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"The Price of Liberty is Eternal Vigilance"
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Delaware's Cape Region • Friday, June 24 - Monday, June 27, 2005 • www.capegazette.com • Volume 13 No. 9
Rehoboth candidates are certified
By Kevin Spence
Cape Gazette staff
The Aug. 13 municipal elections in
Rehoboth Beach are shaping up to be
among the most hotly contested in years -
but the bitter battle for mayor, which sees
newcomer Bob Sokolove taking on five-
term incumbent Sam Cooper, was nearly
over before it began.
At a standing-room only meeting June
20, Sokolove was certified to run but not
Prevailing northwesterly winds this month sent the
annual uprooted mass of decomposing sea lettuce in
Rehoboth Bay to the shores of Dewey Beach, where its
stink has caused landowners to hire contractors to clear
without a volley of questions, criticism and
infighting.
Uncertainty related to both mayoral and
commissioner candidates was the core of
the meeting. During the assembly, the pub-
lic and the commissioners debated over
terms such as "domiciliary" and "bona-fide
resident" as they pertained to mayoral can-
didates. For city commissioners, in particu-
lar, establishing when candidates must
Continued on page 18
Petition to overturn FAR measure accepted
By Kevin Spence
Cape Gazette staff
A petition for referendum, launched to
overturn a controversial ordinance that
limited building size, was presented to
Rehoboth Beach commissioners June 20.
Jim Cresson photo
the mess away. Shown raking rotten sea lettuce at the
south end of Dewey are (l-r) Luis Rios, Fabian Vasquez,
Alejandro Liguerra and Jesus Saenz, all employees of
Wharton's Landscaping in Lewes.
Once a petition for referendum is pre-
sented to the commissioners, the ordi-
nance in question is suspended, city offi-
cials said.
That effectively puts on hold a city
ordinance that reduced the allowable
Continued on page 18
Winds bring
sea lettuce
to the shore
State busy cleaning up
weed that 00reates stench
By Jim Cresson
Cape Gazette staff
As the old adage goes: It's an ill wind
that blows no good.
Early summer winds can make or break
homeowners' quality of life around the
northern part of Rehoboth Bay. Wind direc-
tion determines who will be tormented and
who will be spared the wretched stench of
decomposing sea lettuce and other dead
algae that washes ashore.
If the winds are from the north or west,
as they have been much of this month,
homeowners in Rehoboth Bay Community
and the Rehoboth Beach Yacht & Country
Club will be spared the stench, while peo-
ple in Dewey Beach will suffer.
If the winds are from the south or east,
the people along Rehoboth Bay
Community will suffer the deathlike
Continued on page 24
Liveable Delaware proposal sparks debate
Bill ed rbi in the House of Representatives. and in some cases local governments - have ments. It also protects the farmers who
• aim at cu ng The bill blocks stand-alone community planned for farmland preservation rather have made long-term commitments to pre-
awl f 1 d w astewater systems in areas not targeted than growth, serve their land and keep it in agriculture."
spy , saving arm an for growth and establishes a minimum lot "Dense developments dropped in the Sussex County Council President Finley
By Rachel Swick size of four acres for individual septic sys- middle of our most rural areas put the Jones said while the council has not made a
Cape Gazette staff tems in rural areas, future of our agriculture industry and the decision on the legislation as a whole, he
Last-minute Livable Delaware legisla- By targeting "stand-alone community rural quality of life we all value at risk," said the state has to be careful about what it
tion, aimed at curbing sprawl and protect- wastewater systems, the legislation pre- said Gov. Ruth Ann Minner. "This bill rein- calls sprawl prevention.
ing the sustainability of Delaware's agri- vents large, high-density developments in forces the significt planning efforts of "It certainly will impact the ag commu-
culture industry, was introduced this week rural areas where the state government - the state, counties and municipal govern- Continued on page 20
