Home 1
Strittmatter home

After spending the last 15 summers vacationing in Bethany Beach with their four kids, Rosanne and John Strittmatter of Potomac, Md., decided it was time to set down roots. They located an older mid-century cottage on a double lot within walking distance of the beach and, although it needed a major redo, they could see that it had great potential. They loved the ground-floor rambler style with guest rooms upstairs, plus the added bonus of a backyard pool.

Having already renovated four homes previously, Rosanne set to work, gutting the first floor to create an open central living area flanked by the master suite on one side and the kids’ bedrooms on the other. The back of the home offers easy access to the spacious rear patio and pool, now the central focus of all family gatherings.

The decor is relaxed and beach-y, using soft tropical colors and fun accessories. The result is a welcoming family retreat that captures the character and charm of an older cottage, reflects the artistry of the homeowner and serves as the anchor for the Strittmatters where they can all reconnect and relax. Thus the inscription upon entering the living room: “Beach Matters.”

Home 2
Ashworth home

When Julia Ashworth’s grandfather bought a $900 lot in South Bethany some 50 years ago, he established a family vacation tradition that has continued ever since. Julia grew up coming to the home he built there, and her love for South Bethany was cemented when Travis proposed to her on the beach in 1997.

They went on to purchase a small South Bethany rancher in 2010, spending many happy summers there with their three young daughters. As the children grew, they realized they needed something larger and so, in 2016, they purchased a canalfront lot and began construction on their custom dream home, completed last year and dubbed “Instead of 3 Weddings.”

The new 3,000-square-foot home utilizes an inverted floor plan, providing the family space to spread out and also to come together. The second floor was designed for the girls, with three bedrooms, two baths, a kids’ TV lounge and a waterfront deck equipped with three Adirondack chairs. Upstairs, the main living area is topped by a vaulted ceiling and opens out to a screened porch, sundeck and beautiful views of the canal. The master suite and an adjoining office complete the upper level.

The transitional interior design balances the modern sophisticated feel of large graphic art with the warmth and character of reclaimed wood found in the custom dining table, coffee table and ceiling beams. Multiple entertaining areas, both inside and out, comfortably accommodate large groups. The dockside patio, equipped with an outdoor TV and all-weather sectional sofa, is the perfect spot to relax while awaiting a ride on the family pontoon boat or a turn in one of the two outdoor showers. With a focus on fun and function, this family has created a vacation home that will welcome generations for years to come.

Home 3
O’Brien Home

It’s hard to believe that this spacious four-bedroom, four-bath canal-front home was originally a small three-bedroom, one-bath 1970s-era rancher of less than 900 square feet. Susan and John O’Brien purchased their South Bethany beach house in 1997, when their sons were just 6, 8 and 9.

Despite its small size, it became the focus of every summer from that moment, on with Susan and the kids spending all of their summers there from the last day of school in June until the early morning of the first day back in September.

Eventually, they began to outgrow the original house. Rather than move to a bigger place, they chose to renovate because they loved their quiet location on the water, just a short walk to the beach. They began by adding a second floor in 2001, remodeling the kitchen in 2008 and just recently completed a final renovation in 2016, bringing the square footage up to 2,700 square feet.

Susan describes her style of decorating as simple beach elegance, choosing a minimum of soft textural beach accessories to complement the pale monochromatic background colors. In deference to her husband’s visual impairment, she has tried to keep everything as clutter-free and light as possible to ease his navigation around the open floor plan.

Having spent so many years in the original tiny downstairs master bedroom, one of Susan’s priorities was to create a spacious master suite with plenty of well-ordered storage. This final renovation was done to insure that there would be enough room for their adult sons and their future families to experience the same carefree endless summers that they enjoyed growing up, carrying on the family tradition started more than 20 years ago.

Home 4
Ianniello/Chuzi home

After searching for several years for their dream vacation home in Bethany Beach, Toni Ianniello and George Chuzi finally found what they’d been looking for in 2016, tucked away on a quiet street near the canal and wetlands, yet within walking distance of town. Although 10 years old, the three-story shingled home looked like new and offered quality custom finishes and architectural details that enhanced its appeal.

The home was already beautifully furnished, so it only remained for them to personalize the décor with accessories and art. Toni selected works from more than 10 local artists, most found at nearby Gallery One. Reclaimed antique pine flooring, custom millwork and built-in cherry cabinetry all add warmth and richness, while art-glass sconces add a touch of elegance.

A stone-faced fireplace with antique metal insert is flanked by custom built-ins and cozy seating in the open light-dappled main living area, while a spacious gourmet kitchen is an added bonus for George’s culinary creations. The master bedroom on the main floor is topped by three additional bedrooms and an adjacent lounge on the third floor, allowing a measure of space and privacy for them and their adult children as they all seek refuge in their quiet vacation retreat.

Home 5
Kirks Home

Having both grown up vacationing in Bethany Beach, Carter and Matt Kirks vowed when they married that they would someday build a home there. The opportunity presented itself in 2014, with the purchase of a canalside lot in Tingles Addition that offered the chance to create a home large enough to accommodate their growing extended family.

Great attention has been paid to the details of comfortable multigenerational living in this 3,600-square-foot home completed just a year ago. The main living area is an open kitchen-based floor plan, surrounded by a wrap-around all-season sunroom designed to give both children and adults plenty of room to spread out.

With an eye to the future, the first-floor master suite, with an adjacent office and master laundry, is equipped with doorways and bathrooms wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair, if necessary. The entire second floor was created as a dual-generation guest suite, with a pair of double bunk bedrooms to accommodate the Kirks’ seven grandkids and a two-bedroom guest suite to serve their parents. A shared lounge and large laundry room nestle in between the bedrooms.

The home is filled with plenty of well-designed practical features, such as bedside USB ports and efficient task-oriented built-in storage in the kitchen, bathrooms and laundries.

The colorful décor is family-friendly, filled with fun whimsical features that include a tree-house-style loft connector between the grandkids’ bunk rooms, an entire lounge of jump-worthy beanbag furniture, a vintage mail slot for post-office play, a hand-built dollhouse and a double-sized Jacuzzi bathtub with a built-in light show. Carter’s eclectic yard-sale treasures and Matt’s vintage collections bring added character and showcase the couple’s creativity.

Outdoor activities abound on this canalside lot stocked with bikes, boats, bodyboards and kayaks, all stashed under the home in clever storage bins designed by the owner so that they’re readily accessible for their active and ever-growing family.

Home 6
McInnis/Seleznow home

Together, JoAnn McInnis and Eric Seleznow were yearning for a beachside vacation home they could renovate in a style completely different from their 120-year-old home on Capitol Hill. Although the Lake Bethany property they settled on had been neglected for many years prior to their purchase in 2014, it was situated in a pine grove with views of marshland and easy access to the water for kayaking. It was just what they wanted.

The interior of the 1,800-square-foot mid-’80s home solidly reflected that era, with wood paneling, Pergo floors, blond wood kitchen cabinets and outdated bathrooms — one of them bright red. As part of a total renovation, they updated the entire house, both inside and out, to create an “organic modern” home that comfortably blended into the sylvan setting.

JoAnn did all of the design, sourcing of material and construction oversight for the entire renovation. Small original windows and doors were replaced with large double sliders to open the house to natural light and create the sense of indoor/outdoor living they were seeking. Drywall replaced the dated paneling, lighting was updated, and engineered hardwood floors were added. In the open kitchen, quartz island countertops replaced dark granite. The original cabinets were reconfigured, painted and varnished to further brighten the space. Collar-ties were crafted from local barn beams to add architectural detail to the vaulted ceiling.

A selection of custom-crafted wood furnishings, antiques and artful accessories mingle with contemporary pieces to warm the cool palette of neutrals. White linen drapes throughout the house keep things simple and bathe the home in soft natural light filtered through the surrounding trees. An owner-designed hanging bed on the small porch adjacent to the master bedroom adds a final touch of serenity to this tranquil woodland escape.

Home 7
Jankowski/Youngs home

As a native Delawarean, Kathy Jankowski spent her youth visiting relatives in Rehoboth Beach, and it was then that her dream of living at the beach was born. Working three jobs while a student at the University of Delaware, she saved enough to purchase waterfront property in South Bethany where she eventually built a three-story vacation home.

After enjoying the home with her family and friends for 33 years, however, concerns for easier senior living led to a recent decision to downsize to a one-level home. The Reserves in Ocean View offered the quality construction she and Rob Youngs were looking for in a community close to Bethany Beach amenities. Their three-bedroom, two-bath home boasts a spacious open floor plan with plenty of room for the frequent entertaining they both enjoy.

Her goal with this house was to create a more traditional décor with understated subtle references to the beach, primarily through well-chosen art and accessories. A soft neutral palette is paired with nubby upholstery, patterned rugs and drapes, and is grounded by elegant wingback chairs, an assortment of antiques and a treasured baby grand piano.

Arched portals add charm to the transition from the entry into the main living area and the bedrooms. A two-way fireplace provides ambiance and warmth year-round, both inside and out on the enclosed porch overlooking the pond. With a slightly modified water view, this new version of beach living continues to fulfill Kathy’s original childhood dream.

Home 8
Fischer home

After visiting the Seabreak community in North Bethany for many years, Kim and Paul Fischer purchased there in 2016 and began planning a home that would comfortably serve multiple generations of their family, completing it just in time for this year’s tour.

The 4,500-square-foot house incorporates a modern mix of industrial, coastal and organic elements to create a transitional twist on the traditional gabled beach cottage. A dramatic floating oak staircase ascends from the entry to reveal a towering bank of windows designed to flood the home with natural light from the southern exposure.

The upper level is designed to maximize ocean views and cross ventilation, with a 16-foot-wide bank of folding doors that open the main living area to a spacious screened porch and adjacent deck. A soaring vaulted ceiling with exposed ductwork and wooden rafters tops the great room, adding to the bright and airy open floor plan. Reclaimed woods and woven textures in the furnishing soften the industrial elements.

A master suite with a walk-through closet of custom cabinetry sits at the back of this level, capped by an ocean-view balcony. The entire middle level is dedicated to houseguests, with four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a study, laundry and a communal sitting room anchored by a custom wood-slat wall.

Home 9
Dillon home

Soon after moving the aging rancher from their Sea Del lot in 2005, Sharon and Paul Dillon of Bethesda, Md., began work on a beach home that would comfortably accommodate their family and a host of regular visitors. Completed in 2008, the home is divided into three separate living areas encompassing six bedrooms, five bathrooms and more than 5,000 square feet.

The home may look familiar to regular tour-goers who saw it in 2010, although it’s been tweaked and polished since then. The lower level, referred to as “the Olympic Village,” features a dorm room designed to house the Dillons’ adult children and a large group of their friends who convene annually for the Dewey Beach Sprint Triathlon, sometimes numbering as many as 55 for dinner and 25 overnight. A separate ground-floor entrance allows them easy access, and two outside showers alleviate lines for the inside facilities.

The middle floor, reserved for the couple’s friends and family, includes four en suite bedrooms that surround a common sitting area, with microwave, refrigerator, TV and direct access to the deck and hot tub. The light-filled third level boasts soaring vaulted ceilings that define the kitchen, dining and living areas, as well as a sunny ocean-view tower. A spacious master suite with private entry is tucked away at the rear, offering a quiet escape when needed.

The soothing décor is based on Sharon’s longtime love of the color aqua, seen in myriad shades throughout the home and inspired by a beloved photo of her mother in an aqua bridesmaid dress, now displayed in the master bedroom. The Caribbean influence permeates the home, with a palette of watery blues, each room sporting a different tropical hue and grounded by sandy colored natural maple floors.

The artwork continues the theme, with prints chosen from favorite island vacations, all of them pinpointed on a family travel map in an upper hallway. Seagull images complete the coastal theme, appearing on the cast metal sculpture at the entry, on the midlevel den mural, the glass wall hanging on the upper stairwell and mounted on the east exterior wall of the home.

Home 10
Bishop home

With a demanding family business in Baltimore, Bird and J.P. Bishop were seeking the solace and comfort of living by the water. While casually looking at oceanfront property for a possible future purchase, they came upon a 1992 home with “great bones” at a great price. They snapped it up and began the facelift that it desperately needed, gutting it down to the framing for a fresh start.

First replacing lighting, plumbing, windows, decking and exterior railings, they then added metal accent roofs, pocket bathroom doors and multiple built-in features for extra interest. The white oak open staircase was designed by architect Scott Edmonston to become a dramatic highlight of the first-floor entry into the wide ocean vistas that span the width of the 5,000-square-foot house and serve as the primary focal point for the home.

Bird has selected a soft watery palette that complements the expansive ocean views, and her clutter-free décor deepens the sense of calm.

The first-floor oceanfront master bedroom with private screened porch is reserved for her 86-year-old mother. The bathroom includes floor-to-ceiling floral tile in the spacious zero-clearance shower, for a subtle touch of elegance. The five remaining en suite bedrooms are nearly identical, all sporting low-maintenance white linens and towels, distinguished only by differing accent pillows.

Second-floor bedrooms surround a sunny open lounge that is anchored by a built-in daybed nestled beneath a perfect ocean view. The end result is a home that exudes peace and serenity and “Quietude,” the well-chosen paint color that dominates this newly rebuilt home.

The Friends of the South Coastal Library’s major annual fundraiser is the Beach & Bay Cottage Tour. The 27th Annual Tour directly benefits the South Coastal Library in Bethany Beach and is almost here. The tour will take place Wednesday, July 25, and Thursday, July 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The 2018 tour offers homes in a variety of styles and personalities; they are located along the canals in South Bethany, the beach in North Bethany, and inland, including wetlands views, in Bethany Beach and Ocean View. Tour attendees have the option of visiting all 10 homes in one or two days, but each home may only be visited once.

Tickets for the tour cost $30, and each attendee will receive a reusable tote bag with the tour booklet (which serves as the ticket) and a pair of booties (donated by Beebe Medical Center) to be worn in all the homes.

Tote sponsors for 2018 are the Anne Powell Group, the Cottage Café and Bethany Boathouse, G&E/Hocker’s, PNC Bank, Sea Colony Recreational Association and the Town of Bethany Beach. FOSCL offered special thanks go to Shirley Price LLC for supplying hand fans for the tour, and the Pohanka Automotive Group for furnishing the auto hangtags. Leslie Kopp of the Leslie Kopp Group is serving as the chief underwriter of the annual cocktail reception honoring the homeowners of this year’s tour homes.

Tickets are no longer available online. Tourgoers will be able to pick up previously reserved tickets, as well as purchase tickets, at the library meeting room starting July 19 at 10 a.m. and at varying times throughout the week, until July 26. Times will be posted on the meeting room door at the library and online.

A limited number of tickets will also be available July 17-26 at Bethany Beach Books in Bethany Beach; at Carolina Street and the Rooster’s Nest in West Fenwick; at McCabe’s Gourmet in South Bethany; and at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach.

Babies and children younger than 12 are not permitted in the homes; and no photography is allowed in the homes. Tour homes are private homes and are not handicapped-accessible.

The Cottage Tour is also known for its raffles. The winners of the Dinner for Two raffle will dine at Good Earth Market, Mancini’s, Off the Hook, The Parkway, Sedona, SoDel Concepts or Touch of Italy. The Art Raffle offers framed artwork from Aubré Duncan, Tara Funk Grim, Laura Hickman, Jeanne Mueller, Amanda Sokolski and Cheryl Wisbrock.

Raffle tickets for both raffles cost $1 each or $5 for six and are available at the library and at selected homes on the days of the tour. The drawings will be held at the library at 5 p.m. on July 26; winners need not be present.

With the Adopt a House program for hostesses, many organizations will be involved in the 2018 tour. Participants this year are Alpha Alpha Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, Bay Forest Ladies, the Bishop’s Landing Ladies’ Luncheon Group, Friends of Kathy Jankowski, Friends of Dolores Pack, Friends of Eileen Giaquinto, Friends of Joan Corrao, Friends of Laura Martin, Friends of Sandy Powell, Friends of Sue DiTommaso, Gardeners by the Sea, the Ladies and Friends of Waters Run, Lake Bethany Babes, Lord Baltimore Women’s Club, Salt Pond Women’s Club, Southampton Homeowners, the Village of Bear Trap Dunes, Tower Road Beach Family, Windhurst Manor Homeowners, the Women’s Civic Club of Bethany Beach and the Women’s Council of Realtors.

To donate or for updated information, go to www.beachandbaycottagetour.com, stop at the library or leave a message with the Friends at (302) 537-5828.

New York native Frank Conlon joined the Marine Corps in 1952. He served eight years in the Corps, as an air-traffic controller in the Air Wing.

Coastal Point • Submitted: Frank Conlan, center, stands with Department of Delaware Commandant Chuck Landon and National Vice Commandant Bruce Rakfeldt.“Like all young guys, you see something in your younger days and say that’s what you want to be,” recalled Conlon, noting that he had friends and family members who were in the Corps. “I thought they were the best, and I wanted to be a part of the best.”

Conlon said he’s proud to have served as a Marine and enjoyed his time in the service.

“Not necessarily in this order, but my job for sure — the comradery with fellow Marines, being part of what I consider the best. When you like your job and the company, it means a lot. Even after being in the Marine Corps, when you travel around and people ask you if you were ever in the service, ‘Yes.’ ‘What branch?’ And you say, ‘The Marine Corps,’ “Wow!’ … That’s a nice feeling. That we have the respect of people

“Even now, when we do things like Toys for Tots, people are very proud that we Marines would do this. When you look at the other branches of the service — there are so many people in the Army, so many people in the Navy, in the Air Force. We Marines truly are a band of brothers.”

Conlon was recently named Delaware Marine of the Year, after being nominated by fellow First State Detachment Marine Corps League Marine David Kline Sr., judge advocate.

“Frank has always presented himself as a true dedicated Marine and outstanding member and an asset to our First State MLC Detachment,” wrote Kline in his nomination letter.

Kline explained that each detachment may submit two people they believe possess qualities to be named Marine of the Year.

“The protocol is, if someone in the detachment feels that one of their members is worthy of the award, he has to submit a letter to the commandant. Then they have a vote of membership to make sure everyone is onboard,” said Kline.

“We have five detachments in the State and Frank was overall selected by the committee. It was well-deserved,” he said, noting that during the award presentation the Marine commandant told Conlon, “You’re one hell of a marine.”

Kline noted that Conlon goes above and beyond in the detachment, not only collecting for Toys for Tots, but heading the organization’s yearly fundraising journal, organizing a fundraising golf tournament, and placing flags in the Millsboro Veterans Cemetery at Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day.

“It’s not my unique idea. The detachment I belonged to up in New York in Calverton… Every year on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, we — along with other groups — would place the flags on the markers for the veterans’ part of the cemetery,” explained Conlon. “When I got down here, the only national veteran cemetery in Delaware is up north.”

He would later discover the Millsboro veterans cemetery and approached the staff about having the detachment place flags on the markers, as opposed to having staff do it.

“That’s how it started,” he said. “Once we had a couple years under our belt, the detachment over in Seaford asked us if they could join us, and now we have wives coming with us and even neighbors. If you look at all those gravesites prior to those flags going up and then look at them an hour later after all those flags go up… It’s quite a sight.”

Kline also called attention to Conlon’s efforts with the detachment’s youth physical-fitness program, volunteered to walk in the Bethany Beach Fourth of July Parade, and is a member of the detachment’s funeral detain.

“He was awarded the Detachment Marine of the Year medal in 2004,” wrote Kline in his nomination letter. “Frank’s MCL ribbons include Detachment Marine of the Year, Distinguished Service Bronze, Detachment Staff Elected Silver, Detachment Staff Appointed Bronze, Individual Meritorious Commendation and Marine Corps League Membership.”

Conlon was recently honored at the statewide meeting held at Heritage Shores.

“Of course, I was very honored. My granddaughters, I told them I was nominated… The youngest, she just turned 19… She said, ‘Grandpop, you will always be my Marine of the Year,’” he said, noting that she put listed him in her phone as “MOTY.” “They got a kick out of it. That’s the nice part about it for me.”

Being a part of the Marine Corps League is something Conlon has done for years, having been a member when he was living in Long Island. When he and his wife moved to the area in 2001, he immediately found the First State Detachment.

“I went into the post office one day, and there was a poster on the bulletin board that said, ‘The Marine Corps League is looking for new members, and we want you,’” he recalled, noting the similarity to the Uncle Sam campaign of World War I.

“We perpetuate the image of the Marine Corps and its traditions and what have you. It’s just a matter of helping the community where it’s needed, meeting fellow marines… We have so much in common as Marines because it’s a small branch of the services. And as they say, ‘Once a Marine, always a Marine.’ You just like that feeling.”

First State Detachment Marine Corps League in the community

The primary purpose of the Marine Corps League is to preserve the tradition, promote the interest and perpetuate the history of the U.S. Marine Corps.

According to its website, the First State Detachment Marine Corps League is a “non-profit organization which uses money raised from events during the year to support our community service programs such as Semper Fi fund, Toys for Tots, Youth Physical Fitness Program and others community events, in southeastern Sussex County, Del., and northeastern Worcester County, Md.”

“We’re the only branch of the service that has an after-military organization,” said Kline.

A big part of what the Marine Corps League focuses on is Toys for Tots, which, according to its website is designed to “collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.”

According to the detachment’s yearly journal, in 2016, they were able to distribute 7,241 toys to 4,074 economically disadvantaged children in the area.

“We put some major hours in with just Toys for Tots — you would not believe the number of hours,” said Kline.

During the holiday season, the detachment has 30 donation boxes throughout the Bethany-Clarksville/Route 26 corridor alone. They also have boxes along the Route 54 corridor and in Ocean City, Md.

“The community has been so generous to us,” said Conlon.

The League also offers a physical fitness challenge to students of Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in Berlin, Md.

“We would meet these kids in first grade and work with them all the way up… They looked forward to us coming. We ate lunch with them in the cafeteria. It was really a good thing for everyone — the kids, the school and the Marine Corps,” said Conlon, noting that the program was once available to Delaware students before the State stopped the program.

The Marine Corps League also does a lot of work with the Semper Fi Fund, which is a non-profit that “provides immediate financial assistance and lifetime support to post-9/11 combat wounded, critically ill and catastrophically injured members of all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.”

“Semper Fi Fund looks at all branches of service, not just Marines,” said Conlon. “We want to have each other’s backs.”

The Semper Fi Fund was started in 2004, and since its inception, more than $160 million in grants has been distributed, with more than 20,000 soldiers and their families being helped.

“A couple of Marine wives out in California were coming across veterans who were coming back from Iraq and Iran and so on, and they really had problems. They got together and with some local professionals they knew and said, ‘We have to do something about this,’” said Conlon. “They got some major corporations involved, and this thing has snowballed. Their overhead is about 6 percent. The money that people give goes right to where it’s needed.”

Kline noted that, at a recent Operation SEAs the Day event, members of the First State Detachment met a wounded veteran who had a service dog.

“He came up and thanked us, because the Semper Fi Fund got him that dog,” said Kline.

The detachment also helps wherever they see a need in their community, and even in other communities.

“One of our members in Laurel, two years ago, had the water pump in his trailer shorted out and caught fire. Burned their trailer to the ground,” said Conlon. The detachment contributed $4,000 to the family, and other detachments sent money to help as well. “We all help each other in times of need.”

Currently, the detachment has approximately 100 members, though not all of them are active.

“We’re constantly trying to recruit new members, but it’s hard,” Kline said.

Kline joined the detachment 11 years ago, as a way to support his community.

“I’ve had a real, super-good life. A good job, a good family — this is my way of giving back.”

Kline served two years in the Corps, spending 13 months in Vietnam, and was exposed to Agent Orange.

“I joined,” he said. “I wanted to be a Marine. My uncle was a Marine. I went to his wedding, and he had his ‘Dress Blues’ on… When my school was called up, you had 30 days to join something or you’d be drafted, so I joined the Marines. I haven’t regretted a minute of it.”

Kline said that when he would travel to Florida yearly, he would stop at Parris Island (“where Marines are made”) and attend graduation.

“Everyone just treats you like you’re one of them,” he said. “I always take pride that I am a Marine. I would take pride if I were in the Navy.”

Kline said the Marine Corps League is always seeking new members to join their efforts. Those who are eligible to serve as full members, with the right to serve as an officer, appointed officer or vote on changes within the detachment, must be Marines who have served at least 90 days, Fleet Marine Force Corpsmen or Navy chaplains. Anyone in the community is welcome to serve as an associate member, though they cannot vote or hold office.

“We give back through all of our volunteer work. We need more to join to help us with our activities. If you served in the Marine Corps, we would love to have you in the Marine Corps League. It’s a great organization,” said Kline. “We need you to help us meet the needs of our community.”

Those interested in joining the First State Detachment Marine Corps League should contact Junior Vice Commandant of Detachment in Charge of Recruiting Rich Pounsberry at (302) 628-2624.

Coastal Point • Laura Walter: Vinnette Fowler, 102-years-old, meets her great-great-granddaughter Alma Lantsman, 9 months old.Vinnette Fowler’s family describes her as a social butterfly. She loves having company, and her South Bethany home has been her family’s go-to destination for decades.

This month, the 102-year-old enjoyed the best type of family visit: five generations of family, in fact, including meeting her newest great-great-granddaughter for the first time.

“It’s just so wonderful. She’s so beautiful,” Fowler marveled of the baby.

Alma Lantsman is the smiling 9-month-old who gnaws charmingly on a toy ball and tugs at her great-great-grandmother’s earring.

This was a special weekend for the five generations. Alma’s proud parents, Megan Hjelle-Lantsman and Lenny Lantsman, brought her to South Bethany from Alexandria, Va. Her grandparents Colleen FitzGerald-Hjelle and Robert “Bob” Hjelle flew in from in Los Angeles, Calif., delighted to meet their first grandchild (by one month). Great-grandmother Frances FitzGerald splits her time, living six months of the year locally.

“It’s been so special for me to have a great-grandma throughout my whole life. So, I think it’s going to be really special for her to have that connection and have this continuous line of generations of women before her,” Hjelle-Lantsman, who spent the weekend asking her kinswomen about the past. “I think it’s really cool to be able to ask them because they’re actually here!”

Coastal Point • Laura Walter: In South Bethany, five generations of women smile at the matriarch’s house.This was also the first experience with the Atlantic Ocean for the baby girl, who seems to have inherited her grandpa’s Norwegian eyes: rich brown, with a blue ring.

“This is one of her first road-trips,” said Hjelle-Lantsman.

As opposed to his wife’s extensive lineage, her husband, Lenny Lantsman, has a small family, so “every addition counts,” he quipped. He snapped photos of the visit, occasionally letting Alma test the equipment herself.

Vinnette was married to Burt Fowler for about 58 years before his passing. Their South Bethany vacation house was built in 1968, and they moved there fulltime in 1980.

Much of her family is spread across the East Coast, as well as in California. She had four children, 17 grandchildren, some 30 great-grandchildren and about 12 great-great-grandchildren, the oldest of whom is a teenager.

Fowler “has passed on a lot of her loving and caring about people … and her assertiveness. Sometimes we have to learn it, but she’s got it naturally,” FitzGerald said of her mother.

“And I feel like she leads a good example of how to enjoy herself,” Hjelle-Lantsman added.

“She lives life to the fullest,” FitzGerald agreed.

Fowler, Hjelle-Lantsman and baby Alma were all born in Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C.

When Alma entered the world, FitzGerald-Hjelle joked, there were three doctors in the room: the M.D. delivering the child, the J.D. in the bed and a Ph.D. about to become a father.

Motherhood has changed over the last century.

Now, Fowler sees young parents continuing their careers while raising children: “I think they’re very smart. … Look at the three of them. It’s perfectly wonderful how they’re raising this child in this day and age. … They know so much about what’s out there!

“None of my friends were working mothers. Everyone was a stay-at-home mom,” Fowler recalled, especially after World War II, when college was rare because of tough times. “After the war, money wasn’t there — you didn’t have a lot of food and everything. It had to be rationed, you know.”

Fowler estimated being about 45 “when I accidently came across somebody that needed me to work for them, which lasted about 20 years.

“Mostly when the children were young, you were at home,” FitzGerald-Hjelle told her mother. “I worked when [my child] was 2, Colleen worked part-time [after giving birth], Megan’s working from the beginning. So it’s progressed.”

“Things have changed … but it’s wonderful when you can see the young ones come up. They learn so much so soon, it’s wonderful,” Fowler said.

“Ahhhhh,” the baby happily interrupted.

“She wants you to know she’s still around!” Fowler said.

“She’s cheerful and smiley and loud,” Hjelle-Lantsman said.

Veterans discussed the issues and learned more about their benefits at Selbyville Town Hall on July 10.

The free veterans town hall-style meeting was hosted and moderated by outgoing Sussex County Councilman Rob Arlett, who is running for U.S. Senate.

Coastal Point • Laura Walter: Sussex County Councilman Rob Arlett speaks with veterans and other audience members at Selbyville Town Hall on Tuesday, July 10.“We are the problem. The elected officials are the problem, and we need to listen more to you and not think we have all the answers,” Arlett said.

Roughly half the audience was veterans, by show of hands. They raised many concerns and complaints, as Arlett prompted them to further explain their experience with the system.

A former U.S. Naval Reservist, Arlett described his own brother’s tumultuous exit from the military to civilian life, as well as the next generation of his family members entering the military.

The panel included Shawn Greener, a Navy vet, former New Castle County police officer, consultant on counter-terrorism and personal protection, a pastor and talk-show host.

“You should know your elected officials,” Greener said, and should complain when something seems wrong, like the perceived underfunding of Delaware’s VA or related services.

Dean Levering, commander at VFW Post 7234 at Ocean View, also encouraged vets to stay active, politically and socially.

“Keep Washington on their toes; keep veterans a priority,” as funding has dropped over the years “It’s not just a bunch of old guys sitting around and drinking, although that happens, too,” he joked, then described the two dozen various charities and volunteer programs at Post 7234.

State legislators Sen. Gerald Hocker (R-20th), Rep. Ron Gray (R-38th) and Rep. Rich Collins (R-41st) were also present.

Hocker mentioned that two VA medical facilities in Millsboro and Seaford have been replaced with one in Georgetown.

They also discussed topics including filling prescription medications.

“A lot of people don’t know what’s coming to them because they don’t have a road map to get there,” Greener said.

Ultimately, the biggest advice was to sign up for the VA, even if people don’t think they need the service. Eventually, they may benefit from those due benefits, the speakers said. Plus, there is power in numbers as the VA seeks funding each year.

Delawareans can also find the Veterans Benefit Resource Guide online at https://veteransaffairs.delaware.gov/or by calling (302) 739-2792.

As for marijuana, Delaware now allows cannabis for medical use. The legislature considered but recently rejected it for recreational use, although possession has been downgraded to roughly the equivalent of a traffic citation now.

“As a society, we’ve come to embrace natural, organic stuff,” so why not shift that mindset to medicine? Arlett said.

Although Arlett didn’t share his opinions on recreational use, he said he supported cannabis for medical use, based on his own observations of addiction in his family.

“At the federal level, it’s not legal for vets through the VA. I think we should change that” to allow medicine and testing, Arlett said.

Meanwhile, he strongly criticized the “unbelievable corruption that exists with pharmaceutical companies and the distribution process … and the elected officials. … It’s no longer healthcare. It’s business.

For instance, he said, Congress OK’d rebates and “points” in the medical field, but Arlett said similar kickbacks would jeopardize his license as a real estate agent.

“The president is considering changing that via executive order. I think it needs to come through Congress,” said Arlett, who has opined that more laws should be enacted as such.

Arlett has also proposed “that we bring the VA back under the umbrella of the Department of Defense.

Although the VA is currently a standalone cabinet-level agency with its own budget, Arlett said he feels it would be less of an “afterthought” if brought back under the Department of Defense umbrella. Perhaps that could simply be in the form of recordkeeping for the vets, who have complained of the long waiting period for their records.

Arlett has also proposed a mentoring program to help vets assimilate back into civilian life. Soldiers are strong and proud people who don’t like asking for help, but who have also spent a career working under a commanding officer. With a mentor to help them ease into civilian life, veterans would have a support system and the “quasi-chain-of-command” they’ve come to expect.

They also discussed the idea of eliminating Delaware’s income tax for veterans’ retirement income, although Hocker said, “We’re in a state where I don’t see too many taxes lowered.”

Arlett suggested the local delegation raise the issue next legislative session (Collins and Gray are currently up for reelection this fall).

Although he called the July 10 event a non-political one, Arlett’s U.S. Senate campaign was one of the event sponsors, and Arlett is planning a series of town hall events statewide, of which this was one. And although Larence Kirby (executive director of the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs) had originally intended to serve on the panel, he canceled the night before, on the same day Arlett officially filed for the Senate election as a Republican.

(Arlett, who had previously cited Kirby’s planned attendance as evidence that the event was a non-political one, subsequently pointed out that Kirby is appointed by the governor, who is a Democrat, and invited the audience to speculate on his absence.)

In the Senate race, Republican Gene Truono Jr. has officially filed for Senate, as did Californian Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente (who has also filed in at least five other states, in an effort, he has said, to demonstrate the vagueness of the U.S. Constitution’s candidacy laws). Candidates for the Delaware Senate seat also include Democrats Tom Carper (the incumbent) and Kerri Harris, as well as Libertarian Nadine Frost and the Green Party’s Demitri Theodoropoulos.

Arlett did not file for reelection to the Sussex County Council.

Delaware’s Division of Public Health (DPH) this week warned Dagsboro residents who live in the residential area between Colonial Estates Avenue and Thorogoods Road in Dagsboro of a positive case of rabies in a fox that came into contact with a human last week.

DPH officials said the fox was killed and brought to the DPH lab, where test results on Monday, July 9, confirmed it had rabies. The fox was initially located underneath the front porch of a residence and came up on the porch when the victim came outside, officials said. While the fox bit the heel of the person’s shoe, it did not make contact with the person’s skin, they said.

Anyone in that area who thinks they might have been bitten, scratched or come in contact with the rabid fox should immediately contact their health care provider or call the DPH Rabies Program at (302) 744-4995, officials advised, noting that an epidemiologist is available 24/7. Anyone who thinks their pet may have been bitten by the fox should call their private veterinarian or the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) at (302) 698-4630.

Since Jan. 1, the Division of Public Health (DPH) has performed rabies tests on 73 animals, seven of which were confirmed to be rabid, including three foxes (including this one), two raccoons, a cat and a dog. The results of two cases previously reported as positive (one sheep and one dog) were indeterminate. (While DPH treats cases with indeterminate results the same as those with positive results, going forward the agency will report indeterminate cases out separately, they noted.)

In 2017, DPH performed rabies tests on 143 animals, 16 of which were confirmed to be rabid, including five raccoons, six cats, two dogs, two bats and a fox. DPH only announces those rabies cases for which it is possible the animal had unknown contacts with humans and there is a risk of exposure to the community.

Rabies in humans and animals cannot be cured once symptoms appear. If the animal is of unknown origin, or unavailable to be quarantined or tested, DPH recommends that people receive post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) treatment — a series of four vaccinations — as a precautionary measure.

Rabies is an infectious disease affecting the nervous system of humans and other mammals. Infection can occur through the bite or scratch of an infected animal or if saliva from such an animal gets into the eyes, nose, mouth or an opening in the skin.

However, rabies is also almost completely preventable. DPH recommends that members of the public take the necessary steps to stay clear of exposure to rabies. Rabies prevention begins with the animal owner. Vaccination of pets and livestock is a crucial factor in rabies prevention, they said.

· All dogs, cats and ferrets 6 months or older are required by Delaware law to be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian. Owners should consider vaccinating livestock and horses as well, officials said. It is recommended to consult with a private veterinarian for any questions regarding whether an animal(s) should be vaccinated against rabies.

· Pet owners can reduce the possibility of pets being exposed to rabies by not letting them roam free.

· Spaying or neutering a pet may reduce the tendency to roam or fight and thus reduce the chance they will be exposed to rabies.

· Do not keep a pet’s food or water outdoors; bowls can attract wild and stray animals.

· Keep garbage securely covered.

· Do not touch or otherwise handle unfamiliar animals, including cats and dogs, even if they appear friendly.

The Dagsboro Town Council during their monthly meeting on Monday, July 16, heard a preliminary proposal for a new Royal Farms location from Jonathan N.H. Street of architecture engineering firm Becker Morgan Group.

The new store is proposed to be built at the northwest corner of the intersection of Route 113 and Clayton Street (Route 26/Nine Foot Road) in Dagsboro, diagonally across the intersection from the existing Royal Farms, which it will replace. After the nearly 20-minute presentation, the council voted unanimously to approve the preliminary plans for Royal Farms to proceed.

The council members had questions about the entrances from Clayton Street, as well as concerns over crosswalks that are currently at the intersection. Councilman William Chandler expressed concerns about the safety of motorists and pedestrians alike, and also about the proposed turning lanes for the location.

Police Chief Floyd J. Toomey was able to ease some of those concerns, having reviewed the revisions of plans previously submitted to the Town’s Planning Commission.

“My biggest concern, if you recall, was with that congested area, was the crosswalk being there — but we moved that,” Toomey said. “We talked about it, we discussed it, and you’ve moved that. It used to go right across those three lanes that you’re talking about. So you would have not only the traffic, but you would have pedestrian traffic as well.

“And that’s been moved, and moved substantially. It was right across that. So that was my biggest, or what brought all that to fruition with my thought process. But that’s been moved and changed — and in my opinion, it’s a lot safer now by moving that pedestrian crosswalk out of the way.”

Royal Farms is a privately owned chain of convenience stores headquartered in Baltimore, Md. As of March 2015, the company operated 178 stores throughout Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Virginia.

The new Royal Farms location is proposed to have seven double-sided fueling stations allowing for up to 14 vehicles to fuel up at one time. Farther west on the site are proposed diesel stations. The proposal also calls for a vacuum and air station. Currently, there are no plans to have a car wash on the premises.

The rear property line has a proposal for a 6-foot high white vinyl fence, as well as landscape buffering, while the front and sides of the property will have a 10-foot wide “shared use path.”

Also at the July 16 meeting, the council unanimously approved the hiring of Gregory Morris of Liguori & Morris of Dover as Dagsboro’s town solicitor.

Coastal Point • Laura Walter: Widgeon grass has been discovered in South Bethany canals. Although good for the environment, the grass is causing headaches locally by tangling in boat propellers.

What’s worse than a weed that nobody wants? For South Bethany, it’s a weed that everyone wants.

“We have a presence in our canals in the southern end… It’s the first time we’ve seen it,” Frank Weisgerber told his fellow South Bethany Town Council members on July 13.

Although algal blooms are down this year, a new grass has appeared instead, growing upward from the sediment in the canal beds.

After photos of the grass were sent to experts at the University of Delaware and Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control (DNREC), scientists responded gleefully that South Bethany had widgeon grass. That’s really good news for a watershed.

Unlike algae, which blocks sunlight and eats up oxygen, widgeon grasses can “provide nursery grounds for fish and blue crabs, serve as food for animals such as turtles and waterfowl, clear the water by reducing wave action and absorb excess nutrients,” DNREC’s Shoreline & Waterway Management Section said, through spokesperson Michael Globetti.

“In marine environments, most efforts by states are now focused on restoring SAVs,” or submerged aquatic vegetation, Globetti said.

“They’ve been trying to get this grass to grow in the coastal bays, as well as the Chesapeake Bay. … Lucky us — we have it without even trying to,” Weisgerber said wryly.

But South Bethany doesn’t want it, and DNREC won’t let them remove it.

The thread-like grass grows about three feet tall, from the bottom sediment (which the Town hopes to dredge away at some point, to increase water depth and flow).

Boat propellers are getting tangled in this mass of grass and small leaves. That’s a big deal in South Bethany, where the majority of homes are canalfront.

“When our property owners show up this weekend, there’s going to be a firestorm,” Weisgerber said.

“The canal is filled with this stuff. I could walk across it, probably,” quipped Councilman Don Boteler, saying he’s seen the widgeon grass filling the Sussex Canal, touching both sides, but not literally thick or strong enough to walk on.

It’s a “boom or bust” species, meaning the grass could spread like wildfire one year then die out the next.

“They can’t even get it to grow where they want it to grow. … They’re like, ‘Boy, are you guys lucky!’” Weisgerber said of the Division of Watershed Stewardship. “I’m not sure we have much power in this.”

“But it started proliferating like crazy. Back then, you could barely see it. Now, they’re taking over the canals,” Weisgerber said “I’m scrambling right now to deal with this because … it might be good for water, but it’s not good for canals.”

Ironically, the grass appeared about the same time that South Bethany launched 10,000 cordgrass plants into the canals on 130 small floating wetlands to help build habitat and soak up excess nutrients.

Although South Bethany owns the canals, they still need DNREC permission for any water-based project, right down to removing live plants, building a homeowner dock or installing those 130 floating wetlands.

“This is not a question of the department not allowing the Town of South Bethany to take action on their own concerning widgeon grass, since the Town owns the lagoons. However, the department, knowing the environmental benefits associated with SAVs such as widgeon grass, does not harvest this vegetation,” Globetti stated.

Although he told the Coastal Point that “there are no DNREC regulations or permitting requirements prohibiting the harvesting of submerged aquatic vegetation. South Bethany can act on the widgeon grass as the Town sees fit,” Weisgerber said other DNREC staff would not allow South Bethany to cut the live grass.

In fact, DNREC staff made a July 18 visit to the canals just to see the grass. (“They had to lift the motor out of the water because it got all hung up,” Weisgerber said.)

Weisgerber has learned that the Town may remove the dead plants in the top-center of the canals, with no permits required. DNREC’s own algae harvester might even be available for that project.

But South Bethany still cannot harvest the live plants on the bottom or along the bulkheads.

According to Weisgerber, DNREC staff said, “‘We can’t allow you to touch the live stuff because it’s so beneficial to the watershed.’ I said, ‘We’re not running a nursery here. These canals are here for property owners and boating purposes.’”

Weisgerber said he has reached out to state Sen. Gerald Hocker Sr. for help, and he and the Town staff will research companies to clear the dead plants.

Ellen Magee of Williamsville, a Democrat, filed this week to run for the Sussex County Council seat representing District 5, which is currently held by Republican Robert Arlett.

Magee is a life-time Sussex County resident and is running, she said, to “preserve the Sussex County way of life.”

“I want to represent you, whether you were born here or you have made the choice to come here for our beautiful beaches and enjoyable lifestyle. It’s a great place to raise your children, and I will work tirelessly to make sure that never changes.”

As a multi-generational farmer, Magee has strong ties to agriculture and said she will work to ensure the environment gets the protection it needs.

Magee is a self-described “blue dog Democrat” with what she said are conservative values and bi-partisan goals.

“I am currently on the Sussex County Board of Adjustment and am known for my commonsense decisions and doing what’s best for Sussex County,” she said.

One of Magee’s top priorities, she said, is improving infrastructure and working closely with DelDOT so that the roadways in Sussex County function as they should.

“So many of our roadways have not been brought up to the standards that allow cyclists and motor vehicles to travel safely,” Magee said.

“Sussex County residents should expect more from their elected officials, and when I am elected to County Council, I will work tirelessly for the residents of the 5th County Council District.” Sussex County Council District 5 runs from Fenwick Island to Delmar, heads north to include parts of Millsboro and also includes the towns of Dagsboro, Frankford, Millville and South Bethany.

The Sussex Sports Center Foundation’s Joe Schell on July 17 presented to the Sussex County Council an update on the progress of the group’s new sports complex, Sandhill Fields.

Schell said the excavation and embankment of the facility near Georgetown was expected to begin the very next day, on July 18, with the grand opening of the facility currently scheduled for September of 2019.

The non-profit’s mission is to “build, operate and maintain a first-class multisport public park in the middle of Sussex County for its citizens of all ages to enjoy.”

During his presentation, Schell noted that while New Castle County has 247 public parks and Kent County has 38, Sussex County has none, aside from municipal parks.

The completed complex will feature eight regular-sized soccer/lacrosse fields, six pickleball courts with a pavilion, a 3.1-mile regulation cross-country course, 3.5 miles of walking trail, playground equipment, picnic pavilions, restrooms, a food-truck area and parking for 350 cars.

“Most of our kids from the youth sports teams — when they play sports on the weekends or practice during the week this time of the year… they’re practicing on second- or third-tier fields at middle schools or elementary schools… They only usually have two fields, and some of these teams have 1,300 kids on them… The facts are — we need more fields in one space.”

Schell said he believes the more than 215,000 people who live in Sussex County will benefit from the facility, including those who participate in sports clubs such as Henlopen Soccer Club, Salt Water Lacrosse Club and the First State Pickle Ball Club.

Sandhill Fields will be located close to Route 9 and Sand Hill Road near Georgetown, on 56 acres of property donated to the foundation by Schell himself.

Schell also had an update on the cost of the project. In previous presentations to the council, he had estimated the cost of creating the facility at $4 million; however, on Tuesday, he said they are now estimating $5.8 million in total costs.

“The nice thing is the County isn’t responsible for any of that increase,” he said. “The private sector is going to put up all the money necessary to complete the facility at this level or higher.”

Back in February, the council had approved loan documents for a $1.5 million loan to the foundation. The $1.5 million County loan has a 0-percent interest rate for 50 years, with no payments needing to be made in the first 10 years.

The County can purchase the complex after 10 years, at the cost of $1, and the loan would be forgiven in its entirety should that occur. If the County does not purchase the facility, the payments due to the County would be $37,500 annually, after those 10 years.

Schell said the foundation has spent a little more than $200,000 on engineering thus far, but will spend $1.3 million — which they currently have in the bank — on engineering the entire project.

Coastal Point • Shaun Lambert: Trooper Irina Celpan mingles with some international students at a picnic at St. Martha’s Episcopal Church in Bethany Beach earlier this summer.

Trooper Irina Celpan graduated from the Delaware State Police Training Academy in February of this year and has swiftly put her language skills to use. She is newly assigned to Troop 4 in Georgetown and is fluent in Russian and Romanian, in addition to English.

Celpan, from the nation of Moldova, has first-hand experience as a J-1 student during her time spent in the area in the summer of 2012. She participated in the work-study-based exchange and visitor program that promotes cultural interactions where visitors teach, study, receive training or demonstrate special skills. The J-1 program is also for students who need practical training that is not available to them in their home country.

Celpan’s Eastern European roots and excellent language skill sets have made her a great asset for the Delaware State Police and our local law-enforcement partners alike.

Celpan is lauded for her efforts and goodwill by her colleagues. She graciously makes herself available to the students working at the beach and makes them feel she is approachable. She has been in high demand from our local law-enforcement partners at the beach to help them with their community-outreach efforts.

Celpan has attended three safety seminars, on May 30, June 13 and June 27, that were held at the Edgewater House in Sea Colony near Bethany Beach. Working with the Bethany Beach Police Department, Celpan educated the foreign J-1 students on bicycle safety laws, victimization and personal safety this summer.

She had the opportunity to share experiences from her perspective as a student. She explained to the students the importance of having goals and pursuing them. She also touched on the differences between police in the United States and police back home in her country of Moldova.

On June 26, she was invited to Saint Martha’s Episcopal Church in Bethany for the International Student Picnic. While working with the Ocean View Police Department, Celpan attended this event with more than 100 students from Romania, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Croatia, Poland, Ireland and Kazakhstan.

The church volunteers welcomed the students with local foods, such as hamburgers, hotdogs, fried chicken and cookies. It was an opportunity for them to meet other students and local residents. Celpan spoke to both Romanian and Russian students, and answered questions about summer jobs, housing, trips, vehicle rentals, shopping and local transportation.

In 2012, Celpan worked as a cashier in Bethany Beach, at the Valero Gas Station on Route 26, and her second job was at Tim’s Aloha on the boardwalk, serving shaved ice. She had only two days off during the summer of 2012 and never complained, working toward her personal goals. She learned the quality of hard work and the ability of surviving in a country full of strangers.

She learned to speak English after she arrived in the United States and said, “It was challenging, but not impossible!”

She bought her first vehicle during the winter of 2013, which she said helped “me to spread my wings towards other jobs, other towns.” She was later hired at IHOP in Rehoboth as a server. She met many friendly and regular customers who encouraged her to go to college.

In August of 2015, she registered at the Delaware Technical Community College in Georgetown. She took advanced English classes during the first semester at DTCC and obtained a certificate for finishing the English as a Second Language program.

She also pursued classes for a criminal justice major. She participated in the Law Enforcement Option Program during the last semester and graduated from Delaware Technical Community College with a 4.0 grade point average, with the Outstanding Student Award, in 2017.

She also joined the Dover cadet program for two years, where she enforced city ordinance violations and provided security and assistance at special events.

“I truly believe if you communicate to people in a way they can understand, one can make a connection; however, if you speak to them in their own language, it can touch their heart,” Celpan said. “I, as a Delaware state trooper, want tourists, international students and locals to understand that ‘justice’ has no limits and they should not be afraid to trust us.

“I want to thank my administration for allowing me to attend to all the J-1 student meetings!” she added. “I enjoyed every single second being around them and explaining to them the importance of trusting police. I answered questions about personal safety, bicycle safety laws and police departments. I spoke to some students in Romanian and to other students in Russian. I received positive feedback from the Sea Colony staff and the Saint Martha’s Church volunteers. Thank you so much!”

Sgt. Richard Bratz is the director of public information for the Delaware State Police.

S. Bradley “Brad” Connor announced this week that he has filed to run for the State House seat in the 41st Representative District. The 41st representative district includes Millsboro Dagsboro, Frankford, Selbyville and Gumboro.

Connor has lived in Sussex County since he was 10. He was raised in Bethany Beach and has been a business owner in Sussex County for 40 years. He served on the Dagsboro council from 1987 to 2005 and from 2012 to 2014, the majority of that time as mayor. He still serves on the Dagsboro Planning & Zoning Commission.

Connor is a past president of the Sussex Rotary and is still a member of the group. He has been married to his wife, Penny, for 36 years and has two grown children.

Connor noted that, along with agriculture and tourism being the two largest contributors to the Delaware economy, Sussex County has the fastest-growing population in the state.

“At the heart of that growth is the 41st district,” he said. “Millsboro alone has the highest growth rate of any municipality in inland Sussex County.”

Connor said he believes Sussex County, and especially the 41st Representative District, deserve a more equitable representation in the budget, based on their contribution to the state revenue.

As a representative, Connor said he would advocate for more involvement from state agencies to find solutions to the traffic and pollution problems that are affecting the residents of the 41st District and all of Sussex County.

Connor described himself as a fiscal conservative who believes spending needs to have tangible and measurable benefit to the people of Delaware. He said he has the contacts throughout the state to bring the appropriate assets to bear on the issues confronting the county.

He cited a proven track record in the area that he said is demonstrated by his securing funding, in his capacity as mayor, from various agencies to install a new water treatment facility for Dagsboro. He also obtained $2.9 million of grant and aid for sewer in 1998 and obtained $3.8 million grant and aid for central water in 2005.

Connor said he will bring that ability to negotiate in favor of his constituents to the House of Representatives.

A broken staircase was the final straw.

In South Bethany, Joe Hinks is responsible for building inspections, permits and penalties. Then he discovered that a faulty outdoor staircase in an oceanfront home had been repaired with no more than a spliced piece of deck board. It was cracked, unsafe and not suitable for renters, he said.

“Right now, there’s a set of stairs on a rental home that does not have any support. It’s very shaky,” Hinks had told the South Bethany Town Council in June.

But when the property owner applied for permission to make the renovation, Sussex County only issued a permit, with no real inspection.

To better ensure safety in local buildings, Hinks proposed that the Town adopt the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), as has been done, in whole or in part, in other local towns, including Bethany Beach, Millville, Rehoboth Beach, Milford and Harrington.

“As a Town, it would give me the codes that I needed to say, ‘Here’s what we need for safety … for the smoke detectors, for the infestations, for the mold and mildew, the over-occupancy of the structure.”

Hinks said he doesn’t see the IPMC directly conflicting with existing town code, but rather providing extra leverage to address existing problems, such as grading. Where they differ, the stricter rule would prevail.

“I’m not advocating doing away with our town code. This is an approach to … bolster it,” Hinks said, adding that it would help with problems such as commercial trash container complaints (South Bethany doesn’t have a commercial property maintenance code, but the IPMC does) and the grading of property to avoid accumulation of water (which is a “hot issue” in the town but only vaguely addressed by town code).

“Joe’s doing the best he can. I know he’s out there writing letters to people, but part of it is, ‘How do we enforce the letter?’” Mayor Tim Saxton said.

The $100 fine for code violations doesn’t always incentivize property owners to fix the problem, Hinks noted, and such violations are generally not considered worth the Town pursuing in court.

The power to permit

The County doesn’t look closely at renovations as they do new construction, Hinks said.

Not all repairs or renovations will trigger an inspection, explained Andy Wright, Sussex County’s chief of building code. The County inspects major renovations and additions primarily to reassess whether property value has changed, for taxation purposes. (Besides their own inspections, the County also performs some building inspections for certain municipalities with small code departments, including South Bethany.)

The Town, County, Office of the State Fire Marshal and state health department all have their own rules, and sometimes there are gaps where their mandates don’t cover every nuance of building safety.

Hinks said another homeowner had “fixed” holes in an exterior wall by stapling placemats to the area and painting it blue.

“Going in, we found out there was a termite infection. There was no clear path to egress, there were not working smoke detectors. … We have no mechanism to control that,” Hinks said.

“Someone is eventually going to be hurt by these failing structures,” Hinks said. “We’re looking for the basic functionality for health and safety.”

The IPMC wouldn’t allow for dilapidated homes. But Hinks emphasized that South Bethany is fortunate not to have the “epidemic of dilapidated homes” that he saw as a building official in Salisbury, Md.

Council Member Sue Callaway also recommended the Town consider a mechanism for revoking rental permits for houses in disrepair. But Saxton warned against the Town entering the rental inspection business.

Meanwhile, the Fourth Amendment prevents Hinks trespassing on private property just to look around. But he is obligated to respond if someone submits a complaint about a household. So if he sees a porch that is breaking, he can call and request to inspect the property. If his offered inspection is rejected by the property owner, he could take it to court.

Discussion on the issue will likely continue at the next town council workshop, on July 26 at 3 p.m. If the council decides to pursue the matter, they would likely have it vetted by the Charter & Code Committee.

No votes on personnel

The council also went into closed executive session on June 28 to discuss personnel but took no votes afterward. After predicting 15 minutes of discussion, the council talked privately for just over an hour. Afterward, Callaway said that they just wanted to discuss how things run. She did not indicate that the topic needs to continue at a future meeting.

Also, Public Works Supervisor Don Chrobot will retire on Aug. 1. Although the Town will advertise to hire a new supervisor, Town Manager Maureen Hartman said she is assessing the Public Works Department to determine the needs of the department moving forward.

Saxton and Callaway, meanwhile, recently held a town-hall meeting with South Bethany Police Department employees. The goal, they said, was to introduce themselves as the new mayor and mayor pro-tem, meet the staff and gain feedback.

Bigger, better beaches

Beach replenishment in South Bethany continues at a steady clip southward. As of July 18, dune crossing closures were in place at some of the town’s southernmost streets. Daily notices about beach closures are posted at town hall; on the Town website under the tab “Beach Replenishment Daily Closures”; and on the Town’s Facebook page.

The large-scale engineering project will rebuild the dune and widen the beach back to its original specifications from the 2007 “50-year” reconstruction, which is intended to reduce the impact of future storms.

South Bethany now has a new ad hoc committee for Beach Access Improvement, chaired by Jimmy Oliver.

“It’s basically trying to develop a plan and some costs around it,” said Saxton. “We’ll be looking at ways to improve access to our beach. … The plan, as I understand it — they’ll look at each beach access and then make proposals. … It’s probably the best time to do our evaluation, since the dunes are being done.”

In general, Saxton said, he doesn’t want ad hoc committees to work for more than four months, but he acknowledged it may result in a few years’ worth of projects, depending on the results.

The topic of beach access (such as handicapped accessibility) often ranks high on town surveys.

The Town has also begun receiving public complaints about canopies on the beach — especially when grouped together. Similar complaints led to a total ban on canopies, tents and other shading devices on the beach in Bethany Beach, which now permits only standard beach umbrellas and “baby tents.”

“I hope it never gets so bad we have to do something about it,” Saxton said.

In other South Bethany news from July:

• Wayne Schrader has not officially taken his oath of service at town hall. Since winning the 2018 election in June, he had excused absences for two meetings and participated via remote access (telephone) for two meetings.

Schrader said illness accounted for some of his time away. Also, after selling their South Bethany house, his family is currently building a new home on another property in town.

Town council policy allows remote access for no more than 20 percent of meetings (typically four). After three absences, the fourth will be considered unexcused, and council will meet with that member to consider what action is appropriate to pursue.

In 2017, Schrader chose not to run for a second term, citing a busy work schedule in Virginia. Now retired, he ran for office again in 2018.

• In just a few months, South Bethany has collected 46 percent of its budgeted realty transfer taxes for the fiscal year, originally budgeted at about $380,000. Treasurer Don Boteler suggested a building boom may have resulted now that people have more freedom to build with recent code changes regarding bathrooms, building height and ground-floor enclosures.

• With all the new housing construction, resident Ed Nazarian complained of road conditions, especially when utility trucks tear up the pavement and building contractors park incorrectly. Planning Commission Chairman Dick Oliver said that courts had overturned an attempt to limit summertime construction, since such a ban would infringe on people’s right to work.

• In a year with high vehicular fatalities, Delaware Office of Highway Safety officials have said they are impressed with South Bethany’s pedestrian safety projects. They invited the national OHS to visit the town in mid-July to witness the pedestrian safety campaigns in action.

• The South Bethany Police Department is also in full construction mode for its building “repurposing” project. After some growing pains during floor installation, they will begin re-connecting major electronics and systems.

• Officials noted that Black Gum Drive re-opens daily at 1 p.m., even if the physical barricade is not promptly removed promptly. So, after 1 p.m., vehicles may drive around the barricade if it is still in place.

• The council unanimously agreed to contribute $3,500 to the Association of Coast Towns (ACT) for the hiring of consultant Tony Pratt, a recently retired administrator from Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control (DNREC). He would discuss and help solve problems for seven beach towns from Lewes to Fenwick Island.

• The Town recognized Pat Voveris and Tim Shaw for their hard work and years on the town council.

• Once again, the South Bethany float won gold in the Bethany Beach Fourth of July Parade.

• Callaway complimented the Town’s Junior Lifeguard program as “absolutely amazing. They’re doing a terrific job. I am so impressed with what they’re teaching the kids. … They’re out there in the deep water with the kids.”

A South Bethany Town Council workshop was set for Thursday, July 26, at 3 p.m.

Coastal Point • Laura Walter: Mountaire’s Selbyville poultry processing plant was the site of a chemical spill on Thursday, July 12.

A midday chemical spill closed Hosier Street in Selbyville on Thursday, June 12, at Mountaire’s Selbyville poultry processing plant.

According to authorities, a forklift operator inadvertently pierced a hole in a 500-gallon container of peracetic acid around 11:40 a.m. The hazmat incident occurred at the main building at 55 Hosier Street, right where live-haul trucks are backed into the plant, which sometimes briefly stops traffic.

Mountaire uses peracetic acid as a disinfectant. It’s related to peroxide, a compound of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, but can be corrosive.

“Mountaire received it in diluted form, [which] basically turns into a very strong vinegar, and that’s what the smell was — of a strong vinegar — on the scene,” said Selbyville Volunteer Fire Company Chief Matt Sliwa. “We’re lucky that they get a diluted version,” he said, because at full strength, peracetic acid is lethal at an exposure of between 1 teaspoon to 1 ounce per 150-pound person, according to the EPA.

Mountaire hired an outside cleanup agency immediately. Crews set up “dams” to prevent liquid from flowing into street drains. Then they soaked the chemicals up in a dry, ashy substance, something like an “industrial kind of kitty litter,” Sliwa said. Finally, they swept up the material using street sweepers and/or vacuums, Sliwa said.

Fortunately, Sliwa said, there were “fairly minor injuries. No one actually had any skin exposure to it. It was breathing issues or inhalation.”

Of the six people injured, two went to Atlantic General Hospital, two to Beebe Healthcare and two refused to be transported, said Selbyville Police Chief W. Scott Collins.

“We turned it back over to Mountaire once we were confident they had a plan, so we left it in DNREC and Mountaire’s hands,” around 1:45 p.m., Sliwa said. “There was no danger to the environment or the public. They got it contained very quickly, and they were quick with the cleanup efforts on it.”

Operating under the Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control (DNREC), the Division of Waste & Hazardous Substances also sends emergency response crews to such spills, as was the case in February of 2017, when there was a chemical explosion between two cleaning chemicals at the plant. While the explosion was deemed “minor,” it caused serious burns to the victim on Mountaire’s cleaning crew.

Also at the Selbyville plant, Mountaire had a roof fire in April, when an electrical transformer failed.

Mountaire representatives were not available for comment immediately after the incident.

“Their safety response team did a great job to get it contained,” said Collins.

Several volunteer fire companies responded, along with Sussex County paramedics. Although Mountaire could have relied more heavily on the volunteer fire company for cleanup, Sliwa said, he was impressed that the company asked the industrial cleanup agency to report to the scene immediately.

The road was cleared by about 2:15 p.m., Collins said. “They ended up shutting the plant down and letting their morning shift go home.”

To report environmental spills, trash dumping, violations of environmental laws and other issues to DNREC, call (302) 739-9401 or the 24-hour, toll-free complaint line at 1-800-662-8802.

Two men in their 20s passed away last week in Ocean View, from an apparent heroin overdose.

“They were living in Ocean View, but both of them are originally from Maryland,” said Ocean View Police Chief Ken McLaughlin, noting that the names of the victims will not be released prior to notification of kin.

On Thursday, July 12, at 11:23 p.m., officers from the Ocean View Police Department were called to a home on Central Avenue in Ocean View. When they arrived, the officers discovered the bodies of the two deceased men.

Earlier in the day, police said, concerned coworkers had visited their rental home in Ocean View, after the two men had failed to show up for work at a local restaurant. One co-worker peered through a window and saw the men lying on the floor and subsequently alerted police, they said.

The victim’s bodies were turned over to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science for an autopsy. The identities of the victims and the official manner and cause of their deaths will be released once autopsies are completed.

“We’re waiting on the autopsy to come back. At the same time, we do know they purchased drugs late Wednesday night/early Thursday morning. We’re working to determine where and from whom they made that purchase,” said McLaughlin. “The overall goal is to identify the person who sold them the drugs… That person who sold the drugs can be held responsible.”

Ocean View police received assistance during the investigation from officers from the Delaware State Police, and the Bethany Beach and South Bethany police departments.

McLaughlin said there have been a number of other overdoses recently in Sussex County and in the Salisbury, Md., area. He said it’s possible they’re all linked to the same drug dealer.

“We are working with investigators in the State of Maryland as well, because there are some commonalities,” he said.

McLaughlin said the heroin problem in Delaware continues to grow, noting on Tuesday, July 18, around 9 a.m. that there had already been two Sussex County emergency center (SussCom) calls that morning for overdoses in the county.

“This is just another indication that this problem is not going away,” he said. “It’s getting worse; it’s not getting better. They’re telling me now we’re losing one a day in the state of Delaware.”

The two deaths this week weren’t the only apparent drug-related incidents the OVPD has dealt with recently. On Tuesday, June 26, at 4 p.m., an officer from the Ocean View Police Department was dispatched to the Millville Town Center to check on the welfare of a man who was passed out on a bench outside of the Giant grocery store.

According to the OVPD, upon arrival, the officer found the victim to be unconscious and unresponsive, with his face was turning blue, indicating oxygen deprivation.

McLaughlin said his officer, suspecting a heroin overdose, searched the victim and discovered suspected heroin and suspected drug paraphernalia. The officer then administered two doses of naloxone and initiated CPR.

A second Ocean View officer arrived on the scene and administered two additional doses of naloxone, police said, and shortly thereafter, the victim resumed breathing on his own and regained consciousness.

“It’s just another example of us being able to spare a life,” said McLaughlin, whose department was the first law-enforcement agency in the state of Delaware to carry the life-saving overdose-reversing drug. “This person was literally moments away from death…

“Without a doubt [our officer] saved that person’s life. It gives them another chance to, hopefully, get clean… Hopefully, they’ll take advantage of it.”

The Millville Volunteer Fire Company transported that victim to Beebe Healthcare for additional care.

McLaughlin said that anyone in the area suffering from drug addiction or who wants to help a friend or loved one suffering can reach out to his department.

“They can call and ask for me specifically. Although we’re nowhere where we need to be, we are making a little bit of progress, and we have more opportunities for help,” he said. “If someone comes to us, we will do everything we can to get them in a facility or get them to the right people who can provide them help.”

The Ocean View Police Department is located at 201 Central Avenue in Ocean View. McLaughlin can be reached by calling (302) 539-1111. To learn more about statewide programs related to addiction, visit www.helpisherede.com.

Coastal Point • Submitted: Volunteers move quickly to relocate a loggerhead sea turtle’s eggs so they would survive high tide, on Sunday, July 8.Michael Hess was walking along the Fenwick Island beach at James Street on Sunday, July 8, before sunrise, searching for hidden treasure with his metal detector. His normal routine was interrupted by an unusual sight ahead of him.

Upon closer inspection, he came to realize what he had thought was a coconut washed ashore was a sea turtle laying her eggs — a loggerhead sea turtle, to be exact.

Hess managed to flag down another man on the beach, who monitored the turtle with Hess’ wife as he went to notify police of his finding. On his way up the beach, he saw a woman and asked her to call the police.

The turtle was already laying eggs at 5 a.m., when Hess arrived. By 7 or 7:30 a.m., 78 eggs were buried in the sand, and the mother headed toward the ocean.

The police roped off the area surrounding the nest, as instructed by the Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute Inc., or MERR Institute.

The MERR Institute is a non-profit rescue and research organization that provides 24/7 on-call service for “ill, injured, entangled or otherwise in need” marine mammals and sea turtles. The organization also conducts research on reported strandings.

According to NOAA Fisheries, “a stranding is an event in the wild where a marine mammal or sea turtle is found dead on the beach or shore or floating in U.S. waters; when a marine mammal or sea turtle is alive on the beach or shore, but unable to return to the water due to sickness or injury or some other obstacle; when a marine mammal or sea turtle is in the water, but is unable to return to its natural habitat without assistance.”

“My responders were on scene since 8:30 a.m. and were there throughout the day until we got authorization to move the nest,” said Suzanne Thurman, executive director of the MERR Institute.

Sea turtle nesting is overseen by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Delaware has an agreement with the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service, under Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act. The MERR Institute responders had to receive permits from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control (DNREC) to be able to move the eggs, because loggerhead sea turtles are endangered in the northeast Atlantic Ocean.

Due to the time-sensitive nature of the matter, DNREC Environmental Program Administrator Robert Hossler gave Thurman his verbal approval to transport the eggs, about 3 p.m. The eggs would not have survived high tide that evening or the impending beach replenishment project. The relocation area will not be disclosed.

“We then kept watch over the relocated nest throughout the night, and the following day, until a predator excluder could be put into place, which was done by DNREC. We did this to deter predators, such as foxes, raccoons, crows and gulls,” Thurman added.

The predator excluder is essentially fencing to protect the eggs until they hatch, in approximately 68 to 75 days.

Although sea turtles are common to the area — the MERR Institute has already responded to nine incidents involving sea turtles this season — it is not normal for them to be nesting on Delaware beaches. The only other sea turtle nesting reported in the area was in 2011, when a green sea turtle laid eggs at Cape Henlopen State Park.

“This is the first time ever that a loggerhead came this far north to lay her eggs,” Hess said. “It is history-making.”

There are several other reasons why the nesting was rare. Female sea turtles usually nest collectively, but the sighting was of a lone mother turtle. Additionally, the loggerhead only had three flippers.

“She was missing the back right flipper that is used to dig the hole to lay eggs and cover it,” Hess said.

He recalled that about 20 people gathered for the extraordinary sighting, but those present remained at least 15 feet away from the nest and restricted others from accessing the area.

“It’s amazing how people came together,” Hess said, reflecting with pride on everyone’s efforts that day.

Coastal Point • Laura Walter: Dave Ritondo tags a horseshoe crab on the evening of Thursday, June 28.Under a full moon in June, about a dozen people strapped headlamps to their foreheads, grabbed clipboards and hiked to the waterfront at James Farm. They would be counting and tagging horseshoe crabs until nearly midnight, as the crabs came ashore for mating season.

The Indian River Bay gently nudged at the long sandy beach, hidden outside Ocean View. Horseshoe crabs were already nudging together in groups and pairs, under the shallow waves.

“We have to be there as the high tide starts to recede,” explained Dennis Bartow, biologist and lead survey coordinator. “That’s the official counting time that’s consistent with all the sites along the Delaware Bay.”

One by one, the tagging team pulled an endless parade of horseshoe crabs from the water. They recorded the sex and approximate age on a clipboard, and then drilled a hole in the corner of their shells to attach a round white numbered tag. Then they tossed the crabs back into the bay, without ceremony. (The crabs can probably handle it. They’ve probably survived worse than humans in their several million years on earth.)

“We don’t disturb any nesting ones, but anything that’s moving is fair game,” Bartow said, wading in the water around 11 p.m.

Meanwhile, the counting team did a random sampling along 200 meters of beach, counting crabs every few meters.

Although the males clung onto the females’ backs, they don’t actually mate in the mammalian sense. Instead, the female lays her eggs deep, digging into the sand with her sharp tail. The male (sometimes more than one) is pulled right behind her to fertilize the newly laid eggs.

Over 40 days, the babies mature in the shell and come to the surface. The survivors slowly make their way into the bay, trying to avoid fish and the generations of shorebirds that have built their migrations around this all-you-can-eat crabby buffet.

Man and crab

The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays (CIB) has been counting crabs since 2008, this year with six sample sites around the bays.

They aim to count 15 times from late April to June, always at the full moon or new moon, plus two days before and two days after.

“We want to find out where our horseshoe crabs go. We know we have a population in the inland bays,” Bartow said. “We want to know: do they stay in the inland bays, or go?”

They’re tracking crabs around the Delaware Bay, Ocean City, Md., and Wallops Island, Va., up to Connecticut and south to the Carolinas.

On this night, volunteers counted 267 crabs, including 210 males and 57 females.

On some nights, they see fewer than 10 crabs at James Farm. On their highest nights, they averaged in the 700s, topping out at 1,059. There are usually way more males than females. On the busiest nights, the males can outnumber females roughly 9:1, although 5:1 is more common.

Coastal Point • Tyler Valliant: A few horseshoe crabs gather at James Farm Ecological Preserve.Once the baby crabs have hatched and made their way back into the water, they’ll have about 18 molts in 10 years, and then the mature crabs will return to the shallows to begin reproducing.

Horseshoe crab species come in three Asian varieties, plus the one American version found on the East Coast from Maine to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.

While they’re called “crabs,” the American horseshoe crab, or Limulus polyphemus, is actually closely related to spiders and scorpions. But these gentle monsters are nothing to be squeamish about.

“They cannot hurt you. They have a lot of claws” that aren’t hard enough to puncture skin, Bartow said, as a crab clung to his hand like a baby monkey.

The tail isn’t poisonous, only sharp enough to startle bare feet, like anything else hidden in the sand. With no teeth, they enjoy eating small clams and worms.

Just don’t get any fingers caught in the shell hinges as the creature bends its abdomen.

Life and death

In their 21-year lifespan, their death can be important, ecologically and scientifically. The eggs fuel shorebirds that migrate from the southern tip of South America and Africa to the Arctic. As a baitfish, horseshoe crabs are popular bait for whelk and eel.

Finally, the famous cornflower-blue blood of horseshoe crabs has not been duplicated in the laboratory, and it’s the only known substance that can test for bacterial contamination in drugs, vaccines and medical devices, such as pacemakers and prosthetics.

Bartow explained that limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) is extracted from the blood, then rehydrated in laboratory tests. If it remains a liquid, things are good. But if the LAL reacts to form a gel, the substance is contaminated.

“There’s no synthetic substitute for it,” Bartow marveled.

“They’re been around for [over 400] million years. They’re survived five major extinctions. They outlived the dinosaurs. … Hopefully, they continue,” if humans don’t ruin their homes, Bartow said.

How have they survived for so long?

“They have a specialized area they live and feed on,” Bartow said.

With a low profile and hard shell that has inspired generations of battle-bots and Roombas, the horseshoe crab lays low in deep, warm waters in winter.

And yet, spawning grounds must be precise: a certain slope of sandy coastline that drains back with just enough moisture.

The female will lay a million eggs in her lifetime (80,000 to 90,000 eggs each year), in clusters of several thousand light green or orange BB-sized balls. Of those, 55 will survive to age 2, when they’re about 4 inches. (In the Southern states, their timelines are a bit faster and shorter, where warm temperatures speed things up.) The lucky ones live about 21 years in this temperate zone.

The male bumps along the dark seafloor, attempting to mount anything in the way, including rubber boots. Crabs have 10 eyes, or light sensors, including the main pair on top (which look like traditional eyes), plus more on top, underneath and on the tail itself.

To the untrained eye, the males and females look nearly identical. But the front lip of the male’s shell is slightly bowed, to fit over the female’s abdomen, which is more curved. He climbs on the back of her shell and hangs on with two front pincers.

Females are usually larger, since they can live longer and have an additional molt.

Their age can be determined by size, color and condition of a shell. Like many other seafaring vessels, the crab shells collect barnacles, slipper shells, worm tubes and algae.

The tag data is also sent to the U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife. This summer, at least 800 crabs had already been tagged at James Farm, plus another hundred or so on this warm June night.

Based on density, it turns out that the inland bays are almost as important for the crabs as the larger Delaware Bay, which is world-renowned for its horseshoe crab activity. (Prime Hook during birding season, anyone?)

In 2016, the CIB counted a total of 14,527 crabs in the inland bays.

But are horseshoe crabs declining at James Farm? This year saw 5,170 crabs, compared to 6,830 in 2017; 7,372 in 2016; and 7,651 in 2015. Anything could affect the daily counts, including wind, rain, salinity, water temperature and wave action. After enough counts, though, a solid average should be emerging.

But as long as horseshoe crabs show up, the CIB volunteers will keep counting. They have fun, joking and laughing amid the work. Some have been counting since the beginning, while others just joined this spring after hearing a lecture.

For more information or to volunteer for the CIB’s 2019 spring surveys, email environment@inlandbays.org or call (302) 226-8105, ext. 112. Details are online at www.inlandbays.org/projects-and-issues/all/horseshoe-crab-survey.