News Briefs

Rehoboth board meeting cancelled

The Rehoboth Beach Board of Adjustment has cancelled its Monday, March 25 meeting due to a lack of agenda items.

The board’s next scheduled meeting is Monday, April 22.

Rehoboth parks panel cancels meeting

The Rehoboth Beach Parks and Shade Tree Commission has cancelled its Monday, March 25 meeting due to a lack of agenda items. The commission’s next scheduled meeting is Monday, April 22.

Rehoboth to formulate scooter parking plan

The Rehoboth Beach com­missioners will discuss and formulate all aspects of a park­ing plan for motorized scooters and mopeds including fees at the commissioners’ 9 a.m., Monday, March 4 workshop in the city commissioners’ room.

In new business, the commis­sioners will discuss a Freedom of Information Act policy for the city and a new chapter of the city code that would set the fees for providing copies of city records.

Discussion will be held on a draft ordinance that would change the day observed as a holiday as it relates to the com­pensation for the city’s 911 center personnel. Commissioner Stan Mills will lead discussion on individual recommendations to preserve the health of the city’s lakes as cited in the planning commission’s lakes report and what steps will be taken moving forward.

Mills will also provide a committee report from the communications committee on potential agenda format changes and providing accessibility for support documents online.

Sussex County Council off next two weeks

Sussex County Council will not meet Tuesday, March 5, to attend the National Association of Counties Legislative Confer­ence in Washington, D.C., and will not meet Tuesday, March 12, for a scheduled winter break. The next council meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 19.

Sussex renovation project under way soon

In mid-March, a renovation project to the Sussex County administrative offices building lobby will get under way. At its Feb. 26 meeting, county coun­cil approved a base bid of just under $200,000 from Kent Con­struction in Smyrna. County Administrator Todd Lawson said the project would transform the lobby area into a more cus­tomer- friendly location offering one spot for those doing busi­ness with the county to conduct transactions. He said it would also provide greater security to county staff handling mon­ey. Phase I will take about four months to complete, followed by another four months of work under Phase II.

Lewes Canalfront Park Friends raising funds

The Friends of the Lewes Canalfront Park is kicking off a membership drive to support its summer 2013 activities and to expand its circle of Friends. Previous and potential members will be receiving requests for donations through the mails. Re­sponses can be made by mail or at the Friends of the Canalfront Park site at www.lewescanal­frontpark. org and charge on PayPal.

Friends Chair Stephanie Boright explains, “Funds raised in this membership drive will go directly to support this sum­mer’s programs. Last year we had such great attendance at our events that we are adding even more to the 2013 schedule. We hope that many new Friends will join in the good times and fun we share at the park.”

Last year’s successful calen­dar included the Picnic in the Park, which featured 15 Lewes restaurants’ favorite dishes and kids’ activities. Other traditional activities included weekly yoga sessions, Fish ‘N Kids, mov­ies sponsored by the Rehoboth Beach Film Society, live bands in concert, Fun and Fitness day, and a very unique celebra­tion of the Summer Solstice. All of these programs will be continued, and new events are planned. They will kickoff with an Easter egg hunt in March, a springtime Pooches in the Park, a dog-themed funfest, new Zumba classes, and an end-of-summer celebration with food and activi­ties for all ages.

A full calendar of dates for these events is posted on the park website and at Lewes City Hall. Tickets for all paid events can now be made online, but most of the programs are free and open to the public. The park now boasts new signage, free wi-fi and new benches for all to enjoy. Boright added, “Lewes is proud of our park and we invite everybody to come and make use of its beautiful natural setting, playground, fishing pier, and a packed season of great events.”

For more information, go to www.lewescanalfrontpark.org.

Lopez to host Ruddertowne Q&A

Sen. Ernie Lopez, R-Lewes, will host a question and answer session about the redevelopment of Ruddertowne at 10 a.m., Sat­urday, March 2, at Dewey Beach Life Saving Station on Dagswor­thy Avenue. Representatives of Delaware Department of Trans­portation, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Envi­ronmental Control and Sussex County government are expect­ed to attend. In a press release, Lopez said, “Since becoming a senator, I’ve had many calls from constituents asking me how and what role the state plays in this project, and I’m pleased to bring some folks together from our various agencies to answer any questions that may arise.”

The Point to close for beachnesting season

The Point at Cape Henlopen State Park, including a stretch of ocean beach and dunes, and a half mile along the bay shore­line, will close beginning Friday, March 1, for the benefit of piping plovers, oystercatchers, least terns and other threatened and endangered beachnesters and migratory shorebirds.

The nesting habitat on the ocean side will reopen Sunday, Sept. 1, when the season’s young birds are typically able to fly. The bayside beach will remain closed until Oct. 1 for use by shorebirds migrating south for the winter.

DNREC’s Divisions of Parks and Recreation, Fish and Wild­life, and Watershed Stewardship have been working together since 1990 to implement a manage­ment plan to halt the decline of beachnester and migratory shorebird populations. The Point has been closed annually since 1993. “We appreciate the pub­lic’s cooperation in this effort,” said Park Superintendent Paul Faircloth. “DNREC is commit­ted to providing protection for these species, hopefully to pre­vent them from disappearing in Delaware,” For more information, contact the Cape Henlopen State Park office at 302-645-8983.

Coons keynotes Sussex Dems spring dinner

Delaware U.S. Sen. Chris Coons will be the main speaker at the Sussex County Democrats’ Annual Spring Dinner Saturday, March 16, at the CHEER Cen­ter in Georgetown. Tickets for the event, which commences at 5 p.m., are $45 and may be purchased in advance through dinner committee member Carl Ballato at 302-236-4140, or carl­ballato@verizon.net.

Former New Castle County ex­ecutive, Coons was elected to the U.S. Senate in Nov., 2010, defeat­ing by 17 percentage points the Republican candidate, Christine O’Donnell. Coons was elected for the balance of the term of then-senator, now Vice President Joe Biden. Coons must seek re­election in 2014. The dinner is the main fund­raiser for the county party, which will be led by new leadership elected at its March 6 conven­tion. Most statewide Democratic elected officials are expected to attend. Sen. Tom Carper and Lt. Gov. Matt Denn are confirmed.