Archives

NEW FOR THURSDAY: Parent, School Embroiled In Bullying Allegations

BERLIN -- Both sides sought to clear the air this week after an ad published in this newspaper made allegations of misconduct against two Stephen Decatur High School (SDHS) coaches and a cover-up by its principal. Last week, a full-page advertisement in The Dispatch claimed that SDHS baseball coaches Rich Ferro and Garrett Magaha have recently “verbally abused … and degraded” some of their players and invited parents to join a newly formed support group, Parents Against...READ MORE

NEW FOR WEDNESDAY: Q&A With New City Manager David Recor

Eight months after the City Council voted to dismiss long-time City Manager Dennis Dare, David Recor was officially hired this week as Ocean City’s fourth city manager. Before coming to Ft. Pierce in 2005 as its deputy city manager and becoming city manager in 2008, Recor, a credentialed manager with the International City/County Manager Association, was the deputy director of Planning & Community Development from 2003 to 2005 for Fairfax, Va.; planning and land use director for...READ MORE

NEW FOR TUESDAY: Council Vote Makes Recor Official; Mayor Seeks Support For New Manager

OCEAN CITY -- The Ocean City Council remained divided on a new employment agreement with new City Manager David Recor today, but the seven members did commit to a symbolic show of support in an unanimous vote for the resort’s new chief executive. In a closed meeting prior to this afternoon’s work session, the council voted 4-3 -- Brent Ashley, Jim Hall, Joe Hall and Margaret Pillas in support and Doug Cymek, Mary Knight and Lloyd Martin opposed -- to accept an employment agreement...READ MORE

NEW FOR MONDAY: OC Reef Foundation Aims To Bury Fish Hotels, Oyster Castles

OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Reef Foundation continues to build artificial reefs throughout Ocean City’s surrounding waters to support local fisheries and the eco system. That effort will be seeking a funding injection on Wednesday when the foundation holds a benefit at Hall’s Restaurant. The Ocean City Reef Foundation was established in 1997. It is dedicated to the Sustained Improvement of Recreational Fishing and Diving in Maryland's Coastal Waters through Habitat Management,...READ MORE

NEW FOR FRIDAY: Council To Vote Tuesday On City Manager Contract

OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City is in receipt of an employment agreement signed by David Recor, and it will become official as soon as the Mayor and Council votes to approve it on Tuesday. Ocean City Human Resources Director Wayne Evans confirmed this morning that Recor sent an executed agreement last night to the city. It does not become final until the council approves it. A vote on the contract will come Tuesday, according to Council President Jim Hall. Recor could begin work for the city as early...READ MORE

Next City Manager Spotlighted; Ft. Pierce Weighs In On City Pick

OCEAN CITY -- The resort’s new city manager’s experience working with a divided council in Ft. Pierce, Fla. could suit him well in Ocean City where division and tension are the new norm at City Hall.With contract negotiations reportedly nearly complete, David Recor is expected to become Ocean City’s fourth city manager, following Tony Barrett, Joe Braun and Dennis Dare, whose 21-year tenure as the city’s chief executive officer ended last September when the City Council...READ MORE

Beer Can Trail Leads To Burglar

BERLIN -- A Berlin man was arrested on burglary and other charges this week after a trail of beer cans connected him to a break-in at a package goods store near Ocean Pines. Last Friday, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office responded to an activated burglary alarm at the Barley Hops and Grapes convenience store on Route 589 near Ocean Pines. Upon arrival, deputies observed a window on the north side of the building was broken and also observed a case of Miller Lite in the parking...READ MORE

Northside Park Movies Return

OCEAN CITY – The return of movies at Northside Park may be just what the North Ocean City Business Alliance (NOCBA) needs to get business moving in their direction. In the beginning of this year the NOCBA was formed to gather ideas in how to draw more attention to the north end of Ocean City and its businesses. One of the ways suggested to boost business was to hold more special events in that end of town. The Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department has recently announced that it is...READ MORE

OC Escalator Lawsuit Closed Two Years After Settlement

OCEAN CITY -- Nearly three years after a Vermont high school student filed suit against the town of Ocean City and a private manufacturer after suffering serious injuries when an escalator collapsed in the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in 2006, the books were finally closed this week with an undisclosed amount of damages paid to the victim. In May 2006, several members of a high school band from Vermont, in Ocean City for the annual Youth Music Competition at the Convention Center, were...READ MORE

New City Manager Could Start In June; Contract Talks In Final Phase

OCEAN CITY -- Forty-eight hours after stating his intentions to stay in Ft. Pierce, Fla., David Recor resigned as city manager of the coastal town Wednesday and is currently finalizing an agreement to become Ocean City’s next city manager. As of yesterday afternoon, an accord was not official, but all sides are indicating they are close to reaching terms, which includes a reported annual salary of $147,000, three weeks paid vacation, a city vehicle and $10,000 in moving expenses. Recor,...READ MORE

Route 13 Project Underway

SALISBURY -- The State Highway Administration (SHA) this week started a two-year stormwater project to improve drainage along Route 13 Business (North Salisbury Boulevard) from East Church Street to east of London Street and in the Newtown neighborhood of Salisbury.   The $5.3 million project will improve drainage and eliminate flooding along a one-half mile section of Route 13 and on Isabella Street, Park Avenue and William Street. By improving and adding underground drainage pipes, runoff...READ MORE

Skin Cancer Prevention Stressed During Awareness Month

BERLIN -- May is national Skin Cancer Awareness month and with the summer season fast approaching, Worcester County health care officials and Ocean City Beach Patrol representatives are urging residents and visitors alike to protect themselves. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation (SCF), 13 million Americans have a history of non-melanoma skin cancer and close to 800,000 have a history of melanoma, which the foundation stresses is “the most dangerous form of skin...READ MORE

Plim Plaza Seeks Lawsuit Dismissal

OCEAN CITY -- Three weeks after a Virginia couple filed a $6 million suit against a historic Boardwalk hotel and its ownership group after one of them allegedly fell ill to Legionnaire’s Disease, the defendants this week denied the allegations and are seeking a dismissal of the case. In October, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Worcester County Health Department confirmed the presence of legionellosis, more commonly known as Legionnaire’s Disease, in the...READ MORE

Expanded Gaming Not Likely Part Of Md. Special Session

BERLIN -- While the Maryland General Assembly will convene early next week for a special session largely devoted to unresolved state budget issues, it appears a debate about an expansion to table games will not be on the agenda. Caught up in the swirl of failed budget negotiations as the 2012 session expired in April were a handful of bills that would have provided for an expansion to table games such as blackjack, poker, craps and roulette, for example, at Maryland’s casinos including...READ MORE

Wicomico Coach Awarded

SALISBURY -- Tommy Bowden, of Sharptown was honored with a Community Volunteer Award by the Maryland Recreation & Parks Association (MRPA) during its annual conference in Ocean City last month. Bowden, nominated by Wicomico Recreation, Parks, Tourism and Civic Center was presented with the MRPA Community Volunteer Award for his work with the Department as a youth soccer coach and volunteer. Bowden’s relationship with the department began over 13 years ago as a coach for the...READ MORE

State Lawmakers Eye Special Session To Resolve Budget

BERLIN -- When state lawmakers return to Annapolis next week for a special session called by Governor Martin O’Malley, their primary objective will be to pick up the budget debate left on the table when the regular session expired last month, but despite the saber rattling and gnashing of teeth, it appears a deal has already been reached. When the 2012 session expired on April 9, the governor’s tax increase package and budget reconciliation plan died on the table with no agreement...READ MORE

Fatal Fall From Ocean City Hotel Balcony

OCEAN CITY -- Ocean City Police this week are investigating a fatal fall from a Boardwalk hotel balcony late Thursday afternoon. Around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Ocean City Police and Paramedics responded to the Holiday Inn on the Boardwalk at 17th Street for a report of an individual that had fallen onto the pool deck below on the ocean side of the facility. Emergency personnel arrived at the scene and located an unresponsive individual who appeared to have fallen from a hotel balcony. A source at...READ MORE

Adolfo’s Finds ‘Perfect Home’ On The Ocean

OCEAN CITY – Adolfo’s Italian Restaurant on the Ocean has moved from the Inlet and has settled into its new home, complete with a beautiful view, in the Beach Plaza Hotel on 13th Street. Co-Owner Kimberly Griffin first started working at Adolfo’s as a server in 1991 and became the restaurant’s owner 10 years later just a few months before she was married to her husband, David. The Griffins were initially looking for a new location in West Ocean City with plenty of parking...READ MORE

Offshore Powerboat Season Kicks Off In OC

OCEAN CITY -- The grand spectacle of offshore powerboat racing returns to Ocean City this weekend with the arrival of the first leg of the Offshore Powerboat Association (OPA) summer-long series around the country. The OPA series gets underway this weekend with the Ocean City Grand Prix, the first of seven events at locations all over the country. Dozens of high-powered offshore powerboats will converge on the resort area starting this afternoon for a series of events onshore and off throughout...READ MORE

Stroke Scorecards Offered During Awareness Month

SALISBURY -- A baseball game wouldn't be the same if the teams didn't keep track of the score, and as in any sport, it is important to keep the score when it comes to personal health. Tracking what one is doing well and what improvements or changes are needed can lead to a healthier, more active life. According to the National Stroke Association, in the United States, stroke is the third leading cause of death, killing about 137,000 people each year. Stroke is also a leading cause of serious,...READ MORE

Hats For Hospice Benefit Planned For May 19

BERLIN -- The public is invited to join Coastal Hospice on Saturday, May 19 for its annual party, this year with a new Hats for Hospice theme celebrating the Maryland tradition of the Preakness Stakes, while also honoring a woman who is one of the most generous individuals and successful business owners on the lower shore. The Hats for Hospice Preakness Party will be held at Emma’s Breeze Farm in Eden on the banks of the Wicomico River from 4-8 p.m. Proceeds from the event...READ MORE

Fight Leads To Sister Running Over Brother

OCEAN CITY -- A Washington, D.C. woman was arrested on first-degree assault and other serious charges last weekend after allegedly driving her car onto the sidewalk in the area of 39th Street and deliberately running over her brother with whom she had been fighting. Around 6:30 p.m. last Saturday, Ocean City Police responded to the area of 39th Street and Coastal Highway for a reported motor vehicle accident and assault. When officers arrived on the scene, they observed a 2011 Mazda parked...READ MORE

Council Votes 4-3 To Knock Penny Off Proposed Tax Rate

OCEAN CITY – Property owners may receive a little relief this year as a last-minute amendment was made this week to the proposed fiscal year 2013 budget to decrease property tax by a penny. The proposed budget reached the Mayor and City Council on Monday night on first reading, setting the tax rate in Ocean City at the constant yield, which is $0.4685 per $100 of assessed valuation of real property. Before the council could reach a vote to approve the budget as is, Councilman Joe Hall...READ MORE

Council Grants 2013 Date For Komen Race

OCEAN CITY – Susan G. Komen representatives returned to Ocean City this week to report on last month’s Race for the Cure and were granted a date hold for next year’s event. Eastern Shore Race and Development Coordinator Lydia Wooten reported there were total of 3,662 registrants for the event and 36 percent were from the Eastern Shore. “So the rest of them were traveling and stayed in hotels,” Wooten said. Komen has estimated that the economic impact on Ocean City...READ MORE

Council Drops Specific Training Area Requirement From New Scooter Laws

OCEAN CITY – With scooter rental operators adopting the impression the city wants to put them all out of business, the Mayor and City Council took a step back this week and made a few changes to the proposed law before its final vote. “I don’t think any of us who voted for this did it because we wanted to destroy business. We did it because we want people to be safe,” Councilwoman Mary Knight said during Monday night’s Mayor and City Council meeting. In February,...READ MORE

Berlin Youth Club Seeking Summer Volunteers

BERLIN -- Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services (WYFCS) is getting ready to launch into its second Berlin Youth Club summer camp and is looking for volunteers in the community with an interest in helping children. “We’re excited about some things we’ll have going on this summer,” said WYFCS Executive Director Teresa Fields. Hoping to build on the success of last years’ summer camp, WYFCS will be keeping some of the most popular aspects of that program while...READ MORE

Bishopville Pond Funding Secured

BISHOPVILLE -- After years of delays, work on the Bishopville pond project looks like it will finally be getting start late this summer or early next fall, according to Maryland Coastal Bays Program Director (MCBP) Dave Wilson. “We’re really hoping to get things moving,” he said this week. The Bishopville pond project has been in the works for roughly a decade. In 2010, it looked as though shovels were poised to strike dirt, but issues with funding and permitting caused the...READ MORE

Police Remind Teens Of Distracted Driving Dangers

OCEAN CITY -- While drinking and driving continues to be the main threat to young drivers in Maryland and across the country, a fairly new threat, text messaging and cell phone use, are starting to pile up some ominous statistics. With the arrival of high school prom and graduation season in Worcester County and throughout the state, the message about the dangers of drinking and driving continue to be hammered home. However, adding to risk is the growing phenomenon of distracted driving,...READ MORE

Route 589 Property Rezoning Moves Ahead

SNOW HILL -- A requested change to zoning for an Ocean Pines property from agricultural to commercial received a favorable recommendation from the Worcester County Planning Commission last week. The ruling was hard won, however, with the usually unanimous commission split 4-3 on the vote. First appearing before the commissioners in April, the petition for property re-zoning an A-1 Ocean Pines’ lot located near Route 589 was delayed to give the body time to mull over the case. At the time,...READ MORE

Reef Foundation To Hold Annual Benefit May 16

OCEAN CITY -- The Ocean City Reef Foundation next week will hold its annual fundraising dinner at Hall’s Restaurant on Wednesday. Next Wednesday, May 16, Hall’s Restaurant will play host to the reef foundation’s annual Italian Night dinner along with auctions, raffles and other special events. Local businesses have donated prizes for the auction and a 50-50 raffle will also be held, the proceeds of which will help fund the foundation’s reef building efforts off the coast...READ MORE

Italian, Mexican Restaurants Eye Berlin’s Main St.

BERLIN -- Two new restaurants are planning to open on Berlin’s Main Street this June and, while their owners have similar backgrounds and goals, the two experiences offered will be “night and day different,” according to Siculi co-owner Pete Livolsi. Siculi, a rustic Italian kitchen, and Paco’s Tex-Mex and Beyond both plan on opening for business in Berlin in mid-June. Between the two of them, the restaurants represent an overnight boom to the town’s dining...READ MORE

Bennett Middle Students Unveil Mural Collection

SALISBURY -- James M. Bennett Middle School (BMS) art teacher Lavern Harmon revealed this week a collection of murals painted by over 80 students, teachers and parents. The images span a broad-spectrum of education-related topics and will follow students and teachers to a much anticipated new BMS building, hopefully sometime in the near future. Covering subjects like “character counts,” “striving towards success,” and the BMS Viking mascot, the mural was painted onto nine...READ MORE