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WEEKEND #1, 2019
(Memorial Day Weekend)
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
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REHOBOTH'S NEW HIGH-TECH PARKING ENFORCEMENT TOOL!
It is poised to be part of Rehoboth Beach's most efficient parking enforcement system ever. Dubbed "R-101," the leased Ford Escape SE is outfitted with dual license plate recognition (LPR) cameras, GPS, wifi/cellular connectivity, plenty of computer technology and a distinctive emergency lighting package.
A two-employee crew will operate the car to enforce parking in areas where the city has installed one of the 46 new T2 Systems Luke parking kiosks, what city officials are calling part of a pilot project. The previous meters at the locations where the new parking kiosks are now installed, were leased. That lease expired last year and the city was able to replace them with new LPR-ready technology this year. This includes Delaware, Wilmington, Baltimore, Maryland avenues as well as 1st Street -- but not Rehoboth Avenue. The Avenue will continue to be patrolled by ticket writers on foot.
Evan Miller, projects coordinator, has been spearheading the rollout of these new meters and was test-driving R-101 this past weekend. Here he is on 1st Street and Baltimore Avenue this past Saturday, with a member of the Parking Department. Miller said the primary goals of the new system is to improve efficiency and make the streets more attractive by eliminating individual parking meters and associated "pole clutter."
Visitors parking in one of these areas should pay for parking by entering their license plate at a parking kiosk within that block. Do not, for example, park in the ocean block of Maryland Avenue and pay at a kiosk on 1st Street or in the second block. Save your receipt in case you receive a ticket for some reason. Some rates and enforcement times have changed. See the city's website for info.
The city is once again requiring visitors to park head-in in perpendicular and angled parking spots so all license plates can be scanned from the rear. Warning tickets are being issued to people who continue to back-in to parking spots.
The system will eventually have the ability to search for license plates that have been placed on a "hot list" entered by the city. Miller says the police will automatically be notified of the location of any matches without alerting parking personnel to comply with Delaware Criminal Justice Information System (DELJIS) policies.
Sharon Lynn, city manager, said Sunday that the "new meters are functioning as expected. We are actually issuing tickets but also warnings. With the license plate recognition (LPR) there's a learning curve for both enforcement staff and the public. The goal is to be more efficient and friendlier for the public to use," she added.
Lynn says this is all part of a pilot project. "We will monitor progress throughout the summer season," she added, noting that "The weekend went well, but as stated, there's a learning curve for all. Fortunately the weekend is a start and now we have a few weeks to perfect our queries and training practices until the high season begins later in June." Citations, she said, are being issued but with a great deal of leniency.
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DEWEY POLICE SEARCHING FOR HIT-AND-RUN SUSPECT
Police in Dewey Beach are asking for the public's assistance locating the driver who struck a woman in a crosswalk on Coastal Highway early Monday, Memorial Day, at Dickinson Avenue and kept going. The incident was reported during the thunderstorm just before 12:30 a.m.
The woman was knocked unconscious but later regained consciousness.
More details will be posted on WGMD.com as they become available.
POLICE TAKE MAN INTO CUSTODY AFTER STRIKING FEMALE PEDESTRIAN
Rehoboth Beach police took this man into custody after he allegedly drove his car into a 39-year-old female pedestrian in a parking space in the ocean block of Rehoboth Avenue around 12:40 p.m. on Monday, Memorial Day. She was taken to the hospital with what was described as a minor injury to the knee. No word yet from police on any charges.
WILMINGTON WOMAN ARRESTED FOR VEHICULAR ASSAULT
Rehoboth Beach police arrested a 36-year-old woman from Wilmington this past Saturday and have charged her with vehicular assault and 3rd-offense DUI among other charges after striking a pedestrian with her vehicle in the ocean block of Rehoboth Avenue, police said.
Just before 9 p.m., police say officers responded to the second block of Rehoboth Avenue near 2nd Street where a pedestrian reported that her foot had been run over by a vehicle. Upon arrival, police made contact with all parties involved. The victim, a 44-year-old female from Baltimore, was treated by EMS personnel on scene but declined an ambulance to the hospital.
Police learned that the victim was a passenger in a vehicle searching for parking in the ocean block of Rehoboth Avenue. When the occupants observed what they believed to be a vehicle leaving a parking space, the victim exited her vehicle and contacted the party to confirm they were leaving. In the process of returning to her vehicle, while crossing Rehoboth Avenue, the victim was struck by a silver Toyota Corolla driven by the suspect, later identified as Deaira M. Barnhart. Police say Barnhart drove the passenger side tires of the Corolla over the victim's foot and struck her knee.
Barnhart, who had two children inside the vehicle, did not stop at the scene and drove west on Rehoboth Avenue, police said. The victim was able to get back into the passenger compartment of her vehicle and follow Barnhart. At the intersection of Rehoboth Avenue and 2nd Street, Barnhart came to a stop at the red light and occupants of the victim's vehicle were able to get Barnhart to stop.
Upon approaching Barnhart's vehicle, police say officers observed that she showed signs of intoxication. Barnhart was administered field sobriety tests and was arrested for DUI-alcohol. She was taken to the police station for additional testing where further investigation revealed that she had two prior alcohol-related driving convictions making this her third offense, a felony in Delaware, police said.
Barnhart was arrested and charged with felony DUI-alcohol, endangering the welfare of a child while DUI, 3rd-degree vehicular assault, leaving the scene of a collision resulting in injury, failure to report a collision involving alcohol and no proof of insurance. She was committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $9501 cash secured bail.
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BIDEN NOT ONLY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TO OWN LOCAL BEACH HOME
Former Vice President Joe Biden's beach home in North Shores appeared empty this past holiday weekend.
On Friday, Chris Flood of the Cape Gazette reported that former Maryland Congressman John Delaney, another Democrat with White House aspirations, owns this beach home in North Shores as well.
The newspaper even printed the addresses! Several vehicles were at the Delaney home this past weekend.
REHOBOTH RESPONDS QUICKLY TO SEWER BACKUP
This is definitely not something you want to happen, especially on a busy holiday weekend at dinnertime in a block packed with popular nightspots!
Rehoboth Beach police received complaints around 5 p.m. Saturday that there was a suspected stoppage in the main sewer line in the second block of Baltimore Avenue. Crews from the Waste Water Department responded to check it out. They returned with the big "Roto-Rooter" truck less than 50 minutes later.
"The wastewater staff responded quickly and fixed the blockage," says Sharon Lynn, city manager. "The sewer main at this location on Baltimore Avenue had been flushed this past week at the same location so we will continue to monitor the issues that may have caused this," she added.
REHOBOTH POLICE NAB DISTRACTED DRIVERS AND THOSE WITHOUT SEATBELTS
Rehoboth Beach police conducted an Office of Highway Safety multi-hour checkpoint this past Saturday on Rehoboth Avenue. One would be surprised who police stopped... some people who should have known better!
Police positioned a spotter on the Avenue who called out the violators as they approached the firehouse. That is where officers ordered them to stop and issued citations or warnings.
Police arrested one violator because a warrant had been issued for her arrest.
No citation/warning totals were available as of Monday from police.
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DEAD DOLPHIN WASHES TO SHORE OFF REHOBOTH AVE
One of several dolphin deaths investigated by the
MERR Institute this past week.
The remains of a dolphin calf came ashore around 4:15 p.m. this past Saturday just south of Rehoboth Avenue. Suzanne Thurman, executive director of the MERR Institute, said the calf was "Fairly decomposed so some of the clues were obliterated. It had some unusual scavenging but otherwise nothing I could detect."
But that was not the only dolphin death her organization investigated in the past week or so. Thurman said on Monday that she had a striped dolphin found dead at Middlesex Beach, an adult bottlenose dolphin in Slaughter Beach and possibly one other calf. MERR performed a necropsy on the striped dolphin and is awaiting results. She added that the bottlenose had some potential signs of fisheries interaction.
On Monday, Memorial Day, her team was called to yet another dolphin death on the Point in the Cape Henlopen State Park around 2 p.m. No details were available as of yet on that case.
MAN STRUCK AND KILLED ON COASTAL HWY OUTSIDE REHOBOTH
Delaware State Police are investigating an accident from the previous Friday, May 17, that left a pedestrian dead. Police were called to Coastal Highway in the area of Rehoboth Avenue just after 11:10 p.m. after a 56-year-old man from Rehoboth, who was wearing dark clothing and carrying no light, walked out in front of a car and was struck. Police say the pedestrian was not in a designated walkway. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the 1993 Oldsmobile sedan, a 42-year-old man from Pennsylvania, was properly restrained and not injured.
The Collision Reconstruction Unit is continuing its investigation into this incident. More info is on the state police blog.
DRUNK DRIVER TOPPLES CONCRETE LAMP POST ON REHOBOTH AVE, FLEES
State police say a man driving a red Nissan Pathfinder crashed into an orange "construction ahead" sign and this concrete lamp post the previous Sunday, May 19. It happened on Rehoboth Avenue at the Chamber of Commerce around 11:25 p.m. MCpl. Melissa Jaffe says the 23-year-old man of Wilmington had been attempting to negotiate the traffic circle when he left the roadway.
A fire company member arrived moments after the crash was reported, as the driver was attempting to flee, and radioed for assistance. A Dewey Beach police officer had responded to assist Rehoboth Beach officers and caught up with the driver outside of town.
A state trooper assumed the investigation. Upon contact with the driver, MCpl. Jaffe says the trooper detected an odor of alcohol and a DUI investigation ensued.
The driver was later taken to Troop 7 where he was charged with DUI-alcohol, failure to have required insurance, driving vehicle at unreasonable or imprudent speed, and possession of marijuana. He was arraigned before the Justice of the Peace Court and released on his own recognizance.
MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE AT REHOBOTH BEACH BANDSTAND
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Rehoboth Beach Post #7447 Memorial Day Ceremony was held this past Monday at the bandstand.
Dignitaries and honored guests attended the Memorial Day service to honor the men and women of the armed forces who have given their lives.
The service included an honor guard and helicopter flyover.
CITY DEDICATES STEVE ELKINS WAY
"Steve Elkins Way" dedication and sign unveiling ceremony was held Saturday, May 4, at the walkway between the city hall parking lot and Baltimore Avenue. Residents, CAMP Rehoboth members and local officials came to honor the trailblazer who co-founded CAMP Rehoboth and died in March 2018.
Shown are Commissioner Richard Byrne, Commissioner Lisa Schlosser, CAMP President Chris Beagle, State Auditor Kathy McGuiness, Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, CAMP Editor Fay Jacobs, CAMP Co-founder Murray Archibald, Judy Buchanan, Hugh Buchanan and CAMP Administrative Coordinator Monica Parr. See the Cape Gazette for more info.
Photo courtesy City of Rehoboth Beach
FIRST WEEKEND UPDATE FOR 2019!
We hope all of you have had a good winter and holiday weekend. Thank you for your continued support. Please keep the emails, photos, articles, announcements and news releases coming. Many thanks to our sponsors, photographers, contributors and WGMD Radio!
We welcome sponsors and partners for 2019. Please write or call if you have an idea or proposal! If you spot us on the street or beach, please stop us to say "hi!"
With best wishes,
Alan (Facebook) (Twitter) (e-mail)
Dagmar, Alan's mom, (Facebook) (e-mail) (wikipedia)
OTHER NEWS:
MOTORCYCLIST KILLED IN OAK ORCHARD CRASH--- A male motorcyclist approximately 30 years old crashed around 11:15 p.m. Monday at Oak Meadow Drive and Oak Orchard Road in the Oak Orchard area. He was in traumatic cardiac arrest and attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
