Delaware launched its first wave of recreational marijuana dispensaries on August 1st, giving the majority of existing medical marijuana centers the ability to begin recreational sales.As of Monday, the Office of the Marijuana Commissioner has issued 85 conditional licenses for the rest of the marijuana business community, with three cultivators already actively growing.In part three of our Delaware’s High Hopes series, Marijuana Commissioner Josh Sanderlin talks about his optimism for the remaining market launch, as well as the contentious veto of a marijuana zoning bill.Delaware Public Media’s Sarah Petrowich also checked back in with license holders to discuss the challenges and successes they’ve faced in getting their businesses off the ground and what’s next for Delaware’s recreational marijuana market.

Some of our most awkward childhood and teenage memories are connected to puberty.That’s one reason puberty and sex education exist – to address uncomfortable subjects head-on and give young people the language and information they need to understand their bodies.There’s a lot that goes into those lesson plans. And most of the research and conversation is about what teachers can talk about in the classroom. Very little research addresses how to teach these classes.University of Delaware assistant professor Sarah Curtiss is trying to change that. She and her team looked at different teaching approaches and how to make classes more accessible for students with disabilities.Delaware Public Media’s Abigail Lee sits down with Curtiss to talk about puberty education – and how it can be improved.

Reading Assist is among 15 organizations from around the world recently recognized by the Library of Congress for their efforts to improve literacy and strengthen the communities they serves.Delaware Public Media’s Joe Irizarry sat down with Reading Assist CEO Caroline O’Neal to learn more about why the organization was honored and its ongoing work in the community- including how it’s navigating the ups and downs of federal funding.

After a busy summer season featuring three blockbuster musicals and a cabaret series, performers from the Clear Space Theatre Company in Rehoboth Beach will be back on the boards in one week, launching a series of shows to round out the year, beginning with the apolitical political farce, POTUS.DPM's Martin Matheny sat down with Clear Space's Managing Director, Joe Gfaller to talk about that show and the rest of the 2025 season.

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Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control released its latest survey of Delawareans opinions on Climate Change.This is the fourth time since 2009 DNREC has taken the public’s temperature on climate change and related issues. The results continue to show an overwhelming majority of state residents are concerned about climate change and view it as a serious threat – and will be used to help craft Delaware’s 2025 Climate Action Plan – due to be delivered in November.DPM's Tom Byrne recently sat down with DNREC’s Climate and Sustainability Program administrator Susan Love to discuss the survey results and how they help state officials develop a plan to address climate issues in the years ahead.

OperaDelaware is gearing up for a new season. Anchored by two masterworks - Tosca and Andrea Chenier - the upcoming season also features some innovative performances intended to dismantle the stereotype of opera as stuffy and staid, including "Opera Deathmatch" and a chamber work where a cell phone plays a major role.On this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny chats with OperaDelaware's Vice President of Engagement, Kerriann Otano and soprano Emily Margevich, one of the opera's Company Artists.

This week, we bring you the final episode of the Delaware Humanities’ podcast – ‘People and Planet.’ The podcast explores how Delawareans connect to the environments and cultures around them, and the cultural practices and creative works that bring us closer to the planet we call home.On this episode, we feature a more grounded, personal look at the impact of connecting to nature and culture.The natural world and cultural identity have played a substantial role in writer and nature photographer Leslie Hsu Oh’s professional and personal journey.Her work has taken her around the country and the world to experience the vast array of what the planet and its cultures has to offer.And the memoir she is working on, Fireweed, weaves together themes of family, cultural identity, and the natural world to tell her very personal story of self-discovery and healing after experiencing profound loss.

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Last week, Delaware broke ground on a new Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill.The $90 million dollar project will deliver a 3-story facility with 120 beds to replace the current hospital building built in 1961.Earlier this week, DPM's Tom Byrne sat down with Dava Newnam, Deputy Cabinet Secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services to learn more about the new hospital and what it's expected to mean for its patients.