News Briefs 04/05/19

Dewey CDP committee meets April 6
The Dewey comprehensive development plan committee will meet at 9 a.m., Saturday, April 6, at the Lifesaving Station, 1 Dagsworthy Ave. Members will discuss and possibly vote on ways to accomplish the committee’s focus on implementing the town’s 10-year comprehensive development plan.

Motivational speaker at Love Creek April 6
As part of The MAX Challenge Lewes Day of Giving, Motivational speaker Scott Chesney will be at Love Creek Elementary School at 6 p.m., Saturday, April 6. Chesney, a motivational speaker who is paralyzed, has a message about breaking through barriers and going from impossible to I’m possible. There is no charge, but there is a suggested donation of $10 per person to go toward Surfgimp Foundation. Donations will be accepted that evening. Seating is limited and reservations are recommended, which can be done at eventbrite.com or the Facebook page of the MAX Challenge of Lewes.

Big Gun Run set for April 7 in Lewes
Big Oyster Brewery and Fort Miles will host the second annual Big Gun Run Sunday, April 7.  The run will start at Fort Miles and end at Big Oyster Brewery, where there will be a huge post-race party with prizes and awards, live music, specialty brews, food and more. Registration begins at 8:45 a.m., April 7, with the race beginning at 10 a.m. Packet pickup is available the night before at Big Oyster Brewery from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Preregistration is available at rwww.aces2run.com.

Tickets are $35 in advance for walkers and runners, and $40 day of. For spectators, tickets are $10 in advance and $15 day of. Big Oyster is located at 1007 Kings Highway, Lewes. For details, call 302-644-2621 or go to www.bigoysterbrewery.com.

Rehoboth Beach Patrol test slated April 7
Rehoboth Beach Patrol’s third pre-employment test for the 2019 season is 11 a.m., Sunday, April 7. The location is the Milford Boys & Girls Club, 101 Delaware Veterans Blvd., Milford. The fourth and final pre-employment test is 11 a.m. Sunday, April 14, which will also take place at the Milford Boys & Girls Club. To schedule a pre-employment test session, email Rehoboth Beach Patrol Capt. Kent Buckson at kbuckson@cityofrehoboth.com. For more information on what the test will include, forms to fill out and other requirements, go to www.rehobothbeachpatrol.com.

Rehoboth commissioner workshop set April 8
Rehoboth commissioners have scheduled their monthly workshop for 9 a.m., Monday, April 8, in the commissioners room of city hall, 229 Rehoboth Ave. The agenda calls for continued discussion on license agreements, mixed-use structures and a possible change to the pool ordinance. The agenda also calls for new discussions on a resolution related to the Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan and opportunities for public input during commissioner meetings. For more information, call 302-227-6181. A full copy of the agenda can be found at town hall or online at www.cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net.

Special Rehoboth workshop set April 8
Rehoboth commissioners have scheduled a special public hearing for 1 p.m., Monday, April 8, in the commissioners room of city hall, 229 Rehoboth Ave. The meeting has been called to gather public input on what the city should do next regarding BeachWalk. There is an executive session noticed at the beginning of the meeting. For more information, call 302-227-6181. A full copy of the agenda can be found at town hall or online at www.cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net.

Open government coalition program set April 8
The Delaware Coalition for Open Government will host a program Monday, April 8, on Open Government and Freedom of Information in Delaware, at Lewes Public Library, 111 Adams Ave., Lewes. DelCOG president Nick Wasileski and other board members will discuss the organization, its mission, and its recent activities. Christina Jedra, a News Journal investigative reporter, will conduct a presentation about the Freedom of Information Act and how to make FOIA requests to obtain government information. A question-and-answer session will follow. The event is free and open to the public.

The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a meet and greet session and light refreshments, followed at 7 p.m. by a brief overview of DelCOG. At 7:30, Jedra will deliver the FOIA presentation. For more information, contact DelCOG board member Keith Steck at steckke@gmail.com or 302-893-1643, or go to www.delcog.org.

Setback discussion on Sussex council agenda April 9
Sussex County Council will meet at 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 9, in the county administration building, 2 The Circle, Georgetown. Included on the agenda is a discussion on property setbacks and tax ditch rights of way. See a complete agenda at www.sussexcountyde.gov.

Rehoboth to livestream all meetings
Rehoboth Beach announced April 3 that all city meetings, excluding executive sessions, will be live and available to the public to view in real time. Meetings can be viewed by clicking on the video button above each meeting agenda at cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net/portal or by navigating to youtube.com/c/rehobothbeach. For more information, contact the Communications Department at 302-227-6181 Ext. 522 or communications@cityofrehoboth.com.

14th District Dems to meet April 10
The 14th Representative District Democratic Committee will hold its monthly meeting Wednesday, April 10, at the Forgotten Mile Ale House, Rehoboth Beach. The dutch treat dinner begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by a business meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m.  All registered Democrats are welcome to attend.

Inlet bridge inspection April 8-11
Delaware Department of Transportation contractor Pennoni Associates Inc. will be inspecting the Indian River Inlet bridge during the week of April 8, requiring closure of the southbound right lane and shoulder from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday, April 8, through Thursday, April 11. Cyclists will be able to ride on the southbound lane.

Preserve boardwalk, deck completed
A ceremony is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., Friday, April 12, to announce the opening of the boardwalk and observation deck at the Marvel Saltmarsh Preserve on the Delaware Seashore Byway in Slaughter Beach. Speakers will include Gov. John Carney, DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan, DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin, former Sen. Gary Simpson of Milford, Rep. Bryan Shupe, R-Milford, Sen. Dave Wilson, R-Milford, Delaware Nature Society Executive Director Anne Harper and Town of Slaughter Beach Mayor Harry Ward. Those attending are asked to park across from the Slaughter Beach Memorial Fire Co. on Bay Avenue. Transportation will be available to the ceremony, which will be held rain or shine. RSVP by 4 p.m., Wednesday, April 10, to DelDOTevent@delaware.gov.

Route 9 will be closed in Harbeson
A section of Route 9 in Harbeson will be closed for crossroad bridge structure construction and water line installation as part of road improvements at the Route 9-Route 5 intersection from 6 a.m., Monday, April 8, until 6 p.m., Wednesday, May 1. Detour routes: Westbound – traffic on Route 9 approaching Harbeson will need to go north on Route 5 to Sand Hill Road westbound and on to Route 30/ Gravel Hill Road southbound. Eastbound – traffic approaching Harbeson on Route 9 will need to exit north on Route 30/Gravel Hill Road, turn eastbound onto Sand Hill Road and southbound on Route 5. Detour signage will be posted.

SDARJ sets town hall meeting on homeless April 9
The Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice will hold a Town Hall Meeting, Homeless in Sussex County, Tuesday, April 9, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., at Trinity Faith Christian Center, 15516 New Road, in Lewes.  A four-person panel of experts will address various aspects of homelessness, including demographics, how acute and chronic homelessness happens to individuals and families, attitudes and assumptions about people without permanent housing, available resources, the growing need for additional support, and how individuals can be of assistance. 

“Many of us think we know a lot about this growing challenge, but actually have little idea of the depth and breadth of the problem,” said Carol Wzorek, organizer of the program. “Too many people are just one check away from losing their permanent housing.”  SDARJ welcomes everyone concerned about homelessness in Sussex County to share in the discussion. Questions and comments will be taken from the floor following the panel presentation. For more information, go to www.sdarj.org.

Candidates forum for IR school board set April 10
Candidates for the Indian River School District Board of Education, Districts 4 and 5, will field questions from the audience at a public forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Sussex County on Wednesday, April 10, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Frankford Public Library, 8 Main St., in Frankford. 

Candidates Donald Hattier and Scott Smith are running for one seat in District 4, which includes Ocean View, Millville, Clarksville, Millsboro, Frankford, eastern parts of Dagsboro, Fenwick Island, Bethany Beach and South Bethany. Candidates Scott Collins, Jeffery Evans, and Derek Cathell are vying for two seats in District 5, covering Selbyville, Gumboro, and areas west of Frankford. All terms are five years, and residents can only vote for candidates running in the district where they live.

Following brief opening statements by the candidates, the forum will focus on written questions from the audience. Note cards and pencils for posing questions will be available at the door and from monitors in the aisles throughout the program. LWVSC Vice President Janet Ambrose will serve as moderator.

All candidates have also been asked to post background information and their answers to questions on key issues on VOTE411.org, the League of Women Voters’ online voters’ guide. Voters can go to the website and compare the candidates’ views on such challenges as overcrowding, use of test scores, meeting the needs of all students, and ensuring safety and security in schools. School board elections are Tuesday, May 14. For more information, go to www.sussexlwv.org or VOTE411.org.

Tom Childers named SOLA3 vice president
The Save Our Lakes Alliance3 board unanimously elected longtime board member Tom Childers as its vice president.
According to a March 27 press release, Childers has been on the board for nine years as a director. In a prepared statement, Childers said involvement in the SOLA3 mission has always been rewarding, because the organization works to improve three iconic lakes that are part of the essential landscape of the area.

Save Our Lakes Alliance 3 was founded in 2004 to protect, preserve and maintain three lakes in the Rehoboth Beach area – Silver Lake, Lake Comegys and Lake Gerar. SOLA3 President Sallie Forman congratulated Childers. “Tom has been a vital and active board member. I am so pleased that he will continue to contribute to our efforts to advance SOLA3’s mission, and grateful that we will continue to enjoy his sharp wit and generous hospitality,” said Forman.

In his professional life, Tom was a faculty member of Drexel University for 40 years, occasionally serving as dean and associate dean of the College of Information, Science and Technology. Childers and his spouse, John Hall, live along Silver Lake in Rehoboth Beach. They were the first recipients of SOLA3’s conservation award in 2009.

Childers has led successful SOLA3 projects including development of its strategic plan, partnering with the city on the Do Not Feed Wildlife sign, creating a database to keep track of progress on activities and projects, and managing the Lakes Improvement Grant.