There is a place in the borough of Brooklyn that borders the ocean. It has the most beautiful beach, a great boardwalk and rides that were once world famous. That place is Coney Island. It has existed for decades as an escape from urban life.
Unfortunately, through the years it has been left to languish and degrade. Poor Coney Island was, is and will always be a dump. I remember, as a child, people referring to someone's place as looking like Coney Island. If you said that to someone, they would never speak to you again.
So, what has the aforementioned to do with us? Rehoboth Beach and Lewes and Dewey Beach are our small gems in a small state. We retired here, we vacationed here and we visited friends here to revel in its uniqueness. Access to our haven is increasingly under pressure in summer months.
There is only one way to get here and that is by car. That pressure will only increase because Rehoboth, Lewes and Dewey are Sussex County's cash cows. After all, why would anyone go inland to visit chicken coops?
That brings me to a very important third point ... business. Why are prominent businessmen and realtors running for county office? Do any of you reading this honestly believe that their pocketbooks won't be lined first? Persons who proudly state in their political ads that they have served on the planning board for over a decade should shrink from that bravado.
We are rapidly approaching a crossroads in the development of our beach communities. We must think clearly and creatively about our options before the loveliness is all gone. Therefore, I proudly endorse the candidacy of Leslie Ledogar for Sussex County Council.
She is an environmental attorney, a forestry graduate, a mediator and, boy, is she an intelligent advocate for what we hold dear. We only have that one vote to offer. We should be able to vote for all five council members because we give them all our hard-earned taxes. Since we cannot do that, on Nov. 8, give Leslie Ledogar your vote. She is a very accessible candidate. Go and talk to her and you will realize that giving her your most sacred right as a citizen of this county is right on the mark.
Louisa Watrel
Rehoboth Beach
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