Bethany Beach

Workers from Delmarva Salvage Company and Tow Boat U.S. removed the damaged research liftboat Russell W. Peterson from the shore at Bethany Beach just after dawn on Friday, May 16, clearing the way for temporary repair and long-term restoration of the town's reconstructed beach, and allieviating any lingering concerns about environmental impacts of the storm-ravaged ship's presence on the coast.

Friday, July 4, will find Bethany Beach residents and visitors very excited about this big day in the small town. The town’s population of 2,600 full-time residents explodes to more than 30,000 each Fourth of July as they celebrate the nation’s independence.

The Coast Guard rescued two people by helicopter Monday, May 12, when the research boat they were on broke apart and took on water about 14 miles off the coast of Rehoboth Beach, Del. One crewman was pronounced dead Monday after reaching the hospital, reportedly having been trapped under debris below-deck as the ship listed to one side.

Life began to return to normal in coastal Delaware on Wednesday, as flood waters from this week’s late-season nor’easter finally began to recede and damage assessment turned into recovery. The sounds of chain saws, pumps and rakes were common throughout the area mid-week, as property owners sought to clean up what Mother Nature had flooded, shredded and broken Monday into Tuesday morning.

The papers are signed, and the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company is one step closer to providing even more safety throughout the community. Last Thursday, officials from the “Big Four” — Bethany Beach, South Bethany, Fenwick Island and the Sea Colony Recreation Association — met with committee members for the BBVFC ambulance service project, to formally establish their support and encouragement of bringing ambulance service to the Bethany Beach company.

Things are moving along for the Connor family’s new retail building on Garfield Parkway, with Rita’s Water Ice nearly ready to open its doors to a summer crowd of cool dessert seekers. That means the business needs a sign to advertise its new location, and that need meant a meeting for the Bethany Beach Commercial Architecture Design Review Committee (DRC) on Friday, May 9.

The Coast Guard rescued two people by helicopter Monday when the research boat they were on broke apart and took on water about 14 miles off the coast of Rehoboth Beach, Del. One crewman was pronounced dead Monday after reaching the hospital. The abandoned vessel later beached itself on the shore in Bethany Beach, off Parkwood Street.

Photos from the May 12-13 storm are shown in slideshow format below, with newer photos toward the end. All photos are copyright © Coastal Point, LLC, and may not be used without express permission of the Coastal Point.

The Delaware State Police and Department of Transportation reopened Route 1 between Dewey Beach and Fred Hudson Road/Road 360 north of Bethany Beach and the Indian River Inlet Bridge late Tuesday afternoon, following a detailed inspection of the inlet and surrounding roadways. Remaining closed Tuesday, due to high water, were: Fred Hudson Road in the area of Route 1 and Old Mill Road in Millville, as well as several other roads in the Lewes, Slaughter Beach and Oak Orchard areas.

ResortQuest Delaware has announced its acquisition of Seacoast Realty, making it the state’s largest beach real estate brokerage. The two companies have had a substantial impact in the area’s real estate market in the past, stretching from North Bethany to Fenwick Island, and westward, and now, into Ocean City, Md.

Deserie Lawrence hit the ground running, starting her new job as sales, marketing and events manager at the Bethany Fenwick Chamber of Commerce just the week before the annual Ocean to Bay Bike Tour.

For more than a decade and a half, Jonathan Spivak brought exceptional American cuisine to Bethany Beach with his standout restaurant, Sedona. Now, he’s passing the award-winning eatery off to his long-time general manager, Marian Parrott. And, as Sedona’s seasonal reopening quickly approaches, Parrott is putting the finishing touches on its new face, to make the dining experience truly unique, while still capturing the essence it has established years ago.

This year’s Spring Fishing Tournament is set Saturday, May 10, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it will be hosted for the first time by Old Inlet Bait and Tackle.

For decades, Kathy Lawson Dryden’s family has owned the Shore Foods grocery store and neighboring bakery in downtown Bethany Beach.

At first glance, the house at 116 First Street in Bethany Beach might look like any other construction project in the beach town. Where once there was an outdated beach cottage, now sits a newly constructed, modern house in its place.

The fourth- and fifth-graders of Lord Baltimore were treated to a special presentation on April 17, of “Tar Wars” a nationwide program that started in Colorado, designed to educate America’s youth about the dangers of smoking.

“By the people, for the people” is the mentality adopted by the homeowners of the Salt Pond community, just outside of Bethany Beach. And early this year, the land, the homes and the golf course became just that. The Salt Pond Homeowners Association (HOA) became one of the few communities in the area to come into ownership of its golf course. And this spring, they plan on telling everyone.

Bethany Beach became the final of the so-called “Big Four” communities this week to sign on to a memorandum of understanding with the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company (BBVFC) for the provision of ambulance service through 2019.

The Bethany Beach Town Council voted 6-1 on Friday, April 18, to adopt the smoking ban the town has spent the last seven months debating and turning into legislation. With the vote, the town became the first in the state of Delaware to ban smoking on a public beach.

Bethany Beach Town Council members at their marathon April 21 workshop focused on long-lingering issues such as bicycle and pedestrian safety and the town’s Streetscape project, coming to at least tentative plans on one of the two counts.

The South Coastal Library celebrated its expansion with a ground-breaking ceremony on Friday, April 11.

The new Bethany Beach town Web site was the main topic of discussion for the town’s Communications Committee at its meeting on Friday, April 18.

Bethany Beach planning commissioners this week completed a review of Chapter 245 of the town’s zoning code, readying updated code for future adoption by the town and making recommendations for major changes therein. At the top of their list, new potential new requirements to obtain a certificate of occupancy (CO), which could be needed every time a residential property is resold.

The Bethany Beach Town Council voted 6-1 on Friday, April 18, to adopt the smoking ban the town has spent the last seven months debating and turning into legislation. With the vote, the town became the first in the state of Delaware to ban smoking on a public beach. Such bans already exist in many California beach towns, as well as on the Great Lakes and in New England.

The Starland Vocal Band produced a sensation with their 1976 hit “Afternoon Delight” and, this week, a group of local women hope to break ground in their own way.

With half of April already gone, many of the area’s restaurants are opening up again and looking forward to the 2008 summer season.

May 1 is the last day for artists to apply for a position in the 30th Annual Bethany Beach Boardwalk Arts Festival. And those who apply for the coveted spots on the town’s boardwalk come time for the art festival, and for the judges who pick from among them, life just got a little simpler and a lot more high-tech.

As the eliminations continue prime time on Fox, “American Idol” fans are tuning in and casting their votes. Each week, viewers listen attentively, eyes and ears glued to their televisions in what has been dubbed one of the largest reality TV obsessions in decades, and it would appear that the frenzy has caught on in Sussex County, too.

There’s a growing awareness throughout the food market today, and it’s quickly making its way into restaurants, as well. Restaurant owners, patrons and farmers alike are all learning and sharing the benefits of organic products in our diets.

Bethany Beach firefighters and those from numerous other nearby volunteer agencies from Millville and Selbyville to Rehoboth and Ocean City, Md., responded on Friday night, March 21, to a house fire at 17 Heather Lane in North Bethany.