Brandywine Valley Restaurant Week Is Here

☀️ Rise and Shine, 302. The world is full of people silently getting better at things nobody ever applauds them for.

Your 302 Rundown:

Let’s get to it

You can only meet new people if your life occasionally puts you around people you do not already know.

Above the Canal Experiences is designed to create more of those opportunities by giving people something enjoyable to do together.

🍽️ Sep. 30: Historic New Castle Dinner Club matches small groups for dinner and conversation.

🎨 Oct. 2: Trading Card Social at Sarafina Art House brings people together around a relaxed, collaborative art project.

✂️ Oct. 6: A collage workshop at Newark Arts Alliance gives a small group two hours to learn, create, and talk around the same table.

The events give everyone something in common before anyone even introduces themselves.

Come alone or bring someone with you. Either way, there will be people there you have not met yet.

Find your next Experience.

Good food can only distract you from so much. Which of these restaurant habits is hardest for you to ignore?

Source: Delaware Public Media

Gov. Matt Meyer introduced a state initiative designed to help residents, small businesses, and nonprofits install solar panels and battery storage systems. The program, called Delaware SHINES, consolidates several existing energy resources into a single network.

The initiative offers up to $10,000 in grants alongside low-entry financing options to offset installation costs. By coordinating with local governments, utility companies, and Energize Delaware, the state aims to reduce monthly electricity bills for participants without requiring them to navigate multiple separate programs.

Property owners interested in the financial incentives can review the application details through the state energy office.

Source: Spotlight Delaware

The Colonial School District Board of Education approved a plan to redraw its elementary school boundaries. The move decentralizes special education programs away from Southern Elementary School to distribute resources across the district.

The boundary shifts will affect roughly 330 students starting in the 2027-28 school year. Under the new feeder patterns, students from neighborhoods currently assigned to Eisenberg, Castle Hills, and Wilbur elementary schools will be redirected to facilities with lower capacity rates, such as New Castle and Carrie Downie.

The district partnered with the University of Delaware to map the changes before school choice applications open on November 2. Officials plan to outline how the shifts will impact staff placements in December.

Source: Spotlight Delaware

Spotlight Delaware rolled out a free online tool that lets anyone browse campaign finance filings for state and county races on the September 15 primary ballot. The Delaware Campaign Finance Explorer pulls from publicly available filings and lets users sort by candidate, donor, or race.

The tool shows how much of a candidate's money came from in-state versus out-of-state donors, and flags third-party spending that runs alongside campaigns without coordinating with them directly. Editor in chief Jacob Owens noted that outside spending has already passed $2.7 million in races that typically draw less outside money.

The explorer will keep updating through two more reporting periods ahead of the November 3 general election.

Source: WDEL

A statewide drought watch issued in May remains in effect, but a summer of heavy rain has pushed New Castle County fully out of drought conditions. The National Drought Mitigation Center's weekly monitor shows only a small area north of Smyrna still flagged as exceptionally dry.

Southern Delaware is a different picture. Nearly half the state, concentrated in Kent County, sits in moderate drought, with another 29% rated abnormally dry. Wilmington Airport logged 17.49 inches between June and August, close to the 21-inch target the Governor's Drought Response Committee set in May. Georgetown Airport came in at 13.36 inches, leaving that region well short.

The drought watch, which asks residents to voluntarily cut outdoor water use, stays active while conditions in the southern counties remain below normal.

Source: WHYY

Goodwill of Delaware and Delaware County will host a runway show featuring secondhand materials. The event includes upcycled clothing and accessories created by students from the University of Delaware and Delaware State University.

Local designers Dell Scott and Julieta Zavala will also showcase pieces made entirely from items sourced at Goodwill stores. Designers received gift cards to shop for textiles, jewelry, and other materials to repurpose for their collections. Miss Earth USA 2026 Gia Soleil Espinoza will host the presentation.

The fashion show takes place September 17 at the Goodwill outlet and recycling center in New Castle.

Source: Delaware Business Now

The Chemours Company, DuPont, and Corteva agreed to a $455 million settlement with North Carolina and several local entities over PFAS contamination. The agreement largely addresses historical discharges from the Fayetteville Works manufacturing facility.

The companies will split the cost, with Chemours covering half and DuPont and Corteva paying the remainder. Payments will be distributed over 15 years. The Fayetteville area was previously excluded from a broader national water system settlement approved in 2024.

Chemours continues to operate the North Carolina site and is implementing drinking water programs in the surrounding communities. Meanwhile, the companies face ongoing PFAS litigation in other states, including a lawsuit from a Delaware water utility over surface water contamination.

Want your very own movie trailer-style videos to look back on and share with family and friends right after your wedding? 

We document everything you'll want to remember including candid moments, behind-the-scenes details and guest reactions, delivering raw footage within 24 hours and edited recap videos within 72 hours.

View our portfolio and email [email protected] to reserve your date.

(And businesses, we're still creating content for your brands, corporate events and social media, too!)

Source: Delaware Business Now

The Delaware Supreme Court upheld a state law restricting residents under 21 years old from owning most firearms.

The decision overturned a previous ruling from a lower court that had struck down the legislation. The high court action restored the limits on firearm ownership for younger adults.

Source: Delaware Business Times 🔒 PAYWALLED

New Castle County appointed Emma Odren to serve as its new director of economic development. She transitions into the local government role after previously holding the exact same title for the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce.

Odren enters the position with nearly a decade of professional experience. Her background featured extensive work in public policy, government affairs, and economic growth initiatives across the state.

Her career in Delaware included time spent working alongside various private companies, as well as multiple government and economic development agencies.

Source: Spotlight Delaware

More than 50 senior residents brought a list of grievances to the Wilmington City Council, detailing poor living conditions in several publicly supported high-rise apartments. Tenants from buildings managed by the Wilmington Housing Authority and private developers reported issues with inconsistent hot water, broken elevators, and pests.

Council President Ernest Congo criticized the housing authority's management and suggested transferring ownership of the buildings. A spokesperson for the mayor dismissed the idea, noting that shifting the heavily subsidized properties could lead to drastic rent increases. Housing authority leadership stated that many of the issues were never submitted through formal work orders.

The city's Department of Licenses and Inspections scheduled full building inspections for three of the complexes through October.

Source: State of Delaware News

The Delaware State Housing Authority awarded $3.43 million in funding reservations to eight large revitalization projects across Wilmington, Dover, Georgetown, and Smyrna through the state's Downtown Development Districts rebate program. The awards are expected to draw nearly $22 million in private investment toward commercial, mixed-use, and residential construction and rehabilitation work.

The largest single reservation went to two Wilmington projects under Office Partners XIX Brandywine LLC, totaling $973,000. Loockerman Plaza LLC in Dover received $680,000, and Little Living Org. Inc. in Georgetown was awarded $620,000, with additional awards going to projects in Smyrna and Wilmington.

About $66,000 left over from the $3.5 million funding round moves to the small-project set-aside, where applications are accepted on a rolling basis until funds run out.

On Mondays, opening acts and exhibits are listed here when they debut. After that, you'll find individual dates in the regular Theatre/Arts listings.

New Light Theatre Presents: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee | Delaware Theatre Company. A two-hour musical following six tweens competing in a spelling championship while sharing stories from their home lives. 13+. On stage September 16 through October 4.

Fiddler on the Roof | The Candlelight Theatre. A production of the 1964 Tony Award-winning musical following Tevye the Dairyman and his family in a changing Russia, featuring songs like "Matchmaker" and "If I Were a Rich Man." Runs September 18 through October 25.

Griffin Theatre Presents: The Lightning Thief | St Stephen's Lutheran Church. A musical adaptation of Rick Riordan’s novel following a teenage demigod on a quest across America, set to a rock score. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and students, and $15 for children 12 and under. Opens September 18, runs through September 27.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. Just things worth knowing. I’ll always flag sponsors clearly.

Some dogs burst into a room ready to mingle, but this 3-year-old mixed breed prefers a polite, low-key introduction. Apple likes to evaluate the situation and take things at her own pace.

The shelter staff notes that her friendship is extra special once you have earned it. Give her a little time to warm up, and this 44-pound girl transforms into a deeply loyal companion who will gladly stick by your side.

Stop by the Brandywine Valley SPCA at 290 Churchmans Road, New Castle, DE 19720, to spend some time with Apple and see if she is the right match for your household.

Brandywine Valley Restaurant Week | Greater Wilmington & Brandywine Valley Area. A dining event featuring prix-fixe menus at owner-operated restaurants across the area. Two-course lunches are $20, and two- or three-course dinners are $35 or $55. Monday through Sunday, 12-9 PM.

Mom Jeans | The Queen Wilmington. A live set of emo-tinged indie rock by California-based band Mom Jeans, featuring support from Harrison Gordon and Sobs in the Main Hall. Monday at 7:30 PM.

Music in the Plaza: Keepers of the Flame | Brandywine Mills Plaza. A performance by Wilmington-based jazz quintet Keepers of the Flame playing bebop, hard bop, and swing. The set features compositions by Clifford Brown and Lee Morgan, with food available from L's Good Eatins food truck. Tuesday 5-8 PM.

Davy Knowles | Elkton Music Hall. A live set from blues-rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Davy Knowles. The performance features a mix of blues-rock, Delta blues, and folk played across acoustic, electric, and National Steel guitars, and mandolin. 21+. Tuesday at 8 PM.

Diamond State Concert Band Performance | Brandywine Hundred Public Library. An outdoor concert by the Diamond State Concert Band on the library lawn for families and adults. No registration required. Wednesday 6:30-7:30 PM.

Guster | Longwood Gardens. Alt-rock band Guster makes its Longwood debut in the Open Air Theatre, with songs including "Amsterdam," "Satellite," and "Do You Love Me" and material from its ninth studio album, Ooh La La. Tickets are $64-$110 and include all-day Gardens admission. Wednesday at 7:30 PM.

The Grand Presents Beth Orton | The Baby Grand. A live set from Beth Orton, whose catalog runs from the folktronica of 1996’s Trailer Park to the self-produced Weather Alive and the new album The Ground Above. Wednesday at 8 PM.

More happenings we couldn’t fit in the newsletter.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. Just things worth knowing. I’ll always flag sponsors clearly.

Monday

78 🌡️ 56 | ☀️ Sunny | 3% | 💨 N 10 to 15 mph

Tuesday

78 🌡️ 58 | ☀️ Sunny | 0% | 💨 E 5 mph

Wednesday

82 🌡️ 63 | ☀️ Sunny | 0% | 💨 S 0 to 5 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 76ºF. Temperature readings taken from the Atlantic Ocean in Rehoboth Beach.

The full events calendar includes live music, festivals, classes, markets, family activities, community gatherings, and dozens more happenings across Northern Delaware.

Submit an event →

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