South Bethany News

Every winter, Kimberly Grimes and Marco Hernandez leave their South Bethany shop, Made by Hand, to travel abroad. But rather than visiting typical tourist spots, their destinations are the locales where the fair-trade products sold in their store are made. They journey to the homes of the world’s poorest people, whose work in Fair Trade cooperatives means the difference between eating and going hungry, between hope and despair.

As has often been the case in recent years, South Bethany has a bevy of candidates in its annual elections. But changes are in store for the town, based on who is running in 2010 and who is not, as those not running for re-election include longtime mayor Gary Jayne and longtime council member Marge Gassinger, as well as one-year council member Diane Matera.

The South Bethany Town Council this week approved the town’s budget for the 2011 fiscal year. Major elements of the budget include no property tax increases and keeping expenses, such as salaries, flat. Also, there will be a restructuring of healthcare costs for new employees. Rental tax rates will remain at 8 percent of total gross receipts for each residential and commercial property.

Sunny skies and warming temperatures are headed this way, which will pair nicely with the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce’s 21st Annual Ocean to Bay Bike Tour, set to ride on Saturday, April 17, starting at 8 a.m., through the Quiet Resorts. Cyclists of all ages and skill levels are being encouraged to choose between 25-, 35- and 50-mile routes, starting and ending in downtown Bethany Beach.

Here in Sussex County, if you look in the right places, you can find breakfast hotspots and sandwich shops, but there has only been one McCabe’s Gourmet Market, whose longevity and popularity have made it a staple throughout the community. With springtime upon us, the South Bethany favorite, celebrating a quarter-century and counting, is opening its doors for the season, once again, serving up fresh brewed coffees and unrivaled, gourmet sandwiches.

A coastal storm, combined with astronomical high tides and a full moon, has resulted in the National Weather Service issuing a coastal flood warning and a hazardous weather outlook for the Bethany Beach area. Minor coastal flooding during Wednesday morning’s high tide may elevate to moderate flooding on during the next high tide into Thursday.

Although snowflakes are few and far between in Delaware as of 3:30 p.m., Thursday, the National Weather Service predicts that snowfall will gradually increase over the state and continue through Thursday night into Friday. However, forecasts for accumulation have been lowered since early Thursday morning.

This week saw new developments in the case of Earl Bradley, and the pain that has been felt in the community in the wake of allegations of child sexual abuse by the Lewes pediatrician has only become more far-reaching.

Search efforts to find a Selbyville man who went missing from a Fenwick Island condo on Feb. 9 have been scaled back, according to Delaware State Police, but friends and family remain optimistic and hopeful for his safe return. Police said 29-year-old Gregory Forte was last seen at a condo with friends on South Carolina Avenue in Fenwick Island last Tuesday night, and his family is now offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to his safe return.

The State of Emergency in Delaware was lifted at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, by Gov. Jack Markell. But even as the state works to clean up and restore services following the back-to-back snow storms of this month, another snow event is threatening. With a possible arrival of Monday evening, the next storm could drop 8 inches or more of snow unless it shifts to a more northerly track, officials said.

Delaware remains under a State of Emergency on Friday morning, Feb. 12, 2010. The State of Emergency has been in effect since 12 midnight, Feb. 10. The travel bans contained in the original State of Emergency declared by Gov. Jack Markell that prohibited travel on Delaware roadways by non-essential vehicles were lifted on Thursday. The change was effective at noon on Feb.

State of Emergency remains in effect
 
Gov. Jack Markell has ordered the driving restrictions for Kent and Sussex counties to be lifted as of 6 p.m. tonight.  However, the State of Emergency will remain in effect for the entire state until further notice.  Earlier today, the governor and emergency officials lifted driving restrictions in New Castle County.  
 

Despite the impending blizzard, members of eight local law enforcement agencies and fire companies, and members of the public, gathered at the Bistro at Bear Trap Dunes on Friday, Feb. 5, for the 2010 Joshua M. Freeman Valor Awards, honoring those departments and the esteemed individuals that, through them, serve the local communities.

Kent and Sussex counties are still removing disabled and abandoned vehicles from roads on their secondary and local back roads, state officials reported Thursday afternoon, noting that the vehicles have been hampering efforts to clear roads and respond to emergencies.

As of 9 a.m., officials announced Thursday morning, after consultation between the Governor’s Office and state and local emergency management officials, it was decided that the State of Emergency declared by Delaware Gov. Jack Markell will remain in effect today, February 11, 2010 as will the travel ban.

[UPDATE] Due to inclement weather, all Indian River School District schools will be closed on Friday, Feb. 12. All 12-month employees will be informed of their status at a later time, officials said.

Delaware’s frigid temperatures, high winds and recent snowfalls can be difficult for the more than 40 species of wintering songbirds that share the state’s nature resources, state officials reminded the public mid-week. Their food sources – nuts, seeds and berries – are harder for these small birds to locate and reach, especially when covered with large accumulations of snow.

State officials sent out an urgent message about 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, noting that presently there are stranded and abandoned vehicles that are blocking some roads in Sussex County to the point that ambulances cannot proceed to make emergency runs. These disabled vehicles must be moved immediately in order for responders to carry out life-safety responsibilities.

A brief storm update from state officials as of 2:35 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10:

• Delmarva Power crews in Sussex County have temporarily suspended operations due to visibility problems.

Gov. Jack Markell declared a State of Emergency covering the entire state of Delaware effective at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, with all non-emergency vehicles ordered off the roads.

State officials were reporting nearly 14,000 electric customers still without power – mostly in Sussex County – on Monday morning, as crews from Delmarva Power and Delaware Electric Cooperative struggled to reach and repair outages from last weekend’s blizzard. Shelters in both counties remained open for those needing shelter due to a lack of power or heat.

With the National Weather Service reporting snow totals of 20 to 25 inches with drifts in Sussex County, 25 inches in New Castle County and 22 inches in Kent County from this weekend’s blizzard, a State of Emergency remained in effect at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning.

Snow from this weekend’s blizzard had begun to taper off around 8 p.m. on Saturday night, leaving much of the state paralyzed and snowbound, and tens of thousands without power, with as many as 39,000 homes and businesses left in the dark at peak impact from the storm.

A winter storm warning is in effect in the area until 7 p.m. on Saturday evening. Light to moderate snow with embedded areas of heavy snow near the Atlantic coast was occurring across the area late this afternoon, adding about 6 inches of snow in Selbyville over the course of several hours and causing whiteout conditions in some areas.

With snow totals statewide topping 15 inches in some locations and more than 8 inches of snow in the local area, Delaware emergency officials on Saturday morning were reminding the public of the State of Emergency currently in force and the requirement that they stay off roads until further notice. Only emergency vehicles are permitted on the roads in Delaware as of 9 a.m. Saturday.