Dec. 11

The Dispatch December 11, 2020

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Serving Greater Delmarva Since 1984

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Fire Companies Grill County Officials

See Page 12 • Submitted Photo

County Superintendent Interviewed

Winterfest Glory: Two scenes are pictured from Ocean City’s Winterfest of Lights display at Northside Park on Wednesday. To see a full gallery of photos, click on The Dispatch’s Facebook page.

Photos by Chris Parypa

See Page 16 • Submitted Photo

Sunken Submarine Found Off Coast

See Page 4 • Submitted Photo

Cutest Pets Of The Month The winner of last month’s Cutest Pet of the Month Contest was Sunny, a 3-year-old yellow lab rescue owned

by Marie Hopper.

See page 33 for this month’s contestants.

Submitted Photo

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SERVING DELMARVA FOR NEARLY 60 YEARS

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December 11, 2020

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Salvage Team Discovers WWI-Era Submarine Off OC Coast

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – A World War I-era submarine sent to the bottom of the sea in a bombing training mission in the 1930s was recently located on the ocean floor off the coast of Ocean City.

Atlantic Wreck Salvage (AWS) and the crew of researchers on the D/V Tenacious on Thursday announced the discovery of the submarine known simply as R-8 off the coast of Ocean City. The vessel has yet to be dived and visually identified, but based on side-scan sonar, the location of the site and the historical record, the research team firmly believes it to be the R-8, a submarine sunk by experimental aerial bomb testing in 1936. The discovery is historically significant because the R-8 is one of a few American submarines from that era rest-

ing in East Coast waters that had yet to have been located.

The R-8 was one of 27 R-class submarines commissioned by the U.S. Navy during World War I, but was not completed before the war ended in 1918. It was finished in that year at a shipyard in Quincy, Mass., the same shipyard that built many of the U.S. Navy’s destroyers and early submarines. Upon completion, the R-8 transited the Panama Canal and became part of the Navy’s Pacific fleet in its early years.

In 1923, the R-8 traveled west to Pearl Harbor, where it participated in training and operations for eight years.

In 1927, the R-8 was among the Navy’s fleet searching for pilots who had gone missing during the Dole Air Race, the first airplane race from California to Hawaii.

December 11, 2020

The R-8 was called back to the East Coast in 1930 and became part of the Naval Reserve Fleet in Philadelphia. In February 1936, the R-8 sunk in the Navy Yard and was raised again two months later. However, her days as an active Navy vessel were over and the R-8 was struck from the active list that spring.

The R-8 later that year was used as a target in aerial bomb testing off the coast of Delmarva. Four near-misses with 100-pound bombs finally sent the R-8 to the ocean floor off the coast of Ocean City. For years, the research team on the Tenacious has been searching for the remains of the R-8. On Thursday, the team announced it had positively identified the submarine off the coast of Ocean City in a location not yet made public.

“The sonar data leaves little doubt the R-8 has been located,” said renowned

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sonar expert Garry Kozak of GK Consulting. “The submarine in the image is the correct length, width and height. One set of prominent features of the R-class subs visible in the scan image is the spray rail configuration on the conning tower.”

Captain Eric Takakjian, a noted shipwreck historian, author and wreck hunter, along with Tenacious Captain Joe Mazraani have been working on the R8 project for many years. When AWS acquired side-scan sonar capabilities earlier this year, Mazraani moved the Tenacious from its home port in Point Pleasant, N.J. to Ocean City as the search for the R-8 drew closer to the finish line.

Captain Ted Green assisted the research team by providing information about potential targets he had gathered throughout his years captaining the dive boat OC Diver. Veteran wreck diver Mark Nix, who dived with Green on the OC Diver, also became an integral part of the Tenacious research team.

“The discovery of any new vessel is exciting,” said Takakjian, who has discovered over 70 shipwrecks in his career. “It appears from the sonar images that the site will reveal a well-preserved example of an R-class submarine in existence anywhere. We are looking forward to conducting additional research and to diving the wreck in 2021.”

For now, the research team is not releasing any more information about the location or depth of the R-8 until they can dive the wreckage and make a formal identification. Side-scan sonar images reveal the vessel is intact and sits upright on the ocean floor off the coast of Ocean City.

The side-scan images were acquired with a Klein System 3000 and researcher Joseph St. Amand subsequently processed the sonar data using SonarWiz from Chesapeake Technology so the team could compare the vessel on the ocean floor with historical photographs and plans of the R-8.

The R-8 is not the first submarine discovered by the Tenacious team. In 2012, the team discovered the remains of the German U-boat U-550, the last U-boat thought to remain diveable in the North Atlantic. R-8 discovery team members Kozak, Mazraani, Takakjian and Tom Packer were all part of the U-550 discovery team. Members of the R-8 discovery team included Takakjian, Mazraani Green, Kozak, Mark Nix, Packer, Christopher Ogden, Jack Lawniczuk, St. Amand, and Jennifer Selitti.

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A side scan sonar image of the submarine about 245 feet below the surface is pictured. Photo courtesy of AWS Imagine

December 11, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 5

Weekend Storm Highlights Berlin’s Flooding Trouble Spots

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

December 11, 2020

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

The Powell Circle area is pictured last Saturday morning after multiples inches of rain fell overnight.

Photo by Jessica Conaway

BERLIN – Standing water in Franklin Knoll and off West Street during last weekend’s rain again highlighted the town’s drainage problems.

While it’s no surprise the significant amount of rain that fell Friday night into Saturday resulted in some flooding, it emphasized ongoing stormwater challenges within Berlin.

“We remain committed to our stormwater program,” Mayor Zack Tyndall said. “The difficulty is we have to operate within the revenues we have.”

As a reported four inches of rain fell Friday into Saturday, Berlin experienced flooding in the usual places, including Powell Circle, Abbey Lane and in the area of Graham, Grice and Nelson.

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Tyndall said another issue the town had to deal with during heavy rainfall was an increase in the amount of water that needed to be treated at the wastewater treatment plant.

“We’re going to take a closer look at that moving forward,” Tyndall said.

Councilman Jack Orris said residents sent him photos of flooding in various areas and that he’d met with some people to talk about their neighborhood flooding problems.

“I’ve also asked our town administrator to have the town’s engineering firm present to the council after the new year so that we can ask more questions and gain further information regarding stormwater,” Orris said. “Nothing happens overnight, but I for one continue to consider this one of my top concerns.”

Councilman Jay Knerr said he too wanted to see improvements made. He drove out to Powell Circle Saturday to see what residents there experienced during heavy rain events.

“Both ends of the street were under water,” he said. “It’s pretty bad.”

He said he’d also heard concerns regarding flooding at Jamestown Place, where water overflows into the parking lot during heavy rainfall.

“I don’t know what the issue is but it needs to be looked at,” he said.

He pointed out though that stormwater improvements like the ones the town had planned would take a significant amount of money.

“It’ll take time but we’ll get there,” he said. “It’s unfortunate residents have to live with this.”

Tyndall echoed the concern regarding the cost of substantial stormwater projects. He added, however, that some of the town’s recent major projects did seem to be having a positive impact.

“From what I saw the improvements at Flower Street, at Henry Park and the Multi-Purpose Building, held up very well,” he said. “It’s nice to see when we make a big capital investment like that they work out as intended.”

The mayor said that moving forward, the town would remain focused on its planned stormwater projects but would also look for small ways to decrease flooding. Things like ditch maintenance and similar small-scale initiatives could ease some of the drainage problems.

“We’re trying to remain committed to the same projects but also look at ditches and troubled areas to see if there’s anything we can do,” Tyndall said.

Tyndall said the town would continue to pursue grants to help fund capital projects. In October, the town’s stormwater consultant said Berlin would be seeking grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help with projects planned for the area of Nelson, Franklin and Pines streets as well as the area of West Street and Abbey Lane.

December 11, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 7

Citizen, OC Council Discuss June Crime Preparations

Page 8

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – About six months removed from a particularly violent stretch in Ocean City in June and about six months away from a potential recurrence next summer, the issue boiled to the surface again this week.

In the span of about two weeks in mid-June, there were at least two stabbings and several major altercations on the Boardwalk including a major fight that resulted in the severe beating of a young man. Fifteen guns were confiscated in nine days. The pattern continued throughout the rest of June as the incidents intensified with more significant altercations and packs of young people running wild on the Boardwalk.

The incidents reached a crescendo on

one particularly violent Friday night when law enforcement was forced to utilize a tear gas-like substance to break up unruly crowds.

The reasons for the outbreak are likely many. For example, the unruliness seen in Ocean City was likely a symptom of the unrest and riots that were unfolding around the nation. The COVID pandemic was in full swing, diminishing the typical June crowds somewhat and making hotel rooms and rental units readily available and less expensive for the unruly crowds.

The J-1 foreign seasonal workers were not in Ocean City because of COVID, making those lower-priced accommodations more readily available. On top of that, most major June events were cancelled or postponed, including the Firemen’s Convention and the OC Air

Show, which attract a different clientele to the resort during the month.

In the weeks that followed, Ocean City officials promised bold action to prevent a recurrence of the violent stretch next June. Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) Chief Ross Buzzuro this fall asked for and was granted approval for 10 additional full-time officers, some of which are in the training pipeline for next summer. In addition, Ocean City is attempting to bolster its seasonal officer program and the public safety aide program to increase visibility on the Boardwalk and other known hot spots. Local resident and former Ocean City Council candidate Nicholas Eastman broached the subject during the public comment period of Monday’s meeting. Eastman said the time was now to begin planning for next summer.

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“I want to talk about June this past year,” he said. “It’s never too early to start thinking about safety. On the Fourth of July, we went to the Boardwalk and walked two blocks before leaving.”

Eastman said it appeared the “broken window” theory was evident as the unruliness unfolded in June. The broken window theory is a popular criminology theory that suggests visible signs of minor crimes and civil disorder creates an environment that encourages further disorder including serious crimes. Eastman suggested loose enforcement on some of the town’s lesser ordinances contributed to an atmosphere that encouraged the more serious crimes.

“People were smoking weed, drinking, skateboarding,” he said. “Those are all minor crimes, but they need to be enforced. All of the city’s ordinances need to be enforced. I agree with the broken window theory. All of our ordinances need to be enforced.”

Councilman John Gehrig agreed the problems last June needed to be addressed now before the summer season quietly creeps back in a few months.

“June was brought up,” he said. “I think we need a regular briefing from now until June about what we’re doing about June. It should be something standing for both June and the pop-up weekend. We need to make sure we’re thinking about it all year long.”

Councilman Mark Paddack, a former resort police officer, praised the department for handling the challenging situations, identifying suspects and making arrests. Many of the suspects charged with serious crimes last June and throughout the summer are now making their way into the court system for adjudication. There are some challenges with trying the serious cases because of ongoing COVID restrictions on the judicial system, but many of the higher-profile cases from last year are making their way now into court.

“Kudos to the Ocean City Police Major Crimes Unit for multiple suspect identifications from the crimes during June,” he said. “Those suspects charged are being brought before the Worcester County Circuit Court and I think their clearance rate is around 90%.”

Paddack said the criminal element in town last June was particularly troublesome.

“It’s very unfortunate that these nonresident criminals come to this town in June,” he said. “We don’t invite them.

They show up here and they decide to act the way they do. I am 100% in favor of zero tolerance.”

Paddack reiterated the town’s efforts to bolster the police force to prepare for a potential recurrence next summer.

“Resources are limited in June and we need to understand that,” he said.

“As a council, we are working together to try to reverse that and improve that., but when you look at the cases that are brought forward, many of the suspects have been charged and they need to be held accountable by the judicial system.”

Wine Festival Date Change Approved

December 11, 2020

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – The popular Wine on the Beach special event, postponed this fall because of COVID, will return on a new weekend this spring along with an earlier weekend for the annual event next September.

The Mayor and Council on Monday had before them a pair of requests from the producers of the Wine on the Beach weekends for next year. The Wine on the Beach event each September features tasting samples, arts and crafts, food sales, wine by the glass or bottle sales, microbrew sales and live entertainment.

For decades, it has been held on the last weekend in September. In recent years, however, Wine Fest has clashed with the disruptive pop-up car rally event on that weekend. To make things worse this year, the Wine on the Beach event was postponed because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

To that end, Wine on the Beach promoters had two requests from the Mayor and Council. The first was to move the traditional September event from the last weekend of the month to Sept.

10-11 at the Inlet lot as usual. The earlier weekend moves the Wine on the Beach event away from the unsanctioned pop-up car rally weekend, which has been further complicated this year

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

by a proposed expansion of OC BikeFest. The council on Monday unanimously approved the earlier weekend for the Wine on the Beach event.

The second request from the organizers was to hold a Wine on the Beach event in May, a request that was also approved unanimously by the council.

The spring wine event would be held on the weekend of May 14-15 in the same basic footprint at the Inlet lot and the same basic offerings, according to Special Events Coordinator Lisa Mitchell.

“The second event mirrors the event that has been going on the past 25 years,” she said. “This will allow the vendors to recoup some of the lost revenue from last year when the event was cancelled.”

The council approved both requests after determining the proposed dates do not conflict with other special events planned in and around the Inlet and the Boardwalk area. The organizers’ contributions to the town for holding the two events are carefully spelled out in the memorandum of understanding.

Councilman Mark Paddack said the Wine on the Beach events should be embraced and promoted.

“It’s a great event,” he said. “I think a lot of our non-resident property owners come down here in the fall just for this event and now they can have one in the spring.”

Page 9

Shorebirds Avoid Cuts, Will Remain Orioles Franchise

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

SALISBURY – The Delmarva Shorebirds this week survived a purge of minor league baseball teams affiliated with big league teams and will remain a part of the Baltimore Orioles organization.

For months, there have been discussions about reorganizing Minor League Baseball teams and their affiliations with their parent Major League Baseball clubs. The Delmarva Shorebirds, which for over two decades have made their home at Perdue Stadium in Salisbury as

the Orioles’ Class A affiliate, were generally considered immune from the potential reorganization, largely because of outstanding facilities and a strong fan base.

On Wednesday, the Orioles extended invitations to its minor league affiliates to continue their relationship with the big-league team and the Shorebirds made the list. The Frederick Keys were not as fortunate and were not extended an invitation to remain a Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Orioles.

Instead, the Keys will continue to play baseball in Frederick as part of a

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six-team unaffiliated MLB Draft League that will function as a showcase for draft-eligible college players. As a result of the changes announced on Wednesday, the Norfolk Tides will remain the Orioles’ AAA affiliate, while the Bowie Baysox will remain the club’s AA affiliate.

The Shorebirds will remain the Orioles Class A affiliate, while the Aberdeen Ironbirds will become the club’s Class A-Advanced affiliate, replacing Frederick. The Shorebirds announced the invitation from the Orioles on Wednesday.

“On Dec. 9, the Delmarva Shorebirds received an invitation from the Baltimore Orioles to remain their ClassA affiliate,” the club’s statement reads.

“For more than two decades, the Shorebirds, Wicomico County and the Eastern Shore of Maryland have been home to the Orioles youngest stars like Trey Mancini, John Means, Adley Rutschman and many more on their journey to Baltimore and Oriole Park at Camden Yards.”

The Shorebirds for decades have been part of a consistent pipeline for young prospects to reach the major league team. Delmarva Shorebirds General Manager Chris Bitters said he was pleased the Salisbury minor league team will remain with the Orioles.

“The Orioles have been a terrific

December 11, 2020

partner over the past 24 years and we appreciate their invitation to remain the Class-A Orioles affiliate,” he said.

Governor Larry Hogan took the opportunity to weigh in on the Orioles’ decision to realign its minor league affiliates and retain the Shorebirds.

“Since the club moved to Baltimore in 1954, Orioles baseball has been a way of life in the state of Maryland,” he said. “With today’s announcement affirming the club’s longstanding commitment to the region, I am as proud as ever to call myself an Orioles fan. The future of the Orioles and the game of baseball in Maryland is bright.”

Meanwhile, Orioles General Manager Mike Elias said the reconfiguration of the minor league system and the retention of most longtime affiliates will help continue the rebuilding process for the big-league team.

“We are proud to continue the Orioles’ tradition of creating baseball across Maryland and our region,” he said. “We believe the structure of our minor league affiliates will enable us to continue fortifying a robust pipeline of talent that will graduate top prospects to Camden Yards in the near future and for years to come. We are eager to continue working with our local communities as we strive to build the best player development system in baseball with an eye toward our ultimate goal of developing a championship-caliber team.”

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Commissioners Apologize To Upset Fire Companies

December 11, 2020

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

Leaders from Worcester County’s fire departments aired their concerns over CARES Act funding before the County Commissioners Wednesday.

Photo by Charlene Sharpe

SNOW HILL – Local fire company representatives pleaded with the Worcester County Commissioners this week for funding support from the CARES Act. The commissioners said at a special meeting Wednesday that county staff would meet later this week to go over each fire company’s CARES request.

The commitment to reviewing grant applications comes as the county’s deadline to spend its $4.5 million in CARES funding nears and fire companies’ requests have yet to be answered.

“What we seem to forget, especially at the highest level, is we’re in a pandemic,” Ocean City Fire Chief Richie Bowers said, adding that local fire companies needed financial support. “We are on the front lines.”

Wednesday’s special meeting, held at the Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Company, kicked off with Commissioner Joe Mitrecic’s assurances that county officials wanted to provide fire companies with funding from the CARES Act. “We want to give you the money.

That’s what it comes down to,” Mitrecic said. “You have to fill out the proper paperwork and you have to substantiate what you need money for.”

Mitrecic said the commissioners agreed to set aside $80,000 — $50,000 in payroll and the $30,000 CARES balance — for fire companies at their last meeting.

“So there’s $80,000 left of $4.5 million for fire companies?” asked Steve Grunewald, fire chief at the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department.

Mitrecic said there was other money that hadn’t been spent yet.

“There could be more than that,” he said.

Tim Jerscheid of Stockton’s fire company said he’d emailed county administration regarding CARES Act funding as early as May. He said it was frustrating that fire companies had yet to have their requests granted when officials were talking about how the funding had already been spent — or had been proposed to be spent — in other sectors.

“The riverboat thing threw everybody for a loop — which was not your guys’ fault but was a misunderstanding — but when you start seeing stuff in the newspaper or the press it’s hard…,” said Jerscheid, who serves as president of the county Fire Chiefs Association. “You understand where my level of frustration is.”

Commissioner Jim Bunting said he was equally frustrated.

“I’ve been disgusted for two months now because I’ve got emails from Showell, from Bishopville, I keep going back to (Chief Administrative Officer) Harold SEE NEXT PAGE

Strong Armed Robber Sentenced

December 11, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

SNOW HILL – A Cambridge man was sentenced this week to 10 years in jail, with all but five suspended, for a strong-armed robbery last summer.

Around 4 a.m. on June 9, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to the area of 7th Street and Philadelphia Avenue for a reported assault and robbery. The victim, a 21-year-old male, told police he had just been robbed and assaulted.

After an extensive investigation, OCPD officers identified the suspect as Isaiah Foster, 20, of Cambridge, and a

warrant was issued for his arrest. Shortly thereafter, OCPD officers were monitoring a disorderly group at 9th Street and the Boardwalk and observed Foster among them.

As OCPD officers approached Foster, he attempted to run but was quickly taken into custody without incident.

He was charged with robbery, seconddegree assault and theft from $100 to $1,500. On Wednesday, Foster pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced to 10 years in jail, half of which, or five years, was then suspended.

He was also placed on supervised probation for three years upon his release.

(Higgins) and saying ‘Harold these guys do have legitimate items they should be reimbursed for through the CARES Act money,” Bunting said. “I keep getting the same runaround you’ve been getting.

I’m sitting here saying I’m sorry that it’s got to this point where we’re running out of time.”

He said the commissioners should order staff to meet with the fire company representatives and go over the paperwork.

Mitrecic said he was also dissatisfied with the current situation.

“We’ve been asking for this also and finally got a report at the last meeting,” he said. “It’s not just you all that have been frustrated by this. This is something that, back in May and June, I don’t think anybody knew what you had to do to get this money and what qualified what didn’t qualify. September, October, we really should have been able to hone in on it by then. You should have gotten your money.”

Grunewald said he felt the county had mismanaged the money.

“I cannot comprehend why the fire service is getting $80,000, just to use that number, when all these other counties around us are getting millions upon millions of dollars,” he said.

Commissioner Chip Bertino took exception to the word mismanaged but agreed the current situation was despicable.

“If I were you I’d be just as angry as I think you all are for not getting the response, quite truthfully, you should expect and we as commissioners should expect,” he said.

When asked if the county was applying for COVID-19 funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young — the only administrative staff member present — said the county was not.

“What staff is saying is that it’s not as simple as just passing the paperwork on,” Young said. “It takes time and they do not feel they have the manpower to adequately handle FEMA grants with risk of an audit. Not to mention this entire CARES Act money could be risk of an audit.”

David Fitzgerald, president of the

Berlin Fire Company, said the county was facing a critical deadline, as the county only had until Dec. 15 to book its CARES funds. He added that the county had never balked at applying for FEMA funding when there were hurricanes or other disasters.

Jerscheid pointed out the county had an emergency management staff that should be handling issues like COVID19 funding.

“You guys have lost your money with some of the people you have working for you,” he said.

Young, who pointed out that the staff members being criticized were not present to defend themselves, said that in addition to the $80,000 earmarked for fire companies, the county also had $145,000 set aside for CPR machines.

He said that if those weren’t needed, that funding could also go to fire companies for COVID expenses. He stressed that CARES Act funding could not be used to replace revenue, so companies couldn’t cite a lack of fundraisers as a reason to need funding.

He said roughly half the county’s CARES Act money went to businesses as grants. A quarter of its CARES funding went to municipalities.

Of the remaining 25%, he said some had been spent on PPE, some on sick leave for county staff and some on virtual learning costs and meal programs for the Worcester County Board of Education.

“The money went to a variety of good purposes however it’s clear you need more,” he said.

Young encouraged fire companies to forecast their needs going forward, as COVID related expenses would go into 2021.

The commissioners said that staff would meet Thursday morning to review the fire companies’ funding requests.

Mitrecic said that as president of the commissioners he was embarrassed the situation had gotten to this point. He said the commissioners would meet more regularly with fire company representatives going forward to establish a longterm plan on how best to fund the county’s fire companies.

“We realize the importance of you all in our community,” he said.

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

… CARES ‘Runaround’ Questioned

Page 13

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

December 11, 2020

December 11, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 15

Superintendent Discusses Managing Schools In A Pandemic

Page 16

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – Though the county’s public schools are currently providing instruction virtually, officials are planning to begin bringing students back to school buildings Jan. 4.

Worcester County Public Schools Superintendent Lou Taylor, who was appointed in 2016 and recently agreed to negotiate a new four-year contract with the school board, talked about plans for a gradual return to in-person instruction— as well as the challenges associated with operating schools during the COVID-19 pandemic — with The Dispatch on Tuesday.

Q. Worcester County Public Schools is back in stage one of its reopening plan until Jan. 4, 2021. School administrations are currently calling around to students in the first wave to return on Jan. 4. When do you think the call will be made on if schools will actually re-open to in-person instruction then? If the statistics don't change, is there concern that date will have to be pushed back?

A. There's always a concern. Every day I'm concerned about the metrics, I'm concerned about the safety and welfare of our kids and our employees. We will be taking a look at a variety of things, the metrics being one of them. And just to see when we feel that it's safe. We are going through right now with our staffs, a fairly intense training program for them. And

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

that's all out of wanting them to be comfortable so that when we start back, we're practicing good [safety measures], we’re making good decisions about wearing masks all the time, social distancing, handwashing and hygiene, to make sure that that is at the top of our to do list every single day, as we work through the buildings with the people inside of our buildings.

And it's my hope that by us doing this, even with the metrics maybe a little higher than they should be and again, we don't know what that cut off is at this point, the recommendation cut off is 5% and 15 cases per 100,000. That's what the state has said all across this state, but there’s been no recommendation that you can’t put kids back in school with those numbers.

Q. So that’s not a strict thing then?

Even if they were slightly above that, you could still bring students back?

A. No, it's not strict, it's not a directive.

It's something that's kind of put out there for us to keep an eye on. I also work very closely with the health department and get their feedback as we're making decisions to bring our kids back as well. There are suggested measurements out there, but we try to do what's best for our kids, given all the circumstances that surround this pandemic.

And also we have a number of folks who want our kids back in school. We've met with parents this entire time. We're trying to make our buildings as safe as possible and have our staff feel as safe

December 11, 2020

as possible so that I can get kids back into our buildings. And it's my hope that Jan. 4, as I sit here today with you, will be that day we will start with the first step of bringing kids back.

Q. The governor seems to not be taking a statewide look at schools, as far as mandating virtual learning or closures. Do you support this approach?

A. I'm a strong supporter of local control, very strong supporter of local control. We certainly listen to and respect what the governor says. And we certainly listen to and respect what our state department of education says, but I'm a LOU TAYLOR big proponent as superintendent here, of local control. And so we've been given that throughout this process and throughout a lot of things that we do in education.

And I am grateful to the governor and the state department of education who allow us to have local control. We have an elected seven-member school board who also plays a part in this, our county elected officials. There's so many groups that are part of what we do, and certainly our local elected officials from the board of education, our county commissioners are great proponents of how we operate our school system.

Q. I know you touched on this a little bit already, but the in-person COVID trainings that are taking place this month for teachers, can you elaborate a little bit on those, what those involve and why you wanted to do those?

A. Yeah. One of the things that my team felt was vitally important is that we've never been able to sit down with our staffs and all of our schools and to go over some important points for them, so that we will prepare them for the return.

We've said we want kids brought back.

We want to be back in our buildings, but we need to give them tools to help them and to assist them with being able to bring our kids back in.

And certainly it goes around those requirements of social distancing, wearing masks, handwashing, so forth and so on.

One of the tough things for teachers, our teachers do a fantastic job in educating our kids. And one of the things as a teacher that you learn as you're going through your teacher training is close prox-

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imity to kids and being in close proximity.

Everything that they we’re trained to do, we're asking them to do the opposite and stay six feet apart from kids. And that's a challenge. So through these trainings, we are providing information, we're providing scenarios so they can see how firsthand this can be done when they go into a school. And so I think one of the things that I wanted do as superintendent, as we prepare for this, really what I call the second round of bringing our kids back, is to give our teachers the tools and the necessary information to do a job and to keep themselves and our kids as safe as possible.

Q. And like you just said, the county's teachers have been really challenged throughout this and the state teacher's union wants the state superintendent to mandate all schools in Maryland remain closed until the end of January, or at least the end of the semester. Are you concerned about teacher morale here? And do you feel the state teacher union's proposal is the right way to go?

A. The state teacher's union is a broad organization that encompasses all 24 counties and every county operates differently. We have a great relationship with our teachers association. My leadership team and myself, we work with them in collaboration to make decisions about our schools. And we support, obviously when they have concerns, we listen, we take them seriously, we try to collaborate with their leadership to make sure that we provide an environment as much as possible that is safe and conducive to learning for our kids.

And they are a big part of that process.

We do not close them out at all. Everybody has individual feelings about this pandemic, and certainly as a society, we all feel differently about it. But again, I appreciate that although there's a state organization, local control plays a part in our decision-making and it's really about building good relationships with your teachers association of which I think I have expressed since day one of my superintendency, that communication and relationship building is the most vital, is so vitally important as we move our school system forward. And that could never be more true than it is right now, as we're dealing with a pandemic.

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… Taylor: ‘School Is A Safe Haven For All Children’

December 11, 2020

Q. In one of your messages last month, you talked about busing concerns when kids do come back. Could you talk a little bit about what changes are going to need to be made there?

Are you hoping more parents will bring their kids to school to ease crowding on buses? What are you looking at as far as busing?

A. Well, we are in the process of working through that with our school leadership teams. My assistant superintendent who is in charge of transportation is working with our transportation office. We're working with the individual schools. We want to make sure kids are able to get to school. So as we work through that process, we have, I have said, if there is parents who can bring their kids to school, we certainly want them to do that if they can.

And I have talked to some individually who have said to me, "Lou, if transportation's an issue, I have no problem bringing my child to school." So we're looking at all the points that we need to stress as we build the transportation process of getting kids here. It is a concern because again, we're going to try to follow the social distancing on our buses, which limits the number of kids that can ride a bus.

But we have several options like multiple runs, for example, to make sure we get kids to school. And yes, if there are parents or families who could transport their kids to school, that normally don't do that, that will be beneficial to us in getting those kids back into school as much as possible.

Q. And actually, I should have asked this earlier, but are you looking at a certain percentage of kids coming back on Jan. 4? What's your goal there?

A. Well, we're looking at need. We're looking at our kids who have the most need we want back as early as possible.

School is a safe haven for all children.

School’s a safe haven for me as a superintendent. And I liked to exercise how I felt as a kid when I went to school, and I came from a great home life, but I also know I wanted to be safe when I left my parents for seven and a half hours a day.

And also it's a place where we provide meals for kids who may have some issues with three meals a day. So those kids who have the needs of being here are going to be given attention first. We also have a need for internet connectability in parts of our county. And although we're doing a great job with getting hotspots and things of that nature to assist our kids and families, we did still have some individuals out there that may have some difficult times with the internet connection. And we certainly consider that a need as well.

The process that we will follow to bring kids back will be based strictly on need, and we will go through the stages of bringing them back based on what needs are most important will be stage one. And then those who have the second level of need will be stage two, and so forth and so on. Because again, keep in mind, schools are safe havens, and I want them to be safe havens as we go through the year, even in a normal year, but right now, as we're faced with this pandemic, it's

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

even more important that we pay attention to the need of our kids and the needs of our families in order to bring our kids back to school.

Q. You mentioned connectivity. Can you give an update on the connectivity issues that were a big problem this fall for the schools?

A. Right now, everything is good. As I talk to you today, we've got our issue worked out. We're going to continue to monitor our infrastructure here in Worcester County Public Schools. None of us expected to be teaching kids throughout this country the way we're teaching them now. And as we go through, it gives us a good chance as a school system to reevaluate our technology.

There's really two parts of technology.

It's the devices, and our board of education and county commissioners stepped up last year and gave us great devices to

use. And the second part is the infrastructure. And so we are now doing just a thorough check on our infrastructure to see where we might want to improve.

And that's not just based on the pandemic, but that's in general, as we continue to monitor that and find ways that we can improve. And as we do an analysis of our infrastructure here in Worcester County, we will be making recommendations, once I get those recommendations on my desk, to our board and to our county commissioners, that there might be some room for improvement as we move our school system forward, not just during the pandemic, but as we move our school system forward for years to come.

Q. Now, I know everyone's always talking about bandwidth. But that wasn't your entire problem, right? I mean you don't expect the connectivity issues to start back up when kids go

Page 17

back to school?

A. No, we're not expecting that. That wasn't our issue. We're not expecting that to be a problem when kids do come back.

But again, we think we've identified a few small adjustments that we've had to make, and we have people and I've had vendors in here giving us some support and advice as we move forward. I feel pretty confident. I feel pretty confident it's not going to snow today, but that doesn't mean I have control over it.

And the same with our technology, we feel very confident with our staff, with our leadership and our technology that we're in a good place right now. But again, on Jan. 4 or Feb. 10 or March 18, I don't know what could happen, but I feel certain that when those issues do arise, that we are ready and prepared to make the needed adjustments we need to keep us moving forward.

We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

We are closed for cleaning and general maintenance and a little time to recharge.

We will reopen Wednesday, December 30.

12702 OLD BRIDGE ROAD • WEST OCEAN CITY • 443-664-5317

Dodd To Remain County Council President

Page 18

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SALISBURY – County Council President Larry Dodd will continue to lead Wicomico’s legislative body with a new second-in-command.

Last week, the Wicomico County Council reelected Dodd as the council’s president and elected Councilman Joe Holloway as the council’s new vice president.

“I would like to say the year 2020 has been a rough year for the entire county and county council, and it was a bad year for me to be president,” Dodd said.

“But with the help of all the council members and the staff … we got through it. I look forward to 2021, and hopefully we will be done with COVID-19 and things will get a lot better in this county.”

At the first meeting each December,

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

the council elects a president and vice president from among its members. The president – or vice president in his or her absence – is tasked with setting the agenda and presiding over all meetings.

At the outset of last week’s meeting, both Dodd and Councilman John Cannon were nominated to the role of council president. In a 4-3 vote, however, Dodd was reelected to another term with Cannon and Councilmen Bill McCain and Josh Hastings opposed.

Dodd – a former captain with the City of Salisbury Fire Department – first served on the county council from 2002 to 2006. And in November of 2014, he was elected to his first term in office representing District 3.

After three years serving as the council’s vice president, Dodd was elected last December to replace Cannon as the council’s president. Cannon, who had

served as council president for five years, was then elected to the role of vice president.

Following last week’s majority vote establishing Dodd as council president, both Cannon and Holloway were then nominated to the role of vice president, which ended in another 4-3 vote that elected Holloway to the post.

Holloway, a self-employed businessman, was elected to represent District 5 on the county council in 2006 and reelected in 2010 and 2014. In 2011, he served as the council’s president.

After last week’s election of officers, Councilwoman Nicole Acle thanked Dodd and Holloway for their willingness to lead the council.

“I wanted to thank President Dodd and Vice President Holloway for stepping up and taking these leadership positions,” she said.

Wicomico Delays Schools Reopening

December 11, 2020

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SALISBURY – The first wave of Wicomico County public school students will return to the classroom in a hybrid model on Jan. 19, two weeks later than originally scheduled.

In a meeting of the Wicomico County Board of Education on Tuesday, School Superintendent Dr. Donna Hanlin announced a change in the Return to School Action Plan.

Citing recent health metrics, students in prekindergarten through eighth grade will not be returning to hybrid inperson learning on Jan. 4. Instead, they will return the week of Jan. 19.

“Teachers will now return Jan. 11 and students in Pre-K through Grade 8 will return on the 19th of January,” she said, “so a two-week shift after the holidays.”

Due to concerning trends in community health metrics for COVID-19, Wicomico County Public Schools late last month announced its return to virtual learning until after the winter break.

The plan, unanimously approved by the school board, temporarily rolled back in-person hybrid learning on Nov. 17 with the hope of returning to in-person learning on Jan. 4 for prekindergarten through eighth grade and Feb. 2 for high school.

Hanlin told board members this week the transition back to in-person learning depended on Wicomico County’s positivity and case rates. She said the county must report a positivity rate below 5% for seven consecutive days and a new case rate below 15 per 100,000 for seven consecutive days.

And while county positivity rates have declined in recent days, Hanlin noted that the new case rate was well above the school system’s threshold.

“With that in mind, I continue to be concerned about the metrics and the potential return immediately after the holidays,” she said.

Based on current health metrics, Hanlin told board members this week that students in prekindergarten through eighth grade would return on Jan. 19.

High school students are still set to return in a hybrid fashion on Feb. 2.

“Safety has to be our priority, and of course we will be learning virtually in those two weeks,” she said.

Hanlin’s announcement received the support of school board members this week. Member Tonya Laird Lewis said she was concerned about administrators and staff returning to school buildings immediately after the winter break.

“We need to support the teachers, administrators and coaches, and I think this would be best for them,” she said.

Board member Ann Suthowski agreed, noting the importance of teacher and student safety.

“Even though I would love to have them back on the fourth, I think we’d better reconsider,” she said.

To view the school system’s revised Return to School Action Plan, or its COVID-19 dashboard, visit www.wcboe.org.

December 11, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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Resort’s Bike Strategic Plan Effort Headed To Bid Process

Page 20

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

OCEAN CITY – The resort will begin seeking proposals early next year for the development of a bike strategic plan.

On Wednesday, the Ocean City Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee concluded its review of a Request for Proposal (RFP) document seeking engineering services for the development of a strategic bike plan. The bidding process, set to begin early next year, will solicit proposals from consultants for developing biking infrastructure within the resort’s corporate limits.

“I think we’ll generate a lot of interest in our project,” said Committee President Paul Mauser.

In October, the town was awarded $79,700 through the Maryland Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) Bikeways Program to hire a consultant for the development of a strategic plan that will be used to further Ocean City’s bicycle network.

In recent years, the resort has embarked on a multi-phased initiative to install a continue bike route from one end of Ocean City to the other without using Coastal Highway and other busy thor-

oughfares. And by and large, the resort has succeeding in establishing paths using side streets, alleys, parking lots and more.

But Mauser told committee members this week the town is now seeking a consultant for the development of a strategic plan, which would outline designs and cost estimates for proposed biking corridors.

“We’ve hit the point where we need to hire a professional consultant to continue developing …,” he said.

Mauser noted the scope of work for the RFP document includes providing project plans and cost estimates for six corridors – town alleys from 27th to 62nd streets, town alleys from 62nd to 94th streets, the 94th Street cul-de-sac to the beach, a construction easement from 94th to 118th streets, a Delaware connector in north Ocean City and Coastal Highway.

Mauser also noted the challenges of getting property owners to support the use of a 10-foot construction easement to the west of the dunes. Officials noted the oceanside blocks from 94th to 118th streets – dubbed “condo row” – were fully developed with no other viable opportunities for installing biking infrastructure.

“I think that’s going to be a point of emphasis for council’s consideration,” Mauser said. “There may be some negative feedback from property owners in this area. They may not want to see this.”

A panel consisting of Mauser, Planning and Community Development Director Bill Neville and Engineering Manager Terry McGean is expected to select the top firm once bidding concludes in midFebruary.

Mauser told members this week the project would be awarded to the top consultant by March 1, with a Notice to Proceed being issued no later than March 15.

“It has to be completed by December 31,” he said of the project.

Mauser added that awarding the project in March would give the consultant time to develop a bike project for the next application round of the MDOT Bikeways grant program.

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

with a bunch of roll up doors…,” engineer Brock Parker said. “It’s a much more embellished version of a mini storage project.”

Attorney Regan Smith told the commission his client wanted to build a storage facility on commercially zoned property on Route 50. The plan calls for construction of three buildings containing 106,000 square feet of mini storage and one 5,000 square foot maintenance building.

Parker said the property was currently home to some houses and miscellaneous appurtenances that would be razed and replaced with three two-story mini storage buildings.

He said the new buildings, which include elevators and doors that can be rolled up from the inside, would be attractive to passersby. Smith agreed.

“It’s a long deep lot and we tried to orient it in a way that allowed if you’re driving down Route 50, you’re going to see the façade, you’re going to see the nicer features,” he said.

The commission voted 6-0 to approve the project site plan before moving on to consider a variety of other proposals.

The commission approved a revision of the plan for Triple Crown Estates, a project planned for Route 589 north of Gum Point Road. Steen Associates Inc. plans to eliminate the duplexes originally proposed for the project and to instead build 30 single family homes.

The commission also voted to grant an extension of site plan approval for a 45-unit motel on Golf Course Road and to give a favorable recommendation to a commercial rezoning proposed for 1.2 acres on Route 50 in West Ocean City.

Storage Facility Site Plan Approved STAFF WRITER

SNOW HILL – Officials approved plans for a new self storage facility on Route 50 in West Ocean City.

The Worcester County Planning Commission last Thursday approved plans for Buas Self Storage, to be located on Route 50 south of Samuel Bowen Boulevard. The facility will include three buildings for mini storage as well as a maintenance building.

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Page 21

Obituaries

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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OCEAN PINES – Roberta Ann Roeder (Kneer), 79, died unexpectedly on Sunday, Nov. 29, surrounded by the family she loved dearly.

Born November 6, 1941 in Newark, N.J., Roberta was raised in both New Jersey and Florida. She was a 20-year resident of Brookeville, Md. After enjoying a 20-year retirement in Ocean Pines she and husband John T. Roeder returned to the Olney area in early 2019 to be closer to family.

Roberta was an avid quilter and was an active member of the Quilters by the Sea Guild of Ocean Pines. She enjoyed quilting items for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She served the Ocean City Lioness Club as president, receiving the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award for her dedication to humanitarian service.

She is survived by her husband of 57 years, John Thomas Roeder; five children; 13 grandchildren; seven greatgrandchildren; and her cat Riley. She is also survived by her three nieces and one nephew for whom she was a mother figure, following her late sister Margaret’s untimely passing in 1981.

Roberta was proud of her Irish roots in County Mayo, Ireland and truly embodied the Irish Spirit.

Thomas Patrick Janson BERLIN – Thomas Patrick Janson, age 87 died on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020 at his home.

Born in St. Louis, Mo. he was the son of the late Joseph and Agnes Cocran Janson. He is survived by his wife, Katherine Janson and children, Stephen Janson and his wife Pixie of Ocean City, Daniel Janson also of Ocean City and Thomas Janson and his wife Stacy of Whaleyville. There are seven grandchildren, Stephen Jr, Bradley, Ethan, Matthew, Katherine, Jasmine and Elizabeth Janson. Also surviving is a niece, Kathleen ChenTHOMAS men, and nephews MichPATRICK JANSON ael and Robert Parugine.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Sheila Parugine.

Tom had been owner/operator of Ponzetti’s Pizza with locations in Salisbury, Ocean City and Seaford. He attended Holy Savior Catholic Church, and was a member of the Sinepuxent Rod and Gun Club, the ATA, NRA and the Knights of Columbus.

A mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at Holy Savior Catholic Church, 17th Street and Philadelphia Ave in Ocean City. Rev. John Solomon officiated. Interment followed in Sunset Memorial Park near Berlin. A donation in his memory may be made to Holy Savior Catholic Church, 1700 Philadelphia Ave, Ocean City, Md. 21842.

Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com Arrangements are in the care of the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin.

Randall Makuakane Myer OCEAN CITY – Randall “Randy”

December 11, 2020

Makuakane Myer of Royal Oak passed away on Nov. 30, 2020 at his residence.

He was 67.

Randy was born on June 5, 1953 in Denver, Colo., he was the son of the late Joseph D. Myer and Helen Taylor.

The world lost a great man this week.

Our community lost a great friend. A loving husband to Linda; proud mentor to his Godson, Thomas; a Navy veteran; a fierce protector of the environment and the ocean, which he loved; expert on all things surf related; and, above all RANDALL MYER else, the perfect example of the meaning of “stoke “and boundless “ALOHA”. Randy brought so much love to our community but his legacy and people he touched reached far beyond. The joy he brought to all he knew, his energy, humor and heart will be missed.

Randy is survived by his wife of 35 years, Linda P. Myer; his sister, Holly Myer Rossey; aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews; as well as, many close friends.

A visitation with a brief service will be held on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020 from 1-3 p.m. at The Milestone 9630 Technology Drive, Easton, Md. 21601.

In addition, a Sunrise Celebration of Life and a Memorial Paddle Out is tentatively scheduled for June 12 at the Assateague State Park.

As many of you know, Randy has mentored his Godson, Thomas Lee, who he dearly loved. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Linda Myer FBO the Thomas Lee Education Fund P.O. Box 371, Royal Oak, Md. 21662.

To leave condolences and to sign the online guestbook, please visit www.fhnfuneralhome.com.

Henry Hungerford OCEAN CITY – Henry Hungerford, age 76, passed away on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020 at Lakeside Assisted Living in Salisbury.

Born in Wilmington, Del., he was the son of the late David and Mary Jane George Hungerford. He is survived by his brother, Bryant Hungerford of Indialantic, Fla.; nephews Bryant Robert Okane and David M. Hungerford, III; and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by a brother, David M. Hungerford, Jr. Henry attended Cambridge High School and served in the United States Army.

He later moved to Ocean City, where he operated the Hobie Cat Sailing School and Rentals on 33rd Street. He attended Atlantic United Methodist Church and was a member of the American LeHENRY HUNGERFORD gion Sinepuxent Post #166. He was an avid motorcyclist, attending many rallies. He was a wellknown and respected sailor in the Ocean City area. Not known to many, he was partially responsible for persuading the movie company to film “Violets are Blue” in Ocean City in the mid 70’s.

Cremation followed his death. A celebration of life will be announced in the SEE NEXT PAGE

Berlin Fire Company’s Santa Tour Expands To Two Days

December 11, 2020

BERLIN – The Berlin Fire Company announced this week the expansion of its popular annual Santa escort for next weekend.

As opposed to its one-day typical event, Fire Company President David Fitzgerald said Wednesday the plan is to tour the company’s entire fire coverage district with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 19 and Sunday, Dec. 20 beginning at noon on both days.

On Saturday, Dec. 19, the fire company will escort Santa throughout Berlin on the west side of Route 113. On Sunday, Dec. 20, Santa will tour communities east of Berlin stretching out as far as the Glen Riddle community, which the fire company has never done before “We felt like we wanted to do more this year and we couldn’t do it all in one day,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s been a challenge in the past to fit it all into one day. We just want to do something special for the community during this pandemic. The fire company wants to show its support for the community by escorting Santa Claus to as many kids and families as possible.”

Another first this year is the fire company will be accepting canned good donations from residents to provide to the

... Obituaries

spring of 2021. A donation in his memory may be made to: www.worcestercountyhumanesociety.org. Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com. Arrangements are in the care of the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin.

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Spirit Kitchen in Berlin. The Spirit Kitchen was founded in 2011 and served weekly meals to those in need before the pandemic. Due to distancing concerns, volunteers now provide canned and dry goods and other essentials for those who need help with their quality of life. Canned goods will be collected by cadets and fire company representatives throughout the Santa tour. If residents are not going to be home and wish to donate, they can leave them in a prominent place for pickup.

Fitzgerald also pointed out due to fundraising events being canceled throughout 2020 the fire company is issuing a reminder to the community about its ongoing fundraising drive. Mailers have been sent and the fire company is currently seeking donations for its EMS division. Donations can be sent to BFC, 214 N. Main Street, Berlin, Md. 21811 with a memo notation of whether it’s for fire serv-

Page 23

Santa is pictured on the back of a Berlin Fire Company truck last December making the rounds through town.

File Photo

ice or EMS or go to berlinfire.com.

“Due to COVID restrictions, all our fundraisers could not be held, so we certainly appreciate any community support

possible for our services,” Fitzgerald said.

“We know it’s a difficult time, but we would appreciate the community’s consideration.”

BAY FRONT ~ OC SUNSET BEACH #204 at 46th Street • $625,000 • MLS #MDWO116434 3 bed, 2 ½ bt, 1,712 sqft, built 2007, Condo Fee $647/m, RE Tax $567/m South Corner Condo, Pool, Slip #4, Locker, Private Beach, Pristine

Therese N. Vezza BERLIN – Therese N. Vezza, age 91, died on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020 surrounded by her family at her home.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she was the daughter of the late Frank and Catherine Lee Smith. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gennaro (Jerry).

Surviving are her children, Dominick Vezza and his wife Marie of Stoney Point, N.Y., Cathy Vezza of Columbia, Pa. and Elena Vezza of Ocean Pines.

Mrs. Vezza received her degree from Notre Dame College of Staten THERESE Island, N.Y. and was emN. VESSA ployed as a school teacher. For 30 years she taught in Old Tappan, N.J. while living in Harrington Park, N.J. She and Jerry traveled widely. She also enjoyed reading and golf, but most of all spending time with her family and friends. An active member of the local Questor group, she also enjoyed her Red Hat outings.

A funeral service for the family will be held on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 11 a.m. at the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin. Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery in New York will be at a later date. A donation in her memory may be made to the Berlin Library, 13 Harrison Ave., Berlin, Md. 21811. Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com.

CONTRACT PENDING OCEAN BLOCK ~ OC AHOY #305 at 137th Street $185,000 • MLS #MDWO118456 1 bed, 1 bt, 525 sqft, built 1978 Condo Fee $167/m, RE Tax $191/m Masonry, Quality Updates Thru-out, Grand Balcony Ocean View

OCEAN PINES ~ SEC. 18 1 YACHT CLUB DRIVE, LOT #II-1 $175,000 • MLS #MDWO116026 Corner of Stones Run, 0.34 +/- Acre Wooded, Over-Sized 14,936 +/- sqft Convenient to Yacht Club, Pools, Nearby Marinas, Recreation, Fun

NEWARK ~ WATER FRONT LOT CROPPERS ISLAND ROAD via #113S $90,000 • MLS #1001558864 #7-1.04 Acres, 100’ +/- on Porter Creek Wooded, County Road Access, South of Berlin Country Lifestyle, Estate Sale with Current Survey

Library’s Curbside Service Remains Popular Snow Hill Marina

Page 24

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – Officials this week highlighted the successful launch of the Worcester County Library’s “Grab and Go” browsing services.

In Tuesday’s meeting of the Worcester County Library Board of Trustees, Library Director Jennifer Ranck shared the success of its new “Grab and Go” pilot program.

“People come in, know what section they want to browse, pick up the books they are interested in and go …,” she said. “Everybody’s been very patient and compliant with the new way of doing things.”

Beginning Monday, Nov. 16, all five branches of the Worcester County Library began a “Grab and Go” pilot program, allowing patrons to make appoint-

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

ments to browse the library collection.

The decision to offer “Grab and Go” services came less than a week after the Worcester County Commissioners voted unanimously to have the library system come up with a plan for reopening the libraries.

Ranck told board members last month the “Grab and Go” program would be offered on a trial basis and would largely depend on the number of COVID-19 cases in Worcester County. This week, she said the library would continue to offer browsing appointments, as well as appointments to access computers, use copy machines and register for a library card.

“I have not heard anything that would make me think we would need to stop,” she said.

Library patrons who reserve a time for “Grab and Go” services are asked to

wear a mask, sign a screening form and use hand sanitizer upon entry. The library is also asking visitors to refrain from reshelving items.

Ranck added that the library system would continue curbside pickup for library materials. She noted that curbside services continued to be the library’s most popular program.

“Curbside is much more popular than our appointments,” she said. “We are still doing pickups for materials.”

In Ocean Pines, for example, the branch has reported between 40 and 50 curbside pickup appointments each day.

“We are basically shopping for our customers,” said Branch Manager Harry Burkett.

Ranck told board members this week the library would continue to monitor COVID-19 positivity and case rates and adjust its reopening plan, if needed.

Redevelopment Eyed

December 11, 2020

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

SNOW HILL – County officials reviewed plans for the redevelopment of a Snow Hill marina this week.

On Wednesday, the Worcester County Technical Review Committee (TRC) provided comments on plans for Baywater Landing Marina. Property owners plan to improve the site with a restaurant and aquaculture operation.

“The overall project is really meant to be kind of a nine month a year operation,” co-owner Lee Beauchamp said.

Beauchamp told TRC members the property had once been Hargis Marina and later Riggin’s Marine.

“We remember as kids being able to go and have a little bait and tackle shop and it was a really neat little set up down there,” he said. “That really kind of fell away and it’s really just been neglected for many years.”

He and a partner decided to buy the site and redevelop it when it came up for sale. They’re envisioning the current marina setup with the addition of aquaculture, a restaurant and a small marina store. Beauchamp said they’d continue to rent out the existing 34 boat slips.

“We also have a restaurateur that’s expressed interest in having a restaurant set up there,” he said.

The eatery would not be open yearround but would serve customers from roughly St. Patrick’s Day through Thanksgiving, or possibly Christmas.

In addition, Beauchamp said he and his partner had started Baywater Seafood.

“That will be specializing in bay scallops,” he said. “The aquaculture operation there, the bulk of the operation will happen offshore in Chincoteague Bay and then we’ll bring the product back there, unload it, and give it a light rinse to improve the presentation of the product and then it will be put into packaging and stored in cold storage until it’s ready to be sent out to different restaurants and markets in the area.”

The redevelopment plan for the property includes demolition of the existing buildings on the site and construction of a 4,818-square-foot building. Beauchamp said half the building would be used for the aquaculture operation and the rest would be made up of the restaurant and the store, which will have vending machines and eventually some bait and tackle.

“If somebody came down and wanted to rent crab nets or buy bait and tackle you would have a little bit of that assortment available in the summer time,” he said.

TRC members voiced no major concerns with the proposed redevelopment but said the site would need more landscaping and would have to meet parking requirements. In addition, developers will have to apply to the Worcester County Board of Zoning Appeals for a special exception to allow for seafood processing.

December 11, 2020

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Rental Assistance Grant Approved

Page 26

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SALISBURY – A $300,000 grant award will provide emergency rental assistance to Wicomico County residents.

Last week, the Wicomico County Council voted 5-0, with Councilman John Cannon and Councilwoman Nicole Acle abstaining, to accept a $300,000 grant award from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development for emergency rental assistance.

Wicomico County Planner Jesse Drewer told officials last week the grant award would be the third round of funding the county has received from the agency.

“Unlike the other funding we have been awarded, this funding will allow us to pay for the current month’s rent along with eight months in arrears going back to April, to the pandemic’s start,” he said.

“There is no income eligibility requirement, which is different than the other rounds.”

While the Wicomico County Department of Planning, Zoning and Community Development would administer the expenditure of grant funding, Drewer noted the $300,000 would be divided among three subrecipients – $200,000 for Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Services, $50,000 for Wicomico County Local Management Board and $50,000 for Wicomico County Habitat for Humanity. He added that eligible tenants would

December 11, 2020

be required to provide a statement from their landlord.

“The only thing that is required for this round is a statement from the landlord of how much you are in arrears …,” he said. “We are accepting applications, based on this acceptance here, on a first-come first-served basis because it is only $300,000.”

When asked if the county could expend the $300,000 by the agency’s December 30 deadline, Drewer said it wouldn’t be a problem. Unlike other funding rounds, he noted, the newest grant would not exclude Salisbury residents.

“We have no issues expending it right now,” he replied. “We have over 150 applications in the waiting process with Salisbury Neighborhood Housing. They have been overwhelmed with this round because it allows us to help the City of Salisbury, compared to previous rounds of funding.”

Council President Larry Dodd questioned why the grant program benefitted renters.

“Do you have any idea why homowners aren’t eligible?” he asked. “They’re struggling too.”

Drewer said that question had already been directed to the Department of Housing and Community Development.

“We have not gotten any guidance from that,” he said. “It’s been requested multiple times from the Department of Housing and Community Development.”

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BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – Ocean City municipal bus driver Tim Noon was recognized as the Transportation Association of Maryland’s 2020 driver of the year in a special ceremony at City Hall.

Transportation Association of Maryland (TAM) Executive Director John Duklewski presented the honor at Monday’s Mayor and Council meeting. Noon, who started with the Town of Ocean City’s transportation department in 2006, was described as an exemplary municipal bus driver.

“Courteous, friendly attitude, very good with people, excels in getting along with others,” said Duklewski. “These are just a few of the ways this driver is described by his passengers, co-workers and supervisors. A great driver is more than getting people from point A to point B.” In addition to his affable demeanor during what can only be described as a demanding job during the peak summer season, Noon was recognized for his diligence in performing his duties day in and day out.

“Tim put forth the maximum effort in his job and is so dedicated that even when working the busiest days of the year, transporting as many as 26,000 passengers in one day, he must be told to go home,” said Duklewski. “He is al-

ways asking to make one more run. Tim is always willing to work during a snow storm or nor’easter and has helped with hurricane evacuations in the past.”

In his roughly 15 years on the job, Noon’s record as a municipal bus driver is spotless.

“Tim has been a full-time driver since 2006 with no safety incidents,” said Administrative Transit Manager Brian Conner. “He has an excellent driving record as well as an excellent attendance record. He is always available to work and does not request time off in heavy demand peak situations.”

In addition to his stellar driving record over the years, Noon was recognized for his patience and understanding in his role as a municipal bus driver, a role deemed as an ambassador for many of the resort’s millions of visitors each year.

“Tim treats others with respect and takes the extra effort to help the public understand the schedules,” said Duklewski. “He creates personal relationships with his passengers. Tim even created such a lasting relationship with some of the international student workers that were regular passengers on the bus that they invited him to visit their homeland of Moravia, which he did.”

For his part, Noon was humble in accepting the TAM award.

“This would not be possible without everybody behind the scenes,” he said.

“This award is for all of them too.”

December 11, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 27

Hefty Berlin Council Meeting On Tap

Page 28

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – Long-awaited water and sewer projections and Berlin’s annual audit highlight Monday’s town council meeting.

Monday’s regular session of the town council, scheduled for 7 p.m., is the first meeting the town will hold via Zoom.

While the council will participate in the meeting via Zoom, citizens will view the meeting through a Facebook livestream, as they have for the past several months.

The agenda includes a presentation of the town’s fiscal year 2020 audit by PKS as well as water and sewer projections. Those will be presented by Jean Holloway of the Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP).

Holloway was asked to develop the water and sewer projections in 2019 but the

Tax Abatement Program Pitched

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process was delayed by COVID-19.

“What she’s done is taken operations versus revenues and run it out for four, five, six years to show what it’s going to cost to run,” Town Administrator Jeff Fleetwood said.

The presentation is expected to include cost projections as well as recommendations for immediate, mid-range and long-term actions.

On Monday the council will also have a discussion with officials from the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) regarding deeding property for a right of way in the area of Route 376.

Fleetwood said SHA needs the town to deed property for a right of way to allow for the widening of Route 376. The issue is being discussed next week but no action would be taken until January.

Rounding out the agenda is an EDU (equivalent dwelling unit) purchase agreement with Oceans East.

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SALISBURY – A proposed tax abatement program could benefit certain developers looking to build in downtown Salisbury.

In a work session last week, Salisbury’s Acting Mayor Julia Glanz and Deputy City Administrator Andy Kitzrow came before the Wicomico County Council seeking support for a new residential tax credit program to incentivize large-scale hotel or multi-family residential development in the downtown area.

“This is a signature program targeting very lucrative projects, $10 million or larger,” Kitzrow said. “These aren’t small remodels or small fixes … We’re incentivizing the type of development that redefines a city.”

Unlike the city’s existing programs,

December 11, 2020

officials told county leaders the Horizon (Hotel or Residential Incentive Zone) program would focus on residential development. Glanz noted that putting “more heads in beds” could spur revitalization efforts in downtown Salisbury.

“We can sit here all day and wish and hope for these developments to come in,” she said. “They may come in, they may not. We don’t think they will at the pace we’d like them to right now.”

Kitzrow said the goal of the program is to incentivize developers to bring their residential projects to downtown Salisbury, which in turn would increase the tax base.

“What we do know is other than the River Place (Condominiums) on Riverside, we’ve not seen any large-scale development in this area in over 20 years,” he said.

The 20-year incentive program, officials noted, would reduce real property taxes on improved lots. The program would also be reevaluated in three years if it met certain benchmarks.

“I would point out that in discussions we have had with the city, it is understood that the tax incentive proposed would be on the improved property value,” said Acting County Executive John Psota. “Therefore, the current assessed value prior to any redevelopment would continue to be taxed. As a result, the county would not be foregoing any current property tax.”

Kitzrow told county leaders last week the city had passed a resolution in November supporting the Horizon program.

With a similar resolution from the county council, he said, the city could then seek state legislation to establish the program.

“Once approved, it’s codified through an ordinance and we can start accepting applications to reach our development goals,” he said.

Councilman John Cannon said he supported the tax incentive program.

“We talk about it all the time, the fact that we don’t want to raise taxes but we want to increase the tax base,” he said.

“Well this does increase the tax base.

It’s actually one of the first tangible products that have come before the county where we can participate in helping to create that growth.”

Councilman Joe Holloway, however, argued the program was not fair to existing downtown property owners, who would continue to pay more taxes as property values increased.

“So we’re going to give tax breaks to the people building the new buildings,” he said. “And the people that own the buildings that have been there and have been paying taxes all these years are going to have to pay more taxes.”

Councilman Ernie Davis added he was hesitant to lend his support to a resolution without first seeing a draft. But Councilman Bill McCain disagreed.

“At this time all that’s being asked of us is a letter of support,” he said. “It does not obligate us to anything at this point.”

After further discussion, the council agreed to discuss the proposed resolution and details pertaining to the Horizon program at a future work session.

December 11, 2020

Weed, Weapon Bust OCEAN CITY – A Nottingham, Md. man was arrested on marijuana possession and weapons charges last week after a routine traffic stop.

Around 9:30 p.m. last Wednesday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer pulled over a vehicle on Philadelphia Avenue at 22nd Street for a routine traffic stop. While speaking with the driver, the officer detected a strong odor of raw marijuana coming from the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

In the back seat, the officer observed a male occupant of the vehicle, later identified as Corey Wright, 18, of Nottingham, Md., holding a backpack between his legs. The officer had all the occupants exit the vehicle and began a search for the source of the raw marijuana odor.

In the backpack, the officer located a red, yellow and green sealed bag with a picture of Bob Marley on it containing roughly 20 grams of marijuana, according to police reports. The officer also located four cylindrical containers of various sizes, one of which contained roughly 10 grams of marijuana, another with about 12 grams and yet another with 16 grams. All in all, the officer located roughly 57 grams of raw marijuana.

The officer also located two metal grinders, a smoking bowl and a scale, according to police reports. The officer also located a switchblade-style knife in the backpack that had been between Wright’s legs. At that point, Wright was taken into custody for possession of over 10 grams of marijuana and possession of the martial arts-style weapon in violation of a city ordinance.

When interviewed, Wright reportedly told the officer the marijuana was for personal use. When asked if he shared it with the other occupants of the vehicle, to which he replied “No, it’s just for me,” according to police reports. When asked where he bought the marijuana, Wright reportedly told the officer he bought it in Baltimore. When asked if he remembered how much marijuana he was carrying, Wright reportedly said, “Ha, a lot. I don’t know, about 28 grams.”

Cops & Courts The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

area when he observed a driver not wearing a seatbelt. The officer conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as Requan Thompson, 21, of Salisbury.

The officer reportedly detected the odor of marijuana in the vehicle and conducted a search. During the search, the officer located an unloaded 32-caliber handgun under the driver’s seat that was not in a holster, according to police reports.

The officer arrested Thompson at that point for knowingly wearing, carrying and transporting a handgun in a vehicle on a public road. During the post-arrest interview, Thompson reportedly told the officer he had been carrying the handgun in his jacket pocket, but put it under the front seat after getting pulled over. He reportedly told the officer, “I know, I’m just dumb.” Thompson told the officer he had

Handgun Found During Stop OCEAN CITY – A Salisbury man was arrested on a weapon charge last week after getting pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt.

Around 1:25 p.m. last Thursday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was patrolling in the downtown

SNOW HILL – A Delaware man, arrested in May after being part of a group that jumped and robbed a man in downtown Ocean City, pleaded guilty last week to second-degree assault and was sentenced to five years in jail, all but 14 months of which were suspended.

Trumye Shackelford, 21, of Newark, Del., pleaded guilty last week to seconddegree assault for his role in the May incident. Shackelford was sentenced to five years, all but 14 months of which were then suspended. He was also placed on supervised probation for three years upon his release.

Last month, Dominick Mendez-Powell, now 21, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree assault, leaving the

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Jail For Downtown Beatdown

scene of an accident involving bodily injury and reckless driving for his role in the May 31 incident. For the second-degree assault conviction, Mendez-Powell was sentenced to five years with all but 18 months suspended.

Around 11:40 p.m. on May 31, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a hotel at 26th Street for a reported vehicle crash involving injuries. Ocean City Communications advised a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle that left the scene and life-saving measures were being implemented on the victim.

Upon arrival, the OCPD officer observed a vehicle matching the description heading east on 26th Street and affected a traffic stop. The officer detained the driver, later identified a Mendez-Powell, who reportedly told police he had just left the hotel where he had been in an altercation with a male who had made rude comments to females outside his room.

Another OCPD officer arrived on the scene and found a male victim laying on the ground near the parking lot at 26th Street with the Ocean City Fire Department treating him for facial injuries. Meanwhile, Mendez-Powell exhibited signs of being under the influence when questioned by police and did not complete field sobriety tests to the officers’ satisfaction. According to police reports, Mendez-Powell told police he had SEE PAGE 30

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FROM PAGE 29 smoked marijuana before the incident and left the scene because he did not want anything to do with the incident, according to police reports.

A witness told police a group of five people including Mendez-Powell, Shackelford and others had attacked the male victim in the parking lot and continued to kick the victim while he was on the ground. The witness told police members of the group were taking items out of the victim’s pockets while he was on the ground.

Sentence In Stabbing OCEAN CITY – A Pennsylvania man, arrested in June on first-degree assault charges after stabbing another man on the porch of a downtown residence, pleaded guilty this week to reckless endangerment and was sentenced to four years in jail.

Around 2:50 a.m. on June 28, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to the area of Sunset Avenue for a reported stabbing incident.

The officers arrived and found a male victim with a towel covered in blood wrapped around his right forearm. The

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch victim told police he had been standing on the street corner when he was approached by an unknown assailant with a knife who attempted to take his wallet.

OCPD officers canvassed the area for a possible suspect and additional evidence, but the search was fruitless. According to police reports, OCPD officers began to believe the story the victim told was not matching up with the evidence and sequence of events. OCPD officers returned to the residence on Sunset Avenue where they had first interviewed the victim and identified the victim’s mother and girlfriend, according to police reports.

At the residence, OCPD officers observed fresh drops of blood on the floor of the porch and more blood smeared on the siding and the door of the unit. The officers asked for and were granted permission to enter the unit to talk with the victim’s mother and girlfriend. Once inside, the officer observed more blood droplets on the floor throughout the unit, according to police reports.

OCPD officers interviewed the victim’s girlfriend, who appeared to want to tell police something but was reluctant to do so with others within earshot in the condo. The victim’s girlfriend ultimately told police “Shay,” or a suspect later identified as Shaki Byrum-El, 40, of Scranton, Pa., had allegedly stabbed the victim.

The victim’s girlfriend identified Byrum-El

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as the man who was passed out on a couch. Byrum-El was awakened and was placed under arrest for first-degree assault.

Officers interviewed the victim’s mother, who provided an account of the events leading up to the alleged stabbing.

The witness said Byrum-El grabbed a knife from the kitchen and went to the front porch where the victim was with his girlfriend. The witness told police ByrumEl and the victim were arguing on the porch as she watched through the open front door. The witness told police she then lost sight of the two men through a front door, but a short time later the victim ran inside bleeding from a stab wound on his arm.

Guilty Plea For Chair Tossing OCEAN CITY – An Ohio woman, who was arrested in September after breaking into the rooftop bar area of a downtown restaurant and throwing chairs over the side and into the bay, pleaded guilty this week to resisting arrest.

Around 10:15 p.m. on Sept. 11, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to a bayfront restaurant at Dorchester Street for a reported trespassing incident. Upon arrival, the officer observed a suspect later identified as Betty Murnahan, 40, of Mansfield,

HERE’S MY CARD

Ohio, running around the rooftop bar area of the restaurant.

OCPD officers approached the locked gate to access the rooftop bar area and observed Murnahan screaming at them and a restaurant security staffer. When advised to stop screaming, Murnahan reportedly said “Or else what?” and when she was advised of the town’s noise ordinance, she reportedly said “Then [expletive deleted] arrest me.” The officers observed Murnahan’s screaming was drawing the attention of people walking by over a block away, or well beyond the town’s 50-foot noise limit, according to police reports.

Murnahan was advised she was under arrest, but when officers attempted to handcuff her, she tensed her body and jerked away, injuring one officer’s wrist in the process. Even after she was handcuffed, Murnahan reportedly continued to resist, twisting and thrashing around and kicking another officer in the legs. She also reportedly spat on the same officer at least two times, according to police reports.

The investigation revealed Murnahan allegedly walked up to the rooftop bar area, realized the gate was locked and climbed over the fence. The manager told police Murnahan entered the rooftop bar area and threw three chairs over the railing and into the bay below.

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Fixed Income Vs. Stock Portfolio

December 11, 2020

Wealth Of Knowledge

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

news for equity investors who stayed in the market, but stock portfolios continue to be worrisome. You may wonder if financial rewards are truly commensurate given the level of anxiety associated with market declines, but there are ways to help reduce your risks and still have the opportunity for growth. If you’d like to discuss various options, please feel free to contact us.

Traditionally, stocks have yielded higher long-term gains than bond port-

BY COLLIN MACOMBER

SPECIAL TO THE DISPATCH

BERLIN – Early this year, many stopped spending and began saving money. This wasn’t difficult as many areas of the economy were — and possibly still are — shut down. For some, vacation plans were canceled, and the normal level of entertainment activities and dining out have been curbed. If you’ve remained employed, chances are good you’ve been able to step up your level of savings this year.

However, with current interest rates, it can feel like savings accounts are stagnating. Should you take the risk of investing COLLIN MACOMBER for higher returns amid today’s continuing market uncertainty?

It’s worth noting that by mid-August, the S&P 500 had fully recovered from the 34% pandemic-induced plunge that occurred between February and March earlier this year. Of course, this is great

Page 31

folios, but the tradeoff is more volatility.

A recent analysis by a Wharton professor shows that historical dynamic has shifted somewhat throughout the past five decades. In fact, fixed-income portfolios have performed as well, if not better, than the U.S. stock market during this time frame. Perhaps even more surprising, fixed income has exhibited similar or more volatility than comparably performing stock portfolios. According to the Capital Group, investors may want to consider four strategies for deploying a fixed-income portfolio during this current period of investment uncertainty: look at short-term bond funds that focus on high-quality and liquid investments; consider high-quality core bond funds for capital preservation to help diversify

HERE’S MY CARD

equity holdings; be prepared for defaults and downgrades at the high yield, low end of the investment-grade spectrum; and reconsider municipal bonds, which offer pockets of compelling value relative to U.S. Treasury’s.

The interest rate environment is another casualty of the pandemic. Low rates may keep debt payments low, but they also spell lower returns for retirement accounts and pension funds. The recent Federal Reserve announcement that it expects to hold interest rates near zero at least until 2023 does not bode well for retirees or those approaching retirement.

(The writer has been part of the Key Financial team for over 15 years. Their entire team can be reached at 410-629-0357.

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Sorting items for the boxes for troops overseas were Delaney McDaniel, Kendall Parsons, and Lindsay Birckhead-Morton of the Unit 166 Junior Auxiliary Group.

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

People

By Jeanette Deskiewicz

FEATURING THOSE HELPING CAUSES IN THE RESORT AREA

Fager’s Island Sommelier Robin Springer and fine dining servers Frank Cascio, Radford Skudrna, Travis Gilbert, and Kyle Kinnamon provided top notch service at the December wine pairing dinner.

In Society

December 11, 2020

Sposato Family Vineyards business partners Karen Howard Sposato and Tony Sposato partnered with Chef Jim Hughes, center, at Fager’s Island for an Argentinian themed food and wine event.

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 166 VA&R Chair Kristy Johnson, left, and President Emily Nock, right, thanked Diana and Jeff Merritt of Operation We Care for their guidance in packing boxes for the troops this holiday.

Operation We Care volunteers Alexis Ondo and Sophia Smecker assisted with the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 166 box packing operation to support our troops.

Arbonne Representatives Dawn Hodge and Michelle Melson sponsored the Toys for Tots Bingo benefitting Worcester Gold held at Greene Turtle West on Tuesday night.

Boy Scout Troop 621 members Emerly Busko and Cristina Esch helped packed boxes for troops overseas at American Legion Post 166.

At the Argentinian food and wine event, Nancy Jones enjoyed spending time with her daughter, Erin Jones, Fager’s Island Fine Dining Manager.

Worcester Gold Board member Joel Feldman and Bingo Caller Blake Haley got the games going for the Toys for Tots at Greene Turtle West.

Collecting the donations at Greene Turtle West for Worcester Gold’s Toys for Tots Bingo were Bailey Pusey and Saige Figgs.

THE DISPATCH’S PETS OF THE MONTH

December 11, 2020

Pet’s Name: Mary Theresa Murphy Pet’s Age/Breed: 8-year-old Shih tzu Pet’s Owner: Miriam Murphy

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Pet’s Name: Hercules Pet’s Age/Breed: 9-year-old pit bull Pet’s Owner: Meggin Nicholson

Pet’s Name: Emery Pet’s Age/Breed: 5-month-old silver lab Pet’s Owners: David Giusti & Natalie Martelli

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Pet’s Name: Marley & Fitz Pet’s Age/Breed: 8-week-old kittens Pet’s Owners: Michelle & Christopher Fitzpatrick

EDITOR

STEVE GREEN

Pet’s Name: Stormy Pet’s Age/Breed: 10-year-old Newfoundland Pet’s Owner: Kristyn Harvey

The Dispatch presents the latest edition of its Pets of the Month Contest.

Each month one special animal, or two, in some cases, is picked as the cutest photo of the bunch through a private vote of our staff. Here we present this month’s pets, submitted by our readers.

On the front page is last month’s winning entry, Sunny, owned by Marie Hooper.

Those interested in participating in future months’ contests are invited to send their lovable pet photo to us at editor@mdcoastdispatch.com (preferred) or to P.O. Box 467, Berlin, Md. 21811 or drop it off at our office in Berlin at 10012 Old Ocean City Blvd.

Please be sure it’s a high-quality photo suitable for reproduction and to include your mailing address, the pet’s name, age and breed and the owner’s first and last name. The next series will appear in this space on Jan. 11.

Pet’s Name: Stella Pet’s Age/Breed: 2-year-old chihuahua Pet’s Owner: Sarah Swensen

Planning Commission Supports OP Sign Text Amendment

Page 34

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – A text amendment that would allow the Ocean Pines Association to upgrade its signs received a favorable recommendation from the Worcester County Planning Commission last week.

The commission voted 6-0 to forward a text amendment that would add a provision for internal community signs within a subdivision on to the Worcester County Commissioners with a favorable recommendation.

“The county commissioners will ultimately still have to vote on this,” said

commission member Jerry Barbierri.

Last Thursday, Ocean Pines Association (OPA) Vice President Colette Horn told the commission that OPA had worked with county staff to develop language for the text amendment. According to county staff’s report to the planning commission, current regulations allow no more than two community signs.

“The proposed amendment was developed by staff as a result of several meetings with a committee from the Ocean Pines Association, wherein they expressed the need for promoting events and activities within the subdivision,” the report reads. “As drafted, the

December 11, 2020

amendment would allow a community to have internal signs for the display of information such as community events or emergency directives, but not for a commercial marketing message unassociated with that respective community.”

Horn said that while the proposed amendments allowed for four signs, OPA actually wanted between six and eight.

When asked if the new signs would be in addition to the community’s existing signs, OPA Communications Advisory Committee chair Jenny CropperRines said they would not be. She said OPA would remove 10 of its existing signs, leaving three, and would then add new signs, which would be electronic.

“These are basically replacements for the manual signs that are there,” said Cheryl Jacobs, another member of the committee.

Jennifer Keener, deputy director of the county’s department of development review and permitting, reminded planning commission members that the text amendment would be county-wide.

“This could be Ocean Pines, it could be a subdivision in Pocomoke area, it could be anywhere,” she said.

The planning commission voted 6-0 to adjust the text amendment to allow for six signs and to forward the proposal on to the county commissioners with a favorable recommendation.

ADOPT A PET FROM THE SHELTER These Loving Animals, Sponsored Each Month By Local Businesses, Are Available For Adoption At The Ocean City Humane Society: 410-213-0146.

To Sponsor A Pet, Call 410-641-4561 • Annually, 10% Of The Proceeds From This Page Are Donated To The Shelter

The Humane Society Desperately Needs Volunteers To Help Care For The Cats And Dogs. Any Amount Of Time You Can Spare Will Be Appreciated.

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December 11, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 35

The Dispatch

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Forever In Memory Of Our Founder, Dick Lohmeyer (May 25, 1927-May 5, 2005) The Dispatch, Serving Greater Ocean City Since 1984, Is Published By Maryland Coast Dispatch Inc. Weekly On Friday Mornings MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 467, Berlin, Md. 21811 PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 10012 Old Ocean City Blvd.

Berlin, Md. 21811 PHONE: 410-641-4561 FAX: 410-641-0966 WEBSITES: www.mdcoastdispatch.com www.facebook.com/thedispatchoc J. STEVEN GREEN Publisher/Editor editor@mdcoastdispatch.com

NEWS DEPARTMENT SHAWN J. SOPER Managing Editor ssoper@mdcoastdispatch.com CHARLENE SHARPE Staff Writer/Copy Editor csharpe@mdcoastdispatch.com BETHANY HOOPER Staff Writer bhooper@mdcoastdispatch.com CHRIS PARYPA Photographer

SALES DEPARTMENT TERRI FRENCH Account Executive Entertainment Editor terri@mdcoastdispatch.com JEANETTE DESKIEWICZ Account Executive jeanette@mdcoastdispatch.com

ART DEPARTMENT COLE GIBSON Art Director cole@mdcoastdispatch.com DAVID HOOKS Graphic Artist/Webmaster dhooks@mdcoastdispatch.com

BUSINESS OFFICE Bookkeeper/Classifieds Manager classifieds@mdcoastdispatch.com

The Maryland Coast Dispatch (USPS #015125) is an official and legal newspaper for Worcester County. Periodical postage paid at Berlin, Maryland, and additional mailing offices.

The Maryland Coast Dispatch, 10012 Old Ocean City Blvd., Berlin, Md. 21811, is published weekly on Friday mornings, 52 weeks a year.

Subscription rates are $75 per year, $55 for six months.

POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Maryland Coast Dispatch, P.O. Box 467, Berlin, Maryland 21811. Maryland Coast Dispatch offices are located at Route 346 and Graham Avenue, Berlin, Maryland.

Vaccinations Bring Better Hopes For New Year The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

December 11, 2020

HOW WE SEE IT

Distribution plans for the COVID-19 vaccines are in full force currently, providing some hopeful indications the pandemic might soon be under control and the economy can begin a longterm recovery.

At a press conference this week, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said Maryland is expected to soon receive 155,000 initial first doses of the twodose COVID vaccines. Distribution of the Pfizer vaccine could begin as soon as next week, while distribution of the Moderna vaccine could come as early as the week of Dec. 21.

Phase 1A of the vaccination distribution plan will focus on critical healthcare workers, residents and staff at long-term care facilities and first-responders. Maryland has signed up all the state’s 227 nursing homes and 1,668 assisted living facilities for vaccine distribution through a federal partnership with CVS and Walgreens.

Hogan on Tuesday also announced

a statewide vaccine confidence campaign aimed at educating and instilling trust in the vaccines and encouraging Marylanders to participate in the program when they become available.

Hogan also said he and Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford will publicly receive the vaccine when it becomes available to them to bolster public confidence in the program.

“The cavalry is coming, a vaccine is on the way, but it is absolutely critical that we continue to fight this virus with everything we’ve got, and we need to keep doing all the things that we know will help to keep us safe,” Hogan said.

With statewide metrics continuing to be a concern and the governor’s belief the health crisis is going to get worse before it improves, Marylanders will likely soon face even more restrictions with a stay-at-home order possible for all those not deemed essential workers. More social life limitations are expected any day.

At this point, while the general populace awaits spring vaccinations, we all need to remain hopeful, patient and understand these limitations being placed on our lives and livelihoods will be temporary. We must remain aware and cognizant of responsible living at this time and be aware help is on the way.

2020 has been a year we will remember for all the wrong reasons, but the brilliance and expeditious work of the country’s medical and science community has resulted in highly touted and effective vaccines. By spring the hope is for the majority of the public to gain access to the vaccinations.

The thought is once the majority receives the vaccinations some signs of normal life will begin to re-emerge.

With these medical breakthroughs and governments working with private industry to expedite the vaccination distribution, we are optimistic 2021 will be a much better year for all of us.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Remembering Gene Parker Editor: In the fall of 1985, Chase Manhattan Bank purchased Merritt Savings & Loan that owned several assets in Worcester County -- hundreds of acres of vacant land in Ocean Pines including a whole section zoned for mobile homes, the sewer company that serviced Ocean Pines, the vacant land at 120th Street called Heron Harbor and the final phase of Montego Bay at 130th Street that comprised almost all of the bulk headed lots. All assets sat idle ensnarled in litigation and approval problems.

Chase sent two people to Worcester County to figure it out -- Ed Moran, a seasoned veteran of significant bank workouts and me, an eager 25-year-old that knew nothing. Ed took the Ocean Pines mess and I took the other two.

Through a friend of a friend, I was given the telephone number of a local, Gene Parker. “Show me what you got kid,” Gene said after shaking my hand. “And talk into this ear,” he said. ”Can’t hear out of the other one.”

We drove the failing bulkhead lots of Montego Bay. Sitting in his car looking through the windshield at the vacant land, Gene advised: “Every day, go to the Greene Turtle and sit at the bar at 5 p.m. The key guy at the Army Corp goes there after work when he is in town. You will know him, because he puts ice in his beer. Get to know him.

Nice guy. Restores antique decoys as a hobby. He will tell you how to solve Montego Bay.” I did. He did. “Keep the inner lagoon tidal via a culvert and build up an island of local grasses,“ he said and 130 lots were approved. We pre-

sold most of them.

For the first time ever, Chase started construction of a project from scratch.

The vice chairman of the bank flew in from New York to see it. “How did you do this?” he asked. “Gene Parker,” I said.

“Show me Heron Harbor,” Gene said. A huge horseshoe of land all zoned for condos that were not selling in the first building in an over built condo market. “This will take you decades to build and sell out. Go the other way,” Gene said. “Single family lots. There aren’t any more on the island.” The city did back flips over the down zoning to single family. We crushed it. Builders and subcontractor trucks everywhere.

Gene Parker.

Gene agreed with Ed Moran that success at Ocean Pines was dependent on selling the sewer plant to the county and giving up the mobile home zoning or the home owners would fight us forever. But Ed went further, saying, “We’re from New York. They will eat us for lunch - it’s how local politics work everywhere. We need to get contract zoning so they won’t change the rest of it after the deal. Can’t get that locally. I have to go to Annapolis.” Gene replied, “I’ll make some calls.” He did. Ed did.

A giant piece of the local economy unlocked.

We never paid Gene a dime. And he never asked. He knew the local economy was stymied by these stalled large assets. He almost single handedly throttled it forward. Three huge successes. Gene Parker. All in for Worcester County and Ocean City. And my bet is no one ever knew.

Rest in peace my friend. You served your community well.

Luke Pickett Stratham, N.H.

Ignorance On Display Editor: Part One: I’m not going to sugar coat this statement. A certain family I believe are very two-faced individuals. In my opinion. Why? First their daughter Frankie attacked my family on multiple occasions, including my son Gavin who is 2 years old, When I confronted with a response, she had a police officer show up at my door the next morning with a verbal cease and desist order. First if my name or my family is brought up or spoken out of anyone’s mouth, especially City Council members and/or their families mouth. It’s the not first-time city council members have abused their power by going after members of the community.

I’m going to respond in defense every time. I made it very clear to former Councilwoman Mary Knight at the city council meeting on Nov. 2 that if you’re going to spy or speak about my family, I’m going to respond back with respect and ignorance. How can the Ocean City community really vote for someone that runs their mouth about a community member’s family, but expects the victim to back down?

Everyone wants to use the law to protect them when they run their mouths. I have photos that clearly show the selfish ignorance of their daughter. This is my message to all City Council members. Attack me, poke me like a bear, SEE NEXT PAGE

December 11, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR call me whatever you want, but leave my damn family out of your mouths. No wonder nothing gets done in this town, the hamster’s wheel keeps going around and around.

Part Two: My response to Scott Chismar’s statement in the letters to the editor section on Nov. 6.

Frankly I don’t care about your opinion or statements. Just like the others you hide behind the media to speak your words.

I am a very direct individual. If you got something to say to me, I’m sure you can find my phone number somewhere. My beliefs don’t ever change because someone financially endorses me.

Remember these words – I keep my enemies closer than I do my friends.

My final statement to Mr. Chismar: The greatest talent I have is that I’m a very good chess player and I know my opponent’s moves before he makes them. Let that sink in. I understand it might take you a little time to think about that. I will look forward to your response. Good day Mr Chismar.

D. Hagan Ocean CIty

Fenwick In Trouble Editor: Fenwick Island, the quiet beach town we love, is being systematically destroyed by "Mayor" Gene Langan. Mr. Langan, along with a handful of his crony council and special interest committee members, have undergone a wholesale sellout of the Town of Fenwick Island and, consequently, its long standing residents. Most brazen is Mr. Langan's willingness to openly and unabashedly advocate for special interests that are otherwise wildly unpopular with town residents.

For example, take his lack of transparency (e.g., secret meetings) with DNREC in connection with DNREC's proposal to develop and, resultantly, destroy unprotected wetlands in Fenwick Island State Park. Mr. Langan's unwillingness to challenge DNREC or its for profit development partner was tantamount to tacit approval. Of course, Mr. Langan was, however, quite willing to use the Fenwick Island police as his personal gestapo to harass citizens who were brave enough to speak out against this wetland destruction.

Then, of course, there is Mr. Langan's blatantly ignoring long standing town codes and ordinances in furtherance of enriching developers, e.g., his rubber stamping noisy outdoor bars that are strictly and unequivocally prohibited by town code. This disregard of longstanding ordinances will certainly have a negative impact on the community and the taxpayers the mayor purports to represent, while, concurrently and not surprisingly, greatly benefit the special interests, e.g., the developers.

Given his blatant disregard for these ordinances and the overwhelming outcry by his constituents against his actions, you have to wonder what interest Mr. Langan has in these projects.

Between The Lines

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

To insulate himself from standard conflict of interest due diligence, Mr. Langan has packed committees designed to advise the Mayor and Council with friendly family members and other individuals with an interest in changing long standing ordinances designed to protect the character of Fenwick Island for personal financial gain.

Under the Gene Lagan regime, if you have a lucrative business deal to discuss with the mayor you have his ear and time, but if you are a tax paying resident you might get two minutes to voice your opinions at a town council meeting. That said, recently given resident dissent to his authoritarian decision making, Mr. Langan decided to eliminate public participation at the advice of one of his "business partners."

The Borner Family Fenwick Island

Plastic Bag Ban Support Editor: In January of this year, the Plastic Bag Reduction Act was poised to pass the Maryland General Assembly with widespread public support. The bill will soon be back on the table following a shortened 2020 session. With new evidence from Oceana showing plastic bags choking and entangling marine animals, the state legislature must move quickly to ban them.

Plastic production is projected to quadruple by 2050. Unless states like Maryland move quickly to ban additional forms of single-use plastic, the amount of plastic entering the ocean could triple by 2040. While the ocean’s future is uncertain, we see bags and other single-use plastics choking ocean life right now. A new report from Oceana revealed that nearly 1,800 marine mammals and sea turtles had swallowed or become entangled in plastic along American coastlines. Of those, 88% were from species endangered or threatened with extinction under the Endangered Species Act. The plastics problem seems overwhelming, but Oceana’s report clearly names plastic bags as a top threat.

Plastic bags were found entangling and being consumed by animals in 80 cases, some of which were species that frequent Maryland waters. Just this year in Virginia, a dead minke whale was found with a plastic bag in its stomach, though it is unclear if or how the bag contributed to its fate. While many cases go unobserved, we know that just one piece of plastic can be deadly.

We don’t need more plastic bags and microplastics polluting the Chesapeake Bay, and we don’t need more dolphins and whales washing up on our beaches. Maryland must protect its iconic marine life. Let’s ask Speaker Adrienne Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson to pass the Plastic Bag Reduction Act in 2021. The sea turtles and marine mammals choking on plastic cannot wait.

Jacob Ross (The writer is the Mid Atlantic Field Campaigns Fellow with Oceana.)

Page 37

By Publisher/Editor Steve Green

Ocean City could be on to something new and exciting with its modified Winterfest of Lights event. Though I suspect officials will want to return to the drive-thru tram ride concept next year if it’s deemed safe, a smaller walk-through concept might be something to consider in future years.

I personally prefer this year’s pedestrian concept, but recognize it limits older people who might not be able to traverse the park. There could be an opportunity for the town to offer both in some capacity. There will be logistical issues to consider, but it’s worth some thought because this year’s walk-through event is being welcomed and seems to be favored by some, especially young families. Young kids like being able to walk around the park and see the lights up close in a safe manner. Perhaps next year the town can create a smaller walk-through area in addition to the larger tram ride portion. It could be a hit.

Commenting on our album of photos posted on Facebook, an individual put it well. He wrote, “Although it has been scaled back, our family enjoyed the walk through version better than the tram. It was nice to walk and stop to see all the details at our own pace. The ‘selfie stations’ placed throughout were also a nice touch and provided awesome back drops for family pics. Great job to all involved for adapting and keeping the tradition alive!

Only thing missing this year was the parade.”

Some concerns were heard this week over all 14 public schools in Worcester County mandating in-person COVID-19 training for all personnel before the holiday break. Asynchronous learning will take place for students on the day teachers participate in the training since they will be unable to lead their classes online. Each of the 14 schools will have a different day for the training.

Though some teachers were perplexed over gathering in large numbers at school when in-school instruction was deemed unsafe last month, Superintendent of Schools Lou Taylor addressed the importance of the training in an interview this week. He said it was imperative for teachers because the current safeguards and protocols in place to minimize infections among the student body and personnel go against the grain of how teachers typically interact with their students. “… One of the tough things for teachers, our teachers do a fantastic job in educating our kids. And one of the things as a teacher that you learn as you’re going through your teacher training is close proximity to kids and being in close proximity,” said Taylor. “Everything that they we’re trained to do, we’re asking them to do the opposite and stay six feet apart from kids. And that’s a challenge. So through these trainings, we are providing information, we’re providing scenarios so they can see how firsthand this can be done when they go into a school. And so I think one of the things that I wanted to do as superintendent, as we prepare for this, really what I call the second round of bringing our kids back, is to give our teachers the tools and the necessary information to do a job and to keep themselves and our kids as safe as possible.”

Allowing for local discretion is critical when it comes to managing schools during this pandemic. Statewide mandates are unacceptable because each region has varying severities of data.

Fortunately, as of mid-day Thursday at least, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has said he will not issue statewide school restrictions. In Delaware, Gov. John Carney went the other route last week, recommending strongly a pause of in-person learning beginning Dec. 14 through Jan. 8 at schools facing “significant operational challenges” with social distancing students, rising case results and struggles with personnel quarantine. Carney also instituted a “stay-at-home advisory” and a “universal indoor mask mandate” effective Dec. 14. He warned further restrictions are likely in the near future. It was interesting to me Carney issued these recommendations at his Dec. 3 press conference to take effect on Dec. 14. These dates seem arbitrary to me. If the governor finds the situation to be so dire to institute these changes, an 11-day wait period seems counterintuitive.

Either way, Cape Henlopen School District, which manages schools in the coastal Delaware region, turned some heads last week when it did not adhere to Carney’s advice. I liked the stance as well as the transparency message from Superintendent Robert Fulton.

“Since the beginning of the school year, we have had 49 positive COVID-19 cases. This is out of approximately 5,000 students and/or staff involved in our in-person or hybrid reopening model and equates to less than a 1% positive rate,” Fulton wrote. “During that same time period, and for precautionary purposes, we had to quarantine 27 staff members. That number is out of more than 1,200 total staff working in our schools. It is also important to note that none of the 27 staff members who we quarantined tested positive for COVID-19. ... the Cape Henlopen School District will continue to operate under our in-person, hybrid, and remote models of instruction, the same models we have been following since the beginning of the school year. We will not be following the recommendation of the Governor to pause hybrid instruction due to significant operational concerns, because at this point, we are not experiencing them.”

Page 38

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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The Adventures Of Fatherhood

By STEVE GREEN

he truth is nobody knows the impact this prolonged period of virtual learning will ultimately have on our kids.

Aside from teaching them the importance of being resilient and making the best of an unfortunate situation, there are no positives to come from learning remotely. Some would argue it limits the spread of the virus, but I continue to maintain the sweeping mental health consequences of this pandemic on our children far outweigh the consequences of contracting it.

My 11-year-old son was among the many school kids who took tests this week just to gauge where he is on subject matter. The results are going to be obvious – a great majority are behind. There is no question about that because at-home learning is not as successful as in-school. It’s just the way it is. The tests this week were being administered to give teachers a thorough idea of where they need to focus their efforts in the near future.

I’m sure it will be helpful for the teachers, but it was not a productive period for our special needs son.

When I talk about the dangers of virtual learning, I admit our difficulties are unique because of our kid’s disabilities. Carson is incredibly limited in what he can do through the computer.

I realize for some students the challenges are not as grave, but I know full well this is not good for him. His school understands as he has been in the first wave of students welcomed back under their plans for the fall and this winter. We appreciate that.

What I have gained throughout this virtual learning madness is a newfound respect and appreciation for our educators. It’s clear the teachers are working long hours to convert their lesson plans into something that will work online. From what I see, the tea-

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chers are doing the best they can to connect with the kids. They are heroes in my book and I feel for them.

There must be serious frustrations on their end.

In some cases, teachers are seeing only a fraction of their students in their scheduled periods. I have heard stories of teachers calling a student’s home dozens of times trying to reach a parent because the kid is not participating in school classes. Some teachers have even gone to their students’ homes to check in because they have not seen them online.

Some teachers, especially those who teach specials, are seeing only a few students in their periods when there should be more than 15. It must be discouraging. I believe they want to see their students and are frustrated when their kids are not available to learn for whatever reason.

For the parents, especially those of younger less independent children, this extended period of home schooling is the challenge of a lifetime. There are so many concerns, including how to work while assisting kids with virtual learning. In some cases, a parent is either not working after being laid off due to the pandemic’s real economic consequences. Even if the economy’s hardships didn’t cost a parent his or her job, the responsibility of having to be home all the time prevents any sort of steady work for many. The blessed folks have jobs that allow them to work from home in a limited capacity.

Wearing the dual hats of parent and teacher is impossible. My wife handles the juggle with as much aplomb as anyone I could imagine.

Carson, a fifth grader, has been virtual for about a month now after starting the school year at home for three weeks before returning to in-person instruction for about seven weeks. It’s a roller coaster ride for everyone.

This week, we were dealt a curve ball when Beckett, 12, had to go virtual because he was deemed a close contact of a soccer teammate who tested positive. Our seventh grader now must quarantine for 10 days and will be remote learning during that time. Fortunately, he can manage his school’s virtual learning options well and does not require a lot from Pam. Even in this short period of home learning, it’s clear there are consequences for our oldest kid. It’s just not the way to learn and the social consequences of not being able to connect with teachers and fellow students is immense.

As for Carson, who requires a oneon-one educational assistant in school, Pam is there to serve his needs. I give her a little breather by handling the duties on Fridays, but she’s the MVP of the house right now. She has paused her career and important things she needs to tend to daily to help our kid.

Admittedly, our challenges we face through virtual learning are complex and insurmountable. He can’t learn through a computer screen as well as in person, though we are blessed because he’s a hard worker. He has always had a commendable work ethic. However, it’s heart breaking to see him struggle to keep up with the lesson at times because the teacher can’t see their students to ensure they get what’s being taught.

All the teachers, parents and kids can do during this difficult time is pivot and adjust to the times. In the meantime, we all deserve a pat on the back for making lemonade out of lemons each day.

(The writer is the publisher and editor of The Dispatch. He and his wife, Pamela, are proud parents of two boys. This weekly column examines their transition into parenthood and all that goes along with it. E-mail any thoughts to editor@mdcoastdispatch.com.)

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Community

Page 40

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

December 11, 2020

News In Photos

Local Boy Scout troops sponsored by the Ocean City American Legion Post 166 conducted a ceremonial burning of worn flags last month at the Worcester County Veterans Memorial with help of the Ocean Pines Fire Department. Above, Pack 261 Cub Master Joe Coleman, left, and Bruce Traver, Bear Den Leader of Pack 261, right, look on as Chase Triplett of Pack 261 salutes a flag being burned.

Despite a challenging year, A Perfect Face Day Spa was still able to hold a successful Pamper for Charity fundraiser for the 24th year. Above, owner Carol Withers presents a $5,000 check to the American Cancer Society’s Mary Bellis.

Withers thanked her customers and the supportive community who made the fundraiser a success.

Submitted Photos The latest painted utility box completed under the OCDC’s Public Art Program has been painted in downtown Ocean City by Clara DiFilippo Ziman. This public art project is located at Holy Savior Catholic Church at Philadelphia Avenue and 17th Street.

Hope4Recovery Executive Director Brandon O'Brien spoke to the Ocean City Lions Club about recovery and the role recovery houses play in successful longterm sobriety. Since its opening in October 2018, Hope4Recovery has served 87 men. Pictured, from left, are Lions 1st Vice President Scott Stark, O'Brien, Lions President Mike Hooper and 2nd Vice President Bill Christmas.

Sunday was an assembly line day at Ocean City American Legion Post 166 as volunteers gathered to stuff Care Packages for servicemen and women overseas.

Working with Operation We Care, a Salisbury nonprofit founded in 2007, 125 boxes were filled with toiletries, food, and host of everyday items those of us at home take for granted every day. Pictured working with the assembly line are auxiliary member Eileen Salafia and scout Jenay Colon.

Business And Real Estate News

December 11, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 41

Sunset Grille’s annual Pink Party, in honor of Hope Palmer, and the inaugural Bishop Broadbill Bash, in honor of Rena Bishop, raised $7,972. The proceeds from both events benefit Atlantic General Hospital’s John H. ‘Jack’ Burbage, Jr. Regional Cancer Care Center. Pictured, from left, are Jack Burbage, past chairman of the Board of Trustees; Caroline Phillips, development officer at Atlantic General Hospital; Palmer; Mary Mullins, director of the Burbage Regional Cancer Care Center; Michael Franklin, president and CEO of Atlantic General Hospital; and Buddy Trala, Rena Bishop,and Hillary Mozeik, of Sunset Grille. Submitted Photo

Coastal Hospice Additions SALISBURY – Candace Rutter has joined the Coastal Hospice team as the new Team Leader at Coastal Hospice at the Lake. She is responsible for overseeing the operations and nursing staff at Coastal Hospice at the Lake, the short-term inpatient hospice facility.

Before joining Coastal Hospice, Rutter spent 14 years in the Carroll Hospital Center network. During her tenure there she held a number of positions in the areas of education, case management and leadership. Her most recent position was the Clinical Manager of the inpatient unit at Carroll Hospice in Westminster.

Rutter has been a nurse for 29 years and graduated from Salisbury State University. Before moving to the Western Shore, she worked in the Salisbury area between PRMC and Coastal Hospice.

“We are very excited to have Candace join our CANDACE RUTTER team,” said Alane Capen, President of Coastal Hospice. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in hospice nursing and I believe she will prove to be an asset to our patients and their families.”

Niki Runge, a member of the Bereavement team, has earned the Hospice and Palliative Care Music Therapy Certificate. The rigorous course was available thNIKI RUNGE rough the Center for Music Therapy in End of Life Care.

Runge works with Coastal Hospice patients, families and the bereaved to provide music therapy as a method of healing and coping with grief.

“We are very proud of Niki’s accomplishment and her work for Coastal Hospice,” said Alane Capen, president of

Coastal Hospice. “This music therapy certification means we will be able to provide an even higher level of service and care to our patients.”

Portal Hospital On Site SALISBURY – In its continuing effort to protect the health and well-being of the local community, and as COVID-19 positive rates continue to rise and impact bed availability at all Delmarva hospitals, TidalHealth Peninsula Regional has again erected an inflatable portable hospital on its campus. The unit, which was first constructed in March of this year and was in place for four months, is self-contained and features heat and air conditioning. It will again be stocked with basic medical supplies and 10 patient care cots.

TidalHealth Peninsula Regional intends to use the regional medical station, as needed, for patient overflow and surge control for a variety of conditions including the seasonal flu and COVID19. The move is strictly precautionary and proactive as the hospital is currently not at capacity.

“The mobile regional medical station adjacent to the emergency department (ED) allows us to maintain a state of readiness in the event our region experiences the need to expand either ED or inpatient bed capacity. Staffing will be in alignment with the needs of the population we are caring for,” said Sarah Arnett, Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional.

The portable hospital tent is wind rated up to 70 mph. It can be easily dismantled and reconstructed in about 45 minutes. As a regional asset, it is available to other hospitals and agencies on the Eastern Shore, and could be activated as a mobile hospital in response to any emergency or mass casualty event.

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

$15/Week For Minimum Of Five Lines • $2 Thereafter Per Line Display Classified Ads: $20/Week Per Column Inch (Contract Discounts Available)

HELP WANTED

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Now hiring for full and part time, SALES ASSOCiATES for busy automotive store. Excellent pay and benefits.

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Excellent Pay Plan!!

Call 302-228-2353

AUTOMOTiVE GREAT-GREAT-GREAT OPPORTUniTiES! Busy auto service & tire center, est. in 1984 with locations in Ocean Pines, Bethany Beach, and Long Neck, is now accepting applications for: - MARyLAnD STATE inSPECTOR -TECHniCiAnS - LUBE TECHS Must have valid drivers license.

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Worcester Preparatory School, a coeducational college preparatory day school serving over 400 students in grades PK-12, is currently seeking a Head Coach for Boys Upper School.

Minimum of 2 yrs. experience and CJIS Background Screening required.

EOE Contact: Matt McGinnis 410-641-3575 or mmcginnis@worcesterprep.org

Currently hiring manpower for

•STUCCO & EiFS MECHAniCS •CARPEnTERS •COnCRETE BLOCK •COATinGS SPECiALiSTS •FLAT COnCRETE •COnCRETE REPAiRS •PT WELDER •COMMERCiAL CAULKinG •WinDOW & DOOR inSTALLERS •WAREHOUSE HELP (DRiVER’S LiCEnSE REQ’D) Experience Preferred. Tools, transportation & a valid driver’s license are a plus. Competitive benefit package available.

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Annual contract, renewed annually pending performance and continued funding. The University of Maryland offers benefits.

For more information and to apply, go to: https:// ejobs.umd.edu.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion and clearance of a Criminal History Record Check. EEO/AA Closing Date: January 1, 2021

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CONTACT INFORMATION Phone: 410-641-4563 • Fax: 410-641-0966 Email: classifieds@mdcoastdispatch.com Mail: P.O. Box 467, Berlin, Md. 21811

Deadline For Insertions, Cancellations And Payment Is 3 p.m. Tuesday.

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––––––––––––––––––––––––––– PART TIME RETAIL: Looking for hard-working, responsible, reliable, personable help, who loves pets. Call 443-235-3196 for interview.

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WEST O.C. OFFICE/RETAIL SPACES AVAILABLE: 1 OfficeRetail and 1 Warehouses. Plenty of Parking. 443-497-4200.

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The Dispatch

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Legal Notices

LEGAL RATES Legal advertising rate is $7 per column inch. Deadline for all legal advertising is Tuesday at noon. For more information, call 410-641-4563 or fax 410-641-0966.

SECOND INSERTION VICTOR H LAWS ESQ LAWS, INSLEY & BENSON, P.A. 209 E. MAIN STREET P.O. BOX 75 SALISBURY, MD 21803-0075 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18508 To all persons interested in the estate of M. WAYNE HOLLAND, ESTATE NO. 18508.

Notice is given that JUDITH M. HOLLAND, 4001 WHITESBURG ROAD, POCOMOKE CITY, MD 21851 was on, NOVEMBER 30, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of M. WAYNE HOLLAND, who died on NOVEMBER 2, 2020, with a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney.

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 30TH day of MAY, 2021.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Two months after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claim will be barred unless the creditor presents the claims within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. A claim not presented or filed on or before that date, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter. Claim forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication DECEMBER 04, 2020 JUDITH M. HOLLAND Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County

The Dispatch

December 11, 2020

Legal Notices

LEGAL RATES Legal advertising rate is $7 per column inch. Deadline for all legal advertising is Tuesday at noon. For more information, call 410-641-4563 or fax 410-641-0966.

Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 12-04, 12-11, 12-18

SECOND INSERTION LESLIE LOBOS, ESQ. IN-HOUSE COUNSEL PINES PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, INC. 11029 CATHELL ROAD BERLIN, MD 21811

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND CASE NO. C-23-CV-20-000291 VILLAS OF OCEAN PINES BORDERLINKS TIMESHARE OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. 11029 CATHELL ROAD BERLIN, MD 21811 Plaintiff v.

JOHN COUTURE, ET AL. Defendants TRUSTEE’S SALE OF TIME SHARE INTERVALS IN THE VILLAS OF OCEAN PINES, BORDERLINKS CONDOMINIUM, OCEAN PINES, MD By virtue of a certain Claim of Lien recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland, and pursuant to the Order of the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland, Case No. C-23-CV-20-000291, the undersigned Trustee, will offer for sale at public auction at the entrance of the Villas of Ocean Pines, located at, 438 Ocean Parkway, Ocean Pines, Maryland, the following described property located in Ocean Pines, Worcester County, Maryland, on Monday, December 21, 2020 at 11:00 a.m., the following timeshare intervals: Condomimium Unit Bh34 Bh34 Bh34 Bn40 Bn40 Bq43 Bq43 Bq43 Br44 Br44 Br44 Br44 Bx50 Bx50 Bx50

Time Interval 8 13 39 5 16 9 40 43 1 8 9 42 4 11 16

Each time interval being one week per year in the corresponding unit, each unit being part of the Villas of Ocean Pines, including an undivided interest in the common elements thereof, as established pursuant to a Declaration of Condominium and Timeshare recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland and subsequent Declarations of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, as to each condominium unit and recorded among the aforesaid Land Records.

The property will be sold in an “as is” condition and subject to conditions, restrictions and agreements of record affecting the same, if any, and with no warranties and guarantees.

A secured party may bid and shall be excused from deposit requirements. The Trustee reserves the right to withdraw any interval from the sale and/or to reject any and all bids.

Terms of Sale: A deposit in the full amount of the sales price per time interval will be required at the time of sale, such deposit to be in cash or check. Cost of all documentary stamps, transfer taxes, 2020 maintenance fees and all other settlement costs shall be borne by the purchaser. The date of settlement shall be within fifteen (15) days after final ratification by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland, time being of the essence; otherwise the deposit will be forfeited and the property will be resold at the risk and expense of the defaulting purchaser, or in any manner designated by the Trustee; or, without forfeiting deposit, the Seller may exercise any of its legal or equitable rights against the defaulting purchaser.

For more information, call: Leslie Lobos, Esq., Trustee, at 240-449-8862.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication DECEMBER 04, 2020 3x, 12-04, 12-11, 12-18

SECOND INSERTION LESLIE LOBOS, ESQ. IN-HOUSE COUNSEL PINES PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, INC. 11029 CATHELL ROAD BERLIN, MD 21811 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND CASE NO. C-23-CV-20-000292 VILLAS OF OCEAN PINES BORDERLINKS TIMESHARE OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. 11029 CATHELL ROAD BERLIN, MD 21811 Plaintiff v.

DANNY WAYNE MEANS, ET AL. Defendants TRUSTEE’S SALE OF TIME SHARE INTERVALS IN THE VILLAS OF OCEAN PINES, BORDERLINKS CONDOMINIUM, OCEAN PINES, MD By virtue of a certain Claim of Lien recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland, and pursuant to the Order of the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland, Case No. C-23-CV-20-000292, the undersigned Trustee, will offer for sale at public auction at the entrance of the Villas of Ocean Pines, located at, 438 Ocean Parkway, Ocean Pines, Maryland, the following described property located in Ocean Pines, Worcester County, Maryland, on Monday, December 21, 2020 at 11:00 a.m., the following timeshare intervals: Condomimium Time Unit Interval Ay25 Ay25 Ay25 Ay25 Ay25 Bb28 Bb28 Bb28 Bc29 Bc29 Bc29 Bf32 Bf32 Bg33 Bg33 Bg33 Bh34

44 45 47 50 52 18 36 47 14 46 50 5 20 3 49 50 7

Each time interval being one week per year in the corresponding unit, each unit being part of the Villas of Ocean Pines, including an undivided interest in the common elements thereof, as established pursuant to a Declaration of Condominium and Timeshare recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland and subsequent Declarations of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, as to each condominium unit and recorded among the aforesaid Land Records.

The property will be sold in an “as is” condition and subject to conditions, restrictions and agreements of record affecting the same, if any, and with no warranties and guarantees.

A secured party may bid and shall be excused from deposit requirements. The

Trustee reserves the right to withdraw any interval from the sale and/or to reject any and all bids.

Page 43 vals: Condomimium Unit

Time Interval

Bh34 Terms of Sale: A deposit in the full amount of the sales price per time interval will be required at the time of sale, such deposit to be in cash or check. Cost of all documentary stamps, transfer taxes, 2020 maintenance fees and all other settlement costs shall be borne by the purchaser. The date of settlement shall be within fifteen (15) days after final ratification by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland, time being of the essence; otherwise the deposit will be forfeited and the property will be resold at the risk and expense of the defaulting purchaser, or in any manner designated by the Trustee; or, without forfeiting deposit, the Seller may exercise any of its legal or equitable rights against the defaulting purchaser.

For more information, call: Leslie Lobos, Esq., Trustee, at 240-449-8862.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication DECEMBER 04, 2020 3x, 12-04, 12-11, 12-18

SECOND INSERTION LESLIE LOBOS, ESQ. IN-HOUSE COUNSEL PINES PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, INC. 11029 CATHELL ROAD BERLIN, MD 21811

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND CASE NO. C-23-CV-20-000296 VILLAS OF OCEAN PINES BORDERLINKS TIMESHARE OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. 11029 CATHELL ROAD BERLIN, MD 21811 Plaintiff v.

LARRY ALLIO, ET AL. Defendants TRUSTEE’S SALE OF TIME SHARE INTERVALS IN THE VILLAS OF OCEAN PINES, BORDERLINKS CONDOMINIUM, OCEAN PINES, MD By virtue of a certain Claim of Lien recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland, and pursuant to the Order of the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland, Case No. C-23-CV-20-000296, the undersigned Trustee, will offer for sale at public auction at the entrance of the Villas of Ocean Pines, located at, 438 Ocean Parkway, Ocean Pines, Maryland, the following described property located in Ocean Pines, Worcester County, Maryland, on Monday, December 21, 2020 at 11:00 a.m., the following timeshare inter-

BERLIN, MD 21811 Plaintiff v.

38

Each time interval being one week per year in the corresponding unit, each unit being part of the Villas of Ocean Pines, including an undivided interest in the common elements thereof, as established pursuant to a Declaration of Condominium and Timeshare recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland and subsequent Declarations of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, as to each condominium unit and recorded among the aforesaid Land Records.

The property will be sold in an “as is” condition and subject to conditions, restrictions and agreements of record affecting the same, if any, and with no warranties and guarantees.

A secured party may bid and shall be excused from deposit requirements. The Trustee reserves the right to withdraw any interval from the sale and/or to reject any and all bids.

Terms of Sale: A deposit in the full amount of the sales price per time interval will be required at the time of sale, such deposit to be in cash or check. Cost of all documentary stamps, transfer taxes, 2020 maintenance fees and all other settlement costs shall be borne by the purchaser. The date of settlement shall be within fifteen (15) days after final ratification by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland, time being of the essence; otherwise the deposit will be forfeited and the property will be resold at the risk and expense of the defaulting purchaser, or in any manner designated by the Trustee; or, without forfeiting deposit, the Seller may exercise any of its legal or equitable rights against the defaulting purchaser.

For more information, call: Leslie Lobos, Esq., Trustee, at 240-449-8862.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication DECEMBER 04, 2020 3x, 12-04, 12-11, 12-18

SECOND INSERTION LESLIE LOBOS, ESQ. IN-HOUSE COUNSEL PINES PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, INC. 11029 CATHELL ROAD BERLIN, MD 21811

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND CASE NO. C-23-CV-20-000297 VILLAS OF OCEAN PINES BORDERLINKS TIMESHARE OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. 11029 CATHELL ROAD

JOHN C. DREXEL, ET AL. Defendants TRUSTEE’S SALE OF TIME SHARE INTERVALS IN THE VILLAS OF OCEAN PINES, BORDERLINKS CONDOMINIUM, OCEAN PINES, MD By virtue of a certain Claim of Lien recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland, and pursuant to the Order of the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland, Case No. C-23-CV-20-000297, the undersigned Trustee, will offer for sale at public auction at the entrance of the Villas of Ocean Pines, located at, 438 Ocean Parkway, Ocean Pines, Maryland, the following described property located in Ocean Pines, Worcester County, Maryland, on Monday, December 21, 2020 at 11:00 a.m., the following timeshare intervals: Condomimium Time Unit Interval Bx50 Bx50 Bx50 Bx50 Bx50 Bx50 By51 By51 By51 By51 By51

17 36 43 46 47 52 2 15 43 44 52

Each time interval being one week per year in the corresponding unit, each unit being part of the Villas of Ocean Pines, including an undivided interest in the common elements thereof, as established pursuant to a Declaration of Condominium and Timeshare recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland and subsequent Declarations of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, as to each condominium unit and recorded among the aforesaid Land Records.

The property will be sold in an “as is” condition and subject to conditions, restrictions and agreements of record affecting the same, if any, and with no warranties and guarantees.

A secured party may bid and shall be excused from deposit requirements. The Trustee reserves the right to withdraw any interval from the sale and/or to reject any and all bids.

Terms of Sale: A deposit in the full amount of the sales price per time interval will be required at the time of sale, such deposit to be in cash or check. Cost of all documentary stamps, transfer taxes, 2020 maintenance fees and all other settlement costs shall be borne by the purchaser. The date of settlement shall be within fifteen (15) days after final

The Dispatch

Page 44

LEGAL RATES

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Legal Notices

Legal advertising rate is $7 per column inch. Deadline for all legal advertising is Tuesday at noon. For more information, call 410-641-4563 or fax 410-641-0966. ratification by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland, time being of the essence; otherwise the deposit will be forfeited and the property will be resold at the risk and expense of the defaulting purchaser, or in any manner designated by the Trustee; or, without forfeiting deposit, the Seller may exercise any of its legal or equitable rights against the defaulting purchaser.

For more information, call: Leslie Lobos, Esq., Trustee, at 240-449-8862.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication DECEMBER 04, 2020 3x, 12-04, 12-11, 12-18

FIRST INSERTION

ALEX R. HOUSLEY ESQ 658 KENILWORTH DRIVE SUITE 203 TOWSON, MD 21204 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18474 To all persons interested in the estate of JAMES A. BROWN, ESTATE NO. 18474.

Notice is given that RYAN T. BROWN, 10 VALLEY RIDGE LOOP, COCKEYSVILLE, MD 21030 was on, DECEMBER 03, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of JAMES A. BROWN, who died on AUGUST 31, 2020, without a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney.

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 3rd day of JUNE, 2021.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine months from the date of the

decedent's death; or (2) Two months after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claim will be barred unless the creditor presents the claims within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. A claim not presented or filed on or before that date, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter. Claim forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication DECEMBER 11, 2020 RYAN T. BROWN Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 12-11, 12-18, 12-24

FIRST INSERTION

SMALL ESTATE NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18509 To all persons interested in the estate of LORI ANN HILLMAN. Notice is given that WHITNEY ROUNDTREE, 108 CHERRY STREET, POCOMOKE CITY, MD 21851 was on NOVEMBER 30, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the SMALL ESTATE of: LORI ANN HILLMAN, who died on JULY 22, 2020 without a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney.

All persons having any objection to the appointment shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within 30 days after the date of publication of this Notice.

All persons having any objection to the probate of the will shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within six months after the date of publication of this Notice.

All persons having claims against the decedent must serve their claims on the undersigned personal representative or file them with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Thirty days after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claims will be barred unless the creditor presents the claim within thirty days from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. Any claim not served or filed within that time, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication DECEMBER 11, 2020 WHITNEY ROUNDTREE Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 1x 12-11

FIRST INSERTION

B. RANDALL COATES ESQ COATES, COATES, & COATES 204 WEST GREEN STREET SALISBURY, MD 21863 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18511 To all persons interested in the estate of CURTIS E. SHOCKLEY, ESTATE NO. 18511.

Notice is given that ROBERT E. SHOCKLEY, 6820 SHOCKLEY ROAD, SNOW HILL, MD 21863 was on, DECEMBER 02, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of CURTIS E. SHOCKLEY, who died on NOVEMBER 16, 2020, with a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal repre-

sentative or the attorney.

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 2ND day of JUNE, 2021.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Two months after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claim will be barred unless the creditor presents the claims within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. A claim not presented or filed on or before that date, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter. Claim forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication DECEMBER 11, 2020 ROBERT E. SHOCKLEY Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 12-11, 12-18, 12-24

FIRST INSERTION

THOMAS K. COATES ESQ COATES, COATES, & COATES, P.A. 6200 COASTAL HIGHWAY SUITE 300 OCEAN CITY, MD 21843 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18512 To all persons interested in the estate of EUGENE R. PARKER JR., ESTATE NO. 18512.

Notice is given that MITCHELL M. PARKER, 12449 SELSEY ROAD, OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 was on, DECEMBER 02, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of EUGENE R. PARKER JR., who died on NOVEMBER 24, 2020, with a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney.

December 11, 2020 All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 2ND day of JUNE, 2021.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Two months after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claim will be barred unless the creditor presents the claims within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. A claim not presented or filed on or before that date, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter. Claim forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication DECEMBER 11, 2020 MITCHELL M. PARKER Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 12-11, 12-18, 12-24

FIRST INSERTION

EDMUND L WIDDOWSON JR., ESQ 11791 SOMERSET AVE PRINCESS ANNE, MD 21853 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18515 To all persons interested in the estate of DOLORES MAY WHITE, ESTATE NO. 18515.

Notice is given that ANDREW LEE WHITE, 172 NORTHSLOPE II ROAD, EAST STROUDSBURG, PA 18302 was on, DECEMBER 07, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of DOLORES MAY WHITE, who died on SEPTEMBER 29, 2020, with a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney.

All persons having any ob-

jection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 7TH day of JUNE, 2021.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Two months after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claim will be barred unless the creditor presents the claims within two months from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. A claim not presented or filed on or before that date, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter. Claim forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication DECEMBER 11, 2020 ANDREW LEE WHITE Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 12-11, 12-18, 12-24

FIRST INSERTION

MICHAEL B MATHERS ESQ. WEBB, CORNBROOKS, WILBER, VORHIS, DOUSE & MATHERS, LLP PO BOX 910 115 BROAD STREET SALISBURY, MD 21803-0910 SMALL ESTATE NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18505 To all persons interested in the estate of CHARLES HERBERT SHELTON. Notice is given that DOROTHY SWAN LESLIE, 350 OCEAN PARKWAY, BERLIN, MD 21811 was on NOVEMBER 20, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the SMALL ESTATE of: CHARLES HERBERT SHELTON, who died on MARCH 30, 2018 with a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by con-

The Dispatch

December 11, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Legal Notices

LEGAL RATES Legal advertising rate is $7 per column inch. Deadline for all legal advertising is Tuesday at noon. For more information, call 410-641-4563 or fax 410-641-0966.

tacting the personal representative or the attorney.

All persons having any objection to the appointment shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within 30 days after the date of publication of this Notice.

All persons having any objection to the probate of the will shall file their objections with the Register of Wills within six months after the date of publication of this Notice.

v.

SHARON PRETTYMAN, ET AL. Defendants TRUSTEE’S SALE OF TIME SHARE

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All persons having claims against the decedent must serve their claims on the undersigned personal representative or file them with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates:

BORDERLINKS I TIME INTERVAL OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC. 11029 CATHELL ROAD BERLIN, MD 21811 Plaintiff

(1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine months from the date of the decedent's death; or

(2) Thirty days after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claims will be barred unless the creditor presents the claim within thirty days from the mailing or other delivery of the notice. Any claim not served or filed within that time, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication DECEMBER 11, 2020 DOROTHY SWAN LESLIE Personal Representative

True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 1x 12-11

FIRST INSERTION

LESLIE LOBOS, ESQ. IN-HOUSE COUNSEL PINES PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, INC. 11029 CATHELL ROAD BERLIN, MD 21811

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND CASE NO. C-23-CV-20-000271

INTERVALS IN THE BORDERLINKS CONDOMINIUM, OCEAN PINES, MD By virtue of a certain Claim of Lien recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland, and pursuant to the Order of the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland, Case No. C-23-CV-20-000271, the undersigned Trustee, will offer for sale at public auction at the entrance of the Borderlinks Condominium, located at, 438 Ocean Parkway, Ocean Pines, Maryland, the following described property located in Ocean Pines, Worcester County, Maryland, on Monday, December 28, 2020 at 11:00 a.m., the following timeshare intervals: Condomimium Time Unit Interval Bi35 Bi35 Bj36

20 40 5

Bj36 Bj36 Bj36 Bj36 Bk37 Bk37 Bk37 Bo41 Bo41 Bo41 Bo41 Bo41 Bz52 Bz52 Cb54 Cb54 Cb54

Page 45 8 10 14 19 18 47 48 4 14 40 41 44 1 2 11 19 48

Each time interval being one week per year in the corresponding unit, each unit being part of the Borderlinks Condominium, including an undivided interest in the common elements thereof, as established pursuant to a Declaration of Condominium and Timeshare recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland and subsequent Declarations of

Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, as to each condominium unit and recorded among the aforesaid Land Records.

The property will be sold in an “as is” condition and subject to conditions, restrictions and agreements of record affecting the same, if any, and with no warranties and guarantees.

A secured party may bid and shall be excused from deposit requirements. The Trustee reserves the right to withdraw any interval from the sale and/or to reject any and all bids.

Terms of Sale: A deposit in the full amount of the sales price per time interval will be required at the time of sale, such deposit to be in cash or check. Cost of all documentary stamps, transfer taxes, 2020 maintenance fees and all other settlement costs shall be borne by the purchaser. The date of set-

tlement shall be within fifteen (15) days after final ratification by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland, time being of the essence; otherwise the deposit will be forfeited and the property will be resold at the risk and expense of the defaulting purchaser, or in any manner designated by the Trustee; or, without forfeiting deposit, the Seller may exercise any of its legal or equitable rights against the defaulting purchaser.

For more information, call: Leslie Lobos, Esq., Trustee, at 240-449-8862.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication DECEMBER 04, 2020 3x, 12-11, 12-18, 12-24

The Dispatch Is On Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Page 46

Horoscopes

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): At this time you might want to resist that otherwise admirable Aries penchant for getting to the heart of a matter quickly. Keep in mind that a delicate situation calls for patience.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Your aspects favor more diplomacy and fewer direct confrontations when dealing with a relationship problem. Avoiding hurt feelings can help in your search for the truth.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Pos itive aspects are strong this week. Although you might still have to deal with some problems caused by a recent period of turmoil, you are making progress, and that's what counts.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22): A family matter could benefit from your counsel. But don't come into it unless in vited, and don't stay if you feel uneasy.

Just remember to reassure one and all that you'll be there for them.

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22): As the truth about an ongoing situation emerges, you could find that you were right to defer judgment before you had all the facts. Now would be a good time to move on to other matters.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22): Your plans to take control of a personal situation because you feel you are best qualified could create resentment. Best to hear what everyone else involved in the matter has to say about it.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22): Uncovering some surprising background facts about that ongoing personal matter could

OCEAN CITY vanishing

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

make you reconsider the extent of your involvement. A neutral family member offers advice.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21): Religious or spiritual themes start to dominate your aspect this week. This can serve as a counterweight to the mounting effects of the season's growing commercialization.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21: Taking on that recent challenge impressed a lot of important decision-makers. Meanwhile, proceed with your holiday plans, and don't forget to include youknow-who in them.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19): Disagreeing with an opinion you can't accept could be dicey, and your motives might be questioned. Best to wait to mount a challenge until you have support for your position.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18): Getting involved in helping others in this increasingly hectic period not only makes the generous Aquarian feel good, but you could also gain a more substantive benefit from your actions.

PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20): The Piscean way of thinking clearly and objectively helps you resolve a complex situation without creating any ill will. Don't be surprised if your counsel is requested on another matter.

BORN THIS WEEK: You have a way of persuading people to look at the positive possibilities that make up any choices they might face. © 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

Things I Like ...

December 11, 2020

WITH BUNK MANN

Beefy’s, located on Philadelphia Avenue between 17th and 18th streets, preceded McDonald’s and other national chains by several years. Local kids made up over 80% of the help and for many this was their first job.

A Beefy burger was the top attraction and consisted of five ounces of beef with lettuce, tomato, onions and cheese. It sold for 99 cents and during the months of July and August people would line up around the block to get one with a side of fries. This was during the big building boom in north Ocean City and construction workers would drive down every day for lunch. Owner Tony Carozza recalls, “Those construction workers brought in so much business we were able to stay open year-round in a time when the town pretty much closed down after Labor Day.” McDonald’s came to town in 1976 and other fast food chains soon followed.

By the early ‘80s, it had become difficult to compete and Beefy’s became another memory of vanishing Ocean City. The building still stands but today is the site of Cowboy’s Roadhouse.

To purchase one of Bunk Mann's books, click over to www.vanishingoc.

Photo courtesy Tony Carozza

The Dispatch Crossword Puzzle

By Steve Green

When a kid learns from a mistake When the Ravens play at night

Not judging people by his or her cover Good steamed crabs in December Clean public rest rooms

When a preconceived notion is wrong Spring-like December days

People who keep their cars clean

Reading my stepdad’s old editorials Down comforters

Checking on my kids before bed

ANSWERS ON PAGE 38

December 11, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 47

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

December 11, 2020