October 24, 2008

Ocean City Open Houses

OCEAN CITY The Meridian Daily 10-4 Oceanfront Residences New Construction Dan Clayland Coldwell Banker 410-520-0072 OCEAN CITY Bella Vista Daily 10-4 Sat 9-5 3BR Bayside Condos Coldwell Banker 410-524-6111 OCEAN CITY Stone Harbour Villas 13222 Jefferson Ave Sat 11-1 4BR/3.5BA Great Views Boat Slip Kathy Cramer Coldwell Banker 302-829-9022 OCEAN CITY Bahia Vista 10th St. Bayside Daily 10-4 3&4BR Condos Dan Clayland Coldwell Banker 410-524-6111 OCEAN CITY Bel Mare Somerset Street Daily...READ MORE

West Ocean City Open Houses

WEST OCEAN CITY Sailor's Watch Golf Course Road Fri-Sun 10-4 New 3BR, 3.5BA Luxury Townhouses Coldwell Banker 410-524-6111 WEST OCEAN CITY New Construction West Harbor Village Daily 10-5 11 Townhouses 3BR/2.5BA/Garage Prudential Carruthers 410-524-7000 ...READ MORE

Outskirts of OC Open Houses

BERLIN Purnell Crossing Old Ocean Blvd Tues-Sun 11-6 New Contruction 3BR/2.5BA Villas w/ 2-Car Garage Ryan Homes 866-776-9818 MILLSBORO, DE 23515 Tristan Lane Burtons Crossing Sat & Sun 11-5 2BR/2BA TH Pat Eggers ResortQuest 302-537-8888 MILLSBORO, DE 29615 Sawyer Loop Burtons Crossing Sat & Sun 11-5 3BR/2BA TH Pat Eggers ResortQuest 302-537-8888 OCEAN PINES 51 Teal Circle North Gate Sat 12:30-3 Single Family SunRm/Porch/Deck Cindy Crockett Hileman RE 443-430-0587 DAGSBORO, DE 29549...READ MORE

Buckinham Elementary names September "students of the month"

Buckingham Elementary School's "Students of the Month" for September are pictured. Above are fourth-grade honorees Keioura Price, Katlyn Timmons, Daniel Tyndall and Jenna Morlock. ...READ MORE

Tidewater School Pre-K takes a Hayride

The Johnson's Country Market Hayride was this pre-kindergarten group's favorite part of the Tidewater School by the Sea's field trip. Pictured riding around the farm were Elliott Rhoades, Matthew Corrigan  and Ben Dietz. ...READ MORE

BIS 5th graders show off volcano diagrams

Students in Mrs. Vit's fifth grade at Berlin Intermediate School class show off their volcano diagrams. Students are learning about a variety of natural disasters in their "Nature's Fury" reading unit. Here are Reed Watson, Sarah Bright and Cole Mumford. ...READ MORE

Friday, October 24--Judge Rules Proof Burden Not Met In Train Wreck Case

SNOW HILL - A lawsuit filed last February by the co-owners of a house in Newark against the Maryland and Delaware Railroad Company seeking nearly $1 million for damage to their home and disruption of their lives allegedly caused by a train derailment along Route 113 nearly four years ago was dismissed last week when a Circuit Court judge agreed the plaintiffs had not provided expert witnesses to meet their burden of proof in the case. The co-owners of the house on Basket Switch Rd., Cleo K....READ MORE

Friday, October 24--Officials Air Bay Bridge Concerns

SNOW HILL - State elected officials called for something to be done to prevent future serious congestion on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge during the Maryland Department of Transportation's (MDOT) annual tour meeting with Worcester County elected officials. State Sen. Lowell Stoltzfus, co-chair of a recent Bay Bridge study conducted under former Gov. Bob Ehrlich's administration, said the state must take action on the span in the near future. 'It's going to be sit still traffic for hours at a time in...READ MORE

Friday, October 24--Sinking Pump Prices A Bright Spot In Concerning Economy

OCEAN CITY - It may have taken a bigger calamity to make the astronomical gas prices plaguing Americans finally start to come down to earth. One of the few bright spots in the last few weeks of the ongoing epic saga of the American economy was once one of the largest sore spots in the minds of consumers: the price of gas. As Wall Street plummets, 401K plans dwindle and morale of the nation's people starts to proverbially lean toward panic, the one thing that is actually helping Americans to keep...READ MORE

Friday, October 24--Without Slots, State Says 589 Dualization Will Wait

SNOW HILL - The dualization of Route 113 will continue with the current and next phase of the long-awaited work, but Route 589 will have to wait unless slots come to Ocean Downs, elected officials heard this week. Route 113 was one of the few projects that escaped state cuts in the capital projects program, according to Neil Pedersen, Administrator of the State Highway Administration. Phase IIA of the Route 113 dualization is underway south of Berlin. This $22.5 million phase will widen the 2.5...READ MORE

County School Board Appeals $1.1M Lawsuit Ruling

SNOW HILL - Less than two weeks after a visiting Worcester County Circuit Court judge ruled against the Worcester County Board of Education in a $1.3 million-plus lawsuit filed last year by a private contractor replaced mid-way through the construction of the new Ocean City Elementary School over two years ago, the defeated defendants have filed an appeal with the state's Court of Special Appeals. On Tuesday, the Worcester County School Board filed a notice of appeal with the state's Court of...READ MORE

Merits Of Single-Shot Voting Questioned

OCEAN CITY - A growing trend in Ocean City elections appears to be for voters to leave some slots blank on their ballot boxes, raising the question if this small town election is being influenced at all by the votes that weren't cast. In Tuesday's election, a record low percentage of voters, 23.5 percent, showed up to the polls. Of the 1,521 actual voters that came to the polls, all had the option of voting for up to four candidates for City Council, and the lone mayoral candidate. Of the...READ MORE

OC Officer Files Complaint With State Over Suspension

OCEAN CITY - Harsh accusations by a 23-year-old resort woman were directed at the Ocean City Police Department this week, raising questions about how much a role the department should play in the personal lives of its officers. Resident Brandie Plumb claims that her girlfriend, an 11-year veteran to the OCPD, was slapped with a 'No Contact Order' by the department forbidding her to speak with Plumb this month in addition to a suspension with pay from the force that was reportedly instilled on...READ MORE

Officials Unanimously Support Land Buy For Senior Center

SNOW HILL - The official vote by the County Commissioners to go ahead with the purchase of the former Tyson chicken plant administration building to be transformed into the new Berlin senior center was unanimous Tuesday. The county had already signed a contract to purchase the property before the formal vote and set a settlement date for next week, county Administrator Gerry Mason said. The $1.7 million purchase price will cover the old administration building northwest of the juncture of Routes...READ MORE

Report Finds Slots Revenue Projection Unrealistic

BERLIN - An independent report on the potential economic impact of slots in Maryland released last week reveals the state might be overestimating the amount of revenue derived from the five sites identified in the referendum including Worcester, where the state's Department of Legislative Services (DLS) expects the 2,500 machines to generate as much as $375,000 per day or as much as $137 million per year. The Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis and Research based at the University of...READ MORE

County's ELL Student Rate Continues To Climb

NEWARK - The number of English Language Learner (ELL) students in Worcester County public schools has nearly tripled since 2001. 'The population continues to grow,' said Diane Stulz, who runs the ELL program for the Worcester County Board of Education. 'We went up by 10.4 percent over last year.' Worcester County schools teach 233 ELL students currently, compared to 211 students last year and 202 the year before. In 2001, the school system had just 78 ELL students. The ELL population of...READ MORE

Court To Hear Sifrit Appeal

BERLIN - Convicted killer Erika Sifrit, who along with her husband Benjamin, brutally murdered and dismembered a Virginia couple vacationing in Ocean City on Memorial Day weekend in 2002, will get another day in court after the Frederick County Circuit Court where she was tried and convicted agreed this week to schedule hearings on her appeal. The Sifrits, both originally from Hollidaysburg, Pa., were convicted in separate trials around the state in 2003 after the highly sensational cases were...READ MORE

High School Test Pass Rate Improving

NEWARK - Unofficial high school assessment scores (HSA) show that the first graduating class to face the HSA requirement to get their diplomas has improved passing scores. 'These are unofficial scores. They are still embargoed by the state,' said Stephanie Zanich, in charge of testing and assessments for the Worcester County Board of Education, at the board's October meeting on Tuesday. 'These are our best estimates.' The official scores will be released next week. The HSA scores are now...READ MORE

OC Burglar To Serve 5 Years

OCEAN CITY - An Ocean City man arrested last month in connection with a rash of vending machine break-ins in the downtown area and was later linked to a series of other thefts and burglaries throughout the resort dating back to early June pleaded guilty this week in District Court to one count of felony theft scheme and was sentenced to 15 years in jail with all but five suspended. Denny Patrick Owens, 41, of Ocean City, was arrested in September on 36 charges ranging from burglary and felony...READ MORE

OC Poll Selects New Vanity License Plate Design

OCEAN CITY - Drivers looking to showcase their love of Ocean City to every car on the road now have an official way to do it. Ocean City joined the growing trend of personalized vanity plates this week, as the City Council unanimously approved a vintage OC logo to be made available to all Maryland drivers that was designed by the town's advertising agency MGH. Ocean City residents and visitors voted on the winning logo from a choice of three on the town's website in an online contest that ran...READ MORE

Play It Safe Hopes To Continue Growth In 20th Year

OCEAN CITY - While everyone involved with the Play it Safe campaign hoped that it would catch on back in 1989, no one ever expected it to 'catch fire' and become such a bright shining light two decades later in raising awareness against drug and alcohol use amongst teens. As the Play it Safe Ocean City campaign prepares for its 20th year, the number of teenagers it reaches has grown to amazing levels, over 13,000 last June alone, and the impact on the community at large is undeniable, as Play it...READ MORE

Resident Eyes District 1 Council Seat

BERLIN - Another new face has joined the ranks of hopeful politicians in Berlin, with Phil Cropper's decision to run for the District 1 town council seat left vacant by the election of Gee Williams to the mayor's slot. 'I'm not happy with the way things have been going in the past few years in Berlin,' Cropper said in a phone interview. 'It's a great opportunity to get in and do what I can for Berlin.' As of Thursday afternoon, Cropper is the only candidate to file for the empty District 1 seat....READ MORE

Woman To Serve Two Years In Prescription Fraud Case

SNOW HILL - A local woman who provided phony prescription documents to an undercover Ocean City police narcotics agent as part of an elaborate scheme earlier this year pleaded guilty last week in Circuit Court to distributing painkillers and was sentenced to two years in jail. On Feb. 8, an undercover OCPD narcotics agent made arrangements to purchase 15 pills of roxicodone, a derivative of the more familiar oxycodone, from a local woman later identified as Terri Lynn Russell, 41, of no fixed...READ MORE

Dolphins Win Again, Clinch Playoffs

BERLIN- The Berlin Junior Dolphins of the Salvation Army Youth League won their fifth straight game last weekend, beating the Salisbury Terps, 27-6, at home to clinch a playoff spot. On the Dolphins' very first possession, James Mapp took a hand-off and ran 58 yards for a touchdown to put the Dolphins on top early. The score remained 7-0 in favor of the Dolphins for much of the first half before quarterback Colin Macomber hit Henry Hastings with a touchdown pass in the final seconds of the...READ MORE

Decatur Girls Rally Past Lions

BERLIN- A resilient Stephen Decatur girls' varsity soccer team rallied from the two-goal deficit late in Monday's game against Queen Anne's for a 3-2 win and is now preparing for a first-round state playoff game tonight at home. The Seahawks found themselves in the rare position of trailing in a game late during their contest with Queen Anne's on Monday. Trailing 2-0 with just over eight minutes remaining, Decatur scored the last three goals of the game to secure the 3-2 win in the regular...READ MORE

Decatur Loss Tightens Playoff Hopes

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's varsity football team stumbled somewhat last week, dropping a tough one to visiting James M. Bennett, 34-24, last Thursday to put its playoff hopes in a more tenuous position. The Seahawks had no trouble moving the ball against the Clippers with the high-powered aerial attack led by quarterback Tim Donnelly. Donnelly threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns, but Decatur had trouble stopping Bennett's ground game and fell to the Clippers, 34-24. The loss dropped...READ MORE

Topsy Turvy Seahawks Open Playoffs

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's men's varsity soccer team wrapped its regular season last week with a 1-0 win over Worcester County rival Pocomoke and will host a first-round state playoff game against Aberdeen tonight. The Seahawks finished a topsy-turvy season on a high note last Friday, topping Pocomoke, 1-0, on a goal by Kyle Gebhart for the only tally of the contest. With the win over Pocomoke, Decatur finished with an impressive 7-3-2 mark to earn the four-seed in the Class 3A-East playoffs....READ MORE

Mallards Claim Title with OT Win

BERLIN- Worcester Prep's boys' varsity soccer team wrapped its highly successful regular 2008 regular season campaign this week with a 2-1 overtime win over Delmarva Christian to claim the Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference (ESIAC) regular season championship. The Mallards fell behind the suddenly tough Delmarva Christian team early on Monday and trailed 1-0 at the half. Worcester has shown a penchant for getting off to a slow start and getting its offense cranked up the second half...READ MORE

Seahawks Bow Out at State Tourney

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's varsity golf team bowed out of the state Class 3A/4A tournament held at Potomac Ridge in Southern Maryland on Tuesday, missing the cut in the team championships, but three Seahawks moved on in the individual tournament. The Decatur team shot a combined 372 in the blustery, cold conditions at Potomac Ridge on Tuesday and missed the opportunity to move on in the tournament. Jake Miller shot an 84, Connor Gebhart shot a 95, Kevin McNelis shot 96 and Jenny Sullivan shot 97...READ MORE

A Look at Who Was Out On the Town This Week

Weekly pictures from the restaurant and bar scene around the Ocean City area.  ...READ MORE

People Joining Together For Community Causes

See who was out helping causes in the Ocean City area. ...READ MORE

Thoughts From The Publisher's Desk

Some thoughts on this week's Ocean City municipal election: -- This week's victory was a long time coming for Ocean City resident Doug Cymek, who finished in third place in the council race. After it was official he had enough votes to get the coveted seat, he was handed a hat by his campaign chair, Harry How, that read, 'Councilman Cymek.' How had apparently been hanging on to the hat since 1996, the first time Cymek ran for office and was unsuccessful, in the hopes the day would come that he...READ MORE

Voices From The Readers

WOC Deserves New Look Editor: Regarding The Dispatch's story, 'Resort Land Values Plummet,' Assessor Robert Smith says 95 percent of land value has gone down 15 percent in Ocean City. I think West Ocean City is in the same boat. Our assessment was for 2008, 2009 and 2010 and we should get another assessment at least for 2009 and 2010 of 15 percent lower. All West Ocean City taxpayers should get their pencils out, check your assessments and write to him at Robert Smith, Worcester Assessment...READ MORE

Jim Hall, Knight, Cymek, Joe Hall Elected

OCEAN CITY - The third time was the charm for Doug Cymek, as he finally won a seat on the Ocean City Council, joining two incumbents and one former councilman in the lowest voter turnout percentage in recent Ocean City history. Only 23.5 percent of a possible 6,470 registered voters cast a vote in this year's election, eclipsing the previous record of 24 percent from the 2006 election. The only numbers concerning Cymek and the other winners as the results were announced Tuesday evening at the...READ MORE

We Remember Those Who Have Passed

Virginia Lewis (Scott) Bachman BERLIN - Virginia Lewis (Scott) Bachman passed away on Monday, Oct. 20, 2008. She was born in Parksley on April 18, 1919. Her family moved to Baltimore in 1922. During the Depression, the family moved to Ocean City. She graduated from Ocean City High School in 1936. After high school, she married Isaac John Scott. "Ike" and "Gini" had two sons, Stuart and Bruce, the joys of their lives. She married John Lynn Bachman in 1975, and explored many...READ MORE

Stolen Goods Found, Leads to Theft Arrest

Stolen Goods Found, Lead To Theft Arrest OCEAN CITY - An Ocean City man was arrested on felony theft and malicious destruction of property charges last week after goods stolen from his previous residence were found in his new home. Last Tuesday, resort police responded to a residence on 142nd Street for a reported theft and malicious destruction of property. Upon arrival, police discovered extensive damage throughout the house and also noticed various appliances and household items were...READ MORE

Decatur Students Practice Their Dance Moves

Stephen Decatur High School senior Amanda Pfaff, a choreographer for the show choir, is pictured instructing dance moves to an emerging program at Parkside High School. Submitted Photos ...READ MORE

Worcester Prep Students Win Writing Awards

Maribeth Fischer, president of the Rehoboth Beach Writers' Guild, and Terry Plowman, publisher of Delaware Beach Life Magazine, announced that Worcester Preparatory School students, from left, Claire Stickler, Oriana Pando, Ali Schwartz and Emma Richardson were among the winners in the annual student writing competition that included entries from many different states. Both Stickler and Richardson were first-place winners. The girls will be honored at a reception next month. ...READ MORE

Worcester Prep Students Prepare for the Gala

Worcester Preparatory School students Anna Marie Buas, Ocean City, and Gavin Burton, Millsboro, work on attaching their canine-themed ceramics to a mirror that will be auctioned at Worcester Prep's GALA 2008, which will be held tomorrow night at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center. ...READ MORE

BIS 6th graders show off their mono-prints

Daryus Wise and John Lambrinos show their mono-print from Mrs. Scafone's sixth grade art class at Berlin Intermediate School. Students etched their chosen image into styrofoam and then printed them using ink and a brayer. ...READ MORE

A Week In Business

Contractor Makes Addition SALISBURY - Gillis Gilkerson, Inc., General Contractors, Construction Management, in Salisbury, has announced the addition of Barbara J. Stack of Berlin to the firm for Business Development. Stack's diverse 25 years of architectural and construction experience began as an architectural design apprentice for many years under G. Donald Bowen of Salisbury. 15 years of design experience, Stack decided to venture 'over the line' and worked with residential builders and...READ MORE

Bishopville resident added to "Alumni Wall of Honor"

Bishopville resident Arlene Page was recently recognized by Glen Burnie High School for demonstrating stellar achievements in her life since graduation and a plaque was placed on the "Alumni Wall of Honor" at a ceremony on Oct. 10. Above, school Principal Vicki Plitt is pictured with Page and an unidentified committee representative. Submitted Photos ...READ MORE

Haven House Director Recognized by MD Department of Education

Haven House Program Director Barbara Butler was recently recognized by the Maryland State Department of Education for her outstanding service and contributions to Maryland's Extended Learning Program. A grant-funded, after-school program, Haven House serves up to 75 students in kindergarten through third grade from the Snow Hill area.  Above, Butler receives a Certificate of Recognition from State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Nancy Grasmick and 21st Century Community Learning Centers...READ MORE

50/50 Raffle for Diakonia Inc at the Chesapeake Fraternal Congress

Diakonia Inc. was the recipient of a 50/50 raffle, and donated items during the Chesapeake Fraternal Congress convention at the Clarion Fontainebleau Resort Hotel in Ocean City. Pictured, above from left, are Mary Wolf Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Julia Glendenning CFC Director, Frank Kapitan, CFC President and Claudia Nagle, Diakonia Executive Director.   ...READ MORE

What's Your Sign?

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): The high standards you set for yourself don't always translate into the behavior you expect of others. That relationship problem can be resolved if you're more flexible and less judgmental. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Not enough party bids to satisfy the Bovine's fun-loving side this week? Go ahead and throw one of your own. Then prepare for some serious work coming up early next week. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): A new and intensely productive cycle is about to...READ MORE

Choosing High-Quality Bonds Key In Difficult Times

BERLIN - High-quality bonds have become particularly attractive in recent months, especially as several factors continue to weigh on the market •€' from the crisis in the financial markets to recessionary pressures. What's more, according to David Rosenberg, Chief North American Economist at Merrill Lynch, 'The economic pressures we face today could stretch into the first half of next year.' To chart a smart path through these challenging markets, where should investors focus their...READ MORE

Fatherhood Adventures

If you take a little one enough places, you are bound to have some interesting experiences and encounters, many of which deal with how unique some people respond to babies. Some of these reactions, some funny, others genuine, deserve a little rehashing. It's the kind of stuff you could not make up if you tried. With that in mind, here's some memorable encounters: •€¦ Last Sunday, we picked up some pumpkins at a local roadside stand for our front stoop. Of course, the little guy came as...READ MORE

Things I Like

That the presidential election is near The nip in the air on a fall morning Any kind of tax credit Watching my son roll over Jack Hanna's animals That the Phillies made the World Series Loading up on candy for Halloween Peanut butter on an apple Those green and orange pumpkins Pants fresh from the dry cleaner The Inlet when the ocean is rough ...READ MORE

My Thoughts

It seems like everyone is going to college these days. That's all well and good, but Insider wonders when it became a requirement to be a so-called somebody or a success you had to have a college degree. When did going off to an over-priced school of alleged higher learning become required to be a success? Why does sitting in a classroom for four years hearing an underachiever preach the ins and outs of something he or she does not know enough about to be a success in the field become so...READ MORE