April 6, 2012

NEW FOR THURSDAY: City Seeks Changes To Boardwalk Comfort Station Design

OCEAN CITY – With hopes to break ground on the new Caroline Street Comfort Station in October, the design was turned down once again this week, as the Mayor and City Council seeks additional modifications to uphold the town’s traditional architecture spread. In November 2011, architect David Quillen and City Engineer Terry McGean presented a proposed design of the new Caroline Street Comfort Station, but the council was not enthused and requested some changes. At that time, Quillin...READ MORE

NEW FOR WEDNESDAY: Super Walmart Opened This Morning

BERLIN -- After a years-long approval and construction process, the new Super Walmart on Route 50 in Berlin opened early this morning amid much fanfare and ceremony. The cavernous new 85,000-square-foot store dwarfs the company’s former facility on the site, which opened in 1999. The old store will eventually be torn down and the site will be paved over to create parking for the new facility, which officially opened around 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday and will be open 24 hours a day. In the...READ MORE

NEW FOR WEDNESDAY: Tourism Board’s Responsibilities Outlined

OCEAN CITY – The long-awaited Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was presented yesterday to the Mayor and City Council by the Tourism Advisory Board (TAB). “The last time TAB was before the council we were tasked with crafting a MOU that outlined the specific responsibilities of the Tourism Advisory Board, the council and the city,” TAB Chair Melanie Pursel said. TAB was formed following the 2010 elections when the council voted to dissolve the Tourism Commission, along with...READ MORE

NEW FOR TUESDAY: Route 54 Project Completion Date Pushed Back To July

FENWICK ISLAND -- Frustrated with the prolonged road construction along Route 54 in Fenwick Island, several business owners and residents along the corridor are petitioning the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDot) to finish the project by Memorial Day weekend. In the fall of 2010, DelDot embarked on an ambitious $8.1 million project to widen Route 54 from its intersection at Route 20 to the Mallard Lakes community. The improvements include adding a 14-foot wide center turn lane as well...READ MORE

NEW FOR TUESDAY: Table Games Bill Dies, As Legislative Session Ends With Many Questions

BERLIN -- The 2012 Maryland General Assembly adjourned at midnight last night with more questions than answers, including no agreement on Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposed $35 billion budget, but several issues near and dear to the resort area appear to have been resolved. Disgust and angst reportedly replaced pomp and circumstance as Sine Die arrived last night with much unfinished business still on the table. Passing a balanced budget is the only official mandate for state lawmakers...READ MORE

NEW FOR MONDAY: New Walmart To Open Wednesday

BERLIN – The new Walmart on Route 50 will open to customers at 7:30 on Wednesday morning. According to company officials, 85 new jobs will be created with the new store. In recent months, Walmart has taken major steps to refresh its stores, merchandising and customer experience. The improvements have all come together in the company’s newest stores, such as the Berlin Walmart.  The new Walmart features wide aisles, enhanced service and a layout designed to make the shopping...READ MORE

NEW FOR FRIDAY: Resort Tourism Industry Structure Debate Resurfaces

OCEAN CITY – The North Ocean City Business Alliance meeting yesterday morning became chaotic when it turned into a blame game of who is at fault for a state of confusion across the tourism industry in town. The conversation turned sour over the $300,000 that the Mayor and City Council allocated to the Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) to market and promote events for Ocean City. TAB was formed following the 2010 elections when the newly formed majority of the council voted to dissolve the...READ MORE

Plans Underway For Three New North OC Events

OCEAN CITY – The North Ocean City Business Alliance held its third meeting yesterday at the Carousel Hotel where progress was made in planning new events for the northern part of the resort. With events continually being requested and approved in the downtown area of Ocean City, a coalition of northern business owners formed the alliance to ensure the north end is getting its fair share in terms of marketing and promotion. Owner of the Greene Turtle on 116th Street, Steve Pappas started...READ MORE

First Tipsy Taxi Cases Heading To Court

SNOW HILL -- Two months after the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) announced the results of a major, two-year sting operation involving an undercover narcotics officer posing as the owner and operator of a taxi cab, the first of many of the cases hit the Circuit Court this week with varied results based on the severity of the charges. In February, the OCPD announced a two-year undercover initiative titled Operation Sand Dollar had culminated in grand jury indictments for 34 suspects resulting...READ MORE

Snow Hill, Pocomoke Seek Enterprise Zone Status

SNOW HILL -- In an effort to give local business a boost, the Worcester County Commissioners approved applications requesting that both Snow Hill and Pocomoke be made into enterprise zones, which will now be forwarded to the state. However, at least one Snow Hill resident felt his town’s application was not seeking enough. “One of the only hopes for Snow Hill is expanding across the [Pocomoke] River,” said resident and business owner Gary Weber during a public hearing on...READ MORE

Renter Protection Bill Passes

OCEAN CITY -- A bill that would afford protections to renters in the resort area and across Maryland when their landlords foreclose on their property breezed through the House and Senate last week and now awaits approval by the governor. With the foreclosure crisis not showing any real signs of abating, many renters in Ocean City and throughout the state have literally found themselves left out in the cold, but a bill introduced in the General Assembly by Sen. Jim Mathias (D-38) could create...READ MORE

Commission OKs New Bank Plans; New Convenience Store Design Tweaked

OCEAN CITY – The Planning and Zoning Commission approved a number of requests, including the site plan for a new bank in the mid-town area and a restaurant expansion. The commission reviewed a site plan for a proposed two-story Bank of Ocean City, located at the northeast corner of 59th Street and Coastal Highway. Zoning Administrator Blaine Smith explained that two parcels will be joined into one. “This property has the Bank of Ocean City and they have also acquired the north...READ MORE

Rash Of Burglaries In Berlin

BERLIN -- A recent rash of residential burglaries in Berlin, including three in the span of eight days and another last weekend, has local residents on edge and law enforcement seeking the public’s help. The latest, which occurred at a residence on Washington Street sometime last weekend, was particularly troublesome because of the extensive amount of senseless damage the suspect or suspects caused on the property. Last week, Berlin Police issued a plea to local residents to be extra...READ MORE

Wounded Officer Pleads For Better Disability Coverage

SALISBURY -- A month after being wounded in the line of duty, a Wicomico County Sheriff’s deputy appealed to the County Council this week to find a way to grant officers better disability coverage. Deputy First Class Thomas Funk addressed the council Tuesday on what he perceives as a serious lack of protection for Sheriff’s Department officers disabled in the line of duty. Shot while serving a warrant last February, Funk told the council the thought most predominant in his mind after...READ MORE

OC Jeep Parade Approved For August Weekend

OCEAN CITY – The OC Jeep Week Parade was approved this week, giving the event another shot after it was ultimately canceled last summer. Last year, OC Jeep Week was scheduled to take place Aug. 25-28, but a mandatory evacuation and subsequent closure of Ocean City due to Hurricane Irene resulted in it being canceled. This year the parade of Jeeps down the beach will take place Friday, Aug. 24. “We attempted to do this as part of Ocean City Jeep Week last year, but unfortunately...READ MORE

Resort Still Expecting Dew Tour

OCEAN CITY -- As far as Ocean City is concerned, the Dew Tour is still planning to return to the resort in August as planned. Ever since the Ocean City Mayor and Council selected Coca-Cola as its new official beverage franchise, rather than renewing with Pepsi, unconfirmed reports have been circulating that Dew Tour officials were reconsidering returning to Ocean City for the second consecutive year. Mountain Dew is a Pepsi product. If that’s true, Ocean City officials are unaware of any...READ MORE

Wicomico Council Agrees Rainy Day Fund Off Limits

SALISBURY -- Facing a potential $7 million shortfall created by a state requirement to meet Maintenance of Effort (MoE) funding for the Board of Education, the Wicomico County Council was warned Tuesday not to dip into reserve funds to cover the expense. “We have to have enough cash on hand to operate,” said Director of Administration Wayne Strausburg. Currently, the county is sitting on about $30 million in reserves. However, only about half of that is available if the council seeks...READ MORE

Shore Counties Favor Mitt Romney In Primary

BERLIN -- Voters across the Lower Shore did not head to the polls in droves for the primary election on Tuesday, following a similar pattern of relative disinterest across the state. In the most high profile election on the primary ballot on Tuesday, Maryland voters followed a recent nationwide trend, throwing their support behind Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who garnered 49 percent of the vote in the state. Rick Santorum collected 29 percent of the Republican vote in Maryland,...READ MORE

Casino Revenue Spiked In March

BERLIN -- The March revenue figures for the Casino at Ocean Downs were released yesterday, revealing a considerable spike upward compared to last month and March 2011, resulting in the fourth highest total in the 15-month history of the facility near Berlin. The Casino at Ocean Downs generated $4.07 million in March, up considerably from the $3.1 million reported in February and the $3.2 million in March 2011. Last July, the Casino at Ocean Downs generated its highest monthly revenue total in...READ MORE

Who's Playing When And Where

Buxy’s Salty Dog 410-289-0973 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, April 6: TBA Clarion Hotel 410-524-3535 10100 Coastal Hwy.   Ocean Club: Friday, April 6 & Saturday, April 7: Full Circle Fager’s Island 410-524-5500 60th St. in the Bay Deck: Friday, April 6: DJ Hook Saturday, April 7: DJ Robcee, 6 p.m.; DJ Groove, 9 p.m. Inside: Friday, April 6: Trip Wire Saturday, April 7: Hot Tub Limo Every Sunday: Jazz Brunch with Everett Spells Project, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Globe, The...READ MORE

Best Eats On The Beach

Fruitland-Salisbury Restaurant 213 213 N. Fruitland Blvd., Fruitland 410-677-4880 • www.restaurant213.com Just 20 minutes from Ocean Pines and Berlin, Restaurant 213 is worth the drive! Chef Jim Hughes has been serving celebrities worldwide for 25 years and was named a 2009 inductee to the coveted Distin-guished Restaurants of North America awards, one of only 220 in North America and the only one in this region. Serving dinner Tuesday-Sunday starting at 5 p.m. Also offering a 5 course...READ MORE

Voices From The Readers

Thanks You To Legion Editor: I wish to thank the American Legion Post # 166 for the “WELCOME HOME” held at the Post this past Thursday. The chow was great and the company outstanding. For those that pulled a tour of duty in that rice hole known as Vietnam this was a very welcome change from what most of us have come to expect. Most of us were able to handle our tours of duty much more successfully than our return to the real world. It was a shock to most of us to find upon our return...READ MORE

Another Sales Tax Hike Indefensible

With a proposed hike in the gasoline tax seemingly dead, talk turned this week in Annapolis to another sort of revenue mechanism -- increasing the sales tax in Maryland. Back in January, Gov. Martin O’Malley first announced his preferred desire to raise the sales tax in Maryland over other alternative increases, such as the one proposed for fuel. On The Marc Steiner Show on WEAA, O’Malley detailed how the 2008 increase from 5 percent to 6 percent (or 6 cents on every dollar) helped...READ MORE

Thoughts From The Publisher's Desk

The water in the proverbial fishbowl that is elected office got a little hot this week in Ocean City, as the shenanigans at City Hall continued.The silliness began on April 1 when Councilman Joe Hall ignited another firestorm of controversy via Facebook. He sent a private message through the social network to the Citizens For Ocean City, writing, “Due to constant pressure and relentless criticism I feel compelled to resign my post. Serving Ocean City has become to [sic] hard. Dated April...READ MORE

Alleged Drunk Driver Strikes Residence

OCEAN CITY -- A Pennsylvania man was arrested on drunk-driving and numerous other traffic charges last Sunday after allegedly crashing his vehicle through an iron fence and striking a residence on Coastal Highway. Around 7:30 p.m. last Sunday, Ocean City Police responded to 90th Street and Coastal Highway for a reported vehicle collision. When officers arrived on the scene they observed a 2002 BMW had crashed through an iron fence and struck a residence. The investigation revealed the driver,...READ MORE

We Remember Those We Have Lost

Robert Lawrence Layton, Sr. DELMAR -- Robert Lawrence Layton, Sr., 81, of Delmar and formerly of Cambridge, Ocean City and Salisbury, died Wednesday, April 4, 2012. He was a businessman in the three states of Delmarva for over 50 years. Born on a farm at the edge of Cambridge on February 15, 1931, the fourth son of Robert E. and Elsie Todd Layton, he was preceded in death by an infant brother in 1918, Monroe E. Layton in 1966 in Cambridge and Francis O. Layton in 1991 in Daly City, Calif. Mr....READ MORE

Worcester Tech Teacher Brings Home Top Honor

OCEAN CITY -- It’s been 25 years since Worcester County began to formally recognize and crown a Teacher of the Year and, in the largest ceremony to date, Worcester Technical High School (WTHS) teacher Tony Bevilacqua brought home the 2012 award. “Tonight is a celebration of 25 years,” said 2000 Teacher of the Year Brenda Hommel on Friday night. With a record-breaking 377 attendees in attendance last Friday at the Clarion Hotel, Bevilacqua had the torch passed down to him by the...READ MORE

Resort Police Corporal Wins Legion Award

OCEAN CITY -- A longtime Ocean City Police corporal last week was honored as the 2011 Officer of the Year in a special ceremony by the resort’s American Legion Post 166. The American Legion Post 166 in Ocean City last Wednesday recognized OCPD Corporal Richard Wawrzeniak as the 2011 Officer of the Year at an annual awards banquet recognizing emergency service providers and first-responders. Wawrzeniak, originally from Bowie, joined the Ocean City Police Department in 1999 after spending...READ MORE

Ocean Pines Outage Planned

OCEAN PINES -- Choptank Electric Cooperative officials this week announced a planned power outage that will affect thousands of Ocean Pines residents for several hours early in the morning on April 17 in order to perform maintenance on a breaker in the area. The outage will start around 12:01 a.m. and should conclude around 5 a.m. on April 17. Over 9,000 co-op members in Ocean Pines will be affected and no back-feeding of service will be performed during the prescribed timeframe. The outage is...READ MORE

Ocean City Offering Annual Spring Cleanup Options

OCEAN CITY -- The Town of Ocean City is once again offering a great opportunity for residential property owners to do their spring-cleaning by offering free residential bulk pick-up on Saturday and Sunday, April 14-15. As an added attraction, Ocean City also will offer a Community Yard Sale on Saturday, April 14 at Northside Park. Ocean City’s bulk pick-up service offers a convenient way for residents to get rid of large household items, such as furniture, appliances, bicycles, carpet,...READ MORE

Council OKs Park-And-Ride Fare Increase

OCEAN CITY – The Park and Ride shuttle’s fares will be altered by the time Springfest hits Ocean City next month. The Mayor and City Council held a public hearing last month to seek public comment on a proposal to raise the fare for the Park and Ride shuttle that operates between West Ocean City and the South Transit Station in downtown Ocean City, May through September. The fare is proposed to increase from the current $1 ride-all-day to a $3 ride-all-day or $1 per boarding, which...READ MORE

Increased Cigarette Smuggling Penalties Eyed

BERLIN -- With a rash of recent illegal cigarette smuggling arrests across Maryland, including several major busts in Worcester County this winter, lawmakers are considering legislation that would significantly stiffen the penalties for transporting illegal tobacco products in Maryland. Comptroller Peter Franchot, along with allied law enforcement agencies, this week urged senators to pass a bill that would greatly enhance the penalties for smuggling untaxed and unstamped cigarettes and tobacco...READ MORE

Tix Available For 5th Annual Suicide Prevention Comedy Tour

OCEAN CITY -- Though there are few things more serious, one local group plans on using comedy to spread awareness of a tragic subject and combat suicide rates in Worcester County. Entering its fifth year this month, the SOS! Suicide Prevention Comedy Tour will visit Ocean City on April 19. When it began back in 2008 at the suggestion of local comedian Dave Miller, the tour had a number of skeptics who felt jokes and suicide made strange bedfellows. Ron Pilling, secretary/treasurer for the Jesse...READ MORE

Bill Easing Casino Restrictions Worries OC

OCEAN CITY – The resort’s future is being threatened as a result of a bill proposing to drop restrictions from casinos throughout the state, including at Ocean Downs in Berlin, according to Ocean City officials. At the conclusion of Monday evening’s legislative session, Mayor Rick Meehan brought up Senate Bill (SB) 892, Gaming-Video Lottery Terminals and Table Games, that had been approved by the State Senate a couple of weeks ago and was heading to the House this week as House...READ MORE

Berlin Spring Celebration Set For Saturday

BERLIN -- The 17th Annual Berlin Spring Celebration, sponsored by the Berlin Chamber of Commerce, will take place on Saturday, April 7. Schedule of events include a Pancake Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at Rayne’s Reef. Seatings available are 8 a.m., 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Cost is $6 for children and $8 for adults. Call 410-641-4775 for reservations. The Easter Bunny will be available for photos. Following breakfast, the Worcester County Arts Council, 4-H Club and Berlin Parks and Recreation...READ MORE

Wounded Warriors To Be Honored

OCEAN CITY -- The American Legion Post 166 in Ocean City, with the help of some local businesses and organizations, will host 10 heroes from the Wounded Warriors program for a weekend of relaxation and rehabilitation later this month. On April 19, 10 wounded warriors from the Walter Reed Medical Center will arrive in the resort for a weekend of enjoyment with their families sponsored by the American Legion Post 166. The Harrison Group will provide hotel rooms for the 10 wounded warriors and...READ MORE

Busy Slate Of Easter Activities On Tap In Resort

OCEAN CITY -- Easter Art & Craft and Kids Fun Fair will be held at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center on Friday, April 6 and Saturday, April 7. Events will take place from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on both days. The Art and Craft portion of the event features more than 75 vendors from near and far displaying a wide variety of creative and unique gifts, from the ordinary to the extraordinary, and accessories galore. The Easter Kids Fun Fair is the ideal place for children and their parents to...READ MORE

Annual Zoobilation Planned For Salisbury May 5

SALISBURY – It will be a fiesta this year for the 4th Annual Zoobilation at the Salisbury Zoo to help raise funds for the Renew the Zoo campaign. “It has gotten bigger and better each year,” Zoo Director Joel Hamilton said. “We had over 400 people come last year. It is a great event.” This year the Delmarva Zoological Society (DZS) switches it up by holding Zoobilation on May 5, Cinco de Mayo, from 5 to 10 p.m. DZS is an organization that manages, arranges and plans...READ MORE

Council Weighs Taller Homes, B&B Changes

BERLIN -- The Berlin Mayor and Council last week showed some support for modifying the town’s building code, including expanding the services bed and breakfasts can provide and allowing for taller homes to be built. First, the council discussed opening up the scope of services for bed and breakfasts. Currently, the only services an establishment can offer is sleeping accommodations and a morning meal. However, attorney Mark Cropper, on behalf of the Waystead Inn on Harrison Avenue, put...READ MORE

ACLU Questions Salisbury Redistricting Maps

SALISBURY -- Election redistricting was delayed in Salisbury this week after an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) email questioning redistricting proposals by Mayor Jim Ireton reached the City Council. Because it arrived on the morning of a meeting, the council decided to postpone discussion to give the city attorney time to review the message. The issue has been generating controversy since preliminary work on redistricting began last fall. “This is going to end up in court,”...READ MORE

Tempers Flare At OC Meeting, As City Employee Addresses Council

OCEAN CITY – Municipal employees returned to City Hall this week to inform the Mayor and Council they were actively gathering petition signatures to amend the city charter to allow them the right to collective bargaining. Word spread in the beginning of the year that Ocean City general employees were weighing their options to unionize. At that time, it was reported that a document expressing the intent of general city employees to potentially create a union was circulating throughout the...READ MORE

New Trimper’s Rides Addition Honors Former Leader

OCEAN CITY – Trimper’s Rides and Amusement Park has used a little bit of magic to transform a traditional kiddie ride. On Saturday, April 7, the Trimper Family will mark the opening of the Gran Ville Train Station, a newly revamped attraction in the historic carousel building on the Boardwalk. “I think my dad would be really proud that we have taken riding a kiddie ride to a whole new level in Ocean City,” Trimper’s Vice President Stephanie Lewis, daughter of the...READ MORE

Dunes Manor Hotel Marks 25 Years

OCEAN CITY -- On Sunday, April 1, the Dunes Manor Hotel celebrated its 25th Anniversary. An Ocean City landmark, the Dunes Manor Hotel opened its doors on April 1, 1987. To commemorate the anniversary, the Dunes Manor family hosted a Special Afternoon Tea on Sunday welcoming friends throughout the community and many former guests and employees attended the celebration that was open to all. The story of the Dunes Manor began when Milton and Thelma Conner were married in 1940. After working at the...READ MORE

Benefit Planned For OC Resident

OCEAN CITY -- The Crabcake Factory USA, which turns 16 years old on April 15, will host a  benefit for Robert Hedrick, a longtime Ocean City resident who is battling cancer. The event’s proceeds will help his family through the exorbitant financial and emotional burdens that this disease has bestowed upon them. Bob and his wife Linda, owner of Hedrick Public Accounting, have been married 11 years and reside in Caine Woods. Bob fought Leukemia almost 20 years ago and thought he had...READ MORE

Adventures Of Fatherhood

There are plenty of joys associated with parenting, but it’s the unexpected ones that get me the most excited.Sure, the first steps and first words are tremendous joys in this parenting adventure, and those monumental achievements deserve all the special hoopla.However, for me, I have found I particularly enjoy the more subtle and mundane moments with my kids. The random occasions that remind me how much they have grown and how they are constantly changing and evolving.For instance, with...READ MORE

Open Houses Of The Week

WEST OCEAN CITY Bay Point Plantation Rt589/Gum Point Rd Daily 10-5 Waterfront Estate Lots in 142 Acre Preserve Kevin Decker The Fritschle Group/ Condominium Realty 443-235-6552 SELBYVILLE Lighthouse Crossing 38623 Green Heron Rd Open Daily 11-6 New Construction Large Luxury Homes On Expansive Lots 90-Day Delivery 877-436-9157 WEST OCEAN CITY Sunset Village #7 12626 Sunset Ave Sat 10-12 2BR/1.5BA Townhome Large Pool Annie Buxbaum Condominium Realty 443-235-0878 OCEAN CITY Makai Condominiums 42nd...READ MORE

Seahawks Get Back on Winning Track

BERLIN- Decatur’s girls’ varsity softball team got back on the winning track this week, beating Crisfield and Washington in impressive fashion to improve to 3-2 on the young season. The Seahawks ran into a bit of an early season slump last week with an 8-0 loss to Wicomico followed by a 5-1 loss to county rival Pocomoke to drop to 1-2. However, the Decatur girls’ got their groove back this week with a pair of big wins over Somerset County teams. The Seahawks beat Crisfield,...READ MORE

Decatur Continues Up and Down Pattern

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s girls’ varsity lacrosse team bounced back from a defeat at the hands of Bayside North power Kent Island last week with a 21-2 pasting of Wicomico on the road on Monday. The Seahawks continued an early season up-and-down pattern this week, beating Wicomico convincingly, 21-2, on Monday after falling to Kent Island last Thursday. The Decatur girls started the season with a 16-0 win over Cambridge-South Dorchester and followed that with a loss to rival...READ MORE

Hits Just Keep Coming for Decatur

BERLIN- The hits just kept on coming for Decatur’s varsity baseball team this week with a shortened 19-1 win over visiting Washington on Monday. With the win over the Jaguars on Monday, the Seahawks improved to 5-0 on the season and continued to clobber the ball. Through five games, the Seahawks have outscored their opponents by a combined 88-3. They are averaging just over 17 runs a game. Although the total is inflated somewhat by a 34-1 win over Pocomoke last week, the Seahawks also have...READ MORE

Seahawk Track Teams Sweep Meet

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s varsity track teams stayed on a roll last week with the boys winning their Bayside meet by 71 total team points and the girls outdistancing the field by 210 total team points. The Decatur girls finished with a remarkable 276 total team points in the second meet of the season, while Snow Hill was second with 66 and Parkside was third with 63. In the relays, the Decatur girls finished first in the 4x400 and first in the 4x800, while taking second in the 4x200 and...READ MORE

Decatur Boys Improve to 4-1 at Break

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s boys’ varsity lacrosse team rebounded from its first loss of the season last week with a pair of resounding wins over Bayside South opponents. After opening the season with two wins, including a big victory over old rival Parkside, the Seahawks took their first loss of the season last week against Bayside North power Kent Island. Decatur fell behind early and trailed, 8-3, at the half against the Buccaneers. The Seahawks closed to gap to 8-5 in the third,...READ MORE

Mallards Edge Sabres after Ref Collapses

BERLIN- Worcester Prep’s girls’ varsity lacrosse team beat old rival Saints Peter and Paul, 7-6, at home on Tuesday, but the outcome was secondary to an incident on the field during which a referee collapsed about mid-way through the second half. With 13:29 remaining in the game and Worcester clinging to a 7-6 lead after a big comeback early in the second half, one of the two referees calling the game collapsed on the field. Spectators on the far sideline, including a nurse and a...READ MORE

Ward Presented With $1,000 Donation From Atlantic/Smith, Cropper And Deeley

Lee Ward, a member of the Willards Lions Club, left, is presented a $1,000 donation from Robert J. Elliott, chief financial officer of Atlantic/Smith, Cropper & Deeley, in recognition of the club's community services....READ MORE

OP/Berlin Chambers Present Donation To Spuck And Lib Bennett Scholarship Fund

The Ocean Pines and Berlin Chambers of Commerce recently presented the Bennett family with a donation to the Spuck & Lib Bennett Scholarship Fund. The Bennett family hosted the chambers’ 2nd Annual Business Expo at their former Harley site on Route 50. Above, from left are Ocean Pines Chamber Executive Director Liz Kain-Bolen, Bill Bennett, Chief Operation Officer of Harley-Davidson of Seaford; and Berlin Chamber Executive Director Olive Mawyer....READ MORE

Fourth Grader At Worcester Prep. Leds American Heart Association Program

Sierra Hall, a fourth grade student at Worcester Preparatory School, led students and staff at the school in a program to help the American Heart Association. Pictured, from left, are Stephanie Rhoads, Senior Director of the American Heart Association of Delaware; Celeste Bunting, Head of Worcester Prep’s Lower School; and Hall, who one year ago was hospitalized after going into cardiac arrest during a lacrosse game. ...READ MORE

Star Charities Plan Next Fundraiser

Anna Foultz and her group of Star Charities volunteers are planning their next fundraiser to benefit cancer patients. The fundraiser will be a Card and Games Party at the Ocean Pines Yacht Club on April 19. Pictured, from left, are Carol Caldwell, Lou Ann Trummel, Foultz, Sandy McAbee, Peggy Rumburt and Lily Tunis. Not pictured are Kit Federico and Nancy Engelke. ...READ MORE

Republican Women Of Worcester County Hold General Meeting

The Republican Women of Worcester County last month had its General Meeting and Monthly Luncheon at the Captain’s Table. Pictured, from left, are Laura McDermott; RWWC President Joan Gentile; County Commissioners Judy Boggs and Louise Gulyas; RWWC 1st Vice President Lou Ann Trummell; and speaker  Robert Terlizzi, Maryland Department of Health. ...READ MORE

Art League Of OC Establishes Building For The Arts Fund

The Art League of Ocean City (ALOC) has established a Building for the Arts Fund at the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore (CFES) to fund the construction of a new Center for the Arts building to replace its current facility. In addition, this Fund will support the purchase of furniture and equipment as well as the continued operation of the facility.  Completion of the new building is expected by December 2012. Pictured, from left, are Spicer Bell, President, CFES; Rina Thaler, ALOC...READ MORE

OC/Berlin Optimist And North Bay Marina Present Pontoon Boat Door Prize

The Ocean City/Berlin Optimist and North Bay Marina presented the pontoon boat door prize from the Seaside Boat Show to Jim and Clare Gallagher of Little Egg Harbor, N.J. North Bay Marina has provided the door prize for the Optimist boat show the past 25 years. Above, from left, are Scott McCurdy, owner North Bay Marina; Lew Frey, Optimist President; and Jim and Clare Gallagher. Submitted Photos ...READ MORE

Aiming For A Smart Financial Start

OCEAN CITY -- You’re eager to build your career, so focusing on the present may seem like the most important thing to do. But consider this — if you take just a little time to think about the future, you could build a strong financial foundation that could mean greater financial freedom throughout your life. So take advantage of your age. Consider these ideas. Many people live at home for a while after college, or with roommates. You may want your own place, but as long as...READ MORE

A Week In Business

Accreditation Received SALISBURY -- Peninsula Regional Medical Center has announced its Peninsula Wound and Hyperbaric Center has received full accreditation from the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS). This accreditation awards centers for meeting or exceeding highest industry standards and best practices in hyperbaric treatment.  Peninsula Wound and Hyperbaric Center is the fourth center in Maryland and the only center on the Delmarva Peninsula to successfully complete the...READ MORE

50 Worcester County Youngsters Take Part In Winter Indoor Soccer Program

More than 50 local youngsters took part in the Worcester County Recreation and Parks Department’s 3- and 4-year-old winter indoor soccer program. Above, members of the Galaxy team are pictured with their coaches on the season’s final day....READ MORE

Worcester Prep Hosts Grandparents Day

Each year Worcester Prep hosts a Grandparents Day for students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Above, pre-kindergartner Frank Miller gets a big hug from his grandfather Dennis Silicato. ...READ MORE

Buckingham Elementary Crowns Its Students Of The Month

Buckingham Elementary School recently crowned its Students of the Month for March. Above, second grade honorees were Mildred Sanchez-Cruz, Jenna Bradford, Da’Nysia Manuel and Zoriah Shockley. Below, third graders honored were Evan Truitt, K;Asiah Johnson, Micah Bourne, Owen Russell, Yair Perez-Velarde and Kevin Rodriguez. Not pictured but recognized were first graders Landon Pryor, Paula Garcia-Huizar, Jake Zolenski, Ashley Diaz and Leah Morris and fourth graders Jimmy Barrios, Shazeen...READ MORE

OC Elementary Students Enjoy Spring Music Program

Under the direction of Ocean City Elementary School music teacher Rick Chapman, second grade students enjoyed singing and dancing at their spring music program "All About Flora and Fauna". Above are Linkin Harrison and Brooklyn Durham, and below are Mariana Castellanos-Avalos and Skylar Cook. ...READ MORE

Decatur Key Club Installs New Officers

The Decatur Key Club, with its parent Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City, recently installed new officers. Pictured, from left, are President Yasemin Unal, Vice President Julia Wellen, Co-Secretary Katlyn Knowles, Kiwanis Club's Liaison to the Key Club Roy Foreman, Co-Secretary Victoria Murcia, Editor Lauren Bodolus and Treasurer Rachel Mulholland. ...READ MORE

SD Middle Celebrates Annual "Pi" Celebration

"Pi" Day is celebrated across the world on March 14 every year.  At Stephen Decatur Middle School, it marks the start of the annual “Pi” celebration in Michelle Hrebik’s seventh grade math class. Above, Hrebik assists Alan Means, left, and Todd Phillips in peeling, coring and slicing an apple for their pie. Below, Hailey Brown, Egor Reznikov, and Addison Cook enjoy their pie with an "e". Submitted Photos  ...READ MORE

Things I Like

Walking barefoot through grass The Saltwater String Band A beer with spicy food Salmon and eggs Being on the water at dusk Quiet mornings The Masters weekend Breaking in a new pair of sneakers Seeing through a lie A thick milkshake Silencing a ringing phone ...READ MORE

What's Your Sign?

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): Avoid having someone else take credit for the project you started by finishing it yourself. Then it will be you lovely Lambs who will be wearing those well-deserved laurels. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): The facts about a new opportunity are still emerging. Wait until they're all out in the open, and then use your keen business sense to help make the right decision. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): You might feel confused, even hurt by a friend who suddenly puts distance...READ MORE