At the Tuesday, June 30, town council workshop in Ocean View, Councilman Richard Nippes said that he understood the reciprocal relationship between the Bethany Beach Police Department and Ocean View police but asked OVPD Chief Ken McLaughlin what their relationship was with the state police, in an attempt to understand OVPD’s duties regarding response to calls outside town limits.

After much discussion, the Fenwick Island Town Council this week voted down on a first reading a sanitation ordinance that would have required commercial Dumpsters in the town be screened with fencing.

Non-resident voting was a hot topic at the town council workshop in Ocean View on Tuesday, June 30. Mayor Gordon Wood said it was the single most important issue for the town, and Councilman Richard Nippes laid out his reasons for wanting the change.

The Sussex County Council unanimously on June 23 approved a slate of fee increases requested by county Sheriff Eric D. Swanson to help offset increasing costs incurred by the office for its work reclaiming property and selling foreclosed real estate.

The Citizen’s Advisory Committee – one of two standing committee to the Center for Inland Bays – heard on June 24 from outgoing Indian River High School senior Crystal Wright, about the school’s schoolyard habitat, as well as from Fenwick Island Town Councilman Todd Smallwood about Fenwick Island’s stormwater management and from Sussex County Councilwoman Joan Deaver.

The skies over coastal Delaware will light up over the Fourth of July holiday weekend with a variety of pyrotechnics displays.

Mushrooms are sometimes overlooked as a healthy choice when it comes to picking ingredients for the dining table. They can be oddly shaped and typically grow on dead or rotting wood and compost. They are, after all, a type of fungus.

In the last 30 years or so, the population of Delaware’s coastal area has exploded. Much of what used to be wetlands has been paved over, making room for housing developments and condos, or covered by those structures themselves. As the natural landscape is altered further and further from a natural state, rain water must find new ways to reach the water table and drain out to sea and bay.

In terms of green projects, there are involved projects such as solar panels or rooftop windmills, wherein a return on investment can be calculated out to the penny, depending on the system, the geography, any rebates offered, and, of course, time. And then there is green that simply makes good financial sense right away.

As the nation has seen an upturn in more people struggling with everyday needs, such as keeping a roof over their head and having sufficient food to eat, there has been a renewed interest in “back to basics” living.

With the heart of the summer arriving, Bethany Beach is certainly livening up, and much of this year’s attention is focused on the town’s most recognizable difference: the newly constructed Blue Surf condos and shops along the Bethany Boardwalk. The structure situated on the plot of land wedged at the corner of Garfield Parkway and the boardwalk has been transformed from a landmark half-century-old motel into a three-story commercial and residential mixed-use establishment.

For Craig Littleton, who was born and raised in the Bethany Beach area, it feels good to be working with the one thing that makes the beach what it is — the sun. Littleton, a former construction industry project manager, is now owner/operator of Project Resources, a solar and wind company located right at the foot of the Assawoman Canal bridge, just west of Bethany Beach.

“Angel of Mine,” local author Joann Namorato’s second book, tells a much lighter story than that in her first. Namorato’s first book, “The Long Road Home,” was written after her experience working at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Namorato had worked as a paralegal in New York City before relocating to Selbyville in 2004.

This weekend, as the nation celebrates its independence, local towns aren’t holding back. There are a multitude of events and activities to attend and in which the public can participate, in honor of the July 4 holiday.

Fourth of July festivities at the Freeman Summer Stage at Bayside will kick off at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 2, and Friday, July 3, with two performances of the Olney Theatre’s musical “Ain’t Misbehavin” and a special free concert by the Dirty Sock Funtime Band on Saturday, July 4, at 10 a.m.

Topping last year’s award-winning performance at the United States Lifeguarding Association’s Nationals competition in Manhattan Beach, Calif., is a challenge for the Fenwick Island squad, headed by 20-year captain Tim Ferry, but that’s not stopping them from trying. As the lifeguards of the Fenwick Island Beach Patrol (FIBP) get into the summer season, they’re taking their Friday-morning training from the beach to strengthen themselves at World Gym in Ocean View.

While the majority of the Fourth of July holiday festivities are getting under way this weekend, some have already taken place. The 1st Annual Firecracker 5K was held this past Sunday in Bethany Beach, benefitting the 25th anniversary edition of the Bethany Beach Fourth of July Parade, scheduled for this Friday, July 3, starting at noon.

The Delaware State Golf Association (DSGA) Amateur Championships came to Cripple Creek Country Club in Dagsboro these past two weeks, and with them, they brought a plethora of talent.

Local residents and visitors depend on the area’s fire companies day in and day out for the safety of their friends, family and loved ones. That protection relies heavily on community involvement, especially through volunteer companies. And the Roxana Volunteer Fire Company was able to capitalize on a major donation made by a lifetime member – a contribution that will help them serve the community into the future.