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Battle of the bulge a losing a fight
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I’m a changed man.
No, no ... not in terms of spirituality or maturity. There was no grand epiphany that struck me with a burst of knowledge or insight that altered my perceptions on life or existentialism. There was no talking seagull that told me to follow my heart, and no pearl of wisdom appeared to me from the innards of a cookie at a Chinese restaurant. What I mean is, well, I’ve physically changed. Let me go back a little bit and explain.
On most Sundays, I can be found either working on my yard or peeling Dorito crumbs off the front of my shirt while I’m watching the relief pitchers of my beloved Baltimore Orioles get lit up more quickly than Paris Hilton at a keg party. It’s that one day a week when I generally don’t have to wrap my mind around anything at all, except ... no, it’s beautiful. I just don’t think about anything.
It’s my perfect day. Stress, rage, personal hygiene — they all go out the window every Sunday morning.
But last Sunday had a different feel to it from the beginning. For starters, there was no violent hangover threatening to split my head in half, and no trash can on the floor next to my bed. Plus, there was a little bit of giddiness sprouting from my heart that made me want to jump out of the bed and start my day — as opposed to my typical Sunday morning ritual of slowly sliding out from under the covers until gravity compells me to drop a foot on the floor for personal safety issues.
See, for me, it was indeed a grand day. It was Taste of Coastal Delaware Day — the greatest holiday of all, in my humble opinion.
For those of you unfamiliar with the annual event, the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce puts on this lovely affair every year where many of our great local restaurants gather together under a giant tent and prepare some of their finest food for the general public to sample. It’s like an ocean of crab dip, seasoned scallops, fine beef and rich desserts, and I love nothing more than surfing those waves.
Fortunately, for the past few years, the Coastal Point has had the pleasure of being one of the sponsors of this event. We set up a table under the tent, display some of our papers, give away a few goodies and basically chat up anybody that feels like talking about what’s important to them. It’s great exposure for us, a good chance for our reporters to get some interesting leads from the community and it’s just a good feeling to be involved with an event that we really enjoy.
But the food is the star. Believe me.
After the Point’s table was set up, I attacked. Mountains of shrimp and scallops filled my first plate, and they were soon replaced with a few different offerings of crab dip and crab cakes. I scurried to secure some crab soup to complete my cravings for all things crustacean and ambled over to another table to add some red meat to the tank. A select beer here and there, and one or two margaritas from Baja Beach Grill, and I was ready to rip into some more food.
Have you ever seen a hyena tearing into the carcass of some poor animal on the Discovery Channel? Well, put a bald head on the hyena and add a gentle moaning sound to the background, and you can imagine my performance on Sunday. At one point, after I noticed that I had half-digested a plastic fork in my rampage, I had to take a small break and gather myself. But then I saw the table presented by Touch of Italy, and made myself a plate of my favorite local cookies.
Game on.
You would have thought that I’d have been full by then, right? Wrong. I scoff at your assumption. The name is McCann, not McCann’t. I knew there was still work to be done.
I grabbed a few sandwiches from Philly’s Finest, some treats from Warren’s Station and another select beer and made my way back to the table. That’s where the unthinkable happened.
I was full.
Like watching an old Willie Mays fall down in the outfield or hearing your favorite singer miss a key, the Great Stomach had met its match. It was an odd feeling, knowing that there was still so much food out there and just no place to put it. I was out of my element, like that time I tried to join in a sing-along with the Osmond family ...
But I digress.
Consider the gauntlet thrown, Taste of Coastal Delaware. The Great Stomach will be back next year.
Now is the time for voices to be heard
The controversial ordinance proposal before Sussex County Council in recent months over allowing county officials to trade land density for cash is soon coming to a head — and the public will thankfully have their opportunities to voice their personal opinions.
The ordinance, authored and introduced by Councilman Vance Phillips, would permit some townhome and condominium developments to exceed limits outlined in the county’s comprehensive land-use plan in exchange for money. That money, according to Phillips, would allow Sussex County Council to purchase and preserve more open space for future generations of Sussex Countians.
One source of public outcry over the proposed ordinance is that it would allow these “upzonings” to occur in environmentally-sensitive areas. Another source of contention is the spirit of the ordinance in general.
“I don’t want to be blasted for selling all of Sussex County for money,” said Councilman Lynn Rogers, when the ordinance was first introduced. “I don’t want to end up with an ordinance that allows you to buy your way out of the comprehensive plan.”
“We ought to be rezoning property because there’s a need or because it’s compatible, but never for money,” said Councilman George Cole.
However, others favor the ordinance, citing the need to generate revenue for the county with limited transfer taxes coming in recently, and the perceived threat that the state might take some of those revenues from the county’s coffers. They also like the idea of the county participating in more open-space preservation.
So, with Sussex County Council seemingly split on the proposal, two public hearings will soon take place where the general public can state their beliefs. Do you feel like this is a good idea and just the shot in the arm the county needs? Go to the hearing and let them hear that. Feel like it’s generally a bad idea to let people skirt the laws in return for some money? Go tell them that.
This is the ultimate study in democracy. Yes, we choose our elected officials to vote the way we want them to vote. But with a public hearing you can guarantee they will know how you want them to vote, as opposed to the council members assuming they know what the people want.
The first hearing is scheduled for Thursday, June 14, in Sussex County Council chambers at 6 p.m. The second is slated for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 26, at the Sussex County Council meeting.
We must return God to our conversations
Editor:
When I was a young man, the phrase “…For God and Country” was a part of our growing up lessons we learned from school and from our parents. It was the proper way to direct your life and to provide a foundation for it. We didn’t think it was “cool” or “hot,” we just accepted it as natural as the sun rising in the east.
I am glad that it has not died entirely. I see from the news that many of today’s high school and college graduates are entering the military to defend their country against the war forced upon us by terrorists.
It reminded me of my own experience when I volunteered out of my first year of college to enter the Army in World War II, even though my previous matriculation there before Pearl Harbor entitled me to a deferment. It was just the right thing to do, as taught me by my father.
Again, thinking of today, a striking comparison came to mind. Today, those who enlist are secretly despised and ridiculed by some Americans. To them, the dutiful and upright thing to do is to do nothing. The reason why they think this way also struck me: they do not believe in God or country. That is what is behind their ridicule of those who do. Another thought struck me: is that how a loyal and patriotic American is supposed to feel? The answer shocked me. The answer is “No.”
We have drifted so far into liberalism that we are populated by a group we call liberals who really do not believe in God, actively despise and ridicule those who do, and from that position find ways to despise where faith in God leads us to love and defend our country.
In the past, it led us to the world’s highest level of honor and integrity, bravery and honest power. It is from that base position of faith in God that all else came forth, and the whole world admired and respected us, even though they had not rationalized the reason for it. From that base level of thought, all of our good qualities came forth and we had a moral strength that was invincible.
“For God and Country” gave us the moral strength to conquer all, even our own weaknesses. Today, we exploit our weaknesses, our sophisticated evils, and we no longer believe in anything except self-gratification and pleasure. Inch by inch we have crept from disbelief in the Creator to belief in things like global warming, a ridiculous sign of the weak pride that says Man has control over the Universe.
Actually, Man does not. It is merely stupid pride that says Man can change the universe. There is a thing called “natural law” that controls the universe and you can tell the sun to rise in the west a million times and it still won’t do it. It still won’t do it if you get Ted Kennedy and Nancy Pelosi to pass a bill in Congress. Gross liberals make gross sounds, but the universe doesn’t listen to rude and pitiful noises.
And yet, in spite of the loud liberal noises, there is a segment of our population that still holds a straightforward belief in patriotism, in God, and any duty for Country. As long as that part of our population remains loyal to the roots of our establishment as a world-leading republic of the United States of America, we have a good chance to survive as a nation.
It is a sorry commentary that the liberal left seems devoted to its destruction. You don’t bolster a nation’s strength by fighting against its roots. Ours was founded on belief in God, in free speech and freedom of religion, in liberty and in justice — all presently attacked by our corrupted liberal left, and all perverted by such organizations as the ACLU which defends every attack on the true meaning of the Constitution.
I say, “God bless and protect those honest and God-fearing young men who are volunteering out of school to go and defend our nation,” even while our Congress is wasting our time and money debating over when we will cut and run out of there, disgracing the bravery, pride and honor of our military in Iraq who are not complaining about the fight they are waging for us.
It is the weak-kneed politicians who would never volunteer to risk their lives for us who want to tell us how to be good Americans. They advocate killing unborn children that might otherwise add to the patriotic military that defends us. They champion homosexuality and lesbianism that also does not produce children for us, just the empty pleasure that produces nothing. They champion abortion that depleted our generations and then welcomed illegal aliens to fill our depleted population. Why are they so blind?
It is because a segment of our population has betrayed the mantra of “God and Country” that we are in the state of disbelief in national unity and strength. No matter what the disbelievers say, our nation was founded on the concept of God in order to create a unique Country. Disbelief in that is disbelief in America.
It is dawning on us that those who do not believe in God really do not believe in our country. It means that you can believe in something else, like the European Union in which nations have given up their sovereignty. With anti-God secularism they each have given up their identity as a nation.
We have those here who want to do the same thing, placing us into a union without borders with Mexico and Canada. Beware! These are the liberals who do not believe in a wall to protect our borders against illegal entry, yet do all in their power to create a wall between those who believe in God and those who do not — in favor of the unbelievers. We must return to our belief in God and Country to survive.
God bless our young men and women who are out there liberating a terrorized country and at the same time defending us from the same thing while our liberal politicians are chanting their motto, “Cut and Run. Yes, cut and run over there but let us give amnesty to illegal aliens over here.” But where is that kind of thinking coming from? There is a rumor that some politicians have to fail an intelligence test in order to be elected to Congress. Is it true?
If so, no nation can survive with that motto.
Charles N. Valenti
Rehoboth Beach
Dogs must be kept under control
Editor’s note: The following letter is a response to a letter published in the June 1, 2007, issue of the Coastal Point, regarding tethered dogs and dog bites.
Editor:
If a dog is trained, socialized and given attention, the method of containment is not a factor in its behavior.
A 2001 study done at Cornell University comparing tethered dogs to those kept in pens found there was no improvement in behavior in the penned dogs.
The CDC statistics that Ms. Haddock quoted are from a 1994 report, “Which Dogs Bite? A Case Control Study of Risk Factors,” published in “Pediatrics.” The authors of the study, K.A. Gershmen, J.J. Sachs and J.C. Wright, themselves say that statistics can give a false impression.
In this particular study, the researchers did not consider contributing factors, such as length of chain, attention given to the dogs, provocation of the dogs or dangerous owner practices. They did conclude, however, the risk factors are a result of gross human negligence or criminal intent.
To an overwhelming degree, children wandering into a tethered dog’s area and injured or, even more sadly, killed, are unsupervised by any adult. No child, especially a very young child, should ever be left along with any dog. A dog is not human and does not understand like a human, think like a human or react like a human.
A properly confined dog, whether it is by tethering, fencing or penning, is a dog that is not roaming the streets, annoying the neighbors and generally being a nuisance in the community.
Sandra Curcy
Ocean View
Many helped to make Fun Festival fun
Editor:
The members of the Lord Baltimore Elementary Spirit Committee would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all the committee members, volunteers, parents, students and vendors who attended the LB Fun Festival on Saturday, May 19.
We are truly grateful to all who participated and had fun that day. The students and staff of Lord Baltimore Elementary had a wonderful day full of crafts, games and food. We would like to recognize all the businesses that supported us and helped to make the Fun Festival a huge success.
The following businesses contributed to our Fun Festival: Mediacom; Hocker’s & G&E Grocery Stores; 84 Lumber; Grotto’s; Ken’s Bayside; Garth Enterprises Ltd.; Mercantile Peninsula Bank; Branch Construction; Halls Drywall Sanding Inc.; Crisfield Seafood Restaurant; Treasure Island Fashions Inc.; Jefferson, Urian, Doane & Sterner, PA.; Land Design Inc.; C & B Complete Cleaning Service Inc.; Déjà Vu; Bethany Beach Printing; Denise Beam/State Farm Insurance; Acri Construction, LLC; D. Stephen Parsons, PA.; Mary Ann’s Interiors; Integrity Communities; Sport Court of Delaware; Schering-Plough Animal Health Corp.; Delaware Electric Cooperative; Fadden Construction; Mike Gichner Trucking; County Bank; Kiki Designs; Steve Morgan, Anderson Scott Mortgage; DeMarie Real Estate; Coastal Real Estate; McCabe’s Gourmet Market; Southern Delaware Explorer; Sandstone Construction; Roxana Wesleyan Church; Kim DiLorenzo Photography; Darlene Campbell, Home Interiors; Coastal Point newspaper; Layton Associates Real Estate; All Out Sports; Mark West; Master Electrician; Hudson’s General Store; Michael Orhelein Photography; Delaware National Bank; Barnhart Photography; and First Shore Federal Bank.
Once again, many thanks for all of the support that helped make the Fun Festival a success. We appreciate everything.
Sherri Hudson and Tammy Stong
Lord Baltimore Elementary
Spirit Committee
Community came through for program
Editor:
As executive director of InterFaith Mission of Sussex County, I am writing to express our heartfelt gratitude to the community for generously supporting our recent fundraiser at Armand’s Pizza by the Sea. We had a sell-out crowd who came and enjoyed the delicious dinner prepared and served by Ron Drosdzal and his family and staff.
InterFaith Mission is a local non-profit community housing development organization that serves low-income families in need of safe, decent, affordable housing. Since 1990, we have been providing emergency home repairs for Sussex County families, and building affordable housing for families at 50 percent of the area median income or below. Our work would be impossible without the generous support of the local community, through both their contributions and their time and talent.
Our special thanks go to St. Ann’s Catholic Church for so enthusiastically supporting this event, to St. Martha’s Episcopal Church for volunteering in our Emergency Repair Program, and to the Lord Baltimore Lions Club for providing the manpower and know-how to build our handicapped ramps for clients.
Thanks to our board president, Pat Duchesne, for making this event happen, to Ron Drosdzal for his generosity, and to the Bethany, Ocean View, Millville and Clarksville communities for helping us help others. Together, we are “building community through better housing.”
Deborah Wilkins Schiffer,
Executive Director
InterFaith Mission of Sussex County
Craft show a big hit, thanks to many
Editor:
The Bethany Beach Seaside Craft Show Committee extends our many thanks to all the volunteers that contributed to this year’s successful event which was held on Saturday, June 2, 2007.
Since its inception three years ago, this show has almost doubled in size. This year not only featured exceptional crafters, we also had an abundance of sunshine.
The backbone of a successful event of this magnitude is the volunteers.
Maureen Killmer, our volunteer organizer, did a great job with the lineup this year:
• The 5:30 a.m. booth marking and check in crew, Nada Argonish, Ernie Bernhardt, Patty DiCarne, Dave Flickinger, Dick and Sharon Fox, Mary Headman, Lew and Maureen Killmer, Fulton and Theo Lopatto, Stephanie Martin, Charlie and Susan McMullen, Tracy Mulligan and Judy Rieg.
• The parking lot attendants, Frank Barrett, Tony Fulco, Phil Rossi and Bob Wallace all assisted with the show’s organization.
• The information and booth sitters: Carol Coyle, Betty Gullo, Pat Rogers and Flo Smith.
A very special thanks to the Bethany Beach Police and Bethany Beach Public Works for a super job throughout the day.
Last, but not least, we would like to thank the Bethany Beach Cultural and Historical Affairs Committee for sponsoring the show.
Thanks for all your support.
The 2007 Bethany Beach Seaside Craft Show Committee:
Gloria Farrar
Sharon Fox
Mary Headman
Carol Olmstead, Co-Chairperson
Sandy Wood, Co-Chairperson
Barrett and others help to make event success
Editor:
I am writing to acknowledge the profound generosity of Frank Barrett, who sponsored a carnival for children and teens with autism this past May 19 at the Bethany Beach Christian Conference Center.
Families of children with autism face challenges each day, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Mr. Barrett enabled children with autism and their families to relax during a day of fun, community and friendship, including games, prizes, lunch, music and activities – all free of charge.
Thanks also to the many community partners who made the day a success, including Bethany Beach Christian Conference Center and Staff, Rev. Sir Walter Scott, The Shriner’s Clowns, Bethany Beach Fire Company, DiFebo’s and Bethany Blues BBQ, who made a fabulous lunch possible.
Many smiles were grown throughout the day and families who aren’t always able to participate in such activities were able to enjoy the day together.
Sussex County is lucky to have Mr. Barrett as a citizen. His organized an amazing day for our families and his kindness is truly a gift.
Melissa Tice Martin, Executive Officer
Lower Delaware Autism Foundation
Reader not happy with proximity of inmates
Editor:
Dagsboro residents, we have a safety and quality of life issue of which you should be made aware. We are alarmed to discover inmates from the local jail, under armed supervision, working in vacant lots next to our homes in our residential neighborhood.
Although residents support efforts to maintain the township and also support opportunities for rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals, we strongly recommend such activities be restricted to highway right-of-ways and restricted from residential neighborhoods.
When inmates arrive, children stop playing and go inside, windows are closed and door locks are checked. Parents must explain to children why their outdoor activities are unexpectedly interrupted. Residents don’t feel comfortable walking, doing yard work or even walking to and from their vehicles.
The “lockdown” of our homes is not conducive to the Dagsboro lifestyle. Upon communicating this issue to the mayor, he dismissed our concerns and fears as unfounded.
A response from Gov. Ruth Minner indicates this issue might be more quickly remedied by residents at the local level.
Inmates have been witnessed closely scrutinizing neighborhood activity. Summer is approaching and children will soon be out of school. How ironic that our family lifestyles are held hostage by inmates.
Let’s restrict this activity now before it becomes more than just irony. If your neighborhood has not yet been impacted, apparently it’s only a matter of time.
Our community is in the process petitioning Dagsboro to restrict this activity. We urge you and your neighborhood to communicate your concerns.
Maria Schmidt
Dagsboro
Towns should pay their beach aid bills
Editor:
This is a response to former Mayor Joe McHugh of Bethany Beach’s letter of May 25.
Bethany Beach and the other coastal towns have not just been relying on the accommodations tax. They have been living off our tax dollars, which are funded through the bond bill.
In 2007, HB 350 approved $3.7 million for beach replenishment, and SB15 for fiscal 2008 is requesting $5.037 million.
For 19 years, the towns have not paid for beach replenishment. (Initially, the towns paid half of the cost and were reimbursed by the accommodations tax — now DNREC bypasses that and pays the whole bill.)
An economic study done by George Parsons of the University of Delaware, Newark, states the towns economically benefit the most and everyone within 3,500 feet of the beach should be paying the whole bill.
I say the coastal towns should pay the whole bill for the next 19 years, since the taxpayers of Delaware and the U.S. taxpayers have been paying to protect your property for the last 19. What do you say?
William J. Winkler Sr.
Ocean View
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