Published August 17, 2012
BERLIN -- The town of Berlin this week pulled all Berlin Fire Company (BFC) funding early this week, citing a continued pattern of harassment and discrimination, but BFC leadership fired back today the issue has more to do with the control than workplace hostility.
On Tuesday, the Berlin Mayor and Council announced it was yanking the roughly $600,000 in funding from the fiscal year 2013 budget for the BFC and its associated EMS department over allegations of discrimination and harassment that...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY – Last weekend’s Dew Tour in Ocean City featured record-breaking attendance once again, and organizers are already looking to book next year’s date.
“We are thrilled to have hosted another successful Dew Tour in Ocean City. The support from the city and community has been tremendous, with the Pantech Beach Championships being the highest attended event in Dew Tour history, with over 93,000 people enjoying the event over the weekend,” Vice President of...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY – A new shopping center is being proposed to breathe new life into rare empty parcels of land on 67th Street.
This week the Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed a couple of site plans, one being a proposed 20,727-square-foot commercial shopping center, known as the 67th Street Town Center, to be located on the west side of Coastal Highway and north side of 67th Street.
Several different proposals have been made in the past to develop the land, as recently as January 2011 when...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY -- After weeks of relative calm on the pedestrian collision front in the resort, another pedestrian was struck by a vehicle early Monday morning and was flown by Maryland State Police helicopter to PRMC in Salisbury and is listed in stable condition early this week.
Throughout the month of June, pedestrians being struck by vehicles occurred weekly, almost daily in some cases, including at least two fatalities. However, thanks in part to an aggressive public awareness campaign and the...
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Published August 17, 2012
BERLIN -- Citing hostile working conditions and unveiled hints of discrimination and harassment, the Berlin Mayor and Council today announced the town was disassociating itself from and ceasing all financial aid to the Berlin Fire Company (BFC).
The Berlin Mayor and Council on Tuesday announced it will amend its fiscal year 2013 budget to cease all financial aid to the BFC as a result of the organization’s inability to accept basic requirements of the town’s personnel policies to...
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Published August 17, 2012
SNOW HILL -- After a General Assembly special session this month proposed changes to Maryland’s gambling regulations, the Worcester County Local Development Council (LDC) went to work yesterday trying to understand exactly what the new rules will mean.
While the changes received general support from the LDC, some did question what kind of impact loosening restrictions on casinos could have for the entertainment industry. All decisions made during the special session will be included as a...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY – The 2012 season of the new Dew Tour kicked off yesterday in Ocean City under sunny skies. With a line of spectators stretching down the Boardwalk, the Pantech Beach Championships opened with a day of action both in and out of the water.
The pioneers of bowl skating convened on the beach in Ocean City to showcase their timeless skills as the sun set. After each skater landed his first run, it was clear the competition would be heavy.
Chris Miller came...
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Published August 17, 2012
BERLIN -- After a whirlwind five-day special session, state lawmakers this week approved legislation expanding casino gambling in Maryland, including the addition of table games and a sixth casino in Prince George’s County, and it will now be up to the state’s electorate to approve the changes in November.
The Maryland General Assembly this week passed legislation aimed at expanding the state’s nascent casino gambling programs after considerable debate during the special...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY – This week The Dispatch caught up with Team Toyota athletes Bob Burnquist and Jamie Bestwick, as they were preparing to return to Ocean City this to compete in the Pantech Beach Championship of the Dew Tour this weekend.
Burnquist is from Brazil and is a skateboard vert and Mega ramp specialist. His achievements are too numerous to list, but some of note are being voted by his peers three times as the best vert skateboarder, victory medals from virtually every meaningful action...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY -- A city councilman denied this week any abuse of power when he served $3,300 in meals to emergency responders during Hurricane Irene a year ago.
Earlier this month, this publication received a letter alleging Hall’s Restaurant conducted business during Hurricane Irene when all other operators had to shut down amid fears of power outages, sewer system shutdowns and general evacuation provisions. The letter, written by an Ocean City property owner and a registered voter who...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY -- On the day family and friends solemnly marked the anniversary of the passing of beloved Ocean City resident and long-time public servant, the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) announced a major energy efficiency program for the state’s agriculture and farming industry in her name.
MEA officials on Wednesday announced the Kathleen A.P. Mathias Agriculture Energy Efficiency Program, which will provide grants to farms and businesses in the agriculture sector to cover up to 75...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY -- In what could become a common occurrence with the proliferation of scooters in the resort and their inevitable interactions with motor vehicles, a Salisbury man has filed suit seeking $500,000 from a Massachusetts woman, alleging she was negligent when she struck him with her car while he was riding a scooter on Coastal Highway last September.
The case was originally filed in Worcester County Circuit Court in February, but last week was transferred to U.S. District Court. The...
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Published August 17, 2012
SNOW HILL -- At this month’s Board of License Commissioners (BLC) meeting, only $1,000 worth of fines was levied for underage alcohol sales, though the board stressed that it observed a disturbing lack of communication and training in several cases that needs to be rectified.
With only three cases, there were a small number of sales to minor violations at the August BLC meeting. Because all three were first-time offenders, repercussions were light, though Board Chair William Esham warned...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY -- Two anglers caught Maryland state record groupers off the coast of Ocean City late last month within a week of each other and from the same boat.
On July 22, Robert Purcell of Bishopville caught a 56-pound snowy grouper while fishing in the Norfolk Canyon about 75 miles off the coast of Ocean City. Purcell’s grouper, caught while fishing with Captain Richard Benn, was quickly heralded as the new state record for the species.
“The first 15 minutes were the...
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Published August 17, 2012
SNOW HILL -- Though many likely wish it could last a little longer, summer vacation is coming to an end and Worcester County schools are opening their doors on Aug. 27. And with a new school year comes a fresh crop of teachers who went through induction this week.
“The induction helps improve and accelerate teacher performance,” said new teachers coordinator Shirleen Church. “It fosters ongoing learning, collaboration and accountability as well as ongoing professional growth...
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Published August 17, 2012
WEST OCEAN CITY -- After months of regulatory red tape followed by hard work and moving dirt, the old town of Ocean City dump turned pristine kayak launch along Ayres Creek officially opened this week with a little help from state and local dignitaries and the lieutenant governor’s family.
On Tuesday, the Ayers Creek Kayak Launch officially opened with a ribbon-cutting and a kayak tour on a nearly 40-acre pristine site off Lewis Rd. that was once a dump for the town of Ocean City and later...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY – Ocean City officials “dropped in” yesterday morning with Dew Tour athletes to kick off the Pantech Beach Championships.
Equipped with miniature finger trick boards, the Ocean City Mayor and City Council, along with Dew Tour officials and athletes Jamie Bestwick, Bob Burnquist, and Bucky Lasek gathered on the skate vert and let them ride down the ramp to start off the second year of the competition in Ocean City.
“We are very excited to be back in Ocean City...
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Published August 17, 2012
BERLIN -- With the fall high school sports season now in full bloom, the potential for concussions and head injuries has returned, but one local physical therapy establishment is helping make sure local student-athletes, coaches and trainers are better prepared for diagnosis and management.
In late July, the State Board of Education handed down emergency regulations aimed at further protecting Maryland’s high school athletes from head injuries and concussions, including strict guidelines...
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Published August 17, 2012
BERLIN -- The Brown Box Theatre Project will be taking the Bard out of the books and into the streets this fall with free performances of Romeo and Juliet all across the Eastern Shore.
Directed by Berlin native Kyler Taustin, the Brown Box shows will start in Boston, where the theater is based, and eventually head south beginning Sept. 7 to several local spots, including stops in Salisbury, Snow Hill, Ocean Pines, Ocean City, St. Martin’s Church and Berlin.
According to Berlin Director of...
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Published August 17, 2012
BERLIN -- Drawing on support from businesses in and around Berlin, the 1st Annual Berlin Bridal Show to be held in September seeks to provide a complete “gamut” of wedding services, according to organizers.
“It’s trying to promote Berlin as a wedding destination,” said Jen Davis, co-owner of Bustle, the new bridal boutique that opened in Berlin this summer.
As chair, Davis explained that she and the other organizers have been working for months to create an event...
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Published August 17, 2012
BERLIN -- After meeting with State Highway Association (SHA) representatives this month, Berlin Town Administrator Tony Carson informed the Mayor and Council that three sidewalk projects are in the works and expected to begin this autumn.
“We went to get an update on future projects State Highway will be doing in Berlin,” stated Carson.
On the books for a September start will be some much anticipated sidewalk work along Broad Street, followed by William Street and finally Main...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY -- The production staff for “Ping Pong Summer,” an independent movie which will begin shooting in the Ocean City area this fall, is looking for items to be featured in the film.
The items, which include games, toys, clothing and Ocean City memorabilia, will be used by the property and art department for the feature film.
The items, all of which are requested to be from 1975-1985, includes Ping Pong tables, paddles and balls; arcade video games, arcade pinball and arcade...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY -- A Pennsylvania man was arrested this week on numerous charges, including second-degree rape after allegedly sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl and physically assaulting others, during a disturbance at an uptown residence last Sunday morning.
Around 10 a.m. last Sunday, Ocean City Police responded to a residence on 120th Street for a reported disturbance. Upon arrival, the officers were confronted by a group of individuals who advised police a male who had been staying with...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY – The Town of Ocean City encourages those attending the Dew Tour this weekend to take municipal buses to the event, which will be held on the beach north of the pier and steps from the Ocean City Boardwalk.
Coastal Highway bus service is $3 ride all day or $1 per boarding. The normal summer bus schedule will be in effect throughout the event. Buses run approximately every 10 minutes from 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. and every 20 minutes from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m.
The Ocean City Park-N-Ride on...
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Published August 17, 2012
SALISBURY – Cyclists in Salisbury had a good week as the City Council approved an ordinance to create a long-awaited bicycle route.
The ordinance proposed was to approve the first phase of a bike route that will run from the intersection of Camden Ave. and West College Ave. to North Division Street near the Government Office Building. The route will provide dedicated bicycle-only lanes where feasible and shared bicycle and motorized vehicle lanes where the roadway width is not sufficient...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY -- Tragedy struck yesterday afternoon when a Pennsylvania man, who was walking along the seawall at the Inlet with his 2-year-old child, slipped from the wall and hit the rocks below and was swept into the current before being rescued, only to perish a short time later at a local hospital.
Around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, the Ocean City Police, Beach Patrol and Fire Departments responded to the Inlet area for a report of people in the water just east of the ticket booth area. Ocean City...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY – While driving on Coastal Highway through Fenwick Island it’s easy to spot Holly’s Treasure Chest with a wide array of beach chairs, umbrellas, floats and toys displayed out front but a venture inside will reveal the true meaning behind the name.
Holly’s Treasure Chest was located on 15th Street in Ocean City for about three years but moved across the Delaware line to Fenwick Island last summer. The property is family owned and Holly Barmack and husband, Jay,...
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Published August 17, 2012
BERLIN -- If residents in Berlin notice flashing red lights during a storm, it’s not weird weather. It’s a series of 56 new fault indicators along the town’s power grid.
“They act like a warning device for us,” said Electric Utilities Director Time Lawrence.
During previous storms, Lawrence explained the electric department has sometimes had to spend hours tracking down the source of an outage.
“It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack,” he...
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Published August 17, 2012
SALISBURY – A grant to cover the hiring of 12 new firefighters was rejected this week as a majority of the Salisbury City Council felt not enough time has passed to work out the details.
Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin last month announced the Salisbury Fire Department was to be the recipient of a grant totaling $1,038,912 through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program.
The department was tapped to use...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY – As the town’s advertising agency’s contract nears renewal, the majority of the City Council made it clears it’s looking to the fall season to allow someone else a shot at marketing Ocean City.
Tourism and Marketing Director Donna Abbott presented the Mayor and City Council with the renewal of Ocean City’s current advertising agreement with MGH, which has been the town’s advertising agency for 10 years. Ocean City last conducted an agency review in...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY – A Strategic Planning Initiative, a priority stated by City Manager David Recor before he even moved to Ocean City this summer, took a step forward at this week’s Mayor and City Council meeting, but it’s not expected to include the elected officials until after the November election.
Most recently the city manager of Fort Pierce, Fla., Recor joined the Town of Ocean City in June and his idea to engage city staff and the Mayor and City Council in a Strategic Planning...
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Published August 17, 2012
BERLIN -- Located just off Route 113 in Berlin, OC Fight Club is searching for amateurs and aspiring champions alike to step into the ring or the cage.
“There are different levels,” said Fight Club owner Charlie Rites.
With more than 15 years combined experience in training and fighting, Rites operated a large boxing gym in western Maryland for several years before re-locating to the shore to pursue less physical business interests. However, when he found himself with a surplus of...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY -- Two benefits have been organized for next weekend to help a local lifeguard who was hospitalized earlier this month after a bicycle accident on Route 54.
On Aug. 4 at approximately 5:40 p.m., Delaware State Police were called to the scene of a crash involving a bicyclist that occurred west of Fenwick Island.
Beth H. Midgett was operating a 2008 Mercedes-Benz SW westbound on Lighthouse Road preparing to turn left onto Madison Avenue as Christopher M. McGervey was traveling westbound...
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Published August 17, 2012
OCEAN CITY -- A city councilman denied this week any abuse of power when he served more than $3,300 in meals to emergency responders during Hurricane Irene a year ago.
Earlier this month, this publication received a letter alleging Hall’s Restaurant conducted business during Hurricane Irene when all other operators did not have the benefit of making money. The letter contains allegations that at least are partially true.
To determine the validity of the charges, specifically whether...
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