Sussex County News

Community leaders, individuals forging paths in business and education, and elected officials will join together to raise public awareness of business connections that work at the 18th annual Sussex County Today & Tomorrow Conference on Wednesday, Oct. 26, from 7:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Carter Partnership Center at Delaware Technical Community College in Georgetown.

It’s getting a lot harder for people driving across the Indian River Inlet Bridge to see through the gap between north and south sides of the new bridge as they drive past, with the time for the final concrete pour of the project nearing and just 10 feet of space remaining between the two cantilevered portions of the bridge deck.

Sussex County could make additional changes to its ordinances regarding windmills and other wind-power devices in the coming weeks, with amendments to the recently approved policy coming before the council in draft form this week.

Sussex County won’t be reducing its Board of Adjustments fees – at least not yet.

While county staff continue work on a draft ordinance that would govern potential casino and racino projects in unincorporated areas of Sussex County, the county council this week voted to extend an existing moratorium on applications for such projects until such time as the final ordinance is adopted.

The Delaware State Police have issued an Amber Alert for the Milford Police Department. The Milford Police Department is searching for a 4-year-old Milford boy and his 19-year-old mother after they were abducted Friday morning.

Sussex County property owners can now apply for a permit to erect a windmill or wind turbine on their properties, even if it’s a piece of land the size of a standard residential lot.

Sussex County officials are continuing to work on an ordinance that might someday create a CGD – Commercial Gambling District – in which any Sussex County casino outside municipal limits would have to be located, though they could pass another moratorium on the facilities until that work is done.

Sussex County Council has removed from consideration an ordinance designed to deal with whether approval of development must go hand-in-hand with having adequate public facilities to serve such projects.

Despite long-running concerns about its stability, the 46-year-old Indian River Inlet Bridge came away from two natural disasters in a single week with a clean bill of health, as did its replacement.

On Friday, Aug. 26, Sussex County Superior Court Judge William C. Carpenter Jr. sentenced former Lewes pediatrician Earl Bradley to 14 consecutive life sentences in prison for the 14 counts of rape in the first-degree of which he was found guilty in June.

Recently, Pepco Holdings Inc. (PHI) notified the Maryland Public Service Commission and Virginia State Corporation Commission that the company is requesting temporary delays in the Commissions’ reviews of the respective applications filed by the utility’s subsidiaries, Pepco and Delmarva Power, for state regulatory approval for the Mid-Atlantic Power Pathway (MAPP).

Coastal Delaware began its recovery from Hurricane Irene on Sunday, dealing with localized flooding and power outages, as well as downed trees and broken limbs. Gov. Jack Markell lifted a travel ban and evacuation orders for at-risk areas as of 11 a.m. on Aug. 28, advising caution for those who did choose to travel.

From Ocean View Police Chief Ken McLaughlin (7 a.m. Sunday):

At this time, no damage to property has been reported in Ocean View.  Power outage remains east of West Avenue in Ocean View and throughout Bethany Beach.

From Ocean View Police Department (11:45 p.m.):

Over the past hour, winds and rain subsided.  Police patrols were initiated and all roadways in town are reported to be open.  Power is still out on the east side of West Avenue and in Bethany Beach.  Many trees have fallen, however, at this time there has been no report of damage.

UPDATED (8:45 p.m.) Conditions in Ocean View remain the same.  Reports have been received that a tornado touched down in the Lewes area and 15 homes were damaged/destroyed.

The National Guard has assigned a unit to the OV EOC.  National Guard troops will be paired with OVPD officers during morning patrols.

Indian River Inlet Bridge closing, conditions deteriorating as Irene approaches

As conditions across Delmarva have started to deteriorate with the approach of Hurricane Irene, the Delaware Department of Transportation has announced that the Indian River Inlet Bridge could be closed as early as 3 p.m. on Saturday but would definitely be closed by 4 p.m.

Hurricane Irene begins making its way into Sussex County
Those evacuating at-risk areas should be out; conditions will worsen quickly as day progresses

The National Weather Service has issued a Hurricane Warning and Flood Watch for the area, as Hurricane Irene comes ashore and heads toward Delmarva. The storm has been downgraded to a Category 1 storm, but it remains near Category 2 strength, with winds near 100 mph.

The evacuation of Sussex County’s most vulnerable areas continued Friday evening as Hurricane Irene, now slightly weaker but still a very dangerous storm, remained on a collision course with the eastern United States, including Sussex County and the rest of Delaware.

“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and Schell Brothers will be suspending their Delaware build effective at midnight on Saturday (Friday into Saturday).

On Friday, Aug. 26, Sussex County Superior Court Judge William C. Carpenter Jr. sentenced former Lewes pediatrician Earl Bradley to 14 consecutive life sentences in prison for the 14 counts of rape in the first-degree that he was found guilty of in June. 

Delaware Gov. Jack Markell has declared a mandatory evacuation for much of the Coastal Point readership area. Everyone in towns including Fenwick Island, Bethany Beach, North Bethany, Dewey Beach, Rehoboth Beach, Lewes, Long Neck, Oak Orchard, and Broadkill, Primehook and Slaughter beaches is being required to evacuate prior to 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27.

As of a final update from state emergency officials for Thursday night, the projected path of Hurricane Irene continued to place the powerful storm slightly to the east of Delaware’s Atlantic Coast, however, emergency management officials and their partners were advising the public to take precautions and to be prepared to enact their household and business emergency plans as it moves closer.