Articles

State Board Approves Lower Shore Land Easements

BERLIN -- Hundreds of acres of forest, wetlands and other natural areas in several different tracks across the Lower Shore including Worcester and Wicomico counties were placed in permanent conservation last week. The Board of Public Works, which includes Gov. Martin O’Malley, treasurer Nancy Kopp and comptroller Peter Franchot, last week approved easements on 518 acres of environmentally sensitive land in three counties including Worcester, Wicomico and Somerset. Through the Conservation...READ MORE

Salisbury Petition Drive Comes Up Short

SALISBURY -- A petition started by Salisbury Councilwoman Laura Mitchell to have a charter amendment come for a public vote fell short of its minimum goal by about 200 signatures last week. Mitchell, however, doesn’t see the petition as a failure and believes it served its purpose in raising public awareness. She also promised not to give up on her goal of seeing the issue come to a referendum. “[People] are paying attention,” she remarked. “They’re watching...READ MORE

Governor, Law School Dean Spar Over Farm Suit

BERLIN -- The ongoing legal battle between a Berlin farm and an environmental watchdog group over alleged pollution violations took a surprise turn last week when Gov. Martin O’Malley called into question the use of the University of Maryland School of Law’s clinic and taxpayer resources to present the case, and the school’s dean essentially told the governor it is not his place to intercede. In March 2010, the Waterkeeper Alliance, along with the Assateague Coastkeeper and the...READ MORE

Federal Initiative Puts Sex Offender Behind Bars

SALISBURY -- A Salisbury man was sentenced to over five years in jail last week after being convicted in federal court on child pornography receipt charges. Last Friday, U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. sentenced Dustin Anthony Axelrod, 27, of to 70 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release for receipt of child pornography. Quarles ordered that upon his release from prison, Axelrod must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an...READ MORE

Juveniles Busted In OC Crime Spree

OCEAN CITY -- Several local juveniles have been charged this week with burglary, theft and vandalism after a crime spree throughout north Ocean City. The Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) has responded to numerous complaints of vandalism, burglary and theft in the north end of the resort this month. OCPD Forensic Services personnel established the various acts of graffiti and vandalism were consistent and likely committed by the same person or persons. During the investigation of two dozen...READ MORE

Website Property Sales Working For Resort

OCEAN CITY – New directions are being explored concerning the minimum liability coverage for commercial operators flying out of the Ocean City Municipal Airport, as well as ways for the town to sell surplus equipment more quickly. Historically Ocean City has sold all surplus equipment twice a year through an auction at 65th Street. Recently an ordinance was passed to allow a list of specialized equipment to be sold through a website called govdeals.com “The sales went extremely well...READ MORE

Resort Saloon Fined For Employees’ Late-Night Drinking

SNOW HILL -- A nearly spotless record and the support of the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) helped one local business avoid the worst repercussions after it was found guilty of a serious liquor license infraction. “Just so you understand, this is a bad violation,” said Board of License Commissioners (BLC) President William Esham. Buxy’s Salty Dog Saloon, which has operated in Ocean City for 13 years with next-to-no license issues, was charged with serving alcohol after...READ MORE

Sides Agree Divided Body Needs Better Relations

SALISBURY -- Tensions continue to mount between Salisbury’s administration and the City Council majority. With conflicts beginning to disrupt meetings, the question of how to address the problem remains open. Ever since the changing of the guard that took place last spring when the council saw the induction of two new members and the election of a new president, the council majority and Mayor Jim Ireton have been at odds. “They’re pushing buttons on both sides,” said...READ MORE

Citizen Charged For Late-Night Calls To Elected Officials

OCEAN CITY -- An Ocean City woman was charged last week with three counts of telephone misuse-repeated calls after an alleged spree of threatening or harassing calls to three Ocean City Council members in October. The Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office last Thursday formally charged Amy Lee Durham, 39, on three counts of telephone misuse-repeated calls to City Council members over a period of two days from Oct. 4-5. Each count carries a $500 fine and/or three years...READ MORE

Berlin Tree A Community Effort

BERLIN -- Berlin’s new Christmas tree, which is set to be officially lighted tonight, is bigger than previous years and may have some company in the form of a second, living tree next year, according to officials. Mayor Gee Williams confirmed that the initial plan this year had been to seek a living tree that could be transplanted with roots intact and could then be planted after the holidays in one of the town’s parks. Unfortunately, time constraints and difficulty finding a...READ MORE

West OC Harbor Dredging Underway

WEST OCEAN CITY -- After months of planning and preparation, the long-awaited maintenance dredging project in the commercial harbor in West Ocean City got underway last week. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is heading up the 90-day project to deepen and widen the federal navigation channel. The purpose of the underwater excavation project is to assure the continued navigability of the channel and commercial harbor by fishing vessels and other large craft dependent upon Maryland’s only...READ MORE

Juveniles Charged In Hunting Camp Burglary

BERLIN -- Two local juveniles were arrested on theft and burglary charges last week after an investigation identified them as the alleged suspects in a break-in at a hunting camp in Berlin. On Aug. 18, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy took an initial report of a burglary and theft from a remote hunting camp along Beaver Dam Creek in Berlin. Reported stolen during the robbery was a 12-foot fiberglass boat and motor, and electric trolling motor and battery, chest waders, a set of deer...READ MORE

Victorian Christmas Kicks Off Tonight

BERLIN – For over 20 years, the Town of Berlin has celebrated the holidays in a Victorian Christmas theme promoting the small businesses in town. Today kicks off the traditional holiday with hundreds of people expected to gather to watch Mayor Gee Williams flip the switch to light the Berlin Christmas Tree at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Atlantic Hotel. The Delmarva Chorus will be setting the tone with traditional Christmas carols, while Main Street’s 19th Century village charm will be...READ MORE

Woman’s Generosity Still Helping Mounted Unit

OCEAN CITY – Another extremely generous donation to the resort’s mounted patrol unit was accepted this week. At the conclusion of Monday evening’s Mayor and City Council meeting, City Solicitor Guy Ayres announced some good news. A few years back, Ocean City resident Virginia Murray passed away and left a large amount of money to be used specifically towards the Ocean City Police Department’s Mount Patrol. In the past, Ayres has delivered the city two checks, equaling up...READ MORE

Chamber, City Looking To Improve Vacation Guide

OCEAN CITY – The Town of Ocean City and the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce are taking steps forward together in creating a better product to attract more vacationers to town. Beginning in 2010, the Town of Ocean City and the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce agreed upon a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to merge their two individual visitor guide publications into one, the Ocean City Vacation Guide. Among other responsibilities, the chamber is in charge of the ad sales, content, design,...READ MORE

Salisbury Hears Economic Report

SALISBURY -- The Salisbury City Council began looking for ways to boost the area’s economy this week. Council members agreed that retaining current business must share priority with attracting new business and discussed ways to utilize publically-owned property, among other strategies. Dave Ryan, executive director of Salisbury/Wicomico Economic Development, Inc. (SWED), spoke during the council work session about how government and private industry can work to improve the local economy....READ MORE

Bus Driver To Serve 10 Days For Stealing Summer Fares

OCEAN CITY -- A seasonal Ocean City municipal bus driver arrested in August after alert citizens observed her stealing bus fare on different occasions was found guilty this week in District Court of theft and was sentenced to 10 days in jail. During the month of July, the Ocean City Transportation Department received a complaint from a concerned citizen about the city bus driver allegedly stealing fare money while operating a municipal bus. After a second citizen warned city officials about the...READ MORE

Holiday Arts Night Returns To Berlin

BERLIN -- Mayor Gee Williams will officially light the Berlin Christmas Tree at 5:30 tonight, Friday, Nov. 25, in front of the Atlantic Hotel. The Delmarva Chorus will be leading the crowd in traditional Christmas carols, while the merchants of town put their best efforts into dressing up their stores with holiday lights and festive spirits. Main Street will be closed to traffic allowing the town to take on the charm of a 19th Century village.  Then at 6 p.m. the Berlin Victorian Christmas...READ MORE

Worcester County Effort To End Youth Suicide Launched

BERLIN -- October marked National Suicide Prevention Month and the Jesse Klump Memorial Scholarship Fund announced the launch of the Worcester County Youth Suicide Awareness and Prevention Program with the selection of a program manager. Hope Hutira-Green will spearhead the fund’s efforts to teach the warning signs of youth at risk of becoming victims of suicide to everyone in the community who may be in a position to save a young life. While calls to local crisis response centers have...READ MORE

Doctor Sentenced To 8 Years In Stent Case

SALISBURY -- A Salisbury cardiologist convicted in July by a federal jury on six counts of health care fraud was sentenced this month to eight years in prison and will be forced to pay nearly $600,000 in restitution to the victims. A federal jury in July 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...READ MORE

Berlin Brewery Adds Capacity, Eyes Local Distribution Soon

BERLIN -- Heavy demand at Berlin’s Burley Oak Brewery has owner Bryan Brushmiller increasing his capacity and eyeing operations that could begin carrying his product in the near future. “This is definitely the natural next step,” Brushmiller said last week when he added two more fermentation tanks to his operation. Of the tanks, he said, “This gives us four more batches every two weeks.” Since opening in August, Brushmiller said he has been stressed trying to match...READ MORE

Huey Helicopter Now Featured At OC Airport

OCEAN CITY – This week a few unscheduled items were brought up by City Council members, including the big addition of the Vietnam Memorial at the Ocean City Municipal Airport. Councilwoman Margaret Pillas along with Mayor Rick Meehan announced the reveal of the Vietnam Memorial featuring a Huey helicopter now on display at the airport. The Huey arrived last summer and has been in process of being revitalized ever since. According to the Ocean City Aviation Association (OCAA), the memorial...READ MORE

Bluegrass Event Spotlights Lower Shore Land Trust

OCEAN CITY – Lower Shore Land Trust (LSLT) is changing up its fundraising efforts this year by hosting a bluegrass party to provide an escape from the holiday season and an opportunity to get to know the organization a little bit better. “Get Bluegrass” will be held on Dec. 10 at the Old Snow Hill Fire Hall on Green Street with doors opening at 6 p.m. Tickets are only $20 a ticket. Entertainment will start off with the Saltwater Stringband with Nate Clendenen at 7 p.m. followed...READ MORE

‘No Major Surprises’ With Boardwalk Project

OCEAN CITY -- The massive Boardwalk renovation project continued in earnest this week, despite the dismal weather and the mid-week holiday, and is nearly on track in terms of the schedule and remains under budget. In early October, the first phase of the complete reconstruction of Ocean City’s famous Boardwalk began with the demolition of the old decking and substructure replacement from the north end at 27th Street working south. Phase I also includes replacing the section of the famous...READ MORE