SPORTS
The Indians get ready for a hardwood battle with the Laurel Bulldogs tonight. PAGE 3
FUN
GARDENING
Music is ‘Easy’ for Michael Tracy White right now. PAGE 18
BIZ
Kick back and read how to beat the cold-weather blues botanically PAGE 26
Chamber’s growth, business climate, suggest good year PAGE 16
FUN
FOOD
Eskimos start the new year with a big leap PAGE 22
Marie Cook offers up some 2007 favorites PAGE 25
SPORTS
BIZ
FASHION
Grapplers searching for conference title
La Mirage adds tanning and more
A new year means new styles
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Page A18
Page B1
IN MEMORIAM
Sports
Fourth
Biz
Bethany Skim Jam back in action
Plenty of action this holiday weekend
Deep-fried delights at Charlie’s
Page A49
Page A33
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Robert H. Bertram IV 1951 ~ 2018 DECEMBER 14, 2018
FEBRUARY 6, 2004
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY
Volume 1, Issue 1
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PSC to hold public hearing on water rate increase
Drip dry By Thomas Melville Contributing Writer
Coastal Point • ERIN QUATTROCELLI
Rain in downtown Bethany Beach often leaves fire fighters singing the blues concerning flooding. A plan to use an inflatable rubber dam could alleviate the problems, according to an engineering firm and one councilman. “Last August, when some big thunderstorms came through, we had about 20 calls to respond to and when we came back the station had about 8 inches of water in it.” The fire station has been flooded so frequently that the fire company considered moving to higher ground west of Route 1. But last month the Town Council nixed a proposal of swapping a portion of its recently purchased Christian Church property (on the northwest corner of the routes 1 and 26 intersection) for the fire company’s land on Hollywood Street. The
former Christian Church lot is about 3.9 acres, but a new fire station could not fit on the 1.5 acres the town was willing to trade. The fire company is now working on its own plan to upgrade the station to deal with the area’s growth, the increase in alarms and to lessen the impact of flooding in the building. Currently the fire company prepares for rainstorms in advance by parking trucks and equipment on the west side of Route 1 to avoid potential floodwaters. “The land swap proposal did not work out and there are no hard feelings about
that,” Wilgus said. “We have a good relationship with the Town Council and we are both trying to serve the needs of the community. And if they can alleviate some of the flooding with this plan then that will be a big help.” The inflatable dam, which would be placed at the mouth of the Loop Canal, could be inflated with water pumps in 30 minutes to effectively prevent tidal surge into the canal from the Assawoman Canal, according to a the report prepared by Tim
See PLAN Page 2
Ocean View prepares for water referendum
By Sam Harvey Staff Reporter
The Ocean View Town Council moved quickly through readings of new ordinances and a conditional use issue before coming to Councilman Eric Magill’s update on the proposed town water system and prepara-
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Volume 5, Issue 1
FREE JANUARY 14, 2011
also reportedly facilitate the installation of fire hydrants. The town has scheduled two public hearings on the topic. The first will be held tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 7 at Mariner’s Bethel Methodist Church at 9:30 a.m. The second public hearing will be held at Mariner’s Bethel Thursday Feb. 12 at 6:30
$510. Magill hoped to address public question and comment at the hearings tomorrow and Thursday, especially questions concerning the relative cost of central water compared to water treatment systems, salt and other associated costs. Town Manager Kathy Roth said she had
Police Chief Ken McLaughlin presented the monthly report. He reported 91 calls for service, two less than last month but still busy. He also said he and two members of the council had been talking with an architect about plans for the new police department building. The council discussed four ordinances in
Top dog
By Monica Scott Staff Reporter Gov. Jack Markell’s chief-of-staff, Thomas P. McGonigle, released to the public on Tuesday his report to Markell regarding the U.S. Route 113 NorthSouth Project and related property reservation agreements entered into by the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT).
The state’s Public Service Commission has officially set a public comment session for a requested 22.7 percent rate increase that would affect customers of the Sussex Shores Water Company, which services 1,691 customers and provides fire service to 176 fire hydrants and 27 fire lines in the districts of Bethany Beach, North Bethany and portions of Cedar Neck. The hearing will be held at Bethany Beach Town Hall on Friday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. If the PSC were to approve the 22.7 percent rate increase, the average customer with a three-quarter-inch water meter using 11,576 gallons of water per quarter would see their quarterly bill increase from $137.70 to $164.48 — or $26.78. That includes an increase in fixed charges from $91 per quarter to $107 per quarter and from $4.63 to $5.70 per gallon of water used. A larger customer, with a 2-inch meter, paying $2,001 quarterly for their fixed charges and $5.90 per 1,000 gallons of water would see those rates increase to $2,357 quarterly and $7.27 per gallon of water, respectively.
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JULY 4, 2014
The report states that, while DelDOT does have the authorization to “expend significant dollars and resources” on developing roadways – such as a major new highway in Sussex County – it did not demonstrate the “necessary competence, judgment and diligence” with regard to “the utilization and negotiation of reservation agreements” in doing so. Markell said Tuesday that he agrees with the findings and recommendations
in the report. And he said legislators have a decision to make regarding the future of the roadway. “The report is thorough, fair but firm, and I agree with both its findings and recommendations,” said the governor this week. “DelDOT has some very hardworking and talented people who do good work in many areas. Secretary [Carolann] Wicks is a dedicated public servant who cares deeply about keeping
our roads safe and accessible. She also recognizes there are problems in her agency that need to be fixed. She is committed to fixing them, and I am confident she will.” “Equally important, elected officials, particularly those from Sussex County, need to decide collectively whether we should support the significant road imSee BYPASS page A2
By Maria Counts Staff Reporter On Jan. 12, Ocean View Mayor Gordon Wood announced that the town had been offered the chance to lease an acre of land from the Freeman Foundation, upon which it could construct a public works facility. “The lease is ready for signature, and our town solicitor has participated in and was a major factor in the development of the lease terms,” said Wood. “The plot is essentially adjacent to the Bear Trap Dunes and Golf Course maintenance building, just a couple hundred yards directly behind the Melson building.” In fact, the parcel is viewable from the town manager’s office at the public safety and administration building and is near to where the town’s police department formerly housed its trailers. “This is the best possibly location for an Ocean View public works building. It
International reading program finds its way in Delaware By Ryan Saxton Staff Reporter
Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark
Wind and Tuesday night’s rain and ice storm combined to create a different look at the beach in Fenwick Island.
The Bethany Beach Landowners Association is urging Bethany Beach Town Council members to take action, before it is too late, that could potentially influence whether a 100-foot-tall communi-
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Adjustments (BoA), which voted 3-2 in November 2009 to grant AT&T a special-use exception to place the tower at the rear of the Arby’s restaurant and BP gas station on the east side of Route 1, just north of the intersection with Jefferson Bridge Road. But a flawed notification process prior to a public hearing on
tion for the same tower to be erected in the same location, with a new public hearing set for Monday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m., in Sussex County Council chambers in Georgetown. But, this time, opponents of the tower are both well aware of the application and prepared to oppose it before the BoA.
erty owners in neighboring Sea Pines Village (SPV), who filed the appeal – from preparing an organized response in time for the original Sept. 21, 2009, BoA hearing. In particular, Graves’ decision cited the posting of the notice on the incorrect property, adjacent to the actual proposed site for the tower.
ONE THOUSAND ISSUES
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Welcome home!
Sports
A&E
Indians upset in quarterfinals to Laurel
LB color run raises funds for new track
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Husband, Son, Best Friend and member of the Coastal Point family MDDC
SDSA students find themselves in art DECEMBER 10, 2021
Fenwick continues to pursue resources for dredging project
Property taxes for FY2019 to be re-billed before May By Maria Counts Staff Reporter
By Kerin Magill Staff Reporter
The Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announced this week that nighttime lane closures could be expected on Route 1 from North Bethany to Fenwick Island beginning Monday, July 7, as part of a $4.4 million pavement and rehabilitation project. American Infrastructure-Md. Inc. was awarded contract for the project, which involves replacement of crossroad pipes, milling the existing road surface, full-depth patching of existing road failures and placement of a full-width asphalt overlay. The work is expected to continue into late November. To avoid Independence Day and summertime traffic, only nighttime lane closures will occur on Route 1 from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m., Sunday evenings until Friday mornings. “The Sunday nights, we’re going to
After a controversial move by the Town this year to switch to Sussex County property appraisals for its town tax basis, resulting in drastic tax burden shifts for some, property owners in Ocean View may be happy to learn that new property assessments are now under way, and revised tax bills for the 2019 fiscal year are headed their way. Outgoing Town Manager Dianne Vogel told the town council at its Dec. 11 meeting that she had met with contractor Appraisal Services and provided them with assessment cards for all properties within the town, a spreadsheet of the last full assessment of all parcels completed in December 2017, and a list of new homes and completed improvements through October 2018. “Field inspectors will need access to several properties for the purpose of assessing new values,” said Vogel, noting that Appraisal Services was provided with ID badges, which they must wear when conducting inspections. “We have notified our software vendor of the Town’s decision to ‘reverse’ the Fiscal Year 2019 tax billing, remove the Sussex County assessment values, add new assessment values for the FY19 and then ‘rebill’ the FY19 taxes — all before April 30, 2019, so that a budget amendment can be prepared for FY19.” Vogel said the new values will be used to bill 2020-fiscal-year tax bills in May 2019. The Town plans to reverse the 2019-fiscal-year tax billing, remove the existing Sussex County assessment information from property tax records,
Fenwick Island’s long-awaited dredging project, meant to ensure access to the Little Assawoman Bay from canalfront homes, may be a step closer to reality. One of the key parts of the project, and one that has been challenging to solve, is the question of where to deposit the spoils from the project — the material that is dredged from the bottom of the bay. The Town had been in discussions with the Freeman Companies about depositing the material on land on Route 54 that the developer has earmarked for townhomes. But the company has moved forward with the project faster than the dredging project has progressed, so that window seems to have closed. Dredge Committee Chairman Bill Rymer told the council at its Friday, Dec. 3, meeting that due to “significant change” in Freeman’s plans, “They are not able to commit to us to finalizing a [memorandum of understanding] and receiving dredged materials.’ Rymer said that, although the committee has not received a “definitive no” from Freeman, the committee has decided to look for other sources for the placement of the dredged material. He said the committee has “had a conversation” with representatives of the Seatowne development, located on the bay across from the Fenwick Towers condominium, about the potential for using land there to deposit the dredge spoils. He said Seatowne representatives had approached DNREC about five years ago regarding the potential of using dredged material to help replenish wetlands in the 19-acre community that had deteriorated due to erosion. “Restoration is better than the creetlands,
See PROJECT page A5
Property owners rev up for renewed cell-tower battle By M. Patricia Titus News Editor
Volume 11, Issue 27
OV property reassessment set to begin
Volume 15, Issue 50
By Laura Walter Staff Report
Fenwick considers ways to address advertising on vehicles
See TOWN page A5 Coastal Point • RUSLANA LAMBERT
Arman Lee, from Wilmington, sits with his friend, Miso, at the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce’s 6th Annual Hometown Pet Show in Bethany Beach on Tuesday, Jan. 1. Miso won the People’s Choice award. See more photos of the event on page 50. New Year’s Day dawned bright and sunny, and eventually chilly, The 6th Annual Hometown Pet Show presented by Intervet, for the 317 participants in the 12th Annual Leo Brady Exercise had a great turnout as well, with 54 pets on hand to compete for like the Eskimos.The brave splashers jumped into the new year by prizes.Taking home the overall People’s Choice for the top animal jumping into the ocean, and jumpstarted the college careers of in the competition, and also the Owner Look-Alike competition local students. was a pug named Miso. All of the animals registered for the event All net proceeds from the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of received a commemorative ribbon. Proceeds from the pet show Commerce’s 2008 Exercise like the Eskimos went to support the will go to Bethany Town Cats. Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation’s scholarship program Sponsors of the event included Towel Sponsor ResortQuest
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Route 1 rehab project means nighttime lane closures start Monday
Ocean View offered land for building
See WATER Page 2
What started as one woman’s appreciation for classic country music has since turned into initiating a powerful development program for children in the state of Delaware. Deanne Welsh, a mother who lives in Millsboro, has teamed up with Long Neck Elementary School teacher Julie Beebe to bring Imagination Library to the Indian River School District.Through the program, started in 1996 by country music legend Dolly Parton, any child within the school district who is younger than 5 can receive age-appropriate books each month for free, which are designed to aid the child’s literacy and vocabl bf h ki d
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Report finds DelDOT lacking on U.S. 113 bypass agreements
By M. Patricia Titus News Editor
New dam could keep town, fire station dry An inflatable rubber dam might sound like something Kramer would devise in an episode of “Seinfeld,” but it could be the real-life answer to the town’s flooding problems, which have swamped residents, businesses and the fire station especially hard for the past 10 years, according to a recent report from an engineering firm. For Michael Wilgus, president of the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company, any help the town can provide to stem the severe flooding at the fire station on Hollywood Street is appreciated. “I don’t know why, but it seems that there has been a lot more flooding in the area in the past 10 years then ever before,” said Wilgus, who grew up in Bethany Beach and has been a fire company volunteer for 23 years.
JANUARY 4, 2008
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Coastal Point • Laura Walter
Lord Baltimore Elementary School faculty and students got out on Route 26 on Tuesday, July 1, to welcome home Frankford’s Charlie Mood Jr., a Guardsman who returned home from Afghanistan that day.
By M. Patricia Titus News Editor
By Laura Walter Staff Reporter
It’s a common sight along area roads: business vehicles with prominent logos and other advertising, placed in just the perfect spot to turn them into mobile billboards, intentionally or not. And it’s something that has some local officials concerned — to the point of considering banning the practice. In Fenwick Island this week, a potential ban on advertising on commercial vehicles was on the town council agenda, as issues of vehicle size, parking location, aesthetics and intent all figured into the discussion. Councilman Bill Weistling Jr. b ought the issue ba k to the council
Just before Independence Day, people lined the streets to welcome home a local firefighter and internationally traveled soldier. People and flags waved as the Millville Volunteer Fire Company escorted Specialist Charlie Mood Jr., 28, from the Indian River Inlet to the firehouse Tuesday. His company was the last of the Delaware National Guardsmen to return from Afghanistan. Under American flags and “Welcome Home” signs, people lined the streets from the inlet to the fire hall. Lord Baltimore Elementary School even had a small contingent, including staff and a few students. “We didn’t know who he was, but we wanted to be part of it,” said one teacher. “A local school supporting local people,” another man said.
family. I missed being on trucks,” Mood said, adding that he looked forward to spending time with the family and enjoying a beer, which he couldn’t get in Afghanistan. “This was an outpouring,” Mood said. “I love it. Smalltown community, even with tourists coming down. … You’re not supposed to have emotions, but I actually teared up a little bit.” Passing cars were still honking horns as he greeted his firehouse comrades. “The support of the troops is key,” Mood said, from cards to care packages, which he said he dug into like “a little kid” at Christmas. Mail was wonderful, whether from a girlfriend or a stranger. Mood’s parents were part of the motorcade, delighted to have their son home. Charles Mood Sr. had been worried about soldiers’ safety on this deployment, with U.S. troops now leaving Afghanistan. Mood himself said it was a touchy subject. l
See OCEAN VIEW page 18
Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant
Southern Delaware School of the Arts invited the public to sketch with John Donato, a professional artist who will lead a school-wide art project. The Moving Pastels Project lets people create their own colorful self-portraits as a fish, paired with a character trait that best describes them. Afterward, the pictures and photos will be strung together into a video for the school. Here, Donato helps students Kaleah and Malina Braun with their blending technique at the Dec. 10 Community Night. See more photos on page 32.
Cole, Arlett bid farewell to county council By Maria Counts Staff Reporter Tuesday, Dec. 11, was the last day on the dais for Sussex County Councilmen George Cole and Rob Arlett. Cole, a Sussex County native elected to the council in 1986, is its longest-serving member in the modern era. His family has a history of serving the people of Sussex County, as his father, Charlie Cole, was elected to serve on the council in 1974. His mother, Kitty, was appointed to the council in 1985, upon Charlie Cole’s passing. While Cole said he flirted with the idea of not running for council for a few
election cycles, he made the decision to end his reign and not run in the 2018 election. “As Bob Hope used to say, ‘Thanks for the memories!’” said Cole on his final day serving on council. Rob Arlett, who was born in Rhode Island but grew up in California, moved to Delaware in 2005. He was elected to represent District 5 in 2014. He chose to not run for re-election this year, and instead sought the office of U.S. senator. While the Republican received 37.81 percent of votes, he was beat in that race by incumbent U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, a Democrat. “Being an elected official is just not
that easy,” said Arlett. “You have to make good, quality decisions, and sometimes you think you do, and sometimes maybe you think you don’t. … This council — there’s only five. There’s only five individuals that vote on the future of this county. It’s a pretty hefty responsibility.” Arlett thanked God and his wife, and noted that holding office was not one of his life goals. “It has truly been an honor to work with the council,” he added. “It’s great that we can all respect one another. I think more bodies of government in this state and in this nation should heed what
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Art
Miracle
Grapplers take
SDSA community
Georgetown
See COUNTY COUNCIL page 3
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert
The crowd enjoys Christmas carols and the tree-lighting event during Bethany Beach’s Holiday Happenings event, part of the Weekend Wonderland in Bethany event, in collaboration with the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce.
Santa Claus is coming to town — via the Millville Volunteer Fire Company — in the remaining weeks before Christmas. Aboard Millville fire apparatus, the Jolly Old Elf will be riding through about 60 developments, according to fire company President Gregory Hocker. Details were finalized earlier this week for Santa’s appearances throughout the area through Dec. 22. The fire company will be utilizing two fire trucks on Wednesday, Dec. 8, and Wednesday, Dec. 15, and one each
“I am looking forward to seeing all the good girls and boys during my visit,” Santa said in a statement released by the fire company earlier this week. Hocker said he has spent quite a bit of time fine-tuning the routes, including driving them himself to note any potential issues and to get an idea how long each route will take. “There are a lot of pieces to the puzzle” that have to come together for Santa’s ride-alongs to be successful, Hocker said. The fire company asked that residents of each community help them to get the word out about Santa’s visits, and that they post on the fire company
Lifestyle
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Fun
Indians aiming for state title
Area honors local veterans
Baseball opens up season with a win
Art show winners to be honored
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NOVEMBER 11, 2022
By Susan Canfora Staff Reporter Although results remained unofficial Wednesday morning, no surprises were expected, and indications were that all incumbents will remain in office in the races for Sussex County Council seats representing Districts 4 and 5, state representative for District 41 and Sussex County sheriff. State Rep. Rich Collins, a Republican who represents District 41, easily defeated non-partisan contender Joseph DiPasquale, getting 6,629 votes, or 86 percent, to DiPasquale’s 1,068 votes. Sussex County Sheriff Robert Lee, also a Republican, will receive a third four-year term, soundly winning over James Brittingham. Lee received 61,644 votes, or 82 percent, to Brittingham’s 12,884 votes. Sussex County Councilman Doug Hudson, representing District 4, and Councilman John Rieley, representing District 5, both won a second four-year term. Republican Hudson defeated newcomer Democrat Nathan Mitchell, with 64 percent of the vote. Hudson received 15,189 and Mitchell garnered 8,668 votes. Republican Rieley received 10,629 votes, for 63 percent, and contender Billy Edwards, a Democrat, got 37 percent or 6,124 votes. Hudson, reached early Wednesday, said he was proud he and Mitchell “ran a very clean race.” “I don’t have anything bad to say about him at all. I appreciate the votes and the support, that people trust me to serve the county,” Hudson added. A retired Delaware State Police trooper, Hudson said he will continue to focus on public safety and affordable
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Volume 19, Issue 45
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MARCH 24, 2023
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Santa’s on his way to local neighborhoods By Kerin Magill Staff Reporter
Sports
Incumbents carry the day in local elections
Volume 18, Issue 50
Sunset over Holiday Happenings
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on the lookout. Also, Hocker suggested checking the Millville Volunteer Fire Company Facebook page or the fire company website, at www.millville84.com, for any updates or changes to schedules on a given night. The Coastal Point will also post any updates on its Facebook page as we receive them. Here are the routes for each night of Santa’s visits:
Dec. 8 – Santa Route No. 1 • Murray’s Haven — Grant’s Avenue to Waterside Circle to Indian Hill Lane, back to Grant’s Avenue. • Woodland Park — Holly Lane to Assaw man A enue to Maple
Volume 20, Issue 12
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CIB to release ‘State of the Delaware Inland Bays’ By Mike Smith Staff Reporter
Honoring those who served
Center for the Inland Bays Executive Director Christophe Tulou, U.S. Sen. Tom Carper and EPA Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz will provide a big reveal for the State of the Delaware
Inland Bays on Monday, March 27, at a planned breakfast event in Dewey Beach. The report is issued every five years, and there are expected to be some wins and some losses shown in the report for the health of the three bays, along with scientific takeaways. The inland bays generate $4.5 billion
Millsboro officer suspended after suspected exposure
in regional economic activity, including housing and tourism, so they are considered a jewel of Sussex County. In addition, the CIB provides educational support in the community through the James Farm Preserve and other training programs. The Delaware Inland Bays — in-
cluding Indian River Bay, Rehoboth Bay and Little Assawoman Bay — are known for recreational boating, fishing, kayaking, and being home to families who live on its shorelines. The bays are also considered a critical habitat for diSee REPORT page 4
Starry Night
Off icer on paid leave for suspected evidence tampering with fentanyl By Susan Canfora Staff Reporter A Millsboro Police Department officer was suspended and on paid administrative leave this week after being discovered, unresponsive, in a marked police vehicle on the morning of Feb. 19, according to Police Chief Brian Calloway. The officer, whose name was not released, was on duty at the time. An investigation is being conducted into suspected tampering of a controlled substance from evidence, according Calloway. The officer was discovered in the patrol car around 11:20 a.m. and taken to a nearby medical facility for possible exposure to fentanyl, according to the news release. According to Calloway, the officer is assigned as an evidence custodian for the police department. During a prelimCoastal Point • Butch Comegys
See SUSPENSION page 5
The final night of winter, March 19, saw a sky loaded with stars above the Indian River Inlet bridge.
Selbyville police officer assaulted in parking lot By Susan Canfora
MARCH 31, 2023
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
a Selbyville police officer was assaulted
Volume 20, Issue 13
told the Coastal Point that Anselmo
“The officer was sitting in his car, in
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Ground to be broken on Millsboro bypass By Susan Canfora Staff Reporter Gov. John Carney will be in Millsboro Friday morning, March 31, for the groundbreaking of the long-awaited, two-lane North Millsboro Bypass, scheduled to be open to traffic by Memorial Day 2025. Groundbreaking for the $139 million project, designed to improve safety and reduce congestion through town,
State EV mandate draws strong protest in Millsboro
will be at 11 a.m. in the field across from 28090 Fox Run Road in Millsboro. Joining Carney will be Secretary of Transportation Nicole Majeski. The bypass, which includes an interconnector road between Routes 113 and 24, north of Millsboro, will begin at Route 113 and extend east, bridging over Fox Run Road, the Norfolk Southern Railroad, the Millsboro Pond and Gravel Hill Road. The new road will
connect to Route 24 west of Mountaire Farms. There will be one artery for traffic traveling in each direction on the 2.8mile bypass and a 45-mph speed limit. Known as a cloverleaf, the overpass will have two loops, one in the northeast quadrant and one in southwest quadrant. It is being built to accommodate traffic for the next 20 to 30 years, according to officials. Biking and walking paths will extend
the entire length of the bypass, separated from the roadway by grass buffers. Mark Whiteside, project engineer and manager for the Delaware Department of Transportation Project Development South, said the bypass will feature ramps and four bridges engineers promise will be aesthetically pleasing, rising over the Norfolk Southern Railroad, Millsboro Pond, Gravel See BYPASS page 2
Not a bad start to the day
By Mike Smith Staff Reporter Gov. John Carney on Thursday, March 3, announced that Delaware will join 13 other states in adopting California’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) regulations, providing drivers looking to purchase an electric vehicle with more choices at Delaware dealerships.The new ZEV state ruling calls for production and delivery of 35 percent of all vehicle stock to come from EV or other zero-emission vehicles.The state mandate is to make 100 percent of new vehicle sales electric by 2035. The new so-called “EV Electric Car Mandate” drew strong visceral response from almost 400 people who attended a rally at the Indian River Senior Center in Millsboro on Tuesday this week, sponsored by the Delaware and Sussex County Republican Party. See MANDATE page 3
Coastal Point • Marian Dowling
Well, good morning to you!
CIB State of the Bays Report offers mixed grades By Kerin Magill Staff Reporter Delaware’s Inland Bays’ latest report card gives a mixed review of the health of the bays and their tributaries. At the release of the 2021 State of the Bays Report, representatives of the
Delaware Center for the Inland Bays presented a story that included some victories and some areas that need work. Speakers at the press event, held at the Hyatt Place hotel in Dewey Beach on Monday, March 27, included the Center’s new director, Christophe Toulou, EPA Region 3 Administrator
Adam Ortiz, report author Marianne Walch, and, by phone, U.S. Sen. Tom Carper. Perhaps most concerning is the report’s assessment of the current state of water quality in the bays — it remains a “D,” which is unchanged since the last report State of the Bays report in 2016.
“If I brought a D home on a report card when I was a kid, I’d have a hard time sitting down for a while after that,” Carper said. “Clearly we’ve not done enough” to ensure the health of the area’s waterSee REPORT page 4