Transcript: Economic Growth Through Financial Empowerment

At his office in Dover today, Governor Markell announced that 17 Delaware nonprofit organizations will receive a total of $217,600 in grant money from the state’s Financial Literacy Education Fund (FLEF). These grant funds will be used to teach adults and children throughout Delaware the importance of saving, establishing and maintaining a budget, and investing for the future. To make this announcement, Governor Markell was joined by State Bank Commissioner Robert Glen.

Governor Markell established the Financial Literacy Education Fund in 2009 when he signed Senate Bill 108 to require businesses that make short-term consumer loans (payday loans) and car title loans to pay a high-cost loan license fee surcharge of $1,500 annually for each licensed office. Those fees are deposited into the FLEF to fund grants to or contracts with schools or other organizations that provide financial literacy skills to adults and youth in Delaware.

From 2011 through 2014, the first four years of the FLEF grant program, 25 organizations provided financial education to youth and adults in Delaware through a total of $1,623,605 in grants. In 2014, the FLEF awarded $264,000 in funds to 19 organizations. Those 19 nonprofit organizations assisted over 38,500 Delawareans to gain the tools necessary to make sound financial decisions for today, tomorrow and every day in their future. “These organizations continue to make Delaware stronger by providing adults with the knowledge needed to succeed financially and by teaching our youth the importance of making good monetary choices,” said Governor Markell.

The FLEF is administered by the Office of the State Bank Commissioner and the Secretary of State’s Office. Applications for the competitive grants were rated on how they would improve the financial literacy of Delawareans. All schools recognized by the Delaware Department of Education and nonprofit organizations within the State of Delaware that have 501(c)(3) designation by the Internal Revenue Service were eligible to apply. The Fund has one competitive grant cycle per calendar year.

Dover – A total of one hundred people were arrested statewide last week for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol and/or drugs. Of those 100 individuals, six (6) were arrested by the New Castle County DUI Task Force at a checkpoint conducted in Newport over the holiday weekend. Police officers also arrested 16 individuals for drugs, apprehended 2 wanted persons, made 1 underage drinking arrest and also made 5 other criminal arrests. Statewide, there have been 1,999 DUI arrests made in Delaware this year.

DUI checkpoints continue and are scheduled for:

Friday July 10 – Newark – (NCCo DUI Task Force)
Saturday July 11 – Dover – (DSP Troop 3)

Checkpoint Strikeforce is a regional sobriety checkpoint campaign aimed at arresting DUI offenders by using high visibility enforcement to deter those who would otherwise choose to drink and drive. The campaign is a six month long effort coordinated locally by the Delaware Office of Highway Safety and involves setting up weekly DUI checkpoints & patrols statewide. Delaware had 4,086 DUI arrests statewide for 2014.

For a list of DUI checkpoints in your area text CHECKPOINT to 99000 or for a list of cabs text TAXI to 99000. More information and resources on Checkpoint Strikeforce can be found at www.ohs.delaware.gov, www.ArrriveAliveDE.com. Follow regular campaign updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DEHighwaySafe, Facebook www.facebook.com/ArriveAliveDE, and subscribe to YouTube channel DelawareOHS.

(Dover, DE) – In his weekly message, Governor Markell highlights ongoing efforts and initiatives for Delawareans to receive the skills they need to succeed in a global economy.

“We’re also making strides toward giving Delawareans who are struggling the most a better path
toward reaching their potential. Our budget improves and expands services available to combat
those suffering from the addiction epidemic. As a result of a new law and new state programs
started this year, we’re better supporting youth with disabilities in achieving successful careers
and financial security,” Gov. Markell said. “We have much more to do, but it’s clear that we
continue to make great progress. By continuing to focus on initiatives that provide more people
with the opportunities to gain the skills they need to get a good job and thrive in today’s
economy, 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/Eu8ExQnOKyw
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
Twitter: www.twitter.com/governormarkell

Governor’s Weekly Message Transcript: Achieving Delaware Promise

Canada offers the most promise to Delaware companies looking for trade and partnership opportunities abroad.

That was the message Delaware’s new foreign trade representative for Canada drove home to local business owners during a recent roundtable at the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce.

“Canada is a neighbor and a natural partner,” said Ludovic Ortuno, an experienced international trade and development professional working and living in the Montreal area. “It has a well-developed, mature market with diverse industries organized into clusters, and a long and successful trading history with the U.S.”

Ortuno was recently engaged by Global Delaware to help Delaware businesses find partners in Canada. He works in-country to perform market research and analysis, develop product strategies for market entry, identify potential customers, provide in-country logistical, translational and related support services, and even negotiate with distributors on behalf of Delaware companies.

With many years of experience working with premier international trade and development agencies, Ortuno has an extensive understanding of what it takes to launch new products in Canada and other markets. “Ludovic is a seasoned trade expert and a strategic thinker. He can help companies with all aspects of marketing, find resources, identify the right partners and navigate Canadian rules and regulations,” noted Global Delaware Director Andrea Tinianow.

During the roundtable, Ortuno told participants that Canada is the largest export market for the U.S., with bilateral investment and trade between Canada and the United States reaching $1 trillion annually. Canada has the largest growth in GDP of the G-7 countries, he noted, and is ranked as the most favorable country with which to do business of the G-20. The International Monetary Fund predicts its Gross Domestic Product will grow consistently at 2 percent annually through 2020.

Ortuno cautioned that although Canada’s geographic proximity and comparable business culture make it an easier export target market, it is still a different country. “Canada is friendly to the U.S., but has its own certification processes, regulations, business and labor laws,” he explained. “Delaware companies need the proper tools and resources to successfully sell their goods and services across the border.”

State efforts to help companies seek opportunities abroad

Connecting Delaware businesses with foreign trade representatives is part of Global Delaware’s Strategic Export Plan to increase business opportunities and jobs for local companies. Foreign trade representatives have extensive contacts with in-country industry associations and government agencies, chambers of commerce and public and private organizations, as well as specialized expertise in assisting U.S. companies establish distributor and customer networks in their country markets.

In addition to developing a network of foreign trade representatives, Global Delaware will organize trade missions to key markets for qualifying businesses and provide access to an exhaustive database of international distributors.

“We want more Delaware companies to be part of the $1 billion that goes back and forth across the Canadian border daily,” Andrea Tinianow said. “We are building the bridges, tunnels and railways so our businesses can join the global economy; we are committed to getting them there.”

To learn more about Global Delaware, please visit: global.delaware.gov