BERLIN – After several delays over the last two weeks for a variety of reasons including the weather, a major launch event at the Wallops Flight Facility took place as planned Tuesday night, creating a rare fireworks display throughout the mid-Atlantic area as the Air Force Minotaur I rocket arched its way across the twilight… Read more »

BERLIN – Defendants in the civil suit filed in January by the Worcester County Commissioners against a bevy of Internet-based travel booking companies seeking what could be millions of dollars in unpaid hotel room taxes this week filed a motion to dismiss the case, citing several problems with the county’s complaint including a slippery definition… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – In the month since Tourism Director Mike Noah’s resignation, the process to fill his position has entertained more people who want to be a part of the process to pick a candidate, than actual candidates.At last week’s Tourism Commission meeting, Ruth Waters, who serves as vice president of the Greater Ocean City… Read more »

SNOW HILL – Just weeks after a Worcester County jury returned a verdict in favor of a former Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce executive director forcing his former employer to pay $60,000 in damages, the organization filed a counter-claim against the plaintiff seeking $500,000 in damages.At the close of a three-day trial in Circuit… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – Though their contract expires at the end of June, the Tourism Commission will recommend to the Mayor and City Council that MGH Advertising be granted a 15-month contract extension prior to that review.After a 4-3 vote in October that granted MGH Advertising the task of creating the town’s new $178,000 website, Councilman… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – Only a week since it was launched into cyberspace, Ocean City’s much anticipated and heavily debated new website has received early praise and a surprising number of “unique” users.The new and improved www.ococean.com was officially launched on Monday to coincide with the commencement of the town’s new advertising campaign, and as television… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – Rodney the Lifeguard is going on tour, and he’s headed for the big city.One could call MGH’s new advertising idea a shameless publicity stunt or just call it a fun gimmick to create a buzz in some of Ocean City’s metropolitan target markets, but in late June, Rodney the Lifeguard will literally… Read more »

Frederick Clifford CropperSpecial To The DispatchOCEAN CITY – With the first rite of the new season, Springfest, behind us, Ocean City’s second official tradition unfolds Sunday afternoon, May 17.The 12th Annual Alzheimer’s Gala is itself a passionate passage into spring. Hosted this year in the Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel’s Crystal Ballroom, the event promises to… Read more »

BERLIN – Although it is far from finalized, Berlin officials this week had high praise for the first draft of their fiscal year 2010 budget, which appears to come in at around $600,000 less than the current spending plan.The Berlin Mayor and Council continued to work on the town’s proposed $13.7 million budget during a… Read more »

BERLIN — Town officials this week approved an application for state Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for a portion of the estimated $2.1 million repair of the town’s spray effluent storage lagoon, but getting all or any portion of the available funds could prove to be difficult.Each year the state makes available millions of… Read more »