December 10, 2010

What's Your Sign

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): At this time you might want to resist that otherwise admirable Aries penchant for getting to the heart of a matter quickly. Keep in mind that a delicate situation calls for patience. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Your aspects favor more diplomacy and fewer direct confrontations when dealing with a relationship problem. Avoiding hurt feelings can help in your search for the truth. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Positive aspects are strong this week. Although you might...READ MORE

Times Call For New Approach

OCEAN CITY – Americans take pride in their ability to come back from adversity. That's fortunate, because our resiliency has been sorely tested over the past couple of years by what is now being called the Great Recession. Many of the positive economic conditions we long took for granted have turned out not to have guarantees. Growth is no longer a given. Credit is harder to come by. Retiree benefits may be in long-term danger. Still, there is a growing number of economists who take the...READ MORE

Things I Like

The first night the Christmas tree is up 

Ginger beer

 Woodberry Kitchen in Hampden

 The tunes in “Rock of Ages”

 Polenta 

 A street full of decorated houses Sweet vindication A cold day with no wind Fast Internet service People watching at parades Old blueprints ...READ MORE

First Shore Federal Gift To New Field House

A $10,000 leadership gift has been made by First Shore Federal Savings & Loan to the capital campaign to build a new athletic field house at Stephen Decatur High School’s Seahawk Stadium. The capital campaign is a project of the SDHS Alumni Association. Above, First Shore Federal President Marty Neat, Berlin branch manager Patti Feeheley and Ocean Pines branch manager Debbie Tingle present the donation to school Principal Lou Taylor. Submitted Photos ...READ MORE

Friends Honor Memory

A Japanese Red Maple was planted at the Ocean Pines Golf Course, near the clubhouse, on Dec. 2 in memory of Betty Britton, who passed away recently. Members of the Ocean Pines Wednesday Bridge Club and Tuesday Night Bridge Club donated the tree. Pictured, from left, are Dottie and Bob Danchik; Anna Foultz; Scott Lenox, assistant golf professional, Ocean Pines Golf Club; Kerry Nelson, director of Ocean Pines Public Works; and Jesus Urrutia and Ben McCabe, of Ocean Pines...READ MORE

JR's Supports Women Supporting Women

Jerry and Deb Sinnott, owners of J/R’s Ribs, recently presented the proceeds from their second annual fundraiser to Women Supporting Women. The event raised $1,700. The couple is pictured with WSW Community Relations Coordinator Emily Karnbauer. ...READ MORE

WPS Hosts Thanksgiving Speaker

The Reverend Walt Crocker, center, who serves at the Taylorville United Methodist Church, led the Thanksgiving services at Worcester Preparatory School. Crocker first talked with children in Grades Preschool through Five and then students in Grades 6-12. With him are Nancy Decker, Head of the Upper School; Rubab Ahmad, who gave a prayer in Arabic and English; Arella Berger, who gave a prayer in Hebrew and English; and Kyle Joseph, president of the Student Government Association who gave a prayer...READ MORE

First Annual Pole For A Cure

Angela Houck, owner of Pole Power Studio, recently held the first annual Pole For A Cure, which raised $1,271 for Women Supporting Women. She is shown presenting the proceeds to Emily Karnbauer, WSW’s coordinator of community relations. ...READ MORE

Seaside Christian Academy Visits 17th Century Home

Students in Mrs. James' second and third grade class at Seaside Christian Academy stepped into history through experiencing a 17th century home and way of life at Pemberton Hall in Salisbury. Submitted Photos ...READ MORE

SES Braves The Cold

Showell Elementary students braved the cold to celebrate the holiday season in the Berlin Christmas Parade last week. Pictured, from left, are Broolynn Pugner, Sarah Reid, Anna Rosenberg and, front, Ava Bullock and Savanna Jurist. ...READ MORE

BIS Raises $160 In Pennies

Fourth graders at Berlin Intermediate School raised over $160 through a penny drive to donate to the Maryland Coastal Bays. Students culminated their fund raising efforts by creating terrapin shells in art class and wearing them. Children pictured with Coastal Bays’ Carrie Samis, Bill Mahoney of Chesapeake Conservation Corp and school Vice Principal Tamara Mills are Hailey Ehatt, Isabella Yeager, Kevin George, Shelby Evans, Randi Mae Brooke and Julia Miller.  ...READ MORE

Poetry Out Loud At SDHS

Students performed in the annual Stephen Decatur High School Poetry Out Loud competition recently during American Education Week, Above, junior Jackie Saldana took first in the event, reciting two poems entitled "Insomnia" by Dante Gabriel Rossetti and "Love of My Flesh, Living Death" by Lorna Dee Cervantes. Saldana will now move on to the county competition. ...READ MORE

Little Bo Peep At MBS

Alexis … and Julia … choose the Nursery Rhyme of Little Bo Peep for Ms. McLaughlin's pre-kindergarten class at Most Blessed Sacrament.  The girls recited the classic rhyme about a girl on a quest for her missing sheep. ...READ MORE

Barne & Noble Night For WPS

Worcester Prep recentl y sponsored a night for parents and students at Barnes & Noble bookstore in Salisbury. Among the highlights of the event was a special treat by senior Anna Pavlos, who presented beautiful selections on the harp. ...READ MORE

New AGH Appointments

BERLIN – Atlantic General Hospital recently appointed the following new members to the board of directors: Michael S. Guerrieri of the Guerrieri Venture Partnership L.P. is also on the foundation boards at Salisbury University, Peninsula Regional Medical Center, and Wor-Wic Community College, as well as supporter of the Wellness Community. He grew up in Salisbury/Ocean City, graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in finance. After graduating, he worked for his family’s...READ MORE

Where To Eat Around Town

West Ocean City- Berlin Ocean Pines 707 Sports bar & grille 12702 Old Bridge Road (Route 707), West Ocean City • 410-213-9507 We may have changed hands, but we are still the same locally known Sports Bar in West Ocean City, and yes we are open everyday 11a.m.-2 a.m. Everything on our menu is made to order from our Homemade Soups, Salads,  new and improved Crab Dip, Mussels, the only place that serves the “Full Wing” Quesadillas, 1/2 lb. Burgers, Crab cakes, Fresh cut...READ MORE

Adventures In Fatherhood

The routine of putting my kids to sleep seems to always be in a state of flux. While Beckett, the 2 ½-year-old, is now at the point he will let us know when he’s tired and seems to embrace sleep on most occasions, it’s a little different when it comes to his younger brother, Carson, our 1-year-old. All Carson wants to do these days is stand up on his own, his latest accomplishment of note. He has a one-track mind about it and he will try to do it anywhere – his car seat,...READ MORE

Who's Playing Where And When

707 Sports Bar & Grille 410-213-9507 12702 Old Bridge Road, West OC Friday, Dec. 10: Tranzfusion, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Every Saturday: Karaoke with Hey Mick, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Buxy’s Salty Dog 410-289-0973 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, Dec. 10: Christmas Party With Tim Cyphers Duo Saturday, Dec. 11: TBA Clarion Hotel 410-524-3535 10100 Coastal Hwy.   Ocean Club: Friday, Dec. 10 & Saturday, Dec. 11: Dawn & The Williams Project Dr.Unks Bar & Grille 410-213-7775 9636 Stephen...READ MORE

We Remember Those We Have Lost

Jeannette Patricia Huesman BERLIN – Jeannette Patricia Huesman, age 91, died Tuesday,  HYPERLINK "javascript:void(0);" Dec. 7, 2010 at Berlin Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Born in Baltimore, she was the daughter of the late Edward Malstrom and Bessie Webster Malstrom. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frederick David Huesman.
Huesman was a member of the Optimist Club and AARP. She enjoyed playing bingo and bowling. She is survived by her daughters, Betty...READ MORE

SBGT Claims Third Straight Flag Title

OCEAN CITY- Schell Brothers-Greene Turtle repeated as champs of the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department’s Fall Flag Football League this week after downing Seacrets, 18-6, in the title game. SBGT finished second in the standings in the regular season behind Seacrets, but cruised through its side of the playoff bracket to reach the championship game unscathed. Seacrets finished first in the regular season standings but took an early second-round loss to Kirby’s Pub and had to...READ MORE

War on the Shore Underway Today

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s 9th Annual War on the Shore wrestling tournament gets underway this afternoon at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center for the first time with some of the top high school programs in the mid-Atlantic region converging on the area for the two-day event. The War on the Shore tournament, which features some of the best high school wrestling programs in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia gets started this afternoon at the civic center in Salisbury with...READ MORE

Decatur Boys Open Season with Win

BERLIN- With a new head coach at the helm, Stephen Decatur’s men’s varsity basketball team kicked off the 2010-2011 campaign with a 50-41 win over Colonel Richardson on Tuesday. Mark Engle, an assistant under Coach Travis Lloyd last year, takes over at Decatur this year with a handful of returning players, including prolific scorer Tre Foreman, along with a cast of new characters. If Engle, who coached at Delmarva Christian for four years before coming over to Decatur as an assistant...READ MORE

Snow Hill Wins Opener in Season Dedicated to Miller

BERLIN- Just months after the passing of long-time Allen Miller, who patrolled the sidelines for 16 years, the Snow Hill High School basketball team on Tuesday began a new era with a resounding 75-40 win over North Dorchester in a season opener dedicated to their former mentor. Miller, a teacher and coach at Snow Hill High for two decades, died of an apparent heart attack in September at the age of 47, leaving the entire community stunned at the sudden loss of a man so passionate and dedicated...READ MORE

Seahawks Earn Post-Season Honors

BERLIN- After a near-perfect regular season and a high seed in the state playoffs, Stephen Decatur’s varsity volleyball team was rewarded with several post-season honors including a Bayside South Co-Conference Player of the Year award for senior Catherine Winters. The Seahawks jumped out to a 13-0 record, including a 10-0 mark in the Bayside South, before a late season loss to Kent Island. Nonetheless, Decatur finished the regular season with a 14-1 mark and earned a two-seed in the state...READ MORE

Berlin Dolphins Finish Perfect Season

BERLIN- The Berlin Cadet Dolphins this week completed a perfect dream season with a 32-13 win over the Wicomico Green Terrors in the Salvation Army “Red Shield” League championship on a cold, blustery night on Tuesday. The Cadet Dolphins finished the regular season with a perfect 9-0 record but two-time defending champion Wicomico stood between Berlin and a perfect season. The Dolphins trailed early, came back to take a lead and relinquished the lead again before steadily pulling...READ MORE

Truck Route Limits Approved

SNOW HILL – A new truck route ordinance has been passed in Worcester County despite the vocal protests of one commissioner. At the Nov. 16 meetnig, the issue of possible road damage by truck traffic on several county roads, including Cyprus, New Bridge, Hillman, Dun Swamp, and Tulls Corner, was brought to the commission’s attention. Commissioner Merrill Lockfaw, who was not a member of the commission at that time, wrote a letter describing the problem and asking for assistance in...READ MORE

Recess Could Soon Be Mandatory In County Schools

SNOW HILL – The question of whether or not recess will become mandatory in Worcester County schools is still up in the air. At the Board of Education’s Dec. 7 Budget Public Input Session, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jon Andes introduced a proposed revision to a policy that would require all elementary level schools, grades pre-k through fifth, to have daily recess. However, because several members of the board were absent and others wished for more time to review the proposal, the...READ MORE

Mayor Convinces Council To Keep Police Commission

OCEAN CITY – The tables turned at this week’s Mayor and City Council, as the minority of the council flipped over to become the majority vote and won in favor to keep the police commission in place. A charter amendment resolution was before the council this week to abolish the police commission and to eliminate the requirement that any diminishment of the powers and duties of the mayor be submitted to a referendum of the voters, which is contrary to state law. This does not abolish...READ MORE

One Bid Received For Beach Photo Franchise

OCEAN CITY – Beach photography businesses didn’t take the bait set by the Mayor and City Council in lowering the minimal bid as only one bidder stepped forward to seek the franchise. Toward the end of last October, the Mayor and City Council voted to decrease the minimum bid for beach photography franchises on Ocean City’s beaches, in an effort to help the hurting industry. Patrick McLaughlin of United Beach Photo Inc. owned the franchise at that time and presented to the...READ MORE

School Board Hears Public’s Hopes For Next Budget

NEWARK – The Worcester County Board of Education held a Public Budget Input Meeting on Tuesday concerning next year’s budget. Representatives from the 14 county public schools addressed the board, making specific, case-based requests for each location. Additionally, several presentations were made outlining the county’s economic and academic status to the public. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jon Andes led a power point presentation summarizing Worcester County’s success...READ MORE

Worcester Planners Discuss Water Resources, Solar Energy

BERLIN – Alternative energy and water resources were the main issues at a Worcester County Planning Commission meeting last Thursday. Both propositions were in the preliminary stages and several sessions are expected before they can be finalized. However, even at the draft stage, they were still able to generate questions and concerns amongst commission members. A draft of the Water Resource Element (WRE) was presented via slideshow to the assembly. The draft included a large amount of...READ MORE

A Warm And Fuzzy Start For County Commissioners

SNOW HILL – For the first time in four years, new faces presided over the Worcester County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday. Newcomers Merrill Lockfaw and Madison Bunting joined the five returning commissioners at the assembly and all seven were sworn in while a packed room looked on. After being sworn in, the commissioners were joined by their families for pictures, briefly, before returning to the dais. A vote for the next president and vice president of the commission ended predictably...READ MORE

A Warm And Fuzzy Start For County Commissioners

SNOW HILL – For the first time in four years, new faces presided over the Worcester County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday. Newcomers Merrill Lockfaw and Madison Bunting joined the five returning commissioners at the assembly and all seven were sworn in while a packed room looked on. After being sworn in, the commissioners were joined by their families for pictures, briefly, before returning to the dais. A vote for the next president and vice president of the commission ended predictably...READ MORE

Retiree Questions Joe Hall On Pension Position

OCEAN CITY – A citizen questioned Councilman Joe Hall’s responsibility and position as a trustee on the pension committee during this week’s Mayor and City Council meeting. Tom Kane spoke to the Mayor and City Council during the comments from the citizen’s portion of this week’s meeting. Kane is retired from the town’s fire department, contributing 32 years of service to Ocean City. He also served as the elected person representative for public safety...READ MORE

Resort Bus Pass Jumps To $3, Hike Might Generate $500K

OCEAN CITY – The Mayor and City Council exemplified a united front that the public hasn’t seen in awhile at this week’s meeting when it unanimously increased Ocean City’s bus fare a dollar for its all-day pass. According to Public Works Director Hal Adkins, more than a decade ago Ocean City’s bus fare was as low as 75 cents. At that time, ridership of the town’s transportation system was around 1.2 million and the revenue reached up to $900,000. On May 1,...READ MORE

Easter Weekend Dates Result In Parking Change

r OCEAN CITY – After realizing a holiday fell later in the calendar year than usual in 2011, the Mayor and Council altered the starting date for the start of the paid parking season this week. A few months ago, the Mayor and City Council voted to set paid parking dates in Ocean City to begin Good Friday of each year and to end the third Sunday of October. The date of Good Friday was chosen because the ordinance prior to the recent change stated paid parking to begin April 1. It was...READ MORE

Cops & Courts

Knife Pulled In Bar BERLIN – A Berlin man was arrested on disorderly conduct and carrying a concealed deadly weapon charges this week after allegedly leaving a local bar after a dispute and returning with a large knife. Shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Berlin Police responded to Goober’s Bar for a report of a man wielding a knife. The investigation revealed the suspect, later identified as Frederick Von Schilgen, 48, had been involved in a argument with somebody in the...READ MORE

A Practical Approach

A Practical Approach Editor: The Ocean City Council is using the sensible approach in their efforts to reduce expenses during these difficult economic times. Freezing wages and benefits and instituting a "no new hire" is a good start. When the economy improves and new employees are needed, it seems reasonable for them to have a different entry level pay package than present employees.
Many businesses and industries use the 401-K pension system and it is beneficial to the...READ MORE

State’s LCB Report Confirms Suspicions

What has long been speculated was proven true this week – the Liquor Control Board for Worcester County (LCB), the monopoly that handles all of the county’s wholesale spirit sales and most of the retail aspect, has broken the law at least four times over the last three years. With the release of the Summary of Findings by the Comptroller of Maryland, the controversy that has forever surrounded the LCB has reached a new level. Removed are the emotions behind this stormy issue....READ MORE

Between The Lines

Ocean City is about to increase its bus fare, and the general public seems okay with it, if attendance at this week’s public hearing is any indication. Surely, there are people who will take umbrage at the increase in the all-day bus pass from $2 to $3 once its enacted, but the fact is ridership is on the decline, expenses are on the rise and something had to give. Logic dictates the fee must be increased or the service further watered down. The fee hike was the right call. Though it will...READ MORE

Md. Probe Finds LCB Broke Law Multiple Times

OCEAN CITY — The list of charges were as unprecedented as perhaps the evidence was damning, but the findings of the Comptroller of Maryland’s eight-month investigation of the Liquor Control Board for Worcester County revealed that it had, in fact, broken the law on a number of occasions. On Wednesday, Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot ended months of speculations and accusations with the release of his office’s probe of the county’s quasi governmental monopoly which...READ MORE

Christmas Gift Thief Arrested

BERLIN – A local man was arrested on burglary and theft charges this week after breaking into a residence in the southern end of Worcester County and stealing thousands of dollars worth of wrapped Christmas presents. On Tuesday, Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a reported residential burglary on Critcher Rd. in Pocomoke. The investigation revealed a suspect or suspects had gained entry to the residence by prying open an exterior door and left the area after...READ MORE

Crack Dealer Sentenced To 10 Years

SNOW HILL – A local man, one of dozens rounded up this summer during area law enforcement’s renewed battle to rid Berlin’s neighborhoods of open-air drug dealing, pleaded guilty last week in Worcester County Circuit Court to distribution of crack cocaine and was sentenced to 10 years in jail. Terrance Lee Purnell, Sr., 42, of Berlin, appeared in Circuit Court last Thursday to face numerous charges related to his arrest in March for selling cocaine and marijuana to undercover...READ MORE

Five Years For Shooting Incident

SNOW HILL – A Berlin man arrested in June on attempted murder charges after being identified as the suspect in a shooting incident outside the American Legion in March pleaded guilty last week in Circuit Court to reckless endangerment and was sentenced to five years in jail. On March 26, two shots were fired from a handgun at an unidentified victim during an incident outside the American Legion in Berlin. Five days later on April 2, Berlin Police officers, assisted by the Worcester County...READ MORE

Suspect Connected To Pines, Willards Armed Robberies

OCEAN PINES – A Berlin man along with three other suspects were arrested on armed robbery, assault and other serious charges this week after area police were able to connect them to a pair of hold-ups at convenience stores in Ocean Pines and Willards. Last Thursday, Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) detectives and deputies from the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Shore Stop convenience store on Route 589 near Ocean Pines for a reported armed robbery....READ MORE

Berlin Weighs Options For Electric Supply

BERLIN – The Berlin Utility Commission (BUC) met with the Mayor and Council Wednesday to discuss the future of Berlin’s energy supply. Dwight Davis, Vice President of Financial and Strategic Services at Booth and Associates Inc, addressed the BUC and the council on the possibility of joining PJM Interconnection, a regional transmission organization that handles electricity supply. Before further delving into PJM, the council took a brief look at the current power situation. This year...READ MORE

Sheriff Mason Takes Oath, Outlines Goals, Initiatives

BERLIN – Long-time Worcester County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Reggie Mason this week was officially sworn in as the new sheriff after a successful election last month and is now preparing for a smooth transition for the department. Mason and new Chief Deputy Dale Smack were officially sworn in during a special ceremony in Snow Hill on Monday and the new sheriff has hit the ground running. His overall goal is maintaining the continuity of his predecessor, Sheriff Chuck Martin, who held...READ MORE

Woman’s Body Found In Canal

OCEAN CITY – Tragedy struck the resort area this week when a popular local woman was found deceased in a bayside canal near 94th Street early Tuesday morning. Around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, Ocean City Police responded to the area of 94th Street for a report of a barking dog. OCPD officers arrived on the scene and located the deceased body of an adult female, later identified as Julie Ann Eade, 59, of Ocean City, in a nearby canal. Eade’s remains have been sent to the Office of the Chief...READ MORE