SPORTS
FUN Music is ‘Easy’
The Indians get ready for a hardwood battle with the Laurel Bulldogs tonight. PAGE 3
FEBRUARY 6, 2004
GARDENING
SPORTS
Kick back and read how to beat the cold-weather blues botanically PAGE 26
for Michael Tracy White right now. PAGE 18
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY
Volume 1, Issue 1
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FUN Club celebrates
Girls stifled in opening round of state playoffs PAGE 52
MARCH 4, 2005
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY
Volume 2, Issue 9
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By Jonathan Starkey Staff Reporter
Coastal Point • ERIN QUATTROCELLI
also reportedly facilitate the installation of fire hydrants. The town has scheduled two public hearings on the topic. The first will be held tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 7 at Mariner’s Bethel Methodist Church at 9:30 a.m. The second public hearing will be held at Mariner’s Bethel, Thursday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. The church is located at the corner of Central and Atlantic Streets in Ocean View. Magill confirmed the $390 yearly fee for 40,000-gallon households and $244 for unimproved lots. The fee for 80,000-gallon households changed slightly, from $499 to
CLASS
former Christian Church lot is about 3.9 acres, but a new fire station could not fit on the 1.5 acres the town was willing to trade. The fire company is now working on its own plan to upgrade the station to deal with the area’s growth, the increase in alarms and to lessen the impact of flooding in the building. Currently the fire company prepares for rainstorms in advance by parking trucks and equipment on the west side of Route 1 to avoid potential floodwaters. “The land swap proposal did not work out and there are no hard feelings about
that,” Wilgus said. “We have a good relationship with the Town Council and we are both trying to serve the needs of the community. And if they can alleviate some of the flooding with this plan then that will be a big help.” The inflatable dam, which would be placed at the mouth of the Loop Canal, could be inflated with water pumps in 30 minutes to effectively prevent tidal surge into the canal from the Assawoman Canal, according to a the report prepared by Tim
$510. Magill hoped to address public question and comment at the hearings tomorrow and Thursday, especially questions concerning the relative cost of central water compared to water treatment systems, salt and other associated costs. Town Manager Kathy Roth said she had received 111 petitions for absentee ballots. Magill reminded area residents that only property owners (and nonproperty owners) who are registered to vote within the unserved area of Ocean View would be eligible to vote in the referendum.
See PLAN Page 2
DECEMBER 21, 2007
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY
Volume 6, Issue 10
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Area socked by late-season snowstorm By M. Patricia Titus News Editor
Numerous projects have been initiated and completed in South Bethany since Town Manager Melvin Cusick joined the team five years ago, and his work has not gone unnoticed. Last month, Cusick was recognized as the 2008 Town Manager of the Year by the Delaware League of Local Governments (DLLG), a statewide organization aimed to improve and assist 57 local governments through legislative advocacy at state and federal levels. “We look at things like savings and being innovative and creative,” said George Wright, executive director of DLLG. “We’re not looking at towns based on their size, but we’re observing what the managers are accomplishing based on the criteria we set up. It’s a strong competition. In a town the size of South Bethany, you can clearly see everything that has been accomplished.” The town manager role was ready and waiting for Cusick when he came aboard in South Bethany. “There was a list of projects that had been stalled when I became town manager,” he
Ocean View reviews several ordinances
By Sam Harvey Staff Reporter
That’s a lot of ordinance. Ocean View Town Council held first readings on two, continued discussion on two that were tabled at second reading last month and introduced three new ones at the March 1 town council meeting. (1) Council members approved an ordinance that would permit larger signs on parcels with two or more businesses, as a first reading. It will proceed to second reading as follows — a 24-square-foot sign for the first two businesses, and an additional 4 square feet sign for each additional business, total not to exceed 64 square feet on any single side. (2) They approved an ordinance that would restrict residential-planned communities (RPCs) in District 2 to single-family
See CUSICK Page 2
Millville voters to head to the polls Saturday
Let it snow! Coastal Point • JESSE PRYOR
RPCs only, as a first reading. (District 2 refers to the portion of town that existed before the Bear Trap annexation, and sans the Route 26 corridor.) (3) They again tabled an ordinance that would reduce developable land in subdivisions, but removing certain areas (wetlands, streets, etc.) from total acreage when making density calculations. (4) Council again tabled an ordinance that would restrict subdivisions to a maximum of 10 acres — after that, developers would have to go RPC. Once the council members receive a recommendation on (3) and (4) from the town Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission, they will be able to move forward to second hearing, and the final vote. (5) They introduced an ordinance that would prohibit multi-family townhouses, duplexes and garden apartments in subdivi-
sions. (6) In simpler matters, they introduced an ordinance that would add “public and private schools” to permitted uses in the General Business (GB) district. • Part of the Lord Baltimore Elementary School presently rests on a parcel zoned residential, where the town permits schools only as a special exception use. • Special exception uses require approval as a variance, from the town Board of Adjustment (in the county, schools require approval as conditional uses). • Variances are nonconforming, and a nonconforming structure cannot be “enlarged or altered in any way which increases its nonconformity,” according to town code. Pending renovations at Lord Baltimore would add square footage to the structure. • The town intends to re-zone the entire
FASHION FUN Our new columnist helps you look your best Page B1
FEBRUARY 12, 2010
Route 26 corridor (including the school) as GB someday soon, which is why the ordinance addresses that district, and not residential. • (As a sidebar, another part of the school rests on county land, and the town will need to annex that portion before the Ocean View P&Z can provide oversight on the entire project.) (7) And finally, council introduced an ordinance that will allow the town to enforce Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violations regarding signage, following a complaint. Action on all of the above was by unanimous accord of the full council. Council also accepted an agreement with the Village of Bear Trap Dunes, which will make the town the “grantee” of a conserva-
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FEBRUARY 1, 2008
When the Giant superstore opened on Atlantic Avenue in Millville yesterday, it was not just new to Millville residents. Millville’s Super Giant – based on its sister company’s super Stop and Shop stores – opened as a prototype for all new Giant stores in the Virginia, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C, region – the only states in which the company operates. Combining energy-efficient design with a restaurant feel, all inside a unique grocery-shopping experience, the Millville Super Giant is one of a kind, said Barry Scher, Giant Food LLC vice president of Public Affairs. “We’re delighted to unveil this new prototype design,” Scher said of the company’s 192nd store, which employs 125 area workers. “I think (the customers) are going to love it.” The “environmentally friendly Super Giant” will set an energy conservation standard in grocery stores, which use tremendous amounts of electricity because of the amount of refrigeration needed in such a store. Sensors throughout the 64,760 square foot store’s sales area will dim the lights based on the amount of daylight coming into the store at any time. The new superstore also features a geothermal heating and cooling system, a system
See GIANT Page 2
In celebration of the season and despite chilly temperatures, the Living Nativity at Mariner’s Bethel United Methodist Church in Ocean View warmed the spirits of those who made the annual pilgrimage Dec. 18 and 19.
Coastal Point • RUSLANA LAMBERT
An attendee at April 16’s Easter sunrise service on the beach in Bethany Beach returns as the sun rises. The Sunday service was hosted by Ocean View church of Christ.
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Volume 7, Issue 7
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DECEMBER 9, 2011
The Fenwick Island Town Council is weighing the pros and cons of establishing a historical committee within the town. “If we do decide on assigning a committee,” said Mayor Audrey Serio during discussions at the monthly council meeting Dec. 14, “before they started work, they’d have to have guidelines and understand what their powers are and are not.” “What happened recently in the past few weeks – and this may be the only one
SPORTS
BIZ
FUN
SPORTS
TEEN
CELEBRATION
Indians looking fast in the pool
Dairy Queen celebrates decade of service
Time to sign up for Little League!
Lady Indians come out on top
Local girl named Miss Teen Delaware
Birthday party draws a crowd
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Volume 8, Issue 49
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JANUARY 27, 2012
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
IRSD board back to business
Volume 9, Issue 4
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See BOARD page A2
Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert
Jarmon displayed versatility, pulling in an interception on defense during a Caravel drive before capping off another Indian River score with a 3-yard scramble — the first of his three rushing touchdowns on the day. Careless turnovers on both sides kept the offenses at bay in the second quarter, and the Indians held the advantage, 13-0, as the first half of play drew to a close. By the third quarter, the Indians were at it again, as Jarmon punctuated a 91-
yard Indian River drive with a 2-yard spin into the end zone, nudging Indian River ahead, 20-0. But, the Buccaneers started answering back, as Christopher Wickes’ 10-yard touchdown run shortened the gap. Just before the fourth quarter, Jarmon again made a dash for the end zone, putting the Indians ahead by 19. Wickes countered once more with another rush-
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Public approves funding for new classrooms at six school buildings By Laura Walter Staff Reporter
By Monica Scott Staff Reporter
Indian River players celebrate with their fans after their 35-13 victory over Caravel on Saturday, Dec. 3, which gave the Indians their first state championship since 1988.
FEBRUARY 1, 2013
The Millville Town Council this week “shelved” the idea of having a police study conducted. In March 2011, the council had approved spending $650 for an initial study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), to help determine the town’s need for police coverage. At their January town council meeting they decided they would have Town Manager Debbie Botchie get a little more information. Mayor Gerry Hocker reported, on Botchie’s behalf, this week at a Jan. 23 town council workshop that the Department of Homeland Security does not do such studies, that the Institute of Public
Indian River School District residents voted on Tuesday to give students more
room to learn when they approved a twopart major capital improvement and current expense referendum. On Jan. 29, both ballot questions passed, allowing the district to fund construction of 38 additional classrooms at six school buildings and hire new teaching positions created by the large increase in district enrollment, which officials said far outpaced anticipated growth. “We want to thank the public for its
overwhelming support,” IRSD Superintendent Susan Bunting told the Coastal Point. “It’s just really warming to feel their recognition of what we’ve been able to do for the students and what we hope to do in the future.” The public approved the bond issue by 69 percent (2,695 votes of 3,934 total), allowing the district to borrow money to build 38 new classrooms at six buildings, including Phillip C. Showell
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Elementary (four rooms), Selbyville Middle (two rooms), Long Neck Elementary (eight rooms), East Millsboro Elementary (eight rooms) and North Georgetown Elementary (eight rooms) schools. The Georgetown Elementary/Georgetown Middle School complex will get eight classrooms and a new kitchen. See VOTE page A7
Route 26 Working Group discusses early action work By Laura Walter Staff Reporter
Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark
State Sen. George H. Bunting, left, and State Rep. Gerald Hocker are all smiles as they drive across the new Indian River Inlet Bridge on Friday, Jan. 20. By Maria Counts Staff Reporter After years of construction, delay and turbulent waters, the Indian River Inlet Bridge opened to traffic last Friday, with Gov. Jack Markell taking the maiden ride across its span. “The bridge that we’re going to open to traffic today is an example of why a lot of us in transportation got into transportation,” said Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) Secretary Shailen Bhatt. “It’s a signature project, and it’s something that we’ve very excited about.” Construction on the new bridge began in late 2008. The final structure was erected by Skansja Southeast under a design-build contract with DelDOT. Bridge construction was delayed briefly multiple times over the years due to weather events and the removal of the bridge’s form travelers, and reached a standstill at one point due to geotechnical errors related to the original approach embankments under the original bridge design contractor. “The testament to the team isn’t just saying you’re working as a team,” said Bob Rose, senior vice president for Skanska. “The testament is working through issues. All projects, as it’s
the nature of construction, have issues. Whether it’s a part of the design or a part of the application, it’s how you work through them that is a testament to the team, and I can’t speak highly enough about the relationship between Skanska and DelDOT and how we worked through significant issues and resolved them.” Markell, along with U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, DelDOT Project Manager Doug Robb and Bhatt attended an official opening for the bridge on Jan. 20, as a single southbound lane was rerouted onto the new bridge. Sixty Delaware businesses have been suppliers to the project, and Markell said that building a strong infrastructure in the state will help with the state’s economy. “There was a lot of business for local Delaware contractors, whether it’s restaurants, hotels or others, throughout this project. The idea behind these transportation projects… this is something that’s going to be used for a long time. We can only have a strong economy going forward if we have a strong infrastructure. When you can find these projects – which put people to work today, on things that will create jobs over the long-term – that’s really the kind of win-win that we’re foSee BRIDGE page A3
See POLICE page A5
See CHAMPS page A2
Volume 10, Issue 5
Indian River School District referendum passes by 2-1 margin
Mission accomplished M m
Following failed appeal, school board moves on
Millville tables notion of police study
See SNOW Page A2
Coastal Point • CHRIS CLARK
Coastal Point • SUSAN LYONS
It was a different kind of sunrise on Bethany Beach last Friday, Jan. 25, as snow blanketed the sand.
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By M. Patricia Titus News Editor
It’s a winter wonderland in Roxana! Well, as long as you’re not driving. Or walking. Or sitting quietly in the dark in your home after a blackout.
See PLAN Page 3
DIRT
The Indian River School District Board of Education continued with work as usual a week after the Supreme Court declined to hear the district’s appeal in the school-prayer lawsuit filed by parents of district students. In 2008, the anonymous “Doe” family sued the school, arguing that the board’s habit of holding board-led prayer (often invoking the name of Jesus) at the start of school board meetings was unconstitutional under the establishment clause of the First Amendment. Members of the public present at the meetings were not required to participate in the prayer but had generally done so. While the district has asserted that students are not required to attend the meetings, students often attend private disciplinary hearings and others frequently attend to participate in ceremonies, presentations and public
came together this past Saturday, Dec. 3, as the Indians rounded out a perfect season, finishing 12-0, with a 35-13 victory over Caravel Academy in the Delaware District II State Championship game at Delaware State University in Dover. Led by quarterback Jamie Jarmon, the Indians took it to Caravel early, with a running game anchored by Aarron Moore, who found the end zone for the first score of the game, putting the Indians ahead, 6-0 in the first quarter.
Bethany Beach planning commissioners on Jan. 19 expressed their concerns about a lack of information and clarity in the sketch plan presented to them for the proposed Mews of Bethany community. Stanley J. Walcek, the owner of the property at 501 Garfield Parkway, presented the plan with the preface that he was attempting to obtain permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reclaim about 2.2 acres of his 10-acre wetland property, which is bordered by a canal, Gibson
See FENWICK Page 2
By Laura Walter Staff Reporter
All season long, Indian River’s varsity football team had been offensively dominating opponents, never allowing their counterparts to finish within 14 points of their score, while a constantly-developing defense was progressing and maturing right before first-year head coach Ray Steele. Both offense and defense, once again,
By M. Patricia Titus News Editor
Christmas gifts for gardeners
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
By Ryan Saxton Staff Reporter
Bethany Wetlands development plan all wet in initial review
bly hang onto a little bit of the past so we can become unique in understanding where the town is,” Carmean added. There were a number of specifications for the potential group that others expressed at last Friday’s meeting. “I’d like to make sure that responsibilities encompass the entire town, commercial and residential,” said Council Member Chris Clark. “As far as guidelines of authority, the committee should report directly to the planning commission. One of the first things they should
BIZ
Paramedic funding a concern for county
See FUNDING Page A4
value in the town, or if it possesses distinct characteristics from the styles of architecture and structure that were used.” “I happen to love history,” said Council Member Vicki Carmean, who was also in support of establishing the new organization, “and there are a lot of people who don’t want change and want things to stay the same. But some of these buildings that made Fenwick so special so many years ago are being torn down for new structures. “To an extent, I understand why these changes are occurring, but we can proba-
Page A11
After taking a beating f rom last weekend’s blizzard that dumped as much as 15.6 inches of snow on the area and piled it high with strong winds, early this week residents of coastal Delaware were preparing for the onslaught of a second major winter storm in less than a week – this one a nor’easter expected to bring even more snow and strong winds. State emergency officials advised on Monday, Feb. 8, that residents and business owners begin clearing accumulated snow off roofs – particularly flat ones – as well as from trees and around vents and gutters, to prevent the additional accumulation of heavy, wet snow from causing roofs to collapse, trees to fall on power lines, and snowmelt and air to be blocked from needed movement. An official snowfall total in Selbyville reached 15.6 inches late on Saturday, rising in just a few hours from about 10 inches after a brief pause in the heavy snowfall mid-day on Saturday. The nor’easter was expected to begin impacting the area on Tuesday afternoon as the Coastal Point went to press
Reductions in state funding for paramedics are of increasing concern for county officials as the cost of the programs and needed expansion of service have only risen while county coffers have gotten leaner with less real estate transfer tax to fund the programs. Sussex County Council President Vance Phillips, at the council’s Tuesday, Feb. 9, meeting, said he would be proposing that the State of Delaware either reconfigure its paramedic funding formulas from a 70/30 county/state split to a 50/50 split or consider changing transfer tax formulas from the current 50/50 split to a 70/30 county/state split, giving the counties the bulk of the
we have in town – but the owner of an aged house in the area is willing to put the money into it himself to restore it to its original state, and open it up to tourists,” said Council Member Bill Weistling, one of the initial advocates of creating the historical committee. “It’s a unique situation, where setting up a historic committee to come in and take a look at places like this may be beneficial to the town.” “We can at least start to distinguish parameters for this committee,” added Weistling, “things like determining how old the house should be, whether it has special character of historical or aesthetic
From customer to owner
State Champs!
Nor’easter expected to add to problems
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Page A16
State hammered by rare blizzard
Volume 5, Issue 5
By M. Patricia Titus News Editor
Fenwick Island hopes to capture town’s history
By Ryan Saxton Staff Reporter
Indians, fans rejoice in title
Teaching you to train your dog
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY
Longtime Coastal Leisure CHEER Center Director Sheree Stephens is no longer working at the Ocean View senior center, after being arrested at the center Jan. 11 on theft and other charges and led away from her workplace in handcuffs by state police. Stephens was charged with felony theft and falsifying business records after she allegedly stole funds and removed business Stephens records from the local senior center. On Friday, Jan. 11, state troopers were dispatched to the CHEER Senior Center on Cedar Neck Road to investigate a reported internal theft. Upon arrival, police said, troopers contacted several administrators who were there to complete an annual audit. Auditors told police numerous irregularities were found and several business records were missing. The auditors identified the center’s director, Sheree R. Stephens, 50, of Ocean View, as the suspect. An examination of business records revealed more than $7,000 in missing funds, police said. Cpl. Wes Barnett, public information officer for the Delaware State Police, said a consent search of Stephens’ vehicle revealed many of
SPORTS
BIZ
Habitat for Humanity opens its own new home Page A25
Builders show many ways to save the world PAGE 25
weather,foes on the hardwood PAGE 46
CHEER center director fired, arrested
Coastal Point • RUSLANA LAMBERT
By Jonathan Starkey Staff Reporter
See TOWN Page 4
By M. Patricia Titus News Editor
Mother Nature got in a last blast of winter as the calendar rounded into March this week, dumping an estimated 3 to 4 inches of snow on the area and hitting coastal Delaware with strong winds and temperatures well below freezing. Indian River School District officials canceled school and student activities both Monday and Tuesday, March 2 and 3, while Delaware Tech’s Georgetown campus also canceled classes. State and regional officials asked motorists to avoid travel and to take care on the road if they did venture out. Nonetheless, numerous accidents and other weather-related problems were reported early this week. Upstate, near Middletown, a Brinks armored car flipped over Monday morning on Route 1, when the operator lost control due to the poor road conditions. State police in Sussex County reported responding to a total four personal-injury accidents, 106 property-damage accidents and 73 disabled vehicles through Tuesday afternoon, as a result of the weather. None of the crashes resulted in serious injuries, they said. The snowstorm caused numerous power outages in southern Delaware and on the eastern shore of Maryland. Delmarva Power called in linemen assistance from its Newark, Del., headquarters, as well as a handful of contract linemen, to help with power restoration as a peak of about 4,230 customers in Maryland and 34 customers in Sussex County were left without power. High winds, snow and ice on power lines and equipment, trees on power lines, and downed power lines and poles were all factors that caused the power outages, according to Delmarva Power. Restoration efforts were hampered by the bitter cold, extensive tree removal work, equipment repair and limited access on some roads that are icy and snow-covered, they said. DelDOT crews continued to clear the roadways of ice and snow as late as Tuesday afternoon, as the strong winds blew snow back over previously cleared roads where it later refroze. Mariners were also advised to take care during the nor’easter, as the heavy winds brought a gale warning along the Delaware coast from Lewes to Fenwick Island.
New leadership,but still the same great doughnuts PAGE 16
See IRSD Page 5
A look back at Indian River’s hoops season PAGE 46
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY
Volume 4, Issue 51
GREEN
SPORTS Indians battle
BIZ
Sugary fairytales and gingerbread delights PAGE 18
New Giant lives up to ‘Super’ name
Coastal Point • SAM HARVEY
Looking west from the Indian River Inlet, a brilliant sunset paints the sky. That, or Sam Harvey spilled jelly on the lens again.
SPORTS
By Ryan Saxton Staff Reporter
See MILLVILLE Page 2
See TOWN Page 2
Solar thoughts go through Fenwick officials’minds PAGE 25
South Bethany’s Cusick named Delaware’s Town Manager of the Year
Millville will hold its annual municipal elections this Saturday, March 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Voting will be conducted in the Town Hall Meeting Room at 11 Club House Road. All residents of Millville age 18 and older are eligible to cast a vote, which will determine which three candidates of the four who have filed to run for council this year will fill the three open seats on council. Incumbents Donald Minyon and Richard Thomas are running alongside hopefuls Joseph Calvarese and Michael Jeffers. Those elected to council will hold their position until March of 2011. Anyone wishing to vote is asked to bring proof of identity and address. A state-issued Minyon
Police Chief Ken McLaughlin presented the monthly report. He reported 91 calls for service, two less than last month but still busy. He also said he and two members of the council had been talking with an architect about plans for the new police department building. The council discussed four ordinances in all. Probably the most far-reaching ordinance adopted the land use plan update. Town solicitor Dennis Schrader pointed out that the council had seen the document sev-
GREEN
Indian River High School students show off popular prom fashion. PAGE 30
By Kevin Roberts Special to the Coastal Point
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New information emerged this week on the legal woes of the Indian River School Board. Not only is the board now facing another lawsuit, but an enforced silencein the original case regarding religious issues in the district was lifted, revealing some of the terms of a proposed settlement that the board rejected in late February. On the first count, the board’s insurance company, Utica Insurance, has filed suit – essentially because the board denied the settlement offer in the Dobrich/”Doe” case, a settlement that, according to an attorney close to the case and a school board member, came with unacceptable conditions. The sealed suit filed last week by the insurer would require that the board pay back to the company legal fees accumulated after the board denied the offered settlement on Feb. 27. School Board President Charles Bireley and Board Member Donald Hattier said that the insuranceagency-appointed attorneys – John Cafferky and John Balaguer – told the board to accept the settlement offer.
Rain in downtown Bethany Beach often leaves fire fighters singing the blues concerning flooding. A plan to use an inflatable rubber dam could alleviate the problems, according to an engineering firm and one councilman. “Last August, when some big thunderstorms came through, we had about 20 calls to respond to and when we came back the station had about 8 inches of water in it.” The fire station has been flooded so frequently that the fire company considered moving to higher ground west of Route 1. But last month the Town Council nixed a proposal of swapping a portion of its recently purchased Christian Church property (on the northwest corner of the routes 1 and 26 intersection) for the fire company’s land on Hollywood Street. The
Ocean View prepares for water referendum
MARCH 6, 2009
Volume 3, Issue 16
FUN
to stay undefeated — did they? PAGE 54
IRSD facing second suit over prayer case
By Thomas Melville Contributing Writer
The Ocean View Town Council moved quickly through readings of new ordinances and a conditional use issue before coming to Councilman Eric Magill’s update on the proposed town water system and preparations for the non-binding referendum Feb. 21, from noon to 5 p.m. The plan would provide central water to Ocean View residents who currently have their own wells and would bring town water to unimproved lots. Central water would
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THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY
SPORTS IR hoops aims
Bethany’s Sea Crest carries on tradition of unique offerings PAGE 16
New steakhouse planned for Millville
Easter sunrise renewal
APRIL 21, 2006
BIZ
BIZ
Civil rights activists talks to local students PAGE 25
PAGE 70
Rejected settlement stipulations would restrict district’s use of religious designations
New dam could keep town, fire station dry
By Sam Harvey Staff Reporter
A&E
Lady Indians excel on field
Local boy returns with a pair of businesses PAGE 10
Drip dry An inflatable rubber dam might sound like something Kramer would devise in an episode of “Seinfeld,” but it could be the real-life answer to the town’s flooding problems, which have swamped residents, businesses and the fire station especially hard for the past 10 years, according to a recent report from an engineering firm. For Michael Wilgus, president of the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company, any help the town can provide to stem the severe flooding at the fire station on Hollywood Street is appreciated. “I don’t know why, but it seems that there has been a lot more flooding in the area in the past 10 years then ever before,” said Wilgus, who grew up in Bethany Beach and has been a fire company volunteer for 23 years.
SPORTS
BIZ
100 years of service PAGE 25
Delaware Department of Transportation officials, community leaders and state legislators gathered in Millville on Jan. 29 for the second Route 26 Working Group meeting ahead of construction of the Route 26 Mainline Improvements project. Even DelDOT Secretary Shailen Bhatt attended. Having just navigated snowy Kent County roads and icy Sussex County highways to get to the meeting, the group got to work, planning the details of a three-year project that may impact every facet of local life. DelDOT plans to advertise for bids on the project in the summer, choose a contractor and begin roadwork in the fall to widen the road, adding turn lanes, shoulders and sidewalks. But preparatory work actually began several years ago, with the Route 26 Detour Routes project to prepare back
Special to the Coastal Point • Mike Hulick
The Addy Sea is a majestic sight when snow blankets the beach — or, really, when snow is nowhere near the beach.
See PROJECT page A2
Bethany officials recommend removing hurdles for project By M. Patricia Titus News Editor Bethany Beach officials are moving expediently on a request from developer Jack Burbage to clear the way over some zoning hurdles that could keep him from transforming the Bethany Arms motel into a beachfront Marriott or Hilton hotel.
Planning Commissioners on Jan. 9 discussed a range of items, at the request of the town council earlier that week, that would increase the potential density for the four parcels he tentatively plans to buy, ensure all four are properly zoned for use as a hotel and set new standards for modern hotel rooms in the town. Following up on his visit with council members at their workshop on Jan. 4,
Burbage offered commissioners a little more concrete idea of what could be the future design for his hotel, with the first of two rough sketch plans he asked to make the best use of the property as a flagship hotel with at least 100 units, complete with spa and conference center. Burbage said the first design he had received from his pair of architectural firms included about 100 units — in a
combination of suites and single rooms — with a parking space for each and some to spare, as well as retail and restaurant space, a large meeting room with a capacity of up to 160 people and two smaller meeting rooms, each with a capacity of 30 people. “I think we need more suites, being See BETHANY page A4
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The Coastal Point guide to the 2022 Senior League Softball World Series • August 4, 2022
Hocker’s New sales now found in the Point!
MAY 2, 2014
Drugs Part three of our look at heroin in our community Page 18
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Time and money saved on Central Avenue construction work By Laura Walter Staff Reporter Road crews were recently surprised to find underground pipes in a different place than expected — and that’s a good thing when it came to one area of Route 26. The State Route 26 Mainline Improvement Project was supposed to close Central Avenue at the Route 26 intersection for four to six weeks to relocate sewer pipes in preparation for stormwater management improvements. “We’re relocating the existing sewer See WORK page 4
School board gets good news on school construction By Laura Walter Staff Reporter After some delay and “jumping through hoops” to get various permits, the Indian River School District made some concrete progress this month. More than a year since the February 2013 referendum was approved, the IRSD finally opened bids this month to find itself $49,000 under budget to renovate three school buildings. “This is kind of a happy day for us,” said John Eckrich, supervisor of transportation and buildings and grounds for the district, at the April 29 school board meeting. With a $5.76 million budget for Long Neck, North Georgetown and See IRSD page 2
Lineup change “Kitchen Casino” will now debut local chef Lisa DiFebo Osias on Monday, May 12, a change from the originally anticipated April 28 air date. The episode “Fear & Searing” premieres at 9 p.m. on the Food Network, with guest judges Gavin Kaysen and Aliya LeeKong.
Volume 11, Issue 18
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Inlet bridge to close briefly overnight, May 1 By Laura Walter Staff Reporter Drivers could expect to face a slight delay when heading over the Charles W. Cullen Bridge at the Indian River Inlet on the night of Thursday, May 1. Weather pending, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) planned to have intermittent bridge closures for 15-minute intervals from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. (overnight from May 1 to May 2) for diagnostic load testing. The entire bridge was to be closed to traffic at those times. But emergency response vehicles will always have access, officials said early this week. According to DelDOT, diagnostic load testing involves driving pre-weighed trucks across the bridge. Staff from the University of Delaware helps record measurements as the test vehicle passes. The resulting data points to many properties that affect the bridge’s actual load-carrying capacity. It also creates an accurate structural model of the bridge that can be used in the final bridge rating, measured on the Bridge Rating and Analysis of Structural Systems (BRASS) program. The May 1 testing was to be the first bi-annual load test since DelDOT took the initial measurements when the new bridge was completed and opened to traffic in January of 2012. Night work is being done to avoid the heavy daytime traffic volume, officials noted. “Nothing is wrong with the bridge,” emphasized Sandy Roumillat, DelDOT chief of community relations. “This is a scheduled test to help us monitor and better understand the performance of the bridge.” This month, Transystems inspectors are also performing
Sports
Biz
Pets
Sports
History
Indian River swimmers hit the pool
Bling and friendly service
Welcoming home the new dog
Indians grab seven medals at HAC meet
Remembering Beebe’s first AfricanAmerican nurse
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JANUARY 16, 2015 JANUARY
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Volume 12, Issue 3
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Bethany council gets a peek at proposed Central Park
By Maria Counts Staff Reporter
A possible future vision for Bethany Beach’s proposed “Central Park” was unveiled last week, as the Bethany Beach Town Council heard from Oasis Design Group’s Scott Scarfone at their Feb. 12 council workshop. Scarfone’s presentation showed the latest design ideas for the park that is planned to be constructed on the former Christian Chuch/Neff properties, on
By M. Patricia Titus News Editor
South Bethany residents want safety, not a shortcut
park property. Scarfone said other possible elements that could be incorporated were lighting and a “gateway” signage monument that could serve as a focal point for those driving past the park on Route 1, letting them know with a strong visual that they were in Bethany Beach. Using a diagram depicting existing vegetation, including some mature trees, Scarfone described the proposed design as creating a series of “rooms,” such as the large open lawn space, a smaller
lawn space on the opposite side of the pavilion and a more secluded “reading garden” in the northwest corner. The resulting “hallways,” Scarfone said, led to the design for pathways, as well as entry/exit points for the park and related crosswalks. A service driveway would allow the Town access off Route 26, next to the existing pump building. “Plaza” gateway areas would be constructed at the Route
A winter wonderland
Residents of Cat Hill love their idyllic beach lifestyle. With winding roads, the South Bethany neighborhood feels very off-the-beaten-path. There are no sidewalks, so people walk their dogs, jog and bicycle in the narrow streets. And those pedestrians share the road with sometimes 20,000 cars a month, Cat Hill resident and former mayor Jay Headman told the town council on Feb. 12. Cat Hill is a popular shortcut for beach traffic looking to avoid the Route 26/Route 1 intersection. Drivers often shortcut from Kent Avenue to the highway using Black Gum Drive, Cattail Road, Tamarack Drive, Canal Drive, Russell Road and Evergreen Road. Despite the secluded feel, “It is one of the most major intersections in our town today,” Headman said. “Things have changed dramatically
See FLU page 3
School district to host public forum for sex-ed curriculum By Laura Walter Staff Reporter Although the Indian River School District has finished the first leg of the sex-education marathon by drafting a new high school curriculum, the next hurdle looms, with a public forum. Fulfilling a promise made to the public by district officials, the forum is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. at Millsboro Middle School. The public is welcome to attend. “District officials will give a brief presentation about the high school health curriculum before accepting questions and public comments,” IRSD officials announced this week. “This is an opportunity for us to show the
See PARK page 4
See SAFETY page 3
By Maria Counts Staff Reporter
Snow geese enjoy our sunsets just as much as the rest of us.
Am
The Town of Ocean View will hold a public hearing and workshop on its 2017-fiscal-year operating and capital budgets on Tuesday, Feb. 23, with the public hearing beginning at 5:30 p.m.,
Sports
Stars
Stage
Sports
Fun
Snow
Indians prepped for playoff run
Local church lets the stars shine
Indian River High School hosts ‘Romeo’
Indians dominate Sussex Academy
Local women gets to ‘Make a Deal’
If you hadn’t heard, we got some snow
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FEBRUARY 17, 2017
Bethany looking at ‘overdue’ improvements to Atlantic Avenue
Atlantic Avenue is one of Bethany Beach’s most-used streets. In fact, the town’s easternmost north-south street tops all roadways in the state for pedestrian traffic density during the busy summer season. It’s also overdue for paving, for updates for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance, for upgrades to the water-service connections below it and for improvements to address flooding issues, as well as lacking a “hospitable” sidewalk along much of its length. Town Manager Cliff Graviet at the town council’s Feb. 13 workshop told the council that the road today is “almost a perfect storm of maintenance and other issues” and has for years been at the top of the Town’s list for repaving, as well as the other updates that were addressed in a presentation by Kercher Engineering last spring. That presentation focused on a concept for revamping the roadway, with two travel lanes, a 2-foot buffer between See ATLANTIC page A2
as well as a vehicle for an additional police officer. Funds have been set aside for street maintenance and to address ADA noncompliance issues, as well as make improvements to John West Park. “There’s a lot of money going out and not a lot coming in,” said Council-
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JANUARY 12, 2018
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Volume 15, Issue 2
man Bill Olsen at the council’s Feb. 9 monthly council meeting. Town Manager Dianne Vogel said the Town’s proposed 2017-fiscal-year revenue looks different from the current year’s budget. She noted that building
The Frankford Town Council at a special meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 14, approved a settlement with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control that centers on the Town adding fluoride to its water supply. The council approved the settlement in hopes of moving forward following a lengthy battle with DNREC and with Mountaire Farms over the construction of an on-site well at the Mountaire feed processing facility inside town limits. The construction of that well effectively took Mountaire off of the Town’s water
See BUDGET page 7
See FRANKFORD page A2
Numerous emergency-services personnel were recognized for their contribution to the community last week at the Joshua M. Freeman Valor Awards. The Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce hosted the 13th annual awards ceremony on Feb. 10 to honor the outstanding police officers, paramedics, EMTs and firefighters who help keep local communities safe yearround, and to recognize their service and dedication to the community. “‘Valor is a demonstration of boldness and bravery in the face of adversity or danger. It is also the stability not of legs and arms but of courage and soul,’” said Chris Garland, senior vice president of development with Carl M. Freeman Companies, who told those in attendance he had looked up the definition of the word “valor” prior to attending the ceremony. “I truly believe all the gentlemen and ladies in this room exhibit that, especially our first-responders.”
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Garland noted that first-responders were “near and dear” to Josh Freeman’s heart, as he had served as a Green Beret in the U.S. Army. “In our community, our first-responders sacrifice their own time and safety in order to protect the lives of others. When the time comes for us to call on those individuals, each one makes a conscious decision to step forward for our protection and safety.” It was such a decision made by Sgt. Charles “Chuck” Scharp of the Bethany Beach Police Department that earned him the 2017 Overall Valor Award for his heroic efforts to save a young boy from drowning. In October, Scharp was the only officer on duty when dispatch received a call from Bethany Beach Public Works employee Sean Ely, who had been flagged down by the mother of an 11-year-old boy who was drowning in the surf. The young boy was caught in a rip current, and Ely reported he could see him going under the water. Scharp immediately responded, preparing for the worst. At that point, Ely, sensing the child would not be able to stay afloat independently for much longer, himself went into the water to assist. See VALOR page A4
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Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert
Bethany off icer wins top award for rescue of drowning boy By Maria Counts Staff Reporter
Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert
Volume 14, Issue 7
Bethany Beach Police Department Sgt. Charles ‘Chuck’ Sharp, center, was recognized as the 2017 Overall Valor Award recipient at the Joshua M. Freeman Valor Awards. Sharpe is flanked by Chris Garland, left, senior vice president of development with Carl M. Freeman Companies, and Kristie Maravalli, right, executive director of the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce.
By Kerin Magill Staff Reporter
Monday morning’s snowfall might have caught a few of us off guard (mainly our pig-headed editor), but it did indeed create a picturesque landscape in Bethany Beach. For more photos, turn to page 26.
followed by the workshop at 6 p.m. Currently, in the draft capital budget, funds have been set aside for workout equipment in the locker rooms for the police department, security enhancements for the second floor of the Wallace A. Melson Municipal Building and a new vehicle for the compliance officer,
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Local heroes honored for valor
By M. Patricia Titus Managing Editor
Frankford gets $60K water grant in exchange for fluoridation
Ocean View to hold public hearing/workshop on budget
Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark
See IRSD page 2
the northwest corner of the intersection of Routes 26 and 1, with public comment to-date now taken into account. The park’s proposed design features elements that the council has specifically asked be present, including walking paths, gardens, open lawn, an open pavilion and benches, as well as a limited amount of parking on the north side of the park on Central Boulevard, “earth sculpting” or mounding to add visual interest, and natural screening of the homes along the west side of the
By Laura Walter Staff Reporter
Having ‘the Talk’
Coastal Point • R. Chris Clark
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Influenza: Nothing to cough at With the influenza A (H3N2) viruses sickening many people around the country, medical professionals have been urging community members to get their flu shots this year. “I recommend everyone get a flu shot,” said Dr. Nicole Alu, a family physician with Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Laurel, Del. “I think it’s the best protection.” According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, seasonal flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. Approximately 5 to 20 percent of U.S. residents get the flu each year. “Compared to the last several years, this has been a very busy flu season, and I think difficult,” said Alu, noting it can be challenging to treat the public with the high influx of patients wanting to see their physicians. On Jan. 12, Delaware Public Health Division Director Dr. Karyl Rattay released a statement noting that Delaware has had unusually high numbers of lab-confirmed flu cases and deaths this season. “To date, Delaware has 1,340 lab-confirmed cases and 11 deaths; both numbers are signifi-
Work is a near-constant sight at the Charles W. Cullen Bridge at the Indian River Inlet. DelSee BRIDGE page 5 DOT has announced 15-minute closures on the bridge overnight from May 1 to May 2.
FEBRUARY 19, 2016
War
A thorough timeline of the Civil War P r o f i l e s
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Coastal Point | 20th Anniversary
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Coastal Point | 20th Anniversary
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Home is where the
community is By Maria Counts In an unassuming office in the heart of Ocean View, a small team of individuals from all walks of life comes together with one common goal: to serve their community, one week at a time. The Coastal Point newspaper will be celebrating 20 years of community-focused news on Feb. 6, 2024 — a milestone that is not easy to come by these days, especially in the world of print news. “The Coastal Point has always been such an anchor in the community,” said Rebecca Snyder, executive director of the Maryland-Delaware-District of Columbia (MDDC) Press Association. “Sue [Lyons] came up in that area. She’s a lifelong Delawarean. I think that shows in the dedication she has not only to journalism and the stories from that community, but also the pride and the investment that she’s made. “It is never easy to be a small-business owner anywhere,” Snyder added. “In the last 20 years, there has been a seismic change in journalism — and print journalism especially. Sue has succeeded by staying close to her community, her clients and her advertisers, and is successfully providing her community with what it needs. She does it with good grace and generosity of spirit, and it’s so wonderful to see.” Since the printing of its first edition, the
Coastal Point has maintained its status as a free weekly newspaper, offering comprehensive, locally focused coverage of events, information and experiences vital to the residents who call the area home or their home away from home. “In 2009, I was in Afghanistan, and my mother would send me copies of local papers, including the Coastal Point, because it allowed me to stay up to date with events here at home. It was a little piece of home I could have with me there. By the time I got it, it was another week, but it was nice to catch up on things,” recalled Sussex County native and Selbyville Police Department School Resource Officer Tyler Bare, recalling his time being deployed as a U.S. Marine. “Now, here they are another 15 years later, still doing it. It’s an outlet for locals to know exactly what’s going on in the community.” Over the years, the publication has expanded its reach to encompass Bethany Beach, South Bethany, Fenwick Island, Selbyville, Frankford, Dagsboro, Ocean View, Millville, Millsboro, Long Neck and beyond. “For two decades, the Coastal Point has helped give a voice to residents in Eastern Sussex County, providing local news coverage both in print and online, for its growing population,” said U.S. Sen.Tom Carper (D-Del.). “I consider the Coastal Point a critical partner in upholding the values of our democracy, and I wish their team many more years of doing the hard work of delivering the news and giving Delawareans a platform to raise issues and concerns to come.” “I read it every week. I really like the local sports they do and the community events. It’s a great
Two decades of community news local newspaper for our area,” said state Rep. Ronald Gray (R-38th). “I’m a great supporter of it, and proud Susan was able to pull it off and do it and do it so well. “Sometimes I’ll be looking at a subject and there’ll be a report with some nuances that add to what I already know,” Gray added. “It’s a great resource for me and the community. It’s helped explain some things. The paper is out there on the cutting edge and seeing what’s going on in the community, letting everybody know what’s going on — and I think it’s great.” Former Delaware state senator and state representative George Bunting agreed with Gray, saying the paper was the perfect outlet to keep both the citizens and their representatives up to date. “I look to the Coastal Point to keep me informed of what’s going on locally. Years ago, as a representative and a senator, it was critical that I knew the drumbeat of my district, as well as what people thought about the topics on the docket.There are so many things going on, it’s so very important to get the information out to the public. Whether it’s pro or con on an issue, the news is very important for the transparency of government and democracy.” Delaware State Sen. Gerald Hocker said he has worked with the Coastal Point for years as a businessman, owning G&E Hocker’s Supermarkets, and throughout his political career. “The Coastal Point has been a great newspaper,” said Hocker. “It really took the pace of the old Delmarva News. We’ve had a lot of success working with the Coastal Point with our ads. People look for it now in the Coastal Point.” Beginning on Thursday each week, the Coastal Point is distributed to countless newspaper boxes, businesses, and even local post offices and libraries. “First of all, happy birthday!” exclaimed Sue Keefe, director of South Coastal Library in Bethany Beach. “I am so grateful to have a
newspaper that is so responsive as you are. We really depend on you to get the message out to all the community for all the events we do. We spend so much time doing classes, children’s programs and teen events. Yes, things are online, but a good part of the community depends on those papers.Thank you for all you do.” “We’ve worked with the newspaper a long time now.They’ve always been super helpful in getting the word out for activities, programming and what’s going on,” added Bonnie Elliott, director of Frankford Public Library. “It has been a wonderful relationship over the years, because you know we’re going to support you and, more importantly, we realize you’re going to support us as much as you can.” Demonstrating support for the community beyond the pages of the paper is a core value for the Coastal Point.The publication actively sponsors community events and nonprofits in their back yard. “Since Day 1, since jump street, they’ve been a solid partner, and I believe the values of Coastal Point and the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation are much aligned to make the community a better place for all people to feel like they belong,” said Patti Grimes, executive director of the foundation. “I remember reaching out to Susan Lyons when we first started down this journey, and she was in her office, asking how she could help, sharing the news — because it was newsworthy — but also volunteering space in the paper for our mission-based work, because many people don’t know that 50 percent of our arts programming is free. And Coastal Point, for years, would help tell that story.” The accolades earned by the Coastal Point are numerous, with the MarylandDelaware-District of Columbia Press Association naming it “News Organization of the Year” in 2020 and 2022. March 31, 2023, marked another milestone, as Coastal See COASTAL POINT page 5
Coastal Point | 20th Anniversary
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By Darin J. McCann We’ve seen things. Beautiful, horrible, fascinating, disturbing, wonderful, awful, inspiring, soul-crushing things. That’s kind of the deal when you cover a community for 20 years, right? And what a 20 years it has been for this particular community. Massive spikes in population have altered the demographics of the area, how we navigate our roads and the capabilities, or lack thereof, of our infrastructure. Consider these little numbers, if you will: Per our friend David Maull at the Indian River School District, the enrollment for the district for the 2003-2004 school year was 7,756. That number stands at 10,786 currently, according to Maull. In Ocean View, the town where the Coastal Point houses its offices, the population was 1,006 people, via the 2000 Census; 1,882 at the 2010 Census; and 2,636 in 2020. Things have changed. Forever. And we’ve had the good fortune of documenting it.
At the beginning The Coastal Point’s first paper was published Feb. 6, 2004, and was 40 pages. Of the six original “Pointies” who worked on that paper, three remain to this day — our publisher, Susan Lyons, technical director, Shaun Lambert, and myself. Shortly thereafter, both M. Patricia Titus and Susan (Argo) Mutz joined the team, and they still toil away to this day. We currently have 14 employees who work at The Point, along with some stringers in the writing and photography world who help our product immeasurably. We started with just that little paper to get out every week, and I don’t think I’m speaking out of turn when I say it just about killed each of us every edition. Today, we have a much-larger paper, a busy website, Delaware Seaside Bride, Home for the Holidays, At Your
February 2, 2024
Thank you – all of you – for 20 years together Service, Coastal Home & Garden and a partridge in a pear tree. So, yeah. We’ve grown, right along with this community around us. That big Giant over in Millville? Wasn’t here. That was the Robinson farm. The third lane on Route 26? A rumor people weren’t sure would ever actually happen. The Indian River Inlet Bridge? Well, there was a way to get across, but it wasn’t this beautiful bridge that looks so gorgeous on postcards, and it didn’t feel quite as safe driving on it as it does today. Our staff ’s regular hangout spot was The Fat Tuna in Millville back then (now the home of The Salted Rim), and it was our tradition to get there every week after the paper hit the street, share a few cocktails and talk with the locals about what was going on in the area. Interesting aside: I later met my wife at the Tuna. I like to tell people she picked me up in a bar, but that’s probably not the most-accurate way of depicting how that whole scenario played out. Still, it sounds cool on my end of the story, so... she picked me up in a bar. But that does bring up another thought, and one that plays fully into this notion that our community has changed monumentally over these past two decades: the faces. So many faces. While nobody exactly “rolled up the sidewalks” back then when Labor Day
hit, the offseason was definitely a different animal. There were only so many places to eat or shop that were open year-round, and it was nearly impossible to go anywhere without running into somebody you knew, or somebody who knew you. Nowadays, I can go grocery shopping and run three other errands and not see a person I know. It’s good on those mornings when I run out wearing old sweats that look like I just got finished losing a fistfight with a mountain lion, but... it’s different. The fiber of the community has changed with the growth — some for the good, some for the bad.
Some of those faces I could go on all day about some of those faces in the community who are no longer with us, and there would still be some I would kick myself over neglecting in this spot. That would be inevitable. But there are a few I feel I need to share, as these stories impacted me personally a great deal over these last 20 years, and had huge impacts on the community, as well. Andy Lyons, our publisher’s husband and one of my most cherished friends, not only came up with the name “Coastal Point,” but he also fed us a bunch of times on deadline,
coached countless amounts of women in this community when they were young softball players, helped build Contractors for a Cause into what it is today, and was simply one of the kindest, most optimistic people this wild world of ours has ever seen. We are all lesser with his absence. Josh Freeman will always be remembered for his business acumen and generosity in this area, and his name and legacy will live on forever due to the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation and all of their efforts. I’ll always cherish the connection we shared over being fellow veterans, and the kindness he showed me both personally and professionally up until his passing. The same can be said for restaurateur Matt Haley. Susan Lyons and I got to know him pretty well when we were starting the paper, as the three of us would often be at Kool Bean in the mornings before starting our days, sipping our coffee and questioning the sanity of people starting a business. His story was beyond inspirational, and what he built only grows stronger over time. Our community has benefited from that man, in a lot of ways. I’d also want to point out Leo Brady, who was the vision behind people jumping into a chilly Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Bethany Beach each Jan. 1, volunteered his time and energy at nearly every event held by the BethanyFenwick Area Chamber of Commerce and spent hours and hours of conversation with me that ran the gamut from serious discussion over important issues of the day to giggling like little kids over a tasteless joke. I will always miss that guy. Inside the Coastal Point’s walls, we had some beloved faces that now only live on in our memories and hearts. Jeff Seyfert was our first delivery man, and there was nobody better. He delivered the first 444 issues of the Coastal Point, and did so efficiently and professionally. Trust me when I say this: See THANK YOU page 6
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Coastal Point | 20th Anniversary
February 2, 2024
Coastal Point Continued from page 3 Point celebrated its 1,000th consecutive issue — a testament to its unwavering commitment to delivering timely and relevant news to the community. “I think the Coastal Point is the best information for our local community. I think that they have always made sure they give the correct information and have our community’s best interest at heart,” added Jackie Burns, owner of Bethany Beach Books. “Even though we’re growing, we’re still a small town, and I think that Coastal Point is the most trusted place for information for everyone. I think people go out on Thursdays and know to grab the Coastal Point so they can see what’s going on in the community — anything from what’s going on with the schools or politics or events, or anything else locally that’s happening. It’s always 100 percent right-on.” The Coastal Point’s sports section has been a favorite of many locals over the years, as a way to keep up with their favorite athlete, their alma mater, or simply to root for the home team. “The Coastal Point has done a great job highlighting our local athletes and highlighting positive things the kids do inside and outside of school.They’ve done a great job being a community paper and really supporting not only us at the school but the community,” said Indian River High School Athletic Director Todd Furhmann. “The relationship has been awesome. Even look at Reese Insurance’s ‘Athlete of the Week’ — it’s not always the same kid. We give that bit of extra positive press to all the kids so parents, grandparents, whoever, get to see that bit of media coverage.” Over the years, the Coastal Point has been nominated for and received several Bethany-Fenwick Chamber of Commerce awards, including “Best in Business.” “From its early conception, Coastal Point quickly became the paper that folks went to if they wanted to know what was going on in the community — from a business and a neighbor perspective,” said Regan Roberts Deck, president of Bethany-Fenwick Chamber of Commerce, and owner of Custom Mechanical. “They were always the spot that had the best and most up-to-date information, which is
Sports
Health
Ehlers earns First Team - All-State and Player of the Year
How exercise can help your mental health and stress
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DECEMBER 18, 2020
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THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Volume 17, Issue 51
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State Champs!
community-focused endeavor after spending years in the corporate publishing world. “My job was not fun anymore. It was about meetings all the time. I felt like we weren’t accomplishing anything, we were just doing a lot of talking. I guess I was worn out.Then I heard a rumor that Darin was thinking of leaving to do an entertainment publication. I knew we connected and worked well together. I really wanted to work with him again. I called him up and said, ‘You’re not doing something without me.’”
An unlikely pair
Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert
The Indian River boys’ soccer team poses for a photo with Coach Steve Kilby after winning the DIAA Division II boys’ soccer state championship game, 2-1.
Indians win boys’ soccer state title Illian scores both goals as IR defeats Newark Charter By Jason Feather Staff Reporter It was a moment four years in the making. For this group of seniors on the Indian River High School boys’ soccer team, it was four years of hard work, determination and persistence that led them to this final moment of glory. On Saturday, Dec. 12, the Indians’ 2020 team forever stamped themselves into the school’s record books, winning
the DIAA Division II boys’ soccer state championship, with a 2-1 win over Newark Charter at Dover High School. Sophomore Jordan Illian scored both goals for the Indians in the fourth quarter, his first coming from Kevin Castillo in the 68th minute as it found the inside left corner of the goal with a perfectly placed shot, and the second just five minutes later, on a beautiful feed from senior Willem Lambertson that Illian buried to the right side of the goal
on a breakaway, for a 2-0 lead. “We are so happy for these boys,” said veteran Indian River head coach Steve Kilby. “This win started four years ago, when this group of seniors were freshmen; they have really put their time in. Our back four have been so solid, giving up less than a half-goal a game.” The win was the third state championship for Kilby and the Indian River boys’ soccer program. They had previ-
ously won back in 2013 and 2015. Seniors Jax Cathell, Michael Peterson and Erick Aguilera were threefourths of the back line — joined by sophomore Evan Peterson — that locked down the Newark Charter offensive efforts all night long. “Jax Cathell, Evan Peterson, Michael Peterson and Josh Bird were fantastic,” an elated Kilby said. “Our midfield did a See STATE CHAMPS! page 53
Coastal Point • Archives
The front cover of the Coastal Point after the Indian River High School boys’ soccer team won the Division II state championship game in 2020. The Coastal Point has covered Indian River High School sports since its inception in 2004. where you want to be as a business owner. Not only are they doing the community a service by having the information, but it made them the place to advertise as well. It’s really a win-win for our area.” “During my tenure, it has become evident that Coastal Point, under the leadership of Darin and Susan, is a reason this community is thriving.Their leadership is authentic, it cares, and it recognizes needs and assists with a solution,” added Lauren Weaver, Bethany-Fenwick Chamber of Commerce executive director. “The Chamber’s 800 businesses, board and staff are so
Congrra atulations too th he sta aff at th he Coasta al Point frrom Morning Sta ar Publications, publishers of th he Seafoord d and Laureel Sta ar and th he Business Rep t es on many m ality publicat
grateful to have Coastal Point as a partner the last 20 years.” In 2003, Publisher Susan Lyons and Executive Editor Darin J. McCann, in collaboration with a small investment group, joined their collective vision to establish a truthful voice and reliable source of information for the Delaware beach community. “You just need two voices in a community. I think a community is better with it,” said McCann matter-of-factly. “It was the excitement of being able to do something new, something that mattered to people.” Lyons felt a calling to return to a more
Lyons first met with McCann many years before the Coastal Point was founded, when the two were working for different publications. It was a courtesy interview after he’d applied for an editor position that had already been filled. “She didn’t give me a job!” cried McCann with a laugh. “I got a pity interview!” “He came and interviewed. It was the worst interview — he didn’t even talk,” Lyons recalled. “We were both doing a favor for Jane Meleady. I remember thinking, ‘I don’t know what she sees in him.’” Despite her initial reservations, Lyons offered McCann a sports writer position, which he accepted. A few days later, the aforementioned editor spot unexpectedly became available, and Lyons offered it up. McCann accepted — the week before the big Memorial Day paper was to be published. “We hadn’t worked together a week and knew we were going to gel,” said Lyons. “I think it works because Darin and I are so different in how we do things. I’m always thinking and coming up with new ideas. He is very focused — his focus is let’s get it done and get it done right. While I’m working ahead on the next project, next five projects, he’s focused on what we’re doing right now.” “I don’t remember the meeting, but I’ll take the blame,” laughed Meleady, who would later come out of retirement to work for the Coastal Point as an advertising representative. “I’ll take the blame for all of it!” The duo took very different routes into the publishing world. Lyons, who was a young mother with two kids younger than See COASTAL POINT page 8
Working & Growing Together For 20 Years!
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Coastal Point | 20th Anniversary
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Thank you Continued from page 4 There was never a day we didn’t feel grateful for Jeff being “our guy.” But he was also a great guy, despite being an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan, and all of us felt like we lost a beloved friend when he left this world. Jerry Sellman was also a joy, both professionally and purposely. He worked with a few of us at the Wave before we started the Coastal Point, and joined on years later to assist the ad reps and basically offer us his experience and effort every time he walked in our doors. Jerry was smart, a great sales person, funny and in love with being a grandfather, father and husband. He was somebody I tried to learn from every single day. Bob Bertram... shew. Bob worked here for more than a decade, was arguably the smartest person who ever resided in our masthead and was one of those unique people who made every single person he encountered feel better every single day. He was a gifted artist, brilliant marketing mind and the kind of “people person” who had the most amazing skill of making you feel important. He listened, asked questions and genuinely gave you the impression he cared about everything you had to say with every fiber of his being. Bob passed away a little more than five years ago, and rarely does a day go by when he isn’t brought up in this office. I’d say three straight days of noBob talk has never happened, and I say that comfortably.
The stories Every person has a story, and every story is important to somebody. We say those things a lot around here. But some stories stand out a little more to the masses because of the impact on the general community, the strangeness of it all or just because it was pretty darn cool. Here are a few that jump out to me over the years: • Lance Cpl. Russell White, USMC, passed away in Afghanistan in 2004, and the Indian River High
Special to the Coastal Point • Butch Comegys
The staff of the Coastal Point recently posed for a photo outside the office in Ocean View. School grad left an impression on me and this community. A scholarship bearing his name is still awarded every year, now by the Ball4All Foundation, and I think of his parents and their great loss all the time. • Millville By the Sea, Plantation Lakes and other enormous developments that have sprouted up and changed the faces of their respective towns.
• Bethany Beach banning smoking felt authoritarian and unnecessary to me at the time, and I’m a non-smoker. But that doesn’t look so crazy now, looking back at it, does it? • Dr. Earl Bradley, a Lewes-based pediatrician, was indicted on 471 charges related to unlawful sexual contact of 103 children. He was eventually given 14 life sentences for his alleged crimes, and I can’t help but
February 2, 2024 think that wasn’t long enough. • I’ll never forget the community desperately searching for Greg Forte, a local man who went missing in the winter of 2010. His body was eventually found, and his loss caused devastation and hurt throughout the area. • Our own Monica Scott wrote a story on a proposed Millsboro bypass in 2011, and during her reporting she discovered there were cash payments being unfairly made to some landowners and not others, and some small farms being razed for the project. The governor at the time, Jack Markell, cited her reporting as the cause of the stoppage of the project and the departure of the head of the Delaware Department of Transportation. • Every single conference and state champion from Indian River High School, from their football triumph in 2011 up through Brynn Crandell’s dominance in individual running, has been a fascinating an uplifting story. Sports can unite a community, and Indian River does it a lot. • Speaking about uniting a community, how about two straight years of a local softball team qualifying for the Senior League Softball World Series right in our back yard in Roxana, and one of them going all the way to the world championship game? I’ll never forget the escort from the local firstresponders for that team, and the adoring fans throwing their support behind every pitch and swing. Cool stuff. • Iconic additions to the community, like Justin’s Beach House, the Delaware Botanic Gardens and Freeman Stage, now called the Freeman Arts Pavilion. These things happen because of volunteers and people busting their posteriors to make the community a nicer place. • Operation SEAs the Day — how cool is that? • The child who unwittingly brought a backpack full of heroin to her daycare in Selbyville, after apparently bringing in the wrong bag to school. I constantly think about how See THANK YOU page 23
Coastal Point | 20th Anniversary
February 2, 2024
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Over the past 20 years we have had: Thousands of author events Hundreds of story times So many amazing customers So many stories to tell
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Coastal Point | 20th Anniversary
Coastal Point Continued from page 6 3 had been working at Treasure Island Fashions when Meleady called her about a job opportunity. “Jane was working at Eastern Shore News, and she said, ‘We have a position available, and I think you’d be perfect for it,” recalled Lyons, sharing that she didn’t get that job at first, either. “I had no intention of going into this business — it was purely by accident. But I loved it from the very first day. It was exciting. Every day was different. You never knew what was going to happen.” As a young working professional, Lyons was able to manage newspapers and simultaneously raise a family. “Susan is the one that would come to work and slide the baby underneath her desk. It was nothing to go in and be talking to Susan and have the baby sleeping down there by her feet,” said Meleady. “She doesn’t give herself enough credit.” “It’s much easier than it was 40 years ago… It was tough back then,” Lyons agreed. “Women in the business in management were either single or didn’t have children, because the hours were so crazy. I could have never done it without Andy,” she said of Andy Lyons, her late husband, “because he took over a lot of the responsibilities at the house.” When Lyons first joined the publishing industry, she wasn’t allowed to wear pants to the office, but instead was required to don a dress or skirt. Looking back, she noted the considerable shift in the treatment of women in the business over the past 40-plus years, with a discernible increase in respect. “Women were treated a lot differently back then… there weren’t that many women in sales.” “When we were little, we didn’t know she was a powerhouse, she was just mom,” explained Emily Harne, the youngest of Lyons’ three children. “You know — Mom and Dad didn’t miss a game. It was very important to them that we eat dinner together at the table. I remember many nights of us getting dinner and then her going back to work.There were long nights and this huge commitment she had made to make it all work. It was extremely long
Coastal Point • Shaun M. Lambert
Susan Lyons and Darin McCann pose for a photo at the Coastal Point’s recent Christmas Party. The pair have lead the Coastal Point from the start. hours, creating a newspaper on a small staff. It amazes me that she did.” “We are blessed to have her as a mom. She is an excellent role model — a hardworking woman and still always managing to put her family first,” said Lyons’ eldest daughter, Sarah Hoban. “It’s not an easy business, with the deadlines and long nights. As late as those nights can be, she always made a point to come back and have dinner with the family.” Days spent after school at the paper with their mom were looked at as a fun adventure, where the kids could play and create. “It was like a kids’ craft amusement park,” recalled Harne. “Tape, scrap pieces of letters and shapes. You could create anything you wanted.To be able to go into the dark room with the people developing the photos and watching them — it was cool to get to see all those things as a kid. It was always fun getting to go to work with Mom. Sarah and I made this huge paperclip garland and covered her entire office.” “I used to think it was so cool watching them develop photos in the dark room… I feel like I can still remember the way it smelled in there. I can remember all the
tools when they used to lay out the paper. I thought it was so cool to watch them do that,” said Hoban. “I remember going there and playing with the light tables,” added Lyons’ son, Andrew. “They printed it on mylar, and were cutting pieces and hot wax/gluing everything on light tables together.The leftovers, we’d take and cut out and make our own stuff.” The kids also served as models in advertising photos from time to time. “We had been in the paper a lot,” said Drew Lyons, adding that they were taught from an early age that their mother’s job did not protect them. “It was very well put into us that there was no protecting us with her working at the paper. If we messed up and your name has to go in the paper — it’s going on the front page, not the back. So, I never wanted my name in the paper.” Now, working as the engineer for the Town of Millville, Andrew Lyons’ name is sometimes found in Coastal Point’s coverage of town council meetings. “I still get nervous when I see my name in the paper. We were told when we were kids, Mom and Dad always knew everything we did — probably even before we
February 2, 2024 did it… But, working in the town and seeing it all the time… It’s pretty cool seeing it in my mom’s paper and in a professional setting.” McCann is now in Lyons’ shoes, feeling the pressure to put out the best paper each week, with the support of his wife, Jamie, and their daughter Riley. “He’s phenomenal with her,” said Jamie McCann of his role as a father. “As someone who didn’t have that relationship with my father growing up, that’s very meaningful to me. She’s totally got him wrapped around her finger. He’ll do anything in the world for her.” Sometimes Riley will join her dad at the office, where she will post up at an empty desk… perhaps laying the groundwork for a future career in journalism. “He tells people what’s going on,” explained Riley of what her dad does at the Coastal Point. “If a fire happens or there’s an event coming up, like Fire & Ice — he’ll put that in the newspaper, so people know what’s going to happen, what already happened, or what’s happening.” Jamie said her husband will wake up around 3 a.m. to go to work early on weekdays to make sure he can have quality time at home with their daughter in the evenings. “He’ll go in crazy-early — that way he can come home and eat dinner. I just love that. In the summertime, it can be a lot later. But almost every Saturday, they do a daddy-daughter date-day, so they have that special time, too.” “Daddy goes [into work] every day, and every time he comes home, we are really happy,” said Riley, adding that on their Saturdays together, they love to go to Hooked Up, to the arcade in Bethany and to the pet store to look at kittens. Raising Riley in the community he has dedicated much of his career to is something special, said McCann. “It’s incredible knowing she is going to school across the street and know completely that she’s safe going to school there, because, for instance, I know [Ocean View Police Department SRO] Rhys Bradshaw is over there every day.That matters. I know she’s safe. “I know she’s being taught well,” he continued. “She goes to a lot of nonprofit See COASTAL POINT page 9
+SSRÂ Congratulations on celebrating 20 years! That's a pretty phenomenal accomplishment! almost as phenomenal as the fact that you used to have this much hair! But i digress... i'm so very proud of you!
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Coastal Point photos
Left, Noah Mutz is an honorary Junior Reporter at the Coastal Point. Middle, Riley McCann sets up shop at a reporter’s desk for a hard day’s work. Right, Chase Mutz is also an honoroary Junior Reporter. These are just a few of the Point kids whom have grown up around the office.
Coastal Point Continued from page 8 events around here because of her dad. She enjoys the libraries here, and she’s seen all the good they do. She loves it here. Some of her best friends are Susan’s grandchildren. I’m confident she’s going to keep pouring herself into this community.” Darin McCann is quick to praise his wife of 16 years for keeping things running smoothly at home and crediting her with the paper’s success. “I can’t say enough about Jamie and what she’s meant to me both personally and professionally. She’s done it all. She’s helped us deliver papers. She’s done Christmas parties. She’s delivered late-night dinners… She’s everything,” he said. “As a mother to Riley, she’s Superwoman.” Writing was something that McCann valued from a young age, growing up in Washington, D.C. reading some of the great sports writers of the time. “Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, Thomas Boswell, Sally Jenkins, Andy Beyer, Shirley Povich… It was this amazing cast of characters, and I fell in love with how they wrote, and I’m probably still influenced by all of them in my writing today.”
McCann followed his grandfather, Joe Kutch, a New York City editor, and his late mother, Betsey, who had been a young journalist herself. “My mom kept every article she got her hands on and told everybody what Darin did,” said McCann’s sister, Brett Denison. “She was so proud of him. It was everything she wanted. She always had that dream of wanting to be an editor, but her little boy, her ‘golden child,’ was able to do this big thing. I still have a box of probably the first three years of all his articles because it was just so cool. I can’t even begin to tell you the pride she had, and I’m sure continues to have looking down on him.” McCann attended Temple University, where he studied journalism, initially wanting to cover sports, but one news writing class changed everything. “I took a news writing class and was addicted the first day. I got good feedback from my first professor and thought, ‘Wow, I might be OK at this.’ I hadn’t thought there was anything out there for me like that. I started as a sports reporter, got curious in editorial meetings, and started getting into the news side.” In his more than 30 years of experience in journalism, he has written in states across the country, including California and New York.
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“I liked that he came from D.C. and saw the other side of people who moved here for a different lifestyle, and he could relate to that,” Lyons said. “We made a good team, of the local aspect and the people who moved here. We could show both sides — we could make a community paper that worked for both entities… Really, we both wanted the same thing. We would certainly have our disagreements, but we know where we both want to be — and it’s the same place. It’s always, ‘What’s in the best interest for the paper and the community?’” In addition to receiving accolades from the MDDC Press Association, McCann has also garnered national recognition through the “Twenty Over 50” award from Editor & Publisher magazine, underlining his exceptional contributions to the field. Technical Director Shaun Lambert was Coastal Point’s first employee — following McCann from a Rehoboth Beach paper where the two had worked together. “I worked with Shaun and knew just how talented he was,” said McCann. Lambert joined the team with a wealth of knowledge, having worked for numerous papers in Alaska and Delaware. While Lambert hadn’t met Lyons before joining the new venture, her reputation preceded her.
“I knew by word of mouth that Susan was a good person to work for and that she was tough,” he recalled. Before there was even an official office, the three would meet in the evenings wherever they could. “I was ordering equipment and setting up at Darin’s and Susan’s.Then we eventually got office space in Ocean View and started getting everything set up… I still had another job, so I would leave there and then come work on the paper for another six or seven hours.” It was Lambert who also designed the newspaper’s iconic compass rose logo — by hand. “The early days were different for me. We worked 16 to 20 hours a day. Even on Saturday, we’d do eight to 12 hours. Sunday we’d do a half-day…Those deadlines the first couple of years were crazy,” he recalled. “Sometimes when the internet would go out, I’d have to drive the files up to Dover to the printer.There were only six people here. It was a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun, too.” “They were definitely looking to put out a quality product.They cared,” said Sam Harvey, the paper’s first staff reporter. “Shaun was a skilled designer, and the See COASTAL POINT page 10
Th han nk k Yo ou u Fo orr Ou urr Cont ntiin nu ueed Parrttn neerrs rsh hiip p off 20 Yeearrss! Congrra rattu ullaattiio ons Frro om Cro ow wlleeyy Asssociiattees Reeallt ltyy,, Incc.
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Sam were grinding out the paper all hours of the night.There were some late nights during that time. Never as late as Darin, Susan and Shaun had to put in, but that’s the kind of dedication and commitment they had to creating the Coastal Point and serving our community. It was their baby, and they sacrificed a lot of time to make it what is today.”
The start of a community voice
Coastal Point • File photo
Point employees Shaun Lambert, Bob Bertram and Maria Counts pose for a photo during a farewell party held for Bob, before he moved to Mount Shasta, Calif.
Coastal Point Continued from page 9 paper just looked good. People could see the difference right away.” McCann wasn’t the only member of the Coastal Point staff who unsuccessfully applied for a newspaper job and ended up getting hired for something a little different than intended. “I was really hoping to get into graphic design, after having been a copy editor and sometimes music columnist for a couple years at another local newspaper group,” said M. Patricia Titus, now the editor for the Coastal Point’s digital presence. “In July of 2004, I saw that this new newspaper, about five minutes from my house, was advertising for both a graphic designer and a staff reporter. I hedged my bets and applied for both jobs. “I don’t think Darin ever really considered hiring me for the graphic design job,” she added with a laugh. “They had one full-time reporter — Sam — and as many places as a newspaper has to be even in a small community, they desperately needed another. I hadn’t done news reporting since college, and I wasn’t sure I even wanted to be a reporter. But that was the job they offered me.The next thing I knew, the people in Bethany Beach were making jokes about bringing a cot into town hall for me, since I
was attending literally every council and committee meeting they had. And a year later, I was attending many of those meetings with my infant son strapped to me or sleeping in his carrier next to me.” Titus said those early years of the paper involved a small, tightknit team doing whatever needed to be done to get the story and make the paper the best it could be for the readers — something that hasn’t really changed. “If someone couldn’t get somewhere, one of the others went. If we had to stay up until 2 a.m. editing and paginating, we did. If we were on our way home and had to turn around to go cover a breaking story, we did. I’m still astonished what we accomplished with such a small staff. We really proved bigger wasn’t necessarily better.The goal for us was that the readers knew what was happening in the community, and we did whatever it took to make sure they were informed.” Advertising Manager Susan Mutz joined the staff in 2005 and was initially surprised by the level of commitment demonstrated by the team. “I remember returning Susan’s call to schedule the interview, and every time I called, she was out of the office. At one point, they told me to try calling back at 9 p.m. I thought, ‘9 p.m.? That’s crazy — I don’t want to work that late.’Turns out, in the early years, Susan, Darin, Shaun and
“Never thought I’d be in this business, never dreamed I’d be in this business — but the first day I was in it, I loved it,” said Lyons. “‘Controlled chaos’ is what I call it. I could be retired now, but I’m still here doing it because I love it. “A lot of sales [jobs] are intangible — you don’t get to see the results.This, you see the results every week,” said Lyons. “I love that you put out a whole new product every single week, that you get to see it and pick it up and say, ‘I did that.’‘I took that picture.’‘I wrote that story.’ It is rewarding to have that kind of job that you can see the results every week.” For Lyons, the journey to start her own newspaper began after more than 20 years of working for other area publications. Having always felt a deep connection to the Sussex County community, it was through her love of the community that her dream to create a newspaper that reflected the
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Gracie Hoban and Isabel Scott have Darin McCann blindfolded and in a Chinese finger lock. Both of these young ladies are now almost fully grown up.
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place she has called “home” all her life was born. “Publishers don’t always care that much about the news coverage,” said Darin McCann. “They look at it as a vessel to sell ads. Susan always cared a lot about the news coverage and this community. She grew up here. She raised her kids here.This is her home. It mattered to her.” “Susan was a part of the community. She grew up here… She was the ace in the hole. And, she had a good reputation, too,” added Meleady. Celeste Valliant Thompson, Realtor with ResortQuest, said she, as the former owner of Seacoast Realty, was excited to support the Coastal Point as its first advertiser. “Our offices were right next door to each other, and Susan told me the exciting news that she was thinking of starting her own newspaper. And I told her, ‘Whatever you do, please count us in.’We took the back cover, and even though the name has changed from different real estate companies, that ad is still the back cover,” said Valliant Thompson, who had previously been in the publishing business herself. “I just knew Susan, I knew her work ethic, I knew it was going to be successful. I also knew we needed competition, because at the time there was only one paper, and
Coastal Point • File photo
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Coastal Point | 20th Anniversary
The voice that connects us ... ... a supporter of the arts since 2008
Congratulations Coastal Point for 20 years of community focused news!
Freeman Arts Pavilion is a program of the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, which is a 501(c)3 nonprofit fundraising organization. This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.
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Coastal Point | 20th Anniversary
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Coastal Point Continued from page 10 our town needed another point of view.” Dennis Forney, former owner and editor of the Cape Gazette, attributed the Coastal Point’s success to how much Lyons and McCann care about the community they cover. “It’s where they live, and they want it to be the best it can be.They want to put out the best community newspaper that they can.They understand community journalism, and they understand everything’s grassroots, a democracy.They understand the importance of good reporting and have a good content.” “The Coastal Point remains a bright light in the local newspaper industry,” added Cape Gazette Publisher Chris Rausch. “The southern portion of coastal Sussex County is fortunate to have an independently owned newspaper that provides a wealth of information for its readers each and every week.The sense of community is always stronger in towns with a reliable local newspaper like the Coastal Point.” Stewart Dobson, editor of the newly merged Ocean City Today/Dispatch newspaper, said Coastal Point and the Ocean City, Md., paper are publishing soulmates. “We believe the same things: the purpose of weekly newspapers is to serve the community, and they can’t serve the community unless they are part of it.That’s why Coastal Point has been an overwhelming success. From the paper’s first days, Susan and Darin have been deeply invested in the communities the paper covers.They know the who, what, when, where, why and how of things, whereas out-of-area publishers would not.That makes all the difference in the world, so hats off to them and the staff for creating and building one of the most successful newspapers in the state.” But the decision to start the Coastal Point wasn’t a solo journey — it was a family commitment that required sacrifices and a shared belief in the importance of community connection. “Even when we decided to do this 20 years ago, it was Andy and the kids pushing me to do it, and I said, ‘You know this is going to take everything for me to do this. I’m not going to be home. I’m not going to be at your games.’ And they said, ‘We don’t
Coastal Point • File photo
Coastal Point employees show off some of the awards won at the annual Maryland, Delaware & D.C. (MDDC) Press Association contest for advertising and editorial content. care. We want you to do it,’” recalled Susan Lyons. Recognizing the demanding nature of the newspaper industry, Lyons emphasized the need for a strong support system. “I don’t think a woman with a family can do it without a good support system because of the demanding hours. You’re never away from it. Everywhere you go, people talk to you about the paper. It’s a 24-7 kind of thing.” For the Lyons children, believing in their mother’s ability to create and lead the Coastal Point was a no-brainer. “We always knew she could do it. She helped create another paper before, so we knew she could do it again for herself,” reflected Andrew Lyons. “That was a big thing for us — it wasn’t something she hadn’t done before. She helped create the news industry here in town.” Raised in a household that embraced the ethos of pursuing dreams and hard work, Sarah Lyons Hoban echoed the family values instilled by their parents. “She was always the one who was willing to do the hard work,” said Harne. “If anybody was going to do it and do it great, it was going to be her. She doesn’t have that quit in her.” “We were raised in a household where, if there was something you believed in, you should go for it.That anything is possible if
you work hard…That’s how she and my father raised us. I think she had a dream, and when she spoke it, there was no doubt us three kids and my father didn’t secondguess it. We were willing to support her in any way to make that dream happen, because that’s how she was with us.” The early days of Coastal Point were a family affair, with the Lyons family coming together to support their matriarch. Dinners were hosted, table space was lent for late-night sessions dedicated to creating the paper, and the entire family embraced the vision that Lyons and McCann had for the Coastal Point. “The first couple of years were just wonderful — especially because, hearing what they wanted to do and seeing the response from the community… knowing they were hitting all their marks way earlier than they were planning — it was wonderful to see the level of support they were getting,” said Andrew Lyons. The three spent so much time with the rest of the Lyons family that they morphed into one. “It has always felt that way — especially when the paper started in my parents’ kitchen,” reminisced Andrew Lyons. “Our dad always loved to tell the story of him cooking when the paper started, and the whole staff coming to eat for dinner and then going back to work, leaving him with
a kitchen full of dishes.” “Darin and Shaun — they’re definitely part of the family. I can remember them at family dinners — they still are,” said Hoban. “When the paper was first starting, it was very common to see Darin and Shaun both… it was almost expected that they were joining us for dinner. Sometimes my dad would have dinner on the table, and Mom, Darin and sometimes Shaun would come in and eat then head back out. And sometimes they were working in the living room while we were in the kitchen and vice versa. She did all of this while helping me plan a wedding! That whole first year was a lot!” McCann is the godfather to Andrew Lyons’ daughter, Finley. Lambert is the godfather to McCann’s daughter Riley. “Darin is wonderful. He’s cut from the same cloth as Mom and Dad were, so there was a good connection there right from the get-go,” said Andrew Lyons. In 2015, when Lamber’s daughter KayCi visited from Alaska for the summer, she was able to see her dad’s impact first-hand. “I’m incredibly proud of my dad. He’s helped create something that is a great resource to the community. It’s crazy to think that it’s been running for 20 years! Almost the same age as me,” she added with a laugh. “While I was there, I loved coming down to the office and spending time with everyone.The environment there was more like a home than an office. Everyone was just so kind.” “Shaun has become one of my best friends,” added Jamie McCann. “He’s one of the people I’m closest to in the world. Riley — that’s one of her most favorite people in the whole world. And Susan is one of the women I most admire in my life. I have such respect for her — not just with the paper but how she is with her family. I love her.”
Proud Pointies McCann and Lyons have fostered a family-like environment for the Coastal Point’s staff — including providing maternity leave to expectant staff members and welcoming their children in the office. “I’ll never forget the night that, shortly after I told them I was expecting, Darin See COASTAL POINT page 15
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Coastal Point Continued from page 12 pulled me aside and told me they’d adapt my job duties however I needed them to,” Titus recalled. “It was very clear in that moment that this was a family as much as it was a business.” That environment has helped Lyons and McCann build and maintain a strong staff over their two decades. They believe in the importance of hiring good people, discovering their strengths and letting them shine. It is this group — the “Pointies” – to which they attribute the paper’s continued success. “He’s always called it the ‘Island of Misfit Toys,’” laughed Lyons. “I say that endearingly!” said McCann, chuckling. “I think you hire good people, figure out what they’re good at and let them do that. When Laura [Walter] left, we didn’t turn around and say, ‘We have to find an education reporter who’s focused on environmental issues.’We just wanted to hire a good reporter.” “I enjoyed environmental coverage — after all, this is where we live!” agreed Walter, who now works as special projects editor for the Delaware State News and its sister papers. “Everything felt newsworthy, from the impact of industrial spills to the ingenuity of pollution reduction projects and discussions of unfamiliar technology. I was also proud of our election coverage. We tried to keep an eye on local elections and then educate readers with candidate Q&As.” Former staff photographer Jesse Pryor said he enjoyed the laid-back and relaxed work atmosphere at the paper. “Being around people who were so relaxed and kind, while also managing to turn out a nice newspaper, proved to me that it’s possible to have a kind demeanor in a fairly rushed and time-sensitive process,” he said, noting the clichéd image of a newsroom was “a lot more hands in the air yelling, ‘Do this now!’” “I’ve never worked in a more fun newsroom than my 18 months at the Coastal Point,” said Jonathan Starkey, a former staff reporter who now serves as Gov. John Carney’s chief of staff. “I was free to pursue hard stories, including issues of discrimination in the Indian River School District
Coastal Point • File photo
U.S. Senator Tom Carper regularly visits the Coastal Point office when he find himself in Sussex County. and crime in Selbyville, but those stories were always in service of finding solutions. And we took pride in getting our stories right — not covering scandal for scandal’s sake — and driving community discussion. I haven’t spent much time in the newsroom in years, but it’s clear in reading the paper that those values live on.” Former “Pointie” Monica Scott held many titles over her years at the paper, from officer manager to staff reporter to editor of Going Green, a special publication by the Coastal Point. “I will never forget that they gave me my first chance at being a writer… an aspiration I hope to return to in some way very soon,” said Scott, who currently teaches nursing at Delaware Technical Community College. “Monica didn’t have any experience. She came to us from the Red Cross, almost right out of school, and look at what she did… She stopped the bypass!” McCann said of Scott’s investigation into the land acquisition process for the Route 113 bypass project, which led to a temporary halt to the process and the departure of the then-head of the Delaware Department of Transportation. “She has passion, and that’s the thing we wanted to foster. You hire good people and let them do what they do.” The first staff reporter position was held by Harvey, who had previously interned
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under Lyons at a different area paper. “It was a major life experience for me… challenging and all that sort of stuff that helps you grow as a person,” said Harvey. “I was fortunate to be there at the right time. I like talking to people, drawing stories out of people. I enjoyed learning about a lot of different things.” “Sam was our only reporter here for a while,” McCann noted. “It was his hard work that let us get a second reporter. Everybody who has been here has done something to contribute to the next wave.” “Looking back, I realize now the people who tell the stories are just as important as the people in them,” said Scott. “Just think about it—do you know how the story of the Tuskegee experiment got out? It was leaked to a reporter who blew the story open. Or think about what social media has done.The murder of George Floyd, for example. We only know what we know because bystanders filmed the encounter.The storytellers have always held a key role. They are, in fact, ‘essential workers.’” Special contributor Christina Weaver, who has written more than 130 articles for the Coastal Point, was introduced to McCann by the late Billy Taylor after hearing about the soon-to-be newspaper. “Billy knew me from a writing group and had seen a couple of articles I had written for the Key of DE, a local music magazine. Prior to that, I had only written for
professional journals. Darin took a chance that I’d be able to adapt my writing to what he needed, especially in the area of entertainment. I was proud to be included in the first edition.” Jaime Ellis-Ade worked as a graphic designer for five years at the paper, straight out of college. “I owe a large part of what has made my career so successful to the Coastal Point and Darin and Susan.The five years that I spent at Point were building blocks for doors that I did not see opening in my life. Their door was open, and they taught me what it meant to be a true boss. I use many of the same skills that I first learned from them overseeing my staff today.” Veronica Townsend, Esq., partner at Weidman & Townsend, P.A., became a special contributor to the Coastal Point in 2009 while a student at Indian River High School, writing her monthly column, “The Fab Report.” “I was, and always have been, passionate about fashion (and writing!), and at the time, I was a titleholder in the Miss Delaware system, where my platform was ‘Dress to Be You: Building Confidence through Clothing,’ even having a small thrift store by appointment only, called ‘Veronica’s Closet.’ “I wanted to channel this message through the newspaper so that I could feature a local business and a current trend or piece of clothing, and to write about ways that it could work for anyone — no matter their personal style or shape. Fashion has always been a creative outlet for me for self-expression and confidence and I wanted others to have the same outlet as we all wear clothes daily, so the message is for everyone with a wide reach. I pitched the idea to Darin McCann and he so graciously gave me the opportunity, and I have remained grateful to this day for him taking the chance on me.” Beth Long, who was the office manager when the newspaper first opened, said she was conned into joining the team. “They took me to lunch, and they talked me into it. I was retired and watching my grandbaby.They bought me lunch — I was easy,” she said with a laugh. “I was there and then I left, and they talked me into coming back.”
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Coastal Point • File photo
Heather Wiles, Sam Harvey and Carolyn Fitz, early employees of the Coastal Point, pose for a photo at the Coastal Point’s first Christmas party.
Coastal Point Continued from page 15 Long said that even though the early days were stressful, the friendships forged were forever. “It was brand-new — I was one of the original five. It was stressful, but it was fun, if that makes sense… It built lifelong friendships.” More than 50 people have worked at the paper over the years, each of whom brought something different and special to the table. “Being an independent paper, it really sets the gold standard for a newspaper serving its community,” said former graphic designer Tom Maglio, who now serves as creative director for Independent Newsmedia. “But most of all, it’s the people that work there.The staff of the Coastal Point has always been made up of people with some truly great, admirable aspect to them. It makes you want to strive to find that greatness within yourself, as well.” “We’ve always looked at people who are highly creative. I love other people that are creative and that are a little eclectic,” said Lyons. “Look at Chris Clark, perfect example — passionate about what he did, creative, loved people, could talk to anybody…” she said of the former staff photographer. “One thing about a small staff like us is
everyone has to be able to do everything. The one sentence that will make me crazy is, ‘That’s not my job.’You don’t hear that here. Everybody will do what needs to be done.” Lyons recalled a particularly tough time for Coastal Point, when delivery driver Jeff Seyfert was battling cancer and could no longer work. “We all delivered the paper for six weeks and still gave him the money so their family could survive. Everyone will do whatever it takes.” “One of the things that amazed me about my mom, she’s done every part of creating a paper,” added Hoban. “I’ve seen her sell the ads, edit the paper, layout the paper, deliver the paper — she has her hands or has at. some point has had her hands in every aspect, which I think is one of the things I admire and makes it so successful.” Neither Hoban nor Andrew Lyons ever worked at the paper, even though he had served on the Lord Baltimore newspaper in elementary school. Harne, however, worked for the paper for a couple of years as an advertising representative. “First, I was the smartest of the three children. I was the one that got paid to do what I was told,” joked Harne. “I loved it. … I’ve worked in a lot of amazing environments. Every employee was passionate about what they did. It was refreshing and
February 2, 2024
fun.” Mutz fondly reflected on the time when her boys were young and used to visit the office — an atmosphere nurtured by Lyons and McCann. “It’s fun. We’re truly a family. A little dysfunctional at times, but a family nonetheless. My kids spent much of their younger years at that office. I look back at pictures and smile at how many happy memories they had at Coastal Point. There’s even a trim piece with height measurements showing how much they’ve grown. Susan and Darin have been truly supportive of my family and journey as a mother, and I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to bring my kids to work after school or bring them with me on days when they didn’t have school,” said Mutz. Kathy Jo Robbins recalled meeting Lyons 20 years ago, when she was getting the paper set up for printing. “I remember the first issue and the excitement surrounding it! Fourteen years later, I joined the advertising team, and I loved every minute of it!” Tyler Valliant worked at the paper as a staff photographer until opening his own business, Local Coffee Roasting Co., with his wife, Jenni. “I learned a lot about business and networking — representing a team and being part of a team,” said Valliant of moving on from the paper to focus on their coffee
business. “There wasn’t any tension to not go in the direction I wanted to grow. … They let me phase out.This was the last thing I did before I officially went full-time as a business owner. I learned how to treat employees, keep people happy and invest in their personal lives.” Staff members over the course of 20 years have varied from those just out of college to those returning to work after their retirement, and more than a few have worked for the paper multiple times as their lives pulled them away and then brought them back.Today, the staff of the Coastal Point is very seasoned, bringing a wealth of knowledge from decades of work in the industry. “The greatest thing we have is an experienced staff… I think the average age of our staff is 55,” said Lyons. “In the newspaper business, that person has been put out to pasture. We’ve got great experience that is amazing.” “Coastal Point is a true community newspaper, with no regional or national or Associated Press content,” staff reporter Susan Canfora added. “Our reporters are on the street, at meetings, working the phone, every day, talking to officials, police, teachers, residents and bringing news and feature stories to our readers.” Lyons and McCann both praised their See COASTAL POINT page 18
Coastal Point • Jamie McCann
Some of the Coastal Point kids hanging out while camping. Brooke Harne, Riley McCann, Leeland Harne and Julian Harne pose for a photo.
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Coastal Point Continued from page 16 staff, noting some long-term employees, such as Digital Editor M. Patricia Titus, who has also served as staff reporter, news editor and managing editor, and fills in for McCann on the rare occasion he takes time off. “Tricia has held multiple positions here and done them all well,” said McCann. “I love the people that work here. Everybody roots for everybody. Jane Johnson gives story leads to the reporters. If Kerin Magill hears about a new business opening, she’ll let Mutz or Nadine know. It’s the staff that has made this paper, and it’s the community that has embraced it.” Not only does the staff work to build a paper every week, but it also publishes special sections, including the annual “Homeplate,” dedicated to the Little League Softball World Series held in Roxana. “Those kids get to take this home to their parents, their grandparents, and show them what they did,” said McCann of the athletes who travel from all over the world to play in Roxana every summer. “They’ll save those papers for years. It’s special to be a part of that.” Over the years, the Coastal Point has also published individual town booklets, dedicated to telling the story of each unique town in its coverage area. “I loved every project that we worked on, but my favorite was the town specials. Over a couple of years, we did a special publication for each town: Bethany, Fenwick, Selbyville, Frankford, Millsboro and Dagsboro. I saw these specials as historical pieces that told the story of the incorporated towns from the beginning to the present,” said Meleady. “Particularly the making of salt from the sea in Fenwick. These specials shared that wealth of knowledge with the old timers and the new people that were actively moving into these towns. It gave each town the sense of pride of the people that gathered together to start these towns.” The Coastal Point umbrella also includes the Explore Coastal Delaware publication, which serves as a comprehensive guide for locals and visitors, offering insights into local businesses, shops and must-visit destinations.
Coastal Point • File photo
The girls from Europe-Africa pose for a photo at the Homeplate newsstand that featured the team on the cover. The girls love getting the publication each year, and you’ll see them and their families and friends carrying them around the park or reading them throughout the Senior League Softball World Series week in Roxana. “My favorite assignment to date was Explore Coastal Delaware,” said advertising representative Nadine Timpanaro. “It was brand new and exciting, and we received such a great response from advertisers and the community!” Delaware Seaside Bride, a freestanding yearly magazine and website, was created after Lyons helped her daughters plan their weddings and wanted to bring resources to other families going through the planning process. “Taking on the role of editor for Delaware Seaside Bride and being given the freedom to play with it and bring new ideas and concepts into an already successful publication was both daunting and exciting,” said Coastal Point Special Publications Editor Taryn King, who assumed the role in the fall of 2019. “I’ve enjoyed taking over as editor for our other special publications and deep diving into each title’s topics, but Delaware Seaside Bride has become a pet project, of sorts, that I challenge myself each year to make better than the last.” Considering his favorite stories done for the Coastal Point, sports reporter Mike Stern — a lifelong hockey fan — said he enjoyed covering the Stanley Cup’s visit to Ocean View last July. “The trophy’s presence was the result of
the Las Vegas Golden Knights’ celebration of their 2022-2023 championship. Each player and front office member is invited to spend a day with the Cup during hockey’s off-season, and local residents Mary and Jay Headman were included in this longtime ritual by their daughter, team front office administrator Katy Headman Boettinger. It was extremely gratifying to see how the Headman family and their guests basked in the presence of hockey’s most esteemed hardware.” Former Staff Photographer R. Chris Clark remembered how the team joined together to cover Hurricane Sandy in 2012. “That made me feel so proud. We were offering to the public: photos, video, live coverage, and our work was recognized by MDDC in a brand-new category,” he noted of the award for Best Use of Interactive Media for the Coastal Point’s social media use during Hurricane Sandy. “As if all of this wasn’t rewarding enough, I was waist-deep in the water searching for the next photo when I received a call from BBC radio, and they wanted me to provide live updates and join in the storm coverage. I got to be on BBC international radio with Gov. Jack Markel. This was possible because of the newspaper’s reputation, and the reputation that I was allowed to build in our community.
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The lead person for the BBC reached out to numerous people in the beach community for someone to speak to, and Scott Fornwalt of the Fenwick Crab House told them to call Chris Clark.” Titus said she recalls that event all too well. “Chris is sending me video and photos where he’s clearly in the floodwaters as the ocean and bay start to cover the land in Fenwick, and I’m sitting in my living room, feeding all of this out to the public. But I have to stop and shake my head, because I can’t believe Chris is doing this. I’m waiting for the texts and emails to stop because he’s — literally — in over his head. But Chris is a marvel on so many levels, and he turned a really dangerous situation where he was our readers’ major source of information into one where he was also the eyes and ears of the world on one of the expected landfall points of that massive storm.” It wasn’t just Clark’s daredevil photography work that marked that storm for Titus, though. “I’d had storms in the past where I’d been up for 20, 22 hours straight, putting out the information that was coming in from reporters, police, state officials, as soon as it came in, just to make sure the readers were as up-to-date as they could be. But during Sandy, I had to finally sign off for a couple hours after a massive tree fell and clipped the corner of my house while I was doing social media updates — but not before I posted a picture of this tree laid across my front yard and extending into the street.” While that was a memorable event, Titus said it was a series of stories she did on beach access that’s had the biggest impact on her life. “I did a lot of research into the background of legal access and public/private beaches, and in the process of doing that, I had an idea for a fantastical, fictional story that I’ve now turned into two series of novels — one of which includes a fictional reporter for a beach-town newspaper. I love that I now get to put my experience into these fun stories, as well as into informing our community. Working for the Coastal Point has let me expand my skills in so many directions, from photography and graphic design to editing and, now, even See COASTAL POINT page 20
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Coastal Point Continued from page 18 writing fiction.” Mutz said the best part of her job has been collaborating with a great community of local business owners. “Over the years, I’ve gotten to work with some incredible local businesses. Some run often and others only a few times a year, and each of those relationships are special and valued. It’s an honor to help someone market and grow their business. And it’s especially important to the community that our small businesses remain and thrive. These same small businesses give back to our community through their generous donations, whether it be sponsoring a youth sports team or a local club that supports our homebound or disadvantaged. It’s vital to our community, and I feel fortunate to be a part of that.” McCann noted one of his highlights was being asked by Jackie Burns to moderate an author event with James Patterson and Mike Lupica last year. “Those are two of my favorite writers in the world, and Jackie asked me to talk to them.That was pretty incredible.” “I know how respected and appreciated Darin and Susan are in our community. Darin has a great knowledge and way with people,” added Burns. “He’s very informed… the way he runs the newspapers and the questions that are asked and how he brings the news to our community — I saw that and wanted it in the discussion with James Patterson and Mike Lupica. I thought he would be the best person to with humor, as well with knowledge, bring to the table with two authors who are so world-renowned.” Lyons noted watching the area farmers’ markets explode over the last 16 years, by $3,855,245. “That can help a farmer not sell his land to a developer,” added McCann. “Going to watch the first one come off the press… I just knew, working with Darin and Susan, it was going to be something. But seeing that first one come off the press — that’s when it really hit,” shared Lambert. Along with career highlights, there were also personal milestones the team celebrated together — including the births of
Coastal Point • File photo
Bob Bertram, Laura Walter, Shaun Lambert, Maria Counts and Bobby Schaller dressed up for Steve Jobs Day. Lily and Isabel Scott, Cian Titus, Chase and Noah Mutz, and Hank Schaller; Jane and Greg Meleady becoming grandparents to little Mercury; Garrett Robbins getting into college; Tom Maglio’s wedding; Kelsey Magill’s Congressional internship… a seemingly never-ending list. But with the celebrations also comes difficult stories and personal hardships. There was the time McCann covered a rogue member of Millville Volunteer Fire Company who had embezzled more than $200,000 from the organization. “It was an important story, and people needed to know what happened, but I didn’t want to cut off the legs of the fire department,” he said. “You don’t want to ruin something that saves lives… and, again, it was one person.” There were some hard losses over the 20 years — people in the community, including Indian River graduate Russell White, developer Josh Freeman and restaurateur Matt Haley; family members; and colleagues like Seyfert, advertising assistant Jerry Sellman and Art Director Bob Bertram. The paper reported on Bare’s tragedy in 2014, when his home burned down and his family lost nearly everything. “What the community gave to me when I lost my house to the fire… I owe it to give back from that. I’ve always loved serving the community,” said Bare. “Serving
this community — if I can make an impact on one person, my job is done.” McCann added that when they report on people who are in need, the community is always quick to offer donations and support. “This community is so generous and supportive,” added McCann. “It’s rewarding to us that we can be that vessel to get that word out to people about people who are in need. We are able to make a difference in our community just by reporting what’s going on.” “The Coastal Point is so special because it is a perfect compilation of our amazing community and its people and the closeknit, familial spirit we all share.This is a place where we look out for one another,” said Townsend. “As a born and raised Sussex Countian, I am so passionate about the area because we really support each other, help our neighbors, and do what we can to give back to make the community a better place.The Coastal Point shares that same spirit as a business and is also a place to display all of the incredible people in our community — from business owners, first-responders, educators, nonprofits, public events and so much more.” Like most businesses, the paper took a hit as a result of the 2020 pandemic. But it was bolstered by businesses including the Realtor Association and Off the Hook Restaurant Group that took out full-page
ads when businesses were closed. But the paper has slowly bounced back, for which Lyons credits the local support. “The community is the reason we’re here. Newspapers are having a hard time everywhere.This community keeps us going,” she said. “There’s a saying, ‘If you have a thriving, successful community newspaper, you have a strong community.’ I think it works full-circle. You see the support of our advertisers. We’re a free paper — we can’t do this without our advertisers. They get good results from their advertising, which gets our readers going into stores and shopping locally and helping support those businesses, which keeps the community successful… It all works.” When jewelry designer Alice Klein moved her T.K.O. Designs storefront, she advertised with the paper for the first time in the paper’s history. “The response that she has gotten — people now walk in with the ad in their hand and say they want this pair of earrings,” said Lyons. “There’s nothing that’s going to hit this area like we do.” A new challenge faced in recent years is the distrust the public can feel for news sources. “It’s a hard hurdle. We didn’t have to deal with that 10 years ago. It’s a tough thing, people are looking for you to be biased now. We work extra-hard not to be. The editorial I take really seriously, because I’m speaking for Susan Lyons and Susan Canfora, for Chris, Jane Johnson…” said McCann. “We care about the people we work for, the people we work with, and we care about the product we put out.” McCann said he and Lyons are too busy to worry about how they can manipulate news. “Growing up, we were taught to stay neutral, willing to hear from a different angle, different perspective, learning from people’s perspectives and being open to other opinions, even if they don’t match mine,” Harne stated. “I was raised in a house where you were, ‘Everyone is entitled to an opinion.’‘Don’t get offended by views or opinions.’ I think that’s helpful. It was good conversation at the dinner table.” “I sleep well. I know we try to be fair. I know we try our best,” McCann added. “You’re never going to make everybody
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Coastal Point Continued from page 20 happy. All you can do is try your best. It’s not an easy lesson for me. You have to turn it off and feel confident that what you’re doing is right.” Ocean View Police Department Chief Kenneth McLaughlin feels the paper is accomplishing that. “Sadly, in today’s world, I don’t really follow the national news. Some of the big corporate media... I just don’t have faith in them. But I trust our local newspaper. I speak for the community — you’d be hardpressed to find anyone to say something negative about the reporting at the Coastal Point,” said McLaughlin. “I think the job that we have is no less important than the job of the free press…The Coastal Point is strong, staying true to its values and doing a great job serving the community.They’re a model of what journalism should be.” “I am a strong believer that community newspapers can help create a culture that promotes community dialogue, accountability and pride. Nobody is better at doing that, in my opinion, than the Coastal Point,” added Starkey. “That starts with Darin and Susan believing in the work and trusting those around them. I think often about my time working at the Coastal Point. It taught me how to really listen to different perspectives, cover issues thoroughly and get them right. My hope is the paper lives on for another 20 years and far beyond.” McCann said he would like the paper to improve its coverage to include more Black, Indigenous and People of Color, and would love to have a more diverse staff. “That’s something I’d like to see us get better at. I want it to be representative here. I don’t like it when I have all-female reporters or all-male reporters. We need a good mix.” Throughout the past two decades, McCann and Lyons have witnessed remarkable growth — the arrival of CVS in Ocean View, the completion of the Route 26 expansion, and a surge in new communities and residents eager to make the area their home. “We live in a different market than most. We have strong community papers along this coast.This is a very unique mar-
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Susan and Andy Lyons pose for a photo at an early Coastal Point Christmas party. Andy played an important role in the formation and growth of the paper. ket. I think it helps that I’m from here,” she reflected. “Living in a resort area, there’s always going to be change. I’ve seen change my entire life.” “The local population is still going strong with the next generation,” said McCann, calling attention to Amy Hughes at Lord’s Landscaping and Lord’s Mercantile; Cassidy and Brittany Baker of The Three Blonde Bakers; and Paul Parsons of Parsons Farms Produce. “They’re all involved in the local community… Sometimes I go back through our old sports sections just for the names. ‘Oh, that person’s a big Realtor at Keller Williams now...’ It’s neat to see.”
A love for service During her career, Lyons has won numerous awards from the MarylandDelaware-D.C. Press Association; served many years with the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce; was named 2008 Chamber Business Partner of the Year; Lighthouse Award winner; inducted into the Indian River High School Hall of Fame; and recognized by Delaware Today magazine as one of Delaware’s most successful businesswomen. She’s also a member of the Barefoot Gardeners, Delaware Botanic Gardens and the Preceptor Omega sorority. “I’m so appreciative of her time donated
75 Years of The Clayton Theatre 20 Years of Coastal Point... A Timeless Partnership! Box Office: (302) 732-3744 • www.ilovetheclayton.com 33246 Main St., Dagsboro, DE 19939
to the press association. She sat on our board for years and is always willing to provide expertise, advice or just a sympathetic ear for people,” said Snyder. Lyons made an effort to not stay within the confines of the newspaper’s walls but to go out and work with the community atlarge. “I love helping people. A lot of my job now is connecting people. I want to help this area grow — hopefully, in a good way.” Lyons’ late husband, Andy, was also community-focused, donating time to the local Boy Scout troop, Lower Sussex Little League and the Lion’s Club. “We got it from Mom and Dad,” said Andrew Lyons. “That’s what we grew up seeing, and that’s what instilled it in us. Dad was in the Lions Club. Mom was the local newspaper, so she was everywhere in the community. It was ‘lead by example,’ and we followed.” “We grew up going to Lions Club dinners and volunteering. We enjoyed it — it wasn’t like we were forced to do it. We would go to work chicken-and-dumpling dinners. We would go prep the fields for opening day at the Little League park. We volunteered when they were building the outdoor learning center at [Lord Baltimore],” said Harne, echoing her brother, Andrew. “My parents led by example. It was something they did all the time, and it was something we wanted to do with them.” Now, as adults raising families within the same community in which they grew up, the Lyons kids are all active in community service. Harne created the Ball 4 All Foundation, a local non-profit whose mission is to provide children in the community the opportunity to play sports and enjoy fitness, regardless of the family’s financial situation. “Darin sits on the board with us on Ball 4 All,” she said, quipping, “He’s the old man that we call for guidance.” Hoban has coached softball and now sits on the board of Lower Sussex Little League — which now has a field dedicated to her father, a longtime lover of ball games. Andrew Lyons is a former Master of the Doric Lodge No. 30, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons and is still a member. See COASTAL POINT page 22
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February 2, 2024
Coastal Point Continued from page 21 “I think that comes down to, from a young age, we were just led by example. It wasn’t something we were asked to do, or told to do, or forced to do,” said Hoban. “They just led by example at a young age of always giving back. I think the ways they’ve done it are countless. It was just what you do. We’re proud to be from this community.” As the Coastal Point celebrates its 20th anniversary, there’s a poignant void with the absence of Andy Lyons. “I remember him taking dinner to them at the first office — to Mom, Darin and Shaun — so they could keep going through the night and they ate.That was dad,” said Harne. “Dad was honored to do it. It wasn’t like it was an inconvenience. It’s what he could do to help them achieve what they could do. He’d be super-excited…There’d be a big dinner.” “He was always so proud of the work everybody put into it. I’m so proud of her and thankful that I had such a great role model growing up, and she continues to be such an inspiration for her eight grandchildren. It’s really a blessing.”
‘Partners in the community’ “We consider them partners in the community,” said McLaughlin. “In my opinion, they’ve done a great job serving the community and providing good, nonpartisan, factual news to the community.The reporters have been a great conduit between the police department and the town and the citizens. It’s a great conduit to reach and get our message out to the community.” While McLaughlin agreed that not all the stories printed in the Coastal Point are always the most complimentary, he said they are accurate. “You tell it like it is — the good, the bad and the ugly — and I think that’s what the job of the press is,” said McLaughlin. “There have been some things about the police department that have happened that haven’t been flattering that were reported, but I can’t think of anything that wasn’t true.” There are countless organizations — Justin’s Beach House, Delaware Botanic Gardens, Operation SEAs the Day, Special Olympics and the Freeman Foundations among them — that McCann is reminded of in his daily life as the editor and as a proud member of the community. “When Lower Sussex Little League went to the World Series, the whole community got behind them.There was a parade in Dagsboro. I’ve never seen the Pyle Center that packed before.That was a highlight, watching that team play on Lyons Field.This area pulls together for things.” McCann said the community has always been a special place to him, and he hopes the community will continue to allow the paper to support it for years to come. “My family and I came here for vacation every year when I was a kid. It’s always been magical. It’s always been Candy Kitchen on Garfield Parkway. It’s always been 25-cents
Coastal Point • File photo
Ocean View Police Chief Kenneth McLaughlin, along with many other organizations in the area have come to rely on local journalism outlets, such as the Coastal Point, as important partners to get news and facts out the public. mini-golf,” said McCann. “I’ll be 90 years old, knock on wood, and I’ll still remember those weeks down in Bethany — and we have how many families a year that get to experience that? We get to document part of that, and it’s cool.” “I never wanted to live anywhere else,” said Lyons. “They love people, they love this community, they love the businesses in it.They genuinely love it,” added Harne. Former Point reporter Ryan Saxton joined the staff in 2006 after graduating from the University of North Carolina– Wilmington, but he was familiar with the area, having — like McCann and Titus — vacationed here with his family since his childhood. “Coastal Point has always had a way to connect readers to the community, whether they were true-blue, generations-old locals, transplants from neighboring towns and counties, or out-of-towners in for a holiday — everyone could grab the weekly publication to find out what’s been going on, what was to come, or learn plenty of other insightful topics and issues that had impact on our region.” “We also see the community as extended family,” said Mutz. “There are so many
members of the community that we know and love because of the paper we put out every week. Some are readers that stop by every Thursday to pick up a copy or copies for neighbors or those who can’t get us at newsstands. Others are contributors or members of community organizations seeking help promoting their cause or sharing newsworthy events and stories. And it’s great that we’re here for that. It’s what we do and what we love.” Even though the paper has published 1,043 issues — 93,272 pages—they still have a butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling watching people pick up the paper every Thursday. “When I see, on a Thursday, 20 different cars outside the office waiting to pick up the paper because they know they can get it here first…” said Lyons. “We have so many people who deliver papers in their community. They’ll come and take a bundle of papers and take them to their community… Mariner’s takes them to shut-ins.” “It’s wild to drive to Hocker’s on a Thursday afternoon to pick something up and watch someone pull up to pick up a paper and leave.Twenty years later, that still makes me stop,” said McCann. “During COVID, I delivered the paper to two ladies
Coastal Point • File photo
The Coastal Point staff gets a tour of the print facility in Dover for the 10th anniversary 10 years ago.
every week. Jane Johnson and Nadine both brought papers to people.The community has allowed us to have this connection with them, and we don’t take that for granted at all. We’re incredibly blessed.” At the heart of Coastal Point’s uniqueness lies the readership, explained Jane Johnson, who’s known in the office as “Jane of All Trades,” overseeing the classified ads, the service directory, legals and more. “They are relying on us to keep them advised on the past, present and future happenings. After 20 years of publishing, readers still stop in or call just to say they enjoy the whole paper or a specific article or picture.” Titus said a local newspaper really serves two functions: to record the history of a community and to connect its people together going into the future. “One of the things I do that drives the importance of this job home to me each week is editing the obituaries.The loss is sad, but there’s a sense of vitality, of perpetuity in building this archive of people’s lives,” she said. “We create the records that families will be looking into, a hundred years from now and more, when they want to know about their great-great-great-grandmother or what life was like in 2024. It’s not just the formal obituary we publish, but also the lives documented in our stories each week that will live on when they’re gone — in the community that is documented here, in words and pictures. “And it’s out of these stories that the future of our community is also born — in celebrating the triumphs, mourning the tragedies, fighting the good fight for the future, coming together as a community to make things better for one person and for us all.” “The Coastal Point was about community on all levels, and as a member of a community it was and is our responsibility to reach out and ensure that all voices are heard. Everybody is significant. It is our job to find them and listen,” said Clark. “Life is about community, whether it is a business, church, town, family, country. A community operates best when it is diverse, inclusive, open and willing to learn from each other. “What makes a community great is when we listen attentively to others, even if their beliefs, opinions or desires are different from ours, and we learn. Community calls out behavior that needs improving and allows people the opportunity to change,” he said. “Community is ‘we.’We can achieve amazing tasks when we work together.” And so, by the time you are opening your freshly printed Coastal Point each week, reading about your local council election or upcoming Chamber event, the staff has taken a moment to enjoy their hard work, and moved on to the next edition. Like every other Thursday, for the last 1,044 times, the staff starts again. Advertising reps call clients to check on pick-ups, dinner specials and real estate ads. McCann sits at the head of the conference table, opens his iPad and says, “Alright — what’ve we got?” It’s a testament to two decades of community-focus and excellence. It’s where the magic truly happens — one page, one story, one week at a time.
February 2, 2024
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Thank You Continued from page 3 amazing it was that the people at that daycare facility saw and identified the problem, called the authorities immediately and prevented what could have been the worst day in this community’s history. • Millville buying land on Dukes Drive and building an incredible playground for the area’s youth, while Ocean View did a remarkable transformation on John West Park. Local kids get to benefit from those, while all of us get to take advantage of all the events now taking place at those facilities. • Alyssa Murray, Brooke Mitchell and Emily Beale all being named Miss Delaware during our time here. Beale currently holds that crown. • A state audit revealed that the then-treasurer of the Millville Volunteer Fire Company stole close to $200,000 from that department, potentially jeopardizing current operations and their ability to fundraise down the road from a community that felt burnt by the actions. • That wild eclipse in 2017. • The heroin epidemic hitting so close to home. In 2018, there were seven heroin-related overdoses in Sussex County in one six-hour period. Property crime was rampant. The opioid epidemic had spread to heroin after restrictions made it harder to get pills, and the cheap cost of heroin blew the problem out of control. • George Cole left Sussex County Council, and I wasn’t sure I’d ever see that day. • The community rallied around another missing person in 2019, and it unfortunately had another sad ending, as Linda Bravo and her vehicle were found in a South Bethany canal. • COVID. You guys remember all that? Do you? • The Beebe South Coastal Health Campus in Millville opened in 2020, and that was absolutely huge. Such a great addition to the community. • Fenwick Island had another sweeping change in leadership, and it impacted the town council and nearly every other committee in town, eventually spilling into a dispute between the former police chief and current mayor that went way off the rails. • SDSA and Lord Baltimore both recently earned Blue Ribbon status, and that’s pretty darned cool. • Wind farms. Turbines. Electric cars. You name an alternative form of energy, and chances are that our community broke into two sides and started verbally swinging at one another. • And, the one that probably made my heart jump the most in all of my years working at newspapers was the call we received last year that there was a “shots fired” call at Selbyville
Coastal Point • Darin McCann
The moon shines over the Coastal Point International headquarters in Ocean View on a very early morning. Middle School. That is the call all of us fear in our bones, and I was shaking as I sent off reporters and photographers to survey the situation. It ended up being a case where a young man was target shooting next to the school, and School Resource Officer Tyler Bare responded immediately and courageously to get the situation under control — which should provide local parents at least one source of relief.
Today The community is both different and the same. Yes, the beach towns still see a lot of second-homeowners and investors, but the year-round population appears to be growing steadily, as more retirees have planted their flags. The inland towns, once fertile ground for “the locals,” now also see more retirees and year-rounders, as big developments such as Bear Trap, Salt Pond, Millville by the Sea and others have attracted more residents. In short, we have transformed, at least to a small degree, from a resort area with an inland rural population, to more of an expanded retirement community, with some young families moving in due to their ability to either work remotely or fill local jobs with the developers and other newer opportunities, or to chase one of the community’s most-treasured longtime endeavors: entrepreneurship. The locals still provide the very backbone of this community. They still operate the farms. They run their decades-old businesses that have become iconic staples to the area. They often shake their heads at
the changes that have come, while simultaneously telling you that change has been part of this region’s DNA for as long as anybody can remember, and will continue to be long after all of us are gone. And it still works. We still band together to help a family in need or to provide support to a local nonprofit. We still unite for music under the stars or on a sunny day on the beach, or gather on a fall night for Whimsical Woods at Lord’s. We invest in this community, each of us, through working at local businesses to volunteering for a cause to patronizing shops and restaurants to, well, supporting our local newspaper.
Personally I have a lot to be thankful for in regards to my time in this community. As I said, I met my wife here. We are raising our daughter here. We are surrounded by friends who make our lives better, and I gained another family that I love dearly when Susan and Andy Lyons welcomed me into theirs. And the paper... oh, this paper. Professionally, I have met and worked with some of the most talented people I have ever known at this paper. When I tell you that they are committed to telling this community’s story, please believe that. They are not in this job for the fame or fortune — and if they were, I’d have to fire them for having poor judgement. There is neither of that here. But there is a community that is an absolute honor to cover, and read-
ers who support what we are doing each and every week, and they know how fortunate they are to have that. We love that we have a readership that still enjoys reading and values what a community newspaper can bring to their lives. We aren’t going to get into the stuff in Washington. We aren’t going to debate Gaza. We aren’t going to dedicate a beat reporter to Taylor Swift’s latest coughdrop choice. But we are going to tell you when your neighbor’s kid gets into the Naval Academy, or when your town council votes to raise your property taxes. We’re the ones sitting in those planning meetings to let you know that a new development might be coming near you or when a new restaurant gets approval. We’re the ones trying to keep you updated online during storms, so you know if your beach home has been damaged or if Fred Hudson Road is closed due to flooding. And, sometimes, hopefully, we can make you laugh a little bit with a digression or a funny caption on a photo. We care about what you care about — this community. This first 20 years has been a bit of a blur, both in and out of our newsroom. When historians later study this community and look for when the seismic change in population took place, they will likely be discussing this past 20 years as much as any other era. And it has been our honor to document it. Thank you for your support, be it as a reader, advertiser or critic who pushes us to do better. We would not be here today without all of you.
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Coastal Point | 20th Anniversary
February 2, 2024