Articles

Area Center Offers Unique Learning Atmosphere

SELBYVILLE, Del. ' The Next Step Learning Center is growing rapidly with future plans for even more expansion. With a unique strategy for classroom development, a thriving social program and an emphasis on positive attitude and creative activity, Next Step has made impressive progress in a short period of time. There are already 109 students enrolled, despite the center only opening last year. 'I wanted it to be full the day that we opened, but now I'm super glad it wasn't,' said owner and...READ MORE

Motorcycle Crash Kills Local Man

OCEAN PINES ' A local man was killed in an accident this week when his motorcycle apparently left the roadway in Ocean Pines and struck several mailboxes early Wednesday morning. Around 1:36 a.m. on Wednesday, Ocean Pines Police responded to a reported single-vehicle accident on Ocean Parkway in the community. Pines Police investigated and determined a motorcycle, driven by Jeffrey Samuel Pickard, 59, of Ocean Pines, had left the roadway and struck several U.S. Postal Service mailboxes along the...READ MORE

Ocean City Getting Tough On Permit Violators

OCEAN CITY ' The resort is looking to crack down on contractors who start construction work before receiving a building permit is received at City Hall. The current building code states, 'any person who commences any work on a building, structure, electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system before obtaining the necessary permits shall be subject to a fee'that shall be in addition to the required permit fees.' According to City Engineer Terry McGean, the city has not had a policy for...READ MORE

Berlin Hoping For Exemption From Sprinkler Requirement

BERLIN ' The town of Berlin introduced an ordinance at Monday's Mayor and Council Meeting exempting it from the new state requirements regarding the installation of sprinkler systems in residential developments. The ordinance will be open to a public hearing on Nov. 22. The new regulation, which states that all new one- or two-family dwellings must have automatic sprinklers, is part of the International Residential Building Code, a code Maryland has already accepted, an act that has sparked...READ MORE

OC Approves Sprinkler Change

OCEAN CITY – Unlike their colleagues in the county and Berlin, the Ocean City Mayor and Council has no problem with a change to the building code requiring fire sprinkler systems be installed in newly built single-family homes. According to a letter written by City Engineer Terry McGean, on Jan. 1, 2010 the state recognized the 2009 International Building Code, and the International Energy Conservation Codes, replacing the 2006 version of these codes. Local jurisdictions were to implement...READ MORE

Shockley’s 91-Vote Lead Likely Seals District 4 Race

BERLIN – With more votes counted this week, incumbent Worcester County Commissioner Virgil Shockley (D) seems to have finally defeated challenger Ted Elder (R). “It was a long race,” said Shockley. “I’m glad it only happens every four years.” Shockley, who defeated Elder by a wide margin in the 2006 election, found himself almost dead even with Elder after last week’s voting. The polls closed with Shockley maintaining less than a 100-vote lead with...READ MORE

City Council Moves Ahead With Business Without Commissions

OCEAN CITY – A few weeks after the City Council voted 4-3 to dissolve all subcommittees, City Solicitor Guy Ayres explained on Tuesday what would have to be voted on to change a charter or ordinance to remove the Mayor and/or City Council members from them. The six sub-committees that require changes to the charter and/or ordinances are the police commission, pension trustees, risk management, mediation board, traffic commission and the parking commission. Ayres clarified that the...READ MORE

Mathias’ Lead Grows In Shore Senate Race

BERLIN – While stopping well short of conceding anything, Republican challenger Michael James this week acknowledged the growing gap between he and Democratic candidate James Mathias for the vacant District 38 State Senate seat could be too large to overcome as the process of counting absentee ballots continues. When the dust settled after a whirlwind General Election last Tuesday, Mathias led James by a mere 156 votes, leaving the outcome undecided and at the hands of a lengthy absentee,...READ MORE

OC Tourism Advisory Board Created

OCEAN CITY – At this week’s Mayor and City Council meeting, the division among the council showed its face once again, upon a report given by the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce and the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association (OCHMRA). During the Mayor and City Council organizational meeting, held a few weeks ago following the election, a nontraditional vote took place. A motion, initiated by Councilman Joe Hall, resulted in the town’s sub-committees, including the tourism...READ MORE

Thunderbirds Unavailable For 2011 Air Show

OCEAN CITY – The resort’s 2011 Air Show dates will be one of the first matters brought to the newly created Tourism Advisory Board, which will get straight to work at this week’s Mayor and City Council Meeting. Brian Lilley, Air Show Coordinator, proposed two date options for next summer season’s event – June 3-5, 2011 or June 10-12, 2011. The business community has said publicly it would like the event to be held the weekend after Memorial Day, or the first weekend...READ MORE

Body Discovered On Assateague

ASSATEAGUE – Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) detectives this week are awaiting results on the identity and possible cause of death of an individual whose body was discovered on the beach on Assateague last Saturday. Shortly after 3 p.m. last Saturday, a federal park ranger was patrolling the beach along the north end of the Assateague National Seashore when the ranger located the remains of an adult white male. WCBI detectives were contacted and responded to the area where...READ MORE

Oglesby Nears Victory In Tight State’s Attorney Race

Oglesby Nears Victory In Tight State’s Attorney Race Shawn J. Soper News Editor BERLIN – While incumbent Worcester County State’s Attorney Joel Todd closed the gap somewhat this week after more absentee ballots were counted on Wednesday, Republican challenger Beau Oglesby appears to have moved closer to his “magic number”. When the polls closed last Tuesday, it was Oglesby leading Todd by a mere 145 votes and a sense of déjà vu spread across the county...READ MORE