Since late 2024, municipalities across Delaware have been struggling with how to pass and enforce ordinances related to loitering and panhandling. The cause of the struggle was an agreement reached between the Delaware Department of Justice and the ACLU directing police in Delaware to no longer enforce current loitering and solicitation laws in public spaces. The agreement was a settlement to a lawsuit brought by the ACLU, and was sparked due to constitutional concerns connected to the First and Fourth Amendments.

Wilmington reporter Brianna Hill and Rural Communities reporter Maggie Reynolds join the podcast to discuss how this issue has been showing up in Delaware's two biggest cities. Although Dover and Wilmington are very different municipalities, there are similarities in how the city councils have been trying to navigate passing new ordinances. The decisions these cities reach could provide a template for how other towns in Delaware try to address the issue. Hosted by David Stradley Read the Spotlight Delaware articles connected to this episode: Jennings talks updated loitering bill, lawmakers express frustrations Debate grows as Wilmington crafts new loitering ordinance Dover residents, officials divided ahead of panhandling vote

Editor-in-Chief Jacob Owens talks about Spotlight Delaware's months-long project looking at the results of Delaware's first reassessment of property values in more than 40 years. Working with Tech Impact, Spotlight produced an interactive map showing how the state's tax burdens and property assessments have shifted in that time.

In his accompanying reporting, Jake highlights questions around the outcome of the reassessment prompted by the data map, including whether the reassessment will help Delaware achieve equity in education funding. Hosted by David Stradley

Reporter Julia Merola joins the podcast to discuss her article 'Afraid to Die': Parents of Disabled Adults Struggle to Find Housing. The article profiles three families who are concerned they will not be able to provide supportive housing for their adult children with disabilities before the parents pass away.

Merola shares how a previous article built trust and connections in the disability community that led directly to this article, how she worked to draw readers into an issue they may not have personal experience with, and why she thinks a profile like this has strong news worthiness even though it's not breaking news.

Hosted by David Stradley

In the last week of 2025, five members of Spotlight Delaware's reporting team created a five-part series on Homelessness in Delaware. At a time of year where news readership normally dips, this series resulted in some of the Spotlight's highest readership numbers in several months. In this episode, reporters Olivia Marble, Brianna Hill and Nick Stonesifer discuss the collaborative nature of reporting on this issue and how the team worked to ensure that the voices of people experiencing homelessness were centered in this series. Plus, how losing your photo SD card can end up being a blessing in disguise.

Hosted by David Stradley Read the Spotlight Delaware articles connected to this episode: Homelessness Series Archives

In this last "Beyond the Headlines" episode for 2025, each member of Spotlight Delaware's nine-person reporting team reflects on the stories that meant the most to them in the year. From government accountability to long-term investigations, community profiles to breaking news, learn what stuck out to our reporters in 2025. Moms, farmers, politicians, abuse victims and more are all featured in these reflections.

Hosted by David Stradley Read the Spotlight Delaware articles connected to this episode: Delaware abuse victim rescued from ICE deportation Delaware soybean farmers remain optimistic amid dropping prices Years of violations, but few consequences for MeadowWood Wilmington mom struggles to secure therapy for son with autism A decade after Bradley abuse case, survivors still seek help Trans youth face care crisis in Delaware as health options shrinkLate-night compromise ends legislative standoff over offshore windDelDOT investigating land deal struck with a chief planner's business partnerDemocrats feud over Sussex chair's sex offender past

Education reporter Julia Merola talks about the Redding Consortium for Educational Equity and specifically its process to make a recommendation for reworking school district boundaries in Wilmington. She recaps the background of the consortium and the details of the December 16th vote to move forward with a redistricting plan. Julia also discusses why the work of the consortium, which had been flying under the radar, has recently been receiving a lot more public focus – and with that, some public confusion and public pushback. Plus, learn when being a 4'11" reporter has downsides. Hosted by David Stradley Read the Spotlight Delaware articles connected to this episode: What is the Redding Consortium? 'We were bulldozed': The history of Wilmington's school system

Spotlight Delaware Editor-In-Chief Jacob Owens and Marketing and Events Manager Elsa Kegelman take listeners behind the scenes on the upcoming Our Delaware Cultural Festival in Wilmington, Delaware. They explain the origin of the Our Delaware story series, how it morphed into an in-person event and what attendees can expect. Join hundreds of other Delawareans in taking in the art, music, food and stories of Delaware's many cultures from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 7 at Arsht Hall, 2700 Pennsylvania Ave. in Wilmington.

Rural communities reporter Maggie Reynolds discusses a controversy that has broken out in recent weeks in Georgetown where a citizens' group is making their disapproval quite vocal of the town's homeless population and the town government's handling of the issue.

Maggie gives insight into the origins of the Make Georgetown Great Again movement, highlights other quieter voices offering perspectives on homelessness, and reflects on how the dynamics of smaller town life are playing out in this debate. Plus, Maggie shares how reporters think about where they sit in town council meetings.

Hosted by David Stradley Read the Spotlight Delaware article connected to this episode: Georgetown homelessness spurs resident ire, calls for change Georgetown tiny homes project faces uncertainty amid resident ire

Editor-in-Chief Jacob Owens recently published a special report, "A decade after Bradley abuse case, survivors still seek help" as well as a podcast with Margaret Murphy, the mother of two of Earl Bradley's victims. Now, Owens joins the "Beyond the Headlines" podcast to share his perspectives on the nearly two-year reporting journey behind the article. He details what led Murphy to trust Spotlight Delaware with this story, the special considerations and care surrounding interviewing survivors of sexual abuse, and his hopes for the conversation that will occur in Delaware as a result of this special report.

Hosted by David Stradley CONTENT WARNING This episode does contain discussion of mature themes and brief descriptions of sexual abuse and violence, including crimes involving children. It begins with an overview of the crimes committed by former Delaware pediatrician Earl Bradley.

Spotlight Delaware began to investigate the impact of the unprecedented settlement agreement reached in the wake of the Earl Bradley scandal after being contacted by Margaret Murphy, of Lewes, Delaware.

Murphy, whose daughters have struggled in the years since the pedophile's crimes were brought to light more than 15 years ago, has been raising awareness around the lack of support services for the survivors in the case.

She has unsuccessfully sought assistance from the multi-million-dollar settlement trust fund created to compensate and support hundreds of Bradley's young victims.

Spotlight Delaware Editor-In-Chief Jacob Owens talked with Murphy about all of this and more.