Sports
Merry Christmas
Champion teams enter fundraising mode Page 57
from each and every one of us at the Point
DECEMBER 20, 2024
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
County council rejects U.S. Wind proposal for grid connection site By Mike Smith Staff Reporter U.S. Wind this month had won federal and state approvals for its plan to generate offshore wind power, but it lost a zoning application request at the county level on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Approval of the zoning permit would have allowed the company to bring energy generated by the planned wind farm ashore and to the regional electrical grid at an existing power substation near Dagsboro. The Sussex County Council voted 4:1 on Tuesday to not allow U.S. Wind to convert the substation on part of the grounds that currently house the 50year-old coal-fired NRG Energy plant. The denial of the rezoning action for U.S. Wind offshore wind power cables stimies its plan to bring the power onshore through 3R’s Beach in North Bethany to the new proposed substation location, which would have provided upgrades to the regional power grid.
See COUNTY page 3
AGH, TidalHealth to combine forces Regional hospitals expected to f inalize deal in spring By Susan Canfora Staff Reporter Two regional hospitals that treat lower Sussex County residents are expected to combine organizations, finalizing the agreement in the spring. The presidents of Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, Md., and TidalHealth Peninsula Regional, based in Salisbury, Md., have signed a nonbinding letter of intent for a partnership. See HOSPITALS page 5
Fun SMS band memebers get a show Page 32
Volume 21, Issue 51
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The reason for the season By Susan Canfora Staff Reporter Even a big dog, dressed in a red T-shirt, sat reverently as the ageold story of the birth of Jesus was told during the annual Live Nativity at Mariners Bethel Global Methodist Church the evening of Friday, Dec. 15. “He’s friendly,” his owner whispered as a smiling guest bent to pat him, then turned her attention back to the characters portraying a young, innocent, Mary with Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, a doll portraying baby Jesus, angels, wise men, shepherds carrying little stuffed animal lambs and three wise men. Plastic lambs and a donkey were in the 16-foot-long, 7-foot-deep stable built about 20 years ago by church member Duncan Cornell who, in a previous interview, had told the Coastal Point he fashioned it from donated wood that was dumped at the church. On a chilly, starlit evening, those attending sat on bales of hay as characters acted out three performances, from 6 to 8 p.m., outside the church as a fire warmed those who stood beside it, sipping on warm cider and hot chocolate and tasting freshly baked cookies. There were Christmas songs sung, including “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “The First Noel” and Coastal Point • Susan Canfora “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” and Mariners Bethel Global Methodist Church hosted their annual Live Nativity last weekpassages read from the Bible, inend, a popular local tradition at Christmas. cluding Luke 2:1-5, “And it came to pass in those days, that there everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingCyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, dom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the of hosts will perform this.” city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of As the narrator read the Bible passage about Jesus’ the house and lineage of David, To be taxed with Mary his mother being told about the baby’s impending birth, and espoused wife, being great with child.” that she should not be afraid, the actor playing the angel Also read, from the Old Testament, was Isaiah 9:6-7, gently shook his head and closed his eyes for a moment, in“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The See NATIVITY page 4