BERLIN – Twenty-three percent of Berlin households weighed in on the future of the town during a survey on the comprehensive plan, demographics and what the town has to offer residents.“For a municipality, that’s a very good response rate,” said Planning and Zoning Director Chuck Ward. “You’d normally expect to see in the 10 to… Read more »

ANNAPOLIS – State lawmakers considered countless pieces of proposed legislation during the 90-day General Assembly session that concluded on Monday from the gravely serious to the somewhat inane.Weighty issues from the struggling economy to the housing the foreclosure crisis and from the environment to public safety were debated during the session, as were several controversial… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – “The Graduates” are coming back to Ocean City, but it’s not the “junebugs” that flock to town each year, it’s the movie that was shot in Ocean City about the “junebugs.”Ryan and Matt Gielen, formerly of Columbia, Md., had called Ocean City their vacation home their entire lives, and found inspiration in… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – In the brief this week, the City Council was reassured the state had not made a final decision on the new Route 50 bridge plan, the turbine issue got yet another tweaking before second reading and the town outlined a stringent plan for retiree health insurance.SHA Says New Bridge Still In Planning… Read more »

SNOW HILL – Civil proceedings pitting a former Ocean City Chamber of Commerce leader against his former employer over disputed financial arrangements dating back several years began in earnest in Worcester County Circuit Court this week.Last April, former Ocean City Chamber Executive Director Daniel Barufaldi filed suit against the local chamber, alleging breach of contract,… Read more »

SNOW HILL – Several county agencies that presented budget requests to the County Commissioners Wednesday all managed to cut their requests by at least 5 percent, as requested, and one by as much as 29 percent.Cuts mean less services in some cases, including a reduction in health services from the Worcester County Health Department, a… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – The Town of Ocean City and the Chamber of Commerce came to an agreement this week to merge each entity’s tourism publication into one joint book that will not only create a single message, but will also save the town a substantial amount of money.By merging the “Sea for Yourself” guide and… Read more »

BERLIN – A new chapter in the ongoing saga of Berlin’s electric utility opened recently with the hire of a new manager.Dave Thomas, Berlin’s new electric utilities director, started this week. Thomas, an engineer with an MBA, was selected from a dozen candidates for the position.”What we were looking for was a background in engineering… Read more »