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WEEKEND #15, 2014
(Labor Day Weekend)
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
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HOLIDAY WEEKEND JEWELRY HEIST FROM DOWNTOWN REHOBOTH
SHOP
First robbery this year for Rehoboth Beach
Police are looking for three suspects who robbed the Dynasty Jewelers in Penny Lane Mall in the ocean block of Rehoboth Avenue Saturday afternoon. Lt. William L. Sullivan, Rehoboth Beach police spokesman, says officers responded to the store at 42 Rehoboth Avenue for a reported strong-armed robbery around 3:50 p.m.
The clerk told police that two men and a woman entered the store and stood in a tight group in front of a display case. They were obstructing the clerk's view from the other side of the store.
While attempting to block her view, Lt. Sullivan says one of the men lifted the top glass of the display case and removed a tray with about seven diamond rings attached to it.
The clerk suddenly realized what happened and demanded that they return the jewelry.
But one of the men along with the woman ran from the store, headed south through Penny Lane Mall, Lt. Sullivan says. The third suspect with the jewelry in his possession also fled, but he ran west on Rehoboth Avenue after a brief struggle with the clerk who attempted to restrain him by holding his shirt.
He is described as a black man about 6' tall with short hair in his mid to late 30's. He wore a dark purple polo shirt and dark-colored dress pants. Police described the second suspect as a black male with short hair about 6' tall, average build, wearing a blue polo shirt with horizontal stripes and dark-colored dress pants. The third suspect is a black female who was about 5' 6" and wearing a wig with hair that was tampered to the collar. She wore a brown shirt and slacks.
Lt. Sullivan says no weapons were displayed at any time. No demands or threats were made. No notes were displayed. There were no injuries. Estimated value of jewelry stolen is between $20,000 and $40,000. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 302-227-2577.
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BOYS SEEN BREAKING INTO R.B. HOUSE; JUST A MISUNDERSTANDING
Rehoboth Beach police responded to Scarborough Avenue after some boys were seen breaking into a house around 11:50 a.m. Sunday. This ignited an hour-long neighborhood-wide search for the boys with even the state police assisting RBPD.
It appears that three boys, ages 12 to 14, one of whom lived at the residence, entered and exited the house through a rear window by removing the screen and prying the window open, says Lt. William L. Sullivan, police spokesman. "The adult female [occupant] was unaware that anyone was in the residence as she stated she was in the shower," he said. "For some reason the juveniles, including the juvenile resident, did not want his mother to know he was there with his friends."
A man who witnessed the boys exiting the rear window and run, called the police. A state trooper with a dog and another in an SUV came to assist with the search.
Police eventually determined that the burglary was unfounded, Lt. Sullivan said. "In hindsight these kids could have found themselves in a very bad spot especially with a K-9 tracking them," he adds. "By all outwards appearances it was believed to be a burglary in progress and was initially investigated as such. Not a good situation for anyone involved; hopefully they learned a lesson here."
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PLANE CRASHES INTO ATLANTIC AFTER PILOT BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE
Coast Guard finds little debris
Investigators are trying to determine what happened to the pilot of a single-engine airplane flying from Wisconsin to Manassas, Virginia. The plane continued over the eastern shore and crashed in the ocean.
Two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from Joint Base Andrews Saturday afternoon after the Cirrus SR-22 failed to land as scheduled in Manassas. The plane flew through restricted airspace and over the eastern shore, and at one point was headed north toward Delaware.
Flightaware shows the aircraft departing Waukesha, Wis. around 9:43 a.m. (central time), headed for Manassas, Va. The flight path ends in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Coast Guard issued this news release on Saturday evening and a second news release stating that the search had been suspended on Sunday.
Image courtesy Flightaware.com
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MORE PARKING RAGE IN REHOBOTH BEACH
Rehoboth Beach police responded to at least two incidents this past holiday weekend involving disputes over parking spaces. Often the participants are gone by the time police arrive. But that was not the case around 7:10 p.m. Sunday in the second block of Delaware Avenue.
A witness said one of the women had been standing in the parking space and refused to leave when the two other women in the silver Mazda forced their way into the spot, almost running over her.
They had a lengthy discussion along with two police officers.
Another parking space dispute was reported around 2 p.m. Saturday on Rehoboth Avenue at First Street. But the participants were gone when police arrived.
WOMAN DRIVES RENTAL CAR INTO CURB, FACES LOTS OF CHARGES
A 27-year-old woman who drove a rented Chevy Impala into the curb on Rehoboth Avenue at Fifth Street faces a slew of charges.
Lt. William L. Sullivan, police spokesman, says she has been charged with driving while suspended, possession of a suspended license and inattentive driving. Furthermore, he added, she had a capias (arrest warrant) out of Justice of the Peace Court for failure to appear.
Although it is difficult to see in the photograph, when she struck this curb at Fifth Street, the car's front passenger's side tire got bent.
A tow truck was required to remove the car because it was no longer drivable.
CHEVY CRASHES INTO SIGN POST AND FENCE; NO INJURIES
A man driving a Chevy Equinox took out a section of fence and a SCOOTER PARKING ONLY sign at Norfolk Street at the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach. He called to report it to police around 5:10 p.m. Friday.
Lt. William L. Sullivan, police spokesman, said the accident was caused by an "elderly gentleman whose foot slipped off of the brake and he hit the accelerator by mistake." There were no traffic charges, he added.
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SEVERAL INJURED IN OCEAN PINES BOAT FIRE, EXPLOSION
Five people were taken to the hospital after a boat caught fire and exploded around 2 p.m. Sunday at a dock on Boatswain Drive in Ocean Pines.
EMS personnel flew two patients with serious burns to Johns Hopkins Bayview Burn Center in Baltimore on the same helicopter. Candy Thomson, Maryland Natural Resources Police spokeswoman, says the other three patients have since been released.
Thomson said Monday afternoon that the Worcester County fire marshal and Maryland Natural Resources Police are investigating what caused the fire and explosion.
Photos courtesy Christopher Casale
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INCREDIBLE! 90 YEARS OLD AND STILL SERVING HIS COMMUNITY!
At any time of the day or night, in the freezing winter, the hottest summer days or during pouring rain, Preston "Pret" Dyer, a World War II Purple Heart veteran, who turned 90 years old in April, still responds to serve his community.
Dyer, who now lives in downtown Rehoboth Beach, is a life member of Milford's Carlisle Fire Company and an honorary life member of the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company.
As a boy, Dyer says he always wanted to be in the fire company. So, when he returned from his service in the Army in the 310th Medical Battalion, he attended fire school in Dover and joined the Carlisle Fire Company. "When we became qualified," he says, "whenever the fire whistle blew, we were very eager to down our new gear, jump in the truck, and start fighting the fires or maintaining control of the roads where an accident had occurred."
He and his wife purchased a home in Rehoboth Beach and eventually moved here full-time in the late 1980's. She already had deep family roots here and this is where the couple first met.
Dyer started as a volunteer firefighter. But these days, he is a fire police captain for the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company. Fire police are authorized by the governor to direct and enforce traffic laws at fire and accident scenes. They often work for hours long after fire trucks leave the scene, helping police with the sometimes dangerous and tedious job of managing traffic. Here he is directing traffic on Coastal Highway a couple weeks ago.
As soon as the Rehoboth Beach fire siren sounds, one of the first personnel to respond to the call is Dyer who goes by "86-30" on the fire radio. He says he goes to as many incidents as he can. He has received numerous awards and certificates for his service, ranging from Delaware Fire Service Hall of Fame, Fire Police Officer of the Year, and others including those from the state legislature.
When he was fighting fires, Dyer probably inhaled more than his share of smoke and he experienced a number of close calls where his life was in danger, like during a marsh fire between Slaughter Beach and Broadkill. But Dyer says "it is all about helping people."
He has served in the fire service for more than 50 years and proudly shows the 20 stripes on his uniform, one for every five years.
Just as incredible as Dyer is his wife of nearly 65 years, Ann Lynch Dyer. Her father, Clarence Lynch, was the mayor of Rehoboth Beach from 1955 to 1961, as well as a state trooper. Her grandparents lived in Rehoboth Beach, and owned the property where the firehouse was eventually built. She is the author of two books, A Matter of Heart, a novel based on a true-life story, and Just Yesterday, Special People & Special Places We Still Remember from Life in Sussex County during Those Fabulous 20's – 40's and Beyond.
Sure she worries when he responds on a call, but notes that the fire company is the "main interest in his life." She says Dyer says "please do not ask me to quit… It is a job but he loves it." Ann's grandfather was a firefighter and loved it as well.
CARDBOARD GOING INTO TRASH AT REHOBOTH BEACH CITY HALL
This is the city-owned trash truck parked at the Rehoboth Beach convention hall this holiday weekend.
Photos taken over several days appear to show a continued pattern... cardboard and other recyclables being discarded into the trash.
This was how it looked late Friday afternoon.
And below is early Saturday afternoon. Note the crushed cardboard along the upper lip.
Here is the truck again early Sunday afternoon loaded with what appears to be at least five clean cardboard boxes and empty plastic bottles.
The recycle bins did fill up fast this weekend. In fact, they were overflowing on Saturday.
The debris was removed on Monday along with the trash truck.
"The city trash truck parked outside the convention center serves as a dumpster for disposal of trash generated by events taking place inside the convention hall," says Commissioner Stan Mills. "Let's be mindful," he observes, "that contaminated recyclables -- items with foods stuck to them, boxes with debris inside, etc. -- are considered to be trash. However if there is no contamination, then it would seem odd if recyclable materials are comingled with garbage and trash and disposed of in the city trash truck when there are recycling dumpsters in the abutting parking lot less than 100 feet away."
"I believe the city and the environment would benefit by giving thought
to instituting a recycling program for activities held at the convention center,"
Comm. Mills adds, "especially those generating cardboard and other single-stream
recyclables."
The city, Comm. Mills pointed out, "has been a leader in initiating recycling
as a city service by providing curb-side collection of single-stream recyclables
to our single-family residents years prior to the time deadline mandated by
the Delaware Universal Recycling law. The city also instituted curb-side
collection of recyclables for our multi-family clients ahead of the state law
schedule. And we can continue to be a leader by giving consideration to
how to expand our recycling programs, such as to convention hall activities."
DEWEY BEACH ELECTION SEASON NOW IN FULL SWING
All three candidates for the town's two commissioner seats attended rallies this holiday weekend in Dewey Beach.
Commissioners Courtney Riordan and Gary Mauler spoke to voters at Mayor Diane Hanson's home. Mauler said he was encouraged by the dialog town officials have had with the business community and hopes that leads to a stronger working relationship. He noted how the bars "came out fighting" after the gross receipts tax proposal and is hopeful a dialog will produce better results for both sides. He spoke of striking the balance between the town's vibrant nightlife and the need to respect people who live in Dewey. Mayor Hanson also noted how Dewey has been changing, with crime complaints on the decrease while increased numbers of families with children came to town this summer.
The following morning, Dave Davis, right, addressed voter's concerns along with current Dewey Beach Commissioner Anna Legates at the home of Marcia Schieck, who is on the Citizens to Preserve Dewey Steering Committee. Top concerns included transparency/FOIA issues with town hall, improving public safety and to assure residents/property owners do not get stuck paying for visitors who come to the resort town. They would like to see Dewey have more predictable revenue streams. Also mentioned was seeking grant money that other towns receive. Former Commissioner Joy Howell also shared her experiences from her service as commissioner.
Only 18 days left until the election on Saturday, September 20!
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REHOBOTH'S 26TH ANNUAL DRAG VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT
by Guillermo
Silveira
This is quickly becoming a sport where people are not paying much attention to the score. Ask anybody who attended who won, and you'd probably get "I don't know."
The much anticipated sporting event of the season in Rehoboth Beach, the 26th annual drag volleyball tournament went as planned this past Sunday. The Witches took on the Super heroes. Can you tell them apart?
Not only was this an amazing parade of costumes and humor but also two teams with excellent volleyball players who made Rehoboth's Drag Volleyball 2014 one of the best and funniest matches in years.
Very good props, a flying Super Girl, Bat Girl's long red hair, many more heroines, a smoky villain's caldron, Bloody Mary's drama, demurred Anorexia as The Riddler, Black Widow's huge breast under her refined small umbrella, a gorgeous slender Transylvanian travesty and his boy toy, Poison Ivy thrilling vibes, and a whimsical black and white emcee, made the game a real unforgettable hoot and a marvelous pop event that crowned Rehoboth's Labor Day weekend.
Final score: Witches 15, Super heroes 9.
Photos courtesy Hoyte Decker
GOOGLE STREET VIEW CREW COMES TO REHOBOTH AND DEWEY
For the past couple weeks, people have been reporting sightings of the Google Maps Street View photographer in Rehoboth and Dewey. We only know him as "Alberto." Google is collecting video for new maps, even for off-road locations such as the boardwalk.
"At Google Maps," says Susan Cadrecha, Google spokeswoman, "We're working to build the very best map of the world, and that includes collecting imagery of far off places and those just around the corner. By collecting imagery of Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach for people to explore and discover on Google Maps, we are one step closer to building the very best, most comprehensive and useful map of the world."
"Street View," she adds, "is a feature available in Google Maps that allows users to explore the world through 360-degree street-level imagery. We typically use a car to collect Street View imagery, but some of the most interesting and fun places aren't accessible with a car. To help us visit places with smaller paths and unique terrain, we've designed alternative imagery collection platforms: the Trike, the Trolley, and the Snowmobile. We also use Trekker, a wearable backpack outfitted with a camera. Following the collection, we align the imagery to its geographic location on the map and turn the photos into 360-degree panoramas allowing users to visit far away destinations from their home or plan a future trip. This imagery will be available on Google Maps in the coming months."
Photos courtesy Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce
WARD ELLINGER'S COLORPLAY
by Prof. Dagmar Kirchner Henney
I was enthusiastic about his unique colorful brilliant paintings frequently consisting of thoughtful earth tones. But Ward's beautiful painting, Colorplay, filled me with joy with its multi-colorful expressions. Ward's paintings really speak to you in a universal language of happiness. This is acrylic on canvas. Awesome work Ward!
Ward says he often gets his most creative ideas in the middle of the night while in bed. He will sketch them down before he forgets. When you are in downtown Rehoboth Beach, you'll find the Ward Ellinger Gallery in the CAMP Rehoboth courtyard at 39 Baltimore Avenue.
LAST WEEKEND UPDATE FOR 2014
Thank you for your continued support. Please keep the e-mails, photos, articles, announcements and news releases coming.
Many thanks go to our sponsors, photographers, contributors and WGMD Radio!
We are grateful to dedicated police officials, especially Lt. William L. Sullivan, Sgt. Clifford Dempsey and the state police public affairs staff, who continue to provide details on news incidents.
Our appreciation goes to Jim Davis of dcfire.com who creates many of our banners, year after year.
We welcome sponsors and partners for 2015. 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) (wikipedia) (e-mail)
Photo courtesy Anthony Burns
VIDEO: CRITTERS IN OUR BACKYARD IN DOWNTOWN REHOBOTH
Raccoons, purple grackles, blue jays, neighborhood cats, skunks, catbirds, robins, sparrows, opossums and squirrels were all captured on our backyard "critter camera" the past couple months. Here is a YouTube video of some of those images.
Click here to watch the video.
OTHER NEWS:
2 FLOWN TO TRAUMA CENTERS AFTER SUNDAY SURF INJURIES--- On Sunday, EMS personnel flew two injured swimmers to trauma centers in about a 10-minute period. Around 3:50 p.m. a 31-year-old man experienced loss of feeling below his shoulders on the north side of the Clarion Resort Hotel in Ocean City. He was flown from Northside Park. Minutes later, EMS personnel called for a medevac in Bethany after a surf injury at Fourth Street. Early last week saw a jump in surf injuries as Cristobal past off the coast.
2 VESPA SCOOTERS STOLEN FROM HENLOPEN AVE IN R.B.--- Rehoboth Beach Neighborhood Watch and Lt. William L. Sullivan report that two Vespa scooters have been stolen in the late night/early morning hours from Henlopen Avenue sometime between Monday and Tuesday of last week. One was taken from the first block and the other from the third block of Henlopen Avenue. It is believed that the scooters were in a locked position (one was scheduled for maintenance and was not in a condition to be driven). So it is believed that both scooters were loaded onto a truck or trailer of some sort. Officers also took a theft of bike report from the area of Oak Avenue and Surf Avenue (bike rack near the beach access) that occurred sometime between the hours of 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesday, August 26.
BYSTANDERS PULL KAYAKER FROM OCEAN, PERFORM CPR--- A 71-year-old Bethany Beach man was pulled from the ocean when his kayak overturned at the Assateague Island National Seashore around 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Liz Davis, park spokeswoman, said bystanders performed CPR on the victim and he was taken to the hospital. She said this past week that he had been briefly on a ventilator but was expected to be released.
SHARK BITES MAN IN FOOT AFTER BEING REELED INTO SHORE--- Ironically, less than 40 minutes after the kayak incident (above), EMS personnel were called to an off-road section of beach in Assateague Island National Seashore, farther south than the kayak incident, after a man had gotten bitten in the foot by a shark. Liz Davis, park spokeswoman, says the 35-year-old man from Berlin, Md. had been assisting a fisherman reeling a three-foot shark into the surf zone. The shark bit deeply into the man's right foot -- exposing tendons and bone and causing severe bleeding. She said they set the shark free and the man was taken to the hospital by ambulance.
WOMAN GETS ARM CAUGHT IN CASH REGISTER--- Ocean City firefighters responded to the Dollar Tree at 128th Street after a 57-year-old woman had gotten her arm trapped in a cash register around 10:15 p.m. Thursday. She was not injured and she had gotten her arm out before firefighters arrived.
NEWS RELEASES / NEWS REPORTS:
Grotto magnate Dominick A. Pulieri vs. judge Joseph J. Farnan Jr (corrected link)
Volunteers encouraged to sign up now for 2014 Delaware Coastal Cleanup
Ellendale firefighters rescue stranded horse (Sunday 4:40 p.m.)
Woman goes into labor in car headed to hospital (Tuesday)
Eight piping plover chicks fledged this season at Cape Henlopen, beach nesting bird monitors report
Lewes man charged with 5th DUI, caused power outage along Old Landing Road (Monday before last)
Chicken Plunge this coming Saturday in Rehoboth Beach
Ocean City neighborhood (Mallard Island) wants tourists, just not on its street (Washington Post)
Smoking regulations coming to OC in summer 2015; Council votes 4-3 to institute restricted areas
Ocean City officials plan to restrict smoking on the beach and boardwalk in May (Washington Post)
Virginia teen drowns in Ocean City; officials warn of strong rip currents (Washington Post)
Manassas teen drowns after getting caught in a rip current in Ocean City (WJLA-TV)
Third teen loses life in Ocean City surf this summer (Tuesday)
Two Ocean City men arrested in weekend assault, homicide
Statement alleges suspects acted in self-defense; manslaughter charges filed in weekend death
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