South Bethany woman, 102, meets great-great-granddaughter
Vinnette Fowler’s family describes her as a social butterfly. She loves having company, and her South Bethany home has been her family’s go-to destination for decades.
This month, the 102-year-old enjoyed the best type of family visit:...
Thursday, July 19, 2018 - 3:32pm
Carper visits Bethany Beach to see replenishment project
South Bethany next on the list
Bulldozers headed to South Bethany this week, with that town set as the next stop in this summer’s major beach replenishment project.
After several weeks of pumping sand from offshore borrow sites, the Great Lake Dock & Dredge Company...
Monday, July 16, 2018 - 6:33pm
Loggerhead sea turtle makes history with South Bethany nest
Michael Hess was walking along the Fenwick Island beach at James Street on Sunday, July 8, before sunrise, searching for hidden treasure with his metal detector. His normal routine was interrupted by an unusual sight ahead of him.
Upon...
Monday, July 16, 2018 - 6:19pm
South Bethany opens outdoor fitness area
South Bethany visitors can now feel the burn in the shade. Outdoor exercise equipment was recently installed next to South Bethany Town Hall, open for public use.
The adult fitness area includes spots for push-ups, sit-ups, balance beam...
Monday, July 16, 2018 - 2:32pm
Get the picture? South Bethany photography show returns
When she photographs, Kira Kaplinski wants to show people the beauty of coastal Delaware.
“The whole area is inspiration. It’s so beautiful. I just love this town,” said Kaplinski, an IT consultant who bought a South Bethany house about...
Thursday, June 28, 2018 - 2:19pm
Public reminded to stay vigilant on roads after tragedies
On Saturday, May 26, a little after 10 a.m., 76-year-old Alfred Yergey III of Ocean View was riding his bicycle eastbound in the bike lane on Atlantic Avenue (Route 26), approaching Central Avenue in Ocean View.
At the same time, 65-year-...
Friday, June 1, 2018 - 3:31pm
South Bethany voters pick Saxton for mayor
Callaway, Boteler, Schrader win council seats
Although they’re all familiar faces, South Bethany’s town council got a shake-up in the 2018 elections held on Saturday, May 26.
Councilman Tim Saxton defeated incumbent Mayor Patricia “Pat” Voveris, 388-238, to claim the mayor’s seat....
Friday, June 1, 2018 - 3:29pm
S. Bethany candidates address the voters before election
South Bethany voters will get to choose their leadership in the town council and mayoral elections set for Saturday, May 26. Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. as the people choose their mayor and fill three council seats.
All six...
Friday, May 25, 2018 - 3:41pm
South Bethany council to release portions of police policy reports
The South Bethany Town Council addressed two long-standing issues with its police department at its Friday, May 11, meeting.
Following an executive session that lasted more than an hour, the council voted to release the results of two...
Friday, May 18, 2018 - 1:40pm
Parking permit season has officially arrived
Much like Julius Caesar would dread the Ides of March, local drivers start grumbling at the Ides of May.
Parking permits and meter requirements went into effect on May 15 in local beach towns, in a seasonal event that runs until Sept. 15...
Friday, May 18, 2018 - 1:38pm
South Bethany candidates make their cases to voters
Two candidates for mayor and four candidates for three town council seats gave residents at the Friday, May 11, South Bethany Town Council meeting a snapshot of their hopes for the Town during a candidates’ forum.
The mayoral candidates...
Friday, May 18, 2018 - 1:33pm
South Bethany to consider releasing police reports
In 2017, the Town of South Bethany paid thousands of dollars to have its police department and employment policies evaluated. The reports prompted the town council to change policies, police rankings and even the town charter.
Now, in 2018...
Friday, May 4, 2018 - 4:12pm
South Bethany to have election contests for mayor and council
South Bethany’s 2018 election could be a kind of musical chairs, as six candidates have filed for four seats, but everyone running is a familiar face.
Tim Saxton could cut his current town council term in half, having entered the mayoral...
Friday, April 20, 2018 - 3:12pm
South Bethany looks to increase parking fees, reduce free parking
Paid parking can cause consternation for motorists. But for municipalities, it’s a tool to manage crowding and earn some income.
South Bethany still has roads that do not require parking permits in the summer. With Route 1 splitting the...
Thursday, March 22, 2018 - 11:14am
Council considering SBPD issues with budget plans
The South Bethany Police Department is the subject of staffing and building discussions as the town prepares its 2019-fiscal-year budget.
Looking to trim a roughly $2.5 million budget, the town council likely will not fill a vacancy left...
Thursday, March 22, 2018 - 10:22am
Council, mayoral candidates sought in South Bethany for May election
Four town council seats are up for election in South Bethany this year, and candidates may now register to run for the three council seats and the mayor’s seat, which has a separate election in the town. The candidate registration deadline is...
Thursday, March 15, 2018 - 8:50am
Town officials looking at the bright side of summer replenishment
It was good news and bad news for local beach towns last week, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and contractor Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. met with local officials for an update on the planned beach replenishment projects in Bethany...
Thursday, March 8, 2018 - 9:21am
Town of South Bethany, police share paperwork in dispute
After the Town of South Bethany rejected claims from some its police officers of unfair pay and promotion practices, both sides have now released legal paperwork in the matter.
Of the SBPD’s 10 employees, the six fulltime officers sent a...
Friday, September 15, 2017 - 9:34am
Green thumbs give a boost to South Bethany canals
Coastal Point photos • Tyler Valliant: Participants in South Bethany’s Annual Adopt-A-Canal End Contest pose for a photo at one of the canal ends.South Bethany is rewarding green behavior. For seven years now, the Annual Adopt-A-Canal End Contest...
Thursday, August 31, 2017 - 8:23am
South Bethany council rejects police claims
The South Bethany Town Council has found “no merit” to police officers’ claims of improper promotion, pay and benefits.
In a June 30 letter, the town’s six fulltime police officers alleged that they have not been paid or promoted as they...
Thursday, August 17, 2017 - 10:57am
South Bethany police demand proper pay from town
South Bethany’s six fulltime police officers are alleging they have not been paid or promoted as they should be. A June 30 demand letter from the officers centers around promotion issues for some officers and holiday pay for all officers.
...Thursday, July 20, 2017 - 10:35am
AG’s Office scolds South Bethany for FOIA violation in staff firing
In the Town of South Bethany, the town manager oversees staff and day-to-day operations. He or she serves at the pleasure of the town council and can be fired for any reason.
But after former town manager Melvin Cusick’s contract with the...
Thursday, July 20, 2017 - 10:33am
Area police warn people about driveway paving scam
Asphalt is the latest on the list of new scams. Con artists are travelling door-to-door to promise driveway paving services, but they just don’t deliver.
In Selbyville, “Subjects portrayed themselves as contractors for the municipality and...
Thursday, July 20, 2017 - 8:54am
SB police renovation begins with moving furniture, mostly
While the South Bethany Town Council brainstorms a way to pay for a police department expansion, they’ll shuffle some rooms around for the time-being, in an effort to reduce, but not eliminate the SBPD’s liability issues.
They will swap...
Thursday, June 29, 2017 - 12:40pm
South Bethany parade to cruise local waters
To ignite Fourth of July festivities full of fun and community involvement, South Bethany will be holding its fourth annual South Bethany Boat Parade on Sunday, July 2.
Beginning at 5 p.m., the decorated boats are going to sail across the...
Thursday, June 29, 2017 - 11:46am
South Bethany elects familiar faces
On May 27, residents and property owners chose a path forward in the 2017 South Bethany Town Council election, and it’s a path they’ve been on before. They elected former councilman Timothy Saxton and incumbents Frank Weisgerber Jr. and Carol...
Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 10:36am
South Bethany Traffic Committee offers alternatives
The Town’s Traffic Committee is wrapping up its mission to improve safety and speeding in South Bethany’s Cat Hill neighborhood.
More than a year ago, they were instructed to research ideas to address traffic volume, traffic speed and...
Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 10:03am
South Bethany council: Don’t feed stray or feral cats
Most beach towns don’t want anyone to feed the seagulls, since the birds will harass humans for more food. Now, in South Bethany, people may no longer feed stray and feral cats.
Residents originally complained that some properties appeared...
Thursday, June 1, 2017 - 9:04am
S. Bethany candidates have their say before Saturday’s election
It’s time for voters to make their call, as the South Bethany town council election allows them to choose this week from five candidates vying for three seats. Polls will be open Saturday, May 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at town hall.
The...
Thursday, May 25, 2017 - 11:09am
S. Bethany police project gets sky-high bids
Construction costs are already vexing the proposed expansion of the South Bethany Police Department building, and the project has barely been approved.
The Town opened construction bids recently, only to find that the base bids were around...
Thursday, May 25, 2017 - 10:30am
Candidate bows out from South Bethany council race
By Laura Walter
Staff Reporter
As South Bethany’s town council election approaches on May 27, part-time South Bethany resident and current Councilman Wayne Schrader has decided to exit the race.
Schrader is an attorney in...
Friday, May 12, 2017 - 3:16am
Made By Hand to host 15th annual Fair Trade Day
Coastal Point • File Photo: Itzel Aguilar, Edgar Lopez and Chris Clark show off wood-burning art during a past World Fair Trade Day at Made By Hand in South Bethany.South Bethany business Made By Hand will be hosting its 15th annual World Fair...
Thursday, May 11, 2017 - 10:54am
Hike down memory lane: South Bethany opens history trail
South Bethany is mapping a history trail for all to see.Coastal Point • Laura Walter: South Bethany Historical Society President Bob McCarthy displays a historical photo of South bethany at the dedication of the Town’s new Trail of History....
Thursday, April 27, 2017 - 10:11am
SB’s new town manager and clerk announced
South Bethany will welcome two new employees to Town Hall, announcing a new town manager and town clerk.
Town Manager Maureen Hartman will arrive on May 8. She’ll oversee all daily operations and report directly to town council.
She...
Thursday, April 20, 2017 - 12:00pm
South Bethany sees six nominees for three council seats
It’s a race! Six candidates have registered for the town of South Bethany’s municipal election, scheduled for May 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Three challengers and three incumbents are on the slate.
Joseph Mormando, Sharon Polansky...
Thursday, April 20, 2017 - 11:43am
Burbage retires from South Bethany after 33 years
Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: For her years of service, Dee Burbage received tributes from state Rep. Ron Gray, left, and state Sen. Gerald Hocker on behalf of the Delaware State Legislature.Once, a Missouri man walked into South Bethany Town...
Thursday, April 13, 2017 - 10:17am
Approaching common ground with South Bethany’s cats
The draft of South Bethany’s proposed new law on feral cats begins where the complaints began: by prohibiting people from feeding wild mammals, abandoned cats or stray cats. Thus, people may continue feeding their own house pets or wild birds...
Friday, March 31, 2017 - 6:49am
Local drum circle aiming to ‘Raise the Vibration’
A local drumming group is hoping to expand its circle on Sunday, April 2, when Made By Hand International Co-op in South Bethany will host the group, inviting anyone who wants to come and see what drumming circles are all about.
The group...
Friday, March 31, 2017 - 4:36am
South Bethany council begins budget planning for 2018
South Bethany Treasurer Don Boteler on March 10 presented the draft budget for the 2018 fiscal year, which the town council will continue discussing over the next few months, ahead of the start of the new fiscal year on May 1.
In the draft...
Friday, March 17, 2017 - 8:46am
Few slots left for volunteer for beach-grass planting
If you’ve waited till the last minute to register for this year’s beach-grass planting, your options are quickly disappearing.
Jennifer Luoma of DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship said volunteer spots at planting sites at Cape...
Thursday, March 2, 2017 - 9:56am
South Bethany accepting candidates for 2017 council election
Three South Bethany Town Council seats will be up for election in this spring. Candidates may now submit applications to run for the office. The election will be Saturday, May 27. Candidates must register by Wednesday, April 12, at 4:30 p.m. Each...
Thursday, March 2, 2017 - 9:31am
Submissions sought for South Bethany photography show
South Bethany photographers can now submit art for the Town’s “Art in the Hall” exhibit, a coastal-themed show.
The photography show is open to any professional, amateur or “avid weekend” photographer. Entrants should be residents,...
Thursday, March 2, 2017 - 9:14am
SB councilman: Feeding feral cats the focus, not euthanasia
In South Bethany, Bill Murphy was horrified to discover a colony of feral cats had broken into his house in the winter of 2013-2014.
“The house was winterized,” Murphy said at a Feb. 10 council meeting. “When we returned in the spring,...
Thursday, February 23, 2017 - 9:28am
Cusick out, as South Bethany seeks new town manager
The Town of South Bethany is looking for a new leader for Town Hall.
After an executive-session meeting on Jan. 9, the town council voted to terminate the contract of Mel Cusick, ending his tenure with the Town of more than decade. He left...
Thursday, January 12, 2017 - 9:45am
South Bethany looks at police building, streetlights, sea level
Numbers are settling into place as South Bethany plans its police station expansion, which has a tentative price tag of $232,450 (including an $18,000 contingency fund). The money is available, spread over the next two budget cycles, said Mayor...
Thursday, December 29, 2016 - 10:14am
SB police building not keeping up with needs, consultant says
The South Bethany Police Department doesn’t have room to properly do its job. It’s not because the SBPD suddenly grew in staff. (It hasn’t.) In reality, the police department wasn’t built for all of today’s needs.
“It has nothing to do...
Wednesday, November 23, 2016 - 8:16am
S. Bethany talks streetlight requests and new three-way stop
The squeaky wheel gets the grease, and the dark streets get the light.
After the 2015 South Bethany Community Survey revealed that more people want streetlights, the Town Council has begun researching locations.
Canal Drive had the...
Thursday, November 3, 2016 - 11:10am
South Bethany increases house height, allows floating docks
After one year of discussion and research, South Bethany will allow floating boat ramps and docks. They unanimously voted Oct. 14 to amend the Town Code (Chapter 50, Bulkheads) to permit the installation of “Modular Floating Docking Systems,”...
Thursday, November 3, 2016 - 10:36am
It’s about competition: South Bethany increasing police pay
The South Bethany Police Department needs to up its pay scale if it wants to remain competitive with surrounding jurisdictions, said Police Chief Troy Crowson. So the town council approved a $13,031 budget amendment to increase all salaries....
Thursday, September 15, 2016 - 10:12am
Beauty contest: Community decorates South Bethany canals
Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: The top three groups in this year’s contest pose for a photo in front of a South Bethany canal end.Inviting residents to decorate public space has given South Bethany a series of miniature parks. With five miles of...
Friday, August 19, 2016 - 3:41am
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