UPDATED – 05/05/25: This comes from the Rehoboth Beach Police Department as received in an email to the Talk of Delmarva – as well as posted on the Rehoboth Beach Police Department Facebook page: last week we experienced a series of unfortunate and worrisome events in our city a group of approximately 200 college age people descended upon the beach at the ends of Norfolk and St with reports of drinking and smoking on the beach both of which are prohibited on Rehoboth Beach beaches and boardwalk They also parked randomly and recklessly on both those blocks and we have reports of members of the group using private yards as restrooms but with only a minimal number of officers available The officers did eventually break up the group and ordered improperly parked cars removed nearby residents found the beach to be disgusting mess with garbage and debris scattered all about another large group of teenagers walking on Rehoboth Avenue broke out into a fight with some of their own friends and actually beat a boy to the ground in front of our shocked visitors and residents The police did arrive on the scene almost immediately The police do not feel these two incidents are related Please know that at a Commissioners meeting today the commissioners unanimously insisted upon a special meeting with Chief Banks to discuss these events and what action we can take to see that they are not repeated As this is an ongoing police investigation that meeting will not be held in public view as confidential police action may be discussed and we will do whatever is necessary to keep Rehoboth Beach a peaceful and safe community but it is important to me that you all know what is going on that you know the mayor and commissioners are working closely with Chief Banks and City Manager Tedder and are taking action ============================================================================================= ORIGINAL STORY: 05/04/25 – Rehoboth Beach Police were called for a large fight in progress in the first block of Rehoboth Avenue Friday night around 8:30 As police arrived at the scene they found a crowd of about 100 teens – including juveniles and young adults – and called for assistance from neighboring jurisdictions – including Dewey Beach and Delaware State Police Police were able to disperse the crowd and police say no one reported any crimes or injuries Police add that a separate unrelated incident occurred on the first block of Olive Avenue around 8:45 which was initially reported as a fight but turned out to be an intoxicated person who had drawn a crowd EMS was called to treat the subject – no police action was taken Email: info@wgmd.com The Talk of Delmarva is a registered trademark of DataTech Digital WGMD 92.7 and WUSX 98.5 are licensed through the FCC Any usage without the express written consent of DataTech Digital Designed by Techno Goober In response to two recent events on or near the beach that required police intervention Rehoboth Beach officials are considering the implementation of a curfew City Manager Taylour Tedder addressed the incidents during a commissioner workshop May 5 the police department issued a statement on the incidents “We are aware that these incidents may have caused alarm to our residents The Rehoboth Beach Police Department responds to and fully investigates all reports of criminal activity Our mission to safeguard our community remains tireless,” said the statement the first incident occurred the evening of April 30 The police were called to the ocean block of Rodney Street at little after 5 p.m the responding officers observed a large crowd and spoke with several people about parking a second report was made about the same group alleging that some individuals were urinating in the dunes Officers responded to the area and observed no violations a large amount of trash had been left behind on the beach because officers did not observe any littering while on the scene officers responded to the ocean block of Rehoboth Avenue for a report of a large fight in progress around 8:30 p.m but they did observe a crowd of about 100 people that matched the description of the group involved in the fight Due to the size of the crowd and the nature of the call officers requested additional police presence and Delaware State Police and Dewey Beach Police provided additional officers victims involved in the fight were identified and treated by emergency medical services A third victim had damage to their car as a result of the fight Tedder said he has the power to implement an emergency curfew while commissioners decide how they want to proceed on the issue who has brought up curfew implementation in the past said this is an issue that needs to be addressed Rehoboth is the only city around here that doesn’t have one which means it’s going to draw people who know that Mayor Stan Mills said the city was still gathering information on the incidents and on what the details of a curfew might be This will be brought back for a future meeting Police Chief Keith Banks said the department knew it was two separate groups through their investigation but declined to give more information because it was an active investigation but the details of implementation and possible exceptions still need to be figured out curfews don’t solve all the problems because sometimes the events involve adults The city’s seasonal officers are scheduled to begin patrolling in the coming weeks Tedder and Banks said they have drafted an emergency curfew order but they want the city solicitor to review it for legality and then have city stakeholders review it before implementation Chris Flood has been working for the Cape Gazette since early 2014 He currently covers Rehoboth Beach and Henlopen Acres but has also covered Dewey Beach and the state government business stories and random stories on subjects he finds interesting and he also writes a column called Choppin’ Wood that runs every other week Flood moonlights as the company’s circulation manager which primarily means fixing boxes that are jammed with coins during daylight hours but sometimes means delivering papers in the middle of the night He’s a graduate of the University of Maine and the Landing School of Boat Building & Design Sussex Technical High School students and their guests celebrated their senior prom on May 3, 2025, at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center in Rehoboth Beach. Theme of the prom was "A Night Under The Stars" See more Delaware prom photos Sussex Technical High School students and their guests celebrated their senior prom on May 3, 2025, at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center in Rehoboth Beach. Theme of the prom was "A Night Under The Stars" See more Delaware prom photos Several pictures posted to iDewey.com‘s Facebook page show a large amount of trash on the beach between Norfolk and St City officials tell the Talk of Delmarva that the resulting mess was from a large group of college students on the beach on Wednesday The police addressed several concerns with the group – including how vehicles were parked in the area The amount of trash left behind on the beach was not discovered until after the group left – city staff cleaned the beach the following morning Communications Manager Lynne Coan said in an email to the Talk of Delmarva “This disrespect for our community and the natural beauty of our beach is extremely disappointing We welcome visitors from all over to the Nation’s Summer Capital and kindly ask that our visitors respect the beach and other visitors and pick up their trash and belongings when they leave.” (WLNE) — A Rehoboth family was devastated after their pet dog was attacked and killed by another dog I got a call that was my dog was on the street and my husband said he didn’t know if he was alive or not,” Isolina Baptista said Terrifying moments recounted just one week after the Baptista family lost their 3-year-old Shih Tzu-poodle mix after a pit bull attack on Rocky Hill Road “Having this dog next to me was everything,” Baptista said The Baptista family said Albi was a form of support for them as he was their late daughter Noemia’s dog “I am not looking for a reimbursement,” Pedro Baptista said had been walking Albi the day of the attack Rehoboth Animal Control Officer Robert Johnson said the pit bull must have broken through its electric fence and was under a 45-day quarantine “It is not a vicious dog,” Johnson said The dog cannot leave the owner’s side and it has to be on a leash to go out to the bathroom On Friday the Baptista family along with a few others gathered outside of the home of the pit bull saying they want to protect the rest of the community A growing memorial was also set up for Albi where the attack happened “I don’t say it was the breed that this happened,” Johnson said “There was a little dog that was across the street I don’t know what the dog was thinking; just went right after it I think the same outcome could have happened.” ABC6 News did reach out to the Rehoboth Police Department for a full report but have not yet heard back (WJAR) — Crews responded to an apparent car crash in Rehoboth Friday morning First responders gathered on Tremont Street and Smith Street for the incident An NBC 10 news crew observed two vehicles with significant damage at the scene The extent of injuries was not immediately known the proposed Atlantic Crowne Hotel in Rehoboth Beach received a variance from the board of adjustment that will allow the hotel’s required loading area to be on the property immediately to the east The proposed Atlantic Crowne would have 55 rooms stand four stories tall and have a ground-level restaurant and bar lots immediately west of the Atlantic Sands Hotel Local hotelier Gene Lankford owns the four lots and the existing hotel The city has already allowed the new hotel and the existing hotel to share the existing hotel’s entrance to underground parking He said the dimensions of the required loading berth could not be accommodated and still have the hotel meet all the other zoning requirements The board agreed with the case that was made but had questions about what would happen if there is a possible change in ownership that issue was addressed by requiring an easement to be recorded that would be in effect into perpetuity Because some of the questions related to the city’s definition of loading berth the board also said the proposed loading zone met those requirements This is the second time the proposed hotel has received a variance from the board it was going to be a 40-room boutique hotel the board voted to allow that version to have five floors as long as the total height did not break the city’s 42-foot height limit The board also approved not counting an 8,000-square-foot underground parking garage against the building’s floor-to-area ratio For various reasons related to height and gross floor area that were ultimately settled in court that version of the hotel never came to fruition The current version was introduced in January 2023 The hotel was the final of four hearings that took place at the board meeting April 28 The first was a variance request at 57 Columbia Ave the property owners were looking to install a new pool cover that would have required an intrusion into the side-yard setback to account for the tracking system The board voted unanimously against the request because there are other options available to the owner The second was an appeal of the building inspector’s decision related to the property at 1001 Scarborough Ave The property owners are looking to resubdivide the property to restore it to its original configuration one of the lots would only front the entrance drive to the Newbold Square development behind the property and that drive was not considered a dead-end city street The property owners argued that the lot historically fronted the drive which they also said was considered a public street the request was withdrawn after everyone agreed the issue needs to go to the planning commission first so the planners can decide if the Newbold Square entrance meets the definition of dead-end city street The third hearing was a variance request at 16 Hickman St to allow for the replacement of an exterior exit stairway The city calculated a variance request of about 285 square feet to the floor-to-area ratio was needed The board unanimously approved the request It was the second time the board granted a variance for the stairwell but the project wasn’t completed because costs were too high the building inspector recognized the stairs as a fire escape which meant all the windows and doors within 10 feet of the stairs needed to be replaced with fire-protective ones the city's planning department has determined the stairway is an exterior exit stairway which means the replacement of windows and doors isn’t needed The Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for DocuGuardian Founders David and Lori Selsberg launched the secure online platform to help individuals organize and protect the critical documents and life memories their loved ones will want and need Rehoboth Beach went to the dogs once again April 26 as spectators lined the Boardwalk to catch a glimpse of dogs This event is part of the annual Doodles in Dewey weekend which was created more than 20 years ago by another organization organizers began looking for a Delaware nonprofit to hand off the event to and raises money to train pet therapy teams “It was the perfect fit,” said Clarice Ritchie and we were really excited to inherit an event that had such a great following.” More than 700 people preregistered for the parade To learn more, go to pawsforpeople.org Cannabis advocates will gather on Rehoboth Beach's boardwalk asking the state to speed up the opening of the industry It is one march in the Global Cannabis March The march is organized by the Delaware Cannabis Advocacy Network said the march and rally will include "calls to action" for federal- and state-level cannabis issues It will also include commentary and rallying for cannabis issues that hit much closer to home the road to an operational recreational marijuana industry has been very bumpy Patchell said the turnout is usually weather-dependent but a humid and sunny day in Rehoboth might bring more than 100 people out She said the state is still dragging its feet Matt Meyer nominated cannabis attorney and lobbyist Joshua Sanderlin to be the state marijuana commissioner in April He also signed an amendment that clarifies who qualifies for a background check after the FBI which conducts the checks' necessary fingerprinting said it wouldn't do it until the law was more specific MARIJUANA IN WILMINGTON: City finally approves where businesses can open "There's a narrative that everything is back on track right now with licensing the industry There's no guarantee that the FBI won't reject the background check process for a third time all the different will control and the bans." This is the 12th edition of the rally in Delaware but moved to Rehoboth for its second year and has stuck around there since Patchell said the rally has more support at the beaches despite Sussex County's tight restrictions on the industry Rehoboth Beach and Bethany Beach are among the Sussex County towns that have outlawed the industry The county cannot ban it from unincorporated land MORE ON WEED COMMISSIONER Delaware governor nominates cannabis attorney for state marijuana commissioner A bill that would limit a county's restrictive power against the industry has passed through the Senate and is in a House committee awaiting a hearing "People in Sussex County will have absolutely no safe access to cannabis whatsoever at Surfside Park at the north end of the boardwalk and go from there Shane Brennan covers Wilmington and other Delaware issues tips or feedback at slbrennan@delawareonline.com We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at news@wrde.com or call us at 302-227-9733 Zelky's Beach Arcade on the south Rehoboth Beach boardwalk is expanding with the adjacent Ryan's Beach Shop and the rooftop mini golf course now closed Emily Kirn is part of the family that owned Ryan's Beach Shop which was located next to Zelky's on the boardwalk at the northern corner of Delaware Avenue renamed the store after purchasing it from the Ryan's Gems and Junk family in 1997 but Joseph Ryan remained the owner of the building that housed it and Zelky's When Ryan died in 2024, the building was sold to the Weiner family, which owns Zelky's, Emily Kirn said. Ryan's Beach Store closed after that, but Emily Kirn has since opened The Beach Shop at 115 Rehoboth Ave Chuck Weiner owns the Zelky's family of businesses Zelky's is now taking over the entire 115 S Boardwalk building with an expanded arcade and a renovated There are two other Zelky's arcades in Rehoboth Beach. One recently opened in Tanger Outlets Bayside. On the other end of the boardwalk, the third Zelky's arcade is facing its final season before the building is demolished for the new One Rehoboth hotel and retail space The plan is for Zelky's to return after construction is complete What to expect at beaches: Parking, lifeguards and more: What's changed at the Delaware beaches this year Rehoboth Beach: Delaware fashion bug slays TikTok at 79 Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Facebook. there will be no boardwalk or beach access at Baltimore Avenue so that a new sidewalk can be installed on the north side of the new Beach Patrol and Comfort Station facility This is all weather permitting – the north sidewalk is expected to reopen on Saturday 5,500-square foot building will be fully accessible with public facilities on the first level and the beach patrol on the second level City officials say the finishing work on the facility and site continues to progress nicely A series of inspections – including for the elevator electrical and fire marshal – are scheduled before the city’s final inspection will hold a company-wide cleanup of the site and building on Saturday Looking to combine their love for apparel and cozy cafés sisters Dru and Reagan Buehler are bringing Sugar and Thread to Rehoboth Beach “It’s a collection of cool items and clothing presented in a coffee shop environment that features some of our favorite design elements of other shops we’ve come across in our travels,” said Dru The items sold for the boutique side of the businesses are hand selected and feature goods made by small who is also a personal trainer and nearing the completion of her college degree in communications They have quality items that can’t be purchased anywhere else Reagan created the menu for the downtown location and will feature sweet treats at night during the summer Downtown customers want to be able to grab their stuff and head to the beach The sisters already have two locations in the works The first opened April 11 on the ocean block of Rehoboth Avenue in what was most recently The Coffee House and Mug & Spoon before that A second location is expected to open soon in Tanger Outlets Seaside The downtown location has apparel and other goods but Reagan said it’s more focused on the food side of the business but is more focused on the boutique side of the business are Beebe babies and Cape Henlopen High School graduates whose twin sister Milena is still a senior at the high school Dru said she and her sister couldn’t be doing this adventure without the help of their parents It’s a family business and there’s been a lot of support but they said they grew up in a house where having an eye toward being an entrepreneur was encouraged the sisters have plans to try to license the business The goal would be to provide opportunities for other young people to start their own business For more information and up-to-date hours of operation for both Sugar and Thread locations, 18 Rehoboth Ave. and 36454 Seaside Outlet Drive, Suite 1720, go to sugarandthread.com, call 302-381-6444 or email reagan@sugarandthread.com DE is searching for Wellness Associates to serve in our floatation center Join our friendly team in a warm and welcoming work environment focused on helping people improve their mental and physical health Ideal Work Experience for our Next Wellness Associate: As a Wellness Associate at Urban Float in Rehoboth Beach you will be helping clients let go of stress and practice mindfulness and meditation techniques DE offers floatation therapy in epsom salt relaxation tanks Your day-to-day activities would include assisting clients in purchasing packages You’ll be the conduit to joy and relaxation for new and returning customers and have the satisfaction of helping others find healing and pain relief To apply, send your resumes to rehobothmanager@urbanfloat.com Quillen’s Hardware in Rehoboth Beach has closed “We would like to thank all our valued customers that have supported us over the years.” Quillen’s Hardware was founded by Dennard and Charlotte Quillen The hardware store moved to its current location in early 2008 it was located on the triangle-shaped lot downtown where Lake Avenue and Fourth Street meet on the north side of Rehoboth Avenue that location has been home to The Cultured Pearl The hardware store was part of the construction company D.F which was founded in 1916 and is still operating (WJAR) — Several crews converged on a Rehoboth home Saturday morning to battle a house fire multiple trucks went to a home on Mikayla Anne Drive for reports of a fire Crews were able to rescue a dog from the home Fire Chief Frank Barresi told NBC 10 that there was extensive damage inside the home The cause of the fire is under investigation Demolition is set to begin as early as Wednesday to make room for the planned One Rehoboth hotel on the boardwalk between Rehoboth and Baltimore avenues Due to safety issues at Baltimore Avenue's former Sirocco Motel demolition has been permitted to begin early An independent review of the motel by Pilottown Engineering found "hazardous structural deterioration and cracking in various areas including the masonry at the garage support pillar," the release said The narrow Sirocco Motel runs behind the restaurants and retails stores that front the boardwalk between Rehoboth and Baltimore avenues On the motel's eastern side on Baltimore Avenue there's a tiny beach store where demolition will begin all dumpsters and other site activities will be confined to the property Demolition of the north boardwalk's Grotto Pizza and the Sirocco Motel starting with hand demolition on the third floor All demolition activities must wrap up prior to Thursday Construction on new Rehoboth Beach Patrol Headquarters and public restrooms right next to the demolition site at Baltimore Avenue and the boardwalk The demolition activity marks the start of a huge makeover for one of Rehoboth Beach's most visible properties Downtown Rehoboth Beach: Find out when and where paving will take place on Rehoboth Avenue this year The about 20,000 square-foot property is being redeveloped by Grotto Pizza and Pennsylvania's Onix Group after the Rehoboth Beach Planning Commission approved their site plan in January. It calls for a four-story 60-room hotel with an underground parking garage and an outdoor pool as well as retail space on the ground level Grotto Pizza will take over the former Dolle's space at the north corner of Rehoboth Avenue and the boardwalk "Our goal has always been to only miss one summer season," Onix Vice President Jonathan Silver said in January New store: Women's clothing boutique Brooklyn Boulevard set to open in Rehoboth Beach Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond (This story was updated to add a photo gallery.) Demolition of the former Sirocco Motel and the north boardwalk Grotto Pizza will begin in the next few days in Rehoboth Beach Logistics are being finalized, Onix Group Vice President Jonathan Silver said, after the city announced earlier this week it would allow developers to begin partial demolition early due to an engineering report that found the motel to be unsafe The independent Pilottown Engineering found "hazardous structural deterioration and cracking in various areas including the masonry at the garage support pillar" at the Sirocco Motel runs behind the restaurants and retails stores that front the boardwalk between Rehoboth and Baltimore avenues we’ll pause for the summer season and then resume demolition work in the fall with the One Rehoboth Avenue property and the Kohr Bros.," Silver said and the former home of Dolle's and its iconic rooftop sign It's located on the north corner of Rehoboth Avenue and the boardwalk Rehoboth: Which Delaware town was named one of USA TODAY's 10BEST Coastal Small Towns for 2025? these properties make up the site of the future One Rehoboth Avenue hotel and retail stores finally coming to fruition after years of planning The about 20,000-square-foot property is being redeveloped by Onix Group and Grotto Pizza after the Rehoboth Beach Planning Commission approved their site plan in January. It calls for a four-story Construction on the new Rehoboth Beach Patrol Headquarters and public restrooms At the beach: What to do, know this weekend at the Delaware beaches Knights of Columbus Star of the Sea Council 7297 members receive a certificate of appreciation from the American Red Cross for achieving a major milestone on April 24 2025: the 1,000th unit of blood donated since the group began hosting Red Cross blood drives in October 2020 Red Cross volunteer and board member for the Red Cross of Delmarva Webster “Web” Smith Red Cross Collections Team Supervisor Ashley Barrett donating blood saves lives,” said Bob Bugle glancing around the bustling fellowship hall of St Edmond’s Catholic Church as volunteers guided donors through snack stations and check-out procedures “This fits in very well with our organization and what we try to do in terms of community service.” the Knights of Columbus Star of the Sea Council 7297 reached a major milestone: the 1,000th unit of blood donated since the group began hosting American Red Cross blood drives in October 2020 in Rehoboth Beach the moment was marked by a simple but powerful truth—this work matters “We realized early on that there weren’t enough opportunities to donate in this area,” Bugle said “So we worked with the Red Cross to start a regular drive the Rehoboth-based council has hosted 13 blood drives and October—timed for the off-season when local parking is free and beachgoing crowds are more manageable Averaging around 100 appointments per drive they’ve become one of the most active and successful blood collection sites in the state emphasized the volunteer effort behind each event We have guys at the front desk making sure donors are checked in on time That’s important because people have lives They’re carving time out of their day to help others and we want this experience to be smooth and efficient.” with donors reclining quietly during their donations then enjoying juice and snacks while chatting with volunteers explained why he rushed over when he saw the opportunity “I hadn’t donated for a while and realized I was eligible again,” he said “I had a small window today and figured I’d get it done.” who has also donated through other organizations was making his first Red Cross donation at this event the need for blood isn’t abstract—it’s something he witnessed firsthand during his years of service The Red Cross must collect approximately 12,500 blood donations every day to meet national needs and those with chronic conditions like sickle cell disease Yet only about 3% of eligible Americans currently donate blood Every pint collected could be part of saving a life and every donor adds to the chain of care that stretches far beyond Rehoboth the American Red Cross presented the Knights of Columbus with a commemorative plaque for their 1,000-unit milestone and for the volunteers who make this work possible It’s been wonderful seeing how the community has responded.” For more information or to schedule a donation, visit RedCrossBlood.org or download the Red Cross Blood Donor App It’s been wonderful seeing how the community has responded.” Support all the urgent humanitarian needs of the American Red Cross Find a drive and schedule a blood donation appointment today Donning a variety of zany Easter bonnet creations participants in the 2025 Rehoboth Beach Bears Easter Bonnet Bar Crawl will gather for a group photo at 12:45 p.m. at Above the Dunes on the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk revelers will crawl through town to visit participating bars and restaurants The event will benefit the Rehoboth Beach Bears High School Scholarship Program everyone will meet at Aqua Bar & Grill on Baltimore Avenue for the bonnet contest To learn more, visit rehobothbeachbears.com It’s bulk trash collection season in Rehoboth Beach the city went around and picked up large items from the residential neighborhoods on the south side of town I like to drive around and take pictures of the trash A significant portion of what’s put out is definitely trash my family and I drove around a bit to scout things out We were already in town to get the kids some spring clothes and we wanted to see if there were any of those treasures it’s a good thing I don’t have a larger vehicle because we’d probably have come back with a whole set of outdoor furniture that appeared to be in generally good shape we came home with a 50-gallon rain barrel that we picked up off Prospect Street I spent about 10 minutes scrubbing the grime off the outside when we got home installed a new spout and ran a hose to collect the overflow from our other barrel but we poured a few buckets of water and it appears to be watertight The city will be collecting on the north side of town next week I’ll be driving around taking photos then too The family and I spent a few days near Tilghman Island There’s an osprey nest in the cove where we stay it was commandeered by a pair of Canada geese The two birds had been in the nest and in the waters around the nest standing guard for weeks prior to the recent visit I noticed the two parents swimming off in the morning I figured the eggs must have hatched and they were off to forage for food I noticed some turkey vultures circling overhead looking around like it was about to do something it shouldn’t A couple of hours after the vulture was done eating It was immediately noticeable they didn’t appreciate the unexpected visit but I recognize frantic parents when I see them The only thing the vulture left was some tufts of grey down feathers I don’t know why I was so intrigued by what I was watching I can’t help but think it’s partly because my son will be a teenager in less than a year and my 10-year-old daughter already seems like she’s about to turn 20 It’s that time in life when they’ll begin to leave the nest themselves and I hope we’ve done enough to protect them from the vultures circling above since my kids are moving into the teens and tweens it means they’ve moved out of the kids-say-the-darndest-things phase I had a pretty funny experience with a young girl who definitely is still in that phase My daughter plays softball for Milton Little League It was our team’s turn to work the concession stand I got put on the register at the front of the window The parents ordered their daughter a cheeseburger and then asked her if she wanted anything else I was expecting to hear a snow cone or some candy “You’ve got a big head,” and then held eye contact for a few more seconds to make sure I knew she wasn’t kidding there wasn’t much I could say – she’s right – but I did enjoy a pretty good laugh at the faces of the parents I’ve included a picture of me wearing a hard hat taken by Rehoboth Public Works Director Henry Matlosz during a recent tour of the new beach patrol facility That’s it. I’m the joke of the week. As always, send jokes to cflood@capegazette.com The 2025 Rehoboth Beach Gumbo Crawl took place April 5 it was the same three winners as the year before – Blue Moon in first Above the Dunes in second and Mariachi Restaurant in third Victoria’s Restaurant won the Best Specialty Drink competition The annual event is co-hosted by Rehoboth Beach Main Street and the Purple Parrot The awards ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. For more information on Rehoboth Beach Main Street, 509 Rehoboth Ave., call 302-227-2772, email dan@downtownrb.com or go to downtownrb.com (This story was updated to accurately reflect the most current information.) DIGHTON — Superintendent Bill Runey described the funding challenges facing Dighton-Rehoboth and similar school districts across Massachusetts as "dire." we actually received less money from the state than we received before." Here's what Runey said about the state of the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District budget and about how he is navigating the current financial environment 'We are broke': Bridgewater-Raynham families, teachers hold rally 'begging' for override to fund schools D-R proposed budget calls for 'manageable' increase in aid from townsRuney's proposed budget calls for a 4.08% increase to the overall budget in Fiscal Year 2026 which runs from July of 2025 through June of 2026 That would set the total budget at $53.96 million which is a $2.1 million increase to last year's budget of $51.8 million dollars Runey is asking Dighton to increase the amount of aid it contributes to the district by 4.3% and is asking Rehoboth to increase the amount of aid it contributes to the district by 5.99% (In school districts that span multiple towns different towns contribute different amounts to the school district based on how many students each town has) Runey said that the increase is more "manageable" compared to last year's budget which had Dighton increase the amount it gave to the school district by 9.47% and which had Rehoboth increase the amount it gave to the district by 7.68% "The loss of ESSER funds significantly impacted the budget in previous years it contributed to a 20.5 position reduction gutting staffing and resources," Runey said Runey added that the District has made cuts to its services in the past two fiscal years (FY25 and FY24) which he said "impact[ed] class sizes and eliminat[ed] key positions." he said that his next budget would provide stability The 4.08% increase in FY26 "is designed to maintain student services," Runey said The budget would increase the district's staffing count by one position by "adding 3 positions (1 special educator and 2 classroom educators for class size maintenance) while not backfilling 2 positions currently filled by educators who have indicated they are leaving the district," he explained "No programs or positions are being eliminated under this FY26 budget proposal," Runey said He said that after previous cuts it would be difficult to eliminate additional positions or services "You can't stretch the rubber band any further We've got class sizes that are not in the best interests of our students We've reached the breaking point in terms of being able to make cuts to staffing or cuts to resources." Dighton home sells for nearly $1M Dighton home with farmer's porch, pergola, in-law suite fetches $925K: Weekly home sales Runey said that the impact of school closures in 2020 is still being felt by educators "I think until our second graders graduate we’re going to have the implications of the school closures in 2020 kind of haunting us," he said "Those kids and all the kids above them at this point were impacted by that so that’s a good ten years before we really will have students who weren’t in school at the time the school closures happened." Runey said that the amount of aid his district gets from the state government (in the form of Chapter 70 grants as well as other sources of funding such as transportation funding) is set to increase by 0.7% in next year's budget this is far below inflation and contractual increases placing more of the burden on local taxpayers via the assessments to each town," Runey said "More state support would help mitigate the strain on local budgets and prevent program cuts." Runey said there was a disparity between the amount of funding school districts in cities in Massachusetts receive compared to the funding other they qualify for more funding on the federal level they qualify for more funding on the state level," he said Runey said that he is in favor of state legislation proposed by State Sen. Jason Lewis to reexamine how the state allocates funding to school districts More than 1,000 people gathered April 5 at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand and then marched on the Boardwalk as part of the nationwide Hands Off The protest was organized by Indivisible Southern Delaware “to stand in solidarity against those who believe they can take whatever they desire – our rights Indivisible Southern Delaware’s Cheryl Siskin Cape Henlopen High School 11th-grader Emerson Sheldon Helen Salita from the American Civil Liberties Union and more There were a handful of supporters for President Donald Trump in the crowd and a few vehicles sporting Trump flags nearby a significant majority of the protesters lined Route 1 from Old Landing Road to Route 24 The group has been gathering on Route 1 for several weeks now and has been getting larger with each passing week There were also Hands Off protests held in Dover and Wilmington passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer Sunday and a deep appreciation for the arts and human connection Sharyn pursued her academic and professional passions at The New School and Monmouth University where she earned both a bachelor of science degree and a master’s degree in art therapy Her dedication to using art as a means of healing reflected her commitment to helping others and understanding the human experience Sharyn expressed herself through color and movement Her love of history enriched her conversations and broadened her perspective Embracing spirituality with an open heart and mind she lived with the free-spirited essence of a true hippy-radiating kindness Dawn Tallo and husband Steve Tallo; her son Scott Penzarella and partner Cristin O'Brien; her grandchildren and Bonnie Satty and husband Robert Satty; and her brother Sharyn’s legacy lives on in the art she created the lives she touched through therapy and friendship Her presence brought warmth to every space she entered May her memory bring comfort to all who knew and loved her A little more than two decades after it first opened Crabby Dick’s in Rehoboth Beach began a new era when Michael Murphy and Nick Burke took over as owners in early March well known for its seafood and a marketplace that sells items specializing in double entendres opened for Memorial Day weekend 2004 on Route 1 just north of the Route 24 intersection said they’ve been coming to Crabby Dick’s as customers for a long time and don’t plan on fixing what’s not broken “We had a dream to own our own business,” said Murphy “We’re just the younger generation keeping a good thing going.” Murphy has two decades of corporate restaurant experience – five with Applebee’s and 15 with Olive Garden and he also has 15 years of customer service is for Murphy to learn the ins and outs of the restaurant and then learn the marketplace That way they can each do their own thing and stay out of each other's hair Murphy and Burke said they’re anxious for the season to begin “Even though we kind of know what to expect we won’t really know until it’s actually begun,” said Murphy The new owners said they aren’t changing the menu in any real way There will be a few specials added to test out ideas the restaurant will be open seven days a week – 11 a.m For more information on Crabby Dick’s, 18831 Coastal Highway, Rehoboth Beach, call 302-645-9132, go to crabby-dicks.com or email crabbydicks@gmail.com Tuesday Friday Thursday Tuesday Thursday Tuesday Saturday Friday Friday Saturday Demolition notices have been issued for three of four structures that make up the footprint of the future One Rehoboth Avenue Hotel on the north side of Rehoboth Avenue and the Boardwalk the Rehoboth Beach planning commission approved the site plan for the 60-room hotel which is a partnership between Grotto Pizza and Pennsylvania-based real estate developer Onix Group The property stretches the width of the block from Rehoboth Avenue to Baltimore Avenue and fronts the Boardwalk The property includes Grotto Pizza and the former Dolle’s Candyland property on the Boardwalk the Sirocco Hotel on Baltimore Avenue and Kohr Bros The city issued the three demolition notices March 21 – a one-story commercial structure at 9 North Boardwalk a one-story commercial structure at 5 Rehoboth Ave. and a three-story commercial structure at 2 Baltimore Ave said the three buildings are being demolished so site prep and utility work can begin with the order of demolition being Kohr Brothers on Rehoboth Avenue the Sirocco Hotel on Baltimore Avenue and then Grotto Pizza on the Boardwalk Kohr Brothers will be relocated to the Boardwalk in the old luncheonette space The city’s annual moratorium on demolitions runs May 15 to Sept The city’s notices say none of the hotel-related demolitions can begin before Monday The buildings are expected to be demolished before the May 15 deadline Gosnear said the remaining structures – former Dolle’s space and Zelky’s Beach Arcade – will be demolished this fall Primary construction is expected to begin in October and is anticipated to take about 18 months All existing businesses will be closed for the summer of 2026 with the new hotel and businesses opening by May 2027 The demolition process for the hotel will be taking place as the city is trying to wrap up construction of the new Rehoboth Beach Patrol headquarters on the Boardwalk at Baltimore Avenue Gosnear said his team has been working with the city throughout the construction of its lifeguard station and will continue to do so so the two projects couldn't be completed simultaneously “We plan to make every effort to mitigate the impact of our construction on our neighbors,” said Gosnear The city is aware of the pending demolitions “The city is communicating with both construction teams to coordinate activities and ensure that completion of the beach patrol project is not impacted by the upcoming demolition project,” said city spokesperson Lynne Coan The city has issued seven other demolition notices since the beginning of 2025 The most notable notice was for 21 Baltimore Ave. The city issued a demolition notice March 14 for a three-story commercial building and an accessory structure The structure is being removed to make way for a proposed hotel that will be located at 17 The two other lots are currently parking lots which is why there are no demolition notices for them The city issued a demolition notice March 14 for a two-story single-family dwelling and an accessory structure at 25 Pennsylvania Ave The city issued a demolition notice March 11 for a two-story single-family dwelling and an accessory structure at 200 Philadelphia St single-family dwelling and an accessory at 159 Columbia Ave single-family dwelling and an accessory structure at 403 Country Club Drive The issuance of these 10 notices makes 316 throughout all areas of the city since April 2012 NORTH DIGHTON— After 45 years of coaching high school baseball its safe to say Dighton-Rehoboth coach Bill Cuthbertson knows a thing or two about evaluating players a player needs to match their talent with the work they put into their game always strive to improve and be able to do whatever his team needs when called upon senior pitcher/infielder Ben Miller fits that to a tee three triples and 14 RBIs while going 6-2 on the mound with a 0.88 ERA striking out 58 in 48 innings of work “I’m feeling pretty strong (coming into my senior season),” Miller said “We look like we could do some real damage in the South Coast Conference and the state and I’m just happy with how we look right now obviously knowing we can improve and get better as the season goes on.” it’s what he’s expected to see from his four-year starter who set the standard early by leading the SCC in RBIs as a freshman “He’s one of the better pitchers in our league he’s a good third baseman and he’s a tough out at the plate,” Cuthbertson said But perhaps his biggest asset to the Falcons Cuthbertson said is his leadership on and off the field Kings of Swing: 30 Greater Taunton area baseball players to watch this spring “He sets the tone for us,” Cuthbertson said he wants to make the most of his senior year and have as good a year as possible.” Cuthbertson praised how he studies the game and has done all he can to secure his lifelong goal of playing collegiate baseball you want to maximize their ability,” Cuthbertson said “What’s great is when your best player is your hardest worker It really sets the tone for the group and makes my job a lot easier.” Miller highlights a deep and experienced core of upperclassmen at D-R’s disposal including fellow seniors in catcher Brennan Silva and second baseman Charlie Roth as well as junior first baseman Lucas LeTourneau and Jordan Castro among others The team also has a large sophomore class eager to further establish themselves with some already seeing some serious varsity time as freshmen while others showed promise on junior varsity last year “I think we could be really good this year and I feel really good about this group,” Miller said adding the Falcons are returning nearly all of their starters from 2024 If they can make that push down the stretch While both were freshmen the last time D-R made a Final Four run in baseball the duo were both captains and key pieces of the boys soccer team that reached back-to-back Division 3 Final Fours “It definitely gives you experience in understanding the pressure that comes with (a tournament run) and turning it into confidence,” Miller said But before the Falcons can dream of postseason glory they have to ensure a strong regular season Cuthbertson knows that even with talent and experience 'People are watching us': Dighton-Rehoboth softball ready to defend D3 title the D-R way we’ve been a bit more inconsistent than I’d hoped he hopes that once things begin to fall into place with the team “Our league is tough top to bottom and our schedule is very challenging The goal is to play at a high level all year and hopefully reach our potential.”