Delaware Currents: Our journalism awards and latest stories

So back to the business of Delaware Currents: stories! But a reminder that DC is closing down as of Dec. 31, 2025.

And this newsletter is off with a bang: We’re celebrating, as you can see in the photo above. Chris Mele (my husband) won first place for Ongoing News Coverage of the SS United States.

I won first place for Documentary for the video you can find on the front page of the site: “A Flight Along the Delaware River: Our history, Our Watershed. 

I’ve said this before: Steal this video!! For students, for Scouts, for your book club, whatever. I’d love to have it shared.

If you want to use it, let me know, that would be great, but there’s no need. I’d even travel to almost anywhere in the watershed to talk to your group.

Second Place for News Beat Reporting went to one of our freelance writers, Lauren Yates, for her coverage of water quality and protection in the Delaware River watershed. Here’s one of those stories: The beneficiaries of removing mill dams in Delaware River watershed? ‘Fish, fish, fish.’

Second Place for News Feature Story went to another of our freelance writers, Kyle Bagenstose, for his coverage of “Mussels: A powerful solution to pollution in the Delaware?”

Honorable Mention for Editorial Writing went to Meg McGuire, for her accountability editorials calling out government secrecy and lack of transparency. Here’s one of them.

But I hear you cry: What have you done for me lately?

This:

Maddy Lauria has reported on “How water providers in Delaware, Pa. and N.J. are tackling forever chemicals.” 

You know, the nasty, sprawling family of PFAS. That the family keeps growing is the bad news, but the good news is that water providers are tackling the problem.

Lauren previously gave us the lowdown on an unknown contaminant, 6-PPDq, a chemical added to rubber tires to make them safer for drivers but that pose a hazard to certain fish. 

The Delaware River Basin Commission’s senior chemist and toxicologist, Jeremy Conkle, gave a presentation at the second River Rendezvous about the state of that chemical in our basin.

That very same Chris Mele reported on Conkle’s presentation: Tire particles chemical harmful to fish prevalent in Delaware River but largely at low levels, researcher says.

And here’s a story from me about that conference.

A freelance writer and photographer, Adam Litchkofski, gave us a sense of the Navy’s 250th anniversary with: Parade of Ships on the Delaware River honors 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy (and the Marine Corps).

By the way, we first hired Adam when he was a student but he’s now graduated and looking for work. He’s talented and nice… hint, hint!! If you’re interested, reach out to me and I will convey your interest to Adam.

Thanks for reading and for sharing your stories of transition. I won’t be writing about these stories unless you give me permission to do so, but it’s been both terrific and saddening to hear what some of you have told me.

Thanks,

Meg