Articles

Salisbury Council Puts Off Housing Board Decisions

SALISBURY – The City Council decided it was not time yet to make any final decisions on the Housing Board of Adjustment and Appeals (HBAA) role in the city’s government as proposed amendments were sent back to discussion this week. The Housing Board of Adjustments and Appeals (HBAA) was created to hear the appeals of property owners’ who have been cited and deemed in violation by the Department of Neighborhood Services and Code Compliance (NSCC). City Attorney Paul Wilber...READ MORE

Salisbury Doctor Found Guilty Of Health Care Fraud

SALISBURY -- A Salisbury cardiologist faces as many as 35 years in prison after a federal jury this week found him guilty of six counts of health care fraud. A federal jury in Baltimore on Tuesday convicted John R. McLean, 59, of Salisbury, on six healthcare fraud offenses in connection with a scheme during which he submitted insurance claims for inserting unnecessary cardiac stents, ordered unnecessary tests and made false entries in patient medical records in order to defraud Medicare,...READ MORE

Ocean City Seeks Proper Ways To Say Thank You

OCEAN CITY – The resort’s recent revival of a “thank you” campaign could become a “customer retention program” as the town continues to explore ways to keep visitors returning year to year. Lately the town has been considering reviving a thank you campaign that took place in the 1980s. In the last discussion, Councilman Joe Hall motioned to have city staff explore the idea of maintaining retention in Ocean City through the thank you campaign by distributing...READ MORE

Old Pipes Could Exempt Some From Sprinkler Mandate

SALISBURY – Certain areas of the city may be exempt from a recently passed sprinkler system requirement in newly constructed homes due to existing infrastructure. According to City Administrator John Pick, on Aug. 9, 2010, the city approved a requirement that all one-and two-family residential dwellings built after that date be required to install sprinkler systems for fire protection. However, in certain developments throughout the city infrastructure has already been installed under old...READ MORE

OC Scooter Accidents Up 46%, Chief Reports

OCEAN CITY – During this week’s Mayor and City Council meeting, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) Chief Bernadette DiPino updated the council on recent activity around town. Here’s a synopsis of her report: Scooter Accidents Are Up DiPino said the number of scooter accidents have increased this summer. Last year, there were 57 scooter collisions and so far this year there has been 83, which is a 46-percent increase. She said there have been no deaths this summer and the chief...READ MORE

Police Mount Unit Eyed In Salisbury

OCEAN CITY – The Salisbury Police Department (SPD) has partnered up with the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore to provide donation lines on behalf of scholarships for Wicomico County students, as well as resources to re-establish and sustain the department’s K-9 and Mount units. SPD Chief Barbara Duncan approached the City Council last Monday to discuss the two possible donation systems and the council wasted no time as it voted unanimously to approve the resolutions creating...READ MORE

Storms Wreak Havoc On Berlin’s Power System

BERLIN -- Severe weather and a number of direct lightning strikes over the last few weeks have caused hours of power outages around Berlin and thousands of dollars’ worth of damage to the town’s electrical network. Nonetheless, town officials have nothing but praise for how the power department has handled the situation. “I think they’ve done a remarkable job,” said Mayor Gee Williams. “They’ve shown extraordinary dedication and confidence.” The...READ MORE

Dew Tour Winners Announced

OCEAN CITY – Extreme heat paired up with extreme sports last weekend as top athletes battled it out in the Pantech Open of the Dew Tour in Ocean City. Saturday’s winner of the skate bowl was Pedro Barros, and of the BMX Park competition, Kyle Baldock. Barros, 16, proved his young talent over bowl veterans Bucky Lasek and Andy MacDonald. “I feel really good about winning. It always gets you a little more excited and a little happier,” said Barros. “Just being in the...READ MORE

Berlin Main Street Gets Accreditation

BERLIN -- For the third consecutive year, the town of Berlin has received National Trust Main Street Center (NTMSC) accreditation. “We’ve done it again,” Economic and Community Development Director Michael Day told the Mayor and Council Monday. “It keeps us in good standing with the state. It gives us a little bit more credibility with them.” Each year, even previously certified municipalities must pass a 10-point checklist that evaluates towns on everything from...READ MORE

Coast Guard Rescues PWC Operator Stranded In Bay

BERLIN -- The Coast Guard this week rescued a man adrift for several hours in the Chincoteague Bay late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning after the victim’s personal watercraft (PWC) had run out of gas. Around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, watch standers at Coast Guard Station Chincoteague received notification from the victim’s friend that Thomas Baty was overdue and possibly out of gas. Baty had gone out on his PWC in Chincoteague Bay on Tuesday when he had run out of fuel and was...READ MORE

Berlin Waives Nearly $7K In Property Tax Payments

BERLIN -- Hoping to encourage economic growth and to support the non-profit service sector, the town of Berlin granted $6,951.39 worth of tax abatements Monday. The Berlin Community Housing (BCH) and Berlin Community Improvement Association (BCIA) received a combined $2,951.39 in tax abatements from the town. According to Town Administrator Tony Carson, granting the organizations an abatement, which is when the town waives a portion or all of the property tax it should collect, has been a...READ MORE

Race To The Top Prep Work Underway Even In Summer

BERLIN -- Worcester County teachers at all education levels took the opportunity this July to begin preparing for new statewide Race to the Top (RTTT) standards. “We introduced them to a lot of new resources,” said Trevor Hill, an eighth grade math teacher at Stephen Decatur Middle School who also served as a “Master Teacher” for Educator Effectiveness Academies where teachers got a chance to preview the changes RTTT would bring the next school year. Ten academies were...READ MORE

Community Rallies For Little League Stars

BERLIN -- After cinching the town’s first-ever state title, the Berlin Little League (BLL) All-Stars team needed to raise more than $10,000 in less than a week to finance their trip to represent Maryland at the East Regional Championship in Rhode Island next week. Thanks to overwhelming community support, team officials say the goal has been surpassed. “We’re going to make $12,000,” said Berlin Little League’s Bill Wheatley. “That is amazing in six...READ MORE

Former Crew Recall Days On Retired Ship About To Become Reef

OCEAN CITY -- After weeks of speculation on the moving target date, it now appears the sinking of a retired U.S. Navy destroyer as part of a three-state artificial reef system just 30 miles off the coast of Ocean City is set for next week, perhaps as early as Tuesday. The sinking date for the decommissioned U.S.S. Arthur W. Radford is tentatively set for Tuesday, Aug. 2 although there were still some final federal approvals to secure at week’s end. The 536-foot Radford will ultimately...READ MORE

New Dental Center Celebrated In Berlin

BERLIN -- Town, county and state representatives were all on hand last Tuesday for the ribbon cutting of the new Worcester County Dental Center (WCDC) in Berlin. The center, which is a provider for the Maryland Healthy Smiles Dental Program and Maryland’s Medicaid Dental Benefit Plan, has been supported by the Maryland Office of Oral Health. According to county officials, the goal of the center is to offer dental services for patients 20 years old and younger who otherwise might not be...READ MORE

OCPD Testing Planned

OCEAN CITY -- The Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) is conducting applicant testing for full-time and seasonal positions next week at the Ocean City Convention Center. The OCPD will conduct applicant testing next Saturday, Aug. 6, and Sunday, Aug. 7, at the Ocean City Convention Center. The tests will be for full-time and seasonal positions for 2012. Testing on Saturday will consist of a written exam, followed by a physical ability test. Applicants should wear workout clothes and must have an...READ MORE

Keith Brothers, Chef On A Roll In Fenwick

OCEAN CITY – Mio Fratello Italian Steakhouse’s homemade Italian dishes and family-friendly atmosphere is just the thing that got them up and running in hard times. Bryan and Richard Keith and Bert Parks are the owners of Mio Fratello Italian Steakhouse located on Route 54. The family-owned and -operated business has not missed a beat since its opening two years ago. Sometime before then, Parks approached the Keith brothers about opening the restaurant at the beach. It seemed to be...READ MORE