Articles

Engagement

Salvatore-Bjornbak Jorgensen BERLIN - Dr. Steven Salvatore of Ocean City and Kristine Bjornbak Jorgensen of Aalborg, Denmark, have announced their engagement. Salvatore is a graduate of Worcester Country School, Wake Forest University and the University of St. Louis School of Medicine. Bjornbak Jorgensen is a graduate of Webster University in St. Louis with a degree in political science. A June wedding is planned in Denmark. ...READ MORE

Berlin Approves Summer Segway Tour Experiment

BERLIN - A Berlin entrepreneur asked for and got the blessing of the Berlin Mayor and Council this week to offer Segway tours of the historic town. Gerard DiCairano sought approval from the town council Tuesday night, riding up the aisle in the council chamber on a Segway, a two-wheeled personal transporter.  'I've never made a speech on a Segway before. I hope it goes alright,' said DiCairano before presenting his idea, which he believes would be the first Segway tour on Delmarva. 'There...READ MORE

Man Unable To Survive Route 50 Bridge Accident

OCEAN CITY - The bicyclist struck by an SUV on the Harry Kelley Memorial Bridge last Sunday night died this week from the injuries sustained in the collision, bringing to light more questions on the need for an overhaul to the old drawbridge leading into the south end of the resort. A bicyclist, whose name has not yet been released, was struck on the eastbound side of the Route 50 Bridge not far from Hooper's Restaurant shortly after 10 p.m. on Sunday. According to police reports on the...READ MORE

OC Makes Tax Differential Issue A Legislative Priority

OCEAN CITY - The issue of Ocean City gaining fair compensation from Worcester County for municipal funds paid for duplicated services came to the fore again this week when the Mayor and Council decided to make the issue of tax differential a legislative priority this year. Tax differential, in layman's terms, is essentially the money a municipality spends on a service that the county will not then have to provide. Locally, the town of Ocean City for years has contended it pays twice on services...READ MORE

Berlin Sidewalk Project Facing Funding Deadline

BERLIN - Although designs are complete for the eagerly anticipated Flower St. sidewalks, the town will need to rush to finish the project before the end of November grant funding deadline. The project has already received one extension. A second extension on the funding is unlikely without mitigating problems, like major storms, preventing the completion of construction before the deadline. 'Everything would have to go very smoothly,' said Berlin Administrative Director Linda Bambary. 'The...READ MORE

Berlin Sidewalk Project Facing Funding Deadline

BERLIN - Although designs are complete for the eagerly anticipated Flower St. sidewalks, the town will need to rush to finish the project before the end of November grant funding deadline. The project has already received one extension. A second extension on the funding is unlikely without mitigating problems, like major storms, preventing the completion of construction before the deadline. 'Everything would have to go very smoothly,' said Berlin Administrative Director Linda Bambary. 'The...READ MORE

Berlin To Avoid Expansion By Adding Wastewater Plant

BERLIN - Berlin's elected officials have formally asked Worcester County to add two wastewater plant systems to the books. Discussions between Troy Purnell's Berlin Properties North, which owns the Tyson chicken plant site, and the town of Berlin have resulted in an unusual public-private partnership that will forestall expansion of the municipal wastewater plant. The new plan is a significant departure from the original proposal put forth by Purnell this spring that called for the Berlin...READ MORE

Berlin To Avoid Expansion By Adding Wastewater Plant

BERLIN - Berlin's elected officials have formally asked Worcester County to add two wastewater plant systems to the books. Discussions between Troy Purnell's Berlin Properties North, which owns the Tyson chicken plant site, and the town of Berlin have resulted in an unusual public-private partnership that will forestall expansion of the municipal wastewater plant. The new plan is a significant departure from the original proposal put forth by Purnell this spring that called for the Berlin...READ MORE

Comcast Details Cable Rate Increase, Other Changes

OCEAN CITY - Comcast cable subscribers will be seeing a rate increase in their cable bills starting June 1. The upcoming rate changes on basic cable were presented and discussed at the City Council work session on Tuesday. Tom Worley, area director of government relations for Comcast, came before the City Council Tuesday to discuss rate changes and any other pertinent Comcast information. The first order of business, of course, was the increase in the price of cable. Effective June 1, there...READ MORE

Flea Market Opening Exceeds Expectations

OCEAN CITY - The beautiful weather and the energy of the holiday weekend brought success to the city flea market in the Worcester Street parking lot last weekend. Vendors and shoppers gathered in the downtown Worcester Street parking lot Saturday and Sunday to sell, shop, and enjoy the nearly perfect weekend weather. The weekend marked the opening of the flea market, which was recently approved by the City Council. Although debate occurred over the location of the market, it seems the final...READ MORE

Ice Cream Truck To Circulate Through Berlin

BERLIN - Town children will be able to track a new ice cream truck cruising through the streets in the traditional way, by the music it plays, after the Berlin Town Council granted truck owner Glenn Deskins an exception. 'It's kind of difficult to run the ice cream truck without it,' Deskins told the council. The sounds played by his ice cream truck are music, not a bell, Deskins said, comprising 12 to 15 different tunes. Council member Ellen Lang likened the sounds to a calliope. Deskins, a...READ MORE

Inlet Surfing Beach Program Begins With Little Fanfare

OCEAN CITY - No problems were reported just three days into a new system that created a surfing-only beach at the Inlet, but with soft weekday crowds this time of year and a calm, flat ocean for much of the week, the jury is still out on the new set-up. Last fall, the Ocean City Mayor and Council approved a one-year pilot program for the creation of a surfing-only beach at the Inlet extending northward from the jetty for about 200 yards. The move was a compromise of sorts from the town elected...READ MORE

Neighborhood Could Feel Pinch Of Water Bill Hike

BERLIN - Briddelltown neighborhood residents may soon see their water bills go up. On the recommendation of the Berlin Utilities Commission (BUC), the Berlin Town Council voted this week to make some changes in they way the town handles the water supply to the area, which lies outside town limits. The BUC asked the council to request that Worcester County install meters for the area, said Berlin Mayor Tom Cardinale. The meters, on pipes at Flower St. and at Seahawk Rd., would be installed at...READ MORE

Ocean City Beach Gets Fiscal Shot In Arm

OCEAN CITY - In the seven years since a federally mandated water quality testing program began on the beaches of Ocean City, the resort has had a perfect record in terms of advisories and closures and a fiscal shot in the arm presented to the town this week by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials should go a long way to extending that impeccable run. Against the backdrop of a crystal clear beach day on Wednesday, EPA officials presented a check for a $269,250 grant to the Maryland...READ MORE

Pa. Man Knifed After Breaking In Room

OCEAN CITY - A Pennsylvania man was slashed in the side with a knife this week after breaking into a resort motel room to confront two men he had argued with earlier in the evening. Stephen Smith, 24, and his friend, Justin Wiker, 24, both of Northampton, Pa. were staying at the Spinnaker Motel on 18th Street when they became involved in a verbal argument with some other men also staying at the motel. Around 3:45 a.m. on Monday, Smith and Wiker climbed over balconies at the motel to reach the...READ MORE

Police Arrest Two In Store Robberies

WEST OCEAN CITY - A combined effort by several local law enforcement agencies last Saturday resulted in the arrest of two people suspected of robbing Candy Kitchen stores in West Ocean City and Fenwick Island. Shortly after 10:30 a.m. last Saturday, deputies from the Worcester County Sheriff's Department were dispatched to the Candy Kitchen at the White Marlin Mall in West Ocean City for a report of an attempted armed robbery. During the robbery attempt, the male suspect, later identified as...READ MORE

Resident Expresses Concern Over Neighborhood Dogs

BERLIN - A sudden increase in pit bull ownership in the Flower St. neighborhood of Berlin has resident Phyllis Purnell concerned enough to go to the Town Council. Purnell told the council on Tuesday that an increasing number of teenagers in her neighborhood have acquired the dogs, which have a reputation for aggression, and she fears that they cannot control the animals. Purnell recounted an incident that happened to a neighbor, who felt menaced by loose pit bulls early one morning as he was...READ MORE

Speaker Stresses Education During On Memorial Day

OCEAN CITY - Seven flags flew proudly at half-staff on Monday at the Worcester County Veterans Memorial in Ocean Pines as hundreds gathered to honor and remember those who have served our country. Veterans, friends and family gathered on Monday morning to observe the 3rd annual celebration. The ceremony began with a welcome from Sharyn O'Hare, president of the Worcester County Veterans Memorial Foundation, Inc., who described Memorial Day as, 'a day to remember those who have served our country...READ MORE

City Manager Shoots From Hip On Fire Service's Future

OCEAN CITY - City Manager Dennis Dare, the creator of a controversial set of 'talking points' regarding the future of emergency services in Ocean City, made it clear this week he believes the future of fire protection in the resort lies in a cohesive combination of paid and volunteer forces. In an exclusive interview with (ITALICS)The Dispatch, Dare, who has been city manager since 1990, was blunt at times while addressing some misconceptions and confusion regarding the Ocean City Volunteer Fire...READ MORE

Effort Underway To Keep Amusement Park In Resort

OCEAN CITY - With one big holiday weekend under its belt already in the summer of 2007, it appears it is business as usual for the historic Trimper's Rides at the foot of the Boardwalk, but much is going on behind the scenes to prevent this season from being the Ocean City landmark's last. Hundreds of thousands of visitors poured into the resort for Memorial Day last weekend and many of them visited the nostalgic Trimper's Rides as part of their holiday tradition, just as they have done for...READ MORE

Council Divided Over New Crime Analyst Position

OCEAN CITY - The City Council faced debate during a work session Tuesday over the issue of budgeting a position for a crime analyst within the Ocean City Police Department. Police Chief Bernadette DiPino came before the council Tuesday seeking approval to add a crime analyst to the police staff. A crime analyst is a member of the law enforcement team who works to identify and analyze patterns, problems and trends in crime. Accompanying DiPino were current crime analysts Carl Koprowicz of...READ MORE

Entire Council On Board With Senior Bus Pass Hike

OCEAN CITY - The longstanding price of the senior bus pass will face a $2 increase this week after a unanimous vote by the City Council Tuesday. The current cost of attaining a senior bus pass is $5, but that price will now increase to $7. According to the council, this is the first increase on the price of senior bus passes since they were created. The price increase will only be affecting the fee for those eligible for the resident senior bus pass. There is no cost for the non-resident senior...READ MORE