August 24, 2012

NEW FOR THURSDAY: Next June Packed With Events In Ocean City Including Dew Tour

OCEAN CITY – Although it is good news that the town has filled its event calendar for next June, including the planned return of the Dew Tour, there are concerns that Ocean City may have bit off more than it can chew. “There have been a substantial growth in the number and size of private events in June since 2008,” Recreation and Parks Director Tom Shuster said. “We need to look carefully at June 2013 because it poses a challenge for our ability to support the number of...READ MORE

NEW FOR MONDAY: Wicked Storm Leads To Water Rescues In Berlin

BERLIN -- Perhaps no area was hit harder by the weekend’s ferocious storms than Berlin, where police and emergency services rescued numerous individuals trapped in disabled vehicles along the town’s flooded streets. Around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Berlin Police began to receive numerous 911 calls from individuals reporting they were trapped in vehicles that had become disabled in high water. Numerous police units were dispatched to streets all over town including Bay Street, Flower...READ MORE

Budget Transfers OK’d To Save After School Academies

SNOW HILL -- With schools opening their doors next week and options running out, the Worcester County Board of Education was forced to seek approval for some last-minute inter-budget transfers that will allow schools to continue to fund popular “After School Academies” (ASA), several of which watched grants dry up last month. Though loathe to pull money from other parts of the school board’s budget, the County Commissioners eventually agreed to approve the transfers, which...READ MORE

New Md. Scooter Laws Take Effect In Five Weeks

OCEAN CITY -- The resort area’s vast scooter-riding community reacted as expected this week when the Maryland State Police (MSP) issued a reminder of the drastic changes involving the vehicles set to go into effect in about five weeks. MSP and local law enforcement agencies this week issued a reminder to owners and operators of scooters and mopeds of the new laws set taking effect on Oct. 1 that will make significant changes in the use of their favored mode of transportation. As expected,...READ MORE

County Wants No Involvement In Mystic Harbour Drain Issue

SNOW HILL -- The Worcester County Commissioners re-affirmed their commitment this week to not get involved in a storm drain situation in Mystic Harbour that threatens to produce sinkholes on area properties. Public Works Director John Tustin briefed the commission Tuesday on the results of an inspection of a “supposed collapsed storm drain” that is the source of sinkholes in Mystic Harbour yards. After revealing that blockages were noted during the inspection, Tustin made sure to...READ MORE

BFC Maintains Scheduling Control At Root Of Dispute

BERLIN -- The town of Berlin this week pulled all Berlin Fire Company (BFC) funding early this week, citing a continued pattern of harassment and discrimination, but BFC leadership fired back yesterday the issue has more to do with the control than workplace hostility. On Tuesday, the Berlin Mayor and Council announced it was yanking the roughly $600,000 in funding from the fiscal year 2013 budget for the BFC and its associated EMS department over allegations of discrimination and harassment...READ MORE

More Work Needed On Airport Runway To Pass Inspection

OCEAN CITY – A failed inspection of a recent runway project at the Ocean City Municipal Airport is currently being addressed and the repaving is expected to be completed next month. According to Ocean City Public Works Director Hal Adkins, the scope of the runway project was expansive, including milling the runway and underground excavation for electrical work to the installation of navigational aids, stormwater management and perimeter fencing. Construction began in May. The contract...READ MORE

Wicomico Council Seeking To End Tow Company Gouging

SALISBURY – Months after the City of Salisbury attempted to address the matter, Wicomico County has had enough of tow companies taking advantage of citizens and is looking to develop a tow ordinance of its own. Donald D’Aquila sent a letter to the County Council stating that he has been in the automobile business for 38 years and in May he went to Rathel’s Towing in Salisbury to pick up a vehicle that had been towed in which he is a lienholder. Upon arrival, he found out that...READ MORE

Mixed Results In Worcester Health Report Card

SNOW HILL -- While improvements have been made in areas like cutting down on smoking and increasing physical activity, Worcester County still lags behind state averages in several health categories, according to the Worcester County Health Department 2012 Report Card. Dating to 1997, the county health report card covers everything from depression rates to frequency of rabies cases. This year’s results were mixed, according to Health Officer Debboe Goeller. According to the report, more...READ MORE

Berlin Horse Farm Provides Respite For Kids

BERLIN -- Several physical miles and a million symbolic miles away from sterile medical offices, needles and debilitating treatments is an idyllic horse farm in Berlin where dozens of kids battling life-threatening diseases have found a brief but joyful respite all summer, thanks to Believe in Tomorrow and two local girls who shared their love of horses and horseback riding. The Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation offers children fighting disease and illness and their families a...READ MORE

Voices From The Readers

Poorly Handled Situation Editor: (The following letter was sent to the Mayor and Council and a copy forwarded to this publication.) I was denied parking on the Wicomico Street parking lot that has three spaces for motorcycles. Being I have a handicap sticker due to have a right knee complete replacement, my husband has bought a trike so that I may ride. We went to our usual parking place that has assigned three spaces for “Motorcycles Only” (painted on curb). I always paid to park...READ MORE

What Matters Most Here Is Public Safety

Berlin’s rolling tide of positive media exposure ebbed this week when the Mayor and Council yanked government funds from the long-esteemed Berlin Fire Company (BFC). Dating back to early this year, the BFC has been embroiled in controversy, largely surrounding allegations of in-house misbehavior by members toward each other and specific claims of harassment involving sexual preference and race. Reports and tips to this publication were vague in nature but nonetheless disturbing if true...READ MORE

Thoughts From The Publisher's Desk

The forecast for this weekend looks stellar and that would be good news for Ocean City on any weekend of the year, but particularly this year because one year ago Hurricane Irene closed Ocean City for the entire weekend.Subsequently, business owners saw a huge zero in their books for the weekend and that crushed the bottom line of every single operator in town, no matter the size or volume of business.With that a matter of the past, the good news is no matter how much sales revenue is brought in...READ MORE

Referendum Wording Presented For Fall Election

BERLIN -- When local voters head to the polls this fall, in addition to the presidential election and a handful of important local elections, they will also be faced with a series of serious social issues through referendum questions including an expansion of gambling in the state, redistricting and same-sex marriage. Maryland’s electorate will be asked to vote on seven different statewide questions when they head to the polls in November. Most notably on the local front, because of the...READ MORE

Adventures Of Fatherhood

Being a parent of toddlers, there’s a big difference between the experiences of low tide and high tide on the beach.Low tide means easy street for most parents, while high tide usually requires constant monitoring and handholding.As far as I am concerned, nothing beats low tide on the beach with my kids. Typically, the waves are smaller and weaker and ideal for little ones learning the ins and outs of the ocean. Plus, the beach is larger at low tide, obviously, and provides ample shallow...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 OCEAN CITY Sunset Island 67th St & The Bay Fri, Sat & Sun Condos, Townhomes, Single Family Homes Luxury Resort Living Terry Riley Vantage Resort Realty 443-880-0512 BERLIN St. Martins By The Bay Unit #42 11305 Marina Drive Sat & Sun 1-4 Riverfront Townhouse 3BR/3.5BA Greg Erdie Coldwell...READ MORE

Tazed During Officer Assault

BERLIN -- A Baltimore man allegedly high on PCP was arrested on multiple charges last weekend after charging a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy and getting shot with a Taser before continuing to scrap with numerous law enforcement officials. Around 6 a.m. last Saturday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to the Lake Haven trailer park in Berlin for a reported disorderly subject. As the deputy pulled into the trailer park and exited his patrol vehicle, the suspect,...READ MORE

Berlin Couple Staged West OC Armed Robbery

WEST OCEAN CITY -- In a case where the apparent victim turned out to be the alleged suspect, Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) detectives learned last week a reported armed robbery at a West Ocean City outlet store earlier this month was allegedly staged by an employee and his wife. On Aug. 3, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office responded to an alarm at the Lids store in the Tanger Outlets in West Ocean City. Upon arrival, deputies observed the store clerk, identified as...READ MORE

OC License Requests Approved With Certain Conditions

SNOW HILL -- Concerns over the potential for public disruption didn’t stop two Ocean City businesses from receiving temporary expansions to their operations at August’s Board of License Commissioners (BLC) meeting. However, those concerns did lead to the imposition of unexpected limits. The BLC this month granted approval for two temporary expansions to Ocean City businesses’ alcohol licenses for this fall. The Tap House and OC Steamers at 4507 Coastal Highway appeared before...READ MORE

Council Directs Utility Expansion Back To Planners

OCEAN CITY – Delmarva Power and Light (DP&L) has been sent back to the drawing board by the Mayor and City Council to properly address the community’s concerns before approving an expansion of the existing substation in north Ocean City. Two weeks ago, the Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing regarding a conditional use request for the expansion of the existing DP&L substation, located on Sinepuxent and Derrickson avenues between 137th and 138th streets in the...READ MORE

Kickoff Set For Making Strides Campaign

OCEAN CITY -- The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer team will hold a kickoff breakfast on Aug. 29 at Hooters Restaurant in West Ocean City from 8-9 a.m. The breakfast will feature highlights of the inaugural Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event from 2011 and will offer teams the opportunity to pick up registration packets for this years’ event. Please RSVP for the breakfast by calling Chris Butler at 410-726-4370 or stridesoceancity@gmail.com. The 2nd Annual Making Strides Against...READ MORE

Peppers Proud To Be Area’s ‘Finest Five-Star Dive’

OCEAN CITY – There is a mystique about Peppers Tavern people just can’t put a finger on, but once they come across its atmosphere and menu it’s hard to let go. Denny-O opened Peppers Tavern on 16th Street and the Boardwalk 15 years ago as Ocean City’s “finest five-star dive”. He has been in the bar industry his entire life, growing up in Washington D.C and working in the bars in the city and Georgetown throughout his early 20’s, such as Circus Maximus,...READ MORE

Saturday Benefits To Help Resident Hurt In Accident

OCEAN CITY -- A benefit has been organized to help a local lifeguard who was hospitalized earlier this month after a bicycle accident on Route 54. On Aug. 4 at approximately 5:40 p.m., Delaware State Police were called to the scene of a crash involving a bicyclist that occurred west of Fenwick Island. Beth H. Midgett was operating a 2008 Mercedes-Benz SW westbound on Lighthouse Road preparing to turn left onto Madison Avenue as Christopher M. McGervey was traveling westbound on a bicycle in the...READ MORE

Berlin Pulls Fire Company Funds

BERLIN -- Citing hostile working conditions including charges of discrimination and harassment, the Berlin Mayor and Council announced this week the town has ceased all financial aid to the Berlin Fire Company (BFC). The Berlin Mayor and Council on Tuesday announced it will amend its fiscal year 2013 budget to cease all financial aid to the BFC as a result of the organization’s inability to accept basic requirements of the town’s personnel policies to eliminate workplace harassment...READ MORE

Business Now Offering Jeep Rentals

WEST OCEAN CITY — Visitors to Ocean City as well as residents can rent something bigger to cruise around in than a scooter or a bike. Beach Adventure Rentals, located in the Teal Marsh shopping center in West Ocean City, offers Jeep Wranglers for rent that are already tagged and equipped to drive onto the Assateague Island National Seashore’s Over Sand Vehicle area. “Driving on the beach is something new and different for a lot of people, and really offers an unforgettable...READ MORE

32nd Pedestrian Accident Reported In OC

OCEAN CITY -- After weeks of relative calm on the pedestrian collision front in the resort, another pedestrian was struck by a vehicle early Monday morning and was flown by Maryland State Police helicopter to PRMC in Salisbury and is listed in stable condition early this week. Throughout the month of June, pedestrians being struck by vehicles occurred weekly, almost daily in some cases, including at least two fatalities. However, thanks in part to an aggressive public awareness campaign and the...READ MORE

Slots Council Weighs Proposed Gambling Changes

SNOW HILL -- After a General Assembly special session this month proposed changes to Maryland’s gambling regulations, the Worcester County Local Development Council (LDC) went to work Monday trying to understand exactly what the new rules will mean. While the changes received general support from the LDC, some did question what kind of impact loosening restrictions on casinos could have for the entertainment industry. All decisions made during the special session will be included as a...READ MORE

Wind Turbine Connection On Assateague Unlikely

ASSATEAGUE -- Concerns raised earlier this month about a possible transmission line crossing Assateague and connecting future offshore wind energy turbines to the mainland were allayed somewhat last week when the company said it was not intending to utilize the island. In each of the last three General Assembly sessions, Gov. Martin O’Malley has pushed legislation that would open the door to the development of a wind farm including as many as 100 turbines off the coast of Ocean City and in...READ MORE

Uptown Beach Bash Weekend Features Bikini Parade Saturday, Live Concerts Sunday

OCEAN CITY – The first Uptown Beach Bash takes place this week, and Brad Hoffman of Spark Productions is happy to announce that the entire event is free and open to the public. Starting on Friday, Aug. 24, the Kick-off Bay Party and Paddle Board Regatta will be held at BJ’s on the Water on 75th Street. This event will include pre-registration for Saturday’s Bikini Parade from noon-5 p.m. Dawn Ehman of OC SUP & Fitness will be on hand to manage the paddle board race. To...READ MORE

Council Approves Mediator To Settle Lighting Dispute

OCEAN CITY – There is light at the end of the tunnel for the neighboring properties of a bayfront condominium complex who have had an ongoing battle for many years over the structure’s lighting. Ever since the Rivendell was constructed on 81st Street, there has been issues concerning the building’s height, setback, shadows and lighting in the parking garage and balconies glaring onto its neighbor the Bay Princess. The lighting issue even became a model for Ocean City to amend...READ MORE

Malfunctioning Transformer Blamed For WOC Outages

WEST OCEAN CITY -- Extensive power outages in the West Ocean City area late Monday night and Tuesday morning were caused by a malfunctioning transformer in the area of Golf Course Rd., and the subsequent minor outages again on Tuesday afternoon were the result of repairs with the original problem. On Monday night, Delmarva Power experienced a transformer malfunction in the Culver Substation on Golf Course Rd. The equipment failure caused a power outage for 3,689 Delmarva Power customers from...READ MORE

OC Crowds Set Dew Tour Attendance Record

OCEAN CITY – Last weekend’s Dew Tour in Ocean City featured record-breaking attendance once again, and organizers are already looking to book next year’s date. “We are thrilled to have hosted another successful Dew Tour in Ocean City. The support from the city and community has been tremendous, with the Pantech Beach Championships being the highest attended event in Dew Tour history, with over 93,000 people enjoying the event over the weekend,” Vice President of...READ MORE

New OC Town Center Project Moves Ahead

OCEAN CITY – A new shopping center is being proposed to breathe new life into rare empty parcels of land on 67th Street. This week the Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed a couple of site plans, one being a proposed 20,727-square-foot commercial shopping center, known as the 67th Street Town Center, to be located on the west side of Coastal Highway and north side of 67th Street. Several different proposals have been made in the past to develop the land, as recently as January 2011 when...READ MORE

Horner Honda’s Offerings Evolve With Times

SALISBURY -- For more than 40 years, Horner Honda has been supplying Salisbury with motorcycles, ATVs, scooters and energy generators. Looking into the future, owner Bud Horner expects to continue operating from the same location he has since 1969 and to keep pace with Honda’s push for more efficient vehicles and generators. Horner, whose father owned a car dealership adjacent to Horner Honda’s downtown Salisbury location, got into the Honda business young and noted that there have...READ MORE

Young Groms Shine at K-Coast Bash

OCEAN CITY- The young groms in the local surfing community took center stage last weekend with the K-Coast Beginner’s Bash with winners awarded in several categories. For many of the young surfers in last weekend’s contest, the K-Coast Beginner’s Bash was the first taste of competition. For the record, Dylan Skelley took first-place in the open shortboard, followed by Jacob Hopkins, Elijah Myers, Shane Lally, Kristopher Kahan and Ben Skelley. In the menehune longboard, it was...READ MORE

Rough Riders Take 19th OC Lax Classic Title

OCEAN CITY- The 19th Annual Ocean City Lacrosse Classic, held at several venues in and around the resort area last weekend, was a huge hit with a record 109 teams and hundreds of the top players in the country competing of four days culminating with championships in five divisions last Sunday. 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 School. This year, the tournament grew again with...READ MORE

19th Poor Girls Open One for the Books

OCEAN CITY- The 19th Annual Captain Steve Harmon Poor Girls’ Open last weekend was once again a huge success with a record number of boats and lady anglers participating, dozens of billfish released and more than a few qualifying tuna and dolphin weighed at host Bahia Marina, and most importantly, thousands of dollars raised for breast cancer research and awareness. The tournament, which typically falls on the weekend after the White Marlin Open, was founded in 1994 by the late Captain...READ MORE

Local Boats Dominate Early MA500

OCEAN CITY- With plenty of fishing still to go, the 20th Annual Mid-Atlantic $500,000 Tournament, which got underway on Monday, had a decidedly Ocean City flavor as of mid-week with local boats filling out many of the top spots on the leaderboard. Now in its 20th year, the Mid-Atlantic $500,000 continues to be one of the top sport fishing events in the region with over $2 million in prize money expected to be doled out again this year. Tournament headquarters has always been the Canyon Club in...READ MORE

Kirby's Red Onion Complete Perfect Season

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We Remember Those We Have Lost

Gertrude Apple OCEAN CITY -- On Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, Gertrude Apple of Ocean City, formerly of Silver Spring, passed away. She was the beloved wife of the late Bernie Apple; devoted mother of Louis (Marian) Apple, Edward (Susan) Apple and Eileen (David) Knox; and five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Funeral services were held on Thursday, Aug. 23 in Olney. A memorial service (to be announced soon) will be held in the near future at Temple Bat Yam of Ocean City.
In lieu of...READ MORE

Who's Playing When And Where

19th hole bar & Grille, The 410-213-9204 • Corner of Rte. 611 & Sunset Ave., West Ocean City Friday, Aug. 24: Walt Farozic, 6-10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25: John LaMere, 6-10 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26: Louis Wright, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Walt Farozic, 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29: TBA, 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 30: Chris Button, 6-9 p.m. 28th Street Pit and Pub 410-289-2020 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, Aug. 24: Hot Sauce Sandwich, 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25: Pompous Pie Every Monday: Galaxy...READ MORE

Best Bites 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 Distinguished 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

Things To Do Around Town

Every Sunday: Morning Worship 8 a.m. & 11 a.m., Traditional Worship; 9:30 a.m., Contemporary Worship; St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, E.L.C.A, 10301 Coastal Hwy., O.C. For more information, 410-524-7474. Open Monday-Saturday: Atlantic United Methodist Church Thrift Shop 10 a.m.-2 p.m., AUMC, 105, 4th Street, O.C. For more information, 410-289-4458. Open Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday: Shepherd’s Nook Thrift Shop 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Community Church at Ocean Pines, Rte. 589 &...READ MORE

Things I Like

Low tide on the beach with kids Planning a “staycation” here Stopping for a horse to cross the road on Assateague Watching the “Kids Of Summer” in this paper change year after year Smores and a beach bonfire A pound of crab meat as a snack How empty Berlin streets are at night Short phone conversations Grammar experts Chips and queso and guacamole Lunch and dinner on the beach ...READ MORE

Understand The Investor In You Before Making Decisions

OCEAN CITY -- When it comes to investing, it’s never prudent to run from your emotions. Rather, use them to ensure that your decision making is in line with your personal goals. In an experiment conducted in 2011 by researchers at Stanford University, 50 participants with a median age of 20 viewed digital avatars of themselves on a large screen. Some participants saw images of themselves at their current age, while others saw images of their future selves, aged nearly half a century via a...READ MORE

What's Your Sign?

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): This week could offer more opportunities for ambitious Lambs eager to get ahead. But don't rush into making decisions until you've checked for possible hidden problems. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Some light begins to shine on professional and/or personal situations that have long eluded explanation. Best advice: Don't rush things. All will be made clear in time. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Although you might want to protest what seems to be an unfair situation,...READ MORE

620 Book Bags Full Of Supplies Distributed By Rotary Clubs

The Rotary Club of Salisbury, the Salisbury Sunrise Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Wicomico County extend their sincere thanks to the people of the Delmarva Peninsula. The service clubs, with the generous support of the local community, distributed over 620 book bags full of supplies during the past week as part of the 2012 “Back to School Backpack Project” for deserving children. Some members of the clubs are pictured above. ...READ MORE

Fund Raiser Held At Galaxy 66 By Friends Of Senator Jim Mathias

Friends of Senator Jim Mathias held a fund raiser at the Galaxy 66 Grill Aug. 17 after close of the annual MACo conference (Maryland Association of Counties) in Ocean City. Pictured, from left, are Delegate Norm Conway, former Gov. Marvin Mandel and Senator Jim Mathias. Photo by Ted Page ...READ MORE

Patriot Tournament Benefiting Wounded Warriors Held By EWGA

EWGA Eastern Shore Chapter recently sponsored a Patriot Tournament to benefit the Wounded Warriors Project. Above, the team of Rickie Tapman, Shelly Conaway, Scott Conaway and Terry White celebrate their victory. ...READ MORE

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony For Dog Park Held By OP Chamber

The Ocean Pines Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new off-leash dog park earlier this month. The new dog park is located in the Manklin Meadows Recreation Complex in the South Gate of Ocean Pines. Above, Ocean Pines Association General Manager Bob Thompson cuts the ribbon to open the dog park. ...READ MORE

ShoreCorps/PALS And AmeriCorps Celebrate Accmpishments At Annual Recongnition Ceremony

ShoreCorps/PALS (Partnership for Adolescents on the Lower Shore), the AmeriCorps program at Salisbury University, recently celebrated the accomplishments of its members during its annual recognition ceremony. Some 16 members were honored for their year of service with local organizations and agencies in Wicomico, Worcester, Somerset, Dorchester, Caroline and Talbot counties. Pictured, front from left, are Kason Washington, Geneva Collins, Sherri Zirimis, Brittany Dickerson, Sherry Hostetler,...READ MORE

Business News Of The Week

Most Wired Award Presented SALISBURY -- Peninsula Regional Medical Center (PRMC) has been recognized for a second consecutive year as one of the nation’s Most Wired hospitals, according to the results of the 2012 Most Wired Survey released in the July issue of the American Hospital Association’s Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. PRMC was also honored by the magazine with a Most Wired, Most Improved designation in 2010. Peninsula Regional was one of just 154 United States...READ MORE