Two October Productions Take The Stage

☀️ Rise and Shine, 302. It’s National Good Neighbor Day. Wave, return the Tupperware, and don’t ask what the contractors next door are building.

Your 302 Rundown:

Let’s get to it

Two hands-on art experiences are coming up in early October. No art experience is needed for either one.

🎨 Oct. 2: Trading Card Social at Sarafina Art House

Create original art cards, see what others make, and trade finished cards with the group.

See the Trading Card Social

✂️ Oct. 6: Collage Night at Newark Arts Alliance

Learn collage techniques and create your own piece with instructor Mary Jane Arden. Materials are provided.

See Collage Night

Planning to join? Both workshops have just a few spots still available.

You miss a call and see that they left a voicemail. Are you listening to the whole thing, reading the transcription, or ignoring it completely?

Source: Newark Post

A film crew from Armory Films spent a day shooting scenes at Newark's 1877 train station on South College Avenue for an upcoming road trip comedy called "Unaccompanied Minor," starring Matt Rife and directed by David Dobkin. The roughly 100-person crew worked inside and outside the Gothic revival building, which was dressed to stand in for a Charlotte, NC train station.

The city, which owns the building, did not charge for its use but required Armory Films to hire off-duty Newark police officers and cover any cleanup or restoration costs. The station, which recently completed renovations funded through a 2023 state bond bill, is still awaiting the Newark Historical Society's return to the space.

Source: Delaware Business Now

The Courtyard by Marriott on the north edge of the University of Delaware campus in Newark stopped taking room reservations beyond mid-November. The hotel, owned by UD and managed by Shaner Hotels of Harrisburg, PA, opened in 2004 and has served as a training site for UD's hospitality and event business management program.

Future plans for the property remain unsettled. Options mentioned include converting the space to university housing or bringing in a different hotel management group with a new franchise affiliation. A STAR Campus hotel has also come up in discussions, though that area already has several lodging options nearby.

UD said a formal statement on the closure is expected. Shaner Hotels had not responded to a request for comment.

Source: Delaware Business Times 🔒 PAYWALLED

WSFS Bank and Bryn Mawr Trust opened their first office in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The move marks a geographic shift for the institutions, pushing their reach beyond their established footprint in the greater Philadelphia area.

The companies secured a multi-year lease for a commercial space on Granite Run Drive. The site was selected for its central position in Lancaster County, sitting close to several major highway routes that cross the region.

The new location provides a physical base of operations as the bank expands its footprint outside of its traditional Delaware and Pennsylvania markets.

Source: Delaware Public Media

Delaware Republican Party leadership stated that a public dispute between two top candidates will not impact downballot races in the upcoming election. The disagreement began when US Senate candidate Mike Katz called for US House candidate Joseph Arminio to drop out of his race following comments made at a candidate forum.

State GOP chair Gene Truono noted that statewide candidates run their own campaigns and the party has no mechanism to remove a nominee. Truono added that internal polling numbers have remained steady despite the public friction.

Following the dispute, new write-in candidates filed paperwork to run in both the House and Senate races.

Source: Delaware Public Media

Red Clay School District officials brought reading data to their Board of Education, showing a mixed picture across grade levels. The district's assessment manager pointed to gains in kindergarten and first grade benchmarks, along with a slow climb in phonics scores, but noted that overall proficiency rates for grades three through five have stayed flat since the start of the district's strategic plan.

Red Clay pulled in roughly $877,000 in state Bridge to Practice grant funding this year to support its literacy push. District leaders said they are also working to better align pre-K instruction with kindergarten to strengthen foundational skills earlier.

Source: Delaware Public Media

Wilmington is seeking developers to take over four properties in the Quaker Hill neighborhood. The city issued a formal request for proposals for the parcels located along West 7th Street, asking builders to turn the underused spaces into new housing or commercial buildings.

The redevelopment effort is backed by funds returned to the city from the previous Incyte project. City leaders intend for the new construction to help stabilize the neighborhood and increase available housing options across Wilmington.

Developers have until October 16 to submit their proposals to the Wilmington Urban Development Action Grant Corporation.

Source: Spotlight Delaware

A Wilmington city councilwoman filed a formal complaint with New Castle County to challenge property reassessments. The filing targets valuations in the Hilltop, Tilton, and West Center City neighborhoods following the first countywide reassessment in decades.

The complaint alleges the county contractor overvalued unrenovated homes in these areas by comparing them to flipped properties. Data in the filing suggests these city properties were frequently assessed above their actual sale prices, while homes in wealthier areas were often assessed below market value.

The challenge relies on a century-old state statute allowing taxpayers to contest district-level assessments. County officials are reviewing the letter with their legal department to determine how the old law applies to the current system.

Source: Spotlight Delaware

A proposed 60-acre solar development on leased farmland in Port Penn has drawn more than 400 petition signatures from residents asking New Castle County to block it. The project, backed by TurningPoint Energy, sits near Thousand Acre Marsh and falls within existing zoning rules, so no public hearing is required.

The land borders sensitive wetlands, and construction would require a temporary path through those habitats. The local volunteer fire company has asked the solar company for additional equipment and training. County Councilman Kevin Caneco said he and a colleague are looking at potential changes to county zoning rules around large-scale solar on farmland.

Caneco plans to take up the topic at a town hall on October 8 at 6:30 PM at the Odessa Fire Hall, 304 Main St. in Odessa.

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.

Finding Nemo | Delaware Children's Theatre Enjoy a family-friendly stage adaptation of the beloved underwater adventure at Delaware Children's Theatre. Runs October 2 through October 18.

POTUS | Chapel Street Players. A contemporary farce by Selina Fillinger about seven women scrambling to contain a global crisis sparked by the President. The production features rapid-fire dialogue and physical comedy, with a content advisory for strong language and mature subject matter. On stage October 3 through October 10.

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

At just 1 year old, this big white mixed-breed boy has that particular energy of a dog who has so much love to give and absolutely no idea what to do with it yet. Buddy is handsome, enthusiastic, and at the stage where the right household will shape him into exactly the dog they've always wanted.

One thing worth knowing: military veterans can adopt Buddy with no adoption fee through BVSPCA's Sponsored by Simba Program. If you know a vet who's been thinking about adding a dog to the mix, this is a good one to pass along.

Head over to Brandywine Valley SPCA at 290 Churchmans Road, New Castle to meet Buddy and see if he's the one you've been waiting for.

Music in the Plaza: What the Funk | Brandywine Mills Plaza. What the Funk performs at this weekly outdoor concert series, with food trucks including Uncle John's BBQ, Marley's Caribbean Cuisine, and Tom's Pizza Cones, plus local vendors on site. Tuesday 5-8 PM.

Levitt AMP Wilmington Music Series: Los Pleneros de la 21 | Tina Betz Urban Artist Exchange. Los Pleneros de la 21 perform as part of the free outdoor Levitt AMP Wilmington Music Series. Free. Wednesday 7-8:30 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

68 🌡️ 59 | 🌥️ Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy | 30% | 💨 N 5 mph

Tuesday

74 🌡️ 60 | 🌤️ Mostly Sunny | 0% | 💨 NW 0 to 5 mph

Wednesday

78 🌡️ 63 | 🌤️ Mostly Sunny | 0% | 💨 W 0 to 5 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 69ºF. 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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