Delaware State Police this week were investigating a home invasion that occurred north of Millville on Sunday night.

Police said the incident occurred about 9 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015, and a 911 call was placed by a 66-year-old man, stating that two people had just entered his residence and assaulted him.

Troopers responded to the 36000 block of Squirrel Run Circle, where they made contact with the victim, who told them he had gone to the front sunroom of his house to turn off some exterior lights when he was struck in the back of the head with a baseball bat.

According to police, he said the two unknown male suspects then began going through the victim’s pockets but were unable to obtain any items and the fled the area in an unknown direction. The victim was injured in the incident and was transported to an area hospital where he was treated for apparent non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The two unknown suspects were only described as males, and no clothing description could be given.

If anyone has any information about the incident, they are being asked to contact Det. K. Archer at (302) 856-5850, ext. 224. Information may also be submitted by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the Internet at www.tipsubmit.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”

Despite the wintery landscape, Chris Wertz is already gathering ideas for his gardens — at least eight of them. Wertz, who is studying horticulture at Delaware Technical & Community College, this spring will start urban vegetable and herb gardens at all eight SoDel Concepts restaurants at the beach. A bartender at Papa Grande’s Coastal Taqueria in Rehoboth Beach, he’s already in charge of seasonal, decorative plantings at the restaurants.

A trend in the restaurant world, an urban garden uses available space as a growing platform, typically in a town setting. The garden might include containers, raised beds or ground in vacant lots.

“We’ve been interested in starting gardens at our restaurants for some time,” said Scott Kammerer, president and CEO of SoDel Concepts — which, in addition to eight restaurants, owns Plate Catering and Big Thunder Roadside Kitchen, a food truck. “When we learned of Chris’ interest in horticulture, we let him spearhead the effort.”

SoDel Corporate Chef Doug Ruley said the chefs are excited about having fresh produce right outside the kitchen door.

“We’re really looking forward to collaborating with Chris and being creative with herbs, peppers, lettuces and other vegetables. It will give us the freshest produce possible.”

Wertz is tailoring the gardens to the restaurants’ needs and settings. For instance, hot peppers are a natural for Papa Grande’s, which also has a restaurant in Fenwick Island. Fish On in Lewes and NorthEast Seafood Kitchen in Ocean View have large outdoor dining areas that can accommodate containers of flowers and produce. The largest of the herb gardens will likely be at Bluecoast Seafood Grill in North Bethany, a freestanding structure with lots of space.

Wertz, who’s been in the restaurant industry for 20 years, became interested in horticulture while living in New York, where he took classes at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx.

“I love learning about sustainable agriculture and hydroponics,” he said. “The garden is a passion of mine, and I decided to pursue a degree at DelTech.”

Wertz said he’s grateful to SoDel Concepts’ founder Matt Haley, who recognized Wertz’s interest and put him in charge of the garden at Papa Grande’s in Rehoboth Beach.

“Scott Kammerer then put me in charge of all the restaurants’ gardens,” Wertz said. “That’s how SoDel is — always providing staff with opportunities.”

Kammerer agreed. “As a company, we love to encourage and support the interest of our employees.”

Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark: The Salted Rim in Ocean View hosts families at their ‘Frozen’ adventure show onboard one of their trains. Here, Elsa dances around as the families enjoy the show. Visit http://coastalpoint.zenfolio.com/p337602837 for more photos.Margaritas aren’t the only thing “frozen” at the Salted Rim restaurant in Ocean View.

Families can now enjoy a Disney’s “Frozen” adventure aboard the railroad cars lining Route 26, which are decked in silver, blue and white tulle and icicles.

“It’s cold outside. It’s a frozen movie. It gives families something to do,” Karen Fritz, owner of the late-night Tex-Mex place.

“I think it’s gonna be awesome. I think they’re gonna love it,” as will the families, to see their children so happy, Fritz said. “That’s what you do it for — the kids! The excitement.”

Large-screen televisions will show the movie on the train cars several times daily, with a dinner buffet, each weekend through March 15.

“Frozen” fandom has swept America’s children since the movie’s release in 2013.

“Their eyes are just like saucers when they see posters of Anna and Elsa. I can’t imagine what it’s gonna be like when they see Anna and Elsa,” Fritz said.

During the movie, every child gets to meet, in person, the princesses, Anna and Elsa, who will lead the children in song for the popular “Let It Go.”

The Salted Rim has already hosted film-themed family nights aboard “The Polar Express” and “Thomas the Tank Engine.” In that magic atmosphere, children were absolutely glued to the screen, Fritz noted.

“I think they’re gonna be the same with ‘Frozen.’ The difference is these kids are gonna sing every song in that movie,” Fritz said.

“When we did ‘The Polar Express,’ all the little girls would come in in ‘Frozen’ outfits. We were looking around one day and thought, ‘Gosh… I didn’t realize how hot it was,’” Fritz said.

Each child goes home with a souvenir gift.

“We encourage them to come in their favorite ‘Frozen’ costume, princess gown or pajamas,” Fritz said.

The serving staff is dressed formally for the events. The meal is either a breakfast buffet or pasta station with meatballs, grilled chicken strips, chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, green beans, roasted potatoes and rolls.

The price includes the all-you-can-eat buffet and soda, coffee, tea or apple juice. Guests can also purchase milk, chocolate milk or orange juice.

Ticket prices vary: $19.99 for adults; $14.99 for juniors, ages 8-12; $9.99 for kids, ages 2-7; and free for infants, 0-1. Reservations can be made online at www.saltedrimde.com/frozen. For more information or large groups (15 or more people), contact the Frozen hotline at (302) 537-7370 or frozenquestionssaltedrim@aol.com. The Salted Rim is located at 27 Atlantic Avenue.

Rural lifestyle changed for a Nelson County, Va., farmer in May of 1861, when 20-year-old Joseph Edward Purvis left home to join the Confederate army. He served for the next two years in Company G, 19th Virginia Infantry Regiment, in Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.

When Lee led his army on an expedition into the North in 1863, a battle erupted at a small town in Pennsylvania called Gettysburg. On July 3, Sgt. Purvis was among the many Rebels captured on the battlefield and sent to Fort Delaware, a prison on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River.

For the first two months of incarceration, Purvis kept a diary of his prison experience. Walter L. Williams related excerpts from this diary in the 1978-1979 issue of Delaware History.

When Purvis arrived at Fort Delaware, he found himself among thousands of prisoners. The number continued to grow after the fall of the Confederate fortress at Vicksburg on July 4, as well as the defeat at Gettysburg.

After his capture, Purvis marched under guard, along with other prisoners, in the rain and stayed overnight in Westminster, Md., before moving the next day to Baltimore. They continued to be unsheltered from the rain while awaiting transportation to Fort Delaware by ship.

Arriving at the prison on July 7, Purvis received something to eat, which relieved his hunger. Hearing rumors of other Confederate defeats, however, caused him to fear “we are ruined certain.”

Continuous rain had its benefit, because it supplied drinking water to the island prison. With nothing else to keep him occupied, Purvis spent time reading his Bible and sleeping.

By July 11, the weather changed into “a beautiful day,” and Purvis had “a nice view of the river and bay.” Allowed to go out into the river to catch fish, the prisoners could see Delaware City on the mainland, less than a mile away. On Sunday, July 12, Purvis noted they “had preaching this morning,” which he attended, and thought it was “a very good sermon.”

The prisoner worried about not hearing information about the Rebel army that he could rely on, but he did not “feel uneasy about General Lee, [because] he will prove too much for the Yankees [to handle].” However, Purvis regretted that many of the prisoners were taking the oath of allegiance to the United States.

On July 14, 400 more prisoners, all of whom were wounded, arrived. Purvis noted that women had come from Baltimore, bearing gifts of food for sick prisoners.

The Virginian was in a melancholy mood on the 16th, wishing “I was in Dixie this evening instead of Fort Delaware. Oh! I would give anything if I was at home.” He complained about paying “two and a half dollars for a piece of tobacco about two inches long and can hardly get it at that.”

Fearing the possibility of an uprising, prison authorities shipped all the Rebel officers “from here this morning to [the prison at] Johnson’s Island, Lake Erie.” Without officers in the lead, an attempt of a mass breakout at Fort Delaware was considered less likely. However, one of the prisoners was killed while “attempting to escape by swimming the river.”

On Sunday, July 26, “one of own chaplains … preached a splendid sermon and we had prayer meeting this evening ourselves.” He was glad, because “There is a great many Christian Men with us here…”

By July 31, “we are still in this miserable place [and] our boys are getting very sick fast now.” By Aug. 8, a more dire note, “Our boys are dying very fast.”

Security on the island tightened: “They don’t allow us to go out on the river bank now nor do they allow us to bathe in the river.” However, by Aug. 24, a Maryland unit took over guard duty at the prison, and “are more kind to us than the others.”

Toward the end of August, the weather had turned cool, and almost “all of us are without blankets and we rest uncomfortable these nights.” Death was ever-present: “Eight or nine die every day and night.”

Purvis’s diary ended two months after his capture. A smallpox epidemic at the prison caused his health to deteriorate, and he was transferred to the prison hospital at Point Lookout, Md. He was finally released in a prisoner exchanged in February 1865 and ended up in a Richmond hospital.

Nonetheless, Joseph Edward Purvis survived his wartime ordeal and returned home. He married and fathered 14 children, and surely had many stories to tell them about life as a soldier in the Confederate army.

Bethany Beach resident Thomas J. Ryan is the author of “Essays on Delaware during the Civil War”
(available at Bethany Beach Books).
Contact him at pennmardel@mchsi.com, or visit his website at
www.tomryan-civilwar.com.

“Outstanding Young Music Educator” is yet another accolade Selbyville native Stefan Botchie can now add to his resume.

Botchie“An outstanding educator is one who is dedicated to the success of their students and their craft of educating students. This is more than a full-time commitment and requires a tremendous of energy and enthusiasm,” said Dr. David Stern, associate professor of music in the South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University, who nominated Botchie for the South Carolina Music Educators Association (SCMEA) award.

“Stephan is extremely dedicated to excellence in music teaching. He is the comprehensive educator and model for all of us. This is easily demonstrated by the recent Emerald High School Teacher of the Year award that acknowledges the respect and admiration of his school community, as well as the numerous greater community activities in which he participates.”

Botchie, who previously received the Teacher of the Year award for 2014-2015 for his work at Emerald High School in Greenwood, S.C., said he learned he would be receiving the award after Stern, his close friend and former college professor contacted him.

“My teacher from college gave me a call and said he had an email that wanted to forward to me and wanted to make sure that Shelley, my wife was home, as well. After I hung up with him, I got the email. Shelley opened it up and read it to me. That’s how I found out,” Botchie recalled.

Botchie’s mother, Debbie, was fortunate to be visiting him and his family when he received the news.

“As a parent, when you see your child walk into your room with eyes filled with tears, our first reaction is, ‘What’s wrong?’ But, when that child is grinning like a Cheshire cat… Well, you know it has got to be good, and it was,” said Debbie Botchie of the experience. ”Stefan handed me his tablet with the official email from the president of the SCMEA and then we both cried… very happy tears.”

Of being the recipient of the award, Botchie said it “was totally out of left field.”

“I couldn’t even fathom… I had heard of this award, but I never thought out of all the music educators in South Carolina that my name would be among them to be picked for this,” he said. “It’s sort of like the feeling I got when I got Teacher of the Year. Seeing my name next to all these other people that I have great admiration and respect for was amazing; it was along those same lines. All I can do is just smile and say, ‘Thank you very much.’”

Stern said he is humbled to count Stefan Botchie as a friend and noted the nomination was “a team effort.”

“Without his wife’s help, none of this would have happened. There were letters submitted from several people in support of his nomination; I just drove it forward. I wanted to be there in person to deliver the news, but that he was able to receive it at the same time as his family made this a very proud and special moment.”

Stern said Botchie is highly involved in the local music community, through leading worship services at his church, directing and performing in the local community theater, freelance performances and participation in area college ensembles and professional orchestras.

“In addition to all of this, Stephan finds time to write his own music. What most impresses me about all of this is his dedication to his family. He has a young son and a new daughter, as well as an amazing wife. How can he do all of this?”

According to the SCMEA website, “the award is presented to SCMEA members who have been in the service of teaching from four to seven years and have demonstrated excellence in music education.”

“We look for indicators of success — how are their groups performing, how do they do at concern festivals and other adjudicated events. We also look for extra things that the teacher’s doing that show they’re going out of their way,” said Christopher Selby, immediate past president of the SCMEA.

Selby said a selection committee, which reviews the reward nominations, chooses the award recipients.

“We do look for longevity — how long has this young teacher has been teaching and what they have been doing over those years,” he added. “We do also look at, is this teacher teaching in an affluent area or doing amazing things in an impoverished area, although those things are secondary. We look at as many things as we can.”

Selby said there were numerous candidates for the award, but Botchie stood out among the rest.

“There were several candidates that were just exemplary. The things that [Stefan] was doing were just outstanding. He’s absolutely deserving of this award,” he said.

“Mr. Botchie is very deserving of this award. He is one of the best and brightest educators in our district and viewed by his peers as a teacher leader,” added Emerald High School Principal Brad Nickles. “Mr. Botchie’s passion for his students and music can be seen through the excellence of the Emerald High School band program in performances and competitions. I look forward to seeing Mr. Botchie’s continued growth as an educator in the future.”

Botchie graduated from Indian River High School in 2003. While attending Indian River, Botchie was a member of the chorus, concert band and marching band. In his senior year, he served as drum major for the marching band.

During his time in the Indian River school system, Botchie was taught music by Ken Schleifer, Neil Beahan and Mark Marvel.

Beahan was Botchie’s music teacher at Selbyville Middle School and said hearing of the award “doesn’t surprise me.”

“I think anyone in the community would remember him as the drum major in the band, because he always put on a show on the podium,” Beahan said, noting that Botchie had not always been so outgoing. “The older he got, the more he came out of his shell, and I think he realized he was a natural leader. With success, too, he got to the point where he was making County Band and so forth — his confidence kept growing. By the time he was in high school, he was a super leader.”

“He was just over the top. He didn’t just climb on the podium and say, ‘One, two, ready, play,’ and wave his arms,” said Mark Marvel, Botchie’s band director at Indian River High School. “He’d turn around and pick one foot up behind him and dance around on the one foot. He’d wiggle his butt and get the audience clapping. He had the audience in the palm of his hand.”

Marvel, who taught Botchie for both band and chorus in high school, said he “really loved” teaching him.

“He was one of those kinds of students you look forward to having,” he said. “He was the whole package. He had all kinds of musical talent, and then when you add his charisma and personality and put that together… The kids must absolutely love him.”

During his four years at IRHS as a student, Botchie also participated in the school’s variety shows, with one of his most memorable performances as the Phantom from “The Phantom of the Opera.”

“He was willing to try anything. It was like, ‘Stefan — you want to do this?’ ‘Yeah! When?’ You loved that as a music teacher, because so many kids are shy… Stefan didn’t have a shell,” said Marvel. “I knew he was going to be a great music teacher and a leader. He was a great kid.”

Botchie will be presented with the award in February at the SCMEA State Professional Development Conference.

“When you’re recognized by your peers at that level, it’s saying a lot. It’s very exciting. It’s a testimony to how hard he works,” said Beahan. “That’s a big state — it’s not like Delaware. It’s good to know his kids are getting a really good education.”

Botchie is currently teaching approximately 60 students in both middle school and high school.

With the spring semester just having started, Botchie said he and his students will focus on concert band performances.

“We just got through with marching band and we’re now into concert band. I’ll be beginning my afterschool ensembles — jazz band and brass band,” said Botchie. “For the middle school, we’ll start preparing our mid-semester concert and end of the year concert.”

Botchie said he wants his students to have a fun learning environment and does all he can to help them thrive as musicians.

“You can let loose and just have fun. I’ll dance around the classroom and jump up and down and this that and the other,” he said. “It’s a lot of moving around for me. I jump from person to person, section to section. If a student is really struggling, I’ll pull out whatever instrument I can get my hands on and say, ‘Let’s play this together,’ and we’ll work on it. Then it’s back up to the podium — ‘Alright, everybody — let’s play.’”

Botchie said he has high expectations for all of his students and pushes for them to be met.

“Everybody is going to be held accountable to the same level. It’s just how we get there,” he said. “Some might get there slower than others, and I’m OK with that. And some kids might get there faster, and I’m OK with that, as well. As long as we get to that same level, it doesn’t matter how long it takes, as long as everybody gets there I’m happy.”

Botchie said that sometimes that requires changing music parts to help them reach their goal.

“It might mean some extra practice with that student, so I try to offer myself as much as I can, at the beginning of class, at the end of class, at the beginning of school, at the end of school. I just want that student to have that time available to them,” he said. “I hold my kids to a high standard, and that can be tough, but at the same time the payoff of that is just monumental.

“Anytime we have a performance, and the kids are packing up their stuff, and random people they don’t even know come up to them and say, ‘Wow, that was amazing! You guys performed really well.’ — I know that has an impact on them.”

Having experienced the same euphoria when performing, Botchie said he wants his students to experience that.

“I want my kids to have those same kind of ‘Oh, wow — that was awesome! We did something beyond our means and we changed somebody’s day.’ That’s what I’m going for,” he said. “After every performance I have my students evaluate what they did. They critique themselves and the ensemble as a whole.

“After the audience congratulates them, that influences their writing… ‘I struggled with this for so long but I finally pulled it together and it made the difference. People know that I really worked and put forth the effort to make this musical adventure happen.’ It’s pretty neat.”

Botchie said he also makes a point to recognize his students’ dedication to music.

“After we got done, when I do the final cutoff, before I turn to the audience and acknowledge their applause, I make sure I look at my students. If they’re smiling, I know those hours that we spent, they know I know we did a good job.

“It’s overwhelming that they get to experience what I experience every single day when I teach,” he said. “I want students to know that they have a gift. Not many people can play instruments. Not many people can sing in a choir. I want them to be able to know they have a gift, and they’re supposed to share that with people.

“That’s why I have my expectations so high, because it takes so much to share that and I want them to be able to do that. I know they can, and I want that for them because it’s such a great feeling.”

Selby said it is vital to have qualified enthusiastic arts educators such as Botchie in classrooms.

“That’s important, because the arts and music are extremely important to our young people, and they are frequently overlooked. The quality of the music programs and the quality of the music teachers are indicative of the overall quality of a school. It’s important to make sure we’re not just focusing on math, science and social studies, but the arts that really cater to our humanity.

“We make an effort to recognize excellence, because sometimes excellence is overlooked in the arts. The conversation always seems to be about test scores. Test scores are more difficult to measure in the arts, but it doesn’t mean that the arts are any less important to the children, many of whom say their arts class is their favorite time of the day and it’s what keeps them going and coming to school.”

Botchie said he believes that music education helps create a well-rounded student.

“In my mind, music education offers students more… It’s something more. As a performer, for me, it was an outlet. Music is emotional, so I put all my emotions into whatever I was doing, whether it be singing, composing or playing. I got to put all of my emotion into whatever I was doing,” he said.

“It was a great outlet for me. I know it might sound conceited, but I know I changed some lives with my playing or with my singing, because I could see the reaction on people’s faces. God gave me this gift, and I want to use it. I think it’s very important that we have music education, because students can put so much into it and the return on investment is double. Whatever you put in, you get double that back.”

“Music is so much more than what is taught in the classroom on a day-to-day basis — it extends outside and into our everyday lives. For me, teaching music is not about everything that’s in the classroom. Teaching in general — it’s what takes place in the classroom but then stuff extends outside of the classroom. I think that’s really important for me. That might be why I received the award, because of what I do for my students,” said Botchie.

“I think of ‘What can I do to help you?’ It’s all about my students. I really enjoy having my students and the time that we spend together. With whatever we do, I want them to have the best possible experience.”

The art of music, Botchie said, has immeasurably enriched his life. As the saying goes, “art feeds the soul,” and Botchie said he hopes to share his love of music with all those he teaches.

“This is why music is so important — because we have the ability to change people’s perspectives. If somebody is having a bad day, we can make it sunny again. That’s why I like it so much. We have the opportunity to make it special.”

Hoping to provide a healthier new year, Bayside Chapel will host its first Winter Health & Wellness Event on Saturday, Feb. 7.

“One of our members thought that, since it’s a new year and a lot of people are thinking about being more fit and trying to make resolutions to be a better you, [we’d] try to meet the need in the community,” said the Rev. Jim Penuel.

Located on Route 54, the Williamsville church will host the event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“As a community, we want to promote wellness in mind, body and spirit,” he said, “so we felt an event like this would be able to do that.”

People can learn tips for a healthier life, whatever that means for them. Some may enjoy demonstrations of dance, yoga, strength and fitness. They can meet coaches of life leadership and nutrition, or learn techniques to ease stress.

Atlantic General Hospital will provide free screenings for blood pressure, bone density and weight/BMI.

Penuel will also lead a seminar on prayer in one’s life.

“I’ll be around the whole time,” sharing prayer with anyone who asks, he said.

Penuel called the health event “a great opportunity” to know about local services, as well as one’s own spiritually.

“We at Bayside recognize that faith is a holistic thing. If we have wellness in our bodies and our minds,” it’s spreads to other areas, he said.

Bayside Chapel is located in the Williamsville Industrial Park at 38288 London Avenue, Unit 9. For more information, call (302) 436-7585 or visit www.baysidechapel.com.

“We want to be a partner in our community,” Penuel said, “not only the people in our community, but the businesses … and we want to truly meet a need for them.”

Not sure what activities are available in the area for children enjoy?

This weekend, the Moms Club of Coastal Delaware will be holding its Fifth Annual Preschool & Activity Fair to help give local families the opportunity to visit face-to-face with local preschool representatives, as well as businesses and organizations offering extra-curricular activities for children.

“In this area, especially when people are new, it can be difficult to figure out where to go and what to do. We feel like bringing all of the preschools and so many of the activities into one place is a great value for a family, and it’s a super fun event,” said Lesley Eichten, president of the Moms Club of Coastal Delaware. “Kids will have a great time.”

The Moms Club of Coastal Delaware has approximately 120 members and is a chapter of the international nonprofit organization that supports at-home mothers and their children by offering enriching opportunities to stay active within in the community.

“It is a support group designed for at-home mothers. We do have mothers who also work, but the organization was originally started to connect stay at-home moms,” said Eichten, noting that the organization has more than 1,500 chapters in the United States, with more than 100,000 members.

Eichten, who has a daughter in kindergartener at Bethel Christian School in Lewes, said she joined the club three years ago, after her family moved to the area from North Carolina.

“This was the very first thing I did to get involved. Everywhere I went, people said, ‘You need to join the Moms Club! You need to join the Moms Club! … We have families with one kid, families with five kids — in all age ranges from birth and up. We still have moms with middle-schoolers, but they’re still involved in the club, which is nice. It’s invaluable.

“We offer playmates and fieldtrips. We do moms’ night out. It’s a moms-only evening event. We have a walking group. We visit local parks and playgrounds.”

The fair will be held on Saturday, Jan. 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Epworth United Methodist Church. The fair is free and open to the public.

“Even if you’re not shopping for a preschool, of the 30 businesses represented, maybe seven of them are schools and the rest of them are local activities,” explained Eichten, noting there will be organizations with information about activities such as tennis camp, golf camp, art classes, music classes, fitness, martial arts and more.

“The Sussex County Mobile Library, formerly known as the Bookmobile, will be doing library card sign-ups,” said Eichten. “I think it’s really nice to get County support for this event.”

Along with vendors, attendees can enjoy demonstrations by the Milton Theater at 10:30 a.m., Zumba with Heather York at 11 a.m., local children’s music group Makin’ Music at 11:30 a.m., Yoon’s Martial Arts at noon and a show by Charlie the Magician at 12:30p.m.

Face-painting will be on going throughout the morning, and attendees can also participate in a raffle and a chance to win door prizes.

“We like to say, even if you have your summer camp and you’re already signed up for school, just come for the free fun!”

Last year, the fair had approximately 150 attendees, and Eichten said she hopes more will attend this year.

Eichten offered her thanks the event’s sponsors, Chick-fil-A, Lewes Printing and Yum-Yum Sweets & Treats for their support. She added that food will be available from Chick-fil-A and Yum-Yum Sweets & Treats throughout the day.

The fair is one of two large service projects for the club — the other being a kids’ consignment sale the club organizes each October.

“It’s an opportunity for us to give to the community in a way that’s not just money related,” said Eichten. “We look at it as a service that we are giving local families the opportunity to have one-stop shopping for their preschools and activities, like sports, yoga, summer camp, art classes. The list is really great.”

Of the proceeds from the sale, 20 percent is donated to local organizations that support children and families.

“Our donor for 2014 was the children’s wing of the new Lewes Public Library. They’ll have the opportunity to buy the new things for the kids,” said Eichten. “We have smaller projects, like adopt-a-family at Christmas time. We are building a relationship with local Girl Scout Council to do some mentoring-type programs.”

Eichten said the club is a great way for moms to learn about the resources available to their children in the community while also giving back.

“The … battle cry of the new mom is, ‘How do I make friends?’ This is a great way to meet people and to get connected. And also to be aware of what’s going on in the community,” she explained. “A lot of what we do is try to be a clearinghouse of local events and local businesses that support local families, and things to do on a winter’s day. And a lot of our members are local business owners, so they offer discounts, which is nice.”

Eichten said the club hopes to continue to support moms in the area, as well as the local businesses, and, in turn, help build a better community for their children.

“We hope that local businesses will be encouraged to continue their support of local families by seeing that there are families here with kids. Sometimes in this retirement area, families aren’t always represented well. We hope local businesses will see that there are a lot of local kids who need things to do, so they will continue to expand and continue to grow. And we want the businesses to feel supported by the local families.

“We also hope that families are able to find out about events or activities that they may not have known about before, so that kids can take advantage of the programs that are out there.”

Epworth United Methodist Church is located at 19285 Holland Glade Road in Rehoboth Beach. For more information about the Moms Club of Coastal Delaware visit www.meetup.com/MOMS-Club-of-Coastal-DE or email coastalmomsde@gmail.com.

Selbyville’s town council and mayoral election day is approaching, scheduled for Saturday, March 7. Residents wishing to serve on the council must register to run in the election by Tuesday, Feb. 3.

Three seats are up for election, including those currently held by Councilmen G. Frank Smith III, Clarence Tingle Jr. and Mayor Clifton Murray. Each position carries a term of two years, from this spring to March of 2017.

Candidates must file a written Notice of Candidacy in the Town Hall by Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 4:30 p.m. Forms are available at Town Hall.

Eligible candidates must be at least 21; be a citizen of the U.S. and Delaware; and have been a bona fide resident of the town for at least one year prior to election day.

The deadline for candidates is Tuesday, Feb. 3, despite the fact that the Town Charter calls for it to be Feb. 10, as State election rules trump municipal rules. The first Tuesday of February has been recently used by the Town, to fit within State requirements for advertising and hosting the election.

Voter registration is also at Town Hall. To qualify to vote, people must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen and be a resident of the town. Voters may follow the official Town Charter deadline of Feb. 10, even though the voter deadline was originally published as Feb. 6 at 4:30 p.m., said Virginia Pepper of the Board of Elections. Absentee voting is not permitted in Selbyville.

The Town of Millville is accepting candidates for the 2015 municipal election, scheduled for Saturday, March 7. The town council has three seats up for election this year — those currently held by Susan Brewer, Robert “Bob” Gordon and Harry Kent.

Each position carries a term of two years, from this March to March of 2017.

To be eligible, a candidate must be 18 or older; a resident of the United States and Delaware, and of the Town of Millville for at least 90 days preceding the election.

Applications from candidates are due by Friday, Feb. 6, at 4 p.m., when Town Hall closes. Forms are available at Town Hall, or on the Town website at www.millville.delaware.gov. Candidates must provide proof of residency and submit a completed application and filing fee of $100. Send completed forms to Town of Millville, ATTN: Deborah Botchie, Town Manager; 36404 Club House Rd.; Millville, DE 19967.

Voters must register at Town Hall by Friday, Feb. 6 at 4 p.m. in order to vote in this election. They must be 18 by Election Day and residents of the town. Absentee voting is permitted.

For further information or forms, visit http://elections.delaware.gov/elections/municipal.shtml.

Delaware State Police this week were asking for the public’s assistance after a 66-year-old man was assaulted in his home on Squirrel Run Circle, off of Whites Neck Road, in an unincorporated part of Sussex County north of Millville.

According to the DSP, on Jan. 18, about 9 p.m., the unidentified victim had gone into his front sunroom to turn off exterior lights when he was struck in the back of the head with a baseball bat.

The two unknown male suspects riffled through the victim’s pockets but were unable to obtain any items, police said.

Following the assault, the suspects fled in an unknown direction, and the victim was able to place a call to emergency officials. He was later transported to an area hospital, where he was treated for apparent non-life-threatening injuries.

The two unknown suspects were only described as males, and no clothing description could be given.

DSP Public Information Officer Master Cpl. Gary Fournier said that, if the subjects are found, they could face charges for home invasion, attempted robbery and assault.

Fournier said that each home-invasion incident is different, with some being random and other targeted.

“Unfortunately, there is no sure way to avoid becoming a victim of a crime, but remember to always be vigilant when entering or exiting your home. Take notice of things that are out of the ordinary around the exterior of your home and, if possible, install motion-sensing lights outside.”

Even with little known about the suspects, Fournier said it is possible that they will be located.

“There is always a chance that one or both of the suspects may talk about the incident, which may be overheard by someone willing to offer that information to detectives.”

He urged those who may have any information regarding the incident to contact DSP detectives. They should contact Detective K. Archer at (302) 856-5850, ext. 224. Information may also be submitted by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, or www.tipsubmit.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”

Doing the right thing has its perks.

Blooming Boutique is hosting a food drive to benefit Food Bank of Delaware. All shoppers who donate will receive a discount coupon, from now until Feb. 17.

Discounts are applied to that day’s, purchase, or a future one, at all four locations in Bethany Beach, Rehoboth, Lewes and Milford.

“In my mind, there’s a lot of us who have moved down to the area, and they don’t realize the people that need our help,” said owner Michiko “Micha” Seto.

“I know the first quarter is always when the food banks really need more food, because everyone donates during the holidays,” she said.

But hunger is a year-round problem, not just during the holiday season.

“They’ve got people coming in every day for stuff,” Seto said about food pantries.

Food Bank of Delaware is just one of many Blooming beneficiaries.

“We do things all year long for many of the other charities in the area,” she noted.

This month, the more items customers donate, the higher discount they get: one item earns a 10 percent discount; three items a 20 percent discount; and five or more items a 30 percent discount.

“This discount will be applicable to anything in the store, except jewelry, and cannot be combined with any other promotions in the store. A card detailing the earned Blooming Boutique discount will be provided to customers upon their donation,” she said.

Shoppers can keep coming back with donations, too.

In particular, the Food Bank of Delaware particularly needs hot and cold cereals, peanut butter, canned fruits, canned meats, 8-ounce shelf-stable milk, canned vegetables and spaghetti sauce.

With branches in Milford and Newark, the Food Bank of Delaware “relies on the generosity of the community to help feed hungry people,” according to its website.

The mission is to provide nutritious foods to Delawareans in need and facilitate long-term solutions to the problems of hunger and poverty through education and advocacy.

The food bank does not distribute directly to the general public but supplies food to feeding programs. To find food assistance, dial 211 in Delaware.

Blooming Boutique is aiming to collect 400 items — 100 per store.

“Giving back has never been so fabulous!” Seto said.

Blooming Boutique’s Bethany Beach-area store is located at the Marketplace at Sea Colony. It is open daily, Sunday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more by calling the Bethany store at (302) 541-4119 or online at www.BloomingBoutique.com or www.facebook.com/
BloomingBoutique.Lewes.

Whether the students earned stellar grades or just gave their best in the classroom, Indian River High School wants to celebrate its Students of the Month.

Coastal Point photos • Submitted : October Students of the Month, top, at Indian River High School included, from left: front row, Lauren Lynch, Taylor Bunting, Erika Granholm, Sarah Buchler and Elizabeth Quijano; second row, Rashod Bryant, Adrian Banks, Kayla Huebner, Hope Pearce and Hayden McWilliams; and, third row, Emily Tharby, Trevor Kramer, Elaina Lopez and Helen Davis.“The majority of our students juggle a difficult academic schedule, involvement in clubs and organizations, athletic commitments and even a part-time job,” explained Principal E. Bennett Murray IV. “We think that we need to step back and acknowledge [these] exemplary accomplishments.”

“Indian River High School recognizes 16 students every month who demonstrate qualities that define hard work, discipline and the desire to excel,” wrote staff member Joelle Lingenfelter.

Students are nominated from all different departments and classes, such as art, calculus and the Intensive Learning Center. After teachers make nominations, the Student of the Month Committee chooses four representatives from each grade level.

“Teachers are looking for the student that is setting themself apart from others or those that are making great individual strides,” Murray said, “not only the student with the highest grade in a class, but those that are working extremely hard as they improve their individual results.”

Honorees get a letter to their parents, their names displayed on the school sign and announced on the weekly Alert Now call, their pictures posted in the school and a monthly celebration at school.

It’s also a nice accomplishment to list on college, work and scholarship applications.

During a small celebration with coffee, juice and doughnuts, the staff presents a certificate to each winner.
Coastal Point photos • Submitted: October Students of the Month, top, at Indian River High School included, from left: front row, Lauren Lynch, Taylor Bunting, Erika Granholm, Sarah Buchler and Elizabeth Quijano; second row, Rashod Bryant, Adrian Banks, Kayla Huebner, Hope Pearce and Hayden McWilliams; and, third row, Emily Tharby, Trevor Kramer, Elaina Lopez and Helen Davis.

The biographies of several high-ranking Delaware army and naval officers who served during the Civil War are generally well known. These include Brig. Gen. Henry H. Lockwood, Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Smyth, Maj. Gen. George Sykes, Maj. Gen. Alfred T.A. Torbert, Adm. Samuel F. DuPont and Commodore John P. Gillis.

Less is known about a number of other native or adopted Delaware soldiers. “Delaware During the War Between the States” by Thomas J. Reed, et. al., sketches the lives of these men.

Daniel Ullman was born in Wilmington in 1810, graduated from Yale, became a lawyer in New York and was active in the Republican Party. With the outbreak of hostilities with seceded Southern states, Ullman organized and became the colonel of the 78th New York Regiment, known as the Highlanders, “complete with kilts and bagpipes.”

After the 78th was engaged in the Battle of Cedar Mountain in the Shenandoah Valley in August of 1862, Ullman was afflicted by typhoid fever and became a prisoner of war. After being exchanged, he went to Washington to urge President Abraham Lincoln to authorize regiments of African-Americans. Lincoln made him a brigadier general and sent him to Louisiana to raise a brigade of black troops.

Ullman’s efforts resulted in the “Corps D’Afrique,” a brigade of more than 3,000 men. The unit saw action in the assault on the Confederate works at Port Hudson, La., and gained a reputation for valor under fire. That led to a promotion for Ullman, to brevet major general.

Levi Clark Bootes, born in the District of Columbia in 1809, became a Delawarean following his marriage to Mary Louise Bird of Wilmington. As a Mexican War veteran, he was serving with the 6th U.S. Infantry Regiment when the Civil War erupted in 1861. He served in the Army of the Potomac under the command of Delaware native Maj. Gen. George Sykes.

Bootes earned the rank of captain after service at Gaines Mills, Va., in 1862 against Gen. Robert E. Lee’s forces. His “gallant conduct” at Antietam and Chancellorsville led to his promotion to major in 1864. Continuing his military service for several years after the war, Bootes returned to Wilmington, where he established his residence at 8th and Washington Streets.

Daniel H. Kent, born into a family of Quakers, apprenticed as an ironmonger with Thomas Garrett in Wilmington. (Garrett is historically recognized as a leading stationmaster on the Underground Railroad.) Despite his religion’s pacifism, Kent enlisted in the 4th Delaware Regiment “to free the slaves.”

Kent earned recognition for “conspicuous gallantry” during the bloody battle at Cold Harbor, Va., and received promotion to the rank of major. During the siege of Petersburg, he led a storming party against an enemy position in which the entire number was killed, except Kent.

Kent was elevated to command of the 4th Delaware, and suffered a disabling wound while attempting to capture a heavily-defended bridge. After mustering out of the army, he returned home to Wilmington and started his own iron business, D.H. Kent & Co.

Charles Eugene LaMotte, born in Delaware County, Pa., in 1839, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and became a lawyer. In 1861, he joined the 90-day 1st Delaware Regiment as a captain and company commander, before receiving an appointment as a major in the 4th Delaware.

His skill as an officer caught the eye of superiors, who promoted him to lieutenant colonel and then colonel — he led the regiment at Cold Harbor. LaMotte would go on to command the 6th U.S. Veteran Volunteers, and later received a post-war brevet promotion of brigadier general. Late in life, he returned to Wilmington, where he died in 1887.

Ullman, Bootes, Kent and LaMotte are examples of lower-ranking Delaware commanders who served proudly and courageously during the Civil War. Largely unsung, these men performed their duty then inconspicuously returned home to resurrect their lives interrupted by our national crisis.

Bethany Beach resident Thomas J. Ryan is the author of “Essays on Delaware during the Civil War” (available at Bethany Beach Books). Contact him at pennmardel@mchsi.com, or visit his website www.tomryan-civilwar.com.

Heavy snowflakes fell outside the gymnasium while, indoors, students talked about the icy Yukon Territory and Scandinavia. The National Geographic Bee had returned to Lord Baltimore Elementary School.

Coastal Point • Laura Walter: Lord Baltimore Elementary’s Adam Tietz won the school’s National Geographic Bee this year, while Carley Topper, right, and Alexis Pszczola, left, finished second and third, respectively.Before an auditorium full of students and parents, fifth-grader Adam Tietz stepped forward to win his second school bee.

“I feel great,” Tietz said afterward, noting that he was looking forward to the state competition.

Carley Topper gave him a run for his money, as the fourth-grader narrowly lost a special tiebreaker round.

“We have made it to a tiebreaker,” said fourth-grade teacher Kathleen Yuhanick. “This doesn’t happen very often. This is exciting.”

After Round 3, only three of 10 students were left, all of whom survived Question 4 (Lego Land has replicas of the Empire State Building and Times Square, which are in which city?)

Topper had her own challenge against third-place winner Alexis Pszczola, a fifth-grader.

Yuhanick has brought the Geography Bee to other schools, and most recently to LB last year.

“By the time they grow up, they’re in a global workforce, a global economy,” she emphasized, adding that she was proud of the students, who she believes gave the highest overall number of correct answers she’s heard at the school-level competition.

They weren’t multiple-choice questions, either. Some parents shook their heads, themselves unsure of many answers regarding state parks and international landmarks.

Other challengers included fifth-graders Finn Hanley, Gavin Munson and Nicole Norman, and fourth-graders Aiden Brewer, Cameron Darling, Luke Parada and Zachary Willis.

Tietz is no stranger to the Geo Bee, having competed at the state level last year.

“It was really hard, but I got six questions right,” he said of the 2014 state Bee.

“He only got two wrong at the state,” said Yuhanick, “so we have a really good shot of Adam winning to represent the state of Delaware.”

He’ll compete against students in grades four to eight.

School champions will take a paper test just to qualify for the state level. Students who get to Dover for the state competition will vie for the chance to represent Delaware in the national Bee.

The winner from each U.S. state and territory will compete in Washington, D.C., for a $50,000 scholarship and trip to the Galápagos Islands, sponsored by the National Geographic Society.

“I just opened the book one day, and I just started reading about geography,” Tietz said.

He said he’s not picky, but “I just like everything.”

“He just likes watching shows with his dad, [like] ‘Aerial America,’ ‘How the States Got Their Shapes,’” explained his mother, Ann Tietz.

After seeing her son’s enthusiasm, she said she’s surprised more people aren’t more interested in geography.

“I just think people are not as into geography or learning about history of the U.S., and I don’t understand why. He’s into it. He likes it.”

Holts Landing is getting some long overdue love. The new Friends of Holts Landing State Park group is ready to provide maintenance and manpower to clean up the Millville-area park, one Saturday at a time.

Despite brisk temperatures on Jan. 10, local volunteers warmed up with work, hiking the trails and beginning a maintenance to-do list.

“We were thrilled for the turnout,” said Doug Long, park superintendent for the Delaware Seashore State Parks region. “Usually, for the first day, if you get three people you’re doing well.”

Nearly 20 volunteers arrived, and they encountered a number of trail hikers who want to join in, too.

Charles “Chuck” Schonder is leading the Friends. He was first lured to Delaware for the water and was introduced to Holts Landing as a volunteer for a fish survey.

“While I was out there, I noticed the conditions at Holts,” he said. “It’s been neglected a number of years. It’s deteriorated considerably over that [two-year] time period. Basically, the State hasn’t invested any capital funding out there for a number of years, and it shows.”

“It’s still a very beautiful park, but basically time is catching up with it,” Long agreed.

“It’s unique from the natural resources perspective,” Schonder said. “It’s kind of overrun, but it’s gorgeous back there. It’s wild and natural. It’s kind of a secret. I’m guessing that the majority of people who go through Holts don’t know about those trails.”

The park might look small at the waterfront, but that’s the tip of the iceberg, with miles of wooded trails for hikers, cyclists and even equestrians.

That makes a lot of trail maintenance, though. And the Friends group is now ready to help out. Monthly projects will include branch-trimming, removing obstacles and invasive species, trail enhancement, litter collection and more.

Volunteers will also assist State Parks with special projects, such as painting, building or repairs.

“We’re a support function for the park,” Schonder said of the group. Whether acting as manpower or as advocates, they can improve perceptions in the park and in public.

In return, Delaware Seashore State Parks has provided meeting space and tools, including pruners, handsaws, wheelbarrows and a coffee pot.

“Those are some of the resources I could provide,” Long said. “The only thing I don’t have is labor, the sweat equity.”

Schonder said he thinks Delaware can offer plenty of that.

“There are people who love the outdoors and nature. There are people down here just waiting for the chance to do something to help out,” he said.

Volunteers of all ages can contribute to the Holts efforts. All are welcome, and no experience is required. They might do maintenance or use skills to advocate for Holts in public.

“A lot of these people have never been in a start-up before, and the excitement and so forth is genuine,” Schonder said, “and once they’ve been out there to Holts, they’ve all been struck by it.”

He also hopes to partner with other organizations. As a bonus “win-win,” a local Eagle Scout candidate plans to build trail benches and mile markers.

“I think it’s a natural evolution that the park service is responsible for certain things and a … group of volunteers can help with what they can do,” said Lãf Erickson, the Friends “trail boss.”

As trails coordinator, he’ll plan each project with DSSP. He has windsurfed at the park since moving to the area in 1995.

“I just fell in love with it right away,” said Erickson, who later taught his own boys to ride bikes, fish and crab on the docks.

“The State Park is not going anywhere as far as maintenance. We’ll always mow the park, pick up trash… [but] it’s the Trails Team that makes all the difference — volunteers coming out and having a sense of ownership,” Long said. The funding provided by the State for the park is modest and just covers the basics of daily operations — “‘Grass, trash and bathrooms,’ we say.”

Schonder estimated that 14 Delaware parks have Friends groups. He used Cape Henlopen State Park’s group as a model, where 200 members do the work equivalent of many full-time employees.

Long said he is “thrilled” with the Holts group, which he tried to jumpstart years ago. He emphasized the importance of grassroots support. It proves that people care and proves that funding is being used to the fullest, he said.

State Sen. Gerald Hocker Sr. and state Rep. Ron Gray both attended the January kick-off.

Last year, Hocker helped earmark $300,000 of State money for improvements at the park — mostly for designing and installing a second boat ramp and adjacent floating dock.

Future DSSP plans there may include a new bathhouse, large fire pit with stone benches, picnic benches and replacement playground equipment. (After the old play sets were deemed to be unsafe, they were removed, but the funding for replacements also fell through, Long said.)

“There is just not enough money. That’s what I’ve found talking to … the state parks director,” Gray said. “A lot of parks around the state have volunteer organizations to do these little things — raking leaves or trimming of trees … or building a horseshoe pit!” Gray said. “Everybody just wants to see an improvement to Holts Landing.”

Hocker said he was personally interested. He had once noted that the softball diamond is gone, the grills and pavilion are no longer used for family reunions, and he wouldn’t sit his family at the run-down picnic tables.

“Holts Landing has been run into the ground, and I’m determined” to fix it, he said in 2014, suggesting a public-private partnership.

Holts Landing is open 24 hours a day for boaters and anglers to use the water features. Otherwise, state parks are typically only open 8 a.m. to sunset.

The daily admission fee is $3 for Delaware-registered vehicles or $6 for out-of-state vehicles, but Long calls the State’s annual park permit the best deal — especially the more it’s used.

“It was very rustic, but it felt like trailblazing!” Schonder said of the first Friends effort at the park. “We’re hoping people will start noticing … and thinking something is going on at Holts. We’re hoping this brings more people out there.”

The Friends of Holts Landing State Park will meet again Saturday, Feb. 14, from 9 to 11:30 a.m., gathering at the maintenance building near the entrance for work assignments. People can stay all morning or just an hour.

Trail maintenance will be done on the second Saturday of each month until May, breaking for summer and resuming in October.

For more information or to volunteer, contact Charles “Chuck” Schonder at (703) 881-2491 or cschonder3@gmail.com. Learn more at
www.destateparks.com/volunteer.

Every year, public school students take a comprehensive state test. And, as the Indian River School District prepares to use the newest version of that test, parents and guardians can learn more, at a pair of public forums set for this week.

School officials will discuss the Delaware System of Student Assessments (DeSSA) on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at the Georgetown Middle School auditorium and on Thursday, Feb. 5, at the John M. Clayton Elementary School auditorium. Presentations will begin at 7 p.m.

District officials will give a presentation about the DeSSA and answer questions from parents and community members.

At the forums, people can learn “how to prepare your child, what to expect from the test, what’s different about this test from the DCAS” and more, said LouAnn Hudson, IRSD director of curriculum and instruction.

IRSD students will take the new assessments for the first time this spring. DeSSA English language arts and math tests will be administered after March 10 for grades 3 to 8 and after April 13 for grade 11. (Dates vary between schools.)

The online tests include writing, listening and research, and they “measure real-world skills like critical thinking and problem solving,” according to the school district.

For now, subject areas including science and social studies will continue under the former Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System (DCAS).

Optional practice tests were just created to give schools an idea of where the children stand. But even if principals decided to give the practice test, there isn’t enough time this school year to train teachers to hand-score it, Hudson said. There may be practice tests in the future.

The new DeSSA assessments were designed with the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, one of several groups tasked with creating student assessments for the new Common Core State Standards.

Party with a Purpose will be throwing a charity bash on Thursday, Feb. 5, inviting locals to an evening of celebrating “Foundations of Friendships” at Sedona in Bethany Beach.

The group’s first event of the year, designed by founders Cindy Davis, Tina Pipitone, Kathy Goodman and Marsha White, was created to raise money for Sussex County Habitat for Humanity. The idea is to use a social event for fundraising.

“We chose [Habitat] because we love the idea of ‘building hope’ for those in our local community,” said Davis. “We also want to encourage those attending the evening to sign up for the opportunity to participate on a future construction build site with a Party with a Purpose build team.”

“It will be a great evening of tapas with your friends,” added Goodman. “Meet a local recipient of a Habitat home, win some great raffles and sign the 2-by-4 which will be added to the new home.”

Not only are the efforts designed to help local charities but local business, as well.

“We are happy with the idea of supporting local restaurants in the off-season, and they have been so generous with helping us to plan our events,” White explained.

The event, which will feature a tapas menu, is already sold out, but according to its founders, there will be plenty of other chances to join the effort. In fact, some future events this year could include charity dinners, a mini-golf regatta, a coastal scavenger hunt and some “boat float” trips. The hope is that future events can benefit other local charities, such as Justin’s Beach House, Operation SEAs the Day and Little Pink House of Hope.

“It is amazing how philanthropic this coastal town is and how well they support so many charities,” said Pipitone of local charity efforts. “We are hoping to meet new neighbors and encourage the many full-time residents to get involved in their community.”

For more information on Party with a Purpose, or to inquire about getting involved with future events, call Cindy Davis at (410) 905-7482 or “like” Party with a Purpose on Facebook by going to https://www.facebook.com/pages/PARTY-with-a-PURPOSE/384119768379932.

There are many bars and restaurants in the area, but it’s a little harder for a local resident find a place where “everybody knows your name,” especially along the Route 54 corridor east of Selbyville. However, there’s a new spot for the locals to gather now that Yellowfin’s Bar & Grill has opened its doors in the Williamsville Shopping Center.

Coastal Point photos • R. Chris Clark: Yellowfin’s owners Josh Fallon and Katie Bohn recently opened the door to their new bar and grille in the Williamsville shopping center.And ever since their Christmas Eve grand-opening, the locals have kept coming back, according to owner Josh Fallon.

“I think it’s what was missing,” said Fallon, who grew up about a mile down the road. “I grew up in the area, and I think this area has needed a neighborhood bar forever. [Route] 54’s been a pizza-and-sub road, so I try to do some different food.”

Like the name suggests, the menu includes several fresh fish options, but the signature dish has to be the tuna nachos.

“It’s become our signature dish. They’re different from what everybody else is doing,” Fallon explained. “We make the chips here; the sauce is a house sauce; it’s blackened tuna, but there’s other [spices] in there.”

Other popular seafood menu items include the fish tacos and the mahi bites.

“We’re doing a pickled slaw on top of the fish. It’s got pepper-jack cheese, a little pico, a little cilantro and crema,” Fallon described of the fish tacos. “People are loving those things.”

But even with a name that says seafood, Yellowfin’s still has all you’re traditional American-style pub favorites, including burgers, chicken wings, homemade buffalo chicken dip and cheesesteak subs.

“We roast the meat here and then we use that for roast beef sandwiches and the cheesesteaks,” said Fallon.

For vegetarians or just for those looking for healthier options, Yellowfin’s provides a great selection of fresh-made salads, but they’re also willing to cater to customers any way they can.

“We’ve got really, really good salads,” said Fallon. “We’re willing to accommodate whatever we can. So far, we’ve been able to cater to everybody and keep everybody happy.”

To go along with the menu, Yellowfin’s offers a full bar and what Fallon says is one of the best craft beer selections in the area.

“We always have rotating four craft beers on draft, a lot of local stuff,” he said. “I’ll never have a beer that’s over five bucks. All the craft beer is five bucks. [I’m] trying to keep it reasonable for everybody.”

Patrons can enjoy any of the menu items either at the completely renovated bar equipped with four big-screen TVs, Touch Tones DJ and all the latest games, or in the re-designed dining room.

“We’re not just a bar; we’re a restaurant, too,” Fallon emphasized. “We’ve got the games. We’ve got all the sports channels. People are pretty stoked on it.”

Fittingly, most of the renovation work for the restaurant — including recycled palette walls and hightop tables and crab-basket light fixtures — was done by local workers, along with Fallon’s family and friends. To show some appreciation for all the help, Yellowfin’s will be implementing a “locals club,” where members who sign up can get happy hour-priced drinks and menu items anytime, to go along with their daily 11-7 happy hour.

Just a few weeks after opening, Fallon said they hadn’t started their daily lunch and dinner specials yet, but they plan to soon. They also plan on NHL specials, a Thursday Night, “Responders Night” for the local first response workers where proceeds from sales of 16-mile First Responders Ale goes to the Fallen Fireman Foundation, and live acoustic entertainment and in-house shuffleboard leagues.

Yellowfin’s website in currently under construction, at www.yellowfinsbarandgrill.com, but look for daily specials and a full menu there when it goes up. Until then, find more information on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/
yellowfinsbarandgrill, on Twitter
@yellowfinsbar or on Instagram
@yellowfinsbar.

Sussex County Finance Director Gina Jennings presented the county council with a comprehensive annual financial report for the 2014 fiscal year at this week’s council meeting.

The 100-page report was broken down into four sections — introductory, finance, statistical and single-audit supplement.

In the introduction, the County’s population is counted as 209,704, residing in 48 percent of the state’s total land area.

Jennings said the County’s revenues for the fiscal year were at approximately $63 million, with expenditures at approximately $59 million. The fiscal year ended with the County having $4 million in revenue over expenditures.

“We had a wonderful year where we budgeted very conservatively. … We saw our revenues 16.4 percent over last year, which is over $8 million dollars. The largest increase was in related transfer tax, which was $3.5 million. We had an increase in grants of $1.4 million,” said Jennings.

During the 2014 fiscal year, the County paid down some of its long-term expenses.

The report states, “Governmental activities increased net position by $12.7 million during fiscal year 2014. This represents 67.5 percent of the total increase in net position for the year. Governmental activities include the General fund and Capital Projects fund,” states the report, noting that general revenues totaled $37.2 million for governmental activities.

Jennings said the County received a clean opinion from independent auditor DBO, out of Wilmington, Del.

“This opinion states for itself that we present everything fairly in all material aspects to all funds in our financial statements,” said Jennings. “It was a very successful audit.”

The County has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States & Canada for the past 12 years. Jennings said she is hopeful the County will receive it again for the 2014 report.

Council President Michael Vincent commended the finance department for their exemplary work.

To view the full report, visit www.sussexcountyde.gov/sites/default/files/packets/SCC.Public.Packet.012....

The Ocean View Town Council reviewed its first draft of the Town’s budget for the 2016 fiscal year this week.

“This is our first draft… It’s going to change,” emphasized Finance Director Lee Brubaker.

In a memorandum to the council, Town Manager Dianne Vogel explained that the Town’s revenue comes from a variety of sources, including property tax, which represents approximately 50 percent of the Town’s budgeted revenue.

“We have no control over this number,” wrote Vogel, adding that the Town also receives approximately 25 percent of its revenue from transfer taxes — another unreliable source.

Aside from “significant swings” in collection numbers over the last six or seven years, Vogel added that the State could choose to take some or all of the Town’s transfer tax to solve its own budgetary issues, making for another unreliable source of revenue for the Town.

“Our daily lunch money shouldn’t come from transfer taxes,” said Brubaker of the funds that support the core of town services. “If they ever do monkey around with our transfer taxes, we’re in trouble.”

Brubaker said that the 2015 fiscal year saw the Town’s all-time high in terms of transfer taxes, taking in $2.5 million.

“It’s not to say we won’t have another big year — you just can’t budget for it,” he said.

Construction and tourism represent approximately 20 percent of the Town’s budget, which Vogel said the Town also has little control over.

“As the local real estate and tourism market changes, so does this revenue source,” said Vogel.

Ocean View also receives revenue from grants. Only the three “generally consistent” grants from Sussex County, for police, as well as State grants for police pensions and municipal street aid, can be reasonably expected. “Other grants are not projected in the budget, because if we get one, we need to spend the money on a specific project.”

Vogel added that personnel costs represent approximately 70 percent of the Town’s operating budget.

In the first draft of the 2016 budget, a pool of 4 percent of total department salaries for compensation was added for increases, based on the Hendricks Compensation Study approved by the council in October 2014. It also includes salary adjustments for two Town employees whose salaries fall below the minimum level set for their positions, based on the study.

Vogel stated that overtime is projected at 10 percent, for emergency personnel and 3 percent for other staff.

A 15 percent increase for health care coverage, which the Town gets through a State program, is also projected in the draft budget.

“The State is self-insured program. They have to adopt their budget for the insurance premiums no later than March 31.”

Vogel said that when she first met with the State about this year’s costs, they anticipated a 10 percent increase in premiums; however, when she recently touched base with them again, “They said claims were worse than they anticipated,” resulting in a potentially higher figure.

Vogel said she hoped that by the end of February she’ll have a better number than 15 percent and may see some improvement.

“Again, we’re very early on in the process, and we still have a couple more workshops and council meetings, so we have opportunities to improve some of those numbers to greater accuracy.”

Councilman Tom Sheeran asked if the Town had considered giving employees a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) or a percentage of one.

Mayor Walter Curran said he would not be in favor of a COLA for Town employees and is not a fan of them personally.

“I don’t like them, because I don’t think they really reflect the accuracy of what people need. Any cost of living adjustment really would have to be based on what is our local cost of living, anyway. You can’t go by the national index,” he said, stating that he’s in favor of raises based on merit. “I just don’t like COLAs. I just don’t think they do what everyone says they do.”

Sheeran stated that the cost of living “doesn’t do a tinker’s damn” for his Social Security but that he wanted to get the council’s opinion. He said he also believes a merit method would be better.

“It would be nice to recognize extraordinary contributions monetarily,” said Councilman Bob Lawless. “We just can’t do that.”

Sheeran agreed, adding that sometimes extraordinary contributions are just luck of the draw — for instance, if an on-duty police officer is called to respond to an emergency and saves a life.

Council members stated they could later consider creating a small fund to acknowledge employees with a small gift card to a local store, along with a certificate of appreciation.

Vogel also addressed capital projects for the Town, including maintaining the Town’s streets, investing in the Town’s infrastructure and making park improvements.

Brubaker said that public works projects for street repair that had been budgeted for the 2015 fiscal year have been moved to the 2016 fiscal year, with no major projects done in the current fiscal year.

The Town has targeted six drainage projects, estimated to cost $1,240,000 to be addressed in the 2016 fiscal year. In the budget draft, it also projects the Town to spend $150,000 on another drainage project. Three other projects, estimated to cost $930,000, have not yet been included in the budget.

“That extra transfer tax that we’ve been socking away — that’s what that can be, and I think should be, used for,” said Brubaker.

He added that there was a total of $370,000 worth of projects added to the list this year of drainage improvements to be addressed by the Town.

“We’re constrained by getting easements,” said Lawless. “This could carry over into ’17, ’18, ’19.”

Curran said that he believes the Town has made some progress regarding acquiring easements to complete the Avon Park project.

“That, at least, is progressing,” he said.

Town Administrative Official Charles McMullen added that there are some projects that are ready to go, while others are held up due to reasons outside of the Town’s control.

The budget draft will be introduced at the town council’s Feb. 10 meeting. The budget must be adopted by April 30. Copies of the draft budget may be acquired by contacting town hall, at (302) 539-9797. Only one public hearing is required prior to the council adopting the budget.