OC Today-Dispaatch MARCH 8, 2024
STUBBORNLY LOCAL, EQUALLY INDEPENDENT
Sign up now for new daily newsletter to debut soon. — Page 6
PRICELESS
STEWART DOBSON/OC TODAY-DISPATCH
BREAD LINE From bagels to baguettes, exhibitor CBF Brokerage filled its counter space with baked goods, pastas and other staples of restaurant kitchens during the Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association’s annual trade expo at the Ocean City convention center Sunday and Monday. CBF was one of hundreds of exhibitors who put their best on display at the show every year.
School board fires back In its own press conference, the county board rapidly, and says data compiled so far this year of education rejects the claim by the state’s at- shows that incidents are dropping dramatically. — Page 12 torney and sheriff that school crime is rising
US Wind project faces pier pressure The offshore developer seeks to rehab and use the WOC commercial pier — Page 3
YOUR COMMUNITY Chamber awards: The Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce presented its annual awards last Friday. And the winners are ... PAGE 64
State champs: Three wrestlers from Stephen Decatur’s varsity team took home titles in last weekend’s state tournament ... PAGE 81
PAGE 2
OC Today-Dispatch
MARCH 8, 2024
MARCH 8, 2024
OC Today-Dispatch
PAGE 3
US Wind seeks to rebuild Harbor Road pier Public hearing set for March 25 at Wor-Wic By Bethany Hooper Associate Editor (March 8, 2024) The Maryland Department of the Environment will hold a public hearing this month on an application from US Wind to build a concrete pier off Harbor Road. As part of its plans to construct an operations and maintenance facility in West Ocean City, US Wind has applied to the Maryland Department of the Environment for permission to construct a 625-foot-long by 32-footwide concrete pier at its project location, listed as 12929 and 12933 Harbor Road. A public hearing on the company’s application will be held March 25, from 5:30-8 p.m. at WorWic Community College’s FultonOwen Hall. “US Wind is advancing permits for various aspects of the project, consistent with what has been included in our Construction and Operations Plan and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement issued by BOEM last October,” said Ben Cooper, US Wind’s director of marine affairs. “This permit hearing concerns the pier and bulkhead of a planned operations and maintenance facility required by the
BREAKFAST
Monday-Thursday NEW 9-11am HOURS Friday & Sunday 8am-Noon
HLIVE ENTERTAINMENTH
SUNDAY 3/10 • 3PM KEVIN POOLE WEDNESDAY 3/13 • 5PM HURRICANE KEVIN
state to be located in the Ocean City region. The pier, as many locals know, was built 45 years ago and is in desperate need of improvement. This permit seeks to make those improvements. US Wind has been engaging with the state and local fishermen on our project plans and will continue to do so throughout the process.” As proposed, an operations and maintenance facility would serve as the primary location for planning and coordinating wind turbine and offshore substation maintenance operations for US Wind’s wind projects off the coast of Ocean City. According to the company, the facility will feature an onshore office, marine coordination center and warehouse space, as well as quayside and berthing areas for four or more crew transfer vessels. “In order to support US Wind’s offshore wind projects, an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) facility will need to be established relatively close to where the turbines are located offshore,” a fact sheet from US Wind reads. “The Ocean City, Maryland region is perfectly situated for this facility given its proximity to US Wind’s planned offshore wind projects and the availability of commercial waterfront space. The Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) recognized these important factors when it mandated that US Wind establish its O&M
HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS TINEMWE Monday-Friday Drinks Noon-6pm Food 3-6pm
DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS UNTIL 3PM • CHECK OUR FACEBOOK PAGE DAILY! ONLINE ORDERING AVAILABLE CCFBAYSIDE.COM
MINGO MONDAY, TRIVIA TUESDAY & BAR BINGO THURSDAY 6-8PM
- OFF SEASON SPECIALS MONDAY 11AM-CL: Philly or Chicken Cheesesteak w/ Hand-Cut Fries $12 TUESDAY 2-8PM: Crabcake Combos ... Crabcake w/Chicken, Ribs OR Brisket $25 WEDNESDAY 2-8PM: Prime Rib w/2 Sides $20 2 Single Crabcake Dinners w/ FF, $30
THURSDAY 2-8PM: Burger w/Hand-Cut Fries $12 or Full Rack Of Ribs w/FF & Slaw $22 FRIDAY 3PM-CL: Burley Oak Battered Rockfish w/FF & Slaw $20 Steamed Bowl (Snowcrab Legs, Shrimp, Crawfish, Mussels, Claws & Corn) $33 SUNDAY 2-8PM: 2 Original Classic Crabcake Dinners (5 Oz. $30 |8 Oz. $45) w/ Hand-Cut Fries, Slaw
Dine-In With Beverage Purchase • Subject To Change and/or Availability • NO SUBSTITUTIONS 37314 LIGHTHOUSE ROAD • RT. 54, SELBYVILLE, DE • 302-988-5000/302-993-6959
PHOTO COURTESY US WIND
Plans to build a 625-foot-long concrete pier at the future location for a US Wind facility, pictured in a rendering above, will be reviewed during a March 25 public hearing.
facility in the Ocean City region.” Two property owners in the West Ocean City commercial harbor — Martin Holdings LLC and James and April Reese — have approached US Wind about the potential sale of their properties, the company said. Combining the two properties would satisfy the Maryland PSC’s requirement to locate an operations and maintenance facility in the Ocean City region, US Wind said. To moor its crew transfer vessels at the proposed site, US Wind has planned upgrades to the existing pier
structure. The company’s application calls for a concrete pier with associated wave break and timber fenders and 435 feet of replacement bulkhead. “The purpose of the project is to improve navigable access,” the application reads. The March 25 public hearing, which is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., will be preceded by a poster session from 5:30-6 p.m. In the meantime, several community members and groups, including See GROUP Page 9