Coastal Point • RUSLANA LAMBERT A group of kids seeks shelter from the sun under the boardwalk in Bethany Beach. That, or they’re collecting tolls for those brave enough to cross above them.

Coastal Point viewpoint 2006.06.23

School board to discuss religion policy
The policies regarding prayer at graduations and religion in school that were adopted by the Indian River School Board on Oct. 19, 2004, after they heard complaints from a Jewish family, might be amended next week.

Baker named new county administrator
Sussex County Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve county Finance Director and 28-year county employee Dave Baker as Bob Stickels’ successor as County Administrator.

Concern over Fenwick Island FAR continues
Opposition to proposed floor-area ratio restrictions in Fenwick Island continued to be voiced this month, at the town council’s June 10 workshop-without-agenda.

County approves its 2007 budget plan
About a dozen representatives from local non-profit groups paraded in front of County Council and its crowded chambers on Tuesday to ask for their share of miscellaneous county funds in a nearly three-hour-long 2007-fiscal-year budget hearing. Council unanimously approved the $140 million plan and the accompanying sewage rates but tabled the decision to hand out grants until the General Assembly ends its session on June 30.

Map project may benefit July 4 parade
In a turn that was described as “a perfect fit” by Bethany Beach Town Manager Cliff Graviet and a “win-win” situation by Town Council Member Tony McClenny, members of the town’s Communications Committee voted unanimously at their June 20 meeting to hand over the planned town map project to the Bethany Beach Fourth of July Parade Committee.

DEC sending member-regulation ballots
Anyone who drives on Kent and Sussex County roads has likely seen signs promoting Delaware Electric Cooperative’s (DEC) member-regulation vote. Likewise, anyone listening to local radio has heard DEC officials stressing its importance. The downstate company has been promoting the vote for months. And late this week, they planned to send ballots to their members, asking them to vote to eliminate Public Service Commission (PSC) regulation of the not-for-profit, member-owned electric company.

Wetlands case could impact Bethany Beach
When officials and citizens of Bethany Beach tackled the issue of how to use the land owned by the town at the corner of Routes 1 and 26 at a public hearing in May, part of the equation remained an unknown.

Guest column
I have two reasons to have special feelings for Father’s Day. It happens that I had two fathers — one natural and the other by virtue of my mother marrying him after Ben, her husband of 25 years, suddenly dropped dead of a heart attack. Her second husband, Harry, had lost his wife to cancer just about the time my dad had died. What’s more, my mother and he had been classmates through high school in a small town in Western Pennsylvania.

Fenwick takes a look at tax hike
Fenwick Island officials are considering a 20 percent property tax hike to help bolster the town’s revenue during a period when the failings of non-recurring revenue sources such as real estate transfer taxes are becoming ever clearer and more concerning.

Delmarva Power awaiting slight decrease approval
Fenwick Island does not have a budget shortfall, Town Treasurer Audrey Serio clarified at a June 10 council workshop-without-agenda (WWA).

Bids for Millsboro school $2.4 million over budget
The Indian River School Board accepted the final two bids for the planned Millsboro Middle School renovation Tuesday, approving a project that exceeded most recent budget projections by $2.4 million.

Bethany Beach looks at Sea Villas zoning
A legal opinion from Town Solicitor Terence Jaywork has rendered moot any notion of major changes in the building allowances at Sea Villas.

County to hear permit late-fee ordinance
Sussex County will hold a public hearing at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday to consider an ordinance that would make it more costly for builders to start construction without building permits from the county.

Bonfire, junior lifeguard on tap in Fenwick
The Fenwick Island Beach Committee met Saturday, June 3, at the Town Hall, to discuss upcoming events for the summer season.

Towns boost chamber's co-op efforts
Three local towns are among the 16 members representing 75 accounts in the newly-formed Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce-led electric cooperative, boosting the Chamber’s efforts.

White-shoes test gives passing grade
Local residents and officials, including Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, gathered and waded into the Rehoboth Bay just south of Dewey Beach last weekend to assess local water clarity.

Labor of love
When Alyssa Grace Rayner entered the world 15 weeks early, her parents didn’t know what to think about her chances of survival. She was impossibly tiny — 1 pound, 10 ounces — and first-time parents Jim and Heidi Rayner of Georgetown could only hope and pray she’d have the strength to make it.

Split Image gets plenty of local exposure
The Guide may be one of the Sussex County periodicals to look if you want to find a previously-owned truck (so much nicer than “used”), an antique sofa or the cutest puppy in Delaware.

Dovetailed by design
Summer begins with the Fourth of July for many of us, and it arrives with loads of memories of barbecues, softball games, hot dogs and hot sand at the beach — a great time to gather together and celebrate. However, you don’t have to be celebrating the Fourth with its flags and fireworks to know that home furnishings and accessories look terrific in red, white and blue.

Obituaries

Demmy O. Merritt, 64
Josephat A. ‘Joe’ Dextras, 89
Nicholas G. ‘Nick’ Cotsaris, 76
MaryCollette Smith, 73
Paul R. Prato, 74,
Brenda L. Shockley, 38
Roger Street

Exploring Prime Hook
This time, our trip will take us to the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Milton, just north of the town of Lewes. In 1963, the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge was established under the authority of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act, for use as a sanctuary explicitly for migratory birds.

Gold misses out on chance for cup
Any hopes of Sussex County’s Gold baseball team lugging home Carpenter Cup hardware were dashed in a football-score 27-9 loss to Chester County at University of Pennsylvania’s Meiklejohn Stadium on June 20.

Jensen looks good in return
For nearly a year, Post 28 pitcher Cody Jensen’s arm has been shelved. He didn’t follow up his All-Conference senior season or his team’s state tournament bid to play collegiate baseball but he did pass the time by playing soft-toss softball. So it was a big deal when Jensen took the mound to start the fifth inning with a one-run lead against Fox Post 2 on June 18.

The man behind the mask for legion
Bo Wilkinson has always wanted to be a catcher. Heck, he’s always been a catcher — at least for the last 10 years. But now, as a member of the Post 28 American Legion baseball team, Wilkinson is ready to take his game to another level.