News Briefs 10/28/25

Millsboro Haunted Mansion lights up at dusk thru Nov. 1

The Millsboro Haunted Mansion invites community members to enjoy a free, kid-friendly, after-dark walk-up display inspired by Disney’s Haunted Mansion attraction. The display is open each evening from dusk until 9 p.m., through Saturday, Nov. 1, at 10046 Iron Pointe Drive Ext., Millsboro.

Attendees are asked to park in one of the nearby common areas and to refrain from going in neighbors’ driveways. The mansion features mild frights and jump scares, but nothing that wouldn't be found at a Disney park.

Those who have mobility concerns are asked to bring a walker or something else to hold onto, in case one of the spirited residents should startle anyone.

Of special note, the spirits are frightfully sensitive to rain and high winds, so they will not materialize if poor weather is in the forecast.

Homeowner Michael Potter started the Halloween display in 2020 as a COVID project to bring a sense of joy and awe to his neighborhood.

To learn more, find The Millsboro Haunted Mansion on Facebook.

Acres town hall closing early Oct. 31

Henlopen Acres Town Hall, 104 Tidewaters, will close at 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 31. For more information, call town hall at 302-227-6411 or go to henlopenacres.delaware.gov.

AARP Chapter 5340 to meet Nov. 3

AARP Chapter 5340 Georgetown will meet at 11 a.m., Monday, Nov. 3, in the Millsboro Police Station community room, 120 W. Railroad Ave. Ext., Millsboro. The guest speaker will be Sam Cannan, director of Veterans Watchmaker Initiative. 

No lunch options are offered, though attendees may choose to dine out together after the meeting. Meetings continue the first Monday of each month.

New members are always welcome. To learn more, email Carol Ann Stone at casflowers@comcast.net. 

Comment sought on proposed cleanup

The remediation section of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances issued a notice Oct. 22 inviting public comment on a proposal to clean up the Wil King Station site, located at Wil King Road near Lewes.

The site consists of woodlands and former farmland over approximately 29 acres. The notice says historic dumping of construction debris, auto parts including batteries and tires, and other household trash has occurred in portions of the site.

The Wil King Station Site will be subject to the following key remedial actions: submission of a long-term stewardship plan that specifies the groundwater monitoring requirements and schedule to be followed to monitor groundwater contaminants of concern; and recording an environmental covenant restricting groundwater withdrawal at the site. According to documents accompanying the notice, the plan is to redevelop the site for a residential use and to connect to public works.

Details of the proposed plan are available online at den.dnrec.delaware.gov.

For more information, contact Stephanie Gordon, project manager, at RS_Public_Comments@delaware.gov or 302-395-2600.

The comment period will end at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 12.

Committees have new members in Rehoboth

During a meeting Oct. 17, Rehoboth Beach commissioners approved appointments to the city’s two new advisory committees.

The Streets & Safety Advisory Committee will be chaired by Commissioner Mark Saunders and include Clifton Hilderly, Patrisha Davis, Kathy Osterholm, Collins Roth, Michael Venanzi, David Diefenderfer, Steve Curson and Melissa Riesco. The Environmental Advisory Committee will be chaired by Commissioner Craig Thier and include Andrea Hoffman, Elise Burns, Frances Kelleher, Heather Metz, Kathleen Nilles, Mary Good, Richard Byrne and Mark Peck.

Specific dates for when the new committees will first meet have not been set, but they’re expected to happen within the next month.

Rehoboth library site plan approved

The Rehoboth Beach Planning Commission unanimously approved the site plan for the Rehoboth Beach Public Library renovation project following a public hearing Oct. 24.

Located at 226 Rehoboth Ave., the library needed approval from the commission for an addition on the Wilmington Avenue alley side of the building that will be roughly 630 square feet.

During the hearing, one member of the public encouraged the planning commission to approve the site plan, and no one spoke against it.

The project calls for a complete update to the building’s facade and plantings, a second restroom, more employee space, a smaller circulation desk, a retractable wall added to the second-floor meeting space, three small study rooms that each hold four people and a larger meeting room that holds 16 people. Construction on the project is expected to begin soon.

Rehoboth police unveil new portal

In an effort to provide peace of mind for city residents, the Rehoboth Beach Police Department has launched a Frontline Community Policing Connect portal.

This new portal offers easy, direct access to several services, and portal entries are secure and only accessible by the police department.

Residents (and in some cases visitors) can use the portal to:

• Enroll their pets’ information with identifying details and owner contacts in case their animal goes missing, is stolen or is found

• Input descriptors, emergency contacts, habits and other important information about themselves or loved ones with medical conditions in case of an emergency

• Register multiple keyholders, along with their alarm system information, in case someone needs access to their property. Business owners can also use this feature

• Request a vacation watch, to have the police department keep an eye on their home while away.

• Provide details about their bicycle in case it is lost or stolen

• Submit a tip regarding a non-urgent issue that does not require immediate action.

The system is part of the department’s subscription to the Frontline software program, so this addition is at no extra cost. The community portal is available at frontlinepss.com/rehobothbeachcpcde.