Dangerous surf and "life-threatening" rip currents could force more swimmers out of the ocean today as Hurricane Bill continues churning northward in the Atlantic.

Punishing waves and rip currents -- swift channels that can pull swimmers out to sea -- were produced by the storm Saturday, forcing lifeguards to close or restrict swimming at many East Coast beaches including Rehoboth in Delaware and Ocean City in Maryland. And though the hurricane had dropped to a Category 1 storm by Saturday evening, the National Hurricane Center in Miami warned that Bill could bring "extremely dangerous surf and ... rip currents to parts of the U.S. East Coast" before reaching Canada.

Every summer hundreds of bicyclists in the Rehoboth Beach area get free safety checks thanks to the efforts of Sussex Cyclists and their partners.

“We call it branding,” says Sussex Cyclists President Tony Pezone. “You can tell those who have stopped by checkpoints by the bright yellow reflective tape on their bikes.”

Many of those who stop are foreign students who are working in the resort area for the summer. Although some have bikes in good working order, many pull into the checkpoints missing brakes, with flat tires, no lights, no reflectors, bent frames, and loose seats and handlebars.

The Lighthouse’s “Taco Toss” happy hour, with its $1 tacos, nachos and hot dogs, is the first stop for plenty of weekend warriors who call Dewey home every summer weekend.

As always, it’s an eclectic mix on the bar’s deck as the sun sets on Rehoboth Bay.

Young men wearing T-shirts like one that reads “I’d hit that” under an image of a pinata try to pick up women while taking slugs from a can of Bud Light.

The Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce is pleased to host the 31st annual Sandcastle Contest on Saturday, Aug. 1.

The contest will be held at Fisherman's Beach at the north end of the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk, near the Henlopen Hotel, in Rehoboth. It is open to both adults and children. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Judging begins at 3 p.m.

The adult and children's divisions each have three categories: sandcastle, animal, and free form. The top three entries in each category receive a prize package. Prizes will be awarded to the youngest contestants as "Smiley's Choice."

Last year, Admiral Hotel owner Chad Moore said most of the applications for employment he received were from foreign workers looking for summer jobs.

This year, that changed as the economic downturn has forced many local residents to search for seasonal work and settle for jobs they wouldn't typically consider.

"We're getting a lot more local applicants this year," Moore said. "Everyone is looking for a job where they can get one."

Plan your next weekend trip at Rehoboth Beach Delaware. Just like a lot of people, you may be hesitant to take a vacation in this economy. The excuses I hear are, “I feel guilty taking time with the economy so bad”, “the gas prices are outrageous”, etc. I am here to tell you, it is possible. With Delaware being tax-free, you are already saving that money. Instead of taking several trips to the store or malls in your area, go out once and get it all done that day. Save the extra money to put in gas for a visit to the beach.

Delaware Seashore State Park offers a number of opportunities for visitors to explore and experience the wonders of the Inland Bays.

On each Thursday through Aug. 27, the park offers pontoon boat tours on Indian River Bay and Rehoboth Bay.

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Aug. 29, visitors can tour marsh islands in Rehoboth Bay via kayak.

On Sundays, July 12, 16, Aug. 9 and 23, visitors can explore the Assawoman Wildlife Area via kayak, located at the west side of Little Assawoman Bay.

As word has started to spread that Ocean City will be getting a 1,200-seat performing arts center in the few years as part of the expanded Roland E. Powell Convention Center, it’s starting to attract the interest of some serious players.

At last Thursday’s Tourism Commission meeting, Leon Gallitzin of the non-profit Delaware Celebration of Jazz, Inc. spoke of his interest in expanding the festival to Ocean City, and perhaps, moving the festival here entirely.

Rehoboth Beach has joined a growing list of Delaware resort towns to increase parking rates for the upcoming summer.

Rates on 275 meters throughout the city will increase by a quarter an hour this summer, changing from $1 to $1.25, city manager Gregory Ferrese said. The move is expected to bring in more than $20,000 in additional revenue, according to budget documents. The meters are generally coin-operated and located on sidestreets.

When the weather turns warm, hundreds of workers from different parts of the globe descend on coastal Delaware and Maryland in search of jobs and the U.S. dollar.

But this year, as the economic forecast for summer 2009 appears bleak, some are wondering if that may change.

Karen Clark, whose 15-year-old daughter has discovered finding a part-time job isn't easy, hopes it will.

"My daughter started working last summer and she had a hard time finding a job," she said. "Now, I'm thinking that we're going to have these people coming in when we have locals who need the work."