Sports
Fun
Derickson finds herself in World Series
Fenwick honors past with bonfire
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JUNE 30, 2023
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Fenwick approves budget, comp plan
Volume 20, Issue 26
FREE
Welcome to the States
By Kerin Magill Staff Reporter
By Susan Canfora Staff Reporter
The Fenwick Island Town Council checked two major items off it’s to-do list on Friday, June 23, approving both its budget for the 2024 fiscal year and the revision of its comprehensive plan, which drives many of the decisions the council could make regarding future development and infrastructure. The council, minus outgoing member Paul Breger, whose Fenwick Island property has been sold, approved the $2.4 million budget unanimously. The draft budget showed a projected operating loss of $495,000, which council
As he bit into a fried chicken leg, Halil Kurtbas took a moment to gather his thoughts about being in the United States for the summer, then broke into a wide grin. “The United States is my dream. I love the United States,” he said as he sat at a table with friends from his native Turkey while attending the annual J1-visa student-worker picnic at St. Martha’s Episcopal Church in Bethany Beach this week. “We got our pictures with the police. All the people in the United States are helpful, and it’s very calm here. They enjoy, and they chill out. I’ve been to the beach, and it’s great,” said Kurtbas, who is working as a lifeguard at Sea Colony. Sitting with him at a table on Tuesday, June 27, at the well-attended picnic for international students working in the Bethany Beach area this summer was Ata Canatan, also a lifeguard, who is trying to improve his ability to speak English and who asked Kurtbas to translate as he said it appears everyone in the United States loves the international students. “This is great location for summer,” he said. “We are Islam, so we don’t eat pork. We don’t drink or smoke,” Kurtbas said as a passerby noticed the young men and said they were all handsome. Coastal Point • Susan Canfora “The girls are going to go crazy,” From left, Ocean View Police Officer Brian Caselli, Gorazd Damevski of Macedonia, the passerby said, and another laughed Viktor Stojanovski of Macedonia, Bethany Beach Patrolwoman Molly Ryan and and nodded. Ocean View Police Officer AnnMarie Dalton spend some time together at the recent “I hope so,” Kurtbas said as his picnic for international students at St. Martha’s Episcopal Church. friends laughed. Nearby, 24-year-old Fatima Elarimade two friends. rani of Morocco, who is studying environmental engineer“The people here are very welcoming, very nice to us. ing and, this summer, working at Vacasa at Sea Colony, said This picnic is nice. It’s a good opportunity to meet other J1 she enjoys the mixture of cultures in America and especially students,” said Jane Satanova, 20, of Kazakhstan in Central liked the pizza at the picnic. Asia, who works at Freaky Tiki Teez in Bethany Beach and “Everything is delicious, but this is the best,” she said whose employer provided housing for her — something that about the bountiful buffet of dinner and dessert items, rang- is sometimes difficult for the student-workers to find. ing from cakes and cookies to ice cream and chocolate Laura Hufford, who works locally to help the students syrup. find places to live for the summer, said she has assisted Nearby, Mohammad Jaghoub, a computer engineering about 47 student-workers who got housing in eight homes. major from Jordan who works at Dunkin’, said that if he had the opportunity, he would move to the United States. He started working in the U.S. a week ago and quickly See PICNIC page A4
See FENWICK page A7
Nearly 23 percent of IRSD students seek mental-health services By Mike Smith Staff Reporter More than 2,500 school-aged children in the local school district are regularly seeking out mental-health services and support — of the 11,000 enrolled students — which means nearly 23 percent of children are asking for additional help to face what may be a mounting mental health crisis among American kids. “That is a huge percentage of our kids,” said Dr. Judith Brittingham, director of special services for the Indian River School District, on Monday, June 27. “We need to keep our counselors and keep pace with the new requirements,” now being imposed by Delaware’s state board of education. She explained that the school system will soon need 26 people dedicated to student health services to create proper ratios of counselors for elementary school children in the IRSD. “We have been ahead of the curve,” said Brittingham in discussing new state laws on mental-health facilitation. “We See STUDENTS page A7