Fenwick Island News

Update-- At 3:00p.m. today Bethany Beach was to be closed to all beach related activities (swimming, fishing, etc.) until conditions improve.

Coastal Delaware residents and municipalities were preparing mid-week for at least a brush with Hurricane Earl, as the major hurricane continued on its track northwest through the Atlantic. Earl’s closest approach to Delaware was expected to occur Friday afternoon, about 175 miles from the coast, and a hurricane watch was issued by the National Weather Service mid-day on Sept. 1. A hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning remain in effect as of mid-day Thursday, Sept. 2.

On Friday, Aug. 27, the Fenwick Island town council held its regular monthly meeting, and Councilman Gene Langan presented a brief update on the preliminary design phase of the town’s future Public Service Building.

David and Janet Twining seized instant success with Nantucket’s restaurant in Fenwick Island when they opened it up 20 years ago, reproducing the taste and charms of New England. This summer, they’ve done it again with the trendy and casual Lobster Shanty, offering a funky twist on the nation’s northeastern region.

Online volunteer registration is now open for the 25th annual Delaware Coastal Cleanup, to be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 25. Sponsored by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), the cleanup spans the First State’s 97-mile eastern coastline and includes river and ocean shorelines, as well as wetland and watershed areas.

Those who haven’t had the opportunity to attend a live performance of such pop icons as Billy Joel, Elton John or even Elvis Presley, likely won’t want to miss the upcoming concerts at the Freeman Stage.

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.

Randy Lee Ashcraft describes his kind of music as “good fun.”

“Whether we’re playing classic rock or country or ’60s, our motto is, ‘If we’re not having fun, they’re not having fun,” he said.

The Freeman Stage at Bayside is gearing up to host its third annual Arts and Jazz Festival, beginning Friday, July 30, at 4 p.m. The free two-day event runs until 8 p.m. on Friday and from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 31.

The festival, which showcases live jazz performances and the work of local artists, is a favorite of area residents, according to organizers.

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.

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.

On Saturday, July 31, the Fenwick Island Yacht Club will hold its 5th annual Fenwick Island Boat Parade. Beginning at 5:30 p.m., the parade will start at Sea Island, off of Schultz Road in Fenwick, and travel down numerous lagoons and, water willing, out to the mouth of the bay and back.

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.”

In June 2009, Karen DeRiemer took a chance. She entered her family in a contest to win a $10,000 dream vacation. HomeAway, a Texas-based company that matches travelers with vacation properties all over the world, sponsored the contest to give a free vacation to a deserving family. Contestants had two weeks to recruit votes, and the family with the most votes registered would win the vacation.

Fenwick Island is about to go back – back to when the Blue Sands Motel was Tingle’s Motel, back when Sea Shell City was simply Ruth’s Shell Shop, back when the Ric-Mar Motel and Seaside Country Store were the new places in town and Warren’s Station, the Lighthouse Diner and Libby’s were the only places to grab a bite. Yep, Old Fenwick Island Days is coming back to town.

Doing good deeds for the environment was certainly on the mind of Jeff Mumford of Warren’s Station restaurant in Fenwick Island when he first started researching renewable energy systems. Equally on his mind was the economic benefit and the sustainability of a installing such a system, including his recently completed 14 kw worth of solar panels.

In 1968, Maryann Budko, Martha Leredu and Robin Fogel were the best of friends, graduating from Stamford High School in Stamford, Conn. Last weekend, the three reunited after 42 years apart, for a vacation in Fenwick Island.

The Town of Fenwick Island will host its annual beach bonfire on Saturday, July 3, from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at the Dagsboro Street beach. The annual event raises money for the Fenwick Island Beach Patrol, to help offset costs of attending the national lifeguard competition, which will be held this year in California.

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.

Fenwick Island is still grappling with the “wedding house,” one of two houses inside town limits that is currently being advertised as a wedding reception facility. Town Council Member Todd Smallwood informed the council at their June 25 meeting that it was still being “advertised as of today.” The advertisement was still online on Tuesday, June 29.

Nothing says summertime like a refreshing ice cream cone on a sweltering day, and the people behind Blue Scoop can attest to that. But the ice cream shop, situated beside Harris Teeter on Route 54 between Fenwick Island and Selbyville, Del., is much more than a place to satisfy your sweet tooth. They’ve become a business that’s just as good for the environment as they are for families.

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.

The Town of Fenwick Island went to settlement this week on the purchase of a lot on Cannon Street that will allow the town to expand its park amenities.

In the Washington, D.C., suburbs, Ellen’s Futon Wholesalers is well known as a furniture retailer. Now, they’ve taken their popular product to Delaware for the first time, with their recent opening in Fenwick Island.