Nonprofit gets liquor license for PBR competition in June

By Jack Chavez Staff Writer

(May 19, 2023) Promoters for the Professional Bull Riders Ocean City Seacrets Classic’s return to Ocean City received a special event liquor licenses from the Worcester County Board of License Commissioners on Wednesday.

The licenses will allow Anne Arundel County-based Juice Box Jams, a charitable nonprofit, to sell alcohol at the event scheduled for the weekend of June 2 through June 4 in the Ocean City inlet parking lot. Alcohol sales will be limited to the hours of 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The fenced-off event grounds will include three bars staffed by TIPScertified bartenders. Music will be provided at the event by Ocean Citynative Jimmy Charles.

There weren’t many details that

‘Family friendly’ not what it used to be

Editor,

After reading the article (April 28, 2023) regarding the denial of the name change of the Deja Vu Romantic Boutique shop in North Ocean City, I was pleased to see that Councilman Matt Savage believes the business is inconsistent with Ocean City’s family image.

As a year round resident, I am grateful for this type of leadership in our community.

However, last month on a warm sunny day for April, I saw a young woman riding her bike down Coastal Highway, wearing a thong so tiny, I thought she was naked on the lower half of her body.

There seems to be a problem of the “family friendly” image when you see so many near naked rear ends on the beach.

Katie Brown Ocean City

Town’s revenues, expenses regularly miscalculated

Editor,

Based on data from Ocean City’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports for the last eight fiscal years, the the liquor board had to parse through and its members only had a few questions regarding alcohol sales timing, the promoters’ ability to run security and keep alcohol out of underaged hands and if ingress/egress will be an issue.

The event will have its own security and Alex Spies of OC West Productions said that on top of wrist bracelets for patrons over 21, bartenders will know to ask for identification from anyone they suspect might be too young, even if they have a bracelet.

There will be two entrance/exit points to the event, leading Spies and Juice Box Jams representative William Gallagher to say they’re confident that they can control the crowd well.

All alcohol-sale proceeds from the weekend will go to Juice Box Jams.

Last year, the first year of the PBR Ocean City Seacrets Classic, drew 40 top-class bull riders to the resort with bull rider Eduardo de Oliveira of Brazil winning the event. He actually lost to Cooter Brown in the championship round but had such strong prior rounds that de Oliveira still clinched the top spot.

Mayor & City Council consistently underestimate revenues and overestimate expenses.

From fiscal 2015 to fiscal 2022, the combined underestimated revenue totaled over $19.8 million, averaging over $2.4 million per year.

During that same period, the combined overestimated expenses totaled over $27 million, for an average of nearly $3.4 million per year.

When these two categories are added together, it results in an average favorable variance or surplus of over $5.8 million per year.

In fiscal 2022 alone, underestimated revenue exceeded $5.7 million and overestimated expenses amounted to over $7.7 million. The combined surplus in these two categories topped $13.4 million.

In retrospect, the property tax rate for fiscal 2022 could have been lowered by 14.5 cents, and the town would have still had a balanced budget.

Over several years, repeated attempts to encourage the mayor and council for even a modest reduction in the property tax rate have been ignored. When are our elected officials going to adopt fiscal responsibility?

Vincent dePaul Gisriel, Jr. Ocean City

The event is just one stop on the 2023 PBR Challenger Series, which will make more than 60 stops from May through November before its championship in Las Vegas, accord- ing to a press release.

Bull riders get on one bull each in the first three rounds. Following Sunday’s third round, individual threeround scores will be added up and the top 15 will advance to the championship round.

Bull riding will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

For tickets and more information, visit https://pbr.com/.