January 4, 2013

NEW FOR THURSDAY: Town Officials, Berlin Fire Company Seek Fatal Accident Probe

BERLIN -- Reports of a Berlin Police Department (BPD) officer driving an ambulance transporting a victim in a fatal accident in December to the hospital have prompted a request for an investigation by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Service Systems (MIEMSS). The Berlin Mayor and Council and the Berlin Fire Company (BFC), which responded to the accident and would typically handle all medical transport, have asked MIEMSS to investigate, acknowledging that having a police officer...READ MORE

NEW FOR THURSDAY: Perdue, Family Seeking $3M In Attorney Fees

BERLIN -- Three weeks after a U.S. District Court judge issued a ruling in the landmark civil suit filed against a Berlin farm family and Perdue over alleged pollution violations dating back to 2009, the victorious defendants in the case this week filed separate motions seeking a combined $3 million in attorney fees and other associated costs. In March 2010, the New York-based Waterkeeper Alliance, along with the Assateague Coastal Trust and the Assateague Coastkeeper, filed suit in U.S....READ MORE

NEW FOR THURSDAY: Council Plans To Revisit Decision Abolishing Committees

OCEAN CITY – Councilman Joe Mitrecic followed his campaign pledge this week when he suggested the city hold a future discussion on re-establishing subcommittees dissolved by the former council majority over two years ago. At the end of this week’s Mayor and City Council meeting, Mitrecic took the opportunity to share some thoughts with his colleagues and the public as he proposed a future discussion to re-establish a few council committees if not all of them. Mitrecic rejoined the...READ MORE

NEW FOR WEDNESDAY: OC Council Approves Utility’s Substation Expansion With Conditions

OCEAN CITY – Delmarva Power and Light (DP&L) received the Mayor and City Council’s approval to expand its substation in north Ocean City with fair warning not to exceed safe electromagnetic field (EMF) and noise levels. On Monday evening, for the second time, the Mayor and City Council was presented with a conditional use request to expand the existing DP&L substation between 137th and 138th Streets in the neighborhood of Caine Woods. Last August the Planning and Zoning...READ MORE

NEW FOR TUESDAY: Town Seeking Fire Company’s ‘Actual Financial Status’

BERLIN -- In what could be the first tentative step towards what many in town will hope will be a peaceful reconciliation, the Mayor and Council recently directed Town Attorney Dave Gaskill to begin a dialogue with the Berlin Fire Company’s (BFC) legal representation. However, Gaskill’s job, according to Mayor Gee Williams, is only to request “specific financial documents” from the BFC so that the town can determine where the institution stands financially. Whether or...READ MORE

NEW FOR FRIDAY: 350-Plus Pounds Of Pot Seized After Traffic Stop

BERLIN -- Local law enforcement officials this afternoon announced the arrest of a New Jersey man last week and the seizure of over 350 pounds of marijuana after a routine traffic stop evoking a seldom utilized Maryland law on Route 113 near Berlin. Around 4:30 p.m. last Sunday, a Maryland State Police trooper in an unmarked car with its red and blue lights flashing was stopped on the shoulder along Route 113 just north of Germantown Rd. in Berlin. A Toyota Sienna, driven by Donald P. Gayle, 54,...READ MORE

NEW FOR FRIDAY: Turtle Hatchling Survivor ‘Doing Great’, Moving To NC

ASSATEAGUE -- The loggerhead turtle hatchling rescued from the beach at Assateague in advance of Hurricane Sandy in late October continues to progress and has been moved to rehabilitation facility in North Carolina in what will likely be a final stop before a return to the wild in the near future. On Oct. 26, 2012, just about two days before Hurricane Sandy arrived in the mid-Atlantic area, biological technicians and other staff from the Marine Animal Rescue Program (MARP) of the National...READ MORE

Voices From The Readers

Council Must Act To Avert Injustice Editor: What has occurred in the Caine Woods community in north Ocean City is something that should never occur in any town in America. An injustice to the residents of this subdivision has unfolded that no community should have to endure. When Delmarva Power & Light (DPL) approached the Town wanting to expand their existing substation between 137th and 138th Streets, they learned that it could not be done under the existing zoning code. The site of the...READ MORE

Thoughts From The Publisher's Desk

The Hudson farm case wrapped up last month, and it was interesting to observe public comments issued by local and state elected officials.Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and Attorney General Doug Gansler both took turns lauding the judge’s decision that based on the evidence presented there was no Clean Water Act violation committed by Perdue and the Hudson’s family farm. Additionally, a slew of special interest groups chimed in as well with words of praise for the judge and...READ MORE

County Ignores Travel Freeze For Vegas Convention

SNOW HILL -- Hoping to attract new business to Worcester County, Economic Development Director Bill Badger will be heading to Las Vegas to attend the International Council for Shopping Centers (ICSC), Global Retail Real Estate Convention (RECON) this spring. While the event should offer opportunities to promote Worcester to new retail, according to Badger, County Commissioner Jim Bunting voted against the excursion after noting Worcester still has a freeze on out-of-state travel due to the...READ MORE

Local Scores Veterans Designation

OCEAN CITY -- A new policy adding an armed forces veteran’s designation on Maryland driver’s licenses went into effect this week and an Ocean City resident was likely the first in the state to acquire the honor. Last year, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation allowing for the addition of a veteran’s designation on the state’s driver’s license for those who are serving or have served in the past. Among other things, the designation creates a viable...READ MORE

Salisbury Reviews Capital Plan

SALISBURY -- The Salisbury City Council reviewed its current five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) last month, and some of the biggest concerns were vehicle and road maintenance and putting in place a nearly $80 million Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) that will be able to satisfy the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). “This CIP for this five-year period is really dominated by two programs,” said City Administrator John Pick. “One is the Watershed...READ MORE

SBA Issues Storm Relief Reminder; Disaster Center To Open At OP Library

SNOW HILL -- Residents still aching from Hurricane Sandy-related damage are being urged to look into loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA representative Karen Knapik went before the Worcester County Commissioners on Wednesday requesting help in getting the word out about the loans, which she said have been under-applied for so far. Worcester avoided some of the epic damage seen in areas like New Jersey and New York, but there were still cases of substantial flooding and...READ MORE

Fatal Balcony Fall Reported In OC

OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City Police are investigating a fatal fall yesterday morning from a balcony at a north-end high rise condominium. Around 9 a.m. on Thursday, Ocean City Police responded to a reported fatal fall from a balcony at the Golden Sands Condominium around the 110th Street area. OCPD spokesman Mike Levy said on Thursday morning a male individual was discovered deceased and detectives are currently handling the case as a fatal balcony fall although no foul play is suspected. The...READ MORE

Route 90 Pavement Void Fixed

OCEAN CITY -- An eight-foot hole, or pavement void, in the eastbound lane of the Route 90 bridge discovered last Thursday has been repaired and was likely caused by excessive erosion under the span, according to State Highway Administration (SHA) officials this week. Late last Thursday, SHA officials reported a pavement void, estimated at around eight feet deep, was discovered in the eastbound lane of the Route 90 bridge closest to the approach to Ocean City. While the hole was estimated at...READ MORE

Delegate Plans To Introduce School Safety Initiatives

BERLIN -- With the Maryland General Assembly set to convene next week, the debate over stronger gun laws and school safety will likely dominate, and the lower shore’s representative in the House could be in the center of the action. In an opinion piece printed last week, Delegate Mike McDermott (R-38B), who represents all of Worcester County and much of Wicomico, promised to introduce a variety of bills aimed at improving school safety when the session commences next week. Among the pieces...READ MORE

Sea Level Initiative Inked

OCEAN CITY -- Gov. Martin O’Malley late last week signed a landmark executive order aimed at increasing the state’s long-term resiliency to storm-related flooding and sea level rise along the Atlantic coast and the Chesapeake Bay. The Climate Change and Coast Smart Construction executive order directs, among other things, that all new and reconstructed state facilities and infrastructure be planned and constructed to avoid or at least minimize future flood damage. The executive order...READ MORE

Route 113, Offshore Wind, Health Care Issues Top Senator’s Agenda

BERLIN -- When state lawmakers return to Annapolis for the 2012 General Assembly session next week, they will have much on their plate from continued budget and fiscal concerns to societal issues, and a suddenly veteran Senator Jim Mathias is ready for the battle. Mathias is hardly a rookie on the eve of what will likely be another tumultuous assembly session. He said this week he will draw from his strong relationships with his constituents, the counties he represents and his colleagues in...READ MORE

Winterfest Of Lights Enjoys ‘Second Best Year Ever’; More New Year’s Eve Fireworks Possible

OCEAN CITY – A near record-setting year of attendance at Ocean City’s Winterfest of Lights ended with a bang to bring in the new year, and because the inaugural New Years’ Eve fireworks show was such a success, the city will be looking to have it again next year. The 20th Annual Winterfest of Lights at Northside Park kicked off on Nov. 15 this year and as of its conclusion on Tuesday, Jan. 1, there were 95,599 attendees, ranking the year of 2012 with the second highest...READ MORE

County To Seek Waiver For Traffic Light At Troubled Spot

SNOW HILL -- Following a heated meeting between the State Highway Administration (SHA) and residents of Snow Hill last month, the Worcester County Commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to write a letter to the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) requesting that a traffic light be installed at the intersection of Routes 12 and 113, despite the site not meeting the requirements for a light. Commissioner Virgil Shockley, who represents the Snow Hill district, briefed the rest of the...READ MORE

Adventures Of Fatherhood

We went to the beach in Ocean City the other day for some family pictures. That seems simple enough, but it was actually anything but that. I figured it would be a challenging session but by the end of the one-hour plus session at the Inlet between the jetty and the pier, all of us were sandy and windblown, and at least one of us was sweating profusely and more stressed than I am on a deadline day at my day job. While it provides an idyllic backdrop for photos, my boys view the beach as their...READ MORE

Social Services Honors Local Adoptive Parents

SNOW HILL -- The Lower Shore Departments of Social Services last week recognized the 2012 Adoptive Parents of the Year during the 5th Annual Adoption Day Celebration at the Snow Hill Fire Department.Each year for the last five years, the combined Social Services departments of the three lower shore counties, Worcester, Wicomico and Somerset, recognized sets of parents who have made the ultimate gift of adoption to a child or children without a family. The event is held in conjunction with...READ MORE

Man’s 3,000-Mile Benefit Run To End In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY – Landon Cooper plans to cross the finish line in Ocean City this summer after running 3,000 miles to raise money for Sarcoma Cancer research.Cooper, 33, is the founder of Miles 2 Give and is from Birmingham, Ala. but is currently training in Orem, Utah. He will begin his adventure on Feb. 14, 2013 at the Golden Gate Bridge and run 150 days straight, averaging about 21 miles a day, to reach the White House in Washington D.C. on July 4.Once Cooper reaches Washington D.C., a...READ MORE

Company Confirms Plans To Shutter Berlin Operation

BERLIN -- Merial Select confirmed this week it will be closing its Berlin doors effective next year. Though the majority of Merial’s approximately 45 employees are expected to lose their positions, town officials are optimistic that the facilities closing will not adversely affect Berlin. Mayor Gee Williams compared Merial’s shutting down to when the Tyson plant likewise left Berlin in 2003. That departure meant the termination of about 600 jobs. However, the town was able to weather...READ MORE

Commissioners Support Farmers In Clean Water Case

SNOW HILL -- In the wake of last month’s ruling in favor of a local farm family in its case with the Waterkeeper Alliance last month, several Worcester County Commissioners came out in favor of the judgment and discussed the future of the poultry industry on the Eastern Shore. “This case seems to have losers all the way around and I hope that we can go forward,” Environmental Programs Director Bob Mitchell told the commissioners Wednesday. The case, which also included Hudson...READ MORE

650-Plus Turn Out For AGH’s Annual Penguin Swim

OCEAN CITY – Although the official count is still being tabulated, as of Wednesday, the 19th Annual Penguin Swim raised over $80,000 to go toward Atlantic General Hospital. On New Year’s Day, the Penguin Swim was held in front of the Princess Royale Hotel. Atlantic General Hospital (AGH) Director of Development Donna Pellinger said attendance was down compared to prior years, but the weather was better than what was forecasted. “Since its inception, the Penguin Swim has raised...READ MORE

Seahawks Competing in Iron Horse Duals

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s varsity wrestling team this weekend is competing in the 13th Annual Iron Horse Duals at C. Milton Wright High School featuring some of the top programs in the state. The tournament gets started this afternoon and will continue with championship rounds tomorrow, January 5. Each team will wrestle seven dual meets throughout the weekend including the exciting championship round. Decatur joins an impressive field of top programs in Maryland in the Iron Horse Duals...READ MORE

Running for a Brighter Future 10K on Tap

BERLIN- The first significant event of the local running circuit in the new year, the Running for a Brighter Future 10K, is set for tomorrow, January 5, in and around the Newark area for the benefit of the Worcester County Developmental Center (WCDC). The Running for a Brighter Future 10K will begin on Saturday morning at 9 a.m. at the WCDC facility in Newark and the course will wind its way through a bucolic, rural area of Worcester County before ending back at the WCDC building. Registration...READ MORE

Mallards Open Second Half Unbeaten

BERLIN- Worcester Prep’s boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball teams return to action this afternoon with a double-header against Delmarva Christian at home with each having perfect 7-0 records intact after the first half of the season. The Worcester boys ran the table in the first half of the season, finishing with a perfect 7-0 mark. The Mallards opened the season with wins over Holly Grove, Greenwood Mennonite, Chincoteague, Salisbury Christian, Greenwood again and Holly Grove...READ MORE

Decatur Girls Sweep Coleman Tourney

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s girls’ varsity basketball team swept its two contests in the annual John Coleman Christmas Tournament last week, routing Snow Hill, 77-46, in its opener before topping Pocomoke, 55-45, in its second game. The annual tournament, named for long-time Worcester County Public Schools Administrator John Coleman, has become one of the highlights of the holiday basketball tournament schedule over the years although its configuration has been altered several times....READ MORE

Beach Lacrosse Registration Now Open

BERLIN- The Beach Lacrosse Program is now holding player registration for the upcoming 2013 spring season. Beach Lacrosse will field several teams for both boys and girls on different levels including under-9, under-11, under-13 and under-15. For young players born in either 2006 or 2007, Beach Lacrosse is also offering its Scoopers program for both boys and girls. Practices will start in the beginning of March with games played on Saturdays throughout the spring. Those interested in registering...READ MORE

Seahawks Split Pair in Governor’s Cup

BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s boys’ varsity basketball team gained a split in the 3rd Annual Governor’s Cup Holiday Basketball Tournament last week, beating Virginia’s Arcadia, 55-43, in its first game before falling to Sussex Central, 53-35, in its finale. For years, the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury has played host to holiday basketball tournament featuring some of the best prep teams from around the region between Christmas and New Year’s. Two years...READ MORE

Things To Do Around Town

Every Saturday: Pancake Breakfast 8 a.m.-noon, Ocean City Airport. To benefit the Ocean City Aviation Association’s Huey Memorial Display restoration and continuous maintenance fund. For more information, 410-641-6888 or 410-213-2471. Every Sunday: Morning Worship 8 a.m. & 11 a.m., Traditional Worship; 9:30 a.m., Contemporary Worship; St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, E.L.C.A, 10301 Coastal Hwy., O.C. For more information, 410-524-7474. Open Monday-Saturday: Atlantic United Methodist...READ MORE

Who's Playing When And Where

19th hole bar & Grille, The 410-213-9204 Corner of Rte. 611 & Sunset Ave., West Ocean City Friday, Jan 4: Blake Haley Saturday, Jan. 5: Louis Wright 28th Street Pit and Pub 410-289-2020 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Every Thursday: DJ Jeremy Adolfo’s 410-289-4001 13th St. & The Boardwalk, In The Beach Plaza Hotel Friday, Jan. 4: Rhonda Apple & Dale Britt Atlantic Hotel 410-641-3589 2 North Main St., Berlin Every Friday: Elsworth Wheatly Every Monday: Earl...READ MORE

Best Bites On The Beach

Fruitland-Salisbury Restaurant 213 213 N. Fruitland Blvd., Fruitland 410-677-4880 • www.restaurant213.com Just 20 minutes from Ocean Pines and Berlin, Restaurant 213 is worth the drive! Chef Jim Hughes has been serving celebrities worldwide for 25 years and was named a 2009 inductee to the coveted Distinguished Restaurants of North America awards, one of only 220 in North America and the only one in this region. Serving dinner Tuesday-Sunday starting at 5 p.m. Also offering a 5 course...READ MORE

Former Priest Charged With Child Sex Offense

OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City Police this week formally charged a Salisbury resident and former priest with child sex abuse after an investigation into an alleged incident in the resort dating back over 30 years. Police last month concluded a child sexual assault investigation stemming from an alleged incident in August 1981. As a result of the investigation, OCPD detectives have charged Bruno Michael Tucci, 70, of Salisbury, with a fourth-degree sex offense and child abuse by a custodian. Tucci is...READ MORE

Buckingham Elementary School Supports Newtown Community

Buckingham Elementary School fourth grader Jordan Milbourne is pictured creating a snowflake for Sandy Hook students. In the spirit of giving, students, staff and parents have all come together to help support the Newtown community. ...READ MORE

Worcester Prep Holds Annual Christmas Candlelight Program

Andrea Rilling, a first grader, is pictured at Worcester Prep’s annual Christmas Candlelight Program last month. ...READ MORE

Showell Elementary Kindergarteners Learn About Colors, Stokes And Swirls

Colors, strokes and swirls were fun to learn about in Showell Elementary School where kindergarteners Emily Smith, Samantha Boger and Evan Thompson enjoyed a Van Gogh type painting created by their art teacher as he taught colors, strokes and swirls as art concepts. ...READ MORE

United States Marshal Speaks To Worcester Prep Seventh Grade Class

United States Marshal Barry Boright, left, is pictured with his daughter Sydney. Boright enjoyed speaking with Sydney’s seventh grade class at Worcester Preparatory School about the work of federal Marshals. ...READ MORE

OC Elementary Honors December Students Of The Month

Ocean City Elementary School honored the December Students of the Month with a luncheon, special cake and a T-shirt sponsored by the Ocean City/Berlin Opti-MS. Pictured, first row from left, are first grade honorees Ashton Main, Mira Demissie, Tatum Daubach, Shay Flannery, Katie Mitchell and Macy Woroniecki; second row, second grade honorees Savannah McCabe, Lily Canfield, Jonathan Wallace, Bennett McLEndon, and Matthew Rankin; third row, third graders Julia Howard, Mackayla Barrett, Danielle...READ MORE

Worcester Prep Students Select Gift For Needy Children

Each year Worcester Preparatory School students in Lower School select gifts for children who may not otherwise receive gifts during the holidays. They and their parents wrap the gifts and label them so that the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office will know which gifts are appropriate for which age boys and girls. Presenting their gifts to Santa are Carter McCabe, Ayush Batra, Kate Lindsay, Olivia Kondraschow, Maggie Miller and Abbey Miller. ...READ MORE

Kindergaten Students At Showell Elementary Engage Their Mind And Bodies

Kindergarten students at Showell Elementary School, including Madison McGinnis, Nick McDonald, Mark Kiefer and Sophia Clark, engaged their mind as well as their bodies on the balancing boards during physical education class.  ...READ MORE

SD High School Students Honored By The Baltimore Ravens

About 100 Stephen Decatur High School students were honored by the Baltimore Ravens for outstanding service to the school and surrounding communities as part of the Ravens’ annual Honor Rows program at the Denver Broncos game last month. Above, Stephen Decatur High School National Honor Society officers Connor Neville, Devynn Detzer, Ashley Trice and Noah McAleer are pictured. Submitted Photos ...READ MORE

We Remember Those We Have Lost

Michael Warren Cowles BERLIN -- Michael Warren Cowles, 57, of Berlin, passed away on Dec. 23, 2012. He was surrounded by his family and friends.Michael was born on Feb. 2, 1955 in Washington, D.C. Michael was a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He enjoyed his job and in his own words loved "helping others to find hope, sometimes joy, and glimpse at what is possible." He obtained his Bachelor's degree from Salisbury University in 1997 and later obtained a Master's Degree in Social Work...READ MORE

What's Your Sign?

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): Shutting people out to avoid distractions, even under a deadline, can cause hurt feelings. Instead, return calls and emails, and explain why you need a zone of privacy for now. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Although your keen Bull's eyes usually can discern what's fact from what's faux, that upcoming decision will need really solid data before you can risk a commitment. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): As your confidence grows, you should be able to work toward your goals...READ MORE