SNOW HILL – Worcester County’s elected officials ran into a consequence of the long delayed comprehensive rezoning this week when confronted with a rezoning decision that they would clearly like to have postponed.The commissioners, who have refused to enact a rezoning moratorium until the 2006 Comprehensive Plan is completed by the rezoning, must consider rezoning… Read more »

SNOW HILL – Anticipating the approval of slot machine gambling in Maryland this fall, the County Commissioners approved a staff request this week for a traffic and road facilities analysis of probable traffic in the vicinity of Ocean Downs, where the slot machines would be placed.“It’s going to happen. I feel it in my bones,”… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – One kiosk will remain on Somerset Street this summer despite earlier decisions by the Mayor and City Council to remove all merchant carts from the street. Kyle Swisher, owner of EC Glider Segway Rentals came before the Mayor and Council asking for permission to remain on Somerset Street this summer, despite decisions… Read more »

SNOW HILL – Despite a strong turnout from anti-spoil neighbors, the private dredge spoil site in Friendship will go forward after the Worcester County Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) granted a requested variance. Sand must be dredged out of the Marsh Harbor canal, owned by variance applicant Whaley Brittingham, to keep it navigable for sportfishing… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – A public hearing was held before the Planning and Zoning Commission this week and although several local business owners voiced opposition to the conditional use of a water sport activity behind the 45th Street Village, the commission voted to send a favorable recommendation of the application to the Mayor and City Council…. Read more »

BERLIN – Local waterways may see living shoreline demonstration projects installed soon with $400,000 in state grant funds available to local staff.“MDE (Maryland Department of the Environment) is now pushing living shorelines as opposed to what is considered hardline shorelines,” said Worcester County Administrator Gerry Mason.Over 50 percent of the Isle of Wight shoreline, for… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – The issue of sexually oriented businesses was laid to rest with little fanfare this week with the City Council voting unanimously to approve the second reading of two ordinances which outline the zoning and licensing of sexually oriented businesses in Ocean City. The discussion over sexually oriented businesses spanned nearly one year… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – The resort area lost a legend and a good friend this week when Boardwalk icon Russell B. “Bo” Ruggerio passed away last Saturday at the age of 69 at Atlantic General Hospital after a lengthy illness.Hundreds gathered yesterday at Ruggerio’s funeral services at Holy Savior Catholic Church to pay their last respects… Read more »

WEST OCEAN CITY – Three local juveniles were charged this week with setting the fire last Tuesday that claimed a 90-year-old vacant house not far from Keyser Point Rd. and snarled rush hour traffic in West Ocean City last Tuesday.The Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office this week completed its investigation on the cause of the… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – The proposed operating budget for the fiscal year 2009 was presented this week to the Board of Education, reflecting a $2.6 million, 3.4 percent increase over last year’s operating budget.The current year budget sits at $81 million. Seventy percent of funding comes from the county, with 18.9 percent coming from the state…. Read more »