Articles

NEW FOR THURSDAY: Resort Area Quick To Bounce Back From Strong Winter Storm

OCEAN CITY -- Despite high winds, pouring rain and heavy surf that pounded the region throughout much of Wednesday, the resort area was largely spared widespread damage and was relatively back to normal by Thursday morning. While the storm lived up to its hype in terms of temporary impacts in and around the resort area, it was largely business as usual by Thursday morning with little evidence of the pounding rain and high winds that lashed Ocean City and much of Worcester County throughout...READ MORE

NEW FOR THURSDAY: Commissioners Hear Proposal On School Resource Officers

SNOW HILL -- Having law enforcement officers in every school will have the “greatest impact on school safety,” according to the Worcester County Board of Education, and officials asked the County Commission this week to consider funding them and several capital improvement projects aimed at evolving school security. While continuing improvements may be suggested in the future, metal detectors are not currently a priority and arming teachers is not “a solution,” said...READ MORE

NEW FOR WEDNESDAY: Emergency Officials Issue Storm Warnings, Information On Power Outages

OCEAN CITY -- With conditions rapidly declining, state and local officials late Wednesday afternoon are reminding area residents and visitors to stay indoors if possible and use extreme caution and common sense if they must go out. The State Highway Administration (SHA) on Wednesday afternoon issued a few warnings and reminders about a major problem with power outages of traffic signals at intersections. SHA spokesman Charlie Gischlar said about half an hour ago the traffic signal at the...READ MORE

NEW FOR WEDNESDAY: Coast Guard Searching For Men Off Assateague

ASSATEAGUE -- The Coast Guard late Wednesday afternoon continues to search for two men missing from a disabled fishing vessel 15 miles off the coast of Assateague after rescuing via helicopter a third man who was found in a life boat. Around 10:40 a.m. on Wednesday, Coast Guard Fifth District watchstanders received an emergency position indicating radio beacon, or EPIRB, from the 67-foot fishing vessel “Seafarer” reporting a position about 15 miles off the coast of Assateague Island....READ MORE

NEW FOR WEDNESDAY: OC Fire Dept. Embroiled In ‘Turmoil’; City Manager To Form Focus Groups; Employees’ Spouses Create Support Group

OCEAN CITY -- Armed with concerns over hostile workplace conditions for Ocean City career firefighter-paramedics and deteriorating morale, a group of more than a dozen spouses has been formed to provide support and promote an improved direction for the city’s first responders. The creation of the support group is the latest controversy to embroil the Ocean City Fire Department (OCFD), leading Chief Chris Larmore in an interview Monday to refer to the current state of affairs as...READ MORE

NEW FOR WEDNESDAY: Cheerleaders Staying In Ocean City, Organizer Confirms

OCEAN CITY -- Although there is no contract in place, the organizers of the annual cheerleading events in Ocean City have confirmed their intentions to return to the resort in 2014. Concerns arose last week after an email circulated by Global JBS, a full-service firm that handles the destination management for the annual conventions, indicated the future of the two cheerleading events in Ocean City was in doubt until more information was learned about the proposed 1,200-seat performing arts...READ MORE

NEW FOR TUESDAY: OC Council Subcommittee Appointments Made; Ashley, Pillas Will Not Be Involved

OCEAN CITY – Individual appointments were made to serve on the newly re-established committees and commissions this week, but two City Council members have declined to be involved because they continue to feel all business should be conducted in front of the full Mayor and City Council. At last night’s meeting, Mayor Rick Meehan presented the list of council members and citizens who are appointed to serve on the re-established Mayor and City Council Legislative Committees and...READ MORE

NEW FOR TUESDAY: Suicide Confirmed In Hospital Parking Lot

BERLIN -- Worcester County Bureau of Investigations (WCBI) detectives last night investigated a reported suicide in the parking lot of Atlantic General Hospital. WCBI officials on Tuesday confirmed an unidentified individual allegedly committed suicide by a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in a vehicle in the parking lot at AGH around 9:30 p.m. on Monday. The identity of the victim is being withheld and no further details are being provided due to the sensitive nature of the...READ MORE

Finnegan’s Wake Kicks Off St. Patrick’s Day Festivities

OCEAN CITY -- At least one St. Patrick’s Day celebration is starting a week earlier this year in Ocean City with the area’s first-ever true Finnegan’s Wake planned for Saturday, March 9, at 5 p.m. in Seacrets Morley Hall. Finnegan’s Wake, a mock Irish funeral that notes the supposed passing of Tim Finnegan, is being sponsored by the Friends of WCDC as a benefit for the Worcester County Developmental Center (WCDC). Irish wakes mourned the passing of a loved one and...READ MORE

Acting Salisbury Fire Chief Gets Support For Vacant Post

SALISBURY – Without an item scheduled regarding the Salisbury Fire Department (SFD) on the City Council’s Monday meeting agenda, the room was filled with fire and EMS personnel anxiously awaiting the appointment of a new leader and to voice their support for Acting Fire Chief Rick Hoppes to fill that role. In January of 2012, following the resignation of then-Fire Chief Jeff Simpson, who served just over a year, Hoppes once again was named acting fire chief until a permanent fire...READ MORE

Feds Rule Against Major Rule Change For Sharks

OCEAN CITY -- The local fishing community breathed a collective sigh of relief this week when federal fisheries officials decided to drop a rather drastic rule change for sharks that could have effectively shut down a significant component of Ocean City’s multi-million dollar fishing industry. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in November published a rather dubious “Amendment 5” to the Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan that would, if adopted, create a...READ MORE

Wicomico Approves Affordable Housing Accord

SALISBURY -- Wicomico officials last week approved a payment-in-lieu of taxes (PILOT) program for a vast affordable housing project in the county after getting assurances from the new owners certain conditions would be met in the final agreement. Last Tuesday, the Wicomico County Council approved an agreement with  Tryko Partners on a PILOT program for the company’s Pine Bluff Village project, a vast affordable housing community of 151 homes for the elderly and disabled in the county...READ MORE

Berlin Approves New Site For First Wind Turbine

BERLIN -- The historic town’s skyline is about to look a little eco-friendlier with the town’s first wind turbine approved for installation on Old Ocean City Boulevard. Until Monday, the fate of a proposed 85-foot, 50-killowatt turbine had been up in the air since creator and DDU Magnetics President Doug Richards offered to install his new design in Berlin for a severely reduced cost. The town would get the turbine for a fraction of its actual value because it would function as a...READ MORE

OC Police Detective Earns Award

OCEAN CITY -- An Ocean City Police undercover narcotics agent last week was honored with the Enrique S. Camarena Award presented each year by the Elks Regional Association to a law enforcement officer who best exemplifies the spirit of the award’s namesake. The Maryland, Delaware and District of Columbia Elks Regional Association honored Ocean City Police Detective First Class Kyle Murray with their Enrique Camarena Award this year. Camarena was a DEA agent kidnapped, tortured and killed...READ MORE

Union Deals Reached Between Ocean City, Employees; Details Unclear Until Ratification

OCEAN CITY -- While all sides report tentative employee contract agreements are in place, union officials as well as Ocean City representatives were mum this week on the specifics. Negotiations over union contracts between the city and the Ocean City Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 10 and the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 4269 have been ongoing and last week deals were reportedly reached. However, before any details can be shared, memberships of the respective...READ MORE

Supreme Court Hears Salisbury DNA Case

BERLIN -- The U.S. Supreme Court this week heard testimony on a landmark Maryland DNA testing law rooted in a Lower Shore rape dating back to 2003 and although no opinion has yet been rendered, at least one justice called the case the most important the high court has heard in decades. In July 2010, Alonzo Jay King, Jr., now 29, was found guilty of first-degree rape after he broke down the door of a residence in Salisbury armed with a gun and wearing a mask over his face and sexually assaulted a...READ MORE

Support Sought For Tougher Cigarette Smuggling Penalties

SNOW HILL -- State and local enforcement officials gathered in Snow Hill this week to present united support for a pending piece of state legislation that would drastically increase penalties for smuggling cigarettes. Senate Bill 69, which has passed the state Senate and is pending in the House of Delegates, would triple the current fine per carton for cigarette smuggling for first offenders and double the increased fine for repeat offenders. “The tool we desperately need to combat this...READ MORE

Man Arrested On Theft Charges

WEST OCEAN CITY -- An Ocean City man was arrested on theft charges last week after allegedly swiping a propeller and rudder from a boat in West Ocean City and later pawning the stolen goods at a pawn shop. On Feb. 19, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Sunset Ave. in West Ocean City for a reported theft. The deputy met with a victim who reported that sometime over the weekend, an unknown suspect had stolen the propeller and rudder from his boat. The victim told...READ MORE

Local Indicted On Manslaughter Charge In Friend’s Death

OCEAN CITY -- A West Ocean City man, arrested on manslaughter and assault charges in late January, was formally indicted this week and is on track for an early June trial. Around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 26, Ocean City police and paramedics responded to the area of Somerset Street in reference to a male individual who was found unconscious on the street outside the Harbor Inn bar. Police and EMS arrived at the scene and located an unresponsive male. The male individual was taken to AGH where he was...READ MORE

Author Looks To Share Family’s ‘Message Of Hope’

BERLIN -- Sheldon Larmore’s new work of non-fiction, “Be Quiet and Listen,” has shot from the gate since being published this winter. The book focuses on the life of David Larmore, Sheldon and wife Sara Belle Larmore’s son who was born severely handicapped. While some might first mistake the story for a tragedy, Sheldon is adamant that David’s life is about faith and hope. Born with Spina Bifida, David was not expected to lead anything resembling a normal life,...READ MORE

Air Show Will Go On Even Without Blue Angels, Promoter Reports

OCEAN CITY – The organizer of the OC Air Show assured the Mayor and Council this week the show will go on in June, despite the possible grounding of headlining military acts, such as the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, due to the looming possibility of sequestration. The Blue Angels are scheduled to make their inaugural appearance in Ocean City as they headline this year’s OC Air Show on June 8-9. This week Bryan Lilley of Ocean City Air Show LLC came before the Mayor and City Council to...READ MORE

Federal Spending Cuts Would Carry Big Impact In Md.

BERLIN -- With the clock ticking on the expected billions of dollars of cuts in funding for several programs including furloughs and layoffs of employees in Maryland and across the nation, bipartisan federal lawmakers late yesterday were no closer to reaching an accord on the anticipated sequestration. Earlier this year, federal officials avoided an approaching “fiscal cliff” with an 11th hour agreement to stave off drastic cuts in programs and of jobs, but the accord was temporary...READ MORE

Council Moves Forward Planned Code Changes

OCEAN CITY – A couple of favorable recommendations made by the Planning and Zoning Commission came before the Mayor and City Council this week to amend code sections and were quickly approved. Planning and Community Development Director Matt Margotta and Zoning Administrator Blaine Smith proposed to reinsert language in the DMX zone to allow low impact commercial use to be reviewed through the conditional use process in order to protect the surrounding neighborhoods. In late January, the...READ MORE

Commissioner Alleges MDE’s $25K Fine ‘A Money Grab’

OCEAN CITY -- With upgrades to the Mystic Harbour wastewater and water treatment plants ongoing, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has fined Worcester County $25,000 and set a deadline for upgrades no later than Aug. 31. Worcester isn’t taking the fines with a smile, however, with County Commission President Bud Church calling the action by the state a “money grab” and accusing MDE of going on a “witch hunt.” “The state is well aware that we are...READ MORE

Worcester Students Continue To Improve AP Test Scores

SNOW HILL -- Maryland has once again topped the nation in terms of average Advanced Placement (AP) scores in public schools, and Worcester County can boast its students are continuing to improve The announcement that Maryland once again leads all other states in terms of AP testing success came from Gov. Martin O’Malley’s office this week. “Because of the better choices we’ve made together to invest in our children’s future, we’ve built the No. 1 public...READ MORE

Early Ocean City Budget Projection Reveals Shortfall

OCEAN CITY – Although budget picture remains cloudy this week in Ocean City, the fiscal year 2014 General Fund revenue will fall short of expenses, staff told the Mayor and Council this week. Subsequently, city officials are brainstorming alternative revenues to close the gap without having to pull from fund balance this time around. At Tuesday’s meeting, City Manager David Recor and Budget Manager Jennie Knapp presented an overview of the projected FY14 General Fund revenue. For the...READ MORE

Berlin Fire Company, Council Hope To Avoid Mediator

BERLIN -- With Berlin’s budget season approaching, both town leadership and Berlin Fire Company (BFC) representatives agreed that the dispute between the two agencies over funding might be nearing resolution. As has been the tradition with the conflict, however, neither side could make any guarantees. “I certainly hope that we have all that we need so all of this can be considered during our budget process,” said Mayor Gee Williams. While the BFC was included in the budget last...READ MORE

Death Penalty Repeal Escapes Senate Committee By 6-5 Vote

BERLIN -- The debate over a possible repeal of Maryland’s death penalty intensified this week after a key Senate committee passed Gov. Martin O’Malley’s latest attempt to abolish capital punishment. Early in the current session, O’Malley made repealing the death penalty a top priority this year, but gaining the approval of the Senate Judiciary Proceedings committee was considered a major stumbling block. The governor’s last effort to repeal capital punishment in the...READ MORE

Offshore Wind Bill Expected To Pass Soon

OCEAN CITY -- A future offshore wind energy farm, proposed as close as 10 miles off the coast of Ocean City, inched closer to reality this week with the anticipated passage by the entire state Senate now the only stumbling block from a legislative standpoint. Gov. Martin O’Malley’s Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013 was passed last Friday by the House by a vote of 86-48. The Senate Finance Committee passed the legislation by a vote of 7-4 on Tuesday, setting up a final vote...READ MORE

Resident Questions Berlin Youth Club Funding

BERLIN -- Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services (WYFCS) visited the Berlin Mayor and Council Monday to give a regular report on the organization’s free youth program. Following the report, a resident voiced concerns that WYFCS “doesn’t have a presence” on the east side of town with the Berlin Youth Club. However, Mayor Gee Williams defended the organization’s efforts and said he believes all parts of town benefit from the youth club. Resident Gabe Purnell...READ MORE

Legalize Marijuana Bill Faces Uphill Battle In Md.

BERLIN -- A bill introduced in the General Assembly this week would add Maryland to the growing list of states legalizing marijuana, but the measure will not likely see the light of day. Four Baltimore City delegates this week introduced House Bill 1453, which, if approved, would legalize marijuana in Maryland under certain specific conditions. The legislation would remove criminal penalties for private possession and home-growing of limited amounts of marijuana for adults 21 and older and...READ MORE

Ocean City News In Brief

OCEAN CITY -- The Ocean City Mayor and Council considered several issues large and small on their agenda last week. The following is a quick snapshot of some of the issues discussed and approvals granted. Resident Agent Amendment Approved The Mayor and Council last week approved on second reading an amendment to the town’s code that would allow a resident agent for an Ocean City rental property to live within 30 miles of the resort. The town’s original ordinance required resident...READ MORE

Salisbury OKs New Travel Rules, Lower False Alarm Violation Fees

SALISBURY – Business items regarding council rules and regulations and false alarm fees returned to the Salisbury City Council this week after being postponed previously for more discussion. When the City Council met in legislative session earlier this month, approvals to amend the Salisbury City Council Regulations and Rules of Order travel policy as well as amend false alarm fees associated with emergency services response were postponed after certain council members asked to have the...READ MORE

Berlin Approves Stormwater Design Work

BERLIN -- The first steps toward stormwater infrastructure improvements in Berlin were taken this week when the Town Council approved just over $200,000 be given to EA Engineering for providing impervious surface data for properties in town as well as for design work on the first four stormwater projects. The lion’s share of that cost, roughly $197,000, is being given to EA Engineering for design work on priority projects. While discussion on establishing a stormwater utility was still...READ MORE

Proposed Performing Arts Center’s Impact On Existing Conventions Weighed

OCEAN CITY -- The planned performing arts center addition to the Roland E. Powell Convention Center has some members of the business community concerned it could have an unfavorable impact if existing bookings decide to go elsewhere. Last weekend the first of two Reach The Beach cheerleading conventions was held at the convention center, and several hotel companies confirmed this week the future of the event in Ocean City is mired in uncertainty due to questions about the ultimate floor space...READ MORE

OC Councilman Recovering From Health Scare

OCEAN CITY – Councilman Joe Mitrecic is back to business while he is recovering from a heart attack at home and plans to be back in council chambers Monday. Mitrecic was released from the hospital on Wednesday evening after suffering from a heart attack last weekend. The Dispatch spoke with him on Thursday afternoon as he sat in his office at home working on some paper work. “I don’t plan on being gone too long,” he said. “I actually feel better now than I did last...READ MORE