Articles

Road Improvement Fund Considered to Address Future Street Repairs

OCEAN CITY- Faced with the prospect of $41 million in future road improvements, Ocean City officials this week debated the possibility of forming a dedicated funding source for an annual Street Improvement Program. Councilwoman Margaret Pillas initiated a discussion on the possibility of an Annual Street Improvement Program and although she was absent due to illness during this week’s Mayor and City Council meeting, the item was scheduled to be discussed. Director of Public Works Hal...READ MORE

Wicomico Mourns Council Member

SALISBURY- Wicomico County this week lost one of its long-standing public servants when Councilman Bob Caldwell, Jr., 70, succumbed after a long bout with cancer. Caldwell served on the Salisbury City Council from 1992-1996 including a two-year stint as Council President from 1994-1996. In 2010, he was elected to the Wicomico County Council, representing District 4, which encompasses most of the Salisbury city limits. Caldwell also served on the Planning and Zoning Commission, and was heavily...READ MORE

Powerhouse Resurrected in West OC

OCEAN CITY- Powerhouse Gym in West Ocean City is back in action with membership rates incomparable when it comes to their state-of-the-art facility and equipment. Powerhouse Gym in West Ocean City first opened in 1997 by Tony Taghipour, with other locations in Salisbury and Seaford following. In 2004 Taghipour sold West Ocean City’s location and opened a new health club in Cambridge. In 2010, Taghipour began exploring re-opening a gym in the area. After looking at several different...READ MORE

Council Approves Special Events Calendar

OCEAN CITY- Special events officials this week gave an update on this year’s successful Sunfest as they looked forward to the arrival of this year’s Winterfest of Lights and sought approval of 2013 Calendar of Special Events. This year was the 37th year Sunfest was held in Ocean City. Director of Recreation and Parks Tom Shuster reported a successful Sunfest this year despite some challenging weather. There were 154,507 visitors to the festival grounds at the Inlet during the 2011...READ MORE

Resort Nightclub Cleared in Boat Crash Suit

OCEAN CITY- A federal judge last week dismissed a $1 million civil suit filed in March against a popular resort nightclub attempting to hold the establishment responsible in part for the actions of an inebriated skipper who later crashed his vessel into the Route 90 bridge. Around 1 a.m. on July 5, 2008, a 21-foot fiberglass ski boat carrying 10 people collided with an abutment on the Route 90 bridge in a dense fog, severely damaging the vessel and sending all of its occupants into the murky...READ MORE

Resort to Seek Main Street Title

OCEAN CITY- Ocean City officials this week unanimously agreed to pursue a Main Street Maryland designation for the resort. This week, Director of Planning and Community Development Jesse Houston asked for the Mayor and City Council’s endorsement to apply for Ocean City’s inclusion in the Main Street Maryland (MSM) program. The MSM program is a downtown revitalization program run through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. Community participation is collected...READ MORE

Salisbury Charter Change

SALISBURY- The majority of Salisbury City Council voted this week to move forward with a charter amendment concerning power over the selection of the City Attorney despite a plea to hold off for additional public input. The Charter Amendment Resolution changes the city solicitor’s appointment process from a nomination by the mayor to an appointment solely by the vote of the council. In addition, the city solicitor shall no longer serve at the pleasure of the mayor, but at the pleasure of...READ MORE

Road Improvement Fund Considered to Address Future Street Repairs

OCEAN CITY- Faced with the prospect of $41 million in future road improvements, Ocean City officials this week debated the possibility of forming a dedicated funding source for an annual Street Improvement Program. Councilwoman Margaret Pillas initiated a discussion on the possibility of an Annual Street Improvement Program and although she was absent due to illness during this week’s Mayor and City Council meeting, the item was scheduled to be discussed. Director of Public Works Hal...READ MORE

Storm Broke Radford in Two Pieces

OCEAN CITY- Recent dives on the former U.S.S. Arthur W. Radford, a retired U.S. Navy destroyer sunk in August to the bottom of the ocean as part of a three-state artificial reef system just 30 miles off the coast of Ocean City, has already broken into two large pieces, likely caused by the affects of Hurricane Irene. The 536-foot Spruance class Radford, decommissioned by the Navy and retired to dry dock for several years, was sunk to the bottom on August 10, becoming the centerpiece of a vast...READ MORE

Convention Center Update Presented

OCEAN CITY- With the first phase of the expansion of the Roland E. Powell Convention Center already underway, town officials this week got a briefing on the current project and the future of the facility. Convention Center Director Rick Hamilton on Tuesday presented the Mayor and City Council with a brief history of the convention centers expansion and where it is going. Previous goals were to create 20,000 square feet of new exhibit space, maintain a 20,000 square-foot exhibit area on the...READ MORE

12' Wicomico Restructuring Program Still Muddy

SALISBURY- Months after Wicomico County officials embarked on a significant reorganization of the county’s government, there are still more questions than answers as the plan starts to take shape. In the interest of cost-saving and efficiency, Wicomico County this summer undertook a major reorganization of the county’s government including the elimination of some positions, a change in duties for some others and a reconfiguring of several departments. The changes came in the wake of...READ MORE

Berlin Dealer Gets Five Years

BERLIN- A Berlin man who pleaded guilty in federal court in July to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine following one of the most significant drug busts in recent Worcester County history was sentenced this week to five years in prison, the minimum mandatory sentence for the offense. Tyrone Darnell Lawson, 38, of Berlin, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on July 14 to one count of possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine, a charge which...READ MORE

Taser Pilot Program Approved

OCEAN CITY- After years of debate, the Ocean City Mayor and Council this week agreed to adopt a pilot program for the use of Tasers for the resort’s police department. This week, Chief of Police Bernadette DiPino asked the Mayor and City Council for approval for the police department to purchase and implement electronic control devices (ECD), also known as a Tasers. “This isn’t the first time that I have come before the Mayor and Council with the proposal to bring this weapon...READ MORE

O’Malley Tours State Second Largest Solar Facility

SALISBURY- With the recent completion of the state’s second largest solar installation in Salisbury, the future of alternative energy in Maryland is looking brighter every day. “I think we’re just starting to scratch the surface of what we can do,” said Governor Martin O’Malley during an open house for the new solar installation. O’Malley, along with other government officials and industry leaders, visited the Salisbury headquarters of Perdue Inc. to tour the...READ MORE

County Kids Attempt Guinness Record

SNOW HILL- Partnering with National Geographic Kids magazine and the National Recreation and Parks Association, members of the Worcester County Recreation and Parks (WCRP) after school program took part in Let’s Jump, an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for most people doing jumping jacks. Spearheaded by First Lady Michelle Obama as part of her ongoing efforts to promote fitness in America’s youth, the world-record attempt stretched over a 24 hour period, from 3 p.m....READ MORE

Storm Victims Need Local Support

OCEAN CITY- Perhaps presenting an opportunity to “pay it forward,” a prominent area disaster relief and restoration company is already helping residents of a small Pennsylvania community ravaged by Hurricane Irene in late August and has set up an account for monetary donations and a drop-off location for much needed supplies to allow local residents and visitors to contribute to the cause. Hurricane Irene blew through the resort area in late August causing minimal destruction, save...READ MORE