Officials with the Town of Bethany Beach say the beaches are now closed and will remain closed until Monday, September 28. After that time, beach conditions will be reassessed and a decision will be made on reopening beaches.

Federal fisheries officials are beginning a process that could eventually lead to new fishing restrictions along the East Coast designed to protect native whale species, including changes affecting fisheries operating in the Mid-Atlantic.

The Delaware Department of Justice has announced that Brahmananda Prasad was sentenced to 275 months, which is just shy of 23 years, in prison for his role in a nationwide cocaine-trafficking conspiracy on May 29, 2026.

A seafood program with roots on the West Coast is expanding into the Mid-Atlantic, with a mission that tackles two challenges at once: feeding students healthier meals and reducing the population of invasive blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay.

Join WBOC as we take a look back at the most-read news stories of the year on WBOC.com and our News App while we count down to 2026.

Hotel guests in Worcester County will soon see a slightly higher tax on their room bills, but local leaders say the area remains one of the more affordable beach destinations on the East Coast.

A biologist at Washington College in Chestertown is calling on Eastern Shore residents to help track sightings of large, bright yellow arachnids native to East Asia as they spread on the East Coast.

Worcester County is moving ahead with a proposal to raise the hotel room tax rate from 5 percent to 6 percent, a change county staff say would align with new state authority and could be in place ahead of an upcoming tourism season if approved. An emergency bill to lift the county’s maximum allowable rate was introduced at the Oct. 21 commissioners meeting, with public hearings planned for Nov. 18.

A new dredging vessel could soon be on its way to the East Coast, with Worcester County leaders calling it a critical step toward keeping the Ocean City Inlet open and safe.