In his story, “Tales about trails with the Trail Spinners,” writer Ken Mammarella looks at the three-decade history of the Trail Spinners, and how the group has created, maintained, and improved miles of off-road trails in Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

The work of the Trail Spinners is just one example of how city residents are making a positive impact on the community.

The subject of the Newark Life Q & A is Anne Marie Wilkinson, the owner of Applied Advocacy. As they navigate the education of their special needs children, parents are swallowed up by either a glut of information or a profound lack of it. As a certified special education teacher, Anne Marie Wilkinson of Applied Advocacy helps these families seek resources, solutions and peace-of-mind. Recently, Newark Life met with her to talk about what drew her to special education, the challenges her clients face, the services she provides them with, and the influences in her life that she would like to have around a dinner table with her.

Big changes are underway for the University of Delaware theatre, onstage and off. We take a look at the cost-conscious and commercially savvy season for the Resident Ensemble Players. The 2023-24 season includes two plays that have familiar titles – “John Ball’s In the Heat of the Night” and “Deathtrap” – and two that probably don’t – “Vita and Virginia” and “Pass Over.”

This issue also features a look at the rich history of E-52, a history that covers the alphabet, with hundreds of shows going from “Absurd Person Singular” to “The Zoo Story.”

Gene Pisasale, a writer and local historian, offers a fascinating look at the history of two storied universities, and how one man played a role in the beginnings of two major educational institutions. That man was Francis Alison, and the two schools are the University of Pennsylvania and Newark’s University of Delaware.

Now in its eighth season, the unified flag football program at Newark Charter School has become one of the most successful in Delaware. It’s built on teamwork, commitment and inclusion. Unified sports have seen enormous growth in recent years.

The photo essay features the Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, which is a great organization that Newark can be proud of.

We hope that you enjoy these stories that shine a spotlight on a few facets of the City of Newark. We’re already hard at work planning the next edition of Newark Life, which will arrive in the spring of 2024.