Festival of Trees celebrates 39 years

☀️ Rise and Shine, 302. It's easy to forget how many genuinely interesting people live within ten minutes of your house. Most of them are just going about their day.

Your 302 Rundown:

Let’s get to it

Just a few seats remain for Friday's summer roll workshop and Southeast Asian meal at Scout Cafe. Plus, TEDxWilmingtonSalon is coming up next weekend.

🥢 Tomorrow: Roll With It at Scout Cafe. Learn to make your own summer roll, then sit down for a Southeast Asian meal featuring a Cambodian noodle dish, blue mango sticky rice, and a Scout nonalcoholic beverage. Tickets are $75 and include the workshop, meal, dessert, and drink. 6-8 PM.

🎤 Nov. 21: TEDxWilmingtonSalon at The Delaware Contemporary. Seven speakers will share perspectives on leadership, personal growth, overcoming obstacles, and the experiences that shape how we see the world. The event runs from 1-4 PM. Tickets are $29.99.

Most Delawareans recognize the Wilmington Blue Rocks name, especially if they've spent an afternoon at the ballpark. But the name has a history that goes well beyond baseball. Do you know where the "blue" comes from?

Source: DelDOT

Delaware drivers can once again manage their toll accounts after vendor TransCore restored access to the state E-ZPass website. The portal went dark on October 31 when the company detected a potential security threat and took the system offline.

TransCore operates the toll network for the Delaware Department of Transportation and continues working through a backlog of delayed transactions to update customer accounts. Drivers with accounts in good standing will not receive violations caused by the outage.

Customer service representatives remain available by phone for anyone with questions regarding their account status or unresolved charges.

Source: Delaware Business Now

A new analysis of TSA data ranks Delaware first in the country for holiday airport traffic growth, with daily passenger numbers at Wilmington's ILG jumping 49.1% during the Thanksgiving and winter holiday seasons. That works out to an average of 751 daily passengers over the holidays, up from 504 the rest of the year.

The study, compiled by booking platform Luxury Link, attributes the spike to residents and nearby snowbirds heading for warmer climates. Nationally, holiday traffic rose 5.7% over non-holiday levels.

Wilmington expanded its terminal in January 2026, so this winter marks the first holiday season with the added capacity in place.

Source: Spotlight Delaware

Delaware’s mobile crisis teams are responding to far fewer calls than they did a decade ago. Staffing shortages have left nearly half of the crisis intervention positions vacant, forcing the state to prioritize only the most acute emergencies.

The southern unit dropped from hundreds of annual responses to just 64 in 2025. Meanwhile, the New Castle County team saw its response count fall from nearly 600 to about 400. When these teams do respond, they are now twice as likely to send patients to emergency rooms or inpatient facilities compared to 2022.

State officials say they are working on salary reclassification to attract more workers. Bayhealth and TidalHealth hospitals are also expanding behavioral health beds in their emergency departments to handle the increased volume.

Source: State of Delaware News

Delaware labor officials rolled out an on-demand virtual workshop aimed at helping teenagers navigate state labor laws ahead of the holiday hiring push. The 20-minute session adapts the state's in-person teen job readiness presentation for an online audience.

Aimed at workers ages 14 through 17, the program covers permit requirements, age-based hourly restrictions, and mandatory break times. It also outlines prohibited hazardous equipment, minimum wage and tip protections, and warning signs for fraudulent job postings.

The webinar is open to teens, parents, and seasonal employers, with registration required to access the video online.

Source: WDEL

Newark relocated its roving electronic speed camera to South College Avenue, placing it right at the bridge crossing the Amtrak rail tracks. Drivers get a 30-day warning period before tickets start going out in the mail.

The posted speed limit along that stretch sits at 25 mph, meaning automated citations kick in at 36 mph. Fines start at $20 plus $1 for every mile over the limit, billed to the vehicle owner as a civil violation that must be settled before renewing Delaware vehicle registration.

The spot marks the fourth stop for the mobile unit, which previously rotated through Casho Mill Road, Capitol Trail, and Hillside Road.

Source: Delaware Business Times 🔒 PAYWALLED

Buccini Pollin Group completed Market West, a mixed-use campus in downtown Wilmington that spans three former DuPont office buildings. The project finished a redevelopment effort that began when the developer bought the Brandywine and Nemours buildings in 1999.

Market West brings the three buildings together as one campus.

Source: Delaware Online 🔒 PAYWALLED

SoDel Concepts is stepping in to operate Feby's Fishery Restaurant & Seafood Market, a Wilmington fixture run by its founding family for 52 years.

The restaurant group's management branch, Highwater Management, spent months working alongside the owners and staff to prepare for the handover. Customers can expect familiar favorites to remain, including the signature snapper soup recipe.

Highwater Management officially takes the reins on November 16.

Source: Spotlight Delaware

Chef Justin Womack reopened his Caribbean-inspired restaurant, Oath ’84, in a historic downtown Wilmington space in July. The new location sits at 902 N. Market St., where Womack spent two years renovating the former Delaware Trust Co. ground floor.

The menu highlights dishes like short rib with oxtail gravy and jerk chicken rolls, reflecting Womack’s Trinidadian heritage. Sports memorabilia and personal touches fill the dining room, which features a grand piano for occasional live music. The restaurant serves dinner Wednesday through Saturday from 5-11 PM.

Womack plans to launch 84 Next Door, a grab-and-go café sharing the kitchen, before the year ends. The morning spot will offer sandwiches on fried bake, smash burgers, and coffee.

Source: Delaware Public Media

University of Delaware officials presented their latest state budget request to the Office of Management and Budget, asking for new funding across campus operations and building projects.

The $35 million capital request includes $10 million to construct a modern dairy facility on the Newark agricultural complex, where parts of the current site date back over 70 years. UD also sought $20 million for building repairs and $5 million for a research greenhouse in Georgetown.

On the operational side, the university asked for an additional $2.5 million to expand its First State Promise scholarship program to help offset growing student financial need.

Source: Newark Post

University of Delaware officials broke ground on Biden Hall, a three-story academic hub planned for the South Green between Morris Library and Robinson Hall. Former President Joe Biden attended the gathering, marking the start of work on the future home for his namesake public policy school and institute.

The 30,000-square-foot building represents the first new structure on The Green in more than two decades and serves as the final planned addition to the central lawn. The state provided $20 million toward the project, with private donations covering the rest of the undisclosed total price tag.

Campus leaders confirmed the building will not house Biden's presidential library, which remains without a finalized site.

Source: WDEL

Two Delaware voters filed a federal lawsuit in Washington seeking an additional seat for the state in the U.S. House of Representatives. The complaint argues that the century-old cap of 435 House members leaves Delawareans with less representation per person than voters anywhere else in the nation.

The filing points to Montana, which holds two seats despite having only about 85,000 more residents than Delaware. The plaintiffs asked the court to declare the statutory limit unconstitutional and either direct Congress to address the disparity or expand the chamber to 436 members to grant Delaware a second representative.

The case seeks an expedited hearing before a three-judge panel, with the goal of adding the seat for the 2028 election.

Delaware Hospice Wilmington Festival of Trees | Brantwyn Estate. A 39th-year display of trees sponsored and decorated by local businesses, featuring a Marketplace, Bake Shop, musical entertainment, and specialty Remembrance, Memorial, and New Hope trees. Friday, 12-4 PM, Saturday and Sunday, 10 AM - 4 PM.

Delaware Renaissance Faire | Firebase Lloyd. The festival marks its final weekend of the season with a fantasy theme alongside live performances, music, food, and vendor shopping. Online tickets are available. Saturday and Sunday, 10 AM - 5 PM.

Theresa Caputo Live! The Experience | The Playhouse. A live appearance by the Long Island Medium featuring personal stories, candid humor, and messages connecting audience members with deceased loved ones. Thursday at 7:30 PM.

Shakesbeer! w/ DelShakes! | Wilmington Brew Works. A Shakespeare-themed performance in the Alamo Room featuring a beer flight and food options. Tickets are $37.50 for a flight of three beers or a gluten-free option, and $27.50 for designated drivers. Friday 7-9:30 PM.

The Grand Presents Eddie Griffin | Copeland Hall. A stand-up set from comedian and actor Eddie Griffin, known for his role in A Star is Born and his Showtime special Undeniable. Ages 18 and up due to explicit language. Friday at 8 PM.

Rise and Rave: Morning Coffee Rave in Hockessin, Delaware | Secret Location. A sober-friendly morning dance party featuring a live DJ spinning house music, with coffee and brunch cups available for purchase. Tickets are $15; ages 18+. Saturday 9-11:30 AM.

Coda Brass Quintet | Chapel Street Players. An afternoon concert of new and old melodies performed by an ensemble of five women brass players. Free. Saturday at 2 PM.

GNO Newark: Girls Night Out Secret DJ Dance Party | Secret Location. A women-only dance party featuring giveaways and a secret woman DJ spinning high-energy dance music, with the Newark venue revealed to ticket holders before the event. Tickets are $15. 18+. Saturday 8-11 PM.

Buried Brew: A Tour of New Amstel's Forgotten Beer History | Historic New Castle. A guided walking tour exploring early brewing and tavern history across Delaware's Swedish, Dutch, and English colonial eras. The route concludes at Jessop's Tavern with historically inspired beer tastings and light fare to benefit Restore the King. Sunday at 11:30 AM - 3 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.

Thursday

62 🌡️ 40 | 🌧️ Rain Showers | 84% | 💨 S 5 mph

Friday

48 🌡️ 34 | 🌧️ Chance Light Rain | 52% | 💨 NW 10 mph

Saturday

49 🌡️ 35 | ⛅ Partly Sunny | 4% | 💨 NW 5 to 10 mph

Sunday

52 🌡️ 34 | ☀️ Sunny | 0% | 💨 NW 5 to 10 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 60ºF. 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.

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