November 13, 2009

We Remember Those We Have Lost

Nannie L. Cymek BERLIN- Nannie L. Cymek, 95, of Berlin, Md. and formerly of Towson, Md., died peacefully on Sunday, November 1, 2009 at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin. She was born in Baltimore, Md. and was the daughter of the late Claude C. New, Sr. and Ora L. (French) New.  She was employed for many years by Hutzler Brothers of Baltimore.  She is survived by her son, Douglas S. Cymek and his wife Vicki of Ocean City; two grandchildren, Kimberly C. Frey and her husband Kevin,...READ MORE

Who's Playing When and Where Musically Speaking

Buxy's Salty Dog 410-289-0973 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, Nov. 13: Kevin Poole, 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19: DJ Wax 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, Nov. 13 & Saturday, Nov. 14: New Censation Dr.Unks Bar & Grille 410-213-7775 , 9636 Stephen Decatur Hwy., West OC Friday, Nov. 13: Blake Haley, 6-10 p.m. Fager's...READ MORE

Decatur Harriers Fare Well at Regionals

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's varsity boys and girls cross-country teams wrapped up their seasons last week with a decent showing at the state Class 3A-East region meet at Centennial High School last Thursday. The Decatur girls' cross country team finished second overall in the Bayside Conference championships and sent seven runners to the 3A-East regions last Thursday. The Seahawks finished eighth overall in the regional meet. Elizabeth Davidson was Decatur's top finisher, coming in 28th in the...READ MORE

Dolphins Win 5th Straight, Clinch Playoffs

BERLIN- The Berlin Junior Dolphins continued to destroy anything in their path last weekend, routing Princess Anne, 40-0, for their fifth straight win and clinching a playoff berth in the Salvation Army Youth Football League playoffs. The Dolphins won their fifth in a row to improve to 6-1 on the season with the big home win over the Princess Anne Jaguars. Berlin's Will Holland got Berlin on the board on the Dolphins' first possession with a 45-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0. On the next...READ MORE

Fall Flag Football in Full Swing

OCEAN CITY- Ocean City Recreation and Parks Fall Flag Football League continued last week with Eastern Shore Golf Magazine still unbeaten atop the standings at 7-0. Buxy's Salty Dog is a close second with a record of 6-2, followed by a bunch of teams at 3-4 on the season thus far including Pickle's Pub, Kirby's Pub and the Blue Ox. The following is a quick look at some of this week's games. Kirby's 14- Pickles 9- Kirby's got on the board first on a 10-yard TD run by Bart Talbert to go up 7-0....READ MORE

Former Seahawk Miller a Starter at Navy

BERLIN- Former Stephen Decatur wrestling standout Danny Miller was recently named the starter in the heavyweight class as a freshman at the U.S. Naval Academy and last week justified the program's early confidence in him by winning his first match and placing fourth overall in his first competition on the college level. Miller, who won three state championships at Decatur wrestling in the 189-pound class, added about 35 pounds of muscle after high school to move up to the heavyweight class at...READ MORE

Seahawks Breeze Through 1st Round

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's varsity volleyball team breezed through its opening match in the state Class 3A-East region playoffs, sweeping visiting Northeast of Anne Arundel County in three games to advance to the region semifinals. The Seahawks entered Monday's Class 3A-East quarterfinal as the number-four seed in the region and took on fifth-seeded Northeast at home. Decatur finished the regular season with a 13-2 mark and narrowly missed a Bayside Conference championship, falling to powerhouse...READ MORE

Decatur Falls to Snow Hill in Finale

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's varsity football team's shot at a post-season berth and a winning season slipped away last weekend with a disappointing 21-14 loss to county rival Snow Hill. For the Seahawks, playing Snow Hill on the last weekend of the regular season has become a time-honored tradition with both team's post-season fate's usually on the line, adding more drama to what is naturally a big rivalry. This year was no different as Decatur entered last Friday's game with Snow Hill in need of...READ MORE

OC Rec and Parks Fall Softball League Champs Crowned

Abba Bail Bonds defeated the Greene Turtle, 11-8, last week to capture the title in the Bayside Division of the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department's Fall Softball League. Pictured above with the first-place trophy is Abba's including Pat Allen, Joey Royster, Chris Fuller, Robert Gray, Derick Melvin, Mark Joines, Steve Kaminski, Richie Jones, Jon Daughton,  and Jesse Hammond. Pictured below with the second-place trophy is the Greene Turtle team including Jack Curry, Malcolm Van Kirk,...READ MORE

Decatur's Straley is 'Tough Guy of Year'

BERLIN- Just as Stephen Decatur's varsity football season came to a close last weekend, so to did another year of the Atlantic Physical Therapy 'Tough Guy of the Week' awards with Josh Straley collecting the coveted 'Tough Guy of the Year' award on Tuesday night during the team's awards banquet at Seacrets. Most of the accolades in football at any level are reserved for the glamour guys, the golden-armed quarterbacks and fleet running backs who put points on the board and thrill the crowds, but...READ MORE

Worcester Prep Sports Awards

Worcester Prep last week handed out it fall sports awards to several scholar athletes. Pictured above are the boys varsity sports award winners including, from left: Brad Harris, Most Improved, Soccer; Chase Powell, Coach's Award, Soccer; Martin Sanchez, MVP, Soccer; and Ty Mayers, MVP, Golf. Pictured, below are the girls winners including seated, from left: Marissa Grimes, MVP, Soccer; Alyssa Alicea, Most Improved, Golf; Olivia Massey, Most Improved, Field Hockey; and Mary Alex Hudson, Most...READ MORE

First Significant Sentence in Open-Air Drug War

BERLIN- The first significant jail term, and, more importantly, the first direct hit in area law enforcement's renewed battle to rid Berlin's neighborhoods of open-air drug dealing, was scored last week when a local man was found guilty of distribution of cocaine and was sentenced to 25 years without the possibility of parole. With a stern warning for known repeat offenders and a somewhat softer alternative for those maybe caught in the web for the first time, Worcester County State's Attorney...READ MORE

Voices From The Readers

(The following letter was addressed to Commissioner Robert Cowger and forwarded to this publication.) Editor: While I certainly don't believe everything I read in the paper, when I see a quote, I tend to believe it or, at least, it's gist.  Your statement regarding the MCB request for the kayak launch, saying that, 'I'm tired of getting blasted in the paper and then having you come up here and ask for something,' really gets under my skin. Boo Hoo... You are an elected official serving ME...READ MORE

Alleged Knife Attack a Hoax

OCEAN CITY- A Pittsville woman last week was charged with making a false statement to police after allegedly concocting an elaborate story about a knife attack in Ocean City back in August. Around 9:30 p.m. on August 26, Ocean City Police officers responded to the area of Old Landing Rd. in north Ocean City in reference to a report of a female victim being attacked by a man with a knife. OCPD officers arrived in the area and located the female victim, later identified as Alexis Marie Turcol, 18,...READ MORE

Alleged Child Sex Offender Fighting Extradition to Worcester

OCEAN CITY- Over a month after Ocean City Police traveled to North Carolina to help locate and arrest a former Catholic priest implicated in a decades-old child sex abuse case involving an unidentified victim in Ocean City dating back as early as 1997, the suspect has not been extradited to Worcester County to face a possible indictment on the charge. Earlier this spring, the Ocean City Police Department received a complaint about the sexual abuse of minor. The alleged incidents were to have...READ MORE

Berlin Council Rejects Ban On Poultry in Residential Areas

BERLIN- Chickens are still legal within Berlin town limits after the Berlin Town Council unanimously rejected a ban on poultry. The public hearing Monday night attracted more chicken advocates than ban adherents, a roughly 2-1 difference, who advocated regulating chicken-keeping rather than banning them. The proposed change in the dog ordinance to ban farm animals, including poultry, was prompted by the case of Elizabeth Fisher, who town officials say violated the zoning code by keeping...READ MORE

Offshore Energy Plan Gains Momentum

OCEAN CITY- The potential for offshore wind farms of the coast of the resort and throughout the mid-Atlantic moved closer to becoming a reality this week with two separate significant events including an agreement to cooperate between the three states on Delmarva and a new partner for the company hoping to develop the alternative energy. On Monday, Bluewater Wind, the alternative energy company with an offshore wind farm project already well underway in Delaware and a conceptual plan for a...READ MORE

Tourism Summit Fosters Positive Outlook for 2010

OCEAN CITY- The outlook for 2010 is projected to be on a mild upswing after a bleak 2009 in the tourism industry, even though many local leaders continue to point out that the resort community fared much better than most. Ocean City hosted the annual Maryland Tourism and Travel Summit last week at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center and welcomed a number of speakers who, as expected, went into great detail about how much the lagging economy played into 2009 being less than a stellar year in...READ MORE

Friday, November 13--Boardwalk Tram Campaign Renewed

OCEAN CITY •€' What started as a trial run, will apparently become a three-year deal. Comcast Spotlight will be helping the town increase its revenue through the sale of advertising to be run on the Boardwalk tram for the next three years, as per City Council's unanimous vote on Tuesday at City Hall. Last March, during discussions about cost reductions and revenue enhancements, one of the items brought to the council had to do with selling advertising space on the boardwalk trams, and at...READ MORE

Friday, Nov 13--Locally Produced Crackers a Big Hit on National Stage

OCEAN CITY- What's being called the world's most addictive cracker found its way to the country's biggest morning television show this week, even if it was only for a few short minutes. Little Ragghi's Crackers, a locally created and produced artisan flatbread cracker that has seemingly sparked nationwide interest and critical acclaim in the gourmet food industry in just six months of existence, caught the attention of the producers of the 'Today Show,' and were one of five products chosen to be...READ MORE

Friday, Nov 13--Rocket Program Comes to Decatur Middle

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur Middle School students were challenged last Friday to become rocketeers when a crew from NASA's Wallops Island facility brought space to school. 'Do not fool around, you're going to miss something cool,' warned seventh-grade science teacher Michele DeCicco as students assembled in the cafeteria for a presentation by Wallop's Island engineers. Students viewed video of sounding rocket launches and footage from the rockets themselves before engineer Ken Digiulian spoke about...READ MORE

Friday, Nov 13--Locals Score Three Major Tourism Honors

OCEAN CITY •€' To say that Susan Jones was shocked to be awarded the state's most coveted tourism prize last week is a vast understatement as she didn't even know she was nominated. Jones, who has held the position of executive director for the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association (OCHMRA) for 15 years, said she was scanning the room to figure out whom the speaker from the Maryland Tourism Council (MTC) was describing prior to awarding the state's person of the year for tourism. 'I...READ MORE

Berlin to Seek More Grants for Wastewater Expansion

BERLIN- After receiving millions in grants that reduced wastewater capacity fees substantially, the town of Berlin hopes to reduce those fees again by requesting more grant funds to bankroll spray irrigation infrastructure for the new spray disposal facility in Newark. The town of Berlin was awarded $8 million in grants this fall, about half the money needed to construct the expansion of the wastewater treatment plant and make required improvements. The wastewater project will also benefit from...READ MORE

Ocean City News in Brief

OCEAN CITY•€'In the briefs this week, the town secured the company that handles the grandiose tent setup from the town's major festivals, the Board of Zoning Appeals officially got their new members, and the town boasts its social networking skills. Tent Contract Secured Until 2012 City Council voted to extend the current contract for three years to the company that puts up the giant white tents that are apart of the town's Sunfest, Springfest and Winterfest events. Select Event Rentals...READ MORE

Town to Replace Emergency Dispatch System

OCEAN CITY- After an untimely fire that resulted in critical damages to the town's current equipment, the Ocean City Council voted to replace the emergency dispatching system on Tuesday. Emergency Services Director Joe Theobald came to City Hall on Tuesday afternoon to ask for emergency funds totaling just over $22,000 to replace all six of the town's dispatch consoles used by the town's communication division. 'Specifically, it's an instant call recorder that is at every dispatch console that...READ MORE

Berlin Revises Energy Audit Guidelines

BERLIN- Guidelines for the Berlin energy audit assistance credit program were approved by the Berlin Town Council Monday night, setting in motion a town wide effort to encourage energy conservation through structural repairs. The town has set aside $30,000 to fund electric bill credits triggered by improvements to a house's energy efficiency, based on the recommendations of a free town energy audit on the structure. Originally, the town planned to offer a credit of 10-percent of the amount spent...READ MORE

Council Approves Ethics Guidelines

BERLIN- The Berlin Ethics Commission will use its first-ever set of guidelines to decide a controversy over a council member's participation in discussions affecting his type of business. Last spring, Marge Coyman filed an ethics complaint over Councilmember Troy Purnell's participation in a discussion of wastewater capacity prices for new development. The complaint was handed over to the Ethics Commission at that point. 'We didn't hear anything for a long time,' said Mayor Gee Williams. The...READ MORE

Area Food Bank Demand Swells

BERLIN- More people in Worcester County are using food banks and soup kitchens than usual for this time of the year, local agencies report. 'We saw probably a 200-percent increase in the people who are coming for food,' said Claudia Nagle, director of Diakonia homeless shelter, in the first week of November. Staff counted 40 households requesting food that first week of this month, representing 125 people. That is as many as the shelter usually gives food to in a month. Moreover, many of those...READ MORE

Council Agrees on Bids for Nine Police Cars

OCEAN CITY- The Ocean City Police Department will be patrolling the town in nine new police cruisers as early as next spring, with some of them to be equipped with state of the art cameras, after the City Council's unanimous vote on Tuesday. Council approved the purchase of six marked and three unmarked Ford Crown Victorias, through the OCPD's 2010 Maryland State Contract, replacing two cars that were involved in accidents, and one with a blown transmission that is scheduled to be sold in the...READ MORE

Faces in Places

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

Drug Bust with Child in Vehicle

OCEAN CITY - Two Frankford, Del. residents were arrested on drug distribution charges last week after Ocean City police narcotics detectives purchased crack cocaine from them out of a vehicle, which also included a 2-year-old child. Around 8 p.m. last Thursday, Ocean City Police Department's Narcotics Unit officers, with the assistance of patrol personnel, made a traffic stop on a vehicle containing suspected drug dealers. Earlier in the day, the driver of the vehicle, identified as Shanice...READ MORE

Getting More Out Of State 529 Plans

OCEAN CITY  - Just over a decade after they were introduced, state-sponsored 529 college savings plans have become an increasingly attractive proposition for families wanting to save for tuition costs and other college expenses a decade or two ahead of time. For the year ending June 30, aspiring students and their families opened a little more than one million new 529 plan accounts •€' an increase of 12 percent just a few years ago, according to the College Savings Plan...READ MORE

Snow Hill Elementary First Graders Attend Pumpkin School

The first grade classes at Snow Hill Elementary School attended "Pumpkin School" recently at Mr. Pepper's Pumpkin Patch in Laurel, Del. Above, first grade teacher Pat Tucker is pictured with students, from left, Javon Cottman, Dylan Truitt, Daniel Shelton, Emily Bell, LaBryon Pitts, Zachary Nock, Danish Ahsan, Deaysha Waters, Jamie Willing, Madison Holston and Nicole Watson. ...READ MORE

Golden Grahams with Grandparents at Buckingham Elementary

Grandparents of students at Buckingham Elementary School were invited to participate in "Golden Grahams with Grandparents" last week. The grandparents ate breakfast with the children in the school cafeteria and were then invited to visit the classrooms. Above, front from left, are Ann Truitt, Robert Webb, Carol Lewis, Ashley Eubanks and Mrs. Webb; and, back from left, Keli Drimmel, Erica Webb, Anna Eubanks and Alyssa Webb ...READ MORE

Worcester Prep Costume Contest Winners

Winners of the costume competition at the Worcester Prep Middle School Halloween Dance were, kneeling, Ryan Nally, Meg Lingo and Wade Walter; and, back, Fiona Reid, Alexa Conaway and Hannah Esham. ...READ MORE

OC Elementary 4th Graders Learn About Electricity

Hattie Brous and Jarius Foreman read about electricity during science in Sarah Tilghman's fourth grade class at Ocean City Elementary School. ...READ MORE

All Saints Day Celebration at Most Blessed Sacrament School

In celebration of All Saints Day at Most Blessed Scrament School, first graders paraded throughout the school with the saints they created out of milk containers. Pictured, from left, are Taylor Barrett (St. Cecilia), Lilly Jones (St. Brigid of Ireland), Jessica Janney (St. Thomas Aquinas), and Maura Vosburg (St. Brigid of Ireland). ...READ MORE

SDHS JV Volleyball Team Celebrates Record Breaking Season

Stephen Decatur's junior varsity women's volleyball team celebrated the end of a record-breaking season. Pictured, from left, are Kristen Miller, Casey Ortiz, Hallee Carr, Ashley Trice, Amy Casey, Nikki Carpenter, Alexis Martinek, Destinee Zimmerman, Julia Miller, Emlyn Hammer, Bianca Alvarado and Coach Zimmer. Missing from photo is Abby Hastings and Assistant Coach Timmons. ...READ MORE

BIS Students Read and Act Out Tall Tales

As part of their tall tale genre study, Berlin Intermediate students in Mrs. Romano's class read several 'Tall Tales' and discussed the exaggerated traits of the characters. Each student then created their own tall tale character using modeling clay and wrote about the special attributes of their characters. Above, Paige Reddon paints her tall tale character who had the ability to run at great rates of speed. ...READ MORE

Fatherhood Adventures

Children's books have come a long way. When I was young, I recall most of the books I read being of the Dr. Seuss variety. I certainly had no complaints then from what I can recall, but when I flip through the books on my son's bookshelf in his room I am amazed by the illustrations and the content, in particular. His collection grew by one this week, as a friend passed on a book to me that I found incredibly compelling. It was 'Day Is Done' by Peter Yarrow of the folk legend group Peter, Paul...READ MORE

People in Society

Featuring Those Helping Causes in the Resort Area ...READ MORE

A Week In Business

Realtor Honored As Entrepreneur of the Year BERLIN - Cam Bunting, a Berlin/Ocean City Area broker and realtor, has been awarded the 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year Award by the Coastal Delmarva Chapter of the Women's Council of RealtorsÃ' (WCR). This annual award recognizes a realtor member who fully exercises their potential as an entrepreneur and real estate industry leader; and who shares their time, talent and expertise with others in the profession and in the community. Bunting...READ MORE

SDHS Key Club Holds First Blood Drive of the Year

The Key Club at Stephen Decatur High School held its first of two blood drives for the 2009-2010 school year last week in the school gym. Members signed up 100 donors for the drive and have 53 on the waiting list. The blood is donated to the Blood Bank of Delmarva. Pictured at the canteen are, seated on the left, Marcie Wiggins, Key Club co-chair for the blood drive, Julie Rittershofer and Rebecca Rittershofer; and, seated on the right, Bonnie Eisenman, co-chair, Brett Oliver,...READ MORE

Former Club President Gets Top Civic Award

Corky Widerman, past-president of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City, is pictured above being presented the Top Civic Group Bell Ringing Award from the local Salvation Army 2008 "Red Kettle Campaign" for collecting $7,523.81 by ringing the bell during the 2008 Christmas Holidays for the Salvation Army. The award was presented at the 2009 kickoff meeting by Kiwanian Dick Feeser. This year's campaign will begin at the West Ocean City-Berlin Wal-Mart on...READ MORE

Junior Auxiliary Group Donates Thousands to AGH

The Junior Auxiliary Group recently donated $9,850 to Atlantic General Hospital, including a $5,000 payment on its pledge to the major fifts campaign, $4,350 to the James G. and Nancy W. Barrett Nursing Scholarship Fund and $500 for the Visions for Total Health program's annual conference. ...READ MORE

Five Members of Local American Legion Recognized by National Commander

Five members of American Legion Synepuxent Post #166 were recognized by American Legion's National Commander. Pictured are Post #166's First Vice Commander Bo Spicer, Past Commander Sarge Garlitz, Second Vice Commander John Granite and Legion Director Jimmy Kirkland.  ...READ MORE

Worcester Prep's Junior Red Cross Work on CPR Certification

Worcester Prep's Junior Red Cross volunteers recently worked to get certified in CPR with instructor Bob Williams, Lower Shore Chapter American Red Cross. Pictured, clockwise from bottom left, front, are Ashley Foreman, Austin Coates, Madison Kyger, Gabby Castaneda, Paige Spangler and Katie Marshall; and, back, Williams, Matt Carey, Morgan Bissell, Thomas Edmunds, Ben Mumford, Katie Lawrence, Casey Knerr, McKenzie Kyger, Meredith Smith, Caroline Klug, Elizabeth Sayan and advisor Linda Bragg. ...READ MORE

What's Your Sign?

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): While it seems that chaos is taking over, you get everything back to normal, even if it means being more than a little assertive with some people. Expect to hear more job-related news soon. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Expect to be able to move ahead with your workplace plans now that you have a good idea of what you might have to face. You also can anticipate a welcome change on the home front. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): A quieter period settles in, giving you a...READ MORE

Things I Like

Berlin's yellow street lights Jeans so old they are soft ESPN in the mornings A wind turbine on a mountain My son's long eyelashes A warm day in November Driving south Being in the hospital for a good thing Trying to keep things in perspective Driving through the E-Z Pass lane Acoustic versions of a song ...READ MORE