Femur found at Indian River Inlet
Officials say what appears to be a human femur has been found just south of Indian River Inlet. Michael Globetti, spokesman for the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), said a surf fisherman snagged the bone Wednesday, Aug. 25. Parks and recreation enforcement officers searched the area with assistance from Delaware State Police dive teams; no other remains were found. Parks officials and police swept the area once more Friday, Aug. 27. The bone was sent to the Medical Examiner’s Office, where experts will attempt to positively prove it is from human remains, Globetti said. The treacherous waters of Indian River Inlet have claimed two fishermen within the past year: Myungtiki Kim of Vienna, Va., and Joel Thompson of Long Neck.
Cape taking financial committee applications
The Cape Henlopen School District is accepting applications for a district financial oversight committee. Those interested may apply until Friday, Sept. 10. Applications are available in the district office and on the district website at capehenlopenschools.com.
Cape board approves preliminary budget
The Cape Henlopen school board approved the preliminary fiscal year 2011 budget Thursday, Aug. 26. District business director Oliver Gumbs said the district plans to take in $22 million in local, discretionary funds and spend $21.6 million, putting $400,000 in reserves, for a total $1.7 million in reserves. Cape expects to receive $49 million from the state and $7.4 million from the federal government, Gumbs said. Individual schools’ budgets and the athletics budget would be adjusted when the unit count is completed at the end of September, he said.
Cape to highlight high school name on back of building
The name “Cape Henlopen High School” is carved into the dryvit on the back of the high school, but some people have said the name can’t be seen from the football stadium. The Cape Henlopen Board of Education now plans to order dark, aluminum letters to make the name more readable. School board member Camilla Conlon said the district’s building and grounds committee investigated ways to make the name stand out. She said buildings and grounds supervisor Tyrone Woodyard said painting the letters would cost about $850 but would start to bleed within a few years. Woodyard recommended aluminum letters with color baked in, Conlon reported to the school board Thursday, Aug. 26. The letters, which will cost $2,375, would be raised above the building surface and require no maintenance. Board members unanimously approved ordering and installing the letters.
Sussex council approves grants
Sussex County Council approved the following councilmanic grants during its Tuesday, Aug. 24 meeting: $250 to Coasters Inc. for outfits for the Mid-Atlantic gymnastics team; $3,000 to the Town of Dagsboro for drainage projects; $200 to H.O. Brittingham School in Milton to support the Partners Program; and $1,500 for Bridgeville’s Apple-Scrapple Festival for operating expenses. Grants are awarded to nonprofit agencies within the county.
Sussex County Council takes two-week break
Sussex County Council will not meet Tuesday, Aug. 31, or Tuesday, Sept. 7. Council meetings will resume at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 14, in the county administration building on The Circle in Georgetown.
Rehoboth passes permit ordinance
The Rehoboth Beach commissioners unanimously passed an ordinance clarifying the requirements for a restaurant to be granted a permit of compliance. Under the ordinance, restaurants serving alcohol established on or after June 14, 1991 – when the permit of compliance ordinance was first established – would not be required to get a permit of compliance unless as a condition of extending or modifying the restaurant. All existing restaurants must have a floor plan filed with the city manager. Restaurants serving alcohol that have a change of ownership must file documentation with the city manager proving that the floor plan is not substantially changing. Any restaurant moving to a new location within the city must get a permit of compliance from the city. A permit of compliance is important because any restaurant or dinner theater looking to serve alcohol must get a permit from the municipality before it can get a liquor license from the state Alcohol Beverage Control Commissioner.
Cooper named to Rehoboth board
The Rehoboth Beach commissioners unanimously confirmed the appointment of Frank Cooper to serve as the fifth member of the city’s board of adjustment. Cooper will be replacing Paul Flexer, who resigned earlier this summer. The unexpired term lasts until October.
Delaware adopts curriculum standards
The Delaware State Board of Education has approved adoption of national standards for teaching English and math. The Delaware Department of Education says those standards will make education in the First State more rigorous. Some schools will see curriculum changes by the second half of this year, according to the Department of Education, but most changes will take effect in the 2011-12 school year. Delaware Secretary of Education Lillian Lowery said the new standards will help achieve intensive reform needed in schools. Delaware Gov. Jack Markell is chairman of the Common Core Standards Initiative for the National Governors Association. The standards are designed to align with college and work expectations, emphasize high-order skills, are research based and are informed by top-performing countries.
DNREC expedites permitting process
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Wetlands and Subaqueous Lands Section has adopted a new Statewide Activity Approval for repair work on docks, piers, boat ramps, pilings, bulkheads, and other similar structures. The new “Repair SAA” provides an expedited permitting process for repair projects with a simplified application and permit forms. It can be used in all tidal and non-tidal waters throughout the state and is anticipated to reduce the permit processing time for repair work by 50 percent. The Wetlands and Subaqueous Lands Section worked with marine contractors and consultants in designing this new process. The new application forms will be distributed to marine contractors and consultants and also are now posted on www.wr.dnrec.delaware.gov.
Cape amends transport contracts
Members of the Cape Henlopen school board at the Aug. 12 board meeting approved changes to its policy on transportation contracts. The policy now allows the district to put contractors on probation. All board members voted in favor of the change except Sandi Minard, who was not at the meeting.
Kent SPCA patrols Sussex County
The Sussex County dog-control contractor, Kent County SPCA, issued an activity report for July at Sussex County Council’s Aug. 10 meeting. Included in the report were 36 dog-bite complaints, 12 cat-bite complaints, 97 dog-at-large calls, 68 transports of dogs to the shelter, 52 transports of cats to the shelter, 183 license checks, 52 state citations and 26 county citations, and three kennel inspections. Dog-control staff answered 559 service and bite-case calls.
Senior transit agencies receive state funding
Agencies providing senior citizen transportation services in Sussex will receive a little extra money this year. Sussex County Council allocates more than $796,000 in state-transit funding each year. Since there was no request from one of the recipients, Easter Seals, the $47,000 allotted to the organization will be split among six other organizations. Funding is as follows: $580,000 to CHEER Inc.; $99,000 to Laurel Senior Center; $45,000 to Nanticoke Senior Center in Seaford; $43,000 to Cape Henlopen Senior Center in Rehoboth Beach; $27,000 to Lewes Senior Center; and $2,100 to Indian River Senior Center. Lewes Senior Center received the largest percentage increase from leftover funds with an additional $3,100 this year.
Lewes proclaims Family Day to be Sept. 27
The City of Lewes has proclaimed Monday, Sept. 27, as Family Day. Mayor Jim Ford said the day, which is observed nationally, is one during which families are encouraged to sit down and have dinner together. He said family meals are the perfect time to talk to children and hear what’s on their minds. Ford said studies show children who don’t eat dinner with their family are more likely to smoke, 2.5 times more likely to become involved with drugs and 1.5 times more likely to use alcohol. “Kids who eat dinner with their family more frequently, do better than those who don’t,” he said. For more information on Family Day and the benefits have having dinner as a family, go to casafamilyday.org.
