Coastal Point • RUSLANA LAMBERT Ted Hickman of Kutztown, Pa., moderates as Franny (left) and Jordan take some time to get reaquainted at Bethany Beach on April 2. The dalmations are brother and sister, and Hickman rescued both of them.

Coastal Point viewpoint 2006.04.07

County council adopts Cluster Density Trade
At the April 4 council meeting, Sussex County Council voted 4-1 (Council Member George Cole opposed) to approve a bonus-density-for-cash program, which would serve as a funding mechanism for open-space preservation.

Selbyville officials award wastewater contract
At a Monday town council meeting, Selbyville councilmen awarded the contract to upgrade the town’s wastewater facility to Greensburg Environmental Contracting Services Inc., a Pennsylvania-based company licensed in five states.

Ocean View rejects readdressing system
Ocean View town officials were to consider implementing Sussex County’s five-digit 911-friendly house-numbering system at Tuesday’s town council meeting, but Mayor Gary Meredith took to the microphone first and dismissed the idea.

Sussex Dems hold annual dinner
The Delaware Democratic Party in Sussex County held its annual Spring Dinner in Dewey Beach, at the Baycenter, on April 1, giving local politicos a chance to rub elbows with top brass and some of the statewide Democratic candidates for the 2006 midterm elections.

Delmarva Power holds energy expo
On Wednesday, Delmarva Power officials organized an Energy Efficiency Expo at Delaware Technical and Community College’s Georgetown campus, introducing Delaware-licensed energy suppliers to their commercial customers.

Beautification efforts continue in Fenwick
Fenwick Island’s Beautification Committee has been industriously trying to spruce up the coastal town over the last year. They’ve already accomplished much, pushing for the median beautification project that was completed last year, installing vegetative breaks to disguise functional but unattractive areas such as the recycling drop-off area and doing makeovers on the restrooms in town hall.

Millville considers county numbering
In modern-day Millville, development seems to affect everything. One week after Ocean View held a public hearing to consider the adoption of Sussex County’s 911 five-digit house-numbering system, on April 4, Millville officials plan to do the same, at their council meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11.

The Agenda

Finally, he's the bride
Selbyville Wastewater Treatment Facility Manager Jim Burk is familiar with an old cliché. “I’m always the bridesmaid and never the bride,” he said.

Obituaries
Barbara A. Truitt, 70
Carmela Mazzalonga, 89
Derek J. Hone, 62
John H. Byrum, 84
Mildred Wells, 85

Fenwick Island residents split on FAR
Fenwick Island residents appear to be divided on the issue of floor-area ratio (FAR). The proposed control on overall home size has been instituted in other coastal towns, such as neighboring South Bethany and Rehoboth Beach. But it is inevitably controversial, since it could substantially limit property owners’ ability to build homes on the higher end of the size scale.

Signs of design change on Route 26
Signs. Signs. Signs. Ocean View’s Route 26 design committee continues to focus its conversation on signs along the Route 26 corridor. Committee members spent about two hours talking about commercial signs along the main town road with no mention of its proposed tree ordinance at the March 16 meeting at town hall.

DNREC discovers Dagsboro heronry
More than two weeks ago — while standing on her back porch — a Dagsboro resident spotted a group of herons flying over the marshes behind her home. Across from Cripple Creek golf course, the marshland sits adjacent to the land marked for Centex Homes’ Seagrass Plantations — Dagsboro’s newest approved development.

Fenwick dune crossing idea gets go-ahead
Fenwick Island officials have made some headway with their quest for a standard dune crossing at Bayard Street.

This week in Delaware history

List for life
All around us, the season is undeniably changing: terminal buds, blossoms, early morning song birds. And, ready or reluctant, it’s impossible not to get swept up in the transformation.

Jamboree time
Here and there one begins to notice the wispy smoke and sweet smell of barbeque. The daffodils and crocuses are up. The trees are greening. And the songbirds have returned — the human variety, too — they’re busy working out their do-re-mi’s in preparation for this year’s Springtime Jamboree, on Friday, April 7, and Saturday, April 8.

One last look
Bob Volpe isn’t saying area builders, and town and county building inspectors, don’t know their jobs. He’s just saying there’s a lot going on around southeastern Sussex County right now, and sometimes things slip through the cracks.

Warhawks beat Knights, lose playoff bid
Four straight Sussex County Warhawks losses greatly diminished the team’s playoff chances, but with proper execution in their regular-season finale against the New Castle Knights and a little bit of luck, that dream might have become reality.

Lady Indians storm back from slow start
After a rough 1-2 start against state tournament playoff teams, the Indian River Lady Indians varsity soccer team rattled off back-to-back shutout victories over Milford and Sussex Tech to put themselves back in the winners’ column.

Familiar foe ahead
Last season Indian River’s Lady Indians soccer team bested Dover twice in overtime — once in the regular season and then in the first round of the state tournament, under contentious circumstances. As the top seed of last year’s state tournament, Indian River was supposed to host its game against Dover but field conditions dictated otherwise.

Cripple Creek's back nine--Indian River's home away from home
Last week’s 162-174 loss to Henlopen Conference Champions Sussex Tech told Indian River golf’s Head Coach Neal Beahan one thing — his guys play too tight in big matches.

Indian River teams compete on the court
The Indian River boys’ tennis team emerged from a jammed-packed four-match season-opening week and emerged with a 2-2 overall record. They played four matches in seven days but were given a six day reprieve before playing and beating Milford 4-1 on April 4.

Indian River ball team aims for respect
Indian River’s varsity baseball and softball teams are out to make a statement this year and may have done so already, with big wins upstate and within the Henlopen Conference. The baseball team is out to prove that last year wasn’t a fluke — that they have a team worthy of annual state tournament bids. And the (currently 6-0) softball team wants to prove that they belong among the sport’s elite — not just another playoff team but a championship team.