OC Today WWW.OCEANCITYTODAY.COM
MARCH 11, 2022
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
GOING GREEN
RETURN OF THE IRISH
OC’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade slated for Saturday (pending weather) – Page 26
FREE
Soccer bucks spur pursuit of higher fees Meehan wants share from tourney’s cash-flush event
JACK CHAVEZ/OCEAN CITY TODAY
VIGIL FOR UKRAINE
Ukrainian Anya Kucuk and her children, 12-year-old Ruya, 10-year-old Aylin and 8-month-old Demir, listen to remarks from Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan during a vigil for the people of Ukraine at the Ocean City inlet on Tuesday. Several dozen people showed up and listened as Meehan, Ocean City Baptist Church Pastor Sean Davis and Ukrainian national Inna Kotwica, an American citizen whose family is still in the war-torn country, spoke to the throng of supporters for the war-torn nation. The vigil was set with the Ferris wheel at Jolly Roger At The Pier in the backdrop and lit up in blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
LOCKDOWNS, MASKS, LOANS, NO TOILET PAPER! Two years ago, no one was prepared for what would happen with covid-19 By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer
(March 11, 2022) It began with the cancelation of the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival. The date was Thursday, March 12, 2020, two days before the event was scheduled to take place along Coastal Highway.
On March 11, 2020, state health officials reported 12 cases of what was then an unknown, possibly unfathomably dangerous and deadly virus. The patients were confined at the time to Prince Georges, Montgomery and Baltimore counties, but it seemed inSee CVOID-19 Page 3
By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (March 11, 2022) The success of a for-profit annual sporting event and the good deal organizers are getting on renting the public beach space where it takes place has prompted Mayor Rick Meehan to call for a look at the city’s fee schedule. “We talk about partnerships,” Meehan said during a Monday City Council meeting in reference to a request from North Carolina-based Beach 5 Sand Soccer to add an August date to their annual June tournament schedule. “I think it could be a better partnership if that revenue was shared to some degree, but of course I want them to be the ultimate recipient of their revenue,” he continued. For decades, organizers with Beach 5 Sand Soccer have annually set up goals and equipment on a summer weekend at the south end of the beach near Dorchester Street for a two-day youth tournament. Meehan said the event began modestly in the 1990s and progressed over the years, with organizers expecting to host roughly 6,500 participants for this year’s event set June 24 and 25. It’s that popularity, and the group’s request to rent the beach from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug, 6 for the reasonable price of $1,280 under the city’s existing fee structure, that prompted Meehan to ask City Council members to pump the brakes on approval. “I suggest we hold the date for Beach 5 Sand Soccer for special events, parks and rec, and the city manager to look at this next fiscal year and moving forward,” Meehan said. “And we look at a different fee See SOCCER Page 16
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Covid-19 toppled one domino after another Continued from Page 1 evitable that Worcester County would soon record its own cases. Buck Mann, the chairman of the Delmarva Irish-American Club, which puts on the St. Patrick’s Day parade, called the difficult decision to scrap the shoulder-to-shoulder holiday celebration a “no-win decision” at the time. And little did he or anyone else know, it was the beginning of many more similar choices made in the name of public health and safety as the covid-19 pandemic started controlling every aspect of life as anyone knew it. From there, one could say the dominoes started to fall. *** Within a few days, Gov. Larry Hogan, following in the footsteps of many governors across the country, issued a series of executive orders to combat the spread of the virus. The measures forced the closure of all bars, restaurants, movie theaters, fitness centers and spas across Maryland, leaving exceptions for loosely defined “essential” service providers like grocery stores, gas stations and banks. Eventually, liquor stores also became essential, while most small, “non-essential” businesses were ordered to close under the increasingly restrictive guidance. Fortunately, federal loans became available to keep many owners afloat. But as is the case with any tragedy, there were some casualties. A contributing factor to some of the closures, especially the restaurants, was the increasingly tight capacity restrictions that Hogan handed down during the final weeks of March 2020. The move played a
big part in earning the governor the moniker “Lockdown Larry” among frustrated residents. As time went on, Hogan more or less ditched the title as he eased up on restrictions in response to Maryland becoming one of the most vaccinated states in the country. The accomplishment, which he touted regularly through 2021, gave him the confidence to reopen the state and drop mask mandates just in time for Memorial Day. And he stood firm against reinstating closures and mandates, unlike some border states, even as a significant surge in cases filled hospitals around the holidays. In any case, it took some time to lose the lockdowns. At the onset of the pandemic in 2020, organizers of big resort events like Cruisin’ Ocean City, Springfest and the OC Air Show either canceled or postponed their annual events as closure orders spread across the resort. In the early weeks, shortages of toilet paper, paper towels and other essential products flew off grocery store shelves here and across the country. In the months to come, supply chain issues plagued most industries in various ways, and the effects still linger today. Around Easter 2020, Mayor Rick Meehan ordered the closure of the inlet parking lot and restricted public access to the beach and Boardwalk to deter people from gathering in the typically crowded spots. Easter weekend was quiet and subdued, and police officers encouraged residents to follow the new rules. Echoing political leaders worldwide, Meehan warned of the serious-
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ness of the virus and emphasized the importance of the mitigation tactics. “We take this very seriously,” Meehan said in an April 3, 2020 OC Today article. “This is something none of us have ever experienced. It’s probably the most dramatic issue that we’ve all faced in … our lifetimes, particularly here in the state of Maryland and in our country. We’re going to do everything we can to protect our citizens.” In the same story on April 3, 2020, it was reported that most of Ocean City’s hotel and motel owners had closed their doors, with only about 10 percent, or roughly 11 lodging entities, still operating. “Of the hotels that are open … they are experiencing occupancy levels in the teens,” Susan Jones, the executive director of the Ocean City HotelMotel-Restaurant Association, said at the time. The forced closures stymied the tourism industry, but Jones said in an email this week that Ocean City, as well as Deep Creek Lake in western Maryland, ultimately fared better than other parts of the state. “Both of us have lots of outdoor spaces and many folks are familiar with our destinations. So, rather than flying, cruising, we garnered that business,” she said.
Fast forward two years, and conditions are improving even more. Jones said she has heard from HMRA members that reservations for the 2022 season are “very steady,” but finding enough workers remains a challenge. When the pandemic hit, J1 foreign students, who typically made up a large chunk of the resort’s summer workforce, were banned from traveling overseas. While the problem was not as evident in 2020 as capacity rules and other restrictions kept the crowds away, the 2021 season was rough, and 2022 could be challenging as well. “The existing challenge continues to be workforce and there are not a whole lot of solutions,” Jones said. “Seasonal housing that turned into weekly short-term rentals have not come back into the seasonal pool, so housing is an enormous barrier.” Worker challenges aside, business should be booming during the second post-covid summer, at least if the last several busy off-season weekends are any indication.
School lockdowns Around the same time that Mann nixed the St. Patrick’s Day event, See TESTING Page 4
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Ocean City Today
MARCH 11, 2022
Testing begins, numbers rise
(From top) Shawn Harman’s social-distancing, bumperstyle tables at Fish Tales ... The convention center sign says it all for spring 2020 ... Vaccines begin to appear, while Seacrets puts its distillery to use making hand sanitizer, which was difficult to find ... Toilet paper simply wasn’t available anywhere for a time ... The inlet, beach and most everything else in the resort was closed during the early days of the pandemic.
Continued from Page 3 Worcester County Public Schools Superintendent Lou Taylor, following the guidance of many of his district leader peers, decided schools were not safe places to be and ordered a two-week closure beginning March 16. Students would not return to classrooms until well into the following school year with a laundry list of rules and regulations to keep everyone safe and healthy as covid lingered. Graduations in Worcester County were scaled back, made virtual, and in some cases, barely held at all. Sports and other after school activities were canceled, along with schoolsanctioned proms and other dances. Students who graduated in 2020 missed out on many milestones, and the class coming up behind them did not have it much better. Taylor said it best at Stephen Decatur High School’s 2021 graduation ceremony — held outside with students distanced from each other. “Each one of you have had dreams of what your senior year would be,” he said during the mid-June commencement. “No matter how fantastical those dreams may have been, I know none of them included a global pandemic … This is the hand you’ve been dealt [and the fact] that you made it here tonight — in person no less — is worth celebrating.” According to national data, months of virtual learning set back progress and exacerbated mental health issues among students, prompting officials in healthcare and education to strongly urge classrooms to stay open for in-person learning at almost all costs for 202122. Up until recently, part of that cost was a strict mask mandate for everyone inside school buildings, according to an order from members of the state board of education, made without support from Hogan. Worcester County felt the effects of everything from virtual learning challenges to mask criticism among parents, and only now are things starting to get back to normal. Last week, Taylor lifted the school’s mask mandate after getting the go-ahead from state officials. And while social distancing guidelines and quarantine checks are still top of mind, many students and staff members saw it as a major step in the right direction.
Historical health crisis While local health officials urged residents not to panic in the early days of the pandemic, a lack of solid information about the virus’ effects, and the unavailability of a cure or vaccine sent some people spinning in fear across the nation. Phrases like “new normal” “social
distancing” and “flatten the curve” became commonplace as people tried to cope in a variety of ways. It was unlike anything that had occurred in the world of healthcare before. “We have dealt with pandemics in the past, both locally, statewide and across the country, but nothing to a ratio of the scale that covid was,” Travis Brown, the public affairs officer for the Worcester County health Department, said this week. “Zika, ebola, influenza ... covid was so much bigger and nastier and it has all of the staying power. So it’s been a real kind of trial by fire for a lot of the different systems that we had in place.” Among the unknowns in the beginning was whether some people actually had covid, as tests were not as accessible as they are today. That fact actually serves as a disclaimer for covid case numbers today, especially during the most recent surge at the beginning of 2022. On Jan. 6, Worcester County reported its highest case rate to date at 34.94 percent. Brown said that more testing equaled more positive cases, although all health officials recognized the rapid and wide spread of cases of the omicron variant. One data point that has not wavered with testing abilities is the number covid patients in the hospital. Around the same time that case rates jumped up early this year, Atlantic General Hospital virus inpatients hit a record 24. The influx created a historical emergency response, which officials also attributed to a staffing shortage. Throughout the course of the pandemic, multiple variants have been identified. From the original strain to the more contagious and seemingly dangerous delta, to the milder and even more contagious omicron, Brown said health officials have learned a lot about virus mutations and how to respond to them. And despite all of the perfected responses and experience garnered in addressing the challenges, Brown said the future remains uncertain when it comes to this unpredictable virus. “The systems and the vaccine and our prevention practices now as a community are all in such a good place that we’re in a good position to weather future variants but we’ll see what the next year has ahead ... and it’s all still pretty open,” Brown said. “We can be more prepared now than we were back in 2019.” He added that people are also more prepared for new, impending surges. “We’ve all gotten so good at things like work from home, Telehealth has made amazing strides in the last few years, the ebb and flow of testing, getting testing, getting masks out to people, we’re in a much better position than we were in March 2020,” he said.
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Ocean City Today
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If you are an investor, builder, or developer looking for the optimal location look no further! This choice commercial property has unlimited development potential with prime frontage on Rt 113 and Rt 54 in Selbyville. These 2 parcels totaling 47.5 acres are being sold together and are within the town limits. Located 1 mile from the Maryland State line and 10 miles from Ocean City & Fenwick Island. Come take a look before it's SOLD! Drone photos to follow of the parcels and site location. MLS DESU185186
Commercial Site in Prime Location hits the Market! 2.36 acres on the corner of RT 54 and W. Line Rd in Selbyville DE. This location is directly across from Yellowfins Restaurant and shopping center on heavily traveled Rt 54. The location is approximately 3-4 miles to the beaches of Ocean City & Fenwick Island. It has water and 8' sewer main that will supply a hotel, shopping center, office complex, medical center, professional center, etc. Lot is cleared. Buy it Now Before It's SOLD!!! Owner Financing is available. MLSDESU184528
Prime 3.61 Acres Property hits the market! It's all out the location & isibility w/high traffic density. Conveniently located on Route 113 & Hamond Road. It is diagonally across from the former Emings BBQ. Owner financing is available w/acceptable contract. Come take a look today before it's SOLD! Possibilities are endless. MLS MDWO113680
Need a home office or maybe even 2? How about a workout room, or maybe a playroom? Are you dreaming of kayaking or paddle boarding off your dock? How about a boat or jet skis? Well here it is, 5+ acres in cul-de-sac in community of Indian Creek ready & waiting for you. You dream it... You build it... You Live it! All this & 2 golf courses within 2 miles and Assateague Island is 3 miles away. You can be in downtown Berlin or Ocean City in 15 minutes to enjoy the boardwalk & restaurants. So close, yet such a peaceful setting. Come take a look today before it's SOLD!! MLS MDWO100390
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5801 ATLANTIC AVE #806 OCEAN CITY • $679,900
37862 EAGLE LANE #336 SELBYVILLE, DE • $289,700
13700 COASTAL HWY #103 OCEAN CITY • $675,000
11402 NEWPORT BAY DRIVE BERLIN • $1,375,000
2BR/2BA Direct Oceanfront condo renovated and remodeled w/top-of-the-line finishes and expansive ocean views. Kitchen has stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops, subway back splash and white custom cabinets. Living area is off the dining area and has glass sliders to a lg direct oceanfront deck w/a completely unobstructed view of the beach and ocean. Master suite is private w/glass sliders overlooking the ocean. Master bath has a custom spa shower w/beautiful tile work. There is a spacious second bedroom that will fit two queen beds comfortably. Second bedroom has beautiful bay views. There is another full bath off the hallway and a full-size laundry room w/new w/d and water heater. You will love the lg private balcony overlooking the ocean complete w/storm shutters. You can enjoy breathtaking sunsets as well right from the unit if you leave the front storm door open. Have it all, both sunrise and sunset. The condo is conveniently located midtown, close to local favorite restaurants and shopping venues. There is a lg outdoor pool and the condo has two assigned parking spaces. This condo was professionally renovated by a licensed contractor. Permits were obtained for all work and renovations took place Oct 2021-Jan. 2022 and all work has been completed. Glass shower door will be installed on master bath shower week of 2/7. Come take a look before it's SOLD! (Seller is licensed Realtor).
Rarely available for sale, this unit is in Mallard Lakes is only 2.5 miles to the beach. The chef in your family will love the spacious kitchen and the dining room. The floor plan is very open. The dining room flows into the family room which has an electric fireplace for chilly winter nights. There is a sunroom off the family room w/a water view and a patio. On the second level is an oversized primary bedroom overlooking the pond. Second bedroom provides comfort and plenty of room for your guests. There is a full bath on this level. The community has two outdoor pools, tennis, volleyball, a playground, and kayak storage. It is close to everything, including restaurants, shopping, and the beaches of Ocean City and Fenwick Island. This unit is sold partially furnished and ready for your immediate enjoyment. MLS DESU2016032
Stunning 3BR/3BA seaside retreat hits the market! The kitchen has granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, plenty of storage space, breakfast bar w/lots of seating, and upgraded cabinets. Spacious dining area flows to family room w/fireplace, perfect for y/r enjoyment. Off the family room is a large glass slider leading to an oversized covered deck. Master bedroom is spacious and has a glass slider to the deck from the bedroom. Master bath has a shower, jacuzzi tub, and his and her closets. Second bedroom is large as well w/two queen beds and a private bath & upgraded tile shower. Third bedroom is off the hallway and has direct access to the 3rd full bath from the bedroom or the hallway. There is a full-size laundry room with w/d, upgraded water heater, and plenty of extra space. This condo is being sold furnished and has beautiful custom painted beach murals. The condo building has a roof top pool with decking and landscaping that provide ocean and bay views. There is a fitness center, storage locker and 2 parking spaces per unit. Close to shopping, restaurants, and entertainment. Units in this building rarely come up for sale. It is a very desirable building and well maintained. Come take a look today before it's SOLD
Incredible 6BR/5Full BA, 2 Half BA estate on 7+ acres w/fabulous pool and magnificent pool house in a community close to all that OC has to offer! Now's the time to take advantage of this opportunity to own what is, in effect, your own personal high end luxury resort. You and your family will never want to leave! In the exclusive neighborhood of Indian Creek with its own private pond, oversize salt water pool & luxurious pool house. Minutes from Assateague Island & OC. Exceptional craftsmanship with astute attention to detail. This home is built for family living and has custom finishes inside and a private oasis outside. Huge in-ground pool, beautifully landscaped custom paver patio, gazebo & fully finished pool house w/kitchenette, workout lounge, full bath & office/guest suite on 2nd floor. Back yard is fully fenced and offers views of the pond. Fabulous gourmet kitchen with eat-in dining area, wet bar, wine cooler, center island & Corian countertops. Spacious great room w/wood burning fireplace. 3-season sunroom w/screened in porch off the kitchen which overlooks pool & landscaped grounds. Formal living area and study w/fireplace. 2nd level master suite complete w/sitting area & master bath. 3 car garage, hardwood floors, custom tile floors, crown moldings, tray ceilings, built-ins, custom cabinetry, hardwood floors, custom window treatments and 4 zone high efficiency heat pump system. MLS MDWO2002620
Thinking of Selling? Buyer Demand is STRONG! Now is the OPTIMAL TIME TO LIST. Let's connect to discuss how you can put your house on the MARKET TODAY! The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate 2022 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company. ©2015 a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker logo, Coldwell Banker Previews International and the Previews logo are registered and unregistered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. 10771BALT_07/15
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MARCH 11, 2022
Ocean City Today
COVID-19 TIMELINE 2020 March 12: The threat of the spread of an unknown, highly contagious and potentially dangerous virus forced Worcester County Public Schools officials to order their first two-week closure beginning March 16. Members of the Delmarva Irish-American Club canceled their annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Ocean City. March 16: Gov. Larry Hogan issued executive orders to combat the spread of the pandemic across the state. They included “indefinitely” closing all bars, restaurants, movie theaters, fitness centers and spas. Exceptions were made for restaurants to continue offering carryout, drive-thru and delivery services; health care facility eateries were allowed to remain open; and essential service providers, like grocery stores, gas stations, banks and food delivery services were also exempt. March 17: The Worcester County Commissioners issued a local state of emergency and the governor ordered all mass gatherings, which was initially reduced to 250 people, to no more than
50. The order encompassed all social, community, spiritual, religious, leisure and sports events. March 19: All shopping malls and entertainment shops were ordered closed and no more than 10 people were allowed in a space. Restaurants and bars were given permission to deliver takeout and delivery of alcohol products, and trucks were allowed to exceed weight limits to move necessary supplies. BWI Airport was restricted to ticketed passengers and badged employees. Atlantic General Hospital reported its first covid patient, a man in his 30s, recovering at home.
March 26: Ocean City Council members held their first virtual Zoom meeting. March 30: The governor declared a stay-at-home directive, or legal reinforcement to his previous orders to self-isolate and limit gatherings. March 30-31: Ocean City hotels and motels saw record low occupancy rates. Mayor Meehan and City Council members restricted short-term rentals through declaration of an emergency regulation and closed off the inlet parking lot. April 1: Ocean City council members canceled Springfest, which was initially set May 7-10.
March 22: Mayor Rick Meehan and members of the Ocean City Council closed the beach and Boardwalk to the public and restricted access until April.
Mid-April: Organizers canceled the annual spring Cruisin’ Ocean City event set for the end of May.
March 23: Gov. Hogan ordered the closure of all non-essential businesses.
April 24: The OC Air Show organizer announced postponement of the 2020 event, set initially for the second week of June.
March 25: The state superintendent of schools ordered the closure of public schools for another four weeks.
April 28: Resort officials unveiled phased plans to reopen for summer 2020. Worcester County recorded its first covid death, a woman in her 80s who was in hospice care in Berlin. May 6: The state superintendent announced that schools would not reopen for the remainder of the academic year. The beach and Boardwalk were allowed to reopen after Gov. Hogan announced that residents could participate in a broader range of physical activities. May 13: Gov. Hogan lifted the state’s stay-athome order and ordered the reopening of certain businesses and personal services. May 14: Mayor Meehan lifted the resort’s shortterm rental ban. Local officials called for the governor to lift the outdoor dining ban, or give authority back to county officials. May 29: Gov. Hogan lifted the statewide outdoor dining ban, with social distancing and other covid safety rules in place, just in time for Memorial Day weekend.
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June 12: Indoor dining was reinstated with a 50 percent capacity restriction. Amusement parks, mini golf courses and go-kart tracks reopened as well. June 19: Restaurant owners and managers began struggling with staffing with the lifting of restrictions. June 22: A federal ban on all temporary travel visas officially closed the door to J1 foreign student workers for the 2020 season. Ocean City Council members announced post-
ponement of the annual Fourth of July fireworks. July 2: The air show organizer announced the 2020 event would be rescheduled in August. July Fourth weekend: Business owners reported “success” despite covid restrictions and challenges. July 14: Ocean City council members voted nixed any possiblity that Boardwalk trams would run during the 2020 season. July 17: The Ocean City convention center reopened for its first event, the Starpower National Convention, since closing its doors for five months. Mid and late July: Numerous bars and restaurants temporarily closed because of covid cases and “out of abundance of caution” as cases went up. July 21: The county commissioners vowed to crack down on bars and restaurants that were not following covid guidelines in response to a July 14 letter from Gov. Hogan. July 29: Gov. Hogan issued a statewide mask mandate in public spaces as of 5 p.m., July 31. OC BikeFest organizers canceled their 2020 events, which were set for September. July 30: Worcester County Public Schools Superintendent Lou Taylor announced that schools would begin the 2020-21 academic year with virtual, distance learning. Aug. 6: Worcester County reported the highest covid case rate in the state at 6.43 percent as numbers began decreasing statewide. Aug. 15: The Ocean City Air Show was held, two months after it was originally set to take place. Aug. 17: Resort officials canceled Sunfest 2020, originally set to take place in early October. Instead, council members gave the goahead to SunLITE, a watered-down version of the annual event. Sept. 1: Council members decided not to support SunLITE, instead leaving it up to business owners to put on. Labor Day weekend: Business owners reported a “great finale” to the summer season, all things considered. Sept. 8: Worcester County Public Schools returned to classes virtually, while local private institutions returned in-person for the 2020-21 academic year.
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Realtors® to the Coolest Small Town in America
19 WESTMINSTER DRIVE • BERLIN Located in the Town of Berlin w/in walking distance to the downtown area and schools. This open floor plan home has laminate flooring throughout. Cathedral ceilings create an open and airy living space. A three-sided gas fireplace will keep it cozy in the winter. All bedrooms have walk in closets for plenty of storage. A one car garage and outside shed will work for additional accessory uses. Large concrete deck and patio off the rear of the house. $345,000
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Cam Bunting, Broker Bunting Realty, Inc. 24 Broad Street, Berlin, MD 21811 Office: 410-641-3313 • Cell: 410-713-2065 • www.buntingrealty.com
MARCH 11, 2022
Ocean City Today
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