January 25, 2013

NEW FOR THURSDAY: Ocean City Man's Death Ruled A Homicide

OCEAN CITY -- One local man is dead and another behind bars today on manslaughter and other charges after an altercation last weekend outside a downtown Ocean City bar. Around 1:30 a.m. last Saturday, Ocean City Police and paramedics responded to the area of Somerset Street in reference to a male individual who was found unconscious on the street outside the Harbor Inn bar. The male individual was taken to AGH where he was pronounced dead. He was identified as Michael Eric Post, 39, of Ocean...READ MORE

NEW FOR THURSDAY: Great White Shark’s Online Track Captivating Many

OCEAN CITY -- The public’s long fascination with great white sharks has reached a crescendo in recent weeks with the appearance of a massive 16-footer cruising along the coast including a pass by Assateague and Ocean City last weekend. OCEARCH Shark Trackers, a group of scientists dedicated to tagging and tracking sharks and researching their often misunderstood migration patterns, has been tracking the suddenly famous “Mary Lee,” an estimated 3,500 pounder. “Mary...READ MORE

NEW FOR WEDNESDAY: Nightclub Cleared In $1M Civil Lawsuit

OCEAN CITY -- A popular Ocean City nightclub this week was cleared in a $1 million civil lawsuit by a plaintiff who was brutally raped on a private parking area away from the establishment in 2008. After a two-week trial in U.S. District Court ended on Monday, a federal jury found in favor of Seacrets in a case brought by a plaintiff known only as Jane Doe, who was brutally beaten and raped on a private condominium parking lot adjacent to the night club in the early morning hours of Saturday,...READ MORE

NEW FOR TUESDAY: Berlin Looks Past Objections, Approves Stormwater Utility Fees

BERLIN -- A last-minute pushback from town residents, businesses and non-profits worried about annual fees did not halt the Berlin Mayor and Council’s decision to establish a new stormwater utility department. During last night’s public hearing, people in the town were not unanimously against the idea, however, with some encouraging and praising the council for finally making a move to combat stormwater and flooding, a decades-old issue in Berlin. With a few exceptions, battle lines...READ MORE

NEW FOR TUESDAY: UPDATE Homicide Investigation Reportedly Underway

OCEAN CITY -- Although no official confirmation has been received, multiple sources close to the ongoing investigation are confirming today authorities now believe a local man’s death on Saturday was the result of a homicide. Over the weekend, the Ocean City Police Department announced it was investigating an unattended death after a local man was found unresponsive outside a downtown bar early Saturday morning and was later declared deceased at Atlantic General Hospital. Around 1:30 a.m....READ MORE

NEW FOR MONDAY: OC Convention Center’s New Space Celebrated

OCEAN CITY – The curtains were drawn on the Roland E. Powell Convention Center’s new ballroom and exhibit space last week as city officials and guests gathered to take in the space and its beautiful view. Last Thursday the Town of Ocean City celebrated the completion of the first phase of the convention center’s renovation project exhibiting the new Bay Front Ballroom and Trimper Dockside Exhibit Hall with a ribbon cutting and opening ceremony. The Bay Front Ballroom is on the...READ MORE

NEW FOR MONDAY: OCPD Investigating Unattended Death Near Downtown Bar

OCEAN CITY -- The Ocean City Police Department is investigating an unattended death after a local man was found unresponsive outside a downtown bar early Saturday morning and was later declared deceased at Atlantic General Hospital. Around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, police and paramedics responded to the area of Somerset Street in reference to a male individual who was found unconscious on the street outside the Harbor Inn bar. Police and EMS arrived at the scene and located an unresponsive male....READ MORE

Adventures Of Fatherhood

Carson reached a significant milestone in his young life last week -- he put his crib life behind him. While he was quite proud of the fact he mastered climbing out of his crib, his parents were not celebrating this accomplishment so much. We know all too well what this meant. The days of putting him in his crib and feeling safe were done, and we had a significant transition on our hands. It was 2 in the morning last Friday when we woke up to an unmistakable sound. I immediately knew what it was...READ MORE

Salisbury Weighs Capital Projects

SALISBURY -- Discussion on the direction of Salisbury’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) continued this week with the City Council touching on department vehicle replacement and maintenance schedules, potential building activity, the status of the Poplar Hill Mansion, and where the city stands with the possibility of a stormwater utility and in developing a Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP). Acting Chief Rick Hoppes of the Salisbury Fire Department began by briefing the council...READ MORE

Resort Employee Thanks Officials For Leadership

OCEAN CITY – Gregory DeMarco, a city parks employee and a representative of the Ocean City Employee Coalition, came before the Mayor and City Council to thank those who led get the community through what he called “dark times”. “The former council majority governed against the will of the people and the citizens constantly voiced their objections against the direction to which they were moving but their pleas were constrained or were continuously ignored,” DeMarco...READ MORE

OC Council Tweaks Resident Agent Rules

OCEAN CITY – The City Code was amended this week allowing resident agents of rental properties to reside within 30 miles of Ocean City as long as they are in the state. The Mayor and City Council voted unanimously to approve an amendment to resident agent requirements within a section of the code on first reading at Tuesday’s meeting. Under required information to be issued a rental license, the ordinance will now read, “Name, address and telephone number of a resident agent,...READ MORE

Legislators Will Consider Minimum Wage Hike

BERLIN -- A pair of state lawmakers and a grassroots organization this week announced proposed legislation to increase the minimum wage in Maryland, but the jury is still out on what the proposal could mean on the local front. On Tuesday, Senator Robert Gariagiola (D-Montgomery) and Delegate Aisha Braveboy (D-Prince George’s) joined the advocacy group Raise Maryland for a rally in Annapolis announcing proposed legislation aimed at increasing Maryland’s current minimum wage from the...READ MORE

Governor Hopes Third Time A Charm For Offshore Wind Farm

OCEAN CITY -- As expected, Governor Martin O’Malley this week introduced legislation that would, if successful after two failed attempts, establish the framework for the development of an offshore wind farm as close as 10 miles off the coast of Ocean City. The O’Malley Administration on Tuesday introduced the Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013, another attempt to diversify the state’s energy portfolio. Similar legislation has been introduced in each of the last two...READ MORE

DP&L Substation Site Plan Approved

OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Planning and Zoning Commission gave final site plan approval this week to the proposed Delmarva Power and Light (DP&L) substation in north Ocean City. According to Zoning Administrator Blaine Smith, the construction of a surrounding 15-foot decorative wall and irrigated landscaping plan will be the first phase of the project to begin this spring. The projected completion date for the entire project is by December of this year. Commission member Peck Miller...READ MORE

Downtown Mini-Golf Endorsed

OCEAN CITY – The Planning and Zoning Commission found the request to build a miniature golf course in the Downtown Mixed Use Zoning District to be consistent with the surrounding amusements in the area and will pass on a favorable recommendation to the Mayor and City Council. On Wednesday, the Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing to consider amending a section of the town code to include miniature golf as a use permitted conditional in the Downtown Mixed Use (DMX) Zoning...READ MORE

Delegate Named To Committee On Gun Control

BERLIN -- Delegate Mike McDermott (R-38B) this week was named to a special House committee put together to analyze and craft legislation to address Maryland’s gun control laws. McDermott was asked this week to serve on the committee that will consider the vast number of proposed gun control bills filed or expected to be filed in the General Assembly during the current session in the wake of the tragic school shootings in Connecticut last month. McDermott, a career law enforcement officer,...READ MORE

Compromise Sought Over Proposed Shark Restrictions

OCEAN CITY -- The public will have a chance next week to weigh in on a drastic rule change proposed last fall by a federal fisheries management agency aimed at protecting one type of shark with a blanket size limit increase for all species. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in November published a rather dubious “Amendment 5” to the Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan that would, if adopted, create a new 96-inch, or eight-foot, minimum keeper size limit for...READ MORE

Coast Guard Rescues Man In Ocean

OCEAN CITY -- An unidentified man was rescued from the chilly water near the Ocean City Inlet wearing only his underwear last Sunday afternoon, according to U.S. Coast Guard officials. Shortly after 3 p.m. last Sunday, Coast Guard Station Ocean City received a forwarded call from the local 911 operator reporting an unidentified man had been observed in the water about 100 yards or so from the north jetty at the Inlet. The Coast Guard Station immediately launched a 25-foot rescue boat and found...READ MORE

Bill Would Protect State Transportation Fund

BERLIN -- With the dualization of Route 113 still incomplete and highway user funds that should have been dedicated to roadway improvements diverted to other general fund uses, most lower shore lawmakers have signed on as co-sponsors of legislation aimed at preventing further raids on the state’s Transportation Trust Fund. The fund was set up years ago to collect highway user fees and dedicate the revenue to the roadway improvement projects across the state. In a perfect world, the highway...READ MORE

Berlin Brewery Scores Prominent Invitation

BERLIN -- Small-town brewery Burley Oak has been invited to next month’s Beer Advocate’s Extreme Beerfest in Boston, confirming for owner Bryan Brushmiller his brewery’s outside-the-box approach to crafting beer is on the right track. With half a dozen beers being showcased at the festival, Brushmiller said that he’s excited for people outside of Delmarva to taste what’s being brewed in Berlin. “It feels like someone is paying attention to us and it is...READ MORE

Assateague Ruled Out As Possible Wind Energy Connection Site

ASSATEAGUE -- With Gov. Martin O’Malley this week introducing his latest attempt at offshore wind energy turbines off the Maryland’s Atlantic coast, it remains uncertain where the eventual transmission line will connect to the mainland, but it will not come across Assateague as was feared earlier. Governor Martin O’Malley this week introduced his Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013, perhaps moving a future offshore wind energy farm as close as 10 miles off the coast of...READ MORE

Alliance Decides Against Appealing Hudson Case Ruling

BERLIN -- The deadline to appeal the decision in a landmark civil suit filed against a Berlin farm family and Perdue passed quietly this week with no further action taken. In March 2010, the New York-based Waterkeeper Alliance, along with the Assateague Coastal Trust and the Assateague Coastkeeper, filed suit in U.S. District Court against Perdue and Berlin’s Hudson Farm, a contract factory farm operation of about 80,000 birds. The suit was filed after sampling in ditches adjacent to the...READ MORE

Voices From The Readers

Winter Donations Eyed Editor: The Noel Community continues its outreach program during the cold winter months. We are in need of gloves, hats, socks, and blankets. This Valentine's Day, open your heart and share the gift of warmth during our 11th Annual gLOVEs drive. Please consider dropping off a donation of a new pair of gloves, hats, socks, or blankets at the Ocean Pines Library on Cathell Road between Feb. 1 and 15.The Noel Community will distribute your donations to several local food...READ MORE

Is Stormwater Utility Best For Berlin?

The Berlin Mayor and Council is on the verge of creating a stormwater utility that’s rooted in worthwhile goals but questionable methods to accomplish them. It’s no secret Berlin has chronic flooding problems in several areas of town. We believe most of these problems are due to poor planning in the development stages of several residential communities, such as Henry’s Green, Henry’s Mill and Jamestown Place, but the town’s aging infrastructure and cluttered ditches...READ MORE

Thoughts From The Publisher's Desk

It may not seem like a big deal, but this week’s decision to add decorative lighting on St. Louis Ave. in Ocean City is significant.St. Louis Ave. is one of my favorite roads to bike and drive in Ocean City. Due to the economy, the needed reconstruction of this road has been delayed for several years. Work is underway currently on its northern section, from 10th to 17th streets. Two more phases are planned for the next two years.At this week’s meeting, the City Council voted 5-2 to...READ MORE

Drugs Seized In Berlin

BERLIN -- The ongoing heroin and marijuana distribution investigation in Worcester County netted another significant arrest last week after a search and seizure warrant was executed at a Berlin residence. Throughout late last year and the month of January, allied law enforcement agencies have been conducting on ongoing investigation into drug distribution in Worcester County with several large busts made in recent weeks. The latest occurred last Wednesday when members of the Worcester County...READ MORE

Who's Playing When And Where

19th hole bar & Grille, the 410-213-9204 Corner of Rte. 611 & Sunset Ave., West OC Friday, Jan. 25: Aaron Howell Saturday, Jan. 26: Scott Glorioso 28th Street Pit and Pub 410-289-2020 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, Jan. 25: Galaxy Collective Every Thursday: DJ Jeremy Adolfo’s 410-289-4001 13th St. & The Boardwalk, In The Beach Plaza Hotel Friday, Jan. 25: Rhonda Apple & Dale Britt Atlantic Hotel 410-641-3589 2 North Main St., Berlin Every Friday: Elsworth...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

Stalled Talks Could Lead To Airport Work ‘Chaos’

SALISBURY -- Unless negotiations are resolved this winter, Piedmont Airlines flight attendants say they are drawing a line in the sand and willing to strike for a better contract. Headquartered in Salisbury, Piedmont Airlines is a subsidiary of US Airways and conducts roughly 440 daily departures to 55 cities. It is the only carrier at the Salisbury-Ocean City-Wicomico Regional Airport to offer daily services. If a new contract isn’t forthcoming in the immediate future, flight attendants...READ MORE

Salisbury Council Moves Forward With Pay Study

SALISBURY -- After asking for employee benefits to be included in a planned salary study, the Salisbury City Council has decided to move forward with authorizing the originally recommended group, Evergreen Solutions, to conduct the evaluation. Despite the qualification process to select an agency for the study being extremely close, City Administrator John Pick told the council Tuesday that the administration still believes that Evergreen presents the best return for the expense. Once asked to...READ MORE

OC Fire Department Offers Winter Freeze Safety Measures

OCEAN CITY -- Due to the recent drop in temperatures, the Ocean City Fire Department would like to offer property owners simple maintenance tips to ensure that fire sprinkler and domestic pipes do not freeze and break, causing thousands of dollars in water damage as well as rendering fire sprinkler systems inoperable.   Maintaining wet pipes above freezing is a key concern.  Domestic water pipes can be insulated or wrapped with an approved UL listed heat tape.  In the event that a...READ MORE

Local Named Merit Scholarship Program Semifinalist

BERLIN -- Skylar Nash Quelland of Snow Hill High School has been named a semifinalist in the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program, which honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies.  No other student in the Worcester County Public School system was named a Semifinalist for 2013. The qualifying score for Maryland was 219 (out of 240). Quelland had a score of 234. He has the opportunity to continue in the...READ MORE

Hospital Briefs OC Officials On Current Initiatives

OCEAN CITY – The Mayor and Council heard an update from Atlantic General Hospital (AGH) this week on current finances and strategic initiatives aimed at keeping the health system ahead of the industry curve. In fiscal year 2012, AGH’s revenue topped $87.5 million with a cost of about $87 million to render services. The hospital did receive a little over $1 million in non-operating revenue, such as generous philanthropic and endowment support from the community, resulting in net...READ MORE

Hardwire Supplies WPS With High-Tech Safety Gear

BERLIN -- With security in schools a hot topic everywhere, Hardwire LLC has made a sizeable donation of high-tech, polyethylene ballistic protection gear to Worcester Preparatory School. The goal, explained headmaster Dr. Barry Tull, is to add “another layer of protection” to Worcester Prep’s emergency security system. “Basically, it just provides one additional layer of protection to what we have been currently doing with all of the perimeter protection,” he said....READ MORE

Delegate Aware Septic Bill Repeal Unlikely

BERLIN -- While acknowledging its passage is likely a long shot, Delegate Mike McDermott (D-38B) last week introduced legislation that would repeal the Sustainable Growth and Agricultural Act of 2012, or “septic bill”, passed by the General Assembly last year. After considerable debate during the 2012 session, state lawmakers passed legislation the came to be known as the “septic bill,” which, among other things would require the counties to submit plans for a four-tier...READ MORE

County Planners Support Proposed Subdivision Change Sparked By Septic Legislation

SNOW Hill -- Since September, Senate Bill 236, also known as the “septic bill,” has been hotly debated across the shore, with opponents arguing that it would be a noose around the neck of development while proponents assert that it is a necessary antidote to sprawling growth. The debate came closer to a conclusion last week when the Worcester County Planning Commission voted 5-2 in favor of recommending that the County Commissioners adopt Senate Bill 236 as well as Bill 12-6, a text...READ MORE

Council Votes 5-2 To Add Decorative Lights To St. Louis Ave.

OCEAN CITY – Decorative street lighting was approved Tuesday for the first reconstruction phase of St. Louis Ave. Last week a discussion over installing ornamental lighting along St. Louis Ave. began while the reconstruction is currently in its first phase from 17th to 10th streets. The project is being funded through bonds the city acquired last year to complete several capital projects. St. Louis Ave. runs north and south in Ocean City and is a frequently used corridor on the western...READ MORE

Council Approves Bid For New Inlet Parking Lot System

OCEAN CITY – The city is moving forward with repairs to the Inlet and bayside boardwalk as well as a new and more efficient control system for the Inlet Parking Lot. There are a number of upcoming projects planned in Ocean City. This week City Engineer Terry McGean returned with bid award recommendations for the Inlet and bayside boardwalk repairs and lumber and the Inlet Parking Lot controls. According to McGean, the Boardwalk at the Inlet and Chicago Avenue were destroyed by Hurricane...READ MORE

Boardwalk Business Owners Open New Location In Fenwick

FENWICK ISLAND – Bella Pizzeria opened this month on Route 54 in Delaware, bringing specialties from its sister store on Ocean City’s Boardwalk to southern Delaware. Bella Pizzeria, located on Route 54 in West Fenwick Station near Harris Teeter, opened its doors on Jan. 5. Sean and Laura King co-own the restaurant with Hungry Surfer owner Jim Rawls. “It is good and steadily getting better each day…with the local crowd here the word to mouth has been getting out,”...READ MORE

Mallards’ Unbeaten Streak Ends

BERLIN- Worcester Prep’s boys’ varsity basketball team’s dream of a perfect season ended last week when the Mallards suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of old Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference (ESIAC) rival Salisbury School. Throughout the season, Worcester had compiled an impressive 13-0 record including a 6-0 mark in the conference heading into the showdown with Salisbury School at home last Friday. Something had to give, however, as the Dragons...READ MORE

Seahawks Finish Strong in Pat Russo Meet.

SNOW HILL- Stephen Decatur’s varsity track teams turned in strong performances last week at the Pat Russo Invitational, a meet named for the program’s long-time coach. The Seahawk boys finished second overall as a team with 73.5 points, behind winner Caesar Rodney, which finished with 109 points. Meanwhile, the Decatur girls finished eighth overall as a team in the field on 13 schools. While turning in strong team performance, Decatur also had several athletes place in their...READ MORE

Seahawks Face Tough Test in Reservoir

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s unbeaten varsity wrestling team will face perhaps the last major obstacle for a perfect season when it faces always-tough Reservoir at home on Saturday. The Seahawks have been tough all year on their way to a perfect record in team competition. According to Coach Todd Martinek, standing in the way of a possible unbeaten season is Reservoir, which travels to Decatur tomorrow night for the annual showdown. Last year, the Seahawks rolled past Reservoir, 56-15, in the...READ MORE

Decatur Girls Enjoy Big Week

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s girls’ varsity basketball team enjoyed a big week, beating Mardela, 58-47, last Thursday before routing Wicomico, 60-35, on the road on Tuesday. Against Mardela last week, the Seahawks and Warriors went back and forth in the first half, which ended with Decatur leading by just four points. However, the Seahawks turned up the pressure with a full-court press, which forced several turnovers by the Warriors. As a result, Decatur went on a 13-0 run in the third...READ MORE

Beach Lacrosse Celebrates 20th Anniversary

BERLIN- The Beach Lacrosse program turns 20 this year and will celebrate two decades of providing opportunities for young players in Worcester County and the lower shore, many of whom have gone on to achieve great success in the sport at higher levels. Beach Lacrosse is the original youth lacrosse program in Worcester and was founded in 1994. The program provided the very first spring season of organized youth recreational lacrosse on the lower Eastern Shore. Two decades later, the program is...READ MORE

Annual Super Bowl Scramble Set

BERLIN- With the two teams now set including the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers, it’s not too early to start making plans to participate in the annual Super Bowl Scramble golf tournament and tailgate party at Eagle’s Landing on February 3. Before settling in for the big game, local residents and visitors are encouraged to participate in the annual Super Bowl Scramble at Eagle’s Landing. Golfers will enjoy a fun tailgate party and a competitive round of golf, which...READ MORE

Big Run by Indians Dooms Seahawks

BERLIN- A couple of big scoring spurts by Wicomico High doomed Decatur’s boys’ varsity basketball team to a 76-48 loss to the Indians at home on Tuesday. After Decatur fell behind early, 7-4, in the first quarter on Tuesday, Jesse Engle tied the score at 7-7 with a long three-pointer at the 4:25 mark. Wicomico responded with an immediate three-pointer of its own to push the lead back to 10-7. Collin Gaynor pulled the Seahawks to within two points with a long jumper with 1:20...READ MORE

We Remember Those We Have Lost

Nils F. Edwards OCEAN CITY -- Nils F. Edwards, age 80, of Ocean City, died Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013 at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin. He was born in Philadelphia, Pa. and was the son of the late Freddy Otto and Inger (Thomsen) Edwards.   He had been a construction superintendent for many years and was a member and past Exulted Ruler of the Ocean City Elks Lodge. He was also a U.S. Army veteran. He is survived by his wife, Marcia K. Edwards of Ocean City; three daughters, Lori S....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 Sat & Sun Condos, Townhomes, Single Family Homes Luxury Resort Living Terry Riley Vantage Resort Realty 443-880-0512 OCEAN CITY Makai Condominiums 42nd St. Bayside Daily 10-4 New Construction 2BR & Studio Condos Ben Dawson The Fritschle Group/ Condominium...READ MORE

SD Middle School Student Wins Long Board Raffle

Brianna Watts, a seventh grade student at Stephen Decatur Middle School, was the winner of a Long Board raffled off by the SDMS Chapter of the National Honor Society. The proceeds of the raffle helped to fund an “Adopt a Family” activity for the holidays.  ...READ MORE

Showell Elementary Students Roll Dice To Develop Fluency In Addition

Showell Elementary Kindergarten students Sarah Cooke and Neil Zlortorzynski in Mrs. Mears' class are having fun rolling dice and adding the dots together to develop fluency in addition. ...READ MORE

Former SH Baseball Star Talks With SH Students About Being Successful In A Professional Career

Former Snow Hill High School baseball star Daniel Cropper visited Snow Hill Elementary School to talk to a group of students about being successful in a professional career.  Cropper is currently playing for the Fort Wayne Tin Caps, a Class A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. Pictured with Cropper are first grade student Aaron Bew, second grade student Amora Ballard and third grade student Amir Harmon. ...READ MORE

SD High School's Robotics Club Show Off Beach Bot "Sandy"

Members of Stephen Decatur High School’s Robotics Club shows off the robot they built called Beach Bot "Sandy". Its movement is controlled remotely from a computer and it shoots basketballs. ...READ MORE

SD High Connections Club And Service Learning Students Recongnized As Top Fundraiser

Stephen Decatur High School's Connections Club and service learning students were recently recognized as the top fundraiser for the 18-and-under category for Atlantic General Hospital's Penguin Swim, raising over $1,800.  Pictured are the top fundraisers, from left, Brooks Holloway, Zack Keiser (team captain), Bennis Watson and Trey Wells. Team member Samantha Ewancio was not pictured. Submitted Photos ...READ MORE

Star Charities Holds Annual Beef And Beer Event

Star Charities President Anna Foultz and her group of volunteers held their annual Beef and Beer event at the American Legion Post 166 in Ocean City this month with proceeds going to Wounded Soldiers of Maryland. One of the entertainment highlights was members of the String Band Division of the 2012 Philadelphia Mummers Parade in full costume. Pictured, seated from left, are Irmgard Heinecke, Dorothy Morse, Mary Ellen Schreiner and LouAnn Trummel; and standing, Neil...READ MORE

AGH Receives Check From Boggs-Disharoon American Legion Post 123

Richard Warren with the Boggs-Disharoon American Legion Post 123 presents a check for $15,000 to Michael Franklin, president and CEO of Atlantic General Hospital. This donation goes to support the hospital’s Healthy Café Campaign. Pictured, from left, are Michelle Fager, Foundation Board member and chair of the Major Gifts Committee; Michael Franklin, president and CEO of Atlantic General Hospital; and Richard Warren, post member. ...READ MORE

OC Elks Lodge #2645 Present Check To Diakonia

Ocean City Elks Lodge #2645 Treasurer Jim Flaig, presents Diakonia Executive Director Claudia Nagle a donation check in the amount of $3,000. ...READ MORE

United Way At 80% Of Campaign Goal

United Way Executive Director Kathleen Mommé is joined by Board Member and 2012 Campaign Chair Ginny Reid-Matern and Board member and Wicomico County Chair Jim Hartstein, to share the progress of the 2012 United Way Campaign, which is currently at 80% of its goal of $1.55 million.  ...READ MORE

Knights Of Columbus Presents Check To Worcester County Developmental Center

At its Citizens Awards Night last week, the Knights of Columbus Ocean City Council 9053 presented a check for $13,428 to the Worcester County Developmental Center. The donation represented the proceeds from the recent Tootsie Roll Drive. Pictured, from left, are WCDC’s Donte Smith, Director June Walker and Katie West and Grand Knight Jim Salzman. Submitted Photos ...READ MORE

Things I Like

My kids in their Ravens jerseys Funny superstitions A witty police column Small community banks Photos that make me think Learning from a mistake HBO’s show, “Girls” Cold days with no wind Running Berlin’s railroad tracks Shooting stars The look of the new Boardwalk ...READ MORE

What's Your Sign?

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): You're eager to take on that new opportunity opening up as January gives way to February. Now all you need to do is resist quitting too early. Do your best to stay with it. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Doff a bit of that careful, conservative outlook and let your brave Bovine self take a chance on meeting that new challenge. You could be surprised at how well you do. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): You might not want to return to the more serious tasks facing you. But...READ MORE

A Week In Business

New Agent Joins Firm BERLIN -- Sheppard Realty Inc. of Berlin recently welcomed new agent Gussie Sholtis to its sales team. Sholtis comes to Sheppard with nine years of real estate experience selling Ocean City, Berlin and the surrounding areas. She has resided in Berlin for the past 17 years and offers expertise in residential sales and great knowledge of the Berlin area and the beach. Office Announces Additions SALISBURY -- Dean Cottrill, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage...READ MORE