Millville News

Each and every day, members of local law enforcement agencies, fire departments and EMS services put their own lives on the line to ensure welfare of members of the community. Oftentimes their deeds go unnoticed except by those who experience their courageous and selfless acts firsthand. But once a year, the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce takes time to recognize the outstanding individuals from local departments and companies who make local residents’ and visitors’ lives safer.

After years of construction, delay and turbulent waters, the Indian River Inlet Bridge opened to traffic last Friday, with Gov. Jack Markell taking the maiden ride across its span.

The Millville Town Council this week “shelved” the idea of having a police study conducted. In March 2011, the council had approved spending $650 for an initial study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), to help determine the town’s need for police coverage. At their January town council meeting they decided they would have Town Manager Debbie Botchie get a little more information.

Millville Town Council members continued to discuss farmers’ markets at a workshop this week. David Smith of the Department of Agriculture came to talk to council members and answer questions they had about the proposed market at town hall.

The Millville Town Council this week returned to discussion of a town police study. In March 2011, the town council had approved spending $650 for an initial study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), to help determine the town’s need for police coverage. This week, they decided they would have Town Manager Debbie Botchie get a little more information.

In an effort to move the Route 54 Improvement Project toward completion, the Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announced Thursday, Jan. 5, that contractor Mumford & Miller, will be doing paving operations this weekend.  Unseasonably warm weather will allow a portion of the project to be paved now instead of in the spring, officials said. 
 

Delaware State Police and officers from the Ocean View Police Department this week arrested two Ocean View-area residents in connection with a string of armed robberies at businesses throughout the area.

An isolated robbery at Fox’s Pizza Den in Millville has snowballed into a string of robberies as Holt’s Liquors and Pomeroy’s, Inc., were hit within the last week.

Delaware State Police troopers are investigating the armed robbery of Holts Liquors located on Route 26 on Friday evening.
 

Last week, the Town of Millville filed a “Complaint of Declaratory Judgment” against the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), regarding an agreement for the Town to donate Town-owned right-of-way interests necessary to the Route 26 improvements project.

Delaware State Police troopers this week were investigating a robbery that occurred at Fox’s Pizza Den that on Monday night, Dec. 19.

The Ocean View Board of Adjustment voted unanimously this week to approve a variance request from Mariner’s Bethel United Methodist Church seeking to “replace an existing sign to complement the structure by incorporating a number of permissible signs into a single-sided sign of approximately 70 square feet.”

Wondering what to do with those rechargeable batteries that live inside laptops, cell phones, power tools, cordless phones and more once they outlive their “chargeableness”? There is no need to dump them in the landfill. Simply take them to the local AT&T authorized retailer in the Millville Town Center in Millville.

Selbyville police arrested Jeffrey Paddock, 49, of Ocean View on Wednesday, Nov. 23, for his alleged involvement in a string of local burglaries.

Millville Town Manager Debbie Botchie on Nov. 22 presented more information regarding starting a farmers’ market based at the town hall during the spring and summer months.

No decision has been made about a proposed organic/yard waste composting facility near Millville. The Sussex County Council deferred action after a Nov. 15 public hearing on a conditional-use application from Jeremy W. Smith of Ocean View. The county’s Planning and Zoning Commission had also deferred action on Oct. 27, at the first public hearing on the application, and deferred action again on Thursday, Nov. 17.

The Millville Board of Adjustments met recently to discuss and vote on variances requested by Millville Town Center Associates LLC at their October meeting, to approve four additional signs and an additional 191.4 square feet for signage for the Giant supermarket. The board had decided to defer their decision until the November meeting to ensure they had adequate time to consider the requests.

Millville’s town council this week discussed the possibility of further researching hosting a farmers’ market at town hall. Councilwoman Joan Bennett reported that she and Town Manager Debbie Botchie had discussed, “conceptually, preliminarily,” what would need to happen for a town to host a market.

Dressed in hardhats, gloves and reflective vests, a group of 20 civilians crossed the new Indian River Inlet Bridge, from end to end, for the first time. They grinned as a DelDOT tour guide led them across the newly completed 10-foot closure pour, which connected the two halves of the new bridge. Motorists had become accustomed to seeing the incomplete north and south sections move closer together until Oct. 18, when the closure pour was completed.

There are new waves being made at Aquacare Physical Therapy. With an extensive, all-inclusive facility, qualified and trained specialists, and an emphasis not only upon rehabilitation and therapy but education, more and more clients are finding ways to better their lives and their well-being.

On Wednesday, Nov. 9, Delaware will join all other states in conducting the first nationwide Emergency Alert System (EAS) test. At 2 p.m., radio, television and cable stations will broadcast the familiar alert warning sound. Following the alert sound, the recorded message on broadcast media will state, “This is a test.” The audio message will be the same for both radio and television.

The Millville Board of Adjustment held a meeting on Oct. 27 to discuss three variance applications filed by Millville Town Center Associates, LLC.

Finances in the Town of Millville are “very impressive,” according to Herb Geary of the TGM Group, certified public accountants. Reporting on an audit report for the prior fiscal year at a town council workshop this week, Geary said he had “nothing but good news to report.” He said it is “nice to see” a town with money in the bank and no debt.

Millville is known for a lot of things. Fried chicken at the fire hall and the Great Pumpkin Festival come to mind. But a hotbed of tropical fruit production? Not so much.

Delaware’s Department of Transportation has announced that beginning this evening, Wednesday, Nov. 2, there will be a shift in traffic patterns on Route 1 just north of the Indian River Inlet Bridge. The shift will be implemented to ensure continued road safety due to dune erosion adjacent to the northbound lanes, they said.