Aug. 7

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August 7, 2020

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OC Requiring Masks On Boardwalk

See Page 4 • Photo by Chris Parypa

Council Saves Air Show With Funds

What A Difference:

These two pictures were taken only a few hours apart Tuesday in Ocean City during Photos by Steve Green, above, and Erik DowellParypa and after Tropical Storm Isaias moved through Maryland.

See Page 8 • Photo by Chris Parypa

Ocean City Weighing Sunfest Call

See Page 10 • Photo by Chris Parypa

WMO Set New Prize Money Record

See Page 47 • File Photo From 2018

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August 7, 2020

August 7, 2020

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Council Debates Boardwalk Mask Order Specifics

Page 4

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – After a two hour-plus, often-tense debate, a divided Ocean City Council on Friday morning basically took no action on a proposed emergency ordinance requiring the wearing of masks on the Boardwalk and essentially deferred to Governor Larry Hogan’s amended mandate announced earlier this week.

On Wednesday, Hogan implemented an amended executive order mandating the wearing of masks in all outdoor public spaces where it is not possible to achieve social distancing. A violation of the directive will be handled as a misdemeanor with the appropriate fines and penalties.

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Locally, the most obvious place affected by the change is the Boardwalk, where most have been wearing masks inside stores and amusements, for example, but the majority are not wearing masks while walking outdoors along the famed promenade. Hogan’s amended executive order on the surface appears to include the Boardwalk because social distancing is not often possible in the height of the summer season.

On Friday, the Mayor and Council held an emergency session to consider two separate, but distinctive, issues related to Hogan’s latest executive order.

Mayor Rick Meehan, as he is authorized to do and as he has done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, issued an emergency declaration requiring the wearing of masks at all times on the Boardwalk

and at other outdoor special events.

Under the mayor’s executive order, non-compliance with the mask-wearing policy would result in a municipal infraction, essentially a ticket, with an appropriate fine, as opposed to the more severe misdemeanor penalty prescribed in the governor’s executive order. However, while Meehan was within his authority as mayor to implement the Boardwalk mask orders, changing the penalty from the governor’s prescribed misdemeanor to the lesser municipal infraction, akin to the town’s smoking ordinance for example, required the passage of an emergency ordinance by the majority of the council.

After two-plus hours of often tense debate, the council voted not to approve the emergency ordinance that

August 7, 2020

would have created a municipal infraction for not wearing a mask on the Boardwalk. Instead, Meehan’s executive order will go into effect at 5 p.m. on Friday requiring the wearing of a mask or face-covering on the Boardwalk and a violation of the order will be treated as a misdemeanor in conjunction with the governor’s order and not as a municipal infraction.

It’s important to note, all were in agreement violations of the mask requirements should be handled by the Ocean City Police Department with education and outreach before stronger enforcement measures for non-compliance. In other words, police officers will at first remind visitors to the Boardwalk of the mask requirements and allow them to put them on or find or purchase one before charging them with a misdemeanor. Only in the most extreme cases during which an individual flat out refuses to put on a mask or gets confrontational with the police will someone be charged with a misdemeanor.

The other major issue to resolve was the hours during which the mayor’s executive order will be enforced. As first written, the mayor’s executive order was a blanket 24-hour requirement for wearing masks on the Boardwalk. The council debated restricting the requirement to certain peak times on the Boardwalk. One suggestion was from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., while another suggestion was to follow the same hours when bikes or dogs are allowed, or roughly 2 a.m. to 11 a.m. After considerable debate, Meehan acquiesced somewhat and amended his executive order to include the hours of 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.

It’s also important to note Hogan’s order requires masks in outdoor public areas when social distancing can not be accomplished. The mayor’s executive order follows the same guidelines, but in the case of the Boardwalk, there are few times during the day in the peak of the summer season, such as it is this year, when appropriate social distancing can be accomplished on the resort’s famed promenade.

Meehan expressed disappointment the council did not pass the emergency ordinance that would make the penalty for not complying with the mask requirement a municipal infraction.

However, it became clear from the beginning of the two-hour-plus session there was little will among some on the council to do anything beyond what the governor has already mandated.

“This declaration takes us a step further then what the governor has ordered,” said Meehan. “We’ve done this before throughout this crisis. We can take action above and beyond what the governor has ordered.”

Meehan outlined the intent of his executive order in terms of social distancing.

“There are many instances when you can effectively social distance on the Boardwalk and there are many SEE PAGE 61

August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 5

Berlin Pulls Plug On Fiddlers Convention Boardwalk Biking

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – The Berlin Fiddlers Convention will not take place next month as COVID-19 remains a concern.

“This event has been a favorite of visitors and locals for almost three decades and will be sorely missed by all,” the Berlin Chamber of Commerce statement read. “Unfortunately, the global pandemic and the very thing that makes our narrow streets such an endearing venue also prevent us from responsibly hosting a large-scale event and ensure the safety of our visitors, musicians, vendors, sponsors, merchants and volunteers.”

Ivy Wells, the town’s economic and community development director, said she understood the reasoning behind

the cancelation, as the event was three days and drew large crowds of both performers and attendees.

“The decision to cancel the Fiddlers Convention was up to the members of the chamber,” she said. “We were going to support their decision regardless.”

In the spring, as coronavirus prompted shutdowns of schools and businesses, town leaders decided not to allow any large gatherings or events in town until after Labor Day. As a result, events like the annual Berlin Bathtub Races and the Memorial Day parade were canceled. The only event not canceled or postponed so far this summer was the Peach Festival, which was scaled down significantly and renamed Berlin Peach Day, so as not to encourage crowding. Attendees were able to get peach themed products at various

town businesses, participate in a scavenger hunt and purchase peaches.

“I am very pleased the Berlin Heritage Foundation proceeded with a modified Peach Day in Berlin this past Saturday,” Mayor Gee Williams said. “It was very good to see so many people attend and enjoy Peach Day in its amended format and it brought many local people and guests to downtown Berlin.”

Though the Atlantic Hotel’s Small Town Throw Down, set for Sept. 12, was expected to take place as of early this week, it was canceled by organizer John Fager late Monday.

“At this time there are no scheduled events for Berlin this fall. At this time there has been no decision made regarding Oktoberfest, normally scheduled for mid-October,” said Williams Tuesday.

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August 7, 2020

Hours Extended

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Mayor and Council has voted to extend the hours bicycles are allowed on the Boardwalk from the current 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. after a request from a local business owner.

For years, bikes have been allowed on the Boardwalk until 11 a.m. each day from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The 11 a.m. cutoff time coincided with the daily start time for the Boardwalk tram, which has been suspended this summer due to COVID concerns and social distancing.

With the Boardwalk tram not running, Bike World owner John Barrett asked the Mayor and Council to consider extending the amount of time each day the bicycles are allowed on the Boardwalk to 5 p.m. However, City Manager Doug Miller said the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) reviewed the proposal and recommended a 2 p.m. stop time for bikes on the Boardwalk.

“During normal summer operations, the Boardwalk tram begins service at 11 a.m. each morning,” Barrett wrote in his letter to the Mayor and Council.

“Bike hours are to cease by this time as both the tram and bicycle operations together leave little room for general foot traffic. Due to COVID-19, the Boardwalk tram has been suspended for the 2020 season. There is a need for safe transportation for those who are locally employed or those visiting the area which bicycles can provide.”

Councilman Mark Paddack made a motion to extend the hours to 2 p.m. on Monday through Friday and leave it a 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, but that motion died for the lack of a second. Mayor Rick Meehan agreed with Paddack there could be different hours on different days of the week.

“As somebody who rides a bike on the Boardwalk a lot, the motion was valid, especially for the weekend,” Meehan said. “The crowds gather much earlier on the weekend with all of the day-trippers.”

Council Secretary Mary Knight made a motion to follow the OCPD’s recommendation to extend the bicycling hours on the Boardwalk to 2 p.m., seven days a week.

Paddack asked Knight to consider amending her motion to include a 2 p.m. stop on Saturday and Sunday and a 4 p.m. stop the rest of the week.

Knight, however, stuck with her original motion for 2 p.m., seven days a week.

That motion ultimately passed by 6-0 vote with Councilman Tony DeLuca absent.

The measure was passed as an emergency ordinance and became effective immediately. It will remain in effect through Labor Day weekend when rules are relaxed.

August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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Page 7

Ocean City Bails Out Air Show With $100K Contribution

Page 8

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – The OC Air Show, slated for next weekend, was briefly in jeopardy this week after an interpretation the traditional show center and ticketed areas on the beach were in violation of state COVID-19 directives, but the event will go on after resort officials agreed to supply an influx of cash to offset the revenue losses.

The OC Air Show was slated for mid-June, just as it has been for the last dozen years. However, with the COVID-19 situation, it was postponed in June and new dates were later determined for next weekend, Aug. 1516. Throughout the process, air show officials worked with the Town of Ocean City and the Worcester County

Health Department on a plan to make sure the state directives in place regarding social distancing and other directives were met at the official events on the beach in the downtown area.

Naturally, the air show can be viewed all over the resort area and up and down the roughly 10-mile stretch of beach, but the official events including the ticketed areas and VIP areas and the like are focused in the show center on the beach. The audio and narration that accompanies the air show are featured in that downtown area, resulting in large crowds gathered on the beach and Boardwalk.

Everything was a go for the air show over the last several weeks since the new dates in mid-August were announced with the county health department signing off on the plans to eliminate lar-

ge crowds gathering in one area and the compliance with the other state directives on distancing and the wearing of masks, for example. However, last Friday the air show promoters and the Town of Ocean City received an email from the state’s Attorney General’s Office passed through the Maryland State Police that essentially said the planned ticketed areas and other events around the show center were in violation of the state’s current COVID-19 directives.

Eliminating those areas put the air show in jeopardy because of the potential revenue losses.

Special Events Director Frank Miller first broached the issue during a Tourism Commission meeting on Monday afternoon and it later came before the full Mayor and Council on Monday night. Miller said eliminating the show

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center and the associated ticketed areas would result in significant revenue losses for the show’s promoter and threatened to derail the event.

Miller said the promoter was looking to the town to provide an influx of funding to offset the revenue losses and allow the event to go on next weekend as planned. Earlier on Monday, the town’s Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) discussed the funding request and unanimously agreed to provide the funding from its budget. For the record, TAB is a quasi-public-private group directed to seek out and support special events in the town.

Each year, TAB has a $300,000 allocation as a line item in the tourism budget to promote and support new special events, and in the case of the air show, TAB has funding available to meet the event’s request for funding to offset the loss of revenue from losing the ticketed areas. At Monday’s tourism commission meeting, Miller explained how the state’s interpretation of the ticketed areas threatened to scrub this air show this year.

“The Attorney General’s office provided interpretive guidance on the air show and questions were raised about the ticketed areas on the beach,” he said. “In their interpretation, those ticketed areas are in violation of the health department directives put out in midJune which state concerts, shows and similar events can resume without audiences.”

Miller said the ticketed areas accounted for a large portion of the event’s revenue.

“If they remove the ticketed spectator areas, the air show can still go on,” he said. “However, removing those ticketed areas takes away a good bit of their revenue source.”

At the tourism commission meeting, Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association (OCHMRA) Executive Director Susan Jones said TAB agreed the funding should be provided to ensure the air show was not lost like so many other special events this summer.

“We feel the air show needs to go on,” he said. “If it doesn’t, it gives the impression Ocean City is shut down. The live streaming all around the country reaches audiences we might not have seen before. The hoteliers want and need this. We didn’t think we needed it in August, but we need it now. We’re really hurting right now.”

Jones was referring to the planned live-stream of the OC Air Show this year. Event promoters are producing a live-stream of the air show that will encourage people to physically watch and feel their air show from balconies or the beach or from backyards while listening to the narration remotely.

After Monday afternoon’s tourism commission meeting, Miller briefed the full Mayor and Council on the situation a couple hours later during the regular Monday night meeting, which was a SEE NEXT PAGE

… State Finds Ticketed Areas Violate Pandemic Directives

August 7, 2020

virtual meeting through Zoom.

“The ticketed areas on the beach would be in violation of a document put out in June that allows things to happen without an audience,” he said.

“They would like to see those spaces removed. The air show can still go on without those areas, but removing them takes away a large amount of revenue. Basically, if we get rid of those areas, we’re going to have to stand this up financially.”

OC Air Show promoter Bryan Lilley explained the proposed changes to the Mayor and Council remotely via Zoom.

“We would remove all of the infrastructure on the beach between 13th Street and 14th Street,” he said. “We will eliminate anything that would encourage a convergence of people.

Basically, it will be one long stretch of beach for people to watch the air show.”

Lilley said the live streaming of the air show would be a state-of-the-art production akin to the broadcast of an NFL game.

“It will be a sporting event-style presentation with multiple cameras, interviews with the pilots and a broadcast team in different areas,” he said.

“We’ll have cameras down at Wallops Island. We have the best lineup we’ve ever had with the top three Air Force demonstration teams. You’ll be able to

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

see the jets in the lineup and see the Thunderbirds doing their walk down.”

However, losing the ticketed areas and producing the live stream comes at a price perhaps too large for the air show to absorb and still host the event successfully. Lilley said the ticketed areas and show center areas generated around $187,000 last year. In addition, sponsorship revenue is down around 40%. Lilley said the net loss in revenue with the ticketed areas removed was around $202,000. He asked if the town could meet him halfway and provide $100,000 in additional funding to ensure the event can still go on next weekend.

Lilley said despite the changes including the removal of the show center downtown, there was a great opportunity with the live stream to reach a much larger audience with Ocean City featured as the primary sponsor. Of course, local residents and visitors can watch the air show and listen to the live stream from anywhere around the resort, but the live stream will also be available all around the country and beyond.

“The silver lining in all of this is the live stream, which creates a great opportunity for Ocean City,” he said.

“Through COVID, there hasn’t been any air shows with the top demo teams from around the world. We have the opportunity to be the first.

The live feed will really reach a national and global audience and it’s an opportunity to really promote Ocean City and all it has to offer.”

Councilman Mark Paddack made a motion to approve the $100,000 funding allocation to ensure the OC Air Show goes off as planned next week.

“There is nobody on the east coast that has the staff, the training and the resources to pull this off like we do,” he said. “This event is a staple for Ocean City. People can decide on their own to come or not come, but we really need this event.”

Councilman John Gehrig said the Town of Ocean City would be the premiere sponsor of the air show with potential exposure to a global audience including a share of the advertising revenue from the live stream of the event.

“Basically, I look at this like we’re an investor in the live stream and we would be the primary sponsor,” he said. “We get our investment back in future ad sales and we get a lot of positive exposure for Ocean City. This isn’t just a handout. We’re partners going forward.”

While all agreed supplying the $100,000 was a sound investment, Councilman Dennis Dare pointed out eliminating the controlled ticketed areas represented the loss of an opportunity to ensure social distancing and the other di-

Page 9

rectives.

“It’s just ironic that we had a chance to control distancing at the show center and require people to wear masks,” he said. “We also had an opportunity for contact tracing if we had an issue.

Now, we have none of that.”

Councilman Matt James supported the funding allocation, but wanted assurances the money was being used to the intended purposes.

“I want to amend the motion to not just give $100,000,” he said. “I prefer to pay invoices and not just hand over $100,000. I completely support this, but I just want to make sure we’re being responsible and everything is accounted for.”

In the end, the council voted 6-0 with Councilman Tony DeLuca absent to provide the $100,000 supplementary allocation to the air show. It’s important to note the town already provides $35,000 to the air show through a memorandum of understanding (MOU). The council agreed to supply the additional $100,000 with a couple of stipulations. For example, the money will be used to pay invoices incurred by the air show, Ocean City will be one of the primary sponsors, the town will receive 50% of the advertising revenue from the live stream and the town will also gain access to the thousands of the air show’s email subscribers to promote future events.

Page 10

Ocean City Mulling Sunfest Call

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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With Sunfest, scheduled for the first weekend in October this year, still about two months away, Ocean City officials are facing a critical decision on whether to move forward with the town’s signature fall special event. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, many of the town’s special events this summer have already been canceled or significantly altered.

Just last week, the Bike Week events scheduled roughly around the same time were postponed. On Monday, Special Events Director Frank Miller outlined some of the challenges facing Sunfest this fall and presented proposed alterations to the event if it goes off as planned.

“We’ve come to realize the ability to execute this event is a pretty major unknown day to day until the gates open,” he said. “Even though you may choose that we can move forward with this event, we’re always subject to possible change.”

Miller said despite the event being two months out, the town is nearing a critical crossroads on the decision to ho-

August 7, 2020

st Sunfest this year.

“We need to start setting up contracts this week,” he said. “We’re close to 30 days out for the set-up and they need some answers.”

Miller then presented the proposed changes to Sunfest this year, including more tents for vendors, but smaller and more spread out in the event’s footprint at the Inlet lot. Perhaps the biggest change this year is there will no major headline performers and no entertainment pavilion with ticketed concerts, according to the revised plan. Concerts and other large gatherings are still prohibited under the current stage of the governor’s recovery plan.

“The entertainment tent has the option to put the sides up, but in our conversations with the health officer, she requested we didn’t utilize that space, so the headline concerts are out for 2020,” said Miller. “It’s similar to the interpretation handed down by the Attorney General on the air show and the crowd aspects of performances.”

Traditionally, there are two large tents for the arts and craft vendors, one large tent for the food vendors and the entertainment pavilion for the ticketed headline concerts. This year, if Sunfest is held as planned, there will four smaller tents for vendors spread out over a larger footprint at the Inlet lot and one food tent. However, Miller said the SEE PAGE 12

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… Tweaks Likely If Fall Event Held

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

August 7, 2020

FROM PAGE 10 county health officer is recommending not seating in the food tent.

“The health officer recommends removing the larger tent and having smaller tents with the vendors further apart,” he said. “She recommends no seating whatsoever in the food tent and she wants the sides completely open on the food tent.”

The revised plan calls for eliminating the large entertainment pavilion. Instead, an open-air stage facing the ocean is recommended that could host smaller, local performers.

“The headliners can’t perform, but local artists want to perform,” he said.

“That’s something we’re going to have to look at as we have continued conversations with the health officer.”

Miller said the decision on Sunfest was a difficult one that will likely be met with consternation regardless of the final outcome.

“Public opinion and the mainstream media are coming down hard on large events,” he said. “We’re going to be subject to a lot of scrutiny. You all know whatever you decide, you’re going to get negative feedback.”

Councilman Mark Paddack urged his colleagues to move forward with Sunfest with the appropriate changes in the event footprint and strict adherence to the governor’s directives on distancing and the wearing of masks, for example.

“We are Sunfest and we are Ocean City,” he said. “It is my opinion we need to move forward with Sunfest with the proper distancing and wearing masks and public education. People should be able to decide to go or not to go.”

Miller said the challenges regarding the decision are shared by the vendors.

“Every company is looking for a decision,” he said. “They are all under immense hardships because of COVID. We do have COVID-related language written into the contracts and there is a risk they are assuming as well.”

Council President Lloyd Martin said there were risks in moving forward with Sunfest as planned, but it might be a risk worth taking.

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lining up vendors as well,” he said. “It’s a bit of a gamble. We’re not going to sign contracts with vendors and then keep their money if the event doesn’t go off as planned. We all want to make it happen. The layout makes sense and it gets people outside. People are looking forward to this.”

Miller explained the most significant expense for the town is the tent rental along with the set-up and tear down, which he estimated at around $104,000. He said overall the town’s expense for hosting the event is around $150,000. Council Secretary Mary Knight said given the unknowns, maybe the tent rental expense could be negotiated down somewhat.

“We’re in the last year of our contract with the tent vendor,” she said. “What if you went back to them and asked for a discount in this uncertain year in exchange for adding another year on the contract?”

After considerable debate, the council directed Miller to pitch Knight’s idea about the tent contract to the vendor.

The council also instructed to Miller to poll the vendors on the list and gage their interest in returning this year. Miller will then come back to the Mayor and Council during next week’s work session to give the elected officials more information on which to base their decision.

Councilman Dennis Dare said throughout COVID, decisions on event such as Sunfest have been a moving target.

“For the air show, the goal post just moved again today,” he said. “We don’t know what the situation will be in two months. Hopefully, it will be better. It’s a big roll of the dice for everybody involved this far out.”

Dare also pointed out over the history of Sunfest, there has been a waiting list of potential vendors when the leased spots are all taken. He said that could affect the decisions of some vendors on whether to come this year or not.

“Some vendors are concerned their typical clientele won’t be coming this year,” he said. “Many will choose to stay home. If they do sign up, their revenue will likely be down. If they don’t sign up, they might lose their spots in subsequent years.”

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Parents Reflect On ‘No-Win Situation’ For County Schools

August 7, 2020

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

NEWARK – Parents and teachers this week are adjusting to the news that the school year will begin virtually for the Worcester County Public Schools (WCPS) community.

Last Thursday, Superintendent Lou Taylor announced that the school year would begin with distance learning, Stage One of the “Responsible Return” model, for all students. Officials plan to reevaluate conditions every two weeks and hope to move into Stage Two, which would bring small groups of students back into school, by Sept. 28.

“We all recognize that there is no perfect solution to addressing the challenges that this pandemic has created for school systems, including our school system,” Taylor said as he made the announcement last Thursday.

As proposed, WCPS students will engage in distance learning for Stage One, a tiered support model that brings some students back to school in Stage Two, a hybrid alternating week model in Stage Three and full-on face-to-face learning in the final Stage Four.

Jeff Smith, president of the Buckingham Elementary School PTA, said that while he was glad the school system had shared its “Responsible Return” model, he didn’t think it was much of a plan.

“There’s detail about how they think

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

it should work but not how they’ll actually make it work,” he said.

Smith feels the plan lacks specifics and doesn’t address some key issues, such as what will happen when a kid gets sick once kids are back in school.

He said the school system had also not addressed the issue of learning cohorts or pods, which many parents are exploring. They’re interested in forming small groups to tackle virtual learning together.

Overall, Smith says parents he’s spoken to have a lot of trepidation about the coming school year.

“I haven’t talked to a parent who’s gung ho and excited for the fall,” he said. “I think a lot of parents are trying to be cautiously optimistic.”

Jessica Clark, vice president of Showell Elementary School’s PTA, said she thought officials had made the best decision they could in a difficult situation.

“Schools are so much more than places of learning,” she said. “They provide students with food, love, social and emotional support. In a normal and perfect world, students would be back in classrooms learning with their teachers.

Unfortunately, the word ‘normal’ is relative these days and any choice made will be less than ideal. I am grateful to the board that they have chosen to prioritize student, teacher, staff and community safety at this time by beginning the school year remotely.”

She added that she appreciated the flexibility the school system was allowing in providing families the option of sticking with distance learning once schools begin to reopen.

“Every family is different and what works for my family will not work for others, so choices are important as families gauge their individual comfort level of re-

Page 13

turning in person,” she said. “In a time where there are really no good choices, and each poses its own set of challenges, I do believe WCPS are doing the responsible thing and making the safety and health of our kids and their teachers paramount.”

Rachel Geiger, a former teacher who has three kids in WCPS, agreed.

“I am thankful for the effort and consideration the WCPS administrative team put forth in making this difficult decision,” she said. “I know beginning the school year with distance learning will be difficult for many families, but I am confident that it is the safest plan for our community. I’m glad the plan allows for frequent re-evaluation so that our kids can get back in the classroom sooner if circumstances improve.”

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

August 7, 2020

August 7, 2020

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Page 15

Woman Assaults Police After Boardwalk Store Theft

Page 16

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

August 7, 2020

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

A combative woman is pictured being carried by five Ocean City police officers after reportedly being caught shoplifting and then assaulting police.

OCEAN CITY – What began as a request to leave a Boardwalk store for not wearing a mask followed by shoplifting resulted in a wild scene on the Boardwalk last weekend with the suspect battling with police.

Around 5:50 p.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was dispatched to the area of a store on the Boardwalk at 5th Street for a reported theft that had just occurred. The officer met with the store manager who advised a short time earlier, a female suspect later identified as Romina Santibanez-Lagos, 23, of Alexandria, Va., had entered the store with a male and a child.

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The three customers were asked to leave the store because they were not wearing face coverings. SantibanezLagos and the other male and child did leave the store, but returned a few minutes later. The manager told police she observed Santibanez-Lagos leave the store with a Marky Sparky Doink It Darts dartboard valued at around $32 without paying for it.

Store surveillance video reportedly showed Santibanez-Lagos leaving the store with the dartboard set and she walked with the male and child north on the Boardwalk. OCPD officers located the trio and detained Santibanez-Lagos for theft. The suspect was told to sit down on a bench, but refused. She was also asked to produce her identification, but also refused. The male asked officers if he could leave with the child because he was not being detained, and the officers allowed him to leave with the child.

Santibanez-Lagos was again asked for her ID, but refused to give it to police because she wanted to wait for her child to be completely out of the area. Once the male and the child were out of the area, Santibanez-Lagos did sit on the bench as requested, but appeared to be stalling the investigation by refusing to identify herself.

At that point, Santibanez-Lagos got up from the bench and attempted to run south on the Boardwalk. An OCPD officer was able to grab her to prevent her from fleeing and she was ordered to get on the ground. Santibanez swung her arm back and punched an OCPD officer in the face with a closed fist. OCPD officers tackled the suspect to the ground to prevent her from assaulting anyone else, but she continued to resist and scream loudly on the crowded Boardwalk, according to police reports.

As a result of her battling with police and flailing on the ground, SantibanezLagos’ bikini top dropped down, exposing her right breast. Bystanders on the Boardwalk reportedly yelled to officers to cover her up as they attempted to gain control of her and carry her to the transport vehicle. Santibanez-Lagos continued to fight with police, kicking one officer in the leg and stomach in the process, according to police reports.

OCPD officers were eventually able to carry Santibanez-Lagos off the Boardwalk to the waiting transport vehicle. By now, a large crowd had gathered on the Boardwalk and on nearby balconies to watch the scene unfold. When she continued kicking and scrapping with police, Santibanez-Lagos had to be put in a violent prisoner restraining device.

She was charged with theft, obstructing and hindering, three counts of assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, indecent exposure, disorderly conduct and other counts.

August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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Long-Time County Official Retiring

August 7, 2020

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

SNOW HILL – A key government official will retire next week after three decades of serving Worcester County.

Kelly Shannahan, Worcester County’s assistant chief administrative officer, will step down Aug.14. He’s spent the past 30 years assisting in the management of Worcester County.

“He’s been dedicated to the county, and dedicated to the employees of the county, always treating them fairly and as family,” Commissioner Joe Mitrecic said. “The knowledge he brings to the job will be surely missed.”

Shannahan, who grew up in Salisbury, made his way to Worcester County after working in both the public and the private sector in Virginia. When he saw a position advertised in Worcester County in 1990 he knew it was time to make a move.

“It was time to make my way back to the shore, back home,” he said.

Shannahan took a job as a long-range planner in the then-department of planning, permits and inspections. He worked on the comprehensive redrafting of the county’s zoning and subdivision control article and worked on the county’s forest conservation law and SEE NEXT PAGE

… Administrator Now Planning To Focus On Travel Business With Wife

August 7, 2020

stormwater management regulations.

He said the county’s diversity—the beaches in Ocean City, the highly populated Ocean Pines and the expanses of rural farmland—made it interesting from a planning perspective.

“As a planner it was a nice situation, a challenging situation, to come into with all of its land use issues,” Shannahan said.

His desire to move into more of a management position prompted him to seek the role of assistant to the chief administrative officer in 1995. A year later he was promoted to the new position of assistant chief administrative officer. Projects completed under his watch included the construction of the Worcester County Government Center, the Charles and Martha Fulton Senior Center and the Worcester County Recreation Center, among others. He also oversaw the initial purchase and utilization of the countywide personal computer network and the electronic document imaging of all county records.

Shannahan said the good working relationship among the county’s employees made those types of projects possible.

“Worcester County has a very tightknit staff, people focused on doing a good job for the people of Worcester County,” he said.

Shannahan said the biggest challenge he faced as assistant chief administrative officer was dealing with the recession of 2008.

“That was a challenging time for our office and everyone in the county,” he said.

Shannahan said state budget cuts that impacted the county were made after the county commissioners had already adopted a budget for the year.

Shannahan chaired an efficiency committee to rethink government operations and assisted in identifying $700,000 in budget cuts.

“That helped us weather the storm,” he said.

Another of Shannahan’s longtime duties has been to put together the exten-

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sive packets distributed to the county commissioners before their meetings twice a month. Shannahan ensures the commissioners have all the information they need prior to making a decision on a topic.

“I try to make it as easy as possible for the commissioners to make sense of comprehensive, detailed reports,” he said.

Though he’s watched various groups of commissioners come and go through the years, he says his role has remained the same.

“They may have a different philosophy, how the county should grow, whether it should grow, those kinds of things, but by and large not a significant change,” he said. “One of the great things about Worcester County, here some of the partisan politics we KELLY see on the federal st- SHANNAHAN age are not present. I don’t look at any of the commissioners as a Democrat or Republican I look at them as county commissioners. The decisions are made in the best interests of all the citizens of the county.”

Shannahan likes working with the rest of the county’s staff to come up with recommendations for the commissioners on important local issues.

“There’s always something different,” he said. “That’s part of what I’ve enjoyed. I’m not on an assembly line doing the same job over and over. There’s always a new problem to solve.”

As for what he’ll miss most once he retires, Shannahan said it was undoubtedly the people.

“We all do think of ourselves as the Worcester County work family,” he said.

Nevertheless he’s looking forward to having more time to put into the Salisbury Cruise Club, the travel business he and his wife started 15 years ago.

“It was the right time to move into that second career,” he said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to expand that a little bit.”

Page 19

Wicomico Seeking Candidates For Open Executive Post

Page 20

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SALISBURY – The Wicomico County Council is seeking candidates for the position of county executive.

On July 26, Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver, age 67, passed away after a months-long battle with liver cancer.

The county charter states that when a vacancy in the office of county executive occurs after the first 12 months of a term, the position must be filled by resolution with a majority vote of the county

council within 45 days after the vacancy occurs.

To that end, the council is seeking candidates for the position of county executive.

Candidates must be a resident of Wicomico County, as well as a qualified voter of Wicomico County for at least five years immediately preceding appointment.

Candidates must be 25 years of age and may not hold any other office of profit in federal, state, county or municipal government during the term in office. The county executive is not eligible

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for appointment to any compensated county office or position, except as a county council member, for one year after the termination of the term in office.

“As Mr. Bob Culver was a registered Republican, the Wicomico County Council is seeking registered Republicans with the above qualifications who are interested in being nominated for appointment as County Executive for the remainder of the current term,” a statement from the legislative body reads.

Candidates are asked to submit a resume with a biography, as well as a

August 7, 2020

completed job application, to the Wicomico County Council administrator at P.O. Box 870, Salisbury, MD 21803.

All applications must be postmarked

by Aug. 11. For more information, contact Council Administrator Laura Hurley at 410-548-4696, or email lhurley@wicomicocounty.org.

As a result of Culver’s death, Director of Administration John Psota will serve as acting county executive.

A public memorial service for Culver will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 1 p.m. at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center.

Ocean City Tourism Might Drop Fall Marketing Campaign Plans Group Eyes Aggressive Advertising In 2021

August 7, 2020

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – Stopping short of throwing in the towel, resort tourism officials this week recommended not going after a fall marketing campaign and regrouping and utilizing the advertising budget for an aggressive campaign next year.

Throughout the COVID-19 situation, Ocean City’s marketing and advertising strategy has shifted almost as often as the state and federal directives have changed. At the outset of the outbreak, when Gov. Larry Hogan issued a stay-at-home directive and closed non-essential businesses, Ocean City responded by closing its beaches and Boardwalk and later essentially closing lodging establishments.

During that time, the town’s main marketing message was “Stay Away from Ocean City,” and “We’ll be Here When the Time is Right.” When the state gradually went through the steps of its multi-phase recovery plan and businesses started to reopen on a conditional basis, the message shifted to “Welcome Back.”

Now, with the arrival of August, and Labor Day suddenly approaching in the coming weeks, the town’s tourism and marketing strategy is at a crossroads. The original plan discussed throughout the summer was for a fall marketing campaign focused on “Let’s Keep Summer Going,” but the state and the town are currently stalled in the current phase of the governor’s recovery plan.

There have been some modest spikes in Maryland’s key COVID-19 metrics over the last few weeks, but the numbers appear to have generally stabilized. In the interim, Ocean City has scrubbed many of its major fall special events with the Bike Week festivities postponed and a decision on Sunfest looming as soon as next week.

During Monday’s Tourism Commission meeting, Communications Manager and acting Tourism Director Jessica Waters outlined some of the alternatives for fall marketing.

One option is to simply do nothing and let dysfunctional 2020 to run its course. A second option is to develop a full-press fall marketing campaign akin to the “Keep Summer Going” concept with a complete television, radio and digital approach in all of Ocean City’s major target markets. The catch on that option is Maryland is currently on the quarantine list in some of the major marketing target areas including New York and New Jersey. A full-on fall

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

marketing campaign in all mediums would come with a $480,000 price tag.

Yet a third option would be to scale back the fall marketing campaign to just the town’s digital mediums and social networking, but that would still come at a cost of around $280,000.

At Monday’s tourism commission meeting, Waters sought guidance from members on whether or not to aggressively go after fall marketing, take a wait-and-see approach, or simply lick the town’s collective wounds and save the town’s advertising resources for an aggressive campaign next year when the COVID situation has, hopefully, abated. The tourism commission ultimately decided on the latter.

“We have the opportunity to advertise in the fall, but there’s a lot to consider,” she said. “With the COVID restrictions still in place and the staffing issues for a lot of businesses, we can do nothing, we can advertise in all of our mediums or we can just go digital. Do we want to save the $480,000 for the spring? There are just a lot of uncertainties.”

Commission member and Ocean City hotelier Michael James said he was in favor of saving the advertising revenue and going after an aggressive campaign next year.

“My feeling is let’s lick our wounds for 2020 and get ready for 2021,” he said. “I think we should regroup and have a really robust program ready for 2021.”

Of course, the town’s marketing and advertising budget is largely fueled by room tax revenue and there are a lot of uncertainties surrounding those final figures for 2020. The spring was essentially lost because of COVID-19, and while June and July appeared relatively strong despite the coronavirus, the jury is still out on August and there are a lot of uncertainties surrounding the fall shoulder season.

“We’re still not sure where room tax will be,” said Waters on Monday.

“What we’re hearing is July was pretty strong despite everything, but we’re not sure yet about August. There are a lot of unknowns.”

Waters said the ever-changing COVID-19 metrics in Maryland and its surrounding target markets would likely impact visitor’s level of safety in traveling.

“Travel in 2020 right now is all based on one’s comfort level,” she said.

“We can definitely revisit this if things change.”

After considerable debate, the tourism commission voted to pump the brakes on a fall marketing campaign and regroup next spring with an aggressive and creative advertising plan for 2021.

Page 21

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Resort To Hire Acoustical Engineer For Noise Readings

Page 22

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – Resort officials this week approved hiring an acoustical engineering firm to record accurate sound measurements on the Boardwalk and other areas in an effort to strengthen the noise ordinance, but it certainly wasn’t easy.

During Monday’s meeting, the Mayor and Council heard a request to spend $50,000 to hire an acoustical engineer to take sound measurements in an effort to bolster the town’s existing noise ordinance. The acoustical engineer will take measurements of the ambient noise on the Boardwalk as well as the noise associated with certain buskers to provide statistical data to aid in enforcement and, potentially, in legal challenges.

The town has been challenged several times over the years by street performers on various issues related to First Amendment rights and freedom of expression in a public forum. Each time, the federal judge for the most part ruled in favor of the performers. In 2013, a Boardwalk violinist successfully challenged Ocean City in federal court over First Amendment and freedom of expression issues and, most recently, a group of Boardwalk buskers challenged the town in federal court, resulting in much of the town’s code re-

garding street performers being struck down.

In those cases, the plaintiffs had acoustical data to back up their claims, while the town did not have the same information available in its defense.

Much has been quiet, so to speak, on street performer issues in the years since the court cases, but the noise issues have flared up again this summer. To that end, City Manager Doug Miller on Monday recommended hiring the acoustical engineering firm for $50,000 to take and record factual decibel-level data that can be used to help enforce the noise ordinance and, potentially, to be used in court if the town goes down that road again.

“As you are well, well aware, we have been in federal court several times regarding our Boardwalk performers,” he said. “This year, we’ve had a difficult time addressing excessive noise on the Boardwalk because we’ve never professionally established sound minimums to put that in our noise ordinance. To do that, we have to hire an acoustical engineer.”

Miller said he recommended contracting the engineer to begin to collect the data in what remains of this summer.

“There is a little bit of urgency because if we want to take accurate sound measurements, we want to do that in season,” he said. “That’s why

August 7, 2020

this is before you now.”

City Solicitor Heather Stansbury said some of the same old issues reappeared earlier this summer and it took some time to send out requests for proposal and interview potential firms for the contract.

“Unfortunately, these issues developed through late May and into early and mid-June,” she said. “If we’re going to do this, we need to clarify with them they need to be here on the ground taking measurements now before the season ends. We need to capture not only the ambient noise that exists on the Boardwalk but the other noise that we experience during the season.”

Councilman Mark Paddack, who has been on the front lines of the noise issue for years as a former police officer and a member of the Noise Board, pointed out the town has already lost a significant amount of money in its battles with the buskers.

“We have a commercial section and a residential section, and then we have the Boardwalk,” he said. “The Town of Ocean City spent approximately a quarter of a million dollars on federal cases because the Boardwalk businesses did not like the fact we have street performers.”

Stansbury explained some of the federal court cases regarding street performers didn’t go the town’s way

because the town lacked the necessary statistical information the hiring of the acoustical engineer would provide.

“We were in federal court and we did have some difficulty at that time,” she said. “The issue was we didn’t have acoustical sound measurements and the opponent did. The court had trouble with how our noise ordinance was crafted and if it was rationally based. The issue that is presently at hand is that section of the noise ordinance that pertains to the Boardwalk was struck down by the court. We can argue if that should have happened or should not have happened, but it did happen.”

Stansbury said the information provided by the acoustical engineer would be used in all of the sections of the town code that address noise, whether it’s the Boardwalk, residential or commercial.

“We’re trying to rationally base our noise ordinance on some specific data as well as the needs of the town,” she said. “The town code has several noise provisions all of which do not treat noise exactly the same.”

However, Paddack vehemently objected to the notion the hiring of the acoustical engineer related to anything but the street performers and the Boardwalk.

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… Paddack: ‘Don’t Kid Anybody Here … It’s About Street Performers’

August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

dinance,” he said. “Now, we’re moving forward and we’re ready to spend $50,000 so an acoustical engineer tells us what common sense says.

What the town did years ago, in my opinion, was wrong and it cost our taxpayers over a quarter of a million dollars. Now, we’re going to spend another $50,000 to tell us what common sense already tells us. We know when it’s loud on the Boardwalk.”

Stansbury attempted to clarify the issue was related to all sections of the code regarding noise and not just the Boardwalk.

“To be very clear, this is not in its entirety about street performers,” she said. “Noise comes up in the town code several times, not just the Boardwalk.”

However, Paddack insisted the only reason the council was considering collecting the acoustical data was related to the buskers.

“Don’t kid anybody here,” he said.

“It’s about street performers. It doesn’t have anything to do with commercial or residential. Let’s be transparent here. We’re going after the street performers.”

Councilman Matt James attempted to calm the discussion, which was beginning to unravel, by reiterating it was about the entire noise ordinance and

not just issues related to the Boardwalk.

“I just want to clarify the intent of this is not just about street performers,” he said. “It may touch on the Boardwalk, but this has implications in many other areas of the town. This is going to help us with some of the issues we have.”

The council ultimately voted 5-1 with Paddack vehemently opposed and Councilman Tony DeLuca absent to approve the $50,000 expenditure. Mayor Rick Meehan acknowledged the issue had its roots in certain street performers, but that it would apply to other noise issues as well, including some rather new issues on the landscape.

“I’ve sat in court in these cases,” he said. “We figured out just how important it was to have this information available to us when we were up there. It did cost about a quarter of a million dollars, but this is not just about street performers. It’s also about some of the new things we see now on the Boardwalk with the different things people are carrying around and they can get very loud. There are all kinds of issues that come up about noise continuously. This puts us in a better position to defend ourselves and we can enforce and hopefully solve some of these issues.”

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Boardwalk Masks: Compliance rates last weekend varied among Boardwalk visitors, as evidenced by this picture.

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Page 24

Cops & Courts

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

First-Degree Assault Arrest

OCEAN CITY – A Delaware man was arrested on first-degree assault and other charges last week after allegedly punching and choking a female victim during a domestic incident at an uptown hotel.

Around 6:30 p.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to a hotel at 145th Street for a reported domestic assault.

Upon arrival, OCPD officers were advised the suspect, later identified as Benjamin Horn, 49, of Bridgeville, Del., was standing in the lobby. One OCPD officer walked with Horn to the parking garage to speak with him.

OCPD officers met with a hotel staffer who had witnessed the incident. The employee told police a housekeeper reported hearing a disturbance coming from a room on the third floor. The hotel staffer told police he went to the thirdfloor room and heard fighting between a male and female. The staffer report-

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edly opened the door and separated Horn from the female.

When Horn stepped out of the room, the door closed and locked, and Horn reportedly banged on the door repeatedly while screaming derogatory names at the female still inside. OCPD officers went to the room and interviewed the female victim. The victim opened the door and the officers observed blood on the bridge of her nose, on the knuckles of both of her hands and on her arms.

There was also swelling under the victim’s right eye and clumps of her hair on the desk near the balcony door, according to police reports. The room was reportedly in complete disarray with clothes strewn about and the cover of the air conditioning unit ripped off.

OCPD officers interviewed the victim, who reportedly told police Horn was intoxicated and pushed and punched her several times. According to police reports, the victim told police Horn was always abusive toward her and nothing in particular had sparked the physical altercation that day. She also reportedly told police Horn had assaulted her the night before.

During the prior alleged incident from the night before, the victim told police Horn choked her so hard she nearly lost consciousness and that she could not remember what had happened for a while. The victim told police Horn had also choked her during that day’s altercation, but that she did not lose consciousness.

OCPD officers interviewed Horn, who reportedly told police an argument had occurred, but nothing physical happened. Horn reportedly began yelling expletives and racial slurs at the police officers interviewing him and when they tried to take him into custody, he reportedly resisted to the point an officer had to deploy his taser.

Horn was arrested and charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, resisting arrest and disturbing the peace.

Sisters Thwart Burglary OCEAN CITY – Two sisters last weekend were able to stop a burglary at a midtown residence and chased down the suspects and detained them until police arrived.

Around 10:10 p.m. last Sunday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a residence on 63rd Street for a report of two burglary suspects that had been appreSEE NEXT PAGE

... cops & courts

August 7, 2020

hended by the victims. When police arrived, they observed four people standing over Neil Patel, 27, of Hanover, Md., and Guillermo Roldan, 25, of Laurel, Md. Officers spoke with one female victim, who reportedly told police she owns the residence at 63rd Street with her sister. One sister told police Patel and Roldan entered her residence through the opened garage and were confronted by her sister. Patel and Roldan, when confronted, fled back out of the residence through the garage and stole a skateboard on their way out, according to police reports.

The first sister told police she chased the suspects and was able to detain Patel and Roldan at a nearby parking garage with the assistance of other individuals in the area. At that point, Patel and Roldan were taken into custody. OCPD officers spoke with the other sister, who told police she observed Patel and Roldan coming up the stairs to the first-floor living room, and when they reached the top of the stairs, she screamed at them to “get the [expletive deleted] out,” according to police reports.

The second sister told police her sister chased the suspects down and was able to detain them before the OCPD officers arrived. Patel and Roldan were charged with first-degree burglary and other counts.

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch ay’s family were crying and visibly upset. Beach Patrol officers told police Gray got mad at his daughter and punched and kicked her, according to police reports. Beach Patrol officers told police they observed a goose eggstyle bump on the juvenile’s forehead as a result of the assault.

Officers also observed a bald spot on the victim’s head and it became evident Gray had pulled out her braidedstyle hair. Gray was interviewed and told police the juvenile was being disrespectful to him, so he was “punishing her the way he feels right,” according to police reports. The adult woman with the child shook her head at Gray and told him he was wrong for his actions, according to police reports.

According to police reports, Gray was heavily intoxicated. Witnesses on the beach described Gray hitting the juvenile victim with a closed fist. They also described in their written witness reports Gray kicking the victim in the face and torso and pulling her hair. According to police reports, Gray stated several times he was “chastising” his daughter and that he felt that was the correct way to parent, according to police reports.

“You’re doing your job and I’m just doing mine as a dad,” Gray reportedly told police. “I will chastise my daughter

Page 25

as I see fit. I don’t care what other people think. I will chastise my daughter so she doesn’t become a piece of [expletive deleted].” Gray was arrested and charged with assault, intoxicated endangerment, disturbing the peace and other counts.

Where’s My Wife?

OCEAN CITY – A Halethorpe, Md. man was arrested last weekend after causing a scene when his wife left a downtown restaurant with members of a band after an argument between the couple.

Around 9:20 p.m. last Saturday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to a restaurant on Talbot Street for a reported disorderly individual. Officers arrived and met with Terry Whalen, Jr., 50, of Halethorpe, Md., who told police he was at the restaurant with his wife when she left the table to go to the restroom. Whalen told police his wife never returned from the restroom.

Whalen reportedly confronted restaurant employees about his wife’s whereabouts and they informed him they saw her leave with members of the band that were playing that night. Whalen refused to believe his wife left the restaurant without him, according to police reports.

Out in the street, Whalen reported screamed at police “Where is my [ex-

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pletive deleted] wife?” and “Why don’t you do your [expletive deleted] job?” according to police reports. Meanwhile, a crowd at the restaurant and at another establishment across the street gathered to observe the incident as police ordered Whalen to stop yelling. Whalen reportedly ran back into the crowded restaurant in an attempt to locate his wife on his own.

When Whalen was back in the street, a bystander approached him to see if he could help, according to police reports. Whalen reportedly lowered his center of gravity, spread his feet apart and shoved the bystander with both hands and began to shout how the bystander and disrespected his wife.

At that point, Whalen was arrested, but he continued to scream at police that they were not doing their job and finding his wife. Whalen’s wife arrived back at the restaurant about a half an hour after Whalen had been arrested and transported. Whalen’s wife said she left the restaurant with members of the band after she had gotten into an argument with Whalen. She reportedly told police she returned to the restaurant once she had calmed down from the argument. Whalen was charged with assault, disorderly conduct, intoxicated endangerment and other counts.

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Air Trooper Service

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – With a decision on possibly eliminating one of the Maryland State Police (MSP) Aviation medevac units on the Eastern Shore still looming, the local area’s state senator last week fired off a letter requesting a reverse in the proposed budget cut.

During its July meeting, the state’s Board of Public Works (BPW) considered several significant budget cuts in the wake of anticipated revenue shortfalls due to COVID-19. The BPW is considering grounding either Trooper 4, which provides critical medevac services to the Lower Shore for all manner of medical emergencies, or the Trooper 6 unit in Easton. The potential savings to the state include $1.3 million from reduced aviation insurance, maintenance and overtime associated with closing one of the MSP Aviation bases on the shore and selling one of the helicopters, along with another $490,000 in estimated fuel and maintenance savings in the aviation division.

The proposed closure of one the MSP Aviation bases on the shore, including potentially Trooper 4, is just one of the budget cuts on the table for the BPW and nothing has been finalized.

MSP officials have said there is an independent helicopter-basing study underway on which the BPW could base its decision. The results of the study are expected later this summer.

“As the state senator representing all of Worcester, Somerset including Smith Island, and half of Wicomico County, I am well aware of the superior emergency life-saving airborne medical services that have been provided over the years by Trooper 4 in Salisbury and Trooper 6 in Easton,” State Senator Mary Beth Carozza said. “The possible budget cuts to the Eastern Shore’s MSP medevac services truly would have a life-threatening impact to my constituents and other shore residents, including those living in remote, rural areas of the shore.”

As a Republican and fiscal conservative, Carozza said in the letter she appreciates the need for cuts to the state budget considering the anticipated revenue shortfalls related to COVID-19 and its impact on the economy. However, Carozza said eliminating one of the MSP Aviation’s medevac stations and helicopters on the Eastern Shore was not the place to scrimp and save.

“I understand in the current fiscal COVID-19 environment that cuts to Maryland’s budget are inevitable,” she wrote. “However, I understand there are other professional analyses that have identified alternative savings rather than making detrimental, life-threatening cuts to the critical services provided by Trooper 4 and Trooper 6 on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. On behalf SEE NEXT PAGE

Virtual Town Halls Planned For Berlin

August 7, 2020

BERLIN – In September, The Dispatch will host two planned virtual town halls with candidates for the open Berlin Mayor and Council seats.

On Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 6 p.m., candidates for the town’s mayoral seat will be featured in an extensive questionand-answer session with Editor Steve Green and Staff Writer Charlene Sharpe. Each candidate will be invited to participate in the Zoom session, which will be recorded and a link provided through The Dispatch’s social media outlets the day after the meeting for the public to watch as their schedule allows.

On Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m., council candidates for the District 2 and 3 seats as well as the at-large post will participate in a Zoom town hall in a similar format. A link to the recorded town hall will be provided online as well the day after the session.

The candidates will receive a set of topics to be discussed ahead of time from the newspaper. Residents who wish to have a question asked to the candidates are invited to email them to editor@mdcoastdispatch.com. There will be time allowed for the moderators to pose questions to the candidates from the public. All questions would need to be submitted by Friday, Sept. 11 for the mayoral town hall and Friday, Sept. 18 for the council forum.

Each official candidate will receive a Zoom link from the newspaper ahead of time.

“We are looking forward to sponsoring these discussions next month through an online format,” said Green.

“Interest in politics in Berlin is running high these days and we think helping to educate the electorate on the candidates’ views on current events is a worthy service.”

The filing deadline for the Berlin election is Sept. 4. The election is planned for Oct. 6.

… Senator Hoping Budget Cut Avoided

of my constituents and in strong support of overall public safety, I urge you to reject any budget cuts or proposals that would threaten the lifesaving services of MSP Aviation on the shore.”

A coalition of Eastern Shore representatives in Annapolis echoed those sentiments in an email to state officials.

“Obviously, losing a medevac aviation unit and potentially having to depend on units from other parts of the state would not only be detrimental, but life-threatening to the citizens on the Eastern Shore,” it reads. “Quite simply, the Eastern Shore is not the area to scale back healthcare services for the purpose of statewide budget cuts.”

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Woman Charged In Serious Assault

August 7, 2020

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – A Pennsylvania woman was arrested on first-degree assault charges this week after threatening one woman with a stun gun and striking another in the head with a liquor bottle.

Around 5:20 a.m. on Monday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a hotel at 20th Street in response to a 911 call reporting an assault. The caller told Ocean City Communications the person they were calling about said she had been assaulted by 12 people.

OCPD officers arrived and located Dezerae Waple, 32, of Harrisburg, Pa., in the parking lot with her top undone and her breasts exposed. According to police reports, Waple was highly intoxicated and told police she had been locked out of her room and had gone to the front desk.

Waple reportedly told police she had just returned from a night out at an uptown bar, but it was now over three hours since the bar closed. Waple reportedly told police she went to the front office of the hotel and began to pound on the door. She reportedly told police 12 people then exited a hotel room and assaulted her and stole a stun gun from her purse.

Officers interviewed several witnesses in the area who each said Waple had been roaming around the hotel walkways and parking lot screaming with her breasts exposed. Waple then began to pound and kick multiple hotel doors and eventually punched and kicked the door of the front office, which was closed at that hour.

One female witness told police she exited her room and told Waple to stop banging on the door because she was going to break the glass. According to police reports, Waple then produced a stun gun from her purse, arced the weapon and approached the witness.

The witness told police Waple attempted to strike her with the stun gun, but a male witness in the area was able to knock it out of Waple’s hand. Another female witness in the area grabbed the stun gun and hid it so Waple could not access it again, according to police reports.

Waple then allegedly turned her attention to the female witness who had recovered and hid the stun gun. According to police reports, Waple struck that witness in the head with an empty tequila bottle. The bottle did not break when it hit the victim’s head, but shattered when it hit the ground.

A scuffle continued between Waple and the group, which ended when police arrived. One female witness gave the officers the Taser Waple had attempted to use on them. Waple was charged with two counts each of first- and second-degree assault and was later released after posting a $25,000 bond.

August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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STAFF WRITER

(Editor’s Note: The following story is part of a series on long-running, familyowned Boardwalk businesses.)

OCEAN CITY – Sun Fun Beach Service operator Drew Haugh is no stranger to Ocean City.

The 61-year-old Baltimore native said his memories of the resort span decades. Growing up, Haugh and his family would vacation in Ocean City each summer. And when he was 14, his parents bought a condominium on 18th Street and the Boardwalk.

“They bought a condominium, so we moved here for the summers,” he said.

“My mom would bring me and my siblings down, and my dad would come back and forth on the weekends.”

Haugh recalled those earlier summers, when he and his friends would hang out on the beach and play pinball at a Boardwalk arcade. But when he turned 18, he landed his first summer job on the beach.

“We lived on the fourth floor, and when I’d look out I’d notice all these umbrellas and rafts on the beach …,” he said. “I thought that looked like a pretty cool job to have.”

That summer, Sun Fun Beach Service owner Bill Boyles hired Haugh to operate a 3rd Street beach stand, where he rented out umbrellas for $4 a day and chairs for $1.50.

August 7, 2020

“He called and said he needed some help because he had a lot of stands,” Haugh recalled. “I started on 3rd Street, and it was the first stand I ran. I ran it for him for three years.”

Through the resort’s bidding process, Haugh said Boyles eventually lost his beach stands to competitors. For the next three years, Haugh would operate downtown beach stands under different employers.

But when the parcels came up for bid the next time, Haugh said he approached Boyles with an offer.

“I know Bill wanted to get back into it,” he said. “So I called Bill and said, ‘Listen, the stands are coming up for bid. I have a pretty good idea what the stands are doing downtown. I would like to sit down with you and share some ideas. But I don’t want to just work for you. I want to be your partner.’ He said, ‘No problem.’”

After securing several stands through the bidding process, Boyles and Haugh were back in business together. The two were also joined by business partner Dick Catts, founder of Catts Beach Service in Rehoboth.

At the height of their business, Sun Fun Beach Service operated 35 beach stands, including the 2nd Street location where Haugh currently works. But he said competition from other vendors soon increased rent prices with each three-year bidding cycle.

SEE NEXT PAGE

... Haugh: ‘It’s Like A Double Whammy’ Summer

August 7, 2020

“We just couldn’t compete with these bids,” he said, “nor did we want to.”

Over time, the number of beach stands decreased from 35 to 20, and from 20 to eight.

But Haugh said having fewer beach stands was a blessing in disguise. At the pinnacle of operation, Haugh and his wife, Laurie, would juggle staffing issues and other business challenges while raising their children.

“I ran three stands one day,” Laurie recalled. “I was four months pregnant, and had my 7-year-old and a 6-yearold with me. Three employees didn’t show up.”

At one point, Sun Fun Beach Service operated only two stands, and in recent years the business has maintained locations at 2nd Street, 3rd Street and 7th Street.

After the bidding process concluded this winter, Haugh said Sun Fun Beach Service acquired five additional locations. When a competitor bid against him for his long-running 2nd Street stand, Haugh upped the ante by bidding a higher price for 2nd Street, as well as for the competitor’s existing locations at 5th, 6th, 8th, 10th and 11th streets.

“I didn’t want to lose this stand …,” he said. “I’ve had it for so long, and I have so many relationships out here.

It wasn’t about the money. I just didn’t want to miss the contacts I’ve built. I’ve watched people grow up, people die, people get married and come back. It’s

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Laurie and Drew Haugh are pictured on 2nd Street, one of eight beach stands they operate in Ocean City.

Photo by Bethany Hooper

like a microcosm of life down here.”

Haugh said he has several memories of his years between 2nd and 3rd streets. It is where he met and married his wife and baptized his children. It is also where he witnessed a lightning strike kill four beachgoers in an August 1986 storm.

“It was a weird day …,” he said. “The

lifeguards weren’t pulled from the beach because it was just raining. There were no thunderstorms.”

Now in its 44th year of operation, Sun Fun Beach Service continues to operate seven days a week throughout the summer season. Catts died in 2014 and Boyles retired years ago, but Haugh still operates the business alongside his wife and Catts’s son Rusty.

“I always hear people say, ‘Oh man, I wish I had your job,’” he said. “But they don’t see we work like pack mules, back and forth across the beach all day long.”

Laurie agreed.

“It keeps us active and it keeps us young,” she said. “But it’s a challenge every day to make sure we have every stand covered.”

Haugh noted this year has been unlike any other. He said business has suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many long-time customers did not return to the beach this summer.

“Last year was a record-breaking year because it was so hot. Every day you never had a break. That was probably our best summer,” he said. “This is probably the worst summer we’ve ever had. Bidding this winter, you couldn’t have anticipated this. It’s like a double whammy.”

When asked about his plans for future seasons, Haugh said he had no intention of slowing down if he could weather the current business climate.

“It’s in the blood,” he said.

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Page 32

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

August 7, 2020

August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 33

Local Photographer, Wife Launch Yacht Photography Business

Page 34

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

August 7, 2020

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

OCEAN CITY – A couple’s lifelong passion for photography has turned into a new bayside business.

Last month, Jim and Rose Halvorsen launched OC Yacht Shots, a bayside photography business that captures vacationers aboard their watercraft.

“This was just a natural fit for us,” Jim said, “to be able to be outside and by the water.”

Stationed at the Free Fishing Pier near 3rd Street, the Halvorsens – donning bright pink shirts and displaying a bright pink OC Yacht Shots banner – spend the morning hours Friday through Monday taking pictures of people aboard private yachts, stand up paddleboards and anything in between.

“It’s a memento of your family vacation,” Rose said.

Having recently retired, Jim and Rose decided to pursue their own business in the resort town they’ve come to know and love.

While they both share an interest in photography, Jim delved into his hobby upon retirement. His landscape and

The husband-and-wife team of Jim and Rose Halvorsen are pictured on a recent shoot.

Submitted Photos

wildlife shots are often featured on his social media page, Jim Halvorsen Photography.

“We both did it sporadically …,” he said. “When I retired, my camera broke and I got a really nice camera. I wound up getting really into it.”

“Your Friends At The Beach”

While his landscape photography provides a creative outlet, Jim said OC Yacht Shots provides an opportunity to interact with others.

“Every picture gets retouched,” he said, “and when I go back and look at how much fun everybody’s having it re-

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ally makes it worthwhile.”

The large banner and bright pink shirts make it easy for boaters and recreationalists to find OC Yacht Shots.

At the end of each day pictures are uploaded to the company’s website, where individuals can purchase a digital copy for $20.

“We don’t sell a print,” Jim said.

“We just sell an image that you can enlarge as much as you’d like. They are all high resolution.”

The Halvorsens likened their new business to ‘scopes, but on the water.’

In the last month, Jim has captured pictures of couples donning Washington Capitals jerseys, a man holding up his fresh catch, and families exploring the coastline on commercial watercraft. On a busy morning, Jim takes an average of 50 shots an hour.

“It seems to me that the families are the people who love getting pictures of themselves on a boat, whether they rent it or they own it,” he said. “It’s a nice family shot, and everybody is happy and waving.”

The Halvorsens are also exploring partnerships with bayside businesses that rent out boats and jet skis.

“We’re really grateful for the way local businesses have embraced our idea and want to work with us,” Jim said.

For now, OC Yacht Shots – dubbed “the pink paparazzi” – operates during the morning hours near 3rd Street and the bay.

“We only shoot in the morning here because the sun cooperates,” Jim noted.

In the future, however, the owners hope to expand the business by adding a pontoon boat for taking pictures on the water.

“We’re going to grow ...,” Rose said.

“We wanted to go out first and test the waters. And so far, so good.”

For more information, visit ocyachtshots.com, or follow along on Facebook and Instagram to view the “Shot of the Day.” OC Yacht Shots operates Friday through Monday, 9 a.m. to noon, although hours may vary depending on weather.

“Don’t forget to smile and wave,” Rose said.

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August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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Page 35

SUMMER PROGRAMS THROUGH AUG. 22ND

PROGRAMS BEGIN AT 10 A.M. AND LAST APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES

Isaias Blows Through:

County Library Appointments Eyed The wind was the main issue Ocean City dealt with for a few hours Tuesday morning as the center of Tropical Storm Isaias passed to the west of the coast. Above, these folks got a bit wet from breaking waves at the Inlet.

Photo by Steve Green

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – The library is now taking appointments for limited services as it begins the next phase of its gradual reopening plan.

Last week, the Worcester County Library began the “library by appointment” phase of its reopening plan at the Ocean Pines and Pocomoke branches.

As the name suggests, the phase will allow the library to reintroduce several services to the public by appointment only. Services include computer use – in 45-minute sessions – copier access and library card registration.

In May, library officials began the process of outlining plans for reopening the library branches as statewide recovery phases are introduced.

Since that time, the library has slowly brought staff back into the branches and opened its book returns. The library also introduced its Library To-Go program, a contactless pickup service for books and materials.

“To me, the computer usage has been the hardest thing because it’s a service we can’t replicate …,” Library Director Jennifer Ranck said earlier this year. “We have WiFi on 24 hours a day, but that means you have to own a device and not everyone is in that position.”

As part of the “library by appointment” phase, all staff and patrons will be required to wear face coverings and practice social distancing.

“Depending on the number of cases in Worcester County, we may be forced to return to previous restrictions, and we apologize in advance should this become necessary,” a published update from the library reads. “We also want to note that the risk of entering a public facility is your own.”

Library patrons will not be able to browse book collections or newspapers, or have access to one-on-one computer help or meeting rooms. However, virtual programs, including Summer Reading, will continue. The library will also continue to offer Printing ToGo and Library To-Go. Library book drops are now open for returning items.

“Library-to-Go is offered for materials currently available at the branch you are visiting,” the update reads. “We are currently unable to transfer items between branches.”

Library appointments will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:30-11:30 a.m. on Saturdays.

To make a computer reservation, as well as appointments to use the copier or obtain a library card, call the Ocean Pines branch at 410-208-4014 or the Pocomoke branch at 410-957-0878.

813 South Atlantic Avenue (Boardwalk at the Inlet) Ocean City, MD 21842 410-289-4991 • www.ocmuseum.org Monday through Saturday: 11:00 am Saltwater Fishing Then & Now

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Monday: 10:00 am History of our Surfmen

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Tuesday: 10:00 am Beach Safety

Learn how to be safe in the surf and spell your name using semaphore. The famous Ocean City Beach Patrol is on hand with everything you need to know.

Thursday: 10:00 am All About Sharks

Discover what types of sharks are found off the coast of Ocean City!

Friday: 10:00 am Land, Sky, & Sea

Learn how the island was formed, what birds fly overhead, and what creatures inhabit our ocean and coastal bays.

All our summer programs will take place outside of the museum.

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

August 7, 2020

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STAFF WRITER

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NEWARK – Students have adjusted well to COVID-19 modifications to summer school, according to Worcester County Public Schools.

The school system, nearing the end of a July 13-Aug. 13 summer academy, is just one of two jurisdictions in the state holding in-person summer school.

“We’re in our third week now and things are going well,” said Tamara Mills, coordinator of instruction, last week. “The kids who are there, they’re loving it. They’re so excited to see their friends.”

Mills said that after meeting with health officials multiple times, school system administrators were able to develop safe practices that enabled summer school to go on in spite of the pandemic.

“These decisions, we didn’t take them lightly,” she said. “I want the community to understand, we hear them.

We know how anxious and concerned the community is because we are too.”

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, numerous changes have been made.

Attendance has been limited so that there are no more than 13 students in a classroom, which allows kids to be six feet apart. Upon arriving each day, while they don’t have their temperature checked, students are required to turn in a

Students are pictured at Ocean City Elementary School during summer academy.

Submitted Photo

symptom checklist their parents have completed. If a student forgets their checklist, their parents are called before they’re allowed to enter the building.

Once inside the school, students — who wear masks indoors — go to their classroom. Though teachers are encouraged to take their classes outside, when they’re in the building student movement is limited primarily to the classroom. Lunches are eaten in the classroom.

Mills said each school had two distinct nurse areas set up — one for students receiving regular medication and a separate one for students not feeling well.

There have not been any students in whom COVID-19 symptoms have been identified, according to Mills. She said there have been a few situations where staff members have reported possible exposures.

“If staff says they may have been exposed, we go through a flow chart and the nurse decides if they should quarantine,” Mills said.

She said having gone through the process, educators were better prepared for whenever students returned to school buildings in the fall.

“I think it’s given us an opportunity to learn some lessons on best practices,” Mills said. “It’s a good opportunity for us to observe student behavior.”

She said students had adjusted well to the face mask requirement and the need for physical distancing. Parents, too, are being vigilant and careful to ensure they’re following procedures.

“We’ve gotten a great response,” Mills said. “The parents who sent their kids want to see them back.”

Mills said summer school enrollment this summer was at 400, roughly half of what it would be during a typical year. Educators have targeted at-risk students for the academy, though that can be kids who are at-risk academically, socially, emotionally, or simply students who didn’t engage as they should have in the spring’s virtual learning. In the month-long session, students are receiving instruction in reading, math, physical education and social-emotional wellness.

Wicomico Council Discusses Civic Center’s Revenue Deficit

August 7, 2020

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SALISBURY – County officials introduced a bill this week to cover a $530,000 shortfall in the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center budget for fiscal year 2020, but not before a discussion on accounting processes.

On Tuesday, the Wicomico County Council voted unanimously to introduce a legislative bill amending the fiscal year 2020 operating and capital budget. The amendment would allow the county to transfer $200,000 from the recreation and parks prior year fund balance, $75,000 from recreation and parks current year budget savings and $255,000 from general fund contingency to account for a $530,000 shortfall at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center.

In March, Recreation, Parks and Tourism Director Steve Miller came before the council to discuss revenue challenges at the facility.

Each year, the civic center – which operates under the umbrella of the county’s recreation, parks and tourism department – receives appropriations from the county to fund salaries, benefits and other expenses and to balance the budget. As a special government fund, the facility also relies heavily on event revenue to make the overall budget work.

But Miller told officials earlier this year net revenue targets had been increasingly difficult to achieve. And each year a larger percentage of county appropriations is used to cover employee benefits. To make matters worse, officials projected the civic center taking a financial hit because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re a public event facility and right now we don’t have the ability to run public events,” Miller said in March.

“Three weeks ago, we thought the gap would be around $300,000 in the worst case scenario, and we felt like we could close that gap with the events we had scheduled. At this point I even hesitate to throw out a number because we simply don’t know how long events are going to postpone or cancel, and we don’t know what that impact will be.”

Officials this week came before the council to discuss revenue shortfalls at the civic center in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020.

“Mr. Miller came to you guys back in March and mentioned we had a rough start to our fiscal year and that we would be coming to you with this …,” said Recreation, Parks and Tourism Deputy Director Pam Oland. “It hasn’t been a normal year since the day after Mr. Miller came to you guys.

We have had zero revenue come in and no ability to cover our day-to-day expenses.”

Miller told council members this week the department had left several positions vacant at the civic center and had reduced operational expenses since their discussion in March. He

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

noted, however, that three-fourths of the revenue budget is derived from user fees.

“The bigger problem is revenue generation,” he added. “We’re trying to reinvent ourselves here without having the ability to sell tickets and those types of things.”

Despite their efforts, officials noted the county would still need to transfer funds to cover a $530,000 shortfall in fiscal year 2020. Councilman John Cannon, however, questioned if it would impact the fiscal year 2021 budget.

“The amounts we carried forward in fiscal year 2021 are no longer the same amounts,” he said. “Wouldn’t that also require us to go back and amend the operating budget for fiscal year 2021?”

Pointing out provisions from the county’s charter, Council attorney Bob Taylor said he believed it would.

“Once fiscal year 2020 ends, any

Page 37

remaining money will flow back into the general fund with the exception of anything that has been earmarked … ,” he said. “The appropriate way to do this is to appropriate money in this year’s budget to cover the deficit from last year.”

Oland, however, disagreed.

“In my years working in government, between here and my prior employer, the fiscal year itself is not closed until the audit is complete and you’ve paid all of your bills and you’ve completed your audit associated with those bills for that fiscal year,” she said. “So you have the ability, if the council so desires, to make changes to the budget because the budget is part of the audit process that then gets presented in your audit report.”

Taylor noted the council still had to follow the charter.

“You can look at it from an accounting side and you can do anything with your books …,” he said. “The problem

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is we have charter provisions, which are essentially legal provisions.”

Councilman Joe Holloway said officials did not dispute the need to cover the shortfall within the civic center budget, but rather the process for doing so.

“I think what we are seeing here is a fallacy between the financing and the charter …,” he said. “Somehow, we need to make this work so it follows the charter.”

Levin Hitchens, the county’s internal auditor, agreed. He said he would reach out to Wicomico’s accounting firm in the coming days.

“We have to find a balance,” he said.

“Do we want to challenge the charter, or not challenge the charter and possibly get an audit finding?”

After further discussion, the council agreed to introduce the legislative bill with plans to discuss the issue further after a public hearing scheduled for Sept. 1.

Kids Of Summer Have Your Child Appear In The Dispatch’s 14th Annual

Kids Of Summer

FEATURES ON AUG. 14, 21, 28 AND SEPT. 4

That’s when we will publish all the kids’ photos we receive. Just make sure it’s in color and a high-quality image.

EMAIL PHOTOS TO: EDITOR@MDCOASTDISPATCH.COM OR MAIL TO P.O. BOX 467, BERLIN, MD. 21811 Be Sure To Include Full Name, Age And Location

Child Witnesses Attack On Mom

Page 38

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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OCEAN CITY – A Philadelphia man was arrested last weekend after allegedly punching and choking a female victim and driving off in her vehicle with a child in the back.

Shortly after 11 a.m. last Sunday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to the 118th Street area for a possible kidnapping and domestic dispute. Ocean City Communications reported a suspect later identified as Jose Vargas III, 26, of Philadelphia, was driving a Kia Soul with Pennsylvania tags and he had the alleged victim’s juvenile son with him.

Officers met with the female victim who reportedly had an open cut on the left side of her and an open cut on her left hand that was actively bleeding.

The victim told police she was staying at 112th Street with her 3-year-old son and that she went to the beach with the juvenile and Vargas earlier.

The victim reportedly told police Vargas began acting violently toward her and that Vargas took her phone because he did not want her to call the police. The victim told police Vargas would not let her drive her own vehicle. Instead, she got into the vehicle with the juvenile in the child seat and Vargas behind the wheel. While the vehicle was traveling on Coastal

August 7, 2020

Highway, the victim attempted to get her phone back from Vargas, but he punched her in the face with a closed fist.

Vargas then drove to a grocery store parking lot at 118th Street. The victim reportedly told him if he just gave her phone back, she would leave. Vargas then strangled the victim with his hands around her neck while pushing her up against the vehicle.

The victim said she nearly lost consciousness, according to police reports.

Vargas then threw the victim’s phone on the ground, shattering the screen. Vargas then drove away in the victim’s vehicle with the boy still strapped in the car seat. The victim retrieved her broken phone and called police. The victim told police she and Vargas were just friends and were not in an intimate relationship, nor were they staying together in Ocean City.

About a half an hour later, an officer observed a vehicle matching the description in the area of 94th Street.

The officer stopped the vehicle and identified the driver as Vargas. He was arrested and charged with assault for allegedly punching and choking the victim, malicious destruction of property for allegedly smashing her phone, theft for taking the phone and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

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Obituaries

August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Shirley D. Woroniecki SALISBURY – Shirley D. Woroniecki, age 80, passed away on Thursday, July 30, 2020 at Stansell Hospice House in Ocean Pines.

Born in Berlin, she was the daughter of the late Luther and Clara Smack Dennis. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph E. Woroniecki, in 2018.

Surviving are her children, Brian Dickson and his wife Erin of New Freedom, Pa., Bill Dickson of Dagsboro, Del., SHIRLEY D. Dean Woroniecki and WORONIECKI his wife Lorie of Delmar, Del., Jerry Woroniecki and his wife Michelle of Berlin, and step-son Greg

Broyles and his wife Michelle of West Virginia. She was an adored grandmother to 12 grandchildren, Jena, Kaelee, Katie, Connor, Abbie, Ellie, Natalie, Nyla, Macy, Rebekka, Mathew and Jovia. Also surviving are her brothers, Walter Dennis and his wife Edna of Berlin and Bill Dennis and his wife Charlotte of Berlin and sister Ruth D. Jones and her husband Ken of Berlin.

There are numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death was a brother, Richard Dennis.

Mrs. Woroniecki had worked as a le-

gal secretary for many years. She was a member of Grace United Methodist Church in Salisbury.

Services will be private for the family. Interment will be in the Maryland Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery in Hurlock.

A donation in her memory may be made to Grace United Methodist Church, 635 E. Church St. Salisbury, Md. 21804 or Berlin First Baptist Church 613 William St. Berlin, Md. 21811. Letters of condolence may be sent via www.burbagefuneralhome.com.

Page 39

Barbara Louise Greenspun BERLIN – Barbara Louise Greenspun of Berlin passed away on July 30, 2020.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Norman Greenspun. She is survived by her brothers, George and David Kenney; her son Brian Watts (Gina); and her grandchildren, Nate and Carly Watts and Ben, Meghan and Julia Verill.

After a career of tea- BARBARA LOUISE ching at the Boys’ Latin School, Barbara and GREENSPUN her husband Norman purchased Frazier’s Taproom on West 33rd Street from Shirley Smith in the late 80’s until SEE PAGE 40

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... Obituaries

Page 40

FROM PAGE 39 they opened the new location Frazier’s on The Avenue in November of 1995. To Barbara the customers and employees were like family and many great memories were made there. She sold the business to devoted employees Ray and Morgan King in October of 2013 and retired to the Ocean City area to be closer to family.

A memorial service was held at the Ruck Towson Funeral Home on Aug. 5 with interment at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Autistic Children’s Support Group of Worcester County, Inc. P.O. Box 1322, Ocean Pines, Md. 21811.

Edward William Winiecki OCEAN CITY – Go rest high on that mountain Son, your work on earth is done. Go to heaven a-shoutin' love for the Father and the Son. Ed, Edziu, Daddy, Dad or Pop --Edward William Winiecki -- was given the gift of life on July 27, 1939, and left this Earth to rejoin his parents Thomas and Gertie and missed family and friends on July 31, 2020.

He was born and raised in Highlandtown (Baltimore) to Thomas James Winiecki and Gertrude Barbara Bolewicki, and brother of the late Thomas J. Winiecki. His career at Hecht’s gave him the opportunity to travel EDWARD WILLIAM the world as a furniture buyer, but his real joy WINIECKI was his family, as well as listening to music on his iPad, enjoying favorite television shows (shout out to Mollie B’s Polka Party), attending Mass at St. Luke’s Catholic Church, working bingo at Knights of Columbus and sharing Cracker Barrel dinners with good friends at their Ocean City home.

He was a faithful and funny man and those blessed with his love and grateful for his protection from Heaven include his wife, Georgia (Turnbaugh) Winiecki, with whom he celebrated 60 years of marriage the day before he left us, daughter and son-in-law Terri and Jeff Rhodes, son and daughter-in-law Jeff and Beth (Chapman) Winiecki and grandsons Jeffrey Winiecki, Derek Rhodes, Jackson Winiecki and Casey Rhodes.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Luke’s Catholic Church, 9903 Coastal Hwy., Ocean City, Md. Interment was in St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery in Upperco, Md. We will miss him every day.

Arrangements are by the Eckhardt Funeral Chapel, P.A. in Manchester, Md. and online condolences may be offered at www.eckhardtfuneralchapel.com.

Patty Ellis OCEAN CITY – Patricia (Patty) Lynn Wahrman Rooney Ellis, age 70, passed away on July 30, 2020 after a long battle with kidney disease. She was a wonderful daughter, sister, wife, aunt and friend.

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch Patty was born on Sept. 18, 1949, in Norfolk, Va. and grew up in Virginia Beach, Va. She later lived in the DC/Maryland suburbs until she moved to Ocean City. She retired from an administrative position at City Hall in Ocean City.

Patty was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church where she loved being part of the altar guild.

Patty also enjoyed being a member of the Ocean City Elks Lodge Ladies Auxiliary and was the treasurer for several years. Patty and her deceased husband, Ron PATTY ELLIS Ellis, were frequent visitors to the lodge.

Patty was predeceased by her father, Solomon G. Wahrman, her first husband Charles Rooney and her second husband Ron Ellis. She is survived by her mother, Marvel B. Wahrman; her three sisters, Debra Bayton (Robert) of Williamsburg, Va., Jenny Williams (Wayne) of Cary, N.C. and Janet Hoffman (George) of Banner Elk, N.C.; as well as nieces and grandnieces, nephew and grandnephew and many friends.

The family is being assisted by Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the National Kidney Foundation. You can donate online at https://www.kidney.org.

Many thanks to her friends in and around Ocean City who have assisted Patty during this difficult time.

George H. Gough, Jr. OCEAN CITY – George H. Gough, Jr., 81, passed away on May 8, 2020 due to chronic heart failure, renal failure and severe diabetes at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in Charlotte Hall, Md. Born on Aug. 27, 1938, he was the son of Marie Gough and George H Gough. He was born in Baltimore and lived in Rosedale, Md. Mr. Gough attended Kenwood High School and after graduating, he served in the US Air Force as an aviation and radio specialist from 1956 to 1960. He attended Data Pathing Tech Institute where he worked with computer agenda Bunker Remo Corp, designed tools and wrGEORGE H. ote the procedure manGOUGH, JR. ual for Martin Marietta Co. He worked as a Hydraulic engineer for Mace Missile Program.

He received his BA degree from Columbia Pacific University then attended Darden Business School and won awards for his accomplishments and team leadership.

He also wrote procedures for launching missiles for the Gemini Space Missile Program. He was a space pioneer with name recognition on the Wall of Fame in Titusville, Fla. Mr. Gough worked for Honeywell Corp. as a director of field operations worldwide for installation of computers and maintenance. He was an insurance agent for Primerica Ins. Co., retired and later moved to Ocean City in 1997. In Ocean City he worked at a gym and also as a cook on a fishing boat.

He then worked for the Maryland De-

partment of Transportation driving a bus and the train on the Ocean City Boardwalk as well as working as a toll both attendant until health issues forced him to retire.

Mr. Gough was a people person and had many friends. He enjoyed riding bikes on the Boardwalk, walks and was an avid reader. Tom Clancy was his favorite author.

He loved traveling and eating out and he made special memories on weekends searching for different places to eat breakfast with his daughter.

For seven years, he picked up his grandson, who was his buddy, from school and during the ride home helped him with his school work, making it enjoyable.

He cherished his Dobermans, Zack and Sascha.

Mr. Gough was a previous member of the Prince Of Peace Church in Rosedale, Md. and the Community Church of Ocean Pines.

He is preceded in death by parents, Marie Gough and George H Gough.

He is survived by his daughter, Marielle Gough; son, Erik Gough; brothers William Gough and Anthony Gough; grandson Nathan Gough, former wife, Phyllis Gough; and many other relatives.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Contributions in his honor may be sent to Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, 29449 Charlotte Hall Rd., Charlotte Hall, Md. 20622.

The family wishes to express sincere gratitude to all caretakers at Charlotte Hall for the loving care they provided during Mr. Gough’s stay.

Judith Diane Campbell OCEAN PINES – Judith (Judy) Diane Campbell, 76, of Ocean Pines, passed away peacefully Thursday, July 30, 2020 at Catered Living.

Born in Mobile, Ala., she was the oldest child of the late Wilmer J. Geibel and Lucille Oswald Geibel.

Judy grew up in Butler, Pa. In 1961 she graduated from Butler Senior High School. A few years later, she started a family with Gary Campbell. They had two boys, Greg and Brian, whom she loved dearly. She stayed at home to raise them and enjoyed every minute with them. You could always find her at JUDITH DIANE any of their games and CAMPBELL other activities. As the boys got older she started her own career. She worked for the Butler Eagle, Smith’s Flower Shop, Geibel Funeral Home and then Armco Steel which later became AK Steel, retiring from there after 30 years.

After retirement, she moved to Ocean Pines to be closer to her grandchildren whom she adored. She loved spending time with them and spoiling them with her love. She was a member of AARP Ocean Pines, Shape Ups and Ocean Liners, performing at nursing homes and child care centers. She loved line dancing and being a foster parent and volunteer to animal rescues, especially to her beloved Lab and best buddy, Hoagie. She enjoyed meeting and befriending other animal owners on daily walks on Watertown Rd. in Ocean Pines. Judy was well known for

August 7, 2020 her love of her nieces and nephews who she never forgot with a kind, sweet birthday card. She was a lifelong fanatic Steelers fan who was not afraid to display numerous Steeler memorabilia in Raven’s territory!

She is survived by two sons, Greg (Lori) Campbell of Hollywood, Md. and Brian (Erika) Campbell of Berlin; grandchildren Taylor (Patrick Murphy) Campbell of Lusby, Md., Cole and Jake Campbell of Berlin.; her sisters, Jeanne (Rodney) Koleno, Linda (Evan) Gollan and Margaret (Jeff) Adams; brother-in-law, Prawet (Edward) Jantharat; numerous nieces and nephews; and special friend Lynn (Rick) McLaren.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Edward W. Geibel.

Funeral services will be held at a later date in Butler, PA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Worcester County Maryland Humane Society 12330 Eagles Nest Road, Berlin, Md. 21811.

Arrangements are in the care of Eastern Shore Cremation and Funeral Service, 504 Franklin Avenue, Berlin, MD 21811. To send condolences to the family, please visit www.easternshorecremation.com.

Thomas F. Sandusky OCEAN PINES – Thomas F. Sandusky (Tom) age 81, of Ocean Pines, passed peacefully Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020 surrounded by family members at his son James’ home in Mantua, N.J. Tom grew up in Dundalk and served in the U.S. Air Force from 19THOMAS F. 58 to 1960. He then beSANDUSKY gan a successful sales career with Equifax until he retired in September of 2000. Tom moved to Ocean Pines upon retirement and was an active member of the Ocean Pines Board of Directors, the Choptank Electric Board of Directors, and other local organizations for many years.

Tom gained several close friends from these associations as well as from his favorite hobby, golf. Tom was also an avid fan of the Baltimore Orioles and never missed a game on television.

Thomas is survived by his son James (Catherine); daughter Laurel Sandusky; brother Randy; as well as three grandchildren. Thomas is predeceased by his wife of 40-plus years (Maryann) and his brother Jerry. In lieu of flowers, kindly donate to the Alzheimer's Disease Research organization. Services will be announced at a later date.

Memories and condolences can be shared at www.smithfhmantua.com Smith Funeral Home in Mantua, NJ or the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin.

Obituaries cost $50 to appear in The Dispatch and photos are no extra charge.

Direct all inquiries to editor@mdcoastdispatch.com, fax to 410-641-0966 or mail to P.O. Box 467, Berlin, Md. 21811.

… ‘We’re Trying To Make The Best Of A Bad Situation’

August 7, 2020

FROM PAGE 13 the Worcester County Teachers Association, said her organization had spent months working with school system administration on a plan for returning to school. She said bringing teachers into their classrooms to provide virtual lessons during distance learning was a first step.

She said that because of the inconsistency of internet access throughout the county, teachers would be better connected in their classrooms. At the same time, they’ll be able to maintain physical distancing.

“The majority of them seem comfortable with trying it this way,” she said.

For those who are not comfortable, the school system will determine on a case-by-case basis if teachers who want to can continue to work from home. Sh-

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

ockley-Lynch said that could be an option for those with family members who were ill or for teachers who had children of their own. She added that children of teachers would be among the small groups of students permitted to return to schools when the school system moved to Stage Two. She pointed out that students too would have to do their part, as the virtual learning kicking off the school year would be more structured than the continuity of learning that took place in the spring. Students will be required to participate and complete assignments.

“We’re hopeful kids will know this is a different year,” she said. “We’re not just finishing out a year. They’ll have to be responsible for the work.”

She added, however, that the school system would be flexible with students

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just as it was with teachers. Those who don’t have reliable internet access, for example, will be provided some latitude as long as schools are made aware of the problem.

“If parents communicate that with us, we’re going to make arrangements to work with them,” Shockley-Lynch said.

Parent Sara Hambury said she was pleased that teachers would be providing lessons in real time online.

“I’m looking forward to the implementation of the synchronous learning versus what they did in the spring,” she said. “I understand that our teachers worked hard and were under pressure, but I do think that having more instructional time with the teachers will be much better.”

Hambury is content with the way the school system plans to move forward,

as there are still issues that need to be addressed — PPE, space for social distancing and increased sanitization — before kids return to schools.

“I’m satisfied with the decision of the superintendent and the school board in regards to the safety of my children and the staff, especially with the death of a Worcester County Public Schools staff member,” she said. “I don’t see how they’d be able to open in a global pandemic keeping everyone safe.”

Smith, despite his questions about the school system’s return plan, acknowledged that it was a difficult situation for everyone, as the school system had to comply with mandates from various agencies and was encumbered by limited funding.

“They’re in a no-win situation,” he said.

Smith added, however, that a little more communication from the school system could go a long way.

“There’s complete silence except when they make a big announcement,” he said. “That’s just not enough. The biggest thing they could try to do is talk more.”

Shockley-Lynch said the school system would be posting answers to frequently asked questions in the coming days.

“This is all so new,” she said. “We’re trying to make the best of a bad situation.”

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Business

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

August 7, 2020

And Real Estate News Bank Scholarships Presented

Taylor Bank President/CEO Raymond Thompson recently presented Caroline Gardner with her $1,000 scholarship.

Submitted Photo

BERLIN – Taylor Bank has selected three area high school seniors as recipients of the Calvin B. Taylor Memorial Scholarship.

The scholarship is for $1,000 towards continuing education expenses and is based on student accomplishments in the areas of academics, leadership, community service, extracurricular activities, and an essay.

One student was selected from each county in the bank’s service area -- Madison Johnson, graduating from Indian River High School (University of Delaware); Caroline Gardner, graduating from Stephen Decatur High School (University of Maryland College Park); and Joseph Teasley, graduating from Nandua High School (Virginia Military Institute).

“Taylor Bank is proud to support and recognize these students as they take the next step in their education,” said Raymond M. Thompson, President and CEO of Taylor Bank. “Congratulations to all of the graduating seniors in our community on their tremendous accomplishments.”

New Agent Welcomed

LEWES, Del. – Keller Williams Realty announced Jon Louden has joined the Lewes, Del. office.

Recently licensed as a real estate sales agent, Louden brings his extensive experience in new home sales to the team. Since 2003, he has been with local and regional builders, most recently with Sussex County Custom Home Builder of the year, Capstone Homes.

“We are very excited to add Jon to our sales team,” said Brigit Taylor, general manager and team leader of the firm. “With his new home building expertise combined with his reputation for honesty and fairness, he will be a welcome addition to the Keller Williams family.”

Restaurants Awarded REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. – For the sixth consecutive year, Coastal Style magazine named Scott Kammerer the Best Businessman in Sussex County, Del. Kammerer is president of SoDel Concepts, which operates 12 restaurants was named Best Business in Sussex County.

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MILLVILLE 30193 Seashore Park Bishops Landing Sat 12-2 3BR/2BA/2200SF Amenity-Filled Community Christine McCoy Coldwell Banker 302-339-5368

Social Security Woes Rooted In Pay It Forward Strategy

August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 43

Wealth Of Knowledge

BY KRISTIN COANE

SPECIAL TO THE DISPATCH

BERLIN – In 2000, actors Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey starred in “Pay It Forward.” The premise of the film is that a person repays a favor by offering small acts of kindness to more people. This concept of paying it forward leads to an exponential movement of goodwill.

Social Security works a bit like that.

In other words, FICA payroll taxes collected from today’s workers are used to pay Social Security and Medicare benefits for retirees. When workers retire, their benefits will be paid by tomorrow’s workforce, and so on.

Investing works a little like that as well. You invest money as you work and hope that the stock market will grow to produce a larger nest egg in the future. However, the stock market can be volatile, so sometimes you can lose the gains you earn and even the principal you invested. There are other ways to pay yourself forward. Call us to inquire how an annuity can provide a guaranteed stream of income during retirement.

Unfortunately, there are problems with the pay-it-forward strategy used for Social Security. One glaring issue has become evident in the wake of the pandemic. With more than 40 million

people out of work, there were less FICA tax revenues paying into the Social Security system. This means that, according to some estimates, the program could be insolvent by 2030.

Then there is the issue of sustained low inflation due to the current lack of consumer demand for goods.

For most people, low inflation is a good thing.

However, Social Security beneficiaries receive a cost-of-living increase KRISTIN COANE only when there is a correlating jump in inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Preliminary estimates for a 2021 adjustment is little to none, given today’s current environment. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that things retirees tend to spend a greater portion of their income on, such as health and long-term care, grow much faster than the rate of inflation. Since 2000, the inflation adjustment for Social Security benefits has increased by 53%, but the cost of items purchased by retirees has nearly doubled (99%).

Then again, we have even bigger problems than benefits not keeping up with inflation. Thanks to the $2.4 trillion (so far) stimulus passed by Congress to help offset the economic impact of

COVID-19, America’s debt has risen higher than ever. While it may be necessary to provide funds for individuals, small businesses, large industries and unemployment benefits to help kickstart the economy, that debt creates a long-term challenge for the federal government.

While Social Security is funded by a separate (FICA) payroll tax, legislators may look to cut benefits in the future to reallocate more money to pay down the national debt. Recent proposals to

help make the Social Security more viable include reducing disability benefits, increasing full retirement age and/or raising the payroll tax cap, currently at $137,700.

If you are nearing retirement and have questions regarding Social Security and how it may affect your retirement plan, give our team a call. We’re here to help you navigate complicated waters.

(The writer has been with Key Financial Services for over 15 years. Their team can be reached at 410-629-0357.)

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Chris Parypa’s Photo Of The Week:

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

August 7, 2020

Each week staff photographer Chris Parypa is tasked with submitting a photo from his vast library to be featured in this space. Above a group of friends take in the sights and sounds from the Wicomico Street Pier. To purchase any of Parypa’s photos, click over to www.chrisparypa.com.

August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 45

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The Dispatch

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Consistency A Major Challenge With Decisions The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

August 7, 2020

HOW WE SEE IT

Ocean City decision-makers are clearly struggling with consistency when it comes to making calls on special events and pandemic safety reasoning. It’s understandable because these are complicated decisions.

A case-by-case approach is best to adopt when navigating this maze of uncertainty amid important decisions on whether to hold special events and offer services when safety cannot be ensured.

Risk is inevitable in today’s world.

There’s a threat of contracting COVID19 in all aspects of life, but through the stated protocol – social distancing, facial coverings and enhanced sanitizing – we are told the risk is diminished.

The science should guide us, but common sense also plays a part of it as well for government officials.

Over the past several months, town officials have canceled the St. Patrick’s

Day Parade in March and Springfest in May (and many events in between like Cruisin) and grounded the Boardwalk Tram operation and the Fourth of July fireworks. Bike Week and OC BikeFest organizers, in coordination with city officials, dropped their plans for September last week and will focus on 2021.

The White Marlin Open is ongoing but without any public viewing at the weigh station.

This week two matters came before the council that again put officials in the crosshairs of public scrutiny.

First the council saved the OC Air Show by providing $100,000 to the organizer to offset losses from the state shutting down the ticketed areas.

The gathering area should have never been planned because it violates the governor’s executive order on crowds. It goes against everything in the protocols about groups gathering.

Secondly is the call on whether to hold Sunfest the first week in October.

If it was unsafe in May for Springfest, it would stand to reason early October is probably not the time for Sunfest either. The council will decide its status next week.

Ocean City needs to consistently err on the side of caution. It has in some instances but not in others. If crowds gathering for the holiday fireworks was deemed too risky, it’s confusing why the air show is even allowed in the first place. By its nature, it encourages people crowding together on the beach around the prime viewing area.

We love and support the air show and Sunfest each year, but 2020 is not the year for either. They each attract to relatively small areas big crowds, which is exactly what should not be condoned at this time.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Response To Letter Editor: We are writing in response to last week’s letter “Irresponsible Leadership” where Mr. Chismar noted that Susan Jones’ comments to WJZ TV were “outrageous and needs to be addressed.”

We believe this warrants a bit of background context.

Since the middle of March, we have been meeting regularly to address the effects of COVID on our industry. In April, we submitted safety procedures to the State of Maryland which would allow employees and visitors to be safe in our community. As the industry representing the economic engine of our community, we knew that we needed to lead the effort in order to save hundreds of businesses from closings and to save thousands of jobs from being lost. Additionally, we realized the need to balance the health of our citizens with the potential economic devastation. With that in mind, we included the Chamber of Commerce, Worcester Economic Development & Tourism, Worcester Health Department, the Town of OC, Senator Carozza and Delegate Hartman on our OC Recovery Team. Countless email messages and phone calls have been shared with our hospitality members requesting they follow the State of MD Roadmap to Recovery guidelines. Not every business is a member of OCHMRA and therefore, we do not reach many of the boardwalk businesses mentioned in the letter.

We are appreciative that Mr. Chismar mentions Dr. Birx’s opinion on dining, and as Governor Hogan pointed out in a recent press conference, contact tracing has proven that 44% of cases occurred at family gatherings

as opposed to 23% in restaurants. In this day and age, the media spins the story to their liking; we only hear the soundbites they want us to hear. (with the exception of this paper’s balanced reporting) This is unfortunate as the contexts of comments are often misinterpreted. In fact, allow us to supply the entire statement by Jones as it was not written in Mr. Chismar’s letter.

She stated “Restricting indoor dining is not going to do anything to stop the spread, personal responsibility will.”

So, we stand by her comments that the “restaurant industry has been unfairly targeted.” Personal responsibility is key.

Yesterday, Governor Hogan provided a mask mandate and this will finally provide clarity on the issue. Our Association has no legal authority to enforce every operator, employee or visitor in wearing a mask. Sadly, when employees have asked guests to wear masks, many have been faced with being yelled at, spit on and in a few cases pushed. Ocean City goes from a sleepy winter town to Maryland’s second largest city at times.

Our industry remains committed to doing all we can to keep our visitors safe; which is why so many restaurants voluntarily closed to get all their employees tested and to deep clean.

Finally, Mr. Chismar’s letter noted that we should focus on the countless mask-free workers before blaming vacationers. We can assure you would never place blame on visitors; we would not exist, nor would our community, without visitors and they will always be welcome in our resort town. The divisive finger pointing that has consumed our nation is the ex-

act thing that is tearing it apart.

OCHMRA Board of Directors Executive Director Susan L. Jones

Proven Leadership Editor: Mr. Chismar’s attacks on Susan Jones and the Ocean City Hotel-MotelRestaurant Association (OCHMRA) are completely out of line. They have been actively involved with state and local elected officials, government entities, trade groups and numerous businesses all working towards the common goal of reducing the spread of COVID while enabling businesses to remain open and operating safely. I agree wholeheartedly with Susan Jones that the restaurant industry has been unfairly targeted.

Governor Hogan reported in his press conference this week that family gatherings, house parties and outdoor events are the main culprits for the spread of COVID – not restaurants. This is real data from the contact tracing program here in Maryland, not national “modeling.”

I would also like to point out that both California and New Mexico do not permit indoor dining, yet both have continued to see an increase in COVID cases and increases in their positivity rates. The city of Philadelphia is also experiencing these same increases, also without indoor dining available.

OCHMRA, the Restaurant Association of Maryland and numerous other organizations were calling for an expansion of the face covering policy on a statewide level. We are pleased that Governor Hogan took action. Social distancing, wearing face coverings and SEE NEXT PAGE

August 7, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

frequent handwashing are the keys to stopping the spread of COVID. Placing further restrictions on restaurants will not stop the spread of COVID, personal responsibility will.

If you look at how other states have fared against this pandemic, the leadership of Maryland and the leadership of Ocean City have done very well and deserve to be commended, not attacked as irresponsible.

Marshall Weston (The writer is the president & CEO of the Restaurant Association of Maryland.)

Fatal Gifts

Editor: Ben Franklin once said, “When the people find they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of our Republic.” Our Congress and President have voted $6 trillion -- yes, our political class has printed and borrowed, creating a staggering amount of debasement money and loan obligations in a month, March of 2020, creating a greater future obligation on the younger generation than at any time during the brief history of our nation. Undaunted, the political class is ready to “vote themselves money” yet again as if they have found a new fountain of wealth through the failed age-old methods of currency debasement by printing and borrowing with little hope of paying it back. Is this what Ben Franklin said would “herald the end of our Republic”? Why is printing and borrowing greater than ever before risking an end to our Democracy? The key is that simply printing and borrowing money does nothing to address the so-called wealth gap in our country, and that is one of the factors that could contribute most significantly to citizen unrest and the decline of our democratic behavioral norms in this country.

About 25 years ago there was an Op-ed in the Washington Post talking about an elementary school election of a class president. A 10-year-old boy was running against a 10-year-old girl for the privilege of the office. The little boy spoke first. “We can not cut in line for lunch and we must remember to raise our hand before we talk in class and to go to the bathroom.” Next the little girl spoke. “Vote for me and I will give you all free cupcakes and ice-cream.” The little girl won the class presidency by a landslide! No surprise there. Are material gifts by politicians with our assets what liberty and freedom mean?

Thirty years ago, I had the honor of attending a political function in Washington with the Democratic Senator from Massachusetts, the Honorable Paul Tsongas, who was running for president and at the time polling ahead of Bill Clinton. Mr. Tsongas said his greatest fear for the future of our great Country was many people being told that they were entitled to gifts by bad politicians misusing the public treasury for personal attention and political gain. Mr. Tsongas said that a political

Between The Lines

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

class promising gifts from the public’s treasury to certain downtrodden Americans in the future would lead to bankruptcy and a currency collapse for all Americans. It would mark the end of our great Country. I supported Mr. Tsongas; he signed my itinerary that day.

Unfortunately, he withdrew from the election 60 days later and died from brain cancer in 1992. What a loss, Mr. Clinton went on to win the Presidency.

Stephen Roach, from the Yale School of Management, talked about the predicament the economy is in last month and why he is so certain that we will suffer from a currency collapse in the next two to three years from our political classes printing and borrowing. Will more be scheduled? Our printing and borrowing have even surpassed the peaks in WWII with more to come.

Stephen Roach says, “In the first quarter of 2020, our National Savings Rate was 1.4%, this compares to a 45year average from 1960 through 2005 of 7%. The lack of savings has created an extreme current account deficit of (-6.3%). The value of our dollar will have to move significantly lower to offset the current account deficit.”

Disrupting our supply chain through the use of harsh trade rhetoric and real, as well as threatened tariffs, and relocating our supply chain in America will in coming months double or triple the costs Americans pay for goods, adding to the currency devaluation. In addition, printing and borrowing trillions of dollars will further decrease Americans buying power.

Although exporters will benefit from a sharp decline in the dollar, only 12.2% of our economy is due to exports, and 87.8% is not. Worse yet, at least 9 out 10 Americans will suffer from a decline in the buying power of the US dollar. Also, although the debt is payable with minimal interest rates presently, as confidence is lost due to the flood of printed dollars, interest rates will not remain near zero. Roach says this reality is baked in the cake and imminent, and what do our politicians plan to do about it? They are currently arguing over trillions more of borrowing and printing with no regard for the younger generations who will be forcibly saddled with repayments.

Let’s defer to the wisdom of Ben Franklin once again. “They who give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

The Washington Post Op-ed never mentioned whether the little girl who won her classes presidency ever gave her classmates the promised cupcakes and ice-cream.

At 4 p.m. on July 31, Fitch Bond Rating Service lowered the grade of our country’s debt from stable to negative. Is this really the road we want to go down? Won’t anyone speak to stop it before it’s too late if it already isn’t?

Tony Christ Falls Church, Va. Ocean City

Page 47

By Publisher/Editor Steve Green

Much of the story of the 47th White Marlin Open will be written this weekend, as hundreds of boats will fish each of the final three days. On Thursday, 360 boats fished following lay days for most thus far. The remaining three days will most likely shake up the leaderboard as offshore conditions look favorable throughout the weekend.

Though it looked bleak earlier this year, the economic crisis caused by the health pandemic seems to have spared recreational fishing tournaments. It’s clear the finances of these participants have not been impacted to the degree feared initially. The HUK Big Fish Classic set a participation and prize money record last month. The White Marlin Open also set a new record in prize money with $6.7 million to be distributed to lucky anglers and early broke a turnout record with 433 boats committing.

One boat captain summed up the situation for me this week. Known for being blunt types, he said, “the rich are always looking to get richer.”

It was an interesting take.

Local authority and flexibility has been a priority of Gov. Larry Hogan’s as it comes to school reopening plans. He showed that commitment this week when he slammed the top health officer in Montgomery County for not allowing private schools in that jurisdiction to open until Oct. 1 at the earliest.

Hogan introduced an executive order barring health officers from mandating private and parochial school closures. Unlike public schools, independent schools have smaller enrollments and have the ability to limit class sizes and implement social distancing. It’s nice to see Hogan gets that. It’s unfair for the same set of rules to govern the different schools.

“I have issued an amended emergency order ensuring that local schools and school systems retain the primary authority to determine when to safely reopen their facilities,” Hogan said in a tweet Monday. “To be clear, Maryland’s recovery continues to be based on a flexible, community-based approach that follows science, not politics. As long as schools develop safe and detailed plans that follow CDC and state guidelines, they should be empowered to do what’s best for their community."

The governor was right to allow these private schools to make their own decisions so long as their reopening plans meet all the stated health criteria and protocols.

Tuesday got off to a memorable start.

Around 9 a.m. when it looked like most of the heavy rain had passed, I headed to the Inlet for some storm coverage. I love going out in the elements to cover storms when it’s safe to do so. By and large, there was nothing terribly memorable about Isaias. It was windy with significant gusts, some downed trees, minor flooding in typical areas and property destruction of varying degrees including roof and sign damage. As far as storms go for Ocean City, it was forgettable.

After an hour of getting pounded with sand Tuesday morning, I ventured back to my truck to head to the office. I quickly realized my keys that were attached by a carabiner to a belt loop on my jeans had torn off at some point. Before I called my wife for a rescue, I looked all around the pier as well as on the beach below and even in the shallow areas of the ocean below. I also searched the fence on both sides and examined every single lock to ensure the keys were not there.

No luck, so I called my wife who asked me logically about the spare, which is still missing from our move earlier this year. I called a locksmith who came to me in the Inlet parking lot. Although he was able to unlock the vehicle, he was unable the program the key FOB, but he did not charge me a penny and I was grateful for that. With my phone now dead from taking videos and pictures of the storm, my wife called AAA while I waited in the truck pondering the wonders of 2020 while the emergency beeping continued to blare in my truck. I was getting used to it by now as it was going on two hours or so of the constant sound. At that point, I was grateful to be sitting in my hot truck fogging up the windows instead of in the wind and standing ocean water.

It would be 70 minutes for AAA and because of COVID I would not be able to ride with them. My wife was on her way to rescue me when a stranger – later I would learn his name was Jason Daly – approached me and asked if I lost my keys. He said he saw them and walked me to the spot. There they were connected to the chain link fence with hundreds of other locks. I had looked in this very spot hours before multiples times.

Good Samaritan Jason and I joked how the wind must have ripped my carabiner off my belt loop and miraculously connected to the chain link fence. I was thinking it was like the “magic loogie” from the Seinfeld episode. It’s more likely and more reasonable that my keys got ripped off and connected somehow to the fence on the pier while I was leaning over the railing taking pictures and videos. Amid the winds and live videos, I must not have realized. Another Good Samaritan could have also found them on the pier nearby at some point and connected them to the fence assuming someone would return looking for them. It will remain a mystery but at least it was one with a happy ending.

In 2020, we have to smell the roses when we can. I am grateful for Jason and the unnamed helpers who helped out that memorable morning.

Page 48

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L

The Adventures Of Fatherhood

By STEVE GREEN

ast week’s column about my desire to see my boys back in school brought a variety of feedback.

If you are like me your mind is scattered these days, jumping often among subjects and concerns, but there is one thing I am certain of currently. There is a tremendous division currently about three things in our world – masks, school reopening and Trump.

The last subject doesn’t belong on this page and you likely get plenty of discourse on him elsewhere. I have no reservations following the rules on facial coverings, and I think it’s the responsible thing for all of us even if uncomfortable. If my special needs 10year-old son with sensory issues can wear a mask during summer school, I think we all should be resilient enough to as well.

On the topic of schools, I wrote last week I saw the consequences of social isolation last spring on my kids.

For my 12-year-old son, he struggled when school was cancelled as well as soccer and lacrosse. I saw the toll on him because he’s a social being.

My special needs 10-year-old suffered great regression on the social front. My wife was a master home schooler with him, and he thrived in the limited academics offered. She was probably too good because we both saw a major reliance on her to help with his school work. It’s unnatural and unhealthy for all involved in my mind for parents to take on the teacher role as well. Along with the school aspect, his routine has been disrupted, and it will take months to get his autistic mind back on track in a real school setting. The longer he is out of school the more challenges there will be.

We believe our kids need to be back in a school under the outlined safety precautions. I understand not everyone

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agrees. For example, one email this week accused me of being selfish and not understanding the big picture of the pandemic. I will take exception to the being unaware claim because I am fully educated on this pandemic.

It’s this knowledge that tells me there’s conflicting and contrasting information available at every turn, depending on which medical expert or scientist is opining. It’s a new virus and that means we don’t know everything about it. Opinions vary greatly on just about everything about it.

Another email was more courteous and directed me to an online piece from Red Rocks Counseling founder Sara Waters, a speaker and psychotherapist, who penned an excellent commentary about wellness for kids in this trying time. I’d like to share it as it brought some clarity into my world.

Life is not fair. It will not always go their way, no matter how strongly they believe it should. We are doing these kids a major disservice if we show them what it looks like to cement ourselves into a static place when it comes to our own beliefs and behaviors. Instead of teaching them to resist and fight every last unfortunate turn of events, perhaps we start to curate a generation of young humans who learns to stand up for what they believe in while also feeling confident in their ability to roll with the punches. Perhaps we teach them the value of true non-agenda’d curiosity over certainty. Maybe we start to educate them on hope in combination with nonattachment and titrate out this addiction to certainty that their opinions are the only ones that are right. 2020 is a brilliant universal reminder that there are multiple (and often very polarized) versions of what is “right” and that it varies from person to person. For you, sending your children back to school might be the thing you want most in the world right now. For the family next door, re-

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mote learning or a hybrid version of school may tend to their family’s needs in exactly the perfect way. The school board was going to piss a whole lotta folks off, no matter what they decided.

If there is one thing I know for sure (in a world where almost nothing is certain), it is that we can be all right. …

We, ourselves, can be more like bamboo… deeply rooted and sturdy, while bendy and able to move and flow in the wind and water when the storms come.

Bamboo isn’t mad at the storm. It doesn’t judge the wind for the direction that it decides to blow. … It relies on its deep roots and flexibility until a day when the storm calms and it can once again, with all the scratches and scars from the volatile weather, reach up for the sunshine and continue living.

Be gentle with yourselves. It doesn’t feel good (and it’s really not good for your health and wellness) to be in a static state of tension or worry or anger or resentment. Be gentle with each other. Say lots of “I respect you”s and “I care for you”s, and mean it, especially to those who you disagree with. Have a divine amount of grace for people who hurt or frustrate you and remember if you can’t respond from a place of love, calm, grace and patience, the issue is not the person or group of people who upset you, the issue is that you have not yet learned to mindfully manage your reactivity. That’s your problem to tend to, not theirs. Once we learn that, we will be able to show and teach our children to be resilient, calm, strong, thoughtful, kind and compassionate.

THAT is what will benefit your kid’s psychological wellness the very most.”

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

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August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 49

Everything You Need To Know About Ocean Rip Currents

Page 50

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

August 7, 2020

GUARDING THE BEACH

BY DAMIEN SANZOTTI

SPECIAL TO THE DISPATCH

OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Beach Patrol has been actively trying to educate people about the hazards of rips currents much longer than the 17 years I have been on the patrol. Our lifeguards talk to people several times each day and do beach safety seminars explaining rip currents and their dangers to beach patrons. This has been a little more difficult this season with COVID-19 precautions in place.

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 provides, the NWS is able to provide rip current forecasts and daily advisories.

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. In DAMIEN order to do this, you first SANZOTTI 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.

Although the beach patrol performs between 2,000 and 4,000 rescues (Surf Rescue Technician enters the water and assists a person to safety) each year, most of these are minor and in

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many more cases (not counted as a rescue) 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 by the SRT. 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 (rip currents do not pull you under). People often make the mistake of swimming straight in against the current (rip currents can flow faster than an Olympic swimmer can swim, even Michael Phelps), getting tired and then beginning to panic.

This is why many people who have died in a rip current do know how to swim and in some cases are actually very good swimmers. If you ever find yourself

in an uncomfortable situation in the ocean, just 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. The beach patrol is on duty daily in the summer from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Captain’s Note: Although education is the first priority of the beach patrol mission and the press has dedicated time and resources to help us get these lifesaving messages out to you, many people just do not heed our advice and lives are lost and families devastated by the poor decisions of others.

Just last week, a Mississippi sheriff’s deputy who was director of the Search and Rescue Unit, died after saving his son who was caught in a rip current off a Florida beach.

(The writer has been with the beach patrol for 17 years and is currently a sergeant.

He is a physical education teacher at Berlin Intermediate School.)

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August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 51

OCBP ALUMNI OF THE WEEK

(Editor’s Note: The following is a series on the men and women who have spent their summers protecting all those who came to Ocean City for fun and safe vacation.)

OCEAN CITY – It's been noted the building of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the Bay Bridge Tunnel did for Ocean City in the 20th Century what the railroads had done in the 19th Century -opened the town beyond anyone's expectations.

By 1965, the resort was surging with new growth and the opportunities for a summer full of employment and adventure to thousands of young people in the area. One young man who heard that call was Charles Dashiell, Jr. "Chip" Dashiell had grown up just a few miles down the road in Salisbury.

Given the closeness of the resort, his family had spent many summers at the beach. During those visits, Dashiell was able to watch the guards and plan for the day when he could do the same thing. "Joining the OCBP was something I had wanted to do for a long time,"

he said.

When the summer of 1965 rolled around, he figured since he "was a decent swimmer" it was time to give the OCBP a try.

"After I passed the test, Captain Craig said he had room at his home on St. Louis Avenue for a few guards. My folks liked that idea, so I stayed at the Craig family home for the eight summers I was on the patrol," he recalled.

The captain came to know that Dashiell was someone who worked hard and proved he could be counted on when things got tough. The young man was studying law at Wake Forest in between his summers on the patrol and was given responsibility over the more crowded beaches each season.

Dashiell remembers, "Captain Craig was an important role model during those years. He taught the importance of individual responsibility and accountability. He set a high standard for all of us, but was always fair."

Dashiell was promoted to sergeant

Chip Dashiell served on the OCBP from 1965 to 1973 when he earned his law degree.

Submitted Photo

in 1970 and then to lieutenant in 1971.

"As an officer, I do recall some pretty incredible urgent rides up and down the beach highway in the Chevrolet Blazer and Ford Bronco, particularly on the weekends in heavy beach traffic,” said Dashiell. “It’s hard to imagine how we escaped major accidents in those emergency vehicles, but thankfully we did."

The days on the OCBP ended for Dashiell when he finished his law degree in 1973 and began his practice with the law firm of Hearne & Bailey, P.A. back in his home town of Salisbury He continued to

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"I made a lot of pulls (rescues) over the years, some more remarkable than others,” Dashiell said. “Like most former guards, I never go to the beach where I don’t focus on the rips and look out for swimmers in distress. I will never forget those incredible summers on the Patrol and my fellow guards who became lifelong friends."

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 53

with Scott Lenox Greetings all and welcome to the busiest time of the summer. The White Marlin Open is upon us and though it has looked drastically different this year, the event has still gone on and has actually broken its own record for largest purse ever. In despite of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a tropical storm rolling by Tuesday, the 47th Annual White Marlin Open has 443 boats fishing for a record purse of over $6.7 million. Thanks to the unfavorable offshore forecast for this week, organizers decided to extend the tournament for two extra days until Sunday, August 9 to give participants plenty of days to choose from for fishing. This year’s event has been a fish three of seven-day event which is different than the usual fish three of five days. The Hooked on OC crew and myself have been producing the live broadcast all week and will continue to do so through the end of the tournament on Sunday.

The 3rd Street viewing area will not be available Saturday and Sunday, and no spectators are permitted at Harbor Island this year so www.whitemarlinopen.com is the place to watch. I hope to see you online.

The offshore fishing focus this week switched from chunking butterfish for yellowfin tuna at the Hot Dog to trolling ballyhoo for white marlin in the canyons as many boats prepped and practiced for this week’s White Marlin Open. There was still a little chunking going on by the charter fleet, but fishing was hit or miss with some boats doing very well while others caught one or two fish. The best bite was right around sun up so boats were leaving very early to take advantage when the fish were most cooperative. Early last week a couple of tuna chunking pros had excellent trips with limits of yellowfin for their charters. Captain Mark Hoos of the Marli and Captain Joe Drosey of Rhonda’s Osprey were first to the spot on a couple of days and they loaded up the fish box and were back to the dock in time for lunch.

I’ve never seen sea bass fishing this good so late in the summer and I’m joined by Captain Monty Hawkins of the Morning Star in my astonishment.

When ocean waters warm in mid-summer sea bass fishing slows and tactics switch targeting flounder to supSEE PAGE 54

The crew of the Spring Mix II with Captain Chris Watkowski had a great day putting nine yellowfin tuna on the dock.

Submitted Photos

Page 54

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

August 7, 2020

Top left, Richard McCullough, Chef Paul Suplee and crew had an awesome day with Captain Kane Bounds of Fish Bound when they caught 29 keeper flounder, a triggerfish, four ribbonfish and a couple of sea bass. Top middle, this nice doormat flounder was caught on board the Miss Ocean City with Captain Anton and mate Joey. Top right, I’ve got to give props to my wife Kristen for catching her first ever limit of flounder on our Fish in OC Doormat Destroyer live bait rig baited with peanut bunker.

Above left, Captain Jason Mumford of Lucky Break Charters put this crew on an awesome day with nine keeper flounder up to 20 inches. Above right, this unusual catch of a barracuda took place on board the Morning Star with Captain Monty Hawkins.

Opposite page, top left, Mate Rich Fouts of the Angler displays a nice king mackerel that was caught while trolling to the sea bass grounds. Opposite page, top right, Mike Bostic and his crew from Church Creek had an awesome day when they caught their limit of yellowfin tuna on the Marli with Captain Mark Hoos. Opposite page middle, left, Captain Dan Stauffer of the Fin Chaser put this group on six fat yellowfin tuna. Opposite page middle, right, these shooters had a good time with Captain Marc Spagnola of Dusk to Dawn Bowfishing when they found their mark on some cow nosed rays. Opposite page, bottom left, Chris Rodriguez missed his limit by just one fish when he put these three nice keeper flounder in the cooler. Opposite page, bottom right, Captain Joe Drosey and the crew of Rhonda’s Osprey chunked up nine big yellowfin tuna on a rainy trip last week.

... Fish In OC

FROM PAGE 53 plement the party boat catch. Not this year. The ocean party boats are still seeing excellent sea bass fishing with plenty of big fish coming over the rail and several limits of 15 fish per person on some trips. Ocean wreck and reef fishing for flounder has been pretty good over the past couple of weeks as well with some nice fish for the party and charter fleet. Captain Kane Bounds of the Fish Bound has been having tremendous success on his eight- and nine-hour trips. The ability to run a little farther has been paying dividends with some limits of four flounder per angler at over 16 ½ inches.

Captain Kane has also been catching

some sea bass, a few triggerfish and some ribbonfish on his bot-tom fishing trips. Ocean bottom fishing boats have also been doing a little trolling as they are heading out to the sea bass and flounder grounds and they have been putting some nice fish in the boat.

Great gull shoal, the first lump and the bass grounds have had some nice Spanish and king mackerel hanging around, and there have even been some mahi caught. Captain Mon-ty Hawkins of the Morning Star even had a barracuda come over the rail on a trip last week.

Back bay fishing for flounder was good over the weekend thanks to clean water on the high tide. My wife Kristen and I fished the Ocean Pines Chamber of Commerce Flounder Tournament on Saturday and though we didn’t have anything on the leaderboard we did have a great day of fishing. We

fished the east channel with live peanut bunker on our Fish in OC Doormat Destroyer live bait rig and had six keepers up to 19 inches. Kristen was the high hook with four keepers for her first ever limit of flounder. Our buddy Blake Gunther had the winning angler on his boat with a nice fish of just under 21 inches.

I’m starting to get some reports of spot, croaker and even kingfish being caught in the back bay behind Assateague and around the route 90 bridge. These fish have been caught on Gulp and larger hooks so if you use smaller hooks with squid, bloodworm or Fishbites you’ll have even better luck if the fish are there. Our Fish in OC Dale Timmons’ Croaker Smoker is the perfect rig for these smaller, but tasty bottom feeders.

Next week’s Poor Girls Open ladies only billfish tournament at Bahia Ma-

rina has been canceled due to COVID19 concerns, but tournament directors say that this is just a one-year break and they will be back stronger than ever in 2021. The next big event is the Mid Atlantic Tournament based in Cape May, NJ with a weigh-in location at Sunset Marina in West Ocean City. The event runs Monday, Aug. 17 through Friday, Aug. 21 and is similar to the White Marlin Open. The Hooked on OC crew and I will be live-streaming the Mid Atlantic as well with live scales action from both ports. You can view it live all week at www.themidatlantic.com. I hope to see you online or on the water.

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.)

August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 55

Page 56

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

August 7, 2020

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Sunday, Aug. 9: TBA, Noon-3 p.m.; Floodwire, 4-8 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 10: Matt Tichon, Noon-3 p.m., Bob Wilkinson & Joe Smooth, 4-8 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 11: Jack Worthington, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Bilenki Duo, 3:30-7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 12: Keri Anthony, Noon-3 p.m.; Joe Smooth & John Remy, 4-8 p.m.

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JOE SMOOTH & BOBBY WILKINSON Coconuts Beach Bar: Monday, Aug. 10

HARBOR BOYS Trimpers Rock & Ride: Monday, Aug. 10

CORK BAR & GRILL Wicomico St. & Boardwalk 410-289-6921 Sunday, Aug. 9: Going Coastal, 2 p.m.

CRAWL STREET TAVERN 19 Wicomico St. off the boardwalk 443-373-2756 Friday, Aug. 7: The Runner-Ups, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 8: Lennon LaRicci & The Leftovers, 5 p.m.

Every Tuesday: DJ RobCee, 10 p.m.

Every Sunday: DJ Wax, 10 p.m.

DOWNY OSHUN 120th St. Bayside 410-670-8025 Every Saturday: Jim Long Band Every Sunday: Monkee Paw Every Thursday: Otto Grundman & Friends PICKLES PUB 410-289-4891 8th St. & Philadelphia Ave. Friday, Aug. 7: Rogue Citizens Saturday, Aug. 8: Never Ending Fall Sundays & Wednesdays: Beats By Skyler Every Tuesday & Thursday: Beats By Wax SEACRETS 410-524-4900 49th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, Aug. 7: Benderz Duo, 4 p.m., Stealing Savannah Duo, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 8: Kono Nation Duo, 4 p.m., Steal The Sky Duo, 8 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 9: Nowhere Slow Duo, 4 p.m., Monday, Aug. 10: Full Circle, 4 p.m., TBA, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 11: Opposite Directions, 4 p.m., TBA, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 12: Full Circle Duo, 4 p.m.

TBA, 8 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 13: John McNutt Duo, 4 p.m., TBA, 8 p.m.

JIM LONG BAND Downy Oshun: Every Saturday

DJ ROBCEE Crawl Street Tavern: Every Tuesday

BEATS BY WAX Pickles Pub: Every Tuesday & Thursday

DARIN ENGH Coconuts Beach Bar: Friday, Aug. 7

STEPHEN ANTHONY Clarion/ Lenny’s Beach Bar: Friday & Saturday, Aug. 7 & 8

OTTO GRUNDMAN Downy Oshun: Every Thursday

SEAN “SPIFFY” STYLES Dry Dock 28: Every Tuesday

The Dispatch Classifieds

August 7, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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

HELP WANTED EXPERIENCED CLEANERS: Must have cell phone and own transportation. Great opportunity and pay! 443-880-0525 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– P/T Y/R MAINTENANCE TECH: for premier local community, 15 hours a week, extra hours when needed. Regular work days are Wed., Thurs., and Fri., 8:30am1:30pm. Must have reliable transportation. Call 410-213-1554.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– MAINTENANCE/HANDYMAN: Large OC Association looking for full-time person to join the on-site staff. Competitive wages and benefits. Resumes can be emailed to dwilson@legumnorman.com or faxed to 410-723-0676 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– NEWSPAPER DELIVERY DRIVER: Immediate opening to deliver The Dispatch early Friday mornings. Fair wage offered. Experience helpful but not required.

Covered van or truck needed.

Email letter of interest to editor@mdcoastdispatch.com or fax to 410-641-0966.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

CARPENTERS & CARPENTERS HELPERS Must have : Tools, Trans, Driver’s License

Exp. Required!

PATTERSON & SONS BUILDERS Call 410-641-9530

CASHIER/ SALES ASSOCIATE Must be friendly & dependable FT/PT-Year Round Various shifts Competitive hourly wage Benefits available Temporary $2 extra per hour until further notice

To Apply-go online www.petromg.com *Employment *Retail *OC MD *Cashier Wine Rack *Search *Cashier Sales Assoc.-Wine Rack Rt. 50 Wine Rack 12827 Ocean Gateway West OC, MD

WORK FROM HOME $20,000 PER MONTH CALL 302.335.7000 AUTOMOTIVE We have automotive service centers, parts stores, and a used car dealership/detail shop with locations in the Ocean Pines, Bethany Beach,and Rehoboth Beach areas. We have been in business for 36 years and we are STILL GROWING! We are now accepting applications for the following positions:

- SERVICE MANAGER - SERVICE/PARTS ADVISORS -TECHNICIANS -TOW TRUCK DRIVER - MD STATE INSPECTOR This is a great opportunity for anyone who loves working in the automotive field.

Great Career Opportunity and plenty of room for advancement throughout the company. Please call Matt at 302-344-9846.

PUT YOUR LOGO IN COLOR FOR JUST $10

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

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

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

BE YOUR OWN BOSS

Page 57

LANDSCAPE, HARDSCAPE & GENERAL MAINTENANCE

FT or PT. Weekdays.

Wage Negotiable Based on Experience.

MD, DE, Eastern Shore Area Call Lisa at 302-489-9229 or Email: meckservicesanddesigns@ gmail.com

Now Hiring

PHOTOGRAPHERS No Experience Necessary Training and Equipment will be Provided

Send Resumes to: meslin@lifetouch.com

Come Join Our Winning Team!

Hiring All Positions

SERVERS BUSSERS COOKS HOSTESSES BARTENDERS Apply Within 31st St. Coastal Hwy. 410-289-2581 128th St. Coastal Hwy. 410-250-2304

Ride the B

in

OC!

NOW HIRING! YEAR ROUND

COOKS & DRIVERS Apply Within or Call Pam at 410-726-7061 Johnny’s Pizza & Pub, Bayside, 56th St. & Coastal Highway

HOTEL OVERNIGHT FRONT DESK We are looking for dependable, service oriented hotel front desk clerks to work our overnight desk shifts. Ability to work multiple properties a plus. Must be able to work weekends and holidays. Excellent starting pay.

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

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

La Quinta Inn & Suites NOW HIRING FOR ALL POSITIONS WE PAY MORE - $13-$15 PER HOUR! PLUS SEASONAL AND YEAR END BONUSES

SEE OUR JOB LISTINGS ON INDEED 1st Service Company has current openings for: Experienced HVAC Service Technicians Lead Installer Experienced Installers Retro installations. Basic Trade hand tools required, all other tools of the trade, power and testing tools provided. Everything needed to perform quality work. Specialized training, monthly tool allowance, on call duty pay, uniforms including boots and outerwear, vacation and holiday pay, bonuses and other incentives. High paying positions.

This is an opportunity to work with a great team.

SIGN ON BONUS FOR QUALIFIED PERSON! To Apply and Interview, call 410-208-3220 or 866-990-4822 Send resumes to: office@1stservicehvacr.com

MORE JOB LISTINGS ON PAGE 58 ;

Castle in the Sand Hotel is Hiring for Immediate Start

HOUSEKEEPERS SECURITY GUARDS FRONT DESK ASSOCIATES Pay Starting at $11-$14/hour Outstanding Working Environment.

Come Join Our Family. Apply in Person.

Ask for Bob or Tanya.

37th Street & Oceanfront, Ocean City, MD

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

Please email your resume to kelly.drexel@fbwbank.com or call Kelly Drexel at 410-250-1512 Application cut off is 8-30-2020 “Equal Employment Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer”

Or Apply In-Person at: 106 32nd St, Ocean City, MD, (410) 289-5762 Work With the Best Ocean City has to Offer ...

We Invite You to be a Part of our Family!

Year Round - Full/Part Time ~SERVERS ~BUSSERS ~HOSTESS ~POOL ATTENDANT ~DRIVER ~GRILL COOKS ~DISHWASHER ~WAREHOUSE CLERK ~ROOM ATTENDANT ($13/HOUR) ~LAUNDRY ~HOUSEKEEPING HOUSESTAFF EXCELLENT BENEFITS! FAX RESUME & SALARY REQ. to: 410-723-9109 Online at www.clarionoc.com APPLY IN PERSON Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

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

The Dispatch Classifieds

Page 58

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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

HOUSEKEEPING

APPLY IN PERSON Mon-Fri 9am-4pm 29th St & Baltimore Ave.

THE SPINNAKER NOW HIRING!

HOUSEKEEPING APPLY IN PERSON

10am-4pm 18th St & Baltimore Ave

I NDI AN RI VER MA RIN A NO W H I RING !

• GENERAL CLERICAL

For additional information, please contact the Marina office at 302.227.3071 AA/EOE

!

ING ’SYEAR ROUND OR PART-TIME R I W H WSTESFTUNOCPRLKACE •COOKS O N MO TO WO E MAK •SERVERS A N D $$$$ Please apply in person.

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

Currently hiring manpower for

•STUCCO & EIFS MECHANICS •CARPENTERS •CONCRETE BLOCK •COATINGS SPECIALISTS •FLAT CONCRETE •CONCRETE REPAIRS •PT WELDER •COMMERCIAL CAULKING •WINDOW & DOOR INSTALLERS •WAREHOUSE HELP (DRIVER’S LICENSE REQ’D) Experience Preferred. Tools, transportation & a valid driver’s license are a plus. Competitive benefit package available.

PUT YOUR LOGO IN COLOR FOR JUST $10

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

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

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

SUN N FUN MOTEL NOW HIRING

August 7, 2020

Storm Shutter & Window Installers

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

Please forward resume to: paola@masterjackwindows.com.

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

Come Join Our Winning Team!

Now accepting applications for the following positions!

Over Night Front Desk Front Desk Agent Recreation Attendant Room Attendant Houseperson Laundry Attendant Maintenance Server Line Cook Kitchen Utility Cashier Barista Looking for experienced personnel with customer service skills. Must be flexible with hours. Email resume to jobs@carouselhotel.com or stop by and complete an application at the Front Desk.

We require satisfactory pre-employment drug testing and background check.

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

Please apply in person at 11935 Hammer Rd, Bishopville, MD, or apply online: http://allstatesconst.com/delmarva-renovations-careers

ROOMMATES

SERVICES

ROOMMATES NEEDED!: Rodney Long Properties. 2020/2021 School Year. Off Campus Housing. Call Us Today! 410-5487629.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Ceja’s Landscaping & More!

RENTALS WEEKLY OR MONTHLY: Waterfront West OC 4BR/2BA cottage. Screened in porch. Available through October.

Call for details. 443-831-9898.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

•YARD MAINTENANCE •PAINTING •POWER WASHING 410-251-3425 410-202-2545 Upcoming Yard Sale?

The Dispatch

is the best way to get the word out!

Print & Online

COMMERCIAL OFFICE/RETAIL SPACE FOR RENT: 1,100SF, Main St., Berlin.

Easy on-ground level access, plenty of parking. $1,275 per mo. incl. CAM + all utils. 410-641-0128.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– SMALL OFFICE—MEDICAL SPACE FOR LEASE: 10031 Old Ocean City Blvd, Berlin $395 per mo. Util.’s incl. Multiple spaces available 443-856-5241.

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

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– OFFICE FOR RENT: Millville/Ocean View area. Approx.

950sf. Professional Office. No CAM fees. Easy access from Rt. 26, Central Ave., Cedar St., Reba Rd. Beautiful grounds, ample parking, front and rear. 717-989-5365.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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Legal Notices

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

THIRD INSERTION NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18349 To all persons interested in the estate of JANET HADDOCK COOPER, ESTATE NO. 18349. Notice is given that JANICE B SHOCKLEY, 7138 SHOCKLEY ROAD, SNOW HILL, MD 21863, was on, JULY 15, 2020 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of JANET HADDOCK COOPER, who died on JUNE 18, 2020, with a will.

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

All persons having any objection to the appointment

(or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 15TH day of JANUARY, 2021.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Two months after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claim will be barred unless the creditor presents the claims within two months from the

The Dispatch

August 7, 2020

LEGAL RATES: Legal advertising rate is $7 per column

inch. Deadline for all legal advertising is Tuesday at noon. For more information, call 410-641-4563 or fax 410-641-0966.

mailing or other delivery of the notice. A claim not presented or filed on or before that date, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter. Claim forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication JULY 24, 2020 JANICE B SHOCKLEY Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 7-24, 7-31, 8-7

SECOND INSERTION

ANDREW C. MITCHELL, JR, ESQ. 311 EAST MAIN STREET PO BOX 37 FRUITLAND, MD 21826 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18361 To all persons interested in the estate of KATHLEEN MARY HUDOME, ESTATE NO. 18361. Notice is given that ROBERT JAMES HUDOME, 1 ARCADIA COURT, BERLIN MD 21811, was on, JULY 23, 2020 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of KATHLEEN MARY HUDOME, who died on MAY 26, 2020, with a will.

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

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 23RD day of JANUARY, 2021.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates:

Legal Notices

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication JULY 31, 2020 ROBERT JAMES HUDOME Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 7-31, 8-07, 8-14

SECOND INSERTION

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18353 To all persons interested in the estate of MARY ANN WELSH, ESTATE NO. 18353.

Notice is given that JOHN M. WELSH, 17405 RIDGE DRIVE, ROCKVILLE, MD 20853, was on, JULY 20, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of MARY ANN WELSH, who died on JUNE 01, 2020, with a will.

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

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 20TH day of JANUARY, 2021.

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

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication JULY 31, 2020 JOHN M. WELSH Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 7-31, 8-07, 8-14

SECOND INSERTION

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18362 To all persons interested in the estate of JEAN H. JERREAD, ESTATE NO. 18362.

Notice is given that JAMES ANTHONY CARDANY, 9036 PEERLESS ROAD, WHALEYVILLE, MD 21872 and JEFFREY MICHAEL CARDANY, 9278 ULTRA COURT, ORANGEVILLE, CA 95662, were on, JULY 24, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of JEAN H. JERREAD, who died on JANUARY 23, 2020, with a will.

Further information can be

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

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 24TH day of JANUARY, 2021.

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

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication JULY 31, 2020 JAMES ANTHONY CARDANY JEFFREY MICHAEL CARADANY Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 7-31, 8-07, 8-14

SECOND INSERTION

J. GARRETT SHELLER, ESQ. LONG, BADGER, SHELLER & SMITH, LLP PO BOX 259 SALISBURY, MD 21803 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT

Page 59

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18351 To all persons interested in the estate of JOSEPH M. HOLLAND, ESTATE NO. 18351. Notice is given that PAUL W. RICHARDSON, 3724 REDDEN ROAD, POCOMOKE CITY, MD 21851, was on, JULY 24, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of JOSEPH M. HOLLAND, who died on JULY 16, 2020, with a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the estate file in the office of the Register of Wills or by contacting the personal 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 24TH day of JANUARY, 2021.

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

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication JULY 31, 2020 PAUL W. RICHARDSON Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for

Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 7-31, 8-07, 8-14

SECOND INSERTION

AYRES, JENKINS, GORDY AND ALMAND, PA WILLIAM E. ESHAM, III, ESQ. 6200 COASTAL HIGHWAY, SUITE 200 OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18191 To all persons interested in the estate of JAMES G. MALONEY, ESTATE NO. 18191. Notice is given that JON ROGER LEE, 436 CHURCHILL COURT, HARLEYSVILLE, PA 19438, was on, JULY 24, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of JAMES G. MALONEY, who died on DECEMBER 17, 2019, with a will.

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

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 24TH day of JANUARY, 2021.

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

The Dispatch

Page 60

LEGAL RATES: Legal advertising rate is $7 per column

inch. Deadline for all legal advertising is Tuesday at noon. For more information, call 410-641-4563 or fax 410-641-0966.

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 JULY 31, 2020 JON ROGER LEE Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 7-31, 8-07, 8-14

SECOND INSERTION

WILLIAM E. ESHAM,III, ESQ. AYRES, JENKINS, GORDY AND ALMAND, PA 6200 COASTAL HIGHWAY, SUITE 200 OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18364 To all persons interested in the estate of GARY ALLEN WALKER, ESTATE NO. 18364. Notice is given that NANCY J. WALKER, 7 RHODES LANE, FOXBOROUGH, MA 02035 was on, JULY 28, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of GARY ALLEN WALKER, who died on JULY 19TH, 2020, with a will.

Further information can be obtained by reviewing the

Legal Notices

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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 28TH day of JANUARY, 2021.

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

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication JULY 31, 2020

The Dispatch Can Be Viewed In Its Entirety

ONLINE

NANCY J. WALKER Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 7-31, 8-07, 8-14

FIRST INSERTION

B. RANDALL COATES ESQ. COATES, COATES, & COATES 204 WEST GREEN STREET SNOW HILL, MD 21863 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18373 To all persons interested in the estate of HAZEL E. WARREN, ESTATE NO. 18373.

Notice is given that BONNIE B. ADKINS, 10304 KEYSER POINT ROAD, OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 was on, AUGUST 03, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of HAZEL E. WARREN, who died on JULY 24TH, 2020, with a will.

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

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the

Register of Wills on or before the 3RD day of FEBRUARY, 2021.

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

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication AUGUST 07, 2020 BONNIE B. ADKINS Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street

August 7, 2020

Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 8-07, 8-14, 8-21

FIRST INSERTION

CYNTHIA B. MACDONALD ESQ. 208 CALVERT STREET P.O. BOX 33 SALISBURY, MD 21803 SMALL ESTATE NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18301 To all persons interested in the estate of WILLIAM JOSEPH LAWLER. Notice is given that STEVEN R. AUBUCHON, 11 BEAGLE CLUB WAY, NEWARK, DE 19711, was on JUNE 18, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the SMALL ESTATE of WILLIAM JOSEPH LAWLER, who died on APRIL 30, 2020 with a will.

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

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

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

All persons having claims against the decedent must serve their claims on the undersigned personal representative or file them with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine months from the date of the decedent's death; or (2) Thirty days after the personal representative mails or otherwise delivers to the creditor a copy of this published notice or other written notice, notifying the creditor that the claims will be barred unless the creditor presents the claim within thirty days from the mailing or other delivery of the notice.

Any claim not served or filed within that time, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication AUGUST 07, 2020 STEVEN R. AUBUCHON Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 1x 8-07

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… Mask Ordinance Violation Viewed As A Misdemeanor

August 7, 2020

FROM PAGE 4 cases when that isn’t always possible,” he said. “All persons over the age of five must where masks when visiting, using or otherwise present on the Boardwalk. Anyone participating in our special events, whether indoor or outdoor, will be required to wear masks.

This is the best way to go.”

Councilman John Gehrig questioned why the town was even considering an emergency ordinance when the governor’s directive was clearly spelled out.

“It feels like we’re going from zero to 100,” he said. “We’re over-reacting and we’re setting ourselves up for failure. There are peak times and peak places. If you’re down at 1st Street at peak time, by all means where a mask. If you’re up at 24th Street in the morning walking on the Boardwalk for exercise, then maybe it doesn’t need to be required. What the governor said is reasonable. We’re taking it to a different level.”

Councilman Matt James agreed the governor’s new order on Wednesday appeared to cover the mask requirements on the Boardwalk.

“Why are we going above and beyond if this is covered in the governor’s order?” he said. “Why do we need our own order that goes beyond what the governor has said?”

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Councilman Mark Paddack downplayed the COVID-19 situation and said enacting an executive order and potentially passing an emergency order only preyed further on the public’s fear.

“I want my police going out and fighting crime,” he said. “The governor has issued his directive. The intent of this is valid, but what we’re doing with this is creating more fear. This is fear instead of science. The message we’re sending is fear. We might as well say don’t come to our Boardwalk because you could catch COVID.” Council President Lloyd Martin said the police department would and should use discretion when enforcing the mask requirement on the Boardwalk.

“The police have discretion in anything we do,” he said. “It’s just like the smoking ordinance. For a long time, it was about education and outreach and writing citations was a last resort. We need to be kind to everybody. There will be cases where a family parked three blocks away and realized they didn’t have a mask or didn’t know it was required. Not everybody is immediately going to be hit with a citation.”

OCPD Chief Ross Buzzuro asked what the Mayor and Council’s desire was in terms of enforcement, whether it’s the governor’s directive, the mayor’s executive order, or the emergency or-

dinance, which ultimately did not pass.

“What is the expectation from us?” he said. “I believe it’s going to be education and discretion. I really need your input, so I can direct my team how handle this.”

Buzzuro explained how a typical situation might play out.

“We’ll advise them they have to wear a mask on the Boardwalk and if they don’t have on or can quickly get into compliance, they will have to leave,” he said. “If we write a citation and they tear it up, or otherwise become belligerent, it moves into an arrest situation. Most will comply and there won’t be many problems, but there will be that one in 10 or one in 100 that creates a problem.”

Councilman Dennis Dare said there was a reason why Hogan amended his executive orders to include the mask requirement in outdoor public areas.

“The governor is putting the state on pause because he has concerns,” he said. “We’re starting to see some metrics that aren’t good. He all but said the Ocean City Boardwalk because we’re in the spotlight right now. If we don’t do this and there are spikes, we’re going to go back to the stay at home order.

Talk about hurting business and hotel cancellations?”

Again, the mayor’s proposed executive order was a for a blanket 24-hour

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requirement for masks on the Boardwalk, but he expressed a willingness to adjust it.

“If it is the will of the council, I’m willing to adjust this to say 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.,” he said. “The worst publicity is people not wearing masks and standing on top of each other. That isn’t always the reality, but it is the perception. The worst perception is Ocean City only cares about the money and not about public health. Let’s be the example. All eyes are on us and this is the right thing to do.”

In the end, Meehan’s executive order was issued requiring the wearing of masks on the Boardwalk with few exceptions between the hours of 8 a.m. and 2 a.m. A violation of the ordinance will be handled as a misdemeanor, but the goal is voluntary compliance and police will not make the immediate jump to charge individuals who don’t comply, but rather will rely and education and outreach.

The sister emergency order that would have made non-compliance with the mask requirement a simple municipal infraction akin to the smoking ordinance, for example, did not pass.

Dare made the motion and it was seconded by Council Secretary Mary Knight, but it failed on a 2-4 vote with James, Paddack, Gehrig and De-Luca opposed.

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Horoscopes

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): Avoid adding to the tension around you. Even a well-meant reaction against something you perceive as unfair could be misunderstood. Let things calm down, and then talk about it.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): It's a good time for romance for unattached Bovines, and a good time for reinforcing the bonds between partners. Children's needs are important during the latter part of the week.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): A compliment from a surprising source sends you wafting way up into the clouds, where -- sorry to say -- your view of what's going on is obscured.

Come on down and face some reality.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22): Even a family-loving person like you sometimes can feel you're at the end of the line with contentious kinfolk. But things can work out. Remember that it's better to talk than walk.

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22): A job-related move might hold more positive surprises than you'd expected. Go into it with confidence, and look for all the advantages it offers. Then decide what you'll do with what you find.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22): Driving yourself too hard to get something done on a deadline you set up can backfire. Ease into a more realistic finish date, and add more breaks to your work schedule.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22): Your sense of humor can brighten any dark

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period, and your laughter can dispel those gray clouds swirling around you.

The weekend presents a surprising but welcome change.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21): Be careful about the words you use, especially in touchy situations. The old Chinese saying that the spoken word is silver, but the unspoken gold could well apply here.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21): Some facts could emerge to shed light on unresolved past problems.

What you learn also might help explain why a once-warm relationship suddenly cooled down.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19): Don't let your pride get in the way of checking into what could be a great new opportunity. Get the facts first, and worry about procedure and protocol later.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18): A health problem in the family might have other relatives assuming that, as before, you'll take over the health-care duties. Surprise them and insist they share in the caretaking.

PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20): A series of changes can be unsettling, but in the long run, it can pay off with new perspectives on what you plan to do. Keep your mind open to the possibilities that might well lie ahead.

BORN THIS WEEK: You might be under a "royal" sign, but you have a wonderful way of embracing everyone as an equal. © 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

Things I Like ...

OCEAN CITY vanishing

August 7, 2020

WITH BUNK MANN

The original Morbid Manor was the ultimate “haunted house” with live actors portraying ghosts, goblins and ghouls of all shapes and sizes.

It even featured a plane crash on the third floor of the spooky building located on the Fishing Pier at Wicomico Street and the beach.

The screams of frightened visitors could be heard on the Boardwalk and across the Inlet Parking Lot in the summer as crowds made their way through the dimly lit structure.

Morbid Manor was destroyed in a wind-driven fire on Nov. 7, 1995 but many still recall it as being the “scariest haunted house” they had ever seen.

To purchase one of Bunk Mann's books, click over to www.vanishinImage from a print by Paul McGehee goc.com.

The Dispatch Crossword Puzzle

By Steve Green

Seeing my kids reading in the summer How the NBA’s bubble is working Sunny Fridays off

Rainy Mondays working

An old bathing suit that still fits Cold fruit on the beach

When I know my wife is relaxing Well-maintained brick sidewalks An old typewriter on a desk

Cooling my truck off remotely

When a landscape project is completed ANSWERS ON PAGE 48

August 7, 2020

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

August 7, 2020