Articles

Mayor Says ‘Council Leadership Has Turned Its Back On Downtown’

SALISBURY -- Just one day after Urban Salisbury, a Main Street Maryland agency charged with directing the revitalization of the downtown area, returned the portion of its funding dedicated by the City Council, Mayor Jim Ireton, Jr. blasted the elected officials for their lack of support for the agency. On Tuesday, Urban Salisbury’s executive committee voted unanimously to reject the $35,000 dedicated to the organization in the fiscal year 2012 budget and returned the first installment...READ MORE

High Court Denies New Trial For Convicted Murderer

SNOW HILL -- A Worcester County man found guilty of second-degree murder in 2008 will not be granted a new trial after the state’s highest court last week ruled the Circuit Court did not err in denying his alleged last-minute request to replace the public defender representing him in his original trial. Kendall Irin Northam, now 23, of Pocomoke, was convicted of second-degree murder and first-degree assault in September 2008 for his role in the beating death of Judy Wojcik in an apparent...READ MORE

Convention Center Project Called Economic Stimulator

OCEAN CITY -- Gov. Martin O’Malley and other city and state officials gathered at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center last weekend said the building’s renovation and expansion will benefit the economy through generating additional revenue and jobs. Last Saturday, officials convened on the back deck of the convention center to officially break ground on the convention center project. “It is exciting that we are getting ready and have actually begun the new construction for...READ MORE

Grandson Steals Coins, Signed Balls From Grandfather

OCEAN PINES -- Three local men and a juvenile female were arrested on burglary and theft charges last week after allegedly swiping thousands of dollars’ worth of rare coins, autographed baseballs and an old handgun from the grandfather of one of the suspects. Back on Aug. 6, Ocean Pines police responded to residence on King Richard Drive for a reported burglary and theft. O officers met with a victim who said he walked into a bedroom at the residence and discovered about $300 in cash...READ MORE

Stricter Penalties For Ignoring Grass Weighed In Berlin

BERLIN -- As part of its continuing effort to reign in a few wayward property owners, Berlin is planning on leveling stricter lawn maintenance penalties, though the changes likely won’t affect residents until next spring. On Monday, the Mayor and Council were given a list of nearby communities and the penalties those towns level against property owners who ignore their lawns. Of the list of seven municipalities, Berlin was tied with Pocomoke for being the most lenient. Because of that...READ MORE

New Berlin Sewer Plant Impresses Officials

BERLIN -- A tour of Berlin’s new wastewater management facility Monday gave town officials a chance to get a closer look into a process that many try to avoid thinking about. “I was very impressed,” said Mayor Gee Williams. “[The facility] looked much nicer than anticipated.” Though the wastewater plant handles the collection and processing of the town’s sewage, Williams says he was amazed by what he called “a very clean operation.” If he...READ MORE

O’Malley Will Seek ‘New Revenues’ To Address Shortfall

OCEAN CITY -- Against the backdrop of a picture-perfect August afternoon full of promise in Ocean City, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley last Friday delivered the keynote address to the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) at the close of its annual convention in the resort painting a grim picture of what lies ahead for the state in the coming months and years. Earlier last Friday, O’Malley cut the ribbon on a new visitor’s center in Berlin, helped kick off the opening of a new...READ MORE

Berlin Man Arrested On More Animal Cruelty Charges

BERLIN -- A Berlin man, already awaiting trial on dozens of counts of possession of child pornography, was arrested again this week on animal cruelty charges, a little over one year after his arrest and subsequent conviction on similar charges related to an incident in Salisbury last August. On Wednesday, Berlin Police received information that Kirt Greenberg, 45, of Berlin, was in possession of animals in direct violation of his probation for animal cruelty charges stemming from an incident in...READ MORE

Resort, Street Performer Waiting On Judge’s Ruling

OCEAN CITY -- A federal judge this week heard arguments on a motion for a preliminary injunction in the civil suit filed earlier this summer against the town of Ocean City by a street performer, but reserved ruling as the summer continues to tick down. In June, the Ocean City Mayor and Council unanimously passed an emergency order banning street performers from practicing or exercising their art at the end of North Division Street, citing public safety concerns about the possible impact at one...READ MORE

Downtown Wall Now Home To Unique Beach Mural

OCEAN CITY – Standing on Talbot Street, Ocean City patrons can take in a classic view of the town through a recently completed façade project and wall mural. Jerry Greenspan, who owns the property, said the building has been on his to do list for some time now. The building was originally owned by Albert and Bea Berger who operated it as a sports wear store for 30 or more years. About 20 years ago, Greenspan took over and it had been rented by Purple Moose Saloon and is now home to...READ MORE

Coastal Kids Consignment Sale This Weekend

SALISBURY -- Celebrating their 10th semi-annual consignment event, Coastal Kids Consignment events and their 50-plus volunteers will again be helping area families get great merchandise for a deal. Organizers diligently assist over 125 families make money selling items and also support multiple charities by donating items at the end of the event. This year, financial and in-kind donations will be distributed to the March of Dimes of Salisbury, the Eastern Shore Pregnancy Center of Salisbury, the...READ MORE

A Summer Of Enhancements At Worcester Prep

BERLIN -- Worcester Prep opens this year next week with the largest senior class since the school’s founding in 1970. When preschool through Grade 12 students come through the doors of Worcester on Thursday, Sept. 1, they may not notice all that has gone on in the school this summer. But, it won’t take long for them to appreciate the speed of the wired and wireless networks, the expanded music room, the new photography lab, interactive whiteboards, Bermuda grass on the stadium...READ MORE

Decatur’s New Cadet Program Will Exceed Minimum

OCEAN CITY – Stephen Decatur Principal Lou Taylor confirmed this week the high school’s enrollment in the newly initiated Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) program is in the clear of its “probation period”. Last year Stephen Decatur High School’s National Junior Officer Reserve Training Corps (NJROTC) was shaken up when it learned the Navy was planning on removing the program from the school. The NJROTC was operated for 17 years at Decatur and was one of 19...READ MORE

Salisbury, MDE Reach Deal On Property

SALISBURY -- The Salisbury City Council has decided to accept an offer made by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to remove oil-based contamination from the Anne Street property. In doing so, the council also agreed to use its own resources to demolish about 25 percent of the building, which will allow MDE access to contaminated fuel tanks. Earlier this month, MDE offered a $100,000 grant to Salisbury for the clean-up project, contingent on the fact that the city demolishes a...READ MORE

Judge Denies Resort’s Motion To Dismiss Ex-Cop’s Suit

OCEAN CITY -- The lawsuit filed by a former Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) employee against his former employer was allowed to go forward this week after a U.S. District Court judge denied the town’s motion for summary judgment in the case. Former OCPD officer David Catrino in 2009 filed suit in U.S. District Court against the department and the town seeking injunctive relief and an undisclosed award of compensatory and punitive damages against the defendants for wrongly denying him a...READ MORE

Ocean City Sewer Main Installation Planned

OCEAN CITY -- Local residents and visitors can expect the first real traffic pattern changes of the off-season beginning Tuesday, Sept. 6 when Ocean City begins the installation of a new sewer force main along Coastal Highway. The new 24-inch sewer force main will be installed from 15th to 49th streets in the southbound fast lane of Coastal Highway and Philadelphia Ave. Due to the long duration required to perform this project, the contractor, Bunting & Murray Construction Corp., needs...READ MORE

Whale Spotted Just Off Coast

OCEAN CITY – Beach-goers were taken by surprise last weekend as a whale came to visit the shoreline giving everyone a show. On Sunday, Joe Cuomo visited the beach on 76th street where his son, David, was on duty lifeguarding that day. It was a normal day on the beach when Cuomo noticed surrounding beach patrons pointing out into the water. “We got the binoculars out and we started looking around and we realized there was a whale out there,” Cuomo said on Tuesday. By looking...READ MORE

Truck Jumps Curbs, Ends Up In Marina

WEST OCEAN CITY -- There was an unusual scene at a marina in West Ocean City on Monday morning after a large pick-up truck jumped a curb and ended up in the water between the bulkhead and the back of a sportfishing boat. Early Monday morning, a GMC Sonoma inexplicably lunged over a parking curb at the Ocean City Fishing Center and dove nose first into the water between the bulkhead and the “Salt Lick” sportfishing boat. The truck’s driver was still inside when two mates working...READ MORE