August 20, 2010

Mayor Seeks Public Hearing On Smoking Ban

OCEAN CITY•€'A hot button issue intensified a bit this week as a local resident who has been spearheading a campaign to get smoking banned on the beach in Ocean City sent a harsh letter to Mayor Rick Meehan seeking immediate action. David Fox, a retired Air Force health officer and former Anne Arundel County government worker, penned a letter to Meehan accusing him of 'sticking your head in the sand' and 'displaying a lack of leadership and moral fortitude.' 'You claim and advertise Ocean...READ MORE

Thoughts From the Publisher's Desk

Resident David Fox is the man responsible for bringing the smoking on the beach and Boardwalk issue to the forefront this summer. Although Councilwoman Margaret Pillas, who filed for re-election officially earlier this week, was the first to broach it publicly at the Mayor and Council meeting, it was Fox who first spearheaded these talks with a few emails to elected officials and this newspaper last month. He seemed to step up his quest this week with a spirited letter to Mayor Rick Meehan. We...READ MORE

Voices From the Readers

Boardwalk Smoking Ban A Logical Start Editor: While reading The Dispatch this past week, the picture on page 40A with the cigarette butts stuck in the boards within our Boardwalk really caught my eye. Additionally, after reading the letters from other residents concerning the issue of Ocean City banning smoking on the Boardwalk or on our beaches, I have to concur that I am in favor of an additional ban on smoking and I feel it should begin with the Boardwalk. I think its only...READ MORE

Savings Merit Winter Bus Service Cuts

As expected, it was a light turnout at this week's public hearing on Ocean City winter bus service reductions at City Hall. The hearing was planned to gauge public sentiment on a plan to reduce the number of buses operating on Coastal Highway from November through March. According to the town, three buses operate on Coastal Highway in the winter months of the year during the day and evening hours, while two are used during the graveyard shift. The city's plan is to reduce service from three...READ MORE

Child Hit On Coastal Highway

OCEAN CITY - A St. Mary's County youth was struck be a vehicle while attempting to cross Coastal Highway on Tuesday and was flown to a hospital in Baltimore with injuries not believed to be life threatening. Around 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Ocean City Police and paramedics responded the area of Old Wharf Rd. and Coastal Highway for a report of a pedestrian struck by a car. The investigation revealed an 11-year-old Maryland boy was struck by a vehicle while attempting to cross Coastal Highway in an...READ MORE

County Opposes Commercial Aquaculture Plan

SNOW HILL - The debate over commercial shellfish aquaculture in bay waters near South Point continues with the County Commissioners' agreement this week to support residents' ongoing concerns in a letter to the state of Maryland. South Point residents are worried that the 500-acre aquaculture area in Sinepuxent Bay, off their waterfront, will interfere with recreational boating and water activities. The state's original plan had pre-approved clam aquaculture leases in 1,080 acres of Sinepuxent...READ MORE

OC's Off-Season Bus Service Cuts Close To Reality

OCEAN CITY •€' A handful of opponents and only a few disdainful comments couldn't sway the City Council's earlier decision to trim the city bus fleet this winter at Monday's required public hearing at City Hall. During the budget hearings in May, the City Council voted to scale back the winter bus deployment from three buses each shift to what Public Works Director Hal Adkins called a '2-2-1' deployment in one of their numerous cost cutting measures. 'Winter deployment starts the first...READ MORE

Ocean City Resident's Wind Turbine Plan Meets Resistance

OCEAN CITY •€' Jim Motsko has been trying to put a wind turbine on his downtown property for the better part of two years, but it seems he will have to wait at least a little bit longer before getting the green light to go 'green.' On Tuesday, the Planning and Zoning Commission elected to extend a public hearing to determine the conditional use of a 45-foot wind turbine that Motsko, a local realtor and White Marlin Open founder and tournament director, has proposed to install on his 6th...READ MORE

State Picks Parallel Route 50 Bridge Option

OCEAN CITY - After years of back-and-forth debate, the State Highway Administration (SHA) announced this week it had formally selected a preferred alternative to replace the aging Harry Kelley Memorial Bridge, choosing the option to construct a new bridge parallel to the existing span with a new system of ramps to keep traffic flowing in and out of the resort. SHA officials on Wednesday announced the agency had chosen Alternative 5A, which turned out to be the preferred option of Ocean City and...READ MORE

81% Of County Grads Planning To Go College Route

NEWARK - Over 80 percent of Worcester County's 2010 graduating seniors will go on to further their education. A report by school board staff presented this week showed that 81 percent, or 427 students of the 526 student graduating class, will attend a four-year college, two-year college or a specialized training school. Thirty-four graduates, 6.5 percent of Worcester's 2010 graduating class, decided to enter the military after receiving their diploma, according to the report. About 43 percent...READ MORE

Agencies Assist Guards With Rip Current Rescues

OCEAN CITY - The Coast Guard and Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) were called into action last Saturday night to assist the Ocean City Beach Patrol (OCBP) with two rescue incidents caused by dangerous rip currents. The Coast Guard received the first call around 6:50 p.m. last Saturday asking for assistance with the rescue of three boogie boarders caught in a rip current near the Inlet jetty. Coast Guard Station Ocean City launched a rescue boat and arrived on the scene a short time later....READ MORE

Berlin Child Porn Suspect Nabbed For Animal Cruelty

BERLIN - A Berlin man, arrested late last month on child pornography charges after a months-long federal and local investigation, was back behind bars last week on animal cruelty charges after allegedly leaving several dogs, including one that perished, in a 100-plus degree vehicle at a mall in Salisbury. Around 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 8, Salisbury Police responded to a call from the parking lot at the Centre at Salisbury for a report of canines secured in a dangerously hot vehicle. Upon arrival, the...READ MORE

County Staff Says Candidate Not Breaking Zoning Law

BISHOPVILLE - Accusations consistent with the election season are alive and well on the campaign trail, with a question recently raised that District 6 Commissioner candidate Jimmy Bunting, a longtime member of the county planning and zoning commission, may be violating county zoning law. The allegation turned out to be incorrect or at least not a clear violation of the county's code. Bunting faces incumbent Worcester County Commissioner Linda Busick in the Republican primary on Sept. 14. The...READ MORE

Dad Faces First-Degree Assault Charges

OCEAN PINES - An Ocean Pines man was arrested on first-degree assault and other charges this week after allegedly beating his 8-year-old son with a belt for telling a lie. Last Saturday, Ocean Pines Police were notified of an alleged child abuse patient in the emergency room at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin. Ocean Pines Police responded to the emergency room at Atlantic General and met with a nurse the 8-year-old boy who had arrived at the hospital and appeared to have been beaten with a...READ MORE

District 4 Primary Preview

BERLIN - Longtime incumbent District 4 Worcester County Commissioner Virgil Shockley will face challenger Tommy Tucker, a retired high school principal, in the District 4 Democratic primary Sept. 14. The Dispatch spoke with both candidates this week for an overview on their positions. ----- Virgil Shockley: With three terms as commissioner already, Schockley, a farmer and school bus driver, wants to come back for a fourth term for one main reason - to ensure the Snow Hill High School (SHHS)...READ MORE

District 5 Primary Preview

BERLIN - Incumbent District 5 Worcester County Commissioner Judy Boggs is being challenged by Bob Thompson, a financial professional recently named as general manager of the Ocean Pines Association (OPA), in the Republican primary on Sept. 14. The Dispatch spoke with both candidates this week for an overview on their positions. Judy Boggs: Boggs, with eight years as a county commissioner on her resume, is too cautious to make any detailed predictions about the county's financial state next...READ MORE

Four Republicans In Primary Battle For Southern District

BERLIN - Four Republicans in the south end of Worcester County hope to compete with a Democratic candidate in the general election for the District 1 County Commissioner post. The Dispatch spoke to the four Republican District 1 candidates last week in advance of the Sept. 14 primary. Larry Ward: 'We need change and we need change fast,' said Larry Ward, owner of a tree service company, on why he decided to run for commissioner. The county needs to be run more efficiently, he feels. Layoffs and...READ MORE

Next Big Thing Band Eyes Ocean City Stop On Sunday

OCEAN CITY •€' It would be safe to assume that there will be hundreds of little girls screaming at the top of their lungs on Sunday on the Ocean City Boardwalk. Ocean City's much publicized partnership with Radio Disney will hold its swan song of events for the summer as a band being touted as the •€˜Next Big Thing' and even the •€˜next Jonas Brothers' will play a free show Sunday afternoon as part of the Sizzlin' Summer of Stars free events on the Boardwalk. In 2009, the four...READ MORE

Ocean City News In Brief

OCEAN CITY •€' In the brief this week, a few pending ordinances took steps to getting solidified into law, one ordinance did get penned in officially and a downtown business was given permission to charge for parking after hours. Grilling In Public Lots Illegal Without Permit The Mayor and Council breezed through the second required reading of an ordinance that would make it unlawful to grill or cookout in a public parking lot without a city permit via an unanimous vote on Monday. Concern...READ MORE

Railroad Widening Project Called Critical

SNOW HILL - The local economy could suffer a severe blow if Worcester County does not receive federal funds to widen the Snow Hill freight railroad line, which carries grain for poultry feed, to accommodate larger rail cars. Expanding the railroad to carry larger cars, which can transport more grain, is vital to keeping the poultry industry in Worcester County alive, said Commissioner Virgil Shockley, a farmer who raises Tyson chickens and grows corn and soybeans. The smaller rail cars that...READ MORE

Ruppert Growing Fenwick Island Retail Scene

T.K. Dickerson Staff Writer FENWICK ISLAND - Nancy Ruppert is no stranger to owning and operating retail stores in Fenwick Island, as she has owned Body Double, a swimwear store, for nearly 25 years. When she realized that her customers' need for casual wear was growing and Body Double alone could not accommodate, she opened her most recent venture - Under the Banyan Tree. Since its opening this past April, the resort-wear store has been a success. Ruppert attributes the fairly easy transition...READ MORE

Suspected Cocaine Dealer Faces Federal Distribution Charges

BERLIN - A Berlin man arrested in May in one of the most significant cocaine busts in recent county history had the local charges against him dropped last week after he was indicted earlier this month in U.S. District Court on federal drug distribution charges. The Worcester County Sheriff's Office criminal enforcement team this spring concluded a 10-month investigation into cocaine distribution in the Berlin area with a grand jury indictment on Tyrone Darnell Lawson, 37, of Berlin on a dozen...READ MORE

Undercover Probe Results In Cocaine Dealing Charges

OCEAN CITY - Two Salisbury residents were arrested on cocaine distribution charges last week after allegedly selling the illegal narcotic to an undercover OCPD detective on several different occasions over the last month or so. During the month of July, an undercover OCPD narcotics detective initiated an investigation into a suspected dealer known as Dujuan Terrell Williams, 33, of Salisbury. On July 8, the detective contacted Williams via cell phone to inquire about purchasing cocaine. During...READ MORE

Friday, Aug 20--Accident Sparks Short Route 90 Closure

OCEAN CITY - Route 90 was closed in both directions for over an hour early yesterday morning after an alleged drunk-driver rear-ended a vehicle stopped at a red traffic light at St. Martin's Neck Rd. and Isle of Wight. According to police reports, around 7:45 a.m. yesterday morning, a Honda Accord driven by Zachary Wagner, 19, of Fruitland, was heading east on Route 90 when it struck a vehicle driven by Cathy Peacher, 55, of Hebron, which was stopped at a traffic signal at St. Martin's Neck Rd....READ MORE

Friday, Aug 20--Anglers Using Invention To Assist Fed Shark Program

ASSATEAGUE - A group of veteran surf anglers who developed and patented an unconventional casting system, largely on Assateague Island, are now putting the invention to good use as part of a federal shark tagging program. For the last few years, veteran surf fisherman Dan Triano and his Far Out Fishin' crew have been landing big sharks from the beach at Assateague using a unique casting system that allows them to launch their baits several hundred yards offshore, much further then they could...READ MORE

Friday, Aug 20--County Libraries Break Circulation Mark

BERLIN - Despite of, or perhaps more accurately because of, a continued sluggish economy, one local recession success story has been the Worcester County Public Library system, which set an all-time record this year and topped the half-million mark for the circulation of materials for the second straight year. Worcester County Library officials recently concluded a review of the system's circulation figures for the fiscal year that ended June 30, which confirmed a recent trend of residents and...READ MORE

Friday, Aug 20--New Taxi Medallion System Raises Off-Season Questions

OCEAN CITY •€' As the final payments for the taxi medallions came in this week, the town started looking ahead to how the new medallion system was going to impact the annual scaling back of cab fleets on Ocean City's streets. Each year, after the tourists leave town and the population deflates from Maryland's third largest city to a small town once again, cab companies, just like many other local businesses, start to scale back their workforce and their deployments on the roads, since there...READ MORE

Bottle Bashing Leads To Assault Charges

OCEAN CITY - A Washington, D.C. man was arrested on first-degree assault charges last weekend after allegedly smashing his stepfather in the face with a bottle during a fight over keys to a truck. Around 7:15 p.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on bike patrol in the area of 8th Street was dispatched to a fight in progress nearby. Upon arrival, the officer observed a man later identified as Henry Barroa, 37, with severe lacerations under his right eye and his face...READ MORE

Fatherhood Adventures

Of all the sounds the youngest one among us makes, I think a raspberry might be my personal favorite. Under pretty much any circumstance, a well-executed raspberry from my 9-month-old, Carson, tickles my funny bone. It particularly gets me when a timely raspberry from Carson finishes off a sentence in a particularly intriguing fashion. The other night he followed my comment 'okay buddy, up we go, time for a bath' with a long and wet raspberry in my ear. In my mind, and I could be completely off...READ MORE

Fish 'N OC

As a charter captain, I typically end up doing the majority of my fishing from my boat. Still, there are times when I would rather park my boat in favor of spending a few hours fishing on dry land. After a long day on the water, there is something peaceful about coming home and fishing from shore, especially at night. There is no boat traffic, no outboard motors, or crazy drivers to contend with. It is just me, the water and the fish. Here on Delmarva, we are blessed with a lot of beaches that...READ MORE

We Remember Those We Have Lost

Rowland Michael Stevens BERLIN - Rowland Michael Stevens, age 72, died Aug. 14, 2010 at his home in Berlin. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 50 years, Patricia Ann Stevens; two sons, Michael C. Stevens and his wife Denise of Las Vegas, Nev. and Craig F. Stevens and his wife Heather of Columbia, Md.; a daughter, Laura M. Seebeck and her husband Mark of Annapolis. He is also survived by a brother, Paul Stevens of Portland, Ore. He was adored grandfather of five grandsons, Shane Seebeck,...READ MORE

Who's Playing Where and When Musically Speaking

Sports Bar & Grille , 12702 Old Bridge Road, West OC Aug. 20: Gravy Saturday: Karaoke with Hey Mick The , Talbot St. On the bay Aug. 21 & Sunday, Aug 22: Clendenen, 4 p.m. Sunday: Local's Social With DJ Rusty Griswald Salty Dog , 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Aug. 20: Bond & Bentley Aug. 21: John LaMere; Steelers Game Sunday: Local's Party with DJ JJ Aug. 26: DJ Wax bar & Grill off the boards on 2nd St. Aug. 20: Dave Sherman, 1-5 p.m.; Pie, 7:30-11:30 p.m. Aug. 21: Moodswingers,...READ MORE

Open Houses In and Around Ocean City

OCEAN PINES 41 Duck Cove Cir Sat 9:30-12:30 Waterfront 4BR/4BA with Boat dock & lift Jerry Richards ReMax Premier Properties 410-641-5222 OCEAN PINES 19 Battersea Road Sun 9:30-12:30 Waterfront 4BR/3BA Boat Dock Basement Jerry Richards ReMax Premier Properties 410-641-5222 OCEAN CITY Anchors Aweigh 302 1515 St Louis Ave Open Sunday Luxury Waterfront 4BR/3.5BA Penthouse Jim White ReMax Premier Properties 410-726-9026 NORTH OCEAN CITY 14008 Sea Captain Off 141st Street Sun 10:30-1:30 3BR/2BA...READ MORE

Lacrosse Classic In the Books

OCEAN CITY- The 17th Annual Ocean City Lacrosse Classic, held at several venues in the resort area over four days last weekend, was one for the record books with over 100 teams competing in four divisions and a memorable final in the men's Elite Division. The event has grown by leaps and bounds since its inception in 1993 when a handful of teams competed on a hardscrabble field behind Ocean City Elementary. From those modest beginnings, the Ocean City Lacrosse Classic has grown to become one of...READ MORE

Mid-Atlantic $500,000 Underway

OCEAN CITY- The Mid-Atlantic $500,000, with home bases in both Ocean City and Cape May, got underway this week with plenty of action in the early going as a strong white marlin bite continues in the canyons shared by both ports. Ocean City's collective hangover from the White Marlin Open two weeks ago had just about worn off when the next big event on the summer sportfishing calendar opened on Monday. The Mid-Atlantic $500,000 continues to be one of the top sportfishing events in the region with...READ MORE

Poor Girls Do It With "Fin-Ness"

OCEAN CITY- The 17th Annual Captain Steve Harman Poor Girls Open fishing tournament last weekend was once again a huge success with plenty of boats and hundreds of lady anglers participating, dozens of billfish released and quite a few weighed at the scale at host Bahia Marina, and most importantly, thousands of dollars raised for breast cancer research and awareness. With the high dollar, high profile White Marlin Open dispensed with the week before, the lady anglers got their turn in...READ MORE

Season Ending Surgery Shelves Tate

BERLIN- Former local high school standout Ben Tate, drafted by the Houston Texans in the second round of the NFL draft this spring, had his first season in the league cut short last week when he severely injured his ankle and leg during the team's first preseason game last weekend. Tate was injured in the third quarter of Saturday's pre-season game after busting a 12-yard gain. It was only his third carry of the Texans' pre-season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. He was listed as the...READ MORE

Faces in Places

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

Bank of America Partners to Bring Financial Literacy to Kids

Bank of America and Junior Achievement (JA) have partnered to bring financial literacy skills to kids on the Eastern Shore. Students had the opportunity to participate in financial literacy education classes. Each day, a volunteer visits a class and teaches important lessons in economics, business and financial awareness. Some topics included are the importance of saving money, strong job interviewing skills, responsibilities as citizens and how to dream big encouraging students to learn what it...READ MORE

Pine'eers Hold Annual Arts and Crafts Festival

Members of the Pine'eer Craft Club, Midge Powell. Barbara O'Connor and Jean Katzer are shown working during the annual Arts and Crafts Festival held Aug. 7. Profits raised are given back to the Ocean Pines community. The club sponsors the Pine'eer Craft and Gift Shop in White Horse Park that is open every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.   ...READ MORE

M & T Bank Donates to Worcester County Developmental Center

M&T Bank Vice President and manager of the Snow Hill branch, Irene Simpson, right, presents a $5,000 check to June Walker, executive director of the Worcester County Developmental Center, for the Working Toward a Brighter Future campaign. The donation from M&T will go toward the naming of two terrace benches at the new facility.  ...READ MORE

Art at the Beach Deemed a Success

Art at the Beach 2010, sponsored by the Art League of Ocean City, was a success with 84 children attending from Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The children enjoyed instruction in larger than life drawing, collage, cartooning, painting to music and coloring Mona Lisa. Some of the children's artwork will be exhibited at the Ocean City Library this fall. Above are participants Tara, Ryan and Bobby McCaleb, and, below, are Mary Settle and Paul Naumann.  ...READ MORE

What's Your Sign

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): A relaxed mood early in the week could give way to high-temperature disputes. The Aries Lamb should resist being pulled into heated quarrels that could really singe your wool. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Satisfy that practical obligation first, then you can feel free to indulge in your creative endeavors. Also, check for hidden or overlooked areas where repairs might be long overdue. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Home is still the Twins' major focus this week. But...READ MORE

Four Ideas For A Rich Retirement

BERLIN - During the five years leading into retirement, there's an almost inevitable change in how you focus on this time in your life. With just five years to go until you retire, you certainly don't want to be exposed to too much risk. This is an ideal time to speak with your financial advisor about how best to balance your need for income with your desire for continued growth of your portfolio. There's a good chance that growth stocks may well still play a role in your portfolio as you...READ MORE

A Week in Business

Company An Approved Applicator BERLIN - R&R Coatings proudly announced this week that it's not an approved applicator for Carboline Structural Steel Fireproofing after George Ralph III and Dennis Greene attended its class in St. Louis to become an approved applicator. Employee Passes Exam BERLIN - Carolyn L. Miller, Medical Staff Assistant in Atlantic General Hospital's Medical Staff Services Department, successfully passed the Certified Provider Credentialing...READ MORE

Things I Like

Smoked fish When my neighbors get 'home' for the summer The look, smell and feel of fresh cut grass Starting the day with a pool dip A good news phone call Morning workouts When my sons are good while eating out Berlin's love of the peach The smells of the Boardwalk Bonfires on Assateague Albums full of old Polaroid pictures  ...READ MORE

People in Society

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