First for January 29, 2016

DuPont’s downfall
This week Delaware Governor Jack Markell releases his budget wish list for 2017. We’ll go over some of the highlights in a moment. In his State of the State address he spent time talking about the changing economic picture and DuPont. First Look reports this week on what that change means for the First State in 2016 and beyond.

First Person: Dan Rich
A group called the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission wants to remove the Christina School District from the city and give its students to Red Clay. The move would make Red Clay the dominant school district in a city that has been split four ways ever since the 1980’s. First Person this week discusses the merits of this much debated redistricting plan with the policy advisor for the Wilmington Education Commission, Dan Rich.

State of Play
Election season is finally here, so we’re going to have a different type of discussion on State of Play this week. We’ve invited Mary Brigid McManamon, a constitutional law professor at Widener University Delaware Law School. She has received some attention for an op-ed story she wrote that appeared in the Washington Post titled ‘Ted Cruz is not eligible to be President.’ She explains what that means and why, in her opinion, Cruz doesn’t qualify.

Esteem on the chessboard
Earlier on First we discussed the Wilmington Improvement Education Commission. A student representative in that group is also the focus of our next story. Johnny Means is the closest thing to a newly formed chess club that we have in Delaware. He’s not just playing well, he’s using chess as a life lesson to keep others out of trouble.

First Experience: Woodbridge pride
Respecting others is a strong message to teach kids. In Bridgeville, Sussex County, that message is being taken to the next level. With the help of Delaware artist John Donato, the kids of Woodbridge middle school are creating a mural that helps define the values the school wishes to instill in its students. The project is in its second year and is our First Experience this week.