OCEAN CITY — The Ocean City Fire Department had a busy day on Sunday with a fire at a downtown hotel in the afternoon and another at a residence later that evening.Around 2:30 p.m. last Sunday, the Ocean City Fire Department (OCFD) responded to a fire alarm activation at the Stowaway Grand Hotel on 22nd… Read more »
Author Archives: Shawn Soper
About The Author: Shawn Soper
Third Defendant In 2017 Rape Case Sentenced
OCEAN CITY — The last of three defendants in a June 2017 rape case in Ocean City was sentenced last week to 20 years in prison and, like his co-defendants, will be under a lifetime of sex offender supervision.In January, Larry Kendall, 45, of Elkton, Md., was convicted of second-degree rape for his role in… Read more »
Boardwalk Mask Wearing Questioned While Exercising
OCEAN CITY — The mask mandate on the Boardwalk, particularly when one is exercising, became the subject of debate and confusion, although the discussion was left open with no clear answer.Two weeks ago, Mayor Rick Meehan issued an emergency declaration requiring a face covering on the Boardwalk between the hours of 8 a.m.-2 a.m. in… Read more »
Resort Police File Assault Charges After Knife Threats
OCEAN CITY — A Glen Burnie man was charged with first-degree assault last week after twice threatening a man with a knife at a downtown apartment building.Around 10 p.m. last Monday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to an apartment building on Worcester Street for a reported assault. Ocean City Communications advised the responding… Read more »
Lankford Hotel Redevelopment Plans Clear Planning Commission
OCEAN CITY — Another landmark Boardwalk hotel dating back nearly a century is being replaced with a modern version, but it appears the redevelopment project has captured the spirit of the original.The Planning Commission on Tuesday reviewed and approved a revised site plan for the redevelopment of the Lankford Hotel and associated properties along the… Read more »
Some E-Bikes Approved For Boards In 4-3 Vote
OCEAN CITY — A clearly divided Mayor and Council this week voted to approve the use of certain electric bikes, or e-bikes, on the Boardwalk and not others after considerable debate.With the increasing popularity of e-bikes in and around the resort area, the Mayor and Council earlier this year charged the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory… Read more »
Council Goes Against Commission Recommendation, Votes Down OCPD Vehicle For Boardwalk
OCEAN CITY — Resort officials this week appeared poised to sign off on the purchase of a new, ATV-style patrol vehicle for the Ocean City Police Department to deploy on the Boardwalk before doing an about-face and voting down the request over budget concerns.Last week, the Police Commission voted to send a favorable recommendation to… Read more »
Beach Patrol, Coast Guard Partner On Inlet Rescue
OCEAN CITY — A potential tragedy was averted last weekend when the U.S. Coast Guard and the Ocean City Beach Patrol partnered on the rescue of two swimmers swept out to sea by a strong current near the Inlet.A Coast Guard crew was on scene providing safety operations during the OC Air Show last Saturday… Read more »
Sunfest Canceled This Year, Proposed SunLITE Concept Under Consideration
OCEAN CITY — As expected, resort officials this week cancelled Sunfest in the traditional sense for this fall, but the jury is still out on a proposed scaled-down alternative event.Last week, the Mayor and Council had an in-depth discussion about the fate of Sunfest in this far from usual 2020 and tabled the decision for… Read more »
Resort Not Supporting Planned Pop-Up Bike Week Events
OCEAN CITY — In the wake of OC BikeFest’s cancellation, resort officials are not throwing any support behind pop-up motorcycle events on the same weekend.In late July, the OC BikeFest promoter announced she was cancelling the 2020 event due to public health and safety concerns during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The consensus in the weeks… Read more »