News Briefs 2/13/26

DESSAR to meet Feb. 14 in Lewes

The Delaware Society Sons of the American Revolution will meet from 12 to 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 14, at American Legion Post 17 in Lewes.

Lunch will be served at noon, followed by the meeting at 1 p.m. 

For more information, go to DESSAR.org.

UUSD to meet Feb. 15

The Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware will hold a service at 10 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 15, with Contemporary Black Voices Part 3: Choosing Our Stories as the topic. The Rev. Heather Rion Starr said, “Drawing upon the wisdom and insight of Ta-Nehisi Coates, we will reflect on what stories we lift up, whose stories we amplify, and the power of myth-making and truth-telling in our families, our country and our world. How do we keep our hearts soft and open to the human experiences that need to be heard, felt, shared and acknowledged?” Learn more at uussd.org.

Lewes community forum set for Feb. 17

The Lewes State of the Community Forum will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Lewes Elementary School, 820 Savannah Road. 

The event was rescheduled from Jan. 27.

Members of a multigenerational Lewes family will open the forum with welcoming comments, and Cape Gazette Publisher Chris Rausch will serve as forum moderator.

Lewes Mayor Amy Marasco; Dr. Laura Carlson, University of Delaware president; Dr. David Tam, Beebe Healthcare CEO and president; and Dr. Jenny Nauman, Cape Henlopen School District superintendent; will present updates on the state of their organizations, followed by a question-and-answer session.

Expert panel to discuss Delaware’s energy future Feb. 18

Delaware Sea Grant will host a panel discussion titled Delaware’s Energy Future: A Conversation with Experts at 5 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18, at Lewes Public Library, 111 Adams Ave., Lewes, and online via Zoom.

In the era of electrification, AI-driven data centers and a growing population, many are asking how Delaware will secure the energy it needs. The state currently imports about 60% of its electricity from neighboring states via the regional electric grid. As public discussion intensifies around energy reliability at both the state and national levels, it is crucial to understand energy technologies, the role of the electric grid, economics and the broader social considerations.

This panel will provide an opportunity to hear from experts across different sectors of energy systems, including industry, energy efficiency and policymaking. The panelists will provide brief presentations, followed by an open session for questions and discussion with attendees.

Panelists include Drew Slater, executive director of Energize Delaware; Robert DeNight, vice president of engineering at Public Service Enterprise Group; and Tom Noyes, administrator of the State Energy Office in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. Registration is required. At registration, participants will be asked to select in-person or online attendance. To register, go to lewes.lib.de.us or call 302-645-2733.

UM churches set Ash Wednesday events

To mark the start of Lent, Zion United Methodist Church will host a drive-through event from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, in front of the church at 26743 Broadkill Road, Milton. Attendees will receive a blessing and distribution of ashes from the comfort of their cars.

Israel United Methodist Church, under the leadership of the Rev. Marjorie Belmont, will host an Ash Wednesday service at 6 p.m., Feb. 18, in the church at 20230 Plantation Road, Lewes, and online via Zoom.  Family and friends are invited to welcome the Lenten season in grace and join for the imposition of ashes.

Art museum sets citizen photography workshop Feb. 21

Inspired by federally funded initiatives of the past, the Delaware Art Museum will present a citizen photographer workshop, free of charge, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 21, at Lewes Public Library, 111 Adams Ave., Lewes.

First State residents will have an opportunity to consider and capture what it means to be a Delawarean at the time of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Leading the workshop and supporting participants in exploring the theme will be B. Proud, an accomplished photographer whose work is represented in the Delaware Art Museum’s collection.

Delawareans can submit up to two photographs to be considered for an exhibition at the library, 

To register, go to delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/16372717.

A juried selection of photographs from three workshops statewide will be featured in the museum’s Citizen Artist exhibition, on view from Saturday, April 11 to Sunday, July 19, at the museum in Wilmington.

Dewey Beach Lions to host blood drive March 9

The Dewey Beach Lions Club will host a blood drive for Blood Bank of Delmarva from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, March 9, at 115 McKinley Ave., Dewey Beach.To sign up, go to donate.bbd.org.

City of Lewes sets election date

The City of Lewes has set its municipal election for Saturday, May 9. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Lewes City Hall, 114 E. Third St.

Two council members will be elected for three-year terms. Candidate filing forms will be accepted from Monday, March 2 to 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 2. Lewes has not held a municipal election since 2022. All current members of council either ran unopposed or were appointed to their seats. For more information, go to ci.lewes.de.us.

Lewes BPW sets election date

The Lewes Board of Public Works will hold its annual election Saturday, May 9, at the BPW business office, 107 Franklin Ave., Lewes.

There are vacancies for two board seats, each for a three-year term.  Anyone interested in becoming a candidate must file a letter of intention with the general manager before 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 2.

Commissioner named Clear Space liaison

During a meeting Feb. 9, Rehoboth Beach commissioners voted in favor of appointing Commissioner Susan Stewart to be the commissioner liaison for Clear Space Theatre Company.

HPARC OKs Historic Lewes restrooms

The Lewes Historic Preservation Architectural Review Commission unanimously approved an application Feb. 5 from Historic Lewes for new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant restrooms at its Shipcarpenter Street Campus.

The panel narrowly approved a second motion that the new structure be built with natural materials.

Historic Lewes, FKA Lewes Historical Society, will relocate a historic privy that served as a restroom.

Jeter earns Tax Planning Certified Professional designation

Back Bay Financial Planning & Investments LLC founder and financial advisor Robert S. Jeter II, CFP, CRPC, has successfully completed the Tax Planning Certified Professional designation, further strengthening the firm’s focus on advanced, forward-looking tax planning.

The TPCP designation is an intensive, practitioner-focused program designed specifically for experienced financial professionals seeking deeper expertise in proactive tax-planning strategies. The curriculum emphasizes multiyear tax analysis, retirement income planning, charitable planning and strategies designed to help clients reduce lifetime tax exposure, particularly during major life transitions such as retirement, relocation or changes in income.

“Tax planning is one of the most impactful yet often overlooked areas of financial planning,” said Jeter. “Completing the TPCP designation enhances my ability to help clients make smarter decisions not just for this year’s tax return, but across their entire financial lives.”

Schranck appointed to Rehoboth board

During a meeting Feb. 9, Rehoboth Beach commissioners voted in favor of appointing Frederick Schranck, a retired attorney, to the planning commission to fill the seat of Jim Ellison, an architect. The truncated term will end Friday, Sept. 18.

Mayor Stan Mills said Ellison, who was appointed in 2021 and then reappointed in 2023, was stepping down from the planning commission so he could focus his time on work for the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk Historical Designation Task Force.

$400K grant approved for Dewey

A $400,000 grant was recently approved for the Town of Dewey Beach to help fund an emergency generator and security technology for its new town hall and controlled-access police station.

Sen. Chris Coons supported the grant, which was approved by the Senate and House before being signed by the president about three weeks ago.  Town Manager Bill Zolper said the grant is currently in the Department of Justice funding line, and he is waiting for instructions from the DOJ on how to access the funds.