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MARCH 5, 2021
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
FINANCIAL
REAL ESTATE TAXES
Ocean City sees decline in its total assessable base and increase in constant yield rate – Page 6
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Travel tax credit bills in hearings Business reps give testimony backing delegations’ efforts to boost tourism By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) As the 2021 legislative session reached its halfway point last week, local lawmakers testified in support of a tourism tax credit bill. Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-38) Susan Jones co-sponsored the bill, SB 730, and gave it her strong endorsement last Wednesday before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. Cross-filed with Del. Wayne Hartman’s (R-38 C) House Bill 1176, the legislation provides state income tax credits to Marylanders who travel within the state and spend money on hospitality-related purchases. “The pandemic has had a devastating impact on our economy, especially the tourism sector. According to the U.S. Travel Asso- Lachelle Scarlato ciation, 15.8 million travel-related jobs in the U.S. have been lost due to the pandemic. This has resulted is an industry unemployment rate of 51 percent which is more than twice the rate our country experienced as a whole during the See DELEGATION Page 2
Quick cure for eyesore
Eagle flies again after truck crash
Derelict building no longer greets bridge travelers as they arrive in downtown OC By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) Crews from Absolute Demolition began tearing down a 91-year-old building on N. Division Street in downtown Ocean City last Thursday, after attempts to redevelop the eyesore resulted in failure. Located at 206 N Division Street, the Bridgeview Apartments were next to Route 50 and were oftentimes the first building people saw when they drove into Ocean City. As part of its effort to revitalize and clean up
run-down buildings across town, the Ocean City Development Corporation — or OCDC — offered the owner of the building, Gerardo Mendez, $10,000 to demolish the multi-unit apartment building and he accepted. “Through a program called ‘Development Assistance,’ we offered the owner $10,000 to take down the building immediately,” OCDC Executive Director Glenn Irwin said this week. “From our side, we were concerned the building would remain for another summer...in a deplorable See DEMOLITION Page 4
After weeks of rest, she’s released to wherever wings and wind take her By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) The adult female bald eagle that flew through the windshield of a Perdue Farms tractor-trailer on Route 113 near Langmaid Road in Newark on Feb. 12 has returned to the wild after two weeks of rehabilitation treatment at Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research Inc. in Newark, Delaware. Not only did the bald eagle survive the collision with See INJURED Page 3
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Ocean City Today
MARCH 5, 2021
Delegation keeps pushing for tourism tax credit bills
March 8-12
Continued from Page 1 Great Depression,” Carozza testified. She added that Maryland lost 34,000 jobs in the accommodation and food services industries between February and November 2020. “This tax credit would incentivize Marylanders to travel within the state and would increase sales, accommodations, admissions, and amusement tax revenue. Our tourism community in Maryland, hard hit by the pandemic, would benefit from this tax credit,” Carozza continued. Susan Jones, the executive director of the Ocean City Hotel-MotelRestaurant Association, also testified in favor of the legislation in the Ways and Means Committee in the House of Delegates last Friday. “Leisure and hospitality has been the hardest hit and since the pandemic our industry accounts for 39 percent of the total jobs lost in the U.S.A.,” Jones said. “We have been working diligently as a tourism community to really help our businesses, and they most likely will survive somehow by a thread. Not all of them, but we think this bill can push us to that top of the hill. We can get to the full recovery with this bill.” She added that the legislation gives Marylanders an incentive to travel in their own state. “Tourism is an economic engine. It is going to provide a return to the state and to municipalities in the way of room tax, admission tax, amusement tax, sales tax, alcohol tax … it will bring back tax revenues,” Jones said. Lachelle Scarlato, executive director of the Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber supported both pieces of legislation. “Today my hope is that you will see tremendous value in providing an opportunity for both the hospitality industry and the visitor/consumer in Maryland to gain mutual benefit with
your favorable vote for HB 1176,” Scarlato testified last Friday. “What we ask of you is that you take full consideration of the impact that 2020 has had on our hospitality partners and leverage legislation that would be able to provide some form of support for those that have been significantly impacted.” The legislation was modeled after the federal program that is being contemplated and would allow individuals to claim a tax credit equal to 100 percent of the qualified expenses incurred during travel up to $4,000 for an individual or $8,000 for married couples who filed jointly, plus $500 for each dependent child, Carozza said. The bill’s original version set a ceiling of $25 million on the tax credits, but that was then lowered to $5 million. “We amended the $4,000 (credit) down to $500, the $8,000 down to $1,000 and eliminated the additional opportunity per dependent child,” Hartman said. The two measures state that the in-state travel must occur at least 50 miles from the primary residence of the individual, and purchases are limited to food and beverage, lodging, transportation, tickets for live entertainment or expenses related to attending a conference or business meeting. The Maryland Tourism Coalition reports that tourism supports 226,000 direct and indirect jobs, making it the 11th largest industry in the state. Without tourism in the State of Maryland, each household would pay $1,175 more in local taxes. In 2020, Worcester County alone contributed $238.4 million in state and local revenue and provided 10,929 tourism-related jobs. The next step is to get the legislation voted out of committee and onto the floor, Hartman said.
SHE FLEW THE COOP Expires 3/31/21.
After two weeks of rehabilitation treatment following a crash into the windshield of a tractor-trailer, this bald eagle has been released back into the wild.
PHOTO COURTESY TRI-STATE BIRD RESCUE & RESEARCH INC.
MARCH 5, 2021
Ocean City Today
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Injured bald eagle recovers and flies away Continued from Page 1 the tractor-trailer, she did not sustain any fractured bones. “Her injuries were internal. She had blood in her airway and labored breathing when she arrived,” Lisa Smith, executive director at Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, stated in a press release. “With the proper medical treatment, professional rehabilitative care and a quiet environment, she healed fairly quickly. Once she was able to demonstrate flight fitness and stamina in our 100- foot flight enclosure, we knew she was ready to return to the wild.” She was released into the wild on Feb. 28 from Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research. “Some people may wonder why we didn’t drive her back to the area near where she was found for release. Once an adult wild animal has recovered from its injuries, putting it in a transport crate and driving it for several hours brings with it a very real risk that the animal will injure itself during transport,” Smith said. “The safest thing for many birds, especially a healthy, rambunctious female eagle in breeding season, is to release them here and let them find their way to where they want to go. I would not be surprised to hear she has returned to her nesting site.” Perdue Farms announced on Feb. 19 that it donated $2,000 to help care for the eagle that survived its collision with the tractor-trailer.
Driver Wayne Hamilton, 63, of Delaware, said the bird was apparently swooping down after prey when it crashed through his windshield and landed in his lap as he was headed to a company plant in Virginia. Hamilton covered the bird with his jacket in an attempt to keep it calm while waiting for authorities to arrive to transport the bird to Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research. “We’re so thrilled to learn the bald eagle was rehabilitated and safely returned to the wild thanks to the caring team at Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research,” said Bill See, senior director of community relations for Perdue Farms. Smith added that the facility was grateful for Perdue Farms’ donation for the eagle’s care and appreciated everyone’s concern about the eagle’s recovery. To watch a short video of the bald eagle’s release, visit https://www.dropbox.com/s/s31dnwzv2sjgiwt/Bald%20 Eagle%20release%20short%20video.m p4?dl=0. Smith also said Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research receives 70-80 bald eagles for treatment annually. Human-related causes of injury, such as vehicle collision and lead poisoning, are common. Although bald eagles once were near demise in part because of pesticide DDT, they taken off the federally endangered species list in 2007. Since 1976, Tri-State Bird Rescue &
Research has cared for 3,500 injured, orphaned and oiled native wild birds from hummingbirds to eagles each year at the Frink Center for Wildlife in Newark, Delaware.
To support the nonprofit’s rehabilitation efforts to native injured and orphaned wild birds and contaminated wildlife, donate at tristatebird.givingfuel.com/support.
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Demolition crew takes down eyesore across from bridge Continued from Page 1 condition. “We had interest in demolition because it’s not an attractive building to see when entering Ocean City,” he added. Mendez could not be reached for comment on Monday. According to state records, Mendez bought the property in March 2019 for $415,000. The 2,868-square-foot building sits on .13 acres. In June 2019, Mendez proposed a row of four townhomes to replace the dilapidated building on the corner of North Division Street and Dayton Lane, just behind a Shell gas station. Each unit was expected to have two bedrooms each with two parking spaces, and even though the project received site plan approval, it never lifted off the ground. Since then, the building continued to operate with numerous code violations and was boarded up. When asked about the code violations and the fines associated with them, Irwin deferred questions to Bill Neville, the director of planning and community development in Ocean City. Neville could not be reached for comment. But along with code violations, the
building also fell victim to arson last September. In the early morning hours on Sept. 29, a nearly 10 foot by 20-foot section of the unoccupied building went up in flames. Charles Correll Jr., who was in the process of purchasing the property, was accused of setting the structure ablaze. Still, the OCDC found an opportunity to eliminate an eyesore in its efforts to revitalize and improve the image of downtown Ocean City. Irwin said his organization offers several programs to help building owners clean up their buildings, including facade assistance. Several buildings in the downtown section of the city have been able to take advantage of the program, though the Bridgeview Apartments could not. Instead, the best solution, Irwin said, was to work with the owner to come up with a plan to demolish the building. He added that when Mendez provided the cost to take down the building, OCDC was able to use money it had raised to bring in Absolute Demolition of Ocean City. This is the first time the organization used money to demolish a building that was not being renovated, according to Irwin.
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GREG WEHNER/OCEAN CITY TODAY
Absolute Demolition crews use heavy equipment this week to level the Bridgeview Apartment building next to the U.S. Route 50 bridge.
Resort considers burying lines on Baltimore Avenue By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (March. 5, 2021) A proposal to bury utility lines between N. Division Street and 15th Street along Baltimore Avenue is being tossed around, and if Ocean City officials agree to the project, it could come with a $20.5 million price tag. The bulk of the cost – $15-$20 million – will be paid to Delmarva Power, which will design the plans. But the project encompasses much more. On Monday, City Engineer Terry McGean said the cost being discussed is a conceptual cost, meaning, it could be more or less. City officials will not know the actual price tag of the project until Delmarva Power is further into the design process. “It’s been talked about for a long time, but now is the time to do it,” McGean said. There are several aspects to the
project that bring the costs up to $20 million. All utilities like power, cable, and phone lines will be buried and the sidewalks on both sides of Baltimore Avenue will be widened from five feet to eight feet. Utility easements will also need to be created because when the utilities are buried, there will need to be spaces for equipment such as transformer boxes and switches. The current Baltimore Avenue right of way is 75 feet wide, but only 44 feet is taken up by Baltimore Avenue. The rest of the right of way is what the city calls an unimproved right of way, and it consists of things like front yards and parking lots. An easement will also need to be maintained where a sanitary line runs through the unimproved right of way. What’s left of the easement will be handed back to the adjacent propSee BURYING Page 5
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Burying utilities expensive, but desirable Continued from Page 4 erty owners. The city is trying to coordinate its efforts with the State Department of Transportation, which plans to repave the same stretch of Baltimore Avenue. City Public Works Director Hal Adkins said during a City Council meeting last week that the state is in a holding pattern, but it can only wait so long to do work it needs to complete. The work by the state is also partially what is driving the burial of utilities. “The State Highway needs to repave that portion of the street,” McGean said. “As part of that repaving, they need to do ADA improvements to the sidewalks. Even though the sidewalk’s in the city right of way, the State Highway makes the
ADA improvements as part of their repaving effort.” The ADA improvements include things such as installing handicap ramps, sidewalks, and flattening curb cuts. The work has to be brought up to 100 percent current standards when the state does the repaving. In order to bury the utilities, crews will need to rip up the street and install manholes, conduit and other infrastructure. Crews are on standby to do the repaving to allow the city to get their plan in place for burying the utilities, but McGean said they can’t wait forever. “At some point, the condition of the pavement ... they can’t wait forever,” he said. “While we have some time, we don’t have years. “If we’re going to do this project, the time to do it is at the same time
the State Highway is going to be doing their work, so we aren’t duplicating efforts,” McGean added. Utility lines are already buried along Baltimore Avenue in areas south of N. Division Street and north of 15th Street. Those efforts began in the 1990s, at a time when burying utilities was not a priority to the city. McGean said the stretch between 15th Street and 33rd Street and the stretch between the inlet and N. Division Street were completed as individual projects. Like those projects, the town will pay to bury the lines between N. Division Street and 15th Street, and the $20.5 million – which includes the cost to bury the additional utility lines – is expected to come out of the general fund. There are two main reasons the city is looking at burying the lines, McGean said. The first is to bolster the grid against powerful storms that traditionally take down power lines and the poles that hold them up. The other reason is for aesthetics. “It makes a huge aesthetic difference,” McGean said. “If you drive down Baltimore Avenue and look at how it looks with utilities underground versus how it looks where they’re above ground, it makes the sidewalk much more walkable. It is a
huge difference in the look of the street.” Whether the lines necessarily have to be buried is up for discussion. From Delmarva Power’s point of view, McGean said, the power lines are fine, meaning, they work as intended. The lines do not have to be put underground, but if they are left above ground, McGean added, the city would only be able to widen sidewalk on one side of the street because it does not have the space on the other side of the street to do so. “It would be closer to a half a million to a million-dollar project to just widen the sidewalk without undergrounding the utilities,” he said. Once council approves the project as a capital improvement, the design work by Delmarva Power will need to be funded, and the work itself can take a year. Then, McGean said, the project will go out to bid and bonds will need to be acquired. The city will not be in a position to borrow the money in 2022, he said, and the design work will still be in progress. Therefore, the city will not have a good enough idea of how much it needs to borrow until 2024. Construction is expected to take two years to complete and would take place during two consecutive off-seasons.
GREG WEHNER/OCEAN CITY TODAY
Ocean City officials are looking to bury utility lines between N. Division Street and 15th Street to bolster the grid and improve the aesthetics.
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MARCH 5, 2021
Ocean City Today
State-issued property yield rates balance assessments By Stewart Dobson Editor (March 5, 2021) Worcester County property owners paid $186.5 million in real estate taxes to town and county governments last year and will pay somewhere around that in the next fiscal year, give or take a few million. The actual amount taxpayers will send to their governments, however, will depend on where they set their rates in relation to the “constant yield rates” established by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation and forwarded to each jurisdiction on Feb. 14. The constant yield rate is the real estate tax rate that a government would have to use in one year to generate the same revenue it received the year before. Its purpose, when it was created in the late 1970s as part of the “Truth in Taxation” standard, is to give taxpayers a base number to compare against whatever a government plans to charge in its new budget year. Other states have a similar standard, but call it the “certified tax rate.” But regardless of whether its “constant yield” in Maryland or “certified tax rate” in Tennessee, all they do is balance the ups and downs of property assessments against jurisdictions’ tax rates. If, for instance, the total assessed valuation of all real property in a municipality goes up, the constant yield tax rate would go down a corresponding amount. One example would be if a town had a tax base of $100 million and a tax rate of $1 per $100 of assessed value. That would produce $1 million in taxes that year. But if, because of new development or reassessments, the town’s tax base rose to $110 million the following year, that town could knock about nine cents off the tax rate and drop to 90.9 cents per hundred dollars of assessed value and still bring in that $1 million in taxes. Further, state law requires tax jurisdictions to let taxpayers know via a public hearing if they propose to institute a rate that’s different from the constant
yield. In the year ahead, Ocean City stands out in the new constant yield rate report for Worcester County: it has the lowest property tax rate of any of the jurisdictions, it is the only one that saw a decline in its total assessable base and is the only jurisdiction where the constant yield rate is higher than the previous year’s rate. That change, however, is almost imperceptibly slight. Ocean City’s assessable base of $9.26 billion declined by about $3.5 million in the last round of reassessments, thereby resulting in a rise of 61 hundredths of a cent in the constant yield rate, from 45.59 cents last year, to 45.61 in the year ahead. The city took in about $42.2 million in revenue last year and would do the same with the constant yield. The other municipalities — Berlin, Snow Hill and Pocomoke — and the county saw their assessable bases rise slightly over 2020’s figures, with the constant yield rates showing a small decline from last year’s rates. What follows is each jurisdiction’s FY 20/21 assessable base versus its new base, followed by its tax rate from that year as compared to the constant yield rate for the FY 21/22 budget year. • Berlin base: $464 million to $477 million, tax rate 80 cents, constant yield rate 77.87 cents. • Snow Hill base: $110 million to $111 million, tax rate 86 cents, constant yield rate 84.89 cents. • Pocomoke City, owner-occupied base: $99.5 million to $100.5 million, tax rate 93.75 cents, constant yield rate 92.71 cents. • Pocomoke City, non-owner-occupied base: $149.3 million to $151 million, tax rate $1.1311, constant yield rate $1.1181. • Worcester County base: $16.2 billion to $16.4 billion, tax rate, 84.5 cents, constant yield rate 83.754 cents. The towns and county will be assembling their budgets over the next few weeks and will decide at that point which direction the tax rates will go, if they go anywhere at all.
The 129th annual Maryland State Firemen’s Association and Ladies Auxiliary Convention and parade was canceled for the second year in a row because of covid-19.
State firemen’s association convention canceled again By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) For the second year in a row, the annual Maryland State Firemen’s Association and Ladies Auxiliary convention and conference planned for the week of June 22 will not take place in Ocean City, but instead will be held virtually because of covid-19. This year would have marked the 129th year of holding the event, which is host to the 358 volunteer departments across the state. “There’s just too Ron Siarnicki many unanswered questions with where we’ll be with social distancing,” Convention Chairman Ron Siarnicki said Tuesday. “We surely wouldn’t want to have a representation of the 358 volunteer departments in Ocean City, then take back exposure to the pandemic to their individual firehouses across the state. My goodness, that would not be good for anybody.” Siarnicki said the decision to not have the event at the Roland E. Powell
Convention Center was tough. He spoke with the state health department, county health officer, Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan, Larry Noccolino from the convention center, the Ocean City Hotel Motel-RestaurantAssociation, vendors who rent space that helps pay for the event, and some of the members of the firemen’s association before deciding that it was not clear where the country will be with the pandemic in just 14 weeks. While vaccines are being administered and the number of positive cases is creeping down, Siarnicki said the consensus was that the pandemic has not reached the point where hundreds of people can congregate inside a building. “There are three events this month at the convention center,” he said. “They’re only allowed to have 100 people total per event … in the convention center. I’m glad I am not going to be the person who has to tell all of those cheerleader moms.” Each year, the State Firemen’s Association holds its convention, and with it comes several events. Discussions were had on whether to hold the See CONVENTION Page 8
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Ocean City Today
MARCH 5, 2021
Convention organizers cancel event due to covid pandemic Continued from Page 6 convention outside, though the association is required to hold many of the events – the business meeting, opening ceremonies, memorial service, award presentations, and the prayer breakfast – inside. Plus, the logistics with parking, where to have the convention outside, audio visual support, air conditioning and weather make it difficult to plan. Events associated with the convention, like the golf outing and parade, would certainly still be able to take place outside, but the business portion could not. Siarnicki also said members might be struggling economically because of the pandemic, making it difficult for them to attend this year. “There’s a lot of factors,” he said. “We took a lot of time to discuss and look at [the factors] and finally got to the point and said, ‘You know what? It’s probably best that we just, unfortunately, delay one more year and do our very best for a big convention in Ocean City in 2022.’” Several alternative dates to hold the convention were offered to the association by Noccolino. One date
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would have been the week of Aug. 6, but it was the same week as the White Marlin Open That is one of the busiest weeks in Ocean City, and most rooms will sell out. Another alternative date was in September, wedged between two other events including Wine Fest. Some firefighters will still be in Ocean City the week that the convention was planned in June, but the events will not be taking place. In fact, a raffle that takes place each year is required to be drawn in Ocean City that week, so a small contingency group will be on hand to pull tickets and announce the winners. Despite canceling one the of the biggest events of the year for the association, Siarnicki is optimistic that the 130th Annual Maryland State Firemen’s Association and Ladies Auxiliary convention will be so big it will make up for the last two years. “It’ll be a three-year gig – look out Ocean City,” he said. “We are just as disappointed as the town and the leadership of the town government is. It’s not something we took lightly. A lot of research was done, but it is what’s best for the health and welfare of our volunteer fire service.”
OC permits towing operator to store 15 vehicles on site By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (March. 5, 2021) An Ocean City tow truck operator was granted permission by the city Planning and Zoning Commission to run a 15-vehicle storage lot in addition to his other businesses at a property near Jolly Roger Amusement Park. Elias Zacharopoulos, who owns a scooter rental and repair business called Cycle City near 31st Street on Philadelphia Avenue, filed an application with the city for a conditional use to be able to operate the 15-vehicle storage lot. The property butts up to the amusement park parking lot and is wedged between Ristorante Antipasti and Minit Market. Zacharopoulos holds a license to tow vehicles in Ocean City, though he stores them in West Ocean City. As the owner of property in Ocean City, Zacharopoulos sought to be able to store towed vehicles at 3105 Philadelphia Avenue. A portion of the property is zoned bayside mixed use, while the rest of the property is zoned local commercial. Zacharopoulos has owned the Cycle City building since 2003 and is required to have at least nine parking spaces on site – four of the parking spaces are for employee housing he
provides on location, and five are for the retail business he operates. In addition to operating his retail business, Zacharopoulos became licensed in 2020 to operate a tow truck, and last spring, he asked city officials on how to obtain permission for towing and storing vehicles on site. Having gone through the Ocean City Police Department, Zacharopoulos received approval to store vehicles temporarily at his property. Behind the retail building is a fourbay pole building that Zacharopoulos said he could store vehicles in as well. While the city operates an impound lot at 65th Street, it does not store vehicles there that were involved in accidents. In those instances, the police department calls a company like Zacharopoulos’s towing business to pick up the vehicles and store them. On Tuesday, he said he has the ability to store up to 8 vehicles in the pole building, though that number can fluctuate depending on if he has to store scooters and motorcycles in there as well. Commission member Palmer Gillis said he thought the use of the property to store towed vehicles was good, though he had concerns that See TOWING Page 9
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Towing company to store cars Continued from Page 8 some tow trucks emit a loud beep noise when in reverse. He said he was also concerned that the lot would end up looking like a junk yard. “I happen to be over there one night, and a bunch of cars were parked on his lot,” Gillis said, asking why there was no fencing on the south side of the lot and the types of vehicles Zacharopoulos will be storing there. Zacharopoulos said his truck did not emit a loud beep when reversing and that the facility would be enclosed by a fence that does not allow
people to look in. Other commission members had similar concerns, yet ultimately determined the lot will not have an adverse impact on the neighborhood, noting he was surrounded by “ultracommercial” sites. Ultimately, the commission voted 6-0 in favor of using the lot to store 15 vehicles. Chairperson Pam Greer Buckley was not in attendance. GREG WEHNER/OCEAN CITY TODAY
The owner of Cycle City was given approval this week to operate a 15-vehicle storage lot as part of his tow truck business.
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3BR/1BA. Completely remodeled eat-in kitchen w/new LG appliances, cherry cabinets, tiled back splash & laminate floors. Recently painted throughout & new laminate floors in main living areas & hallway. Remodeled BA w/tiled bath, shower, vanity, light fixture & more. Newer carpet in BRs & HVAC system. New full size washer & dryer. Large front deck & wooded back yard. $235,00
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PAGE 10
Ocean City Today
MARCH 5, 2021
Ørsted wind farm to be operational in 2026 By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (March. 5, 2021) Danish energy company Ørsted announced this week that it expects to have the Skipjack Wind Farm —c onsisting of 12 or fewer turbines at least 19.5 miles from Ocean City’s coastline — operating commercially in 2026. “Ørsted has notified the Maryland Public Service Commission that we now expect the Skipjack Wind Farm will achieve commercial operations by the end of the second quarter of 2026,” a statement from the energy company read. “Ørsted is fully committed to building, owning, and operating the project, and to delivering clean, reliable offshore wind energy to the Delmarva region. Skipjack repre-
sents a long-term partnership with the State of Maryland, and we are proud to be a part of the state’s effort to achieve its ambitious renewable Rick Meehan energy goals.” Project planners have said they expect the 120megawatt offshore wind farm that is under development off the MarylandDelaware coast, will provide clean energy to 35,000 homes and generate thousands of jobs in the Delmarva region. Ocean City officials have been supportive of wind energy, although they oppose some installations as not far enough off the coast, and some harbor
doubts about their durability. Councilman Mark Paddack exploded with frustration during a City Council meeting on Feb. 16, questioning whether the turbines could withstand strong winds or would crumble and fall like those that provide power to Texas. During the same meeting, Mayor Rick Meehan said another proposed project by U.S. Wind was planning on placing turbines 17 miles from the coastline, but if they win a bid to place the generators in the water, they could be as close as 12.5 miles. City officials, Meehan said, sent letters to state officials to make them aware of the proposed distance. “We are on top of that and taking every measure we can,” Meehan said.
Still, the Skipjack Wind Farm would be constructed 19.5 miles from Ocean City’s shoreline. The project was initially expected to utilize a smaller turbine that would generate 8 MW of power, and when it was announced that larger turbines would be used, officials agreed that the views would be much clearer as the generators would take up less space and be pushed further offshore. Along with other states like Virginia and North Carolina that want to create clean energy, Maryland passed its own offshore wind energy act in 2013. Ørsted constructed and operates the first offshore wind farm off of Block Island in Rhode Island, along with a pilot project consisting of two turbines off the coast of Virginia.
SBY upgrades to spark Delmarva economy By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (March. 5, 2021) Several proposed and approved updates to the Salisbury-Ocean City-Wicomico Regional Airport are expected to bring more revenue to the region and could lead to larger planes flying out of the Eastern Shore and across country nonstop. Chris Davidson, the assistant manager of the airport, told the Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday that a $31 million 6,400-foot runway extension that was approved just months ago, and is to be paid for by the FAA, will allow planes like the Boeing 737 to fly from Salisbury to places like Denver and Seattle. The extension also could allow a Boeing 747 jumbo jet to land and take off, although without much of a load, he said. “It really opens up flight from here to California,” Davidson said. “The runway extension is going to pay for itself for decades. In reality, it’s probably the last runway extension that will ever happen at the airport. Airplanes are just getting better, but they’re not there yet. They’re going to need another 3040 years of long runways.”
In addition to extending the runway, the airport is getting a facelift. The sign into the facility was recently modernized, removing the old brick facade, and the beach-themed terminal allows people to come in and relax before boarding their flight. Improvements have also been made to the hangars over the past couple of years. There are also several projects taking place at the facility, including a new maintenance building for $3.2 million, replacing the roof at the Piedmont facility for $1.4 million, and the rehabilitation of taxiway A for $5.3 million. The airport was also able to purchase a new Airport Rescue and Firefighting vehicle, or ARFF, for $726,000. The vehicle, Davidson said, can respond to a crash or fire in or around the airport, has a nozzle for fire suppressant, and can safely recover people from an aircraft. The airport also has a new drone facility that opened in February. It includes a company that tests and certifies government-grade drones made by companies like Cessna. Davidson said all of these improve-
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ments are needed in a region that has nearly 630,000 residents who live within a 90-minute drive of the airport. Every day, 1,100 visitors come and go from the Salisbury-Eastern Shore area, he said, and he and his team are trying to figure out how to get those people to utilize the airport. Over the next 20 years, Davidson said there is a lot of planned growth to
PHOTO COURTESY BUDGET PACKET
Upgrades to the Salisbury-Ocean City-Wicomico Regional Airport, like repairing the taxiway, are part of a list of proposed and approved projects taking place at the facility.
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Worcester County gets FY22 budget needs from towns By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) Worcester County municipalities Pocomoke, Berlin and Snow Hill, along with Ocean Pines, presented FY22 budget requests to the county commissioners on Tuesday. Ocean Pines OPA President Larry Perrone gave a brief overview of the homeowners association’s expenditures dependent upon county funding, which totaled roughly $1.45 million in FY21. He requested an increase to $1.69 million for FY22. Perrone said the bulk of funding is dedicated for public safety purposes. Perrone said the Larry Perrone community’s emergency responders lent aid to regional partners 332 times, in addition to answering their own calls. “Our fire and EMS services last year were involved in 13,193 service calls,” he said. Ocean Pines’ request for FY22 funding for fire and EMS service remains unchanged from last year at approximately $217,000. Also essentially unchanged from FY21 is the roughly $33,000 state funding sought in FY22 for the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department. By contrast, Ocean Pines’ request for police funding in FY22 is $525,000, which reflects a $50,000 increase from the $475,000 received during the current fiscal year. Additional money is also being sought for the association to stage an Independence Day celebration, with the $10,000 tally Worcester budgeted in FY21 bumped up to $25,000 for FY22. Additionally, Perrone said a $40,000 grant is needed to help fund the Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks Department. “Tourism, as we all know, is the economic driver for the county and it is for Ocean Pines,” he said. Highlighting significant advertising expenditures by the association last year, Perrone said financial backing from the county during FY22 would offset costs to publicize recreation and parks programs, as well as other Pines amenities. “We spent $30,000 for our local papers,” he said. “We also spent $12,000 for Google and Facebook targeted ads.” Perrone also noted $31,000 was sunk into targeted advertising to promote the Ocean Pines Golf Course. Other Ocean Pines FY22 requests not incorporated in the FY21 budget includes $150,000 to repair roads See WORCESTER Page 12
Ocean City Today
PAGE 11
WCPS requests funds for projects By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) The Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday agreed to provide the local school system nearly $1.5 million for the Pocomoke Middle School roof replacement project and $109,000 to continue into the pre-construction phase and bidding process for the Stephen Decatur Middle School Addition project. “The project to replace the 26-yearold at Pocomoke Middle School has been included in both the county and the board of education capital improvement plans to follow the completion of the Showell Elementary Replacement School project,” said Superintendent of Schools Lou Taylor. He said the Board pf Education received and opened bids for the Pocomoke Middle School roof replace-
ment project on Jan. 7. Then, the school board approved the $2.6 million bid from Flynn Mid-Atlantic on Jan. 19. The state approved $1,275,000 for the project last May in the FY21 capital improvement plan. “With your funding approval today, we will execute a contract with Flynn Mid-Atlantic and the work will be accomplished this Lou Taylor summer,” Taylor said. Additionally, design documents for the Stephen Decatur Middle School Addition project were completed with the design funding provided by the county in FY20 and FY21. In December 2020, the state informed the school board that the Inter-
agency Commission on School Construction staff recommended the approval of $3.7 million of the $4.8 million FY22 capital improvement request for funding the project. “The final state funding amount for the project will be announced in May,” Taylor said. The construction bidding process is expected to begin in August. Construction could begin on the addition in November, pending the county’s approval. Following review of the bid documents and approval of bids by the board of education, Taylor said board members will request final construction and project funding for the project from the commissioners. Both funding requests were approved unanimously without discussion.
PAGE 12
Ocean City Today
MARCH 5, 2021
Worcester hears from towns about FY22 budget requests
PHOTO COURTESY JOHN TUSTIN
Worcester County Director of Public Works John Tustin is retiring from his post after a 36-year career with the municipality.
Worcester director of public works readies for retirement By Greg Wehner Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) After 36 years of serving Worcester County in various roles, Public Works Director John Tustin, P.E. is ready to retire, and his last day will be April 30. Hired in 1985 as the county engineer, Tustin worked on projects that influenced the way solid waste and wastewater are managed, while rising through the ranks to become the director of public works. “I’ve seen a lot of change,” he said. “I remember when I was first hired, or during the first couple of years when the county got the first fax machine in the courthouse. There was one fax machine in emergency services and look at where we’re at now. The change has been tremendously good. It’s been very beneficial over the years.” Over the course of his career, Tustin had a hand in a number of different projects, including the acquisition of 724 acres just south of Newark
that is now home to a landfill operation he helped develop. The landfill acquisition took place in 1986, when the county was under a consent order to close its existing landfill in Berlin. Before landing a job with the county, Tustin worked construction with the Army Corps of Engineers for seven years. “I’ll never forget the first question they asked me was, ‘What do you know about solid waste?’ and my answer was, ‘Nothing,’” he said. Tustin was then asked how he could help the county while it was under a consent order, and he suggested he could help by guiding the county through the “enormous amount of paperwork” from the state and federal government. “I think that’s what got me the job,” he said. As part of the landfill project, Tustin had to find and secure propSee TUSTIN Page 13
Continued from Page 11 and bridges. Snow Hill Town Manager Gary Weber said the total county funding requested for FY22 is $2.1 million, reflecting a slight increase over the $1.83 million awarded for FY21. The bulk of the increase is tied to a $200,000 grant to perform repairs on the Snow Hill Wastewater Treatment Plant following a roughly 500,000-gallon overflow of untreated effluent on Feb. 16. “This was a result of high water tables and higher rainfall coupled with the inflow and infiltration issues that come with an antiquated wastewater infrastructure,” he said. Weber said the treatment plant repairs are needed immediately, with the town first looking to finance a GPS mapping process to identify precise locations of fissures. “This project will not only greatly impact the inflow and infiltration problem, it will also eliminate the leaching of sewage in the wetlands that drain into the river,” he said. Additionally, Snow Hill seeks a $35,000 increase to its unrestricted county grant, which totaled $465,000 in FY21 with $500,000 sought for FY22. “This money will help fund transportation initiatives for our children to and from the rec center on Saturdays and throughout the summer,” he said. Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall said the towns FY22 funding request is just over $2.3 million, up slightly from the $2.1 million Worcester budgeted for FY21. Tyndall said most of the money would be dedicated to public safety, including police, fire and EMS serv-
ice. Although the unrestricted grant request from Berlin for FY22 was identical to the $465,000 sum approved last year, the town seeks another Zack Tyndall roughly $52,000 for three proposals. Reflecting an overall 11 percent bump over the prior budget year, the total includes just over $39,000 for the first phase of a Rails-To-Trails project that would connect Snow Hill and Berlin through a passive-use recreation pathway. Tyndall said the project would make use of easements alongside railroad tracks to provide biking and hiking routes. The project support request would be used as matching funds for a Maryland Department of Transportation grant. Other new funding sought includes $5,000 for a July 4 celebration and $7,500 to fund a feasibility study for a Flower Street Community Center. “There’s a demand for that ,” he said. “There’s been discussion in the community for a very long time.” Pocomoke City Pocomoke City Mayor Jeremy Mason said the total FY22 funding request from the county is about $1.66 million, which is up about $48,000 from the $1.61 million approved for FY21. Remaining unchanged from FY21 is a $465,000 unrestricted grant request. Mason said Pocomoke seeks new funding of just over $32,000 from Ocean Downs Casino table game revenues paid by the state to Worcester.
MARCH 5, 2021
PAGE 13
Ocean City Today
Tustin looks to retirement following 36 years Continued from Page 12 erty for a new landfill and implement operations. The landfill was expected to have a lifespan of 40 years, but when Ocean City pulled out of the waste stream heading to the county facility, and send its garbage to an incinerator in Pennsylvania, the life of the landfill was extended. “It helped us extend the life of the landfill and it also cut us short about $2 million a year in revenue, so we had to adjust to that, and we have,” Tustin said. In addition to setting up a new landfill, Tustin helped design and construct Samuel Bowen Boulevard, a side road that sweeps past Walmart and Home Depot before dead ending next to McDonalds in West Ocean City. “That’s something I was very proud of,” he said on Wednesday. “It’s not complete, by any means ... That was a major push up.” While those are just two of the project Tustin was involved with, they do not define his time with the county. Throughout his career, Tustin was involved in further expansions of the landfill, put a methane gas extraction program in place to convert methane into electricity at the facility (that installation is no longer active) and oversaw the design and construction of the cap and closure of three former landfill sites in Pocomoke, Snow Hill and Berlin. He also headed numerous construction projects attached to wastewater, including pump station upgrades in
Pines streamlines community email, telephone contact (March 5, 2021) To help improve customer service, Ocean Pines is asking that all homeowners and residents send general questions, complaints, or concerns to info@oceanpines.org, or contact 410641-7717 during business hours, or 410-641-7747 after business hours and on weekends. Marketing Coordinator Julie Malinowski and Public Works Office Manager Linda Martin will handle questions sent to that email address and redirect them to the proper person or department, if needed. “We feel this will be a more efficient method of ensuring that people’s concerns are being addressed in a timely manner,” General Manager John Viola said. “This will also allow us to have controls and metrics as part of a dashboard created by Linda, to make sure the system is operating efficiently.
Ocean Pines and wastewater plant expansions, and helped design and construct a central fuel facility that allows county vehicles to fuel at any of 90 sites throughout the state. Prior to moving to Worcester, Tustin lived and worked in northern Virginia, and when the opportunity came to work for the county, he could think of no better place to raise a family. Ocean City was always a vacation spot for his family when he was growing up. Today, he has grandkids of his own and has family living in San Diego, California and Charleston, South Carolina. Tustin plans to stay in Berlin once he retires, but he also plans to spend time with his family elsewhere. “We love Berlin,” he said. “Between
April and September, the weather is great ... If we spend a month here and a month there during the winter months, that seems like a pretty good plan to me.” He also said he plans to work a part-time job two days a week, though he would not elaborate on the position other than to say it is not with the county, and it is something he really loves to do. While Tustin’s goal is to stay busy, he jokingly said he did not want to elaborate on his new position because the paperwork has not been signed and the drugs and alcohol test has not been complete. Officials are currently setting up interviews for his replacement, and Tustin declined to endorse anyone. Instead, he reflected on the longevity of his job and the relationships he
built over the years. He was particularly proud of the amount of professionalism the county employees carry these days. He said the county employees are “tremendous,” and described them as the engine that runs the ship. The county commissioners, he added, provide the fuel that run the engine, and the Worcester family is a “tremendous bunch of people” who work together and hopefully accomplish what the commissioners ask them to do. “It’s been a really nice career for me,” Tustin said. “I’ve pretty much enjoyed every moment of it. I have nothing to regret — no look-backs of ‘Why did I do this?’ or ‘Why did I do that?’ When we were young without kids, D.C. was a wonderful place to live. But once we had a family, it was time to bolt, and we did.”
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Phillips joins Captain’s Cove as senior general manager Phillips said the interview process By Greg Ellison also gave her great insight into the Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) After recently re- community’s social and operational signing following more than a decade structure. “I just fell in love with their attiwith the Ocean Pines Association, Colby Phillips is heading south to be- tude, enthusiasm, support system come senior general manager at Cap- and culture overall,” she said. “It was tain’s Cove Golf & Yacht Club in a breath of fresh air.” In addition to working with deGreenbackville, Virginia. Phillips is set to take the reins at partment heads to improve and exthe HOA recreational community sit- pand amenities, Phillips will team uated on the Chincoteague Bay by with General Manager Justin Wilder. “He’ll stay the GM and his input is mid-month. “Nothing’s broke down there. invaluable,” she said. “I’m looking They’re really just looking to go to the forward to working with him and utinext level,” she said. “They’re bring- lizing each other’s strengths.” Although yet to ing in my position meet in person, as a new position.” Phillips was ‘I’m excited to work with them Phillips has already spoken extensively brought onboard by and bring Captain’s Cove to with her new team Reston, Virginiathe next level.’ at Captain’s Cove. based Indigo Golf Partners, which had One of her priColby Phillips mary charges is asbeen managing the community’s masuring Accomack rina club and golf course, but is now County leaders appreciate the ecoassuming a larger oversight role. nomic impact the recreational com“Captain’s Cove is transitioning to munity has on the region. “I want to build relationships with a new management structure because they’re going to be outsourcing all the Accomack County officials,” she said. Budgetary oversight and infraoperations to Indigo Golf,” Phillips structure improvements are also prisaid. In the her new role, Phillips will mary tasks. “I’ll be involved with bringing full report to Captain’s Cove HOA Board and President Tim Hearn, as well as service high- speed Internet to the Chip Harris, regional director of op- Cove,” she said. “I’m also involved in building and monitoring the Cove’s erations at Indigo Golf Partners. “I’m excited to work with them $5 million budget.” Hearn unveiled the new hire durand bring Captain’s Cove to the next ing a board zoom meeting last Tueslevel,” she said. During a multi-part interview day. “Colby has been a long time emprocess with Hearn, Harris and the board, Phillips was pleased to learn ployee of Ocean Pines and currently employee turnover at the HOA has has seven departments reporting to her,” he said. traditionally been minimal. Hearn said in addition to past “It’s very small,” she said. “People praise from Ocean Pines General leave there because they retire.”
Colby Phillips
Manager John Viola, Phillips was highly rated by a number of dual residents of both HOAs. “Chip [Harris] interviewed Colby for two hours and gave a significant thumbs up in terms of how she ranked within the other senior level general manager positions Indigo Golf has around the country,” he said. Hearn noted Phillips’ prior position involved substantial financial oversight functions. “Ocean Pines, given the scale that it is, there’s significant income statement activity happening in many of those departments,” he said. “Not just on the expense side, but on the revenue side, in a non-covid world … aquatics is a million-dollar-a-year revenue piece.” Hearn said Phillips exhibits stellar interpersonal skills and has an extensive history of community engagement. “She works at a high energy level,” he said. “In my 17 years of being at the Cove, this is one of the best announcements I’ve been able to make in general.”
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PAGE 15
Ocean City Today
Lawmakers advocate to ban balloon releases in Maryland By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) Legislation banning the release of balloons is halfway home, as the Senate version of the measure (SB 716) was heard in committee last Wednesday, and the House of Delegates cleared that chamber the week before. Appearing before the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee, Sen. Mary Beth Carozza testified that wayward balloon not only harm marine life, but also do damage on land. “The purpose of Mary Beth Senate Bill 716 is to ed- Carozza ucate individuals on the harmful effects that balloons have on our environment including killing wildlife, causing power outages, and polluting our trees and waterways,” Carozza testified. “I Wayne Hartman urge my colleagues and committee members to pass this common-sense and bipartisan legislation to protect our birds, sea-life, and of course, our beloved Assateague ponies.” Senate Bill 716 and House Bill 391, which was introduced by Del. Wayne Hartman (R-38 C), apply to people over the age of 13, a corporation, a partnership, an association, a nonprofit entity, the state or any unit or political subdivision of the state. Carozza noted that the legislation does not apply to “the negligent or unintentional release of a balloon or balloons released for scientific or meteorological purposes.” Ocean Pines Chamber of Commerce President Kerrie Bunting also testified in support of the bill. Bunting, who has been a long-time advocate for prohibiting the release of balloons, initially raised concerns to Carozza and Hartman.
In addition, Assateague Island Alliance Board President Nancy Gaither submitted written testimony in support of the bill and provided background information and photos on the impact of balloon releases on Eastern Shore wildlife. “While our unique location in the state affords us the unfortunate opportunity to witness birds, fish, turtles, Assateague ponies, and seals perish because they eat or became entangled in a balloon and its string, animals everywhere face this possibility,” Bunting stated. “Local farmers tell tales of their horses eating the balloon or getting spooked by one and harming themselves. This issue is not specific to aquatic environs, all animals are at risk and litter can happen anywhere.” Gaither, who shared the photo of pony Alexandria’s Angel with a balloon in her mouth on Assateague Island, said horses may ingest the balloons as well as endanger sea animals. Senate Bill 716 has the support of the Maryland Coastal Bays Foundation, the Assateague Coastal Trust, the Assateague Island Alliance, the Ocean City Surf Club, the Queen Anne’s Conservation Association, the Humane Society, the Maryland Farm Bureau, the National Aquarium, the Maryland Zoo and the Ocean Pines Chamber of Commerce. Hartman’s bill passed 94-34 on Feb. 16. Also in Annapolis, the Senate Finance Committee last Thursday held a hearing on Carozza’s Senate Bill 594, which allows employers to require verification of the use of paid sick leave by seasonal employees during the 107th120th day of employment. The measure requires the employer to provide the employee written notice about the verification requirement at the time of hire. Under this legislation, an employer may deny an employee’s request to take earned sick and safe leave during that period if an employee fails or refused to provide any verificaSee LEGISLATORS Page 16
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PHOTO COURTESY NANCY GAITHER
The Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee heard legislation last week that was introduced by Del. Wayne Hartman (R-38 C) to ban the intentional release of balloons, which has a harmful effect on local wildlife.
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Ocean City Today
MARCH 5, 2021
Legislators support cross-filed Wade’s Law Continued from Page 15 tion required by the employer. “Our seasonal employers continue to be challenged by the current seasonal exemption of 106 days. I continue to push for relief to cover 120 days of seasonal employment to reflect the true timeframe of the season to include the shoulder season and the time needed to train workers before the season starts,” Carozza testified. Mother’s Cantina owner Ryan James of Ocean City also testified in support of Senate Bill 594, highlighting the importance of this legislation to keep his business safe and running during the covid-19 pandemic. “It’s my duty to give employees time off to recover from sickness. I am happy to provide that time. But I need to know they are being treated and healthy enough to return to work. If an employee returns to work without being treated, they could be putting their coworkers and customers at risk for sickness … Senate bill 594 helps me protect my staff, my customers, and the wellness of the whole team,” James testified. In an interview on Monday, Hartman raised concerns about House Bill 313, which requires a reserve study every five years for future major repairs and replacement of the common elements of a cooperative housing corporation or condominium, or the common areas of a homeowners association (HOA). “So, regardless of the size of the homeowners association or regardless of the size of the condominium association, this would apply. I think it could be really expensive for some,” he said. “I think it would do more harm than good right now. There was a lot of debate about this bill on the floor. The bill’s been pulled back to committee, either they’re going to do some additional work or pull the bill all together. I’m not sure yet.” Hartman also reflected on the hearing about Wade’s Law, House Bill 855, in the Judiciary Committee last Tuesday. “We had some good, strong testimony on it. I think we presented in a
way that showed the simplicity that this is not a new standard of criminal negligence. All it does is fills a gap in the law,” he said. “There is a just penalty if there is criminal negligence and the outcome is death versus permanent, life-threatening injuries.” This legislation would establish an imprisonment for 18 months and/or a fine of $5,000 when a person causes a life-threatening injury to another individual as a result of driving, operating or controlling a motor vehicle or vessel in a criminally negligent manner. “The committee chair has sponsored that bill in the past,” Hartman said. “This year, we couldn’t get sponsors in the House because of covid. They made a policy whereas we couldn’ take our bills around, trying to get that co-sponsor support. There are no co-sponsors on House bills.” William (Bill) McDermott, deputy state’s attorney in Wicomico County, who was employed in Worcester County at the time of the accident of Wade Pusey and handled the case testified in support of Wade’s Law. Also, David Daggett, traffic safety resource prosecutor, from Maryland State’s Attorneys’ Association testified, as did the mother of a victim who has been paralyzed from the breastbone down since she was 13 from an accident. “It’s never passed the House and the Senate in one year,” Hartman said. “I have to give the credit to Sen. Carozza. This is really been a bill she initiated even before I was elected and is very passionate about this cause.” Currently, if a driver causes another person severe life-threatening injuries the penalty is only $500. “It’s ridiculous to say that that’s a just penalty,” Hartman said, comparing $500 to the cost of replacing tires. “By all means, it’s not a just penalty for the permanent injuries these people suffer.” Hartman had his last hearing on Thursday for House Bill 1177, which would allow Marylanders to make early withdrawals from their retirement accounts as a result of certain coronavirus-related distributions of retirement income during taxable years 2020, 2021 and 2022.
“This bill eliminates the state income tax for those early withdrawals because of a covid-related situation,” he said. The legislation is cross-filed in the Senate with Senate Bill 870. Also last week, Carozza voted to
confirm Carolyn Hall to the Wicomico County Board of License Commissioners, Martha Pusey to the Worcester County Board of License Commissioners and Anna Giles Newton to the Wor-Wic Community College Board of Trustees.
Ocean Pines Board votes down sharing B-08 reports By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) Despite talk of transparency, the Ocean Pines Board opted this week not to release two recent B-08 ethics complaints against sitting directors. Board member Frank Daly withdrew an earlier motion to publish related investigative reports during a special board meet- Colette Horn ing on Monday. The board voted unanimously to enter closed session to receive advice from OPA attorney Jeremy Tucker, who later committed to preparing a report for private re- Doug Parks view by the directors. OPA President Larry Perrone said board members would analyze the forthcoming report from Tucker and suggest any relevant changes. “The board has Larry Perrone committed to use whatever tools or tactics are available [to] work in a more cohesive and effective manner,” he said. Perrone also noted Director Doug Parks agreed to abandon an earlier motion to remove the board president. Parks admitted the decision to rescind the motion was troubling.
“I’ve been giving it much thought for quite a while now,” he said. “We’ve had several conversations about how did we get to this place [and] what can we do going forward.” Parks said fellow board members committed to acknowledge that a problem exists within the current leadership roles. “It will be a challenge … for the next several months in order to address this issue,” he said. “I’ve made that commitment to my fellow directors … if we can’t make any headway, we’ll make decisions going forward.” Parks said based on prior experience, the present tensions are not insurmountable. “I was president for three years, and quite frankly, on one of the worst boards that we’ve ever had at the very beginning and we got out of it,” he said. “I had a lot of help and I believe we can get out of it again.” Director Dr. Colette Horn expressed pride with the manner the board has conducted itself. “In the past, boards have addressed their problems by waiting for them to solve themselves through director attrition,” she said. “We have also over the years addressed these problems by attempts to remove officers [or] directors.” Horn said neither approach yielded lasting improvements. “I would also ask the public to allow us the time and space that we need to do this work,” she said. “This is going to be a difficult process for us and it’s going to take a lot of courage and honesty on our parts.”
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Accidental fire guts house under repair in Ocean Pines By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) The Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office has determined accidental causes were to blame for a house fire in the Terns Landing area of Ocean Pines that required assistance from half a dozen neighboring agencies last Wednesday. After a neighbor in the vicinity of 36 Leigh Drive reported seeing an under-repair residence aflame, the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene at about 2:15 p.m. on Feb. 24. First to arrive was Second Assistant Chief Mike Mather, followed closely by Engine 1102 crewmembers, after which
the emergency responders quickly ascertained smoke was billowing from a chimney. Firefighters employed attack line hoses to gain entry to the structure where ever increasing smoky conditions were encountered. First responders then made use of a thermal imaging camera to determine the seat of the fire. The blaze intensified sufficiently to require assistance from fire departments from Berlin, Bishopville, Ocean City, Showell and Selbyville, Delaware. Multi-agency responders braved the conditions and eventually removed drywall to extinguish all existing hot spots.
PHOTO COURTESY MELISSA BRAGG, OPVFD
Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department and neighboring agencies extinguish flames amidst dense smoke inside a house on Leigh Drive in Terns Landing last Wednesday.
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TOWN OF BERLIN, MARYLAND NOTICE OF A PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE The Town of Berlin of Maryland proposes to increase real property taxes. 1. For the tax year beginning July 1, 2021, the estimated real property assessable base will increase by 3%, from $463,872,510 to $476,571,675. 2. If the Town of Berlin maintains the current tax rate of $0.80 per $100 of assessment, real property tax revenues will increase by 3% resulting in $101,593 of new real property tax revenues. 3. In order to fully offset the effect of increasing assessments, the real property tax rate should be reduced to $0.7787, the constant yield tax rate. 4. The Town of Berlin is considering not reducing its real property tax rate enough to fully offset increasing assessments. The Town of Berlin proposes to adopt a real property tax rate of $0.80 per $100 of assessment. This tax rate is 3% higher than the constant yield tax rate and will generate $101,593 in additional property tax revenues. Proposed real property tax rate will be introduced at 7 pm on March 8th at Town of Berlin via Zoom. A public hearing on the proposed real property tax rate increase will be held at 7 pm on March 22nd at Town of Berlin via Zoom. The hearing is open to the public, and public testimony is encouraged. Persons with questions regarding this hearing may call 410-641-2770 for further information.
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Baker has surgery at Hopkins By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) After a lingering medical condition was finally diagnosed correctly as a rare internal tumor, Ocean Pines resident Dave Baker is headed to Baltimore for surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital today. Baker said the diagnosis came in midJanuary when doctors at Atlantic General Hospital located an internal mass later identified as pheochromocytoma. “That’s a tumor that comes from the adrenal gland,” he said. “It’s very rare and approximately two out of one million people have it.” The investigative process took five days with medical professionals initially struggling to find answers from among the typical list of ailments. “When I was in the hospital, I was fainting,” he said. “They just couldn’t figure out what was going on.” Eventually a CAT scan was run to obtain an internal overview. “They saw the mass but then had to figure out what that mass was,” he said. Pheochromocytoma patients are at risk of excessive hormones being released from flair-ups. “My blood pressure will go up and then it will go down,” he said. “If I bend over too much, it will kick it up and it will start releasing too many hormones in my system.” Blood sugar spikes are common with the condition.
“It sits on top of the kidney and mine’s the size of a softball,” he said. “It’s actually pushing my kidney down [and] it needs to come out.” Following the unanticipated diagnosis, Baker faces a greater challenge during surgery. “It’s a dangerous surgery but that’s why I’m going to Hopkins because they have people there that have done it before,” he said. On average, Hopkins surgeons perform one or two pheochromocytoma surgeries annually, Baker said. “The good thing is if they can get this out and surgery goes well, I should be done,” he said. Baker said the positive outlook is tied in no small part to the tumor being identified as non-malignant to this point. “They don’t think it’s cancerous — and most of the cytomas are — so once it’s out, things come back to normal,” he said. The medical emergency also made Baker aware of Rare Disease Day, which is held on the last day in February to increase knowledge of more than 7,000 conditions that are known to affect fewer than 200,000 people each. The number of people affected by one of these 7,000 rare diseases is in the millions. “It’s awareness not just for people but providers and … to make people aware there are support groups,” he said. “I found out about it because there are support groups for pheochromocytoma.”
PHOTO COURTESY ROBYN BAKER
Ocean Pines residents Dave and Robyn Baker are heading to Johns Hopkins Hospital on Friday for surgery to remove a softball-sized mass later identified as pheochromocytoma situated just above his kidney.
Rare Disease Day originated in Europe in 2008 and went global the following year. The initial event took place on Feb. 29, with Feb. 28 used in non-leap years. The annual campaign seeks to raise public consciousness about a host of rare diseases, with treatment options yet to be developed in many instances. Baker stressed the importance of being properly diagnosed to pursue potential treatments for uncommon maladies. “They think I’ve had this now for a
couple years and it’s just gotten worse,” he said. “Nobody’s been able to diagnose it until ... the last time.” Baker’s wife, Robyn will accompany him during the trip to Baltimore has set up a gofundme page to cover travel expenses and unanticipated costs. On Monday more than $400 towards a goal of $6,000 had been donated. Visit gofundme.com and search for Dave Baker, or go to www.gofundme.com/f/2afe9cc8lc?qi d=957da46b4efb16b7dd58c1c9c6932a85
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Deceased whale moved off Assateague Island shoreline
PHOTO COURTESY ASSATEAGUE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE
After washing ashore on Assateague Island nearly a week earlier, heavy machinery brought in on Saturday enabled crews to pull a humpback whale carcass out of the surf line and onto dry land.
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By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) Although still awaiting word on the cause of death of a humpback that washed ashore last month, Assateague Island National Seashore officials have been able to relocate the behemoth to a less-traveled area. Liz Davis, Assateague Island chief of interpretation and education, said heavy machinery brought in on Saturday enabled crews to pull the roughly 30-ton whale carcass out of the surf line and onto dry land. The whale was nicknamed “Pivot” in 2008 and added to the Humpback Whale catalogue maintained by the Center For Coastal Studies. After Pivot was found washed ashore on Feb. 18 earlier attempts to dislodge the creature proved impossible. Davis said when initial efforts
using a sole front-end loader failed it became apparent additional horsepower would be required. “We have an old military surplus bulldozer we use in our southern district in Virginia,” she said. “It took both of them to roll it up the beach.” Both the Maryland Marine Mammal and the Sea Turtle Stranding Network assisted in the undertaking. Davis cautioned the public that the Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits removal of any carcass remains. “All parts are protected by law,” she said. Although Pivot was already situated on a remote part of the island, Davis said access to the location had previously been slated for closure in short order. “It’s in a location that’s going to be closed very soon to nesting shorebirds,” she said.
Expo Marketplace event on Facebook Live this Monday (March 5, 2021) After hosting an annual trade show for 46 years, the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association has rallied to produce an alternative to an in-person gathering. The association has partnered with the OC Today newspaper to produce Expo Marketplace, an online catalog featuring exhibitors, show specials, new products and relative content. Rather than cancel altogether, the association realized the importance of continuing to unite the hospitality industry. “While I am super disappointed that I will not be able to see all our loyal exhibitors and attendees in person, I’m really looking forward to seeing the finished Expo Marketplace as the support has been outstanding,” said Expo Chair and OCHMRA Executive Director, Susan Jones. To maintain some sense of normalcy and consistency of dates, a Facebook Live event is slated for the day of the expo and will be held on Monday, March 8. Coined “Power Panels” this new Facebook Live event will feature industry leaders and influencers discussing relative topics. The Lodging Power Panel will kick
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off at 10 a.m. featuring a State of the Industry address from American Hotel & Lodging Association President Chip Rogers. He will be joined by the Maryland Hotel & Lodging Association represented by Ben Seidel, owner of Real Hospitality Group, and Delaware Hotel & Lodging Association Past Chair Vince DiFonzo of TKO Hospitality. At 11 a.m., the event will shift focus to the restaurant industry and will feature Delaware Restaurant Association President Carrie Leishman and Maryland Restaurant Association President Marshall Weston. The sessions will be recorded and available on the Expo website. The annual trade show has been a mainstay in Ocean City and has been bringing together hospitality buyers and sellers since 1974. Jones has been at the helm since 1995 and further stated, “this unique time has allowed us to innovate and still create a way to connect hospitality.” Mark your calendar for Monday, March 8 at 10 a.m. for the Facebook Live Power Panels. Complete details can be found by visiting www.oceancitytradeexpo.com or calling 410-2896733.
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County will write letter requesting additional doses By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) Worcester County is second in the state for the percentage of first doses administered and first in the state for the percentage of second doses administered, the county commissioners learned Tuesday from County Health Officer Rebecca Jones and Billy Birch, the county’s emergency services director. “Currently for distribution in Worcester County, we have collectively – so this is hospitals, us, pharmacies – dispensed a little over 11,000 first doses and 6,800 second doses,” Jones told the commissioners. She added that while the hospitals receive a combination of Pfizer and Moderna doses, the health department is primarily receiving the Moderna vaccine. Weekly vaccine allocations are determined by population recorded in the U.S. census. Jones said the state is using the county’s year-round population of 52,000. In addition to the health department’s advocacy for increased doses, she thanked the commissioners for sending a letter to the state requesting more doses. “It has been, and it looks like anywhere for the near future, we’re going to continue to have 300 doses per week,” Jones said, adding that if each area in Worcester reaches capacity, 3,000 doses could be administered each week but only 300 are received. With a lot of secondary residences in the county and a large population of retirees, Jones said a much greater population should be considered. With no additional vaccine allocations, Jones noted that the Worcester County Health Department helped administer vaccines to residents in assisted living facilities. “We have moved in now to the independent livings, and we’re assessing them for need,” she said. Furthermore, the health department has a mobile unit prepared to vaccinate citizens in specific areas that are harder to reach (but the limiting factor is supply) as well as an operating vaccination call center to put residents on a waitlist for one of the health department’s vaccine clinics or assist them with other opportunities in the county. As of Monday, 6,472 residents were on the health department’s waitlist. “With our limited vaccine, I think we’re doing tremendous by being second in the state for first [doses] and first in the state for second [doses],” Jones said. “We don’t sit on vaccine. When we get it, it’s gone. I am proud to say the health department has had – knock on wood – zero wastage. We have not wasted one dose of this vaccine.” See WEEKLY Page 22
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Weekly allocations of vaccine limited in Wor. Continued from Page 21 Responding to Commissioner Ted Elder, Jones said the health department prioritizes first doses for residents 65 years and older based on state guidelines. “We can’t deny [residents of] another county or state or immigration status, however we do prioritize [Worcester County residents],” she said. “When the person comes in for their first dose, we’re getting them scheduled for their second dose. There shouldn’t be any misses if they’re coming in through us. We are to be guaranteed and have so far, and I’m hopeful that’s going to continue, that we will get second doses for every first dose that we’ve given.” Birch added that the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has been approved to start a 150-day program on April 1 to conduct mobile vaccination clinics. “They’re saying they can do 250 [vaccine doses] in a 12-hour period of time,” he said, adding that the health department could administer more. Birch expressed his frustration that the county has asked for more vaccine allocations but MEMA is not listening to the request for resources. “There’s jurisdictions that are equal to our size or smaller that are getting more allocation of doses than we’re getting,” Birch alleged.
The commissioners agreed to write a letter to the governor, state and federal delegation and MEMA to request doses, not mobile vaccination points. Last week, a third covid-19 vaccine, produced by Janssen Biotech Inc. in Maryland, a division of Johnson & Johnson, was issued an emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Janssen coronavirus vaccine will be distributed in the U.S. for use in people 18 years of age and older. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the vaccine was approximately 67 percent effective in preventing moderate to severe/critical covid-19 disease occurring at least 14 days after vaccination and 66 percent effective in preventing moderate to severe/critical disease at least 28 days after vaccination based on clinical trials. “Additionally, the vaccine was approximately 77 [percent] effective in preventing severe/critical covid-19 occurring at least 14 days after vaccination and 85 [percent] effective in preventing severe/critical covid-19 occurring at least 28 days after vaccination,” the agency states on its website. Gov. Larry Hogan announced on Monday that Maryland will begin to deploy the single-dose vaccine this week.
Maryland has been allocated 49,600 doses of the vaccine in the initial phase, and all of it will be deployed to providers this week. State health officials will direct the vaccine allocation to mass vaccination sites, hospitals, local health departments and community health centers. In addition, the new vaccine will be deployed to pharmacies that the federal government has selected to participate in its retail pharmacy partnership. According to a press release from Hogan, the federal government has stated that future allocations of the Janssen vaccine could be uneven and may be significantly smaller than this week’s allocation. During a press conference on Tuesday, Hogan added that the federal government will not be shipping any doses of the Janssen coronavirus vaccine until March 18. “I can assure you that whatever supply we are able to receive, we are ready to immediately deploy and to get into the arms of Marylanders,” Hogan said. “White House officials assured governors today that they are working to increase the supply of all vaccines by the end of March and throughout April.” Maryland is still in Phase 1C of the vaccine distribution plan, which includes residents 65 and over, as well
as critical workers in high-risk settings. While federal guidelines make 2 million Marylanders eligible, the state is only receiving 12,000 first doses per day. “With this week’s incremental increase in supply, we were able to increase our allocations to provides all across the state. This week both hospitals and local health departments received increased in their allocations,” Hogan said. “This includes increases in the allocated doses of Pfizer and Moderna, and each local health department and community health center will also receive an initial allocation of Johnson & Johnson.” In addition, Hogan advised providers that additional increases in allocations may be available to them in the coming weeks if they are able to use them. “Providers will be required to administer all of the doses that they receive within one week of delivery in order to prioritized for an increase in allocation,” he said. As of Thursday, Maryland providers have administered 1,436,396 total doses of covid-19 vaccines, and over 94 percent of all first doses received from the federal government have been administered. The state is averaging 35,065 shots per See JANSSEN Page 23
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Janssen single-dose covid vaccine approved Continued from Page 22 day. More than 40 percent of the eligible population has been vaccinated. In Worcester County, 11,354 people have received the first dose, or 21.7 percent of the population. Meanwhile, 7,382 second doses have been administered, which is equivalent to 14. 1 percent of the population. As of Wednesday, the Worcester County Health Department has received 3,985 first doses and 3,875 second doses, all of which are the Moderna vaccine, said Travis Brown, public affairs officer for the health department. So far, the health department has administered 3,602 first doses ad 3,153 second doses to people in Phases 1A, 1B and 1C. During the vaccine clinics from Feb. 23-27, 869 doses of Moderna were administered. “Per Maryland Department of Health guidance, we are prioritizing Maryland residents but not turning away residents from other states,” Brown said. Jones told the commissioners Tuesday that the health department will receive 100 initial doses of the Janssen coronavirus vaccine. The health department hosts vaccine clinics at the Worcester County Recreation Center in Snow Hill on Tuesdays, West Ocean City Park and
Ride on Thursdays, the Elks Lodge in Pocomoke on Fridays and the Worcester County Health Department facility in Snow Hill on Saturdays when doses are available. The health department has a single central waiting listing that includes all clinics. To register for this waiting list, call 667-253-2140. Individuals are advised to leave a phone number, so they can be notified when an appointment time becomes available based on eligibility. The number that will show up when the Worcester County Health Department Covid-19 Vaccine Call Center calls you back, will come up as 410-632-1100 or 410-632-1016. The call center will request the following information: first name, last name, email address, phone number, age, first dose or second dose, Phase 1C eligibility, any underlying health conditions, and county and state of residence. So far, Atlantic General Hospital has received 7,840 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, said Sarah Yonker, director of marketing for the hospital. Community members in Phases 1A, 1B and 1C have received about 5,762 of those doses as of Wednesday. The hospital has 319 staff members who have completed Pfizer and 342 who have completed Moderna. Addi-
tionally, 16 more employees have received their first dose of Pfizer. Yonker said the hospital received 100 doses of Janssen’s covid-19 vaccine on Wednesday. Currently, Atlantic General Hospital is offering covid-19 vaccine clinics Tuesday through Friday that prioritize individuals in Maryland 65 years and older as well as educators in the state. “This week, we are providing second doses for educators,” Yonker said. Last week, 1,101 doses of the vaccine were administered through the clinics. Yonker added that people are pulled from the waitlist at almost all clinics. Online registration is required through the state of Maryland’s covid19 vaccine scheduling website, marylandvax.org. Photo identification is required at the appointment. Patients and community members are advised to arrive no more than 15 minutes prior to their appointment. For more information about how to register for a vaccine clinic, visit agh.care/vaccine or call the coronavirus vaccine information line at 410-641-9272. Through the federal long-term care program, CVS and Walgreens are conducting vaccination clinics at
Maryland nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Patients must register in advance at CVS.com or through the CVS Pharmacy app. People without online access can contact CVS customer service at 800-746-7287. Walk-in vaccinations without an appointment will not be provided. Giant, Walmart, Safeway and Rite Aid pharmacies have also joined the state’s vaccine distribution network in critical areas. A new statewide system is launching in March to pre-register for the state-run mass vaccination sites. A mass vaccination site at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury will open no later than March 18, Hogan announced on Tuesday. “TidalHealth has been selected as the clinical partner for this Eastern Shore site,” Hogan said. Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-38) expressed support for Hogan’s decision to locate the covid-19 mass vaccination site in Salisbury. “I encourage my constituents to take advantage of having a covid-19 mass vaccination site right here in Salisbury, the crossroads of Delmarva,” Carozza said. “I am continuing to push for increased vaccine availability for my constituents and See TWILIGHT Page 24
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Twilight ceremony on Friday honors covid-19 victims Continued from Page 23 will not rest until all my constituents who want a vaccine are able to receive one. I encourage my constituents to receive the vaccine when it becomes available as we work together for a full covid-19 recovery.” For vaccine information and resources, visit covidlink.maryland.gov. As of Thursday, Worcester’s covid19 positivity rate was 2.77 percent, a decrease from 4.79 percent last week. That’s below the state’s rate of 3.24 percent. Worcester has confirmed 24 new cases since last week. This brings the county’s total cases since March to 3,276. The Maryland Department of Health reported Berlin and Ocean Pines had 1,320 and Ocean City had 818. Worcester has recorded 92 deaths from covid-19. As of Wednesday evening, Atlantic General Hospital had no patients with coronavirus, Yonker said. Hospital personnel have cared for eight patients who have come off a ventilator. Atlantic General has discharged 318 coronavirus patients who are recovering. This Friday, Maryland will commemorate the one-year anniversary
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of the state’s first confirmed cases of covid-19. Hogan will declare Friday a day of remembrance in honor of the more than 7,700 Marylanders who have lost their lives during the pandemic. A twilight ceremony, which will be livestreamed, will be held at the State House in the evening, and in coordination with local leaders, buildings across the state will be lit up amber. “One year ago at this time, we could not have fathomed the toll that the pandemic would take on each and every one of us,” Hogan said. “On Friday, we will pause as a state to remember all those we have lost, and express our gratitude to the healthcare heroes and frontline workers whose many sacrifices have saved lives and kept us safe.” As of Thursday, Maryland has reported 384,765 confirmed cases of covid-19. Public health officials encourage anyone who feels sick, or who may have had contact with someone who has contracted the coronavirus to get tested. All Worcester County resi-
dents, employees and their children 8 years and older who are experiencing covid-19 symptoms are eligible for testing. People who suspect they may have the virus should call their primary care providers or the health department. The Worcester County Health Department has a hotline Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to determine if a person should be tested. Call 410-632-1100, select option eight and then press one. Testing is available at most urgent care centers and some pharmacies. People who have covid-like symptoms can also discuss options for testing with their primary care providers, according to the local health department. Saturday hours for covid-19 testing have been expanded at Atlantic ImmediCare urgent care clinic on 10th Street. Individuals can now get a test between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays. No appointment is necessary. Weekday hours for walk-in testing continue to be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Because of high demand for testing, anyone planning to arrive after 2
p.m. during the week is asked to call ahead. The testing clinic can be reached at 410-289-0065. Rapid tests are available for patients experiencing two or more symptoms of the coronavirus. Exposure to someone with covid-19 is not a factor for rapid testing. If a patient does not meet the criteria to have a rapid test, they can still have the standard test. Turnaround time varies from 48 hours to five days. For more information, visit www.agh.care/COVID19. To track Maryland cases, visit coronavirus.maryland.gov/. Marylanders are also encouraged to sign up for additional updates by texting ‘MdReady’ to 898-211. Furthermore, the Maryland Department of Health has opened the Maryland GoVAX Covid-19 Vaccination Support Center to address vaccination eligibility, covid-19 testing sites, scheduling for first and second dose vaccine appointments, getting help finding a vaccination provider by proximity and discovering information about the covid-19 vaccine.
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Ocean City Today Mar. 5, 2021
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County residents short-changed Worcester County’s covid-19 vaccine problem is like the school funding problem in reverse. The county’s vaccine allocation is not sufficient to meet the demand, because the state doesn’t take into account the tens of thousands of vaccine candidates who live here part-time. Meanwhile, school funding from the state is reduced to paltry levels because the tax base — the source of county school finances — is boosted to the highest per capita level in the state in part by properties these part-time residents own. As a result, the county’s bona fide year-round residents are getting the short end of the stick. They can’t get vaccines because people not included in the census are competing for slots, and they are having to shoulder a higher percentage of school funding, because of properties they don’t own. The school funding formula is more complicated than that, of course, and it’s more of a matter of a less-than-wealthy population being considered on par financially with investors and owners of second homes and vacation properties. The vaccine problem, however, is clear: residents are having to compete with nonresidents, whose frequent presence is unaccounted for in the census or any other official calculation. Finding a remedy for this shortchanging of Worcester residents is more than a matter of fairness. It’s the reality of things that’s being ignored. Surely, state officials, elected and otherwise, can see this inequity and find some middle ground on these fronts so yearround residents are treated more like every other resident of the state in all regards.
Ocean City Today P.O. Box 3500, Ocean City, Md. 21843 Phone: 410-723-6397 / Fax: 410-723-6511.
EDITOR ............................................ Stewart Dobson MANAGING EDITOR ................................ Lisa Capitelli STAFF WRITERS ....................Greg Ellison, Ally Lanasa, ..........................................Neely James, Greg Wehner ASSISTANT PUBLISHER .......................... Elaine Brady ACCOUNT MANAGERS.......... Mary Cooper, Vicki Shrier CLASSIFIEDS/LEGALS MANAGER .... Nancy MacCubbin SENIOR DESIGNER ................................ Susan Parks GRAPHIC ARTIST .................................... Kelly Brown PUBLISHER........................................ Christine Brown ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT ...................... Gini Tufts
Ocean City Today is published weekly by FLAG Publications, Inc. at 8200 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, Md. 21842. Ocean City Today is available by subscription at $150 a year. Visit us on the Web at www.oceancitytoday.com. Copyright 2021
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PUBLIC EYE
Let’s legalize it all
The Commonwealth of Virginia, which calls itself a commonwealth because it’s otherwise a state of political confusion, has decided to legalize marijuana for recreational use in 2024. That means pretty soon, we’ll be able to drive down to Chincoteague to get oysters and then forget why we’re there. In addition, with all the extreme political divides in the commonwealth, this offers Virginia the opportunity By to establish for the public Stewart some common talking points, Dobson such as, “Ooooooh, wooww,” and “Yeaaah, I agreeeeeeee.” And in the combative General Assembly, “I call on my colleagues to support ... umm ... support ... hahahahahahahaha. Group Hug! Yeaaaaah, that’s it. Who’s hungry?” Meanwhile, rural tobacco farmers and those in the bumpkin set who believe that the legalization of weed is a commie plot will realize they can make some real money if they turn over a new leaf while everyone else is busy staring at the sun and rediscovering the Grateful Dead. Now, before everyone starts beating me up because I suggested that the commonwealth has a bumpkin element, you should know that I am a card-carrying bumpkin, having come from a long line of Eastern Shore bumpkins going back many generations. In fact, when the first vessels sailed up the Chesapeake and landed on the shores of this peninsula, the colonial immigration authorities questioned each new arrival about his or
her vocational intentions. As the story goes, my great-great-great-great grandfather on my father’s side came ashore with a sign that said, “Bumpkin Apprentice, Looking to Move Up ... But Not Very Far.” Add to that the fact that I was born on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, the existence of which has yet to be recognized by many mainland folks, and grew up in Caroline County, Maryland, the soybean capital of itself, and I’d say my bumpkin papers are impeccable. But I digress. The thing about Virginia legalizing recreational weed is that we’re going to be surrounded by this big purple haze, what with Delaware now talking about it because New Jersey has it. Sure, Pennsylvania, like Maryland, only has medical marijuana (yeah right, cough, cough), but half of Pennsylvania pretty much lives on Coastal Highway anyway, so it doesn’t count. The thing is, we can’t continue to play catch-up with our neighbors like we did with gambling and probably will with marijuana. We need to make the bold move in this morality vs. money business and legalize prostitution (male and female, just to be clear), but just for medical purposes, you understand. Yes, it does sound extreme, but we have no place else to go, now that we’ve legalized most, if not all, the other vices. I understand that could be a problem in a tourist destination like this one, but it also might be a way to solve more than one problem by giving us a legal opening to ban street performances altogether. And money? We’ll be rolling in it ... but for medical reasons only.
MARCH 5, 2021
PAGE 27
Ocean City Today
WORLD WAR II
Prien, Bull of Scapa Flow, attacked By Sam Ghaleb Contributing Writer (March, 5, 2021) Eighty years ago, this week, U-47 commanded, by Günther Prien, was attacked and sunk in the North Atlantic, west of Ireland, by destroyers HMS Wolverine and HMS Verity. This happened not long after Prien was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander. Prien, nicknamed the Bull of Scapa Flow, was one of the most daring Uboat commanders, and, by many accounts, probably the most daring submarine commander of any navy in World War II. In 1939, he and his U-47 became famous for his audacious sinking of the British battleship HMS Royal Oak in the heavily defended British Home Fleet main harbor at Scapa Flow on Oct. 14. Even Winston Churchill described the attack on Scapa Flow as, “a remarkable feat of professional skill and daring.” He was one of the best submarine officers in the German Navy. He was born on Jan. 16, 1908 and joined the German merchant navy in the summer of 1923. He transferred to the German Reichsmarine (the Navy) in 1933 and served on board the light cruiser Königsberg before entering the U-boat service in 1935.
At the end of his training, he was assigned First Officer of the Watch on U-26, in which capacity he served under Capt. Lt. Hartmann patrolling Spanish waters during the Spanish Civil War. The talented Prien rose steadily in the ranks until he was given command of the new Type VIIB submarine, U47, when she was commissioned on Dec. 17, 1938 and was promoted to the rank of Kapitänleutnant on Feb. 1, 1939. He continued to command U-47 during the war. He departed Kiel on Aug. 19, 1939 for a patrol lasting 28 days. On Sept. 5, he sank the British ship Bosnia, the second U-boat sinking of the war. Two more British vessels were sunk by U47 over the next two days. It returned to Kiel on Sept. 15. On Oct. 14, 1939, Prien accepted the mission to attack the Royal Navy Primary base at Scapa Flow. In the base were some of the Royal Navy’s best warships. The best defense of Scapa Flow was its shallow waters and tricky currents. Although most of the home fleet was at sea, Prien sank the battleship HMS Royal Oak and returned home where he became a celebrity. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross personally by Adolf
Hitler, and was the first sailor of the U-boat service and the second member of the Kriegsmarine to receive this award. The mission into Scapa Flow called for volunteers only. He had no hesitation in accepting the mission. In a token to the dangerous and risky mission, Prien spoke to his crew while U47 was lying off Scapa Flow, and having briefed them, he announced that anyone not wishing to volunteer could leave the boat immediately. Unsurprisingly, no one accepted the offer to disembark in the middle of the North Sea. After maneuvering U47 through the risky currents, Prien was able to position his boat in a favorable position and fired his torpedoes, hitting the Royal Oak and sinking her with the loss 833 sailors. After he received the nickname,”The Bull of Scapa Flow,” the emblem of a snorting bull was painted on the conning tower of U-47 and soon became the emblem of the entire 7th U-boat Flotilla. Two members of the Scapa Flow crew earned the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II: the chief engineer Johann-Friedrich Wessels and 1st watch officer Engelbert Endrass. Kept secret by the German naval command was the fact that Prien had
Gu nther Prien wearing Knight's Cross
fired a total of seven torpedoes at his target, of which five failed because of long-standing problems with their depth steering and their magnetic detonator systems. These problems continued to plague the German submariners for a long time, particularly during the German invasion of Norway, when the Uboats were unable to keep the Royal Navy at bay. On Dec. 5 1939, U-47 spotted 12 merchant vessels escorted by three destroyers. It fired three torpedoes, sinking the British steamer Navasota from Convoy OB 46 on its way to Buenos Continued on Page 28
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Ocean City Today
MARCH 5, 2021
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Bowl of spicy chili will bring comfort on cold, dreary day By Deborah Lee Walker Contributing Writer (March 5, 2021) There is nothing more comforting on a cold, dreary day than a bowl of spicy chili and an ice-cold beer. The steamy, savory dish graces menus across America, and the array of toppings is just as delectable. Shredded cheese, chopped onions, minced jalapeños and sour cream are just a few tempting ways we personalize the wintery dish. But as one is salivating every little bite, do you know the history of this famous dish? One should never assume, you might be surprised. The origin of chili encompasses an irrefutable subject of uncertainty. Certitude is not included in this dish of meat, beans and peppers. While many food historians agree that chili is an American dish with Mexican roots, Mexicans are said to indignantly deny any association with it. According to National Chili Day, one theory to support such a claim is the possibility that Sister Mary Agreda, a Spanish nun in the early 1600s who never left the convent, had out-of-body experiences in which her spirit was transported across the Atlantic to preach Christianity to the Indians. After one of her trips, her spirit wrote down the first recipe for chili con carne. On a more realistic note, most historians agree the earliest written description of chili con carne came from J.C. Clopper, who resided near Houston. His book of memoranda included his visit to San Antonia in 1828. He observed how the poor would cut meat into small portions to make it last longer and stew it with peppers. Although his description does not mention “chili,” there is certainly a close correlation. In the 1880s, a market in San Antonio started serving chili con and the dish soon became a tourist favorite. It was featured at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893 at the San Antonio Chili Stand, and needless to say, the rest is history. If chili wets your tastebuds, following are a few tips for fabulous chili.
Most chili seasoning packets call for water; use stock or flavored broths. Beef is the obvious choice. However, the addition of chicken stock and beer will give the chili base much more complexity. In addition, veal demi-glace will add a flavor profile that is unmatched. Veal demi-glace is optional but well worth the extra money. This product can be purchased online. Finely chopped zucchini, squash and carrots will break down during the long cooking process and will act as a natural thickener and also add a veggie boost to the hearty meat dish. Beans or no beans are up to the individual cook. But if one decides to add beans, consider black and cannellini beans in addition to the tradition kidney beans. Variation adds to the creativity, which produces a more interesting chili. Thicken the chili base with a slurry of corn starch and chili broth. A thickened base will support the richness of ingredients. Always cook chili in a heavy-bottomed pot. This helps reduce the chances of burning. Chili needs time to rest so the flavors can come together. As a result, I make the chili the day before I am planning to serve it. Preparing chili is a time-consuming process. It is best to make a big pot so you can freeze leftovers for future use. Chili can be served by itself or over pasta, rice or fries. Do not forget the toppings. They are just as important as the chili itself. Spring is around the corner, but March can be a beast. What better way to warm your tummy than a bowl of mouthwatering chili? Enjoy!
Chili at Its Best Ingredients 6 pounds of ground beef 1 pound Italian sweet sausage, casings removed and crumbled 1 pound Italian hot sausage, casings removed and crumbled 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 large yellow onions, chopped 8 cloves garlic, minced 8 stalks celery (including the leaves), chopped See CHILI Page 30
WORLD WAR II Continued from Page 27 Aires, killing 37 sailors. The next day, U-47 sank the Norwegian tanker Britta, with six of her crew lost, followed by the Dutch steamer Tajandoen, on Dec. 7, 1939. The next day, Chief Engineer Wessels reported that the boat only had sufficient fuel to make the return trip. The German Naval Command then ordered U-47 to return to port. It returned to Kiel on Dec. 18, 1939, having sunk 23,168 tons of merchant shipping and damaged the Royal Navy heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk. One of the most controversial patrols by U-47 was when Prien sighted and attacked the SS Arandora Star, carrying over 1,200 German and Italian civilian internees and 86 German prisoners of war to captivity in Canada. Over 800 lives were lost. In spite of everything, Prien was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight’s Cross in 1940. During the next 14 months, U-47 completed a total of 10 war patrols, spending 238 days at sea. In his last patrol, begun on February 20, 1941, he left the U-boat base in Lorient, France, bound for the North Atlantic. During this patrol, Prien attacked and sank six ships of almost 45,000 tons. On March 7, 1941, his luck ran out. After sighting and attacking convoy OB-290, no radio messages were ever heard again from U-47 after she reported her position south of Iceland. The sinking of U-47 and the death of Günther Prien is mired in controversy. The common story that is accepted today is the destroyers Wolverine and Verity attacked U-47 after Prien decided to dive to escape, and, in a fierce depth charge attack, dropped patterns
of depth charges until U-47 rose almost to the surface, before sinking and then exploded with an orange flash visible from the surface. But there are other stories circling on how U-47 sank. It is now suspected that U-47 may have been hit by one of her own circling torpedoes, and possibly a later attack that did not confirm any kills by the corvettes HMS Camellia and HMS Arbutus. Prien’s death was kept secret until May 23, 1941. Churchill had personally announced it to the House of Commons, and propaganda broadcasts to Germany had repeatedly taunted listeners with the question “Where is Prien?” until Germany was forced to acknowledge his loss. Although he was at sea for less than two years, his record stands high among the U-boat aces during the Second World War. He spent 238 days at sea and sank 31 enemy ships for a total tonnage of 191,919 tons and damaged eight more for a total of 62,751 tons. These ships were mostly British, but others came from Denmark, Panama, Holland, Greece, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, and Portugal. Ten days after the death of Prien, Otto Kretschmer, the highest scoring U-boat ace in World War II, was captured by the British, and Joachim Schepke in U-100 was also killed. So, in the first two weeks of March 1941, Germany lost three of her top scoring U-boat commanders. Prien was survived by his wife, Ingeborg, who he married in 1939. He had two daughters, Birgit and Dagmar. Next week: The Capture of Otto Kretschmer
MARCH 5, 2021
Ocean City Today
PAGE 29
PAGE 30
MARCH 5, 2021
Ocean City Today
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
REAL ESTATE REPORT
Chili con carne recipe dates Individual, business rates of back centuries to U.S. South withholding tax in Maryland Continued from Page 28 1 red, yellow, orange and poblano pepper, seeded, stems removed, and chopped 2 small yellow squashes 2 zucchinis 2 carrots 6 cups chicken stock 6 cups beef stock 3 cups water 2 (12 oz.) cans of favorite beer 3 tablespoons veal demi-glace 2 (28 oz.) cans of whole tomatoes, seeded, chopped, and reserve the tomato water 8 (1.25 oz.) favorite chili seasoning packets 3 teaspoons corn starch 2 (15.25 oz.) cans of dark kidney beans, drained 1 (15.25 oz.) cans of dark beans, drained 1 (15.25 oz.) cans of cannellini beans, drained 1. In a large Dutch oven or large pressure cooker, sauté ground beef over medium heat until it is fully cooked. Drain the meat to remove excess fat, set aside. 2. In the same pan, sauté sausages until the meat is fully cooked. Remove the meat, keeping the sausage fat in the pan.
3. Combine olive oil with the fat. 4. Add the onions, garlic, celery and peppers, and sauté until they become soft, about 7 minutes. 5. In the meantime, remove the seeds from the squash and zucchini, but keep the skins intact. Quarter the vegetables and finely chop in a food processor. Peel the carrots, quarter them and finely chop in a food processor. 6. Add the cooked meat, carrots, zucchini, squash, stocks, water, beer, demiglace, tomatoes, and chili seasonings to the onion mixture. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook with the lid on for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add a slurry of 3 teaspoons of chili broth and 3 teaspoons of cornstarch. Adjust seasonings if necessary. If the chili is a touch too salty, add the tomato water. Stir and cook for another 30 minutes with the lid on. 7. Add the beans and cook for the final 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow chili to rest until it has completely cooled. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 8. Serve chili with your favorite condiments. Secret Ingredient – Assumptions. “It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into.” – Jonathan Swift
By Lauren Bunting Contributing Writer (March 5, 2021) Anyone who sells a property in Maryland, but is a “non-resident” of the state, must pay a withholding tax. Recently, the Maryland Association of Realtors released information on various aspects of this law as presented by the Office of the Comptroller of Maryland, Revenue Administration Division. The law has been in place for more than 10 years, with two rates in place. Last year the withholding amount changed to 8 percent for individuals and trusts. The rate for business entities stayed at 8.25 percent. Simply put, a non-resident is a person who resides in another state or country. But according to the Office of the Comptroller, “If you have an individual client who has lived in Maryland and was a Maryland resident, they will be a resident until they establish residency in another state.” A list of common misconceptions was provided as follows: • Is it a tax? No, it is not a tax, but an estimated
payment (withholding) toward any income tax liability that the seller may have as a result of capital gain. Currently, the rate of withholding is 7.5 percent. • Why would the non-resident seller pay tax to Maryland on capital gains? Because any income realized from the sale is Maryland income, regardless of where the seller lives. Income from the sale of Maryland real property is Maryland income and must be reported to Maryland. • Who qualifies for an exemption? Almost anyone will qualify for at least a partial exemption, but they must apply before closing. There are special situations that apply as well. One exemption is if the seller’s home qualifies as a principal residence under federal law. The non-resident seller may apply once the property is under contract but must be at least 21 days before closing. The earlier the seller is aware of this requirement, the better it is so that they may find the application and gather information necessary to apply. The application for an exemption, MW506AE, may be found on www.marylandtaxes.com and questions can be emailed to nrshelp@comp.state.md.us. – Lauren Bunting is an Associate Broker with Atlantic Shores Sotheby’s International Realty in Ocean City.
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MARCH 5, 2021
PAGE 31
Ocean City Today
Berlin Planning Commission approves Route 50 Auto Zone By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) A site plan for a beige Auto Zone store that would replace the former McDonald’s building on Route 50 in Berlin was approved by the Berlin Planning Commission last Wednesday at a virtual special meeting. Applicant Kevin Murphy told the commission the new landscaping plan showed additional trees as requested with three trees at the front of the site. Trees were selected based on the requested 15-foot or 20-foot height. “It’s nice to see the trees,” said Commission member Pete Cosby. “Is it possible to get any on the east or west side or is that not possible to fit in?” Eugene Dvorchak, senior engineer at MDM Surveyors & Engineers, responded that there is a storm line that runs down one side where there is some grass, which connects the rear stormwater management system to the stormwater management system in the front of the property. “The day after our previous meeting for this site plan approval, Mr. Dvorchak, he reached out to our stormwater engineer, EA Engineering, and myself, and the three of us talked about it and they found a way to put these trees in in the front that will still satisfy stormwater requirements and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and it does not interfere with view lines for State Highway for U.S. [Route] 50,” said Dave Engelhart, Berlin’s planning director. Murphy submitted two color variations for review – a gray color scheme or a beige, earth-tone color scheme. “Auto Zone’s first choice is the gray color scheme,” he said. Murphy also discussed the architectural changes made from the first site plan, including four faux windows, three different roof height variations, a decorative cornice on the roofline and pilasters that protrude from the main building made with split face block. He added that the parapets have always been incorporated in the de-
sign. “I’ll just say, Kevin, thank you for making all the changes. It looks great,” said Commission member Austin Purnell. “I know it was some extra work on your guys’ end and a delay from last time, but it looks great. I like it, and I’d say go with the earth-tone. That’s my opinion.” The commission members favored the earth-tone option. The Auto Zone project passed unanimously with Commission member Ron Cascio and alternate David
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SITE PLAN COURTESY AUTO ZONE
The Berlin Planning Commission approved a site plan for an earth-tone Auto Zone store that would replace the former McDonald’s building on Route 50 in Berlin that features four faux windows, three different roof height variations, a decorative cornice on the roofline and pilasters that protrude from the main building made with split face block.
“DJ” Lockwood absent. Responding to Murphy, Engelhart said the project does not need to proceed for approval from the Berlin mayor and Town Council because the
planning commission approves site plans. Engelhart added that the mayor and council would only be involved if the project involved annexation.
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Ocean City Today
MARCH 5, 2021
SD fall sports teams to begin competition By Lisa Capitelli Managing Editor (March 5, 2021) It may be winter going into spring, but the Maryland high school sports teams that play in the fall will finally be able to have a season, which kicks off today for Stephen Decatur. “Everyone is excited to get back to sports and feel some sort of normalcy,” said Decatur Principal Tom Sites. “Sports has a big impact on students’ lives. Camaraderie, competition, sports teaches you so much about life. It’s also about a healthy lifestyle and being active.” Teams that play in the winter had practices and inter-squad scrimmages, but they missed out on a competitive season because of covid. Preseason opened on Feb. 13 for fall sports teams, which include football, golf, soccer, field hockey and volleyball. Teams will play a few less games than they would during a normal season and only compete against Bayside South opponents. At this time, there will be no playoffs. The fall season will run until April 17, and then spring sports teams will begin their preseason. Safety protocols and precautions are in place to help stop the spread of covid. Athletes will have to wear masks while playing and social distance on the sidelines. Each athlete will be allotted two family passes for spectators for the season, which are paid for in advance. Those passes must be used by the same person and will be scanned along with a QR code upon entry into the Decatur stadium or the gym. Passes can’t be purchased at the gate. Spectators must also be 21 or older, wear masks and social distance in the stands. “It’s all about accountability and contact tracing. We wish we could let more [spectators] in, but these are the guidelines [the county and conference] came up with,” Sites said. “It’s how we have to do it. It’s not ideal, but at least we’re getting our kids out there.” Hand sanitizer stations will be set up and unfortunately, no concessions will be sold. Sports fan can watch all of the home games live on the Stephen Decatur YouTube channel. BOYS’ SOCCER: The boys’ soccer team will be the first to take the field. The Seahawks will host the James M. Bennett Clippers today, Friday, at 4 p.m. in Berlin. Coach Jamie Greenwood said he and the players are glad to be competing. “I have been praying on it all year since they canceled the fall season,” he said. “The kids needed it – not just the seniors, everybody needs it.” Fall sports teams were able to do some practices back in November,
but then covid cases began to rise so they got shut down. “There was so much excitement for those few days. They couldn’t have been happier,” Greenwood said. “They’re definitely excited and taking advantage of it.” The team will play 10 games, a few less than during a normal season. “I’m just thrilled to be out there,” he said. “It’s different to be out there in parkas and beanies instead of Tshirts and shorts and dealing with the heat, but the good thing is they want to keep moving [to stay warm].” There are 23 players on Greenwood’s roster, 11 of whom competed last fall when the team went 12-2. This year he has nine seniors, seven juniors, four sophomores and three freshmen. “We have a combination of veteran returning players and newcomers. Many of the seniors this is their third year on varsity,” Greenwood said. “They know the system and what the expectations are. I feel we mesh really well.” Senior center back Evan Kinsey, a four-year player, has been named team captain. Greenwood said the goal is for the players to improve and to build toward next season. One advantage of playing in March and April is that the time is shorter until the next season, that is if they start back when preseason would normally begin for fall sports, in August. “We can get the younger guys ready to fill the shoes of those graduating,” he said. “We’ll finish April 17, so we’ll have only four months off instead of eight or nine months, and hopefully build upon what we already have.” GIRLS’ SOCCER: The girls’ soccer team is also scheduled to play today. The Lady Seahawks will head to Snow Hill to face the Eagles at 5:30 p.m. “The girls are happy to be out and playing soccer and be around each other,” Coach Steve Isett said. The team will play 10 games instead of the normal 12 this season. Isett said with only one senior, Morgan Davis, the squad is young. There are a few juniors, but the bulk of the team consists of sophomores. He will have about 20 players on his roster, and some will float between varsity and JV. Five of the players competed last season. Decatur finished last season 4-9. The goal this year is to go .500, which Isett said he knows will be a challenge. He plans to pick captains after seeing who steps up as leaders in tonight’s competition. “We have a good sophomore class that’s coming back and a few juniors that will help us,” he said. “We have three or four freshmen that will be starters. We’re definitely young, but
the girls coming in are stronger soccer players.” Isett said he wants to build a good, quality soccer program. “I want the girls to play good soccer - good passing, moving the ball around and good movement off the ball. Good possession soccer,” he said. FOOTBALL: The football team also begins its season tonight under the direction of Jake Coleman. The team will travel to Salisbury to battle the Parkside Rams at 6 p.m. “Everyone is beyond excited. They’re chomping at the bit to get out there,” Coleman said. “It’s going outstanding so far. We’re not dealing with the heat [in August]. Fifty degrees is perfect for football. It’s all worth it to be out here with the kids. It’s an outlet they so desperately need.” Decatur finished last season 3-6 under longtime Head Coach Bob Knox, who retired. Coleman was named the new head coach last February. Coleman said practices have been fun and uptempo, with music playing. “They kids are really enjoying practicing. It’s been awesome,” he said. “The kids are playing for the love of the game right now. They love having the opportunity to play. It’s about building relationships. We’re enjoying every single moment together because tomorrow is not promised.” The team will play seven instead of nine games. “We’re focusing on getting better and enjoying the game,” Coleman said. There are about 74 athletes in the program, with about 30-plus on both the varsity and JV teams. “We have a healthy mix of veterans and newcomers,” he said. FIELD HOCKEY: The field hockey team opens it season on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. in Salisbury against the James M. Bennett Clippers. The group will be lead by new Head Coach Katie Griffin. She has been a high school field hockey official for 18 years and is looking forward to leading the Seahawk squad. “We’re happy to be able to play even if it’s a shortened season. We’ll take what we can get,” she said. There are 23 girls in the field hockey program, between varsity and JV. The team finished 3-10 last season. Griffin said she plans on choosing captains this week and added that the veterans are doing a good job assisting the younger players. The squad will play 10 games, a few less then usual. She worked with the players during a summer league, which was helpful, she said. Griffin has also been around the girls a few years as
her daughter, Skylar, has been on the varsity team since she was a freshman. “The girls are willing to learn, they’re listening and ready to absorb and improve,” Griffin added. “I can see the growth with every practice. They’re all developing and getting better. It’s a great blend of veterans and some brand new to the sport.” Griffin said her goal is for the girls to be competitive, to want to play hard and improve each game. CROSS COUNTRY: The cross country team will have its first meet on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. While the runners are happy to have a season, they will only compete in tri-meets. During a typical season, the standard meet is about seven teams. There will also be no large, more competitive meets or invitationals this year. Wearing masks while running 5Ks is also challenging, Coach Jody Stigler said. “It definitely tests how good their cardiovascular endurance is,” he added. “All the kids are working hard. The season is shortened a bit, but we’re still getting in a decent amount of meets.” There are seven girls and 10 boys participating. Most are veterans, either competing in cross county, indoor or outdoor track. “We have a couple good runners on both sides,” Stigler said. “I hope they can continue to get better.” He will look to senior Mary Mergott to lead the girls’ squad and juniors Tristan Dutton and Sam Woodley and senior Liam Foley to lead the boys’ team. VOLLEYBALL: The volleyball team’s first match is Thursday, March 11 against the Parkside Rams at 4 p.m. in Berlin. “We’re really excited to spend time with the girls and work on building our team. It’s nice to do something that’s somewhat normal,” said Coach Sara Patrick. “It’s a great group of girls. We have amazing senior leadership.” The team started on Feb. 16. There were two days of tryouts before being broken up into varsity and JV. There are 12 on each team. There are five seniors on the varsity team. Six of the 12 varsity players competed last year, when the team finished 10-6. “We seem to start out a lot better every season skill-wise,” she said. “The girls are getting along and playing together. They come to practice happy to be there. We have 100 percent buy-in from all the players.” The team will play 10 games, a few less than during a typical season. Patrick said the team is heavy in the setter position – with four girls in that spot. She plans to move players See PLAYERS Page 33
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Ocean City Today
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WP girls’ basketball team wins twice in OT By Lisa Capitelli Managing Editor (March 5, 2021) The Worcester Prep girls’ basketball team earned victories in overtime in its last two games. Worcester hosted the Holly Grove Eagles last Friday and won, 38-33, on Senior Night. “It was an unbelievable game. We were down the whole time,” said Prep Coach Brian McDermott. “They were so excited to have people in the gym [seniors’ parents] to watch. They came through in the clutch.” The visiting Eagles scored seven in the first quarter and held the Lady Mallards to one point. Both teams scored nine points in the second half. At halftime, Holly Grove led, 16-10. McDermott said the Mallards knew it was far from their best performance in the first half. The girls picked up their level of play in the third quarter and the momentum switched, McDermott said. “That swing put us back in the game,” he said. “We made some adjustments and the second half was much better. Worcester outscored its opponent, 14-5, in the third quarter to pull ahead, 24-21. Holly Grove battled back in the fourth quarter and at the end of regulation, the score was tied,
29-29. “Their endurance, they made a commitment to stay in shape and it shows right now,” McDermott said. Worcester put nine points on the board in overtime and held Holly Grove to four. Senior captain CC Lizas led Worcester with 17 points. “CC won the game for us. We were up by two and she got the last steal and layup to put us up by four,” McDermott said. Junior captain Lily Baeurle scored 15 points. “Without her, we’re not even in the game,” McDermott added. “Her defensive efforts impressed me.” Worcester traveled to Salisbury on Tuesday to face the Salisbury School Dragons. The Mallards led 17-12 at the end of the first quarter. They outscored the Dragons 12-8 in the second quarter to go into halftime on top, 29-20. After three quarters, the Prep team was ahead, 38-30. Holly Grove chipped away at Worcester’s advantage in the fourth quarter. At the end of regulation, the score was tied, 4646. “We had a nice cushy lead and we got comfortable. They took their foot off the pedal and put it in cruise control. Salisbury School saw the end
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coming and they played great,” McDermott said. Despite Salisbury’s momentum, McDermott was confident his players would prevail in overtime. “We were more athletic and we were the better team,” he added. “They felt the disappointment. I reminded them that they were the better than that and, let’s get out of there with the win. They find ways amongst
themselves to get it done.” Worcester shut out Salisbury, 11-0, in the extra period to win 57-46. Lizas led Worcester with 25 points. Junior Morgan White scored 16 and Baeurle netted 12. Worcester’s final game in its shortened season was slated for yesterday, Thursday, against Holly Grove. The Prep team was 4-1 going into the game.
Worcester boys’ basketball team wins over Holly Grove By Lisa Capitelli Managing Editor (March 5, 2021) The Worcester Prep boys’ basketball team controlled last Friday’s game against the Holly Grove Eagles, once the Mallards found their groove. “It took a little bit to get going. Once they got some defensive turnovers and buckets they rolled from there,” said Prep Coach Pat Moylan. “Except for the first few minutes, they played well. Everyone got a lot of playing time. They’re getting better.” Worcester led 17-4 at the end of the first in Westover. By halftime, the Berlin squad had pulled ahead, 29-9. The Mallards outscored the Eagles, 19-5, in the third quarter. They added 11 points in the fourth quarter to win, 59-14. “Defensively, they were all over Holly Grove,” Moylan said. “They’re
good athletes. They’re having fun with it. Their attitudes have been fantastic despite what’s going on. Their enthusiasm and their effort has been great.” Junior Brice Richins led Worcester with 15 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. “I’m pleased with his aggressiveness,” Moylan said. Sophomore Griffin Jones chipped in with 12 points, six assists, six steals and three rebounds. “He did a great job distributing the ball,” Moylan said. “Our starters shot the ball well and we got good shots.” Sophomore Jack Gardner had seven points, eight rebounds and three steals. Worcester was scheduled to play its last game of the shortened season yesterday, Thursday. The Mallards were 1-2 going into the match against Holly Grove in Berlin.
Players and coaches excited for opportunity to compete Continued from Page 32 around to see who fits best where. “I’m excited how we look now and where we should start next season,” Patrick said. “We’re doing well with our passing, which is something we’ve focused on the last few years. We’re working on our jump serves, and we want to have a much stronger presence at the net, defensive-wise, covering and blocking.” GOLF: The golf team will get started on Tuesday, March 16 at 3:30 p.m. at Ocean City Golf Club. They will play eight matches this season, four less than usual. There will also be a Bayside Conference championship. About 25 players have been on the golf course practicing for a few weeks, but tryouts for the team don’t begin until Tuesday. “We’ll have a young team. Everyone is excited to play and be out on the golf course, even if it’s a com-
pressed season,” Coach Dan Stearman said. “It’s a great group if kids. We’ve got some good talent for such a young team. I think we’re going to be very competitive as we have in the past.” Stearman will count on his two captains – junior Abby Wesche and senior Katelyn Davis – to lead the group – they both competed in the state tournament last season – in addition to veteran junior Jacob Bauer. The squad went undefeated, 11-0, during the regular season last year. The Seahawks came in second place in the Bayside Conference championship and in the District VIII tournament. Stearman said the goal is to win the Bayside championship this season. “We’ve lost the last two years. This is the year we want to change that,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working with the kids and getting to know them.”
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Workshop held about ‘Tuck Everlasting’ filming in Berlin By Ally Lanasa Staff Writer (March 5, 2021) As part of the fifth annual Ocean City Film Festival, prop masters on Disney’s 2002 romantic fantasy and coming-of-age film, “Tuck Everlasting,” will live stream a free workshop about their Berlin experiences and their work in the film industry in and around Baltimore for more than 30 years. Steve and Lorrie Lorrie Walker Walker, of Lewes, Delaware, will host the workshop called “Props: The Little Things That Make a Movie Work” next Tuesday from 4-5 p.m. Beginning in the Steve Walker early 1980s, the Walkers designed, constructed and dressed sets for hundreds of television commercials and small films. In the 1990s, they moved on to work predominantly as property masters on feature films and television series including “Homicide,” the D.C. location filming of “The West Wing” and movies by John Waters, Barry Levinson and Bruce Beresford. Four of the movies — “Clara’s Heart,” “Silent Fall,” “Swimmers” and “Tuck Everlasting” — were shot mainly on the Eastern Shore. Steve Walker was also an extra in “Tuck Everlasting,” portraying the
card dealer. “Tuck Everlasting,” which stars Alexis Bledel, Sissy Spacek, Ben Kingsley and William Hurt, takes place in the fictional village of “Treegap.” For the movie, downtown Berlin was transformed back to the turn of the 20th Century, complete with dirt roads, horses and carriages. This year marks the 20th anniversary of filming the movie in Berlin, said Ivy Wells, the town’s economic and community development director. Wells said the movie plays repeatedly at the Berlin Welcome Center on South Main Street along with “Runaway Bride.” In addition, the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum, 208 N. Main St. in Berlin, features pictures from filming, the movie poster and Assistant Director John Rusk’s jacket from “Tuck Everlasting” alongside the “Runaway Bride” exhibit in the Harrison Room. The museum is closed for the season, but virtual tours are available on Facebook and YouTube. With the plan to reopen the museum in midMay, the operating hours will be Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.taylorhousemuseum.org or call 410-641-1019. According to board member Donna Main, the Berlin Heritage Foundation is planning a weekend celebration of the movies filmed in Berlin at the museum scheduled for June 11-13.
HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Expect to be in high demand this week, Aries. You have the time and energy to give to others, so make the most of each chance to lend someone a helping hand.
TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Now is a good time to focus on your relationships, Taurus. There may be a close friend who can use a little more attention from a confidante and you can fill that role.
GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21
A ticketed event open to the public and free for museum members will be held on Friday, June 11, followed by a showing of “Tuck Everlasting” on Saturday, June 12, and “Runaway Bride” on Sunday, June 13. More details will be confirmed shortly. The Ocean City Film Festival will stream props workshop and live question-and-answer sessions at no charge to the public from this Thursday to next Thursday. To see a full schedule of workshops and to access them live, go to watch.eventive.org/ocmdfilmfestival2021/live. Festival tickets and passes can be purchased online at OCMDFilmFestival.com or by calling 410-524-9433. Tickets start at $10 per feature film or film block. Multi-film passes are also available: six features and/or film blocks costs $49; 13 features and/or film blocks cost $99. All-access passes cost $149.
‘The Friendliest Town’ to be featured (March 5, 2021) In 2011, the town of Pocomoke City, hired Kelvin Sewell, a former Baltimore City police detective and the town’s first Black police chief, to address its crime problem. Five years later, the town fired Sewell over racial discrimination disputes. The film, “The Friendliest Town,” documents the story and will stream as part of the fifth annual Ocean City Film Festival, March 4-11. Pocomoke City, Maryland’s southernmost town on the lower Eastern Shore, has a population of 4,000 people, equally split along racial lines. The title of the movie comes from the motto posted on the town’s sign: “Welcome to Pocomoke City, The Friendliest Town on the Eastern Shore.” In 2011 when the town hired Sewell, it was experiencing escalating crime including drug dealing and violent activities. Sewell, a former Baltimore city homicide investigator and narcotics
officer, had grown tired of the tactics used by the Baltimore Police Department, particularly those targeting Black communities. In Pocomoke, Sewell deployed a different approach to law enforcement and implemented a community policing plan, parking squad cars and walking the Kelvin Sewell streets. The officers got to know residents and built relationships with the citizens. The town celebrated a full year without a murder after Sewell implemented his new system. An ongoing dispute over racial discrimination soon engulfed Sewell and his officers, cost them their jobs and professional reputations, and thrust them into a legal battle that would touch the Worcester County community. In 2015, the town fired Sewell and
MARCH 5, 2021
another Black officer, and subsequently filed “misconduct in office” charges against the former police chief. Sewell is currently the chief senior investigator at the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, where he supervises 12 investigators. Directed by The Real News Network reporter Stephen Janis and produced by Taya Graham, “The Friendliest Town” documents the ongoing legal story as well as the aftermath for the town’s Black community. “The debate over policing has never been more fraught, or lacking in context,” Janis said. “We think the story of how one small town grappled with the issues of race and law enforcement will reveal broader truths about both. “As a veteran investigative reporter who has covered a deeply troubled and corrupt police department in Baltimore for 15 years, documentSee MOVIE Page 35
There is work to be done, Gemini. If your work space is a tad chaotic, then hunker down somewhere less hectic. This can provide the right environment for focus.
CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, make a habit of finding the silver lining to any situation. This shift in attitude can bring more positivity and sunshine into your life, particularly when you need it most.
LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Shift your focus to your home life, Leo. Find various ways to make things more pleasant at home so it can be the respite that it should be.
VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 You are usually better at focusing on the tasks at hand than most other astrological signs, Virgo. Don’t be hard on yourself if you get a tad distracted in the next few days.
LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Get a firm grasp on your finances this week, Libra. Start browsing your bank accounts so you have a better idea of your spending. This way you can better plan for the future.
SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Normally you are very good at keeping your emotions in check, Scorpio. However, letting others see what’s beneath the surface can be beneficial to you in the weeks to come.
SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Take your foot off of the accelerator, Sagittarius. You don’t have to race to the finish line; enjoy the scenery for a change. Stop as many times as you can along the way.
CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, no matter how much time you want to devote to your personal goals, you just may find that other activities require much more attention than you anticipated.
AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, don’t be surprised if you have your patience tested a bit this week, especially at the workplace. You’ll find a way to come out shining, however.
PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Take a big, deep breath and focus on all the good things in your life, Pisces. This will help you ride out any rough spots that crop up.
MARCH 5, 2021
Movie documents Pocomoke’s racial issues with police Continued from Page 34 ing the battle over chief Kelvin Sewell and the rising political consciousness of the town’s Black community offered a rare perspective on how policing can work,” Janis continued. “But it was also a primer on how racism intervenes, and how risky it can be for officers to push back against it.” The Friendliest Town includes interviews with those at the center of story, including former chief Sewell, Pastor Ronnie White, Diane Downing, Pocomoke City Councilman Todd Nock, Rev. James Jones, Michelle Lucas, and Worcester County Commissioner Joshua Nordstrom. It includes archival footage from town council meetings and other events, as well as updates on current legal proceedings. The Friendliest Town will stream as part of the Ocean City Film Festival. Passes are available at OCMDFilmFestival.com or by calling 410-524-9433 and start at $10 per feature film or film block. Multi-film packages are also available: six features and/or film blocks, $49; 13 features and/or film blocks, $99. All-Access Pass are $149.
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POLICE/COURTS
Theft Scheme Evelyn Cordner, 28, of Ocean City failed to appear at a Feb. 3 hearing for alleged participation in a Sept. 2020 theft scheme that used “CASHAPP,” a digital currency payment application, to funnel money from an her mother’s credit card to acquaintances. Evelyn Cordner After a warrant was issued for the September incidents, Cordner was arrested last Thursday in Ocean City. Prior to the Ocean City theftscheme charges that lead to her recent arrest, Cordner had been held in the Ocean City Police Department’s booking facility on a Delaware warrant for similar charges. The Delaware charges allege that Cordner had previously used “CASHAPP” to funnel money to acquaintances from her boyfriend’s father’s credit card.
Possession On Thursday, Feb. 25, an Ocean City Police Officer made a traffic stop in the area of 123rd Street and Coastal Highway after noticing a southbound white Volkswagen with modified suspension and a loud, modified exhaust system.
During the traffic stop, police tried to confirm the driver’s identity, but found multiple IDs and forms of identification. Police were able to confirm the driver’s identity, Corey Van Keuren, 35, of Ocean City, but they were not able to confirm a valid driver’s license number. Without a license on file, and because Van Keuren was not the registered owner C. Van Keuren of the Volkswagen, police determined the car would have to be towed from the tow-away zone where it was parked. Police were required to inventory the Volkswagen’s contents. They found a backpack containing a glass smoking pipe and baggies containing residue, which was later determined to be cocaine. Police also found a blue pill bottle in the glove box that was later determined to contain crystallized methamphetamine. Van Keuren now faces multiple charges including driving without a license and possession with intent to use schedule II drugs.
Destruction of property A local bar sustained damage after a patron believed he and his daughter had been wronged. They thought they
had been skipped in line to play pool. The upset patron, later identified as Albert Hicks III, 49, of Pocomoke, said he was trying to defend his daughter after she was pushed out of line by another patron. Police were unable to determine if Hicks’s daughter had been pushed, as she gave officers conflicting details about the incident. Albert Hicks Other patrons alleged that Hicks and his daughter were aggressive and incoherent. One pool player indicated that Hicks pushed him into a table, at which point bar staff intervened and removed Hicks and his daughter from the bar. After watching video surveillance footage from inside of the bar, police determined that Hicks pushed his own daughter aside and then pushed another patron into a pool table. Exterior surveillance footage showed Hicks ripping a wooden board from an outside bar, causing approximately $50 damage. Hicks III admitted to assault and causing damage to the bar after learning police had viewed surveillance footage. He was arrested without incident, and faces multiple charges including second-degree assault and malicious destruction of property.
Dining Guide PRICE RANGE: $, $$, $$$ RESERVATIONS: Reservations accepted —————————————
DOWNTOWN
South end to 28th Street
CAPTAIN’S TABLE 15th Street and Baltimore Avenue, inside The Courtyard by Marriott 410-289-7192, www. captainstableoc.com $$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Breakfast and lunch served Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 8 a.m. to noon and dinner and lite fare served Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Featuring seafood, steaks and poultry. Daily chef specials. COASTAL SALT 16th Street and the Boardwalk, Ocean City 410-973-7258, www.coastalsaltoc.com $$-$$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Enjoy and dine with the beautiful view of the ocean with Reel Eats & High Spirits. Now open Thursday through Sunday, lunch and dinner, noon until close. Happy Hour, 2-5 p.m. Wonderful starters, soups, salads, lite fare and entrees. Famous bone-in ribeye, burgers, crab cakes, tacos, thyme roasted chicken and so much more. HOOTERS 5th Street and the Boardwalk, Ocean City 410-289-2690, www.hootersofoc.com
$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Enjoy oceanfront, outside dining on the boardwalk and carryouts with Hooters famous original chicken wings, 12 signature sauces, healthy salads, soups, sandwiches, tacos, seafood, crab cakes, Mahi Mahi and much more. Check out the New 2021 drink menu with new crushes and cocktails. Open Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
MIDTOWN
29th to 90th streets
32 PALM Located in The Hilton,32nd Street, Ocean City 410-289-2525, www.32palm.com $$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Open daily, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bar and lounge. Western Caribbean cuisine with a mix of traditional Eastern Shore favorites. THE DOUGH ROLLER 41st Street and Coastal Highway 410-524-9254; 70th Street and Coastal Highway 410-524-7981, www.TheDoughRoller.com An Ocean City family tradition since 1980. Offering breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. From our buttermilk pancakes, fresh handmade dough pizza, and Italian dinners, we have something for everyone!
JOHNNY’S PIZZA PUB 56th Street, Ocean City 410-7235600, www.johnnyspizzapub.com $ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Featuring homemade pizzas, 18 gourmet pizzas, a variety of calzones, subs, burgers, sandwiches and jumbo wings with 20 different sauces. Open everyday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Dine in, pickup, carryout and delivery. LONGBOARD CAFÉ 6701 Coastal Hwy., Ocean City 443-664-5639, www.longboardcafe.net $$-$$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Classic and creative American dishes and cocktails are showcased in a festive, surf-themed setting with weekly specials. Featuring burgers, tacos, prime rib, seafood and more. Closed on Tuesday. Dine-in and curbside pick-up. MARLIN MOON Located in the Double Tree Hotel, 3301 Atlantic Ave., Ocean City 410-289-1201, www.marlinmoonocmd.com $$ Open Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.to 10 p.m. Restaurant and bar with fresh seafood, small plates, desserts and cocktails. SEACRETS 49th Street, Ocean City 410-5244900, www.seacrets.com
$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Open Thursday and Friday, 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. with Island atmosphere. Jamaican jerk chicken, appetizers, sandwiches, paninis, pizza and fresh seafood.
UPTOWN
91st to 146th streets
REEF 118 118th Street, in the Carousel, Oceanfront Hotel and Condos, Ocean City 410-524-1000, www.carouselhotel.com $-$$ | Kids’ menu | Full bar Oceanfront dining in a casual atmosphere. Great ambiance, salads, soups, lite fare, cocktails, drink specials and service. Enjoy chef’s specials, crab cakes, salmon, chicken caprese and shrimp scampi. Friday and Saturday is Prime Rib Dinner for $19.95. Open Friday and Saturday 410 p.m.
OCEAN PINES CLUBHOUSE BAR AND GRILLE 100 Clubhouse Drive, Ocean Pines 410-641-7222, oceanpinesgolf.org/dining $$ | Full bar With sweeping views of the 18th hole, the new Clubhouse Bar and Grille serves freshly prepared breakfast and lunch items. Full bar. Open Thursday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting.
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MARCH 5, 2021
Ocean City Today
OBITUARIES ROBERT F. GRADY Ocean Pines Robert F. Grady, 87, of Ocean Pines, died peacefully at home surrounded by family. Born on Sept. 25, 1933, he was the son of the late Joseph Grady and Mary Ryan Sexton. Mr. Grady was a veteran of the National Guard, serving from 1948-1956. He was a member of Wessagussett Yacht Club for 19 years, and appointed commodore in 1988. He retired from Local 33 in Boston, Massachusetts, and relocated to Ocean Pines with his wife, the late Harriet Grady, in 1994. He enjoyed boating and fishing and was a member of the Anglers Club of Ocean Pines. Robert is survived by his five children; Robert (Janine) Grady of Rochester, Vermont, Michael (Nancy) Grady of Duxbury, Massachusetts, Maureen Stage of Weymouth, Massachusetts, Susan (Michael) Ballard of St. Augustine, Florida, and Kathy (Jim) Fowler of Ocean Pines; seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. All services will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Coastal Hospice, P.O. Box 1733, Salisbury, Maryland 21802. Arrangements are in the care of Eastern Shore Cremation & Funeral Service, 504 Franklin Avenue, Berlin, Maryland 21811. To send condolences to the family, please visit www.easternshorecremation.com. DONALD A. PELLETIER Ocean City Donald A. Pelletier, 76, of Ocean City, Maryland, went to be with the Lord on Feb. 20, 2021. Don was born in New Britain, Connecticut, on July 28, 1944 to Donald and Alice Pelletier. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters, Jerry and Joan. He is survived by his loving wife of 39 years, Diane K. Pelletier. Don is also survived by a large and loving extended family in Connecticut. A Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient, Don “Pell” Pelletier served honorably in Vietnam, and was a proud Marine throughout his life. Don was a wine connoisseur and an accomplished professional in the food and beverage business where he found joy in sharing his knowledge with friends and col-
leagues. A legend in the hospitality industry, Don helped many restaurants with their wine lists. A decision on a particular wine would be final. Owners and managers bragged that he had written their wine list. Although he had worked at other places in Ocean City, he found his true passion in his 42 years at Fager’s Island. If you were lucky enough to have Don as a friend you were extremely fortunate. His loyalty was unquestioned. Friends would seek out Don’s advice on many issues and they could count on a direct opinion. You always knew exactly where he stood on any subject. There was no gray area with “Pell.” On any given day he could be found shooting the breeze with a cast of characters at Ocean City’s favorite places. He brought his unique sense of humor to every story he told. Always well respected among his peers, his friends included people from all walks of life, from around the globe. Don would never hesitate to remark about the significance of his marriage to Diane. Time after time he would say, “I have Diane to thank for that.” Everyone knew them as “Don and Di.” There was no Don without Diane. Years ago, Don had a reconciliation with God, which led to a mecca to the Holy Land and a lasting relationship with the Lord. This along with daily mass had a profound influence on Don’s outlook toward life. He fought a valiant fight against cancer with dignity and grace. He was special to all who knew him and he has left an everlasting mark on the history of Ocean City – a town he truly loved. RIP dear friend, we already miss you. Continued on Page 37
Donald Pelletier
Robert Grady
CROSSWORD
Answers on page 31
MARCH 5, 2021
OBITUARIES Continued from Page 36 In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Macky and Pam Stansell House Coastal Hospice, 1500 Ocean Parkway, Ocean Pines, Maryland 21811. Condolences may be sent to the family via www.burbagefuneralhome.com. JOSEPHINE J. SMITH Berlin Josephine J. Smith, (Jo) died on Feb. 23, 2021, following a 22-year battle with cancer. She was born Mazie Josephine Mills in Parkersburg, West Virginia, on Dec. 8, 1939, to Herbert and Dorothy (Davis) Mills. Her parents were divorced when she was very young. She lived with her Davis grandparents and then her Mills grandparents. She was adopted by J. Smith her paternal aunt, Mazie (Mills) and Charles Johnson, at age 15. She lived in Japan for one year and then returned to the DC area. She attended Frostburg State Teachers College where she met and married Charles D. Smith, Jr. They recently celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary. Jo was preceded in death by her natural and adopted parents and two sisters, Carolyn Harmon and Barbera Sue Morrison. She is survived by two children, Teresa Wheatley (Elsworth) and Gregory Smith (Cynthia). She leaves four super grandchildren, Sarah, Pamela and Lillie Smith, and MaryJo Wheatley. Her siblings include Martha Mills, Carren Julian, Kenny Hartley, Lonnie Hartley, David Mills, Chris Johnson (Rosalie) and Steve Johnson. Jo worked at Baltimore County Recreation and Parks and Wicomico County Recreation and Parks. Jo loved family, nature, cooking, friends and travel. She and Charles took 15 cruises, including one river boat cruise in Europe. They also took four, 90-day, cross country trips, including driving to Alaska. They visited all 50 states, over 15 islands and 20 foreign countries. And Charles bragged he was married to the best cook East of the Mississippi. She was also an excellent bridge player. Jo also supported the Optimist International (OI) organization. She loved the programs they supported and were “friend of youth.” She worked with Charles for over 50 years to support OI. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Ocean City/Berlin Optimist Foundation scholarship endowment funds. Make checks out to Optimist Foundation Endowment and add Jo Smith
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Ocean City Today
CALENDAR to the memo line. Mail to OC/Berlin Optimist, P.O. Box 1403, Ocean Pines, Maryland 21811. There will be no service or reception at this time. Arrangements are in the care of Eastern Shore Cremation and Funeral Service, 504 Franklin Avenue, Berlin, Maryland 21811. To send condolences to the family, please visit www.easternshorecremation.com. THOMAS A. O’KEEFE Ocean Pines Thomas A. O’Keefe, age 90, passed away on Monday, March 1, 2021, at Catered Living in Ocean Pines. Born in Washington, D.C., he was the son of the late Charles and Marguerite (Sullivan) O’Keefe. He is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Doris O’Keefe, and children, Maureen O’Keefe and her husband, Kevin, of ArlingThomas O’Keefe ton, Virginia, and Audrey O’Keefe of Berlin, Maryland. In addition to his wife and daughters, there are many nieces nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death, his son, David O’Keefe, along with three brothers, James, John and Martin O’Keefe, and two sisters, Mary O’Hara and Catherine Guinivan.
Tom was a third generation Washingtonian and a diehard Washington Redskins fan. He attended Gonzaga High School where he fulfilled a family tradition playing football for the Gonzaga Eagles. In 1947, he was named Rookie of the Year by the Scholastic Sports Association. As an Army paratrooper, he served in the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Rakkasan Unit during service in Korea from 1952-1954. He also played football for the Army while stationed in Japan in 1953. He later attended the University of Maryland. He was employed by the Central Intelligence Agency, where he was awarded the Intelligence Commendation Medal. He retired in 1986 after 32 years of Federal service. Mr. O’Keefe moved to the Eastern Shore in 1998. He was a member of St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish and was a member of the American Legion, Post 166, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. A mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, at 1 p.m., at Holy Savior Catholic Church in Ocean City, Maryland. Rev. John Solomon officiated. Interment was in Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Silver Spring. A donation in his memory may be made to: Holy Savior Catholic Church, 1701 Philadelphia Ave., Ocean City, Maryland 21842, or a charity of your choice. Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com.
Fri., March 5 5TH ANNUAL OCEAN CITY FILM FESTIVAL The event will take place virtually and include free, live question-and-answer sessions with the filmmakers as well as a free, live workshop with prop masters of “Tuck Everlasting” on March 9, 4-5 p.m. To see a full schedule of workshops and to access them live, go to https://watch.eventive.org/ocmdfilmfestival2021/live. Festival tickets and passes are on sale now at OCMDFilmFestival.com or by calling 410-524-9433.
FIRST FRIDAY ART OPENING The Art League of Ocean City will host a free virtual art opening where the artists and staff will share highlights from the new exhibits for March, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM. All are welcome. Zoom meeting ID: 849 5895 7918 and password: Friday. The event will also stream to Facebook Live and can one watched at www.facebook.com/artleagueofoceancity.
LEWES DELMARVA DOGFISH BIRDINNG WEEKEND Featuring the seal and birdwatching boat cruises and strolls through some of the most pristine habitats on Delmarva. Birders will also enjoy a limited-edition beer release at Dogfish Head’s Rehoboth brewpub, Brewing & Eats on March 6 at 11 a.m. The Dogfish INN will offer a special lodging package that includes a tickets to purchase a
Continued on Page 38
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MARCH 5, 2021
Ocean City Today
CALENDAR Continued from Page 37 4-pack of Binoculager, a slew of off-centered swag and a 10 percent discount at the brewery’s Rehoboth brewpub and its Milton-based Tasting Room & Kitchen. To book the package, type Delmarva Birding Weekend in the special requests section during online booking or call 302-6448292. Field trips and events must be booked separately through https://delmarvabirding.com/march-5-6-7-lewes-dogfish/.
Sat., March 6 BIRD HOUSE WORKSHOP
Worcester County Recreation Center, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM. Participants in grades kindergarten through eighth will assemble, paint, and decorate a bird house. All materials will be provided. Cost is $5. Info: Kelly Buchanan at 410-632-2144 x2503 or kbuchanan@marylandscoast.org.
LEWES DELMARVA DOGFISH BIRDINNG WEEKEND
Featuring the seal and birdwatching boat cruises and strolls through some of the most pristine habitats on Delmarva. Birders will also enjoy a limited-edition beer release at Dogfish Head’s Rehoboth brewpub, Brewing & Eats on March 6 at 11 a.m. The Dogfish INN will offer a special lodging package that includes a tickets to purchase a 4-pack of Binoculager, a slew of off-centered swag and a 10 percent discount at the brewery’s Rehoboth brewpub and its Milton-based Tasting Room & Kitchen. To book the package, type Delmarva Birding Weekend in the special requests section during online booking or call 302-6448292. Field trips and events must be booked separately through https://delmarvabirding.com/march-5-6-7-lewes-dogfish/.
5TH ANNUAL OCEAN CITY FILM FESTIVAL
The event will take place virtually and include free, live question-and-answer sessions with the filmmakers as well as a free, live workshop with prop masters of “Tuck Everlasting” on March 9, 4-5 p.m. To see a full schedule of workshops and to access them live, go to https://watch.eventive.org/ocmdfilmfestival2021/live. Festival tickets and passes are on sale now at OCMDFilmFestival.com or by calling 410-524-9433.
DRIVE-THRU FRIED CHICKEN DINNER
Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church, 36540 Mt. Pleasant Road, 11:00 AM. Menu includes four piece fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, coleslaw, apple sauce, roll and cupcake. Cost is $14. Stay in your car and use the east driveway. 410-835-8340
‘CREATIVE KIDS’ FREE ART CLASS
Ocean City Center for the Arts, 502 94th St., 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM. Lindsey Winters, art teacher at Showell Elementary School, will lead children, ages 6 and older, in a fun art making session using a variety of mixed media. All materials provided. Masks required. Advance registration required: 410524-9433 or www.ArtLeagueofOceanCity.org/Classes.
FARMERS & ARTISANS MARKET
Saturdays - White Horse Park, 239 Ocean Parkway, 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Shop for everything from fresh local produce to unique handmade artisan goods. Open to the public.
Sun., March 7 LEWES DELMARVA DOGFISH BIRDINNG WEEKEND
Featuring the seal and birdwatching boat cruises and strolls through some of the most pristine habitats on Delmarva. The Dogfish INN will offer a special lodging package that includes a tickets to purchase a 4-pack of Binoculager, a slew of off-centered swag and a 10 percent discount at the brewery’s Rehoboth brewpub and its Milton-based Tasting Room & Kitchen. To book the package, type Delmarva Birding Weekend in the special requests section during online booking or call 302-644-8292. Field trips and events must be booked separately through https://delmarvabirding.com/march-5-6-7lewes-dogfish/.
5TH ANNUAL OCEAN CITY FILM FESTIVAL
The event will take place virtually and include free, live question-and-answer sessions with the filmmakers as well as a free, live workshop with prop masters of “Tuck Everlasting” on March 9, 4-5 p.m. To see a full schedule of workshops and to access them live, go to https://watch.eventive.org/ocmdfilmfestival2021/live. Festival tickets and passes are on sale now at OCMDFilmFestival.com or by calling 410-524-9433.
OCEAN CITY BEACH PATROL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY TESTING
Salisbury YMCA, 715 S. Schumaker Drive, 9:30 AM. The Beach Patrol will continue conducting pre-employment physical skills evaluations for the 2021 session. There are no pre-certification requirements and experience in ocean rescue is not necessary to apply. All training and certifications will be provided in a paid Surf Rescue Academy. Candidates are strongly encouraged to pre-register by visiting www.ococean.com/ocbp. 410-2897556
Mon., March 8 5TH ANNUAL OCEAN CITY FILM FESTIVAL
The event will take place virtually and include free, live question-and-answer sessions with the filmmakers as well as a free, live workshop with prop masters of “Tuck Everlasting” on March 9, 4-5 p.m. To see a full schedule of workshops and to access them live, go to https://watch.eventive.org/ocmdfilmfestival2021/live. Festival tickets and passes are on sale now at OCMDFilmFestival.com or by calling 410-524-9433.
INTERACTIVE STORY TIME ‘LUCK, LAUGHTER AND LEPRECHAUNS’
Zoom in to laugh and listen to stories about mischievous leprechauns and lucky children, 10:30 AM. Also, preview this week’s craft kit: Sticky Noodles. Ages 2-5 years. Register: www.worcesterlibrary.org under events.
TRAVELING THROUGH BOOKS WITH KIKI AND FIFI
Takes place on Facebook, 2:00 PM. As Kiki and Fifi found themselves stuck in a time vortex, Episode 5 takes us through books to England, New York and Australia.
TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY MEETING
Meeting via conference call, 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM. Dial 605-472-5789, wait for voice command, then press 944874. TOPS is a weekly support and educational group promoting weight loss and healthy lifestyle. Berlin group No. 169. Rose Campion, 410-641-0157
Tues., March 9 5TH ANNUAL OCEAN CITY FILM FESTIVAL
The event will take place virtually and include free, live question-and-answer sessions with the filmmakers as well as a free, live workshop with prop masters of “Tuck Everlasting” on March 9, 4-5 p.m. To see a full schedule of workshops and to access them live, go to https://watch.eventive.org/ocmdfilmfestival2021/live. Festival tickets and passes are on sale now at OCMDFilmFestival.com or by calling 410-524-9433.
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP
Meeting via video call, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM. Group provides discussions and mutual support, as well as education on exercise, nutrition, coping techniques, medications and developments in treatment. Kay Kinnikin, kkinnikin@atlanticgeneral.org, 410-6414765, http://www.delmarvaparkinsonsalliance.org
HOW TO STRUCTURE A SPOKEN WORD POEM: PART 2
Meeting via Zoom, 6:30 PM. The participants will use the outlines structure from part 1 to create a spoken word poem. Participants will work on editing through peer position exchanges of each other’s work. Register: www.worcesterlibrary.org under events.
Wed., March 10 VIRTUAL HAPPY HOUR FORESTRY PROGRAM
Tony DiPaolo, Maryland Licensed Forester and Lower Shore Land Trust Board Director, will provide an overview of Maryland’s forest industry, 4:00 PM. RSVP to Taylor Carty at tcarty@lowershorelandtrust.org or by calling 443-234-5587.
5TH ANNUAL OCEAN CITY FILM FESTIVAL
The event will take place virtually and include free, live question-and-answer sessions with the filmmakers. To see a full schedule of workshops and to access them live, go to https://watch.eventive.org/ocmdfilmfestival2021/live. Festival tickets and passes are on sale now at OCMDFilmFestival.com or by calling 410-524-9433.
COOKIE CUTTER BIRD FEEDERS
Takes place on Facebook, 3:30 PM. Learn how to make bird feeders using cookie cutters, gelatin and birdseed. For 4 years and older, with adult guidance. No registration required.
WOMEN IN MUSIC: FOLK. AMERICANA AND BLUES
Meeting via Zoom, 7:00 PM. A fun and informative live music program about the impact of women on music in America. Register: www.worcesterlibrary.org under events.
Thurs., March 11 5TH ANNUAL OCEAN CITY FILM FESTIVAL
The event will take place virtually and include free, live question-and-answer sessions with the filmmakers. To see a full schedule of workshops and to access them live, go to https://watch.eventive.org/ocmdfilmfestival2021/live. Festival tickets and passes are on sale now at OCMDFilmFestival.com or by calling 410-524-9433.
ZUMBA FOR ALL LEVELS
Meeting via Zoom, 2:00 PM. Join certified Zumba instructor Joyce Landsman for an hour of Zumba. This is a webinar style program, meaning you can practice your moves without being seen. Register: www.worcesterlibrary.org.
WILDFLOWER SEED BOMBS
Meeting via Zoom, 6:30 PM. Learn how to make seed bombs, including considerations for seed selection and placement, natural dying of paper and blender-free methods. Register: www.worcesterlibrary.org under events.
TEEN DISCORD GAMING SESSION
Held via Discord, 7:00 PM. Join the group on the library Discord server for a virtual gaming session. Game to be announced. For 13-18 year olds. To receive an invitation to the Discord server go to this registration page at least 24 hours before the program: https: //worcesterlibrary.libguides.com/discord.
ONGOING EVENTS AARP FREE TAX PREPARATIONS
AARP will be at Ocean Pines Community Center, 235 Ocean Parkway on Mondays and Thursdays. Taxpayers will bring their documents in to be scanned so that the councilors can prepare them remotely. The taxpayer will then return the following week to pick up his/her tax return. Make an appointment by calling 443-3732667 or visit www.mdwebscheduler.com/.
DIAL-A-STORY
Call 888-964-2686 to hear a children’s book read by a librarian. Updated every week on Wednesday.
LIBRARY BY APPOINTMENT
Visitors to all Worcester County libraries must call to make an appointment for browsing, computer use (45 minute sessions), copier access and library card registration. The risk of entering a public facility is your own. Face covering and a screening form will also be mandatory. www.worcesterlibrary.org
March 5, 2021
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Ocean City Today
Call 410-723-6397 Classifieds appear in Ocean City Today & Bayside Gazette each week and online at oceancitytoday.com & baysideoc.com
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
Ocean Resorts Golf Club is now accepting applications for Part Time Seasonal Clubhouse and Grounds Maintenance positions. Flexible hours. Golfing privileges included. Applicants must apply in person at
Ocean Resorts Golf Club,10655 Cathell Rd., Berlin, MD. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted
HELP WANTED
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or disability. Appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities are available upon request by calling 410-632-1100 ext. 1221.
HELP WANTED
Come join our family!
Year-round Positions: • PM Line Cook Inquire within at 32 Palm at Hilton Suites 3200 Baltimore Ave Ocean City, MD
HIRING ALL POSITIONS!!
Ocean City, MD 136th Street
Bi-weekly bonuses and daily tips
HELP WANTED
NOW HIRING
FIVE GUYS HIRING IMMEDIATELY
Call 410-250-1199 or stop in today!!! WORCESTER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT Seasonal Environmental Health Aide Duties include conducting water quality analysis at public swimming pools/spas in Ocean City, Maryland. Some evening and weekend work a possibility. Applicant must be a high school graduate or possess a GED. Valid driver’s license required. Pool Operator Certification preferred. Background check is required. Please send resume and cover letter by March 17, 2021 to Bart Dorsch, 13070 St. Martin's Neck Bishopville, MD 21813, e-mail bart.dorsch@maryland.gov or fax to 410-352-3369.
HELP WANTED
by Monday 5 p.m.
Full time & Part time Stop by our location on 52nd street! or call 443-664-2825
LANKFORD HOTEL - Now Hiring! ~ Front Desk Clerks ~ Housekeeping ~ Housemen Looking to work for a family run business where people care? We are looking for motivated individuals with a good attitude and a professional appearance. Weekends are required. Competitive wages. Experience is a plus, but not necessary. Must have knowledge of computers and be motivated to work. Please call Mary at 410-289-4041 or email resumes to: oclankfordhotel@outlook.com
HIRING FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS: • Front Office Supervisor (Must be flexible AM & PM Shifts) • Front Desk Clerk • Part-Time Night Auditor • Housekeepers 9:30am-4:30pm & weekends required. Full or PartTime hours available. Apply in person or email resume to info@fskfamily.com 12806 Ocean Gateway Ocean City, MD 21842
www.baysideoc.com www.oceancitytoday.com
NOW HIRING
AWESOME PEOPLE!
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Part-time position in law office. Proficient computer skills, Word Perfect, Dictaphone, telephone and light bookkeeping required. Familiarity with E-filing a plus, but will train. Please respond by sending resume to P.O. Box 56, Ocean City, MD 21843 Run your business card in our SERVICE DIRECTORY CALL 410-723-6397 for pricing!
Cleaners Needed For Property Manager
*Interviews begin February 13th - March, Apply Saturdays & Sundays 11am-2pm Holding Open Interviews For:
Ocean Pines & W. OC Areas We have a busy rental department. We are looking for some additional cleaners for weekly vacation rentals for the 2021 Season. q References Required q W-9 q Certificate of Liability Insurance q Must work weekends and some weekdays as needed q ID Required for all of your cleaning staff
• Servers• Bus Staff •Host/Hostess •Kitchen Staff •Security Come by and join our 2021 Family! 54th Street, OCMD (Behind Chauncey’s Surf Shop) 410-723-5565
If you are interested, please contact us by email
Hileman Real Estate, Inc. hilemanre@aol.com, Attn: Chris
Work At The BEACH... Work With The BEST!!
Top wages and excellent benefits package available to successful candidates.
Employment Opportunities: Year Round Positions: Room Attendant, Laundry, Lobby Attendant, Overnight Cleaner, Housekeeping Supervisor, Front Desk Agent, Night Audit, Reservations, Painter Seasonal: Server, Bartender, Hostess/Host, Busser, Food Runners, Pool Attendant, Warehouse Clerk, Grill Cooks, Beach Stand, Security
Excellent Benefits
Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel Attn: Human Resources Dept. 10100 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842 Phone: 410-524-3535 Fax: 410-723-9109 EOE M/F/D/V
www.oceancitytoday.com Order YOur Classifieds Online!
• • • •
Convenient Quick No Waiting, No Calls Days, Nights & Weekends
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MARCH 5, 2021
Ocean City Today
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
Amazing Opportunity! Looking for fun, energetic retail associates. Hiring year round or seasonal retail positions in an exciting new candy store. APPLY in person at Sugar Kingdom located at 4521 Coastal Highway Ocean City.
Hiring ALL Positions!! Full time & Part time To apply go to: www.mygcjob.com
NOW HIRING!! Production Crew for our WOC kitchen facility Up to $17.50/hr. Apply online at: www.delmarvadd.com
Become a Better You in 2021! To Order Product Call Christine 443-880-8397 or email: snowhillavon@ comcast.net To Become an Avon Representative Sign Up at www. ChristinesBeautyShop.com
RENTALS RENTALS Seeking Year-Round & Seasonal Rentals! Call Howard Martin Realty 410-352-5555
RAMBLER MOTEL 9942 Elm Street, WOC Sleeps 4, $250 per week Manager onsite 410-213-1764
RENTALS WEEKLY RENTALS AVAILABLE NOW Pool Front Room ...$215/wk Efficiency..............$245/wk Family Room ........$265/wk 2BR Apartment.....$350/wk Burgundy Inn 1210 Philadelphia Ave. 410-289-8581
Yearly & Seasonal Rentals We Welcome Pets 7700 Coastal Hwy 410-524-7700 www.holidayoc.com
COMMERCIAL Want to start your own business? Need an Office Space? Storefront for Rent. 12th Street, steps from the Boardwalk. $10,000/season. 10% discount if paid in advance Call or text 443-783-0469
www.baysideoc.com www.oceancitytoday.com
CLASSIFIED AD NETWORK Serving the Newspapers of Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia since 1908.
BUSINESS SERVICES HOME IMPROVEMENT SERVICES Increase the digital presence NEED NEW WINDOW MARYLAND STATEWIDE of your business! Contact CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING MDDC Ad Services to receive TREATMENTS? Call Empire a FREE Digital Footprint Con- Today® to schedule a FREE NETWORK sultation for your business in-home estimate on blinds & shades. Call Today! AUTOMOBILE DONATIONS from a TOP PERFORMING 866-479-2321. DONATE AUTOS, TRUCKS, advertising agency! Call 443-508-1936, MISC. SERVICES RVs Lutheran Mission Society www.mddcadservices.com. BECOME A PUBLISHED of MD. Help local families AUTHOR! We edit, print and through the pandemic with FINANCIAL SERVICES distribute your work internafood, clothing, counseling. Over $10K in Debt? Be debt tionally. We do the work… Tax deductible. MVA license free in 24 to 48 months. No You reap the Rewards! #W1044. upfront fees to enroll. A+ BBB Call for a FREE Author’s 410-636-0123, rated. Call National Debt Submission Kit: 833-343-1370. www.CompassionPlace.org Relief 855-670-0681.
SEEKING RENTAL
DONATIONS
YARD SALE
Mature Couple Looking For Year-Round Rental in Ocean City, Berlin, Ocean Pines area. 2BR, 2BA minimum. Furnished or unfurnished. No pets. Non-smoking. Starting April or May. 443-783-2627
Do you have an old bicycle not being used? It could mean a world of difference to a hard-working international student. We are looking to get as many bikes as possible. Your donation will be taxdeductible. Contact Gary at 443-975-3065.
HUGE YARD SALE SATURDAY, 03/06, 8am-2pm. Rain date Sunday, same times. Furniture, bunk beds, lamps, wall hangings, clothes & accessories. 7804 Coastal Hwy., OC, MD next to Sheppard Realty Inc. office
COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL 1 Office/Retail Space & 1 Warehouse Unit available in West Ocean City. Call 443-497-4200
1096 Sq. Ft. Former Beauty Salon For Rent
BOATS/PWC BOATS/PWC
PONTOON BOAT WANTED 27ft. Tri-Hull w/Trailer. Ocean Pines or surrounding area. 410-382-3824
Classifieds Deadline is 5pm Monday
SERVICES
Starting Feb. 1. Trader Lee’s Village Corner of 611 and Route 50, West OC. This location has more than 8 million cars per year going by on Rt. 50 & 611. For more information call Bob Jester, 410-430-4480
LOCAL & EAST COAST MOVING Full Packing Service Piano Movers - Full Service
Classifieds 410-723-6397
www.facebook.com/OCBudgetMovers
BUDGET MOVERS 443-664-5797
COMMERCIAL
Ocean City, MD
Restaurant for Lease 203 seat restaurant located on landmark corner & prime hotel row. 5,730 sq ft newly renovated building, plenty of parking, upgraded HVAC, full liquor license, plenty of walk-ins & freezer space. Ideal for crab house, Mexican, BBQ, sports bar, or Ale House concept.
Contact Mark Mayers @ 410-289-4444 mayers@harrisongp.com
Ocean City Today
MARCH 5, 2021
BLINDS & SHADES
PAGE 41
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PAGE 42
ROOFING Gutter Cleaning BOGO Sale
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SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEES’ SALE
OF IMPROVED REAL PROPERTY 8615 TINDLEY RD. NEWARK, MD 21841 Under a power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust from Curtis Savage, Jr. and Connie Lee Savage dated September 25, 1998 and recorded in Liber 2583, folio 263 among the Land Records of Worcester County, MD, default having occurred under the terms thereof, the Sub. Trustees will sell at public auction at the Circuit Court for Worcester County, at the Court House Door, One W. Market St., Snow Hill, MD 21863, on MARCH 12, 2021 AT 1:00 PM ALL THAT FEE SIMPLE LOT OF GROUND, together with the buildings and improvements thereon situated in Worcester County, MD and more fully described in the aforesaid Deed of Trust. Tax ID #04-005589. The property, which is improved by a dwelling, will be sold in an "as is" condition and subject to conditions, restrictions and agreements of record affecting the same, if any, and with no warranty of any kind. Terms of Sale: A deposit of $8,000 in the form of certified check, cashier's check or money order will be required of the purchaser at time and place of sale. Balance of the purchase price to be paid in cash within ten days of final ratification of sale by the Circuit Court for Worcester County. Interest to be paid on the unpaid purchase money at the rate pursuant to the Deed of Trust Note from the date of sale to the date funds are received in the office of the Sub. Trustees. There will be no abatement of interest in the event additional funds are tendered before settlement or if settlement is delayed for any reason. The noteholder shall not be obligated to pay interest if it is the purchaser. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE FOR THE PURCHASER. Adjustment of all real property taxes, including agricultural taxes, if applicable, and any and all public and/or private charges or assessments, to the extent such amounts survive foreclosure sale, including water/sewer charges and ground rent, to be adjusted to date of sale and paid at execution of the deed, except where the secured party is the purchaser, and thereafter assumed by the purchaser. Condominium fees and/or homeowners association dues, if any, shall be assumed by the purchaser from the
LEGAL ADVERTISING Call: 410-723-6397 Fax: 410-723-6511 or E-mail: legals@oceancitytoday.net
PAGE 43
Ocean City Today / Public Notices date of sale forward. Cost of all documentary stamps, transfer taxes and settlement expenses shall be borne by the purchaser. Purchaser shall be responsible for obtaining physical possession of the property. Purchaser assumes the risk of loss or damage to the property from the date of sale forward. Additional terms to be announced at the time of sale. If the Sub. Trustees are unable to convey good and marketable title, the purchaser's sole remedy in law and equity shall be limited to a refund of the deposit without interest. If the purchaser fails to go to settlement, the deposit shall be forfeited, to the Trustees for application against all expenses, attorney’s fees and the full commission on the sale price of the above-scheduled foreclosure sale. In the event of default, all expenses of this sale (including attorney’s fees and the full commission on the gross sale price of this sale) shall be charged against and paid out of the forfeited deposit. The Trustees may then re-advertise and resell the property at the risk and expense of the defaulting purchaser or may avail themselves of any legal or equitable remedies against the defaulting purchaser without reselling the property. In the event of a resale, the defaulting purchaser shall not be entitled to receive the surplus, if any, even if such surplus results from improvements to the property by said defaulting purchaser and the defaulting purchaser shall be liable to the Trustees and secured party for reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses incurred in connection with all litigation involving the Property or the proceeds of the resale. Trustees' file number 74588. Diane S. Rosenberg, Mark D. Meyer, et al., Substitute Trustees ALEX COOPER AUCTS, INC. 908 YORK RD., TOWSON, MD 21204 410-828-4838 www.alexcooper.com OCD-2/25/3t _________________________________ Council, Baradel, Kosmerl & Nolan, P.A. 125 West Street, 4th Floor Annapolis, Maryland 21401 (410) 268-6600
SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE’S SALE OF VALUABLE FEE SIMPLE RESIDENTIAL DWELLING
401 15th Street, Apartment 6, Ocean City, MD 21842 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Purchase Money Deed of Trust (“Deed of Trust”) from Mark A. Nagle (“Borrower”) to Citizen Lending Group, Inc., a Maryland Corporation (“Lender”), dated October 27, 2006 and recorded among the Land Records of Worcester County, Maryland (“Land Records”) in Liber 5007, Folio 777, and default having occurred under the terms thereof, and at the request of the party secured thereby, the undersigned Substitute
Trustee will offer for sale at public auction at the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Courthouse Door, 1 West Market Street, Snow Hill, MD 21863 on: Monday, March 8, 2021 at 11:00AM All that lot of ground and the improvements thereon SITUATED IN Worcester County, Maryland and more fully described in the aforesaid Purchase Money Deed of Trust. The property is believed to be improved by a residential dwelling. The property address is 401 15th Street, Apartment 6, Ocean City, MD 21842. Said property is in fee simple and is sold in an “as is condition” and subject to all covenants, conditions, liens, restrictions, easements, rightsof-way as may affect same, if any, and with no warranty of any kind. THIS PROPERTY IS BEING SOLD SUBJECT TO the legal operation and effect of at least one prior senior lien/Deed of Trust, the balance(s) of which will be announced at the time of sale, if known. Terms of Sale: A deposit of $6,000.00 will be required of the purchaser, other than the Holder of the Note or its assigns, at the time of sale, such deposit to be in cash or certified check, or other form acceptable to the Substitute Trustee, in his sole discretion. Balance of the purchase price is to be paid in cash within ten (10) days of the final ratification of sale by the Circuit Court for Worcester County. If payment of the balance does not take place within ten (10) days of ratification, the deposit may be forfeited and property may be resold at the risk and expense of the defaulting purchaser. The defaulting purchaser shall not be entitled to any surplus proceeds or profits resulting from any resale of the property. Interest to be paid on unpaid purchase money at the rate pursuant to the deed of trust note from date of sale to date funds are received in the office of the Substitute Trustee in the event the property is purchased by someone rather than the note holder. In the event settlement is delayed for any reason , including, but not limited to, exceptions to the sale, bankruptcy filings by interested parties, or court administration of the foreclosure, there shall be no abatement of interest. Taxes, ground rent, water, condominium fees and/or homeowner association dues, all public charges, assessments payable on an annual basis, including sanitary and/or metropolitan district charges and front foot benefit charges, if applicable, to be adjusted for the current year to date of sale and assumed thereafter by the purchaser. Cost of all documentary stamps, transfer taxes and settlement expenses shall be borne by the purchaser. Purchaser shall be responsible for obtaining physical possession of the property. Purchaser assumes the risk of loss or damage to the property from the date of sale forward. If the Substitute Trustee is unable to convey good and marketable title, the purchaser’s sole
remedy in law or equity shall be limited to the refund of the deposit. Upon refund of the deposit, this sale shall be void and of no effect, and the purchaser shall have no further claims against the Substitute Trustee. NOTE: The information contained herein was obtained from sources deemed to be reliable, but is offered for informational purposes only. Neither the auctioneer, the beneficiary of the Deed of Trust, the Substitute Trustee nor his agents or attorneys make any representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy of information. PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS ARE URGED TO PERFORM THEIR OWN DUE DILIGENCE WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPERTY PRIOR TO THE FORECLOSURE AUCTION. For additional information, please contact the Substitute Trustee. Brian T. Gallagher, Substitute Trustee Tidewater Auctions, LLC 410-825-2900 www.tidewaterauctions.com AD#74596 OCD-2/18/3t _________________________________
NOTICE
OF PUBLIC HEARING WORCESTER COUNTY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS AGENDA
THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2021 Pursuant to the provisions of the Worcester County Zoning Ordinance, notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held in-person before the Board of Zoning Appeals for Worcester County, in the Board Room (Room 1102) on the first floor of the Worcester County Government Center, One West Market Street, Snow Hill, Maryland. Masks and social distancing will be required. 6:30 p.m. Re-Advertisement of Case No. 217, on the application of Carroll DelGavio, on the lands of Stephen & Laurie Lyons, requesting a variance to the Ordinance Prescribed rear yard setback from 30 feet to 13.3 feet (an encroachment of 16.7 feet) associated with a proposed single family dwelling, in the R-3 Multi-Family Residential District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(c)(4), ZS 1-207(b)(2), and ZS 1-305 located on Jefferson Avenue, approximately 58 feet south of Hayes Avenue, Tax Map 5, Parcel 1, Lot 176 in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland. 6:35 p.m. Case No. 21-17, on the lands of James Mapp, Sr., requesting a variance to the Ordinance Prescribed front yard setback from a minor collector from 75 feet to the center of the road right-of-way to 59 feet (an encroachment of 16 feet) associated with a proposed addition in the R-4 General Residential District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1116(c)(4), ZS 1-208(b)(2), and ZS 1-305, located at 10440 Harrison Road, approximately 1340 feet south
PAGE 44 west of Trappe Road, Tax Map 32, Parcel 40, in the Third Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland. 6:40 p.m. Case No. 21-16, on the application of Nannette Howe, on the lands of Walter West, requesting a special exception to operate a daycare center in the A-2 Agricultural District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1116(c)(3), ZS 1-202(c)(25), ZS 1-305 and ZS 1-325, located at 10032 Friendship Road (MD Route 452), approximately 608 feet south Griffin Road, Tax Map 20, Parcel 332, in the Third Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland. 6:45 p.m. Case No. 21-15, on the lands of Donna West, requesting a special exception for an increase in the maximum height, but not number of stories, of a residential accessory structure to no more than 35 feet in the A-1 Agricultural District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1116(c)(3), ZS 1-201(e) and ZS 1-305, located at 3546 Figgs Landing Road, approximately 2,015 feet south east of Bayside Road, Tax Map 73, Parcel 121, in the Second Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland. 6:50 p.m. Case No. 21-11, on the application of Hugh Cropper, IV, Esq., on the lands of Cory Carpenter, requesting a variance to the Ordinance prescribed rear yard setback from 30 feet to 20 feet (an encroachment of 10 feet) and a variance to the Ordinance prescribed front yard setback from 50 feet from the center of the right-of-way to 34 feet (an encroachment of 16 feet) associated with a proposed single family dwelling in the R-2 Suburban Residential District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(c)(4), ZS 1-206(b)(2) and ZS 1-305, located on Snug Harbor Road, approximately 307 feet south east of Meadow Drive, Tax Map 33, Parcel 346, Section A, Lot 7, in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland. 6:55 p.m. Case No. 21-13, on the application of Hugh Cropper, IV, Esq., on the lands of Jake & Jacqueline Kinzie, requesting a variance to the Ordinance Prescribed rear yard setback from 30 feet to 24.5 feet (an encroachment of 5.5 feet) and a variance to the front yard setback of 50 feet to the center of the road right-ofway to 38.2 feet (an encroachment of 11.8 feet), associated with a proposed single family dwelling, in the R-2 Suburban Residential District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1116(c)(4), ZS 1-206(b)(2), and ZS 1-305 located on the south side of Snug Harbor Road, approximately 450 feet south east of Meadow Drive, Tax Map 33, Parcel 346, Block A, Lot 10, in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland. 7:00 p.m. Case No. 21-14, on the application of Hugh Cropper, IV, Esq., on the lands of Stephen & Sandra Hadley, requesting a variance to the Ordinance Prescribed rear yard setback from 30 feet to 15.8 feet (an encroachment of 14.2 feet) and a variance to the front yard setback of 50 feet to the center of the road right-ofway to 44.7 feet (an encroachment of
Ocean City Today / Public Notices 5.3 feet), associated with a proposed single family dwelling, in the R-2 Suburban Residential District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1116(c)(4), ZS 1-206(b)(2), and ZS 1-305 located on the south side of Snug Harbor Road, approximately 912 feet south east of Meadow Drive, Tax Map 33, Parcel 346, Block A, Lot 19 in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland. 7:05 p.m. Re-Advertisement of Case No. 211, on the application of Hugh Cropper, IV, Esq., on the lands of Bruce & Nichole Krasner, requesting a variance to the Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Ordinance to exceed the allowable 100 feet tidal wetland crossing by 369 feet for a proposed 469 foot walkway over tidal wetlands, in the E-1 Estate District & RP Resource Protection District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1-116(n)(2), ZS 1-203(d)(5), ZS 1215(d)(4) and Natural Resources Section NR 3-125(b)(1), located at 6333 South Point Road, approximately 302 feet south of Cove Court Road, Tax Map 50, Parcel 37, Lot D1, of the Genezer Estates West Subdivision, in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland. 7:10 p.m. Case No. 21-12, on the application of Hugh Cropper, IV, Esq., on the lands of the Revocable Trust Agreement of Clarence D. Hammond & Louise M. Hammond, requesting a variance to the Ordinance prescribed minimum lot width from 80 feet to 61 feet (an encroachment of 19 feet) in the R-2 Suburban Residential District and a special exception to allow a subdivision in the RP Resource Protection District, pursuant to Zoning Code Sections ZS 1116(c)(3), ZS 1-116(c)(4), ZS 1206(b)(2), ZS 1-215(c)(3) and ZS 1-305, located at 13020 Riggin Ridge Road, approximately 80 feet south west of Center Drive, Tax Map 27, Parcel 570, Lots 20A and 16A, in the Tenth Tax District of Worcester County, Maryland. ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS OCD-2/25/2t _________________________________ C. GREGORY COBURN ESQ 6806B COASTAL HIGHWAY OCEAN CITY, MD 21842
NOTICE
OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Estate No. 18613 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF VINCENT GIAMMONA Notice is given that Anthony Giammona, 102 Bea Lane, Ocean City, MD 21842, was on February 18, 2021 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Vincent Giammona who died on January 6, 2021, 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 18th day of August,
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. Anthony Giammona Personal Representative True Test Copy Terri Westcott Register of Wills for Worcester County One W. Market Street Room 102 - Court House Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 Name of newspaper designated by personal representative: Ocean City Digest Date of publication: February 25, 2021 OCD-2/25/3t _________________________________ ERIN MICHAEL MCCORMACK 119 WEST MAIN STREET, SUITE 101 SALISBURY, MD 21801
NOTICE
OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Estate No. 18608 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF BRANDY J. TERRILL Notice is given that Arlene JoAnn Marine, 3608 Figgs Landing Road, Snow Hill, MD 21863 and Dennis James Marine, 3608 Figgs Landing Road, Snow Hill, MD 21863, was on February 16, 2021 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Brandy J. Terrill who died on January 13, 2021, 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 16th day of August, 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
MARCH 5, 2021 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. Arlene JoAnn Marine Dennis James Marine Personal Representatives True Test Copy Terri Westcott Register of Wills for Worcester County One W. Market Street Room 102 - Court House Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 Name of newspaper designated by personal representative: Ocean City Digest Date of publication: February 25, 2021 OCD-2/25/3t _________________________________
NOTICE
OF PUBLIC HEARINGS BOARD OF PORT WARDENS Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 106, “Waterways,” Article II – “Shoreline Development” of the Code of the Town of Ocean City, Maryland, hereinafter referred to as the Code, same being the Port Wardens Ordinance of Ocean City, Maryland, notice is hereby given that public hearings will be conducted in the Council Chambers of City Hall located at 301 Baltimore Avenue, Ocean City, Maryland. Thursday, March 11, 2021 2 PM, Ocean City Hall, Council Chambers Face Coverings Required PW 20-01 Carried over from 02/11/21 A request has been submitted to install one (1) 1 7’ x 28’ PWC float, maximum channelward extension of 7’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 724 S SURF RD UNIT 1 Parcel # 9544A-1 in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland. OWNER: DARREN BERNSTEIN APPLICANT: HIDDEN OAK FARM, LLC. PW 21-020 A request has been submitted to install two (2) boat lifts with all associated poles to an existing pier. Maximum channelward extension of 33’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 529 HARBOUR DR Parcel #8020A-in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland. OWNER: CLARK HUDAK APPLICANT: HIDDEN OAK FARM, LLC. PW 21-021 A request has been
MARCH 5, 2021 submitted to install one (1) boat lift with all associated poles to an existing pier, maximum channelward extension of 26’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 153 NEWPORT BAY DR UNIT 12 Parcel # 3598A-12 in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland. OWNER: JOHN WILLIAMS APPLICANT: HIDDEN OAK FARM, LLC. PW 21-022 A request has been submitted to install one (1) boat lift on existing poles, maximum channelward extension of 30’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 2209 PHILADELPHIA AVE UNIT 105 Parcel # 3205 -105 in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland. OWNER: THOMAS RIDER APPLICANT: HIDDEN OAK FARM, LLC. PW 21-023 A request has been submitted to install one elevator type boat lift with all associated poles to an existing pier, maximum channelward extension 15’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 746 94TH ST Parcel # 9670 -203 in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland. OWNER: ALBERT LEVY APPLICANT: HIDDEN OAK FARM, LLC. PW 21-024 A request has been submitted to install one boat lift with all associated poles to an existing pier and one additional pole, maximum channelward extension of 18’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 735 BRADLEY RD UNIT 512 Parcel # 9271 -512 in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland. OWNER: ERIC NICARRY APPLICANT: HIDDEN OAK FARM, LLC. PW 21-025 A request has been submitted to install one (1) 9’8” x 14’ PWC float with all associated poles, maximum channelward 15’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 14137 SEA CAPTAIN RD Parcel # 9902A12 in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland. OWNER: THOMAS THOMAS APPLICANT: HIDDEN OAK FARM, LLC. PW 21-026 A request has been submitted to install one (1) 5’ x 14’ PWC float, maximum channelward extension of 15’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 611 SALT SPRAY RD UNIT C Parcel # 9011 -34C in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland. OWNER: PAUL MOULTRUP APPLICANT: HIDDEN OAK FARM, LLC. PW 21-027 A request has been submitted to remove an existing pier and construct a new 2’ x 16’ pier. Install (1) boat lift with associated poles, maximum channelward extension of 16’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 2817 TERN DR UNIT 31 Parcel # 4717 -31 in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland. OWNER: WILLIAM MINEO APPLICANT: HIDDEN OAK FARM, LLC. PW 21-028 A request has been submitted to replace existing pier with a new 6’ x 32’ pier. Install (1)
Ocean City Today / Public Notices boat lift and (1) jet ski lift will all associated pilings, maximum channelward extension of 32’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 2847 GULL WAY CM Parcel # 4892 -A16 in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland. OWNER: PRESTON WALLS APPLICANT: MCGINTY MARINE CONSTRUCTION PW 21-029 A request has been submitted to construct a 6’ x 13’ pier extension to existing 6’ x 26’ pier. Install (1) boat lift with all associated piling, maximum channelward extension of 45’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 610 OYSTER LN Parcel # 8020A-1460B- in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland. OWNER: STEPHEN YARNALL APPLICANT: MCGINTY MARINE CONSTRUCTION PW 21-030 A request has been submitted to install (1) boat lift and (2) PWC lifts all with associated piling, maximum channelward extension of 50’. The site of the proposed construction is described as being located at 501 BAYSHORE DR UNIT 11 Parcel # 5347 -11 in the Town of Ocean City, Maryland. OWNER: JOHN HARDY APPLICANT: MCGINTY MARINE CONSTRUCTION OCD-2/25/2t _________________________________
NOTICE
OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Estate No. 18594 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF JACQUELINE TINGLE ROGERS Notice is given that Patricia R. Jackson, 8544 Langmaid Road, Newark, MD 21841, was on February 16, 2021 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Jacqueline Tingle Rogers who died on April 11, 2017, 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 16th day of August, 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. Patricia R. Jackson Personal Representative True Test Copy Terri Westcott Register of Wills for Worcester County One W. Market Street Room 102 - Court House Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 Name of newspaper designated by personal representative: Ocean City Digest Date of publication: February 25, 2021 OCD-2/25/3t _________________________________ James W. Almand, Trustee Ayres, Jenkins, Gordy & Almand, P.A. 6200 Coastal Highway, Suite 200 Ocean City, MD 21842 CYNTHIA S. JESTER Plaintiff v. ROBERT L. JESTER Defendant IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY STATE OF MARYLAND CASE NO. C-23-FM-17-000463
NOTICE
ORDERED, by the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland on February 22, 2021, that the sale of Trader Lee’s Village Condominium Units 2 through 15 (14 units), 9935 Stephen Decatur Hwy., Ocean City, Maryland, made and reported by James W. Almand, Trustee, be RATIFIED AND CONFIRMED, unless cause to the contrary thereof be shown on or before March 29, 2021, provided a copy of this Order is published in a newspaper of general circulation in Worcester County, Maryland, once in three successive weeks, before March 22, 2021. The Report states that the Contract price for the property is $2,200,000. Susan R. Braniecki CLERK, CIRCUIT COURT True Copy Test: Susan R. Braniecki Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD OCD-2/25/3t _________________________________
NOTICE
OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Estate No. 18612 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF CAROLYN E. SMITH Notice is given that Eva HitchensStephens, 37105 Hudson Road, Selbyville, DE 19975, was on February 19, 2021 appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Carolyn E. Smith who died on January 31, 2021, 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
PAGE 45 objections with the Register of Wills on or before the 19th day of August, 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. Eva Hitchens-Stephens Personal Representative True Test Copy Terri Westcott Register of Wills for Worcester County One W. Market Street Room 102 - Court House Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 Name of newspaper designated by personal representative: Ocean City Digest Date of publication: February 25, 2021 OCD-2/25/3t _________________________________
NOTICE
OF APPLICATION FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE Application has been made by the Undersigned for a Transfer of a Class: "D" BEER-WINE-LIQUOR License: 7 Day, By: Dina Heise, 10607 Shifting Sands Drive, Ocean City, MD 21842. For: Lion Scale Inc. For the premises known as and located at: T/A: Liquor Depot 9935 Stephen Decatur Highway Unit 2 Ocean City, Maryland 21842 Formerly: Leander, Inc. There will be a public hearing on the application in the Board Room, Room 1102 in the Government Center, Snow Hill, Maryland, on: March 17, 2021 @ 1:15 P.M. The Board welcomes written or oral comment at said public hearing from any interested party. OCD-3/4/2t _________________________________
NOTICE
OF APPLICATION FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE Application has been made by the Undersigned for a Class: "A" BEERWINE License: 7 Day, By: Logan G. E. Willey, 2813 Plover Drive, Unit 3A, Ocean City, MD 21842. For: Real Raw Organics, LLC For the premises known as and lo-
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MARCH 5, 2021
Ocean City Today / Public Notices
@ 2:00 P.M. The Board welcomes written or oral comment at said public hearing from any interested party. OCD-3/4/2t _________________________________
NOTICE
NOTICE
The Mayor and City Council, a public community transit service provider in Ocean City, Maryland, is offering the opportunity for a public hearing to provide citizens a forum to present views on the following proposals: FY 2022 Annual Transportation Plan (ATP). The ATP contains requests for operating funds from the following programs: Section 5311 of the Federal Transit Act, which provides funds for general public transit service in rural areas; Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) program, which provides funds for federally required para transit services for persons with disabilities. In addition, capital funds will be requested for the following items: ITEM One (1) Year Preventative Maintenance for Rolling Stock including Repairs, Parts and Labor Three (3) Heavy Duty 60’ Articulating Buses Twenty-Two (22) Heavy Duty 40’ Bus Replacements Four (4) ADA Accessible Transit Supervisor Support Vehicles Transportation Development Plan Study TOTAL
TOTAL $785,000 $2,400,000 $10,727,464 $260,000 $100,000 $14,272,464
A Public Hearing will be held upon request. Requests for a Public Hearing must be in writing and will be received until 4 p.m. on Friday, March 5, 2021. Requests for a Public Hearing and/or other written comments should be sent to the following address and clearly marked “Public Hearing Comments”: Ocean City Transportation 204 65th Street, Building E Ocean City, Maryland 21842
NOTICE
Written comments can also be emailed to: Mark D. Rickards at mdrickards@oceancitymd.gov If requested, a Public Hearing will be held: Monday, March 15, 2021 6:00 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers 301 North Baltimore Avenue Ocean City, Maryland 21842 If special assistance is required at the Public Hearing contact Ocean City Transportation, Administrative Coordinator, at 410-723-2174 prior to 4 p.m. Friday, March 5, 2021. OCD-2/11/5t ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ cated at: T/A: Real Raw Organics 3406 Coastal Highway Ocean City, Maryland 21842 There will be a public hearing on the application in the Board Room, Room 1102 in the Government Center, Snow Hill, Maryland, on: March 17, 2021 @ 1:25 P.M. The Board welcomes written or oral comment at said public hearing from any interested party. OCD-3/4/2t _________________________________
NOTICE
OF APPLICATION FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE Application has been made by the Undersigned for a Transfer of Location from 1301 Atlantic Avenue to 106 32nd Street for a Class: "B" BEER-WINE-LIQUOR License: 7 Day, By: Steven C. Bowers, 12461 Coastal Marsh Drive #303, Berlin, Maryland 21811; Jeremy Michael Brink, 300B 33rd Street, Ocean City, Maryland 21842. For: Three Company, LLC For the premises known as and located at: T/A: Ocean 13
OF APPLICATION FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE Application has been made by the Undersigned for a Transfer of a Class: "B" BEER-WINE License: 7 Day, By: William Evon Fetterolf, 4 Dockside Court, Berlin, Maryland 21811; Brett Del Fetterolf, 4 Dockside Court, Berlin, Maryland 21811 For: Better Fetter Grove, Inc. For the premises known as and located at: T/A: Grove Market 12402 St. Martin's Neck Road Bishopville, Maryland 21813 Formerly: Dale R. Baker and Leslie C. Lunga There will be a public hearing on the application in the Board Room, Room 1102 in the Government Center, Snow Hill, Maryland, on: March 17, 2021 @ 2:15 P.M. The Board welcomes written or oral comment at said public hearing from any interested party. OCD-3/4/2t _________________________________
106 32nd Street Ocean City, Maryland 21842 There will be a public hearing on the application in the Board Room, Room 1102 in the Government Center, Snow Hill, Maryland, on: March 17, 2021 @ 1:35 P.M. The Board welcomes written or oral comment at said public hearing from any interested party. OCD-3/4/2t _________________________________
NOTICE
OF APPLICATION FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE Application has been made by the Undersigned for a Class: "B" BEERWINE-LIQUOR License: 7 Day, By: Norman R. Bunting, Jr., 12827 Whisper Trace Drive, Ocean City, MD 21842; John Francis Natoli, 15 Cedar Avenue, Gaitherburg, MD 20877. For: Tequila Frogs OC, LLC For the premises known as and located at: T/A: Tequila Frogs OC 5401 Coastal Highway Units C1, C2 and C3 Ocean City, Maryland 21842 There will be a public hearing on
the application in the Board Room, Room 1102 in the Government Center, Snow Hill, Maryland, on: March 17, 2021 @ 1:50 P.M. The Board welcomes written or oral comment at said public hearing from any interested party. OCD-3/4/2t _________________________________
NOTICE
OF APPLICATION FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE Application has been made by the Undersigned for a Transfer of Location from 11401 -A Coastal Highway to 11531 Coastal Highway for a Class: "A" BEER-WINE-LIQUOR License: 7 Day, By: Mohamad Ramadan, 13037 Drum Point Road, Ocean City, MD 21842. For: GCBW, Inc. For the premises known as and located at: T/A: Gold Coast Beer-Wine-Liquor 11531 Coastal Highway Ocean City, Maryland 21842 There will be a public hearing on the application in the Board Room, Room 1102 in the Government Center, Snow Hill, Maryland, on: March 17, 2021
OF APPLICATION FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE Application has been made by the Undersigned for a Class: "B" BEERWINE-LIQUOR License: 7 Day, By: Francis Bernard Raffo, 10011 Flotilla Lane, Berlin, Maryland 21811; Jonathan Bennett Latta, 9815 Stephen Decatur Highway Unit 26, Ocean City, MD 21842; Edward Gunnar Johnson Jr., 13515 Holly Lane Unit E, Ocean City, MD 21842; Marc Alan Ginsberg, 744 Ocean Parkway, Berlin, Maryland 21811. For: Fast Eddie's, LLC For the premises known as and located at: T/A: Fast Eddie's 11805 Coastal Highway Ocean City, Maryland 21842 There will be a public hearing on the application in the Board Room, Room 1102 in the Government Center, Snow Hill, Maryland, on: March 17, 2021 @ 2:25 P.M. The Board welcomes written or oral comment at said public hearing from any interested party. OCD-3/4/2t _________________________________
NOTICE
OF APPLICATION FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSE Application has been made by the Undersigned for a Request to expand the licensed premises to include an elevated deck, Request for speakers outside on the elevated deck, Request for Trivia and Bingo games two days per week, Request to allow a digital juke box and Request to modify the licensed property by installing a garage style door for
MARCH 5, 2021 a Class: "D" BEER-WINE-LIQUOR License: 7 Day, By: Peter J. Laviola, 13207 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, Maryland 21842; Raymond J. McGrath, 13207 Coastal Highway Ocean City, Maryland 21842; Deborah A. McGrath, 13207 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, Maryland 21842. For: Beach Barrels, LLC For the premises known as and located at: T/A: Beach Barrels 13207 Coastal Highway Ocean City, Maryland 21842 There will be a public hearing on the application in the Board Room, Room 1102 in the Government Center, Snow Hill, Maryland, on: March 17, 2021 @ 2:55 P.M. The Board welcomes written or oral comment at said public hearing from any interested party. OCD-3/4/2t _________________________________ James E. Clubb, Jr. 108 N. 8th Street Ocean City, Maryland 21842 410-289-2323 410-289-3417 (fax) jay@jayclubblaw.com ASHLEY SCHAVEL 1532 Unionville Road Pocomoke City, MD 21851 Plaintiff vs. JOYCE ANTOINETTE STURGIS 402 Gaither Avenue Baltimore, MD 21228-3020 and WORCESTER COUNTY c/o Roscoe Leslie, Esq. 1 West Market Street Room 1103 Snow Hill, MD 21863 and ALL PERSONS THAT HAVE OR CLAIM TO HAVE ANY INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY described as 1 Acre South Side Unionville Road SW of Pocomoke, Parcel No. 98, Tax Map No. 83 Defendants IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY STATE OF MARYLAND CASE NO. C-23-CV-21-000023
ORDER OF PUBLICATION
The object of this proceeding is to secure the foreclosure of all rights of redemption from the tax sale on the following property located in Worcester County, Maryland, sold by Phillip G. Thompson, Collector of Taxes for the State of Maryland and for Worcester County, to the Plaintiff, the parcel of land described as follows: 1 Acre South Side Unionville Road, SW of Pocomoke, Parcel No. 98, Tax Map No. 83; deed ref. 3453342, tax account no. 01-003321. The property is an unimproved lot, and is assessed to Joyce Antoinette Sturgis. The Complaint states among other things that the amount necessary for redemption has not been paid. The sale was held on May 18, 2018, and more than six (6) months has passed since that date. It is thereupon this 24th of February, 2021, by the Circuit Court for
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Ocean City Today / Public Notices Worcester County, Maryland, 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) consecutive weeks, warning all persons interested in the property to redeem the property or answer the Complaint by April 26, 2021, or thereafter a final judgment will be entered foreclosing all rights of redemption in the property and vesting in the Plaintiff title to said property, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances. Beau H. Oglesby JUDGE True Copy Test: Susan R. Braniecki Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County MD OCD-3/4/3t _________________________________
NOTICE TO BIDDERS Purchase of One (1) Landfill Track Loader Worcester County, Maryland The Worcester County Commissioners are currently accepting bids for the purchase of One (1) Landfill Track Loader for the Department of Public Works – Solid Waste Division. Bid specification packages and bid forms are available from the office of the County Commissioners, Room 1103 – Worcester County Government Center, One West Market Street, Snow Hill, Maryland 218631072. Sealed bids will be accepted until March 22, 2021, in the office of the County Commissioners at the above address. Envelopes shall be marked “One (1) Landfill Track Loader” in the lower left-hand corner. After opening, bids will be forwarded to the Public Works Department for tabulation, review and recommendation to the County Commissioners for their consideration at a future meeting. In awarding the bid, the Commissioners reserve the right to reject any and all bids, waive formalities, informalities and technicalities therein, and to take whatever bid they determine to be in the best interest of the County considering lowest or best bid, quality of goods and work, time of delivery or completion, responsibility of bidders being considered, previous experience of bidders with county contracts, or any other factors they deem appropriate. All inquires shall be directed to Mike Mitchell, Solid Waste Superintendent, at (410) 6323177. OCD-3/4/1t _________________________________
NOTICE
OF APPOINTMENT NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Estate No. 18616 TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF JOHN GEORGE TREIRES Notice is given that Chrisanthe Alesse Grassman, 15319 Jordans Journey Drive, Centreville, VA 20120, was on February 25, 2021 ap-
pointed Personal Representative of the estate of John George Treires who died on February 2, 2021, 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 August, 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. Chrisanthe Alesse Grassman Personal Representative True Test Copy Terri Westcott Register of Wills for Worcester County One W. Market Street Room 102 - Court House Snow Hill, MD 21863-1074 Name of newspaper designated by personal representative:
Ocean City Digest Date of publication: March 05, 2021 OCD-3/5/3t _________________________________ McCabe, Weisberg & Conway LLC 312 Marshall Avenue, Suite 800 Laurel, Maryland 20707 301-490-3361 Laura H.G. O’Sullivan, et al., Substitute Trustees Plaintiffs vs. Donald K. Marchand aka Donald Kirk Marchand Defendant IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND Civil No. C-23-CV-20-000056
NOTICE
ORDERED, this 2nd day of March, 2021 by the Circuit Court of WORCESTER COUNTY, Maryland, that the sale of the property at 307 13th St., Unit B3, Ocean City, Maryland 21842 mentioned in these proceedings, made and reported by Laura H.G. O’Sullivan, et. al, Substitute Trustees, be ratified and confirmed, unless cause to the contrary thereof be shown on or before the 5th day of April, 2021 next, provided a copy of this notice be inserted in some newspaper published in said County once in each of three successive weeks before the 29th day of March, 2021, next. The report states the amount of sale to be $165,000.00. Susan R. Braniecki CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT WORCESTER COUNTY, MARYLAND True Copy Test: Susan R. Braniecki Clerk of the Circuit Court Worcester County, MD OCD-3/4/3t _________________________________
LEGAL ADVERTISING Call: 410-723-6397 Fax: 410-723-6511 or E-mail: legals@oceancitytoday.net
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Ocean City Today
MARCH 5, 2021