Beach Better After Storm
Editor:
In the aftermath of the storms last week, the beach in North Ocean City is so much better. All summer we had a big drop off at the surf, leading to a quick drop when you entered the water.
We now have a gradual decline and a sandbar. It’s lovely to be able to wade slowly into the ocean, and not have the waves crashing on the shore. We still have plenty of beach, so I implore the city to not recreate the unsafe drop off we have had the last few years.
Frank Bossle
Ocean City
Moved By Support For Son’s Memory
Editor:
Anyone who has ever lost a child realizes that life, as you knew it, that level of happiness, will never again exist. Healed wounds? Not this dad.
You search only for those moments that the smile meter raises ever so little. Recently, my happiness was off that meter.
As long ago as 2013, Ocean City adopted a “Walk Smart” campaign in order to promote pedestrian safety. This summer season the MVA and OC’s Chamber of Commerce collaborated to name the program’s crab mascot. Four final choices were available for voting until Thursday, Sept. 1. The winner was revealed in a ceremony that very same day. The overwhelming winner? Over 4,000 of 5,800 votes cast for “Cheswick.”
I would suspect that there is an obligatory explanation for that landslide victory.
On May 28, 2012, my 22-year-old first son Matthew was struck down and killed by a drunk driver measured at over three times the legal limit while awaiting the Coastal Highway bus service.
Since then, so many have contributed to keeping Matthew’s legacy ongoing. For that, my gratitude is unending.
The honor bestowed upon Matthew may very well be the epitome of those contributions.
As far as thanks, none of this honor would have come to fruition without the dogged efforts of Melanie Pursel of the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce and Mrs. Lora Rakowski of the MVA Thanks, ladies, for lifting that good feeling meter through the roof.
As well, for those who voted and shared, “Cheese On.” We done good.
S .the next time you visit the Ocean City, walk smart and keep in mind and be assured that “Cheswick” is with you.
Chris Cheswick
City Right On Car Sleeping
Editor:
Nicole Dukowski, in her “OC Needs To Tread Lightly” letter, recommends that we ease up and cater to the wonderful folks that invade Ocean City without accommodations and spend the night in their cars.
She seems to have no clue that these miscreants are the exact sort of visitors that we do not want and do not need. Stiffening the penalty for spending the night street side is taking a giant step towards reducing crime and improving the family atmosphere and quality of visitors that so many of us fear we are quickly losing.
The overwhelming number of these dregs are here for all the wrong reasons, primarily drugs. Any law enforcement officer will confirm this. With heroin use at epidemic proportions, we simply don’t need these guests. And we all know where a large percentage of the thugs that instigated the recent Boardwalk riot probably spent the night.
Several years ago, I was up early and noticed four individuals sleeping in their car in front of our condo. I alerted a couple of OCPD officers getting their breakfast. They skipped their food and their quick response led to a drug bust (thanks, officers).
Trash is another issue, as every morning an array of food containers, beer cans and used diapers seem to go hand in hand with this problem.
What is completely comical about Ms. Dukowski’s liberal-laced litany is her position that “sleeping is a life-sustaining activity and no one can stay awake indefinitely.”
This is simply laughable.
No one is forcing these undesirables to come to Ocean City. If they can’t afford and arrange lodging; stay home. The law needs to be laid down that this will not be tolerated.
Perhaps Nicole Dukowski could establish some sort of Halfway House for these overnighters at her residence in Salisbury. Then they could urinate and defecate on her property, deposit their trash, sell and buy drugs and maybe even set up a meth lab.
In the meantime, I urge all fellow locals to report such activity and to support City Council in criminalizing this activity and enforcing it to the limit of the law.
John Phillips
Ocean City
Destructive Governance?
Editor:
Last week Joe Mitrecic, a local politician, launched a scathing critique of a performer which was transcribed into complete sentences by Shawn Soper of this paper.
The performer Lucian Constantin Ionescu. came to America in 1982 to escape tyranny and communism in Romania. He is an American Citizen. I won’t bore the reader with his musical studies or accomplishments. Joe is quick to judge this man and offer his artistic opinion on a number of other Boardwalk performers. Although everyone is entitled to an opinion, Joe, speaking in sentence fragments, states, ‘The gentleman played, I can’t even say he played, he made noises…” The critique continues, “people in Ocean City have a right to walk up and down the Boardwalk and not be assaulted by … Bugs bunny …”
This is an example of destructive governance and only foments divisiveness. I am not going to dignify Joe’s rant by directly answering. Instead I will shed public light on Joe’s political position, which suggests a political agenda on the taxpayer’s dollar. It is no secret that upon leaving the council Joe declared a self-imposed goal to make the differential with the county more equitable. After failing in his goal, he apparently chose to attack hapless performers. Lucian, unlike Joe, has to please people every day to be rewarded for his performance. Unlike Joe, Lucian is very popular among our summer guests who indirectly pay a lot of Joe’s salary. If Joe, a politician, had to make a living performing on the Boardwalk he would starve to death.
Joe and the mayor appear to have an undisclosed political agenda to eliminate all performers financed by the taxpayers. It is well known that Joe while on the council and the mayor have sponsored the passage of previous bad ordinances that were overturned in Federal Court after lengthy and costly litigations. After losing on at least two other performer litigations, they appear to be going for the trifecta. When will they learn? Joe and the mayor keep failing in their attack on poor Boardwalk entertainers found to be illegal in every prior court action. Wouldn’t a prudent man show better judgement?
In the past countless thousands of taxpayer’s money was spent on what the courts found to be illegal political regulation of performers supported wholeheartedly by Meehan and Mitrecic who have never won a senseless litigation against performers. You think they would have learned. This latest attack should give the voters pause. Why are you and the mayor so anxious to needlessly spend taxpayer’s money yet again? Joe, you know what they say to repeat the same behavior and expect a different result is a sign of insanity. But what the heck it is not your money.
Instead of seeking out a settlement to stop their wasteful and senseless spending foray, they chose to forge ahead into uncertain litigation by stirring public negativity with baseless allegations. Are the taxpayers really in agreement with the political class and their special interest friends’ latest expensive foray? Frankly Joe, your vicious vitriol underscores a destructive nature that shows no respect for the taxpayers or the performers.
You and the mayor are clearly cowards. You are using public money to attack poor people with limited means to defend themselves. Why do you think so many lawyers are lining up to defend your performers? I have to have faith that the taxpayers in Ocean City and the county at large will see through your transparent senseless and hugely wasteful attacks and wonder why you and the Mayor have made such a poor choice with our money to foment dissent in our community.
Performers have been part of the Ocean City tapestry at least since 1950. Performers often see adults that years ago were thrilled by their performance as children. Yes unlike politicians they have many fans, many repeat visitors. Joe, performers are part of Ocean City, like the amusements, the sea and the sand. They will be here long after you and the mayor’s political career is over. It is such a shame that the city has to suffer with hundreds of thousands of dollars of legal expenses pushed forward by politicians whose bad judgment is still currying favor from special interest group with public money. Joe, don’t you ever worry that the silent majority of taxpayers will wake up to your senseless costly ego game?
In closing, Joe, when I go into a restaurant if I hear discordant offensive music I might consider another restaurant rather than attacking the performer. Maybe you should disclose what your intentions really are? You do believe in political transparency don’t you? Joe, I can assure you performers will be performing and families will keep enjoying the boardwalk and the performers long after you and your entrenched political friends are gone. I thank the paper for giving me this opportunity to respond to such a divisive politician, who serves no public interest.
Tony Christ