December 24, 2010

Maintaining Liquidity Critical For Most Small Businesses

OCEAN CITY – Small businesses share an important parallel with the human body, Lawrence Gelburd tells his entrepreneurial classes at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania: the need for liquidity. "The No. 1 source of death in people is lack of blood flow from cardiovascular disease," says Gelburd, who is also an independent management consultant. "The No. 1 cause of failure of small companies is lack of cash flow because they've underestimated the amount of...READ MORE

Things I Like

An angel atop a Christmas tree Honest criticism Taking my own bags to the grocery store Beach walks this time of year Elaborate tailgate parties Big wine glasses Walking with a kid on my shoulders Sounds of kids at play in the distance Overindulging at holiday dinners Iced tea and lemon Short answers to questions ...READ MORE

We Remember Those We Have Lost

Helen Anna Ferrell OCEAN CITY – Helen Anna Ferrell, a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother and friend, passed away on Dec. 20, 2010, in the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Debbie Smith and Franz Reinhardt, in Cockeysville, Md. She was 80. She was born to Anthony and Agatha Ena and spent her childhood in Highlandtown with her seven siblings. She graduated from the Catholic High School and married Frank J. Ferrell in 1950. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary....READ MORE

Collecting Books For Children

Members of the Ocean Pines Novelettes Book Club gathered recently at The Inn at the Ocean to collect new children's books for Worcester G.O.LD. Pictured are, front from left, Dian Witt and Edie Brennan, and, second row, Ellie Sizemore, Pat Capezio, Jackie Todd, Jan Paige, Darel Carpenter and Em Hench. Not pictured are Irene Grimes, Joan Muschiatti, Mary Spina and Darlene Stevens. Submitted Photos ...READ MORE

Marx Memorial Fund Awards Grant

The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore’s Jeffrey Peter Marx Memorial Fund awarded a $2,000 grant to Worcester County G.O.L.D. to support efforts to provide emergency services to local families in need. Pictured, from left, are Jack Perry and Milly Marx; Eric Vinson, Treasurer, Peter Marx Memorial Fund; Darlene Onley, Executive Director, Worcester G.OL.D.; Kurt Marx, Jessica Marx and Jean Marx; Margaret Yates, Board of Directors President, Worcester County G.O.L.D.; JoAnne Hunsicker;...READ MORE

Cropper's Gift To SDHS

Reese and Joanne Cropper of Ocean City have made a gift of $5,000 to the capital campaign to build a new athletic field house at Seahawk Stadium. The capital campaign is a project of the Stephen Decatur High School Alumni Association. Presenting the donation to SDHS Principal Lou Taylor is Reese F. Cropper III. For more information and online giving opportunities, see www.sdhsalumni.com. ...READ MORE

Adoptive Family Of The Year

The Worcester County Department of Social Services recently announced its Adoptive Family of the Year as Kimberly and Michael Strong of Pocomoke. The Strongs, who became foster parents in March 2008, are a Somerset County licensed foster/adoptive family. Above, Kim Strong with adoptive daughter Lily. E. Jim Flaig and members of the Ocean City Elks Golf Associates are pictured presenting Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette DiPino a $1,000 check for the department’s annual toy drive. ...READ MORE

The Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department’s Fall Dodge Ball League concluded last week with the DowntownTickets.com team, pictured above, beating the Ball Dodgers, pictured below, in the champion

...READ MORE

Mallards Finish First Half at .500 Mark

BERLIN- Worcester Prep’s boys’ varsity basketball team had an up-and-down first half of the season and take a .500 record in the holiday break with a lot more action scheduled in the second half. The Mallards finished up their first leg of the season with a 4-4 record and showed signs of promise at time despite the .500 record. Worcester rolled past Wye River, 44-7, in the season opener and followed that win with an impressive 56-41 victory over Eastern Shore Independent Athletic...READ MORE

Seahawks to compete in inaugural Governor’s Challenge

BERLIN- After starting the season with a modest 2-2 record, Stephen Decatur’s boys’ varsity basketball team will hit the ground running next week when it competes in the inaugural Governor’s Challenge in Salisbury. Decatur will compete in the first-ever Governor’s Challenge at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury next Tuesday through Thursday. The inaugural event will feature many of the top high school basketball teams from Maryland’s Eastern Shore and...READ MORE

Decatur Wrestlers Trounce Meade

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s varsity wrestling team picked up a big win last week, beating always tough Meade, 60-9, on the road. The Seahawks swept 11 of 14 individual matches to rout the Mustangs, 60-9. Of the three matches lost by Decatur, each came by decision by a total of seven points combined. At 103, Decatur’s Nate Rosenblatt won by pin while Matt Meekins won by technical fall in the 112-pound match. At 119, Decatur’s Cody Bush won by pin as did Alford Hardy at 125. Seth...READ MORE

2nd Annual Reindeer Run a Big Hit

BERLIN- The second annual Reindeer Run 5K through the streets of Berlin last weekend was a big hit with dozens of local runners filling out the top spots on the leaderboard. The 2nd Annual Reindeer Run 5K on December 11 started and finished at the Atlantic Hotel in the heart of the downtown area with the course heading down around Worcester Prep and the Northern Worcester County Athletic Complex before finishing on Main Street. In just its second year, the Reindeer Run 5K was a huge success with...READ MORE

Ocean City to Host Lax Goalie Clinic

OCEAN CITY- The Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department is offering a lacrosse goalie clinic to aspiring young goalkeepers next month. The Recreation and Parks Department is hosting the clinic, directed by Salisbury University men’s lacrosse assistant coach Erik Miller, on January 29. Miller is an SU graduate and was a captain on the school’s first national championship team. Miller was also named National Goalie of the Year as the collegian before moving on to play professionally...READ MORE

Seahawks to Host Coleman Tourney

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s girls’ varsity basketball team will hit the ground running right after the holiday break next week when the Seahawks host the annual John Coleman Christmas Tournament next Tuesday and Wednesday. The annual tournament, named for long-time Worcester County Public Schools Administrator John Coleman, has become one of the highlights of the holiday basketball tournament schedule over the years. After departing from its original format for a few years, the...READ MORE

BES Creates Holiday Ornaments

Students in Buckingham Elementary School’s third grade created holiday ornaments prior to adjourning for break. Pictured are Grace Brosch, Zion Shockley and Josie Merritt. Submitted Photos ...READ MORE

BIS Uses Balloon Rockets

Students in Travis Lloyd's fifth grade class at Berlin Intermediate School had a fascinating science lab with Jen Pettolina and Diana Jolley.  In their force and motion unit, students were exploring how the mass of an object and the size of the force, acting as the object, can affect the object's motion.  Using these balloon rockets, students used measurements in centimeters, speed in seconds to calculate the force. Here with Jolley are Deja Kellem,  Tristen McDonough,...READ MORE

SES Holds Science Fair

Nate O'Hara shows off his science project during Showell Elementary School’s recent science fair. ...READ MORE

WPS Annual Candlelight Service

Worcester Prep’s Annual Christmas Candlelight Service features the singing of traditional carols along with songs of other religious traditions. Additionally, students create the Nativity Scene in which all first grade students are angels, including, above, Jordan Willey, Hannah Brasure and Mark Frostrom. ...READ MORE

Polar Express At BIS

Students in Sarah Lovell's fourth grade reading class at Berlin Intermediate School dramatized The Polar Express to culminate their study of books by Chris Van Allsburg. Here are Noah Shaffer, Rachel Haskell, Sierra Payne, George Luzier, Sarah Beesley and Bruklyn Waters. ...READ MORE

OCES Submitted 104 To Science Fair

Cali Peters, a third grader in Liz Glover's class, is pictured with her award winning science fair project. Her project is one of 104 wonderful science fair projects from Ocean City Elementary School that will move on to the County Science Fair in January. ...READ MORE

BIS Makes Ornaments For AGH Patients

Students from the Berlin Intermediate School's Kiwanis Builder's Club of Community Service are making holiday ornaments out of beads and paper clips to give to Atlantic General Hospital patients during the holidays. Pictured, from left, are Alexis Jenkins, Jane Slotter, Stella Cunningham, Cassidy Metcalf, Macy Peterson, Kaya Purnell and Brennan Holloway. ...READ MORE

Malicious Destructor Sought

Malicious Destructor Sought OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) this week are looking for a suspect who destroyed hundreds of dollars worth of business equipment at the drive-through of a fast-food restaurant in late November. On Nov. 27, OCPD responded to the Burger King restaurant on 32nd Street for a reported malicious destruction of property. Prior to the officers’ arrival, an unidentified white male reportedly reached through the drive-through window and...READ MORE

OC Police Commission’s Future Remains Uncertain

OCEAN CITY – The abolishment of most of the resort government’s sub-committees became official this week during the Mayor and City Council meeting. Most of the amendments were finalized except for the final resting place of the police commission, which was once again remanded to discussion. Earlier this month, Mayor Rick Meehan was able to persuade the majority of the council to have the police commission remain intact. City Solicitor Guy Ayres did mention during that meeting that if...READ MORE

State’s Attorney Bids Farewell

SNOW HILL – Departing Worcester County State’s Attorney Joel Todd paid a surprise visit to the Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday. Todd, who recently lost his bid for re-election to Beau Ogelsby by a slim margin, took the opportunity to say his farewells to the commissioners he has worked with during his multiple terms as the county’s top prosecutor. He also thanked them for the level of effort they had put into running the county. “I know I’ve said it before...READ MORE

Ocean City Plans Another Shot At Tax Differential

OCEAN CITY – The Mayor and City Council have voted to send a letter to the Worcester County Commissioners to request a more equitable tax setoff program that the town’s residents deserve. Mayor Rick Meehan presented the letter, addressed to James Church, President of the Worcester County Commissioners, to the council and public during last week’s Mayor and City Council meeting.   According to the letter in 2007, the Mayor and City Council requested the Worcester County...READ MORE

OC Beach Pumping Completed

OCEAN CITY – With very little fanfare, the major component of the latest phase of the Ocean City beach replenishment project wrapped up quietly last week on budget and ahead of schedule, apart from ongoing work on crossovers and fencing. The roughly $10 million beach replenishment project was scheduled for this year as part of the normal four-year cycle but was expedited somewhat because of the devastation caused by a severe northeast storm last November. It began early this fall after the...READ MORE

LCB, State Reach $16K Settlement Over Violations

SNOW HILL – One day after striking a deal with the Comptroller of Maryland for breaking the law, the Liquor Control Board for Worcester County (LCB) fielded some hard questions from the County Commissioners. Last April, the Field Enforcement Division began looking into allegations of Article 2B and trade violations leveled at the LCB. At a press conference earlier this month, Comptroller Peter Franchot announced the probe had found evidence that the LCB had engaged in price discrimination...READ MORE

Officials Want Snow Hill To Stay A Town

SNOW HILL – Snow Hill Mayor Stephen Mathews approached the County Commissioners Tuesday requesting a written opinion on whether or not Snow Hill should no longer exist as a municipality. The commissioners decided to draft such a letter after unanimously agreeing that they did not believe the town should become unincorporated. The issue arose when Snow Hill resident Gary Weber made it clear that he planned on circulating a petition amongst citizens asking for Snow Hill to cease government...READ MORE

Greene Turtle Named Fastest Growing Bar Franchise

OCEAN CITY – One year after cracking Entrepreneur Magazine’s prestigious Top 500 fastest growing franchise list, the Ocean City-based Greene Turtle has made another quantum leap in the publication’s January issue and is now recognized as the country’s fastest growing sports bar franchise. From modest beginnings at the end of a north-end Ocean City shopping center in 1976, the Greene Turtle has expanded its operations over the years and now includes 31 sports bars up and...READ MORE

Council Rejects Outdoor Smoking Ban, Seeks Designated Areas

OCEAN CITY – Although an outright ban gained little traction at City Hall this week, smokers in Ocean City will soon be requested to smoke in designated areas at public places like the beach and Boardwalk. At a public hearing during Monday’s Mayor and Council meeting, a ban on smoking on Ocean City’s beaches, Boardwalk and public parks was debated. Ocean City’s neighboring resort town, Bethany Beach, Del. is a prime example of the proposed ban. Bethany Beach passed a...READ MORE

Where To Eat Around Town

West Ocean City- Berlin Ocean Pines 707 Sports bar & grille 12702 Old Bridge Road (Route 707), West Ocean City • 410-213-9507 We may have changed hands, but we are still the same locally known Sports Bar in West Ocean City, and yes we are open everyday 11a.m.-2 a.m. Everything on our menu is made to order from our Homemade Soups, Salads,  new and improved Crab Dip, Mussels, the only place that serves the “Full Wing” Quesadillas, 1/2 lb. Burgers, Crab cakes, Fresh cut...READ MORE

Who's Playing Where And When

707 Sports Bar & Grille 410-213-9507 12702 Old Bridge Road, West OC Friday, Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Party With Tranzfusion Every Saturday: Karaoke with Hey Mick, 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Buxy’s Salty Dog 410-289-0973 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Party With DJ JJ Saturday, Jan. 1: TBA Clarion Hotel 410-524-3535 10100 Coastal Hwy.   Ocean Club: Friday, Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Party With First Class, Power Play & Arizona Saturday, Jan. 1:...READ MORE

Things To Do

Dec. 24: Silent Communion 6-7 p.m., Taylorville United Metho-dist Church, Rte. 589 & Adkins Rd. Dec. 24: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 7 p.m., Bethany United Methodist Church, Rte. 611 & Snug Harbor Rd. Special service featuring the Christmas carols, message of hope and the singing of Silent Night to Candlelight. All are welcome. For more information, 410-641-2186. Dec. 29: Delmarva Hand Dancing 5:30-9 p.m., Jordan’s Rooftop Rest-aurant & Bar, at the Fenwick Inn, 138th...READ MORE

AGH Strategic Plan Centers On Adapting For Growth

OCEAN CITY – Atlantic General Hospital (AGH) told the Mayor and Council this week it’s planning ahead to accommodate the evolution of the surrounding community and changing dynamics of health insurance coverage. AGH President Michael Franklin presented the public and the council the hospital’s five-year strategic plan. “Over the last five years, we were very diligent in trying to create a structure of health care in this community that is specifically designed around the...READ MORE

Attempted Murder Suspect Shot By Police

OCEAN CITY – A Berlin man, who remains hospitalized as of yesterday, faces first-degree attempted murder and other charges this week after allegedly stabbing his estranged wife in the mid-town area before being shot by an officer. Shortly after 11 a.m. on Monday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a 911 call for a domestic dispute on 82nd Street. When the officers arrived on the scene, they discovered a suspect, later identified as Marvin Jefferson Mitchell, 27 was...READ MORE

Berlin Weighing Energy Options For Future Contract

BERLIN – The Berlin Utilities Commission (BUC) continued its investigation into the possible future of the town’s energy supply when they heard a presentation this week from Erik Paulson, vice president of Wholesale Market for Customized Energy Solutions. For weeks now, the BUC has been exploring the town’s options as far as finding a new electrical supplier when the current contract runs out. At the last meeting, which the BUC held in joint with the Mayor and Council, the...READ MORE

County Murder Suspect Nabbed

SNOW HILL – One day after county and state law enforcement agencies triggered a massive manhunt for him, a Pocomoke man wanted on first-degree murder charges was apprehended outside a Wal-Mart. Last Thursday, the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office announced Skylor Dupree Harmon, 21, had been formally charged with first-degree murder and other related charges in the shooting death of Reginald Handy in Pocomoke last May 26. While forensic evidence identified Harmon as the...READ MORE

Council Votes 4-3 To Reform Employee Compensation

OCEAN CITY – Eleven motions to reduce newly hired town employee pay and health benefits moved closer to reality at this week’s Mayor and City Council meeting, contrary to the best wishes of the mayor and three council members. Earlier in the meeting in discussing the future of the police commission, Council President Jim Hall’s wish to remand the issue to a work session was granted with no opposition. However, Mayor Rick Meehan and Council members Doug Cymek, Mary Knight, and...READ MORE

City Employees Question Council’s Reasoning

OCEAN CITY – Citizens stepped up this week to publicly confront the majority of the council on the sweeping cost cutting efforts currently underway. This week’s Mayor and City Council meeting finalized the ordinance for the Ocean City Employee and Public Safety Employees Pension Plan and Trust to include the mayor and the entire council as trustees. For the second time, Councilman Joe Hall was questioned on his fiduciary responsibilities as a pension trustee member. A couple of weeks...READ MORE

County Commissioners Vote For Sprinkler Exemption

SNOW HILL – Coming on the heels of Berlin’s decision last week, the County Commissioners voted 5-2 to completely exempt the county from the recent state law mandating residential sprinkler systems in all new one- and two-family homes. Tuesday’s meeting was not the first time the commissioners had discussed the issue. In all previous sessions, no definitive resolution had been proposed. However, Commission President Bud Church believed that the two new additions to the group,...READ MORE

Mandatory Elementary School Recess Approved

NEWARK – After weeks of debate, the Worcester County Board of Edcuation this week voted to make recess mandatory in county public elementary schools, despite concerns the policy change could cut into much needed instructional time. The school board voted 6-1 on Tuesday to adopt the mandated recess policy after it was brought to the attention of Board of Education officials earlier this fall there was no regularly scheduled recess at Pocomoke Middle School. Prior to Tuesday’s vote,...READ MORE

Proposal Seeks To Downsize LCB To Retail Only

BERLIN – Despite some measure of closure this week with the Liquor Control Board for Worcester County (LCB) reaching an agreement with the state to pay a fine in lieu of a suspension, the effort to abolish or at least modify the troubled monopoly has gained some momentum. On Monday, the state Comptroller’s Office announced it and the LCB had reached an agreement to pay a $16,000 fine for the infractions uncovered during a months-long investigation into the agency’s practices....READ MORE

More Porn Charges Filed Against Berlin Man

BERLIN – A Berlin man, already awaiting trial on 30 counts on possessing and promoting child pornography, was arrested again last week after a forensic analysis of his computer revealed more evidence that led to new charges. In July, Kirt Barren Greenberg, 45, was arrested on possession and distribution of child pornography charges after a nearly year-long federal, state and local investigation into his alleged activities dating back to September 2009. In November, Worcester County Bureau...READ MORE

Resort Honors Heroic Acts, Solid Work

OCEAN CITY – Ocean City Police Department members and outstanding citizens were recognized for their excellent public safety duties at City Hall this week. Around 2 a.m. on Nov. 19, Christopher Sullivan, general manager of Yang’s Palace restaurant, was sleeping in his apartment over the establishment when he heard a disturbance outside. A car was being driven on flat tires, striking a boat in the parking lot and crashed into a canal. Sullivan then ran down to the canal and saw a...READ MORE

Publisher's Thoughts

It’s becomes a tradition in this space for me to look back at some of the predictions I made last year for 2010. As is often the case, I was way off base on a number of matters, but managed to hit some on the mark. Here’s a review of how I fared overall. ON THE MONEY -- Nostradamus comes to mind when I penned that, “Major news will break regarding the Liquor Control Board’s operations and its future in 2010.” That did indeed happen, starting in early summer and...READ MORE

Lots To Say About Boardwalk Project

Lots To Say About Boardwalk Project The Boardwalk, and the looming project to overhaul its substructure and surface, has been getting a lot of attention this week. Overall, the consensus is the city should go with a concrete support underneath the promenade but retain the classic wooden planks atop. The following is a rundown of some of the comments we received through our website over the last week. ·         Yvonne White wrote: I now go to OC MD...READ MORE

Business News

Bank of America’s Monty Sayler and Merrill Lynch’s Ryan Kirby recently presented United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore Executive Director Kathleen Mommé with a $7,000 corporate gift from Bank of America for the 2010 United Way Campaign. Submitted Photo Bank Earns 5-Star Rating OCEAN CITY – The Bank of Ocean City has announced that it has again received the coveted 5 Star Rating from Bauer Financial, Inc. Bauer Financial has been analyzing and reporting on the financial...READ MORE

Adventures In Fatherhood

A picture can, and often does, say it all. Surely, the one above does just that, and I can’t personally look at it without laughing and shaking my head. Over the last couple years, many readers have requested I put a photo in this space of the kids, and I was waiting for the right moment. Well, here it is and maybe this time next year you will see them again. This picture was taken earlier this month at Worcester Prep’s annual Holiday Bazaar. My wife featured this photo, along with...READ MORE

What's Your Sign

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): Handle a potentially awkward situation by warming up your confidence reserves and letting it radiate freely. Also, expect an old friend to contact you. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): It's not too early for the practical Bovine to begin planning possible changes for 2011. A recent contact can offer some interesting insights. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): A request for an unusual favor should be carefully checked out. Also check the motives behind it. Your generosity...READ MORE