Starting on Monday (April 1st), Kevin invites constituents to participate in a Food Drive that he and local partners are organizing

DelDOT Update on the installation schedule for the flooding sensors along Route 299, just east of Odessa at the causeway

DelDOT is providing Kevin's office with a new update on efforts being made to address flooding concerns along Route 299, just east of Odessa at the causeway.

As was agreed to by DelDOT at a public meeting Kevin held in November 2021, the department is to install flooding sensors and signage on Route 299 in the area to alert motorists about high water during storm events.

DelDOT is providing an updated implementation schedule for the flood warning signal system that has been installed in several locations around the Odessa area.

DelDOT's Director of Transportation Resilience and Sustainability Stephanie Johnson this week sent the following email to Kevin:

We anticipate a portion of the system (about half) will be operational by May with the remaining portion of the system being activated in July. The delays in implementation of this system are the result of many different factors including the availability of equipment and vendors to ensure all components of the system are fully functional and appropriately calibrated.

I plan to follow-up regularly with the Traffic Section to get updates on their progress. 

As you know, safety is our highest priority. We recognize that the frequent flooding of these roadways has caused and continues to cause significant safety concerns and that the Odessa and surrounding communities are anxious to have this system fully functioning to have better information about the availability of these roadways. We are doing our due diligence to make sure that this signal system is fully functional and reliable to the public once implemented.

I also want to let you know that our division is working on a drainage study of SR 299 from East of Odessa to Old Corbitt Road. The objective of this study is to identify flood mitigation alternatives to protect SR 299 and minimize the occurrence of flooding on this segment of the roadway. We are currently in the process of finalizing the drainage study report. Once complete, we plan to hold a public meeting to go over the findings and alternatives and work with the public to build consensus on a proposed approach. We are targeting for a spring public meeting.  

Kevin's next morning coffee meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 9th at Odessa Fire Company

For those who may not be able to attend in-person, Kevin invites you to watch his coffee meeting on Facebook. Visit Facebook.com/RepKevinHensley for LIVE coverage of his meeting on Tuesday, April 9th, starting at 8:30 a.m.

DEMA REMINDER: Emergency Sirens Test on Tuesday (April 2nd) at 7:20 p.m.

FREE Potassium Iodide Distribution Event to be held on Thursday, April 4th in Middletown

The Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) and the Division of Public Health will be distributing FREE potassium iodide (KI) tablets to Delaware residents living within a 10-mile radius (also known as the Emergency Planning Zone or EPZ) of the Salem/Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Stations. The free tablets will be distributed on Thursday, April 4th between 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. at Volunteer Hose Company (27 W. Green Street, Middletown, DE 19709).

KI is available to residents who have received it previously and whose tablets have reached their expiration date, as well as those who never received tablets before. Individuals with home or business addresses within the EPZ are eligible to receive the KI tablets. Recipients must bring a photo ID, such as a driver’s license; and proof of residency, such as a utility bill, or proof of employment within the EPZ. These are the only requirements to receive KI tablets. Residents who have KI that is expired can bring those tablets to the distribution center to exchange for new ones. To check if you live or work in the EPZ, please go to: de.gov/epz

KI does not protect against external radiation but can help protect the thyroid gland from ingested or inhaled radioactive iodine that might be released in a radiation emergency. KI is one of the protective measures outlined in Delaware’s emergency plans developed for use in a nuclear incident.

Delaware residents living outside of the 10-mile EPZ who would like to obtain KI tablets should contact their pharmacist. KI is also available over the counter at some local pharmacies.

The 10-mile EPZ in Delaware is comprised of four Emergency Response Planning Areas (ERPAs):

• ERPA A: Port Penn, Odessa, East of Townsend, North Smyrna, and South St. George’s Areas
• ERPA B: Middletown, East of Townsend, and North Smyrna Areas.
• ERPA C: Delaware City, North Middletown, St. George’s, and Reybold Areas.
• ERPA D: The Delaware River and Bay.

For additional information regarding the potassium iodide distribution program in Delaware, call the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) section at 302-659-3362. More information and resources can be found at PrepareDE.org.

Citizens will be able to safely dispose of their expired prescription medicines on April 27th at Middletown Police Department

Make plans to participate in a FREE Recycling & Paper Shredding Event on Saturday, April 13th at St. Anne's Episcopal School