Having trouble viewing this report or its photos? CLICK HERE or e-mail alanhenney@aim.com
WEEKEND #15, 2016
(Labor Day Weekend)
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
*|FACEBOOK:LIKE|* *|TWITTER:TWEET|*
AREA BEACHES DODGE ANOTHER BULLET AS HERMINE DWELLS
OFFSHORE
Drag Volleyball, Rehoboth's signature Labor Day sporting
event, canceled for first time in 28 years!
Walking around downtown Rehoboth Beach this past Labor Day there was a sense of relief. Not only had we dodged another tropical storm, but we also survived the summer season.
Saturday brought the worst of Post-Tropical Cyclone Hermine with mean rough seas and strong wind that blew sea foam and pelted visitors with sand.
That is the cargo ship Bermuda Islander about five miles from the Henlopen Hotel during Saturday's peak winds around 3:25 p.m. The 100-meter cargo ship, owned by Bermuda International Shipping, arrived safely in port in New Jersey where it remained for the weekend.
While the beach patrol kept people out of the ocean and off the beach on Saturday in Rehoboth Beach, outside the city limits was a different situation.
Once visitors were allowed back on the beach, lifeguards were mostly successful keeping visitors out of the ocean the entire weekend, with the exception of a group of kite-boarders who blew past them early Sunday afternoon.
The scene was much different on Saturday when the strongest winds of the weekend blasted visitors with clouds of sand grains. It felt like hurricane-force winds but according to the nearby DEOS weather station, the wind behind this sandstorm around 3 p.m. Saturday was at most a measly 28 m.p.h. with perhaps a 35 m.p.h. gust. That weather station recorded only a quarter-inch of rain on Saturday and the peak gust of almost 36 m.p.h. just after this photo was taken. Sunday and Monday were mild by comparison and with no rain.
Those winds brought a load of sand onto the boardwalk.
Around 7 a.m. Saturday, Rehoboth Beach public works crews moved the RBP lifeguard stands from the beach and placed many of them in the parking lot north of the Henlopen condo. They became an instant photo op.
Evan Stoddard and his wife, Elizabeth, were enjoying the waves at Hickman Street in Rehoboth on Labor Day when he took this photo of this little boy. He was jumping around in excitement and Stoddard captured him in mid-air!
When visitors returned to the beach on Sunday, during high tide they were forced to high ground where they occupied the dunes along the boardwalk. That has worried some locals since this dune had been credited with keeping the ocean from flooding the town during previous storms. Delaware officials say dune fencing will return as soon as the beach and dunes are rebuilt, hopefully before next season.
Dewey Beach Mayor Diane Hanson wrote in her e-mail newsletter that "The beach is narrower than usual but the good news is beach replenishment efforts are on schedule to begin later this fall with the Army Corps of Engineers beginning with Dewey Beach and Rehoboth Beach. That work includes not only repairing the dunes but widening the beach. As the damage currently stands, it is expected to take about a month or two."
The FishinOC blog shows how the storm impacted Ocean City which experienced some flooding.
While the big loss for the weekend was the annual Drag Volleyball tournament, people were thankful it was not much worse.
Here is the statement that was posted on the Drag Volleyball Facebook page: "Due to beach conditions and continued high winds, we have decided to cancel this year's Drag Volleyball game. For the first time in 28 years we will not end the summer entertaining the crowds. This was a difficult decision and not one we made lightly. We appreciate all of your support over the years and thank you for your understanding. Weather permitting, we will be back Labor Day weekend 2017. Again, thank you for your support."
"Come one, come all for the greatest show in all of Rehoboth! Well on the beach anyway. Whaddya want, it's free?!"
Photos courtesy Hoyte Decker, Dale Sheldon and Evan Stoddard
Coastal Delaware's premier lifestyle magazine ...
In a class of its own. Visit delawarebeachlife.com to see what you're missing!
ONLY 11 DAYS TO DEWEY BEACH ELECTION DAY!
With many Dewey Beach property owners in town for the holiday weekend, Mayor Diane Hanson opened her doors once again for what has become a tradition where she introduces her picks for town council. In the past nine years of endorsing and picking teammates -- including herself -- she has never backed a losing candidate.
This year she is endorsing incumbent Commissioner Courtney Riordan, center, and Gary Persinger, right. They both addressed visitors Sunday along with Mayor Hanson and Comm. Dale Cooke.
If Mayor Hanson is successful at shutting out the other incumbent, Comm. Gary Mauler, this would be her 10th year of continuous successful endorsements.
Meanwhile, we have not heard much from Comm. Mauler who had been caring for an ailing relative this past weekend.
Dewey Beach voters should request their absentee ballots now if they plan to vote absentee. The town is mailing ballots to voters who have submitted their affidavits and will continue to mail ballots through Sept. 14. In-person absentee voting started at town hall on Monday, Aug. 29 and will continue through noon on Sept. 16. Registered voters may also vote at the polls on Saturday, Sept. 17.
Check out the news anytime at wgmd.com ...
Download the WGMD smartphone app
OFFICIALS RESPOND TO HOME HEATING OIL SPILL IN REHOBOTH HOME
Representatives from the Rehoboth Beach fire company, police, building & licensing and DNREC came to this house under renovation in the third block of Munson Street after a 250-gallon tank containing home heating oil was discovered leaking.
The spill, which was reported around 1:30 p.m. Sunday, left the basement of the home covered with home heating oil #2. The odor could be smelled throughout the neighborhood.
On Monday, Lt. Jaime Riddle, police spokesman, says DNREC hazmat personnel removed most of the hazardous material from the scene prior to departure and a private company will be required to remove the remaining oil.
R.B. TRASH TRUCK AND CAR COLLIDE ON COASTAL HIGHWAY
A Rehoboth Beach city-owned trash truck was involved in a minor accident with a car on southbound Coastal Highway prior to Shuttle Road just before 12:30 p.m. last Thursday.
According to Master Cpl. Gary E. Fournier, state police spokesman, the 72-year-old female driver of the car slid on the wet roads into the bus lane where she struck the trash truck. She was cited for Failure to Drive at Speed Appropriate for Conditions.
No injuries were reported. The city truck driver was given a routine drug/alcohol test.
Photo courtesy David Koster, Portraits in the Sand
Come see all Rehoboth has to offer ...
STICKER GRAFFITI TAGGING IN REHOBOTH BEACH
Rehoboth Beach police investigated at least three reports of graffiti this past holiday weekend. At least two of the three reports involved stickers.
"Gustavo" has been a common tag this summer, but this tagging was discovered on a sticker stuck to a utility pole at Rehoboth Avenue and First Street.
Also the target of a label attack the past few days was the transformer box adjacent to the Post Office which features a hodgepodge of new and old labels and taggings including one for grandpa (MAC).
The third incident was reported in the second block of Wilmington Avenue.
Please click below to see the exciting beach clocks ...
ELECTRIC BUSES COMING SOON TO REHOBOTH?
A few weeks ago, DART brought a prototype electric bus to Rehoboth Avenue. Delaware Transit Corporation (DTC) has been awarded $2,029,300 from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to purchase up to six of these zero-emission battery-electric buses.
"The battery-electric buses will fit well into the Rehoboth Beach resort community," says Comm. Stan Mills, who is shown in the below photo.
"They are quiet, have zero emissions and don't idle when stopped," he added, which is "fitting in with our city resolution promoting no-idling. I look forward to their arrival in the near future."
See the DART First State website for details.
Photo courtesy Comm. Stan Mills
Coming this fall to Rehoboth... how cool is that? Please click below for details ...
POP ARTIST, TERRY ISNER, RETURNS TO GALLERY 50
Terry Isner opened his latest show this past holiday weekend at Gallery 50 in downtown Rehoboth Beach. Here he is on the right, with gallery owner, Eric Davison. On the wall is Isner's Well Oiled Machine -- Iron Man.
Here is how Isner explains the concept behind his current exhibition. In the vintage comic book world readers would encounter ads for Hostess, Wonder Bread and other similar iconic products as they read the publication. Those brands became ingrained in us, he observes, as they were attached to these super heroes.
"So the idea was, how could I mash up the advertising and the branding world with the super heroes that we love because they are already doing that in my mind by having commercials and ads," he says. So Isner started to create that same dynamic and tells stories with certain brands that are related specifically to what was happening in the image such as in his "Same Bat Channel - RGB," below.
Consider, for example, the stormtrooper who wears nothing by white armor. He is linked to the Turtle Wax brand. What does Turtle Wax do? You wax it on your car and it gives you a hard protective shine which is basically what the soldiers are wearing, he points out.
"So the whole fun, playfulness is how do I mix a brand with the hero and tell the story," he says. "I painted them on top of these vintage old comic books which most people put in a little bag and protect. I tore the pages out, decoupaged them to the canvas and then painted the story on top of the canvas. So that's the whole gist of how this story kind of came about, by canvas piece by canvas piece, and each tell their own individual stories."
If you study all of the dots behind Wonder Woman, the red, the blue and the yellow, they are exactly the same pattern, he points out.
So he follows the same pattern by bringing the brand back. If you think of a comic book, he says, it is printed in dots. So that dot pattern, using red, green and blue, creates the way we see color.
"I think the thing [people] would most relate to is how the comic book became the backdrop and the beauty was how did I get the comic book onto that page, onto that canvas, so I could have that page that I could work from," he said. "I think that is the fun part too because... people protect those comics so much and I have kind of pulled them out. You have it in a little bag; I have it on the wall! I kind of given it more credit than you give in a bag!"
Isner's exhibition runs through Sept. 13. Please see the Gallery 50 website for info.
Serving Kent, Sussex, Worcester and Wicomico Counties with 24-hour EMERGENCY SERVICE, please click here ...
http://www.atlanticrefrigeration.com/
OAK AVENUE DEER
OH NO! LAST WEEKEND UPDATE FOR 2016!
First, a special "thank you" to our new friends, Suzanne Siney, and her sister, Carolyn Portanova. Their home is featured on page 32 of the August issue of Delaware Beach Life.
They were kind to invite us to their Labor Day celebration with the magazine's publisher, Terry Plowman. That's him on the left!
The History of 'Sea Rest,' the home their grandparents built in the 1920's on Hickman Street, is a must-read article especially for those with similar homes in town. We are grateful they included us in their holiday celebration and for the history lesson.
We hope all of you have had a good summer and holiday weekend.
Thank you for your continued support. Please keep the e-mails, photos, articles, announcements and news releases coming.
Many thanks to our sponsors, photographers, contributors and WGMD Radio!
Our appreciation goes to Jim Davis of dcfire.com who creates many of our banners, year after year.
We welcome sponsors and partners for 2017. 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:
FUNLAND REMAINS OPEN THROUGH SUNDAY, SEPT. 11--- Tuesday to Thursday (Sept. 6 to 8) Funland will open at 5 p.m. and close around 9 p.m. On Friday, Sept. 9, Funland will open at 5 p.m. and will close based on the crowds which in the past is around 10:30 p.m. On Saturday, Sept. 10, and Sunday, Sept. 11, Funland will open the games and rides at 1 p.m. Saturday Funland is normally open to 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. and Sunday Funland will close for the season between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. Labor Day was the last day of operation for the Haunted Mansion.
89-YEAR-OLD MAN INJURED AFTER BEING TRAPPED BENEATH PROPANE TANK FOR 5+ HOURS--- An 89-year-old man was rescued around noon on Sunday after a neighbor discovered him trapped after he had fallen under a 40-gallon propane tank. The tank had been sitting on his chest/stomach for about five hours. His lips were already turning blue but he was still alive and taken to Beebe Hospital. The incident was reported in the 32200 block of Mc Cary Road in the Roxana area.
FAST CHASE UP COASTAL HIGHWAY--- Around 12:35 a.m. Saturday, Delaware State Police chased a man driving a car with Delaware handicapped tags. The incident started on northbound Coastal Highway at John J. Williams Highway when a trooper observed the man weaving across several lanes of traffic. By 12:42 a.m. he sped through the intersection of Route 16. Police tried to use stop-sticks which seemed to have had some impact. His speeds were reported initially as high as 100 m.p.h. and later slowed as sparks were reported coming from his wheel. The man eventually pulled off Coastal Highway onto Route 38 and abandoned the car at the entrance to Sylvan Acres around 12:45 a.m. He fled on foot. Police searched using a dog and a helicopter and also went to the address where the car is licensed. But later that day state police said no arrest had been made and the investigation was continuing.
WOMAN SUFFERS FLASH BURNS FROM CLOTHES DRYER/ FLOWN TO BURN CENTER--- A 69-year-old woman burned her face, hands and arm when she sprayed something into a clothes dryer which ignited a flash fire. It was reported around 9:45 p.m. Friday in the 13200 block of Wight Street in Ocean City at the Camelot condo. She was flown to a burn center via state police helicopter from North Side Park.
3 MORE DEAD LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES--- Suzanne Thurman, MERR Institute executive director, says her organization investigated the deaths of three more loggerhead sea turtles this past week. That is about the same total number as this time last year, she added. No other MERR news to report from this past week.
POLICE CITE FEMALE PEDESTRIAN FOR SAVING PARKING SPACE--- Rehoboth Beach police cited a woman caught trying to save a parking space in the ocean block of Rehoboth Avenue around 10 a.m. Sunday. The 37-year-old was issued a citation and sent on her way.
NEWS RELEASES / NEWS REPORTS:
Meet the lifeguard patrol that has made every rescue since 1911 at booming shore resort
8 ways to have a beach-inspired staycation in Washington, D.C.
Maryland governor announces funding for third Bay Bridge study
Applications being accepted for position of cadet trooper (Delaware)
Delaware State Police Explorers -- open house invitation
Why you should avoid the ocean after it rains (analysis of Rehoboth stormwater system study)
Volunteers encouraged to sign up now for Delaware Coastal Cleanup Day (Sept. 17)
Even cops surprised by Delaware beach traffic stunts
Beach tourists fuel a multi-billion economy, create 41K jobs and generate $470M in taxes and fees
Sussex County takes 5th in nation at lifeguard championships
Old Lewes library to be converted into LHS museum and community center
Royal Farms now under construction (Coastal Hwy at John J. Williams Hwy)
Wilmington man arrested for human trafficking from motel outside Rehoboth
What happened to Anderson's Produce stand outside Rehoboth?
Rehoboth Beach Museum to offer postcard writing workshop (Sept. 16)
Rehoboth city hall beam signing (Sept. 22)
Rehoboth Beach police defend arrest of home-alone kids' mom
Baby sharks! Surf fishing at Rehoboth Beach
Surf fishing Rehoboth Beach vlog
Chicken Ed thanks Dewey community
Parasailing video aboard the Holy Chute, Dewey Beach 2016
Indian River Marina basin maintenance dredging project scheduled to begin (Sept. 15)
State police investigate single-vehicle fatal crash in Frankford (1 a.m., Monday)
Fenwick roadway median areas source of concern for some
Marine survey critical part of offshore wind project
2 O.C. boardwalk rioters sentenced to 10 days in jail
White Marlin Open seeks judge's ruling on first-place marlin, $2.8M in prize money
Fire sprinklers credited for limiting damage to The Crab Bag Restaurant in O.C. (previous Monday)
Professional boat captains in O.C. rally for enhanced boating safety regulations
Coast Guard, O.C. paramedics partner on offshore rescue (7 a.m. previous Monday)
Atlantic General named a "Most Wired" hospital
Berlin town councilman eyes 8th term
Berlin has contested mayoral election
Pa. man drowns off Assateague in unguarded area (around 2 p.m. last Tuesday)
Maryland governor signs executive order to start school after Labor Day!
Maryland kids will have a couple of extra weeks before starting school next year
End of summer really isn't the end of summer at the beach
*|FACEBOOK:LIKE|* *|TWITTER:TWEET|*
The Rehoboth Weekend Update is distributed by Alan Henney. Should you receive the Weekend Update twice, or do not wish to receive it at all, please contact Alan.
To subscribe please visit: http://henney.com/rehoboth/
News leads and photos are appreciated! Please e-mail alan@henney.com or call 302-227-9160. Also try AOL instant-messenger, Facebook or Twitter (all screen names: AlanHenney).
This report is being e-mailed to 1,994 recipients. Thanks for your support!
Real-time ship plotter: http://henney.com/sp
