BERLIN- A public hearing on new stormwater regulations in Berlin calling for the use of environmental site design (ESD) attracted a single speaker, who asked that the  Berlin Town Council add provisions to the regulations calling for few waivers, more recognition of impaired waterways, and more public accountability.Assateague Coastkeeper Kathy Phillips had a long list… Read more »

BERLIN- Water rates could go up for Berlin water customers next year to handle capital and operations costs, a consultant told the Berlin Town Council this week.The town recently separated water revenue into two accounts, operating and maintenance and capital expenses. Both accounts are projected to suffer losses in the current fiscal year.“Your annual users’… Read more »

OCEAN CITY—In the brief this week, the city’s water and wastewater rates will rise over the next five years, the 3rd annual air show pens more performers but gets nixed on a new idea, and some new faces were sworn in to serve on the Board of Elections for this fall’s municipal elections.Water and Wastewater… Read more »

OCEAN CITY- A civil suit filed last summer by a New Jersey man against an Ocean City company seeking $100,000 in damages caused by an allegedly faulty beach chair last week settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.Last Aug. 10, East Windsor, N.J. resident Mark Pacelli, through his Baltimore attorney, Michael Smith, filed a… Read more »

SNOW HILL- A civil suit filed last June in Circuit Court by an Ocean Pines man erroneously named as an arrested suspect in a press release issued to local media by the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office was settled last week, reportedly for $5,000.On July 2, 2008, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release… Read more »

BERLIN- The Maryland General Assembly wrapped its 2010 session at midnight on Monday with hundreds of pieces of legislation passed by state lawmakers and hundreds more left on the table, but, by and large, the local delegation was successful in pushing through several bills important to the local area.Some battles were won and others were… Read more »

WEST OCEAN CITY- With the deadline for filing state and federal taxes expiring late last night, groups all over the country have organized rallies protesting the growing tax burden for citizens and a general dissatisfaction with their governments, including right here in Worcester County where a “Taxed Enough Already,” or TEA, Party is slated for… Read more »

OCEAN CITY — Seemingly everyone who follows local politics knows that City Manager Dennis Dare is trying to “right-size” the local government.The question is: what is the right size for Ocean City’s government to operate efficiently and effectively?Dare may not have necessarily coined the phrase “right-sizing”, but he’s been literally showing town officials and tax… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – A handful of local boaters enjoying a perfect Easter Sunday afternoon on the water this week were treated to a rare encounter with an ocean legend when the so-called Dolphin 56 swam up to their vessel near the mouth of the commercial harbor in West Ocean City and put on a brief… Read more »

SNOW HILL – A legislative threat to withhold funding from a state law school unless the school’s legal clinics reported private client information to the General Assembly was reversed this week, removing the funding and the client information issue from the equation.In late March, both the Senate and the House of the General Assembly linked… Read more »