Friends and neighbors, I hope that you and yours are enjoying the fall season. I’m writing to provide you with some community updates about things happening in our area.
Please note that I am co-hosting a Community Meeting with Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown on Monday, November 6, at 6 p.m. We will meet in the New Castle Elementary Auditorium. You can find more information below.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, community concerns, or just to say hi. I can be reached by email at nicole.poore@delaware.gov , on Facebook , or by calling my Senate office at (302) 744-4164.
Sincerely,
Nicole Poore
Senator, District 12
Infrastructure Updates
Last week, I co-hosted a town hall with Senator Stephanie Hansen to discuss several local road and bridge projects in Southern New Castle County.
One of the largest projects in our area is the repair of the St. George’s Bridge. Below, you can view some of the slides and photos that were presented by DelDOT and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers about this project.
We discussed several other projects, including Boyds Corner Road (between Cedar Lane Road and Route 13), Hyetts Corner, and the Route 896/Route 40 flyover.
You can find more information about each of these projects using the DelDOT Project Portal — deldot.gov/projects/
You can also watch a recording of the meeting here.
Around the 12th District
Congratulations to the ONCOR coalition for their efforts to improve the park in Old New Castle. I was honored to attend your ribbon cutting ceremony!
It is always a pleasure to spend time with the Colonial family and enjoy a delicious dinner prepared by the culinary students at William Penn!
Community News & Resources
The current Medicare Open Enrollment period is now open and ends on December 7. Visit the Department of Insurance or call 302-674-7364 for more information.
Delawareans will have the opportunity to learn about the State Energy Plan, offer input for it, and become better informed about existing energy efficiency and renewable energy programs at a series of public input sessions planned in November by the Governor’s Energy Advisory Council (GEAC).
The GEAC is tasked with providing recommendations to the State Energy Office within the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control on the latest update to the Energy Plan. Since June, GEAC workgroups have been focused on learning about where Delaware currently stands, where the state needs to go, and how best to get there in working to reduce carbon emissions.
The New Castle County session is scheduled for Monday, November 6 at the Route 9 Library from 5 – 7 p.m.
The General Assembly is working hard to support Delaware’s working families, including the passage of a Paid Family and Medical Leave program that in 2025 will begin providing eligible workers with up to 12 weeks of paid time off to welcome a child or provide care for a loved one.
The Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence is hosting a panel on Tuesday, November 7, about the new paid leave law that will include discussions about key implementation deadlines, who this impacts, and the overall benefits for both employers and employees. To register, visit bit.ly/PFMLevent.
Public Health Announcements
As the temperature drops outside, the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) has marked the start of 2023-2024 influenza (flu) season.
Each year, everyone who is 6 months of age or older should receive a flu vaccination. It is strongly recommended that children under the age of five, older adults, pregnant women and individuals with chronic underlying medical conditions get vaccinated against the flu as soon as possible.
In addition to getting your flu vaccine, the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna DPH are now available. The RSV vaccine is available for people 60 years of age and older, and can be combined with flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
To find where to get your next flu vaccine, visit: https://rb.gy/wydmp. You can also stay up to date on the latest flu and covid data by using DPH’s My Healthy Community Portal: https://rb.gy/7rldn
During this flu season, remember these tips and tricks to keep you and your family as healthy as possible:
Get vaccinated for COVID, flu, and RSV if eligible,
Stay home if you’re sick to keep others safe,
Seek treatment if you test positive for any of the illnesses, and
Consider wearing a mask if you or someone close to you is at higher risk of illness.
The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is currently working to ensure Delawareans have the accurate information needed to feel comfortable in deciding whether to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Although the public health emergency is no longer in place, we ask that you consider reviewing the information DPH has available, because inaccurate statements are often made on this topic.
It’s our responsibility to make decisions that will benefit not only our health but also the health of our families, friends, and neighbors — while we continue to work through the uncertainty around COVID-19. If you are still unsure about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, or if you know someone who is, DPH encourages you to visit de.gov/covidvaccine to find answers to any questions you may have.