South Bethany News

The Town of South Bethany has been very successful implementing its new recycling program, according to Councilman Jay Headman. In September 2007, South Bethany was one of the first towns in Sussex County to adopt a voluntary recycling program with the Delaware Solid Waste Authority (DSWA). Before the program began, only 25 families participated.

The Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce’s (BFACC) 30th annual award-winning Bethany Beach Boardwalk Arts Festival is set for Saturday, Sept. 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival features jewelry, art glass, pottery, sculpture, watercolor and oil painting, basketry, woodworking and much more. And the event is bigger and better than ever this year, according to the Chamber.

The Millville Volunteer Fire Company will be holding a Texas Holdem Poker Tournament on Saturday, Aug. 23, at its firehouse on Route 26. Entry fee is $100, with two $25 re-buys available.

Doors open at 6 p.m.

Dealing begins at 7 p.m. You must be 21 or older to attend. Up to $80,00 in prize money paid out depending on player participation.

With a contract for the design and construction of the new Indian River Inlet Bridge expected to be awarded in July, Skanska USA Civil Southeast Inc. is the apparent winning design-build team for the project, which could start construction in early fall, to carry traffic no later than December 2011.

Diversify. Diversify. Diversify. As any investor will say, that’s the key to success. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket and don’t have just one basket. For Ken Lloyd of Ken Lloyd Builders, his new basket is a crane.

Troopers seek information on suspect

The Delaware State Police mid-week were investigating a robbery that occurred Monday, June 30, about10:15 p.m., after a person imposing as a police officer allegedly stopped a motorist and took their wallet.

With a contract for the design and construction of the new Indian River Inlet Bridge expected to be awarded in July, Skanska USA Civil Southeast Inc. is the apparent winning design-build team for the project, which could start construction in early fall, to carry traffic no later than December 2011.

It had become somewhat doubtful over the past year that Delaware would ever have an offshore wind farm. But, in a compromise reached this week, it appears the wind park could be built about 12 miles off the coast of Rehoboth Beach by 2012.

Late spring and early summer thunderstorms have brought a bevy of rain to the area, causing lawns to explode with growth and grass to grow well higher than a grasshopper’s eye. For some area property owners, that has meant extra time spent mowing their lawns. For others, it has meant letters from town hall, official citations, fines and even expensive mowing fees.

The winds of change may soon be sweeping through Delaware with renewed force.

On Monday, June 23, the powers behind the offshore wind farm - Delmarva Power and Babcock & Brown - announced they had reached an agreement.

At their council meeting on Friday, June 13, the South Bethany Town Council passed a resolution (Resolution 1-08) establishing the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company Ambulance Service fee for South Bethany property owners.

The resolution states that the fee will be assessed on each home, as well as to the owners of vacant lots in the town.

The canals of South Bethany are a far cry from the way they used to be and from the conditions local officials aim for them to be, but thanks to a group of engineers and council members, that’s all about to change.

On Saturday, May 3, the Town of South Bethany celebrated a landmark in its history, with the unveiling and grand opening of the new town hall and police station. South Bethany Mayor Gary Jayne led the ceremony and ribbon-cutting, then welcomed citizens to tour the new structures. Accompanied by Councilmember and former Mayor Marge Gassinger, and Police Chief Joe Deloach, state Sen.

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.

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.

On Saturday, May 10, starting at noon, Made by Hand International Cooperative in South Bethany’s York Beach Mall will be celebrating World Fair Trade Day, along with people in 70 other countries, to highlight the importance and benefits of fair trade.

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.

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.

This summer may prove to be a little less refreshing for some South Bethany beachgoers, and undoubtedly a little dissatisfying for some local businesses. For 14 years, Jeff McMahon has been assisting his father, Melvin, with his summertime business selling flavored snowballs to customers of all ages, perusing the town limits for customers in their white-and-red trucks.

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.

The Town of South Bethany will have a Spring Bulk Trash Pick-Up Day on Saturday, May 10, 2008. Branches and brush should be bundled in four-foot lengths. No chemicals and paints allowed. Freon must be removed from appliances. All items are to be placed roadside. Any questions, call Town Hall at (302)539.3653.
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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.

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.