Coastal Point • JOHN DENNY Brock Wingate kicks back with a cool one during Lower Sussex Little League action on Monday, May 16.

County denies bridge over wetlands
The County Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission unanimously recommended denial of the Riverview application — a 1,400-foot wooden bridge to a proposed 72-unit residential planned community (RPC) — at the May 12 P&Z meeting.

Millville ER opens for the summer
The Millville Emergency Center, a Beebe emergency department satellite, will open for 24-hour-a-day service on Saturday, May 28. Beebe’s Sharon Harmon said they’d extended their season a bit last year, but found the move unsustainable and would close on Labor Day (Sept. 5) this year.

County council unveils 2006 budget
County Administrator Bob Stickels gave the public a first look as he introduced the proposed fiscal 2006 budget, and sewer fees, at the May 17 county council meeting. This year’s theme was “Growth Continues,” although the general fund spending actually grew at a modest rate of 2.83 percent — to $53.3 million (combined county, state and federal monies).

DNREC revises pollution regulations
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) personnel hosted another public workshop in Dewey Beach on May 17, once again explaining pending pollution control regulations, and recent revisions thereto.

DNREC sets workshop on revised strategy
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) opted to hold three additional public workshops this month on revisions to the proposed pollution control strategy (PCS) for the Inland Bays. The department is encouraging public attendance and participation at the workshops.

South Bethany residents hear from candidates at meeting
With the final weeks leading up to South Bethany’s council election ticking down, candidates for the three open seats were given the opportunity to make their cases to citizens present at the May 13 council meeting. Those potential voters were also given the opportunity to question the candidates in a limited manner.

The Agenda
What's happening in the community.

UD studies debates over windmills
Wind farms are nothing new to some parts of the United States, where tall, white wind turbines with their giant propellers tower over the landscape, generating electricity with every sweep of the blades.

The Daytripper
This time, we are going to take a boat trip! But, we are already at the seashore? Huh? Well, this is a great way to see the ocean (a little of it, at least), catch up on your shopping and sight seeing and have a wonderful day.

GOP women ask for action
At a meeting of the DelMarVa Republican Women, held at the Carousel Hotel in Ocean City, Md. on April 26, Delaware National Republican Committee Member Priscilla Rakestraw said that women can make a big difference in the 2006 elections.

Celebrate Armed Forces Day at Northside Park
The Love of America Committee will host a commemoration and dedication ceremony at Northside Park, Ocean City, Md. (127th Street and the bay) on Armed Forces Day — Saturday May 21.

South Coastal Library receives grant
The South Coastal Library is one of 500 libraries selected nationally to receive the We the People “Freedom” Bookshelf. This grant program presented by American Library Association in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities is to encourage young people to read and understand great literature while exploring themes in American history. A set of fifteen classic books on the theme of freedom for young readers in grades K through 12 will be available in the children’s and young adult’s sections of the library. Four of the titles will also be available in Spanish.

Volunteers needed to monitor water quality
The University of Delaware Sea Grant Program is initiating a new program to monitor the water quality in Delaware’s Broadkill River watershed, which includes the town of Milton and parts of Lewes, Georgetown and Ellendale, as well as Prime Hook Wildlife Refuge. Modeled after the Inland Bays Citizens Monitoring Program, the program will recruit citizen volunteers to collect and analyze water samples at various sites on the Broadkill River and its tributaries. The entire sampling process takes about 30 minutes at each site. (The Inland Bays Citizens Monitoring Program is still seeking volunteers for the Vines Creek, Pepper Creek and Indian River Bay areas.)

Bethany seks input
Bethany Beach officials are considering potential future uses for the town’s newly acquired properties on the northwest corner of the Route 1/Route 26 intersection, and ideas from citizens are actively being sought.

IRHS students compete
Eight Indian River High School students competed in the Business Professionals of America 2004-2005 National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, Calif. on April 22-25. Each student earned an invitation to Anaheim by placing in the top three or five of events at the BPA State Conference in Dover on March 3-4.

Tropical hardwood lands in Millville
Certified environmentally conscious, and then shipped straight from the rainforest, Brazilian Ipe (EE-pay) and Jatoba (jah-TOW-bah) are now available for area porches and decks.

Audit proceeding in Bethany Beach
Bethany Beach’s annual audit process is getting a major overhaul this year, with both a new auditing firm and a new set of standards to which the town’s books — and those of many other towns — will be held.

Peninsula opens Model Home Village
The Peninsula On The Indian River Bay recently announced the grand opening of the Model Home Village at Delaware’s first private, luxury residential golf resort this Memorial Day weekend. The Model Home Village will showcase 11 “Super Model” homes throughout the summer, commemorating the official grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony by Larry Goldstein, developer, and Melissa Firetti, vice president of sales and marketing of The Peninsula, at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 27.

Sometimes you can buy good taste
Tickets are now on sale for the 6th Annual Taste of Coastal Delaware. The event is scheduled for Sunday, June 5 from 1 to 4 p.m. Taste of Coastal Delaware will be in a festive, tented area at the Marketplace at Sea Colony, Route 1, and Bethany Beach. Guests can sample food from the area’s best chefs and restaurants; taste a variety of wines, beers and other beverages, and bop to live jazz with The Pam Miller Group.

Bethany Beach selling t-shirts for July 4
Philip C. Rossi, chairman of the Bethany Beach 4th of July Parade Committee, announced that the official Town of Bethany Beach 4th of July t-shirts are available at the Bethany Trading Co. and Kites, Tails and Toys.

Contractors rally for cancer with project
Families dealing with the trauma of a loved one’s struggle against cancer, more than anyone else, need a place to find some peace and solitude. They may soon have an opportunity to escape to the beach for a respite.

Jordan's honors Elvis and his automobiles
“If there was ever one entertainer who really loved his automobiles, it was Elvis Presley,” said restaurateur Al Jordan of Jordan’s Rooftop Restaurant at 138th St. and Coastal Highway, in Ocean City, Md., who will be hosting two Elvis concerts on Friday, May 20 at 7:30 and 9 p.m. during Cruisin’ Weekend. “They say that Elvis was a Cadillac man, but his favorite car was his Continental Mark II.”

Attention Retired Dentists
Volunteer dentists are needed for a non-profit located at The Stockley campus between Millsboro and Georgetown. Sussex Smiles Dental Care, Inc. is a startup, faith-based organization treating low-income Sussex County adults, ages 18 to 64. Many of the patients qualify for Medicaid or SSI disability, but there is no dental coverage past age 20 in Delaware. The group is interested in those who can volunteer five hours or more a month and can be flexible with time off for vacations, etc.

Golf tournament to benefit Wellness Community
The 1st Annual Jake’s Seafood House Golf Tournament will be held on Monday, June 20, at the Marsh Island Golf Club to benefit The Wellness Community-Delaware. Enjoy fabulous prizes, a buffet luncheon and drinks afterward at Jakes’ Seafood House on Route 1, Rehoboth Beach. Golfers may register to play for $60 per person, including green’s fees and cart. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. for registration, with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. There will be guaranteed prizes awarded, as well as auction and raffle items. To contribute, or for further information, please call Kaye or Cindy at (302) 227-1155.

Local police participate in campaign
Continuing through May 31, local police departments — including those in Fenwick Island, Bethany Beach, Ocean View, South Bethany and Selbyville — will join Delaware State Police in participating in the fourth annual Click It or Ticket campaign.

Volunteers being recruited
If you’re curious about blue crabs and live either near the Delaware Bay or Delaware’s Inland Bays, then you may be interested in volunteering to help marine scientists at the University of Delaware’s College of Marine Studies. The scientists are working to understand the population dynamics of the Atlantic blue crab, Callinectes sapidus. All equipment and training will be provided, and a minimum of time is required.

Fenwick officials discuss renovations
As promised at the April meeting of the Fenwick Island Town Council, Mayor Peter Frederick raised the issue of renovations to the town hall at a May 14 “workshop-without-agenda” (WWA).

Public asked to report sick or dead birds
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s (DNREC’s) Mosquito Control Section is again asking the public to help in the state’s surveillance and monitoring efforts for West Nile virus by reporting sick or dead wild birds that may have been stricken or killed by West Nile virus — a mosquito-borne disease of considerable concern to human health and unvaccinated horses.

Lawmakers mull voting
State legislators are tossing around a few options for increased representation on Sussex County Council these days, although it remains to be seen which version will find its way through both houses of the Delaware General Assembly.

Bits and Pieces
The Bethany Beach Cultural and Historical Affairs Committee (CHAC) is preparing for the re-opening of the town museum in its new quarters in the town hall, and members are seeking artifacts pertinent to the history of Bethany Beach for addition to the town’s collection.

Welcome to the Den
There wasn’t much happening around the Den at Bear Trap Dunes when Executive Chef Bob Webster came on board four years ago.

Back in the running
Ted Marcucilli is a man with a management plan for South Bethany. The former town council member and mayor has thrown his hat in the ring once again for this year’s best three out of four town council election.

Lady Indians drop first game
This week hasn’t been too kind to Indian River’s varsity girl’s soccer team. They dropped from the state rankings and lost their first game of the season to Delmar (9-5) in 2-1 overtime on May 17.

Powers shows her stuff in tournament
First-ranked singles is the toughest competition in tennis and Indian River senior Jackie Powers laid her stamp on a couple at the Henlopen Conference Championship held at the Sea Colony Resort in Bethany on May 13 and 14.

Baseball team crushes Central
The best chance any team has to win a game is in playing hard, maintaining their concentration and never, ever quitting. Indian River did just that as they beat their chief rival, Sussex Central, 12-6 on May 16.

Junior varsity drops finale
The Indian River junior varsity baseball team ended a great season on a sour note, falling to Caesar Rodney 4-1 on May 12.

Softball team reclaim winning ways
The No. 6 Indian River varsity softball team jumped back on the right track — winning games against Caesar Rodney and Laurel this week after losing two straight to Sussex Tech and Smyrna in the previous week.

IR takes golf title
The Indian River varsity golf team floated past Smyrna and Seaford early this week, winning the Southern Henlopen Conference and earning a place in the Founders Cup against No. 3 Sussex Tech on May 18.

Local fishing scene heating up
If you don’t have your fishing gear ready yet, get it ready, because the action is heating up.

From emeralds to grapes
Slainte! This is the term used in Dublin as you raise a pint to the lads. In this case, the lads were my brother Christian and best friend Thomas as we explored Ireland for family, tradition, and libation. As was no surprise, the only grapes we could find were not the full and bold grapes of a fine Cabernet or the light and spicy grapes of chardonnay, they were the rebellious grapes of black and tan used to brew Guinness. That’s right my fellow tasters, yours truly was forced to imbibe in the local traditions of Irish stout.