On Tuesday, January 23, 2024, the Office of Animal Welfare (OAW) was recognized by the 152nd General Assembly, with House Concurrent Resolution 81 sponsored by Rep. Kimberly Williams, (D-19), and Sen. Jack Walsh, (D-9).

November 2023 marked 10 years since the OAW was established under the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH). The OAW is a state office dedicated to protecting the health, safety and welfare of companion animals, and promoting the human-animal bond.

“For 10 years now, the Office of Animal Welfare has worked to improve the quality of life for pets and people across our state and their efforts deserve recognition,” said Rep. Kim Williams. “Through their collaboration with local animal shelters, rescues, and the veterinary community, they have not only made Delaware a more humane and compassionate place, but have also played a pivotal role in making our state the first no-kill animal shelter state. As we celebrate their remarkable 10 years of service, let us also embrace the important message of ‘adopt, don’t shop’ when looking for a new four-legged friend.”

In 2012, a State Animal Welfare Taskforce of policymakers, veterinarians, shelter directors and others with expertise in animal welfare was assembled to analyze issues concerning companion animals and to make recommendations for improvement. The 147^th Delaware General Assembly established the OAW from the recommendations of this taskforce in late 2013, as it was clear there was a need for a state office dedicated to addressing these issues. Today, the public has one centralized office to manage and coordinate programs and services for pets, which greatly reduces the confusion for residents and fragmentation of services that existed previously.

“Over the last decade, the Office of Animal Welfare has played a vital role in promoting safer and healthier communities by carrying out their mission to protect the welfare of the dogs, cats and other furry companions that are a part of so many of our families,” said Sen. Jack Walsh, the Senate prime sponsor of HCR 81. “I am proud to recognize the OAW’s tireless dedication, and even prouder of the work that OAW and the General Assembly have done, and will continue to do, to protect the welfare of animals throughout Delaware.”

In recent years, the office has created many programs and resources to promote the safety and wellbeing of Delawareans and their companion animals. Among these accomplishments are:

• Launching a statewide Lost and Found Pet Registry.
• Implementing training and certification regulations for animal welfare officers that ensures preparedness and consistency statewide.
• Establishing Delaware Animal Services (DAS) which is the Office’s enforcement unit to safeguard pets and the public.
• Drafting enforcement provisions for the Shelter Standards Law.
• Implementing a comprehensive shelter oversight program which conducts regular inspections of Delaware’s animal shelters.
• Expansion of the State Spay & Neuter Program to reduce animal homelessness.

“Celebrating 10 years of the Office of Animal Welfare is a significant milestone that is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our staff and community partners, as well as the support of the public,” said OAW Director Christina Motoyoshi. “This tribute provides an opportunity to recognize those that worked to create the Office and reflect on the impact made as a result to reduce animal homelessness and suffering, elevate professionalism and make our community safer for people and pets. We look forward to continued progress and serving as a vital resource for Delawareans for years to come.”

For more information about OAW, visit https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/oaw/oawhome.html. To report animal cruelty or a dog control issue, call 302-255-4646.

DOVER, DELAWARE – Today, Delaware State Auditor Kathy McGuiness released the Delaware Volunteer Fire Service Special Report. This year, the Auditor’s Office estimated that the Delaware volunteer fire service saved the state taxpayers over $244 million for fiscal year ending June 30, 2020.

The volunteer fire service has a long-standing and proud tradition in the State of Delaware. Volunteer firefighters devote a great deal of time and personal sacrifice — they are the backbone of the operation of a 2020 volunteer fire company, providing social, community, and financial value. For over 200 years, these volunteer fire companies have been a part of the fabric of Delaware communities.

“These volunteers not only sacrifice their time and energy, but they also saved the state taxpayers more of more than $244 million this past fiscal year,” said State Auditor McGuiness. “Volunteer first responders save lives and my special report recognizes their value while ensuring transparency to the Delaware taxpayer.”

This year, Delaware’s volunteer fire service is dealing with a pandemic posing several challenges for first responders. Volunteer firefighters and emergency personnel face a high likelihood of exposure to the virus, in addition to the monetary losses of holding fundraisers and events.

“First responders are on the frontlines of the Coronavirus pandemic,” said McGuiness. “We should not only give them the recognition they deserve, but also give our support to upholding the longevity of the volunteer fire service in Delaware.”

I recommend Congress pass additional stimulus funds that includes funding to state and local governments. The new stimulus should prioritize firefighters who are on the frontlines of this virus to make sure they have the appropriate supplies, personal protective equipment, and funding to continue providing these necessary services to the public. In the immediate term, the Governor should allocate CARES Act funding to these volunteer companies to ensure their current needs are satisfied. Lawmakers should also create a fund independent of Grant-in-Aid to extend the longevity of the volunteer fire service in Delaware.

Learn about the Delaware Auditor’s Office at https://auditor.delaware.gov.

Click here to download the report: https://auditor.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2020/11/FINAL-FIRE-FY-2020.pdf

Contact: Alaina Sewell, Executive Assistant, Alaina.Sewell@delaware.gov, 302-857-3931

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When/Where:  Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 10:00 AM – Downtown Dover – W. Loockerman Street to Legislative Avenue

When/Where:  Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 12:00 PM – Downtown Dover – Legislative Avenue & Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

The Delaware General Assembly, the Delaware Department of State, the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs, the Delaware Heritage Commission, Dover Air Force Base, and the City of Dover will honor Delaware Women Veterans with this year’s ‘Veterans Day Parade.’ The parade will begin at 10:00 A.M. winding through downtown Dover ending at the site of the dedication ceremony.

For more information on the parade, please contact Colinda Marker in Legislative Council at 302-744-4303 or colinda.marker@delaware.gov. Registration to enter the parade is also available with the deadline on Monday, October 29, 2018.

Please help us honor Delaware’s Women Veterans at Legislative Hall. The dedication ceremony will follow the parade starting at 12:00 P.M. Parking is available all around Legislative Hall, which sits on Legislative Avenue between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard North and South. Refreshments will follow the ceremony at the Delaware Public Archives adjacent to Legislative Hall.

For more information on the monument dedication, please call (302) 744-4114 or email: Legislative.Council@delaware.gov

Parade 2018
Monument 2018

DOVER – The Delaware General Assembly, the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs and the Delaware Heritage Commission unveiled a new monument in honor of those Delawareans who served their state and the nation in World War I.

The monument is installed on the grounds of Legislative Hall and was dedicated during a special ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 4.

“The men of Delaware who went to France in 1918 were devoted to the cause of freedom and their duty to make the world safe for democracy. It’s our duty to remember their deeds and the ideals they fought for,” said Gov. John Carney. “This monument also stands in honor of the Delawareans who supported the Great War from the home front. This includes some of Delaware’s most famous illustrators, whose artwork captured the spirt of America’s role in the war, and the nation’s duty to come to our allies’ aid.”

The granite memorial features reproductions of two famous works of wartime art by Delaware illustrators. One side depicts a 1919 piece by Frank Schoonover, dedicated to the Delaware “Doughboys” who fought with the Allies in France. The obverse depicts a 1918 war bond poster by Ethel Pennewill Brown Leach, in honor of the sacrifices of those who supported the war on the home front.

Though no living Delaware vetera

ns of World War I remain, many of their descendants have kept alive the memory of their service, including Sen. David McBride, president pro tempore of the Delaware Senate.

“As a veteran and a public official, I believe one of our highest duties is to honor all of our armed forces: those who serve, those who have served, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Sen. McBride. “As the nephew of a pilot killed in action over France in 1918, this memorial—and the tribute it pays to the millions of soldiers, sailors, and marines who served in World War I—is particularly moving. I hope that it reminds every passerby of our armed forces’ courage and sacrifice, and that it stands the test of time as their service has for our country.”

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the American intervention in World War I. Throughout the United States’ engagement in the war, some 9,000 Delawareans served overseas in the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps. Of that number, 43 Delawareans were killed in action and 188 were wounded. Many more succumbed to the great influenza epidemic of 1918-1919, bringing the total number of Delaware service personnel lost during the war to 270.

“I am very proud that our state is r

ecognizing these brave men,” said Sen. Colin Bonini. “The soldiers of the First World War heralded the beginning of the American century and we are grateful for their sacrifices.”

The installation of the monument was made possible by the Delaware General Assembly, with support from the Commission of Veterans’ Affairs, a division of the Department of State.

“In the Department of State, I’m proud to say that we help to support Delaware’s veterans every day through both the Commission of Veterans’ Affairs and the Delaware Veterans’ Home,” said Secretary of State Jeffrey Bullock. “Just as we honor veterans who have gone before us, we must do honor to those men and women still in our midst who gave their service to this country.”

Wilmington, Del. (July 24, 2017) – 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 FY2018 includes: General Operating Support, Project Support, Arts Stabilization, and Education Resource grants.

“The arts in Delaware are integral to the fabric of our communities—from Claymont to Rehoboth Beach to Seaford. We are proud to invest in arts education, arts and community development, and arts for underserved communities,” 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.

“In Delaware, the arts continue to be an important economic driver—generating $149.9 million in annual economic activity and supporting over 4,000 jobs for our citizens, providing business for our restaurants and other small enterprise, and tax revenue for our state and local governments—according to the Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 national economic impact study conducted by Americans for the Arts. In addition to the important economic impacts, the arts benefit all Delawareans from children to senior citizens across the socioeconomic spectrum, and from rural communities to the cities,” said J. Mack Wathen, chair of the Delaware State Arts Council.

The awards include:

• Sixty-one (61) arts organizations will receive general operating support.
• Twenty-six (26) community-based organizations will receive support for arts programming for children and adults with physical or intellectual disabilities; economically disadvantaged and at-risk students; individuals and family members dealing with cancer; and young children and community members from across Delaware.
• 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, will be funded.
• Seven (7) arts stabilization projects will provide support for capital improvements and repairs to facilities owned by arts organizations.

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 2018 can be found here.

GRANT BREAKDOWN BY TYPE

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 Delaware Division of the Arts 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. FY18 Masters categories are Dance, Jazz or Music. Annual August 1 deadline. Applications now open. Deadline August 1 by 4:30 p.m.

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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