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APRIL 17, 2026
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Gray not running for re-election to 38th District seat By Susan Canfora Staff Reporter State Rep. Ron Gray (R-38th) is not running for an eighth two-year term, but is instead supporting Fenwick Island businesswoman Carlie Carey — former owner of One Coastal restaurant — to succeed him. Carey — a mother of three, who filed on April 10 — “had many questions” when she was asked to run for the seat representing District 38, Gray said. “We talked to some different people, and someone suggested her name. We asked her, and she pretty much said no. And then she thought about it. I really wanted to have someone that had business experience, because a lot of legislators in Dover don’t have any business experience. They are retired police officers or they had insurance jobs. We have had environmental attorneys. “They are all good people,” Gray added, “but having business sense is really important. The government should be run efficiently and as well as you can. See GRAY page A7
Carey to make run for Gray’s seat By Kerin Magill Staff Reporter Four days after filing to run for state representative, Carlie Carey sat in her ceramics studio near Frankford, painting mugs. One of them bears the name of the legislative district she hopes to represent: “38th.” Meanwhile, outside the studio doors, roosters crowed. The heads of the family’s alpacas bobbed in a side window. Last week, as state Rep. Ronald Gray (R-38th) made the surprise announcement that he would not seek re-election this year, Carey was filing to run for the spot he has held for 16 years, with his See CAREY page A6
Volume 23, Issue 16
FREE
Spinning for awareness Millsboro pinwheels whirl for child-abuse awareness By Laura Walter Staff Reporter The local community is not immune from child abuse. “People think that this area may not have that much of a problem,” said Mindy Goss, “and they may not realize that it’s occurring next door to them, maybe.” That’s why Goss and the GFWC Women’s Club of Indian River are catching the public’s attention this week with 100 glossy blue pinwheels placed in Millsboro. They’re raising awareness for Child Abuse Prevention Month. Pinwheels are lighthearted and eye-catching, so organizers hope that walking or driving down Main Street could present adults with a reminder and kids with a learning opportunity. “Hopefully, during that week, people will drive by, take a look at them, maybe read the sign,” said Goss. “We have stories from other clubs, where a child has been in a car with a parent, and [asked,] ‘Why are there pinwheels planted?’ There’s one example where the child [then responded,] ‘Oh, this is for Johnny.’” When children have the language for what abuse is and why it’s wrong, they can better support their peers or protect themselves. “That’s why we’re doing it. It might not be a parent — it might be a child who knows someone is in a bad situation,” said Goss. People can look for blue pinwheels on the Greater Millsboro Chamber of Commerce front lawn all week, leading up to Saturday, April 18, when GFWC volunteers will host an informational booth from noon to 4 p.m. People can drop by to learn more about childabuse preventions, or take information, coloring sheets, stickers and mini-pinwheels home. The Chamber is located at 203 Main Street.
Coastal Point • Laura Walter
This week, Pinwheels for Possibility will catch eyes and raise awareness of child abuse. The GFWC Women’s Club of Indian River led installation of 100 shiny blue pinwheels at the Greater Millsboro Chamber of Commerce as part of the effort.
When something isn’t right “The signs of child abuse and neglect may not always be as obvious as a broken bone or bruise. There are behavioral and physical indicators that can give you clues,” states the Delaware Division of Family Services. Child abuse “means that a person causes or inflicts sexual abuse on a child; or has care, custody or control of a child, and causes or inflicts physical injury through unjustified force, emo-
tional abuse, torture, exploitation or maltreatment/mistreatment,” according to Delaware Code. “I think people tend to think of child abuse as a person physically hurting a child, but there are situations of someone mentally abusing a child … like not giving them rights to do something a child would normally do, or criticizing a child continuously,” Goss said. “There’s so many situations where
See PINWHEELS page A4