BERLIN – The following is a look at a variety of student announcements sent to this newspaper for publication in the last month.— The National Society of High School Scholars (HSHSS) has announced that Stephen Decatur High School student Cordonte Ayres of Berlin has been selected for membership. The society recognizes top scholars and invites… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – Raggatha Calentine is a small woman with a big name, a bigger heart and one of the creators of what’s being called “quite possibly, the world’s most addicting cracker.”Locally produced and in just the fourth month of business, Little Ragghi’s Crackers, an artisan flat bread cracker made of simply olive oil, parmesan… Read more »

SNOW HILL – Many of Worcester County’s public water and wastewater customers will see increases in their bills in fiscal year 2010 to handle rising costs and to provide service to more customers.The Worcester County Commissioners unanimously this week approved the sanitary service area budgets and assessments, many of which include higher rates.The cost of… Read more »

SNOW HILL – The Worcester County Commissioners discussed several items briefly at their second June meeting, held Tuesday. Here’s a recap:—Work on the final design of the new Mystic Harbor Wastewater Treatment Plant was authorized by the County Commissioners Tuesday, paving the way for the replacement sewer treatment facility. The design is already 30 percent… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – The Maryland State Firemen’s Association comes to town June 13-19 for their annual convention. Once again, the convention will include a parade down Baltimore Avenue. This year’s parade will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 17.Downtown traffic patterns will be affected as follows: Beginning at noon on the day of the… Read more »

BERLIN – A budget smaller than the previous year would seem to be an easy sell, but one Berlin elected official felt the reduction did not go far enough and proposed that staff salary increases be eliminated at the last minute.“I don’t mean to be the naysayer or the pessimist,” said Berlin Councilwoman Paula Lynch…. Read more »

BERLIN – The Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT) will challenge a controversial closed meeting held by Worcester County elected officials last month by lodging an official complaint with the Maryland Open Meetings Act Compliance Board next week.“We’re definitely filing,” said ACT Executive Director and Coastkeeper Kathy Phillips. “What we’re going to be challenging is not the… Read more »

BERLIN – Health officials this week confirmed four Worcester County Public School students have been diagnosed with Influenza A H1N1 (swine flu), bringing the total number of confirmed cases to six in the county.Late last week, the Worcester County Health Department and the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced the first two confirmed… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – For the second time in two weeks, Ocean City police had to handle a late-night riot of sorts on the Boardwalk at the south end of town, but the latest incident was more a series of smaller battles than the full-scale brawl that preceded it on Memorial Day weekend.Last Saturday, police made… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – As the town starts to create the Request for Proposal (RFP) for a new advertising agency, some possible troubles are surfacing that could effect the next campaign because of the timing of the ongoing process.The City Council last month went against the tourism commission’s recommendation to extend MGH Advertising’s contract, which expires… Read more »