Articles

NEW: Timeline Of Events Leading Up To City Manager’s Removal

OCEAN CITY -- A whirlwind of events took place at City Hall last Thursday and Friday, culminating ultimately in City Manager Dennis Dare tendering his resignation pending an accord on conditions and terms. Here’s a timeline of events: Thursday, Sept. 8 4 p.m.: Without City Solicitor Guy Ayres or City Manager Dennis Dare in attendance, Mayor and Council meet in council chambers and vote to convene in closed session “to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, removal or...READ MORE

UPDATE: Council To Dare: Resign By 5 P.M. Today Or Be Fired

OCEAN CITY -- Before a crowd of agitated citizens at City Hall this morning, “a change in our management direction” was the reason cited by Council President Jim Hall for the removal of City Manager Dennis Dare. Dare, who been the chief administrative officer of the city since 1990, has a decision to make by 5 p.m. today. He can either resign by 5 p.m. today or be fired. During a closed session yesterday that Dare and City Solicitor Guy Ayres were not asked to attend, the council...READ MORE

Council Poised To Lay Off City Manager, Others?

OCEAN CITY -- City Manager Dennis Dare’s future is in doubt, as a result of an unprecedented closed session held yesterday afternoon at City Hall. Although nothing is official and neither Mayor Rick Meehan nor any of the City Council members would comment after the one-hour meeting concluded yesterday, all indications from on-site observations and a half dozen knowledgeable sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, are Dare’s 21-year stint as the resort’s city manager,...READ MORE

Illegal Balcony Search Could Alter Police Policies

OCEAN CITY -- In what could turn out to be a test case of sorts for future searches and arrests in the resort, a Maryland appeals court this week agreed an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer violated a defendant’s Fourth Amendment right to privacy when he climbed the stairs to a second-story balcony after smelling the odor of marijuana. Around 3:15 a.m. on June 29, 2009, an officer on bicycle patrol in the downtown area smelled the odor of burnt marijuana coming from an...READ MORE

County Gets Three New Deputies

SNOW HILL -- The latest batch of Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies wrapped up their time at the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy (ESCJA) by taking all of the school’s top honors and graduating at the top of their class. “We took every award,” said Sheriff Reggie Mason. Freshmen deputies Shane Musgrave, Christopher Barrs and Mark Powell graduated from the Wor-Wic Community College-based academy on June 17. They graduated with the top three placements and between...READ MORE

EDC Talks Summer Tourism

OCEAN CITY -- The Ocean City Economic Development Committee (EDC) held its first meeting following the summer season this week, covering a wide range of topics from the handling of Hurricane Irene to the mid-summer boost from the Dew Tour to strategic planning for the future. Perhaps because it was still fresh in everyone’s minds, the town’s handling of Hurricane Irene drew a considerable amount of attention during the EDC meeting on Wednesday. Ocean City officials ordered the...READ MORE

ACT Seeks Public Documents For Explosives Plan

SNOW HILL -- While the fate of a proposal to allow testing of military-grade explosives in a remote area of Worcester County along the Chincoteague Bay remains uncertain, a local conservation group this week took steps to help ensure the public is aware of the plan.
 Pocomoke-based Hardwire LLC, a locally owned and operated company that develops and manufactures a wide variety of military-grade armor for a variety of uses from buildings and bridges to armaments for the U.S. military, has...READ MORE

Missing Teacher Search Continues

SALISBURY -- The search for a popular Wicomico County teacher reported missing by her husband last Sunday continued across the Lower Shore late yesterday after her spouse was discovered deceased in their home on Wednesday night, the victim of an apparent suicide. Alice Elizabeth Davis, 56, a Parkside High teacher for 28 years, was reported missing by her husband, Jesse Davis, 58, last Sunday evening. Jesse Davis told police Alice Davis had gone shopping at Wal-Mart in Fruitland on Sunday. Police...READ MORE

Restaurant Plans Move Ahead In OC

OCEAN CITY – The Planning and Zoning Commission expressed concerns this week over a project that is proposed to look more like a piece of Frontier Town rather than downtown Ocean City. On Wednesday night, the Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed a proposal of a construction project by Fat Daddy’s downtown on the northwest corner of Dorchester Street and Baltimore Avenue. The first floor of the building will include the restaurant, which will seat 65, and a retail store. The second...READ MORE

Onley Rd. Drivers Urged To Slow Down

SALISBURY -- While the Salisbury City Council agreed that Onley Rd. needs attention, members weren’t able to decide on what specifically should be done. However, the general consensus was that, whatever happens, drivers need to slow down. “I think traffic flow is the primary thing here,” said Councilman Tim Spies. Long a topic of debate, Onley Rd became a focal point for the council last month when the Wicomico Board of Education decided to go against the wishes of the city and...READ MORE

Urban Salisbury Future Cloudy After Meeting

SALISBURY -- Though heated at times, a meeting between the Salisbury Mayor and the City Council regarding Urban Salisbury did generate some compromise and cooperation between both sides, with restrictive language slightly loosened and plans for the future considered. “There are a lot of things at stake here,” said Council President Terry Cohen. During its budget session last spring, the council chose to restrict some funding it would grant Urban Salisbury in an effort to pay for the...READ MORE

Salisbury Towing Board To Offer Opinion On Changes

SALISBURY -- After scraping an earlier set of ordinances dealing with police towing, the city of Salisbury is working with a special group of consumers and industry representatives to come up with a new plan. Last month, the council was informed by representatives of the towing industry that some aspects of the city’s proposed police towing ordinance would technically be illegal. Fred Scheler, owner of Henry’s Wrecker Service and past vice president of the Towing and Recovery...READ MORE

Hotel Project Granted Extra Hours For Wetlands Work

OCEAN CITY – The Hampton Inn and Suites construction project received approval this week to work with heavy machinery in extended hours throughout the day as long as they respect the property’s neighbors. The project on 44th Street requested an extension in the time allowed to work with excavating equipment from the current restriction of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to the hours of 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., while working on returning the wetlands mitigation lines back to the 1972 mark. “We...READ MORE

OC Council Allows Events To Conduct Boardwalk Rides

OCEAN CITY – The Mayor and City Council worked their way this week through a list of special event permits, but a few requests made a couple members wary of allowing additional events on the Boardwalk. The first permit requested was made by former Councilwoman Nancy Howard representing the Downtown Association. She proposed the new event OC Rally to take place Saturday, Oct. 22 and Sunday, Oct. 23. The event would allow for all who own an Ocean City license plate to participate. The...READ MORE

Worcester To Launch New Watch Program

SNOW HILL -- The Worcester County Sheriff’s Department and county employees are teaming up to keep a closer eye out for criminal activity and missing persons. County Watch for Safer Communities (CWSC) is a collaborative effort between the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department, Board of Education, Public Works and State’s Attorney’s Office three years in the making. Beginning under former Sheriff Charles Martin and continued by current Sheriff Reggie Mason, CWSC is meant...READ MORE

Report Confirms Worcester Prepared, Lucky With Irene

SNOW HILL -- It was a combination of luck and preparation that helped Worcester County dodge the worst of Irene, according to county officials. While the storm had much less of an impact than anticipated, the Worcester County Commissioners agreed that given identical circumstances in the future, they would repeat the same decisions made with Irene, even tough ones like the evacuation of a portion of West Ocean City and other low-lying areas.. “By all rights, we should have been directly...READ MORE

Ocean City Moves Building Permit Valuation To $5K

OCEAN CITY – This week the Mayor and City Council approved unanimously a lengthy list of ordinances on first reading as well as a couple of resolutions. Last week City Engineer Terry McGean approached the council to discuss the possibility of increasing the valuation of construction that requires a building permit. McGean’s original recommendation was setting the value at $5,000 but after discussing the idea with the town’s Chief Building Official Kevin Brown and the Fire...READ MORE

President: Wor-Wic Overachieving While Underfunded

OCEAN CITY -- Despite a remarkable record of success, Wor-Wic Community College is the most overachieving and under-funded institution in the state system, Ocean City business leaders learned this week. At its first meeting after the summer season, the Ocean City Economic Development Committee (EDC) this week invited Wor-Wic Community College President Dr. Ray Hoy to provide an update on the status of the Lower Shore’s only community college. Hoy painted a clear picture of the successes of...READ MORE

Local Recognized By City, Surfriders For Beach Passion

OCEAN CITY – For the first time, the Ocean City Chapter of the Surfriders Foundation presented a Surfrider Recognition Award to an advocate for keeping the town’s beaches clean. Terry Steimer of the Ocean City Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation and chairman of the Please Leave Only Your Footprints Campaign presented Kathy Fisher with the new award. Steimer said the foundation wanted to begin an annual recognition campaign on behalf of the unsung heroes in town and the surrounding...READ MORE

Horse Adjusting To New Digs Away From Assateague

ASSATEAGUE -- Just a little over a month since his removal from his natural home on Assateague for being overly aggressive while raiding the coolers, picnic tables and campsites of visitors to the barrier island, the wild horse Fabio is adjusting well to his new home at a ranch in Texas. In early August, the 18-year-old stallion had to be removed from his Assateague home after his bold attempts to steal food from visitor’s campsites, coolers and picnic baskets deemed him too dangerous to...READ MORE

Shorebirds Honored For Community Service

SALISBURY -- The South Atlantic League announced this week the Delmarva Shorebirds are the 2011 recipient of the prestigious South Atlantic League Club Merit award, which is presented annually to the team that exemplifies outstanding overall operations. The Shorebirds hosted 70 regular season games at Perdue Stadium including the centerpiece of the season, the 2011 South Atlantic League “Strike Out Hunger” All-Star Game. Through the “Strike Out Hunger” initiative, the...READ MORE

Tax Deadline Extended By Storm

BERLIN -- Following the lead of the Internal Revenue Service, Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot this extended the Sept. 15 filing due date for Maryland taxpayers and their preparers affected by Hurricane Irene. Eligible taxpayers now have until Sept. 22 to file tax returns for personal and business tax filings normally due Sept. 15. “I empathize with anyone impacted by this disaster,” said Franchot. “This extension will assure that any individuals and business in the area are...READ MORE

Irene Closing Leads To Casino Revenue Decline

BERLIN -- Just like most other businesses in the resort area, Hurricane Irene, and perhaps the calendar, conspired to keep the Casino at Ocean Downs’ final numbers for August below the prior month’s earnings for the first time in the brief history of the facility. The Maryland Video Lottery Commission, which oversees the two existing slots facilities in the state, released the final numbers for August for the Casino at Ocean Downs on Wednesday and, for the first time, the revenue...READ MORE

OC BikeFest Merges Affection For Resort, Motorcycles

OCEAN CITY – The familiar sound of motorcycles will be rolling into Ocean City next week to be part of the first-time experience, OC BikeFest. Event organizer Cliff Sutherland first proposed the new motorcycle event in January and found some troubles in getting the town to accept the concept. After a month of deliberation, the Mayor and City Council did manage to vote the event through. “Since getting over the hurdle of being approved it’s been pretty darn good,”...READ MORE

Straw Poll On Wicomico School Board Planned

SALISBURY -- Citizens of Wicomico County will get a chance to weigh in on whether or not the county should move to an elected school board, as opposed to the current appointed board, at the next general election. The Wicomico County Council voted in favor of holding a “straw ballot” asking residents to vote for either an elected school board or one appointed by the governor. The ballot will be available during the general election next November. Results from the ballot will give...READ MORE

Academy Nominations Open

BERLIN -- Congressman Andy Harris announced this week that the U.S. Military Service Academies nomination applications are now available for the fall class of 2012. Each year, Harris will nominate some of the finest young men and women from the 1st Congressional District for appointments to the U.S. Military, Naval, Air Force, and Merchant Marine Academies. The Coast Guard Academy does not require a Congressional nomination. Admission is based on SAT/ACT scores, class rank, physical aptitude...READ MORE

Local Ceremonies Planned To Mark Sept. 11 Anniversary

BERLIN -- A variety of ceremonies are planned throughout the community this weekend to mark the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Here’s a look at some of the events on tap: )Salisbury University honors those who lost their lives during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the 10th anniversary of the tragedy. The community is invited to gather in front of Fulton Hall by 8:40 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 11, for a ceremony including a vocal performance by tenor John Wesley Wright of the...READ MORE

City Council Clarifies Confusion Over Paraphernalia

OCEAN CITY – An unscheduled agenda item has the City Council reconsidering the language of an emergency ordinance passed last week involving synthetic drugs and drug paraphernalia. The two ordinances passed prohibit the sale, possession, manufacture and distribution of any substance that contains cannabimimetic or hallucinogenic agents as well as any type of drug paraphernalia. Drug paraphernalia is further defined as equipment that is used, intended for use, is designed for use in or...READ MORE

Fenwick Public Safety Building Groundbreaking

FENWICK -- Fenwick Island officials this week officially broke ground on the construction of a new public safety building. The new 3,500-square foot facility is being built on a town-owned property adjacent to the public works garage. The town has contracted with Bunting Construction to build the facility, which came in with a price tag of just over $603,000. The building will include a reception area, office space and lockers for the town’s police department and a holding area for...READ MORE

Ashley Wants Resort To Be State’s ‘First Crack-Free City’

OCEAN CITY – Ocean City is looking to crack down on saggy pants exposing “behinds” and undergarments. As Councilman Brent Ashley proposed the concept to outlaw the exposure of skin from the waist down, he shared the story that sparked his motivation. Ashley sat next to a family with two small children on the Boardwalk one day as a “group of fellas walked by with their pants down and the cracks of their behinds showing.” At the sight, the little girl questioned her...READ MORE

Dance Studio Eyes Role In Summer Olympics

OCEAN CITY – A local dance studio has been invited to sauté its way to London to participate in the Olympic Games opening ceremonies in 2012. A few months ago, X Squad Dancers of Crofton, Md., and Selbyville, Del., received the exciting news that they had been invited by the English National Ballet to take part in Big Dance 2012. “We actually found out just this past May,” co-owner and director of X Squad Dancers Erin Vitalos said. “The kids were very, very, excited...READ MORE

Congressman Talks Jobs, Economy During Resort Stop

OCEAN CITY -- Congressman Andy Harris visited Ocean City last Friday to discuss the economy and survey the impact of Hurricane Irene. While some feared echoes of the storm might stifle business on Labor Day weekend, Ocean City saw bigger crowds this year than almost any other holiday weekend this decade. “He’s looking at all issues within his district,” said Mayor Rick Meehan of Harris’ visit. With a beautiful, September day at the beach as a backdrop, Meehan joined...READ MORE

Odd Shoreline Globs Identified As Fig Sponges

OCEAN CITY -- The hundreds of eerie-looking globs that washed up along the shoreline in the Sinepuxent Bay over the weekend have been identified as naturally occurring organisms called fig sponges, which likely perished during Hurricane Irene and washed to the surface from their natural home on the bottom. Late last week, the weird globs of organic, and smelly for that matter, material began washing up along the water’s edge on both sides of the Sinepuxent Bay. The globs, spotted by...READ MORE