March 12, 2010

Faces in Places

A spotlight on the local and regional bar and restaurant scene ...READ MORE

Fatherhood Adventures

The baby of the house seems to have discovered his voice. This revelation has made life a little more frenzied of late because the sounds that come from Carson, now 4 months young, are quite unique. This is sensitive territory to chart here, but the fact is his first sounds are different than any I have ever heard from a baby. As his parents, we naturally marveled over the first sounds he made other than crying a couple months ago. However, it's been interesting to observe as he babbles more and...READ MORE

Arrested Twice In 12 Hours

BERLIN - A Berlin man was arrested on drunk driving charges twice within 12 hours this week after police discovered his vehicle missing five minutes after he was released on the first arrest. Around 2:43 a.m. last Sunday, Berlin Police on routine patrol in the area of Route 113 and Branch Street observed a vehicle weave wildly into another lane. Berlin Police conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle and noted the driver, identified as Wayne Davis, Jr., 24, of Berlin, had an odor of alcohol on his...READ MORE

We Remember Those We Have Lost

Caitlin Stephens Laird  BERLIN - Caitlin Stephens Laird, 25, died March 6, 2010 at Atlantic General Hospital. Born in Salisbury, she is the daughter of Bain W. Laird and Amy Hall Laird. She is survived by her brother, Nathan B. Laird and his wife Tamara. She is also survived by the Hall family of Ocean City, the Anthenelli family of Salisbury, the Clipp family of Catonsville, the Harrison family of Ocean City, the Laird family of Harper's Ferry W.Va, the Jaeger family of Ocean City, and...READ MORE

Rodney To Dominate OC Ads This Summer

OCEAN CITY •€' If you think people saw a lot of Rodney the Lifeguard last summer, just wait until this summer. MGH Advertising outlined the upcoming season's advertising campaign to the Tourism Commission last week and their plans to make the town's official mascot bigger and better in hopes of drawing more people than ever to Ocean City. 'We are very excited about this year's campaign, and our plan is to take Rodney to a whole new level,' said MGH President Andy Malis. 'We are going to...READ MORE

Thoughts From The Publisher's Desk

Through the first two months of 2010, there are good signs in the area real estate market. Surely, there's not a lot to be jumping for joy about, but there seems to be no disputing optimism can be found in the numbers. The overall picture seems to be improving, as inventory appears to be heading down, while contracts and settlements have increased so far this year. Here's a recap of a few reports generated by the Coastal Association of Realtors: -- For all of Worcester, settlements increased 42...READ MORE

Voices From The Readers

Massive Tax Increases Likely After Election Editor: I spent all day in Annapolis on March 3 with Americans for Prosperity, a grassroots group consisting of level headed, informed people from all walks of life. We were there to express our concerns about Senate Bill 141, which involves Governor O'Malley's budget and the out of control spending that it entails. Maryland faces an $8.4 billion structural deficit and this bill proposes that $1 billion be taken from funds such as the Transportation...READ MORE

Tolerance On Guns, Booze Not Required

Ocean City is right to pursue a zero-tolerance approach to the issue of off-duty police officers carrying a gun and having a drink or two. The issue surfaced back in January as part of a number of General Orders that must meet the Mayor and Council's approval. On most occasions, these rule changes sweep through City Hall with to no fanfare because they are boring. Typically, most on the council have little to nothing to say about these alterations in police code. This particular General Order is...READ MORE

Friday, March 12--12 Years For Man In Rape, Drugs Case

SNOW HILL - A Berlin man arrested last March on several drug and sex offense charges, after resort police found he and another woman spent an hour attempting to hide or destroy narcotics before calling 911 for a victim who nearly died from an overdose, was found guilty on several counts last week in Circuit Court and was sentenced to a combined 12 years in jail. Ronald Richard Baker II, 23, of Berlin, appeared in Circuit Court last Friday to face 10 total charges from second-degree rape and...READ MORE

Friday, March 12--County Teachers Eye Award

NEWARK - Fourteen Worcester County Public School teachers are being honored as their school's 2010 Teacher of the Year, and one will be recognized as the county's top teacher. 'The Teacher of the Year program, now in its 23rd year, is designed to focus community attention on teaching excellence, recognizing teachers who exemplify the highest of teaching standards and who have earned the respect of students, parents, colleagues, and administrators,' explained Teacher of the Year Coordinator...READ MORE

Friday, March 12--National Program Aids Search

FENWICK ISLAND, Del. - One week after hundreds turned out at a north Ocean City church for a fundraising benefit for Greg Forte, a Selbyville, Del. man who went missing in Fenwick Island on Feb. 9, the case has gone national with the popular America's Most Wanted program joining the effort to find him. Gregory R. Forte, 29, of Selbyville, was last seen at a small gathering of about eight people in a condominium on South Carolina Ave. in Fenwick. When he did not return home the following day,...READ MORE

Friday, March 12--Racetrack Names Slots Executive To Manage Operation

BERLIN - Ocean Downs officials this week announced a new general manager has been appointed to oversee slots operations at the historic racetrack near Berlin, but it remains uncertain just when the facility will be ready for business. Ocean Enterprise 589 LLC, the licensee of the slots casino project at Ocean Downs, announced this week Joe Cavilla, a seasoned casino industry executive with over 25 years of experience, has been appointed general manager of the new slots operation under...READ MORE

County Seeks Resort's Tourism Funds

SNOW HILL - A quarter of a million dollars earmarked for Ocean City Tourism should be directed to Worcester County marketing's efforts, Tourism Director Lisa Challenger said Tuesday, to benefit towns and businesses outside the resort. Challenger requested the change during a Worcester County Commissioners work session Tuesday in which many of the county government departments made their budget requests for the next fiscal year. Ocean City, in addition to funding from the room tax, receives...READ MORE

Polls Say Most Marylanders Support Alcohol Tax Hike

BERLIN - With the release two polls suggesting a great majority of the residents of Maryland support a proposed 'dime a drink' hike, a proposed alcohol tax increase appears to be gaining some momentum in Annapolis, but the measure is still fiercely opposed by business owners in the hospitality-rich resort area. The results of a National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of Maryland poll released this week suggest 72 percent of Marylanders support a proposed tax increase on alcohol,...READ MORE

Taxi Medallion On Web For Sale

OCEAN CITY •€' It certainly didn't take long, but it also didn't surprise anyone. Just one day after the town sold all 175 taxi medallions last week at $1,500 a pop, one found its way to the web on the popular site Craigslist for $2,000. The ad pitches the medallion as 'a once in a lifetime opportunity to start a taxi business in Ocean City', and was essentially targeted to the handful of people who left City Hall empty handed on March 1, saying 'if you missed out of getting a medallion, I...READ MORE

Texas Teen Extradited To Face Murder Charges In 2007 Case

SNOW HILL - A Texas man is behind bars in Worcester County this week, charged with first-degree murder in the death of Christine Marie Sheddy, a Delaware woman reported missing in Pocomoke in November 2007. Justin Michael Hadel, 19, of College Station, Texas, was extradited to Worcester County this week to face first-degree murder and other charges related to the death of Sheddy, whose remains were uncovered on the grounds of a Snow Hill bed and breakfast on Feb. 19. Hadel appeared in District...READ MORE

Zero-Tolerance Policy Approved For Guns, Booze

OCEAN CITY •€' After weeks of debate, the safest number concerning alcohol, guns and off-duty public safety officials in the eyes of the Police Commission is apparently zero. The Police Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday to instill a zero-tolerance policy to the final section of the new Ocean City Police Department General Order guidelines (200-B2), which will simply mean that off-duty officers will not be permitted to carry a weapon if they have any trace of alcohol in their...READ MORE

Berlin Aims To Follow Md. Standards With Election Laws

BERLIN - As part of an ongoing effort to clean up the Berlin town code and modernize its provisions, some minor changes to Berlin's election laws were introduced this week at Monday night's Mayor and Council meeting. The Berlin Board of Election Supervisors recommended making the changes after reviewing the election laws already on the town books. 'The primary purpose for all these ordinances and resolutions is to modernize the language. In some cases, Berlin's established code uses terms that...READ MORE

Berlin Comp Plan Heads To Council

BERLIN - After years of prep work, the draft of the new Berlin Comprehensive Plan has been given a favorable recommendation by the Berlin Planning Commission. The commission, which met Wednesday night, agreed that the draft comprehensive plan should be sent on to the Berlin Mayor and Council for the next step in the approval process. The state's Maryland Department of Planning reviewed the draft comprehensive plan this fall for comment. Changes related to those comments have been made, said...READ MORE

Berlin Stormwater Change Dependent On State Vote

BERLIN - A new Berlin stormwater ordinance emphasizing the preservation of natural run-off patterns is slated for approval by the town in the next few weeks. The new stormwater approach has been mandated by the Maryland Stormwater Management Act of 2007, which calls for the use of Environmental Site Design (ESD) 'to the maximum extent practicable.' ESD is an approach using nonstructural stormwater management and site design, 'to mimic natural hydrological runoff characteristics and minimize the...READ MORE

County Wants More Private Meeting Rights

SNOW HILL - If legislation to be considered Tuesday passes, county elected officials will legally be able to eliminate or consolidate county departments behind closed doors, as they did in late May when they decided in closed session to fold three departments into one and lay off 11 employees. The proposed law has sparked community concern. 'Good government equals open government, transparency,' said Joe Fehrer, board member and past president of Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT). 'The fact the...READ MORE

Dorchester Murder Trial Opens In County

SNOW HILL - Testimony began in Circuit Court this week in a high-profile murder case from Cambridge dating back to 2004, which was moved to Worcester last year after the state's Court of Special Appeals overturned a conviction and life sentence in 2006 and granted the defendant a new trial. After some pre-trial motions were dispensed with, including issues with victim photographs, DNA evidence and witness testimony, the first-degree murder trial for Richard Lavonte Blanks, 42, of Cambridge,...READ MORE

Experiment To Nix Trash Bins For Three-Block Project Rejected

OCEAN CITY •€' The City Council shot down two new ideas last Monday aimed at furthering efforts in cleaning up Ocean City's beaches, arguing the ideas could have the reverse effect. The local chapter of the Surfrider Foundation has been credited over the past five years as coming up with and executing one of the best slogans for keeping the local beaches clean with the now infamous 'Please Leave Only Your Footprints' campaign. The campaign had humble beginnings as it was created in the...READ MORE

Mayor Would Veto Further Expansion Of Biking Hours

OCEAN CITY •€' Despite extending hours for bicycles to be permitted on the Boardwalk this summer until 11 a.m., the City Council had to deal with yet another conflict concerning bikes and the Boardwalk tram, albeit a small one. City Manager Dennis Dare noticed a potential conflict when the council recently passed an amendment to an ordinance allowing bicycles to operate on the Boardwalk up until 11 a.m. during the summer months and brought that concern before the Mayor and City Council at...READ MORE

Ocean City News In Brief

OCEAN CITY •€' In the brief this week, the town continued its rightsizing efforts, the police department announced it's getting ready to turn on a new 'red light' and an emergency response training session was announced. Departments Restructured Several town departments are about to get a little more crowded as City Hall announced this week that a handful of town departments were being restructured and reorganized in the name of 'right sizing.' The Building Inspections division, which...READ MORE

Questions Raised On Limits Of Energy Assistance Program

BERLIN - Berlin's energy efficiency improvement help program needs more time before the Berlin Mayor and Council is comfortable adding the replacement of old appliances and systems with more energy efficient models to the list of items eligible for reimbursement. The energy audit credit program offers money to homeowners who make repairs or improvements based on energy audits of their homes. Home improvements and materials costing up to $500 qualify for a credit of 50 percent of the amount...READ MORE

Successful Weekend For OC Trade Show, Job Fair

OCEAN CITY •€' Despite unemployment numbers and economic conditions as tumultuous as most can remember, the turnout for two annual events was something organizers will not soon forget. The Roland E. Powell Convention Center was packed with thousands of people last weekend as the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association's (OCHRMA) Annual Trade Show and the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce's Job Fair welcomed literally thousands of people, vendors and exhibitors. Organizers for both events...READ MORE

Town Of Berlin Notebook

BERLIN - The Berlin Mayor and Council discussed several topics briefly at the March 8 meeting, including the town's new official dessert, a new finance director, commercial recycling in town, sinkholes in town streets and the potential for eco-tourism related manufacturing in Berlin's warehouse spaces. -- As of Monday night, Berlin's official dessert is the Original Peach Dumpling. The council voted unanimously to anoint the dessert as its official sweet treat. The Original Peach Dumpling is the...READ MORE

Wallops Rocket Launch Delayed

BERLIN - Showers and fog early yesterday morning forced NASA officials to scrub the latest significant rocket launch from nearby Wallops, a 30-foot Terrier-Malemute sounding rocket with experimental satellites from different universities around the country attached. For several hours early yesterday, it appeared inclement weather would hold off long enough for NASA's Terrier-Malemute rocket launch at Wallops, which was expected to be visible throughout the mid-Atlantic including the coastal...READ MORE

Who's Playing When and Where Musically Speaking

Buxy's Salty Dog 410-289-0973 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, March 12: Aaron 'Go Braugh' Howell Band Saturday, March 13: DJ O'BK, 3 p.m. Carousel Resort Hotel & Condominiums 410-524-1000 On the beach, 118th St. Every Friday: DJ Rupe, 7-9 p.m. Clarion Hotel 410-524-3535 10100 Coastal Hwy.  Ocean Club: Friday, March 12 & Saturday, March 13: Power Play Dr.Unks Bar & Grille 410-213-7775 , 9636 Stephen Decatur Hwy., West Ocean City Friday, March 12: Blake Haley Saturday,...READ MORE

Seahawks Eye State Championship

The sign at Stephen Decatur High School this week urged the basketball team to continue its quest for a state championship. Photo By Shawn J. Soper ...READ MORE

Seahawks Roll to State Final Four

BERLIN- After an opening round rout and two tense overtime victories, the Stephen Decatur boys' varsity basketball team last weekend won the state Class 3A-East Region championship and earned to trip to the Final Four at the Comcast Center on the campus of the University of Maryland. Top-seeded Decatur cruised past visiting Howard, 71-47, in its first game of the tournament, but the sledding got a little rougher after that. In the region semifinal last Thursday, the Seahawks edged Mt. Hebron,...READ MORE

Coastal Lax U-13 Team Roster Set

The Coastal Lacrosse Club's boys' under-13 team's roster is set for the 2010 season. Pictured above, front row: Wyatt Bishop, Evan Heim, Matt Krall, and Frank Giampa. Pictured back row: Wyatt Richins, Conor May, Jake Lathroum, Parker Marshall, Staton Whaley, Julian Tomasello, Will Hastings, and Coach Scott Lathroum. Not pictured are Jack Hammond, Nate Ambercrombie and Jordan Gillis. Submitted photo ...READ MORE

Rommel's Claims Indoor Soccer Title

OCEAN CITY- Rommel's Ace Hardware captured its second straight Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department Adult Indoor Soccer League championship last week after battling back from the loser's bracket to beat Nick's House of Ribs twice. Defending champion Rommel's Ace beat Real Azteka, 12-4, and Surf Sessions, 9-8, in the first two rounds to set up a third round match-up with Nick's. However, Rommel's lost to Nick's, 3-2, was sent to the loser's bracket where it began a long trek back to the...READ MORE

St. Pat's Tourney Continues

OCEAN CITY- The Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department's annual St. Patrick's Tournament rolled on last weekend with teams from all over the east coast competing in the second weekend of action. As many as 1,500 spectators crammed into Northside Park throughout the weekend to watch the under-16 boys' and girls' and the under-12 boys' and girls' phase of the tournament, which was expanded this year to four weekends because of the popularity of the event. Tournament play continues this week...READ MORE

Mallards Hand Out Post Season Awards

BERLIN- Worcester Prep's boys' varsity basketball team closed out its season last week with a loss to rival Salisbury School in the conference tournament final, but there were plenty of accolades to go around for the Mallards. In its end of season awards, senior Justin Butler was named the team's Most Valuable Player, while senior Justin Pappas was named Most Improved. Sophomore Alex Ternahan was the recipient of the Coach's Award for the Mallards, who finished the season with a 9-8...READ MORE

People in Society

Snapshots of Those Who Lend A Hand Throughout the Community ...READ MORE

Snow Hill Students Donate Hundreds to Red Cross Relief Fund

Snow Hill Elementary School students recently donating over $300 to the Red Cross for the Haitian Relief Fund. Pictured with the donation containers are students Sammy Brown (second grade), Jacob Jones (kindergarten), Monaejah Dorsey (pre-kindergarten), Megan Hardy (first grade) and Maurice Hudson (third grade). Submitted Photos ...READ MORE

Worcester Prep Gymnast Meets Former Olympian

Worcester Preparatory School Level 7 gymnast Julia D'Antonio is pictured with Kerri Strug, a member of the 1996 women's Gold Medal Olympic team, and her father, Tony, director of College Counseling at the school. Strug was a guest of D'Antonio's gymnastics academy last month. ...READ MORE

Showell Kindergarteners Learn About Wintery Weather

Showell Elementary kindergarteners have been studying the winter weather and what they like to wear to keep warm. Mrs. Fell's class collected data on whether they preferred mittens or gloves. The gloves won by only one vote. Pictured, from left, are Khi Reid, Amalia Murphy, Sawyer Hudson, Kiersen Thorne, Courtney Fisher and Zoe Rayne. ...READ MORE

OC Elementary 4th Graders Create Native American Kachina Dolls

Fourth graders at Ocean City Elementary School worked on creating Native American Kachina Dolls in art class. Above, Matthew Davis shows off his final creation. ...READ MORE

Showell Elementary 3rd Grader Practices Counting Coins

Kailey Andrews, a third grade student at Showell Elementary, practices counting coins while having fun. By spinning a spinner, finding the correct coins and then counting she learned a lot about money and addition. ...READ MORE

Showell Elementary "Extreme Character Kids"

At Showell Elementary's Second Grade Celebration of Success on March 4, Guidance Counselor, Mr. Reid, recognized Extreme Character Kids. These are students who go above and beyond expected character gestures. With him are students Kyle Dancy, Adam Smith, Matthew Brown, Eric Gwin, David Calloway and Riley Harrell, Patra Turner, Alyssa Romano, Hanna Beck and Ellie Dutton. ...READ MORE

Snow Hill Students Celebrate Dr. Seuss' Birthday

Students in Mrs. Shockley-Lynch's class at Snow Hill Elementary School celebrated Dr Seuss's birthday with birthday cards and crazy hats. Pictured, first row, are Shadiamon Dale, Jenna Shockley and Lauren Smith; second row, Luke Condon and Khalil Suggs; and, third row, Victoria Makuchal, Sammy Brown and Teron Lewis. ...READ MORE

Things I Like

The smell of clean laundry Jerry Seinfeld's new show Looking forward to the daffodils Planets clearly seen in the night sky Making a video of my kids Pigtails Getting photo text messages The Oscar statue A sleepy toddler Hitting the sack early on Sunday night A unique take on a cover song ...READ MORE

A Week In Business

Realtor Completes Course OCEAN CITY - Brenda Truelove with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Ocean City has just completed a highly specialized course, 'Short Sales and Foreclosures,' presented by the Council of Residential Specialists. The one-day course earns one unit of core credit toward the Certified Residential Specialist Designation. The course gives agents the practical tools and skills they need to counsel clients about these types of transactions. The course explains the...READ MORE

What's Your Sign?

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): Disappointed about something that didn't go your way? Cheer up. Look at the reasons it happened, and you could find a valuable lesson about what to do (or not do!) the next time. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): It's a good time to do some reassessing of plans and goals -- even how you considered redoing your bathroom. The point is to be open to change if change can improve things. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Take some time to learn who is the right person (or persons)...READ MORE

Investing In The Recovery

OCEAN CITY - One of the biggest concerns among investors today: Does this recovery have legs? "I'm in the 'yes' camp," says David Bianco, head of U.S. Equity Strategy at BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research. Bianco predicts that Standard & Poor's 500-stock index is likely to reach 1,200 by Memorial Day and should hit 1,275 by year-end. He bases this optimism on a number of key indicators, including his earnings outlook for the S&P 500. "Annualized earnings per...READ MORE

United Way Presents Counseling Service with Generous Donation

The United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore recently presented Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services (WYFCS) with $39,500 to support the agency's Lower Shore programs. WYFCS offers professional counseling services, emergency and crisis assistance to families in need, programs for at-risk children, as well as the CASA program which advocates for children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect. Pictured, from left, are Arnold Downing, Kennis Austin and Bill Cioccio...READ MORE

Retired Nurses Finish 2nd Year of Volunteer Service

A group of retired nurses recently celebrated their second year of volunteer service to Atlantic General. Pictured, from left, are Mary Stevens, retired nurse; Marie Buley, retired nurse; Chuck Gizara, director of clinical operations; Michaelann Frate, director of employee health and infection control; Colleen Wareing, vice president of patient care; Joyce Brittan, coordinator of the retired nurses program; Betty Bowers, retired nurse; Fran Gilsdorf, retired nurse; and Jill Brown, retired nurse....READ MORE

Republican Women's Club Holds Membership Meeting

The Republican Women of Worcester held a General Membership meeting on Feb. 25 at Lighthouse Sound Restaurant. Pictured, back from left, are Merilee Horvat, Walt Stein and Marjorie Hagood; and, front, Mary Burgess, Carol Frazier and Sharyn O'Hare. ...READ MORE

Children's Author Visits Ocean Pines Library

Children's Specialist Susan Todd, right, of the Ocean City Library, is pictured with children's book author, Laura Vaccaro Seeger at the Ocean Pines Library last week. ...READ MORE

Local Artist Judges Art League Exhibit

Shore artist Deborah Rolig judged the February abstract art exhibit at the Art League of Ocean City. She is pictured here with Berit Brewington, who took first place for her mixed media painting. ...READ MORE

Scenes from Hello! Dolly

With Hello! Dolly director Dan Freed are cast members Michael Dayton-Jones, as Rudolph Reisenweber, and Ashley Foreman, as Ermengarde. This year's musical was shown to hundreds last weekend. ...READ MORE

Open Houses in Ocean City

OCEAN CITY The Meridian Daily 10-4 Oceanfront Residences New Construction Dan Clayland Coldwell Banker 410-520-0072 OCEAN CITY Bella Vista Open Daily 10-4 3BR Bayside Condos 45th Street Coldwell Banker 410-524-6111 OCEAN CITY Belmont Towers Boardwalk & Talbot Street Daily 11-4 Kevin Decker The Fritschle Group/ Condominium Realty 443-235-6552 OCEAN CITY Seaside Escape 79th Street 2 Models Fri-Sun 10-4 Brand New Oceanside 3BRS Coldwell Banker 410-524-6111 OCEAN CITY Rivendell Bayfront at...READ MORE