June 11, 2010

14th Mako Mania Tourney in the Books

OCEAN CITY- The 14th Annual Mako Mania Shark Tournament last weekend was a 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 just in time for the annual Mako Mania, the first major event of the summer tournament season in the resort. A total of 44 boats and 196 anglers participated in the annual tournament and were rewarded with over $60,000 in prize...READ MORE

30th Ocean City Shark Tourney Set for Next Week

30th Ocean City Shark Tourney Set for Next Week OCEAN CITY- The 30th 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 excitement 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. A decent number of sharks were weighed during Mako Mania last weekend and quite a few more were released, setting the...READ MORE

Seahawks Collect All Star Honors

Seahawks Collect All Star Honors OCEAN CITY- A couple of Stephen Decatur varsity baseball players added to their collection of post-season accolades last week with most valuable player awards in the Bayside Conference All-Star Game. The annual contest featured the top players from the Bayside South against their counterparts in the Bayside North and the south came out on top 11-3. Decatur's Troy Bennett, who turned in a excellent performance on the mound, was named the game's Most Valuable...READ MORE

Berlin's King Named League MVP

Berlin's King Named League MVP Berlin Dolphins running back Jared King last week was named Most Valuable Player of the Salvation Army Red Shield League after leading his team in rushing yards and touchdowns last fall. King, who played just one season for the Dolphins was part of a three-back rushing attack that also included Tayevon Mills and Andrew Borrodale. Pictured above is King (center) with Coach Ernest Shockley (left) and Salvation Army Red Shield League director Ken Lobdell.  ...READ MORE

Bound and Gagged

Bound And Gagged WEST OCEAN CITY - A West Ocean City man was arrested on assault and false imprisonment charges last week after allegedly binding and gagging his live-in girlfriend. Around 5 a.m. last Thursday, Worcester County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a residence on Old Bridge Rd. in West Ocean City for a reported domestic disturbance. Immediately upon arrival on the scene, the deputy observed a female victim run from the residence partially clothed with a gag in her mouth and her...READ MORE

Faces in Places

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

Sanity By A Different Term

Sanity, although a relative term anyway, means something unique to parents, particularly those with little ones. My kids have a way of keeping me on my toes. In many ways, they are extremely unpredictable, while in other matters they are routine. Beckett, the toddler, rules the house for the most part, but it's interesting that my younger son, Carson, can take charge when he puts his mind to it. This is a new phenomenon in my world.  Since we have become accustomed to his laidback...READ MORE

New Lioness Club Officers Sworn In

Ocean City Lioness Club's new officers were recently sworn in for 2010-2011. They are, front row, Darlene Prejean, Ashley Furbay and Joan Strang; and, back, Joan Grimes, Anne Thompson, Carole Mendham, Kathy Hayman, Susan Teach and Linda Schissler.   ...READ MORE

Taylor Bank Hosts Special Guests at Air Show

Taylor Bank, a sponsor of the 3rd Annual OC Air Show, invited special guests to its suite in the Quality Inn during last weekend's special event. Above, Regional Manager Tina Kolarik is pictured with Thunderbird 2 John Baum and a bank customers on hand.  ...READ MORE

OC/Berlin Optimist Club Awards $60K to SDHS Seniors

The Ocean City/Berlin Optimist Club, through its youth foundation, awarded $60,000 to Stephan Decatur High School seniors at the recent senior awards night. Rich Dalton, left, foundation lottery chairman and Jim Flaig, right, foundation scholarship chairman, made the award presentations to students Marcie Wiggins, Allison Bowman, Joshua Wilder, Megan O'Donnell, Trimana Bryant, Allison McConaghy, Stephanie Henry, Samantha Boston, Danielle White, Michael Newcomb and James Moxley. Four...READ MORE

Snow Hill Grad Awarded $2500 Scholarship

Kim Klump, left, and Leah Klump, right, congratulate Snow Hill High graduate Shanice Bacon on having been chosen as the 2010 Jesse Klump Memorial Scholar. Bacon will use the $2,500 scholarship to pursue a degree in social work. The scholarship was created in 2009 to commemorate the achievements and character of a Snow Hill senior who died just months before graduation.  ...READ MORE

Worcester County Oratorical Winners Announcers

/* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Times; panose-1:2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Helvetica; panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} @font-face {font-family:Century; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0...READ MORE

BIS Students Get Environmental Education at Assateague Island

Sixth graders from Berlin Intermediate School, in Bill Noah's class, enjoyed cooling off in the water, while participating in their outdoor environmental education at Assateague. Students learned water safety, studied various ecosystems, plants and animals and enjoyed the outdoors. Pictured in back are Austin Latchum, Evan Newcomb, Wyatt Hudson, Lucas Scott and Jon Hanley; middle, Olivia Stinebiser, Alexis McDonough and Hannah Saulsbury; and, front, Rebekah Nesbit and Alana Finney  ...READ MORE

Top Awards Given to Worcester Prep Students

Top awards at the annual Academic Convocation at Worcester Preparatory School went to, from left, Claire Stickler, highest academic average, grades 6-8; Alissa Talbert, best all-round student, grades 6-8; Carson Wigley, best all-round student, grades 9-11; and Ali Schwartz, highest academic average, grades 9-11.   ...READ MORE

Showell Elementary Students Faceoff in Geography Bee

Second graders Damiana Colley, Hunter Grunewald and Eric Gwin face off in Showell Elementary's annual geography bee competition held in the school's media center.   ...READ MORE

People in Society

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

OC's Illegal Hiring Now An Epidemic

OCEAN CITY•€'Some local businesses are hiring foreign workers who are not lawfully allowed to work in Ocean City, and those businesses may not even know it. Foreign students and workers have been a part of the Ocean City workforce for decades, but resort businesses might not realize that they are technically breaking the law by hiring foreign workers who hold F-1 visas. 'It's becoming a big problem and growing towards being an epidemic,' said Anne Marie Conestabile, director of the...READ MORE

Fish 'N OC

I will never forget the first time I hooked a mako shark. It was mid-June and we were drifting along the 30 fathom line. We had been fishing for almost two days, and all we had to show for it was an empty bottle of bunker oil, two nearly empty chum bags and a cooler full of monster bluefish. We had been fishing hard, and we had been doing a lot of catching •€' we just hadn't gotten what we came for. About three o'clock in the afternoon things changed. I remember being sun burnt, and I...READ MORE

We Remember Those We Have Lost

Dwight Lee Busick BERLIN - Dwight Lee Busick, 65, of Berlin, entered into eternal rest on Friday, June 4, 2010 at the Berlin Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. He suffered from complications of a gleoblastoma brain tumor and total paralysis. He died peacefully in his sleep. Born on July 24, 1944, he was the son of the late John Sterling Busick and Louise Busick, raised in Baltimore and a graduate of City College, class of 1963 and the Baltimore County Police Academy in 1965. He is survived by...READ MORE

Friday, June 11--Elderly Man Attacked After Crash

WEST OCEAN CITY - A Pennsylvania man was arrested on several charges including first-degree assault and reckless endangerment after allegedly attacking an elderly man already seriously injured during an accident moments earlier. Around 4:40 a.m. on Monday, Maryland State Police (MSP) troopers received a 911 call about a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Route 611 and Sunset Ave. in West Ocean City. According to police reports, after the collision, the driver of one of the vehicles,...READ MORE

Friday, June 11--Fundraising Drive Underway To Help Oil Spill Initiative

BERLIN - Local water quality advocates are asking for local support for their colleagues working on Gulf of Mexico waterways after the massive BP oil spill. Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT) is accepting donations for Waterkeeper programs in the Gulf of Mexico region, specifically the Mobile Baykeeper, the Louisiana Bayoukeeper, the Emerald Coastkeeper, the Apalachicola Riverkeeper and the Galveston Baykeeper programs. The donations will be sent directly to the Waterkeepers Gulf of Mexico oil spill...READ MORE

Friday, June 11-Higher Education Expectations Necessary, School Leader Says

BERLIN - Curriculums and standards must change to make America's education system competitive with the best educations systems in the world, said Maryland state school Superintendent Nancy Grasmick during a lunch this week with Worcester County educators and leaders. American schools must take into account 'the death of distance,' and shape standards and curricula accordingly, Grasmick said. 'The competition for our students will not be our county, will not be our state, will not be our country,...READ MORE

Friday, June 11--Md. Partners On Wind Energy

OCEAN CITY - Perhaps prompted by the ongoing Gulf oil spill disaster, Maryland this week officially joined a multi-state partnership aimed at accelerating the development of renewable, sustainable offshore wind energy in the mid-Atlantic, a move that could expedite plans for wind turbines off Ocean City. On Tuesday, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley announced the state's formal partnership in the newly formed Atlantic Offshore Wind Consortium, a group comprised of several states along the Atlantic...READ MORE

Thoughts From the Publisher's Desk

Convicted felon and NFL football player Michael Vick will be in Worcester County on Monday to 'share a message of hope with Snow Hill kids,' according to a county Board of Education press release. The event, by invitation only, is sure to be a controversial one, as Vick was convicted on federal dog fighting charges three years ago, and surely the second-guessing of this decision to permit Vick to speak to local students has already begun. The school board acknowledged that in its release. 'No...READ MORE

Voices From the Readers

Look Beyond Parties Editor: Leslie Segall's letter (May 28) struck a familiar chord with me. Although I was never a registered Republican, I was raised in a politically conservative family that supported Nixon in 1960. The hard fought struggle for civil rights prompted me to register as a Democrat and cast my first Presidential vote for Lyndon Johnson, and I have voted for Democratic candidates ever since. Like Ms. Segall, I support the Democratic commitment to 'compassionate ideals.' And, like...READ MORE

Can Air Show Be More Than Daytripper Event?

Last weekend was a memorable one in Ocean City, as numerous special events were held simultaneously. While traffic was a nightmare at times, most accounts indicate the events went off without a hitch and all went as smooth as could be expected from a logistical standpoint. According to demoflush estimates, 205,882 came to town for the three-weekend event. Surprisingly, that was down from the first weekend in June last year (237,347) when the Ocean City Air Show was not held. However, it's only...READ MORE

Air Show's Fiscal Impact Difficult To Quantify For All

OCEAN CITY •€' The Air Show has quickly become a signature annual event in Ocean City, but it hasn't quite yet reached the top yet, according to many local businesses. Last week's 3rd Annual Ocean City Air Show, which, coupled with several other large events like the Raven's Roost Convention and the OC Car and Truck Show, helped draw more than 200,000 people to the resort and provided a strong boost for the local economy. Yet, although there is seemingly no one in the town that is saying...READ MORE

Council Concerned About Helmet-Less Scooter Riders

OCEAN CITY •€' The City Council took exception when it was noticed that some scooter rental companies were not following the town's new helmet law, and officials called out for a swift change without ever making a real threat. Not yet, at least. On Monday, the council was quick to point out that helmet-less scooter rental riders were not just living dangerously, they were also breaking the town's helmet law, which is less than a year old. Additionally, if companies were found to be...READ MORE

Families Make Rare Air Show Memories

OCEAN CITY •€' Salisbury native Jill Fears gets choked up when talking about last weekend's Ocean City Air Show, and, ironically, her tears stem from a special moment she and her family experienced on the ground. Tens of thousands of spectators were treated to aerial brilliance last weekend as the US Air Force Thunderbirds closed out what is being widely considered as the biggest and most successful OC Air Show in its short three-year history. Yet, a handful of families from the local...READ MORE

Resort To Expand Salvia Ban

OCEAN CITY •€' Some town officials aren't exactly sure what K-2 is, or even what they should call it, but they are seemingly all in agreement they don't like that it's available for purchase on the Boardwalk. The town's long fight to ban Salvia Divinorum became one of the stories of the summer last year. This year, town officials are moving quickly to ban a new and similar herbal smoking blend that has begun to proliferate in the same Boardwalk stores selling Salvia last year, according to...READ MORE

Season's First White Marlin Hooked

OCEAN CITY - While several big sharks have captured much of the attention surrounding the early offshore fishing season, it typically doesn't really heat up until the first white marlin of the year shows up. On Tuesday morning, Captain Dan Clayland and a crew of local anglers aboard his 'Bimini 24' found a warm water break in about 1,100 fathoms and set up shop in an area about 77 miles offshore between the Poor Man's and Washington canyons. Other sport fishing boats had discovered the same...READ MORE

Catholic School To Add Classes

BERLIN - After just eight years of operation, Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic School (MBS) student body is expanding, with pre-kindergarten and first grade classes to offer a second track. MBS has waiting lists for eight of 11 grade levels, Principal Mark Record said, with the largest waiting lists for pre-kindergarten and first grade. The school needs commitments of 10 new students in each level to add a second track. Currently, the additional pre-kindergarten classroom is filled. Record...READ MORE

Cop's Military Service Honored With Flag Presentation

Kylie Joson Staff Writer OCEAN CITY - The 3rd Annual Ocean City Air Show got off to a moving start to its final day of activities with a member of the U.S. Navy Seals parachute team floating his way down to the shoreline bearing the country flag while the national anthem played. Once on ground, in honor of Flag Day, Leap Frog team member Thomas Kinn honored selected veteran, Andrew Sprague, who served in the Marine Corps and is a current officer of the Ocean City Police Department, with the flag...READ MORE

County's Senior Judge Nears End Of Long Court Run

SNOW HILL - Approaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 at the end of this month, senior Worcester County Circuit Court Judge Theodore Eschenberg is preparing for the next chapter in his fascinating life, although he doesn't seem altogether thrilled about it. Eschenberg has served nearly the last three decades on the Worcester County Circuit Court bench including the last 18 as the county's administrative judge and the Chief Judge of the state's 1st Judicial Circuit, which includes the four...READ MORE

Cowger Opts Against Another Commissioner Run

BERLIN - Nine candidates for Worcester County Commissioner have filed to run as of June 10, with three more slated to file in the next week. Those who wish to run for office must file their candidacy by July 6. The primary will be held Sept. 14. The general election will take place Nov. 2. All seven commissioner seats are up for re-election in the fall. Just two sitting county commissioners have filed to run for re-election as of June 10: Commissioner Jim Purnell (District 2) and Commissioner...READ MORE

Historic Church Surging To New Community Role

BERLIN - St. Martin's Church, which has endured for 254 years north of Berlin, is becoming part of the community once again with new opening hours and special events scheduled. A sturdy brick building along the Route 113 off ramp leading to Route 589, the Episcopal church remained in use for over 200 years, only closing its doors on regular services in the 1960s. Then the colonial era structure was locked and left to nature. In 1994, with the old brick walls bowing out and overgrown with green...READ MORE

Md. Unveils New Coastal Atlas

OCEAN CITY - In recognition of World Ocean Day, state officials this week launched Maryland's Coastal Atlas, an interactive online mapping and planning tool allowing public and private interests to explore coastal areas around the state including Worcester County's shoreline and the waters off the coast of Ocean City. The atlas provides direct access to available information needed for coastal and ocean planning efforts. The interactive online tool allows users to explore natural,...READ MORE

My Day With A Thunderbird

Delbert H. "Del" Baker, Jr. Special To The Dispatch OCEAN CITY - I was beyond thrilled and both honored and humbled to be selected as this year's 2010 Ocean City's Hometown Hero and to represent this great city during the Air Show this past weekend. With this "temporary title" came the privilege of flying with the United States Air Force Thunderbirds. As I told my wife and kids, "this is an opportunity that is beyond imagination ... and even beyond making it...READ MORE

Ocean City News In Brief

OCEAN CITY •€' In the brief this week, Ocean City's fiscal year 2011 budget passed through the second and final reading, the undomesticated animal or 'iguana man's' law gets the final nod after some finishing touches and the City Council approves a new logo for a new clean beach initiative. OC Budget Passes By Split Vote It may have just barely passed, but town officials are breathing a slight sigh of relief after passing the fiscal year 2011 budget on Monday night on second and final...READ MORE

Owners Mark Milestone With Improvements

T.K. Dickerson Staff Writer OCEAN CITY - J/R's Ribs in Ocean City has come a long way since its beginnings 31 years ago as the town's first true rib house. Though the restaurant is growing and improving in many ways, owners Debi and Jerry Sinnott make it a point to maintain the restaurant's traditions of great food and friendly service. Yesterday, the Sinnotts hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony at the 131st Street location to invite the local and visiting community in to see their new interior,...READ MORE

Pedestrian Killed Crossing Highway

OCEAN CITY - Tragedy struck in Ocean City last weekend when a 22-year-old Anne Arundel County man was struck and killed trying to cross Coastal Highway around 36th Street in the first pedestrian fatality of the summer season in the resort. The Ocean City Police Department this week continue to investigate a fatal pedestrian accident that claimed the life of Zackary Gerald Knight, 22, of Anne Arundel County, early last Saturday morning. The preliminary investigation revealed around 1:36 a.m. last...READ MORE

Tow Truck Dumped In Harbor

WEST OCEAN CITY - Individuals attempting to put their boat in the water at the public boat ramp in the commercial harbor this week discovered a completely submerged tow truck reportedly stolen several hours earlier. Shortly before 10 a.m. on Wednesday, individuals were struggling to put their boat in the water at the public boat ramp in West Ocean City when they discovered a tow truck at the foot of the ramp, still resting on its four wheels with its front facing into the water. It turns out the...READ MORE

Who's Playing Where and When Musically Speaking

Sports Bar & Grille Old Bridge Road, West OC June 11: Joey Saah Band Saturday: Karaoke With Hey Mick June 17: Rick Rose, 6-10 p.m. The , Talbot St. On the bay June 11: TBA June 11 & Sunday, June 13: TBA Sunday: Local's Social with DJ Rusty Griswald, 10 p.m. Salty Dog , 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. June 11: Aaron Howell Band June 12: John LaMere Sunday: Local's Party with DJ BK Wednesday: DJ JJ June 17: DJ Wax bar & Grill off the boards on 2nd St. June 11: Dave Sherman, 1-5 p.m.;...READ MORE

MBS Students Meet Navy Seal

Kelly McLaughlin, a pre-kindergarten teacher at Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, is surrounded by students after welcoming one of the Navy Seal Leapfrogs back to earth after his jump from thousands of feet above Ocean City. The jump took place at Sunset Grille in West Ocean City during a special event with donations to benefit Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services. Submitted Photo  ...READ MORE

Two Cherry Trees Dedicated at Community Church

Two weeping cherry trees, planted by friends and family in memory of Amy Christian Flickinger, were dedicated Sunday at the Community Church of Ocean Pines. She was the daughter of Tom and Mary Yenney of Ocean Pines and sister of Donna M. Caddell of Salisbury. The Reverend Tom McKelvey presided over the dedication attended by the family and a group of friends. Pictured are Caddell, Mary and Tom Yenney and McKelvey  ...READ MORE

Women's Club of OP Donates Thousands to Local Departments

The Women's Club of Ocean Pines recently donated $3,560 to the Ocean Pines Police, Fire and Recreation and Parks Departments and charities that cater to Ocean Pines residents. Above, President Joan Gentile is pictured with members of the groups that received donations.  ...READ MORE

What's Your Sign

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): Choosing to work with someone you once thought might have been disloyal is a courageous move. The logical next step is to talk things out so there'll be no reason for raising suspicions again. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Take your time making a decision about a personal or work-related relationship. New facts are still coming in, and you'll want to know the full story before you take a definitive step. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Expect to learn something new about...READ MORE

Should You Limit Financial Accounts?

OCEAN CITY - Over the years, you have likely acquired a number of retirement accounts. Now may be the time to streamline your holdings. Frequent job and career moves are part of the new American workplace. As a result, over the years a growing number of people have accumulated a disparate collection of 401(k)s, IRAs and SEP plans. Holding a variety of accounts often makes it harder to maintain a consistent asset allocation strategy that is aligned with your goals. It can also mean that these...READ MORE

Things I Like

Driving on Assateague with the family Watching the Air Show from Taylor Bank's suite Iced coffee drinks on hot days Hearing my son's laughter as he runs Food with dipping sauces Livestock on the side of the road Smell of a summer storm coming Crab meat dipped in old bay A marina during a fishing tourney Eating on the top deck of Micky Fins A wall of photos in a home  ...READ MORE

A Week in Business

Bank Promotion BERLIN - Edward M. Thomas, president of the Bank of Delmarva, announces the promotion of Jon W. Ulrich to the position of branch manager and assistant vice president of its Delmar office. Shortly after graduating from Washington College, Ulrich joined the bank as a teller before transferring to Loan Administration where he worked as a commercial loan assistant to Senior Vice President Deborah Abbott. In August, he will be attending Maryland Banking School, a four-year course that...READ MORE

Dining in the Area

West Ocean City- Berlin Ocean Pines- Fruitland-Salisbury Assateague Crab House & Carryout Rte. 611, Assateague Island , 410-641-4330 On the way to visit the ponies of Assateague, stop by this rustic crab house. Enjoy Maryland crabs by the dozen or try the all-you-can-eat specials including snow crab legs. Their extensive menu features various appetizers, fresh fish, seafood, steaks, chicken and ribs. The kids can enjoy their own menu along with the great game room. Great for casual dining or...READ MORE