1/16/15 Ocean City Today by OC Today-Dispatch

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Chase asks for seat on Bdwk. legal review Street performers will have key role in hearings to find fixes for crowded venue

By Zack Hoopes Staff Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) City Hall is poised to take a hard turn toward burying the hatchet on Boardwalk street performer issues – or at least toward keeping its enemies as close as its friends. The City Council this week passed a resolution authorizing the creation of a “task force on Boardwalk regulation” as part of an ongoing legal review of Boardwalk policies by the law firm, Venable LLP. In an interesting turn of events,

street artist Mark Chase – the plaintiff in one of the landmark lawsuits against the city over the matter – asked to be included on the force. “I would like to donate my time to be part of this task force,” Chase told the council this week. “I have a lot of valuable information to provide. I’ve been up on the boards all day, every day, for six seasons.” The city announced in October that it was retaining Venable, a noted Constitutional and First Amendment law firm, as a legal consultant to address the proliferation of street performers on the boards, an issue that hit a fever-pitch last summer. Essentially, Venable is tasked with reviewing the city’s past and present ordinances regarding performance or

solicitation in public space, as well as the court cases surrounding them. Changes could then be made to improve control over the number and activities of performers, possibly without generating any freedom-ofspeech lawsuits against the city, as has happened thrice in the past. If such a case did arise, Venable would assist in the city’s defense. Recently, City Solicitor Guy Ayres and Venable consultants “conducted interviews over three days with approximately 30 individuals who are either property owners, store owners, or street performers,” Ayres said this week. “It’s our recommendation that a task force be formed conduct public hearings,” Ayres told the council.

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Comments scarce for park’s request to increase fees Assateague to review public input prior to final decision on desired rate hikes

By Brian Gilliland Staff Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) Though plenty has been said both in public and private about the proposed fee increases for access to Assateague Island National Seashore, few of those comments have been through official channels. Announced in December, the across-the-board increases will likely be instituted sometime later this year. For now, park staff is compiling the written, e-mailed and even Facebook comments into a report to be delivered to Regional Director Mike Caldwell by Jan. 20, according to Liz Davis, assistant chief of education and interpretation at the park. Davis said she doesn’t have a final count, but the replies number in the “dozens,” and most of the comments are, unsurprisingly, against the increase. When put to their Facebook followers, nine replies were recorded. “Being able to spend a day at Assateague is priceless,” Lisa Kahl Brenanman said. Others, like Benedict Gomez and Jack Marti, were dubious toward the See ASSATEAGUE Page 4

“These interviews were done in the conference room in my office and were not open to the public, but these [upcoming task force sessions] would be advertised public hearings where whoever wants to speak can speak, and then the task force would put together it’s recommendation, if any, for any ordinances we have that affect street performers on the Boardwalk.” Ayres requested that the task force consist of five to seven members, including at least one street performer. “From the street performers we interviewed, we thought they had some good ideas,” Ayres said. Mayor Rick Meehan will make the appointments and present them for the council’s confirmation at an upSee TASK Page 4

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SAVING SUMMER State Comptroller Peter Franchot presented a petition of 10,000 signatures Thursday in support of ongoing efforts to mandate a post-Labor Day school start date in Maryland.

By Zack Hoopes Staff Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) Although the idea is nowhere near finalized, city government plans to pursue the possibility of bringing in foreign workers to solve the city’s bus staffing problem. During last week’s meeting, Mayor Rick Meehan told the Transportation Commission that a recent conference with visa agency representatives had painted the idea of foreign workers as a viable option. “We were all satisfied that it could be a program that would work for us,” Meehan said. “I would certainly recommend that we continue to investigate this and keep this option open.” Meehan and a number of city staffers had met with representatives from United Work and Travel, the largest of several agencies that sponsor foreign employees working in Ocean City during the summer season. Most foreign employees in Ocean City are in the country under a J-1 visa, which is a designated travel and work-experience program for foreign college students. The program is particularly popular in Eastern Europe, as is evident during the summer months. However, potential foreign bus drivers would be a different case, most likely arriving under H2B visas. See VISA Page 3

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Visa drivers to help with flagging workforce Continued from Page 1 The U.S. State Department designates H2B visas for “temporary, nonagricultural workers” who are allowed into the country for a set period of time to perform a specific task. “It’s not for the students, like we usually have,” Meehan said. “It’s for other members of the workforce. [The employees] come over here with the objective of making the money and doing the work.” To obtain permission for H2B workers from the U.S. Department of Labor, an employer must demonstrate that qualified American employees are not available at the time and location that the employer needs them. The employer must also show that employment of H2B workers will not adversely affect the wages or working conditions of similar American employees. To this point, the Labor Department may also set the wage that the employees are to be paid for a specific job. “My understanding is that there’s a process the Department of Labor follows to establish what a fair wage is ... followed by a process whereby the employer has to establish need,” said Deputy Public Works Director Jim Parsons. The city has already begun compiling the needed information, Trans-

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portation Superintendent George The city’s major concern with the Thornes said, in order to see how proposal would be the ability to get many workers the Department of foreign drivers back to Ocean City for Labor would authorize for employ- any possible litigation if one were to ment here and at get into an accident. what wage. Provisions do exist Starting pay for to address such city bus drivers is legal issues, Mee‘Our concern here is a $14 per hour, the han said. lack of buses on the road, same rate as seaThe desire to use which is directly attributable foreign sonal police officers workers as to a lack of drivers. If we and Beach Patrol bus drivers stems fix that, we can take our guards. from the city’s onIf Ocean City bus system to the next level.’ going difficulty in were to decide to go finding local drivMayor Rick Meehan through with the ers. The situation program, it would reached a critical be able to use point last summer. United Work and Travel’s recruit- City bus data indicated that the numment network. The company would ber of deployments – meaning one even set up interviews with possible bus for an eight-hour shift – dropped employees via Internet video-chat, nearly 20 percent for this past sumMeehan said. mer over the summer of 2013, even

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Task force to address adversity on boards Continued from Page 1 coming meeting. Following Tuesday’s council session, Chase confirmed he was one of the 30 interviewees, having met with Ayres and Venable’s staff for an hour and a half to discuss ways to improve the situation for all parties. “We’ve had this environment of ‘street performers versus store owners,’ which is not how it should be,” Chase said. “I hope we can find ways to make things more cohesive for both.” Chase also praised efforts made by federal officials, in conjunction with local law enforcement, to round up foreign visa students operating illegally on the boards. “A lot of the problems we had this year were with store owners who set up their own henna tattoo stands,” Chase said. “They would have foreign workers set up the stands to in order to block other street artists. The foreign kids aren’t dumb – they would quit the store so they didn’t have to give the owner a cut of their tips, and just keep doing it themselves. It made the overcrowding so much worse.” Indeed, the Ocean City Police Department confirmed in August that, with the assistance of federal immigration officials, it had completed a sweep of street performers who were operating illegally under F-1 visas. Such visas are for foreign students

attending college in the states, and do in violation of the constitution. not allow the students to work jobs Again, Hollander found the city’s other than those provided by their regulations to be too non-specific. In university. order to restrict free speech, the polIn 2011, the city was hit with a law- icy would need to be unbiased and suit from Chase, who does spray- uniformly applicable, which it was paint murals on the, in conjunction not. with the Rutherford But the rulings Institute. The suite did uphold the city’s claimed that the ‘We’ve had this environment right to limit percity’s permitting of ‘street performers versus formers’ placement process for street for public accessistore owners,’ which is not performers imbility, as long as how it should be. I hope we reasonable alternapeded free exprescan find ways to make things tive locations were sion. If the city had no provided. The city more cohesive for both.’ compelling reason Street artist Mark Chase has both the power to require permits to keep public other than for the rights-of-way clear sake of control itself, it was argued, it of obstruction, and provide right-ofwas a violation of the First Amend- access to private property. ment. Over this past summer, however, Although the city may still restrict many Boardwalk businesses complacement of performers for public plained that this was not being done, safety and emergency access, the per- as crowds of spectators surrounding mitting scheme itself was thrown out performers were forcing foot traffic to by U.S. District Court Judge Ellen flow away from storefronts and enHollander in a decision that sided trances. mostly with Chase. The issue came to a head with the A little over a year after the Chase case, the city was hit with another suit, this one by the American Civil Liberties Union and Boardwalk violinist William Hassay, who claimed that the use of a 30-foot noise restriction by the OCPD to stop one of his performances was arbitrary and also Continued from Page 1 justification of the increases, cited as inflation. “Only the government could justify 25 [percent] to 150 [percent] increases at a time when inflation is >1 [percent],” Gomez said. Davis said she found some good ideas in the bunch, particularly the idea of staggering the increases during the course of the year. Assateague Island charges $15 per vehicle currently, and wishes to raise the price to $20. Annual passes would go from $30 to $40 annually. Camping fees at Assateague have not been raised since 2012. Frontcountry camping, which usually includes vehicle access and developed campsites, would jump from $25 during the season and $20 during the

appearance of pole dancer Chelsea “OC Pole Doll” Plymale, whose throng of spectators blocked several businesses. The OCPD, however, expressed a reluctance to curtail the crowds in too stringent a manner, fearing further litigation. Watching or participating in a form of constitutionally protected expression is also considered protected speech. Although not recently, the city has also had difficulty dealing with the common complaint that street performers are not subject to the same financial burdens as owners of actual Boardwalk businesses. In 1995, the city attempted to stop the group One World One Family Now, a spiritual and environmental advocacy group, from selling T-shirts on the Boardwalk. The organization sued, and took the case to court, arguing that their operation supported protected speech. Judge Marvin Garbis ruled against the city, stating that the ability to receive money does not negate the First Amendment protections offered.

Assateague one of 130 nat’l parks seeking fee increases off-season to $30 per night regardless of the time of year. Back-country sites would jump from $6 per night to $10. Horse camping is proposed to go from $30 per night to $50. Group camping would go from $40 to $50 per night. Motorcycle rates are proposed to rise from $10 to $15 and canoe/kayak rates would go from $10 per person to $25 per person. The canoe/kayak rates have not moved since they were instituted in 1997, according to park officials. Assateague Island draws more than 2.1 million visitors per year, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior fiscal 2015 budget justification report. About 130 of the nation’s 401 national parks are seeking rate increases this year.

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City pressing ahead with app amidst transit complications By Zack Hoopes Staff Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) After years of floating the idea, the city is closer than ever to making a deal on a system that will allow visitors to track municipal buses using a web or phone application. But now that the technology is in reach, the city still must decide how far it wishes to go – and how much it wishes to spend – on a program whose utility may be limited for a community that only has one bus route, on a single straight road, that’s only used for about four months of the year. “What we have to decide is what we think we need today, and what we can add on later,” said Mayor Rick Meehan during last Tuesday’s Transportation Commission meeting. The commission spent most of it’s session hearing a pitch from NextBus, the premier purveyor of web-based bustracking technology, which provides services to several major jurisdictions such as the Prince George’s County transit system, and even the City of Toronto. “It’s designed to be a one-stop shop for all of your transit info,” said NextBus representative Tom Noyes. The NextBus system would feed bus location data back to NextBus’ servers using either the city’s existing bus GPS systems, or by installing NextBus’ own tracking hardware. The latter would be needed to access some of the additional features of the system. Users of the NextBus website or phone app would then be able to see when the next bus would arrive at their specific location. Users can also set phone alerts so that they receive a message when a bus is a certain distance away. “This would be very useful if you were leaving a bar, for instance, where you could stay inside until your bus arrives instead of waiting on the sidewalk,” Noyes said.

The alerts are also particularly convenient for local people with fixed schedules, Noyes said, allowing them to set the bus proximity alerts to start at a particular time, such as when they are preparing to leave or return from work. The NextBus system also features a nearly infinite number of reports that city staff could pull from NextBus’ website. Some jurisdictions, Noyes noted, even install sensors to generate graphs of the buses’ oil pressure and engine temperature through the route. Most critically for Ocean City, the system would provide a comprehensive report on the wait time in between buses, referred to as “headway,” and the points at which buses are bunching up under heavy rider turnover, a constant problem in the summer. “For instance, if you’re telling your customer three to five minutes of headway between buses, you could see if that’s accurate or if it’s really more like five to seven minutes,” Noyes said. The commission’s major point of interest was the ability of NextBus to track, in real time, how many people are on a bus. This can be done using an automated person counter, or APC, which runs off sensor installed in the buses’ doorways. This would allow potential riders to see, via the NextBus site or app, how full approaching buses are and if there will likely be any room left on them by the time they arrive. “Without said APC data, you will have a lot of people that see the bus is coming, walk out to the stop, and then have multiple buses pass them by because they’re full,” said Public Works Director Hal Adkins. The only other way to avoid such a situation would be for bus drivers to take their bus “offline” of the NextBus system, using a keypad installed in the bus, whenever they are full. See PASSENGER Page 7

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Passenger counting system needed for optimal app use Continued from Page 5 The issue with this would be that buses would seem to vanish and then reappear unpredictably for users. It would also require drivers to remember to work their keypads mid-route. “As with anything, my thought would be that the bus drivers already have too much to do,” Adkins said. “Their eyes need to be on the road.” At the end of Tuesday’s session, the commission convened a closed meeting to negotiate with Noyes regarding price. However, it was mentioned that APC installation would run $4,000 per bus. Adkins also noted to the commission that $100,500 of surplus funds are available in the city’s transportation budget, which would at least partially offset the cost of NextBus implementation. Those funds, according to Budget Manager Jennie Knapp, were allocated as part of the city’s local match for state-

sponsored bus purchases. However, the state offered the city only three new buses for the current fiscal year, as opposed to the five the city thought it would get. Adkins noted that he also may need those funds for work at the city’s northend bus terminal, and the park-and-ride terminal in West Ocean City, both of which desperately need caulking, painting, and floor repair. “Money is available in the fund balance, but that’s dependent on other initiatives such as NextBus, or anything else the council may have on their plate,” Adkins said. Although the NextBus system offers the best features preferred by the Transportation Commission, the council could always conduct a bid for the services in order to receive feedback from other vendors. The matter will be presented to the full legislative body in the coming weeks.

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OC arts center opening, Jan. 17 (Jan. 16, 2015) After more than a year of construction, the second phase of the improvement project for the Roland E. Powell Convention Center is complete. The Mayor and Ocean City Council will be joined by members of the Maryland Stadium Authority and Maryland state officials on Saturday, Jan. 17, to celebrate the finished project with the official opening of the new Performing Arts Center. The grand opening will celebrate the accomplishment of the new 1,200-seat, two-tiered auditorium. The celebration will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a performance by the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Julien Benichou and featuring Israel Lozano. The “OC Stars” of Ocean City Elementary School will also take the stage. “This event marks a monumental moment in our community’s history,” said Mayor Rick Meehan. “The Performing Arts Center is a focal point for entertainment in Ocean City. It repre-

sents a lot of hard work, a strong partnership between Ocean City and the state of Maryland, big dreams and a very bright future for our community. It is a beautiful venue and I am confident that citizens will walk away with a very different experience, a more personal experience, than they will at many other venues in our surrounding area.” In addition to the performance, tickets include complimentary hors d’oeuvres. A cash bar will be available, and black tie is optional. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., with the ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled at 7:15 and the concert to follow. Ticket prices for the grand opening celebration range from $25-$45 and are on sale through Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.com or at the convention center box office. For more information, visit http://ococean.com/events/grandopening-celebration-of-performingarts-center-featuring-mid-atlantic-sym phony-orchestra or call 410-289-2800.

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City currently holds surplus of license fees versus cost of running reg. programs By Zack Hoopes Staff Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) The Ocean City Council cast a close vote this week to reject a proposed increase in permit and license fees, after a council majority concluded there was no justification for it. Instead, the council decided to leave the cost of business and rental registrations at 2009 levels. The denial of the recommended increase alluded to the oft-recurring question of exactly how the city accounts for profits generated by regulatory systems. The proposed rate hike of two percent would have netted an additional $36,600 in annual licensing income, city Finance Administrator Martha Bennett told the council on Tuesday. The hike would affect business licenses, whose costs vary depending on the size and type of establishment, as well as the noise permit fees and room licenses used to track residential rentals. A two percent raise of these costs every two years was the city’s standard, with increases having been effected in the 2005, 2007, and 2009 fiscal years.

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The economic downturn during FY09 caused the city to hold off on hikes since. “Generally, [the fees] handle the cost of issuing licenses and administration,” Bennett said. “That cost pays for itself and is not a burden on the tax rate. Over time, when there are incremental changes in cost … we raise service fees so those fees pay for the service on their own.” Although two percent – roughly the rate of inflation – is usually taken as an acceptable increment, governments are prohibited from making any profit off regulatory services. In fact, the precedent for this in Maryland was set in a 1991 court case by construction firm Purnell-Jarvis, Ltd., against the Town of Ocean City, in which the firm successfully sued to be reimbursed for zoning and building fees which exceed the town’s actual cost to do the inspections “Have we actually looked at the revenue versus the cost to run the Noise Control Board and to have Mr. Sherman [city License Inspector Mike Sherman] go out and do his job?” Councilman Wayne Hartman asked. Bennett responded that, in fact, the account for those operations was currently running a slight surplus. “So we’re already at a surplus, and we’re looking to increase it?” Hartman asked. “I don’t see how we can do

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that.” Although the account currently holds a surplus, costs have gone up since 2009, Bennett said. But much of that increased cost is in the wages of employees who administer the permit system, begging the ethical question of whether a regulatory agency can give itself a raise, and then increase rates to compensate for the increased labor cost. “It affects everybody when you raise license fees,” said Council President Lloyd Martin, noting that cost increases are typically passed on to the consumer. Other council members, however, saw no problem with a rate hike given that city rates already compare favorably to those in other jurisdictions. “When we did a study on this, as I recall, we were often close to or lower [than other nearby jurisdictions],” said Council Secretary Mary Knight. “I have no problem with two percent.” Knight, Dennis Dare, and Tony DeLuca voted in favor of the hike, with the remaining four members against.

Sea Scape, Tavern likely to stay until after ‘15 season

By Zack Hoopes Staff Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) While not exactly a full pardon, the landmark Sea Scape Motel has at least received a stay-ofexecution. Plans to raze the building and construct a new Hyatt-branded hotel – a process originally intended to start this month – have been pushed back until fall 2015. This will leave the Sea Scape, located on the Boardwalk and the south side of 16th Street, open for one final season. It also will give tenant businesses, including local favorite Pepper’s Tavern, a chance to stay open through the coming summer as well. The change of plans caps weeks of speculation from the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission that Hyatt would not sign off on a franchise agreement with the property’s owners due to a lack of parking. Due to the labyrinth of grandfathering clauses in the city’s zoning code, the commission was obligated sign off – reluctantly – on the project, despite its sub-standard parking. The property, as currently approved, will provide 153 parking spaces to service 170 hotel rooms, plus four employee apartments and restaurant, retail, conference, and wedding venues. But Hyatt’s own requirements for flagship franchises may not give such consideration. “The project is still moving forward, we have been finalizing our drawings and are in contact with the group of designers at Hyatt,” Keith Fisher, the arSee DESIGN Page 9

JANUARY 16, 2015

Ocean City Today

Design of project still under review by Hyatt sponsors Continued from Page 8 chitect for the project, said in an email. “They want the project to meet their latest standards, and we as a team want the project to be constructed as efficiently as possible … that being said, the decision was made to keep the Sea Scape open for one more, farewell season.” The property’s future was also complicated last year with the death of Pepper’s Tavern owner Dennis “Denny-O” King, whose business has occupied the basement of the Sea Scape for years. The lease on the Tavern was a yearto-year agreement with an annual renewal clause, according to Buck Mann, King’s close friend and fellow businessman who is serving as the executor of his estate. “There is an option in there. Hopefully, we will be able to get one more year out of it,” Mann said. “If the opportunity is given to us, and from what I’ve been told, it will be, then the intent is to renew. We need to provide the staff with jobs for one more season, and hopefully make some money to pay the bills Denny-O left behind.” As reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission roughly six weeks ago, the Hyatt development would consist of two buildings. The first would be an eight-story facility on the site of the current Sea Scape, with another five-story building directly across Baltimore Avenue on a lot currently occupied by several apartment houses, which are under the same ownership as the motel. The property’s auxiliary parking lot, located a block south, would continue to be used as such, adding at least 40 parking spaces to the 113 that are proposed to be located beneath the two new buildings. In Ocean City, a property that does not meet the current zoning codes, but was built before those codes went into effect, is allowed to continue to exist indefinitely. Further, if the property is razed, the owners have a two-year window to rebuild and retain rights to the same nonconformity. This means that the Hyatt can be built to lack the same number of parking spaces as the Sea Scape historically has had. Being originally built with only 32 spaces for a motel of nearly 100 rooms, the Sea Scape confers considerable nonconformity rights to future redevelopments. The Planning and Zoning Commission has recently discussed code revisions that would reduce such self-perpetuating nonconformities in cases where the scope of use has clearly outgrown the original property’s capacity. The Sea Scape/Hyatt case was frequently cited as a problematic example in those discussions. The property is jointly owned by a group of local families, and will continue to be locally owned even after gaining Hyatt sponsorship.

PAGE 9

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Ocean City Today

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JANUARY 16, 2015

KARA HALLISSEY/OCEAN CITY TODAY

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Ocean City Today

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Ocean City Today

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JANUARY 16, 2015

Parking, EMS income down in budget review Council delays allocation of pension surplus to capital projects until year’s end By Zack Hoopes Staff Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) The city’s latest budget reconciliation for the current fiscal cycle anticipates a considerable year-end surplus, but the City Council held off this week on formally dedicating any funding until the rest of the fiscal year shakes out. As usual, the bulk of changes on the budget amendment consist of recording added income, and subsequent expenditures, from mid-year project grants. Additionally, many purchase orders that arrived too late for the last fiscal year have their dedicated fund-

! ! s y l Da

LO S

Fina

EC STOR

ing, and an equal expense, carried over to the current year. The current 2014-2015 fiscal year ends June 30, with FY16 beginning July 1, 2015. The only substantive changes to the FY15 budget were reductions in the anticipated revenues from parking fees and fines, as well as EMS billing. Given the under-performance of these income streams so far, city Budget Manager Jennie Knapp recommended reducing the budget line items by $55,000 for parking fees, $50,000 for parking fines, and $200,000 for ambulance billing. “We take the opportunity in the first budget amendment to make any corrections that it looks like we’re going to need,” Knapp said. Billing for EMS is frequently un-

n. 2 a J G IN

2nd

WE ARE CLOSING

predictable because of the large number of Medicare claims involved. “When I spoke with Chuck [Deputy Fire Chief Barton] and Roger [Asst. Finance Administrator Baskerville], they felt that this was Medicare changing their rules all the time about what they will fund,” Knapp said. “We can bill whatever we want, but Medicare will only pay a certain amount.” Council Secretary Mary Knight said she recently had two constituents call her about bills for ambulance and life-support service. Out of each $600 bill, Medicare would only cover $300. “One set up a payment plan, and the other just refused to pay,” Knight said. Finance Administrator Martha Bennett also reported that last year, for the first time, the city began using an outside contractor for EMS billing. That contractor was also given the city’s uncollected bills from previous years, which may have boosted last year’s revenue. “They were able to collect a large number of back bills when we went

with this company,” Bennett said. “That can’t happen every year … I think I overestimated how much we’d get based on that bump we got the first year they took over the old accounts.” Changes in parking were less clear. A reduction in meter revenue may suggest people are parking illegally, but if that were the case, fines would be up, not down. “I think we need to find out if we’re issuing less [parking tickets], or are we issuing them and not able to collect?” Councilman Wayne Hartman said. Fortunately for city finances, the windfall savings of roughly $350,000 in retiree healthcare costs will be able to close the revenue gap. The savings is the result of the city’s amortization of its retiree health trust fund coming in much lower than estimated, because of a variety of measures taken over the past four years to reduce future healthcare costs. Knapp also broached the topic of the roughly $1.5 million available from a similar reduction in required pension funding. Instead of continuing to climb, the city’s pension fund payments See SAVINGS Page 13

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Ocean City Today

JANUARY 16, 2015

PAGE 13

POLICE/COURTS

Stolen vehicle with heroin Brandi Church, 24, of Dagsboro, Del. was arrested on New Year’s Eve for stealing a motor vehicle and drug possession. Police said a license plate reader operating on Route 50 sent an alert for a stolen vehicle, and an Ocean City police officer eventually stopped the car after confirming that the car had been stolen in Delaware. Police asked Church why it was reported stolen and she said the vehicle was supposed to be returned the day before, but did not have enough gas. The officer arrested Church and conducted an inventory of the vehicle that produced a spoon, several wax paper bags, a knife and a hypodermic syringe all containing heroin residue. She was charged with taking a motor vehicle, possessing a CDS and four counts of drug paraphernalia.

Forged prescription Lakia Floyd, 29, of Baltimore was arrested on Jan.5 for forging a prescription for Oxycodone. Ocean City police were dispatched to a local pharmacy after employees determined a prescription for Oxycodone had been forged. Two other pharmacies in the area had already forewarned the store that a black female with long hair was attempting to fill a forged prescription. After Floyd left, the doctor was contacted and informed employees the prescription was not issued by her. Two hours later, police were called back to the pharmacy because Floyd

had returned to pick up the prescription up. Police questioned Floyd, who said she had dropped off the prescription for a friend. According to police, the prescription slip Floyd submitted contained false contact information for the hospital, a false and non-existent DEA number and a doctor’s name that did not consent to or issue the slip. Also, Floyd forged the doctor’s signature, police said. She was charged with attempting to obtain a CDS by fraud, attempting to obtain a CDS by forging a prescription and using a false name and address.

Theft of backpack Dustin Catalon, 26, of Ocean City was charged on Jan. 5 for allegedly stealing a backpack. Ocean City police responded to a reported theft on 125th Street, where the victim said his backpack was stolen near the bleachers while he played basketball. He informed police a short, white male with blonde hair walked out with a backpack that looked like his and he called police after seeing him walk down Coastal Highway. The total amount of stolen items in and including the backpack added up to $870, which contained his wallet and the keys to his apartment. Another basketball player told police he knew the suspect’s name and located his Facebook page. The victim looked at his page and said, “that’s definitely him.” Police found Catalon at his apartment, where he admitted to stealing

the bag and handed it over to police.

Ploy to steal coffee Cynthia Larsen, 34, of Ocean City was arrested on Jan. 9 for possession of a CDS. Police said an officer was driving an unmarked police car around noon when he noticed a passenger in a vehicle not wearing his seatbelt. He pulled the car over and issued the driver, Larsen, two warnings. He also asked Larsen if there were any illegal drugs or weapons in the car and she said no. The officer asked to search her car and she consented. During the search, police uncovered three prescription pills later identified as two Methadone Hydrochloride and one Alprazolam pill. Larsen told police the pills were hers, but she could not provide a prescription for the medication or the prescription bottle that originally contained them. Larsen was arrested

for possession of a controlled dangerous substance. The next day, Jan. 10, at about 5 p.m. Ocean City police were dispatched to a supermarket in regards to a suspicious male going through a parked vehicle. Upon arrival, the officer met with Larsen, who told police she was paying for items in the store when she saw an unknown male going through her car. She described him as having dark hair and told police he headed south down Coastal Highway. Police were unable to find anyone matching that description and asked Larsen to check her vehicle for stolen items. She found nothing missing. While speaking with Larsen, however, two employees of the supermarket joined the conversation and one of them said the man he saw enter Larsen’s car was believed to be her boyfriend, Nathan Counts. Employees also said they saw the same man shopping with Larsen in the See POLICE Page 14

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Savings could make room for street paving, canal dredging Continued from Page 12 dipped this year because of improving market conditions and the completion of a five-year loss allocation following the 2008-2009 market crash. While the council voted to allocate $90,000 of this surplus to cover a gap in the vehicle trust fund for the purchase of an ambulance, it delayed allocating to two other funds Knapp had brought forward: street paving and canal dredging. Both projects have been difficult for the city to fund, and Knapp recommended setting aside $650,000 for next year’s street paving, and another $500,000 for dredging.

“Not knowing what will happen, what is the harm in waiting and seeing where we close out the year?” Hartman asked. The surplus funds could simply remain in the city’s account balance until needed. However, it is typically the preference of city staff to allocate surplus funds to capital projects, so future work can be anticipated as early as possible. If not allocated by June 30, the surplus funds would simply roll over into the FY16 budget, where the city may be seeing an increase in personnel costs due to ongoing contract negotiations with the Fraternal Order of Police.

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POLICE/COURTS Continued from Page 13 store earlier. Police reported, however, that Larsen denied those accounts. Within minutes of the police leaving the scene, the same supermarket reported a shoplifting. The store manager told police a male subject was caught on camera shoplifting a bag of coffee and candles. The footage also revealed Larsen and the suspect walking through the store together as a couple. When Larsen was first questioned, she denied any knowledge of the shoplifting or the identity of the sub-

ject she claimed entered her car, according to police. Eventually, she admitted driving to the store with the suspect, and that he had been staying at her home. Counts was located and admitted to shoplifting. According to police, Counts stated that he did enter Larsenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s car to retrieve a cigarette, walked north and observed the conversation police had with Larsen from a distance during her initial complaint. Larsen was charged with obstructing and hindering an investigation, in addition to making false statements to an officer.

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Weatherholtz charged again after more victims uncovered New charges filed in wake of last monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s child sex sting on West OC businessman

By Kara Hallissey Staff Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) David Weatherholtz, owner of O.C. Jamboree and a guitar instructor in West Ocean City, was arrested last week on charges of sexual abuse of a minor. According to police, this is the third time in a month that he has been arrested for soliciting or abusing a minor. D. Weatherholtz The Worcester County Bureau of Investigations said another alleged victim of 55-year-old Weatherholtz has come forward and the latest was a juvenile at the time of the incident. This accuserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents allegedly hired Weatherholtz as a music teacher years ago and at that time he suggested becoming the victimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manager and mentor. According to the report, the person went to Weatherholtzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; home regularly where he was sexually assaulted repeatedly. Weatherholtz is now charged with sex abuse of a minor, second-degree assault, perverted practice and sex offense of the fourth degree. Initially, he was being held on a $250,000 bond, but after a bond review the judge lowered it to $50,000. Police confiscated multiple computers and storage devices from Weatherholtzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; home, which are currently in the hands of the Department of Homeland Security. They expect more information about potential victims to come from that investigation. These allegations come less than a month after Weatherholtz was arrested following an investigation into the online solicitation of a minor. Detectives from the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation, posing as a 13-year-old boy, replied to an ad Weatherholtz had posted online looking for a younger boy.

Over a two-week investigation, Weatherholtz engaged in sexually explicit conversations and made numerous references to other sexual encounters that he had with underage boys, police said. Weatherholtz arranged to meet the boy on Dec. 16, according to police, and was taken into custody on his arrival at the meeting location. He was charged with sexual solicitation of a minor and was released until another victim came forward days into the New Year. This person had a similar story to the latest person to come forward. The Worcester County Bureau of Investigation said after publicizing the arrest of Weatherholtz, the person contacted investigators. According to the report, the victim, who was a minor at the time, said that years ago Weatherholtz brought him to a home in West Ocean City. While at the home, Weatherholtz sexually assaulted him and said he wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bring him home unless he performed certain sexual acts, according to the report. Weatherholtz was charged with sex abuse of a minor, second-degree assault, perverted practice, sex offense in the fourth degree, sodomy and false imprisonment. Detectives believe there are more victims who could have taken lessons from Weatherholtz or were involved in theatrical productions at O.C. Jamboree. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I still believe there are more victims out there,â&#x20AC;? said Detective Corporal Alex Kagan with the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been going on for over 30 years.â&#x20AC;? Kagan reiterated that parents need to be aware of the people who are left alone with their children. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It could be anyone. From a music teacher to a daycare worker or a coach,â&#x20AC;? said Kagan. Anyone with any additional information about Weatherholtz or anyone who has been victimized are asked to contact Detective Corporal Alex Kagan at akagan@co.worcester.md.us or call 410-632-1111.

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Ocean City Today

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Ocean City Today

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JANUARY 16, 2015

KARA HALLISSEY/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Members of the City Council and Police Chief Ross Buzzuro, third from left, listen as Mayor Rick Meehan, center, presents the proclamation to honor the Ocean City Police Department on Thursday, Jan. 8.

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Council, community honors OCPD Ocean City lucky to have dedicated, effective police department, Meehan says

By Kara Hallissey Staff Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) Ocean City businesses and officials last Thursday did their part to express their confidence in law enforcement at a ceremony in the Public Safety Building a day before the country marked its first National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. National Law Enforcement Appre-

ciation Day was launched by the National FBI Academy as a counter to anti-police protests and violence against police subsequent to fatal shootings involving police elsewhere in the country last year. Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan, Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Brooke Rodgers, Ocean City Chamber of Commerce President Brett Wolf and Police Chief Ross Buzzuro all spoke at the celebration. “We gather to honor the Ocean City Police Department and officers in other counties around us. The significant negativity towards law en-

forcement has luckily not affected Ocean City. The business owners and citizens of Ocean City know the commitment officers make to protect and serve us every day,” Meehan said. Meehan urged the crowd to show support for the officers of Ocean City by taking a minute to thank them for everything they do. “To the men and women, we want to thank you for being here for us each and every day,” said Meehan. Rogers shared his experiences and glimpse into the Ocean City Police Department by working with NeighSee PROTESTS Page 17

JANUARY 16, 2015

Ocean City Today

PAGE 17

Legislators return to Annapolis for 2015 session House considering 39 bills; Senate 15 ahead of Feb. 6 introduction deadline

By Brian Gilliland Staff Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) Education, child/elder issues, workers and wage problems stack the Maryland House of Delegates agenda, while the Senate will look at a wider range of issues, including gambling, taxes, public health and election law in the 90-day session beginning Wednesday. About 71 members will be new to the 188-member body, but this num-

Protests countered with proclamation for local officers Continued from Page 16 borhood Watch for the past five years. “The commitment our police department has to community relations makes all the difference. It’s their professionalism and the way they handle themselves. Being steady, kind, passionate and patient

ber could change with Gov.-elect Larry Hogan still making appointments. Democrats control the legislative branch, with members in about two-thirds of seats. Among the bills the House will be considering include H.B. 4, which will gradually increase the minimum wage in the state effective July 1. There are a number of bills considering newborn, unattended and abused children and elderly/vulnerable adults, like H.B. 7 which seeks to increase the amount of time before reports and records are expunged and H.B. 9 which seeks to set standards for home births, H.B. 20 increases the

penalties for elder abuse and H.B. 23 seeks to establish a registry of people convicted of elder abuse. Several firearm bills are also in the works, such as H.B. 13, which would allow sellers to use a National Instant Criminal Background Check endorsement in lieu of a police approval if a response is not granted within 7 days. HB 25 would allow owners of assault rifles to replace or repair a lost or broken, but previously approved, assault rifle. Retired members of the armed forces could hunt on immediate-family owned active farmland without a license if H.B. 14 is signed into law, and H.B. 39 would repeal

during interviews to figure out what happened …” Rogers said. He concluded with how heartbreaking it has been to see citizens of the United States become enraged with officers and wanted to end with some inspiration. Rogers told them to keep up the good work and refrain from becoming discouraged. “The officers do a fabulous job in Ocean City and we are fortunate to have a police department as dedicated as the one we have here,” Wolf said. Wolf went on to explain how many Ocean City officers will take it

upon themselves to stop in a business and make sure everything is going okay. “Our effectiveness and success in what we do is a partnership with the community,” Buzzuro said. “We are going to do what we do regardless, but the motivation lets us know our hard work and dedication is appreciated.” Buzzuro expressed how in recent months their jobs have not been easy, but citizens in Ocean City have demonstrated their appreciation. Residents have thanked officers, businesses have expressed their

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existing handgun identification requirements. On the Senate side, S.B. 5 would limit exactly who and how election results can be observed, S.B. 2 develops a program for donations of money, property or labor to higher education for tax credits and S.B. 4 establishes that casino-themed fundraisers would need a permit. SB 10 will untie the gas tax rates from the consumer price index, SB 14 will change the makeup of the Board of Pharmacy from “a majority” of pharmacists to “at least 1.” The budget bill is due next Friday, Jan. 23.

support and children on the Boardwalk with parents have walked up to police asking to take a picture with them. “Personally, I want to thank all my officers for keeping Ocean City the safest town it can be. Our partners around the room [neighboring agencies], with all of you we are as strong as ever,” Buzzuro said. The proclamation reiterated the speaker’s notions, named Jan. 9 National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and encouraged all citizens to show support to the Ocean City Police Department.

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Ocean City Today

BANK FORECLOSURE AUCTION

PAGE 18

JANUARY 16, 2015

Substitute Trustees’ Sale

Fabulous Condo just off 94th Street in “Nowalk to the Canal” in Ocean City, MD

TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015 @ 12:30 PM BRIAN GILLILAND/OCEAN CITY TODAY

The Nelson Road Bridge is an important alternate route to move farm equipment from northern Worcester County into southern Delaware. Farmers may be forced to use larger, more heavily travelled main roads while the bridge is replaced during the next four months. The bridge earned an unsatisfactory rating during the county’s most recent bridge assessment, conducted annually.

Bridge replacement might drive combines to highways Farm equipment access to Delaware from N. Worcester limited by 4-month project

8901 Rusty Anchor Road – Unit 3 Ocean City, MD 21842 Sale to be held on the premises

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TERMS: A $35,000 deposit in the form of a cashier’s or certified check required of all registered bidders at the time of sale. Purchaser shall be obligated to increase the deposit to 10% of the purchase price within 2 business days of the sale. Property sold in “As-Is, WhereIs” condition. Broker Participation welcome. For complete terms and conditions visit www.atlanticauctions.com or contact Bill Hudson at (410) 803-4161.

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By Brian Gilliland Staff Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) The Nelson Road Bridge, a county-owned wooden bridge, earned an unsatisfactory rating during its annual review by county inspectors and replacement efforts began Jan 7. Detours are in effect. Late last year, the county imposed a weight limit on the three-span bridge to lessen the load before replacement could begin. Then-commissioner Virgil Shockley said it was the only way to get from northern Worcester into southern Delaware with farm equipment without having to use highways. Farmers tend to avoid highways, Shockley said, to prevent them from being surrounded by irritated motorists.

Detours are as follows: 1.5 miles from the intersection of Shavox Church Road to Sheppard’s Crossing Road; 1.5 miles from the intersection of Sheppard’s Crossing Road to Nelson Road and from the intersection of Sheppard’s Crossing Road to Nelson Road, approximately 1.73 miles, Kim Moses, county public information officer, said in a release. Route 113 or local roads 26, 54 or 353 could also be options to get farm equipment through this sparsely developed area. The new bridge will be wider than the bridge it replaces, and even wider than the dirt road leading up to the bridge. “The old bridge was 17.5 feet wide, and the new one will be 22 feet,” Frank Adkins, county roads superintendent said, “We’re widening it to make it better for vehicle and farm equipment traffic. The 17-foot width was good years ago, but as time goes by and people are using it more we try to get more width when we can.”

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Ocean City Today

JANUARY 16, 2015

PAGE 19

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BRIAN GILLILAND/OCEAN CITY TODAY

SLIP SLIDING AWAY Icy road conditions on 113 caused a vehicle to end up along the side of the northbound lane just north of Snow Hill Wednesday morning.

OC Volunteer Fire Company elects new officers, board (Jan. 16, 2015) Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company elections were held on Tuesday, Dec. 2. Elected members are: Volunteer Chief, Robert (Bo) Duke; First Assistant Chief, Bryant Bunting; Second Assistant Chief, Will Savage; Third Assistant Chief, Moe Cropper; President, James (Jay) Jester; Vice President, Mike LeCompte; Secretary,

Sean Donovan and Treasurer, Connor Braniff. Board of Directors are: Mike Giardina, David “Coconut” Hedges, Jerry Priestly, David Coleman and Brad Bunting; and Chaplain, Phil Turk. OCVFC thanks outgoing Vice President, Parker Shandrowsky, and outgoing Board Member, Steve Cropper for their assistance during the past year.

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Ocean City Today

PAGE 20

JANUARY 16, 2015

Gudelsky Foundation gives $250K to hospice Additional donation boosts fundraising total to $2.8M; $5M estimated project cost (Jan. 16, 2015) Coastal Hospice & Palliative Care this week announced that the Homer & Martha Gudelsky Foundation has given $250,000 to support the campaign to build Coastal Hospice at the Ocean. This is the foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second gift to the campaign. In 2013, it made a grant of $50,000 to Coastal Hospice at the Ocean. The Gudelsky gift will be commemorated in the naming of the Family Room at the new facility. The Family Room will be part of the care offered as a warm and inviting place where the family and friends of residents can gather and relax. The projected cost to build Coastal Hospice at the Ocean is $5 million, and with the Gudelsky gift, the total raised toward the project to date is $2.8 million, exceeding the halfway mark. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This generous gift to our capital campaign takes us one step closer to breaking ground on this muchneeded care facility that will serve the entire Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland,â&#x20AC;? said Alane Capen, president of Coastal Hospice. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Gudelsky Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vote of confidence in the project assures its future suc-

An architectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rendering shows the exterior of Coastal Hospice at the Ocean that will be built off of Broad Street in Berlin. The capital campaign has exceeded the halfway mark with a $250,000 gift from the Gudelsky Foundation.

cess.â&#x20AC;? John Gudelsky, the president and CEO of the foundation, and the son of Homer and Martha Gudelsky, said they were making the gift to encouraage others in the community to make similar investments in Coastal Hospice at the Ocean, ensuring the future of quality healthcare on the Lower Shore. Coastal Hospice at the Ocean will be a hospice residence and outreach center to be built in Berlin. Its leadership says it will address a growing and unmet need here: a residence for hospice care for patients who are

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not able to stay in their homes during their final days. When built, Coastal Hospice at the Ocean will feature a home-like atmosphere for residents. It will also serve as headquarters for the hospice team that cares for 40 to 60 patients in their own homes each day in Worcester and Somerset counties. In addition, Coastal Hospice at the Ocean will offer palliative care clinics (to treat the physical, emotional and spiritual pain that comes with serious illness), and facilities for grief support and community education.

The Gudelsky Foundation has a long history of philanthropic activity in Maryland and the nation. It is an active supporter of the University of Maryland Medical System, UMBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department of Marine Biotechnology, Public Television, Lynn University, and Baltimoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hippodrome Foundation, among others. Born in Baltimore, Homer Gudelsky was president and CEO of the familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aggregate businesses in the Washington, D.C area. The Gudelskys purchased vast tracts of land in the Maryland and Virginia suburbs, See ABOUT Page 21

Ocean City Today

JANUARY 16, 2015

Strong home sales numbers forecast sunny 2015 market Low interest rates; high listing prices have local Realtors ready to move (Jan. 16, 2015) Local Realtors are heading into 2015 with a healthy sense of optimism as figures from the Coastal Association of Realtors reflect continued growth in the housing market in the tri-county area. Over the past two years, singlefamily home sales in Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties have increased by 28.6 percent. In the same time single-family home contracts, or pending sales, have increased by 35.5 percent. New listings of single-family homes have increased by 25.1 percent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is reassuring to see the local housing market get back on its feet, while local Realtors step up to the plate, ready to provide top notch service to local buyers and sellers,â&#x20AC;? said Sheila Dodson, executive director of CAR, adding that rock bottom mortgage interest rates have been an incredible boon for the industry over the past year. Recent data released by Freddie Mac showed the 30-year fixed-rate average slid to 3.8 percent, which is the lowest level of the year, down from 4.47 percent a year ago. The 30-

year fixed rate has remained below four percent for all but two weeks since mid-October. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We saw solid interest and activity throughout the summer months, and the recent drop in interest rates has created a welcome sense of urgency and affordability,â&#x20AC;? said Lauren Bunting, a Realtor with Bunting Realty in Berlin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the lower interest rates, buyers can up their purchase price and it opens them up to more options when looking for a new home.â&#x20AC;? According to Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors, inflationary pressure may force the Federal Reserve System to raise short-term rates in the first half of 2015. Mortgage interest rates are projected to increase to slightly below five percent next year and reach six percent in 2016. The average sales price of singlefamily homes since 2012 is up in Worcester County by 0.7 percent and down in Wicomico and Somerset counties by 2 percent and 11.5 percent, respectively. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The decreases in average sales prices have been attributed to an influx in the availability of distressed properties and other bargains,â&#x20AC;? said Vicki Harmon, president of the CAR See INDICATORS Page 22

BARRETT IN BERLIN

PAGE 21

FANTASTIC DEALS ON OUR REMAINING NEW 2014 MODELS 2014 CHRYSLER 200 TOURING CONVERTIBLE SALE $28,200 Stk. #3334 MSRP $30,985

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About $2.8M raised for facility OUR BEST SELLING 2015â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NOW ON SALE Continued from Page 20 some of which was developed into the new city of Columbia, Md. and the Tysons Corner Center, Va. Homer and his wife, Martha, established The Homer & Martha Gudelsky Family Foundation Inc. in 1968 in Silver Spring, Md. to contribute to charitable programs devoted to improving health, education, the arts and the community. Locally, the Gudelsky family developed much of the waterfront in West Ocean City, including Sunset Marina, the Ocean City Fishing Center and Marthaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Landing. They also

donated land for Homer Gudelsky Park, commonly known as Stinky Beach, for public use in West Ocean City. Founded in 1980, Coastal Hospice is a nonprofit health care organization that cares for individuals facing life-limiting conditions but who want to remain as active and engaged as possible. Coastal Hospice cares for patients in their home, nursing home, assisted living facility or at Coastal Hospice at the Lake. The organization serves Wicomico, Worcester, Dorchester and Somerset counties.

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Ocean City Today

PAGE 22

JANUARY 16, 2015

Indicators favor real estate return to form Continued from Page 21 board of directors. “As these properties are removed from the local market, we expect to see home prices increase steadily, which is great news for folks who have been waiting to sell their homes.” An increase in interest rates and home prices is indicative of increased consumer confidence, derived from a steady decrease in unemployment numbers since the beginning of the recession in 2009. Maryland’s unemployment rate in November of this year was 5.6 percent, compared to 7.9 percent in November 2009. “The impact of rising interest rates on affordability will be minimal as long as job creation keeps pace,” Yun said. A decrease in the unemployment rate is encouraging news for the local

Left-turn access off Rt. 54 allows new CVS to open

(Jan. 16, 2014) Carl M. Freeman Companies announced the opening of CVS/pharmacy at Bayside Marketplace, located at the southwest corner

commercial real estate industry, too, as companies begin looking to grow and expand. Wesley Cox, a commercial Realtor with Sperry Van Ness Miller in Salisbury and a member of the CAR board of directors, said while the industry is experiencing a slow-paced recovery, the outlook for commercial real estate in the coming year is very positive. “The industry is poised for broad growth in the coming year as performance and profitability continue to improve across most property types and markets,” Cox said. “Nationally, office, industrial, and retail vacancy is down while hotels and apartments are seeing higher occupancy which is consistent with what we’re seeing locally, and although demand for commercial real estate has of Route 54 and Americana Parkway across from Bayside Marketplace. The 13,281-square-foot store opened Oct. 26 and offers pharmacy service, health, beauty and personal care items, general merchandise, food and digital photo services. “The store is the culmination of two years of working diligently with the Delaware Department of Transportation and Sussex County to in-

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increased, it is far less than what we experienced in the mid-2000s.” Cox said the driver for commercial real estate in 2015 will be continuing to strengthen property fundamentals and access to available capital. “We expect to see modest to moderate growth in property values however price appreciation will be limited across most property types as past property sales play a large role in valuation models coupled with rising interest rates,” he said. “Overall, the expanding economy combined with relatively little new supply coming on the market – which has a strong negative impact on land values – will give a boost to occupancy rates yielding increased operating returns.” Impeding on the market’s growth over the next year will continue to be factors like student loan debt, tight

clude left turn access off Route 54,” said Chris Garland, senior vice president of development with Carl M. Freeman Companies. “Our deal with CVS was dependent on that access which makes the store well-situated to serve our Selbyville community.” For more than 67 years the Carl M. Freeman Companies has created innovative and inviting places to live, work, shop and play. The company

credit standards, an increase in multi-generational households, and a culture of 20-somethings who do not aspire to asset accumulation like the last generation, according to Economist Anirban Basu, who was appointed to Gov.-elect Larry Hogan’s transition team. At the 2014 Worcester County Economic Summit held in early December at the Ocean City convention center, Basu said the housing market is not booming, despite historically low mortgage interest rates. “This can also be attributed to multifamily structures like apartments seeing more activity than single family homes,” Basu said. “However we do expect the market to rebound this year as that focus shifts from rentals to owner-occupied structures.”

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Ocean City Today

JANUARY 16, 2015

PAGE 23

Planet Maze kicks off year of 20th anniversary events

(Jan. 16, 2015) Planet Maze announces its kickoff to a yearlong celebration commemorating its 20th anniversary with contests, specials and a birthday party. Customers and friends are invited to share their Planet Maze memories and pictures, past and present. From now until the end of the year, submit photos to enter into a monthly contest. Every submission receives a ‘buy one get one free’ coupon. The monthly contest winner will receive a full month of free admission. Monthly winners are entered into a grand prize contest. The public will determine the winner at the end of the year. The grand prize is an Apple iPad and one year of free admission for four people. Runners up will receive prizes as well. Additionally, customers can enter their name into a drawing every visit to Planet Maze (no limit to the number of visits). A weekly winner will be selected at random and will receive one day of free admission. Finally, the public is invited to join Planet Maze in May for its 20th birthday party. Employees past and present and

Second annual Worcester County canned food drive

(Jan. 16, 2015) Worcester County Volunteer Services will hold its second annual food drive for the Maryland Food Bank on Jan. 26-30. The focus of this food drive is to provide ready-to-eat canned meals. Canned items most needed include meats that are high in protein – such as tuna, salmon and chicken – and hearty stews. “The 2014 statistics revealed that one in every five children and senior citizens are food insecure, which means they don’t know what or when their next meal will be,” Volunteer Services Manager Kelly Brinkley said. “No one should have to carry the stress of wondering whether or not they will eat on any given day. You and I working together can help alleviate this stress from our neighbors by donating canned goods that are whole meals in themselves. Together, we can provide them with a healthy and nutritious start to 2015.” Beginning Jan. 26, canned food items can be deposited in specially marked Maryland Food Bank barrels at these participating locations: •Worcester County Government Center in Snow Hill. •All five Worcester County Branch Libraries: Ocean City, Ocean Pines, Berlin, Snow Hill and Pocomoke. •Worcester County Recreation Center in Snow Hill. More than 45,000 people on the Eastern Shore can’t depend on having a meal every day and 16,000 of them See FOOD Page 24

customers old and new are invited to party with the owners and staff for this monumental occasion. Details and the date of the event will be announced soon. Owners Rina Thaler and Jamie Albright, and their families, are excited for the upcoming year of events. “Over the past 20 years, we have helped thousands of kids and adults celebrate the milestones in their lives,” Thaler said. “Now we invite the public to celebrate 20 years of fun with us at our 20th birthday party,” Albright added. Planet Maze is an interactive amusement facility located on 33rd Street in Ocean City, offering Lost Galaxy Golf, Lasertron, a climbing wall and maze, arcades, youth and adult parties, and team building excursions.

Jeff and Rina Thaler and Jeff and Jamie Albright celebrate 20 years of Planet Maze on 33rd Street, this year.

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HELEN EVELYN DAMERON Joppa Helen Evelyn Dameron, age 90, passed away Monday, Jan. 5, 2015 at Atlantic Shore Rehab and Health Center. Born in New York, NY, Helen was the daughter of the late Walter Johnson. She is preceded in death by her husband, Frederick G. Dameron. Helen is survived by her children; Frank Rolfe and his wife, Genie, Richard Rolfe, Ronald Dameron and Karen Dale. Also surviving are grandchildren; Nathan, Jennifer and Dawn. No services are planned at this time. Arrangements are in the care of Burbage Funeral Home. Letters of condolence may be sent to Burbage@BurbageFuneralHome.com. JOHN J. (JACK) CAIN, SR. Ocean City On Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015, John J. (Jack) Cain, Sr. passed away at the age of 88. He was born Dec. 22, 1926 to Joseph V. and Marie Butta Cain. Jack was raised in east Baltimore and attended St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Grade School. He had a sisJack Cain, Sr. ter, the late Eileen Eckenrode and a brother Richard (Dick) Cain. In 1940, at the age of 13, Jack decided to attend St. Charles Seminary in Catonsville in his goal to become a Catholic priest. In 1945, he set his goal aside and left the Seminary to voluntarily enter World War II. Jack entered the Navy with the in-

tention of going into submarine service. Fortunately, the wars in Europe and Japan ended before he could get shipped overseas. Jack received an Honorable Discharge from the Navy. Jack enrolled in and graduated from Loyola College. While in college, Jack was also involved with St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church and started working on the Parish newspaper. There he was introduced to Theresa Kosloski and they became co-editors. In 1949, Jack and Theresa were married. Jack and Theresa had six children and he is survived by John J. (Jack) Cain, Jr. and his wife, Jane; Kevin Cain and his wife, Diane; Mary Carol Good and her husband, Harry; Edward V. (Ward) Cain and his wife, Kathaleen Lhotsky; Eileen F. Thomas and her husband, Jack and Stephen G. Cain and his wife, Suzanah. John is also survived by 10 grandchildren; Jennifer, Kristin, Allison, Wendy, A.J., Matt, Kelly, Jack, Ana and Kyra, and seven great-grandchildren. Jack had a very successful career in sales and the food industry culminating in 1984 when he opened his own food brokerage business, Cain Sales Company. In 1988, Jack and his wife, Theresa moved to Ocean City, living in Caine Woods. They were involved with St. Luke’s Catholic Church and also worked as volunteers at Atlantic General Hospital and the Ocean City Library. In October 2014, Jack and Theresa sold their home in Ocean City and relocated to the Charlestown Retirement Community in Catonsville. This was the same facility that Jack had atSee OBITUARIES Page 25

Food supply not dependable for 12.8 percent of county Continued from Page 23 are children. In Worcester County alone, the food supply is not dependable for 12.8 percent of the population. That is the fourth highest such rate on the Eastern Shore, behind Dorchester, Somerset and Wicomico counties. Thirty-eight percent of these families fail to qualify for federal or state

assistance because on paper they do not meet the minimum standards. For more information about the Worcester County food drive, contact Brinkley at 410-632-0090. Organizations interested in hosting food drives are invited to contact food bank Managing Director Jennifer Small at small@mdfoodbank.org.

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Ocean City Today

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PAGE 25

Tram ad plan in limbo after no locals bite City still unsure of plan to raise revenue with tram ads with lack of local interest By Zack Hoopes Staff Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) No more light-up ads will be coming to the tops of the tram cars this summer — or at least not ones from local businesses. City Hall is holding off on making any budgetary changes for what was originally expected to be a revenue windfall from tram advertising, given that no local businesses have expressed interest in the deal. “We did not receive any local response to the offer to advertise on the trams,” said City Manager David Recor. “The national companies do their media buys in the months of February and March…at this time we do not have any realized revenue.” During this past summer, the city installed backlit advertising panels on top of one of the city’s 16 tram cars, with the idea of testing the market for an expanded program in the future. The panels cost roughly $7,500 for each car, with revenues expected to average $4,000 per car per month. The city receives 65 percent of that revenue, with the rest going to its transit advertising agent, Direct Media.

PHOTO COURTESY TOWN OF OCEAN CITY

The city’s plan to expand tram-top advertising has hit a bump, as no local advertisers have indicated interest in purchasing future ad panels. The sole existing ‘test’ panel was purchased by McDonald’s this past summer.

This would mean that, while the tram ads would be a break-even proposition at best in their first year, they would generate up to $125,000 of profit for the city in years after. In continuing with the program, however, the city council had ex-

pressed a desire to see local businesses take the remaining ads — as opposed to McDonald’s, which occupies the sole current panel. Boardwalk businesses had also given mixed reviews of the advertising, raising concerns that the panels

SYLWESTER WACLAW DABROWSKI Ocean City Sylwester Waclaw Dabrowski, age 53, of Ocean City and formerly of Brooklyn, NY died Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015 at home. He was born in Warsaw, Poland and was the son of Tadeusz and Elizabeth (Pawlicka) Dabrowski. He had been a chef at Harpoon Hanna’s in Fenwick Island, Del. He was a member of St.

Andrew Catholic Church in Ocean City. He is survived by his wife, Malgorzata Dabrowski of Ocean City; a brother, Artur W. Dabrowski and a sister, Mariola Kokora. A memorial service will be held noon on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015 at Hastings Funeral Home in Selbyville. Friends may call one hour before. Condolences may be sent by visiting www.hastingsfuneralhome.net.

OBITUARIES Continued from Page 24 tended as St. Charles Seminary. Jack will be most remembered for his ever present smile and his deep devotion to his family and church. Family will receive friends on Friday, Jan. 16 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Luke’s Catholic Church on 100th Street followed by a memorial mass at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the church.

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Business

Page 27 REAL ESTATE REPORT

New lead laws for properties built before ‘78

KARA HALLISSEY/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Yoga Yoga offers a wide variety of classes and workshops for all skill levels including Pilates, Bikram, Kundalini and Yoga. It is located on Route 611 in West Ocean City next to Shorebank.

New yoga studio increases classes and accessibility

By Kara Hallissey Staff Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) Yoga Yoga offers a wide variety of classes and workshops for all skill levels in West Ocean City. Kim Wilson, an avid Bikram participant, took over the space formally occupied by Bikram Yoga and added new classes with the goal of providing something for anyone. “I want everyone to practice yoga; it will make them feel really good,” Wilson said. “The key is to make the studio approachable for all people. If someone comes through the door who hasn’t worked out in six years, it’s important to give positive encouragement in addition to explaining what we can do to help.” Wilson welcomes all members of the community to her little studio and wants to make sure she is accommodating their personal exercise

KARA HALLISSEY/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Owner Kim Wilson stands in front of her studio, Yoga Yoga, located on Route 611 in West Ocean City. She took over the space formally occupied by Bikram Yoga and added new classes with the goal of providing something for anyone.

needs. Currently, Yoga Yoga has eight different classes to try. Bikram Yoga is the backbone of

the business, which is a 90-minute series of 26 yoga postures performed in a 105-degree room with 35 percent See YOGA Page 28

By Lauren Bunting Contributing Writer (Jan. 16, 2015) As of Jan. 1, all residential rental properties constructed prior to 1978 must comply with Maryland’s Lead Risk Reduction in Housing Act. This law replaces Maryland’s requirement to register properties built before 1950. The Act requires rental property owners to register all their rental dwelling units every year with the Maryland Department of the Environment. The annual cost of registering each property is $30. In addition to registering their property online annually, owners are required to have lead paint inspections prior to changes in tenancy and distribute specific lead risk educational materials. Rental property owners can also choose to have their properties inspected by a qualified inspector who can issue what is called a “OneTime Only” lead free certification. These inspections range in price from $350-500, but if the property passes an interior/exterior inspection the owner is not required to register their rental property annually, and instead they submit Maryland Department of the Environment Form E for a $10 onetime fee. The change in Maryland’s lead law aims to reduce lead poisoning cases linked to homes built before 1978 and to help eliminate childhood lead poisoning in Maryland. The use of lead paint was prohibited in 1978, however, reports in recent years have shown that a significant percentage of new childhood lead poisoning cases are linked to homes built from 1950-1978. Without certification and by not following approved practices, property owners can face fines and potential lawsuits. To register or renew your property, visit www.mde.maryland.gov/LeadRegistration. Any questions on registering your property can be directed to mde.leadreg@maryland.gov or by calling 410-537-4199. — Lauren Bunting is a licensed realtor with Bunting Realty, Inc. serving Worcester and Wicomico counties.

Ocean City Today

PAGE 28

JANUARY 16, 2015

Yoga Yoga stretches customer base Continued from Page 27 humidity. Adherents say it helps cure chronic physical ailments and heals the body by targeting every cell to heal the body and mind. Gentle Yoga welcomes newcomers to yoga or people healing from an injury. The class focuses on beginner and intermediate postures. Beyond Basic Yoga is for beginners or more experienced participants looking to perfect their technique. Stretch and Strengthen works to toughen the spine, torso and legs to increase stability. Yin Yoga takes a slower pace, where postures are held longer. Kundalini is a new favorite and features a dynamic blend of physical postures, breathing, movement and stretching. Yoga Basics and a couple of Pilates courses are also on the menu. “People find their place and I am seeing the same faces coming back to the same classes each week,” Wilson said. When participants show up for a class and pay the $10 fee, everything is already set up. Wilson is striving for an extremely user-friendly studio and bringing that presence to the area. Everything needed for a nice workout is provided by Yoga Yoga and there is no rental fee for mats or towels, Wilson said.

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“I do not want people to spend their money and not utilize the services,” she said. “All you need to bring to class is yourself.” The space is set up with the studio in the front while the back holds a small reception area, bathroom and benches. It is a small, intimate space designed for people to gather and chat before the class starts. The back entrance to Yoga Yoga is the preferred ingress. Last summer, Wilson was committed to working out and a student in Bikram Yoga classes when she found out the owner was moving back to Florida. She spoke with a couple of other concerned students and they were not sure what to do after Bikram Yoga closed. During Wilson’s final class, she looked up to the sky and heard the words ‘just do it.’ In that moment, she realized buying the studio was something that needed to happen. “I was completely blindsided because I did not know the business aspect of owning,” Wilson said. “Everything pertaining to business has been a learning experience.” She kept the studio open during a complete restructure, remodel and rebranding. After taking over, Wilson felt it was imperative to expand the diversity of classes offered, and reaching out to underserved communities was the first place to start. “I noticed most places in the area only offer cardio-based classes for athletic people and I saw a real need for beginner yoga classes,” Wilson said. “I wanted to bring in classes people were calling for. I’ve heard people say they know yoga is good for them, but do not know where to turn because what they needed wasn’t available.” Programs for teenagers and young adults are scarce in the area, Wilson said. She is working on having more

programs for kids ages eight to 16. Kundalini was not being offered previously and is new to the area. The program generated interest and has gone over well with members of the community, she said. Wilson plans on adding classes and expanding the schedule after she gets a handle on what is popular and in higher demand. She is open to suggestions and if people request a class in particular, she will work hard to make it happen. “I took over this studio for people who stick with their exercise routines and are dedicated to improving themselves. Everyone needs a place they feel comfortable. Yoga Yoga is for everyone and everybody,” Wilson said. For people who cannot make the scheduled classes, Yoga Yoga offers a few private lessons. These classes are appointment only and will cost more than the standard $10 fee. “Regardless of style or type, just come out and do yoga. It is a lifechanging practice from helping people lose weight to assisting with injury recovery,” Wilson said. Yoga Yoga will offer two special programs in February. On Saturday, Feb.7, a workshop will be held on the dangers of refined sugars and how to make naturally sweet desserts. It will take place from 2-4 p.m. at the studio. On Friday, Feb.13, Yoga Yoga will host candlelight Kundalini. It will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. and light refreshments will be offered. “These workshops create a sense of community in the studio, which is a goal of mine. People come out, try something new, stay afterwards and connect with one another,” said Wilson. Yoga Yoga is located at 9748 Stephen Decatur Highway, next to Shore Bank. Visit http://www.yogayogaoc.com for more information or call 410-213-9642.

Ky West finding niche by wooing local customers

By Brian Gilliland Staff Writer (Jan 16, 2015) Michael Rendell, the executive chef at Ky West on 54th Street bayside, has trouble sleeping sometimes and watches videos on his phone late at night. “I saw this video about, of all things, a biker gang that was surrounded by other, rival gangs. They said the other bikers were more than welcome to come party in their area — a “you don’t bother us and we won’t bother you” situation, but warned them not to get too rowdy,” he said. He feels the same way about the restaurant business in Ocean City. Rendell said he doesn’t want to steal customers or step on the toes of other restaurants, some of whom sell food similar to, but not copies of, Rendell’s cuisine, feeling there is more than enough space and more than enough market share for resort restaurants. “Just because we put a particular dish on the menu doesn’t mean we’re going to war,” Rendell said. Ky West has been open for a couple of years now but has suffered some management, and more recently, service troubles. Rendell said that is all behind them now, as he was able to secure experienced wait staff drawn from other Ocean City venues and another manager, Mark Wagner, has shorn up operations. “Where is your business coming from? The locals. When people come to town, who do they ask for restaurant recommendations, the locals. That’s why we’re still open in the offseason. We’re trying to build something here. We’ve talked the talk now it’s time to walk the walk,” Rendell said. To achieve this, Rendell is mixing all the skills he’s acquired since gradSee RESTAURANT Page 29

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Ky West on 54th Street, offers contemporary American food in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. A new manager, new staff and an experienced chef with years of Ocean City experience are hoping to transform Ky West into one of the resorts premier dining destinations.

TUESDAY, JAN. 27, 2015 @ 11:00 AM

Restaurant wants to be part of OC’s fine dining equation Continued from Page 28 uating culinary school in the early 1990s and applying all the experience he’s gained from working in restaurants ever since. “I make food we would all eat. I wouldn’t really categorize it apart from favoring bold flavors, getting the freshest ingredients and doing everything in-house,” he said. From smoking meats to preparing salad dressings to breading and frying his own onion rings, Rendell said he prefers to do as much as he can himself. “I want to know everything is fresh, I like knowing I smoked my own ribs or pulled my own pork,” he said. That knowledge is gained the hard way sometimes. When ordering supplies, Rendell said he favors buying things in season and as fresh as can be obtained, which means he doesn’t always have a clear plan when he decides on a menu. The menus change weekly, which is a bit of a slowdown from some other places Rendell said he worked. He remembered his time at a country club near Baltimore where he had carte blanche to order whatever he wanted and changed the menus daily. “I remember the manager coming

to me and saying — the club was nonprofit — that I needed to spend more money because they were close to turning a profit, and they weren’t allowed to. So I started having mushrooms delivered overnight — it could be crazy,” he said. As exciting as it was, after about three years he found himself itching for a new challenge and wanting a different environment than the one he grew up in near Baltimore for his daughter. “I’ve had guns pulled on me, knives. I’ve been hit with things and it’s nothing I wanted for her,” he said. He put in for a job in Ocean City at Fresco’s, where he ended up staying for a number of years before leaving early last year. A number of other faces at Ky West will be familiar as well. Rendell said he didn’t start a recruitment drive, but if people came to him and asked, he did everything he could to help out. “We really want to make a run at it. We don’t want to replace or take away from anyone else, we just want to be in the thought. We want to be considered when you’re talking about upscale casual dining in Ocean City,” he said. Those are the thoughts that keep him up at night.

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Ocean City Today

PAGE 30

JANUARY 16, 2015

Remembering Patsy

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Jan. 16, 2015

Ocean City Today

Page 31

www.oceancitytoday.net

Decatur track athletes prepare for Bayside meet

LISA CAPITELLI/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Stephen Decatur senior Payton VanKirk shoots over a James M. Bennett player during Tuesday night’s game in Berlin. VanKirk tallied 14 points, three steals and three rebounds. Decatur won the game, 68-26.

Lady Seahawks ‘on the same page on offense’

By Lisa Capitelli Managing Editor (Jan. 16, 2015) The Stephen Decatur Lady Seahawks had several things they wanted to accomplish during Tuesday’s basketball game against the James M. Bennett Clippers. “We talked a lot about it before the game and more so at halftime about how it’s important that we take advantage of every single opportunity,” said Decatur Coach Amy Fenzel-Mergott. “A lot of sets that we’re doing at practice we want to implement them in the game and we knew this would be a great opportunity for us to do that.” Decatur had built a 17-2 lead by the midpoint of the first quarter. At the end of the quarter, the Seahawks were ahead, 32-4. The home team went into the halftime break on top, 49-8. The Seahawks won the competition, 68-26. “I thought they all were on the same page on offense. They would drive and dish and the girl was ready for it and then we were making some good shots,” Fenzel-Mergott said. “Defensively at first we were good, and then we started to go downhill, not playing as intense as we should have. We let them drive and they got to the basket,

LISA CAPITELLI/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Stephen Decatur sophomore Lexie VanKirk drives past a James M. Bennett player and scores during Tuesday’s game. She logged four points and had three rebounds.

where typically that doesn’t happen.” Junior Dayona Godwin led Decatur with 21 points, five steals, five assists and three rebounds. Payton VanKirk, a senior, tallied 14 points, three steals and three rebounds. Freshman Amya

Mumford chipped in with 12 points and eight rebounds. At the halfway point of the season, Fenzel-Mergott thinks the squad is progressing well. See FENZEL-MERGOTT Page 32

By Lisa Capitelli Managing Editor (Jan. 16, 2015) The Stephen Decatur girls’ indoor track team finished in third place, while the boys’ squad took fifth during the 15-school meet at the Worcester County Recreation Center in Snow Hill last Wednesday. “I thought the boys and girls did OK,” said Decatur Coach Jody Stigler. “We have a few injuries, sicknesses, etc. to deal with, so hopefully we got that out of the way before Baysides.” Kent Island won the girls’ competition with 87 points. North Caroline was second with 55 points and Decatur scored 49 points for third. Senior Jenna Reimer earned secondplace honors in the 1,600- and 3,200meter events. She completed the races in 5:52.10 and 12:47.30, respectively. Christina Romano, a sophomore, tied for second in the high jump with North Caroline’s Kelsey Sloan (4 feet 8 inches.) Sophomore Jillian Mitrecic’s pole vault of 7 feet was good for third place. Bethany Williams, a sophomore, took third in the triple jump (30 feet 4 inches.) North Caroline won the boys’ competition with 66 points. Rounding out the top five teams were Caesar Rodney (62), Wicomico (58), Cape Henlopen (56) and Decatur (48). Senior Parker Harrington crossed the finish line first in the 800-meter race (2:05.86). He placed second in the 500-meter event (1:11.29) and Jackson Mumford, a senior, finished a close third (1:11.36). Harrington, Mumford, junior Zach Bernal and senior Tripp Ortega teamed up for the 1,600-meter relay race. The boys won the event in 3:50.70. Hyun Chun, a junior, took third in the pole vault. He vaulted 9 feet 6 inches. The Bayside Conference championship meet is set to begin at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 21 at the Worcester County Recreation Center. “I would say Kent Island is the favorite for the girls. The boys’ [competition] is pretty much wide open,” Stigler said. “I think that Decatur should be in the top three or so schools on each side. I am hoping for top two finishes, however.” To be successful, Stigler said, “I think it will be important for our athletes to win individual and relay events.” “Our strength is going to be in the distance/mid-distance and pole vault events,” he said. “If we can win four or five events for boys and four or five events for girls, I would think that we would have a very good shot to come in the top two, and maybe higher.”

Ocean City Today

PAGE 32

JANUARY 16, 2015

WP Lady Mallards tame Ponies, earn 55-10 victory

LISA CAPITELLI/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Stephen Decatur junior Dayona Godwin takes the ball to the hoop during the first quarter of Tuesday’s game against Bennett. She tallied 21 points, five steals, five assists and three rebounds.

By Lisa Capitelli Managing Editor (Jan. 16, 2015) The Worcester Prep girls’ basketball team scored 55 points and limited the Chincoteague Ponies to just 10 during Monday night’s game in Virginia. “The girls played well. Our main goal was to concentrate on our shots and once we did that we start scoring a lot better,” Prep Coach Simona Holland said after the match. “They did a great job on defense; they had a lot of steals and were able to go for fast breaks and make their layups.” The Lady Mallards netted 19 points in the opening quarter and held the Ponies scoreless. At the halftime break, the visiting Prep squad led 39-2. After three

quarters, Worcester had a 49-2 advantage. Senior captain Sophie Brennan contributed with 16 points. Grace Tunis, a junior, chipped in with 12 points and sophomore Regan Lingo logged seven points. “It was hard getting back from a two-week break during holidays, but we are starting to get back in shape and play our game and I’m happy with their performance at this point in the season,” Holland said. “We still have a lot of work to do and we need to get better every day.” The Mallards will host the Gunston Day Herons today, at 4 p.m. When the two teams met on Dec. 3, Worcester trounced Gunston, 8023.

By Lisa Capitelli Managing Editor (Jan. 16, 2015) The Worcester Prep boys’ basketball team struggled in the first half of Monday’s game against the Chincoteague Ponies. The

visiting Mallards picked up their level of play in the second half, but they couldn’t come back from the deficit and, in the end, lost the match, 5039. “After the first half it was 31-13, so I was proud of the way we fought back in the second half. It could have been an embarrassing game for us, but we showed some heart and determination in the second half,” said Prep Coach Keith Geiger. “I thought our defense was pretty good, especially in the second half. We have a difficult time scoring this year [and] 13 points in a half is not going to win any games. We were getting good looks, and just missing easy shots. We also shot 8-22 from the foul line, which didn’t help.” Sophomore Owen Nally played well, Geiger said, scoring 10 points. Sam Cantello, a freshman, came off the bench and played a great game, Geiger said, as he was hustling, diving and making defensive stops. He finished with six points, eight rebounds and six steals. The Mallards have five regularseason games left, all against Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference opponents. First up is the Gunston Day Herons, today, Friday, at 5:30 p.m. in Berlin. When the two teams went head-to-head on Dec. 3, Worcester won 62-16. “There is no easy fix for the offense, but what we can do better is come out with the intensity and defensive awareness that we played with in the second half of the Chincoteague game,” Geiger said. “Every game is going to be tough from here on out, and the only way we can win them is if we play with heart. Hopefully our offense starts clicking a little and we gain some confidence, and finish out the year undefeated in the conference.”

Fenzel–Mergott: Things are starting to come together To win games, boys need to play with ‘heart,’ coach says Continued from Page 31 “We’re coming along great. Things are starting to come together. I think being powered by seniors really helps a lot,” Fenzel-Mergott said. “We’ve been working hard at practice. They’re going through their drills very efficiently [and] our shots are starting to fall.” Decatur will take a trip to Mardela

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Springs on Tuesday to battle the Mardela Warriors at 4 p.m. When the two teams met in Berlin on Dec. 9, Mardela won, 72-63. “As a team, we didn’t shoot well. We didn’t do the things we normally do well,” Fenzel-Mergott said after the Dec. 9 game. Decatur is looking forward to Tuesday’s rematch.

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