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Once Ida passes, weather expected to be gorgeous for Labor Day

Betsy PriceCulture, Headlines

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Photo by Jim Stapleton/Unsplash

 

Delaware weather is expected to be gorgeous over Labor Day weekend, with sunny days and highs hovering around 80 degrees.

By Thursday night, the remnants of Hurricane Ida will have swept away, leaving the coast clear for fun.

Literally.

The Delaware Department of Transportation is suspending construction-related lane closures from Thursday until 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, to allow holiday traffic to flow as freely as possible in some places.

However, ongoing sustained lane shifts, like those in the Restore the Corridor project through Wilmington, will still be in effect.

At the Delaware beaches, bookings are good, said Carol Everhart, president of the Rehoboth Beach Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce. Rehoboth Beach is having a Red, White and Blue event at its bandstand to celebrate first responders and the military.

The scene will be a far cry from last year when beach businesses were crying for business and beach bars had to follow strict guidelines designed to keep COVID-19 from spreading.

This year, they’re stressing about not having enough workers as business has soared and Gov. John Carney  lifted mask mandates in July. This weekend, many of the high school and college students they hired for summer will be back home, diving into classes, campus events and sports.

Some things to know about this weekend:

Managing your drive in Delaware: DelDOT’s smartphone app, which is free, allows users to view real time traffic cameras, travel times, delays, advisories, and DART’s Real-Time Transit Information. Travel information can also be found on the Transportation Management Center’s WTMC 1380 AM radio station, which offers real-time traffic conditions throughout the state. Travelers can help keep it current by contact the TMC any time to report travel or traffic related issues by dialing #77 from acell phone in Delaware or (302) 659-4600; or 1-800-324-8379.

Mask mandates: The state continues to ask people who are not vaccinated to wear masks and those who are vaccinated to wear them indoors to help curtail the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19. Everhart said there’s no city mask mandate in Rehoboth or Dewey beaches, but Rehoboth does require masks for all inside city buildings.

Still mindful of COVID-19:  The Delaware Division of Public Health recommends that everyone follow Centers for Disease Control advice and consider wearing a mask in crowded outdoor settings and for activities with close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated. It also wants to remind people that many pharmacies that are open all weekend are offering vaccine shots.

Gas prices: Gasoline prices in Delaware dipped a bit, but by Monday were rising again to about $3 a gallon, according to the Mid-Atlantic AAA.

Dining out: All kinds of eateries are suffering from not being able to hire enough help. If you do go out, expect service to be slower, with food and drinks not arriving as quickly as normal.

Parking at the beach: Meters remain in effect in all beach town. Dewey Beach and Bethany Beach stop after Sept. 15; Rehoboth after Sept. 19; Lewes after Sept. 30. Fenwick Island requires parking permits, sold at the police station or a kiosk there, through Sept. 15.

Events at the beach: Rehoboth Beach will have a Beach Goes Red, White & Blue event saluting the military and first responders from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will include historical displays by area groups.

Fewer life guards on duty: With lifeguards leaving to return to high school, college, sports and band camps, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has said Delaware Seashore State Park’s Tower Road beach and Fenwick Island State Park’s Fenwick Lot beaches will be unguarded during the week, but guarded on weekends. The state has asked people to use well-guarded beaches, including the main beach at Cape Henlopen State Park and the South Indian River Inlet side of Seashore State Park.

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