OCEAN CITY – After weeks of trials and tribulations, the Mayor and City Council was finally able to put something concrete into the books that would prevent any type of adult oriented retail stores from obtaining a business license for a period of six months or until the Planning and Zoning Commission is able to… Read more »

SNOW HILL – The Board of Education has asked for a $7 million increase in the Worcester County schools budget for fiscal year 2008.The $87,306,346 requested budget is 9.6 percent higher than the approved FY 2007 budget.The increase comes mainly from salary and operational costs, said Worcester County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jon Andes. School… Read more »

BERLIN – Half of Berlin’s remaining equivalent dwelling units (EDUs) will be released for use as soon as the state approves the new capacity management plan, with the second half released the year after.The Berlin Mayor and Council approved the capacity management plan at the Monday night meeting. This type of plan is required by… Read more »

BERLIN – Berlin needs a master plan, not just a comprehensive plan, was the message on Wednesday night at the public hearing on Berlin’s new comprehensive plan.Municipal master plans are far more detailed than comprehensive plans, offering a street-by-street design of how a town plans to look in the future, from future parks to streets… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – With almost a year to go until expansion of Ocean City’s skate park is expected to be complete, members of the Recreation and Park Committee sat down Tuesday morning to look at where the park stands currently and what can be done in the coming months to prepare it for the busy… Read more »

ANNAPOLIS – It now appears a statewide smoking ban in Maryland will become a reality after both the full House and Senate approved their own versions of a bill this week, but there are some differences to iron out before the measures are passed along to the governor for approval.The House approved its version of… Read more »

NEWARK – Further evidence of the changing face of Worcester County was revealed last week during the Worcester County Board of Education monthly meeting when it was reported the number of students enrolled in the school system’s English Language Learner (ELL) program has increased by 215 percent since 2000.Worcester County Schools ELL Coordinator Diane Stulz… Read more »

BERLIN – Questions and suspicions over the Cannery Village workforce housing project arose Monday night during what appeared to be a routine meeting over a block grant.At this week’s meeting, the Berlin Mayor and Council questioned Don Bibb, executive director of project co-developer Housing Authority of Talbot County (HCTC), closely over the apparently diminished role… Read more »

BERLIN – Berlin can now count updated geographic information among its planning and infrastructure tools, with the delivery of a new geographic information system (GIS).The Mayor and Council authorized the geographic information project to map the town’s tax information, and sewer and water systems, last April, asking Dr. Mike Scott of Salisbury University’s Eastern Shore… Read more »

OCEAN CITY – Superintendent of Public Works Maintenance Bruce Gibbs gave a presentation to the Mayor and City Council Tuesday concerning a fencing project that would add white, vinyl picket fences to the municipal parking lots downtown. Gibbs reported that the project is doable but did have a few concerns regarding the idea.“For one, you… Read more »