Delaware now has an Office of New Americans to serve and support the immigrant community.About 11% of Delaware residents are immigrants. That’s more than 115,000 people who contribute to Delaware socially and economically, according to the Office of New Americans director Rony Baltazar-Lopez.Delaware Public Media’s Abigail Lee sat down with Baltazar-Lopez to talk about the office’s inaugural year, which includes a listening tour with stops in all three counties.

There’s been a fair amount of reporting about so-called “forever chemicals” in drinking water and the potential health impact the family of PFAS chemicals can have, including some cancers, immune system suppression and developmental issues in children.And the state of Delaware took legislative action this year to make people more aware when PFAS levels in their drinking water exceed strict health limits initially set by the EPA during the Biden administration.But how aware are people of these chemicals, the threat they pose and what can be done to address them?A recent DNREC survey indicates there’s still work to be done – and earlier this week, we sat down with DNREC Chief Communications Officer Nikki Lavoie and DNREC Division of Waste & Hazardous Substances hydrologist Todd Keyser to discuss the survey results and the First State’s ongoing efforts to address PFAS.

What happens when the world of opera collides with the world of boxing?We’ll find out when Opera Delaware presents "Opera DEathmatch" next weekend at its studios in Wilmington.The event is the brainchild of OperaDelaware and former boxing champ Dave Tiberi.On this week's Arts Playlist, DPM's Martin Matheny sits down with Tiberi and Opera Delaware's KerriAnn Otano about the show and how boxing and opera are strangely similar.

Banana Ball will be coming to Wilmington next summer.What is Banana Ball, you ask?Well, it’s a different brand of baseball that features the fundamentals of the game combined with trick plays and unusual rules to provide entertainment for the whole family.While the Savannah Bananas are the main draw in a now 6-team league – playing in huge venues across the country - the Texas Tailgaters will bring the game to Wilmington's Frawley Stadium next August 13 through the 15 for games against a new team, the Loco Beach Coconuts.In this edition of Enlighten Me, Delaware Public Media’s Joe Irizarry talks with the Texas Tailgaters’ Jonathan "Sunshine" Luders to learn more about Banana Ball.

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Veterans Day is this Tuesday and this year, Delaware can point to an increased commitment to the 72,000 vets living in the First State.Earlier this year, state lawmakers passed and Gov. Matt Meyer signed legislation creating Delaware’s first state-level Department of Veterans Affairs with a cabinet-level secretary.Meyer then selected Retired Brigadier General Karen Berry as the first Veterans Affairs Secretary. She stepped into the role October 1.This week, Retired Brigadier General Karen Berry to discuss the new Department of Veterans Affairs and how she plans to build it.

The state’s largest teachers union – the Delaware State Education Association recently released the results of its latest teacher satisfaction survey.The survey – conducted via email by Emma White Research – reached 1,460 active DSEA members between July 11-18 to take their temperature on a variety of topics – including teacher pay and working conditions. The survey produced mixed results – and this week, we sat with DSEA President Stephanie Ingram to delve into those results and what we they tell us about what teachers are feeling.

A new exhibition at the Delaware Art Museum caps off the museum's yearlong celebration of the art of illustration."Imprinted: Illustrating Race" was co-curated by University of Delaware professor Robyn Phillips-Pendleton and opened at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Now, that exhibition takes up residence in Wilmington through next spring.To learn more about the show and the intersection of popular illustration and identity, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny talked to Heather Campbell Coyle, Curator of American Art at the Delaware Art Museum, in this week's Arts Playlist.

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About a quarter of Delaware youth identify as LGBTQ+, according to the Delaware School Survey.And a new study from the University of Delaware finds LGBTQ+ adolescents experience higher rates of anxiety, depression and substance use.They’re also more likely to report all three at younger ages than their cisgender, heterosexual counterparts.Delaware Public Media’s Abigail Lee recently sat down with UD assistant professor of Human Development and Family Sciences Eric Layland to talk about his study’s findings and what they mean for the First State.