August 18

See Pages 53, 68 • Photo by WMO

See Page 73 • Photo by Bethany Hooper

Council Reviews Mixed-Use Project

See Page 8 • Submitted Image

Mother Nature provided a perfect beach day for Surfers Healing on Wednesday, allowing hundreds of special needs kids to enjoy the ocean with volunteers. See pages 6-7 for more pictures. Photos by Nick Denny

SERVING DELMARVA FOR 60 YEARS

OC Council Debates New Special Event Fee Structure

OCEAN CITY – Resort officials agreed to review some elements of a new special event fee structure following a lengthy discussion this week

On Tuesday, Special Events Director Frank Miller presented the Mayor and Council with proposed revisions to the town’s special event fees and processes He said the overhaul was meant to cover staff costs associated with special events and bring costs more in line with demand and value, among other things

“Really what prompted this was twofold,” he said “One was that we have seen a major step in the number of events and size of events we host here in Ocean City, Maryland, and that has opened the floodgates on us considering new elements and taking a much finer look at individual details

on these larger-scale events The other was we had done a familiarization trip to Virginia Beach and found out there are opportunities we could be using in terms of how we structure our fees here in town compared to how some of our competitors may be doing fees ”

In his presentation this week, Miller said the new fee structure would divide special events into tiers Tier one, for example, would include gatherings of up to 1,000 people and would only require a permit, while tier four would include multi-site events of more than 6,000 people with a higher impact on city resources Tiers three and four, he noted, would not only require council approval, but would include negotiated agreements

“We used to do a lot of memorandums of understanding, MOUs,” he said “That is in the past We have moved to a much more legal format agreement framework

to protect the town and user ”

Miller added the new fee structure would be based on profit status, new or existing event, and the time of year in which an event is held The formula also sets new application fees, vendor space fees and cost-per fees, which would be based on ticket sales or the number of registered participants Simply put, officials said the new structure was meant to attract special events, provide fair fees and minimize reliance on city resources

“We are hoping to get this implemented by January 1, 2024,” Miller said “We’re also hoping to roll out the online application process next month if possible and start working with that to push through any types of complications we might have ”

While he supported some increase in special event fees, Councilman John Gehrig said he had concerns that the new structure would result in significant costs to

promoters

He noted that under the new model, fees for the OC Air Show would increase from $100 to $58,000 while fees for the St Patrick’s Day Parade would increase from $88 to $3,023, to name a few examples

“This isn’t just adjusting fees,” he said “This is major I think we are punishing promoters at a time when we need to be embracing promoters ”

Gehrig questioned the reasons for changing the entire fee structure He said he had concerns the new structure would discourage promoters from coming to Ocean City

“We look at direct expenses and indirect expenses, but we only look at direct revenue , ” he said “We don’t look at the reason we actually do the events The reason we do these events is to bring people into town and the economic impact ”

City Manager Terry McGean said staff reviewed the town’s fee structure after looking at other event venues and resorts

“For an event, this is prime real estate,” he said “We are giving them something that is really valuable But there seemed to be a consensus on the council we weren’t getting the value back for what the promoter is getting ”

Mayor Rick Meehan agreed, noting that with beach events, there was a discrepancy between what promoters were charging participants and what the town was charging the promoter

“I thought it was a good idea to take a look at this to see if in fact what we are getting is a fair return,” he said “Granted, the bonus is we are bringing all these people to town ”

Meehan, however, agreed with Gehrig on some points

“Across the board, one size doesn’t fit all,” he said

McGean added that the proposed fee structure would also address concerns regarding nonprofit events

“The concern is we’d get nonprofits who were really for-profits charging per participant , ” he said “What we said if you are a new nonprofit event and charging per participant, we would treat you the same as a for-profit event ”

For his part, Councilman Peter Buas said he had concerns that cost-per fees could be negotiated for tier three and tier four events He also shared concerns that the new fee structure would create a barrier to entry for smaller events Sports Marketing Manager Don Abramson said it was an issue to keep in mind

“We have a huge potential if we handle this situation right,” he said “Can we raise [fees] a little bit? Absolutely We just have to be careful with scaring off the smaller ones ”

Gehrig also questioned how revenues generated by the new special events fees would be dispersed McGean said use fees, for example, could go back to special events, while in-kind costs such as equipment and labor, would go back to the various departments such as public works and police Gehrig, however, said he took issue with in-kind service charges, as they were the biggest costs charged to promoters After further discussion, officials agreed to have staff review the fee structure based on comments made by the council

Sur fers Healing Returns:

On Wednesday, hundreds of children with autism and their families gathered on the beach in front of the Castle in the Sand Hotel for the 14th annual Surfers Healing camp Each year, the national nonprofit travels to beach towns across the U.S. and in other countries to provide a welcoming, accepting environment in which children with autism can surf. Pictured are camp par ticipants enjoying the waves and crystal-clear skies. Photos courtesy of Nick Denny Photography

Officials Present Modified Design For Mixed-Use Project

OCEAN CITY – A new design and cost estimate for a mixed-use facility on Somerset Street highlighted a presentation this week

On Tuesday, City Manager Terry McGean presented the Mayor and Council with a new design and cost estimate for a proposed mixed-use building on Somerset Street While he noted that construction costs have increased by roughly $2 million, the new plan would provide employee housing and a new Ocean City Police Department substation

“We modified the design,” he said “I think it is a much more functional and manages to actually serve more purposes ”

Nearly two years ago, the Ocean City Development Corporation (OCDC)

pitched the idea of sharing the development of a mixed-use facility at the Somerset Street parking lot The proposal initially called for a three-story building with police bicycle storage and public restrooms on the first floor and housing for seasonal employees such as police officers and public safety aides on the second and third floors

The proposal also called for a costshare arrangement between the town and OCDC, with the nonprofit contributing half of the funding through its share of the Inlet parking lot revenue For years, the OCDC has received a portion of the weekend Inlet parking lot revenue as a reserve fund of sorts for projects it has, or intends to develop, in the downtown area

“The Ocean City Development Corporation had initially committed to funding half of the cost of the building,” McGean said this week “They remain behind that

commitment that they will fund out of their Inlet lot appropriation 50% of the cost of construction of the building ”

While OCDC remains steadfast in its commitment, McGean noted that other aspects of the project have changed since the concept was first proposed

For example, following a series of meetings with OCDC and resort staff, the decision was made to change the building’s design to incorporate a new police substation, which was identified as a priority project in the town’s 2022 Capital Improvement Plan McGean said the police department’s existing Boardwalk substation, located above the restrooms at Worcester Street, will be converted to a special events command center

“Right now, when we have Bikefest, Sunfest, Springfest, all the things we do at the Inlet lot , ” he said “We think that works very well for reuse of that existing

building ”

With a new substation at Somerset Street, McGean said the first two floors would feature a public lobby, restrooms, office space, an interview room and police bike storage, which would free up space at the beach patrol building The third floor, he added, would feature 16 beds for employee housing

“It does a number of things,” he said “It provides good neighborhood presence for the police department downtown, it frees up storage space for the beach patrol, and it gives us a good command center to deal with special events at the Inlet parking lot ”

McGean told the council this week that Gillis Gilkerson, construction manager, had priced out the new design and the cost estimate had come in at $4 26 million, or roughly $2 million more than the initial cost estimate He noted, however, that the increase reflected current construction costs

“The actual estimate has grown substantially,” he said “It has nothing to do with the change in design ”

For his part, Councilman John Gerhig questioned if manning a new substation would incur additional expense or impact deployments Police Chief Ross Buzzuro said it would not

“There wouldn’t be anything adverse to the overall operation,” he replied

Gehrig also questioned the cost share arrangement between the town and OCDC McGean said OCDC has committed to funding 100% of the design costs and 50% of construction costs

“We would borrow the full amount, and then they would pay 50% of the debt service,” he said “The town’s debt service on this would be around $67,000 to $70,000 a year ”

Councilman Peter Buas noted the town’s debt service obligation would be higher than initially budgeted in the capital improvement plan He asked how that would affect other capital projects such as the redevelopment of Baltimore Avenue

“How is that going to affect other projects, mainly Baltimore Avenue?” he questioned “Is this a blip, or is this something we need to think about more comprehensively?”

McGean said the change would have no impact on bond rating or debt affordability

“To me, this is a blip when you look at what the debt service is on Baltimore Avenue , ” he replied “In my mind, whether we do this or not, it’s not going to impact our ability to do Baltimore Avenue given the dollar differences ”

After further discussion, the council voted 6-1, with Council President Matt James opposed, to formally approve funding for the mixed-use building through a bond reimbursement resolution

“We would come to you with a resolution that would allow us to reimburse ourselves with bonds up to a certain amount, and then we would move forward with finishing the design,” McGean explained “We have to get the construction documents and the bid process and then ultimately you would have to then approve that number in the bond ordinance itself ”

WCPS Finalizes Salar y Adjustments

NEWARK – Teachers will see a slight pay increase following the negotiated agreement signed by officials this week

On Tuesday, the Worcester County Board of Education signed new negotiated agreements with the Worcester County Teachers Association (WCTA) and the Worcester County Education Support Personnel Association (WCESPA) The agreements include a step increase and a 1 14% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for teachers

A handful of teachers expressed concern with the raise, which is lower than the 4% COLA initially proposed

“In the long term, every year we get slighted on COLA is another ding to my retirement,” teacher Megan Seyler said “In the short term, it’s a battle between low COLAs and high inflation It’s deciding between buying a full grocery load of food or filling my car with gas It’s relying on community donations to make my classroom and my instruction what my students deserve ”

School system officials extended negotiations with the associations after the county approved a maintenance of effort level budget for Worcester County Public Schools Officials made it clear at that time the 4% pay increase for teachers and the 4 5% pay increase for support staff could not be funded with the reduced budget

The figures agreed to this week include a step increase and 1 14% COLA for teachers That COLA, however, includes the 75% increase teachers got in April Longevity pay will increase by $100 and eligible employees will receive a one-time bonus in the amount of $2,250 The bonus, which will be paid in two installments, is funded by the school system’s ESSER and MD LEADS grant funds

The WCESPA agreed to a step increase and a 1 64% COLA, 75% of which was effective in April Longevity pay will increase by $100 and support personnel will also get a bonus of $1,000

Bus drivers will get $0 50 increase to hourly wage as well as slight increases in the fuel/maintenance formula and per vehicle allotment Bus drivers will also get a $1,000 bonus

Seyler said while the bonus for teachers was nice, it would not help negotiations next year, as they will be based on teacher salary, not teacher salary plus bonuses

Another teacher, Mary Malone Hathaway, said she was concerned for herself as well as her daughter who is now a Worcester County Public Schools student

“I am urging you, as we move forward, as Megan said, to come together, work together, and think about all of our students, much more than dollars and cents on a line-item budget but think about

SEE PAGE 74

Worcester County Public Schools officials Lou Taylor, Todd Ferrante , Beth Shockley-Lynch and Dwayne Abt are pictured signing new negotiated agreements this week.

District Cour t Judge Denies Town’s Attempt To Fine Rental Owner

BERLIN – A Worcester County District Court judge last week dismissed a case related to an unlicensed short-term rental property in Berlin

On Friday, Aug 11, Worcester County District Court Judge Gerald Purnell dismissed a case against Bryan Brushmiller related to an unlicensed short-term rental in Berlin As a result, Brushmiller will not have to pay the more than $5,000 in fines he received from operating his short-term rental on Main Street without a license

“The long and short of it was although the ordinance was being violated it no longer is so Judge Purnell perceived the problem was over,” said David Gaskill, the town’s attorney

In late May, the town issued Brushmiller two citations related to operating his short-term rental, what was known as the “Brew House on Main,” without a license In 2022, the town passed an ordinance regulating short-term rentals that requires them to be licensed and inspected as well as operated only in dwellings that are a property owner ’s primary residence in the residential zoning district

Brushmiller, whose rental application was not approved, was fined after numerous residents voiced complaints about the Main Street property Dave Engelhart, the town’s planning director, issued him two citations for renting without a license The town’s shortterm rental ordinance sets the fine for renting without a license at $600 a day

Brushmiller was fined $2,400 for one violation and $3,000 for another

When issued the citations, however, Brushmiller elected to appear in Worcester County District Court When the case was heard by Purnell last Friday, Engelhart and Gaskill said the judge believed the issue was addressed by the fact that Brushmiller was no longer renting his property on a short-term basis

“Judge Purnell concentrated on had the activity stopped and it had,” Engelhart said

Aside from this issue, Engelhart said the new short-term rental licensing program was running smoothly He said there were 10 licensed, legally operating rental properties and a few other applications were still being reviewed

Garliss

OCEAN CITY – Resort tourism officials announced Monday the Ocean City Balloon Festival set for next week has been canceled

While little information was shared, Ocean City officials updated a post about the balloon festival to say it was canceled on Monday On Tuesday, the OCBalloonFest Facebook page had been updated to say the event was taking place in Easton, not in Ocean City

“Excited to announce the Original Chesapeake Balloon Festival is returning to Triple Creek Winery, minutes from Easton on Maryland’s mid-shore, Aug 25-27, 2023,” the post read

Hundreds of tickets were sold to the Ocean City Balloon Festival in the weeks leading up to the new event, which was approved by Ocean City officials in March

Though the festival, which was set to take place at Seaside Christian Academy, was being advertised online by Ocean City Tourism up until last week, a meeting last Wednesday revealed that numerous law enforcement and emergency personnel had concerns about the event Zoning officials said limited information had been provided about the event That concern was reiterated by Maryland State Police, representatives of the Maryland State Highway Administration and various emergency services officials One of the major issues cited was the fact that organizers hadn’t yet sought the necessary permits, which can be a lengthy process Maryland State Police Lt Earl Starner, commander of the Berlin Barrack, said typically event organizers met with agencies to discuss things like traffic and access months prior to an event He indicated getting the needed approvals in a few weeks would

be difficult

“I’m not saying it’s impossible but there is a process,” Starner said “You’re going to impact traffic in a negative way therefore you need an approved permit ”

Alex Spies of the American Farm Foundation, the event organizer, said it was a first-year event that would consist of some tethered hot air balloons with music and vendors He said the event could attract 3,000 visitors to the West Ocean City location He assured officials he would provide the various planning details they needed

Following last Wednesday’s meeting, Spies was expected to meet with the Worcester County Board of Zoning Appeals last Thursday to ask for a special exception that was needed for the event to be held At that meeting, however, Zoning Administrator Kristen Tremblay said the request was tabled

“The applicants will be working with

the county and its partners on the items needed for approvals,” she said “I do not know when the event will be rescheduled for ”

On Monday, however, Ocean City Tourism advised that the event had been canceled

“Canceled: OC Balloon Fest- Aug 2527,” the post read “For any inquiries about the Ocean City Balloon Festival, kindly reach out to the event organizer ”

At a meeting of the resort’s tourism commission Monday afternoon, Councilman Will Savage brought up the event and asked how the situation could have been handled better

“What went wrong here?” he said “It’s not a very pretty look for us ”

City Manager Terry McGean said the event’s organizers were required to get various permits from the county

“I think the bottom line is when they came in, he was not as prepared as he should have been,” he said

Tom Perlozzo, the director of tourism and business development for Ocean City, said the resort recruited events like the balloon festival and had liked the concept because it would have included a balloon glow on the beach He said the promoter was advised what needed to be done for the event to occur

“We don’t know if it got done or didn’t get done , ” Perlozzo said during the tourism commission meeting “We just decided that at this point we are going to move on and look at it in 2024, potentially looking at having it here, inside ”

When asked if the 2024 event would be with the same promoter, Perlozzo said it was too early to say

“That has yet to be seen,” he said “We’d like to He’s a good guy ”

According to the OCBalloonFest Facebook page, which was updated on Tuesday to reflect logos for the Original Chesapeake Balloon Festival rather than the Ocean City Balloon Festival, the event will remain on the same dates as advertised but will take place at Triple Creek Winery

The event website, ocballoonfest com, provides similar information

“An exciting update for the Eastern Shore of Maryland, what was to be the first Ocean City Balloon Festival has now been moved back to Talbot County and renamed the Original Chesapeake Balloon Festival,” the website reads “Still taking place August 25-27, festival organizers are responding to an overwhelming number of messages from the mid-shore and encouragement from Talbot County government, requesting them to bring the festival back home to Easton ”

Tickets are still on sale online Balloon festival officials advised commentors on Facebook that all tickets would be honored at the new location

“However, everyone who purchased tickets when the event was to be held in Ocean City will be receiving an email today with an update, to include how to request a refund if it is no longer convenient for them,” the social media post reads

Air Rights Request Advances To Hearing

OCEAN CITY – A request to grant air rights over a downtown alleyway will advance to a public hearing

In a work session Tuesday, the Mayor and Council agreed to move a request to grant air rights above Washington Lane to a public hearing Attorney Hugh Cropper, representing the developer of the Margaritaville project, said the conveyance was needed as part of a new site plan that was submitted to the town

“We are pursuing that concurrently, and that would require the conveyance of air rights above Washington Lane as it currently exists,” he said

While the connections of the Margaritaville project continue to seek a planned overlay district (POD) designation for a much larger development between 13th and 14th streets, they have concurrently submitted a new site plan that includes fewer amenities, less square footage and a different configuration To that end, they are seeking air rights above Washington Lane - which bisects the property - to allow for construction of a single building connecting structures to the east and west of the public alley

“Concurrently, we have submitted a site plan that does not use the POD statute , ” Cropper explained this week “It is a smaller hotel It has less conference areas, it has less amenities, but it is still a very good development It would be very much a positive for Ocean City ”

By advancing the request to a public hearing, the council will be able to determine if the request is in the public interest and if the air rights are no longer needed for public use The conveyance of air rights has been previously approved for a handful of redevelopment projects, including the Bonita Beach Hotel, the Breakers Hotel, the Majestic Hotel, and a previous version of the Margaritaville Resort

“This council did see fit to convey us the air rights and furtherance of the POD in [Ordinance] 2022-11 , ” he explained “That was over a relocated Washington Lane This would be over Washington Lane where it currently exists, 16 feet in width We are just looking for a public hearing on that issue ”

With no further discussion this week, the council voted unanimously to move the developer ’s request to a public hearing Cropper, however, reiterated that the POD project currently working its way through the approval process continues to be the developer ’s preferred project As part of that plan, his client hopes to purchase Washington Lane to secure enough square footage for a POD designation

“Margaritaville, at its inception back in August of 2021, was designed as a planned overlay district, or POD , ” he said “The comprehensive plan encourages PODs like Margaritaville That is our preferred approach Further into that, we have asked you to convey the alley to us at fair market value, and that is set for a public hearing on September 5 ”

As the connections of the Margaritaville project continue to seek a planned overlay district designation, they have concurrently submitted new plans for a smaller development featuring fewer amenities and less square footage . Above, a rendering shows what the smaller project would look like from the southwest corner of Baltimore Avenue . Rendering Courtesy of Becker Morgan Group

Quiet Storm To Aid Wildfire Recover y Effor ts In Maui

about the destruction

OCEAN CITY– A popular Ocean City surf shop is doing what it can to support the Maui community following devastating wildfires

Next week, Quiet Storm Surf Shop will begin selling “Maui Strong” t-shirts to benefit Hawaiian nonprofits helping the island rebuild following last week’s wildfires The fires destroyed the historic city of Lahaina

“It’s a beautiful place and it needs to be rebuilt as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Bill Dreibelbis, owner of Quiet Storm

On Aug 8, wildfires erupted on Maui destroying the historic town of Lahaina and killing more than 100 people Dreibelbis, who at one time had a Quiet Storm store in Maui and continues to visit the island regularly, was devastated to hear

“I’ve got a lot of friends out there,” he said, adding that he’d last visited Maui in March “It’s a beautiful place When I’m there my blood pressure goes down ”

Dreibelbis wanted to do something to help and initially considered a cash donation Upon further reflection, however, he realized he could do more through Quiet Storm He decided to have the Quiet Storm team develop a “Maui Strong” shirt He's going to donate the proceeds from the first 10,000 shirts he sells to Maui charities

The shirts, which feature an outline of the island adorned with hibiscus flowers and the phrase Maui Strong in both English and Hawaiian, will be sold for $30 each

“We are going to donate hopefully $300,000 to the cause,” Dreibelbis said “If we sell more, we will print more ”

The shirts will be for sale starting next Wednesday in the 13 Quiet Storm shops

located throughout the country Dreibelbis is eager to send the proceeds to Maui, as his friends there are still reacting to the horrific impact of the wildfires Dreibelbis heard an interview with friend Kim Ball, owner of Hi-Tech Surf Sports, on Fox News Tuesday

“Kim lost two houses, a cottage, cars and he almost lost two dogs,” Dreibelbis said “It’s crazy ”

Following the sale of the Maui shirts, Dreibelbis is hoping to donate to Ball’s nonprofit, the Maui Sports Foundation “He’s done so much for the island already,” Dreibelbis said

He said another friend, Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac, was also committed to helping Maui rebuild Fleetwood’s restaurant was destroyed in the fire

Dreibelbis said that with people he knew personally involved, he knew he’d be donating to groups that were truly devoted

to

“All

Count y To Provide Dispatch Assistance

SNOW HILL– The county will assist Pocomoke with overnight emergency dispatch following a decision by officials this week

The Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday agreed to grant a request for emergency dispatch assistance from the Pocomoke City Police Department The county will now provide overnight dispatch services for the municipality

“We are not immune from the staffing crisis that faces dispatch nationwide, however the midnight to 8 a m period is the absolute slowest period for us,” said James Hamilton, the county’s deputy director of emergency services “This specific piece we do not think would have a significant impact on our operations because of existing call volume during those periods ”

Hamilton told the commissioners on Tuesday that Pocomoke police had asked his department if the county could have its 911 center provide dispatch operations for them from midnight to 8 a m

“From their standpoint they’re having an extremely difficult time recruiting people for that position,” Hamilton said “We see that as a nationwide issue as well In public safety and especially in dispatch positions, recruiting into these positions is extremely difficult and there’s very high attrition in these positions ”

He said that because the request was limited to the overnight hours and because Pocomoke officials estimated about two calls for service and two traffic stops during that time period, he felt granting the request wouldn’t have a significant impact on the workload at the county’s 911 center

“We do believe we could meet this if tasked to do so,” he said

He added that the county had been providing 24/7 dispatch service to the Town of Snow Hill for at least the past decade

The commissioners voted 6-0 to grant the request

B Y C H A R L E N E S H A R P E ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Quiet Storm Surf Shop will be donating proceeds from these shir ts to nonprofits suppor ting Maui following wildfires last week Submitted image

rebuilding Maui in the coming months

this money is going to guys I completely trust,” he said

Committee Seeks Action On Tram Ads

B Y B E T H A N Y H O O P E R ASSOCIATE EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – Efforts continue to bring a tram digital advertising program online

On Tuesday, members of the Ocean City Transportation Committee tasked the town’s advertising contractor, Gateway Outdoor Advertising, with launching a new tram digital advertising program in the coming week While seven digital boards have been installed on the backs of the Boardwalk trams, officials noted only four were operational and have yet to display any paid advertising

“We understand this is a rollout that hasn’t been up to speed with the aggressive timeline we initially set,” said Transit Manager Rob Shearman

Last fall, the Town of Ocean City hired Gateway to replace Vector Media as its new advertising contractor The company has been tasked with overseeing advertising on the town’s bus and tram fleets, as well as digital advertising that will be placed on the back of the Boardwalk trams

In recent months, however, officials have expressed concerns over advertising sales, or particularly the lack thereof And in April, Gateway President and CEO Craig Heard came before the transportation committee to review the company’s progress The meeting also included an update on digital tram advertising

Back on the agenda for discussion

Tuesday, Shearman said seven digital displays have been placed on the Boardwalk trams, but a recent audit showed

only four boards to be in operation He said Gateway had plans to bring a technician to town in the next week or week and a half

“We’re going to continue to troubleshoot,” he said “We hope that they are working by the end of the season, so we can start the 2024 season nice and strong and get those converted into covering that revenue ”

Mayor Rick Meehan, however, said he had concerns about the timeline He noted the Boardwalk trams were a seasonal operation

“That doesn’t work for Ocean City,” he said “So that’s going to have to be addressed ”

While he praised the looks of the new display boards, Meehan noted that those in operation only featured town advertising

“Have they sold any ads for that yet?” he asked

Shearman said Gateway has yet to do so, but that the company continues to advertise available ad space Given the lateness of the season, Meehan suggested the company offer a discounted introductory rate

“I think it should be an excellent discount , ” he said “Make it really attractive to get people up there ”

After further discussion, committee members agreed they wanted to see all digital displays up and running in the coming week

“If nothing else, it’s a dry run for next year,” Meehan said “Let’s do it so we’re not stumbling coming out of the gate next year Let’s get people on there and really promote it ”

Fenwick Election Winners Sworn In

“OCEAN CI TY CHRO NICLES”

FENWICK ISLAND – Four successful candidates in this year ’s municipal election began their tenure this week following an organizational meeting of the town council

On Wednesday, Janice Bortner, Natalie Magdeburger, Jacque Napolitano and Kurt Zanelotti were sworn in to the Fenwick Island Town council following successful election campaigns

As incumbents in this year ’s race, Bortner, Magdeburger and Napolitano will maintain their seats for another twoyear term, while Zanelotti, a newcomer to the town council, will take the position held by Paul Breger, who did not seek reelection

“Thank you so much for your support, not only for us but for the Town of Fenwick Island,” Magdeburger said “We are truly blessed to have such a great team, and when I say team I mean everybody ”

This year, eight candidates – Bortner, Magdeburger, Napolitano, Zanelotti, John Gary Burch, Bernie Merritt, Kristina Clark and James Simpson – vied for four open seats on the town council And following the Aug 5 election, the top vote-getters were announced, with Zanelotti receiving 372 votes, Bortner receiving 365 votes, Magdeburger receiving 362 votes and Napolitano receiving 358 votes Officials reported 408 in-person ballots and 311 absentee ballots were cast this year, representing a voter turnout of 77%

With election results certified by the Fenwick Island Board of Elections on Aug 7, officials this week held a swearing-in ceremony for the four winners, who will serve on the council for a twoyear term The council this week also elected its officers for the coming year, with Councilman Bill Rymer maintaining the position of treasurer, Napolitano maintaining the position of secretary and Magdeburger maintaining the position of president/mayor

“I think you’ve done a great job, and

OCEAN CITY CHRONICLES

BUNK MANN’S NEWEST BOOK ON OCEAN CITY HIS TORY

I’m looking forward to another couple years of continued strength and wisdom in guiding this town,” Napolitano said Magdeburger said this week she will send out a mayor ’s message in the coming days with a request for people to apply for town committees

“That will be a request so we can get going and get started , ” she said “Anyone who wants to be on a committee, we will find a place that’s in your sweet spot ”

“Ocean City Chronicles” is the final book in Bunk Mann’s 3 volume historical series which began with “Vanishing Ocean City ’ in 2014 and continued with ‘Ghosts In T he Surf ” in 2019 Centered around his articles in Ocean city ’s awardwinning newspaper the Maryland Coast Dispatch , his latest book features 285 of the most popular ones over the past 11 years It includes hundreds of photos of long vanished hotels & restaurants, the great storms & fires, deep sea fishing, boardwalk attractions & amusements, and stories of the people who turned a small 19th-century fishing village into a modern, year-round destination “Ocean City Chronicles” is a comprehensive history of Maryland’s famous oceanfront resort in a hardbound coffee table book featuring cover art by noted artist, Paul McGehee Supplies are limited so order your copy today!

Ocean City Chronicles can be ordered online at vanishingoceancity com Visit the website for fur ther information and photos

BY HUNTER “BUNK” MANN Reminiscing Maryland’s Beach Resort

B Y B E T H A N Y H O O P E R ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The Fenwick Island Town Council is pictured at an organizational meeting Wednesday.

Photo by Bethany Hooper

Downtown Fight Charges

OCEAN CITY – Four individuals were charged after police broke up a fight in downtown Ocean City last week

On Aug 9, around 12:10 a m , an Ocean City bike officer responded to the Somerset Street area for reports of a fight in progress involving a knife The bike cop observed individuals charging toward another group walking on the east side of Baltimore Avenue between Wicomico and Somerset streets A large fight ensued, according to police reports with the primary dispute between Steve Cruz, 24, of Ocean City, and Nayif Ramadan, 20, of Berlin Police observed Cruz and Ramadan actively striking each other Another individual, Karar Alshai Bani, 29, of Deerborn, Mich , was seen pushing Cruz to the ground and then lunging at him with unknown actions Police quickly arrived on the scene and broke up the fight

Several versions of why the fight ensued were presented to police with no indication as to who started the battle or a reason for the beef Ultimately, Cruz, Bani

and Ramadan were each charged with affray and disorderly conduct Mahdi Sbih, 23, Ocean City, was charged with theft $100 to $1,500

Females Charged With Assault

OCEAN CITY – Second-degree assault charges were filed last weekend against four women fighting on a public street after bar closing time

On Aug 12, around 2:20 a m , a fight in progress in the area of Wicomico Street was reported by a reserve officer, who was watching the live City Watch

security feed The fight was reportedly between four females, who were identified as Amanda Scalzo, 34, of Lancaster, Pa ; Jennifer Dodge, 46, Berlin; Megan Hall, 34, Strasburg, Pa : and Aimee Halpin, 34, Reading, Pa The four females were each actively engaged in a fight, according to the video

A police officer later watched the video and observed Dodge and Hall were initially involved in a verbal argument when Halpin attempted to separate them by holding Hall back Dodge at one point approached from behind and struck Hall in the face, according to police reports

Dodge then struck Halpin in the face, resulting in her falling to the ground Hall then grabbed Dodge by the hair, and they began fighting After Dodge pushed Hall to the ground, Dodge then punched Halpin two more times in the face Scalzo attempted to enter the fight and grab Dodge, who shoved Scalzo to the ground During the scuffle, a high heel came loose and Scalzo struck Dodge with it

Each of the four suspects were charged in the fight Scalzo, Hall and Halpin were each charged with a single count of second-degree assault and affray Dodge was charged with three counts of second degree assault and affray

Trespassing, Assault

OCEAN CITY – A Maryland teen’s disorderly conduct while trespassing on a private property led to multiple charges last week

On Aug 8, around 6 p m , an assault was reported to Ocean City police at a north-end condominium pool The victim told police he confronted a group of unruly teenagers, including one man who was spitting beer on the pool deck The victim approached the men, who he did not believe were staying at the condominium and were therefore trespassing on the private pool area

When the victim tried to quell the disorderly conduct, an argument ensued and one subject, later identified as Andrew Gange, 19, of Crownsville, became combative and threw a beer can at the victim’s head Gange then shoved the victim and tried to fight him The group eventually fled the scene before police arrived Gange, however, was spotted nearby As police officers approached, they observed Gange trying to climb a fence unsuccessfully due to his level of intoxication When police tried to speak with him, Gange attempted to run away An officer tried to stop him by grabbing Gange’s arm and Gange yanked his arm away Gange continued to fight with police to avoid being handcuffed Compliance was ultimately received through force Gange was determined to not be a resident of the condominium

Gange was charged with second degree assault, trespassing, resisting arrest and endangering public safety

Theft, Handgun Charges

OCEAN CITY – Multiple stolen credit cards were recovered thanks to a citizen tip reporting suspicious activity in a midtown parking lot

On Aug 12, Ocean City police were dispatched to 64th Street in reference to a vehicle being tampered with, according to a citizen, who was sitting on her porch and saw three males walking through a parking lot pulling on vehicle door handles The witness said the men eventually gain access to an unlocked Toyota 4Runner with Virginia registration The witness said the men used their cellphone lights to look through the vehicle before walking away Police were able to locate the three men walking across Coastal Highway

Markez Davis, 19, of Milford, Del , was one of the men stopped The witness confirmed Davis was one of the men acting suspiciously in the parking lot based on the color clothes he was wearing, but the

vehicle owner reported nothing missing after conducting an inventory

During questioning, Davis agreed to show police what was in his pockets Four credit cards were presented that did not belong to Davis He told police he found the cards in Delaware Davis was also found to be in possession of a handgun with an extended magazine in his waistband Davis told police it was not a real gun and was instead created through a 3D printer Police confiscated the firearm, which was loaded with 10, 9 mm ammunition rounds Davis was placed in handcuffs

Another individual connected to the initial call for tampering with vehicles was identified as Alexander Davis Jr , who said he was friends with Markez Davis Alexander was found to be in possession of a stolen credit card The card holder was contacted and told police he suspected his vehicle was broken into the night before and was missing multiple credit cards

Markez Davis was charged with underage possession of a handgun and numerous theft counts Davis Jr and two other individuals were also charged in the incident

Stolen Vehicle Found In OC

OCEAN CITY – A vehicle stolen from Pennsylvania was found in Ocean City last weekend, resulting in theft and drug possession charges

On Aug 10, Ocean City police re-

ceived a call from a citizen reporting unauthorized use of a vehicle Police interviewed the witness who reported his 2015 Audi S3 was being used by an acquaintance, Jason Schmidt, 46, of Scranton, Pa , without his permission The victim, who lived in Scranton, Pa , told Ocean City police he had spoken to Schmidt, who said he was in Ocean City The victim had called Scranton Police A local officer contacted authorities in Scranton who reported the victim was in prison and had not given Schmidt permission to use the car

Ocean City police located Schmidt outside the vehicle in question on 84th Street with his dog tied to the rear passenger tire Schmidt was placed under arrest for theft and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle Schmidt told police he had located methamphetamine in the vehicle’s trunk and a scale in the wheel well that he had relocated to a compartment under the passenger seat

Police searched the vehicle and found an opaque black plastic bag with a digital scale inside and a folded dollar bill wrapped around a white crystal substance known as methamphetamine Police noted the drug was concealed in three layers of packaging Police did not believe Schmidt’s story he found the drug in the trunk while cleaning up spilled dog food In the trunk police also found a glass smoking device with burn marks and a spoon with burns used to commonly prepare methamphetamine Police also located a black fixed blade knife, which is illegal in Ocean City

Schmidt was charged with theft $1,000 to $25,000, possession of a controlled

dangerous substance of schedule 2 (methamphetamine) and paraphernalia and possession of an illegal weapon

Officer Assaulted

OCEAN CITY – A Maryland man is facing multiple charges after assaulting a police officer and vowing to burn his house down

On Aug 13, around 1:25 p m , an Ocean City police officer was on uniformed foot patrol on the Boardwalk when he observed a man riding a bicycle on the Boardwalk at a prohibited time While the officer was preparing to issue the biker a civil citation, Devonne Wedge, 21, of Bladensburg, Md , approached the officer and got within a foot of the officer

When the officer put his arm out to stop Wedge from coming any further, the man

pushed the officer ’s hand away and told him not to touch him Wedge refused to comply with orders to leave the scene and stop interfering with the officer Another officer approached, ordering Wedge to leave the officer ’s space Wedge threatened the officer bodily harm, so he was placed under arrest Wedge was placed under arrest but continued to be combative The arresting officer said during transport Wedge was recorded screaming threats saying, “I am going to burn that dude’s house down, kill his family and punch the mustache off his face ” Wedge was charged with second-degree assault, disorderly conduct, obstructing and hindering a police officer, open container possession, resisting arrest and threatening to set fire to the house of a police officer

SNOW HILL – Officials opted to delay a decision regarding whether or not to accept donation of a trailer to the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office

In response to questions from the Worcester County Commissioners this week, representatives of the sheriff’s office asked to delay consideration of a request they presented regarding donation of a trailer that could be used for community events as well as a base of operations

“I would like to table this until our next meeting so we can be more prepared,” said Doug Dods of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office

Dods initially approached the commissioners Tuesday to ask if the sheriff’s office could accept donation of a trailer from Code 3, an organization that used the

enclosed trailer for outreach across the nation Chief Deputy Nate Passwaters worked with Code 3 previously on education regarding opioid reduction strategies

“I was recently contacted by the executive director for Code 3 association who advised that they are going to be utilizing other platforms for their outreach endeavors and as a result of my involvement with their association, Code 3 would donate this thirty-two foot enclosed trailer to the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office,” Passwaters wrote in a memo to the commissioners

According to Passwaters the trailer was less than three years old and would cost about $25,000 if the county was to purchase it new

Dods told the commissioners Tuesday that the trailer could be used locally for community outreach for drug education

“It is currently set up with a bedroom with furniture so you can run folks through

and show them where stuff can be hidden, to make them aware of it,” Dods said He said the agency’s asset forfeiture funds could cover associated costs

Commissioner Joe Mitrecic asked if the department had a truck to pull the trailer Dods said they were planning to use a Chevrolet 2500 they already had to pull it

“If this truck does not work and we have to buy a new truck, would that program be able to pay for that truck?” Commissioner Jim Bunting asked

Dods said a Chevrolet 2500 had pulled the trailer to Worcester County from Crofton Mitrecic said that didn’t necessarily matter, as it was the gross vehicle weight rating that had to be considered

“You could pall that trailer with a Kia if you want to but is it legal to do it,” he said “That’s the question ”

At Dods’ request, the commissioners agreed to table the issue

OC Police Utilizing Social Media

To Help Identif y Wanted Suspects

OCEAN CITY – A concerted effort to boost social media usage this year has paid off for resort authorities with requests for public assistance often resulting in wanted suspects quickly being identified and apprehended

For example, on Monday around 11 a m , the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) issued a call for public assistance about a couple who walked out on a restaurant check on the Boardwalk The Facebook post involved photos from security cameras of the suspects as well as contact information for the OCPD The post read, “The Ocean City Police Department is currently investigating a theft that occurred at a downtown restaurant located near 5th Street and the Boardwalk The theft happened on Sunday, August 13, 2023, around 3:09 p m Two individuals walked out on a check The first individual was described as an African American male, approximately 5’8, with a beard and he was wearing a Bob Marley tank top The second individual was described as an African American female wearing a black outfit and red hat with long black hair ” As of Tuesday morning, the suspects were still being sought

In recent months, there have been numerous situations when social media’s reach has resulted in individuals being

recognized For instance, on Aug 7 at 1:48 p m , the OCPD released City Watch images of suspects wanted for a Boardwalk theft A little over four hours later, the post was updated to report the suspects were identified with the photos blacked out in the updated post

A similar, more high-profile instance when social media helped lead to suspects being identified came about earlier this month Four victims riding a city bus were

SEE PAGE 28

Within hours after posting, a suspect in a July assault was identified through the police depar tment’s Facebook page File Image

Social media was used to identify the man in this picture who was wanted for allegedly stealing a wallet.

Online Posts Seeking Public’s Help Called A ‘Tremendous Asset’

FROM PAGE 25

allegedly spit on by a female in a white bathing suit while another victim was struck by a female in a green bathing suit The images were posted on Facebook seeking the public’s help on Aug 6 at 7:23 p m On Aug 8 at 4:44 p m , the police department thanked the public for the assistance in the identification of all wanted individuals

In yet another case, police used social media on Aug 5 to alert the public about a lost 9-year-old girl who was last seen on the beach in a bathing suit that was shown on the department’s Facebook The post was updated with the picture of the child removed once she was located

Over the course of the summer, there have been multiple other instances when police have used social media to help identify and apprehend wanted individuals

There have been some incidents that have gone unsolved, such as the July situation when multiple suspects were sought in an animal cruelty case involving individuals trespassed and harmed Koi fish in a private pond area

These wanted posts are part of a broader strategy to gain engagement with the public, according to Ocean City Police Department Deputy Communications Manager Ashley Miller, who has led the efforts to improve the department’s social media activity and following this year

“The Ocean City Police Department’s mission is to provide the highest degree of ethical behavior, professional conduct, and quality police services to all residents and visitors To ensure we meet this mission, we have increased our social media presence,” Miller said “Social media has become transfixed in nearly everyone’s life It is one of the fastest ways to reach people and get our message out In 2023, the Ocean City Police Department stepped up our use of social media to ensure we were transparent to our community about our rules and police activity within the community The public assistance posts have been a tremendous asset in bringing closure to various criminal cases from theft to assaults and anything in between When we can close a case, it not only helps our officers, but it brings the individuals and/or the businesses involved some justice ”

Along with identifying wanted individuals, the police department has also used its Facebook page, which has more than 72,000 followers, to alert the public about timely accidents and road closure details

“The Ocean City Police Department is extremely fortunate to have a supportive community We see that support each time we post online,” Miller said “Our residents are sharing it in their neighborhood groups, local pages, and on their accounts One thing that makes Ocean City unique is that we are a tourist destination from far and wide Social media helps us reach those communities Sometimes people forget that rules still apply when they go on vacation The public assistance requests help us spread the word far and wide and we often do get leads from people in the individual’s hometown The same thing happens when we post things about residents of Ocean City Our crime tip line is always busy with people trying to do the right thing to help keep Ocean City the safe community we know and love ”

File Images

Police posted several imag es of women involved in an assault on a city bus earlier this month seeking the public’s assistance . The women were identified soon after.

Boardwalk Digital Sign Install Eyed

OCEAN CITY – Officials say new digital message signs will be installed on the Boardwalk in the coming weeks

Tourism and Business Development Director Tom Perlozzo told members of the Ocean City Tourism Commission Monday that he anticipates 14 doublesided variable message signs to arrive in the coming weeks Those signs, he said, could be installed along the Boardwalk by late September

“I will tell you that the double-sided signs are ready and have been shipped,” he said “So we will be installing those, hopefully soon We anticipate everything being up hopefully by the end of September, but I’m not sure about that. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that they get in We have a contractor doing everything ”

Last month, the Mayor and Council agreed to purchase and install 14 double-sided, or 28 total, variable message signs along the Boardwalk The total cost of $549,815 is being paid for with dedicated advertising funds

“We already know 70% of the people that vacation here venture to the Boardwalk,” Perlozzo said at the time “So it’s an excellent opportunity to take advantage of that ”

Currently, the Boardwalk features four VMS signs at Worcester, North Division, 9th and 15th streets Instead of simply replacing the signs, the tourism department recommended new, highresolution displays be installed at 14 locations along the Boardwalk at existing Crown Castle poles

Perlozzo told the council last month the new variable message signs would allow the tourism department to not only share emergency messaging but promote Ocean City events and businesses

“It gives us the opportunity to get some eyeballs on the things we’re doing,” he said

The council ultimately voted 6-1, with Councilman Peter Buas opposed, to install the double-sided displays on the Boardwalk For his part, Buas argued the new signs would add visual clutter

“I just think it’s too much visual stimulation out there,” Buas said last month “I might be in the minority, and I’m okay with placing them, I just don’t want to clutter the Boardwalk with 14 more locations ”

During Monday’s tourism commission meeting, Mayor Rick Meehan noted that new digital signs have already been installed on the backs of the Boardwalk trams He said the signage provided marketing opportunities for the town

“The digital signs are all functioning and look great on the back of the trams,” he said “It’s a great advertising opportunity too They really stand out, and they have great color ”

Tourism Officials Talk Fall Events

Additions Planned For OC Festivals

OCEAN CITY – Officials say a slew of festivals and activities will highlight the fall special events calendar in Ocean City

On Monday, officials presented members of the Ocean City Tourism Commission with an update on events slated for the fall calendar Special Events Director Frank Miller said residents and visitors to Ocean City can expect events to take place nearly every weekend

“We’re about to roll into a very busy couple of months, September and October,” he said “For us at special events, it’s our busiest time of year in terms of large events ”

Upcoming events include Wine on the Beach, Bikefest, Bronco Beach Bash and Oceans Calling

Tourism and Business Development Director Tom Perlozzo noted the promoter, C3 Presents, has recently secured a license that includes the Boardwalk inside the festival footprint

“We will be able to move 50,000 people from one end to the other,” he said “It should be a great experience and an enhancement from what the footprint ori-

ginally started out to be All we need to do is, everyone needs to do a dance so that it doesn’t rain, or at least not a hurricane ”

Officials noted that the town was also working with C3 Presents to share transportation and parking plans, as well as other important messages, with the public

“Like we’ve done in the past, when we have big things we need to communicate, we create a little toolkit,” said Jessica Waters, director of marketing and communications “We’re in the process of creating a toolkit for Oceans Calling

Essentially it’s like an FAQ sheet of what the residents need to know, what the hotel workers and hotel guests need to know, and what our visitors need to know ”

She said all information would be available by early September

“We’re working with the promoter to make sure our messages are in sync, and we’re hoping to get all the questions answered ahead of time,” she said “We know there’s going to be a lot of people in town, and parking is going to be limited and transportation is going to be a little challenging We’re just trying to prepare people ahead of time so they’re not surprised by any of those things ”

Miller said the fall events calendar will also see the return of Endless Summer Cruisin and Sunfest, which will include bicycle- and pet-related activities He said Halloween festivities will also take place throughout the weekend

“Just like last year, everything is free at Sunfest this year,” he added

Miller told commission members special events will continue all the way to November, when Winterfest is slated to return to Northside Park He said new displays, as well as a new layout, will highlight the annual event

“The large tent comes back, and the tram does come back as well as a true Winterfest Express,” he explained “It’s more of a trolley ride to get you around the park than the experience that it used to be The walking experience is still our primary experience, and the displays are laid out as such So if you need the tram, you can actually take it and get off at multiple locations throughout the park ”

Miller said the town will also be partnering with the Art League of Ocean City to feature a Parade of Trees at this year ’s Winterfest The artscape will be located inside the tent

“I think it’s going to be a very big value for the visitor experience as you enter into the Winterfest grounds,” he said

Perlozzo agreed, noting that it was one of many additions being explored for Winterfest

“We are looking to create a different experience inside the tent, so there is some potential for amusement rides, working with one of the local amusement parks , ” he added “It should be really good ”

B Y B E T H A N Y H O O P E R ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Campaign To Target Workforce Needs

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – Resort officials this week received a first look at a marketing plan that targets workforce recruitment

On Monday, representatives with BVK, the town’s advertising agency, presented members of the Ocean City Tourism Commission with ideas for a new workforce recruitment initiative Tourism and Business Development Director Tom Perlozzo said the marketing strategy would address staffing needs as the resort continues to grow

“We took a look at our marketing and advertising, and we heard everything from the private sector associated with workforce, both externally and internally,” he said “We thought it might be a good opportunity for the experts to tell us what they’ve done in other jurisdictions

and for us to consider the potential for a workforce recruitment marketing and advertising plan ”

Perlozzo told commission members this week workforce issues have plagued the resort for decades He said those issues would only grow as the town builds its shoulder seasons and special events

“The problem’s always been here about workforce It’s never gone away and it’s going to continue to rise,” he said “And as we get bigger and bigger as a town, with the events and the shoulder seasons, etcetera, we need a good workforce in place ”

To that end, BVK representatives came before the commission this week with strategies that would promote Ocean City as a place to not only visit, but to work and live Victoria Simmons, senior vice president at BVK, said that marketing plan would go hand in hand with the town’s new Somewhere to Smile About campaign

“This idea of leveraging the lifestyle brand of tourism marketing is becoming more and more popular That’s essentially what we wanted to talk to you guys about today,” she said “As we have launched the Somewhere to Smile About brand, what would it look like for you as a community to leverage all of that equity in that brand where people do want to have a more balanced work-life experience to live in a community that feels a little more lighthearted and carefree?”

Simmons noted her agency has worked with the states of Wyoming and Maine to promote both tourism and workforce development

She said BVK would do the same with Ocean City through the deployment of a digital campaign

“It’s the communities where people want to live, work and visit that has become critically important in travel, particularly coming out of COVID,” she said

Councilman Will Savage, commission member, questioned if the recruitment plan would target international students

“Is there any component or international advertising for specifically the J-1 students?” he said “In recent years, we have had a huge decline in J-1 students coming over, and they typically fill the less-desirable jobs that we can’t fill with the local or regional workforce ”

Simmons noted the campaign would focus on domestic advertising One commission member, however, said that there was no shortage of J-1 students wanting to work in Ocean City

“The sponsor organizations say there’s no lack of students that want to come,” she said “It’s just where they can live They want to be here ”

BVK representatives this week also presented the tourism commission with the results of a “Catch A Ride” brand activation event held on Memorial Day weekend Lauren Murray, director of brand experience for BVK, said the campaign generated nearly 280 million impressions and 60,000 engagements

“Those two numbers, the impressions and the engagements, give us a real good guide to say this program was successful,” she said

B Y B E T H A N Y H O O P E R

Representatives with BVK, the town’s adver tising agency, met with the Ocean City Tourism Commission this week to discuss a workforce marketing plan

Above, Tourism and Business Development Director Tom Perlozzo is pictured in front of commission members Monday Photo by Bethany Hooper

WMO Scenes: Every summer the White Marlin Open provides oppor tunities for photographers to capture unique shots, and this year was no different as seen here Photos by OCYachtShots com

Resor t Dept . Explores

Fleet Transition Plan

OCEAN CITY – Transit officials say they will begin working on a plan for transitioning the resort’s diesel fleet to alternative fuels

On Tuesday, Transit Manager Rob Shearman told members of the Ocean City Transportation Committee that his department would soon begin developing a transition plan for the town’s bus fleet While no specific mandate has been placed on local transit systems to move to alternative fuels, he told officials that the town would begin its planning efforts in September

“I want everyone to be aware we are not under any specific deadline to transition our fleet into alternative fuel,” he said “But I do think it is a when, not if, proposition, and that we need to be considering what that plan might look like if such a mandate were to come down from the Federal Transit Administration and the Maryland Transit Administration ”

Shearman told the committee this week the federal and state transit agencies had recently released a zero-emissions bus study for Ocean City Transit That report, according to an email provided to committee members, estimated the switch to total $99 million in capital costs and $1 9 million in annual operating costs

Shearman, however, said the study did not provide a comparison as to what the town would be spending anyway to maintain its diesel fleet

“The big thing I want to be able to provide before we talk numbers is what are they proposing in terms of an investment into the system versus what we would be spending anyway,” he said “That’s where I think the study that was published didn’t really include a good comparison ”

In the meantime, Shearman told committee members that regional planners with the Maryland Transit Administration are encouraging the town’s transit department to begin developing a transition plan for its bus fleet He said those efforts would begin at a workshop scheduled for next month

“Nothing that comes out of that will be binding,” he said “But it will be our opportunity to study what the costs will potentially look like and then we’ll be able to present that to the committee and the council so we can begin to prepare for what we may end up having to do ”

When asked about fuel alternatives, Shearman said the town’s bus fleet was well positioned to transition to electric

“I do think that opens us up to concerns about emergency evacuation situations and the ability to go long ranges from here to somewhere else, charge our buses and get back,” he said “So there’s lots of questions to be answered ”

Officials reiterated that the development of a fleet transition plan was simply the beginning of a lengthy process

“It’s good to be early in those discussions,” said Mayor Rick Meehan “I just don’t want the public to think this is something we’re going to have to address in the next 60 days ”

Officials Question Cannabis Impacts

OCEAN CITY – Officials say the legalization of recreational cannabis has had some effect on the number of weapons arrests and substance violations reported in Ocean City last month

On Monday, Ocean City Police Chief Ross Buzzuro presented members of the Ocean City Police Commission with an update on police activity for the month of July With the legalization of recreational cannabis taking effect July 1, Buzzuro reported the number of controlled dangerous substance (CDS) violations had decreased from 139 last year to 22 this year, while drug citations decreased from 79 to one

“We know that is the change in the cannabis law,” he said

Buzzuro also noted that DUI arrests had increased from 27 to 50, while weapons arrests had decreased from 67 to 24 Council President Matt James, commission member, questioned if weapons arrests correlated with drug citations

“Weapons arrests are significantly down,” he said “Do you think that’s because of the drug citations?”

Buzzuro said the decrease in weapons arrests could be a result of the department’s enforcement efforts. However, he said he believed it had some effect

“I think that plays a part in it,” he said “Optimistically speaking, there could be somewhat less because of our enforcement efforts But we also have to factor in the change in cannabis and our ability to further search [a vehicle] We’re not able to recover the amount of firearms and weapons we were able to prior to July 1 ”

However, Capt James Grady told commission members this week the Ocean City Police Department was working with the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office as new cannabis laws take effect

“The state’s attorney’s office came in and did some really good training with us,” he said “They wanted us to try and search vehicles based on the smell of CDS if all the occupants are under 21, because they aren’t allowed to legally have it If everyone is 21 and over and we smell the odor, we can’t search the car So they are pushing the envelope a little bit Interestingly enough, we just had our first stop where that happened, and we got a fully loaded ghost gun out of the car ”

Councilman Frank Knight, commission member, also questioned if cannabis use had any effect on the number of DUI arrests

“DUIs have almost doubled from last year , ” he said “Are they intoxicated because of alcohol, or is it drugs?”

Buzzuro said the number of DUI arrests could also be the direct result of enforcement However, he said he believed cannabis use had an impact on impaired driving

“There’s more attention in terms of traffic enforcement, not only because we

have more time to do that, but we also have to factor in that shift in terms of cannabis and DUIs , ” he replied “I feel pretty confident in saying the change has to affect us in terms of people being impaired by cannabis and driving vehicles ”

During Monday’s presentation, Buzzuro also noted that the number of 911 hangups had increased by 503 calls, from 769 in July 2022 to 1,272 in July 2023 He said that uptick was also reflected in the total number of citizen calls for service, which had increased by 502 compared to last July

“Now we’re over 1,000,” he said That’s a little over 30 calls a day So they are contributing to our numbers, they are making those numbers significantly higher ”

Emergency Services Director Joe Theobald said advances in technology

could be to blame for the increasing number of 911 hangups

“Technology has improved on the phones,” he said “The SOS feature, people can set it, if they fall, to dial 911 ”

He noted, however, that staff con-

tinue to follow up on all 911 calls that are made

“The majority, probably, we handle internally,” he said “But that’s technology We have to respond to the call when we get it and follow up on it ”

Members of the Ocean City Police Commission are pictured at Monday’s meeting.

Photo by Bethany Hooper

Tuesday: Beach Safety (OC Beach Patrol)

Wednesday: Knot Tying (Coast Guard)

Thursday: All About Sharks

Friday: Land, Sky, & Sea

Saturday: Aquarium Feeding

OCEAN CITY – Less than a month remains to submit comments regarding offshore wind leasing areas off the coast of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia

On July 31, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced three final offshore wind energy areas off the mid-Atlantic coastline To that end, the federal agency last week published its notice of intent to prepare an environmental assessment (EA) of potential impacts from offshore wind leasing in the wind energy areas

The public has through Aug 31 to respond

“BOEM is seeking public input regarding important environmental issues and the identification of reasonable alternatives that should be considered in the EA,” the notice reads “The environmental impacts of any proposed wind energy projects will be assessed after a lease is issued and before BOEM decides whether or not to approve any lessee's project construction and operations plan ”

Last fall, BOEM announced eight draft wind energy areas on the U S Central Atlantic outer continental shelf for public review and comment The draft wind energy areas are offshore of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, covering approximately 1 7 million acres

Before finalizing the wind energy areas, BOEM reports it considered feedback from government partners, ocean users, and stakeholders in addition to potential conflicts with a United States Coast Guard safety fairway, commercial fishing, Department of Defense activities, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration danger zone, and marine habitat areas

On July 31, BOEM announced the final wind energy areas, which are identified as A-2, B-1, and C-1 off the coast of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia

“BOEM values a robust and transparent offshore wind planning process, which requires early and frequent engagement with Tribal governments, the Department of Defense, NASA, other government agencies, and ocean users,” said BOEM Director Liz Klein “We will continue to work closely with them, and all interested stakeholders, as we move forward with our environmental review ”

BOEM published its notice of intent to prepare an environmental assessment on Aug 1, which will initiate a 30-day public comment period Another public comment period would occur if BOEM decides to move forward with a lease sale in any of the wind energy areas

“This notice starts the scoping process for the EA and solicits information regarding additional important environmental issues and alternatives that should be considered in the EA

, ” the notice reads “Additionally, BOEM will use the scoping process to identify and eliminate from detailed analysis issues that are not significant or that have been analyzed by prior environmental reviews ”

BOEM reports it will also seek information from the public on cultural resources and historic properties that might be impacted by wind energy area leases and activities

“Wind energy leases do not authorize any activities on the Outer Continental Shelf,” the notice reads “Instead, leases grant lessees the exclusive right to submit plans for BOEM approval Prior to deciding whether or not to approve any plan for the construction and operation of commercial wind energy facilities, BOEM will prepare a plan-specific environmental analysis and will comply with all consultation requirements Therefore, this EA will not consider the construction and operation of any commercial wind energy facilities in the [wind energy areas] A–2, B–1, and C–1 ”

If fully developed, BOEM reports the final wind energy areas could support between four and eight gigawatts of energy production

People in Society

Featuring Those Helping Causes In The Resort Area

Kate Patton and Lower Shore Land Trust volunteers are pictured at the Berlin Peach Festival.

Volunteers from the Berlin Lions Club served up food at the Peach Festival.

A group of harness racing fans is pictured at the annual day of harness racing hosted by the Great Pocomoke Fair

Blake Baker and BJ Truitt attended an afternoon of harness racing at the Pocomoke fairgrounds on Aug 5

Cate Nellans and Heather Nottingham sold peach slushies at the Taylor House Museum’s Berlin Peach Festival

Local author and Ocean Pines resident Dr Cynthia Roman, displays her latest book, “Don’t Call Me a Ghost!” at the Ocean Pines library

Ava Sharpe and BT Truitt enjoyed a day of harness racing at the Pocomoke fairgrounds

Gee Williams is pictured selling copies of his book “Turn Your Town Around” at the Peach Festival

Tammy Faille , Phil Cropper and Ketih Hall paused for a photo at the Taylor House Museum’s Berlin Peach Festival

Tony Weeg, Sarah Tarr and Andrea Weeg represented Bay Street Blooms at the Berlin Peach Festival

Three $500 Grants Awarded To Help Black Communit y Groups

SALISBURY – The Black Excellence Community Fund, which is a Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore Giving Circle, celebrated Black Philanthropy Month by awarding grants to three Lower Shore Nonprofits at an evening dinner event on Aug 5

The grants benefit local nonprofits which impact the quality of life for the local Black community

Each organization received a $500 grant for their work Grantees were:

• Young Elites of the Eastern Shore West to East Coast Aviation Network (Y E E S W E C A N ) produces emerging young leaders interested in the career fields of aviation, aeronautics, and aerospace technology

• SchooLARS 4 STEM is a local grassroots mentoring program that seeks to create a cohort of K-12 aged students with strong STEM aptitude

• Faith Over Fear Economic Empowerment Inc builds stronger communities by providing resources and professional development for newly established blackowned businesses or expanding businesses

“The theme for the evening’s event was ‘Love in Action” and each of the nonprofits selected embrace this theme daily through their work,” said Sonya Whited, founding member of BECF “Each grant recipient’s story of local impact reminds us of the importance of giving back to our

community ”

The event also highlighted recent proclamations from Wicomico County designating August as Black Philanthropy Month, along with a citation from the Maryland General Assembly which honored BECF for philanthropic community support during Black Philanthropy Month

BECF was created in 2022 at the Community Foundation to preserve cultural awareness and pride by expanding the benefits of education, health, and welfare in the Black Community, while teaching the values of philanthropy Members work together through the power of collective philanthropy to create a positive impact in the community

To get involved or learn more visit CFES org/becf

Pictured, from left, are Sharon Morris, Black Excellence Community Fund (BECF) founding member; Lori Car ter, BECF founding member; Nicole Turner of SchooLARS 4 STEM; Angela Mor ton of Faith Over Fear Economic Empowerment; Cheryl Walker of Y E E S W E C A N ; and Sonya Whited, BECF visionary member

Submitted Photo

Key Information To Know About Ocean Rip Currents

the beach patrol provides, the NWS can provide rip current forecasts and daily advisories for the public

OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Beach Patrol has been actively trying to educate people about the hazards of rips currents much longer than the 20 years I have been on the patrol Our lifeguards talk to beach patrons several times each day and do beach safety seminars explaining rip currents and their dangers Every one of our lifeguard chairs has a diagram and explanation of rip currents, and we periodically hand out pamphlets about rip currents

In addition, the Ocean City Beach Patrol has been actively involved with the National Weather Service (NWS) and provides updated rip current data several times each day to the NWS With the data

The beach patrol has used an array of other methods to educate the public about rip currents For example, there is often information on the Ocean City Convention Center’s electronic billboard, the sign entering Ocean City at the Route 90 Bridge, as well as the Boardwalk The NWS has also beefed up its public information on its website

Rip currents are relatively small-scale surf-zone currents moving away from the beach Rip currents form as waves disperse along the beach causing water to become trapped between the beach and a sandbar or other underwater feature Water converges into a narrow, river-like channel moving away from the shore at

high speed To protect yourself from the dangers of rip currents, you need to fully understand them To do this, you first need to be able to identify them The next time you are on the beach, ask your lifeguard to point out a rip current to you and explain it Seeing it for yourself will prove to be a valuable opportunity Rip currents are without question the biggest hazard present on the beach For many years rip currents were the third leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U S , but a few years ago they moved up to the second leading cause Heat related deaths remain the leading cause (over 30 years)

Although the beach patrol performs

between 2,000 and 4,000 in-water interventions (rescues) each year, most of these are minor and in many more cases the surf rescue technician simply uses their whistle and flags to direct the swimmer out of the rip current without incident or any further action Beach patrons should always consult with the surf rescue technician about ocean conditions including rip current activity and the best place to swim

If you start to feel the effects of a rip current, do not panic, and to escape the pull of the rip current you should always swim parallel to shore and not try to fight the current Once you no longer feel the pull, you should swim back into shore People often make the mistake of swimming straight in against the current (rip currents can flow faster than an Olympic swimmer can swim) in a panicked state which can lead to exhaustion Therefore, many people who have died in a rip current do know how to swim and in some cases are actually good swimmers If you ever find yourself in an uncomfortable situation in the ocean, stay calm, wave your arms, and the surf rescue technician will assist you to safety However, when people ignore our plea to never enter the ocean when the beach patrol is off duty, they are making a potentially deadly mistake

To get current information about the beach patrol, daily stand locations, stats, and current beach conditions, you can follow the beach patrol on Instagram or “like us” on the official OCBP Facebook page We can’t wait to be a part of your wonderful experiences in Ocean City, because we are glad you are here, and always remember, “Keep your feet in the sand until the lifeguard’s in the stand!”

Captain’s Note: Rip current deaths are on pace to reach record numbers this year, with the National Weather Service reporting, nearly all of them occurring along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts This year, there have been more rip current related drowning deaths than in any recent years in the U S In Panama City Beach, Fla , there were six deaths in a 10-day period and yes, we had one in Ocean City, three weeks before guards were on duty for the season Heat-related deaths remain the leading cause (over 30 years), but rip currents are more deadly than tornados, hurricanes or cold If you question the seriousness of this threat, then just take a moment to realize that not all states could even contribute to this statistic because not all states have ocean beaches So being the second or third leading cause of weather-related death is quite significant

Already this summer there have been 1,375 rescues in Ocean City, with over 95% as a result of rip currents Nationally there have been 70 deaths through July 27 this season compared with 69 during all of 2022 and the 10-year average is 71 deaths Believe it or not, even the Great Lakes have rip currents

(The writer has been with the beach patrol for 19 years and is currently a sergeant. He is a physical education teacher for the Worcester County Public School system )

DAMIEN SANZOTTI

WheelchairAccessible

Funding Recipient

SALISBURY – TEDCO (Maryland Technology Development Corporation) recently named Salisbury University’s Dave and Patsy Rommel Center for Entrepreneurship among the inaugural recipients of Maryland Makerspace Initiative Program funding

“This award will help us to expand the impact of the Rommel Center and reach new communities of makers, artists, and entrepreneurs,” said Michael Jensen, SU executive director of entrepreneurship

The program was founded in an effort to encourage the growth of makerspaces throughout the state The first round provides 20 projects, spanning 11 counties and Baltimore City, grants up to $100,000 for the establishment of a new makerspace, the expansion of a makerspace or the development of programming for a makerspace

“The center ’s makerspace expansion involves the creation and facilitation of new makerspace programming, a makerspace program lead that allows for the expansion of weekend and evening hours, and new maker materials and marketing resources to support the programming, projects and awareness of the makerspace opportunities available to SU and community members,” said Bryan Bourdeau, assistant director of the center

Potential new programming includes workshops and activities designed for youth and seniors, a maker-in-residence program, community showcases and exhibitions, and entrepreneurship and business development

Board Appointment

SALISBURY – Meredith Mears, senior advisor with SVN Miller Commercial Real Estate, has recently been appointed to the board of Hudson Behavioral Health

Hudson Behavioral Health is a residential addiction treatment program on the Eastern Shore According to their website, “We remain focused on providing quality care and developing programs to individuals that address all of our patient’s needs ”

Mears is well known for her depth of volunteer service in our community, directly through her philanthropy and through her volunteer service on several boards of directors including Leadership Maryland, 1 Year to Empowerment, Maryland Capital Enterprises, and others Mears also served as regent of the University System of Mary-

BUSINESS And Real Estate News

in a wide variety of manufacturing production and industries including the production of textiles, personal products like shampoo and laundry detergent, and automotive products like antifreeze and brake fluid, and the sterilization of spices and medical equipment; and SB 222 – Environment – Statewide Recycling Needs Assessment and Producer Responsibility for Packaging Materials, which while intended to have packaging producers take more responsibility for the life cycle of their products, would penalize packaging producers and increase the cost of products SB 222 passed the General Assembly and was signed into law by Governor Wes Moore on May 8 Carozza supported amendments to SB 222 designed to reduce the burden on retailers and voted against the final passage of SB 222

President Recognized

SALISBURY – Jessica Hales, president of the TidalHealth Foundation, has been named to the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) 2023 40 Under 40 List

The AHP 40 Under 40 program is designed to recognize leaders within the healthcare philanthropy community The AHP honors these 40 young professionals under the age of 40 because they are shaping the future of the healthcare industry, one campaign at a time

land and was named a top 100 Woman in the state of Maryland in 2020 by The Daily Record for her contributions and mentoring

“At Hudson Behavioral Health, we're committed to maintaining a diverse board of members with different backgrounds that can help support our mission statement,” stated Leslie Brown, CEO “Merry has assisted us with several real estate transactions in the past, and she has a deep understanding of our vision I know she'll be a wonderful asset to the Board of Directors as we continue to grow ”

“I’m grateful to do the work in our community that this opportunity presents,” said Mears, “Hudson Behavioral Health provides vital, lifesaving services to members of our community perhaps most in need ”

Retailer Award

ANNAPOLIS – The Maryland Retailers Association (MRA) again has recognized Sen Mary Beth Carozza (R-District 38) as a 2023 Legislative All-Star for her support of the retail business community

“We have some of the most creative retail operators right here on the Shore who offer quality products to local residents and visitors alike,” said Carozza,

who represents businesses in Worcester, Wicomico, and Somerset counties “I will continue to support policies that give these operators the flexibility they need to be job creators and to be successful with their businesses ”

Carozza worked with MRA on legislation assigned to the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee on which she serves

Her efforts helped ensure that the concerns of Maryland retailers were considered on several pieces of legislation, including: SB 250 – Environment – Climate Crisis Plan – Requirement, which was opposed by MRA, would require climate crisis plans at the county level, creating a patchwork of policies with a variety of standards and compliance deadlines that would further encumber the daily operations of retailers; SB 260 – Maryland Paint Stewardship bill, which was opposed by MRA, would set a dangerous precedent by awarding State taxing authority to a private entity without addressing organizational issues and costs; SB 916 – Environment – Ethylene Oxide – Prohibition, which was opposed by MRA, would prohibit the use of a chemical compound used

Hales started her philanthropic work with Atlantic General Hospital in 2009, where she worked closely with the development department and enjoyed the fulfillment of watching others give to something they were passionate about

After working careers that included national nonprofit and higher education work, she returned to healthcare in May 2022 as president of the TidalHealth Foundation Her roles, scope, and influence have continued to evolve to serve the communities in Maryland and Delaware

“Connecting donors with their passion has always been something that I enjoy," said Hales “The possibilities to do that in healthcare are endless: legacy gifts, grateful family gifts, designated gifts for service lines or equipment, endowments, gifts in honor of a provider that made a difference, and the most impactful to me, ‘in memory of’ gifts These meaningful investment opportunities help transform care for our patients and preserve access to healthcare in the communities we serve for generations to come ”

At a recent board meeting, Hudson Behavioral Health CEO Leslie Brown, center, honored three depar ting board members and thanked them for their dedication and ser vice . Pictured, left, Tony Sarbanes ser ved for 20 years, Michelle Grag er, right, served for 16 years, and Laura Rodriguez, not pictured, served on the board for 16 years

Submitted Photo

MEREDITH MEARS

JESSICA HALES

Freeman Ar ts Pavilion’s Photo Of The Week: Each week during the season the Freeman Ar ts Pavilion submits a photo of the week from the Selbyville, Del venue Above, singer-songwriter and powerhouse guitarist Marcus King was live in concer t on Aug 10 Live music continues all summer long at the open-air outdoor venue located four miles from Ocean City

Photo by Justin Odendhal/Freeman Arts Pavilion

COMMUNITY News In Photos

Members of the Board of Directors of the Ar t League of Ocean City celebrated the nonprofit organization's 60th bir thday by cutting the cake for the guests at the First Friday opening reception on Aug 4 Pictured, from left, Al "Hondo" Handy, Cour tney Blackford, Executive Director Rina Thaler, President John Sisson, Virginia Outten, Emily Schwab, and Barbara Patrick. Submitted Photos

Representatives of Lower Shore Land Trust were among the numerous nonprofits in attendance at the Berlin Peach Festival on Aug 5 The organization shared tips on managing invasive species, the value of quail habitat and the impor tance of pollinators

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City is hosting its four th annual Kiwanis Lottery fundraiser to suppor t local children’s programs and annual scholarships Club members will be present at the booth at the Ocean Pines Farmers Market every Saturday from 8 a m until 1 pm

The Worcester County Ar ts Council is featuring a vibrant selection of ar twork created by elementary school students who participated in the summer arts camp program held in par tnership with Worcester County Public Schools The exhibit will be on display until Aug 31 Pocomoke Elementary School students who participated in the program are shown with their ar twork

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City recently donated $1,000 to Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation’s Children's House by the Sea. Bob Wolfing, president of the club, is pictured presenting the donation check to Mary Decker Brown, programs director for Children’s House by the Sea

Joanne Guilfoil and Jim Motsko greeted guests on First Friday, Aug. 4, at the Ocean City Center for the Ar ts at their joint ar t exhibition celebrating the White Marlin Open fishing tournament.

Ar tists Sought For Annual Paint

BERLIN – Area artists are encouraged to get outdoors for this year ’s Paint Worcester County, the annual plein air event hosted by the Worcester County Arts Council

Artists have until Aug 31 to register for this year ’s plein air painting event, which will be held from Sept 17-23

“Each year, this event attracts more and more talented artists who set up their easels to paint, explore, and enjoy the various sites and landscapes of our wonderful county, thus enabling us to reach all geographic areas of Worcester County an important goal of our mission,” said Anna Mullis, executive director of the Worcester County Arts Council

The Worcester County Arts Council announced last week that registration for Paint Worcester County is open until Aug 31 This year ’s event, which runs from Sept 17-23, will be presented in partnership with the Worcester County Library Foundation

“From a visitors' perspective, the plein air event provides an opportunity to appreciate the richness of beauty of Worcester County in new and sometimes unexpected ways, through the impressions of these artists whose passion and skillful work continue to inspire us all,” Mullis said “Sometimes it’s a small, ordinary detail, a scalloped picket fence, or a tan-

gle of overhead phone wires that captures the artists’ attention And oftentimes it’s these simple elements that remind us how important true artists are in the way they shed light on things we might otherwise take for granted, gently urging us forward to a greater appreciation for the world’s many facets We are thankful to them to be a witness to this special creative process we call art ”

Participating artists will paint outdoors

Count y Event

ing the natural light, atmosphere, colors, and mood, as they experience it in realtime,” Mullis said “This type of painting encourages the artist to closely observe the environment and translate their impressions onto the canvas with immediacy and spontaneity ”

Ivy Wells, economic and community development director in Berlin, said Paint Worcester County provided artists with a chance to show off their work and at the same time highlight the beauty of the area

“The Worcester County Arts Council’s plein air event promotes cultural engagement and fosters a sense of community pride,” Wells said “It provides opportunities for local artists to showcase their talents, collaborate and connect with a broader audience ”

at their leisure anywhere in Worcester County in an attempt to win cash prizes

Artwork in the competition will be judged by Ann Coates, a local art supporter and the owner of Bishop’s Stock Fine Art, Craft & Wine Gallery in Snow Hill

“These ‘plein air ’ artists are professionals; many are award winners in multiple competitions When painting a plein air painting, an artist's primary goal is to capture the essence of the scene, includ-

The public will have the opportunity to watch the artists at work as they set up their easels at picturesque locations throughout Worcester County Members of the public will also have the chance to attend a free exhibit of the completed artwork at the Berlin library The exhibit, which will be located on the second floor of the Berlin library, will be held Sept 22 and Sept 23 Visitors will also be able to purchase the artwork that is on display

Registration, event schedule, and artists' guidelines are available on the Worcester County Arts Council’s website: www worcestercountyartscouncil org

Guests are pictured browsing the pieces created during last year’s plein air event

Photo by Charlene Sharpe

Be Safe And Thanks For Visiting Ocean Cit y

with Scott Lenox

The 50th anniversary of the White Marlin Open has come and gone, and it was an absolutely awesome week with a record-breaking purse and a recordbreaking payout There was only one qualifying billfish all week, but there were wahoo, mahi and literally tons of tuna, and at the end of the week there were some big checks The 50th Anniversary of the White Marlin Open will be remembered for two things The overwhelming amount of tuna that included several bigeye over 200 pounds and the huge payout received by the one blue marlin that would qualify The largest bigeye of the tournament was caught by the Reel Tight and won over $1 million, but the highest paid bigeye of the White Marlin Open didn’t even crack the top three The RoShamBo with Captain Willie Zimmerman caught a 215-pound bigeye, but because they were the highest ranking boat that was in the $50,000 buy-in Anniversary Calcutta, they won over $1 7 million in prize money

On Friday, the final day of fishing, team Floor Reel brought in a 118”, 640 5 pound blue marlin that would take every billfish place and a lot of money Captain “Big Wave” Dave Warren and his crew received a check on Saturday for over $6 2 million

Congratulations to all the winners of the White Marlin Open and congratulations to Jim Motsko and his family on 50 years

Outside of the tourney, things are about the same with slow to moderate sea bass fishing with some good flounder fishing going on Anglers fishing over ocean structure anywhere from 50 to 100 feet of water are doing well with flounder up to as large as 8 5 pounds Jigging bucktails with Gulp or Otter Tails or drifting the Deadly Tackle Squidly rig have been productive techniques for catching some good flounder in the ocean Back bay flounder fishing has been good on the high tide where the cleanest water can be found Larger fish are being caught on live spot and bunker, while throwbacks and some keepers are being caught on Deadly Doubles with Gulp, Otter Tails and live minnows

The Poor Girls Open at Bahia Marina is going on this weekend and then it’s right into the MidAtlantic Tournament Until next week, tight lines

(The writer is the owner of Fish in OC and host of Ocean City’s fishing television show Hooked on OC He has worked in the fishing industry and been fishing the waters in and around Ocean City for over 25 years.)

SEE PAGES 54-55

Team Floor Reel set a world record for highest payout when they landed a 640.5-pound blue marlin wor th over $6.2 million. Submitted Photos

Above top left, the RoShamBo with Captain Willie Zimmerman won the Anniversary Calcutta in the White Marlin Open with a 215-pound bigeye wor th over $1.7 million. Above top right, first place in the mahi category was won by Team Roncito with an impressive 50 5 pound bull Middle center left, “Hurricane” Murray Meyers caught his limit of flounder on board the Morning Star with Captain Monty Hawkins Middle center, Wyatt Leiphar t shot this big 54 pound southern ray with Captain Marc Spagnola of Dusk to Dawn Bowfishing Middle right, Rich Daiker fished the Route 50 Bridge using bunker and landed this beauty of a 26” flounder Bottom left, first place in the wahoo category went to team Shooting Star with a 57 pound fish Bottom right, The Tor tuga fishing out of Bahia Marina has seen some good flounder fishing this month Opposite page, top left, Reel Tight’s 265 pound bigeye tuna was good for first place and over $1 million in the 50th White Marlin Open Opposite page, top right, Louden Swain caught his personal best 7 4-pound flounder and his dad Randy nipped him at 7 65 Opposite page, bottom left, Derek Yobst fished ocean structure to land this 27”, 8 3 pound flounder Opposite page, bottom right, Carey Vanden Broeke caught this nice red drum behind Assateague Island on the Deadly Tackle Thing a Ma Jig.

Sur vey Finds Improved Eastern Shore Business Outlook

SALISBURY – Eastern Shore business owners and managers’ outlook on the economy are more optimistic than they were six months ago

These trends are among the findings of the latest Eastern Shore Business Sentiment Survey conducted through a partnership with Salisbury University’s Business Economic and Community Outreach Network (BEACON), SU’s Eastern Shore Regional GIS Cooperative (ESRGC), and many of the region’s economic and workforce development professionals

The June 2023 results represent the fifth report released by BEACON The first survey in the series was conducted in June 2021, with a follow-up in December 2021, and the most recent report in December 2022

The survey included more than 50 questions, asking business leaders to weigh in on a range of topics, from general business concerns to conditions in their own industries Respondents evaluated business conditions locally, regionally, in the state and nationwide for the coming year They also shared views related to their specific industries and on

issues from labor supply to regulations

Results include:

The 12-month outlook for business conditions in participants’ respective counties is significantly better than in June 2022 When asked to predict the business conditions in their counties and the Eastern Shore, 25% responded that they believe economic conditions will worsen, compared to 44% in June 2022

Those responding “Much Better/Better” increased by 11 points over 12 months

On a state and national level, almost 44% of participants believe economic conditions will be worse, compared to 63% in June 2022

Expectations for business conditions locally have improved significantly from December 2022 to June 2023 “Much Worse/Worse” responses fell from 38% in December to 25% in June “Unchanged” responses increased to 41% in June 2023 after being 37% in December 2022, and “Much Better/Better” responses increased significantly to 55% from 25% in December 2022

Reflecting on their individual industry sectors, 44% of respondents believe business conditions “Deteriorated A Lot/-

Deteriorated Slightly” over the past 12 months Respondents are optimistic about the short-term future, with 34% believing business conditions in their sector will “Improve Slightly/Improve A Lot” over the next three months Respondents are optimistic about the longterm future, with 37% believing business conditions in their sector will “Improve Slightly/Improve A Lot” over the next 12 months

Respondents assessed inflation as the most significant barrier to expanding their sector, followed by labor force issues then finances and funding The highest barrier to starting a new business in their specific sectors was labor force issues, followed by inflation and finances and funding

When asked which cost increase in the previous six months had the greatest impact on the respondents’ businesses, they noted that the increase in fuel and transportation had the highest impact Close behind, the cost of raw materials and utilities were tied for the second largest impact on local firms

Respondents agreed payroll and benefit costs in the next 12 months would

be worse or much worse in their county, region, state, and nation However, “Worse/Much Worse” responses have decreased in the county, region, state and nation when compared to the December 2022 survey

Businesses generally are confident about their operation on a longer horizon Over 79% believe their firm will be operating locally in the next five years, with just 6% predicting their business will not be operating locally five years from now

Even after the events of the COVID19 pandemic, a majority of respondents’ firms do not have remote workers (75%) Of the firms with remote workers, the majority of the workers are in the county in which the business is located

Almost 78% believe household income for the average American has fallen behind the cost of living, while only 4% believe household incomes have surpassed the cost of living

Respondents were increasingly optimistic in their expectations of the standard of living in the next five years Across all areas, 39% believe it will re-

Funded By Federal Program

main the same, while 36% think it will rise, and 26% think it will fall The number of respondents that said that the standard of living would fall on Maryland’s Eastern Shore over the next five years decreased by 16 points since the December 2022 survey

Participants had mixed views on the current state of America’s economy, with overall thoughts improving Participants generally believe the economy is “Stagnating” (36%), with 31% believing it is “Growing Rapidly/Growing Slowly ” Some 33% believe the economy is “In a Recession/Depression,” which is a significant decline from 47% six months ago

A majority of responses came from company leadership, with business owners, presidents, CEOs and managing partners making up 68% of the participants A total of 80% were from firms with fewer than 50 employees Responses came from a wide variety of industries reflecting the economy of the region, with many respondents active in more than one industry

Counties on the Eastern Shore will continue to conduct the survey every six months, with the data used to identify

Pines Police Receive T wo Grants

challenges facing the region, to assist in long-term planning and to guide the development of public policy

The Eastern Shore Regional GIS Cooperative (ESRGC) summarized the findings in infographics that can be found on the Eastern Shore Economic Recovery Project website, but economic developers also have access to an internal dashboard that enables them to mine the data for insight on specific issues

Designed to gauge the opinions of the region’s business leaders, this survey is one of the tools that has grown out of the Eastern Shore Economic Recovery Project, a venture made possible by grants totaling $507,000 from the U S Economic Development Agency (EDA)

The Mid-Shore Regional Council and the Tri-County Council of the Lower Eastern Shore are recognized as Economic Development Districts by the EDA

The data tools used in the project have been recognized with regional and national accolades including the Maryland Economic Development Association’s 2022 Economic Development Program Award, the 2022 International Economic Development Council Silver Award and the 2022 National Asso-

BERLIN – The Ocean Pines Police Department recently received two grant awards, for police retention and for community engagement

Police received $20,000 from the Maryland Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention for police retention

Chief Tim Robinson said the funds would be used for providing both retention incentives for current officers and recruitment incentives for future new hires

The department also received $2,750 from the Maryland Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention for the police department's community engagement programs, specifically to help pay for police overtime for events like the recent National Night Out cel-

ciation of Development Organizations (NADO) Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Award

In addition to the regional councils, partners in the project include ESRGC, BEACON, the Lower Shore Workforce Alliance, the Upper Shore Workforce Investment Board, and the Caroline, Cecil,

ebration and staffing for July 4 fireworks and other large events

Both grants were secured by grant specialist Valerie Mann, with help from Ocean Pines Police Lt Shakhan Toppin Robinson said Ocean Pines Police would continue to seek and utilize grants to help fund police activities, and to help recruit and retain officers

"We are grateful to the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention for awarding these two grants to Ocean Pines,” he said “With this help we will be able to help maintain our current staff of officers while attracting new ones with one of the grants, and it will make it easier to provide police assistance with major events in our community "

Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester county economic development offices

To access Eastern Shore Economic Recovery Project data, visit https://recovery delmarvaindex org The complete Delmarva Index can be found at https://delmarvaindex org

Chris Par ypa’s Photo Of The Week: Each week staff photographer Chris Parypa is tasked with submitting a photo from his vast library to be featured in this space Above a vessel is pictured heading offshore at sunrise earlier this month To purchase any of Parypa’s photos, click over to www chrisparypa com

THE DISPATCH Crossword Puzzle

ANSWERS ON PAGE 82

HOROSCOPES

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): This is a good time for the usually outspoken Lamb to be a bit more discreet You can still get your point across, but do it in a way that is less likely to turn off a potential supporter

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Good news: All that hard work you put in is beginning to pay off But you need to watch that tendency to insist on doing things your way or no way Be a bit more flexible

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): You might want to delay making a decision on the future of a long-standing relationship until you check out some heretofore hidden details that are just now beginning to emerge

CANCER (June 21 to July 22): Your reluctance to compromise on an important issue could backfire without more facts to support your position

Weigh your options carefully before making your next move

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22): This is a good time for ambitious Leos or Leonas to shift from planning their next move to actually doing it Your communication skills can help persuade others to join you

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22): Relationships – personal or professional – present new challenges Be careful not to let a sudden surge of stubbornness influence how you choose to deal with them

LIBRA (Sept 23 to Oct 22): You might need more facts before you de-

cide on a possible career change On the other hand, you should have no problem making a decision about an important personal matter

SCORPIO (Oct 23 to Nov 21): You're respected by most people for your direct, no-nonsense approach to issues But be careful you don't replace honest skepticism with stinging sarcasm

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 to Dec 21): A newly emerging situation could require a good deal of attention and some difficult decision-making However, close friends will help you see it through

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19): Ignoring changes in a relationship could create problems later on Get involved now while there's still time to work things out and reach an understanding

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 to Feb 18): Of course you deserve to indulge yourself in something special But for now, tuck that bit of mad money away You'll need it to help with a looming cash crunch

PISCES (Feb 19 to March 20): A temporary setback in your financial situation is eased by changing some of your plans You'll be able to ride it out quite well until the tide turns back in your favor

BORN THIS WEEK: You have a gift for understanding people's needs You have a low tolerance for those who act without concern for others

© 2023 King Features Synd , Inc

Things I Like...

By Steve Gr een

Time off in the summer

T he amazing view fr om T he Wedge in OC

T hat my wife does back to school stuff

T he emotions of Surfer s Healing

T he fir st night at home after staying in a hotel

A cloud’s temporar y r elief on a hot day

A couch that ’s comfor table year s later

Cor n on the cob with crabs

Watching the scoper s work the beach

Going hour s without my phone

A big, old oak tr ee

Y

The hurricane of August 23, 1933 was the single most important event in the history of Ocean City.

It created the Inlet, separated Ocean City from Assateague and ended the railroad and pound fishing industries forever. The creation of the Inlet made possible the commercial harbor and brought about the important off-shore fishing industry. Without the Inlet today’s bayside marinas and charter fishing fleet would not exist.

Although that long-ago storm flooded the town and destroyed the Boardwalk, it changed a small seasonal resort into the “White Marlin Capital of the World”.

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5BR, 3 1/2BA 2 Decks 3 car garage Fenced yard Updated West OC Avail 9/1 $4,400 per mo YR No Pets 443-521-3202 ––––––––––––––––––––––––

NOW HIRING!

HYGIENIST/ASSISTANT

Friendly boutique dental practice, with great patients, looking for a

and a PT/FT DENTAL ASSISTANT

Please send resume to dentistryinthepines@gmail com

•BARTENDER •COOK

Or Contact Our Office at 410-352-9800

CAREGIVER

CAREGIVER IN YOUR HOME: Honest dependable trustwor thy & compassionate care Hospital & home health exp Exc Ref s Call Debbie Bell 302-339-7162

WATERCRAFT ROOMMATE

ROOM(S) FOR RENT: Seeking Roommate(s) YR or Seasonal Indoor Hot Tub Non smoking, pets welcome Single Family Home, 94th St area Rent negotiable Call/text for more info 410-7265200 (Job inhibits phone calls, text if can’t reach by calls)

REAL ESTATE

18 ACRES BUILDING SITE, WORCESTER COUNTY: Close to Rts 113 & 50 Located on Rt 610 Fiber Optic Internet avail on property to work from home Minutes to Everything, yet secluded! $399,000 Howard Martin Realty, 410-352-5555

2012 YAMAHA VX CRUISER JET SKI: 110HP, 132Hrs, 50 mph Blue Very well kept Winterized/serv yearly Berlin marina Call 410-903-6680 ––––––––––––––––––––––––

TRAVEL/SALE

A M T R A K T R AV E L V O U C HE R: Original purchase price $501 Ok to transfer Unable to travel Price may be nego $450 Call 443-235-4337 ––––––––––––––––––––––––

FOR SALE

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

COMMERCIAL SERVICES

CLEANING SERVICE: We clean homes & offices at very reasonable rates and leave you spotless, unlike other cleaning services that charge you an arm and a leg and you still have to clean behind them when they are gone! Try Us Out! Give us a call, I guarantee we will leave you with a smile! 908-266-9112. ––––––––––––––––––––––––

WHISPERING WOODS COMMUNITY WIDE YARDSALE: (WOC, off Rt 611) Sat , Aug 26th, 8am-noon Items for the whole family!!

Another clay pot Pushed out of the waste of time Back into Love’s kiln!

The Dispatch Legal Notices

LEGAL RATES

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

Third Inser tion

PHILIP C WIDDOWSON ESQ .

PHILIP C. WIDDOWSON, P A

11791 SOMERSET AVENUE PRINCESS ANNE, MD 21853

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE 19826

To all persons interested in the estate of ALMA B BAYLIS, Estate No 19826

Notice is given that VERNON BROOKS BAYLIS III whose address is 2652 STOCKTON ROAD POCOMOKE CITY, MD 21851, was on JULY 19, 2023, appointed Personal

Representative of the estate of ALMA B BAYLIS who died on MAY 30, 2023, with a will

Fur ther 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 19TH day of JANUARY, 2024

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:

Six 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 deliver y 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

AUGUST 4, 2023

VERNON BROOKS BAYLIS, III

Personal Representative True Test Copy

TERRI WESTCOTT, Register of Wills for Worcester County ONE W MARKET STREET ROOM 102 COURT HOUSE SNOW HILL, MD 21863-1074

3x 8-4, 8-11, 8-18

RAYMOND D COATES JR, ESQ COATES,COATES, & COATES, P A 6200 COASTAL HIGHWAY, SUITE 300 OCEAN CITY, MD 21842

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE 19839

To all persons interested in the estate of JO ANN C ROSELLINI Estate No 19839

Notice is given that KIMBERLY A COFFEY whose address is 5331 KENWOOD AVENUE BALTIMORE, MD 21206 and RITA M MORSBERGER whose address is 2896 HUNT VALLEY DRIVE GLENWOOD, MD 21738 were on AUGUST 02, 2023 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of JO ANN C ROSELLINI who died on JUNE 25, 2023 with a will Fur ther 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 2nd day of FEBRUARY, 2024

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:

Six 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 deliver y of the notice A claim not pre-

sented 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 August 4, 2023

KIMBERLY A COFFEY RITA M MORSBERGER Personal Representative True Test Copy

TERRI WESTCOTT, Register of Wills for Worcester County ONE W MARKET STREET ROOM 102 COURT HOUSE SNOW HILL, MD 21863-1074

3x 8-11, 8-18, 8-25

ing dates:

Six 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 deliver y 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 August 11, 2023

MARJORIE M HARMS

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:

Six 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 deliver y 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.

Fur ther 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 7th day of FEBRUARY, 2024

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:

Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or

JOHN B. ROBINS, IV, ESQ . ROBINS & ROBINS, PA 128 EAST MAIN STREET PO BOX 506 SALISBURY, MD 218030506

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE 19840

To all persons interested in the estate of GLENN A MUMBAUER, AKA: GLENN ARTHUR MUMBAUER, Estate No 19840 Notice is given that MARJORIE M HARMS, whose address is 6401 ATLANTIC AVENUE UNIT 106, OCEAN CITY, MD 21842, was on AUGUST 02, 2023 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of GLENN A MUMBAUER, who died on JULY 19, 2023 with a will

Fur ther 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 2ND day of FEBRUARY, 2024

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 follow-

Personal Representative True Test Copy

TERRI WESTCOTT, Register of Wills for Worcester County ONE W MARKET STREET ROOM 102 COURT HOUSE SNOW HILL, MD 21863-1074 3x 8-11, 8-18, 8-25

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE 19841

To all persons interested in the estate of MELISSA DENISE FEHRER, Estate No 19841 Notice is given that DAMIEN C. FEHRER, whose address is 188 FARMVILLE LAKE ROAD, FARMVILLE, VA 23901, was on AUGUST 03, 2023 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of MELISSA DENISE FEHRER, who died on JUNE 16, 2023 with a will Fur ther information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal representative or the attorney. All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent's will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 3RD day of FEBRUARY, 2024

Any person having a claim

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication August 11, 2023

DAMIEN C FEHRER

Personal Representative True Test Copy

TERRI WESTCOTT, Register of Wills for Worcester County ONE W MARKET STREET ROOM 102 COURT HOUSE SNOW HILL, MD 21863-1074 3x 8-11, 8-18, 8-25

(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 deliver y 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 August 11, 2023

PHILIP C WIDDOWSON ESQ

PHILIP C WIDDOWSON, P A 11791 SOMERSET AVENUE PRINCESS ANNE, MD 21853

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE 19838

To all persons interested in the estate of RUTH S WIDDOWSON, Estate No 19838

Notice is given that JEAN W MAHEW, whose address is 10 DOGWOOD PLACE, BERLIN, MD 21811, was on AUGUST 07, 2023 appointed

Personal Representative of the estate of RUTH S WIDDOWSON, who died on JULY 11, 2023 with a will

The Dispatch Legal Notices

LEGAL RATES

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

the estate of ROBERT A HOFFMAN, Estate No 19850 Notice is given that CYNTHIA M HOFFMAN, whose address is 23 WATERGREEN LANE, BERLIN, MD 21811, was on AUGUST 10, 2023 appointed personal representative(s) of the small estate of ROBERT A HOFFMAN, who died on OCTOBER 23, 2022 with a will

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

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

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

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

Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or

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

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch

Date of Publication AUGUST 18, 2023

CYNTHIA M HOFFMAN

Personal Representative

True Test Copy

TERRI WESTCOTT, Register of Wills for Worcester County

ONE W MARKET STREET ROOM 102

COURT HOUSE

SNOW HILL, MD 21863-1074

1x 8-18

COATES

204 WEST GREEN STREET

P O BOX 293 SNOW HILL, MD 21863

SMALL ESTATE NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN

HEIRS ESTATE 19851

To all persons interested in the estate of GOLDSBOROUGH HAMMOND, Estate No 19851 Notice is given that CYNTHIA ANN SPENCER, whose address is 7308 SHOCKLEY ROAD, SNOW HILL, MD 21863 was on AUGUST 11, 2023 appointed personal representative(s) of the small estate of GOLDSBOROUGH HAMMOND, who died on JUNE 11, 1999 without a will.

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

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

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

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

Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or

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

TERRI WESTCOTT, Register of Wills for Worcester County ONE W MARKET STREET ROOM 102 COURT HOUSE SNOW HILL, MD 21863-1074 1x 8-18

SMALL ESTATE NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIR ESTATE 19846

To all persons interested in the estate of CALEB STEPHEN CLARK, Estate No 19846 Notice is given that STEVEN GERALD CLARK, whose address is 850 OCEAN PARKWAY, BERLIN, MD 21811, was on AUGUST 08, 2023 appointed personal representative(s) of the small estate of CALEB STEPHEN CLARK, who died on AUGUST 21, 2019 without a will

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

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

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

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

Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or

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

Date of Publication AUGUST 18, 2023

STEVEN GERALD CLARK

Personal Representative True Test Copy

TERRI WESTCOTT, Register of Wills for Worcester County ONE W MARKET STREET ROOM 102 COURT HOUSE SNOW HILL, MD 218631074 1x 8-18

BERLIN, MD 21811, was on AUGUST 09, 2023 appointed

Personal Representative of the estate of LACIE M ELZA, who died on JULY 03, 2023 without a will

Fur ther 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 9th day of FEBRUARY, 2024

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 credi- tor presents the claims within two months from the mailing or other deliver y of the notice A claim not pre- sented or filed on or before that date , or any extension provided by law, is unen- forceable thereafter Claim forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name

RANDALL

&

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch

To all persons interested in the estate of LACIE M ELZA, Estate No 19848 Notice is given that BARBARA ANN ELZA, whose address is 181 OCEAN PARKWAY,

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:

Six months from the date of the decedent's death; or

(2) Two months after the personal representative mails

B.

COATES ESQ COATES, COATES,

OCEAN CITY – Public safety officials in the Town of Ocean City announced this week that OC Alert, powered by Rave Mobile and Smart911, is now available to all residents

OC Alert is a free trial service that allows individuals to sign up for notifications sent from state and local authorities OC Alert keeps residents and travelers informed on potentially hazardous situations involving weather, traffic, and other emergencies

OC Alert enables residents and travelers to Ocean City to sign up for free at https://www smart911 com/smart911/ref/reg action?pa=oceancitymd to receive timely and actionable emergency alerts via email, text, or voice message They can also identify what they would like to be notified about and when they are alerted

Ocean City residents and travelers can also download the Smart911 app to sign up for OC Alert to receive key information needed in an emergency The Smart911 app provides enhanced functionality by sending targeted alerts based on the user ’s location Smart911 app users will receive the highest priority National Weather Service alerts including hurricane warn-

ings, flash flood warnings, and severe thunderstorm warnings based on their real-time location Download the Smart911 App on the Apple Store or Google Play or by texting “Smart911” to 67283

“Keeping our residents and visitors safe is the number one priority,” commented Emergency Services Director Joseph

Theobald “We encourage all residents and visitors to sign up for OC Alert in order to be prepared should an emergency occur ” OC Alert is trusted by thousands of institutions including state and local authorities, businesses, and educational institutions OC Alert sends

sages daily and during critical situations such as severe weather

Community members are encouraged to sign up for OC Alert and input or update their information and notification preferences at alerts smart911 com or in the Smart911 app To learn more, visit https://oceancitymd gov/oc/alerts/

Parypa

Jeep Fest Set For OC Return

OCEAN CITY – The resort area will host the return of the annual Ocean City Jeep Fest, Aug 24-27

“I’ve never been more excited to host our Jeep event,” said Live Wire Media’s Brad Hoffman “It is truly an uplifting experience for all who attend from the offroad and Jeep community People wait all year for this, kids bug their parents to say – when are we going to Jeep Fest? Their happiness is my happiness ”

The end of summer is always the time for Jeep owners and fans to converge on Ocean City for the ultimate Jeep vacation A true celebration and festival of the Jeeps is what Ocean City Jeep Fest is all about

The daily sunrise beach crawl will begin this year at the Inlet parking lot and the parade of Jeeps on the shore break will head north toward 30th Street

“People laughing and having the time of their life is a beautiful memory for the families and the kids who make up this great event,” Hoffman said Jeeps are invited to take part in the custom-made sand course, courtesy of Delmarva Jeep Events and title sponsor Kicker, located on the beach at Somerset Street With the Boardwalk and Pier in the background, Jeep drivers can climb over sloping hills and have their photo taken on the mega-mound

The hub and nucleus of the event is the Roland E Powell Convention Center at 40th Street Jeeps line up and shine up for our Show & Shine events on Thursday and Friday, Aug 24-25 Attendees will find everything from a 1943 Willys to brand-new 2023 model electric Jeeps competing for awards Also at the convention center, partner dealership i g Burton will be on site with all the newest makes and models of Jeeps

Special featured guest Patrick Parker, better known as Sgt Pushup, will be on hand He’s become famous for doing one million pushups and raising awareness for child hunger His mission now is to educate the public with an anti-bullying campaign Jeep Fest features the best of the best of industry vendors, starting off with Kicker Audio and Audio Works doing on-site sales and instal-

lations Guests can outfit their Jeep or 4x4 right at the Vendor Village

Nothing can be more important to a Jeep owner than upgraded tires and rims They give you the look and the feel and the ride you like Representatives from companies will be on-site at show center for installations and show specials with major manufacturer reps available to discuss how to best customize specific makes and models of Jeeps

The fun, festivities and live music continue after hours Thursday is the kickoff party at the newly-renovated Hilton Garden Inn (28th Street) with music by Blake Haley On Friday, party at Pier 23 (West Ocean City) for Kickin’ It on the Harbor featuring the Fil Rhythm Band Saturday night, the band Shots Fire will be featured at Bourbon Street on the Beach (125th Street) Jeep Fest will close out with a wrap party at Sinepuxent Brewing Co (Route 611) with Doug Kaetz All parties are open to the public, and participants get a discount with their show badge

Other event features this year include; Jeeps for St Jude will be on-site to talk about their “rides to save lives”; show center features more than 60 booths featuring hundreds of products; visit the U S Army and the U S Marines to meet Sgt Pushup; Joe’s Jeep Jungle has hemi swaps and builds some of the baddest Jeeps on the planet; Krawl Works will have one of the top customized Jeeps in the USA on display; amazing customized lights for your Jeep are available at the Quake LED booth; see the competitive touring crawl vehicle presented by Lucky 13 Motorsportz; and get information on Delmarva’s newest offroad park, Safari at the Quarry

“The team and support are key to the success of this event,” Hoffman said “I can’t do it without all the great folks that come together all year long, working tirelessly, to make this event great The participants are the foundation and we are the workhorses But you never work a day in your life if you love what you do, and we love running Ocean City Jeep Fest ”

Jeeps are pictured making their way through the sand course nor th of the Wicomico Street Pier during last year’s event Photo by Live Wire Media

World-Record Payout In 50th WMO

out of Ocean City took third and earned John Zimmerman from Boynton Beach, Fla , $169,929

All spots in the wahoo division were covered with Shooting Star out of Indian River, Del , taking first place and $4,700 with a 57-pounder caught by John Harris from Boyertown, Pa Captain Deadly out of Ocean City took second and $31,065 for angler Chad Jackson from Ft Myers, Fla The third-place wahoo was caught by Matthew Gessler from Chads Ford, Pa , of the Boy’s Toy out of Indian River Del His 46-pounder took $29,065 It should be noted that the Gessler family has been fishing the open for decades The father, sons and daughters have all won money in the open In the 1993 tournament, then-15year-old Tommy Gessler Jr won the top marlin and the Rolex watch that came as a special prize that year

ney off the High Yield with 700 points Dave McKendrick fishing on the Taylor Jean took third with 665 points Top female angler was Holly McAlhany on Sweet Spot with 560 points, second place female angler was Kelly Weber on Max Bet with 420 points and the thirdplace female angler was Jaclyn Tenuto on Sequel with 350 points

Next year ’s White Marlin Open will be held from Aug 5-9

All boats winning prize money from the $10 5 million purse are listed below Floor Reel, $6,235,436

Reel Tight, $1,019,440

Fishlik, $366,661

Game Over, $169,928

Ro Sham Bo, $1,782,403

Reel OPPOR-TUNA-TY, $88,406

Taylor Jean, $28,925

Fin Planner, $58,740

Max Bet, $60,965

OCEAN CITY –The 400 registered boats for the 50th Annual White Marlin Open were probably the most conservation-minded group that has ever fished the open – or any other billfish tournament held in recent memory Of the 605 billfish caught during the five-day event, 602 were released

With over $7 million of the total $10 5 million purse reserved for billfish, it was remarkable not one boat brought a noncontender to the scale before the closing day on Friday

For the first four fishing days, tuna ruled the scales and the prize money That changed on the final day when the Floor Reel out of Ocean City made the 6 p m bridge and headed for the Harbour Island scales with a fish they knew would qualify It was the third billfish brought to the scales Friday The first was the Skirt Chaser out of Manteo, N C , with a 67 5-pound white marlin that made the 70-inch minimum needed to weigh, but just missed the 70-pound minimum to qualify The No Limit out of Indian River, Del , brought in a blue marlin that possibly lost a bit of length in the hours after being boated and missed the 114-inch minimum length by two inches, so it was not weighed

The blue marlin from the Floor Reel

left no doubt when it was measured at 118-inch in the boat before electrifying the crowd while tipping the scales at 640 5 pounds Caught by John Ols from Laytonsville, Md , it proved to be the only qualifying billfish and won most of the money reserved for both white and blue marlin The $6 2 million awarded sets a new world record for the catch of a fish

Buried in tournament rules are the contingencies for awarding prize money if a category is not won Little known to the public was the fact that before the blue marlin qualified on Friday, a 215pound tuna caught off the Ro Sham Bo out of Ocean City by Rusty Shriver of Leonardtown, Md , was winning over $7 1 million If no marlin are caught, that prize money goes to the heaviest tuna in that division With the only qualifying fish in the special 50th-anniversary winner-take-all level, the Ro Sham Bo did win the $1 7 million dollars it held

The heaviest tuna was a 265-pound bigeye caught off the Reel Tight out of Ocean City by Brian Stewart from Shady Side, Md , who won $1,019,441 The 247 5-pound bigeye caught by Chris Mentlik from Street, Md , off the Fishlik out of Chincoteague, Va , took second place and $366,662 The Game Over

The dolphin division was won by the Roncito out of Ocean City The 32-pounder won $32,065 for angler Andrew Spangenberger from New Freedom, Pa The Aquila from Beach Haven, N J , weighed a 31-pound dolphin caught by Timothy Goodman from Palm Beach, Fla , taking second place and $82,520 The Aquila also won money from other categories In third with a 31-pound dolphin was Ocean City’s Maverick winning $30,065 for Will McAteer from Kent Island

The most prestigious categories are for billfish releases The top anglers were Brian Demile off the Trash Man with 770 points followed by Bernard Lin-

Trash Man, $44,945

Roncito, $32,065

Aquila, $82,520

Maverick, $30,065

Shooting Star, $4,700

Capt Deadly, $31,065

Boy's Toy, $29,065

Bow Down, $47,704

Skid Row, $47,704

Full Service, $35,778

Instigator, $152,635

No Limit, $69,153

Hey Buddy, $25,365

Sea Fix, $25,365

Prime Hook, $32,336

Covered Up, $8,306

Dock hands at Harbour Island Marina are pictured working to remove the 640.5pound blue marlin on the last day of the White Marlin Open. Photos courtesy of WMO

The team of the Floor Reel won a world-record $6.2 million for landing the only qualified billfish in the tournament.

Though the boat hooked the four th-place tuna, the team of the Ro Sham Bo took home a $1.78 million payday for winning the anniversary calcutta.

Sharon L Taylor

BERLIN – Sharon L Taylor, age 71, died peacefully, Friday, Aug 11 at Coastal Hospice-Stansell House

She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Francis Taylor, and her parents, Edward Leo and Alice Leona Dixon Wisniewski. She is survived by her foster dog, Wyatt, cousins and a select group of special friends

Sharon was born in 1952, in Baltimore She was a 1970 graduate of North East High School in Pasadena Sharon worked in her family business, Sherry’s Inn, until it was sold and then she continued in the hospitality industry, as a waitress at Ruby Tuesdays

Sharon had an especially fond love of Boxer dogs She owned and showed several of them within the AKC circuit She has an abundance of ribbons to show for it Dogs were truly her best friends

A service in celebration of her life will be held at Friendship Church of Berlin, 10537 Friendship Road, on Saturday, Aug 19 at 11 a m Friends may call an hour prior to service

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Worcester County Humane Society or Friendship Church of Berlin

Rudy Magnone

BERLIN – Rudy Magnone was born on May 23, 1932, in the village of Brenizer, Pa to Tito and Laura Magnone He was the youngest of seven children

After graduating from high school in 1949, Rudy married his soulmate, Bernice (Hlad) In 1952, he joined the US Army He served as an infantryman for two years of active combat duty in Korea in The US Army Third Division He was seriously injured in combat but was always humble about his military career He was, however, proud of the fact that he was made to scrub the bathrooms with a toothbrush after pointing out that a particular lieutenant had gotten shot in the buttocks while running “the wrong way” in combat

When he returned stateside, Rudy enrolled in Slippery Rock University, not sure if he would enjoy academic life He thrived in college and went on to earn a B S in Education, a Master ’s in education, a second Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling, and a PhD in Education/Behavioral Science from The University of WV, Temple University and The University of MI

Rudy began his career as a high school teacher and youth counselor He became the Director of The Youth Corps in Elmira, N Y , which was a work/study organization that served young people with intellectual disabilities

Eventually, his career took him to New England, where he was the Regional Services Administrator for the MA Department of Mental Health He then was appointed to the Governor ’s Cabinet in the State of OH as Director of the OH Dept of Mental Retardation

Rudy was then recruited as the Spe-

cial Master to help the State of NY navigate through the famous Willowbrook case Rudy was instrumental in successfully finding appropriate placements for the thousands of patients who were displaced when the notorious institution was shut down

Rudy then accepted a position in the State of Georgia as director of two of its largest hospitals that served people with developmental disabilities

After finally retiring, not happy to be idle, Rudy volunteered with CASA of Worcester County, where he served as an advocate for children in foster care When not volunteering, Rudy’s escapades include him race walking through the streets of Havana, Cuba, in the middle of the night after enjoying a show at La Tropicana, driving crazily through the streets of Milan, Italy, jumping out of perfectly good airplanes, cruising the neighborhood on his bike with this chihuahua riding in the basket, and other such nonsense

On Aug 5, 2023, Rudy passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love Rudy was proceeded in death by his parents, his brother, and his five sisters He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife, Bernice, whom he loved beyond human limits He was the caring father of his children, Dino (Hollie) and Leah (Rob) He was the beloved Pappy to his grandchildren, Niko, Dina, Romy, Sienna, Aaliyah, Claudia, Shelbi and

Marcus

Rudy was kind, intelligent, compassionate, fearless, and loving He was a scholar, a soldier, a civil rights activist, a humanitarian, and a friend to all He will be deeply missed but his legacy will continue through the countless lives he touched

Arrangements are in the care of Eastern Shore Cremation and Funeral Service, 504 Franklin Avenue, Berlin, Md 21811 To send condolences to the fam-ily, please visit www easternshorecremation com

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Lower Shore CASA, P O Box 387, Salisbury, Md 21811.

Beverly Mattox

SELBYVILLE – Beverly Mattox, age 85, of Selbyville, Del passed peacefully on Aug 10, 2023 at Delaware Hospice in Milford, Del

Bev was born in Baltimore on Sept 10, 1937 and was the only child of the late Thelma Kelly Meredith Brown and William Morton Meredith

An active educator for over 50 years, after college she served as a teacher, principal, project director and training specialist In the mid1960’s she was one of the first teachers to wear pantsuits Always a trailblazer, she was

reprimanded by administrators because her lipstick was “too pink” She always championed women’s rights

Beverly conducted programs for school systems and organizations in 26 states and Canada She addressed more than four hundred groups with her specialized knowledge of parenting and women’s friendships

She was a member of Washington Plaza Baptist Church and attended Sound United Methodist Church, always singing in the choir She directed the "Especially For You" project and also the "Prayer Bears" project in her church She worked tirelessly for the less fortunate, always running bags of donations to veterans, women’s shelters, and other church projects She was recognized as a Jefferson Award winner on Delmarva for all her philanthropy

She is survived by two daughters, Leanne Ruark and husband Gary of Eden and Leslie Knopfler and husband Dave of Grandy, N C

She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Tony Mattox, in 2018 They met on the beach in Ocean City in 1954; honeymooned in Ocean City in 1958; and bought their first condo on 32nd Street in 1972, also Ocean City

There will be a remembrance of life service at Sound United Methodist Church, 37894 Sound Church Road, Selbyville, Del on Aug 25, 2023 at 10 a m , which all are invited to After the service, at the annex next door, there will be a luncheon for all

Condolences may be sent by visiting

SEE PAGE 75

• Check the electrical service panel and wiring

• Tighten screws and lugs on circuit breakers to ensure proper functioning

• Apply Noalox on branch circuits’ aluminum wires

• Check all outlets with tester for loose connections, open grounds, neutral wires, proper polarity

• Test/inspect GFCI outlets and breakers

• Check for double tapped breakers to eliminate overloading a circuit breaker

• Survey for proper surge protection

• Check smoke detectors and make recommendations for compliance with local electrical codes

SHARON L. TAYLOR

BEVERLY MATTOX

Who’s Where When

Who’s Where When

Bottom Blues Duo

Wednesday, Aug 23: Aaron Howell Duo

Thursday, Aug 24: Union Road

410-289-6953

Between Caroline & Talbot Sts. On The Boards

Friday & Saturday, Aug 18 & 19 Surreal

Sunday & Monday, Aug 20 & 21:

Total Stoked

Tuesdays: D J Madame Dutchess

Wednesdays: D J Papi Roisterous

S E A C R E T S 410-524-4900

49th St. & Coastal Hwy.

Friday, Aug 18: D J Tuff, D J Bobby O, D J Cruz, Full Circle, 9 Mile Roots, Turning The Tide

Saturday, Aug 19: D J Bobby O, D J Cruz, D J Tuff, Turning The Tide, 9 Mile Roots, Hometown Radio, Garden State Radio

Sunday, Aug 20: D J Davie, D J Connair, D J Bobby O, D J Tuff, Triple Rail Turn, Lost In Paris

Monday, Aug 21: D J Davie, D J Bobby O, Blake Haley, Tuesday, Aug 22: D J Davie, D J Bobby O, D J Tuff, Opposite Directions, My Hero Zero

Wednesday, Aug 23: D J Bobby O, D J Connair, Full Circle Duo, Dear Zoe

Thursday, Aug 24: D J Davie, D J Cruz, D J Bobby O, John McNutt Band, Go Go Gadjet

T H E O R I G I N A L G R E E N E T U R T L E 410-723-2120

116th St & Coastal Hwy

Friday, Aug 18: D J Magellan

Saturday, Aug 19: No Brakes Band

Ever y Sunday: Farmers Market

Berlin will host along Main Street with 35plus vendors from 9 a m -1 p m Rain or shine TheBerlinFarmersMarket com

Ever y Monday: TOPS Meeting

5-6:30 p m Atlantic General Hospital, Berlin Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a support group promoting weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle Call Rose 443880-8444

Ever y Monday: Acapella Chorus

All ladies who love to sing are invited to the Delmarva Woman’s Acapella Chorus, Ocean Pines Community Center, 239 Ocean Parkway, 6-8 p m Contact Mary 410629-9383 or Carol 302-242-7062

Ever y Monday: Bridge Games

Are you interested in joining others for a game of Bridge at the Ocean City 50+ Senior Center? If so, please call or text Tish at 410-804-3971

Ever y Monday: Overeaters Anonymous

Meetings are from 7-8 p m at the Ocean Pines Library branch No dues or fees Call 410-459-9100

Ever y Tuesday: TOPS Meeting

Take Off Pounds Sensibly is a weekly support and education group promoting weight loss and a healthy lifestyle Meetings are held at the Worcester County Berlin Health Department at 9730 Healthway Drive, Berlin from 3:30-4:30 p m every Tuesday 410289-4725

Ever y Tuesday: Beach Cleanup

Beach Heroes, a volunteer Ocean City group, holds cleanups 9-10 a m yearround Trash bags, grippers and gloves provided Check the Facebook page "Beach Heroes-OC" for weekly meeting locations All are welcome

Ever y Wednesday: Bingo

Elks Lodge 2645, corner of Sinepuxent Avenue and 138th Street in Ocean City Has bingo all year Doors open 4:30 p m with first game sharply at 6:30 p m Kit-

Things To Do

chen open for light fare 410-250-2645

Ever y Thursday: Beach Singles

Join the club, 55 plus, at Harpoon Hanna’s in Fenwick Island, 4-6 p m 302-4369577 or BeachSingles org

2nd and 4th Thursdays: Caregiver Suppor t Meeting

The Caregiver Support Group will continue to meet on the second and fourth Thursdays in the Ocean Pines Library Meetings will run from 3-4:30 p m The meetings are private and confidential

Aug 19: Furnace Town Music

Get ready to groove this summer at Furnace Town, showcasing a lineup of talented musicians and artists from around the shore Enjoy live performances in a stunning outdoor venue Bring your friends, family and loved ones for an evening filled with music, food, drinks, and fun Cost is $10/adults, $5/kids 5-15 The schedule is 5-8 p m , Ampersand – Traditional American Music

Aug 19: Gloves Up, Guns Down

The Old Germantown School will host the 1st Annual Gloves Up Guns Down event at 10223 Trappe Road, from noon-4 p m Hosted by Lamar Sturgis Lunch will be served

Aug. 19: Car Show, BBQ

The 5th Annual Classic Car, Truck & Bike Show and BBQ Chicken Sale will be held at St Paul United Methodist Church, 405 Flower Street, Berlin, from 10 a m -2 p m Food, trophies, door prizes and dash plaques Registration from 10 a m -12:30 p m Fee is $10 per vehicle All are welcome Rain Date is Saturday, Aug 26 Sponsored by St Paul United Methodist Church Men’s

Ministry

Aug. 23: Monthly Meeting

The First State Detachment of the Marine Corps League will meet at the Ocean City American Legion Post 166 on 23rd Street and Coastal Highway at noon Any Marines and Navy Corpsman who have served in our Corps, living in Worcester and Sussex counties, are welcome to attend

Aug 24-27: Jeep Week

Annual Ocean City Jeep Week will feature vendors, events, beach crawl, Jeep jam and more www oceancityjeepweek com for full schedule

Aug. 26: Communit y Shred Day

Taylor Bank invites the community to Sturgis Park in Snow Hill from 9-11 a m for a free Community Shred Day Each household can bring up to three banker boxes or bags of documents to be shredded Contact J3 Mobile Shredding at j3mobileshred@gmail com

Sept . 2: Classic Car Show

The Ocean Pines Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Classic Car & Jeep Show at the Ocean Pines Veterans Memorial Park from 9 a m -noon Cars will be $20 (cash only) day of, but $15 if they preregister at the chamber website

Sept . 9: Boardwalk Ar ts Festival

The Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce presents the 45th Annual Bethany Beach Boardwalk Arts Festival, to be held from 10 a m to 5 p m From 1-4 p m , Beach Liquors is sponsoring a ticketed wine tasting event hosted at the Harvest Tide Steakhouse event space, located in the heart of the festival at 98 Garfield Parkway, in Bethany Beach Enjoy light fare and

over 60 wines will be featured through 12 tastings Tickets cost $30 and are available for purchase at www bethanybeachartsfestival com

Sept 9-10: Communit y Festival

A Two-Day Community Festival will be held on old Pullett's UM Church grounds, 11909 Blueberry Road, Whaleyville at noon on Saturday and 10 a m on Sunday A live concert at 2 p m with God's Travelers, along with DJ Felton and Connie Harris

Featuring kids moon bounce, games, face painting, vendor sales, baked goods; food and beverage provided Sunday is outdoor fellowship service

Sept . 29-30, Oct . 1: Pickleball Tourney

One of the biggest racquet sports events of the year returns with the third annual Oktoberfest pickleball tournament at the Ocean Pines Racquet Center The event each year draws several hundred players and hundreds more spectators and is the only pickleball tournament with cash prizes held on the Delmarva Peninsula For players, registration is $45, and the registration deadline is Sept 15 To register, visit https://app pickleballden com/external-tournament/3025225 Tournament organizers will post the full tournament schedule, including match start times, two weeks prior to the tournament Organizers will break out age/skill brackets accordingly about three weeks prior to the tournament For more information, contact Cathy Noble at cmznoble@gmail com

Oct . 7: 5K Hero Run

The Wor-Wic Community College Foundation is sponsoring a 5K Hero Run or twomile walk, along with the 2023 First Responder Team Cup Challenge, at 9 a m , at the college campus on the corner of Route 50 and Walston Switch Road in Salisbury Check-in and registration begin at 8 a m The entry fee is $25 per person, or $35 per person after Oct 4 Proceeds will benefit the students of Wor-Wic A Kids’ Hero Run and obstacle course for ages 9 and under will be held at 9:45 a m ; the entry fee is $5 www worwic edu/5K

Count y Commissioners OK Boat Ramp Regulations

SNOW HILL –

The Worcester County Commissioners voted this week to update boat ramp regulations to address commercial use

On Tuesday, the commissioners voted 4-2 to update boat ramp regulations to address commercial use The new language will allow commercial use as long as it doesn’t interfere with recreational use

“This does not impact at all recreational users,” Commissioner Chip Bertino said

County officials have been considering changes to boat ramp regulations since the start of the year While they initially considered creation of a commercial use permit, that was deemed too restrictive Staff returned with language to update the existing code in June The proposed changes would allow commercial use at the county’s ramps as long as it doesn’t interfere with recreational use It would limit commercial users to one parking space and would require heavy equipment operators to be registered with the county

When the bill was presented last month, officials opted to delay consideration as staff looked at what other jurisdictions had done When it came back up for consideration this week, Commissioner Joe Mitrecic quicky made a mo-

tion to approve the new language with a minor change, increasing the parking permitted to those users from one parking space to two spaces He pointed out that the boat ramps were already being used by commercial entities

“We have a number of different commercial users throughout the county,” he said

Commissioner Jim Bunting said the county had recently striped the Shell Mill ramp, where vehicles from out of state will eventually be charged parking fees, so that it featured 19 boat and trailer spaces, three car spaces and two handicap accessible spaces He expressed frustration that in the wake of the striping he’d seen cars using the designated trailer spots

Roscoe Leslie, the county attorney, pointed out that the new language being considered didn’t impact recreational users at all

“There’s no restriction on parking for recreational users,” he said, adding that the county could add signage stipulating that the trailer spaces were not meant for cars

Commissioner Caryn Abbott said the state required the county to allow commercial use at boat ramps A 2008 letter from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources makes that clear

“Since both commercial boats and recreational boats contribute to the Waterway Improvement Fund, the com-

mercial watermen cannot be denied access to use these facilities,” the 2008 letter reads “Worcester County can restrict the storage of gear and equipment at these facilities, however the launching facilities must be available to everyone ”

She asked if the county’s existing signage, which prohibits commercial use, would be removed following passage of the updated language She added that she didn’t mind commercial users having access to two spaces

“Hopefully people will be respectful,” she said

Mitrecic said two spaces should be sufficient for any commercial user, whether it was a fishing guide or boat dealer He said he thought there would always be a scarcity of parking at the ramps until the county started charging for parking

“Once we do get parking fees across the board at all of them I think things are going to change,” he said “People that have to pay for their friends to meet them at the boat ramp they’re going to try to get it down to one car ”

Abbott asked if there was a way to keep businesses from designating a county ramp as their business location

“I provided some examples for some jurisdictions that put that into their code,” Leslie said “In theory you could write a citation for that ”

Leslie said that if the updates being

considered Tuesday passed, the county would update its signs with the new rules As far as enforcement, he said a county employee, someone from the recreation and parks department or someone from development review and permitting, could be trained on how to properly write citations for vehicles that weren’t properly parked

Bunting reiterated his concerns about the now striped lot at Shell Mill He asked if the county had to have enough car-sized spaces to accommodate the extra parking allowed by the updated regulations

“The county can stripe however they want,” Leslie said

Bertino said the spaces were first come first serve He added that the county could stipulate that the larger spaces for boats and trailers were not meant to be used by cars

“We can require that those parking spaces for boats and trailers are only for boats and trailers,” he said

Leslie agreed

“If that’s how the commissioners would like the boat ramp to run that’s how it can be run,” he said

The commissioners voted 4-2, with Bunting and Bertino opposed, to approve the updated regulations allowing for commercial users to have two parking spaces Commissioner Eric Fiori, who has recused himself from recent votes on the issue, was absent

Berlin Violates Open Meetings Act With Email Vote

BERLIN – An email vote regarding a Town of Berlin budget transfer violated the Open Meetings Act, a state board has ruled

The Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board (OMCB) issued an opinion July 31 that the Berlin Town Council violated the Open Meetings Act with a May 31 email vote regarding a budget transfer Berlin resident Jason Walter asked the board to weigh in on the vote after the email decision was alluded to at a regular meeting of the council

“They had ample opportunity to address it publicly and this was an obvious skirt,” Walter said

On May 31, Mayor Zack Tyndall emailed the town’s five council members seeking their approval of a budget trans-

fer According to his email, town staff were preparing an application that was due the next day to the Maryland Department of Transportation for a bikeways grant The grant required a 20% match, about $60,500, and Tyndall wanted the council’s approval to assign that amount from the town’s capital reserve The majority of the council responded with “reply all” messages in the affirmative, though some asked additional questions

Walter submitted a complaint to the OMCB after hearing the vote alluded to at a June 12 meeting of the council

“Late in the session the subject of email vote resurfaced in commentary from an individual councilman , ” Walter ’s complaint read “Though the councilman nobly expressed frustration and an unwillingness to further participate behind closed doors, I do believe the action taken amounts to an unadvertised closed

meeting of the Mayor and Council ”

The OMCB agreed in its opinion that the Open Meetings Act was violated The board said there were occasions when an exchange of emails could rise to the level of a meeting The board said issues that had to be considered included the number of participants in the communication, the number of communications about the subject, the timeframe in which the communication occurred and the extent of the conversation-like interactions reflected in the communications

The town asserted in its response to the complaint that the council did not discuss the budget transfer among themselves and that through the emails they weren’t interacting at the same time

“Taking into account the totality of circumstances here, we find that the exchange of emails was a ‘meeting’ subject to the Act,” the OMCB opinion reads

“Within about one hour, a quorum (three Councilmembers) sent ‘reply all’ emails to all members of the Council about the same topic (whether to approve a budget transfer), which apparently had not been discussed publicly This was not, for instance, a situation in which the Mayor was simply taking a vote on a matter that the Council had discussed at a prior open meeting ”

The board said that because there are sometimes urgent circumstances that require a public body to act quickly, there are ways to do it without violating the Open Meetings Act

“First, a public body can convene a special meeting in person, by telephone, or virtually, using a platform such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, and provide the public notice of that special meeting and the ability to attend,” the opinion reads

It goes on to state that the ‘reply all’ and ‘forward’ functions were risky to use if a public body did need to conduct business through email

“We conclude that the exchange of emails among a quorum of the Council constituted a ‘meeting’ that was subject to the Act,” the opinion concludes “Because the Council did not provide notice or an opportunity for the public to observe this meeting, we find violations of §§ 3301 and 3-302 ”

This is the town’s third violation of the Open Meetings Act in the past year Previous violations related to a closed session meeting about the Berlin Fire Company and the general practices followed by municipal officials when closing meetings to the public

Teachers To Receive Slight Pay Increase

FROM PAGE 10

their futures,” Hathaway said

When presented with the proposed agreements on Tuesday, school board member Katie Addis asked how many teachers voted for the ratification Staff said they didn’t have that information but did know that as far as WCESPA, 44 members voted in favor of the agreement, and one voted against

A WCTA email provided to The Dispatch states that 89% of WCTA members voted for contract ratification and 11% voted against ratification

Addis said she felt there was unnecessary spending in the school system’s budget that could have been used to provide teachers with the increase they were initially promised

“While I’m happy to see that the ESSER funds were used to make up a portion of what was promised to the staff, I am in agreement with some of the personnel I’ve spoken to that feel ESSER funds were not negotiated and were always assigned to the county by the state, meaning that the board of education really didn’t sacrifice anything in this negotiation process,” Addis said

The board voted 6-1, with Addis opposed, to sign the agreements

Annual Veterans Memorial Tourney To Benefit Education Programming

OCEAN PINES – The Worcester County Veterans Memorial Foundation announced the 16th annual Veterans Memorial Tournament, Wednesday, Sept 20 at the Ocean Pines Golf Club

The event will benefit education programs of the Memorial Foundation that include annual tours of the memorial grounds by all fifth-grade students in Worcester County

The annual tours are part of a collaboration between the Worcester County Board of Education and the Worcester County Veterans Memorial Foundation Tours are led by dedicated volunteer docents who share their knowledge of veterans' sacrifices, the history of different service branches, and flag etiquette

Complementing these sessions, JROTC cadets from Stephen Decatur High School, Snow Hill High School, and Pocomoke High School provide hands-on guidance in proper flag handling and folding, helping to foster intergenerational connections and respect for the nation's heritage

All students also receive an activity guide to reinforce those lessons and encourage ongoing conversations

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS!

GOOD LUCK POOR GIRL ANGLERS!

about their family's contributions and military service history

The annual golf tournament is the major fundraiser for Memorial Foundation education programs

The tournament will feature a scramble best ball format with a 9 a m shotgun start

Registration is $125 per player and includes tournament entry, golf cart, lunch, and access to tournament prizes

Sponsorship opportunities are available at various levels, ranging from $100 to $2,000, with each offering distinct benefits

To download a tournament or sponsor form, visit the Ocean Pines Association website

The foundation also welcomes donations, gift certificates, and prizes for the tournament's silent auction All contributions are tax-deductible

The Worcester County Veterans Memorial Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the tax ID EIN# 20-3130695

For more information, contact Marie Gilmore at 410-726-2881 or opmarie@aol com, or Don McMullen at 443-388-2941 or mcmullen1@aol com

ies

18 COMPLIMENTARY BOAT SLIPS WHILE DINING FOR LUNCH OR DINNER FROM PAGE 69

www bishophastingsfh com

James Wieboldt

OCEAN PINES – James John Wieboldt, of Ocean Pines, Maryland, age 69, born June 28, 1954, passed away on August 12, 2023 Born in Jamaica, NY, he was the son of the late William Wieboldt and Libbie Tabor

He leaves behind his wife, Dr Cynthia H Roman, a brother Alfred (Maritza Guzman), son William (AJ Neaher), daughters Pamela (Daniel Botkin) and Janice (Harry Purdham IV), stepdaughter Katrina Roman (Scott Boyer), and a grandchild Harry Purdham V

In addition to his parents, his wife, Christine A Freely, had predeceased him in 2007 at age 50

He has a degree in Computer Science from the New York Institute of Technology, and spent his entire working life as a computer systems engineer He was an Amateur Radio Operator, obtaining his license at 16, and served in Amateur Radio Civil Defense He was proud to have programmed the first computerized fire department dispatch system for Hicksville Fire Department on Long Island He also enjoyed working as a Systems Engineer for Wang Laborator-

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Jim’s name to The Maryland Coastal Bays Program, 8219 Stephen Decatur Highway, Berlin, MD 21811

Cremation followed his death The gathering to remember him will be private and there will be no formal service or funeral Letters of condolence can be sent to the family via www burbagefuneralhome com Arrangements are in the care of The Burbage Funeral Home

David Jenkins

PARKVILLE – David “Jenky” Brian Jenkins of Parkville passed away on Sunday July 9, 2023, at the age of 61

Born in Salisbury, he was the loving son of the late Margaret (nee Kelley) Jenkins and the late Orville Dawson Jenkins; brother of Allan Jenkins of Bardstown, Kentucky and Michael Jenkins (Debbie) of Delmar, Delaware; uncle of Kyle Jenkins of Littl Ri S th Carolina, Clayton Jen ins of Bardstown, Ke tucky and several oth great nieces and nep ews He is also survive by beloved and longtim

friend Jennifer Diforte

JAMES WIEBOLDT JENKINS

A Memorial Servic will be held at Saint Alban’s Episcopal Church, 302 St Albans Drive, Salisbury, Md 21804 on Friday, Aug 18, 2023, beginning at 1 p m with a burial at Parsons Cemetery, 912 N Division Street, Salisbury, Md 21801

Complete New SULead Development Program

SALISBURY – When many people picture a university, a lecture hall or athletics complex usually is the first image that springs to mind

But that’s just the beginning

In reality, most universities resemble small cities, with hundreds of employees performing roles from academic instruction to information technology, maintenance and groundskeeping to food service and transportation, and a host of other jobs in between With more than 7,500 students and employees, Salisbury University is no exception

With a goal of creating a pipeline of diverse leaders within the institution, SU President Carolyn Ringer Lepre last semester inaugurated the SULead program, a professional development initiative to foster engagement of talented, emerging staff with lead-

ership potential by providing them with a well-rounded view of what goes into running the campus, as well as men-

torship from area leaders

Ten SU staff members, representing a diverse cross section of campus,

comprised the first cohort: Lacie Doyle, advising services coordinator in the Academic Advising Office; Jennifer Ellis, curriculum and academic specialist in the Academic Affairs Office; Cynthia Funkhouser, executive administrative assistant in the Charles R and Martha N Fulton School of Liberal Arts; Alexia Rawlings, academic program specialist at the Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement; Rachael Faust, recycling coordinator in the Facilities Services Office; Colin Watson, support associate in the Information Technology Department; Jeff Westphal, University Police officer; Erin Smith, assistant director of alumni engagement in the Alumni Relations Office; Dawn Keter, training coordinator and counselor in the Counseling Center; and Mario Ramirez, office clerk in the Conference Services Office

“I really appreciated the self-reflection sessions, particularly the ethics study and the leadership session [which] gave me an opportunity to reflect on what I believe to be true about myself and to understand my leadership styles, beliefs and core values,” said Ellis

“It was energizing and renewing to have the opportunity for engaging discussions while constantly learning from the extraordinary people who were part of this cohort,” said Keter “I was able to use this experience and time to begin the process of further developing my individual professional goals, aspirations and plans ”

“It was an honor to be a part of the first cohort – a truly awesome experience!” said Smith “I sincerely appreciate all the time and effort put into creating such an engaging and constructive learning environment ”

Each Friday throughout the spring semester, cohort members learned about each of SU’s divisions from members of the President’s Cabinet and interacted with other leaders on and off campus, including Lepre, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Salisbury Mayor Jack Heath, Greater Salisbury Committee President and CEO Mike Dunn; area business officials; and members of the University’s shared governance organizations

In addition to gaining a better understanding of the innerworkings of SU, they also networked and built relationships across campus and beyond, learning about the challenges and opportunities facing higher education and participating in self-assessment activities to leverage their unique strengths for personal and professional success

In their capstone project, participants engaged in group presentations on improving employee recognition and expanding SU’s culture of belonging on campus Applications for the next SULead cohort, scheduled this fall, are being accepted through Friday, August 25 To apply, or for more information, visit https://www salisbury edu/administrat i o n / a d m i n i s t r a t i

fices/human-resources/sulead aspx

Inaugural SULead par ticipants included, from left, Jeff Westphal (SU Police), Erin Smith (Alumni Relations), Rachael Faust (Facilities Services), Lacie Doyle (Academic Advising), Alexia Rawlings (Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement), Cynthia Funkhouser (Fulton School of Liberal Ar ts), Colin Watson (Information Technology), Mario Ramirez (Conference Ser vices), Jennifer Ellis (Academic Affairs) and Dawn Keter (Counseling Center) Submitted photo

Letters To The Editor

Message To Task Force

Editor:

Before we discuss the loser’s recent efforts to resurrect the “Sports Complex,” I feel a need to clear the air on some past letters and responses and give credit where credit is due

I can’t say enough good things about Jim Motsko, whose amazing story reflects everything positive that Ocean City represents I had occasion to talk to Jim for 30-45 minutes in 2016 and remember clearly his focus on his one event Last week, as we celebrated the 50th Annual White Marlin Open, he should be applauded for casting a beautiful picture of Ocean City to the world

Also, I have a couple comments and corrections to make regarding Mrs Lehman letter (dated June 30) in response to my “School is not about the Money” letter on June 23 First, let me thank Mrs Lehman for devoting her life (46 years) to our children

In 1969-70 as Mrs Lehman notes “we had no teachers aids, one vice principle (not four), one guidance counselor there was no special ed department ” First also “special ed” was handled by the classroom teacher and I can attest they did a better job Also, there were AP courses in the late 1960s It’s not only the “71 students” that graduated from Worcester public schools and were deemed deficient in reading and or math on a high school level which should alarm readers, the county overall suffers a deficiency of 37% (hundreds of students) in math proficiency

In 1970, it is likely you wouldn’t have graduated if you had not passed in math The reduction in the dropout rate from 9% in 1970 to 7% in 2022 is irrelevant if the schools are graduating many students that would not have graduated in 1970 when basic proficiency in core courses such as Math and English were required I believe most of your tenure was as a drama teacher, an elective Teachers pay has never been an issue for me However, the growth of the teaching bureaucracy has increased costs over 300% higher after inflation since 1970 with a noticeable decline in core course learning

Yet I have encouraged introducing additional merit pay for teachers and returning more classroom decision making to teachers Finally, there was a school nurse in 1970 but not four superfluous assistant principals

Additionally, I want to retract something I published over three years ago calling Mr Paddack “crazy” over a short-term dispute Mark has served the town as a career police officer and councilman and for three

years was an appreciated help to our children’s concert

Now on to the petition loser ’s “Study Group Created For Sports Complex ”

On a list titled “The Visit Experience” prepared for the Tourism Commission by Baseline Perceptions Research on Oct 14, 2021, the overwhelming top three reasons given by visitors to the beach were first the beach (87%), second the Boardwalk (74%) and third shopping (70%), next amusements and mini-golf drops to 47% and the list continues down to 7% We will get back to this with our reveal on the “sports complex” in a moment

The mayor has pulled up all of his connections in a last-ditch effort to promote one final grandiose scheme before retiring by adding additional people to supplement the petition losers bringing the total to 31 people and calling it a “sports complex study group” It’s interesting that an unbiased consideration on spending tax dollars will be considered by mostly politicians and workers under them in the local government bureaucracy In addition, some of the wealthiest men on the Eastern Shore have been appointed to this committee With all the hundreds of millions of dollars these individuals are worth, one should wonder if a “sports complex” is such a money maker why don’t these multimillionaires pay for it? Why should this group determine how to spend our tax dollars or someone else’s tax dollars, unknowingly, in the State of Maryland?

Let’s take a look at the numbers in the OC Capital Improvement Plan (“CIP”) and then have a quick summary of the three studies on the “sports complex” dating back to 2017 and one additional study from Saint Mary’s County

The CIP calls for spending on the “Sports Complex” $8,100,000 in FY24 $91,200,000 in FY25, for some reason it skips FY26 and for $67,600,000 to be spent in FY27 Totaling $166,900,000 of which $127,040,000 will come from state grants, leaving $39,860,000 to be funded I guess by bond in Ocean City This is the way it is written in the Ocean City Capital Plan today; it could change many times in the future The grandiose largely coronated (not elected) clever politicians in Ocean City by circumventing the will of the county taxpayers will ultimately have to seek OC taxpayer approval for a near $40 million dollar bond

Now on to the studies The county spent $75,000 on a study in 2017 and among the comments the county staff said they thought that “the projected economic impact was SEE NEXT PAGE

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Letters To The Editor

overly optimistic ” In 2019, Ocean City spent $49,400, on a study and withheld the results for 22 months then paid another $49,400 for a fluff update to the study which was released in November of 2022 The study had placed us in the South Atlantic region, the wrong region, we are in the Mid Atlantic region The study among other things stated that the participation of all outdoor and indoor sports had declined from 2014 through 2018 except cheerleading The study warned to be prepared to lose money from annual operations The South Atlantic region has better year around weather thus a longer playing season than the MidAtlantic region

Then there was the Saint Mary’s study ($52,000) that the Ocean City politicians never talk about First Saint Mary’s is only one hour from DC, not three, it has a higher per capital income and is located nearer to population centers and has a higher population itself from which to draw The study concluded that out of 11 sports complexes reviewed 10 were still losing money from operations at a combined annual loss of $6 1 million annually The study said that the “sports complex” would require a 25% operating subsidy annually

Now let’s go back to “The Visit Experience” Study last on the list of reasons to come to the beach were trade shows or sports tournaments at 7% No wonder the rich guys on Meehan’s Committee don’t want to put their own money in and would rather use the public’s hard-earned tax dollars The Millionaires on Meehan’s new committee will benefit by adding a few more room occupancies to their hotels and a few more dinners sold in their restaurants while the Ocean City taxpayers will be paying the costs of the annual budget shortfall as well as paying for near $40M bond

Our grandiose OC politicians are circumventing the will of the county petition by using some poor unaware Marylander’s tax money I feel an obligation to mop up the vomit of these grandiose Ocean City politicians by disclosing the truth, much of which has not been disclosed within the “Sports Complex” fantasy As if the golf course and the airport aren’t enough, Mayor, here we go again on your final boondoggle

I will say that Councilman Gehrig’s repeated threat a year ago “if you don’t vote for the sports complex your taxes will go up” would have gotten him thrown out of office if Ocean City had opponents in their socalled elections, or more accurately coronations I hope these facts shed light on the task force’s decision

mined there was enough proof of wrongdoing to bring four criminal charges against Donald Trump, including conspiracy to defraud our country and impede on our right to vote

There can be no more serious crime than a conspiracy to overturn the foundation of our democracy itself It’s shameful how many MAGA Republicans are now rushing to defend Trump instead of standing up for our democracy and our freedom to vote Many of them are trying to rewrite history, so it’s important to understand what Trump is accused of and why it matters

According to the indictment, Trump deliberately lied about voter fraud and pressured local officials to illegally overturn election results and manufacture fake slates of electors When Vice President Mike Pence refused to toss out the legitimate results and count fake electoral votes, Trump incited an attack on our Capitol in a lastditch attempt to stop the certification of the election and cling to power

These are serious charges Our elected leaders of all parties must allow the trial to unfold without political interference and let a jury of everyday Americans do their job No one is above the law, and Trump should be treated like everyone else and held accountable for his crimes against our country

Patricia Winkelmayer Berlin

Event Support Appreciated

Editor:

Two weekends ago was the largest annual event held at the Ocean Pines Library

The volunteer organization “Friends of the Ocean Pines Library” sets up a Book Sale that encompasses over 25,000 books, DVD's, Audio Books and Music CD's divided into approximately 25 categories Most are sold over a three-day period with all proceeds going to benefit the Ocean Pines library and is used for buying equipment, sponsoring programs offered at the library and supplementing the budget provided by the Worcester County Commissioners

the front check-out counter or in the back of the library on the loading dock

See you all in July 2024

Jim Meckley & Eileen Leonhart

(The writers are the co-chairs of the annual book sale )

Disturbing Wind Developments

10012

Ocean City Blvd , Berlin, Md 21811, is

Petitions are hard work for a guy turning 75 but I was honored to meet so many good people and normal politicians in competitive races while working on the County petition Frankly I am watching and waiting till after the ’24 presidential election and may have one more petition in me if I feel the Ocean City resident taxpayers are ready That would be to dissolve the Ocean City government and turn it over to the County Commissioners where the political class is humble and respects the value of a dollar Remember people come to Ocean City for the beach and the boardwalk

Tony Christ

This year was the 23rd Annual Book Sale and was put together by nearly 90 volunteers who donated more than 500 hours to make this sale possible Throughout the year, patrons, estate closings and organizations donate 95% of the books, DVD's and CD's that are sorted, evaluated and categorized for the sale This year ’s sale was one of the largest ever with about 1600 patrons attending and spending nearly $16,000

On behalf of the FOPL and the Ocean Pines Library, we would like to thank all those who donated books throughout the year, the volunteers who assist with the library every day and at the sale, the staff of the OP library who are so gracious with our activities To all of you who came out to support the sale that benefits the library and its programs – thank you, thank you, thank you Donations of books, DVD’s, CD’s and audio books are now being accepted for next year ’s sale Donations can be left at

Editor:

Does anyone else find it interesting that the Federal agencies charged with leasing our ocean to foreign companies seeking to construct Offshore Wind Power Plants are ladened with former employees of one of, if not the largest, lobbying firm for Offshore Wind Developers; Latham & Watkins? Mr Tommy Beaudreau, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, Ms Laura Daniel-Davis, who signs BOEMs Record of Decisions and most importantly, Liz Klein, the Director of The Bureau of Ocean & Energy Management (BOEM)

I find this particularly disturbing as I read the latest press release from BOEM announcing its plans to lease another 356,550 acres of the Atlantic Ocean off Delaware, Maryland and Virginia These lease areas flank our fishing canyons

The Danish company, Orsted and the Italian company US Wind, (collectively, the developers) in their documents, under “Unavoidable Adverse Impacts of the Proposed Action” state in bullets: “Loss of employment or income due to disruption to commercial fishing, for-hire recreational fishing, or marine recreation business Hindrances to subsistence fishing due to offshore construction and operation of the offshore wind facilities ” Additionally, these OSW Power Plants will be “no fly zones” for boats during construction and as we are learning from Europe, during operations as well, which will increase a trip to the canyons by nothing less than 30 nautical miles round trip

The three Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) total approximately 356,550 acres The first WEA (A-2) is 101,767 acres and is located 26 nautical miles (nm) from Delaware Bay The second WEA (B-1) is 78,285 acres and is 23 5 nm offshore Ocean City The third WEA (C) is 176,506 acres offshore and is located about 35 nm offshore of the Chesapeake Bay, Va

•Areas E and F could put six species of Pterodroma Petrel in peril, per the Audubon Society

•Per the Fisheries Survival Fund: The cumulative impacts of offshore wind arrays on the local maritime ecosystem are far more pervasive than previously understood All of Areas A (scallop and surfclam, summer flounder and black seabass, B (dredge fishery, pot and trap, gill net and trawl), and C (surfclam, pt, and squid/butterfish/mackerel trawling) because of high fisheries interactions There will be a high economic fisheries exposure risk from wind development for small coastal communities

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No One Is Above The Law

Editor:

A group of everyday Americans, fulfilling their civic duty by serving on a grand jury, reviewed mountains of evidence and deter-

Editor ’s Note: The weekly How We See It and Between The Lines columns will not appear in this week’s edition, as the writer is on vacation The opinion pieces will return next week.

With all of the information available regarding the devastating affects offshore wind electrical power plants have on the environment and coastal economies, does anyone else find it curious those who have spent years representing and profiting from offshore wind construction companies have now found their way into government agencies responsible for approving the projects?

Dianna Harris Ocean City

Puzzle Answers

by Steve Green

(The following is an open letter from 2016 to everyone involved with Surfers Healing in Ocean City The writer is on vacation this week for this event ) hank you just doesn’t seem like enough

TIt’s been a day since we left the beach and I’m still having a difficult time describing the emotions from the Surfers Healing event in Ocean City

Grateful and fortunate are two feelings that immediately come to mind after reflecting on the experience of watching our son and others enjoy this amazing day

My hope is the men and women who are responsible for this event understand the lasting memories and impact they have on families These are special people who understand the life of children with disabilities and what it means to escape that journey, albeit for a few hours on a hot beach

The night before Surfers Healing Pam, Carson and I watched a YouTube on Surfers Healing so he knew what to expect The takeaway for me was this quote from co-founder Izzy Paskowitz: “Doing just about anything with these kids is challenging on a daily basis, but we put them in the water and let the healing happen for these kids and their parents I’m blessed to be a part of this worldwide effort ”

That’s so true and for that day our 6year-old son and about 200 other kids of all ages got to experience the thrill of surfing

Even before it was his turn to hit the ocean, Carson had a ball, enjoying the arts and crafts designed for those with sensory issues as well as yoga I think he would have been content hanging in that area all day actually

Heading into the day, I was nervous how Carson would be with going in the ocean with a stranger He has never been swimming in the ocean without me I worried there might be attach-

ment issues

He showed me once again to never underestimate him He took off with the volunteers, grabbed a lifejacket two sizes too small for him because he liked the pressure on his skin (and the volunteer understood that and went with the flow) and he knew exactly what to do from watching the others before him

He held hands with two volunteers while he walked to the ocean, hopped on the front of the board, got down and let the surfer paddle them out Before we knew it, he was further out than anyone as content as could be The surfer would later tell us he giggled the entire time

Within a minute or so, he was catching a wave with his surfer buddy, who hailed from California and had the kind of beautiful soul you can only hope and pray your children will grow up to have He had a wonderful way with Carson Because he’s non-verbal and has some social awkwardness linked to other developmental delays, some people tend to think he’s unaware and aloof, but that’s not true at all He’s smart, kind, alert and has a wonderful sense of humor

There were times watching Carson surf when the emotions got the best of Pam and me However, it all happened so fast and he caught so many waves, there really wasn’t a lot of time to get lost in the magnitude of the incredible opportunity

It was later when there was time for reflection and looking through the photos and videos that it started to sink in The smile on Carson’s face when he stood up on the board for the first time with the help of the surfer and when he got his trophy afterwards are moments I will never forget

In life, it’s eerie when you are experiencing moments you know you will never forget When it involves your kids, it’s natural for emotions to run

high

On this particular day, there was a commonality among the parents standing along the shoreline Each one of us has a story detailing a journey full of daily challenges that requires a superhuman level of patience to get through Raising a child with autism or other special needs (as is the case with Carson) is the toughest thing I have ever experienced Some days I’m great at it Other days I struggle because I get frustrated by unexpected behavior that conflicts with the values we are raising our children with It’s a tough ride

The hundreds of other parents who stood on that beach Wednesday know what I mean As I looked around and observed the raw emotion shown by these families, I couldn’t help but realize how fortunate my family is because Carson’s disabilities pale in comparison to many of the individuals who got the chance to paddle out and feel the sensation of riding a wave

The honest reaction of these kids and teenagers was inspiring to behold The sights and sounds of the day were remarkable and unlike anything I have ever seen

After his time was up in the water, Carson received a trophy For Carson, smiling is not easy It’s usually forced and awkward for photos On this day, his smiles melted the heart When he expresses such genuine happiness, all is right in my world

This was Carson’s day and we were blessed beyond belief that he got to participate I don’t take tomorrow for granted None of us know what the future holds Special needs kids I believe teach us to live for the day, sometimes even the moment This was a day worth savoring indeed

(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 )

PUZZLE ON PAGE 59