The First State Is Getting A New Sandwich Shop

☀️ Rise and Shine, 302. Five Mondays until Memorial Day. Pace yourself. Crab season, concert season, and ice cream season are about to overlap.

Your 302 Rundown:

Let’s get to it

May 16, 2026 | 10:00 am–4:00 pm 

Pack your prettiest picnic and step into the timeless charm of a country-estate garden party inspired by H. F. du Pont’s love of entertaining outdoors.   

Enjoy your own beautifully packed picnic or indulge in upscale small bites, grill classics,
and savory skewers, along with signature desserts, cocktail selections, and Winterthur-label beer, all available for purchase. Then settle in amid the scenic open fields alongside Azalea Woods for a joyful day soundtracked by the Unforgettable Big Band performing favorites from across the decades.

Adding to the charm, an old-school procession of vintage Rolls-Royces, 1950s automobiles, Winterthur farm tractors, marching bands, and bagpipers will parade through the garden in a spirited nod to Winterthur’s heritage. Guided garden tours will be available. 

Come celebrate the season—and 75 years of Winterthur—with a gathering that blends nostalgia, style, relaxed elegance, and the simple magic of celebrating outdoors.  

Tickets and more information at winterthur.org/field-and-fete.

For a lot of people, the Christiana Mall has been part of the routine for years. But habits change. If it suddenly disappeared, would it actually leave a gap?

Source: Delaware Business Now

A new ranking of Delaware home values puts South Bethany at the top, with a typical home value of just over $1.1 million as of March 2026. Dewey Beach and Fenwick Island round out the top three, all sitting above the $1 million mark or just below it.

Closer to Northern Delaware, Hockessin checks in at number six with a typical value of around $600,000, up nearly 5% over the past year. Middletown lands at number ten at just over $528,000, a 34% jump over five years. The data comes from the Zillow Home Values Index.

The full list covers 30 Delaware communities, with most of the top spots going to Sussex County beach towns.

Source: State of Delaware News

As warmer weather arrives, farmers markets and roadside stands across Delaware are preparing to open their doors for the spring season. Many local markets officially kick off operations in May, offering fresh produce, meat, and dairy products to residents.

Behind the scenes, state agriculture inspectors are visiting these locations to check that vendors meet safety requirements. The food products inspection team reviews how items like raw milk, eggs, and vegetables are stored, handled, and labeled.

Market sales recently topped $5 million across the state. Officials will continue updating their online directories with current operating hours and locations as more farm stands open for the year.

Source: Delaware Public Media

The latest State of the Air report is out, and Delaware counties are scraping by with passing grades. All three counties managed to avoid failing marks overall, but specific categories revealed lower scores.

New Castle County recorded the lowest marks in the state, picking up a D for high ozone days. At the same time, all three counties received D grades for their daily measures of fine particle pollution.

Kent and New Castle counties are grouped into the broader Philadelphia metro area, which received straight Fs for ozone smog and fine particle pollution. Down south, Sussex County posted the highest mark in the state, earning a B for its average ozone levels.

Source: Delaware Live

First State Brewing Company is teaming up with 250Ride.org to launch Liberty Lager at a public event in Middletown on April 30. The new brew serves as the official commemorative beer for the upcoming 250 Ride Reenactment.

The lager draws inspiration from Caesar Rodney's midnight ride to Philadelphia in 1776. The release party will feature the horse-drawn carriage slated for the June reenactment, along with a historical trivia night and an appearance by a Caesar Rodney reenactor.

The gathering runs from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the brewery. Following the debut event, Liberty Lager is expected to hit shelves at select Delaware liquor stores in late May before the two-day reenactment begins on June 12.

Source: WDEL

The Acme Markets Foundation handed over a $50,000 donation to the Food Bank of Delaware on Thursday morning. The presentation took place during a scheduled mobile food pantry event.

Representatives from both groups gathered at the Route 9 library near New Castle for the official check handoff. The newly delivered funds will go into the regular operations of the statewide organization, which regularly sets up these temporary distribution sites across the county to distribute groceries to the public.

The mobile pantry continued operating and serving local residents in the library parking lot after the morning presentation wrapped up.

Take a break and reconnect with yourself at a Mini Retreat in Wilmington.

Join Mind Body Spirit DE on May 9 from 1-4pm for a peaceful afternoon designed to help you relax, recharge, and reset. This intimate experience includes guided meditation, a crystal singing bowl sound bath, and creating your own crystal intention bracelet.

It is the perfect way to slow down and give yourself time to breathe before Mother’s Day.

Only 6 spots remain, and space is intentionally limited.

Reserve your spot at mindbodyspiritde.com.

Source: Delaware Online

A familiar Chicago sandwich brand is making its way to the First State. Potbelly is preparing to open two new locations in Delaware after signing a development agreement with local franchisees Vipul Patel and Dharampal Patel last year.

The first shop is slated to open its doors in late June. You will be able to find it in Middletown at 455 Middletown Warwick Road. The sandwich chain has been operating for nearly 50 years and is now making this move into the local market.

A second location is also in the works for northern Delaware. While an exact address has not been announced, the company is looking at the Newark or Wilmington area for its next storefront.

Source: Delaware Online

The Starbucks on the Wilmington Riverfront has closed its doors. The coffee shop at 329 Justison Street recently took down its signage and was removed from the corporate website.

This marks the second Wilmington location the national chain has shuttered in recent months, following the closure of its Market Street cafe. Only two Starbucks remain in the city, with the Nemours building housing the only location open to the public.

The departure comes amid several business shifts along the Riverfront. Bounce Pickleball recently closed, while a new indoor golf facility is preparing to open inside the Penn Cinema building this spring.

Source: Delaware Business Now

Delaware saw a slight drop in home sales this March as buyers navigated a shifting real estate market. Statewide sales fell by 2% compared to the previous year, with just under 1,000 homes changing hands.

While sales slowed, active inventory increased by 9%, giving prospective buyers a few more options to consider. Homes are also sitting on the market a bit longer, with the average time to sell rising to nearly two months. Despite the extra inventory, the median sold price still ticked up one percent to $385,000.

Pending contracts declined by thirteen percent, pointing to a potentially slower pace for transactions as the spring market continues.

Source: WDEL

Wilmington's Police Department is currently operating below its authorized strength, with only 281 of the 305 authorized officers in place. Police Chief Wilfredo Campos highlighted staffing challenges during a budget hearing, noting that the number drops further to 263 when accounting for officers on leave or modified duty. This staffing issue has impacted initiatives like the Community Engagement Unit, which aims to enhance police-resident collaboration.

The city is also preparing for future retirements, with 88 officers eligible to retire by 2027. To address these challenges, Wilmington plans to hold its 106th Police Academy in July, hoping to add 19 new officers by year's end. This effort includes diversifying the force to better reflect the city's demographics.

Source: Delaware Public Media

A resolution to examine the feasibility of freezing property taxes for Delaware seniors has moved forward, despite some pushback. The House Administrative Committee advanced the proposal, which was introduced by State Rep. Sherae’a Moore. The move comes amid New Castle County's proposed 17% property tax hike and follows the state's first property reassessments in decades.

Moore's resolution suggests counties consider tax relief for seniors, citing financial challenges faced by nearly half of Delawareans over 65. House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown acknowledged the intent but urged collaboration with existing committees and local entities to avoid unintended consequences.

The resolution, introduced last year, was released from committee on its merits, with calls for further dialogue with school districts and county officials to refine the approach.

Source: WDEL

Former state representative Mike Ramone is entering the race for Delaware state treasurer. Ramone, a Republican who represented the Pike Creek and Newark area for sixteen years, recently ran for governor in the 2024 election cycle.

He announced his campaign this week, pointing to his long legislative background and small business experience as qualifications for the financial role. Two term incumbent Colleen Davis previously announced last December that she will not seek reelection for the statewide office.

The race to fill the open seat is actively taking shape. Ted Lauzen and Michael Smith have already filed to compete in the upcoming Democratic primary.

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.

The Horn, a staged reading at Chapel Street Players. Climb aboard a gothic horror tale at sea, with Irish Captain Reeve battling his past as eerie forces close in and sea shanties echo through the ship. Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 2 PM. Free.

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

Sunnie's name says it all. This 5-year-old medium mixed breed is bright, warm, and ready to light up your days with her outgoing spark. She weighs in under 44 pounds fully grown, loves playtime, exploring, and piling on the cuddles in an active home.

Grey-coated and friendly, she's done great with other dogs and makes a devoted sidekick for life's ups and downs. No wonder the Brandywine Valley SPCA calls her a perfect match for anyone craving a playful best friend.

Head to Brandywine Valley SPCA at 290 Churchmans Road, New Castle, DE 19720 to meet Sunnie before her sunshine finds another home.

Monday

70 🌡️ 45 | ☀️ Sunny | 0% | 💨 NE 0 to 5 mph

Tuesday

68 🌡️ 49 | 🌧️ Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers | 18% | 💨 E 0 to 5 mph

Wednesday

66 🌡️ 50 | 🌧️ Rain Showers Likely | 62% | 💨 SE 0 to 10 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 54ºF Temperature readings taken from the Atlantic Ocean in Rehoboth Beach.

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