Archives

Salisbury Rental Property Fees Likely Heading Down

SALISBURY – The city and the Neighborhood Services Code Compliance (NSCC) board currently face 50 appeals involving non-complaint and delinquent property owners, due to the costs in fees to register rental properties. According to NSCC Director Tom Stevenson, in January of this year the city solicitor’s office advised the Mayor and Council of an assessment performed to evaluate the reasonableness of the rental registration fees for noncompliant or delinquent rental property...READ MORE

Salisbury May Hike Sewer Rates For 2nd Plant

SALISBURY -- While waiting on the outcome of a $60 million lawsuit against the private contractor for the construction of a failed wastewater treatment plant, Salisbury officials this week said the city might have to fund the replacement on the backs of its citizens through increased sewer fees and possibly even a significant bond sale. A few years back, Salisbury was faced with funding a major replacement for its failing wastewater treatment plant under orders by the state to reduce its flow of...READ MORE

County Program Open Space Funding Slashed

SNOW HILL -- The County Commissioners were less than pleased to learn the county and its municipalities were scheduled to receive just over $101,000 in Program Open Space funds from the state out of the $10.3 million requested locally and the $23 million plus set to be awarded to jurisdictions across Maryland. Worcester County Recreation and Parks Department Director Sharon Reilly on Wednesday presented the proposed fiscal year 2012 Program Open Space (POS) plan, a wish list of sorts from the...READ MORE

Brooks Eyes First Crabcake Factory Franchise In OC

OCEAN CITY – Little did Johnny Brooks, owner of Crabcake Factory USA on 120th Street, know when he opened  the restaurant in 1996 he would be celebrating its 15th year anniversary in the midst of preparing to open its first franchise location in downtown Ocean City. According to Brooks, over the last three years he has been approached on several occasions about franchising Crabcake Factory USA. He had initially looked into a location in Ocean Pines but once that fell through he...READ MORE

New Boardwalk Design Details Unveiled

OCEAN CITY – The Mayor and City Council granted approval this week for city staff to move forward in the bid process to renovate the Boardwalk, leading possibly to construction starting as soon as this fall. A few months ago, the Mayor and City Council voted to approve an all-wood deck on the Boardwalk over two other options involving a concrete tram lane or a stamped concrete tram lane to resemble a wooden pattern. Since then, City Engineer Terry McGean has been working on the next...READ MORE

Proposed Route 589 Corridor Plan Released

SNOW HILL -- County officials this week got a first glimpse at the state’s proposed Route 589 Corridor Vision Plan, but withheld a formal endorsement of the planning document for the busy stretch of highway until the public has a chance to weigh in. The County Commissioners on Tuesday were presented with the State Highway Administration (SHA) future plan for the redevelopment of Route 589, the busy corridor between Routes 50 and 113 that runs through Ocean Pines and west of the relatively...READ MORE

OC Council Seeks Unity, Postpones Cab Fare Increase

OCEAN CITY – Taxi cab companies preferring a fare increase will have to hold off longer as the Mayor and City Council decided to delay the approval of a resolution establishing the increase amid hopes of finding common ground among taxi companies. The Mayor and City Council last week voted to pass a motion to give a cab company owner the option to increase taxi fares from 22 cents to a maximum of 24 cents per 10th of a mile in a 4-3 vote. Before the vote, the topic was most recently...READ MORE

Memorial Day Ceremony Planned

SALISBURY -- Area residents are invited to honor those men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving at a Memorial Day Ceremony to be held on Monday, May 30, at 10 a.m.  The ceremony will take place at the Wicomico War Veterans Memorial in front of the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center. All are welcome and encouraged to attend this free event, which is organized by members of the Wicomico War Veterans Memorial Committee.  In the event of inclement weather, the...READ MORE

County Boat Ramp Overhaul On Schedule

WEST OCEAN CITY -- Despite a setback that cost the contractor considerable time and expense, construction of the new public boat ramp at the commercial harbor is West Ocean City is back on track for a Memorial Day opening as planned, county officials learned this week. The extensive rehabilitation and reconstruction of the decades old West Ocean City boat ramp continued in earnest this week after a setback involving the sheeting material for the coffer dams built around the site were overcome....READ MORE

Air Show Adds Stealth Bomber To Event Lineup

OCEAN CITY -- One week after a headline act of the 2011 Ocean City Air Show became jeopardized, organizers this week announced a B-2 Stealth Bomber flyover had been added to this year’s line-up. Air Show organizer Bryan Lilley said the Air Force B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber will do a flyover at the 2011 Ocean City Air Show in June on Saturday afternoon. Lilley said getting the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber, based at the Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, to do a flyover is quite a coup for the...READ MORE

Beach Patrol Makes Early Rescues

OCEAN CITY -- A potential early season tragedy was averted this week when two off-duty and two on-duty Ocean City Beach Patrol officers helped pull a swimmer in distress from the ocean in the 28th Street area on Wednesday afternoon. Shortly after 4 p.m., two off-duty Beach Patrol officers were surfing in the area of 28th Street when they observed a young man caught in a rip current and in distress and immediately initiated a rescue. Meanwhile, an individual on the beach witnessing the scene...READ MORE

Booking Snafu Causes Michaels To Miss Sunfest

OCEAN CITY – Special event organizers face a challenge this week as only months away from Ocean City’s famous event, Sunfest, its prime performer Bret Michaels re-scheduled for next year. The city announced this week that Michaels will not be performing at this fall’s Sunfest due to a scheduling conflict. Michael’s performance was scheduled for Sept. 24, 2011 and has been rescheduled for Sept. 22, 2012. The scheduling conflict appeared when American and European booking...READ MORE

Commissioners Debate Solid Waste Fee Increases

SNOW HILL -- It may soon cost more to dump trash and other materials at the Worcester County landfill and its satellite transfer stations, as county officials continue to wrestle with declining revenues and growing expenses at the facilities. The County Commissioners this week got a look at a list of recommendations for reconciling Worcester’s solid waste enterprise fund budget for fiscal year 2012 that include fairly significant increases in tipping fees and permits for users of the...READ MORE

Proposed Bay Bridge Toll Hikes Worry Officials

OCEAN CITY -- Maryland Transportation Authority (MTA) board members last week announced a proposal to double the tolls on the Bay Bridge this fall and triple the rates by 2013, causing a gamut of emotions for some Eastern Shore lawmakers from concern to outrage. MTA board members met last week in a work session regarding possible toll increases on most major bridges and tunnels in the state’s complex transportation network. Among the proposals floated by the board is a potential increase...READ MORE

County Orders Property Owner To Clear Debris

SNOW HILL -- A Worcester property owner this week got no relief from a county-ordered nuisance abatement for a demolished building at an intersection in Bishopville, despite efforts to work with local fire departments on a possible controlled burn of the former structure. Worcester County property owner James Bergey, Jr. recently asked for a five-week extension to remove what’s left of an old building on his property near the intersection of St. Martin’s Neck Rd. and Bishopville Rd....READ MORE

Ocean City Approves Fire Boat, New Two Trucks

OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Fire Department received approval this week from the Ocean City Mayor and Council to purchase two new fire engines and a fire rescue boat. On Monday evening, Fire Chief Chris Larmore presented the council with a package that requested the approval of a fire apparatus replacement schedule, bid award for a fire rescue boat and a sole source purchase of two fire engines. “A lot of this package started many years ago,” Laramore said. “The...READ MORE

Pedestrian Injured In Collision On Coastal Highway

OCEAN CITY -- The first pedestrian-vehicle collision of the young season took place this week when an 89-year-old woman was struck by a car on Coastal Highway in the 97th Street area, reinforcing the common sense message about pedestrians and vehicles sharing the busy highway. Around 3 p.m. on Monday, Ocean City Police responded to 97th Street and Coastal Highway for a reported collision involving a pedestrian. The investigation revealed the woman was attempting to cross Coastal Highway from...READ MORE

Resort Businesses Claim Honors In Annual Campaign

OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City’s hospitality industry was once again well represented in the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s (RAM) 57th Annual “Stars of the Industry” awards with several local businesses bringing home many of the top honors at the annual gala. RAM hosted its 57th McCormick and Company “Stars of the Industry” gala this week in Baltimore, recognizing the top establishments around the state in several major categories. Once again, the resort...READ MORE

Resort Officially Selected To Host Komen 2012 Race

OCEAN CITY – On April 22, 2012 Susan G. Komen will be holding its Race for the Cure for the first time in Ocean City. During a press conference on Tuesday morning, Komen officials and Mayor Rick Meehan expressed their excitement in having the event held here in town. Susan G. Komen of Maryland Executive Director and Emcee Robin Prothro said that Komen Maryland will celebrate its 20th year in 2012. She added that the organization is the only in the world that is solely devoted to the...READ MORE

Salisbury Eyes Stormwater Projects To Ease Pollution

SALISBURY -- Salisbury residents could soon see an increase on their water and sewer bills as the city attempts to identify a funding stream for its growing list of stormwater management projects. Salisbury Mayor James Ireton, Jr. said this week during his monthly roundtable meeting with community leaders the city is preparing to undertake several stormwater management projects to decrease the amount of pollution in the form of runoff from getting into the rivers, creeks and streams that...READ MORE

State’s Attorney Vows Partnerships Making A Difference

SALISBURY -- Touting a significant decrease in most serious offenses thus far in 2011, Wicomico County State’s Attorney Matt Maciarello was talking tough on crime this week during a roundtable discussion with Salisbury community leaders. Salisbury Mayor James Ireton, Jr. this week shared the year-to-date crime statistics with leaders from the city’s various neighborhoods during the discussion. Ireton pointed out Part One crimes, which include murders, manslaughters, rapes, robberies,...READ MORE

Free Gas Promotion Idea Seeks $1M From Ad Budget

OCEAN CITY – A few council members were wary to pass the fiscal year 2012 budget through first reading during this week’s Mayor and City Council meeting, due to nunresolved issues including an allocation of a portion of the tourism budget to establish a free gas promotion this summer. Councilman Brent Ashley took the opportunity to bring up a promotional idea regarding gas giveaways. “I think things are slow in town and I think the numbers prove that,” Ashley said....READ MORE