Tri-County Council Scores Major Grant

SALISBURY — The Tri-County Council of the Lower Eastern Shore this week scored a significant federal grant worth over $850,000 from the U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the development of a Regional Workforce and Business Development Center in Salisbury.

The “one-stop shop” project will house a business incubator, workforce training classrooms, career technology laboratory, conference room and career resource library. The facility is expected to create 128 jobs and leverage $6.5 million in private investment. The facility will also serve as the main transfer point for Shore Transit, making its location in the largely rural Lower Shore highly accessible.

“The EDA grant for the Tri-County Council for the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland will make significant improvements to ensuring access to the facility,” said Tri-County Council Executive Director Mike Pennington. “This facility is a main goal and implementation action of the Tri-County Council’s comprehensive economic development strategy and will serve as the epicenter of workforce and business development for our three-county EDA development district.”

Federal officials said the goals of the new facility justified the $853,034 grant from the EDA.

“Supporting entrepreneurship and providing the nation’s workforce with the training and services they need to become competitive and win the future are top priorities for the Obama administration,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez. “This EDA grant will provide the critical infrastructure needed to support  development of a one-stop shop where entrepreneurs and start-up businesses can grow and flourish and workers can receive critical job training.”

Health Department Offers Grocery Store Tours

SNOW HILL — In conjunction with National Nutrition Month in March, the Worcester County Health Department is offering free grocery store tours this month.

The tours will be led by a registered, licensed dietician, who will help participants navigate grocery store aisles and select the most nutritious foods. Nutrition Month is an education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

Under the campaign, participants are urged to “Eat Right with Color,” after a recently released 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended individuals cover their plates with a rainbow of foods including fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish and poultry, and low-fat milk and dairy products.

The county health department will conduct the grocery stores at various locations across Worcester this month including the Food Rite in Snow Hill on Friday, March 11; the Food Lion in Berlin on Friday, March 18; and the Wal-Mart in Pocomoke on Friday, March 25. Each of the grocery store tours begins at 10:30 a.m. For more information, contact the Worcester County Health Department at 410-632-1100.

New Member Appointed To Zoo Commission
SALISBURY — Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton appointed Brian J. Ragor to the Zoo Commission this week.

According to Salisbury Zoo Director James Hamilton, due to the recent retirement of commission member Sam Walker, the commission interviewed and approved Raygor’s nomination to take Walker’s place. Raygor has worked with the zoo’s Education Department to assist in developing environmental educational programs for students for a few years. He is currently the Supervisor of Science for Wicomico County Public Schools.

Bonds’ Reallocation OK’d

SALISBURY — The Salisbury City Council on Monday approved the reallocation of fiscal year 2007 and fiscal year 2008 bonds in second reading during the Mayor and City Council meeting on Monday night.

The fiscal year 2007 bond proceeds will finance costs of repairing or replacing the Beaverdam Drive Bridge and will also help finance water, sewer and road improvements on Isabella Street.

Portions of Salisbury’s fiscal year 2008 bond proceeds will also help finance costs to repair or replace the Beaverdam Drive Bridge.

Salisbury Capital Improvement Projects Tweaked, Approved

SALISBURY — The Salisbury City Council on Monday voted unanimously to approve a resolution to adopt the city’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan for the fiscal years of 2012-2016.

The five-year plan was amended to not include the expansion of Fire Station 2 for office space to be dedicated to the Department of Neighborhood Services and Code Compliance.