June 12, 2009

June 18-Solid Reviews For OC Air Show

OCEAN CITY - 'I thought it was wonderful.' Those five words, expressed by Army veteran John J. Sauer Sr., essentially sum up the majority opinion of last weekend's 2nd Annual Ocean City Air Show. Approximately 260,000 people were in town last weekend, according to demoflush estimates, a significant 30,000-plus-head increase over last year's crowds during the same weekend. 'It was the largest sustained crowd I have ever seen on the Boardwalk. By sustained, I mean three or four hours at a time,'...READ MORE

What Others Are Saying

Address Downtown Issues Editor: There are two issues I find to be of extreme importance that I would like to bring to the attention of others like me, who love and care about Ocean City. A great deal of money has been spent in recent years to improve the downtown area. An improved downtown should mean more people on the Boardwalk, more renters staying in condominiums and more dollars filling up the tills in area establishments. The possibility exists for a very beneficial scenario, where by many...READ MORE

June 17-Pro Volleyball Players Eye Resort

OCEAN CITY - Some of the top names in professional beach volleyball will be in town this weekend for the AVP Crocs Tour Ocean City Open. The tournament is set to take place June 19-21 on the beach in Ocean City. The world's best beach volleyball players, including 2008 Olympic gold medalists Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers, will take to the sand to see who reigns supreme.   Tickets are available at www.avp.com. Friday's Main Draw session is now free to the public, while Saturday and...READ MORE

June 16-Parole Violation Puts Killer Back In Jail

SNOW HILL - The perpetrator of one of the most heinous crimes in Ocean City history, Jermaine Wright, released a little over a year ago after serving just seven years of an amended 15-year sentence, is going back to jail for a long time after a violation of probation hearing last week that resulted in a new 25-year sentence. Wright was arrested last May on theft and theft conspiracy charges after getting caught stealing scrap metal from Reynolds Excavating in Eden. The arrest came just four...READ MORE

June 15-First-Ever OC Beachfest On Tap This Weekend

OCEAN CITY - Local residents and visitors to the resort area are encouraged to get off the couch and get active this weekend with the arrival of the first-ever, city-wide Ocean City Beachfest, a three-day festival of competition on land and in the water along with music, food, vendors and other activities. Inspired by the popular X-Games, the first-ever Ocean City Beachfest gets underway with a few events and activities on Friday and will continue throughout the weekend at various venues and...READ MORE

June 12-Carbon Monoxide Scare Evacuates Hotel

Staff Writer OCEAN CITY - Police and fire investigators are busy this morning trying to determine the source of a carbon monoxide leak that evacuated a downtown resort hotel last night. On Thursday, June 11, at approximately 9:40 p.m., Ocean City Communications received a call for six 'ill' people in a hotel room at the El Capitan on 4th Street and the Boardwalk. Upon arrival, Ocean City EMS personnel detected high levels of carbon monoxide in the building and immediately requested additional...READ MORE

Faces in Places

A Spotlight on the Local and Regional Bar and Restaurant Scene ...READ MORE

Victim Stabbed During Fight

OCEAN CITY - A Pennsylvania man was arrested on assault and reckless endangerment charges last weekend after stabbing another man during a fight.  Last Friday, Ocean City police were called to the area of 26th Street and Judlee Avenue for a reported stabbing. According to witnesses in the area, the victim was stabbed during a fight with an unidentified suspect. However, the victim was able to provide investigators with a description of the suspect as well as other information that led...READ MORE

Ocean City Eyes Taser Ban

OCEAN CITY - Fearing that electronic Tasers would start showing up on the Boardwalk or throughout the resort, the City Council moved forward a new ordinance prohibiting the sale or possession of such devices. Maryland lawmakers passed legislation this year that would allow the sale of electronic devices, such as Tasers, to anyone over the age of 18, who took the necessary steps in acquiring the device. Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette DiPino said that to acquire a Taser, all people must do is...READ MORE

Who's Playing When and Where Musically Speaking

Angler Restaurant 410-289-7424 , Talbot St. & The Bay Friday, June 12-Sunday, June 14: Roger Hernandez Every Sunday: Dock Party with DJ Mike C Buxy's Salty Dog 410-289-0973 , 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Every Friday: DJ Wood Saturday, June 13: Under The Outhouse Every Sunday: Locals' Party with DJ BK Thursday, June 18: DJ Wax CaribBean bar & grill 410-289-0837 , Just off the Boards on 2nd St. Friday, June 12: Dave Sherman, 1-5 p.m.; Pompous Pie Duo, 7:30-11:30 p.m....READ MORE

Thoughts from the Publisher's Desk

Worcester is the wealthiest county in Maryland. Those of us who call this county home understand this is a ridiculous claim. The unfortunate aspect is that's how the state views it. That's why the county has to fork over so much money for education, and it could be why taxes will soon be going up for county property owners. This needs to be a concern for all of us because the antiquated and inaccurate formula the state uses to calculate jurisdictional wealth will not be changing anytime soon....READ MORE

Figures Help Shed Light On OC Business

A lot has been said in recent weeks about the true indicators of business success or failure in Ocean City. Some have taken exception to the public relations spin being put recently on demoflush crowd estimates, which reported more people visited Ocean City in the month of May than ever before. It has been argued while it may be possible weekend crowds have impressed, visitors are not spending as much when they are here. We find demoflush to be a useful tool in comparing visitor numbers, so long...READ MORE

Voices From The Readers

Being Realistic In Gauging OC Tourism Editor: Ocean City Chamber of Commerce President-Elect John Gehrig's recent comments on measuring the health of the Ocean City tourism economy, as reported by The Dispatch ('Officials Realistic Despite May Crowd Record,' June 5), were right on target. It is truly encouraging to see a stakeholder of our town's only industry speak so pointedly about the mistake of portraying population estimates as being viable indicators of economic health. The Demoflush...READ MORE

13th Mako Mania in the Books

OCEAN CITY- The 13th Annual Mako Mania shark tournament last weekend was the big success with hundreds of sharks caught and released and dozens more weighed at the scales at host Bahia Marina. Sharks turned up in great numbers in the waters off the coast of Ocean City last weekend, just in time for Mako Mania, the first major event of the summer tournament season in the resort. A total of 46 boats and 206 anglers participated in the annual kick-off event and many were awarded cash prizes for...READ MORE

Live Meet Opens At Ocean Downs

BERLIN- Live racing returns to Ocean Downs for the 61st year tomorrow night for the first night of what will be a 40-night live meet at the historic harness racing track near Berlin. The 40-day summer live meet at Ocean Downs will feature 10 races nightly with the first post-time each night at 7:35 p.m. The season begins tomorrow night, Saturday, June 13, and continues on Sunday, June 14. Live racing returns next Saturday and Sunday before the regular schedule begins the following week....READ MORE

OC Shark Tournament Returns Next Week

OCEAN CITY- The 29th Annual Ocean City Shark Tournament gets underway next week, and with the action off the coast of the resort suddenly heating up, there should be no shortage of action at the docks. Hundreds of offshore anglers will chug out to the canyons off the coast next week in search of sharks of all species and sizes. The start to the offshore season has been a little tepid thus far, but the fishing should be good for the annual Ocean City Shark Tournament, which is always one of the...READ MORE

Seahawks Sweep Post-Season Awards

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's varsity baseball practically swept the Bayside South post-season honors when the awards were announced this week with a co-Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year and Coach of the Year. Seahawk senior centerfielder Paul Stortini was named co-Player of the year along with Parkside High's Seth Illian. Stortini was a force all year at the plate, batting a whopping .540 with three home runs. While he was an integral part of the middle of the line-up for Decatur, Stortini...READ MORE

Winners From OC Men's Open Tennis Tourney

Players from all over the mid-Atlantic region participated last week in the 2009 Ocean City Men's Open Tennis Tournament with matches all weekend at the Ocean City Tennis Center on 61st Street. Dexter McBride (above, right) won the men's open division, with Jeremy Loomis (above, left) the runner-up. Virginia's Thomas Quesenbery won the men's 50 and over division, while Fred Thomas was the runner-up. Submitted photo ...READ MORE

Lax Club Among Top in the Country

OCEAN CITY- In only three years the Greene Turtle Girls Lacrosse Club has established its place among the top girls lacrosse club programs in the country.  Nineteen out of 21 players from this year's graduating 2009 team are going on to play lacrosse in college.  The college recruitment process for women's lacrosse has changed dramatically over the past seven years, with virtually all college coaches utilizing the club tournament circuit as their primary source for watching potential...READ MORE

Friday, June 12--Firemen Arrive In OC This Weekend

OCEAN CITY - The Maryland State Firemen's Association comes to town June 13-19 for their annual convention. Once again, the convention will include a parade down Baltimore Avenue. This year's parade will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 17. Downtown traffic patterns will be affected as follows: Beginning at noon on the day of the parade, traffic entering Ocean City via the Route 50 bridge will be directed to one of two routes. Vehicles crossing the bridge in the left-hand lane will turn left...READ MORE

Friday, June 12--Mayor Decides Berlin Budget

BERLIN - A budget smaller than the previous year would seem to be an easy sell, but one Berlin elected official felt the reduction did not go far enough and proposed that staff salary increases be eliminated at the last minute. 'I don't mean to be the naysayer or the pessimist,' said Berlin Councilwoman Paula Lynch. 'I am a realist•€¦I find it difficult to accept a budget with a 3-percent increase for all salaries.' Lynch suggested delaying the budget by two weeks, reducing the increase to...READ MORE

Friday, June 12--OC Fine With Volleyball Tourney Giving Away Booze

OCEAN CITY - The City Council will watch the professional volleyball tournament with crossed fingers next weekend, in hopes that the event will make waves for what's happening on the court, rather than what's going on behind the proverbial curtain. The AVP Crocs Pro Volleyball tournament, expected to bring national television coverage, gold medal winning athletes, along with six tractor trailer trucks carrying a makeshift beach stadium, will be allowed to provide its corporate sponsors with some...READ MORE

Friday, June 12--State Okays Protecting 228 Acres Of Waterfront Land

BERLIN - State officials announced last week the approval of a conservation easement on a vast tract of land in Worcester fronting the Chincoteague Bay considered a lynchpin property of sorts, connecting a much larger area of the county now permanently protected. Gov. Martin O'Malley announced the state's Board of Public Works had approved a perpetual conservation easement on the 228-acre Phillips Farm along the Chincoteague Bay south of Public Landing through the Rural Legacy Program, which...READ MORE

ACT Files Challenge To County Closed Meeting

BERLIN - The Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT) will challenge a controversial closed meeting held by Worcester County elected officials last month by lodging an official complaint with the Maryland Open Meetings Act Compliance Board next week. 'We're definitely filing,' said ACT Executive Director and Coastkeeper Kathy Phillips. 'What we're going to be challenging is not the decision regarding individual employees but any decision that took place regarding the consolidation of...READ MORE

County Confirms 4 Students Test Positive For H1N1

BERLIN - Health officials this week confirmed four Worcester County Public School students have been diagnosed with Influenza A H1N1 (swine flu), bringing the total number of confirmed cases to six in the county. Late last week, the Worcester County Health Department and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced the first two confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus in adults in the county. This week, health officials announced four county public school students had been officially...READ MORE

Downtown Club Conflicts Lead To Fights, Arrests

OCEAN CITY - For the second time in two weeks, Ocean City police had to handle a late-night riot of sorts on the Boardwalk at the south end of town, but the latest incident was more a series of smaller battles than the full-scale brawl that preceded it on Memorial Day weekend. Last Saturday, police made 16 arrests during a fight that started to simmer at a downtown underage nightclub and escalated throughout the evening before ending about three hours later a couple of blocks from where it...READ MORE

More Questions Surface Over Ad Agency Process

OCEAN CITY - As the town starts to create the Request for Proposal (RFP) for a new advertising agency, some possible troubles are surfacing that could effect the next campaign because of the timing of the ongoing process. The City Council last month went against the tourism commission's recommendation to extend MGH Advertising's contract, which expires July 1, for 15 months, opting rather to extend it to the end of the year. The council asked Assistant Tourism Director Deb Travers to formulate...READ MORE

OC Basking In Media Spotlight

OCEAN CITY - Locals in Ocean City may not understand what all the fuss about Rodney the Lifeguard is about, but he's already creating quite a buzz off the island and as hoped, for the island. Ocean City Public Relations Director Donna Abbott has been fielding numerous press inquiries from both regional and national news organizations about the town's new mascot of sorts, and coupled with the 'value' angle that the various media outlets are hoping to showcase this season, Ocean City has been...READ MORE

Armed Robbery Suspects Sought

OCEAN CITY - Three masked gunmen remained at large in the resort area as of late yesterday after an armed robbery at a downtown hotel early Thursday morning. Around 5:45 a.m. yesterday morning, Ocean City police responded to the Americana Hotel downtown for a reported armed robbery. Hotel employees told police around 5 a.m., three masked individuals brandishing handguns entered the lobby and stole money and property from the hotel and the desk clerk. The suspects then fled from the hotel in an...READ MORE

Arson Plea Leads To 18-Month Sentence

SNOW HILL - A Delaware man, who attempted to get back in the good graces of his fiancé by lighting her parents' Bishopville home on fire, pleaded guilty this week to one count of first-degree arson and was sentenced to six years in jail with all but 18 months suspended. Brent Phillip Wright, 22, of Bridgeville, Del., was also fined $500, placed on probation for three years upon his release and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution to the victim. As a condition of his plea arrangement, several...READ MORE

Berlin Customers See Electric Changes

BERLIN - Beginning with the current electric bill, town of Berlin electric customers will see a $1.50 credit every month as part of a greenhouse gas reduction reward. Each electric account will save $18 a year through the greenhouse gas program. Town of Berlin electric customers have also been enjoying lower rates since April after the town entered a new power supply contract with Florida Power and Light (FPL). The contract offered a low introductory rate for the first two months of 15 cents per...READ MORE

Berlin Eyes Green Boundary To Control Growth

BERLIN - The green belt talked about for Berlin in recent discussions of the draft comprehensive plan is more properly about creating a permanent boundary line for outward town growth, town elected officials agreed Wednesday night. The Berlin Mayor and Council met with the Berlin Planning Commission Wednesday night to discuss some concerns the commission had over the direction of some elements of the draft comprehensive plan. Town citizens have made it clear that they want limits on town growth...READ MORE

Berlin To Host 21st Village Fair Weekend

BERILN - The 21st Berlin Village Fair will highlight what should be a busy weekend of events June 12-13 along Main Street. Business people of the greater Berlin area want to issue the public a challenge - come vie for the crown in the town's bathtub races on Saturday, June 13, as part of the annual Village Fair, which begins at 9 a.m. and runs till 4 p.m. The races will start about 3 p.m. and one team will receive the bragging rights for a year of being the winner. Jessie Turner from the Shoe...READ MORE

Coastal Bays Scores C+ On Health Report Card

BERLIN - The C+ grade assigned to the coastal bays watershed overall shows the waterways are at the top end of moderate health, but fall short of good health, according to the 2008 report card. 'It's not a total disaster but there's a lot of room for improvement in the watershed,' said Dave Wilson, director of the Maryland Coastal Bays Program. 'There's a lot to work on,' said Dr. Jana Davis, chief scientist of the Chesapeake Bay Trust. The coastal bays were scored on water quality elements:...READ MORE

OC Fishing Show, Marlin Open Get Resort Funding

OCEAN CITY - The tourism commission decided last week to invest in the fishing industry for this year, in hopes of piggybacking on the attention garnered by the sport to promote the resort. The commission voted unanimously to grant $25,000 to the 'Hooked on OC' program, which has national coverage with the Sportsman's Network, and $5,000 to the White Marlin Open. 'Hooked on OC' creators Dave Messick and Scott Lennox came before the commission to ask for the town's continued partnership, citing...READ MORE

Ocean City News In Brief

OCEAN CITY - This week, the old adage is true that when one thing starts, another must come to an end. So, as the City Council gave the nod for a new eco-tourism business, it also gave the blessing to demolish a downtown building that some politely call an 'eyesore', while others think a 'safety hazard' is a better description. Kayak Venture Approved;Zoning Questions Raised Public Works Director Hal Adkins has been quietly trying to get a new activity that will draw people to the Ocean City...READ MORE

Restaurateur Hooks Season's First White Marlin

OCEAN CITY - The offshore fishing season in the waters around the resort area has been growing increasingly hotter over the last few weeks with sharks of all species and sizes turning up and tuna and dolphin plentiful, but the missing piece to the puzzle until Wednesday was the appearance of the first white marlin. Local angler and restaurateur Terry Layton, fishing aboard the 'Nontypical' with Captain Jim Hughes, caught and released the first white marlin of the season on Wednesday. The 69-inch...READ MORE

Suspect Charged In Double Stabbing

OCEAN CITY - Two people were stabbed this week during a fight in a downtown parking lot late Monday night. Just before midnight on Monday, a private citizen informed Ocean City police there was a fight in progress in the parking lot at 7 Atlantic Ave. As officers approached the area of the reported fight, they learned two individuals had been stabbed and the suspect had fled on foot. The suspect, later identified as Randy Lopez-Medina, 23, of Grasonville, Md., was able to elude OCPD officers...READ MORE

Three Arrested In Latest Berlin Crime Initiative

BERLIN - Making good on a promise made to residents of troubled neighborhoods on the east side of Berlin, Worcester County State's Attorney Joel Todd said last week three arrests have been made in the first battle of a declared war on open-air drug dealing in the community. In late May, Todd hosted a community meeting of sorts in the Multi-Purpose Building in Flower Street to announce a multi-pronged effort to rid the communities on Berlin's east side from the rampant drug dealing that has been...READ MORE

Two Pedestrians Injured In OC

OCEAN CITY - Further evidence of the dangerous mix of traffic and thousands of pedestrians on Coastal Highway during the busy season manifested itself last weekend with two serious accidents involving pedestrians, including one struck by a teen drunk driver, in the span of about nine hours on Sunday. It began around 2:25 a.m. last Sunday when a 44-year-old man attempting to cross Coastal Highway at 60th Street was struck by a 2008 Nissan Altima driven by an 18-year-old man, later identified as...READ MORE

Fatherhood Adventures

I had a little experience with the 'be careful what you wish for' phrase last week. A year ago, as I held my newborn in my arms, I often wondered how my little boy would grow and change over the months ahead. There were certain early traits that led me to think of him as a tough, laidback kid. I understand you cannot mold your own kid's persona, but my wife and I often talked about how he seems to have a happy, go-lucky little brute-like personality. Looking back, all the indicators were there,...READ MORE

Revisit Retirement Plans Now

OCEAN CITY - Faced with declining portfolios and ongoing market volatility, many people nearing retirement have been forced to rethink their plans. Some are making adjustments to their lifestyles, while others are considering working longer than they had expected. According to a study by the Spectrem Group completed in November 2008, as many as 20% of the most affluent investors surveyed felt that they had been forced to put off their retirements indefinitely. The good news is, there are...READ MORE

Scenes From the SDHS Women's Lax Awards Banquet

Members of the junior varsity and varsity Stephen Decatur women's lacrosse team are pictured during the end-of-the-year awards banquet. Pictured, from left, are Kristen Miller, Lauren Holloway, Paxton Mitchell, Madison Carmody, Leigh Anne Flounlacker, Sarah Wootten, Nikki Carpenter, Erica Adams, Anne Winters, Jenna Kramer, Catherine Winters and Liana Dodson ...READ MORE

OC Elementary Holds Annual Field Day

First grade students from Barbara Porter's first grade class at Ocean City Elementary School are pictured enjoying Field Day on June 1. Pictured, front from left, are Logan Hill, Lassen Schneider, Jacob Feldman, Marianna Barr, Ben Wilkins, Delaney Williams and Abby Yesko; and back, Miles Thompson, Bridget Buxbaum, Jamey Gannon, Josselyne Maza-Chavez, Michael Kerns, Sarah Engle, Ross Quilter and William Melgar-Mejia. ...READ MORE

BIS Honors Students on the Honor Roll

Berlin Intermediate School honored all students who were members of the Honor Roll, carrying a 3.25 average, and Principal's List, 4.0 average, at the Honors Celebration held recently. Pictured are members of the Rip Tide Lacrosse team who also all received honors recognition. Back row are Matt Krall, Craig Snyder, Matt Lecompte and Jake Lathroum. Front are Corey Gwin, T.J. Scafone, Evan Heim and Shane Moore ...READ MORE

Coastal Lax Club Completes First Season and Makes Gracious Donation

After finishing its inaugural season, Coastal Lacrosse Club confirmed its commitment to the community by donating $200 to the Berlin Intermediate School physical education department. The school graciously allowed the Coastal Lacrosse Club to use its fields for practice throughout the season. The donation will be used to purchase much needed equipment in this time of budget cuts. Presenting the check to Mrs. Johnson, physical education teacher, are Jeanene Gwin, Craig Snyder, Allie...READ MORE

Bookworm Club Encourages Students to Partake in Summer Reading

The Worcester County Commission for Women and students from the Stephen Decatur High School Connections Club presented books to students at Ocean City Elementary School as part of the McGuffey Bookworm Club, which is sponsored by the Worcester County Commission for Women and is designed to encourage summer reading. Ocean City Chief Bernadette DiPino was also present to assist students in taking the McGuffey Bookworm Club Pledge. Pictured above are Sabrina Berkeridge, Lindsey Miller, Justice...READ MORE

Fishing In OC

The fishing this week in Ocean City is starting to improve daily with the Route 50 Bridge producing keeper stripers at night. The Oceanic Pier has a hot bite of blues and shad , 2nd to 4th streets bulk head is giving anglers, tog, trigger fish and keeper flounder. The South and North Jetties are bending rods with sheephead tog, and stripers in the 40-inch-plus range. The east channel, Harbor Island and the airport are giving flounder fishermen nice limits of keepers. Offshore anglers are...READ MORE

We Remember Those We Have Lost

Joseph J. Lorditch, Jr. WESTMINSTER - Joseph J. Lorditch, Jr., 78, formerly of Ocean City, died Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at the Carroll Hospice-Dove House in Westminster. Born April 20, 1931, he was the son of the late Joseph James Sr. and Agnes A. Kohler Lorditch. He was the husband of Shirley A. Tutwiler Lorditch of 59 years. He was retired from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. He enjoyed spending time with his wife and children, boating, scuba diving and the beach. He...READ MORE

50 Year Anniversary for Worcester County Garden Club

This year marks the 50-year anniversary of the Worcester County Garden Club. In addition, it's the 25-year anniversary of the Mary Ann Royal Award, which was given this year to Marion Novack. Standing is the daughter of the founder of the Mary Ann Royal Award, Norma Polk Miles. The award presentation took place at the club's annual plant auction in May. ...READ MORE

Teen Volunteer Honored by AGH

Student volunteer Rosa Navarra was recently honored as the 2008 Teen Volunteer of the Year for her volunteer services to Atlantic General Hospital. She volunteered a total of 68.75 hours in 2008 between the Medical Records office and the Atlantic General Hospital Thrift Shop. Pictured, from left, are Joan Schaefer, Auxiliary president; Lou Taylor, principal of Stephen Decatur High School; Navarra; Roland Murray past teen volunteer coordinator; Karen Heim, current teen volunteer coordinator; and...READ MORE

OP Skate Park Gets Donation

OP Skate Park Committee member Marie Gilmore, left, accepts a $300 donation from Jean Louis of the Ocean Pines Sanctioned Bridge Club. The Ocean Pines Association plans to have a ribbon cutting and opening of the skate park on Saturday, June 13 at 10 a.m. All skaters must be registered with the Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks Department before using the park. ...READ MORE

Wicomico High Career Skills Class Donates to Diakonia

Wicomico High Career Skills Class shows off its donation to Diakonia. The class made more than $200 from a bake sale. Teachers pictured are Missy McLaughlin and Anne Hahn on the left and Jill Manning on the right. Students, from left, are Samantha, Michael, Lincoln, Ronnie, Julius, Derrell, Martha and Asia. ...READ MORE

Snow Hill Senior Receives First Ever Memorial Scholarship

Celina Scott, a graduate in the 2009 class at Snow Hill High School, became the first recipient of the Jesse Klump Memorial Scholarship at Graduate Awards Night at Snow Hill High School. The $1,000 scholarship was presented to her by the Klump family. Scott plans to attend the University of Tennessee in the fall to study music education. The fund was established following the tragic suicide of Scott's classmate, Jesse Klump. Pictured, from left, are Kraus, band director at Snow Hill High, Leah...READ MORE

My Thoughts

It stormed the other night, and the next day the old guy did what he usually does. Once all the thunder, rain and lightning are gone, he walks around and surveys the property to see if any old tree branches lost their way or if there was anything else astray. Underneath one tree branch was an upside down bird's nest. Insider's worst fears were confirmed. These little guys never stood a chance. They probably only needed another week or so before they would have been ready to take on the world. It...READ MORE

A Week In Business

Prudential Agents Earn Certification OCEAN CITY - Prudential Carruthers has announced that Joy Snyder and Marilyn Bushnell, agents in the 75th Street office, recently reiceved Resort and Second-Home Property Specialist certification. Introduced in January 2006, the Resort and Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS) Certification is a nationally-recognized certification awarded by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) to real estate professionals who wish to demonstrate and promote their...READ MORE

Things I Like

Looking up through a tree to a blue sky 'The Reader' Relief an umbrella brings on a sunny day Watching my son pound his sippie cup CBS Sunday Morning The OC Air Show Heading to Assateague via Route 346 A morning fog that burns off quickly The sound a ukulele makes Scanning the strange headlines at the end of the grocery store aisles Finding money in a pocket ...READ MORE

People in Society

See Your Neighbors Photographed Throughout the Community ...READ MORE

What's Your Sign

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): Things that usually come easily and quickly for the Aries Lamb might need more of your time and attention during the next several days. Try to be patient as you work things out. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): A changing situation can create some complications. But if you apply that sensible Bovine mind to what seems to be a hopeless tangle of confusion, you'll soon sort things out. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Creating a new look for your surroundings is fun. Expect to...READ MORE