Delaware
Fall in love with Joella’s charming characters set in Delaware – Bonita Springs Florida Weekly
“The Same Bright Stars” by Ethan Joella is a well-written novel with deeply fleshed-out characters and complex relationships. I was completely immersed in this story and Jack’s dilemma right from the get-go.
You see, I grew up spending summers at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware. It was less than an hour from my home. When I found out Joella was from Rehoboth, I asked him a couple of years ago when he would write a book that takes place at Rehoboth, and here it is. He has outdone himself.
Throughout the novel, you’ll find snippets from a guidebook to Rehoboth Beach. I love this. It puts substance to the locale:
You enter Rehoboth Beach over a drawbridge and instantly feel as if you have been transported. There is a welcome sign and a lighthouse in the middle of a traffic circle, and as you drive the main street, you see boutiques and restaurants and a local bookstore with a wide green awning.
In the summer, the shops have geraniums and impatiens spilling out of window boxes, and people leave their rescue dogs waiting for them by the parking meter as they buy croissants or coffee in the morning.
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The beach is wide and generous with striped metal sheds that rent umbrellas and chairs in the summer, and there is a mile-long boardwalk with ice cream places and souvenir shops. The rides at Playland Pier have been around since your parents and grandparents were young. And there are games like Skee-Ball and Whac-A-Mole and Frog Bog.
Rehoboth Beach is a mix of yesterday and today, at once a small town and a city. Planes creep by in the sky trailing banners, and you will look up and read their messages and feel as though the words were written just for you.
Jack Schmidt is 52 years old and in the midst of a midlife crisis, so to speak. He’s taken over his family’s restaurant after his grandmother and dad passed away. It’s his entire life.
Jean Lewis is a veteran bookseller who visits book clubs throughout Southwest Florida, speaking about the best new books of the season. She lives in Cape Coral with her husband, Jack, and their three spoiled cats. Maurice was their Siamese cat who lived to be 22 years old and loved sitting on books. Jean can be reached at www.mauriceonbooks.com.
He’s realizing he’s missing out on so much. He’s lonely, never married, no kids. He watches his friends with their families and thinks he might just take Deldine up on their offer. Deldine is a conglomerate buying up successful mom-and-pop restaurants along the coast. They have deep pockets but are hard-hearted. Jack can’t be sure they would actually keep his employees even though they promise they would. His employees are family to him, and most have been there forever. So, what’s a guy to do?
The story begins on the day before Thanksgiving. Jack pulls up to the restaurant and you begin to feel his angst. He’s thinking of the mounds of potatoes to peel, the dozens of turkeys defrosting. And knows the phone will be ringing off the hook with people hoping for a last-minute reservation. Suddenly, it’s just all too much.
There is so much local color in this novel. You will feel the sand between your toes and smell the briny aroma of the sea. For me, it brought back memories. The first time I visited the beach was as a kid. I recall how big everything on the boardwalk seemed. There was a ride with small boats floating in a circle and I honestly thought the water was as deep as the ocean. The sweet aroma of the candy corn roasting, the sight of the floss being whipped onto a cone. And, of course, since it was Rehoboth, the Grotto pizza.
Joella’s characters are so realistic. These people could be your friends, your neighbors, or even your own family. But Jack is thinking he needs more. He wants a family. Is it too late? He has a lot to contemplate.
Just when you think Jack’s decision cannot possibly become more complicated, his old girlfriend, Kitty, is suddenly back in town to help care for her ailing mom. And this is when everything begins to go off the charts.
I think you’ll enjoy following Jack as he has all sorts of barriers tossed at him that will ultimately influence his final decision. Hop on board and enjoy the ride. I loved this small novel with a big message.
Joella is also the author of “A Little Hope,” which became a Jenna Bonus Pick, and “A Quiet Life.” He lives in Rehoboth Beach with his wife and two daughters. My review copy was provided by Scribner, a division of Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review. Honestly, one of the most original and refreshing books this year. I loved it! ¦
Claiming lottery in Delaware
18 states have laws that allow national lottery prize jackpot winners to remain anonymous, but is Delaware among them?
The Delaware Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Wednesday, June 3, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 3 drawing
14-16-38-55-64, Powerball: 12, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Play 3 numbers from June 3 drawing
Day: 5-0-5
Night: 5-6-4
Check Play 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Play 4 numbers from June 3 drawing
Day: 4-8-0-2
Night: 6-7-3-9
Check Play 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Multi-Win Lotto numbers from June 3 drawing
03-07-10-27-28-32
Check Multi-Win Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from June 3 drawing
02-05-19-22-24, Star Ball: 06, ASB: 04
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Play 5 numbers from June 3 drawing
Day: 9-0-2-7-1
Night: 4-8-0-0-3
Check Play 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
- Sign the Ticket: Establish legal ownership by signing the back of your ticket with an ink pen.
- Prizes up to $599: Claim at any Delaware Lottery Retailer, in person at the Delaware Lottery Office, or mail your signed ticket and claim form; print your name/address on the ticket’s back and keep a copy/photo for records. By mail, send original tickets and documentation to: Delaware Lottery, 1575 McKee Road, Suite 102, Dover, DE 19904.
- Prizes up to $2,500: Claim in person at Delaware Lottery Retailer Claim Centers throughout Kent, Sussex and New Castle Counties.
- Prizes of $5,001 or more: Claim in person at the Delaware Lottery Office (business days 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) with a photo ID and Social Security card.
- For all prize claims, directions to the Delaware Lottery Office are available online or via mapquest.com for a map.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Delaware Lottery.
Can I claim a jackpot prize anonymously in Delaware?
Fortunately for First State residents, the Delaware Lottery allows winners remain anonymous. Unlike many other states that require a prize be over a certain jackpot, Delawareans can remain anonymous no matter how much, or how little, they win.
How long do I have to claim my prize in Delaware?
Tickets are valid for up to one year past the drawing date for drawing game prizes or within one year of the announced end of sales for Instant Games, according to delottery.com.
When are the Delaware Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
- Play 3, 4: Daily at 1:58 p.m. and 7:57 p.m., except Sunday afternoon.
- Multi-Win Lotto: 7:57 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: Daily at 10:38 p.m.
- Lotto America: 11:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Delaware Online digital operations manager. You can send feedback using this form.
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Thomas Jefferson University is opening a regional campus of its Sidney Kimmel Medical College in Delaware, an effort that will result in the state’s first medical school.
Jefferson beat out three other bidders to establish the four-year program in partnership with the state. The other bidders were the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, the consulting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Ponce Health Sciences University in Puerto Rico, Spotlight Delaware reported.
MORE: SEPTA reopens underground concourse connecting Walnut-Locust and City Hall stations
The inaugural class of 40 medical students will begin instruction in July 2028. Initially, the campus will be based at the University of Delaware in Newark, with Jefferson faculty providing instruction. A permanent home for the campus is still being finalized, the Inquirer reported.
The medical students will receive 18 months of preclinical training on campus before receiving clinical training from healthcare providers in Delaware’s southern counties, where the state’s physician shortage is most deeply felt. That shortage is compounded by an aging population, Delaware officials said.
“Jefferson is committed to being part of the solution to Delaware’s physician shortage,” Jefferson CEO Dr. Joseph Cacchione said in a statement. “We are proud to help build a future where every Delawarean has access to the care they deserve. Jefferson is all in.”
The school’s creation is being supported by $157.4 million from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Delaware is one of three states without a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program. Since the late 1960s, Jefferson and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine have reserved seats for Delaware students.
“Sidney Kimmel Medical College has trained generations of physicians for more than 200 years, more than any other medical college in the country,” Said Ibrahim, dean of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, said in a statement. “It is a privilege to bring our mission to Delaware’s patients and communities.”
Jefferson has announced several expansions recently. The university is establishing a full-time doctor of nursing practice-nurse anesthesia program and several online graduate programs at the Lehigh Valley Health Network Center for Healthcare Education in Lehigh County. It also is opening a satellite respiratory therapy lab at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Allentown.
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