April 2, 2010

Thoughts From The Publisher's Desk

Although the hubbub over the competing Ocean City 'apps' may have been a bit overblown this week, the same cannot be said for the situation involving the taxi operators who transferred a medallion for a buck. While elected officials were reluctant to speak their minds too much on this matter this week, waiting presumably until next week's meeting, sources indicate the city is royally upset over this situation. The taxi operators essentially extended their middle fingers to the city and laughed...READ MORE

Views On The News

Although most people did not want to go on record with their comments, let it be known some folks in tourism around here were irked over the fact two Ocean City applications will soon be available for iPhone users. It was not so much the number of 'apps' but the process that led to them that was questioned. All the anxiety comes from the fact the town's ad agency is planning to launch an Ocean City 'app' in the near future. Those plans had been in the works privately and were discussed publicly...READ MORE

Readers Viewpoints

Insightful Interview On Health Care Editor: Kudos to Michael Franklin, president and CEO of Atlantic General Hospital, for his honest and informative responses regarding health care reform in last week's issue of The Dispatch. Albeit a different avenue, I too have been in the healthcare industry for over 35 years and have seen first-hand the inadequacies. No, all is not perfect with the changes coming our way, and the true advantages remain to be seen, but it is a start. In addition, the...READ MORE

Who's Playing When and Where Musically Speaking

Buxy's Salty Dog 410-289-0973 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, April 2: TBA Saturday, April 3: TBA 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, April 2 & Saturday, April 3: Power Play Dr.Unks Bar & Grille 410-213-7775 , 9636 Stephen Decatur Hwy., West OC Friday, April 2: Anniversary Party with Blake Haley, 6 p.m. Fager's Island 410-524-5500 60th...READ MORE

Eight Years For Burglary

SNOW HILL - A Snow Hill man arrested in November after breaking into a neighbor's house and stealing jewelry and several guns, some of which he allegedly pawned later to purchase crack cocaine, pleaded guilty this month in Worcester County Circuit Court to theft and was sentenced to eight years in jail. On Nov. 11, 2009, Worcester County Sheriff's deputies responded to a residence on Pennewell Rd. in Snow Hill for a reported burglary. The victim told police he and his wife had come home from...READ MORE

Fatherhood Adventures

It may be a sign of things to come, but I'm convinced Beckett has an addictive personality. Presumably all toddler-aged kids are like this - they fascinate on a single thing, wear it out and then move on to another object of obsession. I know my son is this way. The latest craze that came out of nowhere is an affinity for hats. It does not matter to him what they look like or who it belongs to, but for some reason for the last week he has been wearing one all around the house. The oddest thing...READ MORE

Did Cab Drivers Expose Loophole Or Defraud City?

OCEAN CITY •€' When the town of Ocean City established the 25 percent transfer fee for taxi medallions in last month's controversial ordinance, seemingly no one thought that the town's take would ever be a quarter. Three taxi medallions have been sold or transferred thus far since March 1 in which the town collected transfer fee sums of $375 and $700 respectively, but the town quickly raised a proverbial red flag when one was sold for a mere dollar last week at City Hall, earning the town...READ MORE

Readers' Weigh In On Matters

Insightful Interview On Health Care Editor: Kudos to Michael Franklin, president and CEO of Atlantic General Hospital, for his honest and informative responses regarding health care reform in last week's issue of The Dispatch. Albeit a different avenue, I too have been in the healthcare industry for over 35 years and have seen first-hand the inadequacies. No, all is not perfect with the changes coming our way, and the true advantages remain to be seen, but it is a start. In addition, the...READ MORE

Area Assault Team Strengthened

BERLIN - The safety net for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in Worcester County got a little wider and stronger this week with the endorsement of a collaborative effort to coordinate their best care and legal processes. On Tuesday, Worcester County Sexual Assault Response Team, or SART, officials came together to formally endorse new standard operating procedures for representatives of every law enforcement agency in the county along with officials from Atlantic General Hospital...READ MORE

Boggs Raises Early Voting Questions

SNOW HILL - Maryland's new early voting initiative for this fall's elections is causing some anxiety for county politicians, who have questions on how vote counting and reporting will work. County Commissioner Judy Boggs has some doubts about early voting, which will be offered in Maryland for the first time this year. Boggs wondered how long it would take to count early votes and add them to the totals on the primary and general election days, whether the early voting count would take place on...READ MORE

Coast Guard Rescues Overturned Boater In Bay

OCEAN CITY - A local man was rescued from the chilly, storm-tossed seas in the Assawoman Bay last Sunday after his paddle boat turned over in the area of 118th Street. Around 6:20 p.m. last Sunday, Coast Guard Station Ocean City received a call from a cell phone from an individual who believed his paddle boat was about to turn over. According to the Coast Guard, the man, later identified as Roland Puller, 43, of Berlin, said he was in the middle of Assawoman Bay off 118th Street and that his...READ MORE

Officials Monitoring Obama Plan To Drill Off Va. Coast

OCEAN CITY - President Obama announced this week a vast area off the mid-Atlantic coast totaling nearly three million acres could soon be open to offshore oil and natural gas drilling, bringing the domestic oil drilling debate within 50 miles of Ocean City and Assateague Island. The president on Wednesday announced the proposal to open the vast area off the Virginia coast to oil and natural gas exploration as part of his larger energy strategy. The plan calls for leasing a 2.9 million acre swath...READ MORE

Arson Suspect Terrorized OC In Late 1980s

OCEAN CITY - An Ocean City man, who over 20 years ago went on an arson spree throughout the resort causing millions of dollars of damage, was allegedly up to his old tricks last week when he set fire to a brick office building. John Edward Cropper, 45, was arrested last Saturday on arson, malicious destruction of property and trespassing charges after resort police and fire investigators were able to link him to a fire in the interior of the brick office building at the Cropper Concrete plant on...READ MORE

OC Rejects Bus Tattoo Ad

OCEAN CITY - Tattoos have become more mainstream then ever in recent years and are showing up more and more in unexpected places, but residents and visitors should not expect to see an advertisement for a local tattoo parlor on a bus any time soon. Independent Tattoo Inc. of Selbyville, Del. recently submitted an application for an ad on an Ocean City bus for the coming season, but the request was denied out of hand. City Manager Dennis Dare explained this week the Mayor and Council hold sway...READ MORE

Positive Hearing Raises Hopes For Service Club Slots Measure

BERLIN - While a bill that would add Worcester to the list of counties permitting limited slot machines in non-profit service clubs and fraternal organizations is no closer to becoming law this week, there was reason for optimism after a hearing Wednesday before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. House Bill 56, introduced again this year by local Delegates Norm Conway and Jim Mathias, would allow limited slot machine gambling in service clubs and fraternal organizations in Worcester...READ MORE

Questions Raised Over Dueling OC iPhone Apps

OCEAN CITY •€' The iPhone advertisements claim there's an 'app' for just about anything. If that's true, you can include not one but two Ocean City 'apps'. Ocean City was primed to be one of the first East Coast resorts to be able to say that there 'was an app for that', but some in the town's hierarchy were surprised to find that there was already one in existence. That surprise quickly turned to disappointment for some, however, after it was revealed that the 'app' came from someone who...READ MORE

Winterfest Price Hike Looks Doomed

OCEAN CITY •€' The Recreation and Parks Committee appears to be okay with the red ink associated with the Winterfest of Lights and will remove its recommendation to raise the fee to $5. Despite the fact that Winterfest of Lights has taken an overall loss for each of the last three years, Recreation and Parks Director Tom Shuster said will recant his prior recommendation to raise the price of admission to the annual Christmas light extravaganza from $4 to $5, while raising the age of free...READ MORE

Hooters To Rent Boardwalk Site From Non-Profits

OCEAN CITY •€' After several years of trying to find the perfect spot for a new Hooters in the Ocean City area, the local owners of the national franchise have announced they will open on 5th Street and the Boardwalk in June. One of the city's few national franchises has already started demolition and the building permit process on what was formerly a T-shirt shop and a bingo parlor. The property is being leased from three local non-profits, who share ownership of the building. General...READ MORE

Upstart Knocks Off Champ In ‘Shucker’ Contest

WEST OCEAN CITY - A new champion was crowned last weekend at the 7th Annual 'Fastest Shucker on the Shore' contest at the Greene Turtle in West Ocean City with an employee beating his boss in the finals. For the last seven years, some of the best oyster shuckers on the Eastern Shore have gathered for the annual event at the Greene Turtle in West Ocean City. The contest draws hundreds of oyster fans and typically thousands of icy, salty raw oysters are shucked and consumed on a Sunday afternoon,...READ MORE

Ocean City News In Brief

OCEAN CITY •€' In the brief this week, City Manager Dennis Dare brought a few new cost cutting and revenue enhancement measures to the Mayor and City Council, including an optional return of city cell phones for employees. Optional Phone Return Passed Though City Council members have the option to keep theirs, they voted unanimously to approve a new cost saving program to allow 95 city employees who have been issued cell phones to return theirs and receive a stipend for the usage of their...READ MORE

Poultry Farm Hit With Fine For Violating State Regulations

BERLIN - Hudson Farm owners Alan and Kristin Hudson violated state law by placing potentially polluting materials too close to waters of the state, a state agency has concluded, and have been fined $4,000 for the transgression. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) hit Perdue chicken raiser Hudson Farm, a Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) of 80,000 birds near Berlin, with the penalty three weeks after the Waterkeeper Alliance and Assateague Coastal Trust filed a lawsuit over...READ MORE

No Time Ordered In Resort Home Explosion

OCEAN CITY - An Ocean City woman, charged in January with attempted suicide and reckless endangerment after allegedly causing the blast that destroyed her Montego Bay-area mobile home and severely damaging others, was sentenced to 18 months in jail, all of which was then suspended in favor of probation and a heavy fine. Carol Lynn Blackshear, 53, of Ocean City, was arrested after Ocean City Fire Marshal's Office officials determined she turned on the gas on a propane oven, blew out the burners...READ MORE

Law Clinic Will Not Release Client Names To Legislators

BERLIN - Professors at the Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Maryland Law School will not surrender client names or accounts of money spent. 'We won't disclose confidential information,' said Rena Steinzor, past director and professor of the Environmental Law Clinic. 'We are lawyers first and professors second.' Future clients do not need to fear that their personal information will be disclosed to politicians, because law school educators simply will not do it. 'We'd quit first,'...READ MORE

Coastal Lacrosse Spring Social on Tap

OCEAN CITY- The Coastal Lacrosse Club will be hosting a spring social at Seacrets next Saturday, April 10, from 4-8 p.m. Everyone is invited to come out for the event, which will include Happy Hour drink prices, great food and the acoustic rock sounds of Ocean City's favorite duo Opposite Directions. The event will also include a silent auction with lots of wonderful items to bid on and win. The cost is just $10 per person and those attending must be 21 or older to enter. The proceeds raised...READ MORE

Seahawks Trounce Vikings, 18-0

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's boys' varsity lacrosse team rebounded from an opening day loss on the road to Easton last week by trouncing Cambridge-South Dorchester, 18-0, at Seahawk Stadium on Friday. Decatur played well in the opener against Bayside North power Easton, but fell short to the Warriors. Last Friday, the Seahawks were clicking on all cylinders as they rolled past Cambridge-South Dorchester in the home opener. Curtis Snyder led Decatur with four goals, while Brendan Wagner and Johnny...READ MORE

Decatur Softball Improves to 2-0

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's varsity softball team continued its early season winning ways last Friday, beating Wicomico, 3-1, to remain unbeaten thus far. The Seahawks beat Bennett, 9-1, in the season opener on the road last Tuesday before returning home against another Bayside Conference rival Wicomico last Thursday. Again, Decatur's Maddie Justice was dominant on the mound, scattering four hits and allowing just one run while striking out 14. Thus far, Justice has allowed just two runs in two...READ MORE

Decatur Boys' Lacrosse Player of the Week

The inaugural Bliss Salon-West Ocean City Fitness Stephen Decatur boys' lacrosse Player of the Week went to Mark Engle, who played a big role in two games to start the season against Easton and Cambridge-South Dorchester. Engle won 80 percent of his face-offs in the first two games including his very first ever as a Seahawk. Engle won his first face-off, scooped up the ball and dashed down the middle of the field, hitting an open attackman for a quick goal just six seconds into his first game....READ MORE

Seahawk Girls Rout Cambridge, 25-0

BERLIN- After cruising past Easton in the season opener last week, the Stephen Decatur girls' varsity lacrosse team took Cambridge-South Dorchester to the wood shed on Friday, blanking the Vikings, 18-0. Decatur beat Easton 18-7 in the home opener last week before thrashing the Vikings, 25-0. After two games, the Seahawks have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 43-7. Leigh Ann Flounlacker, who scored six goals against Easton in the opener, followed up with four goals against the...READ MORE

Seahawks Scalp Indians, 15-5

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's varsity baseball team rebounded from an opening day loss in fine fashion last Friday, thrashing visiting Wicomico, 15-5, to get back to .500 early in the season. The Seahawks lost a tough one on the road against Bennett in the season opener last Tuesday, 3-2, but found their way into the win column for the first time in the home opener against Wicomico last Friday. Marshall Betts had two hits and drove in four runs, while James Rossi also had two hits including a grand...READ MORE

Worcester Prep, Decatur Set to Renew Neighborhood Rivalries

BERLIN- Area lacrosse fans will be treated to an always-special spring event tomorrow when neighborhood rivals Stephen Decatur and Worcester Prep face off in both men's and women's varsity lacrosse as part of a large invitational tournament at the Berlin private school. The Worcester Prep Invitational Tournament is set for tomorrow, April 3, for with both the men's and women's teams from Decatur and Worcester highlighting what should be a tough field of teams. The Seahawk and Mallard men's teams...READ MORE

Believe in Tomorrow Foundation Gets Check From Optimist Club

Wayne Littleton, left, local director for the Believe in Tomorrow Foundation, receives a check from the Ocean City/Berlin Optimist Club. The grant is to help support the local house by the sea for ill children and their families. Making the presentation are Bob Russell, club president, right, and Ralph Green club vice president, center. Photo by John Harris  ...READ MORE

OC Recs and Parks Department Gets $7K Donation

On Thursday, March 18, the Ocean City/Berlin Optimist Club presented a check for $7,000 to the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department.  The donation will help assist the many youth programs and leagues being offered throughout the year.  Pictured are Al "Hondo" Handy and Lynda Brittingham from Ocean City Recreation and Parks and Bob Russell, club president. Photo by John Harris ...READ MORE

Seaside Christian Academy Students Receive Patriotic Gift

In conjunction with Liberty Day observance, the Ocean City Lioness Club, represented by President Joan Strang and Board Director Darlene Prejean, presented freedom booklets containing copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States to the students of Seaside Christian Academy in West Ocean City ...READ MORE

Temple Bat Yam to hold Memorial for Rabbi Sternberger

Temple Bat Yam Rabbi Richard Sternberger Memorial Committee members Veronica Kahn, Sharon Lewis Caden and Rabbi Susan Warshaw put final touches on the memorial service honoring Sternberger, who passed away Jan. 11. Not pictured is Grayce Cohen. The service will be held at Temple Bat Yam on April 25 at 1 p.m. ...READ MORE

Daughters of American Revolution Chapter Presents US Flag to Discovery Cent

The members of the General Levin Winder Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution presented a Flag of the United States of America to the Delmarva Discovery Center in Pocomoke City during its March meeting. Pictured, from left, are Beatrice Frank; Carol Morrison, US Flag Committee Chairman; Brian Garrett, Executive Director, Delmarva Discovery Center; and Pat Arata, Regent, General Levin Winder Chapter, NSDAR. ...READ MORE

Worcester County Public School Tech Fest Grade 3-5 Winners

Worcester County Public School Tech Fest winners Jessa Hoover and Jordan Fergason show gold and silver ribbons awarded for photo entries for the third to fifth grade level. Submitted Photos ...READ MORE

Morgan Stanley Representative Helps With Prep Program

Morgan Stanley's Cathy Davies-Harmon recently helped out with the Worcester Preparatory School Grade 9 Manners and Social Graces program by doing a session emphasizing dressing for success and making the most of yourself. She is pictured with some of the girls in her sessions. Pictured with her are Katherine Pavlos, Skylar Siegfried, Laiela Ahmad, Tricia Purcell, Elise Harmon, Ragen Doyle and Caroline Hudson. ...READ MORE

Buckingham Students Honored at March Luncheon

Buckingham Elementary School students were honored at a luncheon on March 30. The students honored were recognized for displaying the character trait of citizenship. Above, fourth grade honorees were Alberto Alamillo, Michael Scott, Emmalee Jarman, Sidney Mattie and Isabella Stewart. Other students recognized were first graders Jala Bowen, Zackary Tronsky, Haley Lynch, Alexandria Brunelle and DeShauna Waters; second graders Jordyn Flint, Josie Merritt, Zachary Hickman and Briana Henry; and...READ MORE

Showell Kindergarteners Learn About Hot Air Balloons

Mrs. Mears' kindergarten class at Showell Elementary School enjoyed learning about hot air balloons and learned that hot air rises. Students created imitation hot air balloons and tested which size of balloon fell faster. Above, Georgia Oglesby and Emma Scott discovered the smaller balloon fell faster than the larger balloon. ...READ MORE

We Remember Those We Have Lost

Dalton D. Spann OCEAN PINES - Dalton D. Spann, 79, died Monday, March 29, 2010, peacefully, at his Ocean Pines home. Born Sept. 14, 1930 in Clovis, N.M., he is survived by his wife Frances Spann. The couple recently celebrated their 50th anniversary with family and close friends. He was the father of five children and nine grandchildren. His children include his daughter, Stacy Paulsen of Ocean Pines; son, David Spann of Newman Lake, Wash.; daughter Lisa Corona of Concord, Calif.; daughter...READ MORE

Bank of Ocean City Player of the Week

The Bank of Ocean City is sponsoring a Player of the Week award for the Worcester Prep girls' varsity lacrosse team. Coach Yetive Delaney will choose a player each week who best represents the spirit of the award and donation will be made to the school's athletic department in the player's name. The winner for week one is senior Polly Macnab, pictured above, center, with Delaney (left) and Bank of Ocean City Assistant Vice President Earl Conley (left). Submitted photo ...READ MORE

A Week In Business

Firm Welcomes Advisor OCEAN CITY - Christine M. Selzer, CFP, Resident Director of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, has welcomed Charles R. Cohen, MBA to the firm. Cohen is a licensed Financial Advisor authorized to practice in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia. In addition, Cohen is licensed in eight other states to sell financial service products, annuities, and life/ health insurance. Previously, Cohen was the President/CEO of CRC Consultants, Inc., a regional operational and turnaround...READ MORE

Inflation Not Bad For Particular Bond

OCEAN CITY - Even a relatively minor jump in prices can take a major bite out of the income from the conservative yields of U.S. Treasury bonds, the foundation of so many investor portfolios. But the income and long-term return from one type of Treasury, called Treasury inflation-protected securities, or TIPS, actually improves as the consumer price index rises. Issued in maturities of five, 10 and 30 years in $100 multiples, TIPS •€' like other Treasury...READ MORE

People in Society

Snapshots of those lending a hand throughout the community ...READ MORE

Things I Like

When my dogs listen That •€˜U.S. Of Tara' is back on The first fresh grass cut of the year Hand-me-down books Guilty pleasures Kids' overalls Upset callers who don't hang up on me A surprising turn of events An attic I can stand up in Daffodils on the dinner table Taking my toddler to the grocery store ...READ MORE

What's Your Sign?

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): You might be upset about having to deal with problems that are no fault of your own. But you can turn the annoyance into an asset by showing how quickly and how well you can resolve them. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): The Bovine's fondness for tidiness pays off when you untangle a situation that seems hopelessly snarled. You might later be surprised to learn who will be expressing his or her gratitude. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Although you can tackle your...READ MORE

Faces in Places

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