Delaware issued its last round of recreational marijuana business licenses to hopeful applicants in December, but those license holders haven’t begun dispensing recreational cannabis just yet.April 1st – a month later than the initial target – has been circulated as the new date to have the First State’s recreational marijuana market up and running, but delays in federal background checks have put that timeline into question. As license holders anxiously wait for the go-ahead to bring safe and legal cannabis to Delawareans – and as the state looks for a new marijuana commissioner – uncertainty looms over the recreational market.In episode two of Delaware’s High Hopes, Delaware Public Media’s Sarah Petrowich checked back in with license holders and discussed concerns over these delays with an industry advocate and the legislator behind the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Millions of students are suspended from public schools every year. Last school year, about 14% of Delaware students received suspensions with students of color facing out-of-school suspensions at higher rates, according to the state’s Annual Report on School Discipline Improvement.In his book ‘Suspended Education: School Punishment and the Legacy of Racial Injustice,’ University of Delaware sociology and criminal justice professor Aaron Kupchik explores how this long-standing disciplinary practice is tied to racial inequality, fails to improve behavior, and can have long-lasting consequences for students.This week, Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon sat down with Kupchik for more on ‘Suspended Education’ and why school suspensions may do more harm than good.

An old family photo album can be a window into the past, but for local artist Virginia Lockman, it became something more.In her latest exhibition ‘Figments,’ Lockman reimagines vintage family photographs through digital collages, blending them with birds, animals, and celestial elements to create dreamlike images. The exhibit is on view in the Mezzanine Gallery at the Carvel State Building in Wilmington through March 28.In this week’s edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media’s Martin Matheny is joined by Lockman for a closer look at ‘Figments.’

The flowers are starting to bloom, the birds are singing, and your closets are overflowing – that means spring is here and so is the time to clean, declutter, and finally tackle that junk drawer.But where do you start? According to Delaware’s only certified professional organizer Kim Mazewski, it’s best to begin with small, manageable tasks and build from there so you can create lasting habits that make a real difference in your home.In this edition of Enlighten Me, Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon spoke with Mazewski about spring cleaning and why it’s more than just tidying up your space; it’s a way to find peace of mind.

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Last week, The Green spent time with Delaware’s new Dept. of Education Secretary Cindy Marten discussing education funding and the work of the Public Education Funding Commission to deliver a more equitable state education funding formula.But education funding is hardly the only issue facing schools in Delaware. Lagging student proficiency scores and school behavior and climate are just a couple of the topics that are also top of mind for lawmakers and educators – as well as students and their families.Delaware Public Media’s Tom Byrne is joined again by Marten this week to discuss these topics and more – and how she and Gov. Matt Meyer plan to approach them.

During the recent winter months, many Delawareans have seen a sharp increase in their energy bills – increases large enough to prompt Gov. Matt Meyer and lawmakers to seek ways to help ease the burden those bills are creating.But more sticker shock could be on the way, this time from your water bill as water utilities seek to recover some of the cost of upgrades needed to filter the so-called ‘forever chemicals’ known as PFAS out of drinking water.This week, contributor Jon Hurdle reports on what these water rates could look like and if some efforts to rein in energy costs could also help with water bills.

OperaDelaware is bringing a powerful new program to the stage celebrating the music and stories of Asian American women.Created by Alice Chung and Helen Huang, ‘Girls of Yellow Diamonds’ explores the cycle of life; from childhood to womanhood and beyond. The performance, which features songs in English, Chinese, and Korean done by living Asian American women composers, is set for Sunday, March 16 at the OperaDelaware Studios in Wilmington.In this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media’s Martin Matheny caught up with Chung and Huang for a preview of ‘Girls of Yellow Diamonds.’

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The Public Education Funding Commission meets again on Monday to continue its work to deliver a more equitable state education funding formula.The Commission is expected to consider multiple models for a new formula as it moves forward this year. Gov. Matt Meyer is pushing for quick movement on this effort and has championed replacing the current unit count system, which he has characterized as very outdated.This week, Delaware Public Media’s Tom Byrne sat down with Meyer’s Dept. of Education Secretary Cindy Marten to discuss where she and the Meyer Administration stand on this process and the future of education funding in the First State.