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FEBRUARY 21, 2025
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Volume 22, Issue 8
FREE
Armory Road project gets shorter timeline By Kerin Magill Staff Reporter Less than a week after announcing a road closure that would impact traffic near Dagsboro and Frankford for up to seven months, through the busy summer season, the Delaware Department of Transportation has amended the timeline for work on a bridge on Armory Road. Notices were posted Feb. 12 that Ar-
mory Road would be closed starting Feb. 24 between Dukes Road and Omar Road, approximately 0.8 miles, during construction to rehabilitate a small bridge. For businesses and residents along the road, the notices were the first time they had heard about the project. Signs near the bridge were put up late last week, advertising the closure of the portion of Armory Road and detours that would be in effect.
Hail Bennett, whose family owns Bennett Orchards on Omar Road, immediately started contacting state officials once he became aware of the planned closure. He posted information about it on his business’ Facebook page, urging residents and business owners to do so as well. “We initially found out about the road closure on Feb. 12, just 12 days before the project is set to begin,” Bennett’s initial social media post said.
“We rely solely on our crop yields during the summer months for income, and closing the road in front of our pick-your-own farm during our entire harvest will financially devastate us,” Bennett said in his post. “But this isn’t just about us — schools won’t have time to adjust bus routes, local businesses will suffer, and the proposed detours are not suitable for See PROJECT page 3
Former BBPD officers Redmon, Cathell plead guilty to pay theft By Susan Canfora Staff Reporter Former Bethany Beach Police Department chief Michael Redmon and former BBPD captain Darin Cathell on Thursday, Feb. 13, pleaded guilty to the theft of tens of thousands of dollars — some of it federal funds — earmarked to pay officers’ overtime. They are scheduled to be sentenced in Wilmington on Tuesday, Aug. 12. Both could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, according to a news release issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Delaware. Their pleas were accepted by Chief U.S. District Judge Colm Connolly during a plea hearing, also in Wilmington, attended by new Bethany Beach Police Chief Patrick Foley, who told the Coastal Point he made the trip “to represent the town we love so much.” Mayor Ron Calef said Town ManSee THEFT page 4
Special to the Coastal Point • Marian Dowling
Absolutely majestic. The eagle, not the tree. Although, it is a fine tree, from what we can tell.
Selbyville voters to decide on two council seats By Susan Canfora Staff Reporter Three candidates, including two incumbents, are running for two seats on the Selbyville Town Council. The election will be held on Saturday, March 1, and the two successful candi-
dates — as well as Mayor Rick Duncan, who is running unopposed for a second two-year term — will be sworn in at the Monday, April 7, town council meeting. The council candidates are incumbent Councilmen Gary Steffen and Chris Snader, and challenger Tim Grote.
Snader — who owns CSCS LLC, a construction business, and Beach Electrical Services — said he wants to continue serving on the council to make improvements, including in the water and wastewater service. “I am also on the Planning & Zoning Commission, and I want to be sure we
are prepared, make sure we have the capacity we need for sewer and wastewater, and make sure we are preparing the Town properly for all development. I’m looking forward to us putting up a new water tower. It will be good for the See ELECTION page 4