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The Dispatch October 2, 2020

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Chaotic Weekend: With thousands of visitors intent on wreaking havoc in Ocean City during a pop-up rally, local law enforcement was stretched to capacity last weekend, making 277 arrests and authorizing 345 tows. See inside for multiple stories.

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Berlin Voters To Elect Mayor, Council

OC Lifts Boardwalk Mask Mandate

Resort Police Force To Grow By 10

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Officials Reflect On Chaos, Antics Of Rally Weekend

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

October 2, 2020

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

A vehicle is pictured on Baltimore Avenue spinning wheels as a crowd watches and videos.

Photo by Campos Media

OCEAN CITY – Despite times of just plain ugliness, resort officials this week said the enhanced strategies in place to handle the chaotic pop-up car rally last weekend by and large achieved the desired results.

When the dust settled after another troublesome pop-up car rally last week, Mayor Rick Meehan and Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) Chief Ross Buzzuro on Monday held a joint virtual press conference to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly. Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the press conference is that the measures planned for and implemented over the course of five days last week did what they were intended to do for the most part although there is still much work to be done.

The pop-up car rally did wreak havoc on the resort throughout late last week and into the weekend, particularly on Saturday night, when at times it appeared as if the town was coming unglued and chaos ensued. However, Meehan said the plan in place, including the enhanced special event zone law, a beefed-up towing ordinance, altered traffic patterns and road closures and hundreds of police officers on the streets, achieved the desired results for the most part.

“What we saw this weekend was unacceptable,” he said. “I’m not going to tell you it wasn’t ugly at times, but the plan worked. Moving forward, we’re going to continue to address this. We’re still standing.”

For his part, Buzzuro agreed strategy worked as planned for the most part, save for a few times when the lawlessness appeared to be gaining the upper hand, and had high praise for his department and its allied law enforcement partners.

“We will never back down and we will never stand back,” he said. “We had a plan in place and it was a success.”

Buzzuro also thanked the local community for their patience during what was certainly a trying weekend.

“I want to thank the community for its unwavering support,” he said. “They wanted us to do the best we could to protect and serve the community and we did the very best we could. At times it was very difficult, but in the end, we prevailed.”

It’s important to note the annual popup car rally is not sanctioned or even welcomed by Ocean City. It is largely social media-driven without a designated promoter or organizer. The question has been raised in recent years about simply not letting the participants in, but that is neither practical or legal.

Instead, the town, its police department and its allied partners have to grin and bear it for the most part and take steps and have measures in place to control it to the extent possible. From the end of the event last year to the start of it last week, resort officials and the motorized special event task force essentially left no SEE PAGE 68

October 2, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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Lawmakers To Seek More Legislation

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

October 2, 2020

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

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OCEAN CITY – The resort area’s representatives in Annapolis have vowed to pursue even stronger legislation aimed at thwarting some of the behavior associated with the pop-up car rally that inundated Ocean City again last weekend.

State Delegate Wayne Hartman (R-38C), who represents Ocean City and Worcester County, was on the front lines for much of the weekend, riding along with the Ocean City Police Department on Friday and the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday. Hartman said in a taped message what was displayed in pictures and videos of the unofficial event did not do it justice.

“It’s hard to describe and hard to imagine what happened in Ocean City and how intense it was and the magnitude of it,” he said. “It was typical for 12 to 15 law enforcement officers to be dispatched to a particular site to disperse crowds. More often than not, those law enforcement officers were met with rocks, water bottles, beer cans and fireworks being shot at them.”

Hartman, who was instrumental in getting the enhanced special event zone legislation through the General Assembly last winter, vowed to go back to the drawing board this year.

“It’s important to realize even with everything that was done and the help of the new law and changing the habits of the drivers, still more needs to be done,” he said. “There was a rumor that the governor was here and that was just a rumor. I assure you I will share with the governor my first-hand account. In the meantime, I want to introduce in the Maryland General Assembly a bill to allow our law enforcement officers and first responders to be protected under a hate crime bill and make them a protected class. That would be an additional tool that law enforcement would have next year.

When they are met with this kind of behavior, it could be treated as a hate crime because that’s just what this is.”

State Senator Mary Beth Carozza (R-38) also said she will continue to work with Ocean City officials, local law enforcement and the Hogan administration to take additional preventative and enforcement actions aimed at the most disruptive and destructive pop-up car rally participants. Carozza praised the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) and its allied partners for doing yeoman’s work in what was seemingly an impossible situation at times last weekend.

“I join with thousands of local res-

Police officers are pictured blocking a portion of Baltimore Avenue last Friday night.

Photo by Campos Media

idents and business operators to express deep, heartfelt and sincere appreciation and prayers of thanks for all that law enforcement, fire, emergency management, dispatchers, public works and city employees have been doing to keep Ocean City and our home community safe,” she said. “This has been a very difficult week for Ocean City. As Ocean City Police Chief Ross Buzzuro said, the majority of these visitors are not car enthusiasts. They are here to disrupt, destroy and disrespect our community and law enforcement.”

Like Hartman, Carozza was also instrumental in getting the enhanced special event zone legislation approved last winter and vowed to work with the OCPD and the town to determine what other legislative remedies might be possible.

“From my conversation with the leadership of the OCPD and allied law enforcement command, I expect to hear their future public safety recommendations,” she said. “I believe we need to allow our professional law enforcement leaders to assess the weekend, conduct their after-action review and hear their specific recommendations for the future with the input and support of the public.”

Carozza said she supports Hartman’s efforts to introduce legislation that would classify attacks against law enforcement as hate crimes. She is also working with her colleagues on the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee to advance additional resources and protections for first responders.

Carozza said the violence against police officers in Ocean City last weekend came at a time when some of her colleagues in the General Assembly are debating bills that would create less support and protection for law enforcement.

“I will continue to do all I can to support law enforcement and make public safety my top priority, especially at a time when the General Assembly has been holding anti-police hearings in Annapolis and considering legislation that would weaken law enforcement,” she said.

October 2, 2020

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OC Police Report 277 Arrests, 345 Tows In 4 Days

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

October 2, 2020

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

A huge crowd of visitors are pictured gathered on Baltimore Avenue last Saturday.

Photo by Campos Media

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OCEAN CITY – As a calm descends on Ocean City after another riotous popup car rally weekend, resort officials are now left pondering what worked in terms of enhanced law enforcement and what can be done better in the future.

As expected, the pop-up car rally weekend, as it is now being referred, brought huge crowds of largely unruly, disrespectful visitors that wreaked havoc on Ocean City for the better part of four days. The lawlessness built slowly throughout last week and reached a crescendo on Saturday night when two law enforcement officers were injured and well over 100 arrests were made.

At 11:50 p.m. Saturday, Ocean City police requested a second wave of assistance from law enforcement agencies on the shore to deal with crowds and disorderly individuals.

Ocean City, its police department and its allied partners were perhaps as best prepared as ever entering the popup car rally weekend with an enhanced special event zone law, a beefed-up towing ordinance, speed bumps, altered traffic patterns, hundreds of police officers and all manner of equipment and resources on hand.

Those combined measures worked to a large degree for much of the weekend, but despite the thankless efforts of law enforcement and first-responders, the weekend can only be described as another unquantified disaster.

As Ocean City and its partners ramped up enhanced enforcement efforts, the majority of the pop-up car rally enthusiasts ratcheted up their unruliness in kind.

It would be unfair to paint the entire group of weekend visitors with one broad brush, but the vast majority appeared to arrive with recklessness and lawlessness on their mind and for the most part, they achieved their desired results.

Ocean City Police Chief Ross Buzzuro said as much in a statement on Sunday.

“This is not a car show and the majority of these visitors are not car enthusiasts,” he said. “They are here to disrupt, destroy and disrespect our community and our law enforcement officers.

Our policing philosophy is to be friendly, fair and firm. Unfortunately, the disorderly behavior and unruly crowds left no choice but to shift our philosophy and take additional steps to protect our officers and our community.”

Final weekend statistics released on Monday provide a tale of the tape of sorts for what really happened over the SEE NEXT PAGE

… Chief: ‘This Is Not A Car Show’

October 2, 2020

weekend. For example, there were 277 total arrests over the weekend, including 127 on Saturday alone, compared to 85 over the same pop-up car rally weekend last year.

It’s important to note the General Assembly passed an enhanced special enforcement zone bill last winter that made certain violations under the umbrella of “exhibition driving” arrestable offenses in many cases. It’s also important to note many of the arrests recorded over the weekend had nothing to do with vehicles, but rather the blatant lawlessness of spectators on the sidelines.

In advance of last weekend’s pop-up car rally, the Town of Ocean City beefed up its towing ordinance and the results of those efforts played out in the statistics. For example, there were 345 vehicles towed and impounded over the four-day period compared to just 65 for the same weekend in 2019.

Interestingly, the total calls for service, both citizen-generated and officergenerated, were down slightly from just around 2,900 last year to about 2,800 this year. However, with hundreds of allied law enforcement officers on the streets all weekend, the lawlessness and disorderly behavior was right in front of them and they didn’t necessarily have to respond to calls for service.

The unsanctioned pop-up car rally

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

weekend is largely a social media-driven event without a specific promoter or organizer. There are multiple social media pages and sites through which the vast majority of attendees communicate and coordinate. Even the administrator of one of the more popular social media pages acknowledged in a message this year’s event got out of hand.

“The events of this weekend have gone beyond traffic infractions at a car rally,” the message reads. “This year’s activities have caused great harm to local business owners the local community and some have even promoted causing harm to law enforcement who put their lives on the line every single day to protect the community.”

The administrator of one of the many pop-up car rally social media sites acknowledged the level of lawlessness and disruptive behavior has reached levels never anticipated or desired.

“This has gone too far,” the message reads. “H2Oi was once a peaceful event that promoted a shared love of cars and has now evolved into something else that is nothing to do with cars and instead promotes general lawlessness. In the strongest possible terms, we condemn this activity and the harm it has caused to so many in Ocean City. We disavow this behavior and will not be allowing any posts that support this activity.”

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Ocean City Police Outlines Reasons For More Officers

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – Resort officials this week approved the recruiting and hiring of 10 new full-time police officers for the Ocean City Police Department, acknowledging the challenge will likely be how to pay for them.

During Tuesday’s work session, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) Chief Ross Buzzuro and OCPD Captain Mike Colbert came before the Mayor and Council seeking approval to hire 10 new full-time sworn officers. Buz-

zuro said the number of full-time officers has been stagnant sice he became chief in 2013, but the town’s offseason special events have multiplied and in-season crowds have increased.

Buzzuro also said with police departments all over the country under increased scrutiny, the challenges in recruiting summer seasonal officers has increased in kind. His recommendation was to beef up the full-time yearround police force and scale back somewhat on the seasonal officer program.

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“We’re seeing increased difficulty with the seasonal officer program,” he said. “We’ve seen a decline in applications in recent years, especially with the challenges facing police departments all over the country.”

As a result, Buzzuro said the department would like to add more fulltime police officers over time and reduce the reliance on the seasonal officer program. He said ideally, the department would like to go from 107 full-time sworn officers to 140 over the period of a couple of years, for a total of 33, but that he was seeking 10 in the first year.

Colbert explained the reasoning for the additional full-time officers request was related to societal ways in which law enforcement is viewed and held accountable, along with a spike in the number of special events and challenges related to recruiting and hiring seasonal officers.

“There are a number of reasons we’re asking for additional officers,” he said. “Part of it is, there has been an incredible movement in recent years, which has only accelerated in recent months, for increased training and accountability for police officers demanded by their communities. Law enforcement has become much more complex. We also have increased demand for service in the offseason with the number of special events having in-

October 2, 2020

creased significantly.”

Buzzuro said the number of sworn full-time officers has remained stagnant since he was hired as chief eight years ago.

“To put things in perspective, we had more police officers seven years ago then we have now,” he said. “We have had virtually the same number of full-time officers for the last 15 years.

We have 50% more special events and we’re in a position where we need to fortify ourselves.”

The Mayor and Council were generally supportive of the request. Councilman Tony DeLuca said he wasn’t sure about moving away too far from the seasonal officer program. He said the seasonal officers along with a fleet of public safety aides (PSAs) that handle low-level enforcement provide an invaluable service to the sworn fulltime complement of officers.

“It’s a yes from me, but…,” he said.

“The ‘but’ is I thought we were looking at a plan to attack that top end of the seasonal officer program and the PSAs and pay them more and maybe a title change to make the positions more attractive.”

Colbert agreed the PSAs were invaluable during the summer, but they lacked the training of the full-time officers and even the seasonal officers needed in these changing times.

SEE PAGE 43

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Council Votes 4-3 To Lift Boardwalk Mask Requirement In Ocean City

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

October 2, 2020

Boardwalk visitors are pictured wearing their masks in late July.

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – The majority of the Ocean City Council voted not to extend the Boardwalk mask requirement for another 30 days, but the mayor’s declaration of a state of emergency will remain in effect.

At the close of Tuesday’s work session, City Solicitor Heather Stansbury pointed out Mayor Rick Meehan’s declaration of a state of emergency, including the amendment requiring the wearing of masks on the Boardwalk, was set to expire. The council needed to take action on the Boardwalk mask requirement specifically and the state of emergency declaration in general, or the directives could simply expire.

While the key COVID-19 metrics appear to have stabilized, some on the council believed it was time to simply let the Boardwalk mask requirement expire. However, Meehan urged his colleagues to extend it another 30 days.

“I’ve been up there and I think the large majority are wearing masks,” he said. “I think we’re sending the right message. We’re going to see a lot of busy weekends in October, and I just think we should keep this directive in place.”

Councilman John Gehrig said the mask directive was largely hollow because it wasn’t being enforced to a large degree.

“I don’t understand it,” he said. “We’re not really enforcing it anyway. We should just stick with the governor’s order. We certainly don’t need masks up there from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. in October.”

Meehan said the directive should probably be extended if only for appearances.

“Again, I just think it sends the right message and it takes away the ambiguity,” he said. “It sends the right message that the town of Ocean City is being diligent.”

The vote was called on the motion to extend the declaration for the mask requirement on the Boardwalk from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. for another 30 days. The motion failed in a 3-4 vote with Geh-

Photo by Chris Parypa

rig, Councilmen Matt James, Mark Paddack and Council President Lloyd Martin opposed.

With his Boardwalk mask requirement extension defeated, Meehan said the town should at least adjust the signage to reflect the governor’s standing directive regarding masks in public places. Under Gov. Hogan’s current directives, masks are required in public places when social distancing cannot be accomplished appropriately.

“We need to remind people to please wear a mask when they can’t socially distance,” he said. “At least we can be consistent with the governor’s order.”

The city solicitor said with the mayor’s amended order requiring masks on the Boardwalk defeated, there was still the issue of the standing state of emergency, which was also nearing its deadline. Stansbury said the council could vote to extend the state of emergency declaration while removing the Boardwalk mask requirement. Councilman Dennis Dare said there were plenty of reasons to extend the emergency declaration.

“I’ll make the motion to keep the emergency declaration in effect,” he said.

“There are a lot of federal and state grants out for reimbursement of COVID expenses. If we go out of the state of emergency, we might not be eligible for those expenses going forward, or it might become a tiered thing where jurisdictions still in a state or emergency get those funds.”

James pointed out the town could go back to a state of emergency if the coronavirus flared up again locally.

“If things get worse, we can always go back to a state of emergency,” he said. “If there was an uptick, I suspect we’d go back to where we were in the spring.”

The council ultimately voted unanimously to extend the emergency declaration for another 30 days and to change the electronic variable message signs to reflect the governor’s standing order regarding the wearing of masks in public places.

October 2, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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October 2, 2020

October 2, 2020

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City Council Decides To Not Allow E-Bikes On Boardwalk

Page 16

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – A clearly divided council voted this week to prohibit any electronic bikes, or e-bikes, on the Boardwalk after a lengthy and tense debate.

With the increased popularity of ebikes in and around the resort area, the Mayor and Council for the last month or so have been debating if they should be allowed on the Boardwalk at all, and if so, how they should best be regulated.

The issue began at the Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), came before the Mayor and Council in September, got bounced back to the town’s Police Commission, and finally came back to the Mayor and Council this week.

The BPAC’s recommendation was to allow only the Class 1 e-bikes on the Boardwalk following the usual time of day and time of year restrictions for regular bikes. The Class 1 e-bikes are pedal-assist bikes capable of reaching speeds achieved by riders on most regular bicycles. They require riders to continuously pedal the bikes, but the lowpowered engines are ideal for riders who are rehabilitating an injury, have limited capabilities or bad knees or other ailments. The Class 2 and Class 3 ebikes have higher capabilities.

During Tuesday’s work session, Ocean City Police Sgt. Allen Hawke, who serves on the BPAC, presented his find-

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Police Recommended Not Allowing

ings regarding the various classes of ebikes along with a review of ordinances regarding e-bikes in other coastal resort communities. Hawke said the OCPD’s recommendation was not to allow any ebikes on the Boardwalk.

Councilman Tony DeLuca, who chairs the BPAC, said the OCPD’s recommendation was enough for him.

“I’ve actively listened to everything and I’ve listened to Sgt. Hawke,” he said. “A week ago, we had a presentation at 65th Street and what was striking to me was you can’t tell the difference between the classes. I’ll make a motion to prohibit all e-bikes on the Boardwalk.”

Councilman Matt James said his concern was making such a blanket prohibition on e-bikes, especially heading into the offseason where at least the Class 1 bikes could be allowed on a trial basis.

“I get the concerns,” he said. “I just think it’s too broad. I think we should include language that follows our bicycle ordinance. I don’t think there would be any problem with them right now. I’m not sure about July and August.”

Councilman John Gehrig said enforcement should focus more on the behavior of the individual operating the e-bikes, or any bicycles for that matter, than the

vehicles themselves.

“I think it’s more the behavior than the device,” he said. “It’s like the gun debate. I don’t think that the e-bikes are a problem. I think it’s the behavior of some on the e-bikes that could create a problem. We don’t need to ban something before we see if there is a problem. We are assuming they would be a problem.”

Councilman Mark Paddack said he also supported allowing at least the Class 1 e-bikes.

“How many crashes or collisions involving e-bikes on the Boardwalk? Zero,” he said. “It shocks me that without warning we’re going back on this. It’s the person on the bike and not the bike we need to be worried about.”

Councilman Dennis Dare said it would be a burden for the OCPD to have to distinguish between the different classes of bikes with everything else they have to cover on the Boardwalk.

“I just don’t see adding another layer of enforcement up there,” he said.

“There is just too much risk in allowing motorized vehicles up there.”

Council Secretary Mary Knight said she wasn’t entirely sure those on ebikes would self-regulate.

October 2, 2020

“Right now, you can rent an e-bike in West Ocean City and they would instruct you to only pedal when on the Boardwalk,” she said. “We all know people don’t follow the rules and recommendations.”

Gehrig said the e-bike debate was like so many others from his colleagues on the council.

“We make massive assumptions based on fear and personal bias and not based on facts,” he said. “We’re really good at that as a body. It just seems irresponsible.

James asked if there was any interest in amending the motion to allow just the Class 1 e-bikes on the Boardwalk.

“If we’re just basing the decision on facts, we might as well ban the Boardwalk tram because that has caused more bodily harm over the years than any bicycle, motorized or otherwise,” he said.

However, Deluca was not interested in the compromise Class 1 option, citing the difficulty in telling the different classes apart.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “You’re obviously not listening. The bottom line is this. You can’t tell the difference. This seems like a simple discussion.”

After considerable debate among the elected officials, the council voted 4-3 with James, Gehrig and Paddack in opposition to prohibit any electronic bikes on the Boardwalk.

OC Unlikely To Include Road Closure In Park Redevelopment

October 2, 2020

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – Closing a block of St. Louis Avenue, permanently or even temporarily, to accommodate the redevelopment of the downtown recreation complex, appeared to get little traction among the majority of resort officials this week.

Two weeks ago, the Recreation and Parks Committee reviewed a pair of conceptual plans for the redevelopment of the vast downtown recreation complex between 3rd and 4th Streets along the bayside. The downtown park complex is bisected by St. Louis Avenue, a popular north-south corridor.

The complex is essentially two parks.

The section to the east is fairly developed with the historic Ocean Bowl skate park, basketball courts, a playground and other amenities. The section to the west is largely open space with longabandoned ballfields and waterfront bulk-headed popular for recreational fishing.

The two park areas are bisected by St. Louis Avenue, which somewhat limits the redevelopment concepts. St. Louis Avenue is a popular north-south route that relieves pressure on heavily-traveled Baltimore and Philadelphia avenues and is utilized by residents in the densely-populated bayside areas downtown.

However, both park redevelopment concepts call for a part-time or even full-time closure of St. Louis Avenue between 3rd and 4th streets. The concept is to create a seamless park complex uninterrupted by a traffic thoroughfare.

That section of St. Louis Avenue could be blocked off occasionally, for special events or farmer’s markets, for example, or it could be permanently blocked off, dramatically changing traffic patterns in the downtown area. Councilman John Gehrig, who chairs the Recreation and Parks Committee, explained the consultant’s concept to the full Mayor and Council on Tuesday.

“The consultant presented two design concepts,” he said. “There were a lot of ideas discussed including possibly closing that area of St. Louis Avenue. We can decide whether or not to consider that at a later date.”

Since the consultant’s vision, including the potential closure of St. Louis Avenue, has been made public, there has been considerable consternation in the community about the potential plan and the future of the popular corridor. Council Secretary Mary Knight said she has been hearing concerns from her constituents who are largely opposed to any consideration of closing off St. Louis Avenue to vehicles.

“I’m getting many calls and emails and it doesn’t seem like a popular idea,” she said. “Could we do a traffic study? I’d like to see how much of that traffic would end up on Philadelphia and Baltimore avenues.”

Gehrig said the consultant’s vision,

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

including the St. Louis Avenue component, was merely conceptual at this point.

“It’s definitely outside the box,” he said. “We could not do it at all or do it just temporarily during events. That decision is not an integral part of the first part of the plan. We know that will be a big topic of discussion going forward.”

Councilman and committee member Mark Paddack said the entire park complex would be redeveloped piecemeal as funding becomes available and acknowledged the St. Louis Avenue component would raise eyebrows.

“We’re looking at multiple considerations for that park and how it can best serve the downtown area,” he said.

“The concept is to redevelop it incrementally piece by piece and it will large-

ly be done through grants when they become available. We knew it could be controversial. It can be discussed at a later date.”

Councilman Dennis Dare said when St. Louis Avenue was last redesigned, the on-street parking was eliminated, the sidewalks were widened and the existing speed hump was added to calm traffic and provide a walking path across the roadway between the two distinct components of the park.

Dare said he couldn’t envision closing that block of St. Louis Avenue to accommodate an element of the redesigned park.

“I just can’t imagine what recreational amenity could outweigh the public’s use of St. Louis Avenue on a permanent basis,” he said. “If you had a special event that required a temporary

Page 17

closure, maybe. I just think that defies common sense.”

Mayor Rick Meehan, who lives in the downtown bayside area pointed out the importance of the St. Louis Avenue corridor.

“I drive that roadway every day, sometimes multiple times a day,” he said. “Most locals take that loop under the bridge to access those vast residential areas.”

Gehrig reminded his colleagues the plans were merely conceptual at this point. It said there would be plenty of opportunity for the Mayor and Council to review and debate the merits along with ample opportunity for the public to weigh in.

“It’s just conceptual,” he said. “We’ll have plenty of time to review this and get public input.”

Berlin Council Looks Beyond Conflict Concerns With Planner Appointment

Page 18

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BERLIN – Town officials opted to move forward with a controversial planning commission appointment despite objections from the public.

On Monday, the council voted 3-1 to approve Mayor Gee Williams’ nomination of Austin Purnell to the Berlin Planning Commission. Councilman Zack Tyndall, who voted against the nomination, argued in favor of tabling a decision on the issue, which will be considered by the town’s ethics commission Wednesday.

“We have an election that’s literally a week away…,” Tyndall said. “I think we should wait until the second meeting of October to let the new council take office and evaluate the candidate.”

Purnell, who was sworn in right after the council approved his nomination, said he was just excited to be serving the town he’s spent most of his life in.

“I care about the town,” he said. “I want to get involved.”

During Monday’s meeting Williams said that upon learning of the resignation of John Barrett from the planning commission, he’d spoken to four people who’d expressed an interest in serving and asked each of them to submit a letter addressing their experience and thoughts about Berlin. He said that had been three months ago and he’d only received one letter — from Austin Purnell, son of Councilman Troy Purnell.

Referencing social media chatter regarding Purnell’s nomination, he said Purnell would recuse himself if a topic he had an interest in came up.

“I can’t help but notice some things on the internet and quite frankly anybody who’s appointed to any commission has to recuse themselves — it’s not an option — if any business comes before that board or commission which they have any business interest in,” Williams said. “Those people that say the Purnell family and businesses receive some special treatment, just don’t know what they’re talking about.”

Resident Jim Meckley said he had nothing against Purnell but objected to the appointment.

“I feel this is a rather blatant choice that is in very much conflict of what the planning board, the zoning board and the town council do together,” he said.

“As we know Mr. Purnell is a Realtor, he is a developer, and he has a lot of different properties and so forth along with his father in the Town of Berlin. I just feel that it would be a conflict of interest.”

He added that Williams claimed he listened to the community.

“I don’t feel that this happened today,” Meckley said. “I have not talked to one person in this community, not one business owner, or even some of the leaders in town, that were not appalled by your decision to appoint Mr. Purnell.”

Councilman Thom Gulyas interjected that Meckley hadn’t talked to him.

“I’m a business owner and I’m a lea-

October 2, 2020

der in this town,” Gulyas said.

Meckley asked if he could continue.

“Absolutely,” Gulyas replied. “But if we’re going to talk conflicts be careful because there are a lot of them sitting here right now.”

Meckley said he hoped the mayor would rescind Purnell’s name or table the appointment until after the ethics commission met.

Williams said that if there had been an ethical issue with Purnell he wouldn’t have nominated him. He said Berlin was a small town and there were often situations in which committee members had to recuse themselves.

“This is all very open,” he said. “I believe that there is no reason to impugn the integrity of Austin, saying he won’t recuse himself, because quite frankly if he didn’t the chairman would simply say you can’t vote.”

Williams said he felt more comfortable appointing a person who was involved in various things and actually understood the town.

“If you know no one or have no affiliations I question if you’re really suited to make decisions on behalf of the community,” Williams said. “This is a small town. Many people know many, many local folks. It’s the nature of small town government. It works well. There’s no hidden agenda. There’s no secret government. This is all stuff that, especially since the age of the internet, has just come out of somewhere. This is not the nature of the town. I quite frankly like the fact we have someone who knows about building and development and issues that are required. It’s an advantage for the town.”

He called the objections to Purnell narrow-minded.

“I don’t think it applies at all in this situation,” he said. “I don’t have any reservations about making what I think is a very appropriate nomination.”

Resident Kim Holloway said she was one of several people who’d filed an ethics complaint regarding the nomination of Purnell. She said there were numerous other possible individuals, rather than the son of a builder and developer who served on the town council and had many projects in town.

“I don’t care how many times you say you’re going to recuse yourself, you’re going to be impartial, you’re going to do all of those things, at the end of the day ethically it stinks,” she said.

She said she filed an ethics complaint the day she found out about the nomination and had since spoken to other citizens about it.

“I’ve talked to many many people — not you Mr. Gulyas, because I know your arrogance,” she said.

Gulyas immediately cut her off and told her to keep it in line.

“You’re the same way, you and your husband,” Gulyas said. “I’ve put up with you people for six damn years. I’m sick and tired of it. Everything online, that’s where you’re going to pull this from.

SEE NEXT PAGE

… Residents Question Mayor’s Pick

October 2, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 19

Berlin Mayor Gee Williams, left, administers the oath of office to new Planning Commission member Austin Purnell Monday.

Photo by Charlene Sharpe

Whoa whoa whoa this is my meeting not yours. Not yours. Not yours … You know Kim every damn time you’ve come to these meetings all you’ve wanted to do is bitch and complain. You’ve been here three times.”

After asking the mayor to intervene and get the meeting in order, Holloway said she’d spoken to business owners and residents who were concerned about the appointment.

“I just think it’s in the best interest that he pulls his name or the ethics commission reviews this and makes a decision before he is appointed to this position,” she said.

Resident Bob Palladino, a member of the town’s board of zoning appeals, agreed that he thought there could be possible issues both with Purnell’s father being a councilman and with his professional interests.

Williams said that if the ethics commission — which has received five complaints regarding the issue — found a problem with the appointment it would be null and void.

“Quite frankly if every time someone objected to a nomination and said we’re going to take it to the ethics commission, basically it just stops the local government moving forward,” he said. “That’s just not how we operate.”

Tyndall, citing the Oct. 6 election, made a motion to table the appointment. The motion failed, with just Tyndall in support and Councilmen Dean Burrell, Elroy Brittingham and Gulyas opposed. Councilman Troy Purnell had recused himself prior to the discussion.

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Burrell went on to make the motion to approve the appointment, which passed 3-1, with Tyndall in opposition.

“We all talk to who we talk to and we all move in different circles,” Burrell said.

“However, I’ve been a member of this council for a while now, I have never been contacted by a candidate for a commission prior to Mr. Purnell. I think Mr. Purnell has shown interest and he brings expertise to this commission.”

Brittingham agreed.

“I also received a call from Austin asking for my support for this commission,” he said. “I’ve been here longer than anybody, 32 years. I’ve never received a call from anybody to be placed on a commission.”

Purnell, in an interview Tuesday, said he had experience in real estate and development that he thought would prove helpful to the planning commission.

“I’ve got some view points to offer that I think would be of value,” he said.

Purnell added that he lived in Berlin and planned to start a family here.

“I want to have a hand in the future of the town,” he said. “I don’t want to see it turn into Salisbury … I don’t want crazy sprawl, I don’t want 500 homes in Libertytown.”

He acknowledged the concerns citizens had voiced about his appointment but pointed out that the planning commission reviewed development throughout town, not just projects the Purnell family did.

“Yes I’m involved in our stuff,” he said. “I’ll recuse myself. I don’t know what else to say to calm people’s fears.”

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Berlin To Elect Mayor, Three New Council Members

Page 20

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – With five mayoral candidates and three council seats up for grabs, officials are expecting a strong voter turnout in Tuesday’s municipal election.

Polls in Berlin will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday for the 2020 municipal election. As a result of COVID-19, face coverings will be required at the polls and social distancing will be in effect.

“We anticipate a fairly large turnout,”

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

said Mary Bohlen, the town’s administrative services director. “Anytime an election is contested there tends to be a higher turnout.”

In the 2016 municipal election, Mayor Gee Williams received 588 votes, defeating challenger Lisa Hall who received 137 votes. In that same election District 3 Councilman Elroy Brittingham ran unopposed and in District 2 Councilman Zack Tyndall defeated Jack Orris, 185 votes to 116.

Voters this year should report to Buckingham Presbyterian Church on South Main Street to cast their ballots if they’re

in District 1 or 2. Voters in District 3 and 4 should visit the Berlin Police Department on Decatur Street to vote. Absentee ballots will be accepted until the close of polls at 7 p.m. Bohlen said that as of Wednesday she’d processed 97 absentee voting applications. In years past, absentee applications have averaged around 30.

Positions to be decided in this year’s election include mayor as well as council seats in District 2, District 3 and the atlarge position. Mayoral candidates include incumbent Gee Williams, Jennifer Allen, Ron Bireley, Bill Todd and Zack Tyndall. The unopposed District 2 candidate is Jack Orris while District 3 candidates are Shaneka Nichols and Daniel Packey. For the at-large position, voters can choose between Jay Knerr and Tony Weeg.

Here are the introductions each of the candidates provided during virtual town hall sessions hosted in September by The Dispatch.

Mayor Candidates Jennifer Allen: My name is Jennifer Allen. My husband and I purchased our home five years ago. Following our retirement, we moved to Berlin in April of 2016. I am a registered nurse and I have extensive leadership and administrative experience. This information is available on LinkedIn and my name on LinkedIn is Jennifer (Jennie) Allen. Following the 2019 decision to raise taxes, I became

October 2, 2020

interested in what has been happening in Berlin and began attending all of the town council meetings and subsequently decided to run for mayor. Due to the pandemic I realized it would not be appropriate for me to go around and knock and talk so I decided on post cards to reach the citizens of Berlin. I chose to use every door direct mailing and I’m going out to the four major routes in the Berlin area.

Unfortunately, as I have found, the delivery has not been perfect, and many people are telling me that they have not been receiving the post card. So as an FYI there have been three post cards sent to date and a fourth one is coming out next week. So what I want to show you, you should have gotten this first post card, this is an introduction, the next post card is all about Heron Park then on the back I talk to you about quality and Six Sigma tools for process improvement and then the third post card that went out is a money jar and that’s about taxes and budgets and on the back I talk to you about why you should be watching online council meetings. If you have not received your post card please contact me at jenniferforberlinmayor@gmail.com and I will get them to you.

Bill Todd: I’ve been born and raised in the area. I’ve been living in Berlin proper for about 10 years now. Quite frankly I’m SEE PAGE 22

My Promise To The People Of Berlin Is To Reduce The Tax Rate.

VOTE RON BIRELEY For Mayor Of Berlin

BY AUTHORITY LINDA BIRELEY, TREASURER

October 2, 2020

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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 21

BISHOPVILLE 12122 SOUTH PINEY POINT ROAD • $890,000 • MLS #MDWO115728 WATER FRONT 1.3 Acre, 80’ dock, 5 bed, 2 ½ bt, 4,634 sqft, built 1990 $150/yr HOA fee, RE Tax $553/m, Pool, 3-Bay Garage, Updated Thru-Out

BAY FRONT ~ OC SUNSET BEACH #204 at 46th Street $625,000 • MLS #MDWO116434 3 bed, 2 ½ bt, 1,712 sqft, built 2007 Condo Fee $647/m, RE Tax $567/m South Corner Condo, Pool, Slip #4, Locker, Private Beach, Pristine

BAY BLOCK ~ OC OCEAN BLOCK ~ OC HOLIDAY PLAZA #307 at 28th Street STONE HARBOR #203 at 9th Street $220,000 • MLS #MDWO116640 $235,000 • MLS #MDWO116638 2 bed, 2 bt, 851 sqft, built 1984 2 bed, 1 bt, 834 sqft, built 1971 Condo Fee $202/m, RE Tax $199/m Condo Fee $225/m, RE Tax $194/m Top Floor, South Corner, Ocean View, Pristine, Updated, 2 Pkg. Spaces, 2 Blocks to Beach & Boardwalk Cable, Hot Water, Laundry Included

OCEAN BLOCK ~ OC ATLANTIC COURT #105 at 72nd Street $185,000 • MLS #MDWO116954 2 bed, 1 ½ bt, 594 sqft, built 1972 Condo Fee $287/m, RE Tax $174/m West Corner, Gated Private Porch, Lots of Updates, ½ Block to Beach

NEWARK ~ WATER FRONT LOT BAY BLOCK ~ OC OCEAN BLOCK ~ OC OCEAN PINES ~ SEC. 18 TOBINS QUARTERS II #B at 78th Street SEA NYMPH #3B at 17th Street 1 YACHT CLUB DRIVE, LOT #II-1 CROPPERS ISLAND ROAD via #113S $185,000 • MLS #MDWO117004 $90,000 • MLS #1001558864 $135,000 • MLS #MDWO113198 $175,000 • MLS #MDWO116026 2 bed, 1 ½ bt, 728 sqft, built 1983 1 bed, 1 bt, 450 sqft, built 1960 Corner of Stones Run, 0.34 +/- Acre #7-1.04 Acres, 100’ +/- on Porter Creek Wooded, County Road Access, Condo Fee $100/m, RE Tax $164/m Condo Fee $236/m, RE Tax $118/m Wooded, Over-Sized 14,936 +/- sqft South Corner, Large Covered Porch, 1st Floor, Private Porch, 1 Pkg .Sp., Convenient to Yacht Club, Pools, South of Berlin Country Lifestyle, Updated Kitchen, Bay/Wetlands View Pool, Cable & Hot Water Included Estate Sale with Current Survey Nearby Marinas, Recreation Fun

… Berlin Candidates Provide Background Information

Page 22

FROM PAGE 20 running for mayor just because I’m tired of the way things have been going a little bit. I’ve taken nothing from this town but great memories and experiences and I’d like to keep it that way. I’ve worked in many different capacities all over the place. I’ve worked in radio for seven years, I’ve up till recently have been working for Burley Oak Brewing Company here in town so I’ve been around town long enough to really understand some of the ins and outs of how things go and how some of the things should go. I’m doing this out of the genuine love I have for the town and the citizens in it, and I couldn’t be happier to have this opportunity to be before you all tonight.

Ron Bireley: I was born and raised just outside of the corporate limits of the town. I graduated from Stephen Decatur High School and eventually went into the

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

military where I served eight and a half years on active duty in the United States Army. Two of those years I spent in the Republic of South Vietnam. When I retired from the military I went to school and got my undergraduate degree and then my masters degree and then I went to work for the Town of Berlin. I was administrative director for approximately five and a half years. I followed that with a tour as a councilmember and then I was elected as mayor. I was called back in by a special vote by the council to a second term as mayor albeit as a parttime, a shorter term, and then I was finance director for approximately 14 years.

Gee Williams: I was born and raised in Berlin. I spent most of my life here except for the years that I attended college or served in the U.S. Army reserve as a staff sergeant. I graduated from Chesa-

peake College in Wye Mills with an associate’s degree and then I earned my bachelor’s degree in business and journalism at the University of Maryland College Park. My wife Betsy and I have been residents of the town of Berlin now for 46 years. My daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren are also lifelong residents of Berlin. For 30 years, I’ve enjoyed a career as a local newspaper journalist, editor and publisher. Since that time I’ve served as the community liaison for the State Highway Administration and the marketing and development director for the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore.

For the past 12 years I have devoted my lifetime of experience to serving as the mayor of Berlin. I believe that prior to that I served four years on the town council. So I started covering the Berlin mayor and council as a reporter and ed-

October 2, 2020

itor and have spent the majority of the Monday nights of my lifetime in town hall, first reporting as a journalist and later as a town councilman and mayor. I’m seeking election and I’m seeking your support to serve one final term as your mayor.

Zack Tyndall: I want to thank The Dispatch for hosting this virtual forum and for the important opportunity for the Berlin residents to be able to hear from all five of the candidates running for mayor.

I also want to thank everyone that’s tuning in to the forum and taking an active role in this election. Your voice, your participation and your vote truly do matter.

I’m running to be your next mayor. I’m a lifelong resident of the town of Berlin, a homeowner, husband, father, four-year councilmember and dedicated public servant to the town of Berlin.

My service to Berlin began 16 years ago as a cadet with the Berlin Fire Company and progressed into a career serving many of you as a firefighter/paramedic. I have a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in management and finance. As your councilmember, I’ve worked diligently to make sure the people of Berlin have a voice in their local government. I have also stood up for my constituents and I’ve not been afraid to ask questions and do research. When we experienced a double-digit tax increase by the current administration, I was the only councilmember to propose a path forward that didn’t involve raising your taxes. All while not cutting jobs or services. The question that every voter needs to ask themselves on Oct. 6 is what type of town do we want to be and what kind of future do we want to build together? As Berlin’s next mayor I want our town to be a safe, financially sustainable and well-maintained community. For too long, our town’s focus has centered around the downtown area. Berlin goes beyond just Main Street. We have many vibrant neighborhoods that make up Berlin and we need a mayor that can bring us all closer together. I ask for your vote and your support on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Council Candidates Shaneka Nichols: I’m from Berlin originally, raised here my whole life, 45 years — I’m not ashamed to say 45. Grew up here, went to Stephen Decatur High School, went off to college, got married directly after. Did a year of AmeriCorps, came back, started a family, right here in my same neighborhood, literally on the same street, and have lived in the same house now I guess for just under 20 years. I’m a mother of six, grandma as well. I work for Worcester County Public Schools. I’ve been in education, between early childhood, from infancy to grade six, for 13 years or so, taking time off to be with my own children, and ran a small business in between and now I’m back in public school.

Daniel Packey. I’m a newcomer here, just recently came. The reason I’m here is because my daughter and grandchildren are here and so my wife and I wanted to be close to them. My background history is I was a professor of SEE NEXT PAGE

… Incumbent, Four Challengers Eye Berlin Mayor’s Seat

October 2, 2020

economics for Curtin University and head of their Department of Mineral and Energy Economics. I was the head of the department at Gulf University for Science and Technology for economics and finance. I worked for the International Copper Association which deals with 80% of the world’s copper. I was their director of market research and market intelligence for 29 offices all the way around the world. I understand clean energy because I worked for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory as their senior utility economist and was responsible for putting them in the ground. I also wrote, or coauthored, the manual for evaluation of renewable energy and energy efficiency that is currently being used today. To wrap it up I worked for the DC Public Service Commission dealing with integrated resource planning. I’ve done some other stuff but that’s the stuff that’s relevant.

Jay Knerr: First I want to start off by thanking The Dispatch for hosting this forum. It’s our one chance to get the word out to the masses so thanks for doing it. I am a 20-year resident of Berlin.

I live here with my wife Mary Lynn and together we own the Kite Loft in Ocean City. We raised our daughter, who’s now 25, she grew up here and enjoyed the community very much. So during my 20 years living here I’ve been involved in numerous boards and committees. I was a past president of the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, past president

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

of the Ocean City Development Corporation. I’m currently on the paramedic foundation for Ocean City, I’m also on the board of trustees for Atlantic General Hospital. I’m on the board of zoning appeals for Berlin and I am the current chairman for the Worcester County Planning Commission. I have a wealth of experience, I have leadership skills and I have the vision to be a very successful Berlin councilman and I hope you vote for me on Oct. 6.

Tony Weeg: Hello everyone and good evening. First of all thank you to The Dispatch for hosting all of us and everyone who is watching this thank you for tuning in. I am a 47-year-old father of three. My wife and I and those girls and our chickens and our dog and our cat exist in a place we call heaven and that’s Bay Street. I am currently a photographer and videographer and I get to travel the world. I get to see a lot of places, a lot of people and a lot of things. One thing that I have not found anywhere else in this world except for in Berlin is the community that is Berlin and the things that make up our community and the ingredients that make up that community. Those ingredients are very exciting to me as a person who planning on retiring there. Planning on raising my three daughters. Going to Buckingham, going to BES, then BIS, then going to Stephen Decatur. I can’t explain to you what that means to us.

As far as me, I am a pragmatic thin-

ker, I like to look at the situations at hand and I like to fix them with things around me. I’m a connector of people. I’m a facilitator of situations and experiences for people to meet people, to learn new things, to be involved, to sort of gain new experiences that maybe they may not have had the access to. That leads me to why I’m here and why I’m mostly here.

It was a drive down 113 that my daughter looked over into the soybean field that’s near the Food Lion, and I had no explanation for her, why the people walk across the field to get to the Food Lion to go to work, why there’s no crosswalk at Route 113. That bothered me to the point where I figured I had to do something for this town that I love and I could start there and see where I could go.

That’s led me to meet so many people, hear so many things. And that’s me. I look forward to listening to you and being your new at-large councilman for the Town of Berlin.

Jack Orris: I’d also like to thank The Dispatch for hosting this opportunity for residents to hear all the candidates.

Originally I’m from western Pennyslvania where I earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and have been a resident of Berlin for 14 years. I’ve always had a desire to serve. My professional background includes work in customer service, office and operations management and I currently work at the Worcester County Health Department. All of those jobs have given me skills in pub-

Page 23

lic speaking, management and working with people of all backgrounds and experiences. My desire to serve is one of the reasons I’m running and I believe I have the skills and real life experience to offer the residents of the town. I’ve attended various town meetings, committee and board meetings, over the years, and council meetings regularly now for about five years.

Currently I serve as a member of the board of directors of the Berlin Heritage Foundation, chair of the Calvin B. Taylor House Outreach Committee, and vice chair of the Heron Park Advisory Committee. Through those opportunities I’ve also been able to hone experience with budgets and looking for ways to save and use monies wisely and effectively.

We have various topics we’re going to talk about here tonight that everyone is concerned about and I’m looking forward to delving into those issues. The bottom line to remember though is that we are a community and we’ll continue to set goals for the future together. One of the definitions of community from Merriam Webster is a body of persons or nations having a common history or common social economic and political interests. I believe our common interest is our charm and the biggest and best part of this town is the people working together for the future.

To view any of the town hall forums, visit the newspaper’s YouTube channel.

Page 24

Charges In Trooper Injury OCEAN CITY – A Virginia man is being held without bond this week after allegedly injuring a Maryland State Police trooper on Saturday night during the pop-up car rally.

Shortly before 11 p.m. last Saturday, Maryland State Police (MSP) troopers responded to the area of 71st Street to assist the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) in dispersing a large crowd of hundreds of individuals who were gathered in the roadway as part of the unsanctioned pop-up car rally. An OCPD officer was attempting to arrest a suspect, later identified as Jonathan Bello, 23, of Norfolk, Va., who resisted and fled the scene on foot.

An MSP trooper pursued Bello on foot and upon reaching the suspect,

Cops & Courts The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

both fell to the ground with Bello falling on top of the trooper, according to police reports. The trooper was knocked unconscious and sustained a laceration to his head. Other law enforcement

officers in the area took Bello into custody and assisted the injured and unconscious trooper.

Law enforcement officers on the scene determined the MSP trooper was not breathing and began lifesaving measures. Because of the situation at the scene, law enforcement officers at the scene evacuated the injured trooper from the area in a patrol car and met an ambulance nearby.

The injured trooper was then transported by ambulance to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury where he was treated for his injuries.

Following treatment, the injured trooper was released from the hospital on Sunday morning and was recuperating at home this week.

Bello was charged with reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and second-degree escape.

After the incident late Saturday night, Bello was held in custody until a bail review hearing on Monday after which he was ordered to be held without bond.

October 2, 2020

Brass Knuckles Attack OCEAN CITY – A Silver Spring, Md., man was arrested on first-degree assault and other charges last weekend after allegedly smashing another man in the face with brass knuckles.

Around 3:40 p.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was patrolling in the area of Philadelphia Avenue and 12th Street when he observed a suspect later identified as Brayan Ernesto Delcid, 24, of Silver Spring, Md., standing in the roadway and yelling while blocking all southbound traffic. At least a dozen vehicles were at a standstill as a result.

Delcid then crossed over the median to the northbound lanes of Philadelphia Avenue, where he continued to shout and blocked all lanes of traffic heading north. Delcid reportedly walked out of view in the area of 12th Street and a group of people approached the officer and told him Delcid had reached into his waistband and they believed he had a gun. A description of Delcid went out and he was located by a Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) officer in the area of 11th Street.

During a search of Delcid, a set of brass knuckles was found on his person and he was taken into custody. A short time later, Ocean City Communications received a call from an alleged victim, who reported he had just been assaulted on 11th Street and that he had seen police arresting the man who had allegedly assaulted him.

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... Cops & Courts

October 2, 2020

side of Philadelphia Avenue with a group of people who were yelling at vehicles passing by. The victim told police Delcid was walking on the opposite side of the road, and when he heard the victim yelling at cars, Delcid walked across Philadelphia Avenue and approached the victim.

The victim reportedly told police Delcid walked up to him and told the victim he had something for him. Delcid reportedly reached into his waist area and when he pulled his hand back out, he was wearing green brass knuckles.

Delcid then reportedly hit the victim in the face with the brass knuckles.

The victim was bleeding from his lip and mouth and also reported having a chipped tooth and bleeding gums. After the assault, Delcid walked back across Philadelphia Avenue where he was detained by the NRP officer. He was charged with first- and seconddegree assault, carrying a dangerous weapon and disturbing the peace and hindering passage.

Two Arrested For Burglary OCEAN CITY – Two suspects were arrested on first-degree burglary charges last weekend after allegedly breaking into a north-end condo and stealing money and property.

Around 5:10 a.m. last Sunday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to an uptown condo in the area of 95th Street for a reported burglary and met with two female victims. One victim reportedly told the officer she had been sleeping on a couch and was awoken when she felt something touch her side lightly. The victim reportedly told police when she opened her eyes, she saw two males standing over her.

The victim said she sat up quickly and screamed at the two suspects to get out of the unit. She did not know the suspects, according to police reports.

After chasing the two suspects out of the condo, the victim discovered her purse, including around $300 in cash, her wallet and iPhone were missing.

When the victim walked out of the unit, she discovered some of her items had been discarded in the first-floor breezeway, but the phone, the cash and several credit cards were missing. The other victim reported she was missing an Apple watch.

Condo video surveillance showed two males enter the first floor around 4:55 a.m. through a gated door on the stairs that should have been locked.

The two suspects can then be seen running through different doors on opposite sides of the condo building about nine minutes later. According to police reports, it appeared the suspects fled to a nearby convenience store.

The officer went to the convenience store in an attempt to get additional video footage of the suspects when the two female victims ran into the store and reported the suspects had returned to the condo building. The victims told police the two suspects ran when they confronted them. The

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch officer went out of the store and observed the suspects running south on Coastal Highway before heading east toward the beach.

More OCPD officers responded to the area and observed the suspects walking south on the beach. After a brief foot pursuit, they were detained at the parking lot of another condo building.

The victims were brought to the scene and positively identified the suspects. A search of their persons revealed property belonging to the victims.

The suspects were identified as Ever Bonilla-Vasquez, 22, of Glen Burnie, Md. and Michael Castillo-Guzman, 26, of Palmdale, Calif. Each was arrested and charged with first-degree burglary and other counts.

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Page 25

Fireworks Thrown At Officers OCEAN CITY – A Virginia man arrested last weekend after allegedly throwing explosive fireworks at police officers reportedly told police he was doing it to occupy their time so they would have less time to stop other drivers.

Shortly before 10 p.m. last Thursday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was conducting a traffic stop at 8th Street with another police vehicle stopped behind him, both of which had their flashing blue and red lights activated. During the traffic stop, the officer reportedly heard several loud bangs and saw a bright flash near the rear of his police vehicle.

Another officer reportedly told the first officer someone had just shot or thrown fireworks in their direction. One of the projectiles hit the rear of one of the police vehicles and another had landed between them. One public safety aide was sitting in the police vehicle when it was struck by the explosive firework, according to police reports.

A Maryland State Police trooper was working nearby in an undercover capacity and reportedly observed the suspect, later identified as James Caelen, 23, of Virginia Beach, intentionally lighting and throwing explosive fireworks into the roadway at passing vehicles. The MSP trooper reportedly observed Caelen light three circular fireworks and thrown them in the direction of the OCPD officers conducting a traffic stop at 8th Street.

Caelen was detained and was ultimately charged with assault, disorderly conduct, discharging fireworks without a required permit and other charges.

He reportedly told an OCPD officer he thought he was doing a good thing by occupying the time of six police officers so they could not stop other drivers from having a good time.

During a search subsequent to the arrest, officers located three more explosive fireworks, several smoke bombs, a ground-based sparkler and a lighter on Caelen’s person.

More Projectiles Aimed At Police OCEAN CITY – An Elkridge, Md., man was charged with assault last weekend after allegedly launching a full beer can at a police officer from a great distance and nearly hitting the SEE PAGE 26

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... Cops & Courts

Page 26

FROM PAGE 25 officer.

Around 10:35 p.m. last Friday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer was patrolling in the area of 20th Street and was attempting to break up a large disorderly crowd that was blocking a public sidewalk. The officer was using a foul-smelling aerosol spray designed to separate and disperse large groups of unruly individuals. According to police reports, the smell of the spray immediately began to break up and move the crowd.

Several individuals in the crowd became hostile and began to verbally demean and disrespect police officers, according to police reports. The officer then observed several full beer cans were being thrown toward uniformed officers at the scene. As the officer watched the crowd, he observed Hector Gri-

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch jalva, 24, of Elkridge, Md., launch a full beer can toward the officer and his vehicle. According to police reports, Grijalva launched the full beer can from at least 40 yards away.

The officer watched the beer can leave Grijalva’s hand, fly very high through the air and land about two feet from the officer’s feet and his vehicle where it exploded. According to police reports, Grijalva yelled something at the officer and began to quickly walk away.

The officer noted in the report the full beer can could have caused serious injury because of the distance it was thrown and the height it reached before crashing to the ground near the officer.

The officer got back in his vehicle, followed the crowd and located Grijalva in the area of 21st Street. During the arrest process, Grijalva reportedly told the officer he really wasn’t trying to hit him with the beer can, and then asked why he could be charged with assault if the can did not actually hit the officer.

Officers Assaulted OCEAN CITY – A Silver Spring, Md., man was arrested last weekend after first leaving the scene of a vehicle collision and then allegedly assaulting several police officers attempting to detain him.

Around 4:10 a.m. last Saturday, an Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officer responded to the area of 22nd Street to assist a Maryland State Police trooper with a hit-and-run investigation.

The trooper was conducting a traffic stop in the area of 16th Street when he was approached by two females who reported their vehicle had been struck in the parking lot of a nearby hotel by a white pick-up truck and the suspect then fled the area.

The trooper observed the suspect vehicle traveling north on Baltimore Avenue and followed it. The driver of the white pick-up, later identified as Danilo Cativo, 18, of Silver Spring, Md., turned off its lights and turned onto the ocean block of 22nd Street. The officer detain-

October 2, 2020 ed Cativo, who exhibited signs of intoxication, according to police reports. Cativo reportedly admitted striking a vehicle in the parking lot and that he was sorry. The two female victims who were in the vehicle when it was struck by Cativo were brought to the scene and positively identified him as the suspect, according to police reports.

OCPD officers were detaining Cativo when he reportedly demanded that he be given tests. He reportedly became hostile and angry and repeated demanded he be given tests. He reportedly was screaming and flailing his arms and body from side to side, striking multiple officers in the process.

While the OCPD was attempting to detain the reportedly violent and agitated Cativo, he allegedly bit one officer’s leg and scratched another female officer. He was ultimately subdued and charged with driving under the influence and hit-and-run. During the booking process, Cativo reportedly kicked another officer and spit saliva on another. It was later learned he drove over the foot of one of the female victims when he was fleeing the hit-and-run collision.

All in all, Cativo was charged with four counts of assault on police officers, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and possession of a fake ID.

Hit-And Run Charges OCEAN CITY – A Pennsylvania man was arrested for hit-and-run last week after leaving the scene of a collision because he did not want his daughter to see him getting arrested.

Just before 6 p.m. last Wednesday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a reported hit-andrun collision on Philadelphia Avenue.

The victim reportedly told police the suspect vehicle was last seen turning west on 2nd Street. While police searched the area, Ocean City Communications advised a female had been seen getting into the vehicle at 12th Street and driving it to a hotel at 25th Street. OCPD officers arrived and observed the female entering the hotel lobby.

The officers tracked the female to a room on the second floor and began interviewing her about the incident. Meanwhile, Ocean City Communications provided officers with a picture of the male suspect who had reportedly been driving the vehicle at the time of the collision.

An OCPD officer was outside the hotel when a male matching the description walked by. The officer questioned the suspect and asked his name, to which the suspect reportedly responded, “Luis, I’m the one you’re looking for.”

The suspect, identified as Luis Rodriguez, 44, of Lancaster, Pa, then spontaneously told the officer, “I drove away because my daughter was in the car. I didn’t want her to see me be arrested.

I’m wanted and don’t have a license,” according to police reports.

Rodriguez told police he was driving the vehicle at the time of the collision and he made a conscious decision to leave the scene because he did not want to be arrested in front of his daughter. He was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a property damage collision and driving on a revoked license.

Visitor Facing Serious Charge In Knife Attack

October 2, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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OCEAN CITY – A Massachusetts man was charged with first-degree assault last weekend after allegedly attacking another man with a knife on the steps of a downtown motel.

Around 9:50 p.m. last Friday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers responded to a fight in progress on Herring Way. Upon arrival, OCPD officers located a witness who reportedly told police a male victim was being hit in a nearby hotel parking lot.

Officers located the victim, who reportedly told police he and his brother were standing on the front stairs of the hotel when they were approached by a male suspect later identified as Damien Hatfield, 43, of Marstons Mills, Mass.

The victim reportedly told police Hatfield was eavesdropping on his conversation, and when the victim asked Hatfield what he was doing, he told the victim he does whatever he wants, according to police reports.

The victim reportedly told Hatfield he didn’t want any trouble and asked Hatfield to leave the area. At that point, Hatfield produced a knife from his front pants pocket. The victim said his brother ran up the stairs to get away, but Hatfield walked toward the victim while pointing the knife at him, according to police reports.

The victim told police Hatfield blocked him from leaving and walked up the stairs pointing the knife at the victim.

When Hatfield allegedly attempted to stab the victim, the victim grabbed his hand and was able to direct the knife away from him. During the skirmish, both men fell from the stairs, with the victim landing on top of Hatfield, according to police reports.

The victim told police he got up and kicked the knife away and yelled for help. Hatfield reportedly got up and disappeared into the crowd and the victim lost sight of him. The victim’s girlfriend told police she witnessed the incident and corroborated the victim’s version of the events.

Two Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies on hand to assist with the pop-up car rally observed a suspect matching Hatfield’s description walking in the area of a nearby restaurant and bar and took him into custody. The OCPD officer investigating the incident obtained a video of the incident from a bystander, according to police reports. In the video, Hatfield was reportedly observed brandishing the knife and attempting to stab the victim with it. In the audio of the footage, Hatfield can reportedly be heard saying “we are gonna step up,” according to police reports. Hatfield was arrested and charged with first-degree assault.

Page 27

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Berlin Ethics Commission Finds No Issue With Appointment

Page 28

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – The town’s ethics commission on Wednesday dismissed complaints filed regarding a recent planning commission appointment.

The Berlin Ethics Commission met Wednesday to review five complaints filed regarding the appointment of Austin Purnell to the Berlin Planning Commission. Purnell was nominated by Mayor Gee Williams and approved by the town council on Monday.

“The ethics commission unanimously voted there was no violation,” Town Administrator Jeff Fleetwood said.

Citizens Jason Walter, Marie Velong, Kim Holloway, James Meckley and Mary Hedlesky filed complaints related to Purnell’s appointment to the planning commission. In her complaint, Velong cited the section of the town’s code that said trust was eroded when town business had improper influence or the appearance of improper influence. She pointed out that Purnell is the son of a sitting councilman and works with his father, who is heavily involved in local real estate. She said Purnell companies had an interest in many properties throughout Berlin and around it.

“Austin Purnell’s position on the planning commission would always be sus-

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

pect in any decisions that were made whether he recused himself or not,” her complaint reads.

Fleetwood said the ethics commission reviewed each complaint separately Wednesday and confirmed that the code included language addressing the need for officials to recuse themselves when necessary.

“The commission found Mr. Purnell was legally nominated by the mayor and confirmed by the council,” Fleetwood said. “The commission voted to dismiss the complaint after determining that there are insufficient facts alleged upon which to base a determination of a violation of the ethics ordinance.”

Walter expressed his disappointment with the commission’s decision.

“Under the manipulative hand of Mayor Williams, the elected leadership of Berlin has routinely failed the taxpayer,” he said. “Today the appointed members of the ethics commission fell in line with their appointer’s wish, a local developer/councilman gets another ‘in’ and the taxpayer will again be left to suffer the consequences of poor leadership.”

Williams, however, maintains that he would not have nominated Purnell for the position if there was any question regarding ethics.

“I would have never nominated Austin if I thought there were any ethical issues involved,” Williams said. “Based

on my experience as a journalist and as a public servant, this is a totally appropriate nomination and I think it received the approval it deserved. I stand by what I said Monday. If you must have no relationship with anyone in this town to serve, then I don’t think you are qualified. I’d rather have people who understand what is happening, where we’ve come from and where we’re trying to go.”

Walter believes that rather than appoint Purnell on Monday, the council should have supported the efforts by Councilman Zack Tyndall to table the appointment until after Berlin’s election next week.

“Though technically legal, this appointment does not reflect favorably on the town of Berlin,” Walter said. “Purnell's ties to local real estate development... and other related holdings within our municipal limits presents a clear, assured and unavoidable conflict of interest. It is impossible for him to participate in the discussion as a commissioner without bias, without conflict or receipt of personal benefit. There are many intelligent and capable folks residing in Berlin that could have filled this seat.”

Walter also quoted Maryland Municipal League suggestions regarding ethics policy. “’Ethics codes address the basic sit-

October 2, 2020

uations and issues that face a city or town and its officials,” he said. “’However, in many situations the community will demand a higher standard. Successful city/town administrations will recognize and conform to these higher standards. One general guideline is to avoid doing those things that may be technically legal but would not reflect favorably on the town or the official if published on the front page of the local paper.’”

Obituaries James Russell Slocum

OCEAN CITY – James Russell Slocum, 71, passed away on Sept. 23.

He was the son of the late Jim and Eleanor Slocum of Neptune City, N.J. He is survived by his partner of 43 years, Freddie Belowsky. He is also served by brother Steven and sisters Sue, Kathleen and Barbara.

Jimmy came to Ocean City 40 years ago and managed the Pottery Place downtown for Sandy Flynn for a good number of years.

This was followed by 20 years in the food and beverage industry. He was a staple in good old JAMES R. SLOCUM days of downtown Ocean City. He will always be remembered for his contagious laugh and sense of humor. He lived in Bishopville for 32 years and will be dearly missed by many including his long-time partner.

Betty Ehlers Franke BERLIN – Betty Ehlers Franke, also known as Buzz, died peacefully in her home on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, after a brief bout of cancer.

Buzz was surrounded by her loving family and buoyed by the support of many dear friends. Buzz blessed this world with her zest for life and her service to others for more than 92 years.

She was active in the church, service organizations, and several women’s groups. Always the consummate hostess, she loved entertaining and gathering with friends. She also traveled extensively with her husband Dick, her lifelong friend Gina Amy, and other family and friends, ultimately visiting more than two dozen countries.

In her later years, Buzz celebrated milestone birthdays by parasailing, jet skiing, and riding a motorcycle with her grandchildren – always ready for a new adventure. She is survived by three children and their spouses, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, with one arriving soon, as well as many dear friends. A celebration of life will be planned for next summer. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Coastal Hospice, P.O. Box 1733 Salisbury, Md. 21802, www.coastalhospice.org.

Census Deadline Extended Again

October 2, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – The self-response deadline for the 2020 Census has been pushed back to Oct. 5, giving people an additional five days to complete the survey.

On Monday, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilber Ross – whose department oversees the U.S. Census Bureau – announced a new target date of Oct. 5 to conclude 2020 Census self-response and field data collection operations.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Census Bureau earlier this year extended the self-response deadline to Oct. 31. In August, however, the deadline was moved up to Sept. 30.

This week’s announcement now sets a date of Oct. 5 for people to complete the questionnaire and enumerators to visit houses that have not completed the survey.

“Census takers will continue to follow up in-person with homes across the country through October 5 in an effort to reach everyone,” a statement from the bureau reads.

As of Sept. 28, Worcester’s self-response rate has reached 33.2%, hitting the 2010 self-response rate target.

Kelly Henry, coordinator of Worcester County’s Complete Count Committee, said statistics from the 2020 Census determine the distribution of billions of dollars in federal funding for the next decade.

Page 29

“Statistics gathered determine distribution of [dollars] for education, transportation, health care, and other community services,” she said. “Everyone counts. The 2020 Census paints the por trait of Worcester County that will last 10 years, so let’s get everyone in the picture.”

Maryland’s self-response rate reached 70.7% this week, the Census Bureau reports, with Worcester County having the lowest self-response rate of all 23 counties.

But Henry explained it is difficult to compare Worcester’s self-response rate, as more than 60% of housing units are secondary homes and only 27% of the total homes are owner occupied.

Census tracts in Ocean City, for example, are reporting self-response rates as high as 12.6% and as low as 6.5%.

“Being a vacation destination/resort community, 63% of the total number of housing units in Worcester County are vacation/secondary homes,” she said last month. “Garrett County is the closest, but their vacation/secondary homes total are less than 40%.”

However, some tracts in other parts of the county have exceeded 2010 selfresponse rates. In one area of Ocean Pines, for example, the response rate reached 64%, and in one Berlin Census tract response rates exceeded 68%.

The survey can be completed online, by phone or by mail. For more information, visit 2020census.gov.

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Loaded Gun Leads To Assault Charges

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OCEAN CITY – A Pennsylvania man was arrested on first-degree assault and other charges last week after waving a loaded handgun at victims during a fight over car keys at a downtown condo.

Around 4:15 p.m. last Thursday, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) officers were dispatched to a condo on St. Louis Avenue for a reported disorderly individual. Upon arrival, the officer met with a female who told police there was a male suspect inside the unit waving a gun around. The suspect was later identified as Collin Petry, 23, of Hanover, Pa. The female witness told the officers just before their arrival, Petry was intoxicated and was trying to take a set of car keys away from another man in the unit. The female witness said at one point, Petry retrieved a small handgun with a red laser on it and was waving it around. The witness reportedly told police Petry and the male victim were pushing each other and the handgun was pressed against the victim. The witness told police she feared the handgun was going to go off and she ran out of the unit in fear for her life, according to

October 2, 2020

police reports.

Two other female witnesses in the unit corroborated the first witness’s story about Petry waving the handgun around and fighting with the male victim, according to police reports.

One witness reported Petry was waving a laser around the unit during the fight with the victim and she did not immediately recognize it as a handgun. After she realized it was a handgun, she believed she and others in the room could have been injured.

Another witness reportedly told police she knew Petry had a handgun, but did not believe he had it on his person during the fight. That witness told police during the fight, Petry and the victim knocked over a table that had injured her knee.

According to police reports, OCPD officers located a loaded Ruger .38 caliber handgun in the living room and determined it was equipped with a red laser. Petry was located sitting on a couch in the living room near where the handgun was located.

Based on the evidence and testimony, Petry was arrested and charged with four counts each of first- and second-degree assault and one count of reckless endangerment. He was held without bond initially, but was later released on recognizance on Tuesday.

Modified Walk-Through Winterfest Approved In Ocean City

October 2, 2020

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – There will be a Winterfest of Lights after all this year, but it will look a lot different from the holiday tradition residents and visitors have enjoyed for decades.

Special Events Director Frank Miller presented to the Mayor and Council this week a modified plan for Winterfest of Lights this year because of lingering concerns with the pandemic. The annual holiday event, which runs roughly from the week before Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, typically attracts over 100,000 visitors who ride the Boardwalk tram through massive light displays arrayed throughout the vast Northside Park complex.

However, because of ongoing concerns over the ability to properly social distance, Miller this week presented a scaled-back walk-through event. There would still be the massive Christmas tree with its synchronized lights and music and hundreds of light displays situated around a shortened half-mile loop around the lagoon.

Visitors would walk through the event at their leisure with no time constraints and still visit the traditional amenities. Those amenities include a visit with Santa and a gift shop and photo opportunities along with hot chocolate and other vendors. However, those amenities would be situated within the Northside Park complex building with social distancing, the wearing of masks and other directives observed.

Gone would be the Boardwalk tram loop around the park and the big tent pavilion, but Miller believes the modified event proposed could be an even better experience for visitors, at least for one year.

“Winterfest is not one of those things we want to see go away,” he said. “It’s a great family tradition. You will still be able to come out and enjoy this outdoors with your family and feel safe. The experience is actually enhanced for 2020. We do lose some of the larger displays, but we will light up 200 trees around the lagoon loop in different colors along with the bridge.”

Miller said the traditional tram loop is about a mile long, while the walking loop around the lagoon will be about a halfmile. Those who choose to shorten the loop for any reason can walk across the lagoon bridge. There was some consideration briefly last week at the committee level about creating a drive-through Winterfest of Lights experience, but Miller said the idea was dismissed for safety reasons.

“This park is not conducive for a drive-through event,” he said. “It has many dangerous areas with turns and water. For several reasons, we decided not to pursue that route.”

Miller said the town would take a financial hit either way, but the losses could be curtailed somewhat by producing the modified walk-through event.

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

“If you get rid of the event, the net loss would be $160,000,” he said. “If you produce this modified event, the loss would be around $100,000, so we’d actually lose less. We’re hoping the losses are less if the weather cooperates.”

Councilman Dennis Dare said when Winterfest was first created, several options were on the table including the current format, a drive-through event and a walk-through event. He said the latter was not considered because it was fraught with risks.

“One of the concerns we had were the risks associated with walking through the park at night,” he said. “There is ambient lights from the attractions, but there are excited kids running around and there are risks with power cords throughout the park. I’d really like to hear from our risk manager before we approve this.”

Dare also pointed out the late fall

and early winter weather could have an impact on the event’s bottom line.

“Northside Park might be the coldest place in Ocean City,” he said. “For people to get out of their cars and walk around a half-mile loop, I think we might be overly optimistic about the projected attendance.”

Dare said a town-wide approach to a modified drive-around Winterfest could be considered.

“Maybe we concentrate on the entire town, and not just a half-mile section at Northside Park,” he said. “Maybe we can make it a drive-through event all around town with displays at the 4th Street park, City Hall, the firehouses and other public buildings.

Just a thought.”

When questioned about not using the trams at all, Miller said the county health department did not flat out say no, but voiced concerns about the potential for distancing. He said there

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could be families or related parties in every other row, or there could be circumstances where two people are riding in a space typically occupied by 10 people, for example. He envisioned long lines of people waiting to get on the tram because of the restrictions.

“I don’t see it as functionally possible to handle the crowds and make it a pleasant experience when they have to wait in line for hours,” he said.

Council President Lloyd Martin said he supported the modified Winterfest concept.

“I think it will be a big plus for families,” he said. I think we will have a lot of people out there walking through this event. I hope this is one of those years where we have great weather.”

The council ultimately voted 5-2 with Dare and Councilman Matt James opposed to approve the modified Winterfest of Lights.

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Fenwick Officials Explain Public Comments Policy

Page 32

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

FENWICK ISLAND – Concerns surrounding the limitation of public comments and council interaction highlighted a meeting in Fenwick Island last week.

In a Fenwick Island Town Council meeting held virtually last Friday, Town Manager Terry Tieman provided an explanation behind the council’s decision not to respond to public comments, which are typically accepted at the end of town council meetings.

The topic was placed on last week’s agenda after she said town officials were asked why the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) prohibited the council from addressing public comments and questions during a meeting.

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Lack Of Communication Questioned

“There’s not a specific section of FOIA that expressly prohibits this, but it’s more or less along the guidance that the (attorney general’s) office gives for meeting requirements …,” she said. “The AG opinion essentially says that members of the public exercising their First Amendment rights can raise all sorts of issues and topics during a public comment portion of a meeting. If the issue or topic raised was not specifically noted for public discussion on the meeting agenda, then there must be a compelling reason why discussion cannot wait until a later meeting to allow for proper notice under FOIA. This way, all inter-

ested parties to the issue or topic raised are informed and given the opportunity to observe and/or participate in the discussion.”

Tieman noted that in the past council members have engaged in discussion during public comments, resulting in question-and-answer sessions about hot topics such as zoning or the redevelopment of the Sands Motel, to name a few examples. Under the advisement of town solicitor Mary Schrider-Fox, she said the council was taking a cautious approach.

Tieman added that the town has also limited the public comment period to 30

October 2, 2020

minutes, as well as the length of time each participant can speak.

“We’ve allowed two minutes,” she said. “Normally, we would have allowed people to speak for as long as they wanted. But some of it is because we are in a Zoom meeting and it handles the Zoom meeting so much better. We do not allow speakers to give their time to others, we review the guidelines at the beginning of each comment period, which we do, and explain that the council will not engage in dialogue with the public at this time.”

Councilwoman Vicki Carmean told Tieman the town should simplify its policy on public comments.

“Basically, it boils down to the fact that FOIA is recommending that lengthy discussions do not take place on a topic unless it’s already on the agenda …,” she said. “I understand why you would not want to get involved in a lengthy back-and-forth discussion between the public and council on a topic that has not been addressed – and it happens – but when you get into all of this verbiage it gets confusing.”

Immediately following Tieman’s presentation, Mayor Gene Langan called for the council to consider a resolution outlining his authority to set the agenda and the length of public participation, which passed 6-1 with Carmean opposed.

“I believe you already had that power, so it’s fine with me ...,” Councilman Bill Weistling said. “This is more administrative. You set the agenda.”

Tieman agreed.

“Yes, this just clarifies it so there’s no doubt in anybody’s mind going forward,” she said.

During public comments later in the meeting, several community members shared their frustration with the lack of communication among council members and residents.

Last week’s public comment portion was limited to 15 speakers, though several more were given a chance to speak.

“You need to be aware of the fact that you are our elected representatives and you are not doing your job properly,” resident Peter Frederick said. “You need to communicate properly. The lack of communication is what’s causing all of our problem and what is increasing our legal bills.”

Resident Gail Warburton called for a residential liaison committee, similar to the town’s business development committee.

“Residents deserve to be heard and protected by our council,” she said. “We deserve a residential liaison committee to provide the same representation already provided to the commercial committee.”

Resident Patti Breger said both residents and council members were ultimately working toward the same goal, to make Fenwick a family oriented town.

“You must do your job, you must tell the people what they need to know and let them communicate with you in a civil manner,” she said.

October 2, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 33

Page 34

U-Turns No Longer Allowed At Fenwick Intersection

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

October 2, 2020

Traffic Volume Cited As Reason

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

FENWICK ISLAND – Citing pedestrian safety concerns, town officials agreed last week to prohibit U-turns at a busy Coastal Highway intersection.

Last Friday, the Fenwick Island Town Council voted 6-1, with Councilman Richard Mais opposed, to prohibit U-turns at the intersection of Coastal Highway and Bayard Street.

Officials noted an engineering study and traffic investigation conducted by the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) identified safety hazards to pedestrians using the crosswalk at the busy resort intersection. Mais, however, said he was hesitant to prohibit Uturns at the intersection without seeing the DelDOT report.

“I live on that street and I probably go through that intersection more than anyone else, and I haven’t seen any problems,” he said. “I also have not seen the study or the specifics of what DelDOT found from that.”

Mais said he was concerned prohibiting U-turns at the intersection would encourage drivers to cut through residential neighborhoods and commercial parking lots. He argued relocating the Bayard Street crosswalk from the south side of the intersection to the north would address most of the pedestrian safety concerns.

“I initially supported moving the crosswalk to the north side of Bayard, and that was quickly dismissed by DelDOT,” he said. “I’m not certain why. I don’t know if that was more work for them or what, but I think that would be a more reasonable and sensible solution to this issue.”

While she agreed moving the crosswalk would be the best solution, Councilwoman Vicki Carmean, chair of the town’s pedestrian safety committee, said she supported the prohibition. She noted that many vehicles leaving Royal Farms made a U-turn onto southbound Coastal Highway, creating a safety hazard for pedestrians in the crosswalk.

“I don’t see where it’s going to be a problem,” she said. “If it is we can always change it. It’s a real plus for the safety of pedestrians.”

Mais, however, advocated postponing the resolution banning U-turns in an effort to gauge the effectiveness of new crosswalk systems at Bayard.

“The chief has indicated that the new pedestrian signs with the flashing lights is an educational process,” he said. “So I would like to see if that has an impact and makes that crossing more safe. That’s not going to be a short-term thing.”

Fenwick Island Police Chief John Devlin noted the volume of traffic at the Bayard Street intersection. He acknowledged the U-turns posed a safety hazard to pedestrians.

“There is an enormous amount of traffic there,” he said. “And it isn’t residential traffic. It’s mostly people coming from Ocean City, going to Royal Farms and turning around.”

Mais, however, reiterated he did not want to vote for the prohibition without first seeing the DelDOT study.

“I don’t like taking action on some supposed study that we have not seen,” he said. “That does not seem right.”

After further discussion, the council voted 6-1 to prohibit U-turns at the intersection of Coastal Highway and Bayard Street. Some council members noted the prohibition could be reevaluated at a later date.

“It’s an easy thing to control because of the traffic light two blocks up,” Councilman Bill Weistling said. “If it wasn’t for that, I might give it a second thought.”

Long-Time Councilman Retiring

October 2, 2020

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – Councilman Elroy Brittingham will step down this month after 32 years of representing his community.

Brittingham, who was elected to the Berlin Town Council in 1988, is in the final days of his eighth term as a councilmember. Mayor Gee Williams and the rest of the town’s elected officials honored Brittingham for his service at the close of Monday’s council meeting.

Williams, who remembers Brittingham as the go-to guy for men’s clothing at the Style Guide, said that as a councilman Brittingham earned a reputation for friendliness and respect.

“His example has been important with both issues and people in helping Berlin become a place where we honor our past, but we do not live in it,” Williams said. “Elroy's unselfish service to our town will be a great example for future leaders in our community for decades to come.”

Brittingham, who is now 72, said he never really intended to become a councilman. In 1988, however, Flower Street was in need of improvements that just weren’t being made.

“I realized our voice needed to be heard,” Brittingham said.

Neighborhood residents formed a committee to find someone willing to run for council to better represent the community. It turned out committee mem-

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

bers thought Brittingham should be that person.

“They wore me down,” Brittingham said.

Brittingham, who worked for John Howard Burbage at the time, said he ran for council as Burbage was running for another term as mayor. While Brittingham was elected to a council position, Burbage, who’d served since 1962, lost his bid for mayor.

“It would have been interesting serving with my boss,” Brittingham said, joking that they already debated enough during the workday.

Though he’d been coerced into running for the seat, once Brittingham joined the council he realized he wouldn’t be ready to leave until the projects that needed to be done were accomplished. The first thing he learned was that just because the desire was there for an initiative didn’t mean the funding was there.

“That was the big surprise,” Brittingham said, adding that the town sometimes waited a year or more to learn if it’d been successful in securing certain grants. “When you first get on the council you think things can be done right away.”

During his time at the dais, Brittingham helped bring sidewalks to more sections of town, advocated for the creation of Atlantic General Hospital and worked on issues involving the town’s SEE PAGE 42

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Mayor Gee Williams presents 32-year Councilman Elroy Brittingham with a proclamation for his service.

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Wicomico County Adds Two New Voting Centers

Page 36

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY BETHANY HOOPER

STAFF WRITER

SALISBURY – Two additional voting centers are expected to benefit Wicomico residents on both the east and west sides of the county.

Last week, the Maryland State Board of Elections approved two additional election day vote centers in Wicomico County – Willards Elementary School and Westside Intermediate School.

“I can’t imagine a reason why I would not personally support increasing voter locations at this time,” state board mem-

October 2, 2020

Citizen Concerns Sparked Change

ber Bill Voelp said. “So I would come out in support of this …”

The decision to increase the number of vote centers comes after residents on the east side of the county shared their concerns regarding proposed locations for Wicomico. In a letter to the state board, Delegate Wayne Hartman reiterated his constituents’ concerns and offered his support.

HISTORY WEEK OCTOBER 10TH-16TH

For this year’s Ocean City History Week, the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum is offering a variety of events and activities to highlight the town’s unique coastal history.

FREE Admission for all Delmarva Locals: During history week we are offering free admission to all Eastern Shore locals. If you live on the Delmarva Peninsula stop by and enjoy the museum free of charge!

Fall Photo opportunity: Be sure to stop by the museum for a fall photo opportunity. Pose with our display of fall flowers, pumpkins, and hay located on the boardwalk in front of our shark display and anchor.

History of our Surfman: Monday through Friday at 1:00 pm join us for a free program as we take a close look at the equipment that was used by the United States Life-Saving Service to conduct rescue. This program will be held inside the museum’s boat room.

“The current polling places will provide polling locations for the west side and central Wicomico County leaving Pittsville, Powellville, and Willards communities extended travel times to get to one of the polling locations that are in the current plan,” he wrote. “The average driving time is 20 minutes under the best driving conditions. It is our understanding that the Wicomico County Board of Elections is requesting additional polling locations; adding Willards Elementary School as a preferred location … I fully support the Wicomico County Board of Elections request for additional polling locations to better serve the voters on the east side of Wicomico County.”

Wicomico County Board of Elections Director Anthony Gutierrez said the agency had originally planned for seven vote centers – Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, Beaver Run Elementary School, James M. Bennett middle and high schools, Mardela Middle and High School, Pemberton Elementary School and Salisbury Middle School.

But he said after hearing residents’ requests for an additional location on the east side of the county, the local election board requested state approval to not

only add Willards Elementary, but Westside Intermediate as well. Gutierrez said the two additional locations will better serve citizens on both sides of Wicomico.

“Our county board of elections wants to make it more convenient under these circumstances and do what we can,” he said.

On Aug. 10, Gov. Larry Hogan issued a proclamation to establish the use of vote centers for the 2020 General Election.

This means all polling places will not be open on Nov. 3. Instead, Wicomico County will have nine vote centers, open to all Wicomico County voters regardless of the part of the county in which they live.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, every voter will be mailed an application for a mail-in ballot. However, early voting centers will be open from Oct. 26 to Nov. 2, and election day vote centers will be open on election day for in-person voting.

Wicomico’s early voting center, the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. throughout the eight-day early voting period. And all vote centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Face masks and social distancing will be required.

The last day to register before the General Election is Oct. 13, and the deadline to request a mail-in, electronic or faxed ballot is Oct. 20. For more information, visit www.elections.maryland.gov.

Saturday, October 10th Book signing with local author Anna Dolle Bushnell: From 11:00 am to 3:00 pm Anna will be signing her newest book; Dolle’s Candyland, Inc.

Sunday, October 11th Pieces of our Past: On Sunday, October 11th at 1:00 pm, join us for an hour-long live broadcast Pieces of Our Past where we will share with our viewers several never before seen artifacts. To register please visit ocmuseum.org Monday, October 12th Tour & Book Discussion: The Ocean City Life Saving Station Museum has partnered with Worcester County Library to bring you a tour of the museum where you will learn about the US Life-Saving Service and what life was like as a keeper. Along with the tour, there will be a book discussion of In the Heart of the Sea. To register for this event please contact Program Director Elena Coelho at 443-783-6164.

Tuesday, October 13th Showing of the Storm of 1962 Movie: Enjoy watching the storm of 1962 movie from the comfort of your own home. This iconic storm swept the Atlantic coast forever altering the island’s landscape. Worcester County Library will be streaming this cinema at 2:00 pm. Registration can be found on worcesterlibrary.org after September 10th.

“Your Friends At The Beach”

All Things History Store Sale: Enjoy discounts on a wide variety of books, DVDs, and apparel within our museum store.

Annual Spirit Award: Do you know someone who has helped preserve local history? If so, we invite you to nominate them for the Spirit Award. Both individuals and organizations are eligible. Please visit ocmuseum.org for nominee requirements.

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October 2, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 37

Annual Endless Summer Cruisin Kicks Off In OC Thursday

Page 38

OCEAN CITY – One of the hottest car shows on the East Coast, the 23rd Annual Endless Summer Cruisin Car Show, will return to Ocean City next week, Oct. 8-11.

The four-day automotive event continues to be one of the eastern region’s best fall car shows with hot rods, cool classics, customs and more, according to organizers. The main hub of the event will be the Inlet parking lot with activities planned at the Roland E. Convention Center on 40th Street as well.

Scheduled to appear at Endless 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

is Aaron Kaufman from the hit shows “Shifting Gears” and “Fast N’ Loud.”

Aaron will be at the beachside Inlet parking lot Saturday, Oct. 10 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Some of the top national automotive names in the country will be on display at Manufacturer’s Midway located at the Inlet including Advance Auto Parts, Advantage Lifts, AMSOIL, Hagerty, Summit Racing, Sundance Vacations and many more. In addition, there will be a car corral and vendors at the Inlet Parking lot. Also attendees should make sure to check out the ven-

October 2, 2020

dor showroom for all their automotive needs plus jewelry, arts and crafts and more at the Ocean City Convention Center.

Another Endless Summer Cruisin Car Show highlight are the special Boardwalk parades that will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings, Oct. 8-10. Parades begin at 8 a.m. leaving 27th Street and Cruisin south along the Boardwalk to the Inlet.

Spectator tickets for Endless Summer Cruisin are $10/day, Thursday Oct. 8 and Sunday, Oct. 11 and $15/day, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9-10. Four-day event passes are also available for $35 at the event.

A new event added to Endless Summer Cruisin this year will be a DriveIn Movie, held Friday and Saturday evenings, Oct. 9-10, at 7 p.m. at the Inlet Parking Lot. Friday night will feature Disney’s “Cars” and Saturday night, the classic film “Grease.” While the Drive-In Movie is free to attend, please be sure to pay for parking at the designated meters.

Endless Summer Cruisin has always held safety as its number one priority.

The event does not tolerate unlawful activities or the disrespect of Ocean City property. The event was given the opportunity to be a part of a task force, comprised of the Mayor and Council along with the OC Police Department, business community and residents, to

come up with solutions for improving motor events in Ocean City.

“We are very gracious for the opportunity to serve on the task force and we would like to thank all of those who took their time to be a part of the task force,” a statement from event promoters reads.

“One of the solutions that came out of the task force is the special event zone in Ocean City. This new zone is intended to give the OCPD and its allied agencies the tools they need to keep Ocean City safe for residents and visitors.”

During Endless Summer Cruisin, the Town of Ocean City will be classified as a special event zone where there will be increased fines for speeding, negligent/reckless driving, spinning wheels and alcohol related offenses.

“We encourage everyone that comes to Ocean City for Endless Summer Cruisin, both participants and spectators, to respect the town and abide by the rules,” the statement read. “In addition, we have added extra healthy safety measures for 2020. Please make sure you wear a mask, practice physical distancing and wash your hands frequently while attending Endless Summer Cruisin. Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated.

We look forward to a wonderful and safe Endless Summer Cruisin for 2020 and years to come.”

For more information on Endless Summer Cruisin visit www.EndlessSummerCruisin.com or call 410-798-6304.

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Atlantic General Golf Tourney Called ‘A Huge Success’

October 2, 2020

BERLIN – The Atlantic General Hospital Foundation held its 2020 Robert E. Warfield Memorial Tournament on Thursday, September 24th at Ocean City Golf Club. The tournament was enjoyed by nearly 200 golfers on a picturesque fall day.

“Despite the various challenges we encountered related to COVID-19, the event was a huge success. With a few modifications, we were able to keep the health and safety of our participants and staff at the forefront of our logistics, all while continuing to host a fantastic event,” said Michael Franklin, president and CEO of Atlantic General Hospital.

With the help of the many sponsors and volunteers, the event raised $80,000 for the Atlantic General Hospital Foundation.

Proceeds from the tournament enable Atlantic General Hospital, a notfor-profit healthcare organization, to advance the health of the residents and visitors of our community through a coordinated care delivery system that provides access to quality care, personalized service and education.

The winners of the tournament are as follows.

Newport Bay Front/Seaside Back Winning teams in order of finish were Jac’s Army: Jac Stanton, Dean Mantzouris, Fred Cheek and Jeff Shields; Park Place Jewelers: Todd Ferrante, Law Adkins, Bryan Taylor and Bradford Taylor; and Forever Media: Chris

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 39

Among the golfers participating last week were, above left, from left, Danny and Penny Parker and Buzz and Lou Taylor, and above right, a team from the Carousel Group, legacy sponsor for the event.

Submitted Photos

Benjamin, Ken Davis, Dave Kettinger and Mark Schollenberger.

Seaside Front/Newport Bay Back winning teams in order of finish were Lou Taylor: Lou Taylor, Penny Parker, Danny Parker and Buzz Taylor; Taylor Bank: Doug Cook, Thomas Coates, Dean Lewis and Chad Vent; and Home Instead Senior Care: Don Boger, Jim DeAngelis, Tad Kaufman and Robert Williams.

Golden Ball Challenge honors went to the Encompass Health team of Greg Hartman, Steven Walas, Matthew Whaley and John Zimmerman.

Women’s Longest Drive bragging

rights was a tie between Penny Parker and Renee Sheehy.

Men’s Longest Drive honors went to Danny Parker and Chris Takacs.

Women’s Closest to the Pin winner was Colleen Hacker.

Men’s Closest to the Pin honors were shared by Aldo Nichini and Tom Wingate.

The only Hole-in-One of the day came on Seaside #8 by Tom Wingate.

Putting Contest winners were Sean Gradomski, Chad Vent and Steve Morgan.

Floating Green Contest winners were Larry Denulc, Bill Pettitt, Steve Morgan,

Taylor Ballard, Pete Roskovich, Mark Simshauser and David Van der Vossen.

Fantasy Golf Scratch-Off Cards winners were Heather Treml, Noreen Doody, Mark Simshauser, Heather Treml, Robin Higgins, Les Dennis, Kenny Tyler, Matt Whaley, Bryan Shepherd and Poppy Granite.

“Big Bucks” Cash Raffle was won by Beth Gismondi.

“Drop Zone” Helicopter Golf Ball Drop Yellow Division was won by Dr. Sally Dowling.

“Drop Zone” Helicopter Golf Ball Drop White Division was won by Madalaine How.

Concerns Linger Over Municipal Pension Fund Investments

Page 40

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BY SHAWN J. SOPER

MANAGING EDITOR

OCEAN CITY – The good news is Ocean City will be able to cover shortfalls in its employee pension fund from COVID-related factors without going to the general fund, but concerns remain on the consistent losses on market investments that help fuel the fund.

At Tuesday’s work session, Finance Director Chuck Bireley presented some shortfalls in the employee pension fund. He explained the town actuarial-recommended contribution to the pension plan is about $103,000 over budget, meaning the city would have to increase its contribution to the pension plans to reconcile the desired fund balance.

Bireley said the town’s enterprise funds, those self-sustaining funds such as water and wastewater, or transportation, or even the airport of golf course, would be able to absorb the shortfalls, but the town would still be on the hook for about $60,000 to reconcile the pension fund balance. However, the town has a grant from the county that is about $62,000 over

budget, which will be used to fund the pension contribution overage.

It’s complicated to be sure, but in simplest terms, town employees invest in their own retirement pensions through contributions from their salaries over their years of service. The town also contributes to the pension funds each year to ensure the balances are stable and strong enough to support the level of funding needed to pay employee pensions for the long haul.

The town’s employees contribute to the pension plan through contributions taken out of their paychecks over their careers with the city. The town matches those contributions and then the pension committee, working with the actuary and financial advisors, make investments in the stock market, for example, to help the fund grow larger for the employees upon their retirement.

Ocean City’s two pension funds, one for public safety employees and one for general employees, are typically very strong in terms of percentage funded. Of course, 100% is ideal, but that’s essentially a pipe dream.

However, Ocean City’s pension funds

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percentage-wise are typically in the mid- to upper 80s, while the national average is in the low 70s.

What is concerning, however, is the town is not achieving its desired returns in terms of investments made with the pension funds, investments that should allow them to grow and inch closer to the 100% mark. The pension committee makes assumptions based on market conditions and sets a goal for return on investment in the stock market, for example. That target return on investment rate is set at 7%.

The committee and town actuary then direct the fund manager to make investments in the market to achieve that desired 7% return. Granted, 2020 has been an anomaly in terms of market investments largely because of COVID-19, but Councilman Mark Paddack pointed out the current fund manager has consistently fallen short of reaching that 7% return on investment goal even when the economy is booming and suggested the town shop around for a new investment counselor.

“The town’s pension fund has been declining for years with the current fund manager,” he said. “I get that this

October 2, 2020

was a tough year, but there is still a track record for lost revenue. If we throw out the last quarter of 2019 and the first two quarters of 2020, we’ve never reached that 7% return on investment. When was the last time a request for proposal (RFP) was put out for a new fund manager?”

Councilman John Gehrig agreed and said maybe setting the bar at 7% could be too high. He said by lowering the assumptions on expected rate of return for the pension fund investments could help the town better manage the funds.

“No one wants to be short,” he said.

“I know there were challenges this year with COVID, but lowering the assumption by a half a point should be considered at some point. I know it’s a lot of money, but it’s something we should at least plan to do.”

However, Bireley cautioned against lowering the expected rate of return on investments.

“By reducing the assumed return on investment from 7% to 6%, that would be $9 million on the public safety side and $6 million on the general employee side,” he said. “That’s $15 million and using it to cover shortfalls would practically wipe out our fund balance.”

In many years, the town’s pension funds come in over budget, but Gehrig said the town’s policy has been to dump the overages back into the general fund, rather than keep them in the pension funds for a rainy day, such as the current COVID situation.

“At times when we’ve been up, we put the money in the general fund,” he said. “We need to reverse that policy.

We should have funds set aside for those inevitable bad years.”

Councilman Tony DeLuca and others suggested putting out an RFP for the pension fund investment manager firm to see if the town can do better on its pension fund investments.

“I’d like to hear the process for an RFP,” he said. “I know it would have to go to the pension committee. I think it might be a healthy practice to compare.”

Berlin Will seek Grant For heron park demolition Work

October 2, 2020

BY CHARLENE SHARPE

STAFF WRITER

BERLIN – The town council voted unanimously to pursue a grant that would fund the demolition of the old processing building at Heron Park.

On Monday, the council approved plans to apply for a $100,000 grant to fund façade improvements and streetlights as well as a $500,000 strategic demolition grant. The demolition grant would allow the town to pursue demolishing structures at Heron Park, notably the former processing building.

“We’ve had our eye on this grant for quite some time,” said Ivy Wells, the town’s economic and community development director.

The future of Heron Park has been an issue much discussed in recent years, as a number of residents feel it should be sold to bolster the town’s finances while others maintain that it could be a source of recreation and revenue for the town for years to come.

Candidates in both the mayoral race as well as those seeking council seats weighed in on the issue during virtual town hall sessions last month.

Mayor Gee Williams said residents needed to remember that the main reason the town bought the property was to ensure an end to the “environmental nightmare” it had been when it was a chicken processing plant. He added that redevelopment of the property would take time and that the first step was getting rid of the dilapidated building.

“When we did this we made it very clear this was not going to happen overnight,” he said.

Mayoral candidate Jennifer Allen said that according to the studies the town had done, it would take millions to fix up the park. She suggested keeping the natural portion of the park and selling the section closer to the road.

“That way we could put the money toward paying off the loan that was taken out for this property,” she said.

Candidate Zack Tyndall also stressed the need to find a way to cover the $200,000 in annual debt service associated with the purchase of the property.

“We need to bring in some economic driver that can cover that debt service

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

or we need to explore selling portions of the park,” he said.

Candidate Ron Bireley was blunt in his assessment that the town had nice parks and didn’t need the tract on Old Ocean City Boulevard.

“We didn’t need this area,” he said.

“I think it was a total boondoggle and if anything we ought to get rid of it. If are going to keep it, we need to develop it.”

Mayoral candidate Bill Todd, however, said he thought the property was full of opportunity for the town. He said he could picture an amphitheater there as well as murals and art installations.

“I love Heron Park,” he said, adding that he nonetheless questioned the initial purchase. “The way it was all done is extremely fishy. I don’t think there’s a person in this town, outside those who were involved in the deal, that would say that this was an above-the-board deal.

I don’t believe that for a second. That property is a tremendous opportunity for Berlin.”

Views on the park vary among council candidates as well. Like Todd, atlarge candidate Tony Weeg has hopes for an amphitheater. He believes it could be done inexpensively, as could a pump

track for skaters and bikers.

“That could be a first step toward a world class skatepark because that’s a thing I really think we could have at Heron Park,” he said. “There’s plenty of room. I know that costs money. I know that we have to be aggressive with grants, I know we have to be aggressive with donations. But it’s something we can do if we do it in small steps.”

Jay Knerr, the other at-large candidate, stressed the need for demolition of the building and potentially selling pieces of the property.

“So we need to get those grant monies, tear down the building, and then market that property, that section where the building is, for sale,” Knerr said. “We could market it in such a way that we get a desirable building, something that we want to see happen in the town. The other large section of land sits behind the Croppers auto repair place, there’s a huge tract of land back there right before the ponds. To me that could be used as an entertainment venue.”

District 3 candidate Daniel Packey offered a similar opinion of the parcel.

“I think the first half of it, the north half, you stabilize the ponds, make sure

Page 41

we don’t have any health threats there, but keep it as a park because it is beautiful and a birding area,” he said. “Then you need to revamp or scale back the southern half that has the structure on it which is not usable right now and either tear it down or sell it off.”

Shaneka Nichols, also seeking the District 3 seat and member of the park advisory committee, said she wanted the town to think outside the box regarding the park. She suggested using a section of it for affordable single-family homes.

“With 60 acres we could walk through and find a feasible space to do a 10- or 15-acre pocket community…,” she said.

“We’re growing our community within our community and at the same time we’re buying back the debt that this park has acquired.”

Berlin purchased the property in 2015 for about $2.5 million from Berlin Properties North, which was owned in part by Councilman Troy Purnell. The buy was financed through the bond market. The property for decades was home to a poultry processing plant operated by Hudson Foods and then Tyson Foods.

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… Brittingham Served On Berlin Council For 32 Years

Page 42

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

FROM PAGE 35 electric utility and its water and sewer infrastructure.

“Sidewalks was one of the things I campaigned for,” he said. “It’s taken years and years. We still need more but finally we’re catching up.”

Hot topics in his early years on the council were street repairs, a perpetual problem in many municipalities, and a drug problem on Bay Street. Brittingham attributes that issue to the fact that most of the town’s affordable housing was put there.

“We were so anxious to get housing

we put everything right on Bay Street close together,” he said. “We had everybody lumped together. It brought the drug problem.”

While that issue was addressed with the help of law enforcement, another issue facing the council during Brittingham’s early years as a representative was Hudson Foods. The plant, located at what is now Heron Park, was a major environmental concern.

“We pressured them to at least take care of the smell,” Brittingham said.

In turn, he recalls elected officials receiving threatening letters warning them

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to leave the plant alone. With that history in mind, Brittingham said he did not regret his support of the town’s 2015 decision to purchase the parcel to ensure there was municipal control over what was once a problem property. He acknowledged, however, that the buildings on the property were in worse shape than some realized and that significant funds would be needed to improve the park.

“I’m not sure the town can afford to finish the park like we planned,” he said.

Other issues the town faced during the first half of Brittingham’s council tenure included the addition of Atlantic General Hospital and the annexation of the schools on Seahawk Road. He was also able to meet President Bill Clinton when he visited Assateague Island in 2000.

“I stayed pretty busy,” said Brittingham, who was a member of the hospital’s board of directors and also became heavily involved in the Maryland Municipal League. During his years as a councilman, Brittingham served under the leadership of mayors Ron Bireley, Rex Hailey, Chinita McAllister, Tom Cardinale and Gee Williams.

As a councilman, Brittingham said he appreciated the fact that he was encouraged to take advantage of various educational and networking opportunities that benefited the town. He also enjoyed addressing concerns brought to him by

October 2, 2020

residents of his neighborhood.

“I like to tackle problems and see them completed,” he said.

In recent years, Brittingham said the council had been tasked with addressing water and sewer needs—including spray irrigation—improving electric operations, and working to balance growing government costs. He says trying to keep the taxes down is harder than citizens realize.

“Everybody wants all the services but they don’t want the taxes to go up even though the costs of those services goes up,” he said.

Though last year’s tax increase was not popular with residents, Brittingham said that as a whole the town was in much better shape than he’s seen it in the past.

“All of our systems are up to par,” he said. “Things have improved so much by having the right personnel in place. Our town employees are great.”

Brittingham says he’ll miss working with them and his fellow elected officials.

“I used to come to city hall with a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “Things weren’t being done the way I thought they should be. Now it’s switched. It’s nice to have a good working group. Rather than everybody pulling apart, away from each other, in the last few years it’s been so much easier working with council people who wanted to help everybody, not just one section of town.”

… 10 More Officers Sought In OC

October 2, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

FROM PAGE 10 “We see a need to go forward with the PSAs,” he said. “Their training is two weeks and the seasonal officer training is five weeks. The problem is they don’t have arrest powers or use of force training or those kinds of things.”

Buzzuro agreed the PSAs were needed, along with the seasonal officer corps to some degree, but the pressing issue was the need for more full-time officers.

“In terms of public safety, they’re a godsend,” he said. “As we try to move forward, we’re not moving in the right direction. This is a daunting task, not just in Ocean City but all over the country.”

Mayor Rick Meehan said he fully supported the request for 10 more fulltime officers.

“The chief is now in his eighth year and he’s working with the same number of officers,” he said. “We can’t afford not to address this. It’s extremely important to our residents and vitally important to our tourism industry. I know there is a cost, but I think it’s evident we need to make this investment.”

There is an obvious cost associated with adding 10 new full-time police officers. The estimated primary cost for each new officer is around $86,000 in salary and benefits and training, for an estimated total of $860,000. The projection does not include the cost of outfitting the new officers with uniforms and equipment, and potentially vehicles, for example.

Council President Lloyd Martin said those costs could be figured out, but time was of the essence to start the process.

“We went from 95 to 105 years ago, and it took a long time to get to that 105,” he said. “We need to plan now for adding these new officers. Budget time is not until March and we’ll figure out a way to pay for it, but we need to get people into the academy.”

Councilman Dennis Dare said the cost of not hiring the new officers could be greater in the long run.

“The cost is of some concern, but the cost of not having them could be

even greater,” he said. “They are getting their leave canceled. They can’t go to their college roommate’s wedding on a weekend because of the personnel shortage. It becomes a quality of life issue.”

Council Secretary Mary Knight said bolstering the full-time police force was a good investment considering some the perception changes of Ocean City after a particularly troublesome summer.

“It would cost us more money not to do it,” she said. “We’re already getting calls and emails that Ocean City is not the same as it used to be.”

Councilman John Gehrig went back to the funding issue.

“Keeping the public safe is a top priority, but I would like to see the cost and how we’re going to pay for it,” he said. “We can cut somewhere else, we could raise taxes or we can make money. I’d prefer to make money. We’re going to need to continue the economic development discussion.”

City Manager Doug Miller was blunt in his assessment.

“It’s not a simple answer,” he said.

“You would probably have to raise taxes.”

Gehrig agreed a potential property tax increase was possible unless city officials and staff can find a creative way to pay for the expanded police force.

“The public needs to understand,” he said. “If we do this, there will probably be some level of tax increase. I just want to be honest. The last thing we want to do is raise taxes, but we have to look at everything. Saying we want it is the easy part. The best solution is economic development, but we’ve been painfully slow with that.

We have to get creative.”

However, DeLuca said raising taxes would be a measure of last resort and he had already formulated some options to avoid that.

“I look forward to having the discussion on how to pay for this,” he said. “I have four plans already for how to pay for this and none of them include raising taxes.”

The council voted unanimously to approve the requested 10 additional OCPD officers.

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Berlin Needs To Hear From Citizens In Election The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

October 2, 2020

HOW WE SEE IT

Tuesday marks an historic election for the Town of Berlin. It’s a vote that’s desperately needed to ease a caustic temperament surrounding government operations for the last two years. There is plenty of reason for Berliners to find fault with the way the town has been governed. After all, the government’s last two years have been memorable for the wrong reasons – property taxes were increased drastically, a costly chemical spill on a fledgling park property the town never should have purchased, the termination of its top appointed official for misleading the town’s elected representatives and the pandemic’s crippling impact on local businesses.

Despite all these unfortunate occurrences, Berlin remains a bright spot in the region. People still want to visit here and it’s a sought-after place to call home. Those of us who live here are proud to call it our home for good reason. The fact it has remained strong in light of all the negatives in the news of late confirms the charm and character of this historic town.

Though Berlin has never been more popular as a destination or as a home community, this election will serve as a barometer. The 18% property tax increase of 2019 woke up the Berlin community. Ever since the tax increase – which was initially proposed by Mayor Gee Williams to be 29% – community citizens have been paying close attention to Town Hall. At the same time the property tax increase, which was coupled with significant fee hikes, went into effect there was the chemical spill at the Heron Park property. Three months after the spill, which cost the town more than $280,000 to address, the town’s administrator was fired. It became clear after her departure she was not forthcoming with town officials about the financial problems facing the town as well as the details of exactly how the chemical spill occurred at the so-called “park.”

Last year was one to forget for Berlin, but the good news is the town’s commercial businesses and popularity remained high throughout despite some major nightmares on the public relations front for the town. However, it would be naïve and out of touch to not recognize serious issues with leadership.

Let’s look no further than this week’s meeting at Town Hall. It was a disgrace.

One week before the election amid a handful of ethics challenges, Williams nominated Councilman Troy Purnell’s son, Austin, to serve on the town’s planning commission. Numerous residents voiced their opposition to the appointment as well as the timing of it before an election that will change the makeup of the council in a major way. The appointment should have been delayed.

There was no urgency and concerns over conflicts of interest with the family ties and building and real estate are understandable. In a town full of talented citizens with a passion for the community, there were cleaner choices available.

Regardless of the appointment and the flawed process, the citizens who took exception to the appointment were disrespected by outgoing Councilman Thom Gulyas and the meeting was not called to order immediately by Williams as soon as the personal attack began.

It was an ugly display unbefitting of a public meeting but representative of a major division that exists between some residents and their elected officials. It’s a significant problem. There is a clear disconnect between relative newcomers who have a passion for their hometown and the long-time property owners who share the same affections but stress a historical inflection rather than a parochial view.

Passion is admirable and there’s plenty of it to go around in Berlin. This election’s results will push Berlin through a crossroads that’s existed for the last two years. Critics of the tax increase from 2019 have pledged efforts to bring about change. Next week is the time to decide for Berlin residents.

The results will settle an ongoing question in town. Who is in the majority? Is it the newcomers who have come to Berlin in recent years who generally seem to be progressive? Is it the long-time citizens who know everything there is to know about this historic little town but worry about too much change too quick?

The results of next week’s election will provide some glimpses into the general electorate’s mindset. Though we offer this week our educated recommendations, which are not to be confused with predictions, our goal is to see Berlin’s general trend of poor voter turnout reversed. It’s why we invested resources in bringing extensive town hall forums with all the candidates.

We want residents to be educated and weigh in on who serves this town for the years to come. Voting is the way to have the ultimate say. Once the election is held, no matter who prevails, there needs to be reunification for the greater good. Those who lose should support those who win. Those whose candidates of choice did not prevail should also wish the victors well because we are all in this together. It’s a cliché but together we are indeed better.

Our Endorsements Mayor: It’s the most important seat up for grabs next week as Berlin has a strong mayoral form of government.

The mayor sets the tax rate, presents a balanced budget and guides the council in most decisions with a heavy

hand. Currently, incumbent Williams has the support of the majority of the council and basically gets everything he wants. He’s therefore powerful. With three council seats sure to be filled by new faces, this election will change everything at Town Hall.

We believe there is a need for change in the town’s leadership. We support Zack Tyndall’s run for mayor and the vision he outlined at last month’s forum.

Though we support Tyndall’s bid, it’s important to note Berlin is in a better place today than it was in 2008 as a result of Williams’ service. Williams deserves credit and praise for his part in the town’s surge in popularity and relevancy on the shore. Berlin was named America’s Coolest Small Town under his watch and the town has been rightly cashing in on that title ever since.

Even his most ardent critics should recognize Williams has been a dedicated leader who has worked well the business community and most residents. He has lost his temper on several occasions in public meetings and that’s never a good look for an elected official. We know the occasional outbursts are rooted in a desire to vigorously defend his views, which are deeply derived and supported by a combination of facts and his interpretation of them. Though we endorsed his run for delegate two years into his first term as mayor, we were relieved when he didn’t win the seat. We thought he needed more time in Berlin. He possesses an incredible historical familiarly with the town. None of his challengers possess nearly the same background acumen of the town.

Despite these platitudes, we believe it’s time for a new mayor in` Berlin. The biggest criticism of Williams is the fact the property tax rate was raised 18% and utility fees were hiked in a single year. Another property tax rate was planned this spring before the pandemic. Though he said the tax increase was justified and the right move for the town’s long-term stability, how it happened needs major scrutiny.

It’s clear the town’s elected officials, headed by the mayor, were negligent with their oversight of the town’s finances. Ultimately the fact the mayor and council were kept in the dark on the gravity of the town’s financial struggles falls on the town’s previous administrator, who was ultimately fired at least partially for not reporting to her bosses the situation in detail. We believe the town’s elected officials, particularly the mayor, were derelict in not seeing these issues before a massive tax increase was needed. Officials will now receive quarterly financial reports to prevent any sort of future blindside like in 2019.

While this is an obvious reaction to a terrible situation, the town’s leadership SEE NEXT PAGE

Between The Lines

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

October 2, 2020

HOW WE SEE IT should have been more proactive before the dire fiscal picture came into focus. We put the biggest fault on Williams, and it’s a major reason we can’t support his re-election bid.

We feel it’s time for new leadership.

There must be a consequence for the blindside tax increase of 2019. The tax hike was defended as inevitable and a rightsizing after years of a stagnant tax rate and even a tax decrease. We think it’s a foolhardy explanation to maintain taxes are the same today as they were 15 years ago, particularly in the age of increased property values.

If town officials were keeping their eye on the finances as they should have in the years leading up to 2019 and aware the town was repeatedly robbing the reserve fund to balance the budget, incremental adjustments to the tax rate would have been manageable for town citizens. Instead the 18% property tax increase resulted in a $600 single-year jump for properties valued at $300,000. To be sure, the tax rate increase of 2019 was avoidable and a direct result of the town’s elected officials not doing their top job – watching the money.

We believe Tyndall can step into the mayor’s seat successfully. Tyndall will be able to unite the town, serving as a bridge between two passionate sectors – the come here’s and the been here’s.

He will be visible and approachable and open to criticism when it inevitably comes. He was the lone council person to vote against the budget increase of 2019. His comments and actions, which have flown against the majority of the council often, confirm he’s an independent mind with an ability to not bow to pressure.

If elected, as we believe he should be, Tyndall will need to immediately get to work at Town Hall earning support from staff leadership. By and large, the town administration and staff want Williams back for another term, but it’s due to fear of change and worry Tyndall will enact too many adjustments. It’s understandable for staff to be concerned, as Williams has been a familiar face at Town Hall since 2002.

The comfort zone is there, but the employees can certainly adjust. There will be changes made by Tyndall, as he eloquently outlined during the candidates’ forum. Change is good, however. He will certainly need to repair the relationship between the town and the fire company as well as use his knowledge of the town’s budget to move it forward in a productive way.

Tyndall has a strong base of support in Berlin, and we believe it’s his time to be mayor to put his plan of action into place.

Council At-Large: Voters have before them a fascinating matchup of opposites.

Jay Knerr has followed the appropriate steps of serving the community in multiple civic capacities before running for elected office. Knerr’s resume of public service is impressive, including his current chairmanship of the

Worcester County Planning Commission, a member of the town’s Board of Zoning Appeals and numerous leadership positions with local business and charitable organizations over his career. He has shown a volunteer devotion to his community in all these positions and understands what it means to lead. Through his variety of positions and life experience, he understands the importance of evaluating both sides of an argument when divisive matters come before him as a councilman and will vote independently with conviction.

As the proprietor of The Kite Loft in Ocean City, Knerr possesses the acumen of a successful small business owner who knows what it means to meet a budget and realizes pivoting in an unpopular direction may not always be the easiest journey but is the wisest course. He’s lived in Berlin for more than 20 years. We think he will be an outstanding councilman.

His opponent, Tony Weeg, is an impressive candidate who we hope finds a role within the town to continue to be active. We would like to see him serve on a town commission immediately because his excitement and joy for the town is palpable. He needs to be involved in the town in some fashion to continue to grow his knowledge of the town and government as he lives here longer.

We endorse Knerr because of his familiarity with how government operates and his blunt approach to problem solving.

District 3: Retiring Elroy Brittingham’s district needs to continue to be represented by a long-time resident who is known to people in the community. Born and raised on Flower Street and matriculating through the local school system, Shaneka Nichols is that candidate.

A mother of six who works in the public school system, Nichols has the familiarity with the town and awareness of her fellow district residents’ needs to represent her constituents well. What she may lack in government familiarity and politics will be endearingly balanced with her desire to make responsible decisions on behalf of her residents. There may be a learning curve, but we expect her to be an outspoken representative. We think she will be a great addition to the council.

District 2: After losing his bid four years ago to represent the district to Tyndall by 69 votes, 185-116, Jack Orris filed early for another shot. We believe he will serve his district well as a councilman. He is unopposed, and we support Orris in his effort. He has a led a solid, engaging campaign as if were opposed. He’s an independent type committed to constituent service and routine communication with those he serves. It’s a good plan and he seems like a solid fit for council.

The Dispatch Is On The Web: www.mdcoastdispatch.com

Page 45

By Publisher/Editor Steve Green

Some thoughts on last weekend’s chaos in Ocean City during the pop-up rally weekend.

Though it’s said every year after this gathering, it’s a miracle more police officers are not hurt or worse. In the face of thousands of riotous types who clearly enjoy raising hell on the streets, it’s not being overly dramatic to maintain these law enforcement heroes face impossible obstacles to maintain peace and good order. Through verbal and physical onslaughts every year, these officers are essentially assaulted repeatedly.

Among the dozens of videos I watched over the weekend one stood out. It shows a group of idiotic individuals on a balcony lighting fireworks and throwing them toward a group of police officers on the street a few floors down. The fireworks appeared to be going off before reaching the ground, but safe to say major injuries would have been the result if the kids’ intentions played out.

This nonsense and the other acts of violence witnessed over the weekend should upset everyone. These actions are why I give our police officers a huge benefit of the doubt when I see them tackling suspects or being physical with individuals. They don’t seek out physical altercations with people. No, that would be these miscreants who come to our resort to do what they want when they want with only the most mischievous of intentions. I will stand behind the men and women in blue in the face of any sort of criticism for their handling of these folks.

The good news is I think the police officers feel supported by their community. There were many instances this week when businesses did their best to show their support for the heroes through discount and marquee messages.

Because I know many police officers and their families, I found myself thinking of them constantly last weekend. These officers know it’s dangerous and they know they must expect the unexpected at all times, but they look past these concerns and bravely march through what has to be extreme apprehension.

They deserve all our support and praise.

There were two major changes with the handling of the special event this year compared to previous years – towing and traffic patterns.

The strict towing ordinance accomplished what it set out to do, recording a 431% increase from 65 tows in 2019 to 345 from Thursday-Sunday. The shift to quickly tow violators took these vehicles off the road for a day or two and sent a strong-armed message. It also costs most of these folks at least $900 to get their vehicles out of impound and, in most cases, much more with violations tabulated.

Additionally, the traffic pattern changes were genius, especially closing off downtown on Saturday night and shutting southbound Coastal Highway down at the Route 90 Bridge on Friday night. The closure sent vehicles westbound without an option to turn around until the Route 113 exit on Route 90. When that closure took place Friday, I watched through video cameras and the Waze app the traffic build west. It appeared most of the detoured vehicles headed north on Route 113 until Route 54 and then followed their GPS to Route 1 and back into gridlock on southbound Coastal Highway.

These sorts of extreme measures to reduce the volume of vehicles on the road worked and should continue next year.

Though there were 277 arrests through the weekend, Ocean City Police Chief Ross Buzzuro said in a press conference what many folks observed over the weekend. Business owners and residents reported the visitors are not especially violent individuals to the public at large. They tend to fight and cause harm to each other rather than others unaffiliated with their following.

“In the bigger picture, there was virtually no serious crime in the traditional sense in Ocean City all weekend,” the chief said. “With tens of thousands of people in town, it was mostly disorderly conduct and peace and good order types of crime we were able to maintain. Serious crime was virtually non-existent throughout the weekend.”

While I see the chief and others’ points about crime, this week’s Cops and Courts section and some other articles confirm there were some significant incidents and without question it’s a scary weekend for residents. There were only a few instances of serious criminal acts, as the chief maintains, but they did occur, including an attempted stabbing, a random punch with brass knuckles, a burglary, a hit and run and fireworks and projectiles being thrown at police officers.

However, I agree with the general sentiment it could have been much worse in many ways.

It was great to hear Delegate Wayne Hartman got a front-row seat to this weekend through back-to-back, ride-alongs with police Friday and Saturday nights. Hartman pledged further action in Annapolis to toughen laws because, “still more needs to be done.” After observing police officers being targeted repeatedly with projectiles while doing their jobs, the delegate vowed to introduce “a bill to allow our law enforcement officers and first-responders to be protected under a hate crime bill and make them a protected class. That would be an additional tool that law enforcement would have next year. When they are met with this kind of behavior, it could be treated as a hate crime because that’s just what this is.” On the other side of things in Annapolis, Senator Mary Beth Carozza said she would work her chamber on the same front.

Page 46

Unbelievable Weekend Editor: Several years ago (two I believe), you published my letter concerning the insane activity that happened again this past weekend of Sept. 25-26. Two years ago, it was nuts but this year beyond belief. This was rioting and anarchy. At least one law enforcement officer had to be taken to the hospital.

We have owned a unit in the Seawatch since the early-80s. My wife and I used to enjoy coming down in the fall to enjoy Ocean City, the beauty and calmness of it. Not anymore, we refuse to come. Many of our friends who own there and our children and their families stay clear of it now. This is extremely sad. What once was a paradise has turned into a dangerous and anti-family environment.

The leadership of Ocean City needs to be held accountable. We can try and blame the rowdies and thugs, but the “buck stops” with the leadership.

Until there are major attack (yes attack) strategies, severe penalties for misbehavior, and very tough law enforcement, Ocean City will continue to have a “bad name” and decent people will steer away! They’ll going elsewhere, believe me, or just staying home!

Perhaps the Ocean City treasury in the past enjoyed revenue from some of these events that probably started out innocently; but no more. Hey Ocean City leaders, remember when families use to come and spend money?

Can’t imagine people who own property in Ocean City are enjoying appreciation of their property values. I would think that the values will be heading the other way, until Ocean City gets its act together!

Draconian measures; yes. If they don’t, then the reputation of Ocean City will further decline and the good people who once enjoyed Ocean City will continue to stop coming. I have.

Pay attention Ocean City leadership.

Owen F Landis Sr. Ocean City

Unacceptable Weekend Requires Accountability Editor: Kids are young and want to have fun but impeding traffic, shooting off fireworks, and these large gatherings in the middle of the roadway are not safe.

When the police department is dealing with 55 to 118 arrests in a day that is totally uncalled for and unacceptable. The town needs to start pushing back and not allowing the weekend to occur. Shut the town down at the borders with upholding emergency order in place, allowing only residents, workers and owners in the town that weekend. It is one weekend out of the year, and the crowd isn’t bringing in high dollars to repair the damage that occurs.

Thursday evening there was a heavy presence in town and yes, not as many were in town, but it was handled with a lower level strain on the police and agencies that helped in this matter. Only 29 arrests were made this evening. The major concern is the type of arrests.

When you have young adults in vehicles and they are carrying control concealed weapons in town, it’s no longer a resort

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR town. It’s mayhem for all.

Friday evening, well that turned into a whole new picture for the town. The locals were concerned for the safety of all and the strain that it was going to put on the agencies controlling it. Again, 55 arrests and many were dealing with fighting and weapons, but the rally wants us to believe that they are here to show off their vehicles and all the hard work they put into them.

Saturday evening was like reliving June of this summer all over again. Total mayhem throughout the town and no one from the council on the streets and voicing anything in the day time. Finally, a big thank you goes out to Councilman Wayne Hartman for doing a ride-along with the OCPD and seeing what occurred first hand. He expressed how sad it was to see how far it had gotten out of hand and even with having Governor Hogan get involved. 118 arrests and A MSP officer hurt and unconscious and taken to the hospital, how many others have to be hurt before the town takes control of the event? If the arrests for driving and street issues that would be one, but when you see arrests of this type in town -- this one is very scary an 18 year old with a gun, arrest on chrg of Deadly Weapon-conceal, at 30th Street, Ocean City, something has to be done. Many that were arrested this past weekend were arrested back in June/July for the fighting that took place on the boards.

Sunday morning by noon, there were already 48 arrests. The town is tired.

This beach area needs to speak to the beach areas in Delaware, maybe they can help the team do their job more effectively.

The town really needs to look at who they are marketing to because they are at fault too by the areas that they are attracting. Philadelphia, York, Harrisburg, DC, New York, New Jersey, do we will really want this town to turn into a miniPhilly or Atlantic City. How is it that beaches in Delaware handle their areas and do not have the mayhem that OC attracts? Has anyone ever asked that questions? Just like during COVID, the town took it upon themselves to protect their people by blocking the entrances.

They are state roads too, so the excuse of they can’t isn’t acceptable.

It’s time for the town to put safety ordinances on the books and allow the OCPD to follow through. Possibly a curfew for under 20 and under. The boards need to be closed at 2 a.m., just like the bars do. Can you still get a ticket for loitering, maybe we need to get back to the basis. The town needs to get back to writing tickets for loitering like they did many years ago.

They need to start caring about the town like they do when they are holding some of the events, since all the people in the town matter. Not just particular groups that share in the stockholders and businesses. It’s time to hold everyone accountable. The owners and the locals are getting tired and in order to keep residents, something needs to be done.

Jackie Mata Ocean City

Advance Plans Failed Editor: The events of the past weekend clearly show that the Ocean City Mayor and City Council plan of expanding and increasing traffic fines along with high impound cost for the H2O participants turned out to be an epic failure.

Mayor Rick Meehan is quoted as saying, “We put a plan in place to make sure we could keep our town safe ” and the plan worked. While the Mayor is attempting to put a positive spin on the events of last weekend, I see a different picture when we look at the facts.

There is no question that at certain times during the weekend chaos reigned in certain areas of the city. Additional law enforcement personnel from other areas of the Eastern Shore were call in Saturday night to assist the already massive police presents in Ocean City because of people acting unruly. In town traffic was at gridlock because hundreds of the participant walked in the streets yelling obscenities To have the bus service stopped on Saturday to protect the drivers shows how the rally participants were overcoming the massive police presence that was working in Ocean City.

Because of the disturbances, southbound traffic on Saturday at 62nd Street and Route 90 was stopped and routed away from going in town. A drive down Coastal Highway found many areas of burnt rubber from spinning wheels.

While about 270 people were arrested during the weekend, only 78 arrested, or about 30%, involved exhibition driving charges Other examples of the disruptive actions can be found on various You Tube internet sites under H2O 2020.

If the Mayor and Council believes Ocean City was safe this weekend, it is clear that they missed our police officers being injured or the illegal fireworks that was being set off that could cause serious injury or property damage. I expect to hear the Council next step is to call for the National Guard to patrol Ocean City at next year’ H2O event.

It is clear that Ocean City needs council members with fresh ideas to handle the large-scale motor events and other activities such as June week.

Fortunately, elections are coming up in November for four seats on the Ocean City Council. Voters need to elect individuals who will bring innovative solutions to the H2O and related problems since the current council approach of just passing laws that are more stringent has failed to provide a safe and secure environment for Ocean City residents and visitors.

Joseph Potter Ocean City

June Mobs Deserved Same Attention In OC Editor: This year has been the Jenga effect for all of us. As a resident and as a individual, I saw many disturbing things.

One of those things was very little support from the state during the violence

October 2, 2020 that occurred in June of 2020 here in Ocean City.

In June of 2020, I noticed that many businesses closed down in fear of violent demonstrators. Our local police and other enforcement were not confronting the mobs. Some individuals were attacked and some businesses were damaged.

This is my question to all: Why was the law enforcement not present in June, like they were this past weekend with H2O, while most of the participants were not mobsters, all H2O members were treated like criminals?

One YouTube channel had captured just one incident of the unruly and disturbing behavior of these demonstrators that started on 9th Street and continued to escalate on to private property and on public streets.

If we are to protect this wonderful place many call home or a vacation spot, shouldn’t we enforce the rules and laws on all demonstrators before the risk becomes greater than what we can handle? Particularly when the June mobs was purely political and hell bent on destruction.

The tragedy in both incidents, there were videos of violence of one individual getting beat up by a gang and one video with an individual getting beat up by a law enforcement officer. This is an unfortunate situation due to viral videos that negated all the positive advertising that money could buy.

Now we have to pick up the pieces and try to learn from these unfortunate incidents. We should do a better job and maybe do it differently next summer.

It’s time for a change for Ocean City.

Dan Hagan Ocean City

Good Old Boys At Work Editor: It was less than two weeks ago when Berlin Mayor Williams, in the forum held by this paper, was "flabbergasted" at the suggestion that there's a Good Old Boy network ensconced in town hall.

This week he shamelessly rushed to give a certain councilman's son a seat on the Planning Commission, a week before the election. How's that for a brazen last minute in-your-face move?

This is the same councilman who the people of Berlin bailed out of a failed speculative land deal to the tune of $2.5 million. At the time the town admitted it had no idea what to do with the property, and still doesn't today. Remember who was the biggest cheerleader in that transfer of wealth?

I could spin you a tale of the way this dynamic duo held the building permit for the new county library up for ransom, so the councilman could get a fence built, at county taxpayer expense, between the library and one of his subdivisions.

And there's no GOB shenanigans going on under this mayor's watch?

Come on now, don't insult our intelligence.

Gee Williams has done some wonderful things for Berlin over many years, as a citizen, a council member, and the mayor. It's greatly appreciated by all.

Now, it's time to move on.

Ron Cascio Berlin

Business And Real Estate News

October 2, 2020

General Surgeon Added

BERLIN – Dr. Kanika Trehan recently joined Atlantic General Hospital and Health System to provide general surgery services to residents of Worcester County and the surrounding area.

Trehan completed her undergraduate studies and master’s degree in molecular and cellular biology at Johns Hopkins University before entering the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 2010. She was a clinical and research fellow in DR. KANIKA burn surgery, trauma, TREHAN and critical care at Connecticut Burn Center in Bridgeport, Conn., while also completing her general surgery residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital, in New Haven, Conn.

New OC Hotel Completed OCEAN CITY – Gillis Gilkerson President Dwight Miller recently announced the company’s completion of the new Hilton Tru Hotel at the former home to Planet Maze and Lost Galaxy Golf.

“Project Manager Greg Ennis and Superintendents Bruce West and Chris Deinlein were committed to providing solutions to each challenge they faced amid COVID as the build continued through the summer season in Ocean City,” said Miller. “The completion of a construction project of this scale and magnitude is no small feat, especially during a pandemic.”

“We worked through a number of surprises in the process. Some COVID related and others that were normal in a project of this scope,” said Mike Meoli, Hilton Tru, co-owner. “We were grateful we didn’t have to shut the site down. Gillis Gilkerson was professional in every way and thanks to them we have a wonderful hotel that is now open for business.”

The 53,000-square-foot hotel includes five floors with 105 rooms, 104 parking spaces and a designated bus shelter.

Company Announces Rebrand OCEAN CITY – Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in the Mid-Atlantic region has unveiled a new look and logo, as part of the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury® international rebrand.

The alignment of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage with the new visual identity of the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury program creates a unified voice in reaching both the mainstream and affluent customer and establishes a modern logo for today’s mobile, social and digital marketing environment.

To arrive at the new look, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury conducted a glo-

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

bal quantitative survey of three potential logos in the top four countries for the program: Spain, France, Italy and the United States.

“Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in the Mid-Atlantic region is excited to be an integral part of this journey,” Rich Fleisher, president, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in the Mid-Atlantic region. “We look forward to showcasing the new, innovative visuals of the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury program; this rebrand will be eye-catching in the region and we appreciate the opportunity to help guide the brand to success for the years to come.”

Page 47

The Bank of Ocean City recently donated nearly $5,000 to Ocean City Paramedics to purchase needed PPE supplies, such as gowns. “Our first responders play a critical role in emergency care, and as a community bank, we want to do whatever we can to protect our firefighters and paramedics,” said Bank of Ocean City President Reid Tingle. Ocean City Fire Chief Richie Bowers said, “The Bank of Ocean City’s donation has helped prepare our firefighters and paramedics with PPE that can be utilized now and in the future.” Pictured, from left, are OCFD Lt. Mike Ellingsworth, Tingle and Firefighter/Paramedic Tyler Fritz.

Submitted Photo

Page 48

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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The Adventures Of Fatherhood

By STEVE GREEN

onday was all about the new for Carson – new school, new people, new earlier start time and new routine.

Ocean City Elementary was the only school he has known for the last seven years. Though he officially started his fifth grade year at Berlin Intermediate School online a few weeks ago, his first true day inside the building was Monday. It was also the first day with his mom not as his one-on-one guide.

Pam and I have had tremendous anxiety about this whole transition for months. In all actuality, we started thinking about this move to his new school last fall when we started his final year at OCES. We knew it was going to be challenging for him under normal circumstances. With the extended time away from school life, we knew it would be tough to transition into his new world outside of his home, which is his safe place. Change is a source of stress for kids on the spectrum like Carson. We know it will take time to adjust.

Over the weekend, our worries heightened with Monday looming. We were able on Friday to introduce Carson to some of his new teachers at his new school. We felt comfortable and settled by that opportunity. Carson seemed to be in a good place.

Throughout the weekend, we went through our new routine and what Monday morning would look like. We wanted him prepared. One of our concerns was the earlier start to the date – getting at school by 7:30 a.m. rather than last year’s 8:30 a.m. Since he is an early riser, we felt pretty good about it.

On Monday morning, as luck would have it, we had to wake him up. The last thing we wanted to do was rush him so we needed him to have a good amount of time to wake up. That means

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starting his day at 6:30 a.m.

As the morning played out, I was pleased with how he adapted. We set a new routine for him to follow and all went great. I was quite confident pulling into school the transition from us to his new one-on-one would be smooth. We decided I would take Carson on this first day. It could be problematic to have his mom along because of his deep attachment. It’s not that he doesn’t have those feelings for me, but it’s different. It’s a mom thing. I get it.

At first, Carson wouldn’t let go of my hand at all, so I figured I would walk him to the door and keep the mood light. He still had me in a death grip. We were not going to separate outside the school without a scene.

We went into school together and then we pivoted to his special education room where it was quiet and no other kids around. I tried to break free multiple times. Even a few bounces on a trampoline and kisses from three adorable therapy dogs didn’t work. There were big tears. A meltdown was coming, but I had to roll. After about 20 minutes, it was time to break free. I had to make a run for it while his teachers blocked him.

On the drive away from school, my emotions got the beats of me. It was reminiscent of leaving a panicking Beckett at his first day care when he was 3 years old. I called Pam and muttered some nonsense that’s best kept between a husband and wife.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to wallow in those raw emotions for long. The best text ever came a few minutes later from Mrs. D saying, “All good, needed a hug and a spin, will keep you posted. Thanks for everything!”

I figured it would be the hardest day. Tuesday morning would be better I was sure. Pam dropped off the next day and it was much of the same for

her. There were tears once again.

Come Wednesday we plotted a strategy with his teachers. We were going to bring dog treats so he could look forward to feeding the therapy dogs as soon as he came into school.

Much to my delight, as I pulled up to school, Mr. DJ (his new one-on-one) was waiting for us with Ozzy, the therapy dog. I think Carson actually saw them first and pointed them out to me with a big smile.

As we got out of the vehicle, Ozzy greeted Carson. When he reached for my hand and showed signs of clinging, I put the leash in his hand instead and reminded him about the ice cream treat I promised him if there were no tears. Pam also worked out a deal with him that a trip to World of Toys would be in order Friday if he had a good week.

Though I did need to walk with him and Mr. DJ, Carson grabbed the leash and walked into school on his own without any emotions. It felt like winning the lottery. The plan had worked out great.

I couldn’t mask my excitement over seeing him walk through those doors without tears. Mr. Cowder, the school principal, seemed to share in the relief as he had seen the troubles the last couple days. He was equally excited.

It’s amazing living a moment you know you will never forget. Carson overcame a lot in his first few days.

It’s a major change in his life. It wasn’t easy, but he has shown once again his resilience.

Oh yeah, he’s doing all this while wearing a mask without complaint. We have to celebrate these winning moments.

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

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Page 49

Ocean City Museum Hosting History Week Activities

Page 50

OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Life Saving Station Museum is gearing up for a busy fall season, featuring History Week, which offers a variety of events and activities that highlight the town’s unique cultural heritage.

From Oct. 10-16, the museum will offer free admission to all Eastern Shore locals. If you live on the Delmarva Peninsula, stop by and enjoy the museum free of charge. Capture the perfect family photo with a display of fall flowers, pumpkins and hay located on the Boardwalk in front of the shark display and anchor. Every day at 1 p.m. a free program will take a close look at the equipment that was used by the United States Life-Saving Service to conduct rescues.

This program will be held inside the museum’s boat room. Throughout the week, there will be daily discounts on a wide variety of books, DVDs, and apparel within our museum store.

On Saturday, Oct. 10, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. author Anna Dolle Bushnell will be signing her new book “Dolle’s Candyland, Inc.” Bushnell’s book describes the history of her long-standing family run business.

On Sunday, Oct. 11 at 1 p.m., join us from the comfort of your own home for an hour-long live broadcast Pieces of Our Past where we will share with our viewers several never before seen artifacts. Many of these artifacts are remnants of Ocean City’s oldest estab-

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

October 2, 2020

lishments.

“Some of the artifacts we will be showcasing are just as unique as they are old,” said curator Sandy Hurley.

A wooden leg, original rocking chairs from the Commander hotel and a 1940s chocolate bar in the shape of a whiskey bottle are just a few items you will get the chance to see and learn about. The broadcast is a fundraiser that will help strengthen and grow the George and Suzanne Hurley Memorial Scholarship

Fund. This scholarship is open to Stephen Decatur High School graduates who plan on furthering their education at Salisbury University, Wor-Wic Community College or UMES. On Oct. 12 at 1 p.m., the Ocean City Life Saving Station Museum is partnering with Worcester County Library for a special tour of the museum and a book discussion of “In the Heart of the Sea.” On Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 5:30 p.m., the Worcester County Library will be st-

reaming the storm of 1962 movie. This iconic storm forever altered the island’s landscape.

Additionally, the museum is now accepting nominations for the Spirit Award. Both individuals and organizations who have made a last impact on the preservation of local history are eligible for nomination. Visit ocmuseum.org for registration and additional information regarding all fall events.

OCEAN CITY – A new, all-virtual Sand Castle Home Tour kicked off on Thursday, Oct. 1 and runs through Thursday, Oct. 15. The event is the annual fundraiser for The Art League of Ocean City.

Tickets are $30 and include unlimited access for two weeks to the tour site, plus opportunities to win daily door prizes. Online tickets and tour preview are available at www.SandCastleHomeTour.com.

Ten private Shore residences are on the virtual tour, including those owned

by Todd Burbage, Cheryl and Jay Taustin, Kevin Myers and David Bradley plus six others. Tour goers will enjoy state-of-the-art video tours of each res-

idence, complete with aerial footage, and hear the visions and inspirations behind the homes directly from the homeowners, builders, architects, and designers through personal interviews.

These homes have never been on the physical tour, and a virtual visit will be a new way to look inside and outside the private residences.

"People are really excited to take this tour at their own pace and view these never-before-seen homes,” Rina Thaler, executive director of the Art League, said. “We are grateful to the homeowners who have graciously opened their virtual doors so the Art League can continue to keep our doors at the Ocean City Center for the Arts

open and free.”

Tour takers will also be eligible to win daily prizes, valued at more than $3,500, donated by local benefactors and businesses, including a gas grill, earbuds, original art, candy baskets, wine baskets, golf packages, floral packages, gift certificates to local businesses, family photo sessions, handblown glass art and more.

Benefiting the Art League, the Sand Castle Home Tour is the non-profit’s largest fundraiser of the year, fueling its mission to promote artistic expression and appreciation for the creative arts in the community. It also provided the funding to build and sustain the Ocean City Center for the Arts on 94th St.

Virtual Home Tour Tickets Now Available

October 2, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 51

2nd Annual Oktobirdfest Planned For Region Next Weekend

Page 52

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

BERLIN – With COVID-19 protocols in place, Delmarva Birding Weekends has announced the second annual Oktobirdfest slated for Oct. 9-11.

Like spring migration in late April, fall migration in early October offers high numbers of species for nature lovers to enjoy as warblers, herons, and egrets trade places with waterfowl, hawks and eagles. Registration for the popular event is now open at http://delmarvabirding.com/oktobirdfest-oct-9-11/.

Nature lovers can register for just one field trip or multiple field trips each day of the three-day event. On Friday, participants can get an early start to the weekend with both songbirds and shorebirds near Ocean City and Berlin before embarking on an afternoon trip to the nearby 2,200-acre private Newport Farms.

On Saturday, after trips to the beautiful landings in Chincoteague Bay and a hawk walk around the dunes at Cape Henlopen, the highlight of Oktobirdfest takes place on the Shorebird Explorer when ponies, shorebirds, and eagles put on a show behind Assateague Is-

land. Top the weekend off with a Sunday paddle on Ayres Creek or a saunter around Delaware Seashore State Park.

Guided by local fun-loving birders with decades-long experience, the walking tours, boat trips, and canoe and kayak paddles will accommodate visitors from the curious nature lover to fowl fanatics. Every year, birdwatchers from surrounding states flock to Delmarva in the fall.

“This is our biggest fall nature-oriented weekend,” said Worcester County Tourism Director Melanie Pursel.

“People will be amazed by the number of eagles and flocking herons, but they will see a lot more than that walking, paddling, and boating with guides in the wilds around Pocomoke City, Snow Hill, Berlin, and Ocean City. Delmarva Birding Weekend trips are so good that the governor issued a tourism award for them in 2018.”

“The October weekend is spectacular,” said Southern Delaware Tourism Director Scott Thomas. “Imagine hiking a dunes trail at Cape Henlopen to be met with a Peregrine Falcon dive bombing a flock of shorebirds. Or spend Sun-

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day morning at Delaware Seashore State Park enjoying the beautiful yellow of fall warblers. That’s what the weekend is all about.”

Social events for this year’s Oktobirdfest have been postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic. Typically these "Tally Rallies" would be held at local breweries, bars, and restaurants, and allow participants to add to the species checklist and swap nature stories with new friends.

Indeed participants recount the event in terms of experiences rather than simply observing birds – a majestic Bald Eagle soaring over the marsh, a flock of white ibis, or the eerie hoot and shadow of an owl at dusk. An outdoor experience is the true draw.

The Delmarva Peninsula is one of the country's premier birding areas, thanks to an extensive variety of habitat protected by our coastal parks, refuges and wildlife management areas. More than 400 bird species have been recorded in the region and previous Weekend tallies have topped 200 species.

If boasting that many species isn't enough, participants should feel even

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better knowing that they’ve helped Delmarva's birds by promoting birding and habitat conservation. Birders, both novice and experienced, make an important statement about the economic value of birds and their habitats through the money they spend in local hotels, restaurants, and shops.

“It’s our vast shallow bays and large tracts of protected marshes and bald cypress forests that make the Delmarva Peninsula one of the finest birding regions in the nation,” said guide and organizer Jim Rapp. “During the weekend, our guests will hike on private farmland and woodland that are normally off-limits to birders, and our waterborne trips go where the birds are.”

Co-organizer Dave Wilson added most trips are not physically taxing and the event provides a rare opportunity to tally 100 species in a day in places that are normally inaccessible to the public. For Oktobirdfest 2020, mask wearing and social distancing will be the rule. There will be no carpooling and numbers of seats will be reduced.

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DALE CHRISTENSEN CHRIS KAVANAGH

Quality You Deserve And Dependability You Can Count On.

October 2, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 53

Chris Parypa’s Photo Of The Week:

Each week staff photographer Chris Parypa is tasked with submitting a photo from his vast library to be featured in this space. Above, the southern end of Ocean City is pictured in a file photo. To purchase any of Parypa’s photos, click over to www.chrisparypa.com.

MVA LICENSED

CLUTTER ANGELS “Anything you don’t have time to do

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HOME SERVICES & PERSONAL ASSISTANTS

• Move In/Move Out Cleaning • Housekeeping • Packing/Unpacking • Errands

WAINWRIGHT’S TIRE CENTER INC. AUTO

SALES & SERVICE Custom Wheels Computer Wheel Alignment Lube & Oil Change Shocks & Struts

Exhaust Systems Air Conditioning & Brake Service Road Service – Truck & Farm

410-641-2000 • 18 Broad St. • Berlin

BLINDS/SHADES

• Transporting/Donations • Downsizing/Organizing • Grocery Shopping • Dry Cleaning/Laundry

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• Companion Care • Mail/Help with Bills • Meal Preparation

• Laundry • Shopping/Errands

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443-235-6249 • ARTISTICRENOVATIONS.COM WASTE & SEPTIC SERVICE SEPTIC PUMP OUTS AS LOW AS $225 Septic Installation, Service & Pumping Hydro Jetting | Drain Fields & Pump Stations Porta Potty Rentals | Roll-Off Dumpsters | Grease Traps

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HOME IMPROVEMENT

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Brokered Boats Wanted CLEAN LATE MODELS UP TO 32 FEET BOAT & MARINE SALES

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• Decks Built & Restored • Vinyl Railings • Custom Porch Enclosures • Power Washing • Property Maintenance

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Specializing In: Custom Additions, Kitchens, Baths

LANDSCAPING

LANDSCAPING • IRRIGATION HARDSCAPING • FREE ESTIMATES Full Service/Yearly Maintenance Contracts Available

443-783-2224 • edgarcjr@aol.com

Page 54

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Eastern Shore Physical Therapy Arthritis Workshop

Find Out The Answers To The Following:

•Single Biggest Mistake People With Arthritis Pain Make •A Surefire Way To Pick The Right Treatment •What Successful Treatment And Permanent Relief Look Like Without The Side Effects Of Medications

FREE WORKSHOP TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13 • 6 P.M. CALL 410-641-2900 TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW

410-641-2900 • WWW.EASTERNSHOREPT.COM 314 FRANKLIN AVENUE, SUITE 405 (NEXT TO LAB CORP), BERLIN, MD. 21811

October 2, 2020

Affording In-Home, Long-Term Care Wealth Of Knowledge

BY KRISTIN COANE

SPECIAL TO THE DISPATCH

BERLIN – More than 90% of America’s older adults prefer to “age in place” in their own homes rather than in a senior housing community or facility.

With today’s insight into how a deadly pandemic can affect nursing homes, this preference may be prudent from a health care standpoint.

However, aging at home also can be quite expensive. Much depends on the level and amount of care you require.

And, as you can imagine, those levels are likely to increase as you get older.

For some, it starts out as light housekeeping and running errands. That may progress into cooking meals and taking you to doctor appointments. Eventually, you may need someone to help you move around. A few hours a week could eventually change into 24-hour care, depending on your health.

According to the 2019 Genworth Cost of Care Survey, the average cost of an in-home caregiver is $22.50 per hour. If you need someone for eight hours a day, that could run you about $5,400 a month. If you need 24-hour care, the cost could quickly amount to $16,200 a month. Is that a potential cost you’ve factored into your retirement income plan? For many, the answer is no.

As you develop a plan for old age and staying at home, it’s imporKRISTIN COANE tant to embrace technology. Today, about 75% of people age 55 to 65 years old own smartphones, download and use apps, and many search online for health information. This is a good start.

One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that more people have begun to embrace remote patient monitoring devices. Wearable technology enables certain vital signs to be constantly monitored and even emitted electronically to their physician’s office if they exceed normal levels. This allows people with chronic illnesses or home-bound to monitor their own health instead of visiting doctors’ offices or requiring hospitalization.

If you’d rather have an actual body in the house to provide for your needs, another way to help cut costs is to provide a rent-free room in exchange for care. This can start out as a simple arrangement for light help, but you may later want to seek a nursing student or other medical provider who can offer more substantive caregiving duties in exchange for a place to live.

We tend to plan as well as possible and hope for the best. If you’d like to explore different insurance options to help pay for potential long-term care needs, we can help.

(The writer has been part of the Key Financial team for over 15 years. Their entire team can be reached at 410-629-0357.)

October 2, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 55

with Scott Lenox Fall officially arrived last week and you could definitely feel it in the air. We will still see days in the 70s and maybe 80s over the next several weeks, but it certainly was nice to have daytime highs in the upper 60s and nighttime lows in the 50s. Fall is my favorite time of year because of this weather and because of the awesome fishing that can come with it. White marlin have pretty much left the area, but we are still seeing very good catches of mahi and some nice tuna. Inshore fishing is fantastic with sea bass, flounder, triggerfish, rockfish, bluefish, sheepshead and more being caught on our inshore wrecks and reefs and in Ocean City’s back bays.

There are still a few reports of white marlin being caught in our offshore canyons, but most anglers are now trolling for tuna, mahi and wahoo or deep dropping for swordfish, tuna and tilefish. The best bite for some tuna and mahi has been in the Pooman’s and Washington canyons where water temps have fallen, but steadied in the upper 60s and low 70s. Trolled ballyhoo spreads are the preferred baits for both the tuna and mahi, and if you find a school of mahi

you can use cut bait like ballyhoo, squid or bonita and “bail” them one after the other for a nice day.

More anglers have found the productive swordfish fishery off Ocean City the past few years and are taking advantage of good fishing over the past few weeks. Deep dropping on the canyon edge in 300 to 600 feet of water with large baits like squid could produce a swordfish bite and you never know if you’ll have a 50-pound fish or a 400pounder. Electric reels are the preferred choice for fishing such deep water, but if you’re so inclined there is an open state record category for swordfish that sits at 350 pounds. The Maryland DNR opened this category a few years ago and it has not yet been filled. There have been several fish over 350 pounds caught, but all have been on electric reels. The first state record swordfish will have to be hand cranked by one angler and weigh at least 350 pounds. Good luck if you try. Ocean bottom fishing on wrecks and reefs off Ocean City is very good and as many have expected, sea bass fishing is even improving more with SEE PAGE 56

Ken and Nancy had a great day with Captain Joe Drosey of Rhonda’s Osprey that ended with a nice yellowfin tuna and a limit of mahi.

Submitted Photos

Page 56

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

October 2, 2020

Top left, this awesome catch of flounder came over the rail of the Angler with Captain Chris Mizurak. Top middle, Paul Turner and David Bowman both landed wahoo while fishing with Captain Frank Goodhart on his private boat Brenda Lou. Top right, this crew fished on the Spring Mix II with Captain Chris Watkowski and had an awesome day with a tuna, a wahoo and some “peanut” mahi. Above left, Tim Calimer caught and released this red drum from an inshore wreck outside of Ocean City inlet. Above right, Captain Drew Zerbe of the Tortuga put this angler on a keeper sized red drum in the OC inlet.

Opposite page, top left, Logan Pusey from Snow Hill may have caught the last mahi of the season for the Morning Star with Captain Monty Hawkins when he landed this nice cow. Opposite page, top right, this bride landed a 32-inch keeper rockfish with her bridesmaids aboard the Lucky Break with Captain Jason Mumford.

Opposite page, middle left, I had an awesome day of sheepshead fishing with my good buddy Captain Luke Blume and his son Josh. Opposite page, middle right, these anglers on the Fish On with Captain Andrew Dotterweich had an awesome day offshore with two swordfish and a pile of mahi. Opposite page, bottom left, Brandon Miller was practicing for our OC Inshore Classic when he landed this 28 ½-inch keeper rockfish at the Route 50 Bridge. Opposite page, bottom right, Louden Swain caught this jumbo triggerfish on an inshore wreck while fishing with his dad Randy Swain, Jr.

. . Fish In OC

FROM PAGE 55 cooling water temperatures.

The inshore party and charter fleet were off the ocean for several days thanks to a persistent northeast wind earlier this month, but once they got back out it was limits around the rail for most. Sea bass are so thick that bottom fishermen specifically targeting flounder have had to weed through them as a “nuisance” that are attacking their flounder baits, but anglers specifically targeting sea bass have been overjoyed.

Maryland sea bass season is open until Dec. 31 with a length limit of 12 ½ inches and a creel limit of 15 fish per person and fishing should be good to ex-

cellent until then. If you want to put some tasty fillets in the freezer, find a nice weather day and get on board.

Back bay fishing has been very good over the past few weeks with good fishing for sheepshead at the north and south jetties and decent fishing for flounder around the east channel and Route 50 Bridge. Anglers are having great success with live sand fleas at both the north and south jetties and catching sheepshead, tautog, small rockfish and red and black drum. I fished with my good friend Captain Luke Blume and his son Josh last week and we had an awesome day on the south jetty. We used live sand fleas on our Fish in OC Double Header top and bottom rig and caught red drum, tautog, rockfish and sheepshead. The tautog, rockfish and red drum were all undersized, but since sheepshead have no size limit all of our fish were legal. We had a nice class of fish

between 18 and 24 inches and we ended the day with 11 fish in the box. If you decide to give it a try and catch a sheepshead remember there is no size limit, but there is a four-fish, per-person creel limit. We’ve got some more legal sized rockfish moving into the area just in time for our 4th Annual Ocean City Inshore Classic. Anglers casting Roy Rigs or other shad bodied baits or drifting live bunker, spot or mullet are having good luck with school sized rockfish and there are several more fish in the legal “slot” being caught as the water temperatures cool. Coastal anglers were screwed when the new rockfish regulations for coastal waters came out last year and we went from two fish over 28 inches to one fish from 28 to 35 inches. There are several fish being caught in that “slot” now, but the big boys will move through this winter and most of them are going to be too big to keep this year.

Our 4th Annual Ocean City Inshore Classic Tournament is next Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10 and 11. Registration will be held at the Sunset Marina activity room from 5 until 7 p.m. and the first 50 entrants will receive our tournament bucket. Fishing starts with lines in on Saturday morning and entrants can fish any or all of 32 hours until lines out at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Scales are open at Atlantic Tackle on Saturday from 4 until 7 p.m. and Sunday from 3 until 5 p.m. Last year we had 31 boats and payed out over $10,000 in prize money.

This is an awesome inshore event with categories for rockfish, flounder, tautog and open. I hope to see you there. Until next week, tight lines.

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

October 2, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Page 57

Page 58

Who’s Where When BUXY’S SALTY DOG/DRY DOCK 28 410-289-0973 28th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, Oct. 2: TBA

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

October 2, 2020

Best Beats On The Beach

CLARION HOTEL 410-524-3535 • 10100 Coastal Hwy. Ocean Club: Friday & Saturday, Oct. 2 & 3: First Class, 7 p.m.

COCONUTS BEACH BAR & GRILL Castle In The Sand Hotel 37th & 38th St. • 410-289-6846 Friday, Oct. 2: Marcella Peters Duo, Noon-3 p.m.; Monkee Paw, 4-8 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 3: The Time Police, Noon-3 p.m.; Lime Green Band, 4-8 p.m.

Sunday Oct. 4: Wes Davis Duo, Noon- 3 p.m., Lauren Glick Band, 4-8 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 8: Kevin Poole & Joe Mama, 4-8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 9: Natalie Davis Band, 4-8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 10: Monkee Paw, Noon-3 p.m., Lauren Glick Band, 4-8 p.m.

CORK BAR & GRILL Wicomico St. & Boardwalk 410-289-6921 Saturday, Oct. 3: TBA CRAWL STREET TAVERN 19 Wicomico St. off the boardwalk 443-373-2756 Friday, Oct. 2: Natalie Davis Band, 9 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 3: Lennon La Ricci & The Leftovers Every Sunday: DJ Wax, 10 p.m.

Every Tuesday: DJ RobCee, 10 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 8: Phantom Limbs w/Not Safe For Work DOWNY OSHUN 120th St. Bayside 410-670-8025 Friday, Oct. 2: Josh Pryor Duo Saturday, Oct. 3: Monkee Paw, 6 p.m.

Every Thursday: Otto Grundman & Friends, 6 p.m.

FIRST CLASS Clarion/Ocean Club: Friday & Saturday, Oct. 2 & 3

IT’S ALL GOOD Purple Moose: Friday & Saturday, Oct. 2 & 3

SEAN LOOMIS & THE DUNEHOUNDS Pickles Pub: Saturday, Oct. 3

NATALIE DAVIS BAND Crawl St. Tavern: Friday, Oct. 2

LAUREN GLICK BAND Coconuts Beach Bar: Sunday, Oct. 4

POP STEREO Fager’s Island: Friday & Saturday, Oct. 2 & 3

FAGER’S ISLAND 410-524-5500 60th St. & The Bay Friday & Saturday, Oct. 2 & 3: Pop Stereo PICKLES PUB 410-289-4891 8th St. & Philadelphia Ave. Friday, Oct. 2: Rogue Citizens Saturday, Oct. 3: Sean Loomis & The Dunehounds Sundays & Wednesdays: Beats By Skyler Every Tuesday & Thursday: Beats By Wax SEACRETS 410-524-4900 49th St. & Coastal Hwy. Friday, Oct. 2: John McNutt Duo, 4 p.m., Shake Shake Shake Duo, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 3: Full Circle, 4 p.m., Kono Nation Duo, 8 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 15: John McNutt Duo, 4 p.m.

FULL CIRCLE Seacrets: Saturday, Oct. 3

DJ ROBCEE Crawl St. Tavern: Tuesdays

BEATS BY WAX Pickles Pub: Tuesdays & Thursdays Crawl St. Tavern: Sundays

LENNON LA RICCI Crawl St. Tavern: Saturday, Oct. 3

JOSH PRYOR DUO Downy Oshun: Friday, Oct. 2

OTTO GRUNDMAN Downy Oshun: Thursdays

WES DAVIS DUO Coconuts Beach Bar: Sunday, Oct. 4

The Dispatch Classifieds

October 2, 2020

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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

Hiring All Positions REGISTERED DENTAL HYGIENIST: Small, friendly dental office, FT or PT. Email resume to dentistryinthepines@gmail.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– MAINTENANCE/HANDYMAN: Large OC Association looking for full-time person to join the on-site staff. Competitive wages and benefits. Resumes can be emailed to dwilson@legumnorman.com or faxed to 410-723-0676.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

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

Ride the B in OC!

I NDI AN RIVER MARINA I S NOW HIRING!

•FUEL DOCK SUPERVISOR

Year Round position supervising Fuel Dock Staff.

Responsible for inventory of resale items, fuel inventory and other duties assigned.

•FUEL DOCK ATTENDANTS

Seasonal position fueling boats, dock hand duties, and other duties assigned.

Apply Online at Delaware Job Link https://delawarestatejobs.com AA/EOE

Work With the Best Ocean City has to Offer ...

We Invite You to be a Part of our Family!

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

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

PUT YOUR LOGO IN COLOR FOR JUST $10

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

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

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

HELP WANTED

Page 59

Assistant Project Manager The ideal candidate will be responsible for all project direction, planning, completion, and financial outcome. In order to succeed in this position, the candidate must be organized and have excellent time management skills.

Responsibilities: o Manage all project documentation o Prepare project schedule and manage deadlines o Assist with estimation and bidding process o Effectively communicate project progress to key stakeholders Qualifications: o Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent o 1-2 years of relevant experience o Strong organizational skills Job Details: o Employment: Full time o Job Function: Project Management, Strategy/ Planning, Administrative o Industry: Construction Please forward Resume to: Jennifer@AllStatesConst.com with the subject “Assistant Project Manager”

west-o bottle shop o bar NOW HIRING a few great

people who have an

interest in the

brewed, distilled ofermented.

Year Round Work! Benefits!

Competive Pay! Life Balance!

Great Co-workers! Fun Work Environment!

FULL DETAILS at www.WestOBottleShop.com RESUME to info@westobottleshop.com

NOW HIRING!

YARD SALES COMMUNITY YARD SALE: Berlin, Decatur Farm. Off Route 113, across from Stephen Decatur Park. Sat, 10/3, 7am-11am. Don’t forget to wear your mask.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––OCEAN PINES: Saturdays 10/3 & 10/10. Tools and household items.

65 Wood Duck I, Ocean Pines.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––-

RENTALS WINTER RENTAL CONDO: 3BR, 2BA, 128TH ST. OCMD. Fully equipped, 4 TV's, internet, DVR. $950 + utilities, no smoking. 610507-1298 or djkr4@comcast.net ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– WINTER RENTAL: Condos 52nd & 127th, OC. 1BR, 1BA. Great locations, Nice. Starts Oct. 1st. $250 per week. Sec. Deposit reqd.

Cable & WiFi incl. 267-254-0111.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– YEAR-ROUND: 76th Street Oceanside Apartment. $1600/month includes electric and water. Call John at 443-880-2486.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– UPDATED 2BR/1BA APT.: Beautiful Historic Downtown Berlin, MD. Walking distance to shops & restaurants. Rent $1500/mo. with first and last month’s rent due at signing along with $1500 sec. dep.

No smoking. No pets. Call (410) 641-2111 ask for Jessica.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

WEEKLY RENTALS Poolfront Room $215.

Efficiency Room $245.

2 BR Apartment $350.

3 BR Suite $400.

Burgundy Inn 1210 Philadelphia Ave.

SERVICES CAREGIVER SERVICES: Live-in caregiver. Call Sharon 443-3738466.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Ceja’s Landscaping & More!

•YARD MAINTENANCE •PAINTING •POWER WASHING 410-251-3425 410-202-2545

COMMERCIAL SMALL OFFICE—MEDICAL SPACE FOR LEASE: 10031 Old Ocean City Blvd, Berlin. $395 per mo. Utilities included. Multiple spaces available. 443-856-5241.

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

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– UPSCALE MIDTOWN OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT: 2,130 sq.ft.

No CAM fees. 443-880-2225.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Upcoming Yard Sale?

The Dispatch is the best way to get the word out!

Print & Online

Are You Getting Your Daily Buzz?

410-289-8581

Local News Articles Delivered Daily To Your Inbox

YEAR ROUND DRIVERS Apply Within

Johnny’s Pizza & Pub, Bayside, 56th Street & Coastal Highway LOOKING EVERYWHERE? The Dispatch classified pages can point you in the right direction.

SIGN UP AT WWW.MDCOASTDISPATCH.COM AND JOIN THE 7,000-PLUS WHO RECEIVE THE NEWS BEFORE IT’S PRINTED

The Dispatch

Page 60

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

TOWN OF FENWICK ISLAND, DELAWARE REQUEST FOR BEACH SERVICE STATE LINE BEACH The Town of Fenwick Island will be accepting proposals for a Beach Service license to rent beach equipment (beach chairs and umbrellas) on the public beach in the Town of Fenwick Island and the State Line Beach in the unincorporated area of Fenwick Island.

The Town will be awarding only one (1) Beach Service license.

The license will be for the period beginning May 29, 2021 and ending September 10, 2023.

Bids and proposals must be submitted on the Town of Fenwick Island Bid Proposal Form, which can be obtained at the Town Manager’s Office, Fenwick Island Town Hall, 800 Coastal Highway, Fenwick Island, Delaware or, by calling 302-539-3011, or downloaded from the Town website (www.fenwickisland.delaware.gov/bidsrfps).

Proposals must be accompanied by a certified or cashiers’ check made payable to the Town of Fenwick Island in the sum of ten percent (10%) of the annual bid price. The successful bidder’s ten percent (10%) will be retained and applied toward the annual license fee.

Sealed proposals addressed to the Town Manager, Town of Fenwick Island, and clearly marked “Beach Service Bid” will be received at Town Hall, Fenwick Island, DE until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, October 16, 2020, at which time they will be opened and read.

The Fenwick Island Town Council may, in the absolute discretion, refuse to award any beach service if it is their determination that none of the applicants or proposals are acceptable.

THIRD INSERTION

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18430 To all persons interested in the estate of JOYCE L TIMMONS, ESTATE NO. 18430.

Notice is given that JAMES R BERGEY JR, 8938 WORCESTER HIGHWAY, BERLIN, MD 21811 was on, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of JOYCE L TIMMONS, who died on SEPTEMBER 07, 2020, with a will.

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

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 15TH day of MARCH, 2021.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy

Legal Notices

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

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

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 JAMES R BERGEY JR Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 9-18, 9-25, 10-2

THIRD INSERTION

MICHAEL B MATHERS ESQ. WEBB, CORNBROOKS, WILBER, VORHIS, DOUSE & MATHERS, LLP PO BOX 910 115 BROAD STREET SALISBURY, MD 21803-0910 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18431 To all persons interested in the estate of KAREN BARBARA SHIPULA, ESTATE NO. 18431.

Notice is given that MARK A SZYPULA, 9025 NE JUANITA DRIVE UNIT B, KIRKLAND, WA 98034 was on, SEPTEMBER 15, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of KAREN BARBARA SHIPULA, who died on JUNE 04, 2020, without a will.

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

All persons having any objection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 15TH day of MARCH, 2021.

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

forms may be obtained from the Register of Wills.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 MARK A SZYPULA Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 9-18, 9-25, 10-2

SECOND INSERTION

MICHAEL B MATHERS ESQ. WEBB, CORNBROOKS, WILBER, VORHIS, DOUSE & MATHERS, LLP PO BOX 910 115 BROAD STREET SALISBURY, MD 21803-0910 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18435 To all persons interested in the estate of ERIC B PIPER, ESTATE NO. 18435.

Notice is given that CYNTHIA B. MALAMENT, 12701 WHISPER TRACE DRIVE, OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 was on, SEPTEMBER 21, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of ERIC B PIPER, who died on AUGUST 29, 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 21ST day of MARCH, 2021.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine months from the date of the

October 2, 2020

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

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 CYNTHIA B. MALAMENT Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 9-25, 10-2, 10-9

SECOND INSERTION

KENNY LAW GROUP, LLC 11426 YORK ROAD 1ST FLOOR COCKEYSVILLE, MD 21030 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000208 SHOREAL ESTATE HOLDINGS, LLC C/O KENNY LAW GROUP, LLC 11426 YORK ROAD 1ST FLOOR COCKEYSVILLE, MD 21030 Plaintiff vs.

THE ESTATE OF RONALD P. PRIHODA SERVE ON: KELLY E PRIHODA, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE 332 CHURCH LANE PIKESVILLE, MD 21208 SERVE: 19 FOSSE GRANGE BERLIN, MD 21811 SERVE: 128 SADDLETOP DR. TANEYTOWN, MD 21787 AND OCEAN PINES ASSOCIATION, INC

SERVE ON: THE CORPORATION TRUST, INC. RES. AGENT 2405 YORK ROAD SUITE 201 LUTHERVILLE-TIMONIUM, MD 21093 SERVE: 239 OCEAN PARKWAY BERLIN, MD 21811 AND All persons having or claiming to have an interest in the property situate and lying in Worcester County and known as: 19 FOSSE GRANGE, BERLIN, MD AND WORCESTER COUNTY, MD SERVE ON: MAUREEN L. HOWARTH COUNTY ATTORNEY 1 WEST MARKET ST. ROOM 1103 SNOW HILL, MD 21863 AND UNKNOWN OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY: 19 FOSSE GRANGE, BERLIN, MD The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and Personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right, title, and interest Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and in the State of Maryland, sold by the Collector of Taxes for Worcester County and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: List No. 56, Parcel No. 03109178, Property description: LOT B-10-1253, 10663 SQ FT, FOSSE GRANGE, PL OCEAN PINES SEC 10, Assessed to RONALD P PRIHODA AND CAROL ANN SHORB, also known as 19 FOSSE GRANGE, BERLIN, MARYLAND 21811, on the Tax Roll of the Director of Finance.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid although more than six (6) months and a day from the date of sale has expired.

It is thereupon this 18TH OF SEPTEMBER, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester

The Dispatch

October 2, 2020

Legal Notices

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

County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this Order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for three (3) successive weeks on or before the 17th day of November, 2020 warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 17th day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a Final Judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 9-25, 10-2, 10-9

FIRST INSERTION

MICHAEL B MATHERS ESQ. WEBB, CORNBROOKS, WILBER, VORHIS, DOUSE & MATHERS, LLP PO BOX 910 115 BROAD STREET SALISBURY, MD 21803-0910 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18443

jection to the appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s will) shall file their objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 28TH day of MARCH, 2021.

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

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 LAURA LEE MILLER Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

To all persons interested in the estate of ERIC PATRICK CHANEY, ESTATE NO. 18443.

Notice is given that LAURA LEE MILLER, 2003 WEST MARKET STREET, YORK, PA 17404 was on, SEPTEMBER 28, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of ERIC PATRICK CHANEY, who died on FEBRUARY 8, 2020, without a will.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-19-000020

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.

CARRIE M. WARD, ET AL. 6003 EXECUTIVE BLVD., SUITE 101 ROCKVILLE, MD 20852 Substitute Trustees/ Plaintiffs

All persons having any ob-

vs.

BWW LAW GROUP, LLC 6003 EXECUTIVE BLVD., SUITE 101 ROCKVILLE, MD 20852

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch STEPHEN R. ALLEN MEGAN E. ALLEN 111 76th Street Unit 105 Ocean City, MD 21842 Defendants NOTICE Notice is hereby given this 23rd day of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland, that the sale of the property mentioned in these proceedings and described as 111 76th Street, Unit 105, Ocean City, MD 21842, made and reported by the Substitute Trustee, will be RATIFIED AND CONFIRMED, unless cause to the contrary thereof be shown on or before the 26th day of October, 2020, provided a copy of this NOTICE be inserted in some daily newspaper printed in said County, once in each of three successive weeks before the 19th day of October, 2020.

The report states the purchase price at the Foreclosure sale to be $420,000.00.

SUSAN R. BRANIECKI CLERK CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS ESTATE NO. 18419 To all persons interested in the estate of KENNETH WILLIAM LEWIS, ESTATE NO. 18419. Notice is given that SUSAN BALLARD, 10500 DONCASTER COURT, LARGO, MD 20774 was on, SEPTEMBER 25, 2020, appointed Personal Representative of the estate of KENNETH WILLIAM LEWIS, who died on AUGUST 31, 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 25TH day of MARCH, 2021.

Any person having a claim against the decedent must present the claim to the undersigned personal representative or file it with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned on or before the earlier of the following dates: (1) Six months from the date of the decedent's death, except if the decedent died before October 1, 1992, nine months from the date of the

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

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 SUSAN BALLARD Personal Representative True Test Copy TERRI WESTCOTT Register of Wills for Worcester County Room 102 - Court House One W. Market Street Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD IN EQUITY C-23-CV-20-0062 Katie Redmond 8354 Langmaid Road Newark, MD 21841 Plaintiff vs.

Benjamin D. & Danielle E. Smith & Redevelopment Solutions 2015 LLC 8310 Newark Road Newark, MD, 21841 and Worcester County Office of Treasurer and Worcester County, MD (for Maryland Annotated code 14-1836(b)(1)(v) purposes only) and Any and all persons having or claiming to have any interest in the fee simple in the property and premises situate, lying and being in the County of Worcester described on the Tax Rolls Worcester County Collector of State and County Taxes for said County known as: 8310 Newark Road, Newark, Maryland, 21841 Fourth (04) Election District, as follows: 1.604 ACS NORTH SIDE R-113 South of Newark, Deed Reference: 05152/00374, SAID PROPERTY ASSESSED TO Benjamin D. & Danielle E. Smith Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property 8310 Newark Road, Newark, Maryland, 21841 in

Page 61 the County of Worcester, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: All the land and improvements known as 8310 Newark Road, Newark, Maryland, 21841, Deed Reference: 05152/00374, SAID PROPERTY ASSESSED TO Benjamin D. & Danielle E. Smith.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 24TH OF SEPTEMBER, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having general circulation in Worcester County once a week for three (3) successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 24th day of November, 2020 and redeem the property 8310 Newark Road, Newark, Maryland, 21841 and answer the Complaint or thereafter a Final Judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff’s title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD IN EQUITY C-23-CV-20-0063 Katie Redmond 8354 Langmaid Road Newark, MD 21841 Plaintiff vs.

Cleophas L. Waters, Sarah Jackson & Eva Mae Deshields 8205 Newark Road Newark, MD, 21841 and Worcester County Office of Treasurer and Worcester County, MD (for Maryland Annotated code 14-1836(b)(1)(v) purposes only) and Any and all persons having or claiming to have any in-

terest in the fee simple in the property and premises situate, lying and being in the County of Worcester described on the Tax Rolls Worcester County Collector of State and County Taxes for said County known as: 8205 Newark Road, Newark, Maryland, 21841 Fourth (04) Election District, as follows: LOT WEST SIDE OLD R-113 SOUTH OF NEWARK, Deed Reference: 00606/00484, SAID PROPERTY ASSESSED TO Cleophas L. Waters, Sarah Jackson & Eva Mae Deshields Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property 8205 Newark Road, Newark, Maryland, 21841 in the County of Worcester, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: All the land and improvements known as 8205 Newark Road, Newark, Maryland, 21841, Deed Reference: 00606/00484, SAID PROPERTY ASSESSED TO Cleophas L. Waters, Sarah Jackson & Eva Mae Deshields.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 24TH OF SEPTEMBER, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having general circulation in Worcester County once a week for three (3) successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property 8205 Newark Road, Newark, Maryland, 21841 and answer the Complaint or thereafter a Final Judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff’s title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP

The Dispatch

Page 62

LEGAL RATES

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Legal Notices

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

3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000098 PURYEAR’S HUT LLC 59 WINTER STREET RENO, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

The Molock Group, Inc. Ronald Molock, Resident Agent 9849 Wallerton Road Mardela Springs, MD 21837 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 37, Account No. 01016032, Property description 75’ X 180’ X 77’ X 175’ W SIDE 712 2ND ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 04433/00330, Assessed to The Molock Group, Inc., The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 37, Account No. 01016032, Property description 75’ X 180’ X 77’ X 175’ W SIDE 712 2ND ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 04433/00330, Assessed to The Molock Group, Inc. Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 37, Account No. 01016032, Property description 75’ X 180’ X 77’ X 175’ W SIDE 712 2ND ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 04433/00330, Assessed to The Molock Group, Inc. The Complaint states, among other things, that the

amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000099 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

The Molock Group, Inc. Ronald Molock, Resident Agent 9849 Wallerton Road Mardela Springs, MD 21837 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 36, Account No. 01015982,

Property description 92’ X 168’ W SIDE 710 2ND ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 04433/00316, Assessed to The Molock Group, Inc., The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 36, Account No. 01015982, Property description 92’ X 168’ W SIDE 710 2ND ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 04433/00316, Assessed to The Molock Group, Inc. Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 36, Account No. 01015982, Property description 92’ X 168’ W SIDE 710 2ND ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 04433/00316, Assessed to The Molock Group, Inc. The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020

October 2, 2020

BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County,

TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000100

ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842

vs.

Harry Coston 3252 Sheephouse Road Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 9, Account No. 01032844, Property description 85’ X 100’ E SIDE 713 SIXTH ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 00858/00085, Assessed to Henry Coston, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 9, Account No. 01032844, Property description 85’ X 100’ E SIDE 713 SIXTH ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 00858/00085, Assessed to Henry Coston.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 9, Account No. 01032844, Property description 85’ X 100’ E SIDE 713 SIXTH ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 00858/00085, Assessed to Henry Coston.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000101 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff

97’ E SIDE 823 SECOND ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 02695/00387, Assessed to Emily Ward.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 74, Account No. 01016083, Property description 52’ X 127’ X 65’ X 97’ E SIDE 823 SECOND ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 02695/00387, Assessed to Emily Ward.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020

vs.

Emily Ward P.O. Box 4205 Salisbury, MD 21803 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 74, Account No. 01016083, Property description 52’ X 127’ X 65’ X 97’ E SIDE 823 SECOND ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 02695/00387, Assessed to Emily Ward, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 74, Account No. 01016083, Property description 52’ X 127’ X 65’ X

BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000102 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Allen B. Blount, Jr. 4702 Snow Hill Road Snow Hill, MD 21863

The Dispatch

October 2, 2020

Legal Notices

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

L. Dean Guy 1621 Colona Road Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 4, Account No. 01020609, Property description 50’ X 100’ 510 YOUNG ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 05075/00136, Assessed to Allen B. Blount, Jr., The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 4, Account No. 01020609, Property description 50’ X 100’ 510 YOUNG ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 05075/00136, Assessed to Allen B. Blount, Jr. Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding:

vember, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000103 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

John P. Johnson, Jr. 208 E. Martin St. Snow Hill, MD 21863

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 28, Account No. 02022141, Property description 5706.36 SQ FT 208 E MARTIN ST SNOW HILL, Deed Reference: 03035/00527, Assessed to John P. Johnson, Jr. Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 28, Account No. 02022141, Property description 5706.36 SQ FT 208 E MARTIN ST SNOW HILL, Deed Reference: 03035/00527, Assessed to John P. Johnson, Jr. The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020

Item No. 4, Account No. 01020609, Property description 50’ X 100’ 510 YOUNG ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 05075/00136, Assessed to Allen B. Blount, Jr.

Angelo M. Villani 301 Tuna Lane Ocean City, MD 21842 Rita J. Villani 301 Tuna Lane Ocean City, MD 21842

BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863

TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of No-

Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 28, Account No. 02022141, Property description 5706.36 SQ FT 208 E MARTIN ST SNOW HILL, Deed Reference: 03035/00527, Assessed to John P. Johnson, Jr., The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators,

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000104

Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Charles Edward Newnam 111 Purnell Street Snow Hill, MD 21863 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 43, Account No. 02022990, Property description 49 1/2 X 100 111 PURNELL ST SNOW HILL, Deed Reference: 03013/00335, Assessed to Charles Edward Newnam, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 43, Account No. 02022990, Property description 49 1/2 X 100 111 PURNELL ST SNOW HILL, Deed Reference: 03013/00335, Assessed to Charles Edward Newnam.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 43, Account No. 02022990, Property description 49 1/2 X 100 111 PURNELL ST SNOW HILL, Deed Reference: 03013/00335, Assessed to Charles Edward Newnam.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper:

Page 63 Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020

SECOND ST, Deed Reference: 02899/00534, Assessed to Bryant E. Planter.

BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000105 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Bryant E. Planter P.O. Box 1078 Salisbury, MD 21802 Mercantile Peninsula Bank 7 St. Paul Street, Suite 1660 Baltimore, MD 21202 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 52, Account No. 01016458, Property description 134.5 X 172.0 X 95.5 X 22.2 X 44 X 149.10 E/S 713 SECOND ST, Deed Reference: 02899/00534, Assessed to Bryant E. Planter, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 52, Account No. 01016458, Property description 134.5 X 172.0 X 95.5 X 22.2 X 44 X 149.10 E/S 713 SECOND ST, Deed Reference: 02899/00534, Assessed to Bryant E. Planter.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 52, Account No. 01016458, Property description 134.5 X 172.0 X 95.5 X 22.2 X 44 X 149.10 E/S 713

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 22nd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000106 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Leroy Smith 807 Second Street Pocomoke, MD 21851 Ethel Smith 807 Second Street Pocomoke, MD 21851 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 67, Account No. 01016202, Property description 30.33’ X 110.5’ X 30’ X 110.5’ E SIDE 807 BONNEVILLE AVE, Deed Reference: 00245/00014, Assessed to Leroy & Ethel Smith, The Unknown Owner's heirs,

The Dispatch

Page 64

LEGAL RATES

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Legal Notices

Legal advertising rate is $7 per column inch. Deadline for all legal advertising is Tuesday at noon. For more information, call 410-641-4563 or fax 410-641-0966. devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 67, Account No. 01016202, Property description 30.33’ X 110.5’ X 30’ X 110.5’ E SIDE 807 BONNEVILLE AVE, Deed Reference: 00245/00014, Assessed to Leroy & Ethel Smith.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 67, Account No. 01016202, Property description 30.33’ X 110.5’ X 30’ X 110.5’ E SIDE 807 BONNEVILLE AVE, Deed Reference: 00245/00014, Assessed to Leroy & Ethel Smith.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE

CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000107 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Arcadia Bible Church, Inc. 700 Second Street Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Pocomoke Lodge No. 1624 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America, Inc. P.O. Box 174 Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 1, Account No. 01022830, Property description 70’ X 150’ 403 MARKET ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 00801/00543, Assessed to Arcadia Bible Church, Inc., The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 1, Account No. 01022830, Property description 70’ X 150’ 403 MARKET ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 00801/00543, Assessed to Arcadia Bible Church, Inc. Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of

redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 1, Account No. 01022830, Property description 70’ X 150’ 403 MARKET ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 00801/00543, Assessed to Arcadia Bible Church, Inc. The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000122 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road

Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Ward Construction, Inc. 1947 Orchard Drive Pocomoke, MD 21851 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 73, Account No. 01021931, Property description 61’ X 113’ S SIDE 412 MARKET & FIFTH STREETS, Deed Reference: 05655/00018, Assessed to Ward Construction, Inc., The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 73, Account No. 01021931, Property description 61’ X 113’ S SIDE 412 MARKET & FIFTH STREETS, Deed Reference: 05655/00018, Assessed to Ward Construction, Inc. Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 73, Account No. 01021931, Property description 61’ X 113’ S SIDE 412 MARKET & FIFTH STREETS, Deed Reference: 05655/00018, Assessed to Ward Construction, Inc. The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

October 2, 2020 Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000123 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

James Wright 415 Oxford Street Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Mary E. Wright 415 Oxford Street Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Sherman Coston 415 Oxford Street Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Charles Q. Coston 415 Oxford Street Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 79, Account No. 01023381, Property description 55’ X 147’ N SIDE 415 OXFORD ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 00132/00266, Assessed to James H. Wright & Mary E. Wright, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 79, Account No. 01023381, Property description 55’ X 147’ N SIDE 415 OXFORD ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 00132/00266, Assessed to James H. Wright & Mary E. Wright.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below

and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 79, Account No. 01023381, Property description 55’ X 147’ N SIDE 415 OXFORD ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 00132/00266, Assessed to James H. Wright & Mary E. Wright.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000124 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Cherrie C. Revel 508 Young Street Pocomoke, MD 21851 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 58, Account No. 01020439,

The Dispatch

October 2, 2020

Legal Notices

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

Property description 48’ X 81’ 508 YOUNG ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 02750/00477, Assessed to Cherrie C. Revel, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 58, Account No. 01020439, Property description 48’ X 81’ 508 YOUNG ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 02750/00477, Assessed to Cherrie C. Revel.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 58, Account No. 01020439, Property description 48’ X 81’ 508 YOUNG ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 02750/00477, Assessed to Cherrie C. Revel.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020

BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000134 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Sherwood Belote 719 Short Street Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Anthony J. Mohan and Athena K. Akexandrides, Trustees for the benefit of the Department of Housing and Community Development of the State of Maryland 100 Community Place Crownsville, MD 21032 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 11, Account No. 01020358, Property description LOT 22 E SIDE SHORT ST PLAT ATKINSONS ADDITION, Deed Reference: 02852/00438, Assessed to Sherwood Belote, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 11, Account No. 01020358, Property description LOT 22 E SIDE SHORT ST PLAT ATKINSONS ADDITION, Deed Reference: 02852/00438, Assessed to Sherwood Belote.

Defendants

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 11, Account No. 01020358, Property description LOT 22 E SIDE SHORT ST PLAT ATKINSONS ADDITION, Deed Reference: 02852/00438, Assessed to Sherwood Belote.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 24th of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020

Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 92, Account No. 01027727, Property description 50’ X 80’ W SIDE 806 FIFTH ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 05393/00472, Assessed to Ella D. Topping, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 92, Account No. 01027727, Property description 50’ X 80’ W SIDE 806 FIFTH ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 05393/00472, Assessed to Ella D. Topping.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 92, Account No. 01027727, Property description 50’ X 80’ W SIDE 806 FIFTH ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 05393/00472, Assessed to Ella D. Topping.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County,

TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000135 Puryear’s Hut LLC 59 Winter Street Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020

Ella D. Topping 406 Oxford Street Pocomoke, MD 21851

BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY

Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863

TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000137 Puryear’s Hut LLC 59 Winter Street Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Edward V. Deshields, Wordell Carey, Clifton Harmon, Clifton H. Waters, and James C. Waters, Trustees of Snow Hill Masonic Lodge Number 105, Free and Accepted Masons 1014 South Delano Ave. Salisbury, MD 21801 Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons of Maryland and Its Jurisdictions, Inc. 1307 Eutaw Place Baltimore, MD 21217 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 93, Account No. 01006592, Property description LOT E SIDE MD 359 NE OF POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 00199/00629, Assessed to Trustees of Snow Hill Masonic Lodge #105, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 93, Account No. 01006592, Property description LOT E SIDE MD 359 NE OF POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 00199/00629, Assessed to Trustees of Snow Hill Masonic Lodge #105.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 93, Account No. 01006592, Property description LOT E SIDE MD 359 NE OF POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 00199/00629, Assessed to Trustees of Snow Hill Masonic Lodge #105.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the

Page 65 amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 24th day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000138 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Margaret George-Ayres P.O. Box 23307 Birdsnest, VA 23307 Patricia Pierce or Wayne Wolfe, Trustees, Citifinancial, Inc. 2002 N. Salisbury Blvd., Suite C Salisbury, MD 21801 Patricia Pierce, Trustee, Citifinancial, Inc. 1915 N. Salisbury Blvd., Suite 14 Salisbury, MD 21801 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 8, Account No. 01022717, Property description 77.5’ X 158’ X 75.5’ X 150.5’ E SIDE 101 FOURTH & OXFORD STS , Deed Reference: 04901/00001,

The Dispatch

Page 66

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

Legal Notices

Item No. 65, Account No. 01015869, Property description 75’ X 80’ W SIDE 700 SECOND & LAUREL STREETS, Deed Reference: 04737/00563, Assessed to Kevin R. Reynolds & Tammy M. Reynolds.

LEGAL RATES

Legal advertising rate is $7 per column inch. Deadline for all legal advertising is Tuesday at noon.

For more information, call 410-641-4563 or fax 410-641-0966.

Assessed to Margaret George-Ayres, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 8, Account No. 01022717, Property description 77.5’ X 158’ X 75.5’ X 150.5’ E SIDE 101 FOURTH & OXFORD STS , Deed Reference: 04901/00001, Assessed to Margaret George-Ayres.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 8, Account No. 01022717, Property description 77.5’ X 158’ X 75.5’ X 150.5’ E SIDE 101 FOURTH & OXFORD STS , Deed Reference: 04901/00001, Assessed to Margaret George-Ayres.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020

BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000139 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Mary Elizabeth Robinson 704 4th Street Pocomoke City, MD 21851 James H. Robinson 704 4th Street Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Flora A. Johnson 704 4th Street Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 67, Account No. 01016474, Property description 7756.5 SQ FT 704 FOURTH ST ADD’T TO JAMES ROBINSON LOT, Deed Reference: 01899/00556, Assessed to Mary Elizabeth Robinson for life, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 67, Account No. 01016474, Property description 7756.5 SQ FT 704 FOURTH ST ADD’T TO JAMES ROBINSON LOT, Deed Reference: 01899/00556, Assessed to Mary Elizabeth Robinson for life.

Defendants

ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 67, Account No. 01016474, Property description 7756.5 SQ FT 704 FOURTH ST ADD’T TO JAMES ROBINSON LOT, Deed Reference: 01899/00556, Assessed to Mary Elizabeth Robinson for life.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT

October 2, 2020 tor of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding:

FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000140 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Kevin R. Reynolds 700 Second St. Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Tammy M. Reynolds 700 Second St. Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Mary Carr and Anthony J. Mohan, Trustees for the benefit of the Department of Housing and Community Development of the State of Maryland 100 Community Place Crownsville, MD 21032 L. Dean Guy 1621 Colona Road Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Deborah N. Guy 1621 Colona Road Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 65, Account No. 01015869, Property description 75’ X 80’ W SIDE 700 SECOND & LAUREL STREETS, Deed Reference: 04737/00563, Assessed to Kevin R. Reynolds & Tammy M. Reynolds, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 65, Account No. 01015869, Property description 75’ X 80’ W SIDE 700 SECOND & LAUREL STREETS, Deed Reference: 04737/00563, Assessed to Kevin R. Reynolds & Tammy M. Reynolds.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collec-

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000141 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Robert S. Elmer 605 Second Street Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 29, Account No. 01017063, Property description 45.10 X 105.8 X 47 X 106 603

SECONT ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 06241/00371, Assessed to Robert S. Elmer, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 29, Account No. 01017063, Property description 45.10 X 105.8 X 47 X 106 603 SECONT ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 06241/00371, Assessed to Robert S. Elmer.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 29, Account No. 01017063, Property description 45.10 X 105.8 X 47 X 106 603 SECONT ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 06241/00371, Assessed to Robert S. Elmer.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE,

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October 2, 2020

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SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000142 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

James Randolph Finney 3804 Egerton Road Baltimore, MD 21215 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 32, Account No. 01020897, Property description 40’ X 80’ W SIDE 724 SIXTH ST & FIFTH AVENUE, Deed Reference: 01739/00369, Assessed to James Randolph Finney, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 32, Account No. 01020897, Property description 40’ X 80’ W SIDE 724 SIXTH ST & FIFTH AVENUE, Deed Reference: 01739/00369, Assessed to James Randolph Finney.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 32, Account No. 01020897, Property description 40’ X 80’ W SIDE 724 SIXTH ST & FIFTH AVENUE, Deed Reference: 01739/00369, Assessed to James Randolph Finney.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the

amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000143 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Joyce Church Harris 202 Laurel St. Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 38, Account No. 01016660,

Property description 58’ X 80’ 618 CLARKE AVE X LAUREL ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 01404/00580, Assessed to Joyce Church Harris, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 38, Account No. 01016660, Property description 58’ X 80’ 618 CLARKE AVE X LAUREL ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 01404/00580, Assessed to Joyce Church Harris.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 38, Account No. 01016660, Property description 58’ X 80’ 618 CLARKE AVE X LAUREL ST POCOMOKE, Deed Reference: 01404/00580, Assessed to Joyce Church Harris.

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper:

Page 67

Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020

erence: 06334/00451, Assessed to Phillipe Redmond.

BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County,

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000144 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Phillipe Redmond 6543 Kindred St. Philadelphia, PA 19149 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 64, Account No. 01020749, Property description LOT 32 & NE 1/2 LOT 33 W/S 716 & 718 6TH ST PL ATKINSONS ADD, Deed Reference: 06334/00451, Assessed to Phillipe Redmond, The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 64, Account No. 01020749, Property description LOT 32 & NE 1/2 LOT 33 W/S 716 & 718 6TH ST PL ATKINSONS ADD, Deed Reference: 06334/00451, Assessed to Phillipe Redmond.

Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding: Item No. 64, Account No. 01020749, Property description LOT 32 & NE 1/2 LOT 33 W/S 716 & 718 6TH ST PL ATKINSONS ADD, Deed Ref-

ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 23rd day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020

Assessed to Ward Construction, Inc., The Unknown Owner's heirs, devisees, and personal Representatives and their or any of their heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, grantees, assigns, or successors in right title and interest All persons that have or claim to have any interest in the property described as Item No. 98, Account No. 01044079, Property description LOT 9-9671.46 SQ FT NEAR B K JONES LD ON RR NINETH STREET ESTATES, Deed Reference: 04205/00341, Assessed to Ward Construction, Inc. Defendants ORDER OF PUBLICATION The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption in the following property described below and located in Worcester County, sold by the Collector of Taxes for the County of Worcester and the State of Maryland to the Plaintiff in this proceeding:

BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY

Item No. 98, Account No. 01044079, Property description LOT 9-9671.46 SQ FT NEAR B K JONES LD ON RR NINETH STREET ESTATES, Deed Reference: 04205/00341, Assessed to Ward Construction, Inc.

TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

The Complaint states, among other things, that the amounts necessary for redemption have not been paid.

FIRST INSERTION

PETER S. BUAS, ESQ WILLIAMS, MOORE, SHOCKLEY & HARRISON, LLP 3509 COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MD C-23-CV-20-000145 Villa-Spina Holdings LLC 1650 Caughlin Creek Road Reno, NV 89519 Plaintiff vs.

Ward Construction, Inc. 1947 Orchard Drive Pocomoke, MD 21851 Wade H. Insley, III and Robert A. Benson, Trustees, for the Bank of Delmarva 2727 North Salisbury Blvd.

Salisbury, MD 21801 Worcester County, MD Treasurer's Office Government Center Room 1105 1 W. Market St. Snow Hill, MD 21863 Unknown owner of property described as Item No. 98, Account No. 01044079, Property description LOT 9-9671.46 SQ FT NEAR B K JONES LD ON RR NINETH STREET ESTATES, Deed Reference: 04205/00341,

It is thereupon this 23rd of September, 2020 by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, ORDERED, That notice be given by the insertion of a copy of this order in some newspaper having a general circulation in Worcester County once a week for 3 successive weeks warning all persons interested in the property to appear in this Court by the 24th day of November, 2020 and redeem the property described above and answer the Complaint or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property, and vesting in the Plaintiff a title, free and clear of all encumbrances.

Name of Newspaper: Maryland Coast Dispatch Date of Publication OCTOBER 02, 2020 BEAU H. OGLESBY JUDGE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY TRUE TEST COPY SUSAN R. BRANIECKI Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD 3x, 10-2, 10-9, 10-16

GET YOUR DAILY BUZZ! mdcoastdispatch.com

… Mayor Reports ‘The Plan Worked’

Page 68

FROM PAGE 4 stone unturned in the preparations.

“We invite everybody to Ocean City,” said Meehan. “The only thing we ask is that they obey our laws and respect our community. Unfortunately, that’s not what occurred this weekend. We anticipated this activity and we were prepared. We’ve been planning for this for 365 days.”

Part of the plan was altering traffic patterns, redirecting traffic and even closing certain roadways during the event and that took place at times throughout the weekend. For example, southbound Coastal Highway was closed at Route 90 at one point and traffic was directed north.

On Saturday evening, Philadelphia Avenue was closed south of Route 50 and southbound traffic was rerouted across the bridge. In answer to a question about the alterations and closures, Buzzuro said they were necessary at times to maintain

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control and redirect personnel and resources.

“In terms of the large volume of motorists, we needed to control certain areas of town,” he said. “Extracting some of the volume of traffic gave us the ability to add more law enforcement in those areas.

We realized this caused a degree of consternation, but it was needed to give us a measure of control.”

The illicit behavior reached a crescendo on Saturday night as OCPD officers and their allied partners battled with large groups of disorderly individuals in different areas from one end of the town to another. At least two police officers were injured, including a Maryland State Police trooper who was hit in the head and required a transport to the hospital. With hundreds of police officers already on the streets, Buzzuro said as the pop-up event escalated on Saturday, a call went out for

October 2, 2020

Fireworks were set off throughout the city on Friday and Saturday nights, including here midtown.

Submitted Photo

even more resources and manpower.

“We made a call out to other law enforcement agencies on the Eastern Shore and that call for additional personnel

added another layer to our enforcement efforts,” he said. “It was very difficult and very taxing, but did our very best to maintain control. We felt we did everything we could in terms of strategy and deployment.”

Buzzuro said the strategy worked for the most part during the days leading up to Saturday’s crescendo.

“Going into Saturday, we felt pretty comfortable with the level of control we were able to maintain,” he said. “We had flashpoints on Saturday, but when you look at the totality of the special event zone weekend, we had our moments, but we were able to maintain a high degree of control.”

There were 277 total arrests during the four-day stretch that began last Thursday, including 127 on Saturday alone. However, Buzzuro said most of the arrests were for fairly minor offenses and there was little significant crime.

“In the bigger picture, there was virtually no serious crime in the traditional sense in Ocean City all weekend,” he said. “With tens of thousands of people in town, it was mostly disorderly conduct and peace and good order types of crime we were able to maintain. Serious crime was virtually non-existent throughout the weekend.”

That being said, there were times during the weekend when the OCPD and its allied partners were basically under siege.

“We were having bottles and bricks thrown at us and there was concern for our safety,” he said. “When we look at the totality of the five or six days, it could have been a lot worse. We can’t walk away from this and we have to start planning for next year. That’s the best we can do. We will move on and we will look at everything. We have our marching orders from the community.”

Meehan said the town did a good job with planning and the word got out to the participants.

“We followed through with everything we said we were going to do and I think that word spread quickly,” he said. “A lot of activity that took place in the past didn’t occur.”

Meehan reiterated the pop-up car rally is neither sanctioned nor welcomed, but the town and its police department will continue to plan for it with even more resources.

“This is not what we want here,” he said. “This is not about the dollar. This is not what Ocean City is all about.”

October 2, 2020

Atlantic General Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop Assistant Manager Teri Denton and volunteer Charleen Kuhvlank stocked merchandise for sale.

The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch

People

By Jeanette Deskiewicz

FEATURING THOSE HELPING CAUSES IN THE RESORT AREA

Come see John Liddi and Kat Duly Wednesday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Used to Be Mine Thrift Store benefitting Diakonia.

In Society

Page 69

Atlantic General Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop volunteers Cindy Sansone and Mary Anne Frontera rang up shopper’s purchases on a Friday afternoon.

Waiting for the boats to come in were Eric Luckenbaugh and Larry Budd, official judges of the Bahia Marina Flounder Pounder.

On hand from the Worcester County Humane Society were Steph and Brian Gamm at the annual doggie swim which benefits the shelter.

Coastal Hospice Thrift Shop cashiers Vi Zimmerman and Kris Barron are looking for volunteers to help them out at the Berlin store.

First to arrive at the scales for the Bahia Marina Flounder Pounder were Tyler Smith and Anthony Sausa, off the On The Run.

Judging the Saturday afternoon group of the Trimper’s Rides Car Show Believe in Tomorrow fundraiser were Christian Schwarz and Celso Villanueva.

Presenting his ’06 Jeep Wrangler was Kade Lewis with brother Mason and dad Edward at the Trimper’s Rides Car Show for Believe in Tomorrow.

Having a great time at the doggie swim were Angeleen and Eric Foxwell with Baily and Sophie to support the Worcester County Humane Society.

Page 70

Horoscopes

ARIES (March 21 to April 19): A workplace change doesn't seem to have turned out quite as you'd hoped. Never mind: Just treat yourself to a healthy dollop of that Aries self-confidence, and you'll soon view things differently.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20): Some of the support you might have hoped for in a difficult situation might not be there. But you have the strength to rely on your own capabilities if you must.

Good luck.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): A disagreement with a longtime friend can be painful, but it also can be a learning lesson. Insist on a full and complete airing of views. You'll both come away the better for it.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22): A stalled relationship can be restarted with some give and take on both sides.

And while it could take more time than you expect, don't rush it. Be patient, and let it happen naturally.

LEO (July 23 to Aug. 22): An opportunity to move a long-stalled project from concept to construction might be opening up for the Big Cat. Meanwhile, be prepared to spend more time dealing with family matters.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 to Sept. 22): Use your Virgo organizational skills to line up support to help you deal with a sticky workplace problem. A personal matter also might be helped with friendly intervention.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 to Oct. 22): Trying to resolve a workplace problem with a

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longtime associate can be difficult. Consider bringing in an impartial third party to help you both reach a mutually acceptable solution.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 to Nov. 21): This is a good time to assess your current career situation. Consider whether you have a chance to move up where you are now, or if you should look elsewhere.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 to Dec. 21): With education being a dominant part of this week's aspect, one of the things you might want to think about is taking courses to enhance your career opportunities.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 to Jan. 19): You might have a problem trying to stay focused on a matter you'd rather not deal with. But the sooner you do, the sooner it will be resolved and out of the way.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 to Feb. 18): An unforeseen complication creates a difficult problem. But things get resolved once you use your ability to turn negative situations into positive experiences.

PISCES (Feb. 19 to March 20): The Pisces penchant for doing the right thing at the right time helps you deal with a particularly troublesome situation.

Consider your best option, and act accordingly.

BORN THIS WEEK: Although you might sometimes seem rigid in your views, your love of justice makes you a trusted friend everyone can rely on. © 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

Things I Like ...

OCEAN CITY vanishing

October 2, 2020

WITH BUNK MANN

In June 1990, Ocean City attempted to build the “world’s largest sandcastle” with hopes that it would make the Guinness Book of Records.

Built on the beach at North Division Street, it was over 40 feet tall and was visible from the Route 50 Bridge. A light show was featured at night.

The big castle attracted much attention and delighted tourists who paid $1 to walk to the top and see the sand sculptures up close.

The project was an artistic success and attracted much attention but failed to make the Guinness Book of Records. It missed setting a world record by only two inches.

To purchase one of Bunk Mann's books, click over to www.vanishinPhoto courtesy of Hazel Clark Raber goc.com.

The Dispatch Crossword Puzzle

By Steve Green

Fridays off

All the support for law enforcement during and after last weekend Old sayings that stay true through the years

Productive, fast meetings

Close football games when I don’t care who wins

Birds following a tractor in a field A hot shower on a cold morning

Hitting all the West Ocean City lights Warm soccer games in October Kids in Ravens jerseys

My son’s love of steamed shrimp ANSWERS ON PAGE 48

October 2, 2020

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Page 71

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October 2, 2020