Bethany Beach

On Wednesday, July 28, U.S. Sens. Tom Carper and Ted Kaufman (both D-Del.) and Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) announced that $8.172 million in federal funding would be provided to repair the Bethany Beach and South Bethany coastline following damage from the nor’easter and Hurricane Ida in November 2009.

In the spirit of Andres Segovia and Charlie Byrd, Larry Snitzler, classical guitarist, and Rick Whitehead, jazz guitarist, will combine their talents in the second concert of the summer season presented by Concerts at the Beach. The program will feature Latin American, classical and jazz standards, and the concert will be held in St.

Summertime is in full swing, and many have been heading to the shore for a relaxing getaway and time with family and friends. But the increased number of vacationers inevitably leads to higher volume of traffic on the roadways.

For 25 years, the “Friends of Summer” have mourned the passing of the summer tourist season at Bethany Beach, Del. Known as a “Quiet Resort,” the beach town is where a group of faithful mourners respectfully lay to rest their beloved summer season on Labor Day.

Bringing to a close discussions dating back to February, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Secretary Collin O’Mara recently announced that the agency has finalized a consent agreement with NRG Energy Inc. that will permanently shut down a third coal-fired electrical generating unit at the Indian River Power Plant in Millsboro by the end of 2013.

Bethany Beach Audit Committee member Don Doyle called the 52-page audit document for the Town of Bethany Beach’s 2010 fiscal year “an educational trip through the finances of the Town of Bethany Beach.” But the bottom line for those who prefer more typical beach reads to finance documents is that the town, once again, came out head and shoulders above the crowd for its financial management.

Whether doing cannonballs off the boat, taking off from the dock on a personal watercraft or swimming in the open bays, it’s nice to know how clean that water really is. And the Center for the Inland Bays’ second Recreational Water Quality Indicator Report can help in navigating the use of some of the local inland bays.

The Bethany Beach’s Farmers’ Market has been luring in shoppers and providing local farmers, growers and producers with an outlet for their products for four years now. Since this year’s market started up in late June, the number of shoppers stopping out on Sunday mornings has been impressive. Statistics for the first month – provided by the market’s president, Dan Costello – show that the market is very popular not only among locals, but with out-of-town vacationers, too.

Delaware State Police this week arrested five teenagers in connection with the burglary of a Bethany Beach home on Friday, July 16.

It was that time again this week: time for Ecumenical Vacation Bible School. In the Bethany Beach area, ecumenical means several churches working together for this annual vacation tradition, and the time in the middle of summer that some kids look forward to all year long, where they will once again meet new friends, meet new teachers and, for some, be introduced to Jesus Christ for the first time.

After Giang Hong spent five years bringing authentic Thai cuisine to the Washington, D.C., suburb of Herndon, Va., he was ready for a change of scenery. When he could not find space available to open a restaurant in Ocean City, Md., he opted for an “express” alternative in Bethany Beach, and locals and visitors have been taking full advantage since Thai Palms Grill opened earlier this month.

For the owner of Patsy’s restaurant in downtown Bethany Beach, hosting live musicians has been a goal for 11 years. This summer, that goal was finally accomplished, as the tunes of guitarist Jeff Severson floated through the air on several occasions during Saturday dinner and Sunday brunch.

Outstanding architecture, astounding landscaping, inspiring home furnishings and stunning design have all combined to make particular homes and dwellings some of the most sought-after and admired ones in the area. Next week, guests on the 19th Annual Beach & Bay Cottage Tour, to benefit the Friends of the South Coastal Library (FOSCL), will once again have the opportunity to witness it all and visit 10 exceptional homes throughout the Bethany Beach/Fenwick Island area.

The Fenwick Island and Bethany Beach farmers’ markets are up and running, and word is spreading quickly. Sue Ryan has been seeing record numbers of customers in her shop, Good Earth Market, as a result of the farmers’ market’s exposure, and some farmers are selling out of produce and products before the day is over.

“It doesn’t make any difference … whether you are in a pool, or the ocean. It only takes a matter of seconds.”

There’s no question that the lineup of cuisine throughout the area is a difficult one to compete with, but brothers-in-law Carl Moyer and Aaron Doyle have seemed to have had no problems stepping into the scene. Fresh baked breads, hand-sliced cheeses and meats to order, and pasta and shrimp salads made from scratch are helping The Chef’s Pantry become the community’s acclaimed delicatessen.

For many, a day at the beach just isn’t the same without a frosty treat. And now Bethany Beach-goers have a new choice in sweet desserts: Kohr Bros. on the corner of Garfield Parkway and Atlantic Avenue.

The Bethany Beach Surf Shop, which has been a quiet resort staple, just celebrated its 30th year of business. Owned and operated by Jim McGrath and his wife, Shelia, Jim first became interested in surfing when his family moved to Hawaii for almost three years when he was a young teenager.

Jim McGrath has worked diligently for 30 years to establish Bethany Surf Shop as one of the longest-running retail businesses at the Delaware shore. This year, they celebrate that milestone year in downtown Bethany Beach. But perhaps McGrath has done too good a job of making the name a success, as he now asserts that another Bethany retailer infringed on that trademark.

For those looking for the refreshing treat of an ice cream cone or sundae without all the hassle of trying to find a parking space, Beach Plaza Scoops could be just the ticket. Beach Plaza Scoops has old favorites Jack and Jill ice cream and Philadelphia Water Ice. Cone or cup, sundaes, milkshakes or banana splits, the shop could fill a sweet tooth craving for nearly anybody.

Whether you know them as blintzes, palacinkas or crepes, there’s no doubting that these thin, pancake-like treats are a staple throughout Europe – particularly in France. Now, Justin Evans and his girlfriend, Pavla Glovcikova, are bringing the tasty treat to the Delaware shore, in hopes that the versatile dish catches on right in downtown Bethany Beach.

This weekend, the nation will come together for reflection upon its independence – a time for families and friends to enjoy one another’s company. And there is no shortage of events at which to do so. Fenwick Island’s popular town bonfire will take place at the Dagsboro Street beach on Saturday, July 3, from 6:30 to 10 p.m., while Bethany Beach will once again be hitting their downtown streets with their annual summer parade, fireworks and plenty of entertainment.

Chris Bason, science and technical coordinator for the Center for the Inland Bays, was recently promoted to a newly-proposed position of deputy director, effective this fall. Bason will be retaining much of his duties as science and technical coordinator, as well as assisting the CIB’s director, Ed Lewandowski, in taking the organization in a bit of a new direction.

It’s hard to imagine that it could have ever been more difficult getting to the beach when one is sitting in traffic on Route 26 or Route 1 on a summer Saturday morning. But getting to the beach in two hours instead of 24 or 48 should help people remember just how good they’ve got it today. Gone are the days that vacationers had to get into Bethany Beach by boat.

Summer officially kicked off last Monday and, with that, the Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island farmers’ markets got under way. Each week this summer, through early September, farmers, growers and other local providers will bring their wares to the much-anticipated markets, providing shoppers with freshness and taste that can be hard to find in the produce section of the grocery store.

With a catchy name and only the freshest catches, the people behind Off the Hook in Bethany Beach hope it will become a place food appreciators come to think being synonymous with the “farm – or water – to table” concept.

“After the beach and the ocean, the lifeguards are the most important part of our community,” said Martin Weinstein, a home owner at Sea Del Estates. “They are friendly, courteous and, most important, they make us feel secure.”

Every evening, the Mease family sits down for dinner and conversation in their home at the Villages of Clearwater, off Kent Avenue. On one occasion in April 2009, the topic was the recession and the reality of hunger that some children experience during the summer, when school breakfasts and lunches are no longer available. The family talked about what they could do in their community, and Danielle Mease – then a junior at Indian River High School – had the idea to conduct a food drive.

Visitors to the Bethany Beach boardwalk this summer might have notice a few changes from last summer, beyond the damage done to the reconstructed dune during the Veteran’s Day storms of 2009, though those changes could easily be missed from a distance. But, really, the changes are right there, under their… feet.

Bethany Beach Town Council members were on the receiving end of another round of chastisement on Friday, June 18, when the town held a public hearing in advance of a vote to finally repeal an ordinance that most everyone in the town had believed, until very recently, had been repealed four years ago.