Abbott’s Mill is one of the nature areas that will benefit from two Dogfish Beer & Benevolence nights

During the month of August, both the DuPont Environmental Education Center and Abbott’s Mill Nature Center will benefit from Dogfish Head Brewing and Eats Benevolence Nights. In conjunction with this month of benevolence, Dogfish will also release “On a Wing and a Beer,” a blonde stout brewed in partnership with the Delaware Nature Society on Wednesday, August 7 at their Rehoboth location.

“Brewed with coffee, cocoa, blueberries and bee balm, On a Wing and a Beer celebrates the birds that stop off in Delaware as they migrate as well as the insects that help pollinate the plants around us,” explained the Dogfish website. “This blonde stout, which is 7 percent ABV, contains shade grown coffee and cocoa with native Delaware ingredients of blueberries and bee balm.”

DuPont Environmental Education Center will also benefit from the benevolence nights

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That evening, from 4 to 9 PM, Delaware nature Society will also receive 10 percent of the night’s sales at the Rehoboth brewpub, located at 320 Rehoboth Avenue.

On August 21, Dogfish Head Brewing and Eats will hold a second Benevolence Night to benefit the Delaware Nature Society. According to the company, their deep roots in Delaware led them to holding Beer & Benevolence Nights as way of giving back to the community that has helped them nourish those roots and grow.

Over the years, Beer & Benevolence has raised millions in support of various organizations including the Nature Conservancy, the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal Improvement Association, Delaware Botanic Gardens, the installation of bicycle repair stations and pumps, Habitat for Humanity and now Delaware Nature Society.

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NEW CASTLE COUNTY, Del. (CBS) — Police in New Castle County, Delaware, are investigating after related shootings left a woman and a man dead Sunday morning. 

Delaware State Police were called to an Exxon gas station on Main Street in Stanton around 9:40 a.m. for a report of a man with a firearm at a nearby residence, police said. Officers then responded to a residence on the 1700 block of Limestone Road for a house fire.

At the house, officers found a 22-year-old woman from Wilmington who had been shot. They began life-saving efforts but she died at the scene, according to police. 

A preliminary investigation found that the suspected shooter was a 57-year-old man from Milford, Delaware, police said. Officials say he forcibly entered the house, which belongs to his ex-spouse, and fired multiple rounds at two people, including the woman who died. The other person in the house — a 20-year-old Wilmington man — was not hit and fled to the gas station. 

Police say the suspect then set a fire in the home and fled in a car.

Members of the Delaware State Police Aviation Section located the suspect and the vehicle near the C&D Canal. Troopers tried to negotiate with the suspect, who climbed partway up an electrical tower, for several hours. The suspect then fired at police, leading them to fire back, according to police.

Troopers administered first aid to the suspect, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. 

Officials have not released the name of the suspect or the victim because their families hadn’t been notified yet.  

The troopers who were involved are on administrative leave while a use of force investigation is completed in conjunction with the Delaware Department of Justice, which is the police department’s standard operating procedure.

The Delaware State Police Homicide Unit is still investigating this incident and asks anyone with information to contact Detective B. McDerby by calling 302-741-2821. Information may also be provided by contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.

SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. – Oysters are the literal bedrock of some of our coastal communities. They’re also an important support for the local economy. And, Delaware is just getting started in making aquaculture a viable industry.

Inland Bays Oyster Week

Tourism and aquaculture officials are kicking off the start of a bright future, by celebrating the first-ever Inland Bays Oyster Week.

“This week is going to be chock full of activities,” said Scott Thomas, Executive Director of Southern Delaware Tourism. “Everything from boat tours, to sip and slurps all around Sussex County, culminating in a seafood festival.”

Thomas says southern Delaware is becoming more of a foodie destination every year. And, with the burgeoning business of aquaculture, now is the time to capitalize.

“Agriculture and tourism are it in Sussex County,” Thomas said. “They’re the main drivers… People who are traveling here are finding that they’re traveling further than their food when they come to eat it. That’s a big deal.”

Open Arms to Aquaculture

About ten years ago, Delaware lawmakers opened the door for the state to get in on the aquaculture game, under the Delaware Aquaculture Act.

Since then, scientists, farmers, lawmakers, and other stakeholders have been working hard at getting the industry going.

“It’s a multi-tiered process that includes collecting the spent shells from the restaurants, and putting them back into the bay,” said Ed Lewandowski of the Delaware Sea Grant College Program at the University of Delaware. “It involves growing seed oysters – the baby oysters and larval oysters – that we do at our pilot-scale hatchery on our campus in Lewes. And, it’s working with the growers to make sure they’re able to market their product.”

The pilot hatchery is the first and only facility of its kind in the First State. Lewandowski says he’s eager to see how business, and the oysters, will continue to grow.

“We have over 350 acres of leasing available, and maybe about a tenth of that is actually occupied at this time,” Lewandowski said. “So, there is tremendous potential.”

Setting Farmers Up For Success

And when would-be oyster farmers do decide to get in the game, the experts at Delaware Sea Grant are ready to help. By the fall, officials say up to 1 million baby oysters will be ready for distribution to growers.

For now, the hatchery is helping to support the industry in its infancy. However, the hope is that private hatcheries will start to pop up. And, the potential there is valuable.

Delaware Sea Grant officials tell WMDT that Delaware’s potential oyster industry could be comparable to that of Rhode Island’s; it’s a $7 million business, supporting more than 200 farmers.

Lawmakers Laud Potential

Lawmakers who sit on the state’s aquaculture task force are also seeing green, both financially and environmentally.

“This is going to be a win-win for our community, our economy, our farmers, and our water quality,” said State Senator Russ Huxtable, co-chair of the task force. “The collaboration between all the parties has been so important to establish good relationships now, and set us up for the future of this industry.”

State Representative Jeff Hilovsky, who is also on the task force, echoed the importance of that partnership.

“They are working out the kind of maybe not-so-great things about government and industry working together,” Rep. Hilovsky said. “They put all that aside to make a commitment to establishing an industry.”

Good For the Gander

Those who have already gotten their feet wet in the oyster game say they couldn’t be more excited. For one thing, oysters are “environmental superheroes,” according to Jordan Nally of Nancy James Oysters.

“Each one filters up to 50 gallons of water a day, improving water quality and creating a healthier ecosystem for countless creatures,” Nally said.

And, oysters are good for the gander. Nally says the beloved bivalves are rich in zinc, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, and the ability to bring people together. Nally, who named the company after his parents, says the shelled superstars are going to be a game changer for many other families like his.

“When you choose to enjoy a Southern Delaware oyster, you’re directly supporting hard-working families like mine,” Nally said.

Del. Seafood Festival Information

Inland Bays Oyster Week ends with the inaugural Delaware Seafood Festival on Saturday, August 10th. You can get in on the tasty offerings and fun activities at the American Legion Post 28 in Millsboro. Admission is only $5.