OC Today WWW.OCEANCITYTODAY.COM
MARCH 8, 2019
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
FILM FEST
REEL THRILLS
The Ocean City Film Festival begins Friday, with scores of independents waiting to be viewed. Page 25
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Turf supplier has legal difficulties Decatur field provider says it’s solved issues that led to lawsuits
STEWART DOBSON/OCEAN CITY TODAY
WRAP IT AND BAGUETTE Members of the lodging and restaurant industries sample the wares of Uptown Bakers of Hyattsville at the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association Trade Expo Monday in the convention center.
HMRA SHOW: A PUSH ON VEGGIE BURGERS By Victor Fernandes Staff Writer (March 8, 2019) Thomas Steele was on the hunt Monday for a veggie burger, not one to eat, but one to serve. The fact that not everyone in Ocean City wants to or can eat meat has become quite clear for Steele, who serves as a manager at Ocean Pines Yacht Club, where he routinely hears requests for a non-meat alternative.
“You don’t necessarily have a ton of vegetarians or vegans coming in. But you have at least one or two a night regardless if it’s a slow night, busy night,” said Steele, whose pursuit for the club’s newest menu item took him to the Ocean City Hotel-MotelRestaurant Association’s 45th annual Spring Trade Expo. Specifically, he found himself in the back See VEGGIE Page 6
grass called “Duraspine,” which the plaintiffs allege degraded much more rapidly than the company had represented. While defending that By Morgan Pilz product’s performance, Staff Writer (March 8, 2019) When FieldTurf USA Senior Vice plans for new turf on the ath- President Joseph Germani letic field at Stephen Decatur said the company nevertheHigh School were approved less ceased using that prodon Feb. 19, by the Worcester uct in 2010. County Board Board of Edof Education, ucation spokesthe board knew ‘The Worcester County woman Carrie only that it had Sterrs also conBoard of Education used the con- followed its purchasing firmed that the tractor, Fieldcompany will Turf USA, twice policy and the Code of be using fibers Maryland Regulations of its own crebefore. It apparently ation, not (COMAR)…’ did not know Duraspine, for Carrie Sterrs that FieldTurf is the Stephen Debeing sued in catur project. federal court in New Jersey She also explained the by dozens of former clients, process by which FieldTurf including Montgomery was selected to supply the County parks, after the artifi- turf aspect of the $1.3 million cial turf the company sold to project. those jurisdictions reportedly “The Worcester County failed to perform as adver- Board of Education followed tised. its purchasing policy and the Apparently at issue in Code of Maryland Regulathose cases is synthetic See TURF Page 7
Resort pushes for tougher car event restrictions Police, city officials deliver resort’s case for widening parameters of existing law By Greg Ellison Staff Writer (March 8, 2019) Bolstering special event zone legislation approved by the Maryland General Assembly last year
to address unruly behavior during annual car events in Ocean City is the aim of Senate Bill 682, which had a Judicial Proceedings committee hearing Tuesday in Annapolis. Testifying is support of SB 682 was primary sponsor Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (D-38), who was joined by Mayor Rick Meehan, Police Chief Ross Buzzuro and OCPD Lt. Scott Harner at
the committee hearing this week. Carozza said SB 682 is a priority local emergency bill focused on enhancing a 2018 public safety initiative for a trio of yearly auto-themed events. Del. Wayne Hartman (D-38C) is primary sponsor of cross-filed HB 789. “We created a special event zone, which is very similar to construction work zones or school zones,” she said.
“This only affects three events for 12 days out of the whole year.” In February 2018, then-Sen. Jim Mathias (D-38) introduced SB 872, along with cross-filed HB 1406 sponsored by then Del. Carozza (D-38C), which authorized the State Highway Administration to designate roadways under its purview as special event See TOUGHER Page 53