South Bethany News

What do you get when you take away the sand in a standard concrete mixture? Pervious concrete!

A stormy 12- to 18-hour period is being forecast at the Delaware shore, with the National Weather Service having issued wind, high-surf and coastal flood advisories for the area through Thursday morning, Dec. 3.

Sussex County emergency officials are urging coastal residents and property owners to be alert to weather conditions for the next several days.

If there is one thing Lt. Cmdr. Bert Geis and his wife, Nikki, aren’t doing this Thanksgiving holiday, it’s traveling. Bert Geis has already been on six deployments with the U.S. Navy so far in his career.

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 3 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON...

“Today, the Sussex County Grand Jury returned a 14-count indictment charging Derrick Powell with 1st Degree Murder, among other charges, for the Sept. 1 shooting that killed Georgetown police officer Ptl. Chad Spicer and injured Georgetown police officer Cpl. Shawn Brittingham,” Attorney General Joseph R. “Beau” Biden III announced on Monday, Nov. 23.

Last weekend’s storm may not have impacted the Delaware shore the way the Storm of 1962 rolled up the coast, but restoration and recovery are definitely an eminent part of the weather’s aftermath.

Sussex County emergency managers are asking property owners and residents affected by last week’s coastal storm to report any damage to homes, businesses, cars or other property so officials can gain a clear picture of the extent of destruction wrought by the worst nor’easter to hit the region at least since 1998.

The Delaware Department of Transportation has updated its list of roadways closed due to this week's storm, announcing that, about 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 15, all lanes of Route 1 in the area of the Indian River Bridge had been reopened.

Property owners and residents in low-lying areas of coastal Delaware continued this weekend to feel the impact of what many are calling Nor’Ida – former Hurricane Ida, turned nor’easter – despite the scaling back of the storm to a stiff breeze and a light misting of rain on Saturday, Nov. 14.

The Delaware Department of Transportation has issued an extensive list of road closures in Sussex County due to this week's storm. The list was updated on Sunday, Nov. 15.

The remnants of Hurricane Ida continued to wallop the Delaware coastal area on Friday, Nov. 13, with winds expected to continue to average around 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph.

Friday’s state of emergency is not a hurricane, but the weather is severe, and Elainea Goldthwaite, Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) Delaware Animal Response coordinator, is urging Delawareans to be mindful of their pets and livestock as the tropical storm runs its course.

Sussex County emergency officials on Friday morning, Nov. 13, were continuing to monitor the major coastal storm affecting the region, but said they were optimistic that once the early morning high-tide cycle was complete, conditions might gradually improve over the next 24 hours.

Gov. Jack Markell has declared a state of emergency for Kent County and Sussex County to better enable response to the current storm, effective at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12.

Route 1 closed in both directions at IRIB

Delaware Department of Transportation officials have completely closed Route 1 at the Indian River Inlet Bridge as of 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12. The road is closed both northbound and southbound and in all lanes. No estimated time for reopening of the road has been announced.

As cooler weather rolls in and the heavy traffic of summer dwindles, local restaurants are looking for alternative ways to cater to their customers, especially in the current economy.

Starting Nov. 13, Hocker’s and G&E will be offering customers a gas rewards program. For every $100 spent, customers will receive 10 cents per gallon off of gas purchased at Hocker’s or G&E. Through the Hocker’s G&E Gold Card customers will be able to save on various items throughout both stores and pay a discounted price on gas.

Those looking to get involved in their community may want to give the Southern Sussex Rotary at try. The world’s first service organization is looking for members in the area.

“It’s a community thing,” explained Southern Sussex member Dominique Kimball. “But it is also national and international.”

In a case that details the kinds of conflict that can happen as an area is developed, a 1-acre property near Millville has been the source of discord between the property owner and neighbors in recent years, as they battle over an ongoing use that the property’s owner says has existed there for nearly a half-century.

In a move that garnered praise from Gov. Jack Markell and Delaware Congressional delegation, NRG Energy Inc. this week announced that it had acquired Bluewater Wind, one of the nation’s leading offshore wind development businesses, from Babcock & Brown and Arcadia Windpower.

IRSD schools closing an hour early

Issued by the National Weather Service
Philadelphia, Pa.
9:43 a.m. EST, Wed., Nov. 11, 2009

... High wind warning in effect from 6 p.m. this evening to 6 a.m. EST Friday...

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly, N.J., has issued a high wind warning... Which is in effect from 6 p.m. this evening to 6 a.m. EST Friday.

\With responsibility for dog control inside Sussex County transferring to county officials in January, county council members and staff began work this week on adoption of Chapter 60 of county code, the ordinance setting up the rules for the county’s new dog-control operations.

See a slideshow of the damage to Bethany Beach’s dune and shoreline

Local and county officials had already warned residents and emergency services staffs that the impact of a nor’easter that roiled off the Atlantic Coast of Delaware starting last Thursday afternoon was likely to be significant. But as the weekend wore on, two separate storms and astronomical high tide combined to damage beaches, break trees and cause flooding throughout the area.