Thousands attended the University of Delaware's annual Ag Day festival on the grounds of the UD Farm on Saturday. The event highlighted agriculture with demonstrations and exhibitions. “We have a 350-acre campus right here in Newark. Ag Day is an opportunity for the community to really learn about agriculture, conservation and incredible research that’s happening here at UD and impacts their lives," said Lori Baiardi, events manager for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

A University of Delaware student is facing multiple charges after police found a cache of drugs in his on-campus apartment, authorities said. The Newark Police Department Street Crimes Unit was investigating drug sales in Newark, and the investigation led officers to a unit in the University Courtyard Apartments, according to Lt. Andrew Rubin. The University Courtyard complex, located at the corner of Delaware Avenue and South Chapel Street, was built...

A man from Seaford is facing numerous charges after a domestic violence incident led to a police chase in Glasgow and Bear. The incident began shortly after 11:30 p.m. April 25 when the victim called 911 to report that her ex-boyfriend, 20-year-old Noah Howell, was chasing her in his vehicle, police said. The woman was in her own car, heading to seek help at Delaware State Police Troop 2 off Pulaski Highway in Glasgow. ...

Pro-Palestinian students at the University of Delaware have joined a nationwide campus protest movement calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The UD chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine staged a three-day “occupation” – as the group termed it on social media – of the lawn in front of Graham Hall on Academy Street. The building houses the Biden School of Public Policy & Administration. “We're really demanding a ceasefire,”...

Born with a serious heart condition, Rebekah Leithren was often sick and spent a lot of time in hospitals. When she was well enough, the tiny park across the street from her house on Greenbridge Drive was Rebekah's favorite place to be. “It was just her refuge when she would leave the hospital and didn't have anybody to play with because they were in school,” her mother, Colleen Leithren, said....

After 28 years working for the Newark Parks and Recreation Department, Joe Spadafino is retiring next month. During those 28 years, including the last eight as director of the department, Spadafino oversaw several improvements, changes and developments. Among his favorites were improving Newark’s trail system; building Preston’s Playground, Newark’s first all-inclusive playground; and developing Hillside Park, the former Rodney dorm complex that is now a seven-acre park that includes a...

Donald Sharpe, who has spent decades advocating for the preservation of what is now White Clay Creek State Park, was honored last week as a “true pioneer of preservation.” “His tireless work as a lobbyist and advocate has been recognized nationally, contributing significantly to legislative successes that support open space preservation, the endowment of natural resources, and the safeguarding of our environmental heritage,” County Council President Karen Hartley-Nagle said. As...

Donald Sharpe, who has spent decades advocating for the preservation of what is now White Clay Creek State Park, was honored last week as a “true pioneer of preservation.” “His tireless work as a lobbyist and advocate has been recognized nationally, contributing significantly to legislative successes that support open space preservation, the endowment of natural resources, and the safeguarding of our environmental heritage,” County Council President Karen Hartley-Nagle said. As...

Keeping New Castle County's water clean takes the collective effort of many people, and through a school-based effort, more than 12,000 people pledged to do their part this year. As part of the annual Great Schools, Clean Streams program, the county teaches school kids about the need for clean water and encourages them to spread the message to the adults in their life. Schools then compete to see how many people they can get to take a five-step pledge. ...

The Newark Bike Project is now open in Newark Shopping Center, once again offering Newarkers a convenient place to purchase a used bike or learn to fix the bike they have. The nonprofit left its last location at 136 S. Main St. last year, and volunteers spent the past few months renovating and setting up the new space, which is located toward the back of the shopping center, between the movie theater and Goodwill. ...

Newark City Council last week voted to restrict public comment at meetings to “real people” only, rejecting a developer’s argument that someone who controls multiple companies should be allowed a speaking slot for each entity. The vote came April 18 during the annual organizational meeting, in which newly elected council members are sworn in and the council votes on its rules of procedure for the year. The rules provide a five-minute public comment period for members of the public who wish to speak about an...

A day care worker from Bear was arrested after a toddler in her care nearly drowned in a pool. The incident happened shortly before 3 p.m. April 18 at Gordy’s Little Angels, an in-home day care on Hackberry Drive in the Rutledge neighborhood in Bear, according to Senior Cpl. Richard Chambers, a spokesman for the New Castle County Police Department. The owner of the day care left to go to...

One person suffered minor injuries when his SUV overturned in Newark on Wednesday morning. The single-vehicle crash happened just before 11 a.m. in the 500 block of Nottingham Road, just east of Casho Mill Road. Lt. Andrew Rubin, a spokesman for the Newark Police Department, said the man was driving east when his Volvo XC60 left the roadway for unknown reasons, hit a culvert and two mailboxes and then overturned, coming to rest on its roof. The man was taken to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries. He was issued a citation for careless driving.

The victim of a hit-and-run crash in Brookside has died from his injuries. Police are asking for the public's help identifying the driver responsible for the crash, which happened shortly after 8:15 a.m. April 16 at the intersection of Chestnut Hill Road and Kingston Road, according to Delaware State Police. The pedestrian, a 53-year-old Newark man, was walking east across the crosswalk on Kingston Road when he was struck by...

Several runners who are part of an international torch relay for peace passed through Newark on Tuesday. The runners came down Capitol Trail and stopped at Hillside Park, where they were greeted by Mayor Jerry Clifton. They then continued on to Rising Sun, Md., where they planned to stop for the night. The runners started in New York three days prior and are embarking on a four-month, 10,000-mile journey around...

Police in Newark are seeking the public's help locating a man accused of identity theft. Authorities have a warrant for Elizah C. Richardson, 27, of Wilmington, according to Lt. Andrew Rubin, a spokesman for the Newark Police Department. Richardson is accused of opening a bank account in another person's name at the WSFS Bank in Suburban Plaza and then attempting to deposit a check into the account, Rubin said. The incident happened last June, but police have not been able to locate Richardson. Anyone with information about Richardson's whereabouts should contact Lt. Fred Nelson at 302-366-7100, ext. 3119, or fnelson@newark.de.us.

A new $150 million facility at the University of Delaware will provide a space for testing new biopharmaceutical manufacturing practices as well as train workers in the highly technical skills needed to produce advanced medications. UD, state and federal officials broke ground Monday on the SABRE Center, which stands for Securing American Biomanufacturing Research and Education. The 70,000-square-foot SABRE Center will be located on the STAR Campus next to the...

Newark City Council once again delayed voting on the controversial rental tax Monday, this time to explore alternative revenue ideas, including recouping credit card processing fees and charging residents a fee for trash pickup. The surprise move came after new information came to light regarding the city’s ability to levy a surcharge on residents and businesses who pay their bills by credit card. Mayor Jerry Clifton, who had been a...

University of Delaware students raised more than $1.8 million to support kids battling cancer through the annual UDance event, held Sunday at the Bob Carpenter Center. Students danced for 12 hours straight during an event that included a DJ, live performances and a talent show put on by “B+ Heroes,” children with cancer who are teamed up with fraternities, sororities, sports teams and other student groups throughout the year. “It’s...

Two University of Delaware students are facing charges after they allegedly attacked a man on Main Street, police said. The incident happened just after 1 a.m. April 7, according to court documents. Police identified the defendants as Azarro Ravery, 19, and Rami Massoud, 20, both from Bethesda, Md. According to witness statements and surveillance video, the victim was on Main Street when Ravery and Massoud began arguing with him. Another...