Articles

Berlin Outlines New Meeting Procedures

BERLIN - New procedures have been set for executive sessions in Berlin after the town had a request for records of closed meetings following talks of inappropriate policy discussions. New procedures include sending agenda items to town attorney Dave Gaskill to be vetted for compliance with the open media law prior to finalizing the agenda. 'That didn't always happen in the past,' said Town Council Vice President Gee Williams. Berlin Administrative Director Linda Bambary said forwarding the...READ MORE

City Council Vote On Storm Wall.

OCEAN CITY - A few weeks ago, local resident Jerry Albright came before the Mayor and City Council with a photograph from a recent trip he had taken to a resort town in Mexico. The photo showed a seawall, similar to the one that runs along Ocean City's boardwalk, painted a vibrant blue. After talking about it for a bit, the Mayor and City Council agreed it was indeed aesthetically pleasing and decided to look into painting the city's own seawall 'Ocean City Blue.' At the Mayor and City Council...READ MORE

Court Orders Leads To Temporary Halt In Construction.

OCEAN PINES - Ocean Pines homeowners will find another referendum ballot on the cost of the community center project in their mailboxes in the next two months, following a court order calling a temporary halt to construction. 'It's eight to 12 months late but it's happening at last and it's good news,' said plaintiff and Ocean Pines resident Marty Clarke. 'On first blush, it looks like everything we asked for, we got in spades.' Questions over the cost of the project and whether the summer...READ MORE

MADD Flip-Flops Position.

OCEAN CITY - The saga of beleaguered Delaware Representative John C. Atkins continued this week when Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) officials flip-flopped their former approval of the Ocean City Police Department's handling of an October traffic stop in the resort when the rirst state lawmaker was suspected of drunk driving. A Delaware House of Representatives Ethics Committee last week issued a ruling Atkins violated the House's rules of conduct and brought the legislative body into...READ MORE

New Branch Brings Special Veteran's Memorial.

BERLIN - Quietly and with little fanfare, the town of Berlin this week got its own veteran's memorial complete with flags representing the five branches in the armed forces snapping briskly in the afternoon breeze courtesy of the new Bank of Ocean City branch. For months the plaza in front of the new Bank of Ocean City branch at the entrance to Berlin near the split between Old Ocean City Boulevard and William Street slowly took shape, but it was not until Wednesday afternoon that most...READ MORE

Ocean City Factory Outlet Upcoming Marathon.

OCEAN CITY - It's now becoming crunch time for those looking to squeeze in a little more training before lacing up and tackling the leg-churning 3rd Annual Ocean City Factory Outlets Marathon. Taking place on April 7, the event plays host to hundreds of runners and fitness aficionados from not only the United States, but from all parts of the globe as well including the Bahamas, Ecuador, Bermuda and Canada. Last year's marathon tested the endurance of nearly 1,000 runners and pre-registration...READ MORE

Berlin Sewer Rates Experience Rate Increase.

BERLIN - Berlin sewer customers will pay 5 percent more for sewer service as the town moves to expand the maxed out sewage treatment plant.  The increase, originally predicated on a single plant to be expanded to 1.4 million gallons per day (mgd), will stay at 5 percent despite the recent agreement in principle to allow a second plant at the Tyson property. That second plant, at 150,000 gallons per day, would allow Berlin to reduce its plant expansion to 1.25 mgd. 'I believe the 5-percent...READ MORE

Committee Created For Electric Sale Overview.

BERLIN - The Berlin Town Council created a subcommittee for electric sale negotiations Monday in an attempt to streamline and speed up the so far arduous process. 'It seems much more practical than what we've been trying to do which is to get the entire council together every tine we've got a decision to make,' said Council Vice President Gee Williams. At the rate the negotiations have been going, Williams said they will never be complete. The sale was approved by public referendum in...READ MORE

Victims Identified In Ocean City Fire.

OCEAN CITY - Resort police last Friday released the identities of the two victims in last week's fatal mobile home fire in Ocean City, the first fatal fire in the resort since 1988. The victims were identified as Jacqueline Robusto, 44, and William Alascio, 49, both of whom resided in the home at 122 135th Street in Montego Bay. Ocean City volunteer firefighters were dispatched to the reported fire last Tuesday night around 11:30 p.m. and initial crews reported heavy smoke emanating from the...READ MORE

County To Address Federal Farm Bill.

SNOW HILL - Five County Commissioners went along with one this week in deciding to prepare comments on the federal farm bill now under review, despite seeming lukewarm about taking a position early in the discussion. Commissioner Linda Busick asked that Commissioner Virgil Shockley, a farmer, be tasked with creating some guidelines and recommendations on the farm bill for a letter to Congressman Wayne Gilchrist. The congressman has held five public meetings in his district over the last...READ MORE

Local Restaurants Vie For Awards.

OCEAN CITY - On Monday, April 16, the Maryland Restaurant Association presents its 'Stars of the Industry' Annual Industry Gala. An evening dedicated to recognizing those in the restaurant industry who have been nominated by both members of the industry and the public as the best of the best when it comes to pleasing palates. Categories such as chef of the year, favorite restaurant and favorite bar/tavern contain nominees from all over the Maryland region, even a few establishments from...READ MORE

OCDC's Planned Changes Tabled

OCEAN CITY - After a lengthy discussion of planned recommendations by the Ocean City Development Corporation (OCDC) a few weeks ago to the Mayor and City Council, it was decided the issues would be tabled until a later date when they could be separately addressed. At the work session of the Mayor and City Council Tuesday, OCDC's Executive Director Glenn Irwin and President Jay Knerr were back at the microphone with their recommendations. Knerr began the discussion by saying that OCDC's...READ MORE

Room Tax Bill Concerns Owners

OCEAN CITY - Resort business leaders this week were urged to rally against a bill introduced in the Maryland General Assembly which, if approved, would allow municipalities such as Ocean City to add its own tax on hotel and motel rooms rented exclusive of state and county taxes already collected. Carousel Hotel and Resort Managing Partner Michael James brought the bill to the attention of the Economic Development Committee (EDC) during the group's monthly meeting on Wednesday. Senate...READ MORE

SHA Plans 50 Bridge Work

OCEAN CITY - With spring approaching, it was that time of year again for the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) to meet with the Mayor and City Council to give an update on several issues and projects. Present at the work session of the Mayor and City Council Tuesday afternoon to give the update was District Engineer Donnie Drewer and Assistant District Engineer Gene Cofiell. The two navigated a list of 16 items covering mistimed traffic signals to the replacement of safe-hit...READ MORE

Casual Designs Unveils Latest Collection

BERLIN - An historic resort area furniture business known for providing homes old and new with attractive, quality furnishings for half a century is unveiling its latest collection this weekend with the grand opening of its 'Tiki Chic' showrooms at its two locations Casual Designs claims it 'is more than just a furniture store, it represents a lifestyle' in its advertising and promotional materials and the slogan is clearly accurate when it comes to defining its new Tiki Chic...READ MORE

Man With Knife Caught and Charged

OCEAN CITY - A Seaford man arrested Monday now faces first-degree rape and assault charges following his actions taken against his ex-girlfriend earlier that day. Ocean City Police Department officers were dispatched to 12th Street and Baltimore Avenue Monday in response to a complaint from a woman who said she had just been sexually assaulted. According to police reports, the victim had returned home from work to find her ex-boyfriend, Juan Vicente Morales, 33, of Seaford,...READ MORE

Ocean City's GIS Is Progressing

OCEAN CITY - As Ocean City continues to grow the need for information regarding everything from addresses to what utilities run through which properties grows as well. For this information and other types similar to it, Ocean City relies on its geographic information system (GIS). At the Mayor and City Council work session Tuesday, Karen Zera, Ocean City's GIS coordinator, was on hand to give an update on how the GIS is progressing. GIS is a computer system that uses software and...READ MORE

Route 346 Corridor Planning Commission Meeting

BERLIN - Builders working on projects on Route 346 in Berlin may soon be subject to new aesthetic requirements intended to transform the industrial and commercial look of the road into something more fit for one of Berlin's main entrances. Berlin Planning Commission members had a Route 346 corridor plan on their minds at Wednesday's meeting after considering plans for two commercial development projects this week. Planning Commission Chair Pete Cosby said the Route 346 corridor plan...READ MORE

An Ocean City man indicted by a Worcester County grand jury

SNOW HILL - An Ocean City man indicted by a Worcester County grand jury last fall for his part in the drug overdose fatality of a woman found in her resort home pleaded guilty this week to distribution of a controlled dangerous substance-methadone and was sentenced to eight years in jail. Joshua Lee Gruber, 25, of Ocean City, was indicted by a grand jury in November on distribution of CDS and reckless endangerment charges after an investigation revealed he played a role in the death of Nicole...READ MORE

Adult Video Store Raises Concerns

OCEAN CITY - The prospect of an adult video store setting up shop in a north Ocean City shopping center had local business owners and town officials scrambling this week to see if there are ways to prevent the morally questionable enterprise, but for the moment it appears the new owners are within their rights to open the new business. It came to light this week that a Salisbury business is leasing a corner store formerly known as Crazy Beach Wear along Coastal Highway in the Bayside...READ MORE

Dregging ban gains support

SNOW HILL - The County Commissioners and local recreational fishermen have joined Ocean City in supporting the prohibition of hydraulic clam dredging in the coastal bays. "The damage done by hydraulic clam dredging far exceeds the dollars that are gained by commercial fishermen," said Commissioner Linda Busick. There are two bills before the legislature, one in the House and one in the Senate, attempting to create a mechanism to allow enforcement of restrictions on clam and oyster...READ MORE