Credit to: CoastTV, Kevin Zipay

Officials in Fenwick Island are scheduled to hold a first reading Friday on a proposed amendment that would allow parking on certain unimproved lots in the town’s commercial district. The proposal comes in response to ongoing parking issues near Surf Bagel.

Surf Bagel opened its Fenwick Island location in November 2024 and has experienced consistent demand, especially during the peak summer season. The restaurant has 29 on-site parking spaces, which President Matt Patton said have occasionally been insufficient to accommodate customer traffic.

“They're going to get those bagels no matter what,” Patton said.

He noted the business has received complaints about customers blocking neighboring lots or parking

Credit to: CoastTV, Brandon Ferguson

Delaware Business Times PHOTO BY ERIC CROSSAN

Delaware Republican senators say they are actively exploring the possibility of reopening the long-shuttered Indian River Power Plant, citing increasing electricity demand and concerns about grid reliability.

State Sens. Brian Pettyjohn and Gerald Hocker confirmed they are in discussions with energy and utility stakeholders to evaluate whether restarting the Dagsboro facility is feasible. The plant officially ceased operations last February after 68 years of service.

For decades, the coal-fired plant supplied electricity to Delaware and up to a dozen other states. In a statement released by Delaware Senate Republicans, the lawmakers said reviving the facility

Photo: the Leslie Kopp Group 1/30/2026

After weeks of bitter cold, the ice along the Delaware coast is finally breaking apart. What was once a solid, wind-swept sheet clinging to inlets and marshes has begun to fracture into drifting plates, opening channels of dark, moving water. In the marshlands, the transformation is especially striking. Where ice had sealed creeks into silence, water now moves freely again, carrying sediment and nutrients back into circulation. The natural cycle resumes, quiet but powerful, as the coast reawakens.

As sunlight lingers longer each afternoon, the frozen stillness gives way to motion. Ice bumps gently with the tide, docks ease under less pressure, and the marsh creeks begin to flow again. The breakup signals more

*Data was derived from the Sussex County MLS and tax records. Includes properties in Bayside. May not reflect all activity in the marketplace.

During the first month of the year, we experienced the longest stretch of freezing temperatures that we can remember in quite some time, so it is no surprise that sales were slower when compared to January of last year. During the month,4 properties went under contract in Bayside.This compares to 5 sales in January of 2025 and 4 in 2024.

The good news for property owners is that we are confident buyer demand will return as the temperatures start to rise and summer is top of mind. As the chart illustrates, Bayside remains in a strong seller’s market. In fact, we believe this could be one of the strongest

*Data was derived from the Sussex County MLS and tax records. Includes properties in Ocean View and Bear Trap. May not reflect all activity in the marketplace.

During the first month of the year, we experienced the longest stretch of freezing temperatures that we can remember in quite some time, so it is no surprise that sales were slower in Bear Trap Dunes when compared to January of last year. During the month,2 properties went under contract in your community Bear Trap and 20 in total for the town of Ocean View.This compares to 6 sales in Bear Trap and 25 in Ocean View during January of last year.

The good news for property owners is that we are confident buyer demand will return as the temperatures start to rise and summer is top of mind.

*Data was derived from the Sussex County MLS and tax records. Includes properties in Sea Colony. May not reflect all activity in the marketplace.

During the first month of the year, we experienced the longest stretch of freezing temperatures that we can remember in quite some time, but the Sea Colony real estate market was very active! During the month, 8 properties went under contract in Sea Colony. This compares to 5 sales in January of 2025 and 6 in 2024.

This is excellent news for property owners who are considering a sale.As the chart illustrates, all of Sea Colony remains in a strong seller’s market, and we are confident buyer demand will remain high as the temperatures start to rise and summer is top of mind.In fact, we believe this could be

*Data was derived from the Sussex County MLS and tax records. Includes properties in Ocean View. May not reflect all activity in the marketplace.

During the first month of the year, we experienced the longest stretch of freezing temperatures that we can remember in quite some time, so it is no surprise that sales were slower when compared to January of last year. During the month,20 properties went under contract in Ocean View.This compares to 26 sales in January of 2025 and 25 in 2024.

The good news for property owners is that we are confident buyer demand will return as the temperatures start to rise and summer is top of mind. As the chart illustrates, both Ocean View and Bethany Beach remain in a strong seller’s market. In fact, we believe this

*Data was derived from the Sussex County MLS and tax records. Includes properties in Bethany Beach, North Bethany, South Bethany and Fenwick Island. May not reflect all activity in the marketplace.

During the first month of the year, we experienced the longest stretch of freezing temperatures that we can remember in quite some time, so it is no surprise that sales were slower when compared to January of last year.During the month, 14 properties went under contract in the Bethany-Fenwick area. This compares to 16 sales in January of 2025 and 19 in 2024.

The good news for property owners is that we are confident buyer demand will return as the temperatures start to rise and summer is top of mind.As the chart illustrates, all of the beach areas remain

Credit: Coastal Point

If you’re building a new home, it’s strongly recommended that you schedule both a pre-drywall inspection and a pre-settlement (final) inspection. A pre-drywall inspection gives homeowners the opportunity to have the structural components, as well as the mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems, thoroughly evaluated before the walls are closed up.

Catching concerns at this stage allows issues or code violations to be identified and corrected early in the construction process—often saving significant time and money on future repairs. It also helps ensure that critical systems are properly installed and accessible, contributing to the home’s overall safety, performance, and long-term quality.

Todd Williams | Gold Standard

Happy New Year! As we reflect on 2025, real estate sales in Bayside were noticeably stronger compared to 2024. Early in the year, we experienced some buyer hesitation amid political uncertainty, but sales picked up during the 2nd quarter of the year and stayed strong through December.

Looking ahead, we are optimistic about the beach markets in the year to come! We are grateful for your confidence and trust, and we wish you good health and much happiness in 2026!  It is never too early to have a conversation or to begin preparing for a purchase or a sale of real estate, we are here to help! Please call our Bayside Expert:

Kiki Hargrove
(302) 569-2959

*Data was derived from the Sussex County MLS. Includes resale properties sold in Bayside. May