Medical waste such as needles have been found washed up on the beaches of a few East Coast states including Delaware. (Photo by Video131/Shutterstock)

Needles, medical waste close Delaware beaches, ocean access

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Culture

Delawareans hoping to get one last taste of the ocean this summer have to avoid three state beaches to do so. Officials from Dewey Beach, Fenwick Island and Rehoboth Beach have announced that swimming is temporarily off limits due to “discovery of medical waste” that has washed up on the beaches.  “Out of an abundance of caution, the ocean has …

The Gordons Pond trail is one of the superintendent's picks at Delaware State Parks. Courtesy of Delaware State Parks.

For verified fun, check out park superintendents’ picks

Ken MammarellaCulture, Headlines

Delaware State Parks in 2022 drew 8 million visitors, lured by the sand and the surf, the flora and the fauna, the past and the participatory sports and other activities and events that don’t make alliterative pairs. But wait, there’s more! Park superintendents promote a wide variety of “superintendent’s picks” on the homepages of most of the 17 state parks. …

Metered parking will be $4 an hour this year in Rehoboth Beach. (Wikimedia Commons photo by Dough4872)

You’ll probably pay more for beach parking this year

Katie KazimirCulture, Government, Headlines

Rehoboth, Dewey and Bethany beaches are increasing parking rates this summer, with Rehoboth and Dewey officials citing increased health insurance costs and other expenses. Parking rates for Lewes and Fenwick Island rates will not change. Here’s the situation in each Sussex County beach community. Rehoboth Beach parking Citing a $4.4 million deficit in the city’s proposed $37 million budget for …

Fenwick wind farm US Wind

Fenwick mayor: Wind farm deal ‘rushing to outcome’

Katie KazimirGovernment, Headlines

Fenwick Island Mayor Natalie Magdeburger has a lot of questions about the state embracing a plan to bring an offshore wind power cables ashore in a Delaware State Park near her town: US Wind is an Italian company and could be sold, she pointed out. Could that give an unfriendly company access to the United States’ power grid? What exactly …

A bill to change Seaford's charter has been pulled from the Legislature's agenda. (Wikimedia photo by Nyttend)

Seaford charter change in jeopardy after backlash

Sam HautGovernment, Headlines

Seaford officials were planning on making what they thought was a simple change to the city charter, something that several other Delaware municipalities had already done. That change would allow someone who lives outside the city — but owns a business in Seaford that is registered through an LLC —  to vote in municipal elections. The change needed to be …

lifeguard Delaware State Parks Beach Patrol

Hopefuls start tryouts for State Parks lifeguard jobs

Rachel Swick MavityCulture, Headlines

Delaware State Parks Beach Patrol Capt. Bailey Noel wants to have all four park-managed beaches open this summer. But he needs to recruit 20 to 30 new beach patrol lifeguards to do that. Last year, the Tower Road beach had to be closed most weekends outside of holidays because he didn’t have the staff to guard the beach.  Noel estimates …

Grenoble Place Crossing

Delaware Memorial Day dune crossing closures

Charles MegginsonCulture, Headlines

Multiple vehicle and pedestrian beach access points will be closed during Memorial Day weekend, DNREC announced Thursday. The drive-on and walk-on crossings sustained damage during a May 8 nor’easter. Unsafe drop-offs along the dunes where the crossings meet the beach necessitated the closures. Very little beach is available for drive-on surf fishing, even during low tide at the closed locations, …

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Film screening part of Rehoboth museum’s storm of ’62 exhibit

Pam GeorgeCulture, Headlines

Rehoboth Beach boardwalk was destroyed as the sand was eaten away during a three-day nor’easter in 1962. Photo from the Delaware Public Archives.   On April 22, 1962, more than 2,500 people flocked to Rehoboth Beach to flaunt their Easter finery before judges — and each other. Although it was 80 degrees, the ladies vying for the best-dressed woman award …

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Ørsted’s Skipjack 2 offshore wind project given the green light

Charles MegginsonBusiness, Government, Headlines, Health

Photo courtesy of Ørsted. The Maryland Public Service Commission has selected Danish multinational power company Ørsted’s Skipjack Wind 2 for a 20-year Offshore Renewable Energy Credit. Skipjack Wind 2 is an 846-megawatt offshore turbine project that aims to power approximately 250,000 homes in the Delmarva region with clean energy. Though the energy produced will mostly go to other states, Delaware …