County Contracts Med Services For Jail

SNOW HILL -- Conmed Healthcare Management, Inc. has signed a full-service agreement with Worcester County to provide correctional healthcare services for the Worcester County Jail.

The contract includes a full suite of services for detainees, including physicians and 24-hour nurses; utilization management and utilization review of out-of-facility services; management of pharmacy services; mobile x-ray; and laboratory services. The average inmate population of the facility is 370, including a significant number of inmates housed for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“With the Worcester County contract win, we have expanded our footprint in Maryland to serve 20 of its 23 counties,” said Dr. Richard Turner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Conmed. “We are pleased to provide quality medical and healthcare services to detainees in the Worcester County Jail. We look forward to continued growth as we expand our footprint to serve additional counties in current and new states, bringing to them Conmed's hallmark offering of efficient, budget-conscious, consistent, high quality care.”

Worcester, Wicomico Burn Bans In Effect

SNOW HILL -- Worcester County Fire Marshal Jeff McMahon this week issued a burn ban and all outdoor burning is banned effective immediately for an indefinite period of time.

Worcester County this week joined neighboring Wicomico, which issued a countywide burn ban back on June 9 and has extended it indefinitely. The ban applies to all outdoor ignition sources with the following exceptions.  Proper use of gas and charcoal grills, campfires at the County’s commercial, state and federal campgrounds, permitted official Ocean City bonfires, private property recreational campfires which are limited to a fire area of two feet with a height of three feet, public fireworks displays and volunteer fire company training exercises.

“Due to the county’s recent drought conditions and the forecasted extreme heat, the burn ban is effective immediately,” said McMahon. This ban should reduce the number of out-of-control outside fires, which cause safety concerns for area residents, visitors and especially responding personnel.” 

The ban will remain in effect until the dry conditions dissipate. In addition, all existing outdoor burn permits have been rescinded.

Bridge Construction Modified

INDIAN RIVER -- Delaware Transportation officials this week announced a modification of the construction schedule for the new Indian River Inlet Bridge in part to accommodate heavy boat traffic utilizing the waterway, including the White Marlin Open next month.

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) is advising boat owners and operators to be aware of changing navigation conditions under the Indian River Inlet Bridge in the coming weeks. In response to concerns about the horizontal clearance under the bridge, DelDOT officials, along with state representatives, the contractor, DNREC and the Delaware Seashore State Park staff have changed the construction schedule to keep the Indian River Inlet accessible during the construction phase.

As the “form travelers” move closer together toward the mid-point of the span, the width of the navigational channel has continued to decrease. Because it is peak fishing season and there are a number of significant fishing tournaments upcoming, including the White Marlin Open, the construction schedule has been altered in order to maintain a passable navigation channel. However, the current distance of 88 feet between the north and south will be reduced to about 64 feet during the next construction phase.

OCPD Chief Contributes To Sexual Misconduct Guide

OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City Police Chief Bernadette DiPino was chosen recently to aid in the development of an executive guide for law enforcement regarding sexual misconduct by police officers.

In partnership with the International Association of Chiefs of Police, DiPino’s contributions assisted in the development of a new publication entitled “Addressing Sexual Offenses and Misconduct by Law Enforcement: Executive Guide.” The executive guide, developed with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women, was created to assist law enforcement executives in preventing and investigating sexual offenses and misconduct by police officers. The guide, an important tool for police leaders, addresses criminal offenses as well as non-criminal sexual conduct that is inappropriate, unprofessional and damaging to the public confidence in a department.

“Sex offenses and misconduct implicating law enforcement represent a grave abuse of authority the badge represents,” said DiPino. “I am proud to have participated in a project that encourages executives to prepare to proactively address and prevent officer misconduct through agency mission, policy and training.”