About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.

Dead Body, Bank Robbery Probes Continue

OCEAN CITY- Nearly a month after two separate but serious incidents in the resort area, including the discovery of a deceased individual on the beach at 14th Street, there are still more questions than answers.Around 7:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, public works crews surveying the beach due to a recent oil spill discovered the… Read more »

Area Boy Scouts Troop Completes Assateague Island Service Project

Area Boy Scouts Troop Completes Assateague Island Service Project

ASSATEAGUE — A group of local Boy Scouts from the Ocean City-Berlin area last week completed a service project that will enhance the landscape surrounding the Assateague Island National Seashore visitor’s center complex.The scouts, from Troop 225 from the Berlin-Ocean City area, completed the service project as Assateague last Friday. The National Park Service has… Read more »

Assateague Island Pregnancy Tests Underway

OCEAN CITY — While far from the most glamorous aspect of managing the wild horses on Assateague, National Park Service staffers this month began the annual chore of conducting pregnancy tests on many of the mares in the herd on the barrier island.Each November, Assateague Island National Seashore biologists conduct pregnancy tests on most of… Read more »

Chamber Survey Confirms J-1 Program’s Major Impact, Quantifies How Businesses Forced To Cope

Chamber Survey Confirms J-1 Program’s Major Impact, Quantifies How Businesses Forced To Cope

OCEAN CITY — It’s no secret the loss of foreign student workers along with other COVID-related factors greatly impacted the resort’s summer, but the extent of the damage was not really known until the recent release of a survey of businesses.This fall, the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce sent out a survey to its… Read more »

OC Lax Classic Could Be Reinvented As Week-Long Event; Week-Day Games Would Feature Youth

OC Lax Classic Could Be Reinvented As Week-Long Event; Week-Day Games Would Feature Youth

OCEAN CITY — A couple of national lacrosse heavyweights could help elevate the annual Ocean City Lacrosse Classic to a week-long, family-friendly celebration of the sport, resort tourism officials learned this week.At Monday’s Tourism Commission meeting, Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) President Steve Pastusak briefed committee members on a proposed expansion of the Ocean City Lacrosse… Read more »