Frankford News

Now in their third year, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes through the parish of St. Ann in Bethany Beach will be starting again Sept. 8.

Frankford resident Dawn West-Atkins is always on the run. Whether she’s working one of her two nursing jobs, volunteering at a chicken dinner fundraiser or spending time with her son, she’s a woman who seems to have little spare time. And what spare time she does have goes to good use. So much so, in fact, that she created her own business, In My Spare Time.

Route 113 will get some improvements after all, according to the Delaware Department of Transportation. That announcement came this week, after Sussex County legislators and DelDOT Secretary Shailen Bhatt met recently to discuss future improvements to the U.S. Route 113 corridor.

In 1961, Roald Dahl toyed with our imaginations as he took young readers on a journey alongside James Henry Trotter, a young English boy who goes on an adventure within the confines of an overgrown peach, accompanied by a cast of equally larger-than-life bugs. Sussex County’s own Bennett family may not be quite there, yet, but the fruits that they have become known for statewide are certainly turning some heads.

The Town of Frankford averted disaster last weekend when an underground cable burned and the backup generator at the town’s water plant was affected, as well. Council President Jesse Truitt said that, thanks to Delmarva Power and Tidewater Utilities, they got the system back up and running in time for the week to start.

Demonstrations of suspect apprehension, narcotics scans and article searches carried out by the K-9 Unit of the Sussex Correctional Institute served as both entertainment and education for children attending the Unite Sussex day-camp in Frankford on Monday, Aug. 8.

Although the rain was not coming down quite as hard as it had on July 4, according to Bob Powell of the Millville Volunteer Fire Company, it was still “raining cats and dogs” on Tuesday afternoon, and the thunder and lightning of the sudden storm caused the fire company to shut their engine bays for a time to keep everyone safe.

Emergency officials were preparing mid-week for an anticipated spike in the heat wave that hit the area early this week, with temperatures expected to be at or above 100 degrees Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 21-23. They were urging residents and visitors alike to monitor the weather and take precautions for their health and safety.

Parsons Farms Produce is now offering a fun summertime activity on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. This will be the first year they have had a corn maze and hayride.

Unite Sussex, a non-profit organization formed to help bring aid to the community through volunteerism and collaboration, and headed by the Rev. Kim Tephabock of Dagsboro Church of God, recently created a free youth camp for children in Frankford and the surrounding areas.

The Frankford Town Council adopted the town’s proposed 2011-2012 budget, effective July 1, at a meeting last week. The meeting ended in record time, and there were no public comments, as no residents from the town attended.

The Frankford Town Council this week adopted an ordinance to establish a process for the procurement of material and services for the Town of Frankford. Town Clerk Terry Truitt has said in the past that the ordinance was a “housekeeping” measure that spells out more clearly the town’s policy on the competitive bidding process for town services.

A 79-year-old Frankford woman was killed and a 78-year-old Frankford man seriously injured in a three-vehicle crash on June 18, on Route 17 (Roxana Road), north of Burbage Road.

A bolt of lightning  struck the Frankford United Methodist Church steeple around 9 p.m. on Friday, June 18.
The steeple, which is approximately 70 feet high, sustained some damage in the form of a large crack, from which wood, shingles and nails blew into the road. There appeared to be no  major damage to the bell tower or annex immediately below.

Following just one day of trial, on June 7, former Lewes pediatrician Earl Bradley on Wednesday awaited the ruling of Delaware Superior Judge William Carpenter Jr. on charges of rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation of former patients.

The Frankford Town Council on June 6 approved the use of its park for a summer-long camp sponsored by Unite Sussex, an organization that seeks to “foster a collaboration between all groups, churches and organizations that serve those in need in our communities.”

Summer officially begins in two weeks, but already Sussex County is weathering its second blast of extreme heat this year, as daytime temperatures in the upper 90s – and heat indexes above 100 degrees – are expected to send residents and visitors in search of relief.

The new Indian River Inlet Bridge is on track to open to traffic in December, transportation officials reported this week, with the two sides of the bridge expected to meet sometime in October.

There are no projected water bill or tax increases in the proposed 2011-2012 budget for the Town of Frankford. The town council on May 31 discussed possible cuts to the current budget, to balance it out for the next year, with total revenue and expenditures both at $472,845.

Books can be bought at a dollar-store for as little as what it costs to buy a candy bar. But, for some parents, that extra cash has to stretch into lunch or dinner or rent. As a result, many children simply go without.

The Frankford Public Library will be holding a building-fund kick-off party on Friday, May 20, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Frankford Volunteer Fire Company’s fire hall. Tickets cost $15 per person or $20 per couple, and the evening will include spirited refreshments, hors d’oeuvres, raffles and door prizes.

Curbside recycling is coming to Frankford. A state-wise mandate requires that trash haulers offer curbside recycling to residents before mid-September – and Frankford and its waste hauler, Chesapeake Waste, are getting caught up with a change many area towns have already completed.

Billboards are a common sight for those traveling to and from the Delaware beaches, but they have sometimes caused controversy when it comes to where they should – or should not – go. This week, the Sussex County Board of Adjustments took up one such case, with a request from Christopher C. Brasure to erect a two-tiered billboard in Roxana.

“The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficult situation.”

The third annual Cinco de Mayo Festival will be held on Sunday, May 1, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Frankford Library, at 8 Main Street in Frankford.