Feb. 28

The Dispatch February 28, 2020

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Serving Greater Delmarva Since 1984

Downtown Fog:

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A low-lying fog is pictured Tuesday morning over Baltimore Avenue in Ocean City near Somerset Street. Schools were delayed Wednesday due to visibility concerns.

Photo by Chris Parypa

Speedy Road Work Allows For More Winter Projects Than Estimated In Resort

Ocean City Officials Consider Options To Tackle Year-Round Residency Decline

With Eye On Cutting Costs, Berlin Looking To Outsource Trash, Recycling Collections

For Some Major Events, Shuttle From WOC Park-And-Ride Will Cost Users

See Page 4 • Photo by Shawn Soper

See Page 14 • Photo by Charlene Sharpe

See Page 8 • Photo by Chris Parypa

See Page 6 • File Photo

INSIDE PAGES

Cops & Courts PAGE 24

Crossword PAGE 33

Faces In Places PAGE 34

People In Society

PAGE 36

Editorial PAGE 42

Business PAGE 44

Sports

PAGE 46

Fatherhood PAGE 48

Things I Like PAGE 49

Community PAGE 51

Music

PAGE 52

Things To Do PAGE 55

Classifieds PAGE 56

Vanishing OC PAGE 62

Page 2

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SERVING DELMARVA FOR NEARLY 60 YEARS

February 28, 2020

February 28, 2020

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Page 3

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Repaving Efforts In OC Running Ahead Schedule

February 28, 2020

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

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OCEAN CITY – With city crews steam-rolling through planned street repaving projects this offseason, an opportunity has arisen to continue to push forward and knock out a significant area this spring in advance of the coming season.

During a larger discussion this week about widening the sidewalks in the ocean block between 118th Street and 130th Street, Public Works Director Hal Adkins presented a proposal to allow crews to utilize the next three months or so to continue to push forward. Each year, the city repaves vast sections of municipally-owned roadways in the resort on a rotating schedule.

This offseason the plan called for repaving many of the streets in the north-end Caine Woods community, along with a significant repaving project at Robin Drive, or the east-west corridor on the bayside at 28th Street. Any time a street is scheduled for repaving, city officials evaluate if other improvements can be accomplished at the same time such as widening sidewalks, undergrounding utilities or creating bike paths, for example.

Earlier during Tuesday’s work session, the Mayor and Council signed off on a sidewalk widening proposal for four streets in the section from 118th to 130th streets in advance of next winter’s repaving project in that area. However, with the Robin Drive project nearly in the books, thanks in part to the lack of inclement winter weather, and a good portion of the offseason still remaining, Adkins on Tuesday pitched a plan to keep rolling with infrastructure projects in 118th to 130th streets corridor including driveway improvements, and sidewalk reconstructions, for example.

“We’ve been going great guns since last September,” he said “We’ve paved a large portion of the Caine Woods neighborhood and 28th Street and Robin Drive is going very well and we should wrap that project up on or around April 1. My point is, I have an opportunity to move into the area from 118th Street to 130th Street and really attack it. I want to move into that area as soon as two weeks from now, but I don’t have all of the necessary funding at this time.”

Adkins said he worked with City Manager Doug Miller and Budget Manager Jennie Knapp to find a way to keep the repaving ball rolling SEE PAGE 38

February 28, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 5

Paid Dates For Park-And-Ride Shuttle Service Sparks Debate

Page 6

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – The extent to when the West Ocean City Park-and-Ride shuttle should be free this summer was debated this week.

Last year, the resort’s parking task force recommended changes in the downtown parking rate structure, changes ultimately approved by the Mayor and Council. As a result, the hourly parking rate was nudged slightly higher during peak times in the summer at the Inlet lot, the municipal lots and on the street in the downtown area.

The task force, cognizant of the potential backlash for raising the hourly rates at certain peak times, also recommended a handful of tradeoffs to make the increases more palatable for the public. For example, parking will be free in those areas during the week in the shoulder seasons.

In addition, the task force recommended making the shuttle to and from the Park-and-Ride free on almost every day in the summer, excluding certain significant special events and holidays. The concept is to encourage people to park at the facility in West Ocean City and take the free shuttle into town for the beach, Boardwalk and other amenities.

Resort officials were generally keen

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on the concept and the only real issue left to resolve was which peak dates the city should continue to charge for the Park-and-Ride shuttle. Last week, the Transportation Committee recommended Springfest, the Ocean City Air Show, the Fourth of July and Sunfest as dates the city should continue to charge for the shuttle. The Mayor and Council took up the debate during Tuesday’s work session and there was some clear division, not with the recommended dates, but with the concept in general.

“The Park-and-Ride shuttle will be free this summer except during certain special events and holidays,” said Mayor Rick Meehan. “When we took into consideration making the Parkand-Ride shuttle free as part of the downtown parking initiatives, one of the tradeoffs really was to make the shuttle free to encourage those who use the service, especially some of the employees, to take advantage of that and that’s how this all came together.”

Council President Lloyd Martin said he had mixed feelings about charging for the shuttle only on those certain dates.

“We cause most of the use of the Park-and-Ride to happen on Springfest and Sunfest, but not necessarily on the Fourth of July or even the air show,” he said. “I almost feel like if we

created the atmosphere of getting on the bus and riding into town, that’s a good thing. Now, we’re going to charge for it. I’m not sure about it because we cause part of the problem. I have gone back and forth on this. Is it worth doing on just those weekends?”

For the record, the shuttle generated about $111,000 last year when the service was paid for every day.

The anticipated revenue of charging just on those certain events and holidays is around $38,000. Meehan pointed out there was an increased cost associated with the expected volume increase at the facility.

“The one thing is we will have to increase deployments during those events,” he said. “There will be an additional expense because there will be additional deployments required to handle that increase in traffic and volume, so that is something that was taken into consideration.”

Councilman Tony DeLuca made a motion to approve the recommended changes, a motion seconded by Councilman Matt James, who said it boiled down to simple economics.

“I support this because I think it reflects basic supply and demand,” he said. “These are times when we have a high demand for the service we’re providing and I have no problem with that. I think this is a good idea and I look forward to seeing how this plays

February 28, 2020

out.”

However, Councilman Dennis Dare provided a brief history of the Parkand-Ride and pointed out if there was a fee for riding the shuttle, many would likely take their chances of finding a parking spot in the downtown area.

“The reason we built the Parkand-Ride was to give people a place to park and then take mass transit or even walk into town,” he said.

“The traffic is at its peak during these events. It stands to reason if you’re going to charge people, they’re going to drive on by and come into town to look for that free parking spot.”

Dare said charging for the shuttle only on those certain dates ran counter to the basic premise of the tradeoff.

“When the committee came up with the concept of making the Parkand-Ride shuttle free, initially it was under the premise that all of the parking downtown would be paid parking, but the committee went away from that,” he said. “What’s the purpose?

We want to alleviate traffic during some of these events and this proposal doesn’t do that. I believe it results in more people driving into town instead of parking and riding.”

The council voted 4-2 with Dare and Martin opposed and Council Secretary Mary Knight absent to approve the recommended changes.

February 28, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 7

Ocean City Eyes Tax Incentives For Permanent Residents

Page 8

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – Resort officials renewed the debate this week about encouraging more year-round residents through relaxing fees associated with new construction or creating other incentives including potential property tax relief.

For the last year or so, the Mayor and Council have heard concerns from property owners and potential homebuilders about the rising cost of developing new homes in the resort from building permit fees to impact fees, inspection fees and a variety of other factors. For example, one northend property owner has repeatedly told town officials he has seriously considered building his permanent

residence in neighboring Sussex County, Del. because of the disproportionate cost of building the same home in Ocean City.

To that end, Planning and Community Development Director Bill Neville and his staff have spent the last several months developing potential incentive programs to encourage more people to build homes in Ocean City and make the resort their primary residence. In January, Neville presented a cursory set of incentive programs that included relaxing building permit fees, impact fees or other rebate programs.

At that time, the debate focused largely on encouraging the construction of new single-family homes. The research determined there was an average difference of around $13,000

in property development costs for a new home, or substantially improved home, between Ocean City and neighboring Sussex County, for example.

It was suggested in January a mixand-match approach could ease that burden for potential year-round residents hoping to build a new home in the resort or substantially improve an older home. For example, Ocean City’s average building permit fee for a single-family home in the $200,000 to $300,000 range is $3,728, while the average impact fee for new construction is around $3,658, for a combined average of around $7,400.

While the town’s current impact fee structure applies to new construction all over Ocean City, the discussion on Tuesday largely focused on new home construction in the R-1, or single-fam-

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February 28, 2020

ily home, residential zoning districts.

Of course, any potential incentive program would be available only to those who would make Ocean City their primary residence and not create loopholes for short-term rental property development.

Neville also pointed out the Maryland Mortgage Assistance Program offers a $2,500 one-time contribution to eligible new home builders and the town could provide a $2,500 match for that program to encourage people to build homes and make Ocean City their primary residence. By relaxing the roughly $7,400 in permit and impact fees, and/or contributing a $2,500 match to the state’s mortgage assistance grant for eligible applicants, the cost of building a new home or substantially improving an old one in Ocean City could be reduced by as much as $10,000.

When the potential incentive program issue was revisited on Tuesday, Neville explained some questions arose from the initial discussions last month that needed to be clarified. For example, were any incentive programs merely to be directed at singlefamily home construction in certain zoning districts? If the goal is encouraging more people to move to Ocean City and make the resort their primary residence, shouldn’t the incentive programs be available not just for new construction, but any potential resident that decides to move permanently to Ocean City whether it be an existing home, townhouse, apartment or condo?

Those were questions that needed to be answered before Neville and his staff move forward with any firm recommendations and the short answer is yes. If the overall goal is to encourage more year-round residents, then perhaps a multi-pronged approach at incentivizing homeownership was needed.

Neville explained that could be in the form of upfront savings for new construction or significant renovations by relaxing building permit fees, impact fees or other fees. In other words, a potential homebuilder could save on some of the upfront costs.

Another incentive could be relaxing municipal property taxes initially to encourage more people and families to buy existing properties in Ocean City and make the resort their year-round home. In either case, or perhaps both, Neville said he and his staff needed more direction on the overall goal before fine-tuning any incentive programs.

“Should it be a waiver of fees, or a rebate of fees after construction after they have been paid upfront?” he said.

“We also looked into a deferral of the property tax for a prescribed period of time. The Homestead tax credit would guarantee it’s someone’s primary residence. Eliminating the property tax for the first three years, for example, SEE NEXT PAGE

… ‘Getting More People To Live Here Year-Round Is Important’

February 28, 2020

would ostensibly lower the mortgage rate.”

Councilman Dennis Dare asked if the intent of the programs was only to encourage new home construction.

“Are we looking to limit this to singlefamily homes?” he said. “There aren’t a lot of vacant lots in Ocean City.”

Neville explained the overall intent had evolved into encouraging all new homeownership.

“There is an obvious benefit to increasing the number of year-round residents,” he said. “If you’re coming into town and making a significant investment in building a new home, or renovating an existing home, we want to incentivize that.”

Councilman Tony DeLuca also questioned the intent of the discussion.

“What’s the goal here?” he said. “Is it to have more full-time residents? I’m all for more people moving here. People are choosing to move somewhere other than here for various reasons. I thought that was the goal.”

Councilman Mark Paddack said increasing the year-round population was at the heart of the proposed incentive program.

“That was my understanding,” he said. “It’s not creating an environment for a building boom. The goal is to get more people to build here and live here and become residents of the town and the community.”

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Councilman John Gehrig said the initial discussion about easing the upfront costs for new home development or the substantial redevelopment of an existing home had evolved into a larger debate about incentivizing home ownership within Ocean City.

“It seems like this started with reinvestment and construction, and now we’re looking at two different programs,” he said. “There is a definite value in encouraging people to renovate homes. If someone wants to live here and build here, there could be a program for them. If they want to invest in redevelopments and upgrades, there can be a program for them. The goal is to spark more year-round residents.”

City Manager Doug Miller attempted to break down the debate to its simplest terms. For example, for someone attempting to build a new home on a vacant lot, or substantially improve an existing home, building permit fees or impact fees could be relaxed as an incentive. If someone wanted to buy an existing home in Ocean City and make it their permanent residence, perhaps the property taxes could be relaxed for the first three years or some time period for a savings up to $7,500.

“If somebody moves here, they could get relief from property taxes for maybe three years up to $2,500 as an incentive,” he said. “For those who

come and build here or redevelop, they might need more help up front and maybe the relief comes from relaxing the building permit fees or impact fees.”

After considerable debate, Neville was instructed to come back with a mix-and-match approach to encouraging more year-round homeownership.

For example, relaxing the various permit fees could result in saving a potential homebuilder as much as $7,500.

In addition, the city could provide an in-kind match to the Maryland Mortgage Assistance Program.

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Finally, the city could offer to relax or alleviate municipal property taxes for a period of three years for example as an incentive to new homeownership. Regardless of the approach, Dare said increasing the year-round population is the end goal.

“Getting more people to live here year-round is important,” he said. “They visit the businesses and restaurants etc. and enhance the community in that way. It just makes for a more livable community when there are sustainable businesses and services in town. That’s important.”

Four New Crosswalk Systems Set For Fenwick Island

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

FENWICK ISLAND – Efforts to install pedestrian crosswalk systems will move forward in Fenwick Island with the help of state funding.

Last Friday, the Fenwick Island Town Council voted unanimously to support the installation of pedestrian crosswalk systems at the intersections of Bayard Drive and Coastal Highway and Oyster Bay Drive and Coastal Highway.

Town Manager Terry Tieman said the town will utilize roughly $26,000 in Com-

State To Fund Installation Project

munity Transportation Funds to purchase four Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) crosswalk systems.

“All I am asking for is the support for the installation,” she said. “There are no Fenwick dollars to be contributed at this point.”

Tieman said efforts to install the RRFB crosswalk systems began last fall, when town officials met with rep-

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resentatives with the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) to discuss pedestrian safety in Fenwick Island.

While DelDOT has presented the town with a plan to place signage at crosswalks, it did not include funding for the RRFB systems. To that end, town officials asked DelDOT representatives if Fenwick Island could fund the crosswalk systems at two locations.

“We’ve been working with DelDOT on pedestrian safety, and they have agreed to put signage on our crosswalks all throughout the town, but two crosswalk areas we thought were especially critical and dangerous were the ones here at Bayard Street Oyster Bay Drive …,” she said. “We contacted DelDOT and asked them if they would be amenable to this and they said yes.”

Tieman said the town approached Senator Gerald Hocker and Representative Ron Gray for help in funding the crosswalk systems after officials received a purchase price.

“They graciously agreed to use Community Transportation Funds to fund it, so we are very, very happy,” she said.

Because the town agreed to buy the systems, Tieman said DelDOT will have

February 28, 2020

contractors pour four cement foundations for each device at the intersections and install the four crosswalk systems.

“We’re working cooperatively with DelDOT, and that’s been a huge success,” she said.

Tieman said the town will install solar-powered crosswalk systems in an effort to cut costs. Once installed, pedestrians crossing Coastal Highway at Bayard Street and Oyster Bay Drive can use the systems to alert drivers.

“You push the button and it starts to flash,” she said. “That alerts drivers and brings attention to the fact that someone is trying to cross.”

With no further discussion, the town council voted 5-0, with Councilman Bernie Merritt and Councilwoman Vicki Carmean absent, to support the installation of the four RRFB crosswalk systems.

“I think it’s worthwhile,” Tieman said.

“We can’t underestimate the value of having a safe place to cross.”

Councilman Bill Weistling agreed, but cautioned that pedestrians should still be vigilant when crossing Coastal Highway.

“Let’s just hope it doesn’t bring a false sense of security,” he said. “People still have to realize when they push that button and the light flashes they can’t just step off into the middle of the highway.”

February 28, 2020

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Page 11

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February 28, 2020

Zoning Code Nonconformities Debated Southern Exposure: The view of Tuesday’s sunset sky from the Montego Bay community in north Ocean City is pictured.

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

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OCEAN CITY – How long is an appropriate amount of time to extend special circumstances, or nonconformities, for property redevelopments was the subject of debate that ended with resort officials seeking the opinion of the planning commission.

During Tuesday’s work session, Planning and Community Development Director Bill Neville broached the subject of nonconformities and the appropriate amount of time to allow them to be extended. As the name implies, a nonconformity is an exception of sorts allowing a developer to break from strict adherence to the zoning code when special circumstances exist.

For example, the zoning code might call for a certain property to have 10 dedicated parking spaces on site, but the redevelopment plans only allow for eight. In another example, the zoning code might only allow for a three-story structure, but a property owner or developer might submit a site plan for an attractive and desirable project that calls for four stories. The redevelopment of aging properties and dilapidated properties is desirable for many reasons, but nonconformities are often required.

Sometimes, the call is made at the planning commission level during site plan review, for example. In other cases, the determinations of whether to allow nonconformities falls on those at the departmental and staff levels. With recent changes in his department, including the promotion of Kay Gordy to Zoning Administrator, for example, Neville on Tuesday said his staff was seeking some guidance on the nonconformity issue. In a perfect world, strict adherence to the code would be the best result, but sometimes there are gray areas during which the rules

Photo by Mark Byrne

can be bent in order to make a redevelopment project even better.

“We often have to make determinations on transferrable property nonconformities,” he said. “This is often discussed at the staff level. If a home or a condo or a hotel is torn down and redeveloped, how much of the nonconformity should be allowed? We’re recommending strict adherence to the zoning code.”

The issue is complicated to be sure.

For example, should a nonconformity approved years ago for a certain property be transferrable if the property is sold, or does it go away? If the nonconformity is transferrable, just how long does it remain in place before a new owner redevelops? Neville said his department must make those types of decisions nearly every day.

“We often get involved in evaluating an existing situation,” he said. “We’re asked to make decisions that can be valid for two years or more. That’s what we’re often faced with and we need to determine what is an acceptable timeframe.”

Mayor Rick Meehan agreed the nonconformity issue was complicated and suggested the planning commission should likely be the body to make those decisions.

“This is a big issue,” he said. “The planning commission is the hearing body for the Mayor and Council and I think it’s probably appropriate for them to weigh in on this.”

Meehan said it’s important to remember nonconformity decisions impact more than just the property owners.

“There are significant ramifications to this,” he said. “I know there is a willingness, or even a desire, to get away from nonconformities. In many cases, it affects the neighboring property owners, especially when it comes to parking or building heights for example.”

Town Hall Set On Proposed OP Golf Course Plan

February 28, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 13

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

OCEAN PINES – A community meeting regarding spray irrigation at the Ocean Pines Golf Course has been set for March.

Following citizen concerns regarding a county proposal to explore using effluent from the Ocean Pines Wastewater Treatment Plant to irrigate the golf course, county officials have worked with the Ocean Pines Association to set up a town hall meeting for March 12.

“We tentatively scheduled a town hall on March 12 with our partners at Worcester County, when county officials will speak on the proposal and answer questions from the public,” said OPA General Manager John Viola Wednesday. “We believe this is an important subject and worthy of public discussion.”

In January, the Worcester County Commissioners approved the Ocean Pines Water and Wastewater Advisory Board’s request to evaluate the possibility of using effluent to irrigate the golf course. County staff have reported success in using effluent at other golf courses, including River Run, Glen Riddle and Eagle’s Landing. Public Works Director John Tustin said irrigating the Pines course with effluent would have practical and environmental benefits, as it would cut discharges into the Saint Martin’s River and reduce the use of groundwater for irrigation.

OPA officials met with the advisory board earlier this month to learn more about the proposal. They were advised that a $25,000 preliminary study would be the first step. If funding for that is approved in the coming year’s budget, the study could occur after the start of the fiscal year. After that, the county would look for grants and/or bond money to overhaul the existing irrigation system at the golf course.

“We’re in favor of the county doing a feasibility study and look forward to reviewing the results,” Viola said. “Everything at this point is in the exploratory phase and nothing has been decided.”

Commissioner Chip Bertino agreed.

He’s hopeful that residents will get their questions answered at the March 12 meeting.

“I think it’s important for people to understand exactly what is being discussed and to be educated about the process,” Bertino said.

Expanding Our Reach.

Broadening Our Commitment.

The Dispatch Is On The Web: www.mdcoastdispatch.com

Winter Fog: The dense fog was so thick Thursday the landmark Ferris wheel on the Wicomico Street Pier was barely noticeable.

Photo by Chris Parypa

Berlin Seeking Bids On Trash, Recycling Collections

Page 14

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – Town officials are exploring the possibility of outsourcing trash collection.

Town Administrator Jeff Fleetwood said this week that the town would be issuing a request for proposals (RFP) to get pricing from companies that could handle the town’s trash and recycling collection.

“I want to explore it to see if there are any cost savings,” Fleetwood said.

In a closed session meeting earlier this month, the council approved Fleetwood’s request to issue an RFP regarding trash pickup. That RFP is expected to be released this week with bids due back by March 20.

“I’m not telling you this is going to

Potential Cost Savings Explored

happen,” Fleetwood said. “This is going out to see if there’s any cost savings.”

Currently, the town spends roughly $500,000 a year on sanitation. That figure, according to Fleetwood, includes salaries for the three-person department and tipping fees but does not factor in the maintenance and wear on department vehicles.

If the town does move forward with hiring an outside company to handle trash pickup, Fleetwood said the employees currently handling that task would be moved to other positions.

“The plan would be to absorb them into another department,” Fleetwood

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said.

He added that he’d spoken to other municipalities that outsourced their sanitation needs, such as Fruitland, Princess Anne and Delmar, and hadn’t heard anything negative. His final recommendation, however, will depend on the quotes the town receives.

“What I’m looking for is a three-year commitment and pricing per year,” he said.

Fleetwood said in addition to a potentially lower price, another benefit to going to an outside provider would be the addition of single-stream recycling.

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that immensely,” he said.

Fleetwood said he was hoping to have prices by the end of March so that if outside trash collection was something the town should pursue, the change could be implemented at the start of the next fiscal year.

Wicomico Executive ‘Remaining Optimistic’ On Cancer Diagnosis

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SALISBURY – Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver announced this week he has been diagnosed with liver cancer.

In an interview on Monday, Culver said he was recently diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of primary liver cancer.

“When they told me what I had, it floored me,” he said. “You could have knocked me over with a feather.”

Culver said his symptoms, including weight loss and fatigue, began a few weeks ago. He said testing revealed the cancer has spread to 70% of his liver.

“The doctors here have been great, but they have referred me to Johns Hopkins,” he said.

Culver said doctors explained to him that he contracted hepatitis B from a blood transfusion he received as a baby. According to the National Institutes of Health, hepatocellular carcinoma is closely associated with hepatitis B virus.

Culver explained he will visit Johns Hopkins Hospital in the coming days to meet with doctors and determine his treatment options.

“Right now, I feel good, I feel optimistic and I feel strong,” he said. “I’m going to beat this as best as I can. I’m not saying there won’t be a few bumps along the way though.”

Culver said he’s been amazed by the number of people who have reached out to him since revealing his cancer diagnosis.

“I can’t tell you how touched I am by the outpouring of support …,” he said.

“It’s been overwhelming.”

Culver said he will continue in his role as county executive, but may need to cut back on his hours slightly as he contends with his diagnosis.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said.

“I want to make the best of it. I’m remaining optimistic.”

Culver was first elected to the position of county executive in 2014, defeating incumbent Richard Pollitt. And in 2018, he secured a second term in office after defeating Democratic challenger John Hamilton and Independent challenger Jack Heath.

Previously, he had served one term on the Wicomico County Council.

February 28, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 15

Navigation Worries Relayed Over Proposed Marina

Page 16

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

FENWICK ISLAND – Concerns over a proposed marina outside town limits highlighted a public hearing last week.

Last Thursday, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Division of Water, Wetlands and Subaqueous Lands Section held a public hearing on an application to construct and operate a marina off Lighthouse Road west of Fenwick Island.

The permit application – submitted by Christopher at the Townes At Bayshore Village, LLC – outlines plans for a community docking facility associated with the redevelopment of the former Lighthouse Cove Residential Community, located on the north side of Route 54.

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Julie Molina of DNREC’s Division of Water, Wetlands and Subaqueous Lands Section told community members last week this is the second marina permit application to be submitted for the Lighthouse Cove site in less than a year. Last year, developers with Lighthouse Cove Investors, LLC withdrew their application in response to several objections by nearby property owners.

“This new application we are going to go over today is from the new property owner and they have slightly modified the project plans from this Lighthouse Cove Investors permit application,” she said.

The redevelopment project, to be known as The Townes At Bayshore Village, will consist of 18 townhomes and 18 boat slips, according to subaqueous land and marina permit application sub-

mitted to DNREC. Mooring of homeowner-owned vessels and the reconstruction of an existing pier are proposed along the property’s lagoon frontage.

The developer has applied to construct and operate a new 18-slip minor marina by installing a 16-inch-wide, 700-foot-long boardwalk, two 6-footwide, 24-foot-long piers and five boat lifts with four associated pilings, according to DNREC. The application also calls for dredging a portion of public subaqueous lands and two unnamed lagoons southeast of Lighthouse Cove and disposing the dredged material onsite.

While most of the property’s boat slips would be located over private subaqueous land to the east and west of the property, six of the proposed slips to the north of the property would

February 28, 2020

be located on public subaqueous land.

“It’s the applicant’s opinion that the plan as proposed complies with all the setbacks and channel encroachments that are included in the current subaqueous lands regulations,” said Edward Launay, a project consultant with Environmental Resources Incorporated. “With respect to navigation, it is the applicant’s position that the proposed layout and design will have no impact to existing navigational channels or lagoons. Boats will continue to be moored along the bulkhead just as they have been for many, many years.”

Community members in attendance at last week’s meeting, however, argued the six north-end boat slips would impact navigation for boats entering and exiting the canal. Ed Hartwell, who lives to the east of the proposed marina project, said adding boats to the north of the redeveloped property would narrow the canal significantly.

“I go through there with an 18-foot boat, a 23-foot boat and a canoe,” he said. “A lot of people use that, and it’s a very dangerous corner there if you are on a kayak, a paddleboard or a canoe because you can’t see what’s coming in either direction.”

Jim Deleo, who owns a home to the east of the proposed marina project, shared his safety concerns. He said boat traffic entering and exiting the private marina could harm those using the canal for kayaking, paddleboarding and other recreational activities.

“My major problem is that I think this is such a big project it’s going to impact the area negatively …,” he said. “I’m afraid if you have 18 boats and WaveRunners coming out of there someone is going to get hurt.”

Although the project would be located outside town limits, officials in Fenwick Island were also present at last week’s meeting to share their concerns. Councilman Bill Weistling said the north-end boat slips would impact town properties to the east of the proposed marina.

“That canal that runs east of that, there are approximately 40 to 42 properties,” he said. “Not all of these properties have been developed, but it is a very busy canal. Boats will be coming out and making that turn to go out to the bay … I think it could be a very congested corner there.”

Town Manager Terry Tieman agreed.

“There is a major concern over the north side of the project where six berths are proposed,” she said. “Mainly the concerns are over what appears to be a very narrow water passageway between the proposed project and the adjacent incorporated limits of the town.”

Public Hearing Officer Lisa Vest said officials will prepare a response to public concerns, which will be sent to DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin as he begins his considerations for the proposed marina project.

County Announces STEM Summer Program Options

February 28, 2020

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SNOW HILL – Worcester County Economic Development is now accepting applications for its 2020 STEM Summer Programs.

Through March 31, Worcester County Economic Development (WCED) will accept applications for its STEM Internship Program, STEM Leadership Cohort and Reach for the Stars STEM Camps.

Since 2013, WCED has offered STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) summer enrichment programs to students ages 12-24. Program Manager Fawn Mete said the goal of STEM Summer Programs is to connect local businesses with the future workforce.

“The Worcester Economic Development STEM Programs were created to help create a bridge between our strong local school system and our regional STEM employers,” she said.

The summer program is divided into three academic groups – grades 6-8, grades 9-11, and students in 12th grade, college and graduate school – and gives participants the opportunity to learn academic and professional development skills in the STEM field.

The STEP UP STEM Internship Program, for high school seniors and college and graduate students, provides participants with hands-on work experience in STEM-related fields. Internships include placements in local agencies and businesses in the fields of medicine, software development, information technology, engineering, environmental science and digital media production.

Interns work a minimum of 60 hours total between June 1 to July 31 and earn $16 an hour in one-time stipend payment. Full-time internships in partnership with STEP UP are also available at NASA Wallops Flight Facility and Northrop Grumman.

“These programs allow employers to build relationships with potential job candidates while they are at college pursuing their degrees,” Mete said, “so that when they graduate with credentials they already have a professional network of potential career connections on the Eastern Shore.”

The county will also offer a STEM Leadership Cohort for students enrolled in grades 9-11 in the 2019-2020 school year. Participants meet from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 27-31 for professional development sessions on a variety of college and career readiness topics, including resume writing, interview skills, college application essays, workplace communication, conflict resolution, leadership and entrepreneurship, to name a few.

The program will be held at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Engineering and Aviation Sciences complex, and transportation is provided from consolidated pick-up points throughout Worcester County.

“The WSLC (Worcester STEM Lea-

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

dership Cohort) is a golden opportunity for high school students to spend time preparing for college and career,” Mete said. “This is a pre-internship training program that prepares high school students to be competitive candidates for internships as 12th graders or as college students.”

Lastly, WCED will host its Reach for the Stars STEM Camps at UMES on July 27-31 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Firsttime participants in grades 6-8 during the 2019-2020 school year and returning students in grades 7-8 during the 2019-2020 school year will be divided into two levels.

Mete said the two camps will include hands-on activities and engineering challenges to learn about a variety of STEM topics, including computer science, robotics, aviation, digital media, and aerospace engineering.

“For employers, the value is the opportunity to build their future local workforce,” she said. “We frequently hear from employers who have difficulty recruiting and retaining qualified applicants for open positions in STEM fields on the shore. Employers are eager to form relationships with local students who may want to build their careers and raise their families in this region.”

While the application process is competitive, Mete encouraged students who are interested in any of the summer programs to apply.

“Over the years this program has expanded to include internships with NASA-Wallops Flight Facility and other WFF contractors including Northrop Grumman and Sentinel Robotic Solutions,” she said. “We have added a second level of camp to accommodate

Page 17

returning students who want to accelerate their STEM studies, and we created the Worcester STEM Leadership Cohort to prepare high schoolers to enter the workforce as interns with a high degree of professionalism. We anticipate serving 80 students in 2020.”

For more information, or to apply for the STEM Summer Programs, visit www.chooseworcester.org/STEM. “For all of our programs, applicants must be Worcester County residents, which includes college students from Worcester County who are currently residing at school,” Mete said.

The application deadline for all three programs is March 31. Early application is considered, as interviews for internships began on Jan. 2. Candidates interested in NASA internships must apply by the NASA deadline of March 8.

Traffic Signal Alternatives Proposed For OC Intersection

Page 18

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – Getting a permanent traffic signal at 3rd Street and Philadelphia Avenue remains challenging, but there could be some alternatives available, resort officials learned this week.

At different times over the last year or so, the Town of Ocean City has asked the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) to install a traffic signal at 3rd Street and Baltimore Avenue, but the request has gained lit-

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

tle traction. Each time the town has made a formal request, MDOT officials have listened carefully, but has said traffic studies have shown a new signal at the intersection is not warranted.

Complicating the issue is the new Boardwalk tram pattern which will be established in the upcoming season. Late last year, the Public Works Department unveiled its new state-of-the-art facility at St. Louis Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets which, among other things, will house the Boardwalk tram operation. As a result, each day throughout the summer, the trams will have to cross

Philadelphia Avenue at 3rd Street to reach the Boardwalk and to return to the public works facility each night.

Moving the tram operation has escalated the importance of a new traffic signal at 3rd Street. Even before the new facility on St. Louis Avenue, however, resort officials suggested the new signal was warranted because traffic often stacks up on the side streets in the downtown area.

During Tuesday’s work session, it was learned the city is still working with State Highway Administration (SHA) Director Greg Slater on a permanent traffic signal at 3rd Street. In the meantime, city officials have been working with the private-sector Traffic Group on alternatives to solve the tram issue in the short term.

“We’re looking at a couple of options for the 3rd Street intersection,” said City Engineer Terry McGean. “We’re still looking to get a permanent signal to allow the trams to get through that intersection, but it didn’t qualify 100% for the allocation of resources. We’re still working on that.”

In the meantime, two short-term solutions have been floated. One is a hybrid flashing signal similar to the signals used for firehouse access. That option would cost around $60,000.

“It would be a signal similar to those we have at the fire station access points,” said McGean. “When the trams

February 28, 2020

came through at certain times of the day, it would go from flashing to red to stop traffic. That would be the only time it would be activated.”

McGean explained another shortterm option on the table is a HAWK pedestrian hybrid signal, which could be activated to stop traffic at certain high-pedestrian volume times of day.

The cost of that option would be around $130,000, although because it has pedestrian safety value, SHA could be on the hook for 50% of the expense.

“The HAWK signal is a little more sophisticated,” said McGean. “It would allow the trams to cross and for pedestrians to cross. It would be similar to the signals we have at Seacrets at 49th Street and at the Clarion. It’s about double the cost of the other option, but we would ask SHA to fund half and we would fund the other half. It would stop traffic much less frequently than a fullblown traffic signal.”

Mayor Rick Meehan said he would continue to work with MDOT and SHA officials on the permanent signal at 3rd Street. Meehan said the other two options presented opportunities to facilitate the tram route while gaining some pedestrian crossing measures.

“I think that either of these options would facilitate what we need there,” he said. “Either one would make that intersection a whole lot safer.”

Parents Organize Fundraising Events For Art Kiln

February 28, 2020

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – Members of Buckingham Elementary School’s PTA are hoping to expand the school’s art program with the addition of a kiln.

Parents of Buckingham Elementary School (BES) students are in the midst of a year-long effort to raise the roughly $6,000 needed to buy a kiln for the Berlin school. Two March events, a talent show and a children’s dance, have been scheduled to raise money for the cause.

“Buckingham is a great school,” said

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Campaign Needs $6K To Purchase

Jeff Smith, president of the PTA. “The PTA is happy to do what it can to support the educational efforts of the school.”

On Friday, March 6, BES will host a talent show from 6-8 p.m. to raise money for the kiln. That will be followed by a dance on March 20 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. that will also serve as a fundraiser. The money raised at these events will be matched by the

School Launches Supply Library

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

POCOMOKE – A new school supply library is expected to benefit students at Pocomoke High School.

Last week, officials at Pocomoke High School installed the first school supply library.

Throughout the day, students in need of pens, pencils, paper and any other item can select materials from a rack near the school’s attendance office.

“It’s a place all students pass by in the morning, on the way to lunch and at the end of the day,” Principal Jenifer Rayne said. “It’s been very popular.

We usually fill it a couple times a day.”

Rayne said the goal of the library – an idea found online by one of the school’s teachers – is a simple one: to meet the needs of students who cannot afford educational supplies.

“I can tell you we are always looking for flexible ways to meet the needs of students and remove barriers,” she said. “At the school, 70% of our students come from households living in poverty.”

Rayne said Pocomoke High School partners with organizations each year to provide for students. She noted, for example, that the high school works with the Maryland Food Bank to hand out food to students on a weekly basis. And in April, Pocomoke High will partner with Atlantic General Hospital to become a TeleHealth school.

“We are partnering with Atlantic General Hospital and will be a satellite doctor’s office for students who may need medical care,” she said.

Rayne explained the school supply library is yet another way to help students. She noted that both teachers and students contribute to the library.

“We are a giant family here, so we all keep an eye on it …,” she said. “We are always encouraging our students to give back, and sometimes we have students with extra supplies that donate to the school supply library. We all tag team to keep it filled.”

Rayne said community members

who are interested in donating to the school supply library can contact Pocomoke High School at 410-6325180, or send a message through the “Pocomoke High School PHS” Facebook page.

“Eliminating the worry of having to be prepared when they don’t have access to materials is huge for students …,” she said. “I believe our students want to do well in school. They shouldn’t be occupied with or worried about getting the right materials.”

Berlin Arts & Entertainment District, as the organization has awarded the PTA a Challenge Grant.

“They will match up to $3,000,” Smith said.

He’s hopeful that between the grant and the fundraising events, the PTA will be able to come up with the funding to purchase a kiln.

“The art programs in elementary school are all about introducing kids to all aspects of art,” he said. “What a kiln does is introduce kids to pottery.”

He added that because Berlin Intermediate School had a kiln, if students at Buckingham had access to one too they’d already know how to use it when they moved on to the intermediate school. Smith, who’s been involved with the PTA for about six years, said this was the first time in his experience the organization had taken on such a large project. In spite of the organization’s small size, he believes the PTA will be able to raise enough money for the kiln.

“I think it’s very doable,” he said.

He added, though, that the PTA could always use more parents. He said the dance, which is open to students in

Page 19

grades two through four, was only possible because it had been thought up and organized by parents. Parent Mandi Wells suggested the idea.

“I am a teacher at the high school and all of the dances that we hold are fundraisers for one group or another in the building,” she said. “I thought this could also be a nice fundraiser for the PTA at Buckingham.”

She said DJ Wax would be donating his time to participate in the event.

“We really can't thank him enough for doing this for us out of the kindness of his heart,” Wells said. “I really think this will be a great time for the students to get together for some dancing fun.”

The dance will cost $10 per child.

In addition to admission, they’ll each receive a slice of pizza and water. Additional snacks will be on sale to benefit the PTA and Buckingham’s student government association will be selling glow bracelets and necklaces.

Smith praised the parents who were working to make the upcoming events a success.

“That’s the kind of participation the PTA needs more of — parents to not only come up with ideas but also see them through,” he said.

For more information, visit the Facebook page for Buckingham Elementary School’s PTA.

Page 20

Safety Concerns At County Park Investigated The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

February 28, 2020

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

SNOW HILL – County officials continue to investigate concerns regarding lighting at Newtown Park in Pocomoke.

Last month, Worcester County Commissioner Chip Bertino advised county staff he’d received an anonymous complaint regarding improper installation of the field lights at Newtown Park. Harold Higgins, the county’s chief administrative officer, said officials were still reviewing the situation this week.

“I think it’s a community issue that has to be addressed carefully,” Higgins said. “The bottom line is we don’t want Little Leaguers subjected to some risk.”

The Pocomoke Little League received state funding last year to install lights on the baseball fields at Newtown Park. Though the installation occurred last spring, Bertino said he was contacted recently regarding a possible safety issue with the lights’ wiring, which he was advised wasn’t in the ground deep enough. As a result, Higgins has been looking into the situation and provided the commissioners with an update last week upon Bertino’s request.

“We have had a couple spots dug,”

The field lights at Newtown Park off Route 113 are currently being evaluated

by Worcester County officials Photo by Charlene Sharpe

Higgins said, adding that the depth of the wiring in those locations was not the required 24 inches.

Higgins told the board he was making arrangements with Pocomoke Little League President Travis Cowger to have the issue addressed. He added that the Town of Pocomoke had handled the permitting process for the lights. Though Newtown Park is a

county park, it is within the city limits of Pocomoke.

“Are we in any way liable for this?”

Bertino asked.

Higgins said he didn’t think so.

“But you know the old saying deep pockets…,” he said. “If it’s not done to an appropriate standard they’ll look to everybody if some sort of damage is done.”

When contacted after the meeting, Cowger said he wasn’t aware of an issue with the lights.

“The installs were done by licensed contractors,” he said, adding that the installation had been done a year ago.

In an interview this week, Higgins confirmed that county officials believed the cabling from the electric box to the lights was not done to the proper standards. He said they’d spoken to Pocomoke officials as well as Cowger, who was in the process of locating the permits from when the installation was done.

“Typically, the laying-in of the cable would in itself require a separate signoff,” Higgins said. “But based on what’s been presented to me Travis has indicated he thinks he has that document.”

Higgins said that even if the proper documentation was presented, there still appeared to be an issue with the depth of the wiring. He added, however, that there was time to get the situation addressed before the Little League season began.

“The fortunate part of this process is the field’s not being used,” Higgins said. “It gives us some time.”

Bertino said he just wanted to understand how the wiring came to be installed incorrectly and get the problem fixed.

“My biggest concern is that it’s a safety issue,” he said. “The county is responsible for that park and we have a responsibility to make sure the people using the park aren’t in harm’s way.”

Senior Program May Berlin To Soon Review Comp Plan Addition Come To Ocean City

February 28, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – Resort officials this week formalized a request to include Ocean City in a senior citizen independent living program offered in other areas of Worcester County.

During Tuesday’s work session, Mayor Rick Meehan outlined some of the details of Worcester County’s Community for Life program and pointed out the service is currently not available to Ocean City residents. The Community for Life program provide a wide range of services to senior citizens in vast areas of Worcester County such as rides to medical appointments, telephone welfare check-ins and simple home repairs, for example. Essentially, it allows some seniors to continue to live independently in their own homes.

It differs somewhat from Ocean City’s Medical Appointment Transportation (MEDTRN) service, which provides transportation to appointments for resort residents with disabilities for a fee. Meehan said the county’s Community for Life program is offered in much of the county, but has not found its way into Ocean City for a variety of reasons.

“This is a program that’s offered in Worcester County and it actually started in Ocean Pines,” he said.

“Now, it’s offered in other areas of the county as well. It provides transportation and services for a fee to senior citizens in the county.”

Meehan said the Community for Life program was discussed at a recent AARP meeting he attended and some questioned why the service was not extended to the resort.

“Some of our residents felt if this is a program offered elsewhere in the county, that it should be offered in Ocean City as well,” he said. “Our residents feel they should have the same rights and opportunities as other county residents.”

Meehan said he has spoken with Rob Hart, director of the Worcester County Commission on Aging, which administers the Community for Life program, and Hart has expressed a desire to expand the program to include Ocean City. He added the cost of expanding the program is an estimated $45,000.

“He very much wants to continue this service and expand it, but there is a cost associated with doing that,” he said. “He said the hope is that someday the service will be self-sustaining.”

Meehan said a motion was made during the Transportation Committee meeting last week to request funding for the program in Ocean City in the resort’s annual grant letter to Worcester County.

“We want to ask that they provide this service in Ocean City,” he said. “This is a service provided to other county residents and we believe it should also be provided to Ocean City residents.”

BERLIN – Town officials are expected to review a new component of Berlin’s comprehensive plan in the coming weeks.

Town staff members plan to present the Berlin Town Council with the recently drafted resilience element in March. The addition to the town’s comprehensive plan was put together by the University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center after public input sessions last year.

“We’d be adding an appendix to the existing comprehensive plan,” Town Administrator Jeff Fleetwood said.

In January of 2019, the town host-

ed several community meetings to gather public input to be incorporated into the resilience element, which was to be created by the University of Maryland Environmental Finance Center. Center staff spent the ensuing months drafting the plan, which was paid for by federal funds (from NOAA and the U.S. Department of Commerce) though the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

According to town staff, who have been reviewing the resilience element since it was received in late December, the addition to the comprehensive plan focuses on mitigating, adapting to and managing potential climate impacts.

Though there are no direct costs associated with the new element to the comprehensive plan, it maintains that resiliency should be incorporated into

Page 21

the overall fiscal philosophies of the town.

“The maintenance and sustainability of town infrastructure and buildings requires that attention be paid to projected climate driven negative impacts that may threaten them,” a staff report reads. “Future development and capital improvements will have to be designed and built with fiscal sustainability in mind.”

Fleetwood said that Maryland requires municipalities to review their comprehensive plans every 10 years.

He said that because the town would be updating its plan with a new element, it wouldn’t need to go through a separate review process.

“It makes sense to do it the way we’re doing it,” Fleetwood said.

Page 22

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Fenwick Waiting On State Response To Wind Comments

February 28, 2020

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

Store Opening Celebrated:

Comcast marked the grand opening of its new interactive Xfinity Store in Ocean City with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony with local elected officials this week. The newly-redesigned store will enable Comcast customers to explore, learn about and interact directly with the latest Xfinity products and services – including Xfinity Mobile and Comcast Business. Pictured, from left, are Christie Rossi, senior director of Retail Sales, Comcast; Chris Comer, director of Government Affairs, Comcast; Melanie Pursel, president/CEO of The Greater Ocean City Maryland Chamber of Commerce; Mary McLaughlin, senior vice president of Comcast’s Beltway Region; and Rick Meehan, mayor of Ocean City.

Submitted Photo

FENWICK ISLAND – Town officials said they are still awaiting a response from the state regarding a public-private partnership that could bring millions of dollars in improvements to Fenwick Island State Park in exchange for an interconnection facility on park grounds.

In a meeting of the Fenwick Island Town Council last week, Mayor Gene Langan told community members the town continues to wait for a response from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) Division of Parks & Recreation regarding plans for a partnership between Orsted – the offshore wind farm developer – and Fenwick Island State Park.

“We have heard nothing from the state,” he said. “They have gone radio silence on the wind mills and the state park. I assume they are looking at all the responses they got.”

On Jan. 15, DNREC closed the comment period for proposed improvements, including new recreational amenities and infrastructure upgrades, at Fenwick Island State Park in exchange for Orsted’s use of park grounds to construct an onshore interconnection facility.

Late last month, a representative with Delaware State Parks said DNREC received 2,319 survey responses from the public.

The conclusion of the public comment period comes months after DNREC Division of Parks & Recreation first presented proposed park improvements to the community.

In an open house last October, the division announced a proposal which, if approved, would allow Orsted to construct an onshore power transmission station at Fenwick Island State Park in exchange for millions of dollars in park improvements, including a nature center, new bathrooms, a pedestrian overpass and additional parking.

Orsted is one of the two companies holding permits for offshore wind energy farms off the coast. While its Skipjack project is considered a Maryland project, Orsted must bring its transmission lines ashore to connect to the power grid.

To that end, the company has targeted the Delaware state park as a future home for the interconnection facility.

Orsted Project Development Manager Ian Renshaw told community members last month that the company will provide more information after public comments are reviewed.

“I understand they got over 2,000 responses,” Langan said. “We just have to wait and see.”

February 28, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 23

Page 24

Cops & Courts The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Slapping Incident Leads To Arrest OCEAN CITY – A Fort Washington, Md., woman was charged with assault last weekend after allegedly slapping her child during an altercation over a lost toothbrush.

Around 11:50 p.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to a hotel at 15th Street for a reported domestic assault. Upon arrival, the officer met with hotel staff and learned the mother involved in the incident, identified as Jennifer West, 39, of Fort Washington, Md., was in her room on the fourth floor, while her 12-year-old son was in the parking lot.

Two officers met with West in the hotel room, while another officer remained with the child in the parking lot. When interviewed, West told police she was staying at the hotel with her son and an argument ensued when it was learned the child had lost his toothbrush. West told the officers she intended to make the incident a teaching moment because her son had lost other items along the way during the trip, according to police reports.

West reportedly told police an argument ensued during which the juvenile charged at her and pushed her against the wall, nearly breaking her glasses. West told police she pushed the juvenile away and the altercation ended. West told police the juvenile began packing his things and taking them to her vehicle, and that she was going to drive them to his grandparents’ house.

Meanwhile, other OCPD officers interviewed the juvenile about his version of the events. When the initial responding officer went to the parking lot, the juvenile was in the back of an ambulance being attended to by Ocean City EMTs. The juvenile had fresh blood on his face coming from three scratches near his left eye.

The victim told police he had been arguing with West for about 45 minutes over the missing toothbrush when West allegedly threw a deodorant container at him. The victim told the officers West then charge at him, pushing him against the wall and slapping his face with her left hand, according to police reports. The victim told police the scratches on his face

were caused by West slapping him.

According to the police report, the victim verbally told his version of the events at least two times to different officers and each time the story was exactly the same. In addition, the victim provided a written statement with the exact same version of the event.

According to the evidence and victim testimony, West was arrested and charged with second-degree assault.

She was released after posting a $10,000 bond.

Heroin Arrest In Parking Lot OCEAN CITY – A local man was arrested for driving while impaired and possession of heroin last weekend after being found passed out in a smoking vehicle in a parking lot.

Around 7:15 p.m. last Sunday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to the parking lot of a midtown market for a reported vehicle that was smoking.

Officers arrived on the scene and observed a blue Jeep Cherokee with smoke coming from under the hood.

OCPD officers observed the driver, later identified as Joseph Waltemeyer, 31, of Ocean City, semi-conscious in the driver’s seat.

The officers reportedly assisted Waltemeyer out of the vehicle and sat him on a curb nearby. The Ocean City Fire Department responded to inspect the vehicle and determined it was safe. OCPD officers at the scene observed two syringes on the ground near the driver’s side of the vehicle along with five plastic capsules containing suspected heroin.

Officers interviewed Waltemeyer who told police he was high and swerving while driving and just wanted

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not stop the tirade, the OCPD officer arrested Silver for disorderly conduct.

During a search incident to the arrest, Silver was allegedly found in possession of a small amount of marijuana less than 10 grams on his person.

Late-Night Screaming

to turn the vehicle off and “chill for a sec,” according to police reports. Waltemeyer also told police, “I didn’t want to hurt anyone and then the officer woke me up,” according to police reports.

The officer reportedly asked Waltemeyer if he wished to submit to field sobriety tests, to which he replied, “What’s the difference? We both know that I was high,” according to police reports. Waltemeyer was arrested and charged with driving while impaired and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.

Tirade Results In Arrest OCEAN CITY – A Halethorpe, Md., man was arrested on disorderly conduct charges last weekend after allegedly screaming obscenities at a family in the midtown area on Sunday morning.

Around 11:15 a.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was patrolling in the area of the convention center providing on-duty police services during a privately-held event when he heard the loud screaming of a male voice. Because of the distance, the officer could not discern the actual words being screamed and began looking for the source.

As the officer approached the 42nd Street area, he reportedly heard the distinct male voice screaming obscenities at a family in a parking lot on 42nd Street. The suspect, later identified as Andrew Silver, 29, of Halethorpe, Md., continued his expletive-laced tirade at the family as the officer approached.

According to police reports, several vehicles on southbound Coastal Highway in the area slowed down to observe the incident unfold. When he did

OCEAN CITY – A local woman was arrested last weekend after allegedly causing a disturbance in the downtown area and then resisting arrest.

Around 1:25 a.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the area of 7th Street and Baltimore Avenue for a reported group of disorderly individuals fighting. The officer arrived and observed four individuals walking near 8th Street with three walking on the sidewalk and one, identified as Brandy Satterfield, 24, of Ocean City, walking in the street.

As the officer approached on foot, Satterfield was allegedly screaming obscenities. According to police reports, she continued her expletivelaced tirade in the officer’s direction as people started gathering in front of a nearby business and adjacent balconies to watch the incident unfold.

After repeated failed attempts to get Satterfield to stop yelling and sit on the curb, the officer attempted to arrest her for disorderly conduct. As the officer attempted to take her into custody, she continued to resist, and the officer had to take her to the ground to ultimately detain her. She was eventually subdued and was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Up To Her Old Tricks OCEAN CITY – An Ocean City woman was charged with resisting arrest during a traffic stop on Monday in a case similar to one she pleaded guilty to last month.

Around 7:30 p.m. on Monday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer on patrol in the area of 65th Street observed a male individual and Jazmine Snell, 21, of Ocean City, outside the District Court Building. The officer knew the two individuals from contact with them earlier in the day. The male had just been released from jail after being arrested on Monday on a bench warrant. According to police reports, the OCPD was familiar with both individuals through numerous encounSEE NEXT PAGE

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February 28, 2020

ters for drugs and weapons charges.

A background check revealed both suspects’ driver’s licenses were suspended. The OCPD officer observed Snell enter a vehicle in the parking lot and drive out to Coastal Highway and then right onto westbound Route 90.

The officer initiated a traffic stop at the intersection of Route 90 and St. Martin’s Neck Rd. According to police reports, as the officer approached the vehicle, Snell launched into an expletive-laced tirade that the officer had no reason to pull her over. The background check revealed Snell had been arrested in December for driving while suspended.

She told the officer she was allowed to drive for employment and she told the officer she was heading to work in Delaware.

According to police reports, the officer asked Snell at least three times to step out of the vehicle and each time she refused. At that point, the officer opened the vehicle door and grabbed Snell’s arm. She then stepped out of the vehicle in a quick motion and continued to scream at the officer and another officer who had arrived to assist, according to police reports.

When the officers attempted to handcuff Snell, she reportedly twisted and stiffened her body and resisted being arrested. She was ultimately subdued and placed in a transport vehicle. Once inside the police vehicle, Snell reportedly started kicking the door and the inside of the vehicle. She was charged with driving while suspended and resisting arrest. In January, Snell pleaded guilty to obstructing and hindering and was placed on probation for one year. That guilty plea stemmed from her arrest in December when she scrapped with OCPD officers during a routine traffic stop.

30 Days For Squatter Charged With Burglary OCEAN CITY – A Salisbury woman, charged with burglary after breaking into a downtown apartment and taking up residence last fall, pleaded guilty last week and was sentenced to 30 days.

Kenesha Alvira-Encarnacion, 24, of Salisbury, was arrested in early February and charged with fourth-degree burglary and theft stemming from her alleged break-in at a downtown apartment on Baltimore Avenue last October. According to police reports, a maintenance man who worked for a downtown restaurant went to the apartment on Oct. 30 to remove window air conditioning units for the winter season.

The maintenance man entered the locked unit in question using his keys and found Alvira-Encarnacion in the kitchen cooking pizza, according to police reports. The maintenance man questioned the suspect about her being in the apartment and the suspect reportedly told him she was let in by another man to do some cleaning.

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch According to police reports, the maintenance man called the apartment’s owner, who confirmed no one had permission to be in the unit, which was a seasonal rental and had been closed since mid-September. While the maintenance man was on the phone with the apartment owner, Alvira-Encarnacion fled the area on foot. An OCPD officer located AlviraEncarnacion a short time later near 4th Street and questioned her about being in the apartment.

Alvira-Encarnacion told the officer a similar story about being let in the apartment that morning by another man in order to do some cleaning.

Alvira-Encarnacion was in possession of a key to the apartment at that time and was able to provide other pertinent information about its owner.

At that point, the OCPD officer retrieved the key from Alvira-Encarnacion and she was free to leave. However, further investigation revealed AlviraEncarnacion did not know the maintenance man or the man who allegedly let her in to clean, nor did she enter the unit with a key. Instead, she reportedly entered through an unlocked window and had taken up residence in the apartment until she had been discovered. As a result, she was located last week and was taken into custody. Last week she was sentenced to 30 days for the fourth-degree burglary.

Page 25

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Pines Incident Diffused OCEAN PINES – Ocean Pines Police and allied law enforcement agencies last week were able to diffuse a potentially-dangerous situation involving a suicidal male without injury.

On Saturday, Ocean Pines Police received a call regarding a suicidal individual threatening to kill himself with a knife. Officers responded to the North Ocean Pines residence and observed the individual leaning out of a second-floor window holding a knife to his throat. According to police reports, the individual has a history and mental health issues and the officers were familiar with him.

According to police reports, the individual’s parents called 911 after he had allegedly threatened them with a knife earlier, causing them to flee the scene. Additional police units from the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and the Ocean City Police Department responded to the scene and assisted Ocean Pines police, who had been negotiating with the 34-year-old.

After about three hours, police negotiators were able to persuade the individual to surrender without any injury to himself or others. He was transported to the hospital for an emergency psychiatric evaluation.

“The response to severe mental health issues such as these requires a measured response, protecting not only the safety of the individual, but members of the police community and the public at-large,” said Ocean Pines Police Chief David Massey. “This incident is a great example of police cooperation among our Worcester County law enforcement agencies.

We are all happy it was resolved peacefully with no injuries.”

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Court Rejects Appeal In Undercover Drug Buy Case

Page 26

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – In essentially what boiled down to a possession versus distribution issue, a state appeals court this week denied a request for a mistrial in a case involving an illegal drug sale to an undercover police officer on the Boardwalk.

On June 15, 2018, Dashawn Coward, now 21, of Pottsville, Pa., and Sean Dotson, 19, of Pottsville, approached an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) undercover narcotics detective on the Boardwalk and asked the officer if he was interested in buying cocaine. OCPD undercover detectives agreed and followed Coward and Dotson off the

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Boardwalk to complete the sale.

According to the accepted facts in the case, Coward reached into his pants and produced two vials of cocaine, which he handed to Dotson.

Dotson then handed to vials of cocaine to the undercover detective in exchange for the agreed-upon $80.

Coward was arrested later that night and was charged with possession and distribution of cocaine.

In January 2019, a Worcester County Circuit Court jury found Coward guilty of distribution of cocaine and he was sentenced to one year in jail.

However, somewhat oddly, the jury did not find Coward guilty of the lesser possession of cocaine change. After the verdicts were read and the jury was discharged, Coward’s defense at-

torney called for a mistrial, opining there could not be a distribution conviction without a possession conviction.

Coward contends the verdicts are legally inconsistent because the Court of Appeals has held that possession of a controlled dangerous substance is a necessary element in the crime of distribution of that substance. Essentially, he argues if the jury found him not guilty of possessing the cocaine, how could he be convicted of distributing the cocaine?

There was a question of the timing of the defense’s objection to the alleged “inconsistent verdicts.” The judge had already excused the jury and thanked them for their service when the defense counsel raised the

February 28, 2020

objection about the inconsistencies in the possession versus the distribution verdicts.

According to court documents, the defense attorney objected to the court “receiving this verdict as it’s legally inconsistent. The defense attorney asked for the judge to grant a mistrial and schedule a new trial. The prosecutor countered the verdicts reflected the jury’s belief Dotson had possession of the cocaine during the controlled buy and that it was Coward who merely directed him to provide the cocaine to the OCPD detective during the sale.

In its opinion released this week, the Court of Special Appeals ruled even if the high court was inclined to believe Coward could be convicted of distributing the cocaine without actually possessing it, a mistrial could not be granted because of the timing of the objection.

“Accepting without deciding that the verdicts were legally inconsistent, we nevertheless hold that this issue is not properly before us,” the opinion reads.

“To preserve for review any issue as to allegedly inconsistent verdicts, a defendant in a criminal trial by jury must make known his or her position before the verdicts become final and the trial court discharges the jury.”

In a large sense, the Court of Special Appeals opined declaring a mistrial and granting Coward a new trial was not an option because it was too late given the circumstances surrounding the case.

“In the instant case, Coward was given multiple opportunities to argue the alleged inconsistency in the verdicts before the jury was excused,” the opinion reads. “Even after making his untimely objection, Coward did not ask the court to reconvene the jury or to direct the jury to remain in the jury room while the issue of inconsistency was argued. Rather, he asked the court to grant a mistrial, which is not a remedy for an inconsistent verdict.”

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County To Retain Surplus Property Per State Deal

February 28, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 27

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SNOW HILL – County officials agreed last week not to put an unused piece of property up for sale.

The Worcester County Commissioners voted unanimously to retain ownership of a piece of land near Route 113 in Showell. Though a local resident expressed interest in buying the land, staff reported that when the county bought the property from the state there were restrictions involved.

“The contract of sale from the state includes a clause that should the county wish to divest itself of this property, it had to be returned to the state,” said Phyllis Wimbrow, the county’s deputy director of development review and permitting.

In early February, the county received a letter from Showell resident Thomas Ayd indicating he was interested in purchasing a 1.49-acre parcel owned by the county. The land, he said, was leftover from construction of the ramp for Route 113 south. He said he was hoping the county would declare the property surplus and put it up for bid.

In a report to the commissioners, Ed Tudor, the county’s director of development review and permitting, explained that the county purchased the property for $12,400 in 2005 when it was offered for sale by Maryland’s State Highway Administration (SHA). Tudor said the land was paid for with funds from the Forest Conservation Program.

“It was our intent at the time to plant additional trees on the site, again using Forest Conservation Funds,” Tudor wrote.

The county sought proposals for tree planting on the site in 2007.

“When investigating the potential plantings we determined that because the area had been used to stage equipment, material and old asphalt during the highway construction, the area was so heavily compacted that the site would not support trying to plant trees without some subsoil work to loosen the ground and the importation of topsoil,” Tudor wrote.

In the end, the county simply opted to let nature take its course and left the land to regenerate on its own.

In spite of the interest from Ayd, Tudor said there were issues that would complicate the sale of the property.

One of those is the deed from SHA. “…it specifically states that the property is transferred to the county so long as it is used for a public purpose,” Tudor wrote. “It goes on to say that should the property cease to be used for such public purpose or should it be needed by the state for a future transportation purpose, all right, title and interest in the property shall immediately revert to the state.”

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Local Student Artists Awarded In Annual Competition

Page 28

BERLIN – Students from Worcester County high schools received awards in an annual art competition organized and sponsored by the Ocean CityBerlin Optimist Club.

Thirty-two entries were submitted for the contest and are featured on the exhibit at the Worcester County Arts Council’s Gallery in Berlin. Works accepted for the competition included original paintings and drawings and were judged by art educators and artists, Thomas Hogan and Geo McElroy. The competition offered a total of $1,400 in cash prizes to the student artists.

The entries in this year’s competition were outstanding, according to organizers. The pieces reflect the high level of interest in the fine arts among Worcester County students and the dedication of the region’s arts teachers and patrons to encouraging artistic skills in our high schools.

Awards in painting category were presented to the following students: first place, Elizabeth Thornton, Snow Hill High School; second place, Anayelli Reyes, Pocomoke High School; third place, Henna Parmar, Worcester Preparatory School; honorable mention, Lauren Moses, Snow Hill High School.

In the drawing category, awards were given to four Stephen Decatur

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

February 28, 2020

Pictured, first row from left, are Geo McElroy, judge; Lauren Moses, Snow Hill High; Elizabeth Thornton, Snow Hill High; Anayelli Reyes, Pocomoke High; and Lauren Stull, Stephen Decatur High. Back, from left, are Serap Aksu, Stephen Decatur High; Henna Parmar, Worcester Preparatory School; Nadia Bullock, Stephen Decatur High; Ariel Alvarado, Stephen Decatur High; and Thomas Hogan, judge.

Submitted Photo

High School students: first place, Lauren Stull; second place, Nadia Bullock; third place, Ariel Alavarado; and hon-

orable mention, Serap Aksu.

The People’s Choice Award was presented to Anayelli Reyes.

The exhibit of students’ work was on display at the arts council’s Berlin gallery throughout February.

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Couple donates to Worcester County education Foundation

February 28, 2020

SNOW HILL – The Worcester County Education Foundation announced this week a charitable contribution in the amount of $25,000 from Snow Hill residents Robert and Glenda Clarke. The donation will help with long-term support for public school students of Worcester County.

“Glenda and I are both first generation college graduates. We strongly believe a quality education is key to a

Fenwick Sidewalk efforts Continue

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

FENWICK ISLAND – Officials in Fenwick Island reported on the progress of a sidewalk construction project last week.

In a meeting of the Fenwick Island Town Council last Friday, officials provided an update on preliminary engineering work for the first phase of a sidewalk construction project along Coastal Highway.

“You all probably have noticed that some surveyors have been out,” Mayor Gene Langan said. “We’ve begun work on the engineering part of the sidewalk project that the town’s doing.”

Earlier this year, Fenwick Island received $250,000 in the state’s bond bill to begin the first phase of a sidewalk construction project, which is expected to take place in the five bayside blocks south of James Street.

Instead of pursuing a state-led sidewalk project – which had a cost estimate of roughly $10 million – town officials decided to handle the first phase of the project themselves and worked alongside state legislators to secure the bond bill funding. The town also set aside $90,000 from its realty transfer tax fund to complete the project.

With a portion of that money, the town opted to hire Century Engineering, which submitted a proposal of services totaling $97,234. And in January, the town held a kickoff meeting with the engineering firm.

Town Manager Terry Tieman gave council members last week a rough timeline for the future sidewalk construction project.

“As of now we expect to hear from the engineers this spring regarding engineering details. They are really working on the fine-tune stuff,” she said, adding that engineering plans would then be submitted to the town’s Pedestrian Safety Committee. “The next step is to meet with individual property owners to discuss how everything will be implemented. The actual construction will not begin until probably the fall.”

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

professional career,” said Robert Clarke. “I graduated from Snow Hill High School in 1968, and Glenda student taught there in 1972. We are providing these unrestricted funds to further enhance the quality education provided by the Worcester County Schools.”

Superintendent of Schools Lou Taylor said, “In Worcester, we remain committed to creating opportunities for all students to do their best and to realize their own personal success.

Generous donations like this provide the funds needed to enhance our students’ education and better prepare them for the future.”

There is inadequate state funding for Worcester County Public Schools. Despite the fact that 44% of their students come from households of poverty, they receive the second lowest state funding per student.

Page 29

Pictured, from left, are WCEF Manager of Operations and Community Relations Olivia Momme, WCEF Board Chair Ray Thompson, Glenda and Robert Clarke, Board of Education President William Gordy and Superintendent Louis Taylor.

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SALISBURY – The Salisbury University Police Department, working with the FBI, has identified a suspect in the racist and threatening vandalism recently discovered on campus.

The matter has been referred to the Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office for appropriate charges and prosecution. The suspect is not believed to have an immediate connection to the campus.

“The racist threats scrawled on walls and doors in our academic buildings caused a great deal of fear among members of our community,” said SU President Charles Wight. “We hope that this significant development in the investigation helps to reassure the SU community and will rebuild our collective sense of security.”

Last fall, police began an investigation into threatening vandalism discovered in Fulton Hall. Additional graffiti with similar tones was found in Fulton and Henson Science halls in February. In the wake of the vandalism last semester, the university announced a number of new diversity initiatives.

“It is only by embracing diversity that an educational institution can fully realize its potential for educational excellence,” Wight said. “Working together constructively, we must now take the next steps toward building and maintaining a collaborative culture of inclusion that supports this excellence at SU.”

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Side Project, 2 p.m.

DJ Billy T, 9 p.m.

SUNDAY:

Opposite Directions, 2 p.m.

Team Trivia w/Chuck D, 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY:

Dust N Bones Duo, 6 p.m.

THURSDAY:

Opposite Directions, 6 p.m.

$3 surcharge for entrees with steak & crab

MONDAY: 1/2-PRICE ENTREES $3 surcharge for entrees with steak & crab

TUESDAY: PRIME RIB NIGHT $17.95 WEDNESDAY: $6 BURGER & CHICKEN BREAST SANDWICHES ALL DAY THURSDAY: ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT RIBS & STEAMED SHRIMP $16.99 FRIDAY: FRIED OYSTER & SOFT SHELL ALL DAY/NIGHT Specials are not to be combined with any other offer, discount or coupon.Some restrictions apply. No substitutions, dine in only.

Excludes holidays & holiday weekends

Lunch Specials Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. $6.99 LATE NIGHT SPECIALS SUNDAY-THURSDAY 10 P.M. (PUB & BAR AREA ONLY) HAPPY HOUR MONDAY-FRIDAY 4-7 P.M. WITH AWESOME FOOD & DRINK SPECIALS! South Harbor Rd • West End, Ocean City • 410-213-1846 Waterfront WiFi • www.weocharborside.com

BERLIN – Maryland’s U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen this week joined bipartisan colleagues in a request to release additional H-2B visas so critical to the state’s seafood industry.

The letter urged the Department of Homeland Security to release H-2B visas needed to support local seafood businesses.

“Many of the seafood businesses we represent are family-owned operations that go back multiple generations, often in rural areas of our states,” the Senators’ letter reads.

“Despite good faith efforts to find local seasonal workers, our seafood industries rely on H-2B workers for tough jobs such as shucking oysters and processing crabs. Without H-2B visas, some local businesses will be forced to reduce the size of their American workforces.”

H-2B visas allow employers to temporarily hire nonimmigrants to perform non-agricultural labor or services if U.S. workers are not available, after completing rigorous application and certification process. These visas are critical to the survival of Maryland’s seafood industry, particularly the crab-picking houses on the Eastern

February 28, 2020

Shore.

Bridge Closure Comment Period Nearing End SNOW HILL – The Worcester County Department of Public Works is implementing plans to replace the Bayside Road Bridge closest to Public Landing Road beginning tentatively in September.

The bridge replacement project is eligible for funding under the Highway Bridge Program. A public comment period is currently open and the public is invited to comment on this project now through March 4.

The 16-span, timber-beam Bayside Road Bridge was scheduled to be replaced after earning unsatisfactory bridge sufficiency ratings during the county’s annual bridge inspection program. Access to the bridge will be closed, and detours will be in place throughout the course of the project.

The roadway closure is expected to last approximately 180 days.

Please refer all public comments regarding the bridge replacement to Roads Superintendent Frank J. Adkins at fadkins@co.worcester.md.us.

For information on detour routes or a complete description of this project, visit www.co.worcester.md.us.

Summer Employment Application Period Open SALISBURY – Salisbury’s Summer Youth Employment Program is currently accepting applications for 10 paid positions.

The application deadline is Thursday, April 15. The city of Salisbury, Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore (JA), Wicomico County Public Schools and the Greater Salisbury Committee have again partnered to provide a 10-week employment opportunity which includes structured learning and mentoring designed to give teens the skills and knowledge they need to succeed and thrive postgraduation.

The program includes training through the JA Fellows Program. Volunteers from JA will work with the Fellows participants throughout the 10 weeks to ensure optimal on-the-job performance, and will counsel the participants on resume and soft skill development.

To be eligible, applicants must be between the ages of 16-18, and enrolled in a high school within city limits at the time of application. Applicants who will turn 19 over the summer will be allowed to participate in the program. Program participation is limited to students who are currently enrolled in the FARM program (Free And Reduced Meals).

For more information about the program, contact Jermichael Mitchell at jmitchell@salisbury.md.

Voting Student Member Sought For School Board

February 28, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 31

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SALISBURY – A student’s effort to have a voting student member on the Wicomico County Board of Education was brought before county officials this month.

On Feb. 18, James M. Bennett High School junior Aisling Nay came before the Wicomico County Council seeking support for having a student member on the Wicomico County Board of Education.

“I’ve approached my board of ed regarding this and I have not received an answer,” she said. “But I have been told that my county council can assist in this process.”

Nay, an Eastern Shore delegate for the Maryland Association of Student Councils, said she has been advocating for a student board member with certain voting rights.

“This would include partial voting rights on certain issues in regard to budgeting, personnel removal or any other legislation that may be brought forth …,” she said. “This allows for a student voice within the board of ed and more representation for students, as there is a severe lack of student representation here on the Eastern Shore and in Wicomico and Salisbury.”

Members of the county council this week said they would discuss the proposal with members of the Wicomico County Board of Education.

“I believe at one time there was an ex officio member on the board of education, but I recognize you are looking for a little more …,” Councilman John Cannon said. “We can certainly bring that up when we meet at our next quarterly meeting with the board of education to see if they can’t move forward on that.”

Council attorney Bob Taylor noted other school boards in Maryland have voting student members. In Montgomery County, for example, the student representative has nearly full voting rights.

“They do not include voting on disciplinary matters for teachers, administrators and school staff,” he said.

“That appears to be the only thing that’s exempted.”

Taylor said Nay’s effort to have a student board member would also go hand in hand with the council’s efforts to change the procedure for filling a vacancy on the board of education.

Since September, the council has met regularly with representatives of the Wicomico County School Board Nominating Commission to discuss proposed changes to the process of filling a vacancy on the board of education. Some of those proposed changes, however, would require an amendment to the Maryland Code.

“If we are going to amend the code, that can also be done too,” he said.

Generous Donation:

T-Shirt Factory owner Bruce Krasner recently donated more than 500 Maryland-style lanyards for the entire 411-student population and 84-member staff at Snow Hill elementary and middle schools. The students were in need of a way to display their spirit sticks, which is the school's way of showing and earning acknowledgments of academics and behavioral successes.

Submitted Photo

Obituaries

Page 32

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Ray Keith Tyndall WHALEYVILLE – Ray Keith Tyndall, age 64, died on Feb. 21, 2020 at his home.

Born in Salisbury, raised in Ocean City, he was the son of the late Ernest and Louise Mitchell Tyndall. He is survived by his son, Anthony Tyndall of Hagerstown; sisters Linda L. Urick and her husband John of Ocean City, Nancy T. Lehman and her husband Steve, of Ocean Pines and Cathy T. Neville and her husband William of SalisRAY KEITH bury; sister-in-law Ann TYNDALL Tyndall; and numerous nieces and nephews. Also surviving is his good friend and longtime companion, Susan Fineagan. He was preceded in death by his brother, Glenn M. Tyndall, and infant sister, Polly Tyndall.

Ray received his Associates Degree from Devry University and had been employed by Hughes Corporation as a senior engineer. He was a member of the Roman Catholic Church. One of Ray’s favorite things to do was solve problems which led to lending a hand many times to anyone who needed help. He was also a great animal lover including his own three dogs.

Cremation followed his death. A memorial service will be held at a later date. A donation in his memory may be made to the Atlantic Club, 11827 Ocean Gateway, 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.

Nicholas Bartholomew BERLIN – Nicholas Bartholomew, age 84, of Berlin, formerly of Franconia, Pa., passed away Thursday, Feb. 20.

He was born in Philadelphia and was the son of the late Nicholas Bartholomew and Anna Kreiling Bartholomew. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 60 years, Sandra Bartholomew.

In addition to his wife Nicholas is survived by his children, Nicholas Bartholomew and wife Cindy, David NICHOLAS Bartholomew and wife BARTHOLOMEW Judy, Toni Arner and husband Jeff, Joe Bartholomew and wife Dana; brother Joseph Bartholomew and wife Kandy; brother-in-law Arthur Coyne; as well as his 13 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Nicholas loved fishing, metal detecting, playing pinochle and, working with his hands in woodworking and on cars. More than anything he loved spending time with his family and teaching them how to do those things

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that he loved. Nicholas even had the opportunity to coach his children in baseball and softball when they were young.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation in Nicholas’ name to the Wounded Warrior Project at www.woundedwarrrior project.org/donate or P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kan. 66675. Condolences may be shared with the family via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com.

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Roads as a machine equipment operator.

He attended Friendship United Methodist Church, was a member and past President of AMSA, and a member of Boggs-Disharoon American Legion Post #123. Wayne was a cowboy at heart and enjoyed horseback riding in his spare time.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, Feb. 28 at 11 a.m. at the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin. Friends may call one prior to the service. Rev. Olin Shockley will officiate.

A donation in his memory may be made to Atlantic General Hospital, 9733 Healthway Dr., Berlin, Md. 21811, or AMSA, 8847 Eagle Nest Rd., Berlin, Md. 21811. Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com

Wayne Thomas Hastings BERLIN – Wayne Thomas Hastings “Rawhide” died on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020 at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin.

Born in Berlin, he was the son of the late Russell Lee Hastings and Annabelle Lee Mitchell Hastings. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Martha Rayne Hastings; children Glenn Thomas Hastings and his wife Andrea and Timothy Wayne Hastings and his fiancée, Jenny Creed; step daughter Terri Sexton and her husband Eric; sister Anne Larsen (Tom); and two brothers Michael Hastings and Barry Hastings (Anita). There are nine grandchildren, Abby WAYNE THOMAS Hastings Lewis (John), Glen Hastings, Savan- HASTINGS nah Hastings, Keith Freeman, II, Kristen MacKay, Lucas Freeman, Mary Evans, Molly Evans and Catie Pusey, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He also leaves behind his beloved horse, Dakota. Preceding him in death was a brother, Mitch Hastings, and a stepson, Keith Freeman.

Mr. Hastings had served in the United States Army, and had been employed by Worcester County

Adam Bandiere OCEAN CITY – Adam Bandiere of Ocean City passed away on Feb 24, 2020. He was 58.

Born in Baltimore, Md. on July 13, 1961, Adam and his family moved to Ocean City in 1975. Adam loved fishing and spending time with his children.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John (Jack) Bandiere and Jane Mastin Bandiere.

He is survived by his two daughters, Laura Kenney of Bishopville and Tiffiany Bandiere of Ocean City. He is also survived by his two ADAM sisters, Becca Bandiere of New York, N.Y., BANDIERE and Leslie Doyle of Selbyville, Del., and several nieces and nephews.

Contributions can be made in his memory to the Worcester County Humane Society, 12330 Eagles Nest Road, Berlin, Md. 21811 www.worcestercountyhumanesociety.org.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at a later date.

Condolences may be shared with family at www.vacremationservice.com, a division of Found & Sons Funeral Home.

Obituaries cost $50 to appear in The Dispatch and photos are no extra charge. Direct all inquiries to editor@mdcoastdispatch.com, fax to 410-641-0966 or mail to P.O. Box 467, Berlin, Md. 21811.

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February 28, 2020

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February 28, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 33

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Page 34

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

February 28, 2020

Over the past week my stops around the region included Tequila Mockingbird West, Coins Pub on 28th Street and Seacrets.

Tequila Mockingbird West OC: Spencer Byrd, Karen Robinson, Kelly Groff and Shawn Mcmahon

By Tyler Horton

Faces

SPOTLIGHT ON THE REGIONAL RESTAURANT AND BAR SCENE

Seacrets: Jack & Laura Cline, Amanda Williams and Stacy Barthalowme

In Places

Seacrets: Robyn Love, Nancy Thoreson, Karen Smith, Mary Adams, Carol Falcone, Donna Rodi and Dianna Wise

Coins: Harold Macknet, Jim Morand, Marvan Whalen and Gail Butler

Seacrets: Tim Hamm and Brady & Amanda Warner

Tequila Mockingbird West OC: Kerstine Birch and Harry Jarvis

Coins: Robin Lohnas, Kayla Ivey Russell and Ellie Bratten

Seacrets: Percell and Wanda

Tequila Mockingbird West OC: Taylor Bakke and Billie Bradford

Coins Pub: Bob & Karen Stark

Finnegan’s Wake To Benefit WCDC

February 28, 2020

OCEAN CITY – Traditionally, an Irish Wake marks the end of someone’s life, but this year in Ocean City it marks the start of the lively and rousing St. Patrick’s festivities when the Friends of WCDC holds its 8th Annual Finnegan’s Wake on Saturday, March 7 in Seacrets’ Morley Hall.

The event is a mock Irish funeral inspired by the traditional Irish song of the same name. The doors to Morley Hall open at 4:30 p.m. and the evening’s festivities will commence at 5:30 p.m. with the funeral procession winding its way through Morley Hall led by the Ocean City Pipes and Drums. Included in the cortege will be St. Patrick, clergy members, mourners, pall bearers and a leprechaun or two.

Music is an integral part of an Irish wake and back again by popular demand will be The Irish Lads, a group dedicated to preserving Irish culture and history through folk and nationalistic music.

A wake requires a bagpipe and this wake has much, much more.

The Ocean City Pipes and Drums will not only lead the funeral procession, but the group will also perform flawless sets of highland and military songs that will make for an unforgettable evening.

Audience participation will be encouraged throughout the evening. Audience members will have a chance to become part of the show when viewing Tim Finnegan. If you can raise Fin-negan from the dead by telling him a joke and making him laugh, you win a beverage. Those with strong voices can enter the Keening contest.

Wealthy Irish would hire professional mourners called Keeners to cry for their dearly departed. Contestants will be judged on volume, style and feeling as they compete for cash prizes.

Admission is $20. Happy Hour prices will be available at the bar and the Seacrets kitchen will be offering an Irish menu.

Event sponsors are Robert Nock Insurance, Cheers of Berlin and Gallagher Insurance. The entertainment is sponsored by the Burbage Funeral Home, Malvern Collision Service, Avery Hall Insurance Solutions, Vicki Tillery, John Falcone and Robin Dannelly.

All money raised from this event will go toward supporting the clients of the Worcester County Developmental Center (WCDC). WCDC provides employment opportunities, day habilitation training, residential services and community-based supports for adults who live with an intellectual disability in Worcester, Somerset and Wicomico counties. WCDC is a member of the United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore and the Ocean City, Berlin, Ocean Pines and Snow Hill Chambers of Commerce.

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 35

Page 36

Mom Cindy Christensen, center, couldn’t be happier then to have her two daughters, Alyson Wade and Brook Christensen, by her side helping at the Visiting Angels BINGO for a Cause.

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

People

By Jeanette Deskiewicz

FEATURING THOSE HELPING CAUSES IN THE RESORT AREA

The Berlin Lions Club had a great crew behind the line at the Whole Hog Sausage Sale including Bill Owens, Eric Bauers, Ray McCabe, Linda Palladino and Atif Gaddis.

Visiting Angels’ Patti DeWitt, RN chatted with bingo caller Buzz Christensen before the games got started at their BINGO for a Cause to benefit the Eastern Shore Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

Getting ready to happy hour with the Beach Singles group were Carl Fleischman and Rosemary Paum at Harpoon Hanna’s on a recent Thursday evening.

In Society

February 28, 2020

Having a great time at Harpoon Hanna’s were Roberta Taylor, Bill Lesniczak and Susan Woods at the Beach Singles Happy Hour.

Sausage grinders Ned Mumford and Bob Palladino kept things moving along so buyers didn’t have to wait long at this year’s Berlin Lions Club Whole Hog Sausage Sale.

Beach Singles’ Vice President Gladys Warthen and President Joy Knox invite singles 45+ to join them Thursday evenings from 4pm-7pm at Harpoon Hanna’s.

Everyone knows the best part of the Berlin Lions Club Whole Hog Sausage Sale is the breakfast sandwiches with Jack Mumford and Joe Andrews behind the grill.

Taking their gloves off for a few minutes at the packing table during the Berlin Lions Club Whole Hog Sausage Sale were Carol and Martin Sullivan.

Holding a variety of raffles in conjunction with the games to raise money for the Eastern Shore Walk to End Alzheimer’s at the BINGO for a Cause were Destiny Smith and Adrian Phulesar of the Visiting Angels family.

Film Festival Kicks Off Thursday With Opening Reception

February 28, 2020

OCEAN CITY – The 4th Annual Ocean City Film Festival will screen more than 100 films at popular venues in the resort March 5-8.

The festival will bring together film lovers and filmmakers from across the globe to Ocean City for this four-day special event. The Art League of Ocean City produces the festival along with broad community sponsorship.

Over four days, the festival will screen independent films spanning multiple genres — from feature-length to short horror to social commentary — at the Flagship Cinemas, Carousel Hotel, Fox Gold Coast Theater, Clarion Hotel, and Seacrets. Local filmmakers, as well as filmmakers from across the country and around the world, submitted films that were specifically judged for the festival. In addition, films with local interest were curated by the Art League and will have their public debut at the film festival.

The film festival will kick off with a Hollywood-style opening reception on Thursday, March 5 at the Residence Inn by Marriott Ocean City where film lovers party with filmmakers and celebrate the festival kickoff. The festival will conclude with the awards ceremony and party at Seacrets’ Morley Hall on Sunday, March 8. A panel of Eastern Shore media and arts professionals will judge the films and present the awards.

Maryland Film Office Director Jack Gerbes and other film industry professionals will lead a panel discussion on Saturday, March 7 at the Ocean City Center for the Arts on creating and producing films.

Tickets are $99 for an all-access fourday pass that includes unlimited films, the opening “meet the filmmakers” reception with hors d’oeuvres, the panel discussion, and the award ceremony; $20 for a one-day film-only pass; $69 for a four-day film-only pass. Tickets to the parties can be purchased separately for $25, and to the panel discussion for $10.

Tickets are available at OCMDFilmFestival.com, by visiting the Arts Center on 94th St., or by calling 410-524-9433.

Tickets will also be available at the film locations the day of the screenings on a cash-only basis. Several local hotels are offering discounted room packages for the weekend, posted on the festival’s website.

Hundreds of films were submitted to the festival, and Festival Director William Strang-Moya contributed to handpicking the final selection.

“We have local films, films from all over the world, and films that can’t be seen anywhere else but in Ocean City at the festival,” Strang-Moya said. “The festival and our selection of films are truly getting bigger and brighter every year.”

The films that will be shown have not been rated, and some feature adult content. Viewer discretion is advised.

Sponsors for this year’s Film Festival include: The Town of Ocean City, The Aloft Hotel/Blue Water Group, BB&T, Carousel Hotel, Clarion Resort Hotel,

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 37

Ocean City Film Festival Artistic Director B.L. Strang-Moya and Film Night Coordinator Kristin Helf hosted $5 Film Night at the Ocean City Center for the Arts on Feb. 15. The films shown were a preview of jury favorites for the upcoming film festival.

Submitted Photo

Coastal Style Magazine, Delmarva Public Radio, The Dispatch, Fager’s Island,

Flagship Cinemas, Marlin Moon/Harrison Group, Maryland Film Office, Ocean

City HMRA, Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, Ocean City Today, Preston Automotive Group, Princess Royale, Real Hospitality Group, Residence Inn

by Marriott Ocean City, Seacrets, Ruark Group/Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse/Lighthouse Sound, Shenanigans, ShoreCraft Beer, Sun & Surf/Fox Gold Coast, Sunsations, Thrashers/Jolly Roger, Ward Museum, WBOC/WRDE, and Worcester County Tourism.

The inaugural festival was held in June 2017 and was the first of its kind in Ocean City. The 2018 festival moved to the off-season to better accommodate traveling filmmakers and filmgoers and to stimulate the local economy in a shoulder-season month.

More information, tickets, and links to hotel packages are available at OCMDFilmFestival.com.

… More Repaving Work Likely In North Ocean City

Page 38

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

FROM PAGE 4 through the rest of the winter and early spring.

“Is there a feasible way to get funding appropriated without bothering fund balance so I can use the next 90 days productively?” he said. “We could get the majority of the sidewalk work done and out of the way.”

Knapp said she identified a potential funding source for the requested $380,000 expenditure through parking fees and fines in the second year of the town’s new paid parking system.

Two years ago, the town switched to a pay-by-plate system and revenue increased, largely because the consumers weren’t familiar with the new system.

“Last year was the first year of the new parking system and the structure for the parking fines and I didn’t anticipate that we would repeat that in this fiscal year,” she said. “I assumed everybody who didn’t know how to use it in the first year would figure it out in the second year, but I was wrong. As

February 28, 2020

Mild Weather Keeps Projects Moving

a result, I have the funds available for this in that line item.”

Adkins said moving into the 118th to 130th Street area with needed sidewalk and driveway repairs would expedite the overall repaving project in that area next year.

“It would allow us to get the majority of the sidewalk work done in the next 90 days,” he said. “It would position us to roll into those neighborhoods the minute the fall special events are over.

If I don’t knock out that concrete work in the next 90 days, that’s fine. I can come back in the fall and do that.

However, then I would be pushing the paving work in that area into next spring.”

The council voted 5-1 with Council Secretary Mary Knight absent to approve the $380,000 expenditure from the parking fine line item in the budget

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to expedite the work in the 118th Street to 130th Street area.

Mayor Rick Meehan cautioned against getting too far ahead and ending up with unfinished projects as the season arrived.

“I wouldn’t start anything you can’t finish by this spring,” he said. “I think there needs to be a drop-dead date in there so you don’t start anything you can’t finish.”

Adkins explained he and his staff had considered that situation.

“We’ve already discussed the strategy,” he said. “I don’t want our crews out there demolishing four, six or eight blocks ahead of time in those areas. I want them to set up a rhythm based on anticipated daily production rates. In a perfect world, we’re tearing out sidewalks on a Monday and coming right back in on a Tues-

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day to finish it. We will go as far as we can.”

Adkins also said he was cognizant of the commercial interests in those areas and would not start projects that might disrupt business.

“We also acknowledge there are certain areas in that section from 118th to 130th Streets that are highly developed commercially,” he said.

“We’re going to work around those areas, whether they’re done first, or we come back and do them in October right before we’re ready to pave. We won’t do anything to disrupt business in those areas.”

Meehan reiterated his concerns about moving too far, too fast this spring.

“A couple of years ago, we had projects that went a little too long and it caused some problems,” he said. “If we have to stop at a certain point, I just want to make sure we stop.”

The council ultimately voted to approve moving the $380,000 to public works to allow the project to continue.

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Educational Sessions Planned For Spring Trade Expo

February 28, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

OCEAN CITY – Everything to make a business run more efficiently will be found at the 46th Annual Ocean City Spring Trade Expo.

Beginning on Sunday, March 8 at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center, the industry will unite for non-stop networking as this expo is designed to bring together the hospitality buyers and sellers. The expo is an experience and is the fastest and most convenient way to see, taste, discover and learn about the new product innovations that are sure to inspire. Restaurants are bound to find creative and fresh menu ideas to delight customers and drive profits. Hotels can see the endless in-room technology and learn how to capture new customers and engage existing ones through data generation and marketing.

The expo is also designed to spark attendees’ creative appetite for learning by delivering real, applicable business lessons and best practices. Educational sessions are proven to create insightful discussion, amplify knowledge and provide actionable agendas.

Some highlighted educational sessions include Driving Demand Through

Digital Tactics, presented by Todd Collins, Restaurant Reputations; ID Class 101: Alcohol Awareness Training, presented by Eric Chaplin, Card101; Safeguarding Your Identity, presented by Michael LeCompte; and Reach The Beach With Mobile Device Targeting, presented by Dave Carberry, Enradius.

The keynote session will be “Adapt & Thrive: How Leaders Can Prepare to Win!” and will be delivered on Monday, March 9 at 9:30 a.m. prior to the opening of exhibit halls.

Every year, the Culinary Showcase Stage features delectable dishes and exciting entrees. This year, Chef Jonathan Hicks will take the stage on Sunday, March 8 to deliver an action packed culinary demo. Hicks grew up in Maryland and is currently the executive chef at Cosima. Already recognized as one of Baltimore's best new restaurants, Cosima highlights the fresh Mediterranean cuisine of Sicily and captures the authentic essence of traditional Southern Italian flavors through its menu and unique cocktails.

On Monday, March 9, a father-daughter team from Delaware will take the

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stage to tempt taste buds while showcasing their creative style. Executive Chef Bill Wallen and daughter, Chef Jess Wallen, are from Grain Craft Bar & Kitchen, OMG Hospitality Group.

The increasing popularity of local art and its infusion into our everyday way of life has led to the “Art of Hospitality” feature. Located in the Dockside Hall, this area will be led by Ali and Jamie Jacobs of T.C. Studios, OC’s Painting Experience. Attendees will have the opportunity to test their painting skills by creating a pineapple, the universal symbol of hospitality.

Local baristas will create latte art in Eastern Shore Coffee & Water’s booth 228-230 on the lower level in Exhibit Hall A/B both Sunday and Monday.

Another great reason to attend Expo is to take advantage of all the show specials offered only at the tradeshow.

Close to 60 exhibitors are offering great deals and they can all be found on the expo website. New products and the latest innovative services are also rolled out during the expo and include the new Kona Gold & HighDrate CBD infused energy drinks and waters. Handheld

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POS systems designed to enhance the dining experience for both customers and staff by offering order-at-the-table and pay-at-the-table will also be showcased. Several exhibitors will feature their earth friendly packaging now that Maryland has banned Styrofoam.

For those who are ready to grow profits and support a local movement, close to 75 breweries and distilleries, throughout Maryland, Delaware, DC and Virginia will be featured.

On Sunday, March 8, Smokin’ Mary, Oxley’s Extra and the Fighting 69th Whiskey will take the stage.

The expo is not open to the public, therefore to walk the show floor, you must be a buyer or guest in the industry and you must be at least 21. Expo hours are Sunday, March 8 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Monday, March 9 from 11 a.m.4 p.m. After March 2 on-site registration is $25 per person with proof of being in the industry; a business card, business license, or letter from employer on company letterhead; paystubs not accepted.

For complete expo information, click www.oceancitytradeexpo.com or call 410-289-6733.

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Students

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

February 28, 2020

In The News

During the month of February, Worcester Preparatory School (WPS) students shared the love of language through their French, Mandarin and Spanish classes.

As part of her lesson on the Chinese New Year, the most important holiday in Chinese speaking countries, Mandarin teacher Ashley Lin taught her students how to make Dumplings (or jiǎozi in Mandarin). Dumplings symbolize longevity and wealth and are a traditional must-eat food on Chinese New Year’s Eve. Pictured, from left, are Lin, Linley Hill and Kathy Zhang.

Students in the Random Acts of Kindness group at Berlin Intermediate School teamed with Gull Creek residents to collect donations for Operation We Care, which supports first responders and military troops. The students and Gull Creek residents will be filling boxes with basic needs and shipping them to troops.

Submitted Photos

Worcester County Sheriff Matt Crisafulli is pictured with Stephen Decatur High School NJROTC members PO3 Elijah Wiltbank, Lieutenant Junior Grade Matthew Miller, Ensign Zachary Fuchsluger, Lieutenant Commander Jacob Fuchsluger, Ensign Nick Cardamone, Lieutenant Junior Grade Taylor Takacs and PO3 Maggie Herd after an annual inspection on Feb. 19.

Ocean City Elementary School students participated in Kids Heart Challenge Fitness events raising over $21,500 for the American Heart Association last month. The second, third and fourth grade students participated in an afterschool jump event and the pre-k, kindergarten and first grade students participated in an obstacle course. Students are pictured at the after-school jump event with physical teachers Mark Engle and Tracey Drocella.

To spread some love and share their love of learning the Spanish language, Spanish III and IV students created Valentine’s Day cards filled with Spanish messages of love, gratitude and well wishes for all the WPS faculty, staff and administration. Pictured, from left, are Waverly Choy, Spanish teacher Kira Eade, Hana Miller, Hayes Peterson and Spanish teacher Bianca Perez.

French teacher Elaine Burg and her French I, II, and III students created thoughtful Valentine’s cards and wrote “Get Well” wishes in French to sick children in the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Pictured, from left, are Aria Islam, Morgan White, Ava Nally, Riley Schoch, Brooke Emeigh, Sydney Lamson-Reich, Marshall Mumford and Burg.

Ocean City Elementary School held its annual Have a Heart Spirit Day on Feb. 14. Students, faculty and staff were encouraged to wear red, pink, hearts or OCES apparel to show their school spirit. Pictured, from left, are third graders, Sophia Gonzalez, Serenity Baker, Izabella Willoughby, Kenley Hallett and Carly Watts.

Students Learn About Charitable Giving With Hair Donation

February 28, 2020

Worcester Prep teachers encourage their students to not just complete learning objectives, but to experience them in unique and creative ways. As part of her English lesson, teacher Jackie Knowlton asked her second graders to reflect and write about how fortunate they are at their school. The children were instructed to gather details from various experiences during school days to enrich their writing.

One of their most inspirational experiences was when the class decided to cut and donate Knowlton’s hair to the nonprofit charity, Children with Hair Loss, which makes free wigs for children in need. The students were overcome with the excitement of giving back to the community and make a positive impact in a meaningful way – a lesson they will never forget.

Above left, second graders invited Head of Lower School, Dr. Sara Timmons, to help them cut off their teacher hair for charity. Pictured, from left, are Clara Collins-Ellingsworth, Lilly White, Isabella Rice, Keller Hoch, Timmons, Chase Wolff, Sam Smith, Knowlton, Liam Doran, Jack Hornung, Lea Jaoude, Sarah Brasure, Taj Sands, Estelle Damouni, CJ Labin, Sadie Kremer, Elena Kappes and Nonda Gjikuria. Above right with Timmons and Knowlton are Elena Kappes, Isabella Rice, Chase Wolff, Clara CollinsEllingsworth and Sarah Brasure. Below, Lilly White hugs her teacher as she sends off her donated hair. Submitted Photos

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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The Dispatch

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

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Reducing Permit, Impact Fees A Logical Start The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

HOW WE SEE IT

Though the dialogue involving yearround residency remains speculative in nature, the ongoing frank discussions at City Hall remain productive.

There are many different reasons why people choose to not live in Ocean City. Some folks simply do not want to be subjected to the crowds and traffic of the hectic summer season as well as shoulder event weekends. Some simply prefer larger yards in a more rural and quiet atmosphere. Still many others desire living and raising their children in neighborhoods full of other kids.

These are impossible responses for the Town of Ocean City to combat when it comes to increasing year-round residency. What the town can and should be focusing on is addressing the perception it’s more expensive to build a home in Ocean City for those who have already decided their future will involve living in the resort.

It’s the cost, not the inevitabilities that come with living in a vacation destination, of building on the island that merit attention. The price to live in Ocean City is not generally higher than Berlin or Ocean Pines. Depending on the specific property, contrary to popular belief, it can be cheaper to live in Ocean City from a tax and utility perspective.

The specific charge the Mayor and

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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.

Council and city planning officials have targeted as a problem is the belief it’s more expensive for potential homebuilders to develop their homes in Ocean City than it is in neighboring Sussex County. This is a matter the city should take seriously. The problem is it might be an unwinnable battle.

Nonetheless, the effort is worthwhile.

It’s tough to dispute the lure of becoming a resident in Delaware. It’s simply cheaper. A recent real estate advertisement in this paper highlighted the differences between Maryland and Delaware. The ad pointed to the following benefits to living in Delaware: no sales tax, $12,500 of social security income is not taxed, no inheritance tax, no personal property tax and a senior citizen discount for homeowners who will not be utilizing the county’s school system.

Among the considerations in Ocean City to help make building in the city more appealing are relaxing permit and impact fees, contributing a match of the state’s mortgage assistance grant and a deferral of property taxes for a number of years to keep mortgage expenses down.

It was reported this week the city fees associated with building a singlefamily home in Ocean City in the range of $200,000 to $300,000 amounts to approximately $7,500. Estimations are

it will be at least 35% cheaper to build 10 miles to the north in Selbyville. For many homeowners, the increased cost of building a home near the beach would be worth it. Clearly, for others, it’s simply about the dollars and cents.

The challenge Ocean City is facing will not be easy to overcome, but the benefits of a larger year-round residency base are undeniable. The upcoming Census is expected to confirm what Ocean City officials already know.

There are less people living in town year-round today than in recent history.

From 2000 to 2018, according to Census estimations, the year-round population has declined from 7,102 to 6,927.

The reality is the loss is far greater than those numbers indicate. The consequence of the population loss is significant.

Councilman Dennis Dare put it well this week, saying, “Getting more people to live here year-round is important. They visit the businesses and restaurants etc. and enhance the community in that way. It just makes for a more livable community when there are sustainable businesses and services in town. That’s important.”

Most areas of northern Worcester County are recording surges in population. It’s smart for Ocean City to weigh all possible options to reverse the trend in the other direction.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

JEANETTE DESKIEWICZ Account Executive MANETTE CRAMER Account Executive

February 28, 2020

Proper Fiscal Planning Would Help Everyone Editor: Has anyone on the city council ever heard of government accounting rules called fund accounting?

This is a separate restricted fund established to hold funds for a specific purpose, such as project costs to overhaul infrastructure.

Any informed and educated business person knows that funds are put aside each year to pay for improvements or replacements.

If this had been done 30 or 40 years ago, the city would have the funds for the improvements. This would have been a charge to everyone who used the system each year.

As it stands now you are penalizing those current users over the next five years and letting thousands of people in the past to get away without paying their share.

I think we need government representatives with more foresight.

Jim Wagenmann

Congressman’s Opposition Rooted In Bill’s Specifics Editor:

This is in response to Christopher Koch’s letter of Feb. 21 concerning Andy Harris’ vote against HR 2932 (Homeland Security For Children Act).

I read Mr. Koch’s letter and I had to laugh, because I knew the congressman had actually read the legislation (unlike so many of this fellow members of Congress).

Just to be sure, I contacted Congressman Harris to find out why he voted against Bill H.R. 2932. I was informed that his “no” vote was because the bill was designed to embarrass the Border Patrol and the president – to imply that they don’t care about children and won’t treat them well unless forced to by Congress. It was sponsored by a Congressman who despises President Trump. It would do exactly nothing to help children on the border.

Is it necessary to remind Mr. Koch and others that the policies being carried out on the border by our Border Patrol are pretty much the same policies that were in place during the Obama Administration?

Congressman Harris gets a lot of grief for some of the “no” votes he makes – the bills sound so good, and

they mean so well, but when you dig into them you find out they won’t work as advertised and will mainly just end up wasting taxpayer funds and growing government. And let me tell, you, in my opinion, the government’s track record on just about anything is not good.

The bottom line for me is this – Congressman Harris is one of the very few members of the House of Representatives who actually reads legislation before he votes on it. I, for one, really appreciate that.

Carol Frazier Ocean Pines

Interpretation Of Gun Bill Way Off The Mark Editor: I am responding to a letter to the editor in last week’s edition regarding current gun safety legislation in the Maryland General Assembly. I’m not sure Ms. Frazier could’ve been more off the mark with her interpretation of Senate Bill 208 (House Bill 4, the companion bill she mentioned, passed out of the House of Delegates weeks ago).

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February 28, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Currently, in the state of Maryland, no background checks are required on private sales of shotguns and rifles -- like sales arranged online and at gun shows when the seller is not a federally licensed firearm dealer -- meaning that felons and other prohibited people have easy access to these firearms, no questions asked. SB208 would close this dangerous loophole by requiring a background check at the point of sale between the seller and purchaser.

SB208 includes multiple commonsense exceptions that allow for transfers between direct family members, and the temporary transfer of shotguns and rifles while hunting, at lawfully organized shooting competitions and practices and at sport shooting ranges or gun clubs. These exceptions were built-in specifically to accommodate shotgun and rifle owners in rural areas, like the Eastern Shore, where hunting and sport shooting are a common pastime.

Firearms, not cancer or car accidents, are the leading cause of death for kids and teens in the state of Maryland, and across the nation. And as American women, we are 21 times more likely to be killed by a gun than women in any other high-income country. Given this data, and the fact that states with comprehensive gun laws experience lower rates of gun homicide, gun suicide, and gun trafficking, why aren’t we working together as a community to embrace these live-saving measures rather than spreading fear and misinformation?

Many gun owners, including the one I’m married to, would gladly submit to a background check, because they are interested in keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people who would pose a threat to our children, our families, and our communities. 90% of Americans and the majority of Marylanders support background checks on all gun sales. A growing number of Eastern Shore parents and concerned citizens expect our representatives to prioritize the safety of our children and communities by adopting these common-sense gun safety laws. We hope this is the year Maryland closes the long gun background check loophole.

Kady Everson Berlin

Misleading TV Ads Editor: Why do Medicare consulting companies tell people on television that there is a deadline for enrolling when the deadline expired two months ago? Are they trying to force seniors into making uninformed quick decisions to sign up with their plans?

Bob Faszczewski Berlin

A High-Tax State

Between The Lines

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Editor: Maryland is a high-tax state.

Recent changes in federal tax law have made the tax situation worse.

At the federal level, the maximum, combined amount of state and local property, income and sales taxes that can be deducted is now $10,000. In the past, these taxes have generally been fully deductible. However, there was a substantial increase in the standard deduction -- $12,000 for single taxpayers and $24,000 for married taxpayers. This means that most taxpayers will be better off taking the standard deduction on their federal tax return and, unless they have very substantial charitable and other allowed deductions, their state and local property and income taxes will yield no tax benefit on their federal income taxes.

However, if you take the standard deduction on your federal tax return, you will not be able to itemize your deductions on your Maryland tax return and you will pay more in taxes to Maryland. This represents a de facto tax increase by the State of Maryland and has been accomplished without the Maryland state legislature passing any legislation.

Conclusion: Maryland taxpayers have received a double-whammy at both the federal and state levels.

Especially for seniors, Maryland is a high-tax state. A tax rate (state + county) of circa 8% applies to the majority of taxpayers and can be as high as 8.95%. Nine states have no income tax. Nine other states exempt the total amount of civil service annuities. Five additional states exempt certain federal civil service annuities from taxation. Seniors receive a relatively minor tax break in Maryland. Recent changes in federal tax law have made the tax situation worse for Maryland seniors.

Legislation is currently pending in Annapolis that would fix the itemized deduction problem (House Bill 788 and Senate Bill 486) and make retirement income tax free in Maryland for those having an adjusted gross income of less than $100,000 (Senate Bill 278). Please ask your legislators to support these bills.

The bottom line is Maryland taxation is unfair to seniors. This is your money. Do you want to do something about this? Yes, click to NARFE’s website. Please take action now even if you have done so in the past. New legislation has been introduced in the past several days.

When you click on yes on our website, the link will take you to the NARFE Legislative Action Center, where you can compose and send a message about keeping Maryland seniors in Maryland to the governor, state senators and state delegates.

Edward Holland (The writer is the public relations director for the NARFE MD Federation.)

Page 43

By Publisher/Editor Steve Green

The Berlin Town Council meeting was cancelled this week because not enough elected officials could attend to meet quorum rules. The cancelled meeting did not mean there was no drama this week.

Included in the council meeting packet was the town’s plan to seek bids from companies to take over trash and recycling operations. In what I think is a smart move, the town is looking to explore whether cost savings could be realized if the trash and recycling collections were outsourced.

In our story this week, Town Administrator Jeff Fleetwood pointed out the three employees who handle sanitation for the town would not be fired and instead reassigned to other departments. If the bids come back competitive, the budget savings would largely come on the equipment and maintenance side over time. Currently, the town allocates about $500,000 a year for sanitation, including funding the three salaries and waste tipping fees, which would presumably be taken over by the contractor.

The story detailing this Request For Proposals by the town received a lot of attention online. There were more than 90 comments on our Facebook page in response to the story, but most commenters seemed to support the town’s position of exploring outside help if cost savings could be realized. However, as they have in the recent past, the comments took a bizarre turn when several citizens accused one individual by the name of Wayne Walls of being a town councilman in disguise. The comments are worth checking out on our Facebook page.

As most elected officials are prone to do these days, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has taken to Facebook to rally state residents against an expansion of the sales tax. In multiple posts this week, Hogan provided links for citizens to write their legislators opposing a plan that will raise $2.6 billion in new revenue for the state at the expense of Maryland residents.

According to Hogan, the sales tax expansion would apply to “everyday expenses,” like Netflix and Hulu, oil changes, car washes, haircuts, salon services, dry cleaning, babysitting, veterinary care, plumbing, tax prep, grocery delivery, personal trainers and lawn care.

“Legislators are proposing a $2.6 billion tax hike by taxing hundreds of services that are essential for owning a home, raising a family, and even dying in the State of Maryland,” Hogan’s Facebook post read. “On top of all that, this Wedding Tax will make it a whole lot harder for Marylanders to tie the knot. We are fighting to hold the line against out-of-touch, tax and spend politicians. Stand with us. Contact your representatives and tell them you won’t support these massive tax hike… This tax proposal — the largest in Maryland's history — is scheduled for a hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee this coming Monday, March 2, at 1 p.m.”

The Baltimore Sun issued an interesting opinion on the sales tax expansion concept to fund the Kirwan Commission’s findings to better public education in the state.

“Anyone who supports the goals of the Kirwan Commission would have to be delighted with the results of the latest Goucher College poll — with one glaring exception. While a stunning 69% believe Maryland’s K-12 public schools are underfunded and a whopping 85% find teacher salaries too low, under results of the poll released Monday, about half of state residents believe they already pay too much in taxes. To be exact, 51% reported them as “too high,” while 44% believe them “about right.”

How many of us are lining up to see their taxes increased? That would be the 3% who say taxes are currently “too low.” This kind of cognitive dissonance, a belief in two opposing ideas, is not terribly surprising when it comes to taxes (hated) and one’s children or grandchildren (loved). It’s not unlike health care and birthday presents. We want the best possible while paying the least possible. But there’s something missing from this particular equation: a realistic view of Maryland’s state and local taxes,” the editorial read. “It has become a widely accepted belief, particularly in recent years, that Maryland is a veritable tax hell where hardworking people are shaken down by the state comptroller and tax collectors on the county and municipal level. … The people of Maryland would like to have better public schools, and they agree that greater state funding, including tax dollars for higher teacher salaries, is at least part of the way to achieve that result. Public disdain for taxes is a given. It’s like opposition to higher prices of any kind. Yet people ultimately accept the price if they believe they are getting return on investment. How best to pay for Kirwan? That’s the real question remaining before members of the General Assembly. And it’s one that deserves a robust debate, but starting with a realistic view of the state’s complex tax situation.”

The problem I see in Annapolis is legislators are looking to bite off too much of the commission’s findings. A practical approach is needed to prioritize the objectives with realistic funding options that will not crush the state’s economy as a whole as well as specific industries across the state.

Page 44

Business And Real Estate News

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The Coastal Association of REALTORS® (CAR) welcomed 13 new members during New Member Orientation this month. Pictured, back row from left, are Jennifer Whittington of Long & Foster Real Estate in Salisbury, Jake Spence of Coldwell Banker Residential in Ocean City, Eileen Carl of Shamrock Realty Group in Ocean Pines, George Patterson of Keller Williams Realty of Delmarva in Ocean City, Josh Rose of Pro-Spect Inspection Services, Frederick Doster of Atlantic Shores Realty in Ocean City and Nathan Leber of Sellers Choice Real Estate in Ocean City; and, front, Katie Landon of Coldwell Banker Residential in Ocean City, Patricia Bounds of ERA Martin Associates in Salisbury, Tina Busko of Long & Foster Real Estate in Ocean City, Lindsay Patten of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty in Ocean City, Julie Hall of Sellers Choice Real Estate in Ocean City and Wendy Leber of Sellers Choice Real Estate in Ocean City.

Submitted Photos

Foundation Appoints Hire NEWARK – The Worcester County Education Foundation (WCEF) has announced the appointment of Olivia Momme as its new manager of operations and community relations.

The WCEF was established in 2013 to provide a perpetual funding resource to assure every student has equal access to a world-class education, enabling them to function in today’s digital environment and to compete in a new, emerging job market.

OLIVIA MOMME As manager, Momme will help the foundation grow and expand its engagement within the community.

“I am beyond grateful to be given this opportunity to give back to the community and to do my part to bolster the educational achievement of all Worcester County Public School students through the effective use of innovation, relationships, and resources,” Momme said.

She is especially interested in working with the schools to see where the foundation can make the biggest impact for students, as well as help them get the resources they desperately need.

“We are so excited that Olivia has joined the Worcester County Education Foundation,” said Worcester County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Annette Wallace. “She brings a skill set that will usher our foundation to new levels of philanthropic giving and community connections.”

New Providers Announced BERLIN – Atlantic General Hospital and Health System has recruited a number of advanced practice pro-

viders – certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants – to the Eastern Shore in recent months as part of its efforts to improve access to health care for a growing population.

The healthcare organization continues to recruit for primary care providers as well as specialists in the fields of general surgery, orthopedic surgery and gastroenterology to address long wait times for appointments in a region that is categorized by the federal government as medically underserved.

Carrie Dawes is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner with Atlantic CARRIE DAWES General Health System.

Dawes has more than 15 years of experience in advanced practice, having cared for children in both primary care and acute care settings. Prior to joining Atlantic General Health System, she worked at A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children as well as the pediatric trauma and surgery unit at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She provides care alongside Drs. Laura Stokes and Anita Pascucci at Atlantic General Pediatrics in West Ocean City. Dawes’s arrival has made it possible for the practice to begin offering evening and Saturday appointments to busy parents.

Kathleen Morris has joined Atlantic General Health System to pracKATHLEEN tice with Dr. Sally DowlMORRIS ing at Atlantic General Primary Care in Selbyville, Del. Over the last 11 years, Morris has worked in Atlantic General Hospital’s medical/surgical and intensive care units where she provided patient care, and trained SEE NEXT PAGE

... Business News

February 28, 2020

and supervised other nurses in her roles as charge nurse and preceptor.

Corinna Kirkpatrick joined Atlantic General Health System in January to provide care alongside Drs. Lei Gong and Oswaldo Nicastro at Atlantic General Primary Care, in Ocean Pines.

She has more than eight years of experience as a physician as- CORINNA sistant, with a diverse KIRKPATRICK background in urgent care, family medicine, geriatric care, occupational medicine and addictions treatment.

Gregory Wilkinson Smith is a certified physician assistant with Atlantic General Health System. He joined Atlantic General Primary Care in Ocean View, Del., in February to provide care alongside Dr. Kieran Py, and also cares GREGORY W. for patients at the healSMITH th system’s West Fenwick location. Smith is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Alison Lathroum is a physician assistant at Atlantic General Internal Medicine, in Berlin. Raised in Worcester County, Lathroum is a graduate of Stephen Decatur High School.

She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Towson University,

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch where she played Division I lacrosse, before attending Keiser University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. Lathroum returned to the Eastern Shore in 2015 to begin caring for patients in her commuALISON nity. She provides pri- LATHROUM mary care to adult patients alongside internist Edwin Castaneda.

Physician assistant Sarah Abdella has joined Atlantic General Health System to practice with Dr. Sally Dowling at Atlantic General Primary Care in Selbyville, Del. Abdella has more than four years of clinical exSARAH ABDELLA perience in behavioral health and hospital medicine and is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and the Maryland Academy of Physician Assistants.

Nurse practitioner Michael Boyle joined Atlantic General Health System in November to provide primary care alongside Dr. Kieran Py in Ocean View, Del. as well as the health system’s West Fenwick location. MICHAEL BOYLE Boyle was a nurse for eight years, working primarily in critical care, before earning his master of science in nursing from Wilmington University to become a certified reg-

istered nurse practitioner (CRNP) last May.

Monthly Market Recap BERLIN – The Lower Eastern Shore kicked off the new year with increased settlements and new listings, according to the latest numbers from the Coastal Association of REALTORS® (CAR).

In all three counties throughout January, new settlements were up 8.1% compared to the same time last year. Individually, new settlements throughout January were up by 13.5% in Worcester and by 12% in Wicomico, but were down by 36.8% in Somerset.

Although active listings were down by 28.3% in January, the tri-county area saw a 10.3% increase in new listings added to the market last month, compared to the same time last year.

Individually, new listings were up by 7.3% in Worcester, by 5% in Wicomico, and by 42% in Somerset. Active listings were down by 27% in Worcester, by 36.5% in Wicomico, and by 22% in Somerset.

The average list price for the Lower Shore was $227,741, which is 4.8% higher than this time last year. The average sale price was $191,096, which is 3% lower than this time last year.

The average Cumulative Days on Market (CDOM) for January was 150, or 52.4% lower than the same time last year. Individually, CDOM decreased by 34% in Worcester, by 62.4% in Wicomico, and by 52% in Somerset.

“We saw a strong start to the new year and with mortgage rates hovering

Page 45 near a five-decade low, according to Freddie Mac, we expect a very busy spring,” said CAR President Joe Wilson.

New Board Member Named BERLIN – The Board of Directors for Worcester County GOLD, Inc. (Giving Other Lives Dignity), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing emergency assistance for Worcester County residents in times of crisis, has elected a new board member.

“I am pleased to welcome Joel Feldman to our Board of Directors,” said GOLD’s Executive Director Sandy Sipes.

“He has a unique background, with diverse experiences that make him an incredible asset to the Board of DirecJOEL tors and the organization as a whole. We are FELDMAN excited and grateful that he plans to help us grow our annual GOLD on the Green Golf Tournament that is scheduled June 17.”

Feldman is a CEO and real estate agent with HergGroup Horizon of Keller Williams Realty. A retired firefighter, Feldman has a long history of community organizing and philanthropy. He has helped to coordinate the Chili Cook-Off to benefit GOLD’s Helping Hands for the Holidays Program for the past three years. A Worcester County resident since 2003, Feldman has shared his leadership through coaching with both Beach Lacrosse and Berlin Seahawks football for over 10 years.

Page 46

Sports

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

February 28, 2020

Decatur Has Momentum Entering Regionals In The News

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

BERLIN – Riding a late-season hot stretch, Stephen Decatur’s boys’ varsity basketball team earned the numberthree seed when the state 3A-South region brackets were released this week.

The Seahawks enter the state playoffs at the 3A-South Region II number-three seed and will face Northeast at home in the first round. The Decatur boys enter the state regional playoffs with some momentum, having won four of their last five regular season games.

Decatur beat Parkside on Senior

Night last Thursday in the regular season finale. Before that, the Seahawks dropped a close one to Easton, 6966, last Tuesday. Overall, Decatur finished 12-8 on the regular season, but won four of its last five.

Should Decatur advance past the first round in the 3A-South Region II bracket, it would likely face Kent Island in the second round. The Seahawks beat Kent Island, 58-56, in a close one on the road in the season opener. Looming on the other side of the bracket is Bennett. Decatur was swept by Bennett in the regular season, having fallen to the Clippers, 7366, at home and 64-62 on the road.

Worcester’s Hoffman Headed To Mount

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

BERLIN – Worcester Prep girls’ varsity lacrosse standout Carly Hoffman this week signed a national letter of intent to continue her academic and athletic careers at Division I Mount St. Mary’s next year.

Hoffman signed the letter of intent to attend and continue her career at Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg next year during a special ceremony at Worcester Prep on Monday surrounded by family, friends, coaches and school administrators. Hoffman was twice named team captain and Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference (ESIAC) player of the year at the conclusion of her sophomore and junior years and ESIAC AllConference for the past three years.

With a full season remaining, Hoffman has accumulated 110 goals, 26 assists, 202 draw controls and 115 ground-ball possessions. In addition to excelling at the high school level, Hoffman has also played for the Saltwater Dolphins Lacrosse Club from 2013-2019.

Hoffman has also excelled on the basketball court, earning ESIAC AllConference the past three years and being named team captain this past season. She also excels in the classroom and the community, earning a spot on Worcester’s Head of School list all four years and being named as a member of the National Honor Society. Next season, she will take her considerable skills to Mount St. Mary’s, which competes in the Division I Northeast Conference.

Seahawks Dominate Bayside Championships

Stephen Decatur’s varsity wrestling team continued its domination last weekend, steamrolling through the Bayside championships and collecting five individual conference titles along the way.

Submitted photo

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

BERLIN – Stephen Decatur’s varsity wrestling team continued its domination last weekend in the Bayside Conference championships, finishing first in team points by a wide margin and sending 10 wrestlers into the finals, winning five.

Fresh off capturing their second straight state championship, the Seahawks competed in the Bayside Conference championship meet and cruised to the team title. Decatur finished with 318 team points, far ahead of second-place Kent Island, which finished with 208. Parkside was third with 179.

All in all, the Seahawks sent 10 wrestlers to the championship in their respective weight classes, capturing 10 individual titles. For Decatur, the championship in the Bayside Conference tournament was the third in the last four years.

At 113, Shamar Baines beat Dazheem Emory of Cambridge-South Dorchester in the finals to win the conference tournament. At 132, Nico

Seahawks Enter Regionals At Three-Seed

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

Worcester Prep’s Carly Hoffman this week signed a national letter of intent to continue her athletic and academic careers next year at Division I Mount St. Mary’s. Pictured above, Hoffman (center) signs the letter with parents Patti Moore and Steve Hoffman looking on.

Submitted photo

D’Amico beat Kent Island’s Jack Mulligan to win the title. Noah Reho beat Rhian Silsley in the championship bout at 145 to win the conference title.

Alex Koulikov beat Jacob Westfall of Queen Anne’s to win the conference title at 152, and James Parana beat Joe Colony of Kent Island at 160 to win the championship in that weight class. Five other Seahawks reached the championship in their respective weight classes and finished in second including Logan Intrieri at 106, Jagger Clapsadle at 120, Kyle Elliott at 138, Micah Bourne at 170 and Johnny Hofman at 195.

Dustin Morrow finished third at 126 and John Church finished third at 220.

D.J. Taylor finished fifth at 182 and T.D. Ortega finished seventh at 285. Next up for the Seahawks are the state 2A-1AEast regional individual championships.

Intrieri, Baines, Clapsadle, Morrow, D’Amico, Elliott, Reho, Koulikov, Parana, Bourne, Hofman, Church and Ortega will all compete for regional championships in their respective weight classes. The 2A-1A East Region tournament will be held at North Caroline High School starting Friday.

BERLIN – Stephen Decatur’s girls’ varsity basketball team earned the number-three seed in the state 3ASouth Region II tournament when the brackets were released this week.

The Decatur girls enter the state playoffs at the number-three seed and will face six-seeded Northeast in the first round of the 3A-South Region II bracket. The Seahawks limped to the

finish line in the regular season somewhat, having lost three of their last four. Decatur did roll past Crisfield, 59-8, on Senior Night in the regular season finale last week, but before that, had lost three straight.

Should the Seahawks advance, they would likely play Bayside South rival Bennett in the second round. Decatur lost to the Clippers twice in the regular season. The top seed in the region is Kent Island, which Decatur beat, 45-31, in the regular season opener.

Worcester Girls Fall In ESIAC Final

February 28, 2020

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

BERLIN – Worcester Prep’s girls’ varsity basketball team fell to Delmarva Christian, 67-46, in the Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference (ESIAC) championship game last Friday.

The Mallards edged Salisbury Christian, 58-56, last Wednesday in the ESIAC semifinals to earn a rematch with Delmarva Christian in the conference championship on the road. During a season in which the Worcester girls ended up with a 154 record, the Royals had handed the Mallards two of only three losses.

It’s always challenging to beat the same team three times in a season in most sports, but the Royals had the Mallards’ number this year and beat them for the third time this year in the conference championship last week.

The Royals led 18-11 after one quar-

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

ter, but blew the game open in a decisive second quarter during which they outscored Worcester 23-12 to take a 41-23 lead into halftime.

The two teams played evenly down the stretch in the second half for the most part, but the damage had been done and the Royals cruised to the 67-46 win to claim the ESIAC championship. So, the Worcester girls lost just four times during the season, but three of the losses came at the hands of Delmarva Christian. Delmarva Christian lost just one all year, ironically to Worcester’s crosstown neighbor Stephen Decatur.

The loss did little to tarnish what was otherwise a remarkable season for the Mallards. Worcester went 154 on the season and had win streaks of five games to start the season.

The Mallards also won nine in a row through January and much of February.

Decatur Swimmers Solid In Region Meet

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

BERLIN – Stephen Decatur’s varsity swim teams acquitted themselves well last week in the state 3A2A-1A region championship meet with a handful of top individual finishes.

The Seahawks competed in the regional meet at Montgomery High School last weekend. The Decatur boys finished ninth overall among the 28 schools represented in the regional meet, while the Decatur girls finished 19th overall among the 28 teams.

On the boys’ side of the regional meet, in the 200-medley relay, Gavin Stearn finished fifth. Stearn also finished eighth in the 100-freestyle. In the 400-freestyle relay, the Decatur team featuring Stearn, Jack Slaysman, Richard Poist and Caleb Vaxmonsky finished sixth.

Poist finished ninth in the 50freestyle. Poist also finished 11th in the 100-butterfly. Vaxmonsky finished fifth in the 500-freestyle. Vaxmonsky also finished third in the 100-backstroke. Slaysman finished 13th in the 100-breaststroke.

On the girls’ side, in the 200-medley relay, the Decatur team including Natalie Canham, Mikayla Denault, Emma Sperry and Gracie Coker finished 16th.

In the 200-freestyle relay, the Decatur team of Coker, Kayden Hamby, Sperry and Canham finished 11th. In the 400freestyle relay, the Decatur team of Kayden Hamby, Katelyn Pizlo, Denault and Kiley Hamby finished 14th.

In the 200-freestyle, Canham finished 12th. Emma Coyman finished 21st in the 200-medley relay. Sperry finished 24th in the 50-freestyle. Kayden Hamby finished 17th in the 100butterfly. Canham also came in 12th in the 100-backstroke. Pizlo finished 20th in the 500-freestyle.

St. Patrick’s Soccer Tournament Underway

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – The first leg of the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department’s St. Patrick’s Soccer Tournament gets underway this weekend with a full slate of action at Northside Park.

For over three decades, the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department hosted the annual St. Patrick’s Soccer Tournament at Northside Park. The event for years played out over four weekends in February and March, but because the tournament grew by leaps and bounds, the younger age brackets

were split off to become the Ocean City Indoor Cup, which wrapped up last week, and the older divisions remained as the St. Patrick’s Tournament.

The tournament gets underway the weekend with the Adult Co-Rec Divisions for men and women over 30 years of age. During the weekend of March 13-15, the signature men’s and women’s open divisions featuring teams of players over 18 will be held. During the two-weekend tournament, games will be played practically around the clock at host Northside Park in Ocean City culminating with championships on Sundays in each division.

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The Adventures Of Fatherhood

By STEVE GREEN

or a couple years, Beckett has wanted to break a body part.

In his mind, the fact he hasn’t fractured something or suffered a major injury means he’s not playing hard enough.

Refraining from too much dialogue on the suspect nature of that subject requires restraint.

His time – or close to it -- came last Thursday, the final night of his recreation basketball league at Northside Park. He’s played a lot of sports in his young life, but he’s never had to be carried off the field or had a coach come out to tend to an injury he sustained. His streak was snapped last week.

It was in the final minutes of our last game when he went for a steal from another player and dislocated his thumb. He was in a lot of pain and was unable to finish the game. A teammate’s dad, who is a chiropractor, checked him out and was able to relocate the thumb on the spot. For the last week, he has worn a thumb brace and had to sit out practices and physical education classes to ensure the ligaments around it healed properly. He’s fortunate to have “PE” class four times a week usually. It was bearable for him to miss because he says, “I’m terrible at floor hockey.”

Though we thought “benching” him from any activities was going to be challenging, Beckett seemed to relish it actually. He wore his brace with pride and even tried to intensify the situation, questioning if he would be able to do any of his school work because of the injury. It was like he was dipping his toe in the water when he said it last weekend. He didn’t seem surprised by the quick response from us.

It’s important to point out it was the thumb on his left hand he hurt and he’s right handed. Some milking was at play. After a few days, his

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only regret in the whole thing was it wasn’t his writing hand. That’s when we knew he was feeling better.

hy does this always have to be the most stressful part of my day?”

That’s what I told my boys driving to school one day this week. It’s not the first morning I said something along those lines in a stern fashion on these commutes, but they weren’t fazed.

They seemed to think it was hilarious.

Actually, I don’t think they even heard me the first time because they were too busy in the back seat making each laugh messing up each other’s hair and fake tapping each other on the shoulder (which could be its own column some day).

Though the car ride can be full of silly antics (annoying at times), it’s the whole getting out of the house process each morning that’s most stressful.

The mornings typically start out smoothly with Carson, 10, always up by 7 a.m. with his bed perfectly made.

He sets his alarm each morning and he pops up and does a wonderful job making his bed. It’s a mature new development.

On the complete opposite end is his big brother Beckett, who is a zombie in the morning. It’s a fight to get him to go to bed at a reasonable hour each school night and equally challenging to get him up. It’s funny to me because I don’t get him up until 7:15 each school day to be at school by 8 a.m.

Meanwhile, he has friends who live in Delaware who must meet the bus before 7 a.m. to get to school by 8 a.m.

The getting up process usually involves me physically pulling him out of bed to get dressed. Threats are often required. Then come the equivocating over the unfairness aspect of his life.

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(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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One morning this week there was a fog delay, meaning he got to sleep in.

When it came time to get him out of bed – 8:15 – he complained how tired he was because he had to watch the ending of the Bucks-Raptors game the night before. I reminded him he was only allowed to stay up a few minutes later on the condition he would be no trouble the next morning. I should have known better.

As tremendous as Carson is at getting out of bed and making his bed, he is typically the culprit for most of the stressful start to the day. He’s a kid who doesn’t do well with being rushed. Therefore, we always keep him on a schedule, reminding him how much time remains until we have to leave the house and what’s left to be done, such as getting dressed and brushing his teeth. At least once every couple weeks, he objects to an outfit his mom or I picked out for him.

It could be the socks don’t feel right.

The shirt bothers him for some reason. The pants are not soft enough.

He has decided underwear will not be required on this particular day. When this happens, I usually have to run Beckett to school and then come back to get Carson while Pam sorts through things.

On the mornings when the goal of getting out of the house by 8 is accomplished, the ride to school with both boys – again it’s just a mile -- usually gets my heart rate up. It’s good natured fun, but they seem to enjoy getting each other crazy, which in turns causes the same for me.

All this explains why I usually drive to work after both kid drop-offs in complete silence. It’s a healing time.

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Things I Like ...

Page 49

Welcome soccer players

By Steve Green

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Page 50

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February 28, 2020

Community

February 28, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 51

News In Photos

The OC Jeep Club brought a huge amount of food and supply donations to the Worcester County Humane Society last Saturday. About 60 Jeeps drove down Stephen Decatur Highway from the Teal Marsh Shopping Center all packed with donations for the no kill shelter. The club does this supply run for the shelter every year in February.

Submitted Photos

The Republican Women of Worcester County’s Literacy Committee recently spent a busy morning at the Showell Elementary School's Media Center. Members were inventorying student's books in preparation for the school's move into the new Showell Elementary School later this year. Pictured are RWWC member Marge Matturro and RWWC Literacy Chair Liz Mumford.

Bob Younglove, a certified health coach, was the guest speaker at a recent meeting of the General Levin Winder Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Younglove spoke about the development of willpower to change old, unhealthy habits into new habits that maintain wellness and vitality while working to prevent future diseases. He is pictured with Vice Regent Janet Simpson and Regent Gail Weldin.

Worcester County Board of Education member Elena McComas, pictured with President Roy Foreman, was the guest speaker at the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City’s weekly meeting Feb. 18. She's also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City and updated other members on Worcester County schools in addition to thanking the club for their support of students via the six clubs they sponsor in the local schools.

Dr. Adam Hoffman of the Political Science Department at Salisbury University spoke to the Democratic Women's Club of Worcester County at their January meeting. Shown here are Susan Hubbard, newly installed president of the DWC, and Hoffman.

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February 28, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 53

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Page 54

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horoscopes

February 28, 2020

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): Having second thoughts could be a good thing, even if you're determined to go through with your plans. You might find it worthwhile to take a fresh look at how things have been set up.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Financial matters could continue to be a problem until you're able to straighten out some of the more pesky situations.

Once that happens, the rest should be easier to unsnarl.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): Family matters once again take center stage, and should be dealt with competently and quickly. And, again, insist on others taking on their fair share of the responsibilities.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22): Your creative pursuits seem to be running into a roadblock. But rather than blame outside factors, look within to see if you might be holding back your efforts for some reason.

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22): Keep that keen Cat's Eye focused on relevant aspects of this new situation in your life. Don't be distracted by trivial matters. You need the pertinent facts before making a decision.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22): As much as you prefer doing things on your own, continue to accept help if you still need to resolve the problem affecting your project. Some cheerful news is about to come your way.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22): While you might begrudge the added time it will take to get your project from point A to B to C, etc., you could benefit from the facts that will emerge over this expanded time span.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21): Regarding your workplace suggestions, be prepared to produce the facts to counter reactions from skeptics who feel your approach is unreasonable or even impossible.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21): Savvy Sagittarians will look for work-related answers on their own rather than rely on unproved assumptions. It might take more time to do so, but the payoff is worth it.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19): Your aspects continue to favor family issues, with special emphasis this week on changes in and around your home.

Get everyone to suggest what he or she would like to see done.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18): A matter you thought had been settled might still produce surprises. Best advice: Continue to gather facts to bolster your position just in case you need to produce them quickly.

PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20): While your instincts are usually right when discerning 'twixt truth and deception, you could benefit from doing more research on the new "prospect" that you've been pitched.

BORN THIS WEEK: Your wisdom is only matched by your generosity, making you the sort of friend everyone hopes to have. © 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

February 28, 2020

Every Monday: TOPS Meeting 5:30-6:30 p.m. Atlantic General Hospital, Berlin. Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a support group promoting weight loss and maintaining a healthy life-style. 410-641-0157.

Every Monday: Delmarva Chorus Meeting 7 p.m. Ocean Pines Community Center. Women of all ages invited to sing with the group.

410-641-6876.

Second Monday Of Month: Ocean Pines Camera Club 7 p.m. Ocean Pines branch library. Monthly get-together to share photos, tips, programs.

Group goes on a photo shoot the Saturday following meeting and hosts a hands-on workshop the last Thursday of each month.

Professional and amateur photographers and new members welcome. Meets second Monday of each month.

Every Tuesday: TOPS Meeting 5:30-7 p.m. Worcester County Health Center, 9730 Healthway Dr., Berlin. Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a support and educational group promoting weight loss and healthy lifestyle. jeanduck47@gmail.com.

Second Tuesday of Month: Eastern Shore Stamp Club Meeting 6 p.m. Salisbury branch, Wicomico County Library. Meetings held in basement.

Every Wednesday: Delmarva Hand Dance Club Dance To Sounds of ’50s And ’60s Music 5:30-9 p.m. Ocean City Elks Lodge, 13708 Sinepuxent Ave. $5 donation per person to benefit veterans and local charities in the Delmarva region. Members and guests welcome. dance@delmarvahanddaning.com or http://delmarvahanddancing.com. 410-208-1151.

Every Wednesday: Rotary Club The Ocean City-Berlin Rotary Club meets Wednesdays on a weekly basis at the Residence Inn in Ocean City at 6 p.m.

Second Wednesday: Polish American Club Of Delmarva Meeting 2-4 p.m. Columbus Hall. Anyone of Polish or Slavic descent is welcome. No meetings June, July, August. 410-723-2639 or 410-250-2548.

Every Thursday: Beach Singles 45 Plus, happy hour 4-7 p.m., Harpoon Hanna’s, 39064 Harpoon Rd., Fenwick Island, DE. 302-436-9577, 410-524-0649, beachsingles.org.

Second Thursday: Ocean Pines Garden Club 10 a.m. Ocean Pines Community Center.

Visitors and new members welcome.

Things To Do The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Every Friday: Knights Of Columbus #9053 Bingo Doors open at 5 p.m., bingo at 6:30 p.m.

9901 Coastal Hwy., Ocean City. Possible to win the $1,000 big jackpot each week. 410524-7994.

Every Friday: FORGE Contemporary Youth And Family Ministry 6:30-8:30 p.m. FORGE Center, 7804 Gumboro Rd., Pittsville. Designed for kids ages 5-65, the program provides a meal, music, games, activities and a life lesson that can be of use to anyone. Christian-based program but does not require the practice of faith to attend. 443-366-2813.

First Saturday Of Month: Writers Group 10 a.m.-noon. Berlin branch, Worcester County Library. Anyone interested in writing is invited to join the group and share a story, poem or essay or just come and enjoy listening to others. This is a free activity. New members are always welcome. The group is comprised of amateur as well as professional, published writers willing to share their knowledge and offer tips on being creative with words.

February 28-March 1: Pet Adoption Weekend PetSmart Berlin will host an adoption weekend, including Worcester County Humane Society (Friday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.); Town Cats of OC, all three days all day; Eastern Shore Rabbit Rescue, Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Grass Roots Rescue, Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; and Little Paws Dachshund Rescue, Saturday and Sunday.

February 29: Delmarva Kids Expo Returns to the Wicomico Civic Center from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission discounted online at website and $5 at door for adults and $2 for children. Exhibitor opportunities available by emailing delmarvakidsexpo@gmail.com

February 29: Indoor Yard Sale The MOMS group will hold from 8 a.m.-noon at the Community Church at Ocean Pines on Racetrack Road.

February 29: AYCE Breakfast Buffet Whaleyville United Methodist Church will

hold from 7-10 a.m. Cost is $8/adult and $4/child.

March 2: Documentary Screening From 6-8 p.m. at the Ocean Pines Library, free screening of the documentary “Reinventing Power” about the clean energy from innovation to installation. Free popcorn and door prizes. Sponsored by Lower Eastern Shore Sierra Club and Creation Care Ministries.

March 3-5: Md. Basic Boating Course The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is offering at the Ocean Pines Library. There is $15 fee for all three evenings. Register by calling Barry Cohen at 410-935-4807, or Email CGAUX1205@Gmail.com March 4: Fraud Prevention Bank of Ocean City’s Jason Parker will discuss fraud prevention from 9-10 a.m. at the Ocean City Senior Center.

March 5: Chorus Open House At 1 p.m., the Pine Tones Chorus will hold an “Open House” for new singers, along with beginning their weekly spring rehearsals at the Ocean Pines Community Center. Guest sing-ers, who have vocal talent, will be welcomed with refreshments and a short video showing some of the chorus history. Both ladies and gentlemen of all singing parts – soprano, alto, tenor and bass, -- are invited.

March 5-8: OC Film Festival Tickets are available for the fourth annual event showcasing 100 films by regional and international filmmakers at venues throughout Ocean City. Tickets on sale through Eventbrite.com

March 7: Quarter Auction Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company’s Ladies Auxiliary will host at the OCVFC headquarters on 14th Street. Doors open 5 p.m. with auction at 6 p.m. Tickets $5 in advance or $7 at door. For tickets, call Kathy Kaluzienski 202-256-9868 or Breanda Parker 443-235-7693.

March 7: Finnegan’s Wake The 8th Annual Finnegan’s Wake will be held

Page 55 at Seacrets, 5-9 p.m., to benefit Friends of the Worcester County Developmental Center.

March 12: AARP Meeting The local Ocean City AARP chapter will meet at 10 a.m. in the Ocean City Senior Center. Arrive at 9:30 a.m. for social half hour and refreshments.

March 14: Spring Ring Festival Handbell ringers from ensembles across Sussex County and Eastern Shore of Maryland will present at Epworth United Methodist Church at 7 p.m. Concert is open to the public. Sponsored by Capital Ringers and Epworth United Methodist Church. A love offering will be taken with all donations to Jusst Sooup, a charity dedicated to feeding the hungry and homeless in Sussex County.

March 21: Steak Dinner American Legion Post 123, Boggs-Disharoon Squadron 123 and Sons of the American Legion hosting 4-7 p.m. in Berlin.

March 21: Chili Cookoff Abate of Delaware’s 12th Annual Sussex County Chili Cookoff will be held from noon4 p.m. at the Sussex Moose Lodge. Admission fee. Voting begins at 3 p.m. Door prizes every hour.

March 26: Carrabba’s Dinner The Bishopville Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary will be holding a Carrabba's Dinner for dine-in or carry-out. 5-7 p.m. Main Station. The menu is Chicken Bryan, penne pasta, broccoli, Caesar salad, brownie and a drink for $14. Preorders encouraged by calling 619-922-9950.

March 28: Church Luncheon Powellville Volunteer Fire Company will host a luncheon with soups, oyster sandwiches, chicken salad, hamburgers and hot dogs from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., benefitting Friendship Methodist Church. Bake table available.

St. Paul’s

Episcopal Church 3 Church Street Berlin MD 410~641~4066

WORSHIPING SUNDAYS At 8:30 and 10:30am

www.stpaulsberlin.org

The Dispatch Classifieds

Page 56

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)

February 28, 2020 PUT YOUR LOGO IN COLOR FOR JUST $10

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.

Pre-Payment Is Required. We Accept Visa & MasterCard.

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT!

FULL-TIME PERSONAL BANKER

WORK AT THE BEACH!!

HELP WANTED GENERALS KITCHEN: Now hiring PT/FT Dishwasher. Call or apply within 410-723-0477. 6601 Coastal Highway, OC. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– FULL MOON SALOON: Now hiring FT,YR Exp. only Bartender and All Kitchen Positions. YR, great salary! Apply within. Full Moon Saloon. 12702 OldBridge Rd,WOC ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– KITCHEN STAFF: Coins Pub now hiring Kitchen Staff, Full & PT. Apply within 2pm Thurs-Sun. 28th St & Coastal Hwy. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– GO-CART SMALL ENGINE MECHANIC NEEDED: FT/YR. Call 410-289-4902 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– DENTAL HYGENIST: Family friendly dental office seeking Registered Dental Hygienist. Please email resume to: dentistryinthepines@gmail.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– LANDSCAPE WORKERS NEEDED: Must have valid Driv. Lic. Reliable transportation to work. Call 410-641-2177. The Moore Companies.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– SOUTHSIDE GRILL WOC: Hiring Line Cooks, Kitchen Help, Dishwashers. YR, FT or PT. Ambitious, willing to work individuals only. Pay neg. based on performance. 9923 Stephen Decatur Hy. 410-2131572.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Higgins Crab House North 128th Street

Now Hiring EXPERIENCED KITCHEN HELP Please Contact Ray at 443-497-1256

Now Hiring for All Locations:

•Hostess •Bartender •Server •Bus/Runner •Kitchen •Dishwasher •Floor Manager •General Manager Benefits Package.

Competitive Pay. 401K. Submit all inquiries to

Full-time, Year Round Guest Services Team Member Needed We are looking for: • Excellent customer service skills • Weekend availability • Data base experience • Passion for creating an amazing guest experience We offer: • Competitive benefits • Daytime hours • Fun, family-oriented environment To Apply, Go to: www.MetaCoastal.com and click CAREERS

Farmers Bank of Willards has a full-time Personal Banker position available at the North Ocean City location. Looking for professional and motivated individuals with extraordinary customer service skills. Cash handling experience & excellent computer skills a must.

Please send resume to 12831 Coastal Highway, OC, MD 21842 or call Kelly Drexel at 410-250-1512 Kelly.drexel@fbwbank.com Application cut off is 3-09-2020 “Equal Employment Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer”

NOW HIRING!

tom@irseafood.com

TECHNICIANS Peninsula Irrigation, Inc. is expanding &currently seeking exp. installation & service technicians.

Exp. pref., but will train right person.

Must be self-motivated, have drivers license & transportation.

Call 410-352-5252

Ride the B in OC!

SECURITY/MAINTENANCE Memorial Day through Labor Day 7pm–3am, Wed–Sun For a local condo association. Applicant is required to perform security, light building maintenance, and property inspection.

Call 410-524-5781 Ext 16

Come Join Our Winning Team!

FRONT DESK SUPERVISORS We are looking for experienced front desk supervisors to manage our growing hotel portfolio.

Must be able to work all shifts including weekends and holidays. Prior hotel supervisory experience preferred.

Email resume to: jobs@carouselhotel.com or come in and complete an application at the front desk. We require satisfactory pre-employ-

ment drug testing and background check.

Carousel Resort Hotel & Condominiums 11700 Coastal Highway Ocean City, MD 21842 EOE

•ALL KITCHEN POSITIONS •HOST/HOSTESS •SERVERS •BUSSERS •BARTENDER APPLY IN PERSON IN THE

Selbyville Goose Creek Fenwick Goose Creek Hiring for all positions.

For Both Locations Apply Online www.mygcjob.com

OF FENWICK

SOMERSET JEWELERS,INC. NOW HIRING MATURE, RESPONSIBLE

YEAR ROUND

SALESPERSON

NOW HIRING

Please call 443-880-3791

AWESOME PEOPLE

Holding open interviews

EVERY SAT & SUN (Starting Feb. 15th)

11am-2pm for:

•SERVERS •HOSTS •BUS STAFF •KITCHEN STAFF •SECURITY

Come by and join our 2020 family!

54th ST OCMD 410-723-5565

Behind Chauncey’s Surf Shop

We’re hiring in our OC, MD office.

LOW VOLTAGE SERVICE TECH Openings to start ASAP! Must have exp! Pay DOE www.arksysinc.com or call 410.995.1220 ask for HR Work With the Best Ocean City has to Offer ...

We Invite You to be a Part of our Family!

Year Round - Full/Part Time ~NIGHT AUDITOR ~FRONT DESK ~ROOM ATTENDANT ~AM HOSTESS ~SERVER FREE EMPLOYEE MEALS AND EXCELLENT BENEFITS! FAX RESUME & SALARY REQ. to: 410-723-9109 Online at www.clarionoc.com APPLY IN PERSON Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

CLARION RESORT FONTAINEBLEAU HOTEL 10100 COASTAL HWY. OCEAN CITY, MD. 21842 EOE M/F/D/V

Assawoman Ale Shoppe Hiring for all positions.

Apply within store.

52nd Street, Bayside, OC.

The Dispatch Classifieds

February 28, 2020

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)

For The Best Job in Town

FLOOR MANAGER Positions Available

Salary, Health Insurance, and Profit Sharing for the Right Candidate!

Please Email cbozick@mackys.com for Details!

54th ST OCMD 410-723-5565

Behind Chauncey’s Surf Shop

G!

W

NO

IN HIR

PUT YOUR LOGO IN COLOR FOR JUST $10

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.

Pre-Payment Is Required. We Accept Visa & MasterCard.

NOW HIRING

Page 57

AUTOMOTIVE POSITIONS TOP PAY & BENEFITS We are a full tire & Service Center that has been in business for 36 years. We have a clean, completely remodeled work environment with State of the Art equipment.

We are now hiring for:

$700 per mo. 3BR, 2BA Jamestown Road $900 per mo. Tenant pays elec. & cable. 410-202-2632.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– WEEKLY RENTAL: 4BR, 2 1/2BA. Fully furnished. W/D, Pool, Tennis court. Quiet community. 7 miles from the beach. $2,500 per wk. Call Mike for details. 410-877-3894.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

- Technicians (Earn up to $34/per hour)

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

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

- Service Advisers We offer many benefits including company matched retirement plan, health insurance reimbursement, employee discounts and more!!!!!

We have locations in Ocean Pines, Long Neck and Clarksville.

Exc. Pay & Benefits! 302-228-2353 YR, FT

•BARBACK •FOOD RUNNER

ROOMMATES WOC SEASONAL ROOMMATE: Prof. person seeking RM. Priv. gated. comm. w/ammenities. Priv. upstairs, BR, BA,& sitting rm. 410251-6977. $1,000/mo.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– WINTER ROOM FOR RENT: $600 for ea month March & April. Summer Rental May 1-Sept 1. $3,500 per person + sec. dep. & elec. 4 spots available. 443-610-4665.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

FOR SALE FIREWOOD: Seasoned, split hardwood. $150/cord + delivery.

410-726-2887. Please lv. message –––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Storm Shutter & Window Installers Please apply in person.

Greene Turtle West, Rt. 611, West OC 410-213-1500

WORCESTER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AIDE Duties include conducting water quality analysis at public swimming pools/spas in Ocean City, Maryland. Some evening and weekend work a possibility. Applicant must be a high school graduate or possess a GED. Valid driver’s license required. Pool Operator Certification preferred. Background check is required.

Please send resume and cover letter by March 13, 2020 to Bart Dorsch, 13070 St. Martin's Neck Bishopville, MD 21813, e-mail bart.dorsch@maryland.gov or fax to 410-352-3369 Resumes will also be accepted at the March 4, 2020 Job Fair at Salisbury University from Noon – 4:00 p.m. in the Maggs Gym.

Local specialty contractor seeking individuals for our storm shutter division and window division. Experience in storm shutters, windows & doors, and garage doors is a plus, but training is available. Driver’s license and transportation required.

Please forward resume to: paola@masterjackwindows.com.

Applications available on site at 11935 Hammer Road, Bishopville, MD

REAL ESTATE SETTLEMENT PROCESSOR Ocean City law firm has a position for a Real Estate Settlement Processor. Experience with the Title Express Program preferred but not required. Monday through Friday 9:00 to 4:30.

Salary will be based upon qualifications.

To apply, please send resume to Williams, Moore, Shockley & Harrison, LLP 3509 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or disability.

Appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities are available upon request by calling 410-632-1100 ext. 1221.

NOW HIRING For The Best Job in Town

Sous Chef and Line Cook Floor Manager Positions Available

Salary, Health Insurance, and Profit Sharing for the Right Candidate!

Please Email cbozick@mackys.com for Details!

54th ST OCMD 410-723-5565

Behind Chauncey’s Surf Shop

RENTALS

WEEKLY RENTALS Pool Front Room $199 Family Room $235 2 BR Apartment $315.

3 BR Suite $400.

Burgundy Inn 1210 Philadelphia Ave.

410-289-8581 SEASONAL BAYSIDE RENTAL, Sleeps 4-6, 2BR 2BA W/D/ fully furn.

13,500. +sec.dep & util's Call Mike 410-603-6120 avail May-Sept 12th www.mbjcproperties.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

YEAR ROUND OCEAN PINES 3BR/2BA unfurnished house. $1500/month + utilities. Call or text 410-390-9131.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– SEASONAL RENTAL: 2BR, 1.5BA, newly renovated. Available May 10th-Sept 10th. Special Student Rate: $13,500 for season. $2000 sec. dep. 312 Sunset. Call 410-428-7333 www.sunsetterracerentals.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– SHORT TERM RENTALS-Until April 15: 3BR, 2BA, TIBURON 139 St. Condo $900.mo. Fully Furnished plus Cable & TV, Wi-Fi, W/D 410-213-8090. events@oceanpromotions.info ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– YR BRAND NEW 4BR/3.5BA Villa in West Fenwick. Maintenace Free.

Community Pool. Water View. Many Amenities. $1950/month. Call Frank 443-286-7467.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– NORTH OC: Spacious 4BR, 2BA. Unfurn. Lrg. Kitch., LR, florida Rm. New Appl’s. On water. $1600 per mo. + util.’s No pets. 443-856-5693 (text only) or 718-986-7382.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– FURNISHED WINTER RENTALS Feb-April. 2BR, 1BA Bayshore Drive

SERVICES REAL ESTATE FOR SALE: Timeshare, Club Ocean Villas II. 2BR, 2BA Sleeps 6, Hot Tub, Balcony. Unit 211.

Week 47, Fri to Fri $500. Principals only. Call 301-375-0821.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– FSBO DIRECT OCEANFRONT Lrg. 1BR Condo. Fab. view of Ocean & Bay. Furn. Top Flr. New stainless appls.Realtors Welcome. Firm at $255,000. 717580-8261.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Ocean Pines Early Bird 4 Large bedrooms and great room w/ cathedral ceiling and fireplace.

Master bdrm. & bath w/jet tub & seperate shower.

Large kitchen with lots of cabinets. All-purpose room. 2 car garage and large deck.

Overlooks golf course. $359,950 Showing by Appt.

Call 410-726-0698

HANDYMAN SPECIALIST: General maintenance of all types, All powerwashing. Build/Stain/PWash Decks. Drywall repair. Painting.

Property Management. Call for any other odd jobs! Joe 443-610-4644.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––-–

Ceja’s Landscaping & More!

•YARD MAINTENANCE •PAINTING •POWER WASHING 410-251-3425 410-202-2545

LOOKING EVERYWHERE? CHECK HERE FIRST! The Dispatch Classified Pages Can Point You In The Right Direction

“Amazing!”

So Many Calls!

We rented our house in one week!”

BILL, FENWICK ISLAND, DELAWARE

The Dispatch

Page 58

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.

THIRD INSERTION JOEL J. TODD, ESQ. LAW OFFICE OF TODD & CORREA, LLP P.O. BOX 4060 OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18005 To all persons interested in the estate of JOAN M. HARPER, ESTATE NO. 18005.

Notice is given that HARRELL HARPER JR., 12634 OLD BRIDGE ROAD, OCEAN CITY, MD 21842, was on, FEBRUARY 10, 2020 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of JOAN M. HARPER, who died on MARCH 11, 2019, 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 10th day of AUGUST, 2020.

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

Legal Notices

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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 FEBRUARY 14, 2020 HARRELL HARPER JR. 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 2-14, 2-21, 2-28

THIRD INSERTION CHRISTOPHER S ROBINS ESQ ROBINS & ROBINS, P.A. 128 EAST MAIN STREET PO BOX 506 SALISBURY, MD 218030506 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

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 10th day of AUGUST, 2020.

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.

ESTATE NO. 18180 To all persons interested in the estate of FRANK J GEPPI, ESTATE NO. 18180.

N o t i c e is given that STEVEN F. GEPPI, 4310 BECKLEYSVILLE ROAD, HAMPSTEAD, MD 21074, was on, FEBRUARY 10, 2020 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of FRANK J GEPPI, who died on FEBRUARY 1, 2020, with a will.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication FEBRUARY 14, 2020 STEVEN F. GEPPI 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 2-14, 2-21, 2-28

SECOND INSERTION

MICHAEL B MATHERS ESQ, WEBB, CORNBROOKS, WILBER, VORHIS,DOUSE & LESLIE, LLP PO BOX 910 115 BROAD STREET SALISBURY, MD 218030910 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18195 To all persons interested in the estate of GEORGE INGEBRIGTSEN, ESTATE NO. 18195.

Notice is given that JOSHUA LANIER, 10503 CASH ROAD, BERLIN, MD 21811, was on, FEBRUARY 18, 2020 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of GEORGE INGEBRIGTSEN, who died on DECEMBER 19, 2019, 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 18th day of AUGUST, 2020.

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

February 28, 2020

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 FEBRUARY 21, 2020 JOSHUA LANIER 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 2-21, 2-28, 3-06

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. 18181 To all persons interested in the estate of PATRICIA A. LONDON, ESTATE NO. 18181.

Notice is given that MARK LONDON, 21 E. 87TH STREET, 6D, NEW YORK, NY 11028, was on, FEBRUARY 11, 2020 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of PATRICIA A. LONDON, who died on JUNE 24, 2019, with-

out 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 11th day of AUGUST, 2020.

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 FEBRUARY 28, 2020 MARK LONDON 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 2-28, 3-06, 3-13

Do You Know 15,000 People Read The Dispatch’s Daily Buzz Every Week? Sign Up At www.mdcoastdispatch.com And Get Local News Each Day. Further information can be

Coastal Hospice Launches 40th Anniversary Campaign

February 28, 2020

SALISBURY – Coastal Hospice, the non-profit health care provider serving patients and families on the Lower Shore, has launched a 40th anniversary campaign created to raise further awareness of the organization, its mission and impact.

“Coastal Hospice serves patients and families during one of the most critical time of their lives – the delicate time leading toward death,” said Alane Capen, CEO. “Our services, which can begin long before those precious last few days, are meant to lift stress and strain from those patients and families and allow them to remain as active and engaged as possible during the final chapter of their lives. We have had the most extraordinary 40 years working in Wicomico, Worcester, Somerset and Dorchester counties, and we are committed to serving all those in need.”

Coastal Hospice has served tensof-thousands of patients and their families in the region, treating them in their homes, at nursing homes and assisted living facilities; at Coastal Hospice at the Lake and at the new residential hospice, the Macky & Pam Stansell House.

“Coastal Hospice is a vital resource to the families on the Lower Shore,” said Sen. Addie Eckhardt, R-37 MidShore (including Wicomico and Dorchester counties.) “Hospice is a free benefit covered by Medicare, and the value received by patients and families cannot be overstated. It provides an opportunity for loved ones to support one another in important transitions with respect and dignity.”

The organization also provides “palliative” care which treats the symptoms and relieves the pain of a terminal illness so that patients can enjoy the time remaining. It also offers Compass, which connects terminally ill patients with meals, transportation and other services, free of charge.

“Our partnership with Coastal Hospice goes back many years and has touched untold numbers of patients and their families,” said Steve Leonard, President/CEO of Peninsula Regional Health System. “From the time a patient is diagnosed with a terminal illness, no matter what the prognosis is, we encourage them to reach out to Coastal Hospice so they can make the best of the time they have left. Coastal Hospice are essential partners as we work together on the continuum of life.”

The 40th anniversary logo was revealed at a celebration for more than 300 employees and volunteers this month.

“We felt it important for the people who serve our patients daily have the opportunity to celebrate this milestone first,” said Capen. “It was a joyous experience and we are pleased to share it with the community.”

During the event, Coastal Hospice

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Coastal Hospital CEO Alane Capen and Board Chair Steve Farrow are pictured with a special logo designed for the anniversary campaign.

Submitted Photo

honored employees and volunteers with milestone anniversaries, including

5, 10, 15, 20, and those over 20 years.

Capen was honored for her 15th year

Page 59

of service to the organization.

The 40th celebration will continue throughout the year and include presentations to business and service groups. The organization will include the theme in all its events, including the upcoming Taste of Finer Things on April 1 at Harrison’s Harbor Watch and the 40th Anniversary Gala on July 17 at The Guerreri Academic Commons at Salisbury University.

The Coastal Hospice Speakers Bureau is also seeking opportunities to speak with civic groups and organizations. For more information, interested parties are encouraged to reach out to Bob Miller at 410-7428732. To learn more about any aspect of Coastal Hospice, visit www.CoastalHospice.org or call for more information.

Page 60

WeSt OCeaN City-BerliN-OCeaN PiNeS aSSateague DiNer rte. 611 & Sunset ave., West Ocean City 443-664-8158 www.assateaguedinerandbar.com Inspired by a classic diner culture, this new hotspot offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu here features classic comfort foods prepared and executed with a modern coastal trust. Be sure to check out the exceptional coffee program and the Westside Bar within features delicious craft cocktails throughout the day.

BlaCKSmitH reStauraNt & Bar 104 Pitts St., Berlin • 410-973-2102 Located in the heart of America’s Coolest Small Town, Berlin, Md., Blacksmith has established itself as one the area’s most loved dining and drinking destinations for foodies and wine, spirt and craft beer enthusiasts. Chef owned and locally sourced, Blacksmith keeps the main focus on Eastern Shore tradition. Everything here is homemade and handmade. Cakes and baked goods are delivered daily from down the street. Cozy and modern, traditional and on trend; Blacksmith has risen to the ranks of the area’s finest casual eating and drinking establishments. Visit and see why folks from Baltimore, D.C., Chincoteague and locals alike think Blacksmith is worth the trip. Open daily at 11:30 a.m. for lunch, dinner and bar snacks. Closed Sunday.

BreaKfaSt Cafe Of OCeaN City 12736 Ocean gateway, West Ocean City 410-213-1804 Open 7 days a week between Sunsations & Starbucks, across from Outback, come join us at the “Breakfast Cafe” (formerly Rambler Coffee Shop) we are a family-friendly restaurant that’s been family owned for 30 years passed from mother to son in 2001. We believe that fair pricing, putting out quality food as fresh as we can make it and a nice atmosphere makes a meal. I like to think we have many “House Specialties” which include our Crab Omelet, real crab meat, cheddar cheese and mushrooms, our Sunfest Omelet, Swiss cheese, ham and mushrooms; Cafe or French Sampler, pancakes or French toast, with eggs, bacon and sausage. Homemade creamed chip-ped beef on toast and sausage gravy on biscuits with browned potato home fries, with onion, excellent cheesesteak subs and fries and more! We use Rapa Scrapple fried on the grill the way you like it for all our breakfasts, sandwiches and sides. Summer hours, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Come enjoy!

CariBBeaN jOe’S Bar & grille 12614 Ocean gateway Next to alamo Hotel 443-664-8509 Completely renovated and under new ownership, we are proudly located at the first ever motel in Ocean City, “The Alamo.” You truly will not believe what we’ve done! Thursday we have fresh 1/2-lb. burgers served on a delicious Hawaiian Roll for only $5. Wash it down with a natural light for only $1. We also have tender pulled-pork sandwiches and unique chicken salad to die for. We’re open 7 days a week when the season kicks in. Come see our Caribbean atmosphere, 7 flat-screen TVs and the coolest pool bar in Ocean City.

CraB alley golf Course rd., West Ocean City Head Of Commercial fishing Harbor 410-213-7800 • www.craballey.com Just close enough to be out of the way-located at the head of the commercial fishing harbor in West

Dining Out The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Ocean City, Crab Alley has it all! Spectacular view, casual and fun atmosphere, super service and mouth-watering food combine to make “The Alley” a true locals’ favorite. Enjoy our light fare and full menu of unbelievably fresh seafood, chicken and steaks indoors or on our upper deck. We offer appetizers, sandwiches and a children’s menu too.

Our name says it all -”crack’em and attack ‘em”.

Big Fat Crabs both by the dozen and all you can enjoy specials. Check out our website for our fantastic happy hour food and drink specials or find us on Facebook. Having a special affair? We can handle your group, large party or special occasion.

Make Crab Alley your first stop!

DumSer’S DairylaND West Ocean City, Boardwalk locations, 501 S. Philadelphia ave., 49th St. & 123rd St. www.dumsersdairyland.com This classic ice cream shop is a tradition for many families. Voted O.C.'s “Best Ice Cream” for the past 20 years, Dumser's is celebrating 80 years of serving the shore, and the ‘40s-style décor takes you back in time. With locations throughout Ocean City, treating your tastebuds to this signature homemade ice cream is easy. The 49th and 124th streets locations offer vast lunch and dinner menus (breakfast too at 124th) in addition to a wide variety of ice cream treats. You’ll find an impressive array of kid-favorites, along with fried chicken and seafood options, wraps, subs, sandwiches, salads and sides like sweet potato fries and mac-and-cheese wedges.

fOx’S Pizza DeN 11328 Samuel Bowen Blvd., West Ocean City 410-600-1020 • www.foxpizzamd.com Enjoy a brand new, spacious dining room. Happy hour every day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with $5 food specials and awesome drink specials. Enjoy incredible weekly chef specials along with our extensive regular menu. Check out foxspizzamd.com for a list of our regular menu items.

full mOON SalOON 12702 Old Bridge rd., West Ocean City 443-664-5317 Locally owned and operated, this moderately priced casual restaurant/bar has freshly caught seafood, BBQ, and pork entrees, giant sandwiches as well as a variety of homemade soups. Locally we are known for our jumbo lump crab cakes, pork and beef BBQ, cream of crab soup, and 100% angus burgers as well as a variety of other sandwiches and entrees that are cooked with a local flair. Open daily at 11 a.m. for lunch and open until midnight. Sundays breakfast offered 8 a.m.-noon. Fifteen televisions and a big screen available for all sports events. greeNe turtle-WeSt rte. 611, West Ocean City • 410-213-1500 Visit Maryland’s No. 1 Sports Pub and Rest-aurant, the World-Famous Greene Turtle. Proudly serving West Ocean City since January 1999, The Greene Turtle features a beautiful 80-seat dining room, large bar area with 54 TVs with stereo sound and game room with pool tables. With an exciting menu, The

Greene Turtle is sure to please with delicious sizzling steaks, jumbo lump crab cakes, raw bar, homemade salads and more. Live entertainment, Keno, Turtle apparel, kids menu, carry-out. Something for everyone! Voted best sports bar, wings and burgers in West OC. Great happy hour and plenty of parking.

HarBOrSiDe Bar & grill South Harbor road • 410-213-1846 They take their mantra, “Where You Always Get Your Money’s Worth,” seriously here with daily food and drink specials during happy hour as you watch the boats come in from a day offshore. Delicious daily chef specials are always worth a try or stay with any of the house favorites, such as the calamari and ahi bruschetta for appetizers or any of the homemade tacos and fresh off the dock seafood selections as sandwiches or entrees. It’s the home of the original fresh-squeezed orange crush, of course.

HOOterS reStauraNt rt. 50 & Keyser Point rd., West Ocean City 410-213-1841 • www.hootersofoc.com New mouthwatering smoked wings with half the calories. Traditional wings and boneless wings with 12 sauce selections. Burgers, quesadillas, tacos, and healthy salads. Extensive seafood selections with raw bar and Alaskan crab legs. Children's menu and game room. Apparel and souvenir shop. Sports packages on a ton of TVs and live entertainment. Wingfest every Tuesday from 6 to 8 with 50 cent wings.

And of course, the world famous Hooters Girls. Large parties welcome. Call for private party planning. ligHtHOuSe SOuND St. martin’s Neck rd. • 410-352-5250 Enjoy the best views of Ocean City at the newly renovated, Lighthouse Sound. Come relax and dine overlooking the bay and the beautiful Ocean City skyline. Savor entrees such as local rockfish, tempurabattered soft shell crabs, char-grilled filet mignon and jumbo lump crabcakes. Open to the public, we serve Sunday brunch, lunch and dinner. One mile west of Ocean City, Md., just off Route 90 on St. Martin’s Neck Road. Reservations recommended. rutH’S CHriS Within the glenriddle Community 410-213-9444 • www.ruthschris.com Ruth’s Chris specializes in the finest custom-aged Midwestern beef. We broil it exactly the way you like it at 1,800 degrees to lock in the corn-fed flavor. Then we serve your steak sizzling on a heated plate so that it stays hot throughout your meal.

Many of our recipes were developed by Ruth, favorites such as shrimp Remoulade, Crabtini and Ruth’s chop salad. Located five miles west of Ocean City in the GlenRiddle Golf clubhouse. Extensive wine list. Reservations recommended. tHe SHarK ON tHe HarBOr 12924 Sunset ave., West Ocean City 410-213-0924 • ocshark.com We make real food from scratch. We believe that great food and healthful ingredients are not mutually exclusive of each other. Featuring local organic

February 28, 2020 produce and seafood. All natural products – clear of preservatives and antibiotics. Whole grains and whole foods are used in the preparation of our menu – which our chefs write twice daily, based on what's fresh, available and delicious. Fresh. Local.

Organic. Taste the difference. Open Daily Year Round, Monday through Saturday for Lunch & Dinner and Sundays for Brunch, Lunch & Dinner.

Reservations suggested. iNlet tO 94tH Street

28tH St. Pit & PuB 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. 410-289-2020 • www.pitandpub.com Ocean City’s home of Pulled Pork and the finest barbecue, the legendary 28th Street Pit & Pub is known for serving up delicious smokehouse specialties.

Grab a brew and enjoy the live sports action on one of the big screen TVs. Happy Hour daily, 3-6 p.m.

Family friendly atmosphere. Weekend entertainment.

32 Palm 32nd St. Oceanside in the Hilton 410-289-2525 • www.32palm.com Executive Chef Rick Goodwin has introduced an exciting new menu. A favorite among many is the Bermuda Triangle, featuring cinnamon seared scallops finished with an ancho mango coulis along with house broiled crabcake with a sweet chili remoulade and finally, applewood smoked bacon wrapped around jumbo shrimp, grilled to perfection with jalapeno barbecue sauce. Other wonderfully delicious dishes cover the land and sea as well and each have a special touch that makes this restaurant unique among its peers. Children’s menu available. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

45tH Street taPHOuSe 45th St. & the Bay • 443-664-2201 At the newly remodeled 45th Street Taphouse, the best views of bayside Ocean City, MD are the backdrop where craft beer meets Maryland cuisine. This is vacation done right, all year long.

Wash down a Crabby Pretzel or homemade crabcakes with one of our 35+ craft beers on tap, all made right here in the USA. Not feeling crabby?

Pair your craft brew with our award-winning wings or even our brand new breakfast menu. Anyway it’s served, come get tapped with us.

BONfire 71st St. & Coastal Hwy. • 410-524-7171 www.thebonfirerestaurant.com 150 ft. Seafood & Prime Rib Buffet. A famous Ocean City Restaurant for 37 years. It’s all here.

The service, the atmosphere and the finest, freshest food available. Fresh seafood, snow crab legs, prime rib, BBQ ribs, raw oysters, raw clams, steamed shrimp, fish, homemade soups & salads. Decadent dessert selection – homemade donuts & bread pudding, soft serve ice cream with hot fudge topping and lots more! Large selection of children’s favorites – chicken tenders, hot dogs, burgers, macaroni & cheese and pizza. A la carte menu available featuring fresh cut steaks and seafood. Currently closed.

Opening in February. Plenty of free parking.

Buxy’S Salty DOg 28th St. • 410-289-0973 • www.buxys.com Destiny has a new home in Ocean City. From the ‘burgh to the beach, Buxy’s is your home away from Pittsburgh. Come see what all the locals already know and have known – Buxy’s is the place to come to meet friends, relax and be social with no attitudes.

House specialties include “The” Cheesesteak Sub, Primanti-styled sandwiches, piero-gis,egg-rolls and See Next Page

“Your Friends At The Beach”

Resort Property Management

DCMA PCAM® AMS® CMCA Certified MHIC #68055

•Administrative Management •Financial Management •Building Maintenance Service •Custodial Services •Pool Services •24-Hour Emergency Service

410-213-7144 9923 Stephen Decatur Hwy., Suite D-6, Ocean City, Md. 21842 Steve@OceanPointLtd.com • www.OceanPointLtd.com

Dining Out The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

February 28, 2020

homemade crab dip. Don’t miss our daily specials.

COINS PUB & RESTAURANT 28th St. Plaza • 410-289-3100 Great mid-town location offering a complete dinner menu, lunch and lite fare. Coins features the freshest seafood, shrimp, scallops, clams, fresh catch and lobster plus the best crab cake in Maryland, hand cut steaks cook-ed to your liking, succulent veal and chicken dishes. Also authentic pasta selections. Enjoy live entertainment and dancing in the lounge nightly. Happy hour daily 3-6 p.m. Casual dining in a relaxed atmosphere. Special kids menu. Lots of free parking.

DRY 85 OC 12 48th St. • 443-664-8989 • dry85.com Steps from the beach. Gourmet "stick to your ribs" Lowcountry cuisine. A made-from-scratch kitchen with every sauce and every dressing hand crafted.

It's that attention to detail that takes the concept of burgers, fries, ribs and wings and turns them completely on their head. Charcuterie boards. Late night bar. 120+ Whiskies. Craft beer. Artisanal craft cocktails. Seasonal outdoor seating. Named one of the Top 40 Whiskey Bars in America by Whiskey Advocate.

DRY DOCK 28 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. • 410-289-0973 The new kid on the dining scene in Ocean City features eclectic pizzas, delicious sandwiches, soups, salads and hot steamers in a modern, nautical themed atmosphere. A beautiful boat bar is featured inside and features craft cocktails and brews.

Outdoor seating is available. Carry out available and beer and wine to go. Live music is also offered in this kid-friendly establishment.

EMBERS RESTAURANT 24th St. & Coastal Hwy. 410-289-3322 • www.embers.com The Embers is stepping it up again with their Famous All-You-Can-Eat Seafood and Prime Rib Buffet. New buffet selections from our Executive Chef and Sous Chef paired expertly with all the old favorites! Massive crab legs, large shrimp, crab cakes, and over 100 additional items including our Raw Bar, Steamed Clams, various fish selections and a continuous array of delicious surprises from the kitchen daily. The Embers also offers an excellent happy hour with some of the lowest drink prices and discounts on selected items from the buffet until 6 p.m. in our bar! We are currently closed. We will reopen April 2.

FAGER’S ISLAND RESTAURANT & BAR 201 60th St. On The Bay 410-524-5500 • www.fagers.com Fager’s Island is an award-winning popular bay-front restaurant where lunch is a forgivable habit, dinner an event and sunsets unforgettable. Lite fare lunch served from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., dinner from 5 p.m., famous raw bar, festive Sunday Jazz Brunch, 10 a.m.2 p.m. and children’s menu. Complete house wine list and award-winning proprietor’s list available upon request. Outdoor decks and bar. Nightly entertainment in-season, Friday-Saturday, off-season. Open every day, year-round. A Fun Place!

GENERAL’S KITCHEN 66th St. & Coastal Hwy. • 410-723-0477 Join us at our new bigger and better location.

Everybody likes breakfast, but for too many it comes too early in the morning. Not so at this sunshine-happy delight. Breakfast is what it’s all about, from 6:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The menu is a breakfast lover’s dream. From juice, cereal and eggs, to corned beef hash, waffles, hot cakes,

bacon, sausage, to the best creamed chipped beef on the coast (try it on french fries). This is definitely the place. House specialties: creamed chipped beef, O.C. No. 1 breakfast, own recipes.

HIGGINS CRAB HOUSE 31st St. & Coastal Hwy. • 410-289-2581 There is no doubt about it. Higgins offers traditional Eastern Shore favorites for the entire family to enjoy.

Of course, the house special-ties include all-you-caneat crabs, crab legs, fried chicken, steamed shrimp and baby back ribs. In addition, there is a full menu offering a variety of delicious soups, appetizers and entrees. Open Friday at 2:30 p.m., Saturday & Sunday at noon. North location reopens mid-March.

JOHNNY'S PIZZA & SPORTS PUB 56th St. & Coastal Hwy. 410-723-5600 • www.johnnyspizzapub.com The Official Pizza of OC, Johnny's Pizza & Sports Pub serves families throughout Ocean City and its surrounding communities 365 days a year. Eat in, carry out or have it delivered right to your doorstep.

Our comfortable dining room features ample seating for small groups or large parties and our speedy delivery service will deliver your hot, delicious pizza right to your home, hotel or condo for your added convenience. From steaming homemade pizzas to lightly tossed salads and fiery hot wings, we have something for everyone. Live entertainment every weekend all winter and live entertainment four nights in the summer.

MARLIN MOON RESTAURANT 33rd St. in the DoubleTree Oceanfront 410-289-1201 • www.marlinmoonocmd.com Eat where the locals eat. Marlin Moon is back in town with the talented Executive Chef, Gary Beach, creating his legendary food magic. Marlin Moon combines an eclectic atmosphere of ocean views and a fresh vibe with creative seafood and steak dishes you won’t forget. Winner of the Maryland People’s Choice Award, Marlin Moon delivers the culinary combinations you’re craving and uses only locally sourced seafood, meats and vegetables. Some of the original classics, such as Mom’s Shrimp and Freddy’s Seafood Pasta, are back as well as a raw bar, small plate appetizers, fresh salads and entrees sure to satisfy any food mood. Open daily serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner from 7 a.m.-11 p.m.

RED RED WINE BAR OC 12 48th St. • 443-664-6801 • redredwinebar.com Steps from the beach. Fresh coastal cuisine with a focus on locally sourced seafood and hand tossed pizzas. Artisanal cheeseboards. 35+ Wines By the Glass. Full bar. Craft beer. Late night bar.

Luxurious colors and custom built couches. Casual atmosphere. Seasonal outdoor seating. Named Best Wine and Beverage Program in Maryland by the Restaurant Association.

PICKLES PUB 8th St., Ocean City • 410-289-4891 It’s pub food with a twist and a special emphasis put on quality and large portions. The big juicy

Come Join Us On Sunday

EVERY SUNDAY 8:30 a.m.: Fellowship In The He Brews Cafe

Stevenson United Methodist Church

123 North Main St., Berlin, Md. 410-641-1137 • www.stevensonchurch.org

9 a.m.: Blended Sunday Worship Service

9:30 a.m.: Children And Youth Sunday School

burgers and oven baked wedge sandwiches are locals’ favorites as are the pub wings (in a variety of styles) and tacos (choose from thai pulled pork, grilled chicken and blacked ahi avocado). There are numerous unique craft pizza options to choose from as well with the house favorite here being the blackened shrimp and arugula.

SEACRETS • On The Bay At 49th St. 410-524-4900 • www.seacrets.com We are Jamaica USA! Serving our world famous jerk chicken, along with a full menu of appetizers, soups, sandwiches, salads, entrees, desserts and a children's menu. Enjoy happy hour drink prices until 7 p.m.and live entertainment in a tropical atmosphere. Please check our website www.seacrets.com for a complete list of live bands and daily food and drink specials or call 410-524-4900. Find us and get lost!

94TH ST. NORTH-FENWICK-BETHANY

CAROUSEL OCEANFRONT HOTEL & CONDOS 118th St. & the Beach • 410-524-1000 Reef 118 Oceanfront Restaurant located in the Carousel Hotel offers beautiful oceanfront dining in a casual atmosphere. Enjoy a hearty breakfast buffet or try one of our specialty omelets including lump crab and asparagus. Our menu offers a wide variety of Succulent Seafood along with steaks, pastas & ribs. $5.95 kids’ menu available. Stop by the Bamboo Lounge serving happy hour daily 4-6 p.m. with super drink prices and $4.95 food specials. Visit the Carousel and get served by the friendliest staff in OC! CRABCAKE FACTORY BAYSIDE Rt. 54, Selbyville, DE • 302-988-5000 Under new ownership but SAME award-winning crab cakes and bloody marys! Enjoy WATERFRONT dining. Full-service family restaurant, carry-out & sports bar. Outside seating available.

Open daily at 9 a.m. YEAR ROUND. Menu selections include crab cakes, prime rib, Philly-style cheese steaks, various seafood, kids menu plus full breakfast menu. visit us online at crabcakefactory-online.com or on our Facebook page. Casual dress, full liquor bar, no reservations.

GREENE TURTLE-NORTH 116th St. & Coastal Hwy • 410-723-2120 www.facebook.com/OriginalGreeneTurtle This is the Original Greene Turtle, an Ocean City Tradition, since 1976! A fun and friendly Sports Bar & Grille, where every seat is a great spot to watch sports with 50+ High Def. TVs up & downstairs!

Menu favorites include homemade crab cakes, kids’ menu, salads, burgers, wings and more! Join them for weekday lunch specials 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and happy hour 3-7 p.m. Popular features are game room, gift shop, carry-out, party trays, nightly drink specials, MD Lottery-Keno, Powerball and DJs with dance floor. Something for everyone!

Open 11 a.m-2 a.m., year-round.

Page 61 HARPOON HANNA’S RESTAURANT & BAR Rte. 54 & The Bay, Fenwick Island, DE www.harpoonhannasrestaurant.com 302-539-3095 No reservations required. Harpoon Hanna’s features a children’s menu & full bar. We are a casual waterfront restaurant serving lunch & dinner including fesh fish, seafood, steaks, sandwiches and allyou-can-eat Alaskan crab legs. Open year-round.

HORIZONS OCEANFRONT RESTAURANT Located Inside The Clarion Resort 101st St., Ocean City • 410-524-3535 Horizons Oceanfront Restaurant is proud to have Chef Rob Sosnovich creating beach-inspired dishes in both our oceanfront restaurants, Horizons and Breaker’s Pub. Our new all day menu, available 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., features many of your favorites and some exciting new creations with a local flare – from Lite Bites to Big Bites and everything in between. Our deluxe Sunday breakfast buffet is open year-round and our “famous” all-you-can-eat prime rib, crab legs and seafood buffet is available most weekends throughout the year and daily in season.

The Ocean Club Nightclub features top-40 dance music every weekend and nightly this summer.

We’ve added some popular local bands to our lineup, so come join us “where the big kids play!”

Lenny’s Beach Bar & Grill: enjoy surf, sun and live entertainment 7 days a week on the deck, from Memorial day through Labor Day during our afternoon beach parties. Enjoy something to eat or drink from our extensive menu. Try our “Bucket of Fun”, or a fresh “Orange Crush”–two of our favorites!

LIGHTHOUSE SOUND RESTAURANT 12723 St. Martin’s Neck Road, Bishopville, MD • 410-641-1199 Join us for dinner tonight and enjoy the best views of Ocean City, overlooking the Assawoman Bay and the Ocean City skyline. We feature our signature crab cakes, sizzling steaks and fresh fish entrees. Join us for lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch.

Specializing in weddings and banquets. For more info visit www.lighthousesoundrestaurant.com or call 410-641-1199.

NANTUCKETS Rte. 1, Fenwick Island • 302-539-2607 Celebrating our 30th season serving the beach great food and spirits. David and Janet Twining will wow you with the finest foods and drinks in the area. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by what one of the coast’s finest dining establishments has in store for guests. Everything here is a house specialty. There’s the memorable steaks, fresh seafood, famous quahog chowder and the chef’s daily specials, just to name a few.

SMITTY MCGEE’S Rte. 54-West Fenwick Ireland 302-436-4716 • www.smittymcgees.com Smitty McGee’s is the place to be for fun. Best wings on the beach for 28 years and counting.

Enjoy great food and drink specials in a casual atmosphere. Happy hour daily. Come enjoy the live entertainment Thursday and Friday. Full menu served unil 1 a.m. Banquet facilities available.

Open seven days a week. We never close!

SURF’S EDGE DELI & PIZZERIA 100 Coastal Hwy., Fenwick Island 302-537-5565 Best Salads award by Coastal Style 4 years in a row. Healthy, casual dining featuring home-made salads, fresh salads, subs, paninis, sandwiches and pizza. Open for lunch and dinner. Children’s menu, take-out and delivery available. We are currently closed. We will reopen in mid-April.

RACETRACK AUTO SALES

WE PAY CASH!

We Buy Like-New And Used Cars, Trucks, Trailers

(410) 641-4600

Page 62

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

HOT CRABS & COLD BEER! PLUS FRESH, LOCAL CHESAPEAKE BAY OYSTERS FRIED, STEAMED, ON THE HALF-SHELL, BAKED ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT SHRIMP & RIBS $23.99

SWIM UP TO OUR RAW BOAT SPECIAL Oysters, Clams, Large Chilled, Steamed Shrimp $1.50 Each

Call For Crab Prices And Availability

www.higginscrabhouse.com

Family Friendly

HIGGINS SOUTH

Kids’ Menu Availble

31ST ST. & COASTAL HWY. 410-289-2581 OPEN FRI 2:30, SAT & SUN NOON

Just A Few Blocks South of the Convention Center

HIGGINS NORTH

128TH ST. & COASTAL HWY. 410-250-2304

Restaurant REOPENS Friday, March 13 Liquor Store Open Fri-Sun 10AM

OCEAN CITY vanishing

February 28, 2020

WITH BUNK MANN

The winter of 1972-73 was an anxious time in Ocean City – there was an arsonist at work and nobody knew where he would strike next.

The first victim was the Colonial Hotel, built in 1897, which burned on Dec. 14, 1972. On Dec. 30, a fire was set at the Stowaway Motel on 22nd Street and 60 guests, clad in pajamas and bathrobes, scrambled to safety as flames leaped from Ocean City’s largest motel at the time. A third major blaze destroyed the old Roosevelt Hotel on Jan. 16, 1973.

Rewards were offered, and some hotel owners began spending the night guarding their buildings with rifles and shotguns. Many local residents were afraid to sleep fearing another fire while law enforcement agencies intensified their search for the so-called “firebug.” Small fires occurred at other locations, but the last major blaze took place at the Nordica, an aging Boardwalk hotel on Jan. 25, 1973.

It has been nearly half a century since the “firebug arsons” but this chapter of Ocean City history remains a mystery. The arsonist’s identity and the reason for the fires remain unknown.

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

Photo from after the Nordica fire courtesy Sam Villani Jr.

February 28, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 63

Page 64

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

February 28, 2020