News Briefs 10/25/24

Halloween family fun set Oct. 26 at Revelation Georgetown

Tidemark Foundation will host Brews, Boos and Broomsticks, a family-friendly event from 2 to 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26, at Revelation Craft Brewing Company, 413 S. Bedford St., Georgetown. This family-friendly extravaganza is not just an event - it's a celebration of community spirit, creativity, and the joy of giving back to local families in need. The fun includes trunk or treat, hayrides, inflatables, face painting, a costume contest and a pumpkin carving contest, live music, food trucks and more. Activity wristbands cost $10 and support the foundation’s mission to help local families in need. For more information, go to tidemarkfcu.org/brews-boos-broomsticks.

Phantom pirates festivities set Oct. 26 at Rehoboth library

Inspired by this year’s Sea Witch Festival theme, Paranormal Piranha, the Rehoboth Beach Public Library’s ghost pirate extravaganza is sure to be a treat for all ages Saturday, Oct. 26, at 226 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach.

Starting at 11 a.m., visitors can register for the ghost ship escape room, where they’ll have 15 minutes to solve clues with their mates, lest their souls be trapped beneath the waves forevermore. Little boos and ghouls can enjoy a spooky storytime with Ms. Diane. Playing, dancing and dressing up are encouraged.

A pirate and mermaid party sets sail at 1 p.m., when kids and teens can create pirate hats and crowns, decorate spooky cookies and hunt for treasure at the library. 

At 5 p.m., visitors can enjoy a rowdy performance from the Brigands, a live pirate band. To plunder plenty of sweet treats, treasure hunters should stick around for trick-or-treating to begin at 6:30 p.m. at the library and businesses along Rehoboth Avenue.

To reserve space, go to delawarelibraries.libcal.com/calendar/rehoboth.

Spooktacular concert set Oct. 26 at All Saints’

In conjunction with the annual Sea Witch Festival, All Saints’ Church will host a spooky concert with music appropriate for the occasion at 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26, in the historic sanctuary at 18 Olive Ave., Rehoboth Beach.

Featured musicians will be Ellen and Joseph Turi of Lewes, organist Bonnie Kuhn of Seaford and pianist Jennifer Capparuccini of Long Neck. Kuhn will perform a few familiar, haunting tunes on the church’s pipe organ. Everyone is welcome to attend and invited to wear their Halloween costumes. There is no charge, and tickets are not required.

Ample parking is available on the street and in the church parking lot, but due to high demand, attendees should arrive early. The church is handicapped-accessible. For more information, email info@allsaintsandstgeorges.org, call 302-227-7202 or go to allsaintsandstgeorges.org.

Coastal Concerts scholarship winners to perform Oct. 27

A concert highlighting the extraordinary talents of several past winners of Coastal Concerts’ Music Scholarship Award will begin at 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 27, at the Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware, 30486 Lewes Georgetown Highway west of Lewes.

Featured performers will present music by Bach, Paganini, Tchaikovsky, Brahms and Bruch.

The scholarship program is available to all musically talented middle and high school students on the Delmarva Peninsula.

The concert is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served following the performance. For more information, go to coastalconcerts.org. 

DSU alumni service set Oct. 27 at Harmony UMC

Harmony United Methodist Church will hold a special service starting at 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 27, presented by the Delaware State University Alumni Association Sussex County Chapter. 

The theme will be Why We Thank God for DSU, and attendees will enjoy faith, food and fellowship. The church is located at 27270 John J. Williams Hwy., Millsboro.

For details, contact chapter President Adrian Selby-LeBlanc at 907-317-5178 or Corresponding Secretary Shorel Clark at 302-236-1901.

Lightship Overfalls to host Halloween family fun Oct. 27

The Lightship Overfalls is being taken over by Lewes pirates, and interested young buccaneers and Halloween goblins may join them at 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 27, at 110 Shipcarpenter St., Lewes.

A group of swashbuckling escorts will lead a pirates parade on their way to the Lightship Overfalls at 219 Pilottown Road. There, they will search for hidden treasure to share among the band of hearties. Costumes are encouraged. 

The activity is recommended for children of walking age up through sixth grade, along with escorted infants and toddlers. The event is weather dependent. Refreshments will be offered. 

Special thanks go to Lewes Historical Society, the Zwaanendael Museum and the crew of Red Hat Society Chapter Pirates of the Delaware Bay for their support and participation.

For more information, go to overfalls.org.

Trunk or treat at Elks Lodge set Oct. 27

The Drug Awareness Program of Cape Henlopen Elks Lodge 2540 will offer a free trunk or treat event for children ages 12 and younger from 4 to 6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 27, at the lodge, 18544 Beaver Dam Road, Lewes. Vehicles will decorated, and entertainment will include spooky readings and music. Registration is required. To sigh up, RSVP to Betty Kortlang at bettyann@kortlang.net.

UUSD to meet Oct. 27

The Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware will hold a service at 10 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 27, with the message, “Remember Me: All Souls Day.” 

The Rev. Heather Rion Starr said, “We keep our beloved ones alive by remembering them through shared stories, memories, photographs and values. Sometimes, we carry forward a cause, mission, or concern that especially mattered to our forebears. We will especially remember past UUSD members no longer living and also remember the activists and organizers in our country’s history who contributed to our contemporary experience of being able to live ‘out, loud, and proud.’”

Attendees are welcome to bring small items, mementos, and/or photographs to add to the co-created altars. For more information, go to uussd.org.

Henlopen Acres Audit Committee to meet

The Henlopen Acres Audit Committee will meet at 10 a.m., Monday, Oct. 28, at town hall, 104 Tidewaters. For more information, call town hall, 302-227-6411, or go to henlopenacres.delaware.gov.

Lewes council, BPW set joint meeting 

Lewes Mayor and City Council will hold a joint meeting with the Lewes Board of Public Works at 1 p.m., Monday, Oct. 28, at city hall.

The agenda includes a Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control presentation on the Delaware Tax Ditch Program.

See the full agenda and meeting link at lewes.civicweb.net and lewesbpwde.gov.

Lewes Hoornkill workshop set Oct. 28

The City of Lewes will hold a community information workshop on Hoornkill Avenue water and sewer service at 4 p.m., Monday, Oct. 28, at city hall.

City and Lewes Board of Public Works officials will meet with property owners to discuss the proposed extension of water and sewer service to the Sussex County portion of the street.

See the full agenda and meeting link at lewes.civicweb.net and lewesbpwde.gov.

Lewes Oyster House dining to benefit open space Oct. 28

Support from Lewes’ restaurant community to save the Fourth Street Preserve is steadily building. Lewes Oyster House is the latest to announce a dine-and-donate event from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday, Oct. 28. The restaurant will dedicate 10% of all proceeds that day to the Fourth Street campaign.

Lewes Oyster House joins The Station on Kings, Nicola Pizza, Kindle restaurant, Crooked Hammock, Half Full and King’s Ice Cream as establishments that have already sponsored or are planning fundraising events. A number of other businesses and groups are considering dates for events this year or in 2025, according to Pam Costanzi, campaign director. “It is wonderful to see the support our entire community is bringing to this effort,” Costanzi said.

The Fourth Street Preserve Campaign seeks to raise $8 million by Sept. 15, 2025, to purchase the 30-acre tract of land that is Lewes’s last remaining forested open space. The preserve has important ecological, environmental and historic significance, due to its role in flood prevention, the natural habitat it maintains and its status as the first deeded land in all of Lewes, dating to 1670.

For more information, go to osalewes.org.

Rehoboth BoA meeting Oct. 28

The Rehoboth Beach Board of Adjustment will meet at 2 p.m., Monday, Oct. 28, in the city hall commissioners room, 229 Rehoboth Ave. The agenda has a hearing on two variance requests for the property at 7 Lake Ave. The owner of the property has requested variances related to structures in required yard areas and to permit the continued existence of an unpermitted landing and additional two steps within the required front yard area.

A full agenda, meeting materials and a livestream are accessible at cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net. Only in-person attendees may make comments. For more information, contact the city at 302-227-6181 or information@cityofrehoboth.com.

Lewes architectural group sets meeting

The Lewes Historic Preservation Architectural Review Commission will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29, at city hall.

The panel will discuss possible changes to city code regarding additions and new construction in the historic district. See the full agenda and meeting link at lewes.civicweb.net.

Lewes panel to discuss lighting 

The Lewes Planning Commission’s Environmental Subcommittee will meet at 1 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29, at city hall. The agenda includes discussion and possible recommendations on new lighting standards for the city.

See the full agenda and meeting link at lewes.civicweb.net.

Public session on climate set Oct. 29

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will host a public engagement session as part of the 2025 Climate Action Plan development process from 4 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 29, at the CHEER Community Center, 20520 Sand Hill Road, Georgetown.

Attendees will be able to learn about DNREC’s previous and ongoing climate planning efforts; share ideas and get answers to climate questions while acquiring a working knowledge of Delaware climate resources; learn how to take action in their households and communities; and find out how to stay involved in the climate action planning process.

For more information, go to de.gov/climateplan.

Food Bank volunteer open houses set Oct. 30-31 in Milford

The Food Bank of Delaware is seeking volunteers to assist at its healthy pantry center in Milford.

To give community members an idea of what volunteering in the pantry is like, FBD will host open houses from 10 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 30, and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 31, at 102 Delaware Veterans Blvd., Milford.

“With more than 100 visitors to the food pantry each day, volunteers are critical to ensure a good experience for families utilizing our services,” said Wes Chandler, Food Bank of Delaware volunteer program director. “Our work is not possible without volunteers, and volunteering in the pantry is a great way to give back.”

At the open house, participants will get a behind-the-scenes tour, learn about different volunteer roles, meet the pantry team and hear inspiring stories about the impact volunteers make every day.

To register, go to fbd.org/volunteerinmilford.

DART hiring for maintenance positions Nov. 2

Delaware Transit Corporation will host an open house hiring event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 2, at DelDOT’s South District Building, 23697 DuPont Blvd., Georgetown.

DTC will hold on-site testing and interviews, and present job offers specifically for mechanics, mechanic helpers, service technicians and auto technicians. DTC is offering up to $3,000 sign-on bonuses for new mechanics, mechanic helpers and auto technicians.

This community event gives interested individuals an opportunity to meet DART employees and complete pre-employment testing, with interviews to follow for qualifying applicants. DTC will also accept applications for all other vacant positions, although on-site testing and job offers are limited to the positions listed. Refreshments will be available.

Interested applicants must go to dartfirststate.com and apply on DTC’s candidate portal.

Sling N’ Squash competition returns Nov. 9

Big Chill Surf Cantina will host its 7th Annual Sling N’ Squash Competition from 12 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 9, at 19406 Coastal Highway, Rehoboth Beach.

Competitors from across Delaware and beyond will converge to send unsuspecting pumpkins into orbit using body strength alone. There are no cannons or catapults allowed, only body parts.

“Think of it as an Olympic sport for amateur pumpkin throwers,” says Matt Garbutt, director of marketing and branding for La Vida Hospitality.

All pumpkins are donated by Fifer Orchards.

For ages 21 and older, the event is free to attend. For competitors, there is a $30 registration fee that includes a limited-edition T-shirt, with $15 going to support the Wounded Warrior Project’s programs in mental health, career counseling, long-term rehabilitative care and more.

Spectators can enjoy a wide variety of food, beer and cocktails as well as live music.

For more information and to sign up to compete, go to bigchillsurfcantina.com/event.

Friends of Rehoboth library set annual meeting Nov. 12

The Friends of the Rehoboth Beach Public Library will host its annual meeting at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 12, in the library’s upstairs meeting room, 226 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach. Attendees should enter through the library’s rear door; the front gates are locked until normal library hours. The meeting will include annual reviews from the Friends and the library director, as well as elections of board members. All are welcome to attend, either in person or via Zoom; email rehobothlibraryfriends@gmail.com for details.

Kathleen Ackerman, Mary Costa and Lorraine Zellers have been nominated for one-year board terms, and Jim Pritchett has been nominated for a two-year term. Other nominations may be made from the floor with the nominee’s consent. Funds raised by the Friends support the library’s acquisition of new books and materials, as well as programs for children and adults.

Dewey leaders appoint committee

Dewey Beach commissioners voted unanimously Oct. 18 to reappoint Julie Johnson, Donna Alexander, Debbie Knight and Bernie Krauss to one-year terms on the audit committee. Commissioners also voted to appoint David Biron and Diane Tenhoopen to the charter and code review committee, and to appoint Mimi McKennon to the planning and zoning commission for a three-year term. A town marketing committee chair is needed; contact Commissioner Paul Bauer at paulbauer@townofdeweybeach.com for details.

YMCA adds new group fitness programs

Dynamic group fitness programs Les Mills Strength Development and Les Mills Shapes are now available at all YMCA of Delaware branches, included with every membership at no extra cost. The cutting-edge workouts are designed to build strength, improve endurance and promote overall well-being in a supportive and engaging environment. 

The progressive strength training program helps participants build muscle, improve technique and boost confidence. Over the course of 12 workouts, a structured protocol maximizes strength gains, increases power and enhances athletic performance.

Shapes offers six low-impact strength workouts that blend Pilates, barre and power yoga elements. Sessions target all muscle groups through small, controlled movements, promoting sculpting, alignment and flexibility.

Studies show that strength training is essential for maintaining overall health, especially as people age. According to the CDC, adults lose about 3%-5% of muscle mass per decade after age 30, making regular strength training crucial for preserving muscle function and mobility. Strength training also can improve bone density, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, and enhance balance, which helps prevent falls. 

For more information, go to ymcade.org.