May 21, 2010

Faces in Places

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

Pocomoke Med Center Holds Open House

The Pocomoke Medical Center recently held an open house to introduce several of Atlantic General Health System's newest providers to the southern Worcester County community. The center, which now provides family medical care, pulmonary services and gynecology services as well as blood work, x-rays and bone density studies, has become a one-stop medical facility for area residents. Above, from left, are family nurse practitioner Amy Sood, gynecologist Dr. Christine Neto, Atlantic General Hospital...READ MORE

Community Foundation Gives Grant to County Management Board

The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore (CFES) has awarded a Community Needs Grant of $4,472.50 to the Worcester County Local Management Board (LBM) to support the organization's 'Fathering With Out Violence' program. The purpose of the program is take a proactive approach in changing the behavior of 25 fathers who have been adjudicated for abusive behavior towards children or spouses.  Pictured, from left, are Linda Franklin, LMB program coordinator; Dave Baker, program facilitator;...READ MORE

Local Delegates Honored By Retired School Personnel

Delegates Norman H. Conway and James N. Mathias Jr. were honored by the Worcester County Retired School Personnel at a Spring Luncheon at Barbely's Restaurant in Newark this month. Above, President Roxie Connelly presented Conway and Mathias with plaques expressing appreciation for their service to the community and education specifically.   ...READ MORE

Two New Members Inducted to Daughters of American Revolution

Two new members were welcomed recently by the General Levin Winder Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution at a luncheon meeting recently. Each new member has proven lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution. Pictured, from left, are Jeannette Fisher Colea, Jennifer Fisher Hickman and Regent Pat Arata.  ...READ MORE

Julia Purnell Museum Gets Generous Grant

Julia A. Purnell Museum Executive Director Claire Otterbein accepted a grant of $1,455 on the museum's behalf from the Maryland Questers. Assateague Questers President Jackie Landon presented the funds.  The grant funds will be used to develop an interpretive program about historic costume and class distinctions among women in the 19th century.  ...READ MORE

Bank of Ocean City Donates Saving Bonds to Elementary Testing Winners

Keeping with the tradition of community involvement, Bank of Ocean City donated a $50 US Savings Bond to each of the four MSA Testing winners at Buckingham Elementary School. Pictured, from left, are Anamelina Juarez, Bailee Bowden, Nathan Ewell and Tynajah Bowen.  Harry Hammond, Vice President and Branch Manager of the Berlin Bank of Ocean City branch, joins the students. Submitted Photos  ...READ MORE

County Commissioner Congratulates Wor-Wic Grads

County Commissioner Judy Boggs congratulates some of the graduates from northern Worcester County who received their associate degrees at Wor-Wic Community College commencement exercises at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center. Pictured, from left with Boggs, are Julia Bokova of Ocean City, a criminal justice graduate; Jenel Wood of Berlin, an education graduate; and Deborah Haines and her son, Ryan Womer, both of Berlin and emergency medical services graduates.  ...READ MORE

OC Elementary Kindergarteners Travel to Beechnut Farm

Kindergarten classes at Ocean City Elementary School recently traveled to Beechnut Farm to learn about farms and farm animals. Above, Darby Moore, Joseph Buxbaum and Jasmi Zavala pet a four-day-old calf during their class field trip.  ...READ MORE

Worcester Prep 5th Grader Meets State Governor

Melissa Laws, a fifth grade student at Worcester Prep, is congratulated by Gov. Martin O'Malley for her award-winning poster. The poster was submitted to the Fair Housing competition, sponsored by the Maryland Association of Realtors. Her art teacher, Rebecca Tittermary, also attended the ceremony, which was held at the State House in Annapolis. Laws is the daughter of Richard and Wendy Laws of Berlin.  ...READ MORE

Showell Students Dress Up to Make Literature Class Come Alive

Showell Elementary third grade students Zachary Tilton, Kai McGovern and Jack Rosenberg dress the part of a character in their story and share characterization with their classmates to help make literature come alive in their literature circle.  ...READ MORE

Kindergarteners Show Off their "Sock Heads"

Christine Lieb's kindergarten students Julia Howard, Jake Banks and Lance Adams show off their sock heads. They grew the hair on the sock heads from grass seed as part of a unit on plants.  ...READ MORE

Showell Kindergarteners Learn About the Life Cycle

At Showell Elementary School, kindergarteners are learning about the life cycle of plants. Above, Sahara Finney, Brittany Schmidt and Charlotte Vit observe their lima bean sprouts.   ...READ MORE

WOC Spa Burglarized

WOC Spa Burglarized WEST OCEAN CITY - Maryland State Police (MSP) troopers last week were looking for the suspect or suspects who broke into a West Ocean City spa and allegedly stole electronics and a couple of decorative candles. Last Thursday, an MSP trooper responded to a Perfect Face day spa on Route 50 in West Ocean City for a reported burglary. The spa manager told the trooper sometime between 7 p.m. on Wednesday and 9 a.m. on Thursday, an unknown suspect had entered the business...READ MORE

Decatur Girls Cruise To Region Championship

BERLIN - It was not nearly as suspenseful as the road to get there, but that did not seem to matter to the Stephen Decatur's varsity girls' lacrosse team as it easily won the 3A-2A East Region Wednesday. The Seahawks had no problems with Patuxent at home, cruising to a 14-3 victory and the East Region crown. The Seahawks will now move on to the state semifinals at Annapolis High School this weekend. If they are successful in advancing past the semifinal round, the Seahawks will face off in the...READ MORE

Mallards End On A High Note

BERLIN - Worcester Prep's boys' varsity lacrosse team punctuated a near-perfect season last week, topping Delaware's top-ranked prep team, Salesianum, 10-9, to finish with a 15-1 record. The previous week, the Mallards rolled past Gunston, 16-5, in the Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference (ESIAC) tournament championship in what is typically the season finale. This year, however, Worcester had one piece of unfinished business to dispense with in the form of Delaware...READ MORE

Memorial Day Bluefish Tourney On Tap

OCEAN CITY - The newest addition to the summer-long fishing tournament season, the Ocean City Marlin Club's First Annual Memorial Day Bluefish Tournament, gets underway next weekend in part as a tribute to the men and women of the armed services past and present. The first annual Memorial Day Bluefish Tournament gets underway next Friday with registration and a captain's meeting, but the real action starts next Saturday, the first of two fishing days in the event. Participating anglers and...READ MORE

Seahawks Advance To Finals

Seahawks Advance To Finals BERLIN - Powered once again by a strong outing on the mound by Maddie Justice, Stephen Decatur's varsity softball squad is awaiting its opponent in the MPSSA 3A East Region finals. After having a first-round bye, the Seahawks got by James Bennett by a 5-2 score and on Wednesday defended their home turf with another win by the same tally. In Wednesday's game, Justice was masterful, striking out 11 Clippers and allowing two runs on just one hit. Offensively, it was...READ MORE

Fatherhood Adventures

Coping with the disorder that comes with two young kids is tricky business. I would never say being neat and tidy are characteristics of mine, but I do like a certain order in my life to retain some sort of peace of mind. That's a serious challenge when my boys are involved. No matter your diligence or commitment, a fact of life with children comes a certain amount of disarray and a lot of clutter. I have reluctantly come to accept this fact, but it's still a little frustrating...READ MORE

People in Society

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

Thoughts From the Publisher's Desk

This year's budget session in Ocean City confirmed a lot about the inner dealings and feelings among members of the Mayor and Council. The various conversations at City Hall, eye rolling and other machinations prove a voting block is alive and well. There's no disputing that Council members Jim Hall, Joe Hall and Margaret Pillas side together on many issues and are usually outnumbered by colleagues Doug Cymek, Mary Knight, Lloyd Martin and Joe Mitrecic. Mayor Rick Meehan falls into that latter...READ MORE

Voices From the Readers

Citizens Concerned Over County Direction Editor: The time for government transparency and accountability is urgently overdue. Massive unnecessary spending and ignoring citizens' concerns are problems viewed of utmost importance about our Worcester County Commissioners. These are true issues of the Concerned Citizens of Worcester County (CCWC). Many of the issues/concerns have been addressed directly and indirectly by individuals of CCWC to the commissioners with remarks that 'I will not discuss...READ MORE

Friday, May 21--Conservation Resource Program Questioned

SNOW HILL - A type of conservation easement meant to transfer marginal cropland to conservation land could be costing state taxpayers too much and causing enforcement problems for local jurisdictions. The Conservation Resource Enhancement Program (CREP) does not extinguish development rights, unlike many other conservation easement programs, and does not have to cover the entire farm parcel, which could allow for later development that could have negative impacts on the conserved land, according...READ MORE

Friday, May 21--County Speeds Up Process For Nuisance Issues

SNOW HILL - A measure to allow Worcester County staff to streamline and speed up a nuisance process for overgrown properties only received support from five of seven Worcester County Commissioners this week. The commissioners rarely encounter a split vote on decisions, preferring to work out a compromise all can agree with, but this was one instance when an agreement was not possible. Tall grass and overgrown vegetation was already a nuisance under county law when staff came to the commissioners...READ MORE

Friday, May 21--HSA Mandates Will Not Prevent Any Graduations

NEWARK - As was the case last year, no Worcester County high school senior will miss graduation next month because of Maryland High School Assessment (HSA) requirements. County public school staff reported this week that only two seniors have not met HSA requirements for graduation and one of those students will complete a Bridge project in time to graduate. The other student, said Stephanie Zanich, coordinator of instruction and assessment, has not met other graduation requirements in addition...READ MORE

Friday, May 21--National DNA System Leads To Arrest In 2008 Rape Case

OCEAN CITY - Nearly two years after offering a reward and asking the public's help in identifying the suspect in a brutal rape case, Ocean City police detectives last week solved the case with the help of a national DNA database, which identified a suspect now serving time in a Florida prison. The brutal attack and rape occurred on Memorial Day weekend, more specifically May 24, 2008, around 2:30 a.m. in the area of 49th Street. The unidentified suspect was seen by witnesses in the 49th Street...READ MORE

Council Divided Over OC Budget

OCEAN CITY •€' Despite keeping the tax rate the same as last year in Ocean City, potentially lowering the median property owners' tax bill by about 2.5 percent, the City Council was split 4-3 in passing the FY2011 budget through first reading on Monday night. Heading into the final two weeks of budget hearings, certain council members were outspoken in where they wanted to see the tax rate set when it came to the end of the proceedings, and while seemingly all wanted to lower the rate from...READ MORE

Blaze Wipes Out Route 50 Offices

BERLIN - Within days of a destructive fire, two businesses displaced by the Saturday afternoon blaze were in operation elsewhere and plans to rebuild were underway. Five West Ocean City businesses sustained damages in various severities by the fire that occurred at 4:13 p.m. at the Purnell Center located on Route 50. Two offices, home to Merrill Lynch and Jennifer A. Lynch, PC, were completely destroyed by the fire, while the others received damage from heat, smoke and water. According to...READ MORE

Joe Hall Explains Reasoning Behind Salary Cut Pitch

OCEAN CITY •€' After being called out for not doing his proverbial homework last week when he sought to reduce staff pay, Councilman Joe Hall blamed his emotions for getting the best of him, but he made sure not to take the controversial motion back.  What may have been mistaken for an apology to some was actually Hall's claim that he had done the calculations concerning the savings that would be accrued by the town before making the most controversial pitch of this year's budget...READ MORE

OC Density Change Blasted

OCEAN CITY •€' The Planning and Zoning Commission rejected a proposal that would have reduced the allowable density of commercially zoned properties in Ocean City after a barrage of negative public comment seemingly gave them no other choice. Several weeks ago, the Mayor and City Council sent a proposal or amendment to the town's comprehensive plan back to the Planning and Zoning Commission due to the fact that two prior public hearings (in 2008 and 2009) concerning the matter had...READ MORE

Sunfish Encounter In Resort Has Happy Ending

OCEAN CITY •€' For the second time in as many weeks, a rare sea creature found itself far from home in the coastal bays west of Ocean City, but the odd encounter had a happy ending this time around. Local resident Butch Kitts said that last Friday morning he walked outside his residence just off Robin Drive to find what he later learned was a 300-pound sunfish wedged underneath his dock. 'I wasn't sure what it was at first because it must have been six feet wide and it didn't have a tail,...READ MORE

County Decides Against Barking Dog Law

SNOW HILL - Neighbors suffering from chronically barking dogs still have no legal recourse after the County Commissioners rejected new regulations that would fine owners of noisy canines. The public hearing attracted several speakers who have been impacted by barking dogs, but have no remedy under the law except a civil suit. Bishopville resident Jack Davis testified in favor of the proposed law, which would make the owners of excessively barking dogs subject to a fine up to $500. Since Davis...READ MORE

County Needs $57K To Keep Welcome Center Open

SNOW HILL - The fate of the Pocomoke Welcome Center hangs on whether $57,000 can be found in next year's budget, which was all but finalized last week. The state of Maryland plans to close the heavily visited Welcome Center, at the Maryland-Virginia state line, this summer if the county does not take over operations. If the county can identify a source in the budget for the thousands of dollars needed to keep the Pocomoke Welcome Center open, the state will pitch in with a $50,000 grant. The...READ MORE

Cowger, Commissioners Differ On Budget

SNOW HILL - A handful of potential changes to the fiscal year 2011 Worcester County budget, thought to be mostly finalized last week, prompted county elected officials to schedule one final meeting on the budget before it must be passed. The County Commissioners agreed to hold a work session on Tuesday, May 25, at 9 a.m. to resolve some lingering questions. The commissioners discussed canceling the work sessions tentatively scheduled for the last week of May with budget decisions made earlier in...READ MORE

License Late Fees Put County, Businesses At Odds

OCEAN CITY •€' Local business owner Cindy DiNicolas says she was 'held hostage' at the Worcester County Health Department until she paid a $500 late fee for her annual business license. The Health Department simply said that she needed to pay more attention to the due date next time. On March 26, just days before DiNicolas and her husband Anthony were set to re-open their uptown café, Brianna's Bananas on 118th Street for the season, she says she went to Snow Hill prepared to write the...READ MORE

Nine Years Later, Resident Still Fighting Rare Disease

OCEAN CITY - Nine years ago next week, a popular Ocean City resident and restaurant worker was stricken with a rare disease that left her in a coma for weeks, clinging to life and wheelchair-bound still, but for nearly the last decade, she has figuratively gotten back on her feet and is closing in on a college degree that will allow her to help others with her plight. On Memorial Day weekend nine years ago, resort resident Stacy Harim enjoyed the beach just like hundreds of thousands of...READ MORE

Ocean City News in Brief

OCEAN CITY •€' In the brief this week, the City Council decided to wait until chiming in on a national offshore oil drilling debate, the total for town seized taxi medallions now stands at three and the newly amended undomesticated animals ordinance continues to spark conversation. Council Stays Mum On Offshore Drilling Debate Ocean City is staying out of the debate concerning offshore oil drilling, at least for now. Councilwoman Margaret Pillas pitched an idea, after hearing all the debate...READ MORE

Who's Playing Where and When Musically Speaking

Sports Bar & Grille Old Bridge Road, West OC May 21: Fuzzbox Piranha Saturday: Karaoke With Hey Mick May 27: Walt The Freak Angler, The , Talbot St. On the bay May 22 & Sunday, May 23: Nate Clendenen Salty Dog , 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. May 21: Aaron Howell Band May 22: Reedo Sunday: Local's Party with DJ BK Caribbean bar & Grill off the boards on 2nd St. May 21: TBA, 1-5 p.m.; Pompous Pie, 7:30-11:30 p.m. May 22: Mike Armstrong Duo, 1-5 p.m.; Wes Davis Duo, 7:30-11:30...READ MORE

A Week in Business

Nurse Wins Employee Of Year BERLIN - Mey-Lie Salimian, a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at Peninsula Regional Medical Center, was recently named the 2010 Employee of the Year at the annual employee recognition banquet held in conjunction with National Hospital Week. While presenting the Employee of the Year, President/CEO Peggy Naleppa described Salimian, a 28-year veteran of the ICU and a Berlin resident, as a hard working and dedicated nurse who exemplifies professionalism to the...READ MORE

What's Your Sign

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): You might not like some people's idea of a surprise. But you could be in for a pleasant shock when someone finally sends a reply to a request you made so long ago that you almost forgot about it. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): It's a time to expect the unexpected. So don't be surprised if a decision that just recently seemed final suddenly opens up and leaves you with another chance to make an important choice. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Taking a different tack on a...READ MORE

We Remember Those We Have Lost

Millie Albright OCEAN CITY - Millie Albright, 90, of Apex, N.C., died peacefully on Monday, May 17, 2010. She was born in Philadelphia, Pa. on Oct. 1, 1919, the daughter of Kay and Joseph Peterson, one of eight children. In 1951, she moved to Ocean City, with her now deceased husband, Earl Albright. What began as a small auction house on the Boardwalk at 9th Street and later moved to N. First Street, the location of the former Essex Hotel, turned into a business career of over half a century...READ MORE

Choices To Consider With Family's Financial Future

OCEAN CITY - Today's baby boomers constitute one of the wealthiest segments of the U.S. population, with an estimated $41 trillion expected to pass from boomers to their heirs by the year 2052. If you expect to be a participant in this massive transfer of wealth, you should approach it in a way that keeps family bonds strong, as well as make sure it is handled in a tax-efficient manner. Although many estate plans are built around tax efficiency, there are other objectives that matter. That's...READ MORE

Things I Like

Swimming with my kids Thin crust pizza Fresh cut flowers in the house My son's love of CAT trucks  A room with a big bookcase  Smell of a hardware store  Tree branches swaying in the wind  Walking along big boats in a marina  A dip in a pool before breakfast  Standing on the Inlet jetty  Squirrels chasing each other around a tree   ...READ MORE

Arts in the Area

A spotlight on the local art scene ...READ MORE