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Air show looking for date to land Organizers scouring calendar for later time this summer

LISA CAPITELLI/OCEAN CITY TODAY

SOMEWHERE OVER After a storm brought strong wind, rain and hail to the resort on Tuesday afternoon, the sky cleared, the sun came out and along with it a rainbow.

New plans for Trimper’s Management change brings ‘fresh vision’ to Boardwalk staple

By Elizabeth Bonin Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) With a new board of directors and management taking over Trimper’s Rides last month, major changes are rolling out for Ocean City’s landmark amusement park.

The new board of directors will be led by Antoinette

800-641-0011

Bruno, Wendy Dibuo, Bill Hopkins, Laura Minker and Scott Savage. Mike O’Neil, a 25-year veteran of the amusement park industry, will take over as the general manager.

The takeover pitted one side of the Trimper family against the other, with a new stockholder majority apparently dissatisfied with the park’s financial circumstances.

“The park’s performance had been deteriorating over

the last decade and the shareholders felt that a new management team and a new board would make sense to ensure the future of the park,” said Bruno, the president of Trimper’s Rides and Daniel Trimper III’s daughter.

Bruno later added that “With a fresh vision, a new generation of family management has been tasked to ensure success for the future.”

She said that the new See TRIMPER’S Page 3

By Josh Kim Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) The 13th annual Ocean City Air Show has joined the long list of summer events that have been rescheduled because of the coronavirus.

“The OC Air Show is one of the top annual economic impact generating events in Ocean City,” said OC Air Show Chairman Bryan Lilley in a press release. “With the distress that COVID-19 is causing to the local economy, we are making a tremendous effort to reschedule the event and do our part to help all of the local businesses that prosper every year on air show weekend.”

Tickets that have already been purchased for the VIP Penthouse, Skybox, Flight Line Club and Drop Zone beach will be honored on the

new date, the press release said.

As for refunds, Lilley said the team would work with buyers on a cases-by-case basis, and issue refunds for those who cannot attend due to extenuating circumstances.

Born in 2008, the air show is similar to a circus, but rather than people doing flips and dives off of poles and swings, military aircraft perform incredible loops, spins and other acrobatic feats in the air near the downtown beach area.

“It grew really quickly … and it’s become the kickoff [event] of the summer in the city,” Lilley said.

Lilley credited the Harrison Group for aiding the show during its infancy — in 2008 the group provided hotel rooms for all of the pilots, and it remains an avid sponsor of the show.

However, it wasn’t until the next year, 2009, when the show really kicked off and beSee AIR Page 2

Monthly meal total pushes toward 50K

By Morgan Pilz Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) Worcester County Public Schools has handed out 46,782 meals to students over the past month, since schools were officially closed because of the

covid-19 pandemic.

Some students rely on breakfast and lunch from the 14 schools in the county, so immediately after the decision was made by State Superintendent Dr. Karen Salmon See SCHOOLS Page 4

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Ocean City Today

APRIL 24, 2020

Air show plans up in air for now Continued from Page 1 came one of the resort’s main attractions.

Since then, the show has quadrupled in size, and in 2015 the show smashed the single-day largest crowd record in Ocean City, with hundreds of thousands of people watching the jets on the beach, in hotels and on the Boardwalk.

“Around noon, I pulled up Google maps, and I googled from Route 50 near Berlin how long it would take to get to 15th Street — it was nine miles — and it was an hour and 45 minutes,” The annual Ocean City Air Show, once again headlined by the U.S Air Force Thunderbirds, was slated to take place June 13-14. It will be rescheduled for later this summer as a result of the coronavirus.

Lilley said, recalling the traffic nightmare in 2015.

The OC Air Show’s headliner typically rotates between the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, who joined the Bryan Lilley show in 2009, and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, who joined in 2015.

Other non-military pilots also participate, with 2013’s show run entirely by civilian flyers after the military saw a $37.2 billion budget cut under the Budget Control Act. With such crowd-drawing potential, the event has become not only a resort staple, but also one of the city’s largest revenue-driving sources.

It has also extended the resort’s peak season, as the second week of

June, which is when the Air Show typical is scheduled, used to be much less crowded.

“The Air Show sort of extended summer,” Lilley said. “We placed this Fourth of July-like thing the second week of June, and … a lot of the hotels on the Boardwalk now get a higher room rate on air show weekend than they do on the Fourth of July.”

The show also benefits the military, and has become a valuable recruitment opportunity.

“Senior week was really, really important to the military because of recruiting,” he said. “It’s a huge opportunity, and that’s one of the things that drives the military interest so early is the thousands, tens of thousands of high school seniors that are down there [the beach]. It’s a great opportunity for them [recruiters] to engage with that audience and do it en masse. And what better way to engage an audience like that than to fly jets in front of tens of thousands of them?”

This year’s show, originally slated for June 13-14, will be headlined by the Thunderbirds once again, but when the event will take place is up in the air because of the coronavirus.

Lilley said the Department of Defense extended its stop movement order from May 11 to June 20.

This severely restricts the movement of military officers across the nation, including those who participate in the air show.

“That took us out of the game and forced us to reschedule,” Lilley said.

Additionally, as many of the city’s June event organizers have expressed, there’s simply too much uncertainty as to what social distancing and travel restrictions will look like during that month.

“We’re talking with the military on guidance about what assets they can provide on what dates, and we’re trying to take all of that and reconcile it together,” Lilley said. “We’re talking with hoteliers, we’re talking with the city … and now we got to go back and take all of those different elements and put them together and say when can we host the air show.”

Nevertheless, with the virus battering the city’s economy, Lilley said keeping the air show alive is not an option — it is an obligation to the resort’s business community.

“Everyone that we’ve talked to in the city has been so understanding — the Harrison Group, the other hoteliers and the stakeholders,” Lilley said.

“It’s just like, ‘Look, whatever we need to do to get this show in this summer, you let us know and we’ll do it.’ Everybody is really, really working with us to try and do it, and it’s really important for us to do our part … to help the town and help all of the businesses in Ocean City to recover.”

For updates on the show or to contact event organizers visit https://ocairshow.com.

APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today

PAGE 3

Trimper’s getting spruce-up, rides before summer Continued from Page 1 board is more diverse – it represents five of the six original families, while the old board only represented one.

There is still one more board spot open, which Bruno hopes will be filled by the end of the year.

She said the new management is excited for its revitalization plan, which includes a dozen new games on the Boardwalk and 10 new rides. One of the new rides will be a slide.

“This is kind of similar to what you would see in a waterpark except riders slide down a three-lane 100-foot long slide on a mat,” Bruno said.

“We’re also getting a super shot.”

The super shot lifts riders up on a tower-like structure and then drops to the bottom.

Some of the new rides are simply replacing the older ones, such as the tilt-a-whirl, a new apple ride, a new Traffic Jam and a new Round Up. Trimper’s will lease the 10 new rides from Deggeller Attractions. It will also renovate several rides, such as the merry-go-round and the Pirate’s Cove fun house.

As for ticketing, the park will replace paper tickets with a “Thrill Pass” swipe card, which can also be used at Marty’s Play Land. Bruno said this will be convenient for families to swipe at any of the rides they choose.

The pay-one-price during the day will be extended into the night hours.

Guests will receive a wristband for any of the rides for one price. Special events such as birthday parties will have the option for a game pass that will also work in Marty’s Play Land.

Those special events can be hosted

PHOTO COURTESY ANTOINETTE BRUNO

The new management team for Trimper’s Rides is implementing major changes, such as adding 10 new rides, introducing new food and drink outlets and renovating the overall look of the amusement park.

in three upcoming party rooms.

Bruno said Trimper’s is addressing maintenance issues that have been sidelined, such has replacing the inlet village roof, repaving the park, repainting and re-carpeting the staff apartments and removing candy and soda machines.

Instead, the park will introduce new food and beverage outlets, such as chicken with a range of heats that guests can choose from. Bruno said she is excited to unveil healthier food alternatives once those are determined.

“We’re looking at the park in a fresh new way,” Bruno said. “We’re looking at what the guest experience is and how we can make that the best

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possible experience.”

She added that one of Trimper’s most exciting additions is free WiFi. “It is a makeover, but we’re paying attention to the historic nature of the park,” Bruno said. “We understand that we have a very important, iconic, historical landmark and we are not going to take away that charm. We’re going to preserve the family legacy and historic detail while bringing in some modern efficiencies that will make a seamless guest experience.”

With all the changes, Bruno said Trimper’s is not planning on selling any property.

Daniel Trimper Jr., the son of park

originators Daniel and Margaret Trimper, died in 1965 and turned over the park to his son, Daniel Trimper III. He ran the park from the 1960s to the 1980s when he lost his leg, according to Bruno. His cousin, Granville Trimper and his family, then took over until his death in 2008.

The park will return to the Daniel Trimper Jr. side of the family with Bruno as president. She worked at the park as a teenager.

After working on Wall Street and starting a restaurant magazine, Bruno has returned home to run Trimper’s.

Ocean Pines worker tests positive for coronavirus (April 24, 2020) The Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors on Tuesday released a statement about an employee who tested positive for covid-19. The Association notified other employees the same day.

“Regrettably, symptoms of the covid-19 pandemic have been recognized here in Ocean Pines,” the board’s statement said. “An OPA staff member in the golf maintenance group has tested positive for the virus. Fortunately, given the job responsibilities, this individual has had no contact with association members and the required actions have already been taken, per CDC guidelines.

“The staff member has been sent home and will be in self-quarantine for the recommended 14 days.

“Other OPA staff who may have been in contact with this individual have also been contacted and advised to take the necessary precautions per

the CDC guidelines, including the 14day quarantine requirement. The cleaning and disinfecting of work areas has been in place and will continue for the foreseeable future.

“Please note that practicing social distancing, wearing a mask and washing your hands often is of paramount importance, especially at this time,” the board said. “Let’s all step up and do our part in helping to prevent the spread of the virus to our family, friends and members of the Ocean Pines community.”

According to data from the Worcester County Health Department, the majority of covid-19 cases in the county have occurred in the 21811 zip code, which encompasses Ocean Pines and Berlin.

As of Tuesday, Worcester had 33 reported cases of the novel coronavirus, with 19 of those occurring in the 21811 zip code area.

PAGE 4

MORGAN PILZ/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Rev. Matthew D’Amario hands out hot meals for students and families in need at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Third Street in Ocean City on Wednesday, April 22.

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LUNCH DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS, WORCESTER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 11 A.M. TO 1 P.M.: Snow Hill: • Ebenezer United Methodist Church (107 S. Collins St.) • Snow Hill Elementary School (515 Coulbourne Lane) Pocomoke: • Windy Gardens (800 Lynn Haven Dr.) • Pocomoke Middle School (800 8th Street) Berlin/Ocean City: • Buckingham Elementary School (100 Buckingham Rd., Berlin) • Bay Terrace Apartments (517 Bay Street, Berlin) • St. Paul’s by the Sea Episcopal Church (302 Baltimore Ave., Ocean City)

MORGAN PILZ/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Ocean City resident Melissa Abbott receives two prepackaged meals for her children at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Third Street on Wednesday, April 22.

Schools feeding those who need it Continued from Page 1 to close schools, the local school system began providing meals, beginning with five locations within three days. Now, there are seven locations and the meals are offered five days a week.

“We understand the critical role that nutritious meals play in the healthy development and the longterm health and educational outcomes for our students,” Worcester County Public Schools Chief Financial Officer Vincent Tolbert said. “We developed our plan to ensure our students would continue to have access to healthy meals prior to our students being dismissed on March 13.”

The first week – March 17, 18 and 20 – the board handed out 3,786 meals, which includes breakfast, lunch and snacks. The following week – March 23-27 – 9,030 meals were distributed.

The third week – March 30 to April 3 – 9,765 meals were supplied.

The week of Easter recess, 14,913 meals, which included additional food for the break, were handed out.

From April 14-17, the board provided 7,353 meals over the four days.

On average, Tolbert said volunteers at the sites give out meals to approximately 650 students per day.

Meals have also been delivered to students in need who are unable to travel to the designated sites.

Each meal is comprised of food that fulfills the National School Lunch Program nutritional requirements.

“Our menu consists of student favorite items [such as] whole grain blueberry muffins, whole grain cereals, whole grain breakfast breads, fresh bananas, oranges, apples, whole grain breads, low-fat chocolate and white milk, and a variety of vegetables,” Tolbert said.

Meals offered also include pasta with meat sauce, cheeseburgers, nachos with Tex-Mex, chicken sandwiches and a variety of whole grain snacks.

According to Tolbert, the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Our community has always been very supportive of our school system,” Tolbert said. “We have received many offers to help during this time and are truly thankful for each one.

“We are also very appreciative of our volunteers at our four community-based distribution sites,” he continued. “These include Windy Gardens Apartments in Pocomoke, Ebenezer United Methodist Church in Snow Hill, Bay Terrace Garden Apartments in Berlin and St. Paul’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Ocean City.”

Superintendent of Schools Lou Taylor praised the work of the com-

munity in the most recent Board of Education teleconference on Tuesday.

“We are staying the course in support of our students,” Taylor said.

“We’re doing it through supporting our student’s basic needs through our feeding program, which we just last week served almost 7,400 meals to children in need in this county, support to their social emotional support through remote counseling services … and I want to extend again my thanks to our entire community for their support of our efforts in this entire process during this time.”

Tolbert also praised the success of the program through the board’s partners and the support of the community.

“The success of our meal distribution program during this time of school closure has once again demonstrated how working together is key to our success,” he said. “This includes the leadership of our Board of Education and superintendent, the financial support of our County Commissioners, the hard work and dedication of our administrators and food service staff and the overwhelming support of our community.”

For more information about the Worcester County Public Schools meal distributions, contact Tolbert at 410-632-5062 or email him at vetolbert@worcesterk12.org.

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Ocean City Today

Wor. rises to 39 coronavirus cases Ocean Pines Association employee diagnosed, had no contact with members

By Elizabeth Bonin Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) Since last week, positive cases of coronavirus in Worcester County have risen by 14 for a total of 39 as of Thursday. One of those cases is an employee of the Ocean Pines Association. The association said the person is recovering at home and had no contact with association members.

Twenty-two cases are located in the 21811 zip code for Berlin and Ocean Pines.

Last week, the Maryland Department of Health began releasing zip code data, but only if the zip code has at least eight cases. The Worcester County Health Department said that since cases are in the double digits, it will no longer be releasing the age and sex of cases.

Seventeen individuals have been released from public monitoring.

Michael Franklin, CEO of Atlantic General Hospital, said six cases are hospitalized in a separate intensive care unit for covid-19 cases and one patient is hospitalized, but not in the ICU. He added that across Maryland, Delaware and Virginia, there is a 3.8 percent death rate for covid-19 cases.

As of Wednesday, Maryland has 15,737 positive cases, with 4,141 in Prince George’s County, 3,060 in Montgomery, 2,132 in Baltimore, 1,672 in Baltimore City, 1,294 in Anne Arundel, 690 in Frederick, 618 in Howard, 442 in Charles, 355 in Carroll, 280 in Harford, 203 in Wicomico, 140 in Cecil, 139 in Washington, 121 in Calvert, 115 in St. Mary’s, 77 in Allegany, 64 in Kent, 50 in Caroline, 39 in Worcester, 33 in

Queen Anne’s, 31 in Dorchester, 25 in Talbot, 12 in Somerset and four in Garrett.

Franklin said that for now, the hospital still has enough personal protective equipment for staff, hospital beds and testing capacity.

Atlantic General collaborated with Royal Plus to create protective equipment for staff.

“It filters all the air Toni Keiser that they’re breathing from the outside environment,” Franklin said. “It’s a much more secure system for the people working directly with the covid patients.”

To expand capacity Michael Franklin for other patients, the hospital plans to open a 16-bed medical surgical unit next to the nursing home in Berlin.

“Those will be for non-covid, general patients that are relatively low acuity,” Franklin said. “We don’t want to create any risk by putting folks over there, but we will need to expand capacity.”

He added that there are 15 ventilators available and there have been just enough test kits.

“We’re always walking a very fine line of having an adequate supply,” Franklin said. “If we should have a sudden surge of demand, then we are having more difficulty . . . but right now, we’ve been able to meet our needs and have a few leftover.”

He said tests conducted at the 10th Street Atlantic Immediate Care, where the hospital and health department are streamlining most tests, go to commercial labs, which take about two to three days to turn around.

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Tests taken at the hospital are in collaboration with Peninsula Regional Medical Center or state labs, which can turn around the tests faster.

According to Franklin, anyone demonstrating covid-19 symptoms is first diagnosed for influenza, and then covid-19.

Symptoms of coronavirus are fever, coughing, shortness of breath and, in more serious cases, pneumonia. It is spread through respiratory droplets, personal contact or surface contact with the virus on it.

On Monday, Gov. Larry Hogan announced that Maryland’s First Lady, Yumi Hogan, was instrumental in securing 500,000 test kits for Marylanders.

“Those will help us be able to swab the patient and collect the specimens from the patients, but that doesn’t expand our testing turnaround capacity,” Franklin said.

Another way Atlantic General has expanded capacity is by credentialing more physicians in primary practice to work in the hospital.

“We are orienting them and making them comfortable with the potential of having them come in and take care of patients in the hospital if we need their help,” Franklin said.

In addition, the hospital is focusing on helping patients make See AGH Page 6

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN WORCESTER COUNTY: MARCH 19 – Worcester County confirms

its first case of coronavirus, a man in his 30s MARCH 21 – A woman in her 20s tests positive MARCH 30 – A third positive case diagnosed out of state is confirmed APRIL 1 – A woman in her 20s tests positive APRIL 2 – A man in his 40s tests positive; health department releases three cases from public monitoring APRIL 4 – A man in his 40s and a woman in her 60s test positive APRIL 5 – A man in his 60s and a woman in her 30s test positive APRIL 6 – A man in his 40s tests for a total of 10 positive cases in Worcester; four total cases have been released from public monitoring APRIL 9 – Six more people test positive APRIL 13 – Five more people test positive APRIL 15 – An out-of-county resident tests positive APRIL 16 – Three more people test positive; nine individuals have been released from public monitoring APRIL 20 – Worcester counts 33 cases; 11 individuals have been released from public monitoring APRIL 21 – One person tests positive; 13 people released from public monitoring APRIL 23 – Worcester counts 39 cases; 17 released from public monitoring

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Ocean City Today

Latest updates about coronavirus Cases and deaths climb, but Maryland sees great progress toward recovery

By Josh Kim Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) Here are local, statewide and nationwide updates about the coronavirus.

Local April 16, 2020 — The Ocean City Mayor and City Council hold a special session meeting to discuss topics such as resident needs, messaging and benchmarks.

However, the conversation became dominated by the messaging agenda topic, and council members debated over when to begin prepare for the resort’s eventual reopening.

April 20, 2020 — The council approves a new marketing strategy called the Open Arms campaign.

Consisting of three commercials, the campaign aims to “embrace” visitors back to the resort, once covid-19 regulations relax.

As of Wednesday morning, there were 34 confirmed cases of covid-19 in Worcester County.

State April 15, 2020 — Gov. Larry Hogan issues a new executive order mandating the use of facemasks and/or coverings in retail shops and on public transportation.

This order also made it mandatory for all retail establishments to require staff to wear facemasks, and to implement social distancing markers.

April 17, 2020 — State Superintendent Karen Salmon announces that school closures will extend to May 15.

April 20, 2020 — Hogan announces Operation Enduring Friendship, a 22-day negotiation effort between the state and the South Korean government.

As a result of the operation, the South Korean government agreed to sell 500,000 covid-19 test kits to Maryland for $9 million.

Produced by South Korean company Lab Genomics, the kits put

Maryland well above its target testing capacity of 10,000 tests a day.

April 22, 2020 — Hogan gives updates on what he calls the four building blocks to reopening the state.

The four blocks include increasing testing capacity, increasing hospital beds, increasing PPE and creating a robust covid-19 tracing program.

The governor said with significant progress in each category, he would be ready to reveal the state’s “road map to recovery” in a press conference on Friday.

As of Wednesday morning, there are 14,775 confirmed cases of covid19, 631 deaths and 981 patients released from isolation.

National April 16, 2020 — More than 5.2 million American workers file for employment the week prior, bringing the total to 22 million.

Major news media outlets report that the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program is unable to accept new applications because the program had run dry of funds.

The Washington Post reports that thousands of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) complaints have been file over coronavirus safety lapses.

President Donald Trump tells governors that authority to reopen their respective states were their choice, and that they could do so before Trump’s target date of May 1.

April 17, 2020 — Trump encourages protests against lockdowns, and publishes tweets on social media site Twitter to “liberate” multiple states.

Experts around the nation warn reopening too soon would devastate the country, and reverse any progress made curtailing the virus.

April 18, 2020 — The Washington Post reports that U.S. manufacturers sent millions of dollars of facemasks to China earlier this year, ignoring pandemic warning signs.

“The export of American-made face masks and other equipment was done with encouragement from the federal government, according to

Commerce Department emails, underscoring the extent to which the Trump administration failed to recognize warning sings in the face of the growing pandemic threat,” the Washington Post stated.

April 19, 2020 — Major media outlets report that far-right groups were organizing anti-quarantine rallies.

April 20, 2020 — Trump announces on Twitter that he will sign an executive order temporarily suspending immigration to the U.S. amid pandemic, the Washington Post reports.

Oil prices plummet, the price of oil goes negative.

April 21, 2020 — Trump says his executive order banning immigration will apply only to people seeking green cards, last 60 days and won’t affect workers entering the country on a temporary basis, CNN reports.

Andrea Flores, deputy policy director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Equality Division, criticizes the order, calling it racist and xenophobic.

Congressional leaders and the White House reach deal to expand small business aid, which recently ran dry.

Major media outlets report that one of the main factors that caused the money to run out so soon was how millions went to multi-million dollar businesses, such as Ruth Chris’ Steak House — which received $20 million under a technicality that allowed to seek loans for each of its two subsidiaries.

The loan cap is $10 million.

An additional $500 billion will be added to the $2 trillion stimulus package.

Plummeting oil prices hits the Dow, driving it down by more than

APRIL 24, 2020

AGH has enough beds, equipment, testing, for now Continued from Page 5 telemedicine or phone call appointments.

“It’s just calling your physician’s office and scheduling an appointment,” said Toni Keiser, vice president for public relations. “You talk to the front office staff and they walk exactly though how to set up the appointment, what time your appointment would be and how to go ahead and enter into that visit.”

She emphasized that those who think they may have symptoms should first call their primary care provider for direction. Those who don’t have a provider should call the health department for screening over the phone.

When a case is confirmed positive, the health department conducts contact tracing to inform individuals and businesses that may have come into contact with the positive case.

The Worcester County Health Department has opened a hotline Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to determine if a person should be tested. Call 410-632-1100 and select option eight.

For general information on the coronavirus call the health department 24/7 at 410-632-4321 or visit worcesterhealth.org. View updates from Atlantic General at atlanticgeneral.org/patients-visitors/c ovid-19-updates/.

To track Maryland cases, visit coronavirus.maryland.gov/.

600 points.

As of Wednesday morning, the total covid-19 cases in the U.S. totals 776,093, and 41,758 deaths.

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NO PARKING The inlet parking lot, as well as the Boardwalk, remains closed to visitors until the coronavirus pandemic loosens its grip locally, statewide and nationally.

APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today

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Ocean City Today

APRIL 24, 2020

The Ocean City Council debated last Friday what the resort’s messaging campaign should look like, as it prepares for the eventual reopening.

When and how will resort reopen?

Council discusses Ocean City’s eventual return, what to say to residents, visitors

By Josh Kim Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) “The world can’t stay shut down until there’s a vaccine” — an Ocean City Councilman John Gehrig said last Thursday at a mayor and council special session that also served as a platform for him to express his frustration with the media and the absence of emphasis on personal responsibility.

Nonetheless, experts statewide, nationwide and globally warn that moving too quickly to reopen economies could exacerbate the problem.

Gehrig’s comments came as he and other members of the council convened via Zoom to discuss how the city’s messaging would take shape as the resort approached its reopening once the covid-19 crisis is on the wane.

“My thoughts on the messaging is really how we’re communicating with our residents and taxpayers and giving some sort of guidance of what we’re thinking about so people can start preparing,” Councilman John Gehrig said. “You got to remember that there is a financial incentive with some of the media to keep the bad news going, to keep us tuned in.”

Taking a jab at the governor, Gehrig criticized Hogan for leading his press conferences negatively, despite infection and death rates declining.

“Some of the numbers are encouraging, and it would be nice for the governor to lead with positive messages and hope,” Gehrig said. “… I think the rate of increase for these coronavirus cases have certainly declined, and I think it’s the right time to talk about how we are going to reopen.”

Rather than maintaining business closures and travel bans, Gehrig said those who are considered high risk — typically older people and those with compromised immune systems — and those who are afraid of obtaining the virus should voluntarily isolate themselves.

While the city should provide supplies and necessities to high-risk residents, it was up to them to not contract covid-19, not the city and not other residents or visitors.

“We talk about a disease that really thrives off weakened immune systems, well we should have messaging that shows us all how we can keep our immune systems strong,” Gehrig said. “We are what we eat, we’ve heard that countless times throughout our lives, well it’s time to take that seriously. You have a poor immune system because you have a poor diet — well you may want to change your behavior, and this what this is all about.”

The councilman then compared the pandemic to having a food allergy.

“This is like a peanut allergy right?

If you have a peanut allergy, don’t eat peanut butter, but don’t tell the rest of the world that you can’t make peanut butter and that I can’t make myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” Gehrig said.

Of the council, perhaps most critical of Gehrig was Councilman Dennis Dare.

“Everybody is turning to the last page of the book; we got a lot to go,” Dare said. “If you listened to Gov. Hogan yesterday (April 15) … his message was four steps to recovery, first expanded testing. We’re so far away from that [more testing], it’s frightening.”

Dare mentioned not only the lack of testing, but also the lack of personal protective equipment, the lack

of ventilators and the lack of contact tracing.

“To be able to test all of these people that we’re talking about opening businesses back up — it’s totally premature,” Dare said.

On Monday, April 20, Gehrig repeated his stance — although in a much milder tone — and highlighted the governor’s acquisition of 500,000 covid-19 tests.

“The pieces are thankfully coming into place,” Gehrig said. “Some of our residents do not think we’re going to open, and that’s the challenge … and we’re going to have to have a plan that involves living with covid-19 and what it’s going to take for our highrisk population.”

Gehrig also apologized for his jab at the media, and clarified his statement was made in regards to the national media, and not local news.

Last Wednesday and Friday, Hogan announced four steps necessary to consider gradually reopening the economy: increasing testing capacity, increasing hospital surge capacity, ramping up supply of PPE and creating a robust contact tracing operation.

While the state has seen progress in each category — particularly with the aforementioned half a million testing kits secured from the South Korean government as of last Saturday — Hogan warned that opening the state up too soon would devastate local economies and ruin previous progress made.

Experts, such as Howard Markel, a professor of medicine, history and public health at the University of Michigan, and the man who helped coin the phrase “flatten the curve,” agree.

“In every pandemic, there’s a tug of war,” he said, as reported by Kara Gavin of UofM Lab Blog. “On one See EXPERTS Page 9

APRIL 24, 2020

Experts warn that opening too soon could hurt resort Continued from Page 8 end, there are the economic and business interests, and on the other is the public’s health. We know from history that when citizens become restless and protest to their leaders about lifting these sanctions too early, another rise in cases invariably occurs.

In some places it was worse than the first peak.”

Markel specifically referenced the 1918 pandemic, popularly known as the Spanish Flu, which lasted from January 1918 to December 1920.

In addition to the public health benefits, social distancing and quarantining is also beneficial to the economy.

Research on the 1918 pandemic conducted by Sergio Correia, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Stephan Luck, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and Emil Verner, MIT – Sloan School of Management, found that cities that implemented early and extensive social distancing protocols suffered no adverse economic effects over the medium term.

Furthermore, those with even more aggressive protocols experienced a relative increase in real economic activity, once the pandemic subsided.

Ocean City Today

PAGE 9

Maryland gets 500K covid-19 tests

By Josh Kim Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) Facemasks, a roadmap to recovery and a half-million covid-19 testing kits were key points of Gov. Larry Hogan’s press conferences held April 15, 17 and 20.

“There are some very real reasons for hope and optimism right now and there is clearly a light at the end of this tunnel, but exactly how and when we will get to that light is going to be up to each and every one of us,” Hogan said last Wednesday.

In the spirit of caution, Hogan issued a new executive order last Wednesday, which required everyone to wear a facemask in retail stores and while riding public transit.

The order also directed all retailers to require their employees to wear facemasks, and to implement social distancing practices in stores.

Then, on Friday, State Superintendent Karen Salmon announced schools “Altogether, our evidence implies that it’s the pandemic and the associated spike in mortality that constitute the shock to the economy,” the researchers state. “To the extent that non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) are a means to attack the root of the problem, mortality, [and] they can also save the economy.”

would remain closed until May 15.

Nonetheless, Hogan had good news for citizens, and announced last week that, despite confirmed cases and deaths continuing to climb in the state, the rate of growth had slowed significantly.

Then on Monday, the governor unveiled Operation Enduring Friendship — a nearly Gov. Hogan month-long effort to secure coronavirus testing kits from the South Korean government.

Experts agree that widespread testing is crucial to battling the coronavirus pandemic, but states have struggled to obtain the necessary testing components.

In a White House briefing last week, President Donald Trump said testing was a state concern, and suggested that governors were not doing enough to remedy the issue.

Hogan criticized the president’s remarks during CNN’s “State of the Union” program last week.

“To try to push this off to say that the governors have plenty of testing, and they should just get to work on testing, [that] somehow we aren’t doing our job, is just absolutely false,” Hogan said. “Every governor in America has been pushing and fighting and clawing

to get more tests, not only from the federal government, but from every private lab in America and all across the world.”

Hogan’s hunt for test kits began on March 28, when he asked his wife, first lady Yumi Hogan, to join him on a call with South Korea’s ambassador to the United States Lee Soo Hyuk.

“We made a personal plea, in Korean, asking for their [Korea’s] assistance,” Hogan said. “That call set in motion 22 straight days of vetting, testing, negotiations between our scientists and doctors, eight Maryland state government agencies and our counterparts in Korea. We convened countless calls nearly every night.”

Hogan attributed the success of the operation to his wife, crediting her for the state’s close relationship to the South Korean government.

“Most importantly I want to thank Maryland’s first lady, my wife, Yumi,” Hogan said. “She truly is a champion of this Operation Enduring Freedom … she’s the very first Korean first lady in any state in the history of the United States, and it’s why we have, and we’re so proud to have, such a special bond with South Korea” The test kits, produced by South Korean company Lab Genomics, cost $9 million, which Hogan considered a worthy investment, See SOUTH Page 10

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Ocean City Today

APRIL 24, 2020

Annual firemen’s event will not be in OC this year

South Korean first lady Yumi Hogan key player in deal

By Josh Kim Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) The 128th annual Maryland State Firemen’s Association and Ladies Auxiliary convention and conference will not take place in Ocean City this year because of covid-19.

“Not having the firemen’s convention in Ocean City and the firemen’s parade, which is a staple in June, is terribly disappointing and I know that nobody is more disappointed than they are [the association],” said Jessica Waters, interim Ocean City Tourism Director.

“We’re working with them to hopefully find them a different date, [but] if it’s not this summer, then we’ll be ready Ron Siarnicki to welcome them back with open arms next summer.”

Convention Chairman Ron Siarnicki said the decision was based on the uncertainty of the times.

“We, like so many organizations, are trying to deal with this pandemic, this national emergency, and for us the biggest concerns were what the social distancing requirements were going to be [in June]. Nobody knows for sure” Siarnicki said.

The firemen’s convention has been a staple in Ocean City for more than 70 years, and typically is host to an array of activities, such as a parade, a prayer breakfast, live music, food and draws more than 14,000 people to the resort — making it the worst kind of event to host during a time of self-isolation and social distancing.

In addition to future distancing regulations, Siarnicki said the association took into account the age of attendees, as well as whether participants would be able to afford to travel and book hotels in the resort later in the season.

As of last week, more than 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment because of the coronavirus.

Perhaps most concerning to the association was the potential of an “aftershock” or second wave of the pandemic, as businesses reopen and people flood the city.

“What good would it be to bring all of our leadership and membership together, and then have some type of outbreak? The window is just too tight,” Siarnicki said.

After speaking with local, state and federal health officers and government officials, the association determined it would be best to err on the side of caution and forego a physical gathering at the Ocean City convention center at 40th Street, and move half of the event online.

“Every single national fire service event that was scheduled for the month of June has been canceled,” Sniarcki said. “So we looked at that [national cancelations] and had a come-to-heart discussion about it and said there are

Continued from Page 9 “I believe the cost is about $9 million for these tests. As you know, we announced about a week ago that we potentially might lose $2.8 billion by July 1 in revenue, so $9 million to try keep hundreds-of-thousands of people safe and protect thousands of lives and get our economy back on track — it seems like a pretty worthwhile investment,” Hogan said.

Additionally, the kits placed Maryland at a testing capacity well above the number of tests completed by four of the five most affected states in the country combined.

“After Operation Enduring Friendship, the state of Maryland owes an incredible debt of gratitude to the people of South Korea, gamsahabnida” Hogan said, which means thank you in Korean.

With the test kits secured, the state was well on track of checking off what Hogan called four building blocks necessary for a gradual reopening of the state.

The other blocks include expanding hospital surge capacity, securing more personal protection equipment (PPE) and developing a coronavirus contact tracing program.

With the new kits, Hogan said testing would double from previous projections of up to 10,000 tests a day, to up to 20,000 if not more.

Before Monday’s reveal, Hogan had announced the state had secured 40,000 additional test kits.

The state is also ahead of schedule in securing an additional 6,000 hospital beds, and had secured 1 million additional face shields, 1,000 ICU beds and is expecting this week an additional 4.5 million N95 masks, 290 oxygen concentrators and 252 ICU ventilators.

Good news notwithstanding, Hogan stressed the importance of proceeding with plans to reopen slowly and patiently.

“You could possibly do things in different regions or different parts of the state, but what we don’t want is have one place open, everyone rushes over there and infects that county,” Hogan said on Monday.

The annual Maryland State Firemen’s Association and Ladies Auxiliary convention will go online this summer, as the coronavirus has left event organizers worried over participation and public safety.

certain things that we have to do relative to our bylaws, and that includes elections, memorial service, installation of officers [and] approval of a budget.”

This discussion resulted in a twophase solution.

Phase one would be an online meeting in June that would cover all of the actions that the association must take per its bylaws.

Phase two would occur later in the summer, date to-be-determined, and would be held somewhere in central Maryland if social distancing regulations are relaxed. The location change would make travel less expensive for participants.

“We are looking at something central, but my concern is Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County are the hotspots [for covid-19], [and] most likely they’re

not going to return to some sort of normality and relax social distancing until the very end,” Siarnicki said.

As for the vendors who signed up for this year’s convention, the association will offer a few options.

“We’ve developed a sponsorship for the modified program … if they would like to advertise … but if they choose not to, then we will definitely refund [their] money. They [vendors] have been helping us for years, so if we have to do that [refund], we will do that,” Siarnicki said.

While the resort will not be able to welcome the fire association this year, it will return to Ocean City next year June 19-24, as well as in 2022 from June 1823, Siarnicki said.

To participate in this year’s phase one convention slated for June 20-25, visit mfsa.org.

OC Car and Truck show 2020 called off, won’t come back

By Josh Kim Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) It’s adieu for the Ocean City Car and Truck show, after the coronavirus killed its chances of coming to the resort in 2020 and beyond.

The virus will most likely also affect this year’s Jellyfish Festival schedule as well.

“The decision was really difficult to cancel the OC Car and Truck show — it’s my longest Brad Hoffman running automotive event, and it would’ve been in its 20th anniversary year,” said Brad Hoffman, event founder and Live Wire Media owner.

The annual car show, typically held at the Ocean City convention center at 40th Street, is a car builder and a car culture enthusiast’s fever dream, as it features an array of hot rods, muscle cars, tuners, trucks and exotics.

It is also an opportunity for car en-

thusiasts to win prizes and get special deals on items such as speakers and sound systems.

Furthermore, although the event targets car enthusiasts, it also caters to families and offers activities such as vehicle silhouette coloring, giveaways and photo opportunities.

Nonetheless, as the virus spread and state and local mandates shut down businesses, restricted travel and limited social gatherings, Hoffman said hosting the event in early June would no longer be feasible.

“With everything going on with covid-19, early summer is not going to be a time where you’re going to pull a lot of people together for an event. Not that I don’t think it could happen, I just think it wouldn’t have happened like we would have wanted,” Hoffman said.

More importantly, Hoffman said he wanted to err on the side of caution, and protect the health of participants, spectators, his staff and staff at the Ocean City convention center.

“It was just the right decision,” he

said.

Hoffman said he did not believe the show would return in 2021.

“The show has kind of run its course, and I feel like this would’ve been a great year to go out on its 20th anniversary, but it’s just not going to come together that way,” he said. “[It’s] tough when you run something for 20 years — it’s like your baby.”

Hoffman said all vendors and participants would receive a refund or they could transfer their registration to other Live Wire-sponsored events, such as See JELLYFISH Page 12

APRIL 24, 2020

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APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today

Jellyfish Festival schedule likely to change this year

OCEAN CITY EVENTS CANCELED OR POSTPONED: APRIL:

Continued from Page 10 the Virginia Hot Rod and Custom Car show in the Hampton Roads Convention Center.

Additionally, the Jellyfish Festival — Hoffman’s music and sporting event slated for June 27-28 — will most likely be rescheduled to sometime later this summer or in the fall, he said.

Hoffman said he wanted to thank everyone who has supported the event the past two decades, and especially his wife, Mary Pat, and his daughter, Molly.

While the pandemic has taken several event and marketing victims this summer, Hoffman remained positive and looked forward to future events and the resort’s eventual reopening.

“Ocean City is not going to open up like a light switch, it’s going to open up like a flower,” Hoffman said. “It’s going to come open slowly and gradually, and that’s what I want to keep in my mind.

As Ocean City opens up like a flower, I want to position the event when the flower is fully open and shining in the sun.”

• Spring Restaurant Week (April 19-May 3) — Postponed, date TBD • Wildfowl carving competition (April 24-26) — Canceled • Maryland International Kite Festival (April 24-26) — Canceled • Komen More Than Pink Walk (April 25) — Postponed, date TBD • Pooch Palooza Dog Festival (April 2526) — Postponed, date TBD

MAY: Brad Hoffman, Jellyfish Festival founder and Live Wire Media owner, said he would likely reschedule the live music and sports festival because of the coronavirus.

The annual OC Car and Truck Show will not celebrate its 20th anniversary this year, after founder, Brad Hoffman, who owns Live Wire Media, said the show would be canceled permanently because of the coronavirus.

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• Crab Soup Festival (May 2) — Canceled • Island to Island 5K (May 2) — Canceled • Dance Alley Performance (May 3) — Canceled • Community Health Fair (May 5) — Canceled • Springfest (May 7-10) — Canceled • Spring Family Movie Night (May 9) — Canceled • Jay Leno Show (May 14) — Postponed to Oct. 8 • Cruisin’ Ocean City (May 14-17) — Canceled • Mox Nox (May 22-23) — Postponed to May 28-29, 2021 • Ravens Beach Bash (May 28-30) — Canceled • Council of Baltimore Ravens Roosts convention (May 28-31) — Canceled • OC Sportsman Expo (May 30-31) — Canceled • Play It Safe (May 31 to June 12) — Canceled

JUNE: • OC Air Show (June 13-14) — Postponed to later in the summer, date TBD • OC Car & Truck show (June 13-14) — Canceled • Maryland State Firemen’s Association Annual Convention (June 22-24) — Modified; will take place online at msfa.org on June 22-24, and in centralized location later in the summer, TBD • Maryland State Firemen’s Association Parade (June 24) — Canceled For more event information visit https://oceancitymd.gov/oc/coronavirus-information/ or https://ococean.com/events/all-events

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APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today

PAGE 13

School closures, online learning continues

By Morgan Pilz Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) Worcester County Public School students will have to work online a little longer, following the announcement last Friday by State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Karen Salmon that school closures would be extended to Friday, May 15.

Students will continue their studies through the school’s online management system, Schoology, and use its Continuity of Learning program. Educators and education board members from all over the county have been collaborating to aid these students.

“Beth [Shockley-Lynch], as the president of the Worcester County Teachers Association and Gary McCabe, who serves as the UniServ rep for Worcester County, has stood beside us hand-in-hand and has worked with us in a collaborative fashion to make sure that we have given our kids every opportunity to be successful,” Superintendent of Schools Lou Taylor said during the monthly board of education teleconference.

Taylor also praised the work of the teachers as well as the students and families involved.

“I think it’s important that we all recognize the challenges of the times that we are in,” he said. “I want to extend again my thanks to our entire community for their support of our efforts in this entire process.”

Worcester County Public Schools has been providing online learning for students for more than three weeks now, and boasts a 96 percent attendance rate among its 6,600 students.

For Coordinator of Instruction

Tamara Mills, the online learning has had its challenges, especially for students who have been unable to connect to the internet for their studies.

“It’s not without some speed bumps,” Mills said.

“Because even with a hot spot, a student can still experience delays in downloading materials or blocks to certain websites because of filters that we Tamara Mills have on our system.”

For students and families looking to boost their internet speed and connection, the board has provided several recommendations and sites to help connect to the internet including using the Worcester County Library Wi-fi, accessing Comcast/Xfinity Wi-Fi, setting up a personal hotspot through mobile phones, setting up a Verizon Home Internet Service or logging on through Worcester County Public School WiFi signals (contact your school principal to obtain network access information).

In addition, the school system has given out around 600 hotspots for families of students who were in dire need of internet services.

“Our teachers have really been rock stars through this whole crisis,” She said. “I know teachers that have found creative spots to get connectivity,” she continued. “They’re sitting in their cars in parking lot, working on their computer so they can catch the Internet because theirs at home is so bad.

Some of them are going to work with their [spouses] every day to catch the

BOE approves waiver of final exams amid covid shutdown

By Morgan Pilz Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) Members of the Worcester County Public Schools Board of Education voted on Tuesday to waive final exams following the extended school closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Maryland State Superintendent Dr. Karen Salmon declared last Friday that schools would now be closed until Friday, May 15, amid the growing number of covid-19 cases.

“Due to the mandated closure of our schools and the Continuity of Learning plan that we have developed due to the coronavirus, or covid-19, Worcester County Public Schools would like to waive the final exam for all semester to courses and yearlong courses for the 2019-2020 years in order to maintain equity and fairness for our students,” Annette Wallace, the school system’s chief operating officer and academic officer

for grades 9-12, said.

“We’ve determined it is not in their best interests for these final exams to be administered,” she continued.

“These exams were created with the mindset that our students who face the most challenges would be provided supports prior to the exam and during the exam and an equitable way.”

The recommendation follows the state’s Annette Wallace application for a waiver for assessments and Maryland’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requirements for the current school year.

Wallace told board members that she would keep them updated on the state’s waiver requests. Those requests will ensure waivers for assessments as well as service-learning See CLASS Page 14

Internet at his office because theirs at home doesn’t work. That’s real dedication.

“The most important thing I think they’re doing is they’re checking on their kids,” she continued. “They’re making sure they have what they need, telling them where food distribution sites are and making sure they’re emotionally Lou Taylor secure in this pretty unusual situation. It’s all about our kids and it’s all about our community.”

Mills is especially impressed with how high the connectivity is for Worcester compared to other counties.

“Other counties are not seeing the higher rate that we’re seeing in terms

of students getting in and logging on, so to be in the 90s, I think is extremely successful,” Mills said. “However, we can’t ignore the gaps, because then that’s when we start to have equity issues. We have to keep working and plugging along, making sure that we try to get as close to 100 percent.”

In situations where hotspots and internet connections simply aren’t possible, the individual schools have been providing printed copies of the materials. These materials will have to be kept by the students, as the schools have been advised not to accept any work back until schools are reopened.

In the event that schools don’t reopen this spring, Mills said arrangements will be made to have the school materials mailed to be graded.

PAGE 14

APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today

Stephen Decatur seniors create Instagram page

Class of 2020 will have ceremonies, Taylor promises

By Morgan Pilz Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) The Worcester County Public Schools Board of Education and graduating seniors are both working to make the best of a difficult situation now that Maryland schools will be closed until at least mid-May. Last Friday, State Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon announced public schools would remain closed through May 15 and that state and local school officials were actively preparing for a number of scenarios depending on when educators and students will be able to re-enter school buildings.

For high school seniors, however, the ongoing school closure highlights the uncertainties surrounding graduation and many end-of-year activities.

On Tuesday evening, Superintendent of Schools Lou Taylor announced his plans via a YouTube video to form a committee to address commencement ceremonies and help recognize Worcester County graduating seniors.

“As a former high school principal, the spring always brought a sense of excitement and joy,” Taylor said during the YouTube message. “I was able to wall the halls and see seniors excitedly sharing news of scholarships, college acceptance and future plans.

“I know this year is not the same for you,” he continued. “It’s not the same for any of us. I know many of you feel cheated or robbed of what should be one of the most joyous times of your young life. We certainly share that disappointment.”

The message was sent out in particular for the senior class of Pocomoke, Snow Hill and Stephen Decatur high schools and Cedar Chapel Special School.

“As a class, you will get a direct hand in how we approach the celebration of your accomplishments,” he continued. “With that committee, we will be looking to you, our seniors, through surveys and direct representation from your class leaders, to help us shape your graduating experience through these very difficult times.

“You deserve a graduation sur-

Continued from Page 13 requirements.

Superintendent of Schools Lou Taylor said during the meeting he was proud of how teachers, students and parents have been handling the situation.

“I want to say thank you to everyone for being supportive of our outstanding Worcester County Public School system,” he said. “I certainly hope that our community will join us on social media to celebrate our very, very hardworking teachers and the incredible amount of work they are doing.”

He also promised to provide a celebration for the graduating class of 2020.

Late Tuesday evening, Taylor shared a message for seniors about his plans to form a countywide graduation committee for the graduates.

“I know this year is not the same for you,” Taylor said in the YouTube message. “It’s not the same for any of us. I know many of you feel cheated or robbed of what should be one of the most joyous times of your young life. We certainly share that disappointment.

“As a class, you will get a direct hand in how we approach the celebration of your accomplishments,” he continued.

Taylor mentioned in the video that he was forming a special committee to prepare a graduation ceremony.

“With that committee, we will be looking to you, our seniors, through surveys and direct representation from your class leaders, to help us shape your graduating experience through these very difficult times,” Taylor said.

For more information about online learning or to contact Worcester County Public Schools, visit http://worcesterk12.org/home or the Worcester County Public Schools MD Facebook page.

PHOTO COURTESY MARY BERQUIST

Stephen Decatur seniors post photos and their plans for the future after graduation on the school’s Instagram page created just for the class of 2020.

rounded by your family and friends and every bit of the pomp and circumstance that comes with it,” he continued. “That being said, it is my promise to you that we will hold commencement ceremonies as soon as time will safely allow.

Until then, know that we are all here for you, and I look forward to designing our next steps moving forward with you. I hope to see you very soon.”

Some students have taken the initiative to keep looking to the positive side of the situation.

Stephen Decatur High School has created the Instagram account @sdhsseniors2020 dedicated to the graduates.

The school’s Facebook page features photos of seniors with their universities of choice for next fall.

Stephen Decatur Public Relations Liaison Mary Berquist said the idea stemmed from conversations with the senior class officers, National Honor Society officers and Principal Tom Sites.

“We’re looking for ways to recognize our seniors because it really is their time to shine,” Berquist said. “After speaking with a lot of seniors through conferences or other means, I found

PHOTO COURTESY MARY BERQUIST

Faculty members at Stephen Decatur High School in Berlin lit up the scoreboard to depict the current graduation date, May 27, and the year 2020 in support of the graduating class.

that our seniors are really tenacious.

They’re really resolved to move on.

“I think that we’ve taken for granted all the rites of passage in years past,” she continued. “These things are just kind of staples of our society and all of a sudden, they come into question.”

The Instagram account was created last Friday, and dozens of the 295 students expected to gradate this year have already posted their photos and plans for after graduation in the fall, whether it’s attending college, going straight to work or plans for travel.

The idea was a group effort, 2020 Class President Max Ewancio said.

“One of my friends, another senior [Alexa Upperman], found the idea from another high school on Instagram and brought it up to me, and then I went through Mrs. Berquist and we sort of collaborated and worked together to get it set up,” he said.

The Instagram page is a way for the students to remain close, he added.

“None of us can see each other or anything like that during these times,” Ewancio said. “So, I felt it was important to have some sort of connection between us so everyone still knows we’re all in this together.”

According to Ewancio, the page has received new photos from around five to 25 students a day since it first opened last Friday.

“Most people are sending us stuff about what their intended major is and where they’re going to college,” he said. “And if they don’t plan on going to college just yet, some people say they’re going into the Marines or some other military branch, or going right into the workforce, and some students [plan to] have a gap year. So, we sort of just incorporate all those ideas and then everyone gets their own individual post with all the information that they want everyone know about on there.”

Administrators and teachers are looking for other ways to celebrate the school’s 295 seniors. For instance, staff has lit the school’s scoreboard with the commencement date, May 27, and the graduation year, 2020.

“I think that we’re looking for alternate ways to celebrate a kind of capstone in their lives,” Berquist said.

“And we didn’t want them to think that they’ve been forgotten or that they’re just a victim in all of this … I don’t think that they think like that. But, we wanted to make sure that there’s a lot that the seniors have to celebrate.

They’ve accomplished a lot through academics, sports service and Stephen Decatur High School really strives to recognize all the positive things for all of our seniors.”

APRIL 24, 2020

PAGE 15

Ocean City Today

BikeFest still as scheduled, will evaluate options in July

By Elizabeth Bonin Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) Though numerous spring and summer events for Ocean City have been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, the outlook for fall events remains solid, according to the organizer of one of the resort’s most lucrative gatherings.

BikeFest organizer Chase Micheal said the annual motorcycle rally is still scheduled from Sept. 17-20.

He said they will reevaluate the situation in July, but for now, there’s no reason for the coronavirus to affect BikeFest.

“There’s so many factors that will go into that,” Micheal said. “If we got to mid- to late summer, being a midSeptember event, that would give us plenty of time to potentially look at other options.”

He added that the event will have added sanitary measures, such as more handwashing stations to make sure everyone feels safe.

Although Eventbrite, the event management and ticket website that BikeFest uses, is not allowing event coordinators to use the ticket sales money this year to finance the run-up

to the event, Micheal said it’s a good move for that company and is not affecting BikeFest advertising.

“They have helped us grow our event so much,” Micheal said. “The reason that they’re doing what they’re doing— it’s protecting themselves and the events that had to cancel in the early spring.”

He said Eventbrite’s coronavirusrelated policy allows consumers to receive a refund if an event is cancelled.

As for BikeFest, the ticket sales were up for about three weeks before Eventbrite’s announcement.

“This year was going to be a major shift in advertising anyway,” Micheal said. “We decided in January and February that we were going to direct a lot of our funds through social media and we do a lot of that through Eventbrite.”

The ticket sales so far have far outpaced past years, Michaels said, with about 50 percent of tickets sold already.

“We’ve had really great early support, as far as ticket sales go,” Micheal said.

The general single day tickets for Saturday have sold out, as well as the

BikeFest, the annual motorcycle rally in Ocean City, is still scheduled for Sept. 17-20, despite numerous cancellations of spring and summer events.

VIP. The three-day VIP tickets are also sold out.

Ticket prices are: three-day (Thursday through Saturday) event pass, $130; Thursday only, $50; Friday only, $50; VIP Thursday only, $200; VIP Friday only, $225; Children 15 and under get in for $30.

VIP ticket holders will have access to a private bar, viewing area, seating and a catered meal. They will also receive drink passes and merchandise.

Activities will also take place at the Ocean City convention center on 40th

Street, but no tickets are required.

George Thorogood and The Destroyers and Kid Rock will perform on Thursday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m.

Foghat and Billy Idol will perform on Friday, Sept. 18 at 5:30 and 8: p.m., respectively. Joan Jett & The Blackharts and Kid Rock will perform Saturday, Sept. 19, at 5:30 and 8 p.m., respectively.

All the above concerts will take place at the Ocean City inlet parking lot. For information and tickets, go to ocbikefest.com.

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PAGE 16

APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today

OC Tourism shifts gears with new messaging Council gives OK to city’s next marketing campaign following closed session

By Josh Kim Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) Following the success of the Happy Place campaign, Ocean City Council on Monday approved a new marketing strategy — the Open Arms campaign.

“We don’t believe that it’s going to be like a light switch is turned on and everything is back to normal,” said Jessica Waters, Ocean City interim tourism director. “We think that just like they phased things out, they’re going to phase things back in, and by ‘they’ I mean the state of Maryland and the federal government.”

As of early March, the Tourism Department has been working with MGH, the city’s advertising agency, to devise new marketing campaigns that considered the effects of the pandemic.

“We had a new fun family campaign, and we were running ads in new outer markets that we were really excited about, but it certainly didn’t match the tone of what was happen-

ing not only in Maryland, but in all of our surrounding states. So we instantly stopped that campaign,” Waters said.

Nonetheless, city officials wanted to remain present in the minds of its visitors, so the tourism department devised the Happy Place campaign.

“We got that out really fast and I’m really proud of how that turned out,” Waters said. “We got a lot of really incredible feedback.”

The campaign focused on reminding Jessica Waters viewers that Ocean City was their happy place, but with the current crisis the city wanted them to stay home, be safe and remember the resort would still be there when times were normal once more.

In one email to City Hall, a Pennsylvania resident lauded the ad campaign for giving his family hope.

“This coming July will be the 34th year our family is going to spend a week at the Castle In the Sands. My wife has been going for over 40 years.

The commercial gives hope that we may be back to normal by then,” the

visitor wrote. “We see the aerial view of Ocean City, the Boardwalk and beaches, and my heart starts to race.

This is always the highlight of our summer. When we pass Washington D.C., I can start smelling the ocean water. It brings a smile to our whole family. We now started the tradition of our first granddaughter joining us … Again, thanks for the commercial because it gives us all the hope we need, especially during these hard times.”

The Happy Place campaign went on air and on social media roughly three weeks ago, but Waters said the tourism department and MGH immediately began working on a follow-up marketing strategy.

“The Happy Place [campaign] was kind of like a place holder, and we knew it wasn’t going to be a forever campaign … and it was really supposed to match the stay home orders that everybody was under at the time,” Waters said.

The next big question was how would the resort reopen, and what message should the city send to its guests?

“That was challenging because there are a lot of unknowns right now

about what that’s [reopening] going to look like, when that’s going to happen. So what we did was come up with a couple of different phases,” Waters said.

The Open Arms campaign involves three commercials that will “embrace” visitors back into the resort, as restrictions slowly ease.

“The first one is going to be when things start to get a little bit back to normal,” Waters said. “We called it Open Arms, when we’re beginning to welcome people back … but also identifying what the last couple of months have been and that we missed them.

The other two, they’re meant to be authentic and resonate with people.”

The overall theme is happiness and positivity, and the idea that, despite losing time in Ocean City this year, the resort will always be here and ready for visitors when it is safe to venture outside again.

“It’s been hard to be a tourist destination and tell people not to come here,” Waters said. “What we tried to do in these three commercials is let people know that we’re ready, we’re open, we’re here and it’s time to start making memories in the place people love, which is Ocean City.”

Unemployment filings begin to slow down Worcester has 4,468 total applications in one month, 664 for week of April 5-11

By Elizabeth Bonin Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) Unemployment filings in Worcester County may have leveled off some in mid-April, but the 664 people who did file the week ending on April 11 brought the total filings since March 7 to 4,468. The week ending on April 4 saw 1,355 unemployment filings in the county.

Although Worcester’s numbers are but a small percentage of the state’s total filings for that period, the contrast between filings locally before the coronavirus and it shut down the economy is just as stark. Before the coronavirus pandemic struck, the county’s unemployment filings were only in the 30s at the beginning of March.

The number of state filings also dropped the first time in a little over a month at 61,770 for the week ending

April 11. The state’s highest number of applicants in a single week was 108,508 filings for the week ending on April 4.

The Maryland Department of Labor has only released the total number of unemployed persons for the month of February for each county – Worcester had 2,453 unemployed people in that month.

The state had a total of 113,156 unemployed people for March, but those numbers have not been broken down by county yet. This is a decrease from February, which had 116,012 unemployed Marylanders.

These numbers will more than likely see a spike for April, as the coronavirus pandemic has put millions across the country out of work.

While some restaurants have chosen to close, others remain open for carry out and delivery. According to the Restaurant Association of Maryland, nearly 150,000 restaurant workers in the state are unemployed and 40 percent of restaurants are out of busi-

ness.

Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan made an emergency declaration on April 7 for hotels to terminate shortterm rental reservations for the rest of the month and to not accept new reservations. Fewer than 10 hotels in Ocean City are open and those that remain open are only serving essential workers.

In turn, the Worcester County Commissioners declared that all non-essential short-term rentals in unincorporated Worcester County should cancel reservations until Gov. Larry Hogan’s stay-at-home order is lifted. There is no deadline on the mandate.

Hotels are doing a mix of paying their nonworking employees, paying them a reduced salary and laying off workers. Some hotels that are open are hiring more, as the essential workers are being streamlined to a limited number of lodgings that are working with a skeleton staff.

Since the Ocean City beach and

Boardwalk are closed through April 30, that brings in less traffic for the essential businesses that remain open, causing them to lose money and workers.

Under the federal CARES Act, unemployment benefits now include an additional $600 and 13 more weeks of benefits than Maryland’s typical 26 weeks. The benefit amounts are calculated based on the income received over the past 18 months. The search for work requirement has been temporarily waived.

The deadline to enroll with the Maryland Health Benefits Exchange, the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, was set to end mid-April, but has been extended until June 15 so those who have lost their employer-based insurance due to the coronavirus can apply for health insurance.

Today, the Maryland Department of Labor will launch a “one-stop shop” for all Marylanders to apply for unemployment benefits online, including independent contractors and the self-employed.

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APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today

PAGE 17

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Ocean City Today

APRIL 24, 2020

After his plan to throw a huge celebration for his mother’s 90th birthday fell through, Mark Wagner sought the assistance of the Ocean City government, who helped him organize a special parade for his mother, Toni, on Tuesday morning. (Below) Carroll, left, and Toni Wagner were stunned to see a huge line of city officials and employees drive by their home on Tuesday to celebrate her birthday.

JOSH KIM/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Ocean City local celebrates 90th birthday with parade

By Josh Kim Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) To Mark Wagner, his mother’s 90th birthday party meant more than just another celebration — it was an opportunity to show people that covid-19 or not, love and life move forward.

“I had to do something for my mom just to show her how people and I love her,” Mark said. “I couldn’t let the birthday just be [another] birthday.”

Originally, Mark wanted to throw his mother a huge birthday party with close friends and family to celebrate nine decades of life, but then the pandemic hit full force in Maryland.

After canceling the big party, Mark said he was sitting on his couch at his home in Westover when suddenly, he had an idea — if he couldn’t throw his mother a party, he would give her a parade, instead.

“I tended a bar in Ocean City from 1975 to basically the late ’80s, I know the mayor, he sat at my bar, I know the head of the Public Works Department, I know a lot of people because when I was here in the ’70s, the [resort] stopped at 45th Street — it was a tight community at that time,” Mark said.

Mark called City Hall and asked Lauren Davis, city legislative office coordinator, if his parade idea would be

possible, and said Davis was enthusiastic and began organizing the event right away.

“In difficult times, it’s heartwarming to see the community come together to share a happy moment,” Davis said. “When I reached out to the various city departments and city officials, they were all eager to help and show up. Everything fell into place for Ms. Wagner’s big day.”

Despite getting the OK from the city, Mark said his expectations were humble, and he had expected, five vehicles total.

By 10:45 a.m., 141st Street was slammed from Coastal Highway to Barge Road with patrol, garbage, fire and rescue vehicles, as well as cars and trucks of family and friends who had traveled to join.

At 11 a.m., patrol vehicle after ambulance after fire truck slowly made its way through the narrow confines of Barge Road, and the area was filled with honks and shouts of “happy birthday,” as Toni and her husband, Carroll, stood on their porch mouths agape.

“I feel like a celebrity,” Toni said.

Once the long line of vehicles ended, four public works employees, standing six-feet apart, sang the tradiSee SON Page 19

JOSH KIM/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Staff from the Ocean City Department of Public Works participated in a drive-thru birthday parade for resident Toni Wagner, who turned 90 on Tuesday.

APRIL 24, 2020

PAGE 19

Ocean City Today

Son who organized parade hopes brings cheer to OC Continued from Page 18 tional birthday tune to Ms. Wagner.

“She’s an Italian mother — she loves you beyond control and everybody too, she never has a bad word about anyone,” Mark said.

Beyond celebrating his mother’s life, Mark said he had another motive for the parade.

“As far as I’m concern, you break your leg, you’re not going to complain about it for three, five months, you

deal with it,” he said.

People should adapt to the lockdown and communicate and express their love for one another in new ways, rather than letting the virus beat them down, he said.

“I just hope that this helps people get through this [pandemic] and it warms their heart to where they connect, and they realize where we are and what we need to do to stay close and loving and caring,” Mark said.

County asks for voluntary compliance on rental rules

By Elizabeth Bonin Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) Although the Worcester County Commissioners have restricted short-term rentals to essential only for unincorporated Worcester County, it will not be monitoring for compliance, according to Ed Tudor, director of review and permitting.

This restriction was implemented on April 1 to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus.

It will be in place until Gov. Larry Hogan’s Ed Tudor stay-at-home order is lifted. So far, there has been no deadline set.

The county’s emergency declaration defines essential lodgers as “healthcare professionals and/or first responders, patients and patients’ families, law enforcement, national guard members, state or federal government employees, journalists, other responding to covid-19, full-time residents of Worcester County, who, for any reason, are temporarily unable to reside in their primary residential home; or persons who must vacate their homes due to exigent circumstances, such as fire or flood, persons sheltering in hotels due to domestic violence, or hotel

employees, service providers, contractors, and individuals who own or are employed by a business organization not closed by Hogan’s order.”

County administration said that it is seeking voluntary compliance and enforcement is complaint driven.

“Enforcement would be by citation, authorized by the governor’s stay-athome order,” the administration said in a statement.

Tudor said that the applications for the county’s first year of a rental program have slowed, but continue to come in for all types of rentals, not just short-term.

“I’m sure this is due to all the uncertainty with what will happen,” Tudor said. “People don’t want to spend the money now if they don’t have to.”

As of April 16, the department of review and permitting has received 189 total applications and has issued 167 licenses. Of the applications, 96 are for long-term, 77 are for short-term, seven are for mobile home parks, seven are for hotel, motel, campground, one is for roomers/boarders and one is four bed and breakfast establishments.

The county said it could not predict if the coronavirus pandemic might cause fewer residents in unincorporated Worcester County to rent out their home.

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APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today

POLICE/COURTS

Domestic violence Police arrested Oludare Michael Decou, 32, of Ocean City after accusing him of assaulting his girlfriend.

On April 13, around 3:30 p.m., police were dispatched to an uptown property.

There, police met with a woman who said she and Decou, who had left prior to police arrival, had been arguing and it turned physical.

Police reported that the woman’s lower lip was red, swollen and had been bleeding, and that she also had abrasions on the left side of her neck.

As police spoke with the woman, Decou drove by the area, and an officer pursued him and pulled him over near 142nd Street.

Decou told police that he and his girlfriend had been arguing, and that he might have hit her, but that she also kicked his face.

Decou did have a small red mark on the inside of his lower lip, police reported.

He also allegedly told police that he grabbed his girlfriend’s sweatshirt during the altercation.

Police arrested Decou for seconddegree assault.

Burglary Matthew Steven Webb, 20, of Nanison Farms, Delaware faces 14 charges after police responded to a stolen vehicle call on Monday, April 13.

At around 7:36 a.m., police were dispatched to a midtown hotel after being told that the Elkton Police Department had received a stolen vehicle report from the driver of a Herr’s potato chip truck and that the truck’s wireless tracker was “pinging” in the resort.

Police found the truck at the hotel, and piled next to it were boxes of the snacks, a blue couch, white bed sheets, hotel keys, a hotel employee card and lanyard, a hotel luggage dolly and multiple hotel bar beverage coupons.

A hotel maintenance supervisor told police that several items inside the hotel were out of place, and that no one else was supposed to be inside the hotel. Police also reported

hearing power tools once inside the hotel.

Police found Webb on the third floor of the hotel, where he hid inside one of the rooms.

A Worcester County Sheriff’s Office K9 unit responded to the area and assisted in finding Webb, who then fled from the hotel.

After a brief chase, police reported apprehending and arresting Webb.

Webb told police that on Sunday, April 12, he had stolen the Herr’s truck from Elkton, and drove it to Ocean City to the hotel, breaking into one of the ground level units.

He remained in the hotel for roughly 12 hours, gathering items from the hotel and putting it into the truck, as well as damaging the interior of several rooms in the hotel.

He also attempted to break into an ATM, a coin changer machine, a vending machine and stole the hotel’s safe.

Webb faces one second-degree burglary charge, two fourth-degree burglary charges, and several other theft and malicious destruction of property charges.

JOSH KIM/OCEAN CITY TODAY

CABLE WORK Verizon completes cabling work associated with the Department of Public Works campus project on 65th Street, this week.

ACT Native Plant Sale goes online (April 24, 2020) Assateague Coastal Trust will offer its 21st annual Native Plant Sale, but this year, all orders must be placed online.

Orders will be accepted until April 28 and will be available for individual pickup at the ACT office on Saturday, May 2.

Visit ACT’s online Plant Sale store at www.ActForBays.org/plant-sale to check out some of the favorites from

years past, plus new varieties of peppers, tomatoes, succulents, and native sun and shade plants.

To protect the health of the community and maintain the social distance protocol, ACT will notify individuals of the receipt of their order and arrange for a time of pickup on May 2.

Orders will be available for pickup during specified times at the ACT of-

fice at 9842 Main Street in Berlin.

For more information, visit www.ACTforBays.org/plant-sale.

The Assateague Coastal Trust’s mission is to promote and encourage the protection of the health, productivity, and sustainability of the coastal bays watershed of Delmarva through advocacy, education and conservation. Visit www.ACTforBays.org.

Man arrested for allegedly hitting, strangling partner

By Josh Kim Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) Larry Allen White, Jr., 39, of Ocean City faces two assault charges after he was accused of strangling and hitting his girlfriend.

On April 17, around 11:44 a.m., police were dispatched to a downtown apartment for a report of a domestic assault and met with the alleged victim. Police said the woman had blood on her mouth, a red scratch on Larry White Jr. her left arm, was bleeding from her right thumb and had red marks on her neck.

She told police that she and White had been arguing, because he had demanded she transfer money to her credit car account.

She told police that she said she would, but wanted to have a coffee and a cigarette, first.

This apparently angered White, who reportedly threatened to hurt the victim, and proceeded to smack her face and strangle her to the point she blacked out, the police report stated.

When she regained consciousness, she told White to leave the residence, and when he left she locked the door, police reported.

Nonetheless, she told police White returned and banged on the door, yelling to let him in, and when she did not open the door he grabbed a patio chair and broke the window to gain entry.

Inside, White threatened to throw out all of the food, and when the victim tried to stop him he pushed her away and then punched her in the mouth.

She told White to leave once more, but he grabbed her and threw her to the floor.

As she fell, she hit her arm on the dresser, which caused the scratch mark police had noted before.

While she was on the floor, she told police White punched her in the mouth again, and took her phone away to prevent her from calling the police.

He eventually left, which is when the victim called police, the court document stated. Throughout the police interview, White continuously called Vega’s phone, telling her he would kill himself.

He eventually told her to tell police to meet him at a gas station in West Ocean City, but reportedly lied about his location to “test” the victim’s loyalty.

Police later found White near a rental unit downtown and arrested him.

He faces two assault charges, firstand second-degree, as well as charges for reckless endangerment and obstructing and hindering arrest.

He was also served a fugitive warrant for violating parole for a previous corruption of minors and interference with custody of children charge.

APRIL 24, 2020

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Ocean City Today

Legislature rules out May special session

By Elizabeth Bonin Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) Gov. Larry Hogan has until May 7 to decide what to do about the 681 legislative bills on his desk. He can sign, veto, or allow them to become law without his signature.

Some of the bills were pushed through more quickly than usual after the General Assembly adjourned early on March 18 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Although legislative leaders signaled they might reconvene in mid or late May, they announced on Monday that there will be no such special ses-

sion.

The bill process has taken a backseat because of Hogan’s focus on mitigating the spread of the coronavirus in Maryland and serving as chairman of the National Governors Sen. M. Carozza Association.

Two bills, the Blueprint for America’s Future and the special event zone legislation, would greatly affect Ocean City and Worcester County.

The Blueprint for America’s Future proposes a multi-billion-dollar revamp of Maryland’s public education funding based on the recommendations of the Kirwan Commission. Some of the highlights of the Wayne Hartman ambitious package are free preschool for 3and-4-year-olds living at 300 percent below the poverty level, a pay raise for teachers, college- and career-readiness standards, vocational education and al-

located funding for counties.

Worcester County would have to make the largest financial contribution of all the Maryland counties.

Delegate Wayne Hartman (R-38 C) said he was optimistic that Hogan would veto the expensive bill, especially since the coronavirus could have a projected $2.8 billion effect on the state economy. “$2.8 billion is not even enough to pay for a year of Kirwan, so you can imagine what it would take to fund Kirwan,” Hartman said “To this day, there’s See KIRWAN Page 22

410-289-1283

410-289-1283

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APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today

Ocean City airport to receive $30K in emergency funds

Kirwan likely to be vetoed or passed without signature

By Elizabeth Bonin Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) The Ocean City Municipal Airport was awarded $30,000 in an emergency federal grant from the Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program in response to the coronavirus pandemic. This funding was a part of the CARES Act that the United States Congress passed to financially aid businesses and communities.

The CARES Act allocated $10 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration and of that, Maryland’s First Congressional District received a total of $18.3 million.

Jaime Giandomenico, Ocean City airport manager, said that the airport will decide how to use the grant after discussions with the Public Works Department works, management and Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan and City Council.

“We’re viewing this as an ongoing challenge,” Giandomenico said. “What the horizon looks like today might change if it goes the distance and draws out.”

He added that in terms of assistance, the airport is well run.

“When there’s a contraction in demand, we cut back on staff and adapt to it,” Giandomenico said. “The airport gets a contribution from the town general fund every year and it’s getting smaller as time goes on.”

He said that for airport sponsors, this grant can make a big difference and it can soften the economic blow.

With all travel being restricted to essential only, the Ocean City airport is adjusting to all the state and city guidelines, such as proper social distancing, according to Giandomenico. The larger effect of restricted travel won’t be clear until the summer.

“A little perspective will be helpful,” Giandomenico said. “We should be seeing that ramp up as we get in the tourist season.”

He said the airport will be ready to serve when restrictions are lifted.

Continued from Page 21 no funding that would address Kirwan as it was passed.”

Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-38) said she knew Hogan would not sign Kirwan and that he would likely veto legislation with a high price tag. She emphasized that she voted against Kirwan because of the lack of local control and it did not address teacher authority in the classroom.

“On top of it, you have covid-19 and its impact not only on the health of Marylanders, but also we know the huge state budget impact estimated to be up to a $3 billion loss in state revenues,” Carozza said. “This just underscores the fact that Marylanders cannot afford the Kirwan recommendations.”

She noted that although there was a “safety valve” added to the Kirwan bill that would limit state education funding increases if the state revenues dropped by 7.5 percent in a given year, but that still might not be sufficient.

“It may not provide the fiscal control that you need given the impact of covid19,” Carozza said.

If legislators need to override a veto, they could reconvene later in the year, but Carozza believes the General Assembly won’t return until the January 2021 session.

Meanwhile, the exhibition driving bill seems likely to pass. In response to the annual H2Oi car rally, the bill would prohibit exhibition driving and increase maximum fines and imprisonable actions.

“I believe that because it’s a local, public safety bill that does not have a high price tag, that it would be signed into law,” Carozza said.

Other bills that could have a great impact is a tax on digital download and streaming and another on cigarettes and vaping. Hartman said he hopes Hogan vetoes both bills, which would add about $2 billion to the state on taxes.

“I don’t believe in new taxes and feel that right now with self-quarantine and people having a lack of money, that any additional hardship - it’s not the time for it,” Hartman said.

JOSH KIM/OCEAN CITY TODAY

The 104 Dorchester Street property is getting a major facelift and is being converted into seasonal employee housing for the 2021 summer season.

Property converted into J-1, seasonal employee housing

By Josh Kim Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) J-1 students may expect some new housing options next year, as a building on 104 Dorchester St. gets a major facelift.

“We bought the property about two years ago, in May 2018,” property owner Ellen Klouvas said.

“We own the building next to it, 106 Dorchester, and we thought it Glenn Irwin would be a good opportunity to buy the property next to it.”

Klouvas said the property, originally built in the 1920s, was in shambles — the interior was falling apart and the plumbing and electricity were nonfunctional.

“For me, I didn’t think it was a place where students should stay,” Klouvas said. “We’re knocking down the backside, we’re adding more bedrooms and we’re changing everything in the inside.”

The inside of the property will be gutted and renovated to make space for

55 beds, air conditioning and heating units, as well as a bike parking space.

Construction, which will be handled

by APEX Construction, will take place over the year and the building is slated to be open to students by summer 2021.

The Ocean City Development Corporation (OCDC) will help fund the project, with $25,000 from its new Development and Assistance Program, and $5,000 from its façade program.

The former program provides grants toward projects that provide a significant investment in building new and/or renovating existing employee housing units in the downtown area.

Glenn Irwin, Development Corporation executive director, said rates for the housing would be determined closer to the building’s opening date of summer 2021.

“We need to give them [J-1 students] a nice place to stay,” Klouvas said.

“Without them [J-1 students] you really don’t have people to work. It’s really important to give them back the same appreciation and have them live somewhere that is beautiful. I see it as give a little, and maybe get back more.”

APRIL 24, 2020

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Ocean City Today

Webinars help guide small business owners In wake of covid-19, TASC and Ocean City Chamber of Commerce seek to educate

By Josh Kim Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) With the passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) on March 18, employers must make sure that they are following two new corresponding acts: the Emergency Family Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) and the expansion of Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA), effective April 1 to Dec. 31, 2020.

If they don’t, employers could lose thousands, if not millions, of dollars in penalties.

“There was a recent lawsuit in Chicago and the employee … received $14.5 million in awards from the employer and $400,00 each against a supervisor and manager’s personal assets for violating that employee’s rights,” said Carolyn McNairy, TASC Compliance Services vice president of sales, during a series of webinars sponsored by the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce.

The FFCRA requires employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave specifically related to covid-19.

All public sector employers, regard-

less of the number of employees, and all private sector employers with fewer than 500 employees are subject to the acts.

There are exceptions for employers with less than 50 employees.

If the employee is attempting to take care of a child whose school or day care provider are closed because of covid19, then an employer may be exempt from the EFMLEA. However, paid sick leave exemption is a bit more stringent, and in order to be exempt, employers with less Carolyn McNairy than 50 employees must check off the following: one, paid leave would cause business expenses and financial obligations to exceed revenue; two, the absence of workers requesting FFCRA would entail a “substantial risk” to the company’s well being or ability to operate because of that employee’s specialized skills, knowledge of the business or responsibilities; three, there are not enough qualified workers available to do the work at minimal capacity.

Nonetheless, if the employees is taking care of themselves due to quarantine, due to recommendation of a medical provider for illness related to covid-19, or caring for a family member

for the same, then no private sector or public sector with less than 500 employees can be exempt from the EPSLA. For an employee to qualify for EFMLEA, he or she must have been employed for at least 30 calendar days, unable to work or telework, or must stay at home to care for a child whose school or day care provider closed due to covid-19.

EPSLA qualifications are much less stringent — an employee must not be able to work or telework, with no minimum employment requirement and no set conditions of leave.

Under the EFMLEA expansion, the first 10 days of leave are unpaid, but an employee may elect to use accrued vacation, sick or paid-time-off.

After the 10-day period, the employee must be paid at least two-thirds of his or her regular rate of pay, McNairy said.

The EPSLA requires employers to pay their employees full pay for two weeks, meaning 80 hours for full-time employees, and the equivalent of twoweeks work for part-time employees.

However, if the employee took the sick leave to take care of a family member they would be paid two-thirds of their normal pay for two weeks.

Employees may use both EFMLEA and EPSLA leave congruently, McNairy said.

The Department of Labor has granted employers a 30-day grace period until May 2, to comply, but only if they have acted reasonably and in good faith to comply with the FFCRA. Good faith means that violations were not willful and were remedied.

Employers must also send a letter to the Department of Labor expressing their commitment in complying with the acts in the future.

Furthermore, employers must also place a notice of employees’ FFCRA rights, either in a common area, mailed/emailed to employees or posted on the company’s website.

Although this all may seem daunting for employers, McNairy reminded them that if they diligently document everything, they could be eligible for tax credits to recuperate money spent on the paid leave.

In order to do so, employers must have written requests from their employees that contains their name, date/dates for leave, statement of covid-19 reason for leave, statement that they are unable to work or telework.

If the leave is based on a government-mandated quarantine, the form must have the name of the government entity ordering the quarantine, name of health care provider advising self-quarantine and if the employee is taking See EMPLOYERS Page 24

REAL ESTATE MARKETPLACE SO CLOSE TO THE BEACH 13323 ATLANTIC BLVD

MONTEGO BAY COMMUNITY 13323 CONSTITUTIONAL AVE

WOW so close to the BEACH you can walk. Put this one on your list to see while you are in OC. Bright & cheery 3BR/2BA w/huge living room, formal dining room, modern kitchen w/tile counter top, Farm style sink, Electric range w/self-cleaning oven, frost free refrigerator with ice maker & laminate flooring in the kitchen, dining room, hallway & BAs. Both BAs have been updated w/new sinks, toilets & plumbing. Large family room.

Enjoy relaxing on the patio after a day at the beach or pool. Located close to busline, restaurants/bar and indoor & outdoor miniature golf course. Community amenities include 3-pools (including a wading pool for the little ones), 2-tennis courts, 2-shuffleboard courts, 9-hole miniature golf course, Bayfront boardwalk w/3-fishing piers, canal front fishing & crabbing area, 8-acre wildlife sanctuary/pond with a 1/2 mile walking path 5-acre open park & street lighting (lamppost at every property). Additional amenities include city streets & sidewalks, city water & sewer & city trash collection. The HOA dues are just $299 year. $234,500

This 4BR/1.5BA is located in the sought after community of Montego Bay in quiet North O.C. on a 40 x 90 lot. This home has been very well maintained, is move-in ready and is being sold fully furnished.

Conveniently located within walking distance to everything you need... shopping, dining, bus stop, the beach and Ocean City's beautiful Northside Park.

Community features 2 inground pools, 2 tennis courts, 2 shuffleboard courts, a 9 hole mini-golf course, an 8 acre wildlife sanctuary with a pond and blacktop walking trail, a bayfront boardwalk with 3 fishing/crabbing piers, and more...all for only $299.00/yr HOA fee. Don't miss out on this one, call today! $224,900

Larry Holdren Real Estate, Inc©

Larry Holdren Real Estate, Inc©

13901 Coastal Hwy., Suite 8, Ocean City, MD

13901 Coastal Hwy., Suite 8, Ocean City, MD

For More Information Call 800-252-2223 • 410-250-2700

For More Information Call 800-252-2223 • 410-250-2700

www.larryholdrenrealestate.com • email: ocmdhre@gmail.com

www.larryholdrenrealestate.com • email: ocmdhre@gmail.com

WATERFRONT

DIRECT OCEANFRONT

Build your dream home or live in this 3 bed/ 1-1/2 bath mobile home that is in great condition...just needs a little TLC! Short walk to the beach, the pool, shopping, dining, the bus stop, and Ocean City's beautiful 58 acre Northside Park. Property has a dock and a newer vinyl replacement bulkhead already in place.

Home features an updated kitchen, washer & dryer, jack & jill bath, and a Silvertop Awning covering the patio area. Community offers 2 in-ground swimming pools, 2 tennis courts, a shuffleboard court, a 9 hole mini-golf course, a wildlife sanctuary/park area, a large pond with blacktop walking/jogging trail, and a bayfront boardwalk with 3 fishing/crabbing piers...all for a low $299.00/year HOA fee. $249,900

Call Bill Rothstein

800-745-5988 • 443-280-2530 108 S. Ocean Drive • Ocean City, MD

13013 ATLANTIC BOULEVARD

`Beautifully maintained 1BR/1.5BA condo on 138th Street in North Ocean City & within walking distance to city busline, restaurants/bars, amusements & MD/DE stateline. Features covered oceanfront balcony with hurricane shutters, fully equipped kitchen with newer refrigerator & new garbage disposal, half bath in the bedroom, drywall interior, a ceramic tile shower surround & stack washer & dryer. Building has been well maintained & features an elevator, basement for owner's storage & off-street parking. New roof was installed in the fall of 2018. The unit is being sold fully furnished. $236,000

Montego Bay Realty

Call Michael “Montego Mike” Grimes

montegobayrealty@aol.com www.montegobayrealty.com

108 S. Ocean Drive • Ocean City, MD

800-745-5988 • 410-250-3020

13800 WIGHT STREET UNIT 202

Montego Bay Realty Montegomike@verizon.net www.montegobayrealty.com

PAGE 24

Ocean City Today

BIT holding virtual silent auction

By Morgan Pilz Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) The Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation cannot accept any families at its respite housing locations at this time, but the organization is still working to help provide comfort and care for those with sick children.

Ever since Gov. Larry Hogan made the decision to close all non-essential businesses as a result of covid-19 (coronavirus), many nonprofit organizations, like Believe in Tomorrow, have been forced to close their doors.

However, this has not stopped the headquarters based in Baltimore from doing its part to assist families making trips to Johns Hopkins Hospital.

“All of the beach and mountain facilities are closed, but we’ve kept our [Johns] Hopkins facility, hospital housing and residential facilities open,” Believe in Tomorrow CEO Brian Morrison said. “That’s really the area we’re most concerned about because those families are undergoing treatment.”

Immunocompromised children and their families who typically utilize these facilities are some of the most at risk when it comes to the novel coronavirus, which is why all but the original facility have been closed.

“This is probably the most stressful situation they’ll ever be in,” he continued. “Our goal is to try to get them to relax.”

In fact, according to Morrison, around half of the 16 families currently housed at the Baltimore location are from the Eastern Shore, with many coming from Worcester, Wicomico and Dorchester counties.

Morrison is especially looking forward to reopening the beach facilities

once the restrictions have been lifted.

“I know our families are eager to get to the beach, so we just need to make sure that when we open it back up, we’re taking the precautions that we need to take,” he said.

“If I were a parent with a critically ill child, I would be very desirous, once the program opens back Wayne Littleton up, to get away, particularly in an environment that you can breathe clean air.”

Wayne Littleton, respite coordinator for Believe in Tomorrow’s Ocean City locations, has decided to provide aid those families by holding a virtual silent auction.

Littleton is promoting just under 40 sports-themed memorabilia to raise funds for the organization. The funds will also help offset the loss from having to reschedule the 19th annual Gala by the Sea, which can generate up to $50,000 a year.

The respite house will be expecting families by the beginning of the summer, amid the coronavirus concerns, which Littleton hopes will be reduced to lingering social distancing so the visitors can enjoy themselves.

“Even if we do social distancing in the summertime, we’re going to reevaluate our cookouts or activities that we do with our children,” he said. “If they have to be more spread out, they can. We’re gonna make every one of our families feel very comfortable. I don’t want anybody to come here and be worried because they’re around everybody.”

The auction will offer items from just about every type of sport, excluding, regrettably Littleton said, Ravens memorabilia.

Some of the items include a signed team logo football from the San Diego Chargers, signatures from several athletes of both professional and university sports, a basketball signed

by Jerry Smith, a signed poster of the “Fonz” played by Henry Winkler, a photo signed by the U.S. hockey from the 1980 Winter Olympics, and items signed by baseball players.

The silent auction items will be previewed on the Believe in Tomorrow Facebook page and website on Friday, April 24. Bidding will be open to the public from Monday, April 27, starting at 8:30 a.m. to Monday, May 4, closing that morning.

“We’re just looking for different ways to try to offset the loss of the gala a little bit,” he said. “It takes a lot of money to run the place, so now I’m just trying to think outside the box a little bit, trying to generate some funds and prepare for the summer.”

For more information about the silent auction, call Littleton at 410723-2842.

The coronavirus has impacted the organization in more ways than just closing the facilities and postponing the Gala by the Sea, it has also delayed the construction of its latest respite facility on 65th Street, which had originally been planned to begin construction this month. Morrison and Littleton both expect the project to not be completed until 2021.

Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation provides hospital and respite housing services to critically ill children and their families. Since 1982, Believe in Tomorrow has provided over 900,000 individual overnight accommodations, from every state in the U.S. and more than 82 countries worldwide.

The Believe in Tomorrow facility

APRIL 24, 2020

Employers must carefully follow leave guidelines Continued from Page 23 care of a quarantined family member that person’s name and relationship must be written down.

For childcare leave, a statement must include name and age of employee’s child, name of their school or place of care, representation that no other person will care provide care for the child, the employee’s inability to work/telework and if the child is over 14 then a statement of special circumstance requiring care during the day.

For more information from TASC, visit https://tasccapitalconnection.com For more information on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, visit https://www.congress.gov/bill/ 116th-congress/house-bill/6201/text.

For a list of covid-19 resources, visit https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus.

For free business consultation related to covid-19, email Mountain Entities at ontop@mountainentities.com.

on 66th Street in Ocean City is open year-round to provide a free getaway to the beach for critically ill children and their families whenever they may need to escape the stresses of their child’s illness.

Each of the four condos feature kid-friendly décor and paintings with at least two bedrooms, a full bathroom, a fully-stocked kitchen, living and dining room areas.

Families can also vacation at the Believe in Tomorrow House in Fenwick Island and House by the Bay on 28th Street.

Learn more about Believe in Tomorrow at http://believeintomorrow.org.

REAL ESTATE REPORT

Transactions still possible despite covid-19

By Lauren Bunting Contributing Writer (April 24, 2020) As a result of covid19 and the necessary “shelter in place” ordinances, local courthouse and county offices are closed to the public.

Buyers and sellers of real estate faced some uncertainty regarding whether they can close transactions when this began in March, but Worcester County has taken many steps to ensure that closings can continue without a hitch.

In accordance with the Administrative Order signed on March 13, limiting public access to and operations of courts in Maryland, the Circuit Court

for Worcester County was closed to the public except in emergency circumstances or as specified by the administrative judge.

This began on Monday, March 16 and runs through Friday, June 5.

While the office of the Clerk of Court and the Register of Wills is closed to the public, drop boxes have been placed at the Washington Street entrance of the Circuit Court to allow local title companies and settlement attorney’s offices to deliver real estate documents for recordation.

To exercise the utmost caution for the county employees, documents dropped off sit for 24 hours before being processed by staff in the clerk’s office.

Also, since 2017, an electronic filing

system called Simplifile has been in place.

This e-system is being more widely utilized since covid-19 closures were put into effect, and it is available for simple real estate transactions.

Some transactions would not be allowed to use this “e-recording” option, such as non-resident transfer transactions where the seller lives out of the state of Maryland.

“I’d like to offer a big kudos to all of my staff through this transition,” said Susan Braniecki, Clerk of Court for Worcester County. “At first, we didn’t know what we were bracing for because we’ve always been open to the public. And, with the need to downsize to essential personnel, but keeping up with not much reduction in our work-

flow, everyone has stepped up to the plate and handled the pressure very well.”

The Clerk’s office records documents in books, and each book currently contains around 500 pages. The books include documents such as deeds, deeds of trust, certificates of satisfaction, etc.

Prior to covid-19, the Clerk’s office would record about three books per week.

Here is a breakdown of its monthly volume this year: January, 1,426; February, 1,227; March, 1,313; April 1-April 16, 618.

– Lauren Bunting is a licensed Associate Broker with Atlantic Shores Sotheby’s International Realty in Ocean City.

APRIL 24, 2020

PAGE 25

Ocean City Today

CITY COUNCIL BRIEFS

By Josh Kim Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) The following took place on Monday, April 20, during the Ocean City Council meeting:

Ordinance The council passed on first reading an ordinance to adopt amendments to the city’s codebook, chapter 10, buildings and building regulations.

If passed on second reading, the city will formally adopt the 2018 International Code Council Building Codes, with local amendments.

The adoption of the international codes is standard procedure for the resort, Planning Director Bill Neville said pre-

viously, and is done in three-year cycles.

Consent agenda The council approved the consent agenda, which includes minutes from meetings that took place in April and March, and a slew of private events, such as the Woodson Elementary School band performance slated for Friday, May 29, and the Ambridge Area High School’s Steel Drum band performance on June 17, both of which will be held at the end of Somerset Street plaza, as well as addendums for the Best Day Foundation, June 27-28, and the Sand Duels Beach Soccer, June 6-7.

Before a final vote took place, however, Councilman Mark Paddack re-

quested that the council waive the event fees for the two school events, which costs $87.50 each.

Several council members opposed the request, stating that the fee had been created after several years of debate to create a fair special events protocol, and waiving the fees would set a precedent.

Paddack withdrew his request, and the council voted unanimously to approve the two events.

Tourism For meeting minutes of the latest Ocean City Tourism Commission meeting that took place on April 13, visit http://weblink.ocgov.org/Weblink/0/ doc/259199/Page1.aspx

WORCESTER COUNTY COMMISSIONER BRIEFS

By Elizabeth Bonin Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) The Worcester County Commissioners held a short meeting on Tuesday, April 21 via Zoom.

Fair Housing Month The commissioners recognized April as Fair Housing Month.

The month is a time to educate renters, buyers and the public that everyone has the right to buy a home, homeowner’s insurance and rent an apartment without discrimination, as the Fair Hous-

ing Act states.

Under this act, renters with disabilities may request accommodations such as a service dog or special parking.

“Open, welcoming communities are vibrant and provides residents of all backgrounds with access to quality schools and increased opportunities for self-sufficiency and economic growth,” said Harold Higgins, chief administrative officer.

Budget hearing The Worcester County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the pro-

posed FY21 budget on Tuesday, May 5 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

A link will be sent out for the public to view the livestream as well as to submit comments. Members of the public can also email the county their comments.

Each public comment will be limited to two minutes. The deadline to submit comments is Monday, May 4 at 4 p.m.

The budget, revised to reflect estimated financial loss due to the coronavirus pandemic, projects the revenue will be about $205 billion with budget requests topping that by around $270,000. The budget is due by July 1.

Wor. Emergency Services seeks PPE donations (April 24, 2020) Worcester County Emergency Services is collecting donations of unopened personal protective equipment (PPE).

PPE needs include, but are not limited to, N-95 masks, surgical masks, powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs), impermeable gowns, medical gloves, hand sanitizer, eye protection, flip-down grinding/splash shields, and cleaning supplies/disinfectants.

“Donated PPEs are welcome at this time and will be distributed directly to our public safety personnel working on the front line of this crisis, including emergency medical services, fire, and the jail,” said Faith Coleman of Worcester County Government. “Please be sure the items are unopened.”

Two options are available for donating PPEs. Items may be deposited in drop-off boxes in the first floor atrium at the Worcester County Government Center, which is located at 1 W. Market Street in Snow Hill. Also, WCES personnel will be available to pick up donated items.

For more information or to make a donation, contact Coleman by email at fcoleman@co.worcester.md.us or by phone at 410-632-1194 or 443783-0735.

R e a c h Yo u r C u s t o m e r s O n l i n e O n O u r N e w

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PAGE 26

APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today

WORCESTER COUNTY NOTICE OF A PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE The Board of County Commissioners of Worcester County proposes to increase real property taxes.

1. For the tax year beginning July 1, 2020, the estimated real property assessable base will increase by 2.1% from $15,734,438,820 to $16,061,877,029.

2. If Worcester County maintains the current tax rate of $0.845 per $100 of assessment, real property tax revenues will increase by 2.1% resulting in $2,766,853 of new real property tax revenues.

3. In order to fully offset the effect of increasing assessments, the real property tax rate should be reduced to $0.8278, the constant yield tax rate.

4. The County is considering not reducing its real property tax rate enough to fully offset increasing assessments. The County proposes to adopt a real property tax rate of $0.845 per $100 of assessment. This tax rate is 2.1% higher than the constant yield tax rate and will generate $2,766,853 in additional real property tax revenues.

A public hearing on the proposed real property tax rate increase will be held at 7:00 P.M., on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at the Worcester County Government Center, One West Market Street, Room 1103, Snow Hill, Maryland 21863.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in lieu of public appearance, the meeting will be held remotely via video teleconference. If you would like to speak at this public hearing you must register in advance at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_R7VZcb CZRwqWickNDZKfVw. The meeting will also be streamed live on the County website at https://worcestercountymd.swagit.com/live.

The hearing is open to the public and public testimony is encouraged. Participants who join the video/audio conference will be enabled to speak by the meeting chair. Speakers will be allowed to address the County Commissioners for up to two (2) minutes. Public Comment may also be submitted in advance by email at wchearing@co.worcester.md.us or in writing received on or before 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on Monday, May 4, 2020 in the County Commissioners’ Office at Room 1103 Government Center, One West Market Street, Snow Hill, MD 21863.

All commenters must identify themselves by their full name and address to be included in the public record. Written comments received by the deadline will be read into the record by Worcester County staff during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Persons with questions or wanting additional information regarding this hearing may call (410) 632-1194.

HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, reach out to someone who can help take some tasks off of your shoulders and help lighten your load.

Realize you don’t have to do everything yourself.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, you might not be able to balance your budget this week, but you can still create a big picture analysis of where you want to be financially in the weeks ahead.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Your confidence and power of persuasion are elevated this week, Gemini.

Any self-doubt will disappear so you can focus on things you want to accomplish.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, you are erecting a protective shell around yourself. There doesn’t seem to be any conflict on the horizon, so let your guard down and let others in.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 You have a strong magnetic force about you this week, Leo. If you are looking for love and romance, now may be the time to attract someone new or reignite a preexisting spark.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, you may not have realized that you have been hibernating away, but it is time to greet the world again.

Focus on invites to any and all social events.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, this is a good week to put into practice the “work smarter not harder” mantra. Figure out what needs to get done and then put the people best suited to the jobs on it.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 It has been some time since you’ve let your hair down and had a good time, Scorpio. Push responsibilities aside for the time being and throw caution to the wind with friends.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 You may need to clear the air with someone close to you, Sagittarius. Try to figure out a good time to have a heart-to-heart discussion in the next few days.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Focus on the people who lift your spirits, Capricorn. These people can help you get through tough times and reinspire the self-confidence that has made you such a success to date.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 The spotlight is on your finances, Aquarius. Looks for ways to grow your savings so you can achieve some of your goals. It may take a few months to see real progress.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 It is time to update your brand, Pisces. That means reinventing yourself. Refresh your résumé and revamp your wardrobe.

APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today

PAGE 27

JOSH KIM/OCEAN CITY TODAY

Public Works Director Hal Adkins said his department was ramping up its workload to prepare the resort for its eventual reopening. One project completed ahead of schedule was the Whiteside vehicle depot at South First Street, which was converted into a municipal parking lot.

Public Works turning lemons into lemonade

By Josh Kim Staff Writer (April 24, 2020) Making the best of a bad situation, the Ocean City Department of Public Works has been tackling a string of projects it typically is unable to tend to in order to keep the resort sparkling clean and ready to go post covid-19.

“The Department of Public Works met weeks ago when incremental shut downs started to be mandated, and we openly discussed how to turn these adverse times into an opportunity of productivity,” Public Works

Director Hal Adkins said.

Employees of the department are considered essential, and practicing the appropriate social distancing and social gathering guidelines, the department has completed or nearly completed an enormous number of tasks.

These include 28th Street sidewalk work and paving, sidewalk replacements at 118th to 130th streets, conversion of the old Whiteside lot on South First Street to a municipal parking lot, sewer line cleaning and lining in the Caine Woods area, an-

nual Boardwalk redecking, power washing facilities, street striping, yellow and red curb painting, water tower painting and miscellaneous jobs, such as fixing sidewalk cracks and faded street signs.

“Though the town had to unfortunately cancel Springfest, we in the Department of Public Works are redirecting the labor force that normally supports such an event, by redirecting them to complete core municipal duties and obligations that we have typically, and annually, been unable to address while heading into the

summer season, due to our overall workload,” Adkins said.

The department’s goal is to make the resort shine for its residents, property owners and visitors, and Adkins said virus or not, his department would uphold this duty until the city’s eventual reopening.

“This town will eventually reopen, our visitors will eventually return and the Department of Public works will be ready to silently welcome them [visitors] with open arms by building memorable experiences, one day at a time,” he said.

PAGE 28

Ocean City Today

APRIL 24, 2020

WORLD WAR II

Introducing Vittorio Veneto

By Sam Ghaleb Contributing Writer (April 24, 2020) Eighty years ago, today, the modern Italian battleship, Vittorio Veneto, was commissioned into the Regia Marina just in time for Italy’s entry into World War II. She was named after the decisive Italian victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, during World War I. The Vittorio Veneto was the first Italian battleship to exceed the restrictions set by the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. Its sister ships were the Littorio and Roma, and they were all designed in response to the French Dunkerque-class battleships.

Their displacement was much larger than the French battleships, had a much heavier main battery — 15-inch vs. 13-inch — and much heavier secondary batteries — 6-inch vs.

5.3-inch. What is more important, they were much better built, and their anti-aircraft guns were far superior to the ones on the French battleships.

When Italy entered the war in June 1940, the Regia Marina faced the Royal Navy’s Mediterranean fleet. The British fleet was basically stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean, with its main base at Alexandria, Egypt. The Royal Navy entered World War II with five R-class and five Queen Elizabethclass battleships, built during World War I. These battleships were modified in the 1930s, had a main battery of 15inch guns of World War I vintage, and improved anti-aircraft armament.

Their speed however, was 21-23 knots, much less than that of Vittorio Veneto.

In the 1920s, the Royal Navy acquired two battleships of the Nelson-class.

They were armed with three turrets each with three 16-inch guns and a top speed of 23 knots, which made them much slower than the Vittorio Veneto.

Just before the start of World War II, the Royal Navy started acquiring the new and modern battleships of the King George V class. Five of them were built during the war, although none served in the Mediterranean Sea. The main advantage that the Royal Navy had over its Italian counterpart was modern radar, and fairly accurate and effective intelligence. Also, the Royal Navy had plenty of oil, while the Regia Marina had to operate with a crippling shortage.

The Vittorio Veneto was 780.1 feet in overall length, had a beam of 107.7 feet and a draft of 31 feet. She was designed with a standard displacement of 41,377 tons, a violation of the 35,000-ton restriction of the Washington Naval Treaty. At full combat loading, she displaced 45,962 tons.

The ship was powered by four geared steam turbines rated at 128,000 shaft horsepower. The steam for the turbines was provided by eight oil-fired boilers. The engines provided

a top speed of 30 knots and a range of British con4,500 miles at 18 knots. voy.

In that regard, she had a much Unknown shorter range than contemporary to the Italians, U.S., British or German battleships. Admiral AnThe Vittorio Veneto had a crew of drew Browne 1,830 to 1,950 over the course of her Cunningham career, which was rather small com- (“ABC”) sorpared to the equivalent US South tied with alDakota-class or the German Bis- most his marck-class battleships. e n t i r e Vittorio Veneto’s main armament M e d i t e r consisted of nine 15-inch 50-caliber ranean fleet: Model 1934 guns in three triple tur- the aircraft Italian Battleship Vittorio Veneto firing main batteries rets, two of which were placed for- carrier HMS ward, with the third located aft. Her Formidable; secondary anti-surface armament the battleships HMS Barham, HMS The British submarine fired a spread consisted of 12 6-inch/55 caliber Warspite, HMS Valiant; seven light of three torpedoes, but only one hit the Model 1934 guns in four triple turrets cruisers; and 17 destroyers.

Vittorio Veneto, which tore a 43-footplaced at the corners of the superDue to failure in intelligence, the long hole and flooded the battleship structure.

Vittorio Veneto nearly fell victim to with 2,200 tons of water, causing the The Vittorio Veneto was equipped the British guns and aircraft. The Ital- Italian battleship to list 3.5 degrees to with an anti-aircraft battery that con- ian ship suffered damage when she the port side. The Vittorio Veneto was sisted of 12 3.5-inch/50 caliber Model was torpedoed by an aircraft launched able to steam back to Taranto for re1938 guns in single mounts, 20 by the carrier HMS Formidable, and pairs, which lasted until early 1942.

37mm/54 caliber guns in eight twin returned to Taranto for repairs. She On June 14, 1942, the Vittorio and four single mounts, and 16 was out of commission for five Veneto sortied with her sister ship the 20mm/65 guns in eight twin mounts. months.

Littorio, four cruisers and 12 destroyA further 12 20mm guns in twin The Italian task force ended up los- ers to intercept a British convoy to mounts were installed in 1942. ing three heavy cruisers, two destroy- Malta that sailed from Alexandria Unlike any of the older Italian bat- ers sunk, and one destroyer heavily (“Operation Vigorous”). This engagetleships, she an received EC-3 radar damaged. More than 2,300 Italian ment resulted in no losses. set in August 1941, and an updated sailors were killed and 1,015 were capThe ship was badly damaged by version in April 1942. These radar sets tured by the British.

USAAF, bombers that raided Le were much less effective than the The British fleet suffered light dam- Spezia on June 5, 1943. An American radars that were installed on the age to four of its light cruisers, one tor- bomb penetrated through the ship British battleships. To complete the pedo plane was shot down, and three and exploded under the hull causing array of armament, the Vittorio men killed. This was a decisive naval very serious structural damage.

Veneto was equipped with a catapult victory for the Royal Navy.

After the Italian surrender in Sepand three reconnaissance float planes.

In June 1942, the Vittorio Veneto tember 1943, the Vittorio Veneto was The Vittorio Veneto, with the bat- participated in a battle alongside her taken by the British and sent to the tleship Giulio Cesare, six cruisers and sister, the Littorio, where the presence Suez Canal in Egypt. Taken as repara14 destroyers sortied from Taranto, on of the Italian battleships scared off an tions, she was originally slated to be Nov. 26, 1940 and attempted to inter- important British convoy sailing to used against the southern coast of cept a British convoy heading to Alexandria, Egypt.

France and then in the Pacific against Malta. The Italian force engaged the The Vittorio Veneto was torpedoed Japan, but these plans were not impleBritish force that was escorting the by the British submarine HMS Urge in mented. She was scrapped in 1948. convoy, which was composed of the the straits of Messina, on Dec. 14 1941.

Next week: Invasion of France aircraft carrier Ark Royal, the battleship Ramillies, the battle cruiser Renown, and a cruiser squadron.

The Vittorio Veneto, during the battle that ensued, which was known as “Battle of Cape Spartivento” (known in Italy as the “Battle of Cape Teulada”), drove off the British Cruiser Squadron. The Vittorio Veneto fired 19 rounds from her 15-inch guns, and these were enough for the British cruisers to take notice.

They left at high speed under the cover of smoke.

On March 27-29, 1941, the Vittorio Veneto participated in the Battle of Cape Matapan, the most decisive naval engagement in the Mediterranean Sea during the ELIZABETH BONIN/OCEAN CITY TODAY war. In this battle, Vice-Admiral Angelo Iachino’s task force, cen- PICKUP ON 4/20 tered on the Vittorio Veneto, six Cars are lined out to Route 50 for Positive Energy, the medical marijuana dispensary on Jerry Mack Road heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, in West Ocean City on Monday, April 20. An employee said that although the store sometimes has long and 17 destroyers, hunted for a lines, this one took upwards of an hour and a half to get through.

APRIL 24, 2020

PAGE 29

Ocean City Today

WORCESTER COUNTY

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FY 2021 OPERATING BUDGETS The Worcester County Commissioners will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budgets for the Agencies and Departments which are funded by the Worcester County Commissioners. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in lieu of public appearance, the meeting will be held remotely via video teleconference. If you would like to speak at this public hearing you must register in advance at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_R7VZcbCZRwqWickNDZKfVw . Participants who join the video/audio conference will be enabled to speak by the meeting chair. Speakers will be allowed to address the County Commissioners for up to two (2) minutes. Public Comment may also be submitted in advance by email at wchearing@co.worcester.md.us or in writing received on or before 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on Monday, May 4, 2020 in the County Commissioners Office at Room 1103 Government Center, One West Market Street, Snow Hill, MD 21863.

The meeting will be streamed live on the County website https://worcestercountymd.swagit.com/live at: 7:00 P.M., Tuesday, May 5, 2020 General Fund requested expenditures consolidated on March 17, 2020 exceeded available revenues (based upon current tax rates) by $11,326,214. Due to COVID-19, revisions to revenues and expenditures have been reduced in anticipation of economic forecasts which now amends the shortfall to $272,504. This difference must be reconciled by the County Commissioners either through reductions in expenditures or increases in taxes, fees and/or use of Budget Stabilization Funds. Copies of the requested and revised budgets are available for public inspection on the Worcester County website at www.co.worcester.md.us.

GENERAL FUND ESTIMATED REVENUES

Property Taxes

Requested Budget

Covid-19 Revised

Requested Budget

Covid-19 Revised

$ 145,059,221

$ 145,059,221

Licenses & Permits

2,506,182

2,506,182

Income Taxes

30,000,000

26,500,000

Charges for Services

6,558,570

6,558,570

Other Local Taxes

13,781,000

13,781,000

Fines & Forfeits

52,700

52,700

1,811,823

1,811,823

1,500,000

850,000

369,957

369,957

440,561

440,561

5,354,372

5,266,872

2,497,400

2,497,400

TOTAL ESTIMATED REQUESTED & REVISED REVENUES $ 209,931,786

$ 205,694,286

State Shared Federal Grants State Grants

Interest Misc/Sale of Assets/& Other Transfers In – Casino/Local Impact Grant Funds

GENERAL FUND ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES Requested Budget

Covid-19 Revised

$ 98,529,334 12,494,881

$ 94,611,239 12,494,881

477,315

302,315

Circuit Court

1,286,419

1,283,919

Commission On Aging

1,505,778

1,450,878

980,197

983,367

Debt Service (less Education Debt)

1,440,788

1,440,788

Development Review & Permitting

1,872,260

1,787,703

Board of Education: Operating Expenses Debt Payments to be paid on behalf Boat Landings

County Administration

Requested Budget

Covid-19 Revised

Library

2,826,767

2,669,521

Maintenance

1,278,217

1,053,342

Mosquito Control

223,830

189,405

Natural Resources

521,254

521,254

28,294

27,800

2,690,284

2,451,284

730,745

589,787

2,003,395

1,826,205

663,852

607,152

1,798,342

1,646,232

85,001

75,000

972,486

839,886

Orphan's Court Other General Government Other General Government:

Economic Development

(State Dept. of Assessment Operating Exp)

448,471

395,738

Elections

1,057,341

1,054,533

Parks Public Works Administration

Emergency Services

3,350,706

3,020,315

Recreation

Environmental Programs

1,548,032

1,423,749

Recreation & Culture

Extension Office

206,697

206,697

Recycling

Fire Marshal

551,353

516,664

Roads

4,441,199

3,496,753

Grants to Towns

7,242,640

5,986,250

Sheriff

8,827,604

7,455,700

Health Department

5,683,797

5,683,797

Social Service Groups

841,368

675,078

Homeowner Convenience Centers

797,716

687,716

State’s Attorney

1,482,633

1,484,463

Human Resources

471,341

435,691

Taxes Shared w/ Towns

2,645,257

2,345,257

Information Technology

522,436

522,386

Tourism

1,331,527

1,264,727

23,916,877

21,584,483

Treasurer

1,224,778

1,163,841

756,945

0

Vol. Fire Co. & Ambulance Co.

9,418,369

7,861,124

9,663,352

9,431,748

Wor-Wic Community College

2,418,122

2,418,122

Insurance & Benefits: (Includes OPEB-all employees) Interfund Jail

TOTAL REQUESTED & REVISED EXPENDITURES $ 221,258,000 $ 205,966,790

PAGE 30

Ocean City Today

APRIL 24, 2020

OBITUARIES MARY ANN MILLER Berlin Mary Ann Miller, age 79, died on Friday, April 10, 2020, at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin.

Born in Cumberland, Maryland, she was the daughter of the late Robert F. and Alice Hoban Rodda.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, of over 50 Mary Miller years, Adolph V. Miller, Jr., and son, Robert F. Miller.

Surviving, is her daughter, Carolyn M. Cragway and her husband, Dr. Roy Cragway, of Berlin, and daughter-inlaw, Diane Reynolds Miller, of Oklahoma.

There are two grandchildren, Brandon Krieger and Alexis Miller; two stepgrandchildren, Kyle Long and Jennifer Long Blankly; and four great-grandchildren.

Also surviving, is her sister, Alice Greensfelder and her husband, Dick, of Baltimore, and many nieces and nephews; sister-in-law, Margie Sunderland of North Carolina; and brother-inlaw, Len Miller of Sparks, Maryland.

Mrs. Miller was a graduate of Kenwood High School in Baltimore.

In her younger years she enjoyed reading, bowling and was a member of a card club. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, who loved her family most of all.

Cremation followed her death. Interment will follow at a later date in the Maryland Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery in Hurlock.

A donation in her memory may be made to: Alzheimers Association, 1850 York Rd, Timonium, Maryland 21093.

Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com.

Arrangements are in the care of the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin.

NADINE SUE EFIRD Selbyville Nadine Sue Efird, age 65, of Selbyville, died Wednesday, April 8, 2020, at home.

She was born in Takoma Park, Maryland, and was the daughter of the late Joseph and Florence Simpson.

She retired as a customer service representative for Verizon.

She is survived by her husband, Earle Efird, of Selbyville; a step-son, David E. Efird, of Selbyville, and a step-daughter, Elaine Rorby of Inwood, West Virginia; a brother, Mark Simpson of Tennessee; five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

No services will be held. Condolences may be sent by visiting www.bishophastingsfh.com.

LOIS LOHMEYER Ocean Pines Lois Lohmeyer, of Ocean Pines, Maryland, passed away peacefully at Atlantic General Hospital on April 14, 2020, at the age of 89.

A 35-year resident of Ocean Pines, Lois was a neighborhood fixture whose long walks and ready smile touched the lives of her neighbors near and far.

Lois Lohmeyer Having retired to the area with the love of her life, her late husband Kenneth Vaughn Lohmeyer, Kenny and Lois found a true home among the welcoming embrace of the Pines community, and spent many happy years there in a house built just for them.

The daughter of John and Margaret McCloskey, Lois was the eldest of five children, and was something of a second mother to her youngest siblings.

Coming of age in the shadow of World War II, she spent her teen years in Europe with her family following her father’s US Army postings, graduating from high school in Heidelberg, Ger-

many.

Lois maintained close ties with her brothers and sister throughout her life, and always treasured their time together.

She is predeceased by her brothers, Dennis R. McCloskey of Virginia Beach, and A. Joseph McCloskey of Orlando, Florida.

Lois enjoyed an independent and quiet life, taking pleasure in the simplest and best things; the fellowship of her friends and family, the companionship of pets and the satisfaction of doing and providing for herself when and where she was able.

In recent years as her health declined, Lois took solace in her orderly home life. Her friends and neighbors made this independence possible, becoming for Lois an extended family of ‘guardian angels’ that she could always rely upon for safety, support and love.

Lois is survived by her two sons, Kenneth Vaughn Lohmeyer Jr. of Post Falls, Idaho, and Jeffrey Allen Lohmeyer of St Petersburg, Florida, as well as her brother, John McCloskey and his wife, Patricia, of Boca Raton, and her sister, Catherine Ward of Baltimore, together with many nieces and nephews.

Lois knew the blessings of four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, Alexa Martinek, her husband, Adam, and their son, Daniel of Spokane, Washington; Alastair Lohmeyer and partner, Cassie Jones, of Tacoma; Giles Lohmeyer, his wife, Gaby, and their daughter, Camille, also of Tacoma; and Issy LaVe and husband, Louis, of Post Falls, Idaho.

A funeral service will be announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in her memory may be made to: The American Lung Association of Maryland, 211 E. Lombard St. Baltimore, Maryland 21202, or to Coastal Hospice, P.O. Box 1733, Salisbury, Maryland 21804. Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com.

CAROLYN HARTYE DORMAN Ocean Pines Carolyn “Carol” Hartye Dorman was born in the Bronx, New York, to parents Col. Robert and Helen Hartye (US Army retired) on June 16, 1945.

She died peacefully on April 20, 2020, at Coastal Hospice at the Lake.

As a proud Army brat, Carol and her Carolyn Dorman family were stationed in Japan, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and France.

She attended Orleans American High School, where she met the love of her life, Charlie “Chuck” Dorman.

He was one of those GI’s your mama told you to stay away from, ha-ha.

Upon returning to the states, she and Charlie were married on Feb. 14, 1964, in Catonsville, Maryland. They lived there for 23 years.

Carol worked at Baltimore Federal Savings & Loan in Baltimore City. In 1986, Charlie was transferred to the Naval Facility at Wallops Island as director of Public Works and they moved to Ocean Pines.

Carol’s favorite past times were reading and singing with the Pine Tones Chorus. She joined that group in 1986 and considered the members her extended family.

She particularly enjoyed singing at the nursing homes, which was part of the Pine Tones’ commitment.

Carol was currently a member of the Rotary Club of Snow Hill, the Worcester County Arts Council, Ocean City/Berlin Optimist Club and Furnace Town Museum.

She was also a past-president of the Ocean Pines Woman’s Club, Ocean City/Berlin Optimist Club, Gamma Lota Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi and the Worcester County Arts Council.

She was currently serving as vice president of the Ocean City/Berlin Optimist Club.

She is survived by her best friend and loving husband of 56 years, Charlie; her sister and her husband, Connie and Dean Merrell, of Minnesota; her sisterin-law, Lisa Hartye, of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; her sister-in-law, Maxine Brisbane, of Ocean Pines, Maryland; and her wonderful nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents, Bob and Helen Hartye; her brothers, Bob Jr. and Michael; her in-laws, Charles and Helen Dorman; and nephew, Steven Hocheder.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Snow Hill Rotary Club Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1, Snow Hill, Maryland 21863, and/or the Ocean City/Berlin Optimist Club Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1403, Ocean Pines, Maryland 21811.

Arrangements are in the care of Holloway Funeral Home P.A., 501 Snow Hill Rd., Salisbury, Maryland 21804. To send condolences to the family please visit www.hollowayfh.com.

APRIL 24, 2020

Art League hosts annual Manga & Anime Youth show (April 24, 2020) The Art League of Ocean City invites students to participate in the annual Manga & Anime Youth Art Show.

The exhibit, which normally opens at the Ocean City Center for the Arts on 94th Street, will move online this year, and entries are being accepted digitally by Monday, April 27 at 4 p.m. The show will premiere on the Art League’s website on First Friday, May 1 at 5 p.m.

The show is open to elementary, middle, high school and college students.

All media is accepted – handdrawn, computer-generated, craft, etc. – but entries must be submitted digitally as jpeg files. There is no cost to enter. Full entry guidelines are available at www.ArtLeagueOfOceanCity.org.

Anime is a style of animation originating in Japan characterized by stark colorful graphics depicting vibrant characters in action-filled plots often with fantastic or futuristic themes.

The Art League developed this show to promote creativity among students outside formal art programs and to increase community awareness of Anime as an art form.

Brad Hudson, professor at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, will judge the show and award $500 in cash prizes sponsored by Art League President John Sisson.

Students should e-mail jpeg files by the deadline of April 27 at 4 p.m. to gallery manager Katie Brown at katie@artleagueofoceancity.org along with the following information: name, age, grade, school, artwork title, and medium.

More information is available at www.artleagueofoceancity.

The Art League of Ocean City is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the visual arts to the community through education, exhibits, scholarship, programs and community art projects.

Financial support comes primarily through membership dues from individuals and corporate sponsors.

Funding for exhibits is also provided by the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, the Worcester County Arts Council, Maryland State Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts, organizations dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.

RENTALS ONLINE! https://www.oceancitytoday.com/place_an_ad/

Ocean City Today

PAGE 31

Girls Nite In Online featuring OC (April 24, 2020) Girls Nite In Online, the new, free website by women for women, presenting workouts and workshops by currently unemployed fitness instructors, chefs, stylists, artists, etc., is again featuring Ocean City luminaries.

Ocean City interior designer Michelle Dashiell of Turquoise Interior Design, will present a workshop on Monday, April 27, at 4 p.m., discussing the mistakes shoppers make in choosing furniture, lighting, paint and accessories for the homes. She will also answer questions from viewers.

On Friday, May 1, at 4 p.m., the weekly “Happy Hour” at Girls Nite In Online will feature a virtual tour of Seacrets Distillery on 49th Street in Ocean City.

Girls Nite In will spend 45 minutes at the distillery, instead of the customary 30-minute session, ending in the Speakeasy Tasting Room where a bartender will prepare three signature cocktails using Seacrets’ spirits.

All proceeds from this visit will benefit out-of-work Seacrets employees.

On Tuesday, May 5, at 4 p.m., just in time for Cinco de Mayo, Linda and Cynthia Barragán of Ocean City’s Casita Linda Mexican Café, will be preparing sopes which are small, slightly thicker tortillas with a raised border around the edges.

The sopes will be filled with refried

beans, garnishes and an authentic molcajete-style salsa and served with Mezcal cocktails.

GNI features 30-minute workout classes and a variety of other workshops supported by voluntary donations through each presenter’s Venmo “Virtual Tip Jar.” GNI takes no fees from the donations to the workshop leaders.

Fitness classes, which currently include pilates, yoga, strengthening and conditioning, barre, kickboxing, and belly dancing, are presented in the morning from 7:30-8 a.m., and 10:30M. Dashiell 11 a.m.

Other workshops, often featuring prominent stylists, chefs, life and business coaches, etc., are presented in the afternoon, usually from 4 -4:30 p.m. according to the following, general schedule: Monday – makeovers; Tuesday – food; Wednesday – arts and more; Thursday – mindfulness; and Friday – happy hour.

Visit gnionline.com to see a complete list of upcoming workshops.

“This is a win-win for women,” said Shelly Fisher, founder of GNI and head of the PIF Group. “When we support each other, we succeed, no matter how hard the times. Women at home are

hungry for community, education and entertainment. They love the idea of supporting our presenters with their donations” Interested potential presenters are encouraged to visit gnionline.com, register and submit a video in which they describe themselves and their proposed workshop.

No elaborate video equipment is required. A presenter can even just have a friend hold a cell phone to transmit the workshop through Zoom.

The PIF (Pay it Forward) Group is built on a model of support and giving back. Whether through its online platforms, social media communities, or inperson events, PIF Group strives to create and support a positive sense of community.

PIF Group is proud to launch GNI. Founded by Fisher, PIF has introduced initiatives that include the Herb it Forward Foundation, (www.Herbie.com); the women empowerment brands: She Knew She Could (SheKnewSheCould.com), and One Tough B. (OneToughB.com), founded after a cancer diagnosis; and Positivities.com, a platform that spreads happiness.

Lastly Fisher co-authored with Jen Jones, “Breaking Sad: What to Say After Loss, What Not to Say, and When to Just Show Up.”

PAGE 32

Ocean City Today

Art League to present virtual ‘Farm to Table’ exhibit in May (April 24, 2020) The Art League of Ocean City will host its second online exhibition during May and encourages area artists to enter their artwork digitally by Monday, April 27.

The theme of May’s show is “Farm to Table.” The exhibition will be featured on the Art League’s website and social media May 1-31.

“May’s exhibit will honor our local growers with scenes from the farm or food on the table,” Rina Thaler, executive director of the Art League, said. “At a time when we’re all dining at home and feeling especially grateful to those proPhil Cropper viding our food, there’s no shortage of inspiration … This is an open show, and we hope to receive entries from anyone who loves to make art and supports our farm-to-table theme.”

Phil Cropper will judge the entries and award cash prizes to the winners.

Cropper is a noted area chef, educator and designer. He currently directs the culinary and pastry arts programs at Worcester Tech High School and is a manager at Fager’s Island. He is also the principal designer and owner of Phil Cropper Designs, a commercial interior design firm he opened in 2000.

Cropper gives back to the community by serving as president of the Delmarva Cooks & Chefs Association, president of The Friends of the Gwen Lehman Foundation, and board member of the Worcester County Arts Council, Wor-Wic Community College/HMR and his church.

The cash prizes, funded in part by a grant from the Worcester County Arts Council, are $150 for first place, $100

for second place, $75 for third place, plus three honorable mentions. All award winners will be invited to participate in the year-end “Best of 2020” exhibit during the month of December.

The deadline for online entries is Monday, April 27 at 4 p.m. Images of original artwork must be high-resolution and appropriate to be shown on the internet. Limit two entries per artist.

Artists must be 18 years or older.

The artwork submitted must have been created in the past three years and never before shown at an Art League judged show.

The entry fee is $10 for members, $15 for non-members per entry. Entry fees are non-refundable.

Artists may enter their work at https://artleagueofoceancity.org/artwork-online-entry/. Questions may be e-mailed to katie@artleagueofoceancity.org.

Artists wishing to become a member of the Art League can join at http://artleagueofoceancity.org/become-a-member/. Benefits include discounts on classes, gift shop and original artwork.

The Art League of Ocean City is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the visual arts to the community through education, exhibits, scholarship, programs and community art projects.

Financial support comes primarily through membership dues from individuals and corporate sponsors. Funding for exhibits is also provided by the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, the Worcester County Arts Council, Maryland State Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts, organizations dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.

APRIL 24, 2020

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Ocean Piners vehicular social distancing Editor, I moved out of Ocean City over 15 years ago, bought a house near Ocean Pines, and travel Route 90 every day east and west for work — at least until recently.

For years I have wanted to vent my frustrations with the behavior of drivers I have seen and experienced in and around the Ocean Pines area and while traveling on Route 90.

Now it seems that this behavior has a name: Vehicular Social Distancing.

These drivers consistently park more than a foot off of a parking block, stop

two car lengths back from the stop light line and also leave three car lengths between themselves and the vehicle in front of them at a stopped exit ramp light — particularly the west bound Route 90 exit ramp light onto Route 589.

Even after this light turns green, these drivers continue to leave three car lengths, as they move through the light to Route 589.

This significantly reduces the number of vehicles that are then able to get through this light.

When three or more Piners have multiple car lengths tied up, sometimes only four to five vehicles will legally make it Continued on Page 34

CROSSWORD

Answers on page 12

Commentary

Ocean City Today Apr. 24, 2020

Page 33

Hogan shows what leaders are made of Democrat or Republican, you have to hand it to Gov. Larry Hogan for the way he has handled the coronavirus outbreak in this state. An almost accidental governor after winning his first term over weak Democratic competition, Hogan, a Republican, has demonstrated leadership qualities that many voters hoped for, but were unaware of at the time.

Nothing tests the measure of a person more than an extended crisis like the one the country and the state are experiencing, and Hogan has more than measured up. He has confronted problems in a pragmatic, rather than a political, way, as is evidenced by the state’s recent purchase of a halfmillion coronavirus test kits from South Korea.

From a political perspective, the risk was significant after a Republican Administration said tests were easily obtainable here, and Hogan disagreed publicly by going overseas to get them.

President Trump proved the truth of that risk when he said, following Hogan’s announcement of the purchase, that the governor could have used a little knowledge. Hogan, however, didn’t hit the gas pedal in that discussion and employed his usual matter-of-fact approach in later conversations on the various news shows and in his communications with the president.

Meanwhile, he has made some incredibly difficult decisions that will have a severe impact on the people who have supported him from the beginning.

Friendships, alliances and politics were cast aside as he listened to his public health advisors and then did what he thought was right for the state overall. It takes guts to make calls that profound when you’re aware that you are balancing lives and livelihoods in the process.

Whether people agree with the steps he has taken, never agreed or are reevaluating their own positions, even his critics would concur that he did not hesitate and dealt with this crisis calmly and decisively. That’s what leaders do, and that’s what this governor has become at a time when so much depends on it.

Ocean City Today P.O. Box 3500, Ocean City, Md. 21843 Phone: 410-723-6397 / Fax: 410-723-6511.

EDITOR ............................................ Stewart Dobson MANAGING EDITOR ................................ Lisa Capitelli STAFF WRITERS .................. Greg Ellison, Morgan Pilz, ...................................... Joshua Kim, Elizabeth Bonin ASSISTANT PUBLISHER .......................... Elaine Brady ACCOUNT MANAGERS............................ Mary Cooper CLASSIFIEDS/LEGALS MANAGER .... Nancy MacCubbin SENIOR DESIGNER ................................ Susan Parks GRAPHIC ARTISTS ................ Kelly Brown, Kyle Phillips PUBLISHER........................................ Christine Brown ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ...................... Gini Tufts Ocean City Today is published weekly by FLAG Publications, Inc. at 8200 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, Md. 21842.

Ocean City Today is available by subscription at $150 a year.

Visit us on the Web at www.oceancitytoday.com.

Copyright 2020

PUBLIC EYE

My stupid mistake

The best thing to do when you have made a mistake is to admit it and remove it from your “feeling stupid” list.

Just do it, get it over with and, perhaps, free up that used stupidity for applications elsewhere.

I therefore confess that it was my stupid mistake in last week’s paper when a letter to the editor from Carousel Hotel Group chief Michael James, ended with a parenthetical “The author is an Ocean City Councilman.”

He is not, of course, an Ocean City Councilman. That By would be his son Matt, but Stewart for some reason, that’s not Dobson what I was hearing.

“Hi, this is Michael James,” said the voice on the other end of my phone.

“Hi, Matt. What’s up?”

“No, it’s Michael, and I have a late letter to the editor I was hoping you could get in for me this week.”

“Sure, Matt, I can handle that. Just email it to you me and I’ll see that it gets in.”

“Thanks, and just to be clear, this is Michael.”

“Got it, Matt. No problem.”

He sent it, I received it and proceeded to read it to be sure there were no glaring errors (yes, we do correct misspellings and such unless we really, really don’t like you, in which case it’s tough noogies. Just kidding), and stared at the signature: “Michael James.”

Having done what I thought was my stan-

dard good work, I called the office to report this late arrival for the letters section.

“Hey,” I said to the managing editor. “I’m sending you a letter for this week.”

“Who’s it from?”

“Matt James. Hold on a sec, I should make a note of that under the signature.”

Tap-tappity-tap-tap “There, I’ve read it, fixed it and you can just put it on the page.”

And that was that.

A day later, however, I was rolling merrily along when I was smacked in the head with a big wad of stupid.

Understand, of course, there is stupid and then there is Stupid. I don’t mind looking stupid when I’m being that way on purpose.

For instance, I can’t tell you how many times that I’ve pulled an eight-pack of hotdogs from the freezer, held them to my lips and said to my audience of one, “Hello. My name is Zamfir and I’m playing the pan flute — ta-da, ta-da, ta-da.”

That’s funny stupid, or at least it is the first time. Evidently, it’s marginally amusing-stupid the second time, and, on the 78 other occasions, just plain stupid, or so I have been told.

For whatever reason, I equate making any kind of mistake in the paper with the latter.

It’s inadvertently stupid and I can’t give you a good reason for it … except that it’s difficult to type when your hands are cold from playing a package of frozen hot dogs for the 79th time and hoping for a better outcome.

So please accept my apology for being stupid, Matt. It won’t happen again.

I mean, Michael.

Your Online Community: www.oceancitytoday.com

PAGE 34

APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Continued from Page 32 through the light.

If the Piners are not paying attention, are texting their grandkids or are paying attention to their driving lap puppy (usually named Fifi, Apples or Peaches) then the number of vehicles that successfully makes it through the light, drops to three to four.

Sometimes the drivers are napping at the wheel and need several honks before they realize that something demands their attention and that traffic is moving.

I am pretty sure Jackson Browne must have visited this area when he wrote his iconic tune “The Pretender.”

Where else would he have come up with his lyrics “...and the veteran dreams of the fight, fast asleep at the traffic light...” ?

To further infuriate frequent drivers, the westbound exit ramp light, onto Route 589, has the fastest green light time frame known to man.

It very quickly turns back to red and takes forever to turn green again.

As you can imagine, this consistent behavior is more than frustrating to the drivers behind them. All the other drivers want to do is to get out of traffic and go home.

On more than one occasion I have bypassed this exit ramp light, (basing my route on the vehicular spacing ahead of me) turned north on Route 589 into the Shore Stop, exited from the north side of that lot, back onto Route 589, and still beat the light moving south on Route 589.

By the way, don’t try to get out of the lot from the Shore Stop’s south exit, you

will surely get stuck behind someone trying to make the impossible left, created from new nightmare traffic patterns created by the medical facilities.

Route 90 Piner drivers also practice Vehicular Social Distancing.

They do not want any vehicles in front of them, so they drive anywhere from 35 to 42 mph consistently.

But absolutely never do they drive the posted speed limit of 55 mph. Ever.

Last spring I had the misfortune of driving west, mid-day, on Route 90.

Traffic speeds never made it above 3540 mph from Coastal Highway and continued to slow down until the head of the line came to a full stop just west or slightly over the Ocean Parkway overpass.

I was the fourth car back in the convoy and heard and saw everything clearly. The line of traffic, as viewed from my rearview mirror, was backed up beyond and over the crest of the St. Martins Neck bridge.

An older guy in a mustard-colored leisure suit (definitely from a ’70s line of apparel) scissored himself out of his lowrider burnt orange new sports car.

(Needless to say, both the car and the suit were not age appropriate — he must have a thing for Steve McQueen.)

Old guy Steve McQueen finally was able to stand up straight and strode over to the vehicle directly behind him.

A younger guy rolled down his window and received a barrage of verbal abuse including: “Stop driving so close behind me!”

I admire the younger guy for not responding disrespectfully and for not cor-

recting the old guy’s grammar to “stop driving so closely behind me.” He had to be biting his tongue.

I guess the old guy felt it was safer to bring miles of traffic to a complete stop, on a major traffic artery, rather than actually drive the speed limit.

Obviously he felt the driver to his rear was invading his Vehicular Social Distance.

Renee Kelly Taylorville, Maryland

Discussing Ocean City Charter Editor, Councilmember Dennis Dare has been involved with the activities of the Ocean City government for at least 35 years.

During the April 16, 2020 special meeting of the City Council to discuss issues related to the covid-19 situation, Councilmember Dare told his fellow council members that while he did not want to give them a civics lesson, they needed to understand that the “Mayor is in charge.”

In a pontificating lecture, he went on to admonish the other council members because their discussion on future actions needed to respond to the covid-19 situation was “premature” and the council was acting “out of its lane.”

While I do not mean to give civics lesson to Councilmember Dare, the Ocean City Charter, the legal document controlling Ocean City government, makes it very clear the City Council is in charge.

The Ocean City Charter established

the council-manager form of municipal government with a mayor that has very limited authority. Section C–413A of the charter states the “Council shall consist of seven members elected at large and shall hold all the legislative and except for the mayoral veto, all the executive powers of the town.”(Emphasis added.)

Under its legislative authority, the council can pass an ordinance and use its executive authority to make sure the provisions of the ordinance are carried out as intended. The day-to-day administrative operations are performed by the professional city manager.

Under the charter, the mayor can take only one action without the approval of the council.

The mayor is authorized to approve or veto a bill passed by the council.

The charter also permits the mayor to be a member, along with three council members, of the Ocean City Police Commission, act as the city manager of the town during the pendency of any vacancy in the position of city manager, appoint members to all city boards, commissions and committees created by the council and be the spokesperson of the town before all state, federal and other local governmental bodies.

Of course, if Councilmember Dare wants to make sure the “mayor is in charge,” he can always request the city attorney for a public legal opinion to clarify the issue.

Joseph H. Potter Ocean City

OPEN HOUSES APR. 23 - APR. 30 DAY/TIME Sat. & Sun. 11-5

ADDRESS

BR/BA

9800 Mooring View Ln., West Harbor Village #32 3BR/2.5BA

STYLE

PRICE

AGENCY/AGENT

Duplex/TH

From Mid $300,000s

Kathleen Clark/Monogram Realty

Presented free as a courtesy to Licensed REALTORS® who are regular Ocean City Today & Bayside Gazette Advertisers. For all other REALTORS®, there is a weekly charge of $10 per listing.

APRIL 24, 2020

PAGE 35

Ocean City Today / Public Notices

N C IT TY TOWN O F OCEAN O PERA ATING BUDG GET T FISC CAL YEA AR 202 21 BE IT ENACTED AND ORDAINED by the Mayor and Council of Ocean City, Maryland, that the following fund revenue and departmental expenditures, together with certain restrictions and authorizations are adopted: General Fund

1 ST READING

General Fund

1 ST READING

FY - 2 021 1 A.

F Y - 2 021 1

Anticipated Revenue: Property Taxes

B. Anticipated Expenditures: $

Other Taxes

44,213,864

General Government

20,319,523

Public Safety

$

4,181,274 38,451,321

Licenses and Permits

4,322,150

General Public Works/Beach Maintenance

Revenue From Other Agencies

5,316,167

Sanitation and Waste Removal

6,712,250

Charges For Current Services

11,190,940

Highways and Streets

5,787,736

5,989,003

Fines and Forfeitures

849,400

Economic Development - Tourism

7,923,553

Other Revenue

803,370

Culture and Recreation

8,459,875

Prior Year Reserves Total Revenue

1,707,477 $

88,722,891

Debt Service

5,175,977

Total Expenditures

$

82,680,989

To Transportation Fund

1,387,206

To Airport Fund

313,171

To Convention Center Total Revenue

$

88,722,891

and Other Financing Sources

To Capital Projects Total Expenditures

Co C onnveenntiio onn Waateerr

Trraannsp po orrtaatiio onn

Service Charges

$

6,697,495 $

Aiirrp po orrt

C Co ouurrsee

4,481,576 $

1,922,461 $

14,413,210 $

1,107,727 $

2,232,134

0

0

191,400

0

0

Grants

0

1,445,782

1,631,525

0

2,090,000

0

Food and Beverage Tax

0

0

1,540,000

0

0

0

Prior Year Reserves

0

116,000

14,000

0

0

6,411

$

0 6,807,115 $

1,387,206 7,430,564 $

1,581,525 6,689,511 $

0 14,604,610 $

313,171 3,510,898 $

0 2,238,545

$

2,224,451 $

3,984,368 $

3,170,050 $

4,147,104 $

357,728 $

1,149,003

2,897,253

3,378,196

1,748,835

3,956,847

872,131

1,075,069

Capital Outlay

825,000

68,000

31,700

2,549,272

2,200,000

14,473

Debt Service

860,411

0

1,569,121

3,951,387

81,039

0

Anticipated Expenditures: Personal Services Non-Personal Services

Transfer to Reserves Total Expenditures

0 6,807,115 $

$

0 7,430,564 $

169,805 6,689,511 $

0 14,604,610 $

0 3,510,898 $

0 2,238,545

Information

Service

Ve ehicle

Ri sk

Pen sion &

Capi tal

Technology

Cen ter

Trustt

Managemen t

OPEB Trustt

Projects

Anticipated Revenue: Charges to Other Funds

$

8,150,104 $

0

Investment Earnings/Other

0

0

0

38,380

5,770,000

0

Employee Contributions

0

0

0

0

2,012,000

0

Sale of Capital Assets/Lease Rev

0

0

526,009

0

0

0

Prior Year Reserves

0

0

190,526

0

0

General Fund Contribution Total Revenue B.

Waasteewaateerr

109,620

Transfer-In From General Fund Total Revenue

A.

G Go ollff

C Ceennteerr

Anticipated Revenue: Capacity/Impact Fees

B.

2,760,000 88,722,891

$

and Other Financing Uses

Enterprise Funds: A.

1,581,525

2,277,887 $

4,714,893 $

3,234,856 $

0 3,951,391 $

2,537,707 $

0 2,576,087 $

0

$

0 2,277,887 $

0 4,714,893 $

0 15,932,104 $

3,020,000 3,020,000

$

1,097,683 $

1,744,946 $

1,180,204

2,969,947

1,003,432

2,208,472

1,045,000

0 $

0 0

Debt Service

0

0

986,372

0

0

0

Capital Outlay

0

0

1,961,587

0

0

0

Benefit Payments

0

0

0

0

9,650,000

0

Transfer to Reserves

0

0

0

80,000

5,237,104

Anticipated Expenditures: Personal Services Non-Personal Services

Capital Projects Total Expenditures

$

0 2,277,887 $

0 4,714,893 $

0 $

0 3,951,391 $

287,615 $

0 2,576,087 $

0 15,932,104 $

0 3,020,000 3,020,000

Special Authorization - Budget Manager The Budget Manager shall be authorized to reallocate departmental appropriations among the various objects of expenditures as she deems necessary.

Such changes shall be approved by the Finance Administrator & City Manager Restrictions - City Manager: A.

The utilization of any contingency appropriation shall be accomplished only with prior authorization from the Mayor and Council.

B.

Utilization of appropriations established in the Capital Improvement Fund may be accomplished only with the express approval of the Mayor and Council.

Tax Rate: An Ad Valorem Tax Rate of $0.4559 per $100 of assessed valuation of real property and a rate of $1.14 per $100 of assessed valuation of corporate and personal property tax is required to fund this budget.

INTRODUCED at a meeting of the City Council of Ocean City, Maryland held on May 4, 2020.

SECOND READING of this ordinance shall be held at a meeting of the Mayor and City Council on May 18,2020.

OCD-4/23/2t

PAGE 36

APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today / Public Notices

NOTICE

OF PUBLIC HEARING WORCESTER COUNTY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS AGENDA

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020 Pursuant to the provisions of the Worcester County Zoning Ordinance and due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, and in lieu of public appearance, notice is hereby given that the public hearing will be held remotely by conference call with the Board of Zoning Appeals for Worcester County. Directions for joining and participating in the hearing will be posted on the County website on April 30, 2020.

6:30 p.m.

Case No. 20-19, on the lands of Noel Arciaga, requesting a variance to the Ordinance prescribed side yard setback from 8 feet to 5.57 feet (an encroachment of 2.43 feet) associated with a proposed wheelchair ramp in the R-2 Suburban Residential District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(c)(4), ZS 1206(b)(2) and ZS 1-305, located at 88 Cresthaven Drive, approximately 1,068 feet west of Marview Drive, Tax Map 16, Parcel 46, Section 9, Lot 555 of the Ocean Pines Subdivision, in the Third Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland.

6:35 p.m.

Case No. 20-20, on the lands of Ashley Phillips, requesting a variance to the Ordinance prescribed front yard setback from 100 feet from an arterial highway to 84.8 feet (an encroachment of 15.2 feet) associated with a proposed attached garage and living space additions to an existing single-family dwelling and an after-the-fact variance to the Ordinance prescribed side yard setback from 15.04 feet to 1 foot (an encroachment of 14.04 feet) associated with a detached garage in the A-2 Agricultural District pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(c)(4), ZS 1-202(b)(5), ZS 1-202(d)(2), ZS 1122 and ZS 1-305, located at 11317 Worcester Highway (US Route 113), approximately 280 feet south of Racetrack Road (MD Route 589), Tax Map 15, Parcel 57, in the Third Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland.

6:40 p.m.

Case No. 20-25, on the lands of Michal Pawlowski, requesting a variance to the Ordinance prescribed lot width for proposed Lot 1 from 60 feet to 37 feet (a reduction of 23 feet); a variance to the Ordinance prescribed side yard setback from 8 feet to 1 foot (an encroachment of 7 feet) for the existing dwelling on proposed Lot 1; and a variance to the Ordinance prescribed minimum width of a flag stem for proposed Lot 2 from 35 feet to 23 feet (a reduction of 12 feet) associated a proposed subdivision in the R-4 General Residential District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(c)(4), ZS 1208(b)(2), ZS 1-305, ZS 1-306(a)(6) and ZS 1-311, located at 9840 Keyser Point Road, approximately 500 feet south of Ocean Gateway (US Route 50), Tax Map 26, Parcel 294, in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester

PUBLIC NOTICE The motor vehicles described below have been abandoned. The owners and lien holders are hereby informed of their right to reclaim the vehicles upon payment of all charges and costs resulting from the towing, preservation, and storage of the vehicles.

The failure of the owners or lien holders to reclaim the vehicles within three weeks of notification shall be deemed a waiver by the owners or lien holders of all rights, title and interest and thereby consent to the sale of the vehicles at public auction beginning APRIL 16, 2020 or to have it otherwise disposed of in a manner provided by law.

Line No Year 027-20 2010 031-20 2004 037-20 1996 040-20 2007

Make LINCOLN GMC CHEVROLET SATURN

Model MKX SIERRA BLAZER VUE

Color SILVER BLACK BLUE WHITE

Style TK TK SUV Tk

VIN 2LMDJ6JC2ABJ20117 1GTGC23U44F105093 1GNCS18W1TK171085 5GZCZ63407S861048

Mileage N/A N/A 264727 N/A

All vehicles will be sold at auction on-line at www.govdeals.com. For details call 410-723-6643.

AUTH: Ross Buzzuro Chief of Police OCD-4/16/3t ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ County, Maryland.

6:45 p.m.

Case No. 20-27, on the application of Mark S. Cropper, Esquire, on the lands of Cox 122 Raceway, LLC, requesting a variance to the Ordinance prescribed front yard setback off Ocean Gateway (MD Route 50) from 100 feet to 51.2 feet (an encroachment of 46.7 feet), and a variance to the Ordinance prescribed front yard setback from Grays Corner Road (MD Route 707) from 50 feet to 11.3 feet (an encroachment of 38.7 feet), and a special exception to increase the height of the fence in the front yard setback to 8 feet, all of which are associated with the proposed expansion of an outdoor seating space associated with an existing restaurant in the C-2 General Commercial District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(c)(3), ZS 1210(b)(2), ZS 1-305 and ZS 1-326, located at 11247 Ocean Gateway, at the intersection with Racetrack Road and Grays Corner Road, Tax Map 21, Parcel 170, in the Third Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland.

6:50 p.m.

Case No. 20-26, on the application of Mark Stevanus, on the lands of KCK 7 LLC, requesting a special exception (transient use) to establish an outdoor recreational/amusement use (Heavy Metal Playground) and a variance to the Ordinance prescribed front yard setback of 100 feet from an arterial highway to 50 feet (an encroachment of 50 feet) in the C-2 General Commercial District pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1105(c)(5), ZS 1-116(c)(3), ZS 1-116(c)(4), ZS 1-305 and ZS 1-337, located at 12325 Old Bridge Road approximately 390 feet east of the intersection with Ocean Gateway (US Route 50), Tax Map 26, Parcel 156, in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland.

6:55 p.m.

Case No. 20-21, on the application of T. Garvey Heiderman, on the lands of Village Greens Enterprises

Limited, requesting a special exception (transient use) to allow compost operations of restaurant food waste in the A-1 Agricultural District pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1105(c)(5), ZS 1-116(c)(3) and ZS 1-337, located on the north side of St. Martins Neck Road approximately 430 feet west of Industrial Park Road, Tax Map 10, Parcel 280, in the Fifth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland.

ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS OCD-4/23/2t _________________________________

NOTICE

OF PUBLIC HEARING WORCESTER COUNTY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS AGENDA

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2020 Pursuant to the provisions of the Worcester County Zoning Ordinance and due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, and in lieu of public appearance, notice is hereby given that the public hearing will be held remotely by conference call with the Board of Zoning Appeals for Worcester County. Directions for joining and participating in the hearing will be posted on the County website on April 30, 2020.

6:30 p.m.

Case No. 20-18, on the application of Phillips Signs, Inc., on the lands of Singerman Real Estate (dba Outlets Ocean City), requesting a special exception to reconstruct and relocate a legally existing non-conforming pylon sign associated with Outlets Ocean City in the C-2 General Commercial District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(c)(3), ZS 1122(d)(1), ZS 1-210(b)(2), ZS 1-305 and ZS 1-324, located at 12741 Ocean Gateway (US Route 50), on the northwest corner of the intersection with Golf Course Road, Tax Map 27, Parcel 642, in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland.

6:35 p.m.

Case No. 20-24, on the lands of Valeri Tcheremissine, requesting a variance to the Ordinance prescribed front yard setback from 50 feet from the center of the road right-of-way to 32.5 feet (an encroachment of 17.5 feet) associated with a proposed second story addition to an existing dwelling in the R-2 Suburban Residential District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(c)(4), ZS 1206(b)(2) and ZS 1-305, located at 12904 Lake Avenue, on the southeast corner of the intersection with Golf Course Road, Tax Map 22, Parcel 397, Block 14, Lot 5 of the Bayshore Acres Subdivision, in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland.

6:40 p.m.

Case No. 20-23, on the application of Annette Cathell, on the lands of Michael Riordan, requesting a variance to the Ordinance prescribed front yard setback from 50 feet from the center of the road right-of-way to 37 feet (an encroachment of 13 feet) associated with a proposed singlefamily dwelling in the V-1 Village District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(c)(4), ZS 1204(b)(2), and ZS 1-305, located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Langmaid Road and Newark Road, Tax Map 40, Parcel 144, in the Fourth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland.

6:45 p.m.

Case No. 20-22, on the application of Snow Hill Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., on the lands of State of Maryland, requesting a special exception to allow a firehouse in the R1 Rural Residential District, a variance to the Ordinance prescribed side yard setback from 30 feet to 20.9 feet (an encroachment of 9.1 feet) and a variance to the Ordinance prescribed rear yard setback from 30 feet to 0.1 feet (an encroachment of 29.9 feet) associated with the proposed construction of a new firehouse pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(c)(3), 1-116(c)(4),

APRIL 24, 2020

Ocean City Today / Public Notices

ZS 1-205(c)(6) and ZS 1-305, located at 6572 Snow Hill Road approximately 835 feet east of Village Trail, Tax Map 46, Parcel 15, in the Second Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland.

6:50 p.m.

Case No. 20-17, on the application of Hugh Cropper, IV, Esquire, on the lands of Elwood & Mary Hokanson, requesting an after-the-fact modification to a previously granted variance to the Ordinance prescribed front yard setback from 50 feet from the center of the road right-of-way to 40.1 feet (an encroachment of 9.9 feet) associated with a single-family dwelling in the R-2 Suburban Residential District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(c)(4), ZS 1206(b)(2), and ZS 1-305, located at 12351 Meadow Drive approximately 0.36 miles southeast of the intersection with Snug Harbor Road, Tax Map 33, Parcel 346, Lot 33 of the Snug Harbor Subdivision, in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland.

6:55 p.m.

Case No. 20-4, on the application of Hugh Cropper, IV, Esquire, on the lands of Lawrence and Jacqueline Lieske, requesting a variance to the Ordinance prescribed side yard setback from 6 feet to 3.9 feet (an encroachment of 2.1 feet) associated with a proposed second story deck and stairs and requesting a variance to the Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Buffer Management Area (BMA) from 15 feet to 0 feet (an encroachment of 15 feet) associated with an After-the-Fact concrete walkway and patio in the R-2 Suburban Residential District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(c)(4), ZS 1-116(m), ZS 1-205(b)(2), ZS 1305, NR 3-104(c)(4), and NR 3-111 located at 10411 Brighton Road, approximately 465 feet south of Rumgate Road, Tax Map 21, Parcel 8, Section A, Block 9, Lot 28 of the Cape Isle of Wight Subdivision, in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland.

7:00 p.m.

Case No. 20-28, on the application of Hugh Cropper, IV., on the lands of West O Madfish, LLC, requesting a variance to the ordinance prescribed side yard setback from 6’ to 0’ (an encroachment of 6’), and a special exception to allow a 6 foot tall fence in the Ordinance prescribed front yard setback, associated with the proposed re-construction of a restaurant in the CM Commercial Marine Dis-

trict, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(c)(3), ZS 1-214(c)(2) and ZS 1-305, located at 12817 Harbor Road, on the northerly side of Harbor Road, approximately 436 feet west of Golf Course Road, Tax Map27, Parcel 376, Lot 44 in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland.

ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS OCD-4/23/2t _________________________________

Terri Westcott Register of Wills for Worcester County One W. Market Street Room 102 - Court House Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 Name of newspaper designated by personal representative: Ocean City Digest Date of publication: April 23, 2020 OCD-4/23/3t _________________________________

NOTICE

OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Estate No. 18251 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF MERVIN JAMES BYRD Notice is given that Thomas R. Byrd, 2711 Buford Rd. #379, Chesterfield, VA 23832, was on April 13, 2020 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mervin James Byrd who died on March 28, 2020, with a will.

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

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 13th day of October, 2020.

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

Thomas R. Byrd Personal Representative True Test Copy

SMALL ESTATE

NOTICE

OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18253 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF MERTON CLIFFORD GANNETT Notice is given that Elizabeth Ann Garner, 3090 Newington Drive, Riva, MD 21140 and Kim Kathleen Wess, 457 Mason Lane, Arnold, MD 21012, were on April 14, 2020 appointed personal representative of the small estate of Merton Clifford Gannett who died on March 23, 2020, with a will.

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

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

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

OCEAN CITY TODAY

Legal Advertising Call Nancy MacCubbin 410-723-6397, Fax: 410-723-6511 or E-mail: legals@oceancitytoday.net

PAGE 37 served or filed within that time, or any extension provided by law, is unenforceable thereafter.

Elizabeth Ann Garner Kim Kathleen Wess Personal Representatives True Test Copy Register of Wills for Worcester County Terri Westcott One W. Market Street Room 102 - Court House Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 Name of newspaper designated by personal representative: Ocean City Digest Date of publication: April 24, 2020 OCD-4/23/1t _________________________________

TOWN OF BERLIN

INVITATION TO BIDDERS

CONTRACT NO. 0050A002.060 STREET RESURFACING PROJECT Due Date: Thursday, May 14, 2020 Time: 2:00 PM Sealed Bids, in duplicate, will be received by the Town of Berlin, 10 William Street, Berlin, Maryland 21811 for the Berlin Street Resurfacing Project, Contract No. 0050A002.060. Bids will be accepted by the Town of Berlin until 2:00 PM, on Thursday, May 14th, 2020, at which time they will be opened and read aloud. Due to the ongoing Coronavirus/Covid-19 State of Emergency, Bidders wishing to be present for the bid opening, must contact Mary Bohlen at mbohlen@berlinmd.gov prior to the due date/time.

Work includes the milling/overlaying of several streets within the Town of Berlin, to include necessary traffic control and detouring, roadway preparation, striping, and all appurtenances shall be provided and performed. Intermittent concrete work, including valley gutter, curb and gutter, shall be performed as indicated on the plans.

Copies of the Contract Documents may be obtained at the office of Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc., 601 E. Main Street, Suite 100, Salisbury, Maryland 21804, (410) 543-9091 upon payment of $75.00 for each non-refundable set. Checks should be made payable to Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc. Interested Bidders are required to attend a Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting to be held on Thursday, April 30th, 2020 at 10:00 AM at the Town of Berlin, 10 William Street, Berlin, Maryland 21811. Please limit attendance to one representative per Bidder to attend the Pre-Bid Meeting.

Town of Berlin By: Jeff Fleetwood Town Administrator OCD-4/23/1t _________________________________

38

APRIL 24, 2020 Classifieds now appear in Ocean City Today & the Bayside Gazette each week and online at oceancitytoday.com and baysideoc.com.

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

MAINTENANCE

Hiring ALL Positions!!

Immediate position available for year-round Restaurant Maintenance Personnel. Electrical, plumbing, HVAC & LPgas knowledge required. Prior experience with restaurant equipment necessary. Great opportunity with benefits. Send resume to: REST. MAINTENANCE, PO Box 160, Ocean City, MD 21843 or email romeara@harrisongp.com.

NOW HIRING!!

Production Crew for our WOC kitchen facility Up to $17.50/hr.

Apply online at: www.delmarvadd.com

Work on the Beach in Ocean City, MD Renting Umbrellas and Chairs to Beachgoers • Over 65 Beach Attendant Positions Available • Make Lifelong Friends & Memories • Earn Valuable Sales & Customer Apply Online at Service Skills EightyFiveAndSunny.com/ • Competitive Wages Employment • Hourly + Commission + Tips

Maintenance Technician Competitive Salary: $17 - $20/hr. depending on experience.

• Help build and maintain Delaware and Maryland's fastest growing restaurant group • Perform interior and exterior finish work, such as drywall, painting, paneling, ceiling and floor tile, plumbing repairs, heating and air conditioning system repairs • Perform routine and emergency repairs on restaurant equipment, including diagnostics on electrical and refrigeration components • On call on a rotating emergency schedule for weekends and holidays • Basic skill sets must include some Electric, Plumbing, Carpentry, Refrigeration Benefits: Health Insurance, 401K, Sick Leave Fax to 410-520-0199 For faster processing please apply online at www.joindunkin.com.

You are applying for work with a franchisee of Dunkin’ Donuts, not Dunkin’ Brands, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Any application or information you submit will be provided solely to the franchisee. If hired, the franchisee will be your only employer. Franchisees are independent business owners who are solely responsible for their own employees and set their own wage and benefit programs that can vary among franchisees.

Classifieds 410-723-6397

Full time & Part time To apply go to: www.mygcjob.com

REAL ESTATE

MAINTENANCE F/T, Y/R. 32-40 hrs./week.

Dependable. Handyman with good skills. Must have transportation/tools.

Send resume to fred@paradiseoc.com.

Taking on New Listings.

Need help selling your house?? Call Howard Martin Realty, 410-352-5555.

We also handle year-round rentals.

RENTALS RENTALS Year-Round Rental Available in West Ocean City. 2BR, 1BA. Call 1-877-289-1616 for more information.

Become a Better You in 2020!

To Order Product Call Christine 443-880-8397 or email: snowhillavon@ comcast.net To Become an Avon Representative Sign Up at www.

ChristinesBeautyShop.com

HELP WANTED

RAMBLER MOTEL HIRING ALL POSITIONS!!

Full time & Part time Stop by our location on 52nd street! or call 443-664-2825

9942 Elm Street, WOC (Behind Starbucks) Sleeps 4, $250 per week Manager onsite 410-213-1764

Advertising Sales Position Ocean City Today/Bayside Gazette Account Manager opening. Applicants should have experience in sales or face-to-face customer service. Salary, commission, health benefits and 401K plan. Send resumes to ebrady@oceancitytoday.net, or mail Ocean City Today, 8200 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD. 21842.

InteSviews will be conducted via Facetime, Skype or Google Hangouts ... for the time being.

Surf Shop for Rent 29th St. Call Bill 410-289-8380 1 Office/Retail Space & 1 Warehouse Unit available in West Ocean City.

Call 443-497-4200

DONATIONS

The Greater Ocean City, Maryland Chamber of Commerce is seeking candidates for the position of Ideal candidates will have chamber or association management experience and should hold a BS/BA in Business Administration or Management. Must possess strong financial management and computer skills, and excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing. Candidates should exhibit strong leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities. Ability to effectively lead and influence others in a confident, positive, and results-oriented manner. Salary commensurate with experience.

Resumes will be accepted until the positions is filled.

Submit resume and cover letter to: Greater Ocean City, MD Chamber of Commerce ATTN: Executive Director Search Committee 12320 Ocean Gateway Ocean City, Maryland 21842 Email questions to: Danielle@oceancity.org

BERLIN: From 225 sq. ft. to 700 sq. ft. office space. From $350 to $1100 per month.

Includes utilities. 120 sq. ft. storage sheds each $95/mo.

Call 410-726-5471.

DONATIONS

Classifieds Deadline is 5pm Monday

Executive Director

COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL

DOWNTOWN OCEAN CITY Immaculately clean 2BR apartments. Each sleeps 5 people with single beds.

May 1 to September 7.

Price is $2,250 per person or $11,250 per apartment, including utilities, plus deposits. No smokers, parties, or pets. All male or all female in each unit. Taking applications.

Call or text 410-422-2100 Steger Seasonal Apartments

Do you have an old bicycle not being used? It could mean a world of difference to a hard-working international student. We are looking to get as many bikes as possible. Your donation will be taxdeductible. Contact Gary at 443-975-3065.

ieds Classif 410-723-6397 www.baysideoc. com www. oceancitytoday. com

CLASSIFIED AD NETWORK Serving the Newspapers of Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia since 1908.

AUTOMOBILE DONATIONS DONATE AUTOS, TRUCKS, RVs Lutheran Mission Society MARYLAND STATEWIDE of MD. Compassion Place ministries help local families CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING with food, clothing, counselNETWORK ing Tax deductible. MVA licensed #W1044.

BUSINESS SERVICES 410-636-0123 Place a business card ad in www.CompassionPlace.org the Regional Small Display 2x2/2x4 Advertising Network – Let MDDC help you grow your business! Call TODAY at 410-212-0616 to increase your customer base and get results.

SERVICESMISCELLANEOUS Increase your customer base and get great results by placing your ads in the MDDC – Classified Advertising network! Call today 410-2120616 Ask for Multi-Media Specialist -Wanda & watch your results grow.

Advertise in MDDC 410-723-6397

106 papers with a circulation of 2.3 million and readership of 4.9 million!

ssifieds la C r u o Y r e Ord

Online

www.oceancitytoday.com

Convenient, quick, no waiting, no calls ~ Days, nights and weekends

APRIL 24, 2020

PAGE 39

Ocean City Today

BLINDS & SHADES

COSMETICS the company for women

ELECTRICAL/CONSTRUCTION

• cosmetics • skin care • body care • fragrances • gifts • & more!

CHRISTINE BROWN independent sales representative

443-234-5262

order online: www.christinesbeautyshop.com

ELECTRICIAN

Raymond O’Brocki Jr. Master Electrician 443 691 0544 Call or Text

FIREPLACES

emerGency service available

410-251-3153 residential & commercial service

additions • interior/exterior lighting Tanner: Owner/Operator lampRobert & light repair & serviceSince 1989 Wall outlets – microwaves • Generator installs

Call Turner Today 410-251-3153 BERLIN • OCEAN PINES • OCEAN CITY

HOME IMPROVEMENT

* SALES, SERVICE, AND INSTALLATION * * GAS, WOOD BURNING, AND PELLET * * CUSTOM MANTELS & ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS *

Same Rate Day, Evening, Weekends

35 Years Experience

302.436.9250

No Job Too Small! Free Estimates!

Residential/Commercial/Emergencies!

MD Lic #2268 Worcester Co Lic #M1337

38205 DuPont Blvd.

Selbyville

HOME IMPROVEMENT

HOME IMPROVEMENT

BAYSIDE BUILDERS

COMPLETE HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTOR LICENSED AND FULLY INSURED • FREE ESTIMATES ALL WORK DONE BY OWNER

• Flat Roof Specialist • • Roofing • Siding • Windows • Doors • Custom Homes • Additions • Repairs • Kitchens • Baths • Tile Work • Decks • Custom Inside Trim Work • Hardwood Floors

Cell: 410-713-8599

ROOF REPLACEMENT & REPAIRS

PipeLine

Contracting, LLC Home Improvement Services Company

atminc4u@aol.com

PAINTING

We take care of your “To Do” list, so you don’t have to!

Home Improvement & Property Management Services • Drywall • Flooring • Tile • Room Remodeling • General Carpentry

• Painting • Painting Touchup • Drywall Repair • Lighting/Ceiling Fan Replacement

• Screen Repair • Plumbing Repair • Property Management • Residential

• Commercial US Veterans Administration Approved Contractor

Servicing Delaware & Maryland Beaches

Call Us Today! (410) 982-8368 • (610) 209-7604 pipelinecontracting.net • info@pipelinecontracting.net MDHIC # 107489 • DE # 2014100304 PAHIC#104744 • Insured & Licensed

ROOFING

ROOFING

FREE Written Estimates Over 31 Years of Roofing You!

• The BEST Warranties • Locally Owned & Operated • Over 20k Served • GAF Master Elite Certified • 5 Star Skylight Specialists • Financing g Ava.

Shingle Roofs • Metal Roofs • Flat Roofs

Your Roofing, Siding & Home Improvement Specialist Since 1989

Family Owned & Operated

ROOFING • SIDING • DURADEK • WINDOWS • GUTTERS

FREE ESTIMATES 108 Moss Hill Ln., Salisbury, MD 410-831-3938 32295 Nassau Rd., Lewes, DE 302-200-7663

Mike Moesle 410-629-1573, Fax: 410-629-1946

ROOFING

TUTORING

10545 Friendship Road, Unit 3, Berlin, Maryland 21811 mmoesle@shoresidingmd.com www.shoresidingmd.com *Licenced in MD, DE &VA

Ed’s Math Tutoring in your home

Has your child been challenged learning math?

Edward Fowler

Experienced grade school math tutor.

302-864-7163

www.roofers www. ww roofer roof ro roofer offers rs.o .org .org g

410.204.2586 410 204 2586

YOUR BUSINESS

Your Business Card Here!

Call Nancy 410-723-6397

TRIPLE

CROWN

PAGE 40

Ocean City Today

APRIL 24, 2020