November 27, 2009

Fatherhood Adventures

Some memories are cherished, while others not so much. The common denominator here is when they happen you understand immediately you will never forget them. Unfortunately, an experience last Sunday falls into the memorable category for a reason not so pleasant. It finally happened. Beckett got sick, and I mean really ill, and it had nothing to do with a sniffle or cough. The day started out like any other, but after lunch all of a sudden he could not keep anything down and was vomiting all over...READ MORE

Selling Meat Out of Van

BERLIN - A Cambridge, Md. man wanted in Dorchester County on assault and malicious destruction of property charges was arrested in Berlin early Tuesday afternoon after being found selling meat products out of a van in a Berlin neighborhood. Shortly before 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Berlin police were dispatched to an area on Ann Drive in reference to a report of two suspicious individuals selling meat products out of a van. Upon arrival in the area, the officers located the van displaying the company...READ MORE

We Remember Those We Have Lost

Vernon Orem Ricks, Jr. OCEAN PINES - Vernon O. Ricks, 79, died Nov. 18 2009 at home. He is survived by his wife, Carol Rickert Ricks, and children, Steven Ricks and wife Patricia, Lynn Rodriques and husband Frank, Paul Ricks and wife Rosemarie and Jeffery Ricks and his wife Malia. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Jennifer, Lauren, Ian, Laura, Mark, Sarah, Mikayla, Tanner, and Lily. He worked for Baltimore Gas and Electric for 44 years as an electrical distribution supervisor. He was an...READ MORE

Black Friday Rock Tourney Underway

OCEAN CITY- Local anglers hoping to avoid the crowds and holiday shopping this weekend and perhaps win some money instead of spending it are participating in the third annual Black Friday 550 Rockfish Tournament, which got underway this morning out of the Ocean City Fishing Center. For 36 hours this weekend, local fishing enthusiasts looking for an alternative to holiday shopping are taking to the waters in and around the resort area for the third annual Black Friday 550. The tournament got...READ MORE

Berlin Dolphins Reach Title Game

BERLIN- The Berlin Junior Dolphins of the Salvation Army 'Red Shield' League won a gritty 13-7 victory over the Salisbury Black Knights last Thursday to reach the league championship game for the first time in their seven years of existence. The Junior Dolphins squared off last Thursday in a defensive struggle with an opportunity to face the Wicomico Vikings in the championship game. The Berlin-Salisbury tilt promised to be a defensive struggle and it did not disappoint. Berlin gave up an early...READ MORE

Greene Turtle Lax to Hold Tryouts

OCEAN CITY- The Greene Turtle girls' lacrosse club will be holding tryouts for the 2010 season on December 5 at the Crown Sports Center in Salisbury. The club is looking for girls who are interested in playing competitive tournament lacrosse against some of the best competition on the East Coast. Now in its fourth year, the Greene Turtle Lacrosse Club offers a well-established, well-respected competitive club program with an excellent coaching staff as well as college recruitment counseling with...READ MORE

Worcester Prep Senior Signs On For Loyola University Lax

Worcester Prep's standout senior attacker Molly Dickerson last week signed a letter of intent to play next year at Loyola University in Baltimore. Pictured above, Dickerson (seated, right) is shown with Coach Yetiv Delaney (seated) and parents Tommy and Peggy Dickerson. ...READ MORE

Worcester Prep Senior Signs On to High Point University Lax

Worcester Prep Mallards' standout midfielder Sara Noyes last week signed a letter of intent to play lacrosse next year at High Point University in North Carolina. Noyes (bottom, right) is pictured with Coach Yetiv Delaney and parents Mike and Candi Noyes (standing). ...READ MORE

Former Seahawk Tate Up for Major Award

BERLIN- Former Stephen Decatur and Snow Hill High School football running back Ben Tate is among the semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award, issued annually to the top college football running back in the country. Tate, who began his high school football career at Decatur and later transferred to Snow Hill of his senior year, still holds the Maryland state high school career rushing record. For the last four years, Tate has been the workhorse running back at Auburn University, which has...READ MORE

War on Shore Returns Next Week

OCEAN CITY- Stephen Decatur's 8th Annual War on the Shore wrestling tournament gets underway next week at the Ocean City Convention Center for the first time with some of the top high school programs in the mid-Atlantic area converging on the resort for the two-day event. The War on the Shore tournament, which features some of the best high school wrestling programs from Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and even Pennsylvania, has been moved to the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City...READ MORE

Worcester Prep Athletes Accept College Offers

BERLIN- Three Worcester Prep scholar athletes last week signed letters of intent to take their respective games to the next level, including two standout players from the girls' varsity lacrosse team and an exceptional golfer. During a special signing event at the Berlin private school last Friday, Worcester Prep's Molly Dickerson accepted an offer to attend school and play lacrosse next year at Loyola University in Baltimore, while teammate Sara Noyes accepted a similar offer from High Point...READ MORE

OC Beach Rebuilding Support Pledged

OCEAN CITY •€' Congressman Frank Kratovil's mouth literally hung open as he stared at what the so-called 'storm of the decade' had washed away from the shoreline of Ocean City.  In that moment, he summed up what locals have already been saying since the sun came out and the storm had passed: 'can you imagine what this would look like without the dunes?' City Engineer Terry McGean and Mayor Rick Meehan took Kratovil on a tour north and south the beach last Friday morning, pointing out...READ MORE

Who's Playing When and Where Musically Speaking

Buxy's Salty Dog 410-289-0973 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Saturday, Nov. 28: Randy Lee Ashcraft & The Saltwater Cowboys Carousel Resort Hotel & Condominiums 410-524-1000 On the beach, 118th St. Every Friday: DJ Rupe, 7-9 p.m. Clarion Hotel 410-524-3535 10100 Coastal Hwy.  Ocean Club: Friday, Nov. 27 & Saturday, Nov. 28: Power Play Dr.Unks Bar & Grille 410-213-7775 , 9636 Stephen Decatur Hwy., West OC Friday, Nov. 27: DJ Bigler, 6-10 p.m. Fager's Island 410-524-5500 60th...READ MORE

Friday, Nov 27--Berlin Mayor, Council Notebook

By Cara Dahl Staff Writer BERLIN - The Berlin Town Council considered a number of items Monday night at their regular meeting, including assistance for people having difficulty paying their electric bills, a new member for the Ethics Commission and temporary paving of Harrison Ave.   Berlin Energy Assistance Program Being Supported The Berlin community has contributed $2,500 towards fellow residents' energy bills since the energy assistance program debuted, Mayor Gee Williams announced....READ MORE

Friday, Nov 27--Farm Winery To Open In Delaware

OCEAN CITY •€' It won't be a bar, a store, or a even a restaurant, but what the Fenwick Wine Cellars will be is one of a kind attraction to tourists and locals of the resort area and will be one of only two true farm wineries in the entire state of Delaware. Owner Adrian Mobilia is hoping that the arrival of a true farm winery to the area is quickly deemed to be long overdue and embraced as such. Perhaps since the release of the popular independent film 'Sideways', and certainly since the...READ MORE

Friday, Nov 27--Host Our Coast Campaign Upgrades Planned For 2nd Year

SNOW HILL - Aspiring travel journalists can sign up as candidates for the second year of Host Our Coast, a tourism initiative using a dedicated blogger to showcase Worcester County and nearby attractions, beginning in February The tourism initiative, which recently won the state 'Visit Maryland' award, will return with a few changes, although the basic concept will remain the same, with the host traveling around Worcester County and areas nearby, then blogging about attractions, activities and...READ MORE

Friday, Nov 27--Ocean City Police Partners With Md. On Alert Program

OCEAN CITY - Citing the number of elderly visitors to the resort, along with a substantial year-round senior citizen population, Ocean City Police this week announced the department is partnering with state law enforcement officials on a new initiative aimed at the timely recovery of individuals with cognitive disorders who go missing. Maryland's new 'Silver Alert' program officially became a state law in October and allied law enforcement agencies around the state, including Ocean City, are in...READ MORE

$10M In Beach Repairs Eyed For Ocean City

OCEAN CITY •€' The Army Corps of Engineers told town officials this week it's going to take at least $10 million to repair the damage to the sand dunes. City Engineer Terry McGean told The Dispatch on Wednesday that he had received the preliminary cost estimates from the Corps to replenish at least 450,000 cubic yards of sand, and he said that the assessment was probably a bit conservative. 'Their surveys were basically only done from the dunes into the water and up to about the knee,' said...READ MORE

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against OC Paramedics

OCEAN CITY - A federal judge this week dismissed a $20 million civil lawsuit filed against Ocean City paramedics in June by the family of two Pennsylvania tourists who died of carbon monoxide poisoning in a Boardwalk hotel room in June 2006, stating no 'special relationship' was forged during the tragic incident between the defendants and the victims. In June, Yvonne and Morgan Boughter, family members of the pair of tourists who perished from carbon monoxide poisoning at the Days Inn on the...READ MORE

Local Boat Captains Join Federal Sea Bass Lawsuit

OCEAN CITY - One of the most important fisheries for Ocean City and the entire East Coast, black sea bass, was closed abruptly and without warning in October, forcing a handful of local captains to join a national recreational fishing advocacy group in a multi-party lawsuit with plaintiffs from North Carolina to Maine against the federal agency that shut it down. Based on estimated catch data that showed black sea bass anglers up and down the east coast had exceeded the quota for the species by...READ MORE

Retailers Staying Realistic With Holiday Shopping Hopes

OCEAN CITY •€' Local retailers are hoping the biggest shopping day of the year kick starts an improved holiday shopping season for 2009, but few are expecting a vast improvement from last year. Area merchants are admittedly cautiously optimistic about the looming holiday shopping season, and as Black Friday approached this week, a few of them hinted at some of their strategies, expectations and concerns. Collectively, however, all retail stores are thrilled with the news that the Route 90...READ MORE

Three Islands In Bay Sold At Auction For $260K

OCEAN CITY - Perhaps reflective of the economic times and the associated lack of discretionary dollars for most, three islands totaling about 30 acres smack dab in the middle of the Assawoman Bay behind Ocean City sold last week at auction for $260,000, providing the unknown buyer with a little slice of paradise for a fairly reasonable price. Marshall Auctions last week auctioned the so-called South Hammocks, three partially wooded islands with a hunting lodge and beautiful sandy beaches, in the...READ MORE

Assateague Island Recovery Efforts Still Ongoing

ASSATEAGUE - While it make take some time before Assateague Island is fully recovered from the coastal storm that ravaged the mid-Atlantic coast two weeks ago, some of the totals for the tons of debris cleared from one end of the 37-mile barrier island to the other suggests the damage was considerably more than first anticipated. It was almost business as usual this week on Assateague, as park staffers and volunteers continued to work to restore order after the storm, a combination of the...READ MORE

Berlin Sewer Rates Increasing In Early 2010

BERLIN - The increase in Berlin's sewer rates, approved for Jan. 1, 2010 to last for as long as 18 months, could trend sharply upward in the future, elected officials said Monday night at the Berlin Mayor and Council meeting. The Berlin council can look at the rates, which will increase 6.5 percent in January, in the future and make any necessary changes to handle the work on the wastewater plant, Berlin Administrator Tony Carson said, but the town is not locked into that 18-month period and...READ MORE

Elected Officials Pleased With Take Pride Initiative Work

BERLIN - A community meeting in support of anti-crime initiative Take Pride in Berlin has yielded some positive results, according to Berlin elected officials who attended the event last week. Several Berlin elected officials informally discussed the Take Pride in Berlin indoor picnic held last weekend during the council comments section of Monday night's town council meeting. The picnic was reportedly attended by 50 community members. Mayor Gee Williams called the event 'a very productive...READ MORE

Holiday Season A Busy Time For Charity Scams

BERLIN - The arrival of the holiday season signals a time for charitably giving and donations to those less, but local law enforcement officials this week warned it can also be a time for the criminal element to prey on the community's collective good nature. Perhaps more than any time of the year, the holiday season presents an abundance of opportunities for those with more in the community to share with those who have less. While most charity organizations are worthy causes on the up and up,...READ MORE

Police Remind Holiday Shoppers To Utilize Common Sense

BERLIN - With hundreds of local residents joining the throngs of holiday shoppers this weekend, local law enforcement officials this week took the opportunity to remind them of a few common sense practices to ensure they, and their packages, return home safely. Thousands of holiday shoppers are flocking to area shopping centers, stores and outlet centers this weekend to take advantage of big Black Friday specials, but, unfortunately, there will be an in-kind criminal element ready to take...READ MORE

Refinancing Saves OC $670K In Debt Service

OCEAN CITY •€' The town's finance department heard some good news last week at City Hall. After adding a bit of an exclamation point to the end of the town's claim that it is financially weathering the economic storm, as town officials announced the resort's bond ratings had jumped up two spots, the town refinanced $12.7 million in bonds to a lower interest rate, which will save the town over $670,000 in future debt service. Finance Administrator Martha Lucey outlined to the Mayor and City...READ MORE

Route 90 Bridge Project Completed Ahead Of Schedule

OCEAN CITY •€' The Route 90 bridge opened on Tuesday, three weeks ahead of schedule and just in time for the holidays, prompting town officials to have a little bit extra to be •€˜thankful' for. In a little more than 40 days and 40 nights (41 to be exact), the State Highway Administration's (SHA) two emergency contractors finished the replacement of a damaged 85-foot section of the Assawoman span of the 38-year-old Route 90 bridge, despite dodging a proverbial bullet during the recent...READ MORE

State Eyes Tough Penalties For Fishing Violators

OCEAN CITY - Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials announced a proposal for more stringent penalty system for commercial fishing law violations in tidal waters across the state including Ocean City and Worcester County. Faced with a increase in natural resource law violations, including a spike in commercial poaching in recent years, DNR officials were instructed by state lawmakers last year to author and adopt a tougher penalty system for violators including enhanced...READ MORE

Survey Finds Grades More Important Than Class Ranking

NEWARK - Out of 32 colleges and universities surveyed by Worcester County Public Schools' Class Rank Committee, 29 of them (or 91 percent) stated that the designation of valedictorian or salutatorian has no bearing on the admissions process.  In contrast, the committee concluded that a student's Grade Point Average (GPA) and selection of courses with rigor (such as accelerated, Advanced Placement, and concurrent enrollment courses) were the primary factors considered by college admissions...READ MORE

Town Plans Address Reminder To Help With Emergencies

BERLIN - Homeowners need to make sure their houses clearly show the number address to allow emergency services to locate the property, one Berlin elected official said this week. The address of a lot of houses in Berlin is not properly identified from the street, which can cause problems for emergency vehicles called out to a home, said Councilwoman Paula Lynch this week. At Monday night's Berlin Town Council meeting, Lynch asked town staff to include some kind of reminder to number houses...READ MORE

Thoughts From The Publisher's Desk

It was a surprise to just about everyone this week that the Route 90 bridge reopened ahead of schedule. However, according to those who know about this sort of thing, it was not a huge bombshell that the work was done three weeks ahead of the estimated completion date. Sources say the contract to replace the 85-foot section of the span's surface was likely laden with some appealing incentive clauses for early completion. The proverbial carrot at the end of the stick served as a bit of extra...READ MORE

Rebuilding Beach Not A Tough Call

A decision can be referred to as difficult when there are compelling arguments behind the two possible courses of action. In government, these types of scenarios often confront elected officials. However, that's not what we would call what lawmakers in the nation's capital face then they decide annually if tax dollars should continue to be spent on beach replenishment projects in Ocean City and elsewhere in this country. Earlier this month, local beaches were ravaged by a storm that many claimed...READ MORE

A Week In Business

Condo Unit Auction Saturday OCEAN CITY - On Saturday, Nov. 28, at 11 a.m., up to 80 new condo units will be auctioned, with at least 15 new units auctioned truly absolute with no reserves to the highest bidders, regardless of price. The auction will take place on the property site, The Makai Condominium on 42nd Street in Ocean City. Registration to bid at the auction will begin at 9 the morning of the auction, on site. The Makai Condominium is located directly on the bay and is one block from...READ MORE

Worcester Prep Gets Grant Money for Biology Program

Worcester Preparatory School has received a $750 grant from the ExxonMobil Educational Alliance program to support the school's biology program for sixth and seventh grades. Michael Abercrombie, Jr., president of Cato Gas & Oil Company, worked with Middle School faculty members to secure the grants, which is one of 2.400 available to schools across the country served by Exxon or Mobil stations. The grants were made possible by funding from the ExxonMobil Corporation. Above, Middle School...READ MORE

Holiday Gifts For Soldiers Overseas Campaign Continues

The campaign to collect "Holiday Gifts for Our Soldiers Overseas" continues during November. Above, Carl Foultz, left, organizer of the program, and Teresa Travatello, Marketing/Public Relations Director for Ocean Pines, holds the black collection barrels that can be found at the drop-off points located in the Ocean Pines Library, Berlin Library, Ocean City Library, American Legion Post 123 in Berlin, American Post 166 in Ocean City and the Ocean City VFW.    ...READ MORE

AGH Thrift Shop Gets Certificate of Appreciation

The American Legion Sinepuzent Post 166 presented a Certificate of Appreciation to the Atlantic General Hospital Thrift Shop for its donations to the post's ongoing clothing drive for regional veterans. Pictured, from left, are shop co-managers Irma Malloy and Sally Monaghan with volunteer Janet Morse and Bill Wolf, commander of Synepuxent Post 166. ...READ MORE

Christmas Cookie Walk at Area Lutheran Church

The Baby Boomers Group at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Ocean City is sponsoring a Christmas Cookie Walk on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. All proceeds go to Diakonia in West Ocean City. Above are St. Peter's Lutheran Church Baby Boomers Group representative Cyndi Gradwell and Diakonia Volunteer Coordinator Susan Blaney. ...READ MORE

Village of Hope Gets Thousands in Funding From United Way

TJ Maloney, Board President of Village of Hope, Bill Middleton, Immediate Past President of United Way Eastern Shore, and Kathleen Mommé, Executive Director of the United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore, celebrate Village of Hope's $46,000 in funding from United Way. ...READ MORE

Snow Hill Elementary Hosts 'Desserts For Dad'

Snow Hill Elementary School recently hosted a 'Desserts for Dad' event, which promotes the importance of a father's involvement in the education of their children. Fathers, grandfathers and uncles were invited to come and spend time with their child sharing a wonderful ice cream treat and then accompanying the students to their classrooms. Above, kindergarten student Annelise Bynum is shown with her dad, Steve, coloring a picture after enjoying some ice cream ...READ MORE

Worcester Prep Students Travel to Echo Hill Outdoor School

Eighth students at Worcester Prep enjoyed several days last month working on team-building experiences and personal challenges at the Echo Hill Outdoor School on the Chesapeake Bay in Worton, Md. Above building a beach shelter are, from left, Alissa Talbert, Razaak Eniola, Cynthia Delaney and Chloe Maykrantz. ...READ MORE

2nd Graders Put on Thanksgiving Theatre Pageant

Damian Bailey, Aiden Cook, and Riley Rogers from Mrs. Hawkins' second grade class participated in a reader's theatre production, "A Thanksgiving Pageant," in celebration of American Education Week. Pictured, from left, are Damian Bailey, Aiden Cook and Riley Rogers. ...READ MORE

BIS SADD Students Attend Leadership Conference in Snow Hill

Berlin Intermediate School's Students Against Drunk Driving After School Club recently attended a leadership conference at the Snow Hill Fire Department. Pictured above are Tiffany Bandura, Alyssa Howard, Cassidy Fisher, CC Boyer, Patrick Devenny, Scott Devenny, Kandace Scheel, Alisa Purnell, Emily Trimble, Sallie Custodio (advisor), Alexis Nick, Becky Evans, Zainab Mirza, Olivia Stinebiser,Arielle Hanrahan, Sara Truitt, Maddy Alchin and Emily Schroeder. ...READ MORE

Worcester Prep Kindergartners Hard at Work Learning Technology

Serious about learning to use technologies correctly are kindergarten students in Erika Phillip's computer class at Worcester Prep. Pictured at work are, from left, J.R. Hamer, Brooke Phillips, Brice Richins and Cyia Quillin. ...READ MORE

Scenes From Showell Elementary Scholastic Book Fair

Scholastic Book Fair co-chair Melissa Cardamone helps Showell Elementary students, Shaki Bowen, left, and Abby Yeager make a book selection during this month's book fair. ...READ MORE

Learning With Apples at OC Elementary Kindergarten Class

Kindergarteners in Liz Engh's class at Ocean City Elementary used apples to learn about senses, seasons, sorting and social studies. After observing, sorting, illustrating, tasting, and describing apples, students became workers on an assembly line to create apple crisps. Pictured are Gus Emm, Aria Islam, Collin Fohner, Abby Greenwood and Anays. ...READ MORE

People in Society

Snapshots of People Helping Causes in the Community ...READ MORE

Faces in Places

Scenes from the 15th Annual Winterfest Gala at the Princess Royale ...READ MORE

Things I Like

Teachers who enjoy their jobs Sweet raspberry tea Walking the beach after a storm Taking off dress shoes Tickling my son An old pair of jeans that still fit '48 Hours' investigations Snacking on chips and dip College basketball upsets Gravy Sunlight coming through a curtain ...READ MORE

What's Your Sign?

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): That change in holiday travel plans might be more vexing than you'd expected. But try to take it in stride. Also, it couldn't hurt to use that Aries charm to coax out some helpful cooperation. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Your Bovine determination helps you deal with an unforeseen complication. And, as usual, you prove that when it comes to a challenge, you have what it takes to take it on. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Although a romantic theme dominates much of the...READ MORE

Retirement: The Early Years

OCEAN CITY - In the first months and years of retirement, you might well respond to all your newfound free time you have by filling it with all the plans you've delayed: booking that dream trip, beginning a new career, seeing to home renovations and other projects, maybe even starting your own business. It's a frequent and natural reaction to this transition into a new phase of life •€' but it's also why many people in their early retirement years find themselves spending...READ MORE

Open Houses in Ocean City

OCEAN CITY 1405 Braemar Towers 13100 Coastal Hwy Sat 10-1 2BR/2BA Condo Fully Equipped Kim Looney Century 21 New Horizon 410-250-7070 OCEAN CITY The Meridian Daily 10-4 Oceanfront Residences New Construction Dan Clayland Coldwell Banker 410-520-0072 OCEAN CITY Bella Vista Open Daily 10-4 3BR Bayside Condos 45th Street Coldwell Banker 410-524-6111 OCEAN CITY Belmont Towers Boardwalk & Talbot Street Daily 11-4 Closed Thanksgiving Kevin Decker The Fritschle Group/ Condominium...READ MORE

Open Houses in West Ocean City, Berlin, and Ocean Pines

WEST OCEAN CITY Sailor's Watch Golf Course Road Daily 10-4 New 3BR, 3.5BA Luxury Townhouses Coldwell Banker 410-524-6111 WEST OCEAN CITY New Construction 9800 Mooring View West Harbor Village Daily 11-5 11 Townhouses 3BR/3.5BA/Garage Prudential Carruthers 410-520-2600 BERLIN Purnell Crossing Mon 12-6 Tues-Fri 10-6 Sat & Sun 11-6 3BR/2.5BA Villas New Construction Ryan Homes 410-641-2730 OCEAN PINES 18 Robin Hood Tr Sat 12-4 3BR/2BA with Den Cindy Poremski ReMax...READ MORE

Open Houses in Surrounding Areas of Ocean City

NEWARK, MD Arcadia Village Affordable New Homes Models Open Sat & Sun 11-2 Prudential Carruthers 410-520-2600 MILLVILLE, DE Millville by the Sea Mon-Sat 9-5 Sun 11-5 New Beach Community Single Family & Townhomes Off Rt 26 877-285-2888 SALISBURY 846 Johnson Rd Summersgate Daily 12-5 2-5BR Custom Homes For Active Adults Lynn Brocato Senior Realty 410-543-8750 ...READ MORE