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FEBRUARY 23, 2018
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
LIFESTYLE
DEATH BY CHOCOLATE Eleventh annual game to take place this Saturday throughout West Ocean City – Page 33
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County seeks school safety improvements Pocomoke High receives false alarm threat Tuesday
BRIAN GILLILAND/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
HOPE AFLOAT Boaters and would-be boaters browse the latest models of pontoon, fishing and other recreational vessels during the Ocean City-Berlin Optimist Club’s 35th annual Seaside Boat Show, held last weekend at the Ocean City convention center on 40th Street.
OC Chamber: J1 program at risk Seasonal worker bill could end student work/travel initiative throughout state
By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (Feb. 23, 2018) First, it was the General Assembly’s approval of the paid sick leave law this year that walloped Ocean City’s seasonal businesses. Now, it’s a proposed measure that could gut the J-1 Visa Summer Work and Travel program on which many resort operations depend to fulfill their summer worker needs. Although the regulatory focus of SB526 appears to be on seasonal farm labor, the legislation sponsored by Sen. Susan Lee (D-Montgomery County) could kill the student work/travel program, said Ocean City Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Melanie Pursel. “We’re opposing the bill as it stands now,” said Pursel, who testified against the bill at a Tuesday Finance Committee hearing in Annapolis. “If these provisions go into effect,
the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program will cease to exist in Maryland. This actually impacts the entire state,” she said. Ocean City, however, would feel the brunt of the bill, with more than 5,000 student work/travel participants in the resort last year. The critical aspect of the bill, Pursel said, is that it would prohibit sponsoring agencies from charging participants fees, which are used to cover staffing and program infrastructure requirements established by the U.S. Department of State. The sponsoring agencies also are responsible for workers’ health concerns and any legal matters. The bill, which is also sponsored by Sen. Richard Madaleno (D-Montgomery) and Sen. James Rosapepe (D-Prince George’s-Anne Arundel), would redefine “cultural exchange” as “employment” and J-1 “exchange visitors” as “workers” and program sponsors as “foreign labor contractors.” “The J-1 program is heavily regulated by the Department of State,” Pursel said. “Sponsoring agencies are required to reapply for designation
every two years.” Even so, the legislation would increase requirements for oversight by the Maryland Commission of Labor and Industry. “I think it was not intended to interrupt summer work travel,” she said. As part of her Senate testimony, Pursel presented survey data highlighting the economic impact of J-1 summer exchange workers. “We are really trying to educate the committee on the program,” she said. “We want to appeal to the cultural experience for the worker and our guests.” The annual economic impact statewide is approximately $31.8 million from J-1 participants, Pursel said, with the bulk of funds returning to the local economy through rent, food, entertainment and retail purchases. “We’re hoping to see an amendment removing the J-1 program,” she said. “Maryland business, as well as our state and local economy, would suffer.” If SB526 receives a favorable reSee J1 VISAS Page 3
By Brian Gilliland Associate Editor (Feb. 23, 2018) In the wake of another mass shooting involving schoolchildren, Worcester County on Tuesday appropriated funds to upgrade school radios, proposed a safety meeting between stakeholders and advertised for new sheriff’s deputies with school safety responsibilities. Almost at the same time, school and law en‘Assuring the forcement protection of our officers were public schools for responding to a falseour children and alarm threat staff is top priority at Pocomoke here in Worcester High School. County.’ According to Carrie Commissioner Sterrs, of the President Worcester Diana Purnell C o u n t y Board of Education, the Pocomoke High School office received a threatening phone call sometime during school hours on Tuesday. “In accordance with our protocol, law enforcement was immediately notified and all students and staff were appropriately secured,” she said. Responding to the scene were personnel from the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Marshal’s 0ffice, Sterrs said. They evaluated the scene and surrounding areas before deeming them safe. Students were dismissed at regular time, and afterschool activities continued at a secure location within the school. During the county commissioner meeting in Snow Hill on Tuesday, the commissioners appropriated $35,000 to replace the schools’ radio systems with upgraded models. The county is in the process of upgrading all its radios, but found that the existing units within the schools are incompatible with the upgrades, a situation that could jeopardize comSee COMMISSIONERS Page 4