The First State is taking another significant step toward purchasing some of the electricity from future offshore wind farms.Last December, DNREC released a report calling on the General Assembly to pass a law authorizing the state to procure offshore wind power. That legislation, known as the Delaware Energy Solutions Act of 2024, was introduced last week with hopes of getting it passed before the end of this year’s session.Contributor Jon Hurdle reports on the Delaware Energy Solutions Act of 2024 and the chances it will be approved.

Birding is more than just looking to the sky or watching birds at a backyard feeder. The popular American pastime emphasizes conservation of wetlands and wildlife areas that attract and shelter birds.In the First State, known as one of the best places in the country to birdwatch, the Delaware Ornithological Society holds its annual Bird-A-Thon fundraiser from May 4-12 to support habitat preservation and conservation.This week, Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon sits down with the Delaware Ornithological Society President Michael Moore to discuss this year’s Bird-A-Thon event and birding in Delaware.

The Delaware Division of the Arts is showcasing the work of 20 artists awarded fellowships this year.The “Award Winners XXIV ” exhibit features a wide variety of art and this year’s winner of the Master Fellow award is instrumentalist, singer, and composer Mark Hagerty.Delaware Public Media’s Karl Lengel is joined by Hagerty on this edition of Arts Playlist to chat about his work and what it means to be named this year’s Master Fellow.

First State historian and author David Tabler’s new book focuses on the unique, unusual, and lesser-known aspects of Delaware’s past.In “Delaware from Railways to Freeways,” Tabler offers dozens of stories and historical photos from Delaware in the 19th century, including a first-of-its-kind 1874 peach sorter and the crawlspace in the Corbit-Sharp House where Quaker abolitionists Daniel and Mary Corbit hid a fugitive slave in 1845.In this edition of History Matters, Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon talks with Tabler about the book and the people, places, and ideas that have shaped Delaware.

Listen to the full show or individual segments.

Last fall, the Biden Administration announced substantial federal grants to create a series of “hydrogen hubs.”One hub funded is the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub, or MACH2. It’s receiving up to $750 million to bring together governments and business interests in Delaware, Southeast Pennsylvania, and South Jersey to create a hub with the promise of creating jobs while combating climate change.The U.S. Department of Energy and MACH2 officials are currently holding listening sessions to discuss plans for this hub and get public feedback. And contributor Jon Hurdle reports on the arguments for and against MACH2 heard in these sessions.

While many high school graduates spend time this summer preparing to go college, others take a so-called ‘gap year’ with plans for some sort of sabbatical.Postponing the start of college for a year is becoming more common in the U.S. According to a survey from the nonprofit College Savings Foundation, more than 22% of students now consider gap time before post-secondary education.This week, Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon sits down with First State native Belin Tate, a freshman at Middlebury College in Vermont who recently took gap time, and President of the Gap Year Association Rae Nelson to discuss gap years.

Early intervention for developmental delays like Autism can make a huge difference, but it’s difficult to diagnose those delays early. Michele Lobo, a University of Delaware associate professor and pediatric physical therapist, is working to change that by creating a new smart baby monitor that helps spot delays earlier in childhood.Delaware Public Media’s Joe Irizarry talks with Lobo this week about the monitor and the importance of detecting developmental delays early.

A photographic exhibition focused on the Harriet Tubman Byway is now on display at Old Town Hall in Wilmington.The exhibit “Landscapes of the Delaware Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway” showcases the work of award-winning Delaware-based photographer Lynn Dilliplane and is on view until the end of this month.In this edition of History Matters, Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon visited Old Town Hall and met up with Dilliplane, Wilmington’s Historic Preservation Planner Debra Martin, and the Delaware Historical Society’s Chief Curator Leigh Rifenburg to learn more about the exhibit and the Harriet Tubman Byway.

Listen to the full show or individual segments.