In The News

Prosperity Partnership, North East England counterpart sign cooperative agreement

From Delaware Business Now

The Delaware Prosperity Partnership and the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), a public, private and education sector partnership in North East England, UK, signed a cooperative agreement to support joint business development.

LEP works in partnership with the business community to grow the economy and create more and better jobs in the region. DPP is Delaware’s economic development agency.

Specifically, the two organizations will work together to support mutually beneficial international expansion for firms that work in:

• Bioscience/Life Science and Wind Supply Chain
• Advanced Engineering and FinTech
• Innovation and Skills

North East England is one of nine official regions of England, which includes Northumberland, County Durham and Tyne and Wear. The North East LEP is responsible for promoting and developing economic growth in the local authority areas of County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

Representing Delaware was Kurt Foreman, CEO of DPP and Rod Ward, CEO of CSC, a provider of business, legal, tax, and digital brand services. Ward is Co-Chair of the DPP Board of Directors.

Representing the UK was Andrew Hodgson, North East LEP Chair, and Helen Golightly, North East LEP Chief Executive.

Both economic development organizations will promote their partner area as a location for local firms looking for international business expansion opportunities. They will actively collaborate, support joint events, and encourage cross-education and training through the local universities, a release stated.

Read more:

https://delawarebusinessnow.com/2019/11/prosperity-partnership-north-east-england-counterpart-sign-cooperative-agreement/

Fairfield by Marriott coming to Middletown

From Delaware Business Now

LNW Hospitality and Axia Hotel Group have announced plans to build a Fairfield by Marriott Hotel in Middletown.

LNW announced on its website that the venture signed a franchise agreement with Marriott and is expected to break ground on a new Fairfield by Marriott in 2020, with an opening scheduled in 2021.

LNW Hospitality develops, owns, and manages hotel assets on the east coast, with three Marriott brands in its portfolio.

The company is best known for renovating and developing hotels on Jeykill Island on the coast of Georgia.

The blog post noted that parent company, Leon N. Weiner & Associates, Inc. has been in Delaware for more than 70 years. In Middletown itself, through its ownership of Middletown Trace Apartments and Fairfield Commons Apartments.

“We see tremendous opportunity in Middletown,” said Kevin Kelly, chairman of LNWA. “The town is thriving, Fairfield by Marriott is a great brand, and our partner, Axia, has a strong track record in town as well.”

Axia Hotel Group has been in the hotel business in Delaware since the 1960s and has developed eight hotels.

Read more:

https://delawarebusinessnow.com/2019/11/fairfield-by-marriott-coming-to-middletown/

Chief justice submits final budget request

From Delaware State News

DOVER — Chief Justice Leo Strine made his final scheduled appearance as the head of Delaware’s judiciary Monday. The chief justice, who plans to step down from the bench at the end of the month, presented his budget request to state officials, although he outlined it in writing earlier this month.

Budget hearings began early this year to allow Chief Justice Strine to stick to his planned departure date, with his post not set to be filled immediately.

These fall hearings represent the next step in the budget process, giving state departments a chance to present their spending requests for the fiscal year starting next July. From here, the governor works with the Office of Management and Budget to prepare his budget recommendations, which are officially unveiled and presented to lawmakers in January.

Although budget asks are submitted to OMB and the governor ahead of time, the presentations enable budget officials to get more information on certain things and hear from members of the public.

The chief justice’s letters, sent to OMB Director Mike Jackson Oct. 15, were an opportunity to deliver a final message, and the priorities as detailed in them should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed Chief Justice Strine’s tenure.

His asks in the letters are more general rather than specific dollar amounts, calling on the state to provide more legal support for the poor, fully fund a judicial technology fund, expand the court’s workforce, raise pay for state workers and partner with the private sector to fund new judicial facilities.

The total operating request is for $104.3 million. The judicial branch’s current year operating budget is $100.7 million.

Read more:

https://delawarestatenews.net/news/chief-justice-submits-final-budget-request/

JPMorgan Chase announces $4 million investment in collaborative effort to revitalize ‘left behind’ Wilmington neighborhoods

From Delaware Business Now

JPMorgan Chase & Co. announced a $4 million, three-year investment in Equitable Wilmington, a collaborative aimed at promoting growth in Wilmington’s West, East and Northeast neighborhoods.

The collaborative includes Cinnaire Lending Corporation, True Access Capital and NCALL Loan Fund and will use the funds to support affordable housing development, small businesses and community facilities while addressing social determinants of health—including access to healthy foods, and health care facilities—through partnerships with the healthcare sector.

“We’re very proud to make this investment in Wilmington, a community that’s so important to JPMorgan Chase,” said Tom Horne, JPMorgan Chase market director for Delaware. “This city has been making meaningful progress but we know there’s still a lot of work to be done. We want to show up in a big way to help address the challenges and we’re excited about the great work that this collaborative will do.”

“We have worked hard in Delaware to support new affordable housing and small business development, and these investments in Equitable Wilmington will build on progress we’re seeing across our city,” said Gov. John Carney. “This is the kind of collaboration that can create real positive change in Delaware communities, and I want to thank everyone involved for their commitment to the City of Wilmington.”

Read more:

https://delawarebusinessnow.com/2019/10/jpmorgan-chase-announces-4-million-investment-in-collaborative-effort-to-revitalize-left-behind-wilmington-neighborhoods/

21 Delaware employees made more than 200K last year — none were the governor

From the News Journal

Twenty-one people who work for Delaware state government made more than $200,000 in 2018, and at least 13 are on track to make a similar amount this year.

Mark Brainard, president of Delaware Technical Community College, tops the list, according to a database of state employee salaries provided by the state Office of Management and Budget.

Brainard, who topped last year’s list, earned $266,540 in 2018. He made a base salary of $245,000 along with $20,585 listed as “other” earnings, according to the state budget office data.

Delaware state employees can make “other” earnings in more than 140 ways, ranging from stipends, health care cost supplements, coaching a school sports teams or serving on the state police scuba diving unit.

Brainard could end up making an even bigger paycheck in 2019, since his salary has been bumped to $249,900 this year. He’s still making less than his predecessor Orlando George, who collected a nearly $371,000 in salary when he retired in 2014.

More than half of the employees who topped the list worked for the health and homeland security departments last year. That includes police, nurses, psychiatrists and forensic examiners. The list also includes a couple of New Castle County school superintendents.

Read more:

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/30/these-delaware-employees-made-more-than-200-k-last-year-none-were-governor/4020677002/

Pharma start-up gets state grant; plans call for hiring up to 49 biotech positions

From Delaware Business Now

Prelude Therapeutics, a privately-held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, plans to add up to 49 biotech positions by 2022 and invest $5 million in expanded lab and office space in the Wilmington area.

Prelude conducts research focused on key drivers of cancer cell growth, survival, and resistance. The company has two clinical trials in progress, with more pre-clinical development candidates in the pipeline.

The company is outgrowing its current locations, split between the Delaware Innovation Space (located on the site of the former DuPont Experimental Station) in Wilmington and nearby overflow office space.

Read more:

https://delawarebusinessnow.com/2019/10/pharma-start-up-gets-state-grant-plans-call-for-hiring-up-to-49-biotech-positions/

Gov. Carney’s office won’t say whether Paradee sister did legal review for DE Turf bill

From the News Journal

Gov. John Carney’s office would not comment Monday whether Jacqueline Mette, deputy legal counsel to the governor and Sen. Trey Paradee’s sister, conducted the legal review for her brother’s controversial DE Turf hotel tax bill.

Mette serves on Carney’s four-person legal team that reviews all bills passed by the General Assembly before the governor considers them.

The hotel tax bill, should Kent County officials approve it, could benefit a proposed development championed by John Paradee, brother of Trey Paradee and Mette.

John Paradee also sits on the board of DE Turf, a private sports complex near Frederica that would receive all of the tax revenue, estimated to be about $1 million a year.

Trey Paradee, a Dover-area state senator, sponsored the bill, which was pushed through the Legislature during its final hours in June.

More than half of legislators who voted in favor of the bill and responded to Delaware Online/The News Journal said they would have reconsidered their yes vote had they known of the potential conflict. Many others said they would have pressed for more details.

Read more:

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/28/gov-carneys-office-wont-say-whether-paradee-sister-did-legal-review-de-turf-bill/2483634001/

Why the DE Turf vote has some Delaware lawmakers second-guessing

From the News Journal

Some members of the Delaware General Assembly are second-guessing their yes votes on a bill that allowed Kent County to tax hotel stays and give the resulting $1 million in revenue to DE Turf, a sports complex near Frederica.

After learning the tax could benefit a proposed development championed by John Paradee – brother to the lawmaker who sponsored the bill – Sen. Cathy Cloutier, R-Heatherbrook, is one of the lawmakers who thinks there is a conflict of interest.

“It doesn’t look good,” Cloutier said.

Bill sponsor Sen. Trey Paradee, D-Dover, said he had “no idea” about his brother’s involvement in the development or that he sat on DE Turf’s board.

But in 2014, when plans for the sports complex began to move forward, The News Journal reported that John Paradee was one of the developers of Asbury Square.

Read more:

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/18/why-some-delaware-lawmakers-second-guessing-their-vote-de-turf-bill/2049336001/

Report recommends raising visibility of Delaware’s tech sector as way to attract, retain workers

From Delaware Business Now

Tech Impact released a report that explores best practices in attracting developing and retaining skilled talent for Delaware’s technology jobs.

Read more: https://delawarebusinessnow.com/2019/10/report-recommends-raising-visibility-of-delawares-tech-sector-as-way-to-attract-retain-workers/

Big Delaware-based breweries are picking other states to expand. This is why

From the News Journal

When commercial real estate agents brought Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant officials a possible location for a new brewpub, the site looked promising.

It was the former home of Don Pablo’s Mexican restaurant near the Christiana Mall, which closed in late 2018 after a 19-year-run.

Not only was the site in a high-traffic area, but the brewery had previously converted a former Don Pablo’s restaurant in South Carolina and it wasn’t a big job, thanks to Don Pablo’s brick buildings, which fit Iron Hill’s aesthetic.

But Iron Hill, which got its start on Newark’s Main Street in 1996 and has grown into a regional chain with 19 locations in five states, couldn’t pull the trigger on the deal for one reason: Delaware law.

Delaware Code states that a licensee is limited to three brewpubs in the state. And since Iron Hill already had spots in Newark, Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, they were forced to expand elsewhere.

Read more: https://www.delawareonline.com/story/life/2019/10/10/legislators-looking-change-delaware-code-brewpubs/3906398002/